Category: Life in Christ

Rice on World Leadership

Peanut Gallery – What role should America play in the dangerous world in which we live… lead, follow, or get out of the way? Condoleezza Rice made a compelling case for America to resume its role as a world leader.

Personally, I can’t begin to imagine what it would be like to be the parent of the last service person killed in Afghanistan before we leave that miserable place. Right now, my USMC son and his family are potentially in harm’s way in the Middle East. So I have a stake in American foreign policy.

The problem, as I see it, is that the current administration doesn’t know what it’s doing or why it’s doing it. When was the last time you heard the president explain why we are in Afghanistan and the terms for measuring success or failure?

Ron Paul’s idea of bringing everyone home and minding our own business is appealing… but delusional. World leadership is a dirty business. But if not us, whom? Iran, China, Russia, North Korea, Venezuela, Europe?

Nature abhors a vacuum. If we don’t fill the current world leadership vacuum, some one else will… and it won’t be pretty.

Check out Rice’s speech here –

Morning Reading: John 4.25-29 NLT

The [Samaritan] woman said, “I know the Messiah is coming—the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”

Then Jesus told her, “I Am the Messiah!”

….The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?” So the people came streaming from the village to see him. John 4.25-29 NLT

Please pray for Moroccan people.

August 29 | Morocco – The church is growing in unity and action as a result of a strong basis of prayer and respect. Please pray also for a genuine love for studying the Bible deeply and for an application of the lessons in daily life. Pray for an extension of the study program inside the country.

Morocco has a population of over 32 million people, approx 22,000 are Christian. Proselytising is strictly forbidden and converts from Islam can pay a heavy price – see Open Doors link.

This Wikipedia article will give you some background on Morocco – click here – but the plight of Christians is better told here – Open Doors link.

In Morocco, Christian expats have a degree of freedom to assemble and worship. The difficulty comes with faith sharing.

“But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ.” 1 Peter 3.14-16 NLT

Please pray for God to provide opportunities for Christians to explain the reason for their hope in Christ… and that Christians would have a story to tell and a lifestyle that proves it.

Morning Reading: John 4.23-24 ESV

“The hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
John 4.23-24 ESV

Please pray for the people of Mauritania

August 28 | Mauritania – Current translation and publishing efforts in the local
languages of Mauritania are scattered and there is little communication about what is available. Pray for unity and cooperation, so that more people in Mauritania will have access to the Bible in their own language.

Where is Mauritania? Here’s a Google map link – click here – it’s a mostly isolated desert country on the west coast of Africa. Here’s a link to the Wikipedia entry – click here.

Slavery in Mauritania has been called a major human rights issue as well as female genital mutilation/cutting, child labour, and human trafficking. Wikipedia

Open Doors describes Mauritania this way – click here. Life is hard for the people of Mauritania and even harder for believers.

“For you are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory.” Psalm 32.7 NLT

Please pray for God’s protection and comfort in a world far beyond anything we can understand.