Tag: Christians

Morning Reading: Acts 28:1-10 NLT ~ power healing

Reading: Acts 28:1-10 NLT

Once we were safe on shore, we learned that we were on the island of Malta. The people of the island were very kind to us. It was cold and rainy, so they built a fire on the shore to welcome us.

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As Paul gathered an armful of sticks and was laying them on the fire, a poisonous snake, driven out by the heat, bit him on the hand. The people of the island saw it hanging from his hand and said to each other, “A murderer, no doubt! Though he escaped the sea, justice will not permit him to live.”

But Paul shook off the snake into the fire and was unharmed. The people waited for him to swell up or suddenly drop dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw that he wasn’t harmed, they changed their minds and decided he was a god.

Near the shore where we landed was an estate belonging to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us and treated us kindly for three days.

As it happened, Publius’s father was ill with fever and dysentery. Paul went in and prayed for him, and laying his hands on him, he healed him. Then all the other sick people on the island came and were healed. As a result we were showered with honors, and when the time came to sail, people supplied us with everything we would need for the trip.

Prayer: Lord Jesus- by your stripes we are healed. Give me the courage and boldness to pray for the healing of those who are sick. Teach me how to pray with conviction and confidence in the power of your name. Teach me how to listen to the movement of your Spirit in the cries of those who are sick and lost. And may you always be in the center of  it all… leading, guiding,  speaking, healing… all to your glory. Amen.

Spiritual Song: “The Power of the Cross” – Stuart Townend

Oh, to see the dawn / Of the darkest day: Christ on the road to Calvary. Tried by sinful men, Torn and beaten, then Nailed to a cross of wood.

This, the pow’r of the cross: Christ became sin for us; Took the blame, bore the wrath- We stand forgiven at the cross.

Oh, to see the pain / Written on Your face, Bearing the awesome weight of sin. Ev’ry bitter thought, Ev’ry evil deed / Crowning Your bloodstained brow.

This, the pow’r of the cross: Christ became sin for us; Took the blame, bore the wrath- We stand forgiven at the cross.

Now the daylight flees; Now the ground beneath / Quakes as its Maker bows His head. Curtain torn in two, Dead are raised to life; “Finished!” the vict’ry cry.

This, the pow’r of the cross: Christ became sin for us; Took the blame, bore the wrath- We stand forgiven at the cross.

Oh, to see my name / Written in the wounds, For through Your suffering I am free. Death is crushed to death; Life is mine to live, Won through Your selfless love.

This, the pow’r of the cross: Son of God-slain for us. What a love! What a cost! We stand forgiven at the cross.

Morning Reading: Acts 27:39-44 NLT ~ shipwreck

Reading: Acts 27:39-44 NLT

Shipwreck Marius Cazeneuve, ca 1904.
Shipwreck
Marius Cazeneuve, ca 1904.

When morning dawned, they didn’t recognize the coastline, but they saw a bay with a beach and wondered if they could get to shore by running the ship aground. So they cut off the anchors and left them in the sea. Then they lowered the rudders, raised the foresail, and headed toward shore.

But they hit a shoal and ran the ship aground too soon. The bow of the ship stuck fast, while the stern was repeatedly smashed by the force of the waves and began to break apart.

The soldiers wanted to kill the prisoners to make sure they didn’t swim ashore and escape. But the commanding officer wanted to spare Paul, so he didn’t let them carry out their plan.

Then he ordered all who could swim to jump overboard first and make for land. The others held on to planks or debris from the broken ship. So everyone escaped safely to shore.

Prayer: Lord God – the story of Paul’s journey to Italy is filled with perils and rescues… with the ultimate end of taking him to Rome to witness to your love and mercy as expressed in your Son, Jesus Christ. Nothing is able to deter your greater purpose in his life… your mission to bring Good News to the gentiles.

Help me to discern your purpose and mission for the stage of life in which I find myself today. Give me a sense of clarity… how I can be a bearer of the Good News of Jesus Christ to others. And give me the courage and determination to fulfill this mission… regardless of the cost. I ask it in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Spiritual Song: “For the Sake of the World” – Bethel Church Music

I’m laying down my life / I’m giving up control / I’m never looking back / I surrender all / I’m living for Your glory on the earth

This passion in my heart / This stirring in my soul / To see the nations bow / For all the world to know / I’m living for Your glory on the earth

For the sake of the world burn like a fire in me / Light a flame in my soul for every eye to see / For the sake of the world burn like a fire in me

For every knee to bow down / For every heart to believe / For every voice to cry out / Burn like a fire in me / For every tongue to confess / You alone are the King /  You are the hope of the earth / Burn like a fire in me

Please pray for Christians in India – World Watch List #31

INDIA(Wikipedia) – World Watch List #31 (Open Doors UK)

india-mapPopulation: 1.2 billion (71 million Christians)
Main Religion: Hinduism
Government: Federal republic
Source of Persecution: Religious militancy/Islamic extremism/ Organised corruption

Religious militants are one of the most prominent attackers of the Christian minority, claiming that every Indian has to be Hindu. ‘Anti-conversion laws’ have been adopted in several states and are frequently used as a pretext to disrupt church services and to harass and accuse Christians. Permission to build or renovate a church building is almost impossible and church activities can be perceived as ‘hurting religious feelings’ and ‘disturbing peace and order’. The caste system, which is deeply rooted in society, makes outreach extremely difficult.

India1PLEASE PRAY:

  • For Christians attending Open Doors’ ‘Standing Strong through the Storm’ seminars to strengthen them in the face of persecution
  • For converts from Hindu or Muslim backgrounds, who face exclusion by friends and family
  • Praise God that, despite the troubles, the Indian church is growing.

PERSECUTION DYNAMICS:

India2 manReligious militants who follow the Hindutva ideology believe that every Indian must be Hindu, and are one of the main sources of persecution. The Christian minority therefore never relies on fair treatment and is discouraged from claiming their rights. The successful political party relying on this is Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). ‘Anti-conversion laws’ have been adopted in several federal states and are frequently used as a pretext to disturb and disrupt church services as well as to harass and accuse Christians. Permission to build or renovate a church building is almost impossible and all church activities can be perceived as ‘hurting religious feelings’ and ‘disturbing peace and order’.

India NaxalitesA Maoist-Communist movement called the ‘Naxalites‘, which fights the government, can be found in at least 12 states. They perceive Christians as enemies who have links with the government and the West. Islamic extremism also continues to grow and converts from a Muslim background have to withstand exclusion by their family, friends and neighbours, which can be also true for Hindu converts. The Hindutva movement is also targeting tribes aggressively and corruption is rife in the country. The caste system, which is deeply rooted in society, makes outreach extremely difficult. Despite all these troubles, the Indian church is growing. It is very likely that persecution will increase in 2013 and in the run up to 2014 elections.

ANECDOTAL REPORT:

On March 12 in a southeast India village, the local newspaper published allegations that the Divya Jyoti Church had been built on government land.

Members of Divya Jyoti Church were too late to stop a mob from knocking down their building.
Members of Divya Jyoti Church were too late to stop a mob from knocking down their building.

The next day, a crowd equipped with a backhoe demolished the small church building, encountering no resistance from the leaders of Guriya Village, in Chhattisgarh state.

Pastor Budhram Baghel said the church building had stood on land belonging to him.

“A temporary shed had been constructed in 2006 on this land, after gaining permission from the authorities and the shed was later replaced by a permanent building,” said Rev. Rakesh Dass, a friend of Bahel’s.

Three residents of Gadia village, filed a complaint that the building encroached on government land. Their allegations were published in the local newspaper, Dass said.

The crowd arrived the next day, led by Kailash Rathi and Yogendra Kaushik, officers of the local Visva Hindu Parisad, or VHP, a Hindu nationalist organization.

Budhram tried to summon help, but it did not arrive quickly enough to prevent the demolition.

Those who protested were assaulted by members of the crowd, Christian witnesses said. They said several local officials, including the revenue officer, land officer, village head, police chief and a group of police officers, watched the demolition without objection.

Morning Reading: Acts 27:13-38 NLT ~ angel in the tempest

Reading: Acts 27:13-38 NLT

Now when the south wind blew gently, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor and sailed along Crete, close to the shore. But soon a tempestuous wind, called the northeaster, struck down from the land. And when the ship was caught and could not face the wind, we gave way to it and were driven along. Running under the lee of a small island called Cauda, we managed with difficulty to secure the ship’s boat. After hoisting it up, they used supports to undergird the ship. Then, fearing that they would run aground on the Syrtis, they lowered the gear, and thus they were driven along. Since we were violently storm-tossed, they began the next day to jettison the cargo. And on the third day they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands. When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned.

The Last Tempest Greg Howard
The Last Tempest
Greg Howard

Since they had been without food for a long time, Paul stood up among them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me and not have set sail from Crete and incurred this injury and loss. Yet now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For this very night there stood before me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship, and he said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ So take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told. But we must run aground on some island.”

When the fourteenth night had come, as we were being driven across the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors suspected that they were nearing land. So they took a sounding and found twenty fathoms. A little farther on they took a sounding again and found fifteen fathoms. And fearing that we might run on the rocks, they let down four anchors from the stern and prayed for day to come. And as the sailors were seeking to escape from the ship, and had lowered the ship’s boat into the sea under pretense of laying out anchors from the bow, Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.” Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the ship’s boat and let it go.

As day was about to dawn, Paul urged them all to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you have continued in suspense and without food, having taken nothing. Therefore I urge you to take some food. For it will give you strength, for not a hair is to perish from the head of any of you.” And when he had said these things, he took bread, and giving thanks to God in the presence of all he broke it and began to eat. Then they all were encouraged and ate some food themselves. (We were in all 276 persons in the ship.) And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea.

Prayer: Heavenly Father – Speak to us a word of encouragement and hope… especially to those of us who are on the verge of sinking in the tempest. And give us the wisdom to let go of anything that encumbers us… anything that drags us down… anything that prevents us from loving you… with all our heart, mind, soul and strength. Send us your Spirit – our Counselor and Comforter – that we might be filled with your peace… particularly in times of trouble. And may we stay the course – regardless of what’s happening around us – of your upward call in Christ Jesus… our Savior and our Lord. Amen.

Hymn: “Be Not Afraid” – St. Louis Jesuits & Bob Dufford, S.J.

You shall cross the barren desert, but you shall not die of thirst. You shall wander far in safety, though you do not know the way. You shall speak your words to foreign men, and and they will understand, You shall see the face of God and live.

Be not afraid, I go before you always, Come follow Me, and I shall give you rest.

If you pass through raging waters in the sea, you shall not drown. If you walk amidst the burning flames, you shall not be harmed. If you stand before the pow’r of hell and death is at your side, know that I am with you, through it all

Be not afraid, I go before you always, Come follow Me, and I shall give you rest.

Blessed are your poor, for the Kingdom shall be theirs. Blest are you that weep and mourn, for one day you shall laugh. And if wicked men insult and hate you, all because of Me, blessed, blessed are you!

Be not afraid, I go before you always, Come follow Me, and I shall give you rest.

Morning Reading: Acts 27:1-12 NLT ~ Rome-ward bound

Reading: Acts 27:1-12 NLT

When the time came, we set sail for Italy. Paul and several other prisoners were placed in the custody of a Roman officer named Julius, a captain of the Imperial Regiment. Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, was also with us. We left on a ship whose home port was Adramyttium on the northwest coast of the province of Asia; it was scheduled to make several stops at ports along the coast of the province.

Pauls-Voyage-to-Rome-Map
Apostle Paul’s Journey to Rome

The next day when we docked at Sidon, Julius was very kind to Paul and let him go ashore to visit with friends so they could provide for his needs. Putting out to sea from there, we encountered strong headwinds that made it difficult to keep the ship on course, so we sailed north of Cyprus between the island and the mainland. Keeping to the open sea, we passed along the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, landing at Myra, in the province of Lycia. There the commanding officer found an Egyptian ship from Alexandria that was bound for Italy, and he put us on board.

We had several days of slow sailing, and after great difficulty we finally neared Cnidus. But the wind was against us, so we sailed across to Crete and along the sheltered coast of the island, past the cape of Salmone. We struggled along the coast with great difficulty and finally arrived at Fair Havens, near the town of Lasea. We had lost a lot of time. The weather was becoming dangerous for sea travel because it was so late in the fall, and Paul spoke to the ship’s officers about it.

“Men,” he said, “I believe there is trouble ahead if we go on — shipwreck, loss of cargo, and danger to our lives as well.” But the officer in charge of the prisoners listened more to the ship’s captain and the owner than to Paul. And since Fair Havens was an exposed harbor — a poor place to spend the winter—most of the crew wanted to go on to Phoenix, farther up the coast of Crete, and spend the winter there. Phoenix was a good harbor with only a southwest and northwest exposure.

Prayer: Heavenly Father – You made the winds and the sea… and you made me – charting my course through the journey of life. Thank you for those who perform acts of grace and kindness to me along the way… who provided comfort and encouragement… who offered correction when I veered off the narrow way. Thank you for the safe harbors where I found can rest during stormy seasons. And through it all, may I never lose sight of my destination… your upward call in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Hymn: “In a Little While We’re Going Home” – Eliza E. Hewitt, 1899.