an ignatian prayer
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Monday, November 30, 2009
Sunday, November 29, 2009
The Heart of the Persecuted.
This devotional explains their hearts much better than I can. Please read: http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20091129
With love in Christ to all,
Dora
With love in Christ to all,
Dora
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Let Us Stand Together
2 Timothy 1:7-12
7For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.
8Do not blush or be ashamed then, to testify to and for our Lord, nor of me, a prisoner for His sake, but [[d]with me] take your share of the suffering [to which the preaching] of the Gospel [may expose you, and do it] in the power of God.
9[For it is He] Who delivered and saved us and called us with a calling in itself holy and leading to holiness [to a life of consecration, a vocation of holiness]; [He did it] not because of anything of merit that we have done, but because of and to further His own purpose and grace (unmerited favor) which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began [eternal ages ago].
10[It is that purpose and grace] which He now has made known and has fully disclosed and made real [to us] through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, Who annulled death and made it of no effect and brought life and immortality (immunity from eternal death) to light through the Gospel.
11For [the proclaiming of] this [Gospel] I was appointed a herald (preacher) and an apostle (special messenger) and a teacher of the Gentiles.
12And this is why I am suffering as I do. Still I am not ashamed, for I know (perceive, have knowledge of, and am acquainted with) Him Whom I have believed (adhered to and trusted in and relied on), and I am [positively] persuaded that He is able to guard and keep that which has been entrusted to me and which [e]I have committed [to Him] until that day.
As I meditate on this scripture, I am moved when I think about how this is the true definition of the persecuted Christians around the world. It is eye opening to what we are to be doing here in America. We go to church and read the Word, but when it comes to putting everything on the line for the Gospel, how many of us truly take that step. I am taking a closer look at myself, as I am asking all of us who say we are Christians to do. I know I have fallen short of this many times. I used the Amplified Bible verses in this case so that we can meditate deeper on these passages and apply them to our lives. In this way will not only be honoring God by doing what He has asked us to do, but we will also be making a statement to our persecuted brothers and sisters that we are not just praying for them, we are also standing with them and sharing in their sufferings. I promise you our sufferings here in America will never be as harsh as the ones they are going through. I can live with a bruised ego and rejection for our Lord Jesus Christ, how about you. I love all of you deeply and I want all of us to hear good and faithful servant.
Your sister in Christ,
Dora
7For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.
8Do not blush or be ashamed then, to testify to and for our Lord, nor of me, a prisoner for His sake, but [[d]with me] take your share of the suffering [to which the preaching] of the Gospel [may expose you, and do it] in the power of God.
9[For it is He] Who delivered and saved us and called us with a calling in itself holy and leading to holiness [to a life of consecration, a vocation of holiness]; [He did it] not because of anything of merit that we have done, but because of and to further His own purpose and grace (unmerited favor) which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began [eternal ages ago].
10[It is that purpose and grace] which He now has made known and has fully disclosed and made real [to us] through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, Who annulled death and made it of no effect and brought life and immortality (immunity from eternal death) to light through the Gospel.
11For [the proclaiming of] this [Gospel] I was appointed a herald (preacher) and an apostle (special messenger) and a teacher of the Gentiles.
12And this is why I am suffering as I do. Still I am not ashamed, for I know (perceive, have knowledge of, and am acquainted with) Him Whom I have believed (adhered to and trusted in and relied on), and I am [positively] persuaded that He is able to guard and keep that which has been entrusted to me and which [e]I have committed [to Him] until that day.
As I meditate on this scripture, I am moved when I think about how this is the true definition of the persecuted Christians around the world. It is eye opening to what we are to be doing here in America. We go to church and read the Word, but when it comes to putting everything on the line for the Gospel, how many of us truly take that step. I am taking a closer look at myself, as I am asking all of us who say we are Christians to do. I know I have fallen short of this many times. I used the Amplified Bible verses in this case so that we can meditate deeper on these passages and apply them to our lives. In this way will not only be honoring God by doing what He has asked us to do, but we will also be making a statement to our persecuted brothers and sisters that we are not just praying for them, we are also standing with them and sharing in their sufferings. I promise you our sufferings here in America will never be as harsh as the ones they are going through. I can live with a bruised ego and rejection for our Lord Jesus Christ, how about you. I love all of you deeply and I want all of us to hear good and faithful servant.
Your sister in Christ,
Dora
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Let Christ Be Exalted In Our Bodies
Philippians 1:20-23 (New International Version)
20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far;
As I read these words I think about the persecuted Christians around the world and how they are living these words. With all of our freedoms in America we should be thankful for what we have and pray for the ones who do not have what we have here. At the same time they are wonderful examples of how we should be walking as true disciples of Christ. We need to get out of our comfort zones and start spreading the Good News with no fear of what others may think when we speak the Word of Jesus. If we are ashamed of Him now, He will be ashamed of us in front of the Father. I do not want this for any of us. Let us live by the faith we proclaim and learn to be true fishermen of men. This is our God ordained work and right as a Christian. We should let know one put fear in us. Do not be afraid of the men that can destroy your body, but fear the One who can destroy your soul. Let us read about and study these wonderful Christians around the world who are being persecuted. My faith has grown so much in doing this and I know yours will too. Let our labor be fruitful in the eyes of the Lord and let us hear at the end of the race, good and faithful servant!
With Love in Christ,
Dora
20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far;
As I read these words I think about the persecuted Christians around the world and how they are living these words. With all of our freedoms in America we should be thankful for what we have and pray for the ones who do not have what we have here. At the same time they are wonderful examples of how we should be walking as true disciples of Christ. We need to get out of our comfort zones and start spreading the Good News with no fear of what others may think when we speak the Word of Jesus. If we are ashamed of Him now, He will be ashamed of us in front of the Father. I do not want this for any of us. Let us live by the faith we proclaim and learn to be true fishermen of men. This is our God ordained work and right as a Christian. We should let know one put fear in us. Do not be afraid of the men that can destroy your body, but fear the One who can destroy your soul. Let us read about and study these wonderful Christians around the world who are being persecuted. My faith has grown so much in doing this and I know yours will too. Let our labor be fruitful in the eyes of the Lord and let us hear at the end of the race, good and faithful servant!
With Love in Christ,
Dora
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Taking Our Freedoms for Granted
As I read through all of my prayers for the persecuted Christians around the world this evening my heart melted. As I look at my Bible in its nice leather case with all of its bookmarks, how convicted I feel that I hold a very precious treasure in my hands. When I think about all the blood that has been shed since the beginning, including the very precious blood of my Lord and Savior Jesus, because of love. I am inspired, moved and my faith has been strengthened. I encourage all to read about, pray for, and please get involved in the persecuted church. They are giving their lives for Jesus and the Word. Why should any of us give anything less.
I love you all and God Bless,
Dora
I love you all and God Bless,
Dora
Saturday, October 31, 2009
1 Peter 5:8-9
"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”
Satan is trying to stop the growth of God's Kingdom and as His soldiers we must put on the full armor of God and fight with everything that we have. So sharpen your swords (the Word) and hold you shields steady (faith). Pick up your three sticks of dynamite (prayer, praise and worship), we are going into war every time our feet hit the floor in the morning. But always remember this, the victory is already ours. Jesus took care of that on the Cross. Count suffering as a joy, because Jesus suffered for us.
With love and blessings,
Dora
Satan is trying to stop the growth of God's Kingdom and as His soldiers we must put on the full armor of God and fight with everything that we have. So sharpen your swords (the Word) and hold you shields steady (faith). Pick up your three sticks of dynamite (prayer, praise and worship), we are going into war every time our feet hit the floor in the morning. But always remember this, the victory is already ours. Jesus took care of that on the Cross. Count suffering as a joy, because Jesus suffered for us.
With love and blessings,
Dora
Friday, October 30, 2009
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Hebrews 13:3
Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Thursday, October 15, 2009
This is an article I think everyone should read!
What Remembering the Persecuted Church Looks Like
Katherine Britton
Crosswalk.com News & Culture Editor
Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering - Hebrews 13:3
How relevant is the persecuted church to your everyday life?
I keep a daily pulse on religious freedom issues, and channel my findings into Crosswalk.com's Religion Today newsletters. But for all of that awareness, I've realized that I don't really do that much for my fellow believers worldwide. Not on a personal level, anyway.
Safe in the U.S., the persecuted church often exists more as an object lesson in perseverance than as individuals I can relate to. These men and women in North Korea, Egypt, Somalia, Uzbekistan, China, and beyond are so far removed from me physically that I forget the unity we share as believers. And after all, the most I can do is support ministries that directly help these Christians, right?
Lately, I've questioned this attitude not just for its impersonal nature, but for its faith implications. If faith is hoping and praying for things unseen, then why don't we apply this to our relationship with believers on the other side of the world? It takes a bigger faith than I've had to consistently pray for that something and someone I'll probably never see, never know by name.
Consider James 5:16, where the early church father wrote that "the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." That's not efficacy as we think of culturally, with measurable results and visible signs. James's vision extends so far beyond that, into an eternity where all of God's children from around the world will worship around the same throne. Do we believe that God uses our prayers to support our brothers and sisters today, on this side of heaven, as well?
Researchers guess that about 176,000 Christians worldwide may have been killed for their faith between mid-2008 and mid-2009. Many of those believers died in secrecy, as in the North Korean prison camps, and were cut off from other believers at the end. Now, consider that we have a daily opportunity to partner with these men and women in prayer. I have to think that's what the author of Hebrews really meant when he encouraged us to "remember" imprisoned believers.
I'll be the first to admit it: I'm guilty of not remembering my brothers and sisters in Christ. My unfaithfulness to them reflects a heart that hasn't quite grasped the enormity of the power of prayer. And yet there James is, telling me that the Christian's prayers have more impact than perhaps we'll ever know. So - how about it?
The International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church is November 8. What if we all pick a country and pray for the believers living there in the coming month? I'll be praying for North Korea, and believe me, there are plenty of places to go around. Let's remember that we serve a God who delights to use our prayers in ways we can't even imagine. Let's remember the persecuted church.
Further Reading
Watch List Shows One Constant: Increasing Persecution
Matthew 5:10
Never Stop Praying for the Persecuted Church
Crosswalk.com's Religion Today Page
What Remembering the Persecuted Church Looks Like
Katherine Britton
Crosswalk.com News & Culture Editor
Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering - Hebrews 13:3
How relevant is the persecuted church to your everyday life?
I keep a daily pulse on religious freedom issues, and channel my findings into Crosswalk.com's Religion Today newsletters. But for all of that awareness, I've realized that I don't really do that much for my fellow believers worldwide. Not on a personal level, anyway.
Safe in the U.S., the persecuted church often exists more as an object lesson in perseverance than as individuals I can relate to. These men and women in North Korea, Egypt, Somalia, Uzbekistan, China, and beyond are so far removed from me physically that I forget the unity we share as believers. And after all, the most I can do is support ministries that directly help these Christians, right?
Lately, I've questioned this attitude not just for its impersonal nature, but for its faith implications. If faith is hoping and praying for things unseen, then why don't we apply this to our relationship with believers on the other side of the world? It takes a bigger faith than I've had to consistently pray for that something and someone I'll probably never see, never know by name.
Consider James 5:16, where the early church father wrote that "the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." That's not efficacy as we think of culturally, with measurable results and visible signs. James's vision extends so far beyond that, into an eternity where all of God's children from around the world will worship around the same throne. Do we believe that God uses our prayers to support our brothers and sisters today, on this side of heaven, as well?
Researchers guess that about 176,000 Christians worldwide may have been killed for their faith between mid-2008 and mid-2009. Many of those believers died in secrecy, as in the North Korean prison camps, and were cut off from other believers at the end. Now, consider that we have a daily opportunity to partner with these men and women in prayer. I have to think that's what the author of Hebrews really meant when he encouraged us to "remember" imprisoned believers.
I'll be the first to admit it: I'm guilty of not remembering my brothers and sisters in Christ. My unfaithfulness to them reflects a heart that hasn't quite grasped the enormity of the power of prayer. And yet there James is, telling me that the Christian's prayers have more impact than perhaps we'll ever know. So - how about it?
The International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church is November 8. What if we all pick a country and pray for the believers living there in the coming month? I'll be praying for North Korea, and believe me, there are plenty of places to go around. Let's remember that we serve a God who delights to use our prayers in ways we can't even imagine. Let's remember the persecuted church.
Further Reading
Watch List Shows One Constant: Increasing Persecution
Matthew 5:10
Never Stop Praying for the Persecuted Church
Crosswalk.com's Religion Today Page
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