SIGN A PETITION TO THE UN FOR THE PROTECTION OF CHRISTIANS :" The church in Syria has shone brightly for 2,000 years. But today violence and persecution threatens its survival. Thanks to an incredible response, Open Doors is helping 8,000 families in Syria survive each month. We believe the signatures and prayers of 500,000 people will encourage the UN to act and protect the rights and lives of all Syrians, especially the vulnerable Christian community." Go to: http://lp.opendoorsusa.org/emails/nov-13-action/save-syria.html?utm_source=action&utm_medium=email&utm_content=button&utm_campaign=november
WORLD-WDE PRAYER REQUESTS:
LATEST NEWS ALERT - US Pastor Saeed Remains in Iranian Hospital, Instead of Prison - By Jordan Sekulow, Filed in IRAN, Mar. 31;http://aclj.org/iran/us-pastor-saeed-remains-in-iranian-hospital-instead-of-prison We need to continue to pray for Pastor Saeed - that his health will improve and that he will be re-united with his wife and two young children who live in the United States. We also remain hopeful that in addition to getting the medical care he so desperately needs, that Iranian officials display the kind of humanitarian treatment that often accompanies the start of the Iranian New Year which began on March 21st. This is the time of year when the Iranian government frequently offers clemency to prisoners of conscience. [If you have not yet, please sign the petition for his clemency- http://beheardproject.com/saeed#sign]
PRAY ALSO : - For comfort and peace for Saeed’s wife and children here in the U.S.\
- For a strong witness and testimony from Pastor Abedini in the prison where God has placed him
- For Christians around the world who are being persecuted for their faith in Christ
- For leadership from the White House and State Department in defending the freedoms of Abedini and other Americans
- GO TO SaveSaeed.org to sign a petition over 600,000 others asking for his immediate release
The U.S. State Department believes the Russian army is now prepared to launch an invasion of eastern Ukraine if President Vladimir Putin decides to pull the trigger, according to a senior Administration official."At this point, they are amassed and they could go at a moment’s notice if Putin gave the go ahead," the official said...Top Ukrainian security officials said Thursday that Russia now has 100,000 troops on its side of the Russia-Ukraine border.(Sources: CBS News, Washington Post, Huffington Post, Daily Beast)
As the Lord leads, please pray:
*For God to suppress President Putin’s ambitions to "restore" the Soviet empire.
*For the people of Ukrainen [esp. for the church 'to be THE church'] as they wait to see if the Russian troops will advance.
*About President Obama and to use wisdom in crafting our foreign policy, and wisdom for his advisers.
NEWS/PRAYER ALERT!"Kim Jong-un Calls for Execution of 33 Christians" - 3/7/2014; http://www.presidentialprayerteam.com/Prayerwatch?pw=3651 "North Korea tyrant Kim Jong-un has reportedly ordered that 33 Christians believed to be working alongside South Korean Baptist missionary Kim Jung-wook be put to death. The South Korean missionary - who was arrested last year - and his accomplices have reportedly started 500 or so underground churches..."[PRAY that the plans for execution would be rescinded, and these believers released.] [Che\ck out: They'll Be Dead By Morning (What Difference Will It Make) http://loristanleyroeleveld.blogspot.com/2014/03/theyll-be-dead-by-morning-what.html
NEWS ALERT/PRAISE! "Iran Allows Surgery on Ailing, Imprisoned Pastor" - CBNNews.com,March 07, 2014;http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2014/March/Iran-Allows-Dire-Surgery-on-Ailing-Imprisoned-Pastor-/ The Iranian government has finally allowed doctors to perform surgery on imprisoned Pastor Benham Irani.Irani suffered from a herniated disc and bleeding intestines and urgently needed medical care. PRAY for the final release of Pastor Irani and others imprisoned for their faith.
Oct. 23: "Christians Fleeing IRAQ Area Once Considered Safe," - CBNNews.com, http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/October/Christians-Fleeing-Iraq-Area-Once-Considered-Safe/ PRAY that believers in Iraq will know God's protection and provision; that believers will know[ whether they are called to flee or remain and persevere; and that their persecutors may come to hear the gospel and come to faith in Christ. - Stan]
Continue to Pray for EGYPT - Continue to pray for the tense situation in Egypt and especially for the Christian believers who are being targeted with violence by Muslim Brotherhood members.]
Update on Kenneth Bae: "US Ready to Bargain with N. Korea for Bae's Release,"- CBNNews.com, Aug 14, 2013 http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/August/S-Ready-to-Bargain-with-N-Korea-for-Baes-Release/ - PRAY for 1) God's healing of and presence with Pastor Bae, 2) His earliest release by the North Korean government, and 3) God's comfort for his family and friends.]
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Continue to Pray for EGYPT - Continue to pray for the tense situation in Egypt and especially for the Christian believers who are being targeted with violence by Muslim Brotherhood members.]
Update on Kenneth Bae: "US Ready to Bargain with N. Korea for Bae's Release,"- CBNNews.com, Aug 14, 2013 http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/August/S-Ready-to-Bargain-with-N-Korea-for-Baes-Release/ - PRAY for 1) God's healing of and presence with Pastor Bae, 2) His earliest release by the North Korean government, and 3) God's comfort for his family and friends.]
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Simon Rabinovitch in his article, “Data Reveal Scale of China Abortions,” [http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/6724580a-8d64-11e2-82d2-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2OqCb0LXC] reports that there have been 336 million abortions, 196 million sterilizations and 403 million intrauterine devices used in China since 1971. He notes that Chinese doctors every year abort roughly 7 million babies, sterilize nearly 2 million men and women and insert 7 million IUDs, though precise numbers are hard to come by. My first reaction to this news was horror and disgust. Remember that these numbers represent the actions of only one country, and its corrosive behavior against life.
After reading the article, I asked Dr. Brian Clowes, director of education and research at Human Life International, to investigate the number of worldwide abortions since 1973. The results were staggering! He estimates that there have been more than 1.72 billion abortions over the last 40 years, a trend that is not lessening but growing exponentially as more and more countries embrace and legalize contraception and abortion as methods of population control, which is always sold as “family planning” and “reproductive health.” ...
What will be the saturation point? How many more will die to satisfy man’s appetite for destruction? Saint Paul in his letter to the Ephesians points toward the only resolution to our dilemma:
"You were dead in your transgressions and sins in which you once lived following the age of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the disobedient.All of us once lived among them in the desires of our flesh, following the wishes of the flesh and the impulses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like the rest. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love he had for us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life with Christ — by grace you have been saved –raised us up with him, and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God." (Ephesians 2:2-9)
Look out and see what sin does to the world, to people. Modernity would have us believe that all our needs can be fully satisfied through human constructs and advancements, but a world without God — without Love — is a world without meaning and purpose. Jesus exposes the wound caused through our transgressions and offers us the balm of healing. Jesus takes upon himself the evil, the filth, the sin of the world and cleanses it with his blood. He reintroduces humanity to its purpose and end — life with the Father. Evil blinded us; Jesus restored our sight.
Jesus shows us the true path of life by inviting us to share fully in His transforming love. His self-giving love lead him to the cross revealing that love is more powerful than death, thus destroying death forever. “Only when someone values love more highly than life, that is, only where someone is ready to put life second to love, for the sake of love, can love be stronger and more than death. If it is to be more than death it must first be more than mere life.” (Benedict XVI, Introduction to Christianity, p. 304) Christ’s cross leads to joy. It leads to the joy of being saved. It also assists us in picking up our own crosses and following in His footsteps.
A few days after reading Mr. Rabinovitch’s article and receiving Dr. Clowes’ response, the Lord reminded me of transforming power of selfless love. I was in Bossier City, Louisiana standing alongside fellow pro-lifers in front of Bossier City Medical Suite, an abortion mill. On that day, we received wonderful news that two lives were saved — a mother and her baby — the third save at this particular mill since the beginning of 40 Days for Life sidewalk prayer vigils. A few days later I learned of another mom and her baby being saved. Love conquers and transforms the world!
The breakthrough we need in today’s debate over life is found in Love’s true meaning revealed in the Easter message. The power of death shall not prevail. Evil can be conquered. Jesus is the answer to our questions and the remedy to our human dilemmas. Our full participation in His transforming love is the leaven we need to transform the culture of death into a Culture of Life.
Saint James challenges the early Christians to live their faith in Christ Jesus: You have faith and I have works. Demonstrate your faith to me without works, and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works. We can change the trends of evil if every Christian fully embraces life in Jesus Christ and reflects this life in truth and love.
[bold and italics emphasis mine]
LifeNews Note: Fr. Shenan Boquet is the president of Human Life International. This column originally appeared at its WorldWatch Forum and is reprinted with permission.
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