ATTENTION: SCROLL DOWN to get TODAY'S article entitled in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS. PLEASE be sure to note the various PRAYER REQUESTS listed BEFORE and AFTER the posted article. (NOTE the list of DAILY prayer requests for the persecuted church.) They ALL deserve your intercession.
PERSONAL UPDATE: 9/11 Note my latest entry in the JOURNAL section on the right side of this page.
BE Prepared TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST ABORTION
Tragically, last week we all learned that Jarrid Wilson, associate pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship Church in Riverside, California, had committed suicide. He was a husband and the father of two. He was only 30 years old. Jarrid had founded a ministry called “Anthem of Hope,” in order to minister to people with depression and suicidal ideations. He ended his life on the same day he officiated the funeral of a Christian who had ended hers.
About a year ago, Andrew Stoecklin, another 30-year-old pastor from California, also committed suicide. Like Wilson, he shared openly about his own battles with depression and anxiety.
About a year before that, Wisconsin Pastor Bill Lenz took his life after bouts of depression and anxiety. Like Wilson, he had ministered extensively to many with depression and suicidal ideation, and had created a suicide-prevention ministry.
In the fog of questions and grief, one thing is clear: Neither Christians nor Christian pastors are immune from the suicide epidemic that’s sweeping our country.
My friend Ed Stetzer wrote, in response to Wilson’s death, that while all suicides are shocking, stories of pastors and other Christian leaders who take their own lives “cause questions to arise,” questions that are unique. Among them must be, why is there still such a lack of awareness about the emotional, psychological, and spiritual struggles pastors face? And also, where can pastors turn for help?
It’s no surprise that so many pastors and ministry leaders are reluctant to admit that they are struggling with sin, with depression, or with their family. They especially struggle to be vulnerable with those who “hold the power of the purse” in their lives and can shape the future of their careers. And, as Stetzer pointed out in his article, there is an evangelical reluctance to look outside Christian circles for assistance, especially when it comes to mental health issues. It’s as if by doing so, we’d be admitting that the Christian faith is somehow inadequate.
It isn’t, of course. The Christian faith not only explains who we are, it explains why truth and health can be found by those who carefully study God’s world. As Ed put it, “God does not fix it all…Yet.” Or as Wilson himself wrote on Twitter the day he died, “Loving Jesus doesn’t always cure suicidal thoughts,” and “Loving Jesus doesn’t always cure depression,” or “PTSD and anxiety, for that matter.”
Wilson ended his life on the eve of World Suicide Prevention Day, a day intended to draw attention to the enormity of the crisis in the U.S. and around the world. In connection with World Suicide Day, and in order to help us all answer the one question we should be asking right now—what can we do?—my friend Jeremiah Johnston has written an article explaining how Christians can make a difference when it comes to suicide and depression. It starts with knowing more about suicide and its causes.
Among the most important thing to know is that “Mental illness is not a character flaw; it’s a disease.” Similarly, it’s “not a spiritual problem” in the sense it can be fixed with just “more faith” or “more church.” Mental illness is a treatable medical condition.
There remains too much stigma and shame in Christian circles when it comes to mental illness. That has to stop. Mental illness is treatable, but only if it’s treated. By supporting those around us, the church can help make that more likely. So let’s help. Just as Christians in the Roman Empire ran towards epidemics while everyone else was running away from them, we have a chance today to do the same.
If you who are suffering from depression or suicidal thoughts: Please, seek help. There are folks who love you, care for you, and want to help. If you need help immediately, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK. That’s 1-800-273-TALK.
[italics and colored emphasis mine]
RESOURCE - "A Light in the Darkness: How We Can All Help Prevent Suicides" - Jeremiah Johnston, BreakPoint, September 12, 2019; http://www.breakpoint.org/2019/09/a-light-in-the-darkness-how-we-can-all-help-prevent-suicides/
PRAISE GOD for the continuing recent successes againstISIS ! Pray that coalition forces will be able to fully destroy the leadership and infrastructure of ISIS .
PRAYER ALERT:
URGENT
Pray for the people suffering from this week's torrential storms in the Texas
1) Pray for the Trump Administration to make the right response to the apparent latest provocation by Iran
2) Pray for the continued violent crisis taking place in Venezuela and for America
3) PRAY also that our leaders will finally implement an effective border policy that will prevent these incidents in the future.
4) Pray for U.S. Pastor David Lin in China (see "Something Serious Is Happening In That Dark Place" - Tony Perkins, Washington
5) Leah Sharibu is a courageous Nigerian Christian teen girl held captive by Boko Haram. The Islamic militia is threatening to kill or enslave her because she won't renounce Jesus Christ. Pray that the UN will intervene in her release. [2/13 – This day marked ONE YEAR since her kidnapping.]
ATTENTION!
DECLARATION FOR LIFE: Please be sure to sign this at: https://www.focusonthefamily.com/pro-life
PERSONAL UPDATE: 9/11 Note my latest entry in the JOURNAL section on the right side of this page.
“AMERICA’S GOT TALENT” – 9/19 - This was absolutely my
favorite show of the summer, of the year. I am so excited my most favorite
performer, Kodi Lee, was voted the winner. I was surprised that my THIRD
favorite act, Ryan Niemiller, came in third overall BUT my SECOND most favorite
act, Emanne Beasha, didn’t even make the top five. THAT was disappointing.
The
following is the video of the finals of the show: https://www.nbc.com/americas-got-talent/video/live-finals/4029490
The
following is the video of the show’s FINALE: https://www.nbc.com/americas-got-talent/video/live-results-finale/402950
9/22- PRAY for the President and others in leadership
(1 Tim. 2:1-3)
(1 Tim. 2:1-3)
Heavenly Father,
I pray that you will guide President Trump to seek YOU with all his heart, mind, soul, and strength in the New Year. May he act with wisdom and strength against those whose actions would bring harm to this nation and the world now and for generations to come. I pray that you would strengthen his marriage and deepen the love he and his wife Melania share. Pray that you give them wisdom to speak into the life of their son Barron. Please protect him and his family and others in our leadership from physical harm that any might seek to do against them. May all that our President does bring honor and glory to YOU and cause him to draw in closer relationship with you. I ask this in the powerful name of Jesus Christ, Amen. P.S. - I highly recommend your reading "The Faith of Donald J. Trump." The copy I read is in my public library. It really helps us understand our 45th President better.
(from Intercessors For America
*For safety for President Trump as he travels to Texas and then Ohio to address events reflective of America's work with India and Australia, then later as he goes to New York ahead of speaking at the UN this coming week.
*For wisdom for the president as he delivers remarks at both events today.
*For guidance for the president in all areas of foreign policy.
*For strength for the many immigration and border patrol agents working to secure the U.S. border.
*For wisdom for trade negotiators as they continue to work on a deal to balance trade between the U.S. and China, with deadline now not till December.
*For wisdom for the president as he delivers remarks at both events today.
*For guidance for the president in all areas of foreign policy.
*For strength for the many immigration and border patrol agents working to secure the U.S. border.
*For wisdom for trade negotiators as they continue to work on a deal to balance trade between the U.S. and China, with deadline now not till December.
*For wisdom for President Trump and his advisers as they examine the issue of gun violence in the U.S.; that God would guide the president's decisions as he tackles many difficult issues and surround the president with wise council to make decisions that honor Him.
*For wisdom for the president and secretary of state as they work on the next steps in negotiations with North Korea.
*For guidance for the president as he continues to tackle complex issues such as border security and immigration.
*For unity for Congressional leaders as they work to resolve the current issues with immigration law.
*For wisdom for President Trump, Cabinet members and advisers determining the best course of action for the United States in Venezuela.
*For wisdom for the president and secretary of state as they work on the next steps in negotiations with North Korea.
*For guidance for the president as he continues to tackle complex issues such as border security and immigration.
*For unity for Congressional leaders as they work to resolve the current issues with immigration law.
*For wisdom for President Trump, Cabinet members and advisers determining the best course of action for the United States in Venezuela.
*For safe travel for members of the administration who are making trips abroad.
*For the military leaders of the U.S. and Turkey to come to a working arrangement over America ’s departure from Syria
*For unity in Congress as they work to solve the many pressing issues that face the nation.
*For guidance for President Trump as he works on a variety of issues, that God’s will would be accomplished through him.\
*For guidance for President Trump as he works on a variety of issues, that God’s will would be accomplished through him.\
(...because ALL Babies Matter! - http://www.lifenews.com/2017/03/01/why-do-unborn-babies-matter-just-because-they-are/ : Go to: LIFE Training Institute - http://prolifetraining.com/resources/five-minute-11/
Be Prepared TO ENGAGE WITH THE PC CULTURE:Go to:"Tactics" -
http://townhall.com/columnists/mikeadams/2016/04/29/tactics-n2154983
"Don't Argue the Exceptions - Beating Bad Arguments For Abortion and Transgenderism" - by John Stonestreet, Breakpoint.org, May 25, 2017; http://breakpoint.org/2017/05/breakpoint-dont-argue-exceptions/
---------------------------------------
"SAVING PASTORS' LIVES - A CALL TO THE CHURCH TO HELP THOSE STRUGGLING WITH IDEAS OF SUICIDE" - by John Stonestreet and Roberto Rivera, Breakpoint.org, September 18, 2019; http://www.breakpoint.org/2019/09/breakpoint-saving-pastors-lives/ [AS I SEE IT: Whether it's teens (often showing initial suicidal thoughts through what's known as "cutting,") to pastors or other members of the Body of Chrit, suicidal thoughts just may be a lot more common than we Christians choose to believe. However, as much as I agree that it can be a mental health problem, let us not forget to also consider how much of such thoughts are not encouraged by Satan. He who promotes death must certainly be behind the actions of so many. Let us not fail to remember that believers are always under spiritual attack by the Evil One who always stands ready to deceive. - Stan]---------------------------------------
About a year ago, Andrew Stoecklin, another 30-year-old pastor from California, also committed suicide. Like Wilson, he shared openly about his own battles with depression and anxiety.
About a year before that, Wisconsin Pastor Bill Lenz took his life after bouts of depression and anxiety. Like Wilson, he had ministered extensively to many with depression and suicidal ideation, and had created a suicide-prevention ministry.
In the fog of questions and grief, one thing is clear: Neither Christians nor Christian pastors are immune from the suicide epidemic that’s sweeping our country.
My friend Ed Stetzer wrote, in response to Wilson’s death, that while all suicides are shocking, stories of pastors and other Christian leaders who take their own lives “cause questions to arise,” questions that are unique. Among them must be, why is there still such a lack of awareness about the emotional, psychological, and spiritual struggles pastors face? And also, where can pastors turn for help?
It’s no surprise that so many pastors and ministry leaders are reluctant to admit that they are struggling with sin, with depression, or with their family. They especially struggle to be vulnerable with those who “hold the power of the purse” in their lives and can shape the future of their careers. And, as Stetzer pointed out in his article, there is an evangelical reluctance to look outside Christian circles for assistance, especially when it comes to mental health issues. It’s as if by doing so, we’d be admitting that the Christian faith is somehow inadequate.
It isn’t, of course. The Christian faith not only explains who we are, it explains why truth and health can be found by those who carefully study God’s world. As Ed put it, “God does not fix it all…Yet.” Or as Wilson himself wrote on Twitter the day he died, “Loving Jesus doesn’t always cure suicidal thoughts,” and “Loving Jesus doesn’t always cure depression,” or “PTSD and anxiety, for that matter.”
Wilson ended his life on the eve of World Suicide Prevention Day, a day intended to draw attention to the enormity of the crisis in the U.S. and around the world. In connection with World Suicide Day, and in order to help us all answer the one question we should be asking right now—what can we do?—my friend Jeremiah Johnston has written an article explaining how Christians can make a difference when it comes to suicide and depression. It starts with knowing more about suicide and its causes.
Among the most important thing to know is that “Mental illness is not a character flaw; it’s a disease.” Similarly, it’s “not a spiritual problem” in the sense it can be fixed with just “more faith” or “more church.” Mental illness is a treatable medical condition.
There remains too much stigma and shame in Christian circles when it comes to mental illness. That has to stop. Mental illness is treatable, but only if it’s treated. By supporting those around us, the church can help make that more likely. So let’s help. Just as Christians in the Roman Empire ran towards epidemics while everyone else was running away from them, we have a chance today to do the same.
If you who are suffering from depression or suicidal thoughts: Please, seek help. There are folks who love you, care for you, and want to help. If you need help immediately, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK. That’s 1-800-273-TALK.
[italics and colored emphasis mine]
RESOURCE - "A Light in the Darkness: How We Can All Help Prevent Suicides" - Jeremiah Johnston, BreakPoint, September 12, 2019; http://www.breakpoint.org/2019/09/a-light-in-the-darkness-how-we-can-all-help-prevent-suicides/
---------------------------------------
PRAYER MATTERS:
"To clasp the hands in prayer is the beginning of an uprising against the disorder of the world. - Karl Barth
"Prayer is inviting God into a seemingly impossible situation and trusting/resting in His love and grace to accomplish His perfect will in His perfect time and for His greatest glory. Intercession is one of the great privileges AND responsibilities for EVERY believer."- Stan
----------------------------------------------------------------------
“INTERCESSORS ARE THE RUDDER” – A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT - Wanda Alger, June 28th, 2017; https://www.getamericapraying.com/blog/I was recently given a word by my good friend, Bill Yount. His word greatly encouraged me as an intercessor. Working for Intercessors for America
James 3:4 talks about the power of a small rudder to steer a large ship. In this scripture about the power of our tongue, consider the power of prophetic intercession! In the Forerunner Commentary on this verse we read, “…rudders manipulate the course of immense ocean vessels with a slight movement of a pilot’s hand. Since it is underwater and aft, the rudder of a ship does its work UNSEEN. A passenger is ignorant of its movements most of the time. Yet, when it is in proper working order, the rudder holds more power over the ship than the wind. The wind will blow, toss, even destroy the ship’s rigging, but the rudder guides the ship exactly where it directs.”
This is God’s promise to the intercessors in this hour of national turbulence. Don’t stop praying! Your prayers have great power to turn the ship! Continue praying, interceding, and discerning the workings and movements of the Holy Spirit, being faithful to God’s commands. As we come together to declare God’s faithfulness, this nation will, once again, head in the direction that God intends. Don’t give up and don’t give in. Regardless of the winds of adversity and the fires of the enemy, God’s people have a power that cannot be matched. Let us join in faith and continue to pray and speak of God’s faithfulness in order to bring God’s people and this nation into the fullness of God’s plans. Note this additional encouragement from God’s word:
Colossians 2:15 – “He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him” (ESV).
Psalm 33:8-11 – “Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere him. For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. The Lord foils the plans of the nations; He thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.”
Wanda Alger, IFA Field Correspondent
PRAY FOR AMERICA : THANK GOD for His many blessings on America AMERICA America "but instead "God be merciful towards America
PRAY FOR OUR LEADERS: 1) Pray for President Trump and his advisers, that they would select Godly leaders at the federal level who will be accountable to do an excellent job (or be fired!) ; that he would seek God's wisdom and be enabled to lead our country effectively in the years ahead; and 2) Pray our leaders at every level of government will Spirit-filled, leading us with Godly wisdom and integrity; that they will only pass legislation and enact policies that will benefit Americans today as well as future generations and NOT do any lasting harm.
SUPREME COURT: PRAY that the justices will only hand down decisions that are Constitutionally sound and in the best interests of our country now and for future generations.
World-Wide Prayer Requests:
PRAISE GOD for the continuing recent successes against
*For believers in Syria
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Praying Through the Open Doors World Watch List for persecuted believers:https://www.opendoorsusa.org/take-action/pray/monthly-prayer-calendar/
Monthly Focus | INDIA - For the first time, India entered the top 10 on the 2019 World Watch List. Research indicates that in 2018, more than 12,000 attacks on Christians were reported (many go unreported). This month, we invite you to pray with our fellow Indian believers.
Monthly Focus | INDIA - For the first time, India entered the top 10 on the 2019 World Watch List. Research indicates that in 2018, more than 12,000 attacks on Christians were reported (many go unreported). This month, we invite you to pray with our fellow Indian believers.
September 22 | GUINEA - Christians in Belekpala now have clean water thanks to a new well built by Open Doors partners through your support. Previously, they were forced to walk far distances for water when water was scarce. Now, believers share their well with the whole village.
*Names changed to protect identities
*Names changed to protect identities
STANDING STRONG THROUGH THE STORM - OpenDoorsUSA.org
At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them.- 2 Tim. 4:16
SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THOSE WHO SUFFER
The Apostle Paul knew exactly what it was like to be alone, to be deserted by all who called themselves “brothers” and “sisters.” A former colleague who has done considerable travel among the persecuted says, “It is hard to believe that Christians are the largest persecuted group in the world today. But it is even more difficult to believe that this is so seldom mentioned in our gatherings and church services. More Christians know the names of their favorite actors than their fellow believers who are in prison.”
He continues, “With every trip something in my heart breaks as I hear the echoes of suffering:
I remember the echoes of an Egyptian mother as she shared how her young boy was stuck in a haystack because she refused to deny Jesus.
I remember the sounds of weeping as fellow students in Indonesia
I remember the cries of anguish as we walked from church to church that was burned to the ground on the island of Lombok
I remember the tears of Rebecca in Iran
I remember the voice of Pastor Daniel in Vietnam
I remember the fear of Grace from Sudan
Oh, I remember the cries of Caleb in Eritrea
And I remember the tears of Joy in the southern Philippines as she shared how her fiancé was shot to death in their church in Mindanao .
But, most all, I remember the deafening sounds of silence every time I return home.
RESPONSE
How can I be silent today? How can I not speak on behalf of those who suffer? How can I desert those that belong to the same body that I belong to and who desperately need the encouragement of my intervention?
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