ATTENTION: SCROLL DOWN to get TODAY'S entitled in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS. PLEASE be sure to note the various PRAYER REQUESTS listed BEFORE and AFTER the posted article. (NOTE each day's DAILY prayer requests for the persecuted church.)
WALK FOR LIFE
Once again participating in the annual Walk for Life on Sat. April 17th - which now is JUST 5 DAYS away- for the Thrive Pregnancy Center here in Orlando, FL. Right now, I have $475 pledged towards my initial goal of $500 but also seek to reach last year's total of almost $750. Will you join me in seeing this happen!
If you would like to sponsor me and give towards not just meeting but exceeding my goal, please do so by EITHER going to my fundraising page:
Stan Yonashiro's Fundraising Page | FundEasy (ministrysync.com)
OR by sending me a check (that arrives by next Friday) made out to:
THRIVE ORLANDO, writing my name Stan Yonashiro/Walk for Life on the subject line. Please then send the check to:
Stan M. Yonashiro
13543 EmeraldviewDr.
Orlando, Fl 342828
THANK YOU!
Questions for Our President:
PRAYER ALERT
URGENT: Pray for the millions who are suffering in the wake of the recent storms.
Pray for the effective distribution of the COVID vaccines to all Americans.
Pray for the healing of all infected with the virus throughout the US and the world.
*Pray for U.S. Pastor David Lin in China (see "Something Serious Is Happening In That Dark Place" - Tony Perkins, Washington Watch, April 09, 2019; https://www.frc.org/updatearticle/20190409/something-serious)
*Pray for 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. [2/13/19 – This day marked ONE YEAR since her kidnapping.
PERSONAL UPDATE: 4/5 - Note my latest entry in the JOURNAL section on the right side of this page.
From the Presidential Prayer Team:https://www.presidentialprayerteam.org/daily-prayer-
APRIL 13*For members of the Congressional Black Caucus to have discernment as they meet with the president and vice president.
*For President Biden to seek God’s guidance as he pursues the infrastructure package.
*For the plans of Congress and the president’s administration to support the nation’s economic recovery.
.For Congress to carefully evaluate and balance the needs of the nation against the economic impact of the plan
*For healing and recovery for the nation and for the millions who have been impacted by the pandemic.
*For delivery and administration of the Covid vaccine nationwide.
"For protection for those most vulnerable to the virus.
*For God’s truth to prevail and His will be accomplished.
DECLARATION FOR LIFE: Please be sure to sign this at: https://www.focusonthefamily.com/pro-life
BE Prepared TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST ABORTION
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/
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"JOIN IN 30 DAYS OF PRAYER FOR THE MUSLIM WORLD"- John Stonestreet, Breakpoint.org, 04/13/21; https://www.breakpoint.org/join-in-30-days-of-prayer-for-the-muslim-world/
In 1996 American political scientist Samuel Huntington wrote a book called The Clash of Civilizations. In it, he proposed a remarkable thesis, that while in the past, especially in the 20th century, global conflicts had been primarily between nations, countries, and kingdoms, in the future, especially in the 21st century, global conflicts would increasingly be between not nation-states but between cultures, between civilizations.
These cultural fault lines, as he called them, sometimes existed within a country or existed across regions. It didn’t take very long within the 21st Century to prove his theory correct. In fact, in The Clash of Civilizations, Huntington went on to predict that the hottest of these conflicts would be between religious and non-religious cultures, specifically, that what you might call the hottest of the hot would be between Islam and the West. In the time since 9/11, his predictions have largely played out.
But there has been another story dealing with Islam that has played out at almost the same time. In fact, just over the last three decades or so, we have seen a remarkable number of Muslims coming to Christ. Individuals from the Islamic world are reporting conversions – sometimes through dreams, sometimes through missions, sometimes through other means. Regardless of the means, it has been what one missiologist called a remarkable movement of the Holy Spirit. The reports are so numerous, in fact, that a foundation recruited a friend of mine, a scholar named Dr. David Garrison, to investigate. They sent him for several months to visit various corners of the Muslim world and to figure out where these stories were coming from. They wanted to know how legitimate these reports were. Garrison put together his findings in a book called A Wind in the House of Islam.
You see in the whole history of the Islamic faith, there have been few reports of large movements of Muslims becoming Christians – very few in fact. But about 80 percent of all the movements recorded in history of large groups of Muslims becoming Christians have taken place in just the last three decades.
There’s something else that’s taken place over the last three decades: Each and every year for the last 28 years, during the season of Ramadan, the most holy period in the Islamic calendar, a group of Christians led by a prayer guide, have together prayed for Christ to draw Muslims to Himself. Ramadan is a very good time to keep our Muslim neighbors and Muslims around the world and prayer.
Since 1993 to be precise, the “30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World” prayer guide has been equipping Christians to pray for Muslims during this season of Ramadan. It is an international movement that calls on, “The church to make a deliberate but respectful effort to learn about, to pray for, and to reach out to our world’s Muslim neighbors.” There is even a “30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World Prayer Guide” for kids which I have used with my own family.
The “30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World” is available both in a print booklet and as a digital download. You can find it by going to 30DaysPrayer.com. Or come to BreakPoint.org, and we’ll tell you how to pick up a copy.
James tells us that the effectual prayer of a righteous man avails much. This has been a movement of prayer of hundreds of thousands of Christians for decades. Let’s be a part of it.
[italics and colored emphasis mine]
RESOURCES:
"30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World" - 30 Days Prayer | 2021; https://www.30daysprayer.com/
"A Wind "Join in 30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World" - John Stonestreet, Breakpoint.org, 04/13/21; https://www.breakpoint.org/join-in-30-days-of-prayer-for-the-muslim-world/
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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
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“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, I soon realized it was not just a word for me, but for all who have been praying for our nation, wondering if their prayers are truly making any difference. Bill told me, “I kept seeing you as a small rudder on a huge ship. Hidden, but giving guidance. Although it seemed slow it was turning the whole ship. Patience was needed to see the impact of your…ministry. I sense the Lord saying, ‘Don’t jump ship! I’ve made you the rudder!’ ” I was immediately touched in my spirit by this encouragement, knowing that our seemingly small place in prayer was having a great impact.
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 throughout it's history. May we then ask that AMERICA once again be a blessing TO GOD, by once again submitting to HIS will in our affairs - both personal and national - that He may truly "heal our land." (2 Chron. 7:14) Short of that, we should not be saying "God Bless 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:
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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/
The power of one Bible. If you take a good look at the photo of Samira’s extended family in Central Asia (above), you can count more than 50 women, men and children. Samira shares: “Except for one aunt and her two daughters, everyone in this photo came to Christ because of the witness of my sister, who became a believer after she received a Bible.”
April 13 - When COVID-19 restrictions halted her monthly Bible studies, Ligaya*—an Open Doors partner in the Southern Philippines—worried the participants’ growth would stall. Praise God! When they gathered again, many shared testimonies of answered prayers.
*Representative name or photo used to protect identity.
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 shared how Sariman, their co-student, was hacked to death.
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 as she showed the picture of her father who was stabbed to death for sharing the gospel.
I remember the voice of Pastor Daniel in Vietnam as he shared how he was chained to the ground for six months.
I remember the fear of Grace from Sudan as she shared how her church was attacked and her friend was shot through the head.
Oh, I remember the cries of Caleb in Eritrea as he shared with tears how two dear friends were executed in front of him because of their faith.
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?
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