Devotional Thought for Today – 02/27/2021

Logos.com

Isaiah 6

Isaiah 6 can be broken down into two simple parts, Isaiah’s vision (v.1-7), and his call to ministry (v.8-13). Isaiah’s vision is of the Lord and His holy temple complete with all the majesty and glory that one could ever imagine. Then God calls Isaiah to warn or maybe better put fortell of Irael’s destruction for their contunial disobediance.

Our text begins Isaiah’s call and is similar in nature to that of Samuel when he says here I am in v.4 & 16 of Chapter 3. God is calling and has a mission for Isaiah one that may not be pleasant, may require unknown sacrafices, may cause him to make enemies of powerful people yet how did Isaiah respond? Isaiah had three (3) choices in his response, Here I am, No; Here I am, send someone else; or unconditional obediance Here am I; send me.

Would we repsond the same way? What luxuries of life are we willing for forfeit for the kingdom? (Most churches today have trouble collecting tithes) Would we sacrafice all just to serve our Risen Savior?

Last November we published a devotional, that had as it’s focus Tim Hughes song Here I am to Worship. I concluded then with; we never know what God’s Will will be for our lives tomorrow. So the next time we are signing songs of praise to the Lord of Lords maybe we need to think about the consequences of what we sing. Here I am Lord…

Are you ready to Unconditionally Serve God today?

Today’s Prayer

Heavenly Father, teach me more of Who You are and show me how flawed my understanding is of who I truly am and of all that Christ has done for me. Thank you for cleansing my lips and washing me clean in the blood of Jesus. Thank You for sending Your Holy Spirit to live in me and for building me up, into the living Temple, with all who are saved by grace, through faith in Christ. In a world that has lost its way, I pray in Jesus’ name, “Lord. Here am I, send me.” AMEN.

Source: https://prayer.knowing-jesus.com/Isaiah/6/8

News from the PERSECUTED CHURCH

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake:
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven Matthew 5:10

Barnabas Fund

Christian Newsline

News updates on the persecuted Church

The following stories and more can regularly be found updated at barnabusfund.org/news

New Interreligious Aide to Imran Khan Says Minorities in Pakistan “Not Second-Class Citizens”

Two Pakistani Christian Men Accused of “Blasphemy”

Iranian Christian Convert Ends Prison Hunger Strike on Promise of Release * See article on his re-arrest below

Chinese Government’s Tight New Regulations for Ministry Include Database of Church Leaders

Pastor in Turkey Defends Himself Against Deportation as “Threat to National Security”

DAILY PRAYER LINK

Barnabas Prayer January/February 2021

MARCH/APRIL PRAYER DIARY

Praying for the Persecuted Church review of 40 countries and 7 other areas to pray for

The Voice of the Martyrs

Pregnant Mother Beaten, Loses Baby

Firouzi Re-Arrested

Local Officials Oppose Church Being Rebuilt

Christ on the Throne

From Smuggling Drugs to Smuggling Bibles

CHRISTIANS FACING PERSECUTION, their first request is for prayer. ADOPT A WORKER FOR PRAYER

Get a Free 2021 Prayer Guide

Pray! 42 abducted in Nigeria school attack—including Christians

Chinese pastor sentenced to nearly 6 years for fighting cross removal, CCP oppression

‘All I could see was fire’—Sri Lankan bomb survivor’s face glows with the joy of Christ

China’s AI surveillance spreads—and Christians brace for terror

Pray by name for these 5 Christian prisoners in North Korea

Forced abortions, executions, and torture: A sickening new report from North Korea

Christians after the Myanmar coup: ‘It feels like our hope has been taken away’

CLICK HERE for a list or an interactive MAP of countries where persecution is taking place today.

You can also download the 2021 World Watch List report free

News from the PERSECUTED CHURCH

The Voice of the Martyrs

People raising their hands

As India fights to become a purely Hindu nation, our brothers and sisters in Christ there continue to suffer and die. Your prayers are needed as they continue to stand for Jesus in the land of countless false idols and gods.

Family Blessed By Christmas Care Pack

Next Door to the Enemy

Authorities Try to Force Church from Home

On the Run as Converts to Christianity

Permission to Follow Christ Denied

Get a Free 2021 Prayer Guide

Barnabas Fund

Christian Newsline

News updates on the persecuted Church

The following stories and more can regularly be found updated at: barnabusfund.org/news

At least 13 people killed in suicide bomb attack in Cameroon

Pakistani Christian girl raped by Muslim robbers selflessly saves younger sister from assault

Pressure increases on Indian Christian community as prayer meetings come under police scrutiny

A daily prayer request from Barnabas Prayer is available from the “View Daily Prayer” link below. The prayer is also available on Facebook, Twitter, and as an insert in our free bi-monthly Barnabas Aid magazine.

Today: Wednesday 13 January 2021

An evangelical missionary from Switzerland was murdered in Mali by Islamic militants in September 2020. Beatrice Stöckli (59) had been kidnapped and held captive for over four years by a group called Jammat Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM). Three other European hostages and a Malian politician were released by JNIM about a month later, reportedly in exchange for over 100 jihadists who had been captured by the Malian authorities. Beatrice had had an earlier experience of kidnapping in 2012 when she was held for nine days and tortured. On her release, the terrorists warned her not to come back to Mali. Despite this, she decided that she would return to her ministry in Timbuktu. Pray that her many years of work in Mali will bear much fruit in this country where Christians are about 2% of the population.

DAILY PRAYER LINK

Barnabas Prayer January/February 2021

Prayer Persecuted Church Update November 2020

Barnabas Fund

Prayer Focus Update is a monthly information bulletin with up-to-date news on the persecuted Church to help Christians pray for their suffering brothers and sisters. You can use this for prayer groups, your own information and for inclusion in church publications.

It is available in various formats on the Barnabas Aid website or can be sent through the mail free of charge. Please contact the national Barnabas Aid office if you would like to receive this in the mail.Persecuted

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Devotional Thought – 10-13-2020

Logos.com

AMP and RVR 1960

There are three types of “Christians” in the world. You are probably thinking I have gone off my rocker but hear me out. If we take this one verse in context 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 I believe we can see them all. Paul tells us that Light (God and His chosen) can have no fellowship (union) with Darkness (Satan, sin and unbelief).

The pretenders: Those who remain unequally bound together with unbelievers they try and live in both worlds and as Christ relates to John will be spit out Revelation 3:14-16 in the end.

The Legalist: You know these folks they seperate from all things (except maybe nice cloths, cars, homes etc.) They do not smoke, drink, go to movies, dance, even their music is “appropriate” and are quick to condemn anyone who does not comply. They believe what they believe and everyone else be damned.

The Pilgrim: Those who understand that all are sinners saved by Grace. That all “worldly” things are bad for us, and even those that we can participate in should never be done in excess. We are pilgrims or sojourners and exiles (1 Peter 2:11) and as such our focus must always be on the eternal not the temporal.

One last note you can not evangelize if you stay locked in your church, home etc. you have to go out into the world, that is the nature of the Great Commission. Nowhere does God tell us to bring the world into the church, He calls us to go into the world. We must do so with caution and being well prepared.

News from the PERSECUTED CHURCH

Pray for the Persecuted Church

Remember those in prison, as though you were in prison with them, and the mistreated, as though you yourselves were suffering bodily Hebrews 13:3 (CSB)

Acordaos de los presos, como si estuvierais presos juntamente con ellos; y de los maltratados, como que también vosotros mismos estáis en el cuerpo RVR 1960

International Day of Prayer for persecuted Christians

This year’s International Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians (IDOP), Sunday, Nov. 1, is fast approaching. Be among the first to watch The Voice of the Martyrs’ new IDOP video, Janette: Central African Republic.

Free IDOP Resources

The Voice of the Martyrs

Front-line workers in Vietnam

They Go Where We Can’t

Bao and Chi, a husband-and-wife team, work on the front lines of Christian ministry in Vietnam, training and discipling believers from 10 different tribes.

Authorities have arrested them numerous times, trying to end their ministry work in Vietnam’s rural areas. But each time they are released from jail, Bao and Chi get on their motorbikes and return to their work.

Bao and Chi are two of the more than 40,000 front-line workers The Voice of the Martyrs serves as they risk everything to share the gospel. We invite you to help equip these workers with the tools they need to advance God’s kingdom in restricted nations and hostile areas.

Support Front-Line Workers Today

Your support for those advancing God’s kingdom on the world’s most difficult and dangerous mission fields equips faithful workers with tools like these:

motorbikes that help evangelists increase their ministry outreach from one or two villages to 10 or more
outreach tools like DVDs, digital memory cards and solar-powered projectors to help Christian workers reach more people with the gospel in hostile areas and restricted nations
Retreats for pastors that provide training and encouragement as well as fellowship with others risking their lives to spread the gospel

When pastors, evangelists and other front-line workers receive these ministry tools, they are reminded that they are part of God’s global family and that they are not serving alone.

For Stories on the Persecuted Church Please Go to: icommitTOPRAY

Barnabas Fund

Christian Newsline

News updates on the persecuted Church

The following stories and more can regularly be found updated at: barnabusfund.org/news

Chinese Communist Party rewrites Gospel story to depict Jesus Christ as “killer and sinner

China’s extreme surveillance, forced sterilization of non-atheists in camps “much worse” than Soviet gulags

Chinese Christian leader calls for prayer as surveillance pressure on Christians escalates

Indian Christians in “fear and shock” after extremists warn leave faith or die

Indian Christians beaten, humiliated, forced to chant Hindu affirmation in Jharkhand

Indian government freezes bank accounts forcing human rights charity to halt work

Pakistani Christian acquitted of “blasphemy” after six years on death row

Indonesia’s ban on Bible app contradicts religious tolerance philosophy of Pancasila

Prayer Focus Update October 2020

News from the PERSECUTED CHURCH

Pray for the Persecuted Church

Remember those in prison, as though you were in prison with them, and the mistreated, as though you yourselves were suffering bodily Hebrews 13:3 (CSB)

Acordaos de los presos, como si estuvierais presos juntamente con ellos; y de los maltratados, como que también vosotros mismos estáis en el cuerpo RVR 1960

Christian Newsline

News updates on the persecuted Church

The following stories and more can regularly be found updated at: barnabusfund.org/news

Pakistani Christian couple’s appeal hearing against “blasphemy” death sentences rescheduled for 24 September

Eritrean government releases on bail 69 Christians imprisoned for their faith

Russia’s new draft law barring pastors trained overseas from preaching deals “powerful blow” to religious freedom

Indonesia’s ban on Bible app contradicts religious tolerance philosophy of Pancasila

Wounded Nigerian pastor shot dead in cold blood while raising alarm of Fulani militant attack

AND MORE…

The Voice of the Martyrs

Burnt out truck; woman carrying items on her head

Thousands Displaced in Mozambique

Elisa arrived home just in time to see Islamists murder her father and her husband, who was a pastor. Her uncle had already been beheaded. Grief-stricken and fearing for their lives, Elisa and 18 members of her family headed south, joining more than 200,000 others fleeing the Islamists’ advance.

Though Islamic insurgents have been active in northern Mozambique for the past three years, this year the group — which has pledged allegiance to the self-proclaimed Islamic State (ISIS) — has launched repeated, devastating attacks. The thousands displaced by these attacks have fled to other parts of the country where conditions are crowded and resources are stretched. Front-line workers have reported the burning and destruction of churches, schools, clinics and police stations. As Christian workers provide comfort and food to the displaced, they are also offering Bibles (supplied by VOM), giving hurting people the hope of Jesus Christ.

VOM workers are evaluating the best ways to help persecuted Christians in Mozambique. Pray for Christians delivering aid and help, as well as for an end to the ongoing violence. Pray also that many enduring this trauma will gain hope and eternal life through faith in Christ.

For Stories on the Persecuted Church Please Go to: icommitTOPRAY

International Day of Prayer for persecuted Christians

Free IDOP Resources

Today begins our Run for Life

Image may contain: text that says '00 HRSION N2T 50CC DIAPER RUN U N www.diaperrun.org'

If Abortions are essential, so is the #DiaperRun!! Coming to a rally or gas station near you, September 9th – 22nd, 2020!

See the full story here: 50CC Diaper Run: Riding for Life

and remember you can track team Pampers and depends in real time via this link:

Track the Teams

P.S. it’s not to late to get involved and donate to a great cause.

News from the PERSECUTED CHURCH

Pray for the Persecuted Church

Remember those in prison, as though you were in prison with them, and the mistreated, as though you yourselves were suffering bodily Hebrews 13:3 (CSB)

Acordaos de los presos, como si estuvierais presos juntamente con ellos; y de los maltratados, como que también vosotros mismos estáis en el cuerpo RVR 1960

BreakPoint Daily

Break the Silence, Stop the Slaughter in Nigeria

The Voice of the Martyrs

A Prayer for Our Indian Brothers and Sisters

When we don’t know what to pray, the Spirit intercedes for us (Romans 8:26–27). But we also have God’s Word to help guide us in prayer. Using Scripture as a guide, join us in prayer for our Christian brothers and sisters in India, who are increasingly targeted by Hindu nationalists.

Join us in asking God

to provide shelter, food, education, opportunities to fellowship, places to worship and a daily wage (Philippians 4:19)
heal the divisions between friends, neighbors and brothers that still fester from the 2008 riots in Kandhamal (James 3:16–17)
provide for widows and orphans, and help them know Jesus’ comforting presence; meet them in their loneliness through His Spirit (2 Corinthians 1:3–4)
strengthen the faith of those who have given up or wandered away; provide Bibles, good teaching and sound leaders for those who are searching (Hebrews 13:9)
restore family relationships weakened by distance and time (Romans 15:13)
create a longing in the hearts of many in the region to know the transformative power of God’s Son, Jesus Christ (Romans 8:19)
rekindle the desire for worship and prayer in the lives of Christians there (Psalm 107)
remind our brothers and sisters of their value in His eyes, despite what society tells them (Hebrews 12:2)
turn what the enemy intends for evil into good for God’s glory (Genesis 50:20)