The Name Above All Names

In my reading tonight I came across Philippians 2:9-11, which reminded me of my Christmas verse Matthew 1:21 which led me on a mini word study just now. The Name of Jesus - Jehova saves, God is Salvation - is a pretty powerful Name. Just wanted to give you some verses to meditate on, as we celebrate the birth of JESUS, our Savior.

"Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name
under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Acts 4:12

"And she will bring forth a Son,
and you shall call His name JESUS,
for He will save His people from their sins.”
Matthew 1:21

"Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
Philippians 2:9-11

"But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."
John 1:12-13

"And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name."
John 20:30-31

"To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.”
Acts 10:43

"And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment."
1 John 3:23

"He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God."
1 John 5:12-13

"'Jesus', O how sweet the Name!
'Jesus', every day the same;
'Jesus', let all saints proclaim
Its worthy praise forever!"
- WC Martin

Grace and Peace

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Well I will be leaving on my much anticipated vacation on Tuesday. I will be going to meet my good friend Susie in Cologne, Germany for a week over Christmas, then we will go to Bulgaria where Susie is living as a volunteer with the Peace Corps for a week over New Years, then I will fly to Romania and spend a little over a week going all over the place visiting friends in a whirlwind trip, ending up in Budapest, Hungary for a couple days alone before I fly back home! I'll be gone a few weeks and I can't wait!

But first I wanted to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! The Lord has awesome things planned for 2012, I can't wait to see what He is going to do!

"Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new..."
Revelation 21:5a

I am looking forward to seeing what new things are in store in the year to come!

Grace and Peace,
Rachel

GIVE!!!!!

The Lord is so good to give us reminders of things right when we need them. We had a discussion at work today about giving. It is something that is really important to a lot of us at my job. Then tonight I came across this quote, which led me to this verse, and it was just a reminder that giving is important to the Lord too!

"Not once in the next billion years to come will you regret that which you did not do for yourself because you cared for someone who was in need, someone who needed to grow in the ways of the Lord. What we will regret is that which we did not spend because we weren’t living as though the Samaritan was really coming back.

The Lord has entrusted to you more than enough to take care of the half-dead people who come our way.
The question is, will you release what He’s given you?
Will you let it go?
Will you make the time?
Will you expend the energy?"
-Jon Courson

"Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” Luke 6:38

Grace and Peace

Pray for Israel

Well with December here is there not a better time than to pray for the country in which our Savior was born?

Join me this month in praying for Israel.

"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
'May they prosper who love you.
Peace be within your walls,
Prosperity within your palaces.'
For the sake of my brethren and companions,
I will now say, 'Peace be within you.'
Because of the house of the LORD our God
I will seek your good.'
Psalm 122:6-9

Happy Thanksgiving!

Oh, give thanks to the LORD!
Call upon His name;
Make known His deeds among the peoples!

Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him;
Talk of all His wondrous works!

Glory in His holy name;
Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD!

1 Chronicles 16: 8-10

A Light to Bring Salvation

For my eyes have seen Your salvation
which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,
a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles,
and the glory of Your people Israel.
- Luke 2:30-32

Marvelous Light

"But you are a chosen generation,

a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
His own special people,
that you may proclaim the praises
of Him who called you out of darkness
into His marvelous light”
1 Peter 2:9

I Lift My Hands to Believe Again...

Be still, there is a Healer
His love is deeper than the sea
His mercy is unfailing
His arms, a fortress for the weak

Let faith arise...

I lift my hands to believe again
You are my refuge,
You are my strength
As I pour out my heart,
These things I remember
You are faithful, God, forever

Be still, there is a river
That flows from Calvary's Tree
A fountain for the thirsty
Your grace that washes over me

Let faith arise...

I lift my hands to believe again
You are my refuge,
You are my strength
As I pour out my heart,
These things I remember
You are faithful, God, forever

-Chris Tomlin

Exceeding Riches...

"And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,
in which you once walked according to the course of this world,
according to the prince of the power of the air,
the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,
among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind,
and were by nature children of wrath,
just as the others.
But God, who is rich in mercy,
because of His great love with which He loved us,
even when we were dead in trespasses,
made us alive together with Christ
(by grace you have been saved),
and raised us up together,
and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
that in the ages to come He might show
the exceeding riches of His grace
in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
For by grace you have been saved through faith,
and that not of yourselves;
it is the gift of God, not of works,
lest anyone should boast.
For we are His workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus for good works,
which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."
Ephesians 2:1-10

Tozer Devo

With all the talks of the elections and such, this devo, written back in 1966, is SO applicable to our own day and age, not just in the world, but also in the church.

It's always good to search our own hearts, to looks at who we as Christians are supporting, who are we looking to lead us in and out of church? Who do WE support? Anyway, LOVED this devo and wanted to share it!

***
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.... Blessed are
the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
--Matthew 5:5-8

"We have but to become acquainted with, or even listen to, the big
names of our times to discover how wretchedly inferior most of them
are. Many appear to have arrived at their present eminence by pull,
brass, nerve, gall and lucky accident. We turn away from them sick to
our stomach and wonder for a discouraged moment if this is the best
the human race can produce. But we gain our self-possession again by
the simple expedient of recalling some of the plain men we know, who
live unheralded and unsung, and who are made of stuff infinitely
finer than the hoarse-voiced braggarts who occupy too many of the
highest offices in the land. . . .

. . . the church also suffers from this evil notion. Christians have
fallen into the habit of accepting the noisiest and most notorious
among them as the best and the greatest. They too have learned to
equate popularity with excellence, and in open defiance of the Sermon
on the Mount they have given their approval not to the meek but to
the self-assertive; not to the mourner but to the self-assured; not
to the pure in heart who see God but to the publicity hunter who
seeks headlines."

-AW Tozer

Praying for the Persecuted Church - Chechnya

Oh my goodness. I just cannot believe that we are almost half way through October. Forgive me for not getting this month's prayer country up sooner. I just can't seem to keep up with time!

This month let's pray for Chechnya. Chechnya was originally part of the USSR and is now a federal subject of Russia. It has seen much violence in it's recent history. (wiki info)

Please keep our brothers and sisters in Christ living in Chechnya in your prayers this month.

Here are some things to pray for, from Open Doors

The church is very young, vulnerable and isolated. Fellowship with other believers is almost impossible. An Islamic revival is taking place in Chechnya; the largest mosque in the Caucasus has been built in Grozny. Christianity is associated with Russia and Chechen believers whose faith becomes public are seen as traitors to Islam and society. Local authorities and relatives monitor the activities of Christians and put great pressure on them to return to Islam.

Please pray :

• That the few Christians would persevere in faith. Several have turned away from their faith as the pressure became too great
• That Christians may know how to live and witness in their situations
• For the many orphans whose parents were killed during the wars. Pray that God's love and compassion will reach their hearts and transform their lives.

It's Been a While

I have not shared a Tozer devo in a while. This is a great one, hopefully very encouraging to all of you who take the minute to read it!

---

For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy
toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so
far has He removed our transgressions from us.
--Psalm 103:11-12

Do not let any of the things of the world or past mistakes paralyze
your hearts. I believe there are Christians who have allowed some of
their past mistakes to paralyze them. You were so bright and cheerful
in your spiritual life once, and then you made some tragic mistake or
had something happen to you. You got out of it somehow, and prayed
and wept your way out of it. But it did something to you, and now you
cannot lick it. Past wrongs that have been done to you, past
failures, times you thought you were going to win and did not, or
present sins or discouragement-these things are not mental at all.
They are deeper than that; they are subconscious, and they prevent us
from believing.

I most urgently exhort you, and I trust God Almighty to deliver you;
to sponge that out of your spirit; to sponge that out of your heart
so you are not hindered by unbelief.

-AW Tozer

Lewis

"If men had postponed the search for knowledge and beauty
until they were secure,
the search would never have begun.”
CS Lewis

Praying for the Persecuted Church - Libya #2

Here is our reminder post to continue praying for Libya this month!

If you are interested in knowing more ways to pray for Libya on a more regular basis LIKE this facebook page.

Here are some ways to pray for Libya, directly from the Pray4Libya website.

1. Pray that God's peace, healing and blessing can spread throughout this land at this time.

2. Pray for spiritual principalities and strongholds in this land to be defeated.

3. Pray for the miraculous-protection, deliverance, dreams, visions, and healings.

4. Pray that God's people can appropriately respond and assist the Libyan people both inside and outside the country.

5. Pray for the government and its leaders within Libya. Pray that God would guide all leaders involved in this chaotic time.

6. Pray for a bright and vibrant future for the country and its wonderful people.

also remember to pray for our brothers and sisters who are in harms way, both from the violence that has been taking place in Libya and from the persecution that exists against Christians in this country.

Pray that the Lord will protect, keep safe, and bless the Christians of Libya. Pray for His Holy Spirit to be poured out upon them and that they would feel His presence, peace and joy.

Never Forget

I don't think any of us will ever forget where we were on September 11th when we first heard about the attacks in New York. I was driving on the 55 fwy and exiting at 4th Street when I turned on the radio to KROQ and heard Kevin and Bean saying that a plane had hit another tower, they just kept saying "Oh my God" and I thought for a split second, "that really isn't a funny thing for them to joke about" then the next second, I realized they weren't joking. I rushed to work and ran in and found a radio. I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

Our America would never be the same after that point. The love that was poured out by our fellow Americans and the patriotism that came arose during that time was made me proud to be an American. I can't think back to that time in my life without it bringing tears to my eyes. Tears for the horror of the event and the lives that were lost, tears for the heroes on flight 93 who fought to take down the plane in Pennsylvania, tears for all the heroes who were first responders, and tears for all of us as Americans, and how we came together during that time in a way that is truly AMERICAN. This is what we do, we stand together, we support each other.

After 10 years, some of that love and unity has been forgotten....I hope that today we will again remember that unity we had 10 years ago. And I hope that today we as Christians in American will join together and pray for our country, pray for unity, pray that the Spirit would be poured out upon us as a Nation and pray that lives would be changed, that people would repent of their sins and turn to Christ.....

We sang this song this morning at church, I thought I would leave you with this....


America The Beautiful
O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern impassioned stress
A thoroughfare of freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!

O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife.
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness
And every gain divine!

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for halcyon skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the enameled plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till souls wax fair as earth and air
And music-hearted sea!

O beautiful for pilgrims feet,
Whose stem impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till paths be wrought through
wilds of thought
By pilgrim foot and knee!

O beautiful for glory-tale
Of liberating strife
When once and twice,
for man's avail
Men lavished precious life!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till selfish gain no longer stain
The banner of the free!

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till nobler men keep once again
Thy whiter jubilee!

Praying for the Persecuted Church - Libya

September is already in full swing and so we need to get praying for a new country!

Join me in lifting up Libya and the Christians that are there this month. Please just take a few moments each day to remember and pray for our brothers and sisters in Libya. We are one body in Christ and we should be praying for those who are suffering.

An article from the Mission Network News on August 24th said,

"Given the significance of the persecution and harassment in Libya, just 3% of the population is believers. That begs the question: Is Libya home to a remnant church? Nettleton replies, 'There is a vibrant group of believers that are there, that are sharing the Gospel. So while I would say a 'remnant' is a fair description, don't be confused into thinking that there aren't really bold, on-fire believers there, because there absolutely are.' "

Let us join and lift up those 3%, pray:

that they would be bold in sharing their faith
that the Lord would protect them and watch over them
that He would give them wisdom
that He would blind the eyes of those who wish to persecute Christians
that He would open the doors to religious freedom in Libya
That He would pour out His Spirit afresh on the Christians in Libya, giving them courage, hope, faith, joy, peace and love.

Your prayers truly do make a difference in the spiritual battle that is being fought right not across the world.

Keep it up!

Praying for the Persecuted Church - Nepal #2

As the month is closing up, let us remember to pray for Nepal and the persecuted church there. We need to support our brothers and sisters in Christ through prayer. There is a real spiritual battle out there, let us lift up those in the family of Christ.

Persecution.org has a great list out of the Psalms to help guide us in our prayers. Please take 5 minutes and pray for the Chrsitians in Nepal.

• that they will know that the Heavenly Father defends the oppressed and the fatherless (Psalm 10:17, 18).
• that they will rest in the knowledge that the Good Shepherd walks with them through this difficult time (Psalm 23).
• that God will protect the children who are left without their mothers' care, and that the mothers will have the joy of knowing that the Lord is caring for them in their absence (Psalm 68:5).
• that bereaved families will know that God is the defender of widows and a Father to the fatherless (Psalm 68:5).
• that God will either judge or bring to repentance those who afflict His people (Psalm 83)
• for the provision of Bibles and other Christian literature to reach the most remote and needy areas where they are in the shortest supply. (Psalm 119:42-43).
• that God would bring verses of Scripture to mind that will comfort them (Psalm 119:49-56).
• that God will bring about justice in an unjust world (Psalm 140).

Those Who Sow in Tears...

WOW, this Tozer Devo totally got to me tonight. Take time to really read it over and process all that he is saying here. Use it to help examine your own heart tonight...

* * *

Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes
forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again
with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.
--Psalm 126:5-6

"The testimony of the true follower of Christ might well be something
like this: The world's pleasures and the world's treasures
henceforth have no appeal for me. I reckon myself crucified to the
world and the world crucified to me. But the multitudes that were so
dear to Christ shall not be less dear to me. If I cannot prevent
their moral suicide, I shall at least baptize them with my human
tears. I want no blessing that I cannot share. I seek no
spirituality that I must win at the cost of forgetting that men and
women are lost and without hope. If in spite of all I can do they
will sin against light and bring upon themselves the displeasure of
a holy God, then I must not let them go their sad way unwept. I
scorn a happiness that I must purchase with ignorance. I reject a
heaven that I must enter by shutting my eyes to the sufferings of my
fellow men. I choose a broken heart rather than any happiness that
ignores the tragedy of human life and human death. Though I, through
the grace of God in Christ, no longer lie under Adam's sin, I would
still feel a bond of compassion for all of Adam's tragic race, and
I am determined that I shall go down to the grave or up into God's
heaven mourning for the lost and the perishing."
AW Tozer

My Memorial Photos

My pictures have been selected to be used in an online memorial for the Jewish people who were deported from Romania during the Holocost. The Lord's people are so close to my heart, I take pictures of all Jewish synagogues, cemeteries and memorial sites that I find as I am traveling around. I was honored to be used on this website.

Click HERE for the part of the site with my pics, and HERE for the site home.

The site is like a virtual memorial with information from memorial sites all over Europe.

Who May Abide?

You know, one thing I love about being a child of God, is that He loves me enough to never leave me alone, and He always wants me to grow and to renew me from glory to glory. Sometimes this means going through trials, sometimes it means He disciplines us, sometimes it's pure love and joy and grace shown to us that causes us to change, and sometimes it can be the Holy Spirit speaking through the Word.

The other night in my daily reading I read Psalm 15. "Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle?" The verses that followed are completely applicable to us all...they are a great reminder of what is important and what is not. They are black and white in a very gray world. So I thought I would share! I've been meditating on them since I read them, praying over them, asking the Lord to search my own heart, to transform my mind and thoughts. His Word is so good, so true, so full of life.

---

LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle?
Who may dwell in Your holy hill?
He who walks uprightly,
And works righteousness,
And speaks the truth in his heart;
He who does not backbite with his tongue,
Nor does evil to his neighbor,
Nor does he take up a reproach against his friend;
In whose eyes a vile person is despised,
But he honors those who fear the LORD;
He who swears to his own hurt and does not change;
He who does not put out his money at usury,
Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things shall never be moved.

Psalm 12 - Help LORD!

Read this tonight and all I could think of was "WOW", this chapter in Psalms is so applicable to our day. HELP LORD!

***

Help, LORD, for the godly man ceases!
For the faithful disappear from among the sons of men.
They speak idly everyone with his neighbor;
With flattering lips and a double heart they speak.

May the LORD cut off all flattering lips,
And the tongue that speaks proud things,
Who have said,
“With our tongue we will prevail;
Our lips are our own;
Who is lord over us?”

“For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy,
Now I will arise,” says the LORD;
“I will set him in the safety for which he yearns.”

The words of the LORD are pure words,
Like silver tried in a furnace of earth,
Purified seven times.
You shall keep them, O LORD,
You shall preserve them from this generation forever.

The wicked prowl on every side,
When vileness is exalted among the sons of men.

Praying for the Persecuted Church - Nepal

Well we are already a week into August....Time to be praying for a new country and our brothers and sisters in Christ as well as for those who don't know Christ. This month, join me in praying for Nepal. For more information on how you can help send missionaries out into Nepal, check out Gospel for Asia's Website.

---------------------

Nepal is a nation that needs your prayers. From over a decade of bloody civil conflict that claimed thousands of lives to ongoing political instability in its government, this picturesque Himalayan country has suffered greatly and bears deep wounds.

But there is hope for Nepal—and through the prayers of His people, God has been working both in the political front and through His Church.

Read on to step inside some of the challenges for prayer in Nepal.

More than a Decade of Civil War

The civil war that raged between government and Maoist forces lasted more than ten years, claiming 14,000 precious lives and inflicting trauma on countless others. A peace agreement was signed in 2006, which was an incredible answer to prayer. But then political instability and sporadic violence continued, raising fears of a return to all-out fighting.

Please pray for lasting peace for Nepal—and for its people who have suffered so much to find true healing and redemption in Christ.

The Government

For more than 200 years, Nepal was officially a Hindu nation, posing many difficulties for missionaries sharing about Christ's love. But in an amazing turn of events, changes in the government in 2006 and 2008 paved the way for the birth of a democracy. Nepal was on its way to becoming a secular nation with more religious freedom.

The Constitution

Nepal is still in transition, as its recently elected Constituent Assembly has yet to draft the country's new constitution. This would officially establish democracy as well as complete a four-year peace process between the government and the Maoists.

The Assembly missed its May 28 deadline to draft the new constitution. In the weeks leading up to the date, the nation suffered from strikes imposed by the Maoist political party. A one-year extension has been granted to the Assembly.

Please lift up the writing of this new constitution; pray that it can be completed in a timely manner and for it to provide for a favorable environment in which the Gospel can flourish.

Drought and Food Crisis

Every year, parts of Nepal are affected by severe droughts and food crises. The droughts dry up crops, creating the food shortage. The people in these areas have also been especially vulnerable to the cholera epidemic. According to reports, 425 people died from cholera during just a two-month period.

One factor contributing to the drought is that farmers in the mountainous areas lack a good irrigation system and must depend on rainwater. And when monsoon rains are delayed, the crops suffer. It is a vicious cycle that puts many at peril.

Please pray for Gospel for Asia-supported pastors and missionaries ministering to suffering people in the areas affected by the drought.

National Missionaries and Their Churches

In this nation that has suffered so greatly from political turmoil, Gospel for Asia-supported missionaries and the churches they shepherd serve as bright lights and beacons of hope to their communities. The very real risk of persecution, steep mountain trails to be hiked and frigid temperatures are a few of the challenges faced by these missionaries—yet they gladly endure these things for the sake of Christ. And their efforts are bringing forth fruit! Reports have even come in of new believers eagerly trekking for hours to attend church and worship the Savior.

Pray that the missionaries in Nepal will be filled with joy, Christ's love and physical stamina as they diligently take His Good News to their people. Pray they will encounter receptive hearts, and pray for new believers to be strengthened daily in their faith.

A Thriving Radio Ministry

By God's grace, GFA Radio has been able to broadcast the Good News on various stations throughout the country, including on Radio Nepal. And there has been tremendous response, showing people's hunger to know more about Jesus. In some areas, rallies for radio listeners provide opportunities for people to hear more about Jesus and meet GFA-supported pastors.

Given the rugged and remote terrain found in much of Nepal, radio has proven to be a valuable tool to take the Gospel to difficult-to-reach places. Many people live in mountain villages with stunningly beautiful views, yet may never have heard about the God who created that beauty. Radio can be a powerful means to reach these precious people.

Please pray for continued open doors for GFA's radio ministry in Nepal. Pray that many people will tune in to the broadcasts and that many hearts will be drawn to the Savior.

Prayer for July - The USA #2

In my Bible reading this evening I came across this verse, upon meditating upon it I felt it should be a prayer for our country. So to lead us again in praying for the USA this month, I ask that you join me in praying God's Word and this verse specifically over the US.

"Repent therefore and be converted,
that your sins may be blotted out,
so that times of refreshing may come
from the presence of the Lord"
Acts 3:19

grace and peace
r

Keep Your Eyes Open

It is a new day!

Do not remember the former things,
Nor consider the things of old.
Behold, I will do a new thing,
Now it shall spring forth;
Shall you not know it?
I will even make a road in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert.
Isaiah 43:18-19

Prayer for July - The USA

I know I have been doing a "Pray for the Persecuted Church" each month, but this month, being that it is July, I think we should pray for America...the good old US of A!
:)

So won't you join me this month as we pray for our country.

Here are some prayer points to help guide you:

1. Pray for our leaders, from the President on down to your mayor. Pray that they would seek wisdom from the Lord that they would repent of their sins and turn to Jesus as their Savior.

2. Pray for those in law enforcement, fire department, etc. Pray that the Lord would protect them and bless them. Pray that they would also be given wisdom from above and that they too would come to know Jesus as their Savior!

3. Pray for our military! Those serving overseas and at home. Pray for their families at home. Pray that the Lord would provide for all their needs. Pray for those fighting that they they would be given strength to endure and protection. Pray for those coming home from war, that the Lord would bring healing to their hearts, minds and bodies. Pray for those reunifying with their families after serving overseas. Pray that it would be a smooth transition. Pray a special blessing upon our military that the Lord would totally bless them and their families for their service.

4. Pray for America....we need the Lord....pray for Revival upon this country like it has never seen before in our history. Pray that those who are already Christians would LIVE like Christians and would shine and be examples and witnesses to all those around them. Pray that all Christians would repent of theirs sins, actually turn from their sins, and pursue righteousness and holiness.

and pray that God would Bless America!

grace and peace,
rachel

Praying for the Persecuted Church - Laos #2

I know that I have been primarily focusing on our persecuted brothers and sisters in these prayer posts...but I feel that there is a need to not only be praying for those who already know the Lord, but for those in Laos who do not yet know Him. Not just for those doing the persecuting but for every single person who does not have a personal relationship with Jesus.

OMF (originally founded by J. Hudson Taylor) has a great guide for praying for the people of Laos. Join me in praying through this list and remembering those in Laos.

• The church still faces restrictions and Christians still face persecution. Pray for freedom for evangelism, church planting and building, for the effective use of present freedoms and for changes that will open Laos up for the preaching of the gospel. Rather than retrenching, pray that Christians would reach out, especially to the ethnic minorities.
• Pray for unity, integrity and godly leadership in the church.
• Pray for leadership and Bible training. Pray for the effectiveness of informal study programs [by radio and through Theological Education by Extension].
• Missionary work is not officially permitted, but there are openings for Christian professionals and those working with aid and relief programs. Pray for a reopened door for Bible translators, church planters and Bible teachers.
• Unreached peoples in which there are no known churches:
  - Tai peoples, speaking 15 languages.
  - The northern peoples, many of whom have responded to the gospel in neighboring China and Thailand.
  - The small southern ethnic groups that were being evangelized for the first time between 1957 and 1963. War prevented the planting of churches among most of these peoples and they remain deeply enmeshed in the fear of spirits.
  - The Vietnamese and Chinese, among whom there has been little evangelism.
• There are at least 13 languages for which there is a definite need for Bible translation teams and a possible total of 66 languages. Pray for discernment in prioritizing, and for men and women to invest their lives in translating God’s word.
• Christian radio: FEBC broadcasts 16 hours weekly in Lao, Hmong, Khmu and Lahu. Pray for a good reception and spiritual response.

Tozer Devo

This devo has SO much truth to it! I can see it all around me, in our world today, with the young and the old....those who have such energy and drive, and yet put their focus in the wrong things...or things that are not eternal...definitely food for thought.

.............................................................................

You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You
created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.
--Revelation 4:11

Without worship we go about miserable; that's why we have all the
troubles we have. You wonder why young people act like such idiots.
Some young people have a lot of energy and don't know what to do
with it, so they go out and act like idiots; and that's why gangsters
and Communists and sinners of all kinds do what they do. They are
endowed by God Almighty with brilliant intelligence and an amazing
store of energy, and because they don't know what to do with it they
do the wrong thing. That's why I'm not angry with people when I see
them go off the deep end, because I know that they have fallen from
their first estate along with Adam's brood and all of us together.
They haven't been redeemed and so they have energy they don't know
what to do with; they have capacity they don't know how to use. They
have skills and don't know where to put them, and so they go wild
and police have to arrest 16-year-olds and put them in jail. If they
had been taught that they came into the world in the first place to
worship God and to enjoy Him forever and that when they fell Jesus
Christ came to redeem them, to make worshipers out of them, they
could by the Holy Ghost and the washing of the blood be made into
worshiping saints and things would be so different.

-AW Tozer

Praying for the Persecuted Church - Laos

We continue on with our month to month praying for our brothers and sisters in Christ, who are in countries where serving our Lord comes with a heavy price.

This month we will be praying for those in Laos. According to OpenDoorsUSA's World Watch List, Laos ranks #10 on the list of countries in the world, for it's oppression of Christians.



Here is some information on Laos to help guide you as you pray. (All info is from Open Doors)
Leader: President Choummaly Sayasone
Population: 6.4 million (200,000 Christians)
Main Religion: Buddhism
Government: Communist state


Laos is the only other Communist-ruled country in the top 10 of the WWL (with North Korea). Despite many people's expectations, the situation in Laos has not improved much in the past year. The church is relatively small but continues to grow (numbering about 200,000 believers, mostly belonging to ethnic minorities). There has been no improvement in religious liberty and persecution in Laos includes a few restrictions in legislation. The government’s attitude is very negative and restrictive towards Christians, and all believers are under strict surveillance because they are regarded as agents for the USA to bring political change in Laos towards “democracy.” The church cannot operate freely and its activities in society are limited. Christians are restricted in their roles in the family and in the village. Christian converts who renounce evil spirit worship come under great societal pressure. From time to time believers are arrested, and many of them experience extreme physical and emotional pressure (torture) to renounce their (new) faith. In the 2010 at least 25 Christians were killed; at least another 20 were arrested and held without trial. Christians were physically harassed on a regular basis and a number of churches were destroyed or damaged. Thousands of (Christian) Hmong refugees are living in Thailand. Despite the high level of persecution in Laos, there are many unregistered activities and the Church seems to be growing.

PRAY:
For God’s protection and provision for the 11 families expelled from their villages, especially the young children.

That Christians will have the courage to remain in the faith, in spite of the high price they must pay.

That policies designed to promote religious freedom will be implemented in rural areas and benefit believers, who are mostly tribal and rural.

Please continue to hold up Laos in your prayers throughout the month of June!

grace and peace
rachel

Beautiful.

A highway shall be there, and a road,
And it shall be called the Highway of Holiness.
The unclean shall not pass over it,
But it shall be for others.
Whoever walks the road, although a fool,
Shall not go astray.
No lion shall be there,
Nor shall any ravenous beast go up on it;
It shall not be found there.
But the redeemed shall walk there,
And the ransomed of the LORD shall return,
And come to Zion with singing,
With everlasting joy on their heads.
They shall obtain joy and gladness,
And sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
~Isaiah 35:8-10

The Abiding Companionship of God

"His soul shall dwell at ease." In tribulation, misunderstanding, slander, in the midst of all these things, if our life is hid with Christ in God, He will keep us at ease. We rob ourselves of the marvelous revelation of this abiding companionship of God. "God is our Refuge" - nothing can come through that shelter.
-Oswald Chambers

*

Memorial Day

Thank you to all who have died defending and protecting my USA. The price of freedom has cost many everything they had...and yet they gave willingly. The men and women of our armed forces and their commitment to defend our country make me very proud to be an American. May the Lord bless and protect all who are serving right now, wherever they may be in this world.

Pray for All Who are Suffering

I was reading from Andrew Murray's "Helps to Intercession" this evening. I like doing this sometimes when I feel the need to pray but want some direction...tonight had a great bit of advice. "Pray for all who are suffering". I thought I would share the little excerpt with you all, and encourage you to pray for those suffering in our world as well! Praying for the things mentioned below opened up so many other things that the Lord brought to my mind. We can pray in general so often, but should always be open to the where the Holy Spirit is leading us to pray.

Hope you are blessed and encouraged in your prayer time!

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"Remember the prisoners as if chained with them—those who are mistreated—since you yourselves are in the body also." Hebrews 13:3

What a world of suffering we live in! How Jesus sacrificed all and identified Himself with it! Let us in our measure do so too. The persecuted, the Jews, the famine-stricken millions of India, the hidden slavery of Africa, the poverty and wretchedness of our great cities - and so much more: what suffering among those who know God and who know Him not. And then in smaller circles, in ten thousand homes and hearts, what sorrow. In our own neighborhood, how many needing help or comfort. Let us have a heart for, let us think of the suffering. It will stir us to pray, to work, to hope, to love more. And in a way and time we know not God will hear our prayer.

Praying for the Persecuted Church - Syria #2

This article is from April 28, 2011. Let's use it to continue our month of praying for Syria and our Christian brothers and sisters there.
---------------------------------
Syria: Christians Pray for Opening of Gospel

Ava Thomas, Baptist Press

DAMASCUS, Syria (BP)--She didn't realize it was a dangerous question. All Natalie Shepherd* wanted to do was learn the Arabic word for lion.

"We were sitting in a public place with my husband's Arabic teacher in Syria, and I pointed to a statue of a lion and asked him how to pronounce it," said Shepherd, formerly a Southern Baptist worker in the country. "His eyes got huge, and he said, 'Shhhh! We can't say that out loud in public!'"

The Arabic word for lion -- asad -- also is the president's surname, and the Shepherds' teacher didn't want to risk someone overhearing and thinking he was slandering the president's family.

That was years ago.

A lot has since changed, said Shepherd, who in recent days has watched images on television of Syrian protesters rising up in force to demand that President Bashar al-Assad step down. The nation is the current hot spot in the region's outbreak of political turmoil, and more than 300 people have been killed by government forces seeking to crush the opposition, according to news sources.

Tanks are rolling through cities and villages. Some observers have reminisced in the midst of all the violence about the thousands of Syrians killed when Assad's father, President Hafez al-Assad, flattened an entire section of a city to quell opposition forces in 1982.

The elder Assad was the one in power when Shepherd asked about the lion statue.

"As much as my teacher didn't want to be overheard talking about the president back then, I know that the people today had full awareness based on their history of what revolting would entail," she said. "This is a historic moment for Syria in many ways."

Shepherd and other Christian workers in the region pray it will be a spiritually historic moment for the nation as well. She remembers during her time in Syria staying up all night with believers praying that God would do whatever it took to bring salvation to the peoples of Syria.

"It's been a consistent attitude among the body to really cry out to God through prayer that the Gospel would spread and take root there again," Shepherd said.

It's happened before, she said.

She recounted a story of her husband visiting a man who lived along Straight Street where Ananias lived in Acts 9 and how, after a colleague accompanied by her husband shared with the Syrian man, he accepted Christ on the spot.

At first, the young man's family would have nothing to do with the foreigners -- they wouldn't even stay in the house when he would have them over for a meal. But by the time the Shepherds left Syria, they were sitting with the entire family around the table, the mother of the family doting on Shepherd during the meal.

"It was a story of transformation and change, and as we drove through the country and saw villages filled with minarets, we prayed that change would keep going," she said.

The church has met with some persecution in the country, but the Gospel is still advancing, she said. One way this is happening is through a movie made by Syrian actors on the life of Paul, a film even government officials have watched.

An audio project is also underway that will soon provide Scripture for the Syrian people in their dialect, Shepherd said. "The Word is spreading."

She and other Christian workers in the region ask for believers to pray:

• for the Lord to keep working in Syria and for the door to be open to the Gospel during this time of unrest.
• for Christians in Syria to be bold in proclaiming Jesus Christ.
• for a great harvest of souls in Syria.

*Names have been changed.

Praying for the Persecuted Church - Syria

As it is now May, it is time to be praying for a new country. With so much going on in Syria right now I thought that this would be a good country to pick. Will you join me in praying for our brothers and sisters in Christ who are in Syria right now?

Below is an article from Open Doors USA, written on April 20th. Let's use this to guide us as we begin praying for Syria.

“The church is fasting and praying. People on the street are asking God to keep the peace in Syria … If anything happens, Christians will be the first to be attacked, killed and destroyed by Muslims, Druze and all. Prayers are needed at this time.” – a Syrian Believer

As protestors take to the streets of Syria, some calling for reform within the ruling Baath party and others demanding the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad, concern is growing among Syrian Christians about the consequences of a regime change or legal reforms on the government’s protection of vulnerable religious minorities. Though some see these proposed reforms as positive developments for the Syrian people, other believers recognize the potential for Muslim groups to target defenseless Christians as government control loosens as has happened in Egypt. Rumors are spreading of plans by militant Muslims to attack Christians when the state of emergency which has allowed the ruling Baath party to maintain control since 1963 is lifted by the government. Fear of attacks against believers have prompted many parents to keep their children home from school on Fridays to avoid the possibility that a group coming from the mosque will harass the children on their way home from school.

Christians make up 9% of the Syrian population and have been allowed a degree of religious freedom under the current government. Though the central government and local officials strongly discourage Christians from evangelizing, the nearly 2 million believers in Syria have been allowed to worship openly by the Al-Assad regime. Syrian believers are well aware of how easily this freedom could be snatched away from them. A Syrian believer testified, “The Christians in Syria are scared that if anything happens to the current system, their situation will be like Iraq, if not worse!”

Believers facing a choice between fleeing their homes, businesses and communities or staying to deal with a tense situation that could escalate into violence against Christians at a moment’s notice are fasting and praying for God’s wisdom and direction. Join in praying for our brothers and sisters in Syria, that they would be strengthened in their faith and that God would work in the political situation to secure protection for Syria’s vulnerable Christian minority.

Father, thank you for your continued faithfulness to the believers in Syria. In the face of violent threats and political unrest, strengthen and encourage believers in the comfort of the Holy Spirit. Even in the midst of uncertainty and fear, grant Syrian Christians boldness to share the truth of Christ with members of their community. Please move in the hearts of Syrian government officials to continue to protect vulnerable believers. Father, let Your perfect peace cover this troubled nation bringing hope for the citizens of Syria. Amen

Consider fasting in unity with our brothers and sisters in Syria. Please let Open Doors know of this decision by sending a message to Prayer@ODUSA.org.

He is Risen!

"But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him."
Mark 16:6

"He is not here; for He is risen, as He said..."
Matthew 28:6a

"Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said."
John 2:22

"So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God."
Mark 16:19

The story is over for now! Jesus came and died for our sins and this day we celebrate His resurrection, and His conquering of death and sin.

"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also."
John 14:1-3

What's next? We anxiously await His return!

Happy Easter and come for Your Church Lord Jesus!

He Came to Give His Life - Good Friday

"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served,
but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."
Mark 10:45

Now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
Some of those who stood by, when they heard that, said, “Look, He is calling for Elijah!” Then someone ran and filled a sponge full of sour wine, put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink, saying, “Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to take Him down.”
And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last.
Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, “Truly this Man was the Son of God!”
Mark 15:33-39

So what is so "Good" about Good Friday? We celebrate and recognize and remember and give glory to the GOODNESS that God showed us, by sending His only Son to earth, to pay the price for our sins. We are thankful for GOODNESS that Jesus showed us, by being obedient to His Father and coming to earth, living a perfect and holy life, and then fulfilling His Father's will by going to the cross. The entire reason He came to earth, was for the cross.

And we celebrate the GOODNESS of knowing that the story does not end today, Good Friday with Jesus hanging on a cross, or lying in a tomb . . .

The story ends on Easter Sunday. . .

Praying for the Persecuted Church - Iran #2

This is just a reminder to be praying for Iran this month!

Join me as we pray for:

Those who are doing the persecuting in Iran. That just like Paul, they would turn from being persecutors of the Church to proclaimers of the Truth of the Gospel!

Pray for those being persecuted that the Lord would give them strength, hope, peace, joy, patience and endurance to continue to run the race. That through their light and example others around them would be drawn to Christ.

Pray for protection of Christians in Iran.

Pray that the Christians of Iran would find fellowship and that their joy would be made complete as they are encouraged by other believers.

Pray for the people of Iran, and all of it's leaders, that the Lord would soften their hearts and open their eyes. That Light of the Truth of the Lord would penetrate the darkness and that they would turn from their ways to the Truth of the Gospel.

I am Blessed

I was talking about my time in Romania this afternoon with some old friends. Sometimes I feel that when I talk about all that the Lord brought me through and all that He did for me and how He changed me there, I feel as though I am just telling a "story". As though I am talking about someone else. But then it hits me, it really did all happen, all those stories of the Lord protecting me, providing for me, and being there for me when I was alone, are TRUE. How He showed Himself faithful over and over and spoke to me through His Word, how He met me where I was and loved me enough to not leave me there.

"For you shall not go out with haste, Nor go by flight; For the LORD will go before you, And the God of Israel will be your rear guard." Isaiah 52:12

"Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, Until these calamities have passed by." Psalm 57:1

I am not the little girl who moved to Romania in 2007. I was put through some fire and floods and wildernesses.....but the Lord was always before me leading me, always behind me protecting me and always above me allowing me to hide in the shadow of His wings. He has kept me in the palm of His hand and has changed me in a way I know that would not have been possible had I not moved to Romania and experienced all the good and bad that went with that. Anything the enemy meant for evil the Lord worked together for good.

HE IS FAITHFUL.

And I am blessed.

Just had to share that tonight.

grace and peace,
rachel

In a Dry and Thirsty Land...

"O God, You are my God;
Early will I seek You;
My soul thirsts for You;
My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land
Where there is no water."
Psalm 63:1

A Month of Meditation

This is a great devo from Tozer...makes me think....it's sort of pathetic as Christians that we need to be challenged to spend "just a month" meditating on the Word of God...but I am going to accept this challenge....and prayerfully it will turn into a new habit and a life long commitment to take the Bible more seriously and more prayerfully consider and read through and meditate on the things written inside it. After all it is the WORD OF GOD....how amazing and blessed are we to be able to read this!

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Prayer: Just Meditate for a Month

But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates
day and night.
--Psalm 1:2

Let the old saints be our example. They came to the Word of God and
meditated. They laid the Bible on the old-fashioned, handmade chair,
got down on the old, scrubbed, board floor and meditated on the Word.
As they waited, faith mounted. The Spirit and faith illuminated.
They had only a Bible with fine print, narrow margins and poor paper,
but they knew their Bible better than some of us do with all of our
helps.

Let's practice the art of Bible meditation.... Let us open our
Bibles, spread them out on a chair and meditate on the Word of God.
It will open itself to us, and the Spirit of God will come and
brood over it.

I do challenge you to meditate, quietly, reverently, prayerfully,
for a month. Put away questions and answers and the filling in of
the blank lines in the portions you haven't been able to understand.
Put all of the cheap trash away and take the Bible, get on your
knees, and in faith, say, "Father, here I am. Begin to teach me!"
The Counselor, 136-137.