Prayers for Istanbul

Sam arrived for morning coffee yesterday and was full of news. "Did you hear about all them people getting blowed up?" 

I had not. 

"It was in one of them places where we fought a war, I think. You know, you can't really fight somebody who don't mind blowing themselves up."

I pulled out my cell phone and opened the news app. Sam was right. There had been a bombing in Istanbul's airport.

42 dead. 239 wounded. 128 of the wounded are still hospitalized. 

The attacks were coordinated, much like the attacks in Paris. One of the bombers was shot, fell to the ground, and detonated his suicide bomb after he fell.

If the bombs are like those used in Paris, they were concentrated hydrogen peroxide bombs. The explosives are so volatile that a detonator is not needed. The friction of falling to the ground can cause the bomb to detonate. 

As Sam said, how do you fight something like this? People like this?

In 2016, Turkey has had eight terrorist attacks with 146 dead and at least 363 wounded already. ISIS has not claimed responsibility for these attacks, but is considered the most likely culprit.

Today, the families of 42 people will make preparations for funerals and burials. The families of 239 people will watch and wait as their loved ones attempt to recover from their injuries, both physical and psychological. 

A city will struggle to maintain the tourist trade after this attack. Istanbul's citizens will fear being in a crowd. Watch every person with a big jacket or a backpack. Look at people missing fingers and wonder if they are a bomb maker. 

Life has changed for the 14 million residents of Istanbul, and it won't likely be the same again.

Istanbul, formerly Constantinople, is a beautiful city and an international tourist attraction. It was a Christian city until after the Ottoman invasion. Now, it's Muslim, yet ISIS still attacks.

Theirs is not a war of religion, no matter what they say. Theirs is a war of terror, designed to gain power and territory.

I'm so tired of war and killing and hate. 

As I read about the attacks, I wondered when it will end. I knew the answer already. It won't. Not until Jesus comes back and calls us home.

We are broken people, marred by sin, and evil in all our ways. It is only the love of God than constrains us. ISIS shows us what we, too, could be, if not for the Judeo-Christian ethic that has been so much a part of our culture. ISIS shows us the extreme result of the devaluing of human life.

Scripture is clear that our first breath comes from God, and every breath after is a gift from God. It doesn't matter if we are Turkish, American, French, Muslim, or Christian, or any other persuasion. 

Life is a precious gift from God, whether we believe it or not. 

All lives matter. The taking of life matters, too. Whether we believe it or not.

We should be as enraged by the deaths in Turkey as we were by the deaths in Paris, but I fear we are becoming numb to the terror. Worn out by our outrage. 

A response is not optional. If good is to come from this terrible evil, God's people must respond with an outpouring of prayer and concern. We must be salt and light in this dark world. 

Today, let's pray that God will bring good from evil. I'm not sure how He'll do that, but I know He can. Pray that His name will be lifted up in honor and people will be drawn to Him in their pain and suffering. 

Pray that the Christians living in Istanbul can be salt and light to their fellow citizens. Pray for their safety.

I've prayed countless prayers for the warriors of ISIS to come to Him, and I'm still praying that, but, today, I'm praying God brings their reign of terror to an end. And quickly.

There will be peace one day, but only when Jesus reigns supreme. Until then, we carry on, and pray that His will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

"Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." 1 Corinthians 15:58 niv
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picture above is of a bombed-out house in Israel.

In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: Showing the Inside on the Outside

#Istanbul #ISIS #prayforistanbul #disciple

After Orlando

The Nigerian Schoolgirls. The deadly attacks in Paris. The terrorist attacks in Brussels. There's been horror upon horror. Terror upon terror. 

I'm sorry to say that I was so horrified after I heard the news, I couldn't find the words to respond to this latest atrocity. I'm still reeling.

This time, the horror is closer to home. A nightclub in downtown Orlando. Sunday, (June 12, 2016) an evil, hate-filled man shot and murdered 50 people and left 53 more injured.

It may or may not have been done in the name of religion, but it was definitely done in the name of hate. Of evil. Those two are running rampant these days. 

Dear God, help us.

I have something to say, and it's time to listen up, hate-mongers. 

If your god tells you to slaughter people in the name of religion, or that it's okay someone else did, you need another god.

If yours is a god of hate, you need another god. 

If your god tells you people should be exterminated because they are different from you, you need another god.

If the evil done in Orlando yesterday looks like a victory to you, you have a serious problem. Only my God can change you, because your god is surely not sufficient.

So, hate-mongers, you need to meet Jesus, and I'm praying you do. Because He didn't kill a single sinner when He was here on earth. Instead, He died to save us all. He rose again. He reigns in Heaven. He's coming back one day.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16 esv 

When Jesus was here on earth, He was big on righteousness and long on grace. He loved sinners and He spent a lot of time with them. Because every single person on the earth was a sinner, except Him. 

Jesus loved them just as they were, and He offered them the chance to follow Him and become more like Him. And He still does. Lots of sinners have taken that offer. Including me. And we've changed to be more like Him, although I, personally, have a long way to go.  

Jesus is nothing if not persistent about righteousness. No matter what your personal favorite sin, Jesus will press you to change, especially if you're a hate-monger. It might be hard, but it's always worth it. I've learned that from experience.

I know a lot of people in the LGBT community. And I love them. I don't love them because they're gay. I love them because they are people made in the image of God. Just like I am. And every one of those people is loved by God. 


I know a lot of people who are not in the LGBT community. I love them, too. I don't love them because they're not gay. I love them because they are people made in the image of God. Just like I am. And every one of those people is loved by God, too. 

To the Orlando LGBT community, and to those in Orlando who are not in the LGBT community, I'm sorry about what happened in your city. I'm sorry about those who died. About those who were injured. I'm sorry for the friends and family members who are grieving.

I can't go to Orlando and offer a hug or a blanket or hope to the people who've lost so much, but I want you to know that I care, whether you're different from me in some way or not. 

I'm praying for you. 

There are people who worship hate and delight in evil, but they are not Jesus' people. He is the One who is "not willing for any to perish, but that all should reach repentance." (2 Peter 3:9 esv)

If I could, I would show you the love of Jesus, but I'm here and you're there. So let me tell you that Jesus loves you. He loves you so much. He longs to help you. To mourn with you. To comfort you and carry you through. To quiet your fears and fill your heart with hope. 

He's done that for me, and He'll do all that and more for you, if you'll let Him.

I pray that the body of Christ will act as the hands and feet of Jesus to show you just how much He cares. I pray they will shine the light of Jesus into your darkest hour of fear and grief, and you will see that the light is love, not hate. 

Jesus loves you, Orlando. Jesus loves you, hurting people. And this sinner-woman does, too.

Believers, there's only one way to change our sin-riddled country. 

"If My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14 nasb
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I've updated The Prayer List. It's now the featured blog post. Pray, brothers and sisters. A nation depends upon it.

#Orlando #ISIS #Muslim #hate #PrayforOrlando
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If you missed yesterday's post, here's the link: Return of the Rooster and the Resurrected Jesus 

Praying for Peace

I wanted to write a "touching story" today. A Maggie story or a farm life story. I long for a dose of fun, easy brain candy. Today, however, is not one of those days. I promise I will write something fun this week, so please don't abandon me.

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As I was pondering what to write this morning, I decided to check the news, just in case something immense had happened.

Something immense has happened. 

France has launched fresh airstrikes against ISIS in retaliation for the Paris attacks and acknowledged that they are at war. Russia has launched airstrikes against ISIS in retaliation for the bomb that brought down their Russian airliner. Israel has called for Arab nations to join with them to defeat ISIS. The Pentagon is calling for a "global coalition" to defeat ISIS. 

It has started. 

I fear that World War III, though yet unacknowledged, has begun. 

This enemy must be defeated, but I am frightened by how the coming months and years will go. I've read Ernie Pyle's book, Brave Men. This daring war correspondent climbed into foxholes with our soldiers, ate the rations they ate, slept on the ground as they slept, went unwashed as our soldiers did. He experienced war first-hand and described the conditions of war in clear terms. It's horrible. 

I'm not sure we, in this country, understand war enough to fear it. Those who have had war in their streets, occupation forces in their cities, bombs falling on their homes understand war in a deep way, and they fear it. They run from it. 

This time, ISIS has vowed to bring war to our streets, occupation forces to our cities, destruction to our homes. When they are finished, we, too, will understand war and evil enough to fear it at the core of our being.

Since ISIS took over Fallujah in January 2014, their progress has been relentless. Their gains have been immense. I reviewed the timeline of WWII this morning, as well as a timeline of ISIS activity. The similarities between the rise of the Nazi's and the rise of ISIS are frighteningly similar, as is the pull into world war. 

If you haven't reviewed those facts lately, I encourage you to do so. My intent is not to create fear but to create an understand of the immense need for repentance, humility, and prayer.

God is still in control.  

He was in control before ISIS was formed. He will still be in control after ISIS has been annihilated.

Is there nothing we can do to protect ourselves? Yes. There's plenty we can do, and no political platform is required. Here's three steps you and I, from the comfort of our homes, can take to help end the tyranny.

There is great freedom in truth, so seek it. 

In fact, it was Jesus who said, "You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free." (Of course, He was speaking of the truth of the gospel, but there is freedom in truth. John 8:32) I encourage you to learn the truth about current political events. Don't go to "opinion" blogs or news sites. Search for unbiased truth and unvarnished facts.  

There is great power in repentance and prayer, so do it. 

2 Chronicles 7:14 offers a promise for those who will sacrifice to obtain forgiveness and healing. "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

There is great protection in righteousness, so hunger and thirst for it. 

Psalm 9:9-10 promises a stronghold for those who put their trust in God. "The Lord also will be a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble; and those who know Your name will put their trust in You, for You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You."

There is no need to fear, for God is still in control, but there is a need to act with humility, repentance, and prayer.

Today, let us pray for ourselves, to be the kind of disciples Christ intended us to be, to be the salt and light that adds the flavor of Christ and brings the light of His Spirit into a dark and perishing world. 

Pray for us as a nation and for our world. Pray that the reign of the evil one will come to an end. Pray that, as a nation, we will seek God's face, his forgiveness, his healing and, in so doing, lead the world in repentance and healing.

Pray for peace.
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Photo courtesy of freeimages.com
In case you missed any of the past week's posts, here are the links: Loss of Power, Grateful Heart: Veterans, Grateful Heart: Laughter and Grateful Heart: Worldwide Kindness,  Remembering Paris,  Persevering for Paris, and Resisting Evil.

The most viewed post of the last week was Remembering Paris
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#Prayers4Peace #ISIS #disciple #JesusChrist #saltandlight

Resisting Evil

Beirut, Lebanon where forty people were killed by ISIS bombs this weekend.

I hate to admit this, but, when I heard that France was bombing the ISIS capital, my first thought was, "Good. I'm sick to death of them." All thoughts of praying for my enemies flew right out of my mind, maybe because praying for my enemies is not as tightly implanted in my heart as I'd hoped. 

My first response was not to pray for our enemy, ISIS. It was not even to pray for those anti-ISIS people whose city has been overrun by these terrorists. 

I don't presume to know the mind of God in this big mess, but I do know that we have a worldwide crisis and an extremely volatile situation. My second thought was, "And so, World War III has started and we don't even realize it. At least not yet."

I want ISIS stopped. Please don't get me wrong about that.

But. I have a son.

I understand the need for a military effort, but I also know that every plane carries humans who do the tasks of war - piloting, navigating, bombing. Every gun requires a human to shoot it. Every tank requires a human to drive it, to fire its guns. 

Those humans are someone's brother or sister, son or daughter, father or mother. They are loved. They are needed.  

Unlike the terrorists, (one of whom blew up his own younger brother) I would not willingly sacrifice my son for anyone's cause. War scares me. I understand its necessity, but it is not to be taken lightly, for men and women someone loves will be in danger. 

In truth, they (and we) are already in danger, regardless. 

ISIS has promised attacks on Washington. It's not a threat. It's a promise, and I have no doubt they intend to fulfill their promise. 

Just this weekend, they attacked both Paris and Lebanon. A week ago, they killed 200 children in Syria. Their reign of terror seems to have no end.

The heinous acts of evil men and women are, however, not new. ISIS is not the first organization to do the unspeakable and call it good. Nearly two thousand year ago, the Apostle Peter wrote of this unending reign of evil. His words are worth remembering.

"Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world..." 1 Peter 5:8-9 nasb

Just before these wise words, he also wrote of a beautiful, comforting truth. 

"He cares for you."

We serve a God who knows us, knows our situation, and cares. He cares about our loved ones in harms' way. He cares about the ones who will survive their fight and the ones who will not. He cares about the ones of us who will be left to grieve. Whatever happens, He cares.

Therefore, Peter wrote, humble yourselves... cast your cares on Him... trust Him... and resist evil.

We are living in perilous, explosive times and there is one response that we must not forget in all our resisting. 

Pray without ceasing...

     for our nation

     for our leaders

     for our soldiers

     for an end to the evil in this world 

     for protection from evil until our Lord returns to carry us home.

This is a beautiful but dangerous world we're living in, my brothers and sisters. We will never be safe until we reach eternity. Until then, let's serve well, pray well, love well.

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In case you missed any of the past week's posts, here are the links: The Blessings That Were Not,  Loss of Power, Grateful Heart: Veterans, Grateful Heart: Laughter and Grateful Heart: Worldwide Kindness,  Remembering Paris, and Persevering for Paris.

The most viewed post of the last week was Remembering Paris
#ISIS #resistevil #Pray4Paris #Pray4Syria #Pray4Lebanon #Praywithoutceasing

Remembering Paris

I have wept for Paris again. 

In 1999, we went to Paris for our honeymoon. It is a beautiful city, a romantic city, and I loved it. Four square miles of culture, cafes, and art. And, of course, people. I wept for the people back then. Despite the beauty, there were many sad faces, and I wanted to tell them about the One who could put joy in their hearts. But I did not.

The people were kind to me, patient with the residual of my high school French. They must have heard left-over French before, because we managed to communicate. We roamed all over the city. I was in love, and I fell in love with Paris and her people, as well. 

I still love Paris.

I wept last night when I heard of the violent, vicious acts of terror committed there. Pointless murders of innocents who had not harmed the perpetrators. I grieve for those who died, for those who were wounded, for all those who have been affected by the attacks. 

I grieve for us all. 

When such violence erupts in a city, it affects every one of us. This is not war. This is not even a religious crusade. 

This is wickedness. 

What kind of evil promotes this depraved wickedness? Ultimate evil. ISIS/IS, or whatever they call themselves this week, has claimed responsibility for these murders, these attacks. They celebrate these deaths of unarmed civilians as if it proves their power, their "right". It does not. It only proves the wickedness of their souls.

How can we combat such evil? 

The world will not want to hear the solution, but only Ultimate Good can deal with this kind of evil. 

When faced with an impending Aramean attack, Jehosophat prayed, "We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on You." (2 Chron 20:12) 

When faced with the threat of the Assyrians, Hezekiah prayed, "And now, O Lord our God, I pray, deliver us from his hand that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that Thou alone, O Lord, art God." (2 Kings 19:19) 

They were in desperate need of intervention from the Most High God and they knew it.

When those great kings prayed for deliverance from evil, deliverance was given. 

So must we bend our knees and humble our hearts in prayer for deliverance from this great evil that threatens us.

I prayed for the people of Paris last night, and for all those who love Paris. I will continue to pray that their suffering will not be wasted. I pray that the One who created them will heal their broken hearts and that, somehow, great good will come from this.

I did not want to pray for those attackers, but yesterday I spent hours writing of one who had prayed for his attackers and loved his enemies, even though it was hard. 

I did not want to, but I prayed for the terrorists last night.  I had no choice, for Jesus said, "love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." (Matt 5:44)

I prayed that this will be the event that breaks ISIS, that God would so convict those who participated in the attacks, whether by planning or doing, that repentance will result. I prayed that such confusion and trouble will compound their efforts that the precise orchestrations of all the evil they attempt will be thwarted from within.

I pray that their sin will be ever before them and their only relief will be in repentance.

This is a battle that will not be won with guns and bombs and strategy. 

It is a battle to be won on our knees. 

We can do more than we know for the people of Paris. We can do more than we realize to fight the terrorists of ISIS. We can do more, but our weapons must be those of humbled hearts, bent knees, and impassioned prayers for the intervention of God. 

We can do more than we know, if we will.

There is much to distract us today, but those who are grieving in Paris will not be distracted. Let us take time to help them. Let us take time to pray.

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photo courtesy of freeimages.com
In case you missed any of the past week's posts, here are the links: Grateful Heart: Superheroes and Missions Conference , The Blessings That Were Not,  Loss of Power, Grateful Heart: Veterans, Grateful Heart: Laughter and Grateful Heart: Worldwide Kindness.

The most read posts of the past week: The Grateful Heart: Orchestration of God

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#ParisAttacks #Prayers4Paris #TheIslamicState #PowerofPrayer

The impact of grudging obedience

As the crowds were increasing, He began to say, "This generation is a wicked generation; it seeks for a sign, and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah. For just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. (Luke 11:29-30 NASB)

Should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as many animals?" (Jonah 4:11 NASB)

As it turns out, we aren't through with ISIS or with Jonah. 

Last night at prayer meeting, we were gathered in small groups to pray for different needs in our church. My small group had finished praying and we were chatting. The fact that Mosul is built on the ruins of Nineveh was such a surprise to me that I had pondered the issue of the Assyrians off and on all day. When I mentioned it in our little group, Jerry Napier said, "Yes. And they repented." In a flash, I had the clearest picture of events as they unfolded.

Jonah did not want to go to his enemies. He despised them. He was not going to Nineveh. When God placed Jonah in his watery prayer retreat, however, he found that obedience was more important than he realized. Jonah went.

I've heard speculation about what Jonah looked like, but all of it is just that. Speculation. There's no way to know if his skin was bleached or damaged by the stomach acid of the big fish. What we do know is that he had been at sea, been thrown overboard, spent three days in a fish, and been vomited onto the shore. 

Jonah didn't dilly-dally around. He headed straight to Nineveh to get his job done. When he walked into Nineveh, he was not likely to have taken time for grooming himself. I'm doubtful he had fresh clothes or a fresh bath. He probably looked like he'd been through a storm, because he had.

The people of Nineveh did not repent because of Jonah's appearance or because of the eloquence of his sermon. They repented because of the conviction of the Holy Spirit, who was at work before Jonah took the first step through the city gates. Jonah walked through the city of 120,000 people proclaiming an eight-word sermon. "Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown." When the citizens of Nineveh heard those words, they were cut to the heart with conviction and repented in sackcloth and ashes, from the king to the least citizen in the city. Everyone repented.

That same power is available to us today. That same God has the same compassion for the people of our Nineveh today. He cares about Mosul and the people there who "do not know the difference between their right and left hand". He cares about the people we consider our enemies, not just ISIS, but all our enemies (personal and corporate). 

The grudging obedience of one man made an eternal difference for 120,000 people in Nineveh. Our obedience can have just as big an impact today. 

What is the obedience to which God is calling you? What eternal difference will He make through you if you choose to follow where He leads?

Today, make a commitment to live as one who has been redeemed and follow as one who loves his Master, no matter where He leads. As you follow, be sure to pray for our modern Assyrians and those in our Nineveh to experience the same transformation that happened in Jonah's day. (ISIS and Mosul as well as all our enemies - domestic and foreign) 

Praying for Nineveh

As the crowds were increasing, He began to say, "This generation is a wicked generation; it seeks for a sign, and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah. For just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. (Luke 11:29-30 NASB)

Should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as many animals?" (Jonah 4:11 NASB)

Much to my surprise, we are not through with Jonah after all. 

The story of Jonah begins with the compassion of God. I generally forget that. Because the book opens with Jonah on the run, in wide-open rebellion, I tend to think the story begins with Jonah. It does not. Jonah's story, like all our stories, begins with the love and compassion of Almighty God.

Nineveh was a city of 120,000 people who were lost. They did not know God and they didn't care that they didn't know Him. What we easily forget is that Nineveh was the capital of Assyria and occupied the "Assyrian Triangle" made up by what is now Syria, northern Iraq, northwestern Iran, and southeastern Turkey. The people were fierce warriors and were busy conquering the world. 

Fifty years after God sent Jonah to Nineveh, Assyria invaded the Northern Kingdom of Israel and took them captive. What Israel had no way of knowing was that God had already gone ahead of them to temper their judgment with mercy. 

God had taken note of the spiritual condition of Nineveh and knew (being omnipotent) that He would judge Israel for their apostasy. They would soon be in the hands of the godless people of Nineveh. The best way to protect His people was to go ahead of them and draw their captors to Himself.

Jonah went to Nineveh, preached an eight word sermon, and everyone in that city turned to God. Fifty years later, when Israel was taken into captivity, they went to a country that already knew something of God. There were converts there. Not all of the 120,000 had persevered with their new faith, but some of them had. Even after fifty years, there were still some living who had seen Jonah, who had experienced the great awakening. Faith in God had almost certainly had an impact on the people of Nineveh and the way they treated their captives. 

Jonah hated Assyria and Nineveh, its capital. He knew they were a cruel, wicked people. He did not want to go to them, and did not want them to repent. He would have denied the people of Nineveh the chance to know God. What Jonah couldn't know was that, in denying the people of Nineveh the chance to know God, he was also denying his own people the chance to find mercy in the midst of judgment.

Had Jonah known what God was doing, he'd have rushed to obey. 

Today, there are modern day Assyrians waging war on the world and seeking to gain control of all the territory they can conquer. They are known as ISIS and are based in Syria and northern Iraq (part of the original Assyrian territory). Their capital is Mosul, Iraq, built on the ruins of ancient Nineveh. They are not figurative Assyrians. It is not a figurative Nineveh. They are literal Assyrians. It is a literal Nineveh.

There is a great temptation to view the warriors of ISIS in the same way that Jonah viewed Nineveh, with contempt. God, however, must look at those warriors in the same way that He looked at the people of Nineveh all those centuries ago, with compassion. He longs to bring them to Himself. What if repentance and faith were to come to Mosul, just as it did to its predecessor, Nineveh?

Jesus spoke about our response to our enemies. We are to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:33), including our modern-day Assyrians, ISIS, and our modern-day Nineveh, Mosul. What, then, should our response be to the terrorists of our day? Our heart should be filled with the same compassion as God's toward the people there. We must relinquish our prejudice toward ISIS and pray with fervor for God to move in the hearts of the people of Mosul and those vicious Assyrians of ISIS, for we do not know what contact we will have with them down the road.

Had Jonah known what the future held, he might have been eager for Nineveh to repent. Let it not be said of us, years from now, that if we had only known what would happen with ISIS, we would have prayed.

May we view those who are our enemies with the eyes and heart of God, and may it change us so that He can change them. 

Teach us to pray, part 4: Our Father, Aba-na

And He said to them, "When you pray, say: ' Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. 'Give us each day our daily bread. 'And forgive us our sins, For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.'" (Luke 11:2-4 NASB)

In Matthew's record of the Model Prayer, Jesus begins with the words "Our Father". He is not just my personal Father, nor simply the Father of the people who attend the same local church I attend or even the same denomination. "Our Father" indicates that He is the Father of all those who put their trust in Him, and we are all His children, brothers and sisters together as children of God. 

The rampages of hate conducted by ISIS toward believers in recent months have made me even more aware of the brotherhood of believers. When I saw that ISIS had kidnapped 90 Christians in Syria, I wept. They are my family. They are your family, and they are suffering unspeakable torment and pain because of their faith in Our Father. 

As I considered their kidnapping, I wondered about what language they speak in Syria (Arabic), how "Our Father" translates in Arabic, and how Syrian Christians refer to Our Father, the One who is Father of us all. The transliteration to English is aba-na. Isn't that a beautiful name? Since that time, I've used the Arabic name for God when I pray as a reminder that I share the same Father as my brothers and sisters from Syria who have been kidnapped by ISIS.  

Aba-na

Praying with their language, even if only in this one word, has made me much more cognizant of my relationship with my family in chains, much more concerned, more brokenhearted. When I read of the travesty of Boko Haram in Nigeria, it breaks my heart because they are my people. They are family, and much loved. These Syrian Christians are my people, my family, and I long to do something. 

Sometimes I forget that I can do something. In fact, you and I can do something that just might rock the world of those vicious ISIS soldiers. We can pray, and a perfect place to begin is with Aba-na. Our Father. Use the words our Syrian family uses as a reminder of our connection to them.

As we pray today, let's spend more time praying for our family in chains around the world than we do for ourselves. Pray for those being tortured by ISIS, those being brutalized by Boko Haram, and by all the other persecutors of the world. Pray for protection from their persecutors, quick deliverance, and that their faith would stay strong. Pray that their suffering would be limited and that their example of faithfulness would bring conviction and salvation to their captors. Pray for those who persecute as well as those who are persecuted. 

Those Syrian Christians are our family, and Aba-na is the Father of us all, so let's be faithful  to do the one thing that is likely to make the most difference, and pray without ceasing. 

... The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. James 5:16 NASB

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ps - That's a picture of my human daddy. As much as my earthly father loved me, Our Heavenly Father loves us even more. He listens we pray, so be sure to take our concerns our family in chains to Him.

Friday Night with Friends: Radical Obedience and Radical UnrelentingPrayer

I received a text from a friend this afternoon, calling for prayer for believers in Iraq, under attack from ISIS. The text indicated that the attack was happening  now.  She was forwarding a text she had received. When I checked Google to confirm it's veracity, I found that the story of ISIS capturing Quaraquosh, the largest Christian town in Iraq, was reported by Daily Mail on August 7, 2014.  I hate to admit this, but I really wanted to believe that the text was a well-meaning over-dramatization of events. I've done some serious Googling hoping to disprove the text you will read later in this post. 

It was true. Unfortunately, it was all true. The text that is being forwarded was sent originally from Sean Malone, Crisis Relief International (CRI) founder and director. At the time of the text, ISIS troops really were ten minutes from their facility. That text made its way around the world, and people prayed.  Miraculously, the CRI team remained in place and are still ministering to the persecuted church in Iraq. (www.criout.com) God does hear our prayers. He does answer them. He does, if we pray.

The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. (James 5:16 KJV)

I really like the way the Measage paraphrases this verse. 

...The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with. (James 5:16 MSG)

1.6 million believers, our brothers and sisters in Christ, have been displaced by this dreadful genocide being carried out by ISIS. That means that 1.6 million of our family members have been driven from their homes, leaving all their possessions behind, leaving their jobs, livestock, and livelihood behind in order to save the lives of their family members. Why is this happening? Because they are disciples of Christ. 

I hate to be the one to say this, but it must be said. These are not people who spend sixty minutes in a worship service checking their watches to see how long until they can go to Sunday lunch. They do not just drop in to church on Easter and Christmas. These people have faced death for Jesus and held firm. They might be called fanatics by some, but what they are is true Christians. 

If ISIS has their way, they will come to this country and give us an opportunity to flee for our faith or die for our faith. Or recant. We would all do well to pause right now and evaluate the validity of our faith. We would do well to make a rock solid decision to live or die by the faith we claim. The time to decide is NOT when a gun is pointed at your head or a sword is swinging toward your neck. The time to decide how you will respond is now. 

Selah. Pause and consider. 

I am reproducing the text I received here in its entirety. I don't have permission, but since it's been forwarded so many times already, I don't think that's a problem. (A link will be sent to CRI to let them know I've used it)

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"This was just sent to me by the Women's Council at Christ The Redeemer; it was sent to them by Father John Pitzer who just received this cry for help from an actual missionary on the ground in Iraq : 

"Dear Friends, 

Just a few minutes ago I received the following text message on my phone from Sean Malone who leads Crisis Relief International (CRI).  We then spoke briefly on the phone and I assured him that we would share this urgent prayer need with all of our contacts. He said:

"We lost the city of Queragosh. It fell to ISIS and they are beheading children systematically at this moment!  This is the city we have been smuggling food to.  ISIS has pushed back Peshmerga (Kurdish forces) and is within 10 minutes of where our CRI team is working. The UN evacuated it's staff in Erbil.  Our team is unmoved and will stay.  Prayer cover needed!" 

"Please pray sincerely for the deliverance of the people of Northern Iraq from the terrible advancement of ISIS and its extreme Islamic goals for mass conversion or death for Christians across this region."

They are pleading for prayer... Please take a minute to say a prayer for them & please pass this on to your Prayer Warriors.

God Bless..."

------

God will move if we pray. He will. It's not a hope. It's a fact. There is nothing we are doing on this Friday evening that is more important than those dear believers who are in harm's way. ISIS will gladly behead their children. Do not fail to pray for these believers. I beg you to pray. We do not need a quick, "Help them, Lord," we need a concert of prayer that starts now and does not stop until this genocide is done and they are safe. Look at your children, your grandchildren and consider what is happening to believers around the world. Consider what is happening to their children. 

Pray, dear ones. Pray. 

Radical Obedience: Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and ISIS

I've had terrorists on my mind. That's partly because I'm editing my first novel and it's filled with terrorists. It might also be because I've been jumping to conclusions and seeing terrorists where there were none.

All that terrorist thinking has reminded me of the time when I selected a terrorist of the week and asked you to pray for them.  It was July 6, 2014 and our terrorist of the week was Nasir al-Wuhayshi. He was the general manager of Al Qaeda of the Arabian Peninsula and one of the most dangerous men in the world.  

His stated goal was to "destroy the cross. The bearer of the cross is America."

I use the past tense because he was killed in a drone attack in Yemen on June 12, 2015. He was 38 years old.  He left behind a legacy of death and destruction. 

I wept when he died, but not because I was sorry his reign of terror had come to an end. I wept because I had prayed for him to come to a saving knowledge of the Great I AM, but he never did. He died as he lived. A bitter and murderous man.

He had a choice and he made it, but I still grieve the lost potential of a man redeemed and transformed by the blood of Jesus. 

Stranger things have happened. Consider the Apostle Paul. 

My first terrorist for whom I prayed was Ayman al-Zawahiri.  He is Egyptian and was trained as a surgeon. He practiced medicine for a while, but now, he is a full-time terrorist. One of his wives and two of his children were killed by a U.S. bomb in Afghanistan. Their loss fueled his anger, but he was a terrorist before they died and eventually became the head of Al-Qaeda. He was instrumental in helping the ISIS expand and merge with other terrorist organizations to become ISIL. 

As a physician, one who is trained to preserve life, it is unthinkable that one of my colleagues would dedicate himself to the murderous atrocities of ISIL, but al-Zawahiri knows no bounds. 

Assassination. Kidnapping and torture. Bombings. He is responsible for the death of untold numbers of people.

Law enforcement officials around the world have tried and failed to stop him. 

Only God can bring this man to his knees. 

Only God can stop him.

Jesus said, "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." (Matthew 5:44 nasb) 

Ayman al-Zawahiri is one of those enemies for whom we are to pray and to love. With the command of Jesus in mind, I'm choosing to pray for him. I'm choosing to ask God to bring him to repentance and salvation. Whether it is through a dream or a vision or the testimony of a believer, I pray this evil man will be transformed. 

He's not the only terrorist for whom we need to pray, but he is the leader of a large group of terrorists. Imagine the impact his salvation could make. 

Praying for our enemies. As disciples, it's not optional. We have it to do. 

There's no better place to start than praying for Ayman al-Zawahiri. 

"Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, 

but with God all things are possible." 

(Matthew 19:26 niv)

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photo from Wikipedia

Kathy McKinsey wrote a beautiful article for Friday Night with Friends, New Beginning. If you haven't read it yet, you can click here. You can read more by Kathy at her blog. Our next Friday Night with Friends guest blog will post at 6 pm this Friday night. You don't want to miss it!

In case you missed one of the past week's posts, here are the links:  Starting Over: It's Not as Easy as It Seems, Behavior That Demonstrates Belief, Answered Prayer: The Bulletproof Vest, Bringing Good from Tragedy: Wives of Warriors Make a Difference, Friday Night with Friends: New Beginning, The Temperament Test and Married Oneness, Leaving a Legacy: Choices That Last for Generations, and Jumping to Conclusions: The Terrorists That Were Not.

#prayingforterrorists #AymanalZawahiri #loveyourenemies #disciple #JesusChrist