"....to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the Church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 3:10)
Here are some prayer requests from Open Doors for the month of September:
UZBEKISTAN: Pray for the Church of Uzbekistan. They are facing defamation in the media in their country.
ARGENTINA: Pray for members of a church who are hated by their community and regularly experience vandalism and theft.
NORTH KOREA: Pray for a North Korean church whose pastor was murdered.
NORTH NIGERIA: Pray for Christians who are suffering from persistent violence.
Here are some prayer requests from Open Doors for the month of September:
UZBEKISTAN: Pray for the Church of Uzbekistan. They are facing defamation in the media in their country.
ARGENTINA: Pray for members of a church who are hated by their community and regularly experience vandalism and theft.
NORTH KOREA: Pray for a North Korean church whose pastor was murdered.
NORTH NIGERIA: Pray for Christians who are suffering from persistent violence.
CENTRAL AFRICA: Pray for Christians persecuted for leaving the Orthodox Church, Islam, or traditional beliefs.
COLUMBIA: Pray for pastors of Buenaventura as they try to win back their country from criminals controlling the land.
SUDAN: Pray for two Sudanese pastors who are facing the death penalty for alleged crimes.
Notice that our text tells us, "....the manifest wisdom of God," is, "known by the Church...." All the persecution referred to above is due to, "....the manifest wisdom of God...known by the Church to the principalities and powers in heavenly places...," or, "to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms" (NIV). History reveals this war. The Bible tells us that the Enemy has attempted to destroy King Jesus, Jesus' Church, Jesus' Kingdom, Israel ever since the beginning. "....The manifold wisdom of God..," which the Church reveals, angers the Enemy greatly.
"A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun....The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born. She gave birth to a son, a male child, who 'will rule all the nations with an iron scepter'....Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down-- that great dragon was hurled down-- that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray."
I don't attempt to "figure out" all of this. But man's sojourn on this planet has been a sojourn of war, and, it will end in war, a final cataclysmic battle in which Jesus, "The Word of God," Jesus, "King of kings and Lord of lords," will triumph in the inevitable outcome of His victory, "through (the word means, 'to get us to the other side') the Blood of His Cross." You and I, as a part of Jesus' Church, are, "the light of the world," and, "the salt of the earth." We continue to, "ma[k]e known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms," and to humanity, "the manifold wisdom of God," His love, purposes, judgment and forgiveness. Go in Jesus the rest of this day and continue to, "....make known...."
Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You for including me in all of this. Amen.
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COLUMBIA: Pray for pastors of Buenaventura as they try to win back their country from criminals controlling the land.
SUDAN: Pray for two Sudanese pastors who are facing the death penalty for alleged crimes.
Notice that our text tells us, "....the manifest wisdom of God," is, "known by the Church...." All the persecution referred to above is due to, "....the manifest wisdom of God...known by the Church to the principalities and powers in heavenly places...," or, "to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms" (NIV). History reveals this war. The Bible tells us that the Enemy has attempted to destroy King Jesus, Jesus' Church, Jesus' Kingdom, Israel ever since the beginning. "....The manifold wisdom of God..," which the Church reveals, angers the Enemy greatly.
"A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun....The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born. She gave birth to a son, a male child, who 'will rule all the nations with an iron scepter'....Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down-- that great dragon was hurled down-- that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray."
I don't attempt to "figure out" all of this. But man's sojourn on this planet has been a sojourn of war, and, it will end in war, a final cataclysmic battle in which Jesus, "The Word of God," Jesus, "King of kings and Lord of lords," will triumph in the inevitable outcome of His victory, "through (the word means, 'to get us to the other side') the Blood of His Cross." You and I, as a part of Jesus' Church, are, "the light of the world," and, "the salt of the earth." We continue to, "ma[k]e known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms," and to humanity, "the manifold wisdom of God," His love, purposes, judgment and forgiveness. Go in Jesus the rest of this day and continue to, "....make known...."
Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You for including me in all of this. Amen.
**************************
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
