adventure: Prayerful meditations for these~

Sunday, December 11, 2005

Prayerful meditations for these~

How this does grieve my heart... When I read these accounts of such atrocities happening RIGHT NOW around this world to our fellow believers... I am just reminded of how very much I am in LOVE with our Lord, and of how I hope that if our own country ever came under such a political/spiritual death grip as so many others are under, that I would have such undivided focus as do my brothers and sisters who are now suffering with our Lord, for Him, and in His Name.

Lord, break my heart for them. That I would take my life and lay it down, all my gifts and all my crowns... I am Yours. They are yours... Thank You for giving them the Grace they need to sustain them. May they rejoice at the prize that you have set before them. Lord remind them of all the eternal promises that in You are "yes" and "amen"... Comfort them, hold them, these heroes of our Faith... Burden my heart for them further, that I may do something... What an awesome thought, to think that one on the other side of this world might be strengthened by my prayer, today, tomorrow, yesterday...

FAITH UNDER FIRE
China destroys church building
16 Catholic nuns beaten by 'government-hired gangsters'

Posted: December 2, 2005
1:00 a.m. Eastern

Nun wounded in Chinese government raid of Catholic Church (courtesy: China Aid Association)

The communist Chinese government bulldozed a Catholic Church building in Xi'an city, wounding 16 nuns.

The U.S.-based China Aid Association, citing "reliable sources," said about 30 uniformed young men rushed into the church with wooden sticks in their hands at about 6 p.m. Nov. 22.

Two hours later, a bulldozer started tearing down the place of worship.

China Aid said officials from the government's religious affairs bureau came to the site, and the destruction was halted until the next evening.

Then, about 40 uniformed young men armed with sticks started beating the nuns, who were defending the church building, China Aid said.

Sixteen nuns suffered severe wounds, including eye injuries and broken legs.

China Aid described the attackers as "government-hired gangsters."

Still hospitalized are Dong Jianian, 41; Cheng Jing, 34; Yue Xiuying, 31; and Jin Hongfang, 34.

The other nuns beaten are Zhang Xueling, 45; Ren Aiying, 45; He Jingru, 38; Fan Xiujuan, 32; Jia Shuiyang, 50; Li Zhuanxia, 33; Li Min, 31; Li Zhenzhu, 45; Li Jiaoye, 32; Wang Zhenai, 42; Yang Cenghui, 50; and Zhao Shengyan, 40.

All Protestant and Catholic churches in China are required to be under control of the government, and groups that do not register – the vast majority – are labeled "illegal cults."

Hold to patience in your hearts, my friends, and put it into action when the situation calls for it. Don't let any abusive word from your neighbor stir up hatred in you, and don't allow any loss of things that pass away to upset you. If you are steadfast in fearing the loss of those things that last forever, you will never take
seriously the loss of those that pass away; if you keep your eyes fixed on the glory of our eternal recompense, you will not resent a temporal injury. You must bear with those who oppose you, but also love those you bear with. Seek an eternal reward in return for your temporal losses. ~ Author Unknown.

This song by the Heather Clark Band comes to my mind, Deeper, off of their album Way Gone Place, part of which you may hear here; Deeper [ Windows | Real | MPEG ]

Untie me from these earthly places,

I'm tired of seeing only traces...

Inside I'm craving,

To know your saving

Grace...

Release me from the flesh that holds me,

and the world that tries to mold me.

One man's sin,

Death entered in for all...

And I can't stand this seperation any longer...

I wanna go Deeper, and Deeper,

And Deeper, and Deeper,

With You.

I wanna go Deeper, and Deeper,

And Deeper, and Deeper,

With You.

Beyond the veil,

It's where you'll find me...

It's where the world and sanity meet.

Your flesh was torn...

And I was born again,

Born again...

And I can't stand this seperation any longer...

I wanna go Deeper, and Deeper,

And Deeper, and Deeper,

With You.

I wanna go HOME...

I wanna go,

I wanna go HOME!

And I can't stand this seperation any longer...

And I can't stand this seperation any longer!

I wanna go Deeper, and Deeper,

And Deeper, and Deeper,

With You.

I wanna go HOME!

Philippians 2

Imitating Christ's Humility

¹If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ²then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. ³Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. ⁴Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

⁵Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
⁶Who, being in very nature^[a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
⁷but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature^[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
⁸And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
⁹Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
¹⁰that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
¹¹and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Shining as Stars

¹²Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, ¹³for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

¹⁴Do everything without complaining or arguing, ¹⁵so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe ¹⁶as you hold out^[c] the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. ¹⁷But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. ¹⁸So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.

Related offer:

Sign up for a free subscription to The Voice of the Martyrs' newsletter now. You can also order by phone: 888-843-1054.

Previous stories:

Beijing pastor warned on eve of Bush visit

50 house church leaders arrested, some beaten

Church leaders freed after U.S. pressure

Chinese Christian battles for freedom in U.S. court

Christian released after global exposure

House church leader dies in China

5 American Christians detained in China

Americans roughed up in China

China arrests 100 young Christians