Prayer for June 29, 2020

Dear God in Heaven,

I thank You for giving me another opportunity to pray.

 

I thank You for giving me the measure of faith.

 

I thank You for helping me keep my faith strong and healthy.

 

I thank You for saving the lives of Mary Sankagui and her family.

 

I thank You for saving the lives of many Christians who face dangers of all kinds.

 

I thank You for Pastor Jean-Paul Sankagui and many other faithful Christians who did not love their lives unto death.

 

I lift up Mary Sankagui and her family in prayer.

 

I also lift up Pastor Sankagui’s church family in the Central African Republic in prayer.

 

I ask that You help them to always receive, feel, and enjoy Your love and comfort.

 

I ask that You restore what they have lost and to help them receive all the blessings You give them.

 

I ask that You help them keep their faith strong.

 

I ask that You help them know they are loved and are not forgotten.

 

I lift up in prayer all pastors and church leaders serving in places where they experience a daily threat of public humiliation, opposition and even violence.

 

I ask that You give them Your love and strength so they can love their enemies and remain faithful to Your call to be a witness for Christ to those who hate them.

 

I ask that You help me soften my heart so that I can receive Your love and share it with everyone regardless of how they treat me.

 

I ask that You help me as I continue to commit to Jesus Christ so I will become and remain a bold and faithful witness no matter the opposition I face.

 

I ask that You show me how I can faithfully, sacrificially, and boldly serve You and Your kingdom.

 

I thank You for hearing and answering this prayer.

 

I thank You for helping me and others receive the answers to prayer.

 

In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, I pray.

 

Amen.

Day of the Christian Martyr 2020

In 2017, Pastor Jean-Paul Sankagui was one of 6 pastors murdered in a 6-week time frame in the Central African Republic. He faithfully served as a Christian minister for 40 years. His murder and the murders of countless others receive little media attention.

Voice of the Martyrs Ministry honored Pastor Jean-Paul Sankagui this year and remembered him on June 29, 2020. An inscription honoring his faithful witness appears on The Martyrs Memorial at VOM headquarters in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, United States of America. You can see the memorial in the video clip provided.

I uploaded a video clip of the induction ceremony. The entire video can be seen here.

Voice of the Martyrs USA recently broadcasted a short program about Day of the Christian Martyr, Pastor Jean-Paul Sankagui’s story, and the situation in Central African Republic. The following information was provided by VOM USA on their YouTube upload:

  

Brother Jeremy, VOM’s deputy regional director for Africa, met Mary Sankagui just days after her husband—a pastor in Central African Republic—was killed for his faith in Christ and his ministry in a Muslim neighborhood. In spite of her loss, the woman Jeremy encountered had a deep sense of joy. Listen to hear Jeremy share the story of Pastor Jean-Paul Sankagui and give us an update on current persecution in CAR and how the church there is responding and training the next generation of church leaders.

 

Cole Richards, VOM’s President, joins us first to talk about Day of the Christian Martyr [.] How are Christians in free nations inspired by stories of exemplary Christians who served in the face of persecution and laid down their lives to advance Christ’s Kingdom? How can we pray for the families of martyred Christians?

 

Learn more about the Central African Republic and the church there in VOM’s Global Prayer Guide.

 

Never miss an episode! Subscribe to VOM Radio on your favorite podcast service.

  

Listen to the broadcast on this blog or on VOM USA's YouTube Channel.

 

Voice of the Martyrs Global Prayer Guide

https://www.persecution.com/prayerguide/

  

Subscribe via your podcast service or listen online here

https://www.vomradio.net/

 

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Honoring Pastor Jean-Paul of the Central African Republic - Day of the C...

Day of the Christian Martyr 2020 - VOM Radio Broadcast

Today’s Haiku

A witness for Christ

 

I will love my enemies

 

I will shine God’s light

 

 

Growing Together

  

Do you know the Voice of the Martyrs ministry? If not, I encourage you to check them out at https://www.persecution.com/.

 

Do you know why June 29 is an important day for all Christians?

 

June 29 has been declaredDay of the Christian Martyr because the Apostle Paul’s martyrdom is commemorated on this day. The word translated as “martyr” found in our English language Bibles comes from a Greek word that means “witness.” Martyrs witness for Jesus Christ no matter the cost, including their lives. Faith that comes at a cost has infinite value.

 

The Voice of the Martyrs is honoring Pastor Jean-Paul Sankagui of the Central African Republic. He is this year’s inductee of the Martyr Memorial for Day of the Christian Martyr. Here is information about Pastor Jean-Paul Sankagui, courtesy of The Voice of the Martyrs Ministry:

  

Pastor Jean-Paul Sankagui planted a church in a Muslim neighborhood outside Bangui, capital of the Central African Republic, in 1993. He maintained good relations with the community for years.

 

But civil war between Seleka rebels, government forces and anti-balaka militias changed everything. Most of the pastor’s church members fled the area as hostility increased toward Christians. And even the pastor’s wife, Mary, urged him to leave the area and work someplace safer. But Pastor Jean-Paul stayed in obedience to what he believed God had called him to do.

 

On Feb. 7, 2017, Islamists shot Pastor Jean-Paul to death outside his church in Ramandji before looting and burning his house and church. Mary said they killed her husband because the community no longer wanted Christians in the area. She and Pastor Sankagui had been married 48 years and had 11 children and 17 grandchildren. After losing not only her husband but also her home and all her possessions, Mary had no choice but to leave the area.

 

Five other evangelical pastors in the region also were killed in the first five weeks of 2017. Pastor Jean-Paul knew the risks, counted the cost and willingly stayed to shepherd his small congregation and serve as a witness for Christ in the neighborhood.

 

How do you feel now that you know Pastor Sankagui’s story?

 

What are you thinking right now?

 

What do you think you would have done if you had been in his place?

 

Let us review his story:

I felt sadness as I read his story and watched a video about what happened. I feel sadness because Pastor Sankagui was killed. I feel sadness because the church building was looted. I feel sadness because the church building was destroyed. I feel sadness for his widow and their children and grandchildren. I feel sadness because the congregation had to flee. I do not know how many returned.

 

But I have hope. I hope those who fled share Jesus Christ through their actions. I have hope people they meet will see the Light of God shining in them and will ask about it. I have hope people will taste the salt the congregants carry and then the people will ask for a drink of Living Water to quench that thirst.

 

I will close this Growing Together section with words from VOM USA:

 

 What does Pastor Jean-Paul’s martyrdom inspire?

 

Those who have given their lives for the advance of the gospel did so as the next step in their journey of discipleship. They did not simply wake up one day, living a marginal Christian experience and decide, “Today I’ll give my life for my faith.” No one is born as an exemplary biblical disciple (quite the opposite — we are all born into sin in a fallen world). Each of us must intentionally learn, obey, and grow to become more and more Christlike throughout the entirety of our lives.

 

Each of us can be inspired to live faithfully for Christ by observing the transformative power of Christ in those who have paid the ultimate price. Drawing from their example, we can take the next step of obedience in our journey as a follower of Jesus. Always taking our next step is the mark of a maturing believer.

 

To be inspired by Christians who are persecuted for their faith today, visit persecution.com and sign up for The Voice of the Martyrs’ free monthly magazine.

 

Prayer for June 24, 2020

Photograph: "The Morning Prayer" Source: United States Library of Congress

 

Dear God in Heaven, 

I thank You for being kind, merciful, and just.

 

I thank You for watching over me.

 

I thank You for saving me.

 

I thank You for helping me to relax.

 

I thank You for taking care of me.

 

I thank You for rescuing me from death.

 

I thank You for taking my pain away from me.

 

I thank You for giving me victory.

 

I thank You for saving and sustaining me so I can walk with You among the living.

 

In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, I pray.

 

Amen.

 

Today's Haiku

 

 

I need to rest more

Tired of being tired

God, I need Your help

 

Growing Together

  

Hello Friends! Long time, no see! I am sure you have been wondering where I have been. You deserve an update. Here goes.

 

I was excited about my courses this Spring at Divinity school. There is a saying, “Man plans, God laughs.” I experienced some accidents and other health issues, including allergic reactions. My health declined to the point I was placed on medical bed rest and I had to medically withdraw from seminary. I fought this but I know this was the best decision.

 

I tend to put other people’s needs before my own. I do not blame God. We should never blame God for bad things that happen to us. Good and bad water cannot come out of the same well:

  

James 3:11-12 (Reader Friendly Edition)

 Do good and bad water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree make olives? Can a grapevine make figs? No! And a well full of salty water cannot give good water.

  

So, what now? Am I giving up? Am I resting on my Master of Arts in Christian Education degree? No! I am taking this time to follow medical advice. I am continuing to receive medical care this year so I can re-enroll in seminary. I hope to start in Spring 2021. Most importantly, I am giving myself permission to rest.

 

 

I am disappointed in the delay. But if I do not practice proper self-care not only am I no good to the people I help, I will not remain on the Earth. I can have long life provided I take care of myself.

 

Having said that, I am sick and tired of being sick and tired. Sometimes the only way to fight back is to rest and receive from the LORD.

 

Are you dealing with something and you cannot seem to get your head above water? Perhaps we should let go and let God. 

Maybe this is a battle God needs to fight for us? I suggest we take this time to rest. Stop doing things and rest as a human being.

 

Let us pray this Scripture together in the name of Jesus Christ:

  

Psalm 116:5-9

The Lord is kind and does what is right. Our God is merciful.

The Lord watches over the foolish. When I was helpless, he saved me.

I said to myself, “Relax, because the Lord takes care of you.”

Lord, you have saved me from death. You have stopped my eyes from crying. You have kept me from being defeated.

So I will walk with the Lord in the land of the living.