[Faith-talk] Fwd: Morning Thoughts for Friday, May 20, 2011

[Amy Ragain]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Stephen Smith <stevesmith1943 at me.com>
> Date: May 20, 2011 6:47:37 AM CDT
> To: Morning Thoughts 1 <stevesmith1943 at me.com>
> Subject: Morning Thoughts for Friday, May 20, 2011
> 
> Courage: Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."
> (Deuteronomy 31:6, NIV)
> - From Bible Promises for iPhone
> http://biblepromises.reigndesign.com/
> Matthew 5:1-12 (NASB)
> The Sermon on the Mount; The Beatitudes
> [5:1] When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. [2] He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying,
> [3] “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
> [4] “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
> [5] “Blessed are the *gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.
> [6] “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
> [7] “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
> [8] “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
> [9] “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
> [10] “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
> [11] “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. [12] “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. 
> 
> Dear Family, let courage reign in your heart today and throughout the weekend as we walk the path God set before us!!  I received this story of one church in China, which I believe and offer to you for contemplation and prayer: 
> 
> "Nineteen Chinese pastors have joined together to send a remarkable petition
>> to the National People’s Congress on behalf of one of Beijing’s largest
>> underground churches. The Shouwang church is the most recent target of
>> Communist authorities’ crackdown on the unauthorized house church movement
>> that now numbers some 50–70 million Chinese Christians.
>> The Shouwang church began in a home but has grown to 1,000 members in recent
>> years, with many well-educated and affluent congregants. Forced out of
>> rented meeting space in 2009, the church bought its own property—only to be
>> denied access by the government. Ousted from rental space once again this
>> spring, the congregation has sought to meet outdoors. But their worship
>> services have been disrupted, and hundreds were detained by police on Easter
>> Sunday. Pastor Jin Tianming and other church leaders are under house arrest
>> to prevent them from leading services.
>> As The New York Times noted, the crisis is “stirring up the tens of millions
>> of Chinese believers who have come to place more faith in Christianity than
>> in the atheist Communist Party.” That has led to the bold petition—which the
>> Times reports was drafted by Xie Moshan and Li Tianen, “patriarchs of the
>> house church movement, who have each spent more than a decade in Chinese
>> prisons.”
>> Their petition goes beyond calling for redress of one church’s afflictions.
>> “We believe that the Shouwang Church incident is not an individual, isolated
>> episode that happens to a single church but rather a typical phenomenon in
>> respect of the conflict between state and church during the period of social
>> transition.”
>> That conflict between state and church, the pastors argue, can be resolved
>> only with official recognition of religious liberty, an essential step to
>> ensure the freedom, stability, and prosperity of the nation.
>> The petition argues, on the basis of the Chinese constitution and the
>> Universal Declaration of Human Rights, for robust religious
>> liberty—including “freedoms of assembly, association, speech, education and
>> evangelism”—for congregations outside the network of state-sanctioned
>> churches.
>> Two weeks ago, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom once
>> again identified China as a “country of particular concern,” ranking it
>> among the most serious violators of religious liberty worldwide.
>> Now the anxious Communist regime has forced the Shouwang showdown with a
>> courageous congregation that is well-connected and whose allies have
>> articulated a strong political philosophy, patriotism, and good will. How
>> the regime reacts to this position of moral strength and sound reasoning
>> about the path to freedom and prosperity will tell the world much about
>> China’s future."
> 
> Perhaps you are facing a seemingly insurmountable object that blocks your path today.  Give it to the Lord in prayer and be comforted knowing there are brothers and sisters just waiting to intercede for you, in love, seeking nothing in return.  More, there is a God in heaven who holds you in the Palm of His Hand, with love and compassion beyond our wildest imagination.  Allow yourself to rest in His perfect care and be strengthened to continue your journey in love and humility.
> 
> With great love, hope and joy!!!
> 
> <3Steve:-))