The Privilege of Prayer: Rebelling Against the World

This morning I had the privilege of joining with some members of my home church for a time of prayer.  Six others arrived at the prayer meeting besides myself, and I have to tell you that I was GREATLY encouraged to see seven of us there!  It was really amazing to me, especially since in Southern California where I live, the majority of people I know just do not make the time to come together and fellowship with one another and the Lord.

I was also encouraged because a few of the people started to pray for the persecuted church, and yes, I didn't say anything to them :), they did it on their own!!  How cool is that.... It was a very encouraging time...a time I like to refer to as "rebelling against the world".  Have you ever thought of that - when you pray you are rebelling against the world because by the very exercise of prayer you are saying that you NEED and DEPEND on God - a HIGHER BEING, and not just yourself.

So with that in mind, may I now give you a few of the prayer requests that were sent out in the various The Voice of the Martyrs prayer alerts.

This is from the China Aid Association

Fifty house-church leaders and Christians are still being detained after their church building was destroyed by the Chinese government on July 29, 2006. Meanwhile, the Chinese House Church Alliance issued an urgent statement calling for an independent international investigation regarding the forced destruction of the church and arbitrary arrests of these Christians. Among the 50 detained, four are still missing. On July 29, 2006, the local government sent several hundred trucks, four excavators, and thousands of military policemen to the building site to destroy the church. There were several thousand Christians there. When the police violently dispersed them, some Christians were injured, and over 50 were arrested. Since the Chinese central government official still denies the existence of those arrested, their church family members are greatly concerned. The church has not received any information about the conditions of their brothers and sisters in prison.