Posted on 09/27/2014 7:31:20 PM PDT by hiho hiho
Christians in the Nineveh region of northern Iraq are unable to celebrate communion for the first time in two millennia, after Islamic State militants captured the area and took over the churches.
Canon Andrew White, vicar of the only Anglican church in Iraq, told the Telegraph that Isil have set up offices in the churches and have replaced crosses with the militant group's black flag.
"Last week there was no communion in Nineveh for the first time in 2,000 years," he said. "All [the churches] are closed, all their people have run away. It is so sad."
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Yaa Rabb urHam.
Yaa Rabb urHam.
Yaa Rabb urHam.
(Arabic = Lord, have mercy)
Save Thy people, O Lord,
and bless Thine inheritance.
Grant victory to Thy Church over her enemies,
and protect Thy people by Thy Holy Cross!
Claiming Christ as savior can sometimes result in great difficulty.
Sometimes run-ins like this with the world are orchestrated by God to show that His church won’t blink in the face of oppression. The kind of violence perpetrated by ISIS is a sign of an empty mind filled with the devil. A life filled with Christ is so different. And while we are aghast at the oppression, God has a plan in motion. Martyrdom is a way of showing how much, and in what way, Christ matters.
Prayer for Iraq
O God, who art the unsearchable abyss of peace,
the ineffable sea of love, the fountain of blessings
and the bestower of affection,
who sendest peace to those that receive it;
Open to us this day the sea of thy love
and water us with plenteous streams
from the riches of thy grace
and from the most sweet springs of thy kindness.
Make us children of quietness and heirs of peace,
enkindle in us the fire of thy love;
sow in us thy fear;
strengthen our weakness by thy power;
bind us closely to thee and to each other
in our firm and indissoluble bond of unity:
Syrian Clementine Liturgy (in: For all God’s people; p. 73)
The full text of Patriarch Sako’s prayer for peace follows:
Lord,
The plight of our country
is deep and the suffering of Christians
is severe and frightening.
Therefore, we ask you Lord
to spare our lives, and to grant us patience,
and courage to continue our witness of Christian values
with trust and hope.
Lord, peace is the foundation of life;
Grant us the peace and stability that will enable us
to live with each other without fear and anxiety,
and with dignity and joy.
Glory be to you forever. Amen.
Litany for Iraq
For lasting peace in this ancient land – From you, O Lord.
For wisdom and compassion for all in authority – From you, O Lord.
For comfort for families separated or bereaved – From you, O Lord.
For the release of captives – From you, O Lord.
For safety and security for minority communities.
For refreshment for the weary and healing for the sick – From you, O Lord.
For continuing faithfulness of the ancient churches of this land – From you, O Lord.
For tenacity of spirit for small Christian groups – From you, O Lord.
For the mutual enrichment and support of those of different Christian traditions – From you, O Lord.
You, Lord of all, we confess;
You, Lord Jesus, we glorify;
For you are the life of our bodies
And you are the Saviour of our souls.
The response in the litany and this hymn both come from the Chaldean liturgy. The ancient hymn celebrates Christ the source of resurrection in all situations of death and deprivation. (in: With All God’s People, p. 21, 22)
From Anonymous:
Father God, Our Savior and King,
We come to You in despair over the evil being done to our Middle East Christian brothers and sisters. We ask that You would put Your hand of protection upon them and that You would sustain them as You did the Israelites in the desert. Lord, cause our brothers and sisters to cry out to You for help and show them the peace that only You can give in answer to their needs. In their darkest moments, Lord, keep them, strengthen them, and comfort them. When they despair that no one is coming to help them, Lord, reveal Your glory and restore their souls.
We ask you these things in the blessed name of Your precious son, Jesus Christ.
Is there a biblical reference to the desolation of Nineveh? Perhaps this is finally coming to pass. Christians hung on much longer than Jews did, but the witness of the truth of scripture is coming to pass.
Concur from the evangelical branch of Christendom.
How is this not the legacy of W in Iraq?
He gave them a huge window. Obama closed it.
Say, why don’t we invade Iraq and teach them the value of democracy? They’d welcome us as liberators.
That’s odd. Democrats also want every single Christian to leave. Or imprisoned. Or dead.
....And in the end, bring more people to Christ.
.....In the end, God and the Christians WIN.
Thank-you for the prayer. God Bless.
The Truth About Islam - An Interview With Brigitte Gabriel
This youtube must be opened …every loving American should hear Brigitte. Every student should be educated to the historical truth on Islam.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8o8OWpfa6E&feature=player_detailpage
This profoundly sad and horrible news brings to mind the furtively secret way the first Christians had to hide and worship in the catacombs. Unfortunately, it looks like we've come full circle, only, today, that "Islamic State" bunch of nutbags have much more advanced technical ways of searching out and finding people they are looking for.
We need a miracle...
....which is why we pray
"Thy Kingdom come..."
“We need a miracle...”
Actually what we need are balls, specifically on our leaders.
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