Matthew 10:29-30 (CEV)
Aren’t two sparrows sold for only a penny? But your Father knows when any one of them falls to the ground. Even the hairs on your head are counted.
God doesn’t estimate. His models are never wrong. His counts are always spot on.
I see daily updates to the COVID-19 death count.
Are these counts less important?
Every life counts. Every life is someone’s child. Everyone is a child of God.
God knows what I don’t know.
Job 34:21 (TLB)
God carefully watches the goings on of all mankind;
he sees them all.
Show me, Lord, what I need to know, what counts to You.
Open Doors USA reports that Christians in northern Nigeria are facing increasing harassment and violence. As many as 1200 Christians were killed in the first half of 2020.
“In some northern states, increasing numbers of Christians are dressing like Muslims to make their faith less obvious and reduce the chances of attack. Young Christians in these states are frequently denied access to higher education, and Christians have been asked to give up their faith in order to obtain work.”
Let us pray for Nigerian churches–
Almighty God, grant our brothers and sisters the perseverance to be faithful in the face of persecution, the strength to stand up for You and the grace to be good witnesses in the midst of mistreatment. May our prayers shelter and encourage them, in Jesus’ name.
Our cancel culture is quick to condemn. Jesus spoke about this sort of rush to judgment:
Matthew 7:3-5
Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, “Let me take the speck out of your eye,” when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye.
Teach me to be kind, Lord, not critical. Humble, not a hypocrite.
The words you speak can be good or evil.
The same is true of your silence.
“You are not only responsible for what you say,
but also for what you do not say.”
Martin Luther (1483-1546)
Luther was a German theologian, composer and Augustinian monk. His disagreement with some Roman Catholic teachings sparked the Protestant Reformation. He translated the Bible into German (from Latin) and encouraged congregants to read it for themselves. Luther famously took responsibility for his own words: “my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything,”
Keep it short:
Matthew 10:37 (TLV)
Say just a simple ‘Yes, I will’ or ‘No, I won’t.’
Your word is enough. 
Are the words you’re listening to worth your time?
Proverbs 10:19-20 (MSG)
The more talk, the less truth;
the wise measure their words.
The speech of a good person is worth waiting for;
the blabber of the wicked is worthless.
Are the words you’re speaking worth anyone else’s time?
Job 16:3 (NIV)
Will your long-winded speeches never end? What ails you that you keep on arguing?
Heard any “windy words” lately?
You need some quality time with God. He has a way with words.
ISIS met military defeat in Iraq, and many displaced Christians hoped to return to their homeland. The Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) is one of several organizations wanting to help. ACN conducted several surveys to define the problems and identify the Christians’ attitudes on emigration.
One survey, called “Life after ISIS,” gives a grim outlook:
“‘Life after ISIS’ warns that anticipated emigration could reduce the Christian population in the region to 23,000 within four years – down 80% from the prejihadist invasion in 2014. This would move the Christian community from the category of ‘vulnerable’ to the critical category of ‘endangered with extinction’.”
We know how it will end:
Revelation 7:9 (NIV)
There before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb.
Lord, we pray for our Iraqi brothers and sisters. Be their shelter in a weary land. May they thrive and grow and bear fruit. We look forward to standing with them before Your throne. Preserve Your Church, in Jesus’ name.
Isaiah 5:21 (NIV)
Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes
and clever in their own sight.
I want to be wise in Your eyes, Lord. Otherwise, woe is me!
