Bible Readings

Ruth 1:1-18;  Psalm 146

Hebrews 9:11-14;  Mark 12:28-34

One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the first of all?” Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself’.” (Mark 12: 28-31)

Christ calls us to balance these two great commandments. The person who loves God but does not love neighbour is gravely deficient…“If a man says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who doesn’t love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? This commandment we have from him, that he who loves God should also love his brother” (1 John 4:20-21)

https://www.sermonwriter.com/biblical-commentary/mark-1228-34/

“Pray for us …” is the cry of persecuted Christians around the world.

Today across the earth more than 100 million persecuted Christians are suffering for their faith in Jesus Christ.
Each year, Christians in more than 130 countries stand in prayer with our persecuted sisters and brothers through the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP). Please join with us as Christians unite in prayer for our brothers and sisters who suffer because they declare their faith in Christ.                                            https://idop.ca/

Sovereign God,
we worship You
and we acknowledge that You know all of those
who suffer in Your name.

We remember those who are imprisoned for their faith
and ask that they would join with the Apostle Paul
to see that even though they remain captive,
their chains have furthered the gospel,
not frustrated it.

May they inspire and embolden their fellow believers
to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.

God of all comfort,
for those who are tortured both in body and mind,
give them the grace to endure
and to see their suffering as part of following in Christ’s footsteps.

Merciful God,
for those asked to pay the ultimate price;
who are martyred because of their love for You,
may they truly know Christ
and the power of His resurrection
and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings,
becoming like Him in His death.

Father God,
for those who are widowed and orphaned
may they know the comfort that comes from Your promised presence
even when they walk through the valley.

May they be strengthened by Your Spirit,
enabling them to rejoice with the psalmist
as they proclaim that the Lord will not abandon them in death.

Heavenly Father,
we ask that You would make us ever mindful of our brothers and sisters around the world
who need us to stand with them
as they suffer in Your name.

Teach us what it means
to overcome by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of our testimony;
we pray that we would not love our lives so much as to shrink from death.

O Lord, hear our prayer. 

from Release International

We give thanks
For the courageous believers who work and witness for Jesus in countries where they are persecuted for their faith.