Michel Chambon, University of Notre Dame
Updated: May 24, 2018 09:27 AM GMT
A file image of Catholics praying during a service celebrating the Feast of the Ascension at the "underground" Zhongxin Bridge Catholic Church in Tianjin. (Photo by Greg Baker/AFP)
May 24 has since 2007 been a day of prayer for the Catholic Church in China. Pope Benedict then invited all Catholics, but especially Chinese Catholics, to embrace the special day by renewing their faith in Jesus and striving for unity.
Echoing this, Pope Francis has encouraged prayers asking that Chinese Catholics make concrete gestures of "fraternity, harmony and reconciliation."
Although official religious controls are increasing in China, this day of prayer is not directed against the Chinese government.
Instead, it is primarily designed to encourage communion and reconciliation among Chinese Catholics.
Over recent years, President Xi Jinping has reaffirmed the importance of regulating and "Sinicizing" all religious practice in China.
While Muslims and Tibetan Buddhists endure the harshest treatment, Christians also face growing political pressures.
During the past few months, the Henan provincial administration has launched a campaign against various Christian churches, prohibiting children from participating in some religious activities and destroying exterior Church crosses along with other religious symbols.
This campaign is not widespread across China.
However, with similarities to repressive measures in Zhejiang province several years ago, Henan is in turn adopting hostile measures against Christians.
This reflects a classic Chinese strategy of 'killing a chicken to scare the monkeys.'
This targeted and decentralized action serves as a warning for all Christians to adopt official directives and to exercise self-censorship as well as being an experiment to allow the administration to evaluate the approach's effectiveness.
The more we as Christians are subject to abusive provincial religious policies, the more the 'scare the monkey' strategy is re-enforced.
Since 2003, such scare tactics have also been applied to other sectors, such as regulating the economy.
For instance, in 2004 the administration publicly sanctioned eight local officials in Jiangsu province in order to contain over-investment in China's steel industry.
Even though the efficacy of the approach is debatable, a centralist mindset continues in a wide variety of contexts.
However, the day of prayer encouraged by Popes Benedict and Francis is not about political persecution and what is happening in Henan.
As the popes clearly explained, the day of prayer aims to turn a spotlight on Christ, who reconciles and unifies his Church.
It is well-known that the Church in China is suffering from all sorts of internal divisions. These conflicts stem from multiple factors, past and the present as well as from inside and outside the Church.
As Christ's followers, it is then our duty to constantly turn ourselves towards him to better love our brothers and sisters.
Putting all the blame for our divisions on the state is not enough spiritually.
Reconciliation and communion among Chinese Catholics requires more. And it can come only through prayer.
Michel Chambon is a U.S.-based doctoral student who has spent the last two years in China researching for his dissertation on religion in the country.
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Bible verses about: Spirit of this World
Looking for more? Go to the Library topic for: Spirit of this World
And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.
So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me.
1 John 2:15-17
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
1 Corinthians 2:12
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.
1 Corinthians 2:14
But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
1 John 5:19
We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.
Keep your heart with all diligence,
For out of it spring the issues of life.
Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!" But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."
"If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.
2 Timothy 3:1-5
But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!
1 Kings 22:20-22
And the LORD said, ‘Who will persuade Ahab to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead?’ So one spoke in this manner, and another spoke in that manner. Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD, and said, ‘I will persuade him.’ The LORD said to him, ‘In what way?’ So he said, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And the LORD said, ‘You shall persuade him, and also prevail. Go out and do so.’
1 Corinthians 3:1-4
And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? For when one says, "I am of Paul," and another, "I am of Apollos," are you not carnal?
1 Corinthians 11:18-19
For first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you.
idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,
And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,
2 Timothy 1:7
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
2 Timothy 3:13
But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.
2 Peter 1:4
by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
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By Editorial Staff
Published January 1, 1989
NANJING, China (NNI) – China’s Protestant Christian population is now “approaching five million” in 5,000 churches, according to Three-Self leader, Bishop K.H. Ting. “Church buildings,” said Ting, “have for the last nine years been increasing at the rate of three every two days.” This is believed to be the first time the figure of five million believers has been used by a Three-Self leader.
Ting also talked about a more worrying trend – pressure on the church from leftist cadres – and revealed that the China Christian Council had sent letters of protest to certain provincial governments who had toughened their religious policies in the past year.
Speaking in a News Network International interview in Nanjing on October 17, Bishop Ting maintained that this growth of roughly one million in the past year was due not so much to more Christians being discovered as more churches were opened, but to an increase in new converts to Christianity as seen in applications for baptism. Said Ting, “In the hearts of the Chinese people there is an emptiness and they don’t find fulfillment elsewhere … eventually they come into contact with the church and they are satisfied.”
Forerunner - Home » The Forerunner Newspaper » China
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In 1776, a short time after the Declaration of Independence was adopted, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and Benjamin Franklin were assigned to design an official seal for the United States of America. Their proposed motto was Rebellion to Tyrants is Obedience to God. America owes its existence to centuries of Christian political philosophy. Our nation provided a model for liberty copied by nations the world over.
By the 21st century, we need a “Puritan Storm” to sweep away the Hegelian notion that the state is “God walking on earth.” We need revival and reformation in full force to vanquish the problems that plague us as a nation — from government controlled healthcare — to abortion on demand — to same sex “marriage.” This booklet gives a primer on our founders’ Christian idea of government and examines how the doctrine of nullification was woven into the Constitution as a safeguard against federal tyranny. It concludes with the history and theology of civil resistance. A Second American Revolution is coming with the Word of God growing mightily and prevailing! (Acts 19:20).
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Driving down a country road sometime, you might see a church with a sign proudly proclaiming: “No book but the Bible — No creed but Christ.” The problem with this statement is that the word creed (from the Latin: credo) simply means “belief.” All Christians have beliefs, regardless of whether they are written.
Yet a single book containing the actual texts of the most important creeds of the early Church will not often be found. Out of the multitude of works on the evangelical Christian book market today, those dealing with the creeds of the Church are scarce.
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All Christians believe that their great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will one day return. Although we cannot know the exact time of His return, what exactly did Jesus mean when he spoke of the signs of His coming (Mat. 24)? How are we to interpret the prophecies in Isaiah regarding the time when “the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea” (Isa. 11:19)? Should we expect a time of great tribulation and apostasy or revival and reformation before the Lord returns? Is the devil bound now, and are the saints reigning with Christ? Did you know that there are four hermeneutical approaches to the book of Daniel and Revelation?
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Historical footage and other graphics are used to illustrate the lecture Dr. Gentry presented at the 1999 Ligonier Conference in Orlando, Florida. It is followed by a one-hour question and answer session addressing the key concerns and objections typically raised in response to his position. This presentation also features an introduction that touches on not only the confusion and controversy surrounding this issue — but just why it may well be one of the most significant issues facing the Church today.
Ideal for group meetings, personal Bible study — for anyone who wants to understand the historical context of John’s famous letter “… to the seven churches which are in Asia.” (Revelation 1:4)
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The people said [to Jesus], "Now we know you are possessed by a demon. Even Abraham and the prophets died, but you say, 'Anyone who obeys my teaching will never die!' Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?"
Jesus answered, "If I want glory for myself, it doesn't count. But it is my Father who will glorify me. You say, 'He is our God,' but you don't even know him. I know him. If I said otherwise, I would be as great a liar as you! But I do know him and obey him."
— John 8:52-55 NLT
Sometimes the doubts of the crowd become our reminder of the truth. "Are you greater than our father Abraham?" the people ask Jesus. That's the question we are to ask. The answer? Yes! He is, and he is to be obeyed just as he obeyed the Father. He knows the Father and reveals him to us. Yes! Jesus is greater because he is God's Son and our Lord and Savior, the Christ.
All praise to you, God most high, and all praise to Jesus, your Son and my Savior. You planned my deliverance, dear Father, and purchased my salvation through the gift of your Son who brought life and immortality to light in himself and in his message. I pledge to you, O God, my heart and my life. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Related Scripture Readings
- Matthew 12:38-42
- Matthew 16:13-17
- John 20:24-29
Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Sunday, June 26, 2022
About This Devotional
What Jesus Did! is a series of one-year devotional guides through each gospel, using one short scripture passage each day and following the Gospel in sequential order. Each devotional consists of a scripture passage and a reflection and a prayer which open up the day's scripture and show how it challenges you to live for Jesus.
What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware and is available in book form.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


April 25, 2023!
A series of heartbreaking losses has left Simeon and Abigail’s marriage in shambles. But can God rebuild it even stronger than they remember?
Abigail knows she’s the reason she and her husband Simeon have lost their battle to have a baby. It’s God’s punishment for her past—a past she never told Simeon about. He thinks the reason she was on the mission trip where they met was to serve God. If he learns the truth now, he’ll send her packing. Just like her family did. Better that she leave him first.
As a Christian counselor, Simeon should be able to help his wife. And it’s killing him that he can’t. It seems like the harder he tries, the more he pushes her away. When she finally asks for a divorce, it’s nothing he didn’t expect. But it breaks him just the same.
When they face yet another tragedy, will it tear them apart for good? Or can God use it to draw them back to one another—and to him?
All books in the River Falls series are free to read in Kindle Unlimited.
"Karen Kingsbury meets Nicholas Sparks"


The death has occurred of Patrick (Paddy) Carolan
Cortubber, Kingscourt, Meath
The death has occurred of Patrick (Paddy) Carolan, Cortubber, Kingscourt, Co. Meath, peacefully at home, 25th November 2021.
Predeceased by his wife, Philomena (Ward). Deeply regretted by his daughters Maria, Martina and Elaine, son Francis, grandchildren Matthew, Thomas, Cillian, Oisín, Odhrán, Lucy, Liam and Philippa. Sadly missed by his sons-in-law Gordon, Jason and Kieran, daughter-in-law Evonne, nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours and friends.
Rest In Peace
Reposing at his home on Thursday, 25th November, from 4pm to 7pm with family and close friends. Please adhere to continued HSE & government guidelines, wear face coverings & observe social distancing.Removal from his home at 6.30pm approximately to the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Kingscourt on Friday evening, 26th November arriving for 7pm. Funeral Mass on Saturday in the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Kingscourt, at 10am with burial afterwards in the adjoining cemetery.
Paddy's Funeral Mass will be streamed via https://kingscourtparish.ie/watch-live/
Those who would have liked to attend, but due to current HSE guidance cannot, please leave a personal message in the 'Condolences' section below. Private messages of condolences or enquiries can be sent to email@example.com
Family flowers only, house private at all other times, please.
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ROME—Pope Francis on Wednesday said that his 95-year-old predecessor, retired Pope Benedict XVI, was very ill and asked the faithful to pray for him.
“Remember him—he is very sick—asking the Lord to console him and support him in this testimony of love for the church until the end,” Pope Francis said.
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Ep 42 Leighton Flowers: Calvinism and Romans 9
Dr. Leighton Flowers is the host of the Soteriology 101 Podcast, author, professor, and director of evangelism and apologetics. He joins the show to discuss Calvinism and Romans 9.
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The missionary activities in this region were started in 1850 by the MEP Fathers. Main source of income for 60% of the population is agriculture and for 35% of the population the income is from washing of cloths.
Our Lady of Ransom Parish, Elapakkam is an age-old rural parish. It was bifurcated in 1971from the parish of Acharapakkam, now a famous Shrine. Fr.K.S.Lawrence was the first parish priest. He built the parish house, R.C. Primary school, St. Thomas Dispensary and also a house for the Religious Sisters. He also bought 15 acres of land for the Church.
In 1999, the parish was entrusted to the pastoral care of the Missionaries of St.Francis Se Sales. Fr. S.Amirtha Nathan was the first MSFS parish priest. A new church was constructed when Fr. I. S. Jesuraj was the parish priest. The church was inaugurated on 18 November 2006. The parish has 177 families. Most of our substations do not have proper roads and so no transport facilities. Responsible parents send their children to school, even though they have to walk nearly 10 to 15 km every day.
|Fr. S. Amirtha Nathan||1999 – 2004|
|Fr. S. Joseph||2004 – 2005|
|Fr.I. S. Jesuraj||2005 – 2008|
|Fr. J. Savarimuthu||2008 – 2010|
|Fr. C. Sebastian Robert||2010 -2011|
|Fr. S. Antony Raj||2011|
|Our Lady of Ransom Church
Kanchipuram Dt -603201
Tamil Nadu, S. India
Tel: 044 – 27524667
|P. Sahaya Raj M, Parish Priest|


Spirit & Truth
and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself
is more important than all the whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices.
Deut. 6:4; Lev. 19:18; 1 Sam. 15:22; Hosea 6:6; Micah 6:6-8
On who is our neighbor, see commentary on Luke 10:27.
Commentary for: Mark 12:33


I am currently going through a series on modern Evangelicalism’s view of singleness, marriage, and the family. You can view the first post in this series here.
Last time I gave a brief overview of the series. My conclusion is that the Church has wrongly viewed itself as a voluntary association whose ultimate allegiance is at times to the nuclear family, headed by a married couple. I say “at times” because there are other times when family is not the ultimate, but instead is replaced by the State, the Market, or pure individuality.
Instead I propose that our ultimate allegiance is to God, in Christ, through the fellowship of the Church, by the Spirit of God. All that we are, all of our purpose, all that we do, must orient around Christ. When this happens our view on singleness, marriage, and the family, drastically changes. Continuing the series today, I look at a few stories on how the Church views family, and how this makes a difference.
Valentine’s day, 2010: It was a Sunday and I was at church.
Had it been earlier in my life I would have avoided the service that day out of immaturity. Church and holidays never seemed to go well in my mind. Usually there is some kind of mix of Christian and secular values that leave me feeling… discouraged.
That Valentine’s day wasn’t too different from what I expected: the service was entirely about marriage. As a single person — one who had not gone on a date in over six years — it was incredibly alienating. The service had a special musical number between a husband-wife duet, and two testimonies from couples about the joy of matrimony. The end was the worst though: the statistics my pastor and his wife gave as a sermon on marriage. (This was the only time I had ever seen the pastor’s wife share in one of his sermons.) They reported on how a certain percentage of married people reported themselves as happy, while a lower percentage of singles reported being happy; how marriage can more than double a couples’ lifetime earnings; how marriage is a health benefit for those in it. I felt sick at the end of the service. Here I was single, and feeling awful because I seemingly couldn’t be happy, would be poor, and might have less years to live because I was an unmarried person.
That is my own personal story on the church’s presentation of marriage and family. Think about these other stories:
-In 2005 mega-churches across the US decided to not hold worship services because Christmas fell on a Sunday that year. They reasoned that this closure would allow families to celebrate at home. I wasn’t alone that Christmas, but I can imagine how other singles felt about not having a place to go for Christmas worship and fellowship.
-Friends of mine attended a church where an entire three entire months were given to a sermon series on “Superheroes”. Who were the superheroes that would be discuss Ed? Husbands and wives, responsible parents, and wholesome kids. My single friends had zero ways to relate to this series. They were unmarried, away from their families, and living with adult roommates. They had no capes in their closets.
- I’ve known several pastors who have been resistant to scheduling events outside of those Sunday or Wednesday because, “people have date nights, family-time, sports meets, etc. and the church can’t trespass on that time”.
The above stories and examples reveal something about the Church and American Evangelicals: what is expected is a lot of reliable, married, family life (because that is supposedly what we as people primarily need and should be doing), and “going to church” once or twice a week for a couples hours. And if certain people can’t relate to the above priorities then…???
As we will see in the next couple posts, part of the problem here is that this idealistic family is no longer a reality for a majority of Americans. Another is our definition of family and the Church, that places kinship above fellowship. Look for those posts soon.


Free African Society (FAS), nondenominational religious mutual aid organization that provided financial and emotional support to newly free African slaves in the United States. The FAS was formed in 1787 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by American preachers Richard Allen and Absalom Jones and other free African Americans. The mission of the group was to provide fellowship, a place of worship, and monetary support for members and their families in case of sickness or death. The FAS constituted the first African American mutual aid society in Philadelphia and one of the first such organizations for African Americans.
Allen and Jones had originally envisioned the organization as a religious society, but they found that the group was too small and contained people with different religious beliefs. Most members of the group were affiliated with the Episcopal Church, but Allen and others were staunch Methodists. Despite their strong religious affiliations, the founders of the FAS decided against forming a strictly religious organization because prevailing African American and white sentiment generally did not favour the establishment of a separate African American church. The group, however, did require members to adhere to a strong sense of morality, and those engaging in immoral behaviour, such as adultery, risked being expelled.
Although they did not do so, the desire of Allen and others to found a separate African American religious institution represented both pride in African heritage and a response to racism in white churches, but the FAS ultimately chose to align itself with the Episcopal Church. Although most of Philadelphia’s white Methodists supported the abolition of slavery, they did not treat African Americans equally. For example, Methodists commonly segregated African Americans in churches and cemeteries. Consequently, the FAS opened schools, churches, and cemeteries for many of Philadelphia’s African American residents. The FAS also opposed African colonization schemes supported by some Methodist abolitionists, including a plan to send African Americans to Sierra Leone.
From its beginning, the FAS included a number of Quakers. For example, a white Quaker named Joseph Clarke was appointed clerk and treasurer of the society. In 1789 the FAS began to incorporate various Quaker practices, such as a period of silence during meetings. In response to the growing Quaker influence in the society, Allen and some other strict Methodist members withdrew from the group.
In 1793 an outbreak of yellow fever struck Philadelphia, and the FAS provided comfort and financial aid to the sick after many white Philadelphians left the city. The decision by the FAS to stay and support the sick caused it to incur debts that it was unable to pay back, and the organization had disbanded by late 1794. Earlier that year, however, the FAS built St. Thomas’s African Episcopal Church in Philadelphia and asked Allen to serve as pastor. Allen refused, though, and Jones filled the position instead. In the same year, Allen founded a separate church for African American Methodists—the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church.


Did you know that at least 3 times in the Old Testament book of Joshua, we're told that under Joshua's leadership, the Israelites rested in the Promised Land? But when we come to the New Testament letter to the Hebrews, we're told he didn't give them rest. So what gives? Why does Joshua tell us they experienced rest but Hebrews tells us they didn't, but that the promise of rest is still pending? Let's see if we can't untangle that a little bit in this episode.
Links I mention in this episode:
Facebook has announced that they will no longer be supporting podcast pages, beginning in June. In light of that, I will be shutting down the UnSunday Show Facebook page in the very near future.
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Don't let anyone steal your JOY! pt 1
Embed teressaj 641 views 2012-04-19T15:39:06 Bro. Joe Bedgood brings the sermon for April 15, 2012 at Dellwood Baptist Church.
All We NeedHow might you trust God for the bounty He alone can provide?
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After spending most of his 51 years in prison, Richard Stewart wasn’t sure how to live life on the outside. He credits God and a few good men from a Montana church with helping him figure it out.
Stewart has lived the past nine years in Bozeman, Montana, where he attends Gallatin Gateway Community Christian Reformed Church and makes his living as a fine artist.
Stewart was first incarcerated at age 11, and by the time he was convicted of homicide in 1976 he had spent most of his time in and out of prison.
While awaiting sentencing, he prayed for the first time in his life. During the 29 years he served for his crime, he spent a lot of time reading the Bible and asking questions. He was also partnered with Layne Klompien, a member of Gallatin Gateway, though a program called T.E.A.M. Mentoring (Teach Encourage Assist and Model a Christ-centered Life).
“Layne gave me more spiritual insight and lessons in the light and practical application in how to use the Word and how to change my life” stated Stewart.
In 2002, Steward received parole. When he walked out of prison that day, there were five men ready to help him reenter society, including Klompien.
“I didn’t know how to rent an apartment, get my electricity turned on, none of that stuff. I can say that without Layne and a couple other people in the church I never would have made it,” said Stewart. “Since then Layne has not only mentored me for the last nine years, but we’re best of friends.”
Stewart also began painting while he was in prison and since his parole has focused his time on developing his gift and using it for God’s glory. His artwork has been on display in a few local galleries and he makes his living selling it.
He says he’ll paint anything that shows the beauty of God and what God has given us.
Adamant that it is only by God’s grace that he has recovered, Stewart said, “If you want to help change a man’s life, you have to help change his heart, and the only one that can do that is Christ Jesus.”
About the Author
Sarah Boonstra is the Banner's regional news correspondent for classes Rocky Mountain and Yellowstone.


Holy Week in the Philippines
Holy full week is when some people perform holy rites over the fulfillment of the vow they will do once they asked The particular almighty a reward, such as get rid of an issue. It might be traditionally some kind of the solemn occasion in the Philippines, an occasion for significant atonement. Priests in addition to religious statuary are wearing purple every single child symbolize gloom. Devout Catholics head to church everyday; some swiftly.
Palm Weekend commemorates the actual entry linked with Jesus Christ directly into Jerusalem, Filipino Catholics offer palaspas (palm fronds) every single child church getting blessed while using priests. They’ll most likely bring the actual fronds back using these.
Good Fri commemorates the actual crucifixion in addition to death linked with Christ. On this day, you will see religious amounts being carried above the towns above carrozas (carriages). The non secular images in addition to statues usually are veiled throughout black throughout mourning on the death linked with Jesus.
Just about the most striking function of Holy Complete week celebrations in the Philippines could be the site linked with Filipinos commonly whipping themselves. These usually are reenactments in the torture in addition to death linked with Jesus. Some Filipinos in addition to whip their unique backs right into a bloody error, they provide their feet and palms nailed to many wood corners.
Tourists are produced by everywhere from your actual internet site! With Manila, Tondo could be the place to discover these flagellants. Beyond the capital, Pampanga in addition to Nueva Ecija usually is famous because of their flagellants that will cover their unique faces getting white silk cotton hoods. Crowns linked with thorns usually are putting by themselves heads every single child causes some sort of body to drop.
Easter Sunday can be a celebration with the resurrection linked with Christ. At a number of o’clock in the morning, Filipinos perform a salubong big event commemorating what type of Virgin Margaret met the lady son Jesus who may have revisit life. Her image will probably be brought towards the image with the Christ on the local cathedral. Flower petals shall be rained down with them.
In present times, these sorts of Philippine ways of life are little by little disappearing. Young Filipinos now utilize the Holy Complete week to vacation on the beach.


Monday - Saturday 8:10 AM
Saturday 8:10 - Anointing of Sick
Saturday - 5:30 PM
Sunday - 8:30 AM / 10:30 AM / 12:30 PM
Looking for today's Mass readings.
Saturday, 5th week of Lent
Passion Sunday (Palm Sunday)
Monday of Holy Week
Tuesday of Holy Week
Wednesday of Holy Week
Thursday of Holy Week
they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.


Join us on social media for a week exploring how we can engage in politics from a Christian perspective. Starting 22nd June 2020.
Get involved by engaging with us online during the week.
If you're been inspired by what you've seen this week, then why not join LDCF? We seek to engage, connect and equip our members and together we can have a louder Christian voice within the party.


who focus on their personal commitment to the Mission of the Church
of Saint Arnold Janssen together with the Divine Word Missionaries and their sister congregations
via online courses, teachings in our sessions, and news from missions
through evangelization, promoting of mission awareness, supporting of missionaries
February 2023 was the month when a few members gathered for their first DWD local session in the Holy Spirit parish in Nkulumane, Bulawayo. They decided to meet regularly every month and so encourage one another to be active and fruitful disciples of the Word.
Their regular meetings are open to visitors and candidates who are still doing the DWD basic formation course. There is a sure hope that the local circle in Nkulumane will grow in number and in zeal for missions.
In January 2023 a new version of our handbook was published. Besides a slightly improved design (the dark mode is a thing now), there are new prayers, a new guide for preparing and blessing a prayer corner, and the newest adaptation of our statutes.
You can find it in our download section. We published there also some new guides, our forms for printing, and the summary of our DWD Basic Formation course lessons.
The last two years 2021-2022 we have been working hard on adjusting our network to the newest requirements from the SVD Generalate. Mainly, we have been focusing on our new obligation - to pass a basic formation course that prepares us for proper DWD membership.
For most of us the course is done online via whatsapp, led by our Spiritual Director. It consists of 7 lessons. In every lesson, we study a missionary text, learn a prayer, gain a new piece of knowledge and a new missionary skill.
On Mission Sunday, 18 October 2020 we did a lot of work in our parishes: evangelizing of those who needed to hear the Good News together with some material or financial help, explaining the Mission Sunday's origin, presentation on the missionary rosary and praying it, distributing the Pope's message, Eucharistic adoration for the missions, teaching parishioners a missionary song.
Those who could not attend the Mass because of Covid-19 restrictions, celebrated the Mission Sunday in their Small Christian Communities or families, often with the missionary rosary and a presentation about missions.
Some of us dedicated more time to their private prayer for missions and missionaries during the day, often inviting their family members to join them.
On social networks, we spread the message of the Pope, invited our friends to join the DWD network, or challenged others to do something for the Mission of the Church.
In some of our parishes we celebrated St. Arnold Janssen's feast as a great solemnity on Sunday 19 January 2020. We translated all liturgical prayers and texts of the day into our local languages Ndebele and Shona, so everyone could understand the liturgy. We decorated a picture of St. Arnold Janssen in our churches with flowers, candles, and fabrics. At the beginning of the celebration, we presented the story of St. Arnold and within the intercessions we prayed for Catholic world missions and missionaries.
On 20 October 2019 we celebrated the Mission Sunday.
We did a great job in our parishes: individual evangelizing of those who needed to hear the Good News, presentations on the missionary rosary, praying the missionary rosary with parishioners, distributing the Pope's message to the youth, Eucharistic adorations for the missions, teaching a song about this year's theme "Baptized and Sent". Some of us dedicated more time to our private prayer for missions and missionaries during the whole month of October.
There were two half-national DWD sessions because we couldn’t travel to one place from all over the country for desired one national event. On 24 August 2019 in Budiriro, Harare and on 1 September 2019 in Nketa, Bulawayo we had a great time of sharing, learning, and practising the spirituality of our saints, mission animation, and evangelization.
On 21 October 2018 we celebrated the Mission Sunday. In our parishes, we, the Divine Word Disciples promoted mission awareness.
We led a missionary rosary prayer in the Holy Cross Parish in Harare, in the Holy Family Parish and the Holy Spirit Parish in Bulawayo. In Harare we also introduced our group to the parishioners and led a Eucharistic adoration for the missions. We also distributed many copies of Pope's message for World Mission Day 2018.
Our local circle in the Holy Family Parish in Bulawayo completed the first circle project on 20 October 2018 - we made and donated some altar clothes for the rural chapels of the SVD missionaries.
There was a very first session of our brand new local circle in the Holy Cross Parish in Harare.
On 10 February 2018 four Divine Word Disciples met and shared and prayed together for the growth of missionary spirit.
Those who cannot attend the DWD sessions of a local circle, can join our Virtual Circle via WhatsApp or email now.
On 4 August 2017 we started off our first virtual session that lacked nothing - there was sharing, prayers, news, and teaching. The members were only a few but we believed that many can become Divine Word Disciples soon and the Virtual Circle can grow fast.
Groups of parishioners in the the Holy Family Parish in Bulawayo have already been trying to support SVD Missionaries for some time. Since there is s request from the SVD leadership to revive and improve the Divine Word Disciples group, we are working on it. The first session of DWD in the Holy Family Parish took place in January 2017.
DWD Statutes, prayers, guides for any device
(htm 0.2 MB)
DWD Basic Formation Course lessons for any device
(htm 4 MB)
A6 size brochure with daily DWD prayers
(pdf 0.1 MB)
Download our Local Circle Documents
Everything needed for DWD local sessions
(zip 0.2 MB)
Two A6 flyers with explanation of the Mission Rosary
(pdf 0.1 MB)
A4 size poster about missionary vocation
(pdf 2 MB)
and invite friends to our DWD session
(jpg 0.1 MB)
Visit our Virtual Circle to experience our prayers, sharing, and teaching via WhatsApp or email.
You can attend three sessions as a guest.
Afterwards you can decide to become our member if you wish.
Call our Spiritual Director
Fr. Kamilo SVD
0778 940 351


Pray also for us that God would open unto us a door of utterance…
While Dr Finley is available to conduct Missions Conferences, Pastors’ Conferences, Association/Denomination-Wide Meetings, and Para-Church Group Training and Judy Finley is available to speak at Women’s Luncheons and Conferences, their most fruitful ministry is conducted in local churches. Dr Finley has developed over 500 hours of prayer training and revival messages that can be used in a local church. The most beneficial meetings in a local church are those scheduled with a Sunday morning through Wednesday evening format, but there is flexibility to present some of the series in an all day or weekend format. Suggested series include:
- Prayer For Spiritual Awakening – This series is Dr Finley’s most basic series that includes motivational messages and practical prayer training. It can be presented in either all day, weekend, or Sunday through Wednesday format, but the Sunday through Wednesday format has the strongest impact upon a congregation. Sunday through Wednesday format would require two 45 minute sessions each evening. Dr Finley’s presentation would require the use of participant workbooks and overhead projector. Recommended for first time ministry in a local church. [more info]
- God’s Blueprint For Revival – This series of five messages is based on 2 Chronicles 7:14 and utilizes four Psalms to equip the believer with a lifestyle for revival. It includes historical cameos of great revivals of the past. The series is suited only for a Sunday morning through Wednesday evening format with one 45 minute message each evening. A six-week preparation guide for a congregation to utilize prior to this meeting is expected to be ready in early 2002. [more info]
- Keys To Effective Praying – This series of five messages is designed to aid both leaders and participants in group praying in church, small group, and family settings. It can be presented in either all day, throughout a weekend, or Sunday through Wednesday (with one 45 minute message each evening) format. Dr Finley’s presentation would require the use of participant workbooks and an overhead projector. Recommended to be preceded by Prayer For Spiritual Awakening series. [more info]
- Essentials For Revival Weekend – This series of messages is designed for a weekend format with various target groups within a local congregation. It’s chief goal is to motivate the congregation to walk in preparation for and expectancy of revival. The series includes messages on revival and evangelism, emphasis upon family praying, and the role of both the elderly and the youth in revival. [more info]
- Improving Your Preaching – This series of messages is designed as an all-day format with pastors or church leaders. The goal of this seminar is to train pastors how to develop a life message, how to choose and disciple key men in the church, and how to have a lasting impact on their community. This material can be adapted to focus on leadership training with the theme being that of discipleship. In addition, home churches needing leadership training and discipleship teaching may profit from this seminar. [more info]
- Praying For Your Husband – This seminar that Judy Finley shares with women presents the Biblical basis for applying the doctrine of the trinity of man to prayers for husbands and children. It includes Scriptural training to discern body, soul, and spirit. The seminar is presented in an all day format. A participant workbook is required. [more info]
Prayer Resources seeks to minister to all whom the Lord gives an open door, regardless of size, location, financial ability, or denomination. The first firm commitment on the itinerary will receive priority for that date. If a church is unable to meet our financial needs, we will seek to raise additional support to cover the church’s costs.
We request that travel expenses (the current Standard Milage Rate per mile round trip if traveling by car or round-trip air fare in advance), lodging, and meals be provided and that a love offering for the ministry be collected. If your location is more than four hours away from Memphis by car travel, our schedule dictates that we fly to the airport nearest you. We seek to book our air flights in advance to gain the most economical fares.
The use of workbooks is vital in the communication of some of our formats; therefore, we also request that the church cover the $3 per workbook expense. The workbook expense can be offset if the church prefers to produce the copies on their own equipment and paper. We will provide the originals in advance of our arrival.
Schedule a Meeting
To schedule a meeting with Prayer Resources, you may contact us by telephone, letter, or e-mail. Whatever your mode of communication, please share the following
Your Name, E-Mail, Phone, Address,
Church Name, Pastor’s Name, Spouse Name, Phone, Address, Church Website,
Description of church (size, denomination, tenure, current spiritual condition, current prayer ministry,etc.)
Anticipated Attendance, Preferred Schedule Date, Alternate Schedule Dates


Sundays, 9 a.m. & 5 p.m.
Join us for worship! Join our family for worship, prayer, and fellowship Sundays at 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Bible Breakfast Club: Saturday, November 16, 2019 – 8:00 a.m.
Study: No Hard Feelings (Gather, p. 22)
Lesson: “Stewarding the Gift of Joy”
Readings from: Psalms 30 & 150, Song of Solomon 2
Leader: Ann Baas
All women are welcome and invited to attend. For more information, call Barbara Pearson., (219) 242-3190.
From the Deaconess–
- College Addresses Needed – please let me know who is in college and what their address is. I want to make sure that I have a complete list for the care packages. Many thanks!
- College Care Packages – we will begin collecting snacks and treats for our college students. I believe there are about 15 of them, but I’m double checking. Think about single-serve items, gum, mints, chips, granola bars, maybe a fun pen, etc.
- Hot Cocoa Bar and Bake Sale – Friday, December 6, 5:15-7:45 pm, we will host a hot cocoa bar and bake sale as a fundraiser for the “We’re Here for Good” campaign. The youth and Sunday school students will be hosting. Others are welcome to join us. We’re planning to have a tent in the courtyard with luminaries lighting the sidewalk. If you have interest in helping, please let me know. The more, the merrier!
- Dinner Needed for Youth Group – dinner is needed each week for the youth and adults on Sunday night, approximately 12 people. If you would like to sign up to serve dinner, please let me know.
- Yoga continues on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. Beginners and experienced are welcome. $5 per class.
- Tender Loving Care Preschool tenderlovingcarepreschool.webs.com for more information.
Trinity Lutheran Church, Valparaiso is proud to be a Reconciled In Christ congregation, welcoming people of all gender identities and sexual orientations as part of this community of the people of God.


An Isabelline Gothic church in the interesting quarter of La Villa de Requena.
The archpriestal church of El Salvador is in the flowery Isabelline Gothic style of the 15th century, although it was remodelled in the Baroque style in the 18th century, when the Communion Chapel was added and the bell tower was rebuilt. It is located in the beautiful quarter of La Villa de Requena, declared a National Historic-Artistic Site. It is made up of three naves with adjoining chapels between the buttresses. The façade consists of three archivolts, with images of virgins and angels. Today it is the only church open to worship in the La Villa quarter.
Church of El Salvador (Requena)
Plaza del Salvador s/n
46340 Requena, Valencia-València (Region of Valencia)


As The Scripture Says
Heavenly Father, as I read this sorrowful story again, make it fresh and new to me, I pray.
Read Mark 14:43-52
 Just as he was speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, appeared. With him was a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders.  Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard.”  Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Rabbi!” and kissed him.  The men seized Jesus and arrested him.  Then one of those standing near drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.  “Am I leading a rebellion,” said Jesus, “that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me?  Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.”  Then everyone deserted him and fled.  A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him,  he fled naked, leaving his garment behind. Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.
ReflectWhy did Jesus surrender to arrest so peacefully?
This story unfolds on two planes. First, there’s the view of Judas, the guards and the disciples that this was “the moment.” It was either to be a great victory for the authorities who were finally capturing this dangerous madman, or a tragic end to a potential and promising messianic mission. Either way, this night would end it! Hacking off the guard’s ear was the last act of defiance by a hopeless zealot (47). The story also unfolds on a far higher level than the events in that garden. The hypocrisy of both Judas, who betrayed Jesus with a friendly kiss (44), and the authorities, who chose night time, rather than the crowded public spaces of daylight to do their ugly deed (48,49), is the signature of the whole chapter: humans conspiring in vain to frustrate God’s master plan of redemption. Instead, they unwittingly fulfill everything God had planned, and bring about the greatest victory of all (49), the reconciliation of a broken world. It may not look like it right now, but God is working out his plan to save the world, and nothing at all can stop it.
What are you facing that requires you to take another viewpoint? Ask God for help to see him at work.
Lord God, thank You that, even in the midst of what looked like defeat, You were working out Your great plan.
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World Council of Churches General Secretary, the Rev Dr Olav Fykse Tveit has added his name to a growing chorus of calls from around the globe for the cancellation of quake-hit Haiti's crippling international debt.
Churches and church related organisations are mobilizing resources to bring immediate relief to the people of Port-au-Prince, says Juan Michel. But equally importantly they are also advocating for the international community to waive Haiti's foreign debt while building a more, just sustainable future for the country.
Today the organised ecumenical movement among Christians, seeking common witness and social justice, is seen by many as a failing, lost or irrelevant cause, says Keith Clements. But in a divided world, the case for a genuine search for unity among the churches in these islands and beyond is stronger than ever and needs radically renewing.
In a 13 January 2010 solidarity letter to the churches in Malaysia, the World Council of Churches General Secretary, the Rev Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, expressed deep concern and sorrow about recent attacks against church buildings in the country.
Action of Churches Together (ACT) member churches are already involved in responding to the Haiti disaster. World Council of Churches General Secretary, Olav Fykse Tveit, has expressed condolences and solidarity with the people there.
The global ecumenical movement among Christians must bring the hope of peace and justice to a suffering and divided world, says the new general secretary of the World Council of Churches, the Rev Olav Fykse Tveit.
How does biblical thought relate to climate change? What are the theological insights churches can offer to a world facing an unprecedented ecological crisis? Juan Michel describes some answers from a recent global seminar.
With a lack of transparency, "the agreement reached this past week by some countries in Copenhagen was negotiated without consensus but rather in secret among the powerful nations of the world,” a WCC climate change specialist says.
"The present day reality shows that our sincere efforts have not been enough to bring in the age of social justice and peace," says a WCC statement delivered to the plenary of the United Nations Climate Change Conference yesterday.
Representatives have gathered for the final scheduled day of the UN climate summit in Copenhagen amid uncertainty over the shape of any eventual deal - and with appeals for action reiterated by faith bodies and NGOs.


The flow of Christians resettling in the United States from countries where they face persecution has decreased by as much as 90 percent over the past five years, according to a disquieting new report published by World Relief, an international Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to serving refugees and displaced populations, and Open Doors, a global watchdog of religious freedom.
The report also states that the decrease in resettlement of other refugees, including Jews from Iran and Muslims from Burma (Myanmar) is likely to be even greater by the end of 2020.
Midway through this year, the U.S. admitted fewer than 950 Christians from 50 countries on the Open Doors USA 2020 World Watch List for the persecution of Christians. (North Korea, Afghanistan, Somalia, Libya, Pakistan, Eritrea, Sudan, Yemen, Iran and India top the list of countries perpetrating “extreme persecution,” according to the report, with “very high persecution” in such countries as Syria, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Maldives and Iraq.)
“Globally, more than 260 million Christians face high levels of persecution for their faith,” the report states, pointing out that although Christians in non-Western countries are among the most disadvantaged groups, they face additional harm because of the sharp reduction lately in U.S. refugee resettlement programs.
“When individuals facing violence and pressure at home determine it is no longer safe to remain, some make the difficult decision to migrate—hoping and praying to find a safe country that will welcome them,” says the report.
“Religious liberty has often been heralded as the ‘first freedom’ enumerated in the U.S. Constitution,” states a letter in the report signed by World Relief President Scott Arbeiter, World Relief CEO Tim Breene, and Open Doors CEO David Curry. “As Christians, we believe that religious liberty is an inalienable right, endowed by God, that can be neither bestowed nor withheld by any government.”
“Tragically though, as U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback has noted, ‘the religious freedom central to our experience at home is still encroached upon in many areas of the world.’”
In stark contrast to the current resettlement of Christian refugees, more than 18,000 Christians were permitted into the country in 2015, according to the report, Persecuted Christians and the U.S. Refugee Resettlement and Asylum Process.”
“The United States has long set the standard for the global agenda on refugees and asylum seekers,” the report noted. “Yet recent shifts in U.S. policy reveal that it is no longer the safe haven for displaced persons that it once was: The ‘Golden Door’ that Emma Lazarus poetically described as the gateway to safety and liberty for those ‘yearning to breathe free’ has largely closed shut in recent years.”
The COVID-19 pandemic, which disproportionately impacts the poor and underprivileged, worsening the plight of refugees, warns the report. “With 134 refugee-hosting countries reporting local transmission of COVID-19, the pandemic is an especially dangerous threat to displaced persons,” many of whom are housed in underfunded, high-density refugee camps ill-equipped to cope with their medical needs.
“But as many of the world’s wealthier countries battle the pandemic domestically and tighten foreign travel restrictions,” the report continues, “the political climate has become unfavorable to displaced people who desperately need global aid, exacerbating trends that began even before the global health crisis.”
The cap on refugees for fiscal year 2020, which ends September 30, has been set at 18,000 individuals. “However, in part because of the COVID-19 pandemic, fewer than 7,600 refugees have been resettled, with just three months remaining in the fiscal year and the resettlement program still largely halted,” says the report.
“While we can and should do all we can to advance religious liberty abroad, we must also continue to offer refuge to those who have felt they had no choice but to flee. We must not close our nation’s doors on the persecuted.”
Prominent Christian groups, such as the National Association of Evangelicals, the Southern Baptist Convention and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which lead more than 90,000 congregations, have commented on the report’s findings.
“As Christians, we’re concerned about the wellbeing of all people who have faced persecution, including the many who are persecuted for their Christian faith” World Relief President Arbeiter states. “While we can and should do all we can to advance religious liberty abroad, we must also continue to offer refuge to those who have felt they had no choice but to flee. We must not close our nation’s doors on the persecuted.”
“The global reality is that more people than ever before are facing discrimination, violence, and even death because of their choice to practice their faith,” Open Doors CEO Curry said in a July 10 news statement. “Religious persecution is not an isolated problem: it overlaps with an array of issues that together impact Christians.”
The report points out that recent proposals to amend asylum regulations—such as efforts to “significantly redefine key terms contained within longstanding U.S. law, including ‘persecution,’ ‘well-founded fear,’ ‘torture,’ ‘political opinion’ and ‘particular social group’—are likely to further impede the ability of persecuted individuals, including Christians, to gain asylum in the U.S.”
“Our intent,” Curry said, is to “recognize, prevent, and address these issues by engaging on each point at which religious minorities are suffering.”
From its beginnings, the Church of Scientology has recognized that freedom of religion is a fundamental human right. In a world where conflicts are often traceable to intolerance of others’ religious beliefs and practices, the Church has, for more than 50 years, made the preservation of religious liberty an overriding concern.
The Church publishes this blog to help create a better understanding of the freedom of religion and belief and provide news on religious freedom and issues affecting this freedom around the world.


This weekend is Easter, as we all know! :-) This year is a little different because the kids are getting older. This is the first year they have actually asked about the easter bunny. After talking, Robert and I decided will we not celebrate the easter bunny. At all. I can justify santa...because Saint Nicholas was a real guy. But the easter bunny? I can't tie that into the real meaning of Easter. And I think the true meaning of Easter is far too great to mix in a bunny and eggs. The kids will get easter baskets, but they will know that WE gave them to them. So, enough on that...that is just what we personally chose. If you choose to do the easter bunny, by all means go for it! :-) I'm sure it'll be fun.
Our church is having 19 services this weekend. Unbelievable! I'm pretty excited because we love our church and pastor. And this is only the second Easter we've been able to attend at our home church. We plan on going to the 8:00 a.m. service on Sunday (there are also Friday and Saturday services) to hopefully avoid some of the craziness!
Then it's off for some cousin fun. And let me just tell you, it's going to be FUN! I don't want to say anymore about that, but I'll give you a hint. In picture form.
Fun for the kids AND adults! ;-)
I hope everyone has a great Easter spending time with loved ones realizing the sacrifice that was made for all us sinners. Blessings to you all!
"Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.' " Mark 16:6
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead..." 1 Peter 1:3
"Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die." John 11:25-26


Latest News & Prayer
Renewal Day at Holy Trinity, Frome (2018)2 years ago
As part of its role to equip and encourage the local church, Frome Deanery, working closely with Frome Area Christians Together, invited a team from ReSource to come and lead a ‘Renewal Day’.
With over 100 people attending from at least 10 local churches, there was a buzz of expectation on arrival. The day started with a wonderful time of worship which helped us focus on all three persons of God.
Morning sessions from Kevin, Keith and Anne focused on the person and work of the Holy Spirit, with lots of examples of how He works in our daily lives, opportunities for questions, and time to discuss things in small groups.
Bringing their considerable experience of rural ministry, Kevin Roberts and Keith Powell reminded us that God’s heart is for the ‘little, local and ordinary’ churches - like many of ours - and that the Holy Spirit often works quietly and gently, through nudges and prompts, as well as more dramatic activities.
The testimonies from Anne and Keith were very helpful and it was good to hear Kevin and Keith ‘demystify’ the Holy Spirit and remind us that God wants to release the Holy Spirit to work in an 8.00am BCP communion service just as much as the big, lively church down the road; He is for all of us. Throughout the day, there were regular times of prayer and ministry, always clearly explained for those who were less familiar with this more informal style of worship and teaching.
After lunch, delegates could choose from one of five workshops - ‘Prayer ministry, theory and practice’, ‘How does God speak?’, Healing ministry in the local church’, Renewing the local church’, and ‘Encountering God in worship’ These smaller sessions, each led by experienced leaders, helped people to discuss and learn from each other, and to be encouraged to try new things. A final session on responding to the Holy Spirit gave more time for ministry and, for some, a fresh encounter with the Holy Spirit. The day ended with a wonderful time of prayer, with each church represented and prayed for by others.
It was really exciting to see this event happening in Frome and we will be praying that it will be a significant step in releasing the work and fruits of the Holy Spirit in and through the churches in and around Frome.
We found the day hugely encouraging and a great blessing, and know that others did too.
As one of our friends said afterwards, “I have known about the HS and seen him at work in my life and the life of my church for a long time, but I had let this relationship drift. This was an opportunity to re-engage with God and be refreshed. For me, this was the best day of the year so far!”
Henry and Caroline Pomeroy
ReSource for Anglican Renewal Ministries
Enabling little, local and ordinary churches to engage with the Holy Spirit for renewal, discipleship and mission.


Pope Calls For ‘Laudato Si’ Week in May – But Isn’t Fatima More Urgent?editor
Vatican City, Mar 3, 2020 / 09:57 am (CNA).- Pope Francis is calling on Catholics to participate in “Laudato si’ Week” in May to encourage care for our common home.
“I renew my urgent call to respond to the ecological crisis. The cry of the earth and the cry of the poor cannot wait anywhere,” Pope Francis said in a video message published March 3.
The video shows young protesters yelling, “Climate justice, now” juxtaposed with images of wildlife in Africa and a beached whale.
Laudato si’ Week, sponsored by the Dicastery for Integral Human Development will take place May 16-24. The date marks the 5th anniversary of the publication of Pope Francis’ encyclical on integral human ecology.
The Global Catholic Climate Movement and Renova + are facilitating the campaign.
The Laudato si’ Week website recommends Catholics participate by engaging elected representatives, conducting an energy audit, or divesting in fossil fuels. It also recommends the option to “represent your commitment with a symbolic gesture,” such as planting a tree or attending a climate strike.
Laudato si’, which means “Praise be to You,” was published June 18, 2015, and was dated May 24. Pope Francis took the name for the encyclical from St. Francis of Assisi’s medieval Italian prayer “Canticle of the Sun,” which praises God through elements of creation such as Brother Sun, Sister Moon, and “our sister Mother Earth.” Click here to read entire report
Our Lady of Fatima warned that if her message is heeded there will be a period of peace in the world. If not, various nations would be annihilated and there would be anything but peace in the world (to paraphrase…)
This from the Fatima Center website, in summary: …the Pope is designated as the one primarily responsible for future peace: “God asks the Holy Father… ” The peace of the world, we are told in the Fatima Message, depends upon the Pope and the world’s bishops obeying the request for the Consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. It cannot and will not come about through any other means. Source
So, why – in the very month dedicated to Our Lady – would the Pope (any pope!) dedicate a week to a gimmicky political cause, at a time when the world is in turmoil through wars and diseases, and yet continue to ignore the most important event of the 20 century – the Fatima prophecies which contain the means to restore good order and peace in the world. St Paul wasn’t kidding when he told the Ephesians that “…our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places (Ephesians 6:12)
To combat this wickedness, St Paul exhorted the Ephesians to “put on the armour of God” which, in our times, includes the Consecration of Russia. Little (Saint) Jacinta urged prayers for the Pope. Let’s answer that plea – urgently – before the diabolical disorientation in the Church and the world which we are witnessing right now, worsens.


FAIRHAVEN — Maria S. (DeSousa) Goncalves, 77, of Fairhaven passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by her family, Saturday, November 9, 2019. She was the loving wife of 52 years to Americo Goncalves.
Born in Quinta Grande, Madeira, Portugal, daughter of the late Jose and Olivia (Martins) DeSousa, she came to New Bedford in 1973 and settled in Fairhaven in 1982. She was a communicant of St. Joseph’s Church in Fairhaven.
Maria had worked at Aerovox and also as an inspector at the Berkshire Hathaway until her retirement. She loved gardening, especially growing flowers (orchids), sewing and animals.
She is survived by her loving husband Americo; a son, Alvaro Goncalves and his fiance Julie Fostin of Fairhaven; a daughter, Catrina Goncalves of Fairhaven; two brothers, Jordan DeSousa and his wife Conceicao and Alvaro DeSousa all of Dartmouth; and several nieces and nephews.
Mrs. Goncalves was the sister of the late John Perry, Joseph and Antonio DeSousa and Conceicao Vitor.
Calling hours are Sunday from 3-6pm in the Fairhaven Funeral Home, 117 Main St., Fairhaven. Her funeral will be Monday, November 18, 2019 at 9am from the funeral home followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10am in St. Joseph’s Church, Fairhaven. Interment will be in St. Anthony’s Cemetery, Mattapoisett.
For memorial register or facility directions go to, www.hathawayfunerals.com or call (508)994-9471.


Fearing the Lord, Part 2
We are living in a time of apostasy--a falling away from God. The scriptures say that in the latter times some will fall away from the faith. It's slow and unintentional. Because we're not standing up for the truth, we have to deal with the aftermath. We have to be aware of seducing spirits affecting our children, affecting our church and affecting our culture (Part 1 of 3)
The resurrection of Jesus Christ was not only for our salvation but, it has enabled us to live a resurrected life. In this message series, Pastor Stevens reminds us of the authority and the supernatural power that has been given to us through our relationship with Christ, and teaches us how we should live out that resurrected life everyday.


Posted on 11/27/2008 08:00 AM (CNA - Saint of the Day)
A soldier and courtier to King Yezdigerd I of Persia in the early fifth century, James was a Christian who, during Yezdigerd’s persecution of Christians, renounced his faith for fear of death.
His family, who had not apostacized, contacted James upon the death of the king, and thus the end of the persecution, and chastised him for having renounced his Heavenly King before the worldy king of Persia.
Upon hearing the rebukes of his family for the denial of his faith, James was thrown into a deep crisis of conscience, and he went through a true, deep conversion, uniting and conforming himself to the living God. Wanting to make amends, he professed his faith before the new king, Bahram and was condemned to death.
He is referred to as ‘Intercisus’ because the name literally means ‘hacked to pieces,’ and this name was given to him documenting the manner of his death. He was hung from a beam and slowly cut into 28 pieces, beginning with his fingers and then his toes, hands, and so forth until his beheading, the final cut.
Even though the crowd, made up of many Christians, urged him to renounce his faith and worship the sun because they could not bear to see him suffer such excruciating torture, he never renounced his faith. Instead, he made every piece cut from his body an offering to the Living God, and won the crown of martyrdom.
James Intercisus is the patron saint of lost vocations and torture victims.
Posted on 11/27/2004 08:00 AM (CNA - Saint of the Day)
St. Sechnall was born in 375, and around the year 439 was sent from Gaul to assist his uncle, Saint Patrick, in Ireland, together with Auxilius and Iserninus in thier missionary work there. He became the first bishop of Dunslaughlin in Meath, and then auxiliary bishop of Armagh.
He wrote several hymns, notably the alphabetical hymn Audites, omnes amantes Deum (the oldest known Latin hymn written in Ireland) in honor of Patrick and the earliest Latin hymn in Ireland, and Sancti, venite, Christi corpus sumite.
He died in 447, and his feast day is November 27.
Printed with permission from Catholic-Defense.
Posted on 11/27/2003 08:00 AM (CNA - Saint of the Day)
St. Francesco (Francis) Antonio Fasani was born as Giovanneillo in Lucera, Italy in 1681, the son of Giuseppe Fasani and Isabella Della Monaca. He entered the Conventual Franciscans in 1695 and took the names of St. Francis and St. Anthony. He spent much of his time studying, and was ordained a priest 10 years after entering the order. He then taught philosophy to younger friars, served as the guardian of his friary, and later became provincial of his order. When his term of office as provincial ended, Francesco became a novice-master, and eventually pastor in his hometown. In all his various ministries, he was loving, devout and penitential. He was a sought-after confessor and preacher. One witness at the canonical hearings regarding Francesco’s holiness testified, "In his preaching he spoke in a familiar way, filled as he was with the love of God and neighbor; fired by the Spirit, he made use of the words and deed of Holy Scripture, stirring his listeners and moving them to do penance." Francesco showed himself a loyal friend of the poor, never hesitating to seek from benefactors what was needed. He was also a mystic, known for his deep prayer life and supernatural gifts, and was known to levitate while praying. The people of Lucera were known to compare him with St. Francis of Assisi, from whom he derived his name. He died in 1742 and was canonized in 1986.


Pre AP English 10
October 7, 2014
“Ours is a culture where we expect to be a Christian without being a disciple, expect to be saved without being obedient and expect to grow without making any effort.” As I sat in the pews of my church’s sanctuary, staring blankly at the wall, this quote shined on the screen. For the next twenty minutes my pastor spoke about the meaning of the quote, and how many Christians struggle with living life as a disciple. I realized these pointed words were challenging me to take my faith more seriously and to live more intentionally.
On November 6, 1998, I was born into a christian family. Chosen by my parents to be submerged in water at a young age. I was “dragged to church” every Sunday, but by age eleven I chose to go for myself. Although waking up early on Sunday mornings to go to church was hard, this deliberate choice helped me grow in my faith. Going every morning helped me understand more about what I believed and the community I had around me. Although I grew up in a Christian household, this religion was something I chose on my own. With this choice came new friends, as well as people who disagree with what I believe.
In my high schools culture, some people may judge Christians by what they see, rather than our personalities. Many students at my high school think of some things as
“normal,” such as swearing or partying. If someone chooses not to do these things, they are thought of as unusual or abnormal. Some christians may disagree with what others believe, which can make life confusing and tough when society is telling you one way of living and when a religion is telling you another. Although there are struggles with being a Christian in society, I always think back to the quote and realize that I must make an effort and be obedient to improve.
My culture consists of many different things, but religion is the one that has shaped who I am today. Christian faith was the culture of my family, and I came to realize that christianity was my culture too. This religion has formed my personality and who I have become friends with. In my sixth grade year, I joined


I’m reminded of the fairly recent hymn, “In Christ Alone”, by Keith Getty and Staurt Townsend” (2001), which sets the tone for today's post. The second stanza of that hymn is:
“In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
'Til on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live, I live.”
The reader can note that I highlighted one of the phrases in the stanza. To some, it may seem odd that expressing how Christ's work on the cross had satisfied God's wrath would stir opposition. Yet, the 21st century American church scene is, in many respects, in need of reformation just as much as the European church of the Middle Ages. So how controversial did the song "In Christ Alone" become in the eyes of some?
The General Session of the PCUSA (Presbyterian Church in America), in 2013, decided that unless the lyrics “The wrath of God was satisfied”, were changed to “the love of God was magnified”, it could not include it in its hymnals. One PCUSA minister expressed his agreement with this sentiment in his refusal to think of "God killing Jesus", since the cross, to him, was not an instrument of wrath. To their credit, Getty and Townsend refused to change the lyrics, thus, the PCUSA expunged the hymn. Getty and Townsend's refusal to compromise is an expression of why it is the church always needs reformed.
The church in every age always needs to measure its experience, doctrine, and practice by Scripture and the Lordship, Saviorship and Headship of Jesus Christ. Paul reminds us in Colossians 1:18 "He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything."
Reformation Day, October 31st
October 31st will mark the 504th anniversary of the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. The Protestant Reformation was a combined effort on the part of certain leaders in 16th century Germany, France, Switzerland, England and Scotland to get Christianity back to the original truths of the Gospel revealed in the Old Testament; taught by Christ and preached by the Apostles in the New Testament; and nearly lost by Roman Catholicism in the Middle Ages (which I'm defining as spanning from 590-1517).
One of the doctrines that was recovered by the Reformation is summarized by the two-word phrase: “Christ Alone”. If we had lived in the 16th century, we would had heard the Reformers, who had studied theology in the Latin language, express "Christ Alone" as "Solus Christus". This truth, along with four others (grace alone, faith alone, the Bible alone, and God's glory alone), is, in terms of the history of Christian doctrine, the root from which the other four follow. In other words, if one affirms the necessity and sufficiency of Jesus Christ to convey the grace necessary for salvation and the Christian life, apart from Mary, appeals to saints, or reliance on human merit; then the four other Biblical truths (grace alone, faith alone, the Bible alone, the glory of God alone) follow. Once "Christ Alone" began to be eclipsed in the Middle Ages, the other "alones" would become altered. Truly, if the Biblical reclamation of the Gospel, which the Reformation of the 16th century sought to achieve, is to be held in the 21st century, the church must assert "Christ Alone".
In this post, I will briefly explain the Biblical, historical and personal significance of “Christ Alone”. It is important to understand what is meant by this terse phrase: "Christ Alone". James Montgomery Boice in his book, "What Happened to the Gospel of Grace", defines what is meant by this foundational doctrine of the Reformation:
“Justification because of Christ Alone means that Jesus has done the necessary work of salvation utterly and completely, so that no merit on the part of man, no merit of the saints, no works of ours performed either here or later in purgatory, can add to His completed work.”
So in defining this phrase, let us first consider the Biblical foundations of this truth by observing how it is featured in an episode of Christ's earthly ministry in Mark 4:33-41.
1. The Biblical significance of “Christ alone”. Mark 4:33-41
In this text we find Jesus having finished a series of parables about the Kingdom of God. As He and His disciples prepare to cross the Sea of Galilee, Jesus decides to get some rest. While He is asleep in the boat, a sudden storm blows up, rendering the Sea of Galilee into a tulmult. What follows below is a summary of three sub-themes that characterize this truth reaffirmed by the Reformers: "Christ Alone".
*Christ’s Work Alone Can Save Your Soul. Mk 4:33; Mt 13:34
Mark 4:33 has a parallel in Matthew's Gospel. Matthew writes in Matthew 13:34-35 -
All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables, and He did not speak to them without a parable. 35 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: “I will open My mouth in parables;I will utter things hidden since the foundation of the world.”
The reason why Matthew's remark is important is because the fulfillment attributed to Jesus derives from Psalm 78. When we turn to Psalm 78:2-4, we read:
I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old, 3 Which we have heard and known, And our fathers have told us. 4 We will not conceal them from their children, But tell to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, And His strength and His wondrous works that He has done.
Why would Matthew attribute Jesus’ parables to fulfillment of Psalm 78? If we were to read Psalm 78, we would find that it rehearses the history of God’s faithfulness in delivering His people, His wondrous grace, and Sovereign purpose being fulfilled through what He promised to David. It would be Christ Himself, descended from David per His humanity, that would become our Sole Mediator. Amazingly, where Psalm 78 ends (referencing David), Matthew 13:34 picks up with referencing its fulfillment to David's descendant according to the flesh - Jesus!
These observations scream out "Solus Christus" (Christ Alone). Paul reminds us in 1 Timothy 2:5-6 For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time. Also, Luke records one of the clearest summaries of the Gospel of salvation as having to do with "Christ Alone" in Acts 16:31, They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
*Christ’s Person Alone can soothe your troubled soul. Mark 4:35-39
Jesus is asleep. We read Mark’s account of the disciples’ accusations: “Do you not care?” Luke 8:24a grants further detail about the disciples: They came to Jesus and woke Him up, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” God certainly cared for His people, even when they didn’t care about Him. Remember, Matthew is attributing Jesus’ telling of parables to fulfilling what is found in Psalm 78. Let us consider another portion of that Psalm that is relevant to Mark 4:35-38, Psalm 78:24-26 -
"Yet He commanded the clouds above and opened the doors of heaven; 24 He rained down manna upon them to eat And gave them food from heaven. 25 Man did eat the bread of angels; He sent them food in abundance. 26 He caused the east wind to blow in the heavens And by His power He directed the south wind."
Yahweh, Jehovah God, is attributed with complete authority over the wind and storm. Here in Mark, Jesus exercises Divine power over the wind and storm. He shows Himself all-caring, as well as all-able to soothe the soul.
*Christ’s power alone addresses what can paralyze your soul. Mark 4:41
What can paralyze the soul? We could name several things: Satan’s accusations, the condemnation of the law against our sin, the cravings of our flesh and intimidation. Romans 8:1 deals with Satan. 2 Corinthians 5:21 shows how God the Father credits to me Christ’s righteousness, thus appeasing the law’s condemnation. Galatians 2:20 and Romans 13:14 enable me to fight the good fight of faith against the flesh. Christ alone grounds me in silencing such things.
But what of fear? Intimidation? When the Disciples responded the way they did to Jesus, they were face-to-face with the fear of God. Whenever you and I have a proper fear of God, it means we fear the thought no longer sensing His presence in our lives (see Ephesians 4:30). The fear of God leads to hatred of sin (Proverbs 8:13) and is the heart of true worship, since to fear God means to be in awe of Him (see Isaiah 6). When we fear God, all other things that can bring crippling fear are put in their proper perspective.
2. Historic significance of Christ alone.
What led to the erosion of “Christ Alone” in the Roman Catholic Church (hereafter "R.C.C") of the Middle Ages? We could cite several causes in the long and involved history of Roman Catholic teaching, yet two major doctrines, which are still held to this day by the R.C.C, can be cited.
*The first is the rise of Papacy.
As to the Pope as head of the church, the belief that the Bishop of Rome was above all other Bishops became certified shortly after the days of Pope Gregory I in 590 A.D. Gregory I never accepted attempts to make him chief among the Bishops of the Western church in his day. Regardless, Gregory's leadership and writing embodied for many what such an authority could look like. The Roman Catholic Church had taught already the doctrine of Apostolic succession, meaning that subsequent Bishops of Rome could trace their office back to Peter. Due to a certain interpretation of Matthew 16, in which Jesus states: "upon this rock I will build my church", many Roman Catholics today assume that Jesus was referencing Peter as "that Rock", hence making him the first "Pope". As one studies Matthew 16:18 in concert with other passages (such as Ephesians 2:20 and 1 Peter 2:6-9), the "rock" to which Jesus references is not Peter, nor Peter's faith, but Christ Himself.
As the office of Pope grew in influence, the much later crowning of the Holy Roman Emperor by Charlemene in 800 A.D. by Pope Leo III at a Christmas Mass would be a second major event. What would follow for the next several centuries would raise the question: "who has more power, the Emperor or the Pope?" Much of the wrangling that would ensue between the Roman Catholic Church and the Holy Roman Emperor and nations of Europe centered on that very question. Truly, whenever Christ is no longer understood as Supreme Authority in all matters of life, confusion can abound, whether in the secular realm or churchly sphere.
The Middle Ages had cast a trajectory that would lead the R.C.C to reaffirm Papal supremacy in the Counter Reformation church council known as "The Council of Trent". To risk oversimplification, we skip several centuries to developments in the 19th century. The doctrine of papal infallibility became affirmed 1870, meaning that when the Pope spoke "ex cathedra" or "from the chair" of Peter in Rome on matters affecting Roman Catholic faith and practice, he could not err in such instances. As we will see below, most of what has been spoken "ex cathedra" has had to do with the R.C.C view of Mary.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 882, notes of the Pope:
"For the Roman Pontiff, by reason of his office as Vicar of Christ, and as pastor of the entire Church has full, supreme, and universal power over the whole Church, a power which he can always exercise unhindered."
There was good reason why before the Protestant Reformation of 1517, cries for Reform were being heralded all over Europe. John Huss, in 1413, wrote in his major work,“The Church”, the following in chapter 12: "But Christ is the Roman pontiff, just as he is the head of the universal church and every particular church." Huss would give his life at the stake on July 6, 1415. Ironically, the same Council of Constance that condemned Huss for opposing Papal authority was tasked with trying to resolve a 70 year long dispute as to who was the rightful Pope of the R.C.C. (known by historians as "The Babylonian Captivity of the Church").
Nearly a century later, the Reformer Martin Luther, who posted his 95 Theses, opposing abuses by the R.C.C over a system that distorted grace (called Indulgences), wrote near the end in thesis #94: "Christians should be exhorted to be diligent in following Christ, their Head, through penalties, death and hell."
*The second major source of erosion in the uniqueness of Jesus Christ, especially as the sole Mediator between God and sinners, came about through the elevation of Mary.
In the New Testament we find reference to Jesus' Mary in almost a dozen episodes. Too often, none-Catholics (also known as "Protestants", which was first coined at a government sanctioned meeting called "The Diet of Spyer" in 1529), almost ignore Mary. Mary was used greatly of God in bring forth the humanity of Jesus in the Spirit's miraculous work of His virginal conception. With that said, the opposite error is to make too much of Mary. Virtually all that the R.C.C. has taught about Mary developed through centuries of tradition, rather than from the New Testament. It may surprise some to note that after only one appearance in the Book of Acts, Mary is never mentioned again in the New Testament. If anything, Christ as the Sole Mediator between Himself and His people for their salvation and subsequent Christian life is asserted (Acts 4:12; Romans 10:9; Galatians 3:16; Ephesians 1:7; Philippians 3:7-10; Colossians 1:16-20; 1 Peter 2:6-9; 2 Peter 3:9-10, just to name a few). A couple of examples from the teaching of the R.C.C. will suffice to show how its elevation of Mary departs from the New Testament insistence upon "Solus Christus" (Christ Alone).
Pope Pius IX in his Apostolic Constitution "Ineffabilis Deus" (December 8, 1854) expressed the dogma of the Immaculate Conception, asserting the non-Biblical idea of Mary herself having been conceived without having inherited Adam's sin nature through her mother. In 1950, another pope expressed the doctrine of Mary’s assumption into Heaven, thus signifying Mary's authority to intercede for Christians in Heaven alongside Jesus. The current Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 975, states: We believe that the Holy Mother of God, the new Eve, Mother of the Church, continues in heaven to exercise her maternal role on behalf of the members of Christ.
Protestant Reformer John Calvin, in a letter to Richard LeFavre, dated January 1551, expresses one of the clearest denialsof the R.C.C doctrine of Mary as a "Co-Redeemer" with Christ: “it is not for us to appoint advocates in paradise, but for God, who has appointed Jesus Christ a single one for all.”
Why the Reformation must still carry on among our American Protestant Church world, particular evangelicalism.
As we saw at the beginning of this post, contemporary attacks within our American church scene on the doctrine of “Christ Alone” persists. In the 2020 “State of Theology” poll conducted by Ligonier ministries and Lifeway research, 52% affirmed that Jesus was a great teacher, but not God. Also, less than 50% of American evangelicals agree that Jesus is the only way to the Father. The slide away from Christ as the unique way to the Father and as uniquely revealing the truly Divine nature, which He shares with the Father and the Spirit as the One Triune God, is increasingly eclipsing Gospel preaching in many quarters of the American Church. This is why the effort of Reforming the church is never done. As Erwin W. Lutzer notes in his book, “Rescuing the Gospel”, our task of continual reform is more challenging, since we not only protest unity with R.C.C, but also protest the health and wealth Gospel, pluralism and attacks on Christ’s uniqueness.
3. Personal application of “Christ Alone”.
We saw today those three Biblical truths of Christ’s uniqueness, or "Christ Alone", Christ alone means He alone can save the soul; Christ alone can soothe the soul and Christ’s power alone can address what paralyzes your soul. Let me close out this post with why this Biblical truth has personal meaning.
In the last few weeks, there have been a number of things I have been praying about, some of which I can honestly say could be paralyzing. The little two word phrase: “Christ alone”, or “Solus Christus”, is what has kept my faith anchored. Applying "Christ Alone" in the realm of prayer is exemplified by the writer of Hebrews in Hebrews 4:14-15
"Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin."
I have also found in thinking upon “Christ alone”, my soul is soothed in the face of what is going on in our world, as well as waiting Him to answer some major prayer requests. Hebrews 4:16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Lastly, Christ alone can save your soul. Romans 10:9-10,
"that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation."


God sees the fatherless
Psalm 10 also demonstrates that the Lord is the help of the helpless, even when wicked men lurk around, rejecting God’s laws. “But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted; you consider their grief and take it in hand,” God says to the victims of these wicked men. The victims entrust themselves to you; you are the fatherless’ helper.”
God has adopted each Christian, and to fully comprehend the Gospel, we must first understand the theology of adoption.
The concept of Father, Israel’s sonship, and adoption stories such as Moses (Exodus 2:10), Genubath (1 Kings 11:20), and Esther demonstrate God’s passion for adoption (Esther 2:7).
The Old Testament portrays God as Father and includes approximately 40 references to the “fatherless.” These references include the commands to “correctly treat the fatherless” (Exodus 22:22) and “bring justice to the fatherless” (Isaiah 1:17). We can compare the plight of the fatherless to that of Israel while in Egyptian bondage in Deuteronomy 24:17-21. The metaphor of adoption also applies to the nation of Israel.
God used an adopted child.
Moses was told to tell Pharaoh, “Thus says the LORD, Israel is my firstborn son” (Exodus 4:22). God used Moses, an adopted child, to speak about God adopting Israel as His firstborn son. Pharaoh ordered the execution of all children under the age of two, and Jochebed hid Moses in the bulrushes. Pharaoh’s daughter took in this “orphaned” child and raised him in the Pharaoh’s house.
Moses, saved through adoption, eventually led Israel out of Egypt, the nation adopted as God’s son. Four passages in the New Testament address the theological significance of adoption, two of which use the term “orphan” and one of which is a particular case of adoption. Adoption is discussed in Galatians 4:4-7, Romans 8:14-23, Ephesians 1:3-6, and Romans 9:1-4. Instead of using the well-established language of the new birth, the Spirit-inspired Scriptures reveal imagery of adoption describing our salvation.
SONS OUT OF SLAVES
Adoption creates sons out of slaves in the Bible. Humanity has been enslaved to sin since Adam decided to imitate Eve by eating the fruit rather than following God. Human beings’ corrupt nature causes them to fall short of God’s glory. According to Galatians 4, God sent his Son to redeem those bound by the law to adoption as sons. Jesus offered Himself as a substitute for humanity, making sufficient atonement for our sins.
Those who repent of their sins and confess Jesus as their Savior, God adopts into His Kingdom. “So you are no longer a slave, but a son,” says Galatians 4:7. “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons,” says Romans 8:15. Just as God adopted the slave nation of Israel to make them the children of Israel, God adopts believers, making them sons with all the rights and privileges that come with being a son of the Sovereign.
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