Sunday, November 3, 2013

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER FOR PERSECUTED CHURCHES

Snippet

The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church. Tertullian

Scripture

When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. 10 They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” 11 Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters,[a] were killed just as they had been. Revelation 6:9-11 NIV

Song
Safe by Phil Wickham

To the one whose dreams have fallen all apart
And all you're left with is a tired and broken heart
I can tell by your eyes you think you're on your own
But you're not alone
Have you heard of the One who can calm the raging seas
Give sight to the blind, pull the lame up to their feet
With a love so strong it never lets you go
No you're not alone
You will be safe in His arms. You will be safe in His arms
The hands that hold the world are holding your heart
This is the promise He made, He will be with you always
When everything is falling apart, you will be safe in His arms
Did you know that the voice that brings the dead to life
Is the very same voice that calls you now to rise
So hear Him now, He's calling you home. You will never be alone
You will be safe in His arms. You will be safe in His arms
The hands that hold the world are holding your heart
This is the promise He made, He will be with you always
When everything is falling apart, you will be safe in His arms
Cause these are the hands that built the mountains, the hands that calm the sea
These are the arms that hold the lame and they are holding you and me
These are the hands that heal the leper pull the lame up to their feet
These are the arms were nailed to the cross to break our chains and set us free
You will be safe in His arms. You will be safe in His arms
The hands that hold the world are holding your heart
This is the promise He made, He will be with you always
When everything is falling apart, you will be safe in His arms
You will be safe
You will be safe
When everything is falling apart, you will be safe in His arms

Prayer

Lest we forget thine own persecution and death upon the cross for the redemption of thy servants. Quicken us, O Persecuted Lamb of God.

Lest we forget the crushing grief of thy Blessed Mother, Mary, sorrowing before the cross at thy bloody sweat and agony, In thy mercy quicken us, O Lord.

Lest we forget how thy Holy Apostles, bereft of their master, walked in fear while they awaited thy Holy Spirit, the Comforter, In thy mercy quicken us, O Lord
.
Lest we forget Blessed John Baptist, who proclaimed thee Lamb of God to the world, In thy mercy quicken us, O Lord.

Lest we forget thy martyr Stephen, crying out to thee to forgive his persecutors as they stoned him to death, In thy mercy quicken us, O Lord.

Lest we forget thine Apostles, St. Peter, St. James and St. Paul, who died for preaching thy Gospel, In thy mercy quicken us, O Lord.


Lest we forget all the saints and martyrs who served thee faithfully throughout the ages, In thy mercy quicken us, O Lord.  (http://idop.org/pages/resources/litany.php)

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