A tiny island close to the Church in Saint-Eustache, Quebec, where the Battle of Saint-Eustache took place. by Acarpentier

Good morning, friends,

Thankful Tuesday.  I’m so thankful for all of you who read these meanderings and walk with me whether with comments, or prayer, or both. May God richly bless you for your faithfulness to His Word and praise Him who…

²⁰ Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]—

²¹ To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen (so be it). Ephesians 3 AMP

Today, we head down to Rush Medical Center. Two of my kids have appointments with the neurologist. My girl will, hopefully, be allowed to wean off her seizure meds. My boy needs further evaluations and a new plan. I will have my ct scans after the appointment. I am hoping to talk with my neurologist by phone as well to come up with a plan for me.

A big day.

Écluse du Parc du Canal-de-Lachine by Acarpentier

God gave me a wake-up call yesterday. Listening to Janet Parshall yesterday, my brothers and sisters in Christ are suffering persecution at the hand of governments across the world.  Your brothers, your sisters in Christ are giving everything for the sake of the Gospel. So when I read the passages and study these Greek words and such, I am reminded, my body, my health, yes that is difficult, but it is nothing compared to Farshid Fathi. Farshid has been held by the Iranian government for 695 days..

Farshid, a Christian convert from Islam, was charged with “acting against national security through membership of a Christian organization, collection of funds, propaganda against the Islamic Regime by helping spread Christianity in the country,” and sentenced to six years of imprisonment on March 5, 2012. Though the charge is for his Christian work, authorities tried to cast his activities as political offenses. ( persecution.com)

Or Alireza Seyyedian is a 37-year-old former Muslim who has been a Christian since 2006. Last year, security forces confiscated his computer during a raid on his apartment. Authorities then discovered video of Alireza’s baptism in Turkey on the computer. In December 2011 he was sentenced to six years in prison, for crimes against national security and propaganda against the regime. (persecution.com)

So we see our circumstances, our distresses and we have tunnel vision. We forget about the world around us and focus our attention completely on our problems.

Remembering the persecuted church, remembering our family, especially during this time to be thankful. Become an advocate for the persecuted church! Write letters to the prisoners. Petition officials. Involve your children. Involve your church. Our worldwide family needs your prayers, needs your words, needs your action.

It’s time.

⁶ [You should] be exceedingly glad on this account, though now for a little while you may be distressed by trials and suffer temptations,

⁷ So that [the genuineness] of your faith may be tested, [your faith] which is infinitely more precious than the perishable gold which is tested and purified by fire. [This proving of your faith is intended] to redound to [your] praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) is revealed. 1 Peter 1 AMP

Photo prise à La magie des lanternes, Jardin de Chine du Jardin botanique de Montréal by Acarpentier

So let’s look up some of these words in the Greek and dig.

Trials (peirasmos)-adversity, affliction, trouble: sent by God and serving to test or prove one’s character, faith, holiness

The root word of peirasmos is peirazō which means “to try, make trial of, test: for the purpose of ascertaining his quality, or what he thinks, or how he will behave himself.”

We endure our trials, our temptations and not only does this test prove our character to God, who btw, already knows. Friends, it proves to us where we are weak, where we need to submit, where we need to humble ourselves. In the car ride on Friday, when the world felt like it was crashing around me, I endured a trial. Not well at first, but Joshua stood in the gap and prayed me through. His strength was a gift from God and his encouragement.  So rather than spinning that to seem like God is out to tag us, look at it from a different perspective.

Proof-“the proof (of your faith),” AV, “the trial;” where the meaning probably is “that which is approved [i.e., as genuine] in your faith;” The root here is dokimē: proving, trial, approved, tried character,a proof, a specimen of tried worth.

Our brothers and sisters around the world are being tested, tried, persecuted and their prayer requests? That they may stay strong and hold faithfully to the Word of God.

In our struggles, we have a choice. Will we hold faithful? Will we stand strong?

Pray on. Pray on.