Prayer for the Persecuted Church
“If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together” (1 Corinthians 12:6).Dear Father, who sent Your Son into a world held hostage in sin by the devil; and who, through Jesus our Lord, his virgin birth, miraculous life, sacrificial death on the cross, glorious resurrection, eye-witnessed ascension, heavenly enthronement, and present reign, brought light and life to the ends of the earth, giving eternal life and abundant life, grant that those who are held in the bondage of persecution, this day, may be anointed for this holy ministry, and therefore, may be strengthened in their suffering, may be freed from their imprisonment, may find relief from their wounds, and may be sanctified in their suffering; and that we, their brothers and sisters, who know peace, will be disturbed for their condition, and that until their warfare has ceased, we will be resolved to pray until there is a visible response from heaven; and that in persecution, as well as in prayer, the sovereign grace of Christ Jesus our Lord will transform their night into day, their pain into providence, their injustices into righteousness, and, following the ruling motif of the cross in the Gospel, move the good ship of the Gospel forward, so that the things that have sought to destroy us become, in the hands of a glorious God, the very things that come to save us, and the winds that rose to destroy our little boat become the fair breezes that filled our sails and guided us home to You. This prayer for Your persecuted Church we offer in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Dr. Michael A. Milton
Chaplain (COL), U.S. Army Reserve, Command Chaplain, U.S. Army Military Intelligence Readiness Command, MPA, School of Government, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Julia Hardeman Rhodes Announcement
Jeanie Revell Alexander from First ARP Church, Rock Hill, SC is the recipient of the 2016 Julia Hardeman Rhodes award. This Sunday, February 12, during the morning worship hour, Jeanie will be presented her award. Jeanie is a Godly woman within her family, church, and community. She is a mentor to young women, and is actively nurturing others to be prepared to take leadership positions in her church, at Camp Joy, and in the local ministry which is called “Just Joy.” Please join us this Sunday at First ARP Rock Hill as we honor Jeanie.