I Commit To Pray

Today, I was reminded of something.  Over the past couple years, I have felt a tugging in my heart for missions.  Last summer, our church had a former Middle Eastern pastor speak at our church.  This pastor works closely with the Voice of the Martyrs program.  I signed up to receive the VOM monthly newsletter and also received a free book entitled “Tortured for Christ” written by Pastor Richard Wurmbrandt.  While reading through that book, I felt God putting a passion in my heart for the persecuted church.  I prayed daily for them. Then, all of a sudden, I stopped.  My life got busy, and I forgot.  I forgot about the Christians being persecuted around the world and the suffering they endure daily for the sake of Christ.  Many of them are rejoicing in their suffering while I, on the other hand, forget.  I take my relationship with Christ for granted and begin to basically ignore Him.  Imagine ignoring the person that means the most to you!  Why?  Satan has ways of distracting us.

Well, today, God gave me a reminder.  I've been getting the monthly VOM newsletters but haven't read one in months.  Today, I decided to open one of them.  It happened to be the one from this month, but there was something else in the envelope with the newsletter.... A map!  The map that is attached below.  A few months ago, I remember hearing about the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church.  Along with it came a request to visit the website www.icommittopray.com.  I went to this website months ago, but it was still under construction so there was nothing I could do.  Our church had a card in our bulletin one Sunday with information on it for iCommitToPray.  They even got a map like the one in the picture below.  I prayed and felt God telling me to pray for two specific countries.  I circled them on the map in this picture.  I am committing to pray for these countries and also the countries on my VOM Prayer Calender.  Please commit to pray with me!  These people desperately need our prayers.  I am also going to post the video for last year's IDOP for the Persecuted Church.  I request that you visit the above website and look at the prayer requests and then Commit to Pray.