URGENT Need for PRAYER

James 5:16, "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." (KJV)

I feel that I must share the burden that the Spirit placed on my heart this morning during prayer. Many of you are aware of this but often the needs of others somewhat get pushed to the back of our prayer times as we deal with our own set of challenges. I do not desire to diminish in any way those situations that you may be facing today BUT there is a great tragedy transpiring around the world. And I am afraid that there are not enough Christians especially in America paying attention to this tragedy.

The tragedy is the open physical persecution of our fellow Brothers and Sisters in Christ throughout various parts of the world. Death is the end result in many of these cases that are being reported through various media sites. What will I (we) do regarding this travesty? Will I choose to ignore this difficulty because I do not personally know any of the victims? Will I choose to ignore this difficulty because it is not happening in my neighborhood or local church family? Will I choose to ignore this difficulty because I don't perceive the threat to be one that will spread to other parts of the world?  Will I simply just choose to live in denial and hope that this effort to destroy Christianity as we know it will run its course and disappear? 

I am happy to report to you that I can not afford to answer "yes" to any of the above stated questions. I am choosing to respond with sincere prayer for these "family members" who are facing an enemy that is seeking to destroy them. I can not sit idly on the sideline while the fires of persecution are burning red hot and creating havoc in the lives of many wonderful men, women and children of God. Let me share the NLT translation of this passage in James, "Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results." 

I challenge each of you to be a part of the solution that is found in the last sentence of that passage. Can our Brothers and Sisters in Christ depend on us to pray for them?