Give Us A Deep Desire For Peace For The Planet

The most I can do for anyone is to pray for them. We have the great power of our loving Father within us. Yes, the power that raised Jesus from the dead is within us and among us.

That is what Jesus told us. I strongly believe it. Do you? Call upon the Almighty God's power to open up heaven and drop down peace for those facing many changes in the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast, West Africa).

A brother in Christ wrote to me last Saturday asking for prayers as the Ivory Coast was to have an election on the next day. His congregation of Liberian refugees were near an end of a three day fast and prayer for total peace. They were afraid for the safety of their own lives and prayed that God would take control of everything.

Ivory Coast was split into north and south by a civil war in 2002-2003. The long-delayed election was meant to reunite the country, but instead it has reopened those divisions. There are over 16 million people in the country from more than 60 ethnic groups. Migrants from other west African countries make up to 40% of the population.

Random shots have been fired in the city of Abidjan, neighborhoods are being surrounded by well-armed men as homes are being searched, according to my brother via email. He said his angry neighbor, 20 meters away, got in the face of the bandits and his neighbor was nearly beaten to death. My friends three year-old son was hit in the head and received a deep cut by a thrown rock in the melee. Sixteen have been shot dead by security forces in the violence since the election.

Please consider praying for the people in Ivory Coast. Conditions are getting worse and many have not eaten for two days now. They are remaining indoors as they can hear heavy machine guns in the streets and all over the city of Abidjan.

Can you believe something like this is going on at this time in our world? We think we have problems. We complain about being stuck in traffic, we don't like our jobs, some are still whining about the last political election, gas is too high. The list goes on.

Things are not all right in the world. Millions of people are watching their families starving and are afraid of losing their lives. Not just in Ivory Coast, but in too many places to list here. What are we going to do? Sit and watch hunger kill little ones and then feel very sorry for them when their lives are gone?

The KEY is prayer. We have to call upon the power of our great God. Our countries dirty money and military assistance can't save the world. Only God can do that through his son, Jesus Christ. Will all of you children of the Lord please pray to our God in heaven? Pray for the little ones to be able to eat physical food to gain strength. Keep the adults safe, fed, and in your word, and in prayer.

"Yes, God cares, but who cares?", those are the words of my friend in west Africa. He is a Liberian refugee who fled for his life and to save his family during the civil war in Liberia. Now he and his family face extinction in the neighboring country of Ivory Coast. They are sleeping in complete darkness as their electricity has been turned off and they are watching their children dying from lack of food. No money to hop to Ghana, the next country.

He can't be more serious as he cries out to God to save them. May he and his family be in the palm of God. May the Lord surround him with many angels to feed and protect them from the "power" of other human beings. Death may be more than very real to them. It just may be certain.

It has to break God's heart to see his dearly loved people oppressed to near death and yet the rest of the world goes on about life in it's own merry way.

"Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin." (Psalm 51 1:-2 NIV)

Father God, Forgive us great God for not seeing you living in fear for your life, in pain, in suffering, dying of hunger and thirsty. Make us more aware of your needs throughout the world and give us a deep desire for peace for the planet. We love you and love what you have done for us. May we not forget our brothers and sisters. I ask this in the name of Jesus, our coming and risen King! Amen! Amen!

"Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you." 2 Thessalonians 3:16 (NIV)

Born To Love,

Rick Hawbaker


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