The Joint Select Cmt 2006 on The Charter of Rights - Consenting Adults (Male)

Under section 13 (3) (i)

The Right To Privacy was examined
The provisions included in the bill guarantees

the right to protection from search of the person, respect for private and family life, privacy of the home and other property and communication

other reformulated provisions were suggested:

the right to everyone to protection from search of his person and property and to respect family life, privacy of the home and other property and of communication.

after much debate according to the document, a group known as the Lawyer's Christian Fellowship had an issue with the wording of the parts that contained "respect family life, privacy of the home and other property" as they drew upon the Toonen vs Australia case of 1994 pointing out that that case in which it was held that ..... "adult consensual sexual activity in private ...." was included in the concept of privacy and that that included consensual homosexual activity in private, the issue adjudicated on in that case.

In a letter dated Feb 1, 2006 the LCF also stated that in the US case of Roe vs Wade (401 U.S. 113 (1973)) the whole concept of privacy was used to justify the practice of abortion and contended that if the Government of Jamaica wanted to allow the decriminalization of homosexuality, abortion or of any other criminal act "should be expressly done by legislation and not by judicial interpretation."

JFLAG's request for the grounds for protection from discrimination be widened to include the grounds of sexual orientation, the previous Joint Select Committee had decided however they would not go along with suggestion as its possible impact on marriage and parenting.
JFLAG considers the legislation which criminalises buggery between persons as the essence of discrimination against homosexuals particularly in relation to its enforcement against male homosexuals and if a recommendation for the repeal of that in relation to consenting adults in private was as far as the Committee would go, then JFLAG would be grateful for that concession.

The previous Committee had agreed to bring to the then Administration the matter of considering the offense of buggery as practised in private between consenting adults.

The issue of homosexuality and abortion in relation to the guarantee of privacy in the proposed section 13(3)(j) of the constitution had been raised by the Lawyer's Christian Fellowship, The National Church Alliance and Concerned Citizens - they recommended that the words "respect for private and family life, privacy of the home" should be deleted from the proposal section and that the following words should be used as presented in an oral submission

1. The right of protection from search of the person
2. The right to protection from search of property
3. The right to protection from entry by others on his premises
4. The right to privacy of communication

The written submissions however from the same groups was worded differently:

The right to protection from search of the person, respect for private and family life, to include the rights of marriage as is defined herein (voluntary union between a man and a woman), privacy of the home and other property and communication.

The constitution should send a clear message that marriage is of a heterosexual nature and same sex marriage will not be permitted.

More to come

What is the church really about? (REPOST)

Oh well my simplistic view got me in a strong exchange some time ago with a christian friend of mine on what the church is really about here in Jamaica. I strongly put that some of their pundits spend so much time defending heterosexual-ism most times without realizing it to include misogyny and vigorously making sure that homosexuality doesn't see the light of day in the recently debated Sexual Offences Bill.


I thought the church was about winning souls for Christ no matter who that soul is, including gays and lesbians, wasn't Jesus for inclusion instead some of the "intellectuals" within the church exercise their bigoted thoughts openly setting all these preconditions before the "sinner" can even see the church door.


What about come as you are and God loves you?


Most churches dismiss persons once they are found to be gay or lesbian with little or any care, isn't that defeating the purpose of what Christ decreed we as saved persons should do....."go ye into the world and preach the gospel......" not condemn people because they don't fit your Utopian view of the world.


Sad that this is what we have become, one wonders if the church by it's actions of some of who say they are saved are giving more power to the enemy notable atheists and the anti Christ supporters when we behave with some harsh discrimination, during the conversation by the way the young man said that the pastor some Sundays ago of a church he attended said he wanted no offerings from gays. So we can now decide who want offerings from, wow.


Makes me wonder if the church and biblical doctrine is used by some to forward homophobic as well as other discriminatory views maybe that explains the attrition from it's halls and corridors as most young people aren't even interested in going to church these days.


As for using the bible as a beating stick over the heads of "sinners" is just plain wrong to me. Famous among the quotes is Leviticus 20: 13


GOOD NEWS VERSION:
"If a man has sexual relations with another man they have done a disgusting thing and both shall be out to death, They are responsible for their own death"


The book also speaks of incest, having sex with a woman while she is seeing her period or sleeping with animals etc.
I understood these rules to be of the old covenant and they were intended for the ceremonies of ancient Israel as issued to Moses, The main theme of the book is to emphasis holiness of God and the ways in which the people were to worship and live to maintain holiness with God of Israel. I haven't seen anything on lesbianism in it.
I stand corrected though if you know more help me out, I am just adding my two cents but I would have thought we are now under grace not law.


Most of these books of the Bible that do speak to homosexuality never mentioned it as if God himself said it but then again he said love thy neighbour as thyself, judge not and ye shall not be judged. Romans for example was Paul's way of introducing himself to the Romans in Rome his plan was to work among them there and then gather support then move on to Spain. He wrote to explain his understanding of the christian faith and it's practical implications for the lives of Christians. While he covers the rules, conscience and holy living an underlying theme that seems to run through the book is not judging each other, something that the church these days seem to forget.

Wasn't the book of Leviticus supposed to be a set of guidelines for the Hebrews after they left the hard hands of the Egyptians under slavery? being nation-less as it were seeking to form some sense of order via this set of laws also known as the holiness codes.


Mek we talk

Lata


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The Rasta view on homosexuality? (Flashback)

click image for full article

Mark Wignall
Sunday, April 22, 2007


He is 60 years of age, an elder in a particular Rasta community where the brethren are, as he says, 'constantly seeking to understand themselves in the 'present dispensation', which he considers to be, less introspective and more in the need to define a strategy for social and economic survival in a land that has been hostile to Rasta even up to the present time.

He is university educated and is considered an authority on certain aspects of our cultural heritage especially our music and politics.

Years ago he was a contemporary of some of those who now tread haughtily through the halls of political power. He was one of them then when they would meet to smoke herb as sacrament and to engage in forums of social and political thought.

Years ago when they opted for closer engagement with the political process he chose the lesser lights, preferring to confine his teaching to the community, the children and especially the young men of the present generation who seem to be going nowhere fast.

Today he remains physically lean as he always was, while his political friends of the past have been oiled and fattened by the juicy hog of politics.

He sought me out because he had a burning desire to present a Rasta view on homosexuality especially in light of the recent mob actions (Half-Way-Tree and Montego Bay) against men said to be 'openly homosexual'.

"For obvious reasons, I do not want my name to be published because our society is a small, closed one where ignorance abounds and there are always aplenty, those who would want to victimise some of us who have too strong a viewpoint on a subject as touchy as male/male sexual pairing," he said.
For the purpose of this column I will call him Soul Rebel.

CONTINUE

New Hope for HIV Eradication

Researchers may finally be on track to get at the HIV that hides inside cells and keeps the infection going; if so, they could perhaps eradicate the virus from the body entirely, according to an article published in the July issue of Retrovirology. The latest research expands on the mixed results of earlier studies of valproic acid (Depakote), an epilepsy treatment that demonstrated potential as a method of purging HIV from its cellular hiding places.

After protease inhibitors were approved, researchers hoped that the new combination antiretroviral (ARV) therapy would be potent enough to burn out HIV infection over time. It soon became apparent, however, that no matter how strong the drugs are and how long a person’s virus levels remain undetectable, HIV can still hide out inside dormant cells and bring the infection flaring back to life once ARV meds are stopped. Therapies initially studied to reawaken these cells succeeded in forcing them to purge their HIV payload, but the therapies caused too much immune system inflammation. In other words, while they “turned on” the dormant cells, they also created so many susceptible uninfected CD4 cells that the ARV drugs couldn’t protect them.

What was needed, researchers argued, was a drug that could force out the HIV hiding within these cells without activating immune system cells at the same time. One such approach that has gained a lot of attention in recent years is the inhibition of histone deacetylase (HDAC), an enzyme believed to play a key role in maintaining HIV inside long-lived resting cells.

An early experiment with the HDAC inhibitor valproic acid proved promising. But another round of studies, reported a few years later in 2005, failed to show that valproic acid significantly affected the recalcitrant reservoirs of HIV-infected cells.

Four years later, Andrea Savarino, MD, PhD, from the Istituto Superiore di Sanità in Rome, and his colleagues have published the results of a study looking at a different HDAC inhibitor—entinostat (MS-275), currently being explored as an anti-cancer drug. Savarino’s group was able to awaken dormant cells, gain access to the hidden virus and kill it; however, they had to use doses of MS-275 that may be toxic to humans.

The researchers then tried using lower doses of entinostat in combination with buthionine sulfoximine, an experimental cancer drug that strips unhealthy cells of glutathione, a protective antioxidant. This approach was much more successful, allowing researchers to get at all of the hidden HIV without producing toxic effects. The authors plan to take their research next into animal models, and they remain hopeful about the potential for HIV eradication.

Ventures to 'The Other Side of Paradise'

Four years ago while performing at the Weekenz venue in Kingston, poet Staceyann Chin was heckled by the audience. They did not take much to her being openly gay.

Chin, 35, was in less-hostile company last month when she read from her memoir, The Other Side of Paradise, at the Calabash International Literary Festival in St Elizabeth.

The book was released in the United States by Simon and Schuster in April. Chin revisits her childhood in Paradise, a rough community in St James where she and her older brother were raised by their maternal grandmother.

Therapeutic

She also writes about living as a gay person in Jamaica where there is widespread intolerance towards homosexuals. Chin told Tidbits Thursday that writing the book was therapeutic.

"It's my coming-of-age tale of growing up in Jamaica," she said.

Chin says she was abandoned as an infant by her Afro-Jamaican mother who came back briefly into her life when she was nine years old. The man her mother claims is her father, a Chinese businessman from Montego Bay, has denied being her parent.

Strong reviews

The Other Side of Paradise has enjoyed strong reviews.

"She shows me a culture I knew far too little about - the everyday life of young people in Jamaica and the threat of violence looming over anyone who might be too independent or queer or outrageous. How wonderful that this outrageous, talented, determined woman has given us her story," wrote Dorothy Allison, author of Bastard Out of Carolina.

Russell Simmons, principal of Def Comedy Jam and Def Jam Records, was also full of praise: "Staceyann's courage, sensitivity, and bravery are exposed on these vulnerable pages. Captured is the fire, passion and light I experience when she performs," said Simmons.

After graduating from Shortwood Teachers' College, Chin attended the University of the West Indies where she majored in psycology and literature. It was while at the Mona campus that she came to accept her sexuality.

"I developed feelings for women who I had friendships with," she said. "I had male relationships but I realised that I was a lesbian."

Chin left Jamaica for New York City after graduating from the UWI. She says the anti-gay movement in her homeland is too strong.

"If I choose to have a relation with a woman, I want to do it in a place where I feel safe," she said.

Staceyann Chin's promotional tour for The Other Side of Paradise has taken her to major cities throughout the United States. She has dates scheduled for Toronto and South Africa.


Chin ... "I developed feelings for women who I had friendships with," she said. "I had male relationships but I realised that I was a lesbian."


'How wonderful that this outrageous, talented, determined woman has given us her story.'

- Dorothy Allison

A Note of Brian's Williamson's Remembrance 09.06.09

September 4, 1945 - June 9, 2004

Yesterday was the fifth anniversary of Brian Williamson's untimely demise, as you may now know the accused killer is serving a life sentence.

An impromptu get together was arranged at his residence by friends which ran into the wee hours of the following morning. it was generously supported by locals and emotional support came from friends oversees through emails and phone calls as the word quickly spread.

I was informed however that after my departure the cops showed up and tried to enter the premises in the name of "The Night Noise Act" to turn off the music which was playing from a small component system theynever had a search warrant however they were rebuffed by the caretaker and patrons on the property who made it known that they were operating unprofessionally by not following procedure furthermore the music was not loud.

All in all reports suggest things proceeded after their departure as persons paid tribute and lymed the time away remembering the days of the former club joint "The Entourage"

He is still sadly missed as many persons expressed.

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UN says battle being won against HIV/AIDS in region

MIAMI, USA (CMC) - The United Nations says the battle against HIV/AIDS is being won in the Caribbean and Latin America.

Michael Sidibe, executive director of UNAIDS, the United Nations programme established to tackle the pandemic, said a "major, major breakthrough has been made during the last five years of increasing the coverage of treatment" for HIV/AIDS in the region.

"In the Caribbean and Latin America, governments and health system are responding quickly, and the number of people who need treatment was not so high compared to the rest of the world," he told reporters in Miami.

"The Caribbean was the first region in the world to negotiate a reduction of the price of drugs for treatment, which made a big difference in increasing coverage," he added.

Sidibe acknowledged that the region has 62 per cent antiretroviral therapy coverage, the highest of any region in the world.

He, however, said the region's biggest epidemics are in countries with the largest populations, adding that the problem is mainly access to the slums.

"We didn't have a strategy in the early days to be able to penetrate the slums and organise proper outreach services, which could help young people with necessary information and helping them to be able to protect themselves," he said.

"In terms of accessing services and ensuring continuity of services, it was also difficult, given the violence [and] poverty levels," he added.

The UNAIDS spokesman said fear was one of the major challenges facing the region, stating: "People are really scared to be discriminated (against), to be stigmatised and lose their job.

"That's a way of also being excluded from communities and not being part of transformation of their societies as normal human beings," he said.

"Our major challenge today is punitive laws and practices that are not really giving space or access to services for vulnerable communities like homosexuals, sex workers and drug users," he added.

Sidibe said while there are hopeful signs in battling HIV/AIDS in Haiti, for example, the French-speaking Caribbean country is "very paradoxical because it's always the same".

"You have a major challenge with governance, you have a major challenge with economic stability and growing poverty," he said.

"But, at the same time, it's a country that has been able to demonstrate a different type of solidarity by using alternative service delivery systems to reduce the number of new infections," he added.

"It's a real interesting case because it's a place where most of the indicators were not necessarily the most encouraging ones, and you have AIDS showing that now you have an alternative approach that has been working".

He said while he was yet to visit the Caribbean he had held a meeting with the ministers of health three weeks ago, stating that a sub-regional vision emerged from that meeting.

"This vision could really help to make sure that they eliminate completely the vertical transmission from mother to child," he said.

Although the region is said to be second only to sub-Saharan Africa in terms of the prevalence of the disease, he believes "the Caribbean can be the first region in the world to show that they achieved universal access on treatment.

"It's also important for them to have the difficult debate around punitive laws," Sidibe said.
"We can have a different point of view, but I don't think it's right to consider someone who has a different point of view a criminal."

Sidibe lamented that more than 80 countries still have laws that criminalise homosexuality and people due to their status.

Disturbing - Lawyer found dead at St Andrew home

Onlookers gather outside the Stony Hill, St Andrew home of attorney Berriston Bryan, who was found dead yesterday. (Photo: Naphtali Junior)

ATTORNEY Berriston 'Berry' Bryan, 72, was yesterday found dead at his mansion at Christopher Road in Stony Hill, St Andrew,

The body of the lawyer, who lived alone, was discovered with wounds to the head by a worker about 8:00 am, according to Superintendent Wilford Gayle, crime officer for the Police Area 5.
"The body was in a state of decomposition, it was examined by a doctor. There were obvious wounds to the head," Superintendent Gayle said.

The police officer declined to give further details on the death of the lawyer, saying that police were "still investigating".

It was alleged yesterday that Bryan had received threats during the recent murder trial of former trade ambassador Peter King, in which he represented the accused, 25-year-old Sheldon Pusey. The police were, however, unable to confirm the claim.
Yesterday, investigators spent hours processing Bryan's two-storey home for clues as a handful of people looked on.

Bryan's murder comes just three months after he told reporters of his desire to appeal a manslaughter conviction against Pusey.

Pusey, who has started his 15-year sentence, was originally charged with murder for the March 19, 2006 stabbing death of King, but the majority of jurors opted to convict him on the lesser charge of manslaughter.

Prostitution, buggery laws hamper HIV/STI services

Dr Kevin Harvey, senior medical officer in the Ministry of Health's National HIV/STI Control Programme, says the decriminalising of commercial sex work, buggery and the strengthening of other legislative framework could better assist the ministry in providing HIV services to at-risk groups.

Speaking during a Gleaner Editors' Forum, held yesterday at the newspaper's North Street head offices, Harvey said the ministry had difficulty providing services to commercial sex workers and homosexuals because both activities were illegal in Jamaica.

"These legislative framework have, to some extent, led to persons falling under these legislation being unavailable to us," Harvey said.

Complicated

"For example, the buggery act and commercial sex workers, all of those things are illegal, so how do you legally provide services for persons who are engaged in illegal activities?"

He added: "There must be some kind of room where we can have a kind of a decriminalisation where we can find a common path to work with those persons, even if the activity remains illegal."

Former Jamaican Activist decries San Fran boycott of Jamaica

Activists on the ground ignored, jeopardized

A Jamaican gay activist living in Toronto is speaking out against a US-based boycott of Jamaican tourism and products.

Gareth Henry, who fled Jamaica to Canada last year because of antigay violence, attempted a similar boycott in 2008. But because of what he calls “lessons learned,” he tells Xtra he does not support the current boycott, launched Mar 28 in San Francisco.

Henry says boycotts against Jamaican tourism and products are counterproductive, leading to a backlash and an increase in antigay violence. In the past three weeks, he says, four lesbians in Jamaica have reported being raped by men who referred to the boycott during the attacks.

Henry also says that the activists behind the US boycott did not heed the advice of gay activists in Jamaica, including members of the group he used to cochair, the Jamaican Forum for Lesbians, All-Sexuals and Gays (JFLAG).

“These activists went to JFLAG and were told that this was not the right time for a boycott but they went ahead and did it anyway,” says Henry. “What gives them the authority to say that they think they know what is best for gay Jamaicans? That’s insulting.”

The controversy over the boycott began after US activists — including San Francisco-based Michael Petrelis and Wayne Besen decided to take action in light of a Feb 25 report released by the US State Department detailing human rights abuses in Jamaica over the past year.

The report details abuses “including arbitrary detention [of gay people], mob attacks, stabbings, harassment of homosexual patients by hospital and prison staff and targeted shootings of homosexuals. Police often did not investigate such incidents.”

Jamaican law prohibits “acts of gross indecency” between men, either in public or in private. Such “crimes” are punishable by up to 10 years in prison. (The full report can be read at State.gov/g/drl/-rls/hrrpt/2008/wha/119165.htm.)

The report led Petrelis, Besen and others in the US to launch a boycott of tourism to Jamaica as well as boycotts of Jamaican-produced Myers’s Rum and Red Stripe Beer.

In a statement posted on HuffingtonPost.com, Besen explains his reasons for joining the boycott. Under the headline “Jamaica: A Killer Vacation for Gays,” he writes, “Why boycott? Because Jamaica is on a downward spiral and suffers from collective cultural dementia on this issue. There is clearly a pathological panic and homo-hysteria that has infected this nation at its core.

“The second reason to boycott is because traditional activism has failed,” continues Besen. “I first read about Jamaica’s horrific violence against gay people in a 2004 New York Times editorial, ‘Hated to Death in Jamaica.’ In 2006 Time magazine had an article about the island headlined, ‘The Most Homophobic Place on Earth.’”

JFLAG and others say Besen is wrong and that on-island activism is working. Jason McFarlane, programs manager for JFLAG, released an open letter on Apr 14 opposing the boycott, specifically as it targets Red Stripe Beer.

“In April 2008, Red Stripe took the brave and principled stance to cease sponsorship of music festivals that promoted hate and intolerance, including that against members of the LGBT community,” he writes. “The naming of Red Stripe, therefore, as a target of this boycott is extremely damaging to the cause of LGBT activists in Jamaica.”

No one from JFLAG was available to talk to Xtra before press time.

Henry wants Besen and others to call off the boycott and work with JFLAG and international organizations on finding a common course of action.

“They need to focus their energy on being part of a coalition geared to helping gay Jamaicans,” says Henry. “We have to move forward as a team.”

But that may be difficult given that the US activists refuse to call off the boycott. Plus, Besen and others are blaming activist groups like Human Rights Watch (HRW) for inaction on the Jamaica file. Besen says HRW, the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission and the Metropolitan Community Church are opposing his boycott because they want to launch their own campaigns against Jamaica.

Scott Long, head of HRW’s LGBT Rights Division, told Xtra that his organization has not taken any position on the US-led boycott. However, he says the tactics of the boycott’s backers are “ill-advised.”

“Human Rights Watch has worked with JFLAG and tried to support them and we will not endorse anything that they don’t support,” says Long. “It is simply ill-advised to launch an action without talking to the activists on the ground.

“JFLAG has taken small, but significant steps to open up a dialogue with police. Why has it taken so long? Well, in the US, it took 16 years for the Supreme Court to strike down sodomy laws. In Romania, it took 11 years. So it’s not going to be a quick and easy process. Regardless there must be cooperation with and respect for the activists on the frontlines.”


Update:

Diageo North America, the makers of Myers Rum and Red Stripe Beer, sent the below statement to Xtra on May 5.

"Diageo has an extremely strong record of supporting LGBT issues, including in Jamaica. Given this, it is highly disappointing, indeed ironic, that the boycott advocates are targeting one of the most gay-friendly companies that operates in Jamaica. Diageo has already taken positive action in areas that are within our realm of influence and is the only company to take such a strong position against anti-gay violence in Jamaica, as commended by leaders in the Jamaican LGBT community.

"Diageo is also proud that it has a perfect score of 100 percent on the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index. We have global non-discrimination policies in place that apply to all of our operations, including Jamaica, and our global Human Rights Policy includes an explicit prohibition of discrimination based on sexual orientation.

"Diageo’s global poli cy is to extend benefits to domestic partners on the same basis as we extend them to married spouses, where permitted by law. Diageo also covers HIV retrovirals and treatment for employees in Jamaica; most insurance providers in Jamaica do not cover HIV medications or treatment. In 2005, Diageo sponsored an HIV/AIDS education campaign in Jamaica.

"We have seen no impact on our business in the U.S. as a result of this boycott, and we believe that our record in the LGBT community demonstrates that Diageo is the kind of company that the LGBT community should and will want to support."

Zsoka McDonald
Spokesperson
Diageo North America
Norwalk, CT

'Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?' And he said 'Who art Thou, Lord?' And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest."

'Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?' And he said 'Who art Thou, Lord?' And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest."



"And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, 'Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?' And he said 'Who art Thou, Lord?' And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest."(Acts 9:4,5)


Just as He said to Saul,



"Why persecutest thou Me?" He felt Himself one with His afflicted members on earth. Just as He will say at the last day, "In as much as ye did it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto Me." (Matthew 25:40).



We are all God's children. Yes gays and straights alike. The Lord loves us all despite our imperfections.



He reckons believers a part of Himself; what is done to them is done to Him. So when He carries them to His Father, this is all His argument: "Thou lovedst Me." If Thou lovest Me, love them, for they are part of Me.


See how surely Christ's prayer will be answered for you. He does not plead that you are good and holy; He does not plead that you are worthy; He only pleads His own loveliness in the eyes of the Father. 'Look not on them, He says, but look on Me'.

"Thou lovedst Me before the foundations of the world" (John 17:24).

God saw everything that He had made, and behold it was very good

"God saw everything that He had made, and behold it was very good." (Genesis 1:31)

"O Lord, how manifold are Thy works! In wisdom hast Thou made them all: the earth is full of Thy riches." (Psalm 104:24)

All the living things in creation are here described by God as being very good. We can still see how true that was in areas where the changes produced by man are minimal.

God created nature in balance - everything is recycled! But man has disturbed that balance - Yellow Stone National Park in the USA had that balance - it was created by setting aside an area larger than some nations to preserve nature as it was.

Then something happened! The abundant willow trees and aspen trees stopped regenerating, beavers disappeared, food for scavenger birds like eagles and ravens became extremely scarce, and so on.
What had happened? Man had decided that he could improve on Yellowstone as God had originally created it - he killed all the wolves! What was good about the wolves? Their predation had kept the elk population in check.

But now the elk were eating all the young trees and the vegetation needed by the other species of animals. The balance had been destroyed! Finally the Park Service decide that letting "nature take its course" in what was a decidedly unnatural situation should not be allowed to continue. Wolves were good! Wolves were reintroduced from Canada and we are now seeing changes that seem to indicate that the reintroduction is achieving its objective.
What is the lesson in all this?

Man in his arrogance should not think that he can improve on what God has pronounced "very good"! Man also, to his destruction, tries to "improve" on the Scriptures! God says, "All the day long they wrest My words" (Psalm 56:5) and they also "wrest . . . the Scriptures to their own destruction" (2 Peter 3:16).

Meditations, Thoughts & Prayer

Prayer can be as simple as, “Oh Lord, help me…” We can also pray specifically for our children, asking God to help us guide them into the people He’s set apart for Himself.

• that we and our children would grow in the fear of the Lord (Prov. 16:6).

• that we’d be constantly mindful of the fact that we are aliens and strangers here and all of our circumstances are only temporary (1 Pet. 1:17; 2:11; James 4:13-15).

• that You would enable us to speak Your Word with great boldness (Acts 4:29,30).

• that we would contend for the faith against a license for immorality (Jude 3,4).

• that Christians would be encouraged in heart and united in love (Col. 2:1,2).

• that Christians would never sacrifice truth for the sake of unity (Gal. 2:5-21).

• that our love would increase more and more in knowledge and depth of insight (Phil. 1:9).

• that we would endure hatred and persecution to the end of our lives (Mt. 10:22).

• that we would not love our physical lives so much as to shrink from death for the cause of Christ (Rev. 12:11).

• for all those with governmental authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness (1 Tim. 2:1,2).

• that we would not drift away, become lukewarm or neglect such a great salvation (Heb. 2:1-4; Rev. 3:15,16).

• that we would set our hearts and minds on things in Heaven, not on things here on Earth (Col. 3:1-4).

• that the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts would be pleasing to You (Psa. 19:14).

• that we would be both godly and content with our unchangable circumstances (1 Tim. 6:6).

• that we would not be eager for money or deceived by it in any way (1 Tim. 6:10; Mk. 4:19).

• that You would give us neither poverty nor riches, but only our daily bread (Prov. 30:8).

• that You would keep falsehood and lies far from us (Prov. 30:8).

• that our faith would not fail (Lk. 22:32).

• that we would serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling (Psa. 2:11).

• that we would be humble, contrite in spirit and tremble at God’s Word (Isa. 66:2).

• that we would grow in fruitfulness and make the most of every opportunity (Jn. 15:1-8; Eph. 5:15).

• that we’d be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry (Jam. 1:19).

• that we’d keep a tight rein on our tongues, so that we won’t deceive ourselves and make our religion worthless (Jam. 1:26).

• that we’d not fall into temptation (Lk. 22:40).

• that we’d guard our hearts from the anxieties of this life (Prov. 4:23; Lk. 21:34).

• that we would crave God’s Word constantly and have our minds opened to understand it (1 Pet. 2:2; Lk. 24:45).

• that we would consider Jesus, who endured great opposition from the sinful, so we won’t grow weary and lose heart (Heb. 12:3).

• that we would love our enemies, do good to those who hate us, bless those who curse us and pray forgiveness and blessings for those who mistreat us (Lk. 6:27,28).

• that You would deliver us from the evil one and incline our hearts toward Your statutes (Psa. 119:36; Mt. 6:13).

• that You would open up doors for the gospel message and that it would be proclaimed clearly (Col. 4:3,4).

• that You would grant us wisdom, health and deliverance from trouble (2 Chron. 1:10; 3 Jn. 2; Jam. 5:13).

• that we may glorify always the name of the Lord Jesus (2 Thes. 1:12).

• that the eyes of our hearts may be enlightened in order that we may know the hope to which He has called us, the riches of Your glorious inheritance in the saints and Your incomparably great power for us who believe (Eph. 1:18,19).

• that we would be filled with the knowledge of Your will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding (Col. 1:9).

• that we would not fear those who kill our bodies, but instead You who can throw our souls and bodies into Hell (Mt. 10:28).

• that we would never forsake our first love (Rev. 2:4).

• that we’d be faithful until death so that Jesus will give us the crown of life (Rev. 2:10).

• that You would give us the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that we would know Him better (Eph. 1:17).

• that we’d be rooted and established in love (Eph. 3:17).

• that You would strengthen our inner being (Eph. 3:16).

• that You would teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom (Psa. 90:12).

• that You will give us an undivided heart, that we may fear Your name (Ps. 86:11).

• that we’d never be lacking in zeal, but that we’d keep our spiritual fervor serving the Lord (Rom. 12:11).

• that we’d run the race to win first prize (1 Cor. 9:24).

• that we’d throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles and run our race with perseverance (Heb. 12:1).

that we’d never look back now that we’ve put our hands to the plow (Lk. 9:62).

(originally from biblegems)