I think we can best pray for Romania this week by following this Declaration from the Alliance of Romania’s Families. To read the complete Timisoara Delclaration go to, http://www.alianta-familiilor.ro/decl_timisoara.php While there sign the Declaration and bring encouragement to Christian Romanians.
THE TIMISOARA DECLARATION
Drafted by the Alliance of Romania's Families (ARF) on the occasion of its annual conference held at the Areopagus Center in Timisoara on March 20th, 2010 and open to the public for signature.
Based upon the foregoing, the signatories, Christians who adhere to the teachings of the Holy Scripture, the Holy Apostles of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and those who followed them and taught us the path to salvation, leaving aside theological differences, proclaim our common Christian values inspired by the Holy Spirit and strongly affirm the following:
a. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). The Christian faith that we proclaim is above all transient social transformations or the spirit of one age or another.
b. This faith guides our daily lives and daily actions, at all times and in all places. It cannot be hidden. We cannot be Christians only when we are at home or only when we are in church.
• To be a Christian is to be different. Let us pray that Romanians would pattern their lives after Jesus and be like him in their homes, churches and especially in the market place.
c. In accordance with the Holy Scripture, we understand our duty as citizens to give to Caesar, that is, the legitimate leadership of the State, what is Caesar's, and to obey authority and the law, in so far as they do not conflict with our conscience and our Christian values.
• Let us pray that Romanians would honor the government and be examples of law abiding citizens where there is no conflict with scripture.
d. The family based on the marriage between one man and one woman is a fundamental institution of society and is created by God. It is an expression of the natural complementarity between man and woman, of mutual love and respect.
• The fact is God intended for marriage to be a picture of the correct relationship between Jesus and His redeemed bride. Let us pray that marriage will be protected by the laws of Romania.
e. As Christian parents, we have an obligation to our children to raise and educate them to be obedient to God. We are deeply concerned with the public displays of immorality which are allowed and even encouraged in the name of human rights and are tolerated without discernment.
• Let us pray that the families would take their responsibilities to guide their children into righteous and productive behavior. May the politicians of Romania stand up for moral decency.
• Let us pray that the families would take their responsibilities to guide their children into righteous and productive behavior. May the politicians of Romania stand up for moral decency.
f. The rights of parents are fundamental, foremost among them the parents' right to carry out the civic, moral and religious education of their children as they see fit.
• May Romania totally break away from the old communist idea that the children belonged to the state. Humanist would love for the educational system of Romania to embrace such a philosophy.
g. Every child has the right to be born and raised in a family comprised of a man and a woman.
• Now here is a switch; communism in Romania actually did not allow abortion – mainly because wanting to preserve Romanian ethnicity. Once they came out of communism abortion was allowed because of unwanted babies. Let us pray first that mothers would want to love and keep their children.
h. The right to life, beginning at the moment of conception and continuing till natural death, is a fundamental right of all human beings.
• Let us pray that the law would be changed to stop the murder of the innocent.
i. Freedom of religion and freedom of conscience are historical and fundamental rights.
• Any government that does not allow the free exercise of religion and freedom of conscience is under strong satanic control. This can even be where a only one religion or worldview is allowed. We pray that no one group or philosophy would be able to control the laws of Romania.
j. Human dignity is intrinsic to every human being, created in the image and likeness of God and takes precedence over any worldly authority.
• Every soul in Romania is precious to the Father. Jesus said we were no longer servants but sons and heirs of all the Father has.
k. In our involvement in political and civic life we support and work with those who adhere to the values in which we believe. Every elected official or representative must represent the individuals who comprise his constituency and assert their values.
• Representative government has been shown to be more just than any other type government. We pray that those representatives would adhere to the Christian beliefs and govern accordingly. Pray these representatives would be moral civil guardians not political opportunist.
In conclusion, we call upon the Romanian State and public officials to respect and take into account, in the drafting and implementing of laws and public policy, the values and social and cultural traditions of the Romanian people, themselves of Christian inspiration, in order to avoid conflicts, both of conscience or policy, between citizens and the authorities which hand down the laws.
NOTE: Timisoara is the city where the revolution broke out in 1989 that toppled communism in Romania. I was privileged four years before that (1985) to be able to spend a day walking the streets praying for the city.
LET US KNOW YOU PRAYED BY LEAVING A COMMENT OR CHECKING YOUR REACTION>
No comments:
Post a Comment