So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these (John 21:15)?
I just finished reading The Tehran Initiative, the second novel in Joel Rosenberg’s series The Twelfth Imam. 
If you enjoyed reading my Daughter of China Series, you will enjoy Joel Rosenberg’s work. I intend to write the 4th and final book in the Daughter of China Series this summer so my readers will have it in hand before Thanksgiving, so by all means read Joel’s books in the meantime!
I first met Joel in a private meeting in Washington, DC, a few years ago. We were both invited into this meeting with government dignitaries because of our separate networks, experiences, advocacy writing (both journalistically and true to life fiction), and our passion for orphaned children in oppressed regimes. I cannot tell you all the details of that meeting, but suffice it to say that plans were made for orphans in an undisclosed nation who had no one else to help them.
May I write this plainly? SATAN HATES CHILDREN.
Children bring to this planet:
Life
Love
Innocence
Curiosity
Trust
Hope
New destinies
And so much more! (Please add to this list in comments below if you’d like).
The journalist in me wants to prove this out. The pictures and captions presented below are brief, but they provide enough evidence to convict the devil of hating children.
“An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him (Matthew 2:13).”
Two young brothers, seated for a family photograph in the Kovno ghetto. One month later, they were deported to the Majdanek camp. Kovno, Lithuania, February 1944. — US Holocaust Memorial Museum
At a press conference in Pakistan, the father of Neha holds his baby girl. Neha was raped because she is from a Christian family. (See a similar story that I wrote for Christianity Today Magazine at http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2000/october2/21.28.html )
Ahn Myong-Chol witnessed many horrors as a North Korean prison camp guard, but few haunt him like the image of guard dogs attacking school children and tearing them to pieces. (See more on my advocacy for NK children at http://65583.netministry.com/apps/articles/default.asp?blogid=0&view=post&articleid=47640&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0 ).
Yes, it’s enough to make our blood boil. Although I couldn’t help the children of Auschwitz (because I wasn’t born in that era), I fully intend to advocate for those living in equally horrible conditions in North Korea, Pakistan, and other parts of the Middle East.
In my advocacy for the world’s most destitute children, my own children became targets of their mutual enemy–satan. One year ago God put it on my heart to run for a second time our Chinese/English radio series about the vicious Eastern Lightning Cult on Voice of Hope Blogtalk radio. I didn’t want to do it. I knew that these simple programs were benefiting more than 39,000 Chinese Christians who listened to our show in 2013. But those same programs aired in January to February, 2013 brought spiritual warfare aimed directly at my husband and I and our children. When God asked me again to air these same shows, I went away to seclude myself to seek God at a prayer warrior’s home. I desperately needed to know for sure God was leading us to air these shows again.
As I struggled, I heard a song that my friend and I sang when we were children in Roger Williams Baptist Church–a song taken directly from a question that Jesus asked Peter. “Lovest Thou Me More than These, my Child?” What will my answer be? Do I love him more than my children? My family?
Through many tears, I decided YES. I love Him more. Last spring I picked up that cross and followed Jesus right into the war zone. As I did so, I heard that song play within my spirit man over and over again, a song written by Bill Gaither years ago (brace yourself, the song really is OLD!):
Lovest Thou Me More Than These?
Words and Music by William J. Gaither
CHORUS
Lovest Thou Me more than These My Child?
Lovest thou me, more than these my child?
What will, will your answer be?
Oh precious Lord, I love Thee more than all of these
More than fame
More than wealth
More than the world
More than fame
More than wealth
More than the world
What is God asking you to do? Is there anyone or anything you love more than Jesus? If you are struggling or simply want to recommit yourself to Jesus to love Him more than anything or anyone, why don’t you join these friends of Bill Gaither and sing with them? Today is a good day to refresh your commitment to love Jesus more:
good work please keep it up amen.Rev Joseph and Pastor Christine Simiyu.From Kenya
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Pastors Joseph and Christine Simiyu, thank you so much for your reply. As pastors in Kenya, I am sure you have counted the cost of following Jesus and found Him to be worth “more than fame, more than wealth, more than the world.” God bless you for joining our blog.
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C. Hope (Sis): Thank you so much for the message. How well I remember you singing the song “Lovest Thou Me More Than These?” In fact I located the tape we made as a family where you and Barb sang it. What a blessing. The thoughts you gave go right along with the Bible Study questions we will be answering today. Actually we are in Rev. 18 and the last question the leader asked this week is: “Is there any possession that you have and value more than God?”. My answer will be the words of this song (But I promise to read it – not sing it). Sooooo thanks for meeting my needs and by the way I firmly believe that God will have the victory in the spiritual warfare. He loves you, Scott and your children and I see light at the end of the tunnel you’ve been going through. Keep looking up. Love you, MOM remember PUSH (pray until something happens)
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Wow, Mom, that is SO encouraging. I have tears in my eyes. I need to find Barb’s email and send her a link to this blog. Hopefully that PUSH means we’re about to give birth to something new for the kingdom of heaven! Love you!
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