Monthly Archives: February 2020

Scripture of the Day

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Romans 10


9. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
12. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
13. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Christian teen commits suicide in Bangladesh

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https://www.opendoorsusa.org/prayerapp

Friends, we are sad to share that Chongya, a 16-year-old believer from a Buddhist background, committed suicide on February 7. According to a local partner with Open Doors, this tragedy was the result of the ongoing persecution he faced from his parents.

Sadly, it’s common for believers who convert from other faiths in Bangladesh to face persecution from their families, friends and the society at large. Young believers are particularly vulnerable due to their dependence on family.

Chongya and his older brother Singya (19) were born and raised as Buddhists, but came to faith in Jesus last year through their grandparents and uncles. When their parents learned of their conversion, they tried to force them back to Buddhism, but Chongya and Singya refused.

Then their parents kicked them out of their home. Recently, Chongya asked his parents for the money he had been saving and given to them for safekeeping, but instead of giving him the money, his parents verbally abused him.

A few days after, he committed suicide.

His brother, Singya, is traumatized by the unexpected death of his younger brother. He is now staying with his grandparents.

Please pray for God to comfort Singya and heal him from the trauma he has experienced. Pray he will be able to forgive his parents.

Pray for Singya to find hope to go on living and grow in his faith in Christ.

Pray for God to give wisdom to his grandparents and other believers on how best to care for and encourage him.

Pray for the church in Bangladesh, that they will stand alongside young believers so that they will not lose hope like Chongya. Pray for God to give them strength to endure persecution.

Pray for our partners as they find ways to encourage young believers who are facing persecution from family members.

*Representative names and photos are sometimes used to protect identity.

Scripture of the Day

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Leviticus 26


3. If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them; 
4. Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. 
5. And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely. 
6. And I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid: and I will rid evil beasts out of the land, neither shall the sword go through your land. 
7. And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword. 
8. And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword. 
9. For I will have respect unto you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, and establish my covenant with you. 
10. And ye shall eat old store, and bring forth the old because of the new. 
11. And I will set my tabernacle among you: and my soul shall not abhor you. 
12. And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people. 

Although these national blessings are specifically for Israel, I think its safe to say the blessings would be applicable to any nation that openly serves GOD.

GOD exists outside of time as we finite humans understand time. HE exist in time, every moment for GOD is a now. When nations or people choose to sin, in GOD’s time its a now. The conceputalisation of HIS blessings on nations or individuals are based on what we see as foreknowledge, but those blessings are GOD’s now.

Does GOD know the future? Yes because to HIM past, present, & future are now. Nation’s as collective humans and we as individuals live in our now, we all decide to chose right or wrong, good or evil, love or hate. GOD isn’t a puppetmaster pulling the strings, HE may set things in motion by urgings or dreams or insight. HE may guide us with that still small voice in our heart and mind, but HE is always there, watching and experiencing our life with us, not in a pantheistic sort in that HE exist in all things, but as an observer. Our day, our future, our past are all HIS now.

The blessings listed above are those future nows the Father gives to those nations who revere HIM. First applicable to Israel, now applicable to those nations who serve or believe in the Son.

Looking at the world in our day it’s easy to say GOD is judging nations because of their sins as a collective. What most forget or haven’t been taught to discuss by secular government education is problems of wars, disasters, plagues, corruption, etc has existed in every nation throughout history. No nation or people are immune to the vicissitudes of man or nature. All things change in our concept of time. The one thing that doesn’t change is GOD. All of our time, all of our decisions are in HIS now. HIS love for us hasn’t changed nor has HIS anger towards sin.

Wars happen because of our decisions, disasters because of nature corrupted by sin; hate & anger, bitterness & malice, pride & conceit, murder, theft, & lies, all arise and come forth from us, from our heart.

If nations or collective groups of peoples desire the blessings listed above, those same peoples need to look into their own hearts and to repent or turn away from wickedness.

My prayer, for those collectives, is that the Spirit would convict them of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment, leading those collectives to repentence and salvation so while here on this earth, those blessings listed above could be experienced in our now. Otherwise those blessings will remain letters in a book.

GOD Bless.

Church leader attacked with knife in India

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https://www.opendoorsusa.org/prayerapp

Friends, our team in the field just reported that a church leader in India was attacked with a knife last night as he returned home from work. He is currently in the ICU with severe wounds to his neck. He had been receiving threats for several months and the attack has been reported to police.

Please pray he heals quickly and fully from his injuries.

Pray for safety and protection for him and his family.

Pray his attacker comes to know Jesus and that the gospel advances through this situation.

*Representative names and photos are sometimes used to protect identity.

Praise: Pastors released from captivity in Myanmar

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https://www.opendoorsusa.org/prayerapp

Friends, today we thank God the for the release of five pastors who were held captive by an insurgent group in Myanmar since April 2019. The captured pastors were released in January 2020. For security reasons we can’t share any more details about these pastors, but we would really like to ask for your prayers for them and some other believers.

Please praise the Lord for the safe release of the five pastors—and thank Him for sustaining and protecting them while in captivity.

Pray the pastors will be strengthened by the Lord.

Pray for the Lord to continue to protect the pastors and the believers.

*Representative names and photos are sometimes used to protect identity.

Scripture of the Day

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John 15


8. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. 
9. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. 
10. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. 
11. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. 
12. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 
13. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 
14. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. 

In verse 10 we read “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love…” & in verse 12 we read “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.” The example is written in verse 13, ” Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. “

We are told to abide in the love of the Savior, how? By keeping His commandment of loving one another.

Loving others as Christ loved us doesn’t save a soul because salvation isn’t earned. Loving others is an outward expression and reflection of that Love we have and experience in and through Christ. Loving others in Christ is how the world should see our lives, not engrossed in those paltry pleasures that draw the faithful away from the Father.

Scripture of the Day

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Psalms 58


6. Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great teeth of the young lions, O LORD. 
7. Let them melt away as waters which run continually: when he bendeth his bow to shoot his arrows, let them be as cut in pieces. 
8. As a snail which melteth, let every one of them pass away: like the untimely birth of a woman, that they may not see the sun. 
9. Before your pots can feel the thorns, he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath. 
10. The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked. 
11. So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth. 

In reading through the Psalms, one finds that David, a man whom Scriptures indicate is after GOD’s own heart, constantly calls on GOD to judge & punish wicked men.

We read of a few of those instances above. Does David ignore the lovingkindness and forgivesness of the Father? I think not, GOD is Love, HE is Righteous, HE is Holy, HE is above our concepts & understanding as ours is above the ant. Jesus exemplified the Fathers Love, He showed us how GOD and why GOD Loves.

David knows that because of GOD’s Love and Righteousness, judgment flows from the Father against evil and wickedness. David is stating the reality of those judgments as he saw them, whether in poetical prose or song, Psalms is resplendent with truths and views of GOD and HIS nature.

When we stand in the presence of the Father, we will be standing within that Love which we can now only glimpse through our Savior. When the veil of death is ripped away we’ll see & experience what true Love really is. We’ll never have to think again as David does here, about wicked men being judged, all our thought will be continously directed to the Father and Son.

Church leader attacked with knife in India

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https://www.opendoorsusa.org/prayerapp

Friends, our team in the field just reported that a church leader in India was attacked with a knife last night as he returned home from work. He is currently in the ICU with severe wounds to his neck. He had been receiving threats for several months and the attack has been reported to police.

Please pray he heals quickly and fully from his injuries.

Pray for safety and protection for him and his family.

Pray his attacker comes to know Jesus and that the gospel advances through this situation.

Scripture of the Day

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Romans 7


7. What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. 
8. But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. 
9. For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. 
10. And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. 
11. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. 
12. Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. 

New believers in Laos shunned by community

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https://www.opendoorsusa.org/prayerapp

In 2019 just before Christmas, Loe* gave his life to Christ through a pastor he met in the city where he studies. Excited about his new faith, he went home to his village in Laos and shared the gospel with his family, friends and neighbors. About 10 of them gave their lives to Christ!

However, only a month later the village chief summoned the new believers to a meeting where, unbeknownst to them, the whole village had gathered to tell them to leave. “You now belong to your Jesus,” they shouted, “you are no longer allowed to live in this community!”

A few of the 10 denied Christ out of fear of losing their homes, but others stood strong, declaring their commitment to Jesus. Because they follow Jesus, the community has shunned them and continues to threaten them to deny Christ or leave the village.

Loe asks you to encourage these believers through your prayers.

Please pray that God will continue to protect them from any harm and that despite the opposition they face, they will stand firm as they express God’s love and become pillars of light in their village.

Pray their new faith will be strengthened.

Pray that as people see the agape love in the words and actions of these believers, more people in the village will ask questions and realize their need for Jesus.

Pray their oppressors will personally encounter God and be changed.

Please click on the “Submit prayer” button to share your prayers using the new feature in our app and we will share them with Loe.

*Representative names and photos are sometimes used to protect identity.

Pastor abducted, 20 killed in Burkina Faso attack

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https://www.opendoorsusa.org/prayerapp

Friends, sad news out of Burkina Faso where there was yet another deadly attack on Sunday, February 16. According to the French radio news service, RFI, attackers struck a church in the town of Pansi, in the north eastern Sahel Region of the country. “People had come for Mass when the attackers broke into the village,” a source said.

Twenty people were shot and killed and at least 15 injured. Sources on the ground informed Open Doors that the pastor has been abducted and the church set ablaze.

According to RFI, several people remain unaccounted for following yesterday’s attack as residents fled to Sebba where the wounded have also been taken. As we reported last week, the nearby capital of the province was struck by attackers on February 11.

Please be in prayer for the Lord’s grace to be upon the bereaved.

Pray for the safe release of the pastor and for the Lord’s abundant grace to be on him and his family as they face this terrifying situation.

Pray for healing and comfort for all those who are recovering from physical and emotional injuries and trauma.

*Representative names and photos are sometimes used to protect identity.

Scripture of the Day

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Acts 8


18. And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, 
19. Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. 
20. But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. 
21. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. 
22. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. 
23. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity. 
24. Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me. 
25. And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans. 

A little brother robbed of his sister in Nigeria

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https://www.opendoorsusa.org/prayerapp

Friends, it has been two years since Leah Sharibu was abducted from her school in Dapchi, Nigeria at the age of 14. Most of her classmates were released in the following weeks but Boko Haram kept Leah, reportedly because she refused to renounce her faith in Christ.

Since her abduction there have been many unconfirmed rumors about her; however, one thing remains clear—she has not yet returned home to her mother Rebecca and father Nathan. Her younger brother, Donald, is growing up without the presence of his sister.

Leah puts a face to the thousands of others who have been abducted by Boko Haram since its insurgency. The girls that have been forced into marriage, used as sex slaves, and suicide bombers; the boys trained for combat.

Please pray that the Lord will bring Leah home in His time. Pray that the government will secure the release of Leah and all the other Nigerians held captive.

Pray for Leah to be strong in body, mind and spirit.

Pray that the Lord will stir the hearts of the Boko Haram commanders and soldiers to repentance as they see Leah live out her faith in the true Ruler.

Pray for Leah’s family–Nathan, Rebecca and Donald, and all the other families affected by abductions in Nigeria.

Photo: an undated photo of Leah sent by her family.

Persecution as the seed of revival in China

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http://y2u.be/mncevKnnRm0

Friends, as the 2020 World Watch List—the ranking of the top 50 countries where Christians are persecuted most for their faith—has been released, we see that China moved up four spots to number 23.

In China, what’s happened over the last five years seems unthinkable. Children are being stopped from attending church services. Pastors can be arrested if they don’t allow surveillance cameras in their sanctuaries. Authorities are raiding churches, barring the doors and tearing down crosses.

Tap the “watch video” link below to hear a personal account of a Chinese Christian whose house church was raided and shut down by the government.

Persecution in China differs by regions and church context. To learn more about China and what God is doing in and through His Church in China, visit ODUSA.org/China.

Scripture of the Day

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Psalms 53


1. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.
2. God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.
3. Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.