Tag Archives: Bible
Scripture of the Day
Psalm 30
4. Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.
5. For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
We Will Teach You a Lesson
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After it was announced that Asia Bibi — a Christian women who had spent nearly a decade on death row for allegedly “blaspheming” against Islam — had been acquitted, Muslims rioted throughout early November; in one march, more than 11,000 Muslims demanded her instant and public hanging. A leading Muslim party announced that the judges who had acquitted her deserved death. The lawyer who represented her fled the nation due to many death threats. — Pakistan.
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While under arrest, he asked police to allow him to “kill the infidels… otherwise you will become infidels like them.” Authorities later said the man had mental problems and was under the influence of drugs. The Christians replied that the media always present such Muslims who attack churches and Christians as suffering from mental illnesses. — Egypt.
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“[A]t least 350 Christian owned properties have illegally been seized. The government has stopped only 50 of these properties from being sold… Iraqi Christians have long complained about the disproportionate targeting of their properties for illegal seizures. These seizures often occur in waves which follow violent incidents of persecution.” — Iraq.
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“[T]he government… protect the aggressors and leave the victims mercilessly helpless… The devastation in terms of massacre of lives and destruction of property is unimaginable.” — Rev. Dacholom Datiri, President of the Church of Christ in Nigeria.
Scripture of the Day
A Psalm of David.
1. Unto thee will I cry, O LORD my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.
2. Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle.
3. Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts.
4. Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavours: give them after the work of their hands; render to them their desert.
5. Because they regard not the works of the LORD, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up.
6. Blessed be the LORD, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications.
7. The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.
8. The LORD is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed.
9. Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up for ever.
BREAKING: Two Bombs Kill Many at Church in Philippines
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Local officials report that 20 people have been killed and dozens more were injured in two bombings that took place in at a Roman Catholic cathedral in southern Philippines. The BBC reports the first blast took place during a church service on Jolo island, where Islamic militants are active. The second device was detonated in a parking lot as soldiers responded to the first blast.
The attack comes days after the people voted for and passed a referendum for autonomy, which aims to bring an end to the decades of violence between separatists and the national army. However, this was not passed in Sulu province where Jolo is located.
ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Please pray for comfort for the bereaved families.
Pray that no further violence occurs and that the Lord will disable the evil plans of those who are responsible for this incident.
Pray for alertness, wisdom and strength for the Philippine government forces responding to this tragedy.
*Representative names and photos are sometimes used to protect identity.
Scripture of the Day
Psalms 27
7. Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
8. When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.
Chinese Christians Forced to Make Choice Between Welfare Benefits or Belief
01/18/2019 China (International Christian Concern) – Chinese Christians in poor health who depend on the government’s welfare benefits are forced to choose between their belief or social benefits.
According to Bitter Winter magazine, several elderly Christians in Henan province were approached by local officials, asking them to remove religious items in their homes and hang up the portraits of President Xi Jinping or Chairman Mao Zedong in order for them to continue to receive welfare benefits.
Their rationale is that it’s the state that fills your pocket, not God, so the praise and worship belongs to the Party and its leaders.
A 60-year-old ill woman Song Lanyin, who relies on the minimum living subsidy provided by the government to survive, refused to take down decorations showing her Christian belief in her home as demanded by the visiting deputy mayor and the other officials. They then took it upon themselves to destroy all of the Christian symbols in her home, including a work of calligraphy with the words “God loves the world” and “Immanuel” written on it.
Yanjin County’s Wu Fengying also experienced similar harassment last August. Local government officials discovered and photographed Wu attending church gatherings, and warned her not to believe in God or else have her minimum living subsidy revoked.
Zhao Shun, on the other hand, had his house intruded by a village party secretary. He ripped a religious couplet off the door while Zhao was not present. Zhao was also threatened that his benefits will be revoked if he fails to remove religious symbols at his house. When Zhao confronted him later, on how Chinese constitution guarantees freedom of belief, the village party secretary replied that only fools believe in this provision.
Turkey Rejects Attempt to Investigate Dink Murder
01/24/2019 Turkey (International Christian Concern) – According to the Turkish Minute, a parliamentary motion to investigate the 2007 murder of Hrant Dink, a Turkish-Armenian journalist, has been rejected. Dink was assassinated by an ultranationalist youth and the authorities have not revealed the murderer’s identity.
Prior to his death, Dink reported receiving a number of threats from ultranationalists for describing the killing of Armenians during the Ottoman Empire as a genocide. Dink himself was an Armenian. Human rights groups have repeatedly noted worrying irregularities in the subsequent murder investigation, including deleted or missing evidence and police officials misinforming the court.
While the Armenian Genocide predates the modern Republic of Turkey, it remains a highly sensitive topic within the country. Turkey is divided into several ethnic-religious identities. Culturally, to be considered truly Turkish then one must be Muslim. Armenians, in addition to having a different ethnicity, are Christian. Many Armenians continue to report regular harassment and discrimination in Turkish society.
Scripture of the Day
Psalms 26
1. Judge me, O LORD; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the LORD; therefore I shall not slide.
2. Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.
3. For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth.
Minnesota Is Still Prosecuting Ex-Muslim Christian Pastor for Sharing His Testimony in a Mall
Ramin Parsa, an ex-Muslim Christian pastor who was stabbed in Iran, imprisoned in Turkey, and then arrested in the Mall of America for sharing his testimony with interested Muslim women, faces a settlement conference in March and likely a trial in April. The state of Minnesota has continued to prosecute his case, even though the Mall of America was wrong to accuse him of trespassing in the first place.
In late August 2018, Parsa was visiting the Mall of America in Minneapolis, Minn. Two Somali-American women spoke with him and asked him if he was still a Muslim. When he said he was not, they asked him to explain. At this point, another lady complained to mall security. Security took Parsa into custody, holding him handcuffed to a metal chair for four hours without water, and then turning him over to the police.
While the Mall of America seems the main culprit in Parsa’s story, the state of Minnesota has taken up the case. “Actually in my hearing documents, it says ‘state of Minnesota vs. Ramin Parsa.’ So the state is my oppressor,” the pastor told PJ Media on Thursday. He also shared a report from his lawyer detailing the results of a pre-trial hearing that took place on December 11.
Rejoicing in Acquittals While Facing Challenges in Algeria
Learn more at http://www.OpenDoorsUSA.org/PrayerApp
Friends, Christians in Algeria ask for prayer for five Christians recently acquitted of proselytizing and blasphemy charges. While our Algerian brothers and sisters rejoice in these acquittals, they note that these brothers still face many challenges not uncommon for North African Christian believers from Muslim backgrounds.
For example, in one case that includes four men who left Islam to follow Jesus, the prosecutor has appealed the acquittal verdict and has requested another hearing for January 20.
Another Christian brother from Algeria’s Ain-Delfa province was forced to take his family and flee his farm after his wife’s family discovered his conversion from Islam. They family found him and persuaded his wife to accuse him of insulting Islam and file for divorce. Under Islamic law, the divorce was granted, and his wife was granted custody of their daughters.
Pray that the four Christians’ acquittals will not be overturned on appeal and that they would know the Lord’s peace, wisdom and guidance in the face of ongoing challenges.
Pray with our brother from Ain-Defla—that God would give him special strength to face the separation from his family and to find another job soon.
Pray there would be just laws and greater societal tolerance towards Christians in Algeria.
And pray that those responsible for the intimidation of Christians would know the conviction of the Holy Spirit and ultimately, forgiveness and new life in Jesus.
*Representative names and photos are sometimes used to protect identity.
Scripture of the Day
Psalms 25
2. O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.
3. Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause.
4. Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths.
5. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.
6. Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.
7. Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness’ sake, O LORD.
8. Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.
9. The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.
10. All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.
11. For thy name’s sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great.
Christians in East India Flee Home Village in Fear
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Friends, please pray for Christian believers in East India as around 13 families were recently forced to leave their villages. A local partner of Open Doors shares, “The Hindu extremists … are polluting the minds of the villagers and instilling hatred against the Christians. This results in such expulsion of Christians.”
Recently in East India a woman was allegedly burned alive because of her faith. Following the murder, the villagers began to protest and threaten Christians demanding they leave the village. The Christians were frightened and fled. They are now living on the outskirts of the village in their fields. Their pastor reports, “It is very cold, and they do not have proper clothing and food.“
Even under such distressing circumstances, these families still go to a nearby village to attend a prayer meeting. Unfortunately, however, the people from their home village have followed them there and continue to threaten them.
Please pray the believers in East India would find strength in the power of His might.
Pray the believers would have proper shelter, clothing and food.
Pray the believers will have courage and cling to Jesus in these difficult circumstances.
*Representative names and photos are sometimes used to protect identity.
Home is Destroyed and Family in Hiding in Bangladesh
Learn more at http://www.OpenDoorsUSA.org/PrayerApp
We just received an urgent prayer request from our Open Doors partners in Bangladesh. The home of two Christians, Nasima Begam and Azgar Ali, was tragically destroyed after midnight on January 20th. A group of people—including their neighbor—showed up on their property with sickles and shouted, “Drive the Christians away!” and “We will kill you right now!”
Sadly, Nasima and Azgar’s neighbor has been threatening them since their decision to convert and follow Jesus about 10 years ago. “He threatened to kill us if we do not renounce our faith in Christ and return to Islam,” says Nasima. However, not only did Nasima and Azgar refuse to renounce their faith in Jesus, but they also reached out to others with the good news. As a result, a church was born near their home where believers gather to worship God.
Unfortunately, now Nasima and Azgar are in hiding along with their young children. Where their house once stood, corn is now planted in an effort to keep them from returning. The neighbor and group also ransacked the church—destroying Bibles, worship song books and other Christian materials.
Open Doors partners report that they are afraid this situation may cause some in the community to return to Islam.
Please pray for the protection of Nasim, Azgar and their family, and the other believers in the community.
Pray for these believers to stand firm in their faith and depend on God.
Pray that God gives local Christians wisdom on how to handle this situation.
Pray the authorities and police will take steps to protect Nasima and Azgar’s rights.
*Representative names and photos are sometimes used to protect identity.
Scripture of the Day
Psalms 24
A Psalm of David.
1. The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
2. For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.
3. Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?
4. He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
5. He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6. This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.
7. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
8. Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.
9. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
10. Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.
A Laymans Discourse 
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