Tag Archives: faith

Scripture of the Day

By Posted in Uncategorized Tagged , , , , Leave a comment

Romans 15


2. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.
3. For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.
4. For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
5. Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
6. That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Scripture of the Day

By Posted in Uncategorized Tagged , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Romans 3


28. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
29. Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:
30. Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.
31. Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

Scripture of the Day

By Posted in Uncategorized Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Romans 2

1. Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.
2. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.
3. And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?
4. Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
5. But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
6. Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
7. To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
8. But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
9. Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
10. But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
11. For there is no respect of persons with God.

IT’S OFFICIAL: Chinese Scientists Find Genetic Explanation For Coronavirus Discriminating By Race

By Posted in Uncategorized Tagged , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Full story here


Sir Humphrey Appleby, the Machiavellian senior civil servant in the hit 1980s British sitcom Yes, Minister once famously commented that one should “never believe anything until it’s been officially denied.” Which meant we could be fairly confident that racial and ethnic differences in susceptibility to Coronavirus exist, because our race-denying Ruling Class so dogmatically refused to consider the evidence. Now that’s over: a study by a Chinese research group has emerged that offers concrete proof of race differences in susceptibility to Corona virus are very real.

The study—a preprint that has not yet been peer-reviewed—is entitled Single-cell RNA expression profiling of ACE2, the putative receptor of Wuhan 2019-nCov, By Yu Zhao et al., bioRxiv, 2020] and is authored by a group of medical scientists based at Tongji University in Shanghai

The authors explain that “2019-nCov was reported to share the same receptor, Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2)” as the SARS disease, an outbreak of which in 2003 seemed almost exclusively to kill Northeast Asians.

Based on “the public database and the state-of-the-art single-cell RNA-Seq technique” the Chinese scientists “analyzed the ACE2 RNA expression profile in the normal human lungs.” Crucially, they further found (in a comparison of  eight individual samples) that the “Asian male one has an extremely large number of ACE2-expressing cells in the lung” in comparison to other races. (The database was based on analysis of eight normal human lung transplant donors of different races.)

Scripture of the Day

By Posted in Uncategorized Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

John 15

1. I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
2. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
3. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
4. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
6. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
7. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
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.
15. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
16. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
17. These things I command you, that ye love one another.
18. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
19. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
20. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep your’s also.
21. But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.
22. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin.
23. He that hateth me hateth my Father also.
24. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.
25. But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.
26. But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:
27. And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning

Update: Coronavirus fears prompt releases in Iran

By Posted in Uncategorized Tagged , , , , Leave a comment

https://www.opendoorsusa.org/prayerapp

Friends, the BBC reports that Gholamhossein Esmaili, Iran’s judiciary spokesman, said that more than 54,000 prison inmates have been let out of prison in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Iran has seen a significant number of cases and has the highest death toll outside of China from coronavirus.

This news means some Christian imprisoned for their faith have been freed. On February 26, believer Ramiel Bet-Tamraz was released from prison early while serving his sentence for his participation in house churches. He will not have to return to prison to serve the remainder of his sentence.

Christian convert Fatemeh (Mary) Mohammadi was released on conditional bail on February 26, pending a hearing on March 2. Yesterday, Mary shared on Twitter that her court date has been postponed and no new date has been set at this time. She had been arrested on January 12 and spent 45 days in brutal detention, charged with “disturbing public order by participating in an illegal rally.”

Please thank God that Ramiel was released from prison early and pray for healing for him and his family as they are reunited.

Thank God that Mary was released from Qarchak Prison.

Pray Mary’s court date is scheduled soon and that justice is served for her.

Pray leadership in Iran and around the world have wisdom in how to stop the spread of coronavirus.

Photo: Ramiel Bet-Tamraz with his parents Pastor Victor Bet-Tamraz and Shamiram Issavi courtesy of Article18

Scripture of the Day

By Posted in Uncategorized Tagged , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Psalms 61


1. Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer.
2. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
3. For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.
4. I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.
5. For thou, O God, hast heard my vows: thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name.
6. Thou wilt prolong the king’s life: and his years as many generations.
7. He shall abide before God for ever: O prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him.
8. So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows.

Scripture of the Day

By Posted in Uncategorized Tagged , , , , , , , Leave a comment

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

By Posted in Uncategorized Tagged , , , , , Leave a comment

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

By Posted in Uncategorized Tagged , , , , , , , Leave a comment

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

By Posted in Uncategorized Tagged , , , , , Leave a comment

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

By Posted in Uncategorized Tagged , , , , , Leave a comment

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

By Posted in Uncategorized Tagged , , , , , , , Leave a comment

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

By Posted in Uncategorized Tagged , , , , , Leave a comment

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.

Scripture of the Day

By Posted in Uncategorized Tagged , , , , , , , Leave a comment

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.