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LORD, INCREASE MY PATIENCE
Author: Life Focus Ministries
COVERED!
(October 03, 2023) Dr Jim McClure explains…
The holiest day in Judaism has been celebrated each year by millions of Jews throughout the world for over well over 3000 years. On the appointed day in September or early October the celebration begins at sunset on Sunday and ends 25 hours later. In Hebrew it is called ‘Yom kippur’ and in English ‘Day of Atonement.’
1. Source of the commemoration
Yom Kippur is so much more than just a commemoration of a past event and so much more than just a Jewish religious festival. Its significance reaches out to us today and also points to the future.
We read about it in Leviticus 23:27 where God said to Moses, ‘The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. Hold a sacred assembly and deny yourselves, and present an offering made to the Lord by fire.’
(more…)POP POP POWER MEMORIES
(October 03, 2023) Norman and Margaret Moss reflect…
As a schoolboy I (Norman) was accustomed to an hour’s walk to school each day. However in teenage years I began to cycle to school instead. Then as I entered my early twenties power entered my cycling career.
Someone invented a small kind of outboard engine which could be fitted to bicycles. It worked by connecting to the rubber tyre and so long as there was no rain it was a great success. In wet weather the drive wheel was changed to one made of carborundum, which rapidly tore tyres to pieces.
(more…)EVANGELISTS AND OTHERS MURDERED!
(September 30, 2023) Elizabeth Kendal, RLPB, reports…
UGANDA: Another Evangelist Murdered
On Wednesday September 6 evangelists Philip Bere and Mudenya Sirasi participated in an evangelistic event in Eastern Uganda’s Kituuti town. According to Sirasi, many people accepted Christ, including Muslim women and two young Muslim men. About 7:40pm, as the evangelists travelled home to Katiryo, they were ambushed by Muslims angry about the conversions.
Bere was struck and pulled from the bicycle as Sirasi fell but escaped into a tunnel under a bridge. Captured, Philip Bere (33) was subsequently bashed to death with a large rock. The pastor of Bere’s church told Morning Star News that police in Katiryo, Kibuku District, took statements about the killing and assured him they were searching for the killers. The pastor laments: ‘Our evangelist was killed because of his passion for preaching the good news of Jesus Christ, especially to Muslims.’ Apparently Bere was well-known for his preaching among Muslims in Buseeta, Lwatama, Katiryo and other parts in eastern Uganda. Please pray.
NEPAL: Battle heating up
On September 4 Hindu nationalists attacked a church in Nawalparasi district, in Nepal’s south-western Lumbini Province. Windows were broken and property was vandalised.
It was the seventh attack on a church in two weeks. Footage emerged showing two men, identified as pastors, being violently assaulted and publicly humiliated. Endless political chaos has left many Nepalis deeply disillusioned. Exploiting this, Hindu nationalists are ramping up their calls for the restoration of the Hindu State.
Angered by the rapid growth of Christianity, they are also fuelling sectarian hatred – protesting religious conversions and beef consumption – for political gain. Today there are some 1.34 million Christians in Nepal (4.4 percent of population), mostly Protestant. It is one of the fastest growing churches in the world. The battle for Nepal is heating up! Please pray.
NIGERIA: Terror in Kaduna and Plateau
Militant Muslim Fulani herdsmen, often working in conjunction with Islamic jihadists, continue to attack predominantly Christian villages in Nigeria’s Kaduna and Plateau states. At 7am on Friday September 15 hundreds of militants surrounded Dogon Noma village in predominately Christian Southern Kaduna’s Kajuru Local Government Area (LGA) and shot anybody in sight.
At least 15 Christians were killed and 32 were abducted. Meanwhile, Christian communities in neighbouring Plateau State have been under sustained attack since mid-May from militants estimated to be around 800 in number. Mangu, Barkin Ladi and Riyom LGAs have been most severely affected. There is mass displacement. Most recently, at 8:40pm on Sunday September 10, militants invaded the predominantly Christian community of Kulben in Mangu LGA, killing 10 Christians, wounding others and destroying property. Please pray.
AZERBAIJAN: Imperilled Armenian Christian enclave
At 1pm on Tuesday September 19, Azerbaijan announced that it had launched an ‘anti-terror operation’ in Nagorno-Karabakh (an Armenian Christian enclave inside Turkic Muslim Azerbaijan). Troops have entered the capital, Stepanakert, backed by artillery shelling. Azerbaijan insists the operation will continue until the enclave’s government is dissolved and its armed forces are disbanded.
IRAN: Armenians free to worship, but not in Persian
Worship in Persian (language) or witness to Muslims and you’ll go to jail! Ethnic Armenian Iranian Pastor Joseph Shahbazian was arrested on 30 June 2020 when agents from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps raided his house church gathering in Tehran [RLPB 557 (8 July 2020)]. He was sentenced in June 2022 to 10 years in prison to be followed by two years internal exile for ‘founding or leading an organisation that aims to disrupt national security’.
However, in February 2023 the Supreme Court granted him a retrial and in May his sentence was reduced to two years. Then, on the evening of 13 September, Pastor Shahbazian (59) was summoned to the Evin Prison office and informed that he had been pardoned and was free to leave prison and return to his family, including his first grandchild, born while he was incarcerated. Thank-you Lord!
‘The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective’ (powerful and effective) James 5:16b.
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Elizabeth Kendal is an international religious liberty analyst and advocate for the persecuted church. To support this ministry visit www.ElizabethKendal.com. Above updates excerpted from RLPB reports.
Elizabeth, an Adjunct Research Fellow at the Arthur Jeffery Centre for the Study of Islam, Melbourne School of Theology, has authored two books: Turn Back the Battle: Isaiah Speaks to Christians Today (Deror Books, Melbourne) which offers a biblical response to persecution and existential threat; and After Saturday Comes Sunday: Understanding the Christian Crisis in the Middle East (Wipf and Stock, Eugene, OR, USA).
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FEARFUL… OR BOLDLY TRUSTING GOD?
(September 30, 2023) Robert and Maureen McQuillan challenge…
It’s great to learn that many folk have moved on from the darkness that began hitting the world a few years ago (and still around)! People are joyfully holidaying, planning ahead, contemplating the future wisely and making decisions in respect of the like of travelling, jobs, careers, homes, suburbs, states, vehicles (electric, petrol or hybrid), schooling, churches, marriage…
One top decision is a major change of thinking – from fear to courage… ‘Flipping the Switch’ to use an old phrase, the sense of having a change of heart about many things.
We Christians can praise God for so much… salvation through His son, Jesus. And the gift of life – new life in Him. We have so much to look forward each new day because of Jesus… God is our protector, provider and friend. It’s always great to zero in on prayer each morning, Bible reading, worshipping Him and committing the new day to our Lord.
Fearfulness
But… life is life and things can go wrong!
PAUL’S GREAT CONCERN
(September 26, 2023) Brian Bell shares some thoughts on Paul’s concern about non-Christian behaviour…
The apostle Paul had spent about 18 months with the believers in the Roman city of Corinth before he moved on. During the next three years that church grew in number but, unfortunately, also encountered a range of problems. And now a disquieted Paul writes them a letter expressing some concerns.
In many senses Paul’s 1 Corinthians’ letter may be considered unpleasant reading, since he addresses some exceedingly difficult issues – what we in our generation would call – ‘non-Christian behaviours.’
Among other things he talks about is rival factions within this gathering of early believers. I would draw our attention to the following…
Paul’s Plea
In verse 1:10bNLT, a troubled Paul writes pleadingly about divisions in the church – ‘Let there be real harmony so there won’t be divisions within the church, I plead with you…’
WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG?
(September 25, 2023) Mama Lava shares a devasting experience… and adds a warning about casual flippancy.
No doubt you’ve heard people casually saying, ‘God knows what is coming. So what could possibly go wrong?’ Said it yourself?
Famous last words, right? Oh, how I’m learning not to flippantly act like I am in control of anything!
Personal example…
I had hastily volunteered to babysit my grandkids, a day’s drive from my house, while my husband Michael and the girls went to a 2-day concert the weekend.
What could possibly go wrong, right?
(more…)GOD’S PRECIOUS CONCERTO!
(September 22, 2023) Norman and Margaret Moss reflect…
Listening to the introduction to a BBC Prom the other evening, we learned that Schumann’s Piano Concerto has a romantic secret.
The Clara Code
A key theme of the concerto is a series of notes which represent the name of Schumann’s beloved Clara. Sometimes this is referred to as the Clara code.
What a precious tribute to her! Schumann had written a whole concerto through which Clara’s name is enshrined forever. A very precious concerto indeed!
But – there is another concerto that is even more precious!
(more…)YOU WANT ME TO DO WHAT? YOU’RE KIDDING!
(September 21, 2023) Richard Winter shares a challenge…
I better warn you – this is about those one of those hard sayings of Jesus, in fact one that believers must look at and act on!
Something Jesus wants us to be doing that involves denying ourselves and saying ‘Yes’ to God’s will. And it’s one of the most difficult things for all of us to do!
And what is it? you cautiously ask. It’s Jesus’ command about forgiving other people who have wronged us!
Now that’s difficult!
Yes… and no wonder that the like of Collins English Dictionary explains ‘difficult’ as ‘not easy to do, understand, or deal with: requiring effort.’
Now we humans know all about anger, bitterness, resentment, revenge, hate and grudges when we’ve been hurt. After all, aren’t these normal emotions of people?
But… you’re asking me to forgive those who have hurt me?
No, I’m not! Please stay with me here…
(more…)THE GOD OF THE ‘FEAR NOT!’
(September 17, 2023) S. Sam Selva Raj encourages troubled hearts.
Heard individuals say something along the lines of ‘Every morning I wake up only to be confronted with indescribable problems.’
They talk of burdensome problems – physical, emotional, career, financial, or family-related – constant worries that weigh them down. Frequently, they express their feelings saying, ‘This is all too overwhelming for me to handle. My problems continue to pile up and defeat me! I don’t have the strength to fight them any longer. How will I ever make it?’
What about you, dear reader?
Are you facing such experiences? Our ministry receives letters from troubled souls (even some saints) undergoing extremely difficult circumstances and asking for help. I highlight a couple –
Connecting with You! 