Friday 21 December 2012

Missionary work

the effort of churches and missionary works focusing on the unreached people group in Asia:

http://www.gcinetwork.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5&Itemid=156

Aids and missionary works focus on the persecuted church:
http://barnabasfund.org/UK/


 largest church in the middle east:




Bible verses abut persecution:
 
Romans 12:14
"Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse."

Matthew 5:43-45
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you..." 


1 Peter 3:14-15
"But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear."   


John 15:18-21
“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you... If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you... because they do not know Him who sent Me."


2 Corinthians 12:9-10
"And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong."  


2 Timothy 3:1-5, 10-14
"But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God…. And from such people turn away!
        "…all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue in the things which you have learned ..."


other verses about persecuted church:
  • God blesses right suffering. (Matthew 5:10-12; Luke 6:22-23)
  • We should not be ashamed or embarrassed about persecution. (1 Peter 4:16; Hebrews 13:12-13)
  • We must follow the example of Christ. (Philippians 2: 1-11; 1 Peter 2:19-25)
  • We must react under persecution as the Lord did. (Matthew 5:38-48; Romans 12:14,17-21; 1 Peter 2:21-23)
  • We are called to stand with those who are persecuted. (Matthew 25:31-46; Hebrews 10:32-38; 13:3)
  • We can have the victory. (John 16:33)


Rewards for suffering persecution:
  • Glory in heaven. (2 Corinthians 4:17-18; 1 Peter 5:1,10,11)
  • Eternal consolation. (2 Corinthians 1:7; Romans 8:17)
  • Christ is made known. (2 Corinthians 4:11)
  • Life is being given to others. (2 Corinthians 4:12)
  • Grace of God is being made manifest. (2 Corinthians 4:15)
  • A guarantee that God will judge righteously. (2 Thessalonians 1:4-5)
  • Will reign with him. (2 Timothy 2:12a)
  • Spirit of glory rests upon. (1 Peter 4:14)
  • Glory is brought to God. (1 Peter 4:16)
  • Reason for joy. (1 Peter 4:13-14)

Sunday 16 December 2012

Science and Noah's ark

Have you ever wondered what triggered the Genesis Flood? Genesis 7:11 tells us that a unique geologic event took place at the same moment as the Flood began: “In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.”
Most creation geologists believe that the opening of “the fountains of the great deep” refers to the breakup of the earth’s crust into plates.1 The subsequent rapid, catastrophic movement of these plates would have released huge quantities of hot subterranean waters and molten rock into the ocean. As the hot water gushed through the fractured seafloor, the water flashed into superheated steam and shot high into the atmosphere as supersonic steam jets, carrying sea water that eventually fell as rain.

more on....
 http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/am/v7/n1/meteors-trigger-flood


articles on science and Biblical point of views:
http://www.answersingenesis.org/


Friday 14 December 2012

Bible verses: the origin of cultural diversity

Genesis 11

The Tower of Babel

11 Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. As people moved eastward,[a] they found a plain in Shinar[b] and settled there.
They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”
But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.”
So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel[c]—because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth.


God's plan for all nations:

Matthew 28:19

19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,



Revelation 7: 9-10

The Great Multitude in White Robes

After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice:
“Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.”

Sunday 9 December 2012

Bible verses: Companionship with God

Revelation 3: 20
20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

Psalm 145: 18
The Lord is near to all who call on him, 
 to all who call on him in truth.

1 John 1: 7
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

James 4: 8
Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Jeremiah 29: 13
13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Sunday 2 December 2012

Bible verses: give thanks in all circumstances

 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-24
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt 21 but test them all; hold on to what is good, 22 reject every kind of evil.
23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.

Wednesday 21 November 2012

Bible verses: about forgiveness

FORGIVING someone can be difficult. The Bible can provide inspiration and direction on why and how to forgive others. Check out these 10 verses.
Most of us need encouragement to offer up forgiveness to others that have hurt us. Here are 10 encouraging Bible verses on the topic of forgiveness. I hope you enjoy them.

Top 10 Bible Verses about Forgiveness
#1 Because we are sinners we should forgive others
For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

#2 Be ready to forgive over and over again
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times? “Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.”

#3 Confess and God will forgive you for your sins
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

#4 Love will lead to forgiving others
In accordance with your great love, forgive the sin of these people, just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now.” The Lord replied, “I have forgiven them, as you asked.”


#5 Priority when it comes to forgiving others
“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.”

#6 Forgive others rather than judge others
When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”


#7 A remarkable example of forgiveness
While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.

#8 Jesus is our Model
When they came to a place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals – one on his right, the other on his left, Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

#9 Jesus’ command to us
So watch yourselves. “If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says , ‘I repent,’ forgive him.”

#10 How to treat enemies
On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
We are blessed to have God’s word to guide our lives and our actions. Let us go forth and live by His words about forgiveness.

Friday 16 November 2012

Bible verses: about love

1 Corinthians 13:4–8a  (Bible-New International Version)

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.


 http://www.buzzle.com/articles/bible-quotes-on-strength-and-courage.html

Sunday 4 November 2012

worship in rap


Powerful Testimony: the love of Jesus Christ even to those who are abandoned by their families/society


Prostitute/Addict Recovery Stories

Stories from the front lines.  The names and some details are missing or changed on purpose but the story is true.

LEARNING TO PRAY

"From the beginning of the year we've sensed a new urgency and importance to pray.  For everyone to pray.  For the 'newly believing' to pray.  And for 'our group' that means ex-prisoners, ex-addicts, and ex-prostitutes who have newly believed.  They've never been to a church service.  Never been to a prayer meeting.  So they were 'shocked' when they started praying and things happened!  Then their shock turned into faith.  These are the things that have happened: a cancerous tumor vanished in a subsequent x-ray; several AIDS sufferers in the advanced stage 4 of the virus were able to get up from their beds, start walking and resumed normal lives again - one of whom had gone blind but now can see again; several families came and burned their magical charms; and several deliverances from demons happened (we call our deliverance ministry 'Ghost Busters')."

FROM BED TO BED

"As we would go in teams to the hospital to pray for AIDS patients, people laying in beds nearby would listen and then ask if they too can be prayed for.  As a result we have seen 6 new fellowships started since the beginning of the year due to this prayer ministry.  And what used to be a twice a week visit to the hospital is now a daily ministry among the sick with a 24 hour hotline where anyone can call for immediate prayer."

CHURCH PLANTING PIMPS

"One of the AIDS patients who was in stage 4 and was healed, then invited us to her home.  It turned out that she was a Pimp with a stable of gals working out of a local pub.  So she naturally planted a church in the pub!  And her gals were her church members!  It all began with an inductive Bible study twice a week in the pub during the slow hours.  She not only started a fellowship in her pub, she has reached out to other Pimps, three of whom have now decided to follow Christ too.    They too are preparing to start Bible studies in their establishments.  And she now is going into the narcotics prison to ministry to prostitutes and pimps who are in jail and she has started another fellowship for them in the prison."

CAUGHT BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE

"One night our team was on the street talking to gals when they came across Tina.  She was just 16 and it was obvious this business was a little new to her.  She quickly started pouring out her heart as to why she was on the street.  She explained how her father had died long ago and her mother had recently had a stroke and could no longer walk so Tina was forced to find money any way she could.  While talking with Tina, she all the sudden asked if we could come to her house to pray for her mother.  Even though it was way past midnight, we headed to her house.  While praying, her mother stood up and began to try to walk again.  And she kept on walking.  And she is still walking to this day!  Totally normal again.  Tina is no longer selling herself on the street and has joined one of the ex-prostitute fellowships run by an ex-pimp.  Her mother has testified to the entire family about what happened to her and as a result a fellowship has now been planted in her home too."


Sunday 21 October 2012

Bible reading: "our daily bread"

http://odb.org/tag/reading/

Bible: New International Version
http://www.biblegateway.com/versions/New-International-Version-NIV-Bible/

Bible reading: the second coming of Lord Jesus to the temple:
Ezekiel 43: 2
 and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east.

Ezekiel 43: 4-5
The glory of the Lord entered the temple through the gate facing east. Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple.



Sunday 30 September 2012

Bible reading: Joel 2: 19-26, I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten

19 The Lord replied[a] to them:
“I am sending you grain, new wine and olive oil,
    enough to satisfy you fully;
never again will I make you
    an object of scorn to the nations.
20 “I will drive the northern horde far from you,
    pushing it into a parched and barren land;
its eastern ranks will drown in the Dead Sea
    and its western ranks in the Mediterranean Sea.
And its stench will go up;
    its smell will rise.”
Surely he has done great things!
21     Do not be afraid, land of Judah;
    be glad and rejoice.
Surely the Lord has done great things!
22     Do not be afraid, you wild animals,
    for the pastures in the wilderness are becoming green.
The trees are bearing their fruit;
    the fig tree and the vine yield their riches.
23 Be glad, people of Zion,
    rejoice in the Lord your God,
for he has given you the autumn rains
    because he is faithful.
He sends you abundant showers,
    both autumn and spring rains, as before.
24 The threshing floors will be filled with grain;
    the vats will overflow with new wine and oil.
25 “I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten—
    the great locust and the young locust,
    the other locusts and the locust swarm[b]
my great army that I sent among you.
26 You will have plenty to eat, until you are full,
    and you will praise the name of the Lord your God,
    who has worked wonders for you;
never again will my people be shamed.

prayer for the nation

1 John 1: 9 says: if we confess our sins, You are faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Father, upon your word we stand forgiven. Thank you.

We hereby proclaim and declare the Lordship of Jesus Christ over ...... (name of the country). We declare Jesus reigns and rules over and in ......

We pray for God's blessings upon our country.

We pray for economic advancement. We pray for fruitfulness for all the works in the government and private sector. We pray for the leaders selected in the government sector  are those with competencies, have a heart to serve the people with compassion and justice.

We declare that God's will, plans and purposes for .......in heaven is done on earth.

We decree the return of God's people to love God, to keep His commandments, to delight to walk in the fear of God and to serve Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength in Jesus' name.

We decree God's intervention and establishment of a God-fearing government in ....... in Jesus's name.

We decree the government to be God-fearing, loyal, united and govern in fairness, justice, righteousness, truth and wisdom in Jesus' name.

We decree greater representation of God's people in the administrative arm of the government, e.g the army, the police force and civil service, in Jesus' name.

We decree an awakening across ...... from the apathy of corruption and injustice to champion righteousness, justice and truth in Jesus' name.

We decree spiritual blindness and deafness over the people be broken and destroyed, in Jesus' name

We decree all oppressive and unjust laws abolished in Jesus' name.

We decree government policies to be founded on godly principles to produce socially sound and academically excellence generation of men and women, in Jesus name.

We decree the lost in ...... redeemed into the Kingdom of Christ in Jesus' name.

In the name of Jesus, we declare that a new season has begun for the people of God in ...... (country), that we will move from fear to faith, from intimidation to courage, from timidity to boldness, from compromise to steadfastness, from slumber to wakefulness, from mourning to rejoicing, from slack to vigour, from hesitation to vibrancy, from weakness to strength,  from monotony to creativity, from fruitfulness to fruitfulness, from strength to strength, from glory to glory, from victory to victory, that the name of Jesus Christ may be glorified in all the earth. Amen!