Weekly Prayer Updates Update 06/28/2013

vom groups weekly prayer updates "Prayer is the pulse of life; by it the doctor can tell what is the condition of the heart. The sin of prayerlessness is a proof for the ordinary Christian or minister that the life of God in the soul is in deadly sickness and weakness." - Andrew Murray "praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints" - Ephesians 6:18 VOM-USA Prayer Update for June 22, 2013 On Fri. Jun 21 2013 at 02:39 PM Moderator wrote: Mexico--Christians in Chiapas Forced from Homes Source: VOM Sources Psalm 34:15 Twenty-six Christian families were recently forced to leave their homes in Las Margaritas, Chiapas, Mexico, when local authorities denied them municipal services, including water and electricity. A spokesperson for the families said authorities demanded the equivalent of $380 per family and that the families abandon their evangelical faith in exchange for reinstating the services. "The community didn't kick us out directly," the spokesperson said. "But ... we didn't have water, they didn't allow us to gather wood. Sunday at 9 p.m., 130 people left the city, and we remain as refugees." The group said the conflict originated from their refusal to contribute to local religious festivals of those who mix folk beliefs with Catholicism. The festivals involve large amounts of alcohol and debauchery.[/quote] Tanzania--Two Pastors Attacked by Muslim Extremists Source: VOM Sources Isaiah 64:1-4 On June 2, Pastor Robert Ngai in Geita, northeastern Tanzania, was attacked by a large group of radical Muslims. The attackers broke into his home and attacked him with machetes. The pastor received serious cuts on his hands and arms when he raised his arms to protect his head from the blows. The injuries were beyond local doctors' ability to treat, so he was rushed to a hospital in a nearby, larger city for treatment. Ngai is the pastor of the Evangelical Assemblies of God Church. At last word from VOM contacts, he was still in ICU. Two nights before the attack on Pastor Ngai, the home of Pastor Daudi Nzumbi in Geita also came under attack. Pastor Nzumbi leads the Free Pentecostal Church of Tanzania (FPCT) in Geita. Thankfully, the attackers fled after they were confronted by Pastor Nzumbi's large, barking dogs. When Pastor Nzumbi called the police, the officer in charge told him, "I cannot protect every pastor!"[/quote] Iran--Three Christians Arrested Sources: VOM Sources, Mohabat News 1 Peter 4:13-14 Three Christian converts were arrested on May 29 at a house church service in Esfahan. Security forces entered the house and arrested Mohammad-Reza Farid, Saeed Safi and Hamid-Reza Ghadiri. Authorities also seized the Christians' identification cards, and family members have not been told where the men were taken. Christians, especially those who are of Persian ethnicity, have faced increasing persecution as Iran's Islamic regime attempts to stop the growth of Christianity.[/quote] Bangladesh--VOM Project Pray for Christian families who will receive hand-pump water wells. Muslims in Bangladesh often pressure Christian converts from Islam by forbidding them to use community wells, saying they don't want the wells contaminated by "infidels."[/quote] ************* • Printer-Friendly Format • Add the PrisonerAlert application on Facebook • Download the prayer application on the iTunes Store or the Android Marketplace • Download the photo issue application on the iTunes Store or the Android Marketplace • Digital versions of our books are available on the Amazon.com Kindle and Barnes & Noble NOOK bookstores: search for Living Sacrifice Book Company[/quote] VOM-USA Prayer Update for June 28, 2013 On Thu. Jun 27 2013 at 03:33 PM Moderator wrote: Laos--Evicted Christians Refuse to Leave Faith Source: VOM Sources Deuteronomy 31:6 Local authorities in Laos have revoked the citizenship of six Christian families and taken their farmland, demanding they abandon their Christian faith. In December, authorities confiscated the families' registration papers, and later they took the deeds to their land. On May 7, when two Christian leaders attempted to intercede for the families with the vice president of the Patriotic Front, they were told that return of the families' registration papers and land deeds was contingent on the families renouncing their faith. But the families have remained steadfast in their faith. "We are willing to die rather than renounce our faith," a family representative said. VOM is helping the believers with food and fuel. Please pray for continued provision, encouragement and protection.[/quote] Tajikastan--Christian Convert Persecuted by Family Source: VOM Sources Psalm 143:7-10 Nadia, a recent Christian convert in Tajikistan, is experiencing severe persecution from Muslim family members. Nadia converted from Islam to Christianity in 2011. When her mother learned of her conversion, she beat Nadia, burned her Bible and tore her clothing. Nadia tried to run away, but her brothers found her. They shaved her hair, gave her a public beating and then locked her in their house. When she ran away, they caught her again. Nadia called a VOM contact on June 9 in tears, saying her family had beaten her again, this time for hours. They also forced her to say the Muslim statement of faith. The VOM contact has since been unable to reach Nadia by phone and assumes her family had it disconnected. Please pray that this young sister will remain strong in her faith and that the Lord will bring her family to Christ.[/quote] Nigeria--Christians Murdered by Muslim Militants Source: VOM Sources Romans 8:35-39 On May 5, suspected members of the Boko Haram sect murdered 17 Christians in Nigeria's Adamawa state. The militants arrived in Jilan village at a time when most Christians were in church. They killed seven Christians who were carrying Bibles on their way to the church and killed 10 more after arriving at the church. In addition, 12 Christians were severely injured in the shootings. Many of those killed had children, who are now orphaned and left without provision. Please pray for healing, comfort and provision for Christians in this village.[/quote] North Korea--VOM Project Pray for the project that will teach 30 North Korean defector women how to minister to their families inside North Korea.[/quote] ************* • Printer-Friendly Format • Add the PrisonerAlert application on Facebook • Download the prayer application on the iTunes Store or the Android Marketplace • Download the photo issue application on the iTunes Store or the Android Marketplace • Digital versions of our books are available on the Amazon.com Kindle and Barnes & Noble NOOK bookstores: search for Living Sacrifice Book Company[/quote] Suggested Links Persecution.com The Voice of the Martyrs official homepage. Find links to our programs, read news about recent events, and learn more about the organization. VOMBooks.com Order books, videos, and other materials related to the persecuted church through our secure online store. Like us on Facebook Become a fan of VOM on Facebook! Connect with other fans and discuss recent events. PrisonerAlert.com Write to a Christian Prisoner in their own language! Use our letter-writing template online to build your letter, and send it by mail to a needy Christian. Follow us on Twitter Follow VOM-USA on Twitter for updates and prayer requests. You are receiving this email because you subscribed to the Weekly Prayer Updates topic at www.vomgroups.com. If you have received this email in error or if you wish to unsubscribe, click here.

Secret Church

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New Leadership or “New Leadership”? Posted: 25 Jun 2013 04:15 AM PDT The votes are in. Two weekends ago, Hassan Rouhani was elected President of Iran. What this means for Christians in Iran is not yet clear. In a country whose government suppresses Christianity, it might have been expected that believers would express hope for improvement under President Rouhani’s fresh leadership. However, according to an Open Doors field worker, Christians there “seemed rather apathetic about the elections.” The worker went on to explain that “they don’t seem to expect significant changes in Iran’s policies against Christians.” Why the seemingly pessimistic expectations? Although Rouhani spoke of repairing the tattered relationship Iran has with the western world while campaigning, even of releasing political prisoners, he remains loyal to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, and Ayatollah Khamenei does not have the reputation of a “reformer.” This is significant because the way Iran’s government is set up, the Ayatollah is actually the religious and political head, over even the president. Unfortunately, Ayatollah Khamenei’s track record makes it clear that he is not exercising his authority in Christians’ favor… it was under his leadership that former President Manhmoud Ahmadinejad ramped up persecution of religious minorities. Listen to this Iranian believer’s solemn warning: "In your Western media, the candidates are divided into conservatives and reformers, as if there is a choice, but let me tell you this: there is no choice. All of the candidates are from Ayatollah Khamenei's team." So with President Rouhani on what appears to be a tight leash, and being unsure of how serious he was about his campaign promises anyway, the future for Christians in Iran is uncertain. The question is, “Will anything actually change under the supposed new leadership?” and at this point it is unanswerable. While there is not yet reason for despair, there is reason for concern. And while Christians always have reason for hope and joy, only time will tell if they currently have a reason for celebrating under the direction of President Rouhani. We need to pray for our brothers and sisters in Iran. This information was gathered from an Open Doors prayer update.

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Weekly Prayer Updates Update 06/22/2013

vom groups weekly prayer updates "Prayer is the pulse of life; by it the doctor can tell what is the condition of the heart. The sin of prayerlessness is a proof for the ordinary Christian or minister that the life of God in the soul is in deadly sickness and weakness." - Andrew Murray "praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints" - Ephesians 6:18 VOM-USA Prayer Update for June 22, 2013 On Fri. Jun 21 2013 at 02:39 PM Moderator wrote: Mexico--Christians in Chiapas Forced from Homes Source: VOM Sources Psalm 34:15 Twenty-six Christian families were recently forced to leave their homes in Las Margaritas, Chiapas, Mexico, when local authorities denied them municipal services, including water and electricity. A spokesperson for the families said authorities demanded the equivalent of $380 per family and that the families abandon their evangelical faith in exchange for reinstating the services. "The community didn't kick us out directly," the spokesperson said. "But ... we didn't have water, they didn't allow us to gather wood. Sunday at 9 p.m., 130 people left the city, and we remain as refugees." The group said the conflict originated from their refusal to contribute to local religious festivals of those who mix folk beliefs with Catholicism. The festivals involve large amounts of alcohol and debauchery.[/quote] Tanzania--Two Pastors Attacked by Muslim Extremists Source: VOM Sources Isaiah 64:1-4 On June 2, Pastor Robert Ngai in Geita, northeastern Tanzania, was attacked by a large group of radical Muslims. The attackers broke into his home and attacked him with machetes. The pastor received serious cuts on his hands and arms when he raised his arms to protect his head from the blows. The injuries were beyond local doctors' ability to treat, so he was rushed to a hospital in a nearby, larger city for treatment. Ngai is the pastor of the Evangelical Assemblies of God Church. At last word from VOM contacts, he was still in ICU. Two nights before the attack on Pastor Ngai, the home of Pastor Daudi Nzumbi in Geita also came under attack. Pastor Nzumbi leads the Free Pentecostal Church of Tanzania (FPCT) in Geita. Thankfully, the attackers fled after they were confronted by Pastor Nzumbi's large, barking dogs. When Pastor Nzumbi called the police, the officer in charge told him, "I cannot protect every pastor!"[/quote] Iran--Three Christians Arrested Sources: VOM Sources, Mohabat News 1 Peter 4:13-14 Three Christian converts were arrested on May 29 at a house church service in Esfahan. Security forces entered the house and arrested Mohammad-Reza Farid, Saeed Safi and Hamid-Reza Ghadiri. Authorities also seized the Christians' identification cards, and family members have not been told where the men were taken. Christians, especially those who are of Persian ethnicity, have faced increasing persecution as Iran's Islamic regime attempts to stop the growth of Christianity.[/quote] Bangladesh--VOM Project Pray for Christian families who will receive hand-pump water wells. Muslims in Bangladesh often pressure Christian converts from Islam by forbidding them to use community wells, saying they don't want the wells contaminated by "infidels."[/quote] ************* • Printer-Friendly Format • Add the PrisonerAlert application on Facebook • Download the prayer application on the iTunes Store or the Android Marketplace • Download the photo issue application on the iTunes Store or the Android Marketplace • Digital versions of our books are available on the Amazon.com Kindle and Barnes & Noble NOOK bookstores: search for Living Sacrifice Book Company[/quote] Suggested Links Persecution.com The Voice of the Martyrs official homepage. Find links to our programs, read news about recent events, and learn more about the organization. VOMBooks.com Order books, videos, and other materials related to the persecuted church through our secure online store. Like us on Facebook Become a fan of VOM on Facebook! Connect with other fans and discuss recent events. PrisonerAlert.com Write to a Christian Prisoner in their own language! Use our letter-writing template online to build your letter, and send it by mail to a needy Christian. Follow us on Twitter Follow VOM-USA on Twitter for updates and prayer requests. You are receiving this email because you subscribed to the Weekly Prayer Updates topic at www.vomgroups.com. If you have received this email in error or if you wish to unsubscribe, click here.

Secret Church

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Having Trouble with the Old Testament? Posted: 20 Jun 2013 06:41 AM PDT Is it a struggle for you to read and understand the Old Testament? You can be honest. Many of us say that the Old Testament is important because it’s in God’s Word, which is obviously true, but in reality we’re not very motivated to read it. If that’s you, then consider going through Secret Church 1: Survey of the Old Testament. Pastor David Platt gives an overview of every book in the Old Testament, as well as principles for how to interpret this sometimes intimidating portion of Scripture. Below you’ll find a excerpt taken from the opening section of this study. Have you bought into one of these myths about the Old Testament? Common Myths The Old Testament is insignificant. Many times we think this is just background material for the New Testament. Why would we want to pay attention to the first half of the game if we already know the result of the second half of the game? Why would we want to sit in the stands with a blocked view when you can already see on the field what unfolds in the New Testament?  It is really not that significant for us in the 21st Century. The Old Testament is irrelevant. It contains a lot of things we don’t observe, things which don’t seem to relate to our lives anymore. There are a lot of people, even in Christianity, who say that the Old Testament is more for Israel and not for us. Let’s be honest, what relevance does an ancient animal-slaughtering religion that talks about God in a portable tent have for Christianity in the 21st Century? What does that really have to do with us? Have you ever read a passage in the Old Testament and just thought, “Why, Lord, did you decide to include that?” The Old Testament is inconsistent. It doesn’t make sense in light of the New Testament. This is where a lot of people disconnect the Old Testament from Christianity as a whole. They look at the Old Testament as a Jewish book. There are cults that use the Old Testament as well, such as Mormons. Even Muslims use parts of the Old Testament as part of their Scripture. The most commonly asked question is, “Why would the God of grace, love, mercy and compassion we see unfold in the New Testament, pour out judgment, wrath and punishment of sin in the Old Testament?” How do they go together? How do you explain the judgment that we see in the Old Testament, where entire nations are wiped out? How do you justify that with the God of love and grace and mercy? It seems inconsistent. The Old Testament is incomprehensible. What we basically think is that it is too cumbersome, or it is confusing and doesn’t make sense. It often leads us to boredom, apathy and neglect. It is just plain hard to understand. The books are large. They are filled with all kinds of history that many of us don’t know,  as well as unpronounceable names that we never could begin to talk about. How do you really begin to understand this? It is overwhelming. It is long. It is tedious. We are a lot more familiar with the Gospels where we see Jesus. As a result, we use the Old Testament every once in a while in our quiet times, but the bulk of our faith is dependent on the New Testament. The Old Testament just doesn’t make sense. The Central Message Well, these are myths I hope will be dispelled by one central message: The Old Testament is invaluable. If we abandon the books of the Old Testament, then we abandon the revelation of God. More than that, we hinder our ability to understand the New Testament’s revelation of God. If we abandon the Old Testament, we will never get the picture that the New Testament is trying to teach us. The key to the New Testament is the Old Testament. There are at least 1600 direct quotations of the Old Testament in the New Testament, in addition to all kinds of allusions and references to it. If we don’t get what the Old Testament teaches, we will never get Christ. It is important for us to remember that the Lord of the universe who gave us this book does not waste words. He gave us this entire book for a reason. It doesn’t mean that it is not confusing or tedious or doesn’t make sense. I will go ahead and be honest; I am not going to be able to answer all the questions that come up in the Old Testament. My desire is for us to see an overall picture of what God is doing and why the Old Testament is so important. Visit our Resource Library where you can find this and other Secret Church material. The audio and video downloads are free, as is the Study Guide that accompanies the teaching.  You also have the option of purchasing DVD’s and hard copies of Study Guides through our online store.

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Zondervan Blog

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Summer fun with LarryBoy Posted: 19 Jun 2013 02:45 PM PDT Admit it: at some point this summer, you've heard the words, "I'm bored" from your kids. Why not take them on an adventure that will both inspire them and get them excited about reading? With the LarryBoy series, even reluctant readers will love exploring the madcap adventures the LarryBoy (cucumber by day, superhero in disguise) continually stumbles upon. For example, in LarryBoy and the Crusty Crew, LarryBoy faces villains and falls prey to their evil schemes. He's overtaken by greed when he goes against Greedy Green Greta. Sharing becomes sticky when LarryBoy battles the Over-Easy-Egg Ray. And when Australian super-villain, Outback Jack searches for buried treasure, no veggie will stand in his way! LarryBoy and the Crusty Crew contains three, previously published, early chapter books: LarryBoy and The Yodel Napper, LarryBoy in the Good, the Bad and the Eggly, and LarryBoy in the Attack of Outback Jack. Sound like the perfect book to get your kids interested and excited about reading? Read more about LarryBoy and the Crusty Crew (and other LarryBoy series books) here!

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Secret Church

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Being Pro-Church for Israelis and Palestinians Posted: 17 Jun 2013 09:58 AM PDT In a brief statement released this past Saturday, Open Doors made clear their position on Israeli and Palestinian Christians. In a conflict consisting of bitter sentiments and deadly violence, Open Doors has chosen to be fully supportive of the Church on both sides of the ongoing battle in the Middle East. “Open Doors is not against the Jews, nor are we for or against the Palestinians. We are for the Church in the Middle East, both Messianic congregations and Palestinian churches.” They go on to say that their organization “does not take sides, but rather, we support the Church wherever it is struggling for survival, and that certainly is the situation among the Palestinians and Messianic Jews.” It’s a politically-charged issue that’s as complex as it is turbulent, and regardless of your position on what steps should or should not be taken by governments and militaries, one thing is certain: we must support the hurting Church on both sides of this conflict. As Open Doors put it, “An important part of strengthening the persecuted Church is involvement of the body of Christ living in the free world, which needs to pray for them and provide the resources required to assist their persecuted brethren.” Open Doors’ support of both Israeli and Palestinian Christians is instructive for us as we seek to honor Christ in our love for his global Church. Let’s not be selective in our love and support of different members of the Body. To better inform your prayers, here is a recent Open Doors prayer update on some of the struggles facing Israeli believers as well as some ways you can pray for Palestinian believers in Gaza and the West Bank.

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Weekly Prayer Updates Update 06/14/2013

vom groups weekly prayer updates "Prayer is the pulse of life; by it the doctor can tell what is the condition of the heart. The sin of prayerlessness is a proof for the ordinary Christian or minister that the life of God in the soul is in deadly sickness and weakness." - Andrew Murray "praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints" - Ephesians 6:18 VOM-USA Prayer Update for June 14, 2013 On Thu. Jun 13 2013 at 03:19 PM Moderator wrote: Afghanistan--Foreign Workers Denied Visas Source: VOM Sources Proverbs 19:21 The government of Afghanistan is refusing to issue or renew visas for a large number of foreign workers from several international organizations. Unconfirmed reports from government employees indicate that the Afghan government is implementing new policies to drastically reduce the number of foreign workers, a change that will negatively affect many international Christian organizations. Afghanistan is a 99 percent Muslim nation that includes militant groups known to target Christians and Westerners. Pray that the gospel will continue to spread despite any new government restrictions.[/quote] Philippines--Christians Forced to Flee Homes Source: VOM Sources Isaiah 43:1-2 One hundred sixty Christians were recently forced to flee their village after it was attacked by Muslim extremists, according to a VOM worker. The villages of Malipayon, Saban of Barnagay, Maybula and New Bunawan were attacked at about 9 a.m. on Saturday, June 1. An estimated 300 armed men fired more than five mortars into the village. The Christians who fled the attack are now in need of food, mosquito nets, bed sheets, sleeping mats and medicine. Many have become ill because they were not able to take their bedding or medicines when they left their homes. The Christians are currently unable to return to the village because they fear that the Muslims will kill them and burn their homes. VOM has provided the Christians with basic necessities such as food, mosquito nets, blankets and medicine. Please pray that these brothers and sisters will continue to place their hope in the Lord and be able to forgive their persecutors.[/quote] Somalia--Christian Woman Imprisoned and Tortured Source: VOM Sources 2 Timothy 1:7 A Christian woman in Somalia was imprisoned recently for participating in underground Christian work, VOM workers report. "Fatima" had helped with underground work for 10 years before being arrested on Monday, May 27. She has reportedly faced questioning and severe torture, and Somali authorities have said she will be kept in prison for three months. Fatima has not been allowed to use her cell phone, and her exact location is unknown. Pray for Fatima's protection, and pray that God will grant her courage and peace during her imprisonment. Pray also that Somali believers will remain faithful and will resist pressure to return to Islam.[/quote] Nepal--VOM Project Pray for 25 PSP pastors who will receive bicycles for use in spreading the gospel to people in remote areas. These pastors currently walk 15 to 20 kilometers each day to share the gospel with others.[/quote] ************* • Printer-Friendly Format • Add the PrisonerAlert application on Facebook • Download the prayer application on the iTunes Store or the Android Marketplace • Download the photo issue application on the iTunes Store or the Android Marketplace • Digital versions of our books are available on the Amazon.com Kindle and Barnes & Noble NOOK bookstores: search for Living Sacrifice Book Company[/quote] Suggested Links Persecution.com The Voice of the Martyrs official homepage. Find links to our programs, read news about recent events, and learn more about the organization. VOMBooks.com Order books, videos, and other materials related to the persecuted church through our secure online store. Like us on Facebook Become a fan of VOM on Facebook! Connect with other fans and discuss recent events. PrisonerAlert.com Write to a Christian Prisoner in their own language! Use our letter-writing template online to build your letter, and send it by mail to a needy Christian. Follow us on Twitter Follow VOM-USA on Twitter for updates and prayer requests. You are receiving this email because you subscribed to the Weekly Prayer Updates topic at www.vomgroups.com. If you have received this email in error or if you wish to unsubscribe, click here.