Radical Experiment-FBCW: 2013-09

2013-09-27

Weekly Prayer Updates Update 09/27/2013

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 September 27, 2013
On Thu. Sep 26 2013 at 03:01 PM Moderator wrote:
Pakistan--Suicide Bombers Kill 81 During Worship Service
Sources: VOM Sources, CNN News

Isaiah 64:1-3

At least 81 people, including choir members and children attending Sunday school, were killed on Sept. 22 in the suicide bombing of a church in Peshawar, northwest Pakistan. VOM sources estimate that the final death toll could be over 100, with well over 120 people injured. This is thought to be the most deadly attack ever on Pakistani Christians. The suicide bombers entered the church compound through the main gate before detonating their explosives near the worshipers. The attack has prompted significant public outcry and rioting in the streets. Most Muslim leaders are strongly condemning the attack, and the government is working to help victims.[/quote]

Tanzania--Pastor Severely Burned in Acid Attack
Sources: VOM Sources, The Washington Post

Psalm 30:2

A pastor in Zanzibar, Tanzania, has suffered severe burns after having acid poured on him by one or more Muslims just outside an Internet café. Pastor Anselm Mwang'amba, 61, received burns on his face, chest and arms. VOM sources report that although Mwang'amba cried out for help, the Muslim owners of the Internet café delayed bringing water to dilute the burning acid. Mwang'amba was taken to the Mnazi Mmoja Hospital in Zanzibar, but church leaders are considering transferring him to a hospital in Dar es Salaam to keep him farther away from his persecutors. Christian leaders have linked the attack to an Islamist group known as "Awakening," who are campaigning for Zanzibar's independence as an Islamic state.[/quote]

Laos--Believers Persecuted by Family, Government and Community
Source: VOM Sources

1 Corinthians 15:54

Christians in Laos continue to face persecution from a variety of sources. Nong Bon, a 14-year-old girl, was beaten by her parents for converting to Christianity. After she refused their demands that she renounce Christ, the family threatened to sell her into prostitution in the capital city of Vientiane. Nong Bon fled her home before the family could sell her, and she is now living with a Christian family in another village. Elsewhere, a pastor named Asa was arrested and charged with converting others to the Christian faith. VOM is supporting his wife and four children. In other villages, Christian families have had their crops destroyed and have been evicted from their homes. In some instances, the government has even loaded Christians into trucks, driven them miles away from their village and forced them to live in areas with poor soil and no water.[/quote]

Jordan--VOM Project

Pray for indigenous evangelists that VOM helps disciple and support. These evangelists live in difficult, unreached areas where Christians have been attacked and killed in recent years.[/quote]

Nigeria--VOM Project

Pray for provision and encouragement of Nigerian widows and for VOM's support of them.[/quote]

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• Digital versions of our books are available on the Amazon.com Kindle and Barnes & Noble NOOK bookstores: search for Living Sacrifice Book Company or visit the eBooks aisle on VOMBooks.com.[/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.

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.

2013-09-26

Secret Church

Encouragement from the Hui

Posted: 25 Sep 2013 10:01 PM PDT

We recently received an email update on the work that is going on among the Hui (you can sign up for updates here), and wanted to share it with you. Be encouraged that God is moving in powerful ways. Be encouraged that your prayers are heard and answered. And be encouraged to keep praying.

God has been opening doors this summer!

We have been blessed to hear several stories in the last few weeks of how God has been working among the Hui this Summer. At one university in China, a believer was in his class when a Hui student walked in looking for his class. It turned out that this Hui student didn’t have class that day, but he stayed which allowed the believer to start a conversation. A friendship is now developing and opportunities to share the Gospel. Pray that this young Hui student will be open to the Gospel and turn to follow Jesus.

In another part of the country, we learned that several believers are now intentionally living among the Hui and developing friendships with Hui people in order to proclaim the Gospel! God moved these families to intentionally plant their lives among the Hui for the spread of the Gospel! Pray for them that God will bless their faithfulness. May a Hui church form in this city!

We also have heard in the last 6 months of 2 churches forming among Hui believers in two different places in Asia. They are still in formation and very fragile, but it is great to hear that God is bringing Hui believers together to worship Him!

Praise God for how He is working among the Hui!

For more information on the Hui people and how you can pray for them, be sure to check out Pray4Hui.com.

2013-09-24

Secret Church

As Lambs in the Midst of Wolves

Posted: 23 Sep 2013 10:01 PM PDT

Over the weekend, enemies of Christ made themselves apparent by attacking his followers. One of the attacks was carried out by the Islamist terrorist group Al-Shabaab, in a Nairobi mall. The attackers killed at least 62 people, injuring 175. Witnesses say they let Muslims go free before they began shooting people. The other attack occurred at the hands of two suicide bombers in a Pakistani church of 500. 81 were killed, and 120 are wounded. The terrorist group that claimed responsibility for the attack is a “splinter group” of the Pakistani Taliban.

How are believers supposed to respond to such violent opposition? From 1 Peter, let me suggest six godly reactions.

1. Bless The Attackers
“Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing” (3:9). Blessing those who curse or harm you requires supernatural grace. Thankfully, God is not stingy with such grace. By his Spirit, we can say with Jesus, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

2. Prepare Yourself
“Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect” (3:14b-15). In God’s sovereign, other-worldly wisdom, at your weakest, most vulnerable point, the potential for gospel proclamation is strongest. May each incident of persecution remind us to prepare ourselves well for the next, that we may be able give gospel answers that explain our gospel hope.

3. Rejoice
“But rejoice insofar as you share in Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed” (4:13). Just as unnatural as blessing our enemies is rejoicing in persecution. It is the height of Christlikeness, it is motivated by the promise of glory to come, and it can occur only because of God’s grace.

4. Endure in Faith
” Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good” (4:19). God is sovereign, and his suffering children are suffering “according to [his] will.” This alone is not all that comforting. However, when taken with the promise that he is our faithful Creator to whom we can entrust our souls, his sovereignty couldn’t be more encouraging. Having faith that, no matter what happens, God will see us through, leads to a heavenly perspective.

5. Pray
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you” (5:6-7). Our sinful unbelief tends to make even the simplest of privileges difficult. If we saw God for who he is, our mighty and faithful Creator who cares for us, how easy would it be to trust him in prayer when we’re faced with suffering! May God give us eyes to see the loving care he has for his people so that we can then humbly surrender all our anxieties to him, both for ourselves and our brothers and sisters in Pakistan, Kenya, and the rest of the world.

6. Resist Temptation
“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world” (5:8-9). None of us are alone in our suffering. We must not buy into the devils’s malicious schemes to convince us otherwise.

All of these reactions are rooted in the promise that “after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace , who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen” (5:10-11).

2013-09-20

Secret Church

Announcing Secret Church 14: The Cross and Everyday Life

Posted: 19 Sep 2013 12:03 PM PDT

The topic for Secret Church 14: "The Cross & Everyday Life"

Lord willing, on Good Friday (April 18, 2014), we’ll gather together to think about the effect Christ's saving work ought to have on our everyday lives… how we work, play, eat, and drink. We'll consider what it means to do everything to the glory of God (1 Cor 10:31).

Registration for Secret Church 14 will open in mid-October, so be sure and check out the Secret Church website for more information. If you'd like to receive more information about Secret Church 14 and how to register for the simulcast, you can sign up for email updates here.

Don’t be afraid to start planning now! Gather with your small group or your church and join us as we seek to know God's Word and pray for persecuted followers of Christ around the world.

Weekly Prayer Updates Update 09/20/2013

vom groups

weekly prayer updates

VOM-USA Prayer Update for September 20, 2013
On Thu. Sep 19 2013 at 02:06 PM Moderator wrote:
Morocco--Christian Man Imprisoned for Evangelism
Sources: World Watch Monitor, VOM Sources

Psalm 119:49-50

Mohamed el Baldi, a Moroccan Christian from the town of Ain Aicha, has been fined and sentenced to two and a half years in prison for sharing the gospel. Mohamed, age 34, was arrested after an Aug. 28 raid on his house in which his Bible and other Christian materials were confiscated. VOM sources report that Mohamed was mistreated during the first night of his arrest. At a court hearing on Sept. 3, he was ordered to pay 5,000 dirhams (about $600) for "shaking the faith of a Muslim." Propagating Christianity is prohibited under the Moroccan penal code. By law, the maximum punishment is three to six months in prison with a fine of 200 to 500 dirhams. Mohamed has contacted a lawyer to appeal his case.[/quote]

Egypt--Christians Forced to Pay Muslim Brotherhood for Safety
Source: VOM Sources

Job 36:15

Christians in the city of Dalga have been forced to pay a tax, called "jizya," to the Muslim Brotherhood to prevent attacks by the group. The nearly 20,000 Christians in Dalga lived in peace with their Muslim neighbors until President Morsi was removed from office on July 3. Since then, Christians have had to pay the Muslim Brotherhood anywhere from 200 to 1,000 Egyptian pounds ($30 to $150) per day to prevent attacks by the group's Islamist members. Christians report that neither police nor government officials nor the Egyptian army will protect Christians in the area. More than 150 Christian families have fled Dalga because they could not pay the jizya tax, which is now being required of non-Muslims in other areas as well. On Sept. 12, Emad Lotfy Demian, a 50-year-old husband and father of five, and his cousin Medhat Demian, a 37-year-old husband and father of three, were murdered by members of the Muslim Brotherhood after refusing to pay a jizya of 10,000 pounds ($1,500).[/quote]

Nigeria--Twenty-Five Churches Slated for Demolition
Sources: VOM Sources, AllAfrica

Jeremiah 1:19

Government authorities in northern Nigeria's Borno state plan to demolish 25 churches and schools, ostensibly to make room for new housing. However, no plans for the housing development have been produced. Christian leaders believe this is another attempt by local governments in northern Nigeria to persecute the Christian minority. The proposed demolitions would compound security challenges that Christians already face from the militant group Boko Haram. "We have seen the eviction notice from Borno state government," said Dr. Asake, general secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria. "We are Nigerians, and there are other places where the state government can develop. The areas earmarked for demolition are already developed with churches and schools. Christians have already suffered enough in Borno state."[/quote]

Azerbaijan--VOM Project

Pray for 20 indigenous ministers that VOM supports in Azerbaijan. The government in Azerbaijan persecutes unregistered churches throughout the country and confiscates Christian literature.[/quote]

Colombia--VOM Project

Pray for provision and encouragement of Colombian widows and for VOM's support of them.[/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 or visit the eBooks aisle on VOMBooks.com.[/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.

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.

2013-09-18

Secret Church

The Death of a Martyr and Birth of a Hymn

Posted: 17 Sep 2013 01:00 AM PDT

In this short video, Open Doors’ One With Them initiative describes the powerful story behind a well-loved hymn. As you listen to the story, hear the song with new ears and count the cost, urging others to do the same.

2013-09-13

Secret Church

God and Evil

Posted: 12 Sep 2013 07:27 AM PDT

How can God be both all powerful and all good, and evil exist in the world? David Platt addresses this age old question, widely known as the problem of evil, in “Secret Church 4: Who Is God?”

To view SC 4 in its entirety, click here. To purchase DVDs or study guides from our online store, click here.

Weekly Prayer Updates Update 09/13/2013

vom groups

weekly prayer updates

VOM-USA Prayer Update for September 13, 2013
On Mon. Sep 09 2013 at 02:57 PM Moderator wrote:
Vietnam--Christians Assaulted by Police
Source: Christian Solidarity Worldwide

James 1:12

On July 31, a group of Christians were assaulted by police in Ho Chi Minh City, where they had gathered for prayer in front of the Notre Dame Cathedral. Police broke up their prayer meeting and dragged the Christians away to waiting buses. Those who showed any resistance were brutally beaten, and a number of Christians required medical treatment at a hospital following the attack. The Christians had been praying for a resolution to land disputes with the government, which routinely confiscates Christians' property. Pray for the recovery of the injured Christians, and pray for their continued strength amid persecution.[/quote]

Philippines--Displaced Christians Wait to Return Home
Source: VOM Sources

1 Peter 1:6-7

VOM is helping hundreds of Christians who were run out of their villages at the end of July by the Muslim Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF). The government has provided only 1 or 2 kilograms of rice to the evacuees, not nearly enough to sustain them. VOM has provided 168 Christian evacuee families with food supplies, mosquito nets, sleeping mats, blankets and medicine. The Christians have been unable to return home, as the BIFF remain in their villages, but some of the men still attempt to sneak back into the villages to get food for their families. Please pray that these believers will be able to return to their homes soon and that they will be encouraged together as the body of Christ during this difficult time.[/quote]

Syria--A Call for Prayer
Source: VOM Sources

Psalm 112:4

Syrian church leaders welcomed and endorsed the Sept. 7 day of prayer and fasting called for by Pope Francis on behalf of Syria. The death toll and number of displaced persons in Syria continue to rise. An estimated 4 million are displaced within the country, and more than 2 million are officially registered as refugees in neighboring countries; an unknown number of refugees have not officially registered. Syrian Christians' fears for their communities were heightened by clashes on Sept. 4 near the historic Christian village of Maaloula, 40 miles north of Damascus. According to AP news, Syrian activists say that Maaloula is now controlled by al-Qaida linked fighters.[/quote]

Pakistan--VOM Project

Pray for a project that provides Asia Bibi and her family with continued living expenses and house rent as well as money to hire an attorney. Asia Bibi was arrested on blasphemy charges on June 19, 2009, and has been imprisoned ever since.[/quote]

Nigeria--VOM Project

Pray for provision and encouragement of Nigerian widows and for VOM's support of them.[/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 or visit the eBooks aisle on VOMBooks.com.[/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.

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.

Radical Experiment-FBCW

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