Injustice. Persecution. WWL-list 2014.
* Indonesia (prayer request)
* Kazakhstan (His heart on pages)
* Iran (a New Year message)
* Iran (letters to Saeed Abedini)
* Belarus (Christmas greetings)
* China (encouragement)
* China (Bob, sharing hope)
Open doors (Indonesia) Church closures on the rise in Indonesia:
http://www.opendoorsusa.org/pray/prayer-updates/2014/01-january/church-closures-on-the-rise-in-indonesia
"Father, we are saddened to hear of the closures of churches in Indonesia, and ask that You fill the pastors and congregations with peace at this time. Father, fill them with a spirit of forgiveness towards those who have orchestrated this injustice. We ask today that Your hand is in the process of reopening these churches. And Father, as Indonesians prepare for the upcoming elections, we join in prayer with our brothers and sisters asking for godly leaders to be the front leaders during this pivotal time. May Your will reign in all these matters. In the name of Jesus, our only sure hope. Amen."
"His heart on pages" (Kazakhstan) Read the very moving letter from the imprisoned pastor Kashkumbayev:
http://www.persecution.org/2014/01/06/his-heart-on-pages-a-letter-from-an-imprisoned-pastor/
"What can evil attacks mean for me? And would I care about prison?
If you are my light what the darkness can do to me?
When I am silent in sorrows you are so close to me
and your love heals me. I am happy that you, oh God, have chosen me,
Jesus, my closest friend, you have given me happiness
to suffer at the hands of evil for the sake of Your precious name
so that I could know just a bit of this happiness."
Church in chains (Iran) a new year message from Christian leader Farshid Fathi:
http://www.ccfc.ie/node/683
"Dear brothers and sisters, We are celebrating Christmas in prison with honour and unexplainable joy in Christ. 2013 is going to end and we are very thankful to the Lord for everything we were given this year. I had called 2013 ‘the year of revelation'. Now I am very excited because I am calling 2014 ‘the year of God's presence'. God calls us to walk before him and be blameless, as he said to Abraham. So far, walking before him is very sweet and so exciting. It is filled with great endurance, afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, sleepless nights, hunger, purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love, truthful speech and the power of God. So my dear brothers and sisters, if you read this, be ready for a very exciting journey in 2014. Thank you so much for remembering me in your prayers after 1,100 days. With blessings in Christ."
Gen. 17:1 "When Abram was ninety-nine years old the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless,"
Letters to pastor Saeed (Saeed Abedinin, Iran/USA):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXD0tcLJCjI&feature=youtu.be
Naghmeh Abedini: "Makes me cry every time I watch this video. Sweet words and prayers for Saeed from kids."
Drawings and signs from pastor Saeed:
http://aclj.org/iran/american-pastor-saeeds-powerful-reminder-reason-for-this-christmas-season
Greetings (Belarus) from imprisoned expresidential candidate Mikola Statkevich:
http://belsat.eu/en/wiadomosci/a,17212,imprisoned-expresidential-candidate-sends-christmas-greetings-to-belarusians.html
'Congratulations on the wonderful festival of Christmas! May it bring joy and bolster your hope for the best. I wish you true Christmas miracles', (Mikalai Statkevich)
Martyrs (Report): Reported Christian Martyr deaths double in 2013!
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/08/us-christianity-persecution-report-idUSBREA070PB20140108?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&dlvrit=992637
"Open Doors, a non-denominational group supporting persecuted Christians worldwide, said on Wednesday it had documented 2,123 "martyr" killings, compared with 1,201 in 2012. There were 1,213 such deaths in Syria alone last year, it said."
Dr and pastor Bob Fu:s message:
http://www.relevantmagazine.com/reject-apathy/meet-most-wanted-man-china#_=
Dr Bob Fu "has witnessed and heard many stories of suffering, extreme poverty and the persecution of Christians in China. He has heard stories of forced abortions under the country’s one-child policy and of women raped by police while detained. Their crime? Their belief in Christ. He has seen scarred faces of Christians beaten for their faith. And yet, he says, he has seen Christians praying for their persecutors and “tremendous, courageous signs in their smiles, in the miracles and wonders in their lives.” He has seen the Church in China grow from fewer than 1 million people to an estimated 50 to 130 million.“That’s the hope, I think, for China,” he says. “That’s certainly a Kingdom of God picture on the earth.”
Encouragement from China:
Beijing Shouwang Church is writing on January 7th, 2014:
"This Sunday’s sermon reminded us that Christian faith are both demonstrated in sharing the Gospel and holding onto the truth in the midst of suffering, and in living out a Christ-like life in every aspect. We are called to be separate from this secular world, and to be holy and loving. Let us strive to keep the vision from God, to share the Gospel of Christ, as well as to live out a life of holiness and love in this coming year."
Open Doors - report:
http://www.opendoorsusa.org/press/2014/January/Persecution-of-Christians-Increases
"A failed country is defined “as a weak state where social and political structures have collapsed to the point where government has little or no control.”
Open Doors World Watch List (WWL 2014)
http://www.worldwatchlist.us/?utm_source=opendoorsusa.org&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=wwl&utm_content=homepage-banner
"For the 12th consecutive year, this is the place where Christian persecution is most extreme. The God-like worship of the leader, Kim Jong-Un, and his predecessors leaves no room for any other religion, and Christians face unimaginable pressure in every sphere of life."
War on Christians - those martyred doubled in 2013:
http://voiceofthepersecuted.wordpress.com/2014/01/08/war-on-christians-those-martyred-doubled-in-2013/
Foxnews: North Korea worst for Christian persecution (9:15):
http://video.foxnews.com/v/3028767706001/north-korea-worst-for-christian-persecution---/#sp=show-clips
Voice of the persecuted: Martyr killings of Christians on the rise across the world (video 7.35)
http://voiceofthepersecuted.wordpress.com/2014/01/10/martyr-killings-of-christians-on-the-rise-across-the-world/
"When trials come":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpScEpriWZs
Ps. 139:12 "even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you."
Photo: Erik Lindén, Kerstin Lindén, Julia Lindén
Fotot uppe. Detta är ett Lappfjärdsjulkors. De finns bara i Sydösterbotten (200 km söder om Jakobstad). De skall egentligen hänga i flaggstången, men eftersom vi inte har någon sådan, står det nu under biltaket och är skyddat för regn. Stommen är svartmålat trävirke och lamporna ska vara olikfärgade (de nedersta ska kanske vara gröna, men i brist på det blev de blå). Det är en förkristen symbol med många solar, nu ser vi bara det kristna korset.
Above: This is "Christmas cross" from Lappfjärd (200 km south of Jakobstad). My husband got it from his father Rev. Ivar Lindén (RIP) as a Christmas present 1994. It is supposed to hang high from a flagpole. The lamps should be in different colours. The frame is made of wood. There a symbols of the sun on it, so it is from pre-Christian times (the vikings?) but now it is a symbol for Christmas and Christian faith.
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