rambot said:

Really hey?
Well, it's probably silly to think they don't exist anywhere. I'm sure in 30 years there may still be a few Trump defenders too.

Click to expand...

I’ve been pretty disappointed with the lack of derision directed at jim. I kind of get not wanting to make Hillary collateral damage, but still… Given the attitudes levied towards other creeps, Bubba should have been run out of town on a rail. But he’s mostly just been allowed to fade into the background like a bunch of creepy famous musicians have.

"Undeniably, those who willfully shut out God from their hearts and try to dodge religious questions are not following the dictates of their consciences, and hence are not free of blame; yet believers themselves frequently bear some responsibility for this situation. For, taken as a whole, atheism is not a spontaneous development but stems from a variety of causes, including a critical reaction against religious beliefs, and in some places against the Christian religion in particular. Hence believers can have more than a little to do with the birth of atheism. To the extent that they neglect their own training in the faith, or teach erroneous doctrine, or are deficient in their religious, moral or social life, they must be said to conceal rather than reveal the authentic face of God and religion." #19

another_lost_guy said:

You may have read this thread title and thought "of course atheism exists, my coworker is an atheist" or something like that.

No, your coworker just calls himself an atheist, but in reality he just worships lower gods than Christ (such as video games, anime, porn, money, etc

Here is the scripture I see as backing this up:

“Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.” - Philippians 3:19

In my opinion, as someone who is neither a priest or a theologian, this shows that all atheists worship their own god(s), which dismantles many pretentious atheist arguments such as "I just worship one less god than you do" and "religion is inherited", etc;

Scripture does not really define what atheism is aside from it being foolish so I wanted to make this thread to ask if we as Christians should even believe in such a thing as atheism

Click to expand...

Atheism is the non belief of any gods.

• The term "atheist" isn't used in the Bible, but the concept of practical atheism is described as "the fool says in his heart, 'There is no God'" (Psalm 14:1).

God's law is written on everyone's heart ... has to be .... because all are judged according to the law .... judgement is entirely up to Jesus and we are not privy to His judgements. The reality is we don't know who will or will not be in heaven. What I do know is that God knows everything and I trust His judgement completely.

The apostle Paul warns the Philippians in Philippians 3:18-19 about false Christians who are "enemies of the cross of Christ" because they live "earthly things" and "set their mind on earthly things". He describes these individuals with sadness, saying he tells them about this "even weeping". Their ultimate fate, Paul states, is "destruction".

biblelesson said:

Sometimes this is not possibly, however, God recognizes the abuse, and when the wife humbles herself to God and ask for help, God removes that man - sometimes to the detriment of the man to break the authority - God takes the man from this life.

Click to expand...

God took mine to people who could help him with his mental health, and the pair of us to a better church. Just saying....I entirely agree, no one has to remain unsafe.

sounds interesting

Nobody of the outside world is being mortally saved because they cannot “see” Him.

His visage…His view…is being marred by the man-based churches so that they cannot see His life (shining through us) and be saved. They only see darkness when they look at the man-based churches who are not shining His light to them. God does not give His praise to images. No man-based church is shining the glory of God and so the people of the outside world are not praising Him because their view of a man-based church. They have all fallen short of the glory of God. The glory of God has departed from them as they are serving the abomination of desolation....the church handwriting that desolates their gatherings of His glory.

The Son of man is now being betrayed (given up) unto the chief priests (of the man-based churches) and their scribes….their writers of the handwritings of church ordinances. They are serving the sin instead of dying to it and are perishing in the man-based churches.

Mat 20:18-19 KJV
(18) Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death,

And so as a result of this going on inside the man-based churches, the outside nations are mocking Him instead of looking to Him/us and praising God. This has been the time of the gentiles...the nations...as they tread upon us ...ruling over us and scoffing us.

(19) And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.

The false prophets are actively cutting off the life of Jesus (the Son of man) from being made manifest in the mortal flesh of His people. They are delivering us up to be afflicted. They “kill” us because they are cutting off His life from being made manifest in the people they are deceiving. No flesh is being saved in the man-based churches.

The shepherds who are only feeding themselves are pastoring the flock of the slaughter….and all the nations around us hate us because of His name’s sake that the false prophets are saying they come it.

Instead of the nations loving us and call us a “delight” in this world, they deride us and His name because of the false prophets who are leading many astray as they are serving the sin and are mortally perishing.

Mat 24:9 KJV
(9) Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.

The MANY false prophets come in His name and say that they are of the true Christ (speaking in His authority) and are deceiving MANY….and the nations around us hate us as a result.

Mat 24:4-5 KJV
(4) And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
(5) For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

MANY false prophets are gone out into the world. They are deceiving MANY into thinking that they are of the Spirit of God…that they are speaking from Him…but do not have the doctrine of the Christ in their “preaching.” They are instead preaching with the spirit/breath of the antichrist….the breath of the instead-of- Christ

1Jn 4:1-3 KJV
(1) Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

Every spirit…every breath…that confesses (acknowledges) that Jesus Christ IS COMING now in the flesh is of God.

(2) Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
(3) And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

The MANY deceivers do not confess that Jesus Christ IS COMING now (present tense) in the flesh….our mortal flesh where His presence is to be revealed to the outside world who will then “see” Him through us and believe and be saved. How many man-based churches are preaching this? None.

2Jn 1:
(7) For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

We must not be partakers with them who are not preaching the doctrine of the Christ or we are then partakers of their evil deeds: the cutting off of the life of Jesus from this earth as His life is not being made manifest in the mortal flesh of anyone who is listening to the false prophets and going to their “churches.” We must not be supporters of such a tragedy by going to their “churches” where this is happening and supporting them .

(8) Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.
(9) Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.
(10) If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:
(11) For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

We are to hear His words in those whom He sends to speak them…those who have His life manifested through their mortal flesh…that have manifested the “Son of man.”

The Son of man comes (through those whom He sends out to speak His words) at an hour we think not. We are to remember to let brotherly love continue and be hospitable towards those who have His life manifested and have come to speak His words to our ears.

Mat 24:44-46 KJV
(44) Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
(45) Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
(46) Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

Joh 13:20 KJV
(20) Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.

Yet, the unbelievers among the churches will not believe in His words when they will hear them through those whom He sends out to speak to the churches. They will not believe in His interpretation of the Law and the prophets as He opens up the Scriptures to our ears.

Luk 16:29-31 KJV
(29) Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
(30) And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.

Neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead….those who have the life of Jesus manifested in their mortal flesh….the Son of man manifested.

The Son of man (those who will have manifested His life in their mortal flesh) comes at a time that they think not. They will to speak to them…and yet the unbelievers in the man-based churches will reject what they will hear. They will be unprepared as they will behave badly towards those who are made alive in Him.

(31) And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

They will scoff: “where is the promise of His coming”…that is, where is His PRESENCE (Greek: Parousia)?

Their church fathers have fallen “asleep”…they perished from this earth...and all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.

What we have witnessed so far is the vessels of wrath as they were all under the wrath of God and mortally perished. They did not manifest the life of Jesus in their mortal flesh but instead gave themselves over to image worship (as they made their church handwritings of ordinances for them and their following generations to keep and serve)and many were deceived and went to their churches where no mortal flesh is being saved.

2Pe 3:
(3) Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
(4) And saying, Where is the promise of his coming (PRESENCE)? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
(5) For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
(6) Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:

Yet, they are willingly ignorant of God’s judgments in the past ages which are written for us today…for our admonition (calling attention to, warning). All the ages before us as written in the Scriptures are culminating now in this current age we are living in.

1Co 10:11 KJV
(11) Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world (AGES) are come.

The heavens and the earth WHICH ARE NOW are stored with fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. This is a now thing. They mortally perish under His wrath because of their ungodliness found in their “churches,”

2nd Peter 3:
(7) But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

The wrath of God IS REVEALED now from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold DOWN the truth in unrighteousness.

Rom 1:18 KJV
(18) For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

Oompa Loompa said:

"Mother of nephew" = sister-in-law. A sister-in-law that should have went home back in 1999. No one, including relatives of Trump's own staff, is above the law.

Click to expand...

No, a sister-in-law is either a sibling's wife or a spouse's sister, with the "in-law" meaning by marriage. A nephew's mother may not be married to her son's father, who may have a different woman for a wife.

From the outset, Pope Leo's visit to Ankara was more of a political stage than a religious gesture. And no one used this stage more decisively than Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. In his speech at the Presidential Library Complex, he praised the Pope's allegedly ‘clear and wise stance’ on the "Palestinian" question, a statement that fits precisely into the narrative Erdoğan has been cultivating for years: Turkey as the moral leader of the Muslim world, Israel as its main adversary, and the West as an easy target for political blame.

The framework of the meeting already hinted at where the journey would lead. Erdogan resorted to familiar demands: an ‘immediate’ two-state model along the 1967 lines, preservation of the historical status of Jerusalem, support for the "Palestinian" cause. The fact that these positions have been repeated for decades in all international forums without Ankara itself having made any practical contribution to de-escalation or stability is deliberately ignored. The political benefit lies elsewhere: the president presents himself as the defender of a people he rhetorically exploits, while at the same time cooperating with actors who destabilise the region and openly treating Hamas as a legitimate negotiating partner.

The Pope, for his part, strives for diplomatic balance. His appeals for peace and dialogue, whether in Ukraine, the Middle East or Africa, are an expression of a religious role that is not supposed to take direct political sides. Nevertheless, Erdogan deliberately exploits the Pope's moral authority for his own purposes. He immediately incorporates the Pope's cautious wording into his ideological narrative and presents it to the world as confirmation of his line.

The climax of the performance lies in the sentence: ‘Our debt to the "Palestinian" people is justice.’ But this is precisely where the irony lies. Turkey demands justice for others, while imprisoning journalists, oppressing minorities, disempowering the judiciary and conducting military operations in Syria and northern Iraq within its own borders. Its close cooperation with activists affiliated with Hamas also contradicts any claim that it is committed to peace or reconciliation. Those who demand justice must first begin at home.

The reference to Jerusalem also highlights the inconsistency of Turkey's position. While Israel faced the worst massacre of Jews since the Shoah after Oct 7, Erdogan is exploiting the city politically without taking into account the reality of Israel's security situation. For him, Jerusalem is a symbol, not a responsibility.

Erdogan only mentions in passing that the Pope received President Isaac Herzog at the Vatican in September and discussed the situation in the Gaza Strip there. This is because this part does not fit into Turkey's narrative that Israel is isolated or delegitimised. In reality, Jerusalem is holding talks with international actors, including the Holy See, while Turkey voices loud criticism without bearing the price of terror.

Erdogan's sharp rhetoric has little to do with humanity and much to do with geopolitical ambitions. Turkey wants to present itself as the central voice of the Muslim world and uses every stage to delegitimise Israel. The Pope serves as a moral amplifier here, even if his own statements are much more nuanced than Erdogan's distortions.

Israel has long been familiar with this pattern. And that is precisely why it remains crucial not to be impressed by such political theatrics.

Just because a illegitimate court appointed by socialists with an anti American bias refuses to hear the case dosen't make it frivolous.

iluvatar5150 said:

Dennis the Menace was a domestic terrorist.

Click to expand...

He was a pussycat compared to today's self-entitled

Maria Billingsley said:

Dreams are woefully unreliable and there are plenty of charlatans claiming to be interpreters. In regards to developing skills like Joseph, I don't believe there is any way to do this other than our Father actually granting the gift to someone.
Blessings

Click to expand...

2PhiloVoid said:

How does one gain Joseph's "skill" of dream interpretation? Answer: Be the right person that God has specifically decided to use for His purpose at the right time.

Apparently, where dreams are concerned, I'm not that person. But I'm ok with that.

Click to expand...

Dreyma said:

I agree with the two folks above.

I find dreams very interesting and enjoy journaling about them from time to time, but I've accepted that they don't mean much of anything. If they serve any purpose, it's to highlight what I'm thinking about and what media I'm consuming during waking hours. Those things tend to be reflected in your dreams.

My username actually comes from the Icelandic word for dream, so I share your fascination!

Click to expand...

Sometimes I am absolutely convinced of the meaning of dreams and other times the dreams are unclear or random to me, so I believe it is a skill that can be honed.

JohnB445 said:

It taught me not to fear death, that death is not the ending but will be a beginning of an eternity in paradise.

And that a gruesome end doesn't mean that God wasn't with us. God doesn't promise us a peaceful death in a hospital bed surrounded by loved ones, we could be eaten by a shark for all we know, or get into a bad car accident.

Click to expand...

It taught me death is a dormant sleep and that there is no "eternal burning place" .... how much suffering we may or may not go through is unknown but Jesus will be with us through it all.

No reason to fear death.

bbbbbbb said:

The problem with the notion of baptism being equated with circumcision is that the Jerusalem Council which focused primarily on corcumcision never even mentioned baptism at all, much less in relationship to circumcision. In addition, circumcision is for males only, not females.

Click to expand...

The Council was called to address those who insisted that Gentiles must be circumcised. It it true there is no record of anyone at the council challenging Paul's particular teaching below:

Cor 2:11-12 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of flesh in the circumcision of Christ; and you were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

bbbbbbb said:

In addition, circumcision is for males only, not females.

Click to expand...

Also while Gentiles were not considered God's chosen people in OT times, with Christianity Gentiles were included. The old is fulfilled in the new.

DaisyDay said:

2 National Guard members dead after shooting near White House: West Virginia governor

Two National Guardsmen are in critical condition after being shot near the White House.

abcnews.go.com

​

Two National Guard members are dead after being shot in downtown Washington near the White House, according to West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey.​

​

"It is with great sorrow that we can confirm both members of the West Virginia National Guard who were shot earlier today in Washington, DC have passed away from their injuries. These brave West Virginians lost their lives in the service of their country. We are in ongoing contact with federal officials as the investigation continues," Morrisey said.​

​

"Our entire state grieves with their families, their loved ones, and the Guard community. West Virginia will never forget their service or their sacrifice, and we will demand full accountability for this horrific act," Morrisey said.​

​

Not much is known yet. Thoughts and prayers, for whatever that is worth.

Click to expand...

Recent news reports say the two are in critical condition

What we know about the 2 National Guard members shot near White House

Sabbath blessings, your arguments from scripture would have more weight if I were arguing for the abolishment of the Sabbath. That is not true. I say with the Apostles and New Testament scripture that the Sabbath has been fulfilled in Christ Jesus

Do you have any apostolic teaching where they tell us we must continue to keep the Jewish sabbath? If not, then you are speaking of your own inference on the scriptures.
Should we obey Apostles or the inferences of those that claim to be Apostles?

I have read the book From Sabbath to Sunday that was recommended to me by Bob Ryan.
In it, I find no concrete Apostolic teaching that uses Scripture as you do. There are plenty of negative critiques of Iraneus, Justin Martyr and other first and second century Church fathers, but no Apostle can be recorded claiming Christians must worship on the Sabbath


Do you know of or have any such teaching?

The council of Jerusalem in the book of Acts does not even mention the Sabbath. To you, it is the implied, but the Apostles and early Church Fathers contradict that assessment. Why is that?

Hvizsgyak said:

And that is why ASP is a much better choice than being part of the groypers (who dislike people from other cultures and backgrounds). ASP embraces the belief that ALL people have been created by God and they should all be treated with love and dignity. And yes, the act of engaging in homosexual sex is very much frowned upon but still those who engage in such acts are to be loved and dignified. Groypers, in my eyes, are haters. Looking at Nick Fuentes, I see very little love in his heart for those he speaks against.

Click to expand...

I have issue with ASP supporting homosexuality and I have issue with groyperism for being against immigration but ultimately groypers are more productive and popular so I think it makes more sense to support groypers. I was a cringey libertarian weirdo who only vaguely believed in God before I stumbled upon a Nick Fuentes video in 2018. His sense of humor and faith inspired me to actually read the Bible

RabbiJames said:

• 
  Toggle Members Info

Posted just now
HAPPY THANKSGIVING DAY? or HAPPY TURKEY DAY?


As we approach one of our favorite times to celebrate with family, friends, and in-laws, we think about this special time called "Thanksgiving." Yet we hear of some calling it "Turkey Day". So which is it? "Thanksgiving" or "Turkey Day?" Which is correct? Well, let's think about it for a bit.

We celebrate Thanksgiving on the 4th Thursday of November, yet this was not the original date. It was set as the 4th Thursday of November by the US Congress in 1941. So, when was the first Thanksgiving celebrated in the Massachusetts Colony in 1621? No one knows for sure. We believe it was between the end of September and mid-November, when the crops were gathered in. It wasn't a one-day festival of celebration, but rather a three-day celebration.

It was similar to the Biblical Feast of Tabernacles or Sukkot, which is celebrated between the end of September and mid-October. During this time Israel praised God for the crops and blessings bestowed upon them by God. The Feast of Tabernacles or Sukkot is celebrated every year for 7 days, and one extra day.

So, let's talk about the food at the first Thanksgiving late in the year of 1621. We know that the native Americans of the Wampanoag tribe were a God sent, Squanto being the mediator. After a disastrous 1620, the Wampanoags helped them farm and grow vegetables, so, besides wild turkeys, they also had venison, or "deer meat" hunted by the Indians, so, why not call it "Deer Day?" or "Pumpkin Day?" after all, they probably had those too. The menu probably consisted of: "wild turkey, deer meat, corn, squash, bay oysters, clams, and fish. But everyone seems to be focused on the Turkeys. What's with that, you turkey?

It's great to feast on oven-roasted turkeys, stuffing, and all the trimmings, and have the friends and family over, and eat pumpkin pie, pecan pie, apple pie, or whatever pie you like. (Here in El Salvador, those are nonexistent) You have to make them from scratch. Everyone sits down after dinner, watches football on the tube, and grandpa goes to sleep in the easy chair, and the football game watches grandpa instead.

It's great to have this good time, but let's give thanks to whom thanks is owed, not to the creation (the turkey) but to the creator (God).
Yes, he created the turkeys and the rest of the birds on day 5 of creation, yet HE is the creator and to HIM must we give thanks.

When Thanksgiving comes around this Thursday, a good idea might be a table discussion of why we are thankful; the football game can wait. I would probably be like grandpa, asleep in the chair while the football game is going on. Sports are boring to me, unless I can actually play in the game personally.

Well, let's see. What do we have to be thankful for? Well, we have food on the table and we have our health to eat the food. We have money to buy the food, and we must have jobs to make the money to buy the food. We thank God that we have families, which makes working and providing for them all worthwhile. We have clothing because I doubt we sit around the dinner table in our birthday suits. We have homes where we live, and even AC in some places (not here, only at the Malls, in the banks, and in the supermarkets). We have fresh air to breathe (I guess that depends on where you live), we have parks, and places for R & R (here, the ocean for swimming and surfing). We have our congregations where we go to receive God's WORD.

Yet we also have something precious we can not buy, and that is the gift of Salvation through Jesus Christ (Yeshua HaMashiach) and the promise of eternal life with HIM in Heaven, and a place set aside for us to live by his side for all eternity. We have the abilities through the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh) to serve the LORD while we are Earth-bound, and we can look forward to eternal Shalom and fellowship with God forever.

So yes, Happy Thanksgiving to all.


(best result, bake the turkey in an oven bag, that way, it won't dry out) Here. The best we can hope for is slices of turkey ham from the deli, or a small smoked, boneless turkey (that usually costs more than we care to spend).

Click to expand...

Beautifully said, RabbiJames. You have lifted my spirits. I came here wanting to wish everyone a blessed and happy Thanksgiving but also to speak of my discouragement I have of our world in this day and age. But now, I just want everyone to enjoy the company of their loved ones and God. I can't thank you enough for your warm thoughts. Peace be with you.

Clare73 said:

Not according to the authoritative apostolic teaching (1 Th 4:16-17) of Christ (Lk 1:16),

unless the rebirth from eternal death into eternal life by the sovereign will (as unaccountable as the wind, Jn 3:6-8) of the Holy Spirit (Jn 3:3-5) is referred to metaphorically as a "resurrection" in the prophetic riddle (Nu 12:6-8) of Rev.

Click to expand...

No, in John 3:3-5, the Holy Spirit is not metaphorically referred to as a "resurrection." Instead, John 3:3-5 describes the Holy Spirit as the agent of a spiritual "new birth" or "born again" experience, which is a supernatural spiritual transformation. This contrasts with the physical birth from the flesh. While the Holy Spirit brings about a spiritual "resurrection" to new life, it is not a direct metaphor used in these specific verses.

Key distinctions

• Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is the power that enables the new birth, making someone "born again" or "born from above".
• New Birth: This is a spiritual transformation that allows a person to enter the Kingdom of God. It is a birth "of the Spirit," not of the flesh.
• Resurrection: This is a distinct concept, but it is the ultimate outcome of this new spiritual birth. The new birth brings a new life, and one of the future results of this spiritual transformation is the glory of the resurrection for believers, as mentioned in other biblical passages.

essentialsaltes said:

A very special holiday edition of "Why do people hate ICE?"

19-year-old college student deported despite judge's order blocking her removal​

A 19-year-old college student who was on her way to surprise her family for Thanksgiving break was detained at a Boston airport and later deported despite a federal judge's order blocking her removal, according to her attorney.

Hours after her detainment, court documents obtained by ABC News show that a federal judge ordered the government not to remove the 19-year-old from the U.S. and not to transfer her outside of Massachusetts.

But according to Pomerleau, Lopez Belloza was transferred that evening to Texas and deported to Honduras the next day.

Click to expand...

In a statement to ABC News' Boston affiliate WCVB, a spokesperson for Immigration and Customs Enforcement said Lopez Belloza had a removal order since 2015 and confirmed her removal.

This judge overstepped their authority. The judge is not an immigration judge.

Heavenly Father, Holy is Your Name, we pray You will cure and restore John, in the Name of Jesus, as only You can do. Amen and Amen.

CHRISTIAN FAMILY HOSTAGES NOW IN HIDING.

On Aug. 27, 2025, at 1:30 a.m., a group of armed men took a Christian family captive, threatened to bring blasphemy charges against the family and demanded the family pay more than $150,000 to prevent the accusations. They also threatened to destroy everything the Christians owned. “You will be the next Jaranwala,” the abductors said, referencing a riot in August 2023 when Islamic extremists destroyed 26 churches and more than 80 homes in a Christian area after Pakistani Christians were falsely accused of destroying a copy of the Quran. Front-line workers said this family escaped from their abductors but have since gone into hiding. “The threat of blasphemy is such a weapon,” said a front-line worker. “Threats and false claims that someone has committed blasphemy are being used against Christians all over the country. Please pray for all Pakistani Christians to be safe and have wisdom as they serve Christ.”

EVANGELISTS WITH SOLAR PROJECTORS

Despite repeated and ongoing attacks on churches from radical Islamist groups, evangelists continue spreading the gospel throughout the country, most recently through solar-powered projectors. VOM front-line workers delivered the projectors to show the JESUS film and other Christian resources and provided training for 16 outreach workers to operate the projectors. “All were very happy to receive these projectors,” said a front-line worker. “And they were very happy to have the JESUS film in Fulfulde [the language spoken by the Fulani people].” The evangelists were also given Christian resources in multiple languages that can be shared with children and entire families. Front-line workers ask for prayer that God will bless the evangelists’ efforts and protect them as they travel in dangerous parts of Burkina Faso.

STUDENT RETREAT RELIEVES BUDDHIST PRESSURE

As Christian students are forced to participate in Buddhist practices in school, an upcoming retreat will encourage and strengthen their faith. In Bhutan, the king regards himself as a divinely appointed defender of Buddhism, and stringent laws are in place to restrict Christianity, forcing students to join Buddhist practices at school even when doing so is contrary to their faith in Christ. Pray that the upcoming retreat will give persecuted Christian students a reprieve from this pressure and encouragement to remain strong in their faith and witness. Pray that they will be equipped to stand firm in Christ despite forced practices and that, through these students, the Lord will raise up a new generation of leaders for his church.

Lord have mercy!

Hail Mary,
Full of Grace,
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit
of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary,
Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of our death.
Amen