Pray for Christians in Malaysia, China, Iran, and Belarus
February 16, 2008 at 7:45 am (Uncategorized)
Tags: China, Voice of the Martyrs, Belarus, Iran, Malaysia, Bibles, Airport, China Aid Association, Religion, Institute on Religion and Public Policy, Apostasy
The following is the latest Prayer Update I have received from Voice of the Martyrs. Please join in prayer for these people of God, who are following Jesus Christ, and laying their lives down for Him.
VOM News and Prayer Update: February 5, 2008“Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. ” (Psalm 37:5-6)
MALAYSIA
Bibles Confiscated at Airport - Compass Direct News
On January 28, a customs officer confiscated two boxes containing 32 Bibles from a Christian woman in a Kuala Lumpur airport in Malaysia. According to Compass Direct News, “Online news agency Malaysiakini reported that upon arrival at the airport, Juliana Nichols was asked to open boxes and declare their contents. Despite producing a letter from her parish priest stating that the English Bibles were meant for use in her church, the officer told Nichols the texts needed to be cleared with the Internal Security Ministry’s Control Division of Publications and Al-Quran Texts.” The Compass report added that Rev. Dr. Hermen Shastri, general secretary of the Council of Churches of Malaysia, released a statement stating, “The Bible is Holy Scripture for Christians,” and “no authority on earth should deny Christians the right to possess, read and travel with their Bibles.” Shastri called for the immediate release of the Bibles and an official apology from the customs department. This incident is the latest in a series of seizures of Christian literature by the Malaysian government. Pray for the people of Malaysia, who are concerned by the government’s crackdown on religious freedom. Ask God to protect and encourage Malay-Muslim converts who are cut off from meeting with a larger fellowship of believers. Joshua 1:9CHINA
Christian Leader Detained - China Aid Association
On January 29, Bai Cheng, a Christian leader, was detained in Luoyang, Henan Province. According to China Aid Association (CAA), Cheng was arrested while he was leading a Bible study. CAA reported, “That same day Cheng’s sister-in-law received a criminal detention notice issued by the Public Security Bureau of Luoyang stating that Cheng had been put in criminal detention at Luoyang City Detention Center for his suspected participation in ‘evil cult’ activities under Article 61 of China’s criminal law.”The police confiscated two computers from Cheng’s car. Isaiah 54: 17IRAN
New Draft Law Proposing Death Penalty for Apostasy - Institute on Religion and Public Policy
The Iranian parliament is reviewing a bill for the Islamic Penal Law (Penal Code) that legislates the death penalty for apostasy. According to the Institute on Religion and Public Policy, the draft law defines an apostate as “any Muslim who clearly announces that he/she has left Islam and declares blasphemy.” This proposed law is aimed to deter conversion from Islam. Pray for strength, wisdom and grace for believers in Iran as they faithfully continue to share Christ despite pressure from the Islamic government. Psalm 119:105BELARUS
Government Renews Pressure on Baptists - Forum 18 News
The Belarus government has recently issued fines to the Baptist Council of Churches for “unregistered activity.” According to Forum 18 News, this increased pressure is aimed at pressuring Baptists to register their church activity. Forum reported, “The Council’s congregations reject state registration in post-Soviet countries, believing that it leads to government interference.” Nikolai Varushin, who recently faced persecution told Forum, “This is our path; we are prepared to suffer for our faith. We just pray that our people will remain true to the Lord.” Pray for believers in Belarus. Ask God to encourage them to remain courageous in the midst of increased persecution. Psalm 37:23
hughvic said,
February 16, 2008 at 10:48 pm
Consider it done at this end. And we’ll put in with our Presbytery in the morning for prayers on behalf of the Baptist brothers and sisters in Belarus. I don’t think we have been holding them up, simply because we were unaware that they were so embattled. May it please the Lord that they not suffer, and have their obvious courage tested further.
If I had a hammer, I’d hammer apart that murderous junta that runs China and skims from all her businesses to fund countermeasures against our national defense systems and to fund a massive secret police that persecutes Christians and Buddhists. The reason for my corny musical reference is that earlier this week I went to three hardware stores to find a claw hammer not made in China. Found an American one, and paid a surcharge of nine dollars for the privilege. But that’s nine dollars those generalisimos in Beijing won’t get their hands on. So, a token of course. But also a good, clean hammer. The kind a carpenter might use.
hughvic said,
February 18, 2008 at 8:06 am
Thank you for that, brother. And a hearty amen. He is indeed both hammer and rock.
As He of course is our water also, I’ll join at once in prayer with you that He might dissolve the murderous government of China, if it pleases Him to do so, rather than to smash it with a single blow.
Many of those cut down and crushed to pulp beside Beijing University in 1989 were graduate students brought to Christ and guided to democracy while they had studied earlier in the United States. They were among the martyrs of our times. Some of them were my dear brothers and sisters in Christ, former Communists in whom I saw with my own eyes the workings of the Spirit. May I presume to suggest that they too would join you in prayer.
hughvic said,
February 19, 2008 at 9:07 pm
Amen. And you, and your work as well. Thank you.
Selah~