I received this e-mail from a native evangelist in Nepal. Reuben is a mighty man of God who's doing great things in Nepal. If you'd like to learn more about Reuben's ministry, contact me through my website at Great Commission Society.
Let's lift up our brother in prayer!
Brother Aaron
I would like to share some prayer list. Let us pray before or when we do some thing for the Lord.
* Please pray we still need 70000 gospel tracts, bibles and hymn book for our ongoing outreach programs across Nepal.
* We started a new Church this month in just out side the Kathmandu City. Please pray that many soul would come to the Lord and Church would grow. Room Rent is 20 dollar per month.
* We are starting 1st Madhumalla Gospel Cup on 24 June in eastern Nepal. The students who were in training this past April are organizing the gospel cup tournament. Please pray that students and local believers would have courage to speak about Jesus and that there will be sufficient sports equipment.
* We are planning to register Church Boys United Football Club Private Limited in government which will represent Churches of Nepal in the national football league. (Christians could not send their representative in the Constituent Assembly, while Muslims, Buddhists and other already have theirs.)
* Please pray for Purna and team as he is taking the gospel to the remote mountains. They need to cross rivers, Jungles, slippery mountain track. Pray that many would hear the gospel.
* We are trying to launch Micro Loan Program for the Poor. Please pray that there will be seed(fund) to start this.
* Please join with me in prayer for a Motorbike for me. All other leaders have their motorbike which helps them to reach destination on time, I do not have one.
Friday, June 20, 2008
One Campaign tracks U.S. aid to Africa
The DATA Report, which ONE launched in Paris on Wednesday, tracks each G8 country’s progress towards delivering its commitments on aid to Africa.
This year’s report found that although U.S. delivery has been slower than hoped, increases in assistance primarily for HIV/AIDS and malaria (areas in which the U.S. is a clear leader) are starting to come. By next year, we predict the increases will double and analysis shows that by 2010 the U.S. is likely to have delivered on its commitment.
To read the rest of the story, click here!
It's nice to hear some good news every now and then. Let's keep our leaders accountable to their promises!
This year’s report found that although U.S. delivery has been slower than hoped, increases in assistance primarily for HIV/AIDS and malaria (areas in which the U.S. is a clear leader) are starting to come. By next year, we predict the increases will double and analysis shows that by 2010 the U.S. is likely to have delivered on its commitment.
To read the rest of the story, click here!
It's nice to hear some good news every now and then. Let's keep our leaders accountable to their promises!
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Evangelical organization reaches out to Christians in Bethlehem
As some of you already know, my wife and I are planning to move to Bethlehem next year to serve the Palestinian Christian community living in the West Bank. I found an interesting article the other day about an evangelical organization reaching out to Bethlehem Christians.
You can read the story here.
You can read the story here.
A Christian teacher flees for his life in Pakistan
Pakistan has long been known as a hotbed for religious extremism. In the latest case of intolerance, a Christian teacher has fled for his life due to accusations of tearing up a book about Islamic teachings on the afterlife. Please pray for the persecuted church in Pakistan.
You can read about the story here.
You can read about the story here.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
The mystery of the Nephilim
I've read some interesting posts on the web regarding the Nephilim. We know that the Nephilim were a race of giants, but the question is how did they get to be so gigantic? Some say the Nephilim were descendants of women that had sex with fallen angels, others say they were bona fide human beings that migrated to the land of Canaan from elsewhere.
I know it's bizarre, but there really are Biblical reasons for the angels mating with humans theory, and I wouldn't rule it out simply because the idea is offensive to a Western materialist worldview. Truth can be stranger than fiction sometimes. Even Jack Hayford's Spirit-filled Life Bible commentary sees the first view as the most likely.
Still, I'm undecided.
Here's two different authors on two different sides of the question.
First, check out Greg Boyd's commentary here
Then check out Rabbi Stanley's commentary here
Talk amongst yourselves!
I know it's bizarre, but there really are Biblical reasons for the angels mating with humans theory, and I wouldn't rule it out simply because the idea is offensive to a Western materialist worldview. Truth can be stranger than fiction sometimes. Even Jack Hayford's Spirit-filled Life Bible commentary sees the first view as the most likely.
Still, I'm undecided.
Here's two different authors on two different sides of the question.
First, check out Greg Boyd's commentary here
Then check out Rabbi Stanley's commentary here
Talk amongst yourselves!
Monday, June 09, 2008
Driving through Indiana floods
The other day I was in Athens, Ohio hanging with a friend of mine who runs a dynamic ministry to the rural poor near the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. I had just finished playing Frisbee with the staff-members when I got a phone call from my wife telling me that we got an offer on our house and that we had to sign the papers the next day—and not a day later. Selling our house was the one obstacle getting in the way of my wife and I's move to Bethlehem next year, so I was elated. The only dimmer on the evening was it was 9:00 p.m. and I knew that it would take at least 10 hours to drive home. With little time to think, I packed my stuff and headed home. I drove till about 2:30 a.m. and found a Super 8 just outside of Indianapolis.
The next day I got up--after about 4 hours of sleep--and continued on my way. Everything was going well till about 10:00 a.m. I was in McDonalds having breakfast when the windows of heaven started pouring down. The rain reminded me of Noah's flood and for a brief minute I contemplated what it must have felt like standing outside the ark after the doors were shut. Then the lights went completely out. I saw a man standing around that looked like he knew something that I didn't, so I asked if he knew when the storm was going to let up. He proceeded to tell me the bad news that Hwy 70 W was closed down about 20 miles south of where I was and the traffic was backed up for miles.
Knowing I couldn't risk letting more time go by, I decided to head out anyway and sure enough, he was right. Luckily the guy had an atlas in his truck and he helped me work out an alternative route before I left. Just before the traffic build-up I spotted an exit and decided to fuel up. I also had to go to the bathroom, but, unfortunately the bathroom was out of order--and that was the only bathroom around for miles. I had a choice to make at that moment. I could either lose my dignity and go in a bush at the corner of the lawn attached to the station, or I could get back on the road and wait about two hours in the traffic. Like any man would do, I chose option one and silently thanked God that he didn't create me a woman.
Once I finally got to the exit for the alternative route, I pulled over to another gas station only to find out that the road I was traveling on was also closed down further down the way due to an overturned truck. This time, I had to drive about 18 miles to another highway that was supposed to get me back on 70 going west. Unbeknownst to me at the time, the entire area was declared a disaster area due to the flooding--which meant that I was going to have to spend another 3 hours in stand still traffic. To make matters worse, after I got back on the road and spendt another two hours in agony, I pulled over to another gas station only to find out that the station was temporarily closed down. I seriously didn't think I was going to make it back home that day, but thank God I did. The trip took twice as long as it should have, but I made it back just in the nick of time to sign the papers to close the deal.
I'm reminded of 2 Timothy 1:17 where the Apostle Paul describes how a man named Onesimus arrived in Rome and sought for Paul zealously until he found him. Just like the way I was determined to get home to sign the papers on the sale of my home despite the obstacles in my way, Onesimus was a man that didn't allow obstacles to detract him from his destination. Had Onesimus taken the same attitude that many Christians do today, he would have concluded that it simply wasn't God's will for him to find Paul after two or three tries. I think that too often we pacify ourselves for our lack of perseverance by saying, "Oh well, I guess it wasn't God's will for me to finish my education or to go on that missionary trip" when the real reason is we just didn't want it bad enough. So the next time you think about giving up on a dream or a destination, just remember Onesimus, and if that doesn't do anything for you, just picture a frustrated young man sitting in agony through hours of traffic praying for a gas station. Just keep driving!
The next day I got up--after about 4 hours of sleep--and continued on my way. Everything was going well till about 10:00 a.m. I was in McDonalds having breakfast when the windows of heaven started pouring down. The rain reminded me of Noah's flood and for a brief minute I contemplated what it must have felt like standing outside the ark after the doors were shut. Then the lights went completely out. I saw a man standing around that looked like he knew something that I didn't, so I asked if he knew when the storm was going to let up. He proceeded to tell me the bad news that Hwy 70 W was closed down about 20 miles south of where I was and the traffic was backed up for miles.
Knowing I couldn't risk letting more time go by, I decided to head out anyway and sure enough, he was right. Luckily the guy had an atlas in his truck and he helped me work out an alternative route before I left. Just before the traffic build-up I spotted an exit and decided to fuel up. I also had to go to the bathroom, but, unfortunately the bathroom was out of order--and that was the only bathroom around for miles. I had a choice to make at that moment. I could either lose my dignity and go in a bush at the corner of the lawn attached to the station, or I could get back on the road and wait about two hours in the traffic. Like any man would do, I chose option one and silently thanked God that he didn't create me a woman.
Once I finally got to the exit for the alternative route, I pulled over to another gas station only to find out that the road I was traveling on was also closed down further down the way due to an overturned truck. This time, I had to drive about 18 miles to another highway that was supposed to get me back on 70 going west. Unbeknownst to me at the time, the entire area was declared a disaster area due to the flooding--which meant that I was going to have to spend another 3 hours in stand still traffic. To make matters worse, after I got back on the road and spendt another two hours in agony, I pulled over to another gas station only to find out that the station was temporarily closed down. I seriously didn't think I was going to make it back home that day, but thank God I did. The trip took twice as long as it should have, but I made it back just in the nick of time to sign the papers to close the deal.
I'm reminded of 2 Timothy 1:17 where the Apostle Paul describes how a man named Onesimus arrived in Rome and sought for Paul zealously until he found him. Just like the way I was determined to get home to sign the papers on the sale of my home despite the obstacles in my way, Onesimus was a man that didn't allow obstacles to detract him from his destination. Had Onesimus taken the same attitude that many Christians do today, he would have concluded that it simply wasn't God's will for him to find Paul after two or three tries. I think that too often we pacify ourselves for our lack of perseverance by saying, "Oh well, I guess it wasn't God's will for me to finish my education or to go on that missionary trip" when the real reason is we just didn't want it bad enough. So the next time you think about giving up on a dream or a destination, just remember Onesimus, and if that doesn't do anything for you, just picture a frustrated young man sitting in agony through hours of traffic praying for a gas station. Just keep driving!
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