Interceders Needed for Sept 1st Indonesian Christians Court Decision

Please pray for the a fair and just ruling on Sept. 1st for Dr. Rebecca Laonita, Mrs. Ratna Mala Bangun, and Mrs. Ety Pangesti.

* Intercede for Indonesian Christians Court Decision

These woman have undergone terrible oppression, false accusations and the trial has been a source of death threats, an atmosphere of hatred and disruption and Islamic jihad propaganda. These women have had to appear before the court one day a week since their imprisonment, the court case began June 30th.

Quote from Assist News Story Article..

"Earlier this year Dr. Rebecca Laonita, Mrs. Ratna Mala Bangun, and Mrs. Ety Pangesti conducted a “Happy Week” VBS-type program in their homes in the village of Haurgelis, West Java. Eventually about a score of Muslim children also attended with permission of their parents. They were arrested on charges of "Christianization" of Muslim children, and immediately jailed. The court case began on June 30. "

Even if they are found by the court to be innocent - Muslims have promised vengence and death on them and their families, so no matter what happens God's hand and protection must be stayed over these women.Christians have been asked to strongly intercede for these women and their families (too). The final verdictwill be on Sept 1st. Let the holy God of heaven prevail, and justice be done for these women.

Here is the link for their pictures and more information. http://www.worldchristianministries.org/resources/IslamicRadical
sAgitateJudges.asp

German's Send Children to School Abroad to Avoid Public Education

Due to the fact that homeschooling continues to be illegal in Germany and their public education system is indoctrinating children with rather wordly sex education programs and other practices contrary to their Christian beliefs, several Baptist families are making the hard decision to leave the country and send their children abroad to countries where homeschooling is legal.

Quote...

"The parents said they had resisted anti-Christian ideologies under Communism in the Soviet Union. Now they were extremely disappointed to find themselves in an even more hostile environment in a free Western democracy. .."

The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty

The Becket Fund
* Protecting the Religious Freedom of all traditions

Some Quotes about the Organization & it's Purpose...

"The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty is a nonpartisan, interfaith, legal and educational institute dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions..."

"Freedom of religion is a basic human right that no government may lawfully deny; it is not a gift of the state, but instead is rooted in the inherent dignity of the human person..."

Updates on India's Anti Conversion Laws

A good source for updates on India's anti-conversion law and how it is effecting the freedoms of Christians in India. It is important to be aware of and keep track of how these type of laws once established work to both prohibit the preaching of the gospel and prevent the saving of souls.

Lanka Liberty News Reports
* A Web-site dedicated to Religious Freedom in Sri Lanka

Quote from Home page...

"... The April 1, 2005, edition of The Wall Street Journal Asia featured an editorial (subscription only) against Sri Lanka's proposed anti-conversion law: "Anyone cutting through the mush can see that the proposed law is a simple case of denying freedoms -- of expression on the part of the faith-based aid organizations, and of religion on the part of individual Sri Lankans." ...

Christian Freedom International

Mission Statement...

"... CFI Helps Persecuted Christians Christian Freedom International is an interdenominational human rights organization for religious liberty helping persecuted Christians..."

..." The mission of CFI, however, is to reach the part of the persecuted church that is. . .

. . .the most repressed,
. . .most cutoff,
. . .and most isolated..."

Click to Donate Bibles Through Open Doors

Open Doors click to donate site, each daily click will help work to donate one book of the Bible to a persecuted Christian who has never owned a copy of God's Word. They have a daily click-thru "goal" of 1320, which is always exceeded.

Stats show how many full Bibles were donated so far that month...
http://www.donatebibles.org/Stats.asp

Open Doors is an awesome ministry whom I am happy to support. The seed you plant here is gaurenteed to produce a wonderful spiritual harvest!

Click to Help Feed & Care for Needy Children

Site: HungryChildren.com

A donation is made by LEXXTECH.com and advertising sponsors (when you visit their individual sites) for every 1000 visitors who click thru to a site sponsor, the sponsor will donate $25 to help provide funds to support food and care of needy children and ministries; all donations are also matched by LEXXTech.com.

http://hungrychildren.com/index.html

Help Feed the Poor with One Click of your PC

Site: The Hunger Site

* Each individuals click per day accounts for 1.1 cups food
Sponsored by Mercy Corps and America's Second Harvest

http://www.thehungersite.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/CTDSites

Site: Stop the Hunger!

* Each individuals click per day accounts for 3.3 cups food
Proceeds go to America's Second Harvest

http://www.stopthehunger.com/hunger/

The Deception over Embryonic Stem Cell Research

This is a current testimony of Dr. Kelly Hollowell from a few months ago... Note the statement where she says no human trials for ESC (Embryonic Stem Cells) exist. I had read (elsewhere) that one of the problems in the trials in mice and rats was that they were producing a great deal of cancer and cell abnormalities in the results, so of course we would hope they wouldn't have moved on to actual human trials with those kind of results.. thank God for that, at least.

Dr. Hollowell's Testimony Before Virginia Senate Panel

Quote...

On February 3, Dr. Kelly Hollowell, senior strategist for the Center for Reclaiming America, testified in front of the Virginia Senate Committee on Education and Health, urging the senators to bar state funds from being used to experiment on human embryonic stem cells. Five days later, the Virginia Senate voted 23-17 to do exactly that!...

Current or potential use of embryonic stem cells:

First, allow me to make clear that there are no currently approved treatments using ESCs. Nor do human trials involving ESCs exist. Even success in animal models is modest and rare. What’s more, experts predict a minimum 10 years before any treatments using ESCs might be available. In fact, little more than discouraging, if not frightening, drawbacks exist to this research, all of which are well-documented in peer reviewed scientific journals.

* Other articles...

Frist decision “morally misguided” and “blow to pro-life cause”

Quote...

Dr. Kelly Hollowell, the Center’s Senior Strategic Analyst reports that while embryonic stem cells ‘have not cured a single lab rat,’ adult stem cells have treated over 58 diseases in human patients, including Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord injuries, and juvenile diabetes. A listing of current applications of adult stem cells with research journal citations is located at http://www.reclaimamerica.org/download/StemCellFacts.pdf

“According to Dr. Hollowell, who holds a Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, ‘embryonic stem cell research is unsafe, unethical, scientifically unproven, and unnecessary, in light of advances using adult stem cells.’”

Gospel for Asia - A Ministry worth talking about!

This "Gospel for Asia" sounds like an awesome ministry!

Quotes from their site...

But the harsh reality is that 2.7 billion people of our generation are still unreached with the Gospel. What answers are we prepared to give to the living God when He asks about the blood of these multitudes on our hands?
Today, we have the great privilege of helping them come to know Jesus. If we will commit to live for what is eternal, this generation can be reached with the Gospel.

I pray that Gospel for Asia will become like a bridge, giving you the opportunity to walk away from your own preoccupations to the harvest fields of Asia--and see the perishing multitudes through the eyes of Jesus.

Highest Ranking Christian in Muslim State Dies Tragically

Terribly sad news comes from Southern Sudan today, as the helicopter death of their new Vice President has been reported. A strong Christian and supporter of missions and other efforts, this truly is a blow for this troubled nation where many have suffered severe persecution in the name of Christ.

Keep them in your prayers!

Highest Ranking Christian in Muslim State Dies Tragically

By Douglas W. Phillips,
with Matthew Chancey Contributing

Quote...

"Sudan, a nation of many sorrows, has suffered yet another tragic blow to the cause of freedom early this morning with the death of the newly inaugurated President of Southern Sudan, Dr. John Garang. He was the highest ranking Christian in the world of an officially Islamic state...."

Destruction of Mennonite Property in Vietnam

It was recently report that on July 19, 2005 authorities wrecked destruction upon the Vietnam Church center and family home of [currently imprisoned] Rev. Nguyen Hong Quang. Parts that were not included in the court order (that claimed certain sections were build without a permit) were also destroyed.

Mrs. Nguyen Hong Quang and two of her children were home when the devastation by over 200 city officials and workers who also videotaped the desecration of parts of the church and home was done. Mrs. Quan's cell phone communications were blocked and no one was allowed access to her until all the destruction was complete.

The Vietnam Mennonite Church General Office is asking Christian communities across the world to pray and to do everything possible to encourage & support this family, inform the media and raise awareness.
The Reverand Quang who is currently imprisoned has experienced an increasingly poor state of health. This family and church has experienced continuing great oppression and persecution.

Keep this family and church in the forefront of your prayers!

Praying for (our) Persecutors

We know that as Christians we are instructed to pray for those who spitefully persecute us, Richard Wasserfalls article helps explains why. Those of us who support the persecuted church in prayer, must also stand in prayer for those who persecute them and show Christ's love and mercy to ALL.

* Praying for persecutors indelible *

by Richard Wasserfall
Christian Monitor

18-Jul-2005

Quote from the article...

"But Jesus' gospel takes us a revolutionary step further. He asks us to pray for our persecutors, not to stop short just asking God to deal justly with them...."

VOM Persecution Blog Officially Launches

Voice of the Martyr's now has an "official blog" which is only a couple months old. Please visit it to gather current news on the plight of persecuted Christians world-wide.

Quote...

"Christian ministry Voice of the Martyrs has begun a blog to share news and information about Christian persecution around the globe. The purpose of the blog is to call attention to the plight of Christians who are being persecuted for their faith."...

Is the U.S.A Persecution's Final Outpost?

The worldwide rise of Christian persecution has been matched in our own nation by a lesser form of persecution (we call it religious discrimination). Slowly but surely the United States has begun to follow suit after other "so called" civilized nations and the suppression of Christian expression and free speech, the "legal abililty" to speak forth the whole Word, and in some cases even to evangelize is fast becoming more & more squashed by the God Smashers within this very nation..

Is the U.S.A the final outpost of Christian persecution? I believe it is. I'm not saying we will be the last nation standing, far from it. But on this celebration of our country's "independance" I wonder how many more freedoms will have been sacrificed by this time next year in these United States of America?

I thank God for the freedoms I still have, & although at this point every effort to maintain them will be an ever increasing uphill battle, we must continue to press on, hold on... and keep watch over this nation. Because once we as Christians lose our voice in our own backyards, our ability to evangelize the rest of the world will be lost along with it. We will know what persecution is, we have seen it from afar.. but not yet truly felt it but we will soon enough.

For those of us who support and watch over the persecuted church we should possess a greater awareness of what is coming, & I pray that we are as prepared and faithful as the great cloud of witnesses we have seen... as we too may one day (soon) wear the white robes of the martyrd.

The Internet may be the last front of evangelization, so use it well while you are still able... until big brother or the A.C.L.U. or some other God Smasher has put a law in place that pulls the plug on that freedom too.

Happy Fourth of July

&

God Bless America!

The Amazing Grace of Persecuted Christians

I am really floored by the faith and grace and absolutely Christ-likeness I see in some of the testimonies of persecuted Christians in third world countries.

A picture is worth a thousand words and this months Voice of the Martyr's has a special photo section. So many beautiful pictures of the persecuted and oppressed, but something on the last page really spoke volumes... saving the best for last (or maybe the worst depending on your perspective)... there was a photo of a young man with his arms raised in praise and the light of Christ was just emanating from his smile. I say arms, because he no longer has hands or wrists to raise in praise. Many would rather not look upon and "see" the terrible evidence of persecution.. it is real and it is absolutely devastating. I think this is the reason many Christians seem to avoid the issue, sort of pushing it to the back of their minds as if it really is not such a big deal.

It is hard sometimes to look at the desecration done to these faithful witnesses, but looking past and into their spirit we see that all is still well with their soul... & oh how beautiful these faithful ones must look to the Lord who sees straight into the heart!

Fairness & Accountability in Broadcasting Act - NOT!

You must inform yourself about the ramifications of Bill HR 501 -
"The Fairness and Accountabilty in Broadcasting Act" which is a ferocious wolf in sheep's clothing (Fair in name only) that can bring freedom of religious expression on the airwaves (TV & Radio) in the USA to a crippling halt in a matter of a few short weeks. I am hardly "crying wolf here" there is a dangerous and looming reality of the negative impact such an act would have on Christian broadcasting across this country. Christian radio and television broadcasting as we know it would cease to exist.

This act was originally introduced and approved back when radio and television broadcasts and stations were very few (1950's) and intended to ensure variety in programming for that time (way before we had literally hundreds of stations to chose from as we do today) and was later repealed in 1987 by the FCC who said it "violates the First Amendment and contravenes the public interest."

The literal results of having this bill passed would be any ordinary citizen (or group) could file a complaint calling to have a stations license revoked because they were not providing (counter programming of an equal viewpoint) for every single program the station airs.

That means that a Christian station broadcasting a pro-life view program would have to air a pro-choice program, and on and on. If they did not and someone (any individual) complained that they were violating the act by not doing so, the individual could file a complaint to have the station investigated and it's license revoked. At that point the station would have to comply, in some manner.

A sermon on the gospel could literally require a counter speech broadcast on the truths of atheism, paganism, etc... Station managers not wanting to compromise their station or ministry integrity will most likely chose to air neither type of program.

This is a pandora's box and once opened the A.C.L.U and any other individual or organization desiring to remove God from the public square can use this option to intimidate, oppose and legally cripple every radio station and television broadcast station that airs Christian programming and not counter views along with them.

Who is in control here, certainly not the individual radio or tv station to decide what they broadcast. The intent of this Bill introduced by NY Louise Slaughter is clearly the liberals design to shut down the opposing voice of the Christian right and if passed it literally does have the power to do it!

http://www.theorator.com/bills109/hr501.html

Keep on top of the status of this bill, and if you oppose it... then contact your representatives now, before it is too late to do so.

Schiavo findings don't justify 'cruel death'

Some quotes...

"No amount of brain injury ever justifies denying a person proper humane care," Pavone said. "That includes food and water." ...

"There are those who will use this autopsy report to claim that the death by dehydration imposed on Terri Schiavo was compassionate or merciful," she continued. "Others would say such a life is not worth living. Such thinking is misguided and absolutely wrong. Those decisions are not ours to make." ...

Effects of Uprooting Zimbabwe's Lower Class

There is a serious human rights issue effectings the lives of Zimbabwe's neediest citizens and it needs global attention! I hope the nations rise to the defense of (and find a way to help deliver) these people from these circumstances. People are not trash, and this is a travesty.

* Zimbabwe's 'Cleanup' Takes a Vast Human Toll

By MICHAEL WINES
Published: June 11, 2005

A Quote From the NY Times Article..

"The United Nations estimates that the campaign, Operation Murambatsvina, using a Shona word meaning "drive out the rubbish," has so far left 200,000 people homeless and 30,000 vendors jobless. Human rights and civic leaders say the numbers could be several times that,..."

~

Please join me in praying for those who are now homeless...

~

Father, In the name of Jesus Christ...

~

We stand before your holy throne of grace

and are standing in the gap

for the poor and needy of Zimbabwe,

many who have been cast from their homes

and driven out of their towns and neighborhoods.

~

Send in missions and relief organizations

to care for and find ways to help them.

Deliver them from this terrible plight!

~

Give them a spirit of hope and

let them have opportunity to hear &

receive Your Word into their hearts,

and all Your promises that follow.

~

Father, Restore the cold hearts of stone

who have shown them no mercy

back into repentant hearts of flesh.

Forgive those who have mercilessly treated them,

for truly they do not know what they do.

~

Lord, we trust that your hand is on this situation

and on this people and Your will shall be done.

~

In the name of Jesus, we give thanks and praise!

Amen

Creating and destroying life all in the name of research

The war to protect the unborn battles on, in this case bills to allow unlimited government funding of embryonic stem cell research. Passing those type of bills woul be great news for biotech firms who will use most of this money for other research and purposes (why they are pushing for it in the first place) as it has been proven and scientifically documented that adult stem cell and umbilical stems cells are much much more effective in researching and finding actual cures to diseases than embryonic cells.

Create a life to end one? This premise does not fly with me. The logic of secular humanism can add 2 + 2 and can "create" any desired result they want ... though in most cases it will not be a morally or ethically sound outcome.

Do some research about the difference and effectiveness of adult stem cell vs. embryonic before you even think to stand behind bills like these.

House Defies Bush, Approves Stem Cell Bill