Militants firebomb home of Bibles for Mideast women; two seriously injured

(Nov. 19, 2016) The house of six women working with Bibles for Mideast was fire-bombed by Muslim militants in the Middle East yesterday evening, with two seriously injured.

Ramza, a young woman featured in a story here last July (Muslim father kills daughter; Jesus raises her from the dead), managed to miraculously escape with only minor injuries.

The six women lived and worked together, evangelizing and distributing bibles to local women, as well as  working for their livelihood as farm laborers.

After their evening prayers, the women had gone to bed. Not long after, they awakened to a terrifying noise and saw their house burning around them. They screamed and attempted to escape. But men armed with guns stood at their door.

“As we tried to come out, they fired at us,” reported Saleeha, who managed to escape unharmed. “So we were forced back into the house. By then, two women had collapsed, seriously burnt.”

“People living nearby managed to reach our house with weapons, and the attackers finally left,” Saleeha said.  “Five to seven attackers had come to kill us. They came by motor bikes. But our Lord Jesus Christ protected our lives,” she added.

“Christ Jesus is our mighty Savior and Lord!” Ramza added. “He is able to keep us safe. Whether we live or die, we belong to him.” As someone who had already experienced death at her own father’s hands, and been resurrected by Jesus, she certainly understood better than most of us the truth of her words.

The injured women were hospitalized, and the others moved to a different location. Please pray for them.

98-year-old Sri Lankan pastor carries on in the Lord's ministry

98-year old Pastor Tiddy Senapatiratne of Sri Lanka

Report: Bibles for Mideast

"Even at the age of 98, my grandfather carries on a ministry of intercession as well as writing prayer letters to encourage pastors and believers," says Kevin Senapatiratne of his grandfather, Tiddy Senapatiratne. "In his writings, he is challenging people to follow the Scripture and live it out with faith and adventure."

We present to you here the latest letter from Pastor Tiddy to Pastor Paul of Bibles for Mideast.

_________________________

My dear Brother in Christ,

Greetings in the blessed name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who exhorts us to read and obey His Word.

Sometime back I wrote in one of my letters to you about God commanding us to meditate on God's Word day and night (Joshua 1:8,9). He did not only command us, but He also gave us promises. Joshua had only five books at that time, but now we have 66 books (in the Bible) to read and obey, and we have many more promises in them. God loves us so much, and I am sure you too would have experienced His love in many ways, just as much as I have, perhaps more.

We should read God’s word often, if possible daily—at least a small portion each day. It will make us grow in our Christian life. I used to know a Mr. Leisser, the proprietor of an English firm in Sri Lanka. He told me that he had read through the Bible 40 times. He knew it thoroughly from beginning to end. We need not do so much, but if we read it as often as we could and use it for His glory and for the salvation of souls, we will be much blessed. It will be helpful if we could learn verses of scripture by heart.

“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

The Word of God has been used powerfully by many persons mentioned in the Bible. Let us have a look at some of them.

A centurion wanted his servant healed. He knew that if only Jesus would speak a word from just where He was, his servant would be healed, just as for when he speaks a word to his soldiers they obey. Please read about it in Matthew 8:5-13.

Jesus cast out demons with His Word. We read about it in many places in the Bible. Whatever Jesus said was with authority (Luke 4:32; Matt. 7:28,29; John 6:63).

After Jesus ascended, His disciples spoke with authority as He had done. One such occasion was when Peter and John healed a man who was lame from his birth. When this man was healed he went into the temple “walking and leaping and praising God” (Acts 3:1-9).

In Acts 9:32-35, Peter only spoke a few words and Aeneas (who had been bedridden for eight years) arose immediately.

In Acts 9:36-41 we read of Dorcas, who was dead, being raised up by Peter speaking only two words after praying.

When Elymas the sorcerer tried to prevent the deputy from accepting what Paul said, being filled with the Spirit, Paul said: “You shall be blind not seeing the sun for a season.” Immediately he became blind (Acts 13:6-12).

In Acts 14:8-10 when Paul said “Stand up straight on your feet,” the man who had never walked stood, leaped and walked.

Please read the story of Ananias and Saphira in Acts 5:1-10. Both had lied and when Peter spoke to each one they fell down and died.

When we see what happened when apostles of Jesus did after seeing Him do all these, do we not get a desire to act similarly? But we might excuse ourselves, saying that they saw Jesus Himself do it all. What about us? Let us ask Jesus to give us too a vision and power to do likewise and be firebrands for Him.

May the Lord bless you.

Your servant in the service of the Most High God,

Tiddy Senapatiratne

Islamists march for ouster of Christian Governor in Indonesia

Governor Ahok and his wife Veronica Tan

(Nov. 4, 2016) Around 150,000 hardline Muslim protesters rallied outside the Presidential palacein Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, today to demand the resignation of the governor of Jakarta, who they said had insulted the Koran.

Basuki Tjahja Purnama, popularly known as Ahok, the Governor of Jakarta is a Christian. He was planning a re-election bid in February.

A member of Indonesia’s Christian minority and of Chinese heritage, Ahok is the first ethnic governor in the country. Christians make up one percent of the population.

He took the gubernatorial seat in Jakarta in 2014, which had been vacated with Joko Widodo's election as president. But hardline Muslims have opposed Ahok's rise to power.

The protesters, led by a group called the Islamic Defenders Front, demanded Governor Ahok be jailed for blasphemy. They waved placards and chanted "Hang Ahok" and "Allahu Akbar,"  according to missionaries of Bibles for Mideast in Indonesia.

Although the rally had been mostly peaceful, violence erupted as police clashed with protesters who disobeyed instructions to disperse after nightfall. Police used tear gas and water cannons in attempts to control angry demonstrators. One man died, while four civilians and three police officers were injured as a result of the clash.

Police officialscalculateit is the second biggest protest against Ahok in less than a month. In October, another protest against him gathered at City Hall.

About 18,000 soldiers and police, some equipped with rifles, were on patrol and secured shopping malls in Jakarta during the procession.

Indonesia is the largest Muslim-populated country in the world (India being second and Pakistan third).

"Ahok is not Muslim, but he humiliated the Koran," protesters said.

Many of the protesters wore white robes and Muslim caps and gathered at the central Istiqlal Mosque, the biggest mosque in the country, before they began moving toward the presidential palace.

There were smaller protests against Ahok in other cities, including Surabaya, Makassar and Medan.

March of Islamists in Jakarta against Governor Ahok, a Christian

The governor has built a reputation of being a tough reformer who is determined to clean up Jakarta’s streets and battle corruption in government. These traits have made him widely popular and have given him an edge on next year’s election. However, Islamic hardliners oppose him and do not want him to hold a government position because of his faith in Jesus Christ. He will compete for re-election against two Muslims, Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono, son of former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, and a former education minister, Anies Baswedan.

Ethnic Chinese make up just over one percent of Indonesia's 250 million people, and they typically do not enter politics.

Indonesia suffered a series of Islamist attacks early in the last decade. In the most serious incident, 202 people were killed in bombings of a nightclub on the island of Bali in 2002.

An attack in Jakarta early this year by supporters of Islamic State raised fears of a new wave of violent militancy.

Pray for Governor Ahok and his family, as well as all Christians in Indonesia. Pray also for the ministries of Bibles for Mideast, its missionaries and the many new believers.

1,268 baptisms and many miracles in three days!

By God’s grace, underground house churches of Bibles for Mideast conducted 127 baptismal services across Asia, Africa and the Middle East over the past three days, with 1,268 former Muslims going through the cleansing waters. In Saudi Arabia alone, 613 people in 72 different areas went through the sacred rite. While threats and attacks accompanied the services, so did the miraculous!

“Because of police patrolling and the threats of attack from Islamic militants and terrorists, we avoid sea shores for the baptisms and held the services inside of our churches.” Pastor Paul, Director of Bibles for Mideast explains. Most churches arranged to have fiber or polythene water tanks erected inside of their prayer halls.

Many did experience attacks or threats.

Baptism in makeshift pool

“A mob of Islamic militants attacked the people of our church on their way to the service,” Pastor Hilal of one church reported. “Nobody knows how it happened, but the people of the mob ended up having a serious argument about something and they divided into two groups.  Finally they fought each other and police came and arrested them all.”

Al Muthalib reported what happened when some radicals attempted to attack the people gathered at his church.

“Some militants smell about the baptism service of our church, and they gathered outside of the church wall with weapons and tried to enter the church compound by jumping over the gate. While jumping, one of them was seriously injured by an iron bar fixed to the top of the gate. The sharp point of the bar went through his body. Others took him to the hospital at once.”

“Police came to search in our church,” Evangelist Davood reported from his area. “But the pastor got information they were coming, so the service ended quickly before they arrived. The people turned the water tank upside down in a corner of the compound and put hollow bricks around and on the tank to hide it.   When police came, they couldn’t find any evidence of a religious service, so they left.”

Salmath shared the wonders witnessed by all at her church.

Water 'boiling' in the tank!

“During the baptismal service, a star light descended from above the water tank and water started boiling with steam, but without getting hot.  Till the end of the baptism, the water boiled continuously. All the people who were baptized in that water tank were immediately anointed by the Holy Spirit!”

So many wonderful accounts have come in we are not even able to report them all.

Please keep these new believers in your prayers, and continue to pray for the evangelization of the entire Muslim world.

“I sought the Lord, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears.
Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.
This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; He saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them.
Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him.”
— Psalm 34:4-8

1,200 former Muslims prepare for baptism

Report: Bibles for Mideast

Close to 1,200 former  Muslims who now believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are preparing for baptism in a dozen Middle Eastern countries, as well as some Asian and African nations. All personally requested the pastors of Bibles for Mideast to baptize them as soon as possible.

The pastors and gospel teams of Bibles for Mideast have been fasting and praying along with the believers for the guidance of our Lord and His will to be done. God willing, baptismal services will be held within a few days in these different regions..

Terrorists, militants and religious police vigilantly oppose evangelical activities in all of these areas, and will do all they can to prevent the baptisms. God alone can protect the people from harm.

Bibles for Mideast baptized 24 former Muslims in the Arabian Sea last week. Islamic militants, on discovering the plans, arrived on the scene ready to shoot those in attendance. But our gracious Lord created a giant dust storm between the candidates and the militants, protecting them all. The incident encouraged the new believers tremendously, strengthening their faith and determination.

We request the earnest prayers of God’s children around the globe for this great task. May the power of the Highest overshadow all of the candidates, ministers, attendees and other believers and seekers. May our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ seal them by His precious victorious life-giving blood, shed on Calvary for the salvation of humanity. May the power of the Holy Spirit cover them all with His Mighty flame. May our Lord be with them and use them as His witness to many, especially within the Muslim world. Amen and halleluiah!

"But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.  Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest."  (Matt. 9:36-38)