End-time prophecy about the Middle East

Special message from Pastor Paul

It is the end-time harvest. Our Lord will be returning to take His bride in glory at any time. Before His return we have to take the Gospel to the unreached, especially in the Muslim world. Because of that, we do not fear persecution or death for His name's sake. The harvest is plentiful and the laborers are few.

Our Lord has given us clear information about the Middle East through prophetic words. The Arabian Peninsula will soon face absolute devastation. Oil fields will burn and some countries will disappear.

And our Lord will break the power of Islam in order to set the nations of the Middle East free. Some populations will turn entirely to the Lord. The Glory of the Lord will be such that thousands, even those injured by nuclear radiation, will be healed!

By the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Bibles for Mideast ministers wholeheartedly for this great breakthrough and end-time harvest.

We ask the prayers of those waiting His soon coming in glory

“For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. When they say, ‘There is peace and security,’ then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there will be no escape! But you, beloved, are not in darkness, for that day to surprise you like a thief; for you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness. So then let us not fall asleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober….” [1 Thess. 5:2-6]

Former radical Hindu man now testifies in most unusual way

Thankappan, a taxi driver in South Asia, once despised Christian missionaries. As a fanatic Hindu and active member of an anti-Christian movement, he often spoke out against Christianity and even organized people near Hindu temples to challenge the evangelistic activities of Christians.

Once, when an evangelist handed him a Gospel leaflet, he made a public display of burning it. Another time he argued with an evangelist and  ended up slapping him.

But Christ Jesus captured him and made use of him as a good vessel in His vineyard. And today he testifies Jesus as a miraculous man.

One day while driving his taxi a few years ago, he happened to drive near a Gospel meeting on a street corner.  Pastor Paul of Bibles for Mideast, himself a convert from Islam to Christianity, led the meeting. Seeing Pastor Paul, a former Muslim, and a former Hindu both witnessing for Christ enraged him. He spat in the diretion of the meeting through his car window.

At that very moment–while his anger distracted him—a huge truck ploughed into his car. Thankappan sustained multiple injuries and ended up in a coma in hospital. 

His intestines, both small and large, protruded from his abdomen. Doctors tried their best, but were unable to reposition them within his body. They declared he had less than a 0.01% hope of survival. So they created a pouch outside his body and just simply kept intestines together as a pack hanging below his waist, and stitched him up.  

While still comatose a few days later, something remarkable happened. He had a vision that Jesus Christ touched him and said, “I am giving you life again. Confess your sins and become my witness.”

When Thankappan opened his eyes, he saw Pastor Paul praying over him. Others, including his wife, stood nearby with tears in their eyes, expecting his death at any moment.

Though he had been unable to speak, he slowly opened his mouth and said to Pastor Paul, “Pastor, I spat at you. I spat at Jesus Christ. I persecuted the Lord Jesus and His servants. Forgive me. Forgive me. Ask my Lord to forgive me.”  Then he began to weep deeply.

A short time later, someone called for the doctor. He was amazed to see Thankappan had emerged from the coma, speaking and crying.

“This is a great miracle!” the doctor exclaimed.  

Thankappan was baptized and became an evangelist, distributing Christian literature and witnessing about Jesus all over the city.  His wife also became a believer and helped him in ministry. 

When preaching on street corners, he holds the Bible in one hand and reveals his unusual digestive pouch as part of his testimony.

“I was an enemy of Christians, but Jesus Christ loved me, made me alive and saved me from sin and death. Now I am His servant,” he declares. “I was persecuting Christians; but the Lord Jesus showed me how He mightily fights for His children. And I am a clear example for that.”

His grown children, living with their own families and also once strongly against Christianity have all accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior.

Thankappan still drives cars for his livelihood as well as being involved with our Lord’s ministries.

Pray for him and his entire family that they would continue to be used mightily as witnesses for the Lord.

Lord, I can’t even walk …

Lord, I can’t even walk without You holding my hand
I thought that ‘number one’ would surely be me
I thought I would be what I wanted to be
I thought I could build on loftiest sinking sand
But I can’t even walk without You holding my hand.
 
Let me see the hands that feel like that tonight
I thought that I could do a lot on my own
I thought I could make it, all alone
I thought of myself as a mighty big man
But I found out later that
I can’t even walk without You holding my hand.
 
As simple as it may seem, we can’t even walk
without the Lord holding our hands.
May I testify? One Sunday I met Jesus, my all and all,
from now on–when I’m in trouble,
I can’t speak for you tonight,
But only His name I’ll call, and if I don’t trust in Him.
I’ll be less than a man, because
I can’t even walk without You holding my hand.
 
Those of you that feel that way tonight,
help us sing the chorus one last time.
Lord I can’t even walk without You holding my hand.
 
Sometimes I sit about all by myself.
Lord I can’t even walk without You holding my hand.
 
How many of you tell the Lord that at times?
Can’t do without the Lord tonight.
The mountain is too high, and the valley is too wide
Down on my knees, thank-you Lord.
I’ve learned to stand because,
I can’t even walk without You holding my hand.
[PC of Bibles for Mideast]

Father Tom Uzhunnalil requests help to be freed from terrorists

Father Tom Ushannalil, earlier picture (l), latest (R)

Report: Bibles for Mideast

A video with Father Tom Uzhunnalil, an Indian Catholic priest has been released by his captors in which the abducted Indian priest calls upon Pope Francis and also the President and Prime Minister of India to do more to save him. In the video, Fr. Tom says nothing is being done to save him, and wonders if this is because he Indian.

Father Tom had been working in a retirement home run by Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity in Port City of Edan in Yemen back on March 4, when militants stormed his workplace, killing fifteen people, including four nuns. The priest was taken hostage.

His captors threatened to kill him almost immediately, while Church and government officials scrambled to locate him and determine if he was alive or dead. On Good Friday, the Archbishop of Vienna, Christoph Schonborn, said that Father Tom had been crucified. The news was shocking, but the premature report proved false.

Since then, there has been virtually no news about him. His loved ones have waited for news of his fate, unsure if they will see him alive ever again.

On the day after Christmas, the priest has appeared in a video made by his captors. His statements are painful to hear. It is obvious that the captors are wearing him down and he is losing hope.

"If I were a European priest, I would have been taken more seriously. I am from India. I am perhaps not considered of much value," he said in the video.

"Dear Pope Francis, dear Holy Father, as a father please take care of my life. I am very much depressed. My health is deteriorating.... I am very sad that nothing has been done seriously."

"I am from India and not considered. Dear people, I pray you all, ask you all, beg you all to do your might to help me to save my life. I need hospitalization soon. Please come to my help quickly," he begged.

For their part, Indian officials say they are working hard to secure his release, but that the process takes time. They have not specified what efforts are underway, nor what demands the terrorists have made.

For now, it remains up to the Indian government and Pope Francis to negotiate the priest's release. The rest of us must do our part to secure his release though prayer. We must also petition the Church and the government of India to do more to save Fr. Tom, a humble priest whose only purpose was to comfort the elderly. He does not deserve to be imprisoned for his Christian faith.

"We have spared no effort and we will spare no effort to secure Fr Tom's release from captivity. The government will do everything to resolve to bring him back," Sushama Swaraj, the External Affairs Minister of India tweeted after seeing Father Tom’s video.

Please pray for Tom Uzhunnalil’s soon release.

Click and view the video of Fr. Tom's request:  https://youtu.be/sv8S6DkTDF8

Wonder what the Face of God looks like?

Have you ever wondered what the face of God looks like? Have you ever thought what you would say to Him? What you would do in His presence?

I lay awake one night and began to think about what I would do. As I was praising Him, I kept thinking: I wanted more, I wanted something more personal. Do I dare?

To start, I am a Christian. I have God’s only Son, Jesus Christ, first in my life. Then, thinking I was in heaven, I could hear chanting.

"Holy is the Lord God Almighty, Who was, and is and is forever more!’’ At first, I can’t see a thing. I can only hear the chanting. It is beautiful. You can’t describe it. You can just say it is the most beautiful and wonderful sound you have ever heard.

I listen for a time and realize that there is no darkness, only light. I could see! The light is not blinding, but a pure light. A light that gives you a sense of warmth and peace. You feel drawn to the light but there is no source. There is only the warm, soothing pure light. A light with no beginning, it is everywhere and everlasting!

Something touched me as I was enjoying the presence of everything. I heard a Voice say, “Come with me, I want to show you something.’’

I could now see, hear and feel. Everything was so wonderful, what more could there be? As I looked, I saw my life before me. The good things, the bad things and the missed blessings I could have had. For the first time there was sorrow in me. The sorrow was for me, and those I should have tried to witnessed to. I had the realization that I may not have led someone to know Jesus as I did, to know Jesus as their personal Savior. There was such sorrow in my soul. I thought I could have done more and could have done better.

At once, I was at the foot of the most splendid individual you could envision. The experience and feeling was far beyond any explanation. I was happy to stay there. There were 24 saints seated with Him. I believed they were the leaders of the 12 tribes of the Jews and the 12 Apostles of Jesus Christ. There were angels going to and from the 24 with reports and tasks to do.

The 24 saints were continually praising God the Father, the Creator, the Almighty.

I felt a touch; a warm, gentle touch. It was Jesus, my Savior, my Lord and Kinsmen-Redeemer, The Prince of Peace. He is my Shepherd. I remembered His words that He would remain at the right hand of God the Father. His elect will be with Him forever.

Jesus said, “Cover your face for now. There is much to do. I need saints who will be willing to give their all, even their life to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ.’’ Again I became sad for those who have and will lose their lives to spread the Gospel to lost souls who are following the deceiver, Satan.

I heard Jesus talk to the Father but could not understand what was said. Jesus said to me, ‘’Come here, I want you to meet the Father.’’

As I kept my head down, not wanting to look up, I felt myself weak and falling to my knees. I heard Jesus introduce me to the Father as His good and faithful servant. It was an introduction, but really I felt so unworthy of it.

I kept thinking the only reason I was there is because of the willingness of His Son to redeem me from Satan’s hold on me. Humanity is so unworthy. I am so undeserving. God is so caring. He didn’t need to do this for me.

I found myself chanting, "Worthy is the Kinsmen-Redeemer of the world. All praise and honor is to be given to Him and the Father.’’ I kept saying it over and over.

An angel came over to me and stood between the Father and me. He told me to look up. As I looked up, I could see the outline of Glory. The silhouette of the angel only just dimmed the brightness and warmth of the light of the face of God.

How does the face of God look? His face is greater than the best you could ever describe here on earth. If you could come into the physical presence of the Father and see Him, you would want to stay there and worship Him forever.

Please pray with me.

"Give us the strength, dear Heavenly Father, to endure the temptations of this world. Keep Your saints safe. Empower us with the Holy Spirit to be witnesses around the globe till the day of the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!"