Stoned by terrorists, protected by a lion!

By Pastor Paul, Director of Bibles for Mideast

My risen Lord Jesus Christ has saved my life once again, and I praise and thank God for His unspeakable grace! Certainly I am not worthy of it.

The Assembly of Loving God (ALG) Church of Bibles for Mideast called for 21 days fasting and prayer from March 13 to April 2. As that drew to a close, more than 3000 former Muslims were baptized in many of our churches in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. The Lord enabled me to baptize many people during this time.

About three weeks ago, I was changing my wet clothes after an early-morning baptism service for one of our churches. Suddenly, militants began stoning me and our group. My head was severely injured and bloodied, and a number of others sustained injuries as well.

Believers rushed me to the nearest hospital. An examination showed serious damage to my skull, so I was transferred to a specialist hospital for immediate surgery. Authorities there, however, refused to do surgery before receiving payment. My poor believing friends somehow managed to comply.

The Islamic militants who had attacked us discovered I was undergoing treatment in that hospital, and plotted to kill me. So the believers shifted me from the hospital to Pastor Ayyoob’s house in a nearby forested area.

Pastor Ayyoob lives there with his wife, two young children and 80-year-old mother. Two believers joined us to help care for me. So the eight of us stayed there—with no internet, electricity, piped-in water, or even proper bathrooms.  For primary things we used the forest areas and a nearby river.

Believers secretly visited me at the forest home and we would have prayer services together. I stayed there about three weeks.

Last Sunday [April 16, Easter Sunday], we were in the midst of our worship service with Pastor Ayyoob leading. Suddenly, a group of militants reached the house, armed with steel bars and other weapons. We had no idea what to do.

I still hadn’t (and have not) fully recovered from the surgery. Pastor Ayyoob’s mother is an elderly, sick woman. We also had two children below four years old with us, and a woman seven months pregnant who came for the service.

Militants had found the house by noticing the people attempting to visit me secretly and coming for prayers.

Losing all hope, we thought for sure this was our last day. The children with us started crying. We all joined hands and repeatedly praised and thanked our risen Lord Jesus Christ. We also continually claimed the blood of Jesus Christ as our victory.  The pregnant woman suffered pain, but joined in our praises to the Lord.

O Lord Jesus! Praise His Holy Name. Completely unexpectedly, a lion ran from the forest, leapt towards the militants, and seized one by the neck. When other combatants tried to attack the lion, two other lions bounded towards them. The terrified militants fled the site, and the lions left us completely alone. Equally astonishing, records show no lions are supposed to live in that forest.

Due to pressure from officials, we left the forest home yesterday.

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UPDATE
Pastor Paul took months to recover, and required further surgery in another hospital. Due to security concerns and threats on his life, he had to leave that hospital early as well. You can read more about that here. Please keep him and the many other Bibles for Mideast workers whose lives are so often in danger in your prayers.

URGENT: Prayer request for Pastor Paul

As reported earlier, believers at a recent baptismal service—including the director of Bibles for Mideast—were stoned and many injured. Pastor Paul sustained serious head wounds, including damage to his skull, and required surgery.

After a week in hospital he has now been secretly moved to the home of a formerly-Muslim, now Christian family. The hospital stay proved too expensive and even unsafe. Militants had heard he was there and began hunting for him.

As he wrote to me today, the family members sheltering him often face persecution and death threats themselves. Doctors instructed him not to use his mobile phone, but he managed to send an email when the others weren’t watching. He asks for our prayers, and explains he may not be able to communicate again for several weeks.

May the Lord protect and restore Pastor Paul, guide and provide for the family he stays with while recuperating and direct and inspire you in your prayers for him and the ministry.

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UPDATE April 17, 2017:  Stoned by terrorists, protected by a lion!

Despite persecution, more than 3,000 former Muslims baptized

Report: Bibles for Mideast

(April 05, 2017)  By God’s grace, in spite of setbacks and persecution, more than 3,000 former Muslims were recently baptized in all of the churches of Assembly of Loving God (ALG) in the Middle East, Asia and Africa. 

Bibles for Mideast had evangelized them and prepared them to witness Jesus Christ in the water and by the Spirit. What a tremendous blessing as our 21 days of fasting and prayer wrapped up!

Satan tried to spoil the ministry many times, but our Lord Jesus Christ destroyed all the evil plans.

In one church in Asia, the pastor and newly-baptized believers were attacked by fanatics. Pastor Paul was stoned while changing out of his wet clothes after the baptism service, receiving a blow to his head. Hameed, Fasal, Ruqiya, Sheela and Bishara were wounded as well.

In his epistle to the Philippians, the apostle Paul spoke of knowing the fellowship of the Lord’s sufferings and his goal to experience the power of His resurrection (Phil 3:9-11). We aspire to the same.

Five strong powers worked together against our Lord’s resurrection.

1)  The government: Pontius Pilate, the Roman prefect (governor) ordered the Lord’s crucifixion and also commanded the sepulchre be sealed;

2)  The military: soldiers guarding the burial site;

3)  The Lord’s own people: the Jews wanted to seal the tomb and set a watch;

4)  Heathen: all screamed against Jesus;

5)  Satan: of course never wanted the resurrection of Jesus.

But our Lord Jesus Christ overcame all these powers by rising from death and the grave. Such was the power of His resurrection!

Certainly we too need to overcome these forces. Most governments do not favor Christianity; police, military, terrorists and other militants all conspire against us. Many of our own people (blood-relatives or nominal Christians) do not share our precious faith in Jesus Christ. Non-believers and satanic forces everywhere work against our evangelistic activities.

Let us overcome all these powers by experiencing the power of our Lord’s resurrection.

“In the world you face persecution,” Jesus said. “But take courage; I have overcome the world!” (John 16:33)

St. John says, “For whoever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world: our faith. Who is it that has won the battle over the world? Only the person who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” (1 John 5: 4-5)

Miraculously sending His Word, the Lord radically saves Islamic scholar and teacher

Report: Pastor Paul of Bibles for Mideast

Abu Omar (name changed for security reasons) had been for many years a religious scholar and highly-respected citizen of the Middle East. He taught and preached the Koran, the Hadith and Sharia law in mosques and Islamic schools.

While getting into his car after evening prayers in the mosque, he noticed a piece of paper stuck to his car window. He pulled it off, climbed into his vehicle, put on the light and began reading it. 

“The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Rom. 6:23)

Furious, he crumpled it up. Then, taking the rifle he kept in his car, he stepped out to see if he could find the person who had left the tract. Seeing no one, he threw the paper out and drove away.

On the way home, he stopped in front of a shopping mall. A piece of paper flew towards him and stuck to his clothes: the same bible verse! Tearing it up, he stuffed it in the nearest waste bin.

After shopping, he came back to his car and as he opened the door, pieces of paper blew towards him from the garbage can—the same ones he had ripped up and thrown there. Enraged, he gathered them up and set them ablaze with his lighter.

As he drove home he felt something on his left shoulder. He pulled it off, and glanced to see a piece of burnt paper. He stopped the car to read it: “The wages of sin is death”. A terrible fear came to his mind. With other Muslims, Abu believed in two recording angels, one recording good deeds, and the other bad. He presumed ‘Atid’, the one recording all of his sins and bad deeds, sat on his left shoulder.

Suddenly he felt something on his right shoulder. There he found another scrap of burnt paper. Taking it off he read: “The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” He also held the Islamic belief that another angel named ‘Raqib’ rested on his right shoulder recording his good deeds. In frightened wonderment, he placed the pieces of gospel tract in the dashboard.

Abu Omar could now barely sleep at night. He began pondering the biblical teachings on Jesus Christ. His habit had been to get up at dawn to go to the mosque for morning prayer.

While sleeping fitfully one night, Jesus appeared to him in a dream and said, “Stop being afraid! I am the first and the last: I am he that lives, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forever and always. And I hold the keys to Death and Hell.” (Rev 1:17-18)

Abu Omar saw his nail-pierced hands and knew he had to be Jesus.  He rose from the bed immediately and prostrated himself before Him. When he found the courage to raise his head, the Lord disappeared. He then heard the call for morning prayer from the mosque, but didn’t go.

He rushed to his car to retrieve the pieces of burnt paper from the dash board. On the back of one, he found a mobile number and calling it, connected with Pastor Steve of Bibles for Mideast.

Pastor Steve shared the gospel, and Abu Omar accepted Jesus as his own personal savior and Lord. The pastor later presented  him with a bible, and invited him to join in the 21 days fasting and prayer called by the Assembly of Loving God (ALG) Church. Abu also began preparing for baptism.

Pastor Steve’s secret underground house church of Bibles for Mideast is in an area highly hostile to Christianity.  Please hold all these believers in your prayers.

God restores and redeems: an astounding update of attack on the African church

Report: Ms. Minoo Hussain of Bibles for Mideast, Africa

(March 19, 2017): Ibn Yakoobi was among the Muslim extremists who attacked those praying at an Assembly of Loving God (ALG) church of Bibles for Mideast in a central African country on Wednesday. .

The enraged assailants, armed with rods and swords, charged at those gathered and managed to demolish the church as believers gathered on the third day of a 21-day period of prayer and fasting.

At one point, Yakoobi attempted to kill Pastor Mustafa with his sword. As the original story relates, a huge warrior angel appeared, pulling the pastor to safety. When the church roof had been destroyed and a massive thunderstorm began to roar, a mysterious heavenly storm cloud kept the Christians dry and safe, yet pelted painful rain and hailstones on the attackers. [That whole story here: The storms of heaven in Africa: punishment for some, salvation for others]

Yakoobi was one of the more extreme and fanatic religious leaders of the local mosque, participating in all of its practices and activities. Yet neither he nor other locals, all Muslims, could deny the supernatural intervention of that day. While Yakoobi remained full of questions, many in the neighborhood were softening in their attitudes towards Pastor Mustafa and the assembly, all former Muslims. Some, mostly women from neighboring houses, had begun joining them for their prayer services over the next two days.

But the Imam of the mosque and other religious leaders became only angrier with the new developments. During Friday’s Day of Assembly at the mosque, the imam even devoted his sermon to strictly warning his people not to believe the Christians nor attend their prayer meetings.

He explained how, during the time of the prophet Moses in Egypt, many black magicians had also performed miracles before King Pharaoh. But Moses destroyed all of those miracles with a far greater miracle given by the power of God Almighty.

“So don’t believe and follow the black magic done by Christian followers,” he cautioned them. “Be on the alert.”

Ibn Yakoobi stood up immediately among the worshippers to ask a question. But Sharia law strictly prohibits talking or asking questions during the khutbah (sermon). In fact before each Friday sermon, an elder of the mosque reads stern warnings on the subject from the hadith (the words of Mohammed). Yakoobi could not, however, hold himself back.

“Why then, Imam, can’t you do miracles as Prophet Moses did and destroy their black magic? If you can’t, don’t talk about it!”

The Imam, now incensed, ordered him out of the mosque at once. Several other leaders, especially those jealous of or out-of-sorts with Yakoobi, rushed at him and pushed him out. They dragged him to the road, pummelling him mercilessly until he fell into an open drainage ditch. They then left him there, under the hot midday sun.

Seriously injured and with several broken bones, Yakoobi couldn’t even lift himself up. Those leaving the mosque’s Friday service only laughed at him lying there, wounded and bloodied, as they walked back to their homes.

When everyone had passed, he noticed a cloud descending and then overshadowing him. He recognized it as the same cloud he’d seen two days earlier over the church, protecting the Christians.

He then saw a bright and mighty man in the cloud, sitting on a throne. That man showed his hands to Jakoobi, and they were nail-scarred. He could also see blood-stained marks on his legs, and on the side of his chest.

Blood-colored rays streamed down from the marks and shone upon Yakoobi. He understood it could be none other than Christ Jesus.

“I was brutally beaten, wounded, crucified and died on the cross of Calvary,” Jesus said. “After death, they pierced my side with a spear. But I rose from the dead. You are healed by my wounds.  You are purified by my blood. You have salvation by my death. And you have eternal life by my resurrection. Now I give you a new heart and new life. Be faithful.”

Yakoobi, now utterly healed, knelt down before Jesus and said, “I believe in you Lord Jesus. You alone are my Lord and my Savior.” Within seconds, the cloud vanished.

Yakoobi went home rejoicing, and convinced his family about the truth of Jesus Christ. He met with his friends and shared his experience of salvation with them as well. Some of those who had been involved in the attack on the church decided to put their faith in Jesus as well.

Early Saturday morning, the former attackers gathered together and collected new roofing materials and began rebuilding the church roof.  They asked forgiveness of the pastor and believers, and promised to rebuild the rest of the church soon. They then joined in the day’s prayer service.

About 200 people attended Saturday's gathering. Pastor Mustafa explained the Gospel to them more fully. He then asked those who had not yet accepted the Lord Jesus as their personal savior to do so, with their own hearts and mouths. All knelt down and declared the Lord Jesus Christ to be their own personal savior and Lord.

The Imam has exploded in anger with the new developments. Locals, however, fear saying anything against Jesus or Christians, and warn their youngsters not to either. The furious Imam promises to call in militants from other mosques to fight against the ‘Christian scourge’.

Pastor Paul, Director of Bibles for Mideast and the patron of the ALG, issued a message to the African believers on Jesus Christ being the Prince of Peace.

“Our Lord Jesus does not want us to fight against our enemies in a physical way,” Pastor Paul exhorted them. “His will is that we war against Satan and his people with our fasting and prayers. Our Lord said ‘this kind does not come out except by prayer and fasting.’  Also God says in the book of Ezekiel that He has no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live. So pray for the people who are trying to persecute you. The Lord can change them by your prayers. Be courageous. The whole church and the children of God around the globe are praying for you.”

Then Pastor Paul prayed for them. Everyone joined in exclaiming “Amen and Hallelujah!” Amazingly, their “Amen, Hallelujah” reverberated loudly out into the surroundings as one beautiful voice.

“I have never heard such a beautiful voice before,” one man, Al Qayyum, remarked. He resides not too far from the church, and is known locally as the best male singer.

More than 350 people attended Sunday's worship service, with Holy Spirit moving powerfully throughout. Attendance had previously been less than 40.