Text 809, 108 rader
Skriven 2005-12-29 01:45:38 av Bob Hoffman (8:8/2)
Ärende: He Will Carry Us Home
=============================
Faith's Checkbook

December 29

He Will Carry Us Home

"And even to your old age I am He; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I
have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you" (Isaiah
46:4).

The year is very old, and here is a promise for our aged friends; yes, and for
us all, as age creeps over us. Let us live long enough, and we shall all have
hoar hairs; therefore we may as well enjoy this promise by the foresight of
faith.

When we grow old our God will still be the I AM, abiding ever more the same.
Hoar hairs tell of our decay, but He decayeth not. When we cannot carry a
burden and can hardly carry ourselves, the LORD will carry us. Even as in our
young days He carried us like lambs in His bosom, so will He in our years of
infirmity.

He made us, and He will care for us. When we become a burden to our friends and
a burden to ourselves, the LORD will not shake us off, but the rather He will
take us up and carry and deliver us more fully than ever. In many cases the
LORD gives His servants a long and calm evening. They worked hard all day and
wore themselves out in their Master's service, and so He said to them, "Now
rest in anticipation of that eternal Sabbath which I have prepared for you."
Let us not dread old age. Let us grow old graciously since the LORD Himself is
with us in fullness of grace.

======================================================================
Prayers From The Voice of the Martyrs

BELARUS (ASSIST News Service)

The lower house of the Belarusian National Assembly has passed a tough new
security bill making "discrediting the Republic of Belarus' a criminal
offence." Belarus' security forces (KGB) will have the power to act against
those who commit "crimes against the state," e.g., by reporting repression and
persecution. Last year the 600-strong New Life Church in Minsk was refused
registration, and no one would rent premises to them. They purchased a cowshed
where they started meeting and worshipping. The authorities then fined the
church for allegedly violating the Land Code, as a cowshed may not be
designated for religious use. The church's pastor, Vyacheslav Goncharenko, has
been fined frequently. According to Forum 18 (F18), the Minsk City
Administrative Committee ordered the sale of the cowshed. The state will now
confiscate New Life's property. F18 recently saw a report written by a top
religious affairs official expressing regret officials have not been active
enough in controlling and repressing religion. He complains of the state's
failure to return an alternative Orthodox community to the Moscow Patriarchate,
failure to stop Baptists conducting two or three services a week, "freely and
systematically distributing religious literature," and conducting "an illegal
water baptism" lasting over four hours with over 300 participants. He describes
the situation as "depressing" and vows to ensure religion is brought under
control by the end of the year. Pray God will use the witness of faithful
Christians to demonstrate His love and grace to those who oppose Him. Pray they
will keep growing in wisdom, grace, patience and faith in their Redeemer.

INDONESIA (VOM-Canada)

Unknown attackers set fire to the Beth Eden Protestant Church in Manado,
Indonesia, on the night of December 8th. There were no injuries, even though
the pastor and his family were living in the building. However, the building
received extensive damage. Stephen Liow, the church's pastor, told Asia News he
had been receiving anonymous calls in the past few months from people
threatening to burn down the church building. The Christmas season in Indonesia
has often been a time of suffering for Christians who are targeted by Islamic
militants. Due to the heightened threat of terrorism, thousands of police
officers have been put on alert. A police spokesman said, "Churches and other
worship buildings have become our top security priority along with
entertainment centres, shopping compounds." Pray the Lord Jesus will protect
His followers as they celebrate his birth. Pray Pastor Liow will have the heart
of Christ as he leads the congregation through this stressful time. Ask that
the faithfulness of believers will spark a new work of the Holy Spirit
throughout Indonesia.

IRAN (Compass Direct)

The United States has approved emergency resettlement for a family of four
Iranian Christians left stranded in Turkey since an October deportation order.
Widow Zivar Khademian, together with her daughter Fatemeh Moini, 19, and sons
Hossein and Kazem Moini, both in their early 30s, had fled to Turkey in January
2003. After arriving in Turkey, the family was twice refused UNHCR refugee
status, despite their status as former Muslims who had converted to
Christianity. Under Iran's strict Islamic laws, anyone who abandons the Muslim
faith faces the death penalty. Give thanks to God that Zivar and her children
can come to the United States. Pray they will find strong Christian friends to
help them in their adjustment to a new life here
======================================================================

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Faith's Checkbook is powered by InJesus.com.

See up-to-the-minute Christian communication and start your own ministry group
at http://www.InJesus.com/


SUBSCRIBE to Faith's Checkbook by clicking here:
   http://Faith-s-Checkbook.InJesus.com/Join/

If you do not have access to the web, send a blank email to:
   Faith-s-Checkbook-unsubscribe@MyInJesus.com
      --- or ---
   Faith-s-Checkbook-subscribe@MyInJesus.com

--- BBBS/NT v4.01 Flag-5
 # Origin: FamilyNet Sponsored by http://www.christian-wellness.net (8:8/2)
 * Origin: BBS Networks @ www.bbsnets.com 808-839-6036 (1:10/345)