The Devil and Daniel Webster” is a short story by Stephen Vincent Benet. In it, Jabez Stone, a New England farmer, has such “bad luck” that he sells his soul to the devil to become prosperous. Eventually, the devil comes to collect Jabez’s debt. But the eminent lawyer Daniel Webster is called in to defend him. Through a skillful series of arguments, Webster wins the case against the devil, and Jabez is saved from perdition.
Of course, this tale is only fiction. But the Bible records a vision in which Satan accuses a believer before the Divine Judge. Joshua, a high priest, stands before God. As a picture of his personal sin and guilt, the priest is dressed in filthy clothing. Nearby, Satan accuses Joshua. But the Angel of the Lord rebukes him and says to Joshua: “See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes” (Zech. 3:4).
Only God can make a sinner acceptable to Him. And the New Testament tells us how: “If anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1).
Do you feel unworthy to enter the presence of God? Remember, as Christians, our Savior’s blood has cleansed us, and Christ Himself represents us.
The power of God can turn a heart
From evil and the power of sin;
The love of God can change a life
And make it new and cleansed within. —Fasick
Justification means our guilt gone, Christ’s righteousness given.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Priests in Inner Mongolia arrested
China’s government regularly changes tactics in its campaign against the Catholic Church, switching from subtle pressure to outright persecution at different times and places. In Inner Mongolia the campaign is overt.
By arresting several priests, driving several others into hiding, and closing the seminary, authorities have left the little Catholic community of Inner Mongolia without access to the sacraments. The work of the “underground” Church in the region has been badly disrupted. The “official” Catholic community in Inner Mongolia is led by Bishop Paul Meng Oinglu, whose claim to pastoral authority is unclear because, although he is officially recognized by the Vatican, he is also the vice-president of the Patriotic Catholic Assembly. Pope Benedict has urged loyal Catholics to shun the latter group.
The AsiaNews service infers that the wave of repression has been undertaken in preparation for a meeting of the National Assembly and a change in leadership for the Beijing government. Chinese authorities have frequently cracked down on Catholics just before major national events.
By arresting several priests, driving several others into hiding, and closing the seminary, authorities have left the little Catholic community of Inner Mongolia without access to the sacraments. The work of the “underground” Church in the region has been badly disrupted. The “official” Catholic community in Inner Mongolia is led by Bishop Paul Meng Oinglu, whose claim to pastoral authority is unclear because, although he is officially recognized by the Vatican, he is also the vice-president of the Patriotic Catholic Assembly. Pope Benedict has urged loyal Catholics to shun the latter group.
The AsiaNews service infers that the wave of repression has been undertaken in preparation for a meeting of the National Assembly and a change in leadership for the Beijing government. Chinese authorities have frequently cracked down on Catholics just before major national events.
Friday, February 24, 2012
House Church in Xilinhot raided: officials destroy property, detain pastor
BEIJING, CHINA (Worthy News)– In Xilinhot, officials from the Religious Affairs Bureau, the Public Security's Domestic Security Protection Squad, the United Front Work Department as well as local police raided a house church, confiscating its property and arresting the pastor and several of his congregation.
Pastor Wang Dawei and two others were taken to the Xilinhot police station and interrogated for hours before they were finally released.
The officials warned that if those attending the the Canaan Church didn't join a Three-Self church, their house church would be banned and they too would be arrested; the officials then confiscated all the Bibles and hymn books, installing new locks on the doors before they left the building.
The officials later threatened the landlord of the meeting site and told him that Pastor Dawei was a wanted criminal and that his lease with the church should be terminated. But the landlord replied, "Even if I don't rent this place out to the church, they will go find another place to rent and worship there. And if their pastor is a wanted criminal, how come you released him the same day you took him in?"
"Because I’ve been doing evangelistic work in Inner Mongolia for many years, so I have had many experiences of persecution by local authorities, including direct physical harm to me," said Pastor Dawei. "After we planted more than a few churches, they (the government) have been constantly pressuring me to lead these congregations to join the official Three-Self church. Our church follows the Reformed Christian tradition and our allegiance to the faith does not allow us to ally ourselves with anti-Christ forces and fake churches. Our believers are very clear about this, that forcing us to join the official church is the same as forcing us to abandon our faith."
Pastor Dawei said that he and his congregation are prepared to suffer persecution for the sake of faith; he asked that churches everywhere pray for them.
Pastor Wang Dawei and two others were taken to the Xilinhot police station and interrogated for hours before they were finally released.
The officials warned that if those attending the the Canaan Church didn't join a Three-Self church, their house church would be banned and they too would be arrested; the officials then confiscated all the Bibles and hymn books, installing new locks on the doors before they left the building.
The officials later threatened the landlord of the meeting site and told him that Pastor Dawei was a wanted criminal and that his lease with the church should be terminated. But the landlord replied, "Even if I don't rent this place out to the church, they will go find another place to rent and worship there. And if their pastor is a wanted criminal, how come you released him the same day you took him in?"
"Because I’ve been doing evangelistic work in Inner Mongolia for many years, so I have had many experiences of persecution by local authorities, including direct physical harm to me," said Pastor Dawei. "After we planted more than a few churches, they (the government) have been constantly pressuring me to lead these congregations to join the official Three-Self church. Our church follows the Reformed Christian tradition and our allegiance to the faith does not allow us to ally ourselves with anti-Christ forces and fake churches. Our believers are very clear about this, that forcing us to join the official church is the same as forcing us to abandon our faith."
Pastor Dawei said that he and his congregation are prepared to suffer persecution for the sake of faith; he asked that churches everywhere pray for them.
Monday, February 13, 2012
YOU CANNOT HIDE ANYMORE
Want to know you lives around you? Use this link and provide your physical address in the blocks proved. Just remember, WE CANNOT HIDE ANYMORE!
http://neighbors.whitepages.com/
http://neighbors.whitepages.com/
Saturday, February 11, 2012
China's new face of Christianity
BEIJING - Christianity in China began decades ago in the countryside, but today, a dramatic shift is happening.
Young professionals in big cities like Beijing and Shanghai are changing the face of Chinese Christianity, as faith moves from rural to more urban areas.
On a recent Wednesday evening, a group of men and women in their late 20s met in an apartment not too far from the city center to discuss how to thrive in their rapidly changing nation.
Those who attended are members of China's new privileged class -- highly educated, cosmopolitan, middle or even upper class of urban professionals. And they're all Christians.
"We've never had it so good in China today," Jia Li Tian, a member of the group, told CBN News. "But there's more to life that just money and materialism."
Pressures to Succeed
Jia works for one of Beijing's largest tour operators. Like young urban professionals in other parts of the world, he and his peers live in high-rise apartment buildings. They own a car - sometimes two. They are tech savvy. They travel. They have money to spend.
But the pressure to succeed and thrive is fierce.
"The competition for jobs in the big cities is intense," said Zhou Jie, a Spanish translator who works in Beijing.
"Status is everything," said 23-year-old Liu Yi Zhuo, a business consultant for one of China's biggest oil companies. "How much you make. How big is your apartment. What kind of car you drive. This is what people focus on."
"The government makes it possible for us to earn money and have a good life," Jia added. "But how do we handle all these pressures? The government doesn't have answers for this."
Filling the Spiritual Vacuum
But religion is filling a void within this rapidly-changing Chinese society.
"I'm different person today," graphic designer Zhu Kun said over a cup of coffee.
The 23-year-old is one of the many city residents who are now embracing Christianity in record numbers.
"The last couple of years have been difficult for me," Zhu said. "I've struggled professionally and personally. But then someone introduced me to Jesus and now I have a different outlook on my life."
Jesus in the Office
Zhu worships at Shou Wang, one of the largest unregistered or "underground" churches in Beijing. Jin Tian Ming leads the church.
"God called me to start a church to reach these young people with the Gospel," Jin said.
Jin, who himself is a graduate of China's most prestigious university, began the Shou Wang church 18 years ago with 10 people. Now, close to 1,000 attend his weekly service.
"The majority of them have graduated from college and work in the city," he explained. "We have lawyers, professors, doctors, business people."
Jin added that similar gatherings are springing up in other big cities, attracting the white collar working world.
"They are looking for ways to handle the dramatic changes in China, and they are finding answers in Christianity," he said.
New Face of Christianity
Jia Lin Tian helps run a Bible study for new converts in the city. He says this is the new face of Christianity in China.
Such believers are part of what some are calling China's "Third Church."
Peter, not his real name, has worked with China's underground churches for decades. CBN News agreed to conceal his identity to protect him.
"They are called the 'Third Church' because they are very different than what used to be the only two real kinds of churches in China," Peter said. "The registered church -- registered with the government -- and then the unregistered churches, usually called house churches which thrived in the countryside in the 70s and 80s."
"But then after the 1989 (Tiananmen) demonstrations, these urban, educated, well-to-do Christians started forming urban churches," he continued.
'Third Church' Growth
Although Christianity continues to grow in China's countryside, experts say it's in big cities like Beijing where the church is growing fastest.
"Whereas the rural church was not able to have an impact on society as a whole, the 'Third Church' in the cities is able to do that because they are comprised of leaders who can have an impact," Peter explained. "[They are] businessmen, government officials, professors, leaders in engineering, every aspect of life."
Pastor Jin's congregation is technically an illegal gathering. He hasn't registered his church with the government, nor is it part of any of the state-sanctioned churches.
But rather than hide from authorities, Jin and others who lead such congregations in big cities say they want to work with the government officials.
Moving Past Persecution
The Chinese government has always maintained a tight grip on religion. Torture, arrests, imprisonment, and beatings of Christians are still practiced in the country.
But in recent years, authorities have made positive overtures towards house church leaders -- especially those in urban areas.
"The church in China is growing and Christianity is becoming more and more a part of mainstream society," Jin said. "The authorities know this and they are showing a willingness to work with us."
And young, urban believers are welcoming the gesture as they use faith to navigate the opportunities and challenges of China today.
Young professionals in big cities like Beijing and Shanghai are changing the face of Chinese Christianity, as faith moves from rural to more urban areas.
On a recent Wednesday evening, a group of men and women in their late 20s met in an apartment not too far from the city center to discuss how to thrive in their rapidly changing nation.
Those who attended are members of China's new privileged class -- highly educated, cosmopolitan, middle or even upper class of urban professionals. And they're all Christians.
"We've never had it so good in China today," Jia Li Tian, a member of the group, told CBN News. "But there's more to life that just money and materialism."
Pressures to Succeed
Jia works for one of Beijing's largest tour operators. Like young urban professionals in other parts of the world, he and his peers live in high-rise apartment buildings. They own a car - sometimes two. They are tech savvy. They travel. They have money to spend.
But the pressure to succeed and thrive is fierce.
"The competition for jobs in the big cities is intense," said Zhou Jie, a Spanish translator who works in Beijing.
"Status is everything," said 23-year-old Liu Yi Zhuo, a business consultant for one of China's biggest oil companies. "How much you make. How big is your apartment. What kind of car you drive. This is what people focus on."
"The government makes it possible for us to earn money and have a good life," Jia added. "But how do we handle all these pressures? The government doesn't have answers for this."
Filling the Spiritual Vacuum
But religion is filling a void within this rapidly-changing Chinese society.
"I'm different person today," graphic designer Zhu Kun said over a cup of coffee.
The 23-year-old is one of the many city residents who are now embracing Christianity in record numbers.
"The last couple of years have been difficult for me," Zhu said. "I've struggled professionally and personally. But then someone introduced me to Jesus and now I have a different outlook on my life."
Jesus in the Office
Zhu worships at Shou Wang, one of the largest unregistered or "underground" churches in Beijing. Jin Tian Ming leads the church.
"God called me to start a church to reach these young people with the Gospel," Jin said.
Jin, who himself is a graduate of China's most prestigious university, began the Shou Wang church 18 years ago with 10 people. Now, close to 1,000 attend his weekly service.
"The majority of them have graduated from college and work in the city," he explained. "We have lawyers, professors, doctors, business people."
Jin added that similar gatherings are springing up in other big cities, attracting the white collar working world.
"They are looking for ways to handle the dramatic changes in China, and they are finding answers in Christianity," he said.
New Face of Christianity
Jia Lin Tian helps run a Bible study for new converts in the city. He says this is the new face of Christianity in China.
Such believers are part of what some are calling China's "Third Church."
Peter, not his real name, has worked with China's underground churches for decades. CBN News agreed to conceal his identity to protect him.
"They are called the 'Third Church' because they are very different than what used to be the only two real kinds of churches in China," Peter said. "The registered church -- registered with the government -- and then the unregistered churches, usually called house churches which thrived in the countryside in the 70s and 80s."
"But then after the 1989 (Tiananmen) demonstrations, these urban, educated, well-to-do Christians started forming urban churches," he continued.
'Third Church' Growth
Although Christianity continues to grow in China's countryside, experts say it's in big cities like Beijing where the church is growing fastest.
"Whereas the rural church was not able to have an impact on society as a whole, the 'Third Church' in the cities is able to do that because they are comprised of leaders who can have an impact," Peter explained. "[They are] businessmen, government officials, professors, leaders in engineering, every aspect of life."
Pastor Jin's congregation is technically an illegal gathering. He hasn't registered his church with the government, nor is it part of any of the state-sanctioned churches.
But rather than hide from authorities, Jin and others who lead such congregations in big cities say they want to work with the government officials.
Moving Past Persecution
The Chinese government has always maintained a tight grip on religion. Torture, arrests, imprisonment, and beatings of Christians are still practiced in the country.
But in recent years, authorities have made positive overtures towards house church leaders -- especially those in urban areas.
"The church in China is growing and Christianity is becoming more and more a part of mainstream society," Jin said. "The authorities know this and they are showing a willingness to work with us."
And young, urban believers are welcoming the gesture as they use faith to navigate the opportunities and challenges of China today.
On North Korean Christians
SEOUL, South Korea -- Some North Koreans have been able to escape from the Communist country and its strict human rights violations. Kim Eun Jin is one of those survivors.
The 31-year-old was born in Pyongyang, North Korea. She was part of the nation's secret underground church, and her story has never been told until now.
America's Central Intelligence Agency estimates that some 24 million people live in North Korea. The best estimate is about 2 percent or 480,000 of them are Christians.
"Growing up I was told by the authorities that there was no God in this world," Kim recalled. "We were ordered instead to worship Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, the leaders of the country."
Freedom of religion is guaranteed under North Korea's constitution, but it's never encouraged.
"We met every Saturday evening," Kim said, explaining what it was like being a believer in North Korea.
"My family gathered in the back room of our small apartment," she continued. "We had to be very quiet. We whispered when we prayed, sang songs or read the Bible. We often covered our heads to muffle the noise."
A Secret Revealed
Growing up, Kim said she heard stories of how her native city Pyongyang was once known as the "Jerusalem of the East."
In 1945, 13 percent of the population was Christian. The city was the center of Christianity on the Korean Peninsula. Half a century later, Kim's faith made her a target.
"My parents often asked me to stay outside the apartment on Saturdays to make sure no one was coming while the family prayed inside. We couldn't allow anyone to know what was going on," she told CBN News.
Over time, the meetings grew to include a few friends and extended family.
"We had one Bible in the house. My grandmother, who was a believer from the Japanese Imperial times, had a Chinese Bible. She translated the Bible by hand into the Korean language on pieces of paper. That's how we read the Bible. We found strength in those pages," Him said.
But soon the authorities discovered that her father was a secret believer.
"My father was a tailor in town and the police suspected something was going on," she recalled. "We believe they planted listening devices in his shop and on his clothes."
In 1994, police discovered that Kim's father was operating a secret underground church. They raided the house, arrested him along with an uncle, and both men likely ended up in one of the six labor camps dotting North Korea.
"The day my father was arrested I was at school, but I'll never forget that day. He hugged me before I left for school and like every other day he reminded me to be careful," Kim said.
"Every morning at the breakfast table he would tell us that one day the government will come and arrest us for being Christians. He warned us of the price we would some day pay for our faith. I remember him saying often that 'Even if I face death I will follow Jesus,'" she added.
Christians Held Captive
Some 200,000 prisoners are being held in political prison camps in North Korea. An estimated 30,000 of them are Christians. The regime is routinely sited for human rights violations.
Won Jae-chun is a professor of law in South Korea's Handong International Law School.
"They (North Korean Christians) are treated as criminals, especially as terrorists, and they are prosecuted based on national security crimes of North Korea," he said.
A video obtained by CBN News shows what's believed to be the execution of North Korean Christians.
"I hereby declare that the accused is sentenced to death. The death penalty must be executed at once. Ready! Fire! Fire!" a man in the video says.
Kim doubts her father is alive today.
"Everyone knows what happens when government agents arrest Christians in North Korea. They never make it out alive," she told CBN News.
"I know my father is in Heaven and he's praying for North Korea and my family," Kim said tearfully.
In a Better Place
Kim's mother, grandmother and siblings managed to escape to the mountains.
In 2005, with the help of a Chinese pastor, she crossed the Tumen River and defected to China. Her family followed months later.
"It was a difficult decision. I knew that if I got caught I'd be arrested and sent to a prison camp," she said. "But my family defected because we were being persecuted in North Korea for our faith."
Today Kim is married, has a baby boy and lives in Seoul, South Korea.
"I am very proud of what she did. Her family has gone through a lot over the years. She is a hero in my eyes," Kim's husband Jeong Hyung Shin said.
Kim is quick to brush aside those compliments, and instead gives honor to the man who laid down his life.
"I grew up in a land where they said there was no God. But my father told me otherwise. He loved Christ and for that he died," she said.
Kim has a dream to one day go back to Pyongyang and share this love with the people of North Korea.
"We are getting ready for that day when the doors open," Kim said.
Tuesday, February 07, 2012
Cry for the god of North Korea or go to prison
There is a real fear among the leadership that the god-like image of the leaders in North Korea may be deteriorating among the population. Back to Jerusalem missionaries continue to labor among the people of North Korea during their time of transition and introducing them to the real God that will never leave them.
[I have a couple Chinese contacts in North Korea. May the Lord give me wisdom to bring truth to them. gc]
North Korea open to Back to Jerusalem Chinese national missionaries
The Chinese have a very special relationship with North Korea. Anyone observing today’s international politics can easily see the unprecedented influence that China has over North Korea. No other country in the world has a working relationship with North Korea except for China.
A book was released this week showing that this relationship may be even deeper and more influential than many observers have previously thought. A new book called “My Father, Kim Jong Il and me” was released this week in Japan that gives the rare glimpse into the family of Kim Jong Il. The book is written by a close friend of Kim Jong Nam who claims to have done a few interviews and over 150 emails of discussions with the eldest son of Kim Jong Il.
The book highlights the fact that Kim Jong Nam does not have high expectations of North Korea in the hands of his younger brother and feels that the regime will edge closer to collapse under the control of the current regime that has taken over after his father.
Kim Jong Nam lives in China and is given special protection and right of abode there and is a frequent visitor of Macau. Though China currently has a good relationship with the current leaders in North Korea, it seems that China is keeping their “Ace in the hole” – Kim Jong Nam – in safe keeping until all things work themselves out. If relationships sour with the current regime, speculators claim that China could introduce Kim Jong Nam into the equation as an alternative. China has a lot of resources invested in North Korea including port rights in North Korea that will benefit the entire north eastern region of China. China also likes having a clear buffer between their border and the 38th Parallel.
Either way, this still keeps the door open for the future for Back to Jerusalem Missionaries from China into North Korea. Today, more than six Back to Jerusalem missionaries from China are working with the North Koreans to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ and provide tools to the underground church.
A book was released this week showing that this relationship may be even deeper and more influential than many observers have previously thought. A new book called “My Father, Kim Jong Il and me” was released this week in Japan that gives the rare glimpse into the family of Kim Jong Il. The book is written by a close friend of Kim Jong Nam who claims to have done a few interviews and over 150 emails of discussions with the eldest son of Kim Jong Il.
The book highlights the fact that Kim Jong Nam does not have high expectations of North Korea in the hands of his younger brother and feels that the regime will edge closer to collapse under the control of the current regime that has taken over after his father.
Kim Jong Nam lives in China and is given special protection and right of abode there and is a frequent visitor of Macau. Though China currently has a good relationship with the current leaders in North Korea, it seems that China is keeping their “Ace in the hole” – Kim Jong Nam – in safe keeping until all things work themselves out. If relationships sour with the current regime, speculators claim that China could introduce Kim Jong Nam into the equation as an alternative. China has a lot of resources invested in North Korea including port rights in North Korea that will benefit the entire north eastern region of China. China also likes having a clear buffer between their border and the 38th Parallel.
Either way, this still keeps the door open for the future for Back to Jerusalem Missionaries from China into North Korea. Today, more than six Back to Jerusalem missionaries from China are working with the North Koreans to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ and provide tools to the underground church.
China increasing crackdown on Christianity, Group Claims
BEIJING, CHINA (BosNewsLife)-- Chinese authorities have stepped up their "longstanding opposition to Christianity" in China last year, an influential human rights group said in comments monitored by BosNewsLife Thursday, February 2.
In its annual report, U.S.-based China Aid Association (CAA) cited figures that it said "showed a dramatic worsening of government persecution of Christians and churches."
Those statistics included "a 131.8 percent increase" in the number of Christians detained for their religious beliefs. "This trend of worsening persecution has persisted for the past six years," the group said, adding that Christians were not the only target.
"In the year just ended, China's Communist regime has succeeded in creating an atmosphere of terror among the Chinese people -- throughout the country but particularly in Beijing -- by skirting the nation's judicial system to punish its own citizens, in violation of the nation's laws, through abduction, forced disappearance, torture, mentally and physically destructive abuse, treating family members as guilty-by-association, etc. In 2011, more than 100 influential lawyers and human rights activists -- both Christians and non-Christians -- had "disappeared," or been "tortured, put under surveillance or sentenced," the report said.
A "new government practice" in 2011 was targeting churches and individuals who, CAA said, "were significantly impacting society". Among those targeted was the 1,000-member Shouwang Church in Beijing, which has been holding outdoors services after government interference made it impossible for them to buy or lease a meeting space.
Additionally, leading legal activists, including constitutional law expert Fan Yafeng, has been under house arrest since December 2010 while award-winning human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng, who "disappeared" into official custody for 20 months, was sent to a remote prison in far western China to serve a three-year sentence.
"DETAINEES TORTURED"
The report highlighted CAA called "the worrying increase in the use of torture against detainees," citing a 33.3 percent increase over 2010 in the number of cases of abuse of all kinds, including torture.
It was not immediately clear how these figures were obtained, but CAA is known to have close contacts with China's growing house church movement.
Many of the nation's 130 million Christians prefer to worship outside the government-backed official denominations, including in underground 'house churches' organized in homes of individual believers and other buildings.
The Midland, Texas-based CAA was founded a decade ago to draw international attention to what it calls "China's gross human rights violations against house church Christians". The group monitors and reports on religious freedom violations in China.
China's government has denied human rights abuses against Christians and says believers are free to worship in the official Catholic and Protestant denominations. Officials are known to have expressed concerns over the spread of Christianity in a country ruled by a Communist Party with an atheistic ideology.
In its annual report, U.S.-based China Aid Association (CAA) cited figures that it said "showed a dramatic worsening of government persecution of Christians and churches."
Those statistics included "a 131.8 percent increase" in the number of Christians detained for their religious beliefs. "This trend of worsening persecution has persisted for the past six years," the group said, adding that Christians were not the only target.
"In the year just ended, China's Communist regime has succeeded in creating an atmosphere of terror among the Chinese people -- throughout the country but particularly in Beijing -- by skirting the nation's judicial system to punish its own citizens, in violation of the nation's laws, through abduction, forced disappearance, torture, mentally and physically destructive abuse, treating family members as guilty-by-association, etc. In 2011, more than 100 influential lawyers and human rights activists -- both Christians and non-Christians -- had "disappeared," or been "tortured, put under surveillance or sentenced," the report said.
A "new government practice" in 2011 was targeting churches and individuals who, CAA said, "were significantly impacting society". Among those targeted was the 1,000-member Shouwang Church in Beijing, which has been holding outdoors services after government interference made it impossible for them to buy or lease a meeting space.
Additionally, leading legal activists, including constitutional law expert Fan Yafeng, has been under house arrest since December 2010 while award-winning human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng, who "disappeared" into official custody for 20 months, was sent to a remote prison in far western China to serve a three-year sentence.
"DETAINEES TORTURED"
The report highlighted CAA called "the worrying increase in the use of torture against detainees," citing a 33.3 percent increase over 2010 in the number of cases of abuse of all kinds, including torture.
It was not immediately clear how these figures were obtained, but CAA is known to have close contacts with China's growing house church movement.
Many of the nation's 130 million Christians prefer to worship outside the government-backed official denominations, including in underground 'house churches' organized in homes of individual believers and other buildings.
The Midland, Texas-based CAA was founded a decade ago to draw international attention to what it calls "China's gross human rights violations against house church Christians". The group monitors and reports on religious freedom violations in China.
China's government has denied human rights abuses against Christians and says believers are free to worship in the official Catholic and Protestant denominations. Officials are known to have expressed concerns over the spread of Christianity in a country ruled by a Communist Party with an atheistic ideology.
Monday, February 06, 2012
God is magnified!
This young boy, age 12, lives in a poor farming area in China. He had an unreal heart medical problem and his poor family took him to Shanghai for medical help. The doctors later sent him home with his family as there was nothing in Shanghai that could be done for him. They literally sent him home to die.
Robin, the boy's cousin and a friend of mine since I first contacted him in 2008, told me of the pending fate of this young boy... sent home to die. I suggested our church in Arkansas would pray for his cousin and God was able to heal him. Robin had already become a believer. He was thrilled that people in the USA, who did not know him nor his cousin, would pray to "the God" for his ill cousin.
The church began to pray. In the meantime, Robin managed to make a connection to a heart specialist in Beijing and drew out his life-savings for his future, and took his cousin and parents to Beijing to meet with this doctor. The doctor told them of the sad condition of this boy and his chances of survival. But Robin insisted that people in America love the boy and are praying for him. The doctor said only one thing he could done to help and he was the only surgeon in China that could do it. The risks were high and the boy's ability to pull through was extremely weak. Arkansas church continued to pray.
Robin was about to bring his cousin and parents back to the farm, and let the boy die if it just had to be because the doctor told Robin how much money to bring to pay for the operation and recovery up front. The amount was only what a very rich person could afford. His money was already gone just sto bring them to Beijing. He told the doctor to schedule the operation... he would "find" the money. He relayed this situation to me and we continued to pray.
With time running out and the boy looking as though he was already dead, skin and bones, only able to say a few words in a whisper, by some miracle Robin made his way back to the hospital to see the surgeon, and put the entire money up front for the boy's surgery and care. Robin's hopes were dashed when the surgeon agreed but told him and the boy's parents that the chances of the boy living through the operation were almost zero. Still prayer was lifted up in the boy's behalf and prayer for the family to have courage and to believe that Jesus is a healer. Robin told the doctor he had already given him the money -- now "the schedule the operation. Within hours the boy was in the operating room, chest opened and skillful hands of a surgeon and the loving arms of "the God" doing what they do best.
The boy survived the long operation! Hopes climbed. Belief was struggling to breath fresh air of hope. But is was coming together in a miraculous way. The boy began to gain strength. His heart beat strong. Color came back to his gray face. Soon silence was broken by the voice of the boy and he managed a smile. So much noise and excitement in the heart intensive care unit as parents rejoice, Robin wept, and the medical staff stepped in to see the unbelievable.
I believe it was two weeks later, Robin took his cousin and parents back to their farm on the long train ride back home... the boy alive and gaining strength ...and get this, the parents and the boy believing that Jesus Christ is really not just a God for the western world, but for Chinese as well. They believed. They shouted their excitement to all the neighbors. People came to their poor little house on their tiny farmland to see this boy. God is magnified.
Robin was truly amazed and strengthened by this miracle. I kept checking with Robin and his reports were always so great. Then he let me know the boy was playing basketball with the other kids. Slowly, not able to jump much, but on the court to try to play. I thought that was so awesome. The other day I asked Robin, "How's our little cousin?" He replied, "He is stronger than other kids he plays with. He eats well. He has flesh on his bones. He looks like all the other kids. He always wants to play basketball and has parents can hardly get him to come in the house and do homework or do his chores. He is fully recovered as if he never had been sick in his life!" God is magnified.
Robin said the boy is very bright. When the boy was in the hospital in Beijing, waiting to see if a doctor there could help him... as if waiting for death to claim him, he began to speak to Robin about God. Robin said the boy understood so much about God and His love and His ability. They did not know where he got that information because none of the family has ever had contact with a Christian. Robin said wisdom poured from his quivering, gray lips and so inspired him that he determined this boy has got to live. Robin said the boy spoke of the same things I had told him about God and His love and his mercy... His power. I have never had contact with this young boy... his wisdom did not come from something he heard a foreigner say.
Here is our cousin's photo ...as one can see, he looks fine and he IS fine. He believes there is a Jesus Christ that loved him enough to heal his body. This is a great witness in their village and a confirmation to Robin, a new convert, that God is not a horrible looking dragon or beast of some kind that cannot hear, see, feel, touch... but He is alive and loves Chinese people as much as anyone on earth.
If you were one of those who helped pray for this boy, look what your prayers and faith in God did. God is magnified.
You can see from the date on the photo it is recent. I just received the photo on February 4th. God is magnified!
Robin, the boy's cousin and a friend of mine since I first contacted him in 2008, told me of the pending fate of this young boy... sent home to die. I suggested our church in Arkansas would pray for his cousin and God was able to heal him. Robin had already become a believer. He was thrilled that people in the USA, who did not know him nor his cousin, would pray to "the God" for his ill cousin.
The church began to pray. In the meantime, Robin managed to make a connection to a heart specialist in Beijing and drew out his life-savings for his future, and took his cousin and parents to Beijing to meet with this doctor. The doctor told them of the sad condition of this boy and his chances of survival. But Robin insisted that people in America love the boy and are praying for him. The doctor said only one thing he could done to help and he was the only surgeon in China that could do it. The risks were high and the boy's ability to pull through was extremely weak. Arkansas church continued to pray.
Robin was about to bring his cousin and parents back to the farm, and let the boy die if it just had to be because the doctor told Robin how much money to bring to pay for the operation and recovery up front. The amount was only what a very rich person could afford. His money was already gone just sto bring them to Beijing. He told the doctor to schedule the operation... he would "find" the money. He relayed this situation to me and we continued to pray.
With time running out and the boy looking as though he was already dead, skin and bones, only able to say a few words in a whisper, by some miracle Robin made his way back to the hospital to see the surgeon, and put the entire money up front for the boy's surgery and care. Robin's hopes were dashed when the surgeon agreed but told him and the boy's parents that the chances of the boy living through the operation were almost zero. Still prayer was lifted up in the boy's behalf and prayer for the family to have courage and to believe that Jesus is a healer. Robin told the doctor he had already given him the money -- now "the schedule the operation. Within hours the boy was in the operating room, chest opened and skillful hands of a surgeon and the loving arms of "the God" doing what they do best.
The boy survived the long operation! Hopes climbed. Belief was struggling to breath fresh air of hope. But is was coming together in a miraculous way. The boy began to gain strength. His heart beat strong. Color came back to his gray face. Soon silence was broken by the voice of the boy and he managed a smile. So much noise and excitement in the heart intensive care unit as parents rejoice, Robin wept, and the medical staff stepped in to see the unbelievable.
I believe it was two weeks later, Robin took his cousin and parents back to their farm on the long train ride back home... the boy alive and gaining strength ...and get this, the parents and the boy believing that Jesus Christ is really not just a God for the western world, but for Chinese as well. They believed. They shouted their excitement to all the neighbors. People came to their poor little house on their tiny farmland to see this boy. God is magnified.
Robin was truly amazed and strengthened by this miracle. I kept checking with Robin and his reports were always so great. Then he let me know the boy was playing basketball with the other kids. Slowly, not able to jump much, but on the court to try to play. I thought that was so awesome. The other day I asked Robin, "How's our little cousin?" He replied, "He is stronger than other kids he plays with. He eats well. He has flesh on his bones. He looks like all the other kids. He always wants to play basketball and has parents can hardly get him to come in the house and do homework or do his chores. He is fully recovered as if he never had been sick in his life!" God is magnified.
Robin said the boy is very bright. When the boy was in the hospital in Beijing, waiting to see if a doctor there could help him... as if waiting for death to claim him, he began to speak to Robin about God. Robin said the boy understood so much about God and His love and His ability. They did not know where he got that information because none of the family has ever had contact with a Christian. Robin said wisdom poured from his quivering, gray lips and so inspired him that he determined this boy has got to live. Robin said the boy spoke of the same things I had told him about God and His love and his mercy... His power. I have never had contact with this young boy... his wisdom did not come from something he heard a foreigner say.
Here is our cousin's photo ...as one can see, he looks fine and he IS fine. He believes there is a Jesus Christ that loved him enough to heal his body. This is a great witness in their village and a confirmation to Robin, a new convert, that God is not a horrible looking dragon or beast of some kind that cannot hear, see, feel, touch... but He is alive and loves Chinese people as much as anyone on earth.
If you were one of those who helped pray for this boy, look what your prayers and faith in God did. God is magnified.
You can see from the date on the photo it is recent. I just received the photo on February 4th. God is magnified!
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