Gospel road 66

Thanksgiving post – a collaboration with some fellow bloggers

Praying for the persecuted church #39

Hello dear friends! Let’s continue to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ who suffer for the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Today we are taking a trip to Ethiopia 🇪🇹.

What does persecution look like in Ethiopia?

Christianity may be the majority religion in Ethiopia, but the true situation is much more complicated. Christians living in certain areas and from certain backgrounds can lose everything for their faith.

People who convert to Christianity from Muslim backgrounds, particularly in the east and south east of the country, risk harsh mistreatment from their communities. Women face the threat of rape, forced marriage or (if married) divorce and separation from their children. In some areas, Islamic extremist mobs have attacked churches, taking advantage of a general rise in political violence. Christian converts can be threatened with death and are often forced to flee their homes.

There is also persecution for Christians who move from a traditional Ethiopian Orthodox Church (EOC) background to a Protestant or non-traditional denomination. Believers found to be going to other Christian meetings can be completely shunned by their families. It is thought that all major churches in Ethiopia have experienced government interference in appointing their leaders.

Parts of Ethiopia are tribal, and Christians in these areas are expected to take part in tribal conflict. Believers who refuse to participate may experience violent backlash from the community.

Who is most vulnerable to persecution?

In different parts of the country, people becoming Christians from Muslim backgrounds, or Protestants from EOC backgrounds are most at risk of discrimination and persecution.

Meet Ruth

“If you are an evangelical Christian, they will know. They refuse to talk to you or even have any kind of relationship. Right now, my family doesn’t talk to me at all.”

RUTH (22) CONVERTED TO EVANGELICAL CHRISTIANITY AS A TEENAGER; HER FAMILY FOUND HER BIBLE AND STOPPED SUPPORTING HER

What has changed this year?

The pressure faced by Christians remains high, particularly in community and church life (for instance, more than 20 churches were attacked, damaged or looted last year). The political violence that has become rampant in Ethiopia has now become a full-blown civil war that has put the country as a whole at risk, but a peace agreement was reached in November 2022 and Ethiopia’s Christians are praying that this is an end to the crisis in the country. Persecution is complex in the context of war, and in some instances, it isn’t clear whether persecution is motivated by someone’s faith, their ethnicity or another factor.

Let’s pray

Father God, thank you for the beautiful nation of Ethiopia. Thank you that you have a plan and a purpose for your people in that nation. We pray that you would provide justice for Christian’s who are denied their basic rights because they have faith in Christ. We ask that those who face disapproval and discrimination due to their faith would have strength and know the presence of God, may their unfailing trust in you be a witness to the persecutors. We pray for organisations such as Open Doors and Barnabas Fund to make an impact upon the Christian’s in that land. May your Holy Spirit convict many people of their sins so that they may repent and be saved. May the name of Jesus Christ be glorified in all of this! in Jesus Christ name – amen

Information taken from https://www.opendoors.org/en-US/persecution/countries/ethiopia/

Love and God bless

Deano

Keeping faith in times of disappointment and dispare

Life is not all roses and cosy circumstances that we can just always be chilled with. Those roses have thorns and those thorns can cause much heart ache and confusion. Our cosy lives can be interrupted by a sudden tragedy, traumatic events or the sins of ourselves and others.

Consider the life of Job, for Job was an upright man, perfect in his generation (Job 1:1-4). Yet what did the devil say about that? He said, does Job praise God for nothing? (Job 1:9) In other words, we can keep our faith when life goes our way and when our prayers are answered, but what about when nothing works out? What about when it seems our prayers are being ignored? Our response in those situations can reveal the strength of our faith and trust in God. When God allowed Satan to strike the things Job holds dear, Job did not sin in all of it by blaming God (Job 1:22). Now that’s a difficult task!

I have lately been doing a 90 day Old Testament challenge, I’m now on day 55 and have found some of the passages extremely difficult to comprehend. Many times the Israelites moan about their circumstances in the wilderness, they have doubts about Gods love, care and provision and they continuously cry out against Him. God was angry with them and at times sent plagues or pestilence as judgement against them. I was thinking, that’s harsh right? When I prayed about it, I was not long after put into a circumstance that opened my eyes…

I was out for the day with someone who was constantly moaning and complaining, after some time I got very irritated and honestly was very close to tell them in not such a nice way to be quiet, but I kept my mouth shut. I thought, if one person for a few hours of moaning made me like that, what would a million Israelites over many years be like!? Yes, God is justified for being angry – especially when he was the one who rescued them. God is not immune to our complaints like they do not bother him, those complaints can reach up to heaven just like our prayers can.

Yet in the midst of Gods anger mercy can still be found, unless judgement has come – judgement is the final act of Gods justice – just like when a judge sentences the criminal. Mercy triumphs over judgement! (James 2:12-13).

When life gives us lemons we make lemonade. Every difficult situation we face can be turned into something good when God is involved. Gods timing is perfect! He knows the right time for everything even though we think at times we know better than God.

Whenever I speak with my Dad he finishes with the following catchphrase “keep the faith son”. Perhaps God is saying to you today “keep the faith son/daughter”. The faith we have in Christ is worth keeping because it will be richly rewarded!

Love and God bless

Deano

Praying for the persecuted church #38

Hello fellow bloggers! Hope all is well, I’m very busy these days but let’s keep up the prayers for the persecuted church. Today we are taking a trip to Mexico.

What does persecution look like in Mexico?

There are an estimated 150 organised crime gangs in Mexico, financed by powerful drug cartels. Christians living in their territories risk being targeted. Christian leaders in particular can be viewed as a threat or defiant to a gang’s authority and stability. When Christians refuse to carry out a gang’s demand, or speak out against crimes, their church is soon in the firing line. The impunity and political instability contribute to the lack of justice when several pastors and priests have been kidnapped and held to ransom, badly beaten, or killed.

The gangs, as de facto authorities in the most neglected areas, also give fines and extort money from church leaders, believing they must have access to some church funds. These illegal groups have diversified and strengthened their networks across the whole country, so Christian leaders, especially those carrying out activities as human rights or environmental defenders, are at high risk of death, recruitment, sexual harassment, abduction, and forced displacement, as well as other forms of violence. Their relatives are also at risk.

In rural areas, new Christian believers who come from more ancestral and traditional backgrounds (mostly beliefs related to Roman Catholic faith) can be beaten, fined, harassed, denied use of public services, rejected and forced to displace by their communities.

In general, intolerance and scrutiny of Christians speaking out on social issues is increasing, as Mexico becomes radically secular.

Who is most vulnerable?

Church leaders are most at risk of violence from organized crime and gangs, while certain indigenous communities persecute and exclude new believers.

Meet Pastor Cazares

They kidnapped me in the middle of the night. The criminals wanted me to pray to ‘clear the negative energy’ left in the room where they had killed several of their victims.”

Last year saw the highest record of incidents of violence against Christians in Mexico. Criminal groups continue to target Christians wherever they are perceived to be a threat to a group’s illegal operations, and these persecutors take advantage of the weakness of state policies that allow corruption and impunity.

Christians in indigenous communities increasingly face hostility due their refusal to follow ancestral and traditional customs (mostly related to Catholic practices). Elsewhere, religious intolerance is also increasing, driven by radical ideological groups that are against public expression of Christian faith.

Father God, thank you that Mexico is not abandoned by you, that even there people are coming to know Jesus as Lord and saviour. May you create a strong government in Mexico to restore law and order to the land. May you establish a governing arm that not only upholds justice but is also founded on Christian principles. May you provide wisdom and strength to Christian’s who oppose the gangs and the evil they do, may they have wisdom so vast that gang members do not know how to respond to them. May the drug cartels bow the knee to the Kingship of Jesus Christ! May those who travel for bible studies and discipleship e divinely protected under the shadow of the almighty. May Mexico become known for the power of the gospel, not the power of the gangs. In Jesus Christ name – amen

Information taken from: https://www.opendoors.org/en-US/persecution/countries/mexico/

Love and God bless

Deano

Praying for the persecuted church #37

Hello dear friends! Let’s keep going with prayers for the persecuted church. Today we take a trip to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

What does persecution look like in Democratic Republic of the Congo?

The eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is a dangerous place for Christians right now. Rebel groups are fighting for control of the area, including an Islamic extremist group, known as the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), which openly and brutally targets Christian homes and churches.

Christians in this area live with the threat of kidnapping, and terrible violence is commonplace. The ADF kidnaps women, rapes them and forces them to marry their soldiers, with Christian women sometimes being kept as a kind of ‘trophy’.

There is little chance of justice through the legal system in DRC. Many Christians have been forced to flee their homes and seek refuge in friendlier villages. Open Doors partners are providing emergency aid for displaced people through local churches.

People who have become Christians from Muslim or indigenous backgrounds face pressure to still participate in traditional religious activities. At the most extreme end of the scale, women who have converted to Christianity may be forcibly married, impregnated or divorced.

Throughout DRC, Christian leaders who speak out against corruption experience harassment and interference from the government.

Who is most vulnerable to persecution?

Christians in Ituri province and North Kivu in the east of DRC face persecution from the ADF – a rebel group with an Islamic extremist agenda. They openly target local Christians in this area – men, women, girls and church leaders. Converts from Islam or from indigenous faiths are particularly vulnerable to persecution.

Let’s pray

Father God, thank you that Eastern DRC has not been abandoned you, that even there people are coming to know Jesus! May stability and justice return to Eastern DRC. May church leaders find strength and courage in your presence that they be equipped with wisdom in knowing how to lead there congregations. May there be opportunities for those who can help traumatised victims to step in and pray with them. May your hand reach those who are segregated and bring them into the family of Christ. We pray in Jesus Christ name – amen

Information from https://www.opendoors.org/en-US/persecution/countries/drc/

Love and God bless

Deano

A martyrs poem

Don’t worry about these prison clothes

Or if they put us in chains and expose

Our freedom is found where Gods spirit goes

In heaven we will be given white robes

Our names do not matter on earth

For God writes our names on his hands

Earthly names do not measure our worth

Our worth was designed by Gods plans

One day we will look at his glorious face

One day all these troubles will cease

But until that day we will trust in Gods grace

Living in Christ and His peace

We may be hard pressed but we’re never forsaken

We may be slandered and treated like fools

But our hope is in He who overcame Satan

Who uses the earth as His foot stool

There is a name above every name

A name we can call in our trials

His name is Jesus, the lamb who was slain

He’s the reason for hope in these miles

Do not fear man, what can man do?

They can only mutilate flesh

Instead, fear the one, who deeply loves you

For under His wings we find rest

creation is groaning to be restored

This world is in search of some peace

We wait for the father to open heavens door

For His son to give strength to the weak

Not long now… just a little more wait

Keep strong and never give up on faith

Our God is always on time, He’s never late

Hold on as you trust in his grace

Love and God bless

Deano

There’s only one side to choose

The situation in Israel has divided the world. Some are pro Israel and some are pro Palestine. Some want to protect the Jews while others want to slaughter them. Some believe Palestine have a right to the nation of Israel while others believe it’s only for Israel. It’s another hot potato situation that no one really wants to discuss in conversations, but the media is far from quiet about what’s happening. Some have supported the evil massacre of women and children to justify “free Palestine” – this is disgusting, how can anyone cheer on such gruesome horrors? Yet is Israel innocent in their response? Both sides are sinners and need to repent to Jesus Christ. How can we know the depths of the truth from the media who the last few years have been more propaganda rather than a none bias news channel.

Let’s not get it twisted, those in Palestine who are innocent and have been caught up in the midst of this are suffering tragically. Any human suffering should trigger empathy in our human hearts, if it does not then perhaps we have become desensitised to the suffering of others. Oh Lord renew our hearts so that we can feel – give us a heart of flesh and remove our hearts of stone!

There’s only one side to choose – the side of Christ! Giving our lives to Jesus is our greatest decision. Allowing Christ to change our hearts and redirect our lives propels our lives into our God designed destination. Through Christ we will accomplish the good works that He has prepared for us to do in advance.

You may believe that the Palestine should have their own land. Yet biblically speaking, that land was given by God to Israel. God said he would lead his people into a land flowing with milk and honey (Exodus 3:8) and he said he would bless Israel (Psalm 115:12). This does not mean Palestine have no rights! Yet, who are we to overrule God when He provides?

We could talk so much more about this! But this post is about one side, the side of Christ! Do you belong to Christ today? Do you want to know Him and give him your life? I have my life to Christ many years ago, he freed me from drugs and wild living and I have no regrets about following my King!

The world is not falling apart, it’s falling into place just as God said it would. The end is near and Christ will soon return, are you ready to meet him?

Today is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2)

For the Lord, he is God he is God (1 Kings 18:39)

I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6)

Love and God bless

Deano

There’s only one side to choose

The world is not falling apart, it’s falling into place just as God said it would. The end is near and Christ will soon return, are you ready to meet him?

Today is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2)

For the Lord, he is God he is God (1 Kings 18:39)

I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6)

Love and God bless

Deano

Praying for the persecuted church #36

Hello dear bloggers! Today we are taking a trip to Tunisia. My new neighbours are from Tunisia so prayers for their salvation is much appreciated!

What does persecution look like in Tunisia?

Tunisia is 99% Muslim and Tunisian Christians, almost all of whom are from a Muslim background, are discriminated against by family and society.

Conversion from Islam is socially unacceptable. If discovered, Christian converts are subjected to hostility from their family, colleagues and friends. In some cases, the aggression may escalate to physical violence. Usually, this backlash takes place behind closed doors. In some cases, Christians are abandoned by their families and rejected by their friends. Their jobs may also be at risk.

Most Christian converts cannot worship openly and choose to hide their faith since it is dangerous to share their beliefs. Some brave Christians are willing to gather in worship and fellowship, but they tread carefully. If they’re found to be part of a Christian gathering, they risk exposure and ostracism. They may be earmarked for monitoring by the security services.

The few foreign Christians in Tunisia experience a relative amount of freedom, although public evangelism is not tolerated.

Who is most vulnerable to persecution?

Converts to Christianity are most vulnerable to persecution in Tunisia. As conversion from Islam is forbidden, new converts face a hostile backlash from their own families. This is especially true in the south of the country, where the Islamic population is more conservative. The threat in the south is compounded by the presence of violent Islamic extremist militants, who target Christians.

Meet “Farid”

“There are many believers living in isolation scattered around in the country. We visit them and try to bring to them discipleship to equip them with the living Word of God. And we try to equip them so they can face persecution and stand firm in their faith”

Father God, thank you for the beautiful nation of Tunisia. We know that your desire is to save many people, may more people in Tunisia come to know the Lord in the next 10 years than ever before in that land. We pray you will protect the isolated Christian’s and those who have converted from Muslim backgrounds. May you soften the hearts of family members towards them so they will not ostracise them and treat them with contempt. Thank you God for making yourself known to those in Tunisia and that they are not abandoned by the Lord. May those abandoned by their family come to know your love and care and may they find comfort in those of the family of Christ. We praise you in Jesus Christ name – amen

Information from – https://www.opendoors.org/en-US/persecution/countries/tunisia/

Love and God bless

Deano

Fire of God

It’s been a struggle in my walk with Christ these last few years. I can’t just keep hiding behind appearances and spiritual performances. “Oh he still goes to church” some may say, but does that mean he’s really going? You know it’s possible to be somewhere but not really be there because your heart or mind is somewhere else.

Don’t get me wrong, I haven’t lost faith! Far from it! But I certainly don’t have the same zeal that I had in the beginning. Has the good news become old news? Perhaps too much of the world has entered me and I have lived a double standard life. All I know is, I need the fire of God back in my life! I need to return to my first love and love God as I did in the beginning.

God is moving, despite all the crazy things happening such as wars, crime on the streets and corrupt governments. There is a number in revelation that is too many to count, that is the number of those being saved! Even in the darkest time in history there is hope.

Lately I have found that a lot of Muslims have been gathering around me – in my work place there is a Muslim sat next to me, one behind me and one in front of me, my neighbour is also a Muslim and so is his friend who I recently met. How can I reach them for Christ? This cannot be all just coincidence because Portugal is a catholic country! There is purpose in everything and I need to seek the Lord about all this.

Oh family in Christ, please pray that the fire of God may consume me once more and light a holy zeal for the name of Jesus! Please pray that my wife and I will find strength in the Lord! Pray that those who have drifted from God will return and be on fire for the Kingdom of God. Surely Jesus will not lose any the father has given () surely you and I who believe have been given by the father.

I don’t want to be half hearted anymore. Outwardly people look at me and they say nice things, “oh he’s a sweet guy, oh he’s funny, oh he says nice things – but what about “oh he has a heart after God” – sometimes I feel I please people more than God and this is hard sometimes.

Oh Lord let your fire come! Let it burn away our impurities and make us a holy people. Let it light the way in the darkness and draw people into the warmth of your presence! Oh Lord set our hearts ablaze for you. In Jesus name – amen

If you want to soak in Gods presence then listen to this very anointed song – https://youtu.be/Qvu1PuOCvi8?si=e8BFzKnhWzsujSgT

“Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.”

Romans 12:11 NIV

Love and God bless

Deano