SafeHavenForYou@groups.io

hello

My name is keith, am an english christian living and serving God in nanjing.my wife is a leader in the unregistered church, I have lived in the unregistered church for 12-13 years, next year we may look to travel to USA and Canada, if your church would like to host us, please let me know, we would need food and accomodation thANKS KEITH

Started by keith hobkirk @

when you say nothing at all

1 PETER 3 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; 2 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. 3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; 4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. 5 For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: 6 Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement. When you say nothing at all! China is a female dominated society, the woman is the one who rules the home, the man brings the money in, gives it to the wife, the wife makes all the decisions about which school or tutor centers the children should go to. Christian marriage and parenting is counter cultural, the man is the head of the house and the woman is in submission to the husband, but how does this work, when in China, most of the believers are woman and the husbands are not saved. I have met and seen many marriages in China, where the wife is a believer and has tried to literally beat their husband into trusting Christ, this leads to serious problems in the marriage, to the disappointment for the wife and resentment for the husband, instead of bringing him nearer to the Lord, it drives him further away. I once heard a story of a Christian in the UK, she had an unbelieving husband, she talked and talked to him about the gospel, she went to bible study, church and every other meeting, she asked her pastor, what she should do. The wise pastor said" Don't mention anything Christian for three months, just live as a Christian in front of him, don't complain and just pray for him, follow these instructions in 1 Peter 3" She did, after three months, he said one day, are you going to church tonight, mind if I come to. Another two months later, he came to the Lord, asked why, he said, my wife had a changed life, I wanted to know why. So how can you win your husbands? By your chaste or wholesome conversation, do you complain about every little thing, your husband does wrong, then stop. Do you put him down or do you build him up with your words? You don't win your husband, by going down the beauty parlor and having your nails done and getting the shortest dress or nightdress, change in marriages, don't happen in the bedroom, they happen in the prayer closet, when the believing wife, gets close with God. It means you spend lots of time praying and less time talking, develop a quiet and gentle spirit, you are to get close to God by spending time on your own with God and that doesn't mean, you are constantly at church, this may mean, you take time with your husband to cook his favorite dinner or take him out to his favorite restaurant. Being quiet before him, if you have an argument, submit, say I was wrong, you will be surprised, how much that shakes him. It will be difficult, but these principles are life transforming, Sarah must have found it difficult to submit to Abraham, but she did it. In Chapter 2 :20-23, we have the example of Jesus, he is our great example, we need to follow him. May all women follow the principles laid out here and win their husbands to Christ, without saying a word. GOD BLESS YOU KK GUEST DEVOTION Remaining with God by Richard Sherrer 05/19/25 Children of God 1 John 2:24-29 Let what you heard from the start, Begin to abide in you; For what you heard take to heart, Jesus abides in you too. A promise the Father made; To us for eternal life; I write these things as conveyed, Deception would cause me strife. Anointing that you received, From Him who abides in you; For you have truly believed, Teaching what you know is true. Everything is true no lie, Abide in Him as it’s taught; No reason for asking why, S

Started by keith hobkirk @

QUIET PLEASE 2

JAMES 1 19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. QUIET PLEASE We all want to be heard, we don't like to listen and we are very quick to anger. Taken together this is a volatile cocktail that leads to trouble, James fully expounds on the subject of the mouth in chapter 3, so often my reaction is: SLOW TO HEAR QUICK TO SPEAK AND QUICK TO WRATH God's wrath is perfect, it is based on his righteousness, our wrath and anger as will be seen in chapter 4 is unholy and brings strife, God's is based on his perfect holiness. So are you a good listener? We often hear this said, when there's an argument " oh I don't want to hear this". Do we hear the other person or do we like the sound of our own voice? Are we slow to speak? Is our tongue under control, this is the true test of Christian maturity. Because we don't hear, we speak, not knowing all the facts and this leads to wrath, so listen before you open your mouth, it will save you lots of trouble and pain. Are we slow to wrath? Are we like a volcano or are we virtuous? MATTHEW HENRY SAYS People are often stiff in their own opinions because they are not willing to hear what others have to offer against them: whereas we should be swift to hear reason and truth on all sides, and be slow to speak any thing that should prevent this: and, when we do speak, there should be nothing of wrath; for a soft answer turneth away wrath. As this epistle is designed to correct a variety of disorders that existed among Christians, these words, swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath, may be very well interpreted according to this last explication. And we may further observe from them that, if men would govern their tongues, they must govern their passions. When Moses’s spirit was provoked, he spoke unadvisedly with his lips. If we would be slow to speak, we must be slow to wrath. God bless you KK Guarding Your Energy By David Massey We often treat time as our most precious resource, but energy is what truly fuels our impact. Unlike time, which marches forward regardless, energy is ours to steward. What we feed flourishes—whether life-giving or life-draining. Consider this: Every choice to invest energy in fear, resentment, or distraction grants those forces power. But when we pour ourselves into God’s purposes—praying faithfully, loving inconveniently, serving even when unseen—we participate in His redemptive work. Jesus prioritized intentional energy investment over mere productivity. He paused crowds to heal one woman (Mark 5:25-34). He withdrew to pray before pivotal moments (Luke 5:16). His mission wasn’t about volume but depth—energy spent where eternity intersected the moment. This Week’s Focus: 1. Audit your energy: What habits or thoughts drain you? 2. Redirect intentionally: Replace a draining habit with five minutes of focused prayer. 3. Invest boldly: Devote your best energy to one act of unseen service. Father, I confess I often squander my energy on distractions and worry. Align my heart with Your priorities. Teach me to pour my best efforts into what is eternal, not what is fleeting. May my work—whether seen or hidden—be an offering of worship. Amen. SERMON AUDIO WASH ME PART 1 https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/429251620275041/a?autoplay=1 WASH ME PT 2 https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/429251622466955/a?autoplay=1 Spiritual sedatives and stimulants https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/11100223332/a?autoplay=1 A Grandfather's Timeless Wisdom https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/1211111342180/a?autoplay=1 The Most Desirable Woman in the World https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/1113111344164/a?autoplay=1 JOHN KNOX INSTITUTE https://johnknoxinstitute.org/modules/westminstershortercatechism https://johnknoxinstitute.org/modules/newtestamentbible PRAYER POWER https://110cities.com/cities/kazan/ https://110cities.com/cities/kermanshah/ https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/10806/MO https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/10803/MO https://joshuaproject.net/people_grou

Started by keith hobkirk @ · Most recent @

wuhan in china

This Week's Prayer Guide May 18 - This week, pray for the needs of churches in Wuhan. Pray for churches in Wuhan to be transformed by the gospel of Christ. May 19 - A pastor in Wuhan shares, “We initially thought that under the tremendous impact of the three years of the pandemic, the church would be able to do something significant or experience some growth. But the results were very disappointing. The church simply wasn't strong enough or prepared for such a shock. As a result, we experienced significant losses in terms of both attendance and giving. Many churches simply disappeared. This has led to a lot of self-reflection. What happened to our churches? Why didn't we build a strong foundation? Why haven't we influenced the world?” Pray for God to help give these churches wisdom as they self-reflect, that he would rebuild the church and give it a strong foundation. May 20 - “The persecution has intensified,” says a Wuhan pastor. “Both the Three-Self Churches and the house churches are facing significant persecution.” Another pastor says, “[The local government] wanted us to incorporate things like the national flag, the national anthem, religious regulations, socialist core values, and so on—all very secular things. We flatly refused. This led to persecution.” Pray for these churches to hold fast to Christ in the midst of persecution. May 21 - As a result of increasing persecution, one pastor in Wuhan shares that, “Our church has moved many times, and I dread moving. Every time we find a place, the authorities find us, invite us for ‘tea,’ and show their ‘concern.’ They come to our community, and the community police, usually plainclothes officers, come to see us. We constantly deal with them. Of course, we're not afraid, by God's grace. But the key issue is that because of the constant moving and relocating, renting and finding new places, our members are becoming weary and discouraged.” Pray for a permanent location for this church, and for God to give them strength in the midst of weariness and discouragement. May 22 - A pastor in Wuhan shares, “We've managed to survive in this environment. The brothers and sisters have been greatly refined through this experience [of pandemic and persecution]. We've done online, offline, large gatherings, small groups—everything. We've trained a large number of co-workers, and they're all handling things well. This tension with the government hasn't ended, but we've become accustomed to it. This is our reality. We're just taking it one step at a time, relying on God's grace, and continuing to move forward.” Pray for this church to continue moving forward and to rely on God’s grace. May 23 - “We need to rightly handle the word of truth,” says a Wuhan pastor, “and bring people to God. When God's word is clearly explained, its power and comfort will help the congregation persevere in their faith during persecution.” Pray for preachers and teachers who can rightly handle the word of truth and model Christ with their lives. May 24 - As a result of pandemic and persecution, one Wuhan pastor reflects: “Unlike before, churches are no longer focused on building impressive buildings or comparing attendance numbers or giving amounts. Now, the focus is on helping brothers and sisters deepen their faith and better fulfill the church's purpose in this city.” Praise God for refining his church, and pray that he will deepen the faith of the brothers and sisters in Wuhan.

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PLEASE SHARE

Please view the largest number of English and Chinese devotions on the planet allied to prayer requests about China. This is the largest portfolio of Chinese/English devotions I know of in the world, please share these links with all your friends, especially Chinese Brothers and Sisters. https://www.tblfaithnews.com/category/tbl-china https://www.tblfaithnews.com/tbl-china-prayer-requests

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reborn for holiness

Please view the largest number of English and Chinese devotions on the planet allied to prayer requests about China. There are thousands of English devotions also. https://www.tblfaithnews.com/category/tbl-china https://www.tblfaithnews.com/tbl-china-prayer-requests https://www.tblfaithnews.com/ https://www.johnknoxinstitute.com/audio/anydg/anydg01 JAMES 1 18 It was of His own will that He gave us birth [as His children] by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits of His creatures [a prime example of what He created to be set apart to Himself—sanctified, made holy for His divine purposes]. REBORN FOR HOLINESS Isn't salvation just awesome? God's will throughout history is for the salvation of man, all through the bible, is the golden thread of salvation of God seeking and saving sinners. We are reborn, what Jesus said to Nicodemus springs to mind, JOHN 3 3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The mind of Nicodemus was totally blown away by this, mine is also, this is supernatural teaching, only by the illumination of the Holy Spirit, can we understand this. What we need to understand is this, that GOD has saved us for a purpose, I love what the amplified bible says on this: a prime example of what He created to be set apart to Himself—sanctified, made holy for His divine purposes. We are his example to the world of what he has recreated, we are reborn to honour him, to do his will and to be used by God to reach a need world. To live holy and blameless lives before him and the world. Let's be his living examples to the glory of God. God bless you KK GUEST POEM A Holy Living Call by Richard Sherrer 02/24/25 Called to Be Holy 1 Peter 3:13-19 Prepare your mind for action, By being sober-minded; Brought by the revelation, Not to be earthly blinded. Set hopes fully on the grace, As a duteous child; Not passionate of this place, That would make you defiled. Lose past lusts of ignorance; You are called to be holy; To be in obedience, To the triune God solely. You shall be holy as He, Whose Father out of respect; Impartial judgment to see, For any deeds to accept. Conduct fear throughout time, Know you were a ransomed soul; Regret and confess your crime, Let His Spirit take control. Ransomed from futile ways, Not with perishable things; Inherited when one strays, Healed from the confessions bring. With the precious blood of Christ, Like a lamb without defect; We have to be sacrificed, To be considered perfect. Copyright ? 2025 Richard Newton Sherrer SERMON AUDIO https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/51025031384790/a?autoplay=1 https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/51025034531338/a?autoplay=1 https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/5122521342242/a?autoplay=1 All My Hope Is In Jesus Kris Theobald | Kerusso Baptist Church www.sermonaudio.com https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/1272532195667/a?autoplay=1 PRAYER POWER https://110cities.com/cities/medan/ https://110cities.com/cities/mecca/ https://110cities.com/cities/mashhad/ https://110cities.com/cities/marrakech/

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battle stations

THANKS SO MUCH FOR STANDING WITH US IN PRAYER Now you can pray daily for specific requests. Also you can pray for a people group a day Sunday Praise God, we are able to meet together as a church again, we have worship, preaching and fellowship in a fairly safe location, continue to pray for safety. Pray for my daughter S and fiancée P who are planning their wedding for the 7th October. https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/18389/CH Monday Please pray for the city of Nanjing, remember this city in your prayers. Please pray that the Holy Spirit would move in great power in this place. Please pray for the pastors in the church, they are often overworked, they have more than 5 churches to attend to. https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/18481/CH Tuesday I am a volunteer teacher one night a week, for helping people read the English bible, please pray for L the lady who runs it and the other volunteer teachers. Please pray for the young people of China, many are addicted to cell phone, some young people suffer from depression and consider suicide. Please pray that many young people come to Christ. https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/10146/CH Wednesday Please pray for L a young sixteen year old girl on that group, who has terrible bone cancer. Please pray for the young ones who come to read the bible. Pray for A, another sixteen year old girl, who has gone to study at a Christian school in the Philippines. https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/19684/CH Thursday I am the only foreigner in our area, everyone knows me, everyone recognises me, pray that many opportunities, would arise to share the gospel through this. Please pray for direction for myself and my dear wife. Continue to pray earnestly for health issues with my wife and daughter. https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/18385/CH Friday Continue to pray for more couples to come to faith, many of the husbands of the sisters are unsaved. Please pray that many couples would be reunited in Christ. Please remember my dear wife and daughter in your prayers https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/18720/CH Saturday Please pray that the church would deepen and mature, please pray for a powerful spirit of love and humility to envelop the church and for the power of the spirit to be visible to all in our area. Please pray for twenty new believers this year. https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/18506/CH Please view the largest number of English and Chinese devotions on the planet allied to prayer requests about China. There are thousands of English devotions also. https://www.tblfaithnews.com/category/tbl-china https://www.tblfaithnews.com/tbl-china-prayer-requests https://www.tblfaithnews.com/ SPECIAL SERMONS https://johnknoxinstitute.org/modules/westminstershortercatechism https://johnknoxinstitute.org/modules/biblicaltheology https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/770213541/a?autoplay=1 https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/103018053508 https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/51024725396133 https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/926121810220 https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/82241629147529

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REACH AND TEACH DEVOTIONS

Please view the largest number of English and Chinese devotions on the planet allied to prayer requests about China. There are thousands of English devotions also. https://www.tblfaithnews.com/category/tbl-china https://www.tblfaithnews.com/tbl-china-prayer-requests https://www.tblfaithnews.com/ https://www.johnknoxinstitute.com/qingjiaotu REMEMBERING THE PAST “I consider the days of old, the years of bygone times [of prosperity]. I call to remembrance my song in the night; with my heart I meditate and my spirit searches diligently: Will the Lord cast off forever? And will He be favourable no more? Have His mercy and loving-kindness ceased forever? Have His promises ended for all time? Has God [deliberately] abandoned or forgotten His graciousness? Has He in anger shut up His compassion? Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! And I say, this [apparent desertion of Israel by God] is my appointed lot and trial, but I will recall the years of the right hand of the Most High [in loving-kindness extended toward us], for this is my grief, that the right hand of the Most High changes. I will [earnestly] recall the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will [earnestly] remember the wonders [You performed for our fathers] of old. I will meditate also upon all Your works and consider all Your [mighty] deeds…Psalm 77:5-12.” To me the Psalms are an endless source of comfort. They describe every emotion known to man and in this psalm Asaph, the writer, is going through a whole stream of emotions and most of them not good. Do you ever feel like the psalmist did in the above verses? Sometimes we wonder what has happened - this terrible thing has happened to us and we wonder where God is in all this. The answer to this is pretty simple: We are to remember what God did in the past, how did God act in the past, how did He lead you in the past. Did he bless you in the past? The psalmist meditates and earnestly remembers what God did for him, and in generations past. God doesn't change. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. Next time you get in the mood of the above verses, and we all do at times, remember the past and how God is faithful and how He has blessed you. Remembering the past sometimes is not a bad thing, especially when it focuses on how faithful and good God has been to you. God bless! Keith GUEST DEVOTION STAND From: Ron Hawks "Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand…Ephesians 6:13.” Have you recently experienced difficulties or a sense of hopelessness? It could be that you are experiencing a spiritual battle. We must remember that there is more to life than often meets the eye. There is a spiritual realm, and that spiritual realm is in conflict. There really is a devil, and there really is a God. God's angels and the devil's demons are at work, and they are warring against each other on the battlefield of humankind. Whether you are aware of this or not, it is true. The apostle Paul addresses this spiritual battle in Ephesians 6:10-20. He instructs us concerning how we can make the most of the weapons that God has given us for the fight. One of our goals must be to stand in the battle, and to remain standing afterwards. Spiritual Standing must become part of our lifestyle. Stand On ... the truth of God's Word. His Word is truth. Jesus prayed that God would set us apart from the rule and influence of the devil, that He would sanctify us by the truth of His Word. (John 17:17) We must renew our minds according to this truth, so we don't wrongly conform to the false understandings around us. (Romans 12:2) - Are you taking time to practically build your life on God's truth, so you don't fall prey to the enemy's lies? This requires discipline to rightly apply His truth in your life. Stand Under ... Jesus. He is our Lord and Master. We follow Him, and we submit our ways to His. In all spiritual battles we must remember that we do not stand on our own, we stand under the authority of Jesus. (Matthew 28:18; Luke 9:1-2) W

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persecuted church

"If the heart is cleansed by the love of Jesus Christ, and if the heart loves Him, one can resist all tortures." ~ Rev. Richard Wurmbrand NIGERIA: Christians Targeted in Easter Monday Attack Sources: International Christian Concern, Morning Star News, Vanguard, Daily Trust In a devastating attack on April 21st, six people were killed and as many as 30 injured when a truck rammed into a crowd of believers who had been taking part in an Easter procession along the streets of Billiri in Gombe state. Though initially reported as an unfortunate accident, a government-appointed committee has since determined that the incident was a deliberate attack on the Christians participating in this year's Easter celebrations. As has been their tradition for more than 30 years, Christians in Billiri had gathered for an early morning procession of praise and worship through music and dance. During the celebration, a truck suddenly crashed into the crowd at around 7 a.m. Police initially believed that the vehicle had suffered a brake failure. However, further investigation determined that the driver made no effort to avoid the group of believers nor give them any warning. He also had no difficulties stopping the vehicle after ploughing into the group. The driver, a 28-year-old man named Usman Muhammed, was arrested at the scene and subsequently charged with "reckless driving" and "dangerous driving causing death." For previously published reports on Christian persecution in Nigeria, including video interviews, go to our country profile. Prayerfully remember the families and friends of the six slain believers as they mourn their tragic loss, asking that God's peace, comfort and protection will be tangible realities in their lives. Pray that the Lord would also minister physical and emotional healing to those of our Nigerian Christian brothers and sisters who were injured and traumatized as a result of the Easter incident. May justice be served in this case, with hopes that the truck driver, Usman, will experience genuine heartfelt repentance and miraculous transformation. CHINA: Young Children Detained for Participating in Bible Lesson Sources: ChinaAid, Mohabat News A Bible lesson for young children that had taken place at a private home in Fuyang, Anhui, was raided by police on April 29th. In total, ten children between the ages of five and six, along with five adult teachers, were taken to the police station where they were detained for several hours. Some of the youngsters appeared to suffer severe emotional distress during the detention; and, throughout that time, the police only checked on them once. The children were eventually released, along with three of the adults. The two others – Christian women by the names of Chen Fangfang and Wang Dandan – were verbally and physically assaulted before being transported to a detention centre. At the time of publishing this report, no further information was received regarding the whereabouts of these two believers. The religious education of children is strongly opposed by China's governing authorities, who are determined to indoctrinate the minds of youth with Communist ideologies. To learn more about the persecution of Christians in China, go to our country report. Prayerfully ask our "Good Shepherd" to surround these little children with His comforting presence, peace and safety, while also shielding them from any further harassment instigated by the country's governing officials. As Chen and Wang await their hopeful clearance of all charges and release from custody, pray that the Lord will divinely protect them from all harm and harassment as well. Continue to pray that a radical shift would take place in the hearts and minds of the country's authorities, urging them to ease their repressive restrictions on religious activities so that Christians of all ages may freely learn from God's Word. REPORT UPDATE CHINA: Christians Sentenced for Alleged Illegal Business Activities Sources: ChinaAid, International Christian Concern, Bitter Winter During April 2021, Chinese authorities arrested ten

Started by keith hobkirk @

love wrapped gifts

Started by keith hobkirk @

reach and teach devotions

Please view the largest number of English and Chinese devotions on the planet allied to prayer requests about China. There are thousands of English devotions also. https://www.tblfaithnews.com/category/tbl-china https://www.tblfaithnews.com/tbl-china-prayer-requests https://www.tblfaithnews.com/ https://johnknoxinstitute.org/modules/oldtestamentbible Witnessing for the King (THIS IS THE FIRST STUDY, I EVER WROTE BACK IN 2001) Esther Chapters 8 and 9， This historical book situated in the midst of the Old testament, has much to teach us, it shows the rescue of the Israelites from their demise at the hands of a dangerous foe, and we can see the parallel as Jesus rescued us from the clutches of the devil and the power of sin and death. The story of the rescue comes to a marvellous conclusion in Chap 8-9 the King and Esther now have the job of repealing the decree of death that has gone out, another parallel to the ministry of Jesus, he blots out the death sentence given to all mankind rightfully by God as a result of their sin. In these last days, we are to take the gospel with ever more urgency to the world, lets learn a few lessons from chapters 8-9, and see what we need to have, to witness powerfully in today's world: Chap 8:3-6 Passion For the Lost The shortest verse in the bible is "Jesus wept", look at verse 6 Esther had the same heart as Jesus, like him, she couldn't bear the thought of one person being lost to hell and death. Chap 8:8 New orders In Persian Law, the only way a decree could be invalidated was by the issue of a new one, and this has been done by God through Jesus, Jesus has fulfilled all the Law and has blotted out the handwriting of legal ordinances against us Colossians 2:14, we can now go out into the world, and tell them that through Jesus, their sins can be forgiven and their lives transformed. We are carrying out the orders of the King of Kings. Chap 8:9 Access all areas The decree went to all the provinces, just like the gospel must, Jesus said go into ALL the world, not just to the nations, people's and groups that are receptive. Church, how often do we go for the comfortable middle-class people? We ought to take the gospel to everyone, this gospel is for everyone.. amen. Chap 8:10 Signed and sealed When you take the gospel out into the world, you go in the authority that God has given you, this verse is so amazing, the decree was signed in the Kings name, sealed with his seal and the riders were sent on horseback, meaning that this was a job of haste, as is the preaching of the gospel as Jesus is coming back soon. Chap 8:14 Chap 8:15-17 Joy Unconfined Look at the result the decree had, gladness and joy erupted, the people, who had been under the death sentence, had been saved, whenever and where ever the gospel is proclaimed, joy and gladness break out, so go on, make your street happy today. Notice that many non-Jews became Jews on that day, the effects of your witness, the power of your witness will bring about results you can hardly imagine. Chap 9:1 Unable to stand The decree when it is told and shown to the people, makes the enemies of God crumble, nothing can stand against the power of the gospel, it scares the devil and the church moves forward with rejoicing, as it fulfils the commission, Jesus gave us to do. Church, one thing matters in these final days, the decree ( Gospel ) of the Lord has to be preached, the decree that says "There is no other name under heaven, whereby men must be saved"- JESUS. SERMON AUDIO https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/818211359573207/a?autoplay=1 https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/8292413601785/a?autoplay=1 https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/317221939546749/a?autoplay=1 https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/725131327171/a?autoplay=1 PRAYER POWER https://110cities.com/cities/isfahan/ https://110cities.com/cities/ibadan/ https://110cities.com/cities/hyderabad-2/ https://110cities.com/cities/islamabad/

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please place on facebook

PLEASE PLACE ON FACEBOOK ETC If you are Chinese and a born again evangelical Christian and have translating skills, would you be willing to translate English devotions into Chinese, if you can please email me at keitherichobkirk@... or add my WeChat at totallylovedbygod Thanks so much for all your help Keith An English devotional writer, living in Nanjing China My online ministry reaches thousands of Chinese all over the world, can your reach more? https://www.tblfaithnews.com/category/tbl-china https://www.tblfaithnews.com/tbl-china-prayer-requests

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wuhan

Wuhan is a city of rivers and lakes. The capital of Hubei Province in central China, it was historically three different cities built up along the river banks. In 1949, these three cities were merged into a single metropolis. Today, it is one of the most populous cities in China, a key transportation crossroads that has earned it the nickname "The Chicago of China." Today, the house church in Wuhan is carrying on the fruit of the city's missionary and gospel history. They are striving to be faithful and plant roots in Wuhan's urban culture. Will you join us in praying for them this May? This Week's Prayer Guide May 4 - This May, we are praying for the central Chinese city of Wuhan. Pray for the gospel to go deeper and wider among the churches and people of Wuhan. May 5 - Wuhan is a megacity. Historically, it was actually three cities: Hankou, Hanyang, and Wuchang. Now, these cities have merged into a single enormous metropolis. Including the surrounding areas, the population exceeds 10 million. Pray for the salvation of more people from among this huge population. May 6 - Wuhan is sometimes called the “Chicago of China.” One pastor explains that this is because, “Wuhan is located in Central China and is a major hub, a crossroads of nine provinces. It's very convenient for travel to all parts of the country, a major transportation hub.” Pray for the many people traveling in and out of Wuhan to be exposed to the gospel. May 7 - A pastor shares, “Hubei is known as the ‘Province of a Thousand Lakes,’ and Wuhan is built along the water. Because of the rivers, Wuhan's culture is a wharf culture. People here are very inclusive. They come from all over to trade because of the Yangtze and Han Rivers and the wharf, so everyone is relatively tolerant of each other.” Praise God for this tolerant culture, and pray that people in Wuhan will be soft-hearted towards the gospel. May 8 - “There are over 100 colleges and universities,” shares one Wuhan pastor, “and the student population at its peak reached 1.2 million; now it's consistently over one million. So, it's a place where education thrives.” Pray for good inroads for churches in Wuhan to do student ministry. May 9 - “Regarding the number of believers,” says one Wuhan pastor, “in such a large city the number probably doesn't exceed 500,000. Historically, the number hasn't been very high. Actually, compared to other parts of the country, the tension in church-state relations is relatively mild here. We can still do what we can within our social context. House churches can survive and even grow.” Pray for more house churches to thrive and grow in Wuhan, that the city will be good soil for churches to take root. May 10 - A pastor shares, “From the perspective of gospel history, Wuhan was one of the earliest treaty ports, opened during the Qing Dynasty, along the Yangtze River. Many hospitals and schools in Wuhan were established by missionaries or with their assistance.” Praise God for this missionary history, and pray that the church may continue to serve the city and bear good fruit.

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MAY PRAYER FOCUS

Dear friends Thanks for your prayers. This month, we are going to pray for the country of Ukraine. Please use these prayer resources over the next month. This country is riven by war and has suffered terribly under the unjust invasion by Russia. The church has been shut down, everywhere the Russians have occupied. There are many links to click, please take time to view them Prayer links https://prayercast.com/prayer-topic/ukraine/ https://operationworld.org/locations/ukraine/ https://missioneurasia.org/ukraine/ https://pray4ukraine.team/ PEOPLE GROUPS https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/15696/UP https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/19007/UP https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/12350/UP https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/14229/UP https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/11434/UP https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/11382/UP https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/15686/UP SERMON AUDIO https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/3292523231761/a?autoplay=1 https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/427251612581234/a?autoplay=1 https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/1013181241202/a?autoplay=1 https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/101318124283/a?autoplay=1 Please view the largest number of English and Chinese devotions on the planet allied to prayer requests about China. There are thousands of English devotions also. https://www.tblfaithnews.com/category/tbl-china https://www.tblfaithnews.com/tbl-china-prayer-requests https://www.tblfaithnews.com/ https://johnknoxinstitute.org/modules/familyworship

Started by keith hobkirk @

pray

CHINA: "Gospel Warrior" Resumes Ministry Work Source: ChinaAid Chen Wensheng and his wife. Photo: ChinaAid As a former drug addict, Chen Wensheng understands firsthand the liberating power of Jesus Christ. Since experiencing spiritual freedom from bondage, he has become a ceaseless evangelist, sharing his faith with anyone who is willing to listen. In the past, he even expressed gratitude for his incarceration, since it gave him opportunities to testify of God's transforming love among fellow prisoners. As a result of his desire to reach others with the Good News of the Gospel, Chen has been detained numerous times, which includes his most recent sentencing in June 2024 for "organizing and funding illegal gatherings." (To read previously posted reports about this devoted Christian evangelist, see these reports.) On April 2nd, Chen was finally released from his most recent detainment. Despite having lost a significant amount of weight, the believer reportedly remained in good spirits and was "full of joy" following his release. Chen later announced that, during this latest imprisonment, he was able to pray with 300 fellow inmates and baptize three of them. Upon being released, the believer reunited with his wife in Hengyang city. That same day, the married couple resumed their ministry work as street evangelists. Chen was also able to post the following message on social media: "Thanks to God, today my wife and I have...arranged to travel and evangelize for free again. Please continue to pray for us." Praise God for the recent release of this impassioned follower of Jesus, as well as the fruitful ministry work that took place during his incarceration. Pray for the Lord's continued guidance in the lives of Chen and his wife as they continue their ongoing evangelistic activities, asking that these devoted believers would have many more opportunities to share the message of God's grace with others. May their resilient faith serve as an inspiration to people within China and beyond, furthering the spread of the Gospel message and leading many more to salvation and deliverance through the power of Jesus Christ. IRAN: Appeal Denied for Three Christian Converts Source: Article18 Left to right: Abbas Soori, Narges Nasri, and Mehran Shamloui. Photos: Article 18 On March 8th, three Christian converts in Iran, including a woman pregnant with her first child, were sentenced to lengthy prison terms for participating in activities relating to their religious beliefs. (More details about the charges against these believers are available at VOMC's previously published report.) The ruling was appealed by all three followers of Jesus, who had each received sentences of over ten years' imprisonment. However, it was announced on April 26th that the appeals court had rejected their petitions, stating that the judicial decisions were made "in view of the scope of [the Christians'] activities, and their harmful effects." Prayerfully remember these detained followers of Jesus as they contend with the recent court decision to not amend the initial sentencing they each received for sharing their faith, nor the consequential lengthy prison terms. Pray that the Lord will provide greatly needed encouragement, strength and comfort to each one of these recently incarcerated believers, along with the many other Christians who are currently being imprisoned in Iran. May God's Holy Spirit work mightily in and through the country's legal system by helping political and judicial officials to realize the great need for reform, justice and tolerance on behalf of our Iranian brothers and sisters in Christ.

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the best day of my life

Please view the largest number of English and Chinese devotions on the planet allied to prayer requests about China. There are thousands of English devotions also. https://www.tblfaithnews.com/category/tbl-china https://www.tblfaithnews.com/tbl-china-prayer-requests https://www.tblfaithnews.com/ https://johnknoxinstitute.org/modules/lordsprayer MARK 2 12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion. 13 And he went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them. 14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him. 15 And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him. 16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? 17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE I am Matthew, a former tax collector/social outcast and one of the twelve disciples. I was inspired by the Holy Spirit to tell the story of Jesus, it is the longest of the gospels, as I like to be as detailed as possible. Let me tell you the story of the best day of my life. Seven O'clock in the morning and I need to be at my tax point, another busy day taking taxes from this Jewish rabble, I am one of them, but I now work for Rome, so I am now a social outcast, hated by the people and not really trusted by the Romans. My friends are other tax collectors and women of low repute, I have regular debauched parties at my house, indeed tonight, I will be holding one, maybe the Pharisees will show up and start criticizing me, I am not an honest man, I pocket the excess we charge, so I am quite rich, it's ok, they say God sees everything, but I am a good jew, I go to the synagogue every sabbath and give tithes like the law says. This morning is very busy, there is real excitement in Capernaum, as someone says the miracle worker Jesus is here, yes he is here with that motley crowd of disciples, which includes those dumb fisherman brothers Simon and Andrew, John and James, they always try and get out of paying their taxes. It's late morning, I am hungry and want something to eat, it's been a busy morning, business has been good, I have pocketed lots of bribes, my purse is full. A man walks past, hang on, that's the cripple from the street near mine, but he's walking, he always goes on a stretcher, but he's walking. What's happened to him? Oh, Jesus has healed him someone says and he is coming this way. So here he comes accompanied by his disciples, they are such a dumb lot following Jesus, you wouldn't catch me following him, even though He heals people. Anyway, he is now getting in the way of people paying tax, that's all I care about. But instead of walking on, he comes up to my table, what does he want? He seems to just look at me, well say something, he does, two words and I am never the same. FOLLOW ME Something was pulling me out of my seat, I got up and followed him, my fellow tax collectors were shouting, come back Levi, but I just walked off and stood with him. Please come to my house, I will have a celebration for you, it was to be a party, but it will be a celebration, I will invite all my friends, the worst sinners around will be there, I was amazed, when Jesus came. He sat there right in the midst of these people who were publicans, drunkards and sinners, the pharisees were of course shouting saying to his disciples, why is your master doing this? The answer of Jesus was so wise, the whole need no physician or doctor, only those who have illness need a doctor. I am come to call the sinners to repe

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THE DAY THE ROOF CAVED IN

Please view the largest number of English and Chinese devotions on the planet allied to prayer requests about China. There are thousands of English devotions also. https://www.tblfaithnews.com/category/tbl-china https://www.tblfaithnews.com/tbl-china-prayer-requests https://www.tblfaithnews.com/ https://johnknoxinstitute.org/modules/tencommandments MARK 2 2 And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house. 2 And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them. 3 And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. 4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. 6 But there was certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, 7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? 8 And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? 9 Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? 10 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) 11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. 12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion. THE DAY THE ROOF CAVED IN I was a poor infirm beggar until a few days ago, I had to be carried everywhere, you see, I couldn't walk, my friends had to carry me. That is until last week, when I heard of this miracle teacher Jesus, who had come to our town of Capernaum, he was nearby, so I asked my friends, if we could go see him, maybe he could help me. So, I asked my four friends to lift me onto my stretcher and take me to see Jesus. But as we got near the house where he was, the crowds were enormous, my friends had to push and shove to even move a few yards. Eventually, we got near the door of the house, but we were told, there is no way in, it's impossible to get anywhere near Jesus, but I really need to see him, I'm stuck on this stretcher, I cant move and I've been told he heals people, my last hope is HIM. I told my friends, you must do everything to let me see Jesus, but it's impossible they said. Wait one of them said, what if we uncover the roof and lower you down into the house, sounds dangerous, but let's try it, there were some roof tiles to remove but eventually they made a hole big enough for me to squeeze through. Shouts of hold that man echoed through the house, my friends lowered me gently and my stretcher was held and there I was laid at Jesus feet, so what was this miracle worker going to do, everyone was looking at me and I was hanging on his every word. Jesus was clearly amazed at the faith of my friends; they had done everything to get me to Jesus. But the words out of his mouth surprised me and shocked his audience, SON THEY SINS ARE FORGIVEN YOU. My sins, but that's not my problem I thought, I can't walk. The pharisees were there and Jesus went to talk to them, he exposed their hypocrisy, he knew exactly what they were thinking. Jesus said he had the power to forgive sins, what? Only God can do that, who is this man? He came back to me, take up your bed and walk, I felt something happening in my body, I got up and walked. Everyone was amazed, people were in awe. I walked home for the first time in years, people who knew me, couldn't believe it. The glory of this story is that Jesus has the power to forgive sins, he does this through his sacrificial work on the cross. Jesus is the Saviour; he is the healer. Jesus is t

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china

This Week's Prayer Guide April 27 - This week, pray for individual churches and pastors in Shenzhen, as well as their families. Pray for them to be strengthened in the Lord and for the presence of Christ to be with them. April 28 - Brother DZ asks for prayer to manage both church and family responsibilities. He and his wife are caring for both their fathers, and his father-in-law had serious health issues last year. He says: “I know it's the devil attacking, so I split my efforts. My wife took care of her father, and I couldn't take care of my father while preparing for Bible studies and sermons, so I asked my sister to take care of him. The devil attacked here too, but God's grace was sufficient for us.” April 29 - Pastor L asks: “Please pray for my personal spiritual growth and revival, for more workers to rise up, and for my two children who haven't yet married.” April 30 - Pastor YZ asks for prayer with difficulties in his congregation, particularly with people who are difficult to deal with. He says, “Every pastor probably faces this issue. So, please pray for God's protection over me and that our family, as servants, would maintain an open heart in holy faith, hoping to demonstrate a genuine life of death and resurrection with Christ, a life that is more visible to the congregation.” May 1 - Pastor M asks: “My two sons graduated from college and are working in [another big city]. They serve in their church community, but I hope they'll pursue missions and ministry more. Life in [the big city] is fast-paced, everyone's busy making money. Even going to church is rushed. I don't want my kids caught up in that. I want them to inherit our family's spiritual legacy. I hope at least one of them will become a pastor and study theology. So, please pray for my family, for my two sons, that they'll have a clear calling and be more willing and motivated to participate in the church.” May 2 - Pastor Z asks: “Discipleship is something we really need right now. Training young brothers and sisters to serve, to be more effective in their service. We need to plant churches, and we need pastors. It's so hard to train a pastor these days. Every church location is short-staffed. Finding a pastor who's a good fit for us, or raising one up from within, is difficult.” May 3 - Pastor LL asks: “Please pray that our church won't become a consumer of the gospel, but a church that truly carries the mission of the gospel and proclaims it.”

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ANHUI AND CHONGQING

Started by keith hobkirk @

communion with your beloved

My daughter sherry had her operation, she is still very sore and needs prayers for a speedy recovery thanks Please view the largest number of English and Chinese devotions on the planet allied to prayer requests about China. There are thousands of English devotions also. https://www.tblfaithnews.com/category/tbl-china https://www.tblfaithnews.com/tbl-china-prayer-requests https://www.tblfaithnews.com/ https://johnknoxinstitute.org/modules/biblicalmarriage COMMUNING WITH YOUR BELOVED I want to share on a subject that is very difficult for many of us to even talk about, and that is the sexual part of marriage. In the Bible, there is a whole book given over to this subject and this is the Song of Solomon. Now some people think it is an allegory, a picture of Christ's love for the church and yes, it is. This is not a book to be avoided, many Christians say "how can this be in the Bible?", but it is so beautiful. God has graciously placed this book in His Word, there is so much advice from the world about sex, God wants you to go to his word to learn the truth from HIM about sex, why go to the tv and the internet to find out, when you can find out from the author himself! But it is a vivid picture of a healthy and vibrant physical relationship within marriage. Yes, within marriage, any sexual relationship outside of marriage is wrong and sinful, therefore sex before marriage and affairs by either partner outside marriage is wrong, amen. When you read the Song of Solomon, you realise that it is such a tender love poem, between two people who love each other deeply. This is summed up in Chapter 8, in these wonderful words. 6 Set me like a seal upon your heart, like a seal upon your arm; for love is as strong as death, jealousy is as hard and cruel as Sheol (the place of the dead). Its flashes are flashes of fire, a most vehement flame [the very flame of the Lord]! 7 Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man would offer all the goods of his house for love, he would be utterly scorned and despised. You see how powerful, true and pure sexual love is within marriage, it is a powerful flame BETWEEN two people (one man and one woman), one that has been put there by God. That flame cannot be put out by many waters, usually water can put out flames, but in this case, it can't, that is how powerful true and pure love within marriage is. Sex was created by God, the sex act was created by God, sexual desire and sexual emotions were created by God and the man's and woman's sexual organs were created by God. When he created all things, all things were very good, including sex. Sadly, sin marred all these good things. But he also created the marriage union, he meant all these things to in the unique context of a one-man one-woman marriage covenant. When a married couple have healthy and enjoyable sex within marriage, God says that is very good. He gave it not just for procreation but for excitement and enjoyment for the married couple within a secure marriage covenant, sex outside marriage is strictly prohibited by God. The married couple in the Song of Solomon tell each other that they love each other, they are passionate not just in their affection, but in their words. They also love each other bodies, they focus on every part of their married partners bodies, so tell your wife or husband that she/he is beautiful in every aspect of their appearance. In Proverbs 5, we have some beautiful verses, especially to husbands. 18 Let your fountain [of human life] be blessed [with the rewards of fidelity], and rejoice in the wife of your youth. 19 Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant doe [tender, gentle, attractive]—let her bosom satisfy you at all times, and always be transported with delight in her love. Let me say that the sexual relationship outlined in the Song of Songs, this is the model for a passionate and powerful sexual relationship, one that satisfies each partner. It is not a green light to do anything that would trample on your marriage partner, by forcing your needs upon them. Consideration of the othe

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