Psalm 103

 Praise the Lord, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
 Praise the Lord, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—
 who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
 who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
 who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

 The Lord works righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.

 He made known his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel:
 The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
 He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbour his anger forever;
 he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
 as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

 As a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;
 for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.
 The life of mortals is like grass,
they flourish like a flower of the field;
 the wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more.
 But from everlasting to everlasting
the Lord’s love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children’s children—
 with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts.

 The Lord has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all.

 Praise the Lord, you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his bidding,
who obey his word.
 Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts,
you his servants who do his will.
 Praise the Lord, all his works
everywhere in his dominion.

Praise the Lord, my soul.

A Prideful Blogger

Isaiah 2:11

The eyes of the arrogant man will be humbled and the pride of men brought low; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.

I've been coming to realise more and more over time that I get quite proud about my blog. I start shifting the glory away from God and start quietly complimenting myself for it. In fact, I don't just do it over this blog, I do it over almost every aspect of my life. I slowly replace God as the centre of my attention and place myself there - and I hardly even realise it.

I am drawn towards pride quite easily, and Satan sucks me into it without me even realising. In my sinfulness I love being proud, but I also hate it because it dishonours God. God alone deserves the glory, and he alone with have it in the end. I am simply a wretched human who cannot stand against sin even though I have been freed from it. And yet I'm still proud.

What about you? If you're a Christian then how are you doing with pride? How are you doing with other areas in your life that you so often fall down in? If you aren't a Christian then pride is probably one of the reasons: your refusing to put God first in your life and follow his ways. Take a few minutes to be honest with yourself and God.

So how do we deal with pride?

John Piper gives 10 ways we can fight it in our lives. Click here to take a look

God Bless,
Nat.

VOM Prayer Watch

SYRIA: The New Road to Damascus

The war in Syria is one of the greatest crises seen in the Middle East in the last 20 years. It has claimed the lives of more than 100,000 people, both Muslim and Christian. More than 2 million Syrians have fled to neighbouring countries.

In the midst of this crisis, our persecuted family is boldly reaching out. And the reactions of Muslims have been astonishing.  "When you hear about one Muslim coming to Christ, it's a great thing, and everybody rejoices," said a VOM Syrian contact. "Today in Syria I'm not talking about one person. We're talking about hundreds and even thousands of Muslims coming to know Christ." 

Teams of believers are working in the refugee camps, providing Christ's love while sharing material aid, such as medical supplies and Bibles, as well as spiritual aid. Christians, widely considered 'infidels' in Syria, are now often and affectionately referred to as 'the Bible People.'

"This war is like a knife in the heart of the church," said VOM's National Contact. "No human can stand that suffering. But there is God's presence. I can see Christ in the midst of darkness."

Source: Voice of the Martyrs USA

Prayer Points

• Thank the Lord for bringing many out of darkness and into His marvellous light. 
• Please pray for Christians who face not only the horrific effects of war but also continued persecution.
• Please also pray for those who are bravely using this opportunity to advance the Kingdom.

IRAN: Christians Jailed for their Faith

Iranian Christians are requesting prayer for their country following a series of arrests just as the government released some prisoners in an effort to appear more liberal.

At least 20 Christians, mainly from Muslim backgrounds, were detained in Tehran, Karaj, Isfahan, and Tabriz. As a sign that he is politically progressive, the government of incoming President Hassan Rouhani pardoned and then released 11 prisoners of conscience from prison on 20 September.

The next day, the family of imprisoned Pastor Behnam Irani went to meet with a judge in Karaj, Iran. Pastor Behnam's family asked the judge to pardon him and allow him to be released like the other prisoners of conscience. The judge denied the request, and stated that Behnam had to serve his six years of prison and that the only way he would be pardoned and released from prison was if he repented and returned to Islam.

Sources: Voice of the Martyrs USA and Mohabat News

Prayer Points

• Thank the Lord for the recent release of 11 prisoners. Pray the Lord will protect and sustain those who remain in jail, especially Behnam Irani who is suffering from poor health.
• Praise God for the growth of the church in Iran. Pray He will use these incidents of persecution to further spread the Gospel and strengthen the faith of His children.
• Pray for President Hassan Rouhani and all those in authority in Iran.

INDONESIA: Update - Two Indonesian Christians Sentenced to Three Years Behind Bars for Evangelism

Two Indonesian Christians were sentenced to three years in prison on 2 August for conducting evangelistic activities among Muslims. The Christians, known as Kashfi Rosyid and Jalaludin, are brothers and were arrested by police on 20 March in Sukabumi, West Java, after an angry mob of approximately 200 Muslims attacked their home.

Last month it was reported that Mr Rosyid, age 58, and Mr Jalaludin, age 65, have both been beaten at least once by fellow inmates since their imprisonment, though the exact motive behind the attacks remains unclear. In addition, the lawyer representing the two Christians has given up on appealing their three-year prison sentence after facing significant pressure from local authorities.   Mr Rosyid's family was "chased out of their village," and that their current whereabouts are unknown. Mr Jalaludin's family was forced to resettle in an undisclosed location in West Java. The families have received some support from outside organisations, but are reportedly still struggling to cope with the imprisonment of Mr Rosyid and Mr Jalaludin.

According to one source, the two men had helped to convert more than 100 Muslims to Christianity in the area around their home before their arrest.

Source: International Christian Concern

Prayer Points

• Pray the Lord will heal Mr Rosyid and Mr Jalaludin and grant them courage during this difficult trial. Pray the Lord will protect and provide for their families.
• Commit the appeal to the Lord; ask Him to provide the legal representation these two men require. Pray for their release.
• Ask the Lord to strengthen the faith of the Muslims He converted through these two men.

Over the next few weeks...

Over the next few weeks I've got my final exams for school. That means two things

1. I'm going to be super busy and may not have time to post as much. I'll still try to post something every day, but my posts are probably going to be shorter and simpler. I also may just post bible verses - God's words are far better than mine, so that shouldn't be a problem.
2. I would really appreciate prayer if you are a Christian. I think I've studied hard, and I'm not too stressed for these exams, but there's still a bit of worry there, so pray that I will trust God, do my best and give him all the glory for it. You can also praise God that he has provided a place for me in Uni regardless of my marks, which is a massive blessing and takes a lot of stress off.

Thanks heaps!

Nat.

Ephesians 1

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace,which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfilment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

Thanksgiving and Prayer
For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you,remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

The Sights to See

Isaiah 26:4
Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.

Beauty is in the eye of the Bee-holder: I've always loved animals and God's creation, here's some close up of bees. They're pretty spectacular!

Isaiah's upcoming mission trip: This is an encouraging article. "I’ve watched as nurses took blood samples to the words of“He who has the Son has life. He who does not have the Son does not have life!”Doctor’s have made their rounds to the words “God wants you to know that you do not have to die in your sins.”

The Greatest Entertainment Launch in History: GTA V has been coming up everywhere lately (actually, it's probably just all the Spotify ads getting on my nerves). I have never played the game myself, but I've heard enough to know that even if I want too, it certainly wouldn't help me in my walk with God. Tim Challies discusses this a bit more in light of our culture.

Sony's World Photography Awards: I love photography, and these shots are incredible. Take a look!

Seems so long ago, Nancy: Here's another post by Tim Challies, I greatly recommend it!

VOM prayer watch

Nigeria Pastors Killed in Extremist Raids Two pastors have been killed and three churches destroyed, as militants attack yet more civilian targets in north-east Nigeria. Read more Prayer Points • Ask God to comfort and sustain all those who have been bereaved in militant attacks. • Pray that God will raise up new leaders for the two churches who have lost their leaders to extremist violence. Thank God for the strong overcoming faith of His people in Nigeria. • Pray for wisdom, resolve and courage for the Nigerian authorities as they work to stamp out the extremist threat.

Tanzania Pastor Severely Burned in Acid Attack A pastor in Zanzibar, Tanzania, has suffered severe burns after having acid poured on him by one or more Muslims just outside an Internet café. Read more Prayer Points • Pray the Lord will completely heal Pastor Anselm’s physical and psychological wounds (Psalm 30:2). • Pray the church in Tanzania will not be fearful as a result of this and similar attacks but instead learn ever more to rely on Him who gives us strength. • Pray the Lord will frustrate any plans of this Islamist group to harm His church.

Morocco Update: Christian Tentatively Released from Prison Mohamed El Baladi has been released from the Moroccan prison where he was held after being sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison for the crimes of evangelism and shaking the faith of a Muslim. Mohamed had been held in prison since his arrest in late August. Read more Prayer Points • Thank the Lord for answered prayer for Mohamed and ask Him to favour Mohamed with a successful appeal. Pray for Mohamed’s legal representatives. • Pray this case will serve to encourage the faith of the church throughout Morocco and this incident will result in increased boldness among believers (Acts 5:29). • Pray for the citizens of Morocco, including Mohamed’s family, ask the Lord to draw many into His kingdom.