MISSIONARY NEWS FEATURE #17

IDF neutralized terror tunnel in northern Gaza:

The IDF has identified and neutralized a terror tunnel with two routes belonging to the Hamas terrorist organization, dug from northern Gaza towards Israeli towns and cities. As such, we praise God to know that IDF has constructed the underground barrier in anticipation of such tunnels aimed at Israeli towns and cities and that southern Israel remains safe and protected from terror tunnels attacks.

(For more info, do click the link https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/358194 – by Yoni Kempinski, 15th August 2022 – inside Israel National News)!

A Test for the Caretaker Government – Threat from Islamic Jihad:

The fighting has erupted at Gaza between Israel Defense Forces and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad and a top Islamic Jihad official had threatened to attack around Gaza and that they would bomb Central Israel recently on 4th August (Thu), which had sent IDF on high alert near the border with Gaza causing them to shut the crossings of goods and people along its frontier with Gaza and imposed restrictions on movement in Israeli communities adjacent to the Gaza Strip. So, the Israel Defense Forces launched pre–emptive Operation “Breaking Dawn” to attack Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists in the Gaza Strip the next following day. Taysir al-Jaafari, a military commander in Saraya al-Quds (the military arm of the Islamic Jihad movement) in Palestine, was assassinated by bombing a residential tower in Gaza. The Islamic Jihad fired 100s of rockets towards Southern Israel from Gaza. Iron Dome has been intercepting most of these rockets. In the meantime, Israel has the right to respond to a threat from the Islamic Jihad who had threatened to attack Israel. We pray that this cross–border exchange to not escalate into an all–out war and for President Hamas to remain in the side line and does not join in the fray. 

Today, we praise God that the three–day violence at Gaza between Israel Defense Forces and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad has ended with an Egypt–brokered ceasefire as of 8th Aug (Mon). And, we continuously to pray for peace over Jerusalem and all of Israel that both side will have peaceful relations with each other.

(For more info, do click the link – https://foreigndesknews.com/middle-east/islamic-jihad-official-threatens-to-attack-all-of-israel/ – 6th August 2022)

What God is doing in Ukraine: A missionary intercessor shares a recent TV video by The Billy Graham Evangelical Association which shows how God is working through the Churches in Ukraine, the resilience of the people and their hunger for God and His Word.

(For more info, do click the links – https://www.samaritanspurse.org/our-ministry/ukraine-response/ – 1st August 2022)

Results of Biden’s visit to Israel: 

There were no announcements of any US consulate in East Jerusalem for Palestinians. As such, PLO has not been removed from the list of terrorist organizations. Hence, no financial aid has been given to the Palestinian Authority for terrorist activities. Biden pledged funds for healthcare services to Palestinians during his visit to a hospital in East Jerusalem. And, there was no plan from President Biden for the Palestinian Authority to reject. (Past presidents offered plans to the PA which was typically rejected.). Yet, Biden undermined Israeli sovereignty over the whole of Jerusalem when he met Palestinians without any Israeli representation in eastern Jerusalem and had the Israeli flag removed from his limousine before driving to Augusta Victoria Hospital on the Mount of Olives.

 

Earlier last week, there was a trilateral meeting in Iran of the leaders of three nations: Russia, Iran and Turkey, a trio that many prophecy watchers associate with Ezekiel 38. However, Israel was not on their agenda. Russia wanted to sell grains to Iran in exchange for drones for the Ukraine war and Turkey sought to help to resume exports of Ukrainian grain to ease the global food crisis.

 

(For more info, do click the links – 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11014817/Biden-commits-100M-funding-East-Jerusalem-hospital-visit.html, https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/356738, 

https://www.israeltoday.co.il/read/biden-removed-israeli-flag-during-east-jerusalem-visit/ 

https://www.euronews.com/2022/07/19/vladimir-putin-visits-tehran-for-talks-with-leaders-of-iran-and-turkey – 22nd July 2022) 

 

Finland: 

Finland has a largely secular society, even though Christians number 84% of the population. 90% look with favour on the Church’s social work, but only 8% consistently attend any kind of religious service. The last revival came in the 1960s. Strong belief in the power of human reason, and rejection of supernatural things, now dominates the society. An ultra-modern country like Finland probably needs both reformation in the existing Church and also new expressions of faith. Do pray for a spiritual breakthrough that will cause people to seek the Lord.

(Do click onto this link – https://operationworld.org/prayer-calendar/05-23/ to read for further news by Operation World Prayer News, 23rd May 2022)

Fiji: British colonial greed left Fiji ethnically divided. The British imported Indians as indentured labourers from 1870 onward. Fijians lived as a minority in their own country at times. Indians worked hard to build new lives in Fiji, but they cannot own land. They face resentment and racial prejudice. Poor treatment by the British and Fijians, both considered Christian, discredited the gospel for most Indians. We pray for a spirit of repentance and reconciliation, and a society known for freedom and equality.

(Do click onto this link – https://operationworld.org/prayer-calendar/05-22/ to read for further news by Operation World Prayer News, 22nd May 2022)

Ethiopia:  The nation struggles through social, political, and economic crises. The major ethnic groups (Amhara, Tigrinya, Oromo, Somali, Afar) divide themselves largely by geographic region, which gives each more independence at the expense of national unity. As a result, Ethiopia's stability and power balances are precarious. Corruption increased with economic growth, and a wide gap now exists between the few who are rich and the many who are poor. From 2020, devastating civil conflict - along ethnic lines - erased much of the progress of recent years. The Tigray region - the centre of the previous ruling party's power - has been attacked by both Ethiopia and Eritrea. The governments blame separatists (or the convenient label of "terrorists"), but many accounts from the region indicate that the local Tigrinya people are subject to atrocities, war crimes, or even genocide. We pray for an end to the terrible violence, and a peace that offers esteem to every region and ethnic group while also enabling a genuine national unity.

(Do click onto this link – https://operationworld.org/prayer-calendar/05-19/ to read for further news by Operation World Prayer News, 19th May 2022)

Estonia: Estonia found political and economic success after the time of Soviet domination (1940-1988). Poverty remains a problem, and greed for material possessions grows as the economy grows. Estonia faces a crisis of values as the people become more and more secular in their attitudes. We pray for a wise and upright government to model righteousness and biblical values.

(Do click onto this link – https://operationworld.org/prayer-calendar/05-18/ to read for further news by Operation World Prayer News, 18th May 2022)

Equatorial Guinea:
Equatorial Guinea faces an unusual political and economic situation. Large oil reserves made a small minority very rich. Western oil companies work with a regime whose human rights record is poor, in order to increase profits. Corruption means that most of the people do not benefit from such wealth.

(Do click onto this link – https://operationworld.org/prayer-calendar/05-15/ to read for further news by Operation World Prayer News, 15th May 2022)

The Breath of Life

One Sunday morning, I was assisting with Communion. As people were served, I looked out the window at the back of the sanctuary and saw the wind blowing the trees and the snow around. I thought of the wind as the breath of God, who gives breath to all. God formed Adam from the dust, but Adam was not a living being until God breathed into him the breath of life, as the Scriptures said, “The Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being” (Genesis 2:7, NRSV).

In Genesis 1:2 (NRSV), we read about a “wind from God.” The Hebrew word for wind is often translated as “spirit” or “breath.” So we can understand the breath of life as God's spirit breathed into Adam to give him life. We live not only by our physical bodies – organs and tissues – but also by God's spirit dwelling within us. By God's power, the breath of life remains in our lives as the wind of life blows over us. God has given us life, and God continues to give us life. We live because God lives within us.

Life is a miracle in which God sustains us. Breathe in and breathe out the breath of God.

Thank God for a breath of LIFE!

Prayer Response to this featured article:
We thank God that He is the Great Creator and that the world and all that in it was created by the Lord and we’re in His hands. And, we believe in and trust our lives to Christ, knowing that our destiny for eternity is also safely in His hands.

Profile Background:
(Written by Matthew J. Van Maastricht – (Michigan, U.S.A), from the Upper Room Ministries except the unrecalled date/year of published time)

The Lord is righteous

As I reflected upon Psalm 94:14-23 (NIV), I saw how the Lord sustained the Psalmist by His mercy despite having him surrounded by evildoers that caused him to have anxieties and doubts in his mind as he nearly fell before onslaughts of men – being ushered into the silence of the cemetery. In reference to Christ in my life, I am thankful that He fills me up with His wisdom and power to help me live out this resurrected life through my daily Christian living for the gospel to be preached out through my outreach efforts to win souls for the Lord (1 Corinthians 1:30, NIV).

Hence, I reflected upon how God’s Word could be internalized in me to become a practical reflection for others to see Christ through my life once the Word Of God is kept in my heart, mind and spirit (Psalm 119:97–99, NIV).

Let’s have God’s Word internalized in us to become a practical reflection for others to see Christ through us today!

Prayer Response to this featured article:
Thank you, Lord, for showing ‘Your’ faithfulness to ‘us’ as we stay faithful in serving God all the days of our life. Thank you for allowing us to meditate on your Word of God daily.

(Written by Jeremy Koh, 5th February 2014)

Profile Background:
Jeremy Koh is a disabled graduate from Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore – formerly known as Spastic Children Association (1987-1997). He graduated with Certificates in Microsoft Office Skills. Jeremy has worked in ServeHope Pte Ltd – Project Assistant/Email Marketing Consultant for 5 years (March 2008 – August 2013). And, Jeremy did a research work for the keyguard at (these)abilites Pte Ltd handling all KeyGuard Operations for 10 months in World United College South East Asia (Tampines Branch). He was Executive Assistant with Vision Strategy Storytelling (3 months, Aug to Oct 2017). Jeremy worked as GB Connector in GrowthBeans Team in Savior-Asia Consulting Pte Ltd (October 2018 to December 2019). Today, he continues to be in GB Youth Organizing Team/as a GB Youth Facilitator in YouthCorps Singapore, a former member of the Special Needs Cluster in YCS, and a Founder in the ground up initiative project called – Project Story for LIFE (Affiliated with Youth Corps Singapore) that serves the Special Needs Community at–large in society today.