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Finnish Christian missionaries held in Malaysia return home
Christian Finns deported from Malaysia COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Four Finnish tourists who were arrested in Malaysia last week for distributing Christian materials in public places on a resort island returned to Finland on Wednesday according to AP News Timo Valtonen held up a pen — similar to ones inscribed with Bible verses that were seized in Malaysia — as he and three others were greeted by supporters at Helsinki’s Vanta airport. They were detained last week in Langkawi and investigated for allegedly causing disharmony and violating their visa status. Police seized 47 pens and 336 notebooks containing Bible texts. They were deported Tuesday. Proselytizing of Muslims by members of other religions is forbidden in Malaysia, although the reverse is allowed. Muslims, who comprise nearly tw...
Will I Lose My Individuality as a Christian?
It is easy to picture my InterVarsity community as my personal gang. Colin—one of our chapter leader and hip-hop director of our school’s radio station—can throw down a mean rhyme on a moment’s notice, so I think that alone makes it a pretty good analogy for us. Our little gang has its own lingo, inside jokes, and knowledge that new Christians don’t have. I should know. When I first joined our InterVarsity chapter, I understood about 80 percent of what the other students were saying…and I come from a Christian background. There were phrases thrown about that made me a little nervous, threw me off a bit. So, I’m not surprised when I hear new Christians are concerned about losing their individuality in terms of how they talk, look, and act once they start following Jesus. Jaime Castañe...
Vanity
Ecclesiastes 1 (KJV)1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. 2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. 3 What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun? 4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever. 5 The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose. 6 The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits. 7 All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again. 8 All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, n...
How to Read & Understand the Bible in 4 Simple Steps
There are four steps to mastering the Bible so well that the Bible masters you: 1. Read the Bible 2. Study the Bible 3. Memorize the Bible 4. Meditate on the Bible Seems simple. Obvious, even, for those who have been Christians for a while. Yet very few people take all four steps. Many take one step. Some take two steps. Very few take all four steps. As a result, very few people ever experience the full life transformation, the fellowship with God, the spiritual stability and strength, the power in ministry, the joy in worship, and the spiritual prosperity that the Bible promises to those who master it so well that it masters them. Step #1: Read the Bible for Breadth of Knowledge To begin a mastery of the Bible, you must read the Bible. This may seem self-evident to some, but to others who...
10 Valuable Reasons to Know the History of Christian Theology
Sam Storms Pastor, Author History, according to one cynic, is nothing but “the succession of one d___ thing after another.” Unfortunately, many Christians would agree, although one hopes they wouldn’t use precisely the same terminology! The fact is, people wonder why the history of Christian theology is worthy of our time and energy. Facts, dates, and dead people do not inspire much excitement, and many doubt the practical value of spending time on something that cannot be changed. Alister McGrath has pointed out that “history is often the refuge of people who cannot cope with the present and find consolation in turning over the pages of the past in a wistful manner.” They are more comfortable discussing Augustine’s doctrine of God than their own. “Those who find theological self-dis...
The Catholic Church – History & Beliefs
The Roman Catholic Church is an ancient religious institution boasting over a billion members worldwide. As such, it is the largest Christian ecclesiastical body in the world. Because of this alone, it is important to have an accurate understanding of the Roman Catholic Church’s history and beliefs. Where did the Roman Catholic Church come from? The Church at Rome, which would later develop into what we know as Roman Catholicism, was started in the apostolic times (circa AD 30-95). Although we do not have records of the first Christian missionaries to Rome, it is obvious that a church existed there as the New Testament Scriptures were being written. St. Paul himself wrote an epistle to the church at Rome, and the Book of Acts records some of his dealings there. St. Clement of Rome (ca. 35-...
Hope that Gives
Preface for Day 36 – 40: Harvest and Mission By sending off workers to the harvest fields The Lord of the harvest is building His Bride who will unconditionally to enhance the work of the Kingdom/global missions. Focusing on East Malaysia (Sarawak) Sarawak: 2,354,048 (Ethnic Groups: Iban 30.3%; Malay: 24%; Bidayuh: 8.4%; Malanau: 5.2 %; Other Bumiputera: 6.6%; Chinese: 24.5%; Indian: 0.3%; Others: 0.7%). Sarawak is the largest state in Malaysia. It is known as “The Land of Hornbills” for it is the home of a vast number of hornbills, and Sungai Rejang (590km) is the longest river in Malaysia. The state capital, fondly known a Kuching, “Cat City”, is located on the banks of the wide Sarawak River. James Brooke was the first “white rajah” who ru...
Persevere in Doing Good for our Nation
Day 40 (15 September 2018, Saturday) Galatians 6:9 “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” To succeed in its mission despite the mounting challenges, the Church must persevere on in doing good for the nation – to seek righteousness, justice and mercy; to bring the good news to all the people in this land. We are called to press on. Make no mistake, this is a long-term endeavour such as in running a marathon or a long distance relay. It will need many hands to join together and it will take more than one generation to see its fruit and that is why the Church must continuously engage each generation’s young people so that hope and the mission is passed on and taken up anew. “Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is ga...
Church Exists for Its Non-members
Day 39 (14 September 2018, Friday) Acts 13:2 – 3 While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then after fasting and praying Although hope can be fragile and elusive, hope is also a resilient and inexplicably tangible commodity. Hope drives us on, often when it is in the direst of times. It motivates us to do the best. It energises us to turn visions into reality. In whatever circumstances, hope in the coming Kingdom of God should galvanise Christians to extend his love to a lost and hurting world. Beyond the Biblical accounts, godly Christians through the ages have acted boldly when faced with dwindling hope. They persevered on and some paid the ult...
Hope of Healing a Nation
Day 38 (13 September 2018, Thursday) Luke 9:2 “and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.” Although hope can be fragile and elusive, hope is also a resilient and inexplicably tangible commodity. Hope drives us on, often when it is in the direst of times. It motivates us to do the best. It energises us to turn visions into reality. In whatever circumstances, hope in the coming Kingdom of God should galvanise Christians to extend his love to a lost and hurting world. Beyond the Biblical accounts, godly Christians through the ages have acted boldly when faced with dwindling hope. They persevered on and some paid the ultimate price – Dietrich Bonhoeffer when speaking the truth in the face of Hitler and the Nazification of German society and t...
Remember
Ecclesiastes 12 (KJV)1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them; 2 While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain: 3 In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened, 4 And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low; 5 Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and ...
4 Reasons to Pursue Humility
Our culture constantly tells us to build our self-esteem and think highly of ourselves. Yet the Bible urges us to do the opposite. To pursue humility. It’s actually a glorious pursuit. And we have plenty of reasons to be humble. Here are a few: We can’t control anything. We like to think we are in control. We make plans, write out our lists, book our flights, mark our calendars. Yet we can’t control a single thing. Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”—yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” >James 4:13–15 We don’t kno...
