I have found myself reading and rereading Hebrews 11 many times the past few months. For many of us who live in relatively safe regions of the world, it is hard to imagine living under the most difficult circumstances and experiencing the great suffering that many of our brethren around the world are having to deal with. It is easy to ignore, or outright dismiss, stories of the harsh conditions believers in other places are having to live through as they are thousands of miles distant from us. Yet, the Scriptures instruct us to pray for these as if we were suffering right alongside them. It could be us!
It is also important for us not to lose sight of the fact that this world is not our home. We are just traveling through. The closer we get to the return of Jesus, the looser our grip should be on anything connected to this world. It is all about to pass away — and sooner than many of us would like to think.
The writer of Hebrews, in reference to the long list of heroes of the faith in the eleventh chapter, had this to say about them:
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims of the earth. For those that say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. Hebrews 11:13-16
There has been a significant increase in the amount of Mideast Updates this past year, but it is a strong indication of the uptick in the harvest being gathered in and also reminds us of the crucial times we are living in. Today’s update includes two important messages. The first is a teaching that Abdelrahem sent to the entire HOB leadership as teaching for this past weekend. Please hear his heart. What he says should speak to all of us. The second message is a crucial report from Abdelrahem through Dr. Nibras. Please take the time to read these. You and I are witnessing something on the mission field that few have seen over the past 2,000 years. The urgent need for prayer and support will be quite apparent. Thank You.
***********
Below is what I received from Abdelrahem on 2/1/2027:
Peace upon you and all the followers of our Lord Jesus. Job, a contemporary of Abraham in the Old Testament, said these words to describe life:
“Man born of woman is short-lived, full of trouble. He springs up like a flower and withers; he flees like a shadow and does not last.” Job 14:1-2
In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul, a man who experienced more trials than most biblical figures, gave his view:
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward body is decaying, our inner spirit is being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary affliction produces eternal glory for us. We do not look at the things that are seen, but at the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are passing away, but the things that are unseen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
“We know that if this earthly house, this dwelling place, is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not made with hands. For this we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling place” 2 Corinthians 5:1-2
“We walk by faith, not by sight. Indeed, we are confident, even joyful, to be absent from the body and present with the Lord. Therefore, whether present or absent, we strive to be pleasing to Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:7-9
Job pointed out that life on this earth is not only short but also full of troubles. The Apostle Paul also spoke of the troubles of this life, but he added that we suffer spiritually to be rid of this mortal body, knowing that when we give up on our mortal bodies, we will have put on our eternal, immortal bodies, leaving behind this short, temporary life full of struggles and troubles, and exchanging it for a glorious eternal life in the presence of our God, as our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ promised.
There is no problem, no struggle, no hardship, no persecution that will not pass away when we receive our reward in heaven. Although the two texts are rather long, I would like to share with you what the Apostle Paul said about the troubles of this life and God’s promises to us in these words:
“For I see that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation eagerly awaits the appearing of the children of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and attain the freedom of glory to the children of God. for we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. Not only that, but we also, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly, eagerly awaiting our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies…” Romans 8:18-23
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written: ‘For your sake we are being killed daily; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:35-39
Paul knew what he was saying. He had suffered severe persecution, especially from those who wronged him. He made this claim:
“I received from the Jews five times forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned; three times my ship was wrecked; I spent a night and a day in the open sea; I was on many journeys, in dangers on the water, in dangers from robbers, in dangers from my own countrymen, in dangers from Gentiles, in dangers in the city. In dangers in the wilderness, in dangers at sea, in dangers among false brothers; in fatigue and exhaustion, in many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, in many fasts, in cold and nakedness — besides all the other things that happen to me daily; my great anxiety for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is it that stumbles, and I do not become angry? If I must boast, I will boast about my weakness. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I do not lie. 2 Corinthians 11:24-31
At the time of writing this letter, Paul had not yet written most of his letters. He had traveled, ministered, endured trials and tribulations, and then he was ultimately beheaded by Caesar. Paul considered the Christian life a privilege:
“I have sincere hope and expectation that I will be put to shame in nothing. But with all boldness, as I always have, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether in life or in death. For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:20-21
I recently heard a sermon in which the preacher said something that stuck with me. He said, “It seems that Satan inflicts the greatest harm on God’s people at the beginning and the end of their journey with the Lord.” As I reflected on his words, I saw this clearly in many people I’ve known over the years. The devil knows that if he wants to rob a young Christian of their initial joy and enthusiasm, he must inflict severe and swift harm so that they become discouraged from their Christian journey. But the devil also knows that life is tiring, and often, after living for God for a long time, we reach a point where we focus more on “working for God” than on our intimate relationship with Him. This intimate relationship is what bears fruit in service through the life-giving rivers that flow into our souls and affect everyone around us. The devil knows that if he can make us look more at our surroundings and the problems we face, and less at that intimate relationship and supernatural touch from God, he can lead us astray.
Our natural surroundings are not imaginary; they are real. However, we must keep our spiritual gaze fixed on the ultimate goal. If we don’t, we will stray from the path and lose faith in the One who died for us. This is why the writer of Hebrews urges us with these crucial words:
“Therefore do not lose your confidence, for it has great reward. You need patience, so that when you do God’s will, you may receive what is promised: ‘He who is to come will come soon and will not delay. The righteous will live by faith. But if anyone turns away, my soul does not accept him.’ We, however, are not among those who turn away to destruction, but among those who believe to salvation.” Hebrews 10:35-39
We are the last generation before the second coming of Jesus, and the days of the Gentiles are drawing to a close…
Abdelrahem, servant of the Lord
***************
The report below was received from both Abdelrahem and Dr. Nibras on 2/2/2026:
Peace be upon you, my brother, and upon all who love and follow Jesus. Greetings from Abdelrahem and the brothers, who are currently in Kermanshah province. There, 4,000 believers have been born, having embraced Jesus. Nearly two thousand years ago, Jesus made this promise to His disciples:
“…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
When He had said this, He was taken up before their eyes, and a cloud covered Him from their sight. As they gazed intently into the sky as He ascended, two men dressed in white stood beside them and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who was taken up from among you into heaven, will come back in the same way you say Him go into heaven.” Acts 1:8-11
For two thousands years, lovers of Jesus Christ and His true followers have eagerly awaited His promised return. Knowing his execution was imminent, the Apostle Paul expressed his profound love for his Lord and urged Christians everywhere not to lose hope in His return. He said to Timothy:
“For I am ready to be poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day — and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.” 2 Timothy 4:6-8
Although the true Church of Jesus Christ has been looking forward to and waiting for Christ’s return for nearly two thousand years, only this generation has had the privilege of witnessing the fulfillment of many of the great events He prophesied for the end times. Now, the times of the Gentiles are drawing to a close. The Scriptures promise that there will be early and late spiritual rains before Christ’s second coming. The early rains fell immediately after Pentecost, following the crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ. The latter rains are what we are witnessing today throughout the world. The gospel of Jesus is reaching millions of people on every continent except uninhabited Antarctica. This has not come without a price. The fallen Lucifer and his infernal kingdom have fought every move of God with intense hatred. More saints of God’s kingdom have been killed for their witness in the last century than in all nineteen centuries since Pentecost.
Our HOB missionaries have suffered the same persecution that true saints of God have suffered since the martyrdom of the first Christian martyr, Stephen. I do not know the exact number of HOB missionaries who have been martyred in recent days, but it is at least 2,122. The House of Blessing School of Ministry continues to train 1,120 newly qualified missionaries, and so, by the grace of God, the work continues.
The blow that HOB suffered in the recent attack was severe. It took days, especially for the leadership who knew the victims well, to deal with it. But their faith is unwavering, and they are eager to return to missionary work and make the most of the time they have left. Of the original 20,000, approximately 17,878 remain. Most of them lost their eyesight due to the poisonous gas they were attacked with. These men have insisted on clinging to Jesus regardless of their dire circumstances. They need our prayers, as do the rest of the missionaries who have been injured in various ways, as well as the widows and the children. The sisters are doing their best to bring them together and begin training the widows to take over the work their husbands had been doing.
There are still nearly 22,000 new believers waiting their turn to enroll in the House of Blessing School of Ministry course. Pastor Abdelrahem and the leaders are trying to reorganize their ranks, and in addition to everything they are currently doing, they are redistributing the responsibilities of the remaining 1,120 HOB missionaries in Iran to teach as many as possible at once. There are two weeks until Ramadan, and much work remains. Despite limited resources, the fate of souls is at stake, and as every year, HOB will consider this Ramadan as the last before the Lord calls His people to Him. If this is not the last Ramadan, at least, every missionary will know that they have done their utmost. This is the same attitude that all true followers of Jesus should have. Our Lord’s return is near, and it is important that we be engaged in the message of our Heavenly Father.
I realize that talking about the end times and the imminent return of Jesus Christ is not a common topic in many Christian circles, especially in the Western Church. It is a shame! We have become complacent. Many have become so content with life that they no longer truly yearn for Jesus’ return. Personally, I believe this not only saddens our Lord, but will also cause Him to allow very difficult events to occur, as harsh warnings. The door of the ark is about to close, and now is the time to wake up! There is a reason the Bible speaks of those who have a genuine love for our Lord’s coming. It is because so many of God’s people are enamored with the world around them. Many Christians have lost their first love — and perhaps they don’t even realize it. It is sad.
Since we know that we will all stand before our Lord soon, let us ask the Holy Spirit to guide us in how to make the best use of our time. We cannot leave it to others. It was God’s will to place each one of us in this generation, indeed, at the end of time. What a great honor…and what a weighty responsibility.
I want to thank everyone who prays for the House of Blessing. I also want to thank everyone who has given so generously. May God bless every prayer and multiply every dollar. We worship a great God! But, before giving, I ask everyone to pray that the Lord may guide them on the right path and enlighten their hearts. There is an extraordinary surge in faith in Jesus, especially among the Shia. They have realized that Jesus is the key to Paradise and salvation.
Your brother, Dr. Nibras, servant of the Lord.
****************
Thank you all for your financial and prayer support. God is doing amazing things through the missionaries of the House of Blessing all across, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Kurdistan, and Azerbaijan. Please feel free to comment or ask questions at either email address below. Thank You.
Forever in His Service,
Jake (aka Jack)