Just a thought…
Most of us can quote the verse that says: “If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.” I think many people look at that verse and cannot see anything beyond a burdensome task or responsibility, a demand that most of us initially find ourselves unprepared to fulfill. It looks like a difficult road, and it often can be. But, this isn’t just about sacrifice. It has to do with surrender. Granted, that is not something that comes naturally either, but the benefits of surrender are well worth the distressing thought of sacrifice.
In truth, our biggest problem is … us. We want to be independent and think we run our own lives, but we get overwhelmed and exhausted trying to do so. We can’t determine our own futures, even though we think we can — until “life” hits, and we are overwhelmed.
Jesus teaches us to deny ourselves, but this is far more than a denial of satisfaction or our attempts to fulfill ourselves. It’s not so much a call to deny what pleases us as it is a call to surrender everything that rivals our dependence on God — including our willful independence and the often misleading drive of becoming “successful” in whatever way we define “success.”
We recognize the pain and self-denial and the cross-carrying when we read about Jesus’ crucifixion. But, where did it lead? It led to a joy before Him because the sacrifice would set us free and open an eternity for us in His glorious kingdom. The initial cost looks daunting. But, it is liberation in surrender to a wiser, gentler, more powerful Lord than the one we’re accustomed to — ourselves! We can glory in carrying this cross because He will walk lockstep with us as we do!
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The first report from the House of Blessing for today’s update came from Dr. Nibras a couple days ago telling the story of a woman in Damascus. Her name is Sister Maryam. As regular readers will remember, she was healed of cancer by the prayers of the widows she and others were tasked to guard in a cave on behalf of their ISIS husbands. All were eventually set free and afterward, Maryam had occasion to share her testimony to a crowd of over 2,800 believers with Sisters Ferial, Hafiza, and Mufida there as support. This is what Dr. Nibras shared:
Maryam is a mother of ten and the wife of a Muslim sheikh named Abu Nawfal, one of 30 sheikhs who recently converted to Christianity. Abu Nawfal had just graduated from the House of Blessing School of Ministry. Sister Maryam’s testimony focused on her healing from illness and how her life changed when her husband became a follower of Jesus. She described how, before Jesus changed her husband’s heart, she had always been nothing more than his possession and servant. He would wake her up at any hour of the night, just for her to make him a cup of tea or coffee. Maryam said she always tried her best to be kind and considerate to him, but it was never enough. He constantly yelled at her, made demands, and beat her mercilessly for the slightest reason. But after Jesus became his Lord, his treatment of her changed. Now he helps her with the dishes and cleaning, and he helps with cooking and caring for their ten children. She described this change as a huge difference! The brothers also treat her the same way.
Testimonies like Maryam’s are frequently shared among the House of Blessing’s gatherings of believers. Jesus said, “We must love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our mind, with all our soul, and with all our strength — and our neighbor as ourselves.” The Apostle Peter not only taught wives to obey their husbands, but also offered instruction to husbands, saying:
“Husbands, likewise live with your wives with understanding and respect, for they are the weaker sex and heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.” 1 Peter 3:7
It is one thing to recite verses like these, and another to put them into practice. God, who created us, through the work of His Spirit, makes loving and honoring one another a natural way of life!
In addition to the aforementioned former Muslim sheikh, Abu Nawfal, hundreds of others completed their training at the HOB School of Ministry in the past few days and, upon graduation, will join the 1,750 to 2,000 HOB missionaries spread throughout Syria. Many of these students did not wait for graduation to share the message of Christ with whomever they could. Among them are the 29 other former sheikhs (30 including Abu Nawfal) mentioned earlier. These men diligently passed on what they had learned during their intensive training to an additional 15 men for four to five hours each evening!
I was told that even today, despite all the teaching and training taking place, there are still more than 23,000 people waiting to enroll in the HOB training course. The longing for the Word of God is unparalleled, and the courage to share the good news of God’s forgiveness of humanity’s sins through the blood of Jesus is astonishing!
The missionaries, teachers, and volunteers of the House of Blessing travel from refugee camp to camp, carrying the message of the Messiah Jesus. Wherever there are houses, they go from house to house. In other areas, they go from tent to tent, or to caves, or to makeshift shelters under trees, spreading the love of God. It is said that those who have caves to take refuge in are the lucky ones. Providing tents is one of the most pressing needs, and the House of Blessing is doing its utmost to meet it.
All the missionaries and volunteers understand that the age of grace is drawing to a close. They also know that a massive regional war is drawing closer every day. Their entire focus is on reaping souls. Jesus Christ died to purchase eternal life in the kingdom of God for every man, woman, and child who believes in Him. How many souls will be guided before the door of grace closes? Only God knows! Pray for us to succeed and to provide them with the Gospel. May the Lord bless you.
Your brother,
Dr. Nibras
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This second report was received from Pastor Abdelrahem on August 8, 2026.
Peace be upon you, my brother Jack, and upon all the lovers of Jesus. At this time, a group of brothers (sheikhs, now believers) from the House of Blessing, led by Sheikh Al-Mawi, Mullah Abu Sayyah, Al-Saftawi, sheikh Shahin, Wahdan, Al-Tabji, Al-Bukhari, and their wives Shweikar, suad, Ma’zouza, Ratiba, and Zainab, have been working the fields of harvest. When they arrived in Najran, Saudi Arabia, they were divided into two groups of sheikhs. They have over 7,000 followers who have believed in and accepted Jesus, submitting to their teachings. They were informed about the blood of Jesus and the sacrifice He made, which led to His crucifixion. They also established a secret printing shop in Najran and its eastern provinces, where no one can bring in Bibles or educational booklets.
These 7,000 (a number which has already grown considerably) are people who have received the good news of God’s love for them and the great price Christ paid. They prayed the prayer of repentance with joy and humility, joining others who have dedicated their lives into the care of Almighty God, the One and Only, who grants them ultimate freedom through the blood of Jesus Christ. What a stark contrast to Islamic theology which only offers the possibility of paradise to a special group of people — those who will sacrifice their own lives in order to murder infidels. We, to the contrary, worship the God of love and justice!
One of the special miracles that occurs more often than most people realize is that God takes the sincerity of his servants’ offerings and multiplies them many times over. What is enough to feed fifty people feeds a thousand! Only God is capable of this! It is true that God accepts the offering of bread and fish, as we see in the Gospels, but God takes this small amount and works wonders with it! And why wouldn’t He, when His servants are faithful to what He has entrusted to them as a loan for their sustenance? He is God! He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end! We cannot even imagine His greatness and majesty! In Psalm 8, King David said these words:
O Lord, our Master, how great is Your name in all the earth, You who have exalted Your glory above the heavens! … When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have arranged, what is man that You are mindful of him, the son of man that You care for him? … O Lord, our Master, how great is Your name in all the earth! Verses 1,3,4,9
Sometimes people wonder how our fellow believers in the Middle East cope with the daily hardships they face. It is because they take God’s Word very seriously. One of the Scripture passages is found in 2 Timothy 1:7-12.
7For God has not given us a spirit of fear; but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 8Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, 9who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, 10but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, 11to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the gentiles. 12For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to him until that Day.
These words must be taken seriously. Our brothers and sisters who have literally put these words into practice in their lives have become examples for us all! Many of those reading this website live in Western societies and have experienced little of the extreme violence associated with unwavering faith in Jesus Christ, the true Christ, that our brothers and sisters in Muslim countries are experiencing. Will we in the West witness this kind of persecution in the future? Perhaps. Only God knows. But we are already facing another kind of satanic attack, through the flood of vice and moral decay that is engulfing our societies. The question is: Are we countering this attack by holding fast to the power of God’s Spirit within us? Are we benefiting from the protection of the blood of Jesus Christ from head to toe? If not, we are doomed to follow the passions of the flesh! Romans 8:5 tells us:
“Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit — the things of the Spirit.”
If we look further in Romans 8, in verse 11 we are told:
And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” …..
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As Abdelrahem began to conclude his report, he spoke to the times we are living in today. I am aware that not everyone cares to think about the subject of the end of the age, and some in the West might take issue with some of his thoughts, but he is right in what he is saying, and it’s being said from the front lines…
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…..One thing is clear and evident in this time: we are living through the events of the end times, indeed, we are living at the very end of the end times! Whether we accept these truths or not is irrelevant; we are there just the same! I believe that God will soon call His faithful Church home. I am among those who believe that our Bridegroom will bring His Bride back to His house before the world is subjected to the events of the seven years before Jesus returns to reign during the millennial kingdom. There are many promises in God’s Word that point to this promise, including those in Revelation 3:10-11:
“Because you have kept my commandment of patience, I will also keep you from the hour of tribulation that will come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. Look, I am coming soon! Hold fast to what you have, so that no one takes your crown.”
It is truly astonishing that we are living in the times that Jesus spoke of: Rumors of wars, earthquakes, and social unrest spreading all around the world! Jesus warned us so that we may be prepared! The Great Trumpet of God will soon sound, calling the rest of the faithful to His presence! Each one of us is personally called to this preparation. So, be ready!
The Jewish prophet Zephaniah declares that the God of the Jews will destroy all the false gods on earth. Currently, a great number of gods vie for the worship of the inhabitants of the earth.nIt is estimated that the number of false gods exceeds the number of days in a year. Muslims worship Allah, and Hindus worship Shiva, Krishna, Brahma, Vishnu, and many others. Zephaniah tells us that his God, Yahweh, will destroy these and every false god that roams the earth!
The Lord will be awe-inspiring to them, for He will abolish all the gods of the earth; the peoples will worship Him, each in their own place, indeed, all the nations will worship Him. Zephaniah 2:11
Allah is losing his claim (his claim to be the supreme God). Allah is finding it difficult to maintain stability within his religion of Islam. The internal conflict in the Middle East between the Shiites and Sunnis is leading to the collapse of regions such as Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Yemen. As a result, many Muslims have begun to question Allah’s greatness.
I need and appreciate your prayers. We are now planning to open a small underground print shop in the southernmost governorate of Najran, Saudi Arabia. It is impossible to get materials into this area and, with the fact that there are now thousands of new believers in this area and many thousands lining up to receive teachings, we are trusting the Lord to provide the means to print what is needed. Our God is sovereign and His will always gets done!
His servant forever,
Abdelrahem
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In conclusion, there is much more information coming in from the new ministry location in southern Saudi Arabia. I have already received another full report, and it’s amazing. Three mosques have already been turned into churches and Al-Saftawi reports that the number of people lining up for prayer in front of the mosques is growing every day. He and his assistants have prayed for at least 12,000 to 14,500 or more people every single day! Please be watching for an additional update in a couple days. I am aware that the updates require a lot of reading (and I have abbreviated today’s report), but what God is doing, truly is historical. This is not an exaggeration or hyperbole. God’s people need to know about it. Thank you all for your prayers and financial support. The soul harvest is streaming into God’s kingdom!
Forever in His Service,
Jake (aka Jack)