As I gathered my thoughts this week after hearing the latest news from the House of Blessing, I remembered something I had read in a devotional not long ago. A question was asked: “How does God accomplish salvation? Does He do it by removing all evil from the world?” No. Salvation came through His presence, by His coming into the […]
MIDEAST UPDATE…5/24/2024…”Comfort One Another With These Words”
Often when I make a quick rundown of the latest world news, I think of a passage of Isaiah 55: Seek the LORD while He may be found. Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD. And He will have mercy on him; […]
MIDEAST UPDATE … 4/8/2024 … JESUS — The LIGHT in a Very Dark World
A thought… Take a moment to contemplate contrasting characteristics of light and darkness. In the Bible, darkness is a symbol of evil. What is darkness? Darkness is an absence — the absence of light. It is the same with evil. Evil isn’t really a reality of its own, but rather an absence of a reality. Evil isn’t a part of […]
MIDEAST UPDATE…3/26/2024…”Leaving This World Behind”
Note these words from Hebrews 11: “These…confessed they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who 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 […]
MIDEAST UPDATE — 3/16/2024 — “Peace I Leave With You…” Jesus
Today’s Mideast Update is going to be rather short. I do want to make sure that those who have so faithfully prayed for and supported the House of Blessing are up to speed on the current work of the ministry of the HOB leaders, missionaries , and volunteers. As most of you know, the Musliim month of Ramadan began a […]
MIDEAST UPDATE…2/21/2024…”God’s Miraculous Multiplication Process”
As I was reading over a few Mideast Updates from years past, I ran across several accounts telling the stories of God miraculously multiplying the food when the available supply did not meet the need at hand. Most of us are familiar with the stories of Jesus first feeding a crowd of 5,000 men plus women and children. Another time, […]
MIDEAST UPDATE…11/21/2023…”Let Your Light Shine!”
Greetings Everyone: It is hard to believe that we find ourselves nearing the end of 2023 already! Here in America, we will celebrate Thanksgiving Day this Thursday. For believers in Jesus Christ, every day is a day to be thankful, regardless of our individual circumstances. Every day that passes also brings us one day closer to the day, as followers […]
MIDEAST UPDATE…8/19/2023…”God Sees Us Through All Things”
In Matthew 7:8 we find these words: “Everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” The words used in this passage, “ask”, “seek”, and “knock”, imply continuous, persistent action. Jesus didn’t tell His disciples that they should only ask once, seek briefly, or give a single knock when they pray […]
MIDEAST UPDATE….8/1/2023….”Strengthen the Hands Which Hang Down”
With so much chaos and misery in our world today, a bit of encouragement and a brief reminder of what our lives as believers and followers of Jesus Christ are all about, might be welcome. I have turned back to Hebrews 12 several times in the past few days and have found it quite refreshing. Sometimes it is good to […]
MIDEAST UPDATE…4/18/2023…”Let Your Light So Shine…”
As the dark shadow of the approaching Great Tribulation comes ever closer, the more we as followers of Jesus must realize that what little time we have left on this earth, is crucial. If we are still here and breathing, it means that God still has a specific purpose for each of us. There are unfortunately those who, out of […]