For those that are not aware of it, my wife and I have been on an extended trip to the Middle East. Some, who have not been aware of our trip, have wondered at the lack of new articles being written. We will be back in our home State of Oregon in the United States late Tuesday evening, March […]
MIDEAST UPDATE 3/21/2017
In the last few days we had requests for special prayer for Pastor R, founder of the House of Blessing. I have received a short phone call with some new information to share. As most regular readers already know, Pastor R had an emergency procedure due to a heart attack he had suffered. I don’t know details though it sounds […]
MIDEAST UPDATE Part 2 3/12/2017
In an update a few days ago, it was reported that in some locations within Syria there are often several military entities within hand-grenade distance of one another. Because of this, a small force of Americans has been deployed into the Manbij area. Their task is to ensure that the different parties in the area don’t attack each other–especially Turkish […]
STORY FROM SYRIA, Mideast Update, Part 1 3/10/2017
The stories relayed from the HOB missionaries in Syria and Iraq oftentimes seem to be perfect application of the teachings of Jesus 2000 years ago. The faith of these missionaries is incredible and their trust in His faithfulness is unwavering. The story told here is one that can build our faith and our trust in Him. It applies the truth […]
A STORY FROM MOSUL…Mideast Update 3/6/2017 Part 1
This week’s Mideast Update is in two parts, to allow for this special story just in… Robert Moffatt, a 19th Century Scottish Missionary, is noted to have said, “We have eternity to celebrate our victories, but only one short hour before sunset in which to win them.” For the HOB missionaries in Syria and Iraq, those victories are often […]
MIDEAST UPDATE 2/19/2017
As one reads the epistles in the New Testament, there are numerous reminders by Paul for the churches to keep him in prayer, usually because he was being held in custody somewhere for preaching the gospel of Christ. One of these examples is found in Colossians where he ends his letter in 4:18 with, “This salutation by my own hand–Paul. […]
MIDEAST UPDATE 2/14/2017
In Mark 16:15-18, we find what has been known as “The Great Commission.” It is the instruction Jesus left with His followers and reads like this in the New King James Version of the Scriptures: And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be […]
WHERE IS THAT WOLF? Part 4
Just as in the story of the boy who cried “Wolf!” so many times that eventually no one paid attention to him, many have stopped paying attention to those who have been shouting out for decades that the end of the age and the return of the Messiah are imminent. Just as the Wolf that the boy warned about really […]
MIDEAST UPDATE, 1/21/2017
I have used Ephesians 5:14-17 as a passage of Scripture lately in Bible studies and even mentioned it on occasion while writing these Mideast Updates. The passage reads like this: Therefore He says: “Awake you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming […]
PASTOR R–SECOND SURGERY!
Through two phone calls received this morning from Pastor R, I have learned that the doctors that performed his first surgery had found that his blood was being poisoned somehow. His condition baffled the doctors because his blood tests showed signs of gangrene somewhere. The hospital immediately put him on strong medication, hoping that this would cure the problem. In […]