JERUSALEM, Israel – The voice of a Chinese pastor living in the epicenter of the deadly coronavirus outbreak is being heard around the world and it’s persuading many Christians to stand with him in prayer. 

An anonymous pastor in Wuhan, China penned a letter to the global Church describing what it’s like to leave your home not knowing if you’ll contract this virus, and if you will live for long if you do. He is one among millions of Chinese citizens on complete lockdown in an attempt to contain the disease. 

While he says China is suffering, he believes something bigger is happening, saying it is time for Christians to proclaim the gospel in a country where their faith is under fire. 

Read the full letter below:
A Letter from a Wuhan Pastor

Brothers and sisters, peace be upon you:
During these past days the Wuhan pneumonia (virus) has been at the center of my thoughts and life. (I am) always watching the latest news, and always thinking about how our family and the church should face this. 

As for family, I have gathered masks and foodstuffs and have ventured out of doors as little as possible. When venturing out in public I have worn a mask, but as for the rest, I have placed it in the Lord’s hands. 

As for the church, the safety of the congregation, a faithful witness, the possibility that members could contract the illness, have all become a great area of struggle. It is readily apparent that we are facing a test of our faith. 

The situation is so critical, yet (we are) trusting in the Lord’s promises, that his thoughts toward us are of peace, and not evil (Jeremiah. 29:11), and that he allows for a time of testing, not to destroy us, but to establish us. Therefore, Christians are not only to suffer with the people of this city, but we have a responsibility to pray for those in this city who are fearful, and to bring to them the peace of Christ. 

First, we are to seek the peace of Christ to reign in their hearts (Hebrews 3:15). Christ has already given us his peace, but his peace is not to remove us from disaster and death, but rather to have peace in the midst of disaster and death, because Christ has already overcome these things (John 14:27, 16:33). Otherwise we have not believed in the gospel of peace (Ephesians 6:15), and, with the world, would be terrified of pestilence, and lose hope in the face of death. 

Why do only Christians have this peace? Because of sin, humans deserve the trials and tribulations that come upon them, Jehovah says: the wicked have no peace (Isaiah 48:22). We were all sinners, but Christ, because of faith, took our penalty and gave us his peace. Therefore Paul says, who can bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. (Romans 8:33). Christians may with the world face the same tribulations, but such tribulations are no longer punishment, but a new opportunity to grow nearer to the Almighty, to purify our souls, and an opportunity to proclaim the gospel.

In other words, when disaster strikes us, it is but a form of God’s love. And, as Paul firmly believed, “who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger or sword? . . .  in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loves us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Roman. 8:35-39).

Spoken for today, Wuhan’s pestilence cannot separate us from the love of Christ; this love is in our Lord Jesus Christ. These words are so comforting for us, we have already become one body with Christ. We have a part in his sufferings, and we have a part in his glory, all of Christ’s is ours, and our all is Christ’s. Therefore, Christ is with us as we face the pestilence in this city; the pestilence cannot harm us. If we die in the pestilence, it is an opportunity to witness to Christ, and even more to enter into his glory.

Thus, my brothers and sisters, I encourage you to be strong in Christ’s love. If we more deeply experience death in this pestilence, understanding the gospel, we may more deeply experience Christ’s love, and grow ever nearer to God. Our Lord Jesus through faith experienced an incomparable suffering of death, yet God raised him from the dead, and sat him at his right hand.  (Acts 2:32-36)

If in reading these truths you still have no peace, I encourage you to diligently read the above cited scripture and call on the Lord to give you insight until the peace of Christ reigns in your heart. You must know, that this is not just an observable disaster, but even more it is a spiritual struggle. You should first wage a battle for your heart, and secondarily battle for the soul of this city. 

We earnestly hope that you would know that not a sparrow falls without the will of the Father (Matthew 10:29). With so many souls facing pestilence, can it be outside God’s will? All that we are experiencing, is it not like Abraham facing Sodom, and Jonah facing Nineveh?

If God, because of a righteous man withheld judgment on Sodom, or because of 120,000 who didn’t know their left hand from their right, withheld destruction, what of the city of Wuhan in which we live?  We are clearly the righteous in this city, far more than a single righteous person there are thousands and thousands of us. Yet, may we like Lot be grieved over all those in this city (1 Peter 2:7), and like Abraham who earnestly prayed for Sodom (Genesis 18:23-33). You see, Jonah with difficulty proclaimed the gospel to Nineveh, and Nineveh repented and was saved. We are this city’s Abraham and Jonah. We must pray for God’s mercy upon this city, and bring peace upon this city through our prayers and testimony. 

I believe this is the command of God calling those of us living in Wuhan. We are to seek peace for this city, seek peace for those who are afflicted with this illness, seek peace for the medical personnel struggling on the front lines, seek peace for every government official at every level, seek peace for all the people of Wuhan! And we can through online networks guide and comfort our friends and loved ones with the gospel, reminding them that our lives are not in our own hands, and to entrust their lives to God who is faithful and true. 

The past few days I have received many inquiries from foreign pastors. They and the whole church are concerned for this city, even more for us; and confronting this epidemic, seek to serve the city with us. 

Thus, I especially ask them to turn their eyes upon Jesus. And do not be concerned with my welfare, nor be agitated or fearful, but pray in the name of Jesus. Good hearted people are through their actions serving this city, especially the medical personnel who are risking their own lives. If they can take on such worldly responsibilities, how can we not more readily take on spiritual responsibilities!

If you do not feel a responsibility to pray, ask the Lord for a loving soul, an earnestly prayerful heart; if you are not crying, ask the Lord for tears. Because we surely know that only through the hope of the Lord’s mercy will this city be saved. 

A Wuhan Pastor
January 23, 2020

This story was first published in ChinaSource.

All Content & Images are provided by the acknowledged source

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Jared C. Wellman is pastor of Tate Springs Baptist Church in Arlington, Texas. The views expressed in this commentary do not necessarily represent those of BCNN1.

ARLINGTON, Texas (BP) — If you were to venture into the deep recesses of my stairwell closet, you would find several boxes labeled “Jared’s Basketball Stuff.” In one of those boxes is a Kobe Bryant figurine still in its original packaging, one of many pieces of NBA memorabilia I amassed growing up. Kobe Bryant was no ordinary basketball player, and so his was no ordinary figurine. It was a prized collectible. The six-inch statue was my way of feeling close to an NBA superstar who was far away.

Like so many, the news of Kobe’s passing stunned me on Sunday. Surely it was some kind of awful prank or unfortunate misreport. As the minutes ticked by it was confirmed by several news outlets that Kobe Bean Bryant, age 41, passed away unexpectedly in a helicopter crash, along with his daughter and several others.

As Sunday afternoon wore on, I found myself profoundly bereaved at Kobe’s passing. This wasn’t a general sadness, but something deeper and more personal. How can I be so despondent over a person I’ve never met? And why is anyone ever upset over the unexpected passing of a celebrity they don’t personally know?

Judging from the collective reaction and responses since the news broke, it seems clear my sadness is shared by many. Kobe’s death is a cultural moment unlike anything we’ve seen in recent years.

Here are a few brief considerations as I process this most recent celebrity passing.

First, we grieve because celebrities influentially display God’s image in man.

Kobe wasn’t the only person to pass away yesterday, and I’m not just talking about in the helicopter accident. Some estimates show that roughly 150,000 people die per day in the world, and about two-thirds of these are age-related deaths, meaning they’re expected and therefore not as tragic. This means that around 50,000 people died tragically on Sunday.

But of Sunday’s 150,000 deaths, Kobe is the only one that left the greater population forlorn, although every one of the 150,000 people who passed away were just as precious. This is because Kobe influentially displayed God’s image in man.

Celebrities, through their public lives, become mascots of the imago dei. As their talents bless us, we see God’s incredible creative ability displayed in humanity. When a celebrity passes away, we’re forced to pause and reflect upon the beauty of life and the impact a person can make in the world.

Source: Baptist Press

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The impact of Jordan Matthews on the San Francisco 49ers isn’t something that can be measured by his football performance. The wide receiver has spent most of the season on the inactive list, playing in only three games and catching four passes.

But that’s OK with him — because Matthews knows that the eternal impact he’s having on the team is far more valuable than any contribution he can make on the field.

“We’ve got to realize as Christians that we’re going to be the Bible that people read,” Matthews said during Super Bowl Opening Night Jan. 27 at Marlins Park. “We’ve got to be able to share our faith with people whenever the opportunity comes.”

Matthews is widely regarded as one of the team’s spiritual pillars. He’s the leader of the team Bible study and is one of the go-to guys for spiritual counsel.

“He knows so much about the Word and the Bible that anytime you have a question about anything, he really knows what to say and knows the Scripture to back it up, too,” said 49ers backup quarterback C.J. Beathard.

Matthews’ ministry was especially meaningful in late December when Beathard’s brother Clayton was stabbed to death. Matthews regularly texted Scriptures and encouragement to Beathard and was faithful in praying for him.

“He was really there to help me out with the whole thing,” Beathard said.

A native of Alabama, Matthews grew up in a Christian home. He went to a Christian school, and going to church was a part of his life. That background led to a lot of what Matthews called “head knowledge” about the Lord without a devoted heart. That posture continued throughout his college years at Vanderbilt and during his rookie season with the Philadelphia Eagles.

His second year in the NFL, however, brought about a major change in Matthews’ commitment to Christ. Two of his teammates — Chris Maragos and Trey Burton — provided the catalyst that God used to deepen Matthews’ faith. While Matthews saw several teammates who weren’t steady, and while he considers himself one of those, he saw something different in Maragos and Burton.

“They were even-keeled, no matter what,” Matthews told Baptist Press. “Whether they were injured, whether we were winning, losing, whatever the stakes were, they were always consistent and calm. And I knew it was deeper than the surface.”

As Matthews got to know them, he discovered that peace in their lives was a direct result of their submission to Jesus Christ. Matthews began spending more time with them and began to grow in his faith as well. A turning point came in his life when Burton sent him a sermon by Francis Chan on the holiness of God.

Matthews listened to the sermon while on a trip, and he says the Lord used that message to speak to his heart. He pulled the car over and started praying.

“God, I’ve known of you, but I haven’t known you,” Matthews prayed. “I haven’t actually gotten serious about my walk.”

Since then, Matthews says his relationship with Christ has been more consistent. He’s read the Bible through twice over the past couple of years, and this year he’s working through the New Testament with his wife.

Source: Baptist Press

All Content & Images are provided by the acknowledged source

Filipino Senator Manny Pacquiao successfully defended his WBA title twice last year, defeating Adrien Broner and Keith Thurman and proving his prowess in the boxing ring even at the age of 41. But to Pacquiao, there is a greater passion than being an iconic boxing champ, and that is spreading the Word of God.

Pacquiao attributes his success in the ring to God and hard work, and he’s always been vocal about his Christian faith.

As a member of the Philippine Senate, Manny Pacquiao authored the law declaring the last Monday of January as the National Bible Day in the Philippines. People from all pillars of society – the government, entertainment, business, and the church – unite on this day to celebrate the Holy Bible as the cradle of the Christian faith. And 100,000 Bibles were printed for this event to be given away to the different sectors of society.

At the National Bible Day event this week, Pacquiao shared his testimony and reminded everyone of the power of the Word of God. He also challenged them to share the Bible as often as they can, especially at this time of so many calamities in the Philippines and around the world.

World-renowned apologist Dr. Ravi Zacharias says the time is right to preach the gospel.

“Natural calamities are causing us to realize how fragile we are. God brings a person to a time when they need to realize that I can’t do that, God does that,” Dr. Zacharias said.

Bishop Efraim Tendero, Secretary General of the World Evangelical Alliance, says they have also marked 2020 as the Year of the Bible, urging 600 million Christians worldwide to spread the Word of God.

He said, “We want to have that recognition of the role of the Bible in the community life, family life, and national life.”

Pacquiao addressed the audience saying, “The Bible is the only book we need to discover the foundational truth of how to know and walk with God.”

Pacquiao was saddened with the sudden death of friend, Kobe Bryant. He hopes reports that Bryant received Christ are true. “Life is too short in this world. So make sure you have a personal relationship to God. You have a strong relationship and you obey God,” he said.

Again, he emphasized the importance of reading God’s Word, “Read the Bible because it will lead you to all truth. The Bible is the manual to life.”

All Content & Images are provided by the acknowledged source

JERUSALEM, Israel – The voice of a Chinese pastor living in the epicenter of the deadly coronavirus outbreak is being heard around the world and it’s persuading many Christians to stand with him in prayer. 

An anonymous pastor in Wuhan, China penned a letter to the global Church describing what it’s like to leave your home not knowing if you’ll contract this virus, and if you will live for long if you do. He is one among millions of Chinese citizens on complete lockdown in an attempt to contain the disease. 

While he says China is suffering, he believes something bigger is happening, saying it is time for Christians to proclaim the gospel in a country where their faith is under fire. 

Read the full letter below:
A Letter from a Wuhan Pastor

Brothers and sisters, peace be upon you:
During these past days the Wuhan pneumonia (virus) has been at the center of my thoughts and life. (I am) always watching the latest news, and always thinking about how our family and the church should face this. 

As for family, I have gathered masks and foodstuffs and have ventured out of doors as little as possible. When venturing out in public I have worn a mask, but as for the rest, I have placed it in the Lord’s hands. 

As for the church, the safety of the congregation, a faithful witness, the possibility that members could contract the illness, have all become a great area of struggle. It is readily apparent that we are facing a test of our faith. 

The situation is so critical, yet (we are) trusting in the Lord’s promises, that his thoughts toward us are of peace, and not evil (Jeremiah. 29:11), and that he allows for a time of testing, not to destroy us, but to establish us. Therefore, Christians are not only to suffer with the people of this city, but we have a responsibility to pray for those in this city who are fearful, and to bring to them the peace of Christ. 

First, we are to seek the peace of Christ to reign in their hearts (Hebrews 3:15). Christ has already given us his peace, but his peace is not to remove us from disaster and death, but rather to have peace in the midst of disaster and death, because Christ has already overcome these things (John 14:27, 16:33). Otherwise we have not believed in the gospel of peace (Ephesians 6:15), and, with the world, would be terrified of pestilence, and lose hope in the face of death. 

Why do only Christians have this peace? Because of sin, humans deserve the trials and tribulations that come upon them, Jehovah says: the wicked have no peace (Isaiah 48:22). We were all sinners, but Christ, because of faith, took our penalty and gave us his peace. Therefore Paul says, who can bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. (Romans 8:33). Christians may with the world face the same tribulations, but such tribulations are no longer punishment, but a new opportunity to grow nearer to the Almighty, to purify our souls, and an opportunity to proclaim the gospel.

In other words, when disaster strikes us, it is but a form of God’s love. And, as Paul firmly believed, “who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger or sword? . . .  in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loves us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Roman. 8:35-39).

Spoken for today, Wuhan’s pestilence cannot separate us from the love of Christ; this love is in our Lord Jesus Christ. These words are so comforting for us, we have already become one body with Christ. We have a part in his sufferings, and we have a part in his glory, all of Christ’s is ours, and our all is Christ’s. Therefore, Christ is with us as we face the pestilence in this city; the pestilence cannot harm us. If we die in the pestilence, it is an opportunity to witness to Christ, and even more to enter into his glory.

Thus, my brothers and sisters, I encourage you to be strong in Christ’s love. If we more deeply experience death in this pestilence, understanding the gospel, we may more deeply experience Christ’s love, and grow ever nearer to God. Our Lord Jesus through faith experienced an incomparable suffering of death, yet God raised him from the dead, and sat him at his right hand.  (Acts 2:32-36)

If in reading these truths you still have no peace, I encourage you to diligently read the above cited scripture and call on the Lord to give you insight until the peace of Christ reigns in your heart. You must know, that this is not just an observable disaster, but even more it is a spiritual struggle. You should first wage a battle for your heart, and secondarily battle for the soul of this city. 

We earnestly hope that you would know that not a sparrow falls without the will of the Father (Matthew 10:29). With so many souls facing pestilence, can it be outside God’s will? All that we are experiencing, is it not like Abraham facing Sodom, and Jonah facing Nineveh?

If God, because of a righteous man withheld judgment on Sodom, or because of 120,000 who didn’t know their left hand from their right, withheld destruction, what of the city of Wuhan in which we live?  We are clearly the righteous in this city, far more than a single righteous person there are thousands and thousands of us. Yet, may we like Lot be grieved over all those in this city (1 Peter 2:7), and like Abraham who earnestly prayed for Sodom (Genesis 18:23-33). You see, Jonah with difficulty proclaimed the gospel to Nineveh, and Nineveh repented and was saved. We are this city’s Abraham and Jonah. We must pray for God’s mercy upon this city, and bring peace upon this city through our prayers and testimony. 

I believe this is the command of God calling those of us living in Wuhan. We are to seek peace for this city, seek peace for those who are afflicted with this illness, seek peace for the medical personnel struggling on the front lines, seek peace for every government official at every level, seek peace for all the people of Wuhan! And we can through online networks guide and comfort our friends and loved ones with the gospel, reminding them that our lives are not in our own hands, and to entrust their lives to God who is faithful and true. 

The past few days I have received many inquiries from foreign pastors. They and the whole church are concerned for this city, even more for us; and confronting this epidemic, seek to serve the city with us. 

Thus, I especially ask them to turn their eyes upon Jesus. And do not be concerned with my welfare, nor be agitated or fearful, but pray in the name of Jesus. Good hearted people are through their actions serving this city, especially the medical personnel who are risking their own lives. If they can take on such worldly responsibilities, how can we not more readily take on spiritual responsibilities!

If you do not feel a responsibility to pray, ask the Lord for a loving soul, an earnestly prayerful heart; if you are not crying, ask the Lord for tears. Because we surely know that only through the hope of the Lord’s mercy will this city be saved. 

A Wuhan Pastor
January 23, 2020

This story was first published in ChinaSource.

All Content & Images are provided by the acknowledged source

“Keeping Up with the Kardashians” star Kim Kardashian West shared a video of her 2-year-old daughter, Chicago, singing her “favorite” worship song.

“Jesus, I love you! Jesus, I love you! Jesus!,” Chicago is seen singing loudly in the first Instagram clip.

In the second video, she performs a delightful rendition of a chorus featured on her father’s history-making album, Jesus Is King. While her lyrics were inaudible, she sang the melody to the chorus of the song “Selah.”

Chi’s favorite songs 🙏🏼✨

A post shared by Kim Kardashian West (@kimkardashian) on Jan 27, 2020 at 11:54am PST

“Hallelujah,” she mumbled over and over, “He is wonderful.”

Kardashian West captioned the videos, “Chi’s favorite songs.”

The Wests’ have openly talked about including their children in Kanye’s popular Sunday Service gatherings.

SOURCE: Christian Post, Jeannie Law

All Content & Images are provided by the acknowledged source