Message for Reflection – Sis. Angelica
Hidden from them
I was speaking to a Roman Catholic boy this evening. He is convinced about the philosophical rich knowledge he got from the Roman Catholic Church and its rich traditional background. I was telling him that the richness and freshness of the Word of God is so real and far above the traditions.
Many things are written in Bible. Even though many read it, all of them do not understand the meaning hidden in them. For example, even though I was reading Bible from the day I entered the convent, 30 years, one of the basic and important truths written in the Bible about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ was hidden from me. After coming out of the convent, when I read Bible for the first time, Lk. 1:31-33 made sense to me and it spoke a lot of things.
“The Lord God shall give Him the throne of His father David. And He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there shall be no end”. Luk 1:33
I started thinking, ‘during the first coming of Jesus Christ, none of the facts mentioned happened. When are these things going to happen?”
The facts about the Second Coming became so clear to me and I did not need anyone to explain it. I started teaching them wherever I went. The first three years all the topics which I preached was about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. The help of Holy Spirit is very much needed in understanding the Bible. He removes the veil over our eyes to see the hidden truths in Bible.
“And they did not understand any of these things. And this saying was hidden from them, nor did they know the things which were spoken”. Luk 18:34
All the things written in Bible are not revealed to everyone. Many things are hidden. We should ask the Holy Spirit to remove all the blocks, open our eyes to see the truths written in it. Those whose eyes are opened towards the hidden truths, will find time to read it anywhere.
Upcoming BFF Programme
Chennai: 10th August – 15th August – Language (Tamil)
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Be Formed and Form (BFF)
Be Formed and Form is a 5 day short term course. This training is a challenge to the present Church. Because our Lord Jesus Christ (Head of the Church) wants the Church to be transformed according to Ephe 5:26,27. To make her holy, (cleansing her by the washing with water through the word), and to present her himself as a radiant Church. Today the Church is ignorant about the will of our Lord Jesus Christ. By this BFF training , the Church awakes and arises to shine in the world.
The educated as well as the uneducated can apply . Send your Resume, Recent Passport size Photograph (3 Copies), ID Proof and reference letters to
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Please pray, attend and send participants for this course.
Please confirm your registration as early as possible.It's a unique Christ designed course, transforms souls, delivers people from bondage, enlightens people on true knowledge of Christ and the word of God, Anointing of the Holy Spirit is abundant all through the programme.
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Warfare prayer of the soldiers of the Army of Jesus to bind and destroy the works of the devil
Let us bind and destroy the works of the devil in the name of Jesus Christ who has conquered sin, satan, curse and death on the cross
Pro 3:27 The spirit which makes one despise the chastening of the LORD and detest His correction
Testimony at Bihar
Sister Rani requested to pray for the healing and release of her Sister Suhashini after the school of healing got over and we prayed for healing and commanded and released her to be healed in Jesus name. After that she invited us to her place since she was bed ridden and doctor advised her to take rest for the damaged spinal cord injury.
In the mean time we were called by another house to pray and share the word of God. There we got stuck as we were ministering till late night as one after another people came requesting us to pray as the word of the Lord was strong saying Come unto Me and I will give You rest and there was God's Power available to heal.
There were deliverance and healing and we could not go to see Suhashini's house.
Since we already prayed, Suhashini the next morning she got up and walked for the first time after one month.
Since Sister Rani was taking water baptism that day and she requested us to come at her place to see sister Suhasini.
Sister Suhashini had a non-fatal fall , was preparing for her exams on the terrace of her house where while getting up she slipped and fell to the ground damaging her spinal cord and was bed ridden with an advised by the doctor for taking rest. She was also advised to wear a belt and for one month could not get up nor sit.
We all went to their house and they told today was the first day she got up and made her walk.
Since she had pain she requested us to pray. We commanded the pain to leave her and the pain left, removed the belt and walked.
Then their grandparents requested us to pray and were healed and then their mother requested to pray for her giddiness we told Sis. Rani now since you have seen how we prayed you too can command sickness to go and she did prayed for her own mother and she testified she got healed.
Then we all prayed together where Suhashini also joined us and she was more than 15 minutes standing.
All praises to our God in Jesus name.
I thank Jesus for the Power of His Holy Spirit bestowed on us to bring forth fruits.
Christian News
New Bible Survey Reveals Christians’ Bible Reading Habits
The average Bible reader spent 24 out of the last 30 days reading Scripture in the early morning, read the Old Testament far less frequently than the New Testament, and found the Prophetic books of the Old Testament the most difficult to understand.
That’s according to a survey of 6,000 Bible readers by the Christian book publisher Crossway that examined Bible reading habits of those who read Scripture regularly.
Among the findings:
- Early morning is the most popular time of the day to read the Bible. Bible readers spent, on average, 24 days of the past 30 days reading Scripture in the early morning. The second most popular time was late morning (21.59 days), and the third most popular time early afternoon (20.75 days). Late evening (19.02 days) was the least popular time.
- “Women are more likely than men to journal and use devotional resources” while reading Scripture. Men use commentaries more frequently than do women.
- The Old Testament Prophetic books (Isaiah-Malachi) are the section of Scripture hardest to understand.
- Nahum is the book least likely to have been read in the past month. Matthew and Psalms are the books most likely to have been read during that time.
- The Old Testament is far less likely to have been read in the past month than the New Testament. Genesis, Psalms, Proverbs and Isaiah are the Old Testament books most likely to have been read.
- The books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts and Romans are the most popular books to read in the New Testament.
The biggest barriers to reading the Bible, according to the survey: 1) not having enough time, 2) lacking motivation and discipline, 3) feeling intimidated, and, 4) struggling to apply the Bible to everyday life.
Assault on Christian Leader in Nepal Reflects Growing Threat
Pastor Sagar Baizu, 46, had finished one meeting and had an hour before the next one, so he decided to stop at a café on a major thoroughfare in Kathmandu, capital of Nepal, on July 19.
As he was about to sip a coffee in the crowded café at 2 p.m., six to eight men suddenly attacked the spokesperson and co-general secretary of the Federation of National Christians in Nepal (FNCN) from behind.
“They beat me for a minute and a half and suddenly fled the site,” Pastor Baizu told Morning Star News. “They said, ‘We will blast your church and all the churches with bombs and shoot you and all your leaders.’”
He became dizzy from many blows to his head by two of the assailants and could not see the faces of any of them, he said.
“I just could not understand what was happening to me for about 10 minutes after the assault,” the pastor said.
After cafeteria staff members helped him regain his bearings, Pastor Baizu informed police, who arrived in about 20 minutes.
Though he sustained no visible injuries, he received immediate medical attention, and doctors advised him to wear a neck brace for a week and to rest his head as much as possible.
Pastor Baizu, who has headed Anugrah Vijay Church (Grace Victory Church) in Budhanilkantha, Kathmandu District, for 23 years, filed a report on the assault with police, and the chief district officer has taken it seriously, he said.
Police registered a case against six to eight unidentified men under “attempt to murder” and “threat of bomb blast,” he said. The chief district officer instructed Kathmandu Valley police to provide security to the pastor, and policemen have been deployed outside his church building and residence. They told him to inform security personnel whenever he leaves home.
HIGH PROFILE
Pastor Baizu has been advocating on behalf of Nepali Christians for more than 10 years.
“I am the official spokesperson of the Federation of National Christians in Nepal and have been speaking about the rights of the church for many years now,” he said. “This is not the first time that I have received threats.”
Asked if the attack could have resulted from personal animosity, Pastor Baizu said he had no personal enemies, and that he had no doubt he was assaulted for his boldness to “stand for the church and with the church.”
“This is persecution that came because of my Christian activism,” he said. “They spoke about bombing the church and killing the Christian leaders. Otherwise they would have never spoken like this.”
He was a high-profile advocate for Tupek Church in Kathmadu after a bulldozer arrived to demolish its building about four months ago. The pastor also recalled how four Christians were jailed for a week after a mob of Hindu extremists assaulted them for singing Christian songs on a roadside.
The hard-line Hindus held the young Christian men until police arrived, and officers arrested the four Christians and set the assailants free, he said. A case was registered against the four Christians, who were released on bail.
The assault on Pastor Baizu comes amid a rash of anti-Christian hostilities this year. He said increased threats on the Christian community in Nepal is a matter of great concern.
“Every day we hear about one or the other incident in Nepal,” he said, adding that the government is not doing enough to protect the rights of Christians, and that radical organizations are taking advantage of this laxity.
A team of Christian delegates recently met with Nepal’s home minister but were disappointed with the cold response, he said.
Prophecy NEWS Updates
Syria & the End Times
With all the events taking place in Syria right now, many people are asking, "What does the Bible have to say about Syria and the end times?
Is this the beginning of World War III and Armageddon?" Those are legitimate questions, but let me assure you, this is not the end. How can I be so sure? Because the Bible says Armageddon takes place at the end of the seven year Tribulation (Revelation 16:16), and the Tribulation has yet to begin. That said, I believe recent events in Syria have great significance when it comes to the study of bible prophecy. This doesn't mean you're guaranteed to see the immediate fulfillment of any specific bible prophecy. However, it does mean you should pay close attention.
Why? Because, at the very least, these events are setting the table for the fulfillment of multiple bible prophecies. Just look around you. The signs of the Second Coming are everywhere. The restoration of Israel (Isaiah 11:12)... The Jews back in Jerusalem (Luke 21:24-28)... The Gospel preached to the world (Matthew 24:14)... An increase in travel and knowledge (Daniel 12:4)... The rise of the European Union (Daniel 2:43)... And many more.
Jesus says once you see all these signs come together, His return is near (Luke 21:28). This means the Tribulation is close, and you should expect to see the fulfillment of many end times prophecies in the near future.
Below are two prophetic events especially relevant to the ongoing events in Syria. The first could take place at any moment. I believe a careful study of the Bible reveals the second event will take place sometime after the war foretold in Psalm 83.
Either way, both events could be very close to fulfillment. While both could still be several years away, breaking events could lead to their fulfillment in this very hour.
The Destruction of Damascus (Isaiah 17)
Chapter 17 in the Book of Isaiah paints a sobering picture. In it, the city of Damascus is a pile of rubble. The Bible says it will disappear from the face of the earth and become a heap of ruins (Isaiah 17:1). At the same time, large parts of northern Israel will also lie in ruin (Isaiah 17:3). Now, before you say this prophecy was fulfilled during Old Testament times, keep this in mind... This passage says Damascus will cease to be a city (Isaiah 17:1).
It will be utterly and completely destroyed. Yet, Damascus is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities on record. Its history goes back more than 5,000 years. At 2,600 years old, the Book of Isaiah itself is new compared to Damascus! This prophecy is yet to be fulfilled.
So how do current events in Syria relate to Isaiah 17?
Following the U.S. strike on the Syrian Syrian chemical weapons facilities, a statement was issued by the Russian ambassador to the US saying: 'Again, we are being threatened. We warned that such actions will not be left without consequences."
While this statement was clearly in response to a U.S. attack, Russia, Iran & Syria have made it clear they will respond to any nation they view as an aggressor. This includes Israel and makes a much more likely target than Syria or Russia retaliating direclty against the US. Hezbollah is part of the Iran/Syria/Russian alliance and would be more than glad to launch targeted attacks into Israel with backing from these nations.
While it hasn't been a major news story, Israel has also been bombing Syria. They've attacked Hezbollah targets in Syria several times over the last year and last week bombed an airbase that resulted in several Iranian Republican Guard deaths, including a Colonel. Hassan Nasrallah, The leader of Lebanon’s Hezbollah terror group said the Israeli airstrike on an air base in central Syria that killed seven Iranians was a "historic mistake" that has brought Israel into direct conflict with Tehran. "This is unprecedented in seven years of war in Syria that Israel directly targets Iran’s Revolutionary Guard," Nasrallah said.
Israel issued it's own threats in response, with senior Israeli security officials saying that if Iran strikes at Israel from Syrian territory, "Assad's regime and Assad himself will disappear from the map." They continued, "Our recommendation to Iran is that it does not try to act because Israel is determined to continue on this issue to the very end."
If Syria and its allies view their situation as desperate, they may decide to use these bombing raids as an excuse to launch a chemical attack on Israel. This is because drawing Israel into the war could rally the Muslim world to Syria's side. Saddam Hussein tried this same tactic during the first Gulf War. In 1991, he fired Scud missiles at Israel in an effort to draw them into the war and break up the coalition aligned against him.
If Syria, Hezbollah, or any of their allies managed to strike Israel with a weapon of mass destruction, the response would be swift. Israel would most likely respond in kind. If their intelligence revealed the Assad regime was behind such an attack, nuclear retaliation on Damascus would not be out of the question.
While this is all speculation, and not necessary how Isaiah 17 will be fulfilled, it shows how realistic a near-term fulfillment of this prophecy could be. With current instability in the region, and so many warring factions in Syria, events could spiral out of control very quickly. At this point in time, it's not difficult to imagine a scenario in which Damascus is completely destroyed.
The Gog of Magog War (Ezekiel 38-39)
Current events in Syria are also setting the stage for the Gog of Magog War. More than 2,600 years ago, the prophet Ezekiel warned of a future time when a vast coalition of nations will attack Israel. Ezekiel identifies these nations as "Magog, Rosh, Meschech, Tubal, Persia, Cush, Put, Gomer, and Beth-togarmah" (Ezekiel 38:1-6). These nations have since come to be known as the Gog of Magog alliance. Now, with the exception of Persia and Cush, I realize most people have never heard of these nations. But keep in mind Ezekiel used the names of these nations as they were known in his day. Each one is a clearly identifiable nation today. So who are these nations in our day and time?
Below is a list. The Old Testament name is listed first, followed by its modern day equivalent:
Rosh = Russia
Magog = Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan
Persia = Iran
Cush = Sudan
Put = Libya
Meshech, Tubal, Gomer, and Beth-togarmah = Turkey
Collectively, these nations have never attacked Israel. In fact, in the history of the world, such an alliance of nations has never existed.
But today we see it coming together right in front of us. Since 1989, Russia and Iran have gradually strengthened their diplomatic, military, and economic ties.
Yet, in the first 2,600 years after Ezekiel recorded his prophecies, the nations of Russia and Persia (Iran) had never been part of any alliance of any sort. Never. Cooperation between Russia and Iran, especially military cooperation, didn't take place.
This led many people to claim Ezekiel's prophecy was symbolic. Why? Because the idea of the Gog of Magog war seemed absurd. After all, at the dawn of the 20th Century, Russia was an orthodox Christian nation and Israel didn't exist!
But those who believed in a literal interpretation of the Bible knew otherwise. They knew all prophecy would come to pass. Because bible prophecy doesn't come from mere humans. It's God's Word (2 Peter 1:19-21).
In the years since, the stage has been set for the literal fulfillment of Ezekiel 38-39. A 1917 communist revolution transformed Russia from a Christian nation to an atheist nation. In 1948, Israel once again became a nation. And earlier this week, Russia and Iran issued a joint statement vowing to respond with force to any aggressor.
And Turkey? For decades, people have wondered how Turkey could be a part of this alliance. After all, Turkey is a member of NATO.
And in late 2015, Turkey shot down a Russian jet when it strayed into Turkish airspace. Russia and Turkey seem to be at odds.
So how could Turkey be a part of this alliance? At first glance, it seems unlikely. But in the summer of 2016, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan jailed thousands of political opponents. And recently, Turkey voted to eliminate its parliamentary form of government and give expanded powers to Erdogan.
Ultimately, this could be what pushes Turkey into the Russian sphere of influence. Erdogan is an anti-Western, pro-Islamist leader, and he's worked hard to strengthen Turkey's ties with Russia.
He has had several heated exchanges with Israel's Netanyahu in the press and has shown support for the Hamas uprising along the border in Gaza. Turkey has clearly shifted from friend to foe over the past decade and presents a direct threat to Israel having one of the largest militaries in the region.
In light of these developments, we can see the Gog of Magog alliance coming together for the first time in history. For the first time since Israel re-emerged on the world scene in May 1948, the main players of the Ezekiel 38-39 alliance are all working together. Even more important, they all have military personnel close to Israel's border. The stage is set for the fulfillment of Ezekiel 38-39.
What Will Ultimately Happen?
While terrible destruction awaits Damascus (Isaiah 17:1), northern Israel (Isaiah 17:3), and the entire Gog of Magog Alliance (Ezekiel 38:19-22), we have reason to be hopeful. Because of these events, the Bible says people will soon look to and acknowledge their Creator - the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Isaiah 17:7). When He strikes down Israel's enemies, the whole world will know He is the God Israel (Ezekiel 38:23).
In the days and weeks ahead, we can't be certain what will happen in Syria. But in the long run, we can be absolutely certain the events of Isaiah 17 and Ezekiel 38-39 will be fulfilled. Damascus will lie in ruin, and the Gog of Magog Alliance will be destroyed. These events are certain.
Because whatever He has declared, God will bring to pass (Isaiah 14:24). And when these things happen, the world will no longer be able to deny Him. He will destroy the enemies of Israel in plain view of the entire world. "In this way," says the Lord. "I will show my greatness and holiness, and I will make myself known to all the nations of the world. Then they will know that I am the Lord." Ezekiel 38:23 (NLT)