Sign the Petition to Free Pastor Bike & His Wife

Today, as I checked my computer, I learned that more than 52,265 people have signed the petition to help free Pastor Bike. Yesterday I sat and watched the tallies and every 15 minutes approximately 350 people signed. That is encouraging! Still, many more signatures are needed to help this dedicated and courageous servant of the Lord. Please go to http://www.freepastorbike.com/ and sign your name to help set Pastor Bike and his wife free.

On Aug. 6, Pastor Zhang “Bike” Mingxuan was arrested while trying to deliver medicine to his ailing wife. His wife and another pastor were also arrested. In response to these arrests, The Voice of the Martyrs and China Aid Association launched a petition drive to free these three Christians and to let the Chinese government know that the world is aware that these Christians are being detained.

Pastor Bike is known for traveling across China on a bicycle to evangelize. He has traveled more than 10,000 miles on his bicycle, visiting 24 Chinese provinces to introduce nonbelievers to Jesus Christ. Armed with a Bible and his business card, which declared “Believe in Jesus, Be Granted Eternal Life,” Pastor Bike brought the gospel to thousands of people. The pastor voluntarily preaches the gospel openly in China despite being persecuted. He and other Chinese evangelists have been repeatedly harassed by Chinese officials during this Olympic year.

Please pray for the release of Pastor Bike and his wife.

Read more about Pastor Bike here:
http://www.freepastorbike.com/
http://www.freepastorbike.com/moreinfo.html
http://www.persecution.com/topStory_olympics.html

PERSECUTION WORLDWIDE

According to The Voice of Martyrs,

In more than 40 nations around the world today Christians are being persecuted for their faith. In some of these nations it is illegal to own a Bible, to share your faith Christ, change your faith or teach your children about Jesus. Those who boldly follow Christ—in spite of government edict or radical opposition—can face harassment, arrest, torture and even death. Yet Christians continue to meet for worship and to witness for Christ, and the church in restricted nations is growing.
For more information on these countries and persecution worldwide, sign on at http://www.persecution.com/

Steering Through the Dangerous Sea of Life

The following excerpt from Arthur W. Pink's "The Attributes of God" was taken from Grace Gems - Friday, June 20th, 2008. It's well worth taking time to read and apply.


An Unerring Chart By Which to Steer Through the Dangerous Sea of Life

God has placed His Word in our hands for an intensely practical purpose -- namely, to direct our walk and to regulate our deportment. The primary purpose for which God gave the Scriptures, is to make a practical use of them -- ordering the details of our lives by its rules and regulations "Your word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." (Psalm 119:105). The metaphor used here is taken from a man walking along a dangerous road on a dark night, in urgent need of a lantern to show him where to walk safely and comfortably, to avoid injury and destruction. God, in His infinite condescension and transcendent grace, has given us His Word for this very purpose, so that we need not stumble along blindly, ignorant of what pleases or displeases Him -- but that we might know His mind. That divine Word is not given to us simply for information, but . . . to regulate our conduct, to enlighten our minds, and to mold our hearts. The Word supplies us with an unerring chart by which to steer through the dangerous sea of life. If we sincerely and diligently follow, it will deliver us from disastrous rocks and submerged reefs -- and direct us safely to the heavenly harbor. That Word has all the instructions we need for every problem, and every trouble we may be called upon to face. That Word has been given to us "that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work" (2 Tim. 3:17). How thankful we should be, that God has favored us with such a Word! This world is a dark place, and it is only as we take heed to the Word, to the light God has given us, that we shall be able to perceive and avoid "the broad road which leads to destruction," and discern the narrow way which alone "leads unto eternal life." Our first duty, and our first aim, must be to take up the Scriptures to ascertain what is God's revealed will for us -- what are the paths He forbids us to walk, what are the ways pleasing in His sight. The Scriptures are not given us, primarily, for our intellectual gratification, nor for emotional admiration, but for life's regulation. Nor are the precepts and commands, the warnings and encouragements contained therein, simply for our information. They are to be reduced to practice, they require unqualified obedience. He who treasures the divine precepts in his heart, and diligently seeks to walk by their rule, will escape those evils which destroy his fellows. Thus the great business of the Christian, is to regulate his life by, and conform his conduct -- to the precepts of the written Word, and the example left us by the Incarnate Word. As he does so, and in proportion as he does so, he is emancipated from the darkness of his natural mind, freed from the follies of his corrupt heart, delivered from the mad course of this world, and escapes the snares of the devil.

(Arthur W. Pink - "The Attributes of God")

Zaur Balaev Threaten Again - "Haven't you learnt from your imprisonment?"

Zaur Balaev Baptist pastor in Aliabad, Azerbaijan told Forum 18 News Service that he has been threatened by Kamandar Hasanov, the deputy police chief in Azerbaijan's north-western Zakatala region, and two of his colleagues. "You may not be afraid, but you've forgotten you've got a wife, daughter and a son," was one of the treats made. Read a condensed version of the story by Dr. Jim West at Zwinglian - Bible, Theology and Chruch History entitled, Baptist Pastor Zaur Balaev in the News Again, or read the full report from Forum 18 News Service entitled Azerbaijan: "Wasn't one prison term enough?"

It's Never Too Late to Keep Asking

Do you ever feel like throwing in the towel and just totally giving up. After all, you've been dealing with the same sins over and over again and finally you start to wonder if change is ever going to occur. John Piper had a great piece on his blog Thursday May 15th, that addressed that very issue. I found it extremely encouraging.


It's Never Too Late to Keep Asking
by John Piper

One of the greatest hope-killers is that you have tried for so long to change and have not succeeded. Now you look back and think: What's the use? Even if I could experience a breakthrough, there would be so little time left to live in my new way it wouldn't make much difference compared to so many decades of failure.
That's not true. Suppose you only had five years left to live with a new victory over some old way. Or suppose you only had a year, or a month, or an hour? Would it matter?
At this point stir the thief on the cross into your thinking. At first he was railing at Jesus (Matthew 27:44). Then he was broken by what he saw and repented and cried out for mercy: "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom" (Luke 23:42). Jesus received this faith-filled cry and promised, "Today you will be with me in Paradise" (Luke 23:43).
Then the former robber lived for another hour or so before he died. He was changed. He lived on the cross as a new man with new attitudes and actions (no more reviling). But 99.99% of his life was wasted. Did the last couple hours of newness matter?
They mattered infinitely. This former robber, like all of us, will stand before the judgment seat of Christ to give an account of his life. "We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil" (2Corinthians 5:10). How will his life witness in that day to his new birth and his union with Christ?
The last hours will tell the story. This man was new. His faith was real. He is truly united to Christ. Christ's righteousness is his. His sins are forgiven. That is what the final hours will proclaim at the last judgment. His change mattered. It was, and it will be, a beautiful testimony to the power of God's grace and the reality of his faith and his union with Christ.
Now back to our struggle with change. I am not saying that struggling believers are unsaved like the robber was. I am simply saying: the last years and the last hours of life matter.
If in the last 1% of our lives we can get a victory over some longstanding sinful habit or hurtful defect in our personality, it will be a beautiful testimony now to the power of grace; and it will be an added witness (not the only one) at the last judgment of our faith in Christ and our union with him.
Take heart, struggler. Keeping asking, seeking, knocking. Keep looking to Christ. If God gets glory by saving robbers in the 11th hour, he surely has his purposes why he has waited till now to give you the breakthrough you have sought for decades.
Desiring God Blog Posted: 15 May 2008 07:52 AM CDT

Quote from Robert Murray M'Cheyne

Today I read an excerpt from THE DEEPER LIFE by Robert Murray M'Cheyne.

I ought not to omit any of the parts of prayer–confession, adoration, thanksgiving, petition, and intercession.

There is a fearful tendency to omit confession, proceeding from low views of God and His law, slight views of my heart and the sins of my past life. This must be resisted. There is a constant tendency to omit adoration, when I forget to whom I am speaking, when I rush heedlessly into the presence of Jehovah, without remembering His awful name and character, when I have little eyesight for His glory, and little admiration of His wonders. "What are the wise?" I have the native tendency of the heart to omit giving thanks. And yet it is specially commanded (Phil. 4: 6). Often when the heart is selfish, dead to the salvation of others, I omit intercession. And yet it especially is the spirit of the Great Advocate, who has the name of Israel always on His heart.

Perhaps every prayer need not have all these; but surely a day should not pass without some space being devoted to each.

I ought to pray before seeing any one. Often when I sleep long, or meet with others early, and then have family prayer, and breakfast, and forenoon callers, often it is eleven or twelve o'clock before I begin secret prayer. This is a wretched system. It is unscriptural. Christ rose before day, and went into a solitary place. David says, "Early will I seek Thee; Thou shalt early hear my voice." Mary Magdalene came to the sepucher while yet it was dark. Family prayer loses much of its power and sweetness; and I can do no good to those who come to seek from me. The conscience feels guilty, the soul unfed, the lamp not trimmed. Then, when secret prayer comes, the soul is often out of tune. I feel it is far better to begin with God, to see His face first, to get my soul near Him before it is near another. "When I awake I am still with thee." --- by Robert Murray M'Cheyne (1813-1843)

While I’m not sure I agree with his statement that it is “unscriptural” to not have your quiet time early before starting your day, I do believe that there is much truth in the rest of what he says. I agree that everyone is different. I think that quiet time with the Lord works best on an individual basis and depends greatly upon whether a person is a morning person or an evening person, and upon a person’s schedule.

However, for my life, there is just something about getting up and giving those first morning hours to God. Getting my life and thoughts right with Him, before you spend time with any one else or tackle any task. If I don’t do that, my entire day seems out of kilter, I’m ill prepared for emergencies, and I have nothing to give in counsel but my own thoughts and opinions. Like he says, “I can do no good to those who come to seek from me.” The conscience feels guilty, the soul unfed, the lamp not trimmed. Then, when secret prayer comes, the soul is often out of tune. I feel it is far better to begin with God, to see His face first, to get my soul near Him before it is near another. Of course, you know what that means --- going to bed early! No late night movies or talk shows. For me it is staying up to work on the computer.

Last night I found another marvelous source of old puritan sermons and writings. Last night it was Robert Murray M’Cheyne and Dr. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones that kept me up. The time before that it was Arthur W. Pink and A. W. Tozer. I can always find a reason to stay up. I guess that’s why the Bible refers to “training” and “disciplining” ourselves, and bringing our body under control. My devotions today are pretty much a loss. I hope I’ve learned something. Staying up late at night is not only is unwise for someone with FMS it’s devastating to my devotional life and that definitely is not negotiable.

True Diamonds

Recently I've been working on a bible study on the topic of "pain and suffering." I've also been reading through some sermons by John Piper and J0hn MacArthur on the same subject. One sermon by John MacArthur has been especially interesting to me, it's called "When Healing Doesn't Come." In this article, MacArthur compares the true children of God to genuine diamonds when he tells about the "water test" that jewelers occasionally use as a means for identifying true diamonds.

An imitation stone is never as brilliant as a genuine stone, but sometimes the difference cannot be determined with the naked eye. So jewelers immerse the stone in water. A genuine diamond continues to sparkle brilliantly while the sparkle of the imitation is virtually extinguished. By way of analogy, the faith of many people underthe water of sorrow or affliction is nothing but an imitation. However, when atrue child of God is immersed in a trial, he will shine as brilliantly as ever.

MacArthur reminds us that, when being tested, the way to shine brightly is by prayer and by leaning on the strength of God rather than your own weakness. When we turn from ourselves and place our faith in the infinite strength of the One who is working all things out for our good and His own holy purpose (Romans 8:28), we will have good results.