Standing in support of Israel, Jews, and believers in all the nations, in the name of Jesus (Yeshua). Sharing biblical truth, encouragement, news and prophecy.
I was praying and asking the Lord what word He wanted to give to encourage you. So many discouraging things come at us, we need some encouragement. And this is what I hear: You are a winner. You're not a loser.
And the Lord would say, "So many things have beat against you that it's hurt your emotions. For many people, it has made you down. On the outside, you may look really good. You're going around saying, 'Praise the Lord' and all these phrases, but inside, you're hurting."
The Lord says, "I know you're hurting, but I am working on your situations. I am a behind-the-scenes God. Many times, you think I'm not doing anything; you think I don't care about you, but the truth is, I really, really love you."
And the Lord says, "The truth is these mountains that are before you are going to move. It is My desire to make you a success. Even as a good, good earthly father would always be looking to bless his family, so I'm always looking for ways to bless you. I'm always looking for ways to give to you. It is my nature to give. The first thing I did was give My Son for you. I'm working on all of your challenges. I'm working to help you financially. I'm working to help you emotionally.
The Lord would say, "When you cry out to Me, I hear you. When you ask, I listen. I listen to every one of your prayers. I listen to the prayers you pray for your family, your children. I listen to the prayers you pray for the lost. I listen to the prayers you pray for your health."
God bless you! This is the word: You're a winner, not a loser, and don't be discouraged.
Cindy Jacobs is an author, speaker and teacher with a heart for discipling nations in the areas of prayer and prophetic gifts. She and Mike—her husband—co-founded Generals International in 1985.
Great Resources to help you excel in 2019! #1 John Eckhardt's "Prayers That..." 6-Book Bundle. Prayer helps you overcome anything life throws at you. Get a FREE Bonus with this bundle. #2 Learn to walk in the fullness of your purpose and destiny by living each day with Holy Spirit. Buy a set of Life in the Spirit, get a second set FREE.
According to a recent survey of U.S. beekeepers, an astounding 37% of all honeybee colonies were lost over the winter. (Photo by Matthew T Rader on Unsplash)
10 Signs Nature Has Turned Against Humanity
July 5, 2019 MICHAEL SNYDER CHARISMA NEWS
All over the planet, nature is starting to behave in some very unusual ways. And unfortunately for us, a lot of the changes that we are witnessing in nature are quite detrimental for humanity. Of course, the truth is that we haven't exactly been too kind to the planet that we are living on. In fact, many would argue that we are in the process of absolutely devastating the Earth, and most of us don't feel bad about that at all. So could it be possible that it is now payback time?
Let me give you just one quick example of how we are destroying the planet. According to a recent survey of U.S. beekeepers, an astounding 37% of all honeybee colonies were lost over the winter:
Every year since 2006, the University of Maryland's nonprofit Bee Informed Partnership (BIP) conducts an annual survey to determine how many bee colonies were lost over the course of the year. The 2018–2019 survey asked 4,696 U.S. beekeepers to report how many colonies they lost, and the preliminary results of the survey suggest that things aren't looking so good.
Of the more than 319,000 managed bee colonies in the survey, 37.7 percent were lost over the winter. This represents the largest die-off since the survey began, and a full 7 percentage points higher than the previous year. Having fewer honeybees is more than just an ecological problem, it's also an economic one: Every year, honeybees contribute a nearly $20 billion value to U.S. crop production.
Of course we don't have to look too far to find the culprit. We are the ones who are killing off all the bees, and in the process, we are setting the stage for an unprecedented ecological disaster, because if all the bees suddenly vanished, human civilization would not last much longer at all.
In the end, we will be held accountable for what has been entrusted to us, and it appears we are starting to get what we deserve.
The following are 10 signs that nature has turned against humanity:
1. In the middle of the country, farmers are freaking out because giant black vultures are literally eating their farm animals alive. And since the vultures are federally protected, the farmers can't do anything about it:
They'll devour slimy newborn calves, full-grown ewes and lambs alive by pecking them to death.
First the eyes, then the tongue, then every last shred of flesh.
And there isn't much defense against black vultures and turkey vultures, both of which are federally protected and cannot be killed without a permit.
2. All up and down the East coast, Americans are becoming the victims of flesh-eating bacteria when they go into the water. Here is one recent example from Florida:
A woman who cut herself while walking along the water on the Florida beach she loved died after contracting necrotizing fasciitis, becoming the latest victim of the flesh-eating bacteria.
Lynn Fleming, from Ellenton, about 15 miles north of Sarasota, fell and cut herself while she was walking at Coquina Beach on nearby Anna Maria Island two weeks ago.
At this point things have gotten so bad that the CDC is telling people with open wounds "to avoid bodies of water, especially swimming pools and hot tubs."
3. For decades, cockroaches have been multiplying despite our best efforts to eradicate them with insecticides. But now they are developing resistance to our insecticides, and researchers are warning that this will make them "invulnerable"::
The day that squeamish humans—and exterminators—have long feared may have come at last: Cockroaches are becoming invincible. Or at least German cockroaches (Blattella germanica) are, according to a new study. Researchers have found that these creatures, which have long been a prevalent urban pest, are becoming increasingly resistant to almost every kind of chemical insecticide.
Not all insecticides are created equal. Some degrade the nervous system, whereas others attack the exoskeleton; they also have to be left out for varying amounts of time. But many insects, including cockroaches, have evolved resistance to at least one of the most commonly-used insecticides.
4. Last week it was hotter in some parts of Europe that it has ever been before. In fact, in one region in France the temperature actually hit 114 degrees Fahrenheit:
Hundreds of firefighters battled on Saturday to contain wildfires in southern France as a stifling heatwave brought record-breaking temperatures to parts of Europe, killing at least three people in Italy.
In the Gard region, where France's highest temperature on record was registered on Friday at 45.9 degrees Celsius (114 degrees Fahrenheit), scores of fires burned some 600 hectares (about 1,500 acres) of land and destroyed several houses and vehicles, emergency services said.
5. Along the California coastline, temperatures have been so hot that mussels have actually been "roasting in their shells":
A record-breaking June heatwave apparently caused the largest die-off of mussels in at least 15 years at Bodega Head, a small headland on the northern California bay. And Sones received reports from other researchers of similar mass mussel deaths at various beaches across roughly 140 miles of coastline.
While the people who flocked to the Pacific to enjoy a rare 80 F. beach day soaked up the sun, so did the mussel beds—where the rock-bound mollusks could have been experiencing temperatures above 100 F. at low tide, literally roasting in their shells.
6. And of course the East coast is not being left out either. According to meteorologists, some portions of the East coast could see heat index values hit 110 degrees "as early as Wednesday":
Another round of oppressive heat is already in the forecast this week for the East coast with oppressive heat index values on the way for the parts of the Southeast by midweek. Heat index values could approaching 105 to 110 degrees in parts of the region as early as Wednesday.
Major cities from North Carolina to New Jersey will see a long stretch of temperatures at or above 90 degrees, which means another heat wave is on the way for cities like Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.
7. Thanks to the unusually high temperatures, wasp's nests are absolutely thriving across the southern United States. In fact, one expert anticipates that there will be dozens of "super nests" in his area this year:
Warmer winters contribute to these nests, Mr. Ray said. Most yellow jackets don't survive the cold months because they freeze to death or have trouble finding food. They need a fair amount of sugar and carbohydrates, he said.
"The queens are the only ones who have an antifreeze compound in their blood," Mr. Ray said. "So normally, a surviving queen will have to start a colony from scratch in the spring. With our climate becoming warmer, there might be multiple surviving queens producing more than 20,000 eggs each."
8. Meanwhile, the middle of the country is being absolutely hammered by the wettest year that it has ever experienced. And just when you thought that it couldn't possibly get any wetter, more storms are scheduled to come rolling through:
But a new system was moving through the Northern Plains Sunday morning and already bringing some severe storms to Minnesota.
The system will attempt to bring some cooler air down from Canada, which will interact with the heat situated in the Midwest and spark storms across parts of the Plains and the Midwest, from Wyoming to Illinois.
9. In recent months we have also seen unusually large hail absolutely hammer communities all over the country. For example, it is being reported that some portions of Montana were just hit with "baseball-sized hail":
Thunderstorms that moved through southwestern Montana dropped baseball-sized hail in western Powder River County and golf ball-sized hail as the storm moved to the east.
The National Weather Service reports Wednesday night's storm left behind broken windows and damaged crops.
Baseball-sized hail fell near Moorhead, a community about 35 miles southwest of Broadus, while Broadus recorded a 70 mph (113 kph) wind gust. Communities just north of Moorhead reported golf ball-sized hail.
10. Needless to say, all of this wet weather has just continued to feed the unprecedented flooding that we have seen along our major rivers. At this point, we are being told that the horrific flooding along the Mississippi River may go beyond the end of the summer:
The 2019 Mississippi River flood fight is going to slog deep into the summer—and maybe much longer.
While communities north of St. Louis are beginning the expensive path to recovery after record-breaking winter and spring precipitation and runoff, people below the Missouri River are shoveling mud from their houses and praying for a dry spell.
The Lower Mississippi Valley remains in a flood crisis as high water continues to swamp streets, homes, businesses, sewage and water treatment plants, and farm fields, including across some of the poorest counties in the United States.
These are 10 examples that have just been in the news during the past few days. If I wanted to cover all of the unusual events that we have witnessed so far in 2019, I would have to write an entire book.
The truth is that global weather patterns are dramatically shifting and our planet is becoming increasingly unstable. And no matter how hard humanity tries to find solutions, the reality of the matter is that things are going to continue to get worse.
We have passed the tipping point, and we are starting to experience the consequences for decades of exceedingly foolish decisions.
We have entered the time of "the perfect storm," and everything that can be shaken will be shaken.
Great Resources to help you excel in 2019! #1 John Eckhardt's "Prayers That..." 6-Book Bundle. Prayer helps you overcome anything life throws at you. Get a FREE Bonus with this bundle. #2 Learn to walk in the fullness of your purpose and destiny by living each day with Holy Spirit. Buy a set of Life in the Spirit, get a second set FREE.
Wells himself was baptized in the Spirit at 10 years old.
"Yeah, I started going to church when I was 10 years old. My dad kind of made the decision for our family that we were going to start going, which was a fantastic decision," Wells previously told Charisma. "We started going, and I went to a church camp one summer, got baptized in the Holy Spirit. I got baptized when we got back home. That was really it for me. I found a place I really belonged at the church, and I had a lot of opportunity to grow and discover who I really was in Christ. And that is what has kind of led me in a long path to where I am now.
"I grew up Pentecostal, so we just went down to the altar at church camp and prayed," Wells said. "It was amazing. That's like a normal thing that would happen all throughout my life."
Listen to the podcast to hear more from Tauren Wells.
We are living in times of intensifying spiritual warfare. There has never been a time like this! But no matter how daunting the situation seems to be, our adversary is no match for the living God and His angel armies. It is our task and privilege to tune in to the heart of our Father and receive the download from the Holy Spirit of His divine strategies. We have to lay aside the hindrances that have been arrayed against us and pray through!
Prayer is most successful when it is shared with others. A corporate body in agreement—the ekklesia—can legislate the Word of God by His Holy Spirit and shift entire nations. Hearts gathered together to seek the face of the Lord will be used by Him.
God has called the End-Time Handmaidens and Servants to gather each year for our World Convention (an event for all ages), and this is the 41st time we are gathering! Every year it has been a time of "the bride making herself ready." The Lord calls each time to "come away, My beloved," as the Bridegroom of the Song of Solomon. And this year as we come apart with Him, we are expecting more than ever to receive the grace to arise and shine in His glorious light!
This bridal call reaches from the heart of the Bridegroom into the heart of the warrior-bride. She knows she is called to align herself with the heart of her King and press the battle to the gates of hell to deliver the captives from deception. His Glory will reveal His divine strategies for these times, and we will agree together in worship and intercession as the Holy Spirit leads through anointed preaching, teaching and prophetic exhortation. Of course that bridal company includes both men and women, even as we are all given the power to become sons of God as we believe on His name.
We feel that this year we are being called to gather to receive an outpouring of His Glory to equip us to effect change in the nations through persistent prayer. It's time for the outpouring! It's time for the harvest! He may send us there by physical travel, on our knees in intercession, or even by "Philip's Airlines" translation. That face-to-face meeting with Him causes us to lay aside everything that has kept us from the fullness of our destiny. You won't ever want to tell Him no again once He has held you in His divine glory embrace, for He will impart to you the vision of His heart for your place and purpose in His divine plan!
Our Father is looking for that bridal company of those who have surrendered their individuality to allow His Son to live His life through them, becoming one with His character through the fruit of His Holy Spirit, and letting Him "dress Himself" with your personality. Are you allowing Him to help you make yourself ready? Nothing of this earth carries the value of that relationship! Nothing compares with Him! Nothing should stand in your way to keep you from following after Him!
We hope that you will bring your individual anointing and join us to form the amazing corporate anointing that we experience each year at the World Convention. It is worthy to note that fasting increases your anointing when you are seeking the Lord for His purposes to be accomplished in your life. And when people who have fasted and received that increase in anointing gather together, the corporate anointing goes off the charts! The glory of the Lord's presence in worship is breathtaking, and the depth of the preaching of the Word of God is life-changing. Let's believe God together in prayer for each person whom He calls to take faith and willingly and joyfully obey His prompting and come to receive Divine Strategies for These Times!
As we gather July 1-5, 2019, at the Holiday Inn and Northwest Arkansas Convention Center in Springdale, Arkansas (originally known as Shiloh), we expect to:
Receive divine strategies for intercession.
Worship the Lord together in the beauty of His holiness.
Be transformed by God's presence as we allow His glory to permeate our spirit.
Enter into a new level of anointing.
Connect with God's purpose for our lives.
Restore our godly passion and spiritual balance.
Receive God's heart for the nations.
Become better equipped to be used by God to change the world.
Build eternal relationships in the body of Christ.
New York Times' best-selling author Jonathan Cahn is releasing his newest book, The Oracle: The Jubilean Mysteries Unveiled, on Sept. 3, and his much-anticipated work reveals centuries-old mysteries that directly tie to today's events.
"What if I told you of a mystery that began thousands of years ago and yet operates in the modern world, guiding, synchronizing, conforming all human events, directing the actions of leaders, the courses of nations and of world history itself—to bring about its appointed purposes," Cahn said. "It may seem hard to believe—but it's real. The mystery begins on a mountaintop in a desert thousands of years ago and is determining events of our modern world. How could something from ancient times be determining what's happening now? That is the mystery."
These queries are revealed in Cahn's much-anticipated book in a unique format that outlines a conversation between two travelers who are searching for answers from The Oracle.
"These mysteries have determined the course of empires and superpowers, kings and presidents," Cahn writes. "Ancient mysteries have determined the events of our world so precisely that they not only tell us what must take place—but when. It doesn't seem possible, and yet it is. Furthermore, these mysteries contain ancient words and messages appointed to be spoken at specific times, even on the specific days on which the events of which they speak are to take place. These mysteries are the fingerprints of God—the signs, markers and witnesses in time and space of the purpose behind everything.
"History, life, existence—the mystery shows there is a reason, a purpose and a plan," Cahn continued. "The mystery reveals the threads of the master loom."
In The Oracle, Cahn, author of the New York Times best-sellers The Harbinger, The Mystery of the Shemitah, The Book of Mysteries and The Paradigm, opens up the Jubilean prophecies and a mystery so big that it has determined everything from the rise and fall of world empires to two world wars, the current events of our day, the future, endâ€time prophecy and much more. Ultimately, The Oracle will reveal the secret that lies behind endâ€time prophecy and the mystery of the end of the age, while seeking answers to these questions:
Could an ancient prophecy and a mysterious ordinance given in a Middle Eastern desert over 3,000 years ago be determining the events of our day?
Could some of the most famous people of modern history and current events be secretly linked to this mystery—even a modern president of the United States?
Could this ancient revelation pinpoint the events of our times down to the year, month and day of their occurring?
Could a mysterious phenomenon be manifesting on the world stage on an exact timetable determined from ancient times?
Could these manifestations have altered—and now be altering—the course of world events?
Cahn takes his readers on a journey to find the man called "the Oracle." One by one each of the Jubilean mysteries will be revealed through the giving of a vision. Readers will also discover the ancient scrolls that contain the appointed words that have determined the course of world history from the onset of modern times up to our day. Ultimately, The Oracle will reveal the secret that lies behind endâ€time prophecy and the mystery of the end of the age.
As with The Harbinger and The Book of Mysteries, Cahn reveals the mysteries through a narrative; a traveler is given seven keys, each for the opening of one of seven doors. Behind each door lies one of the seven streams of the Jubilean mysteries. Readers are taken on a journey through each door and vision to uncover the ancient secrets that lie behind the worldâ€changing events of modern times.
And as with Cahn's other works, readers will find that the mysteries revealed within the pages of The Oracle are absolutely real, amazing, lifeâ€changing and mindâ€blowing, as they build upon Cahn's vast knowledge of prophecy.
Cahn caused a worldwide stir with the release of his explosive first book, The Harbinger, which became an instant New York Times' best-seller and brought him to national and international prominence. His next three books were also New York Times' best-sellers: The Mystery of the Shemitah, The Book of Mysteries and his highest-debuting book, The Paradigm. Long before writing these books, he was known for opening the deep mysteries of Scripture and bringing forth messages of prophetic import. He leads Hope of the World ministry, an international outreach of teaching, evangelism and compassion projects for the needy. He also leads the Jerusalem Center/Beth Israel, a worship center made up of Jews and Gentiles, people of all backgrounds, just outside New York City, in Wayne, New Jersey. Called the prophetic voice of this generation, Cahn is a much-sought-after speaker and has been highlighted in The New York Times as well as in many national and international media. He has spoken at the United Nations, on Capitol Hill and to millions of people around the world.
For more information on The Oracle, visit TheOracleIsComing.com. The Oracle is published by FrontLine, an imprint of Charisma House.
Jonathan Cahnis the author of The Harbinger and The Mystery of the Shemitah, the president of Hope of the World Ministries and leader of the Jerusalem Center in Wayne, NJ. To get in touch, receive prophetic dates, and free gifts: Go to HopeOfTheWorld.orgor find Jonathan Cahn on Facebook.
Great Resources to help you excel in 2019! #1 John Eckhardt's "Prayers That..." 6-Book Bundle. Prayer helps you overcome anything life throws at you. Get a FREE Bonus with this bundle. #2 Learn to walk in the fullness of your purpose and destiny by living each day with Holy Spirit. Buy a set of Life in the Spirit, get a second set FREE.
Weapons of mass destruction" is a term commonly used by those bent on world domination. The Rev. Dr. Bassam Chedid, however, believes he possesses the most powerful weapon of all, what he calls a "weapon of mass instruction."
That weapon is the Word of God in the form of the Arabic Study Bible (ASB). With God's help, he's trying to place this weapon into the hands of as many Arab Christians and Muslims as possible.
Founder and president of the Children of Abraham (COA) organization based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Chedid is confident that the Holy Spirit will use the ASB to convict Muslims and erase 1,400 years of their misconceptions about the gospel of Jesus throughout the world.
"The Holy Spirit is moving in mighty ways among Muslims," Chedid said. "When we hear of the dreams and visions these precious souls have, it is only God illuminating to them the gospel truth found in His Word and drawing them to Himself, generating in their hearts the transforming knowledge of Jesus Christ applied by God the Holy Spirit.
"For many reasons, when they are first introduced to Christ, Muslims become confused about how to make sense of it. There are so many millions of brothers and sisters who are trapped in the Islamic system, but praise God, He is bringing the sheep back into the fold—He is bringing them to Himself."
Blessing Generations of Arabs
Published in 2014, the ASB took more than five years to complete. Chedid served as the general editor of the project, which he said took a lot of "prayer and sweat."
Working on the Bible was "a labor of love for me, a lot of work, but very rewarding," Chedid said.
The ASB became the first one of its kind to hit the market. Many of the Bible's features, including theological articles, notes on the unfolding of God's story of salvation and an appendix explaining Scripture's redemptive message, will be helpful to the readers of the ASB.
Because of the many Muslims coming to Christ throughout the globe, the ASB has become especially crucial for new converts.
"As a young Christian, I longed for a study Bible in Arabic where I could find exegetical helps, background information and definitions of theological terms, but it was simply nonexistent," said Tony Maalouf, director of the Islamic Studies Program and associate professor of missions at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. "This work will definitely prove to be a blessing for generations of Arabs. Today, we are witnessing crucial socio-political transformations in the Arab world. It is my deep conviction that the ASB will be a unique and great catalyst for that change."
However, like many other ministries, COA faces a huge challenge: finances. The leatherbound ASB is expensive to produce, and the ministry website says COA can send just one Bible per $60 gift.
COA also produces a basic Arabic Bible without commentary notes, which costs only $7.
Chedid's goal is to get the ASB into the hands of 100,000 Arabic Christians—and potential Arabic believers—in the hope that members of those groups will hold God's Word into their hearts and produce disciples exponentially. He realizes this outcome will require a massive partnership effort.
"Not only are the Bibles costly, but it's also costly to send them airmail," Chedid said. "The need is great, and the Lord is enabling us with the resources we have, but it certainly isn't enough.
"What we would like to do is get information in the hands of churches that have a real burden for reaching the lost and for making disciples. We can accomplish the task, but we need that 'weapon of mass instruction'—the Word of God—to do it."
Calling From God to Reach Muslims
A missionary first introduced Chedid's grandfather to Christ, who then passed this knowledge along to Chedid's father. Chedid's father went on to attend Bible college in Lebanon and years later, saw his young son come to Christ.
"Even though I am from Syria, I came from a Christian background," Chedid said. "Unlike the majority of the people in that country, I did not grow up in a Muslim family, and I knew about Jesus from a very young age. I thank God for that, and it only fueled the fire for me to help Muslims find their way to Christ. I knew all along it was a calling God had put upon my life. I realized how much of a challenge it would be, but I also realized how rewarding it would be. And, it certainly has been."
When it was time for Chedid to pursue his formal education, he came to the United States in 1977 to attend Simpson University in Redding, California, where he earned a bachelor's degree. He then received a Master of Divinity and Doctor of Missiology degree from Reformed Theological Seminary, during which time he founded COA, aiming to reach Arabs across the U.S. and Canada with the gospel.
After initially accumulating nearly 16,000 names and addresses of these Arabs, Chedid began publishing the magazine Al-Kawkab—translated "The Morning Star" from Revelation 22:16: "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to you with this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star."
Written from a distinctly Christian viewpoint, the magazine includes articles that capture the truth of the gospel and take a fresh look at issues facing the Arab Christian population.
Al-Kawkab has become the largest means of outreach for COA to the North American Arab community, which has large concentrations in the Northeast, Florida, Northern and Southern California, Chicago, Dallas and Houston. COA's mailing list has grown to nearly 200,000, but as with the ASB, finances have become a concern.
For instance, 20,000 names on COA's mailing list did not receive its magazine's December issue. When subscribers ask why, the ministry replies that it must do this on a rotating basis, and those subscribers will certainly receive the next issue.
"It's heartbreaking, because you know the need," Chedid said. "The great missionary to Islam, Samuel Zwemer, said at the turn of the century: 'If Muslims are ever to understand Christianity in its saving truth and its wholesome life, we must place before them the Word of God and good biblical literature.' We are trusting the Lord to help us continue doing just that."
Even with the distribution of Al-Kawkab, however, COA reaches only a small percentage of Arabs in North America. In 1930, only one mosque existed in the United States, but today, there are more than 1,200, and nearly 80 percent of those are less than 10 years old.
On the other hand, Chedid says more Muslims have come to Christ in the last 50 years than in the 1,400 years since Islam began.
Facing Ministry Challenges
Because of the significant differences in culture, problems arise when presenting the gospel to both Arab Christiansand Muslims.Chedid says that, for the most part, Muslims don't have a choice to pursue any religion other than Islam or any other God but Allah.
"Historically, the church has made meager efforts to present the authentic message of the gospel to Muslims," Chedid said.
In analyzing this issue, he refers to Romans 10:2, in which Paul says, "For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge."
"Most Muslims had had little chance to believe because they have heard and seen so little of the gospel," Chedid said. "They have zeal, but it is headed in the wrong direction. We need to remember that Muhammad and many generations of his spiritual followers have not had the Bible in their own language, and so they have not understood the gospel. The truth of God's glorious self-revelation in Christ and His Word has been hidden from millions of Muslims. We wonder why Muslims today look upon the Word of God with suspicion. History and our allegiance to the Word of God demand that COA be committed to place the Word of God in the hands of many Muslims."
When talking to Muslims about Jesus, Chedid and COA ministry workers must overcome another hurdle, the fear potential converts feel as they face reprisal for accepting Christ.
"Indeed, that is a challenge for all Christian workers," Chedid said. "To leave Islam and to embrace another religion—for them, this is treason. There are many punishments, including death, and the enemy uses that fear as a weapon against the gospel. Some are so confused and afraid to accept such a religion for fear of their families dishonoring them. Their churches, if they make it that far, are targeted by radicals. And then there are those who do not find a nourishing fellowship. It's a multifaceted issue."
Syrian refugees are pleading for Bibles. "Will you help us help them?" is the question a missionary working among Syrian refugees—who number more than 1 million—recently asked Chedid.
He says the ASB is the greatest gift to help them discover the truth of Scripture and grow in grace. It is the prayer of the COA ministry to send several thousand Bibles to Syrians.
In addition to distributing the ASB, Chedid says he hopes to increase subscriptions to Al-Kawkab worldwide to reach more Arab Christians.
In North America, COA conducts seminars to inform churches about the challenges of Islam.
"Once we equip these people with the tools they need, it is our job to help them get the Word of God in their hearts," Chedid said. "Then and only then can we take down the real enemy and his deceit and lies. Imagine a world where millions of Arabs come to Christ. It will certainly reinforce our confidence in God's promise: 'I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.'"
Shawn A. Akers is content development editor for Charisma Media.
Join us on our podcast each weekday for an interesting story, well told, from Charisma News. Listen at charismapodcastnetwork.com.
Great Resources to help you excel in 2019! #1 John Eckhardt's "Prayers That..." 6-Book Bundle. Prayer helps you overcome anything life throws at you. Get a FREE Bonus with this bundle. #2 Learn to walk in the fullness of your purpose and destiny by living each day with Holy Spirit. Buy a set of Life in the Spirit, get a second set FREE.
