Reflections on the Cross of Christ: the crux of history

By Pastor Paul

"Indeed Christ, our Passover lamb, was sacrificed for us" (1 Cor. 5:7).

The cross of Jesus is the focal point of all time. Our English word ‘cross’ comes from the Latin word crux. We often say that ‘the crux of the matter is such and such,’ referring to the point that what we believe is important above all others.

I believe that the cross of Jesus Christ is the crux of all history and existence. Old Testament scripture points forward to it, New Testament scripture points back to it. At the end of the age, when the redeemed are gathered at the throne of God, endless praises will be extended to Jesus, because of His cross.

“And they sang a new song, saying:
‘You are worthy to take the scroll,
And to open its seals;
For You were slain,
And have redeemed us to God by Your blood
Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation’ ”(Rev. 5:9).

It was at the cross that God provided the perfect sacrifice for sin. It was there that He bore the penalty for sin that He Himself had prescribed. Theoretically, perhaps, if a perfect man could have been found, who was willing to bear my sin, his sacrifice might have been sufficient. However, no such man could be found. God said that he looked, but He couldn't find anyone.

"He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor;
therefore His own arm brought salvation for Him; and His own righteousness, it sustained Him" (Isaiah 59:16).

There are many good people in the Bible, but not perfect ones. When an atonement for sin and reconciliation to God is at stake, good is not good enough. Perfection was demanded and because no perfect man could be found, God Himself supplied the necessary sacrifice and purchased our salvation with His own blood.

"Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood" (Acts 20:28).

"Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption" (Heb. 9:12).

"Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate" (Heb. 13:12).

"… and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth" (Rev. 1:5).

The apostle Paul asks us to take notice that God was in Christ, and He reconciled us to Himself by the cross of Jesus. He also has given to believers "the word of reconciliation."

"… that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation"
(2 Cor. 5:19).

It is with this in mind that we ask you to consider the cross of Jesus and how you have applied it to your life. With the Apostle Paul, we ask you, we plead with you, we beg you: be reconciled to God. Our eternal destiny depends on how we treat this subject.

“Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.  For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Cor. 5:20-21)

"But God forbid that I should glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world" (Gal. 6:14).

With love, prayers and Shalom
In Jesus' mighty name,
Pastor Paul (Director)
Bibles for Mideast

Early April update from Pastor Peter Haneef

Glory to the Lord Jesus Christ

I hope this finds you well and in the peace of our Lord. I know everywhere in this world people are going through a terrible situation because of the corona virus. But we can trust only one name on earth under heaven: our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities.

“For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross” (Col 1:19-20).

We pray that our Lord Himself wipes out this deadly virus from the earth and heals the nations by His healing touch, that all will know this Lord Jesus is the author of life and death.

I would like to thank you all for your prayers and generous donations for the people suffering starvation due to the corona virus. The whole of India is in lock-down for 21 days, beginning last week and lasting until April 14. The situation gets worse day by day.

No one is allowed to leave their house, except police, health workers and registered volunteers. Many of our pastors registered themselves as volunteers and are visiting our church members along with other poor people. They have already supplied 420 family kits, which contain rice, wheat and other food grains, cleaned clothes, soaps, masks, hand sanitizers, some general medicines and more. God willing, we would like to be able to provide kits for hundreds of more families.

The national government has made a decision to supply all families with food grains but has not yet begun doing so, and there will certainly not be enough for everyone. People suffer hunger across the country. One family kit which we provide to our members costs US$40 each, and lasts an average family one week. The next two weeks will be even more critical.

Our pastors were able to supply these kits only because of your generous help. Once again I thank you all for considering them as your own body in our Lord Jesus Christ.

May our Lord bless you abundantly according to His riches in glory. And also may He reward you His crown of life on His Great Day.

Please continue praying for us. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

With love and prayers,
Yours in His service.
Pastor Peter Haneef, President
The Assembly of Loving God (ALG) Church

Special message from Pastor Peter Haneef

Glory to the Lord Jesus Christ.

I hope and pray this finds you well and with peace in our Lord. Once again, I appreciate all who are spending time in prayer and fasting and bringing the whole world before our mighty Healer and Lord Jesus Christ in this crucial period of COVID-19.  

By God's grace our church leaders report all our members in Asia, Africa and the Middle East are safe from the corona virus so far, and no one is quarantined. Of course it is not because of our deeds but our Lord's amazing grace alone through all our humble prayers with one mind and one spirit.  Continue your prayers for our fellow human beings around the world that our Lord will save everyone from this global disaster, according to HIS will.  Let His will be done.

Though our church members are safe from COVID-19, many of their families are near starvation, especially in India and Bangladesh. Most are extremely poor and earn only enough for daily life. If they don't have a job on a given day, they won't get wages for that day. We know very well that many households can only buy food and prepare it in the evening when the family man comes with money after laboring. Then husband, wife and children have prayers together and eat together. If someone cannot go to work, our other church members try to help them obtain food.

Three years ago, [Indian] Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked that everyone get a bank account even if they had no money to put in it. People did, but accounts of poor people remain at zero balance. Now they are in a huge crisis. None of our members have jobs due to fear of the virus. They are unable to help themselves.

Our director Pastor Paul, with a team of volunteers, has been visiting many families and helping them with basic foods, masks, hand sanitizers and other supplies. Pastor Paul has not even fully recovered from his recent ordeal, but doesn't care and continues ministering in the hills and valleys. Our prayers are his fortress.

The team has supplied as many needy families as possible with kits each worth US$40. Pastor Paul asked all our pastors and missionaries to help the people who are beginning to starve without jobs. I am happy to say many of our pastors have undertaken this. Certainly, when one member of the body of Christ suffers, the rest suffer.  We have about 1,000 families, with three to six members in each household.  If you are able, please send your help in this time of crisis. Our Lord will bless you abundantly according to His riches in glory.

+ Job prayed for his friends and the Lord restored all of his losses.
+ Joseph's faith the one true God of his fathers, his prayer and his faithful life saved Egypt from famine, and himself from his own brothers who had meant only evil toward him.
+ The prayers and fasting of Esther and her maids provided great deliverance for her people during their own own time of intense crisis.
+ Peter was delivered from the prison by the constant prayers of the church.
+ We know also about the powerful answered prayers of Elijah.
Our Lord will not turn His back on our prayers. Continue praying without ceasing.

Please remember the words of the Apostle James: “If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,’ and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that?”  (James 2:15-16)

Pray for me and my family too. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

With love and prayers
Yours in His service,
Pastor Peter Haneef, President,
The Assembly of Loving God

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Prayer in a time of virus

by Pastor Paul, Director, Bibles for Mideast

It is the time for prayer. Our Lord seeks His children who really love Him and produce the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Let us pray as the Israelites prayed during the re-dedication of the temple:
“Those of Israelite descent had separated themselves from all foreigners. They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the sins of their ancestors.” (Neh. 9:2)

Jesus our mighty Lord, we come before You. We love You Lord with our whole hearts and we confess our sins and iniquities before You. Separate us from all evils and from what is unholy. We are unable to separate by ourselves; but we can by Your grace. We are not worthy to cast out any diseases or viruses such as COVID-19,, but by Your grace, we can. 

"You who are the hope of Israel, its Savior in times of distress, why are you like a stranger in the land, like a traveler who stays only a night?  Why are you like a man taken by surprise, like a warrior powerless to save? You are among us, Lord, and we bear your name; do not forsake us!" (Jer. 14:8-9) 

Lord Jesus, You have overcome sin and death through your crucifixion and death on the cross of Calvary and You redeemed us from sin and death. You have given us a great hope of rising from the dead through Your resurrection. Your precious Blood shed on the cross washed us and purified us. You are with us though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death and we fear no evil. Your rod and staff comfort us always.

Lord our mighty Savior, You are Most High and Most Holy. We are not worthy to abide under Your shadow. But Your love towards us made us worthy by Your grace. You alone are our refuge and fortress. In Your name, Lord Jesus in Your mighty name, we cast out this COVID-19 attacking us and our fellow brethren around the globe.

In the name of Jesus Christ we shall not be afraid of the terror by night; nor of the arrow that flies by day; nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness; nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. In the name of Jesus no coronavirus will affect us or our fellow brethren. For Lord Jesus is our Lord and Savior. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. He redeemed us by His own Blood. We have assurance in the name of Jesus Christ that He will never allow a coronavirus or any other evil to attack our body, spirit, soul, family, business and dear ones for the glory and honor of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

With love, prayers and Shalom
In Jesus' mighty name
Pastor Paul (Director)
Bibles for Mideast

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“By Your stripes we are healed.  For You were wounded for our transgressions.  You were bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement for our peace was upon You.” — from Isaiah 53:5

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”— 2 Timothy 1:7

“All shall be well, all shall be well … all manner of things shall be well.”
— Julian of Norwich (who actually lived through the time of the Black Death in England)