80-year-old meets Jesus
Jason and Nisae Williamson are planting a church among the Iski people group in Papua New Guinea. Anka, an elderly man, was sent to their village so that he could hear the good news, as the believers in his family were concerned about his age and declining health. Anka is at least 80 with a palpable fear of death. Local religious leaders said he had to earn his way to heaven, and he needed to worship and appease the spirits. The Williamsons prayed that Anka would receive Jesus before he died. After four months of morning Bible study, Anka was overflowing with joy: ‘Now I know that Jesus paid for my sins and I’m a child of God. I do not fear death any more, I will die and be with God!’ He had been born again and was filled with the Spirit.
I kill in the name of religion, you love in the name of Jesus
Paul, a convert from Islam, now works distributing food to newly-arriving Syrian refugee families. Recently, he gave out the last food package he had for the entire month. The lady next in line started crying when she realised there was none left for her family. She told Paul that she and her children were desperate. Paul said they were out of food packages, but offered to pray for her. He also told her how he came to Jesus. As they finished praying, Paul’s phone rang with the unexpected news that another 35 food portions were available. The mother, full of wonder and gratefulness, praised God for how Jesus had answered their prayer. A few weeks later, her husband (who had been fighting with IS) came to meet Paul. He said, ‘I heard what you had done for my family. I thought about how I was in Syria killing people in the name of religion, but you love in the name of Jesus. I left the other fighters to come and meet the man who loved my family, and to learn about Jesus from you.’
Friday Focus: joyful invitation
When Jesus sends out the 72 he tells them the truth that as they go to invite people to hear about the kingdom of God, they will be either welcomed or rejected: if the latter, they are to wipe the dust from their feet. Do we miss the joy of inviting people to take a closer look at Jesus because we fear rejection?
(Michael Harvey, National Weekend of Invitation)
Sex scandals in parliament and Oxfam
Following the sex scandal surrounding Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein, several senior government ministers have now been accused of inappropriate sexual behaviour in a dossier circulating Westminster. Then on 2 November the media reported that defence secretary Sir Michael Fallon had resigned over accusations of inappropriate behaviour. A spokesman for the Prime Minister said that any unwanted sexual behaviour is ‘completely unacceptable in any walk of life’. Meanwhile, it was revealed that Oxfam had dismissed 22 employees over sexual abuse allegations in the past year. Concern is rising about Oxfam’s management of overseas networks. Pray that all that is hidden in commerce, industry and the armed forces is revealed, and that all women are dealt with as professionals and as equals. See:
