HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CHRISTINE!!!

Today, March 11th, is Christine Yang's birthday!!! Yesterday afternoon, some of us who didn't have class brought cake and beverages for Christine and her students. You should have seen her face, ha!ha! GOD BLESS, Christine! You are such a blessing to all who know you!!!

"Understanding Afghanistan"

Thursday, March 9th, (7-9pm) we had a few guest speakers who are undercover missionaries in Afghanistan talk about Afghanistan, the needs of the people and how we can be involved. Due to security reasons, I am not able to write their names or post any of the photos taken.
A few interesting facts about Afghanistan:
-Population of about 30,000,000
-About 50% of the population is below the age of 15
-The average family has 7 children
-Until 4 years ago, Afghanistan experienced 23 years of war
Spiritual Facts:
-Until the short lived church that existed in Kabul about 35 years ago, Afghanistan had a 1,000 year history of not having one church within its borders.
-Afghanistan is a very dark place spiritually.
-Converts to Christianity are often killed.
35 years ago, revival broke out among the foreigners living there and they asked the king to build a church for the international community. They were permitted to do so but after a while local people started turning to Christ and so the king ordered the church to be bulldozed down. One man warned the king, "If you destroy this church, God will destroy your government." One year later, that government was taken over and the king and most of those in the government were killed by the king's cousin. Since then, the country has gone from bad to worse. Most of the intellectuals fled their country. Now less than 50% of the men can read and write while only 15% of the women can. The average income is $80/month to feed their entire family. On a positive note, since the Taliban were SO militant and the people were oppressed SO much, they are probably more open to the gospel now than EVER BEFORE!
Little can be said about the mission teams there but they must be there under different work as they cannot say they are missionaries.
Afghans are very "relational people" and hospitality is known as the highest virtue. Even if one steals, cheats and lies, if he invites many over for tea and dinner, he is a "good man".
There are a higher number of Afghan Christians in the capital, Kabul, but the numbers are hard to say. One of the major problems with the local church there is that no one trusts anyone else because changing your faith means death in such Islamic countries. This lack of meeting together with other believers is the biggest obstacle for the church in Afghanistan. There is a report that 150 Afghan Christians went to praise and worship Jesus last Christmas in a hotel in the capital which is very bold seeing how it could cost your life. To even declare belief that Jesus is the son of God is blasphemous and punishable by death. (and some would have you believe Islam is "a religion of peace"!....whatever!) Bible distribution is also a problem there as the government certainly doesn't want that to get around!
PLEASE pray (if you are a Christian) that God would do a mighty work in Afghanistan and turn the people to Christ. Pray that those who are secretly working there would be strengthened, encouraged and protected by God's Holy Spirit and his ministering angels.
"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the LORD shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!" (Romans 10:13-15)

The Doctrine of God - God the Father

"After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed by thy name..." (Matthew 6:9)
The Father is the first person of the Trinity. With only one exception (John 17:3), Jesus always spoke of God as the Father. The Scriptures identify the fatherhood of God in five areas: He is the Father of Creation (James 1:17), the Father of Israel (Jer. 31:9), the unique Father of Jesus Christ (John 3:17), a protective Father emphasizing His defense of the poor and oppressed (Ps. 68:5), and a redemptive Father when we become the children of God (John 1:13, Rom. 8:15).
Illustration: Just as physical fathers provide many benefits, so our heavenly Father also provides a number of spiritual benefits. Christians may have fellowship with (1 John 1:3), access to (Matt. 6:9,32), guidance by (Ps. 119:9, 2 Tim. 3:17), protection by (John 10:29), and an inheritance from (Rom. 8:17) the Father.
Application: Just because God is the Father of all, because He is the Father of Creation, does not mean that everyone will go to heaven. A person must be born of God (John 1:13) to become a son of God (John 1:12). Then God becomes a redemptive Father.