A Good Foundation

Today's Scripture: Proverbs 9

Proverbs 9 (KJV)

1 Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars:

2 She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table.

3 She hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the highest places of the city,

4 Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,

5 Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled.

6 Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.

7 He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot.

8 Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.

9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.

10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

11 For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased.

12 If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself: but if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it.

13 A foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, and knoweth nothing.

14 For she sitteth at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city,

15 To call passengers who go right on their ways:

16 Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: and as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,

17 Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.

18 But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell.

Scripture Meaning

The invitations of Wisdom. (1-12) The invitations of folly. (13-18)

Verses 1-12: Christ has prepared ordinances to which his people are admitted, and by which nourishment is given here to those that believe in him, as well as mansions in heaven hereafter. The ministers of the gospel go forth to invite the guests. The call is general, and shuts out none that do not shut out themselves.

Our Saviour came, not to call the righteous, but sinners; not the wise in their own eyes, who say they see. We must keep from the company and foolish pleasures of the ungodly, or we never can enjoy the pleasures of a holy life. It is vain to seek the company of wicked men in the hope of doing them good; we are far more likely to be corrupted by them. It is not enough to forsake the foolish, we must join those that walk in wisdom.
There is no true wisdom but in the way of religion, no true life but in the end of that way. Here is the happiness of those that embrace it. A man cannot be profitable to God; it is for our own good. Observe the shame and ruin of those who slight it. God is not the Author of sin: and Satan can only tempt, he cannot force. Thou shalt bear the loss of that which thou scornest: it will add to thy condemnation.

Verses 13-18: How diligent the tempter is, to seduce unwary souls into sin! Carnal, sensual pleasure, stupifies conscience, and puts out the sparks of conviction. This tempter has no solid reason to offer; and where she gets dominion in a soul, all knowledge of holy things is lost and forgotten. She is very violent and pressing.
We need to seek and pray for true wisdom, for Satan has many ways to withdraw our souls from Christ. Not only worldly lusts and abandoned seducers prove fatal to the souls of men; but false teachers, with doctrines that flatter pride and give liberty to lusts, destroy thousands. They especially draw off such as have received only partial serious impressions.

The depths of Satan are depths of hell; and sin, without remorse, is ruin, ruin without remedy. Solomon shows the hook; those that believe him, will not meddle with the bait. Behold the wretched, empty, unsatisfying, deceitful, and stolen pleasure sin proposes; and may our souls be so desirous of the everlasting enjoyment of Christ, that on earth we may live to him, daily, by faith, and ere long be with him in glory.

Scripture Application

Each day we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter making an application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Many applications can be made from each day's text. Today we continue with the Book of Proverbs with Chapter 9. In our text today we see how Wisdom is its own reward as it a foundation on which we build.

Our text points out that that the fear, or reverence, of the Lord is beginning of wisdom and the foundation to which we build our lives. In making application we see that putting God first is bases on which we build all things in our lives. From Spiritual, to Relational, to Financial, etc. it is this foundation of putting God first that will allow us to stand no matter what life throws at us.
How about you? Do you put God first? Let us learn from our text today to remember to put God first, to fear Him, as He is the Foundation to which we build a successful, happy, fulfilling Christian life.

Simple Ways to Walk in God’s Perfect Will

Bible Verse of the Day: James 3:17 (KJV)

17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

Prayer Requests

Today's Prayer Requests

Eunice | I am praying for somewhere affordable to live. A landlord to say yes. Small house would be idea of course. But Basically a 2 bedroom no pest problems, central air/heat. Great no more homelessness. Also pray my son hears and obeys God's directions. Pray for son's salvation employment housing and healing of His mind emotions and wallet. Thank you

Nkatazo Phiri  |Dear Lord we accept that we are living and are still people of the world.This is a mixture of good and bad peolple and its difficult to be 100% pure.Help us pass this situation by giving us knowlegde and power for us to   preach your word to the point that everyone understnd it.

Walter sagwe | We are heading to election in kenya,and am kindly requesting for your prayers to have peaceful election on 08/08/2017

ROBERT HINO |  I PRAY FOR THE JEWS THAT THEY WOULD COME TO KNOW OUR LORD JESUS AND BE SAVED...THEY ARE SPECIAL PEOPLE TO GOD

Nepal | Respected Dr. Burnette, Greetings from Nepal. On behalf of the precious of time, when our living God has given to me and an opportunity time to contact with you. We thanks to be Holy God. He is blessing to all of your mission team partner from my country Nepal. He will provide for your Mission project. He always be with you. Once again, i would like to request you about the ministry in Nepal. As even though, With God, i will do great thing and for His Holy Name. Thank you so much. yours brother in Christ, Som Bahadur Lama, NEPAL

Tami  | Please pray for me to have a better relationship with god lord please step into my marriage and my life lord please help me to find a jo

Reading Through the Bible in a Year

Reasons to read Through the Bible

1. To know God More

Reading through the Bible will give you a more complete understanding of who God is as revealed in His Word. Selective reading may lead to a narrow and unbalanced understanding of God.

2. It Strengthens Our Faith

Reading through the Word will help us strengthens our faith in Him. Daniel 11: 32b states "but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action," Thus our faith is developed when we understand the whole counsel of God

3. It Enables Us to Pray Better

Reading through the Word will help us understand the will of God and thus enable s us to pray more effectively. Reading through the Word will also provide content or substance that is Biblical to aid us in prayer, Furthermore, reading through the Word will enable us to pray longer and in deeper manner.

4. It Builds Our Spirit-Man

The Word of God is food for our Spirit-Man. Jesus says,"man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God"(Matt 4:4).Feeding on the Word (spiritual food) before prayer (spiritual exercise) will enable us to be strong spiritually as we face the challenges and storms of life.

5. The Reading Plan

The reading plan we have adopted is based on the chronological order of the Bible. It will allow Scripture to interpret Scripture and help us understand the context in which a particular passage is written. 

An example is the Book of Psalms of which 76 of the 150 Psalms were written by King David in different phases of his life.

Another example is the New Testament epistles which were written by Apostle Paul to the Churches he planted as recorded in the Book of Acts.

For those who want to complete reading of the Bible 3 times in a year, they can do so by doing 3 days reading in one day.

6. How to Keep Motivated

Consider forming a small group (such as WhatsApp Group) to be accountable and to motivate each other. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit (who is the final "author" of the Bible) to open your eyes and minds to understand what you are reading. 

Cred: NECF Malaysia

                                                     
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Hope in God

The Valley of Dry Bones

Ezekiel 37:1-14 English Standard Version (ESV)

1 The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley;[a] it was full of bones. 

2 And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. 

3 And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.”

4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 

5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath[b] to enter you, and you shall live. 

6 And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.”

7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling,[c] and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 

8 And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them. 

9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.”

10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.

11 Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’ 

12 Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. 

13 And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. 

14 And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord.”

Footnotes:

Ezekiel 37:1 Or plain; also verse 2

Ezekiel 37:5 Or spirit; also verses 6, 9, 10

Ezekiel 37:7 Or an earthquake (compare 3:12, 13)

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"I Hate Sex!"

There’s hope for your life between the sheets. 

“I hate sex,” Shelly told me. “It makes me angry to hear you even suggest that I’m supposed to be enjoying it. I’ve been married 23 years and have never enjoyed it. Frankly, I do it because I’m supposed to.”

I hear from women like Shelly quite often. They feel ripped off like they’ve been cheated out of something they’re supposed to enjoy. The message that sex is a gift from God almost sounds insulting. Instead, they view sex as the gift they must continually, and begrudgingly, give to their husband.

To some degree, many years of my marriage could be described by that same sentiment. I didn’t hate sex, but I certainly dreaded it. I resented the fact that my husband’s pleasure had to come at the expense of my pain. But as a woman who longed to be a godly wife, I determined before the Lord that I would meet my husband’s needs. While God was probably pleased with that attitude, it certainly didn’t represent the true healing he wanted to do in my heart and in my marriage.

On this journey, God has taught me and is still teaching me!-what true sexual intimacy can be. Every woman’s story is different, so I’m not offering a simplistic formula that will guarantee a miracle in your bedroom. But I do believe God is able to bring healing into every woman’s heart.

Address the Obstacles

It’s important to start out by addressing some common barriers that prevent women from enjoying sex. While some men want to have sex every three hours and others may want to do so once a week, almost universally men find sex pleasurable. This is not true for most women. Female sexuality is far more complicated, and obstacles to sexual pleasure typically fall into three categories: physical, relational, and emotional.

Physical

Sexual response is complicated. It involves many functions of the body, including the endocrine, circulatory, skeletal, muscular, and reproductive systems. That means a lot can go wrong. For example, an underactive thyroid can destroy sexual desire and response. An imbalance of hormones will do the same. Medications like antidepressants and even decongestants can impact sexual function.

Physical obstacles to sexual pleasure may also be difficult to diagnose, partly because physical pain can have a psychological root. Women who experience vaginismus (pain during intercourse) have a learned fear response to intercourse, causing the vaginal muscles to tighten. Even your OBGYN may not be able to explain why sex always hurts or why it started hurting after you had your second baby.

I recommend going beyond a simple doctor’s visit. Search for the right doctor, midwife, physician’s assistant, or nurse practitioner who understands sexual functions and disorders. Search until you get answers-you never know what you may find. After years of sexual pain, one woman I know discovered that her acne cream interfered with her sexual response.

Relational

You can have a great marriage and still have a rotten sex life, but the quality of your marriage is still the foundation for sexual intimacy. Ask yourself a few important questions to determine the current health of your marriage: Do you trust your spouse in the bedroom? Is he sensitive to your needs? Do you communicate with each other about sex? Are there secrets, bitterness, or unresolved tensions between you?

Sara hated sex. Over the 11 years of their marriage, it was a demand her husband, Jake, made several times a week. He never asked if she would like to have sex-he assumed it was his God-given right as a married man. Sex made Sara feel like an object. She wondered if Jake even cared that it was her body he was being intimate with.

Joyce and Ben had different barriers. For one, during their 19 years of marriage, Ben had dabbled off and on with porn. Second, Ben confessed to a one-night stand on a business trip, but the repercussions were never dealt with. Instead, the matter was quickly swept under the rug as if it never happened. This left Joyce feeling like a part of her heart was dead. She consented to share her body with Ben but kept her heart closed to intimacy.

Sexuality represents some of our greatest vulnerabilities. In the daily routine of marriage, we often don’t stop to consider how we’ve been wounded in marriage, or why we don’t trust the man who sleeps beside us every night. But until these issues are surfaced and addressed, physical pleasure and freedom are unlikely to be a reality.

Emotional

This topic would be hard to adequately cover in a book, let alone part of an article! Of all the barriers to sexual enjoyment, I believe the most common are emotional-and emotions run deep.

Some women have a history of pain that has paired sex with extremely negative and painful emotions. For them, sex equals shame. It equals guilt. It’s shrouded in sin. It’s made them feel exploited. For women with emotional barriers like these, the issues don’t disappear on their wedding day. Putting on a ring and saying vows in a church doesn’t erase those messages.

The emotional trauma connected to sexual brokenness is often so deep that you may not even be aware of it. In fact, many women don’t remember the details of childhood sexual abuse until they reach adulthood. They simply carry a vague sense that “something isn’t right.”

Other women have no history of sexual trauma or guilt from past mistakes, but they still can’t seem to enjoy sex. I’ve met women who saved themselves for marriage, dreaming of the ecstasy that sex promises. But no matter how hard they try, they simply don’t feel free to enjoy sex. The idea of trying something new brings panic and waves of disgust.

Expose the Lies

Healing from physical, relational, and emotional barriers takes work and effort, starting with a commitment to identify and address those barriers. But part of working through these barriers is breaking down a few commonly held lies. These are the lies that keep women from pursing healing. They’re the lies that make women assume, “This is as good as it’s going to get.” If you’re tired of disappointment in the bedroom, your journey toward healing may mean overcoming these lies.

• Lie #1: God created sex primarily for a man’s pleasure. Because women believe this lie, they build sexual intimacy around a man’s needs, having sex when and how he wants it. After years or decades of marriage, you may never have considered that your needs matter too! It is worth exploring how sex can be satisfying for you. It is worth pursuing counseling to work through the pain of the past. Don’t settle!

• Lie #2: It’s not right for a godly woman to be sexual. No one says this lie out loud, but a lot of women live by it. Sexual excitement is automatically linked with sexual immorality. Other women “punish” themselves for past sexual mistakes by not enjoying the sexual aspect of their marriage.

They’ve bought the lie that to be sexual means to be sinful.

Take a Step Toward Healing

Because sex is such a private area of struggle, many women don’t know where to go for help. They simply settle for frustration in this area of life. We live in a day and age when help is readily available for all kinds of issues-even sexual ones. Yet, reaching out to a counselor or even buying a book on the topic is frightening. If there’s sexual trauma in your past, or events in your life marred by shame, the thought of talking through this pain may seem unbearable.

Would you be willing to take one small step? That might be calling a counselor, simply praying with your husband about your sex life, or studying Scripture. Linda Dillow and I wrote a Bible study called Passion Pursuit to help women identify the lies they believe, and to embrace God’s truth about sexuality. Through this study, we’ve seen women set free. Women have started enjoying sex even after decades of miserable sex lives.

As obvious as it sounds, nothing in your life will change if you change nothing in your life. Just like your kitchen won’t magically clean itself, your sexual struggles and wounds won’t simply disappear one day. So go ahead: address the lies. Break down the obstacles. No one can promise you that your sex drive will go from zero to 60 in 90 days. We live in a fallen world filled with disappointment and brokenness. But God is in the business of healing and redeeming our pain. Don’t give up hope.






By Dr. Juli Slattery

Seeing Clearly

Today's Scripture: Proverbs 8

Proverbs 8 (KJV)

1 Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?

2 She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths.

3 She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.

4 Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.

5 O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.

6 Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.

7 For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.

9 They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.

10 Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.

11 For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.

12 I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.

13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.

15 By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.

16 By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.

17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.

18 Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.

19 My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.

20 I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment:

21 That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.

22 The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.

23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.

24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.

25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:

26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.

27 When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:

28 When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:

29 When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:

30 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;

31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.

32 Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.

33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.

34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.

35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord.

36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.

Scripture Meaning

Christ, as Wisdom, calls to the sons of men. (1-11) The nature and riches of Wisdom. (12-21) Christ one with the Father, in the creation of the world, and rejoicing in his work for the salvation of man. (22-31) Exhortations to hear Christ's word. (32-36)

Verses 1-11: The will of God is made known by the works of creation, and by the consciences of men, but more clearly by Moses and the prophets. The chief difficulty is to get men to attend to instruction. Yet attention to the words of Christ, will guide the most ignorant into saving knowledge of the truth. Where there is an understanding heart, and willingness to receive the truth in love, wisdom is valued above silver and gold.

Verses 12-21: Wisdom, here is Christ, in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; it is Christ in the word, and Christ in the heart; not only Christ revealed to us, but Christ revealed in us. All prudence and skill are from the Lord. Through the redemption of Christ's precious blood, the riches of his grace abound in all wisdom and prudence.

Man found out many inventions for ruin; God found one for our recovery. He hates pride and arrogance, evil ways and froward conversation; these render men unwilling to hear his humbling, awakening, holy instructions. True religion gives men the best counsel in all difficult cases, and helps to make their way plain. His wisdom makes all truly happy who receive it in the love of Christ Jesus. Seek him early, seek him earnestly, seek him before any thing else. Christ never said, Seek in vain. Those who love Christ, are such as have seen his loveliness, and have had his love shed abroad in their hearts; therefore they are happy.

They shall be happy in this world, or in that which is beyond compare better. Wealth gotten by vanity will soon be diminished, but that which is well got, will wear well; and that which is well spent upon works of piety and charity, will be lasting. If they have not riches and honour in this world, they shall have that which is infinitely better. They shall be happy in the grace of God. Christ, by his Spirit, guides believers into all truth, and so leads them in the way of righteousness; and they walk after the Spirit. Also, they shall be happy in the glory of God hereafter. In Wisdom's promises, believers have goods laid up, not for days and years, but for eternity; her fruit therefore is better than gold.

Verses 22-31: The Son of God declares himself to have been engaged in the creation of the world. How able, how fit is the Son of God to be the Saviour of the world, who was the Creator of it! The Son of God was ordained, before the world, to that great work. Does he delight in saving wretched sinners, and shall not we delight in his salvation?

Verses 32-36: Surely we should hearken to Christ's voice with the readiness of children. Let us all be wise, and not refuse such mercy. Blessed are those who hear the Saviour's voice, and wait on him with daily reading, meditation, and prayer. The children of the world find time for vain amusements, without neglecting what they deem the one thing needful.

Does it not show contempt of Wisdom's instructions, when people professing godliness, seek excuses for neglecting the means of grace? Christ is Wisdom, and he is Life to all believers; nor can we obtain God's favour, unless we find Christ, and are found in him. Those who offend Christ deceive themselves; sin is a wrong to the soul. Sinners die because they will die, which justifies God when he judges.

 Scripture Application

Each day we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter making an application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Many applications can be made from each day's text. Today we continue with the Book of Proverbs with Chapter 8. In our text today we see the good advice that comes from wisdom. The more we respect and fear the Lord - the more we will despise and hate evil.

In making application we see the key to living a Godly life is to cling to the Lord. Today many want to walk the fence seeing how close they can live to sin. What they realize is the closer we get to sin the more we loose our focus and our tolerance for sin. We must cling to God to keep our focus and vision clear. How about you? Do you live close to sin or cling to God staying far from sin. Let us learn from our text today to remember the good advice that wisdom brings by clinging to God to keep our vision and focus clear.

What is God's will for my life?

Bible Verse of the Day: John 3:16 (KJV)

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Prayer Requests

Today's Prayer Requests

martha | please pray for my peace of mind

VERA BANKSTON-JONES | FATHER GOD, THANK YOU FOR YOUR FORGIVENESS AND GRACE! GUIDE MY STEPS AND FUTURE ENDEAVORS!........SELAH

Angelia Bloodsworth | To help with my addition. Smoking

vijay aggarwal | Plz pray for money in abundance for a comfortable life

Calling Worship ‘Unlawful Assembly,’ Police in Uttar Pradesh, India, Arrest Six Christians

Officers verbally, physically harass congregation

HYDERABAD, India (Morning Star News) - Berating and slapping a pastor for reading the Bible instead of Hindu texts, police in Uttar Pradesh state, India last month detained six Christians under “unlawful assembly” laws for worshiping together, sources said.

After traveling from Etah village to a church in nearby Pujaripurvah, the six Christians were detained for nine days before they were granted bail by Bahriach District’s Second Class Judicial Magistrate Court on July 5.

Police on June 25 arrived at the worship service in Pujaripurvah village and confiscated Bibles, hymn books and devotionals. Station House Officer (SHO) Aravind Kumar of Nanpara demanded that Pastor Asha Ram Sahni hand over literature he suspected was used to convert people, the church leader said.

When Pastor Sahni showed him copies of the New Testament and gospel tracts, Kumar said, “Not this ‘thing,’ give us the material with which you do conversions.”
Kumar further badgered him, saying, “You are paid eight to 10 lakhs [US$12,420 to US$15,520] for converting people,” the pastor said.

“I told the officer, ‘Sir, if I’m paid such hefty amounts, why would I live in a mud house? I follow Jesus Christ with all my heart, I serve Christ, I share the gospel, but I never forcefully converted anyone. I don’t have any other books,’” he said.

The prior Sunday, relatives of village President Raj Kumar took photographs of Bibles and gospel tracts and complained to police about the church, Pastor Sahni told Morning Star News. The police harassment began the following Sunday, with SHO Kumar eventually ordering him to write down the names of everyone who attended worship, he said. On June 27, the officer ordered the 38-year-old pastor and five others to the police station, where they were taken into custody.

Police charged the six Christians with knowingly joining or continuing in any assembly of five or more persons after being commanded to disperse (Section 151 of the Indian Penal Code).
While in custody, SHO Kumar asked Pastor Sahni what his favorite part of the Bible was, the pastor said. He answered Matt. 7:7-11, which he read to him, explaining that a child asking for a fish is not given a snake, and how much more the Father in heaven cares for His children.
“He started slapping me and asked, ‘Why do you read only Naya Niyam [the New Testament]? Why not Ram Charit Manas and Mahabharat? There are many holy books, why did you not read them?’” Pastor Sahni said. “He slapped me again.”
Ram Charit Manas is a 16th century Hindu devotional classic, and Mahabharat is an ancient Sanskrit epic tale.

One of the Christians arrested, identified only as 35-year-old Gurudeen, said that SHO Kumar accused him of forcible conversion in the majority-Hindu country where eating beef is outlawed in many states, telling him, “You instigate people and convert them to Christianity, and you consume beef too. You will spend your life in jail.”

“I don’t do any such thing. I only believe in Jesus Christ. Christ has done many wondrous things in my life. Sir, I did not do anything that I have to be jailed,” Gurudeen told him. He told Morning Star News, “He kept tormenting, saying ‘I will bring your wife and put her to shame.’”
For four days during Gurudeen’s incarceration, the inspector sent male and female police officers to his house to harass his wife, he said.

Also jailed was Lal Bihari Verma 35; Ram Naresh 35; Gobrey Nishad, 45; and Chote Lal, 45.
Nanpara Police SHO Kumar avoided Morning Star News questioning about accusations that he harassed the Christians at a legal assembly and slapped the pastor.
“We arrested them based on the complaint received from the villagers, and lodged an FIR [First Information Report] charging them under Indian Penal Code section 151,” he said. “It’s about dispersing illegal assemblies.”

Asked if he had any evidence against the Christians and could prove the charges in court, Kumar said, “They vandalized an idol of a Hindu goddess. I received a video of it.”
Attorney Pankaj Pathak, who represented the Christians in court, said there was no truth to the accusations.

“The court, after examining the statements given by the witnesses of the village, who clarified that there was no truth in the accusations, decided to grant the bail to all of the six accused,” Pathak said. “The police did not mention about any video before the court. The Christians were framed on false charges.”

One of the accused Christians, who requested anonymity, said they have been falsely accused.
“The SHO himself had cooked up this tale of vandalizing idols,” he said. “We never committed any such act. We only gather and pray as church or families at our own houses peacefully, and they labelled it as ‘unlawful.’”

Verma, one of those detained, told Morning Star News that opposition to the growth of Christianity has been growing in his native Etah village the past three months.

“The villagers respected my belief and even requested us to pray for their illnesses and problems since I accepted Christ as my personal Savior three years ago,” Verma said. “There have been divisional politics and conspiracies cooking in the village for three months as the Christians are growing in numbers. The same people who earlier told us we can assemble and pray as church are now opposing us.”

In May and June, traditionally regarded as wedding season in rural Bihar and Uttar Pradesh states, Christians who abstain from the accompanying alcohol and rituals that involve idol worship face severe opposition from villagers.

While police were harassing the Christians in Pujaripurvah on June 25, police arrived at their native village of Etah of Nanpara Mandal, Bahriach District, and harassed their families worshipping at a house there, sources said.

Gurudeen was worshipping with the women in Etah when police arrived with former village head Ram Kumar Verma, he said.
“Police snatched away the Bible in my hands, and Ram Kumar Verma started using foul language against me, my wife and children,” he said. “He was crossing the limits. The police did not stop him.”
Police warned the Christians not to assemble for worship in the village and told the women to send their husbands to the police station.

Demanding Money

While in custody at the Nanpara Police Station, SHO Kumar demanded security deposits of 1,900 rupees from Nishad (US$30) and 2,900 rupees (US$45) from Lal Bihari Verma, sources said.
“He did not issue any receipt for the sum collected,” said Luvkush Verma, Lal Bihari Verma’s nephew. “I approached him several times in vain, but he did not return the amounts.”
The SHO also took 4,000 rupees (US$62) from Sri Ramathrey, a relative of Pastor Sahni, saying, “Christian worship is crime. If you pay the amount, there won’t be charges against you,” the pastor told Morning Star News.

Lallan Prasad, a relative of Gurudeen, said Kumar is threatening to re-arrest the Christians on charges of destroying, damaging and defiling a place of worship or sacred object with intent to insult the religion of any class of persons (Section 295), punishable by two years in prison, a fine or both. Kumar is also threatening to re-arrest them on charges of circulating false statements with intent to cause mutiny or offense against the public peace (Section 505), punishable by imprisonment of three years, a fine or both, he said.

“If they don’t pay him 5,000 rupees [US$77] each, he said there would be charges against them again,” Prasad told Morning Star News. “I told the officer my relatives are poor people, they have nothing; he is working very hard to bring up his children, please don’t frame him up.”

On Thursday (July 20), Kumar called Lal Bihari Verma and issued a threat, saying, “Whatever happened was just a trailer, and the picture [movie] is still remaining [to come],” Verma said.
Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi took power in May 2014, the hostile tone of his National Democratic Alliance government, led by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), against non-Hindus has emboldened Hindu extremists in several parts of the country to attack Christians, religious rights advocates say.

India ranked 15th on Christian support organization Open Doors’ 2017 World Watch List of the countries where Christians experience the most persecution.





cred: The Morning Star News