Happy Thanksgiving - Here I am, Lord to say "Thank you so much for all you have done for me!"

Where are the other nine? Jesus asked. Luke 17:17

In the U.S. Thanksgiving originated from the U.S. coming out of the bloody civil war. They could enjoy life together between North and South, West and East. This victory came from the leadership such as Abraham Lincoln putting trust in the Lord.

For this victory we the Americans can travel with ease 50 states as our homeland without having to present passports.

On this Thanksgiving Day I am thankful for the freedom Jesus purchased, freedom from the power of sin and death.

I remember the times of my life as a leper a sinful man. But Jesus set me free through his blood sacrifice.

Jesus said, "Where are the other nine?" To this I say, "Here I am Lord! Thank you so much for all you have done for me."

This year I also thank the Lord for granting a sixth grand-daughter to our family. May this daughter grow live a life praising the Lord all the days of her life.

Thank you Lord again! I know you have so many children! And Have a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Isaac and Rebekah Downey California

Digesting Psalms in 5 minutes

The Beauty of the Lord

Psalm 1:1-150:6

Key Verse 27:4

“One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.”

Welcome to the study of the book of Psalms. Many describe the book of Psalms as a song book, a collection of Jewish poetry, the soul's cry for help, a diary of human struggles, or the anatomy of the human soul. Of these listed, the observation that states that the Psalms represents the anatomy of the human soul is particularly appealing. If the book of Psalms is a song book, the song is the song of the soul. If it is poetry, it is the soul that expresses its voice in poetic form. The one who cries out for help is the soul thirsting after its Creator. And it is the soul which struggles to do the will of the one who sent it.

Therefore, as we study the book of Psalms we can better understand the inner workings of the human soul. So we come to the book of Psalms with the expectation to learn how the human soul operates. The correct understanding of the way in which the human soul fares is very important because unlike the needs of human body (such as food for the stomach), the needs of a soul go largely unnoticed and unappreciated; as they go unattended, many end up crying out, not knowing why. Yet, it is the soul which constitutes the essence of a man. Man's body is merely a vessel, a housing for the soul. If a man is happy it is first the soul that is happy. If a man is downcast, it is first the soul inside that feels downcast. One of the psalmists cries out, repeatedly, "Why are you downcast, O my soul?" (42:5,11; 43:5). Furthermore, when one is saved, it is first the soul that is saved. Our body will perish, but the man in his soul survives the physical death (Job 14:10,14; John 5:25-28; 14:43). Speaking of the same truth our Lord Jesus says, "What good is it for a man to gain the whole world and yet forfeit his soul?" (Mark 8:36). So it is imperative for us to secure a good understanding of the affairs of the human soul.  

In the book of Psalms then the Lord has provided us with good resources to help us secure a better understanding of human souls - what it desires, why it suffers, how it should be nurtured, and, most importantly, what the Lord has provided for its well-being. In Psalm 27, I believe the Lord has neatly put together through King David all that are essential to the well-being of our souls in the Lord. Now let us read this chapter.

  

Part I. The Lord is my light, my salvation, and my stronghold.

Look at verse 1. "The LORD is my light and my salvation--whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life--of whom shall I be afraid?" In this passage the psalter says that the Lord is his light, his salvation and his stronghold. This characterization shows us that the Lord himself is the source of all one needs for the well-being of his soul. The three categories represent the steps of the Lord's provision for the human soul, that is, the light that leads man to salvation and the salvation prompting the need for its care (that is, nurturing and preserving), which results in the soul growing strong.  

The author's declaration of the Lord sheds light on the characteristics of the human soul. By declaring that the Lord is his light, the author admits that there is no light within him. By the same token, by confessing that the Lord is his salvation he recognizes the reality that there is no salvation in him. He admits that he used to be lost. And it is only thanks to the Lord that he is saved, and remains saved.

Practically, then, how is one saved? What is it like to be saved? The answers to these questions rest in the Lord. Since the Lord is the light of man, in order for one to have the light that enlightens man to know the way of salvation, what one must secure is "the Lord" himself. When one does not know the Lord and have him, one does not have the light. Then, no matter how intelligent or learned a man might be, he is still in darkness.

In the same way, since the Lord is our salvation, when we do not have the Lord, we do NOT have salvation. Salvation comes and goes as the Lord comes and goes. As the sun rises and shines on us, all living beings thrive. When the sun is removed no life can grow. Without the sun it is impossible for any living creature to sustain life. So is the case with the Lord and our salvation.

What then is it like to be saved? It is like the one who "knows" the Lord and secures a meaningful relationship with him. The Apostle John expressed the same concept when he said in 1 John 5:12, "He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life." For this purpose, and at the outset of his gospel, he says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." Notice the word "gave". Why did God give the Son? Or "What should we do with what God has given?" The answer is this: we must "receive" him, so that we must literally "own" him. Well, the Lord is greater than the entire universe and everything in it. I am merely a speck of dust. How can I, a mere speck of dust, own the Lord? How can what is partial take possession of what is whole? Am I greater than the Lord? Well, God is spirit. He made us to be spiritual. And the spirit is not limited to space and time. The Lord designed us in such a way that we can come to the Lord and establish unity with him. In John 14:20, Jesus explained the same concept when he said, "On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you."  

How can we maintain the status quo as the saved? We find the answer in what King David says of the Lord: “The Lord is my stronghold!” By confessing that the Lord is his stronghold, the psalmist testifies to the world that he is a weak person. He knows full well that the world is filled with strong enemies that war against him. And he knows that he is no match for these enemies. He is a “weak-hold,” so to speak, as compared with the Lord who is his "stronghold".

A "stronghold" reminds us of a bunker that is built securely and houses soldiers inside to protect them from on-coming assaults, such as air-raids. The protective cover made of cement or even steel will keep the ones inside safe and sound no matter how severe the attacks might be. But once the soldier abandons the stronghold, the soldier cannot "hold" himself safe. Once he gets out of the bunker, the only cover he has is his tender skin. Bombs will explode, bullets will strike, and his tender flesh will be torn into bits and pieces. Yet, for those who remain in the Lord, the Lord keeps them safe and sound. Thus, placing ourselves in the hands of the Lord is the key to maintaining salvation.

Part II. War breaks out against me.

In verses 2-13 the author shares an insight on what we ought to do in view of what the Lord has provided us with, that is,  we need to be aware of the enemies and guard ourselves against them.

Regarding the enemies that war against the soul, the author adopts some vivid expressions:

"[E]vil men advance against me to devour my flesh..."

"[M]y enemies and my foes attack me..."

"[A]n army besiege me..."

"[W]ar breaks out against me."

Advance, devour, attack, besiege and war! At the outset of the book The Art of War, Sun Tzu says, "War is a matter of the gravest importance of a nation: it is the way of existence and extinction; one cannot afford to not investigate it." So let us stop for a moment and think about the solemn reality called "war". In the case of David, he understood what life in Canaan was like. The land of Canaan was the land of idolatry. Tons of enemies were entrenched in the land. And he went through battle after battle against idol worshiping nations. Eventually, through David, the Lord established the rule of God amidst idol worshiping nations.  

But all the psalms, especially the ones penned by David, clearly testify that the war that rages inside of a man is by far harder to win. We all know the story of David's affair with Bathsheba. We know the murder he committed. We know of all of the problems he had to go through within his family and nation, such as rape among his children, Absalom's rebellion, and civil war rocking the nation all stemmed from David losing the inner war - the war against sinful desires that in turn war against the soul. Therefore, in regard to the inner war, the Apostle Peter says in 1 Peter 2:11, "Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul." After winning so many battles, King David lost control over sinful desires, which warred against his soul and sustained so many damages. Through tears of repentance crying out many nights he was able to win the inner war. In many of the 73 psalms penned by him, we can find how he waged the battle against his sinful nature.  

By the time King Solomon came to power, the kingdom seemed to be enjoying solidarity, on the surface. But sinful desires warring against his soul persisted and eventually took control over Solomon. Eventually, he turned the royal palace into the new IHOP - the International House of Prostitution. Soon the kingdom was divided into two. And after some time the Lord kicked the Israelites out of the Promised Land. The Lord sent them into exile in Babylon.

The Bible is replete with war stories. The first war story is in Genesis 3. And we have all other wars recorded in the Bible, such as the wars David underwent. In our generation the war continues.

It is one thing to say, "The Lord is my stronghold," and it is another to intentionally expose oneself into harm's way. When one lowers his guard and indulges himself in what seems good for food, pleasing to the eye, and desirable for gaining wisdom (Gen 2:9), the Lord will not protect the man as his stronghold. So we need to understand the reality, and guard ourselves against the enemies. Since each person is his worst enemy, Moses had to warn his flock saying, "Watch yourselves very carefully" (Deuteronomy 4:15).

Part III. One thing I ask of the Lord.

Guarding ourselves against enemies, however, is only half the battle. In order for the soul to thrive it must feed itself from the house of the Lord. Look at v. 4. "One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple." Two words stand out and demand our attention: "one" and "all".

"One thing I ask of the Lord." The word "one" tells us that for its well being the soul needs only one thing, and that is to seek the Lord.

And it needs to seek the Lord not one or two days but "all" the days of his life. The expression, "dwell in the house of the Lord," also alludes to the soul's need for a life-long commitment, for dwelling infers establishing a permanent address so one could live there for good.

The house of the Lord refers to the Lord's temple. In our generation the Lord himself established his temple inside of a believer. So the author's prayer to dwell in the house of the Lord exhorts us to secure the fellowship with the Lord all the days of our life. Humanly speaking, this commitment is like a husband and wife living together under the same roof, sharing everything together - home phone number, bank account, eating table, living-room, everything.

The fellowship with the Lord should not be superficial; it should not be half-hearted, for of all the persons the Lord himself is the only one who is truly beautiful altogether. His beauty is perfection itself. Let us think about what he did and how he did what he did, while he walked on the planet earth: the miracles he performed attest to the true beauty of the Lord. When a man covered with leprosy came to him, asking for Jesus' mercy, Jesus reached out his hand, and touched him. Then he said, "I am willing. Be clean." What happened? Immediately, the leprosy left. It was a complete miracle. The Lord whose beauty is perfection made an ugly sinner into a beautiful child of God. This Lord went to the cross, shed his blood, and died for the sins of the world. The Lord then rose again from the dead. After rising from the dead, he works with his disciples, confirming his word by the signs that accompany it.

Look at verses 5-6. "For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD." Even today this is how the Lord blesses those who come to him. For those who choose to come to live under his wings, the Lord becomes their stronghold. Even though war rages outside, as the Lord rules within, peace within will roll like a river. Then God's children will shout for the joy of salvation.

But after gaining some victories one might become proud and commit sins. Then the Lord disciplines his children by hiding his face. Thus, the author prays, "Hear my voice when I call, O LORD; be merciful to me and answer me. My heart says of you, 'Seek his face!' Your face, LORD, I will seek. Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, O God my Savior. Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me." With a repentant heart, he comes back to Bible studies asking the Lord to teach him the way of the Lord (11). He even asks the Lord not to turn him over to enemies, such as false witnesses (12). Although he went astray for a while, as he comes back to the Lord he is still confident of this: “I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living” (13).

In conclusion, we learn that the soul needs the Lord as the source of provision, protection, and prosperity. When one seeks the Lord, the soul thrives so that shouts of joy arise within him. Then he can sing praises of the Lord. He can write many songs of praises, like the great psalmists, such as King David.

One word: The beauty of the Lord

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Class Exercise:

1. The book of Psalms has __________ Psalms.

2. In the book of Psalms the word "soul" is repeated _______ times.

3. In the book of Psalms the phrase, "O my soul," is repeated ______ times.

4. Who wrote the most number of Psalms? ____________

5. The longest psalm is _____ and it has ______ verses.

6. Which psalm prophesies about people dividing the garments of Jesus (on the cross) by casting lots? _________

7. Which psalm foresees the members of the church (Christian soldiers) surrounded by enemies willing to fight for the Lord's battle? _______

The end.

How to get all of your needs met -Yes, "all" of your needs

"There were no needy persons among them." Acts 4:34

Yesterday one brother said, "Missionary Isaac. I see a girl. We, men, are in need of companionship."

I felt for him, so we had a Bible study on the Lord's Prayer, for there the Lord listed up for us (young and old,  men and women) a "complete" list of 'all' we are in need of for life that is 'full' all the time.

The Lord did this for in the first place when one does not know what he or she is in need of, that person ends up seeking all the wrong things, only to remain dissatisfied, just like the prodigal son in the story of the two sons in Luke 15.

So what do we need for life? Here is the list:

1. Our Father in Heaven
2. Hallowed be your name
3. Your kingdom come
4. Your will be done here on earth as it is in heaven
5. Give us this day our daily bread
6. Forgive us our debts as we have forgiven our debtors
7. Lead us not into temptation

How do we get the needs met?

Through prayer just as the Apostle Paul said, "Do not be anxious about anything, but  in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Phi 4:6

In specifics, the needs one has are:

1. The need to get into the relationship with the Father.

For all who remain lost and fall short of the fullness in supply for the full life, the first and primary cause for them becoming in want is the loss or squeakiness in one's relationship with the Father.

We say that in the U.S. (and certainly in all parts of the world) 'father problem' is the most serious problem of all. If you have a problem or problems, and yet do not know the root cause, check your relationship with your father or father figure or figures that made ways into your life causing you to suffer such problem or problems. .

Our human fathers became needy since the Day one of the fall of Adam, the first human father.

Knowing this, Jesus came to this world to give us the Perfect Father who is in heaven.

So far so good. Who then is the Father in heaven?

Jesus said, "God is spirit." So he is not physical, but spiritual.

Jesus further said, "Flesh counts for nothing, Spirit gives life to men."

In Ancient Chinese character, the word spirit stands for God in three persons.

The first three components (one, cover, roof) combined together denote Jesus coming to this world, to find the lost back to the Father, for the said components mean "rain" coming from above, which is symbolic of Jesus Christ representing the highest good, just as it is written in the Tao Te Ching, "The highest good is like the water flowing down from above going to the place where people abhor to go, giving life to all." 

The three persons refer to God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The last component (worker magic) points to the Intercessory (or go-between), working as the high priest (or defense attorney if you will) representing you in the heavenly court. 

2. The need to be like Him in holiness. 

Why did Jesus ask his disciples to pray, "Hallowed be your name"? Obviously God is already holy, so it is not for God but for us the humans, that is to say, that we should know God as 'holy'. 

In essence (inside out, top to bottom, left to right) God is holy. 

What does 'holy' mean? 

In Hebrew it means 'set apart' or 'different from.' In what respect is God different from or set apart from all? 

It is only in one sense and one sense alone, that is, he alone is fully sufficient all the time. Because he alone is the creator, he is different from all creations, in that he does not need to depend on others but himself, as is written: "His reward is with him; his recompense accompanies him." Isaiah 40:10

By offering the prayer, "Hallowed be your name" then one asks God to help him be sufficient by being God-sufficient, and that via one becoming at one with Him, just as Jesus said, "On that day you will realize that my Father is in me, I am in the Father, you are in me, I am in you." John 14:20 And further "Son, you are always with me, and all I have is yours." 

In the account of the life story of Jacob, the Book of Genesis describes Jacob offering gifts to his neighbor Esau saying, "I have 'all' I need." He said what he said only after he had spent the previous night in prayer at the Jabbok River where he met God. Prior to this event, he strove to get all he thought he needed - four wives, children, Mercedes Benz, tons of cash, and much more, only to realize they do not give life to him but burden, so that he had to shed himself of and move all of them over the river. 

Man is created in God's image, so man is not to be enslaved by that which is created, but the creator, so he though self-deficient, should be sufficient only through being God-sufficient, physically, morally, spiritually or otherwise. 

3. The need for the perfected ruler

In playing [Chinese] Go (or "chess" if you will) game, one wins or loses game depending upon the player making all the right or wrong moves. 

The same goes with life. 

Question: how have you been doing in running your life? 

Knowing that we all screw up in running our life, and turn our life into more or less a living hell, Jesus asks us to pray for His kingdom to come. 

Kingdom refers to King's domain. The king rules. His domain comes and gets established in a man's heart. So the prayer request, "Your kingdom come" seeks for God the Father to come into one's heart, rule one's life, so that His kingdom would come in his heart. 

4. The need to discern His will for you

The norm is that the maker knows what serves the best interest of the made, as is said, "You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar." Psalm 139:2

We have our own will, He has his own will. While we are created to will as we will, when our will is in sync with His will, the life He made becomes only full. 

In case of Jesus then the prayer for His will to be done came in anguish with the sweat becoming like blood dropping to the ground. 

The intent of his will is for the lost to come back to Him, and live under His wings where the redeemed find true freedom in the true sense of the word freedom, as is written: "My Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life." John 6:40

5. The need for daily bread

The prayer topic asking to give us our daily bread is primarily spiritual, for Jesus said, "Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." Matthew 4:4

This is the call to keep the Bible and feed on it daily. 

6. The need for forgiveness

The ones to forgive include not just one's neighbors but also oneself. 

Man's life is like fish thriving in the water called 'relationship'. Just as fish cannot live without a healthy body of water, so also man cannot thrive without him being in healthy relationships with his neighbor. For this reason, Jesus asked his disciples to pray, "Forgive us our debts as we have forgiven our debtors." 

7. Deliverance from the evil one

The final yet ongoing need that should be met is for the deliverance from the evil one. 

Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one. 

Evil one refers to the devil also known as Satan. 

Satan is a created being. God is in control of all that are created. 

Satan goes incognito, meaning we should not forget his existence. 

And man is no match for the devil. But God is. So Jesus asks us to pray, "Father, lead us not to..., but deliver..."

Bible America/World Campus Mission - Prayer Topics as of Nov. 25, 2013 (compiled by Missionary Jose Ahn of Chicago)

Bible America /World Mission

“For my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.”

 (Isaiah 56:7b)

Prayer Topics for Sunday, November 24th, 2013:

I. Adoration, Confession and Thanksgiving

1.     Give thanks for Jesus’ saving grace and his calling as his servant. (Romans 1:5)

2.     Previous message:  “God’s People should be Careful to do Good “ (Titus 3:8). Remember and share a repentant or thanksgiving reflection on this passage. Pray for today’s message, “IN THAT DAY YOU WILL SAY, I WILL PRAISE YOU LORD” (Isa12; Kv: 12:1). (at the conclusion of your prayer), and the following services and messengers:

·      11:00 SWS – Shpd. Jim Rarick

·      7:00 am – Adam Kramarczyk

·      9:00 am Spanish Service  - Victor Velasco

·      6:00 pm – P. Moses Lenthang

·      7:00 NCO – Henry Asega

3.     Pray for the congregation (at the conclusion of your prayer): e.g. Lord, we come and worship you in spirit and truth. Please, help us to empty our hearts of worthless things (Ps. 119:37) and listen to your words (Jn. 5:24). Please pour your Holy Spirit upon us and fill us with your word.

II. Chicago Area and USA Campus Ministry

4.     General Prayer Topics for UBF Ministry:

Let us continually pray for the prayer topics established through the ISBC conference: (Love one another deeply in Jesus and reach students on campuses through one-to-one Bible study)

                        i.         Remain in Jesus, taking the initiative to love first.

                       ii.         Teach the Bible one-to-one and raise disciples until we reach all the major cities and campuses of all the countries of the world.

                     iii.         Depend on the Holy Spirit and boldly testify to Jesus.

                     iv.         2014 European and C.I.S International Bible Conference.

5.     Prayer for Campus Pioneering, Church Planting, and Establishment of House Churches:

Pray that North America may be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation and that all campuses in USA and Canada may be evangelized.

·      Thank God for new pioneering work in Fairfax, Virginia.  May God bless Dr. Paul Jin and two other families, David/Hannah Chung and Joshua/Anna Hwang to serve the gospel ministry at the Univ. of George Mason.

·      Thank God for new campus ministry at the Univ. of Houston by Dr. Samuel Yoo and his desire to serve God daily through fishing and 1-1 Bible study.  Thank God for two faithful one-to-one sheep, Emmanuel and Brad.  May God bless his discipleship ministry by raising one Abraham of faith as well as his research professor job.

·      May God bless the Joint Christmas Worship Service between Minneapolis Chapter and Eau Claire chapter on December 8^th.  Pray for 15 new students to accept invitations and attend.  May God bless Pastor Kevin to deliver the message “Glory to God, Peace to People”.

·      Thank God for a new UBF church in Austin, Texas.  May God bless their thanksgiving service today and use Isaac to deliver a wonderful thanksgiving message based on 1 Thess. 5:16-18.  May God hear their prayers that their community may grow as a community of love in which disciples of Jesus can be raised at University of Texas and in the Austin community.

·       Pray for God’s blessing upon pioneering work in Indianapolis through M. David/Joy Kim & Joshua/Sarah Lee’s families.  May God hear their prayers for7 IUPUI students to accept invitations to their Christmas worship service on Dec. 15.  Pray for David Kim who will give a Christmas message based on Luke 2:7.

·      House Churches: Pray for the wedding between Mark Berry & Monica Tran, Nov. 23.

6.     Prayer for American Missionaries

Pray that North America may grow as a missionary sending nation and for evangelization of all nations including Muslim countries, China and North Korea (Mt 28:19-20):

i) We may continue to pray for 327 chapters in 95 countries and for sending out missionaries to the 138 unreached nations.

ii) For our 40 USA/Canadian missionaries to become fruitful gospel workers in their mission fields.

·       Thank God for our 5 missionaries in Germany: Wynelle Nett, Sarah Youk, Susan Lee, Curie Lee, and Ruth Sohn.   May God bless them and use them to teach the gospel and share the love of Christ among German college students.

·       May God bless M. Heather Kumanichliev’s fishing and prayer ministry at the University of National and World Economy in Sofia.  Pray that God will open the hearts of Bulgarian students to Bible study.  May God hear their prayers to be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit so that they may serve new students with 1-1 Bible studies.

7.     Prayer for Chicago Area Chapters:

For fruitful evangelism and discipleship in each of the Chicago area chapters in this fall: Thank God for his blessing our John’s gospel study and Titus study.  May God help us hold onto his grace and the gospel message and serve college students through one-to-one Bible study: DePaul, Du Page, Wright, Triton, IIT, and UC. (Pray for one chapter with specific prayer topics)

8.     Prayer for Chicago Chapter:

Thank God for His blessing upon our fall semester ministry with many growing student leaders. May God bless fellowship leaders to have God’s hope and vision and raise disciples of Jesus through deep Bible study and campus ministry: UIC, Northeastern, Northwestern, Loyola, North Park, Columbia, Moraine Valley CC, Oakton, Truman, Harper.  (Pray for one campus with specific prayer topics)

9.     Prayer for UBF Leadership:

For P. Ron Ward and Christmas WS, Dec 15; for Pastor Abraham Kim for God’s wisdom and direction for new year’s ministry. For Dr. John Jun as he serves CME ministry in the CIS.

·      May God bless UBF history museum opening ceremony in Kwangju, Korea, Nov. 25.

10.   Prayer for Healing and Comfort:

Missionaries who need prayer for comfort and health: M. Lydia Lee (Greece), M. Joseph Jin (Norway- Thank God for improvement in his condition and renewing his spirit and trust in God.), M. Susanna Chaa for her recovery from cancer surgery (England), M. Mary Kim (South Africa), M. James Lee (Zimbabwe)…  Pray also for the health of Shpds. Michelle Li (a liver transplant).

III. World Mission

12.   Moscow UBF: Thank God for MGIMO’s Bible club on October 25-27 and their study of Genesis 1-3.  May God hear their prayers to conquer MGIMO (Moscow State University of Foreign Affairs by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and RGUNG (Russian State University of Oil and Gas) with the gospel of Christ.  May God bless their Sunday messages based on Romans by Missionary Peter Kim and Shepherd Daniel Jivayev. 

13.   India UBF: Thank God for Dr. John Angam’s dedication to God’s mission at JNU and for using him as an influential Bible teacher.  Thank God for 12 newcomers to the India Autumn Bible Conference, including 3 professors from Delhi University.  May God move their hearts to dedicate themselves to campus ministry.  May God hear the prayers of his servants for all 28 states of India to be pioneered and for 585 PHD shepherds to be raised.

14.  Germany UBF: Thank God for blessing Heidelberg UBF’s Fall Conference earlier this month based on Isaiah 6:3 with the theme “God and his Glory”.   May God hear their prayers for each of the 80 attendees to experience God’s glory personally.  Thank God  for messages by John Baik, Samuel Ju, Toni Demir, and Andreas Hassani.  Also, thank God for the 25^th anniversary of Mainz UBF.  May God hear their prayers for the pioneering of 12 campuses in the Rhein Main region.

15.   Africa UBF: Thank God for blessing the conference in Wits, South Africa last weekend and for using Desmond and Donald to deliver wonderful messages.  May God hear their prayers for the growth of five spiritual leaders through this conference.  May God also bless Lagos I, II and RUTH chapters in Nigeria as they hold a conference Nov. 28-Dec. 1.  May God hear their prayers for the main speakers and provide a means for the resumption of their campus which has been closed for the past 4 months.

16.   Panama UBF: May God bless their preparations for their Winter Bible Conference with the title “Jesus came to call sinners” being held Nov. 28 to Dec. 1 with 25 participants.  Pray that God may grant passports for Shepherd Alirio Rosales and Shepherd Hernandez from Venezuela so that may attend the conference and share messages, life testimonies, and lead worship.   May God bless Juan Baek, Josue Maiker, Maria to deliver powerful messages as well.