January 2021 - Happy New Year!
Grace and peace to you in the wonderful and matchless Name of our Lord Jesus Christ! I pray you will have blessed and fruitful New Year!
This is the year of preaching the Gospel! We will use whatever means to reach the lost! The power of the Word of God through the Holy Spirit is irresistible and it penetrates to the very core and changes lives!
As a ministry, Light For All Nations is growing and the Word is spreading far and wide, despite the restrictions. Once again, we are in a lock down phase because of the Covid virus, but the Word of God cannot and will not be restricted.
I received a message the other day from a business man and former Imam (an Islamic scholar who teaches Islamic law) who became a follower of Jesus. In a dream he saw Jesus healing his sick daughter’s heart and truly the girl was healed which led him to search for Jesus. He left Islam along with his wife and seven children. He began to tell people about Jesus and about what Jesus did. His community in Iraq began to persecute him and he was put in prison twice. Some of his children were kidnapped, but with God’s help, he saved them. He was marked to be killed and so he and his family fled to Turkey. He left everything behind; all his wealth, businesses, home and property. He lost everything but won Christ! He really does understand the cost of following Christ and the cost of discipleship. Even now in Turkey, he is still not safe and we are praying for him to have the opportunity to leave and find a new and safe country.
We hear stories like this everyday. May all believers have this same determination as that Iraqi man to follow and honour Christ no matter the cost. Our world is becoming more and more corrupt and full of sin; where things that were once good are now considered bad by the majority; where things that were once shameful and hidden are now approved and celebrated openly (read Romans chapter 1 and Isaiah 5:20 that describe the time in which we live). We, who hold fast to the Christ-like way will certainly face persecution from society. Lord, please give us strength and may we learn from those Muslim background believers (MBB’s) how to stand firm, keep the faith and not be ashamed of Jesus and the cross.
Thank you for your support of Light For All Nations. God miraculously provided in 2020 and we are trusting Him in 2021 to do the same. For all who gave to the ministry in 2020, we will be issuing and mailing your income tax receipt shortly. Please ensure we have your current mailing address.
May the Lord keep you and your family well, safe and healthy and may you continue to grow in faith and in the knowledge of the Lord. Let us pray that this pandemic will end very soon. Let us pray for those who have lost loved ones, income and businesses. Let the church of Jesus Christ rise up to help their communities; for we are known by our love.
In Christ’s love and service,
Nizar Shaheen
