DID YOU KNOW? MERCY PREVAILED. SABBATH OBSERVERS WERE SPARED AS UGANDA'S NATIONAL CLEANING DAY UNFOLDED. Government Grants Last-Minute Exemption, But Questions Remain As Enforcement Intensifies Across the Country The first National Cleaning Day has come and gone, leaving in its wake a landscape of sweeping enforcement, scattered arrests, and a profound relief for thousands of Seventh-day Adventists who had feared the sacred Sabbath would be consumed by civic obligation. What emerged was not the crisis many had anticipated, but rather a demonstration of how religious liberty, when pressed, can still find room to breathe, even if only by the narrowest of margins. As the sun rose over Uganda on Saturday, July 25, the government's mandatory three-hour cleaning directive took effect across the nation. Security personnel sealed off major routes, vehicles were brought to a standstill, and businesses remained shuttered. In Mukono, the enforcement was described as possessing “unusual firmness,” with security forces linking arms with locals to refuse passage to every vehicle, including official ones. In Wakiso, traffic officers mounted roadblocks, and people who refused to comply found themselves in confrontations with police. In Greater Iganga, several individuals were arrested for failing to comply with the directive. The message was clear: this was not a suggestion but a command. Yet amid this landscape of compulsion, a remarkable exception was made. Following urgent consultations with the Office of the Prime Minister, NRM Deputy Secretary General Rosemary Namayanja issued a statement that would prove decisive for the Adventist community. “Following consultations with the Office of the Prime Minister regarding Cabinet Circular No. 1 of 2026 on National Cleaning Days, I wish to inform our Seventh-day Adventist brothers and sisters that they may proceed to worship Saturday, 25 July, without hindrance.” Adventists across the country were free to attend worship services, to gather in fellowship, to devote themselves to prayer and Scripture, all while the rest of the nation picked up brooms and shovels. The exemption, however, was not a permanent solution but a temporary reprieve. Namayanja made clear that consultations remain ongoing regarding whether Adventist members will undertake the cleaning activities on Friday or Sunday. No final agreement has been reached. The Church leadership, under Uganda Union Mission President Pastor Samuel Kajoba, continues to engage the government in a spirit of mutual respect, seeking an amicable solution that upholds both the national objective and the constitutional freedom of worship. The question that now demands an answer is whether any Adventists were forced to work or any churches were closed during the exercise. The available evidence suggests that the exemption was largely honored. There are no reports of Adventist churches being forcibly closed or of Adventist worshipers being compelled to abandon their services to join the cleaning exercise. The government's explicit directive appears to have been communicated effectively to enforcement personnel. While police enforced movement restrictions across the country, stopping motorists and restricting vehicle movement, there is no indication that those traveling to or from worship services were targeted. The exemption appears to have been respected in practice, not merely in principle. The exemption granted was a recognition that religious liberty cannot be casually set aside in the name of public hygiene. But mercy granted in one instance does not establish a principle. The ongoing consultations regarding a permanent accommodation, allowing Adventists to clean on Friday or Sunday, will determine whether this temporary reprieve becomes a lasting protection or merely a pause before the next collision. For now, Adventist congregations across Uganda worshiped in peace. The churches remained open. The faithful were not compelled to labor. The Sabbath was preserved. But as the government prepares for the next National Cleaning Day on the last Saturday of August, the question remains unresolved: will religious liberty continue to be honored, or will the demands of civic duty once again press against the boundaries of conscience? The issue before us is larger than community cleaning. It touches the enduring principle that when God has declared a day holy, His people must carefully preserve its sacredness. Public health is important. Clean communities are important. But so is the freedom to honor the Sabbath according to the dictates of conscience. Uganda has taken a step in the right direction by granting this exemption. The hope now is that the ongoing dialogue between church leaders and government officials will produce a permanent solution that respects both civic responsibility and freedom of conscience. Gospel Angels Broadcasting

How Did Christianity Enter China? China’s Boxer Rebellion Ryan: One of the biggest sufferings and trials for Christian missionaries at the end of the 19th century and in the early 20th century was the Boxer Rebellion. The gentry class in China resented and hated Christians, especially foreign missionaries. That resentment toward eventually grew into a local movement that turned violent. The Boxers were a group of people who practiced martial arts, therefore named Boxers. They ended up wanting to destroy some of the churches and temples, and then went around killing missionaries and some local Christians. Eventually, that erupted into a wider rebellion, known as the Boxer Rebellion, in northern China. This started about 1899, and grew throughout the region until it expanded to the capital. The Boxers targeted Western missionaries, Western establishments, and also local Chinese Christians. About 204 missionaries were killed, and about 32,000 Chinese believers. Western powers asked the Qing court to suppress the rebellion. But the Dowager Empress saw this as an opportunity to get rid of the Westerners, so the court inflamed the rebellion to do more. The rebellion spread across northern China, and a lot of missionaries were killed. Eventually, some of the missionaries, soldiers, and diplomats came under siege in the foreign legation quarter in Beijing. There was a period of several months where a bunch of foreigners, missionaries, and some local Chinese believers were under siege there. Then eight nations, including the British, French, Germans, and Americans, formed an alliance together to invade Beijing and northern China to bread that siege. That became known as the Eight-Nation Alliance, and it was successful. They crushed the Chinese army and occupied Beijing for many months, but they also looted many palaces, and even burned one of the biggest ones. The Eight-Nation Alliance freed the missionaries, diplomats, and Westerners under siege, but it also capped off a whole century of humiliation in China. Today, the Eight-Nation Alliance is still referred to as the biggest national shame in Chinese history, because that showed how weak the Chinese government and military were. The Boxer Rebellion got a lot of attention because of how much it affected the Western missionaries. But through it all, God used the suppression of the rebellion. Now that the Westerners occupied China, they opened up China even more to carve it out for colonization – but that also allowed more missionaries and other Westerners to move in. Christianity and Colonization Beth: So, colonization and missions are marching arm in arm. It’s very interesting and sobering to think about, because the Lord used it for good – but there’s also a lot of pain and hurt that still has echoes down into today. After the Boxer Rebellion was defeated, China opened up, and more new missionaries started arriving in China. Something interesting happened around this time. In the West, at the time in the church, there was a big split between more liberal Christianity and more fundamentalist, conservative Christianity. The missionaries of the 1800s were definitely spiritual descendants of the Puritans: they were very focused on Christ, crucified, and sharing him with the people of China. After the rebellion, a lot of those older missionaries who had lived in China for decades were martyred or ended up leaving the country. As the new generation of missionaries came in, most of the new missionaries ended up not being directly involved in evangelism and church planting. Instead, a lot of them focused on how faith influences society. They did things like build hospitals, schools, and other social institutions. Mercy ministry had always been a part of missionary work in China. There were great needs, and life was very, very hard for the common people. The missionaries had always come bringing medical care and education – especially for girls – and meeting the needs of the people. But as these newer missionaries came in, a change started to happen. Pastor Wang Yi has a series on this. He says there was a switch between the missionaries of the 1800s, who were focused on “China for Christ,” to newer missionaries, who had an attitude of “Christ for China.” The newer missionaries looked at missionary work as mostly about helping people, not about preaching Christ crucified. Some of them also came in with political goals and ideology. They didn’t just focus on teaching people about Jesus, but on helping to build what they believed would be a better, free, democratic, independent country, not just the gospel. So, this split between the more liberal and more conservative missionaries ended up filtering down into the church. About one-third of Chinese Christians at the time were killed in the Boxer Rebellion. And this wasn’t just any third! The people who were targeted were the Chinese leaders of the church. The Boxers would kill a pastor before they’d kill a regular churchgoer. So, for a while, the Chinese church didn’t have strong leadership. That had to be raised up again. And as this new generation of Chinese Christian leaders was rising, it would come to mirror the liberal-conservative split in the church. Eventually, these theological differences laid the groundwork for the split between the house churches and the government churches. This split would be overseen by the Communist Party, following the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. Editor’s note: Fuyang is a city of about 9 million people in Anhui Province in eastern China. Fuyang has a relatively large number of believers, but the last few years have been a time of trial for the churches, as they have experienced intense persecution. But house church leaders say God has been with them through the storm, and his presence sustains them. Fuyang: With God in the Storm China Partnership: How has Fuyang changed in the last five years? How has your church changed in that time? All Churches Are Being Watched Song Xile: Fuyang has changed a lot over the last five years. The city’s economy is changing; material conditions and economic situations have gotten better. Geographically and environmentally, Fuyang is becoming more modern. Politically, we are more sensitive. Locals used to joke, “There’s no Communist Party in Fuyang.” The culture was rough, and there were gangsters everywhere. Now we clearly feel a strong tightening on religion, especially Christianity. Police track how many believers there are, and locate churches. Control is very strict. Under current national leadership, there’s more ideological indoctrination; the atmosphere is very thick. I’ve never before experienced what I’ve seen the last few years: every single level is penetrated by political and ideological messaging. There’s no escape. Culturally, education levels are rising. But although there has been cultural improvement, that’s not necessarily good, since culture and politics are intertwined and cannot be separated. As for faith, the biggest change is that we have become a target of persecution. The tightening on education is another. Government officials are deeply worried that children in our Christian schools aren’t in public schools. Children who ought to be “Communist successors” are instead becoming “Christian successors.” Every local school keeps checking which children aren’t enrolled there. We’ve had many incidents and raids in the past five years; some big, some small. Some churches have it worse than others. But all the churches are being watched. Persecution Is More Severe Zhang Ping: In Fuyang, Covid was a clear turning point. More and more high-rises went up, and the city visibly changed. But after Covid, the economic bubble started to deflate. Housing prices are lower, jobs are harder to find, businesses are struggling. It’s harder for both migrant workers and business owners. In the church, right now the most important thing is understanding the overall structure. The government tells people to worship in the Three-Self church. Those churches are under government control. People outside of China might not understand how tight the government’s grip is: minors under 18 are not allowed to enter churches, and children aren’t permitted to hold the faith. Then there are house churches. House churches are scattered, and not formally structured. They have a lot of people, but they are loosely organized, with weak accountability, weak commitment, and no real theology of church membership or sacramental life. People go wherever they feel like, and their attitude is that no one can tell them what to do. But as more and more Reformed churches have been established, people have realized that even though these churches look stricter and more structured, this is actually a form of protection for believers. We need a genuine theology of commitment to church and submission to leadership, where every member has rights, the congregation has responsibilities, and the pastors have shepherding responsibilities. When persecution comes, this kind of church holds steadier, and doesn’t just scatter in an instant. Of course, people are still frightened and shaken, but when commitment is strong, things go much better. Even if the pastors are gone [i.e. imprisoned], we are still a church, with Christ the head and shepherd. Persecution cases in Fuyang have grown more severe in the last five years. Before, people might just get called in for a talk. Back in the Cultural Revolution, people used to be arrested and imprisoned. Then, after the revival of the 80s, things were relatively calm. But now we are seeing repeated detentions: being held for 15 days, a dozen days, months, possibly even years. That’s outside. Inside, gatherings are still fairly normal. Online gathering works, although it’s not the same as in person. We try to come together in person, meeting in small groups combined with Zoom. That helps with community life. God’s Presence in the Storm Hu Laiyang: I’ve noticed more technology in the city and in homes. You often see people riding e-bikes and scrolling their phones at the same time – and that is only going to get worse. Economic pressure is real, and it’s harder to earn money. Many rural families have come into the city, which makes competition for education extremely intense. Overall, Fuyang’s economy keeps pressing forward, but there’s weariness running through it all. In our church, the first change started with becoming smaller. Our church used to have large gatherings, with more than a hundred people in one place. Later, we split into small groups, then even smaller groups, and then into gathering at home online. There’s been a steady reduction in space, in the number of times we could meet together. And yet – when we started, we had only about 20 people. Since then, we’ve planted and sent out another church. There has been growth in numbers and in faith. We’ve also seen more and more children being sent to our Christian school. But persecution has also gotten more and more intense. First there were talks, then penalties, and then criminal charges. There has been growth and refining fire. It has not been easy – these years have genuinely been like a refining furnace. Those of us who are sitting here and those brothers who are now in prison have all walked through deep and painful darkness, scattering, and fear. But God has brought us back. Our faith has been tested in the storm, and we have experienced God’s presence through it. Push-and-Pull Dynamic Wu Huizhi: Although the economy in Fuyang has gotten better in the last years, at the same time, the gap between Fuyang and bigger cities has also gotten wider. Fuyang is still relatively small, and the development pace lags behind. After Covid, we feel the government has greater capacity to control and manage society: there are more cameras, more community-level government workers, and very strict social management. Our church planted a new congregation several years ago. But although we planned to plant again, that has stalled because the external environment became very harsh. We used to meet in a worship hall, but now our church has become more and more scattered. Again and again we’ve been split apart by pressure. There’s been a push-and-pull dynamic with the government over these years. When control tightens, we step back a little; when it loosens, we try to move forward. Whenever things loosen, we try to gather more and meet in small groups in person. A Period of Maintenance Tan Jianli: The biggest change is that it’s harder to earn money. Everyone feels that; it’s a shared experience. In the church, the biggest change is we’ve gone from a period of growth to a period of hard maintenance. We’ve lost many members – maybe three-quarters of the congregation – because of persecution. There’s also a loss of that sacred, solemn feeling we had when we were able to meet together in the big hall. Now, so much is online. That’s the biggest change.

This Week's Prayer Guide June 7 - This week, pray for the needs of the people of Fuyang. Pray for the church to be a Christlike witness to their friends, neighbors, coworkers, and family members. June 8 - Being a third-tier city in China with few universities, many young people leave Fuyang for education or work in bigger cities and do not return. This causes not only a talent drain for the city overall, but also within churches as young people do not stay to help disciple others. Please pray that God will give young people alternative options and opportunities to stay and prosper in Fuyang. June 9 - Locals used to joke that "There's no Communist Party in Fuyang" because the city was relatively undeveloped. But political indoctrination has intensified in recent years and propaganda slogans infiltrate every level of society. May God give the people of Fuyang critical eyes to distinguish lies from truth, and give people a hunger for God's Kingdom. June 10 - In recent years, there has been noticeable modernization and material improvements in Fuyang. But as in other places in China, culture and politics are completely intertwined. May the people in Fuyang recognize the idol of materialism and find true fulfillment in the Kingdom of God. June 11 - As in other parts of China, modernization also leads to tightening controls. More surveillance cameras were installed around the city, local communities adopted stricter social management, which made it increasingly difficult for Christians to gather. As Christians grow nervous about government surveillance, may the Lord give them comfort that He is also watching over them and protecting them. June 12 - The government is growing increasingly concerned about children's education. The local government keeps checking to make sure all children are enrolled in public schools, drawing more scrutiny to families who choose to pursue an alternative education model for their children, such as Christian schools. May the Lord continue to protect the children in Fuyang, particularly children in Christian families, and give them excellence in their studies as Daniel excelled in Babylon. June 13 - After COVID, the economic bubble began to deflate in Fuayng. Housing prices have fallen significantly, which is a major indicator of the economic health of a region. May the Lord give people Fuyang hope in their future, and may the people who hunger for material wealth find riches in the gospel instead.

Show Me The Way Ministries Outreach Update 5/25/26 (Last 28 Days) We have to date 8,975 actual members who follow and support my ministries. The support I am speaking of support in their time, sharing, and prayers as God is the only direct financial supporter and He is indeed faithful. 15,200 video watched Our top 4 countries of outreach out of 103 countries: United States come in at 42% China comes in at 22% (This is a new one for us) Pakistan comes in at 12% Kenya comes in at 9% Other new countries this month that has opened its doors to us is of course China (like in a bit way), France, Vietnam and The Republic of Korea (both tuff to maintain) as well as China. Requests for teachings are up by 12%. Most popular subjects are Gematria (biblical numerology), Love, Forgiveness, and Christ. Our post popular workbooks are God’s math; Biblical Numerology, Loving God Like Deuteronomy, Bridegroom Love Relationship, Paul’s Exulted Christ, The Transformative Power Of Forgiveness, and Spiritual Odyssey Of Love And Grace. Gender and Age: Men 61% Women 39% 25-34 28% 35-44 24% 45-54 20% 55-64 15% 65 Plus 13% Year to Date: ---We have outreach in 3 Jails/Prisons ---Our teachings are in 17 Colleges/Universities ---We have given out 618 Teaching Guides ---We have given out 987 Bibles I have personally Discipled 18 people into the ways of Christ drawing them into a closer relationship with Abba our Father ---4 Confirmed salvation (a notable change in previous lifestyle) ---0 Baptized ---We have reached 697,265 souls with the Gospel of Jesus the Christ In my local area so far we have been able to reach 13% of the Texas County Population; we have 26,284 and this means we reached 3,417 locals. Thanks to each of you for your time and prayer support. Most importantly God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. John Sheehan, (Dr. hc.) Of Show Me The Way Ministries Email ruahelohimsheehan[gmail].com (870) 321-8852

Xiangtan: Where Mao Is God China Partnership April 2, 2026 Editor’s note: Join us this April as we pray for Xiangtan, a city of 3 million in south-central China. This year, we are praying for several less prominent Chinese cities, places where the gospel is at work, but cities with which many in the West are not familiar. Xiangtan is in south-central China, and sits on the Xiang River, which is a major tributary of the Yangtze River. It is the hometown of many prominent figures in China, including Mao Zedong and Liu Shaoqi (an early leader in the government of the post-1949 Communist Party). Pastors say, even decades later, locals have deified Mao and made him into an idol. Introductions China Partnership: Can you introduce yourselves and your churches? Brother Hu: I serve a small church, with fewer than 30 people. We’ve been around many years, and are a traditional, “old-style” church. In the past, our church was more charismatic and pursued a warm, emotionally-charged atmosphere. I hope to make Christ central in our church. One of my ministry goals is to lead the church through a transition, building up the lives of brothers and sisters. We have only one child, and the three of us have, as a family, received the Lord’s great grace in Christ. My wife used to suffer from serious depression, but she was healed. Now our marriage is getting better and better, and that has been an enormous blessing. Our son is also gradually experiencing life change in the Lord. Pastor Li: Our family has one child, who is already married. Now it’s just my wife and me, and she also ministers in the church. Our church was once known as an “emerging urban church.” We are Reformed and evangelical. Before persecution, we had more than 200 people – but after persecution, we’ve lost about a quarter of our congregation. Quote Image The gospel soil here is pretty hard… Xiangtan people tend to be stubborn and blunt, and it’s hard to live out the life of the Lord. Brother Yang: I’m in the same church as Pastor Li. My wife and I have two children, who are still young. Brother Tan: I started by serving a student fellowship, which has now grown into a church of a little more than 30. My wife is from the area, and we have 3 children. Sister Jiang: My household includes my husband, our two children, their spouses, and one grandchild. My husband is a believer, and I serve in the church. Our church has about 30 to 40 people, and we have experienced some persecution in the past few years. Never miss a story Sign up to receive our weekly email with our original articles. First Name First Name Last Name Last Name Email Email A “Red” City CP: What makes Xiangtan unique among Chinese cities? Brother Hu: Xiangtan is a small to mid-sized city, with about 3 million people. Both people and capital are flowing out. Many young people go to work in the Pearl River Delta, the Yangtze River Delta, or they just go to Changsha, because there are more job opportunities. That siphon is draining the city dry. Xiangtan is the hometown of Chairman Mao, and lots of people have a very favorable impression of Mao. Some government officials even like to wear Mao badges – that is something you don’t really see other places. People in Xiangtan enjoy playing mahjong and chewing betel nuts. There are more mahjong parlors than rice shops, probably enough to rival Sichuan. Believers from other places point out that almost every Xiangtan shop displays some kind of idol, whether it’s the god of wealth, or a portrait of Mao. I think the gospel soil here is pretty hard. The church was not built on the right foundation. Xiangtan people tend to be stubborn and blunt, and it’s hard to live out the life of the Lord. Add in conflicts inside the church, and limited room to live out the faith outside the church. It is extremely important to try to build the church according to the Lord’s will. Pastor Li: Xiangtan is a really “red” city. As everyone knows, Xiangtan produced Mao Zedong, one of China’s most important figures. The city is pretty left-leaning, and is deeply influenced by Maoist thought. During holidays, like Lunar New Year, a lot of people go pay homage to “the great man.” The Chinese have sort of deified Mao – that’s the kind of far-left city Xiangtan is. Xiangtan has a population of about 3 million. A lot of urban house churches emerged here in the 1980s and 90s, but there have been many changes in recent years. The churches in southern Hunan are rather scattered – like loose sand. The gospel here arose locally, although missionaries and evangelists from other provinces did come to Xiangtan to share the gospel. Quote Image A lot of urban house churches emerged here in the 1980s and 90s, but there have been many changes in recent years. The churches in southern Hunan are rather scattered – like loose sand. Brother Yang: Xiangtan has excellent food – rice noodles are especially delicious. Xiangtan is also known for lotus seed, a pastry called dengxing gao, and Longpai soy sauce. And of course, there is the betel nut. Brother Tan: During summer and winter vacations, Xiangtan becomes pretty quiet. There’s a large university student population, and students are the main consumers. Xiangtan has three four-year universities, and two of those schools are “key” universities, so a lot of the economy is driven by them. Xiangtan is only a fourth-tier city, but its education and economy has been pretty prominent in China – although now the economy is quite bad. There are actually a lot of people from other places in Xiangtan, but many don’t stay, because Xiangtan’s development has been overshadowed by Changsha. Since Xiangtan is Mao Zedong’s hometown, there are many memorial sites and other places tied to that “red” legacy. Hunan people are pretty fierce. As an outsider, I feel the atmosphere can be harsh. Hunan people have a pioneering spirit, and the daring to be “the first under heaven.” That is very obvious in Xiangtan. The police in Xiangtan move quickly, and a lot of province-wide policies are first implemented here. The city also has many corrupt officials. Because national leaders have come from Xiangtan, a lot of people came here to “gild” their political resumes. If they aren’t caught, they climb higher. This is seen as a route to promotion. The political pressure is intense, but as long as there is not a wider social impact, things are usually dealt with by verbal warnings. There have not been many major, religion-related cases. The pace of the city is very slow. There’s a lot of bureaucracy, so some who originally plan to invest here end up withdrawing. There is also a lot of internal infighting. Quote Image Hunan people are pretty fierce. As an outsider, I feel the atmosphere can be harsh. Hunan people have a pioneering spirit, and the daring to be “the first under heaven.” Xiangtan actually has a decent gospel heritage. A long time ago – in the Shunzhi era of the Qing Dynasty [the 1600s], and then also in the 1860s – Catholicism was already being preached. Protestantism came in around 1898. Local records mention how Protestant institutions of education and medicine were built, and those had some influence. There are many different denominations here, even some cults. Although Xiangtan is not large, the religious atmosphere is fairly strong and diverse. Sister Jiang: People in Xiangtan really enjoy walks. As long as the weather is good, people come out day and night to walk and exercise by the Xiang River and the lake. Many also enjoy the night view at Wanlou. As for gospel history, there was a wave of revival among young people in the 80s and 90s. In recent years, we haven’t seen much genuine revival. Numbers have grown, but there hasn’t been much genuine life change. Brother Hu, Pastor Li, Brother Yang, Brother Tan, and Sister Jiang are pseudonyms for house church leaders in Xiangtan, Hunan Province.

GUIDELINES FOR LIVING. April 14th, 2026 How Can I Inherit Eternal Life? When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” Luke 18:22 Anyone who has ever visited ancient Jericho can testify to the fact that in the summer it can be unbearably hot. Locals are convinced that hell itself is only ten degrees hotter than Jericho. There is an old aphorism that in China only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the noonday sun. That surely applies to Jericho as well—which is why a drama that unfolded as Jesus approached the city on His way to Jerusalem is so remarkable. So vivid was this happening in the life of Jesus that three of Jesus’s biographers, Matthew, Mark, and Luke: they all wrote about it. Now, the story itself is simple enough. A young man, having heard that Jesus was passing by, came running and knelt before Him, voicing a question that was perplexing to him. There is an element of urgency in the encounter. The man made no appointment. Neither did he bother to consider whether the interview was convenient. He simply knew this was his opportunity to get something off his chest; he took advantage of the moment. There is also an element of drama in the situation. All three of the writers of the Gospel point out that this man was very wealthy, and people with lots of money don’t run in the sun. They snap their fingers and give orders and other people do the running for them. Furthermore, there is an element of desperation as well. Now, people with money are used to other people deferring to them, but humiliating himself before Jesus, he knelt in the dusty road. Looking up into Jesus’s face, he asked, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Now, in the event you’ve never read the Gospels (meaning Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), you need to know that each one represents a different viewpoint. Mark is called the Gospel of Action. Reflecting a Roman viewpoint, he goes right to the heart of things. He never wastes words. Mark points out something that his colleagues Matthew and Luke omit. At this point, Mark says, “Jesus, beholding him, loved him!” (Mark 10:21). Now, there are two Greek words which could have been used for “to see” or “behold”. The first means to casually observe someone, but the other word—and the one that Mark used—means to gaze intently at someone. So, Jesus looked intently into the face of this troubled young man who knelt before Him; He loved him, knowing full well that the great wealth he had would be a stumbling block. “You still lack one thing,” said Jesus, adding, “Go sell everything you have and give to the poor. Then you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me” (Luke 18:22). So, he immediately got rid of his money, forsook his easy lifestyle and became a disciple, right? Dead wrong. The record says he walked away very sorrowful because he was very rich. So, what’s the issue? It’s simple. Who or what comes first? Your money, your position, or your God? Earlier, Jesus had said, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33). Andrew, my grandson, aged seven, shocked his mother, saying, “Mother, I’m afraid I’m going to go to hell!” “Why?” asked Bonnie, somewhat perturbed. “Because I’m afraid I love my little blue bucket and shovel—a birthday gift—more than God!” Whether it’s your pride, your wealth, or your little blue bucket that stands between you and doing the will of God, Jesus wants to come first. “Come …, follow me,” is still the invitation He makes to those who ask, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” It is still true. Resource reading: Luke 18:18-30 The post How Can I Inherit Eternal Life? appeared first on Guidelines International. Listen on the Website » April 14, 2026 Commit to 5 Minutes a Day with God Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved … who correctly handles the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15 OK, you’ve decided to take five minutes a day and spend with God. You’ve made the decision to try it. What can you expect? For one thing, you’ll discover that Murphy’s law, “Anything that can happen, will happen,” has your name on it. You will oversleep. You will discover that your socks don’t match. You will have extra work that keeps you up late, so late that as soon as you close your eyes, you are instantly asleep. You will set the alarm early, and an alarm that has never failed before, will not go off! You will settle down with an open Bible or a notebook and begin to ponder your relationship with God, and the phone will ring, or you will immediately think of things that need your attention right now, so you push aside the Bible and skip your quiet time with God. How do I know? I’ve tried it at least a hundred times, but I’ve started at least 101 times. In other words, I haven’t quit. Interested in five simple guidelines that can help you develop a quiet time or a time of spiritual meditation and study? They are: Guideline #1: Make the commitment to take at least five minutes a day and spend with the Lord. I’m sure I don’t have to sell you on the importance of the idea. The vast majority of people believe that being in the presence of God is important, but not important enough to make the commitment to include time in His presence in their daily schedule. Remember, the longest journey in the world begins with the first step, and your commitment to enrich your life by taking five minutes a day is the beginning that can change your life. Guideline #2: Be definite, but flexible, in your plan to schedule five minutes a day. When’s the best time for this? Anytime, right? Dead wrong! Anytime is some other time, and some other time never gets scheduled. So, look at your schedule, or daybook. Determine when you can take five minutes a day and make it a habit. For some, the first thing in the morning is the best time, but for you night people, five minutes at the end of your day is a lot more productive. Guideline #3: Have a plan. Three ingredients should fit into that plan. First, Scripture, or God’s Word, the Bible. Here you find the strength of the ages; through these pages, God speaks to us. Then, you need some moments of reflection or meditation as you ask yourself, “How does what I’ve read apply to my life, to what I’m facing right now?” Then you need a few minutes to talk to God in prayer. Here you connect with Him by sharing your heart. Guideline #4: Stay focused. It is so easy to let your mind wander. You read a chapter, close the Bible, and you can’t remember a word or a thought that you’ve read. Do you know why? All of the time, your mind was going over your schedule for the day. You were thinking about your broken-down car, or the problems confronting you. How do you stay focused? Possibly by reading out loud. Perhaps by journaling, or writing down your thoughts, by making the conscious decision to put your mind where your body is, and worship God. Guideline #5: Discipline yourself, and, if necessary, cut something else out of your overburdened schedule. When it’s all said and done (and usually more is said than done), we have time for what we really want to do. Nobody can honestly say (myself included), “I don’t have at least five minutes a day to nurture my soul and refresh my mind.” But you don’t just find time, you must take it. What are the rewards? An amazing sense of clarity in your thinking. You begin to see life from a different perspective. You slow down enough to realize you are in the presence of the Almighty. You realize your problems are not so big after all. Five minutes can change your life. Resource reading: James 4:7-10

Matthew 9:37-38 NKJV Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. "Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest." ABBA Father, You have opened many doors for me wide open for Your glory. Father, I need a ministry Timothy in the two ministries You opened the door for me to do. I need someone to bring worship. Lord, You know this is not my gift. Father, I need a greeter for the convalescent home that I attend every weekend. For the Websites I need locals to help me to type the same messages in over 40 Bible versions and Languages, including Catholic and Jewish Bibles. Father, in order to make disciples can all my friends check out the sites and share them with their friends and leave comments. Once everyone decides where they want to spend eternity, we get to go home to heaven. I look forward to that day. In Romans 8:23 NKJV Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, ever we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. Your word says in Genesis 2:18 NKJV says And the LORD God said, "It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him." Father, bring me people who will be there for all times. In Jesus name AMEN.

GOD'S CREATION = 100 / evolution = 0 MOKELE MBEMBE…A LIVING DINOSAUR? Deep in the dense, untamed jungles of central Africa, across regions like Congo, Cameroon, and Gabon, reports have persisted for generations of a mysterious creature. Eyewitnesses describe an animal with a long neck, a powerful tail, and rounded tracks marked by three claws. The closest known match to this description is not a modern animal, but a sauropod dinosaur. When locals in the Likouala region sketch what they have seen, they consistently draw something that mirrors the form of a sauropod. Even more striking, when shown images of these dinosaurs, they identify them directly as Mokele-mbembe. The name itself means “one who stops the flow of rivers,” and early European explorers, including a French priest, described it plainly as a monstrous animal. Descriptions remain remarkably consistent. This creature is said to be comparable in size to a hippopotamus or even an elephant, with reported lengths ranging from 16 to over 30 feet, and in some accounts from Cameroon, even larger. Its long neck and tail, sometimes measured at several meters each, align closely with known sauropod structure. Some witnesses even report a distinctive frill or crest on the back of its head, similar in appearance to a rooster’s comb. Over the past two centuries, multiple expeditions into these regions have returned with similar testimonies. The consistency is not random. It demands explanation. If such a creature were confirmed alive today, the implications would be massive. Not just for zoology, but for the entire evolutionary framework that insists these creatures vanished millions of years ago. Yet from a biblical creation standpoint, this presents no contradiction at all. Scripture tells us that all land animals, including dinosaurs, were created during creation week. Before the modern term “dinosaur” was coined, cultures around the world referred to these creatures as dragons, behemoths, and leviathans. Job 40 gives a direct description of behemoth, a creature whose features align far more closely with a massive, tail-swinging land giant than any modern animal. According to the biblical record, animals were preserved on the Ark, likely as juveniles or eggs, and lived alongside man after the Flood. Over time, changing climates and human activity would have driven most to extinction. But in a world still filled with unexplored regions, it is not unreasonable to consider that remnants could persist in isolated environments. The reports surrounding Mokele-mbembe do not prove its existence, but they are far from empty stories. They are consistent, widespread, and rooted in real testimony. And they leave open a question that evolution struggles to answer, but Scripture already has.

THE GREAT ASSEMBLY Chapter 1: The Prophecy of the Double Portion In the ancient, mist-shrouded province of Waish, the air had oncetasted of salt and renewal. It was a land defined by its name—a placewhere the people believed that before any great work could be done,the soul had to be cleansed in the vapors of the coast. But for the lastgeneration, the cleansing waters had begun to run still. A spiritualheaviness, thick as coal dust and smelling of sulfur, had settled overthe valleys. The locals called it "The Soot. " It wasn't merely physical dirt; it wasspiritual sediment that clung to the mind and dampened the spirit.Under its oppressive weight, the songs in the local assembly hadgrown faint, losing their melody to the grey fog. The hearts of thepeople had become calcified, resembling the dry bones described bythe prophet Ezekiel—rattling without breath, existing without life. In the heart of this quiet desperation lived Elara and Silas. They werea couple of quiet, steadfast faith, though their home wasconspicuously silent of the laughter of children. For years, they had stood on the promises found in the Psalms, believing that childrenare a heritage from the Lord. Night after night, Silas would light alamp against the encroaching darkness, and they would pray untiltheir knees ached. Yet, the seasons turned, the harvest moon roseand fell, and their cradle remained empty. The villagers, beaten down by the Soot, began to whisper. They saidthat perhaps the favor of the Almighty had passed the couple by, justas it seemed to have passed over the province of Waish itself. Then came the day of the visitation. The local assembly was gathered under the high, timbered eaves ofthe Great Sanctuary. The structure was ancient, built in the days ofthe First Revival, and the atmosphere inside was charged with astrange, static tension. The scent of cedar and old parchment hungheavy in the air, mixing with the sharp tang of the coming storm. Asthe sun began to dip behind the jagged silhouette of the IronMountains, casting long shadows across the pews, the High Elderstood up. He was a man whose skin was etched with the maps of a thousandprayers, his eyes milky with age yet burning with an internal fire. Hedid not look at the scripture reading for the day. His eyes were notfixed on the congregation, but on something far beyond the woodenwalls, peering into a realm the others could not see. Slowly, leaning on his staff, he approached Elara and Silas. The room fell into a deathly silence. Even the wind outside seemedto hold its breath. The whispers of the villagers died in their throats. The Elder didn’t speak of a generic blessing. He didn’t offer aplatitude of comfort. Instead, he raised two trembling fingers towardthe rafters, his hand glowing faintly in the dim light. "The Lord has heard the cry of the barren," the Elder’s voice echoed like rolling thunder, vibrating in the chest of every man and woman present. "But He is not sending a drop; He is sending a deluge." Elara gripped Silas’s arm, her knuckles white. "You have prepared for a single candle," the Elder roared, the anointing falling upon him heavily, "but God is lighting two torches! Within a year, a double portion shall be birthed from this house. You shall bear twins—Miraculous Keys." He pointed a finger at Elara’s womb. "One to see the hidden paths of the enemy—the Strategist, the Seer. And one to be the iron wall against the dark—the Warrior, the Builder." The congregation gasped, the sound sweeping through the room like a sudden wind. In Waish, twins were rare, a biological curiosity. But twins born of specific, detailed prophecy were unheard of. As the word was spoken, Elara felt a heat move through her womb—not the pain of sorrow, but a sensation like liquid gold being poured into a vessel. It was the weight of Glory. Silas gripped her hand, his mind racing, his heart pounding a rhythm of terror and joy. They had only ever imagined one life, one future, one path. God was giving them two. The service ended in a stunned hush. As Elara and Silas walked home that night, the path illuminated by their lantern, the stars over Waish seemed to align in pairs. They walked with the careful steps of those carrying a treasure too heavy to drop. But they did not yet know that the prophecy was a warning as much as a blessing. For deep in the shadows of the Iron Mountains, where the fog was thickest, the "Soot"—that ancient, supernatural corruption—began to stir. It was not just an atmosphere; it was an intelligence. It heard the decree. It felt the shift in the spiritual axis. It knew that if these twins were born, if these "Miraculous Keys" were allowed to mature, its reign over the land of Waish would be challenged. The double portion had been declared. The Keys were coming. And the war for the morning had begun.

Heard an extension of the Bethlehem story this morning on the radio. I always believed that the visitors to Bethlehem -- the party from the east which bore the gifts for the baby Jesus -- was such a big deal for that tiny sheep town that nobody ever forgot it, and consequently the party of Queen Helena and her stone masons had no difficulty finding the place of Jesus' birth. They built the Church of the Nativity in the early 4th century over the cave where Jesus was born. Now I have heard even more detail, information that makes me surer that the place of His birth was never forgotten. Almost exactly 100 years after the crucifixion, Emperor Hadrian sent a building crew to Bethlehem to see if, like in so many conquered places, Rome could make the locals forget about Jesus and start worshipping Roman gods. Rome built a Temple of Adonis, directly over the cave of Christ's birth, only a century after He died. That temple was meant to complete the "replacement" of the savage and superstitious local religion with the traditional, long held beliefs of the Romans, wherever they were. Standard Roman policy, in other words. But in this case, rather than make the people FORGET about the place where Jesus was born, it served as a physical reminder of the birth of Jesus. The people of Bethlehem knew that the Roman temple over the cave was there because the cave WAS where Jesus was born. So when Helena showed up a couple hundred years later, asking where did it happen, they all just pointed to the Roman temple. But... "it's myth and legend, in faraway places lost to the light of history, a fable for telling to children, an ancient tale that never happened"... right? No, actually, it isn't. 🙂. The birth of Jesus might not have happened in December, or in winter, or in the year zero, or any of the stuff that has become the traditional story. But Jesus was born, and lived, and died on the cross in 33 AD. And the Church of the "Nativity" (the birth of Christ) is built over the cave where the birth of Jesus took place. There is simply no doubt. And I have seen it. The Romans... accidentally, to be sure... made certain that history would never forget that spot. Another Awesome Copy Paste Feel Free I did