Crowned With Goodness - Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to all in our Lord Jesus! 

I can't believe that 2011 has just ended. It's been an amazing year to be sure. A LOT has happened, many changes, many sorrows, and also many joys. Floods, storms, earthquakes, tsunamis, revolutions, revolts, victories and defeats, death and destruction, and also revival and joy! These are just the amazing paradoxes of this year. In it all we can say: 'Eben-ezer...Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.' (1 Samuel 7:12b). It is really exciting and humbling to think that we live in days when history is being made. It is days in which our God and our Heavenly Father is working mighty things that we at times do not know or understand. But we can be sure, as His children, that they are always good and full of infinite wisdom. Personally I can declare that He has been faithful. 'Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and they paths drop fatness.' (Psalm 65:11). Amen! Jesus is very good!

Now a new year is before us - 2012! A new beginning and full of new opportunities to experience God's goodness and faithfulness! It is a time of making new resolutions....unfortunately, I'm very bad at keeping them! We need His grace always. My prayer for this new year, it to know the Lord Jesus more. To lose myself and find Him more. It is not always easy, but this is true life and yes, true joy. I want to spend time with Him more. I want to rely and trust Him more fully. I want to see Jesus lifted high in my life, my family, in the Church, and around the world. 

At this moment, let us also remember our brothers and sisters  in the Lord around the world who are suffering and are persecuted. I have in mind the sad bombings of Churches in Nigeria this past Christmas. May the Lord strengthen them and comfort them. 

Tonight is also the 1st anniversary of the bombings of the Church in Alexandria, Egypt where many died and many others were injured. 12 months later, Egypt has undergone unbelievable change. The Church in Egypt has suffered a lot and yet in the midst of that darkness, the Lord Jesus shines in His people. That is a comfort for all His people everywhere. I believe that next year will bring many more changes both on the personal level and on the more general, worldwide level, some perhaps may not be what we would like to have. But through it all, He will be with us and we will see Him, if we just look up to Him and call on His name! 

The following video clip has gone viral on the internet. Though you will most probably never see it on the normal media. It happened a few weeks ago in Cairo, Egypt in the Moukatam Cave Church, during a long 'Night of Prayer and Return to God' meeting in which at least 70,000 people attended. Earlier this year, some members of this Church experienced martyrdom during one of the many attacks on Christians this year. See what the Lord is doing.

'And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.' (Acts 2:21) 

'The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.' (Proverbs 18:10)

Thousands in Egypt shout JESUS for 10 consecutive minutes. It was also totally spontaneous! 

The song "Hail, Jesus, Your my King!' in Arabic while the congregation shouts JESUS!

Amen! May the Lord give us more of this worldwide in this coming new year! 

Before ending, I just want say thank you to all my friends for encouraging me. This year I started blogging. It has been an amazing experience. I look forward to being blessed by all of you again this new year! 

God Bless,

Merry Christmas! This Day in History: Christmas Truce, 1914

Merry Christmas to all! 

Well, this is the end of this lovely day, spent happily and quietly with my family. The Lord gave us a good and blessed time together. We worked, sang, laughed, prayed, ate, and opened presents together. A really special time. It is hard to believe it's come and gone so quickly. This is life. It goes very quickly. But with Jesus, this is never the end...it is always only the beginning! Because of this day 2,000 years ago, we can have life and hope for tomorrow, as well as today. A new year is now before us and we can always rely on Him to be with us to guide us and to satisfy us. Let us rejoice in Him! Let us love and fear Him! He is our life! 

Today I'd like to share a small historical event that took place during WWI. It was the Christmas Truce of 1914, when Christmas brought a glimpse of the final peace that will one day come because of the first and second coming of the Prince of Peace. It also shows how the Christmas carol, 'Silent Night' has brought  many people, far and wide and under difficult circumstances together, through the grace of the Holy Spirit. 

Unfortunately it's late now and I feel pretty tired after such a lovely but long day, so I won't be able to write about it myself! But I'll give you some links and a documentary video clip.   

The Truce of 1914

Christmas Truce (Wikipedia)

In WW2, Christmas brought similar moments of peace and reconciliation...even if it lasted one night. Click here to watch Silent Night - A touching WWII true story (a few graphic war scenes and  perhaps a bit of course language). 

God Bless, 

Libera - Inspirational Music

Hello again, my dear reader friends! It's been a while since my last post and Christmas is almost upon us! I believe it is an amazing season...not because of all the silliness that goes on around in the world during that time, but because of the amazing thing that we remember at this special time every year. How the Great God of Heaven and Earth and all that is in them, the Great God of the Universe, our Great Creator, should love us so much that He would give us His most precious Son to redeem us from sin and death and give us eternal life to all who believe and receive His salvation. I never ever cease to wonder at this. This greatness that choose to be a small helpless baby, born in a very poor home, and in a poor, dirty manger. To grow and become a Man and die on a horrible cross...all for us! It is beyond our understanding! But we can accept it with humility and thanksgiving and give our lives to Him as an offering. Thank you, Lord! 

This is the GOSPEL:

"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" 

John 3: 16

Amen!

We do not want to celebrate this season in the way the world celebrates...just gifts and material things...but it is a time to worship our Redeemer.

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Recently, I discovered an amazing boys choir based in London, called Libera. They mainly sing classical sacred music and they are just amazing and so heavenly. You've probably already noticed the music video I put on the top of the blog for the Carol of the Bells...I think this is the best version I've found for it so far. Here is some more for you to be blessed by this Christmas time:

Be Blessed. 

This Day in History - Remembrance Day 2011

The Armistice Carriage 

Today is Remembrance Day or Armistice Day. On this day in 1918 the Armistice treaty  was signed, thus ending the First World War - one of the bloodiest in history. This day is always commemorated on the 11th day of the 11th month at the 11th hour. Added to this, this year we've got another 11 (2011)!! 

This is a very special day to remember the sacrifice our soldiers have paid to guarantee us freedom and peace. I have deep respect and admiration for those who put their lives willingly at risk to defend us. May God bless them and protect them. It is a great blessing to live in a free country. It's more precious to me especially when I look at other countries who do not have this blessing, who have their own armies against their own people (Remember Tiananmen Square in China or more recently, the Copts in Egypt). 

So, today let's thank God for all these blessings and pray for our soldiers who are giving so much for us. 

They shall not grow old, 

as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, 

nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun

and in the morning 

WE WILL REMEMBER THEM!

~ From For The Fallen (1914) by 

Laurence Binyon (1869-1943)

Peace and Freedom are very precious things and are never cheap. It also reminds me of our own spiritual journey to heaven, as portrayed so beautifully in Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. It is a journey full of dangers and snares - a narrow way - as we fight our own flesh and Satan's attacks and snares. But if we persevere we shall overcome and gain the crown of life. (see James 1:12, Revelation 2:10) 

Here is a lovely song - 'He That Overcomes' by Jimmy and Carol Owens:

The trailer of the movie the Lord of the Rings: The Return of the  King (2009), said something very true, touching, and profound: 

There can be 

No triumph without loss.

No victory without suffering. 

No freedom without a sacrifice.  

This is what our Saviour has done to purchase our freedom form sin and to defeat Satan. This is our journey, too. We are to follow in His steps. May the Lord grant us the grace to endure and persevere to the end. We must not give up. 

~God bless

IDOP 2011 - International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church

Well, dear friends, it's true. I've been away from blogging for a while. I've been pretty busy with university assignments and exam preparations....whew! quite hectic! But the Lord is always good and very faithful. His mercies endure forever. Praise the Lord! Well, I hope to get back to it as soon as possible. I'm still thinking about what to share next:)

However, tonight I'd just like to encourage you all to join in this year's IDOP (from 6th - 13th of November). Whether in Church, or with family and friends, or just alone in our time with the Lord. Let's remember our brothers and sisters around the world who are suffering persecution and hardship. Pray that the Lord would be with them and strengthen them in their tribulations and deliver them from evil. Pray that those who are in prisons would be released. Pray that the Lord would provide all their needs. Pray that they would be given courage to witness to the Lord in these very hostile places. Pray that the Lord would provide them with His precious Word. 

Prayer Changes Things! 

'Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.'  Hebrews 13:3

Urgent Prayer for Christians in Egypt

Dear Friends, 

Many of you have probably already heard what happened on Sunday to many of Egypt's Christians. Yesterday the Coptic Christians went out to peacefully protest against the burning of a church in Etfu, Aswan Governorate. During their march, they were molested with stones and gunfire. Upon reaching the TV Building in Maspero, Cairo (around 10,000 or more Copts), the army and 'thugs' attacked. There were similar protests in other cities around the country. The army, government, and national media, as usual, have falsely accused the Christians of using weapons and violence. All the inner sources and video footage show completely otherwise. Thankfully CNN and other outside media are beginning to give some accurate info as well. It is well known that thugs (from the authorities, particularly the army) infiltrated the demonstrations and did all the violence.  It was shocking how the army vehicles rammed into the protesters, crushing and mutilating them. Not even the worst atrocities committed during the January/February revolution could be compared with this. The scenes from the hospitals is horrific. Church and other sources say that there were many more than 24 dead (the official count), some say as many as 40 or 50. Some reports even indicate that some bodies were thrown by the attackers over the bridge into the Nile. Hundreds are injured, many seriously. These attacks on Christians, the Churches, their businesses, and their homes have increased dramatically since the Revolution, beginning with the New Year bombing of the Church in Alexandria. We can see that the Military General and the ruling military council is set on their persecution of Christians, using the Islamists.The Coptic Church has declared three days of fasting and prayer, starting today (October 11). We gratefully know that you and many others are with us in lifting our brothers and sisters before our Father's throne of Grace. Please share this with as many as possible so they also can join in prayer. Prayer changes things because we serve a living God. Amen! Pray that the Lord would give them strength and comfort to endure this trial and courage not to lose hope but trust in God. The peaceful protests will undoubtedly continue, so, please pray that the Lord would give His people wisdom and protect them. Pray for comfort for the families of those killed.

Please pray, also, for the future of Egypt and that God would deliver Egypt from those who want to destroy her. 

God bless, 

P.S: Here are some links to reliable sources and news: 

*At Coptic Hospital, Christians hysterical over lost relatives 

*Live Updates: As death toll rises in clashes, mobs attack Christian businesses 

*Confusion looming over dead bodies' autopsies after Maspero violence

*A firsthand account: Marching from Shubra to deaths at Maspero

*Live Updates: Protesters march from Coptic Hospital to cathedral

*Human rights group had warned military of violence, say legal sources

*CNN - Q&A: Egypt's tensions explained


Voice of the Martyrs Article

CBN News 

Open Doors 

Here is a video link of the funeral. It is, understandably, emotionally distressing. Emotions of pain, grief and anger are high and raw. In the clips you can here the mourners weeping, praying, their cries of distress, and their chants which say that they are willing to suffer and die for the cross and that they will lift their heads high. They are also using this opportunity to protest as well.

http://www.christian-dogma.com/vb/showthread.php?p=1591142

http://www.christian-dogma.com/vb/showthread.php?p=1591502 
(here singing the traditional hymn 'Lord Have Mercy') 

This is probably the best Christian source - full of video clips and live and raw footage (It is in Arabic, though - google translation could help, though poor). I thought I'd include it here anyway. 

http://www.christian-dogma.com/site/p0 

P.S. 2: Here is an Update to the case of the Iranian Pastor sentenced to death

Australia's Christian Heritage

Advance Australia Fair!

This is the Great South Land of the Holy Spirit! 

I don't have time at present to write a post on this topic, but I'd like to share a link to a good document that gives plenty of relevant information and interesting links. Click Here! (Disclaimer Note: I'm not sure, though, about the accuracy or relevancy of all the information and links given...)

Sometime I hope to share more with you. 

This Great South Land!

Bible Provides Plan for WWI Battle

I came across a very interesting World War I story. One of that war's theatres of conflict was in the Holy Land where the British and other Commonwealth forces, under accomplished General Allenby, were fighting the Turkish forces who were allied with Germany and Austria. 

Sheer cliffs of Michmash

In 1917, General Allenby, along with his Sixtieth British Division,  entered the plain surrounding Megiddo and Mischmash (these lie north of Jerusalem) en-route to attack Jericho and drive the Turkish army back across the Jordan River. Directly in their path was the small town of Michmash which was located on a high, rocky hill overlooking the plain of Megiddo, also occupied  by the Turks. It was an almost impregnable with its sheer cliffs. 

Where is Michmash?

Jonathan and
armour-bearer climbing
cliffs at Michmash

The British forces were faced with a problem. How on earth would they penetrate that town? But General Allenby and his Brigade Major Vivion Gilbert, knowing their Bibles well, remembered that the name of that town was mentioned in I Samuel chapters 13 and 14. Here it describes how Prince Jonathan, along with his armour-bearer, found a secret rocky passage on the hillside that lead to the top of the town that was being used as a fortress by the Philistine army. With God's help, Jonathan and his armour-bearer, were able to surprise the Philistines and in the confusion the Philistines fought each other and were quickly and easily defeated. 

Jonathan and armour-bearer

General Allenby

General Allenby and those with him discovered that the topography of the area was still very similar. They managed to find that secret passage. His troops scaled these same sheer cliffs that Jonathan climbed thousands of years before and took the Turkish garrison by complete surprise. It was a decisive victory for General Allenby and the Commonwealth forces. Being victorious at Megiddo, Jericho, and Jerusalem, he finally broke the power of the Turkish army, a very important development for the future of the Holy Land, the Middle East, and the outcome of the war. 

At the end of the war, General Allenby was decorated as Lord Allenby 'Viscount of Megiddo'. 

This story shows how much God is at work in the affairs of man and the workings of history. The relevency of  His word is shown also in this story for guiding the details of modern day history. 

God Bless







*************************
Reference: 


Katherine Pollard Carter, The Mighty Hand of God, Missouri: Impact Books, INC., 1991, pp. 87-89. 
(other references for that chapter in the book)

Urgent Prayer for Persecuted Christians in Egypt and Iran

Before I share anything new this week, I would first like to share an urgent prayer request. 

First, at present Iranian Pastor, Youcef Nadarkhani, is facing execution at any time for converting to Christianity and refusing to recant. There is an international campaign now to pressure the Iranian authorities to withdraw their sentence. However, prayer is the real key now. He's got a young family, too. Please pray for him and his family. Pray that the Lord would intervene and deliver him from this sentence and restore him to his family and congregation. Pray that the Lord would give them peace and strength in this trial. Click Here for more information. 

Here are some video clips of media coverage on the case in the last few days - please pray: 

Many of our brothers and sisters in Iran are facing similar hardship and persecution. Let's remember them also. 

************************************ 

Another urgent matter for prayer is for Christians in Egypt. Since the January Revolution, the Church in Egypt has been facing more and more severe danger and persecution. Last night, about 3,000 Muslim fanatics attacked a Church in one village in Upper Egypt  near the tourist city of Aswan and completely burned it down, also destroying the homes and businesses of many Christians. Many are now trying to flee the village with boats across the Nile, but they are quite surrounded. There is deep fear of a massacre through the night. As usual the authorities are just spectators and are not doing anything.  Please pray for the Lord's protection and deliverance. Pray that the Lord will give His people peace and strength through this trial. 

(here is a link in English that tells a little bit, though there were many developments since its writing)

Several other Churches around the country have been attacked and destroyed and many more are threatened. There are also thousands still in prisons. Already the situation in Egypt in general is getting worse and more grave. The greatest fear is an total Islamic takeover with the help of the ruling Army. Sadly, the international media is not mentioning anything about this at all. So, please remember them in your prayers. Prayer Changes things. 

'Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them that suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.' (Hebrews 13: 3). 

Thank you and God Bless. 

Napoleon Bonaparte vs. Oliver Cromwell

These two were great men of their times. Both of them have left an indelible mark on history. In some things we may say they were similar. For example, both were great military Generals with great genius. Each was a great ruler of his country. Yet, in many ways they were more different than similar, especially in the thing that mattered most - faith. 

Napoleon Bonaparte

Napoleon Bonaparte was a Catholic, like most Frenchmen at the time, and it appears that throughout his career he was a just nominal Christian. At the end of his life and career -  after conquering nearly all of Europe, ruling an empire, and then losing badly - there is some credible evidence that he may have come to saving faith at last. 

Oliver Cromwell

Oliver Cromwell on the other hand was a Protestant and a Puritan. Who was a born again believer right from the beginning of his public career. From the beginning he did everything through faith in the Lord, believing strongly in His guidance and providence (no one can really escape this when reading his speeches and letters) and his legacy is stronger and much more godly than Napoleon's. 

J.H. Merle D'Aubigne
19th Century Historian

Great 19th century Protestant historian, J.H. Merle D'Aubigne, has given us some profound comparisons between the two in his very good book, The Protector - A vindication. 

First, he refers to a certain French historian who indicated that Cromwell was only an English hero, while Napoleon spread his name and influence into every quarter of the world, thus implying that Napoleon was greater. 

This is what D'Aubigne said in response: 

It is true that Cromwell did not launch his destroying legions into Spain and Russia and even into Egypt. It is true that he thought it the highest excellence to live in Christ to the end that God in all things might be glorified, and to bear, like Simon of Cyrenean, the cross and the shame of the Lord. But it is a grand mistake to suppose that his name was hardly known beyond the British isles. So great was his renown that it extended even to the distant plains of Asia... (p. 213) 

In fact, during his Protectorate, Cromwell warned the French King and his government that if they did not stop brutally persecuting and harassing a certain Protestant group (descendants of the Waldenses), he would send his own army to protect them. Cromwell, didn't have to do that. The French government knew well of Cromwell's undefeated army. So they stopped the persecution. That was Cromwell's influence.

D'Aubigne continues with his comparison: 

 He [Cromwell] has been compared to Bonaparte, and there are, indeed, striking features of resemblance between them. Neither was satisfied with confining himself to his own country alone, and both exerted their activity abroad. But while Napoleon bore to other nations French tyranny and indifference, Cromwell would have given them religious liberty and the Gospel. The everlasting revelations having reappeared in England [the  Protestant Reformation] and received the homage of a whole people, it was Cromwell's ambition to present them to the whole world. (p. 231)

This was his prayer to the end where on his deathbed he prayed: '...may the Name of Christ be glorious in the world.'
Napoleon's achievements and accomplishments were done mainly for personal power and glory and perhaps a bit of nationalism. It was only later that he discovered that the empire he had built was nothing and that Christ's empire was what will stand. 

These are just a few comparisons between the two. I'm sure there are many more things we could use for comparison. However, this should suffice for now. 


What really matters and what really is greatness in leader in the eyes of God is the fear of the Lord. Cromwell definitely had that throughout his life and career....did Napoleon? I haven't done enough reading on his personal life during his public career to be 100 percent sure, however, from my observation of his history...he definitely did not have it like Cromwell. 


God Bless


******************** 
Reference:

J.H. Merle D'Aubigne, The Protector: A Vindication, 1847, Virginia: Sprinkle Publications, 1997 

I Love You, Lord

Here is another one of my favourite songs, 'I love You, Lord'. It is sung by Barry McGuire as the Apostle Peter on another of Jimmy and Carol Owen's lovely musicals - The Witness. 

'So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord: thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs....' (John 21: 15)


Hear it here (audio only) and be blessed: 

I LOVE YOU, LORD

by Carol Owens

Peter:

I love You, Lord,
And You know I always meant to do things right.
I love You, Lord,
When I think of how I've failed You I could cry.
And when I hear You calling me
I want to run and hide,
Yet You know I love You so.

I Love You, Lord,
Although I know my heart may not seem true.
I love You, Lord,
And I've prayed for one more chance to prove I do.
I want to leave the past behind
and feel Your smile again,
Oh Lord, You know I love You so, I love You so.

So if You find it in Your heart
to let me start again,
I'll be your witness, Lord, Your witness, Lord,
Your witness to the end of my life.
Let me make it right,
Let me try again,
I'll be your witness to the end.

So if You find it in Your heart
to let me start again,
I'll be Your witness, Lord, Your witness, Lord,
Your witness to the end of my life.
Let me make it right,
Let me try again,
I'll be Your witness to the end, to the end.

********************************* 
Amen! May this be our prayer, too, when we feel that we've failed our Lord. 


God Bless

He is Alive!

Well, it is a long way from Easter (or Resurrection Day) still. However, I can't hold myself back from posting this song today! It has really touched and encouraged me. After all, for Christians, everyday of the year is Resurrection Day! He is our Passover and our Resurrection! He is Alive! It is so easy to forget this or take it for granted during the year. But that shouldn't happen. 

This is an older song by Don Francisco, from Jimmy and Carol Owens' (the ones who wrote 'Freely, Freely') album The Victor! - a beautiful Musical. 

It recounts the Resurrection Morn from Peter's perspective. I love songs that tell a story. 

The gates and doors were barred
And all the windows fastened down,
I spent the night in sleeplessness
And rose at every sound.
Half in hopeless sorrow
And half in fear the day
Would find the soldiers breaking through
To drag us all away.

And just before the sunrise
I heard something at the wall.
The gate began to rattle
And a voice began to call.
I hurried to the window,
Looked down into the street
Expecting swords and torches
And the sound of soldiers' feet.

There was no one there but Mary,
So I went down to let her in,
And John stood there beside me
As she told us where she'd been.
She said, "They've moved Him in the night
And none of us knows where.
The stone's been rolled away
And now His body isn't there."

We both ran toward the garden,
Then John ran on ahead.
We found the stone and the empty tomb
Just the way that Mary said.
But the winding sheet they wrapped Him in
Was just an empty shell
And how or where they'd taken Him
Was more than I could tell.

Well something strange had happened there,
Just what I did not know....
John believed a miracle, but
I just turned to go.
Circumstance and speculation
Couldn't life me very high,
'Cause I'd seen them crucify Him...
Then I saw Him die.

And back inside the house again
The guilt and anguish came.
Everything I'd promised Him
Just added to my shame.
When at last it came to choices,
I'd denied I know His name.
And even if He was alive
It wouldn't be the same.

Suddenly the air was filled
With strange and sweet perfume.
Light that came from everywhere
Drove shadows from the room.
Jesus stood before me
With His arms held open wide.
And I fell down on my knees,
And just clung to Him and cried.

He raised me to my feet,
And as I looked into His eyes
Love was shining out from Him
Like sunlight from the skies.
My guilt and my confusion
Disappeared in sweet release.
And every fear I'd ever had
Just melted into peace.

(Chorus)

He's alive! He's Alive!
He's alive and I'm forgiven
Heaven's gates are open wide!

(Repeat)

He's alive! He's alive! He's alive!

****************************

Amen! May it bless you today as it has blessed me. 

Peace in the Midst of Darkness and Turmoil - 9/11

I just can't let that date pass without posting something about it. Its significance in history is undeniable and its cold horror still resonates within us even a decade later. My heart still goes out to those who have suffered so much on that day. In some way I'd like this post to be a sort of a tribute to them all.

I remember vividly where I was when we heard the news. I've always taken notice of God's care and comfort in the circumstances in which I first heard it. 

Beit el Salam (House of Peace)
The Back of the Church Building
This building has seen
many conversions occurring in it over
the years. God be praised!
Click here for more pictures

We were still in Egypt at the time. (We moved to Australia only a couple of months later) I was with my family at a missions conference in a lovely Christian Conference/Retreat facility, which is called in Arabic Beit el Salam or House of Peace. It is about an hours' away from the city of Alexandria in Egypt, right by the beautiful Meditteranean Sea. One of my favourite places in Egypt, in fact. The moment you enter the place, you can sense God's peace filling the place. I find it amazing that we were there at the moment when the world turned upside down.

Being a missions conference, there were a lot of people present from different countries around the world, many of whom were Americans. The morning service was amazing. There was a lovely time of praise and worship and a hilarious but powerful testimony from one of the missionaries. There was a lot of joy, laughter, and thanksgiving to the Lord for doing marvellous things. 

The next meeting was going to be the last service of the conference, at about 5.00 p.m. if I remember correctly. After lunch, it was still free time and people were milling around with different activities. We were in the gardens outside the Canteen and the small bookshop, having a last snack. Mum was in the bookshop. Around 4 p.m. (Egypt time) we heard a commotion and Mum came running out telling us that news was coming on the radio that America has been hit. We knew nothing. There were no  televisions in that place. We had very little details but it was obvious that it was something serious. 

Everyone immediately gathered for the evening service and it turned into a powerful meeting. This time a prayer meeting for America. We prayed and cried together. Love was overflowing.  Then came what I immediately believed to be an amazing part of that night where God's sovereign and foreknowledge lovingly prepared a comfort for all us weeks and perhaps months before that dreadful day.

The Egyptian branch of King's Kids (a children's band) had prepared two songs for performance - Shout to the Lord and a beautiful Arabic Christian Song called 'Peace, Peace to God's People Everywhere'. Isn't it amazing?! So appropriate! We were hearing a song reminding us with God's peace, while worshipping in the House of Peace! Everyone present was very, very touched by God's love and care. He is a merciful and loving God. We all left that conference sheltered in His peace in a world disturbed by pain, hate, and storm. 

In closing, I would like to give a close translation of this Peace song. I believe it is as relevant today as ever. When the King's Kids performed it then, everyone asked for an encore!! 

Your peace has passed our understandings

It is in us and will never cease 

No matter what the enemy says 

You fill our lives with peace

Chorus: 

Peace, Peace (Salam, Salam) to God's people everywhere. (2x)

Even if our feet lost their way

Your Spirit is in us and around us 

Restores our souls and guides us 

And fills our hearts with peace

(Repeat Chorus)

God's peace You've left for us

Not as the world gives do You give us

As long as Your Spirit lives in us 

Your people will always be at peace.

(Repeat Chorus twice)

You can find another translation here which is more singable with the tune of the original Arabic version. If you'rr interested to know what the melody is like you may like to hear the Arabic Version here (it is an old clip, but it is being sung by Egypt's most well-known Christian worship band, The Better Life Team, and filmed mainly in Beit el Salam). 

Amen! May He continue to give us His peace in a world still reeling with turmoil. 

God Bless