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Be ready when Jesus comes again
Everyone loves the Christ in the cradle. The image of baby Jesus in the Bethlehem barn warms our hearts. Each December we recreate the moment on our lawns and beneath our Christmas trees. Stores sell plastic donkeys and wooden mangers. People collect hand-carved images of Mary, Joseph, and the newborn child.
We love the Christ in the cradle.
We are fine with Christ the gentle Messiah. Children sitting on his lap. Sheep gathered around him. The apostle John reclining on his chest. Mary anointing his feet. No one has an issue with a pleasant rabbi who offers sage advice, feeds crowds, and replenishes wine at a wedding.
Christ in the cradle? Wonderful. Christ the kindhearted? Delightful. But Christ the coming King? On a stallion? Roaring out of Heaven? Crowned with the crowns of his enemies? On a mission to destroy those who destroy His children?
The world is less familiar with this view of Jesus. Yet this is the Jesus the world will soon see.
Did you know that the second coming is mentioned more than three hundred times in the Bible, an average of once every 25 verses?
Scripture gushes with the news of Christ’s return like water in full spate. To the depressed disciples, Jesus assured, “I will come again” (John 14:3 NKJV). When Jesus ascended, the angel told the witnesses, “[Jesus] will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). Paul referred to “the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Tim. 6:14). Peter affirmed, “The day of the Lord will come” (2 Peter 3:10). Jude announced, “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones” (Jude14).
We are in the season of Advent. Advent leads us to the beautiful culmination of Christmas, where we celebrate the incarnation of God.
Are we ready for the hope of what will come when Jesus, the very child born in Bethlehem will once again come to reign for eternity?
We wait but we must be ready.
Ready for the arrival of our coming King. Ready. Waiting. Vigilant. Like the soldiers who guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. The men and women who stand guard there display a level of unparalleled fidelity. They devote eight hours to the preparation of their uniforms. Gloves are worn wet to improve the grip on the rifle. Shanks are attached to the inside of each shoe so the soldier can click his or her heels.
The sentinel repeats the same walk over and over: twenty-one steps, then a 21-second pause, the rifle is shifted to the other shoulder, then 21 more steps. He or she repeats this until being relieved at the changing of the guard.
During the summer months, the soldier is on duty for 30 minutes. During the winter, 60 minutes. They fulfill their task in the heat of August and the chill of January. The routine never varies, not even at night when the cemetery is closed. When Hurricane Isabel moved through the area in 2003, the soldiers never stopped. Not once. Trees fell and the wind whipped, but they kept their post.
They have maintained this vigilance every day of every year since 1921.
Remarkable.
Question: If they can display such allegiance rightly given to unknown, dead soldiers, can we not do the same for our living, coming, ruling King? If these sentries are willing to patrol in honor of those who sacrificed, can’t we do even more for our King, who gave the greatest sacrifice? We are members of His battalion. We are enlisted in His regiment. We are returning with Him someday. Can we not serve Him on this day?
Let me be specific. What can you do today in honor of your King? What kindness can you perform? What offense can you forgive? What temptation can you resist? What gift can you offer? What discipline can you begin? What sacrifice can you make? What act of love can you show?
Let’s behave like the people we have been called to be soldiers in the returning army of the King of kings.
The Christ of the cradle is now the Christ with the crowns. He is coming soon.
Sources:Christian Post
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Christians Terrorized Around the Globe: How Murder, Torture, Mayhem Point to Growing Persecution
Christian persecution is continuing to “get worse” across the globe, with Jeff King, president of International Christian Concern (ICC), lamenting the escalating “slow burn.”
King’s organization just released the “2025 Global Persecution Index,” which underscores just how deadly and dangerous anti-Christian persecution has become.
The 116-page report explores “every corner of the world” to identify where these issues are most pervasive, finding that there are around 300 million Christians globally who face a range of punishments, including prison, torture, and assassination.
“We have staff all over the world … so they’re feeding us back news of what’s going on in their countries, and what are the trends, and what are the incidents,” King said of ICC’s data collection for the report. “And then we’ve got a team of fellows.”
He added, “We’re constantly monitoring, and watching … to see what’s happening.”
The “2025 Global Persecution Index” shows a worsening persecution picture, ranging from terrifying government restrictions in China to rampant persecution and land-grabbing inside Nigeria.
Syria is one nation where newfound threats are on the horizon, with King warning that Al-Qaeda and ISIS are taking control after the fall of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime. While the militants have been labeled “rebels” by some, he believes what’s unfolding in Syria is far more nefarious, with extremist Muslims taking over.
“That’s who these guys are, they’re called HTS [Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham],” he said, expressing doubt these forces wouldn’t harm or go after Christians. “They did a name change. They did a rebranding, as it were. And these guys are the worst of the worst.”
King also said Russia has destroyed hundreds of churches and heritage sites in Ukraine since Russia’s 2022 invasion, among other disturbing issues.
“And then you’ve got all the usual places like India and Egypt and just all over the world, North Korea, Nigeria,” King said. “It’s an absolutely horrible situation, but it just goes on and on. It’s not necessarily new, but it’s terrible.”
He said Nigeria and North Korea are without a doubt the two most difficult nations to be a Christian, with persecution at the most intense of rates. As for the former, he said Fulani terrorists and other Islamic extremists routinely target the faithful.
“[If] you’re a Christian farmer, you’re a Christian villager … the Fulani terrorists, the Islamic terrorists [might] come in with guns, with machetes, and they shoot, and they maim, and they slice, and they drive you off the land,” King said. “And if you decide to come back, they’ll attack you again.”
He said the Nigerian government often does little to stop the carnage — and added that the U.S. government doesn’t put the required pressure on them to help stop the madness.
“Three-plus million Christian farmers have been driven off their lands,” King said.
As for North Korea, he lamented a government system that tends to “mimic Christianity” by elevating dictator Kim Jong Un to a god-like status.
“They’re constantly being told the propaganda that they live in a utopia and the best country on earth and the United States is the worst place on earth,” King said, noting anyone who goes against that narrative risks their lives.
Tragically, Christians bear the brunt of furor.
“If you’re a real Christian, you’re either killed right away or you’re sent to a gulag, a massive, massive prison camp,” he said. “These prison camps, some of them are the size of Washington, D.C., and they’re basically slow extermination chambers.”
Sources:faithwire
ചിക്കാഗോ: നാല്പതാമത് പെന്തക്കോസ്റ്റൽ കോൺഫ്രൻസ് ഓഫ് നോർത്ത് അമേരിക്കയുടെ ഒന്നരവർഷം നീണ്ടുനിൽക്കുന്ന ആഗോള വ്യാപകമായ ഓൺലൈൻ പ്രാർത്ഥനയ്ക്ക് ജനുവരി 19ന് സെലിബ്രേഷൻ ചർച്ചിൽ വച്ച് ആരംഭം കുറിക്കും. വൈകിട്ട് അഞ്ചരമണിക്ക് ആരംഭിക്കുന്ന സമ്മേളനം നാഷണൽ കൺവീനർ ജോർജ് കെ സ്റ്റീഫൻസൺ ഉദ്ഘാടനം ചെയ്യും
. ലോകത്തിന്റെ വിവിധ ഭാഗങ്ങളിലുള്ള വിശ്വാസികൾ സൂം പ്ലാറ്റ്ഫോമിലൂടെ പ്രാർത്ഥനയിൽ പങ്കുചേരും. നാഷണൽ പ്രയർ കോർഡിനേറ്റർ പാസ്റ്റർ പി വി മാമൻ ലോക്കൽ പ്രയർ കമ്മിറ്റിയോട് ചേർന്ന് തുടർ പദ്ധതികൾ ആവിഷ്കരിക്കും. 2026ൽ ചിക്കാഗോയിൽ വച്ച് നടക്കുന്ന നാല്പതാമത് പിസിനാക് കോൺഫറൻസിന്റെ ലോഗോയുടെ ഔദ്യോഗിക പ്രകാശനവും വെബ്സൈറ്റിന്റെ ഉദ്ഘാടനവും കൺവീനർ നിർവഹിക്കും.
ഇതോടനുബന്ധിച്ച് കേരള ക്രൈസ്തവ സാഹിത്യ അക്കാദമി പ്രഖ്യാപിച്ച വി നാഗൽ കീർത്തന അവാർഡിന് അർഹനായ പാസ്റ്റർ സാംകുട്ടി മത്തായി ക്കുള്ള അവാർഡ് വിതരണവും ചിക്കാഗോയിലെ സീനിയർ മിനിസ്റ്റേഴ്സ് ആയ പാസ്റ്റർ ജോസഫ് കെ ജോസഫ് പാസ്റ്റർ പി സി മാമ്മൻ, പാസ്റ്റർ ജോർജ് കെ സ്റ്റീഫൻസൺ, പാസ്റ്റർ പി വി കുരുവിള എന്നിവരെ ആദരിക്കുന്നതിനുള്ള ചടങ്ങും ഉണ്ടായിരിക്കും. പ്രശസ്ത ക്രൈസ്തവ സാഹിത്യകാരൻ റവ ജോർജ് മാത്യു പുതുപ്പള്ളി അച്ഛൻ മുഖ്യ അതിഥി ആയിരിക്കും.
Sources:nerkazhcha
വാഷിംഗ്ടണ് ഡി.സി: 119-ാമത് അമേരിക്കന് കോണ്ഗ്രസിലേക്ക് തെരഞ്ഞെടുക്കപ്പെട്ട അംഗങ്ങളില് 85%വും ക്രൈസ്തവര്. ഗവേഷക സംഘടനയായ പ്യൂ റിസേർച്ച് സെന്ററിൻ്റെ റിപ്പോർട്ട് പ്രകാരം കോൺഗ്രസിലെ കത്തോലിക്ക പ്രാതിനിധ്യം ഇത്തവണ വര്ദ്ധിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ടെന്നു റിപ്പോര്ട്ട് ചെയ്യുന്നു. പ്രൊട്ടസ്റ്റന്റ് ക്രൈസ്തവരുടെ എണ്ണം ചെറുതായി കുറഞ്ഞു. കോൺഗ്രസിലെ 1.1% അംഗങ്ങൾ ഓർത്തഡോക്സ് ക്രൈസ്തവരാണ്.
കോൺഗ്രസിന് ആകെ 535 വോട്ടിംഗ് അംഗങ്ങളുണ്ട്. അതിൽ 100 സെനറ്റർമാരും 435 പ്രതിനിധികളും ഉൾപ്പെടുന്നു. മൊത്തത്തിൽ, അമേരിക്കന് കോൺഗ്രസിന്റെ 85% ക്രൈസ്തവരാണ്. 118-ാം കോൺഗ്രസിൽ 148 ആയിരിന്ന കത്തോലിക്ക പ്രാതിനിധ്യം 119-ാം കോൺഗ്രസിൽ 150 ആയി വര്ദ്ധിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ട്. കോണ്ഗ്രസിലെ ആകെ കത്തോലിക്ക പ്രാതിനിധ്യം 28.2% ആണ്. കോൺഗ്രസിൽ പ്രതിനിധീകരിക്കുന്ന രണ്ടാമത്തെ വലിയ വിഭാഗം യഹൂദ വിശ്വാസം പിന്തുടരുന്നവരാണ്. കോൺഗ്രസിലെ 6% അംഗങ്ങളാണ് യഹൂദര്.
ബുദ്ധമതക്കാർ, മുസ്ലിംകൾ, ഹിന്ദുക്കൾ, എന്നിവരുൾപ്പെടെ മറ്റെല്ലാ വിഭാഗങ്ങളില് നിന്നുള്ള അംഗങ്ങൾ കോൺഗ്രസിന്റെ 1% ൽ താഴെ മാത്രമാണ്. കോൺഗ്രസിന്റെ 0.6% വരുന്ന മൂന്ന് അംഗങ്ങൾ ഒരു വിശ്വാസവും പിന്തുടരാത്തവരാണ്. ജനുവരി 20 തിങ്കളാഴ്ച നടക്കുന്ന പ്രസിഡൻ്റ് സ്ഥാനാരോഹണ വേളയിലാണ് ഡൊണാള്ഡ് ട്രംപിന്റെ നേതൃത്വത്തിലുള്ള ഭരണകൂടം ചുമതലയേൽക്കുക.
കടപ്പാട് :പ്രവാചക ശബ്ദം
The Catholic representation in the 119th Congress grew slightly from the previous Congress to just over 28% of the members of the House of Representatives and the Senate, according to a report from the Pew Research Center.
A small majority of the Catholics in both chambers of Congress are elected Democrats.
The number of Protestant Christians slightly decreased and make up just under 56% of the incoming Congress. About 1.1% of members of Congress are Orthodox Christians. In total, Christians account for about 85% of Congress.
The second-largest religious faith represented in Congress is the Jewish faith, which accounts for about 6% of the members of Congress. The third-largest faith represented is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormonism), which accounts for 1.7% of Congress.
Members of all other religious faiths — including Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus, humanists and Universalist Unitarians — each account for less than 1% of Congress. Three members, who account for 0.6% of Congress, are not members of any religion, and the religion of nearly 4% is unknown.
Slight Growth for Catholics
The total number of Catholics in Congress increased by two members, from 148 in the 118th Congress to 150 in the 119th Congress. The percentage increased slightly from 27.7% to 28.2%. Catholics remain the largest Christian denomination represented in Congress.
According to Pew’s numbers, 126 members of the House and 24 Senators are Catholic. The majority of Catholics in both chambers are Democrats: 70 in the House and 13 in the Senate. There are 56 Catholic Republicans in the House and 11 in the Senate.
There are 459 incumbent members of Congress who are returning, with 129 of them belonging to the Catholic Church, which accounts for 28.1% of incumbents. There are 73 new members of Congress, 21 of whom are Catholic, which accounts for 28.8% of the freshmen.
According to Pew, about 20% of adults in the United States consider themselves Catholic, which means Catholics are overrepresented in Congress by more than eight percentage points.
Other Christian Denominations
The number of Protestants in Congress decreased by eight members, from 303 members to 295 members. This brings their total representation down from 56.7% to 55.5%. However, this still makes Protestants overrepresented in Congress, according to Pew, which found that 40% of the American public identify as Protestant.
Baptists are the largest representation for Protestants in Congress, accounting for 75 members, which is 14.1% of the House and Senate. There are 26 Methodists and 26 Presbyterians, making up 4.9% of Congress. There are 22 members who are Anglican or Episcopalian and account for 4.1% of Congress.
There are 101 Protestants who are listed as “unspecified” or belonging to a denomination not listed in the survey, which accounts for 19% of Congress.
A majority of Protestants in both chambers are Republican, 146 in the House and 38 in the Senate. There are 91 Protestant Democrats in the House and 20 in the Senate.
The number of Orthodox Christians decreased from eight to six members, all of whom are in the House. Four are Republican, and two are Democrat.
Non-Christian Representation in Congress
The number of Jewish members of Congress decreased from 33 to 32, which accounts for 6% of the House and the Senate. According to Pew, about 2% of the American population adheres to the Jewish faith. The large majority of Jewish members of Congress are Democrats: 20 in the House and nine in the Senate. There are three Jewish Republicans in the House and none in the Senate.
Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints remained the same as the previous Congress, with nine members. All Mormon members of Congress are Republican, six of whom are in the House and three of whom are in the Senate.
The number of Muslims in Congress increased from three to four, the number of Hindus increased from two to four, and the number of Buddhists increased from two to three. The number of Unitarian Universalists remained at three, and the number of humanists remained at one.
Every Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Unitarian Universalist and humanist member of Congress is a Democrat. Most are members of the House, except for one Buddhist, who is in the Senate.
There are only three members of Congress who are unaffiliated with any religion, all of whom are in the House. Two are Democrat, and one is Republican. This is the most underrepresented group in Congress, according to Pew, which found that 28% of Americans are not affiliated with a particular religion.
However, 21 members of Congress either refused to answer or their religion could not be determined by the researchers: 17 in the House and four in the Senate. All are Democrats, except for one who is a House Republican.
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