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Torchlighters DVD Guides and Student Handouts

Published on March 27th, 2013

Torchlighters

Torchlighters DVDs tell the stories of real-life Christian heroes who faced obstacles and stood up to persecution. (Read more about the DVDs in the Resource section of this site.) Leaders guides and student handouts for each DVD are available free from the Downloads section.

The leaders guides include a synopsis of the life of the hero, lesson plans for teaching children about the featured Christian, descriptions of key people who influenced the hero, historical background about the period of history when the hero lived, and a timeline.

Student handouts include coloring pages from scenes in the DVD, numerous games and activities, craft ideas, interview suggestions, story questions, and discussion starters.

For further information, check Torchlighters.org.

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Pray for a Change of Heart

Published on March 26th, 2013

Cross

The Quran is the Muslim holy book. Chapter 4, Verse 157 of the Quran says, “[They claimed]…’We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Apostle of God,’ but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them…” (Sura 4:157, Yusuf Ali translation).

So Muslims do not believe that Jesus was crucified. During the Easter season, pray that Muslims will understand that Jesus died, rose again, and conquered death. Pray especially for radical Muslims who persecute Christians.

We know that persecutors can repent and become followers of Jesus. Read the following story about a Muslim in Nigeria who had a change of heart.

Read the rest of this entry »

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Pray When You Are Cold

Published on March 25th, 2013

China
Children in China. The banner says, “The Savior Lord gives grace.”

“I have labored and toiled and have gone without food; I have been cold….Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me….For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 11:27, 12:9–10).

Mr. Lu, a Christian from Asia, visited workers from The Voice of the Martyrs. Mr. Lu told the workers stories about persecuted Christians in his country.

One of the workers, Lorena, told about listening to Mr. Lu speak.

“I was cold,” Lorena said. “Normally I don’t get cold easily. But for some reason, the morning Mr. Lu was with us, I was cold. It was beginning to bother me. It’s hard to concentrate on what people are talking about when you’re shivering cold!

“Then Mr. Lu began to talk about a Christian in Asia. The Christian felt called by the Lord to collect clothes and to give them to the poor and needy. He was arrested and beaten [for doing Christian work].

“The police took the heaters from his house. The temperature was minus 14 degrees Celsius where he lived, and he had no heat!” [Minus 14 degrees Celsius is about 8 degrees Fahrenheit.]

Lorena continued, “I asked the Lord to remind me in my freezing cold state to pray for the Christian and his family and many others like him who are unnamed.”

“Pray,” said Lorena. “Pray if you’re feeling uncomfortable today, if you’re cold, hungry, or discouraged. Or if you have a headache or a stressful situation, ask the Lord to use it to remind you to pray for those who suffer for their faith in restricted nations.”

(The names of some of the people in the stories and some identifying details have been changed to protect their identities.)

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Holi and Hindus

Published on March 21st, 2013

Girl

“Holi” is a Hindu celebration in India and Nepal. In 2013, Holi will be observed near the end of March.

Amy, an American Christian, traveled to Nepal when she was 9 years old. She went with her parents and her two brothers. Her father got a job in the capital, Kathmandu.

Read below what Amy remembers about Holi and Hinduism.

“The first year we were there, we participated in Holi,” Amy said. “For Holi, the people have paint fights and water fights. Red, green, and yellow are everywhere.

“The second year we realized that Holi was part of a Hindu festival. We didn’t feel it was right for us to participate anymore, since we are Christians.”

During part of another Hindu festival, sisters honor their brothers. “Basically, sisters worship their brothers,” Amy said. “They go to the Hindu temple and perform a ritual for and to their brothers. Christians should not be doing that. Some Christians have their own take on it and don’t do the Hindu part of it.”

Nepalese calendars are filled with Hindu festivals to honor various gods. The people both “love and dread the festivals,” said one visitor to Nepal. It is a lot of work to honor so many gods.

“They have rituals for all the gods so none of the gods will be jealous,” said Amy. “Sometimes Hindus will say they have become Christians. They think, ‘Okay, I’ll just add one more god.’ When you tell them they must stop worshiping other gods, they freak out. They’re afraid the other gods will be angry.”

But some Hindus do become Christians and worship only the one true God. “It’s hard for them,” Amy said. “They have a lot of family pressure. One of our friends became a Christian and wouldn’t go to the Hindu temples with her family. They kicked her out of the family. That kind of thing happens all the time.” Some of the new Christians find comfort among Christians in Nepalese churches.

Ask God to help Hindus not fear other gods.

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“God Has a Purpose”

Published on March 20th, 2013

Tunisia

The people of Tunisia celebrate their Independence Day on March 20. Tunisia used to be ruled by France, but became an independent country in 1957.

Most of the people in Tunisia are Muslims. Some are leaving Islam and finding freedom from sin in Christ. The following is a story about one of those believers.

Rami
Rami tried to be a good Muslim. He observed Muslim fasts, studied the Quran, and followed Muslim rules. But the more he tried to follow Islam, the less happy he grew.

Rami gave up trying to be good and even quit praying Muslim prayers. Then one day, he met an American Christian at a rock concert. Rami and the Christian invited Rami to church. He began comparing the teachings in the Bible with those in the Quran. After a year of study, he decided to follow Jesus!

Life as a New Christian
Rami’s friends were no longer friendly to him, and his family was ashamed of his faith.

“People would come to me on the road and say, “Is it true you became a Christian? Be careful; that is not good!” Rami said.

Rami explained that he had become a Christian because he realized he needed a Savior. But many Muslims did not listen to him. When Rami offered one Muslim a Bible, the man said to Rami, “You are stupid! You are a donkey!”

Police officers and other government officials asked him lots of questions. An official warned Rami, “There are not many Christians in Tunisia. You will not be able to find a girl to be your wife.”

Rami thinks the government of Tunisia might be afraid of Christians. They may think Christians and Muslims will start fighting each other. He told the officials that they should not fear Christians.

“I told them as Christians, we have to love each other,” said Rami. “We have to love everyone; we have to love our enemies. We have to forgive everyone who makes evil against us, and we don’t do evil.”

No matter what happens, Rami said he will continue to share his faith in Christ. “God has a purpose for his church in Tunisia,” Rami said. “We just need to leave it in God’s hands.”

(Source: Bold Believers in Algeria and Tunisia)

Visit this link to download a Tunisian coloring page.

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