Good morning!  It is a lovely, chilly morning here in Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland! I want to highlight the annual Bangor Worldwide Mission Convention that is going on this week August 25-Sept 1, 2018.  Pastor Alistair Begg is the guest speaker and leader of morning Bible studies and there are many speakers representing missions around the world as well.  See Ugandan Pastor Umar Mulinde’s story below.

The Global Village is an exhibition hall featuring missions organizations that reach around the world.  It is amazing to see the ways Christ is inspiring creativity in His people in reaching the lost, broken, and hurting in slums, cities, rural areas, online, and right next door.

Please visit the conference website at www.worldwidemissions.org to see video clips, audio clips and photographs from the conference.  A links page is available so you can visit the many ministries represented at the conference.

PASTOR UMAR MULINDE’S STORY

I want to highlight for you the story of Pastor Umar Mulindi, a martyr for the cause of Christ.  His story is briefly written about here:  Pastor Umar Mulindi blinded by acid attack (2011) (NewVision–“Uganda’s Leading Daily”).

After being transferred to a hospital in India, Pastor Mulindi was finally taken to Israel where he received the surgeries needed to repair the damage done to his body.  As a highly-trained professor of Islamic studies, he had been trained to hate the Jews. Now he was receiving life-giving help from the very ones he had been taught to hate. Mulinde is grateful that the Israeli culture exhibits a high respect for human life; he was able to see that firsthand.

The focus of his message is on the power of Christ (and Christ alone) for salvation.  The overflow of that great love of Christ is seen in every part of his story.

You can see his story on YouTube:

The Umar Mulinde Story: Muslims Attack Pastor With Acid  (approx. 6 min.)

Pastor Attacked by Muslims – Rev. Umar Mulinde  (approx. 11 min.)

Stay tuned to the worldwidemission.org website to hear his most recent talk to be given tonight at the conference. [Update:  Listen to the talk on mp3 here.]

Pastor Mulinde has a passion for all to know that the focus of our attention in life is not about Islam or Christianity, but about Christ.  Christ is the one with whom we must deal; He is the one who loves and changes lives.

Pray for Pastor as he continues to share his story.  [Update:  As of October 3, 2018, Pastor Mulinde is continuing to receive attempts on his life.  Please pray for him, his church and his ministry worldwide.  Video of NTVUganda’s reporting of the renewed attack is here.]

You can purchase his three books at his website, www.pastorumarmulinde.com , PO Box 21514, Kampala, Uganda:

Acid Survivor by Umar Mulinde

Conversion from Islam to Christianity by Pastor Umar Mulinde

Facing Persecution by Pastor Umar Mulinde

Flames of Light.  The love of God and His Word, fulfilled in Christ and sustained in the Holy Spirit, consumes ALL.  God’s Word has a cost attached.  Am I willing to love regardless of the cost to myself?  For Pastor Mulinde, his youngest twin sons have decided they want to be a pastor like their father.  What he has given up as a love sacrifice to the Lord is already bearing seed in so many hearts and minds.

When I read Psalm 119, I remember Pastor Mulinde and so many others who have staked their lives upon the truth, the promise, and the certainty of God’s Word for salvation.  They encourage me as I meet with large and small opportunities each day to stand boldly for Christ. As Pastor Alistair Begg says, those opportunities come even in the small possible conversations “on the bus” or in the check-out line–those conversations we don’t normally initiate, but that prove to be so surprisingly fruitful when we do.  Am I living with God’s eyes and His heart? Or am I too busy with the things of this world?

Lord, remove from me the distractions of this world.  This is a bold prayer but I release into your hands all that this prayer means.  Create in me the courage I need to not only bear the cost of the cross of Christ, but to also forgive and love others sacrificially, and blossom forth into good and bounteous fruit for your Kingdom.  Lord, I lift up Pastor Umar Mulinde, his family, his church, all of Uganda, Africa, and Lord, for us who sit casually by as others suffer righteously for Your Name’s sake.  Keep them in your peace that passes all understanding, keep their lives bold and healthy so they can prosper as they go out in service to you.  Strengthen their faith so they see only you and have perpetual hope and assurance of your abiding love.  Touch the hearts of those for whom they have suffered with your Truth, strike down the evil within and raise up them up in Your likeness in glory. Bring them all to Your Salvation. For the glory and honor and praise of Your Name, Amen. 

© copyright 2018 by readpsalm119.com; last revised January 29, 2019.