God At work through all difficulties (Open Doors)

God At Work Through All Difficulties Pastor Yosef was stunned … his 22-year old church did not have the proper building permit, and was now facing closure by the government! Church development was going well; in fact, it exceeded his expectations. Over the past five years, Pastor Yosef eagerly watched as his congregation grew to over sixty people. This was especially surprising since his church was located in a Muslim majority neighborhood!  Although members of the community were not interested in Christianity, they were tolerant of a Christian church. The neighborhood was peaceful, and Pastor Yosef felt very optimistic about the future. In the middle of this joy, trouble arose. On Feb. 12, 2012, Pastor Yosef received a memo from the Forum Komunikasi Umat Beragama (FKUB), requesting that he attend their next meeting. In spite of its stated purpose to foster understanding and tolerance between religious groups, the FKUB – or Inter-religious Harmony Forum, an organization comprised of representatives from all religions in Indonesia - had a Muslim majority. Pastor Yosef knew that they would not be impartial.  At the meeting, the FKUB presented Pastor Yosef with a petition stating that the people in his community wanted the church to move away. The leaders also stated that the church did not have a proper building permit. Pastor Yosef’s stomach knotted. This was impossible to believe! The church had been established 22 years ago, well before the law was created which made church permits mandatory. A few days later, Yosef interviewed several villagers. “I went around and asked their opinion about our church’s location. I found out only five Muslim neighbors petitioned to close our church!” Pastor Yosef immediately began working to obtain the correct building permit. One With Them In the face of uncommon circumstances, where only five people could create so much trouble for many others, Pastor Yosef remained steadfast. Today, despite unusual circumstances in your life, remain One With Them in your prayers and love for believers in East Java. Please pray for all persecuted believers as they go through their daily lives, fully relying on God’s provision. 2013.02.20

"See, I have set before you an open door that no one can shut.” (Revelations 3:8 )