Month: January 2025

Reflection on Matthew 17:10-21

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Scripture

“You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith, even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible. “

Observation

The disciples who had been with Jesus on the mountain asked why the teachers said that Elijah must return. Jesus tells him that Elijah had already been there with them. They realise that He was talking about John the Baptist.

At the foot of the mountain, a main comes and asks Jesus to heal his son. Jesus rebukes the disciples who had been unable to heal the boy. He then commands the demon to leave.

When the disciples ask Him why they could not remove the demon, He says that they did not have faith. Just a mustard seed of faith could command a mountain to move.

Application

Just a tiny faith overcomes Satan moves mountains and raises the dead.

What does this say about the western church that we are unable to see these things come to pass?

This is not about saving faith, the knowledge that Jesus’ death has set us free from sin and its penalty.

This faith is a deep faith that comes from a close walk with God. We hear the Holy Spirit commanding us to pray, then we pray with confidence and assurance that God really is with us.

When, you know the Lord, nothing is impossible for God.

But how do we get there?

1. Read the Bible, meditatively and prayerfully. Ask the Spirit to reveal the meaning of the text.

2. Listening prayer. Don’t just talk to God with endless requests. Listen to Him. Listen for that small still voice.

3.. When He speaks do what He tells you.

Prayer

Hallelujah! God, you are alive and active. Please give me faith to trust you. Amen.

53 Christians Killed in a Day in Congo

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At least 53 Christians were killed on 15 January in two Islamist attacks in Lubero, North Kivu, north-eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

The Islamic State Central Africa Province (ISCAP, also known as the Allied Democratic Forces) announced the killings in two social media posts, according to the Terrorism Research and Analysis Consortium (TRAC).

One of the two posts declared, “By the grace of God Almighty, the soldiers of the Caliphate attacked the village of Makoko in the Lubero region and killed 41 Christians [who] were stabbed with knives.”

The other post confirmed killing of 12 others in the village of Masakuki.

The terrorist group also abducted 16 Christians, as well as burning houses and motorcycles.

Attacks of this type have been carried out consistently by ISCAP since the group first affiliated to Islamic State (IS, ISIS, ISIL, Daesh) in 2017. However, the scale and frequency of the attacks has increased in the past few weeks.

Relentless targeting of Christians

Including the 15 January attacks, at least 128 have been slaughtered in North Kivu and the neighbouring province of Ituri since Christmas Day 2024.

A TRAC analysis concludes that the brutality of these attacks underscore “the group’s relentless targeting of the Christian population in the region”.

“ISCAP’s repeated assaults on Christian civilians exploit the absence of a consistent security presence in the region,” the analysis continues.

“ISCAP’s tactic of successive attacks on the same village exacerbates the psychological toll on residents. By revisiting recently targeted areas, the group ensures an ongoing state of fear and insecurity among survivors.

“This strategy often results in higher casualties as panicked civilians struggle to navigate the aftermath of consecutive assaults.”