Friday, April 24, 2026
For a time like this
Whether you dislike or like Donald Trump, we cannot deny God put him in the White House for a second term, for He "removes kings and sets up kings"(Daniel 2:21). He is not there by coincidence. Was King David perfect? Absolutely not. Neither was Abraham, or your favorite pastor. So don’t expect a perfect Donald trump who has no past flaws to come helm office. God has raised and position Trump for a time like this (Esther 4:14) as Pastor Franklin Graham said during a White House prayer .
There were many international outcry when the U.S grabbed Maduro from Caracas. Why did God allow his capture?
Hundreds of political prisoners are detained in Venezuelan prisons, with only a handful thought to have been released so far. The Venezuelan government, under the Maduro regime, has been accused of intensifying persecution against the Catholic Church and other religious groups through harassment, threats, and intimidation of leaders who criticize the state. Venezuela is widely considered a failing or failed state, driven by intense political instability, profound economic collapse, and a severe humanitarian crisis. Under Nicolás Maduro, the country has faced over 80% GDP contraction (2013-2020), hyperinflation, and a breakdown of public services, with roughly 73.2% of the population living in poverty.
Persecuted Church
Christians in Iran, particularly converts from Islam, face severe, systematic repression as the state views them as Western threats to Islamic rule. House churches are frequently raided, leading to arrests, imprisonment on "national security" charges, and intense pressure. The situation is deteriorating, with reported surges in arrests and a potential new death penalty for espionage (Open Doors International).
Last year the 12-day armed conflict between Iran and Israel led to civilian deaths and involved violations of international humanitarian law. Iranian authorities used the conflict to intensify internal repression. Thousands were arbitrarily detained, interrogated, harassed and/or unjustly prosecuted for exercising their human rights. Authorities used unlawful force and firearms to disperse protests, leading to deaths. Many more have died from torture and in prisons. I remember joining many Bersih rallies in KL when Barisan Nasional was in power. In Iran, they would have open fire from machine guns at all these peaceful Bersih protestors. Based on reports from early 2026, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has been heavily involved in suppressing domestic unrest, with reports indicating over 36,500 Iranians were killed by security forces during a two-day crackdown on nationwide protests around January 8-9, 2026.
It is an evil authoritarian state whereby there is no religious freedom and minorities are persecuted. The regime along with the IRGC has amassed billions and controls 40% of the Iranian economy. Their ultimate goal is to set up a Shiite caliphate worldwide with their supreme leader as the caliph. Indeed, the desire for a Caliphate has been an aspiration for some Muslims going right back into history. They are out to destroy Israel and slogans like “death to America” shows their ugly intent. They have ambitions of developing nuclear weapons to first destroy Israel and then even America. Haman wanted to annihilate all the Jews – men, women and children- in the Persian empire. Yes, Haman is long dead and so is Ali Khamanei, but the hate against the Jews remain. The Iranian regime is now fractured and only time will tell which group will emerge to rule Iran.
We pray for the people of Iran who wants to be free from this wicked and lunatic regime. We pray for President Trump whether you like him or not.
