Why another blog post about waiting, and why is it that we have to spend so much of our lives waiting? All I can say is that waiting seems to be a normal part of life for everyone. “Hurry up and wait” is a common expression in the army, and that is how I sometimes feel when I prepare for some big event, and then it doesn’t happen as I expected. For example, the family was ready and waiting for my first grandchild to be born. However, he arrived fifteen days after his due date. Another good example of having to wait occurred recently after preparing for a big event that has been canceled and rescheduled four times due to the coronavirus. This can be very frustrating for some people, and I happen to be one of them. I am reminded regularly that life is not always predictable, and that we have no control over some circumstances in life.

During this unique and unpredictable time while we are waiting for more businesses to open, and for our churches to begin holding services in their buildings once again, I want to share some great reading and movie ideas with you. In this post, some of you may be introduced for the first time to these ministries where you can get free materials or purchase materials that you are interested in (links to their websites will be included). If you are already familiar with these organizations and receiving materials from any of them, I’m sure you will be able to find other great materials listed on their websites.

Voice of the Martyrs (founded be the Romanian couple, Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand), and Open Doors (found by Brother Andrew), are ministries to the persecuted church around the world. They encourage and minister spiritually, emotionally, and physically to those who are being persecuted, and they inform us of things that are not often mentioned in the news.They also give us information and ideas that can help us pray more effectively for those believers. Hebrews 13:3 says that we are to “remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.”

Recently, Iran Alive has become one of my favorite ministries. Dr. Hormoz Shariat has a television ministry that reaches out to the Muslims in Iran and in other countries in the Middle East. Through reading materials from this ministry, I have really grown to love and respect the Iranian believers. The church (body of believers in Christ) in Iran is one of the fastest growing churches in the world. In countries where Christians are persecuted the most, the church seems to be “alive” and stronger in the Lord.

Fouad Masri, a Lebanese-American Christian, started Crescent Project. He has a real heart for the Muslim immigrants in our country. This organization has great resources and ideas on how to reach your Muslim neighbors for the Lord. Most Muslims, even those living here in the USA, have never heard the truth about who Jesus is, nor of His awesome love, mercy, and grace for all people.

Answers in Genesis (started by Ken Ham) and the Institute for Creation Research (founded by Henry Morris, Sr.) have current and newsworthy topics that are related to Creation Science and apologetics. Scientists from every major field of Science who are believers in Jesus Christ, have produced great science resources. Advances in technology have shown how incredibly complex science really is, and have caused serious problems for the evolutionists. Both of these ministries also have museums (Creation Museum, Ark Encounter, ICR Discovery Center) that make science and the Bible come alive, and have faith-building materials for all ages.

It’s so easy to waste your time on things like Facebook, Twitter, video games, movies, television programs, and the like that have very little value. Instead, grow wiser by getting to know the Lord better by reading more of His Word daily, and find other resources that will eternally benefit you and your family. In Ephesians 5, we are told to “redeem the time for the days are evil”. When we look around us and hear current news, we can see that we are getting closer to the “end of the end times”, so let’s all find godly things to do with our time while we wait.