Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao said on Tuesday that his country supported Syria's rights to the Golan Heights , the Syrian news agency SANA reported.

The government-controlled service also claimed that in a meeting with Syrian Deputy Premier for Economic affairs Abdullah Dardari, Jiabao expressed China's commitment to boosting ties with Syria and developing them in all areas.

This link from my friend Darrell. A group of 10 EU Foreign Ministers have sent a letter to Quartet Middle East envoy Tony Blair, expressing their views that the "Roadmap to Peace" is dead and urged him to call for an international conference as soon as possible. The former British Prime Minister was appointed the new Middle East envoy for the Quartet (EU, US, UN, Russia) last Wednesday. The letter was signed by the foreign ministers of France, Italy, Spain, Greece, Portugal, Bulgaria, Romania, Cyprus, Slovenia and Malta. Israeli Foreign Minister Mark Regev has pointed out that the "Roadmap to Peace" already calls for an international conference, and hopes that the new Palestinian government formed by President Abbas will have a greater chance of securing a peace agreement between the two peoples.

Quote: "A senior official in Jerusalem noted that the letter did not constitute a change in policy of either the EU or the Quartet, and both bodies remain officially committed to the road map. The official also noted that individual European foreign ministers would sometimes state opinions on Middle East issues that actually contradicted the policy of the governments in which they serve.

The news came as the former Prime Minister is seeking to broaden the scope of his role in the Middle East peace process. The Quartet had agreed that Blair's new role would be restricted to that of rebuilding the Palestinian institutions, rather than a mediator between Israel and the Palestinians. Russia opposed Blair being named Quartet envoy, possibly due to his close links to President Bush. Javier Solana, the High Representative for the European Common, Foreign and Security Policy, had also opposed his role, fearing Blair's efforts in the region might detract from his own.

Quote: ""He is talking to leaders about what he wants to do. He has made clear the capacity-building mandate is not enough," said one senior Western diplomat familiar with the discussions. "He doesn't see himself bound to that. He wants a political role." A senior European diplomat in Jerusalem involved in the discussions said Blair has delivered a similar message to Quartet members. "As far as Blair is concerned, his mandate has not been finalized the diplomat said.

I don't think Blair will be satisfied with a peripheral role in the Middle East. As we saw in Northern Ireland, his political ambition is too great. Just days before he left power he was still trying to create his "legacy", signing the new European Constitution and handing yet more of our sovereignty over to Brussels. It certainly is interesting days.

Source Jerusalem Post, Reuters

God willing I will be heading off to Newcastle, County Down this Thursday and Friday for special Gospel meetings which are being held this week and next. The meetings are being held in a large tent in a place called Northfield, which is off Corrigs Road beside the Burrendale Hotel. If you live in Northern Ireland, I suggest you come along and enjoy the singing, Gospel and ministry. Saturday, I will be going to visit my friends who are on holiday in Bushmills. So it should be a relaxing break for me.

My friend Kelly has said she will keep an eye on things for me. So hopefully when I come back, there will be a lot of news for me to catch up on! Haha! This is part of the reason why I wanted to upgrade the website, so that the witness could continue in my absence, and even increase.

1st Thessalonians 1:8 
For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.

Just days after Pope Ratzinger revived the use of the Latin in mass liturgy, the Vatican has once again stunned Christendom by reasserting the dogma that the Catholic Church is the "one true Church", and that all other "denominations" are not.

Quote: "A 16-page document by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which Pope Benedict once headed, described Christian Orthodox churches as true churches, but suffering from a "wound" since they do not recognise the primacy of Pope. But the document said the "wound is still more profound" in Protestant denominations. "Despite the fact that this teaching has created no little distress... it is nevertheless difficult to see how the title of 'Church' could possibly be attributed to them," it said.

The Catholic Church claims apostolic succession from Peter, who was supposedly the first Pope, and that it is the Church Christ spoke of in Matthew 16:18. But the Catholic Church misinterprets Christ's words to Peter when He said "upon this Rock I will build my Church", assuming that Christ meant "upon Peter". The Lord Himself surnamed Simon "Peter", which means a "stone". The Lord was using wordplay when He said "upon this Rock" He would build His Church. Throughout the Scriptures Christ is spoken of as the Rock, and I don't think His Church could ever be founded on anything else.

Deuteronomy 32:3-4
Because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God. He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.

There is no Scriptural evidence that Peter was ever Bishop of Rome. In fact, Galatians 2:8 states that his ministry was to the Jews, not to the Gentiles. The Bible teaches that there is one true Church, who's Head is Jesus Christ. 

Colossians 1:17-18
And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the pre-eminence.

And members of all denominations, religions and races belong to this Church when they accept by faith Christ's sacrifice on the cross for our sins. I say "religions", not that I advocate people should remain in idolatry, but that there are many people who believe in Christ who have not the privilege of showing it openly. Many Muslims believe in Christ but may not be able to gather with other Christians in a public way. Likewise I know of Catholics that are truly born again by God's Spirit, but have not come out of the Catholic Church. They feel they need to remain there in order to be witnesses to others of God's salvation. 

Sadly what the Catholic Church teaches is unscriptural and blasphemous, and as we have seen recently, even in our own "Protestant" congregations things are not any better. As the Bible states, during the last days there shall come a great falling away from the truth (2nd Thessalonians 2:3), and men shall heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears (2nd Timothy 4:3-4). We don't need to look very far to see that. Though it may be the unpopular thing to do, it is up to us true believers in Jesus Christ to stand up for God's truth in these dark days.

Philippians 2:15-16
That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

Source Reuters

Quote: "It said the pastors had been sent to "Re-education through [the] Labor Camp of Jining City," of Shandong province. They began serving the sentence June 29 and were expected to be released June 14, 2008, at the earliest. Local Christians said in published remarks that both pastors were "evangelical missionaries" sent by their churches from Henan province to Shandong. They were reportedly detained June 15 along with four other local church leaders when they had a worship service. The four local pastors were released on July 1 after being forced to pay a 10000 yuan ($1300) fine, CAA said.

Last July Chinese authorities demolished a building that was erected by members of the House Church movement. The group had been unable to obtain a licence to build the property, as the state only recognizes denominations headed by the Chinese Communist party. The building was subsequently destroyed and dozens of Christians were also arrested, charged with "inciting a crowd to resist law enforcement".

The Scriptures tell us that we must "through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God", Acts 14:22. In the West we are able to worship God and to study the Scriptures without fear or intimidation, a freedom that is very much taken for granted here. But believers in Saudi Arabia, China, India, Pakistan and many other countries, face a daily threat of imprisonment, torture and even death for name of Jesus Christ. In the West we may not face the threat of communism, but with the new Alliance of Civilizations, eventually the world powers will clamp down on extremism in the West - including fundamentalist Christianity. Perhaps we should cherish the freedoms we do enjoy while we still have them. Not that we should fear persecution, for the Lord is with us. And regarding our brothers and sisters in China, as Joseph said in the dungeon, "think on me when it shall be well with thee", Genesis 40:14.

Matthew 10:25-28
It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household? Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops. And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Source BosNewsLife