Missionary Heroes

“It was for good reason
that the Lord instructed us
to judge men by their fruit.
A parrot can be taught
to say and do the right things.
Satan often comes as “an angel of light,”
proclaiming Scriptures;
and his work will often conform to the letter.
But only Jesus can bring forth the fruit that is LIFE”.
“The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” (II Corinthians 3:6)
Rick Joyner
There Were Two Trees in the Garden

Missionary Heroes:

The diamond cannot be polished without friction,
nor man perfected without trials.

In the early church
there was much persecution of the believers
because of the signs and wonders
that followed due their intimate walk
with the Lord.
Today the church in America has grown lethargic
because we know not true fellowship and discipleship.
the “imitation of Christ”
(coined by Thomas a Kempis)
is to be like Christ
is to live for Christ,
because we are caught up in His presence.

The Christ that the religious leaders thought they “killed”
was not only resurrected,
but thousands of His followers (imitators)
now testified as a daily reminder
of the power they sought to destroy.
(Thus, the persecution of the church.)
Christ said that greater works would be done by His church;
and as we submit and fellowship with Him
by His Spirit He will perform
signs and wonders through us today,
that the world might come to know Him.

12"Truly, truly, I say to you,
he who believes in Me,
the works that I do, he will do also;
and greater works than these he will do;
because I go to the Father.
[John 14:12]

1n 1998 I met a man named Prem Prattum from Napal
who was born again in Christ Jesus in 1957.
At the time he was the only Christian in Nepal
a nation where 88% of the people are Hindu,
and the remainder Buddhists.
To practice Christianity in Nepal is illegal
and those converting to the faith are given a year in jail.
Those preaching the gospel of Christ
are given three years in jail for each convert.
This brother is Christ was placed in jail
with a fifty-four year prison sentence
for being an ambassador for Christ.
In the first prison though chained and shackled,
the Spirit of God through his quiet example,
converted every prisoner in the prison to Christ.
This confounded the officials,
so they sent him to another prison.
In that prison he again brought not only prisoners to Christ,
but also the guards that were in charge of guarding him.
Each of these converts knew
that in accepting Jesus as their personal savior
they and their families (children included)
would be thrown into jail.
This treatment continued,
until this precious brother in the Lord
had been sent to fourteen prisons throughout Nepal.
So many guards, officials and prisoners were converted
that officials finally released him from prison.
Today, the nation of Nepal has over 300,000 Christians.
It is still illegal to worship Christ;
and the laws are still on the books,
but the move of God's Spirit
through this one faithful brother
is a powerful example to us here in America
of how faithful and powerful or God is
if we will only trust and obey Him.

If I don’t know persecution
what does that say of my walk with the Lord?
Should I not risk such
for the Joy of intimacy with The Bridegroom,
for the Joy of being persecuted for righteousness sake?

If I am not willing to suffer any injustice humbly
for the sake of Christ
what valuable witness have I lost ....
what person(s) might perish
because I lacked the fortitude
to stand in the anointing,
because I failed to stand in the gap.

Prem Prattum died in 1999.
In his 42 years of obedient service to the Lord
we will never know , (this side of heaven),
how many of Napal’s population
became born again Christians directly or indirectly
because of his quiet but powerful witness.

“Beloved, think it not strange
concerning the fiery trial
which is to try you,
as though some strange thing happened to you:
But rejoice,
inasmuch as you are partakers in Christ’s sufferings;
that,
when his glory shall be revealed,
you will be glad also
with exceeding joy.”
I Peter 4:12,13

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The Fruits of God's Spirit

“When the kingdom of the devil is at its worst and the kingdom of God on earth is at its best, in its purest form – the evil ripe and the good ripe – then will come the harvest.”
Ref Mark 4:26-32
H.A. Baker Visions Beyond the Veil (p. 130)

The Fruits of God's Spirit:

“And when you shall come into the land,

and shall have planted all manner of trees for food,

then shall you count the fruit there as circumcised:

three years shall it be circumcised to you: it shall not be eaten of.

But in the fourth year all the fruit there shall be holy to praise the Lord with.

And in the fifth year you shall eat of the fruit there,

that it may yield to you an increase: I am the Lord your God.”
[Leviticus 19: 23-25]

Love is the Fruit of the Spirit of God.
Out of it come the issues of life:
Joy is love exulting the goodness of God
Peace is the love of God in repose.
Longsuffering is God’s love on trial.
Gentleness is God’s love spread abroad to society.
Goodness is the love of God in action.
Faith is love in endurance.
Meekness is the schoolhouse of love.
Temperance is disciplined love.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is

love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness,

goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance

against which there is no law.”
Galatians 5:22

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America Awake

"He is no fool
who gives what he cannot keep
to gain what he cannot lose."
(Jim Elliot)
martyred missionary to the Auca Indians in South America

America Awake:


In Second Chronicles there is a chilling scripture
which sounds the alarm in our own times:

“For the eyes of the Lord
run to and fro
throughout the whole earth,
to show himself strong
on behalf
of those whose heart is loyal to Him.
In this
you have done foolishly;
therefore
from now on you shall have wars.”

How many uplifting sermons have we all known
in which so aptly make reference to the first part of this verse
while paying little or no attention to the warning
of the latter half.
Some years ago I remember reading an article
written by the Russian author Alexander Solzienietzen
entitle America Awake!
In it he warned of the communist plot to overthrow our society
not by military might, but by a subtle war from within.
He claimed that the then Soviet Union
was supporting a variety of initiates in the United States
that would foster and contribute to the moral decline
of our populace, in that way
assuring our demise as a world power.
How perceptive of a nation that had no spiritual fervor
to have such spiritual insight.
Our nation is currently engaged in a war for its survival.
America is under siege!
Tens of millions of Americans
seem ensnared with an evil mindset.
The evidence is everywhere we look:
Crime, Abortion, Divorce, Violence, Suicide, Drug Addiction, Alcoholism, Teen Pregnancy, Youth Violence, Lust, Pornography, Fornication, Adultery, AIDS, and Sodomy and the list goes on…
all run rampant in our society.

1But realize this, that in the last days
difficult times will come.
2For men will be lovers of self,
lovers of money, boastful, arrogant,
revilers, disobedient to parents,
ungrateful, unholy,
3unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips,
without self-control, brutal, haters of good,
4treacherous, reckless, conceited,
lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5holding to a form of godliness,
although they have denied its power;
Avoid such men as these.
6For among them are those
who enter into households
and captivate weak women
weighed down with sins,
led on by various impulses,
7always learning and never able
to come to the knowledge of the truth.
2 Timothy 3:1-7 NASB

Political leaders and celebrities engage
openly in sinful lifestyles, “winking at sin”
and their popularity polls soars.
The media carries sordid sex, violence,
and a humanistic Madison Avenue message
nightly into our homes;
and much of the Church of Jesus Christ is there watching.
Many churched youth are being encouraged,
even by leaders within the church, to emulate the things of the world,
and to embrace what is happening in Hollywood,
more than they are being disciplined in God’s Word and God’s ways.
Because we have become
a corrupt, compromised and lukewarm church...
we have done foolishly, and our streets,
even are homes have become war-zones.
“Wait a minute!”...some would quickly say,
“how is this the fault of the church?”
“Isn’t our current social problems a result
of unbelievers, government and corrupt institutions?”
We as believers have been charged by Jesus Christ
to be agents for righteous change in our world,
rather than agents, changed by the world!
We have to respond to the mandate of the Lord
to change the world around us.
As in heaven, so on earth!
Many believers in the Lord Jesus Christ in America
have become, for the most part, a Laoidicean Church
who have fallen away from their “first love” (See Revelation 3:14-22)
We strut our sinful ways
cloaked in a Egyptian garment of spirituality,
as we compliment one another
on the “good works” we have done for the kingdom of God;
while in the quiet of out minds
we engage in greed, lust, idolatry and a spiritual high-mindedness,
from which we were called to be separated.
We feel we are “rich and wealthy and have need of nothing;
not realizing that in God’s eyes
we are poor, wretched, miserable, blind and naked
to the truth of our fallen condition.” (Rev. 3:17)

13And there is no creature hidden from His sight,
but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him
with whom we have to do.
Hebrews 4:13 NASB

Our nation is at a crossroad, and I believe
it is the people of God in this nation
who will determine her destiny.
Only a desperate and sincere cry from the people of God
can avert the full force of the consequences of our sin
that we as a nation deserve.
In God’s mercy, longsuffering and grace
He continues to call us to repentance and restoration,
just as He did with His people Israel;
but are we listening?...
is even the bride of Christ aware of her sinful state?
The people of God need to take a hard look
at their priorities and their lifestyles.
They need to cry out to a merciful God
to have their eyes opened to the sin
which so easily besets them.................”
Search my heart O God...led me in the way everlasting.”

“ If my people who are called by my name
will humble themselves,
and pray
and seek My face,
and turn from their wicked ways,
then I will hear from heaven,
and forgive their sin,
and heal their land.”
II Chronicles 7:14

What a promise, hinged on a very small word “if”
and some very exacting conditions:

humble themselves:

pray

seek after God

turn from evil

America Awake!
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Moving With the Lamb

Our spiritual maturity doesn’t make God love us more,
But our spiritual maturity allows us
to understand and receive the depth of God’s love.
fkj


Moving With the Lamb:

One of my favorite contemporary songs was written by Sibusiso Ntsala and is sung by Rita Springer.
I have met Rita several times, and one of the reasons I love her music is because she is a very down-to-earth person. She is quick to set aside her considerable popularity and quick to exalt the provision of the Lord in her own life. Her music expression comes from her personal intimate fellowship with the Lord and is an honest articulation of her own walk with Jesus. Rita’s rendering of worship songs combines a wonderful combination of her powerful, passionate voice and a tender leading style that is sweet and fragrant. This particular song I am captured by is named “Moving With the Lamb.”

If you have never heard the song you can listen to it at:
http://www.imeem.com/people/SiZOTS/music/Bstq8iUW/rita-springer-moving-with-the-lamb/

Here are the words to the song:

For I’m moving with the Lamb,
Moving with the Lamb, I’m surrounded
Moving with the Lamb,
Moving with the Lamb, I’m surrounded
I’m strolling with the Lamb,
Strolling with the King of kings
I’m stepping with the Lamb
Stepping over my sins

For I am dressed in a holy robe of God, I am surrounded
By the host of heaven’s court, and by the King of Kings
And I drink from the Holy Ghost of God, I’m surrounded

For I’m moving with the Lamb,
Moving with the Lamb, I’m surrounded
Moving with the Lamb,
Moving with the Lamb, I’m surrounded
I’m strolling with the Lamb,
Strolling with the King of kings
I’m stepping with the Lamb
Stepping over my sins

The heart of this song captures the nature of our Christian walk. Abiding in Christ, moving with Christ, and seeing the kingdom of heaven established upon the earth.
Of course this walk is one of progression in Christ. The steps to maturity in Christ, the secret of becoming more and more like Christ, of becoming more mature is outlined several times in the Word of God.
One of our goals should be to understand and implement these steps to maturity to Christ-likeness, while overcoming ourselves and the work of the enemy which is designed to steal, destroy and kill the life of Christ in us.

10"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;
I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
John 10:10 NASB

When we set off on a trip to a destination to which we have never been to, most of us utilize some kind of map to determine where we are going. We must understand where we are starting from on the map and where we desire to end up. Growing mature in the things of God likewise requires knowledge of where we are headed. What exactly is our destination (destiny) in Christ. Simply stated our journey must begin by having our intimate relationship with the Lord restored, so that we can over time, become more like Him and become more and more like Him. Jesus said that we would do the works he did and even more; I don’t know about you but I haven’t fully arrived (but I’m working on it by His grace alone.) Of course we must have an honest evaluation of where we are starting from, for a map with a destination clearly marked is of little use without the point of origin.

The fall of mankind was the result of our first parents becoming rebellious resulting in their abandonment of God’s commands. From that point on the color of disobedience was dyed into the fabric of our lives. If you take the time to examine the first two chapters of Genesis and the last two chapters of Revelation, you find the complete encapsulation of the story of mankind. All that is written between these chapters has the common theme of mankind’s redemption in the finished work of Jesus Christ. The outcome of this redemptive process is to restore in original condition of man when God breathed the breath of life into Adam. Walking with God, walking in obedience to Him and carrying out His mandate for us to walk in His authority upon this earth was his mandate and is still His goal for mankind. His desire is that we would move with the Lamb.
In His unfathomable wisdom God’s desire is not only to see mankind restored, but to exceed that of the original creation. His desire is that we would be more than the first Adam but that we would become a glorious expression of Christ Jesus – the Last Adam. The first Adam walked with God in the cool of the morning and evening in the Garden of Eden. We in Christ have the honor and glory of having the very person of God living within our spirits!
God created mankind that He might have fellowship with us – we are his great pleasure and His intimate fellowship is the ultimate expression of our greatest pleasure. The ultimate purpose in our redemption in Christ is the restoration of our intimacy and fellowship with God. There is no higher call and no greater pleasure to be obtained than His presence

Thou art worthy, O Lord,
to receive glory and honor and power:
for thou hast created all things,
and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
Revelation 4:11 KJV

. “ I will be their God…

they will be My people…

and I will dwell among them,”

is echoed across the pages of the Scriptures.

(Exodus 29:46; 2 Corinthians 6:16)

Moses had one of the most intimate relationships with God

that any man has had.

9Whenever Moses entered the tent,
the pillar of cloud would descend
and stand at the entrance of the tent;
and the LORD would speak with Moses.
10When all the people saw
the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent,
all the people would arise and worship,
each at the entrance of his tent.
11Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face,
just as a man speaks to his friend
Exodus 33:9-11 NASB

As glorious as this face-to-face meeting was with God the Word says that under the New Covenant we have the opportunity to have an even greater intimacy with God.

7But if the ministry of death, in letters engraved on stones,
came with glory, so that the sons of Israel
could not look intently at the face of Moses
because of the glory of his face, fading as it was,
8how will the ministry of the Spirit
fail to be even more with glory?
9For if the ministry of condemnation has glory,
much more does the ministry of righteousness abound in glory.
10For indeed what had glory, in this case has no glory
because of the glory that surpasses it.
2 Corinthians 3:7-10 NASB

We do not just meet face to face with God on occasion,

but we have Him residing in us as the temple of His Holy Spirit.

He has no need to come to us, because He is within us!

We are earthen vessels in which His glory resides!
The more intimate we allow that relationship to grow,

the greater His glory will be manifested in our lives.

Our goal must always be to walk with the Lamb

in the maturity of our calling in Christ Jesus.

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Extended Mercy and Grace

“Some souls think that the Holy Spirit is very far away,
far, far, up above.
Actually he is, we might say,
the divine Person who is
most closely present to the creature.
He accompanies him everywhere.
He penetrates him with himself.
He calls him, he protects him.
He makes of him his living temple.
He defends him. He helps him.
He guards him from all his enemies.
He is closer to him than his own soul.
All the good a soul accomplishes,
it carries out under his inspiration,
in his light, by his grace and his help.
Concepcion Cabrera de Armida

Extended Mercy and Grace:

When you think of the prophets of the Bible, most likely the names that come to mind are Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Isaiah. All of these were used greatly by God, and brought the truth of God’s Word to a rebellious people, who refused to listen. However, one prophet stands out as being probably the most effective in bringing people to repentance (with the acknowledgement that it is God’s Word that is the reason for any prophet’s success.) Jonah was one of the most “successful” prophets in the Bible.
Yes, at first he tried to run away from the responsibility of heeding God’s call to go to Nineveh… and then there was that incident of being cast off the ship… and… Oh yes there was that little problem with a big fish. These thing aside, once Jonah got it together and found himself spewed out on the shores of Nineveh (can you imagine how his clothes smelled after three days in the bile of a huge fish [in my personal opinion probably a whale shark]? After all of that, he relented and delivered God’s reprimand; and the result was a huge success! Instead of stoning him, cursing him, attempting to throw him in a cistern, sawing him in half, or any number of things that happened to most of God’s prophets… believe it or not the people of Nineveh listened… they repented of their sin… and all of them, that’s right all of them… every one from the king to the lowliest servant responded to Jonah’s message for God. My, you would think that he would have been rejoicing and overwhelmed at how God had used him.
But not this prophet… nope! Jonah actually had the chutzpah to be angry with God for His compassion, mercy and forgiveness of the people.
He complained to God that he was too gracious and compassionate… slow to anger and abounding in love… (see Jonah 4:2) It seems Jonah wanted God to take a pound of flesh out of these sinful Ninevites, he wanted God to destroy the city, he wanted those sinful ones to get the punishment they so richly deserved! He was annoyed that God seemed destined to give these sinners a second chance. Somehow Jonah had forgotten about the love and compassion God had just exercised in his own life.
Before we go off on poor Jonah, we had better take a look inside our own hearts. When was the last time we were quick to judge a brother, sister or some unbeliever for the obvious sin in their lives? Do we sometimes espouse our desire for them to repent, while we harbor a little desire to see them fall into judgment?
If we do, it is to our shame. Having been recipients of God’s unmerited grace and mercy we ought to be quick to desire others to come to repentance and restoration in the same manner.

1Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass,
you who are spiritual,
restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness;
each one looking to yourself,
so that you too will not be tempted.
Galatians 6:1 NASB

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Albert Einstein

“Faith is believing He, the miracle worker,
can turn my stone-cold indifference
into a fire of love toward certain ‘unlovables’.”
Pamela Reeve

Albert Einstein:

Albert Einstein was a Jew who lived in Germany as Hitler began his rise to power. He was not a Christian, which makes his observations of the church that much more remarkable. During the time of the Nazi domination of much of Europe Einstein penned these words:

“Having always been an ardent partisan of freedom,

I turned to the universities… to find there defenders of freedom. I did not find them.

Very soon universities took refuge in silence.

I then turned to the editors of powerful newspapers,

who, but lately in flowing articles, had claimed to be faithful champions of liberty.

These men, as well… were reduced to silence within a few weeks.

I then addressed myself to the authors individually,

to those who passed themselves off as the intellectual guides of Germany…

[who] had frequently discussed the question of freedom and its place in modern life.

They were in their turn silent.

Only the Church opposed the fight which Hitler was waging against liberty.

Till then I had no interest in the Church,

but now I feel great admiration [for]

and am truly attracted to the Church

which had persistent courage to fight for spiritual truth and moral freedom…

I now admire what I used to consider of little value.”

Albert Einstein “The Silent Church: The Problem of the German Confessional Witness.”

(Norwich England – SCM Canterbury Press Limited 1944)

What a powerful observation of the potential power of a Church that is not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, and willing to place-it-all-on-the-line to fulfill the intent of 1 Corinthians 16:33:

13 Be on the alert,
stand firm in the faith,
act like men, be strong.
1 Corinthians 16:33 NASB

Such makes one proud to be named as a follower of Jesus,

to be called to follow in this kind of a heritage.
To be certain there are present cultural issues today that we face

which are begging for such courage and fortitude to be demonstrated

by the contemporary Church.
I wonder what Einstein’s view of the Church would be today?

If he were to observe the Church today

would he observe the same boldness and strength to walk in the truth…

would he believe the Church to be a champion of freedom and righteousness?

It is a sobering thought –

one we all need to consider as we strive to walk

in the nature of Jesus Christ.

10If you are slack in the day of distress,
Your strength is limited.
11Deliver those who are being taken away to death,
And those who are staggering to slaughter, Oh hold them back.
12If you say, "See, we did not know this,"
Does He not consider it who weighs the hearts?
And does He not know it who keeps your soul?
And will He not render to man according to his work?
Proverbs 24:10-12 NASB

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Hannah’s Cry

“It remains essential for us to receive an impartation from the Holy Spirit to possess eyes and ears open to His truth and hearts of understanding.”
John Paul Jackson – “The Coming Unprecedented Wave of the Holy Spirit”

Hannah’s Cry

In the Book of First Samuel we are introduced to a woman named Hannah. The Word observes that she was barren, or childless in a culture where a woman’s worth was judged by the number of children, particularly mail heirs, she had for her husband. To be childless was a shame in her day, an embarrassment and often interpreted as a sign of God’s disapproval. This condition was made even worse by the fact that her husband Elkanah had another wife (Peninnah) who had born him many children.
In spite of her condition the Word reveals that her husband loved her deeply. He demonstrated his love by the preferential treatment he gave to Hannah. Despite this Hannah could not be consoled and her heart was broken before the Lord.
Peninnah took every occasion to gloat over Hannah’s condition; for year upon years she reminded her of the fact that she had not given Elkanah any children.
Hannah went to the house of the Lord and poured out her heart, promising that if the Lord would give her a son she would dedicate him to the Lords service.
Hannah was downcast and went weeping and fasting before the Lord. Eli the priest heard her and thought initially that she was drunk. Shortly thereafter he recognized her cry and had compassion on her condition.
17 Eli answered, "Go in peace,

and may the God of Israel grant you

what you have asked of him."

18 She said, "May your servant find favor in your eyes."

Then she went her way and ate something,

and her face was no longer downcast.
1 Samuel 1:17-18 NIV

Often when we face difficulties we react in the same manner. We are downcast and pouring out our hearts to God. It is interesting to see her reaction to Eli’s proclamation; she immediately believed and left his presence, her emotional state was immediately changed.
The enemy will continually stir up our deepest heartaches, and works hard to keep our minds filled with memories of our shortcomings and offenses. This is particularly true when we are headed off to the prayer closet, or a church service or the like.
We are not to give the enemy any glory for this, but are to take note of his strategies to steal away our peace and joy. We can be proactive, prepared for his attack and secure that the Lion of Judah has a louder roar than the roaring lion of this earth..

8Be of sober spirit, be on the alert
Your adversary, the devil,
prowls around like a roaring lion,
seeking someone to devour.
9But resist him, firm in your faith,
knowing that the same experiences of suffering
are being accomplished
by your brethren who are in the world.
1 Peter5:8-9 NASB

Secure in this knowledge we can choose to ignore the evil intentions he whispers in our ears. We can refuse to dwell on the pain, suffering and disappointments of the past, and press into the inheritance that Christ Jesus holds for our present and future. To this end, we need to focus our thoughts on the truth of God’s Word that our hearts and minds may be renewed in Him.

2And do not be conformed to this world,
but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,
so that you may prove what the will of God is,
that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
Romans 12:2 NASB

If we are true to hold fast to Him and seek Him in the secret place we will experience His victory and become dispensers of His life, and life abundant.

Hannah’s cry for an heir was honored by God, and she bore a son…
His name was Samuel.

When we seek him with our heart, mind and strength we too will birth new life that can be dedicated to the Lord.

10But the LORD was pleased
To crush Him, putting Him to grief;
If He would render Himself as a guilt offering,
He will see His offspring,
He will prolong His days,
And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand.
Isaiah 53:10 NASB

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