Please Pray

Mob violence in India's Orissa state continues to escalate, and reports coming from Gospel for Asia leaders in Orissa say that as many as 20 GFA-related churches were destroyed and hundreds of Christian families have been burned out of their homes. At least a dozen members of GFA-related churches have been murdered, but no one knows the overall death toll.

"The Christians in Orissa have fled for their lives into the forests," GFA President K.P. Yohannan said, "and some have been in hiding for three days without food or water.

"Several of our pastors are in the forest along with their church people, and one said that he could have escaped, but would rather die with his people than leave them."

Dr. Yohannan called the situation "unprecedented in his 30 years of ministry in South Asia."

"I have never seen persecution so bad in my life," Dr. Yohannan said, "and I have seen a lot of opposition to the Gospel over the years."

Orissa, the state where Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two sons were burned to death by anti-Christian militants in 1999, has a long history of opposition to the Gospel.

"Yet this past year, we have seen more people place their faith in Jesus Christ in Orissa than in any other Indian state," Dr. Yohannan noted. "So it is no surprise that opposition is increasing."

The latest reports coming in include a long list of specific attacks against pastors, missionaries and their followers—including Christians being hacked to death. One believer's body was cut into seven pieces.

"They are raping Christian girls—and some gang rapes are taking place," Dr. Yohannan said. "We are praying that the young women on our Bible college campus will remain safe. There are 250 students there, and 90 of them are girls. A handful of police officers are trying to protect them, and that is a blessing. But we have had people come on campus and attack students in the past, so I am asking for all Christians to pray for their protection."

The violence began after the Saturday night murder of Swami Laxmananand Saraswati, a top leader of the VHP (World Hindu Council) and an outspoken opponent of Christianity. He was killed in an attack by 20 men armed with guns and hand grenades. While the murderers are suspected of being Maoist rebels, the Hindu radicals seized on the killing as an excuse to incite violence against the area's Christian community.

"What is most disturbing," Dr. Yohannan said, "is that the radicals have not only incited this violence, but they are also orchestrating it. And the latest reports are that they are bringing in militants from Gujarat, Chhattisgarh and other states to carry out their evil plans."

Because the swami's goal was to stop the spread of Christianity, especially among tribal and lower-caste Indians, an attack on him last December incited a similar wave of violence—again targeting Christians.

"Between December 24 and January 15, some 730 Christian homes and more than 100 churches were destroyed," Dr. Yohannan recalled. "Several dozen Christian women were sexually assaulted, and more than 40 shops owned by Christians were looted."

"Most of the victims were Dalits, formerly known as Untouchables," he noted.

"Basically, what we are facing is genocide—ethnic cleansing—against Christians, and so far, no government has spoken out against it."

Dr. Yohannan asks that concerned people in the West call on their government officials—as well as those in India—to intervene in this disaster.*

"But most important is prayer," Dr. Yohannan emphasized. "Please pray that God will intervene in this situation, that His peace will descend on the people of Orissa, and that His message of love will fill the hearts of all of India's people.

Hard Enough Time Just Trying

Mark 14:51-52 And a young man followed him, with nothing but a linen cloth about his body. And they seized him, but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked.

These verses have always troubled me. Now you may be reading this wondering "What is this kid about to start talking about?" Well let me explain. No this isn't some high exposition of text, cause frankly I'm pretty sure I'm breaking every rule of Hermeneutics. Let me start out...

I'm 19 years old and I've come to the realization that I don't know everything. Actually I found that out about 6 months ago but I pretended just to make myself feel better. But at this young age I've figured out that I'm never going to be a "Master of Divinity." My sinful nature wont allow me. Even though I strive and fight and kick and spit...I....I, just wont understand everything about God.

I can't wrap my mind around how God elects some people, and then at the same time is not willing any should perish but all to come to repentance. Even though most say that the greek word of "all" can be taken in two ways...individually meaning each, every, any, all, the whole, everyone, all things, everything...or collectively meaning some of all types. For me, I have my stance but I'm not going to divide a church over it.

How about this one. Is the NT church a model of how we are suppose to act in the body of Christ or is it the model of how we are suppose to meet in homes like the early church. Even though culture, and history influence the reading of the Bible. I don't take a stance on this one because, well...technically "I've had church" in a van in Calcutta India, on the beaches of Galveston, and on the front porch of my friends house.

I read this one today. Is man born a sinner? Or is he a sinner by the choices he makes after he is born?

Worship on Saturday or Sunday? Did the gifts of the Spirit die out? Is there such thing as a laughing revival? Is todays missions working? Do we send western missionaries or natives?

Now now, I'm not looking for answers. I say that because I'm not looking for a thesis on the doctrine of Orginal Sin or how speaking in tongues proves that you've been baptized in the Holy Ghost. All I'm saying is that...everytime I get into a decussion about these things I feel like the young man in the Mark passage. I'm following maybe for the right reason, or wrong just depends. But then when something grabs me, I flee. Not literally naked but you get the point. I get scared. It's not that I don't have an opinion or stance, it's that well I just have a hard enough time just trying to submit to my authorities with a pure heart. Or witness to someone who is lost and going to hell. I find it hard to pray sometimes. Now does this mean I'm just going to give up on finding answers, start watering down the Gospel, my view of Christ in light of His Word and His work to redeem men for the wrath to come? No! But now I'm going to find the answers with humility. Not looking for them with pride, just so I can prove my point. I'm going to make sure I have the linen cloth still over me. I know in God's time, He'll show me. I have faith for that.

.....Was I just naming and claiming that?

In Honor of...

To my Nana, who is the strongest woman I know. Standing at about 4' foot nothing with flaming red hair, this woman could be heard from at least a mile away just with her laugh. She wasn't just your avg old woman. She always had something to say. Being raise and living in the south will do that to you. Her humor, love, care, and personality made up "Silly Philly." It seems like yesterday that I was helping her plant flowers, putting up bird houses, and laying stone in her yard, which she loved. Oh, and just yesterday it seems like we were in the mall buying luggage for my trip to India, and just yesterday my grandmother passed from this life into the arms of Jesus. Yes she will be missed, but praise God she is in a much better place then this world.

She is a beautiful woman. Inside and outside. I will miss her coming over just to say hi. I will miss the stories of her. I will miss her smile. It just wont be the same without her.

You see, I'm sorry there are so few words but if you knew her, you would agree with me in saying that there is no way you can describe someone like her. No word explains or even comes close to touching the surface of my Nana.

That cancer the doctor said she had, didn't kill her. The fluid on her lungs, that didn't either. The infection in her body didn't phase her one bit. It just seemed right to God to take her out of this world for Himself. None of that stuff whatsoever could have held her down anyway.

I thank her for everything she was done. She is an example to me to keep on fighting. I love you, and I will miss you.

Phyllis Powell
April 15, 1946 - July 29, 2008

Great Stories of Christians

There are many stories in the Christian world that just make you sit back and marvel at the work of God. I want to share a few stories with you and every Christian I believe needs to know by heart.

Here is a Story About Charles Spurgeon.

In 1857, a day or two before preaching at the Crystal Palace, I went to decide where the platform should be fixed; and, in order to test the acoustic properties of the building, cried in a loud voice, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." In one of the galleries, a workman, who knew nothing of what was being done, heard the words, and they came like a message from heaven to his soul. He was smitten with conviction on account of sin, put down his tools, went home, and there, after a season of spiritual struggling, found peace and life by beholding the Lamb of God. Years after, he told this story to one who visited him on his death-bed.

A Missionary Story

In September of 1955, Nate Saint Jim Elliot, Ed McCully, Peter Fleming and Roger Youderian found a Huaorani settlement while searching by air. In order to reach the remote tribe, Saint and the team lowered gifts, including machetes and clothing, to the Huaorani in a bucket tied to the plane. The Huaorani were a widely feared tribe, because of their chronic fear and anger. They tended to attack and kill any outsiders without provocation. Nevertheless, the tribe displayed excitement on receiving the gifts, and soon gave back gifts of their own. After three months of successful air contact, the missionaries decided to attempt to meet the people on the ground, and on January 3, 1956, they set up camp four miles from the Auca settlement, using a portion of the beach as a landing strip. Their initial personal contact with the Huaorani started out encouraging; however, on Sunday, January 8, 1956 the entire team was killed on the beach when armed Huaorani met them.

John Wesley

No church in England would allow John Wesley to preach. So he decide to open air preach. After seeing the results he never again hesitated to preach in any place where an assembly could be gotten together, more than once using his father's tombstone at Epworth as a pulpit. He continued for fifty years — entering churches when he was invited, and taking his stand in the fields, in halls, cottages, and chapels, when the churches would not receive him

The Two Moravian Missionaries

Two young Moravians heard of an island in the West Indies, where an atheist British owner had 2,000 to 3,000 slaves. And the owner had said, “No preacher, no clergyman will ever stay on this island. If he’s shipwrecked,we’ll keep him in a separate house until he has to leave but he’s never gonna talk to any of us about God. I’m through with all that nonsense.”Three thousand slaves from the jungles of Africa brought to an island in the Atlantic and there to live and die without hearing of Christ. Two young Moravians heard about it. They sold themselves to the British planter then used the money they received from the sale, for he paid no more than he would for any slave, to pay their passage out to his island for he wouldn’t even transport them.And as the ship left the …river at Hamburg ...left its pier at the river at Hamburg and was going out to the North Sea, carried with the tide. The Moravians had come from Herrnhut to see these two lads off, in their early twenties, never to return again. For this wasn’t a four-year term, they’d sold themselves into lifetime of slavery. Simply that as slaves they could be as Christians for these others were.The families were there weeping for they knew they’d never see them again. And they wondered why they’re going and questioned the wisdom of it. And as the gap widened and the houses had been cast off and were being curled up there on the pier. And the young boys saw the widening gap, one lad, with his arm linked through the arm of his fellow, raised his hand and shouted across the gap the last words that were heard from them. They were these: “May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward of His suffering” And this became the call of Moravian missions. And this is the only reason for being, that the Lamb that was slain may receive the reward of His suffering.

The Last Story...

267 years ago on July 8, 1741 Jonathan Edwards preach one of the most famous sermons of all times. Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. The rest is history.


Here are just a few stories that have impacted me. Let me know about a few stories that challenge you!

Oh the Law Which Shows It's Might

Well God has been faithful in answering my prayers! I've been praying each week that God would allow me to witness to someone. I want to share with you one witnessing experence.

I was sitting here on Monday messing around on my laptop when I felt a sudden desire to go outside. I don't know why but if it was God urging me to go forth I didn't wanna grieve the Spirit. So off I went....

I sat on the front steps praying "Lord bring someone." I prayed that then went inside to grab a "What If" tract, and as soon as I came out, 2 guys were walking down the street. I knew God heard my prayer, ordained this time, and so I knew I had to witness. The 2 guys came walking by the house so I met them before they passed.

mc: can I ask you a few questions, it's for a class?
guy1: ummm, I guess....
mc: okay, well who were the first the presidents of the USA?
guy1: Washington, Adams, Jefferson....
mc: you know, you'd be shocked at how many Americans do know that.(keep in mind that this guy had a darker skin tone, and middle eastern accent)
mc: okay next question...when was the Declaration of Independence signed?
guy2: July 4, 1777...dang i mean 1776.
mc: sweet..okay next question...how many types of beer can you name.
guy2: oh, a lot!
mc: oh really...start naming them.
guy2: bud, bud light, miller, etc...(he names about 15)
mc: oh okay wow...do you drink?
guy2: no, my dad's a drunkerd
mc: okay okay no big deal, okay last question. how many 10 commandments can you name?
guy1 and guy2: ummm...hummm.....well
guy1: dont lie, dont steal..(guy2...ummmm) oh what is that other one...dont cheat.(?)
mc: okay, that's pretty good..well have you kept them?
guy1 and guy2: haha...no

this was a great lead! God opened up the door to very clearly use the Law to show sin

then...

mc: well hey, I'm a Christian, and I just wanna talk for a little bit if you dont mind. Do you believe in God?
guy2: yeah...I believe
mc: how about you?
guy1: well I'm an atheist.
mc: okay! well that's cool...where are you from?
guy1: Pakistan
mc: oh okay, so you were probably raised Muslim?
guy1:.......yeah
mc: so what made you decide to become atheist?
guy1: well because why would I believe in a god that would make me fast for a month, pray 5 times a day, and do all this s*** to please him?

oh what a door God opened up!!! Guy1 was still relating everything back to Islam.

mc: makes sense...you're right. You know what Christianity says about that?
guy1: not really.
mc: You can't do anything. It is free! God became Man, and died for your sin. The Law that you have broken is for us to see our sin. It also shows us that we need a Savior! 2000 years ago Jesus Christ was crushed. The full wrath of God was poured out on Him. The same wrath that will be poured out on all who reject Him. Christ bore the weight of sin and died. 3 days later He rose again from the dead and now sits at the Right Hand of God waiting to judge. God now commands you to repent and put your faith in Christ. Repent means to turn away from your sin! God will put a new desire for you to know Him, and a desire to hate sin. That is what God did. If you dont repent, God will find you guilty and cast you in hell.

guy1 and guy2 thought for a little bit and didn't say much.

mc: from the Fall. the Fall meaning when man fell into sin, we are born dead in sin. Depraved, and God-hating. We love our sin, and would do nothing else but sin. Therefore God is totally justified by sending all of us to hell or our sin and rebellion. BUT..He provided A Way through Christ's blood.


both of their heads were down at this time


mc: do you think that lying is bad?
both: yes
mc: how about stealing?
both: ........yes
mc: how do you know that? where did you get that moral law?
guy2:....it had to have come from God.
mc: that's right. God gave you a conscience. you know right and wrong. God did that. this just proves that you need a Savior.

mc: you see that tree over there? that proves that there is something Bigger out there.

both of them agreed

mc: now which religion is right? you have Islam which tells you believe in allah and work your way. or Hinduism..just pick one of the 330 million gods. or Christianity which says that God did everything for you just repent and believe in Him and He will put a desire in you, He will grow you. God does it!

after that I shook their hands and told them I'd be praying for them. Oh I gave them the one tract that I had on me. the "What If" tract....

Please pray for "Ray" and "Sean"

Stone to Flesh

I was once Your enemy as I stood before the Law.
Damned to condemnation due to the effect of the Fall.

Rebel, God hater, all burning within
lover of pleasure was the weight of my sin.

My heart so black so wicked unclean
Your wrath poured out was what I should glean

As coming Day in which You should judge
knowing that I would be bound in the Grudge

But by Your grace have I been saved
and by Your blood I am no longer a slave

The work You did to change my heart
from stone to flesh a work of art

The faith You gave the repentance You granted
is something that I could have never chanted

For that wrath oh in which you took
so that my name could be found in that Book

And to You who died and rose again
My love is due until the end.

Goin' Back to the Roots: Faith in Christ and the Repentance of Sin

I've learned a lot since I first started to share my faith about 2 years ago. Things to say, things not to say. Having a street-side debate on creation and the big bang theory with a drunk 25 year old woman. (By God's grace, He sobered her up to hear the Gospel) Long talks about the antichirst, end times, and all the problems with America. (Which actually all can be turned back to the Gospel) Getting the cops called on you and them threating to arrest us. (Which lead to me getting pulled over for the first time and the cops saying they were sorry they made the threat)

I could go on with times I've talked to people. I honestly think that every Christian should do that. I've learned so much about people, and how they act just by handing them a tract or just sparking a convo about God. I don't feel as if Christians need a "Sudden Passion" or "Divine Calling" to talk about the Gospel...I think we should be able to talk about Jesus..the One that saved us. As Mark Cahill said "We GET to share the Good News!" I know for me, it was hard to start a convo, but in the end I'm glad God gave me the words to speak. As I've heard over and over again..."just open your mouth."

There is no way I can boast in myself about the times I've witness or the talks I've had with people because I didn't do anything except for open my mouth. God has promised us that He would speak through us. I just want to encourage you and myself with the truths that God has in His Word about salvation and some keys to witnessing. I don't claim to know a lot about witnessing but I do know Jesus Christ and him crucified. (1Co 2:2)

Faith in Christ:
Joh 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
Mar 1:15 and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel."
Rom 4:5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,
Rom 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Rom 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

These are real verses! As Romans 10:17 says faith comes by hearing the Word of God. Which means....we must witness. If people are saved by faith, and faith comes by hearing the Word, we must proclaim the Word so people can receive that faith and put it in Christ. I use to down play faith. I didn't express it while I was witness, but after reading the NT, I've come to find out that everything done in the Christian life has to be done by faith. Meaning that the faith in Christ that we have in very important, and we must share with people that faith in Christ is important.


Repentance of Sin:
Luk 13:3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.
Mar 6:12 So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent.
Act 3:19 Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out,
Act 17:30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,
Rev 16:9 They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory.

The other thing needed to be expressed in witnessing is the need of repentance of sin. Even in my Christian life, I've learned that repentance is key. Some people may take this to be the whole "turn or burn" style of preaching or witnessing. Which, in fact, with an honest heart...yes that is what it is. I may not say it, but I sure do mean it. I do preach it with grace though. Not trying to be harsh, even though it may come across that way. But the need is there. Repent of sin. Turn from it and live. This came to life for me as I was saved. All I knew was sin and evil. But God allows me to turn from my sin and believe the Gospel. I didn't have to sin anymore! I didn't have to go to Hell! God commands us to repent from sin and put our faith in Christ.