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God’s Grace Can Reach Any Heart |
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Share good news – Share this and any page freely. Over 100,000 views of blogs in 2020. Share this link on your media, eg Facebook, Instagram, Emails: God’s Grace can reach any heart Renewal Journal – a chronicle of renewal and revival: www.renewaljournal.comThe story of Pastor Bessarab, a former criminal who became an evangelist, pastor, and martyr. Dear Brother or Sister in Christ, In eternity, I believe we may see how God wrote chapters into the lives of people we knew on earth and also into the lives of our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ. In 2004, I traveled to Tajikistan [northern neighbour to Afghanistan] a few months after a pastor named Sergei Bessarab was shot to death in a small city called Isfara, where Bessarab had planted a church. In my book When Faith Is Forbidden, I share Bessarab’s story and introduce readers to his widow, Tamara. In addition to meeting Tamara, I also met the man — also named Sergei — who had prayed for Bessarab’s salvation. The two men had met in prison while Bessarab was serving time for his criminal activities. In prison, Sergei prayed every day that Bessarab would come to Christ. But Bessarab was less than grateful for his friend’s concern. “Don’t waste time praying for me,” Bessarab told him. Sergei remained steadfast in prayer, however, and Bessarab did eventually bend his knee to Christ. The former criminal became a bold witness for his Savior both inside the prison walls and, after his release, as a pastor on the outside. In addition, he made frequent return visits to the prison to share the gospel with inmates. Soon after Bessarab and Tamara moved to Isfara and planted a church, which began to grow as Muslims turned to Christ, a headline in the local paper asked the pointed question, “What’s Going to Be Done About Sergei Bessarab?” On Jan. 20, 2004, the son of a local mosque leader answered the question, shooting and killing Bessarab as he strummed his guitar during his nightly time of worship, Scripture reading, and prayer. In my book, I close Bessarab’s story with words spoken to me by his friend Sergei just months after the shooting: “One day we will meet this person who killed [Pastor Bessarab] because we have a prison ministry all over Tajikistan. And we will be ready to tell him about Jesus.” A front-line worker in Central Asia recently met with Bessarab’s widow, Tamara, who told him how God has extended her husband’s legacy. When the young man who killed Bessarab was convicted and sent to prison, Christians were waiting there to meet him, just as Sergei had promised. In God’s amazing providence, the killer was eventually assigned to a cell with a Christian prisoner who had been led to Christ and discipled by Bessarab! And over time, the mosque leader’s son became Bessarab’s spiritual grandson, placing his trust in Christ. Bessarab was once a convicted criminal. Many would have written him off spiritually. His killer was also far from God, and some may have written him off as well. But God’s grace can reach any heart. If you need a reminder of that today, picture the final chapter of this story: Pastor Sergei Bessarab stands worshiping before God’s throne for all eternity — side by side with the man who ended his earthly life! In Christ,
This is an update from a story in When Faith Is Forbidden: 40 Days on the Frontlines with Persecuted Christians. Receive a complimentary copy for a donation of any amount at vom.org/forbidden. |
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As the new Taliban government tightens its grip on Afghanistan, people there plainly see the darkness of Islam and they’re running toward the light of the gospel. “As Job says, in the book of Job he says, ‘When a man is in a heap on the ground, he stretches out his hand to God,’ so it’s in the midst of the desperation that souls are hungry, and so it’s a moment of opportunity,” Joel Richardson, with Global Catalytic Ministries (GCM), tells CBN News. Richardson says history proves that oppressive Islamic governance leads to revival in the Church. “Iran has the fastest growing Church in the world. Seven years after the ISIS blitzkrieg, there’s a revival in northern Syria…the establishment of Islamic government provides ripe soil for the Church to grow,” Richardson explained. The Church in Afghanistan is determined to do the same.
“They’re still actively meeting, studying the scriptures together and sharing the gospel. We actually have a report from one of our leaders who has been sharing the gospel with Taliban members that came into their village and they’ve actually be engaging in Bible studies and prayer,” said Richardson. While it’s often the sensational reports that make headlines, like a recent one that falsely claimed the underground Church there had all been martyred, or others that spotlight only heroic action, Richardson says Afghanistan’s Christians are just real people choosing to live out their Christian faith. “They say they’re scared. Many of them are in despair, but it’s in that weakness that they’re still pushing forward and they’re finding sweetness in all of it,” he said.
One Afghan Christian recently reported back to GCM: “There is pain and joy right now. God hasn’t left. There is no need to fear what the Taliban is doing. Bad things may happen to us, but God will do something and glorify his name.” Richardson worries this could be the calm before the storm, but he says Christians there have submitted themselves to the will of God, come what may. “They’ve given their future, their fate, over to the will of God, knowing that it could result in martyrdom. They understand that very clearly, yet they’re pushing forward regardless,” he said. The biggest prayer request right now is for divine protection. To be hidden from those who seek to do them harm, as they continue to go out and make disciples of men. That is the wish of the Afghan Church.
Source: CBNNews
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Afghanistan: Children ask “Where does Jesus live?”
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The rise of the Internet is without doubt the most revolutionary development of the last 25 years. It has radically changed our lives. But has the internet also influenced the Church?
I’ve known Heidi Campbell from the early years of the internet, so when she approached me in 2013 for an interview to give my perspective on this as a ‘religious digital creative’, it led to a contribution to the book. I’m making this available in a pdf.
The internet has given ordinary people (the ‘laity’) considerably more influence.
This is fundamentally revolutionary. For the Church today, the Internet can be what the printing press was for the Church in the Reformation. A game-changer.
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How the web changes the church:
https://renewaljournal.com/2021/01/27/how-the-web-changes-the-church/
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Adapted from Chapter 9 of God’s Surprises by Geoff Waugh
Bob and Jill Densley, friends of mine, worked with the United Nations in Nepal and they loved to help pastors and leaders there. That’s how they met and supported the fiery young evangelist pastor Raju Sundas. We visited them many times in the 1990s and spoke at pastors and leaders meetings in Kathmandu, in West Nepal and in East Nepal, hosted by Raju. Some of those pastors walked for two or three days across the high ranges just to attend the meetings.
Their churches, led by Hosanna Church, are saturated in prayer. I prayed in their “Power House”, the upstairs prayer rooms of their church in Kathmandu. Those small upper rooms were open 24 hours a day and many people went there to fast and pray, sometimes for many days. Since then, Hosanna Church and its ministry has exploded and planted so many churches across Nepal, developed schools, vocational training, Bible Schools, and huge welfare ministries to the needy.
We saw God’s Spirit move beautifully and powerfully in those early meetings. Many were filled with the Spirit and healed. I heard a young man from one of their church bands praying eloquently in beautiful English – but he cannot speak English. They pray for one another with strong faith, expecting God to save, heal, deliver and anoint them.
The dedication of those Christians impressed me. Most of them had been imprisoned for their faith many times. One young pastor conducted a Christian wedding which infuriated relatives so they complained to the police and he spent a month in prison for disturbing the peace. Our host had been severely beaten while in prison. Two young evangelists were shot to death when we were there. They had returned from Bible College in India and were accused of spying. God gives those Christians amazing peace and joy amid the persecution, just as in the Book of The Acts.
We were greatly blessed to see the zeal, faith and perseverance of Raju and his team as we shared ministry in Hosanna Church in Kathmandu as well as with them in conferences in West and East Nepal. Their faith opened the way for God to move in power among them all as He poured out his Spirit, especially on leaders, pastors and on their people.
Raju and team
Pastor Raju Sundras (Photo), our host for our visits, tells about our visit there at Easter 2000.
Greetings in the name of our Almighty God Jesus Christ from the land of Himalayas! The Lord continues to do great things in this land, we have not much to do but to praise Him and thank Him for every good gift raining on us from Him and only Him.
It was a great blessing from the Lord to send us a team from Australia mid-April. The fellowship, the Word from God, the mighty touch of the Holy Spirit, the love of Christ flourishing from our Australian brothers and sisters, the awesome presence of the Lord throughout the rushing schedule of conferences, trips, and visits, overwhelmingly expressed the great love of our Lord Jesus Christ towards this nation. During the short stay of about two weeks with the team of eight people we had the privilege to see the ministry of the Holy Spirit through them in several occasions. …
Out of about 200 participants in the conference by the grace of God 100 of them were baptized in the Holy Spirit praising the Lord, singing, falling, crying, and many other actions as the Holy Spirit would prompt them to act. About ten of them testified that they had never experienced such a presence of the power and love of God. Some others testified being lifted to heavenly realms by the power of the Holy Spirit, being surrounded by the angels of the Lord in a great peace, joy, and love toward each other and being melted in the power of his presence. Many re-committed their lives to the Lord for ministry by any means through his revelation.
Pastors and leaders conference
On the second day of the conference the trend continued as the people seemingly would fall down, repent, minister to each other in the love of Christ, enjoy the mighty touch of the Holy Spirit, singing, prophesying, weeping, laughing, hugging, and all the beauty of the Holy Spirit was manifested throughout the congregation by his grace and love. One woman of age 65 testified that she never had danced in her life in any occasion even in secret, but the Lord had told her that she should now dance to him and she was dancing praising him with all her strength. For hours this outpouring continued and the pastors of the churches were one by one testifying that they had never experienced such a presence and power of God in their whole Christian life and ministry.
Some 60 evangelists declared that they were renewed in their spirits by the refreshing of the Holy Spirit and they are now going to serve the Lord in the field wherever the Holy Spirit will lead them to be fully fledged in His service. In the last day of the conference while praying together with the congregation and committing them in his hands, many prophesied that the Lord was assuring them of great changes in their ministry, life and the area. While the power of God was at work in our midst three children of 6-7 years old fell down weeping, screaming and testifying about a huge hand coming on them and touching their stomachs and healing them instantly. After the prayer all the participants got into the joy of the Holy Spirit and started dancing to the Lord, singing and praising Him for His goodness.
Before leaving Gochadda while we were having snacks in the pastor’s house a woman of high Brahmin caste came by the direction of the Lord to the place, claiming that she was prompted by a voice in her ear to go to the Christians and ask for prayer for healing of her chronic stomach pain and problems, and that is why she was there. We prayed for her and she was instantly healed and we shared the Gospel, but she stopped us saying, “I need to accept Christ as my Saviour so don’t waste time!” She accepted Jesus as her personal Saviour being lifted in spirit, and even the body as she said she didn’t feel anymore burden in her body, and spirit, Hallelujah!
Roadside fellowship and ministry
We held another conference in Nazarene Church pastored by Rinzi Lama in Kathmandu. Ten churches unitedly participated in the two days gathering where about 100 people participated. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit continued in this conference refreshing many in their spirits and bringing much re-commitment. We showed the Transformation video. All committed themselves for constant prayer to bring transformation to their cities too by God’s power.
Geoff and the Himalaya mountains
by Geoff Waugh
Adapted from Chapter 9 of God’s Surprises
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Previously published as The Leader’s Goldmine (now updated and expanded)
Hundreds of Ideas for Christian groups
Hundreds of ideas for Christian groups with a wealth of activities, studies, prayers and resources for groups of all ages. Contents are: Ideas for integrated Bible studies; Ideas for Bible studies and prayers; Ideas for church activities – devotional, educational, creative, serving, social, sporting; Ideas for all ages together; Ideas for building relationships.
This book offers a huge range of activities, arranged according to group activities. It provides a wide range of activities for many different kinds of groups. The first section, Ideas for Integrated Bible Studies, gives you four group studies on each of the themes or topics.
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Jesus
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Source: Joel News International, #1141, September 24, 201
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Alex Rex
Alex Rex was driving down a busy street in Adelaide, Australia, on February 15, 2016, when he suffered a massive heart attack and his heart stopped.
He slumped forward on the steering wheel, traffic stopped around him, and a woman came rushing over to his car.
“She opened the door and tried to get me out but I was in a seatbelt,” Alec recalls.
As she struggled to free him, she forgot to turn off the ignition and the car began moving forward. “The car took off and got up to about 30 miles per hour. She was still hanging on to the car.”
When she saw they were going to hit another vehicle, she let go and fell headlong to the pavement. “It was a miracle she wasn’t killed. She hit the ground and saw me hit the vehicle. She pulled herself together and ran 100 yards.”
The young woman was a corrections officer who just left her shift. When she started CPR she was certain Alec was dead.
Providentially, an ambulance was among the vehicles caught in the traffic jam. “A couple doctors raced over and started working on me. In the police report it says they resuscitated me five times. That means I died five times. They put me in the ambulance and took me to the hospital. I was dead.”
Doctors could find little reason for hope, but then Alec surprised them. “They didn’t know what to do with me. I came back to life. I was thrashing about, punching them. I came back to life. They were stunned.
“According to the MRI, my heart was badly damaged because one of the main arteries was blocked. They put a stent in there.”
The hospital also discovered pneumonia in his lungs, so they placed Alec in an induced coma following his surgery.
“My heart was so badly damaged they said to my wife there is a possibility I would have a 10 percent chance to live. If I survived, I would be a vegetable.”
But God was about to demonstrate his power in a way that would surprise the doctors. And while Alec was hovering between life and death, he was transported to a nether region beyond this world.
“In front of me was like a veil, the gates of Hell,” Alec recounts. “I was at the gates of hell, but not in hell.” Everything appeared two-dimensional to him, like he was watching a TV.
Then he heard a voice say, “Jesus I know but you I don’t.”
But to his right another voice said: I am the Lord God. I am going to heal you and make you new.
Alec recognized that Jesus was speaking to him and He could read Alec’s thoughts.
Jesus’ presence provided the light for Alec to see. “Others there couldn’t see Him or hear Him.
Then Lord impressed on his heart, I will do what I want to bring your healing. I will show you the power of the Holy Spirit.
Then an astonishing sight met Alec. “Around me was a sea full of people,” he recounts. “I couldn’t see their faces. They were joined together in chains.”
Jesus impressed on his heart: These people call themselves Christians but they couldn’t forgive their brothers and sisters.
Jesus mentioned to Alec to pay attention to the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant and instructed him about its meaning. “I was taking this all in. He only allows you to remember what he wants you to remember. I can’t add to what he told me.”
During his near-death experience at the gates of hell, Alec says that Jesus also told him a worldwide revival is coming that will be greater than Azusa Street or the Welsh revival. There will not be anything like it, Jesus told him.
“It is not just people getting saved,” Alec adds. “It is the bride being made perfect, without spot or blemish.
The Lord communicated to him, What the world deems insignificant is what I am going to use in this revival.
Alec was in the coma for three weeks. During that time, doctors debated about whether or not to turn off his life support.
But then God breathed new life into his body. “They were going to switch off the machine,” he recounts. “God brought me back to life. It is a medical fact I was dead for 20 minutes in the hospital. My brain is now 100%.
“Praise God everything changed. I am one miracle after another.”
After Alec came out of the coma, the head ICU nurse told his wife Beth, “Your husband’s vital signs are 100%.”
The next morning Dr. Matthew Worthley, a cardiologist and professor at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, came into his room, looked at his file and said, “You were dead but you’re alive. You’re a miracle.”
Other doctors were equally amazed. “At the surgery there was a vascular heart surgeon, Dr. Raja. He shook his head and said, ‘I was there when you came back to life. I was there when they took the MRI of your heart. It was so badly damaged. I can’t understand it. There is no sign of a heart attack, no sign of any scarring. Your heart is 100%.’”
When Alex left the hospital he got a standing ovation from the nurses. “They said, ‘This is the guy who was dead and came back.’ I thanked all the nurses and doctors. There were doctors there with tears.”
While Alec is grateful to be alive, he is even more ecstatic about what God is doing. “I believe the bridegroom is coming soon — two years, five years, 10 years — I don’t know when, but it’s exciting.”
He believes God will use the current U.S. president, “as crazy as Trump seems,” in the revival. “God will use him. Impossible things are happening. The bride is going to be beautiful — her appearance, her apparel and her beauty.”
Source: God Reports, January 16, 2018
Remember this? From a chapter with stories about forgiveness. Right now, as you read this, remember to forgive fully, just as God has forgiven you.
Matthew 18:21-35 New International Version (NIV) The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant 21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.[a] 23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold[b] was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. 26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27 The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. 28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins.[c] He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. 29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’ 30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened. 32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. 35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
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