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When we think of suffering for Christ, often our focus concentrates on the pain and loss side of what we are going through. Perhaps we need to look again at Paul as our model. While many saints have suffered excruciating and lengthy periods of torment, only to end in death, Paul gives us a perspective that I rarely think about. It sprang from his intense longing to know Christ more.
“Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ…that I may know him and the power of His resurrection, and may share His sufferings, becoming like Him in his death” (Philippians 3:8, 10). I see four points in Paul’s statement that we should imitate in our walk here for Christ: 1. Always want to know more of Christ. Everything else has no value. 2. What we have gained in this life is rubbish compared to becoming more like Christ. 3. Knowing the power of resurrection working in us enables us to suffer in whatever way we are called on to suffer with Christ. 4. Sharing is Christ’s suffering-– even in death is fellowship with Jesus in what He did for us. Hudson Taylor said, “Fruit-bearing involves cross-bearing.” Perhaps the death of Stephen in Acts 7 was engraved on Paul’s mind. He died seeing the glory of Christ. That is a special fellowship!
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As the work of spreading the gospel to every people group (ethne) around the world moves forward, often in hostile environments, it is good to remember the advice Jesus gave to His disciples. In reference to the end times, He said, “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake” (Matthew 24:9; see also 10:22).
We certainly should not be going around looking for the world to hate us or inflict persecution on the Church, but it should be expected from the world. Notice how Jesus presents this in John 15; “If the world hates you, know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” (John 15:18–19). Let us remember that every believer has transferred their citizenship and loyalty from this world to a heavenly kingdom. But more than that, Jesus has chosen us “out of the world” and it has no claim on us. He repeats this in His prayer to the Father; “I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world” (17:14–16). The Word and Jesus both cause hatred. These two principles must go together; hated by the world because we are not of the world. As we pursue living for Christ and the glory of God, let us not be surprised by hatred aimed at us, because our citizenship is not here; “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20).  As reports keep coming in from many corners of the world, my heart is filled with gratitude to God for the way His work is connected, no matter where we are, with every part of the Church globally. This reminds me of Paul’s words in thankful praise; “For this reason I bow my knees before the Father…that according to the riches of His glory He may grant you to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being” (Ephesians 3:14–16).
Why did Paul pray for this inner power by the Spirit? “so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth” (3:17–18). We cannot appreciate the scope of God’s work unless we are given strength to understand it by the Spirit. We want you connected to the great things God is doing in Malaysia. After taking the leaders through God’s Plan for His Disciples (GPHD), they said "This is a paradigm shift." Randy felt they really got the message of how to disciple new believers and existing believers. Christ will dwell in their hearts with increased strength and their faith will grow The same work of God is happening in China. Daniel and Melodie have started their study with GPHD. They told us that they could now dig deeper into the Bible and receive more rewards from studying the Word. This is what we have been praying for, just like Paul did. Are you praying large prayers like Paul because your vision is large? I know that is what God is doing with us. In spiritual things and our journey with the Lord, there are moments where we must make very important decisions that affect the rest of our lives. We never forget these moments.
Many of these moments happened during the three and a half years the disciples walk with Jesus. All of these were produced by statements Jesus directed to the disciples. One of these moments stands out as a very critical decision in John 6. “Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you” (6:53). For many of the disciples who followed Jesus, this was a very hard statement (6:60). In fact, “After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him” (6:66). Eating His flesh and drinking His blood was a requirement of walking so close to Him in fellowship so that we derive our life from Him. Without that close fellowship with Him, we do not have spiritual life. As disciples started turning away from Jesus and going their own way, He turned to the twelve and asked them, “Do you want to go away as well?” That is a startling question! He was opening the door for them to leave as well, BUT also challenges them to make a decision and commitment to follow Him in intimate fellowship. Peter gives the right answer; “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (6:68). Jesus then makes a very important observation: “Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve?” (6:70). Though we must make a choice in whether we follow in fellowship with the Lord, when we do, we discover that He had made a choice long before we did. WHAT A SAVIOR!!  Adoniram Judson, the first American Missionary, said, “The future is as bright as the promises of God.” Amen! And God has promised that “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Habakkuk 2:14). This is the promise that confirms the Holy Spirit is at work among the nations. And this work is to the least, the lost, and the last in this world.
Please pray for the indigenous conference in Tamu, Myanmar (February 20-23). We have a chance to connect with brothers and sisters who are willing to take the Gospel to reach those who “have never been told and have never heard” (Rom. 15:21). Over 250 indigenous church leaders from Myanmar will be present. What an opportunity! Myanmar People Group Data · 147 People groups – 50 are still Unreached · Total Population = 53,757,000 – Unreached = 44,986,000 “Myanmar has had a long history of coups, wars, and rebellions. Ethnic divisions and political unrest have been common since the first Burman kingdom in the eleventh century. Today, the Burmese military maintains forcible control over the ethnic groups who want equal importance in the government and in commerce. The military promises cease-fire; but at the slightest note of rebellion, they attack violently. Consequently, the Burmese have lived in a constant state of instability, defense, bitterness, and fear.” (Joshua Project). Please be in prayer for Jonathan and the people groups of Myanmar. Date Posted: 2/ /19  In these ten days, Tim was warmly received and introduced to many pastors, leaders and those interested in advancing the gospel into others areas of Taiwan and China. One of the people groups that is of special interest is the Taroko, an aboriginal people group. According to Joshua Project, the population is 9,500 and 75% Christian. In training leaders in this people group, they will be equipped with the gospel and principles of church planting to work with other indigenous people groups, fueling rapid expansion.
One of the most exciting developments of this visit was the offer to provide several training centers that would be made available to us in order to train indigenous leaders and some from China. While details need to be worked out, this is a great opportunity. Unlike many places, there would be total freedom for us to conduct the training. Because we already have our training material in English and Mandarin, and they are the most common languages spoken there, it will make sense to use Taiwan as a launching plan for this work. Please join us in praying for the open-door God has granted us in this part of the world. The potential is more than anyone can see on the surface. RANDY’S REPORT ON NIGERIA – January 17-26
Nigeria is a country of great potential and persecution. Like we read in the book of Acts, these two often go together. Rev. Ayuba Kukwi, an outstanding leader of the pastors I have been training (great potential). On the other hand, there is a young lady kidnapped by Boko Haram. Despite their threats on her life, Leah has refused to deny Christ, and they have refused to set her free. Please pray for both of them. On the flight over to Nigeria, I got hit with the respiratory bug, but God granted great grace to complete all the training of God’s Plan for His Disciples (GPHD). The response of the 65 plus leaders there was amazing. They are inspired to use this new tool in making disciples. Please keep my next trips to Nigeria in prayer. At the end of March and into the first couple of weeks of April, three major training events are planned: One is GPHD training in a Bible school, another is introducing God’s Plan for His Church (GPHC) to leaders of one of the largest missions agencies in Africa, and the last is having a graduation of around 60 leaders who will have finished GPHC. Then for three weeks in June, I will be teaching in a seminary in Jos, training the next generation of leaders to reach unreached peoples in the 10/40 Window. Along with these developments, God continues to open huge doors for working with key leaders throughout Nigeria. We are already working toward other incredible opportunities! Adoniram Judson, the first American Missionary, said, “The future is as bright as the promises of God.” Amen! And God has promised that “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Habakkuk 2:14). This is the promise that confirms the Holy Spirit is at work among the nations. And this work is to the least, the lost, and the last in this world. Please pray for the indigenous conference in Tamu, Myanmar (February 20-23). We have a chance to connect with brothers and sisters who are willing to take the Gospel to reach those who “have never been told and have never heard” (Rom. 15:21). Over 250 indigenous church leaders from Myanmar will be present. What an opportunity! Pray for Laos and Cambodia that as the Gospel continues to explode at a rate of over 300% faster than the global rate and that believers would be established in Christ. Pray also for access to God’s Word. And ultimately pray that they would continue to hunger and thirst for righteousness. Pray for Vietnam and our meeting with a Vietnamese Pastor who is currently serving in Norway and is interested in an early church self-sustaining model of missions that could influence the Vietnamese Churches throughout Europe. Statistics can be found www.joshuaproject.net   If there is anything that is needed today, it is preachers, pastors, and teachers who have power in the messages they present. This was very evident in the Early Church. To start with, Jesus promised; “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you” (Acts 1:8). Notice these following references that prove the Holy Spirit was working through the Apostles.
“And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all” (4:33). “And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people” (6:8). “[Apollos] powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus” (18:28). This all began on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came. There was nothing the Apostles did to earn such a gift except to obediently “wait” (1:4) and “devote themselves to prayer” (1:14). Then they received the gift of the Holy Spirit (2:1) and His convicting power in them resulted in open repentance. Thousands were added to the Church. As never before, we need the Holy Spirit to lay hold of the Church and rekindle a dependence on Him for the work we must finish. As crushing news met my ears today, I retreated to my study for prayer and quiet with the Lord. One of the top desires I have for myself and our ministry is that we be effective in the power of the Spirit in the Word of God. Thankfully, all in this ministry share the same passion.
We live in what Paul calls “the last days” (2 Timothy 3:1). The verses that follow give us a list of habits that make our day so difficult. “For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people” (2 Timothy 3:2–5). We cannot read this list without thinking of situations near us (hopefully not in us) that match one or more of these character flaws. What disturbs me most about the crushing news I heard today is that ministers, preachers, pastors and those who serve in the church can have an “appearance of godliness” and continue in ministry without facing the issue, repenting and getting right with the Lord and those they have violated. They continue in ministry, but there is NO POWER in it. The fact that Paul tells Timothy to “Avoid such people” is an indication that some of these had crept into the church (see 2 Peter 2 and Jude). My dear brethren, let us boldly confront any of these sins, first in ourselves, and then in others. Do this with love (Ephesians 4:15), always with the goal of restoration through repentance (Galatians 6:1). |
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