The state religion is Sunni Islam, and ninety-nine percent of the population is Muslim. Unlike in many other Muslim nations, Christians and Jews are tolerated, though some freedoms have deteriorated in recent years. Despite this tolerance, Christians are monitored by authorities, and some have been imprisoned. Dozens of Christian workers were expelled in 2010. The majority of Moroccans have a strong prejudice against Christians and are resistant to the Gospel, and the media helps fuel these attitudes. In an effort to avoid the religious violence and conflict occurring between Muslims and Christians in other African nations, the Moroccan people and government try to keep all Christian activity secret. The government is opposed to an indigenous Moroccan Church, but one is emerging nonetheless, and an estimated 2,000 Moroccan believers meet in small house churches. Unity of the church is difficult with believers scattered around the nation, sometimes isolated from other believers. (Prayercast) • Pray for widespread distribution of evangelistic materials among the many unreached people groups. • Pray for those troubled by increasing tensions between Islamists and moderates to be open to the Good News. • Pray for fellowship and freedom from fear for isolated believers. Mar 2-3 Tim & Tim fly to Casablanca 4 Randy flies to Casablanca 4-6 Introduce GPHD & GPHC to 40 leaders 7-8 Visit pastors, leaders and ministries 9 Tim, Tom & Randy fly back to USA
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“It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known…” (Romans 15:20) With over 200 people groups, Cameroon is one of the most ethnically and linguistically diverse nations in Africa…Like many African nations, Cameroon is divided into an Islamic north and Christian/animist south…tension continues to exist between the north and the south. Cameroon has one of the highest corruption rates in the world, but a few significant leaders that have converted to Christianity are slowly changing this. Discipleship and Godly leaders are desperately needed within the community to help believers grow in their faith. Muslims, the northern peoples, and people in the Mandara Mountains are among the less reached people here. Chad is one of the few Muslim nations that welcome missionaries, and many Muslims are craving to hear the Good News. However, in the past thirty years Islam has increased, as have concerns that religious freedoms may disappear... Chad has more unreached people living within its borders than any other African country. Unity is being broken within the Church due to an increase in nominalism and the pervasive practice of indigenous tribalism. Chad has been torn apart as a nation and as a Church. Unification and reconciliation are desperately needed. (Prayercast) • Pray for the Church to be both burdened and equipped for evangelism among an increasing Muslim majority. • Pray for pioneer missionaries to persevere in difficult places in order to reach the unreached. • Pray for integrity and honesty to rule the nation and displace government corruption. Joshua, EMS Cross-Borders Coordinator will join Pat & Randy as our interpreter. He has responsibility for all the countries outside of Nigeria. This continues our vision to reach all 14 African countries with EMS missionaries. Feb 19-20 Fly to Douala, Cameroon 21 Fly from Douala to Garoua in the north 22-24 Introduce GPHD & GPHC to 40 leaders in Cameroon 25 Fly from Garoua to Douala 26 Fly from Douala, Cameroon to N’Djamena, Chad Feb 28-Mar 2 Introduce GPHD & GPHC to 70 leaders in Chad Often Jesus put the test to relationships by His own example. This brings to mind how He chose Judas as one of the twelve disciples. Jesus knew ahead who He was selecting for this unique group; “Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor” (Luke 6:16).
Why would Jesus do this? Are there lessons for us to learn through His example? For three and a half years, Jesus poured time, love, instruction, and resources into a man who became a betrayer. As if that wasn’t enough, the night before Judas carried out his wicked scheme, Jesus got down on His knees and washed the dirty feet of Judas, even though “He knew who was to betray Him” (John 13:11). Then Jesus instructs His disciples, “I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you” (John 13:15). Would you stoop down to serve someone who you knew was intent on ruining your life? The issue here is not about what they will do to you, it’s about the power of God in your example to them. We will never know how God is going to touch others until we are willing to serve them as Jesus served even those who hated Him. This is the power of sacrificial love. Paul is the embodiment of all he wrote and taught about the Church. When he is describing the Church, the body of Christ, Paul is very consistent in his terms so that his readers always see the same picture of how we must look at each other. Here is a perfect example of what I mean.
“God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked…that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another” (1 Corinthians 12:24–25). It is the same attitude in Philippians 2:4; “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Let’s get practical about this issue. When Paul was in prison, there was a young man who was converted under Paul’s ‘prison ministry.’ He learn that Onesimus was a slave of Brother Philemon in Colossae and had run away. Paul was not satisfied that Onesimus was now saved, he wanted this new convert to experience what it really meant to be “baptized into one body” by the Spirit as a member of the Church (1 Corinthians 12:13). To accomplish this, Paul writes a personal letter to Philemon to “appeal” to him to take Onesimus “back forever, no longer as a bondservant, but more than a bondservant, as a beloved brother” (Philemon 15-16). Do you have persons in your church or that you know are believers and you are looking down on them as subservient to you rather than equals? It’s time you applied the biblical model to your heart and make the relationship right - as God sees it. Yesterday we focused on the unique relationship we have with God as Father through the finished work of Jesus in redemption. There are other relationships that have dramatically changed because of Jesus our Savior. We need to appreciate these as special to the Body of Christ.
Jesus points to one of these in His last private meeting with the disciples just before the Garden of Gethsemane, His betrayal and trial in John 15:15. “No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.” Notice the subtle emphasis on intimacy with Jesus. Jesus wanted the disciples, and us, as His “friends” to have inside knowledge of the divine plan. Through His very intimate relationship with His Father, He knew God’s will and pursued it to the end. Jesus now is doing the same for us. Our ministry to others is ALWAYS AS A “SERVANT” in the same way that Jesus came to serve (Mark 10:45; Philippians 2:7). Knowing HOW TO SERVE is through being a “friend” and living close to Jesus the Master. That is why He left His Spirit to be with us “forever” (14:16) so we would always have a way to understand what Jesus and the Father are doing. Is that your relationship with them? I was listening to a short podcast by John Piper yesterday in which he answered someone who sent in a question. It reminded me of a truth that I learned many years ago and has often been a tremendous comfort to me.
There are several key references in the New Testament where God is referred to a “Abba Father.” In Mark 14:36 Jesus is in agony of prayer knowing that the cross was immediately before Him, He begins His prayer with, “Abba Father, all things are possible with You.” If that were the only reference to this address, we might conclude this address to God was unique to Jesus and could only be used by Him. After the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost to indwell those who believe, we have other instruction from Paul. “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”” (Romans 8:15). Then again in Galatians he says, “And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”” (Galatians 4:6). In both verses, it is the Spirit who “cries” in us this wonderful, intimate address “Abba! Father!” Many Christians refer to God as “God” and fail to realize that we have been adopted into His family and given His Spirit so we might enjoy this degree of intimacy with God as our Father. Either address to God is appropriate, but I want to encourage a closer walk and intimacy with “our Father” (John 20:17). Are you enjoying this close relationship? God has graciously provided examples of persons who endured extreme presure in trials, but in the end were better for what they went through. Notice both the total submission and confidence that Job expresses in the verse below.
“He knows the way that I take; when He has tried me, I shall come out as gold” (Job 23:10). Even after David’s failure with Bathsheba and Uriah, he is restored to the right perspective. “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you” (Psalm 51:12–13). These two examples are very different. There was no moral failure with Job like David went through. We must remember that God is the one who restores and turns the rubble of our lives to gold. What are you going through that seems as though it will end in a pile of ashes? Your fiery “trial” is intended to separate the “gold, silver and precious stones” from the “wood, hay, and straw” (1 Corinthians 3:12-13). God sees the gold even if you don’t. ne of the questions I am often asked is, “why do I have to go through the same problem over and over?” This question makes me think of Hebrews 12:7.
“It is for discipline [training or instruction] that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?” (Hebrews 12:7). The first word “discipline” is a verb which refers to a process God takes us through to train us in His ways and truth so we become formed in godliness and “may share His holiness” (12:10). The second word “discipline” is a noun and refers more to the punishment or consequences that are inflected if we are not learning from the training. It may be that we are going through the same problems over and over because we are not learning the lessons God as our Father is teaching us. How much better will be our lives if we resolve to learn from trials. Instead of chafing against God’s “discipline” we must set ourselves to learn by asking Him to show us what He wants us to learn. This attitude will do two things: 1) we will mature through the process, and 2) it will increase our intimacy with God our Father. Eliphaz had sound advice for Job: ““Agree with God, and be at peace; thereby good will come to you. Receive instruction from His mouth, and lay up His words in your heart” (Job 22:21–22). Over many years, I have watched persons struggle with discouragement and their ups and downs. This may be expected of those who carry heavy loads in ministry, but the truth is that it can hit anyone in spite of the circumstances. I am not exempt from being discouraged, but have learned through them.
I want to draw from the Sons of Korah and the extreme emotions they experienced. In one moment they confess their passion for the Lord; “As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God” (Psalm 42:1). As we continue reading in this Psalm, there are two verses when they feel very depressed; “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?” (42:5, 11). It is a great comfort to know there is a reliable answer to questioning their own condition. “Hope in God; for I shall again praise Him, my salvation and my God” (same verses). Depression comes largely from focusing on our own circumstances instead of the Lord. It may also come from times when things are not going as we planned. The Bible calls this “pride.” From personal experience, depression melts like ice in the warmth of the Son. In those moments I was in a bad attitude because I was not getting my way. Enjoying intimacy with Him transforms depression into contentment with the will of God. Thanksgiving and joy in the Lord take charge of my heart and emotions, and then my actions. If you are in this spot, get into His presence and stay there until your heart is changed. Having been to many missions conferences and listened to missionaries make appeals based on pictures of dire conditions, makes me think of Roland Allen’s assessment of the call to missions.
“Missionary “zeal” is something very different from mere interest in Foreign Missions. In our missionary work at home we have given the “interest” the first place. These appeals may be compared to those which the Revivalists of the last century made. Like theirs, our appeals are not based on…the expression of the truth. Such appeals are dangerous.” (Essential Miassionary Principles, pages 50 to 52). Where does zeal for missions come from? For missionary work to be effective, done in the right place and with the right people, there must first be an intimacy with God so we learn His heart. The God who commands us to “GO” is the same God who “Walked in the garden in the cool of the day” searching for man and his wife after they disobeyed. That reveals His heart. It is knowing the heart of God for His lost creature that should plant in us a zeal for those who are still ‘hiding’. This does not mean we should not have emotions in the work of missions, but the drive and energy for fulfilling the call comes from knowing the Author who planned salvation. |
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