Monthly Archives: August 2010

"God is at Work Among Muslims"

Pakistan

(Image via Wikipedia)

We have posted about this several times and noted in the past that many Muslims come to Christ through dreams and visions of Him during Ramadan.

Here is the latest report from Charisma:

”Evangelists Say Muslims Coming to Christ at Historic Rate”

Evangelists working in the Middle East say that Muslims are currently coming to Christ at a rate that has never been experienced before in spite of all of the increased persecution that new Christians are experiencing. Read the article it is really encouraging.            *Top 

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-Don’t Fear the Shaking

September 11, 2001

(Image by wallyg via Flickr)

There is major shaking going on economically and politically in the World. We are in the midst of a major re-alignment of World power and leadership.

Just today came the word that China had passed Japan as having the 2nd largest economy behind the USA. Meanwhile the USA is in decline and many are predicting that China will pass up the United States before the decade is finished.

Also today came the word from a number of different sources that it would be best if Israel attacked Iran in the next 3 days before their Nuclear plant comes on line. Otherwise the fallout could affect the entire region. Time to obviously pray for the leaders of Israel and the USA.

Meanwhile the Church itself is going through a major shaking. In America there are signs that unless we have a major revival Christians will become a minority in this country in one generation. I believe that revival is in the works. However a small revival would not be enough to reverse the trend. Therefore the church should be praying for a move of God that goes way beyond all of our greatest expectations.

Here’s a word from Barbara Yoder that is basically telling us not to fear the shaking but to go with it:  “There Is a Rumbling in the Earth!

I found the following parts right on and particularly helpful:

There is a rumbling in the earth. God is rumbling you out of mindsets, positions, identity, locations, relationships, bondages, fears.  …

There is a rumbling that has already started in the heavens. But the Lord would declare to you that the rumbling is also now on earth under the feet of leaders, for He is calling us out of the old, out of the past, out of that which would trap us in nonproductivity and irrelevancy, to reposition us for the future. And we will not only look spiritually different, we will not look the same physically—the way we have in the past—for we have entered a season of massive change.

"Fear not the rumbling, for I will shake you out of the systems and paradigms that have held the church captive and I will cause you to be poured out in a whole new way to the world. I am shaking the church and I am shaking the world. The rumbling will not soon disappear, until it has accomplished its full work to shake the church and to shake the world. For I will have a meeting place with My people, and what is left when the rumbling is done will be a people who release the kingdom of God on earth. And the church will be poured out into the world." (See Hebrews 12.)

<Read the whole message>            *Top

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-Ramadan: A good Time for Christians to Pray for Muslims

When Ramadan begins tomorrow (Wednesday August 11) many Christians will be praying for Muslims to find Christ.

It is becoming more and more common in the last several years to hear about Muslims seeing visions and dreams of Jesus and converting to Christianity during the 30 days of Ramadan.

Also it is a great time to remember Christians living under persecution in Muslim dominated countries. During Ramadan the Christians are subjected to even more pressure and persecution than at any other time during the year.

In fact Open Doors Ministries has developed the

30-day Ramadan Prayer Calendar.

Each day is specific to a country on the organization’s World Watch List—a ranking of 50 countries where the persecution of Christians is most severe.

Also, millions of Christians from around the world will be supporting a prayer campaign initially launched by YWAM:

30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World

Check out these sites and participate. You may not be able to go to the Middle East as a missionary but your prayers can get there and make a real difference.

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-Ted Haggard Has “Over-repented” and Gone Viral?

Thumbnail image for haggard.jpg

Wow. Ted Haggard is in the midst of starting a new church. Here is one of the comments he made to his new congregation:

"Tiger Woods needs to golf. Michael Vick needs to be playing football.  Ted Haggard needs to be leading a church”

Really?

In a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal that has since gone ‘viral’ on the Internet he said:

“I over-repented”

-For his extra-marital relationship with male escort Mike Jones and using drugs?

Exactly what does that mean? Does that mean that he should have kept on pastoring anyway? Seems to be implying that. What about the Biblical requirements for Christian leaders?

I truly believe that grace trumps judgment when repentance is present. But ‘over-repentance’? –never heard of it.

What do you think out there? Does Ted belong back in the pulpit? The four pastors who were supervising Haggard’s recovery do not think so:

"we cannot endorse his return to vocational ministry."

Also, it seems rather lame to me to start a new church in the same community where his old church is. Particularly after he agreed to leave the area and his old church supported him and his family with that stipulation for a couple of years. Why not start over some place else where a new church and pastor are actually needed?  

I know that in the dominate American culture today sin is no longer recognized. However this doesn’t even pass the ‘smell test’ among unbelievers. It isn’t the sin that bothers most of those folks but the hypocrisy of it all.

But what ever happened to an understanding of sin in the church? Sadly in the American church today so many seem to be going the way of the culture with the only caveat being that everyone makes mistakes but Grace covers it all and once saved always saved? Now this applies to a fallen pastor also? 200 folks in his new congregation seem to think so.            *Top

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