Wow!

This past Sunday, The Church at BattleCreek looked like Jesus!

I watched more than 800 church volunteers, the entire staff team, along with several area sports teams provide toys for over 5400 children.  They ministered to and shared the gospel with over 16,000 people!  They led 277 into a life-saving relationship with Jesus!  They baptized 104 of them!

What an amazing church, what an Awesome Lord we serve!

I love you!

Pastor

As we travel the country of Egypt, minister there and see lives changed one name we hear over and over is Bishop Botros.  I want you to know about him and pray for him and believe with me that God will do as he promises in Isaiah for Egypt.

EXCLUSIVE: AL QAEDA TARGETS LEADING ARAB EVANGELIST OPERATING IN THE U.S. FOR PREACHING THE GOSPEL TO MUSLIMS

By Joel C. Rosenberg

(Washington, D.C., September 9, 2008) — You have probably never heard of Father Zakaria Botros.

But you need to know his story. He is far and away the most-watched and most-effective Arab-American evangelist focused on reaching the Muslim world, and by far the most controversial. The Rush Limbaugh of the Revivalists, he is funny, feisty, brilliant, opinionated, and provocative. But rather than preaching the gospel of conservatism, he is preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. And his enemies do not simply want to silence him. They want to assassinate him.

Last week, I had the honor of interviewing Botros by phone from a secure, undisclosed location in the United States, where he now resides. He told me that he had just learned that an al Qaeda website had posted his photograph and named him one of the “most wanted” infidels in the world. The Radicals have even put a bounty on his head. The Christian Broadcasting Network reported the figure was as high as $60 million. Botros does not know for certain. But just to put that in context, the U.S. bounty on Osama bin Laden’s head is “only” $25 million.

Why are the Radicals so enraged by an elderly Coptic priest from Egypt who is in his 70s? Because Botros is waging an air war against them, and he is winning.

Using state-of-the art satellite technology to bypass the efforts of Islamic governments to keep the gospel out of their countries, Botros is directly challenging the claims of Muhammad to be a prophet, and the claims of the Qu’ran to be God’s word. He systematically deconstructs Muhammad’s life, story by story, pointing out character flaws and sinful behavior. He carefully deconstructs the Qu’ran, verse by verse, citing contradictions and inconsistencies. And not only does he explain without apology what he believes is wrong with Islam, he goes on to teach Muslims from the Bible why Jesus loves them and why is so ready to forgive them and adopt them into His family, no matter who they are or what they have done.

If Botros was doing this in a corner, or on some cable access channel where no one saw him or cared, that would be one thing. But his ninety-minute program – a combination of preaching, teaching and answering questions from (often irate) callers all over the world – has become “must see TV” throughout the Muslim world. It is replayed four times a week in Arabic, his native language, on a satellite television network called Al Hayat (”Life TV.”) It can be seen in every country in North Africa, Middle East, Central Asia, as well as all throughout North America,Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. And not only can it be seen in so many places, it is seen – by an estimated fifty million Muslims a day.

At the same time, Botros is getting millions of hits on his multiple web sites in multiple languages. There, Muslims can read his sermons and study through an archive of answers to frequently asked questions. They can also enter a live chat room called “Pal Chat” where they are not only permitted but encouraged to ask their toughest questions to trained on-line counselors, many of whom are Muslim converts to Christianity who understand exactly where the questioners are coming from and the struggles they are having.

As a result, Botros – on the air only since 2003 – has practically become a household word in the Muslim world. An Arabic newspaper has named him Islam’s “Public Enemy #1.” Millions hate him, to be sure, but they are watching. They are listening. They are processing what he is saying and they are talking about him with their friends and family. When Botros challenges Radical clerics to answer his many refutations of Islam and defend the Qu’ran, millions wait to see what how the fundamentalists will respond. But they rarely do. They prefer to attack Botros than answer him. Yet, the more the Radicals attack him, the more well-known he becomes. The more well-known he becomes, the more Muslims feel compelled to tune in. And as more Muslims tune in, more are coming to the conclusion that Botros is right and in turn are choosing to become followers of Jesus Christ. Botros estimates at least 1,000 Muslims a month pray to receive Christ with his telephone counselors. Some of them pray to receive Christ live on their air with Botros. And this surely is only the tip of the iceberg, as it represents only those who are able to get through on the jammed phone lines. There simply are not currently enough trained counselors to handle each call.

Many leading Arab evangelists I have interviewed for Inside The Revolution say God is using Botros to help bring in the greatest harvest of Muslim converts to Christianity in the history of Christendom. Botros refuses to take any credit, saying is just one voice in a movement of millions. But he is certainly excited by the trend lines. He does see more Muslims turning to Christ than ever before, and he told me he has cited my book Epicenter at least three times as evidence of the enormous numbers of conversions taking place. What’s more, he vows to keep preaching the gospel so long as the Lord Jesus gives him breath. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son [Jesus], that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” That verse – John 3:16 – is the verse that drives Botros. He believes passionately God loves the whole world, including each and every Muslim. He believes that “whosoever” believes in the Lordship of Jesus Christ – Jew or Muslim – will, in fact, receive eternal life. He does not believe all Muslims are Radicals, but he does believe all Muslims are spiritually lost, and he wants desperately to help them find their way to forgiveness and reconciliation with the God who made them and loves them.

“I believe this is the hand of God,” Botros told me. “He is directing me. He shows me what to say. He shows me what to write on…the web sites. He is showing me more and more how to use the technology to reach people with his message of redemption.”

We were informed recently that the orphanage, “La Divnia Trinidad” in Guatemala, that Alejandra has been in has closed down and she has been moved to another orphanage.  The one she was in was a very nice one and we have been told the new one is not on the same level at all.  We must pray that God will open the country of Guatemala to international adoption again soon and in the mean time that God will put Spirit-filled, Christian, and competent care givers to care for her.

We are in the battle and praying for a series of miracles!

Thanks for praying with us!

I read this on http://theresurgence.com/in_god_we_do_not_trust

it is a fantastic word!

Mark Driscoll

In my years of pastoral ministry I have worked very hard to not be political. I believe that my job as a pastor is to preach and teach the Bible well so that my people make their decisions, including their voting decisions, out of their faith convictions.

This election season which has dominated the cultural conversation for many months has been particularly insightful regarding the incessant gospel thirst that abides deep in the heart of the men and women who bear God’s image. Without endorsing or maligning either political party or their respective presidential candidates, I am hopeful that a few insights from the recent election season are of help, particularly to younger evangelicals.

First, people are longing for a savior who will atone for their sins. In this election, people thirst for a savior who will atone for their economic sins of buying things they did not need with money they did not have. The result is a mountain of credit debt they cannot pay and a desperate yearning that somehow a new president will save them from economic hell.

Second, people are longing for a king who will keep them safe from terror in his kingdom. In the Old Testament the concept of a peaceable kingdom is marked by the word shalom. In shalom there is not only the absence of sin, war, strife, and suffering but also the presence of love, peace, harmony, and health. And, this thirst for shalom is so parched that every election people cannot help but naively believe that if their candidate simply wins shalom is sure to come despite sin and the curse.

The bottom line is obvious to those with gospel eyes. People are longing for Jesus, and tragically left voting for mere presidential candidates. For those whose candidate wins today there will be some months of groundless euphoric faith in that candidate and the atoning salvation that their kingdom will bring. But, in time, their supporters will see that no matter who wins the presidency, they are mere mortals prone to sin, folly, and self-interest just like all the other sons of Adam and daughters of Eve. To help extend naïve false hope as long as possible, a great enemy will be named and demonized as the one who is hindering all of the progress to atone for our sins and usher in our kingdom. If the Democrats win it will be the rich, and if the Republicans win it will be the terrorists. This diversionary trick is as old as Eve who blamed her sin on Satan rather than repenting. The lie is that it’s always someone else’s fault and we’re always the victim of sinners and never the sinner.

Speaking of repentance, sadly, no matter who wins there will be no call to personal repentance of our own personal sins which contributes to cultural suffering and decline such as our pride, gluttony, covetousness, greed, indebtedness, self-righteousness, perversion, and laziness. And, in four years we’ll do it all again and pretend that this time things will be different. Four years after that, we’ll do it yet again. And, we’ll continue driving around this cul de sac until Jesus returns, sets up his throne, and puts an end to folly once and for all.

In the meantime, I would encourage all preachers to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and repentance of personal sin. He alone can truly atone for our sins. He alone can deliver us from a real hell. He alone is our sinless and great King. And, he alone has a Shalom kingdom to offer.

Lastly, for those preachers who have gotten sidetracked for the cause of a false king and a false kingdom by making too much of the election and too little of Jesus, today is a good day to practice repentance in preparation to preach it on Sunday. Just give it some time. The thirst will remain that only Jesus can quench. So, we’ve still got work to do….until we see King Jesus and voting is done once and for all.

I wanted to encourage anyone who sees my blog to check out a new website I
found: www.prisoneralert.com. This site is run by Voice of the Martyrs and
focuses on believers who are imprisoned around the world. They have a tool that
allows you to write a letter in the language of an imprisoned pastor or lay
leader. I am certain that officials take note of those prisoners in China, North
Vietnam, etc., who receive mail from the United States. It takes very little
time, and will cost you about $1 to mail the letter.

The following
describes the “crimes” of a man arrested over a year ago in Vietnam:

Location:
Vietnam
Arrested: March 2007

In May 2008, Nguyen Van
Dai, a Vietnamese Protestant church leader and lawyer, was sentenced to five
years in prison and followed by four years of house arrest. Nguyen was accused
of a wide range of crimes, including “conspiring with terrorists, in their
efforts to promote human rights efforts, including religious rights and
democracy.” He was also accused of compiling “evidence of Vietnam’s suppression
of the Protestant religion and providing it to the U.S.-based Committee for
Religious Freedom in Vietnam and the U.S. embassy.” 

Come and go with me to he the Holy Land this Christmas! 

No trip I have ever taken (and I have take a lot of them) gets even close to comparing to the trip to the Holy Land.  This trip will make the Bible come alive for all who go.

Love to have you on this trip with me.

You can click on the brochure here or on this link…

http://www.discoveryministries.com/ministry/1228-2008aa.php

You Have Our Attention, Lord
A prayer by Max Lucado – October 2008

Our friends lost their house
The co-worker lost her job
The couple next door lost their retirement
It seems that everyone is losing their footing

This scares us. This bailout with billions.
These rumblings of depression.
These headlines: ominous, thunderous -
“Going Broke!” “Going Down!” “Going Under!” “What’s Next?”

What is next?

We’re listening. And we’re admitting: You were right.

You told us this would happen.
You shot straight about loving stuff and worshipping money.
Greed will break your heart, You warned.
Money will love you and leave you.
Don’t put your hope in riches that are so uncertain.

You were right. Money is a fickle lover and we just got dumped.

We were wrong to spend what we didn’t have.
Wrong to neglect prayer and ignore the poor.
Wrong to think we ever earned a dime. We didn’t. You gave it. And now, tell us Father, are You taking it?

We’re listening. And we’re praying.
Could you make something good out of this mess?

Of course You can. You always have.
You led slaves out of slavery,
Built temples out of ruins,
Turned stormy waves into a glassy pond and water into sweet wine.
This disorder awaits your order. So do we.

Through Christ,
Amen

God will always give what is right to His people who cry to Him night and day, and He will not be slow to answer them. (Luke 18:7 NCV)

I was sent this article by a church member…

Don’t Worry About It — God is in Control

by Jay Stephens

Many of us are watching the events unfold on Wall Street, Iraq, Afghanistan, Washington, D.C., Korea, and other places and feeling very troubled about them.   Over and over again, I’ve heard friends and acquaintances say, “How could this happen to us?” with regards to huge turmoil on Wall Street, escalating national debt, and continued wars on two fronts in the Middle East.   It is almost as if we feel that because we are a “Christian” nation, we should be immune to these kinds of problems…

Yet, with the panic that has ensued in the stock market and the news that many Americans had lost significant portions of their savings, retirement and college funds, one gets the feeling that whatever the final outcomes from these numerous events, nothing will ever be the same again.   Clearly, we are NOT immune to problems — either as individuals or as a nation.  

Economists are saying that a deep recession — perhaps even a depression is in the works.  Despite the bailout package that has been approved and other “bailouts” still being discussed – many financial analysts are quick to point out that while these were important tools to try to help a struggling economy, they are simply postponing the inevitable.  The damage will be a matter of degree, not a matter of “if”.

Can you imagine the poor soul who may have:  i) lost a loved one in the Middle East;  ii)  lost a job due to lay-offs;  iii) lost or in the process of losing their home; and, iv) seen their 401k shrink to a small percentage of what it was, thus erasing hopes of retiring?

Makes you wonder where God is in all this?

The nation of Israel had similar catastrophes in their history.   In reading the Old Testament, it doesn’t take one long to realize that the fortunes of the nation of Israel rose with their dedication to the God of heaven and fell with their neglect and rebellion.   After their rise to the zenith of power and wealth under King Solomon (Solomon’s Temple is the single most expensive building ever constructed.  No other building — even to this time — comes close.  Estimates are that it would cost $195,000 / sq foot to build it today), the nation began a decline to become little more than a 3rd world country as they were wracked with their self-imposed division and idol worship.  Their rejection of the true and living God and His commands eventually led to their deportation into slavery.   Though part of the nation was eventually restored, and God’s plan of bringing the Messiah into the world was brought to fruition, things were never the same. 

Not only does history show that the nation of Israel experienced a downfall coincident with their rejection of God, but many other nations have experienced similar fates.   England, France, Spain, Italy — all were colonial powers  over the last 800 years, but eventually fell from their lofty heights.  All were deeply religious at one point in time, but began to trust in their own wisdom, power and wealth instead of God.  

Clearly, there is a precedence for the turmoil that the United States is experiencing.   

Would anyone argue that America has lost its way spiritually?  Would anyone debate that our moral compass has been broken and pointing in the wrong direction for years?  Is it any wonder that — having driven God out of our lives, our institutions, and our public places, He has chosen to let us “reap what we have sown”? (Gal. 6:7).

Yet, God is right where He always has been:   presiding over the affairs of the Universe.  He is Omnipotent, Omniscient, and Omnipresent.

This is the God that SPOKE the universe into existence and continues to hold it together with the “word of His power” (Gen. 1; Heb. 1:3)

This is the God that KNOWS everything; “His eyes are in every place” (Prov. 15:3); “there is nothing concealed [from Him]“ (Ecc. 12:2); He even numbers the hairs on our heads! (Luke 12:7).

This is the God who is EVERYWHERE.  Read Psalm 139 — there is nowhere we can go to flee from Him.

This being the case, we should focus on how we can align ourselves with Him, rather than arrogantly thinking that we can call God down to our rescue as if He were a butler at our beck and call.  Clearly, as individuals and as a nation, we need to engage in repentance and rededication.  Can anyone argue this?  It will involve hard choices and it will involve hardship, because there will be consequences to our national and personal rebellion: “the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son” (Heb. 12:6).  This is the normal and natural order of things.

Above all, we need to put our trust in God, and NOT in our wealth (which can be short-lived – Job 1:21); NOT in our nationality (if God could make children of Abraham from stones  - Matt. 3:9 – we ought not to brag about our nationality); NOT in our military might (God destroyed armies in a single day, i.e., Pharoah – Ex. 15:4 and Sennacherib – 2 Kings 19:35).  If we continue to reject God and attempt to rely on our own wisdom, our downfall is assured.

Let’s take the advice of Jesus — “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also… “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and material things.” (Matt. 6:19-24).

Our worry about the events of our day — things we largely cannot do anything about — is misplaced: It won’t add a single hour to our lifespan nor an inch to our stature (Matt. 6:25).  But, if we place our trust in the living God, the lessons we learn over the next few years will be profitable and lasting – in a spiritual and eternal sense.  “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5)

God is in control.  He is at work.  He is attempting to bring us to our senses.  These events are evidence that He cares.  This is our wake-up call.

Nationwide 40/40 Prayer Vigil…It is not too late to Pray…

I encourage you to participate in the Nationwide 40/40 Prayer Vigil. Let me explain it. There is a simple prayer guide (one item a day with two or three supporting scriptures) that is a countdown to the election. The first 40 in the 40/40 is 40 days of prayer. This ends on October 30. The second 40 in the 40/40 is the 40-hour prayer vigil that takes place just before the election.

The major topics covered during these weeks are the following:

• Personal revival
• Church revival
• Revival among church leadership
• National revival
• National renewal
• Wisdom for public officials
• Wisdom to elect the best officials

Under each of these weekly emphases, are specific days and their requests.

Please participate with believers nationwide in this prayer emphasis. 

Click here if you want to go to the daily guide.

What crazy times we live in…

From a stock market that is in it’s greatest turmoil since The Great Depression to a election that is reciveing unprecedented coverage and press…it seems out of control.  In addition, OU lost to Texas and the Razorbacks somehow pulled out a victory against Auburn this weekend.

In days like this, our confidence in the Jesus, the Word of God and His Kingdom are so vitally important.  Pray with me that during these uncertain times that faith in Jesus in the global church will take root and grow substantially.  I believe we as the Church also have a uniuqe opportunity to share hope with those who are hopeless; faith with those who are faithless; and security with those who lack it.  During times like these many people will realize all they have placed their hope in will not hold.  We must be ready to share the reason for the hope we have!