March05

"A GREAT AND EFFECTIVE DOOR HAS OPENED…" I Cor. 16:9

We praise God for the great open door that He has given us on Mindanao. We praise Him for the thousands of villages in the mountains that have opened up for the Gospel to come in. We praise God for the many chieftains who have received Christ as Savior and are begging us to send workers to plant churches in their villages. Truly a great door has been opened by God to take the Gospel to the mountain tribes and our hearts overflow with praise and thanksgiving to Him.

We are also thankful to you, our faithful partners. We thank you for your prayers and your generosity. In our last newsletter, we shared with you about the five tribal community centers that we want to build in the mountains. These community centers will teach agricultural skills, provide educational opportunities, and bring much needed medical care to the tribal people. We will also be establishing Bible schools in each center to train the tribal people to become church planters, first among their own people who are still waiting to hear the Gospel for the first time and also, as missionaries, to take the Gospel to neighboring tribes, neighboring islands, and neighboring nations throughout Southeast Asia.

The tribal people in the mountains have begun cutting down trees and construction has already begun on the first community center in Melale. The last class of students has graduated from the Bible school in Tagum City and the school is moving to the Living Water Community Center in Melale where classes will begin after "summer" vacation. Moving to the new location in the mountains will increase enrollment because it will be easier for married students to attend. Truly God has opened a great door for the Gospel to go forward.

As this newsletter goes to the printer, our dear friends Darlene Bolen and her son Preston from Dallas, Texas are in Mindanao ministering at our annual youth camp. Darlene and Preston were a great blessing to us last May as they ministered by our side at three tribal conferences. They are joined at the youth camp by Doug and Beth Lemm from Seattle, Washington who also have a heart for Mindanao. Early reports tell of attendance exceeding all expectations, putting a huge strain on the budget. God is pouring out His Holy Spirit in great abundance on hungry hearts. Revival fires are sweeping over the young people and pastors. We praise God that He is raising up more laborers to walk through these open doors with us.

"…AND THERE ARE MANY ADVERSARIES"

The rest of I Cor.16:9 reminds us that just because God opens a door does not mean that we will face no opposition. In fact, the opposite is true. The powers of darkness will always try to hinder the work of God’s people. Too many Christians think that when they step out in faith, the enemy will run away and hide. That is wishful thinking. When any Believer or church or Christian organization steps out in obedience to walk through God’s open door, there will be an enemy there determined to stop God’s Kingdom from being established. I Peter 4:12-13 says to not be surprised when we face fiery trials because we are following Christ.

Does that mean that we should run away and hide from the adversary? Not at all! James 4:7 tells us that if we submit to God and resist the Devil, then he will flee from us. We don’t run from the Devil but we run to God for James goes on to say in verse 8, "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." We are involved in spiritual warfare for the souls of men and the battle is heating up around the world.

That is why you are so important to this ministry. Your giving makes it possible for us to walk through the open doors of ministry and your prayers make it possible for us to stand in faith against the opposition we face as we step through those doors. What kind of enemies do we face? They come in all shapes and sizes. Some of them are "the usual suspects". Muslim and communist rebel leaders come against us because they fear a loss of power as the tribal people become productive. But our adversary will most often strike from among those we least expect. He will use those we thought trustworthy who become unfaithful because pride or jealousy or busyness get in the way. We have an enemy who is determined to stop the Kingdom of God from moving forward. He will do whatever he can to close the door that God wants to open.

We Have a Promise

God has given us a wonderful promise in Rev. 3:8. He has put before us an open door that no one can shut. As we have traveled across America ministering in churches, we have talked to so many precious pastors and leaders who are struggling against greater opposition than they have ever faced before. The adversaries are trying to keep the doors closed to prevent revival from coming to America just as they are trying to keep the Gospel from penetrating the mountains of Mindanao. Yet in church after church and conference after conference, God has met with us in a special way and His presence has been felt in a greater measure, encouraging His people to press in to know Him in a more intimate way.

What is going on? What is happening to our nation? The Body of Christ is starting to rise up in resurrection power and our adversaries are desperately trying to keep the stone from rolling away from the mouth of the tomb. Satan, as a roaring lion, is trying to destroy God’s people before we wake up to the realization of who we are in Christ Jesus. He knows that if we will lay down our own agendas, our foolish pride, our petty jealousies, and our endless busyness and come together in unity and humility to seek the face of God, Satan does not stand a chance of stopping us. There is a mighty revival that is coming that will sweep millions into the Kingdom of God in America and around the world. If we as the people of God stop fighting each other and instead seek God together, then the Great Commission will be fulfilled in this generation and "the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea." (Hab.2:14)

Be Faithful

The only way to successfully walk through the open doors that God has given to each of us is by coming together on our knees in prayer. As we seek His face alone in the secret place and then come and seek His face together, He will meet with us there. We will experience His presence and His power. He will share His plans, His agenda, His strategies with us. Then we can go forth as the Body of Christ and stand in the gap for the nations of the world.

God is searching across America and around the world for people that He can trust to be faithful. If you are not faithful in the little things He gives you to do – at home, at school, in the work place, in the place of prayer – then He will not trust you with anything more. Be found faithful – to your job, your family, your church, your personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Then God will exalt you. He will pour out His anointing upon you. He will move through you. You will see miracles as you walk through God’s open doors and learn how to stand in the day of battle.

Perilous times are here. Exciting times are here. Let us stand together as faithful servants of the Most High God and see what He can and will do to establish His Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.

Remember these dates:

May 5, 2005 – National Day of Prayer (USA)

May 15, 2005 – World Day of Prayer