Getting Beyond "God Bless the Missionaries"

GETTING BEYOND"GOD BLESS THE MISSIONARIES"

Pray Regularly.

Pray Specifically.

Pray whenever your missionary "just comes to your mind" and you weren't even praying.

DAY 1: THE MISSIONARY'S OWN RELATIONSHIP TO GOD

• That they would put aside all malice, guile, hypocrisy, envy & slander so that like newborn babes they would long for the pure milk of the word

• That they would pray without ceasing, praying at all times in the Spirit, ever on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints

• That they would be careful how they conduct themselves, not as unwise but as wise, redeeming the time, continually filled with God's Spirit

• That they would grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ

• That they would deny self daily, take up their cross and follow Jesus, submitting to Him, resisting the devil.

DAY 2: THE MISSIONARY'S PHYSICAL & EMOTIONAL LIFE

• Adaptation to the climate

• Health in the midst of disease • Safety in danger

• Victory over loneliness

• Victory over depression

DAY 3: THE MISSIONARY'S FAMILY

• Husband/wife relationship

• Children

• Relationship with others

• Family life as a model to nationals

DAY 4: THE MISSIONARY'S ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE

• Language study

• Continual fluency improvement

• Cultural adaptation and understanding

DAY 5: THE MISSIONARY'S MINISTRY

• Teaching (Col 1:28, 29), preaching (1Cor 1:23,2:2), witnessing (Acts 1:8) making disciples (Mt 28:19-20 2Tim 2:2)

• Pray that God may open up to them a wide door for the Word of the Lord so that it would spread rapidly and be glorified

• Pray for prepared hearts that hear the Word, receive it, and bear fruit with perseverance

• Pray that when they speak, God will give them the words so that they can speak forth the mystery of the Gospel with boldness and without fear.

DAY 6: RELATIONSHIP WITH FELLOW WORKERS

• Other missionaries

• Other mission groups

• National evangelists, pastors and teachers

DAY 7: HIS COUNTRY OF SERVICE

• Government – national and local

• Political situation

• Visas, continued open doors

• Outreach to cities, villages and tribes

**Adapted and modified from guidelines originally published by Overseas Missionary Fellowship

Rapture and the Second Coming

Listed below are 15 differences between the Rapture and the 2nd Coming.

Rapture = A Second Coming = B


A . Jesus coming FOR His Church. John 14:1-3, 1 Thess 4:14-17
B. Jesus coming WITH His Church Col 3:4, Zech 14:5, Jude 14, Rev 19:14
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A. Caught up with Him in the air 1 Thess 4:13-18
B. Jesus' feet touch the earth Zech 14:4, Rev:19:11-21
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A. Christians taken first, unbelievers are left behind. 1 Thess 4:13-18
B . Wicked are taken first, the righteous (Tribulation saints) are left behind.Matt 13:28-30
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A. Purpose: To present the Church to Himself and to the Father 2 Cor 11:2, Rev. 19:6-9
B. Purpose: To execute judgment on earth and set up His Kingdom Jude 14-15,Rev 19:11-21, Zech 14:3-4
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A . MARRIAGE: Marriage of Lamb in heaven after the Rapture
B . WAR: Marriage is followed by war on earth at the 2nd coming
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A. Happens in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye (too fast for eyes to see) 1 Cor 15:52
B. Slow coming, people will see Him come back.Zech 12:10 Matt 24:30, Rev 1:7
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A. Only Christians will see Him 1 John 3:2, 1 Cor 15:52
B. Every eye will see Him Rev. 1:7
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A. Jesus descends with a shout(for resurrection) 1 Thess 4:16
B. No shout mentioned Rev. 19:11-21
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A . A resurrection takes place 1 Thess 4:13-18, 1 Cor 15:51-54
B. No resurrection mentioned Rev 1:7, 19:11-21, Zech 12:10, 14:4-5
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A. Can happen at any time Rev 3:3, 1 Thess 5:4-6
B. Occurs at end of 7 years of Tribulation Dan 9:24-27Matt 24:29-30, 2 Thess 2:3-8
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A. No angels are sent to gather (resurrected people don't need angels to help them)
B. Angels sent forth to gather people together for judgment Matt 13:39, 41, 49, 24:31, 25:31, 2 Thess 1:7-10
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A. Spirits of those dead in Christ return with Jesus to receive their their resurrected bodies 1 Thess 4:14-16
B. Christians return with Jesus in already resurrected bodies riding on white horses. Rev 19:11-21
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A. Jesus does not return on a white horse
B. Jesus returns on a white horse Rev 19:11
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A. For the Church only (those in Christ) 1 Thess 4:14-17
B. For redeemed Israel & Gentiles Rom 11:25-27, Matt 25:31-46
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A. A message of hope and comfort 1 Thess 4:18, Titus 2:13, 1 John 3:3
B . A message of judgment Joel 3:12-16, Rev 19:11-21, Mal 4:5

A Child is Born

Please rejoice with us as a new child is born into the family of God!

Her name is Jenni Markey. This is someone that Janis especially has been witnessing to for some time. This afternoon (10/24/08) she and her husband came over for lunch. After returning home she posted the following description of what happened this afternoon in an online women’s group.

When Janis and I were talking earlier, she told me that the way I lived was like holding on to a curtain in a flood, to save myself. She gave me a curtain to take home and told me to bring it back when I was ready to believe. I couldn't leave with it. I gave it back to her, and saved myself. I have to learn now, not to be afraid of death. I always have been.
My life will be very different now. I had always thought I WAS a Christian, that I WAS of Christ. I was raised in a good Anglican family by parents who were missionaries in Africa. Janis has shown me the way to the true life. I thank you Janis and I thank the Lord for bringing me to Him. I believe. I have to learn to live my life in Christ, and it won't be easy. I've sinned a lot in my 63 years. I'll be asking for lots of help and prayers. Right now I have many emotions, tears and fears.

Jenni

Newsletter - Oct. 2008

Greetings in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ from Belize!

We are back in Belize after being in Massachusetts for three weeks. Janis returned to Massachusetts General Hospital for tests to check the results of her surgery last April. The doctors were very pleased with all the results.
We want to thank Pastor Serrano and all our brothers and sisters in Christ at Calvary Baptist Church in Dedham, Massachusetts for hosting us while we were up there. It was a great pleasure to fellowship with you and participate in your missions emphasis month. We have returned to Belize greatly encouraged in the Lord’s work by all your kind hospitality.

We also want to thank Dr. Price for the invitation to preach at Mattapan Baptist Church. It was wonderful to meet so many more brothers and sisters in Christ. Thank you all for you gracious encouragement in the work of the Lord!

It is a pleasure to announce that we have reached an agreement to rent the building down the street for Old Paths Christian Church. This will also be the meeting place for Firstfruits Children’s Outreach. The rent will be $200 US per month plus utilities. While we were away this month the owners did a lot of work on the building by fixing up the bathrooms, putting in windows (wooden slats) and painting. There is still a lot more patching and painting that we will need to do when we begin renting on November 1st. Since the building is concrete with tile floors all the surfaces inside the building are hard. This gives the large open room that we will use for services the acoustics of a really bad echo chamber. We will need to find ways to soften the surfaces and eliminate sound bounce before we can effectively communicate the Word of God in there.

Please pray that the Lord will guide our purchases for the building and strengthen us for the work. Please pray that the Lord will bring those he desires to the meetings. Please pray for the working of the Holy Spirit through His Word.

We also ask that you pray for the health of a dear friend and co-laborer in Christ Brother Troy L. Cope who is such an encouragement to the work going on here in Belize.

Your Missionaries to Belize,
Andrew & Janis Hill

Newsletter August 2008

Belize Biblical Resource Center
PO Box 151, Corozal Town
Belize, Central America
011-501-422-0180
http://belizebiblicalresourcecenter.blogspot.com/


Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ from Belize !

While we were in the States earlier this year for medical treatment, the building that we were using for Old Paths Christian Church was sold. The new owners are converting it into a restaurant and we are no longer able to use it for services. We have found another building close by that we expect will become available sometime in September. The rent for the new location would be $250 US per month plus utilities. We have not yet been able to see the inside, but we believe we will need to paint the building inside and out. The purchase of chairs and a few tables to furnish the interior will also be necessary. Please pray for the Lord’s guidance and provision as we move forward seeking a new location for the Church.

The Firstfruits Children’s Outreach is continuing to thrill the local children. Last night (August 19th) was a special “back to school” meeting. Each child received a package containing notebooks, paper, pens, pencils, rulers, erasers, glue, crayons, scissors and a globe pencil sharpener. Families here are often so poor; they have a hard time affording these basic supplies. The evening culminated with the children having races up and down our dirt road. It was amazing to see them running so fast over rocks and dirt especially as most of them are barefoot! Even so, they squealed with delight and were not the least disappointed when they collected their prizes!

Earlier this month the Firstfruits children were studying Noah and the flood. Then they received a very special guest appearance from Noah himself! Janis dressed up a local friend of ours who is a big imposing fellow, in period costume (i.e. bed linens ha!). She sprinkled baby powder in his hair to make him look aged. He was so convincing that one nine year old boy thought… he was the real Noah! The children are enjoying themselves, but most importantly they are learning biblical truth. Please pray that the Lord will open their understanding to his word and fill their hearts with faith.

HEAT is the only word that can describe conditions down here right now. Almost every day the heat index goes over one hundred ….and that’s in the shade inside our house! Belize electric rates are among the highest in the world so we do not have the option of air conditioning. In October things will begin to cool down…..we can’t wait!

Since returning to Belize we have had to fight some heath battles. Janis had what appeared to be a mini-stroke a few weeks ago. She felt weak on her right side for several days afterward, but is feeling better now. A week after we returned to Belize , Andrew’s lymph nodes began swelling again. Please pray that the Lord will heal us and protect us from major health attacks.

Thank you for your prayers and continued encouragement and support. We pray that the Lord will lead and accomplish his purposes in Belize to the praise and glory of His name throughout eternity….Amen!

Your missionaries to Belize ,
Andrew & Janis Hill

What If No One Warned You?

What If No One Warned You?

Imagine that you’re driving along a highway and pass a man walking toward you on the side of the road. He waves and smiles; you wave back. But as you round the bend just beyond him you suddenly realize that the bridge across a deep canyon is out!

How would you feel about someone who knew the bridge was out but didn’t tell you? Wouldn’t you expect that a person with such crucial information would do whatever was necessary to warn you of danger ahead?

A greater danger

Most people are heading down the highway of life hoping to be good enough and to do enough good things to someday arrive in heaven. Many were baptized as infants. They attend religious services. They’re trying to follow their pastors, priests, spiritual advisors, or consciences. They provide for their families and even contribute to charities. They depend on these things to be their bridge to heaven and eternal safety. They believe that religious traditions, the decrees of spiritual leaders, or the interpretations of popes or denominations are enough to serve as their bridge.

But listen to what Jesus said to religious leaders in His day: “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! Thus you nullify [invalidate] the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down” (Mark 7:8,13).
A Bible author—John—who knew Jesus well when He was here on earth, wrote this about the only way to God: “God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:11-13). Not “hope” or “think,” but know that Jesus is the only way to eternal life. That simple first-century message is still true in the 21st century!

The ultimate risk

Jesus warned that “wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.” (Matthew 7:13). Those people are choosing the road with the bridge that’s out—it will never get them to heaven! You’re taking the ultimate risk if you have doubts about the religious bridge you’re planning to take to cross over into God’s heaven—the consequences of your choice are eternal.

Jesus urged his hearers to “enter through the narrow gate” (Matthew 7:13). The person who truly believes that Jesus alone is “the way” (John 14:6) has this assurance in Jesus’ own words: “Whoever hears My word and believes Him [God the Father] who sent Me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life” (John 5:24). The true believer has Jesus’ word on it—the bridge is there, and it crosses over to heaven!

Jesus, God’s sinless Son, chose to come to earth to pay the “eternal death penalty” for the sins of humanity. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:23-24). Jesus became the bridge to God by exchanging his righteous life for the lives of all sinners who ever lived—to die “for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2). “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Then Christ’s resurrection proved that His payment for our sins had been accepted by God the Father.

No place for doubt

Those who accept God’s offer of eternal life, by wholeheartedly trusting in what Christ has already done for them, are the ones who will stand accepted by God. The instant they place their confidence in Christ alone for the forgiveness of their sins, they are right with God now and forever.

Traditions may teach it, but nowhere in the Bible does it say that we can be right with God through good works, baptism, church membership or good intentions. It comes only by trusting in Jesus as our perfect “substitute,” believing that His death accomplished the complete payment for our sins—once and for all. Eternal life is God’s gift, “not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Though the spiritual “narrow road” is not the one most people are taking to eternity, it’s the only one the Bible says goes to heaven. If you were that person on the highway with the bridge that’s out, I think you’d warn me, so I hope you’ll understand my concern for your eternal safety. I want you to know that you’re taking the road that will ensure that you arrive in heaven, not hell when this life is over.

If you choose Christ’s way, you can express your decision to God in a prayer like this: Dear God, I admit that I have been trying to get to heaven my own way. Now I’m convinced that Jesus is the only way to heaven. I believe that he died in my place and took the judgment that I deserved for my sins. I accept your offer of forgiveness. I want the eternal life Jesus promises to those who believe in Him. Thank you for helping me find the sure way to heaven!

Text: Doug Salser • Copyright © Literature Ministries International, 2008Bible quotes: New International Version. Used by permission.

A New Type Of Preacher

But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. --Acts 20:24

If Christianity is to receive a rejuvenation, it must be by other means than any now being used. If the Church in the second half of this century is to recover from the injuries she suffered in the first half, there must appear a new type of preacher. The proper, ruler-of-the-synagogue type will never do. Neither will the priestly type of man who carries out his duties, takes his pay and asks no questions, nor the smooth-talking pastoral type who knows how to make the Christian religion acceptable to everyone. All these have been tried and found wanting.

Another kind of religious leader must arise among us. He must be of the old prophet type, a man who has seen visions of God and has heard a voice from the Throne. When he comes (and I pray God there will be not one but many), he will stand in flat contradiction to everything our smirking, smooth civilization holds dear. He will contradict, denounce and protest in the name of God and will earn the hatred and opposition of a large segment of Christendom. Such a man is likely to be lean, rugged, blunt- spoken and a little bit angry with the world. He will love Christ and the souls of men to the point of willingness to die for the glory of the One and the salvation of the other. But he will fear nothing that breathes with mortal breath. A.W.Tozer - The Size of the Soul, 128-129.