Today’s message summary of April 15, 2018 from Guest Speaker:
(name and exact country of service withheld)
God’s vision is to accomplish the preaching and sharing of the gospel to all nations.
God’s Vision is our chosen call.
1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
Our family is part of what the Alliance now calls Marketplace Ministries. We were called into the ministry. My husband is from Ghana. There was ongoing prayer about returning to Africa and ministering to Muslims who shared that “we are Muslims because there is no one to tell us about your Jesus.”
My background is in engineering. I worked at the Department of Defense. I had relocated to Washington DC and was again reintroduced to short-term mission trips to Ghana. There came a point where I was being prompted to make a long-term missions journey. I had prayed about ministering to Muslims, and I had met my husband there, as well, who had a similar call.
A Place of Surrender
“He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” –Jim Elliot
Facts About Our Country
- Islamic republic with Sharia Law
- 8% Muslim
- High level of poverty but 1% are wealthy
- Last country to abolish slavery but over 150,000 may still be enslaved
- No official Protestant place of worship
- Generous and hospitable people
- About 75% of the land is desert
What is the greatest crime in the desert? “To find water and not reveal its location.” –Arabic Proverb
We have a living water to share to the people.
Matthew 24:14
The good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed in all the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
We have a great responsibility to share the gospel to people before this end comes:
Matthew 24:3-14
While he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples approached him privately and said, “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what is the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”
Jesus replied to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and they will deceive many. You are going to hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, because these things must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these events are the beginning of labor pains.
“Then they will hand you over to be persecuted, and they will kill you. You will be hated by all nations because of my name. Then many will fall away, betray one another, and hate one another. Many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. Because lawlessness will multiply, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. This good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed in all the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
Jesus is not referring to an easy life for believers. There is no such thing as a carefree life in Christ. There will be opposition.
Isaiah 51:17
Wake yourself, wake yourself up!
Stand up, Jerusalem,
you who have drunk the cup of his fury
from the Lord’s hand;
you who have drunk the goblet to the dregs—
the cup that causes people to stagger.
There will be tribulation.
Matthew 24:9
“Then they will hand you over to be persecuted, and they will kill you. You will be hated by all nations because of my name.”
Are you willing to die for Christ? Jesus said that there is no greater love than to give your life for a friend. There are many dangers that we face because of where we are, but we desire to remain obedient to God in our work.
When you take a stand for what the Word of God says, you will be disliked and hated by many. That is to be expected. You need to be willing to take this stand.
Believers in many of these Muslim countries are experiencing a lot of turmoil and difficulty. The church is in its infancy.
Those who are Muslim who accept Christ as Savior will be rejected by their families and also lose employment.
Matthew 24:10
Then many will fall away, betray one another, and hate one another.
People today who proclaim to be believers will fall away as things become more difficult because they are not as strong in their resolve to serve Christ. Service requires dedication and obedience to the Lord. Carol asks for prayer for her younger daughter to be able to withstand all of the influences and to be able to see the Lord in the same way that she and her husband see Him.
2 Timothy 3:1-5
But know this: Hard times will come in the last days. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, proud, demeaning, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, without love for what is good, traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to the form of godliness but denying its power. Avoid these people.
Revelation 2:10
Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. Look, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will experience affliction for ten days. Be faithful to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.
There is no compromise!
Matthew 9:37-38
Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.”
It takes a commitment, for sure. Our family has been there for 11 years. We need to continue to be prayerful to remain in concert with His will for us.
One plants, another waters, but God provides the increase.
Our prayer is that you would pray for us to live in such a way that people will see the love of Christ in our lives and have the desire to seek Him.
Peculiar People…
People
Evangelizing
Cross-culturally
Using
Love
Integrity
And
Relationships
Where will you be his witness?
Acts 1:8
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.
Where can you serve?
- Your neighborhood, community, college campus
- Envision – short term trips / Cleveland/urban area
- RIC – Refugee Impact Collaborative
- CAMA Services – Houston teams
- CD 100
- Marketplace Ministries
As you pray about your own involvement in this ministry, please pray for us also:
- That we would have God’s heart for the people we serve
- For wisdom and discernment in every situation
- That God would send Kingdom-focused workers to join us
- For sincere, dedicated, Spirit-filled national believers
- Wisdom with our daughters and decisions for them
- That a pastor would be sent to lead the International Church
- For written authorization to establish Protestant Church
Akron Alliance Fellowship 