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“God’s work done God’s way never lacks God’s supply” – Hudson Taylor
Dear friends,
What a wonderful Lord we serve! We’ve truly sensed His presence this year and would like to begin this update by thanking Him for His all sufficient grace. As I spoke to the GBS students last week during the mid-winter school revival I had the strong confidence that the Lord stood with me and I praise Him. In our weakness He is strong!
I’ve heard from some good testimonies regarding the Wednesday prayer and fasting for missions project. Thanks for your participation, as the Lord leads you. Let’s pray together for open doors, discernment to know where the Lord is leading, the salvation and discipling of souls, laborers, the resources needed to carry out His will in our generation and for various mission services scheduled in the next few months. (Click on the Newsletter below to read the entire Bible Methodist Missions Update)
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A New Years Challenge
“My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you,” - Galatians 4:19
Prevailing with God is a simple, natural thing in the same way that having a baby is simple and natural. Both are simple, neither is easy! New spiritual life is formed through the travail of surrender, supplication and sometimes painful burden bearing; labor pain which only a spiritual man is prepared to tolerate.
“Everyone knows that every good Methodist fasts twice a week”, said John Wesley more than two hundred years ago, indicating that his brand of Christianity was far more rigorous, demanding and disciplined than our contemporary brand. And, who would not agree that it was more powerful!? A nation was preserved and multitudes discipled by God’s supernatural power working through a church willing to labor for their spiritual birth.
Can we receive that same power for proclamation today? Doubtless we can if we are willing to rediscover child-like faith – faith that trusts God’s promises regardless of our personal or institutional weaknesses, and recommit ourselves to spiritual labor. Missionary outreach is empowered and sustained by those who labor in persistent, perspiring, self-denying and expectant prayer.
Jesus commissioned His followers to go to all the world and to disciple all nations, promising to be with us to the end. With the early church there was always a sense of expectancy in intentionality. Rather than accepting status quo or resting on what God did yesterday they prepared for the next advance. Through meditation on the word, prayer and fasting God kept giving them fresh ideas, fresh discernment, fresh visions, fresh contacts, fresh burdens for specific people groups, and fresh resources. And He will do this for us too… if we labor.
As General Missions Secretary I have been asking God for something fresh and new on our current fields, but also on other mission fronts we’ve yet discovered. We need to tear down some stubborn strongholds; problems that have persisted for a long time. We need open doors to new harvests, closed hearts opened to the gospel and Spirit-filled workers raised us both on the fields and from right here at home. And we’ll need material resources. But I am sure that we will not rejoice in new things until we have recommitted ourselves, corporately, to the ageless, tried and tested and mighty weapons of prayer and fasting.
Fasting with a pure heart promises to do some wonderful things for us:
- Fasting will humble us. Fasting reminds the soul that it is sustained by spiritual food, exposes areas of sin or weakness and mortifies our strongest natural appetites.
“But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled my soul with fasting. – Ps.35:13“Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river… that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones… and He answered our prayer”. – Ezra 8:21; 23)
- Fasting will increase our spiritual appetite
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled” – Matt.5:6
“In the meantime His disciples urged Him saying, ‘Rabbi, eat.” But He said to them, ‘I have food to eat of which you do not know” – Jn.4:31-32
- Fasting will quicken our spiritual senses and increases our ability to discern the will of God
“As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, Now separate to me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them” – Acts 13:2
- Fasting will fortify our faith and therefore enable us to engage and dislodge the enemy wherever he is entrenched.
“Jesus said to them, ‘If you can believe: all things are possible to him who believes…So He said to them, ‘this kind [of evil spirit] can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting” – Mk.9:39; Matt.17:21
As we soon launch into a new year I feel strongly that I should throw out a challenge to all Bible Methodist Missions missionaries and supporters.
If you are willing and able, please join Becky and me in the New Year seeking God through specific times of fasting and prayer for our families, churches, and the advance of Christ’s kingdom around the world.
Each Wednesday is the day we have chosen. If another day works better for you that’s alright, and even if you have to work and carry on responsibilities you can still offer the Lord a day of self- denial and petition. The important thing is that we fast and pray. This kind of labor and intense seeking after God will bring results.
“First let [fasting] be done unto the Lord with our eye singly fixed on Him. Let our intention be this, and this alone, to glorify our Father in Heaven” – John Wesley
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MEXICO TRIP
My October trip to Mexico was very rewarding! I had a wonderful time in and around the beautiful city Saltillo with the Sankey’s and Stetlers. This city sits at about 6000 feet, is rather cool most of the time, and I was impressed with its cleanliness. The Sankey family ga ve me the tour of the old Spanish historical district. (I loved it! Especially the old cathedral &… tacos from the market).
We also visited three local pastors and their church facilities and were treated to an authentic Mexican dinner by pastor Alejandro and his family.
From Saltillo we traveled up to the border for General Conference and a week of pastoral and lay training.
The new National President in Mexico is a very gifted and much loved pastor by the name of Rufugio Hernandez whom everyone knows as “Cuco”. He is pictured here to the right – second from right with glasses.
The Lord is also raising up some new young men with a desire to understand more of the word of God and to prepare themselves for the Lord’s service. One couple’s (pictured right) story really blessed me and Steve tells a little about them in a recent newsletter: “Isaac had been in the USA illegally, but was deported for dealing drugs. Soon after his return to Mexico he was arrested for burglary and was imprisoned. While there he became a Christian. He is now a fervent follower of Christ and feels called to ministry. He is married with 2 young children. Help us pray that Isaac will reach his full potential in God’s kingdom.”
Thanks for continuing to pray for Bible Methodist Missions. your prayers and gifts are making a difference!
Tim Keep
General Missionary Secretary 
Our New Missionaries to the Philippines
Rev. and Mrs. R. G. Hutchison.
News Alert!
For an update on the Typhoon Disaster Information click link below:
Philippine Relief Fund
National Leaders attend General Conference
National Representatives from the Philippines and Mexico. (left to right) Rev. Lauro Forto (Philippine Conference President), Rev. Dolores Matta (Mexican National President), Rev. David Yucaddi (Philippine Conference President), Rev. Eli Balderas (Mexican Bible College President) and Rev. Brendal Macadangdang (Philippine National President)
MISSIONARY NEWSLETTERS
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