Greetings in the precious name of our dear Messiah!

By now we have returned from India and have recuperated from the jetlag and culture shock of a land replete with darkness and idolatry such as the western mind could hardly imagine. In the midst of it all however, we saw the abounding grace of our Messiah such as would have thrilled even the most scrutinizing and skeptical heart. This issue is going to be totally dedicated to India, a land forlorn, but not forsaken by the Lord. We are not accustomed to putting pictures in our newsletter, nevertheless, this time we will make an exception as we want you to see a little of what our eyes saw on this trip.

To update you on my daughter Ricci’s situation, she is finally coming up and out of her fiery trial. She is improving daily and is much enjoying getting back into the routine of just being a mom. She will not be writing many articles for quite awhile, as she just wants to get to know her family once again after being emotionally and in a way physically absent for so long. For those of you who cherish her articles please keep her in your prayers, as it will be some time before she will be through the emotional trauma of years of such intense pain. The doctors told her that it would not be expecting too much for it to take at least a year to heal from all the emotional pain she has been through. In addition, Satan has routed another enormous trial her way. If you wonder why she seems to be a favorite target, Ricci has an enormous call on her life to minister the Gospel to the nations. It is a call she desires to fulfill, but the enemy would like otherwise. Still, Yahveh is using this to His own ends and will use these trials to perfect my daughter in a wonderful way.

May I make one more personal prayer request? Our chief intercessor Henrietta Yarros is fighting cancer. She has had surgery in which they removed a cancerous limb. Now she is told that they have discovered cancer in other parts of her body. She is precious to us and to many of you as she prays for this ministry like few have ever done. For this reason although you may not have ever met her, her life has been a tremendous blessing to you. Many of you have received personal blessings you never would have known because of her faithful prayers. So, please in this hour until we tell you she is out of the woods, pray diligently for her faith, her recovery and her husband John.

As I sit here on the balcony of my dear friends, the Davises, writing this letter, I think about all that will receive this communiqué, and I am filled with such love for you. I feel so privileged to be a part of your lives and to carry the shepherdship of your souls to whatever degree Yahveh has ordained it. Thank-you for trusting me as a voice into your lives.

I received an unexpected invitation to Singapore to minister in a conference with Sadhu Sundar Salverage and two other Apostles in the middle of March. When I inquired of the Lord as to whether or not I should accept, His answer was a strong yes. Consequently right in the middle of my month of solitude and warfare, I took another oversees trip and gained remarkably from the Asian people. The meetings were powerful. I received far more than I could have given through the ministry of the other ministers.

The Lord released a strong prophetic word for Singapore. It was very difficult for me to give it as I fell in love with the people of Singapore. The Church there needs to get on their knees and pray as never before. Further, we need to pray for them. The day is close at hand when China will invade this nation, enslave the people, and persecute the Church – if the Lord does not have intercessors to stand in the gap.

Today is a day like none before to press into the Lord. The enemy is roaming about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. Some think that if they avoid the issue of prayer and the study of the Word and roam around on the outer circle of the Kingdom that Satan will leave them alone and they won’t have to go through so many trials. However, the truth is just the opposite. If you have swallowed that lie, you are already in bigger trouble than you know. The only way to stay safe today is to stay close to Yeshua and hear what He is saying and obey. The power of deception is strong, and the delusions arising out of the coming deception will have the power to take your soul if you are not careful. Spend time in His Word.  Let Him correct you and fill you with Himself, for He is the only One who can overcome the evil one and bring you home safely. So don’t let apathy steal the treasure of your heart. Guard it with all your strength, for out it flows the river of life.

Conversely, for those who are learning that only Yeshua can satisfy, I have a good report. He spoke to me in a vision just a few days ago that He will first reveal His glory to those in the inner circle just as He did to Peter, James and John. Then His glory will come to the rest of His seekers. Therefore, if you are a diligent seeker of our Messiah, and by your seeking you have nestled up real close to Him so as to become part of His innermost circle of friends, His glory is coming soon in a special way. To others, with not so zealous a pursuit, He will come; out of His great love for you He will visit you with His glory and let you rejoice in the goodness of the Lord just following His visit to the more earnest seekers. In either case, He is coming soon!

Your Friend,
Nita L Johnson

 

 

INDIA

 A

LAND FORLORN

BUT

NOT FORSAKEN

  BY

 NITA (LAFOND) JOHNSON  

About eighteen years ago I had an incredible vision wherein I saw myself walking through the villages of India taking the healing and miracle power of Yahveh to a lost and forlorn people. Miracles were happening all around me, and souls were coming into the Kingdom in a good solid way by the thousands. The Lord indicated to me in this vision that my ministry to India would be the beginning of a worldwide missionary outreach for which He would prepare me. His plan was that we would spearhead a new missionary-evangelism and ministry outreach to the nations. We would link up with ministries currently in operation as well as establish new churches and outreaches of our own. This vision has been burning in my heart in a new and earnest manner for about two years now. Yet, I have not felt to do anything about it until a certain event transpired in May of last year.

I was at the time on my way to Perth, Australia, filled with such anticipation I could hardly contain myself. I had ministered in Perth before and much enjoyed my time there. But what I was feeling on this trip was beyond human expectancy. I have long had a certain respect for Pastor Neville Johnson, and I knew the Lord was going too newly commission him, which He did. I was looking forward to meeting Sadhu Sundar whom I had heard so much about and longed to meet for over a year. I knew how deeply I loved him as a brother with a kindred spirit in the things of God. I didn’t know that God would give us the deep friendship that we now share. A few hours before landing in Sydney I asked the Lord what the excitement was all about. His reply was immediate as He spoke to me audibly as a friend speaks to his friend. He said, “You are on an appointment with destiny.”  How could I ever know that this appointment would change my life and ministry, and that it would occur through two Indian brothers.  

My first appointment, as it would turn out was with Dr. Wesley. He is a young Indian brother with the heart of Yeshua burning in his soul for the Indian people. His purity, simplicity humility and love were arresting. He was honest and straightforward and without pretense, all qualities that I appreciate. I loved him as a mother would love a son from the moment I laid eyes upon him. I desired to both learn from him and to teach him everything I could about the deeper things of Elohim. As we shared over the table at my missionary friends the Robinson’s, I knew we would share a long and fruitful relationship. Before parting, we agreed that I would bring a team of people to India to minister in February of 2000.

Although I have had many invitations to come to India I have never until this invitation, felt a compulsion to go. As I heard about the plight of the Church there, and how that only 3% of the Indian population were Christians, and of that 3% many were being persecuted and some even martyred for their faith, I knew it was time for me to go to India. Still I didn’t know the life changing experience that awaited me.

I prayed long and hard over each member that I invited to go with me on the team. We all knew that Yahveh had something very special in store for the five that were going, and He did!

We arrived in India and were immediately traumatized by the extreme culture shock we experienced. The flight had been long and grueling, but nothing compared to what we were seeing before us now. I have been plagued with asthma for many years. In Germany I was nearly detained in the emergency room over night because of a sudden asthma attack that was very severe. The doctor was so determined to keep me in Germany that I went into fervent prayer until he finally relented and released me to continue my trip to India. Now in stepping off the plane in India again I could hardly breathe because of this condition for the first five hours. Finally, we found a hotel I could breathe in and went to bed at 4 AM in the morning. I realized by this however, that I would need a supernatural healing if I were to stay in India and be of any value in ministry. Yahveh came through by healing me the night before ministry began.

As we traveled the streets heading to our various destinations, I bit back tears of horror and pain.  Other times I was simply shocked into numbness by all the idolatry I saw. There is an idol or temple it seems on every street corner. Idols ranged in size from two feet to twenty feet. All were grotesque in their imagery. It was as though they mocked their worshippers with their grotesqueness. My heart broke every day in ways I cannot explain as I beheld one horrid idol after another. No amount of preparation could have prepared me for what I was seeing.

I saw such poverty as I have never seen before. New buildings were sandwiched between dilapidated or half-decayed buildings. Rubble and waste lay everywhere in the streets. Filth and junk piled everywhere you looked. The most painful part of this scene was that people were treated as though they were part of the rubble. We saw people out on the streets sleeping wherever they could find a place to lay their heads. I saw hopelessness and despair everywhere I went, and everywhere I looked. Confusion seems to govern the lives of the people in India. In contrast, in the hotels we were treated with such kindness it would beggar description. We would smile and thank the boys who would help or serve us and they would respond as though they had never heard such kindness as a simple thank-you. I wept much while in India. I wondered how these people could survive without Messiah. The truth is many don’t, for starvation, hunger, disease and dying are everyday events in this seemingly God forsaken land. Poverty and hopelessness is so prevalent that it is not uncommon for parents to give birth to children and put them out in the streets to fend for themselves because they can’t provide for them. Therefore there are hundreds of thousands of orphans in India.  Most, of which do not have the luxury of orphanages to which to turn.

I found myself repeatedly saying, “So this is Gandhi’s India!” Then I would fight back tears of pain for what he had brought to these innocent souls. “Forlorn India,” were the words that haunted my heart for the first several days of my visit.

Dr. Wesley

Seeing my dear friend Dr. Wesley was so wonderful as he is a picture of the uttermost hope in the midst of unbearable despair.

Each of the team members found the trip life changing, all it seems for different reasons. Having now seen India for myself the burden I once carried for the pastors of India has greatly increased for two reasons. First, there is a desperate need for more ministers in India. The harvest is ripe but there are too few workers. Secondly, when a person becomes a Christian they are demoted to the lowest of India’s many casts. The only one who is lower than an average Christian is a minister of the true Gospel. They rank even below the untouchables, therefore they cannot get jobs. So it isn’t uncommon for a minister to go days without food. As we saw with our own eyes, ministers live in huts sometimes with dirt floors and walls made up of anything they can find to put it together. They may have as little as a makeshift bed and stove as furniture. For some that is all. For this reason many wives refuse to let their husbands enter into ministry, as they fear the poverty, starvation and persecution.

In spite of all of this I have not met a more wonderful people than I met in India. Dr. Wesley, his family of seven brothers and two sisters, all of whom are serving the Lord with all their hearts are of an excellent spirit. The ministers and Christians we met are all of the most humble spirits. They lacked in material resources and in the light of the Gospel that America shares, but they do not lack in Christian love and virtue. After meeting Dr. Wesley’s family I didn’t know if I could ever teach on humility again, as I felt of no match for these humble brothers. While we were there we shared their poverty; I felt it was only right. I felt that we could not as a group, truly minister to them if we could not stoop down and share their standard of living with them. We all agreed. Dr. Wesley felt embarrassed by our provisions.  We however felt privileged. Our decision to embrace our new living standards with all our hearts turned out to be the right thing.

The meetings were attended by 10,000 souls nightly. We saw over 3000 souls enter into the Kingdom, understanding full well they would have to leave their Hindu gods behind. We saw incredible miracles. Blind eyes were opened, deaf ears were unstopped, the crippled were healed, cancers fell off, heart patients were healed, and many more such miracles were attested to nightly. Their simple and childlike faith was remarkable. Nearly 700 rededicated their lives and over 100 received water baptism. Thousands were baptized in the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit.) Yahveh met us all in a most wonderful way. India is ripe for the glorious Gospel. The Lord showed me that there is going to be a mighty outpouring of revival there. Hundreds of thousands of souls would come into the Kingdom as a result. The first night of the conference, as I sat overlooking the vast audience the thought ran through my mind, " I can’t believe I am finally here in my India. After eighteen years I am finally here.” As this thought entered into my mind I began to weep with such a piercing love for the people I could not contain myself. Then the Lord spoke to me deep in my heart saying, “That is right.  This is MY India, and I love My Indian people.  Will you help Me bring the Gospel to these who are so needy?” I never again called it Gandhi’s India in my mind. Gandhi brought India death, destruction and idolatry, but Yeshua is going to send life, truth and hope to that forlorn country.

But for now, India needs you and me. Dr. Wesley went on a tour of India at the Lord’s request, starting with only a few dollars in his hand. He traveled north, south, east and west. He traveled into villages, and into cities, into the mountains and into the jungles observing the people of India. He became very ill on his trip due to lack of rest, food and proper clothing. But, he obeyed. When he returned home, the Lord spoke to him saying, “Now I am going to give you My heart for India.” Immediately he became filled with the most compelling love he has ever known. He no longer serves in the ministry for the ministry itself.  He works endlessly, tirelessly, it seems, to convert every lost soul he can to Messiah. In the four years since he received his new commission, He has started a Bible School, a television ministry in Andhra Predesh, an orphanage, a prayer mountain, he has started 50 churches and has come to oversee 60 additional Churches as tenderly as a father would oversee his young children. So he now oversees 110 pastors who depend upon him a great deal. He once told me a story about a pastor that he was visiting who had not served him a meal since he arrived two days before. When he finally asked him why, the pastor told him he had no food in the house and didn’t know when food would arrive. So, Dr, Wesley went out and sold his wedding ring to buy this pastor and his family food. When I heard that story I wept and decided those pastors would never go without food again. Consequently, we now send this ministry a gift every month to feed these 110 Pastors.

Dr. Wesley’s brother, Joshipaul, runs the orphanage. He has nothing himself, but he and his wife care for 22 orphans. They give them a place to sleep, (a dirt floor, which is the best they have), and they feed them and clothe them, moreover, they love them tenderly. I might add here that Mary, Joshipaul’s wife, is one who has suffered persecution for her faith. One day while she was out cooking over an open fire in her back yard, some Hindu priest’s came by and threw kerosene on the fire. The fire exploded in her face severely burning her entire front. The damage disabled her from having children. Today they have one child who is a miracle child. I asked why the Hindus did this to her. The reply was: Because she turned from Hinduism and became the wife of a Christian minister

Dr. Wesley now desires to buy a parcel of land. The land will cost 100,000 American dollars. But it is large enough to accommodate a Bible School, a Church, an Orphanage, a prayer tower and a house for Pastor Joshipaul, all of which will be built on this property. They need our help. India needs ministers, Dr. Wesley will find them and train them and with our continued help, support them. But now he needs our help to purchase the land and erect the buildings. Pastor Steve’s Church would like to go over and build the Orphanage, but first we need to purchase the land that this Orphanage would sit on.

I have not sought to use this newsletter as a money making endeavor. However when I see a worthy cause I want to give you the opportunity to give into it. I will keep nothing back for myself of the gifts you send that are marked for India. With this in mind I ask you to prayerfully give whatever you can, thus enabling us to help Dr. Wesley take the Gospel to India.

Sadhu Sundar Salverage

Sadhu Sundar is another fine Indian minister. His home is in Northern India. Currently he is starting a television ministry there.  He also has a special outreach to the youth and to women who are severely oppressed in India. He has a wonderful walk with the Lord and takes his healing power to nations throughout the earth. Perhaps the most notable mission to which Sundar has been commissioned is his outreach to the monks hidden away in the Tibetan Mountains. Few would want such a perilous ministry. However Sundar has embraced the mission in these lonely and dangerous mountains with all his heart, knowing that someday he will probably give his life as a martyr in his journeys to seek out the lost souls of these ever-searching monks.

We are now supporting Sundar and his burden to India and the world, just as we support Dr. Wesley. If you would like to give to his ministry write on your check, India – Sundar. If you would like to give to Dr. Wesley’s ministry write on your check, India – Wesley. All that you send will be sent out to them.

The Bible tells us to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations. Some like Dr. Wesley, Sadhu Sundar and myself are compelled to physically go as vessels of mercy to a hurt and dying world. Some are called to go through the arena of prayer by praying for all nations; still others are called to go in the arena of finances. By sending their money into missionary endeavors, they send themselves. All who answer the call in their own respective field reap the rewards of their obedience by treasures laid up in heaven. I will never forget a time when Yeshua appeared to me as I was interceding for a man who was called to the ministry but was resisting Yahveh’s will for his life. As I looked upon my Messiah, tears welled up in my eyes as I saw Him weeping. It was as though someone had cut a big whole out of His belly, and I saw the pain in His eyes from the loss. I asked Him what happened. He responded by telling me that what was missing was all the souls who would never come into the Kingdom if my friend did not answer his call. My Messiah’s belly was deplete of souls He had given His life for but would never know the value of the price He had paid because my friend would not give of his life to the mission. This loss was causing Him great anguish. On the contrary, when we win a soul to the Lord, or pray a soul into the kingdom, or make a way for others to fulfill their call by sending our finances to the mission field, all the kingdom of heaven rejoices with each new soul who finds new life through Yeshua by our sacrifice.

Although we don’t ask for money for ourselves, we want to remind you that, as you pray and give, we do depend upon your gifts to keep this ministry functioning. In fact, it was because of those of you who give so faithfully that we were able to sponsor this trip to India. You will share in the fruits that were born on this trip as much as those who went. India received the vote and blessing of your love as though you were there in person. So, please don’t hold back your gifts to us as well. A few months ago when we gave the opportunity to give into the African need, our plea was met with a healthy response, but the gifts to cover our own expenses went way down. It’s important that we keep this ship afloat if we are going to continue to bless the nations. We simply ask that the gifts that you earmark for India be over and above your gifts to us.

One more thing before we close, although we are going to be spearheading some new forms of ministry this year, we will continue to keep our prophetic focus, publishing the prophetic newsletter and so on. We will simply be adding to the ministry base. So please be in much prayer for us this year. We are under heavier enemy attack in many ways than ever before because of the new commissions the Lord has given us. Yet, the materials we offer are in greater demand than ever before, and we are increasing our number of employees because of the urgent need. Only prayers and support will help us through this time of transition.

Finally, Our latest book, “Prophetic Insight and Family Focus” is due to be on the market and ready to be sent out by the middle of May. It is a compilation of our newsletters up through issue 19. We chose to prepare these issues in a book because of the great demand for our back issues. So, we trust you will enjoy what we have prepared for you. All we ask is that you send us 3.00 for shipping and handling in for Americans and we will send you the book as a gift. For those of you who live in foreign countries you will have to contact the post office and obtain the approximate cost or e-mail us and we will let you know the cost by e-mail or mail.

Remember our web-site www.worldforjesus.com and our e-mail address is nitawfjm@aol.com. Hope to here from you soon.

Thank-you for your faithfulness in Messiah’s name.

Your Friend,

Nita L. Johnson

My Reflections on the Trip to India

By David Failla

What did I gain from this trip?  Did I experience any change in my life that would cause me to readjust my priorities?  Was anything imparted to me that perhaps will remain as a precious treasure hidden in my heart?  What would cause a person to cry daily for a week for people he had only met for a few days, lived with them momentarily, ate with them the same food they ate, and experienced with them some of the same distressing living conditions?  These people became our servants, our brothers, our protectors.  They slept on the floor while we rested in our air-conditioned room.  They preferred us above themselves.  Such meekness is seldom seen in the world in which I live.  They fed us of their best, yet they themselves ate of what remained as leftovers.  And when we parted to return to our comfortable western world something precious had transpired within my heart.  We were bonded by the Spirit of Christ and by common tears…tears that only the Christ in each other can comprehend.  One gracious brother expressed to me in a warm and gentle, but meaningful way what was on his heart, “Pray for us.”  Another brother, not saying much, but expressing the same sentiment said, “Don’t forget us.  We’re in an intense battle.”

I can say these people are living the gospel of Christ.  They, having little, have given all they have.  I have only given out of my overflow.  This challenging thought came to my mind. “Will I be able to give up all of my western comforts and be like one of them in their plight, in their afflictions, and in their distress?  Is Christ really the One who is suffering through them?  Matthew 24:35-36 and 40 states, “For I was hungry and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger and ye took me in; naked and ye clothed me; I was sick and ye visited me; I was in prison and ye came unto me…For as much as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”  I have determined that one of the greatest treasures that one can possess is to maintain the love and the joy of Christ in the midst of afflictions and to remain His faithful servant for the cause of the Gospel.

Upon returning to the States, I noticed that something in my life could not sway me as it used to in the past-the spirit of the world had lost another battle.  Allelujah!  And now, the smiles of beautiful little Indian children flash through my memory.

These reflections and experiences I cherish in my heart, hoping that the Father may allow me to return to India and be pored out in a greater measure for His suffering people over there.  Meanwhile, I will continue to pray for them, support them, and communicate with them.  To Jesus be the glory!

Gratefully,
David Failla

   

The People of India

By Bonnie Daughenbaugh

       As I stood gazing out the window of the village hotel we stayed in while visiting India, I prayed, “Oh, Jesus, give me your heart for these poor, hurting people.”  I could see their way of life, so different from our own.  These people were always busy doing something.  Even at 3:00 a.m. life on the streets was busy.

     Below I saw people riding in rickshaws, many riding bikes, others walking.  I saw huts with bicycles for rent, and food stands where they sold fresh cooked items.  (They cooked right there on the streets in their little stands on wheels.)  I saw cows, wild dogs, goats, and wild boars roaming freely, eating posters on the sides of buildings and plundering that which they desired, while the people left them alone.  For the animals, which lived with the people, were worshiped and did as they pleased.  Some of the homes were close to the street.  There were no yards, no doors, no windows, only openings through which they entered or left their homes.  The homes were often made of sticks, branches or mud with thatched roofs made of palm tree branches.

       The people seemed so hopeless, so busy, yet so wandering.  I tried to pick up on their hearts, to feel the brokenness, the futility, the lifelessness, the boredom, the pain.  They were so skinny, so hungry.  But the hunger went deep into their eyes. It was more than a hungry stomach.  It was hungry sould that were starved for Yeshuaa.  I said, “Lord, how can I reach these people?  They are so kind, so non-threatening, so silent, so sullen, so seemingly depressed, so very, very needy.  I feel like they desperately need You to come give them something from Yourself to make life bearable, and worth living.  What can I give them?  What can I do?  And as I prayed for them, my heart became filled with love for these people.  I loved them deeper than words can describe.  I felt like I must become closer to them.  I wanted to be not just a spectator, but wanted to live with them.  The longing to become one with them in their world came into me.  I felt united with them, not superior to them in any way, but just simply loved them right where they were-just how they are.  I believe the Father gave me His heart, at least in part for these wonderful people.

     Oh, India, my India.  You need Jesus so badly.  I love you.  How can I bring you the message of hope….

  

Pure Religion

By Steve Kenney, Pastor, Kodiak Community Church

Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to go to India.  Nor was I ready for what God was going to do in my heart.  Everything I desired to be a part of and see was happening right before my eyes.  The big tent, thousands of people, blind eyes opening, the sound of a mighty rushing wind, everything!  It was awesome to see what God was doing and I was so grateful to be there I thought my heart would burst with joy.  Then came the big set-up.  The “sneaker wave” from the Lord.  All we had to do now was preach at a couple of churches Sunday morning and head for home the next day, totally unscathed by the enemy, victors in Jesus’ name.  Wrong!  The team split up Sunday morning and my partner and I went to Pastor Joshipaul’s church.  This is where he and his wife Mary run an orphanage of twent-two children.  To say that I was set up by the Lord is an understatement.  I looked at the children sitting on the floor beside us and my heart began to break.  I tried to resist because in just a few moments I was supposed to speak to the congregation.  Finally I couldn’t look at the children any longer and I wept a baby.  It wasn’t just the human compassion I had felt all week, it was God’s heart for them.  I finally pulled myself together and gave a short message, only to find myself weeping uncontrollable again.  The burden for them was almost unbearable and yet the pastor still wanted me to pray for people.  How I managed to get through it I’ll never know.  We then walked twenty feet from the church into the pastor’s house.  He smiled at me and said, “Do you like my house?  Will you pray and bless our house?”  They had nothing and yet they were content as though they had much.  I asked them who fed the orphans and took care of them and the pastor and his wife said, “We do.”  Then I asked how much money they had and he told me the only money they had was the little bit that we had given them.  The children slept on the floor of the church.  A church that we would consider a derlict building with dirt floors, no windows, and no doors.  They told us of  King Cobra that had come into the orphanage that the pastor had killed with a club.  Rats were a common sight.  The pastors wife had scar tissue all over her body.  She was soaked with kerosene and lit on fire for being a Christian and being married to a pastor.  Yet in the midst of poverty, persecution, and no outside support, they were taking care of two churches and this orphanage with twenty-two children.  Selah

We had a thirteen hour layover in Bombay and then the flight home.  While looking out the window of the hotel at the Indian Ocean, the others slept and I began to pray.  “Lord, burn this place into my mind so that I never forget it.”  Pardon the phrase but it was hell on earth.  There was no way to emotionally process what I had seen in India.  The poverty, filth, idolatry, children begging in the streets.  It was all too overwhelming.  Suddenly the Holy Spirit began to come upon me in power and I found myself weeping again.  It was at that moment that the Lord imparted something into my spirit.  Only time will tell what happened in my heart, but for now I can tell you that I carry those pastors and children in my heart.  I would trade all the ministry, miracles and gifts just to take care of those children.  James 1:27 says…”Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this; to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”  All the giving in the world means nothing unless we allow the love of God to smite our hearts and move us to meet the authentic needs of people.  Otherwise, we are clanging cymbols, only concerned about ourselves and how great and anointed we can be, all the while lacking true compassion.  I know because I’ve been there.

The Lord has given me a burden for these pastors and the orphanage that won’t go away.  Now the question is how to help them without defiling them with our low caliber Christianity.  The tendency is to pity them because of all the material things they lack.  The truth is that they are spiritually rich and untangled from the things of the world.  We were treated with such kindness it was embarrassing, not mention convicting.  I’ve determined to never complain about anything again, if I do I know I’ll be in sin.  The bottom line is that I need what they have more than they need what I have.  Truly the kingdom of heaven belongs to those who are poor in spirit.  If the one who is servant of all really is the greatest, then I’m sure I met one of them in India.

   

Go Now, Leave Your Life of Sin

By Karalyn Schuchert

 

In India the roads and villages are nearly always jam-packed with people, animals, oxen-driven carts and rickshaws.  So it seemed unusual-almost peculiar-to see a young woman standing on a lonely road, with nothing to do, or so it seemed.

Why is that woman just standing there?”  I asked Pastor Joshipaul.  He told me she was a prostitute, and that she was just waiting…
My heart went out to her, and the thousands just like her who live all over India.  Severe poverty has robbed them of training and job skills; they have no dowry for a husband, no family, no future, and no hope.  They’re just waiting…
Then I thought about Jesus, who was waiting-waiting for the one who had been “caught in the very act of adultery” and dragged out of her home by her accusers so they might stone her.

And she was waiting, too—waiting to see if the heavy “stones” of her sin, like the weight of guilt, would drive her to the edge of the city where only shame and death awaited her.

But Jesus, yet unknown to her, the lover of her soul, was also waiting-His heart exploding with love.  He knelt down, put His fingers in the sand, and wrote the secret words of His heart.  Then He spoke those liberating words of hope, “Go now, leave your life of sin!”

She left with His forgiveness flooding her soul, the provision of new life, and the sentence of death removed.

            “I am the Light of the world; he that followeth me shall not

           walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

                                                                                -John 8:12 KJV

The same finger that wrote the Ten Commandments-and the very same one that wrote in the sand that day-was now writing something on my heart,

Go!  Bring the one to Me on the roadside.  I’m waiting!”

Jesus’ love went on a journey that day long ago.  Its destination was the very heart of one for whom life had become weary, hopeless and meaningless.

Will you go on such a journey with us with your prayers and finances-and help us deliver the same message of hope to those who are waiting on the roadside?