Prayer Coordinators and Mobilizers

Her dark eyes arrested me. She was perhaps seven years old, with short black hair, salmon colored dress, gray leggings, and bare feet.

Her black eyes inspected my every move. I saw her as I left my hotel in Assam. Our eyes locked. Her grandmother kept watch while she presented her wares: crafted wood items, handmade baskets and hand woven material. We were running late, so I could not shop. But I absorbed the details.

In our vehicle, I asked Paranjit, my host, who they were. “They dress differently than most Indians. Are they perhaps Buddhist?” He waggled his head in that unique Indian way as he smiled, “Very perceptive, sir. Yes, they are Buddhists. They are from the Dowaniya people. They are experts at making the handcrafts you saw. It is a very small group here in Assam. They speak their own language, although a few of them know Assamese and Hindi. They have their own Buddhist monks.

These men direct all their rituals: births, weddings, funerals, and any others.” “Have you approached them with the gospel?” I asked.

“No,” he said, “not yet. There are no materials in their language.

And since they are such a small group, they keep very much to themselves.”

Pray that believers in Assam will penetrate the barriers to reach the Dowaniya people. Pray that the Holy Spirit will open the eyes of Dowaniya leaders to Christ. Pray for gospel recordings to be translated and recorded in their language.-GEC

Posted on August 31st, 2010 by bbyrd
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THE SHAKING is GROWING
-by Andrew Strom.

I want to spend most of this article talking about the massive SPIRITUAL shaking and sea-change that is underway. -And the OPPORTUNITIES for the true remnant of God in this. But first let us talk briefly about the “economic” shaking that is underpinning a lot of what is happening.

There are many signs appearing that another great “slowdown” in the world economy is underway. As you know, we have predicted “another wave down” and a “double dip depression”. Last week new US unemployment claims jumped back up to 500,000. The figures for July ‘existing’ home sales look to show the worst slump that has ever been seen. (California and Texas report a -23% collapse in the space of just one month). The human cost of all this unemployment and economic mayhem is truly awful to contemplate.

But in the CHURCH I believe a great “shaking” is underway that will ultimately bring about a great ‘purging’ and cleansing. You may have noticed that a number of big-money ministries are suddenly in trouble. I am hearing reports of others that I regard as “spreading deception” falling into serious financial difficulty as well. I believe God is going to use this economic crisis to “clean out” His church. There is going to be a massive change at the top. The ‘Saulish’ leadership is going to be dethroned and the “Davids” will come forth.

We published a vision some time ago of the giant “trees” crashing to the ground and the little sprouts suddenly springing forth. The church has been dominated for too long by voices that have abused
and stolen and spread deception amongst the sheep. God is coming to clean house, and it will not be “gentle”. The whip is in His hand and He is about to drive the money-changers out.  His house is to be a “house of prayer” once more.

Two of my books from the past were spent prophesying of this very time that we are now entering. The first was in 1996 – “The Coming Great Reformation – New Insights into the Coming Worldwide Shaking, Reformation and Street Revival.” The most recent was in 2008 – “Survive the Depression – The Shaking Has Begun.” (Links for both of these at the end of this article).

A lot of people say to me, “Give up hope of the church being cleansed or the false leaders being dethroned. We are in the time of great Apostasy,” they say, “So just give up on any of that.”

And I say, “NO! I will not give up on the evil being dethroned from God’s church, and the Body being cleansed, and the true gospel being restored. Yes – we are in a time of great Apostasy (no-one knows this more than I). But that does not mean that God has lost His desire for a church that is “without spot or wrinkle or any such thing.” I still believe we have time for one last great “cleansing” and one last great Harvest. But it will come during a time of great “storms” and hardship.”

POSITION Yourself

There are several ways that those who believe they have been called into God’s ‘remnant’ for this hour can “position” themselves to be part of what God is doing. Of course, PRAYER is the most vital thing, but also-
(1) Get out of DEBT. Do not “hang on”, deep in debt for year after year, hoping things will improve. They will NOT improve for YEARS. Use whatever means possible, cut your losses and GET OUT. The debt alone can prevent you from being where God wants you to be in this crucial moment.

(2) Don’t get into a “bunker” mentality. Don’t be tempted to hide yourself away with food and ammo in some basement somewhere.  For true Christians this crisis is a GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY to show forth Christ to a dying world. Get INVOLVED – helping the poor, preaching the true gospel. This is not a time for “hiding away”.

(3) Stop thinking of this crisis as a “doom and gloom” scenario and start thinking of it as a time where God is setting things to rights – purging the church and the nation of years of excesses and poison. For the Christian who truly loves God and His kingdom, this is literally the OPPORTUNITY of a LIFETIME to be involved in this whole process. Only DEBTS or FEAR or an unwilling heart can rob you of your place in this.

There is no time I would rather be in than right now. There is no environment I would rather be in. This moment and this crisis are exactly what God has been preparing us for. We are not to just “survive” – we are to ‘THRIVE’ in this time. Many of the big ministries are not designed to make it through such a crisis. When
finances drop they will fall apart. But many of us have been specifically designed for this. Don’t waste it. A total “changing of the guard” is underway. A revolution in leadership. Be about the Lord’s work. Remember the long-forgotten promises and dreams the Lord gave you years ago and prepare to enter into all that He
has promised. AMEN!!

Links to the books I mentioned are below. Also – please comment on this article at the following website-
http://www.johnthebaptisttv.com/

Posted on August 27th, 2010 by bbyrd
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The heavy showers made the morning so hot and humid that Nu could hardly bear to stay indoors. She wanted to talk to her childhood friend who lived a couple of houses down the street. She wanted to feel the breeze on her damp forehead. Her newborn infants’ whimpering interrupted this train of thought. Since the birth of her son she has been cooped up at home. After giving birth an Aiton woman is restricted from interacting with other members of the community for a month.

As was their custom Nu married her paternal aunt’s son. Her husband worked in a government office. It has been a year since she got married and she looks back on that day with fondness. The wedding ceremony was held in her parents’ home and was officiated by a Buddhist monk.

As a child, she had grown up listening to stories of the oppression that her people had faced in Myanmar, their original homeland, and about their ancestors’ long and arduous journey to Assam, India where they now live. While Nu knows stories of the Aiton migration and the teachings of the Buddhist monks, she has never heard the teachings of Christ Jesus.

Pray that the Aiton people might hear of God and the salvation He provides through His Son Jesus Christ.-EJD

1 John 5:21

Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.

John, the elderly apostle, reveals his pastor’s heart in his epistle.

He is concerned with the sin of idolatry because he knows that God created each of us to love and worship Him only. If we do not love Him, we will love something less. Whatever it is that we love in place of God becomes god (an idol) to us. How can we maintain our love and devotion to God? According to Jesus Himself, it is by obeying His commands! One of these commands, often ignored, is to disciple the nations. As we are caught up in this great task, we are less likely to be tempted by things that could become idols to us.

Pray that the Lord will help us catch the excitement and joy of being totally abandoned to His will and His cause. Pray that He will keep our hearts from idols.

Posted on August 27th, 2010 by bbyrd
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In Bhutan, this is the year of the male iron tiger. The Kheng and other people groups in Bhutan will celebrate 21 national holidays in 2010. The Tibetan Buddhists in that country wear intricate masks and dance to folk music. The Khengs celebrate by eating raw meat on special occasions, which separates them from some Buddhists who do not eat meat in any form.

Kheng refers to a specific ethnic group of about 62,000. Kheng also refers to some ancient local kingdoms, which were autonomous until the 17th century.

There are a few believers among the Kheng; less than one in 1,000.

They need teaching, but God’s Word is not available in their Khengkha language. The Kheng people have physical, emotional and spiritual needs. We know God loves them and is capable of providing abundantly for them.

We often remember to bring our personal families before God’s throne, but fail to pray fervently for God’s family.

Let us ask God to strengthen this arm of His family. Their weakness affects the entire body of Christ. Pray that the Kheng believers will mature and become strong members of Christ’s body. Ask God to provide the Bible and other Christian communication tools in their mother tongue. Pray that the Holy Spirit will guide them into all truth.-AK

Revelation 19:9

Then the angel said unto me, “Write: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb.”

All nations are invited, therefore, all are blessed! God is inviting all nations to become part of the bride of Christ. There are some who have declined the invitation at this point, while others have not heard that there is an invitation. The Kheng people are in the latter category.

Pray for God to send His servants to invite the Kheng people to the wedding!

Posted on August 25th, 2010 by bbyrd
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Newar People

Because of the nature of human civilization, the migratory habits and warring ways of mankind, very few people groups can claim to be the “original inhabitants” of any region of the world. Yet that is believed to be true of the Newar people. Although they live throughout the South Asian mountains, one million live in the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal and are considered indigenous.

An ancient myth says that the Kathmandu valley was a huge lake until Buddhist Bodhisattva Manjushree used a sword to cut open a hill and drain it. This made it inhabitable. Along came the Newar people to settle there.

In a strange mixing of religions, the Newars practice both Buddhism and Hinduism. This syncretism results in a menagerie of festivals, including celebrations of Buddha’s birth, cows (considered to be helpful in their pursuit of heaven), and the Hindu god of heaven.

There are also a multitude of rituals to commemorate the stages of life. Once these are completed, the Newars await the final ceremony:

death.

Pray for the Newar people to have the opportunity to hear how the world was created, Who placed them in the Kathmandu Valley, and what they were fashioned for. Pray for these “originals” to know that they are truly unique, made for a specific purpose: to worship the true and living God. Pray for the Lord to set them free from false religions and philosophies, and prepare them not for death, but for eternal life in Jesus Christ.-CL

1 Corinthians 15:55

Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?

What good news this is to those who are in Christ! As it says a verse earlier, “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” Victory over death? Yes, that is exactly what the Newar people need! That is the need for all peoples who fear the grave.

Pray that the Holy Spirit will give the gift of faith in the life-giving gospel to many from the Newar people.

Posted on August 25th, 2010 by bbyrd
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