Tag Archives: Poverty

May 29, 2014 · 8:53 am

Vacation Bible School? Really?

I grew up on a farm in Northern Illinois and attended a small one-room schoolhouse from first grade through fifth grade. The friends I played baseball with in the summertime attended a much larger grade school in Forreston, seven miles from our farm. These friends invited me to Vacation Bible School because we wanted to spend more time together.

In my case, the one thing I took away from Vacation Bible School was one Bible verse:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

Maybe you’re not impressed with my retention of just one verse, right?

Yet, Bill Hamon once said that if an atheist spoke John 3:16 to a stadium filled with thousands of atheists, God would honor His word and someone would get saved. That is the power of John 3:16.

Over the following thirty years, I often saw signs with John 3:16 printed on them. Each worked on my heart like a hammer until finally I gave my life to the Living Word – Jesus Christ.

So, you can understand my passion for Vacation Bible School because it works. I am proof of that.

In 2013, hundreds of thousands of Indian children attended Gospel for Asia’s Vacation Bible Schools throughout India. Each one heard about Jesus. Each memorized verses. Many were saved and their parents also were saved.

If you can afford $5 or $25 to help sponsor children this year, please consider doing so. You can check out a great two minute video, narrated by Natalie Grant, and learn more about the VBS program here.

Vacation Bible School? It really works. Let’s be a part of what’s happening in India today.

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May 26, 2014 · 11:16 am

A Memorial Day Discovery

I have watched the above 2 minute video of K. P. Yohannan nearly ten times over the last few days. It seemed like there was a deeper message in it for me, but I could not grasp it. My frustration level blew past the boiling-over point.

Then, I discovered this morning there was a video of Yohannan’s preaching his whole message on the Call of Christ. I watched it just now.

Yohannan touched on three points in the video that broke my heart:

1. He told the story of a 28 year-old Sri Lankan woman who laid down her medical practice and committed her life to guerrilla warfare and killing people for the possible freedom of her Tamil people. She was captured and faced death. She said, “I am so glad I am in prison. Even through my death, if I can further our cause one step, I am grateful for that.”

If that is the commitment for something that is so hopeless, what kind of commitment do I have? (K. P. Yohannan)

2. If your church is only making you a better Christian, a better family man, a better father, a better mother, I am sorry for you. This is only the beginning. The call of Christ is for you to die, not to live. I can assure you of that. (K. P. Yohannan)

3. At the 19 minute mark in the video, Yohannan told the story of a 60-year old man who asked what he could do. What the man eventually did and to hear Yohannan declare, “What a privilege,” stirred my heart. (K. P. Yohannan)

If you want to see the whole forty minute message, you can see it here.

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May 23, 2014 · 2:43 pm

Friday’s Prayers for Prisoners (5/23/2014)

The Apostle Paul referred to himself as a “prisoner of the Lord or a prisoner of Christ Jesus” six different times in his letters to the Ephesians, Timothy, and Philemon. Paul wrote these letters when he was an old man by first-century standards. He was approximately fifty-six years old.

Ten years earlier, Paul wrote:

We wanted very much to come to you, and I, Paul, tried again and again, but Satan prevented us. (1 Thessalonians 2:18 NLT)

Wait a second, right?

In the letters to the Ephesians, Timothy, and Philemon, Paul was in prison or under house arrest in Rome. When he stated that Satan hindered him, Paul was in Corinth planting a church and was a free man.

Was Paul a prisoner of the kingdom of darkness when he wrote the letter to the Thessalonians? No, I don’t believe so.

It is my opinion that Paul’s revelation of Christ grew over the ten years between the writing of Thessalonians and his writing the three letters. He understood that if Satan prevented him from going somewhere or doing something, it was because Christ allowed it. Paul was Christ’s chosen ambassador. Demons could not deter him from running the race set before him.

Today, I prayed:

Lord, I pray for your prisoners of the Lord in America that the Father of glory may give them the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, having the eyes of their hearts enlightened, that they may know what is the hope to which He has called them, what are the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power toward those who believe. (Based on Ephesians 1:17-19)

What do you think and has the Lord spoken to you?

Join with me on Fridays to fast and pray for prisoners, according to Hebrews 13:3.

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April 23, 2014 · 12:46 pm

The Lad Said, “I Made a Difference For That One.”

In some parts of the world, when the tide comes in from the ocean, it brings with it thousands of starfish. Then the tide recedes and leaves thousands of them behind on the shore. Many of these starfish cannot make it back to the safety of the water before the sun comes up and dries them out.

A man was walking along the shore one day and witnessed this sight. He stared at all the starfish, saddened that so many would die.

Then he saw a young boy walking in the other direction. The lad would stop and pick up a starfish and throw it into the ocean. He continued to do this, picking up one after another and throwing them back into the water.

“Why are you doing that?” the man asked. “Don’t you realize there are miles and miles of shore? You’re wasting your time. You’ll never make a difference.”

The boy simply picked up another starfish and hurled it back into the ocean. As it landed, he said, “I made a difference for that one.”

“As we celebrate Mother’s Day and thank God for the influence of our mothers and wives, please remember the millions of children and mothers who have never heard of Jesus, [the One] who will provide for them.” – K.P. Yohannan

If you can, consider honoring your Mom by sponsoring a child in Gospel For Asia’s Bridge of Hope program.

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April 18, 2014 · 3:07 pm

Friday’s Prayers for Prisoners (4/18/2014)

I have been rereading No Longer a Slumdog by K. P. Yohannan this week:

One of the hardest things to witness is the large number of little boys and girls looking into our Gospel for Asia Bridge of Hope Centers wanting to be involved, but unable to join.

…The hardest part is turning down child after child and seeing them suffer without firsthand contact with the love of the Lord. Honestly, there are so many children out there who need our help. One of the biggest requests from our leaders is, “Can we please open up more centers?”

As we have more resources, we proceed with opening more centers. But there are so many times, I have to tell our leaders, “Not yet.” (No Longer a Slumdog, K. P. Yohannan, © 2011 by K. P. Yohannan, GFA Books, pages 145)

Each morning my heart is blessed when I pray for the six children on the bulletin board over the computer that Carol and I sponsor for Bridge of Hope. But then, my heart is broken when I consider the millions we are not able to sponsor. I always pray, “Lord, don’t let them slip through the cracks of eternity without hearing about You.”

Today, I prayed:

Lord, enrich us Americans in every way to be generous in every way so that we produce many thanksgivings to You. (Based on 2 Corinthians 9:11)

What do you think and has the Lord spoken to you?

Join with me on Fridays to fast and pray for prisoners, according to Hebrews 13:3.

No Longer a Slumdog is now free at Gospel for Asia. You can check it out here.

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April 17, 2014 · 12:43 pm

Jim’s Testimony

My name is Jim.

My beautiful wife and I have been sponsoring children since we first found out about Gospel for Asia’s Bridge of Hope program. We had always wanted to have a large family, perhaps a dozen children, but our hearts were changed as we saw the incredible need of the poor children throughout Asia.

Instead of a dozen, we have had two children. Then, we got four more through GFA Bridge of Hope. They were our little hearts, children whose letters we read over and over again. Their pictures were mounted on our wall, and every day the four of us prayed for them. I considered them to be my children and loved them as my own, although I was sure we would never meet this side of eternity.

But God blew my socks off and sent me to India on a business venture about a year ago. My wife reminded me about Gospel for Asia and said I should give them a call to see if I could visit a GFA Bridge of Hope center while I was there. Amazingly, I could!

My heart was not ready for the sights of India. Still, the images of people, I can only assume they were Dalits, sitting on the roadside without any life in their eyes…everything looked so hopeless! I felt incredibly burdened for these people. It almost brought me to tears to see them and still does to this day.

But when I went to the center, I was simply astonished. The joy! The laughter! The sight of these children, dozens of them, beautiful, laughing, singing! It was so different from everything I saw around them. They were so vibrant and full of life.

This group of over a hundred kids was laughing, studying, and learning about the Lord all at once. It was amazing. But all of this did not prepare me for what was about to happen.

There was one little face in the crowd that I recognized. When I saw him, my little Manu, I just froze. The teacher told him who I was, and he locked eyes with me and he smiled the largest smile I have ever seen. He ran up to me and latched onto me like I was a life raft in the middle of the ocean.

This little 8-year old boy stepped back and looked me straight in the eyes. “Dad,” he said, “thank you for loving me.”

I burst into tears.

After that day, I have never been the same. I left India with a new perspective on life. Anything we could do to help these children, we must do.

Now, my wife and I sponsor two dozen children − twice as many as we ever thought we would have on our own. They are scattered all throughout India and Nepal. I cannot imagine doing anything more worthwhile with my life. This is it. My family and I are dedicated to saving as many people as we can. And Gospel for Asia enables us to do that.

No Longer a Slumdog is now free at Gospel for Asia. You can check it out here.

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April 4, 2014 · 1:41 pm

Friday’s Prayers for Prisoners (4/4/2014)

The above photo shows the bulletin board above my desk.

As you can see, most of the space is taken up by the pictures of the six children we sponsor in India through Gospel For Asia. The six range in age from six years to twelve years old and live in places like Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh.

The six children are Dalits, who are considered subhuman, impure from birth, and untouchable by those born into higher castes. The population of Dalits in India is almost equal to the total population of America or 300 million people.

Our little effort to sponsor six Dalit children through GFA’s Bridge of Hope program came about because the Lord crushed my heart one day while I was praying. We signed up that same day.

Okay, now let me tell you something: we have never been able to afford the children. That’s right! My wife and I are not wealthy and live paycheck to paycheck. Yet, the Lord always provides for us. Why?

Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will repay Him for his deed. (Proverbs 19:17)

And:

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:8)

God’s word works for us.

My prayer for prisoners today:

Lord, I pray that we American believers who are blessed with the world’s goods would open our hearts to help people in need so that we actually love with our deeds and truth, and not just with our words and talk. (Based on 1 John 3:17-18)

What do you think and has the Lord spoken to you?

Join with me on Fridays to fast and pray for prisoners, according to Hebrews 13:3.

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March 28, 2014 · 7:30 am

Friday’s Prayers for Prisoners (3/28/2014)

Movie Review by the Dove Foundation:

Limited Theatrical Release – This gripping new documentary film tells the untold story of millions of women in Asia who are culturally persecuted for no other reason than the fact that they are women. From birth until death, their life is a vicious cycle of poverty and oppression; from the mass epidemic of female suicides, dowry deaths, forced abortion to the high rate of illiteracy among the women and even how more than 46 MILLION widows are being cast aside and ostracized by society simply because their husband died.

However, despite more than a millennia of hardships, the Gospel is being spread into the remote villages as Christian women are now rising up across the entire nation of India; bringing cultural change in every area of life through the hope of Jesus Christ.

These are the faces of true survivors. Those who have withstood a lifetime of adversity in the face of a culture stacked against them. Take a heartfelt journey through the eyes of these women, and others… (Full Movie Review can be seen here.)

What Others Are Saying About Veil of Tears:

“When I saw it, I knew I would never—could never—be the same. ‘Veil of Tears’ has taught me how to pray, to give, and to make a difference for Christ.”
– Joni Eareckson Tada

“‘Veil of Tears’ was so moving and informative. I want everyone to watch it and join us in making a difference in the lives of these women.”
– Francis Chan

“A well-produced, powerful and shocking exposé. ‘Veil of Tears’ will have you in tears.”
– Ray Comfort, Living Waters

“‘Veil of Tears’ asks the question, ‘Do we care?’ Now it’s up to us to answer.”
– John Schlitt, PETRA (Lead Vocalist)

“This factual account of the oppression of millions of women in Asia must be told. Though the story begins with tears, the Good News is that help is on the way through the ministry of compassion seen here.”
– Robert Coleman

Check the listing of theaters here or free simulcast here.

I prayed today:

Lord, I pray that the Spirit of the Lord rests on Veil of Tears so that liberty may be proclaimed to female captives in India, our blind American eyes may be opened, and oppressed women may be set free. (Based on Luke 4:18)

What do you think and has the Lord spoken to you?

Join with me on Fridays to fast and pray for prisoners, according to Hebrews 13:3.

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March 22, 2014 · 7:33 am

How High’s the Water, Mama?

We Americans generally take good water for granted because all we have to do is turn on a faucet. Then, almost immediately, clean water flows out into our glasses, pots, sinks, showers, or wherever.

This is not true for the rest of the world.

Each day, women in foreign nations spend 200 million hours carrying water for their families, livestock, and crops. Many travel miles to collect water from filthy ponds or lakes which may be contaminated with waterborne disease. They may have no other options.

Did you know 3.4 million people die each year from water related diseases? This number is larger than all the people killed each year by war and violence. Did you also know one in nine in the world do not have access to clean water? A great majority of these live in South Asia.

Today is World Water Day.

I am a blogger for Gospel For Asia because I believe in their ministry. Preaching the gospel to unreached people is their number one goal which they achieve by sponsoring native missionaries, helping children, radio, and countless other ways.

But they also dig Jesus Wells and provide clean water for whole villages. The water is offered to all and many choose to follow Jesus because of these wells.

Gospel For Asia is praying and believing God to provide the finances for 5,000 Jesus Wells this year. Each one costs $1,000.

So, if you want to know how you can help Gospel For Asia reach their goal, please click here.

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February 28, 2014 · 9:30 am

Friday’s Prayers for Prisoners (2/28/2014)

“Get the stuff you don’t need here and give it to someone you don’t like,” said a street beggar, selling trinkets to American tourists in Los Algodones, Mexico. The city of 5,500 people is known for its inexpensive medical care and prescription medicines, which draws senior citizens to the city.

But not only are there hundreds of dentists, opticians, and pharmacies, there are thousands of street beggars peddling trinkets, with most of them being women. Many held babies in one arm and their wares in the other one.

How brutal it must be to awaken each morning, realizing they must beg on the streets all day long, dependent on other people’s charity. Their faces reflect the pain they feel at their stations in life. Few offered smiles, especially the older women who have been on the streets for decades.

Okay, they live painful lives and then what? They die and go to Hell.

Yes, that’s right!

You see, only 5% of Mexicans are born again Christians.

Today, I prayed for the prisoners held hostage by the kingdom of darkness in Mexico:

“Lord, help us Americans to love our Mexican neighbors as we love ourselves and to loose the oppressed prisoners in Mexico with our fasts.” (Based on Mark 12:31 and Isaiah 58:6)

Join with me on Fridays to fast and pray for prisoners, according to Hebrews 13:3.