Christians should never fail to sense the operation of an angelic glory. It forever eclipses the world of demonic powers, as the sun does a candle's light. -Billy Graham
Biana underwent surgery to break up a kidney stone last Friday. It appears that she may be with us for another week or so before she is released to go back to Nigeria. Please keep her in prayer -she is chompin' at the bit to get going back.
I don’t have an update on Matthew & Lisa Watson's problems with their visa. Please pray that Father will clear the hurdles and they can get back to Faith Alive.
The queen, Ann McBain, went to the doctor Tuesday and had a heart "episode" while in his office. (Praise You, Abba, for Your impeccable timing and placement) They took her to Kaiser emergency where Ann underwent a battery of tests. She is home now, they have changed her meds
Kelli went to a specialist last week in her ongoing quest to find out what is medically wrong with her. (I have a lot of respect for Kelli and her patience in dealing with her doctor's inability to make a proper diagnosis) The tests have narrowed down the list of possibilities - which is at least progress.
Lorna Sabattini is undergoing oral surgery on Friday - please pray that all comes out well.
Kids Klub has a sleep-over at the church this Friday - ALL (bolded, underlined and italicized) prayers are greatly appreciated!
We continue to pray for: Charles and his mission trip to India, Remo & Susan Paul, Ron Dangaren, Barbara Kansler, Nola Ambler, Bianca & Stephanie, Tony McDonald, Ellen Burton, Walt Couch, and Michael Ferris.
Pray for our missionaries – Biana soon to be back in Jos, Nigeria, Judy, Faye & Miisaw at the New Life Center in Thailand, Jan & Larry Martin in Thailand, The Reaching Hand Society in India, Yvonne Deel in Belize, Bounkham & Khamla’s mission to Laos, Gospel for Asia, Laurie Bethall in Prague, Meghan Dineen in Mexico, Matthew, Lisa & Nathan in Jos Nigeria, and all the missionaries worldwide.
Pray for our pastors our leadership, our ministries, and Father’s provision for His Church.
Pray that we recognize opportunities to share our faith with others.
HOLY! HOLY! HOLY! LORD God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come,
Everything within us yearns for You, LORD God. We yearn to be holy because You are holy. We yearn to love as You love. We yearn to reach out to others as You reach out to others. Show us Your ways, Oh LORD. Teach us to be more like You. Help make us invisible so that when the world looks at us all that they see is You.
We thank You, Great Provider, that Biana's operation went so well. Continue to heal her body so that she can fulfil her heart's desire - which is to serve You in Jos.
Continue to work on Matthew & Lisa's behalf so that they too can go back to Nigeria.
LORD of Life, that was pretty cool, putting Ann in her doctor's office when the attack came. Thank You for protecting this great lady. Continue to guard her health.
Holy Spirt, Kelli is such a witness of patience. Please help her doctors find out what is going on with her. Protect her as she travels this path.
Jehovah Shalom, God of our peace, be with Lorna as she has this oral surgery. Grant her a quick recovery because as a mother of two young children, she will need that.
Abba, sleepovers always present their own challenge - help all of us to reflect You even in the most trying of circumstances, bless the children who will be there.
Jehovah Jirah, God Who provides, we ask Your continued blessings on those who remain on our prayer chain. We praise You and thank You for the incredible men and women that you have placed as pastors in our churches and as leaders in our fellowship. We ask that You protect them from the attacks of the deceiver, satan. We lift before You those who have been called to serve You on the mission fields. We ask, Holy One that You protect them in all that they do.
Jesus, LORD of the Harvest, You have commanded us and commissioned us to go out into the world and make disciples in Your name. Show us those opportunities to share our faith with others, guide our actions and guide our words.
LORD, we pray for our country and for our leaders, grant them wisdom - it seems sometimes like they could use the help. Grant peace of mind and strength of body to those who serve our country in the military.
Our lives, Father, are a mix of the mountains of joy and also of the valleys of troubled times. Whether we are on the mountain or in the valley, You are with us. It is easy to praise You on the mountain, not so easy when we are in the valley. Help us to praise You on both. No matter if we are on the mountain or in the valley, our desire is that our lives bring You glory. If You are glorified when we are in the valley, then LORD God, bring us to the valley. We know that the mountain is coming. Use our lives as You choose for You are our LORD, You are our God. Be glorified.
For the director of music. Of David the servant of the LORD. He sang to the LORD the words of this song when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said:
1 I love you, O LORD, my strength.
2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.
He is my shield and the horn [a] of my salvation, my stronghold.
3 I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise,
and I am saved from my enemies.
This comes from one of my favorite websites. It might seem a little long – but it is REALLY good! Valerie
The Magic Mirror and the Princes’ Bride
Bryan Hupperts
Apr 16, 2007
The Magic Mirror and the Princes’ Bride
Once upon a time a would be princess, who, to escape the troubling world, being fed up with charmless princes, frogs on the make, (“He was on me like a chocolate covered fly,”) fed up with “get rich quick” guaranteed gold making multi-level marketing spindles, wolves of every sort of pedigree, evil step mothers of fading beauty, and the irritating hair care issues inherent with long, ladder like hair used by ladder climbing would be princes, and such, so she decided to take a long, unaccompanied walk through a dark forest.
The truth is she was fed up with pretending to be a princess and could not understand her own heart that desired it to yet be true.
She left no bread crumb trail and hadn’t a clue how to get to grandmothers house. Even the old woman (with her 38 state sponsored offspring) who lived in a shoe was gone having been deported to a FEMA trailer compound in another state. It was growing dark and as there was not even a gingerbread house in sight, (and after dealing with the flesh-eating paparazzi, handling one old cannibal woman wouldn't exactly be much of a challenge) she sat and began to weep, her tears splashing on her now ruined Molano shoes.
As the last streaks of sunset gave way to the pale moonlight, she caught sight of a glint of light. Grabbing her designer wolf skin handbag (for she had skinned many a wolf), she headed towards the source. There, in a clearing in the midst of a thicket, stood a solitary mirror. There were no surrounding ruins and nothing else manmade present. Though its frame was badly scratched and scarred with nail holes, the mirror itself seemed timeless, brilliant in its perfection, so of course she primped, straightened her hair, cleared her throat and tried a classic standby:
“Mirror, mirror
On the ground
Who’s the fairest
Pound for pound?”
The Mirror responded, “Do you seek lies or truth?”
She jumped out of her muddy Molanos and stared in credulity. Finally she asked, “Why are you standing here in this darkness?”
The mirror replied, “I am where I am to seek those who are lost. What do you seek, lies or truth?”
The would be princess said nothing. Looking into the mirror, she saw a parade of conflicting images: herself as an old, apple toting hag; herself, dressed in purest white singing in an angelic tongue; herself, whored to weariness; herself, standing crowned and regally resplendent with glory.
Aghast, she jumped back and turned away. “Don’t taunt me with your lies, Mirror!” she snapped.
“I speak only truth,” said the mirror. “All I have shown you is truth.”
“How can I be both a princess and an apple, toting hag? How can I be whored to weariness yet crowned and regally resplendent with glory? These are contradictions of the vilest order.”
The Mirror replied, “Haven’t you noticed my name?”
The would be princess, avoiding eye contact with the images, saw something carved on the scarred frame in an ancient language. Having graduated from princess school she recognized ancient Greek and the name of the mirror: Logos, the Word of God.
“If it is lies you seek, more charmless princess, more frogs on the make and such, turn away now,” said Logos, “but if will you look into me, seeking with all your heart, I will tell you why you want to be a princess.”
The princess began to weep. “The apple toting hag whored to weariness is the truth, mirror.” She sighed, “I know the ugly truth about myself.”
The mirror began to glow and spoke softly. “Yes, this is the truth about you.” The Princess began to openly sob. The mirror continued gently, “Now, if you will turn from these things, the other truth, the higher truth, the pure truth, will finally be the only truth remaining: You, dressed in purest white singing in an angelic tongue; you, standing crowned and regally resplendent with glory.”
And the Princess looked squarely into the mirror and saw scenes of utter horror. Herself accused, tried and justly condemned in a court of Justice. Herself stripped naked before the world, beaten with whips, her failures written like criminal offenses and placed atop a pole, herself being tortured and finally publicly executed for all her failings and sins.
She gasped in pain at the scenes of utter horror portrayed in the mirror. She dropped to her knees praying in words to deep for utterance. In a flash of understanding of her own need for forgiveness, she freely forgave the frogs, the ladder climbing princes, evil stepmothers of fading beauty, the wolves - she forgave all who had ever offended her.
“Look again,” intoned the mirror. And the same graphic horrors began to unfold. She stood bound and accused and was tried and condemned. Suddenly the scene changed for the Prince himself climbed off his royal throne, picked up her execution pole and by royal right, declared her written offences as his own. He cut her bonds away allowing himself to be bound by the very cords that held her captive, and was himself whipped and beaten in her place, and then carried the pole with her crimes to a place of horror where he suffered and died.”
The mirror went black and all was silent.
And finally the would be princess found her voice. “But it should have been me.” Through her tears she looked up and beheld a marvel, the mirror transformed into a handsome, nail scarred man, the Prince himself!
Taking her hand, he spoke, “I am Love. I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore. I am the Logos, the Alpha and Omega. He who believes in me, though they were dead, shall yet live.”
And the Princess believed. Bought and paid for with a price, she was now the Princes’ Bride.
“Will you bring me a gift for our soon coming Wedding feast?” asked the Prince. All answers were now Yes. The Princess smiled. “Go and call the charmless princes, the frogs on the make, those who peddle in “get rich quick” guaranteed gold making multi-level marketing spindles, the wolves of every sort of pedigree, all evil step mothers of fading beauty, and all ladder climbing would be princes to this mirror so that I may speak to their souls. If they will but look to me, they will live, and not die. I will transform them into a nation of kings and priests as I have transformed you."
She looked into the eyes of the one whom her soul loved, and was not ashamed. She saw her own reflection transformed, dressed in purest white singing in an angelic tongue, standing crowned and regally resplendent with glory. The hag was vanquished. He had made all things new.
She turned and began her journey back towards the troubled world to serve as a mirror decoyed in darkness, confident that she no longer walked alone…
Bryan Hupperts
Copyright 2007
SheepTrax Media
4744 Stone Hill Drive
St. Louis, MO 63128 USA
http://www.sheeptrax.injesus.com
www.SheepTrax.com
Valerie Rae Hanneman
Luke 18:17 (CEV) “You will never get into God's kingdom unless you enter it like a child!"
When my niece, Samantha was very little she asked me why her mother liked spiders so much. I told her it was because she loved me so much and I was a spider woman. “What’s a spider woman, Aunt Valerie?” “Every night I grow four more arms and turn into a spider. Every night I come into your room and pat your face with my hairy spider arms.” “That’s yucky!” was her only response as she went outside. My sister and I had a great laugh over her then we conspired to do even more mischief. We took a marks-a-lot and drew two lines down each of my sides. When Sammie came back in Cyndi maneuvered the conversation back around to Aunt Valerie being a spider woman. “Does she really turn into a spider, mama?” Sammie asked. I lifted the sides of my t-shirt and showed her the lines we had drawn. “This is where my extra arms come out, Sammie!” With her eyes wide, she asked “What do you do when you are a spider Aunt Valerie?” “I come into your bedroom when you are sleeping, pick you up with four of my arms and I rock you and sing songs to you.” “Did you do that last night?” “I sure did.” “I heard you - you sing pretty Aunt Valerie.” Then she ran off again.
Jesus was teaching when some parents brought their babies to Him. Children did not hold the prominent position in society back then that they hold today. Back then, in the family, the father ranked first, then any other adult males in the family, then came mom after her was any other adult females, then came the oldest son, then the other sons and then the daughters. Although the parents loved their children, the children were pretty low on the totem pole in social significance. The disciples were beside themselves with shock when they saw these children approaching Jesus. Jesus was the Messiah! He was drawing huge crowds to hear Him speak. He did not have time to waste on a bunch of snot-nosed brats! They tried to send the children and their parents away from Jesus so that they would not disturb His important work. Only Jesus knew what they were doing and He stopped them. In a male-dominate society where women and children were merely property, Jesus loved and valued each person equally, regardless of gender, regardless of age, regardless of social status. Jesus drew the children close to Him and made the most bizarre statement:
“You will never get into God's kingdom unless you enter it like a child!"
Remember Nicodemus’ reaction when Jesus told him, “You must be born again” He was astounded. Nic didn’t say “You gotta be crazy!” out loud, but I bet his voice said it when he said, “How can a man be born again? Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!” The disciples were equally astounded. They looked at each other with puzzlement clear on their faces. They were grown men - how could they possibly become a child again? Did this mean that the Kingdom of God was closed to them because they were adults? This statement that you had to enter God’s kingdom like a child was either crazy or grossly unfair - and the disciples didn’t like the thought of either one being true. But (as usual) the disciples did not understand yet what Jesus was saying. Nic and the disciples related what they heard to the physical world - Jesus meant it for the spiritual world.
When Sammie reacted to the thought of me being a spider-woman she thought it was yucky that I would touch her face with my hairy spider hands, but she was pretty much okay with the thought that every night I was picking her up and rocking her in my four arms. She had enough simple faith in me and her mom and in the love we have for her to believe that we were telling her the truth and that we would not bring any harm to her. It is that type of child-faith that opens the doors of God’s Kingdom for those who would enter in. The simple faith that believes that aunts can turn into singing spiders and that God can love a sinner and desires to become their Father.
Samantha is twenty now. If I were to tell her that I am a spider woman who rocks her in her sleep, Sammie would roll her eyes and give me that smile that young people reserve for their eccentric, doddering older relatives. Child faith, her spider faith, has been replaced by the realities of a world that has taught her differently.
The world will do the same thing to our child faith in God. Science tries to take away the wonder and majesty of our Living God, replacing Him with it’s theory’s of evolution and attempts to create life. Adult faith in science supercedes our child faith in God. And we are the poorer for it.
Child faith believes that God loves us, just as we are. It believes that He is our Father and wants only good for us, that He will never harm us. Child faith believes in God when adult faith says that is illogical. Child faith invites Him to dwell within us and be our God. Child faith causes us to dance into the Kingdom of God where He waits for us.
Abba, sometimes I let the world whisper lies to me - that my faith in You is ridiculous and immature and I should grow up and face reality. And for just a moment, my heart and mind wavers. But all I have to do is look at the miracle of my life to know that it is the world that is ridiculous in their beliefs. Me and my child faith got it right. You are the only reality.
Contact Valerie or sign up for the e-Ministry of FFBC at valerie@fresnofirst.org
I love the Psalms – can’t you almost hear Israel singing to her God?
Psalm 117 (New Living Translation)
1 Praise the LORD, all you nations.
Praise Him, all you people of the earth.
2 For He loves us with unfailing love;
the LORD’s faithfulness endures forever.
Praise the LORD!
Love is an act of endless forgiveness. -Jean Vanier
Biana is planning to leave on April 23rd - or thereabouts - for Nigeria. Unfortunately a kidney stone is blocking (literally) her plans. She goes to see a specialist tomorrow and hopefully they can get it cleared up in time for her to make her flight.
Matthew & Lisa Watson are having some problems getting their visa renewed and so their return to Nigeria is delayed. Please pray that Father will clear the hurdles and they can get back to Faith Alive.
The following is a pray request from our friend Charles in Paris. He will be leaving in early June to embark on a wonderful mission trip to India. “I need your prayers. I am going to South India for a missionary work for three weeks. The Indian Church that is welcoming me has organized a crusade and I am going to be the Guest Speaker. And also, there will be opportunities of ministering in other churches of the district according to the arrangements that will be made by the host Church. Thanks for your prayers, Charles Kabambi Mputu”
I have some (mostly) firm dates for my trip to Nigeria. I will be leaving on July 17th and returning on August 21st. Funding remains a bit of an issue but to quote a friend, “If it’s God’s will, then it is His bill,” so I am determined not to worry about it.
Ron Dangaren is weakening. His wife, Eve, asks that any phone calls for Ron or her be routed through Samee Myers. This will free Evie up to care for and be with her husband.
Our friend, Remo, from the Reaching Hand Society is hospitalized. He is gravely ill with multiple infections. His wife Susan is staying at the hospital with him. She is in her sixth month of pregnancy so this time is physically exhausting for her.
We continue to pray for: Kelli Hastings, Susan, Barbara Kansler, Nola Ambler, Peggy Molander, Bianca & Stephanie, Tony McDonald, Ellen Burton, Walt Couch, and Michael Ferris.
Pray for our missionaries – Judy, Faye & Miisaw at the New Life Center in Thailand, Jan & Larry Martin in Thailand, The Reaching Hand Society in India, Yvonne Deel in Belize, Bounkham & Khamla’s mission to Laos, Gospel for Asia, Laurie Bethall in Prague, Meghan Dineen in Mexico, Matthew, Lisa & Nathan in Jos Nigeria, and all the missionaries worldwide.
Pray for our pastors our leadership, our ministries, and Father’s provision for His Church.
Pray that we recognize opportunities to share our faith with others.
Pray for the families of the murdered and wounded in Virginia.
Great and Glorious God,
You reign in glory and power. Of Your kingdom there is no end! When all the petty scrabblings of this earth are done, You will still remain as king of kings and LORD of lords. We stand in awe of all that You are. We lift You high for You and You alone are the Uncreated One. There is none like You.
Holy Spirit of Life, we lift up Biana before You. Her heart is already in Nigeria but her body is giving her some problems here in the valley. Heal her body, LORD of All, so that she can follow her heart.
Great Shepherd, we ask that the problems with Matt & Lisa’s visa be cleared up and that they can quickly return to doing Your work in Nigeria.
El Gadol, Great God, we thank You for Your people who willingly go out to serve You in places far from their comfort zone. We lift up Charles as he travels to India and ask that You guard him on his travels and that he shines for You while he serves You.
Jehovah Jirah, provide the funding if it is Your will that I go to Nigeria. I’m not going to stress over it.
Abba, with hearts of love we lift up Ron and Evie and ask that Your Presence be in this situation.
We also lift up our brother Remo as he is in poor health. Protect Susan and their baby.
Strong Deliverer, we continue to pray for those on our prayer chain and ask that You continue to comfort and guide them.
Glory in the highest to our God and King. Glory! Glory! Glory! We exalt You!
We lift up our pastors and leaders and ask Father, that You continue to use them and use our ministries to spread Your Word.
Provide for the needs of Your missionaries as they serve You. Reach the world through them.
Father God, Creator of all Life, we pray for the families of the Virginia Tech students and faculty. Somehow bring them peace in this tragedy..
Because of Your amazing grace, my chains are gone. You have freed me to mount on wings like an eagle and to soar to heights I had never dreamed possible. We are held up by Your love.
Valerie Rae Hanneman
Deuteronomy 4:7 (NL T) “ For what great nation has a god as near to them as the Lord our God is near to us whenever we call on Him?”
There are some Christian artists that I will travel quite some distances to see. Third Day is my favorite band. Their passion for Christ is irresistible. It doesn’t matter where they are playing - if at all possible, I will get there. Todd Agnew is my favorite single artist. He writes his own songs, and some of them are so powerful that they absolutely floor me. I have written more than one devotional based on his songs. His voice is not the best one out there- but again he has such a passion for Christ that I gladly travel to hear him. There are other artists that I like a lot, but I am not as much of a “groupie” over. Given the opportunity I will gladly buy a ticket to go and see them and sometimes I will even travel a bit to attend their concert. Mercy Me is a prime example of one of these bands. I’ve wanted to go to one of their concerts from the moment “I Can Only Imagine” hit the airwaves. They have played several venues in the Valley - but it just hasn’t been convenient for me to go to see them until here recently when they came to Fresno. Chris Tomlin is another one - I want to hear him and see his face when he sings “How Great is Our God.” I am nutso crazy over that song. Mark Shultz has a song out “I AM” that is another of my favorites, so when he was coming to Yosemite Falls Church in Merced I asked Char Cole if she wanted to go with me to see him. Shortly after I bought the tickets I realized that I had a conflict, an Emmaus event that I simply was not going to miss. Char and I decided that we would still go to the concert even though we were going to be late.
On the night of the concert I picked up Char at her house. We had our MapQuest directions so off we went. As we got near Merced we were looking for our exit only somehow we missed it because suddenly, we were in Atwater. We turned around and missed our exit again. Then we went into a convenience store to ask for help. The clerk knew where the street that connected to the street we needed was - it was right under the overpass - and we should take a right. Only we ended up in Atwater again, so we retraced our steps and ended up at the Merced Hospital. Char showed me another exit on the map that was a possibility but how were we going to find that exit? So far we had laid a big goose egg with our exit-finding ability! We’d been driving around lost in Merced for about 40 minutes and I was ready to chuck it and go home! We drove back towards the freeway and I was praying, “Father, if we don’t find our way really quick we may as well not bother, please help us.” As I finished, Char said “Look!” Up on the freeway was a sign for our new exit, it was one mile down Fwy 99. We got to Yosemite Falls Church just at the break between the opening acts and Mark Shultz. Instead of being 15 minutes late we were an hour late. I didn’t care - I had bought those tickets just to see Mark Shultz sing “I AM.”and I was going to although we would probably be standing at the back of the sanctuary when I did.
I wonder what my adventure would have been like if I had prayed for Father’s help BEFORE I left Fresno. But I didn’t. After all, I had the MapQuest directions and MapQuest had gotten me all across the United States and back. And I had Char as my co-pilot. She and I are strong, intelligent women used to figuring things out - and we were just going to Merced not Singapore! And in the unlikely event that all else failed we could stop and ask for help in Merced.
Unfortunately, MapQuest may of gotten me to South Carolina but it didn’t get me to Yosemite Falls Church. It failed. Char and I truly are strong, intelligent women used to figuring things out, but when you’re lost you’re lost. We failed. We stopped to ask for help in Merced but they only got us more lost than we already were (if that were possible). They failed.
Finally, when all else failed, I turned to Father. Why do we do that? Why do we go to Him last when we should be going to Him first? It isn’t because I doubt His power - I don’t. It isn’t because I doubt His love for me - I don’t. So why do I go to Him last? Do I not want to bother Him? Do I thing that God is so busy doing important things, like keeping the whole universe in the right place at the right time, that He doesn’t have time for me? Do I think that God is so busy answering important prayers, prayers for the lost, prayers for the dying, prayers for broken lives, hurting hearts, addiction problems and on and on that He will ignore my silly little prayer for help getting to a concert?
If that is what I am thinking than I am wrong and I have forgotten who I am in my Father’s eyes. I am His beloved daughter and His care for me is so detailed that He knows the very number of hairs on my head - in fact he knows how many of them have split ends! He doesn’t want to be my last resort, He wants to be my first resort. There is nothing about me that is too unimportant or too silly for Him to ignore. After all, it was not a coincidence that just as I finished my prayer for help, my car, Char and I were in exactly the right place to see the exit sign we needed.
Char and I were looking for somebody to take our tickets when I heard my name said behind me. I turned around and it was Pastor Dan, a much loved friend from Emmaus. Yosemite Falls is he and his beautiful wife, Maureen’s home church. I explained to Pastor Dan that we had just gotten there and needed to see if we could find seats. Pastor Dan told me that there were two seats next to them. We followed him further and further towards the front. Can you believe this? The two available seats were in the center of the third row! When Mark Shultz took the stage I was so close to him I could practically see his nose hairs!
We serve an astounding God. There is nothing about us that is beneath His notice or beyond His power. He wants to hear the prayers of the spiritually lost and of His two daughters lost in Merced. He wants to give us the glories of eternity in His presence and surprise us with the best seats in the house. He wants us to go to Him first - not last, and for us to come to Him confident in His love for us. He will never marginalize us, ignore us, or let us down.
Abba, the greatest joy of my life is knowing that I am Your daughter. Help me to be so confident in Your love and care for me that I come to You first - not when all else fails. I love You, LORD.
Contact Valerie or sign up for the e-Ministry of Fresno First at valerie@fresnofirst.org
Thank you to all of you from our “mother churches” who continue praying and supporting Flipside. God has been so very good to us and the ministry of our new church. He is blessing us in honor of your prayers. It is hard to believe it is only our 2nd Easter service since we began this work. God has been using us here in mighty ways and I just want to share some praises with you stemming from Easter Sunday. Currently we are averaging about 400 every week, and Easter “blew the doors off” anything we’ve experienced here yet! Here is a bit about the day.
We did one large service which was held outside. Our children took over the theatre we usually meet it. They did a huge program, different stations, pumping live band, puppets, etc. It was really cool. Literally ½ the children who came were 1st time guests. After service we had an Easter egg hunt divided into 3 age graded section with nearly 9,000 eggs.
The adult service was incredible. The band sounded great outside. We opened with U2’s “Beautiful Day”. A bit “old school” song but really appropriate.
In all we had over 700 people. We are still finalizing count and decisions, but so far it looks like about 41 people made a decision for Jesus! We are following up next week with what it means to be a part of a church and a 101 class after services for new people.
I have never been as relaxed and “under worked” as the week prior to our service, and the morning of. Our church stepped up, our staff team was phenomenal, and all I had to do all week was build excitement, hug people and preach that morning. It was a lot of fun and most importantly many people accepted Jesus.
Thank you so much for your consistent prayers and support. It is bearing much fruit for God’s Kingdom. Just wanted to share some of the great “God News” with you and ask you to praise God with us for what He is doing. Thank you for being such a wonderful support in getting us “off the ground”. Keep up the great work for God’s Kingdom and know that your role in helping plant Flipside was a significant step in reaching the disconnected and unchurched.
Blessings on you all. Love, Pastor Karl
Karl Roth
Flipside Christian Church
www.acts176.com
An update on the Kingdom work from Reaching Hand Society & Mr Laban Soren
Evangelism work:
Evangelism work has been going on in Mundiguda, Rabaguda and Malkangiri center. In Mundiguda center Mr. Sukhdevo Hial has been going to Sirpeta, & Battamguda, Mr. Budra Khillo has been visiting Podiapally, Saipar, Bhinguguda, Kadoguda, and Kotlaguda Mr. Padma Kamudi has been visiting Sanayakguda, Kaudiguda, Dhongdaguda, Mecca, Mr. Paul Mattam has been visiting Singelbancha, Madkamiguda, Jodabandhaguda , and Mr. Daniel Patla has been visiting Pujariguda, Bondhaguda, Molaliguda, & Ghenaguda.
Narshing Anugulai of Mecca has been calling Mr. Padma Kamudi to pray in his house but the youth committee President of the village Mecca has been threatening Padma not to come to their village.
A stiff opposition is being faced in the village Khadimatiguda where Mr. Paul Mattam was going for the Sunday worship. They have been telling him that you can come and pray but don't bring your Pastor to pray in the village.
A people of Sirpeta have invited Mr. Sukhdevo Hial to come for prayer to their village. He has once visited the village and has told them that when he will come next time to their village he will bring Mr. Ranjit for the prayer.
Prison Ministry:
The prison ministry in Malkangiri Prison has been continuing very well. The literacy class in the prison has been going well. Now many prisoners are sitting in small group and learning. There were total 223 prisoners in Malkangiri Jail of which 22 are ladies prisoners and 13 of the ladies prisoners are able to read the Bible and write. This month the ladies prisoners are learning different design of door screen and sari embroidery.
Now some educated and literate prisoners are cooperating us to teach the fellow prisoners. We are also trying to motivate the literate prisoners to teach the prisoners in the cell. Mr. Prasad Patnaik (an inmate) is showing good interest to teach the fellow inmates in the cells. We are also trying to motivate the other literate prisoners to help us in running the literacy class in more effective way.
The prisoners are coming in good number for the Sunday worship. We are having wonderful time of prayer. But recently few inmates have been trying to instigate and obstructing the prisoners from coming to the Sunday worship. This we could know as usual they gather before we could go and one day when they have not gathered for prayer when we asked them they told us that they have been not allowing them to gather in the cells saying that you people are sing songs and disturbing us. Will appreciate special prayers for Mr. Mohanthy and Jatia Harijan (the key leaders in instigating the inmates against us). He has also complained to the Jail superintendent that this people coming from Christian organization are forcefully making Christian to these innocent tribal prisoners.
Literacy Programme:
The literacy Programme was going on in 12 villages of Malkangiri and Mundiguda Center. We have started newly in 4 villages of Rabaguda center and 1 village of Mundiguda. There are total 17 villages having literacy classes. The following villages are Sanyasiguda, Kadobahal, and Tong guda, Jamguda, Kursobeda, Lathiaguda, MV-2, Saipar, Pod Colony, Sitapari, Jodabondhguda, Khajriguda, Rangniguda, Rabaguda, Masaguda, Metaguda and Gerbiguda where all the children and youths are attending classes and learning Oriya script reading and writing. They are also learning action songs and Bible verses through it. The children of Rangniguda are much interested to attend literacy class. They sang two action songs interestingly. The children of Kursobeda are also progressing well. They also requested us to teach some new action song. I also taught them an action song. The children of MV-2 are much sincere as when we go there they themselves come and sit for class. They are much interested to learn songs. They are also studying well. The youths of village Tongguda are much interested in literacy class. They are also progressing well. Pray that the literacy class in all villages will be continued well. Also pray for the children who are attending classes to learn more their study as well as more about Jesus.
In Sanyasiguda the adult and youth are also now coming for the literacy class. They were also learning very interestedly and they also have been taught one new song.
Children Ministry:
The Children ministry is going on very well in village Sanyasiguda, Kadobal, Rabaguda, Podcolony, Saipar, Sitapari, Khajuriguda and Rangniguda. Children in the age group of 4 to 12 are coming. The children are learning very well and they have also learnt very well action songs and Bible verse. Its wonderful to see them doing action songs and reciting Bible verse.
Rabaguda center:
In Peadaguda hamlet 4 house were completely burnt and the families are left with only cloths that they were wearing. They have lost all their household things and the families were in the helpless condition. The RHS staff at Rabaguda has provided them bed sheets as immediate relief to the families. After this incident a man from Harmony Organization name Pabitra Nayak came to the village Peadaguda and asked Sodhi Ganga, pretending that they will provide them everything he asked Sodhi Ganga, what did the Christian organization at Rabaguda provided you. He answered the man that they are not like you people they came immediately and consoled us and also provided us bed sheets to sleep to our families.
Once a schoolteacher of Kolakunda came to motivate Rabaguda people to send their children to their School. So Sodhi Ganga who is also the ward member of Udaigir asked some Bengali people, which school will be good to send their children. They told him that Christian schools are very good as they take care of the children like their own children but one thing that after study the children are not going to get jobs. So with this confusing question in his mind he came to Mr. Niranjan Kuldip to verify it and Mr. Niranjan Kuldip has clarified all the confusion that they have triggered in his mind and now he is interested to send his daughter to the school.
House visiting prayer:
Mr. John and Minoti also visited and prayed for the MV.2 man who had been admitted in the hospital for fever. Mr. Ranjit and Hanna Khora also visited and prayed for Chintamani Nagul, admitted in the Mathili hospital for Tuberculosis. A Beersheba Pastor name Dillip Takri, son aged 17 drowned in the river and died, so Jyoti Dongri and her husband Ranjan Khora visited their family for prayer. The ladies staff also visited and prayed for the evicted Dillip & their families.
MDCM:
On 26th of March 2007, at 7.30 PM in the night a MDCM (Malkangiri District Christian Munch) meeting was held at JEL Church to discuss on the agenda "Union of Dalit Christian Movement, Orissa." memorandum to be submitted to the "The District Collector and Magistrate" Malkangiri. As many denomination members were absent, we had to call again the meeting on 28th of March - 07 for the final planning meeting. Again we had a meeting on 28th and it was finalized that on 29th of March 07, 2 members from every denominations will come for the submission of the memorandum to the collector and the memorandum was submitted on 29 th at 11 AM to the Deputy collector, in charge.
Praise Points:
1. Praise God that in children ministry, children are learning well action songs & Bible verse.
2. Praise God that Sunday worship is going on well in Malkangiri prison.
3. Praise God for the people of Sirpeta inviting us to come to their village for prayer.
4. Praise God that new bike was purchased for Rabaguda center, Mr. Niranjan Kuldip and family.
5. Praise God for children at Rangniguda and Saipar are learning and improving well
6. Praise God that in Sanyasiguda adult people are also coming for the literacy class.
7. Praise God that a land has been allotted to the evicted Christian families and staff Dillip's family.
8. Praise God that a land has been allotted for COM church by the Collector.
9. Praise God that a Union of Dalit Christian Movement, Orissa, and memorandum could be submitted to the Deputy collector, Malkangiri.
Prayer Points:
1. Pray for Niranjan Kuldip son Prince had serious diarrhea and fever and has been brought to Malkangiri for treatment.
2. Pray for the prisoners who are opposing to know and accept Jesus Christ.
3. Praise God for the Sanyasiguda adult people coming for the literacy class to accept Jesus Christ.
4. Pray for the Khadimati and Mecca people who are opposing to change their mind.
5. Pray for 2 new family staff and Lab technician to Join RHS.
6. Pray for the continuation of District Christian fasting prayer to continue and all the denominations to join.
7. Funds to put up a multipurpose building for worship and vocational training and missionary houses and a guesthouse at Mundiguda.
8. Good land allotment by the collector for Dilip and all Christians in this street.
9. Life Partners for Dilip's sister Halima, and our missionaries Romesh, and Dilip.
10. Remos' new laptop to be repaired quickly and Dr. Iris Paul's laptop to work properly. For wisdom as he handles IMA and RHS work.
11. For wisdom and health for Dr. Susan Remo as she writes her MD exam and to have a safe delivery EDD - around July 14th 2007.
12. Wisdom for David as he writes his final exam. Pray that he will accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour and he will get a job quickly in a good place where he will have good Christian friends.
13. For Mary to be a witness for Jesus in the college and the hostel and to study well.
Thanking you,
Yours Sincerely,
Laban Soren,
Reaching Hand Society,
Malkangiri.
Note from Valerie: Dr. Iris's update is in two parts this month. Below is her letter, in it she refers to another report by Mr. Laban soren - that part of the report will go out tomorrow night.
My Dear Prayer Partners,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,
As I write this month report, I am reminded of 2 oft repeated verses of my husband [Dr. R. A. C. Paul]. For all our letterheads he chose the verse Matt 4:23. “Jesus went throughout ---- teaching ---- preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing all diseases and sickness among the people." It was his Dream that all the 1020 villages in the district of Malkangiri will hear the Name of Jesus at least once. God helped me and my children to continue the work after his death in 1986, and yet even today about 300 villages have not heard the Name of Jesus even once. To enhance this Dream to become a really a Malkangiri District Christian Munch [MDCM] (Munch in Oriya means Association) was formed. Please pray for Good co ordination among the many mission groups so that the Dream will become a Reality soon.
The oft repeated second verse of my husband is John 12:24. “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed But if it dies, it produces many seeds" Every time my husband repeated this I used to cry as it is means not only physical death BUT it also implies dying to "Self". This is indeed a very hard lesson to learn. Please pray that we the missionaries of Reaching Hand Society will be selfless and die to ourselves so that we can reach the thousands of people who yet do not Know Jesus Christ as Lord and saviour.
As I write this email Remo is in the hospital with multiple infections - cerebral Malaria / throat infection, he is undergoing many tests as he has been sick these last 5 days. He is on many High Antibiotics. Susan who is now in the 6th month of pregnancy is with him in the hospital and is very exhausted and tired. We will appreciate your prayers for Remo's miraculous full cure and strength as he has tons of work to be completed and for protection for Susan and the baby.
This month news circular is written by our missionary Mr. Laban Soren. Laban went to the Sports College in Delhi as he was good in Archery. Laban helps in the prison ministry and he is now RHS chief Accountant. He is very good in his work. Laban and his wife Sabita are good singers. RHS missionaries have composed many songs and put them to the local tribal rhythm. To make this into a CD, they all have to go to Jeypore for 4 days and the expense for all this around Rs 40,000/- If any of you are led of the Lord to contribute for this please do so. Sabita does Prison ministry and village ministry. Her parents and 3 sisters and their families are all strong Hindus. Please pray for a breakthrough in their families so that they may know that Jesus is the ONLY Saviour. Laban and Sabita have a beautiful 2 year old daughter Sumen. Laban's mother and sister are widows. Please uphold this family in your prayers.
Dec, Jan and Feb, God provided all our financial needs, BUT for March practically nothing has come in, so please pray and if possible contribute. You have to send your MO, DD or Cheque in the Name of "MALKANGIRI DEVELOPMENT PROJECT” and send this by post to
Dr. Iris G. R. Paul .
Founder Director ,
Reaching Hand Society,
MALKANGIRI. P.O. / Dt,
Orissa - 764045.
Thank you very much for standing with us in prayer and financial support.
Love and prayers,
Iris.
My King, my God, my Jesus,
The magnitude of Your love, the magnificence of Your love astounds us. Your love is so much greater than we can comprehend. You, Who always were, always is, and always will be, left the radiance, the awe and the reverence of Heaven to become an obscure carpenter, in a backwater little town, in a conquered country. You didn’t look like what we thought Messiah should look like so we did not know You.
As You traveled the roads of Israel, You touched us with all the love that fills eternity. You healed our bodies, our minds and our souls. You taught us that God is love. You taught us to serve others. But You didn’t say what we thought Messiah should say, so we didn’t hear You.
Then that last night. You watched as Judas left the upper room. You knew where he was going, You could have easily stopped him. But Your love was stronger, so You didn’t. In the garden as You prayed, You knew the soldiers were on their way, and still You said to Father, “Thy will be done.” The soldiers thought to force You to go with them. They did not know that nothing on this earth could force You to go where You would not go. But because of Your stunning love for us, nothing on this earth could stop You from going to Your death.
You taught us that greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for a friend. Then You showed us a greater love – You showed us Your love, the love of God. You laid down Your life for those who loved You. And You laid down Your life for Judas, Caiphas, Pilate, Herod, Barabbas, the soldiers who spit on You, the crowds that screamed for Your blood, and for me. You died for us when we did not love You.
The cold fingers of death slowly crawled through the Creator of Life and the eyes that saw through the centuries to see me and to love me dimmed. I stand before Your cross and see Your lifeless body broken, and battered beyond recognition. I see in awful clarity the price paid to redeem me from my sins. I know that You were pierced for my transgressions, You were crushed for my iniquities. My soul has only one response to You, “Who am I, LORD God, that You should love me like this?”
On Easter morning You rose from the dead, defeating death and the grave. Everything changed at that moment. Through Your resurrection You set us, the captives of sin free, You gave us an eternal life to be lived in Your presence. You provided us a way to come home to You. You gave us everything and demanded nothing.
We did not know You then LORD Jesus, but we know You now. Help us to know You better. Help us to be more like You every day, help us to walk closely in Your footsteps. Use us to show the world Your love for them.
We did not hear You then, but we hear You know. Help us to make Your words more that just writing in an ancient book. Help us to make them the foundation that we build our lives on. Let us use them as the guide for every word we speak, every thought we think and every action we take.
We did not love You then, but how we love You now. If I spoke every language ever known on earth, still, my Jesus, I could not fully tell You just how much we love You. We open our hearts to You, LORD, we hold nothing back from You. See within us what our words cannot say. Take as much joy in our love for You as we take in Your love for us. Because of Your love for us, You gave us everything and demanded nothing. Because of our love for You, we gladly give ourselves to You. Because You demanded nothing from us, we freely give everything to You.
There is only one thing LORD that I ask of You. Do not ask me to leave You or to stop from following after You. I cannot do that. You are my only source of life. To leave You is to die.
Help us to be the moon that reflects Your light, the light of the Son, into this world of darkness so that all can know You, all can hear You, and all can love You.
You gave us a love so great we cannot comprehend us. We give You our love which is greater than we knew was possible.
Thank You for what You did for us. We love You LORD.
Valerie Rae Hanneman
Isaiah 53:5 (NIV) “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.”
I had an event trigger a memory today. It wasn’t a pleasant memory. When my son, Steven, was around 5-6 years old his father got him briefly involved in the Indian Guides. The Indian Guides are similar to the Boy Scouts, but there are some differences. For example, instead of earning badges, in Indian Guides you earned beads. Big Steve called me one evening because Stevie had a chance to earn a bead but something had come up and he couldn’t take Stevie - would I take him? I was immediately angry. Indian guides was a father/son organization and as a woman I was out of place in their little pow-wow’s. I didn’t want to take him. Big Steve persisted and finally I agreed - for the sake of my son. Then Big Steve told me that it was a bead for stained glass windows and they were meeting at a church just down the street from him. I went berserk. I told him that I flat out wasn’t going into any (explicative) (explicative) (really bad explicative) church. I didn’t believe in God and if by some chance He did exist - then I hated Him just as much as He hated me. When I continued to refuse, Big Steve put Stevie on the phone, and Stevie pleaded with me. I offered to take him to the movies, or for a banana split, or anything - just not into a church! But I couldn’t dissuade him and I ended up agreeing to take him. I got dressed, then took a massive hit of drugs so that I wouldn’t feel anything when I was in the church. When Stevie and I got over to the church, I snuck another hit of the drugs - just to make sure. By the time the program started, I was about as high as I could get. Only instead of them drowning my anger at God, the drugs made it easier for me to be just as nasty and rude to the poor young minister as I could be. I made him the target of my rage, my bitterness and my despair - I cursed him and I cursed God before I left.
Jesus lived the life I was created to life. He lived a life of perfect harmony and relationship with God. Sin never marred Him. That was the life Adam and Eve were created to live, it is the life I was created to live and it is the life you were created to live. But all of us chose a different path. We chose the path of a life of sin. Some say that Adam and Eve’s sin was the original sin and we were all tainted by it. That may be true - but so what? I have committed enough of my own sin (see above) to make it irrelevant that I am tainted by the original sin. In my lifetime I have gorged deeply on my own forbidden fruit, each bite driving a wedge further and further between God and I, until a grand canyon of sin separated us. Sin separates all of us from God. The Bible puts it clearly - we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God. The Bible also says that the wages of sin is death. Eternal death is what we have earned for ourselves when we chose the path of sin and separation from God. No matter how hard we try to “be good” we cannot be good enough to build a bridge strong enough to bridge the canyon between us and God.
But Jesus, the Son of God, built the bridge. He built it out of His life and His blood. Jesus lived a perfect life - He was without sin and so He never earned the death penalty of sin.
He didn’t earn sin’s death penalty, but He chose it. He left the glory of Heaven to come to earth, live among His creation, and then die in our place. Jesus chose death on the cross so that we would not have to pay the penalty of eternal death and separation from God. Instead we have eternal life through Him. I haven’t earned eternal life - I can’t be good enough to earn it - and neither can you. The Bible says that God so loved the world (that’s us) that He gave His only Son (Jesus) so that whoever believes in Him (Jesus) will not perish (eternal death) but have everlasting life.
We cannot earn eternal life, but Jesus gives it to us freely. All we have to do is to ask Him to forgive us of our sins and to come into our hearts. All we have to do is believe in Him as the Son of God, believe that He paid our sin-wages and that he has the power to forgive us and restore us into the relationship with God that we were meant to have. Jesus built the bridge that spans the gulf between God and us - and that bridge is shaped like a cross.
Are you wondering what the event was that triggered that shameful memory? Today is Good Friday. Today I went to the combined Good Friday services at Westminster Presbyterian Church. Today, with great joy, I attended this special service that commemorates the day that Jesus died on the cross for my sins. Today, tears of gratitude ran down my face as I remembered that every nasty thought, every heartless action, every time I took drugs, every time I purposely hurt another, every one of my sins were placed upon Him and that He loves me enough to die for me. Today, this joy-filled, forgiven daughter of God sang His praises in the same church that I cursed Him in thirteen years ago. I cannot even tell you what it felt like to be in that church again and to remember who I was back then and to celebrate the changes that Jesus has made in my life. Rage has turned to love, bitterness to joy, despair to hope. death to eternal life, And it all began with a cross.
Has Jesus been the bridge to God in your life? Have you asked Him to forgive your sins and to restore your relationship with God? He is waiting to give you a new life - an eternal life. He died to give life to you. Just ask Him.
Jesus, to stand in that church today, the day that we remember Your death for us, to remember who I was and to rejoice in who You have made me was incredible. Today I was reminded of how much You love me, how much you have healed me and how much peace You have given me. Thank You so much for yet another gift of love.
Contact Valerie or sign up for the e-Ministry of Fresno First Baptist at valerie@fresnofirst.org