Gospel for Asia Update - View Online at http://www.gfa.org/072004
-------------------------------------------------------
July 20, 2004 - Vol. IV Issue 25 - 147,000 Subscribed
-------------------------------------------------------
Dear Aalie,
Greetings from the GFA family around the world. I praise and thank God
for you and your service unto the King.
One of our online e-cards ( http://www.gfa.org/ecards ) features a
quote from K.P. Yohannan that reads, "It takes radical commitment to reach
the lost." A simple sentence, but how true. I've been thinking lately
of what the foundation is for such a radical commitment, and the answer
is also very simple: Jesus. The love Jesus showed by shedding His blood
for us should be what motivates us to forsake this life--just as He
did--to please the Father.
This was driven home to me on a personal level one morning last week.
Up early to read the Word and pray, I walked into our living room to
find my oldest son (age 9) asleep on the couch. He had been waiting for me
to wake up but then fell back asleep. I was so blessed by by his eager
spirit!
Later that day, I thought about what had motivated my son. Then it
struck me that he simply wanted to be with his daddy. It was his love for
me that made him drag himself out of bed in time to meet me.
My prayer for you and I this week is that our actions and service to
the King would also flow out of such love and eagerness to please Jesus.
Grace and peace,
John Schwartz
P.S. Send a GFA e-card to your friend and share what God is doing!
http://ecards.gfa.org>GFA STORE -- $8 DVD: "The Call to Harvest"
http://www.gfa.org/item?stock_code=DVD9&motiv=WA40-GULT
>GET INVOLVED -- Volunteer for GFA:
http://www.gfa.org/volunteer
> PHOTO OF THE WEEK: A GFA native missionary hands out tracts in a
village in Asia.
http://www.gfa.org/gfa/potwgallery?func=viewImage&wid=1724&collateralId=6294
> VIDEO:
http://www.gfa.org/video
> AUDIO:
http://www.gfa.org/audio
> NEWS: (July 19, 2004) "Shashi's Courage"
GFA Pastor Danish in North India lives with a passion to tell his
people about the hope of Christ. Shashi is a young woman who recently came
to the Savior through his witness. But her decision did not come without
a price.
When she publicly proclaimed her faith in Jesus, her father was not
happy. He proceeded to beat her, burning her Bible and Christian books as
well. Later her mother joined in and stopped Shashi from attending
church. Shashi’s response? She continued praising at home—and told Pastor
Danish she will not turn her back on the Lord. Rather, she will cling to
Him in every situation.
Pray this young believer would receive courage to serve her Savior
daily. Pray for the Lord to bring a breakthrough in the lives of her
parents. Lift Pastor Danish to the Lord for protection, as Shashi’s father
has threatened him. Praise the Father for people like these who are
willing to endure hardship to love Jesus.
*Post prayer or praise: http://www.gfa.org/viewaprayer
*Sponsor a missionary: http://www.gfa.org/sponsor
> NEWS: (July 16, 2004) "A Life Surrendered"
[ Photo: http://www.gfa.org/gfa/latestnewsarticle?wid=1861 ]
Only 18, Santhosh has dedicated himself to serve the living God. There
was a time when he worshipped more than one god. Guided by his parents,
he offered sacrifices and gifts to these deities.
Yet the family lived with pervasive unrest and sadness. What does it
matter? Santhosh began to think. None of our efforts to appease our gods
are making a difference. Why bother?
So he started living for worldly pleasures instead. During this time,
his sister was troubled by an evil spirit. All the rituals the family
performed on her behalf were in vain. Her condition appeared hopeless.
But then the Lord shined His light into their spiritual darkness.
“Ultimately,�?Santhosh reflects, “our sufferings ended when some
missionaries came to our village and preached from the Word of God.�?These
missionaries took compassion on the young man’s sister and prayed for her. The
family was shocked at what happened next.
She was completely delivered! “We understood then,�?Santhosh writes,
“that if there is any God, then He is Jesus Christ.�?Hungry to hear more,
the family attended church together. In time they put their trust in
Christ alone for salvation. As each family member spent time in God’s
presence, a home once ridden with despair was filled with His rest.
In his quiet times, Santhosh sensed the Father’s call to full-time
ministry. He continued to pray and asked his pastor to pray with him. “In
obedience to God,�?Santhosh relates, “I applied to a Bible college
where, by His grace, I got admission.�?
Praise the Father for a young life surrendered to His call to reach a
lost world. Pray for His anointing on Santhosh, that many may enter the
kingdom through his witness.
*Post prayer or praise: http://www.gfa.org/viewaprayer
*Sponsor a missionary: http://www.gfa.org/sponsor
> NEWS: (July 15, 2004) "Prayers for Lalit"
A year ago, Lalit never dreamed he would be in the situation he is in
now. Back then, he would often visit a nearby GFA Bible college to
disrupt prayer and worship times. From an affluent Punjabi family, Lalit had
been raised to practice his own religion. What he saw in Christian
disturbed him, and he determined to put a stop to it. So he did all he
could to create an atmosphere of tension on the Bible college campus.
But then Lalit became desperately in need of the very prayers he had
tried to prevent. On March 7, he began to act strangely. He frequently
yelled and, when angry, threw things and even hit his parents. His
hostile and chaotic behavior was more than they could bear. Seeing his wrath
and madness worsening daily, even to the point that he was a threat to
those near him, his parents sought a cure. But Lalit’s father, a
medical doctor, realized his remedies were inadequate to overcome the strange
power that had overtaken his son. So they turned to witch doctors and
sorcerers for help, only to be disappointed. Nothing the sorcerers could
do changed Lalit’s dangerous predicament.
Then the weary couple met with GFA missionary Sunny. It was through his
encouragement that they found a glimmer of hope for their son who
seemed so lost to them. Believers whom Lalit had opposed just months before
now gathered in his home to pray. After prayer, Lalit’s hostility
lessened considerably. Even Lalit himself noticed the change.
By the grace of God, Lalit is now receptive to the knowledge of Christ
and has shown an interest in hearing the truth. Eager to learn more
about Christ Jesus, on May 7 he visited the very Bible college where he
had stirred trouble. He even purchased a Bible and 10 Christian books.
Would you join us in intercession for Lalit? Please pray for his
complete recovery. Most of all, pray that through the books he brought home,
he and his family will find salvation in Christ. May they find that
Jesus alone is the answer to their pain and suffering.
*Post prayer or praise: http://www.gfa.org/viewaprayer
*Sponsor a missionary: http://www.gfa.org/sponsor_______________________
> About Gospel for Asia: http://www.gfa.org/aboutgfa> Sign-up Information
If you received this email as a forward and would like to sign up,
please visit our website at http://www.gfa.org/emailupdate and join over
147,000 Christians around the world who receive GFA's email update!
|
Free Forum Hosting
Important Announcement
First 
