May 22, 2008

• What do you have in your hand? by Pastor Abraham

  We are blessed to have Pastor Abraham visiting from India.  As I learn more about his ministry I will be sharing it with you.  He oversees over 200 churches in India, in the interior of India where the population is predominately Hindu and Muslim, and where to become a Christian means that you literally put your life on the line.  Pastor Abraham told me that any one who wants to convert to Christianity is supposed to request permission from the government.  The government does not give permission ever because they do not want people converting from the Hindu religion, or the Muslim.  When a person converts and gets baptized without receiving government permission (which is never given), they are fined $2,700 and/or five years or more in jail. Not all of India has this policy, but in certain states in India, the person who ministers is fined and jailed. In other areas you can share the Word of God. But where Pastor Abraham ministers there is persecution for Christians. This payment is expected from people who are lucky to earn $20 a month. The proclamation that one is a Christian is met with major persecution, and at times death.  We really do not realize how blessed we are to live in this country where we have the freedom to worship freely.

  As I learn where Pastor Abraham is traveling, I will share this with you so that, if you are near to where he will be preaching you can go and hear him, and perhaps your church would invite him to preach. Our church helps to support his ministry, but the needs are great for the people he serves.  Remember, in India to proclaim one’s self a Christian usually means the loss of a job, the loss of family, and often the loss of a roof over one’s head.

  You cannot imagine how humble and sweet Pastor Abraham is.  He is such a blessing.  This may be his last time in the states for some time as his Visa is almost up, and being a Christian he may not find it easy to renew.

  Here is what Pastor Abraham shared yesterday.

  First he thanked us for our supporting of his ministry and how that allows the Gospel to be preached throughout India. (Pastor Don told us that, as with all the ministries that we support, he has personally visited them and made sure that the money really goes to do the work and that the work that is done is excellent.  Pastor Don has preached in India and met many of the pastors that Pastor Abraham works with.)

  Pastor Abraham told us that in the area that he ministers there is a lot of persecution for being a Christian.  Even this year there were many who have been beaten for their faith. And yet, instead of pulling people away from Christ, the people are actually more committed to Christ and spreading the Gospel.  Those who give their lives to Christ have had their homes burned, and all their possessions taken from them, and many have to run away from where they were living just to save their lives.

  During one meeting where people accepted Christ, truckloads of Hindus came in and started beating the Christians.  They threw them off the platform to the ground and started kicking and hurting them.  One of the Christians thrown off the platform was a pregnant woman very close to her due date, they threw her down, started kicking her stomach and saying that she should give birth in the dirt then and now.  God did not permit that to happen. She gave birth a few days later, and had a safe delivery. God did a miracle.

  There are more than a billion people in India, and Pastor Abraham has asked us to pray that God would send revival to the Hindus and Muslims and the Christians – that all may know Jesus. Pastor Abraham said that God can do great and marvelous things and that there are blessings from Jesus.  He wants India to see the mighty work of the Lord.

  God is looking for a group of people who are obedient and dedicated to the work of the Lord. If we are obedient and dedicated God can use us in a mighty and glorious way for His Glory.  God wants to use us for His Purpose.

  Moses was a shepherd in the wilderness.   In his youth, he was raised in a palace, but due to actions on his part of killing a slave master, he ended up in the wilderness.  God spoke to Moses in the wilderness, and though he was fearful, he was obedient to God, and God gave him great responsibility.  He became part of God’s plan to rescue the people from Egypt. God asked Moses, “What do you have in your hand?”  Moses had a rod in his hand. He knew nothing, he was just guarding sheep, but God was able to use that rod to help free Israel. The rod was not a special thing, it was just what Moses had in his hand, and that was enough.  God can use that.

  Exodus 4:2 So the LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A rod.”

  Pastor Abraham then asked us, “What do you have in your hand?”  Obedience is enough. God can use what we have in our hands.

  God told Moses to cast his rod on the ground and a snake appeared. Remember that the snake (serpent) was what convinced Adam and Eve to disobey God, so God used that snake to help convince Pharaoh to let the people go. God would use that rod, what Moses held in his hand, to begin to diminish the power of the devil in the nations – and all with what Moses held in his hand. Not only that, but Pastor Abraham shared that the fact that the rod turned to a serpent reminds us of the serpent who seduced Adam and Eve. When God had Moses grab the tail of the serpent and God turned it back to the rod, it shows that God is delivering the Israelites out of the bondage that was brought on the world through the sins of Adam and Eve.

  We had some visiting young people in our church this Sunday, and Pastor Abraham told them that with obedience and dedication God can use them. Being obedient to God, Moses – once a servant to the King, now would go to the King and the King would bend to the full authority and power of God. 

  God wants to use you – what do you have in your hand? With obedience, God can use you in even greater capacity. Our God is a wonderful God.  We need to be obedient and dedicated.

  David and Jonathan were able to defeat a large group of Philistines with just a sword. It took boldness to attack this enemy, but one sword defeated an army of Philistines.  Just like David, if we are obedient God can use us.

  1 Samuel 14: 6, 14-17 Then Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, “Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the LORD will work for us. For nothing restrains the LORD from saving by many or by few.” … That first slaughter which Jonathan and his armor bearer made was about twenty men within about half an acre of land. And there was trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. The garrison and the raiders also trembled; and the earth quaked, so that it was a very great trembling. Now the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and there was the multitude, melting away; and they went here and there. Then Saul said to the people who were with him, “Now call the roll and see who has gone from us.” And when they had called the roll, surprisingly, Jonathan and his armor bearer were not there.

  David was out feeding sheep when God called him for His purpose. Pastor Abraham then talked about Goliath and how David, a small boy defeated a giant, in the name of the Lord. What did David have?  A sling shot in his hand, and five stones.

  1 Samuel 17:40, 50 Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine….So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. But there was no sword in the hand of David.

  Real dedication and obedience helps us to face giants.  It did not take five stones to defeat Goliath, it only took one.  All of Israel had the victory because of David. And David had four stones left – these are for the enemies of Israel.  He could face them with those four stones.

  Pastor Abraham told us not to worry about being qualified or educated.  What we need to be is dedicated and obedient.  God can use anyone.

  John Bunyan was in prison, and all he had in his hand was a pen. In obedience to God, with that pen, he wrote Pilgrim’s Progress.  A book that has impacted millions of people all over the world.  This outstanding book is second only to the Bible, and is known in the whole world.  All he had was a pen in his hand and God used him to change the life of millions of readers.

  If we have a little knowledge, a little talent, a little skill, God can use us if we surrender to God and obey God. By God’s Holy Spirit signs, miracles, and wonders can get people saved all over the world and cause them to dedicate their lives for the glory of God.

  God can use you in a mighty way. He uses all kinds of people for spreading the Gospel and His kingdom.

  He is a Living God, He is Jesus Christ, He is Holy.  God will use us for what He wants to change, and then all will see the glory of God, the love of God, and the power of God. God is over everything.

  Let us be used for God’s glory.

  I pray this teaching inspires you to begin to use what you have in your hands for the glory of God. Pastor Abraham will be in the states for a few months and I look forward to hearing Him teach again soon.

  Have a blessed night.

  Heather

  • 2:20 pm
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