Bible study taught Friday July 29, 2011 

With the Coming of the Lord, where are the saints? 

God picked the smallest tribe and blessed them and they have remained in existence to this day.

Everyone under covenant with God is protected by God. satan tried to destroy the line that led to the birth of Jesus and in this day and age, the devil is trying to destroy the Jews for if there are no Jews then the Messiah will not come again - 

Most Christians forget that Jesus was a Jew.  The Jews were looking for the Jewish Messiah and Jesus did not come the way they expected – they wanted a conquering King and the first time He came, the Messiah came as a suffering servant.  His second coming will be as a conquering King.  

Just as the prophesies stated, the nation of Israel is surrounded by enemies, and their enemies are getting more and more aggressive.  The main enemy, satan, is trying to wipe out the Jews, but the Lord has promised that a remnant will remain. If satan could wipe out the Jews, then there would be no Jews on earth to say, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord,” as the prophesy states the Jews will do.

God does not lie, so His Word will come true, and therefore there must remain Jews on the earth to fulfill this prophesy.

Mount Zion is going to split, an earthquake will cause it to split in half.  Geologists have shown that there is a fault line running through this mountain and there is also a tunnel running under it.  

The evil of satan will not manifest until there is world domination, the new world order.

We took a glance at the one dollar bill and saw the pyramid with the all-seeing eye of osirus, baal. The pyramid represents the world and when the all seeing eye rests upon the world then the one world government of Revelation 13 will emerge.

Over the pyramid are the words:annuit coeptis – which has to do with Jupiter, he (satan, jupiter) agrees with the cause which has started, the secret plan to take over America and the world.

Novus Ordo Seclorum – the new order of the ages is a code name for the new world order.

Notice that the Roman numerals are for 1776 but May first is the birth date of the illuminati, not July 4 which is our Independence Day.

We spent a bit of time talking about how the Federal Reserve is not federal and not part of our government.  Its manipulation of money is part of what is making the new world order more feasible. The United Nations is also pushing for more of a one world government.  Those in power in our government are also in line with this premise.

Joel 2:1 Blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; for the day of the LORD is coming, for it is at hand: 

The Day of the Lord when God wrecks vengeance on the earth for what people did to Jesus, to those who rejected the salvation Jesus died to provide for us.

Joel 2:2  A day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, like the morning clouds spread over the mountains. A people come, great and strong, the like of whom has never been; nor will there ever be any such after them, even for many successive generations.

The people are going to come like we have never seen again, even after a series of generations. This is a near prophesy of the destruction of Israel, but also an end time prophesy with an enemy that is going to come to destroy Israel

Joel 2:3  A fire devours before them, and behind them a flame burns; the land is like the Garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; surely nothing shall escape them. 

This evokes memories of Moses in the wilderness with the fire that was before them to lead, but now the fire devours leaving desolation behind it.

Joel 2:4-6  Their appearance is like the appearance of horses; and like swift steeds, so they run. With a noise like chariots over mountaintops they leap, like the noise of a flaming fire that devours the stubble, like a strong people set in battle array. Before them the people writhe in pain; all faces are drained of color.

This will be the fate of those left on the earth in the end days, the people who are not the Bride of Christ, and they will suffer – believers and nonbelievers, for the tribulation will be tremendous.

Joel 2:7-8 They run like mighty men, they climb the wall like men of war; every one marches in formation, and they do not break ranks. They do not push one another; every one marches in his own column. Though they lunge between the weapons, they are not cut down.

This is the army of the Lord which will not break ranks, these are obedient people who are disciplined. The war goes on, and they obey the orders of the Lord.

Joel 2:9 They run to and fro in the city, they run on the wall; they climb into the houses, they enter at the windows like a thief. 

They enter all parts of the city like a thief.

Joel 2:10-11 The earth quakes before them, the heavens tremble; the sun and moon grow dark, and the stars diminish their brightness. The LORD gives voice before His army, for His camp is very great; for strong is the One who executes His word. For the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; who can endure it? 

This is the Lord’s army in the last days after the rapture.

Joel 2:12-13  “Now, therefore,” says the LORD, “turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” So rend your heart, and not your garments; return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness; and He relents from doing harm. 

God wants the people to repent, to return to the Lord prior to Armageddon.

Pastor Don said he was going to teach about the split dimensions of faith.  He asked why the ten virgins?  Ten is a spiritual number, represents the ten commandments.  People were under the command of God.  Ten is the number of trial – the commandments were a test to see if you qualify.

Forty is also a number of testing.

Twenty-four elders in positions of power, by age, 24 is a young adult

29 1/2 was the time when a priest could minister.

30 was an acceptable age for ministry.

10 is the age of accountability, beginning to be accountable. when 12 1/2 you are held accountable.

Pastor Don said that seven years is a perfect age, growing to responsibility. 

He pointed out that often parents mention the terrible twos – not a good thing to name them that, because what you speak is what you will have. 

These ten virgins were under a test, under a trial and only five obeyed. The ones who were not invited to the wedding would have to go through the tribulation and those who held to the truth would become martyrs.   The bride is the ones who keep oil in their lamps.

Matthew 25:11-13 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

Although a person may say they are born again, not every one who claims that is acceptable to God – God requires obedience. Going to church does not make you a Christian. We will stand before the judgment seat of Christ before the foundation of the World.  God has prepared a place for those who call Jesus blessed. Jesus speaks of helping the least of these, my brethren. This is not blanket charity.  Yes, we can give charity to those who have not accepted the Gospel, but we are to look out for those who are are brethren. 

We try to define God, but God is sovereign.  We tell God how we want Him to be.  We need to discern who God is blessing and cursing, and we need to obey God according to His Word.  We try, for the sake of political correctness, to set the level of tolerance at a place where God does not set it. 

Matthew 25:14 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.

Jesus was sent to give us revelation – not someone else, but for us personally. He expects us to do something with the revelation He gives us. We are His slaves, His servants.  We are not to take the talents He gives us and squander them, to do nothing with them. We are to use them and multiply them.

Matthew 25:15-16 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.  Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.

One servant went and put the talent to work and doubled the money, the second servant did the same with what the master gave him.  God gives us what we can use in His service and He wants us to use  these talents.  The third servant buried his talent, and did not even give God an increase.

Matthew 25:19-30 After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’ But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

We want to be the servants to whom God says, “Well done.”  What we do with the little God has given us will determine what other things God can trust us with.

The unprofitable servant (the one who buried his talent) made God in his own eyes – he said that God was selfish and lazy, gathering where he had not scattered seed – this is not a true picture of the Lord.  We can, if we are not careful, make an image of God from our prideful construction of who we think He is, and this image does not line up with the truth of the Word.

Jesus is meek and kind, but He also is a judge and is coming with a two-edged sword to administer the wrath of God. He is not just coming to pet our heads and kiss our behinds.  He expects obedience to His will.

God gives us talents so we can create more.

The foolish virgins were lazy and did not do God’s commands.  We are to be about doing His work and His will until He comes, not just sitting around and waiting for the next shoe to drop.

I hope this blesses you. I want to be one to whom God says, “Well done.”

Have a blessed and happy new year.

Heather

This Bible study was taught July 8, 2011 

Matthew 25:1-7 Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.

Pastor Don did a bit of a review of the previous Bible study.  He said that the Church has been using this passage to beat up on the saints.  We are to use it to do a self-examination to see if we have oil in our lamps.  The virgins take their lamps and trim the wicks. Trimming the wicks makes the light brighter and reduces the soot that is created by burning the oil.  The soot is the negative deposits that slime up people. 

Pastor Don said that if a believer criticizes others in negative ways they can leave a cripple.  And we don’t want that to happen.

We are to examine OUR LAMPS, NOT OTHER’S

They heard the cry about the Bridegroom. This was a prophecy for their time but also one for our time (end times).  Bible prophecy is made to tell us to be ready when the Bridegroom (Christ) comes back for His Bride.

Notice that ALL slept, most in the church are not awake to the signs of the times.  We are to be looking for His coming.

There are those who make it happen and those who wonder.  We are to be the ones to make it happen.

The cry of the Bride Groom happens at MIDNIGHT which is the darkest time, the most difficult times. We are seeing these times in our day, with commercialization, globalization, problems with housing and realty, and lawlessness.

We have reached a time of final judgment.  Our economic systems are not working. We are using up all our resources.  We are crossing over into the midnight hour. 

Paul tells us that we are not to worry in these last days. Most do not recognize the problems and just like in the time of Noah, they are still reaping and sowing, marrying, etc. 

Jesus is the voice of prophecy, and we need to listen to His Words. 

The Church is immobilized and doesn’t know how to act.  

Jesus tells us what will happen so we can gear up and change. The last days should not be a surprise to believers.  Don’t let the oil in our lamps go out.

We are under pressure, and we need to clean up our act.  Most of the Church is missing something today – oil in their lamps – the oil being the working and presence of the Holy Spirit. We are not functioning in the full power and authority Jesus gave us.

It is important to remember that all ten virgins had oil, the Holy Spirit, but only the wise brought enough oil.  The foolish did not bring extra oil. 

Paul tells us to keep being filled with the Holy Ghost.  We do have the Holy Ghost in us, the power of the Holy Spirit, and we are to be pouring out and refilling our lamps. 

The presence of the Holy Spirit brings knowledge and power.  A Rhema Word from the Holy Spirit lasts a lifetime. 

Pastor Don said fear isn’t the problem, courage is. We are to pray for the courage to overcome fear of obeying the directives of the Holy Spirit and doing the actions He wants.  We need the courage to overcome the fear to get the job done. 

God needs the glory of your doing it, not the glory of Him doing it.  God is for us and wants to empower us to do what He wants.

The foolish have put up a wall of separation between the foolish and the wise.  The wise work in abundance with the Holy Spirit. 

But outward signs are not always an indication of who is filled with the Holy Spirit.  You can be a tongue talker and still have no oil in your lamp.  You can’t keep being filled without flowing out to others.

Matthew 25:8-9 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’  But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’

The wise realize that there is not enough oil for themselves and the foolish.  You are responsible for your own filling and the filling of the Holy Spirit can’t be transferred.  We have to get our own faith.

Faith is qualitative, not quantitative – you don’t get more faith – it is error to ask God for more faith – you are either IN faith or NOT IN faith. We are all given a mustard seed of faith and it is up to us to use it.

faith is:  I know it is done.  It may not be seen in the external yet, but you KNOW that you KNOW that you KNOW that it is done.

If you are praying and what you are praying for doesn’t happen you are not praying in faith.  Faith accomplishes its task.

Faith is specific for what you believe for. You can’t give your faith to someone else. 

Lack of preparedness disqualifies you to be in the elite of the Bride. All the virgins know the Gospel, but not all are functioning with the power of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus tells His disciples that if they love Him they are to serve the brethren. 

Regarding the power of the Holy Spirit – and the confusion comes by mistranslation of the Bible when it comes to the words Dunamis and Exusia – both are sometimes translated as authority, but Dunamis also speaks not only of authority but of a power that can be considered dynamite.  If only authority is used, it robs the scriptural passage of the full power of its meaning.  Power gives the ability to perform.  When you read a Bible passage using the word “authority” check to see if it is the Greek Word Dunamis or Exusia.

Another word mistranslated is servant – it means we are a slave for Christ.  Only in two places is the word bondservant used. Mostly we are to consider ourselves slaves to Christ.

When we accept the Gospel we come to Jesus to be His slave and do what He tells us to do. 

We are to keep oil (Holy Spirit) in our lamps and be ready and busy until His coming. We are to serve as a slave and keep His commands about what we are to be doing.

If we don’t obey the Lord, we spend our time in distraction.  We need to pay attention to how we are filling our time.  Is it with distractions or is it in service to the Lord? 

Jesus is the judge of how we spend our time. The wise virgins tell the foolish ones to go and buy their oil from someone else.  

Jesus is looking for a Bride, spotless and clean. As we seek the spiritual and the infilling of the Holy Spirit what is impure in us is cleansed. Jesus knows when we are making an honest effort and he can read our hearts.  We can’t pretend or put a mask on.

Philippians 2:12-13 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;  for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. 

We are to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling – but it is God who empowers us to make these changes within ourselves.  We cannot do it without His help.

Matthew 25:10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. 

The foolish virgins go to buy.  To keep our lamps filled we need to go where the Holy Spirit is flowing and fill up.  Get with people who are seeking a continual filling of the Holy Spirit.  

Pastor Don asked – what do you do to get in the presence of God?  We need to know what it is that helps us get in His presence.  Is it listening to praise and worship music, walking in nature, riding in your car, going to your prayer closet?  What do you do in your private worship to find His presence?  You need to know in case times are tough and you need His presence.  Establish routines that help you.

Matthew 25:11  “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ 

After the other virgins found their oil, they came but too late, the doors were already closed. When God wants us, He doesn’t want us to say wait a minute, or when it’s convenient or after I do this or that.  

The benefits of keeping our lamps filled and serving God is that He provides for our needs, our care, can keep us healthy, and in peace. We need to trust God.  He asks us, who are you trusting?  

There is a time when the door is open, and then it will be closed.  We don’t want Jesus to say, I never knew you.

Matthew 25:12 But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 

We want intimate relationship with Him, and knowledge of His person.  Jesus gets to know us by the Holy Spirit.  

When our thought patterns are disrupted by God it is Him speaking to us in that still small voice.  We need to be ready to hear Him when He speaks. And to discern if it is us, Him, or the enemy. 

Matthew 25:13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

Jesus is doing everything He can to wait until we are ready, but when the time comes He will come and we do not know the day or the hour.

During our wait for His coming we are to be a slave to God, listening to His voice and doing what he is told to do, that is the oil.  The redeemed understand. Servanthood triumphs. 

The Good New is that Jesus will change our status as servants or virgins, 

Revelation 13:1-7 (not about the saints who are raptured, but rather those five foolish virgins)  Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast.  So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe,tongue, and nation.

These refer to the virgins who did not go to the Wedding Feast of the Lamb, they are still on the planet because they did not have enough oil in their lamps. They were waiting for God to do what God gave them power to do. They should have been using the oil God supplied for them, but they didn’t.  Now they are going to face horrific challenges and trials. By wanting God to do the things for them they were making themselves idols, instead of acting as servants of God.

Revelation 13:8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. 

Those saints who are still on earth will not worship the beast, but it will be challenging to stand their ground against the power of the beast.  Our desire should be not to remain on the earth in the midst of this, but to keep our lamps filled so we go to the Wedding Feast of the Lamb. Some who claim they are Christian may not be – only those whose name is written in the Book of Life of the Lamb will be the ones who won’t worship the beast.

Revelation 13:9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear. 

disobedient slaves will be forced to miss the grace of God to remove them from the tribulation. But they will be under the mercy and grace of God to help them remain diligent even in the tribulation.  Our goal is to hear and obey God so that we can escape what is coming.

Revelation 13:10  He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

The patience and the faith of the saints. Those who do not swear allegiance to the beast and who patiently hold on to their faith in God, God will judge the ones who lead others into captivity and kill with the sword.  We are just to hold on to the truth of God.

Revelation 12:10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. 

satan will be cast down.

Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.

We overcome the enemy by the blood of the Lamb and the Word of our testimony. satan will cut off heads and shoot to kill.  God  takes the spirit out of the body and and we are in Heaven.  And the first will be last, the last first. But those who remain on earth after the rapture will have to go through the tribulation.  

We want to be a slave to the Lord and get the Holy Ghost oil. Do the Kingdom work, and worship. We want to keep ourselves in the grace of God (empowerment), so we can be the Bride that goes up first. Those who do not keep their lamps filled will be tested beyond bearing during the times mentioned in Revelation.

Christ can’t change your heart, you change your heart and He helps you to change your mind. You are who you are because God gives you free will. God helps us to do it, but we must choose and desire to do His will. 

Repent of what is in your heart and move on.

Romans 4 speaks of the faith of Abraham. We are to have faith for the spiritual the way we have faith for the natural. We live in the carnal but we need faith for the second dimension, the spiritual. If we get a cut, we know that it will be healed – we don’t worry about the cut, we know it will scab over and then be healed.  We need to have faith for difficult issues the way we have faith for a simple cut healing. 

So often we say we have faith and we hold on to that faith for a short time, then our faith waivers.  Some things take longer than others, and there is a timing of God that is best for the situation. Do we still hold on to faith in spite of what our senses tell us?

There is also supernatural healing where the healing is instantaneous.  But there is also a supernatural healing that takes time, where the body mobilizes the white blood cells and brings them to the wound and healing happens. 

We need to develop faith for spiritual healing to know that the right message to the brain and the brain sends healing to the part of the body, no matter what the disease or problem is. 

Revelation 1:4-17 John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.  “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”  I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.” Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last.

John went into the spiritual dimension, saw what Jesus showed him and then brought it back and spoke the Word of God.

Abraham believed God, we need to believe God -that when He speaks He will do what He says He will do. He will do it in His time.  Abraham believed God, and Sara was too old to give birth.  Yet God did the supernatural and she gave birth to Isaac. 

When God speaks into your life, believe. He will do what He says He will do. Pastor Don continues this lesson in the following Bible study.

Praying your day is blessed.

Heather

We had a visiting pastor from Myanmar (Burma) last Friday at Bible study. I was so blessed by his teaching and the talk of all the ways he is sharing the Gospel with people in his country that I wanted to share this with you.  What he is doing in Myanmar is dangerous because the Buddhists in the area have taken property and killed Christians.

If you desire to contribute or help in this ministry, contact Pastor Morris Remial Liana EMAIL: LIANAM8@GMAIL.COM

Pastor Morris began his teaching by showing us the traditional garment of Burma (Myanmar) called the Longyi.  He demonstrated how the women and men wear the garment.  Men tie it in front, women at the sides. The Longyi is used for shorts (like a diaper), as a fan, as a towel, and as a blanket. The Longyi is also used to carry babies, it can be folded and placed on the head to carry goods on the head, a bag for possessions, a cover, held around the body to permit modestly changing clothes.  Even old Longyis can be used as rags.  There were many uses for this versatile garment.  Below is a picture from the internet so you can see the skirt-like garment.

When Pastor Morris goes to witness to people he says that he has something that is more than your Longyi.  For the people the Longyi is everything, and by using what the people know, he shares Jesus. He also shares the Jesus film..

Burma was ruled by a military junta for a long time, but recently (in March 2011) changed into the semi-democracy government.  Hillary Clinton, Secretary of State will visit in December. For the most part, the residents of Burma are in type of prison for they are  unable to fully worship the way they want, to leave the country or move around.  When Pastor Morris came to the United States to study at Wesley Biblical Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi and Asbury Theological Seminary in Kentucky, he could not go home to his wife and children because he was afraid that he would not get leave to return to the states; that’s why he studied without going home from 1994-1997, but later he went home for two months each year until 2001  In fact, last year, UBS’ rice paddy field (twelve acres) that they used to feed the students in Mingladon Township, Yangon was taken over by the Buddhist monks (from Ma-Soe-Yain Monastery, Mandalay) and the local officials said that there was nothing that Pastor Morris and his people could do for the Buddhists would kill the Christians if they resisted because the military generals were standing behind the Buddhists in the Capital.

Pastor Morris sent me a photo taken on November 28, 2001 of the Buddhist monastery that was built on their rice field.

Isaiah 61:1-3  The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.

A lawyer tested Jesus, asking Him what he needed to do to get eternal life.  Jesus asked him what does the law say.  The ruler answered, Luke 10:27 So he answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’”

Jesus told the lawyer that he had answered correctly, then the lawyer asked Jesus, who is my neighbor.

Jesus replied: Luke 10:30-37 Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side.  But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gavethem to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’ So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?” And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.”  Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

Pastor Morris told us:

Jerusalem: City of God, holy city, possession of peace, or foundation of peace.
Jericho: place of fragrance, moon city, a fenced city in the midst of a vast grove of palm trees

In the parable, Jesus speaks of a Certain man (Samaritan) who went from Jerusalem to Jericho.  Pastor Morris equates this to everybody is going down from birth to death. 

The trip from Jerusalem to Jericho was about twenty miles. Pastor Morris said that we have gone through the twentieth century and are now entering the twenty-first century.  The roads between Jerusalem and Jericho are rough and robbers can hide easily. This certain man was captured by thieves who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 

Mankind was robbed by satan in the Garden of Eden and discovered he was naked (stripped of his glory), wounded (sickness, disease, and death) and had to leave the garden and his close relationship with God. 

Job 14:1 Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble.

Even today we are wounded by satan who attacks our lives, our marriages, our children and our churches. We are all half-dead without Jesus.

Three kinds of people will pass by this wounded man.

A priest – Which represents world religion. Priests did not want to touch the wounded man because the man is unclean. Some religions want to help people but are not spiritually helpful. For example in Buddhism, there is a sense that human life is full of suffering caused by desire. Buddhists want to escape from desire. The new age tries to help, but is ineffective. The pagan religions of the day could not provide what the wounded man most needed, salvation and healing. Religions are ineffective to help with what is needed.

The second person to pass by was a Levite.  He comes and looks, but passes by on the other side. Levites were not to be contaminated by death, and he did not help the man. The Levites represent the Old Testament Judaism, which is closer to the truth, but still does not offer salvation.

The third person to pass by was a Samaritan, who saw the man, had compassion on him, bandaged his wounds, poured oil and wine, and then brought him to an inn and took care of him.  Pastor Morris equated this Samaritan to Jesus. The Samaritans were part Jew and Gentile – Jesus was God and man. Jesus came for the Jews, but his teachings also blessed the gentiles, who were later grafted in. The Samaritan did all the things mentioned in the prophesy of Isaiah 61, he had compassion, bandaged wounds, poured oil (Holy Spirit), took care of the man. 

Notice that the Samaritan brought the man to an inn (hotel), which is a temporary place – we are not here permanently. 

2 Corinthians 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

John 14:2-3 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18  For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.

The Samaritan gave two denarii to the innkeeper to take care of the man. Pastor Morris suggested that the Old Testament and the New Testament could represent the two denarii – and that we need them both to take care of ourselves while we are in this world.  The Samaritan told the innkeeper that he would go and come back, use as we saw in the above verses, Jesus told us that He would come back.

The Buddhists believe in reincarnation, nirvana, nothingness.
The Muslims have no sure sense of salvation.

As Christians, we are sure of our salvation and of the promise that Jesus will come back.

Then Jesus asks the lawyer who was this man’s neighbor. The lawyer replied that the one who helped the injured man was his neighbor.  Jesus tells the lawyer to go and do likewise.

It is our responsibility to help those who are wounded. The Holy Spirit helps us to help others on behalf of God. We are to be like the good Samaritan. 

When Jesus was on earth, there was a time when he went into the synagogue and said, Luke 4:18-20 The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.” Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” 

Jesus read the Isaiah prophesy and told those who heard Him that He was the fulfillment of that prophesy. 

Matthew 18:11 For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.

The Isaiah prophesy was made 600 years before Jesus. We are to do what Jesus did, to take are of the wounded, the broken hearted, set captives free, and heal. 

Pastor Morris told us that Burma has 50 million people who are like captives. They have only had a few years of relative freedom (from 1948-1961). Mostly they are under a military regime. For the past 49 years there has been a military regime and Pastor Morris is believing that the 50th year will be a Jubilee for Burma. 

We are to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and Pastor Morris says that countries, leadership, our leaders need to begin to do the right thing.

Here are a few ministries that Pastor Morris and his wife oversee:

GALILEE CHILDREN’S HOME – orphans are wounded by satan, and many that come to him are in extreme poverty and half dead. His wife takes care of thirty-three children (plus four of their own at home)- and three of the orphans she raised are now attending Bible school and outside boarding class. We are to take care of the orphans and widows.

James 1:27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

Psalm 82:3 Defend the poor and fatherless; do justice to the afflicted and needy.

Isaiah 1:17 Learn to do good; seek justice, rebuke the oppressor; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow. 

Exodus 22:22 You shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child.

Isaiah 25:4 For You have been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat; for the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.

Not only are there physical orphans but there are spiritual orphans – spiritual orphans are those who do not know salvation, and they do not have God as their Father.

Because of Jesus, we can call God Abba, or Father. We never need to be alone. We are never poor and fatherless.

Pastor Morris told us that a month ago in his orphanage, eighteen kids were baptized.

UBS – Union Biblical Seminary has had 370 graduates, who then become pastors and serve in mission fields among the Buddhists. For example, out of 32 Wesleyan pastors, 28 of them are UBS graduates.  Some graduates are teachers and inland missionaries to the Buddhists.  Of the 37 missionaries in Burma, 21 of them are graduates of UBS.

What Pastor Morris did was to train others so that he multiplied what he received in his training. Pastor Morris’s heart prayer is that the people of Myanmar will be saved.

Romans 10:1 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.

Luke 15:10 Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.

Luke 15:7 I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.

Matthew 9:37-38 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.  Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.

In Burma, only six percent are Christian and the rest are Buddhists.

PRISON MINISTRY, MEDICAL MINISTRY, AND HALF EGG MINISTRY

In a normal Buddhist family there are four to six children and many are hungry.  Pastor Morris started a feeding ministry, figuring that if you feed them, they will come. At one point it was rice and an egg, but when so many came, each person only received half an egg, which is how the ministry got it’s name. But even that little bit of protein is valuable to a hungry person.

Matthew 25:35-40 …for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’  Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feedYou, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ 

When Pastor Morris and his helpers walk into a prison or feed the hungry, or administer medical care they are doing it for Christ, not the person.  Before the services are rendered, the recipients are given a Gospel message.

Romans 10:14-15  How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?  And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!”

How?  Someone has to tell them.  Pastor Morris asked us if we were a sender or a doer?  We all need to be focused on teaching the Gospel so people can be saved. It is the main ministry of the Church. Yes we donate to ministries that bring the Gospel to areas of the World, but we also need to realize that we must bring the Gospel to people who are starving for the truth in our own area as well. 

We also don’t want to just focus on ourselves and our own needs but to remember that there is a world that is starving for the Truth.

Richardson said, “When the church has no mission work it becomes a mission field.”

Oswald J. Smith said, “While there are some people who have never heard about Jesus, I cannot preach the Gospel to those who do not fear God.”

John R. Mott said, “The church becomes a church only when she does preaching of the Gospel.”

Matthew 19:26 But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” 

All of the ministries that Pastor Morris does also contain preaching the word of God.

PRISON MINISTRY

In Burma all prisoners (some are chained) have to work long hours. They are given two hours a day on Saturday and Sunday for rest. It is then that Pastor Morris comes in to feed and deal with the prisoners’ medical and spiritual needs. To feed the prisoners, the missionaries have to buy a pig from the prison, cook the pig and then feed the prisoners. 

If there are 150 prisoners, the guards will tell the missionaries there are two hundred prisoners so that the guards and their families are also fed. 

For the CHILDREN’S’ MINISTRY, HALF EGG MINISTRY, they feed the children, giving half an egg, rice,  and tea.  He told us that once an irate Buddhist Mom came to complain about the teaching, and Pastor Morris invited her to tea and food. She would eat and they would invite her back.  As she ate they told her what they were teaching her children and over time she also became a believer.

Sometimes they hand out candy, and even the candy ministry draws children.

THE DOOR IS OPEN IN MYANMAR. 

They are praying to God that the door for the Gospel be opened.  When Cyclone Nargis on May 2, 2008 came, their ministry was placed so they could aid those hurt by the cyclone. People are now calling on the Lord. And one of the UBS teachers is an ex-Buddhist monk and is able to teach in such a way as to reach the Buddhists for Christ. 

Isaiah 65:1  I was sought by those who did not ask for Me; I was found by those who did not seek Me. I said, ‘Here I am, here I am,’ To a nation that was not called by My name. 

There are so many souls crying out for the Lord and we want to win them at any cost. Matthew 9:37 The field is white, but the laborers are few.

I hope this teaching blessed you. 

Heather