SFMI Update 1

Shield of faith MiSSion international

SFMIFulfilling the Great Commission Through Establishing New Testament Churches

Prayer/News

UPDATE

P.O. Box 144 • Bend, OR 97709 phone (541) 382-7081 • fax (541) 382-4471

email sfmi@sfmiusa.orgJanuary-February 2014

“Ami shobye bondu!” (I am everyone’s friend!)See pg. 12

2 SFMI Update

Editorial NotesIn an attempt to stimulate more prayer and recruit

more participants for this vital exercise to further the proclamation of the gospel and strengthen the missionaries who are involved, we are making the following proposal: If you are someone who meets regularly with others for Bible study, prayer, or just fellowship and conversation around a cup of coffee, perhaps you could become an effective dimension to the ministries that are being conducted around the world by becoming a prayer team with targeted objectives. We would like to recruit your intercession for specific missionaries and projects on a consistent basis.

If you are not currently involved with a prayer or Bible study group, please consider inviting a friend or several friends to join you on a regular basis to adopt a missionary or mission field to which you can add the power of your intercession. We would be happy to supply you with a list of missionaries and present activities, projects and events in which you can participate by prayer and supplication. (Ephesians 6: 18)

Frontline News is an email service that regularly posts reports and up-to-date requests concerning people and situations currently needing prayer. If you are not already connected, you can be added to Frontline News mailing list by contacting SFMI at sfmi@sfmiusa.org or by calling (541) 382-7081. If you do not have email, contact the SFMI office for further information.

If you are participating in such a prayer group, or plan to, we would like to hear from you. Perhaps we can be an encouragement to one another.

Update from Steve MontgomeryDear friends:

After a few days of recovery from the most recent operation, I found myself on the fast-trak to prep for the visit of my in-laws for Thanksgiving; so I am grievously behind in writing you. So, to cut to the chase, the short report is that the operation went well: 20 minutes in surgery, 20 hrs in hospital. The post-operation to the doctor confirmed that everything went well and the operation was a success. Getting my strength back to 100% is yet somewhat elusive, but I am stronger every day.

I am genuinely and profoundly thankful for the team of intercessors the Lord has linked me with. To know I am not standing alone is significant; and though I know the Lord is an ever present help in times of trouble, hearing from you is a tangible manifestation of His care. Thank you!

Steve for the Montes 

2014 SFMI Training Program—Bend, OregonOn March 3rd, 2014 we will begin our annual Shield

of Faith Discipleship Training Program. It is a total of nine months, with the first six months in Bend. This time is spent being taught in the Word and in practical application through evangelism and service. Besides this, we learn how to get along and function as a team. The last three months are spent back in the trainees’ prospective cities in their churches and communities with them passing on what they have learned through ministry. The program will end in time for Thanksgiving in November.

Please give this opportunity for learning and for service some prayerful consideration. It will require some sacrifice for those who participate, but we believe it is for a worthy cause. Perhaps you (the reader) cannot participate yourself, but you can encourage others to come. These programs have been so effectual over the years; and God has strengthened many individuals that have had an impact on their own churches, communities and foreign fields.

Anyone with questions on the program can call me (Richard) at 541-330-6685. Anyone interested in applying can contact the SFMI office (Tel. 541-382-7081) or email: sfmi@sfmiusa.org and request an application. And for all of you, we’d appreciate if you keep this important part of our ministry in prayer and get the word out to others as the Lord leads you. Richard McDaniel 

In this issue:Preparing for What’s Ahead—Part 3 .........................................................................................P. 3 History ..........................................................................................................................................P. 6Sound Doctrine ............................................................................................................................P. 8Missionary News ........................................................................................................................P. 10The Fruit of the Spirit: Joy! .......................................................................................................P. 14

For our readers: The Update is sent free upon request to all wishing to receive it. The cost of $9 per year per sub-scriber for this Update is covered by the freewill offerings of God’s people. The Update is also available by email. Please send your request to sfmi@sfmiusa.org.Please contact us if you are receiving duplicate copies or if there are recipient or address changes.

SFMI Update 3

Many would define believing as being the eternal optimist, not giving any place to negative or unpleasant considerations. They would say, if we really believe, only good things will happen. But that is not true. There are good facts, and there are bad facts—positive facts, and negative facts. If God has said they will happen, we can believe Him. However, we can also believe that all things, good or bad, work together for good to them that love God.

We recognize that our affections are to be set on things above, not on the things on the earth; at the same time, we are to understand the times because what is happening around us is a kind of clock on the wall. It is like navigating VFR (visual flight rules) while flying: in which case you mark your position by identifying landmarks on your chart. Unfolding history identifies time-marks on our chart: i.e. when you see certain things begin to come to pass, look up, for your redemption draws nigh.1

History is an unfolding timeline: each event is foreknown of God and has been placed upon His calendar to occur on schedule; we cannot postpone what God has ordained. The coming of the reign of the Lord Jesus on the throne of David is the grand event toward which the course of history is flowing. Along the way many events follow one another as cities, towns and mile posts along the interstate, each one indicating how close we are to our destination.

The timeline, of course, starts with creation and the placing of man over the works of God’s hand. The first prophesied event was “in the day ye eat thereof (the tree of the knowledge of good and evil) ye shall surely die;” the fulfillment was almost immediate: the man ate and died. The next prophecy was of a redeemer called “the seed of the woman” who would come and crush the serpent’s head and in doing so would Himself be bruised, which also was fulfilled when Christ was bruised for our iniquities, and will come to fruition when Satan is cast into the lake of fire.

Those prophecies were followed over the

centuries by others announcing a menu of events that would follow each other in a prearranged sequence. A partial list of those prophecies includes the rise and fall of kingdoms and empires recorded by Daniel the prophet culminating in the final kingdom over which Christ shall rule. 2 In the context of all of that, there are references by other prophets to things that would happen within the time of these nations, such as the coming of John the Baptist who would announce the appearing of the promised savior, also of the first and second coming of Jesus and the events preceding the latter.

All of these events, like the aforementioned markers on the freeway, were, at one time, far in the future; but in the progression of the timeline they became the present and then faded into the distant past without the slightest awareness on the part of the majority of the population of their significance or, in some cases, that they were even happening. It is amazing how far down the list of events we have come and where we are now on this freeway we are calling our timeline. Actually our destination is almost in sight.

Daniel’s prophecies of the coming kingdoms started with the one that was currently (at his time, approximately 553 BC) in power: Babylon; followed by the Medo-Persian empire; then Alexander’s Greece and the four kingdoms that were spawned by Alexander’s demise; and finally the Roman empire, whose influence would continue until the end when the kingdom of Christ will come and destroy all the kingdoms of this world. 3 America, the presently crumbling super power, which has been generally considered a Christian nation and some have even thought to be the promised land, is more like Rome than Israel. Travelling down the freeway of time, we are coming to the final mile posts, two of them: the crumbling of independent superpowers and the rise of a global antichrist government, the midnight that will precede the day of Christ.

Watching America, once proud and free, being dismantled from within by a subversive

Preparing for What’s Ahead—Part 3 By Dick York

4 SFMI Update

administration and being transformed into a Marxist welfare state is, to many Americans, a painful and confusing thing to experience. To those who have been deceived by entitlements, it is a welcomed bondage for which they were happy to vote; but to those who are in Christ and are believing what the word of God has always clearly stated, it is a fearful yet exciting time: a harbinger of the glorious day for which the church has long waited. Unfortunately, many professing believers are viewing all of this in the light of politics, not prophecy and are desperately trying to find a way to fix it. J,esus will fix it; He will destroy it and establish His own kingdom on the throne of Jacob and will rule upon the earth for a thousand years. Surprisingly soon those facts will not any more be mere theology or eschatology; they will be reality. We will have arrived at the future which, for some professing believers, would always be imaginary, never real.

I was impressed while reading the Gospel of Luke again that John the Baptist, of whom Jesus said “Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet” 4 and was of such import that his coming was prophesied six centuries before his birth, was born in relative obscurity; and then, until about thirty years of age, he lived in the wilderness far from the rich and famous, unknown and probably not much thought about.

Jesus also was born in obscurity after being talked about and described in detail by numerous prophets for four thousand years. Although He was the Son of God, and the most important personality to ever grace planet earth, His first thirty years were spent as no-one-in-particular as far as the population was concerned. He was in their presence for thirty years before He was revealed; and even then, the people to whom He came didn’t receive Him for who He is, and most of the world was oblivious to His existence.

In our day, this is true of the antichrist, who will soon be revealed to be worshiped by all that dwell upon the earth whose names are not written in the book of life. His “theology” already dominates the education system of the whole world with the foundational teaching that in the beginning God did not create the heaven and the earth. His “morality” dictates what, in the mind of the present

generation, constitutes righteousness. Homosexual marriage is being welcomed as good because tolerance is the new virtue while the defense of biblical opposition is considered bigotry, which is evil. These doctrines are being upheld by the highest court rulings, making them the official positions of governments around the world. It is not difficult to see why Christians will be the only group of people to whom tolerance will not be extended.

Jesus made that very clear as he prayed for us to the Father in John 17. He said,

I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou hast sent me. I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for

they are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them….I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world…Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the

world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word.5

Notice in Jesus’ prayer the three words that apply first to Jesus and then to us His followers: hated, sanctified and sent. “Hated” we understand; although we have not yet experienced much of it in America, we see it in the story of the life of the Lord Jesus. “Sanctified” means we are set apart from the world through conformity to His word; and it is this separation that inspires the hatred that the world harbors toward Christ and His church. “Sent” as light into a dark society that loves darkness because its deeds are evil.

Because, in our nation, there has been enough Christian influence in the world to turn its blackness grey and enough of the world in our Christianity to

...we have not been conscious of the con-trast between the church and the world. But as the world dark-ens, that will change.

SFMI Update 5

turn its whiteness grey, we have not been conscious of the contrast between the church and the world. But as the world darkens, that will change.

Jesus warned us when He called us to follow Him: they have hated Me; they will hate you also. “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.” 6 The apostle John reiterated Jesus words, “Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.7 So, as an upright follower of the Lord Jesus, you should not calculate that the society should love you or trust you because of your righteous conduct or virtuous lifestyle. If it were merely a matter of morality or human kindness, it may be recognized and appreciated by some; but if it is a manifestation of the Lord Jesus Christ living in you, it will bring rejection because Christ is rejected, hatred because Jesus Christ is hated. It is for this reason that believers are suffering persecution around the world.

Did not God address this in the second Psalm? “Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his anointed (Christ), saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.” The world indeed is trumpeting its freedom from righteousness, boldly breaking asunder the restraining bands of God’s moral law and casting away His cords. Allah is not being rejected; indeed Islam’s testimony of violence and evil is being embraced and its numbers expanding. Atheistic communism has not been rejected: in fact it has now overwhelmed the nation that was its final obstacle. How the evil will combine these forces to envelope all nations or if it will define itself as something quite different from either is unclear, but what seems obvious is that we are experiencing events that mark the times and are harbingers of the long-awaited end.

Paul wrote to Timothy saying, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.” 8 And in the light of this fact what was his counsel to this faithful disciple? “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and has been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of

God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” 9

The escalation of evil will progress until the revealing of the wicked one.10 It is widely supposed among American Christians that there is no need to be concerned about the scriptures that warn of the coming antichrist because we will not be here to see that day; but these verses, written to the Christians at Thessalonica, seem to indicate otherwise. The great falling away is evidently in progress fueled by the constant revision of the scriptures, annihilating the authority of our Bible and giving free rein to those who would remodel the church. Circumstances, both economic and political, are setting the stage for the global atheistic government that will herald the rule of antichrist who will make war with the saints and prevail against them.11

But this is our secure hope: whatever Satan does to destroy the church actually has the opposite effect; it purifies and perfects it. Whether he likes it or not, Satan is an angel, created to serve those who are heirs of salvation 12 and even in his malevolence he can only do us good; his vicious acts of hatred can only accomplish the will of God for us. What could be a more profound example of this than that recorded in Acts 2:22-24:

Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: whom God has raised up…

Endnotes1 Luke 21:282 Daniel 2:31-45, ch. 73 Revelation 11:154 Luke 7:285 John 17:8-10, 14, 17-206 John 15:187 1John 3:138 2 Timothy 3:12, 139 2 Timothy 3:14-1710 2 Thessalonians 2:1-411 Revelation 13:712 Hebrews 1:14

6 SFMI Update

History may not seem important to you, or you may think it’s not interesting.

Not true at all if you are a believer and want to know more about Christ Jesus. History is nothing less than His Story. The story of Jesus Christ is spelled out clearly in the history of mankind. Much of our history is found in the Bible; in fact, all the important history is there for us. For example our origin is given explicitly in Genesis, chapter one, along with the account of creation of all that exists in the universe.

The story of Jesus as portrayed in the scriptures begins with Wisdom. In Proverbs 8:12 we encounter Wisdom speaking to us in the personal pronoun: “I Wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.”

From this chapter we understand that Wisdom was there in the creation of heaven and earth. For example verse 27, “When he prepared the heavens, I was there.” And also, “When he appointed the foundations of the earth” (vs. 29). (It seems that Jesus, the word and creator of all things, is wisdom personified.)

Then in verse 30 we have a wonderful insight concerning His relationship with the Father: “Then I was by Him, as one brought up with him.” In verse 31 Wisdom is saying, “My delights were with the sons of men.” Wow! this seems to reveal His love for mankind before man ever existed. Wisdom so loved us that we were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world. 1 In fact He so loved us, that He was crucified for us before the foundation of the world, being the only begotten Son of God. 2

It seems, therefore, that Wisdom is the first manifestation of the Son of God. The next manifestation of the Son of God is the Word of God. The Wisdom of God was so wonderful that it had to be expressed. The moment arrived when it had to be acted upon; thus came forth the Word of God. “By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.” 3 We read in John 1: 1-3, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made.” The love for mankind permeated the heart of God couched in the Wisdom of God, and the word came forth in demonstration and power. God said, “Let there be light; and there was light.” 4 Thus was the whole creation of God formed, simply because He delighted in us before we were ever born.

The next manifestation of Jesus took place when “the word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and

we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” 5 Born of the virgin Mary who conceived by the Holy Ghost, He came forth in flesh, and they called His name Jesus: “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in the earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him and for him: and he is before all things, and by him all things consist.” 6

The story of Jesus continues to be seen in Adam, that is first Adam and last Adam. “And so it is written, the first man Adam was made a living soul [this is the Adam in Genesis], the last Adam was made a quickening spirit [Christ in the New Testament].” 7 As the last Adam, Jesus revealed the grace of God for those who are of the earth; He was made flesh and was tempted in every point that we are tempted, but He never sinned. Therefore, He qualified to be the Lamb that would take away the sin of the world. Being sent of the Father to save us from our sins, He was obedient unto death, even unto the death of the cross. 8 He was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.9 The first Adam died and was buried, and so was the last Adam.

Jesus the Son of God, the last Adam, could not be destroyed in death; He died, but He saw no corruption. He triumphed over death and the grave and three days later came forth as the second man, the Lord from heaven. 10 He has many names: Messiah, Emmanuel (God with us), Wisdom, The Word of God; but as the second man, we see Christ Jesus resurrected from the dead in His physical body that will never die. The deity of Christ and the humanity of Christ are one; Jesus has reconciled humanity unto God. 11 This is how much Wisdom delighted in mankind.

Do we now come to the end of the Story of Jesus? Never! Rather we now come to the beginning of His marvelous Father-appointed position as head of the body of Christ. God hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in the earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.12 He is now known as the New Man, 13 which includes all the believers as members in the body of which He is the Head. Everything that the Father chooses to do in eternity future will be accomplished through this marvelous New Man.

Take a moment to read also the following references:

History!By Jim Lucas

SFMI Update 7

annual event. So pray the Lord will change the direction of at least some of the Nigerian churches where the prosperity doctrine has done so much damage.

After Ede, we met in Ibadan with the leaders of Ethnos Christian Mission to leave some technology, tools for evangelism, including a portable video projection system with speakers, etc. that all fits in a back pack and about 100 audio Bibles recorded in MP3 format on SD chips that fit in cell phones. (We will make a full report on this technology and on other aspects of the Africa ministry in the next update.)

Next it was Ikorodu for two days of meetings where Dick spoke on “The Making of Man in God’s Image.” The small group included several who had been at the Ede conference. They came to hear more from Dick.

Reaching Lagos on our last day, we were able to rest a little before the two-hour, five-mile trip to the airport. And by the grace of God we actually made it onto our flights on time.

Jack Ring—12-8-2013

Attention!Conference Registrar Needed

For the pasts several years Jerry and Cathy Schultz have done a superb job as conference registrars and are greatly appreciated. However, their circumstances are such that they are unable to continue in that capacity. As a consequence there is opportunity for someone to volunteer for this essential service in order that the Memorial Day Conference will proceed smoothly. It is a fairly demanding job without financial remuneration, but it is pivotal to the logistics of the conference and, therefore, to its success.

If you think this is a service for which you are fitted and feel led to serve the Lord in this way for just this one Memorial Day conference or, if God should lead, for an extended time, please contact the SFMI office: (541) 382-7081 or email sfmi@sfmiusa.org.

Details will be provided and also instruction in all the requirements of the position. All who work to organize and execute the direction of the conference are volunteers and serve as unto the Lord—you will be a necessary part of an important team. Time is of the essence, so please don’t delay if you feel moved to apply. Thank you for prayerfully considering this need.We look forward to hearing from you.

Psalm 104: 24; Proverbs 3: 19; John 1: 10, 29; Ephesians 1: 21-23; Philippians 2: 9-11.

Our history is God’s prophecy, His eternal purpose fulfilled in the story of Jesus.

Endnotes1 See Ephesians 1: 42 See 1 Peter 1: 20 & Revelation 13: 83 Psalm 33: 6, 9 4 Genesis 1: 35 John 1: 14 6 Colossians 1: 15-177 1 Corinthians 15: 458 Philippians 2: 89 2 Corinthians 5: 2110 1 Corinthians 15: 4711 2 Corinthians 5: 1912 Philippians 2: 9-1113 See Ephesians 2: 15

An abbreviated report on the African trip by Jack Ring

(a full report next issue)Our first meetings were in the town of Ede with

about 400 church leaders, many of them heads of small denominations. The topics were, “The State of the Church,” “The New Testament Church” and “Leadership in the Church.” Discipleship was strongly emphasized, particularly by Brother Tunde Oloyede (of Heirs of God Mission) who addressed the topic of leadership in the context of discipleship. Dick’s ministry was excellent, and he was very well received by the brethren there.

There were three teaching sessions a day plus a mission challenge each evening. Each day included two discussion periods designed to encourage the men to work through practical issues they will face if they attempt to change non-biblical practices in their churches; some lively discussions resulted, but everyone I spoke with thought they were very productive. All the teaching sessions were videoed. If they turned out well, copies will be made available.

At the end of the Ede conference, the men filled out response forms, which were universally positive in their evaluation. Many asked if the conference could be an

AFRICA REPORT

8 SFMI Update

Sound doctrine is mentioned twice in the book of Titus. In the first chapter instruction is given to the elders who are to be ordained in every city where churches have been established. A bishop (church elder) is to hold fast the faithful word as he has been taught, “that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.” 1 A gainsayer is someone who contradicts or opposes sound doctrine. They may not oppose all sound doctrine, but what they are teaching is in opposition to sound doctrine and leads others away from truth. Titus 1:11 tells us that they are, “teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake.” Filthy lucre is a derogatory term indicating material gain. They are to be rebuked sharply (v.13) “that they might be sound in the faith.” Chapter one ends with the conclusion that there are those, whether in the church or out of it, who profess to know God, “but in works they deny him.”

Ephesians 2: 8, 9 states, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.” These works spoken of in verse 9 are the works of the flesh. Man cannot merit salvation through his own works, which are of the flesh. When he comes to Christ, however, he discovers that he has been outfitted to do works of righteousness: “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” 2 In Hebrews chapter 6 there is reference to those who are truly in Christ as having “things that accompany salvation.” 3 The “things” spoken of here are works of righteousness. The works which we do testify that we are either truly saved or that we are imposters, professing to know Him but without evidence to prove it.

Chapter two of Titus begins this way, “But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine.” In the verses which follow this admonition, you might think that there would be foundational doctrines such as what we find in the doctrinal statements of various evangelical churches. That’s not the case, however. Instead, there is instruction for the aged men and the aged women, for the young men and young women and for masters and

servants (employers and employees); it is practical things about how we should conduct our lives as Christians. The Christian life is more about how we live our lives than it is about what we mentally assent to. Holy living is taught both by instruction and by example and is taught on the playing field of day-to-day life. We represent the Lord Jesus; and when we fall short in our testimony, we give opportunity for the word of God to be “blasphemed” (v.5). There is a definite connection between sound doctrine and the way we live our lives.

Another example of this connection is manifest in I Timothy 6: 6-8: “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.” This is sound doctrine. It puts the emphasis on seeking God and His righteousness, trusting Him to provide for us and being content with what He provides. God said to Abraham after he had turned down the reward offered him by the ungodly, “Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward.” 4 In other words, we don’t need to look to the world for our provision; God takes responsibility for us. Jesus taught the same thing in the Sermon on the Mount. He said that our concern should be to lay up treasures in heaven and not on this earth. God’s responsibility is to add to us what we have need of.5 Is not our treasure the fact that we have been given godliness through the righteousness of Christ and that we have a loving Father who cares for us and provides for us? Should we not value that as great gain and be content? What more could we ask for?

In contrast to that, doctrine which is not sound will produce a different result. I Timothy 1: 9, 10 gives a list of evil behaviors and states that these things are contrary to sound doctrine. As Jesus said in the parable of the wheat and the tares, the enemy is at work sowing tares midst the wheat. Some of these tares come in the form of doctrine which has weakened the church. I Timothy 6 is a good passage for this because in the same chapter there is sound doctrine (which we already looked at), and there is the counterpart of that. In verse 5 it speaks of men, “destitute of the truth, supposing

Holding onto Sound DoctrinePart 1

Richard McDaniel

SFMI Update 9

that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.” Have you ever heard the saying, “God wants you to be healthy, wealthy and wise”? Does that sound familiar? This is called by many of us “the prosperity gospel.” It essentially states that financial and physical blessing is always the will of God for His people. Certain scriptures are taken and used out of context and labeled as promises or guarantees that if one has “faith,” God is obligated to deliver upon. Confessing these “promises” to be true and applicable to themselves is perceived as a “word of faith.” It is often taught as a method or a contract, which, if followed, will always bring success. One must claim these and speak a “positive confession.” This teaching is applied to physical healing as well as financial success. It has been promoted by such well known leaders as Oral Roberts, Kenneth Hagen and Joel Osteen and has travelled around the world, gaining many adherents. This is not sound doctrine and has greatly weakened the church for reasons I will explain.

We are warned again in 2 Peter chapter two of false teachers bringing in damnable heresies and leading many away. 2 Peter 2: 3 says, “and through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you....” These teachers manipulate their congregations with scriptures such as Malachi 3: 10, “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” They use this verse and others to entice people to give financially to their ministries, using as an incentive the promise of receiving back from the Lord much more materially than they have given. In their message, which misuses the scripture, they promote covetousness in their followers in order to benefit themselves from their followers’ financial gifts (making merchandise of them).

Another aspect in this line of teaching is that God doesn’t approve of suffering. If we are living right, we should not have to endure suffering; all suffering is of the devil. This is the tone of the rhetoric coming from preachers in the prosperity camp. It originates from the faulty premise that material and physical blessing are the rewards of godliness. Is this sound doctrine? When Jesus announced to His disciples that He was going to suffer many things and die, Peter rebuked Him. His rebuke, as Jesus explained, was inspired by Satan and came from the flesh. Suffering is to be expected as Christians. 6 Taking up the cross and following Jesus means to

deny one’s self. It is a life not pleasing to the flesh. We bare the reproach of our Lord Jesus, who is at enmity with the world and the flesh. Christians are thereby able to partake of His sufferings and should rejoice in that. Consider the example of Moses who had the treasures of Egypt available to him but chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God. He esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt.7

The enemy has been at work sowing tares among the wheat. The wheat is God’s planting: the church and all that pertains unto life and godliness. The tares are false converts, false teachers, and doctrines which come not from the Spirit. They are designed to hinder the growth of the wheat. The teaching that material gain is godliness is one of these tares. It has greatly weakened the church. How does it do this? First, it takes man’s attention away from the eternal and puts it on the temporal. It seeks to use God as a power to attain the temporal; it promotes covetousness, which the scripture calls idolatry; it promotes discontentment and feeds a lust for more; it detracts from a dependence solely upon God to provide; it misrepresents faith as a confession that originates with me and is a word that I speak, whereas the Bible says that “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” 8 We are to listen for the voice of God instead of relying on a method designed to feed our lusts. True faith comes only after God has spoken: and He will not use His word to fulfill the lusts of man. Finally, the anti-suffering campaign is directly contradictory to the teachings of the Lord Jesus and the apostles, most of whom died as martyrs. God uses suffering in the purifying of His saints.

Here are two doctrines we have looked at. One of them is sound, the other perverted. Consider how these doctrines affect how believers live their lives. There is no prosperity in the shallow waters of the “prosperity gospel.” Real riches come from knowing God, hearing His voice, walking with Him through adversity, denying ourselves so that we are set apart unto Him.

Endnotes1 Titus 1: 92 Ephesians 2: 103 Hebrews 6: 94 Genesis 15: 15 Matthew 6: 19-346 2 Timothy 3: 127 Hebrews 11: 25, 268 Romans 10: 17

10 SFMI Update

West AfricaJerry and Cherry Skiles

All believers I know want to help others in need. One of the songs I listen to on my car radio is a young believer singing how she wants to feed hungry children and tell people of Jesus. I have been blessed to have many opportu-nities to fulfill her heart’s desire and mine as well.

The northern part of Ghana is sparsely populated, and it is a pleasure to drive the empty roads after leaving the population in the south. Small taxis move people between the village, and one of these taxis happened to be in front of me as we made our way north. To my astonishment the taxi veered off the road and disappeared into the grass and bush. I stopped as soon as I could and was quickly down to the accident. The two people in the front were just crawling out of the overturned vehicle, and the rest were stuck in the back. We got the door opened; and two women, two chil-dren and one man were helped out of the car. I was so glad there were no serious injuries and no blood. After everyone regained their composure, we discovered that other than some aches all were well. Since I was one of the rare vehi-cles on the road, the passengers all loaded into the truck; and we headed down the road to their final destinations.

I had a good transition between Ghana and Ivory Coast and was in the tribe early despite some car problems. During my first night, wailing began; and I discovered that a young child had died, and then the following night another one died. Mothers were bringing their sick children to me, and I was very glad to have some medicine still available to help them. By the time I left the tribe, I was down to just a few doses of medicine left.

The rains had been irregular which left many without their corn crop. I had a lot of opportunity to help hungry people with food. The widows got some; the school chil-dren got some and a lot of people who participate in work-ing for food. I spent a number of my days ferrying food into the village.

The government had pulled the teacher from Bway-biye village, so Hovare’s son is now teaching forty plus students. In another village there is another young man who is also teaching forty plus students about seven miles from Bwaybiye. I admire and encourage these efforts of the community to start their own schools. I learned that the government has several other schools in the region that they are considering closing due to pressing needs in other areas. There are several other villages now considering following the village school model until the government is able to commit resources to their children. It is my desire to assist in these village efforts.

The Church and believers seemed to be doing well. I was encouraged with the new people I saw in the fel-lowship. The day I left Bwaybiye village I passed through Gogo, the Loron village were Cherry and I spent about 10

years. I was surprised to see the woman whose husband rented me a hut in their compound for several years. It was good to visit, and she asked if I had heard about her acci-dent. I said no. She had recently fallen from a tree and was seriously hurt; her shoulder and arm were deformed from the fall. As she related the story, she shared that during the time of her recovery the Lord had spoken to her and that she is now a believer. As she was speaking, I remembered the seemingly vain years of speaking to her of the Lord; but here she is a believer now. I was so happy for her.

A little farther up the road I passed a group of men, among them my friend and brother in the Lord who is also the chief of the village on the same road. I stopped and had him in the car with me. He told me the big officials were in town and I needed to see them. My reluctance was unfounded, and I had a nice visit with the regional administrators.

Cherry and I will be heading back in January and February to help with the 1040i medical team as they work in the area. Pray all will go well on the trip. I am concerned that the shortage of food, which is a result from the lack of rains, will make the possibility of sick-ness and poverty much higher, which will force the chil-dren to not have the normal opportunities to learn to read, write and do arithmetic.

The girl who sings about wanting to help hungry children and tell people of Jesus will still have a relevant song, barring the return of Christ. For my fellow believers who want to help, there will still be no lack of opportu-nity throughout the world to accomplish a good work for the Lord. I left the area remembering the salvation of my neighbor with a joy of her salvation and a sense of awe that God does answer prayers years later after I quit and forgot about what I had been praying for.

In Christ,Jerry Skiles

Ghana/TogoSkip and Julie Voetberg

Greetings from Ghana and Togo. I have had a good time with the fellow believ-ers, and have spent a week in the Muslim north, teaching, and encouraging the folks here; and it has all been very positive. I see a true desire to reach out and share the Gospel message. Over thirty turned out for the conference. Currently I am in Togo, and it is good to be

Missionary News

SFMI Update 11

back. We are having a mini-conference next week, and I am encour-aged at the potential here as well. Com-munication is a chal-lenge so I will keep this short and share more later. Please continue to uphold these folks in your prayers.

In ChristSkip Voetberg

West AfricaEd and Patty Enns

(Editor’s note: This letter arrived too late for the last issue of the Update, but we are including it because it informs us of what Ed has been and will be doing.)

Hello! Thank you for your support!Patty and I are separated at the moment as I am on a

more rugged type of ministry trip right now, and Patty has flown home to Houston where I will join her on the 26th of November. I will see if Patty can get you some pictures as I am not in a position to do that now. I will be heading into the bush tomorrow on my moto for about a 125 kilometer trip on dirt roads and trails. But, for now I can relate a bit of an update.

We had three good months in Lome, Togo, with Emmanuel and the fellowship there, encouraging them in the faith and challenging them to continue to reach out to the villages with the gospel. They would like to start a simple Bible school soon in a rural setting. In Ghana, we have been travelling with David Kangni and doing Bible seminars with a goal of seeing laborers raised up and then sent out. David also wants to soon get a missionary train-ing center started.

I will be travelling to Abidjan next June and do some teaching in a couple of local churches there at the invite of a pastor. Then, as I am doing right now, I plan to continue to make a couple trips a year to the Komono and Dogose people groups in northern Ivory Coast and southern Burkina. These trips are hard physically on me as I have a bad back––so I appreciate prayer there. Also these are Muslim groups that have been resistant to the gospel. So that is about it for the moment and may He continue to bless you as you have His hearts desire as yours.

Gratefully His,Ed and Patty KenyaJohn Kettikai

A Testimony of God’s Faithful ProvisionOn August 14, 2013, our baby, who was at that time

two months old, got severe bronchial pneumonia. He started crying, and we woke up. My wife, Reginah,

thought he needed to be breastfed. She fed him, but he would not stop crying; and now he could hardly breathe. We knew our baby was sick. My wife said, “John, we need to pray.” I agreed. We took hold of him and prayed unto our omnipresent and omnipotent Father, asking Him to heal our little Stephen. After praying, my wife carried the baby on her back for three hours to a nearby dispensary. After examining the baby, the doctor there referred him to a main hospital.

Brethren, my heart cannot stop praising our Lord and Savior! For since I came to Him, He has continued taking care of me and my family. Maybe you are saying, “That’s normal.” But just imagine you are in the remotest part of a country when you suddenly fall sick. The nearest dispen-sary is fifteen miles away; the roads are unpassable; the only mode of transport is walking. It happened to me on August 14, 2013!

I had 1200 KSH in my pocket. I paid 550 KSH for the examination and aboded a matatu (hired a “taxi”) for 200 KSH. At long last we got to the hospital at 6:20 p.m. The baby was hurriedly taken into a ward, given oxygen, and started treatment. After the baby’s admission, I traveled back home thinking about where I would get the daily bus fare to the hospital.

As I was sleeping, Reginah called me over the phone. When I saw her phone number, I thought something had gone wrong. I received the call quickly asking, “How is the baby?”

She answered, “He is fine, but I just called to tell you what the doctor has said about the charges. Tomorrow you should come with 50,000 KSH as a deposit for the treat-ment of our baby.”

I said, “Okay, but please ask the doctor if it’s possible for me to clear all the debt when the baby is given permis-sion to come out of hospital.”

She said, “I will try.” Brethren, do you know why I asked her to beg for that

period of time? For a person like me, with no salary, to get such an amount would be a miracle! But one thing I had trusted in and believed is that God does not abandon His saints. The next morning I was preparing to go visit our baby in the hospital. Early I had asked my unfailing Father to provide me with the funds needed to meet all the expenses. I believed He would. Then I was ready to go because I knew that my Father has already started provid-ing. I knew this because earlier on, through my aunt, He provided 1200 KSH which was enough for a six-day bus fare. This was wonderful because our baby was there for the six days. On the sixth day at 8:00 a.m., I was right at the doctor’s office waiting patiently to be given the patient discharge form with the treatment total cost. After waiting for some minutes, one of the nurses came. She called me and asked, “Are you the father of Stephen Ketikai?”

“Yes,” I replied. “Here is the discharge form with the total service cost of your baby’s treatment,” she said. This shocked me. It showed a total cost of 120,000 KSH. I had two cows that I sold at a price of 37,000 KSH in total. That’s all the money that I had. I went back to the seat and prayed. While I was praying, something came to my mind.

12 SFMI Update

I remembered the five loaves of bread and two fish. How many men were fed? Oh! Now I knew that what I had is what I would give. So, I went back to the doctor and told him what I do (preacher) and that I have no salary. I also told him what I had managed to bring as a payment for the service. He quickly asked how much I had. I answered 37,000 KSH. He shook his head and asked me to give him back the forms, which I did. He said to sit and wait for him to see if he could do something to help.

After half an hour, he came back with the forms and gave them to me. He also escorted me to the man in the office where the money is collected. He said that the amount owing was 32,702 KSH. I gave the money to the cashier. He gave me the receipts and said, “You can now go home with your child.”

As I was walking to the ward I was singing, “Hal-lelujah” to my Lord and Savior because He is mighty! He provides whenever His servant is in need. I took my wife with our baby back home. Truly this is the day God has me rejoice!

This is a day I will not forget because that day many of my relatives and neighbors were laughing at me saying, “Now let’s see how that God of his will help pay such an amount!” But for sure my faithful God provided, and He put to shame the neighbors and relatives who were laugh-ing at me!

Therefore, Brethren, let’s abide in Him (God), for His promises are true; He never lies. The apostle Paul wrote in his epistle to the Philippians (4:4) telling them rejoice in the Lord always––so do I! And let’s give our bodies as living and acceptable sacrifices unto our God (Romans 12:1-2). God is faithful and never fails.

The next day, August 21st, I proceeded to an overnight prayer that was prepared by brethren of different denomi-nations. When I got there, I was overjoyed to see such a gathering of more than 450 people who were waiting for me to teach them. Thank God; He is faithful and timely!

May the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Your brother in Him,John Ketikai, a co-worker of Jim Lucas

BangladeshJack Burwell Family

The weather is cooler,

and that’s been nice. When it is cooler, the power seems to go out less often and for shorter periods. We are entering the dry season; so the rain is infrequent, which means the sewage stays in the canals and off of the streets.

Poor health continues to be a problem; it seems like two of us are always

sick with something, thankfully nothing serious.Our Bangla lessons continue of course, and we are

sometimes surprised to discover that we know more than we realize Austin is doing a great job keeping us moving through the curriculum and keeping it interesting. Okay interesting is a bit strong, but we haven’t gone mad learn-ing about the ablative case, post positions, or that crazy little verb “ache.”

Chandra Barnard from our fellowship in Powell, Wyo-ming accompanied Austin on his return from the States. We were impressed with how well she handled the rigors of traveling half way around the globe. She and Austin were compelled to purchase a flight from Dhaka to Cox’s Bazaar because of hartal violence on the roadways; this portion of the trip normally takes twelve hours by bus. After a very short recovery time she was out exploring Cox’s Bazaar and taking in the culture firsthand. Much to our delight they brought with them luggage packed with wonderful luxuries from our beloved brethren. Tracy and I received the most wonderful set of sheets, so wonderful that I can’t tell if I am living in a third world country or in a luxury hotel. Most wonderful of all is the message of love conveyed by all of the wonderful gifts. Chandra will be leaving for home on Nov. 25th.

Hartal violence seems to be escalating. The cur-rent government has been in power beyond the time that is constitutional and will not allow a caretaker govern-ment until the new elections in December, so the opposi-tion which is more fundamentally religious and in favor of stronger anti-blasphemy laws etc. forces country-wide shut- downs called hartals. Public transportation is a favor-ite target for their fire bombs. Around 300 have been killed this year, many of them children; they have little regard for who is on the bus when they light it. There were five killed near here, and two police officers were kidnapped; so the violence is not confined to the big cities.

The other day the girls went to the shobjee bajar (vegetable market). When I heard load speakers and chanting men, I went out to get them so that they would not get caught in the protest that was coming their way. As I quickly made my way to where I thought they would be, I found myself right in the middle of the demonstration walking with about a thousand men who were chanting and shaking their fists in the air. I was walking faster than they were so I was making my way to the front of the crowd until one guy grabbed my arm and along with his stuck it up in the air as though I were part of his group and started shouting whatever it was they were shouting. I was shocked when the words, “Ami shobye bondu!” (I am everyone’s friend) came out of my mouth as natural as “pass the butter;” and he said, “Okay, no problem” and let me go. I wasn’t able to find the girls; but when I got home, I learned that they went to a different market and came home another way and were oblivious to the protest.

Things will very likely get worse as the current gov-ernment has cracked down on public assembly; they have shut off the water supply to the opposition leader’s home and arrested several party leaders. I think we will be fine as

SFMI Update 13

McDaniel and Wes Spurling will visit in this month).Greetings from Myanmar. This is our discipleship

training class pictures for you. The Lord is good to us. Praise the Lord. You have sent me the subject of Discipleship Training manual. It is very useful and meaningful for all my students here. It is inspired sub-ject. Please share these pictures to Shield of Faith Mission International all staff members and pray for us. Thanks

Fulfilling the Great Commission through establishing the New Testament Churches together.

Together we can

make great impact. Your prayer is greatly appreciated.

Training the labor-ers for the work of harvest mission fields together,

Brother Joseph PuiaYangon

BoliviaBooher Family

(Excepts from a recent letter from the Booher family in Bolivia)

Hello Everyone,We would like to start out by telling you about our long

journey to the southern part of Bolivia. We were gone five days and covered 1,300 miles by bus, train, and 4 x 4! We saw some of the most spectacular scenery we have ever

long as I am careful to not join any more parades, but we do ask for prayer in this matter. These people are brutal; as I pointed out, they have burned several children to death on the buses, and they apparently like to hamstring the com-mon people who are sympathetic to the other side.

We have not seen Limon for more than two weeks except for brief glimpses we catch of him before he is herded back behind the wall where he lives. We fear that our efforts toward him and our persistence may have caused him more trouble. Please pray for Limon; we don’t know what happens to him there, but we know he is afraid of those people and even of his own mother. It is difficult to not be overcome by frustration and anger so please help us by prayer to find grace in this situation. Our eyes burn with tears every time we think or speak of him. We don’t know for sure what is going on or who is doing what; everyone is so unreliable. Please help us; we are all grieved.

For one hour two days a week Hannah and Caley are now teaching English to six through eighth grades in the school on the first floor of our building. I continue to meet with Mabhub regularly, and he remains inquisitive about the main themes of the Bible; but he is such a nervous, hyper guy. It is difficult to get him immobilized long enough to answer any of his questions thoroughly. Mabhub is the director of the school in which Hannah and Caley are teaching.

Austin and I have Bible stud-ies with Suranjit three nights a week. We also have monthly Bible studies with eight brothers from outlying areas. I believe I men-tioned in my last report that I had given Bibles to seven Muslim men who I met through Chutan, one of Mabhub’s friends. They all came to the apartment for about an hour and a half to hear an introduction to the Bible and to discuss ques-tions they have. They said that

they would like to meet for two hours once a week. They seem very interested in hearing what the main theme of the Bible is, so next meeting we will cover the making of man in the image of God. We were pleased to note that they did not seem the least bit disturbed when we shared with them some of the scriptures showing Jesus to be the son of God.

Blessings to you beloved from God the Father,Jack, Tracy, Caley, Hannah, Emily, Jackson, & Isaac

Myanmar(The discipleship training booklet seems to be in good use this year. Skip Voetberg has had it translated into French for use in Togo/Ghana. We have sent it by email to Joseph in Myanmar and Francis Yeye in Kenya. Jim Lucas has taken copies for his upcoming trip as well. Praise the Lord for the solid teaching of the word and the role this “cur-riculum” plays in growing disciples of the Lord Jesus! Fol-lowing is a note from Joseph in Myanmar where Richard

14 SFMI Update

seen in our lives and were able to see mountains in both Argentina and Chile from afar!

After arriving in Uyuni, Monday morning we secured a guide service for our three-day, two-night adventure. The first day we spent on the world’s largest salt flats, sixteen times larger than those in Utah. It was like driving on a sea of white... incredible. You can take the most amazing optical illusion pictures because it is so flat and white. (Carla is going to do a blog or two about the trip if you want to see lots more pictures). For a full account of the trip, go to BoohersinBoliviablog.

It was an amazing time to witness the beauty of God’s creation. Our whole trip was spent at above 12,000 ft elevation. One thing that struck me was that here we were in the middle of nowhere, where God had created these amazing beauties and wonders, and it would seem that He did it just for Himself because really not many people get to see this place as it is sooo remote and inaccessible. God was so extravagant with His beauty when He created the earth. It was good to return to civilization after three days of “roughing it.” The things we were able to see were worth all of the rough roads and discomforts! Thank you for praying for us on this once-in-a-lifetime journey!

While we were gone, Leo’s (our first to arrive CDA baby) adoptive parents came to visit him for the first time! Tia told us that it went well, and they both seemed to enjoy each other. I am sure there will be many more visits before he goes home with them permanently. We are going to miss him when he goes, but are happy that he will have a permanent home before we return to the States!

We would like to ask for prayer for our neighbor’s unmarried daughter who had a baby a couple weeks ago. She went to La Paz to hide the fact that she was pregnant knowing that her mother would not approve. She left her baby girl in La Paz in an orphanage and returned home very sad. Thankfully, she had a change of heart, went back to La Paz, was able to reverse the paperwork and brought her baby home. Her mother, who knew nothing about it, when she saw her daughter with the infant, was in shock. This family lives directly behind us; their house is actually attached to ours. Please pray that we will know how to minister to them. Lizette is eighteen, and the father of the child is nineteen. The mother, Ramona, is a dear believer and has been very grieved by this whole situation.

Another prayer request: Rudi and the oldest children would like to play music and pass out tracks in Plaza Principal. It will be a chance to share the gospel and practice their Spanish! Please pray that their times there will be blessed and the listeners will have open hearts.

Isaiah 55:17: “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgement thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.”

Much love, Rudi, Carla, and family

Throughout our earthly pilgrimage, a key ingredient for the most desirable and, by the grace of God, attainable Christian experience is joy, which comes to us when the Holy Ghost lives in us, undergirding our daily walk and whole Christian life. Joy is simple, free of cares, resting in the Father’s goodness. It flies free above the burdens and complexities of life. It is a constant fountain, overflowing to others, that they might see Him who is the source of joy in us. Joy is a bi-product of a holy life, of living in purity. It is in direct contrast to the sorrow and low spiritedness of this world of sin, and the short-lived happiness of the heathen based on pleasant circumstances and short-lasting prosperity. The joy of the Lord, which is our strength,1 is the way to constant victory!

When this divine joy first came to my heart, the long night of sorrowing over my sins and the guilt I experienced immediately ended, and the righteousness of God dawned in me through the faith of Christ. “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” 2 Now in Christ I am no longer under the burden of sin because I have been forgiven through the precious blood of Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior! Now I can rejoice evermore 3 as the Scripture commands because the joy of the Lord is now in me: I am a new creature in Christ, old things are passed away, and all things are become new.4

Joy is the heavenly cheer that Jesus told the disciples to have because He had overcome the world. “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” 5 When we choose to obey the Lord and rejoice, we will not be moved by the circumstances which God will surely allow to test us. “Tribulation worketh patience.” 6 God is working in us both to will and do of His good pleasure.7 He is conforming us to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ.8 Now when we experience in this world the tribulation which Christ promised we would suffer and we purpose to be joyful in the midst of it, living above our troubles as He did, not only do we overcome; but we also stand out as different from the world around us which is continually sinking in despair (even if for a moment they appear to be happy). As we are upheld by God through the gift of His joy, unbelievers will marvel at us as a modern miracle of God; and we will be an inspiration and an encouragement to our Christian brethren who suffer as we do.

When the Scripture commands us to rejoice in the

The Fruit of the Spirit: Joy!

By Brendan Booher

SFMI Update 15

Lord always,9 it is not making an unreasonable demand. The saint can always rejoice because he has the Spirit of Christ dwelling in him. He rejoices first of all because he has been forgiven. The Bible tells us that only Christ can purge our sins and redeem us. Having been saved from a life of fleshly indulgence (which brought condemnation and sorrow to our hearts), in Him we are free to live in holiness all the days of our lives! Secondly, we can rejoice knowing that “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” 10 There is nothing that we go through which God cannot and does not use in the process of making us more like Jesus. Even when we fail ourselves, we can rejoice because we have ongoing forgiveness in Christ through His blood.11 And when we fail, God uses our failure to humble us, for we realize once again that we are not what we, in our pride, thought we were.

When we pass through circumstances contrary to that for which we had hoped, we can rejoice because we are experiencing a taste of what our Lord suffered: He was a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.12 Remember, “The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.” 13 Joy is true happiness which is founded in our One Great Circumstance, God! And He changeth not: “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and forever.” 14 When we enter into His joy, we need never be moved because He is never moved. We need never be discouraged, because God Himself “joys over us with singing”.15 We do however need to seek Him at all times for His presence––in which there is fullness of joy––to be realized in us. Even as David did, who, when things went sour, encouraged himself in the Lord.

When we really believe that Jesus has overcome the world, we will be encouraged. So saints, let us believe. “All things are possible to him that believeth.” 16 Let us not be as the children of Israel, who stumbled around in unbelief, doubting the goodness of God, longing after the flesh pots of Egypt when they were on their way to the promised land that flowed with milk and honey. Many saints, like Israel, underestimate God’s goodness and are afflicted with an appetite for the things of this world because they haven’t caught a heavenly vision. They haven’t realized the wastefulness of living below from below, instead of living below from above. For we who are saved are, right now, seated with Christ in heavenly places! 17 The Proverbs declare that “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he”.18 For the saint, keeping the law is walking according to God’s Word in the power of the Holy Spirit. And in order to walk according to His Word, we need to be in it, soaking it up, and the reality of what it teaches will be our experience as God works in us for His glory. We will then be numbered among those of whom the Psalm declares: “In thy name shall they rejoice all the day.” 19

Peter describes the life which the faith-filled Christian experiences as “joy unspeakable and full of glory.” 20 It is unspeakable because it is not of this world, and therefore the world doesn’t understand it. And even for the saint, there is no language which can fully express it. Truly

though, when we live above our circumstances in Christ’s joy, it is a testimony to God’s miraculous working in the heart that is yielded to Him. The world turns to things and fleshly relationships to get cheered when circumstances go south, but the believing saint looks up to God Who has promised to never leave us nor forsake us! 21 And as we look to God, we are able to go along rejoicing because He puts the ability to do so in our hearts as we choose to believe His many promises.

“They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.” 22 The disciple of Christ will be daily rewarded with joy for giving up a life of pleasure on earth, to store up treasures in heaven; 23 taking up our cross daily, 24 as our Lord taught us. During our days on earth, we will without a doubt experience tears coming from a broken heart, springing out of daily disappointments; but beneath those tears and much more abundant is the joy with which God upholds us through our short-lived grief. And by and by we will be singing praise to Him who maketh all things new and gives joy in place of mourning.25

In regard to our Christian homes and meetings, we would do well to consider God’s displeasure of Israel’s solemn appearances, recorded in the book Amos (5:21), in order not to be as they were. Their long facedness was not seen by God as holiness. Rather, it sprang from a lack of a vibrant relationship with our heavenly Father and a loving relationship with His people! Somberness does not please God, but an outward, cheerful expression of an inward, joyful heart does! David even danced before the Lord at the bringing in of the ark of God. How much more should we dance and leap for joy who bear the precious name of Christ! When the Bible tells us that “all the days of the afflicted are evil,” 26 it is warning us to not allow the cares, burdens and troubles of life, and the frustration we feel through disappointment with the lack of performance of others (and our own) turn us into a group of long-faced, heavy-hearted mourners, living in dullsville. How would anyone be attracted to that way of life or see anything desirable about that? But he that winneth souls is wise! Then follows an insight into the reality of the life God has called us to in Christ: “But he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.” He has a merry heart

1. Because he prays often, giving all his concerns to God.27

2. Because He trusts God to do the impossible and leaves the outcome of all things to God.

3. Because he doesn’t stay offended when offences come but forgives, forgets and moves on.

4. Because he doesn’t try to play Holy Spirit in other people’s lives and lets God deal with them (being satisfied with what He does) as their Father “to his own master he standeth or falleth.” 28

5. Because he trusts completely in God’s complete forgiveness.

6. Because he chooses to believe that God is good even when hard times come.

7.Because he is obedient to the Word of God, Continued on back page...

16 SFMI Update

Shield of Faith Mission InternationalP.O. Box 144

Bend, Oregon, 97709

Return Service Requested

Non-profit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDBend, OregonPermit No. 118

The Fruit of the Spirit, continued from page 15

regardless of the cost. Before every one who loves Jesus is limitless

possibility for blessing. If we are to really live the life that God has planned for us during our short time on this passing earth, we must live joyfully, which again is our choice. Paul prayed, as we may also, that we might be “strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness.” 29 Let us not rest until we have obtained this way of living. Let us not rob God of the glory He deserves, nor rob those around us of the blessing that we can provide by being a happy people. Neither let us, through rejecting His gift of joy, rob ourselves of God’s promised, daily, heavenly experience which will pass our comprehension. The fruit of the Spirit, joy, is observed in God’s people in numerous ways. 1. It makes us pleasant to be around. 2. It sweetens and makes delightful our short times of fellowship with others (short until we get to glory). 3. It can win our family’s hearts to ourselves and to our Lord. 4. It gives others a glimpse of God. 5. It turns a cloudy day into a day of sunshine. 6. It encourages other saints in their troubles, pointing their eyes up to heaven. 7. It makes life a delight rather than a dull and sordid thing that one might hope would soon be over. This joy that we bear about in these temporal, broken vessels of ours is just a taste of what is to come in heaven, where we will soon be forever!

endnotes1 Nehemiah 8:102 Psalm 30:53 1Thessalonians 5:164 2 Corinthians 5:175 John 16:336 Romans 5:37 Philippians 2:138 Romans 8:299 Philippians 4:410 Romans 8:2811 1John 1:912 Isaiah 53:313 Matthew 10:2414 Hebrews 13:815 Zephaniah 3:1716 Mark 9:2317 Ephesians 2:618 Proverbs 28:1919 Psalm 89:1620 1 Peter 1:821 Hebrews 13:522 Psalm 126:523 Matthew 6:2024 Luke 9:2325 Isaiah 61:326 Proverbs 15:1527 1 Peter 5:728 Romans 14:429 Colossians 1:11