In the Kingdom - Latest Comments

Re: The Front Page Stories of Heaven

Tsquare21 — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 15:09:29 -0000

A Prayer From Jesus

Jesus has giving this task to me. For someone has to tell you,

You ARE, going to hell

Why? You ask. You believed man instead of what Jesus has established as salvation. For those who do not want to end up in the lake of fire Pray this prayer

These are the last days, This is your last chance.
Pray the Prayer from Jesus, and KNOW!

- A PRAYER FROM JESUS -

This prayer is from Jesus that we may hear from Him, that He may speak to our hearts. It only consist of three simple steps.

1, We need to read one scripture. This will focus us in the word that brings everlasting life.

2, Since this prayer is from Jesus we need to direct our prayer to Him personally. Too often Christian focuses they're prayer's to G_D or Father. Scripture proclaims, that Jesus also should be the focus of our prayer.

3, The simplest part of this Prayer is to ask Jesus one question. Please, all that is required for this question is that it should be simple. Let Jesus Himself finish the question when He gives you that understanding through this prayer.
The PRAYER

A) The scripture that is the focus of this prayer is "ACTS 2:38". It's not necessary to do any study into this scripture. Jesus will give you the understanding that will resonate in your heart. Just read Acts 2:38, keep it in your heart and take this one scripture to prayer

B) The most important part of this prayer is that we need to direct our prayer directly to Jesus. If you normally would say Father in your prayer, change your focus from the Father to Jesus, by lifting Jesus name up every time you would normally use Father in your prayer.

C) Maybe the hardest part of this prayer is the question that we need to ask Jesus. For man is always trying to understand the question, instead of listening to the answer. The simplest question is all that is required.

Simply ask Jesus, 'WHY'?

For those who are obedient
Tsquare777(at)gmail.com

Re: Among the Unreached: Children’s Education

Susan Hoar — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 06:30:53 -0000

I think you did a good job of explaining your specific situation, and how many issues of family require extra prayer and adaptation when you are trying to serve God in a cross cultural situation. This is just one of the scenarios no one really talked during our preparation in Bible school. :) We have all found out that flexibility and love and forgiveness are keys, so we can make everything work for our families as we endevour to serve and stay. Seemingly easy decisions become harder out here, because often the choices are limited or don't include a "best" option. I am so glad you found options that are working for your kids, and I am so glad you are perservering with us to reach Thailand for Jesus. May the Lord continue to bless you guys as you rejoice in the hope of the manifestation of the Glory of God--both in Thailand and around the world.
Blessings,
Susan Hoar

Re: Kept Out of Mission

spreadtheflame — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 04:29:15 -0000

Thanks for the great input Karl. I have some friends who found a great spouse while they were serving God overseas. They never missed a beat and have a fruitful ministry together now. Yes, definitely start moving and keep moving. I was always told, "It's hard to steer a parked car"!

Re: Kept Out of Mission

Karl Dahlfred — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 23:13:01 -0000

Hey John, great post. You have quite a comprehensive list there but since you asked for more input, here are a couple more items that I think sometimes prevent people from going to the mission field:

1) Waiting to Get Married First
Some people have this idea that once they go to the mission field, the pool of people whom they could possibly marry is going to shrink to almost nil, so they wait around in their home country for that special someone. Besides keeping people from going to the mission field, it also makes a person desperate and displays a low degree of confidence in God's sovereignty. In some ways it is easier to find a committed mission minded spouse on the mission field because the mission community is usually small and anyone you meet there is already committed to mission by virtue of the fact that they are there.

2) Not Knowing What to Do
I sometimes meet (or get emails from) people who are interested in missions but don't know where to start or what to do. They seem to dwell in a cloud of vagueness and can't take the first step toward becoming a missionary because they haven't done any investigation. I usually say to them, "What are you interested in? What do you like to do? How are you serving in your church now?". When I get those answers, I say "Well, talk to your church and get your church leaders advice. If your church is part of a denomination, check out the denominational mission agency. Also, get online or call up some different mission organizations, tell them where you are at, and what you are thinking, and see if they have any opportunities. Get their advice so you at least have some info to work with as you think about charting the course ahead." In sum, "Don't just stand there! Do something!"

Re: Kingdom or Organizational?

Dustan E. Stanley — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 04:23:10 -0000

I like this post a lot. Imagine how successful the Kingdom would be if we were all focused on it's advancement rather than JUST our own. I can learn a lot from this post. Thanks John.

Re: Missions Prep: Balance and Alignment

Karl Dahlfred — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 19:25:57 -0000

Great post. Intro story really drew me in. Solid advice for those entering into missins or already there

Re: Thoughts on Missions Preparation

Stephanie Blake — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 11:46:24 -0000

This was great John and oh so true!! I look forward to reading more.

Re: The Challenge of Living Between Two Worlds

spreadtheflame — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 02:57:50 -0000

Thanks for your comment Stephen. I would like to know what experience you are answering from. Are you currently serving overseas as a missionary? Do you have a wife and children with you?

I don't think the NT is outdated at all, but I do believe that part of exegesis is determining the context that certain Scriptures were written in and to whom they were to written to.

I think we can see that Paul himself was self protecting at times, even as a single man with no else to care for but himself. He fled cities and was let down under the cover of darkness over the side of a wall to escape death. Peter was let out of prison and escaped to another city. Why am I saying this? Because they were both God ordained instances of self preservation. If he had no choice he would have gladly faced death, but because of the choice, he chose safety.

Today, we are presented with options for the safety, well being, and security of our own. I believe that since we have options in that regard, we are obliged to make use of them, especially when we are the leaders over our wives and children. If we don't have the options, like many of our forefathers didn't have, we would chose to gladly lay down our lives for the Gospel.

I Tim 5:8 is a now word that is binding to all who are working cross culturally for the Gospel.

Tell me where you think we differ and the reasons why according to your application of the Scriptures.

Re: The Challenge of Living Between Two Worlds

Stephen Rice — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 02:37:36 -0000

John,

You said,
"To have all this access opened up now and not be willing to use it, is to neglect our family. It is to open ourselves up to criticism and rebuke from the other world from which we came. It is not the challenge that our forefathers faced nor is it the challenge that our fellow brothers and sisters in our mission field face. It is the challenge that comes from living between two worlds.

In one way, we are both fully identified with our mission field, but we are also fully identified with our “passport country.” We answer to both."

-and-

"I do believe that our God still send Western families cross culturally in the 21st century despite the new challenges faced. I also believe that He has made provision for them there, will give them grace and help, and if need be, the grace to endure. But I believe what we SHOULD endure and what we MUST endure are two different things.

In the 21st century, the “should” and the “must” have changed for the missionary."

I am not so sure that I fully agree with you on this one, John. It may be the popular thought among many Western pastors and teachers, but I can't find much backing for the principle in the Bible. Some may think that the advice in the New Testament is outdated, but without the Biblical confirmation, I simply cannot justify in my heart what others may try to justify in their minds.

Re: Francis Chan

Stephen Rice — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 02:08:28 -0000

Very good video!

Re: The Failure of Christian Humanism in Thailand

spreadtheflame — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 21:28:35 -0000

If God's will is always done then why does Jesus teach his disciples to pray "thy Kingdom come, THY WILL BE DONE"? Why even pray at all? The fact is that God's will is not always done on this Earth.

How is God's will done when a little Jewish girl has her eyes burned out by a red hot poker just before she is slaughtered by Nazis during WWII. Was that God's will being done? I don't think so. There are other forces at work that God has not ordained nor does He sanction. That's why we PRAY, "thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven."

I understand your classical Reformed position, though I strongly disagree with it. But thank you for fulfilling you predestined task by commenting here on the blog. (haha. jk.)

Re: The Failure of Christian Humanism in Thailand

Alvin Mullins — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 14:31:46 -0000

As a reformed Christian, my first thought was of course this is what you get when you preach a different gospel. I disagree however with the sentiment that this has caused people to be damned. It presumes that God's chosen would have been saved had it not been for the lack of focus on the gospel.

God has predestined those for saving and whoever in Thailand or anywhere else that comes to him it is by his will. As the Heidelberg Catechism says: "...not a hair falls from my head that He does not ordain..."

Re: How Long Does It Take to Learn A New Language?

spreadtheflame — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 03:56:26 -0000

Thai is one of those languages where nothing is like English. The alphabet, structure, ways of speaking are all different. There is a whole different specialized vocabulary that expresses religious thought as well as formal situations. This is one of the most frustrating aspects of missionary life and will generally make or break a person's effectiveness long term.

Re: The Failure of Christian Humanism in Thailand

spreadtheflame — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 03:37:53 -0000

Amen to that last sentence Karl. Thanks for the insights as well.

Re: The Failure of Christian Humanism in Thailand

Karl Dahlfred — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 01:16:02 -0000

the American Presbyterian missionaries in Thailand in the 180os rocked the house with clear Gospel proclamation and evangelism, at the same time that they started some schools, medical clinics, etc. alongside the primary church planting mission. However, as we head into the early 20th century, the fundamentalist-modernistic controversy and rise of social gospel influenced the type of missionaries being sent out. As the home denomination (the now PCUSA although it was named differently back then) became more liberal, it resulted in their missionaries focusing more on schools and hospitals, hence the results today. That said, I am very thankful to both the early American Presbyterians that got things going, as well as the faithful Thai ministers who have stayed true to the Gospel despite their denomination changing around them.

Re: What is the 10/40 Window?

spreadtheflame — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 10:03:53 -0000

Thank you Babu.

Re: What is the 10/40 Window?

Vahinisuresh2000 — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 09:09:55 -0000

Great. You did pretty well, John! Its really thought provoking, informative and inspiring. I am glad to show this site to my christian friends. God bless your efforts.