The Mother Who Prayed

The Mother Who Prayed

Then Jesus answered and said to her, "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

— Matthew 15:28

When we are praying for something that we believe is the will of God, we should not give up. Keep asking, keep seeking, and keep knocking—that is what Jesus told us to do.

In fact, when Jesus saw the great faith of a mother from Canaan who was doing this very thing, He gave her carte blanche, so to speak: "Let it be to you as you desire."

This mother believed that what she was asking was the will of God, and she would not give up.

Maybe you, like this mother, have a child who is under the devil's influence today. He or she has rejected your influence, at least for now. It is tough, because you have raised this child in the ways of the Lord. The very thing you have prepared your child for—to become independent—has happened. My advice is, hold on. You will come through it.

That thing you may believe is the worst-case scenario might be the step toward bringing your child to a true, heartfelt faith. The rebellion may be difficult to endure right now. But it also may be short-term, and it may be what it takes to bring your child to a place of realizing his or her own need for Jesus Christ.

Our kids need to get these convictions in their hearts as their convictions, not just as Mom or Dad's convictions. It may mean a detour into the land of the prodigals. It may mean hitting bottom. But don't give up. Keep praying. Our children can escape our presence, but they cannot escape our prayers.

God's Fellow Workers

God's Fellow Workers

Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

— 1 Corinthians 3:8

In 1 Samuel 30, we find the story of David leading his men to a successful battle. As they were returning home, those who had stayed behind and watched the camp and the supplies met them. But some of the troublemakers who had fought in the battle didn't want to give any of the spoils of the battle to those who stayed by the camp.

I love what David said: "But as his part is who goes down to the battle, so shall his part be who stays by the supplies; they shall share alike" (verse 24).

Whether God has called you to serve Him in such a way that people see you, or whether He has called you to serve Him by supporting others who are seen, God will bless you and reward you in that final day.

Maybe you feel as though your life isn't really making a difference or that what you have to offer God doesn't mean all that much. You will be in for some surprises in heaven, because what may not seem very valuable on earth will be of great value in heaven.

I read a story about a man who found an old, blue-and-white vase while he was cleaning his attic. He took it to the auction to sell it, thinking he would probably get $20, $30, or maybe even $100 for it. To his utter amazement, the vase sold for $324,000. It was an original, 15th-century vase from the Ming dynasty.

What may not seem that valuable now will be later. Until then, we need to be faithful with what God has given us to do.

Persecution in India

This is the email I received from my friends here in India.
URGENT PRAYER REQUEST!
AUGUST 27, 2008
Dear beloved sponsors and friends of Good News India,

We have never seen anything like this.

We knew that Orissa was the most resistant and hostile State in India as far as the Gospel is concerned. And we brushed off the continuous threats and harassment we faced as we went about His work.

But none of our staff imagined that they would see this kind of carnage....

And it seems to be totally under the radar of the Western Media.... Let me explain....

A militant Hindu priest and 4 of his attendants, who were zealously going around the villages of Orissa and "reconverting" people back to Hinduism, were gunned down by unknown assailants in Central Orissa last weekend.

Immediately the Christians were blamed. The cry rose up..."Kill the Christians!"

And the horror began....

In the past 4 days, we have first hand witness to hundreds of churches being blown up or burned and many, many dozens of Christian tribals have been slaughtered. For no other reason than they bear the name of Christ.

Night and day I have been in touch with our Good News India Directors spread across 14 Dream Centers in Orissa... they are right in the middle of all this chaos.

In Tihidi, just after the police came to offer protection, a group of 70 blood-thirsty militants came to kill our staff and destroy the home. They were not allowed to get in, but they did a lot of damage to our Dream Center by throwing rocks and bricks and smashing our gate, etc. They have promised to come back and "finish the job." Our kids and staff are locked inside and have stayed that way with doors and windows shut for the past 3 days. It has been a time of desperately calling on the Lord in prayer. More police have come to offer protection.

In Kalahandi, the police and some local sympathizers got to our dream center and gave our staff and kids about 3 minutes notice to vacate. No one had time to even grab a change of clothes or any personal belonging. As they fled, the blood thirsty mob came to kill everyone in the building. We would have had a mass funeral there, but for His grace.

In Phulbani, the mob came looking for Christian homes and missions. The local Hindu people, our neighbors turned them away by saying that there were no Christians in this area. So they left. We had favor. The same thing happened in Balasore.

All our dream centers are under lock down with the kids and staff huddled inside and police outside. The fanatics are circling outside waiting for a chance to kill.

Others were not so fortunate. In a nearby Catholic orphanage, the mob allowed the kids to leave and locked up a Priest and a computer teacher in a house and burned them to death. Many believers have been killed and hacked into pieces and left on the road.... even women and children.

At another orphanage run by another organization, when this began, the Director and his wife jumped on their motorbike and simply fled, leaving all the children and staff behind. Every one of our GNI directors that I have spoken to said: "We stay with our kids.... we live together or die together, but we will never abandon what God has called us to do."

More than 5000 Christian families have had their homes burned or destroyed. They have fled into the jungles and are living in great fear waiting for the authorities to bring about peace. But so far, no peace is foreseen. This will continue for another 10 days.... supposedly the 14 day mourning period for the slain Hindu priest. Many more Christians will die and their houses destroyed. Many more churches will be smashed down.

The Federal government is trying to restore order and perhaps things will calm down. We ask for your prayers. Only the Hand of God can calm this storm. None of us know the meaning of persecution. But now our kids and staff know what that means. So many of our kids coming from Hindu backgrounds are confused and totally bewildered at what is happening around them. So many of their guardians have fled into the jungles and are unable to come and get them during these trying times.

Through all this, I am more determined than ever to continue with our goal: the transformation of a community by transforming its children. Orissa will be saved... that is our heart's cry. If we can take these thousands of throw away children and help them to become disciples of Jesus, they will be transform an entire region. It is a long term goal, but it is strategic thinking in terms of the Great Commission.

What can you do? First, please uphold all this in fervent prayer. Second, pass this e-mail on to as many friends as you can. We must get the word out and increase our prayer base for this is spiritual warfare at its most basic meaning. We are literally fighting the devil in order to live for His Kingdom.

The next 10 days are crucial. We pray for peace and calm to pervade across Orissa.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. Please pass it on and help us to get as many people to partner with us on this cutting edge effort to fulfill His mandate: Go and make disciples of all nations....

Blessings!
Dr. Faiz Rahman
Chairman/Founder
Good News India

Lord of All

Lord of All

"So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple."

— Luke 14:33

It was George Bernard Shaw who said, "There are two sources of unhappiness in life. One is not getting what you want. The other is getting it."

This statement reminds me of the rich young ruler who came to Jesus seeking answers. Here was a man who, of all men, should have been content and fulfilled. He had great influence and affluence.

Yet in spite of all his accomplishments, there was something missing in his life. He asked, "Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?"

Jesus told him, "If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments." Jesus was not implying that by keeping the Ten Commandments one would be saved. Rather, Jesus held the Ten Commandments up as a mirror to this man to show him his sin.

The ruler replied, "All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?"

I think Jesus probably smiled at this. He saw what this man was really all about. So He took it up a notch and said, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."

Jesus knew the problem with this young ruler was that possessions had possessed his soul. But Jesus just as easily could have said something completely different to someone else. What is really holding someone back from Christ and further spiritual progress can vary from person to person.

We would do well to come before Jesus and ask, "Lord, is there anything in my life that is getting in the way of my relationship with You?"

His Will, Not Mine

His Will, Not Mine

He went on a little farther and fell face down on the ground, praying, "My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will, not mine."

— Matthew 26:39

There are some people who teach that we should never pray, "Not my will, but Yours be done," because it supposedly voids what you have just prayed for.

What nonsense. If Jesus prayed this, certainly we should follow His example.

He gave us the same pattern in the Lord's Prayer when He said, "May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done here on earth, just as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10). I never need to be afraid to say, "Lord, Your will be done."

Then there are those who say that we should only pray for something once; otherwise, we are demonstrating a lack of faith.

Yet Jesus taught His disciples, "Keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened" (Luke 11:9). We give up far too easily sometimes.

We won't always know the will of God in every situation. Then there are times when we will know the will of God, but we won't like it. Finally, there are times when we will know the will of God, but we don't understand it.

I like what the late D. L. Moody said, "Spread out your petition before God, and then say, 'Thy will, not mine, be done.' " Moody concluded, "The sweetest lesson I have learned in God's school is to let the Lord choose for me."

Have you found that to be true? We must never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.

Why Forgive?

Why Forgive?

Then Peter came to him and asked, "Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?"

— Matthew 18:21

Talk about a person who had been wronged. Joseph's brothers had done all kinds of horrible things to him. They betrayed him, their own flesh and blood, and sold him into slavery.

But through an amazing course of events that were directed by the hand of God, Joseph became the second most powerful man in the world at that time in history.

One day, his brothers were brought before him—the very ones who had betrayed him. With one word, they could have become headless brothers. It could have been payback time for Joseph.
But I love what he said: "Don't be afraid of me. Am I God, to judge and punish you? As far as I am concerned, God turned into good what you meant for evil. He brought me to the high position I have today so I could save the lives of many people" (Genesis 50:19–20).

Did Joseph's brothers deserve to be forgiven? No. But if we resort to that kind of thinking, we must ask ourselves, "Do we deserve to be forgiven by God?" No. So we should forgive as God has forgiven us.

There is no point in burying the hatchet if you're determined to mark the site. Let it go. Forgive. Forget. Put it behind you. Move forward.

If you refuse to forgive people who have wronged you, then you will become a bitter person. The problem with bitterness is that it infects those around you (see Hebrews 12:14–15).

If someone has sinned against you, you must learn to forgive. I know it is not an easy thing to do. But when you forgive someone, you release a prisoner—yourself.

Why Forgive?

Why Forgive?

Then Peter came to him and asked, "Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?"

— Matthew 18:21

Talk about a person who had been wronged. Joseph's brothers had done all kinds of horrible things to him. They betrayed him, their own flesh and blood, and sold him into slavery.

But through an amazing course of events that were directed by the hand of God, Joseph became the second most powerful man in the world at that time in history.

One day, his brothers were brought before him—the very ones who had betrayed him. With one word, they could have become headless brothers. It could have been payback time for Joseph.
But I love what he said: "Don't be afraid of me. Am I God, to judge and punish you? As far as I am concerned, God turned into good what you meant for evil. He brought me to the high position I have today so I could save the lives of many people" (Genesis 50:19–20).

Did Joseph's brothers deserve to be forgiven? No. But if we resort to that kind of thinking, we must ask ourselves, "Do we deserve to be forgiven by God?" No. So we should forgive as God has forgiven us.

There is no point in burying the hatchet if you're determined to mark the site. Let it go. Forgive. Forget. Put it behind you. Move forward.

If you refuse to forgive people who have wronged you, then you will become a bitter person. The problem with bitterness is that it infects those around you (see Hebrews 12:14–15).

If someone has sinned against you, you must learn to forgive. I know it is not an easy thing to do. But when you forgive someone, you release a prisoner—yourself.