The Prophetic Word Ministries International (C) 1999
**Praise the Lord**Praise the Lord**Praise the Lord**Praise the Lord**Praise the Lord**Praise the Lord**
Rev 22:20 ¶ He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
Editor: John GreeneTPWMI EZINE


June, 1999

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From the Editor
The Prophetic Word Ministries International

We are so close to the return of Yashua that I am convinced that the demons know his return and are getting as much misery carried out in the lives of God's people! I know the Scriptures that tell of trials being for a purifying! I know the Scriptures that tell of His power given to those who will believe! I am so sick and tired of seeing friends of my having the trials they are having, friends of my struggling like they are in relationships, in finances, and in all out assaults on their health and well being.

Jesus asked the question, "Will the Son of Man find faith when He returns?" I'm not even going to look it up, you can find it in Luke if you like. With all of the things going on around us, I think Jesus had a very good point in asking that question. Look at all the Scriptures that tell us about the last days. As in the days of Noah, Remember Lot's wife, You shall have perilous times, there shall be a great falling away, just look at all these verses!! When will we see that His return is nearing and that the enemy and his demon horde have one last fling before eternal damnation. Even a demon asked Jesus when He approached the man he had possession of if He has come to torment him before the time.

Yes, I think every last bit of creation knows the times that we are living in except His highest creation, man! The angels know what is happening, demons know what is happening, and here we are sitting back and allowing the trials to challnge our faith even take it away or should I say, "Wave the white flag and surrender it!"

People, it is time to fight for your marriages, to fight for your wives and your husbands, to contend for the faith! Stand up and tell the devil he has lost! Stand tall knowing the power of His Spirit is behind His Word! Stand upright for the truth and don't back down, don't let your emotions carry you to the left or to the right! Stand firm in His power and believe His Word for this day! The demons know the judgment is almost here! The demons know about what is happening in the spirit realm, their time is short, and they are doing their job better than we are doing our job! Disciple all nations!

If you're my friend, you better know that I am praying for you, and if you don't know Yashua as Lord, I am praying for you! Hmmm, that covers everyone doesn't it? Contrary to popular opinion, there's only one Way into eternity and eternal life! That One Way stated clearly that if anyone comes in any other way, around the corner, over the wall, from the back door, any other way except through the Sheep Door, he is a thief and a robber and has no place in eternal life. You don't have to believe this for Jesus to be the Way, the ONLY WAY, but if you choose not to believe it than you have laid the eternal course of your life in your enemies' hands. Again I ask the question of Jesus, "Will the Son of Man find faith when He returns?"

Email me: John the Baptist




From another Net Friend:



    Poem by an African man

    Dear white fella,
    Coupla things you should know
    When I born, I black
    When I grow up, I black
    When I go in sun, I black
    When I cold, I black
    When I scared, I black
    When I sick, I black
    And when I die, I still black.

    You white fella
    When you born, you pink
    When you grow up, you white
    When you go in sun, you red
    When you cold, you blue
    When you scared, you yellow
    When you sick, you green
    and when you die, you grey.
    And you calling me colored?????




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From Around the World

Excerpts from Religion Today, a daily email http://www.religiontoday.com/

African-American and Korean pastors observed the seventh anniversary of the 1992 Los Angeles riots. More than 100 people from the African American/Korean American Christian Alliance gathered for a prayer breakfast in Koreatown April 29. The group, formed in the aftermath of the riots that devastated their communities, sang "Amazing Grace" and read Psalm 133 - "How good it is for brothers to dwell together in unity."

..."We've come a long way," Rev. Lonnie Dawson of New Mt. Calvary Baptist Church said. "We can get along." Similar reconciliation efforts by communities in the city have been abandoned, but the Alliance persevered because ministers from the two groups realized how much they have in common, the Los Angeles Times said. "Whether we are Korean or African American, we have the usual life's concerns: the safety of our children, their education, insurance premiums going up," said Jung Nam Li of Valley Park Korean Baptist Church.

Mongolia's Parliament banned gambling on the advice of Christian groups. Ministries presented a report on the negative effects of gambling addiction to members of the legislature, DAWN Fridayfax said. The members then passed two anti-gambling laws, blocking the opening of a casino in an Ulan Bator hotel. The former communist nation has had a free market economy for nine years, and it is too soon to introduce gambling, said Mongolian Minister of Justice L. Tsog. He said that the associated drug dealing, prostitution, and other crimes would counteract the benefits of the 600 new jobs the casino would have provided.

Tens of thousands of people have become Christians in the west African nation of Cameroon since 1997. About 25 evangelistic teams from several Christian denominations visited more than 1,000 villages in the mostly Muslim northern part of the country. At least 65,000 have responded to the message of Christ, the international evangelism organization AD 2000 and Beyond (see link #1 below) says. In the west, members of the Evangelical Alliance of Cameroon are working with the Jesus film team to follow up on an outreach that distributed 250,000 pieces of gospel literature. The teams have reached 25,000 people in 29 villages. Cameroon has about 12 million inhabitants; 60% call themselves Christian, 24% Muslims, and 12% follow tribal religions.

A Chechen pastor has been murdered, Russian Baptists say. Aleksandr Kulakov, 65, reportedly was decapitated and his head displayed in an outdoor marketplace, Baptist Press said. Some believe that Kulakov, the pastor of a small congregation in Grozny, was taken hostage by radical Muslims when he disappeared March 12. The church's previous pastor, Alexei Sitnikov, was kidnapped in October 1988 and has not been heard from since. Chechen bandits are holding a youth leader from Central Baptist Church in Vladikavkaz for $100,000 ransom; two Orthodox priests were kidnapped in April.

A Christian college in Bethlehem ministers to Messianic Jews, Palestinian believers, and Muslims. Bethlehem Bible College has two- and three-year courses. It has graduated 250 people since it opened in 1979, World Vision (see link #2 below)'s MARC newsletter said.

...The college plays an important role in the Bethlehem community. It built and operates a public library, runs a Christian community center on campus for local believers in Jesus Christ, and ministers to Muslim refugees in nearby camps. "They don't have enough to live on, so we give them food and clothing and send medical teams that come our way," school founder and president Bishara Awad said.

...The ministry demonstrates the peace of Christ in the midst of struggle, MARC said. "Messianic Jews and Palestinian Christians come together all the time to pray and to praise Jesus," Awad says. "When we come together we don't talk about politics, we just worship the Lord Jesus." World Vision awarded Awad the 1998 Robert W. Pierce Award for Christian Service.

Evangelical Christianity continues to grow at a phenomenal rate (see link #3 below) in Ethiopia. About 15.5% of the population are evangelical Christians, up from .8% in 1962, said Assayehegn Berhe, general secretary of the Evangelical Churches Fellowship of Ethiopia. Evangelicals number about 8.7 million people in the nation of 52 million, DAWN Report said. Most denominations train missionaries to reach the 60 ethnic groups in remote regions of the nation that have never heard the message of Christ, Berhe said. Others are preparing to send missionaries to other countries. About 260,000 members of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church are evangelicals. About 150 Muslims reportedly were converted by one man who found an old Bible in his house and believed what he read about Christ.

Muslims reportedly tried to kill Pakistani Christian Ayub Masih in his jail cell. Masih has become the focal point of Christian protest and frustration in the mostly Muslim country since being sentenced to death for blasphemy (see link #4 below) against Mohammed in April 1998. Christians say blasphemy laws are vague and often used to settle grudges against them, Compass Direct News said.

...Masih was convicted based on the testimony of a man with whom he had a land dispute. His sentence caused nationwide protests against the blasphemy laws and led to the suicide of John Joseph, the Roman Catholic archbishop of Faisalabad. Days of rioting and Christian-Muslim violence ensued. Masih's sentence has been suspended while awaiting an appeal before the Lahore High Court. The court reportedly has used legal maneuvers to delay the hearing, his attorney said.

...Two attempts have been made on Masih's life since his arrest in 1996. Most recently, four men reportedly attacked him as he sat in front of his barracks on the final day of Ramadan. Masih called for help and prison guards rescued him before he was seriously harmed. In November 1997, a man tried to shoot him as he waited outside a courtroom. If he is released, Masih likely will have to flee the country for safety.

..."I have never considered that being a Christian was 'unlucky,' " Masih told Compass from jail. "Rather I consider myself 'lucky' because I am suffering for Christ's name." The two assassination attempts, plus a death sentence and last-minute stay of execution have made him a stronger Christian, he said.

A court in Pakistan has dismissed blasphemy charges against a teen-ager who has been through a long ordeal. Saleema (see link #5 below) was arrested in 1997 and accused of converting a classmate to Christianity, a criminal offense in Pakistan. She and her pastor were reportedly tortured, and Saleema was raped while in prison, International Christian Concern said. Raheela, Saleema's friend, was reportedly killed by her brother after she refused to recant her Christian faith and to marry a Muslim man her family had chosen. Saleema was blamed for Raheela's death because of her alleged influence on her religious conversion. A court in Lahore determined that there was insufficient evidence against Saleema, and acquitted her of all charges, International Christian Concern said.

Religious fanaticism is causing problems for Christians in Nepal. Hindus have attacked several churches in remote areas, and missionaries are taking extra precautions, Christian Aid Mission (see link #6 below) said. Newspapers reportedly have accused Christians of "buying" converts and call for the destruction of Christian churches, the Charlottesville, Va.-based ministry says.

...Christians are the victims of hostilities between government troops and Marxist rebels, Mark Albrecht of World Evangelical Fellowship told Religion Today. Rebel strongholds are located in remote areas, where there are many Christians. When the government moves in, "Christians get caught in the crossfire," Albrecht said. Two pastors were killed last year when they were mistaken for Marxist leaders.

...Yet Christianity continues to grow in the Hindu kingdom, between Tibet and India. A home study program has reached more than 145,000 people with the basics of Christianity, Christian Aid Mission said. Native missionaries reportedly hope to recruit and train 100 teams to start churches throughout the country by 2010.

A teacher fired for his religious beliefs has been reinstated. Phillip Hudok refused to enforce the Randolph County, W.Va., Board of Education's policy of requiring students and teachers to wear an identification bracelet for security and safety reasons. They contain the student's name, photo, and an assigned bar code. Hudok said he opposes "the numbering of God's people" and wearing "the mark of the beast," the Rutherford Institute said.

...The Randolph County Board of Education exempted Hudok from wearing the bracelet but fired him for refusing to enforce the policy in his class. "Forcing others to participate in a program that he views as evil and immoral is just as great a burden to Hudok's religion as his own participation in the program," Rutherford attorney Kim Gilmer said. The West Virginia Education and State Employees Grievance Board overruled the Board of Education's decision to fire Hudok and ordered him reinstated with back pay and benefits.

Russia's decision to approve the Jehovah's Witnesses (see link #7 below) will help Christians, religious-rights attorney Lauren Homer told Religion Today. "This is a good development for religious freedom in Russia. It sounds like the system worked and, in this case, the rule of law has triumphed."

....The Justice Ministry last week approved the Jehovah's Witnesses re-registration as a religious organization. A 1997 law required most religious groups to seek official recognition to remain in the country, a requirement criticized by international human rights groups. The Jehovah's Witnesses is now registered under the name "Administrative Center for Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia." The phrase "in Russia" is important because it indicates that the group has been in the country more than 50 years, Homer said.

....Moscow prosecutors are still trying to ban Jehovah's Witnesses from the city. A months-long trial to convict the group of breaking up families and promoting intolerance is under way, Reuters said. A provision in the 1997 law outlaws groups that preach hatred or intolerance. The Jehovah's Witnesses say they have 250,000 adherents in Russia.

....The religious freedom situation in Russia is unpredictable, Homer said. "This is good news for the Jehovah's Witnesses, but there are other things that are not good news." Provincial and city authorities in some regions discriminate against minority religious groups, and anti-Semitism is on the rise, she said.

....The Jesuits recently were denied permission to register. The Ministry of Justice ruled that the Roman Catholic order is a foreign religious group and denied it the right to function in Russia, Keston News Service said. The Jesuits have been in the country since the 18th century and might have been approved if they had better legal advice, Homer said. "From what I can see, it had to do with some technical errors in the way that they applied."

Tanzanian Christians are preaching to Muslims. Graduates of a local Bible institute in the East African nation baptized more than 300 Muslims into the Christian faith last year, San Jose, Calif.-based Partners International said. It provides financial support for the ministry, which is run by a local denomination.

....The denomination trains church planters at a school, and throughout the region through an extension program, PI's Nancy Parks told Religion Today. She did not name the specific area to protect the workers.

....The first 30 graduates spent two months in a Muslim village in which there was no Christian church. About 330 people became Christians through the ministry. "That is a huge number when you are talking about Muslims," said Parks, who has met with church leaders. "They said it is God's time for the Muslims because they have worked so long with so little effect." More than 900 students are enrolled in the program.

A home-school student who won the National Geography Bee credited "study and prayer" for his success. David Beihl of Saluda, S.C., is the first home-schooled student to win the annual contest, which is sponsored by Bank One and the National Geographic Society in Washington, D.C. Beihl, 13, defeated 10 finalists. More than 5 million students aged 10-15 competed in schools across the country to make the trip to the finals. Beihl will receive a $25,000 scholarship and a seven-day trip to Australia.

Go South Carolina!!

Go Home Schooling!!

1. http://www.ad2000.org/
2. http://www.wvi.org
3. http://www.religiontoday.com/Archive/FeatureStory/view.cgi?file=19990217.s1.html
4. http://www.religiontoday.com/Archive/NewsSummary/view.cgi?file=19980429.brf.html
5. http://www.religiontoday.com/Archive/NewsSummary/view.cgi?file=19990329.brf.html
6. http://www.christianaid.org/
7. http://www.religiontoday.com/Archive/NewsSummary/view.cgi?file=19981123.brf.html



Prayer: God moves when the righteous pray!

James 5:16
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.



Please visit the Prayer Page and pray for the requests that people like you around the world have been sending me. Let's approach boldly the mercy seat of Christ Jesus and believe the Lord to answer prayer. he is Lord, so why not come to Him and ask for these petitions. I have listed many needs from missionaries, to special needs such as Shaleema's upcoming execution or the missionaries still captive in South America. Pray for spiritual eyes to be opened!

The Power of Prayer

Survivors of a plane crash in the Pacific Ocean relied on prayer to survive. Three Australians, a Swede, and others prayed with a Seventh-day Adventist minister as they tried to swim for shore, Reuters said. "I called out to people, 'if any of you have faith in God, I would like to pray with you.' So we actually had a prayer in the water," Australian minister Neil Watts said. After six hours swimming in the dark, through jellyfish, heavy rain, and against a strong current, the men came ashore in Port Vila. Seven others are missing in the crash of the Twin Otter Aircraft.

Be a lighthouse of prayer for the Lord to shine His power and brightness into the lives of others!
Shine, Jesus, shine!! lighthousea_.gif   Prison Fellowship  
More than 50,000 Christians marched and prayed in Singapore May 8. People from more than 100 churches gathered for the National Charity Walkathon, pastor Charles Carroll of Community of Praise Baptist Church told Religion Today. They prayed and worshiped in a large field before taking to the streets. "The sight of so many believers worshiping the Lord so joyfully, and then kneeling to pray for our nation was both stunning and inspiring," Carroll said. "We prayed fervently for God's favor upon our land during this time of upheaval and economic crisis in Southeast Asia."

...The rally concluded a two-day seminar for 3,000 church leaders. They gathered at the Singapore Indoor Stadium to hear strategies for "winning their cities to Christ" from Harvest Evangelism's Ed Silvoso and local leaders, Carroll said. Thousands of people pledged to make their homes Lighthouses of Prayer (see link #1 below) by praying regularly for the salvation of their families, neighbors, and national leaders. During a radio broadcast, listeners were encouraged to go outside and pray for those who passed by.

1. http://www.religiontoday.com/Archive/FeatureStory/view.cgi?file=19990317.s1.html


Christianity, and its Persecutions

Authorities in Turkmenistan are cracking down on Christians. About 100 people were questioned during the first week of May, apparently in connection with a three-month operation against local Christians and churches. The Turkmen citizens reportedly were interrogated about their contacts with foreign Christians in the country, Compass Direct News said. One expatriate couple that has worked in the country since 1995 was deported on April 22. Two Protestant churches were ordered to pay large fines in March for holding "unregistered religious meetings," Compass said. The actions are apparent efforts to enforce the Central Asian nation's tightened religion laws, under which only Orthodox Christians and officially sanctioned Sunni Muslims have been granted legal registration, Compass said.

Vietnam will increase its oversight of religious activities. The government's communist leadership decided during a three-day conference last week to strengthen local governments' powers to regulate religion, Reuters said. Officials did not give reasons for the action or describe the additional powers. The country guarantees religious freedom in writing, but strictly regulates religious expression.

...The Communist Party regards organized religion as a threat to its authority, religious leaders said. Authorities strictly regulate traditional religious hierarchies, such as Buddhism and the Roman Catholic Church, and unofficial Protestant house churches have been persecuted, they said. The rapid growth of Pentecostalism among tribal groups in the mountainous regions has alarmed local officials.

...An evangelical minister remains in custody after being arrested last week. Police raided a Hanoi house church May 7 and detained 20 people, including leader Tran Dinh Ai. Most were charged with "breach of peace" and released, but Dinh reportedly still is in custody.



Humor

Internet News Exclusive


Due to widespread panic about the Y2K bug, Internet News has obtained an EXCLUSIVE interview with the one person most to blame for the situation.

**************************************************************


Internet News: We have as our guest today the man whose birthday is the cause of the Y2K predicament, Jesus Christ. What do you have to say for yourself, Jesus?

Jesus Christ: First, let me say that I was terribly flattered to have my birthday turned into the starting date for your calendar.

IN: But isn't it true that your birthday was already being celebrated on December 25th? How is it that our calendar dates from your birthday but January 1st was chosen?

JC: Oh, just a fluke, really. Neither date is correct. It always struck me as funny that, December 25th or January 1st, you choose to celebrate it in the middle of winter. I mean, the shepherds weren't exactly "keeping watch over their flocks by night" in the open fields during winter, were they?

IN: No, I guess they weren't. So, when exactly were you born?

JC: December 28th.

IN: But...

JC: Just kidding. If I told you when I was really born, you would just make another holiday out of it and I think that two birthdays a year are more than enough.

IN: But it will be 2,000 years from the year you were born, right?

JC: That's another thing. There is no year "0" partly because the ancients had no concept of it mathematic- ally but mostly because of all the arguments about whether it would be 0 AD or 0 BC. It became sort of a Y-zero-K situation, so they decided to skip it altogether. One year after 1 BC became 1 AD.

IN: So, year 2000 will actually be your 1,999th birthday.

JC: Well, not exactly. The monk who came up with your calendar used a calculation process called Pentiumnus Calculus to get the starting date. It was close but 5 years off so my human nature is going to be 2,005 years old in the year 2000.

IN: So I guess the whole Y2K problem isn't your fault after all since you were actually born in 5 BC?

JC: 6 BC. Remember to skip year "0".

IN: Ah, yes, sorry. Happy belated birthday, by the way. So, what's in store for the world when the big Y2K hits?

JC: I'm sorry, but I'm not supposed to talk about that. My Father made me promise not to divulge any future events.

IN: Do you think the monk foresaw that we would invent computers just in time for the year 2000 to be a problem?

JC: Perhaps you should interview him. Go easy on him, though. If he had done his calculations right, you'd all be...oops. Almost let that slip.

IN: So, umm, I understand you have a book to plug.

JC: Actually, the Bible has been out for quite a while. I won't ask people to go out and buy a copy since pretty much everyone has one. I'd just ask that they read it more.

IN: And for anyone wishing to get you a belated 2,000th birthday/Christmas present?

JC: Read the book. It'll tell you what I want.

IN: And this is Internet News, signing off.


Some interesting Links:


Justice Fellowship

Prison Fellowship

The AD2000 & Beyond Movement

Overcoming Faith




Send me your prayer requests, humor, testimonies! Maybe next time you'll be in the TPWMI Ezine!!

I love you in Christ Jesus!!

John