Not to speak but to live

We are not looking for an opportunity to speak the Gospel into people's lives. We are looking for an opportunity to live the Gospel with people. Because together with them, we are the Gospel.

Philippians 2.2 "Then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind."

The genuine Gospel is spoken in the Spirit as He touches the hearts of men.

The Gospel Written Not With Ink

The only Gospel message that the world will read is a Gospel message "written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts" (2Co3.3). The body of Christ is the Message broadcast to the rest of the world.

Jn13.35 "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

The reason the world is not convinced is that Christianity has become just religious talk. Christ's message was a way of life, a way of love.

Jn14.9 "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?"

Jesus' life revealed the Father. Does our life as the body of Christ reveal the Son? We need to examine our love for each other. If that is not going on, the message is dark.

In a family, the first Gospel message is the love between Christian parents. Among neighbors, the first Gospel message is the love in a Christian family. In a community, the first Gospel message is the love between Christian brothers and sisters.

Update on Togo Refugees

Here's an update on our Togo brothers in Christ. This is Udeme's reply when I asked about whether the brothers in Ghana are able to help them at all.

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Hello brother Ruel,

Greetings to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you very much for your email, and for your prayers on our behalf. I am glad that you have shared our present situation with some other brethren there. We have know some brothers and sisters here in Ghana, infact, God used me sometime ago to help them to start home fellowship here in Ghana. They are of great help to us, though, they are very poor, thus, cannot be able to take care of us all, but their help is valuable to us at this time.

I am using yahoo web based email, and I can access email in any place, not only through our ISP in Togo. Here in this village in Ghana, there are some nearby internet cafe, and it cost less than approximately 50 cent to use thier computer for 30 minutes. So this is the way that I am able to connect to the internet here.
As for our situation, God promised that he would take care of us all, providing all our needs, I just want a prayer of concern to go up to Him on this, and a hearty thanks to God. Extend our greetings, love and thanks to your family, and to the brethren there. Looking forward to hearing from you again.

Your brother,
Udeme

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Again, if you can help in kind, please email me.

Refugees from Togo

This is a letter I just received by email from a Togo brother who is now in Ghana as a refugee (along with 20 from the same home church) after a post-election wave of violence:

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Dear brother Ruel,

Greetings to you in the great name of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. Hope this will finds you all doing well. It have been long time since we have heard from you. There had been a lot of things happening with us at Lome, some time so frustrating, but we all thank God anyway. After the death our former president, there had been trouble seriously. Lastly, the political violence erupted more and more, with our people being killed including a brother from our fellowship. Over 20,000 people including us(our family & the church) fled out of the country several days ago. I have included the below news link so that you can have much clearer idea of what happenned, and what is going on at the moment.

After the presidential election, there have been serious violence which results in many people being killed and innocents being victimized either by the opposition militants or the government forces. One of the brother of our fellowship was killed innocently at his home when the soldiers were moving from house to house beating and shooting suspected opposition militants. Two other relatives of ours are suspected to be among the victims being killed by the military gunmen. The very odd thing is that, whether someone partakes in the violence or not, innocent people are being killed and wounded. Some of the houses have been robbed and vandalized.

Continuous violence have put us backward in many ways, and it is only God that will continue to provide for us, and give us sustainability even when it will be safe to return back home. Please pray fervently for us, we are trying to sustain here in Ghana. There is no refugee camps nearby, so our total dependency is on God. This is a very difficult time for all of us.

You can read some news about Togo's situation by clicking on the below links;
http://allafrica.com/stories/200504280681.html
http://allafrica.com/stories/200505060779.html
http://allafrica.com/stories/200505060732.html

At the moment, my family, the church from Lome and friends that we share things in common here is about 30 in number. A meal for a single person cost GHC7000,(approximately 0.60EUR) and for everyone cost GHC210,000 per meal(approximately 18EUR). Twice a day costs GHC420,000 which is approximatey 36EUR. Besides this, there is daily need for water, soap,etc. It is our desire to find anything doing here to help in our daily needs, and we are certain that God will not leave us lacking. Please, keep us all in your prayers as they try to maintain ourselves as refugees. There are no refugee camps nearby, so all our dependency is on God for provision. These are dangerous and difficult times here. Please, prayerfully ask God what you can do to render aid in our circumstances.

Extend our greetings,love and thanks to your family, and to the brethren there. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Your brother,
Udeme

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If you are interested in providing help and support to these Christian brothers & sisters, please email me at ruel@onlinephilippines.net.

Kingdom of Heaven

Lk 17.20 "The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; 21 nor will they say, 'Look, here it is! ' or, 'There it is! ' For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst" (TNIV).

The true Kingdom is not a place but the reign of Christ in the hearts of humans who obey Him. It is the life of Christ in our hearts that makes the Kingdom of Heaven a reality.

Jn18.36 Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not °of this realm."

The Crusaders had to learn the hard way (if indeed they learned) that the Kingdom of Heaven is not a place. It's not Jerusalem. The City of Peace (that's what Yerushalayim means in Hebrew). Yet for millennia it has been the focus of war.

The genuine Kingdom of Heaven transcends this earthly world. It reigns in the hearts of those whose lives have been transformed by the One who gave His life just outside of the walls of Jerusalem. And it reaches out to all who come in touch with the King of Peace.

No kingdom, empire, or nation can ever conquer the Kingdom of Heaven. Only that Kingdom can conquer this world.

"Their Extreme Poverty Welled Up In Rich Generosity"

Last Sunday we learned that the women of Rebecca Dulo had decided to collect rice, dry goods, and money to help support the needy among them. Although they are all poor living in a depressed community, they wanted to share any small extras they may have to help with anyone's emergencies.

B-- was the first to give a small plastic bag of rice. I was touched by that act of love. Here were people who had nothing but were willing to give. I saw the Macedonian spirit of giving out of their lack. I saw the work of the Holy Spirit teaching them to love each other.

2Cor8.1 And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2 In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to God's people. 5 And they went beyond our expectations; having given themselves first of all to the Lord, they gave themselves by the will of God also to us (TNIV).

It is the testimony of the entire church -- a loving community -- that drew people to Christ, not the testimony of individuals. Acts 2 teaches that.

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Only I Can Change Him

She sat there in the corner of the room, eyes closed, soaking in the moment, drinking in the cool living water as a sister laid hands on her in prayer. (She actually felt cold refreshing water coming down inside of her.) In a moment, it was all gone -- the pain, the heartache, the trauma. "You can't change him," He said. "Only I can change him." With the surrender came peace.

Matthew 11.28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light" (TNIV).

We didn't expect her to come and join the fellowship that afternoon, not after a violent fight with her husband that morning. But the Lord suddenly refreshed her and she was back on her feet again. She shared her experience with the entire group, thanking some for their prayers. We all learned from her true-to-life experience.

This is the kind of miracle that's happening in the home church here.

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Paraphrase of Matthew 23:2-12

Mt23.2 "The teachers in the church and the pastors sit in an ecclesiastical position. 3 So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4 They tie up heavy, difficult requirements and put them on their member's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to do what they preach.

5 "Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their prayers long; 6 they love the place of honor at gatherings and the most important seats in the church and conferences; 7 they love to be greeted with respect wherever they go and to have people call them 'Pastor' or 'Reverend.'

8 "But you are not to be called 'Pastor,' for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. 9 And do not call anyone on earth 'Father,' for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called 'teacher,' for you have one Teacher, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you will be your janitor. 12 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."

The church has taken on the structure of Rome and has set apart the clergy from the laity. This separation is akin to what the Pharisees and scribes did. We are all brothers with no hierarchical distinction in the church. Our differences in gifts should not be used to make hierarchical distinctions. We are a nation of priests and there is only One High Priest!

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