Arba Minch, Ethiopia, Day 3
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Tuesday, 23 July 2024
Ethiopia, Arba Minch, Day 3 salvation
Arba Minch, Ethiopia, Day 3
Saturday, 6 July 2024
Is the Church Able to Complete It's Great Commission Mandate?
"They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God."
~Jesus Luke 13.29
Right from the times of the patriarchs is was apparent that God desired to bring all mankind of every race, tribe and nation into relationship with himself, this mandate of sharing the good news was ultimately passed on to the Hebrew people who held onto the truth of their revelation of God and mostly did not bring the gentiles into relationship with God and therefore the mandate of bringing the nations into the Kingdom of God was given to the church birthed through the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the sending of the Holy Spirit.
As we look around the world today we see that although the gospel has gone forth to some degree into most (but not all) nations, (ethnic groups) the majority of the church is still sitting in their pews, content to be pious or happy clappy but staying there. "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." ~Jesus Matt 24.14
Christ will delay his return and the judgement and the establishment of the kingdom of God on earth until the church has completed its assignment - and then will the end come.
The exciting thing about the day in which we live is that with today's travel and technology capabilities, the size of the church and finances of God's people, it is possible to translate the scriptures into every language on earth, deliver the good news to every ethnic group and establish the kingdom of God in them within the next five years.
If only we would get of our comfortable backsides in our comfortable churches where we play religion and have services for our own pleasure and enjoyment and get out there delivering the good news of the gospel to those who have not heard,
and persuading those who have avoided the message to listen and
compelling those that have rejected it to come in;
then the kingdom would be preached to the whole world, and Christs prophecy would be fulfilled, the end would come, judgement day and Christs return and His Kingdom would be established on earth and this prayer answered "thy Kingdom come."
The indictment on the church is that at least since the 1980's we have had everything in place to do this within 5 years. Although there are some that are passionately working for this end, we must conclude that the church generally has failed in its mission in this generation to preach the gospel of the kingdom in the whole world as a testimony to all nations.
It falls on a new generation to take up the mandate, build on the strength of the past without taking on the complacencies of the forefathers who allowed apathy, comfort, smugness and sense of security to lull them into inaction.
Will the leaders keep on tickling the ears of their congregations with more personal development or get fired up with the Holy Spirit, prepare Gods people for acts of service and send them forth empowered to complete a mission and fulfil a mandate "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation." Mark 16.15
Monday, 6 March 2023
This World Needs You – WHY MISSIONS?
I make no apology for sharing with you the need of missions
Missions was Jesus Life - a mission to earth
Matt 4.23-25 Teaching - Preaching - Healing every disease
23Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people. 24The news about Him spread throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all who were ill, those suffering with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, paralytics; and He healed them. 25Large crowds followed Him from Galilee and the Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and from beyond the Jordan.
Jesus Taught
Matt 5.13 You are the salt of the earth
Matt 5.14 You are the light of the world
We are supposed to affect the earth
Teaching educates, He taught the word of God, not religiously like the scribes and Pharisees, but as God intended for it to be understood. People need to KNOW what they are putting there in faith in.
They BELIEVE
Jesus preached
Lk 4.42/4 I must preach in other towns also, ...that is why I was sent.
Preaching lifts faith to personally believe that God can do for YOU what He said He could and would do. Preaching personalises the gospel message to receive.
For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 1John 3.8
He came to destroy the works of the devil
LIFTS FAITH
Jesus Healed
Mark 5.21-24 and 35-43 Jairus Daughter
35While He was still speaking, they came from the house of the synagogue official, saying, “Your daughter has died; why trouble the Teacher anymore?” 36But Jesus, overhearing what was being spoken, said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid any longer, only believe.” 37And He allowed no one to accompany Him, except Peter and James and John the brother of James. 38They came to the house of the synagogue official; and He saw a commotion, and people loudly weeping and wailing. 39And entering in, He said to them, “Why make a commotion and weep? The child has not died, but is asleep.” 40They began laughing at Him. But putting them all out, He took along the child’s father and mother and His own companions, and entered the room where the child was. 41Taking the child by the hand, He said to her, “Talitha kum!” (which translated means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). 42Immediately the girl got up and began to walk, for she was twelve years old. And immediately they were completely astounded. 43And He gave them strict orders that no one should know about this, and He said that something should be given her to eat.
Jesus healed the sick, He raised the dead. Many other examples in the gospels.
Gospel DEMONSTRATED
He sent the disciples to do the same
Lk 9.1/6 They went from village to village preaching the gospel and healing the sick.
They followed Jesus example.
EMPOWERED DISCIPLES WITH THE SAME AUTHORITY.
I heard Ps Thampy from India speak in 1978 in Australia
Cliff Beard, an Australian apostle, missionary and church planter, announced he was taking a team there, he said, "who wants to come," I put my hand up.
I went in 1979 & 1980 and we held crusades, we saw hundreds of healings and salvations, it infected me for taking the gospel to ALL the world.
I've been going ever since to India, & then Sri Lanka, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, then many other Asian, Paciific Islands, European, American and now over 12 African countries preaching the gospel.
He commanded the disciples at the time of His ascension;
15And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16“He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. 17“These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; 18they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
Mark 16.15-18
18And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Matt 28.18-20
Go into all the world and make disciples.
Don't leave anyone out.
This gospel must be preached to all nations (ethnos – every ethnic group) and then will the end come.
It is common for us to witness healings, miracles, releases from demonic possession, oppression and affliction, release from pain and sickness just as Jesus promised, authorised and empowered wherever in the world we go. It's not an Asian thing, it's not an African thing, it's a God thing.
They did it
Mark 16.20 The disciples went everywhere, the Lord working with them confirming the word with signs following.
Acts 5.42 Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.
In 1993 we held a large crusade in Kattakada, Sth India, Over 300 salvations, many healings,
In 2001 we were conducting ministers trainings in Sth India, my team and I stayed one location (Kovalam Beach) and went to various places,
One day I recognised the town I was in, I told Ps Thampy, he said, the 70 Pastors & leaders you taught today weren't even saved when you had that crusade here in 1993, they had planted over 50 churches in this region out of that crusade.
Through the centuries
Great men & women have risen up with a passion to preach Christ to their own countrymen and others.
But Smith Wigglesworth has gone, Oral Roberts has gone, TL Osborn has gone, Billy Graham has gone, Benson Idahosa has gone, Reinhard Bonnke has gone, you and I the ones that are still here. We cannot rely on some great name from the past to fulfil the great commission. It is our commission.
What is the force that moved the greats of old?
- The command to GO
- The need of salvation (Hell is real) - Without Christ all men are eternally lost.
- The Knowledge, it is possible to reach our generation - They volunteered and were sent.
- They believed God could save anybody.
TODAY
World Population is over 8 Billion (as at Nov 2022).
Population net growth 184,000 people a day.
One third of the world has some form of Christian religion.
Still 2/3 of the world has not embraced Christianity in any form.
One third of the world has access to the gospel through people in their culture and proximity.
One third of the world has no chance to hear the gospel.
No Bible in their language - No church in their culture
97% of the unevangelised live in the "10-40 Window”
Map: https://blog.eastwest.org/the-10/40-window-and-the-great-commission
96% of all worldwide church income is consumed on 4% of the population.
Leaves 4% of the income for 96% of the population.
World harvest is about getting our priorities right
Doing what Jesus commanded
NOT SIT, NOT THINK, NOT TALK ABOUT IT,
BUT PRAY GIVE GO
Do it all
Are you spiritually maladjusted
What is the use of personal physical hygiene, if we have filthiness of mind & spirit;
What is the use of religious piety, if we have soul carnality;
What is the use of physical strength, if we have spiritual weakness;
What is the use of worldly wealth, if we have spiritual poverty;
What is the use of social popularity if we are unknown in hell.
PRAYER IS THE REMEDY
World harvest starts where you live and reaches the whole world.
We can achieve our goals together if we all pray, give and go.
What will you do with Jesus command?
Thursday, 5 January 2023
The Power of One
Aren't you glad somebody has always believed in the power of one.
It works for good or evil, but it works
Like back in the year dot when ONE man (Adam) plunged the entire human race in to the kingdom of darkness.
Like in 1491 BC when ONE man, Moses had the courage to stand up and say what God said, "let my people go"
Like in the year zero when ONE man, Jesus Christ said, "Not my will but your will be done" and took the punishment for sin for all mankind to lead us back into God's kingdom.
Like ONE man Mohandas Karamchand (Mahatma) Gandhi famously led Indians in challenging the British-imposed salt tax with the 400km Dandi Salt March in 1930, and later in calling for the British to Quit India in 1942. Gandhi led India to independence in 1947 and inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world.
Like Rosa Parks sat on the bus on 1 Dec 1955 in Montgomery, Alabama and the driver said, "you must move to the back of the bus, or be thrown in jail" But she stayed and stood her ground, and she brought that old law down, whom the United States Congress called "the first lady of civil rights" and "the mother of the freedom movement"
I'm glad that ONE man Jean Pierre Riefler had the wisdom and unction to ask me on 25 December 1974 would I receive Christ.
ONE man (or woman) makes a difference if you believe in the power of ONE.
Rom 5:17 For if by ONE man's offence death reigned by ONE;
much more they which receive abundance of grace
and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by ONE, Jesus Christ.
Remember what Jesus stood for.
Will you be ONE that will accept what God did,
say what God said,
and reign in life by ONE Christ Jesus?
It's also a time to be challenged, inspired, motivated to live for Him.
Ask God to challenge you to live for Him, who died for us.
What will you make of 2023?
Will you be a victim or conqueror?
Will you sit back under oppression or stand up for righteousness?
Will you suffer under the circumstances or change them?
Will you be an 'also ran' or a winner?
Will you be one with a good excuse or ONE who, in Christ, changed things.
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INTERESTED IN INVITING HOWARD SANDS
to speak at your church, College or organisation?
For more details on how to frame an invitation see here.
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Friday, 13 December 2019
The Foundations - New Release
The FOUNDATIONS
by Howard Sands
FINALLY publicly released after 25 years in the writing, using, testing and making.
The Foundations delivers transforming lessons for the Christian believer (especially suited for new believers) to build strong “The Foundations” of their Christian faith.
The book is divided into 10 easy to follow lessons, each including 10 enlightening discussion questions. They help you clearly understand and establish the vital foundations of the Christian faith to become a true disciple of Jesus Christ. Developed from a pastors perspective, to strengthen new believers into powerful disciples of Jesus, who understand from the very beginning who they are in Christ and how to live victoriously in Him.
During his own pastoring and discipling of new believers, Howard was aware of a shortage of material that adequately dealt with this and began writing material to use in his church. This material has now been proven over many years in establishing new Christians, it has been improved and refined over the years to provide this powerfully succinct book you have today.
Ideal for:-
- Churches new Christian classes,
- One on one discipleship,
- Individual studies for new Christians,
- Refreshing those older in the faith in their reason for believing.
Forward
My brother, Howard Sands has made a mark in my life and among the pastors of Maranatha Ministry. He has opened his heart in Making your Mark and made me realise how much I need to work in my leadership to Disciple and to give Foundation truth to be a leader among the leaders. Reading the book led me to pray like Dawson Trotman, 'Oh Lord, help me to build men, strong, holy, prepared men to go to the four corners of the world who will make their mark in the lives of people'.Rev Dr Charles Finny Joseph
President, Maranatha Ministry, Chennai, India.
General Secretary, Synod of Pentecost Churches.
What some of the many Christian leaders around the world have said about "The Foundations."
This is the prayer of thousands of servants of God who are in the discipling ministry. We look for a book to place in the hands of a new convert that will tell him, 'What to do now?' Now here is the prayer answered. I hope and trust that the soul winners will use this. We would like to see this book in the Indian languages.
Dr. P.G. Vargis
Founder/President, Indian Evangelical Team New Delhi, India
“The Foundations” by Howard Sands is one of the best concise training tools for new believers I have ever seen. First the teaching is Biblical and supportive of Evangelical-Full Gospel teaching in its teaching on important doctrines, such as repentance, baptism by immersion and the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. Secondly, the various questions with the correlating Bible verses in the reviews will help the new believer to really understand and experience these important foundational truths.
Pastor Dennis Balcombe
Snr Pastor, Revival Christian Church Founder and Director, Revival Chinese Ministries Int'l, Hong Kong
An excellent and useful tool to help new Christians.
Rev Dr Ken Chant,
Founder, Vision International College, Sydney, Australia
This easy to read and teach foundation series is a must for local churches and ministries. This foundation series reflects the extensive ministry and missionary experience of Howard and Joy Sands.
Apostle Leslie Munsamy
Founder/President, Global Apostolic Centre, Chairman Apostolic Fellowship of South Africa, Durban, SA
I think you have produced a very helpful resource here. It is simple yet comprehensive and tackles each basic discipleship area with wisdom yet simplicity. I think the questions are very helpful indeed.
Pastor Brian Medway
Snr Pastor, Grace Christian Fellowship; Chairman, Crosslink Christian Network. Canberra, Australia
About the Author
Rev Dr Howard Sands, is Founder/International Director of Beautiful Feet Task Force (BFTF), an Australian organisation lifting peoples experience to where God says they are in His Word.
He and his wife Joy have pioneered and pastored Australian churches in Canberra and Sydney and helped establish 5 Bible Schools.
We want to get this book in to the hands of churches as a stock item ready for when you lead people to Christ, something ready and waiting in the pastors office for that moment when a person or several people embark on the journey of following Christ.
- Maybe you can have one of your leaders take a new believer through the book, lesson by lesson.
- Perhaps you can run a class, small group of new believers to work through it together.
- You can use it as a refresher course for confirming the good foundations for those not as confident and knowledgeable in their faith.
Whichever way you choose to use this book we want to make it easy for you to get bulk copies so that you have them on hand ready for that moment when they can swing into action to establish and strengthen believers in their faith. Therefore we have prepared discount deals on bulk buys and can ship direct to you or direct from the printer whichever is the quickest and most appropriate.
Some quick captions of what others have to say.
I wish to endorse fully the wonderful subjects for new believers by Howard Sands.
1/ Order copies direct from Publisher at retail (ideal for single copy or small volumes).
2/ Order bulk copies from the author for your church or ministry, at discount prices, freight free.
3/ Pick up your copies when Howard comes to speak at your church, outreach, conference or event.
Which one is going to be right for you.
We will explain each of these below.
What a variety of leaders from different Australian denominations had to say.
Here is an small excerpt from lesson 4. VICTORY- OUR POSITION IN CHRIST
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