Nicodemus Came by Night -John 3:2

John 3:2 – The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

We are told that Nicodemus came to Jesus by night. The reason we are told this is obviously because Nicodemus at this time didn’t want to face the shame of openly associating with Jesus. Most of his fellow Pharisees were growing increasingly hostile toward Christ, and they quickly despised anyone who associated with Him. Nicodemus would obviously want to avoid such a taint to his spotless reputation, and to avoid losing all the recognition and honor and religious achievement he had earned for himself. Note, the more a man has (religion, honor, achievement, wealth, power), the more he has to sacrifice to become a follower of Christ.

Notice here the vast difference between the “wise” and “foolish” things of this world (1 Cor. 1:17-28). “In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight” (Luke 10:21). Nicodemus, certainly one of the most wise things of this world, respected by all, well-advanced in learning and religious devotion, comes to Jesus under the cloak of night. Yet, the shamed Samaritan woman, to whom Jews wouldn’t even associate, full of sin and adultery, considered among the most foolish things of this world, is not ashamed to proclaim Jesus openly to all out of excitement that He is the Savior. Nicodemus sees many the miracles of Jesus and comes to the conclusion that He’s a great teacher sent from God, but the Samaritan woman sees just one of His miracles (His gift of prophecy) and comes to the conclusion that He is the Messiah! Nicodemus is afraid to confess Him openly, but the Samaritan woman boldly proclaims Jesus as the Christ to her whole town as soon as she meets Him! (see John 4:5-42.) Away with the wisdom of this fallen age! We need simple, child-like faith in the Savior. This simple faith is no doubt the essential evidence of the New Birth.

But even though Nicodemus came by night, at least he came! This is saying a whole lot more to his honor in the Word of God than the majority of the other Pharisees and religious leaders. There had to be at least some risk involved in coming, even at night. But notice that even though Nicodemus starts out very timid, scared, and worried about the cost of following Christ, it is significant that His exposure here to Christ more personally did not turn him away from following Him, but actually increased his desire to follow. In the Gospel of John, Nicodemus will grow progressively bolder and stand up for Jesus. In the midst of the Pharisees accusing and condemning Jesus, Nicodemus boldly sticks up for Him and is ridiculed (7:50-51). Then later, after the crucifixion of the Lord, Nicodemus isn’t afraid to publicly identify himself with the crucified Christ by bringing a whopping hundred pounds of spices for his burial and preparing His body alongside Joseph of Arimathaea (19:39-40).

It is noteworthy that this was at a time when all the Apostles themselves had fled! While Peter was very bold and started out his race with a fast sprint, he would fall and bite the dust hard at this time, but while Nicodemus was very timid and started our his race with a careful step at a time, he picked up strength and over time, his pace quickened and he gained ground, showing his faith by his perseverance and gradual growth. It’s not always immediate, fiery passion and zeal that characterizes true followers of Christ, but it’s faith with perseverance that counts (see Luke 8:15). We are not told specifically that Nicodemus finally believed with all his heart and actually experienced the New Birth, however, there is noteworthy evidence which leads us to have hope. Perhaps he was among the number of multitudes that were openly added to the church in the book of Acts, since there we are told that even many of the Jewish leaders believed (compare John 12:42 with Acts 6:7).

Nicodemus shows us his timidity at this time not only by coming at night, but by using the word, “we” when acknowledging Jesus’ authority: “we know that thou art a teacher come from God”. This appears to be a classic way of avoiding any appearance of personal commitment while at the same time acknowledging truth –by keeping the personal “I” out of it and just talking in general terms. This ploy is used in politics even to this day to avoid the appearance of conviction and commitment. But perhaps the main reason that the Apostle John, inspired by the Holy Spirit, informs us that Nicodemus used the word “we” rather than “I” is because as a ruler of the Jews and leader in the Sanhedrin, his case is representative of the case of Judaism as a whole; his spiritual condition was representative of the majority of the Jewish people and leaders. They acknowledged a lot of truth, saw the obvious when it came to Jesus, but still lacked spiritual life in them, still lacked the inward power of grace in regeneration, still lacked the Spirit of God, still lacked the real spiritual meat and substance of the Kingdom of God, and were ignorant of the righteousness which comes by faith.

Perhaps the most important question here is the one which Jesus would later ask His disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” (Mat. 16:15) Our answer to this question is crucial in determining our eternal destination. Nicodemus at this time would have probably responded to Christ by saying something along these lines: “You are an amazing teacher, a model rabbi, an anointed prophet, and a powerful miracle-worker, and without doubt, you are a man sent from God”. –But even recognizing all this is not enough. Peter would respond with the only correct answer: “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Mat. 16:16). Many people believe that Jesus of Nazareth was a great man, a wonderful teacher, even a prophet. But that’s not good enough if they miss the most important part. He’s all of that and much, much more. He is the Christ, the Savior of the world, the Lord of all, and God incarnate. He is our divine Substitution, our atoning Sacrifice, our Passover Lamb, our reigning King.

An essential part of the new birth is having the veil of sinful blindness lifted away and receiving a personal revelation of who Jesus of Nazareth really is. Jesus responded to Peter’s declaration of faith by saying, “Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven” (Mat. 16:17). This was not just a matter of good insight or clever brain power. This recognition was the result of supernatural revelation to the mind of Peter from the Holy Spirit. It wasn’t just an intellectual revelation, but a revelation to the very heart of Peter, producing in him the faith necessary to believe on Christ as His Lord and Savior. This revelation was granted from above. It comes with the New Birth. When God regenerates a sinful man, he opens his eyes and grants the ability to see the things of the Spirit in a way that enables him to believe in the Savior with real faith.

So although we see that Nicodemus certainly recognized these great things about Christ, things which the majority of the other Pharisees failed to recognized (or failed to acknowledge we should say), the knowledge he had of this Jesus was an insufficient knowledge that at this time failed to believe in Him as the Son of God and Messiah of Israel, and therefore is the evidence that he was not yet born again. When someone is born anew, born from above, they will certainly have this divine revelation from above, resulting in a wholehearted commitment to Christ as King. Nicodemus came to Jesus by night, and in fact, we see by this that even his understanding itself was still in the black night of sin and ignorance to the real things pertaining to the light of the glorious Gospel and the power of the Kingdom of God.

Nicodemus realized that Jesus came forth from God, he recognized the supernatural nature of the miracles Jesus did, he admitted the authority Jesus had to teach the Word of God, he showed interest and hunger in hearing what Jesus had to teach, and he even confessed that it’s impossible that Jesus is not from God, since no one could do such miracles apart from God. Yet even with all this acknowledgment of truth, and even despite all his religious attainment, morality, and show of holiness, Nicodemus was still at this time a dead man, dead spiritually to the things of God. He needed to have life imparted to him from above, or else he would never see the Kingdom of God.

A Disciple follows Christ as Prophet, Priest, & King

The term ‘disciple’ literally means, “disciplined one”. A disciple is a person who comes under the discipline and authority of another in order to learn from them and be trained by them for a specific purpose. To be a disciple of Christ is to come under His authority and to submit to Him, not in just some areas of life, but in all of life. It is to take His yoke upon us and to learn from Him (Mat. 11:29). It is to look up to Him as our great Prophet, Priest, and King.

A true disciple follows Christ as his mighty Prophet. That is, the disciple looks to Christ to hear the very words of God and listens. As God promised Moses: “I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him” (Deuteronomy 18:18-19). Christ is the one who speaks into the disciple’s life words of wisdom, words of knowledge, words of counsel, words of direction and guidance. And when the disciple gets out of line, he will listen to Christ’s word of rebuke and humble himself before God, since Christ is the Prophet of all prophets. He searches the hearts of men just like He searched the secrets of the seven churches of Asia Minor (Rev. 2, 3) and speaks with the full authority of Heaven and earth into men’s lives. He is the one before every disciple shouting, “This is the way, walk ye in it!” (Isa. 30:21). The true disciple will earnestly long for the word of Christ as his Prophet, and will study His Word and obey it to show himself approved unto God. The disciple will love the word of Christ, the Bible. He will walk in the counsel of the Most High on the narrow path which leads to life, led by the voice of the Son of God, and will show his love for the Lord by obeying Christ’s commandments, which were not just His, but came from the Father Himself (John 12:49).

A true disciple trusts Christ as his holy High Priest. The disciple of Christ is not trusting in his own righteousness, but in the righteousness of Christ. The disciple does not take any credit or think he deserves any merit for the deeds he does of himself, but by faith he looks solely to the merit of Christ, Who stands as our representative before God. The disciple looks up to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, and has free access with a living, personal relationship with the Father, through the mediation of Christ. “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession” (Hebrews 4:14). The disciple has boldness to confess that he is a child of God, and has regular fellowship with the Father through Christ and has boldness to go before the Throne of grace in the Heavens and make requests from God. The disciple knows he has no righteousness of his own, but is trusting in the blood of the Lamb, which makes atonement for the soul. The disciple is trusting in the finished work of Christ, trusting fully in His life, death and resurrection as the basis of his faith, and looks to Christ as his sole Mediator between him and God. The disciple knows that when he stumbles, he can confess his sins and the Lord will forgive, since Christ is his great Advocate (defense attorney) with the Father who pleads the disciple’s cause, having already appeased the wrath of God through the propitiation of His priestly sacrifice (1 John 2:1-2).

A true disciple submits to Christ as his majestic King. The disciple does not merely want a fire insurance policy, that is, a free ticket out of Hell. The true disciple will walk in salvation from sin, being set free from the power and dominion of sin. And to do this, he will sanctify himself through the washing of water by the Word, not being a hearer of the Word only, but a doer of the Word. He will submit to the authority of Christ as his great King and obey Him as his Master. He will bow the knee of humble submission before all that Christ says in His Word. The disciple will have a heart of willing obedience to Christ, counting it a joy to forsake his own life to follow the great King who laid down His life for us. The disciple’s greatest inward desire is to please Christ. His greatest fear is to hear Christ say, “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46). And not only does the disciple want to obey Christ himself, but he seeks to see the whole world also obey Christ, and he longs for the day when his King will return and establish His literal kingdom and rule the nations with a rod of iron. The true disciple’s greatest joy is to prostrate himself before Christ the King in all things in life. Christ becomes the identity of the true disciple, as the disciple renounces himself, dies to his own self, takes up his cross, and follows Him. The disciple sees himself as no longer his own, but the property of another, a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven, and a servant of its King.

So in conclusion, a disciple is a man (or woman) of the Word. It is someone who FOLLOWS Christ, and not just professes Him with their lips. It is someone who fellowships with the people that Christ fellowships with, loves the people of God, and delights to be around his fellow peers who are also following Christ. A disciple is someone in learning, and is ever growing in knowledge and holiness as he looks to Jesus.

Or, to summarize everything I just said, and to put it as simply as possible, a disciple is a person who LOVES the Lord Jesus Christ with all their heart.

Just the ponderings of a foolish thing of this world.
www.puregospeltruth.com

The Great Exchanges of the Gospel

A Scriptural Meditation on the Sacrifice of Christ

 

Christ became a man of sorrows so we could be eternally happy. –Isa. 53:3-4

 

Christ suffered God’s vengeance so we could receive God’s forgiveness. –Isa. 53:10

 

Christ was separated from the favor of God so we can be restored to God’s favor. –Mat. 27:46

 

Christ was put to open shame so we could receive open acceptance with God. –Joh. 19:5

 

Christ received God’s hatred for sin so we could receive God’s love toward us as sinners. –Rom. 5:8

 

Christ took the death we deserve so we could receive the life he deserved. –1 Cor. 15:22

 

Christ bore our sin so we could receive His righteousness. –2 Cor. 5:21

 

Christ became poor in this world so we could become spiritually rich in Him. –2 Cor. 8:9

 

Christ became a curse and died so we could receive the blessing and live forever. –Gal. 3:13-14

 

Christ was made lower than angels so we could be exalted higher than angels. –Heb. 2:9

 

Christ suffered temptation so we could be victorious over temptation. –Heb. 2:18

 

Christ died for our sin so that we could die to our sin. –1 Pet. 2:21

 

 

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Compiled by Josef Urban

www.puregospeltruth.com

 

September Ministry Update

 

We have been constantly laboring in this mission field for the last month. Too much has been happening to possibly write about it all, but I will share some highlights and testimonies. May God be glorified!

 

FELLOWSHIP WITH BRETHREN

 

There is a pastor from a small church in this area that we have come to be good friends with over the past month. This brother is really humble and truly seems to really love the Lord and desires to see people saved. His name is Otoniel. Here is a picture of brother John (left) me (middle) and Otoniel (right):

Brother Otoniel oversees a small church in this area. Even though he is a part of a large Pentecostal denomination, there is a world of difference between the churches here and the churches in the US of the same denomination. The corruption and apostasy of much of American Christianity hasn’t heavily saturated this area and defiled that which calls itself the church here, so there is still purity and simple devotion to Christ and love of the truth in a much greater measure (on average). We have been extremely blessed meeting fellow brethren in the Lord here who are so simple, some of which can’t even read, yet really love Jesus and glorify Him with their lives. We’ve been really encouraged and strengthened by their fellowship and hearing their amazing testimonies. (We may be uploading a video or two of some testimonies from some brethren here in the near future.) It’s encouraging to see that the Lord has reserved a remnant for Himself out of every place!

 

HOME VISITS

 

We’ve been able to visit various people in their homes and to preach the Gospel to them and go through the Scriptures proclaiming Christ. We have seen some people come under some wonderful conviction by the Spirit of God while visiting them and sharing with them the truth of the Cross and pray the Lord would make our labors fruitful.

There is a great need here for this type of ministry –visiting people in their homes and teaching them the Bible. It’s very time-consuming but seems to be perhaps the most effective way of establishing a solid Gospel witness to them and to build relationships with them and gain their trust. The state of many of the people in these villages is similar to the state in which the Evangelist Philip found the Ethiopian Eunuch, who wanted to know the Scriptures but couldn’t understand them and needed someone to teach him (see Acts. 8:30-31). So we have been doing this and are continually visiting people to teach them the Word of God.

 

We have also been talking with a women who wants to convert to Christianity and to her “husband” (they’re not really married) who is seeking the truth and counting the cost of following Christ. He is in a state of conviction and seems to have a real hunger to know more about Jesus. Neither one of them can read, so we are giving them CD’s of the Bible read on audio to listen to. We are praying that the Lord will grant even them, “repentance unto life”. Their responsiveness thus far has been the fruit of our Jesus Film ministry (read below).

 

WITNESSING TO THE MAFIA

 

The town that we are staying in is a stronghold for the Mexican mafia and drug cartel. Many of them are from this area. In fact, many of them are actually cousins of Lina. So a few weeks ago, as we were walking down the street, a gang of about 20 of them were gathered at a house, and saw us as we walked by. We were able to talk with them, and they recognized that they were family with Lina. They proceeded to call me names and racial slurs and to use profanity towards me, being a white boy and all, but we went over into the yard and talked with them. As they asked me if I drink beer, I told them that the Word of God says that no drunkard will inherit the Kingdom of God, and that God may have overlooked their ignorance in the past, but now commands them and all men everywhere to repent, because He’s appointed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through the Man who He has ordained, Christ Jesus! When I said this, they stopped their course jesting and immediately became dead silent and listened. We have visited one of these guys in his house since and had lunch with him, and plan on going back soon to share my testimony with him and to preach the Gospel. Oh, how glorious it would be for the Lord to save that man and make him a token of His grace!

 

PREACHING AT THE FIESTA

 

Every year, they have a Fiesta (large party like a festival) in our town. Nearly the whole town goes to it. Even many of those from this area who are in the US come back here for this time to visit their families and go to the fiestas. One day, I was praying that the Lord would open doors to preach the Gospel, and later that day, we got the idea of setting up a booth at the Fiesta to hand out tracts, Gospels of John and Bibles, and to preach to people from it. The Lord opened up the doors to do this immediately, and in fact, some of the mafia heard that we wanted a booth there to give out Bibles, and they said, “You just go and pick your spot, and we’ll take care of the rest”. So we were able to get a great spot to set up our booth right by the entrance where people come in and out from, and that for free! The Lord has even the hearts of the mafia in His hands and can turn them whatsoever way He wishes!

 

The Fiesta lasted for 9 days, and we were there almost every night. We were able to preach the Gospel to a number of people who came by our booth.

We had a large picture hanging in the back of the Second Coming of Christ in glory and of people screaming in terror at the sight of it –a pretty convicting picture for somebody that’s not right with God! Some people would walk by our booth, look at the picture, and freeze in fear with their eyes wide open! There was actually a fear that ran through the town we heard, and a rumor –people were saying: “It’s the last days! In the history of our town nobody has ever been at our FIESTAS to preach the Gospel!” We have been praying that the fear of God would grip the hearts of the people of this town and the power of the Holy Ghost would convict and convert them.

 

We were also able to preach to some of the vendors (workers) at the Fiesta, who travel from out of state from fiesta to fiesta to sell their goods. A few of them we had really good witnesses with, and they were very receptive and hungry for more. One man we preached to seemed to get really convicted, and when we finished speaking and asked if he had any questions, asked, “What’s the easiest way for me to get saved?” I showed him Romans 10:9-10 and explained what it means, and told him to get alone with God and confess his sins, repent, and call out to Jesus to save him, to put his faith in Christ and confess Christ as His Savior and to serve Him forever. A few nights later we talked to him again, and he has since been reading a Bible that someone else had, and we were able to give him his own Bible. He was very grateful and seemed very eager to read it and serve the Lord!

 

We were also able to preach to some of the band members from a music group that came to perform, and a couple of them were very receptive to the Gospel. One of them was tremendous –we all felt in our spirits, that this man is going to be a brother! Or so it seems. He just has the hand of the Lord all over him. We were able to give him and another member Bibles and they gratefully received them.

In all we handed out about 30 Bibles at the fiestas, all to people who sincerely wanted them and asked us for one and told us they would read them. Glory be to God!

 

PREACHING IN THE CHURCHES

 

There are a number of churches that we have come to discover in this area. I have been able to preach in them and teach the saints (and false converts) on some much needed truths and foundations and seek to strengthen the brethren.

 

I have been preaching in the church that brother Otoniel oversees on a regular basis now and it’s been a blessing. The Lord has been pleased to really pour out a blessing there and to give us a taste of His presence. We have seen the altar flooded with praying and crying souls, and are being broken and strengthened ourselves. My heart longs to see the Lord send a revival to his little church in this area. We thank the Lord for the blessed gift of His Spirit, for we can do nothing without Him.

Thanks be to God, I have also been able to share some messages with a few of different house church fellowships, to a youth group on a couple occasions, and even teach a class on Missions at a small Bible institute in the city (the class lasted for about 6 hours!). It turns out that the session I taught was the final session at the end of the year for the school, so it fit perfectly with taking what they learned and applying it. I was also able to answer questions they had about the “prosperity gospel”, “altar call salvation”, and more.

 

It’s been on my heart to emphasize some much-needed foundational truths, and share such messages dealing with the true meaning of the Cross, true and false conversion, the new birth, of what true salvation looks like, how genuine conversion takes place, striving to enter the narrow way, taking up the Cross, the baptism in the Holy Spirit, and so on. The brethren are very receptive to the messages and appear to be very edified by them. Much of our ministry here has been to the brethren, as much as it has been to the lost. It’s unexpected, but the Lord has been pleased to use us to help edify His saints in the ministry of teaching. There is a great need here for solid, foundational, doctrinal teaching –for tearing down faulty foundations and laying down true ones. Oh, may God grant that His church in these last days may return to the Apostolic pattern, power and glory!

 

Since some people have satellite TV here (as is the case everywhere around the world no matter where you go it seems), some of that false “gospel” of greed has corrupted some churches in this area. I have been able to preach against this greedy prosperity heresy to some of the brethren here. Brother Otoniel even requested that I teach at a meeting on a Sunday about why the prosperity “gospel” is wrong, and so I was able to do that joyfully and earnestly contend for the faith. He, along with another brother in that fellowship that also preaches sometimes, have heard prosperity taught before, but neither one of the agreed with it as it didn’t sit right with their spirit. They were still uncertain though, so it met a great need for them to be able to go through the Scriptures on the subject and to expound of what the Lord taught concerning stewardship and money so that they may have a definite stance by the word of God.

 

There is a larger church in the city that has embraced this prosperity “gospel” and is teaching it. I had an appointment to preach there to the congregation last Sunday, but after praying, I had no peace about going, so cancelled the engagement. We are going to sit down with that pastor and talk to him personally about his error before we associate ourselves any further with him or preach there.

 

THE JESUS FILM MINISTRY

 

We were able to show the Jesus Film on two weekend nights in a row in the village we are staying in. This village has a population of about 500 people. And to our grand surprise, over 250 people showed up during the two nights! That’s half the people in our village! All the chairs were filled up both nights! On one night, a number of people even had to stand. These people were all able to watch this 2-hour video presentation of the Gospel of Luke. As soon as the Film was over, on both nights we stood up at the front and preached a short Gospel message to them, pleading with them to repent and be converted, to flee the wrath to come and to believe in Christ and be saved. We have already seen some fruit come from this event. Praise God!

 

We were not able to obtain any pictures of this event, since people in this village were making up lies about us, saying that we were going to film the whole event and take it to the US and sell it to get rich off of them. There are many outright lies of the Devil like this that float around in this town, out to oppose the Gospel. Men and women of corrupt minds, destitute of the truth, foaming up their own shame in slandering the work of God –may the Lord forgive them for their words against Him, and if He be willing, change their hearts and bless them with salvation. We didn’t take any pictures so as not to foster to this lie. So from now on, we’re going to be even more careful about what we take pictures of. If there is no tangible reproach or reason for people to blaspheme, they will make up reasons of their own, so we have to be extra-carefully beyond reproach.

 

We already have plans, if the Lord be willing, to show this Jesus Film in many of the surrounding villages as well, working with some surrounding churches and local pastors to reach their communities. This weekend we are staying for a few days with a pastor from a far town and preaching at some meetings in his church, and setting up the Film to reach his community.

 

MIRACULOUS HEALINGS

 

1. One day, we attended a Pastor’s meeting where a number of the local pastors gather together to talk about current issues. It was here that we were able to meet a lot of them and to set up appointments to preach in their congregations. After the meeting, as we were talking with some of them, a women ran into the room in distress! She had tears in her eyes, and had a baby in her arms of about 2-3 years in age. About 30 minutes prior to this, the baby had taken a hold of a bottle of kitchen cleaner and drank it while the mother was in the shower. She got out of the shower to discover that he drank it. She decided to put him in the car and drive him to the meeting, hoping we would still be there to pray for him. When she brought him in, he was unconscious. We all prayed for him, and Lina and I laid hands on him in the name of Jesus. We both had a supernatural faith rise up within us, and we believed he would be healed. But, after we prayed, nothing happened. He was still unconscious. Everyone tried to wake him up. They kept saying his name loudly, shaking him (gently enough not to hurt him, but strong enough to wake any baby up), rocked him up and down, etc. trying to wake him up. Nothing worked. A pastor took his finger, lifted the baby’s eyelid to look at his eyes, and after doing so said, “you need to take him to the hospital immediately”. They were even holding his eyelids open and loudly saying his name trying to wake him, but not a response.

 

Then, Lina grabbed the child in her arms and whispered very softly, “wake up in the name of Jesus” and when she did, the baby jolted, like when somebody gets scared and jumps. When he jumped, his eyes opened for a split second, but then he immediately slumped back over and fell unconscious again. He was back out. Then, in a faith not my own, in the name of Jesus Christ, I laid hands on him and rebuked the poison and its effects and commanded it to be gone and for him to be healed, and Lina spoke “life” into the baby. Immediately, his eyes opened wide and he woke up perfectly well. He looked around at our faces, and got scared seeing strangers, and began crying! He was made whole by the power of the risen Christ! He didn’t fall back unconscious again, he didn’t throw up, and he even drank milk afterwards (he was still on milk as his food). We talked to the mother days later and she confirmed that the only harm done to the baby was that the outside of his skin was burnt a little under his chin where the liquid dripped when he drank it! Is not the same Christ who worked wonders on earth 2,000 the same Christ who reigns in the Heavens and through His people now? Is not His power the same? Does He not still have compassion for the suffering and dying?

 

2. On another occasion, I had preached at a house fellowship. After the meeting, there was a teenage girl who needed healing, but she was so shy that she went to her mother and asked her mother to ask us to pray for her. A couple of days prior, this girl had something rupture in her ear, and blood started coming out from it. She was in constant pain, had a constant headache ever since. Then, to make matters worse, a day later, a bug flew into her ear and they never got it out! So brother Otoniel and I anointed her with oil, and laying hands on her in the name of Jesus, prayed for healing. I felt a wave of what felt like heat pass between my hand and her head as we did. As soon as we finished praying, she was healed instantly. Her face was gripped with astonishment, she looked utterly amazed, and tears formed in her eyes. Lina asked her, “what is it?” and the girl said, “All the pain is completely gone!” Glory to the Lamb! It’s not our own power or holiness, but Jesus, and faith in His name, that made that girl whole! He’s still in the business of healing the afflicted to the glory of His name!

 

Oh, how we need the power of God! We need the real Holy Ghost in our midst to see God manifest His glory and demonstrate His compassion! My heart longs for a greater measure, a greater baptism of the Spirit, a greater endowment of power to preach and confirm the Word, a greater faith to make substance of things not seen! We fall so short of true childlike faith and we need a holy desperation to be closer to God and to see Him work in a real way in people’s lives that they may believe the Gospel, to believe in and trust the Living Christ and not a dead religion that has a form of godliness but no power! I’m not talking about following signs, I’m talking about following Christ and having signs follow us as a result, having the Holy Ghost make manifest the Word by faith for the glory of the Name! Where is the LORD God of Elijah? 

  

SOME OBSTACLES AND TRIALS

 

There is a tangible warfare going on in the spiritual between us and these demonic strongholds of Catholicism, idolatry, pride, gossip, and greed that control this area. We are seeking to press through in prayer for a move of God, for the demolishing of these strongholds, for the salvation of souls, for the empowerment of the Body of Christ and for the desperately needed outpouring of the baptism of the Spirit. But there are some extremely stubborn spirits here that don’t want to be driven out, so we need heavenly re-enforcement by the power of God. Please pray against these strongholds here and for the release of the Spirit in this place.

 

Verbal persecution is also a constant obstacle here –not for us, for we count it a blessing, but for those who are seeking God, attending our meetings, and considering coming to Christ. Whenever a sinner in the town appears to be on the verge of conversion, all the others of the town begin to mock them and insult them and to tempt them. This is happening constantly, and it causes many people to be afraid to talk to us because they fear the shame and humiliation that all the town will give them for it. Because of this, we are having a hard time trying to reach some people. But, at the same time, this could be a blessing in disguise, since it means that there is a cost to pay when following Christ, and the people will count this cost before doing it. So in a way, it sort of filters out the chaff from the wheat, which is good. But the bad part is that some of what is filtered out won’t even listen to us on account of it and it hinders them from listening to the Gospel. So it goes both ways.

 

We are also battling with personal struggles of our own. All three of us have fallen sick since being here. One day, in the early afternoon, I fell extremely ill, weak, and unable to hardly move, with a sick stomach, a high fever, and pain all over. It was so bad for a moment I had thoughts of passing on to glory and had a wonderful time of fellowship with Christ as I meditated on the glorious thought of seeing His face for the first time! We still don’t know what caused this illness, and it only lasted for a couple days until I was able to function like normal and eat again. All three of us have also become sick with an infection, cold, sore throat and cough. Brother John has had an extremely trying time with asthma on top of this cold, and we’ve been praying for his healing. Lina has also been sick and keeps losing her voice, making it difficult to translate as we preach. Yet in all this, we are MORE THAN CONQUERORS through Him who loved us and gave Himself for us!

 

There are also multitudes of bugs here, bugs of all sorts and kinds. There are wasps that fly in and out of our house every day, building nests. We kill them constantly but they keep coming. There are also a lot of bees that come in. There are also poisonous wasps, and poisonous bees that ooze venom from their stingers. There are tons of mosquitos, and we are getting bit constantly despite our best efforts to avoid them. We have probably had at least a hundred bites between the three of us (this is no exaggeration). There’s also these little critters they call “sancudos”, they’re a little bigger than a gnat, look almost identical, but when they land on you they bite and make you bleed. There’s even these strange insects that fly around at night, they look like beetles, and the people here call them, “female donkeys”. When they touch you or land on you, they release a chemical that burns you. I’ve been the victim of one so far, and it burned my neck and made a water blister from the burn. We’ve seen a tarantula here too, and a couple snakes. And pretty much every adult who has lived here all their lives testifies to having between 3-8 scorpion stings during their lives. So we pray and believe that the Lord would keep us safe and from getting ill from any of these bugs, especially the mosquitos and poisonous creatures. Praise God, we have authority to trample down snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy (Luke 10:19)!

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We are so grateful for our brethren back in the States that are covering us in prayer and helping us with our physical needs as we continue to do this work in the name of our Sovereign Lord. We march onward, and may all the saints do the same, for the sake of the Name…

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In CHRIST -Josef Urban

www.puregospeltruth.com

We DEPART from the USA

We are heading out in the next couple days for…  

A MISSIONARY JOURNEY  

We are planning on taking a 6-month missionary journey into southern Mexico, namely, into the states of Guerrero and/or Oaxaca, or wherever else the Lord leads. During this time, we will be involved in reaching various towns and villages for Christ through the means of implementing a heavy evangelistic schedule and strategy that will present the true Gospel in an effective way to those we come into contact with. We will be involved with the evangelization of various cities and towns, relying on the power of the Holy Ghost to make our witness effective.    Initially, we are traveling to a town outside of a city called Ciudad Altamirano. It is located at about the point of the arrow below on this map:

Initial Destination in Mexico

This will be our initial destination. We are not sure at this time whether we will set up base at this point and proceed with our outreaches from there, or whether we will leave this point altogether and go “mobile team style”. Either way, we will be involved in itinerant village evangelism, reaching out to the surrounding towns and villages with the Gospel of Christ.  

The areas where we will be working generally consist of a major city center that is surrounded by many isolated towns and villages in the outskirts. These city centers aren’t your typical cities, they’re more like a tiny city in the US, and you could think of the towns and villages sort of like little isolated ‘neighborhoods’ surrounding the urban center as far as an hour’s drive away (or sometimes more) into the desert or mountains. Most of these towns and villages where we are going to are largely untouched with a true witness of the Gospel. We will be doing the bulk of our work in these little towns and villages; we will also be preaching in the city centers as the opportunity presents itself.  

In these areas, Catholicism reigns supreme as religious king over the majority, and it is often mixed with the practice of magic arts, witchcraft and voodoo. Spiritually, many of these regions are extremely dark and in desperate need of hope, deliverance, and the power of the Gospel. While many of these people have heard the name of Jesus (usually as presented in the form of “another gospel” –Gal. 1:6-9), they have no idea who He really is and what He really came to do. Even in spite of this, most of the people aren’t practicing Catholics and are very loosely religious. This creates the perfect spiritual void which makes these areas ideal for sowing the Gospel seed.

THE STRATEGY  

The goal is to effectively evangelize every town and village we set our focus on. We plan on using various strategies to accomplish this goal. Some of these may or will include:  

– Intercessory and warfare prayer for each particular village.
– Relational Evangelism.
– Door to door Evangelism.
– Power Encounter Evangelism (such as praying for the sick & driving out demons).
– Open Air Preaching and Marketplace Preaching.
– Tract, Gospel of John booklets, and Bible Distribution.
– Holding Bible Studies on basic Christian Truths for Seekers and Believers.
– Jesus Film Ministry and Meetings.

THE JESUS FILM TO REACH OUT  

We are very excited about implementing a new ministry tool, that is, showing the JESUS Film to these lost villages. The Lord has graciously and miraculously supplied everything we need to show this Film in various villages. We have been able to obtain a movie projector, a portable generator, sound equipment, a 5×8 foot makeshift screen, some chairs, and more to show this film, and all of this for around $1000. The Lord has provided every step of the way.  

This will enable us to show the Spanish version of the JESUS Film in these villages, even in extremely remote places that have no available electricity for us to plug into. The JESUS Film is an old evangelistic movie about the life of Jesus that is based on the Gospel of Luke. Just imagine a condensed movie depiction of Luke’s Gospel. That’s what we’ll be showing on a big screen in these villages. Here’s us standing by the screen:

The JESUS Film Screen

We will be setting up the whole thing, and even have chairs for the people to sit in as they watch. This is a proven method of gathering people together, especially in the type of areas where we plan on going. It is ideal for drawing people out of their houses and assembling them together to hear about the Lord Jesus. Pioneer missionaries have used this type of Film ministry for years to evangelize and plant churches in un-reached regions.

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A typical day using this Film will include… first of all choosing a village to target. Then we will pray and intercede for the people in it. Then we will go around, door to door, and through the streets, making an announcement that we will be showing a movie about Jesus on a large outdoor screen as soon as the sun sets, inviting people to come and watch. Then, just before dark, we will begin setting up the equipment. The people will gather and take their seats. We will show the Film, praying and interceding as they watch. Then as soon as the Film is over, we will turn on our bright outdoors lights, stand up at the front, and PREACH Christ and Him crucified, expounding on the exceeding sinfulness of sin and explaining the meaning of the Cross. We will preach the Gospel and call for repentance from sin and faith in the Savior. We will be calling out the sick and demonized and praying for their healing and deliverance, trusting God to confirm His Word openly. And we will be calling for immediate and definite, utter personal commitment to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, calling for people to repent and be baptized and to receive the Holy Spirit. We will also be seeking to set up further Bible studies and personal instruction times for those are have made a commitment to Christ and for those who want to know more.
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And so, as we have gathered many people from a particular village, preached the Gospel to them, and set up a Bible study for those who want to learn more, we will move on to the next village to do it all over again, returning to previous villages from time to time to teach in the meetings that were established and to follow up on those who are seeking salvation thru Christ.
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(Also as a side note: we will NOT be using the “sinner’s prayer” to lead people into making a confession of faith. We will be following the Apostle’s pattern of calling for repentance and faith, for baptism, and for receiving the Holy Spirit. We will take every caution necessary to follow the Biblical pattern and to prevent giving people a false assurance of salvation. We will, as always, be preaching a radical salvation and emphasizing the necessity of the new birth and surrender to the Lordship of Christ)
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THE BIBLES ARE ON THEIR WAY  

Special thanks to all who donated for Bibles! We currently have over 240 Spanish Bibles (whole Bibles that have both Old and New Testaments). Here is a picture of us with the Bibles:

Bibles for Mexico

In addition to the 240+ Bibles, we have about 600-700 Gospels of John and 6,300 Gospel tracts. And all of these we are going to be able to give away for free to the people we will be ministering to! Praise God! We were able to ship the Bibles to our destination a few days ago and they should be there when we arrive.

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PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR SAFE ARRIVAL  

 We are set to leave in just two days, on Monday, August 18. It will be at least a three day drive from where we are to our destination. Dear saints, please keep us in prayer during this time. We have to pass over the border into Mexico and through many periodic military checkpoints as we drive through. In addition to the dangers of being stopped and/or exploited by these, there are dangers of thieves, false police, true police that are corrupt, and many other things. We need the Lord to give us a safe trip down there and to give us favor with the authorities so we can get through. This is so important. Please pray that we would make it!!!
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MAY THE LORD BE GLORIFIED  

We are truly looking forward to this mission and desperately hoping the Lord will bless it and move in power among the lost as we preach the Gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation to those who believe. We are hoping to see the Lord reach many with an effective Gospel witness and to do a mighty work in peoples’ lives. We are praying that the Lord would glorify His great name among the nation of Mexico and gather His elect together that they may obtain salvation which is found only in the Lord Jesus Christ. To His name be all the glory, honor and praise forever.   We will still be sending out newsletters while on this journey and checking our emails at least every couple weeks or once a month, so be on the lookout for periodic updates from us. We will also try to keep the site updated as well: www.puregospeltruth.com.

If you would like to help or donate, you can do so at the site.

MAY THE LAMB THAT WAS SLAIN RECEIVE THE REWARD OF HIS SUFFERING!!!  

In Christ –Josef & Lina Urban

The Trial and Incarceration of John Bunyon

John Bunyon in Jail

John Bunyan was a Baptist preacher, a pious man, and a man well-beloved by all who knew him. John Bunyan was incarcerated in the Bedford jail in England. The following account is taken directly from a transcript of the trial on October 3, 1660, that led to his imprisonment at Bedford:

Judge Wingate: “Mr. Bunyan, you stand before this Court accused of persistent and willful transgression of the Conventicle Act, which prohibits all British subjects from absenting themselves from worship in the Church of England, and from conducting worship services apart from our Church. You come, presumably, with no legal training, and yet without counsel. I must warn you, sir, of the gravity of the charge, the harshness of the penalty, in the event of your conviction, and the foolhardiness of acting as your own counsel in so serious a matter. I hold in my hand the depositions of the witnesses against you. In each case, they have testified that, to their knowledge, you have never, in your adult life, attended services in the Church of this parish. Each further testifies that he has observed you, on numerous occasions, conducting religious exercises in and near Bedford.”

John Bunyan: “The depositions speak the truth. I have never attended services in the Church of England, nor do I intend ever to do so. Secondly, it is no secret that I preach the Word of God whenever, wherever, and to whomever He pleases to grant me opportunity to do so. I have no choice but to acknowledge my awareness of the law which I am accused of transgressing. Likewise, I have no choice but to confess my guilt in my transgression of it. As true as these things are, I must affirm that I neither regret breaking the law, nor repent of having broken it. Further, I must warn you that I have no intention in the future of conforming to it.”

Judge Wingate: “It is obvious, sir, that you are a victim of deranged thinking. If my ears deceive me not, I must infer from your words that you believe the State to have no interest in the religious life of its subjects.”

John Bunyan: “The State, M lord, may have an interest in anything in which it wishes to have an interest. But the State has no right whatever to interfere in the religious life of its citizens.”

Judge Wingate: “The evidence I hold in my hand, even apart from your own admission of guilt, is sufficient to convict you, and the Court is within its rights to have you committed to prison for a considerably long time. I do not wish to send you to prison, Mr. Bunyan. I am aware of the poverty of your family, and I believe you have a little daughter who, unfortunately, was born blind. Is this not so?”

John Bunyan: “It is, M’lord.”

Judge Wingate: “Very well. The decision of the Court is this: In as much as the accused has confessed his guilt, we shall follow a merciful and compassionate course of action. We shall release him on the condition that he swear solemnly to discontinue the convening of religious meetings, and that he affix his signature to such an oath prior to quitting the Courtroom. That will be all, Mr. Bunyan. I hope not to see you here again. May we hear the next case?”

John Bunyan: “M’lord, if I may have another moment of the Court’s time?”

Judge Wingate: “Yes, but you must be quick about it. We have other matters to attend to. What is it?”

John Bunyan: “I cannot do what you ask of me, M’lord. I cannot place my signature upon any document in which I promise henceforth not to preach. My calling to preach the Gospel is from God, and He alone can make me discontinue what He has appointed me to do. As I have had no word from Him to that effect, I must continue to preach, and I shall continue to preach.”

Judge Wingate: “I warn you, sir, the Court has gone the second mile to be lenient with you, out of concern for your family’s difficult straits. Truth to tell, it would appear that the Court’s concern for your family far exceeds your own. Do you wish to go to prison?”

John Bunyan: “No, M’lord. Few things there are that I would wish less.”

Judge Wingate: “Very well, then, Mr. Bunyan. This Court will make one further attempt in good faith to accommodate what appears to be strongly held convictions on your part. In his compassion and beneficence, our Sovereign, Charles II, has made provision for dissenting preachers to hold some limited meetings. All that is required is that such ministers procure licenses authorizing them to convene these gatherings. ”You will not find the procedure burdensome, and even you, Mr. Bunyan, must surely grant the legitimacy of the State’s interest in ensuring that any fool with a Bible does not simply gather a group of people together and begin to preach to them. Imagine the implications were that to happen! Can you comply with this condition, Mr. Bunyan?

“Before you answer, mark you this: should you refuse, the Court will have no alternative but to sentence you to a prison term. Think, sir, of your poor wife. Think of your children, and particularly of your pitiful, sightless little girl. Think of your flock, who can hear you to their hearts’ content when you have secured your licenses. Think on these things, and give us your answer, sir!”

John Bunyan: “M’lord, I appreciate the Court’s efforts to be as you have put it – accommodating. But again, I must refuse your terms. I must repeat that it is God who constrains me to preach, and no man or company of men may grant or deny me leave to preach. These licenses of which you speak, M’lord, are symbols not of a right, but of a privilege. Implied therein is the principle that a mere man can extend or withhold them according to his whim. I speak not of privileges, but of rights. Privileges (licenses) granted by men may be denied by men. Rights are granted by God, and can be legitimately denied by no man. I must therefore, refuse to comply.”

Judge Wingate: “Very well, Mr. Bunyan. Since you persist in your intractability, and since you reject this Court’s honest effort at compromise, you leave us no choice but to commit you to Bedford jail for a period of six years (Editor’s Note: This six ultimately became 12 1/2 for his repeated refusal to sign the license). ”If you manage to survive, I should think that your experience will correct your thinking. If you fail to survive, that will be unfortunate. In any event, I strongly suspect that we have heard the last we shall ever hear from Mr. John Bunyan. Now, may we hear the next case?”

-Of course, neither Judge Wingate nor the world had heard the last of John Bunyan, for during his lengthy incarceration in the old Bedford jail, with his Bible as his constant companion and guide, Bunyan gave to the world the epic ‘Pilgrim’s Progress’. Bunyan was denied pen and paper, and Pilgrim’s Progress was written with pieces of charcoal from the fire that kept his body warm on the paper wads used as stoppers in the milk bottles from which he drank.

Final Apostasy, Trying Times, and a Message for the Saints

David Wilkerson, from his message, “The Great and Final Apostasy”, said:

“God hates most of all the lukewarm gospel of half-truths that is now spreading over the globe. This gospel says, “Just believe in Jesus and you’ll be saved. There’s nothing more to it.” It ignores the whole counsel of God, which speaks of repenting from former sins, of taking up your cross, of being conformed to the image of Christ by the refining work of the Holy Spirit. It is totally silent about the reality of hell and an after-death judgment.

Isaiah warns of this smooth, non-offensive gospel, which people are clamoring for today. His prophecy applies directly to the present time, because God instructed him to write it “for the time to come” [Isaiah 30.8]

“This is a rebellious people… children that will not hear the law of the Lord: which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits: get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us” (30:9–11).

According to Isaiah, there was no preaching of holiness or repentance. Why? The people didn’t want to be corrected or convicted. They refused to hear anything but a smooth gospel. Yet a diluted gospel is no gospel at all.

Ezekiel describes such a gospel: “They have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them” (Ezekiel 22:26). He called the diluted gospel mere whitewash, or “untempered mortar” [22.28]. In other words: “You’re building walls with untempered mortar. Those walls may look prestigious and strong now, but the Lord is sending a storm, and it’s going to cause those walls to fall.” “A stormy wind shall rend it” (13:11).

Ezekiel then outlined a list of awesome judgments, through which God would say to his people: “I’m going to expose your nakedness. Severe judgments are on the way, and when they come, your blasphemous gospel will be exposed as empty and hopeless.”

Isaiah prophesied that in that day, “The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day…. The loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day” (Isaiah 2:11, 15, 17).

Right now, I believe we are facing Armageddon. All around us we see nations trembling and men’s hearts shuddering with fear. I tell you, this is no time for a diluted gospel. That gospel is absolutely treacherous, because it will crumble as soon as the winds of judgment blow. God warns he’ll judge those who preach this lifeless gospel:

“Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life: therefore ye shall see no more vanity, nor divine divinations: for I will deliver my people out of your hand: and ye shall know that I am the Lord” (Ezekiel 13:22–23).

“I will judge thee, as women that break wedlock and shed blood are judged; and I will give thee blood in fury and jealousy…Because thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, but hast fretted me in all these things; behold, therefore I also will recompense thy way upon thine head, saith the Lord God” (16:38, 43, my italics).

When judgment comes, what will happen to those who put their security in a diluted gospel? They’ll look in every direction for a true word from the Lord but won’t be able to find it. Their apostate preachers will say, “Don’t get worked up. The world has seen troubles like these before. We’ve seen world wars. All things continue as they have from the beginning. This will blow over.”

No, not so! There has never been a day like this one. There are now nuclear weapons in the hands of madmen, deadly missiles that can travel thousands of miles, dirty bombs and germ warfare that threaten to wipe out huge masses of humanity.

Just as Sodom and Gomorrah willingly ignored God’s warnings and were judged, the Lord will judge this last-day generation. But many of his judgments are redemptive, and those that fell on Sodom were examples for every generation: “Even as Sodom and Gomorrah…are set forth for an example” (Jude 7).”

Josef’s comments: This is a strong cry from a watchman of the Lord that we would all do well to take heed to, and to tremble in the fear of Almighty God. Disasterous times are coming upon the face of the earth, and as God is sovereignly preparing the imminent return of His Son, fallen angels, evil principalities and powers are preparing the world for the last great and final apostasy and the revelation of the anti-Christ Beast. This watered down lukewarm “gospel” of half-truths is a serious manifestation of apostasy, prophesied by the prophets, apostles, and the Lord Himself in the holy Scriptures, and is a major signs of the times, and of the final “Laodicean” church age we are living in. As soon as the era of the Laodicean church comes to an end, then begins the great judgments of the Apocolypse, ultimately culminating into the return of Christ in flaming fire.

There may indeed be a World War III just around the corner. Could a war between the US and Iran over Israel break out and trigger such a global catastrophe in the near future? And could this coming global conflict result in mass devastation among the nations, and as it tames down, result in a new treaty with Israel, allowing them to rebuild the Temple, and pave the way for the man of lawlessness? Could this coming conflict thrust the US down on the world scene from its high throne of reigning over the nations, and cause the European Union to become the next world superpower, a revived Roman Empire that tramples everything in its path and defies God in satanic rebellion? Only time will tell.  

But the fact is, times will get perilous for Americans soon enough, and it’s during those times that the saints will have to trust in God with all their hearts. These things should not cause the saints to fear, but to watch, be sober, and prepare -not physically (unless the Lord specifically directs), but I mean spiritually. This is the time to ask the Lord to search your heart and see if there is any wicked way in you. This is the time to deeply and sincerely REPENT from everything you know to be sin, everything you know to be compromise, from every unholy attachment and reliance upon this fallen world and its ungodly system, and to see to it that you’re walking in holiness and deep, deep reliance and dependancy on the grace of God. This is the time for the Bride of Christ to make herself ready, to wash her garments, to be clothed in fine linen which is the righteousness of the saints. He’s coming back for a spotless bride, and now is the time to prepare in the fear of God. As Noah was warned of things not yet come, but prepared an ark to the saving of his house, by faith, moved by the fear of God, so the end-time saints on the earth right now are being graciously warned by the Lord that perilous times are coming and now is the time to get your spiritual ark in order that you may be saved. For only those who endure to the end during these trying times ahead will be saved. Things are going to be shaken hard, and only those standing on a solid foundation of a true and deep personal, living relationship with the risen Christ will make it.

But be warned: Don’t fall into the enemy’s traps during these times to fear with an unholy fear. But fear God alone. And trust Him. In the last days, those who know their God shall be strong and do exploits! So while this lukewarm, watered down “gospel” is going forth across the globe right now in this lukewarm church age, may the saints of God arise in the power of the Holy Ghost and lift up their voices like a trumpet and proclaim the Word of the Lord: to fear God and keep His commandments, to repent, to put away all iniquity, and to trust in the Savior, the risen Christ, forsaking all to follow Him, living a crucified life clinging firmly to the cross and embracing its death, that out of that death may come true resurrection life! Saints, don’t fear these times, but rather rejoice, knowing the return of your Lord is close at hand! And stand strong by faith in the blood of the Lamb, hold fast to the word of your testimony, and love Him more than your very own life, even unto death, and by this you have the promise of victory over the evil one in these trying times ahead. Stand firm, soldiers of Christ, and hold your ground!

FAITH IS THE VICTORY THAT OVERCOMES THE WORLD.

www.puregospeltruth.com

Rehab Center Update

4/21/08

REHAB CENTER UPDATE, TIJUANA, MEXICO

Grace and peace in God our Savior and Jesus Christ the Lord.

Update on the rehab center (see last update). We went back to this place Sunday to continue to preach to and to pray for the men who were desperate and/or responsive to some degree to the preaching of God’s Word. Many of them weren’t there, or weren’t available. But, bless the Lord, we were able to speak and pray with four of these precious souls.

Let me say that this place is much different than America. In the US, it seems like almost everybody ‘knows’ the Gospel (or thinks they do), and most are extremely self-righteous, rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing. But here, these men are broken, beaten down, depressed, and without hope. They don’t know or understand the Gospel. They have never said a ‘little prayer’ and ‘asked Jesus into their hearts’. Many have never even heard that terminology. But the funny thing is, that many of them have been baptized and to some degree trust in baptism to save them.

Actually, they don’t know how to be saved. They are stuck in a works-based mentality. When we sit down with them to talk, the first thing I do is ask them questions and find what their understanding of the Gospel and salvation is. And without fail, they all seem to forget the Cross, forget about Jesus, and faith in Christ. I ask them how to be saved. They say, ‘By repenting of all sin and living righteously’. This may sound good, but in their minds, they think they have to exercise their own willpower to stop sinning, and once they are completely free from sin, start reading the Bible and going to church, and that means they are saved. So we preach and stress constantly the importance of receiving grace and of faith in Christ, of justification by faith alone and the true meaning of the Cross.

Some have so many strongholds in their minds that we have to take a considerable amount of time just tearing them down and preaching the truth to provide a solid foundation upon which their faith can stand. Sometimes it feels like we’re trying to explain to a blind man what the color red looks like. When there is no foundation laid, it takes time to instruct perishing souls in the ways of truth and lay a solid foundation. But like I said, it is much different from America here, and praise God for putting us across the path of people who are lost and know it, for Christ came to seek and save the lost, not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance!

At first we sat down with three men who wanted to talk to us. We shared the Gospel with them, explaining in more detail exactly who Jesus is and what He did. These three were desperate. One was a crystal meth addict, the other two heroin addicts (these are both the worst possible drugs to be addicted to). After laboring in the Word and attempting to get them to see the Gospel, and boost their faith, we moved on into prayer. The crystal meth addict wasn’t ready to serve the Lord; he said he doesn’t want to play games with God and receive anything from prayer if he’s not ready to serve him yet. So we exhorted him to continue to seek the Lord, and to read the Gospel of John, and he left. So we prayed with other two men, both of which are heroin addicts.

Both of these men were doing terrible. They have been off heroin for a number of days. Going through heavy withdrawals. Covered in sweat. Unable to sleep or eat for days. In utter torment. It’s so sad. But after talking with them, both of them prayed to the Lord to confess their sins and ask for forgiveness, and asked Jesus to save them (and we didn’t lead them in a prayer and give them words, they did it themselves).

So then we prayed for them. The first man we prayed for had at least a hundred tract marks on his arms (wounds from the heroin needle). As we prayed for him, a mighty cold chill came upon his whole body and he was freezing cold (demonic manifestation). As we continued to pray, it left. Then he felt a strong burning sensation in his stomach. We continued to pray, and that too, left. Then he felt better. We asked him if he still felt withdrawals, and he said no, that they went away. Then immediately he began to get extremely sleepy. He was about to fall asleep on the spot. This is a good sign, because he had not slept in days, and the torment was preventing him from sleeping. But now, he couldn’t stay awake! Praise God! So we sent him up to room and told him to rest and gave him an assignment to read the Gospel of John. He needs a lot more work, that hopefully his heart will be right in the sight of God and the Lord will perform that work in him.

The second guy thought he had been a Christian for 5 years in the past, but backslid. After talking with him for a while, he came to the realization that he was never born again. He simply stopped using drugs, stopped cussing, and started going to church, and thought that constituted being a Christian. He knew a lot of scripture too. But the Lord was able to use us to show him the ways of truth, and teach him what true conversion is. We were able to pray with him too, but the withdrawals didn’t leave him when we prayed. So we gave him much instruction and commended him to God. The good thing is that he was much encouraged and renewed in hope, and claims to have repented and says he will serve the Lord now.

After they left, we called in a third guy (we have our own little ‘office’ at this place, which consists of plywood on all four sides, a plywood ceiling, a dirt floor, and a few benches). He wanted to talk with us and for us pray with him. He was an alcoholic and pill popper. We were able to share much with him. He had no understanding of the Gospel, and was baptized both in the Mormon church and in the Apostolic church (The Apostolics here are highly legalist, they deny the Trinity, and say you must be baptized in the name of “Jesus only” and speak in tongues to be saved). We were able to reason with him of sin, and righteousness, and judgment to come, and of the Cross and Gospel of Christ, and preach the way of salvation by grace through faith. He was much affected, and with much exhortation we told him to seek the Lord until He is found, until he knows the Lord saved him, and how to do it. We prayed for him as well.

After we talked and prayed with all four of these men, 7 hours had passed by and the day was expired. Planting and watering the precious Gospel seed takes time. Please pray dear saints that our labor be not in vain, that God would give these seeds the increase and grow them to fruition! I was highly discouraged by one man we have been instructing and praying for. After much work, and him getting delivered from many demons, he seems to be going like a dog back to his vomit. He hasn’t even read his Bible or prayed in the last week. When we talked with him briefly just before we left, the demons were jolting his body now and he couldn’t stop twitching and having serious spasms and doesn’t like to be around us. He won’t reach out and seek after God. Just a vessel of wrath fit for destruction? I pray not! Please pray for him!

Please, keep all these men in prayer! May they be washed in the blood of Jesus Christ and made clean by faith in His name.

In Christ – Josef
http://www.puregospeltruth.com