[RUDDICK UPDATE] WHAT GOD IS DOING - Morris Ruddick

[RUDDICK UPDATE] WHAT GOD IS DOING  - Morris Ruddick Whenever a call of God is being walked out, it behooves us to have clarity on what God is doing. The tendency is to short-circuit the process by the activity of what may sometimes be even very sincere human efforts. It is easy to be blinded by the tendency of "more of the same," due to the success of past efforts. So, when we understand what God is doing, our sites are raised. As our sites are raised, we get a better grasp of the big-picture. It is then that we get a far better view of our role in the scheme of His plans. So it has been for us on this mission. It was January 2015 when we were last with the brethren in Hanoi. The evidence of God's purposes being manifested through these Vietnamese marketplace Christians was amazing then and even more so on this trip. The answers to prayers we have prayed with them in the past are far exceeding our expectations. Developments in the North We first came to Hanoi in the first part of 2009. At that time we did one of our God's economy seminars for about 45 young adults in their mid twenties to mid thirties. They were the sons and daughters of high-ranking, wealthy government officials. Most had been living hedonistic lifestyles -- and becoming disillusioned, had fallen prey to being addicted to hard drugs. It was like an epidemic, with some dying of overdoses and frantic parents putting them in high-end rehab programs, only for them quickly to be sucked back into their self-destructive lifestyles. Then one by one, these young people began encountering Christians who knew how to pray and who would lay hands on them and rebuke the spirits controlling them. One by one they were instantly delivered from their addictions, having dramatic, life-changing encounters with Jesus.   Their parents, then recognizing the reality of God being demonstrated through changes in their sons and daughters, in seemingly hopeless situations, began coming to faith. That 2009 seminar was held in the spacious home of the parents of one of those young adults who had had his life dramatically turned around in this way. What God has been doing has been penetrating the infrastructures of the ruling elite! Entrepreneurs Mobilizing Opportunity With several other visits to the north in the interim, in early 2015 we did a special seminar for a group of Christian business owners, each very successful and each completely sold out to the Lord. In many cases, these brothers and sisters had attended a very in-depth Bible school put on by the same man we worked with in setting our program up in early 2009. What God has been doing has been to deeply touch and mobilize Christian business owners to be blessed to be a blessing to their communities! So it was that almost two years ago, the primary focus of those attending our seminar was on 1) how to operate a business with God as your Senior Partner and to hear Him more clearly in planning decisions; and 2) how to proactively use your business as a means to advance the Kingdom. During that time, our host, who had spiritual oversight over these business people asked me to spend some special time with a woman who was planning to start a NGO (non-profit) to train young adults in doing business God's way. Through an interpreter, we met, we prayed, then we corresponded and I was kept apprised of developments (and challenges) through emails. Christian Entrepreneurs Employing Kingdom Strategies So, at the workshop we did for the entrepreneurs on this trip to Hanoi, this very seasoned business woman told me that only two weeks prior to our arrival, her program targeting young adults, despite having a board openly consisting completely of Christians, had received government approval. This woman is a pioneer, not only with her strategic vision from God, but with the way she has gained the approval of the authorities. Her program had already purchased land that will grow organic foods. There have beenscandals involving the quality of foods across Asia and having foods produced that people can trust has become very important in Vietnam. So, along with the biblical principles taught with our program, organic farming will become a part of their entrepreneurial training of young adults. This approach also represents the means by which they create revenues for expanding their influence. The approval of her program represents an important milestone in the relations between the government and believers. What God has been doing has been in giving the authorities another perspective in terms of the rapid growth of Christian converts in Vietnam! While the North has been subject in the past to the same persecution as the brethren in the South, this approval represents evidence of slow, but impending change. The surface issue involves government officials not trusting Christians to be good citizens or simply viewing Christian converts as simple, poor people who don't know better. However, beneath the surface this observation is compounded by the political inclinations of the authorities of the regions, of which there are two: the progressives who are more open to the West and to Christians; and the hard-core communists, who tend to be reluctant to extending trust to either the West or to Christians. Nevertheless, when Christians are successful in business and are helping the community at large, this hardened attitude tends to soften. It is even more so, when high-level officials come to faith. This is an important part of what God is doing in Vietnam. During our Hanoi trip in early 2015, there was a couple in our seminar gifted as entrepreneurs. Both the husband and wife EACH owned several successfulbusinesses. They invited us to dinner after our seminar. They also invited the wife's 80 year old father to join us. He held high-rank in the Party. We also found this man very committed to Jesus. He devoured the Word of God daily and had become a very committed intercessor. At the time he had came to faith, this man asked the Lord if He wanted him to leave the Party. The Lord told him "No, I want your influence and testimony. I want you to be My ambassador." Developments in the South In returning to the South last week, we conducted a workshop for business owners for the biggest official (CMA) church in Saigon. An estimated 70 people attended. They eagerly received our program, as many for the first time, heard what the Bible had to say about making God their Senior Partner and becoming community builders through their enterprises. Finally, at the end of this trip, we met with the committee of businessmen who had asked me to prepare a series of short videos on God's economy and Jewish (biblical) business secrets. During our trip in July we presented them with 24 thirteen to fourteen minute videos. The committee has not only translated the materials to be dubbed into Vietnamese, but has prepared a very persuasive introduction on business people finding success in their business, together with purpose in their destiny through small Christian business prayer/support groups. Their first step will be a web-site that use these videos as a means to attract young entrepreneurs. What God is doing is creating strategic alliances between business and ministry to advance the momentum of those recognizing the reality of God being evidenced through the Vietnamese Church. What God is doing is raising up a cadre of committed and strategic leaders who are changing the spiritual climate in seats of power. What God is doing is presenting the Vietnamese with the common ground between the Vietnamese and Jewish cultures as a means of drawing a cadre of movers and shakers to Himself, who will build the community around them. What God is doing is laying the groundwork for changing the course of this nation. What God has been doing has been blessing our efforts to be a part of what He is doing in Vietnam. So, once again I want to express our deep appreciation. May God richly bless you for your support and prayers in enabling us to be a part of what God is doing. Gratefully, in His Service,   Global Initiatives Foundation   sign@strategicintercession.org | http://www.strategic-initiatives.org/ PO Box 370291 Denver, CO 80237 Global Initiatives is tax-exempt 501 (c) 3 ministry

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[RUDDICK UPDATE] BENIN: THE RESPONSE

Morris Ruddick in Benin, West Africa            [RUDDICK UPDATE] BENIN: THE RESPONSE June 18, 2014

Dear Friends,  In God's strategy of things, it is more often the simple things that confound the wise. Benin, a nation of less than 9 million people is a fertile valley, Geographically shaped like a key, it is less than 300 kilometers from one end to the other. Yet, it is situated adjacent to the most populated nation in Africa, one struggling to produce sufficient crops for its own very fast-growing population. Its capital city, Cotonou, is a major port for the entire West African region. As such, it supplies wholesale goods to the surrounding nations. Its market, which also serves numerous surrounding nations, is the largest in West Africa with revenues averaging $12 million (US) daily. Benin's sidewalk economy has been estimated by some to be as much as 67% of GDP. This compares with 27% for Vietnam's significant sidewalk economy. Despite cultural roots of darkness that plague all West Africa, the last two presidents have been committed Christians, intent on establishing righteous standards in otherwise deep-seated infrastructures of corruption. With this brief snapshot of Benin, each situation we ministered in, emerging opportunity has been the byword. God's people are truly reaching for that dimension that only God can bring. Each place we went, we experienced fervent prayer and serious commitment. Our first workshop was one of the most remarkable that we have ever had. Those attending were leaders, some from high levels in business, government and Beninese society. Some we believe are destined to serve in the highest levels of this nation. This group was comprised of an array of genuinely called Josephs and Daniels, poised and prepared for the message of God's economy. From the beginning, each reflected the heart-cry of the Macedonian call with their hunger and grasp of our message, God's strategy for change. Their response was to mobilize this strategy to support one another and nurture the callings of the other members.. We next went to a very poor section of the city for a special evening with a group of committed Christian entrepreneurs and potential entrepreneurs. The Macedonian callwas evident there as well. We navigated dirt roads with deep, water-filled chuck-holes getting to their church. Their hunger for the God's economy message pulled hard, as we ministered late. The anointing of the very seasoned pastor overseeing them grasped the importance of the strategic nature of the entrepreneurial. His prayer that wrapped things up spiritually shook the rafters as these brethren reached hard for that dimension of "something more" as community builders and people of influence. That spiritual searching is also reflected in Benin's strong Muslim population. One of the groups we ministered to was led by one of the active Christian leaders who attended our first workshop. They were a group of young people aged 17 to 35, desiring to become people who make a positive difference in their community and nation. They included a mix between Christians, Muslims and those whose spiritual roots were still tied to superstitions and occult ways of the past. I spoke to them about something they all wanted: success and leadership. However, what I shared was success and leadership as has been outlined in the Bible. I told them about the people of the Bible who influenced, but survived all the civilizations that have come and gone over the centuries because of God paving an enduring pathway for those who would put their trust in Him. The response was mixed, from those who were skeptical, to those who were curious, to the ones who shouted with joy at the hope it reflected. The Macedonian call was also reflected by those who arranged our second workshop. It was done for a bishop of a network of churches. Upon conclusion of the workshop, hehad a video made of testimonies of those who attended. This pioneer for the Kingdom in his nation attended the entire two-day workshop. He began his own video-testimony with the words: "We have had a visitation." There was more, a lot more. Yet, the bottom line of what I'm describing is a people poised and prepared to accept their assignment from God, as a people. Cultures that have their foundations in the occult understand the reality of God's power. They likewise understand the realities they face. While poverty is systemic, evil is at its core. In the final church service where we ministered, the pastor expounded on my message by telling the congregation of the need to change their way of responding to the realities. He noted that in Ghana, to be a pastor, you have to support yourself in business. His observation was that too many African Christians try to extract themselves from poverty by going into ministry. His point was the need for the entrepreneurial to be foundational to the Christian community for us to be the light and example to those around us. So it is that within cultures that have been assailed by Babylon and Chaldea, there is now arising a remnant that God is using strategically in these times. We have an extensive track record within Africa. The long-time struggle for the soul of this incredible spiritually- and resource-potent continent is now experiencing a turning. Our time in Benin has been something of a crossroads, in terms of the turning underway not only for Africa, but globally, with steps of restoration being evidenced as God reestablishes His order in His creation. I have long had the perception that God intends to strategically mobilize and connect those in Asia persecuted for their faith with the brethren I've been describing in Africa. This connection will serve Isaiah 60 restoration purposes tied to God's set-times for His covenant people Israel. I believe we are at that juncture of turning. It goes back to the simple things. Over the centuries God has mobilized the most unlikely of His people, to execute the most unlikely strategies, to bring about the most unlikely change. It's now happening at an incredible level for the generation taking the helm. Thank you for praying for our role in preparing these key members of the Body for their timely mantles. Gratefully in Jesus,

Morris Ruddick Global Initiatives Foundation www.strategic-initiatives.org www.strategicintercession.org