Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Study: Many European Jews Hide Their Identity

Study: Many European Jews Hide Their Identity

Tuesday, September 23, 2014 |  Yossi Aloni  ISRAEL TODAY
A majority of Jews living in Europe today avoid outward demonstrations of their faith and nearly half actively hide their ethnic identity, even as assimilation rates on the continent are skyrocketing.
That according to figures released by Rabbinical Centre of Europe. The study revealed that only about 500,000 Jews will attend Rosh Hashanah services this week in Europe, and that a mere 30 percent will participate in Yom Kippur at local synagogues next week.
The survey further revealed an 80 assimilation rate by comparing the number of Jewish weddings to the number of Jews living in each city.
Rabbi Menachem Margolin, director of the European Jewish Association, said those numbers corresponded to an earlier study that showed about 40 percent of European Jews choose to actively hide their Jewishness, most notably by refusing to enroll their children in Jewish schools.
Rabbi Margolin said that the strengthening of extremist nationalist movements, the growing Islamization and Israel’s overly-reported war against Hamas have combined to put Europe’s Jews in a tighter situation than they have experienced in years.
There have been more attacks, more harassment of individual Jews and Jewish communities, more demonstrations, and more politicians issuing fiery speeches against Israel and the Jewish people.
Want more news from Israel?
Click Here to sign up for our FREE daily email updates from ISRAEL TODAY.

IDF Kills Terrorists Behind Murder of Jewish Teens

IDF Kills Terrorists Behind Murder of Jewish Teens

Tuesday, September 23, 2014 |  Israel Today Staff
Israeli forces on Tuesday morning exchanged fire with and killed the two chief suspects in the June 12 abduction and execution of Jewish teenagers Eyal Yifrach, Gilad Shaar and Naftali Frenkel (pictured).
The brief gun battle took place in the Judean town of Hebron, where Marwan Kawasme and Amer Abu Aysha had holed up in a carpentry shop near a complex owned by the Kawasme family.
Israeli soldiers surrounded the building during the predawn hours and demanded the two wanted Hamas members surrender. They were instead met by machine gun fire.
Following the disappearance of Yifrach, Shaar and Frenkel as they attempted to hitchhike home from their yeshiva near Hebron, Israel launched “Operation Brother’s Keeper” in a frantic effort to find the youths.
When the boys’ bodies were found a week later, the operation shifted to one of retribution and deterrence. In the wake of Tuesday’s successful operation, had this to say:
“On the eve of the Jewish New Year, Operation Brothers’ Keeper - which began Friday, June 13, 2014 and continued with determination since then - came to an end. We promised the Shaar, Yifrach, and Frenkel families that we would get to their children’s murderers, and we did that this morning.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu added the following:
“When we found the bodies of Naftali, Gilad and Eyal I said that whoever carried out the kidnapping and murder of our teens — his blood will be on his head. This morning it was accomplished. We will continue to hit terror everywhere.”
Hamas, too, confirmed deaths of its operatives in a statement reading:
“Two members of the Izz A-Din al-Qasam brigades, Marwan Kawasme and Amer Abu Aysha were killed after a journey of sacrifice and giving. This is the path of resistance and we walk it side by side.”
Want more news from Israel?
Click Here to sign up for our FREE daily email updates from ISRAEL TODAY.

Monday, September 22, 2014

"The Signs of the Harvest! Can You See the Signs?" Steve Scroggs


Steve Scroggs, Hendersonville, NC
The Elijah List

The Signs and Wonders in Our Midst

Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion. Isaiah 8:18 KJV

"Signs, signs, everywhere are signs. Can you see the signs?" 

Is what John Harris, a man of God greeted me with as we were sitting down for coffee. Then he said, "I have also seen this country go into great revival... There were coliseums full of people. I could hear the testimonies of the people, as they were touched by the Holy Spirit." The Father is speaking through a cloud.

The mystery of God's voice demands attention when a sign escorts the revelation. The Scripture is clear in Amos 3:6-8: "If a trumpet is blown in a city, will not the people be afraid? If there is calamity in a city, will not the Lord have done it? Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets. A lion has roared! Who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken! Who can but prophesy?"

This statement begs an answer to at least four questions. One, is God speaking? Two, what is God saying? Three, is there a sign escorting the message? And if so, four, what is the choice for action?

Is God speaking? Expression is a part of His eternal nature. Before the fall, Adam talked with God in the cool of the day. Enoch walked with God, communed with him, and one day walked right into Heaven. Jesus lived in continual communion with the Father and prayed for you to have the same relationship (John 17:20-22). Can you imagine Jesus praying a prayer that will not be answered?

Before He left the earth, Jesus said He would send the Holy Spirit who would comfort you, who would teach you, who would tell you things to come, and who would take from the Father and from the Son and give it to you. The Lord speaks through three expressions of His Word.

One, through the Graphe' (a Greek word meaning to grave especially to write - the holy writ,) the Holy Bible (Matthew 4:7), two, through the Logos (a Greek word meaning the spoken, expressed Word) who is Jesus, the living Word (John 1:1-3,14), and three, through the Rhema (Greek word meaning an utterance – in the moment) the present tense voice of God (Matthew 4:4). Everyone on earth hears God's voice, but His sheep hear and heed. What kind of a Father would God be, if He didn't want to talk to His kids?

Two Signs: Bob Jones and Arthur Burt

For some time now, I've heard the prophetic ministry declaring that an end-time awakening is breaking forth in the earth, and this last great revival will bring over one billion youth into the Kingdom of God. The Body of Christ in this awakening will reveal the glory of God through preaching, prophesying, demonstrating authentic signs, amazing wonders, marvelous healings, and creative miracles like the multiplying of food to feed the thousands, translation in the Spirit from one country to another, and physical body parts coming down from the warehouses in Heaven. (Photo Wikipedia)

At the center of this enormous move is a nucleus of men and women who live for the revelation of the Father. This is the word I have heard. An old sage (Great Grandfather) and prophet (Grandfather) in the faith both spoke words, and their life and death are a sign. The time is now.

Is there a sign escorting the message? 

Two signs have escorted God's message. The first sign is Bob Jones, who prophesied the coming of the last great awakening that would sweep over one billion youth into the Kingdom. In 1975, when he stood before the Lord in death, the Lord held up his hand and said he had arrived before his time. God asked him to return. When Bob agreed, the Lord said, I don't want you to go back for one soul. I am going to bring over one billion youth to Myself. I want you to go back to speak into the leadership of that move. When he died on February 14, 2014, it was a sign that his job was done. Prophets are always reading signs. God is working His plan.

The second sign is Arthur Burt, a great grandfather in the family of God, who entered Heaven August 28, 2014. He was born in 1912 and in his youth traveled with Smith Wigglesworth, a plumber turned Evangelist who walked with God, manifested amazing signs, wonders, healing miracles, and power demonstrations that reaped an enormous harvest of souls into the Kingdom. Although Arthur did not like talking about his days with Wigglesworth, at breakfast one morning he said to me, "When it comes to Smith, all that the books have written about him pale in comparison to the glory that was released in his meetings." 

Although Bob and Arthur are with the King of kings, the story of how they are signs demands our attention.

In 1999 the Lord said to me, "I want you to cultivate a family relationship with Bob and Viola."I didn't know how to do this, so I talked with a friend, whom Bob called his Jewish chauffeur at the time, and he arranged for a weekly visit on Wednesdays. For about a five-year season, I began visiting Bob and Viola in their home. During each visit we would sit and talk, sharing life and family stories, but at some point I would ask a question, "What were your visions about today?" 

Usually each vision would be accompanied with stories from his life and revelation from the Word. We listened. (Photo of Bob Jones and Steve Scroggs)

One day Bob told this story: "In my visions the angel of the Lord visited me and said, 'In the year you were born, I gave a word to a group of people and now there is one man remaining. I want you to encourage him today. Tell him he will see this word come to pass before he dies. He is old and this word is not yet fulfilled. Tell him he will see it.'"

And then Bob turned to me and said about the angel who told him this, "And then he left, and he didn't tell me the man's name or what the word was that he gave him." (The angel was referring to Arthur Burt.)

ElijahList Prophetic Resources

That same evening Kathie Walters, who had just returned from ministering in Wales, called Bob and asked if he had a word for Wales. Bob said, "No, but I have a word for an old man in Wales, and you were just in his house." She said, "That must be Arthur Burt... What is the word?"

Bob replied, "Tell him, he will see it." Kathie responded, "He will see it?" Bob said, "Tell him he will see it. I don't know the word God gave him. He received it years ago. It was given to a group of people and they are all dead now except for him. But tell him he will see it."

When God speaks there will be signs in the heavens, and signs in the earth with some living among us.

A few months after Bob told me this story, I read Kathie Walter's account of her conversation with Arthur. When Arthur picked up the phone she said: "Arthur, this is Kathie Walters. Did you receive a word from God years ago among a group of people and you are waiting to see it?" 

Arthur said, "Yes, we did receive a word." 

She responded "Good, what was the word?" 

Arthur replied, "They are all dead now, the people in that group. I am the only one left." 

"Yes, I know Arthur; what was the word?" 

Arthur responded, "I can hear it now like it was then. I keep it in my pocket you know." 

"Arthur, what was the word?" I practically yelled at him then.

This was the word he read to me over the phone:

"IT SHALL COME AS A BREATH,
AND THE BREATH SHALL BRING THE WIND,
AND THE WIND SHALL BRING THE RAIN,
AND THERE SHALL BE FLOODS AND FLOODS AND FLOODS,
AND TORRENTS AND TORRENTS AND TORRENTS.
SOULS SHALL BE SAVED LIKE FALLING LEAVES FROM MIGHTY OAKS SWEPT BY A HURRICANE.
ARMS AND LEGS WILL COME DOWN FROM HEAVEN…
AND THERE SHALL BE NO EBB." (Photo Arthur Burt via Steve Scroggs)

The Breath is Blowing... What Is Your Action?

How is Arthur Burt a sign that escorted the word?

First, God spoke to a group of people and he was the last one carrying that word. Second, when the prophet Bob Jones through the Holy Spirit said, "He would see it" before he died, it made him a sign. Like Simeon, he was given a word from the Holy Spirit that he would see this awakening.

Therefore, the breath is blowing. The winds are here. The rain is falling. The floods are swelling. The torrents are on their way. If you are waiting for a sign to tell you what God is doing, join Him now because the revival is here.

The final question, what is your choice for action?

The first choice is to acknowledge the sign and receive the word with faith. The second choice is to pray and ask, "Lord, what do You want me to do?" You will speak hope as you open your mouth. God will fill it. The third choice is step out, bring forth the destiny you are called to, and fulfill the dreams you have had as secrets in your heart. The fourth choice may be to look where God is moving and join Him.

"Signs, signs, everywhere there are signs. Can you see the signs?" Will you mix the word with faith and act? God has now stepped onto the world scene in the form of His sons and daughters, and is releasing an unforgettable display of His love, glory and power.

A revivalist from the early 20th century, John G. Lake, gave this prophecy before he died:

"Now beloved, I can see as my spirit discerns the future and reaches out to touch the heart of mankind and the desire of God that there is coming from Heaven a new manifestation of the Holy Ghost in power and that new manifestation will be in sweetness, in love, in tenderness, in the power of the Spirit, beyond anything your heart or mine ever saw. The very lightning of God will flash through men's souls. The sons of God will meet the sons of darkness and prevail. Jesus Christ will destroy antichrist." (This was spoken by John G. Lake in a sermon on February 23, 1921)

The events of the earth are lining up. Future events are walking off of the pages of Scripture and into the life and times of planet earth, and the Sons and Daughters of God are being revealed. Through the Scriptures, the awakenings and the judgments of God have appeared on parallel tracks. There is something about the displays of God's power and majesty that humbles the heart of man and makes him ready to receive eternal life. (Photo via pixabay)

This harvest will bring in a harvest of souls so great and so numerous that they will appear as falling leaves from the mighty oaks driven in a hurricane. 

The sons and daughters of God will walk in the faith that will create arms, legs and a multitude of body parts. 

What would be the response from one who receives a call from a last day ministry that sounds like, "Hello, this is John Doe down at the church. Are you Sam Smith? Do you need a leg? We have one down here with your name on it, come and get it."

It has begun. You can be a part of this awakening, just let your heart reach out and touch your friends and relatives. Begin with the people you know and expand from there.

Steve Scroggs
The I AM Network 

Rev Steve Scroggs is a man who believes life's greatest achievement is to be a friend of God. He loves family, enjoys people, and encourages God's kids all over the world to walk in their eternal destiny. He and his wife have ministered for over thirty years in the US and in 15 different countries. His passion is to reveal the love of the Father, the compassion of the Son, and the creative power of Holy Spirit. 

Signs and wonders with healing miracles usually accompany his preaching. Now he speaks, writes, and oversees a networking ministry called The I Am Network, preparing the sons of God in the awakening.

To subscribe to The Elijah List go to:http://elijahlist.com/subscribe

How Meditation Becomes Your Key to Success - JOHN ECKHARDT

God's Word
How often do you meditate on God's Word? (Lightstock)

Spirit Led Woman's Power Up Logo
Being bound by demonic strongholds and oppressive spirits has a way of keeping you in a place of lack and failure. You may have a few high points here and there, but there is no lasting victory and success.
When you are delivered by way of God's grace and mercy, you will find breakthrough from the cycles that keep you from lasting success and victory. When you are delivered and set free, you may even find that you will see success in many other areas that on the surface seem to be unrelated to what you were delivered from. Success, victory and breakthrough become a way of life when you see true deliverance and learn to maintain that deliverance.
This is the covenant of God with you—that you will have the full measure of salvation so that you can walk free, have victory, take over the land that God swore to your fathers, and have good success in this life and the life to come. You cannot have good success when you are bound. By way of covenant you can be set free and walk in an abundance of prosperity and success.
Prosperity is not just about riches and fame. Prosperity covers everything that concerns you. When you are prosperous, you will not lack in health, relationships, supernatural power to serve and help others, wisdom, insight, knowledge, all the fruit of the Spirit, creativity, strategy for everyday life, as well as all of your needs being met. Do not get caught up into thinking that prosperity means that you will be a famous celebrity megachurch pastor or TV evangelist. Prosperity means that you will not lack any good thing the Lord has designed for you.
Joshua 1:8 gives insight on how we can make our way prosperous and have good success—which is essentially how to maintain our freedom and deliverance. The verse says that we must meditate in the Word day and night. This takes discipline, but it will pay off greatly if done consistently. Prosperity is the key benefit to being in covenant with God.
Muttering and meditating upon the Word of God, until it becomes alive in our spirits, is the key to actualizing the promises of God. Muttering (Hebrew hagah, "mutter") upon the Word of God day and night is likened to a tree planted by the rivers of water absorbing and drawing water into its system through its roots (Ps. 1:3).
Meditation is the process of chewing on the Word. We take a Scripture, speak it, think on it, and then we do it again. This is the biblical way to get the Word into your system and to receive revelation and understanding. To meditate means "to ponder, regurgitate, think aloud, consider continuously and utter something over and over again." This is exactly what we need to do with the Word of God.
"Meditate" or "muse"—Hebrew word siyach—means to put forth, meditate, muse, commune, speak, complain, ponder, sing, study and talk. Your meditation is also what you are speaking, muttering, singing, complaining about, or pondering (see Ps. 5:1).                 
  • My meditation is connected to the words of my mouth (Ps. 19:14; Ps. 49:3).
  • My meditation should cause gladness (Ps. 104:34, emphasis added).
  • My meditation is on what I love (Ps. 119:97).
  • My meditation gives understanding (Ps. 119:99).
  • My meditation brings success (Josh. 1:8).
  • My meditation is what I delight in (Ps. 1:2).
  • My meditation is at night (Ps. 63:6)
Josh. 1:8 is the only place the word "success" is found in the King James translation. Success is the Hebrew word sakal, meaning to be prudent, be circumspect, to act wisely, to understand, to prosper, to give attention to, consider, ponder, to have insight, have comprehension, to act circumspectly, act prudently.
Meditation is connected to wisdom. Meditation will help you access the wisdom of God, and the key to success is wisdom.
Gods-covenant.jpgAdapted from God's Covenant with You for Deliverance & Freedom by John Eckhardt, copyright 2014, published by Charisma House. Covenant is the foundation of all of God's interactions with us. In fact, success for every part of your life depends on how you respond to God's promises and divine plans for you. Learn how to overcome personal struggles and end cycle of failure and bondage with this book. To order your copy click here.
Prayer Power for the Week of 9/22/2014
This week include times of meditation as part of your prayer time. Ask the Lord to direct you in those times and to lead you to the Scriptures you need to ponder. Include Him as you ingest the Word of God and expect Him to give you life-changing revelation and wisdom for success in everything you do. Continue to pray for God's kingdom to spread at home and abroad. Expect and thank Him for revival in our churches, communities, nation and the world. Remember Israel when you pray for God's purpose to be fulfilled in the earth. Lift up those suffering for the cause of Christ, and ask God to show you tangible ways to be a blessing and carry His presence (Ps. 1:3; Josh. 1:8).
Did you enjoy this blog? Click here to receive CHARISMA MAGAZINE by email.

Why You Need to Pray Hard For This One Thing - JENNIFER LECLAIRE

Wisdom
When offered anything in the world, Solomon chose Wisdom. Will you? (Flickr/Andy Rennie)

The Plumb Line, by Jennifer LeClaire
I pray for many things every day. I pray for my family, my friends, my ministry, my nation—and, of course, myself. I pray for protection. I pray for a deeper revelation of God's love and over my life. I pray for grace.
But there's one thing I've been praying for more and more lately—and I am convinced that if we would pray more for this one thing we would make better use of our time, live happier lives, and ultimately see more answers to our prayers.
What is this one thing I've been praying for more and more lately? Wisdom. I believe if we pray more for spiritual wisdom—even if it means praying less for natural needs—we'll receive more wisdom and our natural needs will be more than met.
Take a Hint From Solomon
We could all take a hint from Solomon. You know the story. The Lord appealed to Solomon in a dream and made this invitation: "Ask! What shall I give you?" Can you imagine the Lord coming to you in a dream and making such an invitation? What would you ask God for if you could ask and assuredly receive anything?
It seems Solomon had enough wisdom to ask for the principal thing: wisdom. Solomon replied to God's invitation with these words: "Give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?" (1 Kings 3:9).
That made God happy. Let's see how He responded:
"Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice, behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you. And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days. So if you walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days" (1 Kings 3:10-14).
All I can say to that is, "wow" and "amen."
What Wisdom Will Do for You
God is no respecter of persons (see Acts 10:34). You can receive the wisdom you need to walk according to God's plan for you. James clearly stated that "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him" (James 1:5). The only catch is you have to ask in faith, without doubting. That's not much of a catch and it shouldn't be too hard to do. God wants to give you wisdom so you can walk wise, making the best use of your time because the days are evil (Eph. 5:15-17).
Let's check out what Solomon had to say in the wake of receiving such great wisdom: "Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding; For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, and her gain than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies, and all the things you may desire cannot compare with her. Length of days is in her right hand, in her left hand riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are all who retain her" (Prov. 3:3-18).
My Prayer for You
Wisdom begets wisdom. The ear of the wise seeks knowledge (see Prov. 18:15). The wise man listens to advice (see Prov. 12:15). A man's wisdom makes his face shine (see Eccl. 8:1). By wisdom your house is built (see Prov. 24:3). Wise ones are cautious and turn away from evil (see Prov. 14:16). The words of the wise win him favor (see Eccl. 10:12). The wise will inherit honor (see Prov. 3:35). Wisdom will keep and guard you if you love it (see Prov. 4:6-7). I could go on and on and encourage you to do a study of the benefits of walking in God's wisdom.
When we receive wisdom, it's important that we acknowledge its source. The Lord gives wisdom (see Prov. 2:6). We should never be wise in our own eyes (see Prov. 3:7). But we should humbly pray for wisdom more and more. So these are my prayers. I pray like Solomon, who said, "Give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil" (1 Kings 3:9).
And I pray like Paul, who asked, "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come" (Eph. 1:17-21).
And I pray the Lord would give you wisdom, too. Amen.
Jennifer LeClaire is news editor of Charisma. She is also director of Awakening House of Prayer in Fort Lauderdale and author of several books, including The Making of a Prophet and The Spiritual Warrior's Guide to Defeating Jezebel. You can email Jennifer at jennifer.leclaire@charismamedia.com or visit her website here. You can also join Jennifer on Facebook or follow her on Twitter.

[RUDDICK REPORT] VIETNAMESE HELPING VIETNAMESE

Morris Ruddick

September 22, 2014


Elijah said to Ahab, 'Go, eat and drink for there is the sound of heavy rain.'
2 Kings 18:41

As we wrap things up for this most recent venture helping the Vietnamese, we've been dotting the "i"s and crossing the "t"s for our next trip -- just after the first of the year. However, with those plans firmed up, we have also been finalizing schedules for what we'll be doing on our second trip here next year.

Indeed, word has gotten around. It also is God's time.

With our focus of investing in and mobilizing the poor among the brethren in persecuted nations, the Vietnamese have been applying what we're teaching -- and against incredible odds, these principles have been working for them as they reach for more of God and set their course to become self-sustaining.

There's been a momentum building, along with the sound of the rains of revival.

We've been a part of the turning taking place in this nation. Change for good is emerging. While persecution remains a reality -- the spiritual climate has begun responding to the fervent prayers of the righteous.

The application of God's economy is also becoming a reality and it has been spreading. With that, Vietnamese are helping Vietnamese.

What strikes me most about the Vietnamese response to Truth is the way they embrace and navigate Truth -- into the way they live their lives. Their priorities are in the right place. Indeed, they are walking out the admonition of James: "To be doers of the word and not hearers only, who deceive themselves."

There's something about God's heart for sacrificial giving and revival bleeding together.
Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 2 Cor 8:2

Not only are they reaching for more of God and the goal of becoming self-sufficient, but our Vietnamese co-laborers are truly operating as "community-builders." They're becoming the head and not the tail, as Vietnamese help Vietnamese.

Vietnamese Helping Vietnamese

Here are a few examples.

* Many of the church networks we work with operate as missionary churches, reaching out to Vietnamese communities across Vietnam and Southeast Asia. One gathering was an annual conference attended by local leaders from across the region, the fruit of their efforts. These were communities they have mobilized to be the "head and not the tail," from the poorest of the poor, with majority of those attending being from Vietnamese tribal groups. Also, one of our workshops we hosted had an leaders from distant provinces and seven different tribal groups.

* We have initiated a matching fund program to help launch new businesses with three different leaders of church networks based on matching seed capital coming from Vietnamese business people with established track records.

* One of the business people we have worked with has a track record of helpingyoung people and orphans. Since touting orphanages can be an overused fund-raising technique, I take care when I hear of orphanage activities. In this case, we know the founding couple well and have played a part in their plans becoming a reality. They had already been raising six orphans in their home, besides their own two children, as well as giving scholarships enabling 18 teens from the poor region of this brother's hometown to attend secondary school.

Since then he has used a property he owns to build a facility to house his expanding family of orphans with plans to expand it into a private Christian school. The application for the next step, the Kindergarten, has already been filed. What a joy to visit, minister and share devotions with these happy children and house mothers.

* We have opened the doors for an alliance with a Vietnamese firm that uses half of its facilities to house a Bible school that brings in rural pastors for intense, short-term Bible training. Through the Internet, the goal of this new alliance is to expand the market of their products into the US.

* Across a wide group of church networks leaders are meeting together to pray, collaborate and bless their communities with agendas ranging from feeding the poor to digging water wells. I was honored to be the keynote speaker concluding three days of a monthly fasting and praying gathering.

* A group of business owners in a coastal city who attended one of our prior workshops have been meeting regularly in support groups to seek God and help each other become successful. Their businesses have been growing. On this trip we conducted a special seminar for them, to review, pray for them and answer questions on "next steps." They've entered God's economy and they want MORE.

* One of the key church network leaders we work with has just received government approval for a travel service. We have been a part and have encouraged this initiative as it holds the potential of supporting his already significant efforts to advance the Kingdom. This man is not only a proven leader, but a serious giver and an Isaiah 58 practitioner.

Strongly related to these most recent testimonies of Vietnamese helping Vietnamese is the story from one of our previous missions. A village chief/ pastor of a tribal minority group attended one of our workshops. Not long before he came to our workshop, typhoon-level weather had torn out the electrical lines of his village and made many of the dirt roads impassable. Authorities told him: "Let your God help you." Shortly afterward, he was invited to attend our God's economy workshop.

After the workshop, we learned he had expertise in breeding a special variety of livestock used in high-end restaurants. We assisted with the purchase of three of these animals. When we returned less than two years later to see how his venture was going, we were surprised to find four other smiling village chiefs/ pastors greeting us.

What happened was that with the birth of the first offspring of the animals, this pastor gave half to another village chief/ pastor and trained him in the business. The process multiplied, as the second village chief did the same. Vietnamese helping Vietnamese.

The result was a cash flow being established in which these pastors began feeding their families, supporting their ministries and in each case extending their self-sufficiency with generators to provide them critical, consistent electrical power. The time commitment for raising these animals was less than two man hours a day. Even the authorities, who had previously denied them the services they provided to others, were impressed.

With the upswing in demand for our workshops has been an increase in the requests for my books in Vietnamese. I've investigated further to determine current pricing, as well as which book(s) should have priority.

The Dynamics

The parable of the talents, among many other like-truths in Scripture, teaches that as good stewards, God expects us to bring an increase. That's the foundational premise behind Biblical entrepreneurship. Indeed, God's very nature is to create, to innovate, to build and to multiply.

In the wisdom of God, in establishing their own foundation, our Vietnamese brethren avoid the snares that divide, as they fear God alone and apply the simple biblical wisdom to pray, to listen to God's Spirit, to serve and to place their dependency on reaching for more of Him. The result has been the sounds of rain, heavy rain.

Becoming the head and not the tail means resisting the trap of missing the real potential of God being their source -- by placing their trust in Western donations. It's about making a way where none seem to exist within their own cultural and economic infrastructure. That's the creative foundation for establishing God's economy.

Jesus' Kingdom message raises the bar. It establishes a standard, a dimension in God, beyond our human capabilities. The church in Vietnam has been through the fire. They've had everything possible thrown at them.

Still, they've heard the sound of rain, and will settle for nothing short of it.

The Expectation and Turning

Wherever we've gone, when received, it seems we've been igniters for revival and newdimensions in God. The stewardship of something as significant as God's economy, through the imperfect vessels of God's people, can at times seem daunting. Yet, as I ponder the developments noted above, two things are clear. Our efforts are taking root. With that, we're also at a threshold in the turning underway.

Something new, vital and subtle is emerging. As a boy, I recall my mother frequently commenting: "Thank God for small favors." Sometimes it's the simple things that are the easiest to overlook when the turning and the birthing of the "new" comes forth. It's the "small favors" from the Lord that we don't want to miss.  

Please pray for the development of our role in each of the above examples, as well as for what may be a new role with the American-Vietnamese community, the next steps in my writing, as well as our return to Israel the middle of October.

We deeply appreciate you for holding up our arms in the midst of all this. Thank you for your continued support that is making these efforts possible.

With every blessing,
Morris-copy   
Morris Ruddick
Global Initiatives Foundation
www.strategic-initiatives.org
www.strategicintercession.org