Awesome God, Love Like You, O How Great, I Will Go, Shout to the Lord

How many nations can you name in 1 minute? Try covering nations from all 7 continents (Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia/Oceania). When was the last time you prayed for other nations to know and worship Jesus?

But there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish; in earlier times He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali with contempt, but later on He shall make it glorious, by the way of the sea, on the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles.

² The people who walk in darkness
`Will see a great light;
Those who live in a dark land,
The light will shine on them.
³ You shall multiply the nation,
You shall increase their gladness;
They will be glad in Your presence
As with the gladness of harvest,
As men rejoice when they divide the spoil.

Do you truly believe that God is real, and powerfully at work TODAY in our generation? Acts 13:36 gives this commentary on David’s life: he served the purpose of God in his own generation, and then “fell asleep”. Like David, we are here to…

SERVE GOD’S PURPOSE

God’s eternal purpose is the greatest of all purposes. Other purposes are temporary. God’s purpose is for people to be reconciled to Him through Jesus. That ought to be our purpose in life — to bring others back to our Heavenly Father and make disciples of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Dr. Bekele Shanko, CRU’s Vice President for Global Missions shared how he grew up in a poor village in Central Ethiopia where there were no believers, no church, school, tap water or electricity. People worshipped nature, and witch doctors with demonic powers who kept the villagers in fear and bondage. Dr. Bekele’s father served the tribe’s witch doctor. As part of serving the witch doctor, Mr. Shanko had to smoke, and drink alcohol non-stop ever day starting at 5AM. He beat his three wives almost daily. The witch doctor gave very complicated instructions to obey and whenever the father failed to obey, a tragedy happened —- twelve of Dr. Bekele’s siblings and half-siblings died. Dr. Bekele was only given a name when he was four years old because they feared he may not survive as a baby.  “Bekele” means “a seed that was sown that sprouts”. The witch doctor instructed the father to train his young son to serve him also — like smoke and drink alcohol non-stop every day. But our gracious Heavenly Father, the Creator of the universe, intervened in Dr. Bekele’s life.

Two angels appeared to his father and told him about God. Then the angels took Dr. Bekele’s father to heaven, where he walked its streets. Then they took him to the gates of Hell where he heard people crying out for him to save them. The angels asked which place he would want to be in, and he replied, “Please send me heaven, it’s a beautiful place…”. The angel shook his hand, smiled and said, “I will send you two men, they will tell you how to get to heaven.” This happened on a Wednesday night, on Friday evening, two men (only 1 week-old believers from another place) were sent by God to Mr. Shanko and delivered the message that “the only way he can get to heaven, is to deny demons and their powers and believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God who came to die for your sins.” Dr. Bekele remembers this visit from the two men, it was around 8PM.

Learning that coming to Jesus meant that his father would stop beating his mother — five-year old Bekele believed in Jesus as the two men led him and his family in a simple prayer of faith turning away from demon-worship and accepting Jesus as their Savior and Lord. On Sunday morning, his father was leading the cows to the river and found a Bible along the path! With no missionaries or Christians to leave the mysterious Bible, they wondered if the angels left it there. His illiterate father then opened the Bible and from then on, devoured God’s word, the only book he could read miraculously. He literally heard God’s voice telling him that the Bible is His word. God used Mr. Shanko to lead his whole village to Christ (around 400 people) that Sunday night as he shared his testimony. God used Mr. Shanko in amazing ways, including seeing dead people come back to life and many more miracles for the rest of his life. Sometimes, we don’t believe in God for big things, but the God we serve is ALIVE and powerful! Today, Dr. Bekele’s ethnic group (2 million) is about 97% Christian. The mountain where the witch doctor used to live is now a place where 200,000 people from the tribe every year, pray for the world to come to know Jesus! From one family, God’s light can spread to entire nations (Isaiah 9:1-3) as we live to serve God’s purpose!

MY GENERATION

This is the only time, and chance to live in this world. Are you crazy for Jesus, for His Great Commission in this generation? This is our time to believe God for the impossible! Without faith, it is impossible to please God. 12 years old, Dr. Bekele started preaching at their church. After post-graduate studies and a high government position, God called him and his wife to become fulltime missionaries with CRU. At 25 years old, he was appointed to lead CRU Ethiopia. Don’t ask for small things—ask God for big things to accomplish His purpose in our generation. God’s greatness is seen in what He has done through people like Dr. Bekele. Entire cities like Addis Ababa and a whole continent (Africa) were saturated with the gospel and over a million people came to know Jesus! What are you trusting God for in our generation to accomplish the Great Commission among the 5.5 billion non-Christian people worldwide?

UNTIL I “FALL ASLEEP”

Even Jesus knew His time on earth was short (John 9:4). The time is now for us to be used by God. You may be young, but time flies so fast. All of us will one day “fall asleep” (die). Time doesn’t wait; today is your day to make a bigger impact! Live with a sense of (God’s) purpose and passion each day. Before we pass on, what are you doing to accomplish the task (make disciples) God has entrusted to you? Pray and live as Moses and David did (Psalm 90:12, Psalm 39:4). Ask God to “give me favor and grant me success” like Nehemiah as he rebuilt Jerusalem’s walls. Esther, who saved God’s people; Ruth, a gentile who became Jesus’ ancestor. Make the most of this time to do what God is asking you to be and do in your life!

Pray for your family, your “tribe” (friends, relatives), your nation and other cultures to respond positively to the light of the gospel that they see in the lives of believers around them.

Volunteer to be sent out to places where there is little or no witnesses for Jesus.

Take part in God’s greater purpose for your life — share the gospel to someone this Missions month!

• Worship God for who He is, what He has done, and what He will do in our lives.

• Upright and moral governance of public servants; repentance and salvation for government leaders and citizens for a Christ-centered Philippines.

• For legislators to promote and support bills and laws aligned with God’s Word.

• War in Ukraine to end, loss of lives prevented.

• For the rest of the Israeli hostages to be restored to their families safely. For Israel’s war with terrorists to end according to God’s purpose and for His glory.

• Pray for Jewish people worldwide who are experiencing a surge of antisemitism; may this lead them to the Messiah, Jesus as they turn to God for help and comfort.

• For protection of Iranian, Syrian and Lebanese Christians and other minorities, and freedom from oppression. Pray for the gospel to spread rapidly throughout their region.

• Pray for Sudanese and Nigerian persecuted Christians; earnestly seek God’s intervention to stop the bloodshed. Pray for freedom from oppression, that God’s word and His people bring them comfort and hope.

• God’s help to rescue and comfort flash flood victims in central Texas, USA who have lost loved ones, many of them young children; strength and protection for first responders.

• That CCF Members would honor and love God and make disciples.

• Elders, pastors, dleaders, and families (holy, humble, harmonious, happy, heart-working).

• Ministries and churches expand worldwide.

• Worship and Training Center

• Prayer Mountain

• Deeper intimate relationship with God.

• Righteous living.

• Salvation of family and friends.

36 For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep, and was laid among his fathers and underwent decay.