Post by JEM on Aug 5, 2022 15:22:04 GMT
THE LIGHTHOUSE PRAYER MINISTRY. AUTUMN NEWS 2022
We read in DANIEL 6 from verse 25 King Darius writing to all the people, nations, and men of every nation within his Empire decreed that “ in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel. “For He is the living God and He endures for ever, his kingdom will not be destroyed and his dominion will never end, He rescues and he saves, he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth”God’s Kingdom will be an everlasting Kingdom. When all the ancient empires have vanished, and certainly when the UN, USA, EU, the CW, the CIS with the RF, the Islamic Empire China, have all passed away and when humans may no longer live on the Earth,. God’s Kingdom will survive.
OUR YEAR begins on July 1st and ends on June 30th so we have just completed 68 years during which we have through a long series of projects reached out using literature and cassettes to about 107,000 people across 179 countries of which 43,240 were overseas. Mentioning this several years ago on a website of a multi-millionaire in the States who was seeking support from many missions and churches to finance another super film about Jesus Christ to be shown in Cinemas worldwide, of which I have heard no more, who listed all his personal accomplishments, he warned me about boasting which was a bit like the proverbial pot calling the kettle black. I am not boasting of what I or we have done, for it is so little, and we have just been responding to opportunities the Holy Spirit has opened up and had we listened more carefully we might have reached many more. Divided by 68 it is only 1,570 a year . Billy Graham in his 90’s was told he had preached to some 500.000,000 and remarked “How disappointing so few!”. During our 68 years world population has grown from 2 billion to nearly 8 billion and the problems have grown too.
We are a small outfit of about 25 intercessors , of whom about half contribute money. And in the words attributed to St David “we are concentrating on doing the small things”. If any of those we reach become Christians then there is joy in Heaven over one sinner who repents, we rejoice too.
Last year we reached 1,493 new contacts all but 19 overseas. So far this year we have reached 192. All in the UK. Overall how many have become Christians?, I have no idea. We don’t keep such records. A lot were already Christians and our task has been to provide encouragement, teaching, Bibles and books.
We also reach out by supporting missions and ministries using radio, television, social media, and our web board site, by all means to save some.
This ministry began with formation of a Scripture Union branch, that still exists with it’s 5th secretary. Plus sending specialist magazines to missionaries, an attache case of booklets, books, & magazines accompanying a youth witness team visiting local churches - most of them now closed, a bookstall ministry at Youth for Christ rallies, a lending library, a Bible placement at a hostel for deaf people, tracting, and displaying Bible texts on hoardings.
As a lay preacher I was reaching a maximum of 30 people in 2 or 3 services per Sunday at village churches. I felt that I had to get out beyond the churches to reach people where they are, at least to issue a warning, which some have heeded. The majority of people did not attend church services, as is so in UK now where only about 11% of the population attend churches on Sunday – it has just got worse. The world expects to be fed and watered without thanking God or caring as to his existence or his rules, and then wonders why so many things go wrong from being out of touch with Him. He gets the blame for many things that are the fault of humans.
Recently a friend who is moving asked if I could send Christian books to third world countries as the friend had got a lot to dispose of. I suggested taking them to her church and laying them on a table to see who might like them and pointed out that to send 17 paper backs would cost about £17. The friend decided to take them to a Charity shop. That may well be the best idea as it potentially reaches local non- Christians who may be seeking knowledge of God, or Christians who have given up attending church for a variety of reasons, and a lot have.
EVANGELISTIC RESEARCH has discovered that most Christians became so by the age of 20 – so child and teen evangelism is vital; that it takes at least 7 encounters with real Christian people , because of their example at walking the walk rather than just talking the talk, for nonbelievers to understand that JESUS is indeed alive and able to help them, and that becoming a Christian they still need teaching and training maybe for up to 4 years to become active Church members. Friendship evangelism appears most successful with groups encouraging each other.
Successful churches with regular baptisms of believers, and receiving the power of the Holy Spirit appear to be praying churches where most members pray regularly themselves, and in groups so the Church is continually alive in prayer through every day.
Saffron Walden has about 17,500 people. Total attendance at worship across the 8 congregations of the Church is about 700, and maybe less, with several under 50, and one under 10.
NEW WALDEN is the new homes being built and occupied In July I delivered VIA magazine and a leaflet “Christians Together in Saffron Walden” introducing the congregations in town in their order of being set up since the Reformation with the current contact data and websites to 169 homes on the estate next to Tescos; and to post pandemic buildings in Lime Fields and Crocus Fields off Lt Walden Road, where 86 new homes are under construction and 3 were occupied. Several have now been built of the 250 due on the Poppy View estate in Thaxted Road. Planning applications exist for about 1000 more on 4 sites. What is the Church in Saffron Walden going to do about evangelizing these sites?
ISRAEL “To the Jews first and also to the Greeks” Was St Paul’s policy. In 1960 at BMS Summer School at Seaford, I was introduced to evangelizing Jewish people to a mission that since then has had 3 name changes, Today it is :- INTERNATIONAL MISSION TO JEWISH PEOPLE, They have well trained missionaries working in Jewish communities and Messianic Fellowships [ Christian Jews ] in London, Southend, Sheffield, Leeds to name just a few places I know about, but in other parts of UK and in France, Hungary, Romania. Germany, Israel [where they have a publishing house ] Australia, USA,
There remain more Jews living outside Israel than in it but of all the millions of Jews only 1% are known to know JESUS. GOD called their leader Abraham to begin the creation of the Jewish People, and through their race to offer salvation and eternal life to all mankind, to all who believe Him, yet these Jews became a willful corrupt nation constantly denying and disobeying God, just like the other nations that had lost contact with God over previous centuries, and formed into Hinduism and other religions, so that in the end they were deported from Israel to the nations whose gods they preferred to worship, They chose unwisely. Jesus wept over their unwillingness Still the first Christians, the followers of the Way, of Jesus, who said “I am the Way, no one comes to the Father except through Me” began his body on Earth after his departure to Heaven, That body is the worldwide Church. .
IM to JP is seeking to build up it’s support network in UK by recruiting Watchmen, both male and female to pray for and support their expanding work. Please find out more on the accompanying leaflet, and on www.imjp.org/watchman.
GHANA We began outreach to Ghana in 1992, a 2 year project that lasted 20. Here is news from one friend we still keep in touch with. A young business man Robert Amuzu
Dear John,
I have distributed more of Bibles this year, with a couple other requests still waiting to be honoured. There are many as 32 requests for various local language Bibles from different towns and villages in the northern regions, apparently a national service personnel doing his service up there had given my contact to people he prays with in the north and many of them have come through with local language Bible requests to me.
Many a time I buy The King James English Bibles and stock them in anticipation of request that may come, I emptied that stock on Father`s Day and so I have no stock now. Also local language Bibles rather cost a bit more than English Bibles. Price range from the cedis equivalent of 3 to 5 pounds depending on the size.
I receive publications from SOON, and other Bible believing organisations which if I find useful, I print copies using a printer in the office where I work for onward distribution to other people, when they request for Bibles and gospel materials from me, just in case you have gospel materials that you want to share with others, you can attach them through emails and I will print them here.
Last few weeks, there are warnings to Ghanain Christians in general and Christian Churches to be vigilant as there are insurgents planning attacks on churches. It happened in Nigeria a couple of weeks back when gunmen entered a catholic Church and killed so many people and then Togo which borders Ghana on the east as well as Burkina Faso on the northern side. We have been praying against this insurgencies that is gaining grounds in the West African sub-region, and we are calling also on our security agencies also to be on high alert, please pray for Christians and churches in West Africa
Irrespective of that, we continue to soldier on for Christ and God`s Kingdom.
With kind regards, in Christ`s service,
Robert.
Lighthouse Prayer Ministry sent some money towards some of those requested Bibles
NIGERIA Letters from 2 evangelists to whom we supplied 150 English Standard Bibles as they requested, in June.
Dear Brethren in Christ
Greetings with John 13: 34, 35. I trust that this email finds you and the family well. I wish, at the outset, to thank you for the great work that you do, of taking pains to share with us the soul winning outreach . but I know you through your evangelistic pursuits for many years now. We are doing well this side of the world, and we are trying our best to reach out to many souls with the last message of mercy, particularly in these trying times in which every prophecy is fulfilling before our eyes, which give us hope to hold onto the truth, for our redemption draweth nigh.
Of late, besides sharing the word of God, I have embarked upon publishing work. I believe that the combination of Bible study and the literature materials (the silent preachers), can advance the work of God in many lines. Thank you very much for the 150 bibles you sent to me we have just finished the distribution and those who receive it are filled with great joy we dont know how to thank you but we will continue to pray for you
Waiting to hearing from you soon, thanks Patricia Chibinna <pattchi4@yahoo.com
AND
Dear brothers and sisters.
Greetings in the wonderful name of our Lord Jesus. First of all I thank God for the wonderful work you are doing to give Him glory. The world has become like dry bones as Ezekiel 37:4-5 says. But God will give the nation new life. Please pray for our ministry as we try to reach people of all categories and win many souls for Christ. Your ministry is a big blessing to us and the ministry here.
I want to thank you from the depth of my heart for the 150 bibles you send to me which has been distributed many many lives has been saved again
We have 5 small sturdy groups serving many souls as home churches. Our request to get more of souls saved . We put all these to God in Prayer and with great fasting as we trust all will be possible through Him....May His will be done and nice to hearing from you we pray for more bibles as there are other who have no bible yet I will send u picture later
May the good Lord bless you mightily Thanks in his love . Jacob Kenneth
We expect to send both more later.
THE GAMBIA When you have absolutely no money, and no food and a toddler to feed and you live in a poor unstable country what do you do?
Jonh Manneh claims to be such a person and lives in The Gambia. A small economically poor drought devastated country on the West Coast of Africa. He contacted me by Messenger the communication facility of FACEBOOK
I put this appeal for him on FACEBOOK. The need in this case appears urgent.
I cannot help him as I don’t have the ID necessary to transfer money or the money to transfer. Please pray that God will open up a way be which he can be supplied, and if you can help him or know someone out there who could get in touch and help him, or an organisation he could apply to please do so.
He says that if money is sent to this link site he could draw food from them. Www.baluwo.com His address is:- Jonh Manneh , SULAYMAN MANNEH, BRIKAMA TOWN, THE GAMBIA WEST AFRICA . Telephone. +2202778164
KENYA Pastor Davis asked us 6 months ago if we could get him some tracts in Swahili, and GOSPEL PRINTING MISSION have sent him 500. and the promise of more if requested.
PAKISTAN Pastor Patras asked us for funding to provide 200 Urdu Audio Bibles for illiterate people at £6 each [ £1,200 ] and we have done that. He also asked for 5000 printed Urdu Bibles at £6 each [ £30,000 ] We declined to accept that request as it represents our annual income for 6 years but we have supplied money for some and may over time supply more.
ETHIOPIA Once a super power controlling much of Africa, now a land where millions are starving and dying, where organized government has collapsed, where the military and the merchants struggle to maintain control, Our long time contact there Ayele Haliso 46 has been caring for years for his 3 younger brothers and a younger sister all in their 20’s and all unemployed and poorly educated. We sent them shirts and jerseys but the parcel was rifled in transit and only 2 shirts and a pair of shoes made it. We pray that someone there can get through to them and arrange supply of food. 3 of them are ill from having no food and in July one of them Samuel died. Ayele says he would like to start a business for which he needs a computer with printer, scanner and copier which could be obtained there for £5000 He also needs about £30.000 to rebuild his house destroyed by Islamists in January,. Pipe dreams I fear but maybe God has an answer.
MALAWI Enock Dimba hopes to resume their village tours again from September with the JESUS film and bowls, bikes, and Bibles but lately he has been at Maoni Orphanage where due to another tropical storm the maize crop was destroyed meaning they will have to buy maize on the open market and the price is inflated by the war in Ukraine, and 3 windmills controlling farm irrigation were destroyed and need replacing. The storm seriously damaged many churches and homes. On the June - July tour of villages 792 people responded to the appeal to follow Jesus and at one place 26 converts were baptized. We have sent packages of books donated by Thaxted Baptist Church there for distribution to new converts that they can read, share and swap. Anyone with books can send to Enock Dimba, Christian Resource Ministries, PO Box 883, Blantyre, Malawi marked Printed Papers Send by International Economy rate with a customs label marked Gift and contents marked as Books. Maximum Weight 5kg including wrapping. Takes about 40 days to get there,.
INDIA In July 2021, the husband of a lady who works at a project in Bihar. had suffered from paralysis for two years. As she shared her heartbreak with Pastor Suresh, he offered to go and pray for her husband, explaining that Jesus has the power to heal. They both agreed and as Pastor Suresh prayed, Jesus began to heal her husband and he was completely restored.
After this remarkable healing, Suresh shared the hope of Jesus with the man. He and his wife committed their lives to Jesus, as did their six children, and were baptised. The family still regularly attend church and have developed a deep faith, which they share with others. If you would like to give a one-off or a regular donation to our work, so that the people of India can be reached with the good news of Jesus, please click the button. Alternatively, you can write to us at this address
LIFE ASSOCIATION Steve & Lisa Haskett St Thomas' Parish Centre, 135 Caunce Street, Blackpool, FY1 3NJ
FACEBOOK PAGE We get many pictures, from Malawi particularly and I am trying to set up a Lighthouse Prayer Ministry page on FACEBOOK to put them on. Let me know if you would like to be invited to be members of that group.
SHARING THE WORD- SCRIPTURE PLACEMENT I help through supporting GOOD NEWS FOR EVERYONE [ formerly Gideons ] to place New Testaments to year 6 children, Youth Bibles to Fresher undergrads, Bibles to hospitals and Hope magazines to waiting rooms. I place Open Air Mission Lantern covered Gospels of John in strategic places or to particular people on my outings as this year to Broadstairs and Wells as well as locally, all linked to our web board site. lhpm.proboards.com Also using Scripture Gift Mission booklets DAILY STRENGTH, WORDS OF COMFORT, LITTLE BOOK OF FAITH, etc with greeting cards and get well cards.
We appreciate prayer support from anyone, and if anyone feels moved to assist with money it can be sent to me by cheque made out to The Lighthouse Prayer Ministry 35 Four Acres, Saffron Walden CB11 3JD or if you contact me I can supply the Account Number for transferring direct. If you would like to add Gift Aid to your gift then contact me for the account details of the Saffron Walden Baptist Church and send it to them and advise me to advise them to pay it into our account when they have been enabled to add Gift Aid to it. We are not a charity but they are. Thank you for your prayers and support To our GOD be all the credit and the glory
We are all gifted in some way to serve the LORD in serving other people right where we are at any given time and as we lovingly obey He will through His Holy Spirit help us to extend His love
Kind regard John E Maddams Administrator