Testimony Before Going to Ethiopia
I almost forgot to share my testimony that I presented to "NeulSaRang Church" before going off to northern Ethiopia Jan 25 - Feb. 18, 2003.
Here it is in full:
Dear brothers and sisters,
It is a privilege and an honor to stand before you and God and give testimony of what God has done, is doing and without a doubt will continue to do in my life.
First of all, you should know that I am not worthy of standing here and actually none of us are but only through the precious blood of Jesus Christ are we made righteous.
There are a million things I could tell you about what God has done in my life or about God's grace but the topic which the Holy Spirit has placed on my heart to share with you is the fact that God DOES speak to his people TODAY.
It is written by the prophet Amos, "Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets." (Amos 3:7)
Jesus said, centuries later, in the New Testament, "He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God." (John 8:47)
Let me ask you something. Do you believe this to be true? Do you REALLY believe that God speaks to His people today? This is a vital question to ask yourself.
Our God of the Old Testament is indeed the same loving, patient God of the New Testament (despite what a small number of people will try to tell you) and He is the same Sovereign God who speaks to His people today.
Or more eloquently said in Hebrews 13:8, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."
God does not need to speak to us through a burning bush. He has given us 4 ways (at least) in which we may know His will and hear Him loud and clear.
1) The Word of God - The Holy Bible
2) Prayer
3) The church (other believers) and
4) circumstances
Let me share with you, as an example, how God called me to Ethiopia on a short term mission through these 4 modes of communication.
I'll start with "circumstances":
XXXX, a woman serving in northern Ethiopia, was invited to speak at our church about the Tigrai people in northern Ethiopia and about how God was at work there.
There is a big spiritual battle taking place there because Satan's influence is used through the Orthodox Church which seeks to control the people through traditions, superstitions and fear and therefore few know a true, personal relationship with the living God through the grace, knowledge and faith of our resurrected Lord.
I was moved by her presentation and felt God pulling on my heart-strings.
I had an opportunity to thank her for her sharing her testimony in our church lounge. I told her about my experiences of meeting several Ethiopian Jews while living in Israel and that I had always been intrigued by the history of Ethiopia and the presence of a small Jewish minority in that country.
I was quite shocked when she directly asked me if I would consider coming to Mekelle, a northern town in Ethiopia, to help teach English and do what I could to help out. I told her that I would seriously consider it but weeks later it slowly escaped from my mind.
When reading the bible in our intensive 12 week bible study at SIBC (Seoul International Baptist Church), the following verse hit me like a hammer:
"Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by Himself; He can only do what He sees His Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does." (John 5:19)
The biblical principle which Jesus showed through His living example (and even His death!) is to rely COMPLETELY on God, the Father. We are to seek where the Lord is at work and join Him there.
If you reread the gospels with this in mind, the Holy Spirit will reveal to you exactly what I am talking about.
This principle of "joining God where He is already at work" is the reason why I decided to teach English here at Neul-Sa-Rang-Church. I know that Pastor Choi has been faithfully coming to Ansan for a LONG time and saw that God was doing powerful things in his life, so it was my pleasure to join him here at this new church.
This is why, like Pastor Choi, I truly enjoy sharing fellowship in Ansan church every Sunday evening as well. Because you can truly feel that God is at work there.
Too many Christians try to invent a new program or try to think of something else to sdo to help God (which is human thinking) rather than join God at work where the Spirit is already at work.
Anyway, after much prayer, I came to realize that God had invited me to Ethiopia by directly inviting me through the body; (another believer-XXXX) . Being asked to join her was not "pure luck" but God's invitation.
As you see, God spoke loud and clear through 1) the Bible, 2) prayer, 3) the church and 4) circumstances to lead me to where He wanted me to go.
To tell you the truth, I have no idea what awaits me in Ethiopia.
BUT, I trust completely in the LORD who has called me there.
That is what "faith" means "F.A.I.T.H.-Forsaking All, I Trust Him."
Psalm 32:10 tells us, " Many are the woes of the wicked, bu the Lord's unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in Him."
Also, in Psalm 34:7, "The Angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear (respect and revere) Him and He delivers them."
Again in Psalm 91:11, For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways."
By the way, this may sound strange to some of you, but this trip, in itself is really nothing special and of little importance.
God does not want our "motion" as much as He wants our "emotion".
Jesus said it best in Matthew 22:37-38,
"Jesus replied, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment."
Our duty as Christians is not a one time mission but a DAILY faith and reliance on God Almighty.
In God's loving eyes, each of us in which the Holy Spirit lives must consider ourselves as a MISSIONARY.
At the same time, every heart that does not know the love and peace which can only come from Christ is a potential MISSION FIELD.
Whether those non-Christians live in homes thousands of miles away or work in a desk inches away from ours in our office.
I hope that you wil l pray for God to prepare the hearts of those He will cause me to meet there and that He will continue to bless those already there who have diligently been serving Our God over a long periiod of time; people like XXXX, the English teaching missionary and Chris Plante, the director of the children's school i will be teaching at and his wife and 2 children.
The ultimate prayer is that God'm promise in Psalm 68:31 (which many consider to be a prophecy concerning the conversion of Ethiopians) will be accomplished"
"Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God."
Here it is in full:
Dear brothers and sisters,
It is a privilege and an honor to stand before you and God and give testimony of what God has done, is doing and without a doubt will continue to do in my life.
First of all, you should know that I am not worthy of standing here and actually none of us are but only through the precious blood of Jesus Christ are we made righteous.
There are a million things I could tell you about what God has done in my life or about God's grace but the topic which the Holy Spirit has placed on my heart to share with you is the fact that God DOES speak to his people TODAY.
It is written by the prophet Amos, "Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets." (Amos 3:7)
Jesus said, centuries later, in the New Testament, "He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God." (John 8:47)
Let me ask you something. Do you believe this to be true? Do you REALLY believe that God speaks to His people today? This is a vital question to ask yourself.
Our God of the Old Testament is indeed the same loving, patient God of the New Testament (despite what a small number of people will try to tell you) and He is the same Sovereign God who speaks to His people today.
Or more eloquently said in Hebrews 13:8, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."
God does not need to speak to us through a burning bush. He has given us 4 ways (at least) in which we may know His will and hear Him loud and clear.
1) The Word of God - The Holy Bible
2) Prayer
3) The church (other believers) and
4) circumstances
Let me share with you, as an example, how God called me to Ethiopia on a short term mission through these 4 modes of communication.
I'll start with "circumstances":
XXXX, a woman serving in northern Ethiopia, was invited to speak at our church about the Tigrai people in northern Ethiopia and about how God was at work there.
There is a big spiritual battle taking place there because Satan's influence is used through the Orthodox Church which seeks to control the people through traditions, superstitions and fear and therefore few know a true, personal relationship with the living God through the grace, knowledge and faith of our resurrected Lord.
I was moved by her presentation and felt God pulling on my heart-strings.
I had an opportunity to thank her for her sharing her testimony in our church lounge. I told her about my experiences of meeting several Ethiopian Jews while living in Israel and that I had always been intrigued by the history of Ethiopia and the presence of a small Jewish minority in that country.
I was quite shocked when she directly asked me if I would consider coming to Mekelle, a northern town in Ethiopia, to help teach English and do what I could to help out. I told her that I would seriously consider it but weeks later it slowly escaped from my mind.
When reading the bible in our intensive 12 week bible study at SIBC (Seoul International Baptist Church), the following verse hit me like a hammer:
"Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by Himself; He can only do what He sees His Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does." (John 5:19)
The biblical principle which Jesus showed through His living example (and even His death!) is to rely COMPLETELY on God, the Father. We are to seek where the Lord is at work and join Him there.
If you reread the gospels with this in mind, the Holy Spirit will reveal to you exactly what I am talking about.
This principle of "joining God where He is already at work" is the reason why I decided to teach English here at Neul-Sa-Rang-Church. I know that Pastor Choi has been faithfully coming to Ansan for a LONG time and saw that God was doing powerful things in his life, so it was my pleasure to join him here at this new church.
This is why, like Pastor Choi, I truly enjoy sharing fellowship in Ansan church every Sunday evening as well. Because you can truly feel that God is at work there.
Too many Christians try to invent a new program or try to think of something else to sdo to help God (which is human thinking) rather than join God at work where the Spirit is already at work.
Anyway, after much prayer, I came to realize that God had invited me to Ethiopia by directly inviting me through the body; (another believer-XXXX) . Being asked to join her was not "pure luck" but God's invitation.
As you see, God spoke loud and clear through 1) the Bible, 2) prayer, 3) the church and 4) circumstances to lead me to where He wanted me to go.
To tell you the truth, I have no idea what awaits me in Ethiopia.
BUT, I trust completely in the LORD who has called me there.
That is what "faith" means "F.A.I.T.H.-Forsaking All, I Trust Him."
Psalm 32:10 tells us, " Many are the woes of the wicked, bu the Lord's unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in Him."
Also, in Psalm 34:7, "The Angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear (respect and revere) Him and He delivers them."
Again in Psalm 91:11, For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways."
By the way, this may sound strange to some of you, but this trip, in itself is really nothing special and of little importance.
God does not want our "motion" as much as He wants our "emotion".
Jesus said it best in Matthew 22:37-38,
"Jesus replied, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment."
Our duty as Christians is not a one time mission but a DAILY faith and reliance on God Almighty.
In God's loving eyes, each of us in which the Holy Spirit lives must consider ourselves as a MISSIONARY.
At the same time, every heart that does not know the love and peace which can only come from Christ is a potential MISSION FIELD.
Whether those non-Christians live in homes thousands of miles away or work in a desk inches away from ours in our office.
I hope that you wil l pray for God to prepare the hearts of those He will cause me to meet there and that He will continue to bless those already there who have diligently been serving Our God over a long periiod of time; people like XXXX, the English teaching missionary and Chris Plante, the director of the children's school i will be teaching at and his wife and 2 children.
The ultimate prayer is that God'm promise in Psalm 68:31 (which many consider to be a prophecy concerning the conversion of Ethiopians) will be accomplished"
"Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God."
posted by Andrew Brown at 9:52 PM
2 Comments:
You speak on things you know nothing about. You have the apperance of good intention but inside you are evil. You have pictures of Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Priests yet you insult them. May God shed light on your ignorance. Ethiopia has been always stretching her hands to God and she will continue till the end of time. You claim you 'know' Christ but you speak out of vanity and ignorance of the Holy Church of Ethiopia, Orthodox Tewahido. Examine/Check yourself
I speak on nothing I know about?! I have been in Ethiopia 4 times (each time more than a month) and I have had extensive conversations with many Ethiopians (Orthodox and not).
Allow me to paraphrase what you are saying, "Anyone who speaks anything against the Ethiopian Orthodox church" is evil.
Where exactly have I "insulted priests" apart from exposing that their doctrine is not of The Holy Bible?
Muslims, Catholics and many RELIGIOUS people have "spread their hands out to God for a long time" but that does not mean that they know Him as He is only revealed through Scriptures in the person of Jesus Christ. You might want to check out the 1st few 10 commandments about NOT worshiping a God of your own creation. That is exactly what the so-called "Holy Church of Ethiopia" has done. To return to the God of Scripture is to return to God.
The Orthodox and oh-so-religious orthodox of Ethiopia are not unlike the Jews during the 1st century. "For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God." (Romans 10:2-3)
Faith in Christ alone!
The Ethiopian "Orthodox" church is a religion of WORKS!
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