Kamis, 05 Juni 2008

EAGLES NEST MINISTRIES MEI 08


Shalom,

Puji Tuhan, memasuki bulan yang baru Tuhan memberikan kekuatan dan penghiburan bagi kami setelah bulan Mei menjadi bulan yang penuh ujian.
Dimana ayah saya, Bpk Jimmy Gunawan, selama 2 bulan terkahir ini mengalami serangan jantung/sakit jantung koroner. Kurang lebih tujuh kali beliau hampir meninggal, dirawat di tiga ruang ICU rumah sakit (RS Immanuel, RS St Borromeus dan RSHS Bandung). Pada akhirnya pada tanggal 13 Mei lalu, dioperasi pemasangan ring pada jantung beliau yang berlangsung sukses. Puji Tuhan, atas setiap orang maupun keluarga yang digerakkan Tuhan untuk menolong kami dengan menutupi biaya yang sangat banyak itu. Saat ini beliau telah mengalami pemulihan yang pesat.
Baru sebuah badai reda, pada tanggal 15 Mei 2008, ayah mertua saya, Bpk Benny Durant, meninggal dunia di Belawan-Medan. Saat itu saya tengah berada di Jember melayani bersama Pr Christopher & Vijaya K dari pelayanan Zoe Ministries Malaysia. Dengan diantar oleh Bpk Pdt Daud Ruku, gembala sidang GBI Probolinggo, kami meninggalkan kota Jember menuju Probolinggo. Dari Probolinggo siang itu saya meluncur menuju Surabaya menggunakan bis namun tidak terkejar transportasi menuju Bandung. Akhirnya saya menginap di rumah salah satu anak rohani kami, Bpk Ever Sopamena, di Surabaya.
Akhirnya pada tanggal 16 Mei 2008, istri dan anak saya berangkat duluan ke Medan terlebih dulu sebab akan diadakan upacara penguburan sore itu. Puji Tuhan, mereka tiba di sana dengan selamat dan dapat mengikuti upacara tutup peti dan penguburan.
Sementara pada tanggal yang sama saya meluncur ke kota Bandung menggunakan kereta api pagi. Sesampai di Bandung saya jatuh sakit, dan kehabisan uang. Puji Tuhan, pada hari Minggu ada berkat yang memungkinkan saya berangkat pada sore hari menuju Bandara Polonia Medan. Selama seminggu pula kami berada disana dan pada tanggal 25 Mei 2008, sudah tiba kembali di kota Bandung.
Mengawali bulan ini, istri saya, Novie Durant, diangkat menjadi ketua persekutuan Haleluya (Persekutuan orangtua TKK-SDK-SMPK Baptis Bandung). Mohon dukungan doanya untuk tanggungjawab baru yang akan ia emban. Ada pun visi missi yang telah kami susun untuk membenahi persekutuan ini adalah sebagai berikut:
P.A. HALELUYA

VISI: “DIPANGGIL, TERTANAM, BERTUMBUH, BERBUAH & BERDAMPAK”

MISI:
1.Mengenali tujuan dan panggilan hidup dalam Kristus (Yoh 15:16)
2.Bersama-sama menjadi murid Kristus & keluarga di dalam Allah (Kis 2:41-47)
3.Menjadi pelaku Firman Tuhan (Mat 7:24-27, Yak 1:22-27)
4.Memuridkan &m emobilisasi setiap orang percaya memenuhi Amanat Agung (Mat 28:18-20)
5.Menjadi terang dan garam dunia (Mat 3:13-16, Mat 25:35-40)

STRATEGI:
1.Pengajaran, diskusi dan khotbah yang sistematis & memiliki sasaran.
2.Caring group, kelompok aktivis yang perduli pada sesama dan memiliki panggilan pastoral untuk mempersatukan dan mengakrabkan para orangtua murid TKK-SDK-SMPK Baptis Bandung sebagai keluarga di dalam Tuhan.
3.Melakukan pelayanan kasih dan missi ke panti asuhan, panti werda, tuna wisma dan lain-lain tempat.
4.Berdoa syafaat bagi mereka yang memiliki masalah maupun bagi mereka yang masih terhilang/kota/bangsa-bangsa.


HALELUYA (PUJILAH TUHAN)

“Hallelu-yah” dalam bahasa Ibrani berarti “Pujilah Yah(Yahweh)”. Kata ini muncul dalam kitab Mazmur sebanyak 24 kali. Kata ini menjadi sebutan baku untuk memuji Tuhan dalam kebaktian di Bait Allah sesudah masa pembuangan dari Babel.
Mengapa kita perlu memuji Yahweh atau Tuhan kita? :
Karena kebesaranNya dalam segala ciptaanNya (Mzm 104:1-35)
Karena segala perbuatanNya di masa lalu (Mzm 105:1-45)
Karena kasih setia Allah (Mzm 106:1-48, 117:1-2)
Karena kebajikan Allah (Mzm 111:1-10)
Karena kemuliaan hanya bagi Allah (Mzm 115:1-18)
Karena kita diluputkan dari belenggu maut (Mzm 116:1-19)
Karena hanya Tuhan yang patut dipuji (Mzm 135:1-21)
Karena hanya Allah satu-satunya penolong (Mzm 146:1-10)
Karena kekuasaan dan kemurahan datang dari Tuhan (Mzm 147:1-20)
Karena langit & bumi [segala ciptaan], memuji Tuhan (Mzm 148:1-14)
Karena kemenangan bagi orang percaya [Israel rohani] (Mzm 149:1-9)

Orang yang suka memuji Tuhan, ia memiliki kualitas:
1.Mzm 112:1a, takut akan Tuhan (Mzm 1:1-3). Saul takut pada manusia (1 Sam 15:24, 13:1-22)
2.Mzm 112:1b, mentaati segala perintahNYa (Yoh 14:15-16)
3.Mzm 112:4a, menjadi terang dan garam dunia (Mat 5:13-16)
4.Mzm 112:4b dan 9, ia seorang yang pengasih, penyayang dan adil (1 Yoh 4:7-21, Yoh 13:34-35)
5.Mzm 112:5, ia berbelas kasihan dan suka memberi (Mat 25:34-40)
6.Mzm 112:6-8, Tidak mudah goyah, tidak takut pada kabar celaka, hatinya tetap, penuh kepercayaan pada Tuhan (Mat 6:25-34)
7.Mzm 112:10, Dibenci orang fasik/munafik/agamawi (Yesus vs Orang Farisi)
8.Mzm 113:7-9, Rendah hati, bukan rendah diri apalagi tinggi hati.

BIla kita mengejar kualitas atau standar Tuhan maka:
a.Mzm 112:2, anak cucu kita akan perkasa di bumi dan jadi berkat bagi angkatan orang benar atau saudara seiman.
b.Mzm 112:3, harta kekayaan lahiriah batiniah diberikan untuk berbuat kebajikan (ingat bukan untuk dihabiskan sendiri).
c.Mzm 113:1-6, oleh perbuatan orang benar/kita, nama Tuhan ditinggikan. (sekali-kali bukan nama kita)
d.Mzm 113:7-9, promosi datang dari Tuhan, bukan upaya manusia.

Persekutuan ini selama bertahun-tahun mengalami kesuaman dan kemerosotan baik secara kuantitas maupun kualitas hingga banyak sekali diperlukan pembenahan.
Mohon dukungan doa juga bagi kami, sebab kami paling tidak membutuhkan dana untuk memperpanjang kontrak tempat pelayanan dan rumah tinggal sebanyak 10 juta rupiah untuk setahun ke depan. Juga untuk biaya daftar ulang dan pembelian keperluan sekolah anak.
Dukung doa pula untuk perintisan gereja kami, Eagles Nest Community Church, belum signifikan masih baru 4 Kepala Keluarga. Namun kami mau setia dengan jiwa-jiwa ini, kiranya Tuhan memberikan kemampuan pada kami untuk terus bertumbuh dan menjadi dampak bagi kota dimana kami ada.
Saya pun mengucap syukur telah berjejaring dengan rekan-rekan Open Doors di Jakarta pada tanggal 3 Juni lalu, saya percaya hal tersebut akan menjadi sebuah sinergi yang indah untuk melayani gereja yang teraniaya dan mengetuk pintu hati para saudara seiman untuk turut membantu saudara-saudara kita yang tengah menderita.
Kami juga mengucapkan terimakasih kepada jemaat Gereja Oikos Indonesia jemaat Surabaya yang secara berkala telah membantu kami, maupun Pdt Guntur Barus dan Pdt Stevanus Herry dari GKKD di kota Bandung, Pr Silas Singh dan Pr Christoher K dari Malaysia, juga Pdt Daud Ruku & Pdm Matias Ruku dari GBI Probolinggo, Bpk Dudung Hadi & Brother’s Keeper Bandung, Bram & Lily dari Vineyard Bandung, Bpk Onggo Susilo & komunitas dirumahnya, Ever Sopamena & komunitas dirumahnya, Ibu Kris Toelle sekeluarga dan rekan-rekan yang suka memberi namun lebih suka menjadi donator “rahasia”. Kami berdoa agar pelayanan anda sekalian diberkati juga hidup rumahtangga kalian harmonis dan memiliki anak-anak yang takut akan Tuhan. Juga untuk keluarga besar Durant dan Tobing, yang banyak membantu kami pada saat duka di kota Belawan, Medan. Juga terimakasih atas bantuannya dari tante-ku tercinta, Ibu Stefany Tupamahu dan adikku terkasih, Lucille Gunawan.

DAVE AND NOVIE BROOS

Rabu, 04 Juni 2008

INVEST IN YOUR VISION

INVEST IN YOUR VISION

Has the Lord given you a vision? Is there something that he has called you to do for him that burns in your heart to be accomplished? Are you willing to invest in your vision?

Loren Cunningham, founder of Youth With A Mission, (YWAM) tells how that, in the early days of the mission, God spoke to him in a prayer meeting and said that he was going to give YWAM a farm. The next day Loren was jogging past a farm where they were selling off old farm equipment. He jogged on past then suddenly stopped, went back and bought a roll of bailing wire and an old farm wagon. He knew that he had no use for them, unless the Lord did give them the farm, but he believed in his heart that God had spoken and that he must put his faith into action and make some kind of investment in the vision.

Within a few weeks, a large farm was given to YWAM which for many years has been used in the training and sending forth of missionaries. The old farm wagon still stands in the front of a YWAM base somewhere in Switzerland as a reminder to invest in your vision.

Several years ago, my wife and I began to feel that God was calling us to take the YWAM Discipleship Training School. When I inquired I found it would cost several thousands dollars for my wife and I and our two young daughters to attend these schools. My faith staggered. I simply did not have it within me to believe for that much money. I said, "Lord, if you want us to go, send in the money and we will go." I thought that was a fair, unselfish, wise, and safe prayer. In one masterful stroke I had conveniently put the entire matter in the hands of God, so I just began waiting for him to put the money in my hands so that we could go. "Lord, the ball's in your court." I thought.

Several months passed and nothing happened. Something was wrong and I had a feeling it wasn't God's problem, it was mine! One day the Lord said, "What are you willing to invest in this project?" Suddenly I realized that although I was willing to go, I was not willing to make any financial sacrifice of my own to get there.

I was reminded of another incident in the life of Loren Cunningham. When he was 20 years old, one night he saw an open vision of waves of young people crashing onto the beaches of every continent. For a long time he pondered the vision and prayed about it. Then one day, he knew what he had to do. He sold his prize possession, his custom made car, and bought a plane ticket to go around the world to find out what it was the Lord was calling him to do to bring to pass the vision of the waves of young people being sent out as missionaries to every continent.

The result is history. YWAM is now one of the largest missionary forces in the world, with thousands of workers on every continent. One young man was willing to invest everything he had into his vision and the Lord has brought forth out of that sacrifice a harvest of blessing that has touched every country in the world for Christ.

I said, "Lord, I will go and take my family to a YWAM base and take this training, even if I have to borrow the money." I took out all the money we had in savings and borrowed the rest and off we went to YWAM. It has been one of the best things we have ever done together as a family.

Do you have a vision of God's call on your life? Are you investing in that vision? Peter wanted to walk on the water with Jesus, but he had to make an investment. He had to get down out of the boat and be willing to get wet if necessary to see his vision fulfilled. Am I willing to get wet, to suffer inconvenience, to be misunderstood, to leave my job, to change locations, to be re-trained, to suffer the loneliness of being away from my family for long periods of time, to go to a strange land, to spend all the money I have on the vision God has given me, to even lay down my life and consent that my wife and children lay down their lives in order to do God's will?
Unless you can say "yes" to these questions, you may never see my vision fulfilled.

The will of God and my vision must be the same. I cannot construct my own vision. It must be God-given. God and the will of God are so much the same that it is impossible to seek God without finding the will of God, and it is impossible to run from the will of God without running from God.

You may say, "But I don't know what God's will for me is." You are responsible to know. Not only does God require us to do his will, he also requires us to know what his will is. I can know what the will of God is for me, not only in the everyday decisions of daily life, I can also know what his will is for my life. "Do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is." (Eph. 5:17) NIV

Read Romans 12:1-2 below, and do what it says. You will discover what he wants you to do and be. That discovery is your vision. That is where God will have you invest your time, your talent, your money, your prayers, your strength, your resources, your all.

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Rom. 12:1-2) NIV

FINANCED BY FAITH

FINANCED BY FAITH

The call of God to go and proclaim the good news carries with it the promise of provision. God supplied Elijah through the ravens and through a poor widow. He will supply your needs also. God’s work, done in God’s way, will not lack God’s support. Joy Ridderhoff, founder of Gospel Recordings said, "We do not raise funds, we lower them." They did it though prayer, faith, and patience, looking only to God without making their needs known to anyone but Him.

Jesus was a faith missionary and so were all of his apostles. They looked to their Heavenly Father for their supply as they went about doing the work He called them to do.

Think of the apostles in this matter of financial provision, as well as the men and women of God throughout the history of the church such as George Mueller, J. Hudson Taylor, William Carey, Loren Cunningham, Brother Andrew, C.T. Studd, and a host of young people in Youth With A Mission and other such organizations who look to the Lord for their daily provision.

If God is calling you to look only to Him to provide for you without telling anyone but Him of your needs, you will need to consider Acts 6:4 as your calling and your labor on a daily basis. You will have to "give yourself to prayer and the ministry of the word" as the apostles did on a full time basis. As you pray and minister the word, God's supernatural provision will come to you. As you follow His leading, He may dry up one stream and send you to another as He did with Elijah, but you will know that, too. He may have you working with your hands "making tents" like Paul did from time to time when circumstances warrant.

God will surround you with friends and family who will stand with you in this ministry of the word. He will touch the hearts of people to give to your support. You will see miracles of provision over and over so that all your needs will be met. Trust God and tell the people about your work, but not about your needs.

Paul went out trusting only in God to meet all his needs. Consider his thoughts on faith financing from Philippians 4:10-19: "I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength . . . When I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need. Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account. I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”

In the above passage we see,
Paul was looking to God to meet his needs.
There were times when he had plenty and times when he was in need. He was instructed to live at peace in either circumstance.
There was only one assembly of believers who stood with him in the matter of financial support.
He knew that whoever was led to help him in financial support would be storing up in God an account with Him that would ultimately overflow to meet their financial needs.

Peter could not get out of the boat to walk on water with Jesus until he heard Jesus say. “Come!” If Jesus is saying to you, “Come, I will supply all your needs as you leave all to proclaim my word,” it is safe to get out of your comfort zone and walk on water with Jesus, trusting him to supply all your need according to his riches in glory. Remember, His name is Jehovah Jireh, the Lord our provider!


Robert & Joni Fitts

Where it all Starts
All fruitfulness flows out of intimacy. Out of the womb of prayer, praise and worship all things in the kingdom of God are conceived, nurtured, and brought to birth to the glory of God and for the good of mankind.

A Declaration of Unity
I belong to everything that belongs to Jesus and everything that belongs to Jesus belongs to me! It's not us and them. It's just us! There's only one Body of Christ, and the problems of the church, the whole church, are our problems, for we are the church and we can do more united than we can do divided! So let's unify, simplify, and multiply!

Divine Appointment Prayer
Father, give me a divine appointment today with someone who is hungry for God, or sick, or in need, and give me grace to minister the love of Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit.

A Prayer for More Workers and More Miracles
Father, send more laborers into this harvest and grant us boldness to speak your word, by stretching forth your hand to heal and that signs and wonders be done in the name of Jesus.

Winning the War on Terrorism Through Prayer
"Father, give every terrorist in the world an encounter with Jesus like Saul of Tarsus had on the road to Damascus."

LAW, NO! GRACE, YES!
The law demands, demands, demands, but gives me neither feet nor hands.
Now Grace and Truth are better things, they bid me fly and give me wings!

DARK, UGLY, STINKY THINGS

DARK, UGLY, STINKY THINGS

A few months ago I began to hear something in my spirit; something rather startling and yet exciting! This is what I heard:

"God specializes in taking dark, ugly, stinky things and transforming them into beautiful, bright, fragrant things for His glory and for our good."

As I thought about it, I became convinced that it was a word from the Lord to me and that God wanted me to share with others. From that time I have said it often to myself and to others. Then one day I asked the Lord to give me scripture for such a statement and he gave me three:

 "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them." (Romans 8:28) NLT

 Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers and the Lord used their selfish, stinking, murderous act as a means of their own salvation, for it was Joseph who was used of God to provide food for them years later when they and their families were starving.

 The most heinous, dark, ugly, stinky thing mankind ever did was when we nailed the Son of God to that cross and watched him die. But God turned that foul deed into the gift of salvation for all mankind.

The story is told of a survivor of a shipwreck who was washed up on a small, uninhabited Island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but all in vain.
He eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect himself from the elements, and a place to store his meager possessions.

But then one day, after being out scavenging the Island for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames. The worst had happened; everything was lost. He was stunned with grief and anger.

"God, how could you allow this to happen to me?" he cried. He went to sleep that night in a state of deep grief, disbelief, and discouragement. Early the next day he was awakened by the sounds from a ship approaching the island. As the boat from the ship touched onto the shore he ran into the surf shouting, "How did you know I was here?"

"We saw your smoke signal," they answered.

That which now seems to be nothing but total tragedy may be the instrument in the hands of God to bring you into total victory.

"HE WHO HAS JESUS AND EVERYTHING ELSE HAS NO MORE THAN HE WHO HAS JESUS AND NOTHING ELSE." - C. S. Lewis

Winston Churchill, the British Prime Minister during World War II, was invited to do the commencement speech at Yale University right after the war. He walked to the podium and stood looking at the vast audience for a long moment, then began his speech. The graduates and their invited guests sat waiting to savor every word of the great orator as he began to speak. Churchill boomed out the words:

"NEVER GIVE UP!"

(long pause)

"NEVER, EVER GIVE UP!"

(another long pause)

"NEVER, NEVER, NEVER GIVE UP!"
He stood there in silence for a long time looking out over the audience, then turned and walked back to his seat on the platform and sat down. It was the shortest commencement address in the history of the University . . . but it might be the only one that will never be forgotten.

Do not forget to thank God for all the good things he does for you each day! And do not forget to thank your heavenly Father for all the dark, ugly, stinky things that come your way, either. They may be a prelude to some of the greatest blessings you have ever received.

Robert & Joni Fitts

Where it all Starts
All fruitfulness flows out of intimacy. Out of the womb of prayer, praise and worship all things in the kingdom of God are conceived, nurtured, and brought to birth to the glory of God and for the good of mankind.

A Declaration of Unity
I belong to everything that belongs to Jesus and everything that belongs to Jesus belongs to me! It's not us and them. It's just us! There's only one Body of Christ, and the problems of the church, the whole church, are our problems, for we are the church and we can do more united than we can do divided! So let's unify, simplify, and multiply!

Divine Appointment Prayer
Father, give me a divine appointment today with someone who is hungry for God, or sick, or in need, and give me grace to minister the love of Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit.

A Prayer for More Workers and More Miracles
Father, send more laborers into this harvest and grant us boldness to speak your word, by stretching forth your hand to heal and that signs and wonders be done in the name of Jesus.

Winning the War on Terrorism Through Prayer
"Father, give every terrorist in the world an encounter with Jesus like Saul of Tarsus had on the road to Damascus."

LAW, NO! GRACE, YES!
The law demands, demands, demands, but gives me neither feet nor hands.
Now Grace and Truth are better things, they bid me fly and give me wings!