I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Joshua 1:3
“He that has not given missions… cannot know how useful these exercises are. Owing to the extraordinary manner in which the bread of the divine Word is broken, when the eternal truths are methodically exposed to the hearers who have assembled in great numbers, it is nearly impossible for them not to be converted to God.
It is, moreover, evident that God co-operates more efficaciously with this work… It is only by the missions that souls reach eternal salvation. But, O God ! there are some who say that by the missions disquietude is spread among consciences. Would it then be better, in order not to disquiet consciences, to leave poor sinners in their deplorable state, with this cursed peace which is the seal of their damnation?
One disquiets consciences! But it is the duty of a pastor to disquiet his sheep that sleep in sin in order that they may awaken, recognize the danger in which they live, and thus return to God. Now for this purpose there is no better means than the mission. We also manifestly see the efforts that hell makes to hinder missions.”
Alphonsus de Liguori (1696-1787) in The Complete Works of Saint Alphonsus de Liguori, translated from the Italian, edited by Rev. Eugene Grimm (New York: Benzinger, 1890) 464.
In God’s timing I have found this precious ancient writing. It has provided timely encouragement to me to embark on generous service in hard places. Today it inspires us to pursue missions and to anticipate opposition from hell. That’s what has happened.
After more than 12 hours of detainment with hundreds of people praying Acts 12 and other passages. Prakash Chandra Giri, GTP Curriculum Developer, was miraculously allowed to enter Pakistan last night. It happened in the four hours while I slept.
National workers had relatives collect him at the airport and get him to a local hotel. He will join Emmna Pervaiz and Sharoz Sajjad and me, the two newest GTP staff members, at a retreat center in Murree, between Islamabad and Abbottabad.
I hope my willingness to do missions on which I see God overcome the gates of hell disquiets you. That means I hope it shakes and wakes you to what you can to do. Many people prayed last night. That’s how we won the battle at the start of this mission.
But it has only just begun. I pray Joshua 1:3 that God will give us Pakistan. We now have 1 country coordinator, 2 staff, 6 course moderators, and 250 trained workers. There are 3 million Christians to serve in a country of about 250 million Urdu speakers.
That’s the war. My friend and driver, Mark Brackney, retired Army Colonel (06) reminds me. “Battles are won by executing strategy.” Our strategy was prayer and careful planning to convene the team. God worked and we will be together for one week.
Mark continues, “Wars are won by orchestrating logistics.” That calls for people and resources. I am praying hundreds of disquieted and determined people join in the work of GTP. Please do it. See the GTP at 6 infographic released here on our sixth birthday yesterday.
Right now if this message motivates you pray for us daily over the next week. Download our prayer schedule here. Become a monthly giver to GTP here. And ask God to give us favor in Pakistan and other hard places so that all may come to faith in Jesus.
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