Impressions Spring 2018, Issue 13

ITISWRITTEN.COM

SPRING 2018

PAGE

16 06 24

Right on Time

God’s Timing

Hope found in South Texas

Eat Well!

Bread alone is not enough

on the cover

Right 16 on Time In April 2018, Pastor John Bradshaw and the It Is Written Evangelism team concluded evangelistic meetings in Kansas City. Church members and leaders from around the city came together after months of preparation to see decisions made for Christ.

aspects 04

Director’s Desk

08

Mission Report

10

Escrito Está

20

My Place With Jesus

22

Community Connection

27

Staff Highlight

30

Devotional

24

Eat Well!

Bread alone is not enough

06

God’s Timing

Hope found in South Texas

impressions magazine SPRING 2018 ISSUE 13 EXECUTIVE EDITOR John Bradshaw EDITOR Ellen Metcalf ART DIRECTOR Michael Prewitt GRAPHIC DESIGNER Ariel Warren Copyright © 2018 by It Is Written. All rights reserved. It Is Written and My Place With Jesus are registered trademarks and/or service marks of It Is Written, Inc. Escrito Está is a trademark of It Is Written, Inc.

connect with us itiswritten.com

calendar

SPRING 2018

John Bradshaw, Speaker/Director JUNE 7—9

Speaking at Indiana Conference Camp Meeting in Cicero, Indiana

JUNE 12 — 16

Speaking at Idaho Conference Camp Meeting in Caldwell, Idaho

JUNE 22 — 23

Speaking at Mountain View Conference Camp Meeting in Huttonsville, West Virginia

JUNE 29 — 30

Speaking at New York Conference Camp Meeting in Union Springs, New York

JULY 13 — 28

Evangelistic series in Manila, Philippines

AUGUST 18

Speaking at rally in Melbourne, Australia

BUSINESS HOURS M – Th, 8:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. EDT SUBSCRIPTIONS impressions@iiw.org It Is Written, P.O. Box 6, Chattanooga, TN 37401-0006 423-362-5800 SOCIAL MEDIA facebook.com/itiswritten

Speaking at revival weekend in College

SEPTEMBER 1 Place, Washington

instagram.com/itiswrittenmedia plus.google.com/+ItIsWrittenInc twitter.com/itiswritten youtube.com/ItIsWrittenInc

notes 12

Partnership Highlight

14

Resources

26

Impressed

28

Planned Giving

29

Tributes

Eric Flickinger, Associate Speaker JUNE 3 — 8

Speaking at Indiana Conference Camp Meeting in Cicero, Indiana

JUNE 29 — JULY 1

Speaking at rally in Stuttgart, Germany

JULY 7

Speaking at revival weekend in Greeneville, Tennessee

“I look forward to seeing you at a Partnership weekend this fall.”

—JOHN BRADSHAW Speaker/Director, It Is Written

See page 19 for details.

TRUTH LIVES

PROCLAIMING CHANGING

Director’s Desk

Building on the

John Bradshaw

Speaker & Director

The building’s foundation goes 80 feet down—into sand.

T

Rock

he Millennium Tower, a gleaming, 58-floor residential building rising high above San Francisco, California, was completed in 2008. Located close to San Francisco’s financial district and only a third of a mile from the Ferry Building— and with units selling in the millions of dollars—it’s the home of business leaders and celebrities, including Super Bowl winning quarterback Joe Montana.

But there’s a little problem with the Millennium Tower. It’s sinking.

While some settling is normal with buildings of this size, Millennium Tower has sunk seventeen inches. And what’s worse, in addition to sinking, Millennium Tower is also tilting—fourteen inches to the northwest. Property values in Millennium Tower have plummeted. While no one living in Millennium Tower is unsafe, and while it isn’t yet the “Leaning Tower of San Francisco,” the big question confronting builders, architects, city officials, and lawyers is, “Whose fault is this?”

The builders say the structure is sinking due to the construction of a transit center next door, which involved building a tunnel 60 feet underground. Others say that the building’s foundation goes 80 feet down—into sand. Bedrock is more than 200 feet underground. In other words, Millennium Tower isn’t built upon the rock.

In Matthew 7, Jesus shared some serious—and encouraging—words.

“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall” (Matthew 7:24–27).

The rock in Jesus’ lesson represents what He calls “these sayings of Mine”—His Word. What are you building on?

In this edition of Impressions, you’ll read about people who are building on the rock—people who are hearing the Word of God like they’ve never heard it before and making decisions to build their life on its truth.

“OUR ETERNAL SAFETY DEPENDS UPON OUR BUILDING UPON THE SURE FOUNDATION…THE ETERNAL ROCK, THE CHIEF CORNERSTONE CHRIST JESUS.” The Desire of Ages, page 599

Feature

God’s

Timing

I

t has often been said that timing is everything, and no one knows that better than God. After all, He invented time. All through the Bible, we see examples of God’s impeccable timing. The raising up of Moses to deliver the children of Israel from Egypt. The birth of Jesus in Bethlehem and His subsequent baptism in the 15th year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar exactly as it was prophesied. Saul’s journey to Damascus and his not so serendipitous appointment with the One who would forever change the course of his life.

God’s timing was perfect in the days of Moses, Jesus, and Paul. He is just as actively involved in arranging the events of our lives today.

On Friday, November 10, 2017, Marie decided to leave an abusive relationship in South Texas and start a new life. She was 27 years old, but she’d been through a lot.

She had a history of drug use, had served prison time, and had a child in foster care with three more being cared for by others.

That Friday, as she closed the door to her boyfriend’s apartment for the last time, desperation and panic took over. She had to find work and a place to live—now! It was pouring down rain, but she couldn’t go back. She started walking, looking for work and for a shelter she had heard about nearby.

She had plans, but God had bigger ones.

Emilia, one of the most kindhearted women you would ever want to meet, was driving home. She noticed a drenched Marie 6

It Is Written impressions

walking on the shoulder of the road and stopped to offer her a ride.

Amazingly—and this is how God is—Emilia lives right next door to the church where I was beginning evangelistic meetings that same night. She has lived there for more than twenty years and just a few months ago decided to visit the church to see what the people there were like. She had a wonderful experience and has been studying ever since with a small group of church members in her home. When she heard Marie’s story, Emilia invited Marie to stay in her home, and then she invited Marie to the meetings.

For the next few days, Marie worked at a short-term job. On Tuesday night she was free, so she came to hear the messages I was presenting at the church. That night, I was talking about baptism and the fresh start that Jesus offers to each one of us. That’s exactly what Marie wanted for her life!

Over the next few days, we talked about her walk with Christ, and she came to each evening of the seminar, completing thirteen of the It Is Written Bible study guides. Rarely have I met someone so hungry for truth.

Marie devoured the studies on the Bible, salvation, the law and grace, Sabbath, state of the dead, hell, the millennium, Babylon, and the remnant church. Together with the pastor of the church, we talked about devotional

She had plans, but God had bigger ones.

time, the health message, Christian standards, prayer, and the gift of prophecy. Her diet changed, her day of worship changed, her appearance changed, and, by the grace of God, she changed. On the day of her baptism, you could see the unrestrained joy beaming from the smile on her face.

Marie is now working two jobs and has completed her training as a certified nursing assistant. God has helped her to find her own apartment, and she is working towards having her four children live with her again.

Marie wants the love of God that changed her life to change the lives of others, too.

She’s been sharing the teachings of the Bible on her Facebook page, and she started a new Bible study group at the church. She also attended a Christian youth conference in Texas last fall and is saving money to attend It Is Written’s Summer SALT evangelism training program, as well as our mission trip to the Philippines. Her life is not completely in order yet, but there is no doubt that God’s timing has catapulted her life forward by leaps and bounds.

What about Emilia, the good samaritan who stopped to offer Marie a ride on that dismal Friday in November? She was baptized two weeks after Marie and is now a vibrant part of her new church’s life as well.

God’s timing is impeccable. He may be impressing you that it is time to make a change in your life. If He is, remember His promise, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11).

Are you ready for a future filled with hope? Then remember, God’s timing is perfect, all the time. Step out in faith.

ERIC FLICKINGER is the associate speaker for It Is Written. Eric’s passion for teaching the Bible has been experienced by thousands across North America and around the globe.

SPRING 2018

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Mission Report

Puppy Eyes

and Governmen t

L

ast March, It Is Written completed its fifth trip to Mongolia. Our mission group included six physicians, one dentist, one dental school student, three nurses, one respiratory therapist, one physical therapist, and five non-medical professionals from the United States, England, France, Belgium, Germany, and the Ukraine.

Our mission was simple: use healthcare to share Jesus. Only two to three percent of the country’s three million population has even heard the name of Jesus, and the majority are either Buddhists or Shamanists. We were scheduled to work in two cities. On the day we arrived, however, we learned that a virulent livestock disease had broken out in one of the cities and it was under quarantine. Enkhe, our local mission representative, vaulted into action and quickly changed the itinerary to include the new city of Darkhan.

We split our team between the two cities of Erdenet and Darkhan. Each team operated a medical clinic during the day and shared ‘Jesus Talks’ in the evenings. The teams performed physical exams, provided BERT LOGAN is the Planned Giving & Trust Services northwest ministry representative. He is passionate about travel and music and loves the outdoors.

Decisions

dental services, administered physical therapy and massage, and dispensed free medications and toothbrushes to more than 900 people. Patients were given a small booklet about health in their own language and invited to the evening meeting.

One morning, as our Darkhan group was waiting in the hotel lobby for our transportation, we noticed a well-dressed Mongolian man observing our group.

Shortly after, he approached Enkhe and asked her what our group was doing in Mongolia. He spoke English, so he had overheard some of our conversation about the day’s plans. It turned out that this man was a local judge and worked with the country’s Supreme Court. When he found out that we were providing free medical services, he asked whether we would contact his wife, who was a teacher at a local school. As a result of that divine appointment, we were able to offer physical therapy and dental services to the students.

Our work in Erdenet was not so warmly welcomed. On our second day of providing DR. GORDON GUILD is a regular volunteer and Partner of It Is Written.

Dr. Guild has attended It Is Written medical mission trips to India, Mongolia, and Zimbabwe. He uses his many years of experience as a family practice doctor.

We were momentarily stunned!

healthcare, the government told us that we had to stop. We weren’t sure why, but our team united together and prayed for God to open up the closed doors for His glory.

A local pastor, Gantumur, found out about our difficulty and wanted to help.

Pastor Gantumur breeds prize-winning German shepherds. He had sold a puppy to a government official, and they had become friends. The pastor called his friend at the local government office and set up a meeting.

When we met with the tall, impressive, solemn government official, he asked a number of specific questions about our work and the medicines we’d brought. We provided specific answers, and he quickly responded, “You cannot see any more patients in the city, but I will arrange for you to see very poor people on the outskirts of town. Give me a few hours to make arrangements, and you can start seeing patients tomorrow morning.”

And that was it.

We were momentarily stunned! God closed one door but opened up a new door where the need was even greater. We served the poorest of the poor on the outskirts of Erdenet. One patient, a young teenage boy, came to us for evaluation of a visible congenital anomaly. Where there is one

A dental patient receives treatment

anomaly, there are often more. Sure enough, he had much more serious, life-threatening issues. He was in respiratory/heart failure, his oxygen saturations were low, and he had a heart murmur that we could hear without a stethoscope. We advised his family and referred him to the area hospital for immediate attention. The area hospital clinic staff expressed appreciation for our services and invited us back.

Because of the medical work we performed during the day, the evening health seminar and Jesus Talks were also a success in both cities. Patients told their friends—who told their friends—and by the final Sabbath we had dozens of adults and children learning about Jesus.

Two of our physicians had made a last-minute decision to go on this mission trip, one at the prompting of his wife and the other at the prompting of the Holy Spirit. At the end of the trip, both were amazed at the blessing they’d received and felt awed at how God had used them to be a blessing to our Mongolian friends.

Join an It Is Written mission team, and you can report as did one of our physicians, “This has been the best adventure of my life!” Trips in 2018 to the Philippines and South Africa still need volunteers. Learn more at itiswritten.com/missiontrips.

A Mongolian cultural sculpture

Bert Logan receives a big hug after a visit SPRING 2018

9

Escrito Está

God

When

Inter

enes

Escrito Está visits with one of the 33 Chilean miners

I CAROLINA BONILLA is the administrative assistant for Escrito Está.

Born in Ecuador, Carolina has a passion for reaching the Spanish-speaking community with the gospel.

10

It Is Written impressions

t Is Written’s production team recently visited Chile to produce on-location programs for Escrito Está. During their stay in the Atacama region, which is in the northern part of the country, they had the opportunity to interview Mr. Jorge Galleguillos, one of the 33 miners who was spectacularly rescued from the collapsed San José Mine more than seven years ago.

In 2010, the experiences of these 33 men were anxiously watched by the whole world as daily news reports updated viewers on the progress of their rescue. Every available resource was activated to save their lives.

What these men experienced can be compared with heaven’s response to save the human race and rescue us from sin. Heaven devised a plan to send Someone down to rescue us from entrapment and certain death. Christ’s death on the cross was that

plan—the way to lead us out of darkness you waited to be rescued. I remember that and into heaven’s light. you underlined Psalm 23, where it says “He How these men were able to survive for ten leads me beside still waters.” What does that weeks underground in deplorable conditions Psalm say to you? is nothing short of a miracle. Jorge, the 11th Jorge: That Psalm became very important miner to be rescued, shared his experience to all of us, because the chances of finding with Escrito Está viewers. At one point, he water underground in the middle of earth’s and his companions had only one can of driest desert were impossible. But God pretuna left to eat. Weeks had passed, and the pared a stream of water just where we were, rescue teams had not yet made contact with and that’s what kept us alive. There were not the miners. Several rescue 33 men down there—there attempts had failed, and the were 34. Jesus never left us! miners were deeply discourPastor Costa: Jorge, There were not aged. They could hear the your story has been an 33 men down sounds of the drills coming inspiration to so many near them but then moving people. What would you say there—there away from them in different to someone who has lost all were 34. Jesus directions. Death seemed hope in life? imminent.

Jorge: I would say, “Never never left us!

In order to survive, give up. God is powerful. He the men had organized will come to your rescue.” themselves and designated food rations While filming at the San José Mine, the from supplies they’d discovered in an Escrito Está production team witnessed underground shelter, including milk, saltine tourists from various countries meeting crackers, and tuna. They took turns eating Jorge, who now works at the mine as a tour small spoonfuls of food every twelve hours. guide. Visitors who had watched his miracFinally, they reached the last can of tuna. ulous rescue on television embraced him Just when all hope seemed lost, one of the and shed tears as they listened to his story miners, who was very sick, suggested a plan, firsthand. The team was reminded of what “Let’s save this last tuna can and eat it in we will experience throughout eternity as we three days.” share the story of our redemption—praising All the men agreed. They gathered in a God for His wonderful gift. circle and prayed, asking God to do whatever The four-part television series filmed in Chile will His will was with their lives. Exactly three be available in August 2018. For more information days later, one of the drills shifted and and to watch Escrito Está and Daily Devotionals in miraculously reached them!

Spanish, visit www.escritoesta.org.

Here’s an excerpt from Pastor Robert Costa’s interview with Jorge: Robert Costa, Speaker/Director Pastor Costa: Jorge, the whole world watched and cheered on the day of your Speaking at New Jersey rescue. Tell me something that gave you Conference Camp Meeting JUNE 30 hope while you were in that dark mine. in Tranquility, New Jersey Jorge: God made the difference. It was Evangelistic series JULY a miracle that we lived and that the mine in Las Vegas, Nevada 4 — 8 didn’t collapse on us.

Pastor Costa: I see you have a small Bible with you—the one you were given while Evangelistic series SEPT in Keene, Texas 26 — 29

Partnership Highlight

BY JOHN BRADSHAW, Speaker / Director

E

verything was gone. My shoes were covered with soot, and the cameraman was constantly checking my makeup to make sure I hadn’t smeared ash on my face. We were filming Where Was God? — a program about the fires that had swept through Northern California just weeks before.

I was standing in the ashes of the home of ministry Partners Marc and Carolyn Selivanoff. Their Santa Rosa neighborhood had been reduced to unidentifiable charred remains. As we stood among the ruins, tears ran down Carolyn’s face. I tried to empathize with the hopelessness one feels when all sense of security and normalcy are torn away. I asked her, “How do you get through this?”

Her answer, spoken softly through tears, put things in an eternal perspective for me.

“This has allowed me to let go of things that are really not so important in life,” she said. “There isn’t any joy in losing your home, but God promises that He will be with us through things like this. As a result of this experience, I have had opportunities to share Jesus with people who don’t even believe in God.” The fact is, California city officials had made a huge mistake. As fires came closer to homes,

12

It Is Written impressions

they failed to warn citizens and urge them to evacuate. Not wanting to cause panic, they did nothing until it was too late, and hundreds of people lost everything.

It was easy to think that it “won’t happen here,” or it “won’t happen to me.” Had city officials given my friends a timely warning, they could have planned ahead and saved some of the things that make life meaningful — pets, pictures, art, heirlooms.

Last November, Marc and Carolyn and their children joined us for It Is Written’s Partnership weekend in Monterey, California. They had just experienced one of the most devastating losses a family can face, and yet they were at this

see things that way. They had an eternal perspective.

I think my dear friends understood what the City of Santa Rosa realized too late. Warnings are easy and almost free to give when compared to the loss of life and home. Despite their personal loss, my friends were committed to warning a lost and dying world of the hope and life available in Jesus Christ. They understood that their renewed commitment to supporting the spread of the gospel was easy and even cheap compared to the value of a lost human being. ministry weekend wanting to recommit themselves as Partners and financial supporters of the ministry.

It would have been easy for me to understand if they had decided not to attend the weekend. There were insurance adjusters to meet with, contractors to negotiate with, and family members to hug and collect duplicate pictures from. I would have understood if they just needed time to spend time together and to heal as a family, but they didn’t

“As a result of this experience, I have had opportunities to share Jesus with people who don’t even believe in God.” God has richly blessed my friends. They were able to move into a smaller rental home they owned and are slowly rebuilding their lives. God protects and provides for His children even when personal loss is all around us. I was very humbled as I accepted my friends’ Partnership Pledge for 2018. I was grateful to a God who cares so much about His children that He holds us in the palm of His hand when the storms of devastation are all around us. Those storms are coming faster and faster. He wants to use you, me, and It Is Written to give people hope through the disasters ahead.

See this program for yourself at itiswritten.tv

Resources

Introducing the

My Place With Jesus

! e l b i B

ATURING E F Make-It-Your-Own reversible cover that your kids can color!

6-page foldout timeline

My Place With Jesus Bible Guides All 21 lessons printed in the back

‌ and much more!

US $34.99 Pre-order sale

$29.99

through 8/31/2018 Quantity pricing available.

21 FUN and EASY lessons for young Bible students!

Features include: • High-quality illustrations • Bible-based questions with an answer key in each lesson • Fun puzzles and activities

My Place With Jesus Bible Guides It Is Written wants to help anchor children in the Word of God, so we created the My Place With Jesus Bible Guides.

These Bible guides explain the plan of salvation, the major themes of the Bible, and how to have a relationship with Jesus.

Designed for ages 7 to 12.

MPWJBGS

$10.99 Quantity pricing available.

To order, call 888-664-5573* or visit itiswritten.shop *Monday–Thursday, 8:30 a.m.–6:00 p.m. EDT SPRING 2018

15

Cover Feature

Right on Time In April 2018, the It Is Written evangelism team and church members and leaders from over 20 churches in the Kansas City area welcomed hundreds of guests to hear a message of hope shared by Pastor John Bradshaw. Lives were touched every single night, and decisions were made for Jesus Christ. These are some of their stories.

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It Is Written impressions

“I just spent the last two hours trying to find my way here,” Jane exclaimed to her friend and Bible study companion, Michelle, as she entered the Jack Reardon Convention Center in the heart of Kansas City. “My GPS sent me in circles for more than an hour!”

Michelle greeted Jane warmly. It was the first night of the Revelation Today series in this city of more than two million people. Pastor Bradshaw was already well into his hopeful message on Daniel 2 by the time the women found empty seats. Michelle worried that Jane had arrived too late to receive the message’s full impact, but just then Pastor Bradshaw broke from his script.

“I wasn’t going to share this story…” he said, and then he began telling about a time when he was lost and needing help to navigate his way to the airport. His wife, Melissa, had given him directions over the phone, but her directions hadn’t made any sense to him at the time.

BY ELLEN METCALF, Editor

“Remember, I can see the big picture,” Melissa had reminded him.

Pastor Bradshaw then continued his original message, emphasizing the confidence that we can have in God and His Word. Jane and Michelle had just studied that topic earlier in the week.

This message couldn’t be more perfect for Jane, Michelle thought. Surely she can see that God brought her here tonight.

“I could see that God had brought Jane right on time,” Michelle later recalled.

When the meeting ended, Michelle felt compelled to appeal to Jane personally.

“God has you on a beautiful journey, and He is directing your life,” she said.

“Don’t let anything stop what He’s doing in you. Will you please come again tomorrow?”

“Yes,” Jane replied, “I’ll even come early.”

The meetings were a culmination of months of collaborative work by members from more than 20 churches in Kansas and Missouri. Members from English, Spanish, Swahili, and Korean speaking churches spent months in community and church preparation, and they were excited by the results.

“God has you on a beautiful journey, and He is directing your life,” she said. “Don’t let anything stop what He’s doing in you.

Roger, another attendee, had recently given his life to Jesus Christ. Years before, he had been a junior Olympic boxer and had begun using drugs — until Jesus changed his heart. Now, he wanted nothing more than for his adult daughter to accept Jesus as her Savior, too. Roger was excited about Revelation Today coming to Kansas City, but he didn’t think his daughter would be interested in attending.

SPRING 2018

17

As he entered the convention center, he was shocked to see his daughter and her boyfriend.

“Why are you here?” he asked incredulously.

“We saw a bunch of people going in and decided to check it out,” his daughter replied.

God was answering this father’s prayer.

And then there was Mel. When he first heard about the meetings, he felt uncertain about whether or not to attend. He decided to look Pastor Bradshaw up on the Internet.

He found a video of Pastor Bradshaw sharing the Bible on a TBN television program.

Impressed with what he heard, Mel decided to attend the meetings but he began having pain in his leg. He prayed and went to the first meeting anyway. Each night, his leg would begin to hurt right before the meeting, but he kept attending. He knew what was happening: Satan was trying to stop him. He wasn’t going to let Satan win.

One night at the meetings, Mel saw Byron, an old friend he had sold drugs to years before. Mel had been afraid that drugs were going to ruin Byron’s life, so he quit selling

him drugs and encouraged Byron to stop using them. The two hadn’t seen each other for 20 years — until Revelation Today brought them back together, both on a journey with Christ.

Each night, hundreds of people learned from the Bible about hope after death, the peace of the Sabbath, and the joy of Christ’s second coming. Attendees received free It Is Written materials and were invited to accept Jesus as their personal Savior.

Live translation was provided in Spanish, Swahili, Korean, and American Sign Language. Pastor Joseph Ikner II emceed the meetings, and It Is Written affiliated musician Scott Michael Bennett, along with local artists, ministered in song each evening.

During the final meetings, many sealed their commitment to Christ in baptism.

It Is Written Bible work coordinator Jack Phillips reflected on his twelve months preparing for the event in Kansas City, “The way the local churches have worked together to reach this city for Jesus reveals to me that the Holy Spirit is alive and well.

Those who have made decisions for Christ are in very good hands to continue their discipleship journey.”

Satan was trying to stop him.

He wasn’t going to let Satan win.

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It Is Written impressions

®

Partnership

2018

YOU’RE INVITED! It Is Written exists because Partners and other supporters make our mission their own. Each year, ministry Partners make a vital impact for Christ by committing $1,500 or more to spread the gospel around the globe.

Every fall, we invite our Partners to join us for an intimate weekend with the ministry team. It’s a time of fellowship, inspiration, and encouragement.

Join us this year and see what it’s all about.

2018 LOCATIONS Gatlinburg, TN September 7–9

Gettysburg, PA September 14–16

Orlando, FL

September 21–23

with Dr. Barry C. Black

Palm Springs, CA November 2–4

Gatlinburg, TN

November 30–Dec. 2

Portland, OR November 9–11

Monterey, CA

November 16–18

Call 1-800-479-9056 or visit itiswritten.com/partnership for more information or to register.

My Place With Jesus

Scars “See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands.”

ISAIAH 49:16

MELISSA BRADSHAW is the My Place With Jesus coordinator at It Is Written. Melissa and her husband, John Bradshaw, have two children and live in the Chattanooga, Tennessee area.

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It Is Written impressions

about four or five years old, I went with my mom on some errands, one of which was to pick up my uncle from college.

Those were the days when car seats were not required by law and children were free to sit almost anywhere in the car. I was sitting up front with my mom that day. The front seat of our car had a bench seat—a seat that stretched across the whole length of the car, like most back seats today. Just for the record, I was wearing my seat belt!

My mom was taking a large mirror to the store to be framed. It was in the back, propped against the front seat. The edges of the mirror were exposed, and they were sharp!

As we neared the college, my mom reminded me that I needed to jump into the back seat so my uncle could sit up front. No sooner had she asked me to climb into the back then she remembered—the mirror!

But it was too late. I had already obeyed and thrown my left leg over the seat. My leg had come down right on top of the bare glass! I don’t remember much after that, other than being in the emergency room with a lot of unfamiliar people.

Today, whenever I see that scar I am reminded that obedience leaves scars too.

Did you know that Jesus has obedience scars? Isaiah 49:16 says, “See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands.”

ANSWERS: love, obey, death, cross, scars, eternal, life; hands

D

o you have any scars? It is safe to assume that most people—given a moment to think about it—could probably identify at least one. Did you know there are different types of scars— two, in fact?

No, I’m not talking about the difference between the scars you get from an accident or surgery and the scars you might get from climbing a tree or from your cat scratching you. I am talking about obedience scars and disobedience scars, and I happen to own at least one of each.

My disobedience scar came from the time I climbed over the door into Buck’s kennel. Buck was our family dog, and my dad had asked us many times not to climb into his kennel. He knew it could be dangerous and that we might get hurt. One day—thinking it didn’t look very dangerous—I climbed up the fence.

A wire sticking up from a post made a deep scratch in my leg, right above my knee! I still wear a scar that reminds me of my disobedience.

The scar I really want to tell you about, however, is my obedience scar. When I was

The Bible also tells us that Jesus “humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8). The scars Jesus has are obedience scars.

Every time Jesus looks at His hands, He thinks of you. Every time He looks at His hands, He remembers that He died for you so that you can have eternal life (John 3:16). He did this because He loves you very much and is longing for the day when He can spend eternity with you.

Take a moment and thank Jesus for His scars of obedience that remind us of His gift of eternal life.

Visit myplacewithjesus.org for more great stories and activities for kids!

Activity Unscramble the words below.

Then copy the letters from the numbered blocks to the numbered blanks below to discover where Jesus’ obedience scars are.

ovel

Jesus’ scars are on His…

boye 1

dtaeh 4

2

3

4

5

1

socsr 5

arssc 2

enartel 3

ilef Like us on Facebook! facebook.com/myplacewithjesus

SPRING 2018

21

Community Connection

Mud to Solid Ground

From

M

ud. Lots and lots of sticky mud.

That’s what the new It Is Written building site was like during a recent visit by Chad Starr, our publishing director. He wore heavy mud boots and sank deep into the red dirt.

Welcome to spring in Tennessee! It rains every week, but as a result the dogwoods are blooming, the red buds are blossoming, and the trees are turning green. All that mud means that progress is happening on the new It Is Written headquarters. A section of the eight plus acres has been cleared of trees and now contains a building site.

Our piece of land has thrown our contractors an interesting curve ball. At the center of the property is an inordinate amount of topsoil—more than 12 feet in fact. While topsoil is wonderful for growing beautiful landscape foliage, it is not safe for supporting a 40,000-square-foot building.

Excavators have been removing the top soil ELLEN METCALF is the development director for It Is Written. Ellen and her team plan the yearly Partnership weekend events.

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It Is Written impressions

so the foundation can be firmly anchored.

We’re committed to building on the rock— physically, financially, and spiritually.

Physically, dump truck load after dump truck load has been hauled off the property and repurposed for growing new trees and vegetation. Contractors are testing the soil to make sure we’re anchored on foundation-grade chert and that it’s safe to begin the next phase.

We’re committed to building on the rock—physically, financially, and spiritually.

Financially, our goal has been to keep costs low, which is one reason we’re building in Tennessee rather than in our original home in California. Construction is much less expensive here. We’re building debt-free without any decrease in funds designated toward our yearly evangelism projects. Our donors have established the financial groundwork to support our annual humanitarian and evangelism projects while also providing more than $7 million dollars toward our new ministry headquarters.

Watch the progress!

Visit itiswritten.build for a time lapse video and photos.

Site work and architectural plans

$ 1,500,000

Facility equipment and furnishings

$ 1,500,000

Physical facility

Updated project costs More than $7,200,000 raised Spiritually, our new headquarters is being built with the goal of pointing people to the Rock of Salvation. This will be the first time in 62 years that It Is Written has had a home of its own. We want to reach the world with the foundation of our faith—Jesus Christ—more effectively and efficiently than ever before.

In late April, a heavy equipment operator maneuvered a large piece of cabled machinery and carefully lifted a huge cement slab into place to form a part of the retaining wall on the lower end of our property. Three seasoned construction workers guided the process as the machine operator lowered the block slabs into place.

That wall will prevent the soil under our

$ 8,000,000 $11,000,000 $11,000,000 goal new building from gradually eroding and becoming unsafe.

As we build on this firm physical foundation, we’re reminded that, ultimately, we “are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone” (Ephesians 2:20).

The rain is finally ending, and spring is here. The mud is drying out, and progress on the new It Is Written headquarters will be visible and rapid over the next few months. That’s because of the firm foundation that has been laid — in our backyard by the generosity of donors and in our hearts as we build our mission to the world on the foundation of Jesus Christ.

Help us build the It Is Written of tomorrow.

Naming opportunities are available. Make a lasting investment by visiting itiswritten.build or calling us at 800-479-9056.

SPRING 2018

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Feature

B

Eat Well!

ritish newspaper The Times recently reported that within 20 years millions of middle-aged Britons will have contracted four serious illnesses—diseases such as cancer, dementia, arthritis, and heart disease. Professor Carol Jagger from Newcastle University explains the reason behind the impending unwellness explosion.

“It is primarily the lifestyle factors that are driving these diseases,” she said.

“Obesity and physical activity are the main ones. We are much more sedentary than we were before.”

The Times called it “lazy lifestyles.” Of course, this problem isn’t confined to the

A similar problem is affecting people spiritually. Just as people are affected physically by what they eat and how active they choose to be, so are they impacted spiritually by what they consume and do in the spiritual realm.

In Matthew 4:4, It Is Written’s signature Bible verse, Jesus says, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’” Jesus reveals that God’s word is spiritual food for the believer. Job similarly stated, “I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food” (Job 23:12). What food is to a person physically, God’s word is to a person spiritually.

We’re careening towards serious universal illness—but that outcome is preventable!

United Kingdom. It’s a problem for the entire developed world. We’re careening towards serious universal illness—but that outcome is preventable!

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It Is Written impressions

So what happens when we don’t get enough “food?” Or enough of the right kind of food? What happens when we lead spiritually lazy lives? Many people today—even

BY JOHN BRADSHAW, Speaker / Director

in the church—suffer from stunted spiritual growth in spite of the fact that the spiritual food supply is more than adequate.

How can we make sure we’re thriving spiritually and not becoming spiritually diseased or even spiritually obese?

Here are five simple points that will help you maintain optimum spiritual health.

Eat the right food

The Bible is food for the soul. In Jeremiah 15:16, the prophet said, “Your words were found, and I ate them; and Your word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart.”

There’s no substitute for God’s word. It is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Psalm 119:105). David wrote in Psalm 119:11 that God’s word hidden in the heart keeps a person from sin. While there are many good spiritual books that can be read, the Bible shouldn’t be neglected for books written about the Bible.

Feed regularly on God’s Word

No one who wants to be healthy goes days without eating. Just as it’s important to eat regularly, it’s vital to be consistent in your devotional time. Reading the Bible one day and not the next is not a recipe for spiritual success but rather for spiritual weakness and inconsistency.

Protect your devotional time

Don’t allow anything to compromise your personal devotional time. The most important time you can spend is time with God. Late nights, busy mornings, or early appointments can all encroach on your devotional time. Too many people struggle to be consistent with

their time with God, and that inconsistency is reflected in the daily life.

Take time to pray

Let nothing get in the way of daily morning and evening prayer. If you have trouble remembering what to pray for, make and pray from a list. Keeping a prayer journal can be very helpful. Record answered prayers so you’ll always be reminded of instances of God’s great faithfulness.

Be sure to pray in faith. James wrote, “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind” (James 1:6).

Get plenty of exercise

Just as obesity is the cause of myriad serious health problems, spiritual obesity is likewise spiritually damaging. Get plenty of “exercise” by sharing your faith with others. Pray for opportunities to witness, lead others to Jesus, and share with others what God has done for you. Pray for divine appointments and for opportunities to let the light of Christ shine out of your heart and into the heart of others.

Keep in mind that not all fish respond to the same bait. While one will gladly accept a Bible study, another will respond to a loaf of bread or a ride to the supermarket.

When sharing our faith, we’re entering into what God is already doing in a person’s life, watering where God has sowed.

Despite warnings by experts that planet earth is facing a massive health crisis, we have the assurance that these problems can be addressed or even eliminated by good physical lifestyle choices.

Our spiritual health crisis can be averted by similar methods.

Make wise choices for your spiritual health, and you’ll live well for the glory of God. SPRING 2018

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Impressed

Impressed by the Holy Spirit, lives are forever changed

Thank you for sharing your time with all of us who value your insight into God’s Word.

God bless you, and yours, and It Is Written. — Fort Worth, Texas, USA Amen! Thank you for this message! I am blessed since my husband just passed away. God bless. — San Francisco, California, USA These rich nuggets from God’s Word enrich my walk with Jesus, making me a little bit fuller by Him which spills over to others. Thank you! God bless you all. — Anchorage, Alaska, USA

Excellent Every Word today!

God continues to bless and use you John! Praying for the work worldwide! Jesus is coming soon and unity of the Spirit is what we need. He will finish the work in us!

God be praised and glorified in us!

— British Columbia, Canada

Thanks to Pastor John. I have been watching your show “Where Was God?” about the calamity that occured in Santa Rosa. It’s inspiring. God bless you pastor. — Kenya I always like the posts and short videos It is Written shares. Straight from the Bible.

Great work! — Nunavut, Canada I am grateful for the wonderful program (500) about the Reformation. My husband and I love history. He is not fully a Christian yet he watched today when the subject was the Jesuits and the Council of Trent. I praise God for every single minute that he listens and comments on! It’s a “seed” planted! Please pray that the Holy Spirit works mightily on us both! May God bless you and all the team! — Santa Rosa, California I love your messages. Thanks for spreading the gospel. — Kenya

Do you have a story about how God has touched your life through the work of It Is Written? Tell us!

Simply e-mail impressions@iiw.org

Staff Highlight

Maria Rayburn ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT FOR EVANGELISM

Maria contributes in a big way to the mission of It Is Written. Her coordination, organization, and friendly spirit keep the evangelism department on track.

“Evangelism is at the heart of It Is Written, and we’re honored to have Maria as a part of this vital ministry team,” says speaker/director John Bradshaw.

Maria joined our Evangelism department last year as Yves Monnier’s assistant. She schedules Spark soulwinning training programs around the country and coordinates many aspects of It Is Written’s mission trips. “Maria is a valued part of the evangelism team,” says Yves. “With an ever-present smile, she handles a multitude of tasks and makes sure that no stone is left unturned. We’re very blessed to have her as part of the evangelism team.”

Maria knew God had a special role for her at It Is Written. “I felt stuck in my last job,” she says, “I prayed for months for the Lord to lead me to a fulfilling and enjoyable job. One day, I received an email from my church telling me that It Is Written was hiring. That same day, three different people shared the same email with me. I was doubtful and felt unqualified, but I knew that God was calling me to take a leap of faith.”

Because Yves is often on the other side of the world and in an opposite time zone

coordinating plans for It Is Written’s next evangelistic series or mission trip, communication with the office can be challenging. Maria has learned to be especially detailed when communicating with him through text or email. Maria likes the challenge.

“I may not be up front speaking like Pastor Bradshaw,” Maria explains, “but I know that I’m needed to help bring lives to Christ. The gospel of Jesus has changed my life. I know I am helping others learn about the love of Jesus, and I am so thankful to play any part of that.”

Get to know Maria What is your favorite meal?

I love Thai fried rice with tofu.

What is the best advice anyone has given you?

Someone once told me that God didn’t promise us we wouldn’t have times of trouble, but that He did promise us His kingdom in heaven.

What is one thing that most of your co-workers don’t know about you?

I like to scrapbook.

BY CASSIE MATCHIM HERNANDEZ, Development Assistant

SPRING 2018

27

Planned Giving

®

REvocable Cash

TRust ROBUST INTEREST RETURN

Frustrated by low CD interest rates?

Now you can benefit from larger investment pools and increased growth on your funds while growing God’s kingdom through It Is Written.

The Revocable Cash Trust offers the flexibility you need for the emergencies of life. The initial deposit to open an account is a minimum of $50,000. You can add funds at any time and withdrawals may be made as often as quarterly. Interest can be paid directly to you or it can be reinvested to grow your account balance.

800-992-2219 plannedgiving@iiw.org www.HisLegacy.com

Benefits of the Revocable Cash Trust ✓✓It is your money and you may use it if needed for any reason. ✓✓Robust returns of 4 to 6 percent. ✓✓Interest income paid quarterly OR allowed to accumulate. ✓✓It Is Written pays all trust establishment fees.

And more!

Money

Life income

Cash trust

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IIW

Tributes & Memorials If you would like to give a donation in memory of someone, please visit itiswritten.com/give or use the enclosed envelope to mail your donation.

Burke, Zane

by Sherrie Williamson

Knopper, Martin

by Jocelyn D. Anderson, Mr. and Mrs. Roland W. Fanselau, Mr. and Mrs. William E. Goodwin, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Knopper, and Dr. and Mrs. Benjamin Wygal

Dahlberg, Sylvia

by Ms. Rita Vital

Nebros, Paulino

by Geraldine Hill

Eller, Quentin

by Mr. and Mrs. Ellsworth S. McKee, Mr. and Mrs. Craig Parrish, Pediatrix Medical Group of Tennessee, and R. F. Trimm III

Robinson, Sebert T. and Rosie L.

by Mr. and Mrs. Mike A. Meredith

IN LOVING MEMORY OF Burgess, Treva

by Dr. Robert Burgess

Foutch, Ruth and Jewel

by Mr. and Mrs. Frank Tyroff Fredrickson, Rose M.

by Mr. Roland Fredrickson Fuller, Sally

by Ms. Rita Vital Gilliland, William M.

by Mrs. Freda Gilliland Harris, Thomas C.

by Judith Harris Hoosier, Mary

by Ms. Rital Vital Johnson, Shirley

by Mr. and Mrs. James C. Culpepper Juhl, Alice

by Mr. and Mrs. Craig Meyer and Ms. Mary Schneider

IN HONOR OF Almeida, Collin

by Clifford Almeida Dyer, David W.

by Toatepi Palu Galloway, Cory C.

by Bruce Galloway Gilbert, Mary Gracine Crider

by Kimberly Crider

Smith, Dorothy

by Pastor and Mrs. Arden C. Mote

Jesus Christ

by J. Francesco, Kevin Jacob, and Carrie Martin

Sutherland, Stella

by Pastor and Mrs. Arden C. Mote

Jewett, Mark R.

by Julie D. Jewett

Swain, Velma

by Ms. Tina Martin Tunnell, Paul

by Mr. and Mrs. Don D. Fortner Tunnell, Raymond

by Mr. and Mrs. Don D. Fortner Trott, Rick

by Ms. Rita Vital Warbitsky, Agnes B.

by Mr. and Mrs. Harry Sharley Wilkerson, Socorro

by Mr. James Wilkerson HAPPY BIRTHDAY Vandeman-Maxwell, Anna Happy 100th birthday!

by Mr. and Mrs. James C. Culpepper

Kalaf, Angela

by Jan Moss Kessler, Mary Elizabeth

by Dr. and Mrs. David R. Kessler Midkif, Virginia

by David Dungan Miller, Donna

by Mr. and Mrs. Kurt Welser North, Sally E.

by Laura Pippitt Robertson, Carole by daughter Lisa Robertson Taube, Deborah

by Hilary Taube Savic, Slavko and Sofija

by Mr. Daniel Young Vincent, Maurice

by Mr. and Mrs. Alfred J. Musumeci

Remember someone special with your love gift to It Is Written.

Your memorial or honorary gifts are helping spread the gospel around the world.

Unless you request otherwise, your name will be printed in Impressions.

If you wish, we will send a gift acknowledgment card to your desired recipient.

Please be sure to include the recipient's name and address.

Better than the Petting Zoo Devotional

E

very spring, 10,000 ticketed guests visit SonRise, a two-and-a-halfhour journey through lifelike scenes from the Passion Week. My son and I attended for the first time this year.

We had the privilege of operating ham radios at the Jerusalem gates. We watched with anticipation as multiple groups of 800 guests began their journey back into 33 B.C. They passed beggars and lepers and moved towards where we were posted just outside the city walls where farm animals were grazing.

They had actually entered a petting zoo with farmers tending goats, cows, and camels and children holding baby rabbits and chicks. It would have been easy to stay in the petting zoo all day long, but that was just the beginning. As the guests approached us, we swung open the gates of Jerusalem for them.

Imagine for a moment being part of that crowd. As you step through the gates, you see people making baskets and pottery, trading money and furs, and selling oils and spices. The market bustles with activity until people begin chanting, “Hosanna! Hosanna!” announcing that Jesus is coming down the street. Wow, this is better than the petting zoo!

KENT THOMAS is the information technology manager for It Is Written. He is happily married to Tiffany. They have three children—Alex, Zach, and Micah.

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It Is Written impressions

You leave the marketplace and enter the scene of the Last Supper. You hear personal interactions between the disciples and see Jesus lovingly wash their feet. Judas hurries from the table, and you feel the tension building. You move on with the crowd to Gethsemane where the story intensifies.

Am I hanging around the petting zoo when there is so much more to experience with Jesus?

The controversy between Christ and Satan unfolds before you as you listen to Jesus struggle against our sin, fear, and guilt. Wow! It gets even more real as Jesus is dragged by the mob to Pilate’s judgement hall and people in the crowd shout, “We want Barabbas!” “Crucify Jesus!”

As I stood there, I wanted to physically stop the entire scene. I walked with the crowd toward Calvary where Jesus was covered in blood and barely able to walk. I felt uncomfortable looking at him. I tried to look in his face, but a mounted Roman guard redirected me down the road, “Away from the prisoner!” he barked.

We passed on to a hill with two crosses raised. A third cross was being prepared.

We watched in horror as they crucified Jesus and heard him gasp, “It is finished!”

I stood there, mentally stunned by the events that had just taken place. It felt so wrong. The crowd was almost silent as it moved to the next scene.

I watched as they laid Jesus in the tomb.

A figure of Satan circled, enjoying the state of events—but his celebration was shortlived. An angel rolled back the stone, and

we heard the beautiful voice of the Father say, “Arise, my love!”

As Jesus exited the tomb in victory, I wiped tears from my eyes. Jesus had won!

Satan had been defeated! I walked out thanking God for winning.

Earlier in the day, as my son and I had allowed groups through the Jerusalem gates, I had noticed many of them lingering behind to play in the petting zoo. I had thought to myself, “Why are they hanging around with the animals when there is so much more up ahead?”

My criticism challenged me personally. Am I hanging around the petting zoo when there is so much more to experience with Jesus? Have I given my heart to him and then stopped when there is so much more to do and see with Him at my side?

We have not seen the final act. The best is yet to come. Jesus is calling each of us to move forward and to walk a little closer toward heaven.

Are you still standing in the petting zoo, just a little ways beyond the beggars and lepers? I know the petting zoo is a great place to be. From there, you can even see ahead to some of what God has planned for you. But your future with Jesus is so much more amazing than where you are.

I’m leaving the petting zoo and moving forward. Join me! There is more waiting for us up ahead. When the final act plays and Jesus returns, He’s going to specifically look for you and call, “Arise, my love, come home with me.”

SPRING 2018

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Join John Bradshaw

& IT IS WRITTEN ON A MISSION TRIP in 2018

We are looking for volunteer evangelists and health professionals to reach the millions of people in Central Luzon, Philippines, and Gauteng Province, South Africa. Join It Is Written for an exciting, life-changing mission adventure!

Philippines July 13–29, 2018

Sign-up deadline: June 17

South Africa October 5–21, 2018

Sign-up deadline: August 28

Sign up online Itiswritten.com/missionTrips