Messenger November 2011

messenger NOVEMBER 2011 | MESSENGERINTERNATIONAL.ORG

Inside, brand-new message by John…

Truth. News. Outreach.

John & Lisa Bevere

R JOHN THE BAPTIST LIVED ALONE IN THE WILDERNESS BEFORE BEGINNING HIS MINISTRY.

T SOLOMON EXPERIENCED PROFOUND DISILLUSIONMENT BEFORE HE DISCOVERED THE MEANING OF LIFE.

JOSEPH WENT THROUGH SLAVERY AND PRISON BEFORE HE WAS PROMOTED.

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JESUS HAD TO DIE ON THE CROSS BEFORE HE COULD BE GLORIFIED AND SAVE HUMANITY.

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ABRAM EMBARKED ON A LONG, DIFFICULT JOURNEY BEFORE BECOMING ABRAHAM.

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PAUL WAS SHIPWRECK, BEATEN, STONED, AND WHIPPED BEFORE HE REACHED ROME.

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JOSHUA FOUGHT THE PHILISTINES BEFORE ISRAEL COULD TAKE THE PROMISED LAND.

ESTHER HAD TO RISK HER LIFE TO SAVE HER PEOPLE.

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L DAVID WAS HUNTED BY SAUL BEFORE HE WAS ESTABLISHED AS KING.

E YOUR

RELENTLESS STORY HERE

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calendar november 11/17-20 (John) Surabaya, Indonesia Bethany Graha Church

1/11 (John) Bradenton, FL Bayside Community

11/26-27 (John & Lisa) Carlsbad, CA Christian City Church

1/12 (John) Bradenton, FL Christian Retreat Family Church

11/30 (John) Denver, CO The Potter’s House of Denver

1/12-16 (Lisa) Girls Get-A-Way Cruise Premier Christian Cruises

december 12/4 (John) Los Angeles, CA LA Dream Center 12/9 (John) Augusta, GA New Life Christian Center 12/10-11 (John) Huntsville, AL The Rock Family Worship

january 1/5-6 (John & Lisa) Seoul, Korea Awake! 2012 Conference Tribe of Levi Ministries 1/8 (John) Houston, TX Grace Community Church

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january, cont.

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1/14-15 (John) Lake Worth, FL Trinity Church International 1/15 (John) Jupiter, FL Generation Church 1/19-20 (Lisa) Mt. Pleasant, SC Annual Women’s Conference Seacoast Christian Center 1/20-22 (John) Waipahu, HI Hope Chapel West O’ahu 1/24 (John) Puna, HI Sure Foundation Puna 1/25 (John) Hilo, HI Sure Foundation Hilo 1/26 (John) Kailua Kona, HI HI Solid Rock Ministries 11/29 (John) Honolulu, HI Word of Life Christian Center

Dear Friends, More than ever before, each of us must choose daily to live a life of relentless faith! This is a season to encourage one another, pray passionately, and purposefully lay hold of God’s promises. Life becomes an adventure when we remember that, in Christ, we are empowered to overcome any storm He leads us into!

In Christ, God leads us from place to place in one perpetual victory parade.

2 Corinthians 2:14 (The Message) Many of you joined us in Colorado Springs last June for the Relentless curriculum tapings. If you were there, then you already know the weight and urgency of this series. I believe the message of Relentless is challenging, empowering, timely, and prophetic. It is with great excitement that we announce the availability of this message, and we pray this word takes root in your life, relationships, and church.

Messenger International has resolved to be relentless as we continue to teach, reach, and rescue. On the following pages we share but a window into what is happening because of your faithful prayers and generous support. Leaders are receiving resources in their own languages, and young women are realizing a future filled with hope and promise.

With love,

John & Lisa www.MessengerInternational.org/Newsletter| 1.800.648.1477 | 1.800.648.1477 www.MessengerInternational.org/Newsletter

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[YOUR RELENTLESS STORY HERE]

BY JOHN BEVERE AS CHILDREN OF GOD, WE ALL WANT TO PLEASE OUR FATHER BY GROWING UP IN FAITH. BUT HOW CAN WE DO THIS?

Unlike physical growth, spiritual maturity is not a result of the passing of time. Paul once called adult Christians in Corinth spiritual infants. Neither is spiritual development, like mental growth, a function of learning. Though they spent their lives studying the law, Jesus told the Pharisees, “You do not have [the Father’s] message in your hearts” (John 5:39 NLT).

He was removed from his position and thrown into Pharaoh’s dungeon. For two years, he was given just enough bread and water to survive the hardships of the prison.

The thoughts of doubt that must have crossed Joseph’s mind could have easily turned into offense toward God. Is this how a loving, faithful God cares for those who obey Him? He gave me a dream of leadership, but when I shared it, what did it get me? A life of slavery.

Then I obeyed God’s command to flee sexual immorality, and I was thrown into prison. It seems the more I obey, the worse my life gets. Serving God is just a mean joke.

Hebrews reveals the process of spiritual maturity in Jesus’ life: “He learned obedience by the things which In the face of God’s apparent unfaithfulness, the only He suffered” (Hebrews 5:8 NKJV). We grow spiritually freedom Joseph still had was the freedom to choose through obedience to God in the midst of suffering. his response to his circumstances. Would he become bitter, jaded, and cynical? Would he despise the word JOSEPH’S RELENTLESS STORY of God? Would he give up all hope of the promise’s Probably the greatest biblical example of this is fulfillment? Would he steadfastly resist, or would Joseph, a man who relentlessly believed God’s word. he succumb to inaccurate emotions, thoughts, and Joseph was the favorite of Jacob’s twelve sons. feelings?

Because he was a bit of a bragger and a tattletale, his older brothers did not like him. When God gave It probably never crossed Joseph’s mind that God Joseph two dreams showing that he would one day was using this process to prepare him to rule. God rise to leadership and be served by his family, his knew when He called Joseph that his brothers would brothers hated him even more. They staged his death betray him. He knew Potiphar’s wife would cause him and sold him to become a slave in Egypt. to be thrown into the dungeon. And He knew Joseph would face his greatest test when he was called upon Though Joseph thrived as the head servant in the to interpret the dreams of two of Pharaoh’s former house of a powerful Egyptian officer, after ten years, servants. Because he proclaimed the faithfulness of he was again wrongfully treated. His master’s wife God to these men, even after twelve years of hardship, approached him daily, asking him to commit adultery he was able to meet his destiny. with her. When he refused, she accused him of rape.

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Twenty-one years after Joseph received God’s promises, he was the second-most powerful man in all of Egypt. His brothers bowed before him just as he had foreseen. Though he started out as a bragger and a tattletale, his obedience to truth outfitted him with the character to rule.

LIVE YOUR RELENTLESS STORY God is never the author of your hardship, but His will is for you to endure, knowing that your suffering will result in victory. Your obedience in the trials you face will shape you for the destiny that lies ahead.

Like Joseph, all great men and women in the Kingdom Beloved, God has called you. He loves you so much that He is not willing to leave you as you are. God is of God have a relentless story: not shocked or disarmed by the sufferings you, like • ESTHER HAD TO RISK HER LIFE TO Joseph, face. On the contrary, He uses suffering as SAVE HER PEOPLE. • JOSHUA FOUGHT THE PHILISTINES your path to victory. When you face hardships, rejoice BEFORE ISRAEL COULD TAKE THE in knowing that your faith is being shaped. When PROMISED LAND. you feel alone, defeated, and unable to continue, • DAVID WAS HUNTED BY SAUL BEFORE remember God’s promise to you: “The God of all HE WAS ESTABLISHED AS KING. grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ • SOLOMON EXPERIENCED PROFOUND DISILLUSIONMENT BEFORE HE Jesus, after you have suffered a while, [will] perfect, DISCOVERED THE MEANING OF LIFE. establish, strengthen and settle you” (1 Peter 5:10 • JOHN THE BAPTIST LIVED ALONE IN NKJV).

THE WILDERNESS BEFORE BEGINNING HIS MINISTRY. •

AND JESUS HIMSELF HAD TO DIE ON THE CROSS BEFORE HE COULD BE GLORIFIED AND SAVE HUMANITY.

THE SAME IS TRUE FOR YOU. ON THE PATH TO RULERSHIP, YOU WILL FACE HARDSHIP AND TRIBULATION.

Now is the time to endure in faith. Don’t grow hard and calloused towards God. Don’t be discouraged with yourself. Instead, allow the suffering in your life to produce spiritual growth: faith pleasing to God. The Earth waits in eager anticipation for the unveiling of your relentless story! (Romans 8:19)

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HIGHLIGHTED OUTREACH:

Indonesia

Indonesia is one of the most populated countries on Earth. It is also home to the world’s largest Muslim population, and there is a great need for truth in this nation. In September, thousands of Indonesian pastors gathered in one of the

region’s largest church buildings. We sent them 10,000 copies The Bait of Satan in their language.

In less than ten minutes, over 100 workers had distributed all 10,000 books. The leaders stood to their feet. They were waving the books and glorifying God for the truth sown into their nation. We celebrated this triumph, but we were also left with the realization that 10,000 copies were not enough.

Because so many pastors were left without a book, we decided to return to Indonesia in November with additional resources. During Pastor Appreciation Month in October, every purchase made through Messenger International provided 4 translated copies of The Bait of Satan. When we returned to the pastors, we were able to meet their need with abundance.

Your purchases provided 7,420 copies of The Bait of Satan to pastors in Indonesia.

Thank you for partnering with us to strengthen the global church!

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Srey Phea’s STORY

When four-year-old SreyPhea’s alcoholic father took her and vanished into a remote Cambodian province, In His Steps International (IHSI) feared that she was lost forever. IHSI heard conflicting stories of her being sold, abandoned, or given away to distant relatives, always leading to frustrating dead ends in their attempts to find her.

Nearly two years later, a chance conversation led to contact with someone who knew SreyPhea’s location.

Not only was she at the mercy of abusive relatives, but she was suffering from a serious injury and rapidly losing vision in one eye. Two of the IHSI staff traveled far into the northern regions of Cambodia on a rescue mission, having already been granted custody of SreyPhea by local authorities.

SreyPhea is now six years old and adjusting well as the youngest resident of Father’s House. She is an energetic girl who loves to be part of everything that goes on around her. An eye operation restored her vision, allowing her to engage with others more easily, and her confidence has soared. She loves coloring, looking at picture books, singing, and dancing. She’s even been known to casually join the church worship team Sunday mornings!

We are so happy to finally have SreyPhea safely at Father’s House where she can be nurtured and cared for. Please pray for continued healing from her past as God leads her into a bright and hopeful future.

Thank you for partnering with us to bring safety and hope to this precious girl!

Top left: Built in 2010, the Father’s House is a safe house for at-risk children in Saang, Cambodia; bottom left: In His Steps International is one of Pearl Alliance’s onsite organizations located in Cambodia.

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PO Box 888 Palmer Lake, CO 80133 1.800.648.1477 1.719.487.3000 www. MessengerInternational.org Mail@MessengerInternational.org This newsletter is published by Messenger International, Inc. Reproduction in whole or in part without prior written consent is strictly prohibited.

Messenger International, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) organization and your contributions over and above the fair market value of any products received are tax deductible as allowed by law.

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