June, 2008

Greetings from Brunswick,

I pray that this letter finds you all well and with your roots dug deep in to Yahweh’s Truth, so that you will be well able to stand through all that is coming.  Everything is escalating so rapidly.

This past month has been a heavy travel month for me.  Sometimes when I awaken I have to think about where I am.  Nevertheless, it has been an extremely fruitful month.  The Lord had some unbelievable divine appointments for me on each flight and at each destination.  I want to thank all of you who pray for me so faithfully, especially when I have to be on the road, for He has brought me through safely each time, even through horrid tornados.  Please know that I am grateful for your prayers. I do feel them as I travel.

In Washington, DC as some of us were gathered together on the National Day of Prayer, we were confronted by some very liberal people as well as some representatives of CAIR, which is a Muslim Organization.  All of them are part of the Interfaith Movement in this country.  These people are saying that the Christian Right has hijacked the National Day of Prayer.  They refuse to accept that this country was founded on Judeo-Christian beliefs, and we pray only to the God of the Bible.  They very boldly declared that this is going to change because all religions must be included.  They did everything in their power to try to distract us from prayer.

Bill Koenig very boldly stated that those who pray to Allah, or any other gods, waste their words on demons of the dark.  Bill said, “It is my prayer that all of God’s people will unite and remove the other gods from the high places of this Nation, and that their prayers will turn to fervent action that will end abortion on demand, end the promotion of homosexuality, make pornography illegal, stop the sexualization of our children, end the false doctrine of separation of Church and State, stop the radical anti-God colonization of America by Islam and restore the rightful place of God Almighty (YHWH) in the minds, spirits and souls of our countrymen.”  AMEN and AMEN.

In Bill’s May 16^th report he stated, “ If America needs a lesson in what happens when an Islamic presence is ‘tolerated’ for long in a country, it need look no further than the example of Lebanon.   Lebanon has a rich history that reaches back thousands of years, but recent events are a telltale sign of the ‘python like stranglehold’ of Islam.”  Nevertheless, the United States Government has a policy of treating Islam as a ‘peaceful religion” allowing its colonization of America to expand at an alarming rate.  Lord have mercy! 

These are extremely dangerous times here in America.  We have the Inter-Faith Movement pressing us on all sides to be ‘tolerant’ of all other religions and include them in all that we say and do.  Oprah Winfrey is teaching “A Course in Miracles”, which is a course in “mind training” and “thought reversal” which teaches her students to “rethink” everything they have believed about God.  We see a “Rethink Conference” held at the Crystal Cathedral attended by many big names among the Evangelicals with the purpose of “redefining Christianity, using mysticism as the vehicle to bring about the changes.  Earth worship is on the rise among many of our young people, and New Age has infiltrated the Church big time.

 There is the “Seeker Sensitive Movement” which refuses to speak about Yeshua, repentance, sin, or commitment, yet they claim to be Evangelical, their main thrust being to make Christianity pleasing to everyone.  Last but not least the Rick Warren Empire is still at work on their Global Peace Plan as well as their war on Aids, while many Southern Baptists are working with Al Gore on the Global Warming Propaganda to save the Earth, and yet others are busy divesting from Israel.  This, brothers and sisters is only a glimpse of the “Emerging Church”. 

There is much, much more, and believe it or not, many wonder why the Lord has had to separate His Remnant, calling them to come out from among them and be separate.  It is a holy separation that is taking place, not a divisive spirit at work.  He is in the process of separating the wheat from the chaff.  We will either walk with Him on the narrow road that leads to eternal salvation, or go our own way on the wide road that leads to destruction.  The choice is ours and that decision must be made quickly because time for repentance is very quickly running out.  There are many in the valley of decision even as you are reading this newsletter.

Pluralism

This is the modern day term for the “all inclusive” movement, those who believe that all religions must be ‘tolerant’ of each other and come together to pray together and worship together.  They say that we all worship the same God, when in truth we do not.  They say that all roads lead to Heaven, when in truth they do not. They believe that their truth is just as important as ours, even though their truths cancel out all of our beliefs.  They say we should all just do what is right in our own eyes, because they believe that there is no absolute truth anyway. 

The sad part of it is that both President Bush and former President Clinton affirm their beliefs, yet claim to be Christians. Both of these men have opened wide the gates to America, giving many false gods a seat of authority in this land for which we have already begun to pay a horrible price.  These same two men and their administrations have also pressured Israel to break covenant with Yahweh and do the same thing. We will pay a horrible price for that as well. Please know that Pluralism is not something new.  It has been around for thousands of years. If we go back to the Book of Judges we will see Israel caught in the very same web that ‘religious’ America is becoming so entwined in today. The time of the Judges was a time of moral decay where the people of God found themselves surrounded by a culture that flaunted wicked behavior, just like we are seeing in America today. There was pressure on God’s people to be ‘tolerant’ of other religions and even incorporate them in to their beliefs.

Looking in to the Book of Judges, we see that His people seemed to get themselves caught up in a spin cycle.  They would depart from the Lord, He would send discipline, then they would cry out to Him, and He, in His mercy, would send them someone, a Judge, who would work to get them back on track. They would serve the Lord then until that particular Judge died and then revert back to their old ways. Seven times that happened in the Book of Judges alone.

Looking in to the beginning of the Book of Judges we see that Joshua’s days had come to an end. Yahweh had commanded His people to go in to the Land of Canaan and “drive out all of the inhabitants”.  Joshua was the one who had been leading them in possessing the Land and God had been well pleased with Joshua, for he did as the Lord had commanded.  As a result of his obedience and the blessing that it brought, the people had served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who had outlived him.

Now the following generation did not know God, nor did they know of the work that Joshua had done for the Lord. They worshipped other gods, so the death of Joshua really ushered in a period of decline in Israel.  Judges 17:6 says that there was no king in those days so everyone did that which was right in their own eyes.  Today, in our culture here in America, everyone seems to be doing what is right in their own eyes as well.

In order to see where the spiritual decline began for Israel let’s go back and look at the instructions that Yahweh gave His people as they were about to enter the Land of Canaan.  He told the people to “drive out the inhabitants”.

Ex. 23:23-24 “For My angel will go before you and bring you into the Amonites, the Hittites, Perizzits, the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, and I will cut them off.  You shall not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do according to their works, but you shall utterly overthrow them and completely break down their sacred pillars.”  This is also confirmed in Deut.20.  

People often question why God would command His people to do such a thing, but it was because they worshipped their gods by behaving just like them. Baal worship was extremely degrading and satanic as well.  They engaged in Temple prostitution, fertility rites, drunken sex orgies,   idolatry, snake worship, homosexuality and even human sacrifice. Everything they did in worship totally contradicted everything that Yahweh had revealed about Himself, His will and His ways. Therefore He was not about to allow His people to co-exist with people so degraded and satanic.    

The Decline!

Israel’s decline began as a result of ‘tolerance’. Judges 1:21 tells us that the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who inhabited Jerusalem, but dwelt with them. The House of Joseph let a man and his family stay, and they built among them. Manasseh did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth Shean, nor did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites who dwelt in Gezer.  Zebulum, Asher and Naphtali did not drive out the inhabitants in their portion either.  Instead of obeying the Lord, they decided they would ‘tolerate’ their neighbors.

Their neighbors became ‘thorns in their side’. The Canaanites were determined to live in the land and dwelt in Gezer among them.  The Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountains and would not allow them to come down in to the valley etc. 

Just like today!  The Church looks so much like the world because the world is so much a part of the Church that you cannot tell the difference.  That is what happened to Israel after they had assimilated.  You couldn’t tell one from the other because they became so much alike.  You see, they began to imitate those they were dwelling with, and began to experiment in worshipping the gods of the land, even bowing down to them.  They began to intermarry! Soon after that Judges 2:12 tells us that they forsook Yahweh, who had brought them out of Egypt, and provoked Him to anger. In short, they no longer served Yahweh, but served the gods of the land. They became worshippers of Baal and Ashtoreth.

Brothers and sisters, they began by being loyal to Yahweh, then ‘tolerating’ what He had forbidden, and then ‘assimilating’ what they should not have tolerated and, last but not least, ‘imitating’ the carnal culture all around them. Now they were not just in the world, but they were of the world, and Yahweh was on the outside looking in. Does that not sound familiar?

Soon after they began to intermarry, it wasn’t long until everything became so bad that they began to cry out for help. Each time the Lord would raise up a deliverer, one of the Judges. The Judge would work to get them back on track again and then there would be peace for a period of time.  Nevertheless, just when everything looked as though all was well, they would end up repeating the cycle. 

Brothers and Sisters, times and seasons will change, but Yahweh’s truths do not change. His Word is set in Heaven!  As for Yeshua, He is the same yesterday, today and forever.  He does not change either.  He said, “I AM the way, the truth, and the life!  No man comes to the Father but through Me!”  He is who He says He is, and we must stay focused on Him and His Word.   

Fellowship of Believers

Full Gospel / Messianic Gathering

June 21, 2008 @ 2:00 PM

Corbin Center for Technology  & Community Activities Building

Corbin, KY – Exit #25 off I-75

(Across from Hospital – Behind Applebee’s –Top of Hill

Guest Speaker – Myrna Middleton

Contact: Pastors Lee & Rita Hensler @ (606) 521-0498 or (606) 523-6039

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In Israel- A group of religious Zionist Rabbis have called for a boycott of this year’s International Bible Quiz after discovering that one of the four finalists from Israel, Bar-El Levi, is a Messianic Jew who believes that Yeshua is the true Messiah.  As it turned out, because she truly is Jewish, she cannot be disqualified.

Calev Myers, founder and chief counsel of the Jerusalem Institute of Justice, an advocacy group that represents members of the Messianic Community, said that the Rabbi’s call to boycott the quiz was a show of weakness. He said, “If the participation of a Messianic Jewish lady is enough to shake up the world of the Rabbis, it shows the weakness of that world.” He went on to say, “Why should they have a problem with a young woman who knows how to quote from the Bible? It is about time that they stop having a monopoly over determining who is a Jew. The beauty of the Jewish world is the diversity.  If you can still be considered a Jew when you believe that Lubavitch Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson is the Messiah, the same thing should hold true of those who believe that Yeshua is the Messiah.”  Amen, Calev!

Sid Roth – “What is the significance of 70 Orthodox Rabbis coming to the Lord, and 1,000 Orthodox Jews receiving Yeshua as Messiah?”  While Sid was in Israel holding evangelistic meetings, which were bearing great fruit, he received a call from a pastor here in the US, who had just led an Orthodox Rabbi to the Lord.

Recently Sid flew to New York to interview the Rabbi. As they ate in a Kosher Restaurant, he listened to the Rabbi’s testimony.  He said that for now these Rabbis are gathering together to worship in a House meeting.  They still practice an Orthodox life style, but they do believe in Yeshua as Messiah. They have not yet spoken out publicly, for to do so at this time would be life threatening.  Sid went on to say that when it is God’s timing for them to speak out they will be very vocal and bold. This is the first time so many Jews have come to the Lord at one time in 2,000 years.  At that time the Spirit of the Lord was poured out on Pentecost (Shavuot) and thousands of Jews came to faith.  Sid sees this as a sign that Yeshua is soon to return. Paul said in Romans 11, “When we see the scales coming off the Jewish eyes it means that we are at the fullness of the Gentiles”.

In Ohio – Ten students in a public high school recently learned that voicing your pro-life beliefs can be a tricky proposition.  As in similar cases across the country, officials in the Anthony Wayne Local School District told the students to either take off the shirts they were wearing or turn them inside out.  If they didn’t, they would face stiff penalties including suspension.

The students were wearing the Pro-Life shirts on April 21^st to mark the anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court case of Roe vs Wade that legalized abortion.  The students were willing to face the music for making their stand on behalf of the Pro-Life movement, but the school officials kept putting additional penalties upon them.  God bless them for stepping in to the fires of controversy because they desired to play a part in protecting human life.

Short Term Missions

Paul & Joane Gelep have just returned from a month long mission to Israel, where they helped to celebrate Israel’s 60^th birthday. They were both blessed to be there, and they were certainly a blessing to many while they were in the Land.  Thank you for your prayers for them.

Stephen Arrington has just left for China.  Please cover him in prayer and also his wife Suzanne, while he is gone. This is a return mission for Stephen. Pray that his trip will be a fruitful one. Stephen returns June 6^th.

Janet Radford departs for Israel June 4^th and will return June 16^th.  This is Janet’s first trip to the Land, so let us pray that she will be greatly blessed and be a blessing to all who are round about her. Janet has waited for a long time to receive this call from Abba.

Janet Wilker departs for the Ukraine June 16^th and is scheduled to return July 25^th.  The Ukraine has been a very special place of ministry for Janet.  Let us pray that all of Abba’s purposes for this mission be accomplished to the glory of Yahweh.

Pastor Sadie Connor and her team from Jesus Compassion Ministries will depart for Trinidad July 7^th and will return July 14^th.   This is a return trip to Trinidad for Pastor Sadie.  Let us pray that the dear Lord will move mightily through them while they are there.  Let us pray that many will be saved, healed and set free to the glory of the Almighty.

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Orphan Voice – On June 2^nd Tony and Cindy Brewer, along with their children, will answer Abba’s call to relocate in Asia for a period of time. This is a very special family, and we count it a privilege to network with them in caring for orphans in the Christian orphanages which they have established and maintain in a number of countries such as Mynamar, China, Vietnam and Cambodia. 

The dear Lord broke their hearts for orphans and special needs children many years ago. Tony has worked tirelessly to place more than 1200 orphans in families who wanted to adopt a child. They have adopted five orphans themselves, which has really kept Cindy busy.

On July 23rd I will leave to meet Tony and Cindy in China.  We plan to spend several days there, and then travel on to spend several days in Cambodia. From there we will go on to Vietnam where we will also spend several days and then back track to Hong Kong.  Lord willing I will return home on August 7^th.  

 I would really appreciate your prayers for this mission. I have been in that part of the world before, and I never know what all Abba has in mind until He springs it on me.  Whatever, I just pray that His purposes will all be accomplished while we are there and that we will be the blessing that Abba intended for us to be everywhere He leads us.      

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Please pray for all of our brothers and sisters who are being terribly persecuted for their faith in Yeshua.  Pray that the Holy Spirit will prompt us to do what we would hope that others would do for us if we were the ones being persecuted.

Let us pray that prisons will become places of worship and pulpits for God’s Word so that prisoners and jailers alike will be saved.   Also, pray that those who are being beaten and tortured will have the grace to forgive. Last but not least that each one will remain faithful to God even when it seems as though His promises have failed. Ask Him to comfort and strengthen each one as only the blessed Holy Spirit can do.

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Thank you so much for all of the prayers that you pray for both me and the ministry. We are so grateful! Thank you, too, for all of the financial help that you send to Fair Havens Missions, for it enables us to bless so many people that we could not take care of otherwise.   Also, I want to thank those of you who help me personally.  Please know that I deeply appreciate it, especially with the price of gasoline as high as it is and climbing.  God bless all of you!  Love, Myrna

Contact: (912) 265-0019 or myrnamiddleton@yahoo.com or www.fairhavensmissions.org