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![]() Midnight Cry MessengerVolume LI: Number 2 -- April-May-June, 2006Left: Great fellowship mailing the MCM!
Editor's LetterDear Saints, We greet you in the wonderful name of our Lord Jesus! In this issue we begin what will probably be a two-part article entitled, "The Gospel." Such a subject may seem to some to be trivial and obvious but it is not. The Apostle Paul taught on many things but the heart and soul of his message was the gospel. In 1 Corinthians 2:2 he declared, "...I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified." The message of the gospel has always been the chief target of Satan. It is evident everywhere that in our day he has succeeded in corrupting, confusing, complicating, adding to, and subtracting from "the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints." Jude 3. In this issue you will see a brief account of our recent trip to the Philippines. As I was preparing for the trip and thinking and praying about the ministry I had a clear burden on the subject of the gospel, feeling that it needed to be preached with both clarity and power. My prayer is that the Lord will raise up men in every land who will be able to do just that. No other message will accomplish God’s purpose in this last hour. Satan has little to fear from the advance of religion but everything to fear from the one true gospel of Jesus Christ. As regular readers will know, we have, for some time now, been publishing a series entitled, "Examine Yourselves." This message on "The Gospel" is not disconnected from the series. Surely, after self-examination, there is a need for a clear presentation of the gospel by which we can know that we belong to Him. At present, I envision this message becoming the conclusion of a book entitled, "Examine Yourselves," and also becoming a booklet that can stand alone. Please pray that the Lord will lead and enable. Without Him we can do nothing. I know you will enjoy Bro. Jimmy’s account of our Philippine trip. It was very clearly ordered of the Lord and we felt everyone’s prayers. The Lord went before us and behind us and we praise Him for every opportunity He gave us. Many spiritual bonds were formed and strengthened. Remember the saints there, as well as the saints in India and other parts of the world. Many are in places of great challenge, suffering, and persecution and need our prayers. Prayer is not just a "warm and fuzzy" sentiment; it changes things. It connects the Body of Christ and exercises its members in love. Ben Johnson has given us a clear and succinct report of the recent June convention in Jacksonville, Florida. What a precious time of blessing and fellowship it was! There was such a good spirit among the people and a very evident presence of the Lord in the services. We are humbled and thankful, knowing that it is by grace alone that He would draw near. Religion is very active in our day. But in the midst of it all God has a sure and certain purpose He is working out. He has the plan, the only one that will produce eternal results. That’s the one I desire to be a part of. I sure can’t figure it out! As for the future we are just looking to Him. We are content to go or stay as He directs. Pray with us that He will lead us in all things--even as we pray for all of you. And now, until the next issue may God richly bless you... Your brother in Christ, 2006 Convention ReportAt this year's June meeting in Jacksonville, Florida, God was once again faithful to meet with us and to reach out in grace and love to meet the needs of His people. God has not simply called us to a "religion" – a set of ideas to believe, rituals to practice and routines to go through – but to a close, daily relationship with Him. If we are going to enter into that kind of relationship, we need a new kind of life on the inside that only comes from being born again and we need a continual supply of strength and grace from God to overcome our sinful nature and to serve him in a wicked world. Praise God for His love and faithfulness to reach out to His people through his anointed word to do for us what we could never do for ourselves! Wednesday Night
Robert Dyer began the service by encouraging the people to see the Lord in everything that comes our way, not just the natural circumstances. Jim Easterly then read from Psalm 107 pointing out that all of the different types of people described in this passage were brought face to face with difficult circumstances that caused them to cry out to God instead of trusting in themselves and their own resources. He said that if God is dealing with our hearts, whether the need is salvation or simply strength to live for Him, He will in His mercy do whatever it takes to bring us to that point. Phil Enlow spoke next and pointed out that the reason the people in Psalm 107 cried out to God was because they were made aware that they had a serious need and they believed that God could meet that need. He asked the question "Do you have a sense of need in your life?" and pointed out that without this critical revelation, we will never turn to God either for salvation or for help with the weaknesses in our lives. He spoke about our salvation being a life-long process of transformation that only God can perform. He read from Galatians 3, explaining that the way we came to salvation in the first place, abandoning our own efforts and placing our trust in Jesus Christ, is the same way that we live the Christian life. Only by abandoning our natural efforts and self-confidence and calling out to God for help and strength will we overcome our sinful nature and be made into vessels God can use. Jimmy Robbins then closed out the service by encouraging the people that we can leave the repeated failures of our past at the cross and go forward with God with full confidence in His love for us. Thursday Night
John Paul Thomas began the service by giving a testimony of how the unity and love in the people of the church had spoken to the heart of someone he was working with at the funeral home viewing for his aunt earlier in the week. Robert Dyer spoke about how this unity is simply a result of God working in our midst. Carl Johnson then read the words of Jesus' prayer in John 17 expressing thanks to God that this prayer is being answered today in our midst. God is making His people one and making us lights for Him in this world. Jim Johnson then encouraged the people to praise God for His faithfulness and ability to work in us as we go through this process of change that is sometimes very uncomfortable for this flesh. He spoke about how praise is an expression of faith in God and something we should do not just in church but everywhere we go. Harold Hutto expressed the thought the God is a "need meeter" who is working in our midst to bring those who need salvation to saving faith and to bring all of us to a greater surrender and trust in Him. Steve Sharpe emphasized that God wants us to have more than just a historical knowledge of Him – He wants a personal relationship with us that mirrors the relationship He had with Jesus while he was on earth. For that to happen our self-life has to be put to death, but we can cry out to God and have confidence that He will faithfully perform that work. Ron Peters then closed out the service by emphasizing the fact the God is love (1 John: 7-21) and that if He dwells in our hearts, His love will bring peace in our lives and a oneness with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Friday Night
Jimmy Robbins began the service by expressing a special burden on his heart for the young people in our assemblies. He warned the people that the Devil is out to destroy lives and paints a beautiful picture of this world and all it has to offer, but that living a life driven by self-will will lead to bondage and ruin. He gave some practical instruction on several specific issues including dealings with the opposite sex, the need to devote time to the things of God, parent's involvement with their children, and trusting God with issues such as marriage and having children. He pointed out that if the time for our Lord's return is still some ways in the future, the current elders in our churches may begin to pass off this earthly scene and it will be the responsibility of the younger generation to carry on the work God has given us to do. He then asked for all of the people between 12 and 30 to come to the front of the church where the elders prayed with them that God would use them and work in their lives and prepare them for whatever lies ahead. Jerry Krummrich then warned about how after the nation of Israel took possession of the promised land, the next generation forgot the Lord and began to fall into darkness and idolatry. Harold Hutto and Jim Easterly expressed the thoughts that this burden was from God and that it wasn't just a matter of following rules but that God was trying to shield us from some of the harmful and long-lasting consequences of rejecting God's light and going our own way. Myself and Mike Szelak spoke about not having our time be overly consumed with the affairs of this life and not being molded into the pattern of this world system. Phil Enlow ended the service by reading from Philippians 3:7-14 where Paul explained how everything he had once considered so important in his life, he came to consider as rubbish so that he could truly serve Christ and that the one central thing he now did in his life was to press on toward the goal the God had set before him. He reiterated the need for the younger generation to have a true revelation of these truths so that this ministry would never become simply a tradition to be handed down. He ended by posing the question, "What is the one central thing that you do in your life?" challenging the people to examine their hearts before God and to be willing to give up their lives that they might have His life. Saturday Night
After Jimmy Robbins commended the people for continuing to faithfully give to our overseas mission fund, Jim Easterly soberly warned that a day would come when the only thing that would matter in our lives was whether we truly know Jesus Christ and that simply having a religious background was no substitute for this personal knowledge. He pointed out that there is religion of some kind all over the earth because man feels an innate need to reach out to his Creator, but that only when God reaches out to us and stirs our hearts will we truly be able to turn to him. Phil Enlow spoke next and warned against religion that simply gets people into churches without bringing them to the place of giving up their lives. In the face of man's need before a holy God, such religion simply gives man a list of things to do and not do and is based on man's ability and efforts, not on what Christ has done. He spoke about the need of people to see their utterly helpless, guilty condition before God so that they will put all of their trust in Jesus Christ and receive God's perfect salvation and grace to enable them to live for Him. Salvation is not a matter of what we have to do, but rather the opposite – it's the abandoning of all our "doing" and trusting in Jesus Christ alone to save us. He also pointed out that we can't even make ourselves "better" before we come – we simply have to come as we are when God calls and lay our lives at the cross of Christ, a humble position that the natural man does not want to take. He ended by soberly asking the people if they wanted to be one that God was getting ready for eternity with Him and preserving in the day of His judgment, or if they wanted to face Him on their own. Jimmy Robbins closed out the service by asking those whose hearts had been stirred and who wanted to give their lives to Christ to raise their hands. He then prayed for those and offered them an opportunity to stand at their seat and publicly confess Jesus Christ as their Savior, which some did. Praise God for His anointed word that has the power to convict hearts and save any who will truly surrender to Him! Coming out of this meeting I am freshly reminded that this is God's work, not ours. Only He can truly make people aware of their need before Him. Only He can anoint our inadequate vessels to effectively preach the word of life. Only He can save those who will bow to His son Jesus Christ. Only He can supply the strength, grace, and wisdom that we need every moment to overcome sin in our lives and to live for Him in a sinful world. Praise God for the promise of His word that He will complete the work that He has started in our lives (Philippians 1:6). Praise God for His great love and faithfulness! Return to Top2006 Philippines TripFor more than fifty years...Brother C. Parker Thomas and Midnight Cry Ministries have reached out to our Brothers and Sisters across the globe. Our passion has been to get the "Gospel" out to a lost and dying world, to feed the Sheep, and to minister peace and rest to God's people until Jesus splits the Eastern sky. As a young man, Brother Thomas had a vision of preaching to the masses all over the world. He was always reaching out to the lost, the needy, and the downtrodden. Before he passed from this life...he imparted this vision to us. Before I begin recounting the "Long Trip" to the Philippines...I must first give you some necessary background information concerning our ties with the dear Filipino people. About ten years ago we received a request for a VHS Recorder/Player from a precious man of God (Brother Xavier G. Prado). He was so blessed by the Gospel messages...that he wanted us to supply him with the videos so that he could take them into the mountain areas of the Philippines to reach the lost with the gospel of Christ. He faithfully continued this ministry for many years...disregarding the imminent and constant danger of this unwelcome "Evangelistic" activity. Brother Prado was called home by his Lord and Savior several years ago. Only God knows how many received the Gospel message. To God be the glory! I must say that we were saddened to lose our dear Brother Prado...not only for His work, but also for the Christian friendship that we had with him. When God closes one door, He will open another door for us if we will patiently wait on His leading. About three and a half years ago we received an email from Brother Roberto Abrina (Minister & TV-Broadcaster). He visited our web site and watched our TV programs of our live Sunday morning services. By his own testimony...he was so blessed by the messages that he requested a supply of Midnight Cry Program tapes to be aired on his Channel #7 of the S.B.N. TV-Network. Praise the Lord! Last November...Bro. Abrina and his family came to attend our Convention in Southern Pines, NC. We had a great meeting and a "Special Time of Fellowship." During this time of refreshing...Bro. Abrina invited us to hold a "Gospel Meeting" in his home town...Davao City, Philippines. After much prayer...The Lord confirmed to us that we should go in faith... that He would bless us...and keep us safe. Four Brothers Prepare To Travel Bro. Phil Enlow from the Bible Tabernacle, Bro. Steve Sharpe from Calvary Chapel, Bro. Jim Easterly from Ramona Park, and yours truly...Jimmy Robbins from Midnight Cry were set apart to represent Midnight Cry Ministries on this Missionary Journey to the Philippines. While we were getting our "shots," applying for passports, purchasing airline tickets, etc, we were constantly reading warnings from the State Department concerning the violence and danger that existed throughout the Philippines. I must say to you that all this was quite disconcerting to say the least. On the nightly news from time to time we would hear of American Missionaries being held hostage for a ransom in Manila. We also got reports stating that "Bands" of robbers would storm into the lobbies of hotels to rob and abduct Westerners. We were told that it wasn't safe to ride in Taxi Cabs from the airport to your hotel. It was reported that the Taxi Driver would take you to some remote location..."take your money" and drop you off in the "dangerous" streets to fend for yourself. With all these "troublesome" reports...we just kept preparing for the trip and trusting in our faithful Lord....after all...He assured us that we were to go in faith...and He would take care of all the details. Isn't that like our precious Lord?...always reassuring us and ministering "peace and rest" to our souls. The Night Before The Flight With my bags packed, passport in hand, and airline ticket in my pocket...I left my loving wife, Shirley, in Jacksonville, Florida to drive to Columbia, South Carolina to pick up Bro. Steve Sharpe. After picking up Steve, we continued our journey to Southern Pines, North Carolina and checked into our motel. You could only imagine how excited we were...with all the thoughts racing through our minds at the speed of light. The plan was to pick up the others, Bro. Phil, Bro. Jim, and Bro. Pablo...our "chauffer" on Friday morning, April 28. Our departing flight was at Raleigh/Durham Airport at 8:30 am. After a word of prayer together...I said good night to Steve. The next thing I heard was a very loud alarm go off at 3:00 am. RING...RING...RING...RING...RING...RING. It was time to get up and get to moving. After our rendezvous with the others...we were on our way to Raleigh/Durham airport. Manila...Our First Destination With all the "hustle...bustle" of checking our baggage and boarding our plane, we were very glad to be up and away to Manila. Our flight schedule was as follows: Raleigh/Durham to Newark, NJ, to Tokyo, Japan, to Manila, Philippines. After thirty plus hours in the air and waiting for flights, we finally touched down at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila. After picking up our luggage and slowly working our way through Customs, we were graciously greeted by Bro. Bobbie Abrina and his "right hand man" Jing Jing. Then, we were hurriedly escorted to a private van to be transported to our hotel. Midnight Ride In Manila As we were trying to fellowship with Bobbie and Jing Jing, we could not help but be distracted by all the lights, vehicles, honking of horns, smell of diesel fuel, masses of people, and heavy traffic as far as the eye could see. I can't remember seeing any stop lights...not even at intersections. With four lanes of heavy traffic, each driver would aggressively try to edge their vehicle into various lanes as the opportunity allowed them to do so. You talk about intensive driving...Brother, New York has nothing on Manila. After an hour or so, we arrived at the Pan Pacific Hotel...our home for the next three days. We were met with "Bomb Smelling Dogs" and Guards carrying M-16 Rifles. Wow! Was this "tight security" or what? One must realize that the government of the Philippines continues to be delicate and fragile. A coup attempt is always a possibility...so security must be tight. It took us two days to get rested and adjust to a twelve hour difference in time. On Sunday and Monday we had great fellowship with Bro. Bobbie Abrina and Jing Jing. Twice a day we walked two blocks over to a four story mall for our lunch and evening meals. The food was somewhat different than we were accustomed to, however it was very tasty nonetheless. We had our breakfast at the Hotel each morning. The Mall was packed with thousands of young people who were out of school for the summer. One thing caught my eye right away...it seemed that every one of those boys and girls had a cell phone to their ear...talking to someone. It was just like the malls in America. Meeting With Missionary...Tues. 05/02/06 We had a scheduled meeting with a local Missionary on Tuesday. We have been in contact with him for more than three years. He shared with us about his ministry and travels throughout the world. It was a great blessing to hear about those who bowed their knees at the feet of Jesus. Beloved, God is working all over the world gathering His children together before His soon return. Jesus said..."Let us work while it is day, for the night cometh when no man can work." (John 9: 4) Trip to Davao City...Wed. 05/03/06 Well rested...with both our "natural and spiritual" batteries charged...we were now ready to make the short flight to Davao City. Davao is located in the Southern Mindanao region. It is the hub of commerce and industry...and is touted as the most livable city in all the Philippines. After landing, we gathered our luggage and were introduced to two special gentlemen...Bro. Victor and Bro. Joel (Two Bodyguards assigned for our security) during our stay in Davao City. When we went outside...we were greeted by Bro. Bobbie's wife Dottie, his daughter Amara, his two sons RJ. & RA...and a large party of his Church family. They put special Philippine necklaces around our necks...and gave us ice cold bottled water. What a wonderful greeting it was. After we checked into our Hotel, we all went to Bobbie's home for a visit to see his TV-Broadcast Studio. While there...Bobbie interviewed Phil, Jim, Steve, and myself. During the live taped interview...we took the opportunity to invite all the people in Davao City to attend our "Special Gospel Meeting." Special Activities and Events We had an invitation to meet the Mayor on Thursday 05/04/06. The Mayor was out of the City...Instead we met with the City Manager Atty. Wendel E. Avisado. What a delight that was...Wendel is also a Minister of the Gospel. He shared his heart with us about his faith, his beautiful city, and all of his concerns for the dear people he served. After spending almost an hour with us...He gave us the Keys to Davao City. Then we had a word of prayer together right there in his office. The good ole USA could use some Godly leaders like Bro. Wendel. Davao City Leadership Conference We were invited to a monthly conference attended by city leaders, politicians, and special guests. I briefly spoke some encouraging words to the group...then we had breakfast...and the meeting convened. The presentation from the city official was very interesting. Full Gospel Businessmen's Fellowship We were invited to attend this monthly meeting. It was an honor to meet with this fine group of Christian Businessmen. After all business was conducted, Bro. Phil Enlow delivered a powerful message. It was well received by all who attended. Davao City Police Compound Visit We were invited to visit and participate in the Monday morning Devotional, and to address the Police Force. After a visit with two of the top Leaders of the Force, we went outside for the ceremony. Bro. Steve Sharpe gave the devotional, and Bro. Jim Easterly addressed the Officers. The Lord once again...gave these men just the right words to say...and it was a blessing to the Police Force as well. Village Ministry...Thurs., Fri., and Sat. Mornings May 4, 5, 6 Bro. Bobbie took us only about ten miles from our motel into a quaint little village that looked just like what you would see on a National Geographic documentary. The dense tropical growth with banana trees, coconut trees, and beautiful flowers caused us to pause in wonderment. How could this tropical area coexist with a bustling city of two million people just ten miles away? As we continued to traverse our way into the village...the narrow road got more bumpy and difficult. Now, we began to see little shacks built up on bamboo stilts. Little children waved and smiled to us as we drove by. It became apparent that we were entering a very poor neighborhood. Now...it was time to minister to the dear people in the village. With loud speakers and microphones, the singers and musicians began to worship the Lord. More and more people began to gather around us...some were elderly, some were middle aged, some were teenagers, and many of them were little children. After the worship time, Bro. Bobbie introduced all of us and he also served as our interpreter. Bro. Phil Enlow ministered first, I spoke next, then Bro. Steve Sharpe, and Bro. Jim Easterly. We felt utterly and completely helpless to say or do anything to help these precious people. Jesus said to Peter..."When you were young...you girded yourself and went where you wanted to go...but, when you are old...ye shall stretch forth your hands and another shall gird you...and lead you where you would not go." (John 21: 18). When Jesus said...to take no thought what ye shall say...for I will give you the words to speak...He really meant it. The Lord gave us "anointed words of life" to speak to the people. To God be the glory! When the invitation was given...many came forward to receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. After the service, we spent a considerable amount of time meeting the people in the village. Our hearts went out to all...but, especially to the little children. Jesus said, "Suffer the children to come unto me...for such is the kingdom of God." The children would walk up to us with a smile and lean their heads forward...wanting us to touch them on the head...to impart healing and a blessing. This is scriptural..."And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will: be thou clean." (Mark 1: 41) As Jesus did...so did we touch them and hug them. I can't tell you how powerful and compelling the tug on our heart was for these precious little children. We did not want to leave the village. We wanted to fix all their problems...hunger, poverty, and disease. To see and experience what we saw...It is impossible to remain the same. May God help us to never complain...may we learn in whatsoever state that we are in...to be content. The indelible images will not go away...they will always be in my heart and mind. We ministered in two other villages...and our experience was virtually the same as in our first visit. God was faithful to meet with us and anoint unworthy "Lips of Clay" to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ . Midnight Cry Evangelistic Meeting For several months all of our church families had been praying for this special outreach to the Filipino people there in Davao City, Philippines. We rented an auditorium in the down town area with no idea how many would attend the meeting. The first night was almost packed out. Bro. Bobbie's host church provided a Praise and Worship Team with all the necessary instrumentation. When the music and singing began...we knew that something very special and powerful was about to happen. The praise & worship leaders, although small in stature, had more energy than words can express. They were giving every inch of body, mind, and soul to worshiping their Lord and Savior. It inspired all of us to give our all as well. We could all take some lessons from the Filipino people on how to better worship our Savior. Thursday Night...Bro. Phil Enlow spoke on "What Is Salvation"? God's power came down and made it crystal clear that our salvation is what Jesus has done for us. Plus nothing...minus nothing. The altar was filled with hundreds of dear ones who wanted the salvation that Phil spoke about. We didn't know at the time...but we learned that there were 99 Pastors in attendance the first night. God knows how to order events. Friday Night...Bro. Jim Easterly and I spoke on the Parable of the ten virgins. The Lord blessed this service as well. All in attendance were made aware that if you don't have oil in your vessel...then you are not saved. When the invitation was given...the altar was flooded with men, women, boy, girls, and yes...many church members...and Preachers came forward also. Saturday Night...Due to the increase in attendance...we had to move into an adjacent larger auditorium to accommodate the people. Praise God! We were thrilled that the word was getting around about the meeting. Bro. Phil, Bro. Steve, and I all spoke about...Your Adversary The Devil...How to fight in this battle...Putting on the armor of God....Standing on the word of God. Once again...The Lord gave "Great Liberty" and anointed each speaker. We asked if any wanted prayer concerning their own battles...The altar was full to overflowing in just a few minutes. Praise the Lord! I believe that "demons" left that place in a mad dash to seek...as it were...safe shelter elsewhere. Sunday Night (the last service) Bro. Phil and I spoke on How a Christian must learn God's ways...and become a good soldier. We must learn how to fight the good fight of faith. We must put forth an effort to gain new territory in this battle. The kingdom of heaven suffers violence...and the violent take it by force. After we finished speaking, God in a powerful way led us all to prayer. I don't mean a...now I lay me down to sleep prayer...God...as it were...sucked all substance out of the auditorium. There was a total vacuum in the building. All of our senses of understanding were suddenly rendered useless and helpless. All we knew to do was to fall prostrate on our face and cry out to our God. As we were praying...I was conscience of others around me that were moaning and groaning deep from within their innermost being. The word of God says, "Likewise the spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." (Romans 8: 26). After about fifteen minutes of travailing in prayer...Saints of God all over the building began to lift up their hands and praise God for what He had done for them in this meeting. After fifteen minutes or so of singing and worship...the meeting was closed. Only eternity will reveal all that was accomplished in this wonderful meeting. We give God all the glory and honor for all that was done. Pearl Farm Beach Resort...05/08/06 We had one free day to rest after all the meetings. We went to a gorgeous Island just a few miles from Davao City. The food, the setting, the accommodations were great. Tuesday Night...Trip to Digos City 05/09/06 We were invited to minister in Jesus Is Lord Church in Digos City about fifty miles from Davao City. The Pastor saw one of Midnight Cry's TV programs on CH.# 7, S.B.N. Network. We were honored to be invited. Bro. Phil ministered on the subject of "Honoring God" with the way we conduct our lives. We have a Holy Calling. He also dealt with a serious problem many Christian men struggle with...Internet Pornography. This was the same subject he spoke about in the Full Gospel Businessmen's Meeting earlier in the week. At the end of the service, many came forward crying out to the Lord for deliverance. This was a powerful service. Now...It's Time To Return Home...05/10/06 Bobbie and Dottie, their family, and church family were the best hosts that anyone could ever have. No need...nor detail was overlooked. All that we needed was provided. God is so good to us. It was very difficult to say goodbye. Nonetheless...we had to pack and make that thirty plus hour flight back to the USA. In summary, there isn't enough time nor space to record all that we saw and experienced on this God-directed Missionary trip. The Lord was with us every step of the way...we felt His presence at all times. I don't know if we will make a return trip or not...but I do know that the Lord wants us to be sensitive to His leading. We should be willing to go where God leads us to go. Time is short...we must continue to make the Midnight Cry until Jesus splits the Eastern sky. |