Newsletters

Presence to Absence 2

(The Forge Newsletter_Sep & Oct & Nov_2015)

 

2015 11 lazarusJesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when Jesus heard that he was sick, he stayed two more days in the place where he was. (John 11:5-6)

Jesus created his absence deliberately
When Jesus heard that Lazarus was ill and dying, he didn't go there but he deliberately stayed away, creating his absence in Bethany instead. So His absence caused Lazarus' death, the death caused his resurrection, the glory of God was manifested and many people believed in Him.

Similarly the cross shows us the absence of God clearly. That's why Jesus cried out to God bitterly on the cross. Like this, sometimes the absence of God is necessary for us.

"My God, My God, why have you forsaken me!" (Matthew 27:46)


Faith works and grows in the absence of God

Often we seek the presence of God, but
the faith of God works in the absence of God. If we are experiencing the presence of God, we don't need His word or faith, because He is the Word and He is with us tangibly. But in the emotional experience of His presence, we can disregard His word and so become vulnerable to false experiences, which won't lead us closer to Him or bring Him greater glory.


Silence is enough in his presence
If we are truly in His presence, there is no need of any human, spoken word but silence only. If we are experiencing just emotions, not really His presence, a lot of beautiful noise will be heard.

Experiencing the presence of God is a wonderful thing. Yet sometimes He allows us to experience His absence. In His absence we have to exercise our faith, we need to seek His word and stand upon it. His word and our faith in Him will be more real in the absence of God.

The absence of God draws us to him
If we respond to His absence by desperately seeking more emotional experiences of His presence rather than seeking His word and waiting for Him, we don't exercise our faith, and we do become weak and vulnerable. But the absence of God draws us to the real presence of God in us, and to the place where He is waiting for us.

His disciples stayed in His absence for 3 days in Jerusalem but the word of God was given to them again and they went to Galilee to meet Jesus according to the word which was given by Him before. They met him there and they were commissioned to go to the ends of the earth where there is no presence of God.

"Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see me." (Matthew 26:32, 28:7,10)

Often his presence makes us want to stay in the presence without word and to live without need of faith. However, the absence of God reminds us of his words, challenges us to use the faith of God, and moves us towards the end of the earth. If there is no presence of God in me, I may pursue His presence in places or meetings. But if His presence is real in me, I will want to go to the places willingly where there is absence of him (no presence of him).




1. There is a way where there is no way
On 18th October, Joosun who has been with us for about 3 years in this venture of faith, returned to Korea because her visa expired. Also on 1st December, Jinsup who has been with us for about 11 months, is going back to Korea, so that he can come back to Wales as long termer. They are creating their absence here but they are bringing the faith of God into this absence too. We cannot see the way through to get longterm visas for the UK. So it looks like we are standing in front of the Red Sea. However, they are pioneers in the venture of faith, and they will return to Wales through the Red Sea. Also, Seungae who got married to a Welsh man Owen last April, is preparing her spouse visa, but it looks impossible because of the requirement of finances. However, she is listening to God and preparing step by step.

 

2. He is always before us in Egypt
2015 11 egyptSome of us have been praying for Egypt for the last few months and on 2nd November ten of us left for Egypt for two weeks. We stayed in Cairo for a few days and prayed for Al-SiSi the president near the presidential residence. We also prayed for the Muslim brotherhood that God may release the revelation of Jesus.

When we visited a Cave Church; Mugatam. an Egyptian brother who guided us asked us to pray for his health problem. While we were praying for him, he felt his kidney stone moved down and the pain disappeared, also his cataract disappeared. We had fellowship with Egyptian Christians who visited our Egyptian friends D and N, and we were invited by a family to have dinner and shared the Gospel and prayed together.

We divided into two teams and one team wanted to go to the Upper Nile region, but we couldn't get the tickets because we are foreigners and they told us there was no ticket left. However, an Egyptian believer's brother who invited us to his house and took us to the railway station to help us to get the tickets, turned up at the station and he found his friend who works at the station and found our tickets and he paid our fare about £70. Also another Egyptian brother came to say goodbye, gave us £50 note as a gift. (This is a large amount for them, a tram fare is only about 5-10p in Alexandria.)

The team went to the Upper Nile and stayed at a Coptic Nunnery for 3 days in Drunkah where Jesus' family came and stayed for a week. We also visited a Coptic monastery in El-Moharaq where Jesus' family stayed for their last 6 months before they returned to Nazareth. We saw a glimpse of the fulfilment of the prophetic word: an altar in El-Moharaq and a pillar in Alexandria.

"In that day there will be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the LORD at its border." (Isaiah 19:19)

Later we realised that Jesus has already been before us in all these places where we went this time; not only geographically but also in everything. Therefore there is no place and no situation that Jesus never been, although we think it is new, and too far or too much for us.

Another team stayed in Alexandria for few days and walked on the land, prayed and had fellowship with workers.

"Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven." (Luke 10:20)

I have seen my weaknesses, his faithfulness and the beauty of unity through this journey of faith.

 

3. Polyphonic World: The Middle East and Europe
This world is not isolated any more but is related and connected closely, so if something happens in the Middle East, it will affect those who are in Europe and the rest of the world soon after. For example, numerous refugees are flooding into Europe and the USA from Syria, Afghanistan and Africa. Some of them are genuine refugees who have lost everything and are trying to find their refuge, but some of them are economic migrants who want to have better life in terms of finances. Also have seen that some of them are terrorists who try to infiltrate and destroy Europe and the West.

On Friday 13th November, the IS(Islamic State) terrorists killed 129 civilians in Paris. It shows clearly that the war is not only in Syria or Iraq but also it has already been extended to Europe and the USA. One of the terrorists was found to be a Syrian refugee.

 

2015 11 terror4. Is Islam a religion of peace or terror?
Through mass-media, we have heard many times that Islam is not a religion of terror but a religion of peace. In fact, the Koran (Mohamed) teaches that it is acceptable to kill people, including civilians; women, children, even babies, so that they may wipe out all other religions on the earth. Therefore if someone tells us that Islam is a religion of peace, either they don't know the heart of Islam or the spirit of Islam, or they are trying to hide the true face of Islam deliberately.

Sunni Muslims follow literally what Mohamed says without interpretation, whereas Shia Muslims follow their Immam's interpretation of the Koran. So we now understand why IS (Islamic State is Sunni) is so violent and works by terrifying people. (read more about Sunni & Shia... click here)

Mohamed says:

"I was made victorious by terror." (Sahih al-Bukhari Hadith) *

"It is permissible, if it serves the cause, to kill women, children and babies." (Koran, Book of Jihad 3012)

"Fight them until there is no more unbeliever (other religion) besides Allah and the religion will be for Allah." (Koran, Sura 8, v39)


As you see in the Koran, Allah or Mohamed encourages Muslims to keep fighting until there is no more religion left and everything is wiped out. If it is what they believe, how can we make peace with these people.

* (Sahih al-Bukhari Hadith is one of the six collections of sayings of Mohammed. (Hadith are 'prophetic traditions') They were transmitted orally for generations and collected and written down by Al-Bukhari. Sunni Muslims view this as one of the three most trusted collections of hadith along with Sahih Muslim and Muwatta Imam Malik. It is also used as an authentic hadith collection by Zaidi Shia Muslims. In some circles, it is considered the most authentic book after the Quran. The Arabic word sahih translates as authentic or correct.)

 

5. Palestinian leader Abbas: two deceptive faces
On 30th September, the Palestinian flag was raised outside the headquarters of the United Nations in New York for the first time. This historic moment came after Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas told the U.N. General Assembly that the Palestinian Authority was no longer bound by the Oslo Peace Accords.

Abbas has shown the face of peace in the United Nations for years. The Palestinian Authority gained nonmember observer state status at the United Nations in November 2012. However, Abbas has been calling the knife terrorists as heroes at their funerals, so has been encouraging Palestine people to kill more Jews using knife. He has shown his two complete opposite faces. This is the spirit of Islam that has two faces; this is a lie.



2015 11 hajji6. Is Islam a religion of death?
An estimated 2 million people undertake the traditional hajj pilgrimage each year. On 24th September, a stampede took place in Mecca to the Hill of Arafat, revered by Muslims as the place where Muhammad gave his farewell sermon. Indian and Pakistani authorities say the death toll has climbed to 1,100.

In 2006, 364 pilgrims were killed in a stampede, while pilgrims carried out a symbolic stoning of the devil by throwing pebbles against three stone walls. In 2004, 244 people were trampled to death on the final day of the hajj ceremonies. Also in 1990, 1426 people were killed. Are these deaths co-incidence or expected in ceremonies of this religion of death?

We have to love lesbians, gays, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, atheists, etc., but we need to know what they really believe. If their belief doesn't fit to the truth of God and doesn't bring life, we must not receive their teachings.

Throughout Church history, supposed Christians killed many Muslims and Jews for their own names' sake or their kingdoms' sake although they declared in the Name of Jesus. So if we are not aware of the truth and the grace of God, we may be deceived by the spirit of death and may kill people like IS has been doing. Our position or attitude should be to be persecuted or killed rather than to persecute or kill others, like Jesus showed us.

 

Three days Fasting for Israel & UK
30th November - 2nd December 2015
Venue: Kings Park Centre, Kings Park Road, Northampton, NN3 6LL, U.K.
Contacts: Dr Anne Rowntree
Tel: 07919 620566 / Email:
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Celebration for the Nations in Israel
Gail Dixon received this vision in 2004; "If you sing, I will give you water!" I have been involved in this worship festival since 2006, standing with Gail. Next year 2016 it will be in Mt Carmel in Israel: 31st July - 7th Aug 2016. www.celebrationforthenations.org / https://www.facebook.com/celebrationkor

 

 

 

Shalom Love!

Qday LEE
on behalf of the Forge family

46 Coleshill Terrace, Llanelli, SA15 3DA, UK
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www.theforgewales.org.uk