Dear Friends,
Current Needs
We really appreciate the response of friends to our current need.
We still need a lot more funds to clear last month. Thank you for helping if you can.
The Lord is keeping us going day by day. Such a privilege to see so many lives changed.
Please see details at the bottom of this newsletter to give.
14,000 books, the best used library we know.
Last Sunday, at Wurin Alheri chapel.
A Study on the Mission of Christ
Below, we have drawn so much encouragement from the Mission of Christ, in dark and dangerous times. We have seen so much transformation from the Lord is this time, in so many personal lives. We could not have manged without this hope from the gospel. You may like to use the below in a bible study. There’s a lot of content.
Go Forward
“Then the LORD said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on.” (Exodus 14:15) This is between Pharaoh’s army and the sea. It doesn’t get much worse.
The purpose of this piece is to encourage us not to be on the back foot in difficult times.
Jesus warned his disciples they would go through difficult times. There would be persecution. People would hate them, as they hated Christ. But this is an opportunity for growth and for others to be saved.
My purpose in writing here is to show that the scriptures claim Christ’s kingdom will expand through the world and be triumphant, in this age. The scripture is speaking about us today, in the church age.
The church shall be triumphant.
The Gospel Battle
Revelation 12 depicts persecution against the church in the first century. The dragon is satan, but also the beasts in Jerusalem and the Roman empire of that day. He comes after Christ, and then after the church, the woman, the people of Messiah’s faith, Old and New Testament. The war depicts the victory of the gospel over the serpent by Christ and the early church.
There will be battles, not easy times. This doesn’t mean the dragon is in control, but it’s a call to the church to be “militant,” to believe the gospel, to stand in Christ and lead the charge against the beast, not loving our own life. The call is to engage the battle and win. The dragon is in a rage because the gospel is triumphant.
That’s why the Salvation Army was called an army. They fully intended to fight and win the battle in their generation, and they did. Their motto was Blood and Fire, and that’s how they overcame.
Sometimes we want to reign with Christ without suffering with Christ. (2 Tim 2:11&12, Phil 3:10)
The Church is the Kingdom
Some show the Gospel of Mark, to reach the gentile world, was written like a Roman biography. The journey of Christ from the Praetorium to the cross mirrors that of the coronation of an emperor.
Mark opens with “The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” “Son of God” meant the one designated by heaven to rule earth. The emperor claimed this for himself, but Mark straight away assigned the title to Christ.
Whenever the church interferes with the worldly program, it is frowned upon. It’s likely to be crucified. “Son of God” means Christ rules here, on this earth.
Both John the Baptist and Jesus Christ declared, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
This was the big puzzle. At the time, even the disciples didn’t know what Jesus meant. They had no concept of an interracial people becoming the living temple, ruling by Christ’s Spirit. Christ was announcing the rule of heaven in the earth through his church.
The Living Temple
Jesus went on to cleanse the temple and declared,
“Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations (Gentiles)?’ But you have made it a den of robbers.” Then there was the parable of the cursed fig tree, showing the coming destruction of the temple.
Then the lesson on faith, “If we shall say to this mountain… be cast into the sea…” (Mark 11:17, 22-23)
The mountain was the temple mount, and the sea refers to the Gentiles.
Gentile nations shall come to Christ. Isaiah said, “Then you shall see and become radiant, and your heart shall swell with joy; Because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, the wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you.” (Isaiah 60:5)
Ezekiel 47 said the church heals the sea, meaning all nations. Living waters flow from the church into the nations.
Jesus said we are Ezekiel’s temple. “Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” (John 7:37) This came to pass at Pentecost, with the tongues of the Gentile nations coming to life through the gospel.
Jesus too, crossed the stormy sea, into the Gentile regions to preach and heal. (Matt 8:23-28) The sea represents the chaos caused by idolatrous peoples.
We will go through storms as we reach the nations. But the gospel stills the sea.
Church Thrown into the Nations
The disciples asked for faith. Jesus answered, “If we shall say to this mountain… be cast into the sea…” The old temple would be replaced by the living temple, to heal the sea, the world.
Jesus said the old temple, intended to be a light to the Gentiles, had become a den of thieves, and was about to be destroyed… and that the living temple was coming, which would be cast into the nations.
This is a parable:
Many times, when Jesus spoke of the temple, he was also speaking of the new temple that was coming. “Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days” …But the temple he had spoken of was his body.” (John 2:19-21)
The old temple was “cast into the sea” by the Roman Gentiles.
Jesus as the temple was crucified by and for the Gentiles.
The living temple was cast into the sea by satan through persecution. But this brought down satan in the nations.
“Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.” (Acts 8:4)
The old temple foreshadows the living temple. They both, in a sense, bear the sufferings of sin. The old temple for its own sin, and the living temple in a sense bears the sins of the Gentiles, taking the persecution to love and reach them with the gospel… following Christ, the true temple and forerunner.
This is why Paul suffered, taking the gospel to the Gentiles. “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh, I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church.” (Col 1:24)
*** The disciples said they wanted faith. Jesus answered, “Have the faith of God. Be this new living temple transforming the nations.” (Mark 11:22-23) ***
Jesus said have faith to reach the Gentiles, to be God’s living temple, even in the sufferings Christ endured. Is this what we are using our faith for?
One Church - One Kingdom
This emphasis on the Gentiles doesn’t change God’s heart for the Jews. It’s just that no one expected that God would graft Gentiles and Jews in together, especially without the ceremonial law. It was a mystery, as Paul explained.
“This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.” (Eph 3:6)
Inclusion!
There is no room for hot-headedness on the part of Jews or Gentiles.
Paul wrote in Romans largely about this issue. Both Jews and Gentiles are sinners, and both are justified by the gift by faith, so neither can boast, but must extend service to each other, in the likeness of Christ’s faithfulness to us on the cross. This is God’s renewed people.
As God puts all enemies under the feet of Christ, this is one of the enemies: enmity. By making us one new family by the cross, God deals with the enmity, the issue in the Old Testament. Now, in one new family, enmity is taken away by faith and love, and hope in the new creation.
“He made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment (the New Covenant) to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.” (Eph 1:9-10)
A new heaven: reconciliation between man and God. A new earth: reconciliation between us and our neighbour. This is the mystery, revealed in the cross.
“For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one (Jew and Gentile) and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility.” (Eph 2:14)
“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household.” (Eph 2:19)
Believing Gentiles are grafted in with believing Jews, for one renewed family. ***We don’t support division but preach reconciliation through Christ.*** We are heirs as one people of one kingdom.
This is not just for Jew and Gentile, but God’s way with enmity between any two groups of people. We who know the way of Christ, reach out to our enemy in his love, to bring us together by faith.
The Prophets Pointed to the Church
All Christ’s statements about the kingdom of God, the living temple, people of all backgrounds coming to Christ, were about the church.
The messages of the earlier prophets about the kingdom of Messiah were being fulfilled by the church that Christ established. “I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” (Matt 18:18)
This statement by Christ showed his kingdom teachings all pointed to the church.
Three things in Matt18:18,
1. The church is the kingdom of God that was at hand then, now come into the world.
2. The church is not a holiday; the gates of hell will pound against it, both from within and from without.
3. But the church would prevail, until its full purpose in renewing the nations is accomplished. (See below, until the last enemy is place under his feet.)
What is Daniel’s Stone?
First, Peter…
“As you come to him, the living Stone - rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him - you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture, it says, ‘See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.’ To you therefore which believe he is precious: but to them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner.” (1 Peter 2:4-7)
The living temple God founded in “Zion” is the church.
This stone is the one the people rejected. (Matt 21:42) It’s the “stone cut out without hands,” (Daniel 2:45) not a physical building. It’s the foundation of the living temple. It’s Christ.
Now, to Daniel
“And just as you saw a stone being cut out of the mountain without human hands, and it shattered the iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold, so the great God has told the king what will happen in the future. The dream is true, and its interpretation is trustworthy.” (Dan 2:45)
This is the church, born in the day of Christ, at Pentecost, and ruling through the nations until the kingdom of Christ becomes complete.
The stone shattered the beast in the days of the early church, and it will go on shattering every beast until all God’s promises in the world are fulfilled.
The Old Testament prophecies about the stone, the kingdom of God, are unfolding now, in our current gospel age. They are about the church.
The Church is the Stone
“And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” (Matt 16:8)
This “rock” is the stone of offence (same Greek word) Peter said was the corner stone of the living temple. “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” (1 Peter 2:8) The stone in Daniel cut out with hands is the church. The church is the kingdom of God that fills the whole earth, in this age.
“But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth.” (Daniel 2:35) This is the church. This is the age we are now living in.
Every Beast Will be Taken Down
These texts are paradigmatic. It’s like the Exodus. It happened in history, but God reminded the people that he would behave in like manner in their own generation to save them. He would always crush the beast, the leviathan.
“It was you who split open the sea by your power; you broke the heads of the monster in the waters. It was you who crushed the heads of Leviathan and gave it as food to the creatures of the desert.” (Psalm 74:13-14)
The psalmist encouraged the people in his day, and us today, that the God who drowned Pharaoh in the sea and gave his wealth to his people in the wilderness (mirroring pagan mythologies of creation), is still God.
“The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. He rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, ‘I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain.’” (Psalm 2:4-5) God has installed his King already. It’s too late for the devil!
As Peter said above, Zion, in terms of the Messiah, is the church, the kingdom of Christ which rules now, up until the resurrection of our bodies. God’s promises in Psalms weren’t just for one generation, but are paradigmatic for us all, because Christ reigns in all generations. When the beast rises today, we can expect him to be crushed under God’s kingdom.
The Reign of Christ
Daniel 7:13-14 says Christ ascended on clouds to heaven. This was after his resurrection, when he sat down and began his reign over all nations, all people and all tongues, as Pentecost shows us.
In Psalm 110, God said, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.”
We are now living in the time when the Holy Spirit, through the church, according to the timing of the Father, is subjecting all Christ’s enemies under his feet.
Christ doesn’t return until that is accomplished.
Aside
Please, don’t think I am referring to post-millennialism. I am not speaking in those terms. I think the “millennium” describes the patience of God in the first century, as God is patient before all judgements he brings. See the Flood, see Sodom, see the sacking of Jerusalem in Ezekiel’s day, see 2 Peter 3, still speaking of AD 70 (as John Owen, 1616-1683, explained).
When all Enemies are Subdued
“For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” (1 Cor 15:25-27)
Christ reigns through the church until all his enemies are subjected to him, and then comes the end, i.e. the resurrection of the dead.
Before then, it looks like we have some work to do. Suffering today, or troubles in the world, even satanic beastly troubles, doesn’t indicate it’s the end, that the work is finished.
The troubles show our job in subduing all Christ’s enemies isn’t yet complete and that this is what we can expect to be completed before the end.
What Does “Last Days” Mean?
Sometimes we think growing troubles show we are in the end, despite people in nations who have been suffering the whole time. Like Paul said, people where we live are “being killed all day long.” (Rom 8:36) Literally.
We interpret SOME texts of Jesus, Paul, Peter and Revelation, that may appear to be about the end of the world, as speaking of their generation, the destruction of the temple and of millions of lives destroyed then. Studying what the texts meant in the first century helps.
The “last days” to ancient Hebrew people meant the end of the Old Covenant era (aeon), of the temple, and the incarnation of Christ to fulfill the kingdom of God. “Parousia” (coming, appearing, unveiling of his kingdom rule), in the Old Testament often meant God coming on the “clouds” to judge a people, city or nation. (See Psalm 18:9-15)
Coming and appearing mean different things in different contexts. We have to think about the context. It can mean the appearing of his power and rule. His vindication after a period of trial.
The term last days, as used by Hebrew prophets and apostles in the days of the Old and New Testaments meant the Day of the Lord, a common phrase in the Old Testament. It meant the final judgement in that era of Jerusalem. The initial judgement was by Babylon, afterwards they had a reprieve, until Christ came to the temple personally.
James & The Lord’s Coming
James 5:8 said the coming of the Lord was near, in his own day.
James was speaking in Jerusalem prior to AD 70, on the wickedness of the people, slaughtering many innocents. Christ was about to judge them and vindicate the church after its period of suffering. The whole letter was the summary of the sins of the people in his own day.
It’s the same for us today. We are going through a period of trial, but God is going to judge the enemy, after he calls them to repentance.
The final appearing of Christ is the resurrection. That is, Christ is already with us, but “when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” (1 John 3:2) Wonderful!
Peter & Last Days
“In the last days the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. Many peoples will come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.’ The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 2:2-3)
The word of the Lord went out from Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost onwards.
We have seen how Jesus and Peter interpreted these terms, like the mountain and temple, and Messiah’s kingdom as the church. Peter called Zion the New Covenant people in Christ.
In Acts 2:17, Peter said the last days meant the coming of the Spirit. He spoke of Joel’s prophecy of the last days and said it was being fulfilled by the birth of the church. God fulfilled his promises and will continue to fulfill them until all enemies are subjected and the whole earth is filled with his glory. (Psalm 72:19, Isaiah 6:3, Hab 2:14)
What’s the focus here? It’s the gospel going out to the nations. That is our commission from Christ.
Is there some other fulfilment of these passages also? I don’t know, but I leave that to God, have no interest in debates, and will get on with the gospel, the administration of eternal life for all who believe. We are often surprised by prophecy when God acts, but he acts in Christ.
All we know is that GOD ACTS IN CHRIST.
All God’s Promises are Yes in Christ
“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God.” (2 Cor 1:20) To say amen to God’s promises, we must say so through Christ.
This was pretty much the point of Paul’s ministry. If we say the point of the Reformation was to show how we are made righteous personally before God, then the point of Paul’s ministry was to show in his own time the answer to the big question of that day:
How were God’s promises to Israel fulfilled and not set aside?
Well, here above is Paul’s answer in one sentence. In Christ, God has fulfilled his entire covenant, “all his promises.” All in Christ inherit the land, the whole cosmos.
“For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world was not given through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.” (Rom 4:13)
Abraham inherits the whole land, the whole cosmos/ earth, in Christ, and all that are of faith are Abraham’s seed. (Gal 3:29)
An Important Point
See R C Sproul, The Last days According to Jesus.
In the Greek, Matt 24:3 speaks of the end of that age (aeon), the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem in AD 70, not the end of the “world” (cosmos) which is a different Greek word.
It’s important to note this, otherwise we may be overtaken by fear and resignation anytime there is an abundance of trouble. Resignation produces self-fulfilling speculations.
When Joshua was entering the promised land, he couldn’t be faint, weak kneed or discouraged. “Have I not commanded you, be strong and of good courage.” (Josh 1:9)
Hebrews was written before the destruction of the temple (70A.D.), the “last days” of that era.
“In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.” (Hebrews 1:1-2) Hebrews goes on to speak of the transition of creation from the old to the new.
Divide the Word
We need to divide the word: the last days, the end of the Old Covenant era. The last day, the resurrection of the dead. Thís happens after all enemies are subdued under Christ, and the LAST enemy is death.
“Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” (1 Cor 15:54-55)
And this here is the point of this article:
“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain.” (1 Cor 15:58)
Be encouraged. Don’t be discouraged by a persuasion, or revelation, or by a spirit, prophecy, that brings fear to your soul. Focus on the Lord’s will and be about your Master’s business with all your heart, soul and strength.
Christ Reigns Today
Like Joshua, we have souls to win, lands to take, not by war, but by the power of the gospel. That goes for the pastors and missionaries we train. We train them to overcome the enemy and possess God’s inheritance as the church.
“Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. You will break them with a rod of iron you will dash them to pieces like pottery.” (Psalm 2:8-9)
“I will crush his foes before him and strike down his adversaries. My faithful love will be with him, and through my name his horn will be exalted. I will set his hand over the sea (Gentiles), his right hand over the rivers (still the turbulent flood waters.) He will call out to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, the Rock my Saviour.’ And I will appoint him to be my firstborn, the most exalted of the kings of the earth.” (Psalm 89:23-27)
Love in Christ,
Kent, Ruth and the CFM Team
Donate
Donations to CFM’s associated accounts below, go 100% (less bank charges) to the work of CFM in Africa, without any administration costs.
Giving in Australia: 1. Christian Faith Ministries Australia (CFMA) Incorporated, BSB 035046, Account No. 607721. Secretary: Warren Mack cfmaustralia@outlook.com. CFMA is a registered Australian Charity (ABN: 24239839075). Donations to CFMA are tax deductible. If you would like statements for your gifts, please read this attachment. 2. Voice of the Martyrs kindly receives tax deductible gifts on behalf of CFM. Please contact Melissa Hill (mhill@vom.com.au).
Giving in the USA: CFM is a tax-exempt charity in the USA. Christian Faith Ministries USA, US Bank, Routing Number 122105155, Account Number 151708783072. Contact Bart Langland tmatf16@gmail.com. Or make an online donation at CFMUSA.org.
Giving in the EU: Christian Faith Ministries Africa is a registered charity. Boezingestraat 103, 8906 Ieper, Belgium: IBAN: BE50 7330 7602 7418, BIC/SWIFT: KREDBEBB. Contact Pieter Morisse, pieter.morisse@telenet.be
Giving in the UK: 1. Transfer to CFM’s account in Belgium, details listed above. 2. Use the “Make an Online Donation” link (see below). 3. Transfer directly to Nigeria (details below).
Make an Online Donation: You can click CFM Donation Form to be taken to a secure site where you can make an online donation.
Transfer to CFM in Nigeria: This must be made in US$. United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Nigeria. Swift Code: UNAFNGLA. UBA branch sort code: 033200987. Beneficiary account number: 3002513431. Beneficiary name: Christian Pentecostal Faith Assembly. Beneficiary address: Wurin Alheri, Du, Jos South, Post Code: 930101, Plateau State, Nigeria. Bank address: UBA Plc., Dadin Kowa Branch, Jos North, Jos, Post Code: 930272, Plateau State, Nigeria.
Upgrade to become a PAID Subscriber to our newsletter: Missions News | Substack
—————————————–
Kent & Ruth receive no wage from CFM, only our weekly living costs in Nigeria are covered. CFM cfaithministries.org Substack kenthodge.substack.com CFI (Bible College) cfaithinstitute.org
Our Faith:
We believe in One creator God, who created all things. The incarnation of God in Christ, as redeemer, son and heir of creation. The death of Christ for our sins, his bodily resurrection on the third day and his current rule over the nations. God the Holy Spirit, the agent of salvation and restoration in the church of Jesus Christ. The resurrection of all humanity from the dead and the final judgement. Eternal life for those of faith and eternal destruction for the godless.