God is Faithful (part 2) - Assassination Attempts and Faithful Advancement

Dear Friends,

My partners in Africa and India have given me disturbing reports about physical violence attacks against themselves and on people they know. Below are some excerpts from Edward Khaoya from Kitale, Kenya. There were two assassination attempts on his life within the last 2 months. God is moving with great power and the enemy is coming against that.

From Edward:

"After the 10th anniversary celebration at COG, one man told me that some people had been hired to Murder me that day 19th May 2013 but they were willing to meet me.
I met them and they narrated how there has been a plan to assassinate me.
This is the second attempt.The first attempt was on 3rd of March before elections.It was to look like a pre-election confusion and the second was to be done on 19th March.
A total of Ksh 62,000 was to be paid but ksh10,000 before the execution and the balance after the job.My testimony is that the men that had been hired to kill me offered to record a statement at the police and had the planners arrested.
For all of you who constantly pray for me,May the Lord bless you so much.
I still have a family that needs my care.
I still have more churches to plant
I still have more children's home to establish.
There are still thousands of the hurting and the broken hearted all over the world that needs Gods comfort and encouragement through my ministry.
Thank you very much for your prayers.Thank you God for saving my life.
I know that I will leave to fulfil the purpose for which I was born.
Blessings."

This has been shocking to me as I have stayed with Edward and have been supporting him for the past 7 years. But God is still faithful!! Nothing can stop what God is doing.

Also from India, Bishop Jacob writes:

"One of the widows shared her testimony with me which really touched my heart. (I cannot use name for safety reasons.) She told me that they were serving the Lord full time in a little village. The Hindu radicals came to her village with swords and weapons. All the Christians ran to the fields. Then, they caught this pastor (her husband) and took him to the center of the village. They declared their god's name and cut up his body - one part after another. Finally, they took the pieces and put them in a cloth sack for three days. His wife and little son searched for him. Finally they found the cloth sack. Then, the people in the village said to them, "please do not stay here. The mob will come and kill you also." Then the little boy said to his mother, "Mamma, we cannot go back home. Please ask mob to come and kill us as well, so that we can go to where Jesus is." These words spoken by the little boy could not leave my heart for many weeks. This is only just one story. There are many, many more stories that I could tell of how these faithful men and women, brothers and sisters in the Lord are laying down their lives for the sake of the Gospel."

Note: I just want you to know that it is not easy to take photos in this hostile area when you are doing something for Christians. We have to be very sensitive in our efforts to help and encourage them. It is our deepest desire to help these widows, missionaries and orphan. So, kindly understand that we have to be very discreet in all of our actions. In a few cases we may be able to take pictures, but not sure. Our prayer and goal is to help them."

God is faithful, even in the midst of adversity. Know that God is for you and with you in your struggles.

Jared Walther
GROWTH Group
President

God Is Faithful

God is faithful.

Let those words sink in.  I know that I am, as I need to hear them myself.  God is Faithful.  Why do we say that?  I think that we are slightly reminding ourselves that he is indeed who he says he is.  Sometimes we forget this fact.  It is comforting to know that He has been himself before creation and after he makes the new earth He describes in Revelation.  We all know this place is wearing out, just read the news.  It's not really news anymore, it is just death updates and calamity re-broadcasts.  We also know that He is coming back.  Its been awhile since He has been here...around 2000 or so years.  Yeah, I think He's due!

From someone who has faced adversity, I agree with you today on your calling and on your giftedness, that He is faithful.  He is faithful to what He has called you to do.  Now, that is to say, you are doing what He has called you to do.  I know that I have in the past thought He was saying one thing and He actually wasn't.  But, He tends to fix those things up pretty fast.  I always thought I would live in Illinois for the rest of my life. Wrong.  I thought I would live in Chicago and see the Cubs play every once in awhile.  Wrong.  Nope, He changed everything I thought I would do, but in the grand scheme of things, he is a better "life" driver than I am.  Sometimes he likes to get airborne.  Maybe I should just enjoy catching some air.

I remind myself that God is faithful because sometimes life is different and not as grand as it could be.  On one hand I live in the most prosperous nation on earth, during that world's most advanced breakthroughs.  But somehow that just isn't enough.  No toys, cars, or other things can compare with just walking with God and knowing that He has it all in his hands.  It sure takes a load off when I can remember that.  It reminds me that I don't have to try so hard.  Maybe God is just saying to do what He asked me to do and let Him bring it about when he gets everything lined up.

I see GROWTH and how it has grown to 150 businesses and around 150 churches on two continents.  There was a day that I would tell people about it and they would laugh or chalk it up to "romantic fantasy".  But God is Faithful.  He has a plan for my life and yours, and its a good one.  Don't ever let anyone tell you what God has spoken to your heart is not true.  Even if 10 years rolls around and it takes that long to get things off the ground.  My wife and I have lasted through some tough battles just to be able to see the promises that God has given us even begin to become visible.  I know that we are not alone.  You may be just starting out in your journey of faith with God, let alone what he is calling you to do with your life.  Know that He is faithful, and in return, be faithful to Him.  In the end, its all we got.

Blessings in the Name of Jesus Christ,

Jared Walther
GROWTH Group President.