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Mishpachah Yeshua Newsletter A Newsletter To The Family Of Jesus From Restoration Ministries The Hebraic family is not simply an individual or private matter. [click here for a printable copy] December 2002 Topic: Acquire the Character of Jesus Dear Brothers and Sisters,
As I was reading a recent newsletter from
Voice of the Martyrs, I was struck by the testimony of a
Pakistani Christian as recounted by VOM director, Tom White.
The article, entitled “Riding
Behind Religion or Walking by Faith”, harmonized with our heart’s desire: to prepare
people to be light in the dark days.
Pakistani Christian: “Every morning I get on a bus in our city. As
the bus begins to move, I walk down the aisle and hand out
gospel tracts. These have a simple message of Jesus our Savior,
Who He is, and why He came. People on the bus have nothing to
do. Many read them. Sometimes the Muslim men beat me...I might
bleed, but I have a handkerchief. So I find another bus and
begin again.”
How many Christians in the US have the
loving courage to care if people they meet grasp their need for
Jesus? Is it so difficult to walk around your neighborhood and
pray for opportunities to represent Him? Do you pray for the
people you work with, and, in light of the economy, for God to
give wisdom to those who make the business decisions? (See Pro.
21:1.)
Years ago as a counselor to church
leaders, a pastor told me, “It takes me til the end of
February to undo what the greed of Christmas does to my people.
For three months each year they lose their spiritual focus as
they concentrate on giving and getting presents.” As this
season of unabashed materialism descends on this nation, do
something different. Give people you love a free subscription
to Voice of the Martyrs. Call them at 1-800-747-0085.
What VOM is revealing about the courage
and patient endurance born of suffering in our brothers and
sisters around the world will be needed here in the US. Our
persecuted family has an identity with Christ that is foreign
to most western Christians. We need to understand what they
have learned, and prepare the ones we love “...to walk by faith.”
Each VOM story is like the light of Christ
that shines into my soul to highlight anything that hinders my
devotion to Jesus. I praise God for the privilege to repent and
ask Jesus to give me His understanding, that I may grow more
like Him.
American Christians: An Identity Crisis
What we are writing in this letter will
need your prayerful consideration. Call it our Christmas
present to you. The suffering experienced by our brethren
around the world will confront us here before many of us go to
our graves. But to most American Christians it seems out of the
question that God would permit persecution here.
Don’t let yourself be deceived. How
will we answer to God for: •the broad acceptance of
homosexuality, adultery and promiscuity? •the idolatrous
greed? •the multiple millions of aborted babies? •the
shattered homes of divorce? •the impoverished fatherless
children?
With an estimated 600,000 congregations in
this nation, where is the spiritual power and influence of the
Church? Has the Hellenistic church taught the people to ride behind religion rather than leading the way to walk
by faith?
The particular assignment God gave Sue and
me is to “prepare people to
stand for Jesus as the ‘days of darkness’ descend
on this nation.” It’s
critical that each follower of Jesus acquire His identity. Later in
this letter we want to show you the way to identity in Christ.
Through ministries like VOM we can learn
much from our persecuted family around the world and the
identity in Jesus they have found. Possibly this is the Christmas present we
all need. Recently Tom White was in Turkey. Christians there
are arrested for even giving a Bible to others. One of those
traveling with Tom commented,
“The persecuted church knows where
they stand in their culture. They witness for today...They are
not wasting their energies in trying to get the world to love
them. They are not caught in an
identity crisis. As they
mature in the Lord, they will be persecuted for their witness,
a witness of giving out salt and light for the
gospel.”
What a drastic difference in discipleship
that prepares people in other countries to forfeit everything
in order to identify with Christ. Hellenist self-fulfillment
teaching in the US encourages people to ride behind religion —
not to serve, but to demand from God.
Paul’s admonishment applies to
academically trained only Bible teachers who disdain the
suffering Jesus calls His own to endure: “Those who want to make a good impression
outwardly are trying to compel you to be [friendly with the
world]. The only reason they do this
is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ” (Gal. 6:12). Paul makes plain what we are to
expect if we lay it all down and find our identity in Christ: “In fact, everyone who wants to live a
godly life in Christ Jesus will be
persecuted, while evil men and
impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being
deceived” (2 Tim. 3:
12,13).
Our brothers and sisters around the world
pray for Americans because Christians in the US are so duped.
Yesterday, our local Christian radio station reported that
missionaries are coming to the States from Third World
countries because the church here is so much in error and in
such need of truth.
Our Persecuted Family: Identified With Christ
"Speak up for those who cannot speak
for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute” (Pro. 31:8).
If you’re wondering, “Why are
you sending a letter like this at Christmas time?”,
it’s because I love Jesus and want to contend for Him. If
you’re going to celebrate Christmas, commemorate what matters to Him. Don’t
serve your selfishness by showing up at a church service
singalong satisfied with the status quo. Put your gifts where
they can do the most for Jesus.
There is an important principle for this
season that Jesus Himself develops: “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not
invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich
neighbors; if you do, they may invite
you back and so you will be repaid. But when you
give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the
blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the
resurrection of the righteous’” (Luke 14:12-14).
Be stirred into action for those who
can’t pay you back as you remember this warning from our
Lord: “‘I tell you the
truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers
of mine, you did for me.' Then he will say to those on his
left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the
eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was
hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you
gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not
invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was
sick and in prison and you did not look after me’” (Matt. 25:40-43).
Please let the preceding passages convict
you. The Lord Jesus is speaking to you about what you and your family should do. He’s also
warning you of the consequences of disobedience. How much clearer
can He be?
“If you say, ‘But we knew
nothing about this, does not he who weighs the heart perceive
it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay
each person according to
what he has done?” (Pro. 24:12).
So that you will know and be able to act
accordingly, we want to share a few VOM stories about those who
today are suffering for Jesus:
Bangladesh:
Salina’s father came to know Christ...[He] shared the
Good News with the rest of he family, and they too accepted
Jesus....However, Salina’s Muslim neighbors and relatives
were very angry with them... Men arrived at her door armed with
sticks and clubs. They grabbed her father and started beating
him. The attackers took Salina and her mother and for five days
raped and beat them.
Today they are even more resolute in their
faith and continue to walk with Christ. Unfortunately, Salina’s case is not an
isolated one. Six mothers and 21 daughters are among a group of
converts who were raped by radical Muslims.
Pakistan:
Gulnaz Bibi was a young Christian woman who had sulfuric acid
thrown on her for refusing the sexual
Vietnam: The
13 million Hmong Christians are beaten; their houses are burned
down; and they are placed in prisons and slave-labor camps...The Hmong Christians in Vietnam outnumber the
Communist Party. Their gratitude
for obtaining a merciful salvation from God is put to work by
sharing the Good News with others whether or not they receive
mercy from men.”
If you think that political solutions are
the answer in the US (or Israel for that matter), consider this:
Hmong Christians, as well as Christians in several other
nations, outnumber their persecutors. They are grateful for the
grace given them and want others to experience that same gift
of God. “You can never win to
Jesus those you oppose.”
A key point: Each of these stories ends
with the persecuted having an even greater love for their
persecutors. They are pleading: Don’t take up an offense for them against the Muslims
or the Communists! Pray for their persecutors, help the persecuted, but don’t hate the
persecutors. My daily prayer for our persecuted brothers and
sisters is this:
1. Lord Jesus, empower them to endure to
the end in their trust in You.
2. Empower them to love and forgive their
persecutors.
3. Through their trust in Jesus, bring
their captors into your Kingdom.
4. Prosper the work of Voice of the
Martyrs and others who help our persecuted brothers and
sisters.
5. Show us how to support their work as
they meet the needs of the prisoners and their families.
Voice of the Martyrs is doing all it can
with its limited funds to help these persecuted brethren of
ours. Caring for the less fortunate is foundational to their
ministry, and this passage should stir all of us: “Remember those in prison as if you were
their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you
yourselves were suffering” (Heb.
13:3).
Weigh on the scale of God’s love and
His Word: Is it better to give
gifts to people who have so much, or to help a sister have her
face restored? Should we overstuff
our closets, homes and bodies, or use our resources to help
persecuted families who have been forbidden to earn a living?
As you call to subscribe to the Voice of
the Martyrs, ask our Father what to send for your persecuted
family members. The VOM address is: P.O. Box 54, Caney, KS
67333. We know that there are other worthwhile ministries who
bring relief to the persecuted. The key message is to GET
INVOLVED!
The Navajo Holocaust Survivors
Loving courage in the face of mistreatment
as recounted in the VOM newsletter confronted us again as we
viewed a PBS show about the Navajo Code Talkers. The program
revealed the holocaust-type atrocities the Bureau of Indian
Affairs has inflicted on the Navajo. The recruitment of Navajo
men for World War II and their willingness to go was made
doubly significant when you realize that just a few years
earlier, during the 1930’s, the BIA had slaughtered most
of the Navajo sheep, almost starving the people. I marveled at
the character of Jesus in those men!
As we watched the show with wet eyes, we
understood why God has sent us to help the Navajo first.
Identity With Jesus Is
Biblical “Common Sense”
Shortly after Sue and I returned from
Israel in 1994, I received a letter from a woman we’d
known from our retreat center ministry. She wrote that as she
was working one day she kept hearing the Holy Spirit saying,
“Mike Dowgiewicz is Thomas Paine.” She didn’t
even know who Thomas Paine was, so she went to the library and
sent us a brief history of the man.
As I read it I cried and cried. While
writing this newsletter I took a break and turned on the TV.
Who was the show about? Thomas Paine. Paine wrote about
politics and religion. His writings greatly influenced the
leaders of the Revolutionary War.
Thomas Paine’s pamphlet, Common Sense, did
much to help clarify the issues of the Revolution and the cost
of freedom. “These are the
times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the
summer patriot will, in this, shrink from the service of his
country...Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered.” Washington ordered the pamphlet to be read
aloud to his soldiers. Paine’s bold, clear words
encouraged the Continental Army during the darkest days of the
war.
We hope that our writings encourage you to
be as pure as you can in your loving obedience to Jesus. To
throw off the tyranny of Hellenism we must embrace the fiery
cost of permitting our Father to transform us into the
character of His Son, Jesus.
Many of you are paying the cost of walking by faith in
Christ. You have been rejected by those who ride behind religion. Hang
in there! Don’t let yourself dwell in despair! As the
darkness is descending on this nation, words of encouragement
and conviction can “pierce the darkness.” Later in
this letter we’ll reveal how our Lord wants to use this
specific point in time in your life.
"Here am I. Send me!”
Sue and I don’t write from a vacuum.
We didn’t dream up this ministry to meet a perceived
need. We were recruited by our Father, Who told us what He
wanted us to do. Near the end of our time in Israel we went to
a retreat center, where our Father clarified our call to the
US. I was sitting in a chapel during the wee hours of the
morning, complaining to our Father about choosing us to carry this
message. The Holy Spirit directed my eyes to a devotional next
to me. The message for that day:
‘Woe to me!’ I cried. ‘I
am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a
people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the
Lord Almighty.’ Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a
live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the
altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, ‘See, this
has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin
atoned for.’ Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying,
‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I
said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’ (Isa. 6:5-8).
I sat there sobbing, realizing it’s God’s sovereign selection, even of unlikely people like me. I remember
saying to Him in the middle of my tears, “You do this to everyone You choose,
don’t You?” His selection overruled my
unworthiness. We’ve seen our Lord recruiting the most
unlikely people to live out the Restoration message. We’re the foolish who confound the
intellectual. All we know is to trust our Lord!
Our Father gave us a very unpopular
message to share in the midst of so many who are riding behind religion. Consider Isaiah. What was the nature of the ministry
that he (and we) were recruited into? He was told:
‘Go and tell this people: “Be
ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but
never perceiving. Make the heart of this people calloused; make
their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see
with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their
hearts, and turn and be healed.’ Then I said, ‘For
how long, O Lord?’ And he answered: ‘Until the
cities lie ruined and without inhabitant, until the houses are
left deserted and the fields ruined and ravaged’ (vv. 6:9-11).
Our Lord warned us in Israel that our
ministry message would not be popular. Sue and I glean a lot of
encouragement from Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. They
prophesied right up to the downfall of Israel. We know Who sent
us to share light in the darkness. What’s interesting is
that our Father’s way for all of us is nothing more than Biblical Common Sense — love the Lord our God, walk by trust in
His Son, Jesus, and keep His commands.
“‘I have reserved for myself
seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.’ So
too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by
grace” (Rom. 11:4,5).
One thing you realize throughout history:
God always retains a remnant who are truly His own. Sue and I yearn to
encourage the remnant of today who are paying the price of
obedience. We also hope to convict the disobedient to find
grace in repentance. If you fear God and are endeavoring to
study and apply His Word, we want to share how you can
cooperate with our Lord more effectively.
Primary Applications Bring Christlike
Character
The inner ring in the diagram to the right
describes Scriptural applications that change your heart. The Word along with your application penetrates your mind, will, and emotions to
conform you to the character and motivation of Jesus. Our
Father’s goal is to see the identity of Jesus in each of
His children, “For those God
foreknew he also predestined to be
conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many
brothers” (Rom. 8:29).
To “conform” someone with another is to make him
identical in goal and motive. Think about this.
Applications of the inner ring require you
to put your old nature “on
the altar” and allow the Holy
Spirit to change your
If you have embraced the Hebraic
foundations, then your greatest victories and your most
splendid achievements are always those that happen deep within
you. Every choice of the human heart to love, and every
conquest over self-love, is another step toward acquiring the
character of Jesus. The earlier we learn this in our walk and
teach it to our children, the easier it will be to face
life’s difficulties.
In time you’ll find what our
persecuted brothers and sisters understand all too clearly: “But I tell you who hear me: Love your
enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse
you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on
one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your
cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic” (Luke 6:27-29). The love of Jesus comes
along with the character change into His nature, and equips you
to love your persecutors.
The inner circle represents those biblical applications that help you to reflect Jesus ‘in the
flesh’ to those you encounter. Through understanding and
applying the Bible, you prove to yourself that nothing exists that
our Savior’s love can’t overcome. The character of
Jesus is achieved by learning to accept, day by day, the
specific conditions and tests that
God has designed for you. Your choice is to
lay down your own will and accept His, or not to. (See Isa. 28:
27-29.)
The lessons of undergoing and triumphing
over evil, of becoming acquainted with grief and pain, and of
finding them transformed into something precious is the goal of
the inner ring. The most unjust and cruel atrocities as well as
the seemingly pointless and undeserved sufferings have been permitted by
our Father. They are a glorious opportunity for us to respond
to them in such a way that He is able to produce in us, little
by little, His Son’s character.
This refining fire is done in the midst of
people with whom you have to live and work, and in the
unplanned circumstances that confront you. Every acceptance of
His will becomes an altar of
sacrifice. Each surrender and
abandonment of yourself to His will is a means of furthering
you in your development of Christlike character.
As your character is changed in the inner
ring, the issues of the second ring become expressions of your relationship and identification
with Jesus. The sequence is
critical: First the inner ring, then the second ring.
The second ring without the work of the
inner ring represents other applications that are important,
but don’t transform your old nature. You could practice
many of these secondary applications but experience no change into
Christlike character. This is the way of so many in the Church
today. That’s why, to the world, second-ring-only people
don’t look any different than unbelievers. NO ONE can see
any character of Jesus in them, just a ride behind religion.
One of the most grievous losses in the
Kingdom is that many who now camp in the second ring once started out in
the inner ring. But rejection and betrayal by others in their
faith community, scorn from unbelievers—these incited
them to protect themselves from further hurt. Drifting into
larger churches, they could remain anonymous. This is how many
mega-churches today got their start—letting people sit in
pews as they silently ached in their wounds. Once, they were walking by faith. Now they are riding behind religion with no one to confront or comfort them.
The Second-Ring Teachers
How do you recognize Bible teachers who
have never permitted the work of the inner ring to produce Christlike
character? Oh, they fake out many with their false piety, their
spiritual platitudes and tight smiles — all a fruit of
Hellenism that appear to represent “holiness”. But our
Hebraic ancestors who put their loving-trust in Jesus were
regular people seeking to obediently follow Him. They
didn’t need religious airs.
Teachers who specialize in applications of
the second ring are threatened by the call to
repentance and walking in righteousness. They can’t teach what isn’t in their character or
way of life, so they attack as legalistic or grace-less those
who live repentant in obedient trust. Second-ring teachers fear Christlike
transformation.
Teaching That Pacifies You To Stay the
Same
Many Hellenist Bible teachers today have
been academically trained but haven’t suffered for their
beliefs. The vital ingredient of suffering in your walk validates the reality
of the power of God to sustain, to provide, and to enable you
to persevere. Those who are full of head knowledge but devoid
of the hope and testimony that His refinement brings teach the
second-ring issues as if they were foremost. The Bible warns, “Knowledge puffs up...” (1 Cor. 8:1b).
Second-ring teachers violate Hebrews 13:7, “Remember your leaders, who
spoke the word of God to you. Consider
the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.” Teaching
without personal role modeling is deceptive because it will
never change lives. Jesus and Paul, however, encouraged their
disciples to follow their example.
Through slick Madison Avenue-marketing,
many are attracted to their teaching. Media personalities and
conference celebrities can influence millions without any
personal contact to verify that their teachings match their
lifestyles. You have no idea if they are living what
they’re saying. How many have been duped over the years
and found out later about the adultery or embezzlement? But the
second-ring teachers know that millions like it that
way—knowledge with no
responsibility to live it. Paul
warned about those who tickle hearers’ ears to appease
their worldly lifestyles (2 Tim. 4:2-4).
Teachers who have never gone through
adequate spiritual “boot camp” to embrace suffering
and rejection walk in their old nature. Elders who pastored in
the early Church had held jobs. Their trust had been put on the
line to withstand rejection by the world. Today's teachers who
haven’t been tested in the workforce can teach
second-ring issues as on par with or more important than
inner-ring transformation. Thus has emerged riding behind religion.
Biblical applications of the second ring
should be an expression of your identification
with Jesus. Sadly, the second ring
is as far as the Hellenist teachers dare penetrate toward the
center of the inner ring. And too many educated but untested
teachers convince seekers that this is all there is. Even Bible
study for knowledge sake without
application can lead to a life of
shallow, religious form-keeping. The Bible warns that knowing is not doing.
The Busyness is Godliness Myth
In the absence of the inner character
changes our Lord desires, second-ringers imagine that busyness
for God is pleasing to Him. All of us must push through the
Mary-Martha paradigm: “[Martha]
had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the
preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked,
‘Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself?
Tell her to help me!’ ‘Martha, Martha,’ the
Lord answered, ‘you are worried
and upset about many things, but only one
thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away
from her’” (Luke
10:39-42).
Martha’s preparations weren’t
the problem; her attitude was! Distracted, worried and upset,
she thrust blame on Mary for the tizzy she’d worked
herself into. Both women made a choice. One seized the
opportunity to come apart and be with Jesus, while the other
shouldered the burden of making the event her priority. Be
honest. Do you begrudge people their peace while you feel
overwhelmed by your busyness? What choices have led you into your
frantic pit?
I believe that Jesus was apperceiving for
Martha and for today’s second-ringers God’s warning
from Isaiah: “This is what
the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: ‘In
repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust
is your strength, but you would have
none of it’” (30:15). Permit yourself to be still with our
Lord. Wisdom, understanding and guidance is your reward: “Whether you turn to the right or to the
left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying,
‘This is the way; walk in it’” (Isa. 30:21). Your walk will be strengthened as
a result of your quietness and
trust.
Center-ring people live an
obedience-based, love-grounded life of trust. As the character
of Jesus is formed in them, they’re able to do the work
of Jesus —doing only what their Father desires. “Jesus answered, ‘The work of God is
this: to trust in the one he has sent’” (John 6:29).
Second-ringers, however, are
activity-based. They see needs and desired outcomes, and pursue
them without regard for whether it’s God’s will.
They’ve been taught that “spiritual busyness”
is pleasing to God. Religious systems need busy, involved
people to keep things running smoothly.
Remember our father Abraham. “What does the Scripture say?
‘Abraham trusted God, and it was credited to him as
righteousness’” (Rom. 4:
3). As you read the account of Abraham you come to realize that out of his trust he lived a life of obedience. His trust
justified him. He didn’t work out of false guilt or fear
that he wasn’t pleasing enough to God.
Paul goes on to write to second-ringers, “When a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation” (v. 4.4). I believe that this verse
applies to people who get caught up in religious activity out
of obligation, rather than in obedience to God’s
direction. Striving with self-effort, they miss God’s
guidance and the power of His grace.
Jesus warned those who fail to let the
inner ring of the Spirit do His work, as well as those who
relied on their religious accomplishments, “I never knew you. Away from me, you
evildoers!” (see Matt. 7:
21-23). Our foundation is the trust we have in Jesus. All the
rest is commentary!
Paul encourages inner-ring disciples, “To the man who does not work but trusts
God who justifies the wicked, his trust is credited as
righteousness” (Rom. 4:5). Trust
in Jesus unites us with our father in the faith, Abraham.
Trust-based obedience brings glory to our heavenly Father.
Those in the inner ring who have
cooperated with our Father to see their old nature be filled
with that of Jesus are not haggard. The words of Jesus have
penetrated: “Come to me, all
you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest
[in quietness and trust is your strength]. Take my yoke upon
you [Christ’s character and motivation] and learn from
me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest
for your souls [in repentance and rest is your salvation]. For
my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matt. 11:28-30).
If you never get deeper than the second
ring, you won’t learn just to
be with our Lord. To the busy I ask:
Isn’t it time to repent and let our Lord begin to
circumcise your sin nature? Aren't you tired of working without
God’s grace?
A Communication Barrier Exists
A communication barrier looms between
those who have cooperated with our Father to see their old
nature be filled with that of Jesus, and those who never get
deeper than second-ring issues. Second- ringers may know the
Bible, but the ‘sword of the
Spirit’ has never
penetrated and changed them. This results in a motivational
difference. One serves God; the other serves their religious
forms and programs.
Acting on Biblical Common Sense
Many people wear bracelets engraved with
“WWJD” — What Would Jesus Do? But what would
Jesus give as a gift to celebrate His first coming?
• Bibles to co-workers or neighbors
as gifts.
• A kept promise to pray for their
specific needs?
• Provision and prayer for His
persecuted family?
• What is He telling you?
Press in to be conformed to the likeness
of Jesus. It’s painful to release those self-identity
issues. Repent and cry out to our Father for help. If you
have focused too heavily on second-ring issues, thrust yourself
into the nature and character of Jesus as you never have
before. Don’t squander the time that’s left before
the dark days of chastisement come upon us.
Give yourself a Christmas present: Embrace
your present suffering as a step in your character development,
and stop grumbling!
To our Lord Jesus and our gracious Father
be the glory,
Mike & Sue
As you think about what you can do to help
others, ponder this update of Martin Niemoller’s
commentary on the Nazi takeover of Germany:
• They came for the older people, and
I didn’t object —
I wasn’t old.
• They came for the unemployed, and I
didn’t object —
I had a job.
• They came for the minorities, and I
didn’t object —
I wasn’t a minority.
• They came for the Jews, and I
didn’t object — I wasn’t a Jew.
• They came for the followers of
Jesus and I didn’t object —
I didn’t follow Him.
• Then they came for me — And
there was no one left to object.
Thanksgiving Report from James & Joyce
Skeet
Joyce and I have prayed for years how to
begin reestablishing the once-powerful leadership of the Navajo
headmen through the principles established by the early church
headship. Our prayers, visions, hopes, and dreams were being
birthed as I sat with four Navajo men to discuss the
restoration of male eldership authority amidst a needy,
chaotic, effeminate culture. As a group of men we realized that
this was not merely a time of discussion, but a time to put the
leadership of the elders into action! The four Navajo men
agreed to stand with Joyce and me to equip our people for
active participation and to become a load-bearing community.
Our Navajo men have agreed to
intentionally grow in deeper relationship with each other to
help each other walk in a Christ-like character. That begins
with each man being in the Word and establishing peace in his
home. We will serve each other in a load-bearing capacity,
helping each other learn what needs they have and how to help
meet these. Lastly, we have agreed to seek vocational
activities that help build our relationship with each other, so
that others may see our Father’s provision.
In order for the Navajo men to be raised
up into proper authority and leadership, they have to be found
faithful gatekeepers. The Navajo men came with their families
for a time of tribute to restore the eldership that was set in
motion. It was a powerful expression of scripture being lived
out to appoint elders in every community represented among us
(Titus 1:6).
As the men sat together, there was an
incredible sense of security, calmness, and stability that
swept over the women and children. The families once again
wanted to trust the leadership of the men, because these were
men concerned with righteousness through their trust in the
Father. With this mantle of godly authority they voiced their
responsibility to look out for the needs of all, not just their
own. The ceremony ended with a special time to consecrate our
family in particular to be blessed by the Navajo people and be
set apart for ministry to the Navajos for God’s purpose.
We asked my father, our clan elder, to bless and confirm that
Joyce and I were called to serve the Navajos.
The meeting was a profound time. The
Hebraic message is now conceived among the Navajos to reach
into the interior of our Navajo community. We want to focus our
efforts to equip the men to be relational and to trust
revelation from the Father. With repentant hearts, they are
moving ahead to apply the Word of God to restore the walls of
dignity among our Navajo friends. We have also witnessed new
resourceful and provisional gates beginning to open. Please
join us as we revitalize the Navajo community to establish a
theocracy in Jesus for this generation of our people. Navajo
headmen have been reestablished. We could not have done this
without your prayers and support.
Please pray: 1)
For completion of our Hebraic message film project. 2)
Provision and prayer support for leadership visits with one
another. 3) Resources for home school materials. Several Navajo
families are seeking our wisdom to begin this adventure. 4)
Revelation for the Navajo men as they come together to take the
next steps. 5) Materials and resources for vocational,
construction, and “specific needs” projects.
Covenant Pathways — Restoring
Dignity Among the Navajos
James and Joyce Skeet: (505)-726-1387
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