Volume 13 Issue 1- Jan 1998 JESUS-FILLED NEW YEAR! Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new". (2 Corinthians 5:17) Out with the old and in with the new as 1997 fades into history and 1998 comes rolling in. Traditionally, springtime seems to be the season that most people experience a new lease on life, but not so with me. Instead, every January seems to satisfy that particular notion for me. Something about the concept of a New Year just releases, like a time capsule, that fresh touch of life’s rhythm back to my heart. A resurgence of anticipation for the coming year just automatically bubbles up within me, like the fountain of living waters so graciously given by our Master. At once, my mind races to resolve and bring to closure the previous year, and to commit myself, the family, and our ministry to a greater consecration to serve the purposes of God in the next year. In true form, 1998 confirms this pattern for Elijah Ministries and the Thomas nation. Our cup run’s over, when we contemplate what is on the horizon as the pages of our lives continue to turn. We are trusting God to be faithful to draw us nearer to Him to fulfill the assigned tasks by which we may glorify Him in the earth. We are ever mindful this New Year that we are getting older, and as such, are aware of the precious resource of time that God has allotted. We are very grateful He has seen fit for us to see a brand New Year in His Kingdom on earth. Our desire for the New Year is to be a more faithful steward of that precious resource, along with the other blessings He has bestowed on us. As I write, we are prayerfully beseeching the Lord for 1998 to be the most productive year in serving Him and His glorious purposes. The following is a rough draft concerning what Elijah Ministries will be involved in 1998. We pray that you will continue to stand with us with your love, prayers, and financial support in this year’s new adventure and that everyone of you will experience a JESUS-FILLED NEW YEAR! WE LOVE YOU! MINISTRY ‘98 "For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister." (Hebrews 6:10) Operation Rescue National The mandate upon O.R.N. is to not only to rescue the unborn being savaged by abortion, but to rescue our nation from the culture of death this heinous sin has inspired. The Lord has revealed to Flip Benham, the National Director, pastors within the movement, and I the revelation concerning the "Gates." God has called us to go to the gates, the power bases of our nation, that have been long abandoned by the American Church and declare, "Gates be lifted up, so the King of glory may come back in." (Psalms 24) God willing, we will be participating in the forthcoming events to lift up the name of the Lord at the gates of hell and declare to this nation that, "Jesus is our only hope. We must turn back to Him before it is too late."
God is Going Back to Church: March 1998. Though we often preach Revelation 3:20 as an evangelistic call to the lost, the truth is, when Jesus spoke, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me," we must realize, this was an appeal to the Church and not necessarily to the heathen. This word from the Lord was God crying to the Church to let Him back in. The Lord’s intent was to wrest back the reins of His Church so He could lead His people as He saw fit. We believe the Lord is crying again through the silent screams of His little image bearers, the unborn children. The Church must open her ears to hear what the Spirit is saying in this hour. For the blatant reality is, the most powerful enemy of life is not Planned Parenthood, ACLU, NOW, or Bill Clinton. The problem is not what these people say or do, but what the Church will not say and will not do. This indolence must end and the Church must decide not to be Satan’s silent partner in the slaughter of the innocents, but to become God’s outspoken servants to end this holocaust. National Rescue Event: May 31st-June 7th, 1998 Orlando, Florida. O.R.N. will revisit Orlando for our national event. The timing and location is strategic in the battle that is raging for America’s soul. During that week Christians will be going to the abortion mills to rescue the innocent, to Barnes and Nobles, the bookstore that is promoting child-pornography under the guise of art, and to Disney World, precisely the day when Disney hosts its "Gay Pride Day." Now, brethren, I have been in many a battle in the last 10 years, but nothing will compare when a small band of Christians confront tens of thousands of homosexuals with the love and truth of Christ. I beg of you to pray for those of us who will go to take on this Goliath that is defying the God of Heaven with its perverse practices and its blasphemous railings. ELIJAH MINISTRIES ‘98 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 15:58) The vision of Elijah Ministries is to impart a Biblical Worldview back into the Church in America. This ministry is dedicated to challenge Christians in our nation to pray, believe, and work for repentance, revival, and reformation to sweep America. The following are some of the vehicles we are using to accomplish this godly goal.
CHRIST IN ACTION ‘98 "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." (James 1:22) Christ in Action is our local city-wide ministry which works in conjunction with the local Churches in Waco. C.I.A. combines evangelism, pro-life work, drama, and inner-city outreach to advance the Gospel of the Kingdom in Waco, TX. The following is a sample of what C.I.A. will be involved with this year.
UNIVERSITY OF RIGHTEOUSNESS "For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him." (Genesis 18:19) My lovely wife, Liz, and I will continue the Thomas family homeschool called the "University of Righteousness." Liz will teach the main academic disciplines, while Dad will train them in the Bible and history. Our goal is to raise up these children to be self-taught, critical thinkers who will rise up to possess the gates of their enemies. It is our sincere prayer that our children will grow to be the Devil’s worst nightmare. MARCH FOR JESUS "And his disciples remembered that it was written, the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up." (John 2:17) For the third year in a row, I will be serving as the local Waco Organizer for the March For Jesus. This year’s theme is "Demonstrating the Passion!" MFJ is a procession of praise, a chorus of millions for an audience of One, the Holy One of Israel. The Church will take the Gospel to the streets throughout the world on Saturday, May 30th, 1998, to sing the praises of Him who has called us out of darkness into his marvelous light. We will challenge the city-wide Church to have passion for the Lord, His Church, lost souls, and to see our nation come back to God. Hope to see you there! The Lord richly bless you! Rusty Lee Thomas |