Volume 14 Issue 1 - January 1999
And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful." (Rev. 21:5) There is something of significance, at least in my mind, about saying goodbye to one year and greeting the new. It continually confirms that we serve a God who can bring closure to the old and make all things new. Just the natural rhythm of life, if we have eyes to see, can inspire us to forget about what lies behind, all our past failures and disappointments and enter into a place of renewed zeal to press on for the cause of Christ. My prayer for 1999 is that we all would exchange our weakness for His strength, our ashes for His beauty, our heaviness for His joy, our sins for His righteousness, and our broken promises for His faithfulness. Let us cling, cleave, and embrace our Lord and His will that we may be renewed in our strength. Let us mount up on wings as eagles, running the race set before us and not growing weary. Let us walk faithfully with our God and not fainting, even in the midst of adversity (Isaiah 40:31). It appears that 1999 is shaping up to be a year of culmination in many aspects. The Clinton Administration that has faithfully served God’s purposes to expose the heart of America seems to be coming to a head. The impeachment trial will determine whether or not more damage is done to the rule of law and justice or whether we will continue the downward spiral towards anarchy and ultimately dictatorship. The burning issues of the day are serving as a catalyst to further the notion of government by emergency. In other words, Americans may be duped to surrender their already fragile freedoms, due to the government’s premise that we may be incapable to handle the complex problems we are facing. Unfortunately, many would gladly embrace more "Government as Savior" programs due to the lack of a Biblical worldview and ignorance of history. The sad truth is, there are many in this nation that are content to be fat slaves on the Federal Plantation, than to be free thin men under God. Pay close attention to the Y2K scenario as it unfolds. Keep a watchful eye on how our nation responds to this possible crisis. The cure may be worse than the illness. As a result, I highly recommend that 1999 be a year of preparation for you and your family. Again, Elijah Ministries has made available on our web site plans to help you be prepared for what may come. Regardless, if this is a year of cataclysmic events or a year of business as usual, keep your eyes on the prize, the Lord Jesus Christ, and move forward to advance His cause and Kingdom in the earth. LEADERSHIP SERIES "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn." (Proverbs 29:2) Beginning this month, Elijah Ministries will begin a series on Leadership. Every month, we will present an important attribute, characteristic, or principle that will hopefully inspire, equip, and challenge our readers to aspire to possess the Gates of our enemies. The crisis of this hour, so vividly portrayed by the current administration, is the lack of true godly righteous male leadership. If America is ever to find her way back to the righteous foundations she was built upon, the Biblical model is leadership. The Bible teaches and history affirms that God judges and restores nations based upon the leadership He raises up or removes. If God is to restore our land, we must have the foresight to raise up and equip young men with a goal of leadership that is marked by courage, vision, and a Biblical worldview. They must be prepared physically, mentally, and spiritually for the great task before them. They must understand that it is not about them and seeking great things for themselves, but it is about Father and making Jesus and His Word famous in their generation. The Importance of Self-Education "Study to shew thyself approved of God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15) "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready (prepared) always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear." (1 Peter 3:15) (2 Timothy 2:25,26, & Colossians 4:6.) The great need of the hour is for young people to rise up with knowledge, understanding, and wisdom to be able to communicate the right words at the right time to the right people. A group of young people rooted in a Biblical worldview, trained in leadership principles and skilled in the art of Apologetics. Apologetics is the discipline of communication that can, with intellectual and spiritual force, bring conviction upon the souls of men. It is God’s truth conveyed to persuade minds and move hearts. Apologetics makes a solid defense of the Christian faith with undeniable and irresistible proofs. Jude 3 serves as a powerful reminder to discipline ourselves in the art of Apologetics, "... that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." Stephen, the first Christian martyr, serves as a powerful example of fulfilling Jude 3. The Scriptures declare that when Stephen spoke in defense of the Gospel, the gainsayers, the enemies of the cross, could not resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake. In other words, Stephen communicated the the Gospel of the Kingdom so powerfully, with such spiritual and intellectual force, that the truth was made self-evident. As a result, the enemies of the cross were left speechless. Their only option was to destroy the messenger, because they could not touch the veracity of Stephen’s compelling defense of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. What was Stephen's qualifications? He was a man full of faith, full of the Holy Ghost, (most Spirit-filled believers stop there) but he was also rooted and grounded in the Scriptures and with a firm grasp of history. History, of course, is His-story, God's providential plan revealed and worked out through mankind and the ages. Readers are Leaders Young people must be challenged to develop a love for learning in an age that is dumbed down for control, indoctrination, and socialization, instead of true education. Our young people live in a sound bite generation that is addicted to flickering images that has crippled their attention span and their ability to truly learn. This accounts for the rise of drug use to control the behavior and attention span of our young and the decline of intelligence in this generation. Young people, I adjure you, by the mercies of God, to discipline yourselves to turn off the distractions of the world and commit yourself to a lifetime of learning like great leaders of the past. Communication is the key, the ability to read, write, speak, listen, and to debate is crucial to sound leadership. You must grasp the notion that ideas have consequences and a belief system will inevitably lead somewhere. You must regain the ability to think critically, in an age that allows every weird and pagan thought to flourish, except the truth that sets men free. The following are principles of self-education that I gleaned from the "Leaders In Action" series. It is a compilation of biographies of great leaders of the past. George Grant, along with other notable authors, collaborated to highlight the attributes, characteristics, and the principles that governed great statesmen leaders of a by-gone era. Men, like Winston Churchill, Theodore Roosevelt, Patrick Henry, Robert E. Lee, and C.S. Lewis. Those of you interested in that series can check out our web page and click on Elijah Ministries’ Recommended Reading List. Use the Amazon.com search engine to locate and purchase the books. They are an excellent leadership resource. You will save a couple of dollars on whatever books you purchase, plus a small donation will be made to support Elijah Ministries. Principles of Self-Education This is just a sampling of the wit, wisdom, and principles that inspired these great leaders to pursue a lifetime of self-education. -A leader is one who values clear thinking and the ongoing process of self-education. -A leader values the insights of wise men and women who have gone before him. -A leader knows the power of well-chosen words to influence the mind and move the heart. -A leader is indebted to the legacy of godly parents. -Providence chooses the leader who has prepared to be chosen. -Great leadership is never the product of natural gifts alone. -The best leaders always educate themselves. -Inspiring oratory is the the result of courageous conviction. -A leader knows that hard work is a calling, not a curse, the only sure path to greatness. -A leader of men must be a reader of men. -Great leaders understand the very critical notion that ideas have consequences. -Leadership is the power to shape the future. -A leader is often his own best teacher. -Words are the arsenal of leadership. Quotes from History
Our first one hundred colleges and universities were Christian for one purpose, to train a Biblically literate clergy. This quote is found at the main gate leading into Harvard University. "After God had carried us safe to New England, and we had builded our houses, provided necessaries for our livelihood, reared convenient places for God's worship, and settled civil government: one of the next things we longed for and looked after was to advance learning and perpetuate it to posterity, dreading to leave an illiterate ministry to the Churches, when our ministers shall lie in the dust." Every student was challenged with this instruction, "Let every student be plainly instructed, and earnestly pressed to consider well, the main end of his life and study is, to know God and Jesus Christ which is eternal life, John 17:3, and therefore to lay Christ in the bottom, as the only foundation of all found knowledge and learning." Our Christian forebearers believed that unless they ensured a Biblically literate clergy, the curse of God would sweep the land. I wonder if their instincts were right?
KINGDOM LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE TESTIMONIES "O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works. Now also when I am old and greyheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come." (Psalm 71:17,18)
As you can see, the Lord is moving mightily through the Kingdom Leadership Institute. It is far surpassing my expectations and to God be all the glory. As a result of our time in Bradenton, Fl. from Dec. 26th,1998 through Jan. 5th, 1999, not only were more souls saved, and more young people recruited into service for their King in other parts of the country, but we have already been invited back in July. This time we will have access to influence over a thousand young people for a week. The implications of this effectual door are immense. As Flip Benham would say, "The gentle revolution is on," and I believe it is on in earnest. Please continue to pray for Elijah Ministries and this new expansion of outreach to our nation. Your prayers, love and financial support are needed now, more than ever. ROE VS. WADE, JESUS IS WINNING!
The humanity of the little child in the womb of his mother has now become almost impossible to deny, thanks to the bold witness of gentle Christians who have despised the shame and shown the truth. People involved in the abortion industry hate what they do, they hate each other, they hate themselves, and they hate those who confront them in their sin (APA). WHAT THE ABORTION
INDUSTRY IS SAYING:
Though the Church may fail in her responsibility to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves, to defend the defenseless, and to rescue those unjustly sentenced to death and though the civil government may betray their sacred trust to protect life and stop the shedding of innocent blood, there is still a God in Heaven who cannot deny Himself. Bad ideas, polluted philosophies, and unjust decrees have plagued mankind from the beginning. They sprout up like grass from the morning dew, only to wither under the burning heat of God’s righteous judgments. Proverbs 12:19 declares, "The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment." The lies that paved the way for the slaughter of over 38 million Image-bearers of Christ has been with America for 26 years, but ultimately, God’s truth will prevail. The only question that remains is at what cost shall America exact to see this abomination driven back to Hell from whence it came? Regardless, just like Pharaoh of old, America will be humbled to LET THE BABIES GO!!! Please pray for me as I go to New York in February to prepare the way for Operation Rescue National’s event in April. It will be called "OPERATION SAVE AMERICA." The dates are from April 18-25, 1999. Flip Benham, the national director of ORN, just recently did a press conference announcing our upcoming plans. He said, "When we brought the Gospel of Christ to the streets of this city during the ‘Spring of Life’ campaign in April, 1992, there were six abortion mills generating hundreds of murders every day. Today, there are only two abortion mills in operation in Buffalo and we pray, by year’s end, both will be history." May God hear our cry, see our obedience, and deliver those being dragged to the slaughter. The following is the itinerary set for me in Buffalo and Rochester. It will start with two pastor’s meetings, a youth leader’s meeting, a chapel service at a Christian School, a press conference, a banquet called "Sound the Alarm" and culminate with street activity, (its cold up there!) a rally, and two church services. Obviously, our participation in this event while the Department of Justice is pursuing us under the infamous FACE bill, is a sobering commitment. With eyes opened and fixed on Jesus, we press on for the prize! Thank you for your prayers and support. God bless you! IN KING JESUS’ SERVICE, Rusty Lee Thomas |
