Love Casts Out Fear 9-4-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I believe in my heart and confess with my mouth that You are Lord, that You are my Lord. ... There are literally millions of gods in the common Hindu faith of India. There are large temples built to honor these gods in the large cities and there are small temples on almost every block. In a simple sense, the people worship and bow down to what they fear -- the elephant god, the snake god, the monkey god, the countless others that they believe may punish and manipulate their lives in harmful ways if not appeased and worshipped. My friend Ghuna Kumar and his evangelists and pastors with the ministry of Gospel Friends work among the villages of the people in southern and central India where the people bound in darkness and fear have never heard the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Last night he took us to pray on the top of a mountain overlooking Chennai where the Apostle Thomas was martyred for his faith in Christ and his courage to proclaim Him as Lord. We stopped to pray at the very place where Thomas was lanced through with a spear by a Hindu follower to silence the gospel, but his blood only sowed more seeds of life. From the top of that mount you can see crosses on many churches that courageously shine like lights in the midst of the darkness. Today we will travel with Ghuna to one of the villages a few hours north of this city where the gospel had never been preached. Despite the incredible persecution and incomprehensible sacrifice that a decision of the heart for faith in Christ requires among these villages, many families have come together to be baptized in the faith of Christ as the light of their lives. Today we will be honored to stand with them in the dedication of their church -- the first church ever in the history of this village and have the honor of preaching a message of the love of God in Jesus Christ at this dedication. Though I will preach with words for a day, these courageous families will preach with their lives every day. The seed from the blood of the martyrs continues to bear fruit. The light of the glory of the gospel of Christ continues to shine forth. The God who is Love is continuing to shine in the midst of the darkness, overcoming the gods of fear. "And we have seen and do testify that the Father has sent His Son as the Savior of the world. God abides in those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and they abide in God. So we have known and believe the love that God has for us. God is love and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgment, because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love castes out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. We love because He first loved us" (1 John 4.14-19). Fill our hearts with Your love and deliver us from all fear. We love You because You first loved us. Let the power of Your love and the light of Your life go forth to every dark place to free those who are oppressed from spiritual darkness. You laid down Your life for us. Give us courage to lay down our lives for others. Thank You for the testimony of faith and courage in the hearts of those who have gone before us to prepare the way to share the love of the gospel of Your truth in Jesus Christ our Lord. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, please cover us in your prayers. Today the Lord will use us to proclaim spiritual freedom from oppression in the church with the ministry of Ghuna Kumar and Gospel Friends. Next week the Lord will use us to proclaim physical freedom freedom from oppression in the marketplace with International Justice Mission. God bless you! To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address for ministry and contributions: 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.blogspot.com andwww.morningbymorning.injesus.com