Justin Peters has a ministry in apologetics for the word of faith movement. In that he doesn’t defend it but seeks to show how this movement is not only non biblical but in fact dangerous and hurtful to many. Watch the video, check out his website( www.justinpeters.org/ ) and be sure to support his ministry.

As well just a word of caution. A lot of people are offended by this man, namely because he deals with some of the most popular preachers in the world. If he demonstrates through scripture how it is something that these men are teaching is wrong, then instead of getting angry and switching off, check to see if its true. I know I used to listen to a lot of false teachers until God started giving me discernment. So please. Watch it and be blessed.

Patrick

I found it an interesting watch…

This is a long one…I decided I would post this here because its an excellent article written by a friend of mine…So here it is please endure till the end…

-Patrick McConnell

This has been an issue weighing heavily on my heart for a few weeks now, not that I have been loosing sleep because I know what the bible says about Babies who die and my view has NEVER changed! I have not once thought of an innocent infant who dies goes to hell, not once, because scripture teaches otherwise, and saying that God sends babies to hell would be so contrary to scripture so I hope and pray that anyone who reads this will be persuaded or at least have a serious thought and prayer to God about this issue. The question being do all babies who die go to heaven or do they all go to hell? Or some go to heaven and some go to hell? I have never met someone who says that all babies go to hell, but I have met people who say that God elects some babies to salvation and some He does not ,just like Romans 9, But I want to explain what the bible teaches about infants or babies in the womb even.

The question do ALL babies go to heaven when they die is the ultimate question in this discussion, and just so you know before I explain I am 100% of the opinion that ALL not just some but ALL!!! Babies are elect of God… (a lot of content is excerpts from John Mcarthur’s 2 part sermons “The salvation Of Babies”) which I suggest anyone and everyone listen too.

Now we start off in the book of Job, Job is in despair in verse 1 chapter 3 after the devil comes to God to ask permission to kill Job’s livestock, family, etc and God allows the devil, So after all these trials are done Job curses the day of his birth, and says “May the day perish on which I was born” pretty strong words….

but further down in verses 16-17 He says “Or why was I not hidden like a stillborn child, like infants who never saw light? There the wicked cease from troubling, And there the weary are at what? REST!

His saying I would be better off if I were dead if I were a still born child so I wouldn’t have to face troubling life but I would enter immediately into REST! Job understood that dyeing as an infant would bring one to rest and one would escape the pain of suffering, he certainly didn’t believe infants that die go to hell and some eternal torment but rather had the confidents that they enter into rest.

Ecclesiastes 6:3-5, Solomon laments that a still born child is better off than a person who lives ONE THOUSAND YEARS TWICE and doesn’t enjoy the right things he says what’s the point in living two thousand years if you don’t ever enjoy true goodness you would be better off a still born child,

By implications in both of these cases you have both saying that being a still born and dying at birth or in the womb is far better than a life of wickedness and a life of un fulfillment, but they are just some implicit references.

So now my question is who qualifies, as a still born/infant or child? now please understand I don’t agree with the term “AGE” of accountability because that’s an improper way of looking at it! We need to get the word “AGE” out of our vocabulary when talking about salvation for young children or infants, but rather a CONDITION of accountability NOT AN AGE because, some may say that they were saved at age 13 or age 8, or 9 or 10, in fact John Piper says he was saved at the age of 6… so age isn’t really a proper terminology and I think is wrong to say, not age but rather condition, so who qualifies as an infant or child who dyeing is saved and goes to heaven???….. ANSWER-(Those who have not reached sufficient mature understanding in order to comprehend convincingly the issues of Law and Grace, Sin and Salvation.) I will say again those who have not reached sufficient mature understanding in order to comprehend convincingly the issues of Law and Grace, Sin and Salvation. This is certainly an infant in the womb or an infant at birth, certainly a small child and this is certainly a mentally impaired adult at ANY AGE!!! Etc Etc, anyone in the condition who cannot sufficiently understand and comprehend so as to be fully convinced on the issues of law and grace sin and salvation, its not an age it is a condition, from child to child it varies, and this certainly includes mentally impaired people its not an age it is a CONDITION.

Now I certainly do not believe that humans are born good, and not sinners because the bible does not teach that! Psalm 51:5 , all humans are bent towards sin and are in fact conceived in iniquity, if infants were not sinful if they were not morally corrupt than they wouldn’t die, If they were born innocent and neutral than there would be no basis for their death the very fact that they die indicates that the very disease of sin is there in them, because sin is the killer in their inherited nature, there is no adult that has never sinned that they can give their sinless perfection to their children, the only persons that don’t actually sin is those who die in infancy because they don’t get time to manifest their sinfulness, they die before they can make a responsible moral choice to rebel against God which all of them will do if they live, any child that lives to moral responsibility choice WILL choose to sin because that is their nature. Ecclesiastes 7:20, Romans 3, Ephesians 2:3, etc etc.

That is the condition of the entire human race to sin so I am not arguing that. And some may think that the Calvinistic doctrine is contrary to the salvation of babies mainly them of the Arminian belief and a few others, when we speak of the Total depravity of man. If I believed that people where born good I would certainly be confused because the bible teaches otherwise, But I certainly do not believe that babies go to hell! I mean who would? Where is that in the bible? But lets look at someone else’s opinion… I think Charles Spurgeon could not have said it better when he spoke and said

(quote- : Among the gross falsehoods which have been uttered against the Calvinist propers the wicked calumny that we hold the damnation of little infants, a baser lie was never uttered, there may have existed in some where in some corner of the earth a miscreant ( criminal) who would DARE to say that there were infants in hell, but I have never met with him nor have I ever met with a man who ever saw such a person, we say with regard to infant scripture said but little and therefore where scripture is confessedly scant it is for no man to determine dogmatically, but I think I speak for the entire body or certainly with exceedingly few exceptions and those unknown to me, when I say we hold that ALL infants who die ARE ELECT OF GOD! And are therefore saved and we look to this as being the means by which Christ shall see of the travail of the soul to a great degree and we do sometimes hope that thus the multitude of the saved shall be made to exceed the multitude of the lost, whatever views our friends may hold upon the point they are not necessarily connected with Calvinistic doctrine I believe that the Lord Jesus who said of such as the Kingdom of heaven doth daily and constantly receive into His loving arms those tender ones who were only shown and than snatched away to heaven. Unquote)

If you survey reformed Calvinistic literature over 450 years since Calvin you’ll find that the vast majority of all the writers believed that ALL infants who die are taken to heaven, actually only pure true reformed soteriology (salvation) can account for the fact that fallen, sinful, guilty, depraved children who die with no spiritual merit or religious merit or moral merit of their own can be welcomed by a Holy God into eternal Glory, only pure reformed theology can allow for that cause only the purest theology believes that salvation is all by Grace! How are you saved professing Christian?!?!? By what??? GRACE!

You say well if God just takes all the babies to heaven that’s just grace??? 100% RIGHT! Well done! But how are YOU saved professing Christian??? BY LAW???

What do you want Law for babies and grace for you!?!?

You had no more to do with your salvation than a helpless infant!!!

We are saved by grace, therefore if ALL fully comprehended adults can ONLY be saved by grace ALONE!!! Than we must conclude that all babies can only be saved… BY GRACE ALONE! That’s why the truest and purest theology is that theology which understands that salvation is by GRACE!!! And MAYBE JUST MAYBE that’s what Jesus had in mind in part when He said “You who go to heaven go to heaven as little children”. Matthew 18:3

Any true understanding of scripture yields the reality that salvation is by sovereign choice by God! Through grace! Based on NOTHING! That the sinner merits! And is there a better illustration of that than saving lost infants!

When God takes the life of a little one it is in fact an act of mercy keeping that child from being hardened by a life of exposure to evil and a life of deliberate rebellion against God.

In fact! Ones position on this issue says a lot about ones view of God and His GRACE!!!….

And if you understand by nature God is a what? A SAVIOUR! God is not willing that any should perish but all come to repentance 2 Peter 3:9,

I think that only those who can grasp true reformed theology can grasp the redemption of little ones because it fits so beautifully because it’s all of sovereignty and it’s all of grace.

Scripture nowhere teaches infant damnation, but scripture does teach according to revelation Chapter 20:12, all the people who are sent to hell are sent based upon a record that God has kept and it’s a record of their sins, and one of the biggest sins is the rejection of God, (Matthew 12:31-32 that unforgivable sin that we read about which is the result of apostasy, how can a child reject a God that it does not know exists until they meet with Him in heaven?

A few scripture verses….

Deuteronomy 1:39 – Israel is ready to go into the land that God has prepared for them, and Im sure I don’t need to remind you of Israel’s sins, (building a golden calf to worship) and what not but yet God says in verse 35 “Surely not one of these men of this evil generation shall see that good land of which I swore to give to your fathers”. Yet in verse 39 He says “Moreover your little ones and your children, who you say will be victims, who today have no knowledge of good and evil, they shall go in there; to them I will give it, and they shall posses it”. God basically said to Israel I’m angry with you you’re not going in, because of your wilful rebellion/sin.

The children had no true understanding and maturity of good and evil that Israel did, and therefore God blessed their innocents. (So this scripture clearly shows the innocents that Children have in the sight of God)

Jeremiah 19:4- “Because they have forsaken me and made this an alien place, because they have burned incense in it to other gods, whom neither they, their fathers nor the kings of Judah have known, and have filled this place with the blood of the innocents”. Who are the innocent that the bible refers too??? Well if you read one verse down in verse 5 it speaks of them building high places of baal, to burn their SONS! their children, their young one’s and it refers to their children as being what? INNOCENT! God viewed them as innocent.

Jonah 4:11- “and should I not pity Ninevah, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left-and much livestock”.

God knew of the children and mentally disabled people that were in that city referring them as not knowing their right hand from their left, and had compassion on the mentally disabled and the children.

2 Samuel 12 -David’s son gets extremely ill with sickness, so what did David do? He fasted and prayed for 7 days then on the 7th day the child dies, and David saw his servants whispering to one another and perceived that his child was dead so therefore David said is the child dead? And his servants said, ”he is dead”.

So when David heard his child had died he did something extremely strange (if your one of those one’s who believe that babies go to hell that is???), so David arose from the ground washed and anointed himself, and changed his clothes and then goes into the house of the Lord and worships the Lord…. How interesting…. So it goes on, his servants said to him “what is this you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive but when the child died you arose and ate food…” David had gotten his appetite back as well, he did not want to eat while his child was alive but when the child is dead he does want to eat?

So David responds and says, “While the child was alive I fasted and wept; for I said, who can tell whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live? But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.”

David knew God’s saving grace over his child and that his child was in heaven and that one day he was going to be with his child in heaven, David knew the Love and Grace of God who elects ALL babies to heaven.

Now the New Testament

Romans 1:18-19” “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, Because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them’’.

How can an infant reject the attributes of God and the knowledge of God in unrighteousness when they don’t even know that a God even exists??? But pagans all over the world (reject God and His gospel) and His immutable attributes. God certainly Cannot punish a still born child or mentally disabled adult because they reject Him!!! They cannot reject what they do not even know or understand.

Luke 1:15-“ For he (speaking of John the Baptist) will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy spirit, even from his mother’s womb”.

The Gospel of Luke tells us here that John the Baptist was elect from his mothers womb even before he was born he was filled with the Holy spirit, showing us that God is sovereign even over babies in the womb who He has created and conceived, Showing His ownership of them.

Galatians 1:15-“ but when it pleased God, who separated me from MY MOTHERS WOMB and called me through His grace”.

Another example of when Paul was in his mother’s womb before birth it was up to the Lord when he was to be born and called by what? HIS GRACE!!!!

Both of these examples concur with Psalm 139 were David speaks of God’s omniscient’s, omnipresence, and omnipotent’s, an amazingly powerful and sovereign psalm of God knowing and owning all humans prior too, and past conception, and all of there days being written down before they were even created. Praise God!!!

Romans 5:15” But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many”.

I know Jesus says that the road to life is narrow and few who find it, but He says many who are in Christ, how can you have few who find the narrow road and many in Christ??? Because the many have come through salvation which God provides for the little one’s.

Matthew 19:13-14 “ Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said “let the little children come to me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven”.

You say well Jesus is speaking of believers in that prior analogy, But then it wouldn’t make any sense if the kingdom of heaven belonged to us but didn’t belong to them, otherwise it cannot belong to us by analogy, because what does Jesus say? “Unless you come to me as what? Little children!!! Matthew 18:3, you cannot say that that is only speaking of fully adult matured comprehended believers and not children in the womb or non understanding children otherwise the analogy makes no sense, you must be like a child, remembering that you had no more control over your salvation than a helpless infant. A child can do nothing of itself, no merit no works it is absolutely helpless, totally dependent on sovereign grace, and that’s the way WE COME TO CHRIST! The kingdom is full of people just like them totally helplessly dependent on God’s grace!

Mark 10:16-“And He (Jesus) took them (The children) up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them”. I can’t find anywhere in my bible where Jesus blesses non-believers or His blessing on the dammed, or indiscriminately pronounces a blessing on a combination of His own and the devils… they are real children he had in His arms and he says such is the kingdom of heaven.

John Calvin said in his commentaries on Matthew Mark and Luke, volume 2- “ Those little children have not yet any understanding to desire His blessing, but when they are presented to Him, He gently and kindly receives them, and dedicates them to the Father, by a solemn act of blessing”.

And thus did Jesus illustrate that they were under a special Grace and care,

Calvin goes on to say, “ It would be too cruel to exclude that age from the grace of redemption, it is an irreligious audacity!!! To drive from Christs full those whom he held in His bosom and to shut the door on them as strangers when He did not wish to forbid them”. (End quote).

It was the 19th century Presbyterian Charles Hodge who wrote – “ He tells us of such is the kingdom of heaven as though heaven was in great measure composed of the souls of redeemed infants” (end quote)

Which is quiet strange considering I was told that Presbyterians believe otherwise…

Also the Princeton theologian BB.WAREFIELD wrote-” if all that die in infancy are saved it can only be through the abrupt operation of the Holy Spirit who rules when and where and how He pleases. Through who’s ineffable grace the father gathers these little one’s to the home He has prepared for them”.

I don’t think any so called “Reformed” Christian will want to argue with Calvin or Hodge or Warfield or the bible or Christ for that matter! Praise God for His sovereign Grace over all Babies who are elect from before conception, and after until God shows them the knowledge of Sin and grace.

God’s election stands firm as in Romans 9 tells us and that includes election over all babies and ALL babies being elect! And this is great news! For anyone who reads this, who has lost an infant or child or still born or had miscarriages in their marriage’s or relationships, God has saved those little one’s lost all over the world!!! If you wish to be united with them I suggest you Repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ to save you from your sins. Our God reigns and Praise Him for it, I can only hope that you who read this have the same revelation and joy I have that comes from knowing who God is and His revealed word in scripture, I hope and pray that who ever you are, you would have a right mind and knowledge towards God not only in the Salvation of babies but every other Christian orthodox belief (The Trinity, Christ’s leadership in Churches, The Gospel) so on and so fourth, Praise God for His AMAZING Saving Grace for He is truly amazing!

Yours in the faith

Rhoison Harris

1 Corinthians 15:12-21

“ ¹²Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? ¹³But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. ¹⁴And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. ¹⁵We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. ¹⁶For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. ¹⁷And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. ¹⁸Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. ¹⁹If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

²⁰But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. ²¹For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.”

The resurrection is so significant to the Christian Faith. It is our promise and our hope. That when we die that the born again believer will also be raised to life, just as Christ was raised to life.

You must believe in this resurrection to be saved, otherwise, as Paul puts it, your faith is in vain! Part and parcel of you and I being a Christian is that we hold to the biblical Truth of the Gospel. Our newness of life, that new Spirit that dwells inside our bodies when we become saved is only possible if Christ is raised from the dead. Our down payment is the Holy Spirit who works in us for the rest of our lives sanctifying us, shows a foretaste of the resurrection from death and sin that we will experience.

Now compare this passage of scripture to this clip by Rob Bell…his universalism stands in stark contrast to the biblical account and shows a lack of understanding about the true meaning of resurrection…its not for this world…but for the world to come.

Don’t be fooled by this wolf in thinly guised sheep’s clothing…

Feel Free to contact me doctrineunderground@gmail.com

-Patrick McConnell

Courtney Anderson’s ‘To the Golden Shore’ is a biography about Adoniram Judson arguably one of the first American Missionaries and nicknamed  the ‘Saint of Burma’. This book goes into great depth the life of this missionary and his struggles and triumphs in Burma. At 506 pages its not a light read by any standard but I would still recommend this book to those who aren’t big into reading. It contains some great hymns of old as well as poetry and journal entries making for a varied and interesting read. If you’ve ever considered doing missions, this is a fantastic primer. While the mission field is very different from the one that Judson worked, it still captures the heart of modern missions and its something that you must understand before you embark on any missionary venture whether to your local shopping centre or to the depths of the Burmese Jungle. May you be blessed by the reading of this wonderful book.

Blessings

Patrick

This is the hymn sung for the farewell of that great missionary Adoniram Judson. How much do we still need missionaries today?

Go, Ye Heralds of Salvation!

Go, ye heralds of salvation; Go and preach in heathen lands;
Publish loud to every nation, what the Lord of life commands.
Go, ye sisters, their companions, soothe their cares, and wipe their tears,
Angels shall in bright battalions guard your steps and guard your fears.

Go, ye pilgrims, heirs of glory, show to pagans Christ your King;
While the gospel is your story, earth shall with hosannas ring.
Go, and let your whole behavior, show your love to Christ your Lord,
Let the heathen know their Savior, teach them to obey his word.

Led by him who in a manger, once a feeble infant lay;
In rough climates, free from danger, you shall plow your briny way.
Speed your course across the ocean, till you reach the Burman throne,
Tell those nations their devotion must be paid to Christ alone.

Landed safe in distant regions, tell the Burmans Jesus died;
Tell them Satan and his legions, bow to him they crucified,
Far beyond the mighty Ganges, when vast floods beyond us roll,
Think how widely Jesus ranges nations wide from pole to pole.

While from heathen nations blended light and peace within shall rise;
When your days on earth are ended, Christ receive you to the skies.
To his grace we now resign you, to him only you belong;
You with every Christian Hindoo, Join at last th’ angelic throng.

Romans 3:23 “For all have fallen short of the glory of God”

The problem of sin effects us all. The bible tells us we’ve all sinned, and that not one person is without sin. Whether it be lying or stealing even the act of hating someone, Jesus tells us that we have commited murder in our hearts(Matthew 5:21-22) This sin that we have all commited and in fact by our very nature will continue to commit has made us sinners and law breakers before God who is Holy and Just.

Now our rebellion and lawbreaking has consequences. Because God is a just judge he cannot let sin go unpunished but must exact justice on lawbreakers for their transgressions. Just like a judge in our courts would be said to be unjust by simply letting a criminal go scott free, God by his very nature cannot and will not let us escape justice. The bible says that what we have earned for our sins is hell.(Romans 6:23) Don’t take sin so lightly as to think its a small thing. It has massive ramifications.

Now here’s the good news…

God, wanting to demonstrate His great love and compassion, sent Jesus Christ(who is also God) to earth who was born of a virgin and lived a perfect life and then was crucified by the Romans. This act is so significant because of what was accomplished there on that cross. Jesus while being crucified was taking the punishment for people’s sins. Not only was he in physical torment but was absorbing the full weight of God’s wrath for those who will repent and believe.

Jesus was then taken down and buried and after three days rose again from the grave and ascended into heaven. Demonstrating that He has conquered sin and death and that those who are found in Christ on the day of judgement will also be raised to life and enter into heaven.

How is this good news? Well, even though we have sinned and deserve and eternity in hell. God because of His great love and mercy has made a way for us to be saved. Jesus knowing who would repent and believe took their sin on himself as the bible says “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” 2 Corinthians 5:21. We have a way to be forgiven our sins!!! Not only will we be forgiven our sins and have our slate wiped clean but then the very righteousness that Christ has while on the earth, fullfilling every aspect of the law will then be credited to our record. How gracious and forgiving is God?

If this has stirred your heart and you would like to be saved. Cry out to God for forgiveness, turn from your sins and ask that he would make you ‘born again’. If you have any questions I’d be more than happy to try and answer them. But please don’t put off considering eternity and your spiritual state.

feel free to email me: doctrineunderground@gmail.com

On the 8^th of March Ps. Craig Ireland and myself set off for the Kingdom of Cambodia. Making an overnight stop in Kuala Lumpur we arrived in the tourist capital of Cambodia the province of Siem Reap.

While planning the trip, our main concern as always was the preaching of the word which we planned to do through gospel tracts and where possible through preaching. In conjunction with this we also wanted to find local pastors with whom we could do future missions, with the long term goal of establishing a church plant in the Kingdom of Cambodia.

Our first day on the ground we spent running errands to prepare for the trip. We purchased rice and some gospel tracts to hold us over till the next day when we would receive our order of 17,500 tracts from Phnom Penh. Riding the tuk tuk into the city centre just as the sun was setting to grab some dinner the first day. It was a great feeling to be back in the country that I fell in love with the year before. The people, the culture, the sights and the smells all gave me a peace. The people in Cambodia are generally very friendly people. Much friendlier than other parts of southern Asia which I’ve been to and it holds a special place in my heart for missions.

The next few days saw us going door to door in villages around the main province. For those people who have never been to Cambodia it is a completely different witnessing encounter than what you would experience in the west. The major difference being that people invite you into their homes! You simply walk through the gate and say hello and they are pulling up chairs for you to sit on and asking what you would like to tell them. So we utilised these opportunities and, through local pastors acting as our interpreters, we were able to share and hold conversations with families about the saving grace that is the Gospel. As always God was gracious towards us in supplying us with some workers for the field. A few of these gentlemen were from a local youth group and were a tremendous help. Not so much in helping us communicate, but they themselves were enthusiastic about tracting and sharing the Gospel. While they didn’t speak a whole lot of English it was encouraging to see the spirit with which they approached evangelism.

After a few days we decided we were not making enough progress in getting through our tracts. So while we went and preached in the villages during the day we also decided to hit the city at night to help us get out more tracts in a shorter space of time. We continued to do this at night when it was possible – some nights we even got out 1000-1500 in one evening.

Day 5 saw us heading by mini-bus to another village an hour and a half away. It was the home village of the pastor who was helping us on this leg of the trip. There we were met with seats of honour in a tent that had been especially erected for the meeting. It was a bit awkward because we came to serve the people of Cambodia and it wasn’t what we were expecting, but never the less we took turns preaching the gospel to the 50 or so villagers who had gathered.

That night we were taken to this market of sorts in what seemed to be the middle of nowhere. We drove for around 20-30min along this road till we saw a great number of people just sitting on the side of the road with small wares and food stalls. We got out and just started handing out tracts as fast as we could. There were so many people that Craig and I split up taking a strip of road each. When we met back at the van Craig had met a young lady and her sister, who were Christians, and wanted to hand out tracts for us. They took about 400-500 tracts just themselves to distribute which they did with amazing speed.

(I’ll just take a moment to comment on this occurrence because I think it’s worth noting, that this is the second time on mission trips that I’ve been on, that God has provided labourers for the field in this way. The Lord is always able to spread His gospel. It’s been my great privilege to witness Him doing so in this way. That without prompting a stranger appears out of nowhere and through the simple act of working alongside of us has brought such great joy and encouragement to our hearts.)

Two nights later we were visiting an internet cafe and Craig received an email from some unknown person for us to come and do ministry with their Pastor. So we gave the number a call and met up with a Ps Timothy. It was a promising meeting so we agreed to come and help him with some ministry after we got back from Kampong Cham (we had already made plans to go there and meet an old friend). This night was also particularly special because we found some English speaking Cambodians to witness to and we were verbally abused by a westerner for proselytizing to the people. All in all we were lifted in our spirits as God had blessed us with the honour of sharing His gospel and the privilege to be persecuted for it.

The next day we caught a bus to Kampong Cham province to meet a friend we had met on a previous trip – and more importantly to keep a promise. You see last year when we came to Cambodia we met a group of monks in a province called Skun, after a lengthy discussion about the bible and religion the monk asked Ps. Craig for a bible. We didn’t have one at the time so Craig promised that he would bring him one. So one year later we travelled to Skun to try and find the monastery we had visited. After a couple of hours of walking through villages, woods, fields and eventually piggy backing on the pushbike of a local, we arrived. Standing in the middle of the monastery we waited. We were hoping that a monk would come out to greet us, but after an hour of waiting none came. Not giving up hope and trusting that God had brought us there, we left a bible and some tracts on a bench in plain view for them to find. We pray that they received the gospel.

Our last full day in Cambodia we spent sharing the gospel in villages. We were taken around by a missionary from Faroe Islands. He is a volunteer that works for Ps. Timothy. We prayed for the people and anointed a young gentleman with oil and prayed that God would heal him.  He has a condition which the doctors do not know how to treat. It seems to be causing a hardening of the muscles and consequently he spends a lot of time in a wheel chair and has difficulty breathing. That day between myself and Ps. Craig taught and preached to five english and computer classes and held a church service at one of the villages.

With the trip at an end we travelled home leaving the remainder of the tracts that weren’t used with Ps. Timothy for distribution or for when we return. Looking back over the trip it was a long 12 days. We accomplished a lot of work in both preaching the gospel and planning for the future. Cambodia is most certainly a special place. One, if God allows, I will return to and hope to minister to for years to come.

Please pray for the church in Cambodia. Pray that the local church would keep its eyes on Jesus and not succumb to pressure to idolize wealth here on earth. Pray that God would provide the workers for the field of Cambodia that they would be skilled with the Gospel and the power of the Holy Spirit and with humble hearts to serve their people with all humility. Also pray for the government, that Christians would be allowed the freedom to preach the gospel and live in peace.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. I also want to give a huge thank you to all the people who gave financially and prayed for us while we were away. You have no idea how much of an impact you will have made until you reach eternity. I hope it gave you some insight into what we did while we were over there and the mission work that you’ve been supporting.  I wasn’t able to cover everything for brevities sake such as visits to orphanages and slums. But if you have any questions please feel free to email me at:

doctrineunderground@gmail.com

Many Blessings in Jesus Christ

-Patrick

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel…”

http://www.hopechristianchurch.com.au

http://www.doctrineunderground.com

Here’s a fun little ditty…

Gotta give credit where credits due…here’s the link to these guys website giving a full breakdown of the lyrics and what they mean…

http://thekingdomcome.com/explaining_refpolka