WFA.org

opening As we begin our annual missions convention this week here at WFA, I am reminded of Paul’s words in Romans 15:30. He pleads with the church at Rome, saying, “I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ... to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.” I am certain that this is the cry of every missionary.

To be a missionary in today’s world, one has to separate himself from the I-want-it-now culture we live in. Results on the mission field can be slow going. So, it’s not uncommon for missionaries to retire having seen but a handful of conversions during their entire career. This fact is enough to discourage many people from ever becoming full-time missionaries.

But for those who have heard their Divine calling to missions, nothing – not even the lack of apparent progress, or the constant persecution can keep them from fulfilling their task.

One reason they are able to push on is that they have Christian brothers and sisters faithfully supporting them through prayer.

We should never underestimate the power of our words offered up to God on behalf of the brave souls on the mission field. God hears those words and grants His workers the ability to remain encouraged and faithful to the cause.

Prayer for our missionaries is tantamount to the work itself! This is one of the main reasons we have our World Missions Convention each year. American missionary Samuel Zwemer once said that, “the history of missions is the history of answered prayer.”

This week we are reminded once again to remember our missionaries in our prayers that they grow not weary in well doing!

Here is your copy of firstIMPRESSIONS, Volume 10.08. Live for God, on purpose, lifting up those around the world – here in America as well as those overseas – who have given their lives to blaze new trails for the Lord!

2010 WFA World Missions Convention

One of the key elements of our mission at WFA is evangelism – here at home and around the world. To that end, we support every Assemblies of God missionary from the Penn-Del District, as well as numbers of other world missions endeavors. Not just around the world, but evangelism here at home is what drives us to press on in our vision to plant ten churches in ten years in the state of Delaware.

Our annual World Missions Convention is set to begin this Sunday here at WFA! This event is designed to renew our focus and our priority here at WFA to reach our world for Christ.

Michael Goodling

Kicking off our convention this Sunday, February 21st is Michael Goodling, our missionary to Swaziland. After years of pastoral ministry here in America, God has expressed, through many signs and miracles, His specific call for Michael and Darlene Goodling to the Kingdom of Swaziland. You will be blessed and challenged by their testimony, as we hear first-hand how God’s calling is always perfect. You can visit the Goodlings at their website – www.thegoodlings.net.

Juan Ocasio

On Wednesday evening February 24th, Juan Ocasio, missionary to the nation of Georgia will join us. Following three years in Georgia serving as missionary associates, Juan and Shirley will return to Georgia, where they will be involved in discipleship ministry with young couples and families, compassionate outreach to displaced people, and partnering with the national church in church planting endeavors.

kids-missions Simultaneously on Wednesday, our SuperKIDS will have their “Kids Missions Convention,” where they will take a special trip “Around the World in One Hour!”

Zollie Smith

WFA is known as being a multi-ethnic, international church – and it is nowhere more evident than during our Missions Banquet! Featuring the native dishes of our own people, we always enjoy a buffet of the world’s best dishes! Joining us for our Missions Banquet, as well as our final Missions Convention service on Sunday morning, February 28th, is Zollie Smith, Assemblies of God Executive Director of US Missions. In that capacity, Brother Smith coordinates the ministries of six departments: Church Planting; Chaplaincy Ministries; Teen Challenge International, USA; Chi Alpha Campus Ministries; Intercultural Ministries; and U.S. Mission America Placement Service (MAPS). Currently, there are more than 1,000 missionaries and more than 400 chaplains under AGUSM, with 5,000 other related field personnel.

Prior to his election as the director of U.S. missions, Smith served as the Executive Presbyter representing the Ethnic Fellowships and as president of the National Black Fellowship. He served the New Jersey District of the Assemblies of God as assistant superintendent (1998-2005) and as executive secretary (2005-07). We are thrilled to have Brother Zollie and his wife, Phyllis, join us as our Missions Convention Keynote speakers.

You won’t want to miss a single service during the 2010 World Missions Convention!

Thinking of Quitting? Don’t!

George Frideric Handel was a musical prodigy. At twenty-one he was a keyboard virtuoso. When he turned to composing he gained immediate fame and soon was appointed Kapellmeister to the Elector of Hanover (later King George I of England). When Handel moved to England his renown grew. By the time he was forty he was world famous.

But despite his talent and fame he faced considerable adversity. Rivalry with English composers was fierce. Audiences were fickle; sometimes they didn’t turn out for his performances. He was the victim of the changing political winds. Several times he found himself on the verge of bankruptcy. His problems were compounded by failing health. He suffered a stroke which left his right arm limp and damaged the use of four fingers in his right hand. Although he recovered, it left him battling depression.

Finally, at fifty-six, Handel decided it was time to retire. Discouraged, miserable and consumed with debt, he felt certain he’d land in a debtor’s prison. So on April 8, 1741, he gave what he considered his farewell concert. Disappointed and filled with self-pity, he gave up.

But that year something incredible happened. A wealthy friend named Charles Jennings encouraged Handel by visiting him and giving him a libretto based on the life of Christ. The work intrigued Handel, so he began writing. Immediately the floodgates of inspiration opened. For three weeks he wrote almost nonstop. Then he spent another two days creating the orchestrations. In twenty-four days he had completed the 260-page manuscript of The Messiah.

Thinking of quitting? Don’t! “Be steadfast.” (1 Corinthians 15:58)

ant-grasshopper The Ant and the Grasshopper

A mother of a 9 year old boy, Mark, received a phone call in the middle of the afternoon. It was the teacher from her son’s school.

“Mrs. Smith, something unusual happened today in your son’s third grade class. Your son did something that surprised me so much that I thought you should know about it immediately.”

Mothers seldom want to hear from their child’s teacher in the middle of the day. The mother was uneasy and nervous by such a beginning to a phone call. “What now?” the mother wondered.

The teacher continued, “I have been teaching for many years and nothing like this has happened until now. This morning I was teaching a lesson on creative writing. And as I always do, I tell the story of the ant and the grasshopper. The ant works hard all summer and stores up plenty of food. But the grasshopper plays all summer and does no work.

Then winter comes. The grasshopper begins to starve because he has no food. So he hops to the ants house and begins to beg. ‘Please Mr. Ant, you have much food please let me eat, too.‘ Now boys and girls your job is to write the ending to the story.

Your son, Mark, raised his hand. “Teacher, may I draw a picture?”

“Well, yes, Mark, if you like, you may draw a picture. But first you must write the ending to the story.”

The papers came in. As in all the years past, most of the students said that the ant shared his food through the winter and both the ant and the grasshopper lived.

As always, a few children said, ‘The ant said, “No, Mr. Grasshopper. You should have worked in the summer and not played. Now, I have just enough food for myself.” So the ant lived and the grasshopper died.

But your son ended the story in a way different from any other child, ever. He wrote, “So the ant gave all of his food to the grasshopper; the grasshopper lived through the winter. But the ant died.”

And the picture?

At the bottom of the page, Mark had drawn three crosses. “He gave everything to us so that we might live; but Jesus died.”

cross-and-crown The Cross and the Crown

by David Jeremiah

“But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.” – Galatians 6:14

George Bennard was born into a miner’s family in Ohio and came to Christ as a youth. He wanted to go to theological school, but family concerns kept him from the education he desired. In time, he became a traveling evangelist, diligently studying his Bible and reading all the books he could find. During one period of his ministry, he carefully studied the subject of the cross of Christ, praying for a deeper understanding of its meaning and power. As he preached from town to town, the words of a hymn began formulating in his mind. He sang portions of it at his meetings. Finally he finished his hymn and sang the completed version to friends, asking them, “Will it do?”

It has done very well. It’s “The Old Rugged Cross.”

One of the hymn’s central ideas is that our trophies in this world are temporary and cannot compare to the power of the cross or to the crown to be awarded us when we stand before Jesus, “where His glory forever I’ll share.”

In an age of awards and trophies, let’s keep our eyes on the cross and the crown.

So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross, till my trophies at last I lay down; I will cling to the old rugged cross, and exchange it someday for a crown.

from Dr. David Jeremiah’s “Today’s Turning Point” daily devotional. www.TurningPointOnline.org

prayer Does Prayer Change Things?

They say that prayer changes things, but does it REALLY change anything?
Oh yes! It really does!

Does prayer change your present situation or sudden circumstances?
No, not always, but it does change the way you look at those events.

Does prayer change your financial future?
No, not always, but it does change who you look to for meeting your daily needs.

Does prayer change shattered hearts or broken bodies?
No, not always, but it will change your source of strength and comfort.

Does prayer change your wants and desires?
No, not always, but it will change your wants into what God desires!

Does prayer change how you view the world?
No, not always, but it will change whose eyes you see the world through.

Does prayer change your regrets from the past?
No, not always, but it will change your hopes for the future!

Does prayer change the people around you?
No, not always, but it will change you – the problem isn’t always in others.

Does prayer change your life in ways you can’t explain?
Oh, yes, always! And it will change you from the inside out!

So does prayer REALLY change ANYTHING?
Yes! It REALLY does change EVERYTHING!

greatest-reward The Greatest Reward

There is an old story about the Greek Marathon. Muscular, conditioned runners paced nervously near the starting line for the long-distance race. The time was near. They “shook out” their muscles, inhaled deeply, and put on their “game faces.”

In the midst of it all, a young stranger took his place at the starting line. His physique was awesome. Taking no notice of the other contestants, he stared straight ahead. Two prizes would be awarded the winner of the Marathon: a magnificent bouquet of flowers and the honor of standing beside the king until the conclusion of other contests.

There seemed to be no question among the runners about who would win the prize. It is alleged that the stranger was offered money not to run. Someone else attempted to bribe him with property. Refusing the offers, he toed the mark and awaited the signal to run. When the signal was given, he was the first away. At the finish line, he was the first to cross, well ahead of the rest.

When it was all done, someone asked the young man if he thought the flowers were worth as much as the money and property he had refused. He replied, “I did not enter the race for the flowers. I ran so that I could stand beside my king!”

Those of us who have chosen to follow Jesus Christ are “running the race” (1 Corinthians 9:24-25). It is a race that has a prize for those who finish (notice, not those who finish first, but all who finish). This prize, according to Paul, is an “imperishable crown.” The rewards for those who enter heaven are described in scripture with a lot of terms – “many mansions”, “streets of gold”, “tree of life”, and the list goes on and on.

All of those things are attractive. That’s why God tells us about them.

But I would be willing to give up all the streets of gold and settle for a small corner of a shack as long as I can know the reward of being able to stand beside my King. That’s what I look forward to more than anything else. It is the one thing that will make heaven the wonderful reward that it will be.

“...The throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him.” (Revelation 22:3)

Run the race with diligence. Your King is watching and waits for you at the finish line!

last The Last Impression

Bob had this problem of getting up late in the morning and was always late for work.

After a few weeks of this, his boss was mad and threatened to fire him if he didn’t do something about it.

So Bob went to his doctor, who gave him a pill and told him to take it before he went to bed. He got a great night’s sleep and actually beat the alarm in the morning. After a leisurely breakfast, he cheerfully drove to work.

“Boss,” he said, “the pill my doctor prescribed actually worked!”

“That’s all fine,” said the boss, “but where were you yesterday?”

Get plenty of sleep on Saturday night so you are awake and on time for the start of our Missions Convention on Sunday morning! One of the highlights of our year here at WFA is our World Missions Convention! You will be blessed and challenged during each of these meetings! Looking forward to a wonderful time together in the Lord!