Shalom Friends!
I have just returned home from a fantastic breakthrough weekend of ministry in the city of Pekanbaru (population 800,000), capital of Indonesia’s Riau Provence on the island of Sumatra, a 90 minute flight from Jakarta. This landlocked city is closer to the foreign capitals of Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, than it is to Jakarta.
The horrible heat hit me as I stepped off the plane, five degrees hotter than Jakarta and much more humid. An area blessed with oil, which generates heat from the ground up when touched by the sun. It was hot! And I did SWEAT!
The car tags in Pekanbaru all begin with BM for “Banyak Minyak” (translated “Plenty of Oil”). The youth worker who picked me up at the airport explained that Pekanbaru had three types of oil: crude oil, palm oil and Holy Ghost oil! I knew then God that had brought me to the right place.
Fifty local church workers gathered on early Saturday morning for a special prayer and fasting service, during which I asked them to join me in my sermon on a journey to the night prior to Christ’ death, when He spoke about the mighty work of the Holy Spirit in these last days. Together we explored the mission of the Holy Spirit today. Later that evening I ministered to a group of young adults explaining a recipe for a miracle taken from the life on the Naaman in the Old Testament.
Then on Sunday morning, we had two great breakthrough services held in the ballroom of the Apollo restaurant. I “borrowed” a portion of the Sermon on the Mount (Mt. 6: 31-34) preached by Jesus in the first century, in which He explained what I see as the first steps in financial freedom: Eliminate the trash (worry), Enjoy the blessings of the Father, and Establish Jesus as number one–first and foremost in all things. Maybe someday I’ll preach this message at your church.
In Pekanbaru, during both Sunday morning services, the Lord opened the windows of heaven as the altars filled with those wanting to make Jesus as number one in all things–in time, in talent, in treasury, and in trust! Praise God–the good Holy Ghost came down upon us all like rain upon the mown grass, like dew descending upon the mountains of Zion. In the second service, after preaching on finances–the Lord directed me to pray for the sick first–the altar filled and many who came to church that morning sick, went home healed by the strips on the body of Jesus!
Thank you so much for your financial support, faithful prayer and frequent encouragement which has kept Poppi and I on the front line of the mission field, lifting up Jesus Christ over Indonesia & Beyond for 25 years! We appreciate you and love you all. Together we are making a difference for the cause of Christ!
These are difficult financial times globally. Unless there is a miracle, gas will soon be more than $4.00 a gallon in the USA–it could reach that level before I get this email finished and sent. GAS TOPPED $4.00 A GALLON IN INDONESIA MORE THAN 12 MONTHS AGO! (And Indonesia is an OPEC nation). One person said,”gas prices going up, rice prices going up, electricity prices going up—only salary NOT going up!” But the promises of God’s Word have not changed–the financial plan outlined in HIS BOOK is not diminished due to soaring prices or sinking income–they are YES and AMEN!
Be encouraged today in your finances–every good and every perfect gift comes from the Father, not from Washington, or Mecca, or Jakarta or any other financial center on earth. The transparent gold avenues of heaven aren’t paid for with dollars, or rupiah or yen or any other earthy currency. Both Paul and Peter remind us that God desires to provide for every thing needed for a Godly life (Phil. 4:19; 2 Peter 1:3). The answer for our financial reversals today aren’t held by the democrats or their cousins the republicans. It isn’t a liberal – conservative issue. It’s a God thing. In Him, we live and move and have our being. The answer for all our needs are in Christ and Christ alone. I firmly believe that in these most difficult of economic times, which we all are facing–that God desires to show Himself strong by opening the windows of heaven over his children and blessing them abundantly with love, joy, peace, prosperity, health, hope and a future.
We are seeing many disasters world-wide. Those of us in Asia, have become world-class leaders in experiencing these ecological upheavals. But God’s people survive! In times of disaster, the righteous do not wither, in times of famine they are fed well (Psalm 37:19). Today, during these hard times, my personal prayer for each of our ministry partners, whose donations make it possible for us to touch the lives of many unreached Moslems in Indonesia with the love of Jesus, is based on the promise located in Isaiah 45:3. I strongly encourage you to read this verse (get out your Bible and look it up) then claim the “treasures of darkness” and the “riches stored in secret places” as your / our supernatural inheritance!
We are praying for you. Please pray with us for Indonesia. On the first Sunday of this month, 17 callers received Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour, after watching our weekly TV program “Indonesia Dibawah Sorga Yang Terbuka” (Indonesia Under An Open Heaven) in the city of Menado. Shown each Sunday night with an encore presentation on Monday morning, we are taking the Gospel into homes of many who would never enter a church. Please join with us in prayer as we explore new opportunities to expand this media ministry on both radio and TV, along with some new formats / presentations.
One final note–if I have not said it enough–thanks much for your partnership and friendship with us in the Gospel.
Blessings!
Tommy & Poppi Smith
Missionaries to Indonesia & Beyond
Church of God World Missions
Project Number: #060-0089