February 28, 2011 prayer letter

Dear friends,
Greetings again in the name of Jesus!

Your faith equals your righteousness..
“You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Gal 3:26-29

There may be no one more important outside of Jesus Christ than Abraham, in gaining a good understanding the gospel.  Abraham’s name is mentioned more than three hundred times in the Bible.  No other person takes up entire chapters of the New Testament, except Jesus Himself.

There is good reason for this.  God had a plan for sending His Son, a plan made a very long time before Jesus came to the earth.

That plan was first announced to Abraham.

It is that plan which underlies everything God has done and is doing in the world.  That plan, though announced two thousand years before Christ in the Old Testament, is the plan still in motion.

“In your seed, Abraham, shall all the families of the earth be blessed.”  Genesis 12:3

God said this from the first day he spoke to Abraham.  He said it again and again.  It is called “the promise”, “the inheritance”, and “the blessing” in Galatians 3.  In Romans 4 it is the promise that Abraham would be “the father of many nations” and “heir of the world”.  There Abraham is also called “the father of us all”, and “the father of all who believe”.

In Hebrews 6, the promise to Abraham in which God swore that he would bless and multiply him, is referred to as the hope we have “as an anchor of the soul”.

It is in the life of Abraham that God first shows clearly how He will relate to man.  It is that example that is used in the New Testament to show us that God has not changed His ways.  There was always only one way to get along with God.  There was and is only one way to be His friend.

This way was first shown in the life of Abraham.

“After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward."


But Abram said, "Lord GOD, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eleazer of Damascus?"  


Then Abram said, "Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed one born in my house is my heir!"  And behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, "This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir."  


Then He brought him outside and said, "Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them." And He said to him, "So shall your descendants be."

And he (Abraham) believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.” Genesis 15:1-6

How will a man or a woman be righteous in the eyes of God?  How will a person please God?

God took Abraham out in the clear night, and had him look at the sky.  Being a clear mid-Eastern sky without pollution, it was no doubt gorgeous, loaded with stars, and bright to the eyes.  The Lord said “Look”.  The Lord said, “Count them, if you can.”  The Lord said, “So shall be your descendants.”

He said this to an old man with no children.

That old man did something which pleased the Lord.  That old man did something which God counted as righteous.

That old man believed God.   He believed what God showed him, and he believed what God told him, and He believed IN God; that is, he believed in the faithfulness and character and person of God.  Since God said it, Abraham decided it was true.

That was faith.  That faith of Abraham is what God called righteousness.

In God’s mind, Abraham’s faith equaled Abraham’s righteousness.

Abraham pleased God by his faith.  His relationship with God was established by his faith in God.

It has always been in this way of faith, and only in this way of faith that men have pleased God.

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”  By it (FAITH), men of old gained approval.”  Hebrews 11:1,2

The remainder of Hebrews 11 is a record of the faith of men and women in the Old Testament.  They were approved by God for their faith.  Abraham, of course, is on the list.  So is Abel, Noah, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Moses parents, Rahab, David, Samuel, and an unnamed host of others.  They all gained God’s approval by their faith.

Some think that in the Old Testament people were approved by God for keeping “the Law” – which is the Law given to Moses; in brief, the ten commandments.

But the Bible is clear:  "By the works of the Law no flesh (no human being) will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.”  Romans 3:20

Abraham certainly did not get along with God through the law of Moses.  The law of Moses came into being hundreds of years after Abraham died.   God’s covenant with Abraham was not “the law”.  It was an earlier covenant based on God’s promise – a promise of blessing and blessing and blessing – a promise to bless the whole world through the seed of Abraham.

Abraham believed what God said, and he received righteousness.  There has never been another way to be righteous before God.
(from John's larger teaching on Abraham)


Back from Ukraine...
I have just returned from Krivoy Rog. Jackie and I want to thank you for praying for us and for this time of ministry in Krivoy Rog.

What I did while there was not new.  In addition to ministering in churches and meeting with leaders,  I again taught the Blood Covenant foundations -- this time to both colleges, translated into Russian, of course.  However, I've not been able to do this so completely for a couple of years.  This time, I was able to teach for fourteen hours over seven days.

What was accomplished with this was new: I was able to put it all on digital high definition video, making it possible for the first time for others to see and hear the teaching without us being there!

It is difficult to evaluate the fruit of the Blood Covenant teaching, since it consists of sowing seeds of the truth into the hearts and minds of believers.  Because of open and hungry hearts, the teaching flowed like a river, and the time passed too quickly.  It is my highest privilege to do this ministry.

Of course, many came to me to express their strong appreciation for the teaching. However, the true test of the teaching is in their lives - being able to stand on the sure foundation of Jesus Christ; to be bold in faith, in prayer, and in obedience because they know the blood sealed covenant they have with their heavenly Father!

Teaching Blood Covenant Mar. 15 - Ap. 19
We will be teaching the Blood Covenant here in Minnesota, starting in two weeks from this writing.  All are welcome.

Please pray for the people who will attend this study.  Romans 1:16 says, the GOSPEL IS THE POWER OF GOD unto salvation.  In other words, God does miracles through the words of the good news concerning Jesus Christ and what He accomplished in His death and resurrection.

That is what we keep preaching and teaching over and over and over.  We want to make sure people (believers) actually HEAR the full good news!  It can become the gospel that no one is teaching, assuming that believers know it or have heard it -- which is not necessarily true.  Even in the best of churches, preachers can go on to "more important" sermons, with their people weak in the foundations.

Psalms 11:3 says "If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?"  

We will continue to lay these foundations as long as we have breath, and as long as the Lord provides for us to go and teach this glorious gospel.

Thank you for continuing to support us in prayer and finances.  Romans 10:15 asks the question, "How will they preach unless they are sent?"  You, through your prayer and giving, are our senders.

We greatly appreciate your friendship and partnership with us.  May the Lord richly bless you and your family as you keep your eyes on Him.

With love,
John and Jackie