June / July Archived Newsletter
HOLY GHOST MINISTRIES
Allowing God to be God once again!
NEWSLETTER JUNE & JULY 2007
Praise the Lord for His wonderful works and His grace upon
His children. Praise the Lord for His saving grace and constant watch upon His
own. May His mercy and glory be overflowing within the lives of those who love
Him and serve Him.
Only yesterday it seems we were beginning 2007, and now
we are at the mid-point of the year. I dont know about you, but it seems like
the first half of the year has flown by at lightning speed. Before you know it,
we will be traveling back to West Africa for the 3rd
Annual Kormantse Interdenominational Crusade. The Ghana
Mission Team has 13 confirmed applicants, and we are beginning our preparations in earnest.
Thank you for continuing to pray about the mission trip and the team members.
Nahum
A couple of months ago, I awoke very early in the morning,
and sensed the Lord speaking to me. The first word I heard in my spirit was Nahum,
and then over and over again, Nahum, Nahum, Nahum. I thought this was strange,
but I knew it was significant. I knew it was God speaking to me, for He has spoken
to me strongly in the early morning hours many times before.
At first I could not understand the meaning of this message
to me, so I immediately went to the Word of God and read Nahum several times. The
book of Nahum describes the desolation of Nineveh, the capital of Assyria. This is the same city that Jonah had been sent to by God, and its people had repented. But after only about 100 years, the people of Assyria
turned back to evil ways, opening the door for wickedness within. Nineveh
was the crown jewel of Assyria and according to history was very great indeed. Nahum proclaims that Babylon will destroy Nineveh, so fantastically, that no remains of the city will be left. History proved that to be the case. Archaeologists have only
in recent history been able to identify what they believe to be the outer walls of the city.
Why would God speak to me about Nahum a book in the Bible
containing only three small chapters? Why would He impress this upon my mind
and my spirit? I could not understand why the description of the devastation
of Assyria, and conversely the comfort and sense of safety of Judah, would be so important that the Holy Spirit would bring
it so prominently to my mind and my own spirit. This troubled me for some weeks
as I prayed and re-read Nahum many times. While visiting with some new friends
of mine in ministry, Mike and Pam Matthews, I even asked Mike if the Lord had revealed anything to him regarding Nahum recently. Mike had no help for me. It appeared
God meant the message to be understood by me alone for now.
I tried to quit thinking about Nahum, but the Holy Spirit
consistently brought me back to the message. After a few months of contemplation,
prayer and study, I believe that I understand at least part of what God has been trying to get me to understand. If you have not read Nahum, I ask you to read the entire book of Nahum right now, before reading any further. For your convenience, you may read Nahum at http://www.biblegateway.com/,
or you may read from your own Bible. As you read through Nahum, I want you to
be sensitive to what the Holy Spirit is speaking to you, specifically about what country or nation you believe the message
of the desolation of Nineveh and Assyria might apply to in
modern times.
What did the Lord speak to your heart from Nahum? Did you hear any message from the Lord? I must confess that
the message I received from the Lord has been hard for me to accept. I perceive
the message of Nineveh to be a warning to the Church in America,
and the United States of America in general.
The U.S.A.
was founded just over two hundred years ago. History records that the founders
of America came to the shores of the New World
seeking primarily the freedom to worship Yahew or Jehovah- the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They came here out of persecution from religious power mongers in Europe,
who worshipped power more than anything else. They built a society, and a culture,
that for years was widely regarded as a Christian nation. Through the loss of
lives, resistance to tyranny and great sacrifice, the United States of
America was born. For the first one hundred
fifty years or so, America truly was one nation under God, but during the
past forty years in the United States,
moral and cultural decline has quickened its pace. Subtly, the once thankful
nation, godly nation that was born out of a desire to freely worship Jehovah, has been knocked off course, losing its way. If anyone is to blame for this decline, it must be the collective American Church.
The American
Church was in charge. The
leaders of our nation in the political realm, business realm and intellectual realm, were by and
large reared in the church pews of our nations churches. Most Americans have
grown up with a background in the church up until the last forty years or so. Many
in the U.S. blame our politicians and rogue court judges, but I believe
the American Church
leaders are at the root of the decline in our country. If a man or woman has
solid biblical teaching, this will carry through in their lives no matter where they serve or what they do. Most of our leaders of today have no such biblical grounding. Unfortunately,
many are even seduced and blinded by false teachings that are very hard to overcome.
To me, the Lord is telling me that the book of Nahum relates
to the times in which we live today. I have always had a burden for my country,
but in the past few months this burden has grown exponentially. So many people
I meet are restless and troubled about what is going on in the American society. Once the beacon of progress, hope and liberty, our nation has been wounded deeply by our own moral decline, which
has not only degraded our own people, but has been transferred throughout the world via Hollywood
production companies. Our television sets are constantly fed images of
dysfunctional families, gay couples and sexual immorality. Nothing seems to be
off limits anymore. This has changed the public perception of decency, and has
probably succeeded in capturing a complete future generation of American children who will lead this country completely away
from the lordship of Jesus Christ, unless another Great Awakening brings revival and repentance very soon.
My true hope is that the Holy Spirit is revealing to me
a warning through Nahum which has a way of escape for America,
and not a prophecy of that which is certain to come. You can see why I have had
a hard time with what God has spoken to me. You may even be distressed by the
message as well all Americans should be. If you are a church leader that has
rested comfortably on the payroll of your church, while society has crumbled around you you are probably very upset with
me. So be it. A proponent of the
American Church
as it has been for the past 50 years has nothing whatsoever to be proud of. Oh
yes, there are obviously some churches that have yielded to the Holy Spirit, but they are not in the majority in this country
today. Even some churches birthed out of the awakening that occurred in this
country in relation to the Azusa Street Revival in Los Angeles in the early 20th Century, have fallen prey to becoming
denominations of power and religious politics rather than avenues through which Gods anointing can be used. People do not reject God when they are led by righteous leaders; they reject God when unrighteous leaders
stand between them and God. Not smart, but they do.
Something worth mentioning is the fact that nowhere in scripture
do you find America, or the United
States of America, clearly mentioned in the text. What
happens to the superpower America during
the end times? Is America
involved in Armageddon? Will America
exist when Jesus returns to the Earth? Very good questions, but I do not have
any answers. I can tell you for sure that America is not mentioned, and anyone that states it is does so purely on speculation. I have heard a very plausible reason why this is the case. I cannot tell you the name of the man I heard speaking on a Christian television program about this hypothesis,
but I remember the story well. The man believes that the reason America is not
specifically mentioned during the end times has everything to do with the great catching away, or the rapture as it is commonly
referred to today (I Thessalonians chapter 4:13-18). The man believes that based
upon the fact that America has so many
Christians within it serving in our political structure, governmental structure, business structure and the population in
general, that when the rapture occurs, suddenly these people will be missing having been caught up with the Lord leaving
chaos behind due to their absence. He believes that this will in turn lead to
mass hysteria, and the resulting total breakdown of American society. Also harming
countries all over the world that have dependence upon the U.S.A.
and the military protections and subsidies it provides. Interesting hypothesis,
scary as it may be for the unbelievers.
Whether the rapture theory is correct as to why America
is not clearly mentioned in scripture as are other nations, or the society continues in moral decline leading to the destruction
of the worlds only remaining superpower, resulting in future insignificance to the balance of power in the end times, I do
not know. What I do know is that God has spoken to me about Nahum and that the
American Church
is on borrowed time.
If the United
States of America does not turn back to the gospel of Jesus Christ with true repentance,
embracing the Word of God in its schools and tolerating public Christian confession, we have no future in this country. The American Church is being judged, and the true believers within the Church must rise up against
those that have been asleep at the wheel. No program, theme or series the clergy
prescribes can replace the awesome power of Gods anointing upon His chosen people. The
Word promises that God will pour His Spirit out upon all flesh in the last days (Joel chapter 2:28). The reason it is not happening en masse in America
has nothing to do with God, and everything to do with some of the church leadership structures which have become big business. Dont you think God wants to pour out His Spirit upon America? Yes, of course. He cannot do this with unrighteousness prevailing in the American
Church and in our country.
Old guard American Church leader while you have been in
charge the courts of our country have banned public prayer in our schools, legalized the killing of babies through abortions,
and legalized gay marriage in some states; many of our
nations churches have not only accepted practicing gays within their communions, but have also ordained homosexual priests
and pastors, and performed holy marriage ceremonies for gay couples. What have
you been doing? Where have you been hiding?
Why have you not stood tall in protest against the moral decline of our country?
Why have you allowed this Christian nation to become hostile to the message of Christ and to His followers? Has the comfort of money and worldly pleasures rocked you soundly to sleep?
You build bigger buildings to house the people, but not the Holy Spirit. Shall
your works survive the fire of judgment?
Oh, God. God
forgive us all. I am so tired of being constantly pressured by our culture to
leave God behind, seeking pleasures of the world and not the presence of the Holy Ghost.
I believe that Nahum is a message with eternal implications
for my generation. Nahum speaks to us all today.
The American Church
is sick. It has diseased members of the body, and just as surgery is sometimes
required when a physical body is diseased, so also is spiritual surgery needed to save the American Church. We must all quit living lies. We must repent personally, and
corporately, for our failings to the Lord. This will require a great reckoning
on all our parts, but I believe that it is our only hope. If we do not completely
determine to take our nation back to God, our nation will someday no longer allow us to worship freely or proclaim the gospel. Listen to me and understand what I am saying If America does not turn back to Jesus
Christ and deny all other gods, America
will decline and it will reject Christian people as it does so.
I am in unfamiliar and uncomfortable territory friends. I understand that some of you will disagree with me, and may even think ill of me,
but I must deliver what I believe God is speaking to my heart. No one can say
that America is a good example of what
we once were from a Christian perspective. Why must we continue the denial of
the fact that drastic change is needed? Please pray about this. I welcome your feedback.
GHANA MISSION 2007
During the month of July, members
of the Ghana Mission Team 2007 will be meeting with me to discuss our upcoming mission trip to Ghana in November. Please pray that
our plans and ministry for the Lord will be successful once again. A prominent
part of this years trip will be the commencement of work on The Mike Pike Orphanage.
My friend died only some 9 months ago, and to date, we are well on our way to seeing this project in his honor come
to fruition. In my mind, the task is overwhelming, but in my spirit I know that
God will work it all out He always does.
In addition to the orphanage
planning, remember that we have a yearly commitment to fund the Holy Ghost Ministries scholarship program at Southern Ghana
Bible College which was started last November. The 3rd Annual Kormantse Interdenominational Crusade will be held once again and it is our hope to continue with the
pastors conferences, leadership training and village feedings. Ministry opportunities
in other locations will be conducted as well. For the first time since we began
to minister in Ghana, we will be staying a few days in the capital city of Accra to conduct ministry with our partners there
under the leadership of Rev. Isaac DeGraft, my friend and fellow laborer for the Lord.
As you pray for our ministry
activities in Ghana, please also pray
about what God has in mind for us in the future. I have continued to receive
requests from Uganda and my friend there
Pastor Cost Timothy. Pastor Timothy called me just a few days ago, wanting to
hear my voice he said. What a determined man of God he is. He has been corresponding with me for at least four years now, always asking that I come to Uganda. My heart
desires to go and minister with him there if the Spirit of God would have this to be.
This very morning I responded
to a request from India, and in times past I have responded to Pakistan, Kenya, Burkina Faso and Nigeria, just to name a few.
THANK YOU ALL
Partners, thank you for standing by us. I appreciate your prayers for our upcoming services,
your notes of encouragement, your participation and your financial contributions which allow us to do ministry and humanitarian
projects in the United States and Africa. This is not my ministry, it is Gods ministry.
I am merely a steward and I want to continue to see the Holy Spirit working mightily as I have over the past few years. As always, please pray for my family as we strive to do what God has called us to
do in His Kingdom.
If you have a special prayer request, or would like to contact
us for any reason, please do so by writing to Holy Ghost Ministries, P. O. Box
10388, Conway, AR
72034, or contacting us at jasonrapert@holyghostministries.org.
God bless you and may the Lord move mightily in your life today!
Always ready to do
His will,
Evangelist Jason Rapert
