World Impact Ministries / Peter Youngren

Christmas has started a bit different for RoxAnne and I. It has been an exciting year! I enjoy blogging and I sure enjoy your responses. I am writing from Timika, in the province of Papua, Indonesia. Last night we finished a Gospel Festival; and at the end of it I was swarmed by Muslims. They were hugging me, squeezing me, wanting to get close… it was awesome. I know they were not praising me; I was only basking in the overflow, so to speak, of what Jesus had done for them. They were only grateful to me because I had brought them a witness of the LIGHT. Now it is the day after and I am thinking back. So many Christians think that Muslims are full of venom, hatred, terrorism and extremism. In fact some Jihadists were in our service. We didn’t think that was a problem. In fact it seemed like the Lord Jesus was working on their hearts also. If only we who are followers of Jesus could get our eyes open to the fact that if we stop representing the religion of Christianity and instead represent Jesus, we will have open doors everywhere. It will be said of us as it was said of the church in the Book of Acts that the people held them in high esteem (Acts 5:13).  Why stop at the Book of Acts though, let’s get right back to the source – Jesus Himself. We read, “the common people heard Him gladly” (Mark 12:37). The battle has always been between Phariseism (legalism) and its heavy, judgmental, condemning religion and those who will trust in the unmerited grace of God.  By the time this blog is ready to be posted RoxAnne and I will be on the plane heading back home just in time for Christmas. We are excited, ready for 2007.  The Gospel Revolution is growing; increasing numbers are discovering the futility of performance- driven religion and trusting solely in the grace of God, not only for salvation but also for sanctification, wisdom, increase, prosperity – every good thing.
Merry Christmas
Peter Youngren