Hello friends! I am led by the Holy Spirit to take a break from my writing this summer, and instead go through my old writings and to release them to you about twice a week. See this as summer reruns that network TV used to do before cable TV and streaming services took over. When I want to add new comments, I’ll write it in blue.
Last week I met with a woman who reached out to me from my church. She grew up in a church and yet I was very surprised that she didn’t learn about “free will”. Her young adult son who has been praying so hard for his dad to become saved, has walked away from his faith. She thinks his unbelief about God happened during his teen years. He is bitter today. Her son probably believed that if his dad got saved then he would become the type of dad that he needs and wants. I can understand that wishful thinking.
I shared this older message with her and the rest of the group so that they can teach about “free will” to their children/grandchildren when praying for someone’s salvation. I hope when you speak with newer believers who will be praying for their family members’ salvation, that you will teach them about “free will”. It is obvious to the older believers but to new and younger believers, it is not so obvious.
You will read more of my additional thoughts here than what I shared with my prayer group who knows me. I hope these insights can give you more clarity and wisdom so that you can lead your life and ministry better. In His Grace and Love ❤️
Sent: Saturday, November 26, 2022 8:33 AM
Subject: MIP Prayer for 11/30 + Jonathan + “No Matter What” Faith + My thoughts on praying for another’s salvation + Billy Graham’s articles
Hello ladies!
1. We weren’t able to gather enough people for prayers last Wednesday (since younger kids got out of school earlier) and so we will pray this theme on Wednesday, 11/30 at 1pm. Please join us if you are available.
Miracle Worker Mobile Prayer Sheet – Moms In Prayer International
2. Reading this devotional made me remember this good photo that I saved while back.
I also learned a new fact about lions from their devotional: “One of the notable characteristics of the lion that makes it different from most other large cats is that the lion does not live a solitary life. It stays with its pride, its family, to protect it from attack.”
Never Retreat in Fear – International Fellowship of Christians and Jews
Did you know that Jesus comes from the tribe of Judah depicted as a lion? Here is a short read and links for further study – https://www.gotquestions.org/lion-tribe-Judah.html
FYI – if you are a lone ranger Christian then you and your children are in great danger. There are no perfect churches as there are no perfect marriages. Ask the Lord where you should be rooted in and then stay in this church community until you receive several confirmations that you are to move elsewhere. It’s a big deal to change your “lion tribe” so be very careful and cautious about moving church. Your lives are in jeopardy if you choose without accountability and haphazardly. I had about two moments of seriously praying about moving my home church. Both times, I surrounded myself with accountability by asking mature believers to pray for me, and the last time, even asking two of my main pastors to pray for me since it appeared that I was being led by God to really switch church. They were both very kind and gracious. That semester I took off from serving at my church to visit other area churches. In this period, God blessed my visits to other churches and meeting local believers that I would never have met otherwise. Once I knew that it was a semester sabbatical and not a permanent switch, I told my two pastors about it, and that I am back to serve again at the church. I’ve been at my church for 12 years now, serving as community group leader since the Lord commissioned me in my third year here.
The other day I was thinking about my name “Sasha”. I had the fun privilege of naming myself in high school like many immigrant teens did in Queens, NY. I first heard the name in a grocery store. It was their very cute kitten’s name. I turned around to my friend and said to her, “Wow I love this name, call me “Sasha!” Since we all were trying on different American names like fashion clothes, it wasn’t odd for us to try a variety of names. Some other names I have tried are: Linda, June and Jackie. Yes, it was fun to try out different names. Once I became a USA citizen in 1991, I made it official by having Sasha as my middle name.
According to the baby naming books, I discovered later when researching names for my children that “Sasha” means “defender/helper of mankind or humanity.” I have been thinking about the meaning of my name because I do feel that my gifting is in being a defender/helper of others, mainly Christian leaders. As I was supporting a new Christian school leader in my area, I asked in prayer what is my role to this person? The Holy Spirit told me, “Be their Jonathan.” If you are not sure who Jonathan was, he was a good friend to David and supported David as best as possible from inside a very hostile palace. Without the “Jonathans” in the churches and workplaces; I don’t think the “Davids” can rise up to take over as leaders for the benefit of the community and its people. Please don’t ever underestimate your role as a Jonathan if you feel like a helper/assistant to a leader. Here is a short article with links if you want to do a bible study on David’s good friend, Jonathan.
https://www.gotquestions.org/Jonathan-in-the-Bible.html
Besides from supporting Christian leaders through my actions and words, I believe my prayers are the most impactful in shielding Christian leaders. Since I have experienced spiritual attacks when leading at my church, and have witnessed godly leaders fall into temptations at my college church; I am well aware of what prayers these leaders need, and how fiercely the enemy wants to bring them down with scandals, or to give up with despair and discouragement. The enemy wants the entire people in these leaders’ area of influence. And the younger the age groups that these leaders influence, the harder the enemy attacks them. We must pray continually for our youth group pastors and Christian leaders. This is why I like Moms-In-Prayer weekly prayer sheets. It always keeps the leaders in the forefront of our prayers.
3. One of the things that I have learned in my marriage as a follower of Jesus Christ while my husband is not a believer, is the art of being “wise as serpents, and innocent as doves.” I think these learned skills are very practical for living life in a country that is becoming more hostile to Christianity.
What does it mean to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves (Matthew 10:16)?
Please don’t neglect to meet other Christians for fellowship, worship, bible study and prayers. We are warned that in the last days that many people’s hearts will get cold. I believe this will start with the lone ranger Christians first. Please take these warnings to heart right now when your heart is still warm towards Christ. I pray regularly for myself that I will be strong if I ever get seriously challenged for my faith in Jesus Christ. I think it is wise to start praying this for ourselves in the USA. I continue to hear more stories of Christian leadership being jailed and harassed for their faith in countries that didn’t have persecutions before to hardcore Christ-followers. If I live in these countries, I would probably be taken to jail in the first round-up of Christians since I am a community group leader at my church.
I think preparation is the key to not abandoning your faith in challenging circumstances. I read a Christian mom telling her young children to not denounce Jesus Christ when they are rounded up and that if they decide to shoot them that the gun shot will only hurt for one second. She reassured her children that they will meet up in Heaven immediately. She and her children did get killed by their persecutors. This mom prepared herself and her children in advance and because of this mom’s preparation, they took the same bus to heaven! Praise the Lord Jesus!
Fortunately, we are not in hostile countries where we are rounded up by authorities for our faith. I hope and pray that it’ll stay this way in the USA. Please use your religious freedom wisely, and if you have believing children and grandchildren, please pay more attention to their spiritual conditions more than their physical needs and career goals. Afterall, what is the benefit of acquiring the whole world for 70-90 years, if you lose your soul for eternity?
4. I was in year 6 of following Jesus Christ and I was trying all kinds of different ways to get my prayers answered for my family members’ salvation – anointing oil on their beds and rooms, praying with fasting, declaring God’s word in the house, praise music in their rooms, speaking with my gift of tongues in their rooms, and many more “doings” that I heard to do. I really thought that since the walls of Jericho fell in their seventh circling, that my family members would be saved in year 7 too. I thought that I needed to make as much noise as possible just like the Israelites did. But they were commanded to do this by God. I did it because I heard stories from many well-meaning friends who cared for me and probably frustrated as I was on why it was taking so long. Year 7 came and went. The reason why I didn’t get discouraged and lose faith is because I heard a private word from the Lord. I believe the Charismatics call this a “word of knowledge.” I was driving on a local road and I suddenly heard a very gentle and kind voice of the Holy Spirit. He said that just like I have a to-do lists on my phone planner which is always before me until I check it off once done, the salvation of my family members is always before God too. He also said that salvation of others is not the same prayer request as asking for a baby, a new job or healing because it involves the free will of another person.
If you have children who are praying for the salvation of loved ones, please educate them about ‘free will’ so that they will not be discouraged when their prayers are not answered quickly. I just heard of a lady whose father got saved on his deathbed last week. He received salvation one day before he died. He was age 97. His last day on earth was glorious. Yes, it is sad that she and her siblings, and her mom didn’t get to enjoy their dad as a saved person longer on earth, but as soon as they reach heaven, none of this will matter. They will have all eternity to enjoy each other’s company. If you read the book “Heaven is for real”, then you’ll understand.
Ever since I heard this word of knowledge about my situation, I developed a peace in not working with my own efforts for someone’s salvation. Instead, I pray and add their names into God’s to-do list on His planner. He has a very long list of people that I have added over the years! By the way, if I clearly hear from God that I should start making lots of noise and circling my house to make a Jericho wall fall, trust me I will. That’s easy and more exciting to do. Waiting patiently for God to answer my petitions is much harder to do and very humbling too.
5. Billy Graham has very good articles and advice on biblical truths on this link. Please read through them all when you can. The more biblical truths you know, the less you will be tossed about by wrong doctrines and influencers in the world and also in your church and family. I discovered that there are many wrong doctrines. How do I know? Because I study my bible so much in the last 12 years. I also discovered that you really can’t go wrong with Billy Graham’s writings. Please read his articles on this link and on his website.
Billy Graham: The Answer for Our Problems
Christianity Today was created by Billy Graham to speak on current issues and concerns from a biblical, Christian perspective. You can read about 3 articles for free a month. Today I read this article about Christianity in Japan. 🇯🇵 Our church sponsors a missionary family who has been working in Thailand for many years, and recently moved to work in Japan. God has called them there. I didn’t know much about Christianity in Japan but I learned a lot after reading this CT article. This information helps me to intercede better for them. You will need to set up your own account to read this article for free. You are allowed about three free articles per month.
https://www.christianitytoday.com/2025/03/japan-christian-church-survival-faithful-remnant/
FYI, CT’s new CEO is a black woman for the first time. This is huge. I’ve been praying for her as soon as I learned about it. If you are interested in getting to know her better, hear her interview. It was an excellent interview.
“Nicole Martin made history as Christianity Today’s first Black female CEO — and took the hits that come with it. In this conversation: the backlash, Billy Graham’s original vision, how the magazine is advancing and speaking into a polarized world, and why leadership is designed to kill you.”https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-carey-nieuwhof-leadership-podcast/id912753163?i=1000770746287
Well, I have given you plenty to study and reflect. God bless you abundantly. Happy studying!
Journal of Faith 