When I was a child, my parents began working as literature evangelists to
support our family and pay for my father’s education at Princeton
Theological Seminary. My mother usually returned from canvassing after
my sister and I went to bed, but on some nights Dad allowed us to stay
up and wait for her.
The three of us would stand in front of the glass doors that led onto
the veranda of our second-story apartment and watch the headlights of
the cars that turned onto our road, hoping each one was Mom.
To pass time, we guessed how many cars would turn onto our road before
Mom arrived. As the number of cars approached our guess, we watched with
increasing interest, exclaiming, “Hey, those look like Mom’s
headlights!” When Mom finally arrived, everyone would run to meet her
shouting, “Mom’s home! Mom’s home!”
Why is it so important that we believe passionately in the nearness of
Christ’s return? First, the nearness of His coming and the uncertainty
of its exact day and hour motivate us to watch expectantly. Also, the
great work that remains to be done forces us to pray for the impossible.
Jesus said, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few: pray
ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth laborers
into his harvest.”
If you, like Christ, are touched by the unreached masses of our time,
pray the Lord of the harvest that He will send forth a host of laborers
to the peoples of remote lands, hostile cultures and closed countries.
Pray for the impossible and unlock the power of God.—John Lello
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Sunday, May 1, 2011
In Training: Will You?
Will You?
Not that long ago, a dear brother in Christ testified powerfully to me of his belief and joy in the nearness of Christ’s second coming. In the midst of our study of Daniel and Revelation and current events, he enthusiastically exclaimed, “He’s coming! He’s coming soon! I can’t wait!”
My brother’s joy was positively infectious, and I couldn’t help but join him in praise. But afterward I wondered about my own experience. Did I really believe in the nearness of Jesus’ coming like my friend does? The question drove me to the scriptures, and this is my testimony.
Yes, I really do believe in Jesus’ soon return! History is populated with accounts of precisely fulfilled prophecies all progressing inexorably toward one final event, the only major prophecy yet to be fulfilled.
In addition, Matthew 24:5-7 predicts spiritual deceptions, wars, rumors of war and natural disasters increasing in frequency and intensity as the pain of a women giving birth. These things have always existed, but never have they flashed across the headlines with such rapidity and severity.
Finally, the outpouring of the latter rain promised in James 5:7-8 is beginning to fall. In small churches and large centers of worship, prayer meetings are packed, people are experiencing revival and hundreds are dedicating themselves to the completion of the Gospel Commission. God is pouring out His Spirit upon His church.
Yet one question remains: will you and I receive His Spirit? Will we experience revival and reformation? Will we swell the number of those who will speed this last warning to the ends of the world? We can if we will. Jesus’ message to His church today is, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Rev. 3:20).—John Lello
Not that long ago, a dear brother in Christ testified powerfully to me of his belief and joy in the nearness of Christ’s second coming. In the midst of our study of Daniel and Revelation and current events, he enthusiastically exclaimed, “He’s coming! He’s coming soon! I can’t wait!”
My brother’s joy was positively infectious, and I couldn’t help but join him in praise. But afterward I wondered about my own experience. Did I really believe in the nearness of Jesus’ coming like my friend does? The question drove me to the scriptures, and this is my testimony.
Yes, I really do believe in Jesus’ soon return! History is populated with accounts of precisely fulfilled prophecies all progressing inexorably toward one final event, the only major prophecy yet to be fulfilled.
In addition, Matthew 24:5-7 predicts spiritual deceptions, wars, rumors of war and natural disasters increasing in frequency and intensity as the pain of a women giving birth. These things have always existed, but never have they flashed across the headlines with such rapidity and severity.
Finally, the outpouring of the latter rain promised in James 5:7-8 is beginning to fall. In small churches and large centers of worship, prayer meetings are packed, people are experiencing revival and hundreds are dedicating themselves to the completion of the Gospel Commission. God is pouring out His Spirit upon His church.
Yet one question remains: will you and I receive His Spirit? Will we experience revival and reformation? Will we swell the number of those who will speed this last warning to the ends of the world? We can if we will. Jesus’ message to His church today is, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Rev. 3:20).—John Lello
Friday, April 1, 2011
In Training: April 2011
Being Salt
There is perhaps no pain like that of parents who first realize their newborn child suffers from a life threatening or debilitating birth defect. This experience is all too common among the people of the upper Sepik River. The leading cause of their tragic birth defects is a lack of iodine in the diets of expectant mothers. This results in mentally retarded and physically deformed children.
One solution to this problem is to introduce iodized salt into the diets of potential and expectant mothers. This simple substance we take for granted provides the traces of iodine that are crucial to the development of healthy babies. It can even prove to be the difference between life and death.
When Jesus said, “Ye are the salt of the earth,” He was calling us to make a difference, to be His love to a hurting world and to live His righteousness in the midst of sin. When we allow Him to live in us, we, like salt, prevent corruption, add flavor, promote health and even give life.
God also grieves for His deformed children, and He is calling you and me to be salt in their lives. Why not let God sprinkle you into someone’s life? Please pray that He will make my family and me His salt to the Ama. —John Lello
There is perhaps no pain like that of parents who first realize their newborn child suffers from a life threatening or debilitating birth defect. This experience is all too common among the people of the upper Sepik River. The leading cause of their tragic birth defects is a lack of iodine in the diets of expectant mothers. This results in mentally retarded and physically deformed children.
One solution to this problem is to introduce iodized salt into the diets of potential and expectant mothers. This simple substance we take for granted provides the traces of iodine that are crucial to the development of healthy babies. It can even prove to be the difference between life and death.
When Jesus said, “Ye are the salt of the earth,” He was calling us to make a difference, to be His love to a hurting world and to live His righteousness in the midst of sin. When we allow Him to live in us, we, like salt, prevent corruption, add flavor, promote health and even give life.
God also grieves for His deformed children, and He is calling you and me to be salt in their lives. Why not let God sprinkle you into someone’s life? Please pray that He will make my family and me His salt to the Ama. —John Lello
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
In Training: March 2011
Grace Begins
Since November 2009, our family has been inviting people to help us reach the Ama for Jesus. Now, by God’s grace, we earnestly hope to attend training this summer and launch soon after that. God has provided for us in every difficulty and, in doing so, has laid up for us a supply of faith and courage. Like us, if you sometimes find yourself financially, physically, emotionally or spiritually depleted, don’t lose hope. We are finding that when our strength runs out, God’s grace can begin.
Recently, God allowed us to experience in a small way a few of the difficulties that will impact our family in the mission field. After selling our home, we moved into a smaller building consisting of a main room, small office and very small bathroom. We began to understand what it will be like to live in close quarters. At about the same time, we went from two vehicles to one, leaving my wife and children at home with little opportunity to get out of the house and feeling a bit isolated.
Over time, these conditions, combined with additional pressures placed on our time and finances by our responsibilities as missionaries in training, began to take their toll in the form of frustration, shorter tempers and generally strained relationships. We knew we needed forgiveness and healing but seemed unable to find it.
Lying in bed one night after a contentious evening, I prayed, “God, if we can’t even love each other, how are we going to show Your love to the Ama people? Please help us love one another.” The next morning, God woke me up early and poured out a blessing of repentance, forgiveness and love that flowed out to my wife and family. He worked on Pam’s heart, too, and together we began the healing process.
We thank God for granting us a small preview of the difficulties we will face in the mission field and the way they exposed our weakness. We pray we will remember that when our strength runs out, God’s grace can begin. —John Lello
Since November 2009, our family has been inviting people to help us reach the Ama for Jesus. Now, by God’s grace, we earnestly hope to attend training this summer and launch soon after that. God has provided for us in every difficulty and, in doing so, has laid up for us a supply of faith and courage. Like us, if you sometimes find yourself financially, physically, emotionally or spiritually depleted, don’t lose hope. We are finding that when our strength runs out, God’s grace can begin.
Recently, God allowed us to experience in a small way a few of the difficulties that will impact our family in the mission field. After selling our home, we moved into a smaller building consisting of a main room, small office and very small bathroom. We began to understand what it will be like to live in close quarters. At about the same time, we went from two vehicles to one, leaving my wife and children at home with little opportunity to get out of the house and feeling a bit isolated.
Over time, these conditions, combined with additional pressures placed on our time and finances by our responsibilities as missionaries in training, began to take their toll in the form of frustration, shorter tempers and generally strained relationships. We knew we needed forgiveness and healing but seemed unable to find it.
Lying in bed one night after a contentious evening, I prayed, “God, if we can’t even love each other, how are we going to show Your love to the Ama people? Please help us love one another.” The next morning, God woke me up early and poured out a blessing of repentance, forgiveness and love that flowed out to my wife and family. He worked on Pam’s heart, too, and together we began the healing process.
We thank God for granting us a small preview of the difficulties we will face in the mission field and the way they exposed our weakness. We pray we will remember that when our strength runs out, God’s grace can begin. —John Lello
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
In Training: February 2011
Hello, my name is Abby. I’m nine, and my sister Alissa is seven. We live
in Kentucky, way out in the country. We love dolls, horses and our three
kitties, Love, Snowball and Mrs. White. Our mom and dad homeschool us.
We enjoy learning to read and doing math. In the summer, we like to swim
in the creek with our floaties and build forts in the woods.
Two years ago, my family and I went to Guyana. My dad dug a water line for the people of Purima and held meetings to tell them about Jesus. They were overjoyed to have water near their houses. Everyone pitched in and did the work. Every day after school, crowds of children swarmed the worksite and played with us.
One day as the kids gathered around us, my mother had a bright idea. She suggested we play Duck, Duck, Goose. Since they didn’t have ducks in their village, we played Chicken, Chicken, Rooster. When one of the smallest girls in the group got tagged to be the rooster, she couldn’t run fast enough to catch the girl who tagged her, and every time she tagged a new rooster, they tagged her before she got back to her spot. So the next time she tagged someone, mother picked her up, ran around the circle and plopped her down in the open spot.
I hope we can go to Papua New Guinea and show love to the people there just like we did to that little girl. If you would like to help me spread the Gospel to people far away in Papua New Guinea, please pray and ask God how He would like you to help us. —Abby Lello
Two years ago, my family and I went to Guyana. My dad dug a water line for the people of Purima and held meetings to tell them about Jesus. They were overjoyed to have water near their houses. Everyone pitched in and did the work. Every day after school, crowds of children swarmed the worksite and played with us.
One day as the kids gathered around us, my mother had a bright idea. She suggested we play Duck, Duck, Goose. Since they didn’t have ducks in their village, we played Chicken, Chicken, Rooster. When one of the smallest girls in the group got tagged to be the rooster, she couldn’t run fast enough to catch the girl who tagged her, and every time she tagged a new rooster, they tagged her before she got back to her spot. So the next time she tagged someone, mother picked her up, ran around the circle and plopped her down in the open spot.
I hope we can go to Papua New Guinea and show love to the people there just like we did to that little girl. If you would like to help me spread the Gospel to people far away in Papua New Guinea, please pray and ask God how He would like you to help us. —Abby Lello
Saturday, January 1, 2011
In Training: January 2011
Low clouds hung over the old New England farmhouse and barn as we
followed Joe’s truck into the barnyard. It was late autumn, and the
glory of the sugar maples, birches and poplars had surrendered to the
rain. Joe stopped his truck, opened the door and stepped out—tall,
roughhewn and strong just as I remembered him from Blue Mountain Academy
where we had worked together on the farm. As Joe strode over to greet
us, his three young boys, Matthew, Jacob and Caleb, tumbled out of the
truck and followed close behind, eager to meet us as well.
After hearty handshakes and introductions, Joe and I headed off in his truck to hitch up a cattle trailer, our kids raced off to the barn to do the chores and Pam took my father-in-law into the house to rest. When Joe and I returned ready to load the trailer, we were greeted by a wonderful sight. As Dad emerged from the house and began walking hesitantly toward us in the growing darkness, Matthew, Joe’s oldest son of eight years, brought him a cane, grasped his other hand and carefully led him toward us.
That same spontaneous spirit of kindness filled our visit with Joe’s family and pervaded our whole trip to Northern New England. It is the spirit that has attended us everywhere we have shared God’s calling to us, and we thank each of you for your kindness and support. You have opened your homes to us, at times even giving up your own beds, nourished us with good food and provided us with employment so we could meet our obligations. You have prayed for us, advised us, provided mission supplies and given sacrificially of your means. One day, you will hear the words, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” —John Lello
After hearty handshakes and introductions, Joe and I headed off in his truck to hitch up a cattle trailer, our kids raced off to the barn to do the chores and Pam took my father-in-law into the house to rest. When Joe and I returned ready to load the trailer, we were greeted by a wonderful sight. As Dad emerged from the house and began walking hesitantly toward us in the growing darkness, Matthew, Joe’s oldest son of eight years, brought him a cane, grasped his other hand and carefully led him toward us.
That same spontaneous spirit of kindness filled our visit with Joe’s family and pervaded our whole trip to Northern New England. It is the spirit that has attended us everywhere we have shared God’s calling to us, and we thank each of you for your kindness and support. You have opened your homes to us, at times even giving up your own beds, nourished us with good food and provided us with employment so we could meet our obligations. You have prayed for us, advised us, provided mission supplies and given sacrificially of your means. One day, you will hear the words, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” —John Lello
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
In Training: December 2010
When God sold our home last month, we faced a huge new challenge:
renovating and relocating our family to a metal pole building that had
once housed a neighbor’s jam business. We had three weeks to remodel the
old kitchen, office and bathroom into our new home and move our
belongings into the attached warehouse.
Our new living space lacked sufficient insulation in its walls and attic. It required new electrical service and several new circuits. It needed a new water meter, water line and completely new plumbing because its pipes had frozen. It also needed a wood stove and chimney to provide heat.
As we began the renovation, it seemed impossible to complete the work and pass the required inspections by our deadline. But we sent up a fervent prayer for help and began to work, praising God as He provided funds, energy, subcontractors and inspectors just when we needed them.
As we neared completion, an obstacle arose. Our new electrical service and panel was installed, and everything had passed inspection. But when we called the power company only days before our deadline, they told us it would probably take 10 to 15 days to get connected.
A couple days later, with our deadline upon us, our youngest daughter, Alissa, sensed the urgency of our situation at the breakfast table and prayed a simple prayer for God to connect the power that day. A few hours later, the power company trucks rolled in, and the linemen made the connection. Soon after that, the inspector gave the final clearance, and we made our deadline. Praise God! He is so good!
—John Lello
Our new living space lacked sufficient insulation in its walls and attic. It required new electrical service and several new circuits. It needed a new water meter, water line and completely new plumbing because its pipes had frozen. It also needed a wood stove and chimney to provide heat.
As we began the renovation, it seemed impossible to complete the work and pass the required inspections by our deadline. But we sent up a fervent prayer for help and began to work, praising God as He provided funds, energy, subcontractors and inspectors just when we needed them.
As we neared completion, an obstacle arose. Our new electrical service and panel was installed, and everything had passed inspection. But when we called the power company only days before our deadline, they told us it would probably take 10 to 15 days to get connected.
A couple days later, with our deadline upon us, our youngest daughter, Alissa, sensed the urgency of our situation at the breakfast table and prayed a simple prayer for God to connect the power that day. A few hours later, the power company trucks rolled in, and the linemen made the connection. Soon after that, the inspector gave the final clearance, and we made our deadline. Praise God! He is so good!
—John Lello
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