al janssen

There are some powerful examples in the Old Testament of women fearlessly following God. Women like Esther and Ruth come to mind. In the context of fighting a battle, Deborah shines brightly.

Butros was born in an country where an extremist form of Islam dominated. He went to England to get a seminary education and had several opportunities to stay and work in that country. But Brother Andrew challenged him to return home despite great danger to him and his family.

In this time filled with news of disaster and conflict and political turmoil, Brother Andrew showed me how to have a healthy perspective.

To discover the secret of fearless living, one needs to experience situations that cause fear. Smuggling a car full of hundreds of Bibles through the Iron Curtain was where Brother Andrew learned to fearlessly trust God. Every border crossing was different, but his Smuggler's Prayer was the same. And each time, Brother Andrew saw God protect the priceless treasure in his car in some unique way.

The situation in Israel and Gaza seems so hopeless. But is there really no solution besides violence? Brother Andrew refused to accept that and reached out to leaders of Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

Do you hear the cry of the lost? They are telling us to wake up and give them hope. You protest: "They never ask me about my faith." Perhaps, you aren't asked because you don't live a different life. No one is jealous of you. No one wants what you have.

During the time of Elijah, there was a secret believer in King Ahab's court, a man called Obadiah, who feared the Lord and hid and fed 100 prophets. Yet Brother Andrew calls this man a coward. What do you think?

Before there was David, there was a prayer warrior. Samuel was old. He was retired. He believed his work was finished. But he promised to never stop praying for the people he had served. Then God called on Samuel to be part of the answer to his prayer and to perform one more act of service.

Perhaps the hardest conflicts for us as Christians come within our own ranks. The devil loves to provoke us and divide us so that we are no longer aware of his tactics. Gideon's biggest problem wasn't Midian. It was within his compatriots.