Students from the Believers School of Ministry in Mankato.

By Tom Shanklin

What is God doing in this hour?

He is arising in His church. His glory shall be seen upon the land! It’s time to awake to righteousness! It’s time to cooperate with the great plan of God! It’s time to get in the flow of God’s power and love!

He told us to “…Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” Mark 16:15, KJV. He gave us (His Church) a commission to reach the world. Your world! My world! All the world! We may not all go to India and Uganda and Tanzania and Eastern Europe, but we all can go into OUR world—where we live, where we work, where we play. We each have a part in fulfilling the heart of God, and reaching this world for Jesus Christ!

This is what our Believers School of Ministry is all about—teaching ordinary believers to do extraordinary things. Encouraging God’s people that they CAN reach their world and training them how to do it. They can do it, I can do it, you can do it, by loving people and believing in the power of our Savior in action. By believing that God can use you, just as He used the early disciples. By believing that you are in the flow of God’s power and love today, and releasing that power and love to those around you.

We just completed our 10-week Believers School of Ministry here in Mankato. We fought with blizzards and travel warnings. We battled with apathy in our area. We wrestled against demonic powers. We were discouraged at times. But through it all, our God did a work. People were encouraged and helped to share Jesus with their world and Susan and I were stirred and renewed in our  vision and commitment. I sense a fresh anointing to witness, to evangelize and to provoke the Body of Christ unto good works.

We plan to continue holding the Believers School of Ministry in other locations as the Lord leads and opens the doors. We will be teaching at For His Glory Church in Spring Grove once a month through most of the rest of this year. In April, we will hold a weekend Believers School of Ministry class called “Sharing Your Faith 101” at Gary, Minnesota. You are part of this through your prayers, through your giving, and through mutual encouragement.

When we look around the world at the troubles, the fighting, the conflict, the sin, we can easily become overwhelmed. And truly there are great problems and much pain in this world. In Syria, for example, over 9 million people have been displaced from their homes. Ukraine is in a quagmire of conflict. It seems that the great Bear, Russia, is about to squish the life out of it. In our own nation, it seems immorality is prevailing in every level of society and government. Worldwide, persecution of Christians is at an all time high.

Yet, we lack perspective. At the same time that the devil is having a hay day, God is moving marvelously by His Spirit. Nations which were under darkness for centuries are experiencing a new birth of righteousness and light through the Gospel. Even in the places where the darkness seems to be swallowing all semblance of spiritual life, God is moving by His Spirit in the hearts of men.

Rejoice! And realize, the best is yet to come! Just as in the wedding in Canaan, where Jesus did His first miracle, they said that the host had saved the best wine for last, so it is that our God is going to finish His work on this earth in triumph over the forces of darkness. “For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.” Isaiah 60:2, KJV.

We are all a part of God’s Great Team. We are the winners! Though we face battles. Though we are challenged by the upheaval and dark clouds of this world, we are winners…because we are on the winning team! Our cause is just! Our King is the Great Monarch of the Universe! He and we together will prevail! Our purposes will be accomplished. The harvest will come in, and we have the great privilege of reaping along with the Lord of the harvest.

We’ve had some wonderful opportunities lately. As I challenged our students in our school, I have been challenged as well. I have been challenged to give tracts to strangers and to others we have been building friendship with. I spoke to an older (ninety and eighty eight year old) couple who walks at the mall where we walk. Susan opens the door for them when they come in the building, and we have been talking to them for a while. I gave them a tract, and told them with a smile that it came from my friend, Billy Graham. I told them how Jesus had changed my life. They thanked me and said they would read it.

And there was a young boat salesman, too, who was holding an annual boat show at the mall. I had been striking up a conversation with him from time to time when I walked. His company was getting ready to move their boats out until next year, so I gave him a tract and told Him that Jesus is the only way to come to God. He said, “I agree!” And he said would read it.

Pastor Bob Holmbeck, who is chaplain at the Sibley County Jail in Gaylord, asked me to fill in for him while he was out of town. For two weeks, I encouraged the inmates, sharing my testimony and a Gospel message. On the second week, two young men said they would like to receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. I led them in a prayer and the entire group also prayed. One of the two was released shortly afterwards, but when Pastor Bob and his wife Judy returned the next week, the other young man told them he wanted to be baptized. Praise God! What could be better?

I was invited, too, to share at Susan’s TOPS group (Take Off Pounds Sensibly). It’s a secular group, although many of the people are believers…or at least open. I was led to share my testimony, and a scripture, and to talk about addictions. “Drugs and alcohol you can quit completely,” I told them, “but food is different. You can’t quit. You have to control your eating. But praise God, the same God that can deliver us from drugs and alcohol, can give us self-control in our eating.” The ladies at TOPS were blessed and encouraged, and I received several requests for my testimony book, “Filling the Void.”

In March, Susan and I had a great time with our friends at The Country Church in Ruthton, MN. I spoke on “Walking in Love: the Great Quest of the Christian Life.” Love is the one thing that God is most looking for in all of us. Jesus said, “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.” John 15:12, KJV. When we love like Jesus loved, we win! But when we allow ourselves to be consumed with bitterness and anger, the devil gets the advantage in our lives. Our faith ceases to work. Our awareness of the presence of God diminishes and we come into a position of defeat and discouragement.

So my friend, I want to encourage you today. You may be in a difficult position. You may be facing trials and discouragement. You may not be living in Syria or Ukraine, but the problems in your life are none-the-less real. But I want you to know, there is God who will help you! He is still on the throne! He is still active in the hearts and lives of men. He will comfort you! He will strengthen you! He will show you which way to go! Our mighty God can even take what the devil has done and turn it around to the good. Look to Him and be enlightened. There is a future and hope…and the best is yet to come!

Thank you for standing together with us! You are ever in our prayers!