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Post by tomah on Apr 7, 2006 20:16:19 GMT -5
Brethren...not many people know this as yet, just a couple of family members and a few brethren, but now i'm telling you because no one connected to me is on here The Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster is sending me to Australia to cover a church!! I don't have time to write out everything here, but basically it goes like this. At our annual Missionary Weekend in Jan, our Mission Board Secretary said that there was a need for a man to go out to Australia to cover the small congregation out there. I never thought much about it, but it was brought to my mind again to pray about it a couple of weeks later. I thought it was foolish because I have no training, but God seemed to be impressing it upon me for prayer. Briefly, God showed me clearly through His word that this was what he wanted me to do. I was so convinced that it was God's will, that I knew I was going before I even went to see the Mission Board. In fact, I even said to my wife, "if they don't send me out, i'll never be sure of recognising God's voice ever again". The Mission Board have never sent an untrained young man out before, but they realised that this was of God. I kinda had in my mind that it would probably only be for 3 months or so, but it turns out that they want me and my wife to go for a YEAR, possibly even two! I am only 23 and saved less than 4 years as some of you know. I have alot to learn and if it wasn't for the fact that God has been so clear about this, I'd be shaking in my boots at the very thought of this. They are hoping for us to go in June...that doesn't give alot of time. So brethren, if God lays this upon your heart, pray for me that I am given more enlightenment in the Word as a preacher and more divine power to preach it! God bless everyone of you!
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Post by josh on Apr 7, 2006 21:16:37 GMT -5
What part of Australia are you looking at coming to?
Will be praying mate
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Post by tomah on Apr 8, 2006 8:32:16 GMT -5
There are two works and it could be either, or both. From what I am told, one is in a small town called Lock and the other is in Port Lincoln. I think that's correct anyway. I'll have to find out more about the areas in the coming days.
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Post by lizlovesjesus on Apr 8, 2006 22:22:00 GMT -5
God bless you Armen as you yield to his calling.I will be praying for you.
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Post by messengermicah on Apr 8, 2006 22:23:31 GMT -5
Praise God Armen! That is great news. God is so real.
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Post by josh on Apr 9, 2006 1:09:59 GMT -5
Both towns are on the Eyre peninsula, in South Australia. Both remote areas. You will find it a major change from Nth Ireland.
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Post by tomah on Apr 9, 2006 8:13:18 GMT -5
Thanks for the encouragement guys, you have no idea how much I appreciate it.
Josh,
I have a fair idea that it'll be TOTALLY different from from Northern Ireland. It's interesting though that the promise my wife got about the matter was Romans 15:20-21 "Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation: But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand."
The verse that I got that started me REALLY praying about the matter was Acts 8:26 "Arise and go toward the south"
Next was God telling me to go and tell the Mission Board all about it, "But go your way, tell his disciples..." Mark 16:7
When the reality of what God was wanting me to do sunk in, I took fear and began to make excuses about how they will reject me and turn me away as an untrained fool. But God said, "But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom..." I realised that in Christ is all the wisdom that I need.
After speaking to my pastor (during the conversation an unbelieveable thing happened, a man had forgotten something, came into the Manse to get what he'd forgotten. When asked where he got this thing, he said, "Australia" right infront of my Pastor which I believe was a word for my Pastor to show him that what i was saying was of God) who is on the Mission Board, we decided to pray more about the matter before going to the Board. The following Monday I got three texts about the same thing, one in my readings, one from my mum (who didn't know about anything at this stage) and one from a box of texts in which I through out the fleece to see if God would confirm His already given Word. They were as follows:
"Certainly I will be with thee" Ex 3:12 "The Lord shall guide thee continually" Is 28:11 "Be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest" Josh 1:9
It was then I KNEW I was going 'down under' before it was ever brought before the Board.
When I told my mum about it, she said that she wasn't surprised. God had already prepared her heart for it. The previous day she was reading Gen 12 and in v9 "and Abraham journeyed on still toward the south" and she said God made her stop at that verse and ask, "Lord, what are you trying to tell me here?" The next day she was to find out when I told her that God had told me that I was going to Australia.
There have been a couple of other remarkable circumstances too, but these are the verses. I can't believe it. But as you say Josh, it'll not be easy. I think I'll read up on Brainard or something to encourage me.
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Post by repentcanada on Apr 9, 2006 22:16:20 GMT -5
God bless you Armen as you do the Lord's work
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Post by Josh Parsley on Apr 10, 2006 9:12:31 GMT -5
I hope you will be able to send us updates when you go.... That is great.
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Post by victorialewis on Apr 11, 2006 19:14:21 GMT -5
Armen, what a wonderful testimony of God's direction! I will be praying for you and your wife....
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Post by jonathanhulewicz on Apr 12, 2006 1:46:29 GMT -5
Praying for you Armen. There really is a big harvest field here down under.
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Post by tomah on Apr 14, 2006 14:55:22 GMT -5
Well I had my final meeting about the matter on Thursday with the moderator, Dr. Ian Paisley and the deputy moderator. Both men gave their blessing and inspite of the fact that I have no training, they said that they were impressed with what they heard about me at the Presbytery meeting, so that's really encouraging. Heading off to L.A. tonight so i'll probably not be on the board for a fortnight but I am hoping to have opportunities to witness to my unsaved family members in LA. They are Armenian (NOT Arminian ) and so they would have like a Greek Orthadox background as far as religion goes.
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Post by ejuliot on May 1, 2006 11:09:24 GMT -5
Armen if you get the chance...Ray Comfort preaches down at the Huntington Beach Pier on Saturady around 1:00...If you want to go open air preaching or just to do one2ones that is a great place. If you are intereseted tell me and I can ask my brother if they are going htis weekend.
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