Our Hopes Are Up

What is Christian hope? Christian hope is hope in God and in Jesus Christ. It is the confident affirmation that God is faithful that He will complete what He has begun. It is also, therefore, that confident expectation which waits patiently and ardently for God’s purposes to be fulfilled. But the Christian hope is hope for a certainty. Hope is a confident expectation and anticipation. It is the belief that things will work out, especially when it seems otherwise. It helps you stay calm and peaceful when something less desirable emerges. Hope believes you will get through it! Hope teams with faith and believes in the impossible, Matthew 19:26 and Luke 1:37.

SEAPC’s thematic 2020 word to the nations: Praise to God for a Living Hope, the revelation of Jesus Christ among the nations, 1 Peter 1:1-13. Matthew Geppert, President of SEAPC, communicated this prophetic word of hope and encouragement for 2020. It is particularly relevant in light of recent world events.

Segueing into focusing on the People’s Republic of China (PRC), and specifically, Wuhan Province, as a dark shadow has been cast over the nation of China, the perceived epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic. Originating there and now sweeping the globe. However, the whole world system, in China, USA, Israel, and all nations of the world, are fallen, broken, and in the grip of evil desperately needing redemption. The good news that Jesus Christ spoke from the cross over 2,000 years ago, \”It is finished,\” John 19:30. Jesus died on the cross and was resurrected from the dead and He is alive (Matthew 28:5,6)! Christ Jesus ascended into heaven and He is now seated at the right hand of the Father, Mark 16:19, interceding on behalf of all of us Attack Lambs standing in the gap, 1 John 5:14.

However, it is so fitting and timely that I have been tasked with the great opportunity to communicate our SEAPC CARE Autism mission to the SEAPC community and friends throughout the USA, China, and the nations. Why? During the month of April, the Jewish and Christian believers are in the midst of celebrating Passover, Palm Sunday, and Easter. We are viewing all of this through the mind of the Risen Christ’s perspective. He brings light into the darkness! As a wonderful worship song called \”Here I Am To Worship\” goes, \”Light of the world, you stepped down into darkness. Opened my eyes let me see.\” As our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ spoke, \”I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life,\” John 8:12. Darkness cannot exist in the presence of light (John 1:5)! The spiritual laws in God’s Word and the physical laws of the universe confirm this truth. Therefore, the darkness which inhabits all of the nations of the world are dispelled as the Risen Christ’s presence floods the earth, and as Christ Jesus\’ name is prayed, spoken, and proclaimed into all of the nations.

He, \”Yahweh – The Lord,\” Exodus 6:2,3, is shaking this world and all of the world systems. He is in total control of all of the world powers, Ephesians 6:10-18, and is exercising His permissive will leading to His perfect will for the salvation of every man, woman, and child who hear and receive Jesus Christ throughout China and all the nations of the earth, Matthew 28:16-20.

What is amazing is that the SEAPC has been strategically positioned, through God’s grace and favor, to serve in a small, but very significant way, in bringing Redemption’s Plan to China. How? Our SEAPC CARE Autism Project over the past five years, now in year six, has enabled us through the platforms of education, parenting, and healthcare to build strong relationships with local church, government, education, and medical professionals as well as with the families of children with autism. Seeing first-hand teacher and parent trainings conducted in China, as well as trainings conducted in the USA, the love of Christ is being manifested in the work being done.

Unity in the community is very much present between and among Dr. Jia’s Beijing team in China and Kim Bennett and Rachel Kittenbrink’s SEAPC teams. The training curriculum consists of a very sophisticated program called Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) which is a focused and intense training program. When successfully completed the training leads to competency certifications in teaching the full range of children with autism. Kim and Rachel are master teachers in this discipline. Prayer warriors and coordinators living in Chengdu, China, made all of this happen. All of the scheduling, language interpreters, meetings, and training events have been accomplished through their dedicated work as they have been led by the Holy Spirit. Wow! However, there is much more work to do moving forward into the second half of the ten-year agreement between SEAPC and The Beijing Autism Association and the Handicapped Association of China.

Capturing the vision of what SEAPC CARE is all about, I want to quote an excerpt from an article that Kim Bennett wrote for the SEAPC Magazine in February of 2017. Titled \”Shame to Fame,\” Kim writes, \”It is our desire to design a school where children can come and receive treatment and healing. A model school that will be a training place for professionals to gain further knowledge on how to educate these children, and where families can receive comfort and hope by coming in contact with the love of Christ. It is our desire to also train workers in church to minister to the families and to teach children with autism about our great God and His son, Jesus; to show them the power of prayer and worship as well as bring hope into their circumstances. He is making a way for families walking through the wilderness to find companions and love along the way. God is doing a new thing in China! I end this message with these words from Isaiah 49:13: \’Shout for joy, you heavens; rejoice you earth; burst into song, you mountains! For the Lord comforts His people and will have compassion on His afflicted ones\’\”

Turning to prayer which is the very heart and soul of SEAPC. As SEAPC\’s \”A Guide to Prayer Walking\” states, \”SEAPC is a Christian global community of friends who believe that lives and nations are changed through prayer. Since 1991, SEAPC has been actively fostering communities of prayer and leading friends in prayer walking adventures which have resulted in amazing, miraculous, and life-changing memories.\”

This has certainly been true for the PRC as well as numerous nations that SEAPC has served.

This guide has been the direct result of the book The Attack Lambs authored by Mark Geppert, the founder of the SEAPC. I encourage all of you to sign up for the new eCourse, which comes with a free eBook of the new expanded and revised The Attack Lambs, now available on how to mobilize prayer in your communities and in the nations.

Please pray and stand in the gap for the central pressure points in intercessory prayer for the Peoples Republic of China:

The Government of China

Centers of Education

Centers Communication and Media

Centers of Commerce, Business, Trade, and IT

Churches of China

Lastly, we ask the SEAPC Community to actively engage to help us in reaching this faith goal. SEAPC has accepted a Faith Goal proposal for $500K into China missions. This resource will be used to expand the local church in China and to meet the needs of families with autism in six provinces of China. In addition, training teachers and family members, building facilities, producing and distributing Christ-based training materials, and hosting international gatherings in the USA and China.

Our belief is that as the SEAPC Community prays, gives, and goes that God will open more doors, raise up and draw more workers, bring much fruit in the harvest and release finances so that millions of Chinese souls will know and receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Our hopes are sky high!