FROM THE HEART OF DR. REXELLA VAN IMPE

But What Have I to Offer?

The little boy was only about 8 years old, bright-eyed, blonde, and so very cute.

He came up to me that Wednesday evening before the crusade service started and said, “I have something for you, Rexella!”

I smiled down at this vibrant little guy, knelt beside him, and asked, “What is it?”

He excitedly held out a brown paper bag for me to open. Inside was a freshly-baked, crusty-brown loaf of bread. “Oh, how nice!” I exclaimed. “Did your mother make this for me?”

“No, I did!” he said proudly. “I made it for you.”

I couldn’t keep from giving him a hug of appreciation for his gift that meant so much to me. To some it may not have seemed like much — a slightly misshapen, slightly overdone loaf of homemade bread. But behind it was an overflowing supply of generosity and love for my husband and me.

And even little is much when it is given with love.

Jesus confirmed this with His comments about the giving of a poor widow who dropped two tiny coins into the offering at the Temple. Contrasted with the large sums being given by the wealthy, her gift must have seemed insignificant to those who looked on. But the Lord said, “This woman has given more than all the others. They gave a portion of their abundant wealth — she gave all she had, even her very living” (see Mark 12:41-44).

I think it is very significant indeed that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, took note of that small, sacrificial gift and said that, in His eyes, it was worth more than all the other gifts put together. The New Testament account doesn’t actually say so, but I wonder if God didn’t bless those two little coins and multiply their value many times over!

How God will use your gift

He did that one day with a little lad’s lunch of five loaves and two fishes. Jesus multiplied that simple sack-lunch into enough to feed a multitude of 5,000… with lots of leftovers.

I believe the Lord performed this miracle for more than one reason. Yes, He felt compassion for the multitude that had followed Him and listened to His teaching all day long. He wanted to meet their physical need and satisfy their hunger for food as He had satisfied their thirst for spiritual truth.

But I believe this miracle may also have been to encourage the faith of His disciples. Perhaps they may have been tempted to send the multitude away hungry (“what good is so little among so many?”) and use the few loaves and fishes as a meager snack for the staff.

But the Lord demonstrated in a graphic way that, in His kingdom, there is always enough to meet the need. He blessed and broke the bread and fish, then had them serve the hungry people. When everybody had eaten his fill, the disciples gathered up what was left. And there were 12 baskets full — one basket for each disciple!

What a great lesson! What a great miracle! Yet, it could not have happened without the unselfish giving of the little boy who handed over his lunch. What if he had said, “There are too many hungry people here, and I have barely enough food for myself. I can’t afford to give… and what little I have wouldn’t make much difference anyhow.”

But he did what he could do — shared what he had. And his gift fed a multitude… and taught Jesus’ disciples a great lesson. Plus, I’ve always felt the little boy must have ended up taking more food home that night than he’d started out with. So he had a chance to witness to his parents about what the Lord had said and done.

Who could have blamed the poor widow if she had said, “Look at all the rich offerings the wealthy people are giving at the Temple. I have only these two mites — worth less than a penny. There’s no way I can give. No one would even know if I did give, or miss my tiny offering if I didn’t.”

But out of love for God she gave — and Jesus himself noticed and called attention to her generosity!

Your giving is important

So often people look at the worldwide soulwinning outreaches of Jack Van Impe Ministries and feel that our program is so big that we don’t need their help. “What I have to give is so little in comparison to your need that I’m embarrassed to even offer it,” they say. In essence they’re saying, “But what have I to offer?”

You know what this ministry is doing. We’re on weekly television, with regional audiences that are growing with each telecast. The rating services say that already we are number one with some segments of the viewing audience. Our goal is to blanket the entire world with our program ministering to multiplied millions each week.

In addition, our overseas radio broadcasts are touching thousands upon thousands of homes across Europe and in many other countries. Each month we receive letters from people in many nations who have been blessed and helped through this outreach.

And we are able to do this on a fraction of the budget of many larger organizations. It has always been our policy to hold overhead expenses to an absolute minimum and use virtually all of our funds for pure ministry. And we make sure the ministry gets full value for every dollar invested. That’s the secret of how we have been able to accomplish so much on a fairly small income.

And this is why every support gift we receive is important. Even a small offering sent to Jack Van Impe Ministries very probably will accomplish as much as a larger amount given to a “big name” organization. Some friends also have the misconception that most of this ministry’s support comes from those who give very large amounts — thousands and tens of thousands!

We have no corporate sponsors, no denominational underwriting, no group of wealthy benefactors. Actually, what keeps us going are the regular, faithful, sacrificial gifts of friends who send $10, $20, or $50 each month, or as often as they can. Every gift we receive — large or small — is important.

What is in your hand?

What do you have to offer? Give that. For remember, to whom much is given, much is required. But even if you had absolutely no material possessions, you still could give your love, your encouragement, your prayers. It means so much to know our friends are standing with us.

What do you have to offer? What God has placed in your hands. What you are willing to give to His work. If all you have to give to God in Jesus’ name is a cup of cold water, then that is all God expects.

For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not (2 Corinthians 8:12).

Over the years the Lord has blessed my husband and me with many precious friends who have shared the burdens and the opportunities of this ministry. Occasionally, in addition to the support given for our work, we have received a card or a word of encouragement, or a small personal gift. I have appreciated all of them.

But I don’t think I’ll ever forget the night when that charming 8-year-old brought me the best he had to offer, a loaf of bread he baked himself!

A CLASSIC MESSAGE OF HOPE FROM DR. JACK VAN IMPE

Bruised and bleeding

Bruised and bleeding from centuries of suffering, the Jews came home to the land of their fathers. They bought their ancient land at premium prices from its Arab owners, fulfilling the words of their prophets:

For thus saith the LORD; Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them. And fields s hall be bought in this land, whereof ye say, It is desolate without man or beast; it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans. Men shall buy fields for money, and subscribe evidences, and seal them, and take witnesses in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, and in the cities of the mountains, and in the cities of the valley, and in the cities of the south: for I will cause their captivity to return, saith the Lord (Jeremiah 32:42-44).

Paying the Price

But in bringing about the birth of their nation, the Jews also had to pay the price of blood. Desiring to retrieve the land they had sold, the Arabs battled the Jews for decades. And after the nation’s birth, the struggle continued still.

Considering the odds for survival in a conflict with the Arabs, some Jews wondered whether they had bought a beachhead or established a nation. Their tiny land hardly compared in size with its neighbors, and the population of 650,000 at the time of the nation’s birth seemed minute compared to that of the Arab nations surrounding them (approximately fifty million). Still, the promises of scattering and persecution had been fulfilled, so why not the promises of restoration and blessing? Size or strength of opponents certainly did not alter the promises of God:

Therefore all they that devour thee shall be devoured; and all thine adversaries, every one of them, shall go into captivity; and they that spoil thee shall be a spoil, and all that prey upon thee will I give for a prey. For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal the e of thy wounds, saith the Lord; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after (Jeremiah 30:16,17).

Although the Jews began their return to Palestine in unbelief, still not having accepted their Messiah, they did cling to the biblical promises concerning their land. In 1956, when they again found themselves fighting for their lives, Radio Jerusalem broadcasted the words of the prophet Amos:

And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them. And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the Lord thy God (Amos 9:14,15).

Victory came easily in 1956. Israel quickly conquered the Gaza Strip and the major powers intervened to bring about a cease-fire in order to save Egypt from complete collapse.

Between 1956 and 1967, tensions continued to mount. Egypt’s President Gamel Abdel Nasser, the leader of the Arab world, boasted of his intention to destroy Israel completely — to push her into the sea and annihilate her citizens.

On May 15, 1967, the anniversary of Israel’s independence, Egyptian forces moved into the Sinai. On May 17, Cairo Radio’s Voice of the Arabs proclaimed: “All Egypt is now prepared to plunge into total war which will put an end to Israel.”

Following the movement of his troops into the Sinai, Nasser demanded the removal of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force stationed there, and on May 18 the Voice of the Arabs announced: “As of today, there no longer exists an international emergency force to protect Israel. The sole method we shall apply against Israel is a total war which will result in the extermination of Zionist existence.”

Hoping to exploit the dangerous situation in the Middle East, the Russians sent exaggerated accounts to both Syria and Egypt of the movements of Israeli troops and war materials along their borders. Through these inflated announcements they were successful in fanning the flames of patriotic passion and fear among the Arabs. On May 28, Nasser declared, “We will not accept any co-existence with Israel. Today the issue is not the establishment of peace between the Arab states and Israel. The war is in effect since 1948.”

On May 30, he announced, “The armies of Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon are poise d on the borders of Israel to face the challenge, while standing behind us are the armies of Iraq, Algeria, Kuwait, Sudan, and the whole Arab nation [all Arabs]. This act will astound the world. Today they will know that the Arabs are arranged for battle. The critical hour has arrived. We have reached the stage of serious action and not declarations.”

The Six-Day War of 1967

In an overt act of war, Nasser then closed the crucial Israeli port of Eilat on the Gulf of Aqaba.

The war was on.

The Jews had heard and seen enough, and on June 5 Israeli jets struck a death blow to the Egyptian air force. Israeli tanks rolled into the Sinai. Fierce battles took place in the Golan Heights and in Jerusalem. Russia warned the world to keep hands off, expecting a quick Arab victory. But the dry bones of Ezekiel’s vision had begun to come together, and nothing in the prophecy gave any hint of annihilation or a return to the graves of other nations from which they had come. The Jews would not be destroyed, for God had promised to preserve them.

Within six days the Arab forces were in serious retreat. Israeli soldiers had captured the Sinai and the Golan Heights, and Russia was demanding peace in the Middle East. It is significant that Israel had captured all of Jerusalem. All of this ancient and beloved city was in Jewish hands for the first time since A.D. 70, causing Bible students to take a fresh look at Luke 21:24: “And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.”

The Six-Day War of 1967 gained world respect for Israel as a military power. Friends of Israel who had feared for her safety now respected her ability to defend herself. The Russians were appalled at their loss of three billion dollars’ worth of military aid to the Arabs in a six-day period. Nasser was humiliated; in an attempt to save face he manufactured stories of American and British intervention on the side of Israel.

Israeli soldiers had distinguished themselves as fighting men. Against overwhelming numbers and immense firepower, they had been victorious. The whole experience was reminiscent of Gideon’s successful campaign against the Midianites when greatly outnumbered, or of Joshua’s conquest of the land of Canaan.

It is clear that God protected His ancient people. But this raises questions: If the scattering of the Jews resulted from their rejection of Christ, why has God brought them back to the land? Why have the Jews been allowed to return to their land in unbelief ? Why has God protected the people of Israel when they have not received His Son?

The answer to all these questions is simply that God promised through His prophets that in the end time He would bring the Jewish people back into their land, though still in unbelief, but that after arriving there they would turn to Him:

Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it, and performed it, saith the Lord (Ezek. 37:12 — 14, emphasis mine).

The War of 1973

The war of 1973, or the Yom Kippur War, began on October 6. Most Jews were in their synagogues observing Yom Kippur. Egypt attacked the Sinai Peninsula and Syria attacked the Golan Heights. Eleven Arab nations sent personnel and equipment against Israel. Once again the Jews had their backs to the wall.

Having taken the first blow in the Yom Kippur War, Israeli military forces suffered severe casualties. Within a few days, however, the Jews were on the offensive and the tide of battle was turning in Israel’s favor.

The fierce battle of the Golan Heights ended with the Jews conquering all strategic positions there and threatening Damascus. On the Egyptian front, Israeli soldiers crossed the Suez Canal and headed for Cairo. They were in a position to cut off the Egyptian Third Army that had ventured into the Sinai; had that been done, the Israeli air force would have been able to destroy the Egyptian force without fear of the missiles positioned along the canal. With the two major Arab nations in deep trouble, Russia again demanded peace.

Eager to avoid a major confrontation, the other great powers also brought pressure upon the Jews and Arabs to cease fighting. Once again tiny Israel had successfully defended herself.

Although the Arabs lost the 1973 war to Israel, they did make certain gains. Their fighting was greatly improved and their soldiers more disciplined. At the end of the war the Arabs were far more united than in the past. This new Arab unity brought about the use of a new weapon, perhaps the most deadly that has yet been used against Israel. That weapon is oil.

We will continue on this in our next newsletter.

CHANGED LIVES-one at a time

Hello Rexella,

No matter what is going on in the world around us your broadcasts and messages are always uplifting.

Your example and reminders to live in faith with love in the Lord is just what the doctor (God) ordered.

God bless, Shalom, Shalom.

Krist P.

Dear Dr. Rexella,

I first heard Dr. Jack at the IMA Auditorium in Flint, MI in 1972. He was amazing with your scripture memory and Rexella’s God-talented voice. Nearly 20 years ago you spoke at BBC, Springfield, Mo., where I was a student. My new wife of 10 years, and myself, watched your program recently.

I told her how you preached the same “stuff” 40 years ago and still preach the same “stuff” now!!

Thanks for the servants of God that you have been, are and will be. If we never meet this side of heaven….one day wearing white robes…we will. Someday I plan to get your Prophecy Bible. Seems very interesting.

Brothers & Sisters in Christ,

Terry & Shirley D.

HIGHLIGHTED MINISTRY OFFERS

Hearing the Truth – or is it a Lie? / War on Truth combo

In the latter days, the Bible says, people will exchange the truth for a lie (Romans 1:25) – which is happening today as news outlets and social media promote shocking deceptions about biblical truth, morality, marriage, gender, justice, and more!

This video from Dr Rexella Van Impe and co-host Dr Frank Wright will help you set the record straight with any believer who have been deceived – as well as with non-believers who need to hear honest answers to today’s questions

Pandemics, Plagues, and Natural Disasters – What is God Saying to Us?

Where is GOD when we suffer?

Faced with mass suffering, we may wonder whether God actually cares about us or whether He just says that He does.

Pandemics, Plagues, and Natural Disasters What Is God Saying to Us? helps explain the role of God in suffering. Pastor Erwin Lutzer examines how God uses tragedies throughout the Bible to speak directly to His people. Learn how God always has our well-being in mind — even when He doesn’t relieve the immediate pains of this world. And perhaps most importantly, pastor Lutzer will help you find lasting joy and relief by showing how times of such widespread trouble ultimately reveal God’s everlasting plans for our salvation from all temporary and eternal suffering.