I would like to share with you a report from Kiev from Charles Chandler, Assistant Editor for Decision Magazine for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.

Hi Everyone,

          I thought I'd give a quick update before going to bed. We arrived in Kiev late afternoon here and literally "hit the ground running."

Hosting conferences is one of our primary callings as a ministry. To date we have hosted about fifty. However, I have never felt the kind of anticipation that I had for Harvest Fest 2003, which was held last week. I was not disappointed. It surpassed all of my expectations. I have no doubt that it was the most significant meeting of any kind that we have ever hosted.

         We are continuing to address what it means to be a “disciple of the kingdom of heaven,” and we have begun to discuss the high calling. We have been doing this from the remarkable discourse of the Apostle Paul in Philippians Three. There are a number of profound insights in this text that highlight what the life of a disciple of the kingdom of heaven looks like.

September, 1995 

To briefly review the purpose of this study, we are addressing how to discern the times from the perspective of answering three ultimate questions:

1)  What is happening?

2)  What is not happening?

3)  What can we do about it?

The theme this year is the army of God “mobilizing.” There is an anointing for mobilizing that we need to understand—the anointing to draw people together for a cause. This can be from the Lord or from the devil. For example, Hitler had an extraordinary anointing from the devil to mobilize people. The people who followed him included some of the most brilliant, who repeatedly commented to others how they did not understand his command over them, but when they were in his presence all doubts faded and they just submitted to him.

The biblical day began with evening and then morning. Likewise, throughout Scripture it usually became darker before the light would be given. Therefore, when troubles come we should always look expectantly for the light.

Last week we discussed briefly the attitude toward authority that the Lord will bless. To a large degree, King David and his extraordinary and unique ability to touch the heart of God was the product of King Saul. It was mostly Saul's persecution and unrighteous treatment of David that helped fashion him into one of such remarkable character and grace.

This week we continue our study of the works of the flesh with “enmities.” The Greek word that is translated here is thumos, which is sometimes translated “fierceness indignation, wrath, hostility, or hatred.” In my search of the Scriptures I have only found two things that are legal for us to hate—sin and unrighteousness. To hate anything or anyone else actually opens the door for evil to prevail, not righteousness.

Last week we discussed how the ultimate slide of humanity into the abyss of darkness will begin with the betrayal of doctors with their most basic trust to save and preserve life. Instead, they will start to freely take lives. As this trend has been growing in the last few decades, we are not far from again seeing man rise to the ultimate arrogance—determining to play God by choosing who should live and die by their own discretion.