newsletter
Servant Ministries, Inc.
Issue No. 99 Ira & Judy Milligan Aug 1, 2006

Holy Spirit Conference in Joshua, Texas
September 21-23, 2006 

Joshua is located right below Fort Worth, Texas. The conference will be held at Second Chance Fellowship, 613 North Broadway (Hwy 174), Joshua, Texas. Note, you must state that you are with Servant Ministries to receive the discounts listed below. The tax rate is 13% ­ 15%. Recommended motels are (I will be staying in this first motel): Howard Johnson 1-817-447-2000, $59 - $69 + tax. Super 8 Motel, 1-817-447-0011, $72.99 + tax. Comfort Suites, 1-817-426-6666, $80.99 + tax. Comfort Inn, 1-817-641-4702, $89 + tax. Reservations should be made by September first.
Better call now because motel space is limited and everything is on a first-come-first-serve basis. As always, there's no charge for the conference. We'll be receiving the usual love offerings at the meetings to finance the work. If you love fellowship and can come early, Judy and I will be there the day before. If possible, we'd love to visit with you.

New Book Coming Soon
Hidden Mysteries of the Bible

I've written a 52 lesson Foundational Bible Study Course, Available by the middle of October. It is designed to be used in small group settings. Each lesson is short and concise, but highly informative. 

The Prophet's Perspective 
War in Heaven 

America's present war against terrorism in Iraq and Israel's war with Hezbollah in Lebanon brings to mind something John wrote in Revelations 12:7-10: "And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan... he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down".
Although many Christians place this war at the very beginning of creation (assuming that Satan's fall occurred before the fall of Adam), John's instructions plead for a totally different interpretation, both in timing and meaning.

John was told to, "Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this" (Rev. 1:19), not write about something that happened three thousand years before he was born. If John was obedient, and we know that he was, then the passage we've quoted above, concerning war in Heaven and Satan's fall, cannot refer to the beginning. It has to be telling us about something that takes place after John's prophetic revelation concerning it.

There is one thing for certain, the devil is still accusing the brethren! So, that one fact alone shows us this war is either still ahead, or possibly, even going on now ­ and I think it is!

The Church is presently praying for exactly what John said would happen once the war was won ­ "salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ [to] come". Also, Christianity is being assailed like never before; many different nations' governments are passing antagonistic legislation forbidding Christians to practice their beliefs any way except privately, yet they are authorizing their opponents to flaunt their beliefs and practices openly. We're being confronted on all sides with things like gay rights, same sex marriage, the occult, eastern religions, Muslim extremists, the list is virtually endless. Every indication suggests that this war is going on in the Heavens now, and is far from over!

What is it going to take to win? In one word, sacrifice! Effective sacrifices include fasting, taking time to pray, giving financially to support God's troops who are fighting in the front line trenches, such as His missionaries and traveling evangelists. In fact, all those who are taking the battle to the enemy in any way need our prayers and financial support. Together, we will win.

"Helping Hands"

Thanks for supporting us these last few weeks while we took care of the home front. It's not been without reward. I've written a foundational Bible Course while I was home. I'm thinking about going ahead and writing an advanced follow-up course while I'm at it. 

Prayer Partners' Update

Well, my Summer time rest didn't last very long. The Lord apparently had other ideas. He's had me writing a systematic theology, which I've written in the form of a Bible study course. It's finished, so please help me pray for the finances to cover the publishing cost (about $2,000.00).

Also, I covet your prayers concerning the upcoming conference in Texas. Please pray that God will meet with us there in a mighty way. There are so many needs in the Body of Christ and it breaks my heart to see people go home without them being met. We need miracles, and a lot of them, including Judy's healing in her joints. And thanks, friends!

Just Thinking

Next year will be the fortieth anniversary of the liberation of Jerusalem. In one of His end-time prophecies, Jesus foretold of the destruction of Jerusalem and the following dispersion of the Jews: "And [the inhabitants of Jerusalem] 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" (Luke 21:24).

Jerusalem was delivered from Gentile dominion on June 10th, 1947, a momentous date on God's eternal calendar! For on that date, the, "times of the Gentiles [were] fulfilled". Although the times of the Gentiles and the fullness of the Gentiles aren't the same thing (see Rom. 11:25), the one follows the other in close succession. Our time is short. In fact, it ran out thirty-nine years ago, but God is gracious.

After Jesus prophesied over Jerusalem, "Behold, your house is left unto you desolate" (Matt. 23:38), He gave them forty years to repent and change before He allowed the Romans to crush their city. They were without excuse. When Jonah prophesied to Nineveh he only gave them forty days to repent. They did, and God relented of the evil that He purposed to visit upon them. He would have done the same thing for the Jews, only He gave them forty years!.

It remains to be seen if the same thing holds true for the Gentiles, but everything seems to be shaping up for Israel's restoration. That means ours has to be close at hand, too! "For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?" (Rom. 11:15). He's coming soon!