Peter Spencer, director and producer of Return to the Hiding Place has just won the Feature Film award and the People's Choice Award at the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival.

He will speak Saturday February 23rd at the WGS Banquet about the making of his film and on "The Power of Storytelling" to take the Gospel to the nations.

Storytelling is what we do at WGS, specifically through the radio program Stories of the Master - a retelling of the life of Jesus Christ bringing in historical and cultural details which we moderns often miss, but details which make the stories come alive.

We have now created 50 stories with more coming every month. We are beginning our outreach into Albania and the doors to other countries are opening as well.

Please join us Saturday Night February 23rd at the Olympia Hills Conference Center for an inspiring and vision creating evening on taking the stories of Jesus around the world. Click here to register.

When we think of Paul preaching, we think of Greece or Asia Minor and his ministry in synagogues. We rarely think of Albania. Paul mentions it in Romans 15:19 where he preached from Jerusalem to Illyricum (Albania). It's amazing to think that he traveled this far, mostly on foot, to proclaim God's Word.

Since Paul's time, Albania has seen Muslim and Communist conquerors. It was especially devastated by communism in the 20th century. Much needs to be done to build the infrastructure and the heart of the people.

We have been invited to bring Stories of the Master into Albania with Radio Emmanuel. Radio Emmanuel reaches about 15% of the 2.8 million people of Albania. This station has also been distributing thousands of radios preset to this station so that people can hear the good news.

Hearing the stories of Jesus - his power over evil spirits, his healing power, and especially his love for sinners will have a great impact upon this land. Learn more about reaching Albania at our 2013 WGS Banquet on February 23. You can sign up now on the web.

A little over a month ago, the government of Pakistan declared a holiday, a day for Muslims to show their love and honor for the prophet Mohammed. Many were surprised that rioting broke out. Seventeen people were killed. But this should not be a surprise. In a culture that highly values honor and abhors shameful acts, it is the right thing to stand up for the honor of a family member, a clan member, or one’s spiritual leader. And, in such a culture, acts of violence are sometimes necessary to exact revenge and to restore the honor or one’s family, clan, or religion.

This would also be an honorable act for a Muslim because he would be following in the footsteps of the prophet who took up the sword and went to war for the honor of Allah. Mohammed did, after all, command that men who left Islam should be killed. And he even ordered that those who wrote poems criticizing him be killed. When he was on his deathbed, because one of his wives poisoned him, Mohammed said, “May Allah curse the Jews and Christians, for they built the places of worship at the graves of their Prophets.”

But I would like to suggest that Muslims have a day to honor and love the prophet Isa (Jesus). And in order to honor him, you must follow in his footsteps. What did Isa do? Well, according to the Bible and the Quran he acted in mercy towards others. We learn that he forgave sinners. He gave sight to the blind. He cured lepers. He released people from evil spirits.

The prophet Isa defined his mission in this way (Injil Luke 4:18-19)

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor.
He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives,
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set free those who are oppressed,
To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.”

But the greatest example was when he was on his deathbed. Well, it actually wasn’t a "death bed." It wasn't a bed of comfort at all. He was hanging on a Roman cross and he had nails in his hands and in his feet to hold him there. But here is what he said about those who crucified him, “Forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Injil Luke 23:34).

We have had a day to remember Mohammed’s example and many have followed it. Many have remembered his final words. Let’s have a day to remember the example of the prophet Isa and to remember his final words. And the best way to remember him is to follow his example of love.

If you want to learn more about this Jesus, I invite you to listen to Stories of the Master where you can learn about his life, his works, and his words.

To any Muslim friends who may come across these words, I want to encourage you to read the words of the Prophet Isa – the one we call Jesus.  You can read his words in the Holy Injil.

Jesus was often insulted and he told his disciples that they would be insulted too. He said in John 15:18-20,

“If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.”

So Jesus very plainly and clearly told his followers they should expect insults and persecutions just as he received it. But how were they to respond to the insults?  He told them two things:
First,

“Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:10-12)

Second, he said,

“But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either. Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back.  Treat others the same way you want them to treat you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.  If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.  If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount.  But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.  Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” (Luke 6:27-36)

My Muslim friends, you say that you believe Isa is a prophet? Then I encourage you to read his words and follow his teaching! 

Listen to the stories of Isa at www.StoriesoftheMaster.com.