Tuesday, March 31, 2015

NOT IN IT FOR THE MONEY



My Family at Pier's Wedding....Soon Allison will be joining us. 
NOT IN IT FOR THE MONEY!!!!


    A friend of mine who is also in the ministry recently wrote a really powerful newsletter to his Ministry Partners.  Here is how he started it:


"Beloved friends and partners in the Gospel-

Do NOT give money to this ministry.....!

Now that I have your attention, allow me to explain very directly.

Name of Mission Organization (I don't have permission to mention his organization) is not in the fund-raising business.

Though we thank others for their financial support, we make no requests for money, choosing instead to trust God to place it in the hearts of others to financially support this work as HE directs them to."
I was very moved by his honesty and openness in his ministry update.  He has been doing ministry for over 24 years and I know that God has supplied all his needs.  And I know for a fact that over the last few years him and the ministry have suffered due to loss of financial support but yet he has stayed firm.   But what a way to start your ministry update.....
    In the Psalms 50:9-10, God speaking to the people of Israel says this:  "I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens, for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills." 
    This passage alone stands as a testament to the truth that our God truly does own it all and everything is His.  And something that each of us must remember.
    Being in a faith based ministry sometimes really takes a whole lot faith and remembering this one verse.  Twice a month, at the middle and the end our trust in God is grown.  And in 10 plus years although sometimes it has been really tough, God has been faithful and demonstrates to us that the cattle on a thousand hills does belong to Him.  
     Over Christmas, Jeannine and I had dinner with a great friend and his wife.  During this conversation he asked me this question, "How are you doing?"  I met his question with we are great and he proceeded to ask the question until I asked him to clarify his question and he said financially. He has walked this road with us for many years and been my confident/prayer partner when the financial road is tough.  I answered this final question with God meets all of our needs although it is not perfect.  I guess that was not a good enough answer because we discussed it more.  Finally and begrudgingly I told him that over the last year our support has drastically decreased (about 35-40 percent to date).  I don't tell you this story to make you feel bad.  I tell you this story to demonstrate to you that even when we struggle that God owns it all and He is gracious with all of it and His love.
    Ten plus years of working with International Commission, three years more with the International Mission Board and God has constantly been faithful to us.  As my friend above who has been living faith based for over 24 years he has no need to request for money, he just prays that God will place it in your hearts.  That is our prayer also that God will place it your hearts t to be our Great Commission Partners and we will let Him direct you. 
    Luke 10:2 says:  He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."  The harvest truly is plentiful and I am honored to be counted as part of the few.  Is God calling you and directing you to become more involved in the harvest.  If God is directing you, D ON"T WAIT....please, please, please let me know and  I would love to share with you how God can use you by GOING, PRAYING, GIVING and being part of the GREAT COMMISSION.  If God is calling you to become more involved with us in our Call, we would love to have you join us.  Please let God touch you and direct you.

    Drinking Camel's Milk in the Arabian Peninsula

Thursday, March 26, 2015

WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITIES AND WONDERFUL REWARDS





WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITIES AND WONDERFUL REWARDS


    Does this not sound like the BEST catch phrase to make you want to read more and to find out how you can get such an opportunity.  This was exactly what I saw when I got the Call of our Lord to follow Him into the ministry.  In Mark 10, there was a fantastic conversation between Jesus and His disciples and it comes to completion in verses 28 through 31.

"Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!” Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”  Mark 10:28-31

I think that Peter so accurately expresses to Jesus how I feel sometimes when I am on this journey.  Amazing how this journey goes.  There are many struggles and worries (family, income, health, being away when things happen are just a few).  Then there are the wonderful events that happen and the rewards (seeing the lives changed by people who fall in love with Jesus, experiencing a great awakening in the dark world of the culture in the Middle East and North Africa,  hearing and speaking to the followers who are willing to sacrifice all are just a few of these wonders).  
    All of this leads me to conclusion that truly the catch phrase, "Wonderful Opportunities and Wonderful Rewards;" was an accurate description of this Calling in my life.  With all of this being said, let me share with you about my most recent trip to the region. 
     Overall the trip was a success.  I was able to get all the planning done for the upcoming project in September and solidify some great plans for being able to share in schools and the with the 4 churches in the area.  We also took a one day trip to a remote area of the country.  In this remote area, we prayed for the people and the country.
     Egypt was again a time of training, planning and relationship building.  Egypt has really gone through some drastic events over the last months and this has caused a lot of challenges.  One part of the trip that I was really looking forward to was being able to visit some of the families of the men beheaded for their beliefs.   However this had to be cancelled due to the security issues of going to the area.  I was disappointed but we all know who is in control so there must have been a reason.  With this being cancelled we traveled to some of the areas where we have completed projects and seen people make professions to the Lord. It was a great time of reliving the Work that was happening and has happened.  I also spent a great deal of time in training our local leader there and with meeting possible new connections for the future.
     My next trip back in the region is to Lebanon and a few other places.  Please pray that God is preparing a way there.  Then after trip, I have been invited to Pakistan to preach, meet with Pastors and churches and to share Jesus in July.  This trip will definitely need to be bathed in prayer.  So please join me in prayer.
      Please pray for us as we are going again to have to start looking at Great Commission Partnership and the need to  pray for God to lift up more partners.  If you want to become more involved or want to know more about Great Commission Partners, please let me know.  
      Luke 10:2 says, " He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."  We need you so that we can continue this "Wonderful Opportunity."


Wednesday, March 11, 2015

SORRY FOR THE DELAY!!!!!!

 
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PLEASE FORGIVE MY ABSENCE
 
    It has been a long time since my last entry into my own blog.  I have struggled in how to write and what to write about.  There is not enough apologies I could write to ask for your forgiveness.  It has been a very hard time for me to write.   The world in the region that God has called me to work as been turned upside down.  People are dying everyday for their faith in the Lord Jesus.  And as the world in this region has turned upside down so has our lives here in California.  In Libya, Egyptians are being killed for their faith.  In Iraq, Christian children are being killed right in front of their parents, so that there will be no future for Christianity in the area.  A the list goes on and on of what is happening in the region. 
    However with all of the persecution and a world turned upside down, God is at work. God is using all of the evil and turning it into His Glory.  The beginnings of a great revival is happening.  In the midst of all of this, people are turning back to God and many are searching for the truth.  Romans 8:28 says:  "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."  So be prepared for the future in this region.  God is working and people are coming to know the truth.
    In less than a week I will be traveling again back to the region.  I will be working on future projects that will happen.  Meeting with friends and then traveling into different areas to encourage and share the truth of Jesus Christ. 
    Please join me in praying for this region and for my trip to the region.  Please pray for safety and that God will get all the GLORY.