Proverbs 14:12-16 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, But the end thereof are the ways of death. Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; And the end of that mirth is heaviness. The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: And a good man shall be satisfied from himself.
Many times we know exactly what God wants us to do, and when to do it. We receive it in His Word, through our gut (listen to it), and through third party confirmation. When you hear from the Lord, it may seem hard at first, but it will be a lot easier in the long run if you just do it. Give yourself a 1/5second to mull it over and pray. Please don’t take it to your church board to pray about it for six months. Kids are quicker to listen and obey, that’s why Jesus wants us to be as children. Hard to become like a child, easy once you do.
1 Samuel 3:4 “That the LORD called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I.”
For me personally, God NEVER has shown me to do anything BIG that makes sense. Never ever! Sure, day to day stuff always. God’s leading is logical, but big stuff? Never!
Common sense people will give you their unsolicited common sense advice, and if you listen to them (like I have) you WILL shipwreck. Not even your pastor knows what God wants you to do 100%. That was the cause of my most disastrous shipwreck ever in my life. I am not talking about day to day, go to work, get a degree, don’t rush into marriage kind of common sense. I am talking about a direct message from God ie.’talk to that stranger’,’don’t get on that plane’, ‘don’t buy that jug of milk’ ‘don’t eat that pork chop from the back of the fridge’ or ‘pack up everything and drive your family to Nicaragua like the Beverly Hillbillies’. Although it’s hard, probably doesn’t make sense, and you might be wrong, it’s a lot easier in the long run if you blindly obey God, even if it seems to be an error at first. If you have a burden in your heart, and you are born again, it’s probably the Lord trying to say something. Just obey. 1/5second rule. He’ll never tell you to go contrary to His Word. It’s hard to step out in faith, but the rewards make it easy.
Isaiah 6:8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
It’s hard to obey God. It’s hard to take your thoughts captive. It’s hard to forgive someone who hurt you. Ladies, your husband likes to punch? Guard your heart with your feet. Stay away from him. Love him. Pray for him. But never go back home. Common sense in this case works, because God will never ‘call you’ back into the arms of a psychopathic bully. But He may send you to a country where the enemy and government hates you
Matthew 5:43 You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. ‘ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.
Biblical Christianity is 180 degrees out of phase with worldly thinking, as well as the thinking of your average church goer. I can say that because I am a church goer. IE, I usually love church planned events as long as they are in keeping with the character of the church the rest of the year. Most don’t, but some do. Church planned events remind me often of a crazy uncle who invites everyone over, but changes once the party is over. You go to a regular church service the following week and it was NOTHING like the planned event. I call it ‘false advertising’. It can sometimes tend to be organized religion’s attempt to cover up the fact that when there isn’t an event, their members, even their pastors, just aren’t that nice, or have ‘nervous conditions’. If they were nice and loving and comitted to one another, there wouldn’t be a need for an organized event. If every one who confesses Jesus actually lived Luke 6:27-28 there would be no need for events. It’s hard to act like a Christian, much easier to actually be one.
Luke 6:27-28 “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.
Fact is, the primitive church didn’t have events, buildings or paid pastors. That didn’t happen until 300 AD. The main spurt of growth of believers was 0-200 AD. Now it’s in China, Irán and North Korea and those guys have no buildings. No paid pastors and no events, and the Christians there put us to shame. In fact, if you mention faith in an American church today, you become suspect. They don’t even know what the Ten Commandments are unless they read it somewhere. It’s hard to remember 10, but easy to remember 2
Mark 12:30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’There is no commandment greater than these.”
I love short term missions as well. If they come to help local pastors they’re wonderful. Some are. Some aren’t. (I have had both). Local perception is that ‘short term missions’ are a bunch of people with a lot of money globetrotting. Just bouncing around from place to place. Judging and criticizing the missionaries and people that actually live there day in and day out. Glibly telling the natives that they will pray for them after they leave. and never do. It’s easy to stay a few days until things get uncomfortable and then just leave. It’s easy go to another new and interesting place the next time, in the name of Jesus. supposedly. But it’s hard to leave a mark for Jesus wherever you go. Unless there’s a pattern, or a plan, I call it irresponsible to just go and talk at people for a few days, and leave them hanging. I do have friends who seems to bounce around a lot, but they always give names and phone numbers of the new believers to local pastors. A pattern and a plan. It’s hard, but why do it if you don’t have fruit? The hard way is the easy way. Plan!
Isaiah 55:2 Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare.
How do you show the way out to those who are stuck in the garbage dump or 3rd world country? They think, oh, easy for you to say. You’ll just fly the states in a week and forget we ever existed. Which usually is true. The only way to show them the way out is to stay there and not leave them. That’s why gringo churches or rich churches don’t do ministries full time in the garbage dump. They don’t really believe that faith and the Word of God can get these children out of the nightmares that they live in. A Bible platitude doesn’t help a child being forced to do bad things cause he or she’s hungry. Sticking it out with them is hard. Poverty pics are easy during an event.
Jeremiah 8:11 “Peace, peace! when there is no peace”
An week long event doesn’t cut it. It has to be a lifestyle change. My grandpa and also friend Bobby Fitzgerald always said ‘the easy way is the hard way, and the hard way is the easy way. That’ll preach!
It’s not always easy sticking it out, but it pleases the Lord, and gives credibility to what you’re teaching your flock. I already brought my grave site in Managua. Amazing how cheap those things are when you’re the one buying it for yourself, haha. Dirt cheap. No pun intended
Above is our new soccer team jersey (the Winners) named in honor of my uncle, the late Jim Winner who’s donations (along with those of two of his kids) are largely responsible for where we are today. I love giving credit where it was due. Coincidentally, the kids came up with the name Winner and had no idea where it came from. We do though . I wrote an article a few weeks ago called the Winners. Read it! Here is an update on our ministries
English class. Growing
Discipleship. Growing
Fútbol. Growing
Ministry Gowing
People getting saved, healed, employed. Growing
Faith. Growing
Grace. Growing
Home Church/Bible study. Growing
PureHeartChildren’sFund. Growing
Feeding centers. Growing
Vision. Growing
Praise Report
1-WE HAVE HAD LOTS OF BABIES RECENTLY (FUTURE ENANO MATERIAL).
2. I AM DOING GREAT. GOD IS GOOD, ON THE THRONE.
Pureheart Update – WE ARE STILL SHOOTING FOR AN ORPHANAGE/OLDFOLKS HOME NOW. APPRECIATE THE NEED OF AN OLDFOLKS HOME EVEN NOW MORE THAN EVER AFTER HAVONG TO GO THROUGH ALL THE MOTIONS I DID LAST WEEK.
PRAYER REQUESTS
1. PRAYING TO USED OF GOD WHEREVER I END UP, TO WIN SOULS ALONG THE WAY, AND TO FINISH WELL, AND IN A WAY THAT GLORIFIES GOD.
2. FOR HEALING LOVED ONES WITH EVERYTHING FROM CANCER TO MENTAL ILLNESS.
3. FOR MY WITNESS WHEREVER I AM, HOME VISITATIONS TO PRODUCE RESULTS
4. FOR OUR 2 FEEDING CENTERS AND THE TWO OTHER FEEDING CENTERS THAT WE HELP. FOR OUR SISTER FEEDING CENTER IN ISLAMBAD PAKISTAN.
A TALL ORDER, BUT NOTHING IS TOO BIG FOR GOD, NOT EVEN DIFFICULT.
Please continue what you are doing to keep us going.. WHATEVER YOU’RE DOING, IT’S WORKING!!. pray, donate, and spread the word!
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