Through the months of June and July, God has enabled us to minister His Word in eight Churches, a home gathering and a seminary. We ministered in Michigan, California, Idaho and Washington. I was privileged to speak the Book of Revelation twice and to share the Scriptures twenty-four times.
We shared the Scriptures, and a unique good time, at a 'cowboy church' which I had heard about but never had been to, and at our annual Fourth of July presentation at Northwest Baptist Seminary. Praise God for the diversity of His Church. One of the stops, during our June travels, was to perform a wedding for a friend and God-daughter. What a joy! From this delightful time of celebration we went to preach at an Indian Reservation in Northern California. (Cowboy church to Indian church. Hmm) We have ministered among these dear brethren for many years and we are always blessed to be with them.
This time was no different, in the blessing department, but there was something different Spiritually, and that maybe only in me. I felt a new and heavy burden for the people of that community. I also sensed a freedom to preach and teach there for the edification of His people. There was a sense of 'solemnity' that was with me the whole time we were there. There was spirit of prayer that was almost palpable. A sense of change in the Spirit. A sense that things were now going to be different with God. We had to 'go down the road' as we always do, but we left with a heavy heart and truly pray that the Lord will use our time there to build upon the work already done and continued by their Godly Pastor. We are looking forward to seeing these brethren again as soon as possible.
We didn't get to go to India this year so we're just going to minister in Idaho. We have produced a presentation of the Gospel of John and the Book of Revelation at a local church that knows our ministry well and we 're looking forward to what God will do.
QUESTIONS have been coming to mind and I have been seeking answers.
What are we to do, as individuals or as congregations, when confronted with the overwhelming needs of the world or even the needs of our own neighborhood? More importantly, what can we believe God to do about these needs? What can we ask God for? How do we know He will hear us? Are there any conditions that we have to fulfill before He will answer?
God, and I can only believe its Him, has been constantly opening our eyes to need, needs beyond our ability meet, and giving us opportunities to meet the need. But every opportunity means we will have to trust God for the physical where-with-all to take full advantage of the opportunity. Generally this means we have found, or God has brought to us, someone in need and we have to rely on God for the money to meet this person's need. Or we have come to the realization of some great need in the world. It might also mean we need to expand facilities or buy pots and pans and eating utensils, just to meet the need at hand.
Can we believe that God will provide for the children He has put into our care? Other ministries are getting more money and feeding more children, why can't we just give our kids to them? Can I go to the Father and beseech Him for a bigger house in India or Monrovia or Giardo? Will He give it? Can I trust that He even hears me when I pray for these expensive things? And what about the greater needs? There are over a hundred and fifty million orphans in the world. What about them? How many of those children are being cared for? How many are hearing the Gospel and being taught the things of God? How many were sold today? How many orphan children died today from hunger or disease or abuse? Could we meet the needs of the twenty thousand orphans in the Port Au Prince metropolitan area of Haiti?
We have a little over a hundred children, what would we do with two hundred times as many? Why are we forced to turn any away? We turn children away every day...
I DON'T WANT TO TURN ANY AWAY! AND I DON"T BELIEVE GOD WANTS US TO TURN ANY AWAY!
Would you believe with me? The Scriptures say that when we pray believing He will answer us. The Scripture says that when we pray according to His will He hears us, and if He hears us the things we ask for are ours. Can you believe with me for the house, and the pots and the pans, and the beds & mattresses, and the people, and the food, and the clothes and the books and the love and everything else it takes to raise and educate and train and disciple a child to maturity? Only not just for one child but for thousands of children in Haiti, India, Peru, Ghana, Liberia, and wherever else God puts us? Is God big enough? Will He come to the aid of His children if we ask Him? And if we put ourselves out as part of the answer, will He not surely enable us to walk in the good deeds He has created for us to walk in?
