Living Life: No Reserve, No Retreat, No Regrets
The election date in the USA is approaching fast and voters are weighing many policies and past decisions of the candidates as they make their decision on who they will vote for. One of the debates that has been in the forefront of American politics since 1973 and is at issue in the current election centers on the right to life for the unborn. The Roe vs. Wade decision stripped away the rights of the unborn and gave rights to pregnant women to abort a child for any reason. The real issue is not human rights of the unborn or the woman but who is the Author of life and what rights He has over the life he created. Our origin determines who has ownership and rights over our lives. If life is only the product of human reproduction and the value of a human being is determined by mankind then abortion can be legitimized by the consensus of the people who make our laws and interpret our laws. If life is a gift from God then its value changes because of its ownership.
As Christians we believe that life is a gift from God. Psalms 139 beautifully expresses that each person is uniquely created by God to serve his purposes.
13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marvelous—and how well I know it.
15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.16 You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.
He is the Creator of all of life and we will only understand our value and purpose when we embrace Him as our Creator and seek Him. As Creator God has rights over his creation and it is He who gives life, gives meaning to life and controls what happens in life. Clarifying who God is, his character and nature as well as man’s purpose and destiny have always been questions asked of people throughout the ages. There are millions of people today who have not met and understood who God is. They have made god in their own image and likeness or have resigned themselves to view him as unknowable.
In Acts 17 we read of Paul’s ministry in Athens a city that was filled with idols and false beliefs.
16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply troubled by all the idols he saw everywhere in the city. 17 He went to the synagogue to debate with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and he spoke daily in the public square to all who happened to be there.
18 He also had a debate with some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. When he told them about Jesus and his resurrection, they said, “This babbler has picked up some strange ideas.” Others said, “He’s pushing some foreign religion.”
19 Then they took him to the Council of Philosophers. “Come and tell us more about this new religion,” they said. 20 “You are saying some rather startling things, and we want to know what it’s all about.” 21 (It should be explained that all the Athenians as well as the foreigners in Athens seemed to spend all their time discussing the latest ideas.)
22 So Paul, standing before the Council,addressed them as follows: “Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious, 23 for as I was walking along I saw your many altars. And one of them had this inscription on it—‘To an Unknown God.’ You have been worshiping him without knowing who he is, and now I wish to tell you about him.
24 “He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples, 25 and human hands can’t serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need there is. 26 From one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand which should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries.
27 “His purpose in all of this was that the nations should seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us. 28 For in him we live and move and exist. As one of your own poets says, ‘We are his offspring.’ 29 And since this is true, we shouldn’t think of God as an idol designed by craftsmen from gold or silver or stone. 30 God overlooked people’s former ignorance about these things, but now he commands everyone everywhere to turn away from idols and turn to him. 31 For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead.”
32 When they heard Paul speak of the resurrection of a person who had been dead, some laughed, but others said, “We want to hear more about this later.” 33 That ended Paul’s discussion with them, 34 but some joined him and became believers. Among them were Dionysius, a member of the Council, a woman named Damaris, and others.
Paul was disturbed in his spirit at what he was witnessing. He was grieved by the statues and idols that were in abundance in the city. His heart was stirred by the lostness of the people who were literally groping in the darkness of false beliefs. He was irritated and motivated to do something. He could not sit idly by and allow the false beliefs to continue when he knew the truth. Paul knew God, knew his character and nature, knew that He was the Creator of life and that apart from knowing God, life will never be experienced as God designed it. His desire to proclaim the gospel message and the truth about God compelled him to go daily to the synagogue and to the market place to speak to the people. The Epicurean and Stoic philosophers of the day listened to Paul but rejected what he had to say about the resurrection and stated he was a “dreamer” or “he is pushing some foreign religion.” In spite of their rejection he was invited to Mars Hill to address those who gathered there to discuss philosophies of the day. Paul accepted the invitation and saw it as an opportunity to tell the people about a god they worshipped but did not know the true God. Paul in his address to the people in Athens confronted them about the monument they had erected to “The Unknown God.” He immediately establishes God as Creator and Lord of heaven and earth who is beyond the limited confines of the human mind. He cannot be limited to a monument, and idol or a manmade temple. He is so much greater than what the human mind can conceive. God is the author of life, he gives life and breath to everything and satisfies every need there is. Life is a gift from God. This is the foundational stone in our belief system. We are not products of evolution, time plus chance plus matter. We have a Creator who has given us life. He has given us life so that we can know Him as He truly is. Our essence our purpose our reason for living is based solely in Him. Paul went on to state, “In him we live and move and have our being.” Our life is centered on our connection to God. When man disconnects from his Creator, or embraces false ideas about his Creator, chaos occurs. We witness daily what happens when people do not understand who their Creator is, his character and nature; who they are and why He created them. We have been mentioning the past couple of weeks the chaos that is happening in parts of India. The radical Hindus are killing Christians who formerly were Hindus. Many of the new converts are leaving the lowest caste system level, the untouchables, who are viewed as less than human and this is disturbing the Hindus. The new believers have discovered that life is a gift from God who has created them in his image and likeness and has given them great worth and purpose in life. They are breaking out of the false beliefs that have held them captive and slaves of the society. They are discovering what life is all about and they do not want to return to their former false beliefs. When mankind realizes who their Creator is there is great liberation and joy! The radical Hindus as well as the radical Muslims who seek to destroy life have never experienced the joy God desires for them. Their perception of God is warped into believing that by killing the messengers they can stop the message from spreading. Truth will always prevail and the gates of hell will never be able to stop the message of the gospel from spreading.
Life is a gift from God and it must be lived with and for God. Once we realize who God is and that He has given us life then our response must be that we live our life for him. He is the Creator and has rights as our Creator over our lives. We were created for His pleasure not our own. This does not mean that God has some perverted ideas about how he can use us to accomplish what he wants to do. We are not pawns that he moves about in the game of life. As Creator God has designed us for a purpose, His purposes which are only good. God has no evil plans for our lives but in him we can experience life filled with joy, peace and righteousness. This requires complete submission on our part to Him but that can only happen when we come to the realization that we are not in charge of our lives and that God has good plans for us. As we live our lives for Him, he transforms our minds and invites us to be co laborers with him (2 Cor. 6:1). He calls us “friends” not slaves to His purposes. He invites us to be a part of His work on earth to redeem mankind. He trusts us to carry out his plan to preach the good news to every creature in every nation. He honors the desires that we have to fulfill his desires. He delights to give us the desires of our heart (Psalms 37:4). Some of you have desires to do certain things in your life that arise from your love for God and desire to see His Kingdom established in the earth and souls brought into the knowledge of Christ to experience salvation that comes only through him. Bill Johnson in his book, “The Supernatural Power of a Transformed Mind” wrote the following: “We are co laborers, meaning that apart from Christ our work is not complete, and at the same time, amazingly, his work on earth is not complete without us. God looks to you and me as contributors to what he is doing, not just robots carrying out His ideas. He actually is interested in your desires and dreams and has opened up His plan on this planet to your influence.”
King David (1 Kings 8:15-17) had a desire to build a temple to honor God and though he was not the one who built it God allowed him to make all the designs for it. Can you imagine what it was like for David to be able to draw up the plans for something as important as this to the spiritual life of the people? David was a worshipper and he wanted to design a temple that would be a place of worship and inspiration. David was engaged, participating, putting his ideas and desires into motion. God was not upset that David was drafting these plans. He was not saying, “There goes David again, doing his own thing!” I believe God was pleased and that he was giving David inspiration as he put down the plans. When you are working as friends on the same mission, it is a wonderful thing to be able to share ideas and make plans together. Do you see God this way or do you see yourself as a robot only doing what you are told to do?
What are your dreams for God? What plans are in your heart of things you would love to devote your life toward? Follow these dreams and desires that you have for the advance of God’s kingdom. As a father I want to see my child’s desires fulfilled as I know it brings satisfaction, joy and a sense of accomplishment of a worthwhile purpose. If our desires are always dashed or rejected it is easy for us to become complacent and lose motivation for attempting anything. William Carey the father of modern day missions made a statement that has always impacted my life. He said, “Attempt great things for God, expect great things from God.” You can sit around waiting for a special directive, handwriting on the wall etc. and be paralyzed from attempting to do anything for God. Or you can act on the desires that you have, the dreams in your heart and move forward trusting God to partner with you to accomplish them.
A.A. Allen was a preacher who God used in marvelous ways to bring salvation and healing to thousands of people. He had no interest in a healing ministry but was encouraged by his church to visit a healing crusade of Oral Roberts. After seeing what God was doing through Roberts his mindset changed about the healing ministry. He returned to his church with a new attitude which was expressed in his words,
“If Oral Roberts can do it so can I.” Was this desire to start hosting tent meetings to preach the gospel and pray for the sick something that was just his idea and not at all what God wanted him to do? Where did this desire come from and was it just a selfish thing he wanted to do to gain public attention and notoriety?” I believe he was inspired by what he saw happening in the crusades of Roberts and he saw his previous ideas as limitations of what God could do through a human vessel. God blessed his ministry and obviously partnered with him. Unfortunately A.A. Allen’s life ended when he was only 59 years old and his reputation has been tarnished with accusations that he was an alcoholic who secretly drank to relieve pain he had in his knees.
Our life has to be lived for God and with God as friends co laboring and co partnering with him to accomplish his desire to make himself known, to declare his glory among the nations and bring the message of salvation to the ends of the earth.
The final point about our lives is that our times are in his hands. God is in control of what he allows to happen in our lives. He orders our steps in a way that brings delight to us and to him. Psalms 37:23 states “The steps of the godly are directed by the LORD. He delights in every detail of their lives.”
He gives us freedom of will to operate within his sovereign will. We jeopardize our lives and ministry when we walk in disobedience to what we know to be God’s will. We cannot operate with disregard for God’s word and expect nothing evil to happen. God in his mercy often protects us from experiencing the consequences of poor, foolish decisions but there are also times when we make choices that he lets us experience the gravity of our actions. Call it the school of hard knocks or school for hard heads but it is allowed by God to be a teaching moment that will hopefully bring a change in attitude.
I think we all struggle with understanding why things we perceive as bad or evil happen to people who are innocent or are trying to accomplish God’s will, doing great things for him. We are in a battle against an enemy who seeks to destroy the work of God in the earth. We must constantly wage warfare against him and at the same time look to God and trust in his unfailing love, mercy, justice and sovereignty to make sense of what we are not able to understand. We can allow adversity to embitter us toward people and toward God or we can allow it to propel us into the heart of God, to seek him and live each moment of our life for him, trusting Him to be in control. We see things from a human perspective which is limited but God sees all things with eternity in mind and he understands how all these things we don’t understand work toward accomplishing his plan.
The life story of William Borden is one that I would like to close with tonight. It is a story of great inspiration yet tragedy that is hard to understand with our limited human understanding. William was born into a family that had great success in the milk industry. Borden products are still sold today and William was heir to receives millions of dollars. He graduated from high school in 1904 and his parents gave him a trip around the world as a graduation present. Some of you will receive the same gift when you graduate from language school! The trip around the world had a huge impact on his life, one I am sure he did not expect when he left. During this trip he saw the needs of humanity and the lostness man without God. It stirred his heart, much like Paul’s heart was stirred when he was in Athens. William returned from this trip with a new vision and focus for his life. He decided to become a missionary and attend Yale which at that time was a training school for pastors among other things. His friends thought he was crazy. Why would he give up the family business and the financial rewards that came with it to become a missionary? William wrote two words in his Bible, “No reserves.” When we reserve something we hold back. He was not going to look at what he left behind but was going to look to God to direct his life. He refused to reserve the right to with hold anything from God. During his first year of college he began a Bible study with one other student and by the end of the year a 150 students joined him. When he finished his final year of college 1000 of the 1300 students were praying with him and studying the Bible. Clearly God’s hand was on his life and he was influencing many students. After graduation he was offered jobs with several companies that promised a great future with many financial rewards. William turned them all down and wrote two more words in his Bible, “No retreat”. Nothing was going to keep him from his pursuit of God’s call on his life; there was no looking back or returning to a previous life. He enrolled in Princeton Seminary to further prepare for the missionary call. At the conclusion of his seminary training he purposed to go to China to reach a group of Muslims. Before arriving in China he went to Egypt to study Arabic and during the first month contracted spinal meningitis. Sometime after he knew he had the fatal condition he wrote two more words in his Bible, “No regrets.” Four weeks after his arrival he died, never having made it to the mission field in China. Some would look at his life and say what a waste, yet his life has inspired many to pursue the desire of their heart and leave their lives in the hands of God. We do not know our future but we know the God who does and has all things under control. William Borden’s friends perhaps thought they knew better and the proof of his short lived life was only confirmation to them that they were right. Yet they did not see the full picture that only God can see. In our humanness we hang on to life and try to do everything we can to preserve it. We make heroic efforts to save someone who is dying because we value life. The Apostle Paul made a decision to go to Jerusalem to reach out to the Jewish people. When he announced his plan, he was met with great opposition and even prophetic words regarding what was going to happen to him. Paul’s final address to the elders from the church of Ephesus whom he invited to meet with him in Miletus on his way to Jerusalem reflects this same attitude of “No reserve, no retreat, no regrets.”
Acts 20:18-24
18When they arrived he told them, “You men know that from the day I set foot in Turkey until now 19I have done the Lord’s work humbly—yes, and with tears—and have faced grave danger from the plots of the Jews against my life. 20Yet I never shrank from telling you the truth, either publicly or in your homes. 21I have had one message for Jews and Gentiles alike—the necessity of turning from sin to God through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
22“And now I am going to Jerusalem, drawn there irresistibly by the Holy Spirit not knowing what awaits me, 23except that the Holy Spirit has told me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead. 24But life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about God’s mighty kindness and love.
My life is worth nothing unless I use it to fulfill God’s purposes of preaching the gospel. No reserves, no retreat, no regrets, is that your life statement? Are these the words that others will remember you by?
Our life is a gift from God and it must be lived for God. This life we enjoy is in the hands of God and we must entrust it completely to him and be willing to do whatever it takes to see his will and purposes accomplished in the earth during this short time we have. The Holy Spirit will lead us as we entrust our lives to the Lord. There will always be people who will not understand but our allegiance must be first and foremost to our Creator who has given us life, gives us purpose and has our life in his hands.
Tonight I want to close by singing a hymn that I hope some of you know. It captures why we do what we do as believers, what motivates us and what will continue to motivate us in our service to the Lord. The hymn is entitled,
“More Love to Thee.” By Elizabeth Prentiss
1. More love to Thee O Christ, more love to thee
Hear thou the prayer I make on bended knee;
This is my earnest plea; more love, O Christ to Thee
More love to Thee, more love to Thee
2. Once earthly joy I craved, sought peace and rest;
Now Thee alone I seek, give what is best;
This all my prayer shall be; more love O Christ to Thee.
More love to Thee, more love to Thee
3. Then shall my latest breath, whisper Thy praise
This be the parting cry my heart shall raise;
This still its prayer shall be, more love O Christ to Thee
More love to Thee, more love to Thee
It is our love for Christ and what he has done for us but even more what he deserves that motivates us to live our lives for Him and with Him. I pray tonight that his love for each one of us will be real and that our love for him will increase each day as we serve Him. It is our love for Him that will cause us to live with no reserve, not retreats and no regrets. The Lamb is worthy!
The audio file of this message can be downloaded by clicking on the following link:
http://www.supload.com/sound_confirm.php?get=600696001.wma
Showing posts with label YWAM Antigua. Show all posts
Showing posts with label YWAM Antigua. Show all posts
Friday, October 17, 2008
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Money: Temptation or Tool?
Money: The second knockout punch
Last week we looked at the problem we are facing in the area of sex and pornography and how it can destroy the life of a believer. It is probably the strongest punch the enemy uses to knock us out of the ring as we fight the fight of faith. Tonight I want to look at the second punch he uses and that is money.
During the past week the USA experienced one of its most critical financial crises since the Great Depression. The very foundations of our financial system have been shaken and the government had to intervene to prevent another depression from occurring.
NBC news reported that 10,000 families have lost the mortgage on their home every day.
Part of the cause of the fall of three large companies came as a result of giving out loans that people were not qualified to receive and eventually were unable to pay. Once the company’s finances were scrutinized several things came to light. One issue many have questioned is the practice of paying executives of these companies enormous wages and bonuses that leave them multimillionaires when the company goes bankrupt. Nicholas Kristof wrote about an executive with Lehman Brothers in an editorial in the NY Times on September 18,
Last year, Mr. Fuld earned about $45 million, according to the calculations of Equilar, an executive pay research company. That amounts to roughly $17,000 an hour to obliterate a firm.
Mr. Fuld when he was an executive with Tyco billed the company $6000 for a shower curtain!
1 Timothy 6:10
10 For the love of money is at the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.[1]
The Bible states that the love of many is a root of all kinds of evil. We see the destructiveness that comes when people become greedy to gain money at all costs or make it one of the highest priorities of their life. A survey of college freshmen revealed that 75% of those surveyed felt that making a lot of money was a high priority. Having a large amount of money is appealing to them because it represents the ability to do whatever they want to do. It represents security and power along with prestige. It seems that a spirit of greed is sweeping over many people lives and is driving behavior that leads to great problems. A person who is motivated by greed is blind to the needs of others as they are focused primarily on themselves, making their life comfortable. Greed is like an incurable cancer that does not stop growing. It continues to grow until it totally consumes and destroys the person. Greedy people do not know when to say they have enough. Enough to them is always just a little bit more.
Solomon was one of the richest men of his day and he understood very clearly what happens to people who seek after wealth and become greedy. In Ecclesiastes 5:10-17
Ecclesiastes 5:10-17
10 Those who love money will never have enough. How absurd to think that wealth brings true happiness! 11 The more you have, the more people come to help you spend it. So what is the advantage of wealth—except perhaps to watch it run through your fingers!
12 People who work hard sleep well, whether they eat little or much. But the rich are always worrying and seldom get a good night’s sleep.
13 There is another serious problem I have seen in the world. Riches are sometimes hoarded to the harm of the saver, 14 or they are put into risky investments that turn sour, and everything is lost. In the end, there is nothing left to pass on to one’s children. 15 People who live only for wealth come to the end of their lives as naked and empty-handed as on the day they were born.
16 And this, too, is a very serious problem. As people come into this world, so they depart. All their hard work is for nothing. They have been working for the wind, and everything will be swept away. 17 Throughout their lives, they live under a cloud—frustrated, discouraged, and angry.[2]
The writer of this book points out several important things about greed.
First greedy people never have enough. John Rockefeller one of the richest men ever was asked how much money was enough and he said a little bit more. When he made his first million he was asked how much more he need and he replied another million. It almost becomes a game to them to see how much they can accumulate and it drives them to seek for more each day. We live in a day of excess and the media does everything they can through their advertizing to convince us we need more stuff.
The second thing about greedy people is that once you have money others will be attracted to you to get it out of you. People who win the lottery are prime examples of how bothersome wealth can be. Everyone becomes your friend and everyone wants a piece of the pie. You attract people who are really parasites who want to live off of the wealth you have obtained. It is difficult to have genuine relationships with people because you are always wondering what they are after.
The third thing about greedy people is they find it hard to not be anxious about their money. It becomes the consuming thought of their lives is how to get more and how to manage and protect what they have. Wealth can be taken away very quickly and those who have placed their confidence in their wealth will always have anxiety and worry about losing it. Many do not experience a good night of sleep and do not have true peace in their lives.
The fourth thing about greedy people is they have a false sense of security. Wealth can be lost quickly in a bad investment or stolen by a con artist. In the end they have nothing but their birthday suit. Placing one’s trust in the temporary riches of the world is a false security. During the recent rise in oil prices many speculators were driven by greed as they saw no end to the rise in the price of oil. Those who bought oil at $150 a barrel have lost their investment as the prices have plummeted. Our faith must be in God who is our security. He will never leave us or abandon us. He promised to take care of all who seek first his Kingdom and his righteousness.
The final aspect of greedy people is that they are not joyful. True joy comes from being in right relationship with God and other people. When one’s focus is on materialism, people become objects or obstacles to one’s desire to obtain more. Everything is centered on money and it becomes the controlling factor of their emotional health. The recent hurricane that swept through Texas gives evidence to what really matters in life. Those who placed their happiness in their possessions were greatly saddened when it was all stripped away while those who valued life and relationships saw beyond the set back and expressed gratitude for the families and friends that surrounded them.
The opposite value of greed is contentment. A person who is content is not dependent upon their financial situation to determine if they are happy. Contentment is learning to appreciate all that you have and being able to be fully satisfied with what you have.
Hebrews 13:5,6
5 Stay away from the love of money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never forsake you.”
6 That is why we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, so I will not be afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?”[3]
It is not wrong to desire to have certain things, we all have dreams that keep us motivated to improve and be successful. The problem lies with whether or not we can truly enjoy and be content with what we have now. We have to be able to say, “yes it would be nice to have that but I am happy with what I have right now and if the Lord wants me to have something else I will wait until I have the money to purchase it and will ask the Lord at that time if it is something I really need.” We all have to examine our motivations regarding why we want certain things. If we want something based on greed we have wrong motivations. I heard it said that “we buy things we don’t need with money we don’t have to impress people we don’t like.” Being ruled by greed will do this to you. It is a never ending battle in which you are guaranteed to be the loser.
We can be confident that God will never fail us in regard to our needs. We can place all of our trust in his promises to never leave us in a desperate situation. Our confidence is that God will show up to help. He is our ever present help in time of need.
Another money issue or attitude that also leads to trouble is mismanagement of finances. All of us are subject to temptation in areas of greed and mismanagement and the enemy has used them both to destroy many Christian’s witness and ministry. Currently in the USA there is an on-going investigation of several ministries that are being accused of misusing money given to them. They are being asked to give account for the money they have received and how they have spent it. Some do not feel it is the legal right of the government to meddle with their finances with the exception of the IRS that has the right to reject non-profit status if there are violations. Regardless of the legality of these inquiries the real issue for the believer has to do with stewardship of the resources God has given us. Someone described stewardship as “Everything that happens to a person after they give their lives to Christ.” Stewardship involves every aspect of our life not just our finances. The concept is that God is the one who gives us everything we have and it is still under his control after we receive it. We are not free to use what he has blessed us with in whatever way we choose. The ministries that are being questioned have used donations to purchase homes, cars, jets, vacations etc. that to many people seem quite extravagant and an unjustified use of the money. Are these ministries being wise stewards of God’s resources or have they mismanaged the money given by others who in good faith gave money to be used to further the gospel? It is not just ministries that need to be open to examination of their finances but individual believers must come under the same scrutiny. Each of us must hold ourselves accountable first to God but also to each other. We must first go to God and ask him how we are to use the resources he has given us. We need to ask him first if what we plan to do with the money is what he wants us to do. I think we fail to ask because we are afraid he will say no. We have a warped attitude about God and forget that he is the giver of all good gifts. If we feel a check in our spirit or know that we are violating scriptural principles then we need to stop pursuing whatever we are doing. We also have to be willing to submit our decisions to the scrutiny of other believers. If we are uncomfortable allowing others to question our financial decisions or see our financial records then one has to question if there is some impropriety involved. We need to be transparent and open to the counsel of other believers who have our best interest in mind. This becomes very critical in the marriage relationship as disagreement regarding finances is one of the leading factors of stress and divorce in marriages. I know of husbands who buy things behind their wives backs because they are afraid that they will be denied if they should ask. They hope that forgiveness will prevail. This is a recipe for failure, mistrust and revenge that is rationalized as justifiable. It is often expressed in these terms, “You bought this so I am buying this.” This does not promote harmony in the home but rather competition. One of the best courses you can ever take is one on money management from a Christian perspective. I have seen many young people with desires to go to the mission field thwarted because they have not learned to manage their money and have accumulated great debt which will take time to pay back. Keep track of how you spend your money and you be in control of where it goes rather than at the end of the month when you come up short wonder where it went. Many financial advisors give a simple plan of 80-10-10. Use 80% of your money to meet your needs; give 10% to God as your tithe and save the other10%. Learn how to be a wise steward of the resources God has given you. If you will prove to be faithful in little God will be able to entrust you with more.
Another temptation we often face is stinginess. We hoard things for ourselves and do not freely give when legitimate needs are presented. Sometimes we may give a token offering to satisfy our conscience but we miss out on the blessing because we have not given generously with a cheerful heart. The Bible says if we see a brother in need and are able to meet the need but fail to do so we lack the love of God. Love by its nature always wants to give.
1 John 3:17
17 But if anyone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need and refuses to help—how can God’s love be in that person?[4]
God told Abram that he would be blessed to be a blessing to the nations (Gen. 12:1-3) When we are blessed by the Lord we are to use those blessing to help other people and not spend it all on ourselves. When we are aware of needs and we have the resources available, we need to respond with generosity and cheerfulness knowing that we are blessing the person who is receiving. Generosity is the mark of a believer who has placed his trust in God to be his provider. When we give we know that God has promised to give back,
Luke 6:38
38 If you give, you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use in giving—large or small—it will be used to measure what is given back to you.”[5]“
Our motive in giving is not to get back but to be a blessing to other people. God will reward our obedience in a variety of ways but the true joy in giving is knowing we are helping another person.
I listened to the life story of John Lake and was impressed with a couple of things. One was his obedience to God and the other was the obedience of people who gave to help him fulfill the mission God called him to. Dr. Lake was called by the Lord to go to South Africa. He had no contacts in South Africa and had no money to take his family of seven there. Yet he knew that God had clearly spoken to in a vision for him to go and he knew that God would be his provider.
Lake invited a friend and his family to go with him and they had no money either. They prayed about the money and the Lord spoke to Lake’s friend and said they had the money to go. Within a few days they received $2000 in the mail and they had all the money they needed to buy their train and ship fare to get to S. Africa.
On the train ride to get to the port, they met a lady who needed to buy a ticket to get on another train. They took the lady to buy her ticket even though they had no money. While in line a man came up and gave him $10 in obedience to the Lord and this was just what the lady needed to buy her ticket.
While on the boat they had very little money to spend and had only $.25 when they arrived in England. They had to wait a couple of days to transfer to a different boat that would take them to S. Africa and they needed to do their laundry but they did not have enough money to do it. They decided to send their clothing in to be washed and trusted the Lord to provide for the payment. After a couple of days they needed to pick up their laundry but they still had no money to pay for the service. Lake went on a walk and prayed about the need and while walking a man came up to him and gave him enough money to pay for his laundry and have a little extra.
When they got to S. Africa, the immigration office told him he needed $125 to be able to enter the country. Lake got in line to see the immigration officer even though he had no money. A man who was behind him in line asked if he could talk with him in private so they stepped out of line. The man gave him $200 out of obedience to God speaking to him.
Lake still had no contacts once they passed through immigration. They saw a lady from America standing outside of immigration. His friend Tom was in front of him and the lady walked up to him and asked him how many were in his family, he replied 4 and she said you are not the one I am supposed to meet. She proceeded to talk to Dr. Lake and asked the same question. He replied 9 and she said you are the one. God spoke to her the night before that she was to go to immigration where she would meet a missionary family of 9 from America and give them a home to stay in while in S. Africa.
Talk about a faith builder not only for Lake and the other family but also for the people who God strategically put in their pathway who responded in obedience to meet needs that some did not even know existed. They gave willingly and generously to a person they did not even know. John Lake went on to have a tremendous ministry in S. Africa but without the help of the people who gave in obedience to the Lord it may not have happened or may have been delayed.
We need to be led of the Lord with our finances. When God speaks to us to give we need to respond because he has a definite purpose in asking us to give. We can cooperate with him and be a blessing to others or we can hang on to what we have, give sparingly and cautiously according to our own plan. When you feel the prompting of the Spirit to give, don’t delay because you may miss out on an opportunity to bless someone in ways that are beyond your understanding. God wants us to be a channel of blessing he can freely flow through not a safe vault that is only accessible to you.
Money can be a root of all kinds of evil if it is used to meet selfish and greedy desires or it can be a tremendous blessing if it is used according to God’s purposes and principles.
I believe we are entering a time when our finances will be shaken. Nations as well as individuals will undergo a great shaking but God will show himself faithful to those who have surrendered their lives to him and are living according to his purposes.
Hebrews 12:26,27
26 When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: “Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also.” 27 This means that the things on earth will be shaken, so that only eternal things will be left.[6]
The Bible says that in the last days everything will be shaken that can be shaken and I believe this includes our finances. Only those who have their foundation in the truth of God’s word will be able to stand.
The enemy has used money to distract many people from seeking after God and unfortunately many believers have lost perspective on how they should view money. They are spending more time seeking after wealth than they are seeking after God. They are working extra jobs so they can buy things that will need to be replaced or repaired and are neglecting the most important aspect of their lives, their relationship with God and the family they are a part of. Treasure the time you have with your family and especially your children who all too quickly grow up and move on with their lives. If you have not built a solid relationship with them because you have neglected them it is very unlikely that they will want to have much of a relationship with you after they leave home. The bad choices you make regarding the pursuit of wealth above relationships have consequences that you may live to regret for a long time.
We can have an attitude of greediness, recklessness or stinginess regarding the financial resources God gives us or we can have an attitude of contentment, wise stewardship, and generosity. One attitude will bring calamity and the other will bring great blessings. Purpose in your heart tonight that you will use the resources God has blessed you with to advance the Kingdom of God and be a blessing to others.
An audio version of this message is available at the following link:
http://www.supload.com/sound_confirm.php?get=137066558.wma
[1]Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.
[2]Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.
[3]Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.
[4]Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.
[5]Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.
[6]Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.
Last week we looked at the problem we are facing in the area of sex and pornography and how it can destroy the life of a believer. It is probably the strongest punch the enemy uses to knock us out of the ring as we fight the fight of faith. Tonight I want to look at the second punch he uses and that is money.
During the past week the USA experienced one of its most critical financial crises since the Great Depression. The very foundations of our financial system have been shaken and the government had to intervene to prevent another depression from occurring.
NBC news reported that 10,000 families have lost the mortgage on their home every day.
Part of the cause of the fall of three large companies came as a result of giving out loans that people were not qualified to receive and eventually were unable to pay. Once the company’s finances were scrutinized several things came to light. One issue many have questioned is the practice of paying executives of these companies enormous wages and bonuses that leave them multimillionaires when the company goes bankrupt. Nicholas Kristof wrote about an executive with Lehman Brothers in an editorial in the NY Times on September 18,
Last year, Mr. Fuld earned about $45 million, according to the calculations of Equilar, an executive pay research company. That amounts to roughly $17,000 an hour to obliterate a firm.
Mr. Fuld when he was an executive with Tyco billed the company $6000 for a shower curtain!
1 Timothy 6:10
10 For the love of money is at the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.[1]
The Bible states that the love of many is a root of all kinds of evil. We see the destructiveness that comes when people become greedy to gain money at all costs or make it one of the highest priorities of their life. A survey of college freshmen revealed that 75% of those surveyed felt that making a lot of money was a high priority. Having a large amount of money is appealing to them because it represents the ability to do whatever they want to do. It represents security and power along with prestige. It seems that a spirit of greed is sweeping over many people lives and is driving behavior that leads to great problems. A person who is motivated by greed is blind to the needs of others as they are focused primarily on themselves, making their life comfortable. Greed is like an incurable cancer that does not stop growing. It continues to grow until it totally consumes and destroys the person. Greedy people do not know when to say they have enough. Enough to them is always just a little bit more.
Solomon was one of the richest men of his day and he understood very clearly what happens to people who seek after wealth and become greedy. In Ecclesiastes 5:10-17
Ecclesiastes 5:10-17
10 Those who love money will never have enough. How absurd to think that wealth brings true happiness! 11 The more you have, the more people come to help you spend it. So what is the advantage of wealth—except perhaps to watch it run through your fingers!
12 People who work hard sleep well, whether they eat little or much. But the rich are always worrying and seldom get a good night’s sleep.
13 There is another serious problem I have seen in the world. Riches are sometimes hoarded to the harm of the saver, 14 or they are put into risky investments that turn sour, and everything is lost. In the end, there is nothing left to pass on to one’s children. 15 People who live only for wealth come to the end of their lives as naked and empty-handed as on the day they were born.
16 And this, too, is a very serious problem. As people come into this world, so they depart. All their hard work is for nothing. They have been working for the wind, and everything will be swept away. 17 Throughout their lives, they live under a cloud—frustrated, discouraged, and angry.[2]
The writer of this book points out several important things about greed.
First greedy people never have enough. John Rockefeller one of the richest men ever was asked how much money was enough and he said a little bit more. When he made his first million he was asked how much more he need and he replied another million. It almost becomes a game to them to see how much they can accumulate and it drives them to seek for more each day. We live in a day of excess and the media does everything they can through their advertizing to convince us we need more stuff.
The second thing about greedy people is that once you have money others will be attracted to you to get it out of you. People who win the lottery are prime examples of how bothersome wealth can be. Everyone becomes your friend and everyone wants a piece of the pie. You attract people who are really parasites who want to live off of the wealth you have obtained. It is difficult to have genuine relationships with people because you are always wondering what they are after.
The third thing about greedy people is they find it hard to not be anxious about their money. It becomes the consuming thought of their lives is how to get more and how to manage and protect what they have. Wealth can be taken away very quickly and those who have placed their confidence in their wealth will always have anxiety and worry about losing it. Many do not experience a good night of sleep and do not have true peace in their lives.
The fourth thing about greedy people is they have a false sense of security. Wealth can be lost quickly in a bad investment or stolen by a con artist. In the end they have nothing but their birthday suit. Placing one’s trust in the temporary riches of the world is a false security. During the recent rise in oil prices many speculators were driven by greed as they saw no end to the rise in the price of oil. Those who bought oil at $150 a barrel have lost their investment as the prices have plummeted. Our faith must be in God who is our security. He will never leave us or abandon us. He promised to take care of all who seek first his Kingdom and his righteousness.
The final aspect of greedy people is that they are not joyful. True joy comes from being in right relationship with God and other people. When one’s focus is on materialism, people become objects or obstacles to one’s desire to obtain more. Everything is centered on money and it becomes the controlling factor of their emotional health. The recent hurricane that swept through Texas gives evidence to what really matters in life. Those who placed their happiness in their possessions were greatly saddened when it was all stripped away while those who valued life and relationships saw beyond the set back and expressed gratitude for the families and friends that surrounded them.
The opposite value of greed is contentment. A person who is content is not dependent upon their financial situation to determine if they are happy. Contentment is learning to appreciate all that you have and being able to be fully satisfied with what you have.
Hebrews 13:5,6
5 Stay away from the love of money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never forsake you.”
6 That is why we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, so I will not be afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?”[3]
It is not wrong to desire to have certain things, we all have dreams that keep us motivated to improve and be successful. The problem lies with whether or not we can truly enjoy and be content with what we have now. We have to be able to say, “yes it would be nice to have that but I am happy with what I have right now and if the Lord wants me to have something else I will wait until I have the money to purchase it and will ask the Lord at that time if it is something I really need.” We all have to examine our motivations regarding why we want certain things. If we want something based on greed we have wrong motivations. I heard it said that “we buy things we don’t need with money we don’t have to impress people we don’t like.” Being ruled by greed will do this to you. It is a never ending battle in which you are guaranteed to be the loser.
We can be confident that God will never fail us in regard to our needs. We can place all of our trust in his promises to never leave us in a desperate situation. Our confidence is that God will show up to help. He is our ever present help in time of need.
Another money issue or attitude that also leads to trouble is mismanagement of finances. All of us are subject to temptation in areas of greed and mismanagement and the enemy has used them both to destroy many Christian’s witness and ministry. Currently in the USA there is an on-going investigation of several ministries that are being accused of misusing money given to them. They are being asked to give account for the money they have received and how they have spent it. Some do not feel it is the legal right of the government to meddle with their finances with the exception of the IRS that has the right to reject non-profit status if there are violations. Regardless of the legality of these inquiries the real issue for the believer has to do with stewardship of the resources God has given us. Someone described stewardship as “Everything that happens to a person after they give their lives to Christ.” Stewardship involves every aspect of our life not just our finances. The concept is that God is the one who gives us everything we have and it is still under his control after we receive it. We are not free to use what he has blessed us with in whatever way we choose. The ministries that are being questioned have used donations to purchase homes, cars, jets, vacations etc. that to many people seem quite extravagant and an unjustified use of the money. Are these ministries being wise stewards of God’s resources or have they mismanaged the money given by others who in good faith gave money to be used to further the gospel? It is not just ministries that need to be open to examination of their finances but individual believers must come under the same scrutiny. Each of us must hold ourselves accountable first to God but also to each other. We must first go to God and ask him how we are to use the resources he has given us. We need to ask him first if what we plan to do with the money is what he wants us to do. I think we fail to ask because we are afraid he will say no. We have a warped attitude about God and forget that he is the giver of all good gifts. If we feel a check in our spirit or know that we are violating scriptural principles then we need to stop pursuing whatever we are doing. We also have to be willing to submit our decisions to the scrutiny of other believers. If we are uncomfortable allowing others to question our financial decisions or see our financial records then one has to question if there is some impropriety involved. We need to be transparent and open to the counsel of other believers who have our best interest in mind. This becomes very critical in the marriage relationship as disagreement regarding finances is one of the leading factors of stress and divorce in marriages. I know of husbands who buy things behind their wives backs because they are afraid that they will be denied if they should ask. They hope that forgiveness will prevail. This is a recipe for failure, mistrust and revenge that is rationalized as justifiable. It is often expressed in these terms, “You bought this so I am buying this.” This does not promote harmony in the home but rather competition. One of the best courses you can ever take is one on money management from a Christian perspective. I have seen many young people with desires to go to the mission field thwarted because they have not learned to manage their money and have accumulated great debt which will take time to pay back. Keep track of how you spend your money and you be in control of where it goes rather than at the end of the month when you come up short wonder where it went. Many financial advisors give a simple plan of 80-10-10. Use 80% of your money to meet your needs; give 10% to God as your tithe and save the other10%. Learn how to be a wise steward of the resources God has given you. If you will prove to be faithful in little God will be able to entrust you with more.
Another temptation we often face is stinginess. We hoard things for ourselves and do not freely give when legitimate needs are presented. Sometimes we may give a token offering to satisfy our conscience but we miss out on the blessing because we have not given generously with a cheerful heart. The Bible says if we see a brother in need and are able to meet the need but fail to do so we lack the love of God. Love by its nature always wants to give.
1 John 3:17
17 But if anyone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need and refuses to help—how can God’s love be in that person?[4]
God told Abram that he would be blessed to be a blessing to the nations (Gen. 12:1-3) When we are blessed by the Lord we are to use those blessing to help other people and not spend it all on ourselves. When we are aware of needs and we have the resources available, we need to respond with generosity and cheerfulness knowing that we are blessing the person who is receiving. Generosity is the mark of a believer who has placed his trust in God to be his provider. When we give we know that God has promised to give back,
Luke 6:38
38 If you give, you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use in giving—large or small—it will be used to measure what is given back to you.”[5]“
Our motive in giving is not to get back but to be a blessing to other people. God will reward our obedience in a variety of ways but the true joy in giving is knowing we are helping another person.
I listened to the life story of John Lake and was impressed with a couple of things. One was his obedience to God and the other was the obedience of people who gave to help him fulfill the mission God called him to. Dr. Lake was called by the Lord to go to South Africa. He had no contacts in South Africa and had no money to take his family of seven there. Yet he knew that God had clearly spoken to in a vision for him to go and he knew that God would be his provider.
Lake invited a friend and his family to go with him and they had no money either. They prayed about the money and the Lord spoke to Lake’s friend and said they had the money to go. Within a few days they received $2000 in the mail and they had all the money they needed to buy their train and ship fare to get to S. Africa.
On the train ride to get to the port, they met a lady who needed to buy a ticket to get on another train. They took the lady to buy her ticket even though they had no money. While in line a man came up and gave him $10 in obedience to the Lord and this was just what the lady needed to buy her ticket.
While on the boat they had very little money to spend and had only $.25 when they arrived in England. They had to wait a couple of days to transfer to a different boat that would take them to S. Africa and they needed to do their laundry but they did not have enough money to do it. They decided to send their clothing in to be washed and trusted the Lord to provide for the payment. After a couple of days they needed to pick up their laundry but they still had no money to pay for the service. Lake went on a walk and prayed about the need and while walking a man came up to him and gave him enough money to pay for his laundry and have a little extra.
When they got to S. Africa, the immigration office told him he needed $125 to be able to enter the country. Lake got in line to see the immigration officer even though he had no money. A man who was behind him in line asked if he could talk with him in private so they stepped out of line. The man gave him $200 out of obedience to God speaking to him.
Lake still had no contacts once they passed through immigration. They saw a lady from America standing outside of immigration. His friend Tom was in front of him and the lady walked up to him and asked him how many were in his family, he replied 4 and she said you are not the one I am supposed to meet. She proceeded to talk to Dr. Lake and asked the same question. He replied 9 and she said you are the one. God spoke to her the night before that she was to go to immigration where she would meet a missionary family of 9 from America and give them a home to stay in while in S. Africa.
Talk about a faith builder not only for Lake and the other family but also for the people who God strategically put in their pathway who responded in obedience to meet needs that some did not even know existed. They gave willingly and generously to a person they did not even know. John Lake went on to have a tremendous ministry in S. Africa but without the help of the people who gave in obedience to the Lord it may not have happened or may have been delayed.
We need to be led of the Lord with our finances. When God speaks to us to give we need to respond because he has a definite purpose in asking us to give. We can cooperate with him and be a blessing to others or we can hang on to what we have, give sparingly and cautiously according to our own plan. When you feel the prompting of the Spirit to give, don’t delay because you may miss out on an opportunity to bless someone in ways that are beyond your understanding. God wants us to be a channel of blessing he can freely flow through not a safe vault that is only accessible to you.
Money can be a root of all kinds of evil if it is used to meet selfish and greedy desires or it can be a tremendous blessing if it is used according to God’s purposes and principles.
I believe we are entering a time when our finances will be shaken. Nations as well as individuals will undergo a great shaking but God will show himself faithful to those who have surrendered their lives to him and are living according to his purposes.
Hebrews 12:26,27
26 When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: “Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also.” 27 This means that the things on earth will be shaken, so that only eternal things will be left.[6]
The Bible says that in the last days everything will be shaken that can be shaken and I believe this includes our finances. Only those who have their foundation in the truth of God’s word will be able to stand.
The enemy has used money to distract many people from seeking after God and unfortunately many believers have lost perspective on how they should view money. They are spending more time seeking after wealth than they are seeking after God. They are working extra jobs so they can buy things that will need to be replaced or repaired and are neglecting the most important aspect of their lives, their relationship with God and the family they are a part of. Treasure the time you have with your family and especially your children who all too quickly grow up and move on with their lives. If you have not built a solid relationship with them because you have neglected them it is very unlikely that they will want to have much of a relationship with you after they leave home. The bad choices you make regarding the pursuit of wealth above relationships have consequences that you may live to regret for a long time.
We can have an attitude of greediness, recklessness or stinginess regarding the financial resources God gives us or we can have an attitude of contentment, wise stewardship, and generosity. One attitude will bring calamity and the other will bring great blessings. Purpose in your heart tonight that you will use the resources God has blessed you with to advance the Kingdom of God and be a blessing to others.
An audio version of this message is available at the following link:
http://www.supload.com/sound_confirm.php?get=137066558.wma
[1]Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.
[2]Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.
[3]Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.
[4]Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.
[5]Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.
[6]Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Coming Events
YWAM Antigua will be hosting several special events in October and November.
Saturday, October 25 we will be conducting an Evangelism Seminar at Higher Grounds Coffee House from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Friday, October 31 at 7 p.m. we will be hosting "Come to your funeral"
Thursday, November 27 at 4 p.m. we will be serving an American Thanksgiving meal with all the typical foods.
All events are open to the public.
Saturday, October 25 we will be conducting an Evangelism Seminar at Higher Grounds Coffee House from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Friday, October 31 at 7 p.m. we will be hosting "Come to your funeral"
Thursday, November 27 at 4 p.m. we will be serving an American Thanksgiving meal with all the typical foods.
All events are open to the public.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Please Pray!
Please pray for Paul Bathurst from England who is residing in Antigua and has suffered a broken hip after falling off his bicycle on Tuesday. He is currently in a local hospital that is not able to perform the surgery he needs. Paul is not a young man and his situation is very difficult. He does not have insurance to pay for the operation nor does he have the finances necessary. If he can return to England he can receive the care he needs but getting him there in his present condition would be a challenge. Please pray for healing for Paul. He is a wonderful brother in the Lord and has a huge heart for the children of Guatemala. He has no family in England that I am aware of who could help him at this time so several of us are doing what we can to get him the help he needs. Your prayers for him are needed.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Apostle of Faith
Last night at our Sunday evening Bible study which was attended by 14 people, we watched a video about the life and ministry of Smith Wigglesworth who was known a the Apostle of Faith. The video is part of a series of videos called, "God's Generals" by Roberts Liardon. Wigglesworth was an unusual man whom God used powerfully to touch several nations. Some of his methods where pretty much out of the box but he had results that no one could deny. His life is an inspiration and a demonstration of what God can do through someone who dedicates themselves to the call God has placed on their life. Wigglesworth was a man of prayer, a man who constantly read the Bible and lived by it and a man who was filled with faith to believe God for the miraculous. I encourage you to read his life story or watch this video. You will be moved and challenged!
Sunday, September 7, 2008
The Road Less Traveled...September 2008
The summer rush has ended with our final group visiting 2 weeks ago. It has been a blessing for us to be able to work with so many groups during the past few months and facilitate ministry and housing for them. We will have a break with the groups until November which will allow us to focus our attention on several areas. The DTS we had scheduled and were making plans to conduct had to be cancelled due to insufficient number of students. We had lots of interested students but only a few were able to make the decision to come in September. The students who had registered were able to enroll in another DTS. We now have time available to focus on some other areas. There is plenty of ministry opportunities to be involved in and we will be busy with Kid's ministry at the base, offering seminars at the coffee house, construction projects, ministry in the schools, ESL classes, expanding our hours of operation at the coffee house just to name a few things. There is never a shortage of things to do to advance the Kingdom of God. I will be organizing a week of construction in San Pablo La Laguna for the last week of January 2009. One of the projects I would like to assist is Pastor Efrain's health clinic. There is still work to do to finish it and I would like to see it completed so it can be used in the community. There are also a couple of families that are in need of homes and I would like to help them as well. If you are interested in coming as an individual to help or bring a group of people to help with the project please let me know and I will get in touch with you to provide details. For those of you in the cold northland, January is a beautiful time of year in Guatemala. It will be warm, sunny and no rain (or snow) in the forecast! You will also have an opportunity to be a tremendous blessing to the people you will serve and it will be a great time of fellowship among all who will be participating. We have had some changes at the coffee house and have a new staff member,Dayna and her daughter Sierra, from the YWAM Chico base joining us for the next 3 months. We will be expanding our menu at the shop to try to bring in more people and revenue to help us during the next couple of months that have traditionally been very slow months because of the decrease in tourism. We will be opening a prayer room in our meeting area in the coffee house. We have construced some moveable walls and will be decorating the area to make it a place where anyone can stop by for a time of reflection and prayer. There are several people interested in establishing a prayer room that will be open 24/7 and we would like to be a part of it as the Lord leads and provides the facility and staff to make it a reality.It has been almost a year since I applied for temporary residency in Guatemala and I am still waiting for the process to be completed. The wheels of government turn very slowly and with the change in administration it seems to move even more slowly. After I receive residency status we will be making application with the government to be recognized as an organization in Guatemala. There are many benefits to obtaining this status and I would appreciate your prayers that the process for both things will be completed soon. I have created a blog and will be updating it on a regular basis with news of the ministry in Guatemala. The blog will also be linked to our website: www.ywamantigua.orgIt will contain photos, stories, messages, links to audio and other items of interest. If you want to access it click on the link below.
http://guatemalaministry.blogspot.com/
Thank you for your prayers and support of the work in Guatemala. This past month has been very challenging for me personally with times of great encouragement as well as times of being very discouraged. Through it all God is faithful and he renews our strength and helps us view things from His perspective and motivates us to press on to finish the race. It is comforting to know that I do not run alone but have a group of faithful supporters who partner with me in the work of the ministry. For Him,Bruce
Correspondence Address:Bruce Ahlberg
6ta Avenida Norte #33
Antigua, Guatemala
Contribution address:
YWAM Chico17850 Richardson Springs Road
Chico, CA 95973
(Please attach a note to designate your donation)
http://guatemalaministry.blogspot.com/
Thank you for your prayers and support of the work in Guatemala. This past month has been very challenging for me personally with times of great encouragement as well as times of being very discouraged. Through it all God is faithful and he renews our strength and helps us view things from His perspective and motivates us to press on to finish the race. It is comforting to know that I do not run alone but have a group of faithful supporters who partner with me in the work of the ministry. For Him,Bruce
Correspondence Address:Bruce Ahlberg
6ta Avenida Norte #33
Antigua, Guatemala
Contribution address:
YWAM Chico17850 Richardson Springs Road
Chico, CA 95973
(Please attach a note to designate your donation)
Friday, August 29, 2008
Thursday Night Worship Service at HGCH
Last night we hosted the International Justice Mission at our weekly Thursday night worship service. Pablo Villeda and his wife along with an intern, Erika came from Guatemala City to give us an update on the ministry. IJM is now in 14 countries throughout the world and is looking for people to join with them to defend the rights of those who have no voice. Their ministry in Guatemala focuses mainly on child prostitution and abuse. This is a major problem in Guatemala and there is a great need for people to become involved and become an advocate for those who are suffering abuse. God's heart is that justice be brought forth and that those who are being oppressed and abused be given their freedom and dignity. Please pray for their ministry and the life saving work they are doing not only in Guatemala but throughout the world.
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