Sun, Apr 30th - 1:30AM

Saturday Night Gospel Mission

Occupy The Land

Wed, Apr 26th - 12:33AM

Acknowledgement of Offense

I just want to acknowledge publicly that my criticism of a certain member yesterday was not truly loving because it should have been sent to her privately, rather than posted publicly on her message.  By doing so I very likely caused her to be embarrassed and perhaps humiliated.  I have already asked her forgiveness, but I want all to know that realize I shouldn't have done that. Those of you who have read it know who she is.

Michael

Tue, Apr 25th - 11:18AM

Overcoming Through Perseverance

Got the Vict'ry, Brother, Sister?

For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)  (Rom 5:17)

There are wars and rumors of wars; men's hearts are failing for fear...

But Jesus said:

"Let not your heart be troubled..."  Jn. 14:1

We have distresses of every kind.

But God says we can glory in tribulations:

And not only [so], but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;  And patience, experience; and experience, hope:  And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. (Rom 5:3,4,5)

We get so weary on the journey.

Jesus said:

Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  (Mat 11:28)

People misunderstand us and sometimes persecute us.

But Jesus Said:

Blessed are ye, when [men] shall revile you, and persecute [you], and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.  Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great [is] your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. (Mat 5:11,12)

It seems like we'll never overcome our faults and besetting sins.

But God says:

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset [us], and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Heb 12:1,2)

I can't figure out my purpose in life.

God says:

How can I minister and be of help to people?

Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.  Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Mat 5:13-16)

Mon, Apr 24th - 1:00AM

Saturday Night Gospel Mission Report

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places]. (Eph 6:12)

     Advances for the kingdom of God do not come automatically with the desire, the intention and the implementation of Gospel endeavors.  Anyone who has or has ever been involved in a truly spiritual ministry can readily attest to this fact.  When it seemed that the Lord was urging me to take up this mission effort for our church at the Salvation Army Shelter here in Colorado Springs I knew that God would sustain me and all others who might come to participate in the work.  I also knew that the Devil would not relinquish his subjects without formidable opposition.  Finally, after four weeks into this expedition into enemy territory, he reared his ughly head and threw a strong punch into my solar plexis last night.  Praise God, the Lord sent his loving servants today to bandage my wound and give me superabundant encouragement to go back into the frey and fight until the last soul numbered there for the kingdom is rescued!

     I've been praying for assistance from other members of the church, particularly that one or more women (with their husbands or other men) would go with me to minister to the women who attend our meetings.  Well, for various reasons last night I was alone again in ministering, and one man and three women from the shelter attended.  I continued on in my series on the Sermon on the Mount and concluded the message for the evening.  One of the women, whom I had not seen before, Loretta, had the aura of a very godly woman.  She was somewhat older and told (in our subsequent discussion) a tale of hardship and heartache concerning her former husband and several of her sons.  One was locked up, another one or two on drugs or attempting to get free of them, as well as her own homelessness.  My heart went out to her, but I must confess a personal attraction, I myself not having a marital companion.  The women in the shelter are often distraught and, thus very vulnerable.  There I was in the predicament that I so wanted to avoid with the help of the brethren (and sisteren) of our church.  But I was alone there on the battlefield experiencing the pull of my human heart and flesh in a direction not pleasing to God.

     Well, I had made myself a rule not to offer to take any of the women of the shelter to church or anywhere else, but somehow I forgot it last night and offered to pick Loretta up for evening services today.  We talked by the door as I tried to leave and I could hardly get her to stop speaking.  Finally, I broke it off and hurriedly left, knowing my own loneliness and weakness as a man.  How troubled I was going home and all night as my spirit wrestled with the flesh in me!  Discouraged, I resolved to discontinue the ministry there at the shelter for fear of falling and bringing reproach upon the Lord and upon our church.  Even in worship this morning I envisioned myself as a soldier who had broken ranks in volunteering for this assignment, and gone beyond the orders of my commander.  Thus I had, in my mind, opened my flank to the assaults of the enemy in my hastiness to advance.

     What a lie this was from the bottom of the pit!  I told my plight to brother and sister Beecher, president and wife of our Bible College, who had gone with me on my first mission there, and they expressed deep regrets for not being able to attend last night.  I ate dinner (lunch) with them and some of the students after church and we talked a little more.  They offered to pick Loretta up for church, but she never called.   Tonight, however at evening service, brother Derald, our pastor, not knowing my experience last night, nor my state of mind, preached a powerful message on hearing from God and standing on all of His many promises, regardless of the obstacles we see before us.  His main text, one that shall always be emblazoned in my mind henceforth, was Isaiah 49:24 and 25.  In essence it says that God shall give His people the captives taken from a powerful enemy.  He will do it!  Immediately upon completion of this message I was up on my feet, full of faith and unction from the Lord, and testifying to the encouragement of that word and all that the Lord had been speaking to me today.  I knew without a doubt that I must go back to the shelter, no matter what the dangers, and I publicly refused to give up on what my God had commanded me to do down there.  I refused to allow the Devil to keep those sheep that are appointed for destruction and need salvation in that dungeon.The church was and is with me, as affirmed by several of the members. 

     Praise God!  My confidence is restored; my faith is rekindled and renewed; and I am set to go back into the battle for God's children in this coming week!  Will you all pray for me?  Please pray also for Loretta, a beautiful and godly, though somewhat confused woman, whom the Lord wants to restore to a life of consistent holiness and happiness in Him.

Thu, Apr 20th - 12:34AM

Mission Report From the Jungles of North America

     Please all forgive me for not posting sooner of the events of last Saturday evening at the Salvation Army Shelter here in Colorado Springs.  A note from dear sister Lee prompted this and I promise to be more faithful next week!

     Well, I arrived at the appointed hour, the announcement for the Gospel meeting was made and, lo, nobody showed at the kitchen where we meet.  A man was mopping, the door to the court yard open and people coming in and out, but not for the meeting.  I set up a few chairs and turned one of them around and knelt down by it and began praying.  I just couldn't accept that of all the people housed in that place, not a one was hearing the call of Jesus.  What a dark cavern that place is, indeed, demons flying out like screeching bats!  Mindless, unstable, incoherent men posted in front of the wide-screen TV, being nourished with violence and hatred, while on the other side, women and children, some battered, some stubborn chattering in little coveys.  Lord God, have mercy upon these slaves of a cruel master!

     After a while I went back to the front desk to request another announcement, and upon returning found John seated with his Bible opened and reading.  John had attended a couple of weeks prior, interestingly, a Bible school graduate. He had slipped into a form of sexual sin that brought him low, even to this place.  I had prepared a message in my series on the Sermon on the Mount, the third beatitude, "Blessed are the meek..."  But after reviewing some of my past lessons, John and I talked through some passages that dealt with the "root of bitterness" which he freely acknowledged as the malady that was responsible for his fall.  Dear soul, the Shepherd was not about to abandon him after all the work He had accomplished in showing John his problem. 

     Well, just as we were to wrap it up, a woman came in and interupted.  "Are you going to be here for a while?"  she queried.  "Yes, but not too much longer,"  I replied.  "There's someone you need to see, can I bring her to you?"  "Sure" I said, go ahead.  As John and I prayed the woman returned with two other women.  She sat one of them down in front of me and began to tell an interesting story about her.  Her name is Nancy.  Fairly young and pretty in features, though very sullen, she was.  Apparently some kind of mentally ill, perhaps demon-possessed woman had been stalking Nancy, attempted to bring her under some kind of lesbian bondage.  Nancy, it was plain, had little assertiveness to her, rather she was a picture of human meekness.  She had come from another city, where I learned her husband was, and was being followed by this beastly person.  I knelt before Nancy and in front of John and the other two women poured out a counsel from the Spirit of God to her frail mind and soul as she sat before me.  It was as though I knew her and her situation very well, which of course I couldn't have.  But the Lord spoke to Nancy through this repentant, formerly abusive sinner.  Then we all prayed for her and I instructed the other two to watch over her and get her to church the next day.  One of the ladies, it turned out is a Catholic mystic ( precious woman, but deceived in her ecumenical catholic mysticism), and the plan was to go to her church.  But God was there, and praise His name, Nancy's face had a gentle smile upon it when I was about to leave.  I told her that my entire church would be praying for her and she thrilled and reminded me of it before I left.  Dear little soul, wandered from the safety of the her shepherd, but back into His strong, loving arms.

     Dear Father, I trust you for Nancy and John and the others this week.  Your care is so complete for the least of these little ones.  Make me a faithful messenger, a bearer of the light to those in darkness, a healer of sin-sick souls,  a challenger to the wayward, and a comforter to the hurting!  O God, I have no other reason for remaining on this earth!  Amen.

Wed, Apr 12th - 12:31AM

Mission America

Fishers of Men

And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.  And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.  And they straightway left [their] nets, and followed him. (Mat 4:18-20)

     There are different kinds of fishermen.  My friend, Sandy took me fly-fishing once.  He had an extra pair of wader boots and some extra tackle and I made myself available, since he was so eager to go.  We went to a stream below the dam at Eleven-Mile Reservoir, west of Colorado Springs for a day of fun.  I have to admit that it really wasn't as fun for me as for Sandy.  In fact, I would have had just as good a time hiking up in the nearby hills.  I think I went for our friendship's sake.

     Well, I almost got engrossed in it for a while, standing in the little coves and eddys of the stream trying to outsmart a few native brook trout.  Sandy and I split up and would join together once in a while.  He didn't have much more "luck" than I did on that day, although he did snag a little one or two, as I recall.  But there was an apparent difference between these two fishermen, apparent to this one, anyway.  Sandy's heart and soul were set on one object, catching fish.  I tried with all the mental energy I could  muster to focus on that same object, but somehow just didn't have the wherewithal inside me.  Sandy is a true fisherman.  He ties some of his own flies, has a boat for lake fishing and not only loves to fish, but catches them (usually).  I guess I'm a "wanabe" or a "sometimes" or a "once-in-a-while" fisherman.  I admire those who are diligent at it, but have to confess that it's not in my blood, not like them, anyway.

     Here's the thought that came to me this morning on the way to my current job.  As the analogy transfers over to being a fisher of men for the kingdom of God, what kind of fisherman am I?  Am I content to go down to the fishing hole, in this case the homeless shelter, and cast in my line with it's hook and lure (preach a Gospel message) and be content that I've done my fishing for the week-end?  I realize that it doesn't depend on how fat a worm I put on that hook or how I dangle it in the pool.  But still, there's an urgency, a passion that the true fisherman of souls must possess.  God will put the fish on the hook for me, but how important is it to me that I catch him?  John Wesley, George Whitefield, Jonathan Edwards,  D.L. Moody and others like them were uniquely raised up for their times.  They had been prepared by the Lord for special work, and the multitude of fishes they were able to catch for Him were also prepared to be harvested.  These men were co-laborers with Christ.  Though the work was all God's, they had their equipment ready, and when the Spirit said "cast" they casted in and pulled their catch up into their boats.  They had it in their minds, and hearts and souls to catch fish for God, and that is just what they did when they went forth.

     Lord!  The need is so great.  Make me a fisherman, one who is not content to merely go through the motions, but rather one who truly catches fish for You! 

"Who will go fishing for Me?"  I'll go, Lord!  Just show me how to do it!

Mon, Apr 3rd - 2:14PM

Mission America - Salvation Army Shelter

Saturday Night Gospel Meeting

     Saturday night went very well at the shelter.  My daughter, Emily and Kathie, her mother came down here to Colorado Springs from Denver to have dinner with me and accompany me to the shelter.  I was still sick with a terrible flu but went anyway.  A couple from church, Ward and Naomi came to support and Naomi brought her accordian.  It turned out to be a precious "old fashioned" Gospel Meeting with about five or six from the shelter who came at various times during the meeting.  After some singing I continued on the beatitudes in the first verses of the Sermon on the Mount in Matt. 5.  Those few words by the Lord Jesus on that grassy hillside in Galilee about 2000 years ago (the entire sermon is  three chapters long) are some of the most precious words in all of the Bible.  "Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted."  v. 4  It's funny, I can't remember ever having trouble with my voice, but I could hardly speak through the raspiness in my throat that evening.  If ever I wanted to pin something on the Devil, it was that.

     A woman Julie, and teen-aged (perhaps) son Josh were there and a large man, Ron who had recently arrived on a bus from Chicago.  Later, Lewis, Robert, Daniel and another man showed up.  I need to make a couple of announcement posters and get there a little early next Saturday to let the people know about the meeting.  Please pray for these individuals.  I overheard Julie telling that her husband had caused her and Josh to need a shelter more than once, and the others there each had a story, I'm sure.  Jesus knows each story and each of His lost, wandering little lambs.  Apart from grace, would you and I not be in a situation similar to theirs?  What a privilege to be charged by Him to go out into the rocky crags of life and seek them out for Him!

     I'll never forget walking down a mountainside in Southern Colorado those many years ago to a place called Stoney Pass.  Below, at the pass I could see a white shepherd's tent and a Mexican shepherd camped there.  On my way down I had to pass through a very large herd of sheep.  As I began my descent, I could see what appeared to be bloodied carcasses spread throughout the herd.  Sure enough, as I passed through, I could see their gouged hind quarters, the bodies just left by the coyotes to collect in the night.  What a vivid picture of the wiles and vicious cruelty of that enemy of our immortal souls, the Devil!  When I got to the bottom the shepherd informed me that all he could do was to fire a few shots into the air occasionally to scare the predators away.  It aroused an anger in me that is still there as I think about it.

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.  (1Pe 5:8,9)

Lord Jesus, Remove the dross from our lives and thrust us forth into the harvest!  The time is so short.

Say not ye, There are yet four months, and [then] cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. (Joh 4:35)