NYC, Peru and to all
the new places God will take me to this coming
year!
Thank you for your prayers and all
your support this year of missions. Please continue to
follow my missionary journeys by reading the current
travel journal and supporting me in whatever way the
Lord leads you. You can also bless this ministry by purchasing a product.
To do so please click here
My year ended September 30, 2008 and I am beginning a
new year of travel and discovery as I continue to
evangelize and study the word of God. What an exciting
time it was for me. I did not get a chance to often post
what was happening. I was so involved in outreach or
other ministry work that time did not permit me to write
as I would have love to. I saw people come to faith,
many seed were sown and watered. The problem we often
face is that we want to see the evidence of our labor
before our eyes. This is not always the case. We have to
remember we are following behind others that might have
broken up fallow grown and we get the privilege of
sowing the seeds or watering etc. Our job is not to
question why or when but to go and do. One of my most
memorable experiences was to share the gospel with a
Chinese lady on the boardwalk in Tel Aviv. She had never
heard the gospel story before and had no understand
about the concept of God. It was amazing as my friend
Bibi from the Congo sat and shared with her from Genesis
to the Gospels. This woman was eager for us to continue
to share with her and it was so refreshing to share with
her how we were created, why and God's plan for us
because of sin. This woman readily accepted the Gospel
of Salvation and with in an hour accepted Jesus into her
life and could not wait to return home to share the
gospel with her family. She asked us for a Bible and we
were blessed to find a Chinese Bible for her which she
received with such overwhelming Joy. This was one soul
but I know the greater work continues when she returns
to China and breakup her own fallow grounds and sow and
water. Our good work continues even when we have long
left the scene.
I met Jews form all over the world who made aliyah to
Israel. Many came back with only the tradition of being
Jewish. They observe the feast and festivals and go to
the synagogue sometimes, but many really have no
understanding of the Torah or the Tehnach. Many who
survived the Holocaust are bitter with man and with God.
many do not want to be told that they are "The Chosen
People" of God because they feel that God only chose
them to suffer persecution. As the young people are
released from military duty they travel for years at a
time to countries like Tibet and Taiwan, India and other
far eastern nations. They return home with a lot of new
age and far eastern beliefs - syncretism. Many will say
to you as you share the gospel, "You believe what you
want and let others believe what they want." Many Jews
are resentful of "Christianity" because that religion
has persecuted them to the uttermost parts of the earth.
It is difficult to get them to understand that you are
not a part of that religious system and that you are a
"Christian" a follower or their Messiah Jesus the
Christ. There is a difference! The religious sector in
Israel and everywhere else thinks we are trying to
convert them to Christianity but we are only there to
complete them in their Messiah. They make it difficult
for us to share the gospel and so to report on most
situations is not always the best thing to do. I was
very cognizant in the fact that what I write could be
read by someone there that might cause the gospel
movement a set back. Telling the stories are great but
often at what cost.
I met a young man at the gay parade who was once
attacked by five Arab men who raped him and beat him
with in inches of his life because he was gay. I tried
to share the gospel with him but he kept saying that God
doesn't love him or care for him. he was insistent that
god had deserted him because of what happened to him. I
cried, he cried and I know that God in Heaven cried. He
would not believe that go did not or has he forgotten
him. All I could say was that he is still the apple of
God's eye and that there is room in God's heart for him
no matter what has happen or what he has done. Those
were seed of hope planted. i pray that some believer
will not come along and condemn him to the point where
he will reject God outright. Israelis have suffered much
since coming into the land. They continue to live under
fear and threat of annihilation. What would that d
to you if you lived under the same conditions? Israel is
a difficult place to labor in. The people are beautiful
but they have many issues that we can barely understand.
In their situation I do not believe we would fair any
better. "But for the grace of god go we there."
Currently many believers who labored in Israel for many
years are not having their visas renewed and such. The
work is coming more difficult. It will soon be up to the
believers there to continue with out us. pray for them.
Returning home I realize that the so call church must
change. I am weary of the same old stuff: preaching to
each other and no one leaving the building to evangelize
because pastors are telling members they are not ready
or not called. That is a life from hell. You are ready
the moment you receive Christ form the place that you
are. Your basis knowledge of God and He will increase
your knowledge as you go. From the place of your
testimony is a good place to start. As you grow in faith
and in sharing you will go further away form home to
minister. Nothing ventured nothing gained so to speak.
We have no excuse to be a captive audience Sunday after
Sunday fatting our selves spiritually and the lost is
quietly going to hell. We are to blame when we with hold
the gospel. We have been taught to long that it is the
saints against the sinners and I want you to know that
that is also a lie. This is about the kingdom of men and
the kingdom of principalities. Our warfare is not
against flesh and blood but against principalities.
Beloved, The more of us the devil have in his court the
greater the battle is for us. He knows that his battle
is against the kingdom of men we think it is against
saints. How wrong we are! He utterly wants to annihilate
us all. this is why so many of our men of valor are
incarcerated. He is taking out our warriors and
incarcerating them so when the real battle comes we can
be defeated, You can quote many verses in the Bible why
you are an overcomer, but what about the lost. We
believers are to apt to think in terms of us four and no
more rather than the kingdom of men. Woe to us if we do
not visit our men and women in prisons so when the
battle comes they are prepared to stand on our side. Our
young people don't believe as we do and they are
assimilating themselves into the old pagan ways. Look at
the way they dress and the tats and piercings. The enemy
is transforming into images of themselves so they will
believer they are apart of them.
I spent this pass weekend in a prison in Texas
ministering to inmates. What a response we had. Maybe
about ninety-five percent renewed their faith or gave
their hearts to the Lord. The harvest is ripe for the
picking but the laborers are in the church building
entertaining themselves under false pretenses that they
are serving God. The word says that we are to pray to
the lord of the harvest that he may send out laborers.
Well I am here to tell you that the lord of the harvest
is the pastor of your congregation. It is he or she who
must release you into the harvest to labor. Jesus
already said "go" and the pastors are saying "come." You
must beg them to release the body into the harvest. Find
a ministry of evangelism and ask your pastor to close
the building one Sunday a month and take the
congregation fishing for souls. Sheep do not mate in the
pen they mate in the fields. When you attend the
marriage supper of the Lamb what gift of souls will you
present to Him? The reason why we are losing on the home
front in this country is because believers here are
contented to settle for Sunday morning only. So the
devil gets Monday to Saturday. No more prayer in
schools, no ten commandments in the courts, etc,, etc.,
etc.
Rise up oh sons and daughters of the living God and
go fishing for souls. Go out into the highways and
byways and fish for the lost, go to the prisons, the
amusement parks, the bars, the beaches, the drug dens,
the red light districts, the barrios, the slums, the
market places, the concert hall, the subways, the buses
- wherever the lost can be found, in your homes, your
jobs, your social clubs. Go before the master returns
and finds you sleeping on the job. Satan is gathering
his army while we sleep and our army is steadily filling
his camps. Leave the ninety-nine and go after the one.
Clean out your house and attics and garage and take all
your un used items and donate them to the poor and the
needy. Buy an extra bag of groceries and give to someone
in need. Submit to the greater authority and go into the
harvest before it is too late. "The night is far spent
the day is closer at hand, awake all ye sleepers, His
coming draws nigh." I encourage you to read my newly
posted book free of cost on the "Commentaries" page,"
"Battle for the Kingdom of Men." Please send a copy to
all those you know and you have my permission to copy it
and give it away. My work continues! You can see from my
pass years experience that I traveled far and wide. Much
was accomplish on very little income. If I can go so far
on my widow's mite, imagine how far you can go with your
two and ten mites. Don't pray and ask if you
should go, it is His will for you to go. Start in your
home, then go to your neighbors, then to the city and to
the state and on to the country and soon you will be in
the uttermost corners of the earth. If you can't go, he
will send them to you. keep your eyes open for your
daily appointment and your visitation from the Lord.
This entry ends this year's travel journal. Continue to
visit this website for articles, daily devotions, news
from Israel "Israel Like It Is!, book releases, and all
that God places on my heart to do. God bless you and
GOOD FISHING TO ALL OF YOU! "Catch a wave any wave, just
catch one!"
Sometimes we think that we have been
blessed with all that God intends to bless us with and
then we realize that it isn't over. I thought that by
the end of my year the doors of missions would be closed
to me as far as travelling away from home goes but to my
surprise God is beginning a new journey for me. If you
remember when I first listed my travel log it included 6
countries and ended up mostly in Israel - Praise God! I
have been faithful in erasing my travel log and allowing
God to pen His own into my life. I see this new travel
year as God granting me the opportunity to travel to
those places I erased for His perfect will. Peru was to
be my first stop out of the country but Israel took the
lead. Now a new year is coming for me this October and I
am being blessed with beginning in Peru. I am still open
and I still use a pencil instead of a pen. When you are
right with God He will supply all your need. One of my
greatest need have been met today. I am a member of a
congregation that the Lord has laid on my heart for
almost a year now. The confirmation came as a prophetic
word from a visiting speaker. He used the exact words
the Lord had spoken to me almost a year ago. There is no
way He would have known that. this is how God works. I
am not alone, I am connected. I caught another wave. I
pray that you too will continue to catch your wave(s).
There are doors opening all around you - you will
recognize them as you learn to trust Him and walk
through each door as he opens them to you. Do not make
the mistake of trying to enter someone else's door. Your
door will come at the appointed time. You need only
recognize it when it opens. sometimes a door is closed
only so you recognize that He is the one opening and
closing the doors and so that you recognize the purpose
of the door. The doors are not for your personal use or
manipulation, these are for His destiny for you and
those He align you to. Every door has its appointed time
to open and close. God has open to me a door of
alignment as I unite with a part of the body that I am
certain has gotten it right - not man's right but God's
right. May you be so blessed to be in alignment
especially when God does the aligning.
In a week I will travel to Michigan
for a month of rest, writing, updating my website, and
prayer for upcoming events. I am praying that many of
you will invite me to your congregations, mission
groups, women's, men's and youth groups to speak about
my year of traveling and how it is possible for each of
you to do the same. I have not been able to add much as
I would have liked to this journal because it is
important to protect the interest of others especially
on a website. There are also things that I learned that
should only be shared with the body of Christ where
intercession can bring fruitfulness to dyer situations.
I am so thankful to be home again
with family and friends. My sister has also returned
home from her one and a half year mission trip to the
Gibson family to which we belong. We come from a long
line of evangelists and a strong Christian heritage.
There are over 450 members of our family in 11 countries
and 14 states of America. I know that the legacy left to
our family is far reaching. We are looking forward to
the fruits of her travels and mine. I know that God did
not send us out to bring His word back void. We both
have seen incredible acts of God and are quite changed
by them. I was sent to draw the church out of the four
wall and she was sent to draw the family out to the
world. We both believe we have done our best to do what
our heavenly Father called us to do.
Now the challenge is on to each of
you to go and do what we thought would be impossible. We
both were penniless and yet God sustained us with the
little resources we blessed us with. As we traveled God
put individuals in our paths to bless us when a need
came up. I remember when I had much resources and could
not afford to travel out of the states. On the bear
minimum I travelled half way around the world not once
but twice. We have both found that with God all things
are more than possible. Neither one of us received
financial assistance from a congregation or a mission
board and I believe God wanted it this way to show us
and you
that it is possible to step out on faith and do the
impossible.
Valley Faith Center Congregation in Las
Cruces, was so kind to give me support when I asked. I
met a man on the bus, Bud, from Chicago to NYC who heard
my testimony and saw my pictures. He blessed me
financially. My family members and other relatives and a dear friend from
Singapore and one from Fresno and one from NYC blessed me. My friend from the Congo blessed
me, the church I grew up in in Brooklyn, Emmanuel
Pentecostal Church of God blessed me, My friends Ralph
and Norma blessed me. I hope I did not forget anyone.
You all blessed me by reading my website and praying for
me. This is as much your travel log and those that
supported me financially as it is my record of events.
Thank you and I pray continuously for you.
If you are waiting for the
financially down pour to go and do the work, I can
assure you you are no use to God. His work must be done
His way and with the limited resources He blesses you
with - like the Gideon 300. You much is no good to God
as you will get the praise, but His little will take you
further because it is His way of repeating the miracle
of the five loaves and two fishes. When I consider those
that offered me support I realize that they were all the
one's with the widow's mite. God use the most humble
people and congregations to take me to the other side of
the earth. One ministry blessed me because they
accepted me with my limited resources. Because of what
they allowed me to partake of I am blessed beyond
measure. I will never be the same.
Now I must challenge all those that I
come in contact with to go ye therefore to the nations.
The going starts at home and then to distant relatives
and friends near and far. If you trust God, He will take
you further than you can imagine if you only allow Him
to use your limited resources. When He opens the door be
bold and go in. When he closes the door be courage and
accept it because He knows what he is saving you from.
Do not try to pry open the door just because you think
that is the place you should be. His way is easy and His
yoke is not burdensome. Whether at home or away, God
will provide your needs. Do not say I have to pray about
whether I should go or not, the commission has already
been given. Approval has been granted. We insult God and
become disobedient when we say I have to pray and see if
it is His will to go. When you go it is your
demonstration of faith in Him. If you remember when I
firth posted my travel log, I had listed six countries I
would travel to. The wonderful thing about only going to
Israel is that I met the nations there. More than the
six I had planned to go to. I met people from twenty or
more nations and all the continents. I was going to six
but God gave me 26 or more.
Since I have been traveling, the hits
on my website went from 1,000 a month to over 2,000 a
month most months. I had the opportunity to evangelize
on the streets, teach, learn some Hebrew and see the
Bible from a historic and visual perspective that i did
not have before. I have seen the body of Christ
exemplified. I have seen the best in men and the worst.
I have learned to trust with abandoned to God's will and
i have learned to recognized when His will instantly and
without struggle. I am changed and I realize that being
changed does not mean being pious and religious. It is
ok to have the personality God has endowed us with and
He uses it to change us and change others. He uses it to
do the work he calls us to. My personality and character
was the most effective tool I had on the mission field.
When God puts His word in your mouth with your
personality it is like His work taking on a different
light each time. it is renewed over and over again. We
are all the different aspects of His image and so his
unique way is endless. When you let Him operate in you
as He has made you, you will have a greater impact with
the work. Stop trying to change you and stop trying to
be someone else. There is no one else like you for a
reason. If you are funny then be funny. If you are
mellow then be mellow. if you are tender in heart or
bubbly, then continue as He created you because in the
harvest there are many kinds of sheaves so to speak to
bring in. These all must be harvested in a different
way. The point is, the way you would harvest potatoes
are different from the way you would harvest wheat. If
we all try to harvest in the same way we will do a lot
of damage. Learn the way God has made you and
accept it without compromise. Love you the way God has
made you and do not let people condemn you or make you
feel little or belittle you for it. You are precious in
God's sight and if any one make you to feel small in the
way God has made you they are despising God's very
imagine in you. This is how we hate the creator and
don't realize it. We are all unique for a reason. My
name is Joy, I have a joyful spirit and personality,
this is also one of the fruits of the Spirit and a
virtue of God. I am who He made me to be. I am at peace
with who He made me to be. Let yourself be at peace with
who He made you to be and watch how wonderfully you will
be used. Do not suppress His image in you, let his image
be your greatest asset.
As I complete this final leg of my
one year mission journey, I realize now that it was only
the beginning of the rest of my life of travel and
adventure in His service. I am looking forward to
entering with boldness each door that is opened to me
and I am mostly excited because i sense that the nations
will be opened in ways I never expected. I challenge
each of you to take your journey. Do not try to copy me.
Do not try to be me. Do not try to go through my door.
Let God give you your unique journey that is fitted to
your unique personality through your specific doors.
There is enough work that none of us have to rob the
other of his way. Do not be jealousy of anyone but
rather provoke the world to jealousy after our God and
Savior. Do not hinder someone from going if you are
financially able to help them. Do not kill a person's
vision by telling them that they do not have the
church's blessing or covering to go. Do not withhold
your prayers or encouraging words. Do not stifle or try
to change a person's unique personality that will be
their greatest asset in the harvest. If you can't offer
continuous financial support then consider purchasing a
plane ticket or a change of clothing or giving a place
of rest or a meal. The journey is not about them it is
about lal of us - the kingdom of God. Please, think and
act on these things.
Much has happen since I left home on
October 1, 2007 for a year of missions where my travels
took me mostly to Israel. I am even more convinced now
that it is imperative that mission boards do not engage
individuals to stay on the mission field for more than
two years. The doors are closing in Israel and it is
becoming more difficult for believers to go in and stay
in. Recently there was an infiltration into Messianic
ministries in Israel where a reporter pretended to be a
new convert and spent a great deal of time at many
ministries spying. Finally about a week ago she
published her opinions in a major Israeli newspaper that
depicted Messianic believers in a horrible light.
Remember what 2 Cor. 11:15 states, "Therefore it is no
great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the
ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according
to their works." This article only gives more fuel to
the religious opposition in Israel. They believe our
goal is to convert them but they do not see that we only
desire to complete them by preaching the gospel of the
Messiah. Judaism is the root of Christian faith.
To try to convert a Jew to Christianity is folly because
you cannot convert the root to be the branch. Our job is
to complete them by preaching the gospel not convert
them. Jesus came to fulfill the law not abolish it.
Anyway back to the principal thought
I started with. If we spend quality time preaching and
discipling hand-in-hand, then the nationals can continue
the work themselves. They have a greater impact on their
communities than we ever can. People will believe the
change they see in them because they have known them all
their lives and they are of the same background with the
same needs and the same language and culture. They will
not make as much mistakes as we do. Finally when the
doors close to us who are going in, the work will
continue. If we fail to disciple then all the work is in
vain. Too often we make the nations dependent on
us and so we never really teach them to trust in God but
rather to trust in our works. If a mission organization
is going to plant so call churches and do not have built
into their goals a means of turning everything over to
the locals in a short-term time frame, then it is for
sure that they have already failed. We cannot
micromanage God's kingdom. The doors are closing in
Israel and I pray only that those ministries will learn
this lesson quickly. But it is understandable when the
church must function underground and out of sight. This
is the case in Israel. When you have gentiles coming
from the nations to do most of the work, when the door
close it will not go well. As much as I desire in my
heart to return to Israel, I see more so now that at
times it is not in the best interest of the ministry.
When key people are not allowed back in the work will
soon suffer. Pray that God will raise up Messianic
believer in Israel that have the courage to fill in the
gaps and take on the full load.
I am at home sooner than I had
anticipated but I knew then that God was doing something
for my own good and the good of the others although I
was not certain exactly how things would be. Most of the
people I met there are now home or on they way home
because visas have not been renewed. This newspaper
article will not make things any easier and I sense that
it is only the beginning of trouble that will
continuously escalate. Please pray for new
strategies for these ministries on how to get the gospel
out in ways that will not jeopardize their lives. They
are many people who believe the greatest deed they can
offer the Lord is to lay down their lives. The truth is,
you life is very important to God and He prefers your
life rather than death. He is the Truth and the Life not
death. If you are dead you can do nothing more. We have
so many erroneous views in the church that it makes it
impossible for believers to live out the abundant life
Jesus came to bring. Jesus says we must live for Him but
some say it is better to die for Him. Obedience is still
better than sacrifice. He says we should go out and
preach and the pastors want to corral us into mega
churches making spiritual gluttons of us all. You do not
need anyone's permission to go out and do the work. You
do not need to pray about whether you should go or not.
It is a given - go ye therefore - this is the great
commission and nothing supersede that. It is great to
pray and have a pray ministry, but He said to go - pray
as you go but do not neglect the work or else your
praying is in vain. We simply cannot rationalize Jesus'
words to mean something else.
The church house is a place for
disciple training and then we must go. Pastors are
wondering why they congregants are still attached to the
milk bottle but fail to see that they will not allow the
body to go after the meat. "The meat is in the streets,"
prisons, mental facilities and any where where sin
abounds. Pastors, let the sheep go! Your mega churches
are abominations. Like David you seek only to number the
people but judgment awaits you. Let them go to the
fields of sin so they can bring the sheaves in. Disciple
them and cause them to go home and make a church of
their homes and then cause them to make churches in
other homes. Oh, what do I know? You wonder why your
spiritual life is destitute - when was the last time you
shared your testimony with someone. What I have done in
the last ten months is proof to you all that it can be
done. I had no support only my own limited personal
resources, so I went to the center of the world. A few
strangers and family members blessed me at crucial times
but I have been there and back. I put myself in the way
and He put people at the appointed time in my path. When
are you going to put yourself in the way. It doesn't
matter if you can't get your church to support me. My
church did NOTHING financially for me, but they said
they prayed. Prayer with their financial help could have
taken me further, but I trust that God honors what I
have done. Just take the first step. Everyone I was in
ministry with had quit their jobs and counted all lost
but to serve Jesus. We tilled the ground, planted seed,
watered and brought in the harvest that was prepared for
us. I am now at home and must soon look for work to
sustain me, but I trust in Him and if He can take me
around the world and back He can keep me at home.
My desire is to continue on ministry
home and abroad as He leads. I desire to continue
writing and hope I will be given opportunity to speak in
congregations who will have me to tell about my
experiences in this last year. I also challenge you to
take courage and get involved in preaching the gospel.
You already have His permission and His provision. Go!
I know there is a difference between good and evil
intent. I had an opportunity to experience these two
types of intent of the heart during the last day of the
June summer campaign. This last day was spent first in
Jerusalem and then stopping in another small city before
arriving back to Tel Aviv to do one last march on the
beach.
The day was hot and humid. There was excitement in the
air and I believe J. had a sense of what was to come.
It is important for an evangelism leader to sense the
moving of the Spirit and to act accordingly. First of
all, he selected several individuals that would stay
behind as prayer intercessors. Their day’s task was the
most important job of the day. The day’s events would
soon prove J. to be the vigilant experienced leader
that he is.
Everyone was anticipating something incredible or
unusual to happen. You can sense excitement in the air.
You can smell expectancy and I am here to tell you that
it has a fragrance. It also has a taste like that of
honey but with a bit of bitterness to it. Perhaps it is
the adrenalin that is released. It is not something that
is overwhelming but there is a distinct taste of
expectancy.
We all boarded the bus and took our
seats. J. came to me and asked if I would take the
still photos for the day. I hesitantly said, “Yes.” In
the back of my mind I felt that this was the menial task
of the day and I would have rather be in the ranks
singing, distributing tracts, books, and speaking to the
people we would soon encounter. I said, “Ok.” He told me
to go change out of the Ministry's t-shirt and put on a
non-descript shirt.
I exited the bus and made a mad dash for my room, donned
on a blouse and bounded downstairs and back onto the
bus. J. with his unique way of cajoling one into
thinking they can conquer anything said, “Joy, you can
do this right? Go back there and learn how to use this
camera and stick to the group and get everything you
can.” Yeah! Right! It had been about twenty-eight years
since I took professional pictures.
Well, J. thought I could do it, so
I guess my reasoning was I could. I took a brief look at
the apparatus and thought I could figure things out as I
went along. My seatmate helped me discover a bit more
about the camera and I put it back in the bag. After the
bus pulled out from Gilgal and conducting the usual acts
such as prayer and instructions to the group, J. once
again made his way to the back of the bus. He stops at
my seat and inquired as to whether I knew how to handle
the camera. Not believing what I was saying I said
“Yes.” J. can hear the unspoken. He said, “Go to the
cameraman and he will show you how.” This would all
prove to be a day of enlightenment all the way around.
So, with everything in place, camera in hand, people
equipped with material, the band ready for a day of
musical ministry and the camera team eager to press into
the events of the day, we got off the bus in Jerusalem.
I admitted already to the group that I am a naturally
shy person. I do not like being upfront and center
except when I am teaching. This is when I feel at ease
in a group. This is because when the Spirit of God is
flowing in – I am out of the picture and it is all about
Him and not me. My seat-mate had made a prophetic
statement on the bus as I was twisting and turning the
camera to see how it functioned. She said, “Joy, this is
your day.” Right! I thought that by just waking up was
my day. But Yeshua said we shall have life abundantly.
There is a difference between a day and an abundant day.
At some point God will put you beyond the music and
beyond the noise. He will put you into a place of quiet
rest and relaxation in the thing you are doing. At that
point you will find that courage begins to fill the
place of shyness and learning from what you see other
photographers doing will soon take on an air of
experience. You begin to expect that you are embarking
on a moment, an appointed time of encounter. You become
more vigilant and anticipate every set of events just so
you can be in the right place at the right time. You
want to capture the moment. You don’t want to miss the
mark.
At our first location in the marketplace where we sang,
several photographers found themselves at the opportune
place. I watched them work their cameras, the angles of
taking a photo and how their held the camera for easy
and comfort. The brief experience I once had as a
photographer came flooding back. I have not seen the
photos I took even now as I am writing this, but it does
not matter. I do not think the day was about the
pictures, it was about seeing beyond the lens. It was
about discovery of my brothers and sisters. It was about
seeing the warriors coming out, the protectors standing
up, the gatekeepers closing in the ranks of the group,
and even seeing the lone rangers who felt they were on a
destiny apart from the group. It was often their actions
that brought on some of the reactions from the
religious. Nonetheless, the day began to unfold in a way
that left me feeling a sense of excitement. Whether I
should have been feeling that way or not was a matter of
retrospective deliberation. The time was then and so I
excitedly allowed the moments to come in and fill me
with a heighten sense of something is going to happen.
We went uneventfully through the marketplace and moved
on to a plaza where we would stand awhile and sing. On
the march, I just happened to see and hear a young
religious man on his cell phone saying “Missionary.” I
could have brought it to J.’s attention but I didn’t.
What I was then seeing and hearing, J. already knew and
anticipated for the day’s events. When I look at J. D. I think of Moses or Joshua. I think that
they must also have been his size and height. A man of
girt and height can only be seen as brute strength, but
a man J.’s size must be seen in terms of
extraordinary and supernatural. I believe God’s men and
women are the run of the mill John Smiths and Jane Does.
This is why something or someone ordinary becomes
extraordinary. Their feats are beyond the scope of their
stature and mortal abilities.
This is what I saw from a photographer’s angle. I found
the quiet warrior that stepped forward or backwards at
the appointed moment. This white shirt clad warrior put
himself in harm’s way, as a front guard and a rear
guard. He stepped to the forefront at J.’s side
without having to be summons. He was quiet and reserved
but beneath the exterior, I sense the sword of Gideon
waiting to be unsheathed. I watched him dispel situation
after situation. I saw his armor glistening in the sun
but it was cloaked in something supernatural. I saw
quick responses and an imposing presence that told
anyone apposing J., beware, there is a mountain that
merely appears as a mole hill. This mountain cannot be
climbed. Yes, J. has his guardian; he is named after
the one David dearly loved. He was not only J.’s
sentinel; he was the defender of the entire body. It
took only a word that trouble was brewing here or there
and he was at the task of defending. Only one time in
the day he missed his mark. But that was my defining
moment.
While in the plaza, the group sang. The crowd gathered
and the religious began their usual raucous. They began
to incite people and impose their indoctrinated views on
others. Even from my poised position in all the exciting
areas of discord I could see how their influence was
ludicrous. Can you imagine a man of age being persuaded
by a mere youth to give up a book that could lead him to
the Messiah? I could not imagine such a thing except I
saw it before my eyes. To not make a decision for one’s
self based on one’s own discovery is beyond my
reasoning. To have a child tell me that what I am seeing
is not real is unbelievable. Love was emanating from the
group as they sang and the religious were busy trying to
shut the door on it.
I saw God’s divine wisdom in all the acts of the moment.
He was provoking their hearts to jealousy. It was the
religious confronting the secular when it all came down
to the nuts and bolts of the situations. People began to
dialogue in the plaza as to who was right and who was
wrong. It didn’t matter what else was happening, people
were beginning to think. People that are religious based
on a life of indoctrination by the rabbis were being
confronted about the rigidity of their thinking. The
issues I am sure were: is this about converting Jews to
Christianity, is it about monotheism verses the God of
the Christians, or is this about the rights of
maintaining a Jewish nation based on Old Testament
Judaism? What was exciting about this? People were
thinking. They were, are being provoked to think about
God outside of religiousness and indifference. To
provoke someone you must stir their consciousness to
think, to reason, to look beyond the surface.
Things were becoming a bit volatile and the police were
called. I watched the group raise their voices in one
accord. At some point they transitioned into this
heavenly choir that sang at a range that was outside the
scope of the natural. There was such unity and oneness
of voice that a spirit of peace encamped about them and
no religious person breached their pavilion. The choir
was encapsulated in a blanket of peace and harmony. I
only breached that pavilion on the occasion to snap a
picture here and there. Have you ever walked into the
midst of the oil of praise? I have, holiness is a
presence, it is a strong tower, and a place of rest. It
is like a shower in the desert in the heat of the day
when you are desperate to be clean. It was in the shadow
of this oil of praise where J. and his warrior and
camera crew lingered awhile. It was good to be there.
After the police came, we left. The mark had been made.
J. knows when to move and when to stand. He was being
guided by a cloud by day and it was obvious from where I
stood that like Moses he also was hearing the heart cry
of God for this people. As we moved on we continued to
be followed. I left in the rear of the procession, one
of the cameramen and the white shirt clad warrior. I
snapped a few pictures of a brief exchange of words
between our warrior and a religious man. I proceeded to
the front of the group to see what I might be missing. I
took a few pictures of no consequence and headed back to
the rear.
There is where the breaking news was occurring. I saw
the religious man spit into the faces of the cameraman
and our warrior. I saw reaction and response. I snapped
a few pictures and moved in for some close-up shots. The
antagonist turned facing me and asked me, “Do you speak
English?” I said nothing. He repeated several times and
being that I was up against a wall I stood my ground and
merely looked at him. A man who can spit in the face of
another man has little regard for a woman. This is what
I was thinking in my mind. There was no fear, just inner
resistance to him. Ever on guard, the white shirt
warrior rose to the occasion and put himself between me
and this man. A quiet imposing bearded brother step up
to me and directed me to move forward out of the way. We
all progressed forward leaving the spitter lagging
behind.
At the front of the group the situation is beginning to
heat up. The religious are pressing in and the group is
being confronted head-on. And then I hear the lion roar.
He stood at the front with a drum in hand facing the
religious in their frenzy with a fierce smile on his
face. He was roaring like the mighty lion of Judah. He
was a warrior that kept his ground; he held his stand –
having done all to stand. He did not back down or away
because faith is a rear guard in our hearts that tells
us the battle is not ours but the Lord’s. Blessed is the
man that knows when to play in the band and when to
stand down and stand guard - the watchman is on the
wall. The situation once again is becoming volatile and
the group breaks off and heads to the bus while J.,
the camera team and the assembly of warriors stay behind
attempting to dispel an unpleasant situation. The big
guy is ever present in the group. He has an imposing
figure like a Goliath in the midst. He doesn’t have to
do much with his frame, but when he begins to speak
things always seems to change. J. is ever in the
midst of the situation trying to bring peace and order
even as he is dwarfed by the height of his warriors, but
he shines. Together they are a force to be reckoned
with. J. is at ease in the situations because he is
in touched with the presence of God and the heavenlies
descends in the midst. Our roaring lion is being taunted
and his head goes this way and that to the right and to
the left. He is wearing an orange scarf keeping his long
tendrils in. His smile is like a lighthouse beaming its
light into the dark. The big guy is like the voice that
is calming the sea. J. is like the cauldron they want
to set on fire but he is blazing with a different kind
of fire. The cameraman and our warrior catch up and are
encountered from behind. Have you ever seem a lion
crouch? Yeah! The Lord was coming down before us to
scatter His enemies. And He did!
On the bus again we headed to a different city. Things
were a bit different – not so volatile. There is always
resistance. There is always some religious person taking
books away from people or tearing up the tracts in a
public display.
This day was not about us, it was not about J., it
was about good and evil always being in conflict. It was
about love and hate battling for a place. It was about
people thinking for themselves or having some
institution thinking for them. It was about provoking
someone who does not or will not consider God. It was
about the secular reacting to Him for better or for
worst. It was about unity – the summation of thirteen
days of being in outreach together. It was yet to be
defined by our last encounter what we and they are made
of. It was about stepping outside the realm of us and
realizing what we are truly facing and being equipped to
do the work ahead of us - the battle for the hearts of
humanity.
Our last stop of the day was back in Tel Aviv, about
half a kilometer from Gilgal. We were home again and in
safe terrain so we thought. Coming down off the bus we
encountered a religious youth we had previously
encountered before. He had followed us back to Gilgal
with a group of other religious youths. How uncanny that
he is in that one spot as we get off the bus. He awaits
us with a smile on his face, camera in one hand and cell
phone in another. This is typical of the religious.
Their cell phones are set to speed dial their cavalry.
He spoke kindly to J. and even shook his hand and
talked quite friendly to him. We thought things were ok
and so we moved to the water’s edge of the beach and
began to march toward Gilgal. The group sang while
giving out books. At some point J. gave the order to
stop giving out books because the young man had engaged
another religious youth with a plastic bag to collect
the books and tracts from the people.
First it was the two of them. We proceeded further down
the beach. After a couple of songs we were invade from
the rear. At the rear of the group a band of teenage
boys fiercely tried to snatch the flag from the hands of
one of our own. What was different about this group is
that there was an air of malevolence beginning to
permeate the atmosphere. These were not religious boys;
they were obviously oblivious to the sense of religious
rightness or wrongness.
The religious youth had enticed these boys into a
situation that could not end peaceably. It was becoming
obvious that this was no longer a campaign of provoking
to jealousy; it was a marauding band of idle boys
looking for excitement on a hot, humid afternoon.
When I left Gilgal in the morning I sense a fragrance of
anticipation – God was going to do something – and He
did. But now I sensed that the enemy was about to
counter – and he was. I didn’t sense fear or felt it, I
encountered evil intent. There would be no deliberation
of truth, and no dialogue of reason, there was just a
shift in the atmosphere that screamed peril. By the time
I stepped forward to get our warrior to the back of the
group the marauding youth took to the front of the
ranks. Pandemonium was pressing in. We were being
surrounded, pressed in on; young men were pushing each
other into members of the group using each other as
battering ramps.
They had broken our ranks. They were in our midst. There
was no rhyme or reason to what was happening. We had
left good intent behind us in Jerusalem and here at home
we were facing evil intent – one must learn the
difference.
I took several pictures of one vicious young man who was
a head above the others. He saw me and tried to take the
camera from me. I move back away from the front of the
group and soon he was in my face again trying to snatch
the camera from me. A small framed young boy began to
face me down and our warrior once again stepped in. Our
camera team was pounced on as the boys tried to snatch
their equipment. I got hurriedly out of the way. I moved
to the water’s edge when I saw this vicious young man
who spotted me and was attempting to gather other boys
to come after me.
I ducked out of the way and move up the front. I know
there was fierce opposition going on the beach with our
team but I was taking myself out of the situation
because I was no longer what others perceive to be a
religious opposition I had become someone’s target of
aggression.
I saw the cameraman go down, I saw
the other men trying desperately to get the situation
under control and our group safely out of the way. I saw
men put themselves in situations to protect us all. I
saw people huddled together and I saw but didn’t see all
that I should have. Suddenly, I felt and heard the hit
to the top of my head, it was forceful. I do not know if
it was a fist or an object that struck me. I was punched
in the back and scratched in the face. I know that for a
moment I hear no noise, I felt no fear, I had no
feelings that I can recall. I think I was moving by
instinct. I remember turning with the camera in my hand
and I remember swinging it in front of me to keep that
vicious young man at bay. I saw the evil in his eye and
the first words I heard were from a man coming out of
the water, “What is wrong with you hitting a woman.”
Then I saw a sea of orange around me and my brother with
the French name taking me ahead and peace flooding in.
That incident was not about religion, it was about evil
intent. Evil has a name, it has a smell and it has a
face.
At the end of the day everything matters. It is time for
retrospection. I pondered whether I reacted the way I
should or not. I wondered if others reacted the way they
should or not. I am convinced that Solomon was right;
there is a time for everything. This was the day to
leave the prayer intercessors behind and I see the
wisdom in that. There was a time to just stand and sing
and I see the grace in that – amazing. There was the
time to defend and I saw the courage in that. There was
the time to be on the offensive I see the purpose in
that. More so, there is a need to recognize when the
atmosphere has shifted and taken on a different light.
To give your life as a martyr is one thing. To surrender
it to evil intent is another. God has not given us the
spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.
That power is to resist the attacks, love to forgive,
and a sound mind to react with restrains rather than
measure for measure. Only what it takes to live to fight
another day.
To God be the glory when you can face both good and evil
and tell of the good and not be overcome with the evil.
This was the day that the Lord made and we should
rejoice and be glad in it. We are all safe. In
retrospect, everything was exactly as it was going to
be. No one of us should leave this place not knowing
what a team is, what a warrior is, what love is, what
grace is, and what there are not.
I am back in the land
and am most happy to be here. It was a bit overwhelming
getting everything I needed but God as usual came
through on the 11th hour. When you are in His perfect
will, you do not need to do anything except stand still
and see Him do His thing. If you are meant to be
somewhere, He can orchestrate whatever is necessary so
that the results will come in line with His will for
you. I arrived on Sunday May 18th. It was a bit
difficult trying to get over the jet lag but I think now
I am caught up to Israeli time. Since being back I have
been out on the boardwalk participating in outreach. No
matter how things go, you have to believe that you have
done and said the right thing. You must realize that
each contact must be kept in the right context. Knowing
the right context can be difficult to discern at times.
It might be that you were breaking up fallow ground,
planting, watering or tilting the scale in favor of a
positive decision for Yeshua.
God only expects us to
avail ourselves to Him while He works through us. For
Him to be effective in us we have to learn to relinquish
what we think is the right thing to say or do. You
simply cannot approach everyone the same way. A scripted
approach will not do. Most mistakes are made because
many people try to stick to a format. Being opened to
God’s working and prompting means you prepare yourself
and then toss it all out for the sake of the kingdom.
I have met people from
several nations as well as Israeli. I have met people
with strange beliefs and those that believe in God but
feel that they need not have a relationship with Him. I
have met Israeli’s that are hung up on being persecuted
by Christians for the last 2000 years and cannot receive
what we have to share. I have met Jews that are so
religious they are unapproachable. I have met people
from various nations that have adapted far eastern
religions or simply feel that they do not need a savior
and that they are many ways to get to heaven.
Too often I hear the
say thing, “I believe what I want and you can believe
what you want.” At that point I often feel lead to say,
“If you don’t believe what I have said, I challenge you
to go directly to the source and ask Him to prove to you
what I have said.” People think God is not capable of
defending His own self. I think they are more afraid of
asking Him the questions because it would mean they
would have to get off the throne of their own heart.
Whatever the reason, the idols that are erected in
Israel are in the hearts of men and women.
The nation is littered
with memorials to men and women. There are no statues of
idols like in biblical days. They have taken on the
names of heroes and heroines like that makes it ok.
These are the challenges we face on the streets and
market places in Israel. There is a tolerance for all
sorts of things. No body wants to rock any body’s boat.
Tolerance and intolerance are the extremes in this place
and it stifles the efforts. Please pray for those in the
fields that their efforts will not be hampered b y the
spirit of tolerance and intolerance.
The work continues in
the heat and humidity of the day and night and there is
always much work to do to keep things running on a
day-to-day basis. I am honored to be here. It is a
privilege to take on the work. I challenge each and
every one of you to take the good news to the Jewish
people in your community. Find your place in the harvest
and make a difference. Do not try to mimic someone
else’s calling, do not try to catch someone else’s
dream, but rather ask God to give you your own. Only
then can you truly make a difference. There is enough
work and gifts for all of us. Latch on to yours and
bring in the sheaves.
I am currently in Michigan on my way
back to new Mexico. I made a quick stop to see my cousin
and get a bit of respite. I spent quite a bit of time
updating this website and hope the changes will make
surfing this site easier. My nephews, Karl Knight and
Kurwyn Knight, made excellent suggestions and help a lot
with the technical stuff. We've added search and
translation links that will make the sight more
accessible and viable. I have yet to add the remaining
photos from Israel and revamp the Hawaii photos as the
pages take to long to load. I visited my sister's church
while in NYC. April is considered missions awareness
month and they presented ministries from around the
world that they are currently supporting. My one request
is that the next time I visit I would love to see a
ministry in Israel on the list of supported ministries.
I believe!
Please pray for my ticket back to
Israel that all finances will be provided. I am on a
shoe string budget and the shoe string seems to be
getting shorter as the prices of airfare continues to go
up. Also, please pray for up coming conference in
Pakistan that the finances will come in and all will go
well with arrangements.
I am back in the USA for about a
month and a half. I am hoping to return to Israel and
continue there for another three months. I am currently
updating my website as I have not had the time in Israel
to do so. Please forgive the laps in devotions where
some are missing. Hopefully I will be able to complete
them and post before returning back to Israel. I am
short about 24 and will be diligent to complete all or
as much as I as able to. If any of you would like to
invite me to speak about my visit in Israel please feel
free to contact me and see if I will be in your area
before I leave. I will write a summary of my visit and
post as soon as I can. Please continue to pray for me
and purchase my book and other items as I am
dependent on them for support.
While you are praying, please
remember to pray for Israel
Daily Scripture Prayers
& Proclamation for ISRAEL
1.Father God,
remove the veil you have sovereignty placed over the
eyes of Israel, that they would recognize Yeshua as
their Messiah (2 Corinthians 3:14)
2.Lord show Your
mercy and favor to Israel in this set time (Psalm
102:13)
3.We pray for the
current leaders in Israel including the prime minister,
the major of Jerusalem and all those in military
service. Raise up government leaders in Israel and world
wide who will not seek to “divide the land: and who
would recognize the unique significance of Jerusalem in
God’s end time purposes.
4.He who scattered
Israel will gather him, and will keep him as a shepherd
keeps his flock (Jeremiah 31:10). Father God, continue
to draw the Jewish people to you according to your
sovereign plan.
5.Let them all be
confounded and turn back that hate Zion. Let them be as
grass upon the house top, which withers before it grows
up (Psalm 129:5-6). Lord, deal justly and swiftly with
your enemies.
6.Destroy and
divide the tongues of those who would incite violence
against Israel (Psalm 55:9) In the name of Yeshua, we
bind every false religion and false doctrine that does
not acknowledge your eternal plan for the land and
people of Israel.
7.The scepter of
the wicked will not remain over the land allotted to the
righteous (Psalm 125:3). Father, break the strongholds
of religion, pride and wickedness that seek to control
Israel.
8.The Lord will
not forsake His people for His great name sake because
it has pleased the Lord to make Israel His people (I
Samuel 12:22). Use us to help others understand your
plan for Israel and Your love for the Jewish people.
9.The Lord brings
the counsel of the nations to nothing. He makes their
plans of no effect (Psalm 33:10). We declare that God’s
purpose for Israel will be completely fulfilled and that
he will be glorified.
10.Show your loving
kindness to Your people Israel and keep them as the
apple of Your eye. Hide them under the shadow of Your
wings, from the wicked who oppress them, from their
deadly enemies who surrounds them (Psalm 17:7-9)
11.We pray that you
will remember Your covenants and promises toward Israel,
especially when others rise up against her to swallow
her alive. When their wrath is kindled against her, the
waters will not overwhelm her. God will not give her as
prey to their teeth (Psalm 124)
12.Sanctify Your
great name which has been profaned among the nations
which has been profaned in the midst of Israel. That
nations shall know that the Lord is God, when He is
sanctified in Israel before their eyes. Sprinkle the
clean water of Your word in Israel and cleanse her from
her filthiness and from all her idols including abortion
and occults. Give Israel a new heart and put a new
spirit within her. Remove her heart of stone and give
her a heart of flesh that can respond to the Holy Spirit
and cause her to walk in Your statues, keep Your
commandments and do them (Ezekiel 36:23-27)
13.Cause the church
to fulfill her commission to preach the gospel to the
whole world, “until the fullness of the Gentiles be come
in, and so all Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:25-26)
14.We pray for the
peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6) and for it to remain
Israel undivided capital
15.Father God, in
your mercy vanquish the tremendously powerful religious
spirits which dominates the whole land of Israel
16.We pray for the
spirit of unity and love between believers (Jews,
Gentiles, and Arabs) in the land
17.We pray for the
body of Messiah in Israel to become a praying maturing
body. We pray that this body would allow the love and
the compassion for Yeshua to flow through them and touch
everyone they encounter.
18.Raise up
watchmen for Israel. Put more watchmen on the walls of
Jerusalem who would give you no peace day or night until
You establish Jerusalem and make her the praise of the
earth (Isaiah 62:6-7)
19.Father God,
bring glory to Your name through the mercy You show to
the land. Bring the necessary seasonal rain upon the
country. Cause the crops to be bountiful.
20.We pray that the
spiritual forces will be broken an rendered powerless (2
Corinthians 10:4-5)
21.Bless those that
are returning to the land of Israel after sojourning in
other nations. May those that are believers usher in a
sovereign, supernatural move of the Holy Spirit that
they might proclaim Your truth to their fellow Jews.
22.We pray for a
radical change in the Israeli system of government. May
God grant wisdom and revelation to all members of the
Knesset and Israel’s Supreme Court.
23.We pray that, in
the midst of the pressures, the people of Israel will
turn to You God. We pray that You would hear the heart
cries of people in this land and have mercy. It says in
Isaiah 30:19 “You will weep no more. He will be very
gracious to you at the sound of your cry. When He hears
it He will answer.
24.Pour out Your
Spirit on the people of Israel, especially on the young
people so that Your works can be declared to future
generations.
25.Raise up the
sons of Zion who takes God’s word seriously in
opposition to the humanist (Zechariah 9:13)
26.We pray for the
Holy Spirit to intervene in the current situation in
Israel. When the enemy shall come in like a flood the
Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him
(Isaiah 59:19)
27.Turn the hearts
of the people of Israel to trust in the name of the Lord
for deliverance. Not in the chariots and horses of the
military might (Zechariah 4:6)
28.May God raise
elders and young leaders to teach and train the new
generation of Israelis who are coming to faith in the
Messiah
29.Pray that the
Palestinian Arabs will come to faith in Yeshua and
embrace God’s end time purpose for Israel. Send forth
laborers to bring in the appointed harvest from the
whole of the middle-east.
During the pass few weeks I have been
involved in outreaches, traveling the length and breath
of Israel to some extent. I spent a day in Jerusalem and
desperately want to return - so much I have yet to see.
We had the opportunity to visit a town to the south of
Tel Aviv named Sederot. This town suffers greatly from
missile attacks coming in from Gaza. We had the
privilege of visiting a young girl whose best friend was
killed about three years ago from a missile attack. She
was about fifteen years old. It is incredible to see how
many Israelis live from day to day under such stress. I
do not think it is possible to live this constantly in
such conditions, but the Israelis are resilient people
by the grace of God. They have endured much. Imagine
being scattered to the four corners of the world and
pushed to the point of near annihilation. Now to finally
have a small, but I say, small piece of land to call
their own and being squeezed and pressed in on from
every side by the world. Israel simply can not become
any smaller.
These are some of the missiles that
were launched against the town of Sederot
Today I spent the day in Tel Aviv
retyping the manuscript of the story of Laura Rusk,
Auschwitz number 79564. Who would have thought that
someone born on the small Caribbean island of Barbados,
thousands of miles away from Israel would be extended
such an opportunity. I sat there holding back the tears
as I read and retyped the manuscript. In awe of someone
who survived such tragedy. I reflect back at my life and
I think now how insignificant it all has been in
comparison to what Laura Rusk suffered through during
the Holocaust. I could not understand how it is so
possible that I would be the one to have such a
privilege. As I typed her words, I found myself being
renewed in my mind and wondering what else the Almighty
has in store for me here in the Holy Land. I thought I
knew why I am here, but there seems to be something
greater in store for me. Have you ever had a sense of
something coming but can’t seem to put your hand on it.
What can I say to those of you who read this? You think
your life is so insignificant and that it is impossible
for God to place you in a place at an appointed time to
part take in something beyond your dreams and
comprehension. You think you are touching someone’s life
or someone’s ministry but in actuality you are being
profoundly touched. You are being changed and challenged
beyond your expectations.
When I completed the manuscript which
I was unable to put down until completed, I walk back to
Jaffa alone. It was dark and only a few people on the
promenade. Few people were about and it was extremely
cold. My toes and finger was frozen and I had no feeling
left but incredible pain. How strange that was. It is
about a forty minute brisk walk walking along the shore
line of the Mediterranean Sea. I was a bit scared
because all that ran through my thoughts was suffering
through frost bite again. I began to pray and jog hoping
that my toes at least will warm up. Eventually, about a
mile from Jaffe, I felt the blood coming back into my
toes. By the time I got home I was well again. I am
wondering, what is the significance of this situation?
Now I see clearly. There are times when I think I am
done in, I think I am at the end of my road, but yet
there is more to come. I think God is trying to show me
and establish in me that I have a destiny and there is
nothing that can keep me from it but fear. When you know
that you have a destiny in your life, do not be afraid
if you will attain to it. Nothing can or will separate
you from the will of God if you keep on the path and the
course he has set you on. Now I see that He wants me to
set fear aside and realize that the course I travel on
is set and I can trust Him to bring it to pass. I am
glad I am here. I exalt His name for all that He has
done and what will come.
Today I visited the house where Peter
saw the vision on the roof top. Much of the area had
been improved and so I doubt that I was able to touch a
spot where Peter touched except for the door of the
house. Who knows? Yet it is so clear that Jaffa and all
of Israel wherever I am able to travel to and see or not
see is an incredible place to visit. You cannot be here
and not realize the impact this place has made on the
world. I also attended a Calvary Chapel service as this
is the Sabbath and most of my friends are in Jerusalem
for a healing conference. I am glad for the time to get
over a bit of jetlag. I heard one of the most
enlightening statements this week, “The Christians want the blood
without repentance and the Jews want repentance without
the blood. We must see both parts of the coin, blood and
repentance.” The Jews want God to forgive them without
acknowledging Yeshua as Messiah and the Christians want
to acknowledge Yeshua without having to repent.
Luke 5:32
I came not to call the righteous,
but sinners to repentance.
Luke 15:7
I say unto you, that likewise joy
shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more
than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no
repentance.
Luke 24:47
And that repentance and remission
of sins should be preached in his name among all
nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
I look forward to the teachings and
the preparations to do the things that I have come here to
do. Last night I celebrated my first Sabbath in Israel
and it was so incredibly moving. We Christian seem to
have tossed out every thing Jewish about our faith, but
it is when we put back Judaism into our faith that it
truly comes alive. “To the Jews first.”
1/11/08ISRAEL
(PLEASE PRAY FOR THE PEACE OF JERUSALEM)
I am now in Israel and I am amazed at
all I have seen and learned in such a short time. Flying
over the Dead Sea to Israel was such an awe struck
moment that I took out my prayer book and began to pray
and present my prayer list to God. Flying over the place
where the rich history of God’s plan for humanity to be
restored to Him was such an incredible place to make
petitions known. I thought when I left home on October 1st
to take the gospel to the uttermost parts of the world
would be the entire world including Israel. I have come
to realize that Israel is the world. It is like the
center of the universe. All eyes are focused on Israel.
Everything that occurs in Israel affects the rest of the
world. Every nation is represented in Israel. The nation
of Israel is a patch work of the descendants of the
tribes of Israel, the remnants that are returning to the
homeland. I have seen Israelis of every race and tongue.
On the plane, in the airport, in the streets, in the
taxis, in the market places and everywhere I turn. This
is truly the world. From Israel then we can go to the
uttermost part of the world. From the world to the
uttermost part of the world means from Israel to every
nation and tongue. Remember what the word say, “To the
Jews first.” In our witnessing, why is it that we never
include sharing the word with the Jews. It is almost
like the church has given up on God’s people and
relegated them to a forgotten place. The church is
guilty of replacing God’s chosen with itself. It is
guilty of neglecting God’s people rejecting the total
sum of His word. John 4:22 states, “Ye worship ye know
not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of
the Jews.” Salvation came through the Jews and they have
not been replaced by the church. The gentiles have been
granted a time of access to grace but that is inclusive
of all humanity. “For God so loved the world.” The world
is Israel and the uttermost part is every other place
that extends out from Israel. We must not be so wrapped
up in our own self-worth that we neglect God’s chosen
people.
I am here with people from the
uttermost parts of the world. Austria, France, Italy,
New Zealand, New Mexico, Singapore, Hungry, Israel and
other places I can’t remember at the moment. We have
been invited to study about Israel and to show our love to them.
I am refreshed to begin my second night in Israel
learning about Israel from a Jew who is more than
capable of explaining what is both precious to us and
them from the original Hebrew text. We gentiles think we
know more about the Jews
than a Jew, but in actuality, a Hebrew can see the
picture of, let's say the Bible, in a way that we lack. They understand the
vocabulary and customs of the Bible in a way that has
been lost or never received by the gentiles. Remember,
“Salvation came through the Jews.” I attended a study
and someone read out of
their NIV a verse and the word that was translated was
not in the original Hebrew. As the person persisted to
infer that her text’s choice of word was correct, the
instructor corrected her by stating, “I have the
original text and this is what it is.” “To the Jews
first,” has meaning on more than one level. Presented to
them first, and can best be interpreted by them once
they come to the saving knowledge of the Messiah.
Without the Messiah and the benefit of the Holy Spirit
to bring them into total truth they lack the knowledge
of the New Testament. The church has the New Testament
which we feel we have the monopoly on interpreting. But
truly, the Jews have the Old Testament which is the key
to interpreting the New Testament. Now imagine how clear
the gospel can be if we preach to the Jews and they
believe. This is what the enemy wants, for us to not
come together and put the pieces of the puzzle together.
Yes, we know that God has closed the eyes of His chosen
for a time. Yet, He said He will in no doubt cast out
those who hear and believe. It is still to the Jews
first.
I am grateful for the way God has
been moving in my life. The people He has sent across my
path have prepared me for the next leg of my journey. I
had the awesome privilege of meeting a Palestinian in
Hawaii. Getting to know him and becoming his friend
allowed me to see those that are Arabs and Palestinians
in a different light from what I had anticipated. I can
look at this nation of people from the standpoint of
friendship with one. It is like seeing and knowing the
best in one and looking for that in others. If you see
Christ in the faces of all people you will be better
able to witness to them. In actuality, we are really all
the same. We are divided by customs, traditions, values,
and faith. Yet we all hope that we have each found the
true God. The difference with Christianity and other
religions is that we serve a God who paid in full the
penalty for our offence toward Him and they serve a God
that requires they pay the penalty or make atonement. We
have hope in knowing that we have eternal life although
we did not earn it ourselves, they think or believe that
all of life is about earning something in return. We
either accept the gift of God, Jesus Christ or reject it
outright. They do not believe that the true and living
God could be so merciful, yet they call Him the merciful
God or think He is requiring too much. How can He
possible require too much when he offered his own Son as
the penalty for our sins? Perhaps they cannot fathom
such love. I suppose it is easier to believe the worst
than the best. When we were in sin we all felt this ways
as well but we some how seem to forget. Please do not
forget where He has brought you from. Remember that we
all came to God with our own challenges and it took Him
time to compel us of His love. It will be challenging
for other and it will take them time as well.
Things have been a bit hectic. I
visited my sister in Brooklyn this pass weekend and
attended church with her family. I was given the
opportunity to speak in the Sunday AM service about all
that the Lord has been doing in my life. There are many
people who really have a desire to work for the Lord but
I think they feel that they must have every dime and
know every turn in the road before they would consider
stepping out in faith. What I have learned is that when
you step out with the little you already possess, God
will increase what you have offered up sacrificially.
Jesus said we ought not to take thought for what we will
say or take on the journey. No thought means just that,
no thought. I am traveling to six countries, one ticket
at a time. If I were to wait for all my tickets to be
bought before I go, I would not be here now. When we
give God our todays he gives us His tommorrows.
Currently, I will be speaking at two
churches in Brooklyn and Queens this coming week. I am
also visiting my friend who is in a wheelchair. His
spirits has been lifted and is making progress walking
again and he continues to be fervent in prayer. I am
spending this week refurbishing my sister's bathroom.
Jean has sarcoidosis and is inclined to respiratory
infections and such. She has mold and mildew in her
bathroom and as her home is an older building in
Brooklyn. The former owners did some cosmetic upgrades
that were poorly done and has created some health
issues. I spent the last four days stripping the shower
and tearing off the wall paper. I had to first pullout
the fiberglass insert that was glued to the original
tile. I had to rip out the tile and of course rip out
the rotten walls. The new sheetrock has been replaced
and I am currently putting new tile on the shower walls.
There is a lot of mildew on the window which desperately
needs to be replaced. I am certain it is an easy task
but outside the scope of what I know to do. It is dead
winter so I will have to rely on bleach for the time
being. Because of my sister's illness, we have to avoid
the use of chemicals etc. It really has been a challenge
to work on her bathroom with poor ventilation and it is
the only working shower in the house. Isn't it funny how
God can redirect us once we come to truth.
I find myself involved in the things
that are the heart of God. I am visiting the sick and
lending a helping hand to those in need. This is just to
show us that the work to be done is right around us. We
have great ambitions for the kingdom work, but God calls
us to do the work of servant. In the midst He is opening
other doors where people's attitude are changing about
church attendance, warming pews, doing the work of the
kingdom, and loving our neighbors as ourselves. Since
being in NYC, I have rarely had to go find work to do. I
am constantly being approached by people who want to
know what they can do. So many people are just plain old
tired of churching. You know what I mean, going to
church on Sundays and occasional prayer meetings and
that is it. The church is not a challenge even though
God gives us new challenges everyday. Boredom is
driving people out of the church and what is keeping
others is entertainment.
We all have skills and abilities that
we do not realize until we avail ourselves to Christ.
All of a sudden we see ourselves growing and expanding
in incredible ways. I am most blessed as God is opening
up my eyes to see that as I am serving I am also
teaching others how to serve and develop new skills. Use
what you have and God will increase you abilities, speak
what you know and God will increase your knowledge,
serve where you can and God will open more doors. I see
now more and more why I am on this journey. There is a
story that must be told and I hope I am doing it
justice. Get out of your comfort zone and do the work of
the kingdom.
Help needed: The Ohana Church
of the Living God in Oahu, Hawaii is looking for a
dentist who wants to relocate to work with the homeless.
They have a dental truck they desire to take to places
where the homeless are and give dental care. If you know
a dentist who has a heart for the Lord and would
consider relocating please have them call Brother Sage
Chee at 808 232-2244.
Sometimes we think we are here to do
God a favor and then He surprises us with his plan and
purpose. We set out to win the world for God and all He
places at our doorstep is one individual and you begin
to wonder about His divine plan to save the world. We
think it can’t be done one soul at a time, but in
actuality, if each one of us do our part we will win the
world one soul at a time. The least among us is the
person God wants us to minister to. The least among us
is often those people we think don’t need us. That
person standing in the shadows hoping someone will
notice and pay them attention is the one He is trying to
get us to notice. The friend we think is all sufficient
and safe because he is saved is often the one we need to
reach out to. Do you want to win the world for Christ?
Win it one soul at a time. It is God’s plan most often
to use a Gideon force to conquer the masses.
I have a dear friend in NYC that I
didn’t know was succumbing to ill-health. I was rather
shocked when I met him at a restaurant in the middle of
a sleet storm and saw him in a wheelchair. I was shocked
and upset because I had no idea and he said nothing
because he did not want me to worry. I was mad at him
for not saying anything - - but he was in the
wheelchair. Rather ignorant of me, right! When I
finally got over the initial shock I realize what a
tender creature he is and how absolutely humble he’s
always been. He spared me the worry; I did not spare him
my hurt. I spent the first two days in NYC visiting him,
going with him to the doctor, pushing him around
Manhattan in a wheelchair, and helping him in and out of
that wheelchair most of the day. So I am not winning the
world for Christ, I am visiting the sick. Have I missed
the mark? No! Absolutely not! I am hitting the mark
right on the spot. I fell short of His glory but He
humbled me to learn lessons in frailty and compassion.
Actually, I am the one that was frail and had to learn
compassion not the other way around, my friend I mean.
My friend’s sweet and forgiving character exposed me to
the weaknesses in my walk. I learned another side of
compassion when I realized that my friend had more
compassion for me being hurt than I had for him being in
a wheelchair without me knowing. I though I was being
kind to him, but the truth is, it was he who was being
kind to me. He overlooked my weaknesses and let me
impose myself on him for two days.
Isn’t it funny how God works those
things out of us? I pray that you will all learn such
lessons from a friend like mine. You don’t realize you
have learned something so crucial until after it’s all
been said and done. All the while you thought they
couldn’t go on, and it is you that have been maneuvered
around all day. God used them to guide you into the path
of right thinking trying to get you to the place where
you can go on and forward.
I am currently in Michigan visiting
my cousin until the 10th. It is cold and the
one thing I detest the most is winter. We have snow on
the ground and since coming to visit I have left the
house once in three days. I have spent the time updating
my website as I have not been able to do so since
arriving in Hawaii last month. My laptop crashed on me
and I could do nothing.
I always find it amazing how God
helps me to redeem the time. My time in Hawaii was a
constant going about in ministry. I had the awesome
privilege of serving the Lord with a body of Christ that
was, is, the living embodiment of what the church ought
to be. We feed the hungry, gave drink to the thirsty,
took in strangers, clothe the naked, and visited the
sick and those in prison. We literally lived Matthew
25. I was given the opportunity to work on the
landscaping as well. Several of us graded and put in
rock paths that lead to the yurks (see photos).
It was amazing to see how dedicated
this body of Christ is as they ministered to others. On
Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays we had feedings at the
A’ala Park in Honolulu to feed the homeless. Of course
food had to be prepared and transported to the other
side of the island, Oahu. We set up and there were
always others form other ministries there to help with
the feedings. Some times we had anywhere from 75-100
people and often we had enough left for refills. On
holidays there were about 200 people that would show up
or more. Cooking at the Ohana Church of the Living God
was a constant, sandwiches, soup, rice, salad, breads,
pastries, gruel, etc.
We also feed once a month at one of
the shelters which. Sometimes we feed from about 100-200
men women and children. When laws changed in Hawaii to
keep the homeless out of the parks at night, they had no
where else to go. A fellow believer made it his mission
to secure a place for the homeless in one of the
warehouses. It is in by 6pm and out by 6am. He has
organizations that come in at night and feed. The Ohana
feed one Tuesday night a month. Other organizations
would come over to help serve and we would prepare the
food. Some volunteers would be there as well to help
tutor the children with homework. In the shelter,
families, women and men had their own section. This same
individual has a dreams and part of it came to fruition
while I was there. He has begun to convert donated
tourist buses to sleepers for the homeless. It is called
The Evan’s project or the Evening Angel Project. The bus
drives to locations where there are homeless individuals
and take them to a location like at a church or place
where there are facilities to wash and eat. The bus is
parked for the night and the individuals can get a night
sleep without fear. In the morning they are dropped back
off where they were picked up from. Many individuals who
are homeless have jobs but because of the high cost of
rentals and lack of rentals in Hawaii many are homeless.
Employed but homeless! There are several more buses to
be converted to sleep the homeless. While there we had
the dedication of the first bus at the State Capitol.
There was also a “Walk the Talk” walk around the island
where individuals raised awareness about the plight of
the homeless. It took about 10 days and ended with a
rally. Over five hundred individuals were feed that day.
We visited two prisons while on Oahu,
a men’s prison and a women’s prison. We were able to
share the gospel, sing songs of praise, and share our
testimonies. I am constantly reminded that we do
overcome by the word of our testimony. It was always
difficult to leave behind those who have a desire to
know and grow in the Lord. Believe it or not, many
people in prison are there to make a difference in the
live of those that are there. Remember Paul who spent a
great deal of time in prison. Many were converted
because he was incarcerated. We often find ourselves
judging people for being incarcerated but fail to see
that while they are they many come to know the Lord
because they share the gospel. Someone recently told me
that he knows someone that belongs in prison because he
does his greatest work there. Interesting! Have you ever
seen a holy man in prison? I have, many such men and
women I have seen. I have met Billy Grahams in prisons.
I have met the best of praise and worship teams while
ministering in prisons. I have seen grown men with
tattoos on every part of their bodies bend on their
knees and received Jesus into their hearts. I have seen
women in prison that look like angels. In Christ, there
is a freedom that is not of this world. There is a peace
that passes all understanding, and there is a hope that
prison walls cannot kill. I do not mean to romanticize
this; I only want to say that if you think people in
prison don’t deserve your ministering to them, then it
is you who have missed the mark. A thief got saved on a
cross and went directly to paradise. Certainly someone
on death row or incarcerated for life can have the same
opportunity.
I had the opportunity to visit a
juvenile detention center. I have seen the youngest of
boys with little or no hope. I remember telling one
young man no bigger than Tom Thumb among such gapingly
larger boys that Jesus loves him and that I love him and
that if I could I would take him home with me. His
response was, “Miss, if you knew me you wouldn’t.” He
spoke as thought he had no redeeming qualities and as
though he was the worst of the worst. He was a mere 12
year old. Have you ever met a person with destiny
written all over them? It is not an arrogant or
confident manner that you see, but rather an air of
something supernatural. It is like if God could get
their attention they would be an Elisha or John the
Baptist. Sometimes it takes a person hearing this spoken
to them over a period of time and from different people
before they believe. Why aren’t we in the church
visiting these children? Why aren’t we embracing the
lost of our society? Are we quite satisfied to relegate
them to the prison systems? They are the strangers among
us. When will we take them in? This is what I found. At
some point in time, these little ones have been
tragically abused verbally, emotionally, physically, and
only God knows what has really happened to them. Yet God
visits in the midst of their situations in hopes that
they do not rebel against Him. Next time you see
someone who you judge is undesirable, just ask yourself
the question, “What did someone do or say to that
individual along the way to alter his/her image?” Now,
speak life to them instead of insisting that they are
useless to society. Just remember that the Breathe of
Life, God, is in them. Do not speak God’s name I vain
over that person. Confess that as long as the Breathe of
Life is in that person, they are of value and worth to
God.
The Ohana took in strangers. I am
one! One day into the ministry they said yes to me
staying on an additional three weeks. We were all
strangers and they took us in. The homeless and
volunteers who did the walk around Oahu for Homeless
Awareness were all given accommodations as well. People
showed up and needed a place and the door was opened.
They not only feed them, they clothe them, feed them
meat and the word. Instantly we had new family members
and there was never a doubt that we all were, is family.
I do not know that any one at the Ohana is capable of
turning anyone away. I will take in the stranger, what
will you do?
We visited nursing homes and the joy
that I saw on the faces of the residence and staff was
most precious. Our nursing homes and assisted living
facilities is a treasure trove of prayer warriors if we
would only tap into it. Do you need a prayer warrior,
ask someone in a nursing home who has time and they will
make the difference on your behalf. Take your children
with you on a visit and see what joy lights up the eyes
of the aged. Spend time listening to someone who has
already been along time on the journey and you will
learn how to avoid the traps and learn how to enjoy the
moments. You will receive more than you anticipating
giving. We visit the local nursing home every Sunday
morning and once a month we visit one on the other side
of the island in Honolulu.
We had our daily sacrifices as they
are called at the Ohana. We met each morning at 6am and
6pm to lift His name on high. Friday sundown to Saturday
sundown we observed the Sabbath and partook of communion
together. One Friday night a month the Ohana have a
beach park ministry. They set up all their instruments,
and prepare food for the homeless and anyone who wants
to fellowship and we praise in songs, testimony, the
word, and food. The other Friday nights is at the Ohana
where I think it is more of a jamming for Jesus night.
The immediate Ohana family is large to start with, the
extended family, is even larger and you would not be
able to make a distinction.
I attended a pastor’s breakfast and a
once a month church service in the park. This was quite
incredible. Many of the churches on the windward side of
the island attended as well as the homeless. They not
only feed the homeless, they gave away the offering
instead of collecting it. Everyone lined up and new two
dollar bills were given to all. Why aren’t we doing
this? Why are there people in the church who have needs
and we refer them to social service programs? Why are
there unmet needs among us? Shame on us when we collect
an offering every time the church doors are open and no
one can come and make a withdrawal. Enough said!
Sight seeing was incredible, the
beaches were fabulous, the food was great except I was
allergic to everything I ate. The people were friendly
and pleasant. The weather started out nice and
progressed to rainy off and on. It turned out to be
better that way for me because I absolutely exhibited no
discretion in getting my tan on. The worst day to get a
tan is on an overcast day. Really! You burn. When it
rained, clothes took three days to dry. I lived in a
yurt and so if I needed to go to the bathroom at night I
had to go to the house and if it rained I had to dry off
before getting back into bed. I met the most awesome
people of my life. I gained a family and got to know
many of the locals and now my prayer list has been
expanded.
You too can afford to expand your
prayer list. You do not have to spend an outrageous
amount of money to be involved in ministry. People say
you can stay home and minister in your own community.
Yes, this is true. The problem is no one is doing
anything in the community. We are building churches and
the family is disintegrating at a phenomenal rate. More
drugs are coming into our communities, more homeless are
being driven out, and less money is being designated to
missions. The smaller the church the more probability
they will support a missionary. Don’t let anyone tell
you that you shouldn’t go. Don’t let them tell you that
you can do the same thing at home. Don’t let them tell
you that as long as you attend church service you are
alright. Don’t let them tell you it not affordable, and
don’t let them tell you it’s not your job. It is! Go and
see for yourself what needs to be done and return home
changed and make a difference.
In the mean time this is what you can
do:
·Cook enough food and share
with someone else
·Give away your clothes to a
needy person instead of selling them at a garage sale
·Support a short-term
missionary, you might need the support someday
·Visit someone at a nursing
home or hospital
·Open your home to strangers
·Check out the “CATCH A WAVE”
page for additional suggestion
Since arriving in Honolulu, things
have been moving rather fast. I struggled for the last
few weeks attempting to locate a place to stay while in
Los Angeles. Most doors never opened and those that did
would open for a moment or two and then close. My friend
recently said to me, "If it is this difficult to resolve
finding a place to stay, then it may not be God's will."
It was my friend Ann that got me to realize that we
ought to write our plans in pencil so that God can erase
at His own discretion. I continued to seek a place to
stay so I could work at the Dream Center and/or the Fred
Jordan Ministry in Los Angeles. As nothing was working
out I left for Hawaii not sure of the direction I was
moving in after my stint in Honolulu. I did entertain
the thought that I might have an opportunity to stay on
in Hawaii. I thought it, I spoke it our loud, and I even
shared the idea with others. I remained hopeful that
something was going to work out somehow for that period
of time.
After meeting our host in Hawaii and
him graciously chauffeuring the team around the island
our first day in Hawaii, I asked the question of our
host about the possibility of staying and his response
was, "If you like." No hassles, no on today off
tomorrow, no stress as I anticipated his response. It
really was a definitive yes. God had better plans and I
can see so clearly part of his purpose. I will write
more about what I have learned and discovered but I am
exhausted and need rest. God is working every detail out
and I am grateful that He knows exactly what He is doing
and what I need.
Please continue to pray for Johnny
Gonzales that His recovery will be complete and speedy.
I was due to return home tomorrow
morning but by the nudging of God I decided to change my
schedule and return a day earlier. I called my niece to
pick me up and I arrived and began to survey whether or
not the house had been maintained to my standards or
not. With in five minutes of being at home the dog ran
to the door and began to bark. It was the mail man
delivering my renewed passport. Praise God! Why at that
time and moment when no one was due to be home. God's
timing is carefully planned. I finally completed my
application for Israel and need only to put it in the in
the morning. I also received an email from my contact in
Israel and they have received both of my references. Now
I can begin the process of making more specific plans
and dates, God's will be done. I am writing them in
pencil so that God can erase at His discretion.
I am keenly aware of God's divine
intervention in all my plans. He is filtering out some
things and altering others. We need only to put
ourselves in the way and avail ourselves to His will and
He will intervene as we go and interject along the way.
The trip back on the bus was
twenty-three hours. My legs are a bit achy and swollen
but with rest I will be on the mend. God open the door
for me to share with several individuals on the bus and
I am grateful for the results. On the last leg of the
ride a lady and her son approached me and made inquires
about my travels. She came up to me and said, "You are a
missionary aren't you." I said I will be on the road for
a year sharing the gospel and we began to talk. She is
an incredible woman who finally got the courage to take
a step in faith and make a major move in her life with
her youngest child. She has been through a lot but God
is not through and I believe she will impact others with
her testimony when God gets through with her. It is
funny how we never think that we could meet people at a
particular time in their lives after we have gone
through the same thing and we are now able to encourage
them. Timing is so crucial to God. He is the master of
people crossing paths at just the right time. He wants
us at that place where we are willing to share not only
His word but ourselves and all that we have. You cannot
speak the word if you are not also willing to meet the
need. I thank God that He supplied my need so that when
there was a need I could meet it.
This is what it is all about, being
available to God at that place in time when He can make
the difference in a person's life.
Thanks for your prayers for Johnny
Gonzales. His surgery went well and he is on the mend.
Today I am leaving for home for a few
days and then off to Hawaii. Please pray for Johnny
Gonzales of Prison Door Inc. He will have heart surgery
today. The team will continue to Hawaii as planned while
Johnny recovers and his wife and family takes care of
him. God's timing should not be questioned as He knows
best. All our need have been met and please believe
with us for a bountiful harvest.
Praise God all went well in Fresno. I
was able to accomplish all that I desired in my heart to
do and more. There is nothing that can be compared to
God's schedule and timing when you learn to write your
schedule in pencil so He can erase at His discretion.
God who can see around every bend knows exactly what
needs to be done and He is excellent at orchestrating
change. Trust and obey is paramount to going forth with
any endeavor for God. God opened numerous door for
me to share, minister to, and serve others. He is
amazing.
I am still trying to locate a place
to stay while in Los Angeles and hope to have some good
news soon. My plans for December and January are
changing a bit but God is in control and things are
working out better for me and my finances. Keep praising
God with me that He has supplied all my need and all my
provisions are already at each destination.
I spent the weekend ministering to my
friend who has been most hospitable to me and her
kiddos. We have more single moms that are in need of
respite than we realize. A simple thing in helping with
household chores, taking the kids for the weekend so
that mom can have alone time, washing her car, or simply
entertaining the kids can mean so much when you are
going it alone. We have somehow equated benevolence with
money. Benevolence should not only be synonymous with
money because it is not always money that is needful.
Money is an excuse to withhold our time and care from
others.
“For I was an hungred, and ye gave me
meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a
stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I
was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye
came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him,
saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed
[thee]? or thirsty, and gave [thee] drink? When saw we
thee a stranger, and took [thee] in? or naked, and
clothed [thee]? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison,
and came unto thee?” Matthew 25:35-39
When we see a need and not meet that
need we have neglected the Lord. The need is there to be
met and it must be met. We cannot say, “Lord I love
thee, here I am send me,” and then when we go we say
Lord send some other to help in this area or that when
it is in our ability to meet the need. God sends us out
to preach, teach, and make disciples, but making
disciples must be done by example, teaching must be done
by way of what we have learned along the way, and
preaching cannot be by word only but must be by action,
not what I say but what I also do. I am also not feeling
up to par so today I am taking some time to rest because
the rest of the week will be hectic. I will leave to
return home on Thursday and I have to prepare for the
long ride back.
Please praise God that all my need
will be met. I have already asked. Now I am simply just
praising Him for what He is going to do to sustain me
for the coming year. Blessings!
I have spent a great deal of time
reading the last few days and some time at the park in
the town I am currently visiting outside of Fresno,
California. It is important to take time to study the
word daily so that you are taking a fresh word out.
Yesterday I spent several hours in the city park where
the community’s homeless converge on until late evening
when the Rescue Mission doors are open for dinner,
chapel time, and rooms. I had the opportunity to
minister to eight individuals that gathered around as I
shared the word of God. We think that the world knows so
little about God, but in actuality they know quite a
bit. I met a young man about twenty-one years old that
could quote the Bible and tell you exactly where to find
things in it. He said he read about seven different
version of the Bible and books from numerous other
religions. He was homeless, a recovering addict and well
versed in the scripture.
I also met a gentleman in his forties
that grew up in a Christian home, was also recovering
from substance abuse, homeless and well versed in the
Bible. He could quote the word, preach the word, and
tell you exactly where you can find it in the
scriptures. Everyone had their own story. Although the
young man had Christianity and other pagan religions
merged as one, he soon became a willing listener and
asked many questions. I thank God that studying His word
paid off and He was able to use me to explain and bring
truth to verses they distorted. I prayed specifically
for two of the eight individuals present who ranged in
age from late teens to about late sixties. The door was
never closed for discussion and so I believe many minds
were changed on how they viewed God and understood the
scriptures.
The young man, about 21 years old, at
first did not want to be engaged in conversation about
God but as I began to speak to others around, he came
closer and began to put in his views. I am allergic to
nicotine. This young man took out a cigarette and lit
it up. My instant thought was to tell him that I was
allergic and would he put it out, but the Holy Spirit
promoted me to say nothing. I knew that he would have
felt offended and would have left after we were making
such good progress. I yielded to the Holy Spirit and I
was amazed that I did not even smell the cigarette nor
did I smell like nicotine. We spoke for several hours
and when it was time for me to leave he was receptive to
me telling him about the love of Christ.
Today I went over to the Rescue
Mission to sign up to volunteer but I was not able to
stay as the person I needed to register with was away. I
had another opportunity to witness to two individuals as
I was leaving. God knows exactly where we need to be and
to whom we need to speak at exactly the right moment. He
also gives us the exact words that will illicit the
right response. People need to know that God loves them
even when they struggle. They also need to know that
they cannot out sin God’s love. We do not realize that
at times it is not about how many people we make contact
with, it is about a specific person at the right time
that have access to more people than we may have access
to. Salvation and hope to one key person may be the door
of hope to many more. I will return on Monday to the
Rescue Mission. I will also be speaking in the chapel
service one day next week. I will conclude my last week
in Fresno area being there for my friend and her kids
and volunteering at the Rescue Mission. We should never
forget that while we are reaching out to the world we
should also be reaching in to those that are dear and
close to us.
Pray for opportunities at the Rescue
Mission, and continued opportunities to fellowship in
sharing and bible studies with my friend Ann. Also,
continue to pray for my finances, my passport, and my
schedule being opened to God’s plans and will.
I spent the weekend in Fresno proper
helping my friend's sister who is also my friend, with
some yard work. I do not believe I have used some of
those muscles in a few years but I accomplished quite a
bit for my friend. I would like another opportunity to
go back and help relocate some large shrubs and do a bit
more planting. On Sunday we attended church and I must
admit I was kinda feeling like maybe I should just pack
up and head home. Sometimes you feel like the world is
heading in one direction and you are the only one
heading somewhere else. The Bridge in Fresno is truly a
New Testament church. They minister within and without.
The teaching was incredible and right on target with
what I have been writing for the past year about getting
out of the pews. He compelled his congregation to
maintain a balance in reaching into family and out to
the lost. This is one of the most active "not busy"
churches I have visited since visiting Tommy Barnett's
church in Phoenix earlier this year. You know what I
mean by "not busy," not putting on shows or entertaining
each other, but really working for the Lord, truly a
definition of the early church. They truly minister to
the needs of the body in every way, and they participate
in witnessing to the lost at home and abroad. I changed
my mind about going home. It was like God sent that word
just for me. God is still refining me as I go and the
enemy is starting to attack in subtle ways that on
occasions preoccupy my mind with worry. I have a long
way to go and a complete year to finish. I have only
just begun. I am learning that the results I have seen
so far are exactly what God intended. We are looking for
the Red Sea to part, the grand exits, and the Jordan to
part, the grand entrance, but God is still looking for
our hearts to break so that we can go farther than
expected and stand against all the odds against us. Mt
schedule is beginning to change a bit as I must include
time for major family events like my sons last college
football game, his graduation in May, and then we have
Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Yet Jesus said, "Sell all
you have and follow me." Hum! This is not a sell all,
this is a compromise. As I change dates to accommodate
these events, airfare prices are rising and worry is
increasing. This is what He means by leave all behind
and follow. I am beginning to think that this journey is
not only about winning the lost, it is also about me.
The refining process is painful.
Pray for me as the Lord deals with me
and that I learn and avail myself to His perfect will.
I spent the afternoon in the park
passing out tracts and witnessing to several people. It
is not only the unbeliever that is in need of the
gospel, many Christians are out here who are clueless as
to what it means to be a Christian, one who follows in
the foot steps of Christ. I spent time explaining why it
is important for us to be witnesses and the results were
phenomenon. Transformation can come to a Christian or a
sinner in the same manner, by truth.
We are going to a wedding feast when
Christ returns for us. No one I know would dare attend a
wedding without taking a gift. The only reasonable gift
we can take to Jesus on His wedding day is what He does
not already own, a lost soul. A lost soul is the only
thing the enemy really have a hold of. The lost will
inherit the rewards of the devil, hell's fire. When we
share the gospel with the lost and they yield their life
to Christ, it is giving Him, Jesus, what He does not
have. We certainly can't present to Christ our
self-righteousness, those are like filthy rags. It must
be something the Father does not already own, and It
must be apart from self. The only logical answer is to
give a soul redeemed from the lake of fire. How simple
is that?
I also had an opportunity to share
with some men working in the park. One was joyous and
one was rather sad. Have you ever seen a grown man cry
when you begin to share the word of God with him. It was
obvious that this man was struggling with being
committed and he was only making an effort because He
realized that God had done something for him even though
he did not deserve it. It took speaking to him just so
He could realize it was divine intervention in his life.
Sometimes people only need you to speak to them so they
can make the connection with what is happening in their
lives and the hand of God in it. People need us to point
them and steer them to the Master. Paul said on Mars
Hill, "Let me tell you who this unknown God is." Do you
see? They just may only need us to tell them who it is
that is have that good thought for them.
I met others that I only gave tracts
to and left them with a word of peace or a blessing. I
have been asking God to place people who are receptive
to the gospel in my path. If He only puts people who are
receptive in our paths then we will never be used to
brake up fallow ground. We will become lazy farmers only
harvesting in fields we have not planted. We must be
willing to be used in every way. We must avail ourselves
to each unique situation. People are all at different
places in their journey and we must be equipped and
discerning to meet them at that place and minister to
their specific needs.
I met a couple that was totally
shocked by my words and took a hold of the tract as
though it was the most foreign thing they have ever
encountered. I guess the word is, they were stunned. I
told them that as much as they seems to be in love, God
loved them more. They were young and in love. I do not
think the love of God was ever a concept in their young
minds. This was fallow ground being broken. We never
know who will cross our paths so we must be ready in
season and out of season.
I met a lady and her kids at the
jungle gym set and gave her a tract. She said she was a
Christian and that she goes to church. I told her I was
here to share Christ with others and she seemed a bit
bewildered. We have grown use to the four walls of the
church building that taking the gospel beyond it seems
so strange. Pray for these people that others will come
along and complete the work in them. Pray that they will
remember that it was in the park that the truth about
some things came to them and that they will someday
return to that place and do likewise. I encourage you to
step out of the pew and do the same. It really isn't
that difficult. It takes a bit of courage to speak to
the first person and then after that it becomes easier.
Soon it will become addictive.
I am currently in Fresno, California
visiting with a friend and hoping other opportunities
will present themselves for me to witness. Each day I
have had the opportunity to hand out tracts and have
Bible study with my friend. We have broken bread
together, prayed together, studied the word, and
encourage each other in the Lord. I think it is amazing
how God can put us in proximate to people who are going
through what we have already experienced so that we can
be a light in they moments of uncertainty. This is what
it means to be “in the way” where God can use us. God
sends us first to our family and friends and as we go we
launch out to the utmost parts as we go.
I will be here until the 19th
and I look forward to caring for my friends kids as
she take some desperately needed time for herself and
seek the Lord in resolving some issues. Sometimes we
fail to realize that just sharing the burden of others
can make the journey easier for them. We think we have
to do the most incredible things just to please God. It
is the simple things that matters the most and helps
others to go the distance. Jesus said, “Take my yoke it
is easy.” Yet, we do not make enough of an effort to
pass His easy yoke on to others. We are sitting back
saying, “Lord, I pray that you will make my sister’s
yoke easy,” but personally we do nothing about it though
He is waiting to use us as His instruments.
I am off to a good start and He is
using the situations I have already encountered to teach
me real Christianity. I took the Grey Hound bus to
Fresno and it was a real experience. I have grown so
accustomed to hopping on planes and with the exception
of minor delays here and there I have usually arrived at
my destination in a relatively short span of time. It
was not so traveling on the Grey Hound bus! A trip that
would have taken me three hours on the plane took me
twenty-six and a half hours. They were numerous delays,
difficult passengers, unrealistic layovers, a restroom
which permeated its stench, and some passenger that was
on the bus for a couple of days that lacked opportunity
for hygiene. They were people who reeked of cigarettes,
alcohol, and a dry cheesy smell l that seems to be their
level of cleanliness. There were attitudes that needed
to be put in check at ever scheduled stop. On two
occasions there was the threat of physically taking two
passengers off the bus to be taken into police custody.
Some passengers were so attached to their seats that
several confrontations were close encounters of bodily
harm. Every stop meant some passenger dismounted to
satisfy their nicotine fix. People from every walk of
life got on and off those buses. We had loud people,
disgruntled people, vulgar people, insensitive people,
and absolutely obnoxious people. Thank God that Grey
Hound hired bus drivers that could handle the diversity
of the passengers.
I know that besides saving money this
mode of transportation was in God plans for my journey.
I know why some Christians would not leave the pews. We
have become so sanitized that we do not want to get
dirty again. Out here where the gospel is desperately
needed, the world is dirty: spiritually, physically,
morally, and emotionally. There are so many people who
live off the grid of society and every now and then they
emerge as they move from one physical locality to
another. It is like they surface just for that moment in
time and then they disappear again. These individuals
are in need of Christ, but to get to them we must go
where they make an emergence for that brief period of
time.
So much of the world is living on the
edge of society. These are individuals that feel they
would not be accepted anywhere else, they are poor,
broke, they are hoping against hope for a better
opportunity at their next destination. Meanwhile the
church is hiding out in the pews and the world is
slipping into the shadows. We are trying to keep clean
while the world is going to hell dirty and broken. I do
not mean to imply here that all people who ride the Grey
Hound buses are dirty and unsaved; I only mean to say
that the affordability of this mode of transportation
lends itself to people who might be of a caliber that is
not often found flying in the wide blue yonder. Sitting
in the pews will not get us to them and traveling by
modes of status will not get us to them.
When my sons were waiting with me to
catch my bus out of Las Cruces which was one and a half
hours late, we commented about the type of people that
were waiting to board. My sons warned me to take care
and not draw attention to myself traveling alone. I
myself felt pangs of regret by not taking the plane
until the Lord showed me that these are the people we,
the church, have neglected. These are the people He is
desperate for us to reach. It was only right for me to
be on the Grey Hound bus, if I can’t stomach those I
encountered on the bus, then I would be useless to God
in the harvest. God really has a sense of humor. I said,
“Here am I, send me Lord,” and when He sent me I
questioned the reality of who He was sending me to and
how. I am learning how to get down right dirty for the
Lord. God allowed me to be in the mix of people in need
of His grace so I can see what I am in for during the
next year and the rest of my life.
On the bus I had an opportunity to
share with a Christian lady the need to get out of the
pews. I also had the opportunity to show many kindnesses
and meet a few needs. I feed two people who were hungry,
pray through difficult situations, and observed the need
for Christ in our dying world. Trying to stay clean is
the reason why we continue to minister at the altar to
those individuals that are clean and of status. We do
not want to get dirty. We miss the mark because dirt can
wash off, but a self-righteous Christian is not so
easily cleaned because our righteousness is as filthy
rags, they must be thrown out.
Pray for me while I am in Fresno and
still working out the details for the Hawaii Prison Door
trip. Pray for my finances and remember, put yourself in
the way so God can use you to minister to those around
you.
I picked up my new CDs today and am
very happy to have a real means of self support while on
the mission field. God is so amazing how He provides for
me and the turn around time I am encountering in getting
things done is incredible. Last Saturday after I had
finally completed the purchase of the tickets for the
Hawaii prison ministry trip my niece, Chelle, and her
boyfriend, Joe, came over with a great surprise. He was
able to retrieve all my word documents from my hard
drive that had previously been wiped clean by a virus.
Today with all things so far through the end of October
finalized, he came over again with the final retrievals,
now all my photos have been restored as well. It took
losing everything for me to step out on faith and
undertake a year of missions. It took losing everything
to gain everything back and more.
I am finally packing and I am amazed
at the amount of stuff that I can pack in a medium sized
suitcase. I am determined not to go over my weight and
not to over pack. I am certain that I have packed only
the bare essentials. The last year I worked at a real
job, I began to purchase light weight year round
clothing, wrinkle free, wring and dry. I though it was
just the sensible thing to do then but now I realize
that it was all for such a time as this. Right down to
the smallest detail of my travels God has had His hand
on. I am at peace with my house being in order, my sons
settled in college, and everything through the ending of
October paid for. One day at a time, one month at time,
and one year at a time is taking shape. It is 1:00AM and
I am checking my list twice and calling it a night.
To all of you who have been
encouraging to me, who have prayed for me and sent me
off with expectations for mighty things to happen, I
thank you and pray that God will equip you and place you
into your destiny and that we will soon meet at some
juncture while in the process of kingdom building.
Father, bless my brothers and sisters
in the Lord and thank you for their encouraging words
and prophetic words spoken over me. May my feet only go
where thou leadeth me, and may the souls I encounter
along the way receive the preached word unto salvation.
Bless Ralph and Norma Molina, Pastor Bill Gomez,
Christian Crossing Bookstore, and my family and friends
as I take my leave and they remain behind to labor and
disciple those that are eager to work in Your kingdom.
Amen! Still no passport.
I am patiently waiting on my passport
to arrive. Yesterday I spent about two hours recording a
CD of my poems and tomorrow I will spend another two
hours recordings some of my devotions. I believe that
the sales of these products will help sustain me in the
mission field for the next year. My third book Debunking
Generational Curses should be out in about a month or
two. The publishing wheels turn rather slowly.
About two months ago I logged onto
the internet and a virus erased all of my hard drive and
I lost years and years of writings. No, I did not back
up! My friend Paul Wynne told me about 3AM that day that
I should not stress over something that will come back
to me, so I did not. It was the first time in my life
that I literally released something so tragic to me in
that instant. A few days after, I asked the Lord what I
should do now that I have nothing left. He said, “stop
writing on the computer and “go ye” and write on the
hearts of men and women that are lost to me.” I took it
to heart and within that hour I made plans to leave home
and go on short-term missions. If I had not lost my
life’s work I would have been contented to simply go on
as I was with posting my website, writing my books,
teaching my Sunday school class, preaching on occasion,
and going on missions every other month to the prisons.
Devotions are time consuming, writing
for others are time consuming, volunteering at local
ministries are time consuming, but the blessing of it
all is that you must spend more time in the word
studying it so that you can write and minister. Yet, our
lives must be well-balanced. There must be equal time
for all the things of God especially laboring in the
harvest. I am a laborer and have always been a laborer.
Unfortunately the church today is not willing that any
should leave its pews and go out into the harvest
because then the Sunday morning worship hour will be
empty and the coffers will be sparse. This is sad to say
but it is true.
We must get out of the pews and go
into the fields. This is where the real work for the
Lord is. There are too many retirees sitting at home, on
the golf course and fishing when they could be
harvesting souls. I lost everything that mattered to me
little by little over the course of one year so that I
could get to this place of leaving.
I walked away from an excellent
salary job about a year ago as I felt the Lord led me
to. Since then I have volunteered in several ministries
over the last year. I was blessed by an individual in
one of those ministries who believed in what God called
me to do and helped me designed and post this web site.
Her name is Pat Shannon. I have also had to learn to let
go of my sons whom I spent my life discipling. That was
most difficult because it came at a time when I had just
completed my last book dedicated to them. Then I lost
all my writings. Jesus showed me how I must leave all
that I have and follow Him. It was a gradual process and
not all at once so I had time to transition.
In this pass year God has shown me
that He has a destiny for me and that it is my choice to
chose His destiny for my life or I can just continue as
I was. I choose God’s destiny for my life. Choosing
God’s destiny means leaving behind all the baggage you
have acquired on the way. It means allowing Him to turn
your baggage into gladness, give beauty for ashes and
strength for fear, and a testimony that overcomes. It
means trusting Him explicitly. It means living within
your means and often below the fashion you were
accustomed to. No more designer clothing, no more
operas, no more dinners at pricey restaurants, and no
more shopping sprees. God has also taken the time to
show me those people in my life that would be supportive
and those that were a hindrance. He severed
unprofitable
alliances and taught me how to rely on His Holy Spirit
when those close to me sought to destroy my ministry
before it had a chance to grow and tarnish my reputation
that I spent my life cultivating. What I have gained in
comparison is peace of mind, a renewed heart, a life of
service and opportunities to go places that have been a
life long dream. I have gained a simple life that has
brought in a greater harvest than what my great salary
could have brought me. I am healthier, feel younger, and
am happier. God has truly supplied all my need.
In three days I will be leaving for
my first leg of what I expect to be the longest and one
of the greatest and most rewarding years of my life. I
am living a life of expectancy and destiny.
Father, I pray that all who read this
journal will realize that you have a greater life for
them than they can even imagine. Show them how awesome
Your will is for their lives and help me to accomplish
all that you require of me in this coming year of
expectancy and visitation.
I purchased my ticket to Fresno
yesterday and finally it seems that all things truly
work together for those that love the Lord. All needs
are being met in the most unexpected ways but right on
time. Those things that are the Father's will are coming
to pass, thy will be done. I am currently working on my
application to missions in Israel and Uganda. I sent off
for my passport about a month ago and still have not
received it as yet. It was supposed to be 3 weeks
expedited. It is now over a month. Even that is in the
Father's will an in His care. I take my rest on what He
has already supplied and the door already opened. Take
no thought for tomorrow means exactly that, no thought.
So far my itinerary has changed
and constantly changing. I have to remind myself that
this is not about me, it is about the Father's will
being done.
I am open to the will of God and of
course everything depends on available finances and so
far so good. I will be living on a shoe
string so pray that the sales of my book and other
products will be enough to support me in all my
endeavors.
Waiting is the most difficult when
one is waiting for His will to be done. I am in the
process of helping to arrange a week long mission trip
to Hawaii.
I have made contact with several mission boards and I am
certain I am blessed to have located a ministry to serve
under in Uganda. I have to renew my passport and start
getting my house in order. I am also considering a
personal ministry that will have lasting effects and
bring in a greater harvest. Sometimes speaking life mean
giving life - faith without works is dead, right? David
asked God to decide the fate of Israel after he numbered
the people. Only God knew which decision would have the
least affect. So, only God knows which decision would
have the greatest impact. Perhaps God would honor a
decision to bless beyond the right choice as He did with
Solomon. He added to Solomon that which He did not ask.
I do not ask but I desire, would God honor that? I trust
His final decision.
Today I am
contemplating going out to the harvest on a one year
stint. Actually I have already made some inquires and am
patiently waiting for some responses. This is the life I
have always dreamt about and now I am at the stage of
my life rather than take it easy I can "go ye
therefore." There are so many choices I can make, but I
choose this one. I am joyful.
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