HIGHWAYS & HEDGES

Jimmy is my brother, both biologically and spiritually. I am thankful to see the work God is doing in him and through his ministry. It is a ministry of mercy which shares the gospel with prisoners, and also offers to strengthen those who have come to know the Lord while they face the consequences of their actions.

J. Hudson Taylor

"I hated myself; I hated my sin...I felt that there was nothing I so much desired in this world [as holiness], nothing I so much needed. But so far from in any measure attaining it, the more I pursued and strove after it, the more it eluded my grasp; till hope itself almost died out...

I cannot tell you how I am buffeted sometimes by temptation. I never knew how bad a heart I had. ...Often I am tempted to think that one so full of sin cannot be a child of God at all."


"I prayed, agonised, fasted, strove, made resolutions, read the Word more diligently...but all was without effect. Every day, almost every hour, the consciousness of sin oppressed me."

"Is there no rescue? Must it be thus to the end--constant conflict and, instead of victory, too often defeat?"


LATER, after a fresh new look at the loving Savior ~


"I looked to Jesus and saw (and when I saw, oh, how joy flowed!) that He had said, 'I will never leave you.' 'Ah, there is rest!' I thought..."


"Abiding, not striving nor struggling; looking off unto Him; trusting Him for present power; trusting Him to subdue all inward corruption; resting in the love of an almighty Saviour;...this is not new, and yet 'tis new to me. I feel as though the first dawning of a glorious day had risen upon me."

Dr. and Mrs. Howard Taylor, Hudson Taylor and the China Inland Mission
(Edinburgh: R & R Clark, 1918)

These are words from the life of J. Hudson Taylor, 19th century missionary to China - a great hero of our faith. I read them and thought, "I could have written all of this!" I love to read personal accounts of these revered saints. I find comfort in knowing that God takes delight in showing Himself mighty as He loves us to recovery and revival.

"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth." ~ 3 John 4

I love to watch my children grow. I want them to always be in an upward climb as they learn, gain wisdom and understanding. As most parents, I brag to everyone who will listen about everything from "how tall he is now", to "how well he leads", or "how well she studies", and on and on. So you see, I don't really want them to remain babies. That just wouldn't be natural.

But I do have a day occasionally where I miss the era wherein they wore pajamas with feet, read picture books, watched Sesame Street, and stayed with Mommy all day. *sigh* When I have a day like this, I am not really wanting to take them back there. I think it is simply a merciful reminder to me that I need to redeem the time I have left with them. I can ask the Lord for His forgiveness concerning wasted time and opportunities. I can reckon with the fact that all my good intentions and personal convictions are tainted with my human weakness. I can admit that there are inconsistencies in my teaching, and I don't always know just how to reconcile them. I can ask God to help me refocus. I can thank Him for all the ways He has taken care of us. I can thank Him that He holds us in His care and His good plans for my children are not thwarted by my weakness. I can rest in His mercy, grace, and kindness.

"For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light."
~ Colossians 1:9-12

Our TOES are cold...
But our HEARTS are warm!
Who wants hot chocolate? :)

CAN YOU READ THIS...

WITHOUT AWE?

"Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him? For from him and to him are all things. To HIM be the glory forever! Amen."

~ Romans 11:33-36

EMAIL FROM PASTOR LESLY IN HAITI

Deay pastor Mark :

Greetings from Haiti !

I have the privilege to write you again because I am alive. I am alive only by the mercy of God because there are about 200.000 dead people, not including 115,000 injured and 5,000 missing people that have been hit by the earthquake. I praise the name of the Lord because my family and I are still alive.

Please receive my apologize for not informing you as soon as possible, there was not any means of communication for two weeks, until now the electricity has not been restored yet . I am writing you with a friend portable generator that I am using, as power source. We have our mother church building that we used to operate also for school which is completely destroyed.

We have another building which lodged four class rooms that have been destroyed.

We have five other church buildings that have been destroyed. In my home congregation the whole family is homeless included me. I have 32 orphans children with me that I have been evacuated from the orphanage building that I had, because all the security wall that we used as fence have been destroyed, so the children are out of security now and I had to evacuate them. Actually, here is what I am living, as pastor in a community which contains five villages which have about 5.000 people.

1- There is no water, no food until now, we do not receive any help from the government.

2- We sleep open air in empty land under plastic sheets makeshift camp.

3- Every single day I receive about 5, 7 orphans children that their parents have been victim on the earthquake, I don’t know what to do if I have to take or refuse them.

4- My village populations are expected a lot from me because everytime they come to me and ask me if I have something to give because they are hungry and really in need.

Personally, I have food for the next coming two days for my family and my 32 orphans children, right after everything is done.

5- About 95 percent of the government office building have been destroyed, university school, post office have been destroyed and so fourth. Even if I write you a book it won’t be enough to explain you the situation that we’re living now. If you want to help us here is the way:

1- Pray for us for safety because the Haiti and shakes every day this causes we live in panic.

2- I would like you mobilize some churches in your area to collect funds, food and clothes to send for us.

3- If you can organize some team workers because we have schools that have been destroyed which needs to be rebuilt.

If you help me this way I will be glad because you will help me to save other life which is hopeless and don’t forget anything you send for me. For fund you can

send it through my bank account for easy way because there is any way to receive mail via post ofice. As you make the deposit please let me know.

Thank you for your concern and compassion to us. Blessings to you.



In His care,



Pastor Lesly Bertrand

The Synergy of His Plan

syn·er·gy (sĭn'ər-jē)
n. pl. syn·er·gies

The interaction of two or more agents or forces so that their combined effect is greater than the sum of their individual effects.

Cooperative interaction among groups, especially among the acquired subsidiaries or merged parts of a corporation, that creates an enhanced combined effect.

Our pastor used this word Sunday morning while preaching out of Romans, chapter 8. I liked its succinct richness and it has stuck with me. When I stop and realize the ways God has worked in my life to "work all things for good" I am amazed that He has the power to use every detail. Unlike us, He does not have to scavenge through the thoughts, deeds, circumstances, and millions of other details to find something that may be worth using to bring about His purposes. He can and does use it ALL: the good, the bad, and the ugly.

A few weeks ago God did a work in me to bring me through a very dark trial. It was as if, after struggling intensely with this spirit of oppression, the switch was flipped and He just rushed in and showered me with divine affection and assurances. At that point I knew I needed not only deliverance, but my mind desperately needed renewal. I was afraid of going back to retrieve those old thoughts and remembrances, of which I was gloriously being delivered. His Word is perfect for reprogramming our thought lives. Fearing my own weakness, I cried out to God to amaze me.

Now, God is absolutely amazing whether I recognize it or not. He does not need me to be amazed, although I believe He takes joy in it. But I wanted more than head knowledge for my own benefit. I didn't just want to know it and trust it, I wanted to feel it and revel in His awesomeness. As you might have guessed, He has given me the additional "boost of amazement" and one of the things that amazes me is that He is not limited like humans. He can and does work ALL things for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. Where humans see barriers, He makes bridges and He uses whatever materials He pleases.

Romans 8:28