Just got off the phone with my protege', prayer partner, best friend and all around special big sister - who took the time to remind me why we're out here on this road! How easily we get caught up in unimportant trivial matters when great things are actually at stake - the hearts and souls of men and women who have yet to hear the Gospel of Christ!!! Thank you Kathleen!!
Two songs from our new CD's have been posted on the website. Check out the songs - buy the CD's to support the ministry, and GOD BLESS US EVERYONE!
www.turnthetideministries.com
encouraging music ~ encouraging message ~ WeRKlay@gmail.com
Friday, November 5, 2010
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Training Ground
Welcome to Gods training ground-the World at Large! I am amazed at the
things God shows us on a daily basis. As you read His Holy Scriptures and ask His guidance He speaks about your own hearts, your relationship to Him, your relationship to the Body of Christ and His church and your RESPONSIBILITY to the lost souls who have not heard the Gospel to the end that they believe it and receive salvation.
It would be so much easier to just be responsible for yourself, but God made us relational creatures and we are not able to escape our own natures. (That's why He had to make a way out of sin on our behalf, but that's another blog altogether!) As relational creatures we have to understand not only THAT our actions and reactions effect us and others around us, but HOW we and others are effected.
When we are younger and less mature, we "act" without giving much thought to how it effects anyone except ourselves. We must not stay in that place, never growing up to the place where we think BEFORE we act about how the action we take will effect other lives. For example, the Apostle Paul said he becomes all things to all people so that he might win some to Christ - that takes a lot of forethought and understanding of how others behave, how we can behave in accordance with THEIR WAY OF THINKING RATHER THAN OUR OWN so that our actions will then achieve our goal- reach them with our way of thinking. In our case, that "way of thinking" is Trust and Faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.
It's a mindset. A manner of thinking that then dictates actions. More often than not, it also means we have to deliberately put aside our personal wants and desires, and even our needs in order to reach out to others with understanding, kindness, LOVE and the Gospel Truth of Salvation.
The training ground that best suits this change of behavior isn't a controlled environment, but the World at Large! Actually dealing with people, deliberately putting their need and want ahead of our own and following through so we then see the result - a way into their hearts! If people see you put them first, they are far more likely to listen attentively to what you have to say.
I've heard it put this way- people don't care about how much you know until they know how much you care. It can't be just words - it must be actions! Actions speak far more eloquently than words ever can. We cannot just tell them of Christs love and grace, we must SHOW them Christs Love and Grace!
This reason alone is a very good reason to get outside the four walls of our churches and obey Jesus' command:
Go into ALL THE WORLD and make disciples of all men! (MATTHEW 28:19-20 FOR THE EXACT QUOTE!)
and may God Bless you in your endeavor to obey Him!
things God shows us on a daily basis. As you read His Holy Scriptures and ask His guidance He speaks about your own hearts, your relationship to Him, your relationship to the Body of Christ and His church and your RESPONSIBILITY to the lost souls who have not heard the Gospel to the end that they believe it and receive salvation.
It would be so much easier to just be responsible for yourself, but God made us relational creatures and we are not able to escape our own natures. (That's why He had to make a way out of sin on our behalf, but that's another blog altogether!) As relational creatures we have to understand not only THAT our actions and reactions effect us and others around us, but HOW we and others are effected.
When we are younger and less mature, we "act" without giving much thought to how it effects anyone except ourselves. We must not stay in that place, never growing up to the place where we think BEFORE we act about how the action we take will effect other lives. For example, the Apostle Paul said he becomes all things to all people so that he might win some to Christ - that takes a lot of forethought and understanding of how others behave, how we can behave in accordance with THEIR WAY OF THINKING RATHER THAN OUR OWN so that our actions will then achieve our goal- reach them with our way of thinking. In our case, that "way of thinking" is Trust and Faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.
It's a mindset. A manner of thinking that then dictates actions. More often than not, it also means we have to deliberately put aside our personal wants and desires, and even our needs in order to reach out to others with understanding, kindness, LOVE and the Gospel Truth of Salvation.
The training ground that best suits this change of behavior isn't a controlled environment, but the World at Large! Actually dealing with people, deliberately putting their need and want ahead of our own and following through so we then see the result - a way into their hearts! If people see you put them first, they are far more likely to listen attentively to what you have to say.
I've heard it put this way- people don't care about how much you know until they know how much you care. It can't be just words - it must be actions! Actions speak far more eloquently than words ever can. We cannot just tell them of Christs love and grace, we must SHOW them Christs Love and Grace!
This reason alone is a very good reason to get outside the four walls of our churches and obey Jesus' command:
Go into ALL THE WORLD and make disciples of all men! (MATTHEW 28:19-20 FOR THE EXACT QUOTE!)
and may God Bless you in your endeavor to obey Him!
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Monday, October 4, 2010
UPdate: Walk by FAITH!
WOW!! I know, I start that way a lot, but let's face it, there's a lot of WOW in GOD! This week, I received such an education in walking by faith and not by sight, I just couldn't NOT share it with others! So here it is:
The situation was LOOKING kind of bleak. It looked like ministry just wasn't happening. It looked like we were not having any real effect on anyone. It looked like we had somehow gotten out of Gods will and were missing His blessings. It looked rather grim to be truthful, and my prayers were showing less and less strength as each day wore on. I was still praying, but the trust and faith seemed to be wearing a bit thin! If you've ever been there, you know just what I'm talking about!
Then my eyes were opened! My spiritual eyes first, THEN by faith, I saw in the physical what was already going on in the spiritual realm!
Sure, things "looked" bleak to my naked eye-but they were far from bleak - and that's what walking by FAITH and not by sight is all about! In ONE conversation with someone seemingly unconnected to all our "ministry efforts" - God opened my eyes to see! Ministry WAS happening, we were having a GREAT effect on LOT'S of people around us, we WERE in the middle of Gods will and doing what He called us to do and the blessings, though unseen for a while were RIGHT THERE!
Christ was received as Savior by several souls, a new opportunity to hold church services for almost 300 new people has opened up to us and outreach efforts are yeilding tremendous harvest to Gods eternal Glory!!!!
How many times have you heard, "don't believe what your eyes see, trust what God said in His Word." Well, I can encourage all anew - "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean NOT unto your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your steps."
WALK BY FAITH AND NOT BY SIGHT!
The situation was LOOKING kind of bleak. It looked like ministry just wasn't happening. It looked like we were not having any real effect on anyone. It looked like we had somehow gotten out of Gods will and were missing His blessings. It looked rather grim to be truthful, and my prayers were showing less and less strength as each day wore on. I was still praying, but the trust and faith seemed to be wearing a bit thin! If you've ever been there, you know just what I'm talking about!
Then my eyes were opened! My spiritual eyes first, THEN by faith, I saw in the physical what was already going on in the spiritual realm!
Sure, things "looked" bleak to my naked eye-but they were far from bleak - and that's what walking by FAITH and not by sight is all about! In ONE conversation with someone seemingly unconnected to all our "ministry efforts" - God opened my eyes to see! Ministry WAS happening, we were having a GREAT effect on LOT'S of people around us, we WERE in the middle of Gods will and doing what He called us to do and the blessings, though unseen for a while were RIGHT THERE!
Christ was received as Savior by several souls, a new opportunity to hold church services for almost 300 new people has opened up to us and outreach efforts are yeilding tremendous harvest to Gods eternal Glory!!!!
How many times have you heard, "don't believe what your eyes see, trust what God said in His Word." Well, I can encourage all anew - "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean NOT unto your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your steps."
WALK BY FAITH AND NOT BY SIGHT!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)