Paul's Blog

2010-06-07T12:11:00.001+01:00

In the moment of surrender, I let go of all the theological or social questions which had kept me from [God] for countless years. I simply let them go. There was the sense, profound and wordless, that if He knew everything I did not have to know everything, and that, in seeking to know everything, I’d been, all of my life, missing the entire point.

No social paradox, no historic disaster, no hideous record of injustice or misery should keep me from Him. No question of Scriptural integrity, no torment over the fate of this or that atheist or gay friend, no worry for those condemned and ostracized by my church or any other church should stand between me and Him.

The reason? It was magnificently simple: He knew how or why everything happened; He knew the disposition of every single soul. He wasn’t going to let anything happen by accident! Nobody was going to go to Hell by mistake. This was His world, all this! He had complete control of it; His justice, His mercy—were not our justice or our mercy. What folly to even imagine such a thing.

—Anne Rice

What's It All About?

2010-05-06T00:46:00.002+01:00

Dr. Papaderos, what is the meaning of life?" I asked the aging German professor of Greek culture and history.

The usual laughter followed, and people stirred to go.

Papaderos held up his hand, stilled the room, and looked at me for a long time, asking with his eyes if I was serious and seeing from my eyes that I was.

"I will answer your question." Taking his wallet out of his hip pocket, he fished into a leather billfold and brought out a very small round mirror, about the size of a quarter. And what he said went like this:

"When I was a small child, during the war, we were very poor and we lived in a remote village. One day, on the road, I found the broken pieces of a mirror. A German motorcycle had been wrecked in that place.

I tried to find all the pieces and put them together, but it was not possible, so I kept only the largest piece. This one. And by scratching it on a stone I made it round. And I began to play with it as a toy and became fascinated by the fact that I could reflect light into dark places where the sun would never shine—in deep holes and crevices and dark closets. It became a game for me to get light into the most inaccessible places I could find.

I kept the little mirror, and as I went about my growing up, I would take it out in idle moments and continue the challenge of the game. As I became a man, I grew to understand that this was not just a child's game but a metaphor for what I might do with my life. I came to understand that I am not the light or the source of light. But light—truth, understanding, knowledge—is there, and it will only shine in many dark places if I reflect it.

I am a fragment of a mirror whose design and shape I do not know. Nevertheless, with what I have I can reflect light into the dark places of this world—into the black places in the hearts of men—and change some things in some people. Perhaps others may see and do likewise. This is what I am about. This is the meaning of my life."

And then he took his small mirror and, holding it carefully, caught the bright rays of daylight streaming through the window and reflected them onto my face and onto my hands folded on the desk.

Much of what I experienced in the way of information about Greek culture and history that summer is gone from memory. But in the wallet of my mind I still carry a small round mirror.

—Ted Cashion

November 7th, 2009

2009-11-12T15:21:00.002+00:00

So we arrived in Harare at 10pm at a crowded bus station. The driver opened the luggage door under the bus and used a flashlight to see which bag was which while passing them out to the crowd of passengers who were pushing at each other to get closer, straining their eyes to make sure no one else claimed their bags. A lady we had witnessed to 2 years ago on the bus to Harare came with her husband and two small children to pick us up. They told us that Jesus had spoken to them and they had organized almost everything for us: a place to stay and meals to eat for the whole time that we'll be here. What a miracle, thank you Jesus! It was the weekend and the next day they came by early to take us to Nyanga, about a 3 hour drive east of Harare. The lady is a fairly well-known TV persona, and her tour company was shooting a 30min advertisement for a lodge in that area (which, by the way, is the second top tourist destination in Zimbabwe! Nyanga that is). They used us as part of the cast, and we were able to spend a lot of time witnessing to her boss and his son. The videoclip will air on national TV possibly next week so I'll have a short moment of fame.. They also filmed a short clip to promote the seminars we'll be teaching, it should air on Sunday. Nyanga is awesome, like stepping into a whole different Zimbabwe. Very lush and green, lots of wildlife. There is a falls almost the size of Victoria Falls (didn't go there because the car wasn't up to the 20km stretch of unpaved road and potholes) and has views not seen anywhere else in zim.

No comment...

2009-11-09T16:56:00.005+00:00

Ok, maybe just one. This was a notice on the wall of one of the toilets of the South African side of the Zimbabwean border.

November 6th, 2009

2009-11-09T16:11:00.005+00:00

Told you I'd write about the trip. It was a grueling 24-hour bus ride from Joburg to Harare...it doesn't normally take that long, the bus broke down 3 times! The first time it started with Jasmin waking up because her leg was soaking wet (the air-conditioning had been leaking on her), she woke John who was sitting next to her who said, "forget about the water, why is the bus full of smoke?" As the smoke started pouring faster into the bus, John alerted the driver who pulled over to the side of the road. They found out that the fuel injector pipe had burst and that diesel was leaking all over the engine causing the smoke (a miracle nothing really bad happened).

We were stranded in the bush for 4 hours until the mechanic they sent for managed to fix the problem. By that time, the sun had come up and we still had the Zimbabwe border crossing ahead of us... The previous two times I went to Zimbabwe, the border crossing was an ordeal you were always thankful for when it was over. Queues that went on forever! You could be in a queue for up to 3 hours waiting for your turn to get your visa and passport stamped...only to find out that you were missing a paper and have to fight and push your way through the throng to the other side of the building to get the paper, and then wait in another queue to get it stamped. The border officials are friendly enough, especially when they tell you that your visa costs twice as much as the others "because", they say, "that's what it costs us Zimbabweans to visit your wonderful country. When it's cheaper for us, it'll be cheaper for you." (I told them I'd be sure to have a little chat with Gordon Brown about it!) And then you go back to the bus where everything has been unloaded to the side of the road for the customs officials to go through each bag...when they would get around to it as there were so many buses, vehicles, and people everywhere!

Now that I think about it, the queues were possibly so bad because both times it was near Christmas, everyone trying to get home to family for the holiday and bringing huge bags and sacks of food and other stuffs with them. (Zimbabwe has had sanctions for years because of the political situation, there are many sides to the story, and a lot that the media does not tell you about...but isn't that always the case?)

The other two times the bus ground to a halt because of the engine overheating (see there's a reason they travel overnight!) and with the air-con not working properly it was quite the experience. But in-spite of it all, it was a wonderful opportunity to practice using extreme praise, and we actually met some really wonderful people, and prayed for some as well.

November 5th, 2009

2009-11-09T16:04:00.002+00:00

We arrived in Harare yesterday evening (will write about the trip later). We actually had planned to leave Johannesburg a lot earlier but when going to our mission base/loft space in downtown Johannesburg (that we've had for the past 10 years) to pick up some materials for our classes and seminars, we found out that the building was being sold and that we had to move out as soon as possible. Actually even though it sounds terrible, this is something that Jesus had shown us two years previously so in a way I think the Lord had already prepared us for it. Jesus did one miracle after the other and somehow within a week and a half a seemingly impossible task was completed, everything had been auctioned or stored and we were free to book our bus tickets to Zimbabwe. It's been great to be back in South Africa, even though for a short time.

Time for a rant...

Every time I come to South Africa I look forward to buying, and more importantly drinking (!), a certain juice called "Just Juice". It honestly is (I guess now was) the best juice in the world, and I could never get enough of it (here's a little secret about me: juice and honey...two things I really love!). So, you can imagine my extreme sadness and disappointment to find that it had disappeared off the face of South Africa! Couldn't believe it, it wasn't to be found anywhere! Unbelievable!!

End of rant.

I was a little disappointed because I was not able to see some people here that I've come to know over the years, I really tried to make it happen but I know the Lord knows best. Perhaps on the way back from Zimbabwe it will work out! I am praying for it. :) Just heard from the Rwanda team they arrived safely in Kigali (they took a bus from Kampala in Uganda through the border to Kigali, Rwanda. From what I've heard it's ruggedly beautiful up that way, perhaps the Lord will take me up that direction some day in the future, who knows!

I'M BACK!!!

2009-11-09T16:01:00.001+00:00

Sorry that I have not kept you updated much so far, but that will change. I though it would be interesting to keep a sort of journal so that you would get to experience a bit of Africa with me and also to give you an idea of everything that goes into our work and lives here...

"Jim, It's Jesus!"

2009-09-13T11:55:00.001+01:00

The story is told of a certain minister who was disturbed to see a shabby old man go into his church at noon every day and come out again after a few minutes. What could he be doing? He informed the caretaker and asked him to question the old man. After all, the place contained valuable furnishings.

"I go to pray," the old man said in reply to the caretaker's questioning.

"Come, come now," said the other, "you are never long enough in the church to pray."

"Well, you see," the shabby old man went on, "I cannot pray a long prayer, but every day at twelve o'clock I just come and say, 'Jesus, it's Jim,' and wait a minute and then come away. It's just a little prayer, but I guess He hears me."

When Jim was injured some time later and taken to the hospital, he had a wonderful inﬂuence on the ward. Grumbling patients became cheerful and often the ward would ring with laughter.

"Well, Jim," said the sister to him one day, "the men say you are responsible for this change in the ward. They say you are always happy."

"Aye, sister, that I am. I can't help being happy. You see, it's my Visitor. Every day He makes me happy."

"Your visitor?" The sister was puzzled. She always noticed that Jim's chair was empty on visiting days, for he was a lonely old man, with no relations. "Your visitor? But when does he come?"

"Every day," Jim replied, the light in his eyes growing brighter. "Yes, every day at twelve o'clock He comes and stands at the foot of my bed. I see Him and He smiles and says, 'Jim, it's Jesus.'"

Is Your Faith Like Toilet Paper?

2009-08-30T10:12:00.005+01:00

Realizing that your faith is low is like being caught without toilet paper. You can scramble for substitutes, but Kleenex doesn’t flush well. Nothing works better than the real thing. So keep stocked up on faith. Meditate day and night on the promises of God. If nothing new comes to mind, you can remind yourself of His faithfulness in the past, either in your own life or the lives of others.

Stock up your spiritual pantry with stories. Keep them there for a rainy day. Remember the things he has done for you. Remember the things he has done for others. Remember the times He miraculously provided for you when you were down to your last dime. Remember the times Jesus cried with you. Remember all the aha-moments when the light finally came on, the divine connections and coincidences that you knew only God could orchestrate. Remembering fuels our faith.

When God took the Israelites out of Egypt and parted the Red Sea, He told the Israelites over and over to remember the miracles in the days of old and to consider the generations past. Why? Because we have short-term memories. We need to be reminded.

David consoled himself. He said in Psalm 77:11, "I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago." The prophet Joel urges us: "Has anything like this ever happened in your days or in the days of your forefathers? Tell it to your children, and let your children tell it to their children, and their children to the next generation."

We must remember. We must remind ourselves and our families. When we recall his faithfulness in the past, it encourages us to believe for the future. God is the same God today. Nothing is impossible with God. He can do it again!

The British Open Golf Tournament

2009-08-03T13:13:00.009+01:00

Witnessing at a major Golf Tournament of the PGA Tour. (Click the fullscreen button.)

...and here are a couple of testimonies from the event:

Becky

I was talking with Scott, the man from Philadelphia, when I first met him. We were just talking and he was asking about our life and everything, but whenever I tried to ask about himself, he'd always brush it off or change the subject immediately. I was asking Jesus, "How can I help him?"

The Lord said, "Start talking to him about finances and business." I was talking to him about the economy in the States, and he got really quiet and said, "Well, that's my job. We help move money all over the world. I've never had to worry about money. My whole life, I've always had loads of it. But with this economic problem, I've all of a sudden started getting a real fear in my heart. When you're younger and you're an entrepreneur, if you lose, it just falls on you, but now I have so many people that rely on me and depend on me. If our businesses fail or slump, I have all these people who look up to me. I won't say it's a huge fear, but it's a nagging fear at the back of my mind that if I lose everything, I won't have it."

I just took his hand and said, "Look, can I say a small prayer for you? Right now the whole world is controlled by money. People treat it like a god. But if you don't fear money and you don't fear its control on you, then you're really free and that's when miracles can happen. As long as you fear it, and always try to chase after it or serve it, you'll never really be free and you'll never get to experience what living by faith is or get to experience what real miracles can do. Some of the biggest miracles actually can happen in the business world because the Devil thinks he has got such control over it and it's so shrouded with darkness." The greater the darkness the brighter the light shines!

He said, "I never saw it like that before, but you're right. That would be freedom." So I prayed that Jesus would set him free from fear--fear of lack of finances or fear of failure--and give him that faith.

Jana & Amy

We started witnessing to the first two guys that were sitting there. They're the directors of the Golf Association in India. He was asking us, "What do you do?" We were telling him that we help to encourage people. He said, "How do you do that?" Amy told him a testimony.

I just told him the story of this kid who had been sitting against the wall in Ireland. This was when I first started out on the team living by faith and witnessing. I'd asked Jesus who I was meant to talk to and Jesus pointed him out. I went and sat next to him. At first he was cussing at me, and then I just sat there and asked him about his life. He said, "Why do you care? Why are you even sitting next to me?" I said, "Because I know that Jesus loves you so much." He started crying and said that his mom had passed away a month before and that he had nothing left to live for and that he was going to commit suicide. He said, "Before I ended my note to my relatives I said, 'Look, God, if You're real, send me someone to tell me that You love me'."

I told this story to the Sikh man and I said, "I don't have the answers. I don't know what will touch someone's heart and what will give someone the hope and strength to go on, but I know that Jesus does and I know that His love can turn around and touch any heart."

He looked at me and said, "Wow!" He was really quiet for a few minutes and then he turned and said, "I'm sorry I'm really quiet. I'm just thinking about what you said. It's so true. It's so heavy. There are so many people that need encouragement."

I asked, "Well, are you a spiritual man?" He said, "I don't know. I used to be, but I'm not so much anymore. I put my turban down a few years ago." I said, "Yes, but you believe in the spirit world. I see it in your eyes and your smile, because you exude that love and that spirit." He said, "Yes, I just need more of it."

I said, "Well, can I pray for you?" He said, "Sure."

"What can I pray for?"

"For happiness."

I prayed for him, for happiness and afterwards he was almost in tears and he said, "Thank you." I said, "I know that's the more beautiful gift I could ever give somebody." He replied, "That's the most beautiful gift anyone could ever receive."

You can now send a donation directly from my blog using PayPal!

2009-07-03T22:00:00.002+01:00

Why donate?

My life is one of faith and I must trust God to supply and take care of all my needs. My team and I are not funded by churches or organizations, instead Jesus uses individuals who understand and appreciate the value of instilling faith, and spreading God's message of love and salvation to others. In order to be an effective missionary I need friends who love Jesus enough to see his work go further. I need your help and regular support.

Would you like to make a difference in the lives of countless others? Will you play a role in changing the world with me? "If you can’t be a missionary...support one!"

Any donations you make via PayPal go directly to my account and straight to our daily operating expenses. Any donation, big or small is a big help.

I've found that PayPal works, is safe, a secure transaction, and the donation you send will make it to us safely. If you haven't already set up a PayPal account, that's okay, as there's an option to send funds directly from your bank account, or you can open a PayPal account yourself (it's very easy).

God bless you! And thank you in advance!

Philippians 4:17b

2009-07-02T15:32:00.007+01:00

Thank you for winning souls with us through your gifts and support these past few months. When you get to heaven, there will be so many who will be eternally grateful, waiting to meet you and thank you for all you did to get them there.

This is a little video clip that Miguel put together, it's a very short collage of recent footage of the team witnessing.

The Cork and the Whale

2009-06-27T10:28:00.003+01:00

Dylan (3 years old) quoting a poem about the cork and the whale.

A little brown cork
Fell in the path of a whale,
Who lashed it down
With his angry tail;
But in spite of his blows
It quickly arose,
And floated serenely
Before his nose.
Said the cork to the whale,
"You may flap and sputter and frown,
But you never, never can keep me down;
For I am made of the stuff
That is buoyant enough
To float instead of drown."
-- Pameii

The Right Place

2009-06-23T22:58:00.008+01:00

Author unknown

God has a way of allowing us to be in the right place at the right time. I was walking down a dimly lit street late one evening when I heard muffled screams coming from behind a clump of bushes. Alarmed, I slowed down to listen and panicked when I realized that what I was hearing were the unmistakable sounds of a struggle—heavy grunting, frantic scuffling, and tearing of fabric. Only yards from where I stood, a woman was being attacked.

Should I get involved? I was frightened for my own safety and cursed myself for having suddenly decided to take a new route home that night. What if I became another statistic? Shouldn't I just run to the nearest phone and call the police?

Although it seemed an eternity, the deliberations in my head had taken only seconds, but already the cries were growing weaker. I knew I had to act fast. How could I walk away from this? No, I finally resolved, I could not turn my back on the fate of this woman, even if it meant risking my own life.

I am not a brave man, nor am I athletic. I don't know where I found the moral courage and physical strength—but once I had finally resolved to help the girl, I became strangely transformed. I ran behind the bushes and pulled the assailant off the woman. Grappling, we fell to the ground, where we wrestled for a few minutes until the attacker jumped up and escaped.

Panting hard, I scrambled upright and approached the girl, who was crouched behind a tree, sobbing. In the darkness, I could barely see her outline, but I could certainly sense her trembling shock. Not wanting to frighten her further, I at first spoke to her from a distance. "It's okay," I said soothingly. "The man ran away. You're safe now."

There was a long pause and then I heard the words, uttered in wonder, in amazement. "Dad, is that you?" And then, from behind the tree, stepped my youngest daughter, Katherine.

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends!" (John 15:13).

Are you willing to give till it hurts, even until it hurts you? Jesus did: He gave His life! God did: He gave His Son! King David did: He said, "I will not give unto the Lord of that which hath cost me nothing!" He gave until it hurt! Are you willing to give that much if needed? Are you willing to suffer to save others, if that's what God is asking of you?

The Chain of Love

2009-06-23T17:40:00.001+01:00

He almost didn't see the old lady, stranded on the side of the road. But even in the dim light of day, he could see she needed help. So he pulled up in front of her Mercedes and got out. His Pontiac was still sputtering when he approached her. Even with the smile on his face, she was worried. No one had stopped to help her for the last hour or so. Was he going to hurt her? He didn't look safe, he looked poor and hungry.

He could see that she was frightened, standing out there in the cold. He knew how she felt. It was that chill which only fear can put in you.

He said, "I'm here to help you ma'am. Why don't you wait in the car where it's warm? By the way, my name is Bryan."

Well, all she had was a flat tire, but for an old lady, that was bad enough. Bryan crawled under the car looking for a place to put the jack, skinning his knuckles a time or two. Soon he was able to change the tire. But he had to get dirty and his hands hurt. As he was tightening up the lug nuts, she rolled down the window and began to talk to him. She told him that she was from St. Louis and was only just passing through. She couldn't thank him enough for coming to her aid. Bryan just smiled as he closed her trunk. She asked him how much she owed him. Any amount would have been all right with her. She had already imagined all the awful things that could have happened had he not stopped.

Bryan never thought twice about the money just about helping someone in need, and God knows, there were plenty who had given him a hand in the past. He had lived his whole life that way, and it never occurred to him to act any other way.

He told her that if she really wanted to pay him back, the next time she saw someone who needed help, she could give that person the assistance that they needed, and Bryan added, "...and think of me." He waited until she started her car and drove off.

It had been a cold and depressing day, but he felt good as he headed for home, disappearing into the twilight.

A few miles down the road the lady saw a small cafe. She went in to grab a bite to eat, and take the chill off before she made the last leg of her trip home. It was a dingy looking restaurant. Outside were two old gas pumps. The whole scene was unfamiliar to her.

Her waitress came over and brought a clean towel to dry her wet hair. She had a sweet smile, one that even being on her feet for the whole day couldn't erase. The lady noticed that the waitress was nearly eight months pregnant, but she never let the strain and aches change her attitude.

The old lady wondered how someone who had so little could be so giving to a stranger. Then she remembered Bryan. After the lady finished her meal, and the waitress went to get change for her hundred dollar bill, the lady slipped right out the door. She was gone by the time the waitress came back. She wondered where the lady could be, then she noticed something written on the napkin under which were four $100 bills. There were tears in her eyes when she read what the lady wrote. It said: "You don't owe me anything, I have been there too. Somebody once helped me out, the way I'm helping you. If you really want to pay me back, here is what you do: Do not let this chain of love end with you."

Well, there were tables to clear, sugar bowls to fill, and people to serve, but the waitress made it through another day. That night when she got home from work and climbed into bed, she was thinking about the money and what the lady had written. How could the lady have known how much she and her husband needed it? With the baby due next month, it was going to be hard.

She knew how worried her husband was, and as he lay sleeping next to her, she gave him a soft kiss and whispered softly, "It's going to be all right. I love you, Bryan."

How true God's Word is. You know, everything you do comes back sometime, somewhere. It seems uncanny sometimes to see how the law of sowing and reaping works, and how surely God fulfills [His] Word. Whatsoever a man casts out, it returns again on his own life. If he throws out a little kindness in the world, it returns … as a blessing.

The Letter

2009-06-22T13:42:00.004+01:00

Ruth went to her mail box and there was only one letter. She picked it up and looked at it before opening, then she looked at the envelope again.

There was no stamp, no postmark, only her name and address. She read the letter:

Dear Ruth,

I'm going to be in your neighborhood Saturday afternoon and I'd like to stop by for a visit.

Love always,

Jesus

Her hands were shaking as she placed the letter on the table. "Why would the Lord want to visit me? I'm nobody special. I don't have anything to offer."

With that thought, Ruth remembered her empty kitchen cabinets. "Oh my goodness, I really don't have anything to offer. I'll have to run down to the store and buy something for dinner." She reached for her purse and counted out its contents. Five dollars and forty cents. "Well, I can get some bread and cold cuts, at least."

She threw on her coat and hurried out the door. A loaf of French bread, a half-pound of sliced turkey, and a carton of milk, leaving Ruth with a grand total of twelve cents to last her until Monday. Nonetheless, she felt good as she headed home, her meager offerings tucked under her arm.

"Hey, lady, can you help us, lady?"

Ruth had been so absorbed in her dinner plans, she hadn't even noticed two figures huddled in the alleyway. A man and a woman, both of them dressed in little more than rags.

"Look lady, I ain't got a job, and my wife and I have been living out here on the street, and, well, now it's getting cold and we're getting kinda hungry and, well, if you could help us, we'd really appreciate it."

Ruth looked at them both. They were dirty, they smelled bad and, frankly, she was certain that they could get some kind of work if they really wanted to.

"Sir, I'd like to help you, but I'm a poor woman myself. All I have is a few cold cuts and some bread, and I'm having an important guest for dinner tonight and I was planning on serving that to Him."

"Well, okay, I understand. Thanks anyway." The man put his arm around the woman's shoulders, turned and headed back into the alley.

As she watched them leave, Ruth felt a familiar twinge in her heart. "Sir, wait!"

The couple stopped and turned as she ran down the alley after them. "Look, why don't you take this food. I'll figure out something else to serve my guest." She handed the man her grocery bag.

"Thank you. Thank you very much!"

"Yes, thank you!" It was the man's wife, and Ruth could see now that she was shivering.

"You know, I've got another coat at home. Here, why don't you take this one." Ruth unbuttoned her jacket and slipped it over the woman's shoulders. Then smiling, she turned and walked back to the street, without her coat and with nothing to serve her guest.

"Thank you, lady! Thank you very much!" Ruth was chilled by the time she reached her front door, and worried too. Jesus was coming to visit and she didn't have anything to offer Him. She fumbled through her purse for the door key. But as she did, she noticed another envelope in her mailbox.

"That's odd. The mailman doesn't usually come twice in one day." She took the envelope out of the box and opened it.

Dear Ruth,

It was so good to see you again. Thank you for the lovely meal. And thank you, too, for the beautiful coat.

Love always,

Jesus

"From him that hath, according to his ability, unto him that hath not, according to his need."—that's the sharing principle of love—and the loving principle of sharing!

Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, 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? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. (Matthew 25:37-38)

Where the hell is Matt?

2009-06-12T12:32:00.004+01:00

Clip from Mother Teresa

2009-05-10T23:09:00.003+01:00

What a special lady!

2009-04-28T13:15:00.001+01:00

God said, "Come to the edge."
We said, "It’s too high."
"Come to the edge."
We said, "We might fall."
"Come to the edge."
And we came, and He pushed us, and we flew.

Isaiah 40:29-31

2009-04-23T13:56:00.001+01:00

He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might He increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Real faith isn't contingent on results

2009-04-03T22:31:00.000+01:00

Real faith isn't contingent on results. You don't strengthen your faith by the events around you; you strengthen your faith through trusting Jesus despite the events around you. You strengthen your faith by belief in Him and taking Him at His Word despite the results, not because of them. Anything else is proof or confirmation of faith, not faith itself.

Things go wrong and you love Him anyway—that's faith. You pray and things don't turn out as you wanted, but you still go on for Him—that's faith. You have been disappointed before, but you try again next time—that's faith. You don't quit‚ no matter what things look like and no matter what does or doesn't happen—that's faith.

When you keep doing these things, living in this faith-filled way, the end result is that you come to realize that all things really are possible to you, and that there is no defeat or setback in your service for Him. By taking the road of faith and not worrying about the "proof," you eventually find that your questions have been answered, all your needs have been supplied, and Jesus has worked things out just like you asked Him to. If something wasn't His will for you, you didn't really want it anyway. All the things that needed to happen have happened, He was never defeated, and in the end, His plan was fulfilled.

The Romans 8:28 principle

2009-04-03T13:47:00.006+01:00

Something that we all really need is firm faith and belief that the Lord always works everything out. It's called the "Romans 8:28" principle, because that’s the Lord’s promise in that verse—that He will work everything out for the good of those who love Him. So whether or not you see the Romans 8:28 yet in a difficult situation, it’s a beautiful thing when you hang on and ground yourself and stand firm in your belief that God does work everything out eventually, and for your good.

2009-04-01T00:57:00.000+01:00

I love you, I made you exactly the way you are. I didn't program you to be perfect and you just screwed it up; I made you with your faults. I gave you those things you don't like so much about yourself to enrich your life to give you challenges, to give you something to overcome and to conquer. I gave them to you not to burden you, but so that you might develop wings to rise above.

—from Jesus

The place where He begins...

2009-03-11T07:46:00.003+00:00

When you reach the perimeter of your ability as a man, when you fall defeated at the retaining wall of your own limitations and realize the impossibility of escaping what seems like the prison house of your own human frailty or ability, that's when you come to really know your limits, and that with your own human strength things are impossible. But the place that seems to be the end of all that's possible for you is not the end of all that's actually possible! That's really the place of great beginnings. That's the border, the frontier, the great divide, the place where you end and God begins.

It's when you come to the edge of all the light you know, and are about to step off into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing one of two things will happen: there will be something solid to stand on, or you will be taught how to fly.
—Edward Teller

Shopping with Jesus!

2009-02-11T01:24:00.003+00:00

This happened a little while ago, but it's still a very fun and cool example of the amazing ways that Jesus uses to supply our needs when everything else screams impossible or seems to be failing.

And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:19

(Miguel:) A few of us made a small list of needs to present to Jesus. One thing on the list was new clothing, as we had just gotten back to Europe from Africa, and it was cold! We didn’t have a cent toward it, so we asked Jesus if there was anything He could do. He told us to go to the store and pick out the items we wanted. We went by faith and looked around.

We each had hangers in hand with several pieces of clothing. “Jesus, what do we do now?” He told us to take them to the counter and reserve them. We gave them to the clerk and said we’d be back soon to pick them up, and then walked out to the sidewalk. “Well, Jesus, we did our part. What next?” I looked down and saw a white envelope on the ground.

Strange! I picked it up, looked inside, and there was a stamped gift voucher for the store we had just walked out of! There was no name on the envelope, I wasn’t even sure if it was real. I went back to the counter, showed the gift voucher to the clerk we had just spoken to, and asked if it was valid. He typed some things into his computer, and handed us our clothes. The cost had balanced perfectly with what we had selected, down to the last cent! Jesus took us shopping today and we got everything we needed.