A Believer, A Witch, A

Seeker and A Healing

We don’t have to go on tour to minister…
Just ask Gloria or Suzi or each other, “how was God present to you and through you this week…

Thursday an elderly Whiz Kid tutor thanked me for praying a simple prayer of healing for her the week before—she received a healing and seemed quite surprised!

Friday we went “treasure hunting” Fri am: stopped at Starbucks and asked the manager if he knew the meaning of his name (Micah) and if he was a follower of Jesus—yes to both. Then I spoke to a witch who believed Jesus was the one cast out of heaven. Last of all I went back through the check out just to give a simple word to a cashier that God wanted her to know He was with her and she was not alone. She said she hasn’t been practicing her faith but just got this job and knows she is being blessed.

Practice makes permanent
I like the sound of that—“practicing our faith.” Sometimes I practice unbelief, disobedience, laziness, worry, fear, negativity, etc… Practicing our faith is much more fruitful and joyful. Last week Gary Cake said we need to see ourselves bearing fruit. So how was your practicing this week? Prayer? Service? Giving? Witness?

Remember why Jesus had to suffer: the outcome of his agony is the triumph of the life of God in us and through us to hurting people – resurrection joy! He answered forever the problem of evil (why people suffer) and gave us the antidote for the problem of hypocrisy—His grace teaches us and helps us in all our weaknesses.

Please pray for yourself and for us to have Courage: it’s our theme for MC tour this next month. Courage is not the absence of fear but acknowledging it, asking for help (grace) and going ahead to do what is right in spite of fear and doubt and the devil’s lies in our minds. How did Jesus embrace and overcome suffering? 

Declare and pray these Scriptures over yourself and us:

“Love compels us.” 2 Cor 5:14
“Since we have hope we are very bold.” 2 Cor 3:12
“They spoke boldly for the Lord who bore witness of His grace granting signs and wonders.” Acts 14:3
“His grace gives us unfailing courage and a firm hope to encourage you and strengthen you always to do and to say what is good.” 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
“You shall go out with joy and be led forth with peace.”
“Those who go forth weeping bearing precious seed shall doubtless come again rejoicing bringing fruit with them.”
Love motivated Him. We ask that grace and love motivate us all with courage. “The righteous are bold as a lion” Jesus is the Lion who makes us bold in love.

Courage proves love and love proves courage. 

-PD

The Parable of the 

Fisherless Fisherman
By Richard Lineberry

There was a group called the Fisherman’s Fellowship.  They had access to streams and lakes full of hungry fish.  Meeting regularly, they talked about how they needed a philosophy of fishing with carefully designed strategies and tactics.

Then they realized they were approaching the subject backwards.  They were viewing fishing from the standpoint of the fisherman rather than that of the fish.  So they began research studies on how fish view fishing and attended technical seminars.  They had committees that commissioned experts to determine the latest policies.  They held seminars and posted helpful hints in magazines.  But suddenly, they realized that no one was actually doing any fishing.  A survey was launched to find out why.  The answer was that with all of the meetings and studying, no one had enough time to literally go fishing.

Now Joe was a newcomer to the Fisherman’s Fellowship.  After his first meeting, he went fishing and caught a choice fish and told everyone the story.  He was honored for his catch and scheduled to be the next seminar speaker to tell how he did it.  He did such a good job that seminars featuring Joe were set up all across the country.  Now Joe had no more time to go fishing either.  But soon he began to feel restless and empty and longed to feel the tugging on the line once again.  So he cut out the speaking, resigned from the board and said to a friend, “Let’s go fishing.”  So they did and they caught a whole bunch of fish. 

Yes, the Fisherman’s Fellowship members were many and very knowledgeable.   The fish were plentiful but the fishers were few.   

Our world is not short on souls that need to hear the Gospel of Christ and the truth of God’s Word.  As fishers of men, have you been fishing lately?