Skip to main content

The Lord of All Provisions

Ministry, especially evangelistic work, is always a tough deal.  It is not for those with weakness of bones.  It is not for those without tears in their eyes or for those with smooth knees.  It is for those with courage of spirit and hearts of faith. It is for those who paint a picture in the dark and envision a harvest in a barren land.

As the Psalmist reminds us in Psalms 126:5 & 6 "Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him."

Everytime God calls you to do something new, He sure always provides for it.  But not without calling you to trust Him every step of the way.  Every year and every time since I responded to the Lord's call to global evangelistic work God has always called me to trust Him for the provisions. He has never disappointed.  Preparing for Accelerate Conference as well as the Evening of Hope is no exception.

When we launched these efforts six months ago, we had just emerged from one climax season of amazing provisions as we headed to Burundi for the Bujumbura Festival of Hope.  A week before departure we needed $ 25,000 to complete the $ 100,000 overall cost for the mission and I had no re-entry visas into the United States.  All we held onto was the assurance that God had called us to do the work and come rain or sunshine, we were following through with it.

As we prayed, God gave us assurance that He would do it.  Sure enough within a week's time He had provided $ 25,000 for us and had moved heaven and earth to provide for my Green Card within a day of departure. I could re-enter the United States without difficulties once the mission was over.

With a week to go before the Evening of Hope outreach and Accelerate Conference here in Minneapolis March 19th and 20th, we once again stand $ 9,000 short of our budget for the events.  Once again I am tempted to be nervous and afraid.  Yet deep down I can hear God's call to trust Him with the provisions.  I can hear Him say I shouldn't focus on the economic challenges of our times but rather on the God who holds all times and seasons in His hand. 

For the last four months we have been working hard to prepare and to reach out to the Northwest Metro community.  We have also been working hard to fundraise the modest $ 25,000 budget we assigned for the project.  But with just a few days left to go I find myself asking the same question: will the Lord provide the whole amount for these events? 

Although I look at my limited list of contacts and the economic circumstances and I am tempted to be afraid, I choose to be bold and to answer with an emphatic "Yes, God will provide."    We go forth trembling.  We bear precious seed in our hands.  We stand the risk of embarrasment.  Yet our hearts ache with passion for the King.  Our love for Him surpasses all fear.

We are pushed on by the hope of the joy of the harvest.  As we still our hearts in the tumultuous millieu, we can hear the Master say, "Trust Me, it will be alright.  Your joy will be complete.  I AM simply accelerating your faith in Me."

And so, come back tomorrow to see how we are doing on this.  Most significantly, come alongside with us next week to the Accelerate Conference and the Evening of Hope and witness first-hand the outworking of God's power and Spirit among His people.  As a point of testimony, while I am writing and yet to post this, a friend just pledged to send in $250 toward the efforts.  So here we go.  Only $ 8,750 left to go :)

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

No Room in the Inn...21st Century Version

It is the Christmas season 2009.  Like Joseph and Mary 2000 years ago, a young couple are on the virge of the birth of their first baby boy.  Although they are doing everything to prepare for the big day, it still catches them by surprise.  Instead of the regular 40 weeks, the baby is arriving six weeks early. Because they are not expecting it this early, their bags are not packed nor is the nursery fully furnished.  Safe for an early morning warning in a dream to the father to prepare to be in a delivery room and with assurance (from the Lord) that it would be o.k, the day started off as any other day. At 6:00 AM, the couple prays together for about 40 minutes in their home in Victoria.  They take showers.  At about 7:30 AM, the husband goes to work briefly from his home office while the wife prepares something for their breakfast together. Within a couple hours they will have a routine prenatal doctor's appointment.  Later in the evening the wife's sister and her two beau

The Other Frontline in the Battle for Souls- By Suzanne Wanyonyi

I've learned quite a bit while Sammy's been away in India. Other wives have told me over the years, that when their husbands are gone for ministry for extended periods of time, the enemy tries to attack during the husband's absence by causing the garage door to break, or the toilets to break or the hot water heater to go out. So, from the very beginning of our marriage I anticipated those things and shared my concern about them with Sammy. He understood. We've always had a plan in case something breaks around the house while he's away. Well, none of those things have ever happened. Other things have happened.  During this latest mission, while nearly 80,000 people were being won to Christ, the attack came in a way I wasn't expecting: The kids. There were more than a few nights where I had about 2 hours of sleep because the kids kept waking up. With Malaika it's not so uncommon, but Junior has slept from 8-8 for as long as I can remember. He'

A Medical Doctor With a Passion for God, a Love for People, and an Enduring Faith

Our Mission in Kenya Continued well. He is humble, he is joyful, and he works hard to make a difference among a Kenyan rural town's community.  That is Dr. Nathan Matasi, a gynecologist serving in Kitale town, Western Kenya.  There are hardly any hospitals in this part of the world.  The one government operated hospital in Kitale town serves a population of over one million people from the town and the surrounding rural farm communities.  Sammy and Gary share a moment with Dr. Matasi next to a corn field in Kitale on Tuesday morning before heading out for the prayer service in Nairobi, some 400 miles away.  Here you will find patients sleeping on the floor in overcrowded hallways, pregnant mothers sharing beds, and daily lines forming at the out-patient unit.  There are hardly modern equipment available for the few qualified doctors and nurses to use for diagnostics or treatment.  Majority of the patients can hardly afford to pay for quality medical attention. Yet it is