Skip to main content

It's been awhile since my last update. We are in the States for those of you who didn't know and living in Oxford, MI. We are setting up meetings with our supporting churches and hoping to be able to get into some new churches. We would like to raise some more support and also raise money for a piece of property for our next work.

Our support level is actually good but we had made a commitment with our sending church to help them be able to back off a bit of the support that they give us each month (nearly a third). So, with that goal in mind I will be making calls during the next few weeks for those meetings.

I was talking to a friend of mine recently and he asked about the money thing. This man is a long time professional whom God has called into ministry. He said something interesting, "I hate the thought of asking little old ladies for their money so that I can go and plant a church somewhere!"

To be frank, this very thing was one of my hesitations when the Lord first started to work in my life with regards to becoming a missionary. I hated the idea of "begging" for money! It was a good friend whose experience and wisdom helped me out.

We had met at a missions conference, he a missionary and I a "working man" at GM and I had offered to buy he and his family ice cream. He graciously accepted the ice cream and proceeded to tell me about my attitude toward accepting money. "Mike" he said, "you are going to have to learn that it is God who will supply your need. He is the one who lays your need on the heart of people (little old ladies and others for example) and it is His idea that they be used to help you and your family. You are not begging for money you are simply trusting His guidance and provision to fund the ministry that He has given to you to fulfill. Allow them to receive a blessing for being used of God to supply that need."

That helped a lot. It is still hard to rely on churches, little kids, families, and little old ladies, for our monthly income. But I have come to realize that we are blessed, the givers are blessed and the funds all comes as a results of God's blessed direction.

In times like these I am glad that I don't have to rely on the FDIC, my 401k's, or any other type of investments for my daily bread! Praise His Name! Missionary or not we need to recognize this fact. God is in charge. He will supply. I need not worry! Amen? Amen!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

If this is the kingdom of God, do I really want it?

If this is Kingdom Living, Do I Want it? Matthew 5:3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. In a study of the Sermon on the Mount to this point we might be tempted to say, “I don’t want to be that happy!” If this is Kingdom living then I want to go to Disney World. This place is depressing.  What Jesus describes here seems to highlight all of the ...

What? How?

 27 “But to you who are listening, I say:  Love your enemies,  do good to those who hate you, 28  bless those who curse you,  pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek,  turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat,  do not withhold your shirt from them.  30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.  31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.  32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them.  33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that.  34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full.  35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back.  Then your reward will be gr...

Life's Twists - Esther

The fascinating account that we call "Esther" has intrigue, love and mysterious purpose that highlights God's sovereign control over every aspect. In ten chapters, we meet the ruling King of Persia, his evil courtier Haman, Mordecai, a dignified and stubborn Jew and his niece Hadassa. Each player has an integral part in the tale. That story goes like this.  The King has a magnificent party that goes on for six months! Finally, in his desire to show off his lovely wife, he calls for her to come dressed in her crown. She refuses, usually a crime punishable by death, and is banished from the castle. The flustered King asks his men what he should do, and they decide he should seek a new bride. The process takes months, but finally, Ester is chosen. Her new position will be a critical part of the happy ending of this story.  Enter the villain Haman, who hates Mordecai so much that he eventually plans to kill him. Before that evil deed, however, he hatches an even more cruel ac...