POWER

Are you afraid Godly meekness will be seen as weakness?
Remember, meekness is power under control.
Sometimes the best use of power is not to use it.

I HAVE HEARD…

Too long for a blog? Sure.
Too emotional to read? Maybe.
But these echoes are always in my soul pushing me like an engine.
Read as far as your heart will let you.

I have heard…
…my mother’s gentle voice say, “I love you, Son,” and call my name in prayer.
…my father say, “I’m proud of you, Son.”

…the beautiful girl I love say, “I do.”
…the tender words of her love.
…the infant cries of our babies.
…our children pray, “Dear Jesus.”
…and so soon their own words, “I do.”

…the delightful giggles of our children’s children.
…so many words of a family blessed and called by God.

…my Savior say, “Come.”
…my Healer say, “Be whole.”
…the Lord of the Harvest say, “Go.”
…the Father say, “Well done.”


.. …tens of thousands roaring praise to God as twenty thousand ran across the
stadium infield in response to an altar call.

…a crowd of thousands singing worship to Jesus in the very stadium where
thousands were slaughtered in the Rwandan genocide.

…the ground-shaking thunder of a summer storm and the dove’s
soft coo after the rain stopped.

…the roar of the South China Sea as the typhoon surged the water
over the wall.
…the gentle lapping of Galilee’s waves on the side of our boat.

I have heard…
…ancient echoes of blood-lusting crowds as Jean and I stood in the
Roman Coliseum.

…the clanging cymbals and gongs in pagan temple as their devout
burn money on an altar to send it to hell for a departed loved
one’s relief.

…persecuted Christians plead not for safety but for Bibles,
the whispered reports of underground pastors about dozens
of co-workers with whom I had shared communion being
tortured to death.

…a soon-to-be-arrested pastor ask me to pray that he would have
the courage to tell his captors of Jesus’ love before they killed
him—that he would not deny his Lord during the torture.

…a new convert from a Jesus-hating religion say,
“They will kill me now.”

…an informant whisper in my ear, “They hired a gunman to kill you.”

…government leaders once hostile to the Gospel pray the
Sinner’s Prayer.

…an African employee recount his six weeks of torture at the hands
of an official he later led to Christ.

…the thundering clash of war.
…the veterans’ and Viets’ healing words as they shook hands in
forgiveness.
…the widow of a soldier killed in action tell me to use her $2000
to help the children of the ones who killed him.

…a child on Cambodia’s Killing Fields hold me tight and sob,
“Don’t go away!” But I had to go and the rockets came…

…the orphans eyes asking, “Why? What will happen to me now?”

…a government official weep as he asked if we could help save lives and
take the Gospel into the camps of AIDS orphans. “Shouldn’t the ones
closest to death be the first ones we tell about Jesus?”

I have heard these words and sounds over and over again.
They make up my life.
They are why I love.
They are why I cry.

I have heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then said I, “Here I am; send me. Isaiah 6:8

Jean and I will go for Him and for you if you cannot go.
We will run full speed, arms abreast, into His call.

Hear this old song with me now.

We have heard the joyful sound: Jesus Saves! Jesus saves!
Spread the tidings all around; Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Bear the news to every land,
Climb the steeps and cross the waves;
Onward! ‘tis our Lord’s command;
Jesus saves! Jesus saves!

GODLY STEWARDSHIP

At this morning's 6 o'clock men's breakfast, Pastor Dino admonished us to be Godly stewards in these four areas of our lives:

Time
Talents
Treasure
Touch

Succinct. Hard hitting.

Robin Roberts: "Thank you Jesus!"

"Thank you, Jesus!"

ABC news anchor's words on her successful operation for breast cancer rang clear and genuine.

Thank you, ABC, for allowing this respected news personality to give such a convincing testimony of her faith.

OUR FAULTS

Blaming our faults on our nature does not change the nature of our faults.

HOW MUCH WILL YOU LET GOD TRUST YOU WITH?

A young man was grappling with a frightening possibility—something that could radically change the rest of his life.

My first thoughts were to remind him that God is good and does not do bad things to his children.

He has a purpose in everything He allows to come into our lives.

And, He is sovereign and can change even the most impossible situation.

We hugged necks, wept and prayed, and committed the matter into God’s hands.

As he was leaving the room the question dropped into my heart, “How much are you willing to let God trust you with?”

And I know the question was as much for me as for the young man.

As for me I don’t know my answer. I wanted to say, “With whatever your will asks, Lord,” I've said that before but I’m not sure that all of me is truly ready to say that.

It’s easier to ask Him to trust you with resources to do great things for His Glory. Much harder to release Him to trust you with pain and loss.

How akin I feel to the man who said, “Lord, I do believe, help thou mine unbelief.” My version would say, “Lord, I do trust You, help thou my untrust.”

Right now I want to stand as close as I can to the One who said, “Nevertheless, not my will but thine...”

MY BROTHER DARWIN IS WITH THE LORD

Just minutes ago I got word that my oldest brother Darwin passed away. There were four of us brothers--now I am the last.

Darwin was always my hero.

He served our country in the military to an extent few people know.

His leather art was nationally acclaimed.

His children each knew his deep love.

He was a man of truth.

A few weeks ago in Iowa he and Jean and I had a wonderful, profound time together. He knew death was coming. "I'm not afraid. I'm ready," were some of his last words to us.

God gave Jean and me those wonderful moments with Darwin to make this day easier. I know where he is.

Jean and I were priveleged to have the same "good-bye moments" with my other two brothers, Don and Damon. We'll reunite in heaven.

Don left us saying, "See you later..."

I'll see y'all later, Darwin, Don and Damon.

Damon, Dave, Darwin

FLAWED MIRRORS

We are mirrors to reflect the glory of God; a mirror never calls attention to itself unless there are flaws in it.

I WANT TO MEAN THIS PRAYER

Lord, do in me what you need to
so you can do through me
what you have to do.

LAST NIGHT...

Last night our children and grandchildren slept in warm beds snuggled up with their favorite stuffed toys.

Theirs—too many to count—lay without cover on the cold ground.

Last night ours giggled at the clever bedtime stories and begged for more.

Theirs pleaded with the abusers, “Please don’t hurt me again tonight!”

Last night ours had a nightmare that someone was hurting her.

For so many of theirs it wasn’t a dream.

Last night ours sat at a supper table with an abundance of favorite foods.

Theirs tried to think of something else as the hunger pangs wracked their little bodies.

Last night Mommy knelt softly at our little boy’s bedside and watched him sleep--her heart welled with tears of love and hope. What a day her boy just had!

Over there grandma silently wept beside her shivering child. He’ll never know his mommy. What a day he just had—and tomorrow will be just as hard.

Our little one still felt mommy’s kiss on her cheek as she laid her head on her pillow.

Their little ones huddled through the brutal night in the dark doorways of the dangerous city.

Our child asked, “Daddy can I have a drink of water?” He answered with cool, clear water from the tap.

For them the very water needed for life is laden with disease and death.

Yesterday we gave ours an “allowance” to spend on childish treasures.

They begged on the streets for coins to buy food—and then the bullies stole the coins from them.

A quick trip to the medicine chest and a few cents’ worth of salve stopped the cut on our little son’s foot from becoming infected.

Their little one’s cut is already infected; it threatens the limb—even the life.

Our little ones went to school with eager minds and learned wonderful things.

Theirs hadn’t eaten and didn’t have the strength to walk the six kilometers to school.

Soon, if they haven’t already, our children will come to the moment when they ask Jesus into their hearts.

Their precious little ones may never know how.

Do we love only ours and ignore theirs?

No. No. Stop a moment. What’s this about OURS and THEIRS? THEY ARE ALL HIS!

He cares the same for all of them—just the same. Enough to die for them. And He asked us to help them—all of them.

Today and tomorrow we must do everything in our power to bring hurting little ones to Jesus.

40 DAYS OF PRAYER

Starting today, Children's Cup is in a 40 day season of prayer for the thousands of hurting children we care for.

Prayer really does change things.

To join in prayer with us go to the 'Cup website www.childrenscup.org.

Let your spiritual arms embrace the beautiful little ones that know pains and horrors our children never even heard of.

You can change their lives.

OH THE ARROGANCE OF MAN

Oh, the arrogance of man.

Humankind is guilty—even those inside the church. Guilty of redefining the Scriptures to mean whatever is convenient to their desires.

And then the ultimate affront, they try to tell God that’s what He really meant when He first said it.

Believing the lies of hell, man thinks he can win the debate.

Wrong.