“We’re going to Disneyland!” was my announcement to my six and eight year old girls, to which they replied with shrieks and squeals. Their life-long dreams where soon to be fulfilled.
The trip would be long and arduous, but certainly worth the effort to be able to play in Mickey and Minnie’s backyard. I even think that waiting in the ticket line for my eager Mouseketeers seemed longer to them than the entire drive down to Southern California, but we had finally arrived.
As we entered the park, I could hardly wait to show them all of the spots I remembered as a child. We enjoyed the train ride, the stroll down Main Street, a little shopping along the way and even a tour through Sleeping Beauty’s Castle. Then I popped the question, “How do you like Disneyland?”
To my utter surprise my eight-year-old daughter turned to me with a look of disappointment as she answered, “Well, it isn’t really what I expected.”
“Tell me what you mean,” I said.
“I thought,” she explained, “Disneyland would be like a big playground, and we would get to play all day with Mickey and Minnie.”
Life, I have come to discover, isn’t always what we expect, and the things that happen in life don’t always turn out like one of those Disney cartoons with a happy ending.
Many of us spend our whole lives planning and preparing for the good things that lay ahead. As a child looks forward to Disneyland, a teen looks forward to driving and the freedoms of adulthood. A young adult looks forward to a career that will afford them financial freedom in years to come. And a middle aged person looks toward the restful and relaxing years of retirement.
Nobody plans in their idealistic life to go bankrupt, get a divorce, lose a child to death or be diagnosed with cancer. Most people don’t plan for tragedy, but sadly trials, failure and hardships could strike any one of us irrespective of who we are, or what we have been like. Jesus reminded us,
“That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Matthew 5:45)
As long as we live in this fallen world, in this mortal body of flesh, we are not immune to the affects and influences of our environment. Unfortunately, some never recover such difficulties, while others seem to just break even. But there are those who become victorious overcomers no matter what! In all of life’s trials I have found a biblical principle to be true. This was my grandmother’s life verse.
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
What the Apostle Paul expressed was that those who put their trust in God have a definite advantage in life. Not that they are excluded from the struggles of life, or that they are somehow unaffected by them. But rather that those who love God and walk out their lives in faith aliening themselves with His will, find that the end result of any of their adversities is only good always. Taking all of the good and all of the bad things in life, God promises “ALL THING WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD.” Not necessarily what you think is good at the time, but what Creator God deems as His overall good in accordance with His divine purposes.
This may seem to be too good to be true, but many will testify that having the love and care of God in your corner can turn many of your trials into gold. It is not too late to see God work your hardships for good, if you will put your trust in Him today.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009
Is God Dead?
The cover of Time Magazine, April 8, 1966 featured three disturbing words. “IS GOD DEAD?” Although the vast majority of American’s say they believe in God, the real question is what do they believe about God? The article sited several ideas from “on the street” interviews.
- Scientist - “God, if anything, is hydrogen and carbon. Then again, he might be
thermonuclear fission, since that’s what makes life on this planet possible.”
- Prostitute – “God will get me out of this filth one day. He is a God of mercy, dressed all in
white and sitting on a golden throne.”
- Cleaning Lady – “God is a ghost floating in space.”
- Screenwriter – “God is an infantile fantasy, which was necessary when men did not
understand what lightning was. God is a cop-out.”
- Janitor – “God is like a fiery flame, so white that it can blind you.”
- Seminary Student – “God is all that I cannot understand.”
- Another Scientist – “God is the totality of harmony of the universe.”
- Playwright – “It is the voice which says, ‘It’s not good enough’ – that’s what God is.”
- Civil Servant – “God is a lot like he was explained to us as children. As an older man, who is
just and who can get angry at us. I know this isn’t the true picture, but it’s the only one I’ve
got.”
What is wrong with this picture? Things haven’t changed much over the years. Too many people are coming to God with their own ideas about who He is. He is not who we think He is. He is not who other people say He is. God is who He said He is. God is not dead, but if people put faith is a confused misunderstanding of God, I’m afraid they will be terribly disappointed.
In his book, “When God Doesn’t Make Sense,” Dr. James Dobson said, “There is no greater distress in human experience than to build one’s entire way of life on a certain theological understanding, and then have it collapse at a time of unusual stress and pain.” Did God fail, or did an individual’s misconception of God fail?
Who is God? What is His true identity? A person can be identified by personal I.D., fingerprints, blood type, dental records, or DNA. God’s identity is to be discovered in a diligent search for Him in the pages of the Bible, with the help of the Holy Spirit. God spoke through the prophet Jeremiah saying,
“And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. And I will
be found of you.” (Jeremiah. 29:13)
Our faith is only as good as the God we put our trust in. My book, "IDENTIFYING GOD" is designed to be a training course in identity. The study series begins with identifying God. In order to know who we are, we must first know who God is and why He made us - what our purpose is in Him. After identifying God, we can identify the believer. When we understand what the ministry of the believer is, we can then identify the ministry of the Church, and begin working together as one.
I am a fellow seeker, a fellow struggler. This has been a personal study for me that I would like to share with you. My search begins by understanding the knowledge of truth. The direction that my study takes investigates the meaning of the seven proper names for God from Old Testament Hebrew. These can help us to define the nature, character and authority of God. You will also gain a perspective of the kind of relationship that He wants to have with us. From this vantage point, you will get a clear perspective of who Jesus Christ is in relation to God. Finally, you will meet the Holy Spirit and discovery His divine attributes and manifestations.
These lessons are intended to be an introduction to the unique and personal relationship God wants to have with each of us. It is not my intention to be exhaustive, as the mystery of who God is must become a lifelong pursuit. If time spent in my book helps you to get off to a great start in your faith, or fills in the gaps of a partial understanding of the Lord, and thereby improves your relationship with Him, than the many hour spent in study and preparation have been worth it all.
May you be blessed and greatly rewarded in your diligent pursuit of the true and living God.
Check out my book "IDENTIFYING GOD at www.edhan-idgod.vpweb.com
- Scientist - “God, if anything, is hydrogen and carbon. Then again, he might be
thermonuclear fission, since that’s what makes life on this planet possible.”
- Prostitute – “God will get me out of this filth one day. He is a God of mercy, dressed all in
white and sitting on a golden throne.”
- Cleaning Lady – “God is a ghost floating in space.”
- Screenwriter – “God is an infantile fantasy, which was necessary when men did not
understand what lightning was. God is a cop-out.”
- Janitor – “God is like a fiery flame, so white that it can blind you.”
- Seminary Student – “God is all that I cannot understand.”
- Another Scientist – “God is the totality of harmony of the universe.”
- Playwright – “It is the voice which says, ‘It’s not good enough’ – that’s what God is.”
- Civil Servant – “God is a lot like he was explained to us as children. As an older man, who is
just and who can get angry at us. I know this isn’t the true picture, but it’s the only one I’ve
got.”
What is wrong with this picture? Things haven’t changed much over the years. Too many people are coming to God with their own ideas about who He is. He is not who we think He is. He is not who other people say He is. God is who He said He is. God is not dead, but if people put faith is a confused misunderstanding of God, I’m afraid they will be terribly disappointed.
In his book, “When God Doesn’t Make Sense,” Dr. James Dobson said, “There is no greater distress in human experience than to build one’s entire way of life on a certain theological understanding, and then have it collapse at a time of unusual stress and pain.” Did God fail, or did an individual’s misconception of God fail?
Who is God? What is His true identity? A person can be identified by personal I.D., fingerprints, blood type, dental records, or DNA. God’s identity is to be discovered in a diligent search for Him in the pages of the Bible, with the help of the Holy Spirit. God spoke through the prophet Jeremiah saying,
“And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. And I will
be found of you.” (Jeremiah. 29:13)
Our faith is only as good as the God we put our trust in. My book, "IDENTIFYING GOD" is designed to be a training course in identity. The study series begins with identifying God. In order to know who we are, we must first know who God is and why He made us - what our purpose is in Him. After identifying God, we can identify the believer. When we understand what the ministry of the believer is, we can then identify the ministry of the Church, and begin working together as one.
I am a fellow seeker, a fellow struggler. This has been a personal study for me that I would like to share with you. My search begins by understanding the knowledge of truth. The direction that my study takes investigates the meaning of the seven proper names for God from Old Testament Hebrew. These can help us to define the nature, character and authority of God. You will also gain a perspective of the kind of relationship that He wants to have with us. From this vantage point, you will get a clear perspective of who Jesus Christ is in relation to God. Finally, you will meet the Holy Spirit and discovery His divine attributes and manifestations.
These lessons are intended to be an introduction to the unique and personal relationship God wants to have with each of us. It is not my intention to be exhaustive, as the mystery of who God is must become a lifelong pursuit. If time spent in my book helps you to get off to a great start in your faith, or fills in the gaps of a partial understanding of the Lord, and thereby improves your relationship with Him, than the many hour spent in study and preparation have been worth it all.
May you be blessed and greatly rewarded in your diligent pursuit of the true and living God.
Check out my book "IDENTIFYING GOD at www.edhan-idgod.vpweb.com
Saturday, May 9, 2009
PERSONAL TESTIMONY OF ED HAN
There are miracles everywhere that need to tell their story of the life changing power of Jesus Christ. Let these excerpts from my life inspire you to share what the Lord has done for you!
Salvation
At nine years old, I was seated second row from the back with my mother at church. The minister was presenting a chalk talk about Jesus’ crucifixion at Mount Calvary. When the lighting changed, from the drawing of that rugged hill appeared a portrait of the Savior, Jesus Christ. The minister asked if anyone wanted to receive Christ for salvation. Something struck me deep inside. I didn’t know much at that young age, but I knew I was a sinner and I needed a savior. I raised my hand in response to his invitation, but he didn’t see me. Driving home in the family’s VW van on that summer Sunday morning in 1971, I asked my mother, “What do you do after you raise your hand?” As soon as we got home, she took me in the back room, sat me on the end of the bed, and explained God’s love for me in sending His Son to suffer and die that I might be saved. Then she led me in a prayer to receive Christ as my Savior. I experienced an immediate change deep in my conscience, as I became aware of the still small voice of the Spirit guiding me.
My father was furious when he heard the news. “A boy can’t understand that kind of commitment!” But day by day he began to witness a life that was truly changed by the power of God. He began to see it in my servant’s heart and loving attitude. About a year later my parents divorced. I felt confused, but not alone. I hungered for fellowship with God, and prayed every day to draw closer to him. In the summer months I would hop on my bike and ride to the Christian bookstore in the mall, where they had gospel tracks, Jesus pencils and non-stop Christian music playing. I would spend hours in the store. People were friendly, and I felt closer to God there than at home surrounded by my family’s crisis.
Calling
My grandparents were faithful servants of the Lord, who superintended the Gospel Rescue Mission. I was twelve when I announced to my grandmother I had been reading a New Testament Living Bible, and I felt like God was calling me into the ministry. She was quick to explain how God used Jesus to teach the teachers in the temple even at my age. “If God could use Jesus,” she proclaimed “then God can use you!” I received her words of wisdom, and made a commitment to dedicate myself to the Lord’s service.
It wasn’t long after that when my grandfather approached me saying, “The preacher for tonight’s service can’t make it. Do you want to bring the message tonight?” Before I really thought about what he was asking I said yes. The only Bible verse I really knew was John 3:16, so I read the verse a few times and prayed for the Lord to help me. That night I was nervous. When my grandfather introduced me I started in to my message. I don’t remember what I shared, but he said the longer I preached the louder I got. Three decisions for Christ were made that night. I thank God that he can use anybody – even me.
Baptism in the Holy Spirit
By the age of sixteen, I was doing everything I knew to do to serve the Lord. Taking my Bible to school, I had many opportunities to witness to teachers and students on campus every day. When summer rolled around I hooked up with a school friend and we started a visitation ministry in our youth group. We were so thrilled with how God was using us to minister that we stopped by the high school for a prayer meeting. It was a summer evening and there was nobody around. As it was turning dark, we sat in the grassy quad area and prayed. I think I spoke about every praise phrase I knew, expressing my heartfelt thanks to the Lord. When I said the “amen,” my friend began to pray. While he was talking to the Lord, the Lord was talking to me. “Did you say everything you wanted to say?” To be honest, there was more in me than I had the ability to express. I felt like a bottle, sealed tight and all shaken up with carbonation, just waiting to explode. Then the Spirit of the Lord spoke again in a whisper from within me, “I have a gift for you.” A Bible verse immediately came to mind “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” (Romans 8:26). Then I knew what He was talking about. As soon as my friend was through praying, I asked him to pray for me to receive the baptism with the Holy Spirit.
He took my hands and prayed. Then he began to speak over me in a language I couldn’t understand. That same still small voice spoke to me again, “Speak this sound and I will give you the rest.” The Spirit gave me a short “i” sound. I felt foolish to speak it out, but I stepped out in faith anyway. When I spoke it out a fluid language began to flow from me. In a matter of seconds I was singing in a language I had never learned. It was dark out now and my eyes were closed. But inwardly I was being flood with light. I walked away from that experience with a peace and joy in the Lord I had never known before.
I can only say that from that moment on the power of the Holy Spirit began to operate in my life. I can’t say what happens to others, but for me, when I received the power of the Spirit all of the gifts of the Spirit became operational through me. I could tell stories about how every one of the gifts from I Corinthians 12:8-10 began to function in me as the Spirit led.
Street Evangelism
Hanging out with a friend one night, shortly after I had received the Spirit’s power, we drove down the Avenue where the young people would cruise. He suggested we get out on the street and witness to them about Christ. I had shared my faith many times, but going out on the rough streets was a new experience. We parked at a fast-food place and prayed. We grabbed our Bibles and headed down the street. It seem like the street was full of youth, but when we walked down the street no one was out. We crossed the street and headed back, and I thought we were home free, when we encountered a group of partying teens. I took about three steps in front of my friend and walked right on by. Basically, I chickened out. When my friend pasted them, one guy yelled out, “Hey, is that a Bible in your hand?” My friend froze. He looked at me, than looked at them. Then he turned around and followed me.
We got back to the car, and it was quiet all the way home. We parked in front of my house, and then broke down weeping and praying for God to give us boldness to reach our generation for Christ. In our failure God emboldened us with a commission to take that street for Christ. For the next two years we went out faithfully every Friday night, and took many more friends with us to reach out to lost young people in our city. Some lives where changed for Christ, but mostly we were changed as we realized God was able to use us if we were willing to serve.
Business –Yellow Pages
I’d been in the ministry for twelve years, but had no business experience, when my wife and I had an opportunity to acquire a yellow page publication. I had worked in sales with the publisher a year and a half when he was going to sell one of his directories. He accepted our offer, and we were soon to be in business. About two weeks prior to launching out on our own, the boss said, “I can’t sell the book.” At this news my heart sank. He went on to explain, “But you are the only one who knows. At the distribution of my last book, I am going to send out thank you letters to our clients. All you have to do is send a follow up letter explaining you are the new phone book in town, and pick up where I left off.” He wasn’t selling the phone directory to us. He was giving it to us.
We did as he instructed and God blessed us beyond our expectations. I asked God why He would honor us in such a way. I believe He said it was His gift to us for years of faithful service for Him. At that point we felt lead to do something we had never done before. We began to tithe in faith, not what we earned from advertising sales, but rather tithe based in what we needed. This we did for our first full year in business. Our revenue doubled over the next five years. It was at that time that another publisher offered to buy the phone book for ten times what the original published offered to sell it to us for. We believe God honored His Word of blessing in putting Him first in our business. We have since carried these lessons with us into our insurance business and other ministry endeavors.
Writing
I was just coming out of a dry season in my spiritual life. I have always tried to be faithful and committed in the Lord’s service. My wife’s sister had a word from the Lord for us. “New beginnings. New ministry.” We graciously received it and put it on the “prayer shelf” for further consideration. Several weeks later there came a prophetic word from an evangelist who called me out during a service in an unusual way. This prophecy confirmed the first message. Then, a New Year message from another evangelist urged us to prayerfully write down the ten things God wanted to do through us in 2007. The next morning I set out to complete this task. When I wrote down number 4 “write a book,” the whole idea of it immediately began to unfold. A couple of Sunday nights later a ministry friend was our guest speaker. When I went to greet him before the service, he said, “I had a dream about you. I was with you while you were teaching, and all of a sudden light flooded the room.” These prophetic words inspired the spiritual direction for my first book.
I can’t make prophetic words come to pass, but I can prepare myself for their fulfillment, and obey the Spirit’s leading. Then I had to get to work. I have to thank my beloved wife Lorri and all of our eight children for their patient understanding, as time was taken from them to accomplish the first of many manuscripts.
My book, “Identifying God” is an introductory study especially for seekers and new believers on the nature, character and authority of the God of the Bible. I am currently working on book two, “Identifying the Believer” which should be self-published like the first book by the end of this year. May these writings bless the body of Christ, and be a legacy of our family faith and trust in Christ Jesus.
Business Men’s Fellowship
After the completion of my first self-published book, the Lord laid on my heart to get in touch with the chapter president of Business Men’s Fellowship and find out when and where the next meeting was to be held. When he explained the meetings had been disbanded, I told him we had to get started again, because the Lord told me to get involved. We then began to contact the business people that we knew to gather them together and share the vision. BMF is thriving in a down economy and a hard hit community, because God’s plan is to “prosper … and to give us a hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11).
During a prayer retreat with BMF leadership, the Lord laid something new on my heart. “Take another business man and go for a prayer walk in one of the business districts.” The first one that came to mind was the Avenue I use to witness on when I was a teenager, known as “the Miracle Mile.” With Answer Magazines in hand we walk and pray from storefront to storefront each week, simple introducing ourselves thus … “I’m Ed and this is Jack. We are with the Business Men’s Fellowship. We are not selling anything. But is there anything we can pray with you about?” Business people have been warm and inviting when they realize we have come to bring hope to a hurting community. We have prayed with people in their stores and on the streets to know the Lord and for God to help meet their needs.
We’ve got a lot to give, and this is the time when people are open and they need it the most. We have “The Answer” that people are looking for. Thank you for the privilege of share God’s grace and power to use me, as he wants to use you, too.
To be continued ...
Salvation
At nine years old, I was seated second row from the back with my mother at church. The minister was presenting a chalk talk about Jesus’ crucifixion at Mount Calvary. When the lighting changed, from the drawing of that rugged hill appeared a portrait of the Savior, Jesus Christ. The minister asked if anyone wanted to receive Christ for salvation. Something struck me deep inside. I didn’t know much at that young age, but I knew I was a sinner and I needed a savior. I raised my hand in response to his invitation, but he didn’t see me. Driving home in the family’s VW van on that summer Sunday morning in 1971, I asked my mother, “What do you do after you raise your hand?” As soon as we got home, she took me in the back room, sat me on the end of the bed, and explained God’s love for me in sending His Son to suffer and die that I might be saved. Then she led me in a prayer to receive Christ as my Savior. I experienced an immediate change deep in my conscience, as I became aware of the still small voice of the Spirit guiding me.
My father was furious when he heard the news. “A boy can’t understand that kind of commitment!” But day by day he began to witness a life that was truly changed by the power of God. He began to see it in my servant’s heart and loving attitude. About a year later my parents divorced. I felt confused, but not alone. I hungered for fellowship with God, and prayed every day to draw closer to him. In the summer months I would hop on my bike and ride to the Christian bookstore in the mall, where they had gospel tracks, Jesus pencils and non-stop Christian music playing. I would spend hours in the store. People were friendly, and I felt closer to God there than at home surrounded by my family’s crisis.
Calling
My grandparents were faithful servants of the Lord, who superintended the Gospel Rescue Mission. I was twelve when I announced to my grandmother I had been reading a New Testament Living Bible, and I felt like God was calling me into the ministry. She was quick to explain how God used Jesus to teach the teachers in the temple even at my age. “If God could use Jesus,” she proclaimed “then God can use you!” I received her words of wisdom, and made a commitment to dedicate myself to the Lord’s service.
It wasn’t long after that when my grandfather approached me saying, “The preacher for tonight’s service can’t make it. Do you want to bring the message tonight?” Before I really thought about what he was asking I said yes. The only Bible verse I really knew was John 3:16, so I read the verse a few times and prayed for the Lord to help me. That night I was nervous. When my grandfather introduced me I started in to my message. I don’t remember what I shared, but he said the longer I preached the louder I got. Three decisions for Christ were made that night. I thank God that he can use anybody – even me.
Baptism in the Holy Spirit
By the age of sixteen, I was doing everything I knew to do to serve the Lord. Taking my Bible to school, I had many opportunities to witness to teachers and students on campus every day. When summer rolled around I hooked up with a school friend and we started a visitation ministry in our youth group. We were so thrilled with how God was using us to minister that we stopped by the high school for a prayer meeting. It was a summer evening and there was nobody around. As it was turning dark, we sat in the grassy quad area and prayed. I think I spoke about every praise phrase I knew, expressing my heartfelt thanks to the Lord. When I said the “amen,” my friend began to pray. While he was talking to the Lord, the Lord was talking to me. “Did you say everything you wanted to say?” To be honest, there was more in me than I had the ability to express. I felt like a bottle, sealed tight and all shaken up with carbonation, just waiting to explode. Then the Spirit of the Lord spoke again in a whisper from within me, “I have a gift for you.” A Bible verse immediately came to mind “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” (Romans 8:26). Then I knew what He was talking about. As soon as my friend was through praying, I asked him to pray for me to receive the baptism with the Holy Spirit.
He took my hands and prayed. Then he began to speak over me in a language I couldn’t understand. That same still small voice spoke to me again, “Speak this sound and I will give you the rest.” The Spirit gave me a short “i” sound. I felt foolish to speak it out, but I stepped out in faith anyway. When I spoke it out a fluid language began to flow from me. In a matter of seconds I was singing in a language I had never learned. It was dark out now and my eyes were closed. But inwardly I was being flood with light. I walked away from that experience with a peace and joy in the Lord I had never known before.
I can only say that from that moment on the power of the Holy Spirit began to operate in my life. I can’t say what happens to others, but for me, when I received the power of the Spirit all of the gifts of the Spirit became operational through me. I could tell stories about how every one of the gifts from I Corinthians 12:8-10 began to function in me as the Spirit led.
Street Evangelism
Hanging out with a friend one night, shortly after I had received the Spirit’s power, we drove down the Avenue where the young people would cruise. He suggested we get out on the street and witness to them about Christ. I had shared my faith many times, but going out on the rough streets was a new experience. We parked at a fast-food place and prayed. We grabbed our Bibles and headed down the street. It seem like the street was full of youth, but when we walked down the street no one was out. We crossed the street and headed back, and I thought we were home free, when we encountered a group of partying teens. I took about three steps in front of my friend and walked right on by. Basically, I chickened out. When my friend pasted them, one guy yelled out, “Hey, is that a Bible in your hand?” My friend froze. He looked at me, than looked at them. Then he turned around and followed me.
We got back to the car, and it was quiet all the way home. We parked in front of my house, and then broke down weeping and praying for God to give us boldness to reach our generation for Christ. In our failure God emboldened us with a commission to take that street for Christ. For the next two years we went out faithfully every Friday night, and took many more friends with us to reach out to lost young people in our city. Some lives where changed for Christ, but mostly we were changed as we realized God was able to use us if we were willing to serve.
Business –Yellow Pages
I’d been in the ministry for twelve years, but had no business experience, when my wife and I had an opportunity to acquire a yellow page publication. I had worked in sales with the publisher a year and a half when he was going to sell one of his directories. He accepted our offer, and we were soon to be in business. About two weeks prior to launching out on our own, the boss said, “I can’t sell the book.” At this news my heart sank. He went on to explain, “But you are the only one who knows. At the distribution of my last book, I am going to send out thank you letters to our clients. All you have to do is send a follow up letter explaining you are the new phone book in town, and pick up where I left off.” He wasn’t selling the phone directory to us. He was giving it to us.
We did as he instructed and God blessed us beyond our expectations. I asked God why He would honor us in such a way. I believe He said it was His gift to us for years of faithful service for Him. At that point we felt lead to do something we had never done before. We began to tithe in faith, not what we earned from advertising sales, but rather tithe based in what we needed. This we did for our first full year in business. Our revenue doubled over the next five years. It was at that time that another publisher offered to buy the phone book for ten times what the original published offered to sell it to us for. We believe God honored His Word of blessing in putting Him first in our business. We have since carried these lessons with us into our insurance business and other ministry endeavors.
Writing
I was just coming out of a dry season in my spiritual life. I have always tried to be faithful and committed in the Lord’s service. My wife’s sister had a word from the Lord for us. “New beginnings. New ministry.” We graciously received it and put it on the “prayer shelf” for further consideration. Several weeks later there came a prophetic word from an evangelist who called me out during a service in an unusual way. This prophecy confirmed the first message. Then, a New Year message from another evangelist urged us to prayerfully write down the ten things God wanted to do through us in 2007. The next morning I set out to complete this task. When I wrote down number 4 “write a book,” the whole idea of it immediately began to unfold. A couple of Sunday nights later a ministry friend was our guest speaker. When I went to greet him before the service, he said, “I had a dream about you. I was with you while you were teaching, and all of a sudden light flooded the room.” These prophetic words inspired the spiritual direction for my first book.
I can’t make prophetic words come to pass, but I can prepare myself for their fulfillment, and obey the Spirit’s leading. Then I had to get to work. I have to thank my beloved wife Lorri and all of our eight children for their patient understanding, as time was taken from them to accomplish the first of many manuscripts.
My book, “Identifying God” is an introductory study especially for seekers and new believers on the nature, character and authority of the God of the Bible. I am currently working on book two, “Identifying the Believer” which should be self-published like the first book by the end of this year. May these writings bless the body of Christ, and be a legacy of our family faith and trust in Christ Jesus.
Business Men’s Fellowship
After the completion of my first self-published book, the Lord laid on my heart to get in touch with the chapter president of Business Men’s Fellowship and find out when and where the next meeting was to be held. When he explained the meetings had been disbanded, I told him we had to get started again, because the Lord told me to get involved. We then began to contact the business people that we knew to gather them together and share the vision. BMF is thriving in a down economy and a hard hit community, because God’s plan is to “prosper … and to give us a hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11).
During a prayer retreat with BMF leadership, the Lord laid something new on my heart. “Take another business man and go for a prayer walk in one of the business districts.” The first one that came to mind was the Avenue I use to witness on when I was a teenager, known as “the Miracle Mile.” With Answer Magazines in hand we walk and pray from storefront to storefront each week, simple introducing ourselves thus … “I’m Ed and this is Jack. We are with the Business Men’s Fellowship. We are not selling anything. But is there anything we can pray with you about?” Business people have been warm and inviting when they realize we have come to bring hope to a hurting community. We have prayed with people in their stores and on the streets to know the Lord and for God to help meet their needs.
We’ve got a lot to give, and this is the time when people are open and they need it the most. We have “The Answer” that people are looking for. Thank you for the privilege of share God’s grace and power to use me, as he wants to use you, too.
To be continued ...
Monday, May 4, 2009
House of Prayer
"I am setting My house in order.
You set your house in order.
My house is a house of prayer.
I want your house to be a house of prayer."
I received this word from the Lord in a still small voice, while worshipping at church Sunday morning. Now, I always want to weigh carefully such words to be certain they are truly biblical, and not my own random thoughts. This word has a real Bible basis!
Isa 56:7 "Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices [shall be] accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called a house of prayer for all people."
Mar 11:17 "And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves."
Personally, I pray alot. I have journaled for years, and I strive to "pray without ceasing" (I Thes. 5:17), that is to live in a state of devoting my thought life to the Lord in prayerful conversation. But I have to honestly admit, I can see where issues have come up, and I have been more inclined to act on my own understanding, rather than seek spiritual guidance. "Everything by prayer" (Phil. 4:6) was the Apostle Paul's instruction. Everything means EVERYTHING! There is nothing in the Christian life too trivial to pray about.
I learned a long time ago, about the sin of prayerlessness, and sinning in my prayer. Let me explain. James said “Ye have not, because ye ask not” (Jam. 4:2). I understood that when I fail to pray about a matter, in my prayerlessness, I am saying to God with my silence, “I don’t need Your help. I can handle this situation myself.” I don’t ever want to send this message to God. I want to trust and believe Him for everything. I need God’s intervention even if I don’t think I need help. John Wesley said, “God does nothing, except in response to answering prayer.” We all know God can intervene, but I believe he chooses not to until we invite him into our circumstances.
The other issue James addresses is regarding sin in our prayers. How can you sin when you are praying? “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss” (Jam. 4:3). This has to do with asking out of selfish motives. We must hold the will of God before us at all times. “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son” (Joh. 14:13). Our proper motivation in whatever we ask is to glorify God – nothing more or less. The word “amiss” reminds me of the original meaning of the word “sin”, which is to miss the mark. What is the mark? The bull’s eye is God’s will. If we will pray in accordance with the Word and the Spirit, in the love of Christ, to Glorify God, how could we miss?
Today begins a week of prayer in our fellowship (http://www.lakeviewassembly.com/), and the National Day of Prayer (http://www.ndptf.org/) on Thursday. Let us attend the House of Prayer in intercession, and let us make each of our homes places where prayer is the standard of life and living!
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