THE GREAT BURDEN
As we move ahead, not by our own power, but by the Spirit of God, I want to share with all of you a sample of The Great Burden with which we are constantly faced. Last year God made this plain to us at M300 Ministries:
"Go in the strength that you have...is it not I who is sending you?" One year later we have been faithful in our part but we find that in our times most people have ears that do not hear and eyes that do not see what God is doing.
With this word from God we moved out to found and direct M300 Ministries. I would be less than honest if I did not say that it is an extremely challenging and hard calling on a personal level, but also on a ministry level. We have many burdens that come to us daily. God is leading. God is assimilating. God is causing partnership. God is building. God is God. God carries our burdens, but when God calls you to ministry He also calls you to help deal with burdens, carry burdens, answer burdens and to be faithful in doing all that is asked of you. Some days the burden wagon can look like the picture above and even more so if we try to do it in our own strength and not by God's Spirit. God's Spirit includes how He works in your heart and how provides opportunity for you to be a blessing to those in need.
The gauntlet laid down before us right now is this: "LEAD WITH VISION"
Psalm 89:18-20
18 Indeed, our shield belongs to the LORD,
our king to the Holy One of Israel.
19 Once you spoke in a vision,
to your faithful people you said:
"I have bestowed strength on a warrior;
I have exalted a young man from among the people.
20 I have found David my servant;
with my sacred oil I have anointed him.
Proverbs 29:18 (The Message)
18 If people can't see what God is doing,
they stumble all over themselves;
But when they attend to what he reveals,
they are most blessed.
(Another version says: Where there is no vision, the people perish)
As we endeavor to hear God through His Holy Word, by His Holy Spirit and through that small still voice that gives vision, we seek to raise up an army of prayer warriors who will intercede, make supplication and commit to petitioning God for His favor, His vision for this ministry, His enabling, His building of this house (Pslams 127) and for our personal enabling in order to remain fully engaged in ministry. See this link for more information: www.m300ministries.org/resources
Below is a small sample of today's mail. Pastor Vincent is a man, who I do not know and do not yet know what country he is from, but I do know that he was led to us by God. Pastor Vincent has been praying for years, along with his church brethren for an encounter with a ministry that God would show him. I want to share his note with you, along with this question:
How would you answer this man's petition knowing that the hearts of men including Christians have grown cold (lukewarm)?
Please, I am want to know how you would respond. Either email a response to me at wayne@m300ministries.org or add a comment at the end of this article. This email arrived just minutes ago and we have not responded just yet, because for a change, I would like to know what it is that the Lord tells you about how we should respond. Ponder how is it that we can reach out to wonderful people like this without any resources to do so. Ponder how it is that no one gives for things like this, but God in His Glory and by His Spirit works oftentimes in spite of our lukewarmness. Consider teaming up with God today to become a blessing to wonderful people like Pastor Vincent. (Note: I underlined specific things in his note)
Dear brethren,
Greetings in the name of Jesus. I am pastor Vincent Ogutu writing you this short email. I am saved and married to a saved woman. God has blessed us with four children. I am a pastor for eight years and I am talented in teaching all people the Good News of the Kingdom.
We lack bibles in Ekegusii. Since 3/4 of the brethren in my church are Ekegusii readers. So we pray to get even one bible in Ekegusii.
I also have twenty orphan children. I, my church, needs help from the merciful servants of God from all the parts of the world.
I have also one ongoing project of keeping dairy cows where by I keep one local breed cow and I am praying God to open me a way to get four good breed dairy cows to supply the orphans with fresh milk to drink and and other for sale to buy them clothes and buy them the corn meal.
As years have gone I have been praying to get good servants of God who can assist me to give the orphans hope in their life. God gave me a solution that the cheapest way is to search the internet and that the first ministry I will get, will be the one to affiliate with.
It is my hope that you are the one I have been dreaming to find, not only me but all the brethren. Please we kindly request you to consider us in prayer.
Pastor Vincent
Ok, fellow Christians please tell me how we should respond? Note also that it is God who is bringing His people to us. The Lord is gathering a Mighty gathering of Mighty Warriors and Mighty Ministries for His glory. How can God be glorified if we neglect so great a calling as to put Bibles into the hands of those who thirst to taste of God's word. Even a single Bible shared among a congregation of men in the Ekegusii language is a very small thing to ask. A few cows to provide milk and food to orphan children. Is it too much to ask? Remember these words...
Matthew 25:34-40 (New International Version)
34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
*Don't forget to share your response to Pastor Vincent's plea with me so that I can answer him through the counsel of Godly men and women and by God's Spirit. wayne@m300ministries.org
Note: Wayne, Rosemary and family are 100% faith based missionaries.
Partner with them today at this link:
www.m300ministries.org/giving_director_s_support
