I have been crazy busy preparing for the Global Leadership Summit that happens today and tomorrow.  I have put together most of the display for the You Feed Them booth. As a result, I have not had any time to focus on this blog.  I received a devotion this morning that I want to share with you.  I have taken the liberty to share it with you, as there is a link to email it to your friends.  


Prime Time with God --The Power of Unity
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1, by Os Hillman
10-18-2012
"That all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in Us so that the world may believe that You have sent Me." John 17:21
What is the greatest power that allows the unsaved to make a decision for Jesus Christ? It isn't prayer, though this is important. It isn't good deeds, though deeds indicate a fruitful relationship with God. It isn't good behavior, though Christ commands us to be obedient as sons. The greatest power God's children have over darkness is unity. Jesus talked a great deal about His oneness with the Father and the importance of unity in the Body of Christ. It is the most difficult command Jesus gave to the Church, because it wars against the most evil aspect of our sin nature-independence.
In the last days we are seeing God's Spirit convict His children of the lack of unity among His Church. We are seeing God move between blacks and whites, ethnic groups, denominations, and parachurch groups. There is much work to be done. The walls of division and competition among His Body are a stench in God's nostrils. He sees the competition and the pride of ownership and weeps for the lost who cannot come to Him because they cannot see Him in His Body. When His Body is one, the unbelieving see that Jesus was sent by God. It is like a supernatural key that unlocks Heaven for the heathen soul. The key is in the hand of Christ's Church. When there is unity, there is power. Scripture tells us five will chase 100, but 100 will chase 10,000 (see Lev. 26:8). There is a dynamic multiplication factor in unity of numbers. We are a hundred times more effective when we are a unified group. Imagine what God could do with a unified Church.
Jesus prayed that we all might be one, as the Father and He are one. He wanted the same love God has for Jesus to be in each of us. When this love is in us, we are drawn to each other with a common mission. The walls fall down. The independent spirit is broken. Competition is destroyed. Satan's accusations are thwarted. Our love for each other is manifest to the world around us. Lost souls begin to seek this love that is so foreign to them.
Have you contributed to an independent spirit within His Body? Are you seeking to break down walls of competition among Christians, churches, denominations, and ethnic groups? Until we walk in the spirit of unity, we will hinder those in whom God has reserved a place in Heaven. Pray for His Church to be unified.
Today God Is First (TGIF) devotional message, Copyright by Os Hillman, Marketplace Leaders.

Today's Prayer

Dear God, I lift up your name and praise you this day, for you are the mighty God, creator of the universe, lover of mankind, sustainer of all, most magnificent and awesome father, most caring and devoted nurturer, most powerful of anyone and anything, all-knowing and ever-present. How can I even count the ways that you are worthy of my praise?! Thank you for your gift of love and life. Thank you for your promise of eternal life with you through your righteous son. Thank you for Jesus my Savior and the Holy Spirit who convicts and seals and guides me along the way. Thank you for the Word and your Word that illuminates, instructs, and leads me. I am grateful for who you are, all you do, and what you plan to do. In the name of Jesus I humbly come before you. Amen

Click here to go to Prime Time with God Facebook page.

Before and After -- rerun

My last Bible study post discussed the two keys to the kingdom of heaven are repentance and baptism.  I am very busy this week preparing a presentation about You Feed Them for the Canadian Global Leadership Summit.  We will be having a booth at the Ottawa location of this event, produced by Willow Creek.

As such, I don't have time to write another post just yet.  Here is a repost of  "Before and After."  Although it doesn't focus on the term repentance, it does focus on the meaning.

Before and After

            Most people in “Christian” circles associate the term Christian with those who are part of the kingdom of heaven.  Christians go to heaven... right?

(Mt 18:3) And [Jesus] said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

       Entering the kingdom of heaven requires change.   Jesus says in order to go to heaven, you must change – not just a little, but enough to recognize a child-like spirit.   This is not my teaching, but that of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.  I know of many people who call themselves Christians that are just like everyone else in our culture.  They certainly don't have the child-like heart to imitate their “Daddy.” Many of them know little more about God than that Jesus is the way out of hell and into heaven.  They don't have the innocence of childhood as they continue to swear and tell dirty jokes, as they cheat on their taxes or on their spouses, as they speed on the highway and speed past a beggar on the street, as they gossip and judge, as they fill up on TV and movies that are full of the messages of selfishness and sin that is now rampant in our culture,  as they spend more on entertainment than they give back to God, as they spend more to feed their pet than on taking care of the needy, as they live in a huge house while so many on the other side of the world have nowhere to live and no food to eat. Have these “Christians” really changed? Would Jesus say they have become like little children?  If there is no visible change in behaviour, has there really been a change at all?

The term “Christian” was first used as a derogatory name that meant “little Christ.”  Jesus was very different from anyone who had gone before Him.  For these early followers to be called “little Christs,” they must have changed from who they were before coming to know Jesus.  Their behaviour was so radically different from those around them, and so similar to what people had seen in Jesus,  that they earned the name Christian.  So, Christians as defined in the Bible are clearly going to heaven.  But claiming to be a  “Christian”  in North America today does not guarantee anything, including heaven.

Jesus taught that a person MUST CHANGE to enter heaven.

I can hear the argument already – change takes time.  True, change is an ongoing and life-long process.  However, if you truly have a relationship with the Living God – He won't let you stay the same.   I have seen a radical almost instantaneous change in many people when they decide to commit their lives to Christ. That is what Jesus is talking about here. Change does not earn your way into heaven, only the blood of Jesus on the cross can do that.  Rather, obvious ongoing change is a testimony that you are already in the kingdom of heaven and are being transformed by the Living God.  On the other hand, the lack of change is evidence that you are not yet in the kingdom of heaven. God has brought this to your attention, because He longs for you to join Him in heaven!  It all starts with commitment.  Make a commitment to give yourself fully to Jesus Christ, and He will make sure the rest of the details come together. This is much more than asking Him to forgive you and be your Savior.  It is much more like a marriage vow.

A person can be certain of entrance into the kingdom of heaven only if their life is marked by change – change from the inside out. Jesus declares that there must be a “Before and After” story for there to be a happy ending in heaven.

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving

Keys to the Kingdom

The Keys to the Kingdom

(Mt 16:15-19) “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say that I am?”

Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you lose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

Jesus is curious about what all the people are saying about him. He wants to know what His disciples have heard in terms of who people think He is. Then He directs the question to His disciples, “Who do you say I am?” Simon responds with the bold proclamation that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God!

Jesus honors Simon by letting everyone know that God revealed this truth directly to Simon. Then Jesus gives Simon a new name – Peter – “the Rock.” Jesus is not done honoring Simon, now Peter. Jesus promises to give Peter the keys to the kingdom of heaven!

Wow! Jesus has given Peter power and authority of a unique kind. Peter has the keys that will unlock the doors to heaven. We are not talking about the cartoons where Peter is at the pearly gates with a ring of keys at his waist. Jesus promises that Peter will have the power and authority to show others how to enter the kingdom of heaven.

So, does the Bible ever tell us how Peter used those keys?

 It sure does!

Read Acts chapter 2 verses 14 to 39. After being filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter stands up before the crowd on Pentecost and shares the very first gospel sermon.

In verse 21, Peter quotes the prophet Joel “And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Peter finishes his sermon in verse 36 with “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

Those who heard the sermon were “cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, 'Brothers, what shall we do?'”

OK, are you ready? Here is where Peter uses those keys to the kingdom of heaven.

Peter replied, “repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off – for all whom the Lord our God will call.” (Acts 2:38-39)

Repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins.

Peter, the man to whom Jesus gave the keys to His kingdom, did not say anything along the lines of “pray with me to receive Jesus as your personal Saviour.” There is no similar phrase in the entire Bible. When Peter answered the people's heart-felt cry of, “Brothers what shall we do?” He explained that there was more to “calling on the name of the Lord,” than a simple prayer.  It also wasn't enough to be cut to the heart about their sin.  Entrance into the kingdom of heaven requires repentance and baptism.

You Feed Them

I promised to tell you about Saturday's fundraising Pig Roast we had for You Feed Them.  You feed Them is an organization started about 5 years ago by a few members of our church and members of at least one other church.  The dream is to eliminate hunger one village at a time, using state-of-the-art organic farming technology.  The goal is to enable the village to become self-sustainable while providing for the poor, and then reproduce what they have received in other villages.  We are seeking other churches to partner with waiting villages, so this process can explode.


We had an amazing time at our pig roast!  A 10 year-old girl helping out with the preparations was so excited and eager to get involved that she offered to provide a car-wash for the auction.  That car wash earned $50 in the auction!

What follows is a list of blessings and miracles that have happened in and around the village of Yogo (in Kenya) that no one had ever dreamed of.  A more complete list was given on Saturday, but I don't have a copy of that list yet.  Click here to see a PowerPoint presentation about these miracles.

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Eph 3:20-21)

1.   The Church membership in Yogo to explode from  20 people under a tree  to  250 people under a roofed structure with no walls.

2.   The local pastors asking for help in training and studying the Bible. Engaging John Hiddema and CCEC to train and support 12 pastors in the Siaya district area.

3.   Finding that 1 of the pastors in John Hiddema’s  courses brought the teaching to his own parish and when the Bishop of the church witnessed what he was doing, requested all 28 parishes also follow these same teachings.

4.  110  orphaned and needy children receive 2 meals a day and  superior education.

5.  To have our students do so amazingly well when tested by the government school proficiency exams in 2010. When they were tested, our students, then JK and SK were tested and most were found to be functioning at the level of a Grade two!  Our children competed against 5 local schools in the area.  Our SK class took the top 10 positions and our JK took the top 16 positions.  Also in 2010 our school won an award of " Academic Excellence", placing 3rd in our district, which competes with about 150 schools!  We have an amazing team of teachers and hard working students!

6.  10 fold increase in the production acres of corn, from 90 kg (198 lbs)  to 900 Kgs (1984 lbs)

7.   Having the community and parish member believe this was again a miracle of the loaves and fishes.

8.   A bore hole water well. We prayed for this at Sunday mass but never planned or had it in our budget. The cost was so high $60,000 or so and with evidence of 30 other attempts in the local area with not one proving to be successful. This to me is only from God. (Not to mention the water table that was tap was found to be a very large one, believed to be able to support large numbers and the farms, certified clean for drinking.  What a mighty God we serve!)

9. Having the small village of YOGO  recognized by the United Nations and hosting World Food Day  on our farm on Oct 16th 2009.  The theme “food security in time of crisis”   Wow

10.  During the World Food Day, Kenyan government officials recognized the efforts and extraordinary development happening on the YFT farms, that they donated a total of 3 fish ponds which they installed.  They covered the original expense of stocking two ponds with the fish and food until harvested and helped to train our staff in care and maintenance.  What  an unplanned blessing!

11.  Bringing the much needed service of electric power to this small village. Kimberly can you give details? thanks  

It was through the an invitation that we had to preach.  God gave us favor with the family that we met, who hosted us during the crusade.  After the crusade he had tried to reach Silas by cell phone and couldn't .  When Silas finally got back to him and apologized and shared about how we didn't have power and had to charge our phones elsewhere (before we had solar power in our personal home).  Our new friend told us he has a good friend that works for Kenya Power and that they were doing an new incentive program that the government is operating, bringing electricity in rural regions.  He wasn't sure if it had finished yet but said he would contact his friend and see what he could do.  Two days later we had surveyors knocking on our doors....  The blessed favor of our King!

12. Being blessed with exceptional partners. Ambassador Ministries in Covenant to help support the school building through the nine grades. A 2 story structure  to house all the classrooms.

13.  Being blessed with exceptional partners. Sue Jasman from Brockville who has visited the village to do health services and built a foundation for a community health center.  They also gave a large donation for supplies at the local clinic in Mwer.

14. Being blessed with exceptional partners. Community Bible Church to take our initiative to partner with the next village Seje. Where the people of the community have taken the idea , embraced the concept in record speed. all due to what they see happening in Yogo.

15 . Having this small village of YOGO recognized by the United Nations for the second time in 4 years and holding the celebration on our farm in YOGO on Oct 16 2012!  WOW  are they in for a surprise with all the new services,  water and power.

16.  We also had the unexpected privileged of hosting a team of 50 Christian doctors from Korea, that visited our farms and school.  They gave a donation of $1100 specific for the building of our school.  It was used for part of the supplies to lay the foundation.  One doctor had a tremendous testimony to share with me about our children that continues to speak volumes in my heart.  They had traveled to many different schools and clinics in Kenya.  Ours was the last one they saw before they were heading home.  She said she was so grateful that they had come here as they were about to go home with very heavy hearts.  They had witnessed so much devastation and the destructive effects of poverty.  The need in Kenya seemed insatiable and they began to ask themselves "where is the hope"?  The children they saw in other places were clearly malnourished, damaged and most appearing lost, but not our children...... Here she reported, they found hope, alive.....our children are healthy and well.  She said you could tell these children felt loved and were esteemed, they smiled and played with one another, instead of fighting and struggling.  She said, You have given us hope.  We can see the light of Christ shining so brightly here and she thanked me for all we were doing.  We laughed, dance and ate together as we celebrated all that God was doing.  It was a wonderful day!

17.  We never would have expected that our youth of Yogo would be so inspired that they would start a group that meets regularly, pooling resources, farming and doing odd jobs.  They are developing business plans to work together, to prosper and grow.  Many of these young men previously had no future hope or dreams.  They spent much of their time drinking, doing drugs or being idol.  Their lives are being transformed because people like Ryan Dekker a youth himself, followed God's leading and went on a mission trip through YFT.

18.  At every crusade we either witness miraculous healing,deliverance and salvation for many or we later receive testimonies of extraordinary miracles.  God is so faithful! Mark 16:16-18  I will share some on Saturday.

19.  We continue to hear reports from government officials, returning villagers and other visitors about the remarkable unity and harmony they see in Yogo village.  People are working together and beginning to dream new dreams, filled with hope and anticipating a good future!  That is a huge accomplishment that only God can do!

20.  The United Nations World Food Day Celebration will be held at Yogo village for a second time in four years! The World Food Day theme for 2012  is "Agricultural cooperatives – key to feeding the world".

We are seeking other churches to partner with waiting villages, so this process can explode.

The Perfect Gift -- rerun

I am still waiting to get the details together to share about the  You Feed Them Pig Roast which I told you about in the last post.  So, I thought I would let you enjoy one of the most-visited posts.

The Perfect Gift

            Last weekend was Mother's Day.  If you are a mother, how did you celebrate?  One friend shared that she had her favourite breakfast.  Another received a beautiful photograph of her two youngest children.  What would be the perfect Mother’s Day gift?  A hand-made card, a beautiful necklace, a wonderful dinner at your favourite restaurant, a cruise?

            For many years I have found Mother’s Day to be one of the loneliest days of the year.  My marriage broke up eight years ago.  My two boys are both on the autism spectrum.  There are numerous jokes about men and boys not thinking about special days.   With autism this is magnified.  When the boys were in grade school, they would usually make something for me at school.  Once in a while it would actually come out on Mother’s Day, but usually it was some time later.  Even that stopped a few years ago.  .  It was painful to strive so hard to do my best at being their mom, and to have no acknowledgement – no card, no gift, not even a “Happy Mother’s Day!”  Usually there was nothing special about the day at all. We would at least go. out to dinner so that I wouldn’t have to cook or clean up.  I was certainly guilty of feeling “poor me.”  I know that is not how God wanted me to feel, but my heart was closed to His message of love.

            This year had some similarities.  There were no cards and no “Happy Mother’s Day!”  However, God saved me from falling into the pity party of past years.  Christopher and some other boys in his Asperger’s class have been getting together periodically at school to play various role-playing games like Dungeons and Dragons. One of the parents offered to get them together on a weekend. Two weeks ago was the first gathering and it went very well.

            This weekend my oldest also came along.  Caleb has been so disabled by anxiety that he hasn’t even been to school for more than a year.  When he was younger the only future I could see for him was in some sort of prison or institution, as I figured he would seriously injure someone by the time he was 16.  Praise God that didn’t happen!  However he is still a long way from functioning in society. He rarely leaves the apartment he shares with his dad. 

            The boys played for about 3 hours and everyone had a great time!  This was the first time in Caleb’s life that he spent 3 hours with peers and enjoyed the entire time without any meltdowns!  Caleb turns 18 next month!  While the boys were inside gaming at the dining room table.  I was outside with adults enjoying adult conversation.  This, too, was a real treat because I am usually hovering nearby to put out any fires before they turn into meltdowns.

            I am still glowing from the joy of receiving the perfect gift!  That gift was not material.  It was far far better!  It was the gift of seeing my child have victory in an area that has truly caused him so much pain over the years!  It was the gift of seeing my child really happy – at peace with the world.

I will extol the Lord at all times;

His praise will always be on my lips.

My soul will boast in the Lord;

Let the afflicted hear and rejoice.

Glorify the Lord with me;

Let us exalt his name together.

I sought the Lord and he answered me;

He delivered me from all my fears.

Those who look to him are radiant;

Their faces are never covered with shame.

This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;

He saved him out of all his troubles.

(Ps 34:1-6)

Have you ever received the perfect gift?  If not, what would be your perfect gift? Please share by leaving a comment.

Re-examining The Great Commision

I have had a very busy week, but an emotionally and spiritually filling one. One thing taking up a lot of my time has been preparations for a pig roast in support of You Feed Them. This summer I became the secretary for this Christian organization that is providing reproducible, self-sustainable, organic farming in Africa. My next post will tell you more about how the evening went, and a list of the miracles God has been doing in Africa.

Since I have been so busy, I asked God for direction on a post that would be powerful, but would not take a huge amount of time to write. His response was to take a quick look at the Great Commission.

Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Mt 28:18-20)

Jesus gives us a very specific commission. There are four verbs in that commission.

Go – Have you gone out of your way to share the Gospel? Do you even share where you are?

Make disciples – do you just pray a short prayer with people? That is not part of the Great commission. Jesus calls us to make disciples. Take a look at these previous posts that examine what the Scripture teach about being a disciple: Before and After, Life-long Commitment   Disciples were called to commitment and sacrifice. In every version of the Sinner's Prayer that I have seen, there is no mention of total commitment or sacrifice.

Baptizing – These are Jesus' last words before being taken up into heaven. These four verbs encompass and summarize what He had been teaching His apostles for three years. I don't understand how baptism ever become optional. There is so much significance to baptism provided in the Scriptures. Over the next month I will be sharing some things that you may never have seen before.

Teaching them to obey – This goes along with making disciples. I think the North American church has become lazy. So many think they are following the Great Commission when they pray a prayer with someone and then encourage them to maybe go to church somewhere. This is not what it means to teach someone to obey.  Thousands of people who call themselves Christians have no idea what Jesus really taught. They have never been taught what to obey, let alone have someone walk beside them and teach them how to obey.  Please take a look at this post to learn more about what this means.

Please examine your life according to the Scriptures. Are you really obeying the Great Commission?

Dear Jesus, Your words can be so challenging. We often dilute them with tradition or familiarity. We know the words and we deceive ourselves into thinking by knowing we are obeying. That isn't true. I fall into that trap so easily. Please help me to be more obedient to Your call. Be with all who read this post that they may have the courage and conviction to obey Your teaching. Help us to not be lazy, but to do the hard work of making disciples that understand the commitment you call them to. Enable us and empower us to walk beside new believers and show, them through our lives, what it means to obey You. We are sinful people Lord. We constantly fall. Fill us with the humility to confess when we fall, and share with those new believers that You love us even when we do fall. Our relationship with You is not about perfect obedience, but about heart level commitment and love to You, the One who died for our sins. May You be eternally praised! Amen.