Saturday, February 28, 2009

Cancer! Poem of Hope

Here To Praise Jesus Christ our savior
Cancer Is so limited...

It cannot cripple love
It cannot shatter hope
It cannot corrode faith
It cannot destroy peace
It cannot kill friendship
It cannot suppress memories
It cannot silence Courage
It cannot invade the soul
It cannot steal eternal life
It cannot conquer the spirit
It cannot stop God from
Helping us through it

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Homeless in America

1 Corinthians 4

1Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.

2Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

3But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.

4For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judge's me is the Lord.

5Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

6And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.

7For who make's thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?

8Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.

9For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.

10We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honorable, but we are despised.

11Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place;

12And labor, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:

13Being defamed, we in treat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the off scouring of all things unto this day.

14I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.

15For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

16Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.

17For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.

18Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you.

19But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power.

20For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.

21What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Foundations to Growth




Foundations to Growth: Changes that Heal



What, why and when of bonding



What is bonding?

Bonding is one of the most
basic and foundational ideas in life and the universe. Bonding or attachment is
our deepest and most primary spiritual and emotional need. God is relational
and He created us in His image so we were created to be relational. From the
womb, we need connection with God and others for comfort, safety, nurturing,
meaning and a general sense of belonging. The message of the Bible is
restoration and reconciliation. Loving God and others restores us back to
relationship. This is what bonding is all about.



Moral benefits from bonding and attachment

Bonding is a basis for
morality. The Bible talks of morality based on love, not on rules or principles.
A mother doesn’t hold her child because she “ought” to. She loves him and holds
the child because she feels his discomfort. A friend doesn’t visit her sick
neighbor because she “should”, rather because she cares for her neighbor’s well
being. Only compassion drives us to real sacrificial love.



In the movie “As Good as it
gets” starring Jack Nicholson, he tells his girl friend played by Helen Hunt,
“You make me want to be a better man”.
Since we often times do what is wrong, rules rarely keep us in line.
Bonding, attachments and love does a much better job of keeping us moral. When
we think of how we might hurt the one we love, more often we will follow some
code of conduct. The difference then is
we don’t to do something wrong to someone because it’s wrong; we don’t
do something wrong to someone, because we hurt him or her. The
motivation to do right is love, not obligation.



Health benefits from bonding

A person’s ability to love
and connect with others lays the foundation for mental and physical health. One
can adjust or recover more rapidly from several physical illnesses including
stress, cancer, heart attack, and stroke. Even having a pet to love and bond
with slows our heart rate. Good friends and the body of Christ provide us with
a support system in our time of need. “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this
way you will fulfill the law of Christ”
(Galatians 6:2).



Life has more meaning and purpose when we bond

When we are in a loving and
a bonded relationship, we are able to see meaning in serving others and in our
accomplishments. We are able to accomplish more on our own, when our “emotional
tanks” are full. When we are bonded to God and others our accomplishments have
a deeper meaning. Events and work have purpose instead of obligation or a
function. Instead of “task-oriented” work and service becomes “relationally
oriented”. Life becomes exciting
because bonding increases the opportunity to exercise your God given talents
and abilities which provides help and resources to others in need or of need.

There is only one God so who can God relate to?

God is not alone. He exists
and always has in relationship as three persons in one or referred to as the
Trinity. He is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. This three
in one relationship is hinted to in Genesis 1:26 Then God said, “Let us
make man in our image, and in our likeness”. Jesus suggests the quality and timelessness
of the relationship when He says to His Father “you loved me before the
creation of the world” (John 14:24). Before creation, God was in a bonded and
attached relationship with His son and the Holy Spirit.



The basic identity of God is love

Relationship and bonding is
the foundation of God’s nature. The apostle John wrote, “God is love. Whoever
lives in love lives in God, and God in Him” (1 John 4:16). Love is the basic
identity of God; therefore love is basic to our identity also.

A plant needs water and
sunlight to survive. Just like a plant, we grow and thrive and need to be
“rooted and grounded” in love. We literally draw from the love of God and
others to fuel our transformation and fruit bearing.



The importance of bonding

When we are in a loving and
a bonded relationship, we are alive and growing. Our emotional and mental
well-being depends on the condition of our heart. The heart is the seat of all
our dreams, desires, goals and hope. We are told to guard our heart “for it is
the wellspring of life” (Proverbs 4:23). The condition and health of our heart
depends on our ability to bond with God and others. The Bible says “A happy
heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit” (Proverbs
15:13).



What happens when the bonding process is interrupted?

Often times in life, we can
be injured at these early developmental stages including infancy, childhood,
and even early adulthood. When this occurs, we have great difficulty trusting,
being intimate, and depending on others. When we were robbed or lost our
ability to bond, we suffer from several root causes; abandonment, rejection,
loneliness and fear that will separate us from the love of God and others. When we are alone or isolated, our lives are
darkened, become chaotic and our growth is stunted.



Our need takes us back to Jesus

Because of our hurts, loss
and pain, we develop walls around us to prevent others from ever hurting us
again, or so we think. Our pride blinds us to the truth and reality that sets
us free. We rebel and try doing things our way until we hit bottom and turn to
God who is the source of relationship and bonding, and the author of love. Our
needs are the fuel to growth and healing. Relationship to God and others helps
us to meet our needs. Without such connectedness to God and others, we will
slowly wither and die, just as a branch is cut off from its vine. Jesus said, “Remain
in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must
remain in the vine (John 15:44).

Friday, February 6, 2009

Mutual Faith Ministry 25th Anniversary


Keith & Heidi Hershey (Founders)
Mutual Faith Ministry 25th Anniversary
Operation Life Cell - (OLC)

Because of the tremendous challenges in our world with terrorism, Mutual Faith has launched a vital outreach in regions of rage around the world. This was initiated after the events of 9/11, and the Biblical scripture in Isaiah 30:25 began to grip the heart of Keith Hershey - "There will be on every high mountain and on every high hill rivers and streams of waters, in the day of the great slaughter, when the tower fall"

This passage was the prompting for the Operation Life Cell ministry expression. The following explains the entire OLC ministry...


THE PROBLEM: TERROR, FEAR AND RAGE

What went through your mind on that fateful day, September 11, 2001 when terrorists attacked the United States! All over the world, people felt violated as terror and rage was released in a new way.

Indeed the Christian community hasn’t had much of a presence in some of the tough regions of the world, particularly the 10-40 window. How do you present the Gospel in an area where you can be killed for saying “Hallelujah” or “Praise the Lord?” How do you share the love of God in a region where it’s illegal to open a church?

THE PROMISE – “WATER WILL BE AVAILABLE!”

“There will be on every high mountain and on every high hill rivers and streams of waters, in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall.” (Isaiah 30:25)

What a powerful proclamation! What a definitive declaration! There will be water available in the high places and the hard places of the planet when pressure is applied in a community.

This scripture has no specific reference to the towers falling in New York City, or the thousands who died during those terrorist attacks. I really believe that the living water of Jesus Christ is going to be prominent and prevalent in every region of this earth.

THE PROVISION – “GOD WILL ASSIGN WATER BOYS!”

In order for water to be available there needs to be a delivery system! In other words there needs to be water boys and water girls available to refresh and bless people everywhere.

When I was a young boy, I was privileged to be invited by the varsity basketball coach to serve as the water boy for the varsity team. It was a high honor for me to go to the practices and the games and refresh the players when they came off the court. I would give them drinking water and a towel and that simple assignment helped encourage them to stay on the playing floor, the real battle zone, to go for victory!

In like fashion we are called to connect with people, in mutual faith to refresh them and bless them so they are better equipped to do the work of God in their regions of the earth.

The assignment God has given us is to teach and release 10,000 LIFE Cells in regions of the world where there are ‘terror cells.’ These ‘terrorist cells’ have a tremendous impact on the work of church ministries. Churches have been attacked and burned to the ground. Reports have come in that leaders were killed by the extremist groups.

THE PROCESS – “HOW TO CONNECT WITH RAGING PEOPLE!”

The Lord has given a model for ministry. He gave an assignment to one named Ananias to go and connect and communicate with a terror filled man named Saul. (Acts 9) Saul was bringing havoc and terror against the church.

The Lord spoke to Ananias and commissioned him to go and talk to the terror filled man, Saul. Ananias didn’t like the idea! I’m convinced that there are many times God will speak to our spirit about doing His will and it will frustrate our flesh. Many times what God speaks for us to do for the purpose of His Kingdom will cost us time, money or other precious commodities that we so value. Eventually, Ananias was brave enough to be obedient to take the assignment and go talk to this raging man.

Years later Saul who became Paul gave testimony as to what Ananias said to him, the words that were used that preserved him from terrorism.

“The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will and see the Just One and hear the voice of His mouth. For you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard.” (Acts 22:14,15)

These five principles are so powerful! According to Paul, these are the truths that allowed him to triumph over terror! Think of what was actually said:

1. GOD HAS CHOSEN YOU. (YOU ARE LOVED!)

This is the most refreshing phrase of the human heart! Men and women everywhere are redeemable! God is on your side!

2. YOU SHOULD KNOW HIS WILL! (YOU CAN KNOW HIS PERFECT PLAN!)

In other words you don’t need to be disillusioned any longer. You can have a clue as to what to do! God can give you the details for every aspect of your life.

3. YOU SHOULD SEE THE JUST ONE. (EXPERIENCE JESUS!)

This is the son, His name is Jesus, we call Him our Savior! This is where you communicate the reality of the cross! The death, the burial, the resurrection of Jesus Christ!

4. YOU SHOULD HEAR HIS VOICE. (INTIMACY WITH GOD!)

How refreshing that we don’t just need to embrace religion but we can have genuine relationship! God wants to fellowship and commune with His kids!

5. YOU SHOULD BE HIS WITNESS. (GIVE LIFE AWAY!)

This is what all of us are privileged to do, to tell others the Good News! In other words we can be the water boys! We can be the water girls! We can bless and refresh the human race so people can embrace His love. This is the system that we’ve been assigned!

THE PLAN – HOW TO IMPLEMENT THIS SIMPLE ASSIGNMENT

Our goal? To teach and release 10,000 LIFE Cells just like Ananias! We are conducting Training Camps in various nations all around the world. We are bringing leaders from these troubled spots of the world and helping them go incognito back into these communities to connect with one person full of rage, terror and frustration! We show them how to get an assignment by the Spirit of God like Ananias received.

Additionally we are providing the training materials for this model of ministry that Ananias used. Also we are releasing these precious brothers and sisters back into their region by praying for them and laying hands on them as they go forth as a water delivery system into their communities.

Counting the cost! As we prayerfully pursue this assignment, we of course must count the cost! We believe that we can teach and release a LIFE Cell for as little as $22. In other words a one-time gift of $22 will allow us to connect with a believer within these communities and teach and train them the Ananias model of ministry.

Our target goal is to sponsor 10,000 LIFE Leaders! (Total needed: $220,000). We are inviting families and churches to sponsor one LIFE Leader as a special missions outreach. In other words if every family unit could believe God for a one time gift of $22 to do something practical and powerful right now to reach out to people who are plagued with raging terrorist world views.

Testimonies from Operation LIFE Cell

“We now have seven Operation LIFE Cell camps set up for the training of those with special assignment from the Lord. The Operation LIFE Cell principles have been embraced by everyone in these training camps. We have enlisted about two hundred people into the program from the seven camps.”

“A Juju Priest or idol priest with a very large shrine has surrendered his life to the Lord after I applied the Operation LIFE Cell method. He and his two wives and ten children now attend our church.”

“A terrorist, known as a Jihad leader, has been saved and is now the leader
of Operation LIFE Cell for all of the North of Nigeria. His father is an Islamic priest.”


“Our Operation LIFE Cell is doing good in reaching the Muslim rebels here in Mindanao. Another Abu Sayaf rebel is added, and we have now two Muslim rebels saved and born again under our care.”

Donations