We All Have Dirty Hands
After our last newsletter many of you may wonder why we revealed, to everybody, our weaknesses. Maybe you thought, “why give the people that hate God the pleasure of knowing that we are lacking so much?” But, does not the scriptures say, that when we are weak, He is strong? Purposely, we put all the facts regarding our current situation, for all the people to know that this victory is only possible by the mighty hand of God himself. We are going to win this battle, and in advance we are letting you know about our shortcomings so that when the victory comes, and it will come, in Jesus name, there will be know doubts or questions about who actually won. Not men, but Jesus Christ that used men. As scripture says, in Isaiah 46:8 – “8 Remember this, and show yourselves men; Recall to mind, O you transgressors. 9 Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,’ 11 Calling a bird of prey from the east, The man who executes My counsel, from a far country. Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it. 12 “ Listen to Me, you stubborn-hearted, Who are far from righteousness: 13 I bring My righteousness near, it shall not be far off; My salvation shall not linger.”
Without faith, we cannot please God. In another scripture God says that when He comes, will He find faith? So now, the praise report. In this ministry, we live by faith, we walk by faith and we are looking into the future by faith. As you know from previous reports, many volunteers have left us. We leave them in the hands of God. But for the ones that left, God has replaced them with newcomers. Isn’t God an amazing? He knows exactly what we need for what he has called us to do. If that is not enough, in the past few weeks, we received one of the biggest donations of meat ever. For half a year, we can feed an army, and not the cheap stuff, but chicken breasts, baloney, and sausages. Sometimes I imagine God smiling as we are walking through our journey on this earth, warring while God specifically said in Matthew 6:33,34 – “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefor do not worry about tomorrow…” I encourage you, as I am also encouraged, by God, to seek Him first and His kingdom, and everything, and I mean everything, as His words declare, will be given to you, as it is given to me. Jesus you are so good.
In addition to that, if that did not give us enough to praise God, twenty four hours a day, we received new lawyers, by the grace of God, to defend our rights as citizens of Canada, and also to forward the gospel of Jesus Christ freely. We did not just receive any lawyers, we received lawyers who are both skilled, and equipped to take on the tough cases relating to charter issues. What’s more important, is that they have the right motives and the right hearts. They simply love people and love true justice. May God bless them for helping our ministry.
When God replaces someone, or allows them to withdraw themselves, He does not fill the vacancy with left overs, but gives us the best, mighty men of valor (Gideons).
More good news – upcoming festivals. We have the dates. December 21st at 2pm, and the 24th at 11am, music, preaching, sirloin stakes marinated in Greek seasoning, and of coarse gifts, but first and foremost Jesus. If you would like to participate in any way, please call 403-607-4434.
Morris was in top form at City Hall yesterday. He was on fire. Morris saw his opportunity to preach to Ralph Klein and took it. Mr. Klein was delivered directly to us at the front steps. With Street Church DVD in hand, Morris walked up to Mr. Klein and started sharing his testimony, and told him, “Jesus loves you, God bless you”. He preached to him and prayed with him and at the end of the prayer Mr. Klein signaled his agreement with an Amen. What a wonderful opportunity to reach the heart of such a hard to reach public figure, with the message of the gospel. This Wednesday, there were many such men, and I am telling you that every one of them heard that Jesus died, and rose again for them.
In the past month, we had the opportunity to speak into three different judges lives, not to mention crown prosecutors from Calgary and from the province. This is just the beginning. That reminds me of the words of Jesus; Mark 13:9-11 “9You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. 10And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. 11Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.” and also; Acts 9:15 – “15But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel."” You see, that is what is happening right now, to us. The book of Acts coming to life.
A week before, a man was shaking, to the point that even is cheeks were shaking. Why? The man was in fear, he came to us saying that he was afraid that people were going to kill him and he asked, “What should I do?” A few minutes later, with a repentant heart, Jesus on his side, he left with peace.
There was a man who came in a wheel chair because he had jumped from the bridge, trying to commit suicide. He had tried a total 13 times to kill himself, by the time he came to us. When we spoke to him, he was in a deep depression meditating on thoughts of attempting again to end his life. We prayed for him, storming the heavens for God’s mercy. He received Christ and peace. He came to us the following week, jumping all over the place, saying that his life was totally changed. To Jesus be the glory.
Speakers, Judges and Bloody Hands
I want to share with you a recent incident, that happened Monday at the Street Church. As we started singing praises to God, and breaking through by prayer and supplication, there was a new gang listening next to us, and as we were singing, the tension was growing and growing. David got hit with a rock and because we were so close, they could not bare our presence. Moments later blades came out, and suddenly we were surrounded by twelve gang members. With one thing in their mind, to kill. You could smell it in the air. That air of murder. Morris got punched in the face. The tables were overturned. The only thing that was holding us on this earth was the power of the living God. I believe that we were surrounded by angels, since just like every other time danger was so present, God came through. I tell you, I have not prayed that fervently in a long time. From being surrounded by gang members to an immediate turn around where they broke ranks and walked away, there was definitely a break through in the spiritual realm. Add to this, that even though we were attacked by murderers and drug pushers, we were again threatened by staff from the Drop-In Centre and also physically attacked by them. What I find ironic is that drug dealers have absolutely no trouble accessing the Drop-In Centre facilities – drug dealers welcome, preachers be gone!
We used to have a buffer of protection, given to us by God in the form of speakers, a spiritual and physical barrier between us and extremely dangerous individuals, such as pushers and gang members. But thanks to the City officials that layer of protection is missing. Praise God that we still have Him on our side, protecting us from certain death.
For those who have come against us in the use of speakers in our ministry, be aware. The speakers were providing us a means of protection, it wasn’t just about noise. It was changing the entire feel from hell on earth to a family picnic. It was as though the amplified music was breaking through on the spiritual realm touching even violent people’s hearts.
I remember a comment made by Judge Rawlins when she turned to me in the court room and said “You have dirty hands because you refuse to quit.” I was often meditating on those words. You know words have power. I have to admit, she’s right, I have dirty hands. After years of feeding, and ministering to the poorest of the poor, I could not avoid having dirty hands. We have a saying, that if you want something to be done properly, you have to get your hands dirty. Of course, you and I both know that she meant something totally different.
What do you think is dirtier, serving the needs of the poor or preventing a ministry from taking care of people who are literally dieing on the Streets around us every day? I want to ask you some questions. How much blood is on the hands of that judge for putting a judgment against the ministry? How many people died during this time that could not hear about hope, life, a better tomorrow? How many drug dealers were not impacted by the message of forgiveness simply because they could not hear the message? How many addicts died from the drugs that those drug dealers sold them? How many children started a new habit of drug addiction destined for destruction? How many of those hopeless cases in which God could have intervened if only they would have heard the message? We will likely never know, but God does.
What we do know, is that there are people dieing on the Streets of Calgary and the government would rather attack the ministry than coming along side us to attack the problem. How much blood do you think are on the hands of our Mayor, with all his bureaucrats so zealous and bent on taking out the work of the gospel instead of focusing on human lives? I say, I am guilty of having my hands dirty from food, dust, from hugging the rejected, embracing the downcast, lifting up the broken hearted. Yes, my hands get dirty, but not nearly as dirty as the bloody hands of wicked politicians interested in their own personal egos and agendas. Blood is all over the streets of this city and it will get worse. How much blood is on the hands of the lawyers, and crown prosecutors, for standing between life and death. I say, as we fervently prayed Monday, and God performed a miracle, let us pray for our city and our country. Let the blood of the Lamb wash all our sins, that they be white as snow.
I would like to bless you with the words from a dieing man, that truly were like honey to my soul 1 Chron 29:10-13 – “10 Therefore David blessed the LORD before all the assembly; and David said: “Blessed are You, LORD God of Israel, our Father, forever and ever. 11 Yours, O LORD, is the greatness, The power and the glory, The victory and the majesty; For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, And You are exalted as head over all. 12 Both riches and honor come from You, And You reign over all. In Your hand is power and might; In Your hand it is to make great And to give strength to all. 13 "Now therefore, our God, We thank You And praise Your glorious name."”
At the end of the day we all have a choice as to why our hands our dirty. Which way will you choose? Dirt or Blood?
