19/05: SIGNS of Disaster
This is the message the Lord gave me for Pastor Zach's Church on Sunday here in Malawi.
Hosea 4:6 says that 'God's people perish for a lack of knowledge...'
This does not mean that we perish because we are all incapable or stupid, but the remainder of the verse goes on to say that we have, 'rejected knowledge.'
One of the root problems of this I believe, as well as the reason that the church in the last days will be 'lukewarm' according to revelation is a lack of hungering and thirsting for the Word, for sound Biblical Teaching. Nowhere is that more evident than here in Africa.
Everywhere I go, people don't want and crave Teaching; they desire signs; they want a show. As such, they accumulate and flock to teachers that will tickle their ears and please their eyes. Then you have the lusts of the crowd molding and shaping the 'pastors, preachers, prophets, apostles, bishops, reverends, doctors' or whatever title they bestow upon themselves.
This failure in teaching I believe began in the Garden of Eden, back in Genesis 2.
In the New Testament, we see that Adam is credited for Sin entering the World and not Eve. Why is that if Eve is the one that bit first? Why was it not her fault? If you read the account, you will see that God created Adam first, then gave him the one command, 'Don't eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.' Afterward, He created Eve from Adam. Then we come to Genesis 3.
In Genesis 3, the first thing that Satan does subtly was to question Eve's understanding of God's Word, note he did not attack Adam. Then he also changed God's Word ever so slightly. He asked her, 'Did God say you can't eat of any of the trees of the garden?' Then Eve replied, 'No, God said we can eat of the trees of the garden, but if we touch or eat of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, we will die.'
First of all, God never said they could not touch it, and secondly, Eve apparently did not even know the name of the Tree...she only knew it as the one in the middle. I can imagine that maybe Adam failed his first teaching assignment. God allowed Adam to name all of the animals and then allowed him to name Eve. They may have planted a seed of pride for him. Maybe he did not want Eve to be as smart as he was, maybe that was why he did not tell her the name of the tree. You know how when you go to someones house and you warn you children, 'don't touch anything, don't breath on anything, and don't even look at it.' I surmise maybe this was how Adam treated his wife.
Notice that when Eve responded to the temptation of the enemy, 3 things were in her heart:
1. it was good for food
2. it was pleasing to look at
3. it was desirable to make one WISE
Adam was right there with her and let her do it. Then when Eve touched it and didn't die, nothing stopped her from eating. Adam may have been thinking...'I have more ribs, God can make me a new one if she dies.' Either way, Adam did not teach, guard or protect his wife.
'My people perish for a lack of knowledge, they reject it.'
The natural / supernatural hunger and thirst for the righteousness that comes from the washing and filling of the Word has been supplanted by the desire for SIGNS...But Signs are not a replacement and an excuse for teaching.
Moses and the children of Israel in the wilderness are a perfect example of that. Consider all of the signs and Wonders that God did before the very eyes of that 1st generation that came out of Egypt...the 10 plagues, parting the Red Sea, destroying the mightiest army in the world at the time, raining food from heaven, bringing water from a rock, etc... Yet only 2 adult males made it out of the wilderness, even Moses died never stepping foot in the Promised Land.
In Deuteronomy 29:3-4, Moses reminds the people, "These great trials which your eyes have seen, the signs and those great miracles: yet the Lord has not given you a heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day."
The people saw all of those signs and wonders and yet still they rebelled and had a hard heart. This is why they were still blind.
It is the Word of God that is alive and active, sharper than any 2-edged sword, able to pierce the heart...not the signs and wonders.
Have you ever really looked at what was Moses' great sin to keep him out of the Promised Land? The answer is in Numbers 20:6-12. Here God gave Moses a simple 3 part instruction:
1. Take your rod
2. Gather the people
3. Speak to the rock so that water comes out.
But Moses was not content in following the Lord, look at what he did:
1. Took his rod
2. Gathered the people (so far so good)
3. Scolded and Chastised the people
4. Took God's glory (by saying shall WE-he and Aaron-make water come out)
5. Wanted to smite the rock with his rod
He wanted to do a big production and sign to get the glory. How may of the showman that we have in churches today would fall in this category? What kind of danger are they in? Anyone that steps foot before God's people in God's house should be teaching and equipping the Saints of God...not showing off real or fake gifts...thereby taking God's glory, and starving His children.
Jesus told Peter, 'Feed my sheep'...the food is the Word, the Bread of Life. It is not having deliverance services, nor is it casting out demons or speaking in tongues or even in healing services...food is in the Word.
Sometime ago I was invited to speak at a 'Pastor's Conference' here in Malawi. When I arrived, there was already a Malawian Pastor speaking, 'prophet somebody.' He began boasting that he was not taken to America because he knew God's Word or because he was an strong pastor. He added, he was taken to America because he laid hands on a lady with cancer and she was healed. He then continued on to say that his signs showed he was from God. His signs showed he was a prophet. He then invited us to his 'deliverance service' at a place nearby. We were invited to come and watch how, 'mighty his power was.'
So when he was done, I opened my Bible and read to all in ear shot, Matthew 7:21-23. Here Jesus says that, ' Not all who say to me 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the Kingdom of God.' But they will argue with Him and say, 'but Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name cast out demons and work many miracles?,' And He will respond, 'Depart from Me you workers of iniquity.'
Do we think it a coincidence that all of these are the 'sign gifts?' They didn't respond, 'But Lord we loved you and the brethren, Lord we served others as unto you, but Lord we taught your Word and made disciples, but Lord we had faith in you and your sacrifice...' They were depending on signs to prove themselves.
What's interesting is in Deuteronomy 13:1-2, Moses tells God's people that even false prophets will sometimes get things right, but it is a test. Even Pharaoh's enchanters partially copied some of God's signs in Exodus. Moses tells us it is a test. We are not to follow signs and wonders, but the Word of God. In the NT we even find the warning from Paul, 'even if an Angel of Light brings you a different Gospel, do not believe it.'
This is why we are seeing so much success from cults at taking members from Bible believing churches, they are not fully taught God's Word. Most of the spiritually distraught people I counsel in our ministry, are those that have been to hyper-charismatic churches and taught they must speak in tongues or they don't have the Holy Spirit 9 a lie from the pits of Hell), those who have been abused and tormented by self proclaimed prophets, those that have based their belief in Jesus on 'faith healers,' that could not heal.
'My people perish for a lack of knowledge, they reject it.'
My friends, 'faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.' It does not come from the Signs of Man. Jesus even said that a, 'wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign.'
We see repeated in both the Old and New Testaments that, 'Man should not live on bread alone, but by EVERY WORD that proceeds from the mouth of God.' Not every sign.
Many diseases and physical ailments are caused by vitamin and mineral deficiencies. So to with us spiritually. If you give a child only sweets and molded food, it will not survive...so to for our spirit-man if we are only fed empty signs with no spiritual calories or nourishment.
Jesus warned us there would come many false Christ's, false Apostles, false prophets, etc. And truly He was right...they are on every corner. So how do we protect ourselves?
God's Word. God's Word. God's Word. God's Word. God's Word.
* Jesus answered Satan's attacks with what: Signs? NO! God's Word.
* Paul taught our Spiritual Sword is what? Signs? No! God's Word.
* The Bereans were commended for what (Acts)? Their signs? No! Studying God's Word.
* Paul told Timothy to do what to show himslef approved? Signs? No! Tongues? No! Study God's Word.
* Parable of the Sower-what produces Good Fruit? Signs? No! God's Word in a Good heart.
* At 12 years old (Luke 2) Jesus was already about His Father's Business. Was it: Signs? No! Teaching? Yes!
'My people perish for a lack of knowledge, they reject it.'
*****************************************************
Am I dismissing any signs or sign gifts? No.
What I am saying is that Sign Seekers and users typically have it backwards.
Mark 16:17 records Jesus saying, 'Signs and Wonders will Follow them that believe' Not proceed. I have seen the Lord heal people of many diseases and do many miracles too numerous to count...include healing me of a rare eye disease that would have made me blind 10 years ago. No one slapped me on the head or even laid hands on me, the Lord simply healed me as He saw fit in the doctors office.
When signs were used, they were used to confirm the WORD not the worker of the signs. If there is no Word being taught, the Lord has no reason to have a charlatan do a sign to glorify himself.
'My people perish for a lack of knowledge, they reject it.'
Hosea 4:6 says that 'God's people perish for a lack of knowledge...'
This does not mean that we perish because we are all incapable or stupid, but the remainder of the verse goes on to say that we have, 'rejected knowledge.'
One of the root problems of this I believe, as well as the reason that the church in the last days will be 'lukewarm' according to revelation is a lack of hungering and thirsting for the Word, for sound Biblical Teaching. Nowhere is that more evident than here in Africa.
Everywhere I go, people don't want and crave Teaching; they desire signs; they want a show. As such, they accumulate and flock to teachers that will tickle their ears and please their eyes. Then you have the lusts of the crowd molding and shaping the 'pastors, preachers, prophets, apostles, bishops, reverends, doctors' or whatever title they bestow upon themselves.
This failure in teaching I believe began in the Garden of Eden, back in Genesis 2.
In the New Testament, we see that Adam is credited for Sin entering the World and not Eve. Why is that if Eve is the one that bit first? Why was it not her fault? If you read the account, you will see that God created Adam first, then gave him the one command, 'Don't eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.' Afterward, He created Eve from Adam. Then we come to Genesis 3.
In Genesis 3, the first thing that Satan does subtly was to question Eve's understanding of God's Word, note he did not attack Adam. Then he also changed God's Word ever so slightly. He asked her, 'Did God say you can't eat of any of the trees of the garden?' Then Eve replied, 'No, God said we can eat of the trees of the garden, but if we touch or eat of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, we will die.'
First of all, God never said they could not touch it, and secondly, Eve apparently did not even know the name of the Tree...she only knew it as the one in the middle. I can imagine that maybe Adam failed his first teaching assignment. God allowed Adam to name all of the animals and then allowed him to name Eve. They may have planted a seed of pride for him. Maybe he did not want Eve to be as smart as he was, maybe that was why he did not tell her the name of the tree. You know how when you go to someones house and you warn you children, 'don't touch anything, don't breath on anything, and don't even look at it.' I surmise maybe this was how Adam treated his wife.
Notice that when Eve responded to the temptation of the enemy, 3 things were in her heart:
1. it was good for food
2. it was pleasing to look at
3. it was desirable to make one WISE
Adam was right there with her and let her do it. Then when Eve touched it and didn't die, nothing stopped her from eating. Adam may have been thinking...'I have more ribs, God can make me a new one if she dies.' Either way, Adam did not teach, guard or protect his wife.
'My people perish for a lack of knowledge, they reject it.'
The natural / supernatural hunger and thirst for the righteousness that comes from the washing and filling of the Word has been supplanted by the desire for SIGNS...But Signs are not a replacement and an excuse for teaching.
Moses and the children of Israel in the wilderness are a perfect example of that. Consider all of the signs and Wonders that God did before the very eyes of that 1st generation that came out of Egypt...the 10 plagues, parting the Red Sea, destroying the mightiest army in the world at the time, raining food from heaven, bringing water from a rock, etc... Yet only 2 adult males made it out of the wilderness, even Moses died never stepping foot in the Promised Land.
In Deuteronomy 29:3-4, Moses reminds the people, "These great trials which your eyes have seen, the signs and those great miracles: yet the Lord has not given you a heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day."
The people saw all of those signs and wonders and yet still they rebelled and had a hard heart. This is why they were still blind.
It is the Word of God that is alive and active, sharper than any 2-edged sword, able to pierce the heart...not the signs and wonders.
Have you ever really looked at what was Moses' great sin to keep him out of the Promised Land? The answer is in Numbers 20:6-12. Here God gave Moses a simple 3 part instruction:
1. Take your rod
2. Gather the people
3. Speak to the rock so that water comes out.
But Moses was not content in following the Lord, look at what he did:
1. Took his rod
2. Gathered the people (so far so good)
3. Scolded and Chastised the people
4. Took God's glory (by saying shall WE-he and Aaron-make water come out)
5. Wanted to smite the rock with his rod
He wanted to do a big production and sign to get the glory. How may of the showman that we have in churches today would fall in this category? What kind of danger are they in? Anyone that steps foot before God's people in God's house should be teaching and equipping the Saints of God...not showing off real or fake gifts...thereby taking God's glory, and starving His children.
Jesus told Peter, 'Feed my sheep'...the food is the Word, the Bread of Life. It is not having deliverance services, nor is it casting out demons or speaking in tongues or even in healing services...food is in the Word.
Sometime ago I was invited to speak at a 'Pastor's Conference' here in Malawi. When I arrived, there was already a Malawian Pastor speaking, 'prophet somebody.' He began boasting that he was not taken to America because he knew God's Word or because he was an strong pastor. He added, he was taken to America because he laid hands on a lady with cancer and she was healed. He then continued on to say that his signs showed he was from God. His signs showed he was a prophet. He then invited us to his 'deliverance service' at a place nearby. We were invited to come and watch how, 'mighty his power was.'
So when he was done, I opened my Bible and read to all in ear shot, Matthew 7:21-23. Here Jesus says that, ' Not all who say to me 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the Kingdom of God.' But they will argue with Him and say, 'but Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name cast out demons and work many miracles?,' And He will respond, 'Depart from Me you workers of iniquity.'
Do we think it a coincidence that all of these are the 'sign gifts?' They didn't respond, 'But Lord we loved you and the brethren, Lord we served others as unto you, but Lord we taught your Word and made disciples, but Lord we had faith in you and your sacrifice...' They were depending on signs to prove themselves.
What's interesting is in Deuteronomy 13:1-2, Moses tells God's people that even false prophets will sometimes get things right, but it is a test. Even Pharaoh's enchanters partially copied some of God's signs in Exodus. Moses tells us it is a test. We are not to follow signs and wonders, but the Word of God. In the NT we even find the warning from Paul, 'even if an Angel of Light brings you a different Gospel, do not believe it.'
This is why we are seeing so much success from cults at taking members from Bible believing churches, they are not fully taught God's Word. Most of the spiritually distraught people I counsel in our ministry, are those that have been to hyper-charismatic churches and taught they must speak in tongues or they don't have the Holy Spirit 9 a lie from the pits of Hell), those who have been abused and tormented by self proclaimed prophets, those that have based their belief in Jesus on 'faith healers,' that could not heal.
'My people perish for a lack of knowledge, they reject it.'
My friends, 'faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.' It does not come from the Signs of Man. Jesus even said that a, 'wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign.'
We see repeated in both the Old and New Testaments that, 'Man should not live on bread alone, but by EVERY WORD that proceeds from the mouth of God.' Not every sign.
Many diseases and physical ailments are caused by vitamin and mineral deficiencies. So to with us spiritually. If you give a child only sweets and molded food, it will not survive...so to for our spirit-man if we are only fed empty signs with no spiritual calories or nourishment.
Jesus warned us there would come many false Christ's, false Apostles, false prophets, etc. And truly He was right...they are on every corner. So how do we protect ourselves?
God's Word. God's Word. God's Word. God's Word. God's Word.
* Jesus answered Satan's attacks with what: Signs? NO! God's Word.
* Paul taught our Spiritual Sword is what? Signs? No! God's Word.
* The Bereans were commended for what (Acts)? Their signs? No! Studying God's Word.
* Paul told Timothy to do what to show himslef approved? Signs? No! Tongues? No! Study God's Word.
* Parable of the Sower-what produces Good Fruit? Signs? No! God's Word in a Good heart.
* At 12 years old (Luke 2) Jesus was already about His Father's Business. Was it: Signs? No! Teaching? Yes!
'My people perish for a lack of knowledge, they reject it.'
*****************************************************
Am I dismissing any signs or sign gifts? No.
What I am saying is that Sign Seekers and users typically have it backwards.
Mark 16:17 records Jesus saying, 'Signs and Wonders will Follow them that believe' Not proceed. I have seen the Lord heal people of many diseases and do many miracles too numerous to count...include healing me of a rare eye disease that would have made me blind 10 years ago. No one slapped me on the head or even laid hands on me, the Lord simply healed me as He saw fit in the doctors office.
When signs were used, they were used to confirm the WORD not the worker of the signs. If there is no Word being taught, the Lord has no reason to have a charlatan do a sign to glorify himself.
'My people perish for a lack of knowledge, they reject it.'
16/05: Update May 16
MErcy and William Wood, from the UK, our partners here in Malawi were involved in a bad car accident as they were in a taxi travelling back from the North where the rest of their ministry is.
The driver passed in a vdery bad area and had to swerve off the road into a wall to avoid hitting a semi head on. Both had to go to the hospital and both were released. Mercy had numerous stitches in her lip and had a lot of pain in her hip and leg. William had bruising in the face, back and leg as well. He was able to suffer through the pain to preach twice today at a friend's church here in Blantyre. Mercy stayed in bed all day resting, and just now has finally gotten up to take dinner in bed. She looks rough but knows she is blessed to be alive.
The Lord opened the door for me to preach at a downtown church today, the Jesus Worship Center, pastored by Zach Dzinyemba, an amazing man of God. This has been my favorite church out of all of the ones I have attended in Malawi. There is a sweet spirit in that place. Today they broke my heart as they actually took up a collection for our ministry! Out of literally 100's of preaching engagements in more than 100 churches here in Malawi, none have ever taken up a collection for our ministry at the orphanage project.
Only once has this happened before, and that was in India. I have not yet even been able to count it as it is so humbling.
More later as we finish up our meetings and arrangements with the staff of Wood World Missions and Acts 3.
One note is that the Land has been finally signed over and sealed. The LOrd worked it out in His time in His way.
There will not be any pix until I return as there is a problem with the pc I am using not allowing an upload script from my site...sorry. But there wll be some good pix and videos when I return home.
I leave here on Wednesday the 19th, so I will update 1 last time preior to that late Tuesday evening. Much love to all. Thank you for your prayers.
The driver passed in a vdery bad area and had to swerve off the road into a wall to avoid hitting a semi head on. Both had to go to the hospital and both were released. Mercy had numerous stitches in her lip and had a lot of pain in her hip and leg. William had bruising in the face, back and leg as well. He was able to suffer through the pain to preach twice today at a friend's church here in Blantyre. Mercy stayed in bed all day resting, and just now has finally gotten up to take dinner in bed. She looks rough but knows she is blessed to be alive.
The Lord opened the door for me to preach at a downtown church today, the Jesus Worship Center, pastored by Zach Dzinyemba, an amazing man of God. This has been my favorite church out of all of the ones I have attended in Malawi. There is a sweet spirit in that place. Today they broke my heart as they actually took up a collection for our ministry! Out of literally 100's of preaching engagements in more than 100 churches here in Malawi, none have ever taken up a collection for our ministry at the orphanage project.
Only once has this happened before, and that was in India. I have not yet even been able to count it as it is so humbling.
More later as we finish up our meetings and arrangements with the staff of Wood World Missions and Acts 3.
One note is that the Land has been finally signed over and sealed. The LOrd worked it out in His time in His way.
There will not be any pix until I return as there is a problem with the pc I am using not allowing an upload script from my site...sorry. But there wll be some good pix and videos when I return home.
I leave here on Wednesday the 19th, so I will update 1 last time preior to that late Tuesday evening. Much love to all. Thank you for your prayers.
11/05: Wake Up Call
So I am laying in the bed nestled in under my mosquito net here in Malawi around 2am early Wednesday morning when the Lord saw fit to give me the first of two wake up calls. The first came in the form of an annoying little rooster next door to the hotel compound…right outside my window. Everybody in Malawi is late (ochedwa)…very late, always. But the one creature that is early in this country is this little feathered foghorn next door. Those of you that know me know that I don’t eat chicken, but I might make an exception for that rooster.
Anyway, so as I am now wide awake, I began going back over the Scriptures I read yesterday and writing more in my journal. When I got to reflecting on Deuteronomy 2, I received my second wake up call…this one much more painful. The rooster shut up once he saw my light cut on, but this wake up call will be ringing in my soul for as long as I live.
In Deuteronomy, Moses is summarizing the history Israel had taken during their nearly 40 years of wandering through the wilderness on the way to the Promise Land. Deuteronomy 1 recounts the history of God promising to give Israel the promise land, but the Israelites fearing to go in because of the inhabitants of the land. They rebelled, so God rejected them and made them wander the wilderness for 40 years until that 1st generation died off.
Deuteronomy 2 begins with God having His people circle Mount Seir for ‘many days.’ They were just walking in circles. If we get off track with what the Lord has for us, we do the same thing. I know if you get lost in the woods without a compass or something to guide you, you tend to walk in a circle, so to for God’s children when we rebel and get out of His will. We lose that guiding compass of His Spirit.
So anyway, the Lord tells His people in vs 3, “you have compassed this mountain long enough: turn northward.”
Now what the Lord does next is He directs them to go through three other places inhabited by: (1) the descendants of Esau (Jacob’s brother), (2) the descendants of Moab (Lot’s son, Abraham’s nephew), and (3) the descendants of Ammon (Lot’s other son).
At each place, God does three things: (1) He tells them that they cannot have that land, because He has promised to those peoples; (2) He reminds of the numerous, powerful and even giant people they had to conquer to possess God’s promise; (3) He shows them how they were faithful in trusting the Lord and were obedient in possessing the Land.
God had to humble the rebellious and unfaithful ‘Chosen’ people by showing them His faithfulness to the obedient and faithful ‘not-chosen’ people (much like the Gentiles and Jews)…all of this AFTER He had them essentially walking in circles for decades. If they could follow God in circles for 38 years in a barren wilderness, why could they not follow Him forward into a land flowing with milk and honey they had to fight for?
I know I would much rather fight a battle for something I loved than waste 38 years walking in a barren waste land just waiting to die of old age. They could have eaten off of the fat of the land, living in permanent houses and made homes for themselves, but instead they were vagabonds, depending on this plain manna from heaven to sustain their wandering existence. You know that had to torment them thinking that as they walked in circles.
So this is where the Lord got personal with me and gave me the 2ND wake up call…
Deuteronomy 1 & 2 was the story of my life and walk with the Lord up til now. There have been many rebellions in my life, so I am not sure which one it was that caused me to go into this orbit, but one of them was in dealing with Malawi. Allow me to explain.
7 ½ years ago when I first came here to Malawi, I came to assist Mercy Wood and her ministry (woodworldmissions.org) from the UK. When I came, I brought $1,000 to give her to help her establish her ministry here in Southern Malawi (she had already been to the North). Well, I let a Malawian convince me that Acts 3 and Randy McEwen were needed in Malawi, and we should establish our ministry here. There were warnings from God that were plain, even in 2 dreams while this was going on, but I did not heed them. I fell for it. So I went to Mercy and told her I thought we were suppose to establish Acts 3 in Blantyre, Southern Malawi, and would she allow me to use the money I brought for that purpose. She humbly agreed, and so my 7 year wilderness merry-go-round began. Her minitry worked in the North and mine in the South.
Over the last 7 years here in Malawi we have seen great miracles of God, healings, reconciliations, countless salvations, provisions, a great orphanage being built, pastors trained, disciples made, the hungry fed, naked clothed, the sick cared for, etc.
Meanwhile back in the US, God allowed us to start a church, buy a church building, see many saved, baptized, discipled and equipped, many married, etc. The thrift stores have provided more in assistance in the past couple years than ever before. To the outside world, it seemed as though Acts III Global Ministries and Randy McEwen were bearing fruit on every mission front.
But things have been changing drastically in 2010. The missionaries that were in Malawi closed the Acts 3 churches and school. The Lord then had us give our Church Building in the US to another pastor and Church to use. And now, I am here in Malawi to turn over the oversight and control of the orphanage, ministry and land, everything Acts 3 is and possesses here to Wood World Missions. Ironically, what would have cost me $1,000 seven years ago, is now costing $325,000. That’s a steep price to pay for rebellion, but it could be worse.
But the most painful part of giving these churches, buildings, lands and ministries up is not the monetary or humility factor, it is the emotional, spiritual and physical investment of pouring so much of your life into them and then having to give them up.
So since all of this has been happening, I realized the Lord has told me…
1) You have walked in circles long enough…
2) Now He is taking me around showing me faithful people and things that I cannot have… just like with the Israelites in Deuteronomy 2.
He has shown me (a) a faithful Pastor in James Broxton in the US, the man the Lord had take over our Church building in Rincon. He has shown me I cannot have that church.
(b) When we were led to leave the church we started, the Lord sent us back to our old church. Our heart has always been there. Simultaneously, they were without a Senior Pastor and in the process of searching. A small part of me wondered if the Lord was calling me back there in a Pastoral capacity. But over the past few months, it seems as though the Lord has shown me, ‘you cannot have this either.’ No door has opened there either.
(c) The Lord now has completed my Deuteronomy 2 journey by bringing me to Malawi, the 3rd place, and showing me how He has prospered Wood World Missions and how now I cannot possess the orphanage and ministry here either.
So this now leaves me asking of the Lord the 3rd and final part of the Deut 2 story…
Lord, am I one of the unfaithful generation that must die off? Has my time run out? Has my faithlessness and rebellion rendered me unusable to the Kingdom? Will I end up like Samson…a man that once had great strength, giftedness and calling of the Lord…a man that Scripture records died blind and naked glorified God more in His death than His life (Judges 16:30)?
Or Lord is there one more chance? Is there a fight you have been preparing me for, that now I am ready and willing to fight?
Anyway, so as I am now wide awake, I began going back over the Scriptures I read yesterday and writing more in my journal. When I got to reflecting on Deuteronomy 2, I received my second wake up call…this one much more painful. The rooster shut up once he saw my light cut on, but this wake up call will be ringing in my soul for as long as I live.
In Deuteronomy, Moses is summarizing the history Israel had taken during their nearly 40 years of wandering through the wilderness on the way to the Promise Land. Deuteronomy 1 recounts the history of God promising to give Israel the promise land, but the Israelites fearing to go in because of the inhabitants of the land. They rebelled, so God rejected them and made them wander the wilderness for 40 years until that 1st generation died off.
Deuteronomy 2 begins with God having His people circle Mount Seir for ‘many days.’ They were just walking in circles. If we get off track with what the Lord has for us, we do the same thing. I know if you get lost in the woods without a compass or something to guide you, you tend to walk in a circle, so to for God’s children when we rebel and get out of His will. We lose that guiding compass of His Spirit.
So anyway, the Lord tells His people in vs 3, “you have compassed this mountain long enough: turn northward.”
Now what the Lord does next is He directs them to go through three other places inhabited by: (1) the descendants of Esau (Jacob’s brother), (2) the descendants of Moab (Lot’s son, Abraham’s nephew), and (3) the descendants of Ammon (Lot’s other son).
At each place, God does three things: (1) He tells them that they cannot have that land, because He has promised to those peoples; (2) He reminds of the numerous, powerful and even giant people they had to conquer to possess God’s promise; (3) He shows them how they were faithful in trusting the Lord and were obedient in possessing the Land.
God had to humble the rebellious and unfaithful ‘Chosen’ people by showing them His faithfulness to the obedient and faithful ‘not-chosen’ people (much like the Gentiles and Jews)…all of this AFTER He had them essentially walking in circles for decades. If they could follow God in circles for 38 years in a barren wilderness, why could they not follow Him forward into a land flowing with milk and honey they had to fight for?
I know I would much rather fight a battle for something I loved than waste 38 years walking in a barren waste land just waiting to die of old age. They could have eaten off of the fat of the land, living in permanent houses and made homes for themselves, but instead they were vagabonds, depending on this plain manna from heaven to sustain their wandering existence. You know that had to torment them thinking that as they walked in circles.
So this is where the Lord got personal with me and gave me the 2ND wake up call…
Deuteronomy 1 & 2 was the story of my life and walk with the Lord up til now. There have been many rebellions in my life, so I am not sure which one it was that caused me to go into this orbit, but one of them was in dealing with Malawi. Allow me to explain.
7 ½ years ago when I first came here to Malawi, I came to assist Mercy Wood and her ministry (woodworldmissions.org) from the UK. When I came, I brought $1,000 to give her to help her establish her ministry here in Southern Malawi (she had already been to the North). Well, I let a Malawian convince me that Acts 3 and Randy McEwen were needed in Malawi, and we should establish our ministry here. There were warnings from God that were plain, even in 2 dreams while this was going on, but I did not heed them. I fell for it. So I went to Mercy and told her I thought we were suppose to establish Acts 3 in Blantyre, Southern Malawi, and would she allow me to use the money I brought for that purpose. She humbly agreed, and so my 7 year wilderness merry-go-round began. Her minitry worked in the North and mine in the South.
Over the last 7 years here in Malawi we have seen great miracles of God, healings, reconciliations, countless salvations, provisions, a great orphanage being built, pastors trained, disciples made, the hungry fed, naked clothed, the sick cared for, etc.
Meanwhile back in the US, God allowed us to start a church, buy a church building, see many saved, baptized, discipled and equipped, many married, etc. The thrift stores have provided more in assistance in the past couple years than ever before. To the outside world, it seemed as though Acts III Global Ministries and Randy McEwen were bearing fruit on every mission front.
But things have been changing drastically in 2010. The missionaries that were in Malawi closed the Acts 3 churches and school. The Lord then had us give our Church Building in the US to another pastor and Church to use. And now, I am here in Malawi to turn over the oversight and control of the orphanage, ministry and land, everything Acts 3 is and possesses here to Wood World Missions. Ironically, what would have cost me $1,000 seven years ago, is now costing $325,000. That’s a steep price to pay for rebellion, but it could be worse.
But the most painful part of giving these churches, buildings, lands and ministries up is not the monetary or humility factor, it is the emotional, spiritual and physical investment of pouring so much of your life into them and then having to give them up.
So since all of this has been happening, I realized the Lord has told me…
1) You have walked in circles long enough…
2) Now He is taking me around showing me faithful people and things that I cannot have… just like with the Israelites in Deuteronomy 2.
He has shown me (a) a faithful Pastor in James Broxton in the US, the man the Lord had take over our Church building in Rincon. He has shown me I cannot have that church.
(b) When we were led to leave the church we started, the Lord sent us back to our old church. Our heart has always been there. Simultaneously, they were without a Senior Pastor and in the process of searching. A small part of me wondered if the Lord was calling me back there in a Pastoral capacity. But over the past few months, it seems as though the Lord has shown me, ‘you cannot have this either.’ No door has opened there either.
(c) The Lord now has completed my Deuteronomy 2 journey by bringing me to Malawi, the 3rd place, and showing me how He has prospered Wood World Missions and how now I cannot possess the orphanage and ministry here either.
So this now leaves me asking of the Lord the 3rd and final part of the Deut 2 story…
Lord, am I one of the unfaithful generation that must die off? Has my time run out? Has my faithlessness and rebellion rendered me unusable to the Kingdom? Will I end up like Samson…a man that once had great strength, giftedness and calling of the Lord…a man that Scripture records died blind and naked glorified God more in His death than His life (Judges 16:30)?
Or Lord is there one more chance? Is there a fight you have been preparing me for, that now I am ready and willing to fight?
11/05: Sorry...
I am having a real problem with the internet places. I will upload some pix and videos God willing.
11/05: Reins in the Night Seasons
Psalm 16:7 reads “I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.”
Three words that prompted me to further scrutiny were the ones translated: 1) “reins,” 2) “instruct” and 3) “night seasons.”
1=> ‘Reins’ - In Hebrew, this word literally means ‘kidneys,’ and figuratively ‘heart.’ So why does the King James translate it as ‘reins?’ Well, reins are what you use to control and guide something. We will come back to this.
2=> ‘Instruct’ – In the Hebrew, this word means to ‘chastise or reprove, discipline, to take a warning, admonish, correct. One becomes instructed when the proper amount of training and correction are imposed.’
3=> ‘Night Season,’ refers to a time of testing. It is a trial, a dark period of our lives.
So if we put this together, the Lord first instructs His children. The first part of the verse says that David will ‘bless the Lord, who hath given [him] counsel.’ But our God is not one to parent His children sitting down just giving us wise sayings. He is an active parent. Once He instructs, He gives feedback. He exposes areas of weakness and affirms areas of strength.
David knew that the Lord would chastise, correct, rebuke and admonish him through the trying of his heart or reins. God will allow us to go through the valley of the shadow of death (Ps 23)…He is trying our reins to instruct us. But it takes the furnace of affliction to expose what is truly in our heart. Do we see our trials as learning and growing experiences? Do we see the valley of the shadow of death or do we see the Lord comforting us in the midst of the trial? Do we see the storm and sink or look to the Lord and walk above the boisterous waves?
James knew this when he wrote, ‘2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.’ James 1:2-4
God will use and test our reins. He will use them to teach us, correct us, better us, equip us, and to refine us.
Jeremiah 17:9-10 reads, “9The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? 10I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.”
Read through the first 25 Psalms or so. David rejoiced in His God. No matter what dark season he was going through, He praised the Lord. He trusted in the Lord. He hoped in the Lord. There is great wisdom in the Word. Let the Lord do His work in you and through you. He wants to shape you into the man or woman that you really desire to be…you just have to let him.
Three words that prompted me to further scrutiny were the ones translated: 1) “reins,” 2) “instruct” and 3) “night seasons.”
1=> ‘Reins’ - In Hebrew, this word literally means ‘kidneys,’ and figuratively ‘heart.’ So why does the King James translate it as ‘reins?’ Well, reins are what you use to control and guide something. We will come back to this.
2=> ‘Instruct’ – In the Hebrew, this word means to ‘chastise or reprove, discipline, to take a warning, admonish, correct. One becomes instructed when the proper amount of training and correction are imposed.’
3=> ‘Night Season,’ refers to a time of testing. It is a trial, a dark period of our lives.
So if we put this together, the Lord first instructs His children. The first part of the verse says that David will ‘bless the Lord, who hath given [him] counsel.’ But our God is not one to parent His children sitting down just giving us wise sayings. He is an active parent. Once He instructs, He gives feedback. He exposes areas of weakness and affirms areas of strength.
David knew that the Lord would chastise, correct, rebuke and admonish him through the trying of his heart or reins. God will allow us to go through the valley of the shadow of death (Ps 23)…He is trying our reins to instruct us. But it takes the furnace of affliction to expose what is truly in our heart. Do we see our trials as learning and growing experiences? Do we see the valley of the shadow of death or do we see the Lord comforting us in the midst of the trial? Do we see the storm and sink or look to the Lord and walk above the boisterous waves?
James knew this when he wrote, ‘2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.’ James 1:2-4
God will use and test our reins. He will use them to teach us, correct us, better us, equip us, and to refine us.
Jeremiah 17:9-10 reads, “9The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? 10I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.”
Read through the first 25 Psalms or so. David rejoiced in His God. No matter what dark season he was going through, He praised the Lord. He trusted in the Lord. He hoped in the Lord. There is great wisdom in the Word. Let the Lord do His work in you and through you. He wants to shape you into the man or woman that you really desire to be…you just have to let him.
I gotta give props to the South African Government, they have really built that Jo’Burg airpot into an awesome airport. When I first started going 7 or 8 years ago, it was nothing special…but today, I believe it is probably the nicest airport I have been in. Anyway, I landed around lunchtime on Saturday in Blantyre greeted by Grey, Gama, Maini, Bosco, Baby Ruth, her aunt, Julie (Grey’s wife), and Monica, Julie’s daughter. As usually, the 14 passenger minivan was packed with people and luggage, but what a welcome. These guys really are family.
I decided to stay at Grace Bandawe Hotel this trip instead of the orphanage. For the practical reason of the accommodations (don’t laugh those that have been here), location, and the Wood’s are staying here with their staff. But also for the cowardly reason that I know the Lord is asking me to give this project up, and I don’t think I am strong enough to stay there. Is that wrong? I think it was 1,000 easier to give up our house in the US almost 2 years ago. We will see how the Lord provides over the next several days.
I decided to stay at Grace Bandawe Hotel this trip instead of the orphanage. For the practical reason of the accommodations (don’t laugh those that have been here), location, and the Wood’s are staying here with their staff. But also for the cowardly reason that I know the Lord is asking me to give this project up, and I don’t think I am strong enough to stay there. Is that wrong? I think it was 1,000 easier to give up our house in the US almost 2 years ago. We will see how the Lord provides over the next several days.
So I left Savannah at around 2pm on Thursday and arrived in Jo’Burg at 5pm on Friday. (that’s 21 hours of traveling with a 6 hour time change). But the blessing was I got to stay at a good hotel this time. If you are ever in Johannesburg, S.A., I recommend the Airport Grand Hotel and Conference Centre. It’s only a few minutes from the airport and they offer free shuttles to and from every 15 min or so from 6am to 11pm (I think). They also give you free internet for an hour and have the best breakfast buffet I have ever had (maybe it just seems that way after starving on the plane for 20 hours and knowing I’ll be hungry in Malawi for 2 weeks ;0)
This buffet was crazy…it had sushi (yuck), scrambled eggs, pinto beans, hash browns, 2 kinds of meat (didn’t ask lol), fried mushroom (Julie woulda loved them) and veggies, an omelet bar, sandwich sliced meats, tons of fresh fruits, cereals, yogurts, real cheeses, fresh juices (Guava, Orange, Apple, Tropical), plus all kinds of pastries and breads. Of course me being the finicky connoisseur only had eggs, hash browns and juice….but I had 4 plates & 6 glasses. (the eggs were on the plates and the juice was in the glasses f.y.i. I didn’t know which fork or spoon to use, but that much I got)
I was able to use my generous 1 hour internet to text ahead to Malawi to get one of the guys to get me an antibiotic for a sinus infection, and they did…if only it were that easy in the US!!!
The best part of the night in Jo’ burg was just sleeping and showering…for about 10 minutes…both at the same time.
This buffet was crazy…it had sushi (yuck), scrambled eggs, pinto beans, hash browns, 2 kinds of meat (didn’t ask lol), fried mushroom (Julie woulda loved them) and veggies, an omelet bar, sandwich sliced meats, tons of fresh fruits, cereals, yogurts, real cheeses, fresh juices (Guava, Orange, Apple, Tropical), plus all kinds of pastries and breads. Of course me being the finicky connoisseur only had eggs, hash browns and juice….but I had 4 plates & 6 glasses. (the eggs were on the plates and the juice was in the glasses f.y.i. I didn’t know which fork or spoon to use, but that much I got)
I was able to use my generous 1 hour internet to text ahead to Malawi to get one of the guys to get me an antibiotic for a sinus infection, and they did…if only it were that easy in the US!!!
The best part of the night in Jo’ burg was just sleeping and showering…for about 10 minutes…both at the same time.
11/05: May 6th, 2010 – On the Way…
Today started off suspect when I arrived at the DC airport and was told upon check-in that I did not have a seat. That’s one of the last things you want to hear when heading on a mission trip to Africa with others meeting you there. So there I was on stand by in DC with no seat, knowing that if I missed that flight then I would not make my connection to Malawi on Saturday…South African only flies to Blantyre on Wednesday’s & Saturdays. So I would have either had 4 extra days in Johannesburg or DC…either way not good. So I just had to find a corner and pray… (If I had prayed before I left I might not have been in this situation ;o)
So the plane is about half way through the boarding process (it takes 45 – 60 min.) and still no seat. So I just waited in line, got to the counter, and the Lord had provided a seat for me. Less than an hour into the 19+ hour flight I felt a sinus infection coming on…uugghhh.
Overall it was a good flight and I sat next to a Christian Brother going to Dakar for a vacation. LLLLOOOOONNNGGGG flight but praise the Lord it was incident free.
So the plane is about half way through the boarding process (it takes 45 – 60 min.) and still no seat. So I just waited in line, got to the counter, and the Lord had provided a seat for me. Less than an hour into the 19+ hour flight I felt a sinus infection coming on…uugghhh.
Overall it was a good flight and I sat next to a Christian Brother going to Dakar for a vacation. LLLLOOOOONNNGGGG flight but praise the Lord it was incident free.
11/02: Pix Update for previous blog
For starters, here is a copy of my business card that I gave Mr. Murphy:
Now here is the back of his card. This is the amazing part:
Notice the tag lines are exactly the same...
Here is a picture of Frank Maini
And here is Elton Jobe with wife Elizabeth, daughter Anna & step son Henry.
Now here is the back of his card. This is the amazing part:
Notice the tag lines are exactly the same...
Here is a picture of Frank Maini
And here is Elton Jobe with wife Elizabeth, daughter Anna & step son Henry.
10/02: Another Testimony...
When meeting Mr. Murphy for the first time, I handed him one of my business cards so we could stay in touch. HE smiled a great big Irish Smile that could have been seen from space and said that when I came to his office the next day, I would have to read his card. He said you won't believe it.
So when I arrived yesterday, he proceeded to give me this postcard size card he gives out. On the one side is 'Murphy's Law,' and on the backside is some encouraging words in english and Chichewa. One of teh phrases is:
"Sometimes what you need the most, you don't even know you need."
For those of you that don't get it...that has been our slogan, motto, mantra since we started Acts III 7 years ago. You can see it on our web site. This is what Mr. Murphy was smiling about on my business card! The Lord gave me that phrase 7 years ago when He granted me the vision to turn our old charity, Togetgher for GA, into a ministry Acts III.
Acts III was granted from the Lord because of the lame beggar in Acts 3. HE had his hand out begging for money from Peter & John, but they didn't give him money, they gave him Jesus. This man because of his inability to work and provide for himself, though what he needed the most was money, material things. But the Apostles knew that what he really needed was JESUS. This is where the Lord confirmed our name and purpose.
TFG had given away nearly $8 million in donations to the local community leading up to our becoming Acts III, yet all that money and material goods was meaningless because it glorified man and not God, and it did not help the souls of the people God had sent us...our clients.
So now when the Lord sends us someone, they get Jesus first and material things second.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What amazes me is that our Sovereign God, the Weaver of 7 billion lives together, knew 7 years ago that MR. Murphy and I would be meeting sharing that common thread as the weaving of our lives would take place...and that all would know there is a God and He is at work in the lives of HIs people, and He is here walking this road with us...and indeed, HE does have a plan for us.
2 men, worlds apart, both inspired by God to write the same slogan word for word, same punctuation, same everything to meet at a small orphange project in a small country like Malawi.
God is with us! Doesn't that just inspire your soul???...
So when I arrived yesterday, he proceeded to give me this postcard size card he gives out. On the one side is 'Murphy's Law,' and on the backside is some encouraging words in english and Chichewa. One of teh phrases is:
"Sometimes what you need the most, you don't even know you need."
For those of you that don't get it...that has been our slogan, motto, mantra since we started Acts III 7 years ago. You can see it on our web site. This is what Mr. Murphy was smiling about on my business card! The Lord gave me that phrase 7 years ago when He granted me the vision to turn our old charity, Togetgher for GA, into a ministry Acts III.
Acts III was granted from the Lord because of the lame beggar in Acts 3. HE had his hand out begging for money from Peter & John, but they didn't give him money, they gave him Jesus. This man because of his inability to work and provide for himself, though what he needed the most was money, material things. But the Apostles knew that what he really needed was JESUS. This is where the Lord confirmed our name and purpose.
TFG had given away nearly $8 million in donations to the local community leading up to our becoming Acts III, yet all that money and material goods was meaningless because it glorified man and not God, and it did not help the souls of the people God had sent us...our clients.
So now when the Lord sends us someone, they get Jesus first and material things second.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What amazes me is that our Sovereign God, the Weaver of 7 billion lives together, knew 7 years ago that MR. Murphy and I would be meeting sharing that common thread as the weaving of our lives would take place...and that all would know there is a God and He is at work in the lives of HIs people, and He is here walking this road with us...and indeed, HE does have a plan for us.
2 men, worlds apart, both inspired by God to write the same slogan word for word, same punctuation, same everything to meet at a small orphange project in a small country like Malawi.
God is with us! Doesn't that just inspire your soul???...
