Starting Over With Nothing MMM, 5-2-2011

STARTING OVER WITH NOTHING!

Monday Morning Message, May 2, 2011

Opportunities such as we are seeing from tornado damage thru our nation make one wonder about why these disasters strike and especially strike where they do so much damage.  I am reminded of the truths we shared from a MMM last year about the seven steps to poverty that we observe in developing countries.  This from World Vision News:

1. First we take your clothes.  Not all of them, you can keep the clothes on your back
2. Next we take your electricity.  No refrigerator, television, computer, lights, or air conditioning!  In other words, anything you have plugged in!
3. No clean water.  There is a stagnant waterhole about a mile away feel free to take a container there to get some water.
4. Next we take your home!  (Actually, some have experienced this thru foreclosure)
5. We now take all of your food.  It shouldn’t matter since you have no fridge anyway.  But you can pick thru your neighbor’s garbage if you like.
6. Now we take away your healthcare.  (I know, some might email me to tell me that this has happened for real)… I mean NO healthcare!
7. Last we take away your HOPE!

Even though the tornadoes took away 1 thru 5 from many people this past week, we live in a country where the mission groups and emergency disaster relief agencies do restore HOPE!  Almost all of the churches are part of a network that jumps into action in times like this and now is no exception to that.  I believe your most efficient investment in relief is ALWAYS thru your church’s mission networks.  Give your time and treasure to help our own citizens who are in need.  If you are ever in the same place as the people who are suffering, you will appreciate the people who sacrificed to help you! Another great place to give for this effort is thru Christian Community Foundations such as In His Steps Foundation (www.ihsfound.org) or the National Christian Foundation (www.nationalchristian.com) where you can make one gift and direct it to help in several different places.

I was recently made aware of another pressing need that  our fellow believers are facing in China.  Consider this as you reflect on how easy it is to attend the worship service and church of your choice any time of the day or night:  Thanks to Tom Fyler...

BEIJING—Police in Beijing detained more than 30 evangelical Christians as they attempted to gather outdoors for Easter services and confined about 500 to their homes, continuing a broad crackdown on dissent that has also targeted lawyers, bloggers and human-rights activists.

Church leaders as well as U.S.-based China Aid, a group that tracks cases of religious persecution of Christians in China, confirmed at least 34 worshipers were detained in northwest Beijing's Haitian district. It was the third time in recent weeks that police have detained church members as they attempted to gather for services.”

  Then a thought came to me—you can’t take your time on this issue. Each and every day Christians risk everything to serve our Risen Christ while we take freedom for granted.  Many of us are shareholders in the stocks of Chinese companies that are majority owned by the government of China.  It may be high time to let people know that we will be looking at both corporate governance and the persecution of Christians as responsible shareholders.  More on that to come in future MMM’s.  Any info you would like to share with me, I will be happy to include in the effort to share with all of you.

This was a special weekend for many of you who were able to enjoy the time together at the annual NACFC event in Washington DC.  I was celebrating a family wedding event of our own in the Cleveland area and got to see the hottest team in baseball.  And who could possibly doubt the power of prayer when the Indians have the best record in baseball with one of the lowest payrolls?

 Romans 12:12-13 (RSV) “Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality.”

Many thanks to all of you who have purchased and shared copies of Kingdom Gains to share the messages of BRI.  We are delighted that we now have four (4) reviews on Amazon and one on Barnes & Noble.com.  Keep thinking about what God would have you do with all of this.  Coming soon, will be a study guide that will help to bring BRI alive in small group Bible studies.   

 PS Welcome to eternity Mr Bin Laden.  We all go there, time to get ready!