Faith Under Pressure Part 2 (Trip To Moldovia)

Loved Of The LORD, as you who are following this story know; one of the main reasons for me to make this adventure was to encourage and help the Saws get down to Moldovia (Now called Moldova). We needed to make an explorative trip to see where they would set up a camp to operate. Pat had made a contact in Chisinau the Capitol City and the contact had requested some books in Russian by Word Of Faith authors … Preacher/Teachers for his little Church.
So we started to put “Irons in the Fire” to get thing moving, My experience in my walk with The LORD is that it being a ‘Joint Venture’ that we start finding doors to go thru and HE Will open them before us. (Yet of course knowing that if it was not to be HE would use the Philippian Stop Sign . Php. 3:15)

Because of the conglomerate organization we knew the Brother that was in charge of the ‘Churches Of Faith’ organization and we set an appointment with him. Talk about a Gracious Servant he loaded us down with the latest works of all the well-known Authors. We had to stop him from loading us up anymore, as there were only to be four of us to make the trip and we had to pack every thing by hand.

The next thing was to get Visas for the Ukraine, as we had to travel thru there to get to Moldova. That was won kind of wrestling match, as their Embassy bureaucrats made us labor, getting appointments and then finding out that we needed different paperwork and on and on for almost a week. That in itself was a cakewalk, as we made many trips to the Moldovan Embassy, as they did not have a working telephone and every time we went there … no-body home! Nevertheless, we received the Ukrainian Visa the afternoon before we left on the following day. Oh what a hassle getting the train tickets, as all visiting citizens of other countries had to pay an arm and a leg to ride. We had the two young Belarusian men from the Saw’s Bible study running interference for us all thru this ordeal. They finally bought four tickets for nationals, as they were going with us. Do not believe that we question them how that came to pass, as we did not really want to know.

Not having a Moldovan Visa, we decided to chance it and make the trip anyhow. We had to have the Ukrainian Visa, as we were already aware of all the stories of non-Visa traveling passengers who were thrown off the train at the border and waiting for a returning train to return them to Minsk. We knew that GOD had designed this trip and HE would get it done!

By the way, we had to go on this assignment at this time, as the Pastor of the NonDenom Church was taking his family back to the San Diego area for some R & R and Pat was going to be Pastoring while they were gone. That was only to be for a couple weeks, which developed into several months, which is another interesting story in itself. We smiled many times, about what the Sponsors back home would go thru should they find out what we were doing.

We finally boarded our train the next morning and were off on our twenty-two hour ride to Chisinau. Now what I need to remind you is about when the Saws got to Moscow and said that they were on their way to Moldova, the response was, “It is a long train ride to Moldova!” 12 hours to Minsk and another 22 to Chisinau!
We will pick up on this next week! Be Blessed! ©2008

Faith Under Pressure Part 1

Loved Of The LORD, need to give you a little more of this “Won Preacher’s” Domestic Ministry to lead into the next Story. To preface even this portion, I have to go back three decades to re-commitment to The LORD, as my Savior and making HIM LORD of my life. Remembering seeing seasoned believers watching me (And Helping me grow.) with a big smile on their face. Myself being blessed and basking in the deliverance from Alcohol, Tobacco and a Filthy Mouth partaking of that Real Live Zeal for GOD and HIS Ways, that never shadowed by the neophyte finesse that was always present. I always came forth with a “Praise The LORD!” at Every opportunity, never intimidated by who may be present. Laying hands on and praying at the drop of a dime.

Today I still enjoy being around a Fired Up Baby Christian and love to love them and encourage them, as they Splash all over me, while having that same grin on my face as those present thirty years ago watching me.

No Doubt most of you know about ‘Brother Andrews’ “GOD’s Smuggler”. That phenomenal work “Open Doors” accomplished getting Bibles into the USSR and China since the fifties is a ministry classic. Still going strong and are continuing that ongoing ministry even today, getting ready for the 2008 Olympics. What a blessing for us to have a part in sponsoring a brother who was smuggling bibles into China back in the Eighties.

Said all of that to say this: In that first fifteen years or so being a part with the FGBMFI, when Demas was still alive, (A men’s Global Parachurch Organization) we found ourselves somewhat smuggling food & clothes into Mexico. The reason was that Mexican Customs &/or Immigration wanted ‘Payola$’ or at least a cut of what we were taking in. Enabling us to minister to fledgling churches, orphanages and even just setting up on the street, feeding, and clothing poor people while one of the brothers published The Gospel in Spanish.

On one of our trips, we were taking a Van in to a little Church for their use in the ministry. Something was wrong with it and it was barely making it up the hills on the way to San Diego. We stopped at several Gas Station Garages and trying to fix the problem, put on a new coil, a new fuel pump, filter and several other things to no avail. We were always in a caravan, when the van started to fail the driver and his partner would raise their arms out the windows signaling for prayer, and in turn, the rest of us in the different vehicles would do the same thing as we let them know we were in agreement with them. That must have been a sight to others on the road. They have no idea of who we were or what we were doing.

The van did not have current tags on it and going up one hill a CHP was passing all of us up on this two lane road and got stuck behind the van. No arms out this time, nevertheless, we were all praying and after what seemed like 10 minutes, the CHP passed the van up with out stopping it. Talk about the Praising The LORD!!! As if The Lord put Blinders on him, to never see the expired tags!

This is longer than I thought, so let me finish with this. In San Diego and with all these new parts the van finally quit. I pulled up behind the van and we joined our hearts and minds. With the hood of the van up, I started to jiggle different things on the motor while making the comment, “The only thing I know what I was doing is just laying hands on it and believing GOD would intervene.”

While doing this an experience came to mind about me having a an old Studebaker doing just about the same thing. What I finally figured out after several days of it trying to quit going up a hill was that the fuel line had a tiny pebble it front of the fuel filter. Keep in mind that we had replaced all of those things. I started to trace out the fuel line and when I reached the gas tank I found a kink in the line that only let a nominal amount of fuel get to the pump, but when there was a demand from the pump still only a metered amount would get thru.

That was the day that another verse of Holy Writ became my own personal promise. Let me paraphrase.

John 14:26. But the Helper Himself, the Precious Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My Name, He will teach you ALL things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I Taught you! said to you.

How many times HE has brought to my remembrance things HE has taught me in the mechanics of construction, using the same words again, ministering not in the traditional way and too many more to mention.

Next week our trip to Moldova and how I tie this above to it.

©2008

Where Do I Fit In The Body Of Christ? VI

Loved Of The LORD! To finish up this chapter I Might as well throw this out there too. Almost 30 years ago, my Sister & her Hub, were going to a 4 Square in Central Cal, which made it easy for us to move into the "Word Of Faith" Camp. When we were re-committed we were attached to a painting contractor, who subed work from me. We not only became close friends, he eventually became my Apostle Paul and his wife & he were a part of WOF, also, down here in SoCal.

Now this camp, I guess you could say sect, was maligned as, "Blab It & Grab It", "Name It & Claim It" and were teaching more than the 'basics' of what the 2007 internet hit ‘The Secret’ touched on, yet from a Scriptural perspective and in more depth.

Because of my own personal studies I watched them close and as even today, I still do not agree completely with any preacher/teacher today in every aspect of their position, which I believe has more to do with The unique Personal Relationship than anything else; and really did not find anything that far out of line and even that could be explained as personal perspectives ... &/or preferences, which at that time, I could even see why they saw it that way. WHEW! How is that for a run-on?

Nevertheless, the church we were attending … was part of a group of the same name, who called themselves as "Non Denominational", who are really as much as a Denominational Sect as any that easily come to mind.

Here is where we found ourselves 'called to' for so many years, and they classified WOF Teaching along side of Blasphemy. Anything that I would minister that had WOF catch words, would always be received with distrust, doubt and even disgust, so this taught me to teach the same things carefully using other words, different ways, so that the ministry would prevail.

At the time I wrote this back in late 2006 I realized at this place in my thoughts, that I was writing what would eventually become this book.

I said all of that to say this, I believe that I needed to remain low profile on most of these things, as far as my involvement in business went, unless directed to be/do other wise, by The Holy Spirit.

"The Secret" seemed to be coming out of the closet, (my perspective at the time) and I thought it would be interesting to see how it would be embraced, in the proclaimed or be hushed in the standard business Paradigm that we were partaking of.

There seems to always be a tie , that will not allow your Spiritual Life be separated from the daily activities of the rest of one’s participation here on this world.

‘The Secret’ seemed to go quickly back into the closet, as far as business went, though most would still acknowledge it should it be mentioned. How many were practicing it thereafter and even now is hard to say.

BTW! "The Secret" would have been held in contempt by The Church Sect we were still a part of and as I have told others before, that even as near as a year ago, I would have been highly skeptical of it, because of my indoctrination there in that assembly.

S O I will continue to Minister & Encourage others to be aware of how we are programmed & use Scripture to explain it. I did it at Business Opportunity Meetings on a regular basis and it was accepted; though I needed to memorize More Scripture to reference, for sure. Should you have questions, reference what you would like scriptural backing to.

My Business mentor at that time who was also becoming a spiritual son could not understand the concepts and when I tried to encourage him by pointing out words he uses (Neg. that pops us out of ‘The Maze’) he would returned with, “that was the first time I used that word” and he tried hard to "Remember" not to use that /those word(s) around me. More of works, than walking in it. IYKWIM? i.e. out of a man's mouth = the abundance of his heart. He also seemed to get offended when I pushed the issue. Oh Well! You can lead a horse to water, but a pencil must be lead!

FATHER let me not be arrogant in what you are teaching me and open to all that YOU have yet for me to walk in! In JESUS’ Name!
And BTW! Again! I just remembered (as I was writing) that I studied and taught for a season (15 yrs ago), 1 on 1, BSs etc. "The Natural Mind by Natural Man Vs The Spiritual Mind According to Scripture" I found this to be embarrassing that with all that above, as I realized I was just starting to really walk in it. That that teaching back then, had the Sub-conscious in it & the works!) :-[ I believed it … yet was not Faithing It! IYKWIM? I did not know how to put a stop to the vicious circle!

Funny not Ha Ha It wasn’t till the 2^nd time I read Joel Ostean’s “Your Best Life Now” (Reminded now that I need to do a review on that book too.) that I had been teaching this for years, yet, still was not walking in the fullness of it. Even being told, “Sure … that is what you had been teaching us for years.” :-(

Now to walk in what HE puts before me and not let my mouth, really … my way of thinking pop me out of ‘The Maze’ prematurely. To encourage others to taste and see, How Good GOD Is! More next week.