"Building Up" One Another

Merlin Reports:

I was only able to visit Nora-Castleton & Noblesville-Fishers area today. The broken were given free haircut, manicure & pedicure today. It’s only the first day of missions and a lot of grounds had been covered. Siding of a house and Free community games and food in Noblesville, gardens and farm work in Fortville. There were bottle water give away, spending time with the young students in Nora Both areas had more than 70 volunteers each.

All these work would not be possible without the unity in the Body of Christ. Unified front is what we need…unity, one of the prayers of Christ for His disciples before He was crucified.

The Prayer Trailer was parked in front of Chic-fil-a on 82nd St. Tomorrow, it will be at 10th/Rural from 10a to 7pm.

Photo by Merlin Gonzales: raised beds being built and tended.

Personally, I have not been actively involved in Faith Hope and Love International before. In fact, it was the very fact that I had heard of Faith Hope and Love Week only in passing in years past that caused me to seek out more information about FHL International.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to find very much information and what I did find was not easy to get to. Therefore, when a good brother in Christ told me of an upcoming planning meeting for FHL, I jumped at the chance to go learn from the core.

Since I have a passion for people, specifically connecting with people, I went to the meeting to see why it was that there had not been much publicity for this upcoming 4th annual event. Before you know it… I’m in the deep water. That’s right. I’m all in!

Though there is added pressure due to time constraints, I hit the ground running and gave it my best.

After about ten days from when I got involved with FHL, a terrible storm blew through and took out our cable service. We were less than 2 weeks away from FHL Week and I had not telephone, TV (no big loss there) and NO internet service. Yikes!!

It seems that I am being tested to put my actions where my mouth is. Time to walk the talk. I was incredibly impatient as I watched the days tick off the calendar with still no service. It wasn’t until Sunday (almost a week) that the cable guy came and repaired the damaged cable outside. Now, I was very behind… bordering on swamped.

All the while it was as if God were saying, ” Do you trust me?” Either I would admit that God IS in control of EVERYTHING or I could just get worked over by frustration and stress of things not going my way. I choose the former.

So, my friends, though what I would LIKE to get accomplished will not get done. Though what does get worked on will not be to the degree of perfection that I may have aspired to…. yet will I glory in my Lord, for He has never forsaken me.

Sunday Day 1 – Spirit Flows

Merlin Gonzales reports:

The day started with corporate prayers. Live Worship started at 1:15pm. At 2:45pm, we sent the group to their stations at 2:45p and the Shofars were blown at 3pm. We had dozens of flag bearer and dancers who joined the walk. Each lap is preceded by the blowing of shofars. At the end of the 7 laps, shofars were blown at a higher platform of the circle. We prayed and dedicate the day to the Lord. FHL Dance Group performed flowless; the 4 prayers leaders were on fire and the worship was awesome. The Sacred Dance Group were opened up the heaves with their passionate dance. The people shouted, danced, jumped and praised God for several minutes after the dance. I was like in heaven praising God with the angels. People were stunned especially those who are by standers and the bikers along the circle.

At the end, one individual accepted the Jesus as His Lord and Savior. 2 second before the official end of the event, the rain started to pour. It was as if the Lord answered the last prayer and exhortation-I prayed that the Lord will baptize the city.

I visited the Carmel concert at the ‘Gazebo’. I read the Indiana Proclamation and prayed over the city; gave thanks and glory to the Lord. Orchard Park Presbyterian church lead the worship.

It was an event that I will never forget. The city was blessed and God opened up the heavens.

Praise the Lord!

Merlin

Behind!!! Too much work 2 little time… video shoot downtown… later!

Growing Pains

Today I was commenting on another Christian brother’s blog post in which he shared his frustration and discouragement of not knowing where he “fit in”. I decided my response would be worthy of posting on my own blog. So here you are —

Well my little Brother in Christ… you are Growing UP!!

All of us are born into this world with that big vacancy that only God can fill. We ALL try to fill it with substitutes from time to time… even AFTER we’re “saved”. That’s our sinful human nature. Pride wants us to take the credit for solving all the problems, wielding all the power, and controlling all that there is to control.

What you have been, and are now, experiencing is called growing pains. I am NOT attempting to minimize the pain and frustration that you’ve been enduring. Rather, I am just trying to congratulate you for your acknowledging it.

As good ol’ Dr. Phil says, “you can’t change what you don’t acknowledge.” However, there is a more dependable source than even the smart doctor: the Holy Scriptures state that “fear is the beginning of understanding”.

Let’s face it, one of our greatest trials can be fear. Fears often cause us to get off-balance, and then before we regain our composure something ELSE comes along. We get HAMMERED by fear.

I believe that Satan feeds on our fears. That little Devil gains great joy when we beat ourselves up. “Why do I keep doing things wrong? Why doesn’t anybody want to BE with me? Why am I such a problem? What good am I doing? Maybe they’d be better off without me. Maybe I’ll just stay home. I wouldn’t have had any fun anyway. . .

Soon, we can find ourselves isolated, lonely, and depressed. That is far from God’s plan for us to be: connected and involved with people, and living lives full of blessings and victory over trials and problems. Fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness and faithfulness, gentleness and self-control… that’s what God wants for us. And He provides the means if we just look to Him as the source.

And then there’s the concern of those of us who are “people pleasers”. “What are THEY going to THINK?” “They’re going to be: mad at me, disappointed, hurt… They’ll think I’m ugly, nerdy, goofy, stupid, a fool, a burden…”

Do you see it? The way Satan gets us to focus on ME. If he can convince me to focus on myself and how terrible I am; then he will succeed in keeping me from doing the very thing I am here for. I am here to show God’s love to others and to allow God’s love to come to me through others. When the love of God is allowed to flow through and to me… then and only then do I get to feel the joy of purpose.

That is how I can be joyful even during times of trouble. Jesus promised a helper. He NEVER lies. The Holy Spirit ministers to me through other people. And I am allowed to minister to others in the same way. See 2 Cor.1:3-7

“Perfect love casts out fear,” so to obtain “the peace that passes understanding” allow yourself to turn to the comfort found in His Holy Word. By examining the truths that God reveals; we are better equipped to recognize the lies that try to present themselves as truths.

I started out with this being an encouragement to a brother. But as much as I have seen Satan’s handiwork in action lately.. I think I’m going to actually blog this as well.

In the meantime, Brother, I hope that you will be strengthened as you focus on calling the “stinkin’ thinkin’
flat=out lies! God said that you are His adopted child and there is nothing that anyone can do to take you from His hand.

God’s Word is TRUTH and it says in Romans 8 — “(38) For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, nor heavenly rulers, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, (39) neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

And WHEN (not IF) I get beaten up on the Battlefield of the Mind, I must quit going on the offense and take a defensive stance. All I have to do is get behind that Shield that God has given to me… the battle is the Lord’s and He is my Deliverer. So sometimes I just need to acknowledge that I NEED Him. Then I just need to fully rely on Him, having faith that He is control of it all. . . that His way is the Best way.

Psalm 119:114 –”You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your Word.”

In closing, I would just like to:
Exalt the Savior – He is in control
Equip the Saints – Study His words to fight lies with truth
Edify the Body – remember You are not alone
Examine myself – this advice for you is also reminder for me
Evangelize – let’s press on and share what we learn : )

With love, Ellen5e

I am very busy working on several projects for Faith Hope & Love; prayers welcome!!