Motorcycles and Mangos in Montana with God's Perfect Timing
Greetings sisters in Christ!
How are you doing today? Are you striving in truth, looking to our King who will come to bring us home with Him some day? We must be patient in that, enduring through this life to gain the next. Praise God for His mercies and forgiveness for those who repent and follow after Him in obedience.
We've had quite the day today so I thought I'd share it with you! As always, we never make concrete plans in this life, allowing for the Spirit to lead, which is just what happened today. We had a general area we were planning on heading and brother Jim mentioned we might be going to a place we've never been, at some point this week. He told me to look into our overnight parking options ahead of time in case that's where we went. In the meantime we'd been talking about this free city park campspot (we were at a couple years ago on the way through) that's along the way and maybe staying there for a day or two to catch up on some more ministry projects (the list is huge!). While we were talking I looked out the window and saw this (what we think is a) prairie dog. I bought over some nuts and put them by his hole, then hid behind a tree waiting for him to come out.
When I came back to the van, brother Jim said to plan for that park and off we went. On the way we saw more of God's magnificent mountains...
I look at them and think of how small man is in comparison to the greatness of our Father in heaven. We got to the park and saw that it was pretty full but we (being smaller than most rigs) found a nice spot right by the water.
Not long after we parked and got situated a man walked over to give brother Jim a big mango!
The people are from Florida and grew this mango, he said they do homeless ministry and wanted to share something with us (because they saw the signs on the van). Brother Jim gave him a gospel card and away they went. I needed to lay down for a bit and not soon after a man drove in on a motorcycle and walked up to brother Jim, who was working online ministry, and began talking about the lies of man made religion (morman, Jehovah witness, buddhism etc) Brother Jim lovingly shared with him that evangelical religion is in the same category as they teach lies. He wasn't so fond of hearing that and of course brother Jim shared some other truths with him (which he listened) and after giving him a gospel card, he left. I was laying on the bed listening to them and my first thought was praise for the Father. We are tucked away in the middle of Montana in a city park and 2 people come over for the gospel good news. All throughout the New Testament, people would come up to Jesus and the disciples. (Of course they had to be out preaching and moving around in order to be found.) Once again it shows the power of our Father in heaven. The other thing is, before we got here we were talking about 'so called' small things becoming big things....like dealing with one person vs thousands. They are both good things to do but oftentimes the small witnessing events are much greater than the big ones.
It just goes to show you, God will use you no matter where you are, as long as you are faithful and obedient. Oh and I almost forgot. This morning soon after we got up, brother Jim went outside so I could get dressed and get coffee going when a man walked up to him. He said he saw us in West Yellowstone and felt bad for not coming to talk to us. God's perfect timing for us to be in a parking lot, in a row that he was driving down:-) The conversation started out well until the discussion of Calvanism (once saved always saved, click HERE to read about that) came up and the man got agitated. He claims that you can never lose your salvation and even when brother Jim asked if adulterers can go to heaven if they don't repent and the man said 'yes'. Pretty sick theology to think that Christ's blood washes away sins so that you can keep sinning. We constantly hear people defending their sins, claiming baby steps and excuses because they are new in Christ (after years of claiming His name) yet when asked how long before they expect their spouse to be faithful to them they say 'immediately'. Why is it people think God is just overlooking unrepentant sins? We should immediately repent of all known sin (when we find it in God's word or someone shows us) lest we die like Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5. That was AFTER grace had come. If you have a sister that 'doesn't see things the way you do' and they don't want to study the word together to correct themselves, they will die and suffer God's wrath because they don't love God. People who love God, LOVE His word AND His people. If they don't, they aren't His. It's pretty simple to figure out who loves God and who doesn't so beware of those you may know that are not fully obedient and are dragging their feet. They may be trying to get into the sheepfold without going through the gate (Jesus.) Read John 10.
So this post encompasses both God's perfect timing, witnessing and a warning to watch out for those in your life that are not showing continuous, flourishing fruit of the Spirit.
I'm off to make a mango smoothie now.
Have a joyous evening and God be praised!!!!!
Love and blessings,
Sister Deb
How are you doing today? Are you striving in truth, looking to our King who will come to bring us home with Him some day? We must be patient in that, enduring through this life to gain the next. Praise God for His mercies and forgiveness for those who repent and follow after Him in obedience.
We've had quite the day today so I thought I'd share it with you! As always, we never make concrete plans in this life, allowing for the Spirit to lead, which is just what happened today. We had a general area we were planning on heading and brother Jim mentioned we might be going to a place we've never been, at some point this week. He told me to look into our overnight parking options ahead of time in case that's where we went. In the meantime we'd been talking about this free city park campspot (we were at a couple years ago on the way through) that's along the way and maybe staying there for a day or two to catch up on some more ministry projects (the list is huge!). While we were talking I looked out the window and saw this (what we think is a) prairie dog. I bought over some nuts and put them by his hole, then hid behind a tree waiting for him to come out.
God rewarded me :-)
When I came back to the van, brother Jim said to plan for that park and off we went. On the way we saw more of God's magnificent mountains...
I look at them and think of how small man is in comparison to the greatness of our Father in heaven. We got to the park and saw that it was pretty full but we (being smaller than most rigs) found a nice spot right by the water.
If you look close you can see me by the van.
Brother Jim put our shower water in the sun to warm up.
Not long after we parked and got situated a man walked over to give brother Jim a big mango!
The people are from Florida and grew this mango, he said they do homeless ministry and wanted to share something with us (because they saw the signs on the van). Brother Jim gave him a gospel card and away they went. I needed to lay down for a bit and not soon after a man drove in on a motorcycle and walked up to brother Jim, who was working online ministry, and began talking about the lies of man made religion (morman, Jehovah witness, buddhism etc) Brother Jim lovingly shared with him that evangelical religion is in the same category as they teach lies. He wasn't so fond of hearing that and of course brother Jim shared some other truths with him (which he listened) and after giving him a gospel card, he left. I was laying on the bed listening to them and my first thought was praise for the Father. We are tucked away in the middle of Montana in a city park and 2 people come over for the gospel good news. All throughout the New Testament, people would come up to Jesus and the disciples. (Of course they had to be out preaching and moving around in order to be found.) Once again it shows the power of our Father in heaven. The other thing is, before we got here we were talking about 'so called' small things becoming big things....like dealing with one person vs thousands. They are both good things to do but oftentimes the small witnessing events are much greater than the big ones.
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.
1 Corinthians 1:25-29It just goes to show you, God will use you no matter where you are, as long as you are faithful and obedient. Oh and I almost forgot. This morning soon after we got up, brother Jim went outside so I could get dressed and get coffee going when a man walked up to him. He said he saw us in West Yellowstone and felt bad for not coming to talk to us. God's perfect timing for us to be in a parking lot, in a row that he was driving down:-) The conversation started out well until the discussion of Calvanism (once saved always saved, click HERE to read about that) came up and the man got agitated. He claims that you can never lose your salvation and even when brother Jim asked if adulterers can go to heaven if they don't repent and the man said 'yes'. Pretty sick theology to think that Christ's blood washes away sins so that you can keep sinning. We constantly hear people defending their sins, claiming baby steps and excuses because they are new in Christ (after years of claiming His name) yet when asked how long before they expect their spouse to be faithful to them they say 'immediately'. Why is it people think God is just overlooking unrepentant sins? We should immediately repent of all known sin (when we find it in God's word or someone shows us) lest we die like Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5. That was AFTER grace had come. If you have a sister that 'doesn't see things the way you do' and they don't want to study the word together to correct themselves, they will die and suffer God's wrath because they don't love God. People who love God, LOVE His word AND His people. If they don't, they aren't His. It's pretty simple to figure out who loves God and who doesn't so beware of those you may know that are not fully obedient and are dragging their feet. They may be trying to get into the sheepfold without going through the gate (Jesus.) Read John 10.
So this post encompasses both God's perfect timing, witnessing and a warning to watch out for those in your life that are not showing continuous, flourishing fruit of the Spirit.
I'm off to make a mango smoothie now.
Have a joyous evening and God be praised!!!!!
Love and blessings,
Sister Deb
The biblical gospel...