Tuesday, June 03, 2008

Faith in Jesus when the fruit is not visible

I recently returned from an inspiring week in Houston, TX at the Foursquare Convention. I watched Jesus orchestrate meeting after meeting. With some 3,000 participants, housed in more than 3 hotels, it was often difficult to figure out where I was going let alone where I might find someone I was hoping to meet.
Lord also spoke to me in very powerful ways. I will be processing everything for awhile. One of the things I heard Jesus say LOUDLY was: “Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not yet seen.” Hebrews 1:1
That verse is resonating within my being everyday since I’ve been back. My faith in the unchangeable Christ who always fulfills His promises gives me the hope that every promise He has given me for the Polish People WILL come to pass. And my HOPE in the risen Lord is the only evidence that is needed to press on because it is not what is seen but the TRUTH of His WORD that makes His will a reality here on earth.
"My hope is set on nothing less then Jesus Christ his Blood and Rightousness."
I pray and ask for your prayers that I would hold tight to these truths. That no doubt or negative thought would be allowed to steal the Hope that is within me.
I’m also including an excerpt of an inspirational story sent to pastors that I just received. This story is something that challenges me to Fix My Eyes on Jesus and to look to the future with Him. I hope that it will do the same for you as well.

“…A lieutenant colonel in the Army's Warrior Transition Brigade, Gadson is a former West Point teammate of Giants wide receiver coach Mike Sullivan. Sullivan initially had invited Greg to address the team before they played Washington D.C. (American football team). At the time, the Giants had become discouraged after their first two losses of the season, and were assuming that all of their practice and preseason work was in vain. From his wheelchair, Greg gave an inspiring speech. He talked about serving in Iraq that past spring, when a roadside bomb blew up the truck he was riding in, costing him both legs above the knees. He admonished the team to look toward the future instead of back at the past. "It's not about what happens to you in life," he said. "It's about what you do about it. It's about making the most of all your opportunities ... because I'm here to tell you, it can end in a flash." Greg's pep talks left a lasting impression on a team who suddenly realized they had a lot going for them, and they needed to quit complaining about each other and instead start working together as a team. Out of the challenges he had endured just months previously, he was able to bring hope and encouragement to a team that desperately needed it. At Walter Reed Hospital, Greg Gadson experienced what happens when:
Friends (from West Point) rally around someone in great need. (Philippians 2:4)
You stay focused on what you have, not what you don't have. (Philippians 2:14-18)
Acts of kindness remind you of how powerful it is to be a part of a team. (Philippians 2:25-29)
Adversity can bring out the fight in a person. (Philippians 3:12-14)
If things haven't quite worked out the way you planned, consider Greg's inspiring story ... as well as Paul's reminder that "God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19 NIV) “
Thank you so much for your faithfulness to Jesus and me.

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