Walk with Jesus

Wise men still seek him.

 

Jesus preached to the people.

(LaVistaChurchofGod.org)

Excerpts from Mark-1 Gospel (NIV):

John, the Baptizer, preached in the desert regions by the Jordan River. He said Jesus would baptize not with water, but with the Holy Spirit.

“You are my Son whom I love. With you I am well pleased.” A voice was heard from the heavens at Jesus' baptism.

“The time has come. The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the Good News.” Jesus preached in Galilee.

“Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” He said to Simon and his brother, Andrew. Then, he invited James and his brother, John, sons of the fisherman, Zebedee.

In the synagogue in Capernaum, he preached and cast out demons sternly. “Be quiet! Come out of him!” And the people were amazed.

In the home of Simon and Andrew, he took the hand of Simon's mother-in-law and raised her from bed, healing her fever. After sunset, he healed and cast out devils from many townsmen who gathered at the door.

Very early in the morning, Jesus left the house and went out to a solitary place to pray. When the disciples found him, he spoke. “Let us go somewhere else, so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.”

Jesus met a leper who begged him on his knees. “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus touched the man. “I am willing. Be clean.” The man talked freely, spreading the news. The people came to Jesus from everywhere. 

 

--You, too, can walk with Jesus.

Wise men still seek him. Merry Christmas.

Bill

God Speaks to Man—Mary Hunt

Have you Great Love? World Pastors are calling for

Men and Women of Faith.

Jesus Sends His Disciples.

(ChristiansUnite.com)

The Father looks on his beloved Son -

My son in whom I take delight,

formed from the depths of my heart you are

The apple of my eye, filled with my might.

My son, born to be crowned a king

To move in full authority

To speak my word and walk my commands

Scepter and ring are in your hands.

Stand tall, my Son; call not retreat.

Trample the enemy under your feet.

For you have my power; you have my sword

You have my covering; I am your Lord.

Come here, draw close and listen to me;

Hear me tell of our victory.

The picture I form is within your head;

Trust what I give you; remember I’ve said

You’re the head, not the tail,

You’re the first, not the last.

Look to my coming; forget what is past.

My blood covers over; you’re free to begin.

Discover the calling I’ve placed within.

Rise up and follow; it’s time that we start

To gather together those near to my heart.

Gather together: invite them all in.

Tell them my story: I deliver from sin.

Tell them I love them; show them my love.

Tell them I’m coming soon from above.

Tell them I love them; tell them I’m coming,

Tell them, tell them, O Son of my love.

by Mary Hunt (c.) 2012

As a man, woman, pastor, or mission agency,

email me if you want world mission contacts.

Bill Hunt

Jesus Ministers Under Attack

Are you surprised when Persecution attacks your Christianity?

Jesus Heals the Sick

by Jean-Baptiste Jouvenet, 1756-59

The Pharisees, as self-styled “religious” men are want to do, looked down their noses at Jesus even in his early ministry. As an observing disciple, I felt angry at them.

“Why are you and your men not fasting as we are?”

“No one pours new wine into old wineskins or it will tear,” said Jesus. “No, he pours new wine into new wineskins,” speaking of training his disciples.

“Why are you doing what is unlawful?”

Jesus and his disciples picked the heads of the wheat on the Sabbath. The Pharisees stuck their noses out again, always trying to accuse Jesus.

“Don't you remember David gave his men the consecrated bread when they were hungry?” said Jesus. “The Sabbath is made for man and not man for the Sabbath.” Now that's a point people forget.

“Watch him and see if he works and violates the Sabbath.”

When Jesus peached in the synagogue, a man with a shriveled hand came to him. The religious Pharisees had already decided that Jesus healing on the Sabbath was forbidden labor. They were ready to pounce.

“Is it lawful to do good or evil on the Sabbath, to save a life or to kill it?” No one answered him. I felt I was ready to fight if anyone stepped forward to stop the Master.

“Stretch out your hand,” he said. He looked around with distress at the faces of his religious accusers. The man's hand completely healed without Jesus even touching him. How could the Pharisees call that labor?

They even talked with the Herodian-Sadducee priestly class about how they might kill Jesus.

Jesus was mobbed again by crowds in the days ahead. People came from towns to the west and the north and even from the east across the Jordan. He healed diseases everywhere. He healed the lame; he cast out screaming demons, and the people kept coming. Finally, because of the crowds at the Sea of Galilee, he preached from a boat off shore. Smart, I thought.

He spent the night in prayer on a mountain. He selected twelve men to be apostles. He gave them authority to preach and to drive out demons. There were so many demons in the crowds; it's no wonder. Even the crowds squeezed around one house when Jesus was invited for supper. He could not eat, but continued casting out demons.

“He, too, is possessed with Beelzebub,” said the watching Pharisees.

“Whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit has committed an eternal sin that will never be forgiven,” said Jesus. He said this because the Pharisees and Sadducees were attacking the works of God.

Jesus' family heard about his work with the overwhelming crowds and his trouble with the authoritarian Pharisees. Out of family love, they came to rescue him.

“Who are my mother, and brothers, and sisters,” said Jesus. “Anyone who does my Father's Will; they are my mother and brothers and sisters.” And his family left him in peace. (Adapted from Mark 2 & 3.)

--Bill Hunt, World in Christ

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Persecution is the measure of your Christianity.

The darkness always hates the Light.

Do you have Faith to pray for the World?

The Gospel Free of Charge, or Not?

Paul warns those who think godliness is a means to financial gain.

“Some things are buried in the earth.”

(Photo by Bill Hunt c. 2011.)

 

Jesus, sending the disciples out to preach, teach, and heal, sent them to go in faith without basic provision, trusting for their keep.

v9 “Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts— 10 no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep (Mt 10:9-10 NIV).


Luke, as well as Matthew, reported this same instruction.
v3 He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt (Lk 9:3 NIV).
Jesus asked the disciples later if going in faith, they lacked anything.
v35 Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?” 
 
“Nothing,” they answered 
(Lk 22.35 NIV).

Paul the Apostle exercised the same faith, working instead to provide his own provision.

v8 Nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you (2 Th 3:8 NIV).

He mentioned his efforts at preaching free of charge different times in his epistles.

v18 What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make full use of my rights as a preacher of the gospel (1 Cor 9:18 NIV as also 2 Cor 11:7; 12:13; ).

Paul supported the rights of other apostles or ministers to seek provision.

v17 The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. 18 For Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,”and “The worker deserves his wages (1 Tim 5:17-18 NIV).”

However, Paul strongly warns against those ministers who would seek to use God's work as a means of financial gain.

v3 If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, 4 they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions 5 and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. 6

But godliness with contentment is great gain  
(1 Tim:6:3-6 NIV).


MinistryWatch.com is one Christian site that profiles Public Charities, church and para-church ministries. It is also a place to learn about how to be a responsible giver. Although we may not agree with some decisions, we refer you to this source for your own information and discernment.

Each year MinistryWatch.com produces a list of 30 Christian ministries they believe are among the most exemplary of the many great ministries doing the Lord's work.

2011 MinistryWatch.com Shining Light top ministry list 

Each year MinistryWatch.com also produces a list of 30 ministries that engage in questionable practices that should cause donors to pause before giving.

They refer to this list as "Donor Alerts" as these organizations have various red flag issues including: revocation of tax-exempt status, government investigations of their practices, extremely high salaries, ties to cultic practices and more.

Donors should prayerfully consider not giving to these organizations due to the very serious flaws highlighted in each case.

MinistryWatch.com's 2011 list of 30 Donor Alert Ministries 

I dare say you will be sadly surprised at key ministries who do not seem to exercise transparency, open honesty, or responsible stewardship toward donated funds used for God's work. Is it possible some are gathering funds into barns to hoard for their own wealth? Good stewardship does not hide from or seek to avoid responsible oversight.

– Bill Hunt

"The LORD* will bless you and He will keep you.

The LORD* will make His face to shine upon you

and He will be gracious to you.

The LORD* will lift His countenance to you

and He will establish Shalom for you"

(Num 6:24-26 One New Man Bible, from the Hebrew).

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If you have a true story, a note, a prayer request, or a question to share, please write a Comment below or email us. 

Strong Churches, Weak Churches

No church is a perfect church. But what do you do when things seem severely less than perfect?

The Early Christian Church was Marked with Love.

  (By Unknown Illustrator, www.artbible.net)

Mary and I saw problems as we strived to serve one church ministry. We labored and toiled to affect this ministry, but as the months passed on, most results seemed hopelessly futile. We could not please the people no matter how we tried. The congregation's agendas were very different from our own.

A ministry's true condition will ultimately reflect in its finances. That's where you meet weakness, failure, and problems head-on. However, the main point is, God did not leave us in the face of these tribulations. He worked with us. Wonderfully, a few Christians responded to grace and stepped forward to help us.

For one, a retired couple in the town noticed our low salary levels and supplemented our monthly income with a personal gift. This couple's generosity blessed us month after month as we worked through our trials. They were a very gentle couple, and unknown to others, they determined to help.

Praying the Money in.

I resolved, most of all, to pay our modest monthly payroll with God's help on time. I felt it would be unfair to have our self-sacrificing staff miss a paycheck. Well, I learned to work together with God. I found myself with no other recourse than to pray the money in. Invariably, payday after payday, the ministry checks arrived in the last nick of time.

Up and down I would pace the institution's hallways praying for hours "storming heaven's gates," spiritually commanding the checks to come in. Pentecostals call this "praying through." I found out it works. Sometimes, the funds totaled the day before payday. Sometimes, the checks arrived in the evening when people drove by and noticed the lights still on. Sometimes, the money wouldn't arrive until that very payday morning. God tested my faith. But payday after payday, month by month, I prayed the receipts in.

Never did the Funds fail to total.

The miracle was this. Never, ever, did the funds fail to total so I could pay the staff on time. God never failed me, not even once. I learned how faithful God is in answering prayer.

There was one family that shone with the extreme light of kindness and love. In my most solitary and lonely times when I was most discouraged, this bright, cheerful woman would unexplainably show up with her daughter, her son, or her gentle, executive husband to share wise advice or a cheerful word. She was a beautiful angel who came at the dreariest of times. Each time, my face and heart warmed from her Godly love as she departed her visit.

She'd cast Love as a force.

Her children and her husband always wore joyous eyes, blessed with this amazing kindness. She'd cast love as a force and leave it clinging to my person as she left. I knew God sent her each time.

"By this, all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another (John 13:35 NIV)."

Yes, there are healthy churches and there are sick churches, and there are churches somewhere in between. The two great commandments give us the first standard of measure, love. I remember our favorite small churches and our favorite large churches. Great love supernaturally marked these.

Like Early New Testament churches, some churches we served were small home churches and some were large like Antioch and Jerusalem. These churches built on the manifestations of the person of the Holy Spirit. They functioned in the fruits, gifts, and ministries. I experienced the building of the Body of Christ as the work of the Holy Spirit.

“Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (Eph 4: 3-6 NIV).

--Bill Hunt

If you have an experience, a note, or a question to share,

please write a comment below or email us.

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Give it All to God, it's Only Money!

You're on a ministry trip, calling people to faith. Your travel 

funds run short. Unexpectedly, you meet friends with more 

severe needs than your own.

"Faith expresses itself through Love." (Photo by Bill Hunt)

 

On our ministry trip north, we prayed over a gentle, elderly couple. He fell off scaffolding and suffered pain along his backbone. His wife suffered severe pain in her arthritic knees. Both were under a doctor's care. Mary and I commanded God's healing. He healed both of them. All pain stopped.

On Thursday afternoon, we visited another very humble pastor friend and his lovely wife, Ron and Jeanne. A very spiritual couple, we always enjoyed just sitting with them and talking about the Lord around their kitchen table.

This time, we heard a tale of woe. Pastor Ron had undergone surgery and was unable to maintain his side job for income. They were short of money.

Unobtrusively, I wondered around the kitchen and then glanced in the refrigerator. A shiny light bulb glowed, but the box is empty.

Their refrigerator is empty.

The Holy Spirit prodded my heart. Mary and I counted very little money after our trip north. Only a hundred dollars was left in my wallet. But here I could see my brother had no income, no money, and no food to provide for his wife and three little boys. His need was greater than mine.

After all, I also knew a hundred dollars was never going to return us to Florida. Yes, I was apprehensive! With God's persistent nudging, I secretly emptied my wallet underneath the kitchen table. I placed the cash on top of the refrigerator as we left toward the front door.

Yes, I swallowed hard. I now had no money remaining for our trip home. In my flesh I was afraid.

"Now you've done it!" said the devil.

"God, we're in your hands," I prayed.

On that Friday, next day, while I was out, Mary visited with her mother at home. The elderly man who had fallen off the scaffolding telephoned and asked if he could visit. Mary's mother invited him to come.

"My wife is healed, and I am healed," he said when he arrived at the house, "Here's the money I would have paid to the doctor. I figure now that we are healed, I should give it to you."

Into Mary's hand he placed a roll of cash, two hundred and forty dollars. When I arrived back at the house, Mary gave me the cash.

It was the money we needed for

our return trip to Florida!

“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you" (Luke 6:38 NIV).

On Sunday, at Pastor Abe and Naomi's "Grace Chapel," our teens Monica and Brian each sang to the congregation. Then the whole family sang worship songs, glorifying God. Boy, was I thankful!

--Bill Hunt

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God Sets Men and Women in Ministry

God supplies those who give generously and who follow him in ministry.
 

"Fun at Zion Christian School with Joanna and Mary"

 (Photo by Bill Hunt c. 2011)

A very hot, unbearable sun welcomed us to South Florida in August, and we went through the process of finding a home. Soon after, tiny baby Meg turned sick and developed a fever. We had no medicine. A tall young man from the church helped us to move in. He was also unemployed. Seeing our dilemma, he pulled out his thin wallet and handed us his very last eight dollars to help buy medicine for the baby. He said he was seeding for a new job. My wife and I joined hands and prayed determined with him. The children surrounded us.

The very next day he returned very excited! A neighborhood golf course hired him as a grounds keeper. He was now working for $80.00 a day, a tenfold return on the gift he had handed us.

Our adobe style townhouse contained no furniture. As a family we bunked on the floor. Monica, Brian, Emily, and Joanna slept on mattresses, except for one set of bunk beds. Mary and I purchased two bright red foam mats and slept on the floor for about eight weeks. We used a simple table and chairs for eating but no living room furniture.

God suddenly blessed me, as well. Faith Chapel in Boca Raton invited me to preach while the congregation waited the arrival of their new pastor. A very kindly board member and his wife, George and Joann, befriended us.

In a few weeks, they dropped by to visit our apartment and noticed the lack of furniture. The next day, George made a few phone calls. Our house was suddenly equipped with two couches, end tables, a coffee table, lamps, beds, and a needed dresser. I will admit, sleeping on the red floor mats had grown a little hard. I was so thankful for this new blessing.

As the Holy Spirit anointed our preaching, people came forward for ministry even without an altar call. Some cried tears under the conviction of the Holy Spirit. The church board members helped to prayer with the numbers of people coming forward. We worked together as a brotherly team.

Nearby Zion Lutheran Elementary and High School in Deerfield Beach granted a position in public relations. The school proved most generous to my family. Mary worked as a substitute teacher and played piano for the morning student chapels. The elementary principal also used her to teach piano students after school.

I worked days in public relations for the school and evenings to assist Dr. Bob Grunow and his son, Tom, the school administrator. Together, we raised funds for the new high school which had just been constructed. Dr. Grunow formerly served as the development officer for the well-known, national television program, “The Lutheran Hour.” I was so grateful to work with them.

From nothing, God established our way, doing all things well.

“Then Peter answered and said to him, “See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?” So Jesus said to them, “ Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life” (Matt. 19:27-29 NKJ).

– Bill Hunt

Pray for Godly Leadership, Guidance, Discernment, Strength, Salvation, and God's Miraculous Blessings on the People and Nations of the World!

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