Monday, December 26, 2011

Final update before Peru - Mark your calendars - Events coming up in January & February

Feliz Navidad y Feliz Ano Nuevo!
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

We are just a few days out from being in Peru! Time flies!

We want to THANK YOU for those who have made a financial gift towards this trip! If you gave through Helping Hands, we DO NOT know who you are unless you let us know directly. So if we have not said thank you, this is why! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!!!! Muchos gracias!

THANK YOU to those who have offered to pray while we are in Peru and those who are praying for us now! The prayers are being felt. The fear is gone! Praise God! I still have a tad of anxiety, but I think that's just because we leave soon. But Phil 4:6 is what I've been standing on this week, just in case! Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. I give thanks for you who have been such an encouragement to us and supporting us however the Lord has led you. That means everything to us! I am thankful because I have really seen God's faithfulness in this! His provision for every detail. He doesn't miss a thing! I am thankful that I know God is with us and He is in this. He has given us no reason to doubt and every reason to believe that He is who says He is! Praise the Lord - Alabado sea Dios!

If I can get online, I will write a post from Peru to let you know what's going on with us!

Please continue to pray for us and James the guy we are going with - traveling mercies - safe & smooth flights - luggage arrives with us on all flights and anything else related to flying. Please pray for health - that God will sustain me/us and that He even increases energy and endurance levels and no sickness! Please pray that the Lord uses us mightily and that we make an impact that will influence the Peruvians towards a deep(er) relationship with Jesus!

Thank you again and again and again for all you have done!

Our prayer for you:

May the Lord bless you and keep you.
May the Lord make his face to shine upon you,
and be gracious to you.
May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you,
and give you peace!


May God Bless You!!
Que Dios los bendiga!
Adios Amigos

Ken & Michele Cole

This is how you can give if the Lord so leads you:

Tax deductible donations can be made by visiting:
1. https://www.hhmin.org/make_donation_projects.php, select Ministry Projects, then use drop down box Ken & Michele Cole - Want InSight?
2. Or you can donate through my medical account, select Medical Projects, then Michele Cole.

3. Non tax deductible donations can be made directly to us by:

4. Paypal - account is michele@wantinsight.com

5. Send check to our home. Please contact us for the address.
Any donations made through Helping Hands will be anonymous. If you want us to know that you supported us through them, please let us know personally. Thank YOU



Also - reminder of some events coming up next year!!!
JANAURY 2012
James Horan of Fresh Mercy Ministries will be here in January 21. We will be hosting him at our home to teach and minister. You can check him out at www.freshmercy.com. If you are interested in this event, please email me as seating is limited.

We will also be hosting another Shelf Reliance Food Storage show January 28. www.shelfreliance.com. If you are interested in attending, please email me.

FEBRUARY 2012

Jerry Baysinger of Life Healing Ministries http://lifehealingministries.us/ will be here February 18th. We will be hosting him at our home to teach and minister. God has used him mightily in the area of healing!! If you are interested in attending this event, please email me as seating is limited.

Working on booking Ray Hildebrand www.rayhildebrand.com for March.
Working on booking Bob Sorge again in April.

Monday, December 19, 2011

Fear not! I am with you in Peru!

Can you believe that we leave for Peru next week?

This past week I've been chewing on Proverbs 16:3 from the Amplified Bible - Roll your works upon the Lord (commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and) so shall your plans be established and succeed. I have to say I've been struggling with the trust part. As you have read in previous posts, for me going to Peru is quite out of my comfort zone. I'm sure I'm going to love the people and love what God does there. That's not my fear. The fear is really irrational - fear of the unknown, I guess. Which equates to, do I trust God? Will He protect me? Will He keep me from harm? Will He provide my needs (ok and my comforts)?

God's Word is clear. He will never leave us nor forsake us. He even gave me this Scripture to meditate on and take comfort in: Acts 18:9-11 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God. The Lord has brought people around me/us this past month to speak into our lives, to share what they know, their experiences in traveling to a foreign land. Most has been comforting and encouraging. My logical mind knows all will be ok, but yet I still allow fear and unbelief to enter. And yet, God is so patient and loving and intentional to point me towards His Truth!

Let's get back to the Scripture I shared at the beginning of this post. The Lord is teaching me (I'm a slow learner) to commit (trust, pledge, to put God in charge) of this trip. Trust Him completely and then my thoughts (these fearful thoughts) will change and line up with HIs thoughts (renewing my mind, choosing to say I trust You God instead of dwelling on the fears) and then the plans that we have in Peru will be established and set in place and will succeed. And to me succeed means - God will have His way and the love of Jesus will flow out of us and into those who need a touch from the Lord. God is using this trip to help me face my fears and overcome, because we overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony!! We are more than conquerors!

Peru facts:

There is 60% un/under employment because jobs are hard to find. Peru is considered one of the poorest countries in the world. There are 9 million people in Lima, Peru - that is more than New York City!!!!!
Rapid population growth
Limited space for city expansion (location in a valley, limited to the east by the Pacific Ocean, to the west by the Andes)
Informal way of urban development, in which people settle on the land before it even has been developed
Division of Lima into 43 separate districts, each with its own mayor and municipality (making joined decisions very difficult)
Undeveloped or even missing infrastructure and poverty in poorer areas and slums
Immense traffic without proper public transport system
Heavy air pollution
Lack of rain
Social inequality

Our prayer is that we will touch every person that God wants us to touch and that they will know the love of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit will overtake them! We want to see the fire of God burn the hearts of each soul and they will follow Jesus with radical obedience!

Again, we want to THANK YOU to all of you who have supported us financially. If you gave through Helping Hands, we do not know who you are (that is ok - unless you want us to know). So, we are saying THANK YOU here and that your gift is greatly appreciated. We are still short a sizeable amount but believe God will provide to the last penny.

THANK YOU to all who are praying for us and who have offered to pray for us during our trip. I will be sending out a prayer letter in the next week for specific things. If you would like to pray for us, please let me know.

This is how you can give if the Lord so leads you:

Tax deductible donations can be made by visiting:
1. https://www.hhmin.org/make_donation_projects.php, select Ministry Projects, then use drop down box Ken & Michele Cole - Want InSight?
2. Or you can donate through my medical account, select Medical Projects, then Michele Cole.

3. Non tax deductible donations can be made directly to us by:

4. Paypal - account is michele@wantinsight.com

5. Send check to our home. Please contact us for the address.
Any donations made through Helping Hands will be anonymous. If you want us to know that you supported us through them, please let us know personally. Thank YOU


Ken and I thank you for being part of us as we walk into what God is asking of us!!

Also - reminder of some events coming up next year (that's only two weeks away).
JANAURY 2012
James Horan of Fresh Mercy Ministries will be here in January 21. We will be hosting him at our home to teach and minister. You can check him out at www.freshmercy.com. If you are interested in this event, please email me as seating is limited.

We will also be hosting another Shelf Reliance Food Storage show January 28. www.shelfreliance.com. If you are interested in attending, please email me.

FEBRUARY 2012

Jerry Baysinger of Life Healing Ministries http://lifehealingministries.us/ will be here February 18th. We will be hosting him at our home to teach and minister. God has used him mightily in the area of healing!! If you are interested in attending this event, please email me as seating is limited.


God Bless You!

Ken & Michele Cole

Friday, December 9, 2011

God's faithfulness - update on Peru - answered prayer - mark your calendar

Saludos en el nombre del Senor Jesuscristo!
(Greetings in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ).

For the Lord is GOOD and His faithful love endures forever!

We are less than 3 weeks out going to Peru! God is stretching my Type "A" personality. You know the one HE gave to me! Well, that's what I keep telling Him! Ha! :) We are still in need of funds to cover the ministry trip.... but we know God is providing in His own way and in His own timing!

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU to those who have made a contribution to the trip, whether it be prayer, funds, spanish lessons (mucho gracias), dog/house sitting, packing tips, plane ticket ideas, etc. We even had several offer up frequent flier miles - but unfortunately that didn't work out! All of this is extremely beneficial! We are so thankful! Thank YOU to all of YOU!!! Bless YOU!!!!!!

God is good! All the time. I wanted to share another testimony on how God is providing for our trip to Peru.

Back in the summer, we contacted a friend to give us a bid on building a wall in our home. He told us he wouldn't be able to help us because he didn't have the proper tool and gave us the name of someone else. So we called that person. He came out, gave us a bid and we agreed to go ahead and have him do the work. Well, unfortunately, he never showed up. Eventually, we just gave up on him doing the job. Last month a friend of ours offered to come out and help us build the wall, no charge! Whoohoo! Praise God. He came out, measured and then was going to create a list of items we needed to get. In the meantime, the guy we originally asked back in the summer called us and he said he had the tool now and if we still needed him, he would help. We told him we had a friend who was willing to do it for no charge but if he wanted to give us a bid, we would pray about it. So, he came out, took some measurements and then said he'd get back to us on the bid. A day or so later, he called and wanted to come over and discuss the bid. We ended up talking for about four hours - not about the wall but about what God was doing in his life and in our life and our trip to Peru. By the end of the night he said I am not going to charge you to do the wall. We said, no seriously we can pay you. He said no, I think God wants me to do this for you. Wow! The next day he text me and asked if he could come back and remeasure a few areas. When he got to the house, he backed his truck up in the driveway. Odd?? No, he had gone out and bought much of the supplies we need. He said the Lord told him to sow into our ministry and so not only is he not charging for the labor, he is helping with the cost of much of the supplies! What do you think about that? (So we took what we were going to spend on the wall and applied it to Peru). God is good! That's all I can say.

For HIS Glory!!!

If you feel led to support us - prayer, financial contribution or something else that you think we may need to know, please don't hesitate to contact us! This is our first ministry trip - and first trip overseas! Your experiences are good wisdom!

Here's a quick story on how God answered yet another prayer relating to Peru:
You know when you have an illness, you shouldn't google the symptoms, right? Because you learn more than you need to and then think you are dying. Well, the same is true with going to foreign countries... well at least Peru. I learned about the high crime. You can't carry a purse, they'll cut it off your shoulder or hold you at knife point. You can't keep a wallet in your pocket, they will pickpocket you (and they are professional). You can't wear jewelry or at least anything worthwhile to wear as they will steal it from you. Etc, etc, etc. Well, I was getting a bit worked up. I was asking the Lord to calm my fears. I'm a wuss! That day in my quiet time, I was reading in the book of Acts - Chapters 17-19. Chapter 18:9-11 jumped out at me like a neon sign!
Here's what it says: One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God. How cool and how comforting to know! His Word is such a gift! Now just for the record, after speaking with my niece, and James and a friend who used to live there... you do have to be cautious but it's not as scary as it used to be there.

Ken and I continue to pray about Peru, who we will meet there, our travels to and from, James Horan (the guy we are going with) and his family. God has been giving us some pretty cool downloads of specific locations to go to. (we've googled them to be sure they are there-and they are). Thank you for keeping us covered in prayer as the Lord leads you!

I want to share a 10 minute video that will inspire you, I hope. This is so what the world needs - more people like this guy!
http://www.flickspire.com/m/share_this/ChangeForADollar - Copy and paste this in your browser!


This is how you can give if the Lord so leads you:

Tax deductible donations can be made by visiting:
1. https://www.hhmin.org/make_donation_projects.php, select Ministry Projects, then use drop down box Ken & Michele Cole - Want InSight?
2. Or you can donate through my medical account, select Medical Projects, then Michele Cole.

3. Non tax deductible donations can be made directly to us by:

4. Paypal - account is michele@wantinsight.com

5. Send check to our home. Please contact us for the address.
Any donations made through Helping Hands will be anonymous. If you want us to know that you supported us through them, please let us know personally. Thank YOU


Thank YOU so much for your kind comments and offers to pray. This is also a very important part of our trip!


And some events you won't want to miss!

JANAURY 2012
James Horan of Fresh Mercy Ministries will be here in January 21. We will be hosting him at our home to teach and minister. You can check him out at www.freshmercy.com. If you are interested in this event, please email me as seating is limited.

We will also be hosting another Shelf Reliance Food Storage show January 28. www.shelfreliance.com. If you are interested in attending, please email me.

FEBRUARY 2012

Jerry Baysinger of Life Healing Ministries http://lifehealingministries.us/ will be here February 18th. We will be hosting him at our home to teach and minister. God has used him mightily in the area of healing!! If you are interested in attending this event, please email me as seating is limited.


God Bless You!

Ken & Michele Cole

Monday, December 5, 2011

Who can you impact and influence! And update on Peru!

This weekend, the small group we attend were discussing who we could serve on a regular basis. We all had great ideas - work in a soup kitchen, befriend different people at a nursing home, pray for and rake leaves/shovel driveways for folks who can't do it themselves and so on. What we see is that there are so many needs out there and we could never meet them all. There is need in every community, every city, every state, country, world, etc! As individuals or as a group of believers, where do you begin? How do you make the decision on who to serve? I look to John 5:30 which says I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge and My judgement is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. In Proverbs it says to seek the Lord and He will show you what path to take. We must sit quiet and ask the Lord to show us who and where to serve. We need to be doing what we see the Father doing. When He is at the center of it, more lives are impacted and influenced for the Kingdom of God.

Ken and I often sit down and ask the Lord if there is someone who has a need - whether it be financial, healing or otherwise. We ask the Lord who He wants to bless, where to go and what specifically we are to do when we get there. Often times He will send us to a hospital room to pray for someone. We have seen salvations, physical, emotional and/or spiritual healing.

Some of you may have heard this story but it's one I love to share because God is so good and so loving! I remember one time, the Lord gave us details to visit room 417, bed 1, Olathe Medical Center. We heard broken heart. On the way to the hospital we heard John 17:21 which at the end of the verse it says, they will know I sent you. John being the 4th gospel, 17th chapter to coincide with the room number we were going to. We entered the room and approached the lady in bed 1. We asked her if we could pray for her and she said yes but told us she had a contagious disease and we need to put the gloves on for protection. When we walked up to her bedside, we asked her if she believed in Jesus and she said yes and that she had accepted Him as her Lord and Savior 20 years ago. We began to pray. The Lord had me hold her hand while we were praying. She was taken back that I would want to hold her hand. As I prayed, the Holy Spirit gave me the words to pray. I said God, there is something specific she is asking You for and I ask that You would honor her hearts desire. She began to cry. After we finished praying, she said to us "I know the Lord sent you to me, because just five minutes before you walked in, I was praying and asking the Lord to either heal me or take me home to heaven. You see I'm lonely and I have a broken heart and in walked my brother and sister in Christ to pray for me. She went on to say that she had been in and out of the hospital for the past year with this disease and she didn't have many visitors due to the contagious part of it. A few days later I found out, she was released from the hospital and was completely healed! Praise God!!

I believe the Lord wants to use us ALL to reach others. There are so many people out there who need a touch from God whether they know the Lord or not!! The only way He can reach them all is if we are willing to seek His will, His direction and then be obedient and step in faith to do what He calls us to do! This is how we can make an impact in the world, one life at a time. The definition of impact means intentional collision. These are my favorite words...impact and intentional. Do you want to make an impact? If so, you must choose to be intentional in what you do each day.

This morning in my quiet time, I was reading in the book of 2 Corinthians Chapter 8. Several verses jumped out at me that relate to our discussion yesterday and what I just mentioned above.

Verse 3-5 - For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord begging us with much urging favor of participation in the support of the saints, and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and to us by the will of God.

When people give themselves to the Lord, when they spend time His Word and time just listening and seeking His Kingdom, His will is revealed to us. He will show us who He wants to touch. He will show us who has need. He will show us what cause to support.

Verse 10-15 - I give my opinion in this matter, for this is to your advantage, who were the first to begin a year ago not only to do this, but also to desire to do it. But now finish doing it also, so that just as there was the readiness to desire it, so there may be also the completion of it by your ability. For if the readiness is present, it is acceptable, according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. For this is not for the ease of others and for your affliction, but by way of equality at this present time, your abundance being a supply for their need, so that their abundance also may become a supply for your need, that there may be equality; as it is written, He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little had no lack. Amen!

Ken and I have been living these verses lately. Over the last 8 or 9 years, the Lord has been teaching us the principle of giving. For a long while we had what we would say the resources to give. We had an abundant supply. We gave cheerfully. We gave according to what we had and our ability. Our abundance was a supply for others.

We have also learned the spiritual law of sowing and reaping and now we definitely are seeing that as you give, it will be given back to you (Luke 6:38). Our supply has dwindled down. We are in a season of receiving. I have to say honestly it's not quite as fun as giving. It's humbling. It's hard. It's hard because we have to totally trust God for our needs to be met. That's not always easy when we have been used to having "abundant supply". But God is faithful and He has been showing us that for a while. Each day, we give Him thanks and praise for what He has supplied, for the blessings He does give us. He surrounds us with people who encourage us. What a gift friends are from God!

Our readiness and desire to give is even greater now, though we would call our resources in "lack". How cool is that! As God lays people on our hearts - we step out in faith to give, to support or to encourage.

So today, I encourage you to seek the Lord. Ask Him what His will is for you today! What would He have you do today to bless someone in need. It may not be financial. It may be someone you work with, neighbor, friend, family or even a total stranger! Faith is action! And if you're willing, email us and let us know what God did through you today or this week! We'd love to hear your stories!

UPDATE ON PERU!

First - THANK YOU to those of you who have been so kind in donating to us. Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! We are still about $3500 short with only 25 days to go (plane tickets to purchase). And THANK YOU for those who have offered to keep us covered in prayer between now and the end of our trip. That is probably the most important part for us! My health has been slowly improving. I am still getting over a bad chest cold but the worst is behind me. My doctors are seeing results on the adrenal fatigue and other issues, as they have been changing out medicines and supplements. Praise God for wisdom for the doctors!! Please continue to pray for complete physical healing!!

I got a call from a friend who gave me some tips on how to shop for airline tickets - and was able to find some flights that will be more affordable. Another great idea is frequent flier miles. What would work most affordably is if someone had 40,000 or 80,000 Continental or United miles they would use to help book our flights. I've checked into transferring miles to our account (as someone has offered) but the cost to do so, would be a lot! Thank you Lord for friends with experience and great ideas!

Ken and I have been spending some time in prayer about Peru and the people we will meet there. He has been good in showing us some locations and clues (as we would call them) on who to pray for! Whoohoo!! We can't wait to get there!!!

Bless you again!
Ken & Michele Cole
michele@wantinsight.com
https://wantinsight.blogspot.com

This is how you can give if the Lord so leads you:

Tax deductible donations can be made by visiting:
1. https://www.hhmin.org/make_donation_projects.php, select Ministry Projects, then use drop down box Ken & Michele Cole - Want InSight?
2. Or you can donate through my medical account, select Medical Projects, then Michele Cole.

3. Non tax deductible donations can be made directly to us by:

4. Paypal - account is michele@wantinsight.com

5. Send check to our home. Please contact us for the address.
Any donations made through Helping Hands will be anonymous. If you want us to know that you supported us through them, please let us know personally. Thank YOU

Thank YOU so much for your kind comments and offers to pray

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Funny things the Lord does.... and events to note on your calendar.

God is good and His faithful love endures forever!!

Since our last post, the Lord has been giving us little tokens confirming our trip to Peru next month. We thought we'd share them with you.

God has a sense of humor!
We were watching a movie called Horse Crazy. The movie starts out with a teacher showing a video to her classroom of young kids. The video is about wild mustang horses in Nevada. Several kids fantasize and end up going to Nevada to try and catch a few of these horses and bring them home. ok so dot dot dot to the end of the movie. The scene is back in the classroom and the teacher is rolling the tv in front of the children again and this time she says "today we are going to watch a movie about the llamas in Peru". Ok... so maybe you had to watch the movie or maybe you just have to be us, but both Ken and I looked at each other and laughed.

Again, we sat down to watch a movie. This time we were watching a series of White Fang shows. White Fang is about a family who have moved out into the country and have a husky dog which is part wolf too. The show we happened to watch last, the son in the show Matt, was talking to a guy they just hired to do some labor on their farm. So Matt, starts asking him to name the capital of different states or countries.... and guess which one he asked him? What is the capital of Peru? The guy says, that's easy, it's Lima.

What are the chances of us watching two different movies over the past week and both of the movies indicate something about Peru?? I don't believe in coincidences. I believe God is confirming to us to go, in His way. He is good!

There have been some other confirmations.... God brought to us a great person who loves dogs and loves homes (his words). This was a huge hurdle to overcome. We have had the same dog/house sitter for 27 years. Unfortunately she is having knee replacement surgery and won't be able to stay this time. So we really needed this prayer answered first. And it was! Praise God!!

I was feeling a bit nervous about Peru because what I've been reading up on and hearing from my niece who lives there is that where we are going can be rough. Rough means - pick pockets and sometimes more violent crimes to tourist. Ok.. so for most of you that may be no big deal, but to me it's kind of scary. I asked the Lord to speak to me to reassure me and He gave me Acts 18:9-11 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision and told him, " Don't be afraid! Speak out! Don't be silent! For I am with you and no one will attack and harm you, for many people in this city belong to me.". So Paul stayed there for the next year and half, teaching the word of God. How cool is that??

We begin Spanish lessons this week. I believe that was another door opened for us as she has offered to do them for free. We have received several donations and we are extremely thankful. We have been able to get our immunizations (ouch). However, we are still in need of the cost of the plane tickets which have now gone up to $4900. I have to admit this is awkward for us - asking for support.. God is God and nothing is impossible for Him. So again, we ask you to please prayerfully consider supporting our ministry trip to Lima, Peru. Every little bit helps. (Details in post on http://wantinsight.blogspot.com.) Please also be in prayer - for favorable pricing on airfare, the flight schedule will be doable (as some of our preferred flight choices are filling up) and for continued healing and endurance.

This is how you can give if the Lord so leads you:

Tax deductible donations can be made by visiting:
1. https://www.hhmin.org/make_donation_projects.php, select Ministry Projects, then use drop down box Ken & Michele Cole - Want InSight?
2. Or you can donate through my medical account, select Medical Projects, then Michele Cole.

3. Non tax deductible donations can be made directly to us by:

4. Paypal - account is michele@wantinsight.com

5. Send check to our home. Please contact us for the address.
Any donations made through Helping Hands will be anonymous. If you want us to know that you supported us through them, please let us know personally. Thank YOU


Thank YOU so much for your kind comments and offers to pray. This is also a very important part of our trip!


And some events you won't want to miss!

EVENTS
DECEMBER

Matt Slocum Worship Concert
When: Saturday December 3, 2011
Where: Harmony Vineyard 600 NE 46th Street Kansas City, MO 64116
Time: 7pm
You won't want to miss this! Matt is an amazing worship artist. Matt Slocum is an accomplished songwriter, vocalist and musician. His heart is to see the body of Christ healed and restored. Matt is a graduate of Hillsong International Leadership College in Sydney, Australia. He has held various leadership positions at Hillsong Church. Matt has also been involved with several ministries in the Kansas City area serving as worship leader. Matt just completed a three month internship at Harmony Vineyard Church. Thank you Harmony Vineyard for being so generous in offering up the church to host this concert and fundraiser for Matt’s first recorded album.

JANAURY 2012
James Horan of Fresh Mercy Ministries will be here in January 21. We will be hosting him at our home to teach and minister. You can check him out at www.freshmercy.com. If you are interested in this event, please email me as seating is limited.

We will also be hosting another Shelf Reliance Food Storage show January 14. www.shelfreliance.com. If you are interested in attending, please email me.

FEBRUARY 2012

Jerry Baysinger of Life Healing Ministries http://lifehealingministries.us/ will be here February 18th. We will be hosting him at our home to teach and minister. God has used him mightily in the area of healing!! If you are interested in attending this event, please email me as seating is limited.


God Bless You!

Ken & Michele Cole

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Ministry Trip to Peru!!!

Greetings! Give Thanks to the Lord for He is Good and His Faithful Love Endures Forever!!!

As you may know, Ken and I have been recently launched into ministry. We are called to activate, influence and challenge the body of Christ to a life of total abandon and surrender to the Lord. To be doers of the Word of God!! Our vision statement is: To be a tongue of fire, igniting people and impacting nations through evangelizing and using the power of God, to be a bold part of fueling an explosion in the Kingdom. Our passion is to help believers walk fully in their God given destiny, minister to the broken - physically, emotionally or spiritually and reach the lost through the prophetic and various outreaches.

Wow! How exciting it is that we have been asked to go to Lima, Peru and be able to do what we love to do and what God has ordained for us. Our trip is from December 30, 2011 through January 9, 2012. We will be preaching, activating, and ministering prophetically to one main church http://www.ifdb.ws/pastoresifdb.php. They also have a TV/radio station and most likely several of the scheduled events will be broadcasted live. How cool will that be if we can minister to a larger crowd about the healing mercy of our Lord and Savior! We also hope to take the youth out and do "treasurehunts". That's where the Lord shows us who, where and how to pray, gives us clues so we can find these treasures in the streets and marketplace. We then minister to them and see God show up in powerful ways. There is a possibility we will be also be visiting other churches in the area. We are going with James Horan of Fresh Mercy Ministry http://www.freshmercy.com. He walks in the apostolic to glorify God and bring the kingdom of God to earth. He ministers in the prophetic and healing.

We are humbly asking for your support to partner with us prayerfully, financially, or both. As you know, we cannot prepare and fulfill this trip without God’s help and many people praying. I am asking you to commit to praying for us, our team members, and our leaders as we minister to the people of Lima, Peru. Specifically for safety but also because flying out of the USA and into a third world country is quite scary for me. if you know me, you know I'm kind of prone to liking the comforts God gives us here! We would like to ask for your financial support. We need for this trip, a total of $5,000+ to cover airfare, lodging, food and immunizations. Our immediate need is to cover the airfare and immunization costs and we need to book our airfare soon. Plane tickets have been averaging between $3700-$4000. The immunizations are approximately $400 and the rest is food/hotel.

Please let us know how and if we can count on your support. If you can support us and the missions team in prayer, please simply respond to this post to that affect. We will keep you apprised of the progress of our preparations and the on goings as they happen. If you can support us financially, information on how to do so at the bottom of this.

Ken and I are open handed - hearts engaged - saying here we are Lord - send us, use us however you want!
We would love for you to prayerfully consider supporting this ministry in prayer and financially on a regular basis.

Tax deductible donations can be made by visiting:
https://www.hhmin.org/make_donation_projects.php, select Ministry Projects, then use drop down box Ken & Michele Cole - Want InSight? Or you can donate through my medical account, select Medical Projects, then Michele Cole.
Non tax deductible donations can be made directly to us by visiting:
Paypal - account is michele@wantinsight.com or by sending a check. Please contact us for the address. Any donations made through Helping Hands will be anonymous. If you want us to know that you supported us through them, please let us know personally. Thank YOU


We are trusting God will provide as we obediently live out our God given purpose, call and destiny.
We say Thank YOU for your friendship! We bless you in the name of Jesus Christ!

nHim and through Him!

Ken and Michele
Followers of the Lord Jesus Christ

EVENTS
DECEMBER
Matt Slocum Worship Concert
When: Saturday December 3, 2011
Where: Harmony Vineyard 600 NE 46th Street Kansas City, MO 64116
Time: 7pm
You won't want to miss this! Matt is an amazing worship artist. Matt Slocum is an accomplished songwriter, vocalist and musician. His heart is to see the body of Christ healed and restored. Matt is a graduate of Hillsong International Leadership College in Sydney, Australia. He has held various leadership positions at Hillsong Church. Matt has also been involved with several ministries in the Kansas City area serving as worship leader. Matt just completed a three month internship at Harmony Vineyard Church. Thank you Harmony Vineyard for being so generous in offering up the church to host this concert and fundraiser for Matt’s first recorded album.

JANAURY 2012
James Horan of Fresh Mercy Ministries will be here in January 21. We will be hosting him at our home to teach and minister. You can check him out at www.freshmercy.com. If you are interested in this event, please email me as seating is limited.

We will also be hosting another Shelf Reliance Food Storage show January 14. www.shelfreliance.com. If you are interested in attending, please email me.

FEBRUARY 2012
Jerry Baysinger of Life Healing Ministries http://lifehealingministries.us/ will be here February 18th. We will be hosting him at our home to teach and minister. God has used him mightily in the area of healing!! If you are interested in attending this event, please email me as seating is limited.

Monday, November 14, 2011

Mark your calendars - events coming up!

CURRENT
A brief update for Ken and I. The last post we sent out, we said that God was launching us into new things. He is super quick. We are praying but believe we are being asked to go on a ministry trip to Lima, Peru next month. We will be traveling with another ministry that has been there before. They have seen mighty miracles of God - lame walk, blind see and many others. The trip will be for 9 days. We will be teaching, activating and ministering prophetically. We ask for your prayers - this is a huge huge step for me/us. We have not traveled outside the USA really (if you don't count Hawaii and Baja Mexico). The good news is that I have a niece in Lima, Peru. If you would like to sow into this trip and/or our ministry in general we would be very appreciative. Information on how at the bottom of this blog post.

Just a quick note to let you know of several events coming up in Kansas City that you may want to be part of.

NOVEMBER
Joni Ames will be back in Kansas City next week!!
If you haven't seen or been around Joni and her teaching, you will be blessed. Come hear her! You can learn more about her at www.joniames.com.

When: Sunday, November 20, 10:30am – 12:00pm
Where: Jubilee Ministry Center - 189 Rogers Road, Olathe, KS 66062. It is off of the Santa Fe exit, behind the Bank of America. The building has a red roof.
Joni will be teaching on the prophetic and sharing with us what the Lord is speaking to us as a church body!

DECEMBER
Matt Slocum Worship Concert
When: Saturday December 3, 2011
Where: Harmony Vineyard 600 NE 46th Street Kansas City, MO 64116
Time: 7pm
You won't want to miss this! Matt is an amazing worship artist. Matt Slocum is an accomplished songwriter, vocalist and musician. His heart is to see the body of Christ healed and restored. Matt is a graduate of Hillsong International Leadership College in Sydney, Australia. He has held various leadership positions at Hillsong Church. Matt has also been involved with several ministries in the Kansas City area serving as worship leader. Matt just completed a three month internship at Harmony Vineyard Church. Thank you Harmony Vineyard for being so generous in offering up the church to host this concert and fundraiser for Matt’s first recorded album.

JANAURY 2012
James Horan of Fresh Mercy Ministries will be here in January 21. We will be hosting him at our home. You can check him out at www.freshmercy.com. If you are interested in this event, please email me as seating is limited.

We will also be hosting another Shelf Reliance Food Storage show January 14. www.shelfreliance.com. If you are interested in attending, please email me.


If there is anything we can do for you, a prayer request or something else, please feel free to contact us. Thank you so much for walking this journey with us and for praying for us! I also wanted to share a utube video that really blessed my heart today. The Lord is good and His faithful love endures forever. Copy and paste this link into your browser: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6GfXa5Ixhw

Ken & Michele Cole
Want InSight?
michele@wantinsight.com
ken@wantinsight.com

If you would like to donate to our ministry or to help with my medical expenses, we would be eternally blessed! You can do so by visiting: https://www.hhmin.org/make_donation_projects.php, select Ministry Projects, then use drop down box Ken & Michele Cole - Want InSight? or you can donate through my medical account, select Medical Projects, then Michele Cole. Or you can donate non tax deductible by credit card through paypal - account is michele@wantinsight.com or by sending a check. Please contact us for the address.

Friday, October 21, 2011

Arise & Shine - Launch Time!

Here's an update for the Cole's. Some of you may not know, but long story short, the Lord has led Ken to leave his full time job in August 2011 and I left mine (due to health reasons) in October of 2009. This is/was a huge leap of faith for both of us. For several years now, we've been sensing a shift and sensed that Ken and I would be doing ministry and traveling as the the Lord led. We feel the time is now.

Our passion is to activate, equip and empower people to do life radically with total abandon to the Lord in the Church and in the Marketplace. We want people to experience the love of Jesus. We want to see people set free from the bondages the enemy entangles us with - whether financially (Proverbs 22:7), spiritually, physically or emotionally (Isaiah 61). We want God to move in power! God has given us hearts to reach out to the hurting, the sick, the lost and those in prison. Another area God has called us to, is hospitality. Having the gift of hospitality, our home is often used (at the Lord's leading) to house folks on a temporary basis - to allow them a safe place to heal, be ministered to or just reside. Truly our desire are to be the best stewards we can be with our time, talent, treasure and touch!

We have been invited to and have several tentative trips planned to speak and minister at conferences around the US and in Canada. We are also considering a ministry trip to Israel in the near future.

With all this said, we are completely trusting God for our finances and have been for some time. But now, stepping into ministry full time, and relying on the Lord and the body of Christ to support us is something totally new to us and a little uncomfortable at times, to say the least. But, out of obedience, we feel we are to share this with you. The rest is up to God! We covet your prayers for guidance, wisdom, provision and direction as we walk this out.

We are in the process of setting up a ministry account (similar to a 501c3) through Helping Hands Ministry. More information about them will be at the end of this post. This account will allow people to donate to our ministry and receive a tax deduction. You can send a check direct to them (and put a sticky note with our name on it) until the link on the right of this blog is activated. I have a "health account" set up at Helping Hands to cover medical expenses and medicines and supplements. You could donate to either account Health or Ministry - same tax benefit just indicate that. Your donation can be completely anonymous this way as well!

If you have a prayer request or if there is anything we can do for you, please don't hesitate to contact us!

Thank you for your time, your prayers and your friendship!

In Christ
Ken & Michele Cole
michele@wantinsight.com
ken@wantinsight.com

INFORMATION ABOUT HELPING HANDS MINISTRY
www.hhmin.org

PO Box 337
125 Main Street
Tallulah Falls, GA 30573
Phone: 706-754-6884
Fax: 706-754-9247

Helping Hands Ministries, Inc is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving others through financial support. We provide direct assistance to deserving and qualified individuals, ministries, and charities, both locally and internationally. Based on each recipient`s circumstance, we strive to accommodate a specific need through the generous giving of others.

Our core values are built around a Christ-like vision to support and assist those who need it most. By creating a community and network of donors and recipients, we can provide assistance to: disaster victims, individuals with medical conditions, startup ministries, foreign organizations providing charitable work, and international students.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Ready, Set, Lift Off!!

Update for the Cole's. Some of you may not know, but long story short, the Lord has led Ken to leave his full time job in August 2011 and I left mine (due to health reasons) in October of 2009. This is/was a huge leap of faith for both of us. For several years now, we've been sensing a shift and sensed that Ken and I would be doing ministry and traveling as the the Lord led. We feel the time is now.

Our passion is to activate, equip and empower people to do life radically with total abandon to the Lord in the Church and in the Marketplace. We want people to experience the love of Jesus. We want to see people set free from the bondages the enemy entangles us with - whether financially (Proverbs 22:7), spiritually, physically or emotionally (Isaiah 61). We want God to move in power! God has given us hearts to reach out to the hurting, the sick, the lost and those in prison. Another area God has called us to, is hospitality. Having the gift of hospitality, our home is often used (at the Lord's leading) to house folks on a temporary basis - to allow them a safe place to heal, be ministered to or just reside. Truly our desire are to be the best stewards we can be with our time, talent, treasure and touch!

We have been invited to and have several tentative trips planned to speak and minister at conferences around the US and in Canada. We are also considering a ministry trip to Israel in the near future.

With all this said, we are completely trusting God for our finances and have been for some time. But now, stepping into ministry full time, and relying on the Lord and the body of Christ to support us is something totally new to us and a little uncomfortable at times, to say the least. But, out of obedience, we feel we are to share this with you. The rest is up to God! We covet your prayers for guidance, wisdom, provision and direction as we walk this out.

We are in the process of setting up a ministry account (similar to a 501c3) through Helping Hands Ministry. More information about them will be at the end of this post. This account will allow people to donate to our ministry and receive a tax deduction. You can send a check direct to them (and put a sticky note with our name on it) until the link on the right of this blog is activated. I have a "health account" set up at Helping Hands to cover medical expenses and medicines and supplements. You could donate to either account Health or Ministry - same tax benefit just indicate that. Your donation can be completely anonymous this way as well!

If you have a prayer request or if there is anything we can do for you, please don't hesitate to contact us!

Thank you for your time, your prayers and your friendship!

In Christ
Ken & Michele Cole
michele@wantinsight.com
ken@wantinsight.com

INFORMATION ABOUT HELPING HANDS MINISTRY
www.hhmin.org

PO Box 337
125 Main Street
Tallulah Falls, GA 30573
Phone: 706-754-6884
Fax: 706-754-9247

Helping Hands Ministries, Inc is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving others through financial support. We provide direct assistance to deserving and qualified individuals, ministries, and charities, both locally and internationally. Based on each recipient`s circumstance, we strive to accommodate a specific need through the generous giving of others.

Our core values are built around a Christ-like vision to support and assist those who need it most. By creating a community and network of donors and recipients, we can provide assistance to: disaster victims, individuals with medical conditions, startup ministries, foreign organizations providing charitable work, and international students.

Friday, July 29, 2011

How to overcome fear!

I am again reposting a blog from a friend of mine. I think you will enjoy this and find it valuable. As the nation and world continues to unravel and perilous times are amongst us, this is a good reminder on how we can keep our peace. The enemy wants us to be stuck in fear but if you are a believer, we are to rise up in the mighty name of Jesus and we are overcomers and more than conquerors through Christ Jesus.

GOD'S RULES FOR BATTLE
by Joni Ames
JoniAmes@aol.com (mailto:JoniAmes@aol.com)

As many of us know, there has seemingly been an increase in the level of battle or
warfare in these times. Just as the weather has been heating up, so has "life," in
general. Many have experienced panic attacks, fear, depression, and hopelessness on
pretty serious levels. Some that I know have either had to go on medication or even
had to be hospitalized for a nervous breakdown. We are talking about Christians.
Now, before any of us try to "judge" that, let us just remember that Jesus warned
of these times over 2,000 years ago.

This isn't something "new." We've all gone through warfare and
battles before. However, there seems to be an increase and excelleration in the
levels of warfare, as well as the amount of it, in the times we are in.

So how do we posture ourselves to "make it through" these times? Thankfully, we have
the Word of God to turn to for our answers.

======================
GOD'S RULES FOR BATTLE
======================
While engaging in listening to my "Daily Bible Lesson" on my smart phone recently,
the Word of the Lord for the day addressed, "God's Rules For Battle," out of
Deuteronomy, Chapter 20. Let's take a look at that....


---------------------------------------------------------

Rule 1, (Verse 1): DO NOT BE AFRAID

---------------------------------------------------------

"When you go out to battle against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and
people more numerous than you, DO NOT BE AFRAID OF THEM."

WHY? - "For the Lord your God is with you."

Even if we have armies of people coming against us with all kinds of artillery, we
need to remember that GOD IS WITH US!!! And if GOD is WITH us, He is FOR us, so who
or what (worthwhile) could possibly matter that would come against us?! (Romans
8:31)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rule 2, (Verses 2-3): "DO NOT LET YOUR HEART
BE FAINT, DO NOT BE AFRAID, DO NOT TREMBLE
OR BE TERRIFIED."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


(2) So it shall be, when you are on the verge of battle, that the priest shall
approach and speak to the people. (3) And he shall say to them, 'Hear, O Israel:
Today you are on the verge of battle with your enemies. Do not let your heart faint,
do not be afraid, and do not tremble or be terrified because of them;

Whenever a point is repeated, it deserves an even greater amount of our attention.
Obviously, it is extremely important. We will see even more "why" in the verses that
follow. But let me just insert a few things about fear here first.

The famous sales trainer Zig Zigglar used to explain the letters of the word "FEAR"
as standing for meaning "False Evidence Appearing Real."

I've had many conversations with various friends of mine who are Christian
Counselors, and they all agree that MOST of the cases they deal with are related to
fear of some kind. Statistics show that 98% of those fears NEVER come to pass.

So FEAR, in and of itself, is a weapon of the enemy that can paralyze and rob us of
our peace, and our purpose, call, and destiny. It can cause us to make seriously bad
maneuvers that we would not make if we were not operating in believing those fears.
Even though they (most likely) will not occur! In fact, fear can cause us to "loose
our minds" and do many untimely and stupid things that we wouldn't normally do! It
can even cause us to seek "other" means of comfort or relief - such as alcohol,
drugs, affairs, etc. - It is a trick and weapon of the enemy to try to CAUSE us to
fail!

The Word clearly tells us that GOD has NOT given to us a spirit of fear! Rather, HE
gives to us POWER, LOVE, and a SOUND MIND!!! (2 Tim. 1:7)

Fear actually is faith, by the way. But it is faith in the enemy, and not God.

Joshua was told, "Be ONLY strong and VERY COURAGEOUS." - How could He be told to
"BE" that?! Well, we can't "BE" or "DO" anything without HIM. When HE is with us, He
GIVES TO US the courage, strength, and faith we have need of! HE is the AUTHOR and
FINISHER of our faith! (Heb. 12:12) - So if we "use it all up," He can make and give
us some more!!!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rule 3, (verse 4): REMEMBER - GOD IS WITH YOU!":

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Again, this is being repeated, because it was already told to us in verse 1. But in
verse 4, we are again told that He is WITH US!:


(4) "for the Lord your God is HE WHO GOES WITH YOU, TO FIGHT FOR YOU against your
enemies, TO SAVE YOU."

We are reminded of this in The Great Commission in Mark 16:20: "And they went out
and preached everywhere, THE LORD WORKING WITH THEM and confirming the word through
the accompanying signs. Amen."

He is WITH us, NOT against us!!!

He doesn't take our hand over to the edge of the battle and throw us to the enemy so
He can watch us get beat up and laugh at us! He walks us to the edge to get a good
view of what happens and says, "Watch this! I'm going to fight FOR you against your
enemies to SAVE you! Watch Me WIN this battle FOR you!" - Woo Hoo!!! - Yay God!!!


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rule 4, (Verses 5, 6, & 7): GET RID OF DISTRACTIONS
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(5) Then the officers shall speak to the people, saying: 'What man is there who has
built a new house and has not dedicated it? Let him go and return to his house, lest
he die in the battle and another man dedicate it. (6) Also what man is there who has
planted a vineyard and has not eaten of it? Let him go and return to his house, lest
he die in the battle and another man eat of it. (7) And what man is there who is
betrothed to a woman and has not married her? Let him go and return to his house,
lest he die in the battle and another man marry her.'

Anyone who had fought in battle can tell you - distractions can kill you. It is so
important to be sure that your mind is on what you are doing at ALL times. It's not
just YOUR life on the line, but the lives of those around you.

Romans 12:2 says, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the
renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and
perfect will of God."

2 Corin. 10:5 says we need to be, "Casting down arguments and every high thing that
exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to
the obedience of Christ."


-------------------------------------------------------
Rule 5, (Verse 8): GET RID OF FEAR
-------------------------------------------------------
(8) The officers shall speak further to the people, and say, 'What man is there who
is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go and return to his house, lest the heart of
his brethren faint like his heart.'

Get rid of fear! Gee, haven't we heard that before?!

But here we get a clearer reason: Because fear is "catchy," like a bad flu bug.

Remember when the "spies" gave the evil report to the Israelites? In Joshua 14:24 it
says, "(7) I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from
Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land, and I brought back word to him as it was in my
heart. (8) Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me MADE THE HEART OF THE PEOPLE
MELT, but I wholly followed the Lord my God."

Fear can cause us to miss out on our Promised Land.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SO, HOW DO WE POSTURE OURSELVES IN THIS TIME?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Let us do as the Word says and renew our minds daily with THE Word. (Rom. 12:2) -
The Word of God contains everything pertaining to life and godliness, and it does
NOT go forth and return void. (Is. 55:11) - Read it, pray it, wash yourself and your
family with it. Soak in it. Saturate yourself with it.

Cast down the fearful imaginations the enemy brings to your mind (2 Corin. 10:5) and
bring them into the obedience of Christ.

War with the prophecies God has given to you. (1 Tim. 1:18-19) God is NOT a liar.
Pray and speak life over those words that you know are from Him, and GO FOR IT!

Prov. 18:21 says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love
it will eat its fruit."

Speak life to yourself and your loved ones, and death to the plans of the enemy.


We can say to the enemy, "I refuse that spirit of fear! By the power of the blood
and name of Jesus, I command you to take it and go to the feet of Jesus for
judgement!"

That may sound simple, but the enemy has to obey the name of Jesus.


Spend time in praise and worship. He inhabits His praises. (Psalms 22:3) WORSHIP is
your WAR-ship!

--------------
PRAYER
--------------
Dear Lord,
We come before you and repent of fear and of speaking in such a way as to infect
others with fear. We pray to you as David did, "Let the words of our mouth and
meditations of our heart be acceptable in your sight." Help us to remember that we
win IN YOU, and help us to remind others of that as well. We love and worship you
and thank you that you are fighting for and winning our battles for us!
In Jesus' name, Amen.

-- Joni Ames
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Permission is granted (and you are also encouraged) to reprint these articles in
hard copy form, as well as sending them to your own email lists and posting them on
your own web sites. We ask only that you keep Joni's web site, email contact info,
and author contact information intact.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

God's Plans for you are GOOD! (Jer. 29:11)
Joni Ames
P.O. Box 99
Elkview, WV 25071
E-Mail: JoniAmes@aol.com (mailto:JoniAmes@aol.com)
Main Website: http://www.joniames.org (http://www.joniames.org/)
Prophetic Newsletter Archives/Web site: http://joniames.wordpress.com/
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is a faith based ministry and your love gifts are appreciated and needed. You
may send your NON tax deductible offerings to Joni via debit or credit card at pay
pal on line at: https://www.paypal.com/xclick/business=JONIAMES@aol.com - Or send
to:
Joni Ames
P.O. Box 99
Elkview, WV 25071

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Faith & Obedience to the One True God!

Another blog I receive weekly. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Permission to repost granted by author.
More from me at the end!


> TEACHING THE HEBRAIC PERSPECTIVE OF FAITH IN AND OBEDIENCE TO THE ONE TRUE GOD
>
>
> July Update
> What does a lesson in fire building have to do with the current world situation?
More than you may have imagined.
> If you have ever wondered what it sounds like when I try to did myself out of a
hole, this is a good time to listen!
>
> VIDEO
>
> Torah Commentary
> Pinchas "Phineas"
> Numbers 25:10-30:1
> 1 Kings 18:46-19:21
>
> Zeal In The Camp
>
> Reading about the Hebrews and their journey through the wilderness has taken on so
much meaning in the past few years. With each passing year it becomes more and
more special to read about their lives. It is not that the accounts of their lives
become more exciting, but as His Day approaches, reading about the lives of the
Hebrews causes me to sit back and allow my own thoughts to wander. I think about
how different their walk was from ours today, but with the differences come so
many striking similarities. Their walk was different because times have changed,
but it was so simular because people do not change.
>
> This week we read about people who no matter the blessings of The Almighty in
their lives desired the quick passing pleasure of sin rather than the
righteousness of their Creator. We read about one man who took the bull by the
horns and made a difference. If you look between the lines we also see the masses
called the majority who just sat and watched as spectators on a sideline.
>
> The main character in the opening words of this weeks Torah is a man named
Pinchas. He came on the scene rather quickly last week and became the hero of the
day to stop a plague which was sweeping through the people because of sin in the
camp. His heroic efforts cause him to not only take a place in recorded history,
but also brings him and his family into a promotion promised not only for the
lifetime of Phichas, but forever.
>
> What was it that brought about the blessing Pinchas would walk in? It is boiled
down to one word, zeal. But what exactly is zeal?
>
> Webster defines zeal as "great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an
objective." Zeal is something which is easy to define, but rather hard to teach.
Fact is, I do not think you can teach zeal. You can teach emotions and hype which
last about as long as the passing pleasure of sin, but zeal is another matter. I
have come to the conclusion after years of teaching that there is no way to teach
zeal. Zeal can not be taught, zeal must be caught!
>
> Pinchas did not get his zeal from a book. We are not told where Pinchas got his
zeal from. It could have been directly from Moses himself. Or maybe it was Joshua?
There is an interesting thought. Maybe there is more to the man Joshua than we
know up to this point. So far all we know about him is that he stuck pretty close
to Moses most of the time. He was no doubt addicted to the presence of Elohim, for
when Moses left the Tabernacle, Joshua would stay behind. What was Joshua doing
with his time during a normal day though? Maybe he was passing on a zeal he had
not been taught, but rather had caught from his time in the presence of Moses and
of course Elohim Himself. If this is so, it sure paid off not only in the life of
Pinchas, but in the lives of many Hebrews that infamous day.
>
> This of course brings us to a question. How is our zealousness today? Do we have
the kind of zealous pursuit of HaShem that causes others around us to sit up and
take notice? Do we have a zealousness that is affecting other people around us?
Are we ever zealous enough about Him for people to notice?
>
> A zealous lifestyle will cause you to do things others are not willing to do.
Zealousness will cause you to step out of a crowd like Pinchas or a Judas
Maccabee. It will cause you to do things others are just not willing to do.
Zealousness will cause you to be different from the crowd. Zealousness will cause
you to be admired by some, but not accepted by most. Zealousness will cause you to
be misunderstood most of the time. Zealousness will cause you to loose many
friends, but in the end have the greatest influence on people. Above all,
zealousness for Him will cause Him to be zealous over you. Personally I can not
think of a better reason to desire to catch this wonderful trait of His the
scripture calls zealous. ..
>
> Shabbat Shalom,
> Mike
>

>
> email: hineni@mac.com
> phone: 405 257 6277
> web: http://www.joinedtohashem.org


So - are you willing to be different? Are you willing to do something radical to make a difference in the lives of others? Be zealous for the Kingdom of God! The world will be a better place if you do!

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Secrets to surviving these troubled times!!

I am copying and pasting a post that i think says what it says amazingly! Reprinted with permission by author. I hope you enjoy it!

EIGHT SECRETS TO SURVIVING THESE TROUBLED TIMES
Posted on June 24, 2011 by andre
by David Ravenhill
America is on a collision course with Almighty God. For too long we have ‘done that which is right in our own eyes’. “God is not mocked. Whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap.” We are quickly approaching the slaying of sixty million innocent lives. These precious gifts from God we have butchered more brutally than we do our cattle. It’s time to pay the Potentate, the King of all Kings and Lord of all Lords. My late father, Leonard Ravenhill, said repeatedly prior to his death, “God is going to have to destroy the economy of this nation in order to get out attention.” His word is rapidly coming to pass. Like the days of Haggai, God is punching our national purse with holes because we have failed to give Him the place of honor He so rightly deserves. Regardless of whatever steps Washington takes to resolve this crisis, God will continue His loving discipline until we turn from our wicked ways and seek His face.
During these times of national crisis it is vitally important that we press into God as never before. Here are some practical as well as Biblical guidelines for survival.
1. Love PASSIONATELY not PASSIVELY
Jesus warned us that in the last days, “The love of many would wax cold”. We need to guard our hearts from complacency, apathy, and the tendency of becoming lukewarm. Repent of any indifference to the things of God and ask Him to rekindle again that first love. We can readily deceive ourselves into thinking everything is OK. After all I’m not involved in any gross sin. I’m attending church regularly. Yet we can easily become drowsy like the five foolish virgins and not be ready for His appearing. Praise Him wholeheartedly, thank Him continually, and adore Him incessantly.
2. Live FRUGALLY not FEARFULLY
During times of economic hardship we need to tighten out belts and use some restraint. God has promised to supply all our needs but not our greeds.” For God has not given us a spirit of fear but …self control” Proverbs tells us to ‘consider the ant and be wise’ by saying “ she gathers her provisions in the harvest.” In other words, during times of plenty she sets aside provision for times of lack. Yes, God is able to multiply food as in the case of feeding the five thousand, but lets not forget that He gathered up the fragments so nothing was lost.
3. Give CHEERFULLY not RELUCTANTLY
When facing financial difficulties we are often prone to cut back on giving. This is possibly the worst thing to do. Let me encourage you to reread the book of Haggai. When God’s people put their own needs first, God began to make holes in their purses. I believe God honors those who give their firstfruits and even makes their provisions stretch further. Consider the widow who was down to her last measure of meal but who selflessly provided for God’s servant, Elijah. The result was that God, provided for her needs and those of her family. One word of caution: Do not be taken in by those who constantly seek to manipulate you through the promise of 30, 60 ,100 fold returns if you give to their specific cause. If they really believed that, then they would be sowing into your life and reaping the rewards. Take your tithes to the storehouse.

4. Trust EXPLICITLY not EMOTIONALLY
John Bunyan wrote:
“Feelings come and feelings go but feelings are deceiving.
My warrant is the Word of God naught else is worth believing.”
God’s Word remains true regardless of our feelings or emotional state. We may feel alone, neglected, and anxious about the future and wonder whether or not God really cares about us. These are times when we need to trust His promises. “I will never leave you or forsake you” “My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory.” “His promises are Yes, and Amen (final) in Christ.” God’s resources are limitless and His love for us is endless – how can we fail?
5. Meet REGULARLY not INFREQUENTLY
When times are hard we tend to isolate ourselves and withdraw from fellowship with other believers. We are encouraged in God’s Word to “neglect not the assembling of yourselves together and all the more as you see the day approaching.” Now more than ever before we need the support and encouragement of other like-minded believers.
God sets the solitary in families. Don’t avoid the family of God. They need you as much as you need them. We were never created to dwell alone. Remember two are better than one because if one stumbles the other is there to lift him up. I believe we are going to see an increase in home fellowship meetings in the coming years. It may well be that persecution is just around the corner. After all, Jesus warned us that “We would be hated by ALL nations for His name sake.” (Note there is no exception clause in there for the USA)
6. Pray FERVENTLY not OCCASIONALLY
God is a very present help in times of need or trouble. Tragically for some, that is the only time they ever seem to pray.
We should pray without ceasing. Not simply as a means of supply but because we desire His presence. While He has promised to meet our every need, we don’t use God for our own selfish ends. Prayer permits us to have fellowship with the one who holds all things together by the word of His power. Prayer is an honored privilege and should rank as our highest priority. Peter exhorts us, “The end of all things is at hand; therefore be of sound judgment…for the purpose of prayer.” The more we press into God the more we will know His voice, which is critical during seasons like these.
7. Look EXPECTANTLY not INDIFFERENTLY
There is a tendency during times like these to fix our eyes on our circumstances, and allow ourselves to be swallowed up by fear and depression. This is the time to “Look off unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.” Our future is not one of uncertainty but of a blessed hope. Jesus challenged us; “When you see these things begin to take place, look up; for your redemption draws nigh.” Like a woman in labor who knows that the travail will end with the birth of a glorious child so likewise we too must face the present difficulties with the anticipation of a glorious end. “To those who look for Him He will appear…”
8. Work TIRELESSLY not LAZILY
This is not a season to throw in the towel but to rise up with a new determination to finish the task we have been assigned. Revelation tells us “the devil has come down, knowing his time is short.” Shame on us if we allow the enemy to gain the upper hand because of our indifference to the call of God. The night cometh when no man can work, therefore we need to work while it is day. As these difficult times increase, the unsaved multitudes are going to be looking for answers. If we fail to reach them for Christ, the enemy will certainly gain the upper hand . The Master of the vineyard is still offering top salaries to those who enlist at this final hour of the harvest. Eternity is just around the corner. What we do now will have eternal consequences. Lift up your eyes. The fields are white and ready for harvest.

Thursday, June 30, 2011

A Word to Comfort You!

I am just posting a Scripture that has brought me real comfort this past couple of weeks. So many things have been coming at us from all directions but yet God in His Mercy and His Word has brought us real peace. Verse 1. How reassuring that God is our Shepherd.. that He does guide us, He protects us and provides comfort.. and we shall not lack. That means we won't go without. In the natural, things look like lack to a lot of us. But God can provide in an instant! We just need to trust Him day by day! I hope it encourages you and speaks refreshment and love into your heart!


Psalm 23

A Psalm of David.

1THE LORD is my Shepherd [to feed, guide, and shield me], I shall not lack.
2He makes me lie down in [fresh, tender] green pastures; He leads me beside the still and restful waters.(A)

3He refreshes and restores my life (my self); He leads me in the paths of righteousness [uprightness and right standing with Him--not for my earning it, but] for His name's sake.

4Yes, though I walk through the [deep, sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I will fear or dread no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort me.

5You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with [a]oil; my [brimming] cup runs over.

6Surely or only goodness, mercy, and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, and through the length of my days the house of the Lord [and His presence] shall be my dwelling place.

Bless you!!

Michele & Ken Cole
Followers of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Friday, June 17, 2011

America - can we get back to the good ole days?

How do you feel about America and what our economy looks like? Do you think we are in good hands? Do you feel the government has things under control? I doubt that!

Over the past several years, I have believed that God is weeping over our country and what we have done to it! Yes, I said we. We all have taken part one way or the other. This country was founded on biblical principles. There are so many things the Word of God offers us and if we would just get back to basics, back into the Word of God we could see much in the way of good in our lives!

The bible says to love God with all our hearts, mind, soul and strength and love others as ourselves. If we all took this literally, just think what a better place this world and America would be again! We would sure see much joy, peace and love!!!

The bible tells us to live within our means and to stay out of debt. How much is our country's indebtedness. Too much to fathom! Do you live within your means? Do you owe on credit cards, car loans, student loans, mortgages??? Now don't get me wrong, sometime or another we all have used these means to buy things. Ask the Lord to show you if you can improve your financial situation by following a few of His principles and simplifying your lifestyle. I know we are. We can't necessarily change how our government spends money, but we can sure start by changing our own ways! (By the way, we are selling a nice three piece slate pool table and accessories, galaga arcade machine, stars pinball machine and an asteroids deluxe machine - if you're interested, email me).

The bible says to pray for and love our enemies? Now that's a hard one to do, but the Word is very clear. What if when someone cuts you off in traffic, you prayed a blessing over them instead of giving them lip service. That lip service is really a curse over them. What if when you're spouse yells at you, instead of reacting, we pray for them instead.

If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you have the Holy Spirit living inside you. The Holy Spirit is there to guide you, to instruct you and to help you make choices that line up with God's will for your life. Don't ignore the promptings. Act on them. If God says bless someone, do it! If God says quit going further into debt, trust Him for all your needs. Phil 4:19 says this same God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. God will take care of you but you have to believe that. If God says reconcile with your spouse or forgive that person who wronged you, do it! The blessings for obedience far outweigh the consequences for not!

I believe the Lord is working in the hearts of those He knows are His - to strengthen them and help them to become totally dependent on Him. I believe we have moved into a season where God is drawing people to Him in a deeper way. Is your heart committed to the Lord? Are you willing to live a life that is completely surrendered to the Lord? Can you walk in faith with total abandon?

if you want to see America get back to the good ole days - when life is fun and stress is low - commit your ways to the Lord!

Blessings abundant!

Michele Cole
michele@wantinsight.com

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Life Changes

I wanted to send you an update and let you know what's been going on with me. In September 09, I felt led by God to shut down InSight Mortgage Group. I teamed up with Jewel Callahan at Mid America Mortgage until October 10. Jewel has been an amazing blessing for all of my clients who have been in need of any type of home financing.

Jewel is still in the industry and can help you with any of your home financing needs. You can reach her at 816-510-1399. Here email is jcallahan@unmhq.com.

My husband and I are moving more into ministry. This blog will now be used to impart wisdom and insight as we feel led by the Lord. Our heart is to ignite and empower believers into a deep intimate walk with the Lord. We want to see lives impacted for Christ.

We also will add events that you might find fun to attend!

Keep in touch! May God richly bless you!!

Ken & Michele Cole
Followers of Jesus Christ

Phil 4:19 And this same God shall supply all of your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus!