3 Ways You Can Make An Impact Today! Peru Updates

3 Ways You Can Make An Impact Today!  Peru Updates!

Today, I am introducing you to a good friend of ours who has been a huge prayer support and advisor for Ken and I over the years.  Bart Nill & Kim McDowell are two of the most humblest and generous servants of Christ we know.  Below you will find some information about their ministry and our hope is that you would go to prayer and see if God would have you support them somehow.  

From Bart:  

We pray all is going well for you and your family and that you are experiencing a real intimate season with Jesus our Lord!  The purpose of the letter is to share our hearts with you as Kim and I transition the ministry to “The Promise of GOD.”

For 10 years now we have served the Lord through ministries that teach Biblical Stewardship to families – initially with Crown Financial Ministries and then through Compass Heartland Ministries.  Each of these ministries have focused upon teaching people to handle money God’s way through small group studies and Kim and myself have been blessed to see many experience life transformation as a result of surrendering their life to Jesus.  With the small groups formed being optional for all families, normally the life transformation resulted for families that experienced tremendous debt.   God showed them during the study how they were trying to fill the God shaped hole inside their heart with everything in the world but God Himself and once they allowed the hole to be filled by God alone, their lives forever changed. 

During these same ten years, we have also seen God mold inside of us a deep longing to see this same type of spiritual transformation occur for everyone within the body of Christ – whether or not they had financial debt.  Billy Graham commented several years ago that he believes that only half of those attending churches in America today truly know Jesus as their Lord and Savior.  We have burdened over that thought and our desire is for God to use us to share His Word to give sight to the blind, to bring hope to those that are lost, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.  We have felt God reshaping us to bring the Stewardship message to the Cross of Christ.  Stewardship involves every aspect of our life – our time, our talents, our money and possessions, our relationships, our worship…..everything we are is from God and we cannot bring Him glory unless we surrender it all to Him.  And so the reshaping that we have felt from God has led us to “The Promise of GOD” and has us focusing on three things within the Body of Christ: 1- Prayer; 2- Spiritual Growth and Maturity and 3- Church Unity.  

It is with this heart that over the past several years we developed the church-wide teaching program called “The Promise.”  The Promise Study has three components:  1- Prayer: The Promise of GOD 7-weeks of Prayer asking God to free His people within the church and community of various bondages that have kept them from experiencing a close intimacy with the Lord.  Our prayer is that God will use this group to form a Lighthouse that will minister to those lost and hurting in our community.

As we enter this new season, we have a huge need for prayer – prayer for God to be honored and blessed through the work of this ministry as well as prayer for God to provide us the help to accomplish this work, through prayer supporters and financial supporters.  We have a tremendous need for financial partners – ones willing to give monthly.  The lifeblood of ministry comes from those giving $10, $20, $30, $50, etc. per month.  Here are 3 ways you can make an impact in the Kingdom today!  Did you know if 670 people were giving -
 (1) $10 per month that would total $80,400 per year (our entire annual budget is $80,000), 335 people giving
 (2) $20 per month is also $80,400 and 168 giving
 (3) $40 per month is $80,640.

God tells us in 2 Corinthians 9:7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.  We don’t want to interfere in any way with how God would speak to the hearts of those who know, encourage and care for us.  We simply want to make sure that we do not do anything that would ever have someone give under compulsion to The Promise of GOD.   

Thank you for taking the time to hear our hearts.  Thank you for supporting us throughout the years.  You mean the world to us and we are humbled by your trust and friendship!

In Christ’s Love,

Bart Nill and Kim McDowell

2 Corinthians 11:28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.

David Barton Nill

Executive Director

The Promise of GOD

Address for processing donations:

P.O. Box 12063

Kansas City, Ks 66112

Office Phone: 913-301-3531

Mobile Phone: 913-721-3999

Ken has often said that you are not just supporting a ministry - you are giving to God!  You are funding the Kingdom of God!  God uses ministries such as Bart's to reach those in need.   I recently read an article posted by National Christian Foundation www.nationalchristian.com, saying that "81% of people who haven't gifted in the last year believe "people with a lot of money" should give so they don't have to".  read more at http://www.greymatterresearch.com/index_files/Nondonors.htm.  This is crazy.  The Lord tells us in the book of Luke that as we give, it will be given back to us, pressed down, shaken together and running over.  Ken and I know this first hand.  All of us should be giving as the Lord purposes in our heart to give and as we do, blessings come back to us!  

Ken and I continue to make connections to different people in Peru.  We made a connection to an American Missionary and they connected us to a couple who has an apartment for rent. The Americans live upstairs and that would be a comfort to both of us. The rent is doable and includes utilities and seems to be in a good neighborhood and close to groceries, medical, etc.  (It has 2 bedrooms and 2 baths - so anyone of you can come visit and help us minister-hint hint!!)  We are praying that we can commit to it but need God to start revealing logistics and releasing financial provision.  We are getting a better sense from Him on what we will do and that is to spend time with each of these "American Missionaries and volunteer and build relationship with them and get to know the culture at the same time.  We also feel we will be back at the original church and tv/radio as well.  We are hoping that God will provide additionally so we can do the Spanish Immersion school so we can better learn the language.  

We covet your prayers for us and the ministry God has entrusted to us.

Please let us know how we can pray for you!

God Bless YOU -

Ken & Michele Cole

http://wantinsight.blogspot.com

michele@wantinsight.com, ken@wantinsight.com

Donate to The Want InSight - Phil 4:19 Fund!

This is how you can give to support the ministry God has entrusted us with, 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 our 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

UPCOMING EVENTS

5/5 Ken and I will be ordained into full time ministry!

****** 5/10 & 5/15 Joni Ames will be here to minister - if you are interested in attending, please email me.

Joni is also available other days or evenings to minister to your church or home group. She will be in town from 5/5-5/15 but her schedule is filling up. Please email me if you are interested in hosting an event and I will let you know what's available.

Untamed Spontaneous Hospitality

Untamed Spontaneous Hospitality

The word untamed means – fearless, courageous, full of zest! The word hospitality means treating guests and strangers in a warm, friendly, generous way.

Have you ever been asked or in a place where you had to do something that seemed a little bit awkward or maybe downright unheard of?? I don’t know about your walk with the Lord, but my walk has been a bit radical.

I want to share with you the story found in the book of Luke. It’s the story of the Good Samaritan. On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.

But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Do you think this Samaritan was involved in some untamed spontaneous hospitality?  He was kind and courageous and generous.  As followers of Jesus Christ, we too are asked to do this.

Matthew 25:35

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in.

Sometime ago, my husband and I felt like we heard God ask us to attend this Christian Conference. The conference speaker was known for his ministry of healing and miracles. At that time, I was just beginning my physical crash with adrenal fatigue.   I didn’t really want to go because this person didn’t have a good reputation. But we clearly felt like God wanted us to go. In obedience we went. The conference lasted 3 days Friday, Saturday and Sunday was the big “miracle healing service”.

On Sunday late into the service, I was beginning to question God. Why are we here? There isn’t anything going on. The healing service was a bunch of hype.  Then suddenly I had a strong pull to look to my left towards the front. I spotted a couple thousands of people away and my heart instantly was burdened for them. It’s hard to describe. But my heart ached for these two. I felt the Lord say – go pray for them but wait until I tell you when.

About 30 minutes later, I felt released to go. Ken and I went over to this couple. The lady was sitting in a wheelchair. Her husband was very sad. We went up to them and asked if we could pray for them and that we felt like the Lord led us to them. They looked at each other and then said sure… that they wouldn’t turn down prayer but they sure didn’t seem interested. As I started to pray, I felt like the Lord gave me a couple scriptures to pray over them and to share. As I did, I noticed that the lady looked up to her husband and then began to cry. I thought uh oh. Ken then began to pray over the husband and shared a picture the Lord had given him. Again, I noticed that the husband kind of looked amazed or shocked. We didn’t know which?

When we got done praying, we introduced ourselves and they did the same. Lori, the lady, said I now believe God sent you to pray for me and she started to push up her coat sleeve (it was like 30 degrees in there from the a/c) and when she did she showed me two bracelets she was wearing. Both of them had the Scripture reference that I had prayed over her. Wow! Then Mitch, the husband, he said to us – its like God threw a Hail Mary pass. I said what? What does that mean?? He said let me rephrase that.  He said, it’s like Lori and I were in a plane and it was nose diving into the opening of an erupting volcano and then He sends you over to pray for us and all of a sudden the plane turns upwards and is heading back towards the sky. Wow! I still didn’t know what that meant exactly but I knew from the tone of his voice and the smiles on their faces, it was really good. At that moment, I felt the Lord say to me, invite them to live with you.

They went on to tell us that they had been in town from Omaha for the past month. She had several strains of Lyme Disease and was being treated 7 days a week, 6 hours a day and would be here for at least another 90 days with possibility of up to 6 months longer. They were staying in a hotel. We exchanged email and phone numbers and I told them I’d be in contact.

The next day I sent an email asking if we could get together for dinner and we coordinated for the next day. Ken and I had talked and had agreed to ask them to stay with us but at dinner we would try and find out if this was really God or not. After 3 hours of talking and having a really good time, I thought I was smarter than God. Ha ha! I asked if they liked dogs (we have 3). Mitch said we do but Lori is allergic to dogs, strike 1. Later in the evening, I asked how they liked their hotel and they said they felt it was a great place and that God had orchestrated it for them. Strike 2. And then the Lord said to me, “but not strike 3”!

Finally on Wednesday, the next day, the Lord said to me… email them this question and when they respond you will have your confirmation that this is Me and I want them to move in with you. So I did, and they responded. The email said I don’t know why I’m telling you all of this but I feel safe with you. I feel I can trust you… and with that, I knew without a doubt. So my next email said something like this. When we met you Sunday night, immediately I felt like the Lord wanted us to invite you to live with us while you are getting your treatment here in KC.   Ken and I have talked and prayed and would like to extend you and offer to stay. Thursday when you come over, you can see the house, see the two rooms you can use – one to sleep and one to be your private space. The reply from them came quickly. The first several words were Wow, Wow, Wow in about 94 font! Then they went on to say that they too felt the Lord showed them they were going to be asked to stay with us. They came over on Thursday night and checked out the house and they were overjoyed.

That weekend Mitch’s parents and sister were coming to visit and they wanted to bring them over to meet us. It really was a “parent test”. Would we pass the test?  After we showed them the house and the accommodations, we sat and visited with them for hours. Finally Mitch said, mom dad, we got to go. They said yea yea honey (kind of like we are busy son).... in just a minute.  We passed the test. They moved in with us and lived with us for 3 ½ months. In the course of this time, we really got to know each other and the family too. We were all blessed. I don’t know about you – but I call this untamed spontaneous hospitality.

When you walk with the Lord, you may be called to do something a bit crazy and awkward.  But when you do, the Lord has already prepared you for it, whether you realize it or not!    Oh and there’s one more reason you might be more willing to do something untamed and out of your comfort zone…. Hebrews 13:2 Don't forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!

I challenge you to put on your spiritual ears, ask the Lord if there is someone He would like you to help spontaneously, whether finanicallly, a home to stay in for a while, or simply reach out to someone who may have a need.  There's no greater blessing than give of your time, talent, treasure or touch...especially if the Lord leads it!

I end with a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson - “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail”. If you are interested in having us help you, please send us an email.

Please let us know how we can pray for you!

God Bless YOU -
Ken & Michele Cole
http://wantinsight.blogspot.com
michele@wantinsight.com, ken@wantinsight.com

Donate to The Want InSight - Phil 4:19 Fund!

This is how you can give to support the ministry God has entrusted us with, 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 our 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


UPCOMING EVENTS

5/5 Ken and I will be ordained into full time ministry!

****** 5/10 & 5/15 Joni Ames will be here to minister - if you are interested in attending, please email me.

Joni is also available other days or evenings to minister to your church or home group. She will be in town from 5/5-5/15 but her schedule is filling up. Please email me if you are interested in hosting an event and I will let you know what's available.

ARK INTERNATIONAL - Equipping us to be ready for disaster response is having training! Please visit their website and sign up.
PREP 2 and CISM
Registration Now Open
The ARK Team is pleased to offer 2 new training opportunities.

PREP 2 April 13 - 14, 2012 - Fee $45.00
Friday 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Saturday 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Location:
The Daniel Academy
310 West 106th Street
Kansas City, Missouri 64114

ARK's Second Preparedness course (PREP 2) builds on the concepts and principles introduced in PREP 1.
The goal of PREP 2 is to help develop a sustainable, long-term strategy.

In the long-term strategy, the focus begins to shift toward being a resource to others when the infrastructures are damaged or unavailable for an extended period of time (weeks or months). This will include Building Spiritual Resilience as well as developing the strategies for the 8 essentials outlined in PREP 1. PREP 2 will involve demonstrations and hands-on skill development. An extended resource guide will accompany this training.


Critical Incident Stress Management Training (CISM)
April 19 - 21 Fee- $75.00
Thursday 6:00-9:00 PM
Friday 6:00-9:00 PM
Saturday 9:00 AM - 5:00PM

Please join us in this vital, internationally recognized training for volunteers who are called to help people in times of crisis and/or called to the mission field. This training will equip participants to deal with the mental, emotional and spiritual issues most people encounter in times of disaster, including trauma, learning debriefing techniques, peer support, self care and much more. Certified Traumatic-Stress Instructors will present the training. All participants will receive a certificate of completion in CISM (Critical Incident Stress Management/Critical Incident Stress Debriefing). This training is recommended for teens 16 years of age and above.

Location:
River of Refuge
5155 Raytown Rd.
Kansas City, MO

You can register for all of our upcoming trainings at www.arkintl.net

Scavenger Hunt - Fun! Treasurehunt - Priceless!!!!

Have you ever been on a scavenger hunt?

For those of you who might need a refresher on how the game is played, let me give you a quick overview. Several people gather together, compile a list of items to be found and then disperse in teams to find these items. Whichever team comes back with the most items found, that team receives a prize.

I remember doing scavenger hunts pretty often as a kid. I used to be very competitive and loved to race around neighborhoods and get the items faster than the others. I’m always up for a good challenge.

Now, I go on Treasure hunts. A little different but exciting, rewarding and even more challenging than the old fashioned Scavenger Hunt.

If you were in and out of the hospital for over a year with the same contagious disease and people would not come to visit you for fear they would get what you have, how would you feel? Lonely, broken- hearted or maybe completely unloved?

What if your husband got laid off work 2 weeks ago, you had 4 kids to feed, and you just didn’t know what to do? You are praying for a sign that all would be ok, but feel like those prayers are falling on deaf ears.

Part of what Ken and I like to do is take people out on these Treasurehunts. Most people can hear God's voice but don't recognize it. Treasurehunting helps us to realize how easy it is to tune into God's station! Now, I’d like to share these true stories with you and explain what a Treasurehunt is.

Several of us get together; we listen to a few worship songs so that we can enter into the Presence of the Lord.

We listen intently for God to whisper in His still small voice the clues as to where we are to go and clues on who we are to pray for, such as color of shirt or pants, or name, or room number if in a hospital. We further ask the Lord to reveal His heart for these people so we know what to pray when we find them. After we listen to God, we then go around the room to share with each other what we heard, type a list of the different clues and then head out to the location specified.

Now, God doesn’t always reveal the “place specifically” and sometimes it’s necessary to use some of the clues to get us there. Once we get to the place we think we are going, the clues become clear to us and confirm we are in the right place.

Next, we start roaming around looking for the clues. In the first example I shared about the person that had a contagious disease, this is what we heard. Room 417, Bed 1, Olathe Medical Center, broken heart. We also heard the Scripture verse John 17:21 which says, they’ll know I sent you. John is the 4th gospel, 17th chapter to coincide with the room 417 we were going to. My husband and I went into the room and sure enough in Bed 1, there lay a little old lady.

We asked if we could come in and pray for her and she said yes. She told us she had a contagious disease so we needed to put the protective gloves on.

I felt the Lord nudge me to hold her hand so I asked if I could and she said yes, seemingly shocked. I began to pray. I asked the Lord to answer the cry of her heart and to honor her hearts desires. I asked God to bring her healing and to show her how much her Heavenly Father loved her and that she was His treasure today.

When we got done praying, she said “I know the Lord sent you to me. Just five minutes before you walked in, I was praying and asking God to either heal me or take me home to heaven because I’m lonely and I have a broken heart… and in walks my brother and sister in Christ to pray for me.

I went back to visit her a few days later to find out that she was released from the hospital and was completely healed. How cool is our God that He would send 2 strangers into her room not only to heal her heart from the loneliness she felt but to heal her of the very disease that brought her there.

Now let me share about the 2nd person, I mentioned earlier.

This time we went to St Joseph Medical Mall, the area where the offices are located and the cafeteria. We had many confirmations we were in the right place and we prayed for many “treasures” that were on our list. However, we were still looking for someone with orange pants on. How many people do you know who where orange pants?? But then we found them. A nurse with orange scrubs on came from around the corner.

We approached the lady and said that we were on a Treasure hunt for the Lord and we felt that He pointed you out today. I asked her if her husband was laid off 2 weeks ago and if they had 4 kids? She said yes, a little baffled. I was hoping she wouldn’t think we were stalking her??

I asked her if she would read this page we typed up because we felt the Lord had given us a whole page for her specifically. As she was reading it, she began to cry. She looked at us and asked us “How do you know so much about me and my life”? I said to her, because God knows every intricate detail about you. He loves you, cares for you and He wants you to know that your prayers have been heard and are being answered. She was completely amazed and overwhelmed by the love of Jesus being shown to her through people she didn’t know.

I don’t know about you, but if I was in a place of hurt or fear or whatever and God sent complete strangers to pray for me and they just happen to know exactly what to pray and say, that would be truly undeniably mind-boggling!!!! To know that the creator of the universe, the God of the heavens and earth would care enough to make me His Treasure for that day is not only shocking but proves to me He exists and that He cares about little ole me.

God loves each and every one of us. He knows every aspect of our lives. He keeps a bottle with every tear we cry. He smiles when we smile. He created us to be in relationship with Him. He doesn’t just want us to go to church but to know Him as a friend, a good friend. He loves us that much!

So, if you could choose between a Scavenger Hunt and enjoy fun for the moment or a Treasure Hunt that could make a difference in someone’s life for eternity, what would you choose? I think you know what I choose!!

Treasure hunts – Priceless!!

Yesterday we took a couple out on a Treasurehunt and we had a blast. The husband said he had never prayed for a total stranger before but yet he was the first to jump out of the car to flag down a UPS driver that fit some of the clues we had! God is so good and He wants us to fellowship with Him. He's not just a serious God - He loves to play with His kids! I will share more of these stories another time.

Peru update - we still have NO logistics for our upcoming trip (no house/dog sitter, provision, etc) - but we have been getting quite a few confirmations from the Lord about what we will do on the trip. Yesterday we had a great Skype call with an American seminary leader in Peru and he is willing to help us while we are there any way he can. Praise God for connections!

Ken and I have people tell us that they don't hear God's voice or that the only way they do is through the Word of God (which is very good). God has given us a passion to teach and activate people on how to hear God's voice. We do outings often and are speaking in front of small groups and churches. If you are interested in having us help you, please send us an email.

Please let us know how we can pray for you!

God Bless YOU -
Ken & Michele Cole
http://wantinsight.blogspot.com
michele@wantinsight.com, ken@wantinsight.com

Donate to The Want InSight - Phil 4:19 Fund!

This is how you can give to support the ministry God has entrusted us with, 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 our 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


UPCOMING EVENTS

5/5 Ken and I will be ordained into full time ministry!

****** 5/10 & 5/15 Joni Ames will be here to minister - if you are interested in attending, please email me.

Joni is also available other days or evenings to minister to your church or home group. She will be in town from 5/5-5/15 but her schedule is filling up. Please email me if you are interested in hosting an event and I will let you know what's available.

ARK INTERNATIONAL - Equipping us to be ready for disaster response is having training! Please visit their website and sign up.
PREP 2 and CISM
Registration Now Open
The ARK Team is pleased to offer 2 new training opportunities.

PREP 2 April 13 - 14, 2012 - Fee $45.00
Friday 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Saturday 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Location:
The Daniel Academy
310 West 106th Street
Kansas City, Missouri 64114

ARK's Second Preparedness course (PREP 2) builds on the concepts and principles introduced in PREP 1.
The goal of PREP 2 is to help develop a sustainable, long-term strategy.

In the long-term strategy, the focus begins to shift toward being a resource to others when the infrastructures are damaged or unavailable for an extended period of time (weeks or months). This will include Building Spiritual Resilience as well as developing the strategies for the 8 essentials outlined in PREP 1. PREP 2 will involve demonstrations and hands-on skill development. An extended resource guide will accompany this training.


Critical Incident Stress Management Training (CISM)
April 19 - 21 Fee- $75.00
Thursday 6:00-9:00 PM
Friday 6:00-9:00 PM
Saturday 9:00 AM - 5:00PM

Please join us in this vital, internationally recognized training for volunteers who are called to help people in times of crisis and/or called to the mission field. This training will equip participants to deal with the mental, emotional and spiritual issues most people encounter in times of disaster, including trauma, learning debriefing techniques, peer support, self care and much more. Certified Traumatic-Stress Instructors will present the training. All participants will receive a certificate of completion in CISM (Critical Incident Stress Management/Critical Incident Stress Debriefing). This training is recommended for teens 16 years of age and above.

Location:
River of Refuge
5155 Raytown Rd.
Kansas City, MO

You can register for all of our upcoming trainings at www.arkintl.net

7 Principles For Everyday Living As A Believer!

Wow! Bob Sorge was here last week with a word out of the book of Habukkuk. Though it could of been received as a hard word from the Lord, it was a timely word for all who came. As I was praying and asking the Lord what to blog on this week, I felt He said to pass along the 7 principles Bob shared with us and also share how each of those spoke to us. Maybe something will speak to you as well about everyday living as a believer!

Principles

#1 -"Sometimes God uses evil power to chasten His people".

Ouch! I know that a lot of believers don't believe that God would use evil but when Bob said this, it resonated in my spirit. I have heard for sometime now that there are some serious things that are coming to America. We are going to experience some very serious hard times. Many are being called to prepare in different ways and many are ignoring the warning signs. I pray for all that you will have ears to hear His voice. America has strayed so far from the Truth and the biblical foundations this country was founded on. (I highly urge you to see the documentary Monumental Movie if you haven't already - google it for locations). God in His mercy is warning us and we possibly can change the course of events but all of us need to do our part. 2 Chronicles 7:14 -if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

The book of Job clearly shows how God orchestrates evil events to shape us: "One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. The LORD said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the LORD, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it. ”Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” “Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.” The LORD said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.”Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD".

#2 - Sometimes God waits (or takes) forever to change everything, suddenly!


If you are in a transitional period of your life - continue to press into God and wait patiently for God to act. This doesn't mean sit idly by doing nothing, but wait with purpose. One day soon, God will act and suddenly everything will change for good! And if you've been a Christian for a while, you know God's timing is PERFECT!

#3 - "Your heart will live in the wait by staying in faith!"

Faith means trust! If we didn't have faith or trust that God would bring us through our circumstances, life would be hopeless and hopelessness makes the heart sick. We have to posture ourselves in faith and complete trust in Jesus Christ! And Bob also said "faith puts life in our spirit". Job talks about this too: "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him". I was at a funeral this past week and was blown away by a comment the father made. He said he had no regrets with his son. The faith they had in God was evident! I want that faith!

#4 - "Faith is honest about the pain but focuses on God's salvation".

Thank goodness we can be real with God about where we are in our circumstances. I can't tell you how many times I've cried to Him in desperation regarding my health. But I know that He is good and He is faithful and that my salvation is secure.

#5 -"God loves you too much to give you the promotion without the pruning (without preparing you)".


This statement hit the mark again. As believers we must pray and put hedges in place to keep us from falling into sin. There are 3 areas that the enemy seems to get in that cause us to fall from grace. The three G's. Girls (or Guys), Glory (take the glory for ourselves) and Gold (greed for money). We must set up hedges in each of these areas and have accountability when we are walking in the call God has on our lives!

#6 - "God uses trouble to lift us to a higher place in Him then if the trouble had never happened". Bob also said that God renews His people through trouble because revival doesn't do it deep enough.

The last few years for me have been the hardest on my physically but they also have been the sweetest years as the Lord has given me time with Him that I would never have scheduled or done on my own. My health challenges have really been a blessing in disguise. (Did I really say that?)

#7- "In the midst of corporate discipline, God has an agenda for your life personally".

Hard times are coming! Do you know what God's call is for your life? Whatever you do and you are passionate about, do it! (as long as it lines up with God's Word). God has uniquely designed you for this season in time. You are here for a reason! Psalm 37:4 tells us that as you delight in the Lord, He puts desires in your heart....those desires are in line with His will and call for your life. We each need to do our part and God will do the rest!

Ken and I hope that at least one of these principles spoke to you in some way or another. We pray that God is drawing you into a deeper and more intimate relationship with Him. We also pray that you have ears to hear His voice in a way you've never heard before.

Ken and I have people tell us that they don't hear God's voice or that the only way they do is through the Word of God (which is very good). God has given us a passion to teach and activate people on how to hear God's voice. We do outings often and are speaking in front of small groups and churches. If you are interested in having us help you, please send us an email.

Please let us know how we can pray for you!

God Bless YOU -
Ken & Michele Cole
http://wantinsight.blogspot.com
michele@wantinsight.com, ken@wantinsight.com

Donate to The Want InSight - Phil 4:19 Fund!

This is how you can give to support the ministry God has entrusted us with, 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 our 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


UPCOMING EVENTS

5/5 Ken and I will be ordained into full time ministry!

****** 5/10 & 5/15 Joni Ames will be here to minister - if you are interested in attending, please email me.

Joni is also available other days or evenings to minister to your church or home group. She will be in town from 5/5-5/15 but her schedule is filling up. Please email me if you are interested in hosting an event and I will let you know what's available.

ARK INTERNATIONAL - Equipping us to be ready for disaster response is having training! Please visit their website and sign up.
PREP 2 and CISM
Registration Now Open
The ARK Team is pleased to offer 2 new training opportunities.

PREP 2 April 13 - 14, 2012 - Fee $45.00
Friday 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Saturday 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Location:
The Daniel Academy
310 West 106th Street
Kansas City, Missouri 64114

ARK's Second Preparedness course (PREP 2) builds on the concepts and principles introduced in PREP 1.
The goal of PREP 2 is to help develop a sustainable, long-term strategy.

In the long-term strategy, the focus begins to shift toward being a resource to others when the infrastructures are damaged or unavailable for an extended period of time (weeks or months). This will include Building Spiritual Resilience as well as developing the strategies for the 8 essentials outlined in PREP 1. PREP 2 will involve demonstrations and hands-on skill development. An extended resource guide will accompany this training.


Critical Incident Stress Management Training (CISM)
April 19 - 21 Fee- $75.00
Thursday 6:00-9:00 PM
Friday 6:00-9:00 PM
Saturday 9:00 AM - 5:00PM

Please join us in this vital, internationally recognized training for volunteers who are called to help people in times of crisis and/or called to the mission field. This training will equip participants to deal with the mental, emotional and spiritual issues most people encounter in times of disaster, including trauma, learning debriefing techniques, peer support, self care and much more. Certified Traumatic-Stress Instructors will present the training. All participants will receive a certificate of completion in CISM (Critical Incident Stress Management/Critical Incident Stress Debriefing). This training is recommended for teens 16 years of age and above.

Location:
River of Refuge
5155 Raytown Rd.
Kansas City, MO

You can register for all of our upcoming trainings at www.arkintl.net