Run for your life

This is War

What's the difference?

Last night I had the opportunity to have dinner with Rev. Dr. Suresh Vemulapalli. Rev. Suresh runs India Village Ministries. The ministry does church planting in India, they train up God's messengers with the India Village Bible College, and also run a Childrens Home. It was a great time of fellowship and learning about Christianity in a country that's mainly Hindu (90%) along with a significant Muslim minority and only traces of Christianity. Many villagers live in deep poverty with an income of less than one US dollar per day. As I sat across from this very humble quiet man, I asked about the difference between how Christianity was there compaired to here I don't mind telling you the answer was what I expected. There their faith in Jesus Christ comes first in their lives. They have a total dependency on God and worship Him constantly. Their faith is what they survive on. All their trust is in Christ and they don't mind telling you that. They live for Him because He's all they have.

When he told me that all I could think about was how Christianity is here. There it's all about Jesus, here it's all about us. We don't like a church because the preacher runs a little long and you know how we get when we don't beat the crowd to the restaurant. We're too concerned about things that don't matter instead of worshipping and praising a just and righteous God that saved us from our sins so that we will spend eternity with Him. Oh, don't get me wrong we can put on a good show but when it comes right down to it if you had to give up your new iphone or your bible would you even have to think about it? We get caught up in what pleases us instead of what pleases God. We must always remember it's about God and not us. We too should live for Him, because He's all we have also. We just tend to forget that.

Coffee House Fridays

If your in the Haywood County area and are interested in a night of praise in music and the word we have something exciting that’s about to start. At the Open Door in Waynesville we are planning on doing a Coffee House Friday every Friday starting on the 10th. Local bands will provide the music with a different band each Friday and of course the word will be brought as well. More information is on the way, we’re really excited about it. If you’d like to help out just drop me a line at russ@hellfireministries.org and we’ll put you on the list. It’s all for the praise and glory of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Join us in spreading the gospel to a lost and dying world!

Need a ministry site?

One thing that I've come to be aware of are people who are out to make a buck off those in the ministry, not to mention those in the ministry lookin to make a buck off you. My brother John Galloway has had a vision in his heart to help those in the ministry who would like a presence on the web but don't have the funds to make it happen. Check out http://inthestreet.orgMy brother John is offering free sites to ministries that are looking to get on the web but can't afford it. It's all for the glory of Christ and to spread the gospel to as many people as we can. I must mention it's for ministries only and not for churches. John has something coming soon for you. It's real simple, cost you nothing and in no time your on the web. Stop by and check it out. There's no gimmicks or anything to get ya in the door then hit ya with an "upgrade" it's all top notch right out of the shoot. Check it out. http://inthestreet.org

Whan an awesome weekend!

This past weekend was a blessing all the way around as I look and see God at work. I actually saw people from our church pull together and work at our church this past weekend to give the church a one day "makeover". Landscaping, painting the inside of the sunday school classes and halls and no one even argued over the color.:) It was a great time in fellowship and work for God's house.

Next, a friend of mine has been seperated from his wife for a while and we were talking about that and how he was praying that God would heal their relationship and that they could come back together as one and grow in Christ. As I'm sitting with my family in church on Sunday morning I hear a "Praise God" come from a few rows back and I know my friend is there.:) As we stand to greet people I turn around and guess who's with him. His wife and children. Praise God!

As if the weekend couldn't get any better my brother John, Bart, Richard, his wife Barbara and myself were at the Open Door to supply the food, music and preach. It was a great time of fellowship and time in the Lord. The weekend couldn't have ended any better. The Lord chose that night to save a soul. Praise God! The Kingdoms a little fuller now, and another person will be with Jesus when he takes his last breath. He now has eternal life with Christ instead of death, Heaven instead of hell.

What an awesome weekend for the Lord. I praise Him for my friends in the ministry that I'm lucky enough to serve with and thank Him for the opportunity to serve Him. I thank Him for saving a sorry sinner like myself and using me to spread His gospel. What an honor and priviledge it is to serve our Lord. Thank you God!

Once like them

As Christians there’s one thing that we must remember, we use to be lost also. We use to be lost in our sin still living our lives for us at emnity with God, some professing christians still do that. Paul writes to Titus and tells him in chapter 3 “Remind them..” Remind them that they too use to be that way! As we look at someone lost in their sin we should not condemn them but reach out to them. After all, someone reached out to you and showed you the love of Christ and gave you the gospel. What makes us think we shouldn’t do the same as well? Nothing will knock you off your “I’m a Christian and your not” horse quicker than remembering that you too once lived that way. Tell them of the only person that can save them from the bondage their in, tell them of the one that gave His life so that they might have eternal life and tell them that without Christ they will die in their sin and suffer the wrath of God and spend eternity in hell. Tell them out of love for them about our Savior who can give them hope not hoplessness, life not death, love not hatred. Tell them because you too were once like them.