I need your help!

As most of you know, I work for the ministry of Heaven's Family, and I love my job. I direct the Orphan's Tear division and also the North Korean Christians Fund. 

Last year, $320,000 passed through Orphan's Tear to help over 1,000 orphans who live in 54 orphanages in 9 countries. We've also been working towards helping all of our orphanages become self-sufficient in various ways, including helping them start income-generating businesses such as pig or chicken farms.

Since the inception of the North Korean Christians Fund, Heaven's Family has provided over $86,000 to assist our persecuted and often starving brothers and sister inside North Korea. We've helped smuggle Bibles to them as well as tons of food. We've also paid for the expenses of helping nine North Korean Christians escape from North Korea whose lives were in danger there.

Probably one of the biggest reasons I'm so proud of working at Heaven's Family is because 100% of every contribution to our various focused funds is used for each fund's specified need. Not a penny is used for administration. If someone sends $20 to meet a need through one of our focused funds, $20 is sent overseas to the need. Thus Heaven's Family pays my salary, and all administrative costs of the ministry, from the general fund. In addition, many of Heaven's Family's employees are completely or partially self-supported by friends and family members who contribute to their personal support funds.

I've said all of that to ask a question. Would you consider supporting me as I serve at Heaven's Family? My desire is to see the ministry of Heaven's Family expand and grow. I'd love to help make that happen by developing my own personal support team, thus reducing what is needed to pay me from the general fund.

Of course, I have nothing to gain by receiving my salary from my own support fund rather than the general fund. I just know that if less from the general fund is needed for my salary, more money is freed up from the general fund, which will ultimately make Heaven's Family even more fruitful.

If you'd like to join my personal support team, that would be great. You can do so by navigating to my personal page at Heaven's Family's website. The exact URL is: https://www.heavensfamily.org/elisabethservant . Everything is self-explanatory there.

Thanks for your prayerful consideration! If you'd like to learn more about all that I do at Heaven's Family, feel free to comment on this post, email, facebook, or call me!

God bless you!

Elisabeth

Even the Irish Need a Savior

Jody and I went witnessing at the St. Patrick's Day parade in downtown Pittsburgh. Here is what Jody wrote about it! 

Even the Irish Need a Savior

Dear Friends,

There are things that happen that I want to tell you about, but when I wait a whole month to send out updates, my old age sets in and I end up forgetting half the stuff I wanted to mention (it seems as though I am experiencing old age sooner than most). So, I've just decided to send out updates as they happen.

This past weekend, Elisabeth and I had the privilege of handing out gospel tracts at the St. Patrick's Day Parade in downtown Pittsburgh. Thousands upon thousands of people converged to see the parade; many of whom had already been there for hours, drinking and partying their brains out. (Who wouldn't want to get drunk in celebration of St. Patrick bringing the gospel to Ireland, anyway?)

There were four of us in our team. We prayed, made sure we each had plenty of tracts, and hit the streets.

Jen, our team leader, had the brilliant idea of getting there before the parade and walking down the parade route handing out tracts (since everyone would already be lined up waiting for the parade).

The tracts that we handed out were printed on trillion dollar bills. The crowds thought that they were a political statement about the country's financial deficit and so most everyone was eager to receive one. By the time we left, Elisabeth and I guesstimated that we had handed out between 1,500–2,000 tracts and the rest of our team probably handed out several thousand more.

We thank the Lord for giving us the opportunity of putting yet another call to repentance in thousands of peoples' hands whom we otherwise never would've come in contact with.

Nick

I want to tell you briefly about a young man named Nick who had received a tract. Several minutes after receiving the tract, he approached me, informing me that he had read it.

"I read what you gave me...and...do I really have to repent of my sins to get into Heaven?"

I was a little taken back by his frankness but hopeful about the opportunity.

"That's correct." I responded.

He replied, "Going to church every weekend isn't enough, is it?"

He went on to express his need and desire for Christ but his unwillingness to turn from his sin.

"I know what I need to do...but I just can't do it...not today."

One of his buddies cut in and started mocking me about all the Jesus stuff. Nick told him to shut up and his friend responded quite soberly, "I will never claim to be a Christian until I am ready to live it out."

Sure, I appreciated his honesty, but he can acknowledge his sinfulness till he turns blue in the face and it won't do him a lick of good when he is standing before a righteous and just God without an Intercessor on his behalf. What grieves my heart the most is that I saw the sincerity in Nick's eyes when we talked about his need for Christ. I've been agonizing in prayer over Nick.

The Lie

Nick has bought into the same lie that millions of people around the world have bought into: that God's forgiveness and grace will always be at their disposal.

Ah, it's ok if I sin today, I can always run back to God tomorrow.

Only one problem: tomorrow is not guaranteed for any of us.

Mark Cahill (a well-known evangelist) says, "There is one thing you can't do in Heaven: you can't witness to a lost person."

Sometimes we get so caught up in the constant drag of our day-to-day routines that we forget that the majority of the people around us are in rebellion with God and are on a straight course to hell. (Even some of the sweet old ladies at the grocery store!)

A Few More Words

In closing, I just want to leave us all with two reminders:

1.) There is a fairly good chance that wherever your busyness takes you today, you will most likely come in contact with at least one person who doesn't have a true relationship with the Lord. There may even be someone like Nick who faithfully attends your church but is living a life of sinful rebellion. Do them a huge favor and point them in the right direction (even if they're Irish).

2.) Don't put off what you need to do today until tomorrow. I once read somewhere that delayed obedience is still disobedience. If you're like me, you naturally tend to take the path of least resistance, pushing off the hard things for at least a decade. Don't do that. It only ends in painful regret. Remember, tomorrow is not a guarantee.

Revealed in Scripture

This is what I got from reading the word of God a few days ago. I hope it encourages and challenges you!

Matt 3:1 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, ² and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” ³ For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying:

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
Make His paths straight.’”^[a]

⁴ Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. ⁵ Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him ⁶ and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.

Okay stop now at verse five. Take note, these people were coming to get baptized and they were confessing their sins while they were getting baptized. Okay continue... 

⁷ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

Hold up now! That wasn't a very nice thing to say to some people who want to get baptized!

⁸ Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, 

Now it makes a little more sense to me. Obviously the Pharisees and Sadducees were just coming to just get baptized, but they weren't feeling the need to repent. They were just going through the motions, without having their heart changed! Why wouldn't they feel the need to repent?

⁹ and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.

I guess they were thinking that since they were children of Abraham that they were fine with God. They were "saved". Every time I see something in the Bible about the Pharisees and Sadducees, I think about religious people today. What if the verse said something like this:

and do not think to say to yourselves, "We have been saved and grew up in the church, we were once on fire for God.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up "Christians" from these stone". 

In other words, God doesn't need you. He doesn't want people who are just going to have the appearance of being "good". He wants people whose hearts, minds, and souls are completely His. God calls for complete abandonment.

¹⁰ And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 

If we don't bear fruit, we are good for nothing. If our words don't have action, they mean nothing. We can say we love God, but unless our actions show it, we will be thrown into the fire.

¹¹ I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.^[b]

So often, I realize that I don't have a clue of how Holy God is. Have you ever gone into a museum and touched something and then got yelled at for it? Jody just got too close to an artifact at an art museum and got a tap on the shoulder for it. Those people are pretty much saying "Wo! Don't you realize how much this artifact is worth? There is no way you'd be able to pay for it if you ruined it. You aren't worthy enough to touch it"

Do you realize we aren't worthy enough carry God's sandals for him? That is how Holy He is. We are nothing. We can't do anything for God. We can't even approach God. He let's us approach Him, but we are never worthy enough to. 

I take that for granted all the time. Just like a painting I have at my own house. I can touch it, move it, even brake it if I want. I don't value it like I do a painting at the museum. I most of the time do the same with God. I don't value Him as if He was Holy and Sacred. I think of that I can just approach Him anytime I please to, just like a painting at my house. If I don't want to talk to Him or am too busy to, I don't have to.

¹² His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

He is coming. Even though the wheat the chaff come from the same plant, they are two different things. One is useful, the other is worthless and will be burned. Even though there are a lot of people who call themselves Christians, only the ones who show fruit of repentance. 

Read verse 11 again. John baptized into repentance. But you also need baptized by Jesus. He is the only one who can give you the Holy Spirit and passion to bear fruit. 

Paul and Barnabas are no excuse!

Acts 15:36-41 Then after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us now go back and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they are doing.”  Now Barnabas was determined to take with them John called Mark. But Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work. Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus; but Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of God. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

Have you ever heard anyone say “Well, we considered our issue with so and so (a believer in Christ) to be like a Paul and Barnabas situation, this we have separated ways.” I have heard it several times.

Christians seem to likes this passage of scripture because it gives them an “out” for working things through with their brothers and sisters in Christ.

I want you to take a look at the text though. In no way does the Bible ever condone this. Honestly, I would say that both Paul and Barnabas were in the wrong here. You are supposed to work it out if you are believers. Nowhere else in the Bible can you find a verse that says you don’t have to work your disagreements through with your brothers and sisters in Christ. In fact, it says just the opposite!

Matt 18:15-17 “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector. 

Luke 17: 3 Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.

Matt 5:23-24 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

Eph 4:1-3 1 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Psalms 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is. For brethren to dwell together in unity!

Romans 12:10-11 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;

1 Thes 4:9 But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;

1 Peter 3:8 Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous;

1 John 2:9
 He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now.

1 John 3:10-11 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another,

1 John 4:21
 And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.

Romans 12:16
 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.

2 Corinthians 13:11 Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.

Philippians 2:2
 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

The Bible stresses being like-minded and in unity with your brothers and sisters in Christ. Don’t use Paul and Barnabas as your escape goat!

Romans 12:18
 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.

Only apart of my heart

I went to YWAM service a couple weeks ago. The guest speaker talked about giving your whole heart to Christ. To not leave a single area in your life that is not given to Christ. He requires and demands our whole live. God showed me many areas in my life that I have kept as "my time". I can't do that though. He has to have all of my time. There is no "me" time.

The speaker equated giving only part of your heart to Christ as him telling his wife that he loved her a whole lot but there was another girl that he kind of liked and would only spend just a week with her every year. His wife would say "No way! It is me or the highway!". It is the same with God. He desires our whole heart, our whole life. It is degrading to not give Him all of it. He is God, He deserves it!

We can trust Him with all of our heart. He desires good for us, not evil. Live for Him 24/7. Don't hold back anything.

Out of the Darkness!

Dear blog readers,

Jody wrote a really good newsletter this month and I want to share it with you. I like bragging about my guy. 

-Elisabeth

I'd like for you to take a moment and consider a strange phenomenon with me. Is there a closet near to you that is dark inside? What happens whenever you open it? Does the darkness inside the closet flood out and make the rest of the room dark? Though that would be a sweet trick, it doesn't work like that, does it? Instead, the light of the room overwhelms and penetrates the darkness that was inside the closet. "Darkness" does not exist. As the young scientist reminds us, "Darkness is a term used by man to describe what happens when there is no light present." This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. -- 1 John 1:5-7 Knowing that we have this Light inside of us...this Light that equates life and illuminates the entire universe...this Light that eradicates all darkness...how should we be living? The Word of God says, You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden...Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. -- Matthew 5:14-16 We are called to shine. Bright. To glorify our Father who is in heaven. Darkness is not something we need to fear if we are walking in the Light. Much of this world is walking in darkness. If we don't allow our lights to shine, why should we expect those in darkness to see the light? Shine!

You don't have to care, and neither do I!

I don't have to care what people think about me. I don't have to go buy new clothes. I don't have to go to college and get a money making job. I don't have to buy a big house. I don't have to worry about my future. My confidence doesn't have to be in anything other than Christ. 

Isn't it funny how we work so hard to please the 15 some people who are around us? We make our decisions based on their opinions. They affect our appearance, our careers, our possessions, the movies we watch, the music we listen to, and how we spend out time. We value their opinions more than God's opinion!

We can have a relationship with God. Did you just read that? Read it again. We can have a relationship with GOD. The one who has all power over not just our own lives, but over the lives of everyone around us, and over not only our own world, but over the whole universe! He is! We can talk to Him. We can know His opinion. We can please Him! 

He is amazing. Not only does He make a way for us to be saved from ultimate destruction, but He gives us a new heart with new desires to help us. He changes us so that our desires are His desires. We don't have to worry about pleasing anyone anymore. Instead of having to worry about pleasing our friends, we find joy and fulfillment in pleasing Him. He makes it so easy!

Oh, such freedom! Anytime I start worrying about what people think about me, I just have to remind myself I don't have to please anyone but Jesus.

Matt 11:28-30 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”