Much of the journey of the life of faith is learning to be utterly dependent on an utterly dependable God. We are living daily dependent on God with our fight against cancer and are confident that he will heal us whenever and however He chooses. It is amazing to see how over and over God’s people are at an apparent dead-end and God makes a way for His people and for His glory. In many of these instances God uses His people to be the very answer to the prayers of the people praying. Clearly the gift of Moses to deliver his people is a reminder of “delayed but not denied.” The 40 years Moses was learning to walk with God in the desert of his life, he was being prepared to be God’s agent to set his people free. This culminated in Moses risking his life before Pharaoh to demand the release of the Hebrews. For decades the people prayed and now their prayers were being answered because one man who encountered God in a burning bush heard and obeyed the voice of God. I am certain that we all have said if God would speak to me in a burning bush I would certainly hear Him and obey Him. The reality is that He speaks to us every time we open His Word, the Bible. The question is do we listen and obey.
My heart is burdened greatly during this Christ exalting season of giving thanks and celebrating the birth of our Savior. Every day during these next two months, our staff will encounter 1000s of people in our cities that are praying to be delivered from their current state of despair. In this season of great disparity, our ministry attempts to meet needs of our communities. We host a wonderful outreach on Christmas Day at 2:00 in Turner Courts gym (refer to hisbridgebuilders.org for directions). Years ago after opening our presents in our home with my family and parents, we decided to take some bags of fruit and candy to BonTon to celebrate Christmas. I will never forget the sight as we went from house to house – no Christmas tree, few if any toys, and an empty refrigerator. It was no different from any other day. Last year on Christmas day the community residents stood in line around the gym waiting to be served. Each year we order an 18-wheeler from Feed the Children with 800 boxes of food and household supplies. We give each child one toy, give away clothing (both new and used) and feed the community Christmas dinner. The cost for the single day is about $15,000. I am hopeful that we will receive this necessary funding so that we can answer the prayers of the residents of the inner city on Christmas day .
We are thankful that 112 people have said “yes” to BridgeBuilders’ 300. We are prayerful that God will lead some of you this Christmas to become a BridgeBuilders 300 by giving $100 monthly to the ministry and praying for my healing. If you desire to participate, please contact Mary Anderwald at 214-377-1551 or manderwald@hisbb.org.
Today we celebrated the Habitat home dedications of Clifton Reese and Carla Robinson in Bonton. We are grateful that a man who once slept in a car and sold drugs is now reconciled to God and to his wife, was trained as an optical lab technician in the BridgeBuilders clinic and is working in the lab and is now a first-time homeowner. His heart is to let his house be a lighthouse for Christ for the neighborhood children as he has four children of his own. We celebrate also with Carla who said she never dreamed she would have a house of her own. She too works in the clinic. At the dedication she said that her home is the “house that love built.” I know for Clifton and Carla, their dream may have been delayed but through Christ, the church, and HIS BridgeBuilders, their dreams were not denied.
In over 2000 scriptures in God’s Word, He tells us to go and to give in His name to the least and the lost. I pray the delay in the answer is not because we are not listening or obeying to the still small voice of God. God is speaking. I pray we are listening. The poor of this nation and the earth are crying out. Let’s not delay any longer. We love you and long to walk with you to reach the lost and the least. Please consider helping us this Christmas to continue to share His love and light through your giving, serving, and praying.
Prayerfully the delay will be over soon for many who are crying out to God.
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