Going the Second Mile for Street Children

In the 1970s and 80s our joint ministries of Christian Growth Ministries and Action International Ministries were troubled and faced with a sad reality: "How do we properly follow up with hundreds of older street children who were coming to faith through our evangelistic camps?"

It was hard to keep in touch with the children when they returned to the streets of Manila.

Local churches were of little help for many had no concern for older children. The older boys and girls from the streets were rough and dirty, they would be a drain on church finances to help them, and it would take quality time needed for the children of the church.

At one of our ministry leadership meetings, it was even suggested that we stop all camps as so many were coming to faith and we could not care for them all.

Aris (the leader of children’s outreach), however, spoke up. He said, “ If we stop the gospel for street children because so many are coming to Christ and we cannot care for them all, we are just like those who promote the evils of abortion, killing babies because there are too many already.”

Needless to say, we continued to pray for and looked for ways to do appropriate follow up for these street children.

One day in my office I was praying with Jimmy Yee, one of our leading workers with children and follow up. As we prayed he suddenly said, “Lord, help us to go the second mile with these older children who come to faith at our camps.”

I asked Jimmy what he meant by “second mile?”

He answered that as we go the first mile and tell the older boys the gospel of Christ and some come to faith, we then need to go the second mile with discipleship and to train them in a vocation so they have no need to beg, steal or eat out of a garbage can.

That was the beginning of our “Second Mile Discipleship and Vocational Training.”

We trusted the Lord for land and built a two-story home, vocational building, and a school beginning with a one-year program with 15 older boys.

The mornings were filled with the Word of God, discipleship, reading, math, living as a family, teaching manners and assigning household chores. The afternoon consisted of training in carpentry, welding, computer repair, and auto mechanics.

It was a wonderful, blessed ministry over the years with all the boys obtaining work after a year with some even starting their own businesses hiring others. One graduate became a contractor and built buildings for some of our other ministries.

The Word of God says, “For who has despised the day of small things? But these seven will be glad when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel— these are the eyes of the LORD which range to and fro throughout the earth” (Zechariah 4:10).

May our wonderful Lord be praised.

Why Argue with a Fool?

It is not advisable to try to argue sensibly with evil government officials!

They are slaves to their evil policies and will never agree to common sense and truth.
So what do we as Christians do?

In compassion, we simply share the gospel and the truth of God’s Word anyway!

Share the Word about the value of the unborn. Challenge officials to promote adoption (life), instead of abortion (death).

Share the truth of the necessity of national borders and legal immigration (of those who need help), instead of open borders, which result in unlawful activities which are harming many through child trafficking and drugs.

Share the biblical ethics of purity instead of government-sponsored sexual deviancy which is polluting the nation with homosexuality, transgenderism and prostitution.
The world will not listen, but pray the Lord will honor His Word as you share it and bring some to repentance and faith.

“The gospel is the power of God's to salvation.” So let’s live it and share it.

The Lord says, “Come unto Me,” and He also says, “Go Ye!”

Are Christians to Honor and Respect Our Governments …especially when they are so CORRUPT and EVIL?

The Word of God speaks of the wicked, “The wicked strut about on every side when vileness is exalted among the sons of mankind” (Psalm 12:8) and “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, they have committed detestable acts; there is no one who does good. The Lord has looked down from heaven upon the sons of mankind to see if there are any who understand, who seek God. They have all turned aside, together they are corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one” (Psalm 14:1-3).

We are to share the gospel of repentance and faith personally, by email, by letters, but how are we to pray for officials when they are so wicked, so deceitful, so sexually perverse?

Do we pray for God’s mercy on officials who do not obey the laws of the nation? Officials who have opened the borders for illegal immigrants resulting in the loss of 300,000 children mainly to child trafficking, and the 100,000 dying yearly from smuggled drugs, or do we pray for God’s judgement on such evil?

How do we pray for a government which uses its citizens’ tax funds to support an organization which kills more blacks in two weeks than others killed in a century? Do we pray for their repentance or for God to judge such evil?

How do the Christians of the United Kingdom pray for its evil government who punish its own people who criticize the government’s special treatment of immigrant Muslims (who want to take over the country), rather than caring for UK citizens who built the country? UK jails are full of simple people, young and old, who have questioned such wickedness. The elderly especially will suffer this winter from fuel shortages because funds are going to illegal Muslims, climate change, and the proxy war of Ukraine.

It is interesting that the definition of such actions by a government is treason; it does not obey its own laws and does not care for its own people!

So, how do we as Christians pray for our nations which may be under God’s judgement for abortion, child trafficking, sexual deviancy, lawlessness, etc.

Perhaps our prayer should simply be, “Lord as you judge our nation by giving us such wicked, perverse, and evil officials, in Your wrath, please remember mercy!”

The Pastoral Ministry by John Richard

 The text of the booklet here ...

“Manners - The Kindness of Christ in Action”

Parents, do you teach manners to your children? They can learn by observing your manners. Manners help you and your children to make friends with others and open the door for you to share the Gospel!

You will notice throughout Scripture the teaching of kindness. In Titus 3 Paul speaks of the kindness of God and then challenges Christians to display this kindness by being “careful to engage in good deeds” (Titus 3:8). Good deeds you perform show your manners, and manners display the kindness of Christ!

“Do nothing from selfishness or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:3-4).

As you teach manners to children at home, or during a Sunday school class, or in a school classroom, you can use the sections of the body such as the following:

Head: – Think, “What should I do in this situation to help others?”

Eyes: – Look at people when they talk to you.

– Look at people when you talk to them.

– Look around to see what needs to be done.

Ears: – Listen when people talk to you. Learn to listen to the needs of others.

Mouth: – Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. (Ephesians 4:29).

– Speak kindly to others, say “Hello”, “Thank you,” “Please,” “How may I help you?” “Excuse me.” “I’m sorry, forgive me (if the situation deems such).”

– Try to use people’s names when you are talking to them.

– Don’t talk on your phone at meal times. In fact, never let anyone bring a phone to meal time. PARENTS, you will need to insist on this!

– Smile at others.

– Come to the defense of others when they are made fun of.

– If you are shy and do not speak to others, you come across as rude and selfish,

putting the emphasis is on yourself.

– Teach your children to speak respectfully to adults by looking at them in the eyes. Don’t let your children respond affirmatively with “yeah”, instead use “Yes, sir” or “Yes. ma’am.”

Hands: – Open the door for others.

– Shake hands firmly and warmly.

– Help people with their coats.

– Take older people by the arm to help them across the street or up the stairs (However, make sure they want to go up the stairs or across the street!).

– Teach your children to help clean up (if appropriate) after visiting and eating as guests in another home. Also assign them chores in your own home.

Feet: – Don’t sit when you should stand.

– Men, immediately stand to give women and others your seat.

– Men, always try to sit on the outside so you can easily get up to help others.

Body: – Show respect for others by the way you dress, especially at special occasions such weddings, funerals, recitals, church, (and when you take your wife out for a special occasion).

– Always dress to show respect.

– “Modesty” – Fathers and Mothers, teach your girls modesty! One of the reasons some Christian men do not like to attend weddings is because of the immodesty of the bride, bridesmaids, and many women in attendance.

– Westerners are known for sloppy dress overseas, so if you travel, dress neatly. Especially do not be an embarrassment to those you visit in other countries and as a representative of Christ.

As followers of Christ, let’s live for Him in kindness and teach our children to do so also, which will give them and us opportunities to share the Gospel of repentance and faith!

--prepared by Doug Nichols

The Lord Was Good and Did Good

God never stops doing good for his people.

GEORGE MÜLLER was a leader in the Plymouth Brethren movement, a faith mission advocate, and the founder and director of orphanages during the 1800s in Britain. He was known for his faith and prayer life. Never directly appealing for funds, Müller relied only on prayer for the support of his orphanages and his mission work. He never drew a salary, always trusting that God would meet his needs. His faith was rewarded—God always met the needs of his orphanages and mission organizations.

Müller experienced a severe test of his faith when on February 6, 1870, his beloved wife, Mary, died of rheumatic fever. She had not been well for three years, and the rheumatic fever overcame her in her weakened state. After six days of terrible suffering, she died.

Müller wrote in his diary that day: “39 years and 4 months ago, the Lord gave me my most valuable, lovely and holy wife. Her value to me, and the blessing God made her to me, is beyond description. This blessing was continued to me till this day, when this afternoon, about four o’clock, the Lord took her to Himself.”

February 11 he wrote: “To-day the earthly remains of my precious wife were laid in the grave. Many thousands of persons showed the deepest sympathy. About 1,400 of the orphans who were able to walk followed in the procession. . . . I myself, sustained by the Lord to the utmost, performed the service at the chapel, in the cemetery, etc.”

He chose Psalm 119:68 as the text of the funeral sermon: “You are good, and do good.” His message had three points: (1) The Lord was good, and did good, in giving her to me. (2) The Lord was good, and did good, in so long leaving her to me. (3) The Lord was good, and did good, in taking her from me.

In discussing his third point he told how he had prayed for her during her illness: “Yes, my Father, the times of my darling wife are in Thy hands. Thou wilt do the very best thing for her and for me, whether life or death. If it may be, raise up yet again my precious wife—Thou art able to do it, though she is so ill; but howsoever Thou dealest with me, only help me to continue to be perfectly satisfied with Thy holy will.”

Müller felt that God had answered his prayer, both in how he dealt with Mary and how he dealt with his own heart:

Everyday I see more and more how great [is] her loss to the orphans. Yet, without an effort, my inmost soul habitually joys in the joy of that loved departed one. Her happiness gives joy to me. My dear daughter and I would not have her back, were it possible to produce it by the turn of the hand. God Himself has done it; we are satisfied with Him.

As a husband, I feel more and more every day that I am without this pleasant, useful, loving companion. As the Director of the Orphan Houses, I miss her in numberless ways and shall miss her yet more and more. But as a child of God, and as the servant of the Lord Jesus, I bow, I am satisfied with the will of my Heavenly Father, I seek by perfect submission to His holy will to glorify Him, I kiss continually the hand that has thus afflicted me; but I also say, I shall meet her again, to spend a happy eternity with her.

A close friend reported that after the funeral Müller sat at the vestry table, buried his face in his hands, and did not speak or move for two hours. But in his loneliness and grief he could still say to the Lord, “You are good and do good.”

Source: One-Year Book of Christian History Devotional, pages 74-75

How Is Your Thankfulness Today (as well as yesterday)?

Have you ever wondered why you receive no thanks when you give or do some for someone?

Well what about us? Are we personally, especially as Christians, a thankful people?

- Have we thanked our wonderful gracious God today for His salvation and tender mercies to us such sinful people?

- As we worship on Sundays, do we lift our hearts to our Heavenly Father in praise and thankfulness to Him?

- Did you thank your pastor last Sunday for his message?

 
- Have we thanked the deacons, teachers, elders, ushers, greeters, music leaders, kitchen crew, and others at your church for their excellent service? How about taking a gift card to each from time to time! (However this does not always work as I gave a gift card to one and he said rudely, “What is this for, and besides, I could not read your note as your writing is terrible!”

 
Well, let’s be thankful anyway!

- When you are invited to special occasions and meals, be sure to thank all involved.

- Have you taught your children to be thankful, including how to write thank you notes to their friends, teachers, for gifts and kindness given to them?

- Have you, yourself, learned to be thankful to others? To those at the bank, post office, store, leaving a good tip at restaurants?

 
- Whether we have little or much, we can be a kind and thankful people to the glory of God!