136.

Dear everyone I know,

Greetings in the name of Christ Jesus.  Thank you for allowing me to be part of your life.  Thank you for supporting me with your words in my walk with God.  I thank God for giving me the priveledge of knowing you.

When I meditate on the word GUIDANCE, I keep seeing "dance" at the end of the word.  I remember reading that doing God's will is a lot like dancing.  When two people try to lead, nothing feels right.  The movement doesn't flow with the music, and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky.

When one person realizes and lets the other lead, both bodies begin to flow with the music.  One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back or by pressing lightly in one direction or another.  It's as if two become one body, moving beautifully.  The dance takes surrender, willingness, and attentiveness from one person and gentle guidance and skill from the other.  My eyes drew back to the word GUIDANCE.  When I saw "G", I thought of God, following by "u" and "i".  "God "u" and "i" dance."  As I lowered my head, I became willing to trust that I would get guidance about my life.  Once again, I became willing to let God lead.

My prayer for you today is that God's blessings and mercies be upon you and your family on this day and everyday.  May you abide in Him as He abides in you.  Dance together with God, trusting Him to lead and to guide you through each season of your life.  This prayer is powerful and there is nothing attached.

If God has done anything for you in your life, please share this message with someone else, for prayer is one of the best gifts we can receive.  There is no cost but a lot of rewards; so let's continue to pray for one another.

I HOPE YOU DANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

God bless you and your family.

 Your brother in Christ,

Bob

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137.

Dear everyone I know,

Greetings in the name of Christ Jesus.  I have a dream.  I have a dream that homeless people will be respected as much as our neighbors, business leaders, government leaders, clergy, and family members.  I have a dream.  I have a dream that people throughout the world will desire to make sure the homeless are provided food, drink, shelter, clothing, legal respect, medical help.  I have a dream.  I have a dream that the prejudices people have about homeless being derelicts, outcasts, and 3rd class people that don't need to be seen will become history.  I have a dream.  I have a dream that the United States will see that the homeless attain the same rights the gay have, the same rights the black have, the same rights women have, the same rights that any minority group in America has.  I have a dream.  I have a dream that the homeless are accepted as an important and integral part of every city.  I have a dream.  I have a dream that our society shows the world that Americans in the US take care of their homeless.  I have a dream.  I will expand the dream with better words as you share your percpective of these words.

Your brother in Christ,

Bob

 

 

138.

Hey Alisa,

Greetings in the name of Christ Jesus.  Thank you for thinking of me and the Waikiki Beach Outreach Ministry.  Thank you for your words of support.  Thank you for showing me another option for a vision of the future for WBOM.  Thank you for your willingness to sponsor the organization.  I especially thank God for giving me an opportunity to serve Him.  Praise the Lord.

I always try to put scriptures into the context at that time, and how it could be interpreted in the spirit, as God shows me.  That is the reason that I share some letters, especially to Laura, to others that I think might get the picture.  Since I spend so much time on my responses to her and they are generally dealing with others who are in my life at that time, I think the Word of God, as she inspires me to look at are worth sharing with others.  She has already given her blessings.  If they are not appropriate to you, then just ignore.  If you do not desire to see how I respond to her or others about the Word of God, I will not copy you.  Just let me know if you want me to stop.

Scriptures tell me to take in the Word of God, then share it with others.  As I do this, those words will become part of me.  Since I really desire to serve God, I hope to continue do what I believe He is showing me what to do.  I may be fooling myself, but, I have a peace I have never known before.  I no longer have a battle in my head.  I feel a joy for not having this battle, that I feel I must share that joy with others.  My choice is always to follow Him, but, I may make wrong choices because I am in the flesh.  But, I know God knows where my heart is.

I also may jump to conclusions not knowing all of the facts.  As a manager in my professional job, many times I had to make choices with limited information.  I very seldom have had all of the facts before I have ever made any decision.  I will live with the consequences with all of those decisions, and with decisions I make in the future.  For most of my adult life, I have avoided holding grudges, being mad, allowing conflict, etc., but, I have left many situations when I was not feeling love, joy, or peace.  I expect I will continue to do that until God shows me another way.  Many people have hurt me in the past and I have always forgiven them.  Many of them now perceive me as one of their best friends, today.  All of my wives have hurt me, but all know I love them still.  I even invited my last wife back into my life several months ago if she would give up everything and come to me with 2 suit cases.  She couldn't do that, but, she still says she loves me, she loves stuff more.  That is okay by me, I will still love her.

Today has been another joyfull day.  I have had a new volunteer for several weeks that has been reliable and regular.  He is 20, homeless right now, and named after Moses' brother.  Interesting assignment.  We cooked chili and rice for 102 people today.  What a blessing to serve Jesus 102 times.  Praise the Lord.  Randy and I are working on developing the legal ministry.  I see an interesting future in helping many see the truth, especially those who are citing the homeless for natural functions.  It is 5:30 AM now and I would like to get some sleep, but, I also desire to share in Bible study with some pastors this morning at 7 AM in Smorgy's.  I still don't know how I am going to handle that yet.  Maybe I will go to sleep instead. 

I have been having a great time sharing time with my son.  He is hoping he can stay here for many more months.  He is having trouble with his marriage.  He finds a lot of peace being in Hawaii and spending time with me.  I hope he will be able to make it work, but his wife thinks it is his responsibility to make her happy.  Not worth discussing here.

I am blessed to be steward of WBOM and the Lord is speaking to me with love through those I serve.  I am blessed, in some way that I don't really know why, to have met you.  God bless you and Acachia.

With all my love in Christ,

Bob

 

139.

Dear Laura (and whoever else might read this),

Greetings in the name of Christ Jesus.  Praise His precious name.  Praise the Lord.  Praise the power of the Holy Spirit.  I thank God for that spirit that indwells within Laura Christine Baker.  I thank God for giving me the privilege to be a small part of your life, Laura.  Thank you for responding to me.

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil."(KJV) "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his great  power.  Put on the full armor of God so that you can fight against the devil's evil tricks." (NCV) "A final word:  Be strong with the Lord's mighty power.  Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and ticks of the Devil." (NLT)  (Ephesians 6:10-11).  While we may be firmly grounded in sound doctrine and accept our responsibility to live a godly life, we must be aware of the fierce, invisible warfare Satan wages against us.  Many of our struggles with addiction and this flesh could be the result of direct attacks by spiritual enemies.  Since we continue to struggle with a dependency that once rendered us powerless, we need to admit our inability to manage our life.  Then as we turn our life and will over to God, He will stand with us in the battle.   To fight effectively in their spiritual battle, the Ephesians must know Christ, obey his standards, and be prepared to fight.  Our actions working together have shown we are prepared.  Each Christian has a responsibility to love, honor, and respect.  If faithful to these duties, we Christians will find ourselves united against the spiritual power of evil.  I must ask myself, in what ways am I honoring homeless, poor, children, volunteers, friends, leaders of the community, and others who affect my life?  Such as you, Laura?  Can you notice if I am adequately sharing the honor, respect, and love I think I feel for you?

As I am led into this book and read the other chapters to put it all into perspective, as another Christian lady, Alisa, suggests, I recognize Paul labored to bring unity between Gentiles and Jews.  He urgently defended the need for a unified and God-honoring lifestyle.  Attitudes of humility, gentleness, and patience should characterize Christians.  We are told to accept each other in love.  Let's take inventory of our hearts.  Am I living in the overflow of God's love?  How well do I love the people in my life?  Does the way I treat people reflect the way God has treated me?  Paul encouraged us to display unity in the body of Christ and accept one another in love.  If I am not doing that, I need to check my attitudes.  My spiritual gifts and talents should help bring the body of Christ together.   I think the Waikiki Beach Outreach Ministry is doing that for me.  Your gift of "Tongues of Fire" poetry is touching my life and others.   But, mostly, your example of the Spirit of the Lord working in your life has and is touching my life.  Thank you, Laura, for bringing the body of Christ together.

As you have shared scripture about the truth in Zachariah, I am reminded that hope for the future can provide great encouragement for the present.  The promise of deliverance makes it possible to be renewed and to continue in the process of recovery.  This book is a fascinating study of how God, through his prophets, led his hurting people from hopelessness (and essential homelessness), to commitment, through self-examination and transformation to a deepening spiritual perception.  It is an account of rebuilding and recovery as in my life.  Zachariah also predicted the coming of the Messiah over 500 years before Christ; amazing.  The interesting part of the scripture you quoted 8:16 relates to the new corporate director and manager of legal affairs of the Waikiki Beach Outreach Ministry (that you have not yet met, Randolph Amen, attorney at law).  In other words (NLT)"But this is what you must do:  Tell the truth to each other.  Render verdicts i your courts that are  just and that lead to peace.  Do not make evil plats to harm each other. And stop this habit of swearing to things that are false. I hate all these things, says the LORD."Putting it all together, the most important way to identify true commitment to God is to see how it affects our daily life. What are we doing for God? God promised wonderful blessings when the Jews completed rebuilding his Temple. Their action in rebuilding god' house would prove their commitment to his revealed will. Recovery cannot stop with self-examination; taking moral inventory must lead to appropriate action. Obeying God proves that we trust his program to the point of shaping our life around it. This is the kind of faith we need for genuine spirituality and successful recovery. Praise the Lord. The words God has told you to share with me are touching my heart.  I cannot see anything else that I could do to satisfy God's will for me at this time except what I am led to do for the Waikiki Beach Outreach Ministry.  Thank you for sharing those words, Laura.

As it is written in chapter 7, (NLT)"This is what the LORD Almighty says: Judge fairly and honestly, and show mercy and kindness to one another. Do not oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, and the POOR people.  And do not make evil plans to harm each other."For recovering exiles, the test of their faith was simple: love for others, especially the helpless.  The final step and ultimate proof of our recovery is our desire to help others who are suffering under the burden of their dependency.  As we reach out to them to offer them the second chance that we have already received, we will discover the joy of loving others, and our own recovery will be strengthened as a result.  Praise the Lord.

In chapter 13, "And on that day, says the LORD Almighty, I will rid of every trace of idol worship throughout the land, so that even the names of the idols will be forgotten. I will remove from the land all false prophets and the unclean spirits that inspire them."  Part of God's program for Israel's recovery included getting rid of the idols and false prophets. The people; had learned to depend upon teachings and objects that had no power to deliver.  God would remove those sources of false hope so the people could learn to depend on him alone.  We are often guilty of bowing to idols or following false prophets.  Our dependency itself is an idol, since we use it to deal with pain that only God can heal.  The false prophets of recovery fads and New Age spirituality can also lead us away from true dependence on God. Recovery depends upon our removing idols and false prophets from our life.  God is the only one able to fulfill his promises of deliverance.  Praise the Lord.

In chapter 14,"And the LORD will be king over all the earth.  On that day there will be one LORD - his name alone will be worshiped."  At last Zechariah reached the goal of his prophecy, and of all history, the messianic kingdom.  The Messiah will be king over all the earth.  All of the earth's inhabitants will know, worship, and serve him.  When the whole world runs according to God's program, life for everyone will be characterized by peace and joy.  Part of the recovery process requires that we live according t o God's will - today.  We don't have to wait until the end of the world to put him in charge of our life.  When God occupies place of absolute authority, radical changes will take place.  Our life will take on new beauty and peace as we become part of God's program of cosmic restoration.  Just like it has happened to me in the Waikiki Beach Outreach Ministry.  Praise the Lord. 

As Jesus was telling his disciples about being like a vine, He said,"I have told you this so that you will be filed with my joy.  Yes, your joy will overflow!"(NLT) or "I have told you these things so that you can have the same joy I have and so that your joy will be the fullest possible joy." (NCV).  All this seems pretty clear to us as we follow his command, especially to love others as we would want them to love us.

John chapter 14 tells about how Jesus knew that the disciples were troubled at the thought of his departure. He reassured them by teaching about the Holy Spirit, who would help them.  Death did not need to be a terror to the disciples because Jesus was preparing a place for them.  What do we do with our worries?  Take our anxieties to the cross, literally.  Next time we worried about our health or housing or finances or flights, we need to take a mental trip up the hill.  Spend a few moments looking again at the pieces of passion of Christ at the cross.  As we encounter any problem, we need to ask God to help us see all of them in light of eternity.  Thank Him that he's looking out for us.  Praise the Lord.

Love and God bless you, Sister, and your family,

Bob

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140.

Dear Laura (and others who might see this),

Greetings in the name of Christ Jesus.  Thank you for responding so quickly.  Thank you for sharing God's Words that He has instructed you to share.  I thank God for allowing you to communicate so effectively to me using His Words.  Praise the Lord.

There is going to come a time of testing at the judgment day to see what kind of work each builder has done.  Everyone's work will be put through the fire to see whether or not it keeps its value.  Amen.  Many of us struggle with denial because the truth is so painful.  We avoid the truth about our sins so we won't have to make difficult changes in our life.  But no matter how much we hide our mistakes, in time they will come back to haunt us.  Allowing our dependency to continue unchecked will lead to painful consequences.   Here we are reminded that those consequences continue into eternity.  A day of reckoning will come!  Have we put our life in God's hands?  I think you and I have.  Praise the Lord.  As we turn our life over to Him, He will help us build on a solid foundation, Jesus Christ.  When the day of reckoning arrives, we will still be standing.  Amen.  I pray the Waikiki Beach Outreach Ministry will continue to stand without my stewardship.

The kingdom of God is not fancy talk; it is living by God's power.  Amen.  As Jesus preached while on this earth, "Repent, the kingdom of heaven is at hand."  As we recognize that is only God that is allowing us to breath, communicate, and do everything we so, can we recognize His mighty power.  The Waikiki Beach Outreach Ministry is only happening because of God's power.  As we show His power by what we do to help the least of our brothers and sisters, then we don't need fancy talk.  Praise the Lord.

As Paul was saying to the church in Corinth, that he thought that God has put us, followers of the Word of God (apostles, prophets, evangelist, pastors and teachers) on display like prisoners of war at the end of a victor's parade, condemned to die.  We have become a spectacle to the entire world - to people and angles alike.  Amen.  How easy it is to become puffed up about our success and forget that pride leads to a fall.  The Corinthian believers were very self-sufficient, looking down on Paul and his ministry among them.  Their prideful attitudes led them away from Paul's teachings about Christ, a dangerous thing for anyone living in a diverse religious environment like theirs.  It is just as dangerous for us to become proud about our success.  We forget that it was God's power that delivered us and that we continue to need his help.  If we allow pride to get a foothold in our life, we will discover that self-sufficiency leads to relapse into the natural world of thinking, not spiritual.

As Jesus was sending out His 12 apostles, He gave them some wisdom that we need to hear."Don't be afraid of those who threaten you.  For the time is coming when ever thing will be revealed; all that is secret will be made public.  What I tell you now in the darkness, shout abroad when daybreak comes.  What I whisper in your ears, shout from the housetops for all to hear!"Amen.  Praise the Lord.  Those of us living for God and pursuing recovery may feel like sheep in the presence of wolves.  But when wisdom and honesty define our behavior and relationships, we can face the inevitable misunderstandings and persecutions.  Jesus suffered much at the hands of godless men, and those who are committed to Him often receive similar treatment.  If we persevere in following God's will for us, we will receive a great reward in heaven.  Praise the Lord.

The people of Micah's day were not much different from people today.  Many of them lived self-centered lives driven by reed and false pride.  They spent their nights plotting against the helpless and their days taking advantage of the weak.  Their spiritual lives were hypocritical, and they used religion for their personal gain.  They lied to make themselves look good and deceived others to cover their corruption.  The kingdoms of Israel and Judah had wandered far from God's  plan for them, and they would soon suffer the painful consequences.  Micah wrote this book about 700 years before Christ was born.  He was a prophet who warns of the terrible judgment which awaits all who ignore God.  Be prepared is his message.  He said,"Don't trust anyone - not even your best friend or even your wife!"  Sometimes our enemies could be right in our own household.  When people live for personal gain and turn away from God, the results are always disastrous.  Following God's program leads to a society of peace and prosperity.  Following personal gratification leads to a world where business becomes unproductive and competition becomes cruel.  The leaders of the government and businesses become corrupt and no one can be trusted - even members of one's own family!  Instead of following our selfish inclinations, we must choose to obey God's will for our life; it will lead to peace.  As I have shared with you, I have never experienced such love, joy and peace in my life as I attempt to follow His will, giving food, drink, clothes, prayer, and Bibles to my brothers and sisters in the Waikiki Beach Outreach Ministry.  This peace is worth more than anything the world could give me, anything.  Praise the Lord for showing me this.   

Peter (and other apostles) did day we will suffer for being a follower of Christ.  He said,"Dear friends, don't be surprised at the fire trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you.  Instead, be very glad - because these trials will make you partners with Christ in his suffering, and afterward you will have the wonderful joy of sharing his glory when it is displayed to all the world.  Be happy if you are insulted for being a Christian, for then the glorious Spirit of God will come upon you."  Amen.  We should not only expect to experience trials, but we should also rejoice in them.  Through our difficult circumstances we receive opportunities to share in Christ's sufferings as well as in his glory.  This theme offers great hope for those of us in recovery, because it affirms that our suffering has a purpose.  Through it, God will draw us close and transform us into the person he intended us to be.  Praise the Lord.  We all have such a glorious future to expect.

Amen, amen, amen.  Thank you again for sharing God's mighty Words.  I pray they might have an impact on someone else who might be reading this letter.  God bless you and your family.

Your brother in Christ who always loves you,

Bob

Mon, 18 Oct 2004 01:33:46 -0700 (PDT)

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141.  maybe I will go further in the past if anyone so desires in the future.

 

 

 

 

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