From The Preacher's Pen

Dear friends and supporters of our Ministry,

I (Paul) have been meaning to get this out since the first hip operation happened last December, but being a constant invalid has slowed me down some.  I want to let you know that we have great plans for the rodeo season of 2007, and there are only a few obstacles in the way of great results.
 
Rodeo Bible Camps will begin on 28 May, and we intend to minister at 8 or possibly 9  of them although the schedules overlap closely.  We will be in Colorado, Kansas and Missouri and expect to be involved in joint efforts to reach about 1200 of these kids with the Gospel.  Many of these students come back year after year because they say this is the ONLY spiritual event they ever get, no church, no camp, no preaching, no nothing due to the chronic failing of the American family unit.  We feel compelled to involve ourselves.
 
Professional Rodeo will demand the majority of our time, as it has for 30 years.  We will be in 12 different states for about 30 events.  Most comforting was a call from a long-standing Rodeo Committee that was changing the direction and purpose of their Rodeo, but wanted to be sure "preacher Paul" would be there.  This is an outstanding Rodeo we have attended for 29 years, and have built lots of valued relationships with these fine people.  It costs nearly 800 dollars to go and return, but one year we had 80 people accept Christ.  That penciled out to $10.00 per soul, a VERY good investment.  This is also the most considerate group of people we deal with, many of them not even vaguely aware of the urgency of the message we preach, but very precious to us.  Again, we are compelled by grace to reach them by every possible means.
 

www.uscavalry.org

http://royalrangers.ag.org

Ever Been Bitter?

By: Elisabeth Elliott

Sometimes I've said, "O Lord, you wouldn't do this to me, would you? How could you, Lord?" I can recall such times later on and realize that my perspective was skewed. One Scripture passage which helps me rectify it is Isaiah 45:9-11 (NEB): "Will the pot contend with the potter, or the earthenware with the hand that shapes it? Will the clay ask the potter what he is making?... Thus says the Lord, would you dare question me concerning my children, or instruct me in my handiwork? I alone, I made the earth and created man upon it." He knows exactly what He is doing. I am clay.

The word humble comes from the root word humus, earth, clay. Let me remember that when I question God's dealings. I don't understand Him, but then I'm not asked to understand, only to trust. Bitterness dissolves when I remember the kind of love with which He has loved me--He gave Himself for me. He gave Himself for me. He gave Himself for me. Whatever He is doing now, therefore, is not cause for bitterness. It has to be designed for good, because He loved me and gave Himself for me.

Is it a sin to ask God why?

It is always best to go first for our answers to Jesus Himself. He cried out on the cross, "My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?" It was a human cry, a cry of desperation, springing from His heart's agony at the prospect of being put into the hands of wicked men and actually becoming sin for you and me. We can never suffer anything like that, yet we do at times feel forsaken and cry, Why, Lord?

The psalmist asked why. Job, a blameless man, suffering horrible torments on an ash heap, asked why. It does not seem to me to be sinful to ask the question. What is sinful is resentment against God and His dealings with us. When we begin to doubt His love and imagine that He is cheating us of something we have a right to, we are guilty as Adam and Eve were guilty. They took the snake at his word rather than God. The same snake comes to us repeatedly with the same suggestions: Does God love you? Does He really want the best for you? Is His word trustworthy? Isn't He cheating you? Forget His promises. You'd be better off if you do it your way.

I have often asked why. Many things have happened which I didn't plan on and which human rationality could not explain. In the darkness of my perplexity and sorrow I have heard Him say quietly, Trust Me. He knew that my question was not the challenge of unbelief or resentment. I have never doubted that He loves me, but I have sometimes felt like St. Teresa of Avila who, when she was dumped out of a carriage into a ditch, said, "If this is the way You treat your friends, no wonder You have so few!" Job was not, it seems to me, a very patient man. But he never gave up his conviction that he was in God's hands. God was big enough to take whatever Job dished out (see Job 16 for a sample). Do not be afraid to tell Him exactly how you feel (He's already read your thoughts anyway). Don't tell the whole world. God can take it--others can't. Then listen for His answer. Six scriptural answers to the question WHY come from: 1 Peter 4:12-13; Romans 5:3-4; 2 Corinthians 12:9; John 14:31; Romans 8:17; Colossians 1:24. There is mystery, but it is not all mystery. Here are clear reasons.

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Created To Worship

There's a popular song on Christian radio these days that boldly proclaims that everyone is made to worship. And it's true. Everyone, every man, woman and child who ever was and ever will be born, is a worshiper. But who or what is the object of their worship? That's another matter.

In the past some people worshiped the sun and the stars (some still do). Others looked past the actual objects and envisioned a "god" who controlled them and worshiped him. In today's "enlightened" era, most of us don't worship something from nature. Instead, we focus our worship into other channels like money or celebrities or our jobs. But all of these miss the point.

What Does God Say?

Take a moment to read Romans 1:16-25 and consider the following questions:

• Who and what about God is revealed by nature?
• What does the Bible do that nature cannot do?
• Why is it wrong to "mis-focus" our worship?

My Thoughts

It is human instinct to want to worship something. But if we don't have the Spirit of God living inside us and working in us to draw us to the Father, we'll end up worshiping things that aren't worthy of our adoration.

My Part

While singing may be the first thing you think of when you hear the word "worship," there are many ways we can worship God. We worship Him by spending time in the Word and praying. We worship God by acting in a Christ-like manner around our friends. We worship by giving money to Him. As you think about this, ask God to reveal more ways in which you can worship Him. Then pick one to focus on this week.