Tag: suffering

Foundation for Ministry? Isaiah 33:6

So what is it? God delivered me off my death bed 45 years ago as a young man! I did not deserve it but He did it! A miracle and my first at the hands of Jesus! After this event I was actively involved in ministry through my local church! I went into prisons! I went down to the skid rows down on Larimer street in Denver Colorado! I went down to the drunks in alleys sleeping and awakening them and telling them Jesus loves you! I held Gospel meetings in the alleys of slum area’s of Denver! Saturday morning I was there among them preaching the Gospel! I was faithful for 10 years in these kind of ministries! I spent time in half-way houses holding prayer meetings! Then visions came to me in the middle of the night! Visions of going to the foreign mission field! I went to my local Pastor and explained these visions to him but he felt I should spend 4 years in Bible school. However the window was open now but for how long? I went back to other churches we had attended over the years in Denver but they all had excuses why they could not help us! Then my wife in Denver heard over the Christian radio station that the pastor of the world’s largest church was coming to Denver for crusades! My wife asked me if we should go see him? I was skeptical? If these Pastor’s here in Denver don’t want us even though we supported them for years who are we to this guy? I told Hamsa we are going to put our house up for sale this week and I am resigning my job! We are selling everything we have except two traveling bags each and buying a one way ticket to India! Sponsor or no sponsor we are going! She told me before you take this big step of faith why not take a small step of faith and go to this crusade! So we took our two little daughters who were 3 and 5 years old and went down to the crusade! It seemed uneventful? We left out to the parking lot after it was over with hundreds of cars leaving the parking lot! We went to our car and then it seemed out of nowhere Pastor Cho surrounded by elder’s was heading to his limo! My wife told me to stay with the children and I will talk to him! She shouted through the ring of elder’s and told Pastor Cho we are going to India as missionaries would you pray for us! He told my wife to bring your husband and we will pray! He took our hands and began to prayer for about 30 seconds. Then he told us we would come to Korea to be commissioned by our church for a 3 year work in India! The rest is history! So what is the bed rock foundation for ministry? I learned later that Cho as a young man was dying of TB! The hospital sent him home to die! He lived in a slum of Seoul. He was coughing up cups of blood! This little teenage girl would come by his cot in the cold winter everyday and pray for him! He would insult her and call her a Christian dog and would spit on her! She kept coming back each day for prayer! As she prayed he began to get better! A miracle walked into his life by the name of Jesus! Cho began a tent ministry in the slum of Seoul that eventually became the world’s largest church with over one million members! Suffering is the foundation for ministry! We do not look for it but God will bring it according to His will and purpose of your life! Pastor Cho looked for 60 years to find this teenage girl but never could find her? She is probably wearing a crown right now! She led Cho to Christ! Never discount who you have led to Christ! Suffering has purpose! Easter is about God suffering for you! Compassion means to suffer with! Are you willing to suffer with and for others? This is the Spirit of Easter! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com

Prosperity and Suffering

For in prosperity a man is often puffed up with pride, whereas tribulations chasten and humble him through suffering and sorrow. In the midst of prosperity the mind is elated, and in prosperity a man forgets himself; in hardship he is forced to reflect on himself, even though he is unwilling. In prosperity a man often destroys the good he has done; amidst difficulties he often repairs what he long since did in the way of wickedness.  King Alfred (849-899 A.D.)  Comment: When I suffer I remember the Cross and what He has done for me and through me! My suffering will never save anyone but it is still the best medicine you can take for the soul. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com

Baddest Man on Planet Earth!

Iron Mike Tyson was the youngest boxer to win WBC, WBA,IBF World Heavyweight titles and hold these rankings simultaneously! He was born in Brooklyn New York in 1966. He fought 58 fights in his career winning 50 of those contests! 44 of those 50 wins were by knock out (KO). He is ranked No. 16 by Ring Magazine List of one hundred greatest punchers of all time! Mike also had a troubled life with prison time for rape and bit off part of an opponents ear during a fight! He was interviewed a few years ago and asked what was the key to your victories in the ring? Was it your months and years of preparation by punishing your body into shape? Was it discipline of spending hours in the gym everyday? He replied that the real key was when I stepped into the ring I had to be better than who I was! What was Mike Saying? Yes, adversity is the key to becoming better than who you are! The Bible says that Jesus learned obedience through the things that He suffered? How can God learn anything? It is so funny when I see immigrant families come here to American and get good jobs and then buy their kids everything they want and even borrow money to spoil their children and for what? To keep them from the very thing that will develop their character which is adversity! As we approach Palm Sunday, Good Friday and then Easter let us be reminded that suffering is never wasted if we commit it to God and His Christ! Thankyou. James Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com