November 10 2017 – Click here to listen
I look forward to the next few weeks with great anticipation. I’m leaving for a deep-sea fishing trip today for a few of days of fun in the Florida Keys and when I return I’m going whitetail deer hunting through early December. I’ll celebrate Thanksgiving with most of my family during this same time period and stuff with turkey.
I used to feel guilty about such excursions, feeling that I should be working. I learned that more can be accomplished by taking some time off occasionally. And “taking time off” has never really applied to me anyway, because I’m always, (24/7) thinking about doing the work of the Lord.
Riding far out into the ocean on a boat allows one to think of the things of God and actually brings me closer to Him. The same is true for sitting on a deer stand for many hours awaiting a trophy buck’s appearance. My prayers are always more intense during these times and as the glory of God reveals itself in beautiful sunrises and sunsets and wonderfully created wildlife, one thing sure, whether I’m in a boat on the ocean, or in the forest, God will be beautifully on my mind. It is at these times that I seem to listen to God more intently and glean a greater understanding of His perfect plan for the remainder of my life.
When I retired from my business career after 40 some odd years and entered the ministry I was concerned that I was making the right choice. I’d been a donor, but my “doer” activity had been limited to speaking appearances and writing my autobiography, Miracle on Luckie Street and Words for the Day. I’d never really been involved with the inner workings of a ministry, but felt my business experience would carry the day.
I especially felt that my entrepreneurial success in founding numerous companies would enable me to quickly establish the Jesus alliance and have it up and running in no time. Boy was I wrong. Technically it is not that different to establish a ministry versus a business; however, running one presented problems that I’d never encountered in my business career.
As with any endeavor, money is necessary to keep it going; it is the lifeblood of any organization. Admittedly I have struggled with raising enough money to operate the Jesus Alliance efficiently. In business money is seldom a problem, provided one has a great product, outstanding customer service, fair prices and can manage efficiently.
At the Jesus Alliance our product is Jesus and there is nothing that can rival it. The same is true for serving the needs of the people; Jesus exemplifies serving. And the price? Well His gift of salvation to anyone who wants it is free – Can’t beat that. As for operating efficiently, aside from normal start-up snafus, such as making a few early judgment errors in choosing staff, it has run smoothly.
I had a huge network of wealthy friends that I personally knew and naively thought that they, and other Christian folks, would cheerfully open their wallets out of sheer gratitude and appreciation of the Lord to donate a small portion of what the Lord had blessed them with. But, alas, except for a few isolated cases, just the opposite happened.
Admittedly I was appalled to see that the anti-Christ demons didn’t have any problems with raising billions of dollars to do their evil work, but ministries including the Jesus Alliance had to struggle mightily financially. I still wonder about this. How can these godless people readily give their hard-earned money towards their evil and God-fearing Christians refuse to give to the things of Christ?
The second surprise was spiritual warfare. I had no idea that it was so intense. Satan and his horde of fallen angels do not want ministries to succeed and they go after those who lead them with a rage. I have been attacked since the first day that I founded the Jesus Alliance. My family, my health, my wealth, and my character have all been viciously attacked at one time or another.
At times I have been greatly discouraged and downright depressed, but I kept focused on Jesus and kept slugging away. Today we are making significant progress with the Jesus Alliance. We are still underfinanced and spiritual warfare is just as intense, but I have changed.
In business I wanted to conquer the world and I wanted to do it NOW. I was hard hitting, intense, and a “take no prisoners” kind of CEO. Believe me it took some work on God’s part to get it through my thick head that this would be more difficult than anything I’d ever encountered. It was not an overnight “instant gratification” endeavor, and that I should just settle in for the long haul involving many years of hard work.
Unbelievably I am far more patient now and take temporary setbacks and disappoints like water rolling off a duck’s back. I sometimes even laugh when adversity and setbacks rear their ugly heads again for the umpteenth time. I have decided that it will take considerable time to achieve our goals, but I’m confident that the Jesus Alliance will go the distance and people all over the world will be reached for Christ and many wrongs will be righted. The Lord will prevail. And the tremendous progress we have made with the meager resources we have been given bears this out.
So, as I head to the ocean and the woods, I don’t feel guilty. I will not impede progress; in fact, I’ll continue to plan, listen to God, and make progress whether I’m sitting behind a desk or on a boat or a deer stand. For sure I will not quit and one thing the Lord can count on in me is that I will be there fighting “until the last dog dies.” And judging from what I’ve seen so far, that is what it will take – a raging hold no punches vicious dog fight . . .
Gal. 6:9
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
Have a great weekend and go to church this Sunday!