He told them another parable, “The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches”. Matthew 13:31-32
This was the verse the Lord has put in our heart when the WEC Team was preparing to hand over Community Health & Education project (CHE) comprising of an informal primary school as well as a local church started by WEC Cambodia in 2001 & 2004 respectively. The school and church were scheduled to be handed over to the Cambodian leadership by July 2008. At that point, we had been praying and asking the Lord how we can help the school and church to become self-sustaining when WEC team phases out from this village. Over the years, the school has benefitted many children who did not have the privilege to receive education due to poverty.
In October 2007, the thought of starting an income generating project, producing handmade soaps came about. This was brought up to the church for discussion and prayer. In April 2008, it was decided that this project be undertaken by the church with the church contributing US$500 as a setup capital and the Lord provided another US$2500 through individual giving. We took the pastor together with a youth to learn soap making from another organization. We went through a period of trial and error and finally the project was officially launched in October 2008 and we named it The Mustard Seed Cambodia. This is indeed a faith project. When we started the school project, we only had US$150, from conducting lessons under a mango tree to a rented hut then to a proper school building. We ...
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...rayed for him. Since becoming a believer, he became very hardworking, no longer lazed around, drinking and gambling. Finally in June 2009, he took the step of faith, cut off his long hair and put on trousers. We at the Mustard Seed was overjoyed by his transformation. Today, he is working hard to save money as he desires to have his own family in three years time. Indeed what he is today, is the work of the Holy Spirit.
While we hope to generate income, it is also our desire to see the team grow and mature in their faith. The project was finally handed over to the team in November 2009 under the leadership of a matured Cambodian Christian. We believe they will meet with challenges like the teachers, but we trust that the Lord will continue to guide and lead them to the greater height, seeing the smallest seeds will grow to become a tree to bless their community.
...is seems to line up well with the serenity prayer: “Lord, give me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” Our task as humans is to discern these wills in our lives and separate them. We must not become embittered, but rather empowered, clinging to the knowledge that there is an ever-benevolent God constantly working for our good, and that he always has a plan for us amidst trial presented by life on earth. In order to discern this will though, we have to be on the lookout for it with an awareness of its separateness from our own fears and desires. This discernment is also difficult because of our limited perspectives as humans, and thus we need humility in our search. The most important thing, however, is the search itself: we must all continue to search for the will.
The daily application we can take from this passage of the Bible is the power of Godly wisdom. Without His wisdom, we will make choices that would not fully benefit us. God’s wisdom should be applied to every decision we make in our lives. God desires to be a part of every intricate detail of our lives, because He loves us so much. When we allow Him to be there for us, we will see no sorrow in it. What the Lord gives comes with no sorrow. Queen Esther, Mordecai and the Jews of Susa were made firm believers of this very true virtue as a believer of Jesus Christ. Just the Esther and her people discovered there is nothing impossible for Him to do for us. His wisdom will always prevail if we are willing to apply it to our daily lives. God is here to be our partner. He is our testimony of who we are in Him.
People sometimes ask, “Why should I have to give money to this project? I cannot possibly make that much of a difference.” The founder of the Cooperative Program, or the CP, thought differently. Since Ecclesiastes 4:9 says, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil,” how much more can one hundred people do? How much more can 16 million people do? Well, through the CP, an immense amount of success comes from its rich history, its concise system, and by its evidence of life-changing stories. Most importantly, the success of the CP cultivated a revolution in today’s world.
The Bible shows God constantly pursuing His people and man rejecting him over and over again. This passage displays this ongoing struggle by showing all Jesus did for us and how the people still shunned and rejected him. However, this passage also gives reassurance that it is never too late to repent and accept the Lord. This passage displays some important themes of the Bible: man’s redemption, God’s forgiveness and grace, and the blessing of a relationship with God. This passage is essentially the message of the Bible in one small
“Blessed are the poor in spirit... Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.” (Mt
It was back in the summer of 2004 when all was calm. The trees filled w/ dry green leaves, the grass barely green as patches of yellowness overcame its dried burned look, dandelions arose in monstrous amounts as the white cotton-like blooms of a dandelion flutter in the midst of an arid breeze, and visions of heat waves could clearly be noticed along a paved street on a clear afternoon. Yep, this truly was mid summer. But I do prefer summer over winter any day of the year. Around the hottest time of the year, a.k.a. middle of July, my church travels on a mission trip over to the Appalachia Mountains to help people in poverty rebuild their homes. I, among 14 other youths and leaders enjoy this yearly mission trip. Only to leave one week after my birthday the ASP (Appalachia Service Project) crew fled the town of Glen Ellyn and headed east towards the mountainous Appalachia Mountains. The mission had not only been to help people in distress but to also give an insight on personal faith, life, love, friendship, and a better understanding on why we are really here and why we have chosen to come here, as certain personality traits that we possess are revealed throughout the trip. I do remember last year's trip very clearly, and we've had just a few major dilemmas, but this year just clearly out does last year in every way, shape and form.
Thousands of books and essays about poverty, causes and possible fixes have been written for others to gain an understanding and pocket a little bit of knowledge so this can soon be fixed. There are millions of organizations in today’s world that beg for money, clothes, and food so they can be sent overseas to help a poor child in Uganda or Haiti. Helping nationwide is always a good thing to be a part of; however, there are many things that can be done in each person’s community, which is always a great place to start.
Psalm 113 reads like a 1st century pep talk for those with spiritual burnout. The writer makes his case for the Lord by pointing to the many ways that God earns our praise. These nine verses of scripture are saturated with three specific reasons to praise the Lord – He is Su...
The second stanza starts off saying much the same thing. It expands upon the idea of wanting the Lord to mold his heart an...
"Behold, a sower went forth to sow; 4: And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: 5: Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: 6: And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. 7: And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: 8: But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. 9: Who hath ears to hear, let him hear" (Matt. 13).
3:17) We are taught to help the poor so that they can continue to live
This passage reflects what Christianity care teachings “taught by Jesus” are to good by everyone, which can be observed i...
Clearly, the country of Uganda is growing despite the many challenges it has faced over the years. From being a country of many spiritual trials to becoming a country where many missionary nurses would like to go Uganda has a come a long way. Although the people of Uganda are viewed as poor in the eyes of the world, they are spiritually rich in more ways than anyone can imagine. Now around most of Uganda is Christian and “Christianity is the largest religion.” (“Uganda.” Operation World)
give I to the poor. Then come and follow me." In the light of this,
One can not grow into holiness, but he can only grow in it. Holiness consists of taking out the old and adding the new. “It will take a second work of grace, preceded by a whole-hearted consecration and as definite an act of faith as that which preceded [ones] conversion.”1