Bush Bunny Brenda's Blog

http://orphansunlimited.org/blog/

Earlier I mentioned Orphans Unlimited, Inc. a ministry in northern Mozambique.  I invite you to go to the latest blog entry and rejoice in the miracle of healing and the salvations reported at a church start yesterday.  And, I just love the fact the new congregation met under a mango tree.  God is good!

Orphans Unlimited, Inc.

A mission to widows and orphans in Northern Mozambique, Orphans Unlimited is a wonder to behold.  A ministry that had small beginnings is now a large, well-oiled work that feeds and clothes orphans in a proven model.  http://www.orphansunlimited.org/   The website and blog for the ministry is teeming with information.  Our daughter Sara served at the mission for three months in 2008 and I was a visitor there at the end of her stay.  I have served on the board of OU since that time.

Local Ministries Serving in Jesus Name

Serving others is something Jesus did with humility.  It is something he told his disciples to do as well. (e.g. John 13:1-20).  Serving locally in our community is a place to start.  A couple of local ministries in communities I am familiar with are the SonShine Center in Madisonville, Texas and the Lighthouse in Eagle Lake, Texas.  The SonShine Center is a place where donated clothing, furniture, and household items are resold and food is distributed.  The Lighthouse is an after school ministry with at risk kids.  Both ministries are for the most part run by volunteers.  These volunteers are being the hands and feet of Jesus in their communities. 

Both ministries started with a vision and a call from the Lord.  They started small.  The Lord has blessed both ministries. 

Do you have a vision and call from the Lord for a local ministry start up? Or are you already helping in a local ministry?

Redeeming Grace 40-Day Devotional-Journal Volume 1

Volume 1 is a collection of devotionals on various topics in scritpure. A few of the topics are as follows:  Spiritual Discernment, Encouragement, Holy Spirit, Worldliness, and others. I use the Thompson Chain Reference Bible with the New Ameican Standard Bible translation.  Topic titles are from the Thompson Chain.  I do not consult commentaries or other sources.  If and when I do, I will acknowledge that.  The devotional-journals are the scriptures and my reflections on them.  The journal component is for you to do your own refection and writing on the scriptures.  The translation of the Bible you use might be different, but that is another way for you to gain understanding of the scriptures.

Always ask the Holy Spirit to be your guide into the scriptures. 

By the way, the cover photo is one I took at the Garden of Gethsemane in Jerusalem in 2007.

Redeeming Grace Devotional-Journals

My action of late has been to begin the writing of a series of Devotional-Journals.  The series is entitled Redeeming Grace.  Each volume of the series goes for 40 Days.  There are three volumes completed and ready to distribute.  Volume One is random topics from scripture.  Volume Two is from Ephesians.  Volume Three is scripture verses and passages that have been especially meaningful to me.  I, also, have a volume for youth from Proverbs.  It is going to be tested by S.A.L.T. (Students as living testimones) in Garwood, Texas before I have it printed.  Each devotional-journal also has lessons I have written for a small discussion group.  I appreciate all the folks who have ordered so far and I invite others to let me know if you would like to order.

New look...New Focus

The blog has a new look.  The blog has a new focus.  When I started blogging I called it Thoughts on Discipleship.  Now it is We Are the Branches.  Discipleship means a lot of things but it has one source.  We disciples are the branches of the One True Vine Jesus Christ.  "...apart from Me you can do nothing," Jesus told his followers.  The new focus of the blog revolves around the actions of worship, study, and serving.  There will be plenty of thoughts still, but there will also be reports of action.  Mine and others as we live the life of abiding in Jesus.

Self-serving vs. Other-serving

Just read a short article with very little information in it, but enough to stir a thought in me about self-serving vs. other-serving congregations. In the article it was reported that a Southern Baptist congregation in Kentucky has decided to cut staff and program expenditures in order to be able to send more missionaries overseas. I want to know more about this congregation and its decision, but it stirred my imagination!

What if all Western congregations became convicted of their self-serving ways? What if all Western congregations committed themselves to focusing their resources on serving others in the sharing of the gospel and the relieving of human suffering? What if all Western congregations answered the call, the great call of the commission to go into all the world, make disciples, baptize (immerse) them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. What if all Western congregations took to heart the call, the great call and commission to teach the nations to observe the commandments of Jesus, the Anointed?

If, one by one the congregations who claim to be Christ-followers were to give up their self-serving ways and become fully other-serving...I'm guessing it would change the world and most of all be pleasing to our God and Father, the Son our Lord, and the Holy Spirit who breathes life into us.

Lord, may we all be willing to make the change from self-serving to other-serving,Great Commission-fullfilling congregations. Amen.