Why not just pull the trigger?

EDIT NOTE: before reading please view this post

There are those who don’t know the tragedies and horrors of the world. Like the fact that there are kids dyeing in Africa from malaria, something that is completely curable with very little medication. There are children dyeing all over the world from lack of access to clean water and sanitation. I have no problem with these people, they’re just unaware that these things are going on. Part of what I have to do is inform these people who don’t know. Once people know what is going on they will react one of two ways.

The first is those whose heart breaks. They hear of a little girl being captured by the LRA then is forced to bite to death another little girl and they start crying. They want to find a way to help; it burrows into their soul so deep that they can’t look away. These are the people who will tell others about what is going on. They will make sure that everyone knows. They are the ones who become expatriates to help those in need. They will sacrifice anything and everything they have to help. These are the dedicated ones. These are the ones who care. If your reaction doesn’t quite match this then you probably fall into the other reaction.

The other reaction people will have is that they don’t care. These are the people who hear about a little girl in Cambodia being sold by her grandfather to a sex slave trafficker and say “Oh that’s sad, someone should do something about it.” Then they assume someone else will take care of it. By standing by and doing nothing it enables those who are committing these acts to continue. It is saying that it is ok for these things to happen. It is to stand beside these genocidists, fighting for them. Enabling & empowering them. These are the people who would sit idly by as someone beats a child to death or rapes a defenseless woman. This brings up a good question.

How do you react?

This isn’t a question that is just answered by words it is answered by action.

The words that you answer with are in prayer & commitment. Pray that things change and make a verbal commitment to help. This is followed by action.

The action response is to sacrifice; the sacrifice of your life, to go and physically help in any way possible. You leave all that you know and all your comforts to help those in need. I can understand that not everyone can do this; in fact I know that very few will be able to. So those who cannot go need to enable those can.

To enable those who go, with money and time. Giving time to learn about what is going on and keeping up with it and telling others what is happening, so that no one may be ignorant of the suffering and the help that is needed.

Or you can react with those who do not care… but remember who you are killing when you say you don’t care.
 

A message of giving

Luke 1:1-4
Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.

I love this passage for multiple reasons, aside from the fact that “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” this passage speaks volumes. There were many people in the 1^st century that wrote about what Jesus did while on earth, 4 of which were picked by God to persevere the ages to bring us the words of Christ. The Gospel of Luke was written by a well educated (within the top 1% of the populous) doctor. He left his practice to investigate ineptly the works of this Man, Jesus of Nazareth. Through the investigation and testimonies of eye-witnesses it was shown that He was the God-Man, savior and redeemer of mankind.

Both Luke & Acts open with an address to a Theophilus, which means “loved by God”. It is presumed that both books were commissioned & paid for by this man. This means that he funded Luke’s life & travel during the writing of these books. If Theophilus had decided that there were enough gospels written or that someone else would take care of it not only would we not have the Gospel of Luke, but we also wouldn’t have the information listed in Acts. So even though Theophilus didn’t pen either book they would not have been possible without them.

But like Luke I will be making sacrifices. Luke being one of the better educated people in that day had the opportunity to be a very wealthy man, most likely leaving behind a home & possessions, but he spent his life perusing Jesus. This is what I plan on doing; I will give all that I have to be able to go. I ask that you would become part of this ministry. I would ask that you be my Theophilus and enable me to go through prayer & donations. Anything given is greatly appreciated, if you can spare $5, $10 or more I would appreciate it. I would ask that you remember everyone who would be touched by this mission.

Donations can either be made directly to me or through the following site:
https://www.adventures.org/give/donate.asp?giveto=worldrace&desc=For%20Nic%20Wolfe&tuid=5500301
(all donations made through the site are tax deductible)

You don't have baggage, you are baggage.

Imagine this.

You find a program that lets you live abroad for very little cost. They let you know that part of this program is that you work while you’re in these areas. You prep yourself for a year long trip, get all of your documents in order, get your contact’s information, and set your flight. You’re excited as the plane lands Heathrow in London. You take a cab to the flat where you’re supposed to meet your contact. You’re welcomed in, set your stuff down. You start chatting with your hosts, share a few drinks. You start to feel groggy & pass out.

You wake up in a much different side of town. A very shady flat where the wallpaper is falling off the wall, you have an old, stained mattress on the floor. You have no idea where you are or where your stuff went. Your “host” informs you that it’s time to start paying back for your trip. You immediately protest to what they have done to you. This man who brought you here beats you and tells you that you’ll do as he says or he’ll kill you, after all he did pay a good amount of money for you. You’re kept in this place for a few weeks, nightly getting beaten & raped. This man brings over other people to do the same thing to you.

One day you see an opportunity to escape. Knocking out your captor and run for it. You run for blocks until you find a police station. Out of breath you try to explain to the officer about what has been happening to you. The officer listens and they take you into the back. After some time the officer asks you for your identification. You think about it and you know it’s with your belongings, wherever they are. They are more interested in your citizen ship, rather than what has happened to you. They label you an illegal immigrant & throw you in jail for being in the country illegally. Your captor finds you and pays your bail and you’re back in their custody.

This is the story of an estimated 2.5 million people. This is what it is like to be a victim of Human Trafficking; some people get tricked into this by promises of moving from a 3^rd world country to a developed country for a better life. Others, normally children or teens, are sold into this by their parents. There are quite a few that are kidnapped and forced into sex trades or manual labor. The majority of people are 18-24, although 1.2 million of its victims are children.

This is normally a rare situation for an American citizen, as there are things that can be done, like going to the US embassy in that country. There are many people who cannot do this, they are normally tracked down by the trafficker and forced back in.

The Adventures in Missions organization has programs that are a safe haven to these people. One of the things I could be doing on the World Race is helping out with this program of counseling and ministering to these victims.

I would ask for your prayers on this trip, but any donations would be helpful. You can donate at the following link:

Click here

God give me strength

I feel God calling me to some dangerous places, He has given me courage to no fear the things that would destroy the body. He has broken my heart for a lot of things.

To help those affected by the LRA in Uganda, DR Congo, Central African Republic & Sudan.

To help & encourage the persecuted church in any and all ways possible.

To help those who have experienced human trafficking.

Through the World Race program I am able to go to Uganda, China, Cambodia. and other places. I will always ask that you pray for me as I go do these things. I ask that you wouldn't pray for my safety, but pray God's will would be done on this trip.

Any finical contributions would be greatly appreciated. You may donate at the following link:
Donate

Where am I going?

So for most of you who have been keeping up with this, I got accepted to the World Race program.

I will be spending 11 months abroad. The possibilities of what I will be doing is endless. Helping orphans, making clean water wells, working with sex trafficked women, construction, teaching, hospital visits. Doing all things to the glory of God.


I will continue to update this blog, but I will also have another one on the World Race site. I will try to keep both up.


Here are all of the countries that I'm going to (I plan on writing about each country)

I would ask for prayer. Not for safety, but that God's work would be done. I have taken hold and continue to pray for the mentality that Paul had.



Acts 21:13
Then Paul answered, "What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."

I will continue to ask for prayer. If you are able to help fiscally, anything and everything helps, and I greatly appreciate any donations. http://ow.ly/3qmud

Pray for me

I feel like God has called me to go. I cannot stand by and let someone else do what God has called me to do myself.

Isaiah 6:8

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”

And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

I know I have said I request prayers. These are the areas that I would ask you pray for me.

I do not ask that you pray for my safety, but that you would pray God would take me where He wants me to go, even if this includes dangers & hardships.

Matthew 10:28

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

I do not ask that you pray that Christianity would spread, but that I would be able to boldly proclaim the Gospel and that many would be saved & that the Gospel would spread.
 

Ephesians 6:19-20

Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

All I want for Christmas...

I've already got my 2 front teeth, so I had to think hard about what I want. They follow in no particular order, just what I quick access to.

First would be any kind of donation to my World Race fund.

Second would be any one of the books on my Amazon wishlist.




Third would be a donation to Gospel for Asia or Life Water.

Stop selling Jesus

Let the Gospel speak for itself.

God created me.

I have separated myself from Him. I've been judgmental, a liar, a slut, lazy, religious & prideful (and the list just keeps getting longer). And by doing this I would always be separated from Him.

God loved me and knew I would do this and because He desired a relationship with me He sent His Son to take the punishment for me.
He revealed Himself to me, so that I would know what He did for me.
He changed my heart & my motives so that I would love Him.
And He can do the same for you.

There are so many people who try to sell Jesus to their friends, family, co-workers, & congregation.So I have to ask what is the point of doing this? Jesus is not a commodity to be bought and sold. I see a lot of preachers making God into a piñata. You pray to Him and He'll give you whatever you want.

A seed sower doesn't plant the seed, and then immediately stare at the ground and expect a plant to spring up ready to be harvested, do they? I say don't put people in a high pressure sales situation "Well I've told you about Jesus, do you want to accept Him?" Maybe have them pray "the prayer" or walk "the isle"?

Just remember there was another man who tried to sell Jesus, for 30 silver pieces. So before trying to sell Jesus think which team you're on.

And I'd say let others believe what they want to, no matter how tolerant or intolerant it is. Because:


1 Corinthians 5:12-13
For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. "Purge the evil person from among you."



(I would like to say I'm not against the Jesus action figure, I think its funny.)

The next step

I received the call that I've been accepted to the World Race program. I am so excited I could barely contain myself on my drive home from work yesterday. I wanted to dance in the street in my "ephod".

The next thing I’m looking to do is getting accepted to the pastoral internship at my church. The main reason I want to this is so I can have a very well defined view of theology. Even if I do not get the internship I will take refuge in the spirit that God will give me the right words.

Luke 12:11-12

11 “When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.”

I would request that I would be in your prayers & encouragement while I’m approaching this opportunity. I ask that you would pray, not for my safety, but that God’s work would be done through this trip. I would ask for prayers that, if it is His will, the way would be provided.

Luke 10:2-4

2 He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4 Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.

I will do everything I can to carry the finical burden & trust that God will provide. If you would like to make donations, they can be made here.