Dear One Body Ministries Members and Supporters,

In the last newsletter, I mentioned I was being recalled to Active Duty with the U.S. navy. As of 5 July, I am officially back on Active Duty. My family and I made it safe and sound to Newport, RI, where I am undergoing training to be a department head (roughly the equivalent of a company commander in the Army) on a navy destroyer. This is going to have a big impact on the ministry and I would like to share some of the changes that will be taking place with all of you.

When we first founded One Body Ministries, we discovered there was another One Body Ministries with the same goals located in Katy, TX. It was founded and is led by Tolani Akingbade. While we have helped each other in the past, and even pondered working together on a bigger scale, we have recently discovered we have exactly what the other needs to be fully effective. One Body Ministries in TX has outstanding Christian leadership, but was lacking structure. At the time I received my orders, the Director of OBM, TX was praying about the structure for her ministry. We, on the other hand, have a good solid structure in place, but are lacking good, solid Christian leadership.

Ms. Akingbade and I have held many discussions via e-mail and teleconference, and we have both given the matter a good deal of prayer. We have decided to merge the two ministries. We belief that the leadership of OBM, TX combined with the structure of OBM, MS, will be an effective force for our Father’s Kingdom. I am currently handling the administrative matters and ensuring the proper paperwork is filed with the respective authorities. Ms. Akingbade and I will both be on the board of directors for the combined One Body Ministries. Ms. Akingbade will lead the ministry and be its head. I will remain on board to support her and assist with the transition so as not to drop everything in her lap.

This mergers shows, in a practical way, how we can work together for the Body of Christ. Two different ministries with the same goal, but different methods are able to come together, combine their strengths and work as one to bring about Jesus’ prayer of John 17. How will this happen? We will be increasing the use of media to spread our message. In addition to the newsletters, we will be using radio and internet recordings to increase our reach and our audience. There will be more of a discipleship feel to the ministry now as we teach smaller groups and train them to become teachers and further spread the message of unity.

There are going to be some exciting things happening with One Body Ministries in the future. I have known Tolani for as long as we have had this ministry and I am excited to be working with her. She has a servant’s heart and a dedication to spreading the love and grace of our Father. We are very fortunate to have the opportunity to work side by side with her and her team. While both ministries are gaining by this merger, I am of the opinion that we are gaining the most by have her knowledge and talents.

With Ms. Akingbade taking over as head of One Body Ministries, I will be moving behind the scenes in an effort to support her as she needs. Over the past two years, I have received a tremendous amount of support, encouragement and prayers from each of you. I would like to ask that you provide just as much (if not more) of that support, encouragement and prayers to Ms. Akingbade in the coming months as we working combining the two ministries into one to more effectively bring about unity in the Christ’s Body.

Proverbs 3:5-8 gives some keys to having a right relationship with God. It also shows us how God will bless us if we do things His way.

Frank Sinatra used to sing a song called "My Way." The theme of the song is, "I did it my way." It is a good example of leaning on your own understanding and being wise in your own eyes. That is a recipe for disaster.

Here is what God tells us in Proverbs 3:5-8. (I give each verse separately so that we can look at them individually.)

"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart: and lean not unto thine own understanding." (Proverbs 3:5)

"In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." (Proverbs 3:6)

"Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil." (Proverbs 3:7)

"It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones." (Proverbs 3:8)

Verse 5 gives a contrast between two opposing things. Trusting in the Lord with all your heart is comparable to a child who is walking with his father, and they have their arms around each other. That child is not going to go in the wrong direction, or the wrong way. And he is not going to fall. He is safe and secure. If the ground is uneven or unstable, the father will support the child, and he will guide him into safe paths.

According to "Strong's Concordance," the word translated "lean" means to lean on or rely on. Leaning on our own understanding means to rely on our own intellect, training, and experience more than we rely on God. We need to use these things, but our primary reliance should be on God. Our human understanding is limited. Our experience is small and incomplete, compared to that of the Creator of the universe. We only "see through a glass, darkly." (1 Corinthians 13:12) Our vision is clouded. Our perspective is inadequate. God tells us,

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8-9)

Even if things happen that we don't understand, we can trust God's nature, character, power, and love. The Apostle Paul said,

"...I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." (1 Timothy 1:12, emphasis added)

Notice that Paul said whom (a person) rather than what (a thing). Paul's confidence was in God, rather than in his own understanding.

Leaning on our own understanding is comparable to walking with a cane, and putting most of our weight on it. If the cane lands on uneven ground (such as a rocky place) or it lands at an awkward angle (as it could in a hole, or in a crack between some rocks) we can stumble. If it lands on unstable ground (such as stones that move, or a slippery surface) we can fall. The cane doesn't know which way is safe and which way is dangerous. It just goes where we put it. And it can only provide stability to the degree that we have chosen solid footing for it.

In verse 6, according to "Strong's Concordance," the word "acknowledge" includes comprehending, considering, being diligent, instruction, being aware, having respect, understanding, being acquainted with, and being related to (as a kinsman). It involves the kind of understanding that comes from personal relationship, in addition to the kind of understanding that comes from diligently paying attention to (and comprehending) instruction. When we have a close personal relationship with the Lord, and pay close attention to what He tells us and shows us, then He will direct our paths.

Our primary means of "hearing" from God is reading the Bible. Another way is having Biblical principles come to mind when we need them, or remembering Scripture verses that are appropriate for our situation.

Verse 7 gives a contrast between two things. The first is being wise in our own eyes. The second is fearing the Lord and departing from evil. If we are wise in our own eyes, then it is difficult to have a Biblical fear of the Lord. In addition, being wise in our eyes can lead to sins such as presumption, doubt, unbelief, and hardness of heart. These sins are shown in the following Scripture passages:

"Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression." (Psalm 19:13)

"Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God." (Hebrews 3:12)

"Afterward he [Jesus] appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen." (Mark 16:14)

Verse 8 says that if we do these things, it will be marrow to our bones. The Bible says that the life of our flesh is in our blood. (Leviticus 17:11) Doctors say that blood is made by our bone marrow. If we follow the instructions of Proverbs 3:5-8, it will literally lead to life. There will be no anxiety or stress-related illnesses. (But I realize that it is easier said than done.)

Verse 8 also says that it will be health to our navel. According to "Strong's Concordance," the word translated "navel" actually means the umbilical cord. How do babies in the womb get everything that they need for life? Through the umbilical cord. If the umbilical cord doesn't function properly, then the baby won't get adequate food and oxygen.

Babies in the womb are totally dependent upon their mothers for everything that they need for life. They are connected to their mothers by their umbilical cords, and they receive what they need through those umbilical cords. Similarly, Christians are totally dependent upon God for everything. Receiving what God wants to give us depends on having us be rightly connected to Him.

Whatever we need ?- whether it is strength or courage or healing or wisdom or protection or provision ?- in order to receive it, we need to be rightly connected with God. And Proverbs 3:5-8 gives us some keys to being rightly connected with God.

How can we use these keys in practical ways? How can we develop the child-like faith of trusting in the Lord with all of our heart instead of leaning on our own understanding?

BUILDING TRUST

There are some practical things that we can do to build our trust in God.

STRENGTHEN OUR RELATIONSHIP

When you know a good person intimately ?- when you really know their heart ?- then you have more trust in them. So how do we get to know God better? By reading the Bible (and asking God to help us understand it). The Bible shows us God's character and His ways.

We can also get to know God better by spending time in prayer and worship. The Bible says,

"Be careful [anxious] for nothing: but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7)

Notice that that peace comes when we give things to God in prayer. It does not wait for how He answers our prayers. It does not depend on the outcome. The peace comes when we put the situation into God's hands. The Bible says that we should cast all our cares (concerns) on God because he cares (loves and takes care of) us. (1 Peter 5:7)

GRATITUDE

We need to develop the habit of being grateful for who God is and what He has already done for us. It is easy to take things for granted. For example, you are reading this article. Have you thanked God for the fact that you are able to see, and you know how to read?

If we look for things to thank God for, we will find more and more reasons to be grateful. And if we look for things to complain about, we will find more and more reasons to complain.

Look at the Israelites when they came out of Egypt and went to the Promised Land. They kept complaining. They complained because they got bored with eating manna every day. They wanted something to spice it up (garlic and leeks, which are a kind of onion). They complained when they had no water, but when God miraculously supplied water for them, we have no record that they thanked Him for it. Look at what they said to Moses, when they saw the Egyptian army coming after them,

"And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? Wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness." (Exodus 14: 11-12)

And what was the end of the matter? That generation died in the wilderness because they refused to enter the Promised Land. They didn't trust God to deal with the giants there. Compare this with the attitude of King Jehoshaphat, when he and his people were faced with an overwhelming army. Jehoshaphat prayed,

"O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee." (2 Chronicles 20:12)

And God came through for them. He miraculously delivered them from their enemies.

We can choose to develop the habit of thanking God. We can look for things to thank Him for. We can thank God and praise Him even when we don't feel like it. We can deliberately choose to be grateful. We can ask God to give us a grateful heart.

DEALING WITH HINDRANCES TO TRUST

It is helpful is to identify some of the hindrances to trust. That enables us deal with them. We can ask God to: (1) make us aware when we fall into these ways of thinking or reacting; (2) deal with things in our hearts that are fertile ground for these hindrances; and (3) give us practical strategies, and grace, to overcome these things.

INDEPENDENCE AND SELF-RELIANCE

I live in the United States. Our American culture fosters an attitude of independence and self-reliance. It values self-confidence, rather than confidence in God. It promotes self-esteem, rather than high esteem for God. (We do have great value, but it is not because of any merits of our own. It is because Jesus Christ loves us so much that He gave His life in order to save us.)

The American ideal is the self-made man who can say, "I did it." This promotes the attitude that God warned the Israelites against in Deuteronomy 8:10-18. He warned them not to be deceived into thinking that it was their power (or education, or brilliance, or expertise, or hard work) that caused them to succeed.

Sometimes we have may have a crisis, or danger, or an accident, or health problems. The result is a "reality check." All at once, we suddenly remember that we have to depend on God. That's good. When it happens, we need to keep reminding ourselves of the truth that we have learned, instead of allowing ourselves to slip back into our independent, self-reliant, American mindset.

Our school system indoctrinates us with humanist philosopy and assumptions. Even though we know better as Christians, these things can sneak into our thinking, our assumptions, and our responses. We need to become alert to recognize them, and to resist them. The Bible tells us to refuse to allow thoughts to remain if they make it difficult for us to know (and therefore trust) God. The Bible says,

"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)

The image is a military one, that of a soldier on guard duty who sees someone and says, "Halt! Who goes there?" Then the soldier makes a decision whether to allow the person to stay, or to require the person to leave, or to arrest the person.
Humanism exalts itself against the knowledge of God. It tries to make man the center of the universe, and the source of salvation, instead of God.

SELF-PITY

We live in a culture that encourages people to have a victim mentality, and to feel sorry for themselves. An example of this is a recent statement that I read in a newspaper. It said that Aristide (the ruler of Haiti) is a victim of an addiction to power. A news reporter with that kind of attitude could have said the same thing about Hitler and other ruthless dictators. Back in Hitler's day, the public would not have stood for that kind of nonsense. They knew that Hitler was an evil man, and they knew that he was responsible for his actions.

Some people really have been victimized. I personally know two people who were raped when they were young children. They both decided that Jesus is more important to them than what happened to them. And because Jesus told us to forgive, they forgave their rapists. That turned out to be the key to a process of emotional healing. These people were healed through prayer, Scripture reading, and obedience to God. They never needed counselling. God's Word showed them what they needed to know.

Self-pity is related to humanism. It puts our suffering on center stage, instead of God. It says that what happened to us is more important than what Jesus did for us. It says that, because of what happened to us, we don't have to obey Jesus when He tells us to forgive people and to love our enemies. It puts our focus on ourselves, instead of on God. This is a form of idolatry.

How can we truly trust God when we are focussed on ourselves? When we look at ourselves, our problems look huge. When we look at God ?- and how great and powerful and loving He is ?- then we can see that, compared to God, our problems are small.

They key to overcoming self-pity is to repent, and to make a decision to focus on who God is, and how much He loves us, instead of focussing on how we feel. It is also helpful to get our suffering in perspective. Jesus said,

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

"If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; If they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me." (John 15:19-21)

The Apostle Paul said,

"...we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." (Romans 3-5)

"Thou therefore endure hardness [hardship], as a good soldier of Jesus Christ." (2 Timothy 2:3)

"It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: If we deny him, he also will deny us: If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself." (2 Timothy 2:11-13)

"Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

The Book of Acts says that Paul and his companions were

"Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God." (Acts 14:22, emphasis added)

The Apostle Peter said,

"Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings: that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy." (1 Peter 4:12-13)

"Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1:3-7)

The Apostle James said,

"My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." (James 1:2-4)

We need to learn to see suffering through the perspective of the Bible, instead of the perspective of our humanist, "I have a right to feel good" culture. Then, no matter what we have been through, we will be able to get over it and go on with God. We need be like the Apostle Paul, who said,

"...this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:13-14, emphasis added)

CIRCUMSTANCES

Another hindrance to trusting God is believing (or feeling) that our circumstances are so overwhelming that even God can't deal with them in a way that will work out for our good. This is actually a form of idolatry. It is saying that our circumstances are more powerful than God is.

In America, our culture is saturated with the assumptions of behavioral psychology. This is a humanistic teaching that denies personal responsibility for our own behavior. It says that we are at the mercy of our circumstances. It says that what we do is determined by our present circumstances, or by what has happened to us in the past (our past circumstances). This attitude is shown by a gang in the movie "West Side Story." One gang member says, "I'm depraved on account of I'm deprived."

The fatal error of behavioral psychology is thinking that circumstances force people to do things. But circumstances don't have that kind of power. All that they can do is to pressure people into making personal decisions. If people take the path of least resistance, then they will go in the direction that the behavioral psychologists predict. But people are capable of making Godly decisions, no matter what the circumstances.

I knew a young man who was raised in a home where the family was violent and morally reprobate. He had no decent role models, he couldn't read, and he didn't know anything about God. But he used to watch a TV program called "Father Knows Best." As a child, he decided that he wanted to be like the people on that TV show, instead of being like the people in his family. When he grew up, he met some Christians, heard the Gospel, and became a Christian.

The martyrs demonstrate that people can make Godly decisions in spite of great adversity. One example is John Hus, a Catholic priest who believed the Bible more than he believed the Pope. He was burned at the stake for heresy. Hus began singing to God. As the flames burned him, Hus kept on singing. [Note 1]

You would expect that a man who was being burned alive would be screaming in pain. But John Hus died singing ?- not screaming. God's grace really was sufficient for him, even in those terrible circumstances.

The God who gave strength and courage to John Hus will do the same for us if we need it. We can trust God no matter what happens. If we are faced with grief, or tragedy, or sickness, or injustice, or war, or persecution ?- we can trust God to be with us and to get us through it. Jesus said,

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

"...lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." (Matthew 28:20)

The Epistle to the Hebrews says,

"...he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me." (Hebrews 13:5-6)

The Apostle Paul said,

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28)

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:35-39, emphasis added)

"We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed" (2 Corinthians 4:8-9)

GOD'S POWER AND FAITHFULNESS

We live in a world that is morally sliding downhill. But we can be reassured because, where sin abounds, God's grace abounds even more. (Romans 5:20)

If we feel weak or inadequate, we can be strengthened and comforted by the fact that God told Paul,

"...My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9)

God is no respecter of persons. What He did for Paul, He will do for all of His children. We can rest assured that God's grace really is sufficient for us. When we are weak, He will give us His strength to go on. We can see this same promise in the Epistle of Jude, which says,

"Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen." (Jude 1:24-25, emphasis added)

In 1529, Martin Luther wrote the hymn, "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God." Have you ever really thought about the words of that hymn? They can give you strength, courage, and comfort.

"A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
our helper he amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;
his craft and power are great, and armed with cruel hate,
on earth is not his equal.

"Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing,
were not the right man on our side, the man of God's own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is he;
Lord Sabbaoth, his name, from age to age the same,
and he must win the battle.

"And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
we will not fear, for God hath willed his truth to triumph through us.
The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
his rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure;
one little word shall fell him.

"That word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them, abideth;
the Spirit and the gifts are ours, thru him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
the body they may kill; God's truth abideth still;
his kingdom is forever."