Faith

The Paradox of Giving

October 29, 2013 Merlin Gonzales Backyard Missions, FHL Indiana

An Indy policeman giving so much of himself for others

In Acts 20:35, Apostle Paul wrote – “In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

Many things had transpired in the past few days:

4 food pantries
4 Kindness Days
Ride along with IMPD Police Officer at one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Indy
- I’ve seen people put in jail, smoking marijuana while driving, small children in a car without car seats, theft, domestic violence, hunger, homelessness, etc.
I have shared MORE DETAILS here

Just in 10 days of seeing the hurts and the needs surrounding us, the verse above spoke to me in a deeper level. I thought of asking you rhetorical questions. Feel free to make Comments on this Blog as well.

Which one would you rather be:
- a person who has the ability to donate food and time or a person who rely on others for the next meal?
- a legally blind person living by yourself or a person who has good sets of eyes and able to help a blind person?
- a person who can help someone to do strenuous physical activities or someone who is hindered physically?
- a person who give his/her time, talent & treasure because God had graced you or a person with different circumstances who receives from you?

Keep in mind that it could be reversed. For example, by helping those who are “weak”, you realized you are strong. By giving of yourself to others without expecting anything in return, you suddenly receive blessings in unexpected ways.

I’m actually writing this to remind myself of the paradox of giving. Sometimes, I question myself, “Why am I doing all these?” It’s easy for us complain and make excuses rather than see the blessings in disguise. And, in many instances, transcendence happens in the act of giving one’s self.

In the next few weeks, ask yourself:

“Who can I bless today?”
“Where is God calling me to gather resources for others?”
“How can I see the blessing in disguise?”

God bless you!

Merlin

Harvest and sowing

September 6, 2013 Merlin Gonzales Backyard Missions, FHL Food Pantry, Self-Sustained Food Pantriy

Fresh Corn from the heart of Indiana

Early part of this year, we received a large amount of corn seed from one of our ministry partners. They are distributor of corn, soy beans and other seeds. I contacted one of our friends who farms. She agreed to plant the corn, tender and harvest them.

Today, my wife and I were so blessed to see hundreds of fresh newly harvested-corn at their farm. We went around Indianapolis to deliver the corn to 6 different organizations. We were so blessed to see the smiles and the gratitude of the recipients. It is interesting to see how happy people were when they receive the corn! The $ value of the corn was not that much but what made the recipients smile was our thoughts of them. It’s the same thing as giving away bottled water. A bottled water cost less than .50 cents but it’s the thought of giving unconditionally that count.

As the deliveries ended, I was just reminded of how a “Missional Community” would look like – similar to what I had just witnessed. Someone provided the seed, someone planted and tendered it and I was blessed to be the delivery man.

We are all distributors of God’s blessings to people around us. How cool is it to give away God’s unlimited blessings to others. As you go about this weekend or your week, keep thinking that you can be a conduit of God’s blessings to others. It may be just a smile or just giving a cold cup of water to others – just as the Bible says. You may be harvesting blessings for you and your family as you sow simple acts of kindness to others.

FHL Week 2013: Heal the Land

August 7, 2013 Merlin Gonzales Backyard Missions, FHL Indiana, FHL Week, Kindness Weekends

We were blessed to work with Great Lakes Region INROADS Inc, for the first time to mobilize volunteers for this cleanup. INROADS sent about nine of the twelve volunteers who participated in the neighborhood cleanup. A local homeowner , who owns two homes in the area, helped with the cleanup for the first time as well.

Our thanks to Keep Indianapolis Beautiful for arranging to have a thirty yard dumpster placed in the cleanup area. This dumpster is being used to store trash collected during the cleanup until the dumpster is removed from the area.

The following areas were cleaned:

Graceland Avenue from 38th Street to 39th Street, sidewalks medians and street gutters;

West 39th Street from Boulevard Place to Capitol Avenue, sidewalks and street gutters;

Kenwood Avenue/Illinois Street alley, 38th Street to 40th Street, large items removed;

Capitol Avenue/Graceland Avenue alley, 38th Street to 40th Street, large items removed.

The dumpster provided through KIB was filled to about two thirds of the dumpster capacity with trash collected during the cleanup. Water and snacks were made available to all volunteers, who worked for about two hours to help to continue to clean this neighborhood.

There are at least two homes in this neighborhood that are being renovated.

We continue our relationship with the Tree of Life Church at 40th Street and Boulevard Place. The resident of the house that is adjacent to our meeting place came out of her home to see us and spend time with us. We are thankful to serve her and other residents of this area.

After the cleanup was finished, the area where we had worked was checked for stray tools, trash bags or piles of debris. None of these items were left behind by the cleanup crew.

It seems that I do not have have the words to adequately express my thanks to the Lord for all I have seen him do in this neighborhood. Even so, I give Him my thanks.

My THANKS!!!!!!!! to all who have supported this neighborhood through: prayer, street ministry, local congregations, cleanups, city services and home renovation.
Bill Lamb
Faith Hope and Love

07/22/13 Testimonial during the 24/7Indy

August 5, 2013 Merlin Gonzales FHL Indiana, FHL Week

FHL Week 2013

I pray that you will be blessed as you read this story that happened on 24/7Indy. This was from one of our partners, Patty. Send me your testimonial and any encouraging message.

God showed me to divide the time into one hour slots and each hour focus on different topics. We did 20 minutes of worship, 20 minutes of declaring along with a testimony regarding that area from a testimony book from supernatural school at Bethel and 20 minutes of soaking. The time just flew and the Presence of God came in a wonderful way.

When we were in the 3rd hour of praying a group of young people came in from the camp. So I explained to them what we were doing and that they could join us. We all worshipped together and then got in a circle to pray for the government. I shared a testimony of healing I had had and offered individual prayer for anyone who wanted it. Becky, who was praying with us saw us touching each one of them and saying a blessing over them. We had them get in a circle and then 6 of us went around the circle and touched each one of the young people and the 2 leaders and spoke words of blessing and prophesy from God. One young man was on his knees the whole time and was overcome by the presence of the Lord! We were getting some powerful words for him. He is the one who God touched later with the joy of the Lord and he saw Jesus tickling him! God was doing a mighty and glorious work in him.

Then most of them left except for 5 who came to us for more prayer. It was 3 young people and 2 leaders. They each got prayer for specific things and one young man had scoliosis and we saw him get talller and one young girl had back pain and she received healing! The leaders also got prayer and were touched by God!

Jeri, Deborah, Becky, Kathy and Matthew from FHL prayed during this time. It was a wonderful and moving and exciting time with Jesus!

I have more to tell you…

June 14, 2013 Merlin Gonzales KIOM, Message

Why do kids ask too many questions? Not only do they have endless questions, but they also have weird observation. Children are in their developing age and they may imitate their elders. The younger children do know a lot yet, and they have not discovered the world properly.

Many years ago, my nephew drives me crazy every time we’re together. He would ask one question and when you answer him, he would ask endless “Why!”

Kids are observant and they want to know what you know and why you do the things that you do and the things that you talk about.

Remember when you were in elementary school? You ask your teacher what they know about your class project because you were really interested to learn what your teacher knows.

Just like you and me, everyone is interested in something but the kids are most interested in many things because they don’t know much about what it is, how it is and why it is.

For those of you who are parents, what do you do when it’s not the right time to answer questions that are beyond your children? – “I will answer you those questions later. This is not the right time because you will not understand it yet.”

John 16:12-15, “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear.¹³But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. ¹⁴He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. ¹⁵All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”

Jesus had taught His disciples many things in many different ways for 3 years

He introduced them to the Kingdom of God – the main message of Jesus
to the works of the Father – working from the different worldview
the presence of the Holy Spirit – the Holy Spirit was foreign to the early disciples of Christ

The Disciples witnessed Jesus proclaimed and demonstrated the Kingdom of God

He taught people in the synagogues and the streets
He healed the sick and raised the dead
He turned the water into wine and multiplied the bread and the fish

The Disciples saw Him operated His ministry through the Holy Spirit

Before He started His ministry here on earth, He was led by the Spirit in the wilderness to be tempted
The Holy Spirit descended on Him in bodily form like a dove after He was baptized
When He went to a synagogue in Nazareth, He read the scroll of Isaiah the prophet containing these verse, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me…”

All these things were new to the disciples and so they ask so many questions

The disciples have not heard of the Kingdom of God
They have not seen the miracles that Jesus did
They have not heard of the Holy Spirit

So, like little kids, they ask many questions; they want to know more!

In verse 12, Jesus said, “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear.”

Christ is the Great Teacher

Jesus knew the present weakness of the disciples
- There are things in life that we cannot comprehend in our present time. Some of you may have circumstances that may seem unbearable. When certain calamities such as the deadly and humungous tornado in the suburbs of Oklahoma city.
- Some of us may blame God for a tragic event that happened in our life, loss of job, broken relationship
- And all of us have many unanswered questions.
- No one is like Jesus for His abundance of
  - knowledge
  - wisdom
  - revelation
  - None like Him for compassion
    - He could have told His disciple more about the coming Kingdom but the disciples would not bear it or understand it
    - He loves them so much that He does not want them be confounded
    - His compassion is so great that He does not want them to stumble on the revelation that they may not ready to understand yet

We will continue this article in my next issue. God bless you!