This was an eye-opening experience and it prompted me to take an assessment of my own possessions. I went through my house and decided that if I came across something that I had not used within the last two months I would sell it and give the money to the Lord. I figured if it wasn’t bolted down or part of my house, then out the door it was going!

I want to encourage you to do the same thing with your possessions. Examine the things you have in your home, such as all those electronic devices, toys and games, recreational equipment and knick-knacks that do nothing but collect dust. Don’t forget to go through your closets and sort through all those clothes and shoes you haven’t worn in years! Honestly, if you are not using some of the possessions in your home, then why are you keeping them? Get rid of all the clutter and simplify your life. Sell those items and give the proceeds to your church or a charity. If you can’t figure out how to use the proceeds, call me and I guarantee you that I could find a good use for it somewhere around the world!

We must understand that we cannot take anything with us when we leave this earth. None of our possessions, no matter how valuable they are, will matter one bit when we kneel before Christ. How you spend your time, money and talents is a good indication of what matters most to you in your life. Christ tells us in Matthew 6:19-21:

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Focus today upon those treasures that will count for all eternity.

Students at the school, located in the DR of the Congo, learn French, math, science, geography, sewing and scripture. Not only are we able to provide these women a well-rounded education, but upon graduation, each one is presented with a $200 sewing machine. We send them out of the school with skills, a sewing machine and we assist them in setting up a business that will enable them to be self-sufficient and help them to better look after their children. In essence, we are contributing to breaking the cycle of poverty that is brought on in this part of the world due to prostitution and sexual violence.

We are happy to report that out of the 19 first-year graduates from fall 2008, 17 women are earning a living for themselves. This is certainly one of the most exciting ministries ROW oversees. I am so proud of these single mothers for standing strong for Christ and for trying to make a better life for themselves and their children. If you are interested in providing funds to purchase sewing machines for future graduates, contact me, ben@row.org.

Moses was quick to warn the children of Israel that when blessings flowed to not forget their God. It is sad, but often true, that the greater the need in a person’s life, the more they cry out to God. When the need is gone, so too is their closeness to the Lord. ROW provides the education, skills and equipment for these women in Tshikaji, but we are quick to inform them that none of this would be possible without God. If you have grown a bit arrogant or prideful in your successes, remind yourself of what Deuteronomy 8:17-18 states:

“You may say to yourself, ‘My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.’ But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.”

Widow’s Mite Experience conducts unique auctions where women are encouraged to bring their treasures as an offering unto God. These treasures are then auctioned off with all the net proceeds going to provide clean drinking water and the Water of Life to women and children around the world.

Janet doesn’t bat an eye at the possibility of raising $1 million despite the current difficult economic times. I just love associating with people whose faith knows no bounds. We are in the process of acquiring some real treasures to auction off at the “It’s All About Water” auction on Sept. 25 at the Atlanta Country Club in Atlanta, Ga. Would you consider donating something you value in the name of the Lord so we can dig water wells and offer the Gospel to people in need overseas?

Our bodies need water in order for us to survive and our souls need the refreshing water of God to live fully. When David was in the barren Desert of Judah, he cried out to the Lord to fill his loneliness. He knew that only God could satisfy his longing. In Psalm 63:1 we read:

“O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.”

People who lack fresh, clean drinking water search earnestly to satisfy their thirst. When we provide water wells that meet that physical need, people will likely ask why we would even care for a people so far away. It is then that we will have an opportunity to also provide the Gospel, which quenches the thirsting of the soul.

I have come up with a great solution. Since times are difficult all over the world, I want you to raise your rate of interest in people who are hurting. I also want to encourage you this year to develop the habit of spending less and giving more. It only takes a few seconds of watching the nightly news to get a glimpse of all the tragedy around the world. Instead of swiping your credit card for unnecessary purchases and paying ever increasing interest rates, consider the fact that all the money you have was provided by God and He has merely allowed you the privilege of investing it wisely.

Solomon was very familiar with wealth and possessions and he understood how both were meaningless. For a good perspective on how we should view money, read Ecclesiastes 7:12:

“Wisdom is a shelter as money is a shelter, but the advantage of knowledge is this: that wisdom preserves the life of its possessor.”

Do you possess money or does it possess you? God graciously gives us the financial resources that we need to survive. He expects us to give back to Him first and then to use wisdom in managing the rest of the money He provides. Today, choose those things that will have eternal value, like wisdom, which is priceless.

When people asked me what I got for Christmas, my reply was, “I got the joy of giving a computer to a new friend. I also got the joy of putting a well in a village in Africa. For Christmas, I also received the real pleasure of buying a little herd of sheep for some friends who live in the Caribbean. It was a wonderful, wonderful Christmas and I am so grateful that the Lord gave me ways to share with folks around the world.”

I love answers like that because it doesn’t mean that you’re boasting about yourself. Instead, it is talking about what you gave to others. Isn’t that what life is really about anyways? This Christmas when people ask you what you got, instead of reciting a list of gifts you received, tell them that you got the joy of loving others in the name of Jesus.

In fact, why wait until Christmas. Make each day special for someone in your life. Find ways throughout this year to allow that wellspring of joy within you to wash over others who might be downcast, without hope or just in need of someone to show them the way, the truth and the life.

God loves a cheerful giver. There is tremendous joy in giving out of our poverty rather than giving out of our wealth. The Macedonian churches experienced this and the Apostle Paul boasted about their generosity in 2 Corinthians 8:2-5:

“Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God’s will.”

It is in vain to merely give to charitable organizations if we do not first give to God. All we have belongs to Him so let’s be obedient to tithe, give offerings and sacrificially give to support missionaries. The joy of the salvation we have received should compel us to give our time, talents and resources to others.

This was quite disappointing because we were going to use this money to build a church in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. One of our dear friends heard about this and said, “That is not right. Those folks in Kinshasa need a church.” He put his compassion into action by funding the construction of the church.

I just love it when one thing falls apart, someone sees the need and then steps up and says, “I am going to make this right.” If God gives you an opportunity to meet a need and show forth His love take advantage of that and sacrificially bless someone.

Most people when they think of envying someone it is in reference to a person’s home, car, job, financial status or something similar. We are told in Psalm 106:3 (Amplified):

“Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are those who observe justice [treating others fairly] and who do right and are in right standing with God at all times.”

When we intentionally reach out to help others in the name of Jesus, those with less integrity will envy us. Be that model of integrity today for others to follow.

I recently returned from the DR of the Congo where I had an opportunity to visit with the 30 children who live in the orphanage that you helped us build. The orphanage is attached to a school that has an additional 220 children. I met with ROW’s Congo Program Directors Omba Ngandu, Shamba Akasa and Pappa Akula Mukanga. Here’s the exciting news. All of us are working together to buy books in order to establish a library at the school. Providing access to books will enable the children at the orphanage and school to learn and grow physically, spiritually and educationally. I just love it when that happens!

This is such a tremendous opportunity and I covet your prayers as we move forward in building a library and filling it with books for these precious children.

As we wait upon the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we must be diligent in learning about the One who died for our sins. If we fail to delve into His word and learn about His commands, promises and instructions, false teachers could easily lead us astray or we could wander off the straight and narrow path due to all the distractions in this world.

We are told in 2 Peter 3:18:

“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.”

Establishing a library will provide a means for these children in Kinshasa to learn about our Savior and will allow them to be more like Jesus. We have a vast amount of free resources in America, from online Bible studies, e-mail devotions and a host of religious ministries posted on the Internet. There simply is no excuse for Christians to lack in the knowledge of Christ and His word.

These children may still have parents but their parents are lost in drugs or alcohol leaving the children as orphans with no one to care for them, except Dona Coco. I discovered that it cost Dona $1 a day to feed one of her 10 children. That is a mere $10 a day to feed these little boys. Forgive me, but I just need to be blunt. These kids deserve a chance in life so if you can help Rivers of the World (ROW) to meet their needs I know the Lord will surely bless you for it. Check out our web site, www.row.org, go to the “countries” tab and click on Nicaragua to view some photos of these precious boys.

We learn in Deuteronomy 10:18 that widows and orphans have a special place in God’s heart:

“He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing.”

Before we accepted Christ as our Savior, we were lost, spiritually starving and dying in our sins. If you have tasted God’s sweet grace and have been nourished by His word, then wouldn’t it make sense that you should provide physical nourishment to those in need in order for them to be open to receiving the bread of life, which is Christ? Even if you don’t give to these boys in Bluefields, I strongly encourage you to give in some way to alleviate the suffering of orphaned children in your city or in a city around the world.

Based in Chesapeake, Va., An Open Chair, Inc. was created to enhance the lives of people in need. According to its web site, www.anopenchair.com, the company believes “Through hope, peace and unity we can make a difference in our ever changing world. We provide our partners with heart felt products that emanate the powerful spiritual presence in all of us. Our strength comes from the relationships we have with our Chair Holders.”

This is an opportunity to place a little chair beside a child or a loved one and remind them that the Lord is with us in all that we face. The Lord is with us in our joys and in our sorrows. These little chairs are symbolic reminders of God’s constant presence in our lives. The chairs are designed to gives us a way to focus our prayers and our concerns as we lift them to the Lord.

I’ll be traveling to the Democratic Republic of the Congo at the end of May and will be visiting our orphanage in Kinshasa, which houses 30 children. We must raise $5,000 to ensure that these kids have food, clothes and medical care for a year. That amounts to less than $200 a child annually! I plan on delivering a little chair to each child to remind them of God’s eternal presence in their lives.

We have a wonderful assurance from God given to His people as the Apostle Paul explains in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4:

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.”

We all face various trials, disappointments and sorrows during our journey as a Christian. God never promises us that He will remove our hurt and suffering. Instead, He assures us that He is sufficient in providing us the comfort and encouragement that we need. Christ sustains us during our darkest hours so that when we emerge victoriously, we will be able to in turn comfort and encourage others.

Once Zaw locates the coins, he will then try to get them out of Southeast Asia. I’ll be meeting him in an undisclosed country and we’ll bring the coins back to America. The coins will be sold with the profit being used to build an orphanage in Zaw’s country in Southeast Asia.

Before we sell the coins, I’m going to present them to the very soldier who hid them during the war in Southeast Asia 60 years ago. I can’t wait to see the expression on this man’s face!

In the meantime, please pray that Zaw can find a needle in a haystack and that we are able to use this buried treasure for the ultimate good of some children in need of an orphanage in Southeast Asia.

Jesus knew the significance of finding something of value that was once lost. One of the parables Jesus used talking with the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, is found in
Luke 15:8-10:

“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

We can better relate to this woman rejoicing at finding one lost coin when we understand that 10 silver coins during that time were worth about a day’s wages. There is a sense of exhilaration when we discover something valuable that was once lost. This is nothing compared to how Christ feels when even one lost sinner is found.

Spend your time today in search of those individuals who are lost in this world without Christ, demonstrate the love of Jesus and shine forth the truth so that they may be found and brought into the kingdom.