SHILOH MESSENGER - February 2011
















 

Concealed to be Revealed


"Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know." Jeremiah 33:3
This has been a tremendous start to a new year. Most of you know we have received all the finances for the purchase of the Land. We also have completed all the paper work and we are now owners of the “promise land” that God has given us to steward. We want to thank everyone who gave. This is such a powerful testimony to God’s faithfulness. He is such a loving Heavenly Father with a Big Heart for humanity. He makes life a supernatural event to those who will only believe. “And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive." (Matthew 21:22). I have seen the Lord do some astonishing things. It  is truly an  amazing adventure in faith through trials, tribulations, hardships with perseverance (James 1:2-4). The Lord never promised us a life without pain & frustration. He just set a standard for us to follow and that is Jesus Christ our Lord. When we fixed our eyes on Jesus the “Author & Finisher” of our faith (Heb. 12:2) it produced eyes to comprehend  a supernatural lifestyle.

I remember in 1991 when I was a student at Canaan Land Ministries in Alabama. The Lord first spoke to my heart about what He desired for me to become. Notice I said “become”, because it was truly a transition from my selfish desires to His Kingdom Life. I never realized that I too can leave  a legacy to be an attraction for others to become. It should be like the Apostles who forsook all to become the “righteousness of God in Christ Jesus” (2Cor. 5:21). While I was at Canaan Land I had a dream, it was vision of who my wife would be. Man, that woman in that dream was beautiful! Un-be-known to me,  3 years later I would meet her in the Dominican Republic. In 1993, we both were on an outreach to the people of Barahona. For the first time I realized that God was answering my prayers for a Godly wife. I remember many a lonely night pouring out my heart to God to take away this loneliness. I was so desiring a wife. The Lord responded by saying to me there was a refining that had to take place before He would entrust one of His daughters to me. It would be 5 years later that Deb became my wife. It was His perfect timing. All along He was developing me to just trust Him, so my faith would develop to believe for the “impossible” (Matt. 17:20). 

In 1995 I was on a outreach in Nicaragua with Mercy Ships . I was in prayer seeking God for direction for ministry. He spoke & gave the name “Shiloh” (Gen. 49:10) for me to do a word search on. I began to research the name “Shiloh” & the Holy Spirit brought me revelation that I took ownership of. Shiloh is a name for the Messiah who would come & give “Dominion & Authority” to His people. This prophecy has become a reality to us as we minister in the strength  of His Name. “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe” (Proverbs 18:10 ). As I considered what all of this meant to me back in 1995, the Lord was setting things in order for the name Shiloh to become Shiloh Ministries. As I continued in faith the Lord ordered my foot steps to Maranatha Church where I was mentored as a staff member for 4 years. During those years of waiting on the promise, I became discouraged about my promised wife to be (she was in Nashville at a YWAM base) and  also the ministry God spoke to my heart about. I remember reading in Romans 4:20 where God spoke to Abraham about the promise of being a Father of many Nations,  “He (Abraham) did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform”.   As I read this passage of scripture I became encouraged in the Lord. My faith began to speak over the promise and about a week later the Lord had me call Deb & we began to nurture a thousand mile relationship by phone.  A year later after visits back & forth by both of us, we believed God set a date for us to be married. The promise of the facility to house broken men began to take on reality.

One day I was riding in the truck with Pastor when we began to talk about my vision for a place to disciple men. He began to tell me of a Church campus  that was  setting un-occupied for years. I asked him about it & its location. He said, “Oh it is the old Shiloh Baptist Church in Moss Bluff”. My spirit man leaped at the sound of the promise. I concealed the matter in my heart for a season of prayer. The vision then began to take on life when Deb & I were married in the Chapel at Shiloh & moved into the vacant parsonage. We also were en-trusted the buildings for ministry use. In  the year 2000 we were released with our Pastors blessings to pioneer Shiloh Ministries. Deb & I have experienced God move supernaturally in different aspects of ministry life since opening the doors of Shiloh. We have faced many obstacles in our way in trying our faith. But as we have stood & spoke to our mountains of lack, rebellious students, equipment breakdowns, sickness, 2 hurricanes, homesickness (Deb being away from her family) & accusing spirits, we have seen God as Faithful! We continue in awe of the supernatural provisions through faithful people who partner with us in carrying out God’s mandate of restoration through reconciliation.

I want to give thanks to our faithful staff who have labored with us (David Walls 10 yrs., Jason Zikovich 5 yrs. & Joe LeBleu 6 months) you’re a blessing! We have all learned as we steward what God has given us, He will give us more to be responsible for. His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.' (Matthew 25:21). By Grace, we now have reached a place  where faithfulness has produced an enlargement of territory. We have more land & buildings to steward. In the coming months  we will begin to remodel the existing building on the new property. I hope everyone is encouraged about God’s testimony of faithfulness to  His people. He desires to “complete the good work He has began in you” (Philippians 1:6). So please take heart that our Lord says, “Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them” (Mark 11:24). We love all of you! Thanks again for all you do for the Lord’s ministry at Shiloh.


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