Hopeful Path » About Me

A Chapter Closes, Another Opens

admin — Sun, 09 May 2010 00:06:21 +0000

We all have talents and skills that can be used in many ways. On January 13, 2008, God called me to minister as an expression of Jesus’ love for all. In my life, I have been a Realtor, concrete layer and finisher, grocery store worker, metrologist, engineering technician, Barista, Nuclear Health Physicist, retail clerk, US Airman, and other work. But I have been designed, and find no greater joy, than to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ with love and respect and for my life to testify about the goodness of God. My work is a joy because I’m joined to my Father in heaven and know He is pleased with the path I’m on. Thank you so much for participating in this path, without your prayers and support this chapter could not have been possible.

I left Tamale the 28th of April to Accra the Capital of Ghana, which is about 14 hours south of Tamale on the coast. I returned to the US on May 6th. What had I been doing in Accra the past week? I had the honor to continue the work God has called me to by evangelizing in a prominent area of other faith. There are now six new believers in Jesus Christ because of God’s grace and your participation!

I was not alone in this work as a Ghanaian evangelist heard I was in Accra and joined me for the mini-outreach. We were able to encourage some Christians living in the area too. On the last day of our outreach, we met a Ghanaian Christian evangelist living and working right where the six new believers came to Christ. God is so good. Elisha has agreed to continue following up with the new converts and to shepherd them into a wholesome church. If we patiently wait upon His timing and plans to unfold, God always provides.

During the events that led up to my resignation on April 20th from the Center of Good News, the point God made in Proverbs 16:9 has been etched in my heart: “The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” God allowed us to make a plan, but God always has the last say and will do what is best for all. Letting go is not easy, it wasn’t for me, especially because of the relationships that were built.

Please pray for the people and work in Tamale that were encouraged through SGM; the school outreach, the discipleship class, the hospital outreach, the community family outreach, the six new village church plants, the Christian radio start-up and humanitarian work. Pray that we, leadership and I, discern God’s direction for the next chapter of the mission He has me on. I left a big part of my heart in Tamale with some very special people, please ask God if you and I still have a role to play in the lives of many in Northern Ghana.

May God bless the 260 plus people that now have eternal hope, even though in this life, likely many will not be able to escape one of the toughest environments this earth has to offer. Whatever our circumstance, please thank God for His sovereign choice for us being born in the USA. We have so much to be thankful here.

Jesus is Coming Soon; may God bless our spirits with preparation,

Joe

What is Good?

admin — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 12:30:00 +0000

So has the time been good, in ‘Christian vernacular,’ fruitful? This is a subjective question, right? Each of us has ideas of what is good, better, and best. But I hope we would agree that some of the work being done here is considered good by all.

Your support has helped many men, women and children: overcome hunger; cloth people that had only tattered clothes to wear; paid for schools fees when parents couldn’t or the child had no guardian; been used to rebuild a home destroyed by fire; paid for medical bills and provide medicine to those who would have done without because they couldn’t afford them; paid for clean water to those that were very thirsty; supplement incomes that couldn’t cover basic needs; buy text books to help a poor women learn to read; help people start small businesses that will sustain them without help; and so much more! We would all agree these are good, wouldn’t we?

Would we all agree that giving someone hope is a good thing? I think we would all agree that even though hope is intangible, it is real for those that possess it. The reason I am in Ghana is not just to help people raise their standard of living or provide relief from a calamity. All physical help is temporary, but I want people to have lives that will always be full of joy and abundance. A deeply satisfied and abundant life is only experienced through spiritual attainment. Would you agree? Having all the “things” the world has to offer without loving relationships is a cold and useless life?

I am so sorry to report that many people’s hardships here will never be alleviated without death. So the hope I have to offer must be able to even overcome death! I believe it does. God’s love; His desire to be reconciled to those He intimately created for a good purpose to live before Him in joy forever, is the only real hope for people living in such straits. People here readily recognize the need for forgiveness. They know to escape God’s punishment for their sins and to be accepted by Him; a perfectly sinless life must die in their place to satisfy the justice of God.

When they hear me explain where Jesus came from, heaven, it makes real sense that He is the only One who can show them how to get to heaven and God. When they hear about Jesus Christ’s perfect life, His humility and the poverty, beatings, and isolation He felt; they see in Him someone who understands them and can be trusted. But when they hear that the One who should have never died, shed His blood in their place simply because of love, they run to Him to give Him their very lives.

In Jesus Christ, they see real hope of everlasting peace and joy, not by the transitory things of the world, but with God Almighty Himself for eternity! They understand that new life begins the day they give their life to God through Jesus Christ; so even though their life on earth will be plagued with physical challenges, they are looking for a better day and better life after death which itself has been defeated! I walk with many great people here, people of great faith; but the world is not even looking at them because they are hungry, poorly clothed, homeless, and of no reputation.

I call them my friends, you have made them your friends by sacrificially sharing your prayers and support on them. Instead of passing them by, you have stopped, looked into their eyes, and said, “yes I love you; here let me help you up.”

May you too choose God’s love everyday over what the world offers. Remember, we only have Today to come to Jesus, because who knows what tomorrow will bring?

God Bless,

Joe

Life is Simple and Easy–Yea Wrong!

admin — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 17:44:00 +0000

Life is complex and not easy. If I said my life were simple and easy, the question you would have to ask me would be: are you living life as God intended? I came to Ghana full of great expectations about people, work, and outcomes. The story I wrote in my mind was generally a beautiful work of unity, love and Kingdom size outcomes. Of course, I expected evil powers to scheme to overthrow our hearts and plans: but demons are much more cunning and deceptive than I ever expected. I have been easy fodder for them in some ways, but I’m trying to learn!

At the start of the mission, due to my cultural biases (evil powers knowing the differences in cultures), I offended one of the key employees here. She was very gracious to let me know that my action offended her, so I had an opportunity to ask for forgiveness. This was not the start I intended, but the one I helped create. Being able to gain the confidence of new co-workers is hard enough, but add cross-cultural differences, gender differences, and generational differences, and you will see that there’s plenty of room for mis-communication.

Since then, I have had a number of missteps with the staff that God has been using to refine me. God grace is sufficient, if we are willing to walk in it. Please pray that I think in terms of our Kingdom Citizenship, while submitting my Western biases to the Lord. Pray that I meet needs here that will be a lasting work in the hands of Ghanaians.

Relationships must come first; healthy loving relationships are the key to success. It is something I am trying to really learn, always to keep loving God and people as my motivation. The primary message of the gospel of Jesus Christ is relationship too—be reconciled to God. From my perspective, our lives will not really begin or produce the outcomes, that really make our heart sing or have the lasting impact we all desire, until we know God personally through a meaningful growing relationship. Why is our relationship with God so vital to us?

God is life, so if our life is joined to Him, we’ll possess an eternal life of productive blessing with our Creator! We all possess eternal life, but the decision we make today, while were able to breath, will determine the destination of our eternal life. Is it going to be with God through Jesus Christ His Son or do you want to live separate from God today and forever?

God will respect your decision, whatever it is. But please please don’t decide to be separate from God as it will be an eternal living hell. God is working today, protecting those He loves in the midst of this evil generation, long-suffering wanting to end the debauchery. He waits, as He is calls out to you to come to Him. Come to Jesus, while you can still see, hear, think, and breathe: admit your sin against God, acknowledge that your sins were paid fully by Jesus’ death on the cross, asking Jesus to be your Lord and Savior. Talk to Him right now, while salvation can still be found Today!

United in Christ through His Death?

admin — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 23:03:00 +0000

Tis the season to be merry: fa la la la la la, la la la la…. Merry, really? Yes, this earth offers many wonderful relationships, blessed births, tremendous opportunities to live out your dreams, and much more. Not to bring the season down, but to put it in perspective, let’s consider: at the end of the laughter, the tears, the ups and the downs, what will each of us carry out of life that we did not bring in? There is nothing we bring into this world, and nothing the world offers that we can carry out. We die naked: sobering, but true. So you ask, “Joe, why bring this up now?” Because we are celebrating Jesus’ birth, when we should all be celebrating His DEATH!

Romans 6:3-5 states, “Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.” (NIV, emphasis added)

We can have a beautiful life on earth without ever meeting Jesus; but the eternal never-ending will not be merry! So Who is this Jesus, and what do I do in response to Him? Jesus is God, Who chose to leave His heavenly abode to come to us in the form of a man. His life was sinless, yet He chose to die on a cross. Being God, He rose three days later and now sits with God the Father, ready to return to those that have faith in Him. So what, you may think?

Well, we all have sinned, and God (who makes all the rules because He has the power and perfect character to) says that the wages of sin is death: eternal separation from Him. However, God loves each of us so much, Jesus left the throne of God and willingly paid God’s judgment for each and every person’s sin on the cross! If you come to Jesus in faith and ask Him to be your Lord (yes, I mean that He is the Master and you are the servant) and Savior, giving your life to Him to do with it as He will, then He promises to join you to His death on the cross; so you will be redeemed by His blood! His promises don’t end….

The moment you pray to Jesus, asking Him to be your Lord and Savior, you will possess eternal life, because the Spirit of God will enter you, bringing your previously dead spirit to life; you will have become born again! You’ll have a new start, a fresh and pure life with God, as He will always see you through the only acceptable sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Now real JOY begins, knowing that you have eternal life with God, that God is on your side, that He loves you unconditionally, and that He has a special plan and life for you on earth and for eternity to come!

I found that I could not be merry in this life without knowing what my life will be after I die. Can you really? I couldn’t rationalize that being a real good person and leaving a great legacy would make my certain death be fine with me. So what is holding you back from coming to Jesus? Does it sound like a fable? Is your pride in the way? Are you afraid of what others will think? Or is there another reason? If I knew that I was going to die, I would do anything to resolve my questions! I did that, as have many scientists, scholars, Presidents, carpenters, cooks, moms, and more before me: people who concluded that life doesn’t end with death, and death doesn’t have to sting; rather, they have found that Jesus Christ is Lord, Lord over all life and death.

In Jesus and Joyful,

Joe

It’s Sunday, lets go to church?

admin — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 14:32:00 +0000

So it’s Sunday and time to go to church. Really? The bible says that born-again believers are the Body of Christ. The Church should not be equated to a building or just a ritual. I’m not saying not to meet together, in fact just the opposite; please meet more and more together! However, the Church should be living an abundant life by loving God and other people; especially our fellow believers. So are we the Church, 24/7:365? Are we loving God and others the way Jesus did?

Lets admit it, we all fail at times. Our priorities get reversed from God’s desire for us. Our perspective narrows to include only our earthly existence: forgetting we are eternal beings, that we are aliens on earth, and that Jesus is coming back soon. We chase what is temporary rather than eternal. We feed our bodies instead of our souls.

We think God’s love is weak that He is unable or unwilling to judge the Body of Christ! How wrong are we! Our God measures the breadth of the Universe with just the breadth of his hand! He holds ALL people accountable, we will all give an account of our time of living on earth after our relationship with Jesus began.

It time to wake up Church! Don’t be lukewarm; as God will spit us out of His mouth! Lets ask forgiveness and pray for a renewing of our spirit in that His will be done and not ours.

So do something incredibly foolish by the world’s standards by faithfully doing what God has put in your heart! Sell your 2nd home & give the proceeds to your church, give your 2nd or 3rd car to a struggling single mom, go pray for the sick in Jesus’ Name, go to the widow’s home at the end of the street and help her keep her home up, and ….

Don’t be like so many in the Church that look to their own interests, rather be peculiar and bold by looking to the needs of others and determine to be God’s hand of mercy and assuring loving voice to those seeking Him and those truly poor.

In short, Be the Body of Christ!

Hopeful Path

admin — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 21:02:00 +0000

I was born June 18, 1958. Before I had been exposed to any religion or religious ideas, I always had a sense of a relationship with God from my first memories. However around 15 years of age, I began to rebel against my parents and God by violating my own conscious.

Around 19 years of age, through a series of relationships and events, I came to know Jesus Christ as my Savior; born-from above by the Spirit of God. In 1978, I knew that my sins were forgiven, that I would live forever, but I had trouble living out His life in mine. Being a first generation Christian, I had some thought patterns and behaviors that conflicted with God’s will and ways. Though I was young in the Lord and immature, I married a young lady in 1979.

Eventually a family of five, we consistently went to church. My wife and I eventually rose to leadership positions in church(s). However, our marriage was troubled, primarily because of our inconsistent walks with God. In 1997, my wife asked for a divorce and left our home. It was a difficult time for our family; we sow what we reap. I met another woman in 1998 and married her in 2001. We were married three years, as she too asked for a divorce and left home in early 2005. God is gracious and faithful, he disciplines those he loves! However, I continued to grow in the Lord; through the joys and trials, successes and failures. Along the way, God was developing a new life perspective and a host of skills to prepare me for the coming mission.

In mid-2005, I left a career to move to California to live with my parents. God made me honestly face my life and the consequences of my decisions. I realized that I was sitting on the fence, not really committed to anything wholeheartedly, but meandering. My lack of values were evident in my life, as I sometimes did what was easy, expedient or pleasurable. I realized the struggle within me was my relationship with God.

In late 2005, I found my vision — “To Walk in the Light and Help Others Grow in the Light.” There is no fence sitting now. I committed my life completely to God, who cherishes every fiber of my being. I discovered that Jesus is not only Savior, but trustworthy of being my Lord. He is a loving and compassionate God; the One who knows my weaknesses and strengths, and patiently works through me to reach out to heal this world. I now know that I will never “arrive” in this life to perfection, but I am joyful to strive in love with God to accomplish those tasks He has prepared.

Joining Seabreeze Church in January 2006, I immediately enrolled in Seabreeze’s 18-Month Discipleship Course, found accountability partners, joined the Men’s Prayer Group, and volunteered to serve in various ministries. In Feb. 2006, Rev. Johnson Asare spoke at our Men’s Bible Study. The desperate circumstances of the people in Northern Ghana and Rev. Asare’s personal dedication touched my heart. Meanwhile having the mind-set to be singly devoted, God continued to re-prioritize my values and life goals.

From January 2007 to Feb. 2008, I was a full time AmeriCorps-Vista volunteer as the Director of Development for a network of homeless shelters. My heart for those living in desperate situations and un-anchored lives grew greatly. My experience at the homeless shelters convinced me that I was better suited to serve those trying to survive and seeking salvation from oppression. Ghana came to my mind.

Early 2008, in prayer and after discussion with accountability partners and staying under the authority of Seabreeze Church leadership, I contacted Rev. Asare to determine if he would be willing to accept me as a short-term missionary over the summer 0f 2008. He said yes, so I used my own funds for a three month mission trip. Seabreeze leadership maintained contact with Rev. Asare to learn about my mission suitability and gain insight to my call. In Ghana, Rev. Asare entrusted me with the gospel allowing me to evangelize, teach and preach. Rev. Johnson and the CGN board of directors invited me to return as their first long-term missionary.

I returned to the US in late August 2008. In September, Seabreeze leadership concurred that I was being called to Ghana. In October, Seabreeze confirmed God’s call by granting me a minister’s license. I have been volunteering full time for Seabreeze Church, since returning from Ghana. While I thought I would return to Ghana within a few months, God had other plans. Today, I continue to learn about working on a church staff, to strengthen relationships with Seabreeze and other churches, and for my character to be better shaped for the work in Ghana and life!