Jan 13
Sticks in the Ground
I want to take liberty and turn the focus of my blog today to a little different topic than my previous blogs. I just returned from Tegucigalpa, Honduras where I met with Robert and Amy Coello and Joseph Francisco Cordoba, the pastor of the Bridge Church there. They are a part of the Association of Bridge Churches which the Lord has led me to found and oversee. I love this land and its people. Honduras is full of paradoxes. Poverty and technology seem to collide here. The lush green mountains of the coast lands stand in contrast to the dry arid land found in the center.
The people love democracy, but it’s leader is trying to rush it toward communism. Many of those in the mountains leave the misery of poverty to find riches in the cities - only to find a different kind of poverty. The frustration caused by this jump starts a slow hardening process deep within them. Combine this with a low grade anger seething just below the surface and you have the perfect climate for the gang activity that flourishes here. It is sad that such wonderful people are caused to flounder. The city can do harsh things to a person. But, if darkness was the youth so do we - there is Heaven’s purpose to be gained in this generation that is driven to hard things from poverty, boredom, and a longing to find something that will give them a better life.
What am I doing about this? We are looking not only to have Bridge churches here, but to start a Bridge Training Center, and aid the people in this land where anything grows. Stick a stick in the ground and it will soon become a tree. My heart aches to see this people see a form of Christianity that can transform their lives. Perhaps the Lord will allow us to see a whole generation grow for the glory of the Lord. At least we are sticking a stick in the ground.
Sincerely,
John Paul Jackson
11 Comments so far
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The imagery that I see of the stick in the ground is very real to me. My father is a forester and he plants sticks in the ground and withinin seven years the trees are over seventy feet tall and ready for harvest. The parallel is of a great harvest coming for Honduras in a short time frame.
Amen!!! May the Lord’s work through you flourish. We pray for an increase of the Bridge Churches in Honduras….
Maybe ABC as a group can send many sticks to put in that fertile ground? It will be nice to see Robert and Amy again. And I’m looking forward to meeting Joseph. Sounds like it was a fruitful trip, I’m eager to hear more.
Z
Having been here in Honduras with John Paul, I can attest to his thoughts today. I also want to confirm the sticks are growing. As I went on an outreach with Robert, Amy and Pastor Francisco on Sunday afternoon, we saw two gangs of youth preparing to fight. At the same time a team of youth from the Bridge Church here were in the same park ministering to the people through prophetic words. What a contrast between the light and the dark, but how aswome it is that the light overcomes the darkness and the stick already begins to grow.
I have a cousin who lived in Honduras for many years. He always told me stories about how dangerous it was to live there. I say many sticks make for lighter work in the spiritual.
John Paul, here is a link that will help you that I have been made aware of in our back office in You Tube regarding fundraising for non-profits. The only thing is you would have to have a director’s account it is free. So here it is:
http://www.youtube.com/nonprofits
I hope this helps!
Sincerely,
Dr. Shirley Canniff, M.Ed/Div
Seek Christian Outreach Ministries
Saints: After reading of your stick in the ground, I was encouraged to just spend time with God through praying in the Spirit. Yesterday was a beautiful day, alone with God. Today I read comments from those who seem to know your stick. Well, John Paul, I was able to know that as branches were grafted in and as the valley of dead bones came alive; your stick reached the heart of the True Vine and the sap flows. Enjoyed praying for your stick and was encouraged about my little stick here in Bavaria! Join me as I pray and war for those whom Jesus would say, “Away from me for I never knew you”! A very large tree indeed!
good post. Thanks for sharing.
I remember that Narnia, when it was first created, could grow anything. If you drop a lantern pole - you wind up with modern-day Lanternwaste.
I would love to see what the Master can grow in soil as fertile as what you witnessed in Honduras.
It’s an implanted “Word-of-the-Lord” in our body. It’s a calling rooted and grounded in God’s Word!!!
Joshua
John Paul, I am praying that your stick will produce many saplings/seedlings for the Lord Jesus.
Be Blessed In His Name
Joy