Nwsltr-050210-Faithful in the Least of These
“Taking a journey of faith, understanding, and a sober mind”
By The Watchman
Dana G Smith
Keywords: faithful, least of these, wise servant, soberly, works, feed, clothe, shelter, brethren, love, Lord

'gather the wheat into my barn-Matt 13:30'

Let me take you on a journey my friends. It is a pleasant one, but it has lessons, both for me and you. If you will allow me, this is a path that started some time ago. The Spirit had been speaking to me over time on certain aspects of what we needed to do with our websites and ministry. I personally work and am involved in the sites and have been since the beginning. It was the Lords grace that gave me strength to learn code, html, and many other aspects to do sites. It was frustrating, hard, and when you do thousands of lines of code just looking for a small slash / or something else to fix, it is time consuming. Just one little thing out of place can be a problem.

Nevertheless, with Gods help I persisted for it needed to be done and would be useful in our outreaches. I had tried to enlist others to do this job, but it always fizzled. The trouble was they did not have my vision nor burning call for this and they also did not follow through. As a result of this not being able to find a person on the planet to help with sites or our ministry, I started doing the websites.

From the beginning we had used Google ads. Getting a web presence, having the correct computers, software, anti spam, and other tools cost money. This was just part of the cost along with the websites themselves, domains, and domain names, ect. Even though  I did not like it using secular companies, the money was needed. Sometimes you need to milk the goats. That is what we did, using it for the Lords work. Over time I had tried many other ad suppliers, tools, sites, partnerships, and more. All of which we eventually graduated to something better that would work.

As far as ad revenue goes, of all the ad companies we used over time, some paid a little, but none paid consistent like Google. They know how to make money on the internet. The trouble is, I hated the ads they sent to my site. You can work to keep certain ads out, but overtime new companies come in to Google program and their sites are not on the list for your site. As a result new ads, new companies, and new messages come daily to tens of thousands of websites. Most are messages that webmasters and the companies do not care for. But they tolerate them for the income it generates as a whole.

In the beginning, the income was small. As our sites grew and the number of sites we had grew, so did our income from google. Now were not talking about mega bucks here. But the income was enough to cover the website expenses and nothing else. I worked for free and still do. It nothing I brag about, that is what I do. I serve the Lord and walk in him, he takes care of me, period. I don’t worry about it, I don’t think about it. I thank the Lord he is faithful to do it.  Now this article is also not an appeal for money or anything like it. This is a journey so hang in with me.

As I was working on doing all this and as the months and years passed I was more pressed by the Lord. It was nothing I was convicted about. It was something I wanted to do. I hated those ads and so did my wife. But being internet informed, these ads were all over the place anyway so whats the big deal?  The deal is, I am personally responsible for all on our sites, including ads. Today a major portion of what is on our site is directly from what the Lord gives me. I write, produce shows, and all of it goes on the sites. I put our ministry resources on the sites and what I put on them I have personally put there. So if anything is wrong, its my fault. If anything is a sin, it is my fault. If anything in an ad is in direct opposition to what I believe, even if I try to filter it out and it comes in accidently, it is my fault.  I stand before the Lord God in this matter. I take it personally and the Lord let me know what I needed to do. In this I was becoming convinced that now is the time to get rid of all ads along with any of the income they might bring in.

Now let me tell you we do not have a large money coffer to just throw away revenue. I also do not charge for our programs, teachings or anything else. It cost money to do it. Airtime, production costs, computer costs, phones, electric, and much more. But over the years, the Lord has provided for us. So in this matter, we do fine. Our goal is ministry and following the vision the Lord has given to us. Our goal is not mammon, money, or becoming rich evangelists ect.

As I was studying on this and related matters in the bible. The Lord spoke to me about a newsletter to write, as he usually does. This is how it works, he lets me know what to write and study, that’s what I do. Today “faithful in the least of these” is a study of being faithful in what God gives us. In Matthew chapter 25 and verse 46 it says: “Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.” Now this verse is found in a context where the ‘faithful and wise servant’is waiting for his Lord to come. What people face in this matter is a heart attitude  which may declare “my Lord delays his coming.” This is a troublesome heart issue that leads the servant into obvious sin. This rebellion of heart turns the servant to do things that his Lord disapproves of.  Thus, the moral, be faithful and wise in what God gives you to do as you wait for him to come!

In Matthew 25 and verse 40 scripture says “And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”  Now the King here is a metaphor type for the true King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ. This statement has to do with those who will hear and obey what they were told to do. Remember the moral above, which is to be, ‘a faithful and wise servant’? It is in this ‘faithfulness and being wise’ that the servant was obedient. As the King says, “I was hungry and you gave me food, vrs 35″, and “I was thirsty and you gave me drink, vrs 35″, and “I was a stranger and you took me in, vrs 35″.

The point here is the kingdom responsibility before the Lord you and I have! This is a duty as his servant to not just have faith, but have the works and ministry to care for those in need. Now let me direct here, everyone is a servant and a minister of Christ. This, of course, is in direct connection to our being ‘born again child of God!’  Some are called to do this in an office of the Lord, i.e. ‘deacon, teacher, preacher, apostle, or prophet’ ect. But all who are called as such have responsibilities to both the office [in relation to this specific calling] and as a servant [child of God in their personal life and relationships].

From the start of our ministry years ago, we worked and supported missions[home and abroad]. These were ministries and/or native pastors that directly brought the Gospel to the people along with taking care of the poor to feed, clothe, and shelter them.  Today, it is still important and the Lord is reminding all of us that we are to watch and wait for him. We are not to worry about our own lives, our own safety, and our own necks. It is not that we ignore all that, but we also must focus on those without! It is in this you personally must seek the Lord and put your family before him in prayer along with doing practical things to keep safe. Yet, for us, we are to also bring the Love of Christ in word and in deed.

Now in this journey today, lets take a short detour for a moment. We will tie it all in very soon. Today I received an email about a special drink called ‘sozo’. The email was an attempt to get me or whoever was at this email address to think about selling this stuff. It was a christian opportunity. Now I am not in anyway relating this to tell you to buy it or not to buy it. But what is important they mention in their ad email that ‘sozo’, meant to ‘save’.  Now keep this in your heart for a minute. Now lets take another step.

Meanwhile I continued my research as I had been doing and found myself studying Paul’s context to the Romans in Chapter 12, verses 3-21. In this we find Romans 12:13 where Paul says in a context of admonitions to do certain things, of which, was this one: “Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.” Now this was part of my study, faithfulness, doing to the least of these my brethren. In studying this context I find verse three that warns those to whom Paul was addressing not to ‘think more highly of himself than he ought’, but ‘to think soberly’. Now this is important for the words ‘think soberly’ is the greek work ‘sophroneo’, meaning to be of sound mind, self controlled, sober minded, disciplined, and able to reason. All this is part of what we studied earlier to be a ‘faithful and wise servant’. Having a ‘sound or sober mind’ is related to being a ‘wise servant’. Now this word ‘sophoneo’ is from another greek word, ‘sozo’ meaning “to save”, and from ‘phron’ meaning “the mind”. Here in the midst of my study was the same word that I saw in the email. ‘Sozo’, meaning to save.  Therefore the quest and end of this path and journey is this:

We must ‘think soberly’ being ‘disciplined’, ‘able to reason’, as we are to be ‘faithful and wise’ servants, we are to be able to ‘reason’ in a godly manner and in a scriptural one. God has given to all members of the body a measure of faith.

We must take that which God has given to us, as we all have varied gifts and faith, but even so, we are all members in Christ, but still interdependent on each other. Even though the majority of Christians in America and the world may act like they are in their own ministry worlds, in reality, we are all connected.

We must be working for the Lord in ‘faithfulness’ and ‘wisdom’, according to his Word. As we
‘Watch and wait’ for the Lords return, we must be about working ‘to sozo’, or ‘to save’ as many as we can. This is not just by preaching, teaching, or witnessing. But by our efforts, in time, money, and provision.

It is here for us at the WIBR/WARN minstry and online sites that we have made another decision. We will take down the google ads and other secular ones. In their place we will put up ads to support, feed, clothe, and ministry to the homeless, hungry, and destitute. Among these will be the brethren in Christ who have needs.

We have contacted ministries before in an effort to do this. Most of the time we get no answer, nevertheless we will work to use what God has given us to further his kingdom as we endeavor to be ‘faithful and wise servants’ for the Lord.

Info on Ads:
We decide where it goes and when it comes down!
We reserve the right to pull it down at any time!
We are not responsible for the ministries
All Ministries are responsible before God and man to you!

Ad space on websites are expensive-we offer it for free
Ad banners to create with graphics are expensive to have done-it must be already created
Ad sizes are those which are open and fit the sites
Ads will run for a certain length of time
Ads are ones that feature gospel work, feeding, clothing, and sheltering.

The Ministries who want to place an ad:
1. The ministry must be faithful, proven, and be able to verify the missions work
2. The ad must be linked to information of the ministry, their work, and a donate button for that work.
3. The ad, its information, and its revenue will in no way be connected to our ministry for payment.
4. In other words, it is free! We want no credit! It is being ‘faithful and wise’ for the Lord.

Only those we approve, who are truly doing the work of God in this area. The ad will be connected directly to an info page and donation page where monies will go to the beneficial ministry of feeding, clothing, and housing etc.  This will be an ad and donation page for the ministry work detailed above. It is not linked to us. We will get no monetary funds from any of this. We do have paypal donation buttons, but these are visible and are stated as for our ministry and work. But the ads we are talking about will have no connection to us except they are on our sites. This will be for the Lord and his Glory, and his heart for the poor!

Read and study these short ‘One sentence Sermons’. They say it all in one sentence!

Have pity upon the poor and lend to the LORD!

Proverbs 19:17  ¶He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.

Faithfulness and those who are cursed are connected with ‘unto the least of these my brethren’!

Matthew 25:34  Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36  Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37  Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38  When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39  Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40  And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
41  Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
42  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
43  I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
44  Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45  Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
46  And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

Faith without Works is Dead!

James 2:14  ¶What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15  If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16  And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17  Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18  Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
19  Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20  But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?