Apostle of Joy

No, I'm NOT talking about me.

I'm talking about the AMAZING sermon from a preacher we usually aren't that crazy about, but he hit the ball out of the park this morning.  Jerry and I were both very impressed and moved by a comment he made.  Funny how you 'hear" things sometimes that you probably heard before, but the way it was said made an impact.

His name is Jesse Duplantis.  He is from Louisiana, but he travels all over the world.

John Hagee gave him the nickname "Apostle of Joy".

Fits him perfectly.

He was preaching about money, in part, this morning, and he made some very good points about it to those who think that preachers should be poor.  My MIL was one of those.  She told me one time that she quit giving to her church because the preacher came to visit her in a brand new car.

So, if the preacher had been driving an old beat up wreck, any money she gave to "the Lord" would have to go to buy him a better car instead of going to the church for spreading the Gospel or helping the poor.  How does a poor preacher make anybody want to know his God?  If God can't even bless the preacher, how is he going to bless me?

Philippians 4:19

And my God shall supply all your needs according to HIS riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Notice the Bible says according to HIS riches in glory.  Not ours.  Not anyone else's.

I was always taught the prosperity version of scripture when I was growing up, so I never got into the ditch of believing that christians -- and especially preachers -- must be poor.

That part of Jesse's sermon wasn't new to me, but what he said that made an impression on both Jerry and me was this:

A MIRACLE NEVER HAPPENS IN GOD'S HANDS.  IT HAPPENS IN OUR HANDS!

Think about it:

When Jesus gave the two-piece fish dinner to the disciples, it was still just a two-piece fish dinner.

When the sea parted for Moses, it happened when Moses put the rod into the water.

Jesse talked about how he likes to WALK THE MALL while his wife shops in the stores.  He and his wife decided to go walk the mall one Christmas Eve.  She went into some store, and Jesse walked the entire length of one side of the mall.  By the time he got to the end of his walk, he had been given $14,000 by strangers that recognized him and stopped him to give him money in varying amounts.

He and his wife then decided to walk the mall again, and give all the money away to people who looked like they needed it.  He called it "Double Seeding".

I love it!  I REALLY love it that Jerry heard that, because I am the type of person that loves to do that.  I don't want people to know it was me though, unless I am a stranger to them, and I will never see them again.  Jerry gets upset with me for leaving a $20 tip, for instance, for a $5 meal.  I keep $20 bills in my purse for that purpose, although I would LOVE to keep $100 bills.  I'm afraid Jerry would pass out if I ever did that.

Now, don't get me wrong.  Jerry is very, very, very generous, and he gives thousands, but it would be for a church building project or to a missionary or something like that.  He isn't one to give to strangers.  Of course, to each his own.  Nothing at all wrong with either method.

We just gave a large gift together to a project the Hagee's are starting that has to do with building a huge beautiful home for unwed Mothers so they don't have to have an abortion and an orphanage to put the babies in if it should happen that nobody wanted them.  They are also going to build a place for students to live if you want your kids to go to their fabulous Christian schools but don't live in San Antonio.  A boarding house.

The idea is that we can't keep complaining at the millions of abortions if we don't offer an alternative.  I told Jerry if I was there, I would probably adopt every single baby nobody wanted.

If you would like to hear a great sermon, visit www.GETV.org in a few days, and the sermon will be in the archives.  If you get a chance to hear Vern (Laverne) sing, please do.  She is AWESOME!!!  Not only can she sing, she wears the most awesome clothes that I wonder if she makes or has made.  Sometimes I will draw what she is wearing so I can try to design it with my Sure-fit Designs.  She had on a really pretty top this morning.

Be back soon.

Hugs, Joy