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SWAT REPORT # 113   09-08-08

Act 16:12 And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days. Act 17:1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:

Act 17:1  Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:

I PREACHED TODAY WHERE PAUL PREACHED  

I know there is no holy ground on earth today…however I will have to admit some special inspiration when I preached this past week in Thessalonica.  Not only was there a great multitude of souls hearing the same gospel from me as their forefathers heard it from Paul 2,000 years ago, just being in the same spot and looking at the same views shared by the great apostle was an awesome experience. 

 My partner, Brent Logan, his son Benjamin (15), Mackey Isbell (16) and myself made a quick trip to help a fellow missionary in Macedonia.  This country is 30% Muslim so notice photo #113.10.  We passed through Bulgaria on the way and included Greece on the return.  It was a trip to be long remembered.  Besides preaching in Thessalonica we viewed the Aegean Sea from many beautiful angles.  We also drove the probable path taken by Paul, Timotheus, Silas and Luke as they traveled from Philippi through Amphipolis and Apollonia to Thessalonica. Both Bro. Logan and I preached in English in Thessalonica and there was quite a stir among the several hundred within our voice range.  Several came and engaged in conversation and, of course, received a very strong witness.  Photo # SR113.01 is myself preaching in the city-block square in the tourist mecca-center of this bustling city.  Photo # 113.02 shows Bro. Logan and myself with the city sprawled out in the background. Photo # 113.03 displays Alexander the Great on the back of his fearless horse but I was more impressed with Paul’s visit here.  As far as our knowledge, along with some research, this city of nearly 2 million is WITHOUT A GOSPEL WITNESS, let alone a publick witness.  Need a ministry…help yourself…you will preach yourself to death here.   We preached and witnessed for most of an hour and was totally undisturbed by police.  Don’t go to North Carolina and start another church…trust the good Lord and go somewhere where a witness is needed.

I PRAYED TODAY WHERE PAUL PRAYED      

We also stopped to walk through and view the ruins of the city of Philippi.  Photo # 113.04 records the fresh fruit of the vine we ate along the way and photos #113.06, 07, 08 show the public legend of the ruins…you may have the ability in your computer to zoom in on this…it would be interesting…and for you Greek scholars it will give you some practice.  We also found what we thought must be the stream where Lydia was doing her clothes washing when Paul lead her to the Lord.  The Orthodox church found it before us and made the place much more accommodating for clothes washing…see photo #113.09.  In Photo # 113.05 Bro. Logan and his son Benjamin stand in the foreground of some of the ruins of Philippi.   We had our mid-week service here singing and praying just yards from where Paul and did the same while in jail.  The absence of an earthquake almost disappointed us. We stayed in the Lydia hotel in the nearby city of Lydia.  Acts 16, Thessalonians and Philippians will never read the same again. 

 A WORD OF ADMONITION WITH NO WHINING

Luk 6:38  Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

This is a basic principle of God’s economy…It works.  I know the world’s economy is going crazy.  What do we expect in these last days (minutes).  But the world’s economy has zero affect upon God’s economy. Consider the following facts.  Because of the Euro against the Dollar every missionary in Europe has suffered a 40% loss right off the top of his support.  Add to this the enormous price hike in virtually every product on the market. We pay upwards to $7.00 per gallon for gas and this example is proportionate to all other costs.  I received word today of one church’s discontinuance of support and another church reduced their support from $125 per month for the past 20 years to $5.00 per month.  They listed “Circumstances beyond our control….” I believe I know what is going on but I would like to give you a word of encouragement and admonition at the same time. 

 In 1991 we followed the leading of the Lord to minister in Ireland.  We never did deputation so we had very low support.  We told the Lord we would only go if He would allow us to be faithful in support of the missionaries we had taken on over the years.  After the tithe and the missions giving we had between $400 and $600 dollars per month while we lived in the second most expensive country in the world.  We paid $5.00 a gallon for gas THEN.  We never missed our tithe nor ever reduced or missed our missions giving and we never ran out of gas.  We traveled much giving out the gospel over the whole of Great Britain and Ireland.  God’s economy works.

 Now, 2008 we all are part of a crazy world economy…but it does not affect those living on God’s economy.  We too have suffered the 40% drop…we too buy on the enormously inflated market…we too suffer from reduced or dropped support…YET we have NEVER missed our tithe nor missed one cent of our missions giving.  Our missions giving would rival some small churches.  Our home is always open in hospitality to all.  We feed the college students in our home mostly twice a week at our expense.  We put out a spread for these young zealots.  If God’s economy works for us for over two decades then why would it not work for you.  Don’t give the Devil a victory with your finances…Phil. 4:19 is still in the Bible…but there are conditions for this supernatural supply. Go back and read the text above one more time.  Don’t fail over the love of money in this late moment so close to the rapture.

 Meanwhile back at home.  Notice the thorns among the roses in Photo # 113.11.  We were pushed out of the center by a huge rock concert so we ministered to some gathered in the park.

 A BOUNTIFUL HARVEST

My farmer partner Brent Logan and his family worked hard in their plot of garden to give some of our people and Gypsy kids some fresh veggies…notice photos # 113.12, 13… Some wise guy said the definition of a farmer is “A man who is out-standing in his field.”  Give and it shall be given unto you.

Abounding in the work of the ministry on the eastern front
Gerald Sutek and the SWAT TEAM for Christ
2Tim. 1:8, Amos 5:10