Africa update

I just received a letter from our lead pastor in Uganda. Pastor Isaac is a true man of God, and loves all people with the love of Christ. Pastor Isaac has great vision for his country and all of Africa. I know that the hand of God is on this young man. Please take a moment to read his letter below. As you will see, they can really use our help. If you feel lead to help... you can donate online at our main website for Africa http://www.ahm-africa.org/
Mailing address is..
Anchor Holds Ministries
7400 S. State St   #4303
Midvale, Utah  84047

Thank you and may God bless and keep you always. Here is his letter...

Praise God pastor Tim,
 Greetings  from the ministries here in Uganda.  Your partnership and strong heart toward Africa has empowered us  and even in the hardest time you have be more than willingly to stand with us . you are not all very rich But  i thank god  that even the little you have , you have be able to share with us. Your open heart  to help and support the ministries here is unforgettable and it will live forever. Allow me now to introduced to you what we have named the Anchor Hold Master Plan  for the minister growth and developed .
  CHURCH BUILDING , We as leaders here have agreed that in the coming month of November & December are know for rainfall, so our members in the remote area/ villages will dig the soils that will be used in the next year to make bricks  . we want by may next year2012 to have all the needed  bricks so as to up grade our churches especially those in poor situation.

PASTOR'S HOUSE , it is very true that most of our pastors in the villages are staying in the huts we as the Anchor Hold we want to put end to this and we have argued the the flock & even i may self will go there in the November for 1 week to start the program of making bricks such that as we build the house of God  the pastors too may be built . i know it requires money but  by faith will have them build we will only buy cement & the irohsheets . but this will take us some 4years to be done with it.
  
FIGHTING POVERTY FROM THE FLOCK, as the apostle Paul said the the acts 20 to feed  the flock We will next  year  start to buy  the improved& quick maturing  seed with the little money we have to give the to our sheep in the village so as to improve on the production as most of them are substance farmers who only grow for food and the little surplus is sold off . we think that by doing this their standard of living will be lifted up . it will be the work of the pastors over there monitor these. Pr.Tim , our people are very people  and i think this will work out.
  Still more on this Anchor Hold ministries  will also have hire the land and grow some crops by doing so it will be alive example to our people to fight poverty and also get or increase the funds for the ministries still it will be employing the very people to do the work , because commercial farming here can yield a lot of money if the need equipments & seed are used.

MEDICAL OUT REACH. in Africa  and the third world at large there is poor healthy facilities and few people have access to  it,  We have this plan also to reach out people through this & our  leaders have been crying for this . as we cloth the people through CAP, we need this i personally i do not how we should do it but the good Lord will give us power & wisdom it . do not fear this , because the master plan is not filled in one year but it takes time  so we have decided to plan for this.
 
 ACQUIRING LAND. most of our churches are renting part from the 2 which have got the land , the least are landless only scatters but we believe God and we have confidence that it will come to pass " before God we will do "
lastly is the schools,  this the only door to reach to the children and the parents as well . God bless you. Nsanja Isaac    Anchor Hold ministries Uganda. 

Legislating the poor

“Friend, you cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom. And what one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government can’t give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody. And when half of the people get the idea they don’t have to work because the other half’s going to take care of them, and when the other half get the idea it does no good to work because somebody’s going to get what I work for. That, dear friend, is about the end of any nation.” -Adrian Rogers

Would you die for a lie?

Think about it… would you die for a lie? I know the majority of people are looking for physical evidence to confirm their faith… That is not what faith is about. For me God is not about physical evidence (although that evidence is all around), it’s about what I know. I know God is real… it’s like what they say… I know what I know. Scripture calls this “His spirit indwelling in us”.

As technology has increased and our access to information is now instant, we no longer listen to our hearts. With that change, humans are living less on faith, and more on self.  You take the human heart out of the equation and you lose compassion. There is no such thing as a Christian without compassion.
We have to find a way to continue to make our experiences real. Watching a video online of homeless man sleeping in the gutter has far less impact on us than if we meet this person on the street.

That’s why it is so important for churches to reach out in their communities. Send out individual groups to meet and talk to those who are not as fortunate. If you are a member of a church that has no community outreach, I challenge you to find another church that lives out the gospel message, not just talk about it.

The majority of the apostles died a martyr’s death. Not only did they die for their faith, but the way they died. Some of the most inhuman ways to die were they subjected to. Think about this, if you were nailed to a cross, upside down, and given the chance to live if you only confessed that Jesus was a lie and renounced your faith. You are not going to die for a lie, let along the kind of death these men were subjected to.

Just some thoughts… Hope everyone has a great Sunday. Blessings to you all.

Tim

Happy Easter

To all my family and friends I want to wish you a wonderful Easter. I was thinking about the empty tomb and how skeptics say there is no proof of Christ’s resurrection. There is plenty of proof; they’re just not looking in the right place. For me, I don’t need any proof, I know what I know and you can’t explain that.  If I had to point to one thing it would be the apostles. After His Jesus death on the cross, the very same men who had just spent the pretty much every minute or every day with Christ for the last 3 years were not only mourning but in total fear for their own lives. They were all in hiding, waiting and watching, fearing to show their faces in public. After the resurrection, that all changed. No longer were these men afraid for their lives. They went out in public proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ with boldness. What changed them? You certainly are not going to freely give up your own life for a lie or a scam. What these men encountered that so radically changed their entire thought process and motivation was the risen Lord Himself.

Happy Easter! If you know the risen Lord, may this day be one of celebration and joy. If you don’t know Him, may the Holy Spirit shine His light of love and acceptance in your heart. 

New direction

After a lifetime of testing, trials and prayer, I’m moving forward and starting a church. The Lord planted this seed in me some time ago, and everything is coming together now according to His plan.

The vision the Lord has given me is one of the first century church.

We will be Christ centered, teaching straight from the word of God.  We are a non-denominational church and welcome anyone.

Our model will be… "UP" (reaching up to God in worship and prayer)… "IN" (Serving one another and meeting the needs of the body) and "OUT" (Reaching out to the local community and abroad through our mission programs).

I will be updating our website over the next few days to include more information. For now we will be meeting at our house Wednesday evenings from 7:00pm – 8:30pm starting April 13th.

Please keep us in your prayers. Anytime you try to expand the Kingdom of God you can expect great resistance from the enemy. Thank you and may God bless and keep you always.

Tim

Urgent help

I received an urgent message yesterday from our pastor in Kenya. His wife (Lydia) went to the hospital last night with stomach problems. She has had a growth in her stomach for some time now, but they have never had the money to have the growth removed. She was in great pain yesterday and went to the hospital. They have no money to have the surgery done, the hospital told them they will go ahead and remove the tumor for 12000 shillings ($150.00 US dollars).  Pastor Barasa Moses has asked for help paying for the surgery. We have some extra to give, but not enough to cover it all. Any donation amount would be greatly appreciated. If you are not able to donate, then please lift Pastor Barasa and his wife Lydia up in prayer.

Thank you and God bless,

Tim

Help needed

Our ministry in Kampala, Uganda is in need of a small digital camera. Nothing fancy, doesn't need allot of megapixels. Just something to get some pictures on to promote the ministry there. Please drop me a line if you something cheap and no longer use. If you can help please drop me a line at tim@anchorholdsministries.org


Thank you and God bless.
Tim

Self

No one really wants to follow Christ do they? I mean think about it. A life of total self-abandonment. Forsaking all for Christ and the Kingdom of God. Caring more about others than yourself.  Literally giving all you earn to the poor and trusting in God to meet all your needs. Boldly sharing the gospel with everyone you meet, even if it costs you your life.

Mark 8:34-38, Matthew 16:24-27, Luke 9:23

“Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

During the time of Christ, the cross was the symbol of a tortuous death, not the view of the cross we have today, this cherished symbol of atonement. Christ always talked about the cost of following him. I don’t take the verse as being literal, meaning to take up the cross and physically die, although if you truly follow Christ that may be the ultimate price you pay. I believe Christ is talking about dying to self in order to truly live.

One of my all time favorite scriptures gives the perfect example of what Christ is talking about.

John 12:24 “Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds”.
And that is the ultimate purpose isn’t it, to produce seeds.

Dying to ones self, that totally goes against everything we are as humans, especially in our super size me society. That makes the idea of self-denial all the harder. But the cost of following Christ is so worth it, so rewarding, not only in this life, but the one to follow. From what I witnessed when my son passed away, there is no doubt in my mind that there is an afterlife. That’s for another story.

Please don’t get me wrong, when I write these things, I’m writing to myself as well. Just things on my heart that I like to share.

Blessings to you all,

Tim

Yard of hell

‎"Christ wants not nibblers of the possible but grabbers of the impossible. Some wish to live within the sound of church or chapel bells. I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell" ~C.T. Studd

Please read

Our dear pastor and friend in Uganda is asking for our help. He has exhausted all his financial resources serving the church and now faces eviction from his home. Follow this link to find out how you can help more...
http://www.anchorholdsministries.org/news_help.html 

Thank you and may God bless you,
Tim

John Lennon

Today December 8^th 2010 is the 30^th anniversary of John Lennon’s murder. I miss John Lennon! I know, I know, all you card carrying Christians are screaming foul right about now… but hear me out. Yes, John did not believe in a God in the same way we do. But there are allot of Christians out there who could learn a few things from John.  What made John so special? He was a doer! He saw a wrong and would do everything he could to make it right. Social injustice (which we in America are going to be experiencing more of), the rights of all mankind, the true cost of war and that love is really all you need.  Now granted, the love John spoke of was not the same as John 3:16, but a love never-the-less that put your own life above another’s… sound familiar.

We have many shining examples of doers just like John, George Clooney comes to mind. With all his riches and fame, he values the lives of those who are not able to take care of themselves more than his own. Bono is another, Bill and Malinda Gates are another. They use not only their money but the fame as well to bring the spotlight to a desperate need.

We may not have the money or the fame, but there is still so much we can do. God has given each of us a gift/talent for His glory. By helping our fellow man where ever he is and what ever condition he is in. we bring glory to the father in Jesus name. After all, Christ is our model, and He gave all for us, should we give any less for Him.

Peace,
Tim

WAKE UP CHURCH!!!

What are you listening for?

John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

An Indian was walking in downtown New York City alongside a resident friend. As they approached a busy street corner in the center of Manhattan, the Indian seized his friend's arm and whispered, "Wait. I hear a cricket." "Come on!", the city boy sneered, "This is downtown New York -- how could you possibly hear a cricket?" His friend persisted however, "No - seriously, I do!"

As cars were roaring, horns honking, people shouting, brakes screeching, cash registers clanging, subway clamoring and people bustling about, the Indian began leading his friend along slowly, every now and again stopping and turning his ear toward the seemingly noiseless sound. At last, the Indian insisted they were near and proceeded to follow the sound across the street and toward a small dark corner next to a graffiti covered wall. There, he bent down to a miniscule tuft of grass and pulled out the cricket. "I told, you", he said, "I heard a cricket."

Astounded, the New Yorker marveled "How could you have heard that cricket in the middle of all this noise?" "Well", said his foreign friend, "My ears are different from yours. It simply depends on what you're listening to. Here, let me show you what I mean." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of change --a couple of quarters, three or four nickels, and a dime and a few pennies. "Now," he said, "watch this." He held the coins waist high and dropped them to the sidewalk. At once, every head within nearly a block turned around and looked in the direction of the Indian.

"You see, It all depends on what you're listening to."

To what sounds are our ears trained to listen? Are they trained to hear the sound of money, of gossip, of complaining, of worldly things or are they trained to hear the still small voice of the Most High, directing and advising us in the way we should go?

Help keep them warm

The weather here today has taken a definite turn for the colder. With that, we need to remember the less fortunate in our communities, especially in the northern states where winter months can be brutal. With that, let's all go through our closets and dresser drawers to find the clothes we no longer need or wear. This winter will see more homeless in our country than ever before. Lets be Christ like and help take care of the less fortunate. Contact your local mission and find out ways you can help... and don't forget the warm clothes.

May God bless and keep you always,
Tim

http://www.anchorholdsministries.org

tim@anchorholdsministries.org

Our plans

"I believe the Western church is generally in the same condition as Martha. You know the truths about God’s Word in your head, but you still like to run your own lives. Like Martha, many Christians cry out, “Lord, if you had just done things according to our plans, we would never have ended up in such a mess.”

Friend, you need to realize that God is not at all interested in your plans. He is only interested in His plans! So many churches and individual believers think they should make their own plans and strategies, then ask God to bless them.

The almighty God is not our servant! He does not do what we tell Him to do.Many Christians need to climb down from the throne they have built for themselves, fall on their faces before God and do whatever the Master tells them to do."

From “Living Water” by Brother Yun

Warrior

I am a warrior in the army of God. The Lord Jesus Christ is my Commanding Officer. The Holy Bible is my code of conduct. Faith, Prayer, and the Word are my weapons of Warfare. I have been taught by the Holy Spirit, trained by experience, tried by adversity, and tested by fire. I am a volunteer in this army, and I am enlisted for eternity. I will either retire in this Army or die in this Army; but, I will not get out, sell out, be talked out, or pushed out. I am faithful, reliable, capable, and dependable. If my God needs me, I am there. I am a warrior. I am not a baby. I do not need to be pampered, petted, primed up, pumped up, picked up, or pepped up. I am a warrior. No one has to call me, remind me, write me, visit me, entice me, or lure me. I am a warrior. I am not a wimp. I am in place, saluting my King, obeying His orders, praising His name, and building His kingdom! No one has to send me flowers, gifts, food, cards, candy, or give me handouts. I do not need to be cuddled, cradled, cared for, or catered to. I am committed. I cannot have my feelings hurt bad enough to turn me around. I cannot be discouraged enough to turn me aside. I cannot lose enough to cause me to quit. When Jesus called me into this Army, I had nothing. If I end up with nothing, I will still come out even. I will win. My God will supply all my needs. I am more than a conqueror. I will always triumph. I can do all things through Christ. Devils cannot defeat me. People cannot disillusion me. Weather cannot weary me. Sickness cannot stop me. Battles cannot beat me. Money cannot buy me. Governments cannot silence me, and hell cannot handle me! I am a warrior. Even death cannot destroy me. For when my Commander calls me from this battlefield, He will promote me to a captain. I am a warrior, in the Army; I’m marching, and claiming victory. I will not give up. I will not turn around. I am a warrior, marching Heaven bound. There are four kinds of soldiers: 1. Active Duty: Serving the Lord faithfully, daily, and on duty 24-7-365.2. Reserve Status: Serving only when called upon, or twice a year: Christmas and Easter.3. Guard Status: Backing up the Active Duty group.4. AWOL! Absent With Out the Lord. Which kind are you?

Important

Greetings all,


I wanted to take a moment and let everyone know that the donation links on our website (www.anchorholdsministries.org) is working now. I set it up through Google Checkout. I went with Google because for non-profit organizations they do not charge any fees to process credit cards. Also, Google is probably the most secure out of all the ones I researched.


As you know or may not know, we are taking donations to help get bibles to people who would otherwise not be able to own one. We have been working with a pastor Isaac in Kampala, Uganda. Pastor Isaac has such a wonderful heart, and he is a true servant of God. Pastor Isaac has planted several churches there in Uganda and that is where their main need is. The churches that he has planted are growing daily and they do not have the funds (remember, these people live on less than two dollars a day and less) to purchase the word of God for all the new believers.We have also been contacted by Pastor Canny O. Canice in Gbagada Lagos, Nigeriawho is experiencing the same growth and is in desperate need of bibles as well.

We can purchase bibles for about $2.00 each, so even a small donation will go a long way. The bible says in John 1:1 In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God. The bible truly is the word of God... living, breathing, giving life to all who will open their heart. I have talked with Pastor Isaac on the phone, and I can't tell you what it would mean to the people there to have their own bibles.

So take some time to pray about this and see if this is something that the Lord would have you participate in. Anchor Holds ministries

makes all of its financials available up request.

Thank you for taking the time to read this posting. I know how busy everyone is and I truly appreciate it.
May God bless and keep you always,
Tim
tim@anchorholdsministries.org



Interesting facts

6.7 billion people in the world, is that not crazy. To give you a better understanding of how the population breaks down picture the world’s population as just 100 people.

Out of 100 people:

60 would be Asian
14 would be African
12 would be European
8 would be Latin American
5 would be American or Canadian
1 would be South Pacific
51 would be male; 49 would be female
82 would be non-white; 18 white
67 would be non-Christian; 33 would be Christian

Now let’s take a look at the financial break down of the population.
Living on less than $2.00 a day… 2.6 billion people (40 percent of the population)
Living on less than $1.00 a day… 1 billion people (15 percent of the population)
Americans live on average $105.00 per day… 0.3 billion people (4.5 percent of the population).

Today we have approx 1,125 billionaires; they hold more than half of the world’s wealth. The chasm between the rich and the poor is bigger than ever. This has not always been the case. In 1820, the gap between the richest and poorest countries was about four to one. In 1913, it was eleven to one, and in 1950, it was thirty five to one. By 2002 that gap was at seventy five to one.
Sure makes you appreciate living in America. Also helps us see the need for more Christian intervention throughout the world. If you feel God’s calling in your life to help in some way, please do not hesitate in that calling. If you’re not sure where to start, may I suggest a great book to help point you in the right direction. It’s called “The Hole in our Gospel” by Richard Stearns. Mr. Stearns is the president and CEO of “World Vision”. He has had the chance to see the true suffering in our world firsthand. If you are serious about living out the message of Christ, this is a great place to start.

God bless,
Tim