Tag: ministry
Dying to Flourish
Lately the passage in John where Jesus is talking about the head of wheat that must die in order to flourish and birth a crop has been coming to mind There is such significance to this parable and I feel it is a crucial passage for anyone who wants to spread the Truth.
Since we are the image of that head of wheat, the message becomes clear that we have two choices; choose ourselves or choose the gospel. If our focus is on ourselves and our own well-being, all we will do is remain an intact head of wheat until we wither away and die. But if we choose to die to ourselves and live each day for Christ, then we become a living picture of the fallen, yet fruitful kernel.
By dying to our selfish ways of thinking, acting and living we instead choose to live for Jesus, which is love, service and grace. Each day we must pray on this passage and ask ourselves what is our priority?
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. John 12:24
Written by: Justin Ludwig
RawDisciple Ministries Donations
RawDisciple Ministries is a ministry of hope and encouragement inspired by the grace of God. My name is Justin Ludwig and I am a man completely changed by the love and grace of Jesus Christ. I started this ministry for one simple purpose, to glorify Jesus Christ to everyone I possibly can, online as well as in the streets. I spent most of my life feeling hopeless because I thought I knew God. I was deceived by a lifetime of tainted experiences with Christians which led me to the conclusion that God just wasn’t for me. (My Testimony). I simply didn’t know….. I didn’t know how much God loved me…. I didn’t know that He desperately wanted me. In hindsight, I knew without question that I could never measure up, so I never even tried….. So I suffered alone in the darkness with no desire for God…..because I thought I knew.
It weighs heavy on my heart that there are so many fooled by the same lie. Right this moment people are condemned to hell because they believe a lie….we cannot remain silent!
I, and those who support this ministry, refuse to stand by silently and let the enemy continue to deceive the world. RawDisciple Ministries reaches the far corners of the earth by sharing theological teachings via RawDisciple’s online articles and YouTube videos, as well as witnessing and loving by walking the streets and seeking out the lost and broken. We understand and utilize the power of prayer, but we also hold firm to James 2:14-17 which reminds us that if someone is hungry, don’t just pray for their needs, feed them! Whether it be a 5 dollar blessing, a blanket, or buying them lunch, they get to experience the love of God through us! (1 John 4:12)
If Holy Spirit is pulling at your heart and you would like to help spread the Gospel, ignite hope and bless those who are crying out for help, I encourage you to donate and help us love in action, in Jesus name.
We Are the Church!
Watch “Meeting and Blessing Buddy” on YouTube
Watch “So Many Ways to Love, Take Your Pick!” on YouTube
Watch “Johnny from the Flower Shop” on YouTube
Watch “Holy Spirit On the Move” on YouTube
Watch “Street Ministry” on YouTube
Motives are Everything
What is my motivation?……
This question is one that we as followers of Christ must ask ourselves on a continual basis. Throughout scripture it is shown and then reinforced again and again that it is not merely a matter of what we do, but why we do it.
In Mark 12:41-44, Jesus explains why the widow, who gave her only two pennies was far greater in the eyes of God than the rich man who boastfully gave a much large sum of money in the synagogue during its busiest time so everyone would see him. In Matthew 6:1-4, Jesus gives a crystal clear caution to not announce when we do good in the hopes of casting the spotlight on ourselves. We are told to let the world see our good deeds but so God can be glorified, not us,
……humility and sacrifice, in faith. Both birthed and sustained; by with and through Love.
I don’t share this to preach at anyone, because I share this from my own sinful heart, my own experience, vulnerability and brokenness…. none of us are immune to our pride and I will be the first to admit my weakness. But we must remain vigilant when it comes to our motives.
When I write a piece like this or I am feeling led to proclaim something; whether it be in a small group, Jesus Culture concert or to the person sitting right next to me. I have to ask myself;
“Do I want God to be heard, or myself?” “Am I writing this piece because I haven’t posted in awhile and needed something, or is Holy Spirit truly pulling at my heart over the importance of sincerity over works to the point where I had to share?”
All God ever wanted…. all He will ever want from us is to love and trust Him….
Try to imagine loving someone with everything that You are. I am talking a love that cannot be put into words. Now imagine if that person was only nice, helpful, respectful and loving towards you when other people were around to see it so people would think good of them?…..
We must search our hearts daily because our hearts are easily deceived by our pride if we are not vigilant. One scripture comes to mind that encapsulates this truth perfectly so I will close with it, 1 Cor 13: 1-7;
“If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. If I speak God’s Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, “Jump,” and it jumps, but I don’t love, I’m nothing. If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.”
Be the blessing; love well, love often and love furiously, in Jesus name.
Written by: Justin Ludwig
Purpose For Your Pain
God is not capable of failing us…. God is not capable of making mistakes… and He is absolutely, indescribably in love with us.
When my marriage fell apart, it hurt so bad. The last thing I was thinking was that the pain was the only way for me to become the man I wanted to be…. When my kids moved away from me and my heart was shredded…… the last thing I was thinking was that the excruciating pain of losing my children was exactly what I needed to become the father that I wanted to be…. the father my kids so desperately needed me to be.
And when I gave up all hope, and I finally accepted that I was a lost cause, the last thing I was thinking was that at that moment, God was about to change everything.
Through the love and grace of Christ I have been blessed with the life that I never dared dream. When I look back at my life I cannot help but notice that if every single one of those horrible things didn’t happen to me… If I didn’t experience every mistake, every heartbreak, and ounce of pain, I would not have what I now have. Just like Joseph in Genesis 37, God had amazing plans for this young man, but God is no fool. He will not entrust things to people who are not prepared to handle them.
When your pain seems too strong…… when there appears to be no light at the end of the tunnel, trust in His Truth…. He is working, and He will finish the work He has started. He will come through, and in a way we will never see coming.
Our feelings, our fears, and even our thoughts will lie to us. They will tell us that God will not come through, so we need to do it ourselves.
No matter what your situation is, He is working…. No matter how far down you are, He is working…. and no matter how uncertain your future or present seems, He will come through.
I live in California and my kids just moved to Louisiana because their mother is in the military. This is the third time I have had to say goodbye to my children, and, to be totally honest, it only gets harder. It takes courage to trust in God’s timing. But when I find myself completely stressing out because of them being so far away, the what-if’s creep into the back of my mind and before I know it, I am doubting that God will come through for me. It is so subtle how the doubt infiltrates. My faith in God’s goodness, love and truth is so strong, because I know He is good, but I am not immune.
I can shout that I have all the faith in the world, but if I am seeking truth regarding my faith and my walk with Christ, I cannot help but recognize that even though I do trust God down to the marrow in my bones. I cannot ignore the fact that if I am having such fear and anxiety of “what if,” then I am not trusting God like I thought I was.
I share this truth about myself for one reason, and that is that I am not sitting here, on some spiritual mountaintop spouting inspiration. In this season of mourning and loss in my life, God has shown up, inspired and come through for me in ways that I will discuss in future posts.
No matter how terrifying, no matter how hopeless or defeated ….. Seek His face……hear His voice….and no matter what, trust His promises.
Thank You Father for being so perfect… so trustworthy
Written by: Justin Ludwig
“ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God -2 Cor 3:4
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you”– Deut 31:6
“Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” -1 Peter 5:7
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” – Isaiah 41:10
Grace Alone
Good people don’t go to heaven… forgiven people do. Stay humble and love well my friends.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast.” –Eph 2:8-9
Written by: Justin Ludwig
Watch “When in Doubt, Love” on YouTube
Watch “The Importance and Simplicity of Evangelism” on YouTube
We Must Proclaim, Now!
Only Jesus Satisfies
I have chased a fix my whole life. From drugs, women to cutting myself, you name it. My whole life I was longing for something…. maybe some of you can relate. I didn’t feel right… there was something missing and I just couldn’t satisfy that longing….. I didn’t know what it was that was missing, so I searched, and it damn near killed me
On my journey looking to fill an emptiness I didn’t understand, I discovered the Truth. And the truth is what I was longing for was God, and I didn’t even know it. In fact Jesus was the last thing I thought I wanted.
I have lived a crazy life; experienced the spectrum of emotions, highs and lows to a sickening degree and I am here to tell you that there is no better high….no experience greater than being in His presence and feeling His love. I’ve chased every fix and Jesus is the only thing that truly satisfies.
Don’t let the enemy deceive you… don’t let the illusion of worldly satisfaction distract you, it’s all a lie. Chase Jesus with everything you are and you will see for yourself.
He will complete you in ways you didn’t think possible.
“For He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things” -Ps 107:9
Written by: Justin Ludwig
It Only Takes a Spark
When we understand that our ministry is about glorifying God and not ourselves, we recognize that the size doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter if we touch one heart through a small blog or ten million through a mega church. Through Christ, each heart has the capability to change the world, ignite a revival or inspire hope, with a single spark.
Don’t let the world’s view of success discourage your ministry. It only takes a small spark to ignite a raging fire. Continue to throw out sparks wherever you go and trust that God will ignite a raging fire.
Written by: Justin Ludwig
Remember the Forgotten
In the body of Christ we are one. From the man in the mansion to the man in the gutter…. from the pulpit to the prison cell, we are all equal in the kingdom of God. This truth is something that needs to be proclaimed and walked out every day of our lives. Hebrews 13:3 says:
“Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.”
This is why I am reaching out to you. Several months ago I got involved in a ministry called Christian Pen Pal Ministry (CPP). You are connected with people in prison seeking a friendship, and encouragement from other believers. Brothers and sisters in chains who need our love and support. I love this ministry because it is an opportunity to remember the forgotten and shine in the darkness in an impactful way.
If we seek Truth we find Christ, and in Christ we will always find each other. I encourage you to click the link and get involved.
Be the blessing and love like Christ
Written by : Justin Ludwig
Every Response Matters
I read the comments on Facebook and see Christians spewing hate in response to non believers automatic assumptions that Christians are judgmental hypocrites…..I read these things and my stomach tightens.
We as believers either cast doubt in the minds of the scoffer or we reinforce their views of Jesus and believers. We cannot let our pride pervert our ministry.
We are promised that we will be hated because of the name of Christ. So we must expect it and respond with the unexpected, love.
Be the blessing and represent Him well.
Written by: Justin Ludwig
Friends Of Angels -Autism Ministry
Friends of Angels (FOA) is a ministry in the Los Angeles area focused on serving families with children who have autism. This ministry was birthed by a member of Journey South Bay Church who has a child with autism. Once a year, in June, the Friends of Angels Ministry holds a weekend retreat at Pilgrim Pines Camp where the parents and children are invited to enjoy the beautiful and serene mountains of Yucaipa, California. They have a number of prescreened volunteers who will watch over the children throughout the weekend in order to give the parents an opportunity to have a weekend to rest and relax. A number of activities and events are available for both the children and the parents. From guest speakers to quiet beds to sleep the day away, the choice is yours!
I participated in this ministry as a volunteer back in June of 2015 and since it was such an awesome experience, I will be participating again this year. If you are a parent with a child with autism or know someone who is, I urge you to check this out because it is such an awesome experience for everyone involved.
If you don’t know anyone affected by autism, but you want to get further information on how to volunteer or get involved, please check out the FOA website and see how to get started. If you live in the South Bay area, this ministry is in action every Sunday at my home church, Journey South Bay in Redondo Beach, CA. There is a Sunday school service specifically for autistic children and young adults so the families are able to be blessed by the service while knowing their children or loved ones are well taken care of. Whether a family comes to mind, or you suddenly feel like you want to volunteer, I urge you not to hesitate and reach out through one of these links. Be the blessing and love in action.
http://www.friendsofangels.org/
http://www.journeysouthbay.org/
Called to Love in Action
“Dear children, let us not love in word or speech, but with action and in truth.” -1 John 3:18
God has called each of us to love. The love that God desires from us is not a feeling or an emotion. It is a call to a action. It is a call to put the needs of others before our own, especially when we don’t feel like it. There is a whole world out there of broken souls who are desperate for hope, for love….for Jesus
We are called to love in action and I just want to be a resource so you can get involved in a ministry.
Below are several links to different organizations that you can get involved with. If you know of any causes that you would like to see added to this list, please contact me and let me know.
This is your call to love like God desires and bring light to this broken world.
Baja Bound Ministries -Building Homes for the Working Poor
Teen Challenge – Christian Discipleship for Addiction
Breaking the Cycle of Poverty with Knowledge
I, like so many other people, was told growing up that I could be whatever I wanted to be. This is an inspiring and motivating declaration told to children to remind them that if they work hard and do what they are supposed to do, they can achieve anything…. that they can really have the life of their dreams.
We live in a country with so many blessings. We live in a place where we have so many opportunities to shape our future, as long as we are willing to work for it. Recently I have had a first hand experience that revealed to me just how blessed we truly are to have such opportunities.
Last year I went down to Ensenada, Mexico with my church to build homes for the working poor. This experience opened my eyes to a world of blessings I had overlooked for most of my life. I have always thought of myself as a pretty grateful guy, but to see these people with no running water, no electricity, homes that consisted of 4 rickety pieces of plywood for walls and a tarp for their roof…. I couldn’t help but realize that I have been taking a lot for granted..
This trip was one filled with many humbling moments, as well as many blessings. I remember looking around the neighborhood while I was taking a break one evening. I turned to the person next to me and said, “I had no idea, I can’t imagine living in these condition”, and I began to praise God for all my blessings. Then the man said something to me that broke my heart.
He explained to me the real hopelessness of their situation. What he told me was that school there isn’t free, like it is back home (US). He explained to me that everything costs money to attend school; from books, to supplies, to uniforms.. everything. As I am listening to him say this, and I am looking around at a level of poverty surrounding me, my heart just broke.
My heart broke because these people are so poor that they cannot even afford the basics. There is no way that they would be able to afford to send their children to school and be able to survive. What this means is that this is a cycle of poverty that will never end! In order to break free from a life of poverty they need to get an education, but they cannot get the education because they are in such poverty they can’t afford it.
Think about it, these shackles of poverty are passed down from father to son, mother to daughter. No matter how hard they work, they are always going to be trying to just keep their heads above water. Generation after generation of people desperate, poor and stuck, with no end in sight.
This is why I am writing you this letter. I am presenting you with an awesome opportunity to affect real change in this broken world, and not just for one individual, but for an entire family line. By sponsoring a child’s education, you have just helped to change an entire family’s future by breaking the never ending cycle of poverty and hopelessness. By sponsoring a child, he or she gets the chance to build a future that they otherwise would never have been able to have.
This right here is a chance to begin a chain reaction that will continue to bless long after your donation has been spent. Think about it, the child works hard, earns their degree, now they will be able to afford to send their children to school, and so on, and so on. The donation you give now will still be paying off and blessing people generations down the road because you helped set them free from this cycle! Talk about a worthy cause!!!
This ministry is a perfect picture of the saying, “Give a man a fish, he’ll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and they are fed for a lifetime.” This is one of those life changing opportunities, and I want you to be a part of it. No donation is too large or small. This is an opportunity to be a part of the change that this broken world so desperately needs.
Please join me, and be the change that we wish we would see in the world. Below are the links if you feel led to donate as well as links with further information on this ministry
Baja Educational Initiative website: http://bajaed.weebly.com/
Donation Website: https://goo.gl/BIjLl6
Facebook Donation: https://www.facebook.com/BajaEducationInitiative/
Written By: Justin Ludwig
Why do you love Jesus?Please Share Your Hope!
Who is Jesus to you? Jesus asked Peter this question with great passion
This is a question that every single christian needs to know the answer to…. if they don’t, then why are they following Christ in the first place?
Beyond the clichés and the Sunday school lessons…. Dig deep and truly ask yourself, who is Jesus Christ, personally in your life. This is a very personal answer because as you know, the walk with Christ is an intimate, personal one.
I hope and pray that anyone who reads this will comment with their intimate, personal answer to this question. There is no “right” answer and I pray Holy Spirit will inspire you to share your love affair with us…. when we share our story, we share our hope and we grow stronger, together.
For myself, Jesus taught me not only to not hate myself but that I am worthy of love. Jesus is my hero because he changed things in my life that would have been impossible without Him.He completely softened my heart and freed me from a lifetime of self destruction. He showed me that I am loved and showed me how to let go of my past. Jesus is my strength… He gave hope to a man who has been without hope his entire life.
Be blessed and love furiously.
Written by: Justin Ludwig
Our Message
Why do I write?
For as long as I can remember my head has always gone so fast. Thought after thought and then thinking about those thoughts….. If you ever met me and spoke to me you wouldn’t be surprised to hear that my mind is constantly going… I talk extremely fast….some would say frantic.
I have so much to say and I just can’t seem to properly articulate my thoughts fast enough or eloquently enough to convey my true message. Sometimes my message gets lost in my stuttering….my tendency to talk fast can and does distort my messages from time to time. Other times I simply lose my train of thought. It is very frustrating to never be able to communicate the intricacy of an insight or to properly share an experience I have had with God.
I thank God for giving me the ability to write. I by no means think I am some talented writer. But what I do know is that through Holy Spirit’s help, I am able to clearly and concisely share with the world what Christ had done in my life. And the awesome thing is people seem to respond!
Honestly, I don’t fully get it because my grammar is atrocious and I make the most basic of errors. But through my writing, people are able to see beyond the flawed person that is Justin and are able to hear of a God so good, so powerful and loving. They are able to hear of a God that saved a man so broken…. so lost, through His amazing grace and overwhelming love. They are able to hear what I am actually trying to say and they are able to gain hope because God can be properly glorified because the work He has done in my life is truly a miracle.
I wonder if Paul felt this way? He was not a charismatic speaker… He did not have a commanding presence and he didn’t exude power when he spoke. Not to mention that this guy was most likely not an impressive looking man. He endured so many beatings, flogging and stonings for the sake of Christ that he must have looked very broken, frail and weak.
But when he put the pen to the paper and let Holy Spirit take control… this flawed, “unimpressive man” faded away and all that was left was his message.
Don’t ever let your shortcomings stifle your ministry. If you are not a speaker, then write. If you are not a writer, then pray. If you cannot pray then love. Your message will be heard… just let Him show you how to share it and then boldly and fearlessly do it.
“For some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing.” -2 Cor 10:10
“Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.” The Lord said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? -Ex 4:10-11
Written by: Justin Ludwig
Want to Feel God’s Presence?
”This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us.” John 4 10-12
This scripture jumped into my mind last night and something stirred in me. If we want to feel God’s presence…..if we want to be who He wants us to be and be blessed, all we need to do is love on someone who doesn’t deserve it.
God is love, and if His love, which essentially is God, is made complete when we actively love, then He is fully in us while we are loving.
Want to feel God’s presence ?…. love on a stranger.
Be the Blessing
Written by: Justin Ludwig
Holy Spirit is A Gentlemen
Holy Spirit is a Gentlemen and His truth is not to be forced upon anyone. (Matt 10:14)
Some non believers feel they are being bible thumped, which is pushing them further from God. At the same time, some christians think that the great commission requires them to hound and pressure everyone to follow Christ. This is not how Holy Spirit works.
It is our love that will open their eyes to the Truth. If someone doesn’t want to hear it, move on….don’t bible thump. It is our job to present the Truth, it is not our job to convert, that is God’s job. Love in action, no condemnation or pressure.
Love atheists, muslims and God haters the same way you love christians. That is how people will come to the Truth. Unreserved love, with no agenda. So come on church, the world is waiting…. and they don’t even know it.
Written by: Justin Ludwig
Scream Love
The love and grace of God is my story. I am a follower of Christ and couldn’t be prouder to say that. If you knew my story you would understand why I am so grateful to call myself a christian.
The topic of Christ is a touchy one for some. I get that, and I can respect it. I recognize there is such a stigma with christianity and it is pushing the non believer further away from christians. Non believers seem to just expect judgment, hypocrisy, hatered, or dare I say, straight ridiculousness right off the bat… and I am sorry to have to admit it, but I can’t blame them… and it’s up to us to change that.
I share often, but only because it’s so important to me. There’s a punk song that I think of often, that repeats “I gotta keep screaming, til my voice is heard.” And what I, what we as christians are, or should be screaming, is love, hope and grace. We/I are screaming that if you allow Him…. He will change you from the inside out, and you will be blessed in ways you never dared dream.
There is nothing I can I say to convince a non believer that there is a God, and I accept that. My heart breaks for those who mock or will never encounter the tangible love of God. To those of you, all I can say, from an honest and sincere heart is…… God is real, and I pray that you will have that encounter with Him.
Written by: Justin Ludwig
Want to Change a Life? Here is Your Chance!
Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior. I say this proudly and without hesitation to anyone,because He saved me from a living hell. He grabbed ahold of me and changed me…. I truly became a new person. I say it proudly because I am so grateful for what He has done for me, for us.
I write about my faith, my God, and my belief all the time. Right now, I want to put my faith into action and invite you. I want to invite you to make a real difference in this broken world, to affect real change. There are two links below which will take you to two donor letters that I wrote last night. They are for two ministries, one builds homes for the working poor down in Ensenada. I went down there last year and did it, and it was truly amazing, I share about it in the letter. The other ministry is sponsoring children to get their education. They cannot afford to go to school because they are poor, and they are poor because they have no education. It is a tragic cycle and this is also down in Ensenada, the level of poverty is truly heartbreaking.
I am offering you an amazing opportunity to love, in action and change lives. Please click the link and read my letters.
Thank you and God Bless
Baja Educational Initiative. Help End Poverty with Education
Baja Bound, Building Homes For The Working Poor
Written by: Justin Ludwig
Love, Not Knowledge
With all of the theology, all of the “religion” and knowledge…. if the result of all of this isn’t an out pouring of love towards the world, then the entire point was missed.
Don’t make excuses, just love. Don’t ignore, just love. Love, because it is the best thing we do…. because God is love and His love is made perfect, when we love.
The world will not come into the saving embrace of Christ’s grace through theology…. They will be saved by simple, pure love.
1 John 4:11-12
Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us.
Written by: Justin Ludwig
The Gospel is Love
The gospel is simple, when we get over ourselves, and love on the one who is in front of us. That’s it, that’s the gospel. Love, without obligation, without judgement and without hesitation. Nobody will be impressed by your “religion”, they will be impressed by your love, by Christ’s love. That is how He saves the lost, by simple, pure, passionate love.
Look at this way, if you don’t have Jesus in you, then nobody is going to want what you have.
Jesus is love, represent Him well!
God bless, love furiously, and watch Him work.
Written by: Justin Ludwig
His Message Will be Heard
I went camping with my wife up in the Sequoias this weekend. I woke up early, I walked away from the site and I sat on a rock overlooking a path. It is so quite, so empty, yet so full. I sit here in complete awe and humility at how incredibly rare and precious I am. At the same time I cannot help but recognize how insignificant I really am…. so I begin to pray, but I cannot. It happens sometimes, when I don’t even know where to begin.
I told the Spirit, “I don’t know what I want, I am drowning Lord. Drowning in my hurt, sorrow., it’s so heavy, Father”….. and I stopped….. “Holy Spirit, I don’t know… please look deep into my heart, intercede for me.”
Suddenly the Spirit overwhelmed me with the awareness that I needed to just shut up and listen, of what I am never sure.
…so i became silent
As I sit here, still, complete silence all around me. I see a bird fly over head. I don’t know what kind of bird it was, but it was small. It didn’t make a sound, but I looked up and saw him sitting on the top of a tree. He glanced my direction, then chirped.
His chirp caught me off guard because it echoed in the rocks, off the mountain side and through the trees. It was so loud but not abrasive whatsoever. It really caught my attention because the bird was so small.
Once the echo stopped I heard a response from a different bird. Many birds seeming to have a response of their own to this lone bird’s cry. These ones sounded like crows or something. It’s caw was so gruff, so negative sounding. There were so many responding at once, which made it quite loud as well. In the middle of these crows response, I kid you not, the little bird looked at me again, then let out another single chirp…. immediately the crows squawking stopped…..
The bird stood on that tree top, silent after his two surprisingly loud chirps. Suddenly in the distance I heard a similar chirp, perhaps from the one he was calling…… he glanced my direction and was gone.
….silence.
In the midst of the silence, in the midst of the haters, the negativity or even yourself, listen for the cry of the Spirit. His voice will silence what needs to be silenced and He will say what needs to be said.
The cry of that little bird reminded me that no matter how loud the cackle of the world, or the silence of your trial. His voice will penetrate, if you ask Him to speak. And over all those who oppose you, the message will reach the one it is intended for.
Written by: Justin Ludwig
Speak through Love, and the Spirit will Do the Rest
I recently went down to Ensenada with some members of my church to build homes for the working poor and share the love of Jesus. There are so many things that I want to write about after this amazing week, but the Spirit is guiding me to one thing.
When I was down there, communication was a big hurdle for me since I can’t even pronounce “gracias”correctly. I had no idea what they were saying to me and it was very clear that they had no clue what I was talking about either.
On day two I was standing there, just soaking it all in. As I am doing this I notice a boy standing off to the side, if I had to guess I’d say he was 11 or 12 years old. This boy was looking at me very skeptically, or atleast it appeared to be skepticism. I don’t know if it was my tattoos that caught his eye or what, but it was a look beyond the normal looks I am used to receiving from a child.
I looked at him and smiled, knowing that we had no way of understanding one another, so we both just stood there. We, or atleast I had no idea how to proceed, so we just continued to look at each other.
There was so much that I wanted to say to him, but I couldn’t, because I didn’t know the right words… So I said a breath prayer, “Father, please use me”.
Then I smiled at him again, and this time his face lit up. Like he knew exactly what was in my heart. He ran over to me and we began to play, all day long. And the following day when we pulled up to the neighborhood I say Jorge looking around….. he was looking for me…. Of all of the people there; fluent spanish speakers, people with candy, and so many children his own age….he sought me out. It touched me in a way that brings tears to my eyes even now as I write this.
This week was a very real confirmation for me that it really doesn’t matter what we say in our ministry to the world. All we need is love, His leading and the Holy Spirit really does do the rest.
I share this with you to embolden you with the knowledge that you truly have a divine spark. To remind you that with a single smile you can give hope…. With a single smile, you can express the love and grace that otherwise cannot be put into words. And with a sincere gesture or act of love, the Holy Spirit will shout into the hearts of the broken,the hurt and the lost.
I feel that the biggest roadblock for many Christians not being willing to share the gospel and witness to people about Christ is fear. Fear of not having all the answers. Fear that they don’t know enough scripture to effectively witness. A fear that they may say the wrong thing and appear foolish. People that feel they are not qualified to witness because they are “such a mess” and someone more “together” would be more affective witness….
People, I am gonna drop some truth on you. You do not have the ability to bring someone to Christ. Only the Holy Spirit has the power to reveal the Truth and save that soul. You could have every answer and know every scripture, but if the Spirit does not reveal the Truth, there is nothing we can do. It simply wasn’t His time. Our job as followers of Christ is to be raw, real, broken and motivated by love.
Then simply open your mouth and speak.
I have experienced this amazing reality countless times. A single random word with no apparent importance or a sneeze that triggered a memory to someone who was being witnessed to. I have seen and experienced amazing things. Watching the Spirit change someone’s heart right before my eyes… things that have strengthened my faith in incredible ways that can never fully be captured by mere words.
I share my experience with you in the hopes that you will read my words and believe. Believe that God will come through for You when you cannot possibly see how. That God Almighty wants to use you, and He will be with you every step of the way.
To the people who are afraid of what to say, Give yourself a break! All you need to do is love and follow the Spirit’s lead.
Don’t worry about saying the right thing. Just love, and watch Him do the rest.
Written by: Justin Ludwig
Photo from :ridgefellowship.files.wordpress.com
If We Trust, We Will See
God is not capable of failing us…. God is not capable of making mistakes… and He is absolutely, indescribably in love with us.
When my marriage fell apart, it hurt so bad…..the last thing I was thinking was that the pain was the only way for me to become the man I wanted to be. When my kids moved away from me, it hurt so bad…. the last thing I was thinking was that the excruciating pain of losing my children was exactly what I needed to become the father that I wanted to be, and that my kids so desperately needed me to be. And when I gave up all hope, and I finally accepted that I was a lost cause, the last thing I was thinking was that at that moment, God was about to change everything.
Through the love and grace of Christ, I have been blessed with the life that I never dared dream. When I look back at my life, I cannot deny that if every single one of those horrible things didn’t happen to me. If I didn’t experience every mistake, every heartbreak, and ounce of pain, I would not have what I now have. Just like Joseph in Genesis 37, God had amazing plans for this young man, but God is no fool. He will not entrust things to people who are not prepared to handle them.
When your pain seems so strong…… when there appears to be no light at the end of the tunnel, trust in His truth…. He is working, and He will finish the work He has started.
He will come through, and a lot of times in a way we will never see coming.
Our feelings, our fears, and even our thoughts will lie to us. They will tell us that God will not come through, so we need to do it ourselves.
No matter what your situation is, He is working…. No matter how far down you are, He is working…. and no matter how uncertain your future or present seems, He will come through.
I live in California and my kids just moved to Louisiana because their mother is in the military. This is the third time I have had to say goodbye to my children, and, to be totally honest, it only gets harder. It takes courage to trust in God’s timing. But when I find myself completely stressing out because of them being so far away, the what-if’s creep into the back of my mind and before I know it, I am doubting that God will come through for me. It is so subtle how the doubt infiltrates. My faith in God’s goodness, love and truth is so strong, because I know He is good, but I am not immune.
I can shout that I have all the faith in the world, but if I am seeking truth regarding my faith and my walk with Christ, I cannot help but recognize that even though I do trust God down to the marrow in my bones. I cannot ignore the fact that if I am having such fear and anxiety of “what if,” then I am not trusting God like I thought I was.
I share this truth about myself for one reason; and that is so you know that I am not sitting here, on some spiritual mountaintop spouting inspiration. In this season of mourning and loss in my life, God has shown up….. Inspired and come through for me in ways that I will discuss in future posts.
No matter how terrifying, no matter how hopeless or defeated ….. Seek His face……listen for His voice….and no matter what, trust His promises.
Thank You Father for being so perfect… so trustworthy.
Written by: Justin Ludwig
“ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God -2 Cor 3:4
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you”– Deut 31:6
“Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” -1 Peter 5:7
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” – Isaiah 41:10
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