Why Faithful Stewards? Sep 2006
Some of you know the story behind this ministry but many do not so I will once again share a condensed version of my testimony with you today.
In October 1980 I answered an alter call at a local church near where I was stationed in the military. Very soon I found myself serving in the bus ministry and very involved in church activities. After about a year I spoke to the pastor explaining I felt I was being “called” to some sort of service to God. I was not discouraged but neither was I encouraged by our discussion. I eventually moved away, my marriage fell apart, I stopped going to church and became fully backslidden.
Seemingly at the bottom of the valley, God still had mercy upon me, though I did not give Him credit at the time, and within 3 years I was remarried had custody of my two daughters a good job the “American dream”. No I had not returned to fellowship with God, I thought things were going great so what did I need Him for. It’s Ok, you can say it, I know how dumb that was.
Well I continued living a worldly life for some 16 years. I was a good guy and all, or so I thought, but I was also caught up in the sin of sexual idolatry and it led to “my world” crashing down around me. I believe God had had enough with my disobedience and decided I need a Jonah experience (Jonah 1:1-3). You know the story God calls Jonah to serve Him and Jonah tries to run from the call. Well God gave me my own whale, called prison, and 71/2 years not three days to figure out the plain truth of His commands. Remember Israel in Deut 11:24-26, well like them God made it a simple choice for me obey Him and be blessed or disobey Him and be cursed. Now I know that sounds like a simple choice. Yet we must remember He calls us to ‘pick up our cross daily and follow Jesus’ so this was not going to be any lip service obedience. You can not put one over on God, I’ve tried.
After reading the above scripture and Jonathan Edwards’s sermon, Sinners at the hands of an angry God, (see page 4 –8) I knew the choice I must make. That choice is summed up in this ministries theme verse from First Corinthians Chapter 4: 1Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2Moreover it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful. God has given us His Word, the Bible and we are stewards, administrators, caretakers, overseers of it. We must be seen by others as ministers or servants of Christ. We must be faithful to His calling and will for our lives.
I still had no idea what it was God expected of me but it didn’t matter. I wanted to be used as He willed and that left the decision of what to do up to Him. Oh I did my part, fellowship, prayer, and studying the Word. He kept refining me until I was reading to be released and be a Faithful Steward one who is far more concerned about the conviction of, than the compromise of His word.
Jan 2010 - Update Since my release in 2006, God has more than abundantly blessed me. He has provided steady employment, good health, a loving wife, and a new home. It is still hard for me to understand why He has chosen a wretch like me, but I am forever grateful he did.
Mike
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Fuzzy's Testimony0001.pdf
Testimony of our good freind and fellow minister of the Gospel,
Steven "Fuzzy"Brown of So Blessed Ministries in CA
God's Daughter.pdf
Leslie St.Aubin, MAC
Spirit House Ministries Inc.