{"id":562,"date":"2025-01-10T21:25:25","date_gmt":"2025-01-10T21:25:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/adventure\/?p=562"},"modified":"2025-01-10T21:58:55","modified_gmt":"2025-01-10T21:58:55","slug":"realistic-confidence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/adventure\/realistic-confidence\/","title":{"rendered":"Realistic Confidence"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Raoul’s Two Cents: January 10, 2025<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

The Mission Field<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

WARNING: Religious topic. Move on to the jokes if this isn’t your thing.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

Everybody’s talking about the Los Angeles fires. Who? How? Why? It’s not complicated. This state is shaped by shared ideologies, a shared vision and one political party. Enough said. But let’s not talk about the obvious. Let’s talk about church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have been studying Acts and the letters of Paul. If you are not familiar, Paul was the first among the apostles who realized that the Gospel needed to be preached not only to the Jews but also to the Gentiles (non-Jews). He was the first missionary. He traveled from Jerusalem to as far as modern-day Greece<\/a>. Along the way he planted several churches. As soon as a church was organized and equipped with able leaders, he would move on to the next populated city and repeat the process. In almost all situations he was met with hostility by the local religious leaders whose livelihoods were threatened. Yeah, political corruption was as rampant as they are today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are celebrating Mission Week<\/strong> in my church and missionaries (whom we support) from all over the world have come to report on their activities. Their stories are inspiring and amazing. These humble men of God go where few have dared to trod. Some live in hostile anti-Christian countries where they can be legally imprisoned, tortured and killed if they speak of Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I had lunch with Logan (not his real name) who started a ministry among students from Asia. Many he believes are spies \u2026 informing their motherland of strategic weaknesses. I was complaining about the LA fires when he surprised me about the richness of California. He couldn\u2019t get enough of the hot sun so he refused to sit in the shade. He pointed at the shiny cars that whizzed by. He marveled at the endless choices in the menu. He was amused at the variety of skin and hair colors. I had forgotten that (when I first got here) I saw what he sees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His biggest problem? Not enough workers. He is by himself assisting\/ministering to boatloads of people who need help adjusting to their new environment. He drives them around, supplies furniture and grocery. And he’s not getting paid. He\u2019s so busy he has no time to do anything else. In two years, through simple conversations, he has led 40 people to Christ. He needs two Christian women to mentor the ladies because they are now outnumbering the men.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In all of this, he is excited! He is joyful! His bank account is less than $100 but he isn\u2019t begging for money. He is confident the Lord will provide. \u201cThese are just material things,\u201d he insists. In times of his most financially desperate moments, someone had always come up with just the right amount of money. He is looking forward to returning to his \u201cpeople\u201d for indeed, the harvest is ripe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The loss and the grief of those whose homes were ravaged by the fires here in Los Angeles are real. But so is the Lord\u2019s provision. I guess it\u2019s easy for me to say \u2026 until my house burns down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After I wrote that sentence I had to pause, look up and prayed:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLord, don\u2019t get any ideas about what I just said. Are we clear about this? Logan? Where are you Logan? Please strengthen my faith!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

TGIF people!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cWhat difference does it make how much you have? What you do not have amounts to much more.”<\/em> — Seneca<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“There was a time in my life when I thought I had everything – millions of dollars, mansions, cars, nice clothes, beautiful women, and every other materialistic thing you can imagine. Now I struggle for peace.<\/em>” — Richard Pryor<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. 27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.<\/em>\u201d— A letter from Paul the apostle. 2 Corinthians 11: 23-27<\/p>\n\n\n\n

JOKE OF THE WEEK<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Thanks to Tom of Pasadena, CA<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Original art by Raoul Pascual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Video of the Week<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Thanks to Tom of Pasadena, CA <\/p>\n\n\n\n