Tree of Life

I was talking with Julie today. She finds it hard to blog when her days are so, well, so uneventful. I concur. The only remedy, short of jumping out of an airplane so as to have a story to tell, is to sit down and write. Just write. See what comes off the ends of your fingers. I'm motivated by the thought that you are waiting for me to have something to say. So, empty headed, I write.

We are cautiously excited at EVI. We had a meeting the other day to see who would be interested in doing active evangelism. Everyone was surprised to see the outcome. There must have been 20 people there, and everyone showed themselves eager to be involved. So we took a chalk board and listed all we might endeavor to do. There must have been 50 suggestions on the board. Then we passed out pieces of paper and people put on these papers what they are most interested in helping with. Today, Shannon gave me break-down. At vespers tomorrow we will continue to plan. I'm excited. It's time to stir for Jesus. 

Restoration International -- the Waters Family -- are asking if they can use EVI to have their first camp meeting in Colorado. We would be happy to do it, we think, but I don't know if EVI can accommodate the number of people it is likely to grow to become. We are negotiating at the moment.

Yesterday, we had a long meeting between the Executive Committee and the Lifestyle Center Staff. We are trying to improve every aspect of their program. I don't know if I already mentioned, but we are taking a risk. We heard that 3ABN has some sick folks over there. The President has heart trouble, the Production Manager has prostate cancer and so on...(The Production Manager will arrive at EVI on Sunday for three weeks.) So we wrote them and offered to give any 3ABN staff a lifestyle session on a donation basis. We might go broke. On the other hand, the Lord might reward our willingness to help. This offer is for January thru' March. 

Proverbs 11:30b says, "He that wins souls is wise." So now, here is the question: Is he wise because he wins souls? Or, does he win souls because he is wise? If you think there is no difference, it is because you cannot see what I am thinking.

I've got the notion that wisdom is attractive, more attractive than foolishness. Last week, at a meeting, my staff and I determined that a fool is one that thinks himself wise. Romans 1:22. He thinks so well of himself, he feels no need of soliciting or accepting counsel. The wise, on the other hand, is he that knows himself to be a fool. Therefore, he cannot trust to his own understanding. He looks for and gladly welcomes counsel. (Esp. the counsel of the True Witness to the Laodecians -- Rev. 3:18) 

People are attracted to the meek -- the teachable. They don't come across as know-it-all.

The first half of Proverbs 11:30 says, "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life." The fruit being  the same as the fruit of the Spirit -- love, joy, peace, gentleness, faith , meekness... -- become character.  Our characters, when filled with joy, and love and gentleness is a tree of life. It gives life to those who partake of it. Our influence becomes life giving -- eternal-life giving.  

The beauty in the wise attract souls and he that wins souls is wise. (Serious!)