If you've noticed the change in the name, this is the original name that was intended for our newsletter.
We will be using this from this point onward!
Praise the LORD!!!
I pray that everyone is well and being greatly blessed by the LORD at this time. I've been off line for some time and not able to take care of any, online, ministry items at all. This was a bit hard to handle given the amount of time I'd been working on setting up our online presence! As of the 27th of June though, this was remedied. The reason for being off line was my move from a host family's home into an apartment of my own. As most of you may know, this brings a great number of cost along with it and I've been working two jobs to take care of these. This in itself has left little time for taking care of ministry issues, but the LORD has blessed me with being able to take care of most of these fairly quickly.
During the last month I've run into a good number of people with their own small ministries. The exact reason for this the LORD only knows, but you can know that I'm keeping my eyes and ears open to HIS reasoning for this. I've learned, over the years, that nothing that happens just happens. In other words, there is no such thing as chance or luck or fate. All things are ordained by GOD to bring about HIS perfect will for mankind and the KINGDOM. This even includes tragic events. Yes folks, GOD does allow bad things to happen to good people and HE has reasoning for these events. For many years I believed that GOD is only a GOD of love and that HE'd not allow anything bad to happen to us or within our lives. That satan was the one that brought about all the tragedy within the world. But then GOD taught me a lesson, through scripture and events, that opened my eyes to the truth on this matter.
For many years our teachers have been directing us along these lines. Teaching that GOD never allows any harm to come to Christians or even the world to be a fact. This has blinded many to the truth, truth taught within the annuals of the Holy Bible. Isaiah 45:7 points this out, plain as day! A simple reading of the Old Testament will also show many events along these lines. For example, look at the events of Moses' life, when he was confronting Pharaoh. How many times do we find GOD telling him that "HE will" bring about some tragic event? Too many to count if you take into account the whole of the "OT." If GOD is the same yesterday, today and forever"(Heb. 13:8), to dispute this would be to call GOD a liar and everything we Christian believe a lie! In Exodus 14:11, GOD HIMSELF tells us this very same fact. HE has caused events which we deem tragic(is not blindness, muteness and dumbness tragic(?)) to take place. I personally don't know when this shift in our doctrine or theology took place, but I know it is wrong! It is basically giving the adversary more power over existence then he even deserves. I'll leave this matter at this time for I could really begin a sermon here if I don't, this should be enough to get many good Bible studies started though:)))
Yesterday I signed VCM up to be a member of the "National Preparedness Month Coalition." In doing so I've made the promise to promote this event, which is the month of September. Part of being a coalition member entails preparing people to face disaster within their lives, through the publication of papers, flyers, articles and/or events. This is perfect in keeping with the goals of the LORD and this ministry's "DROC." I've begun to correlate a number of disaster preparedness forms offered by other groups to present ones that are in better standing with the beliefs of the ministry. Remember, I've personally been through disaster and know firsthand what it takes to survive through them. Sure, not everyone may sit through a cat 5 hurricane feeling the brunt of it's fury, but being prepared has nothing to do with this. It has to deal with being ready to face even the smallest of events also. I'm in disagreement with a good number of the items most of these offer. I deem them as a bit under what really is needed and will present both the original suggestions and those from personal experience. For example, most state that we should have on hand a 72 hr. supply of both food and water. I personally don't rationalize this as being enough. I'd rather see people ready to handle a much longer period without relief efforts reaching them. More along the lines of a week would be more sufficient and even longer if the disaster is larger in scope. More on this will be coming in the next months, so keep your eyes open for it!
There are going to be many changes coming to the ministry in the time ahead. We'll be getting more and more of our programs up and functioning, or at least set up to operate. Exactly what the LORD has in store for the ministry, I can only imagine, but I've a fair knowledge from visions and inspirations HE's given me throughout the years. Please understand, Vine of CHRIST Ministries was not born yesterday, it has been in development since Aug. of '97.' I've been through processes for many of it's branches, learning all that I could about their operations and procedures. Which ones and to what extent they'll be activated, only the LORD knows, but I do know that the time has come for VCM to begin bearing fruit for the KINGDOM. There are many needs that will have to be met as this begins to happen and I've great faith, that all our needs will be met as the LORD opens the doors to each and every branch that HIS ministry will entail. If you see yourself working in the future for the LORD, step out of the boat and get to it. For there is no better place to be then in one of service to the LORD!!!
GOD bless and good day,
Rev. Marshall Barth
