Our fourth week of ministry here in the USA ended yesterday and what more can I say than we are blessed. When we talk about blessings we do not talk about finances, money or worldly things as these things are not the reason why we are doing what we are doing. We do what we do because God has called us to do this and He has places us where we are. Our ministry is probably not so attractive to all as we have no catastrophe videos or pictures to share like we see from the third world countries and from the countries where there are war and very difficult circumstances.
Civilised western world?
Our ministry is founded on reaching those who are around us. We too often think that we are living in a civilised western world with only political problems and that we have all we need. Well to a certain degree that is true but the people around us are as lost as the unreached people in the third world. In fact these people we are trying to reach with the message of the cross are harder to reach than those who are in need.
When you look at our video reports and pictures you might think that this is something we do as it is fun and because we like being around hot rods, motorcycles, fast cars and rock and roll. Well, this is not the case. Honestly the truth is totally different. To have one or two days off is disaster and we wish we could just be at home with our family in our own home. It is called being homesick. That is one price we have to pay in order to do what we do.
Another thing is that we are totally depending on the Lord when it comes to finances. Every single trip we do is always our biggest step in faith. We never know if we are going to make it. We never know because most of these places are outreach events where money is only involved when we are paying our way to be at these places. When we visit recovery centers, detox clinics, youth facilities, prisons… you name it, it is out of the question to ask for money as the open door would be slammed in our faces very hard. When we are visiting churches we do not ask for anything as this is what God has told us to operate.
Instead God has put on our hearts to build up a FAMILY of partners who share the same vision to reach those people in the western world that do not believe in Jesus Christ. It is hard as people think they have everything and that they don’t need Jesus.
The testimony our greatest tool!
The testimony about what Jesus has done in our lives is the greatest tool together with the word of God. People who are in the same situation where we were or who have relatives who they wish could come out of those circumstances can relate to our testimony. The outcome is: IF Jesus could do that for them, may be Jesus could do it for me? That is a question that we plant in peoples minds and when their hearts opens up for the thought to have faith in Jesus things starts to happen.
It is often when something happens when people cry out to God. There is a saying that there is no atheist on a sinking ship. On a sinking ship everyone is in danger and they are all crying out for help. The only name who can help in a situation as the illustration of the sinking ship is Jesus. This is what we are doing and what we are talking about is for real.
Past week
The past week we have met up with people who are new connections and people we consider family that we are going to work with in the future. We have been at Daytona Spring Rod Run in Daytona Beach reaching out to people and having chapel services. We also visited a car show at First Assembly of God in Ocala on Saturday.
What came to our mind last week is something very sad. People with money are harder to reach than the people in the third world. In one way the situation is no different in our civilised western world than in the third world when it comes to eternity. We ALL need Jesus in order to receive eternal life and this is what we are trying to tell people.
We see how other things comes before God. Cars, money and other things becomes ”gods” and ”idols”. Here people have to give up something first before receiving something. It might be said in a wrong way but that is how it looks like when we have worldly things between ourselves and the Lord. God does not require anyone to sell everything they own to get right with Him. What He wants is your heart. He wants the priorities to be right and Jesus should always be on the first place. Family second and then all the other things. We can not serve God and mammon (money) at the same time. I guess this is why we are poor because we have made our decision to live for Christ as He died for us.
Last week coming up
Now our last week of ministry has started and tonight we are going to return to Northland Church for a Celebrate Recovery meeting. Thursday and Friday we are going to be at the Finnish Pentecostal Church in Lake Worth before we come back to Eustis to prepare for our trip back home.
Our fundraiser on-line has not brought in any funds at all. This most likely because we do not have the catastrophic images to show that just breaks your heart. Still we are blessed as God has made a way for us and what we have seen God do over here in the USA is worth more than ANY money in this world. This is why we are blessed beyond our understanding.
Thank you all for your prayers! Those are the greatest support we can get as YOUR prayers are carrying us from day to day and TOGETHER we are seeing people getting saved, healed, delivered and set free. We are seeing lives transformed!
God Bless You All!
Pontus and Sebastian Back
