Hello Friends and Family To Christian Hills Church:

 

Sunday night Kathy and I watched the movie the Machine Gun Preacher which I referenced was coming out months ago in a sermon – the story is about Sam Childers a missionary former Biker enforcer who gave his life to Jesus and started an orphanage in Sudan’s worn torn country. The movie is very graphic with picturees of tortue, murder, swearing and sex scenes. So please be aware of this if you watch it. I felt some of the scenes and language could have been cut out and made it a better movie and a clean movie but the message of the movie is about making a difference in the lives of helpless defenseless kids. In one spot in the movie and in Sam’s real life story Sam is overwhelmed with the loss of 20 kids killed by the rebels in Sudan. He is guilt riden in the fact he could only take half of the kids seeking his help because of the size of his truck so when they get back after delivering the first group he finds the 20 he left behind have been killed and burned. The movie shows him getting angry and frustrated at how Americans hooard their wealth but never use it to help people out in need especially kids in life or death situations like he is facing in Sudan.He starts to let hate take root in his heart and the others around him can see it’s evil impact on his life and ministry. At one of his darkest moments in Sudan he comtemplates taking his own life at the time he is thinking about doing it a young boy knocks on his door. The little boy never talks and the opening scene of the movie is where this little boy is made by the rebels to kill his mother or he and his brother will be killed. Mom encourages the boy to do as they say so he does. This boy has never spoken to grown ups before in the movie even after being rescued from the rebels by Sam and his partners. But in sams darkest moment he is the boy God sends to Sam at his low point were he is thinking of ending it all and the boy says to Sam. “You cannot let the hate take root in your heart or you will become like the rebels!” Wow it was powerful moment in the movie and Kathy and I shead some tears over this God moment. I must admit the movie convicted me of how we hoard money in America spend it on ourselves and think God is pleased with all this. I thought of Christa my daughter in Africa were her mission group feeds 60 kids a day. these kids get 1 meal to help them stay alive. Christa reminds me they have nothing were she ministers and they too have seen the result of war with a refugee camp they work with. I think wow how rich we are with large bank accounts! So why don’t we choose to invest the money God has given us into ministry, into young people’s lives what are we afraid of? Not having enough for our lifestyles our elaborate wants? I guess for me the question is are willing to be a living sacrifice for the Kingdom of God like Sam Childers and Christa McCartney? If so put your money where your heart is.