New Commandment Men’s Ministries Blog
I’ve Been Invited Back to Ferguson, Missouri, and I Need Your Prayers
Painful memories of growing up in Los Angeles made inner city ministry an unwelcome prospect for Herb Reese. This personal account traces how a surprising encounter and an invitation to Ferguson challenged that reluctance, leading him to seek prayer for helping pastors respond to tragedy through lasting care and service.
Read the full post: I’ve Been Invited Back to Ferguson, Missouri, and I Need Your Prayers
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6 thoughts on “I’ve Been Invited Back to Ferguson, Missouri, and I Need Your Prayers”
Herb,
Thanks for sharing your testimony and journey you are on. I will be praying for you that God would move in the hearts and lives of pastors and men in these communities to rise up and and build. I have been going through Nehemiah with our men’s ministry. We have talked about Nehemiah 2:20 where Nehemiah faced those who were trying to intimidate him and keep him from moving forward. Nehemiah said ” God is the one that will bring success, our part is to rise up and build, and for the enemy that will try to create discouragement we say to him – you have no portion, no right and no claim to what God’s people are going to do in building into the lives of the hurting, destitute and discouraged.
Blessings to you Herb as you follow God’s lead.
That’s a fantastic passage, Brian. Thanks for sharing it. And I do appreciate your prayers. Keep up the good work there in Kearney, Nebraska.
9/26/2016
I enjoyed your testimony. I know it is recorded in Heaven. I know you now know what it this scripture means. (Hebrews 4:15King James Version (KJV) 15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Jesus, your elder brother was touched with the infirmities of all of man kind. And he never knew sin. He wasn’t guilty.
Isaiah 53:5New King James Version (NKJV)
In addition to that But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.
2 Timothy 2:12 2 Timothy advises those that are hid in Christ of their commitment to the Will of God.
9Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound. 10Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 11It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: 12If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: 13If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself. 14Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.
Always remember and hold fast to you are not your own. This is verification of the true
Christian Life.
“Ye are not your own: for ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”?1 Corinthians 6:19-20.
This is not your home. You are an Ambassador.
King James Bible
Our Eternal Dwelling
(Romans 8:18-27)
1For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: 3If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. 4For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. 5Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.
6Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 7(For we walk by faith, not by sight:) 8We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. 9Wherefore we labor, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. 10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
We are Christ’s Ambassadors
11Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences. 12For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart. 13For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause. 14For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: 15And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
16Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. 17Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
20Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. 21For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
King James Bible
The Heavenly, Father is manifesting this in your life be of Good Cheer.
The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.
Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet
1Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. 2And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him; 3Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; 4He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.
5After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. 6Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? 7Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. 8Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. 9Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. 10Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. 11For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.
12So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? 13Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. 14If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. 16Verily, verily, I say unto you, 17If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
Jesus Predicts His Betrayal
(Psalm 41:1-13; Matthew 26:17-25; Mark 14:12-21; Luke 22:7-13)
18I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me. 19Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he. 20Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
21When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. 22Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake. 23Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved. 24Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake. 25He then lying on Jesus’ breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it? 26Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. 27And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly. 28Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him. 29For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor. 30He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night.
A New Command I Give You
(Romans 12:9-13; 1 John 3:11-24)
31Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him. 33Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you. 34A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
If I don’t see you in October at the Ferguson event I will see you in the New City.
Your Sister In Christ,
Anita
Thank you for this exhortation, Anita. I’m looking forward to seeing you, too. Hopefully in Ferguson.
Herb, what a great story about growing up in inner city LA, and living to talk about it! I will be praying for your trip to be successful, and a new turn in your ministry. I’m sure, with God’s help, you will be blessed in this new ministry.
Thanks so much. I need all the prayer I can get.