RAVEN AMSTERDAM

Amsterdam is a very cosmopolitan city located in the Netherlands. Amsterdam was the home of Anne Frank who is well known for her diary which was the basis for the book and movie "The Hiding place." Anne Frank's family risked their own lives to hide Jews during the German Holocaust. The house still stands as a museum which is visited by thousands each year.

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While Amsterdam is rich in history and very beautiful to behold with its stunning architertural designs, it is most usually thought of as the home to the original "Red Light District." In this historic area of the city just blocks from Damme Square and the old Palace and just up the street from Amsterdam's own "Grand Central Station" sits an area rife with legalized prostitution and Cafe's offering a variety of marijuana.

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Last year I had the privilege of joining a team to minister for a full seven days in the city and my heart was broken for what I beheld; young foreign women involved in the sinister sex trade, drugs being peddled on street corners like a New Orleans' Lucky Dog, and an endless parade of young and old alike filling the Cafe's to dim their senses via a water bong or marijuana cigarette.

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Places like Amsterdam...and New Orleans...and Skid Row...and San Francisco are places that seem to draw me in through the enormous challenge of combating the adversary right in His own backyard. I belive that we can make a differance in places that other would like to avoid at all costs. Why would I believe such a thing? Is it wishful thinking. Perhaps it is just extreme optimism. No, the reason I believe is that I have seen the Hand of God show up in these palces and miraculously change and transform lives.

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We are scheduled to leave for Amsterdam next Monday the 23rd and stay on the streets of the Red Light District preaching Jesus until the 30th. Today we do not have airline tickets, hostel reservations, or even the finances to go to the airport an hour away. Does that change the fact that God has called us to "Go?" No not at all.

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The resources (about $4500 is needed to take a team of two) are there. There is no question that "where God guides, He also provides." Our God is not broke. He is not on welfare and He is not a little short this month. He "owns the cattle on a thousand hills" and "in His house are many mansions." Resources are not His problem. Obedience in regards to those resources are the problem.

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With every situation in the Kingodom of God (some call it Church, some call it religion, some call it ministry, and some call it spirituality--take your pick) God uses faithful and obedient men and women of faith to accomplish His goals. Sometimes we obey His instructions and lives are changed, souls are saved and cities are transformed. Other times, we disobey and bondages remain and people die and go to hell without the chance of hearing the message of salvation.

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Some of us disobey by refusing to GO while many others refuse to obey by refusing to GIVE. It was suggested to me recently to take our teaching recordings and make them available for "sale." They commented that they are downloaded as many as 6,000 times and that at $1 per download the ministry could be financed!

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While that sure "sounded" like a good idea---the fact of the matter is "The Gospel is NOT for sale." It has been "freely received and we will freely give it away." We will never be guilty of "making merchandise of the Gospel." God has called and gifted us to preach and teach the Gospel--and He expects us to freely invest it back into His Kingdom.

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There are others whom God has "gifted" in the areas of business and finance. They have a special ability to accumulate Kingdom Resources (money, wealth, real eastate, etc..). God has entrusted them to invest their gifts back into the Kingdom just has He has entrusted preachers, and ministers to invest theirs. While one has a very physical and tangible value in the now, the others real value will only be truly realized in eternity.

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Both of these are of equal importance in taking the Gospel to the ends of the earth. One "goes"while the other "gives." They work hand in hand to be the most efficient and effective team imaginable---or at least they should according to God's plan. When either party fails to live up to their end of the responsibility---everyone suffers.

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I believe that there are still those that have a passion and a commitment for God's way of doing things. There are men and women of faith who are willing to pray, study the Word of God and then GO to the lost and dying with the saving message of the Cross without fear and without hesitation. I also believe that there are men and woman that God has entrusted with vast financial resources and they are willing to give of them without fear or hesitation.

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If we could just ever get the two parties together.

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RAVEN AMSTERDAM VIDEO