ISAIAH 61: 1-3,7,10
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has annointed me
to preach good new to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion -
to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be call oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.
Instead of their shame my people will receive a double portion,
and instead of disgrace they will rejoice in their inheritance;
I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God.
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness.
The Lord recently gave me a vision. It was of a dance recital, very much like the one many of us have attended in Tomahawk in the spring. There was a stage and dancing on it were young girls. You knew by the gleam in their eyes and the size of their smiles that they were living a long awaited moment. The pink on their cheeks and lips had been carefully applied. They wore feathery plumes of different colors in their specially styled hair. The bows on their shiny shoes matched the color of their dresses which were covered in sequins and glitter that sparkled in the spotlight shining on them. They knew they were beautiful. But, the moment would have been empty and meaningless without the presence of that special someone watching in the audience. For some, it is a grandparent. For others , a mom or an aunt. Many wonder, " Does he see me - my daddy - looking so pretty?" It was at that moment that God spoke. "They too need their recital." No other words were necessary. I knew who He meant. He was referring to the million plus little girls on a different stage - a very dark one. Their stage is a brothel and they are held prisoner there to be raped 20- 30 times a day for anothers profit. There are no bright colors there - only shades of gray. They are dirty, ashamed and full of despair. But, God wants to see them dance! Because they are loved by Him, made by Him and for His glory. Let us do all we can to set them free that they might dance before their daddy, clothed with garments of praise and robes of righteousness! A day in the Son! 0:20 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Monday, March 26, 2007
Where we've been; Where we are; Where we're going
Dear Family and Friends,
We made it! In December we finished Vineyard College of Missions, “Mercy In Actions” 7 month missionary training program. The first half of the program was spent in Boise, Idaho. After spending the second half of that training in the Philippines, we have returned to the Boise area. Rick would, no doubt, say that building a church for the Mangyans, the indigenous people on the island of Mindoro, and the new friends he made as a result of that experience, was a highlight for him. The highlights for me were observing my daughters through it all ( and marveling at their willingness, adaptability, and growth), and seeing Gods fatherly provision for many people in many different circumstances. Idaho life has Holly and Rachel back in public school and Rick and I working and looking for work to fund living as well as fund where God will take us next. What a wonderful God He is to include us in His mission of revealing to the world the desperately needed message of His love found in Jesus Christ! There are no limits to where He may take each of us, because His love is without boundaries. There is no place, near or far, where His heart is not. And as we follow Him, He promises us His abiding presence and ever present help (which we gratefully experienced first hand!) What we are not promised, are ease and comfort. Sometimes the things we see, in the places we are, cause us heartbreak or rage. But, there is good in that if those feelings spur us on to action. And, action is needed because the world is watching the horrific daily happenings. They are outraged and asking, “Where is God?” And Church – that is us! Jesus told the church that He was sending it out as He had been sent and early in His ministry He made plain what He was going to be about. He would “preach good news to the poor…proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind…and release the oppressed.” (Luke 4:18) And so, there in part, is our job description, our mandate!
Let us tell you now about some captives we have become aware of that are in desperate need of release from captivity. Sadly, they are children.
There are over 27 million slaves in the world taday! The African slave trade did not remove that people in its 400 year duration! It is estimated that 8.4 million of those being held in bondage are children. 16 hours a day, 7 days a week, children are making bricks, rolling cigarettes, harvesting coffee, cocoa, and cotton and being beaten while they do it. They are forced to fight on the front lines in wars. They’re being raped because nearly 2 million of those slaves are sex slaves. And every minute 2 more children are added to that number. The average age of those in sex bondage is 14, but many are 11 and 12 and some are as young as 3! 3 year old children are being raped for anothers profit, on average, 20-30 times a day! Some have been taken off the streets. 120 million children live on the worlds streets because of poverty, neglect, or abuse. Some have been sold by their families. Virgin daughters bring more money. It is a multi billion dollar industry which is producing nearly the revenue that running drugs or guns does.
BUT, there is good news! Our God is not removed! He looks on trouble and grief. He listens to the cries of the afflicted and oppressed. AND, He is intent on seeing justice done! As His people, we need to be about the same. “Seek justice,” He tells us in Isaiah 1:17. “Do justice,” we hear Him say in Micah 6:8.
We, the Bispings, hear God calling us and our new mission for the future is:
· To praise Jesus because in Him Isaiah 61:1 is fulfilled!
· To join the men and women already courageously working to free children in bondage and receive into our care those freed (Isaiah 58:6; www.ijm.org; http://www.jfci.org/)
· To introduce those children to the God who saw and delivered them. (Exodus 3:7,8; Luke 1:68-79)
· To pray for them and believe that as we bring children to Jesus, He will indeed touch and heal them. (Matthew 19:13)
· To speak out at every opportunity on behalf of these children who have no voice of their own.
There is training we must receive in order to be properly equipped to
care for these children with their multitude of physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. The training will begin in September of 2007 in the Philippines. The cost of that training ranges from 15 thousand dollars to 35 thousand dollars, depending on whether we go individually or we go as a family. Would you keep us in your prayers as we ourselves pray over these decisions?
If you have given financially to help support us as we follow Gods call, thank you very much.
If you would like to donate to this cause of freeing children from sex bondage and seeing them restored to wholeness, your giving would be tax deductible if your check is made out to “Northwoods Vineyard Church” and includes the notation: “For The Bispings.” Their address is:
Northwoods Vineyard Church
418 Kaphaem Rd.
Tomahawk, WI 54487
Feel free to connect with us at the contact information given below if you would like more information, have questions, or to hear us speak.
Also, if you know of anyone who you feel would be interested in hearing about our mission, please pass along our contact information to them as well.
Rejoicing that Jesus is Lord,
The Bispings
Rick, Carrie, Holly and Rachel
The Bispings
208-922-2288
1387 W. Wheat St.
Kuna, Idaho 83634
carriebisping@hotmail.com
Or check out:
www.tomahawkvineyard.com
click on missions link
We made it! In December we finished Vineyard College of Missions, “Mercy In Actions” 7 month missionary training program. The first half of the program was spent in Boise, Idaho. After spending the second half of that training in the Philippines, we have returned to the Boise area. Rick would, no doubt, say that building a church for the Mangyans, the indigenous people on the island of Mindoro, and the new friends he made as a result of that experience, was a highlight for him. The highlights for me were observing my daughters through it all ( and marveling at their willingness, adaptability, and growth), and seeing Gods fatherly provision for many people in many different circumstances. Idaho life has Holly and Rachel back in public school and Rick and I working and looking for work to fund living as well as fund where God will take us next. What a wonderful God He is to include us in His mission of revealing to the world the desperately needed message of His love found in Jesus Christ! There are no limits to where He may take each of us, because His love is without boundaries. There is no place, near or far, where His heart is not. And as we follow Him, He promises us His abiding presence and ever present help (which we gratefully experienced first hand!) What we are not promised, are ease and comfort. Sometimes the things we see, in the places we are, cause us heartbreak or rage. But, there is good in that if those feelings spur us on to action. And, action is needed because the world is watching the horrific daily happenings. They are outraged and asking, “Where is God?” And Church – that is us! Jesus told the church that He was sending it out as He had been sent and early in His ministry He made plain what He was going to be about. He would “preach good news to the poor…proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind…and release the oppressed.” (Luke 4:18) And so, there in part, is our job description, our mandate!
Let us tell you now about some captives we have become aware of that are in desperate need of release from captivity. Sadly, they are children.
There are over 27 million slaves in the world taday! The African slave trade did not remove that people in its 400 year duration! It is estimated that 8.4 million of those being held in bondage are children. 16 hours a day, 7 days a week, children are making bricks, rolling cigarettes, harvesting coffee, cocoa, and cotton and being beaten while they do it. They are forced to fight on the front lines in wars. They’re being raped because nearly 2 million of those slaves are sex slaves. And every minute 2 more children are added to that number. The average age of those in sex bondage is 14, but many are 11 and 12 and some are as young as 3! 3 year old children are being raped for anothers profit, on average, 20-30 times a day! Some have been taken off the streets. 120 million children live on the worlds streets because of poverty, neglect, or abuse. Some have been sold by their families. Virgin daughters bring more money. It is a multi billion dollar industry which is producing nearly the revenue that running drugs or guns does.
BUT, there is good news! Our God is not removed! He looks on trouble and grief. He listens to the cries of the afflicted and oppressed. AND, He is intent on seeing justice done! As His people, we need to be about the same. “Seek justice,” He tells us in Isaiah 1:17. “Do justice,” we hear Him say in Micah 6:8.
We, the Bispings, hear God calling us and our new mission for the future is:
· To praise Jesus because in Him Isaiah 61:1 is fulfilled!
· To join the men and women already courageously working to free children in bondage and receive into our care those freed (Isaiah 58:6; www.ijm.org; http://www.jfci.org/)
· To introduce those children to the God who saw and delivered them. (Exodus 3:7,8; Luke 1:68-79)
· To pray for them and believe that as we bring children to Jesus, He will indeed touch and heal them. (Matthew 19:13)
· To speak out at every opportunity on behalf of these children who have no voice of their own.
There is training we must receive in order to be properly equipped to
care for these children with their multitude of physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. The training will begin in September of 2007 in the Philippines. The cost of that training ranges from 15 thousand dollars to 35 thousand dollars, depending on whether we go individually or we go as a family. Would you keep us in your prayers as we ourselves pray over these decisions?
If you have given financially to help support us as we follow Gods call, thank you very much.
If you would like to donate to this cause of freeing children from sex bondage and seeing them restored to wholeness, your giving would be tax deductible if your check is made out to “Northwoods Vineyard Church” and includes the notation: “For The Bispings.” Their address is:
Northwoods Vineyard Church
418 Kaphaem Rd.
Tomahawk, WI 54487
Feel free to connect with us at the contact information given below if you would like more information, have questions, or to hear us speak.
Also, if you know of anyone who you feel would be interested in hearing about our mission, please pass along our contact information to them as well.
Rejoicing that Jesus is Lord,
The Bispings
Rick, Carrie, Holly and Rachel
The Bispings
208-922-2288
1387 W. Wheat St.
Kuna, Idaho 83634
carriebisping@hotmail.com
Or check out:
www.tomahawkvineyard.com
click on missions link
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