Success Without Compromise

Purpose, principle, purity and prayer are what made Daniel the successful man he was. We don't need to sell our souls to the devil to become successful is what we learnt at the HSI Community this week.

Lebanon 4: Faraya

I thought this was to be a day of rest before we returned to Dubai, but after a wonderful time in the snow at Faraya during the day, we went over for dinner at a friend's place that turned out to be a three hour prayer session that was anointed beyond measure. I was quite happy to end on such a wonderful note.

Accompanying me on this trip were brother Joseph "Barnabas" Khadige, his daughter Amanda, and Sharon and Leslie D'mello. It was a wonderful team that worked in complete unity and love, without the slightest element of discord, and I am sure that God will put us together again in the future. May God bless all of them mightily.

Lebanon 4: Fr. Majdi at the River of Abraham

I met a wonderful man of God in Fr. Majdi who rehabilitates drug addicts in the picturesque town by the River of Abraham. After speaking to a group of his residents, he gave me the cross that he used to bless the mass for the past fourteen years. I thought myself really blessed. Speaking to the drug addicts itself was a touching experience and I hoped that what I shared with them about my own life and struggles made a difference to their own lives.

In the evening I spoke at an Armenian Church to members of an Armenian community. Was in a different mood here and the talk was lighter and more fun than what I usually give. Received an invitation to Armenia so add one more country on the list of countries to visit ....

Lebanon 4: In Yahshoush

I concluded the Discipleship Program on Telelumiere in the evening. Earlier in the day the first session was telecast and the feedback was very good. While that was going on in homes, I gave a talk to a wonderful community in the little town of Yahshoush in Ftouh Kesrouan. There were a bunch of nuns in the middle of the congregation who really loved what I had to say. It was a happy day.

Lebanon 4: Day 2 of the Discipleship Program on Telelumiere

Day Two of the Discipeship Program on Telelumiere. The host of the program was a lady named Randa Choul, a person on fire for Christ if there was any. She stayed behind to listen to everything I had to say and invited me to appear on her own English language show when I was back again.

Lebanon 4: Talk to Students at St. Georges School

I spoke to nearly 200 students at a local school in the morning, and if I had any concerns about their receptivity they all disappeared within a few minutes. By the end the session nearly half of them were in tears and I believe many received a great deal of healing. When Fr. Valentino, who had invited us to minister, told us later that the parents of the children wanted to hear me speak, I knew this was a very successful outreach.

In the evening I commenced the first of a three part series on Discipleship on Telelumiere. The program was supposed to be telecast live, but as there was another event taking place, they decided they would show it over three Saturdays instead. That worked fine with me, although I am sure a lot of people who had turned their TV sets on expecting to see me were very disappointed.

Lebanon 4: Brother Noor

My fourth missionary journey to Lebanon began today with a meeting with Brother Noor, an ascetic who runs the world's largest Christian Arabic language TV station in the world. He has not stepped out of his office in ten years! Despite the cold weather he was clad as usual in his threadbare robe and his face looked as angelic as ever. He had invited me to give HSI's Discipleship Program on television and that would be from February 3-5.

In the evening I met a Bible Study group run by an expatriate community resident in Lebanon. Over the course of the previous three visits they had all become good friends - Monique, Brid, Caroline and Co. - and I was as happy to meet them as I was to speak to their community. Nearly fifty people had gathered and I gave the talk on Fighting Fear that I had given in Dubai before I left. (Almost everyone testified later how the talk had delivered them of their fears. Praise God.)

Fighting Fear

Many of us live in fear – fear of death, fear of the dark, fear of animals, fear of being alone, and other assorted cripplers – but as Christians we do not need to be afraid. This was the subject of the talk at the HSI Communities this week.

Obedience

“Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams" (1 Samuel 15:22). We looked at this rather discomfitting subject this week in the HSI Communities.

Trusting During Trouble

We all face storms in our lives, storms that threaten to destroy us. But as Christians we needn't worry if we can only keep our eyes fixed on Jesus.