April 2003 Monthly Letter

Dear Partner In Ministry,

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your own ability, but with the temptation He will provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” — 2 Cor. 10:13

In 1992-97 when I was a regular seminar speaker for Promise Keepers, we received frequent results of surveys taken by the tens of thousands of men who attended the large stadium events.

Such items as frequency of worship attendance, personal study of God's Word, and times spent in prayer, were tabulated and the results reported by percentages.

One of the alarming realities of life was the number of men who indicated a personal struggle with pornography. Some 78% of the men who completed the survey, revealed a “yielding in various degrees” to this temptation of the flesh!

The Internet has certainly increased the access to this problem of morality.

Knowing this reality of men's struggles, I always offer three things at each UpBuilding session for men. Some specific steps for God to provide: 1) “a way of escape;” 2) “a way to endure;” and 3) “a way to experience forgiveness and cleansing.”

Recently our Lord had me in a church where both the Mayor and City Manager were in attendance at the men’s session. The latter had been an associate pastor at that church in the 90’s, left it to pastor another church, and then returned to the city but as City Manager.

Unbeknown to me at the time, both of these city officials were accused of and admitted to having pornography on their office computers! After a great community uproar, both were able to retain their respective positions but not without personal, family, church, and public humiliation and embarrassment.

God is faithful! Through the experience of the UpBuilding Weekend, these men and ALL who attended the Weekend and were aware of this situation, realized again the faithfulness of God and His provision of forgiveness, cleansing, and restoration to all who have been overtaken by any common temptation!

Only after the Weekend did I learn about what God had intricately arranged and marvelously done and why He had me come to this particular church and community at tHIS time! For me it was like a “Paul Harvey-the rest of the story” happening!

One translation of Psalms 145: 3 is “Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised. His greatness is beyond discovery!” My faith was upbuilt by re-discovering His greatness through this experience. I hope that your faith will be upbuilt by this rediscovery, too!

Thank you for your faithful support of UpBuilding Ministries!

Ron

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