Rumblings

2022 is now in our rear mirror and I am for one am already looking forward to another great year in 2023 for the Azusa StreetRiders ministry. Needless to say, it’s been a precarious year for many of and this ministry, some good and some bad however all in all we have been blessed and have been a blessing to so many. In this year we has seen soul saved, baptized in Jesus name for the first time and filled with the Holy Ghost, we have experienced people healed by the power of God and we have prayed for many, many sick and hurting people. We have ministered to those in need, including each other. We do all of this for the glory of God and it’s my prayer moving into this next year that we continue to do so.

We have lost a dear member this year whom was loved by many. Bro Norman (Roadkill) Knight. A long-standing active member of the Azusa StreetRiders Ministry. Bro Norm, you will be missed!

In 2022 we have again broken our own record for Motorcycles for Missionaries fundraising this year with a total offering being $31,625.00. I would like to thank each and every one of our members and supporters that gave so much that so many can be blessed. Only in eternity will we know the effect of what has been done this year by this ministry. I would also like to thank Bro Chuck Austin and Bro Terry Metheny, their respective chapters and all those that supported Motorcycles of Missionaries by purchasing raffle tickets. Between the two drawings they were able to raise $11,460.00. That was a Great Idea guys.  I know that Justin Lehman and Bro Clarence Earp also thank you. Bro Tom Thompson thank you for giving Bro Earp the Harley Softtail, just in case there was anyone unaware Bro Tom actually won the drawing for the Bike and gave Bro Clarence Earp his winnings, very generous act on Bro Tom’s part.

Recipients this year of a motorcycles for missionaries is as follows:

UPCI Global Missions:

Africa Region – $16,650
Zimbabwe – Missionary Mike Long
3 motorcycles needed at $1,600/each = $4,800

South Africa – Missionary Nicky Sisco
3 motorcycles needed at $1,500/each = $4,500

Democratic Republic Of Congo – Missionary Nicky Sisco
2 motorcycles needed at $1,600/each = $4,800

TOGO – Missionary Ken Cantrell
3 motorcycles needed at $850/each = $2,550

Asia Region – $5,500
Golden Triangle (Myanmar) – These bikes are purchased new in Thailand and brought across the border to Myanmar.
Missionary: Lynden Shalm, Golden Triangle; Supervising Pastor and Main Contact:  G.T. Robert
1 motorcycle needed at $1,700 (Honda 125cc)
2 motorcycles needed at $1,900 each = $3,800 (Honda 150cc) = Total:  $5,500

$23,865 total gift and a love offering of $1,715 for the UPCI Global Missions Department

ALJC World Missions Department

South Africa
Bro Randy Watts – $4,000

Philippines
Bro Mark Naimy – $2.600

$6,600 total gift plus a love offering of $600 for the ALJC Foreign Missions Department

Our “Bind the Strongman” Prayer Conference is all set for March 3^rd and Bro Theodore has done an excellent job promoting our first event of 2023. Let me encourage everyone to be a part of this kickoff event I know for some it may be a long distance to get to one of the “Bind the Strongman’s” posted location that we have. If that’s the case join with others in your local area, set this time aside for prayer perhaps at your local church or in your home. The location doesn’t matter it’s the participation that makes the difference.

Moving forward I just want to say that I would really like to see 2023 to be a banner year for our ministry. There’s no doubt that the Lord is coming soon and all of us need to be about our fathers work and that work is to spread the gospel to every man, woman and child that we come in contact with. I would ask as I have in the past any Azusa StreetRiders event scheduled in 2023 that we build in some kind of an outreach in order to witness to lost souls. They don’t necessarily have to be bikers all they have to be is loss or discouraged. We reach for the lost and always have a kind word of encouragement for those who have little or no hope, this is what were about, this is Azusa StreetRiders Ministry.

In addition, I would like us to look inward to those within and associated with this ministry that need this fellowship, need our words of encouragement and strength that comes when “iron sharpens iron”. I will be transparent there have been times when my discouragement has faded because of a “good word” from a fellow Azusa StreetRider member. A brother or sister that through his/her personal ministry the Lord moved upon just to call me, out of the blue with a word of encouragement and advise, especially this year especially right now. This ministry is unique, our membership is unique and I have had a hard time finding a ministry quite like this anywhere “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people… “Yes let’s reach the lost, encourage the downtrodden but also let’s be a blessing and an encouragement to each other and the Bible teaches that right along with Acts 2:38 Let’s not seek the whole world and lose one of our own …..

In closing I wish to extend a safe and Happy New Years to all of you may the Lord Bless and keep you and yours. Keep the Faith, Stay the Course, look up he’s coming soon!

Every year, people around the world make New Year’s resolutions to reach their goals, improve their health, and better their lives. Many people are successful at keeping their resolutions, while many others fail. In fact, statistics show that only 9-12% of people who make New Years resolutions are successful in keeping them. They are resolving that next year will be the year they finish that diet, the year that they finish that project, or that they finally do what they’ve been putting off for so long, when, in reality, their resolutions often make it no further than January before they are forgotten or pushed aside. Sadly, there are often things in our walk with God that share the same fate as those resolutions. Are there things that we set out to do in the kingdom of God, but somewhere along the way, they were pushed aside for other things that take precedence? What would my statistic be? Did I do everything I could to witness to the lost, or did I relax a little and not pursue my purpose and calling? Did I place the things of God in high priority, or did the cares of life overshadow them? Did I come to the house of God to worship with everything I had to offer, or did I come out of habit or routine? Did I look at that vile sinner in disgust and condemnation, or did my heart break at the fact that they were lost?

A RESOLUTION is defined as a decision to do or not do something.

RESOLVE is defined as firm determination to do something.

As we enter the year 2023, let us be prayerfully mindful of the day in which we live, and the soon coming of Jesus Christ. We have no time to waste on resolutions that may fail, but we need a burning resolve down in our hearts to grab onto the heart of Jesus, and go after those that He shed His blood for.

“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ ‭

Jeremiah Hayes                                                          Vice President                                                           Azusa Streetriders International

I meant to post this last month  from a friend of ours and church member.  Spot on for our membership.

From Abi Werle

Yesterday Simon read me a passage from the book of Ezra. One scripture stuck out to me and I drew a conclusion about what it meant and was excited to share my thoughts. But Ezra is a whole book and I was not overly familiar with it. So since I didn’t know the whole story, I asked Simon to tell me about the book before I shared my thoughts. Turns out once I knew the whole story, I realized that the conclusion I originally came to was incorrect. Not only was I wrong, but the meaning of the passage was almost the opposite of what I had been thinking!
Now, I could easily turn this story into a bible study, but today I really want to turn it into a people study. So stay tuned!
As humans we have a tendency to stubbornly adhere to our first belief about something or someone. We also look for evidence to confirm our beliefs and ignore anything that disproves them. In psychology those tendencies are known as belief perserverence and confirmation bias.
Why am I saying all this? Because it is absolutely vital to recognize when you don’t know the whole story. We often take more pride in our judgements of others than we do in having mercy. If we step back and recognize that we may not know the whole story, we can hopefully realize that we don’t have enough information to make an accurate judgement. We can choose to disregard our negative beliefs and err on the side of grace.
So next time you hear a passage about someone elses life, remember, you do not know the whole story. You may have heard an excerpt, but there may be other perspectives or details you still dont know.
Let’s go a step further with my story. What if I had decided to share my false conclusions with the world? People probably would have believed me because it was exciting stuff. Now we have a bunch of people out there with a belief about the book of Ezra that is completely wrong. They’re out there making disciples and sharing their inaccurate version of the story and the problem just multiplies.
Isn’t that how gossip works?!?!! Gossip is toxic and dangerous for so many reasons, but a big one is that you may not be hearing the whole story and the whole story will probably impact how you see that single passage.
I feel like I need to drive this whole diatribe home in some eloquent and effective way so here goes…don’t make judgements of others and don’t participate in gossip because one passage of the story never gives you the whole story – you just dont know what you dont know.

A Letter from the heart of Clarence Earp

I would like to thank all of my brothers and sisters in ASR. Who have stood behind me and with us. As we walk through the darkness of this trail of cancer. There have been times when I have been overwhelmed. Both with trail and heartache. And with the love and blessings of God. And my brothers and sisters in ASR. It is with excitement and joy. That I tell you today that my wife sister Earp is cancer free praise God.God has healed her. Once again our great God has heard your prayers.Thank you all my ASR family from the bottom of my heart. And my God richly bless those who have helped out financial assistance in this time of trial.                                                                                                                                                     We love you all,                                                                                                                                                            Brother and Sister Earp