Wednesday day of contrast

LORD I WILL FOLLOW YOU BUT......LUKE 9:61

Suppose God tells you to do something that will be an enormous test of your common sense, totally going against everything you feel comfortable in doing. What will you do? Will you hold back? eg. If you have gotten into the habit of doing some thing physically, you will fall into doing every time you are tested until you are determined to break the habit through sheer determination. And the same is true spiritually. Again and again we will come up to what Jesus wants and is calling us to, and most times we will turn back at the time of testing. How many time do we say "not sure that's of Jesus so I better not do it" rather we should be saying " better get at it, may be Jesus". We will turn back at the point of testing, until we are determined to abandon ourselves to to Jesus in total surrender. Yet we tend to say "Yes but-suppose I do obey God in this matter, what about...? Or we say "Yes I will obey if what he asks of me doesn't go against my personal common sense and comfort zone, and don't ask me to take a step in the dark no not that.

Jesus Christ demands the same unrestrained, adventurous spirit in those who have placed their trust in Him, that so many everyday people exhibit. If a person is ever going to do anything worthwhile, there will be time when we must risk everything by this step or leap in the dark. In the spiritual realm, Jesus Christ demands that we risk everything we hold on to or believe in through common sense, and leap by faith into what he is calling each of us to do, and in some way or other He does call each of us. Once we obey, we will immediately find that what He says is even more solidly consistent than common sense.

By the test of common sense, Jesus Christ's statements seem mad, but when tested by the trial of faith, your findings will fill you spirit with the awesome fact that they are the very words of Jesus Himself. By trusting completely in Christ, He will bring you to new opportunities and adventures, will you step into the dark waters and take hold of those opportunities and adventures? We act like insecure cowards in a crisis, holding to were we are more comfortable, only a few in an entire area or crowd is daring enough to invest their faith in the character of Christ. The newspaper headlines will cry out the works and acts of God when His people step out in faith, hear and listen.

Luke 9:61 (NIV)

⁶¹ Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”

So many of you are not able to get out to the ranch as often as you would like or not at all. Many have called to ask what they can do to help. The biggest need we have at the ranch is that each and every one of you would continue to pray for us as we have a huge project that we have going here at the ranch and God has blessed us with His protection and safety as we move steadily ahead on all area's of construction. As we see daily supplies arrive to bless the ranch project and people and businesses to help in what ever way they can. We still need the financial support that we hope and pray our family and friends will help us with. This is a 100% Canadian Ministry reaching out to 100% Canadian men and women youth that simply need an opportunity to develop a skill, and hopefully one they are gifted at to enable them to be productive and positive assets to themselves and society. We absolutely feel God has called us and prepared us for this ministry.

We need to move ahead but we do need your help if possible. Please consider a monthly or one time donation to this ministry and please come and visit us when ever you can.

Our hope and prayer is to let as many of you know about the ranch as possible so that the hope it will bring and the lives it will change and the encouragement it will provide can start as soon as possible. The ranch will be a one of a kind facility and will offer an option to many like no other.

When God has a plan and like our friend Mike and Pastor Lyle wisely told us just keep your focus and don't let the distractions pull you away from God's purpose. Thank you once again for taking the time to view our blog. The Battle River Ranch Camp is a non profit organization that is focused on developing trades, life skills and training opportunities for men and women that are searching and find it difficult to get the opportunities needed to develop a productive life skill. Many men and women today have no idea what they could be good at or how to find out their possible skill area or level. We are a faith based training center and our hope is to give each person that comes to the ranch an opportunity to find the skill they were created for.

Harold and Diane Stephan left a life filled with addictions and bad choices. Their journey has taken them through different twelve step programs and life recovery through a relationship and healing process with Jesus Christ. If it were not for caring people in their lives that never gave up on them or thought they were a hopeless cause they too would still be lost.

We would love to hear from you and if you feel this is a program and facility that would help you or someone that you know, or you would like to be more involved with a ministry like this or support it financially we would love to talk to you and would very much appreciate your help in what ever way you can. Even if you could help with a small one time donation or a larger one it would help so much to bring this life changing facility and place of hope to be opened by this fall.

This is a ministry for those that have a heart and desire to make a difference in the lives of others with the skills and gifts they have been blessed with and have a desire to pass on what they know to the next generation.

You are always welcome to visit and we look forward to your input. This ministry is prayer based, and we pray daily for the needs of others, if you have a need for prayer and not sure where to start give us a call and we will confidentially support and help you in this area. You may not know a lot about God but God knows everything about you and He loves you more than anyone can or ever will.

God Bless You and Your Family!!!

Harold & diane Stephan and

Board of Directors of the Battle River Ranch Camp

FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL US AT 1-3O6-825-7734 OR

haroldstephan@hotmail.com

WHY WE PRAY AND HOPE THAT

YOU WILL GIVE JESUS A CHANCE IS BECAUSE

THE LIFE YOU REALLY WANT AND CAN HAVE IS UP TO YOU

HERE'S ALL YOU NEED TO DO

DON'T WAIT ANOTHER MINUTE TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT AND HERE'S WHY

#1

Because you have a past

You can't go back, but He can. The Bible says, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday and today, and forever" (Hebrews 13:8) He can walk into those places of sin, failure and hopelessness, wipe the slate clean and give you a new beginning. A beginning with a real and lasting future, full of hope.

#2

Because you need a friend that won't let you down

Jesus knows the worst about you, yet he believes the best. Why? Because He sees you not as you are, but as you will be when He gets through with you. What a friend!

#3

Because He holds the future

Who else are you going to trust? In his hands you are safe and secure - today, tomorrow and for eternity. His word says, "For I know the plans I have for you ...plans for good and not evil, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray I will listen". (Jeremiah 29:11-13 TLB)

If you'd like to start over, with a new beginning with Jesus today, Diane, I, the board of directors, volunteers and supporters of Crossman Ministries and the Battle River Ranch Camp would ask you, if you are looking for a new beginning to please pray this prayer:

LORD JESUS CHRIST

I am sorry for the things I have done wrong in my life. I ask Your forgiveness and now turn from everything that I know is wrong. Thank You for dying on the cross for me to set me free from my sins. Please come into my life and fill me with your Holy Spirit and be with me forever. Thank you Lord Jesus, Amen.

If you have made this commitment and would like to make contact, please call us. We'd love to talk to you and help in any way we can.

We are praying for all of you reading the blog every day.

We all need and are searching for choices and option every day in our lives.

We want you

to know that you do have a choice as to where you will spend eternity and we just like to

let you know that even in those last minutes of life if you call out to Jesus with all your

heart He will be there for you. Just look at the criminal that hung on the cross beside

Jesus. Each and every one of us make choices every day about the life we want to live

while we are here on this earth but very few know about the option we have available to us

when it comes to eternity. God really does love you, Jesus really died for you and the

Holy Spirit will come and live in you. Just give Him a chance today