June 1st just marked my 59th Birthday. As we grow older, most of use don’t like to be reminded of our age and wish we could reverse the aging process. Looking younger becomes the reason for many choices we make. We buy certain clothes that make us “look younger”. We change hair styles for a “younger looking” look. If our hair begins to turn grey, we dye it. The desire to appear younger than we are has generated a multi-million dollar industry. Its big business in America. No one wants to look old and we do our best to avoid it. We just finished attending the International Foursquare Convention where we saw pastors and friends who we haven’t seen for a year or two. Some remarked that my hair is turning grey since the last time time they saw me. I told them, “That means I know something” . The Bible says, “The young glory in their strength but the old are honored by their grey hair”. (Prov. 20:29) Thus, on this, my 59th Birthday, as I see the grey filling in upon my head, I consider it a sign of honor and even a sign of wisdom that can only be known in time. There is no short cut to wisdom, no fast way to get it. Maturity and wisdom will always demand the passage of time to be realized. Thus, if anyone wants to wish me a “Happy Birthday” may it be a wish for the added wisdom that comes with the passage of yet another year.
Roger Smets
After taking one month off from all ministry engagements we have now resumed our normal ministry schedule. Due to health reasons I withdrew from all public ministry for one month, to rest and recouperate from what could have been, a fatal heart attack. I was hospitalized for 4 days and received a stent implant in one of the main arteries in my heart that had become 95% blocked. My normal blood flow was restored, freeing me from the life threating jolts of pain I was enduring in my chest. After a month of rest, I am feeling strong enough to resume our normal ministry schedule, begining with two weeks of ministry in Sourthern California.
Thank you for your continued prayers as we return to preaching the Word and praying personal words of prophetic promises to individuals. The Bible says, “The Lord shall restore healthunto us and will heal us from all of our wounds.” (Jer. 30:17) We receive this promise in Jesus’ name!
Due to Gwen’s recovery from hip surgery and my near heart attack just 3 weeks ago, I felt the Lord telling me to take one month off from all public ministry just to rest and recouperate from what has be a very difficult season for us. To maintain an ongoing evangelistic ministry such as ours requires a lot of “behind the scenes” work that many never see. When back home in the office for limited days between ministry engagements away, we are constantly busy scheduling our itinerary over the phone with pastors, writing newsletters and ministry updates to our partners who help support this ministry. We also are busy making airline, motel and car rental reservations, in addition to packing and unpacking our suitcases several times a month. The list of “busy work” goes on and on. At any rate, when the Lord told me to stop and clear our ministry calendar for one month of all public ministry, it was a big step of faith for us. The majority of our financial support comes from my speaking engagements. Honorariums and love offerings are received at the services where we minister. I always thought that I had to work hard to “keep the ball rolling” and if I didn’t, the ministry would not continue. To the contrary, as I stepped back from doing all the stuff I usually do, the Lord has uniquely provided for all of our needs and more, and in ways that we would have never suspected. Some pastors received unsollicitaded offerings from their congregations in our behalf. Individuals who we do not know, upon learning of our need to take a month off because of health issues, have sent some large gifts in the mail. One pastor friend told me that he believed that this will be our best month financially this year! One of the things I have learned from this experience is that if I don’t ever stop doing everything I always do for God, I will never see the handiwork of God, I will never get to see what God can do all by Himself! Our constant “ministry activity” does not leave space for God to “show us great and mighty things that we have yet to know” or discover. (Jer. 33:3) While we may be gifted to accomplish much for the kingdom we must remember that God does not and never will need us. We will always need Him. He alone will always be our Divine Enabler, the One who generates His gifting in us to make us effective servants. Without Him our ministry gifts are fruitless, like a motor without gas or a sail boat with without wind. May God help us to on occasion, step back from doing what we always do to make life happen for us, that we might discover what God can do all by Himself!
ROGER SMETS
“COME UNTO ME, ALL OF YOU THAT LABOR AND ARE HEAVY LADEN, AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST” …Jesus (Mt. 11:28)
A CALL TO REST: During these past two weeks I have been learning how to responnd to God’s call to rest. After suffering from a “near heart attack” just over 2 weeks ago, I have chosen to withdraw from all public ministry for one month to just rest. For me, it was a Godly call. Jesus said “Come unto me, all that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Mt. 11:28) Sounds easy but for somone like myself who’s life has been actively busy, fulfilling a demanding ministry schedule throughout the U.S. and Canada for 35 years, this “rest” that Jesus is speaking of can be a challenge to embrace. If I am not careful, I can get so busy working for God that I miss seeing Him work without my help. I can miss seeing those soveriegn workings of the Lord that I had no part or involvement in.
NOT A CALL TO MAINTENANCE: One of the things the Lord is showing me is that much of the work that we engage ourselves in is maintenance oriented, things we do to “keep the ball rolling” as they say. We feel that if we don’t do it, its not going to get done. To the contrary, I have been learning that I am not a maintenance man for God. He will take care of me and my household. If for whatever reasons I am not able to do what I always do for the ministry, He will raise up others to “step up to the plate” and intervene. Our need releases new ministry to flow. God will see to it that His work will get done even without our help if need be. The Bible says, “Faithful is He who has called us, who will also do it.” (I Thes. 5:24) Sometimes we fail to remember that God does not need us. We need God.
RESPONDING TO THE SIGNS OF OVERLOAD & RELEASING CONTROL: So when we see the signs of “overload”, as I did two weeks ago in the Sacramento Airport, when I thought I was going to die because of strong jolts of chest pain I could bearly endure, it is time to “Come to Jesus” and let Him take full corntrol. It is time to let Him give you the rest you so desperately need. I know that we, by nature, all want to keep everything under our control. But when that control is taken from you, may God help you to let it all go and find your rest in Jesus.
Thank you for your continued prayers for Gwen and I. Many have sent us cards and gifts during this difficult season, for which we have been so grateful. Our thanks also to some pastors who have received special offerings from their congregations to help us financially during this time of rest from the ministry.
To contact us during this time:
Email: revrogersmets@aol.com”.
US mail: Roger Smets Evangelistic Ministries, 2743 Madison River Drive, Redding, CA 96002.
Endeavoring to rest in the God who is forever able.
Roger Smets
A NEEDED TIME TO REST: After suffering from a near heart attack 2 weeks ago, I have felt it to be the leading of the Lord to take a one month off from all public ministry to rest and fully recover. Such has been the strong recommendation of both my family doctor and cardiologist. Even though the blood flow has been restored to a main artery that was 95% blocked, an achy soreness inside remains for which I am trusting the Lord to take away.
A TIME TO TRUST (Ps. 20:7): During this season of rest from travel we will be trusting the Lord for His divine provision. The psalmist, David said: “Some will trust in chariots and some will trust in horses, but we will trust in the name of the Lord” (Ps. 20:7) While the devil has sought to discourage me with doubts and fears I have been asking the Lord to help me trust in the name of the Lord for complete healing.
NOTE: As you have logged on to our website today, please pause for a minute and pray for us even now. Gwen is still recovering from her hip replacement one month ago and needs prayer for a complete recovery as well as myself. Thank you for believing with us for divine healing.
ALSO: Some have asked us if they can send a financial gift to help with our needs during this One Month off from all Public Ministry. If you would like to do so, you may send your gift to: “Roger Smets Ministries”, 2743 Madison River Dr., Redding, CA 96002. Thank you.
AS IT WAS WITH MOSES: A word the Lord has given me for this season is this word about Moses: “Moses was 120 years old when he died and when he did, his eyes were not dim, nor was his natural vigor diminshed.” (Deut. 34:7 NKJ) Should I live to be 120 as well, I pray my eyes will not dim, and that my youthful vigor for serving the Lord will not diminish. So be it Lord Jesus
ROGER
