Life in the Spirit

When we truly pray and ask the Lord to glorify Himself in us, we can’t pick and choose what and how the Lord should and should not use us. It’s a life in the Holy Spirit. We die to ourselves, daily, allowing the Lord to give us the privilege of testifying of the name of Christ. We trust Him through all situations that seem favorable or unfavorable. But, for the love of God and His love for others, we endure through trials, good situations and bad, greatly rejoicing for the opportunity to make Christ known.

For instance, while travelling in a neighboring country to renew passports for our kids, we were stopped at a police roadblock (one of many). A policeman came and started doing something. Another policeman came, whom I didn’t know, stopped the first policeman and said, “This man’s a pastor”. In this country, they call any missionary a pastor. They stopped their proceedings and let me go. I marveled at how these policemen feared the name of the Lord. It was exciting to see how the Lord worked things out in our favor.


While travelling, we ate new fruit! At over a foot long and 5
inches in diameter this spikey skinned fruit with a sweet, yet
slightly powdery tasting interior might be a trial for some.
A local called it jackfruit. 

 But, at another police stop, I had to pay a fine (the first time in 1 1/2 years) because my family in the back seat didn’t have their seat belts on (they've never worn them). We watched them let other people pass without seat belts on at all. I was upset, but the Holy Spirit spoke to me, so I didn’t say what I wanted to say (thank God for Christ’s humility). Instead, I ended up speaking before a group of 6 police about honesty, the fear of the Lord and honoring them as they do good before the Lord (Romans 13:1-5). Unexpectedly, I felt a great love in my heart for that young policeman who had stopped me (Mark 10:21). I don’t know what the Lord did to him, but his hands were trembling as he gave me the ticket. I encouraged him to be just in his work. Later, I prayed for him to have a life changing encounter with Christ. I was given a ticket for the fine, and paid a thousand in their local currency. Was the fine valid? We don’t know. But, we later asked a policeman at another police checkpoint. He replied, “There’s no need to wear the seatbelt. I’m sorry about that [the fine we paid].” We rejoiced, counting it all joy for being in a trial for the glory of Christ (James 1:1-3). We know, the Lord still worked things out for His glory, and thus our favor.

Regardless of the cost, we choose to pray for more of His glory. Every time we’ve prayed that prayer before travelling to that certain country, we’ve met and passed through trials and undesirable situations. But, we trust God with our lives. We aim to please Him and reveal His love to whomever He wills in any condition the person might be in. As missionaries, as Christians, we are not called to minister out of comfort, but consecration. Let us protect the joy of carrying our cross, enduring whatsoever may come, so that we may exalt the Son of God, Jesus Christ. If we confess the gospel, we must live by it. “But none of these things move me, nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord…” (see Acts 20:24).

In Him we live.  Love,

Tyren and Tiffany Haynes

Loving the Least of These

Several times a week I’d gone to the market, but hadn’t seen Milca. Then I began to get concerned about him. Maybe he was in the hospital, but I didn’t know for sure. I purchased rice, and carried it with me for days preparing for the next time we’d meet. I prayed and asked the Lord to help me meet him. A couple of days later, I saw Milca sleeping under a tree in front of the entrance to the market. I was so happy! I woke him up. Immediately he said, “Where have you been? I’ve been looking for you.” The scent of urine was very strong on him. He, a grown adult, sat there apparently unbothered by the strong odor and the fact that everyone could smell it. A youth made fun of him saying that he had urinated on himself in his sleep. I purchased cooking oil and veggies for him in the market, so that he could cook it with his rice.

Carefully tying the bag in the usual fashion, I looped it over his one hand that was functional. His other hand is very large and nonfunctional. A man came and mocked him saying, “He is just going to sell this food for alcohol.” I gave Milca the food anyway. For the first time, I took deeper notice of his Portuguese. It was pretty good, and he spoke intelligently. He hadn’t always been in this condition, I thought. What had made him so abased that he could urinate on himself, sit in filthy clothes, and show no signs of even caring about it? Later, I thought about all the adults and young men who had been around him that morning. I wondered who was in a more impoverished condition, him or them. Seeing a man in such a condition didn’t move them to action. No one helped him. No one cared or noticed. They walked by him, as though blind to the fact that he was there, a man in need. In fact, I’ve never heard anyone of their own accord say anything nice about Milca. But, Jesus loves him.

Another man in a bad condition was in the market. After addressing him respectfully in Portuguese, “Senhor”, and asking if he wanted food, he followed me everywhere. But, he refused every type of food I offered to buy him in the market. Instead, he was asking for some specific food that he wanted. Suddenly, a woman spoke strongly to him. Another told me that his mom sells food in the market, and could give him food. I gently and politely told the man that he should go to his mother and eat, if he didn’t want anything I had to offer him. Some people say that I shouldn't help such people. But, what if we look at it differently? What if that day it wasn’t only about food? What if the Holy Spirit wanted me to offer to buy food for him because He knew the man’s heart would open up to so much more? Through such an action, I could impart the love of God to him that so many refuse to give him (just because he “should” go get free food from his mother). What if, by refusing to help him, everyone excuses themselves from an opportunity to show the love of God, and slowly becoming dull, unknowingly disqualify themselves from being used by the Holy Spirit to powerfully demonstrate God’s love ascribing value and refreshing the heart of this poor man?

Pray for us that we would carry the heart of God, and be greatly filled with the Holy Spirit and faith to serve the people around us.  We need grace to be sensitive to those around us.  Pray for the poor to open their hearts to the transforming word of God.  As we bring the gospel to the many, we will stop for the one.  And the King will answer and say...‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ (Matthew 25:40).

Love, Tyren and Tiffany Haynes