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| The Evergreen Center |
Please, to those who are unfamiliar with God's mercy to this soul, let me enlighten you. From 2005-2013 I attended, served, and was a member of a local church in Wisconsin. Through church discipline I was expelled to a ministry in Kentucky called Pure Life Ministries (PLM). Since July 2014 till now I've been interning at The Evergreen Center (EC), a discipleship training program in central Wisconsin.
The internship through EC lasts for 11 months and fosters a consecrated environment by which God loves to work the inward change He longs to do in every soul. We have studied works by Madame Guyon, Brother Lawrence, Charles Price, Jackie Pullinger and many other consecrated saints. Living communally we continue to seek Christ's full remission of our self-life and the full indwelling of His Spirit-life in us (Luke 17:21). Only He can accomplish the inward work and He loves to answer the prayers you lift up in Jesus' name.
Summary Points:
January – The Lord allowed my road-unworthy-car (Tauri the Taurus) to travel out of state (KY, OH, IA) during December and January. Many friends and I were encouraged and refreshed to see one another.February – Towards the end of the trip Tauri started to misfire. Through a message playing in my car the Spirit prompted me to apply what I was hearing. God takes care of whatever we give Him, so I gave Him my car. (Isn't it just like me to give Him something broken?) Unbeknown to me, the Lord's servant, my former roommate, was waiting back at EC to repair the car. The Lord had done an amazing work in him and so he began to do amazing work on my-ehem-God's car. What a blessing! What a great way for the Lord to work healing and forgiveness in my heart towards my brother. To whom does the Lord draw you for reconciliation?
One of the exciting things anticipated was the arrival of the very first family of interns ever to attend EC. Three Brazilians, a mother, her son and daughter came to live at EC. She planned to translate a book, What the Bible Teaches About Mercy. Unfortunately, they chose to withdraw after six weeks. The expressed reason was a difference in theology; however, many of us here come from different theological backgrounds. The question is whether or not we are able to come under another out of love. Are you able to yield to the will of another even when you think your way is best (Psalm 19:13)?
March – The beginning of March one of our teachers was struck with tragedy; one of his sons was allegedly murdered. All of us at EC mourned with the family and we attended the funeral. He chose to step down from teaching our class this term so he would be able to best address this situation and the Lord sent a different teacher. He also sent His mercy to the grieving family. The testimony they continue to give during their loss is far from bitterness, but an inspirational and heart-tugging conviction to deny self, hold mercy for others, thereby glorifying God. Evil will not prevail, for God is STILL good, and His love endures forever!
An assignment which I completed in haste exposed a deep rebellion and resentment toward my leaders, of which I was blind. It took three revisions and by the end of the month the Lord finally broke through. What is your biblical responsibility towards your leaders? Obey and trust in God's authority in them (Hebrews 13:17; Titus 3:1-2; Philippians 2:3-4). Do you know everything your leaders know? Leaders have a bigger picture of a situation. An allegory which was brought up during the first correction was a military one. A good soldier has been trained to obey his superiors. Generals have more reconnaissance than foot soldiers and ground units depend upon headquarters for enemy troop movement and objectives. In this spiritual battle, the Lord has seasoned particular sheep to be shepherds. Their calling is irrevocable, but their equipping depends upon training and study. This incident was followed up with a personal study upon Meekness.
April – What is meekness? The ability to come under another out of love. Are you able to come down and submit to the will of another? Many of the Hebrew and Greek words were translated into humble, gentle, etc. One spoke of meekness as quantitative, as if we could handle and store meekness like we handle food, water, or any other commodity. One Greek word for meekness relates strictly with God, how a person lowers himself before God. In this abandonment and yielding to God the soul could very well appear outwardly meek to other people, but the primary meaning is the yielding of one's soul inwardly towards God: this changes a man on the inside.
This yielding is the only way we can ever expect to receive the Word of God (James 1:21) or the baptism of His Spirit. It is required and needed to be baptized with the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33). We also need to be continually filled with the Holy Spirit. In the past I often thought the baptism of the Holy Spirit came during my salvation experience and that was it. This is incorrect; the first disciples received and were filled with the Holy Spirit multiple times and so must we (Luke 4:1; John 20:22; Acts 2:4; 4:8, 31; 6:3, 5; 7:55; 9:17; 11:24; 13:9, 52; Ephesians 5:18). If we aren't filled with the Holy Spirit, there is a good chance that we will be filled with a different spirit (Acts 5:3; Romans 1:29).
May – There has only been one week in May thus far before writing this newsletter; it was one of the most difficult weeks, due to my flesh. Finally, the Lord showed me what I was like. I was exercising at a local gym (post operative physical therapy for my ACL) and on the TV was Dog Whisperer. There was a case of a Golden Labrador that was super friendly most of the time, but when it was feeding, it would lash out at anyone coming in between it and the food. The Lord told me that when people extend mercy to me, inside I'm usually like that dog, snarling and nipping at their hands of mercy. Ultimately it is God's merciful hand at which I snap. I repent of me! Help Jesus!
Last term the Lord taught me that His glory is His mercy. This term He has been teaching me that I am absolutely powerless apart from Him (John 15:5). On my own power and strength I will fail every time. When I surrender my efforts and ambitions of the flesh and yield to His Spirit then I can do all things (Philippians 4:13). Continually He grows me to trust Him more and more with all aspects of my life.
This is why I need your prayers more than any funding. So please, instead of your check book this time, ask the Lord in prayer to provide wisdom, guidance, and direction for my soul. Yes, pray as led, please. This is what I need most. Thank you for all of the prayer warriors who, like Jesus, intercede for my soul!
I will be speaking here on the Sunday morning of May 31st. If you would like to attend the meeting, it starts at 10:30am. Also, EC will hold a graduation ceremony on June 19th at 6:30pm. Both events would bless you with a great opportunity to hear what the Lord has been doing.
Please feel free to send your updates my direction; I'd love to hear about your life. I plan to send out one more letter this year, closer to Christmas. So, let me know your updated email address if you are interested in receiving the updates electronically. Please, feel free to text, call, or post me.
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| A graduate from last term viewing a picture with the Residential Adviser during a visit to the Milwaukee Domes. |
Joel Huebner
N7101 14th Ct.
Almond, WI 54909
(715) 252-1503 jhueb298@gmail.com
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