Jesus Loves Lahaina Maui
Pastor JD hosts special guest, Pastor Steve Santos of Calvary Chapel Westside in Lahaina, Maui to “talk story” about what God is doing on Maui, and for the people of Maui.Or watch on YouTube
https://youtube.com/live/cFRY3iHMOQ8?feature=share
Watch recent services: Here There needed to be a warning last night to wear a flotation device on and ready to kayak out of the area when finished from all the tears from the account. Very enlightening talk last night.
So many locals still weep while sharing their stories. I do pray that those who do not have a relationship with Jesus, that this terrible tragedy will bring them to Him. Pastor Santos is doing just that and I am grateful for his obedience to follow His leading!
Amen Jon, really opened my eyes to quite a few things that I automatically take for granted.
Like I didn’t realize that if someone had a mortgage, they still have to pay for that, or I take for granted the medical bills because we don’t have to pay for our medical in Canada. Then as well, I never thought that people were so heartless as to scam people in those types of situations.
I guess I am naiver than I thought.
It did get me praying harder and will be on my heart for quite some time.
Thank you J.D. for this.
God is not in the wind, nor in the earthquake, nor in the fire, but is in the WEE SMALL VOICE.
We always expect the BIG things, but God works in the small voice and in little ways all around us every day - if we have eyes to see.
I wonder how many of God’s blessings we really do miss out on every day, because we don’t look for them.
Help me Lord to not take anything around me for granted especially the wee small things you bless me with every day.
Maranatha,
This is a great time to share that this is why when I pray or have prayed in the past I add “Please protect us from destroying the blessings in our lives and the lives of others”. While some don’t understand and get offended or confused; it’s really just not taking for granted that God blessed us with things happening and not happening in our lives. We still have family who love us and we love them (that includes brethren), shelter, clothes on our back, food to eat, means to gather that which we need also whatever lesson we learned or taught to someone (or ourselves). Also, no tragedy fell upon us to learn from, no attacks we couldn’t walk away from, no lesson we didn’t learn from. No one scammed us out of money we can’t get back or we were guarding others so they didn’t get scammed. Also, you weren’t attacked by a gang of rabid squirrels or birds bombed your head with…well you get the idea. Every. Single. Thing. Is a blessing from God that hey, took me 47 years to get the picture not to just slough them off, but rejoice. I’m in hopes this is (in part) what James meant when he wrote
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
Since the incident, I have been receiving multiple notifications from local banks of the heighten alerts. It’s sadly the times we are living in. Just went through an incident of identity theft and though it was frustrating, I need to see the blessing in that I didn’t just disregard it, caught it early prayfully and took the steps needed immediately. Be vigilant!
i am heartbroken for Lahaina ppl. I cried and cried as I was overcome with grief for these poor soul s as well as reliving Katrina through Lahaina’s destruction. I never expected to hear so many similarities. Not many came to Jesus in New Orleans, especially when our people began numbing themselves. I pray anyone who has lost all hope from their losses will call out to Jesus before anyone else takes their life
Dallas - I didn’t realize you were in Canada , Cora I think is Ireland and someone is in Germany plus Hawaii - wow this is a global fellowship of believers/followers of Jesus Christ that are bible believing fellow Christians - what a blessing in this fellowship - MARANATHA
We live in Forest Fire country. We were evacuated from our home for 7 days when the Detwiler Fire stuck. We know what it is like to not know if you are going to have a home to return to. I pray that the Lord richly Bless Pastor Steve Santos in all his endeavors to help the people of Lahaina, and that the Lord remove any roadblocks that are placed in his way. I pray that those who have the Spiritual Gift of Giving come forth to aid pastor Santos knowing that their gifts will go directly to the residents of Lahaina who have lost everything. Our hearts and prayers go out to those who call Lahaina their home. Come quickly Lord, Maranatha
There are a few of us here - North of the Border! 
Indeed - the world wide fellowship is very precious.
I concur, that was some raw heart felt sharing from Pastor Steve. I didn’t want it to end - felt I was right there.
Amen and Amen!
Maranatha!
I have to ask, were you in N’Awlins for Katrina or did you come later? My reason for asking is that sadly when a large catastrophe like Katrina and Lahaina happen most who are not there and don’t deal with it first hand never realize the affects last for years. It seems that as soon as it drops from the news cycle everyone not living it thinks everything is now ok.
The same year as Katrina, Rita hit later that year and affected my family in SW Louisiana. Now fortunately the house my sister now lives in was spared major damage, a few downed limbs, some lost shingles on the roof and one freezer that even though emptied got a smell in it that would not go away. It had to be replaced along with the shingles and they were good to go but not so for the rest of the city. That was 2005 and I went down for a visit in the summer of 2007 and I was shocked at just how many homes were still having tarps on the roofs because for what every reason they had not been dealth with.
Fast forward to 2020 and Laura hit and this time my sister who kept our parents home after they passed away was not so lucky. The damage to it was complete with gaping holes in the roof water running down the walls inside. So much damage that it had to be stripped down to the frame and fully redone. It is now 3 years later and still the house is not complete. ’
Like Pastor Santos said there are the moochers, contractors flooded into the area looking to make some fast bucks on shoddy workmanship and get out. Well my sister had to deal with that and some work was done over and over several times and still to this day it is not finished.
The point is for Lahaina it will be many years down the road if ever before it is rebuilt and back to anything close to what it was before the fire. In the mean time people will be struggling the whole time. The individual stories will differ depending but many will not likely ever see a full recovery and suffer for it.
Major destruction situations like Lahaina are never a quick recovery. The rest of the world moves on but for those living it, it is often a hell on earth life for years after the fact. That is sad But God. I noticed Pastor Santos mentioned some organization in providing food. Thank almighty God for such people and others like Samaritan’s Purse and other disaster support organizations. They stay for the long haul for the most part. It is now 2023, 3 years past Laura and Samaritan’s Purse is still in my home town. They still have to locations set up one on the south side and one on the north end for those still in need. Many churches work hand in hand with them to help those still struggling. FEMA, Red Cross have moved on a couple of year ago now but the Church based NGOs are still in the thick of helping others many years after.
So as bad as it is, we can trust the Lord to provide as He has done in the past, He will do also for Lahaina. God is ever faithful to His own. My sister now 76, living alone has survived, living in several places for a time till she could finally get back into her own home. He saw her through some very rough times. I have not been there physically as I was still working for most of that but I have been her support as much as I can by being her shoulder to cry on when things got over whelming and her ear to bend venting, when dealing with some of the meany shyster folks that swoop in on disaster areas to make a quick and not always honest buck.
I say we as some have not had the misfortune to lose it all in a disaster and others have but we all need to keep praying for Lahaina as well as for those sticking it out like Pastor JD helping Pastor Santos to help the people of Lahaina.
I am reminded of the words of Denzel Washington when he once said he has never seen a hearse pulling a UHaul. We take nothing with us when we die and I am sure when the Trumpet sounds we will not have time to run around trying to grab things to take with us. That being said for those left things like a roof over their head, food in their belly are still important needs that need to be met so for the surivors who lost it all the years to come will be rough and the likes of Pastor Santos and others who support him like Pastor JD and all those that contribute to that cause still need prayer. It may not seem like much on the surface but I can attest to the fact that hidden in the muck and mire of such disasters is the hand of God bringing blessings that most outside looking in will never see.
May God continue to bless the helpers for as long as they are there to help and in so doing bless those being helped to recovery for how ever long it takes.
Dallas that was the same thing that hit me, our lovely Lord is in the still calm voice. Rememer that beautiful hymn that over and over again gies it is well, it is well with my soul
Yes we were living in New Orleans in the Bywater neighborhood that is next to the famous Vieux Carre, my eyes are hurting so i am limited right now.
Mike was born and raised in N.O.
OK thanx. So you went through Katrina. Then you know well the long term affects of such a large scale disaster. My aunt lived in Terrytown at that time and came out a few days later till power was restored but still had to go back and do months of clean up. She was fortunate that she did not have the damage that happened on the east bank side.
That was in part my point because many do not realize how long after such events the affects linger for those in them to deal with. It is not here today and gone tomorrow. Nooooo it goes on for years. Hence Lahaina will be a struggle for many for a long time to come.
I am surprised how many have moved away never to return. When Rita hit, it destroyed the coastal town of Cameron such that most of that town moved north into Lake Charles and there is not much left of Cameron now. Same in N’Awlins when people went to Houston and other big cities and never returned. I pray for Pastor JD and Steve Santos for strength for the long haul becuase it will a very long haul.
Only if we are still here
I have never lived through what you guys endured but our home and shop were burnt during the troubles. People we knew murdered . My brother shot left for dead…you are right scars temain. Every so often a smell or sound triggers a memory and you are thrust back into it. The poem the young lady wrote was so real…
