Monthly Archives: April 2011

A Letter from Sue

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>The View Through the Eyes of a Faith Counselor
PBR Faith Night at The Pit
Albuquerque, NM

I am one of the many volunteers who supported your ministry here in Albuquerque on March 25, 2011 on Family Night. After your amazing effort to tame a 2-year old gilding and ride him, you gave an opportunity for those in the audience to receive the hope of Christ and the loving forgiveness He offers to us all so freely so we can become all that He has for us. This group that appeared to be family all stood up, down about some ten rows in front of me. I was watching the different people stand all over the stadium. I was watching them come up the stairs and approached them and asked if they indeed had stood to receive Christ. The husband and wife said yes we did. They had two boys with them and I asked if they were a family? The mother, Pam, said yes we are, introducing her husband Archey and the boys, Antonio and Adrian. I asked if they had planned to stand together or talked about it before coming. They looked at each other and all said “no, I just knew I wanted to receive Jesus.” They were from the Las Vegas, NM area. They were there for the rodeo and Archey had a business meeting the next day.

I went through the steps to faith and ask where they were – first-time receivers or rededicating? I shared with them the differences of re-dedication for the parents. The whole family said simultaneously that it was the first time for them to receive. Pam shared that her older daughter attended a church – a Calvary Chapel and they went after the daughter’s husband died a couple of years ago and they all felt there was so much love and clear understanding about the love of God and they had never felt that in any other church. Pam says “We were raised Catholic, but had never attended.” Anthony and Adrian both said they really wanted to know more about Jesus. I reminded them as Todd shared, it is about a relationship with Jesus. I shared the churches available in their area and in Albuquerque when they are visiting. They ask how to get to a church in Albuquerque while they were there. I prayed for them and they were so grateful for the packets and I encouraged them to read the book of John together as a family and begin praying together as they learn together what it means to be a born-again believer.

Anthony began to share about the trouble in Pecos with water shortage and his brother-in-law dying of carbon-monoxide a couple of years ago. He asked for prayer for all this and his sisters and a cousin who was ill with cancer and much more. I have had several e-mails from Antonio and I sent him some scripture and prayers. Today he ask for prayer and let me know his cousin died and the funeral was today. He is full of compassion for others and knows the hurt in this world. God has great plans for this young man who is 15 years old. God was already working in each of their hearts and it was His perfect plan to bring them to this event so they could hear the message of true salvation. I have not talked to the other members of the family.

I was blessed with this opportunity to share in the work God is doing through Riding High Ministries and Todd Pierce. The divine plans God has for each of us is there when we are willing to give of our time and pour out our service to those who do not know Jesus.

Thank you for being obedient to the call Jesus has placed on your heart. I pray for God to multiply the fruit of this ministry as He shows you when and where to speak in His name.

In Christ I pray,
Sue Eifert
Albuquerque, NM

Romans 8: 1-2 Therefore, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life “set me free” from the law of sin and death. Romans 10:17 Consequently, faith comes by hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.

Abiding to Persevere

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>Abiding to Persevere by Todd Pierce

Hi family!

I have had a couple weeks to be in real consideration about many opportunities that still lay in front of us for this year. What I am about to share will best describe to you why we must continue to mentor the men of the PBR and why we must continue to use all we have available to continue to do the Faith Night events that are giving us access to thousands of unreached people.

As I read about the ministry of Jesus, I am continually amazed at Jesus’ ability to teach in illustrated ways and make it so Truth finds its way into everything we do. Over the years, I have listened to thousands of great messages from great teachers, but the teachings that stick are those that I received through the telling of a story or use of an illustration. For instance, I remember the way a man named Dave Gibson was trying to explain sanctification to me. He told me of how someone had used his prize shotgun as a leverage bar to help pry a stuck truck out of the mud. That gun was a special gun that was designed for a special use, not a pry bar. Similarly, our lives were given for a special use and it is a tragedy to use them for anything else, like sinful practices. The Word says that we have been sanctified and set apart for special work that our Father has already prepared for us. Dave’s story stuck with me and has helped me view the value of my life in a real way.

There was another time about 15 years ago, when a young Crow Indian man told me how his battle to be an honorable man made him feel like he had two dogs inside him that were constantly fighting. He described how his spirit man had the same desires as Jesus, but his flesh wanted to be like the devil himself. When I asked him, “Which dog is winning?”, he simply said, “It depends on which dog I feed the most.” God’s Word says that if we sow to the flesh, of the flesh we will reap corruption; if we sow to the Spirit, of the Spirit we will reap life everlasting.

Remember the parable in Luke 4 of the farmer (God) who plants a field (people) and some seed falls on the side where it is immediately eaten by the birds (Satan). Some seed falls on shallow or stony soil (people who only have an emotional experience) and it grows quickly but has no root and when persecution comes, they fade away. Other seed fell where there is a lot of weeds and thorns (cares of this world, desires for riches and other things), they choke out the Word. Other seed falls on good soil (those who receive the word and bear fruit, some 30, some 60 and some 100 fold). So many times, this story has helped me navigate through the times of unfruitfulness (lack of intimacy with our Father).

Maybe my favorite illustration is the one given to the men Jesus chose to be closest with during His ministry time here on earth – John 15. Jesus and these men are on their way to the garden where Jesus knows He will sweat blood in grief. Yet He stops and holds up a grapevine branch. He explains to them that they are the branches and He is the vine. The branch could only bear fruit if it is connected to the vine. He knew the hardship ahead and He needed them to have an image burned on their hearts of what it would look like to abide in Him. They didn’t know what they would have to face and Jesus understood their ignorance. The image of Jesus holding that branch must have been a constant reminder of what they must do. For He knew of the hardships to come and temptation to use their power and position for personal gain. Jesus used the imagery so the Holy Spirit could use it throughout their lives to keep them and us.

Jesus used a vine and a branch; I use a horse and myself. The animal I train is lost, as his own instinct (sin nature) has separated himself from me. I pursue him and do all I can to reveal to him how much I love him and want to rescue him from a life of separation from me. I know that left to himself, he can only do what horses do – live to eat and breed and then die. I want to give him an abundant life – one where he discovers all the giftings that are within him and one where I can show him how special his life is for my purposes. I want to show him how apart from me, he can do nothing and with me, he can do anything. He can be something that has never entered his mind. Apart from me, he can only wander behind fences, but with me, he can have eternal life. As he submits to me on a moment-to-moment basis, my thoughts become his thoughts, my desires become his desires and he begins to love what I love and hate what I hate. It’s not just a message of conversion, it’s an invitation to a life of hope and passion, an invitation to be a part of an eternal Kingdom and begin to live eternal life now. When we are finally convinced of our depravity apart from the Father and equally convinced of His overwhelming love and acceptance of us, we are ruined for living a life apart from Him. Consider where you are and what is to come. Abide!

Your brother, Todd

Faith & Family Night at Albuquerque

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>Faith & Family Night at Albuquerque

Hello Family~

Remember when Jesus taught us to pray? He first of all gave us permission to speak to God as Father, then He taught us to pray His Kingdom come and His will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. I’m sure I don’t understand the fullness of what all that means and I’m sure we won’t see the fulfillment of it ’til the return of Christ. But, until that occurs, His sons and daughters should live out His will and do it in His Kingdom order while we are here. We as a ministry believe that this is not just a prayer but a mandate on the lives of His people. As I have just returned from Albuquerque, I have it on my heart to share what has happened in that context.

We’ve been taught by the world system how to measure results and evaluate how we are doing. In many ways those evaluations may not line up at all with what our Father values. This last week, Albuquerque provided us a great opportunity to be about the Father’s Kingdom and in many ways we were able to see the results of our efforts. But I think about the standard of Jesus. remember when Jesus was informed that John the Baptist was in jail in Luke 7:18-23? Jesus said “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me.” Jesus was setting a precedence for what it looked like to do the Father’s will and show the Kingdom here on earth.

Last Thursday, I was in a meeting room filled with people who had given their time and energy to come and serve as counselors for our Faith and Family Night on Friday. I tried to give them the details of how I would utilize them in the closing of our event and how they could most effectively use the materials provided by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Although the instructions I gave were important, all I could think of was how pleased our Father must be at that very moment. Before one song was sung or one word preached, I felt His pleasure because people from different parts of the Country, who didn’t know each other, who were part of different churches, all came together to try to do what Jesus did. With my own sons, I have found this to be true – the greatest joy I receive is when I see them put their selfish desires aside and work together to try and accomplish something for me. With this Albuquerque event, there were nearly 200 volunteers who presented themselves to our Father as co-laborers. On Friday night in Albuquerque at the Ty Murray Invitational – Built Ford Tough event, the gospel of the Kingdom was “preached to the poor.” For those of you who bought seats for others to fill, we want you to know that we had 100% redemption and all 1,000 tickets allotted were used.

The two youngest Pierce boys and I spent four days getting home from the event as we camped our way through Colorado, New Mexico and Utah. We rock climbed, discovered fossils, chased jack rabbits, caught lizards and ate doughnuts. We arrived home today (Thursday) and I will leave Saturday for Kansas City, MO for ministry at the PBR event being held there.

Soon we will have a video processed for each of you to see what happened at the Faith and Family Night in Albuquerque. Until then, I just want to give you my thanks for believing in us and for helping us accomplish these great events.

All of our love -

The Pierces and the
Riding High Ministries’ Team