A CHRISTIAN MISSION
May 2025 Newsletter
Prayer Request: Lord, help me to stay vigilant and faithful in reading Your Word each day, so that I may walk in truth and not be led astray. Strengthen my heart and mind to seek Your wisdom above all else.
Please call us if you have any questions about the Mission or how you can help. 432-337-8294
A Word From Our Director ~ Pastor Andrew Pistone
Conned & Deceived
From the writings of David Jeremiah
In 2002, there was a film called, Catch Me if You Can. It was a comedy/drama based on the life of Frank William Abagnale, Jr. – an American con man. He began his life of deception as a teenager who committed petty theft against his own father. After that, he graduated to much more serious crimes – like becoming an expert at forging corporate checks for large sums of money. When he was seventeen, he began impersonating an airline pilot - a scam that allowed him to travel extensively while continuing his con game. He went on to impersonate a social worker with a master's degree, a medical doctor on staff at a hospital, and an attorney. He was caught and put in prison numerous times for these, and other, fraudulent schemes.
He now runs his own company, where he provides consultation on crimes of forgery and misrepresentation. Abagnale has many critics who claim that he has exaggerated all of his schemes, but they all agree that he is an expert at lying and deception.
More Deception
Then, there is the case of Anna Sorokin, or Anna Delvey – as she presented herself in America. She was born in Russia in 1991, and grew up in Germany – when her family relocated there. During her teenage years, she became obsessed with fashion, art, and the lifestyles of the rich and famous. It became her mission to become ]one of them.
She moved to New York City in 2013, and began promoting herself as a wealthy German heiress with a massive trust fund. She began raising money to build a six-story center for the arts in New York City. She was able to borrow money from banks and individuals – using fake investment records and forged checks. Eventually, her scheming was discovered, and, in 2019, she was convicted of larceny and theft. In 2022, her story appeared as a nine-episode online streaming series – Inventing Anna.
We All Can Be Tempted
It's exhausting to think about the mental, emotional, and spiritual energy that was required to live lives of such deception. We feel badly for people like these two – who get caught up in lifestyles of lies, but we have to be honest about what is involved: lying, deceit, trickery, cheating, fraud…and the list goes on. These are harsh words when we see them in a list like this, but we have to admit that our world is full of people who are being deceitful: people fudging the numbers on income tax forms, government employees involved in unethical behaviors, or people exaggerating the truth when telling a story.
Why is anyone tempted to lie and to be deceitful in either major or minor ways? Why would we involve ourselves in any of this behavior – and think that it's okay?
If you're a student of the Bible, you know the answer: It's Satan and his influence in the world. “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8 B)
Even though Satan is doomed and destined for destruction (Revelation 20:10), for the time being, God allows him to have access and influence in the world. If I could summarize the devil's work in one word, it would be deception. His main tool in capturing the hearts and minds of people is to deceive them through lies and counterfeit messages. If he can deceive people into believing that God doesn't exist, or that He is not loving, or that His Word is not true, then he has accomplished his goal. Jesus explained Satan's character this way: “(Satan) has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:44) People who have yielded to his influence, love to do the evil things he does.
Satan's strategy is to lie and deceive to create a separation between you and God. That's why Peter wrote, “Be sober, be vigilant.” (1 Peter 5:8A)
God is in Control
No matter how chaotic and crazy our world gets, the Bible has a positive message: God is in control. The Bible answers two of the most relevant questions to which every human being wants answers: What does the future hold and what happens when I die?
Regarding the future, God has a plan. The prophecies of Scripture - regarding the past and present, have all been accurately fulfilled, which gives us confidence that God's future plans will also be fulfilled. In short, God will gather His people together at the end of this age, and usher them into a glorious eternal state.
Regarding death for those who belong to Christ – it's nothing to be feared. “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 5:8) To believe in Christ is to receive eternal life now – not when we die. (John 17:3)
The Bible tells us about the future of planet Earth, the future of our personal lives – and the future of Satan himself.
Be Vigilant
The enemy wants us to be deceived so we'll dismiss the idea of a sovereign God who has the “whole world in His hands.” In Matthew 22:29, Jesus said, “You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures or the power of God.”
As followers of Christ, we know how the story ends. We will spend eternity in heaven. Satan is the author of confusion, and he doesn't want us to think about that. He want to con people into believing his lies.
“Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. Stand firm then, with the belt of Truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” (Ephesians 6:10-11, 14-17)
The most important thing anyone can do – is to embrace Christ and study His Word. But, we must be vigilant. Satan will do anything he can – to convince us that the Bible isn't relevant to our lives. The more we read and study it, and apply it to our lives, the more we will live in victory over the evil of this world.
Pastor Andrew
Thrift Store
If you haven't had a chance to shop at one of our Thrift Stores, we hope you will do that soon. The proceeds from the store are a significant source of our support. You will find thousands of quality items at incredible prices, and you can shop with confidence that your dollars are helping to change lives.
Our stores are located at 1515 E. 8th St., Odessa & 1020H Andrews Highway, Midland
Our hours for shopping are Monday - Saturday from 9:00 am – 7:00 pm.
We continue to take ALL donations with grateful hearts. We could not do this without your help.
We will come to PICK UP any donations – call us at 432-337-8294 to schedule a pickup. You can also drop off your donation at the Thrift Store,
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Funds / Donations Needed
Your financial support will help us provide hot meals, a safe place to sleep and shower, and exposure to the truth of God's Word through Bible study and counseling to those who struggle with addictions. Many come to know Jesus as Savior because of the work God is doing here at the Mission.
There are a few ways you can give:
#1: PayPal Giving Fund:100% of your gift goes to the Mission. Paypal does not charge a processing fee when you use this service. If you would like to make a direct financial donation, you can go to PayPal using the link below.
https://www.paypal.com/us/fundraiser/charity/2432315
#2: Use our Website http://www.doorofhopemission.com/donate.html
#3: Mail a Check to Door of Hope Mission PO Box 1789, Odessa, TX 79760
#4: When you Shop on eBay, add us as your preferred charity, and a portion of your purchase will go to the Door Of Hope Mission.
With Ebay: You must add the Door Of Hope Mission to your favorites. Click the link to add us.
https://charity.ebay.com/charity/charity-name/2432315
If you have any questions, please call us at 432-337-8294.
The Door of Hope Mission is supported 100% by DONATIONS and our thrift store. We do not take money from the government because they would restrict us from preaching about the freeing power of Jesus to those we help.
All donations are tax-deductible.