Las Vegas, NV 2002: Upon his first visit to “Sin City” in 12 years, Trent penned one of his most difficult letters. Here is but a third of it. Surely, no matter where disciples go, the truth must be proclaimed.

Excerpts from Trent’s historical letters candidly and anonymously offer flavors and insights from real-time and real-life origins.  Hop aboard these instructions and confessions in mid-stream, below, and see if they help you, too.  

This letter from 2002 reveals how intense and determined true fellowship can and should be.  There certainly should be nothing passive about it.

From Trent Ling:

We have departed San Diego and arrived in Las Vegas today.  The Lord is busy and I have no choice but to submit to him.   There have been many things placed on my heart by God and the Scriptures have painfully confirmed what the Holy Spirit has had to say.  I can only say that I hope to be convicted otherwise.  If only this trip could be as easy as my time being crushed and torched in Colorado.

Here it goes:

I cannot minister like this.  When I was broken over my sin, convicted by the Scriptures, and converted to Christ—I died.  I had no other agenda, no other motives, and no other interests!  I am sad to say that I do believe I am almost alone!

Brother, my phone conversation with you on Friday was perhaps the most discouraging and heartbreaking ever for me!  You say you need to repent, but cannot commit to doing so.  You are cryptic and shadowy with me.  You want to “save” a message from God for two weeks until I get home.  I am hardly interested in a message or finger pointing session from someone not committed to repent.  Brother, my fellowship with you has been beyond words.  But, my goal for you is the salvation of your soul.  And if I have to hand you over to Satan for you to be taught, then I will gladly sacrifice seeing you again if that’s what it takes.  1 Timothy 1:18-20.  Yes, it is sorrow upon sorrow for me, but that is my life!!  With tears, I remind you that I will not split you in half—the world can have you!  1 Kings 3:16-28.

“Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the Lord.”  Jeremiah 17:5.

Brother, the lives of the prophets, Paul, Peter, and others clearly show that a hardened heart is not the problem.  Trusting in yourself to keep your heart soft is the problem.  To keep your heart soft you have to draw boundaries for fights you will fight, Scriptures you will live, and calls you will answer.  Frankly, God is not interested in such lukewarm, half-hearted service from you or anyone else.  You need to risk your heart getting hard, and rely on God’s love for you.  Sadly though, at this point, your heart is not up for it, I fear.  Brother, you are a coward—it’s your greatest sin and ushers you to the front of a really sad line of people.  Yes, I do want to see you face to face and cry with you, but I will not hide, hem, haw, and pretend that God hasn’t given me a life-giving rebuke for you.