 |
 |
| Click to play | Make your own Smilebox |
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
A Special Thank You
The Pastor and his wife certainly went the extra mile to make sure that the conference was well done, and each of the church members ministered to us in their own unique way. You know it has been a good conference when you are genuinely sad to see it end. This was certainly our sentiment as we headed down the highway. We thank each person who attended, gave, encouraged, and prayed for this missions conference. Your labor is not in vain in the Lord!
The month of October will be filled with one conference after the other. In fact we will take part in 20 services in 8 churches in October alone. We look forward to all the new friends we will make and the many opportunities to serve the Lord as we lay out the challenge of serving the Lord with a glad heart.
Our prayer is that the Lord will raise the 28% of our support that is missing so that we will be able to return to
Spanish-English Bibles and Spanish Tracts
We are constantly amazed at how many Spanish speakers there are in the vicinity of the churches we are visiting. Some of these churches even have a Spanish outreach ministry or at least one or two people attending whose first language is Spanish. Though the illegal immigrant issue aggravates some people so that they cannot see a lost soul, we rejoice to see how many of God’s people are trying to reach out to these latinos. Remember, not all Spanish speakers are illegals, and even if they are illegals, they still have a soul which God loves and desires to save.
If you would like to locate some good Spanish tracts, we would highly recommend the translation of “God’s Bridge to Eternal Life”. It is available through Majestic Media at (586) 725-5800. This is a full color, high-quality, glossy paper production which plainly declares the Gospel with helpful illustrations provided to aid the lost in finding Christ. The tract is equally usable for adults and children. Majestic Media also offers to print your church name, service times, and contact information on the back cover.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Washington DC
On Monday, September 10, we took a field trip to our nation's capitol. We parked the van and hit the streets at 10:30 AM. From then until dark, we were on the Capitol Mall, walking all the way from Union Station to the Lincoln Memorial and back again. In all we hoofed it for at least 10 miles! The kids could hardly have done better. They were real troopers in spite of how their feet must have ached (I know mine did).
AmethystWe took plenty of pictures to fill out their photo albums and to give meaning to some of the pages in the history books. It was fun going through the mineral and gemstone section of the Smithsonian while trying to find samples of the foundation stones of the Heavenly City. That will be an incredible sight. I believe the
gems will be of the translucent variety, causing a prism-like effect, producing rainbows of color! Here are a couple of these gems to give a hint of the beauty that awaits us.Beryl (various colors)
TopazEspecially moving were the memorials to the Korean and Vietnam War Veterans. We have several vets in our church in Ponce. One received the Bronze Star for Heroism and another the Purple Heart. These are men who deserve to be honored.
The Lincoln Memorial with the inscription of the Gettysburg Address was another favorite. We took the time to read the address out loud and to talk a bit about its significance. There are so many good photos, but the blog won't hold them all. If anyone knows how to post an entire album, let me know.
It was a great day, but we wish we had had more time. All of the museums and monuments are accessible free of charge. The buses are another story, and so we walked, and walked, and walked, and walked, . . . . . . . .
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Joy in Heaven
One of the greatest pleasures is leading a soul to Christ. It is even more thrilling when you know you have been used to reach someone who was nearly "unreachable" to those around him or her. Such was the case of Thelma.
She is a lady from central America who speaks very little English. In spite of this problem, she had begun to attend one of our supporting churches in central PA. Bill was able to visit her in the company of a church member and share the Gospel with her in Spanish. She was unsure how she could know for certain that God would accept her into His family due to a confusing background in churches that do not preach the Word.
As Bill shared the message of salvation, Thelma followed the teaching closely. When asked if she would like to receive God's offer of forgiveness and salvation, she responded with tears in her eyes that she did not know how to ask God for such a precious gift. Bill led her in the sinner's prayer, and she eagerly received new life. Her happy countenance and tear-filled eyes said thank you in a way that surpassed all language barriers.
Praise the Lord for each sinner who repents. Discipleship will be a challenge, but several church members are committed to do all within their power to assist the growth of this new convert. We are praying for other opportunities to witness to Thelma's family. Pray with us, please.
She is a lady from central America who speaks very little English. In spite of this problem, she had begun to attend one of our supporting churches in central PA. Bill was able to visit her in the company of a church member and share the Gospel with her in Spanish. She was unsure how she could know for certain that God would accept her into His family due to a confusing background in churches that do not preach the Word.
As Bill shared the message of salvation, Thelma followed the teaching closely. When asked if she would like to receive God's offer of forgiveness and salvation, she responded with tears in her eyes that she did not know how to ask God for such a precious gift. Bill led her in the sinner's prayer, and she eagerly received new life. Her happy countenance and tear-filled eyes said thank you in a way that surpassed all language barriers.
Praise the Lord for each sinner who repents. Discipleship will be a challenge, but several church members are committed to do all within their power to assist the growth of this new convert. We are praying for other opportunities to witness to Thelma's family. Pray with us, please.
Friday, August 31, 2007
Am I a Pharisee?
Those of us who hold to high personal standards are often accused of being Pharisees. Though this accusation is frequently leveled by those who claim to be more loving, it is more akin to a slap in the face than a bear hug or a "holy kiss". Aside from not liking the slur, I find that it is necessary to examine the matter, since nearly every form of criticism has an element of truth in it. The difficulty is getting beyond the insult to see the truth.
Fundamentalism does have a problem with expressing itself in love. As a result, we often come across as being unloving, spiteful, and vindictive. However, the fault is not exclusive to our rank and file. Just enter into a discussion with a New Evangelical, Liberal, or Contemporary Christian Music devotee to see who can be vitriolic. I maintain that anyone who cannot take a stand in love needs to seriously re-evaluate his character to see if it it Christ-like and his position on the issues to determine why love is absent. It is inevitable, however, that our love will be tested.
May the test always reveal that we love God above anything or anyone else. We all must love God first and best, and our neighbor as we love ourselves.
The label "Pharisee" is almost never hurled about in love. In fact, I believe the label to be misapplied at least in my case and in that of quite a few others who share my beliefs and principles. To spot the problem, please, direct your attention to Matthew 23 where Christ pronounces judgment on these and other misguided individuals of His day. There are at least 12 points of description found here and others which could be added from other passages.
The Pharisees were religionists who did not practice what they preached. Their outward piety was a deliberate mask for their own spiritual corruption. Christ declared that they were working at cross-purposes to God's plan of redemption and doing so deliberately. They were perfectly willing to nullify the Law of God in order to maintain their own system of belief. The argument reaches its apex in Matthew 23:33 when Christ declares the Pharisees to be destined to an eternity in Hell! Truly, Pharisees then and now are not children of light with a higher view of holiness than their peers! They are, in fact, lost in their sins, blinded by the darkness of their minds, and entrenched in a religious system which condemns souls to Hell!
Taking these principles into today's context, we arrive at a completely different picture of the Pharisee. I can think of groups which fit the bill, but they are not Fundamentalists. Instead, they would be liberals, Roman Catholics, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, and many others who deliberately pervert the Gospel of Christ for personal and political advantage. These are more vitally concerned with their own agenda than the Gospel of Christ.
Much hay is made accusing Fundamentalists for adding to the Law by way of principles or application. Yet even Christ Himself added to the Law in Matthew 5:27-28. He did so as a means of showing that the Law was intended to have broader application than a merely superficial reading would give it. The first commandment declares that we should not have any other gods in God's presence. He alone must be worshiped, as He has revealed Himself. He who is intrinsically holy must be worshiped in holiness and truth. Modern usage of the rock beat adds an element of worldliness to both the private life and public worship of the believer. For this reason I hold that the use of such tainted music undermines the purity of our God and calls into question whether the individual loves God or the world. He cannot love both at the same time (1 John 2:15-17). On this issue I would highly recommend Why I Left Contemporary Christian Music by Dan Lucarini (available on Amazon.com for around $10).
There may be Pharisees within the camp of Fundamentalism, but the movement is based upon the holiness of God and His demands that we all be pure and separate from the corruption of this present evil world. Each of us must personally guard against a spirit of contention, but contend for the faith we MUST.
Fundamentalism does have a problem with expressing itself in love. As a result, we often come across as being unloving, spiteful, and vindictive. However, the fault is not exclusive to our rank and file. Just enter into a discussion with a New Evangelical, Liberal, or Contemporary Christian Music devotee to see who can be vitriolic. I maintain that anyone who cannot take a stand in love needs to seriously re-evaluate his character to see if it it Christ-like and his position on the issues to determine why love is absent. It is inevitable, however, that our love will be tested.
May the test always reveal that we love God above anything or anyone else. We all must love God first and best, and our neighbor as we love ourselves.
The label "Pharisee" is almost never hurled about in love. In fact, I believe the label to be misapplied at least in my case and in that of quite a few others who share my beliefs and principles. To spot the problem, please, direct your attention to Matthew 23 where Christ pronounces judgment on these and other misguided individuals of His day. There are at least 12 points of description found here and others which could be added from other passages.
The Pharisees were religionists who did not practice what they preached. Their outward piety was a deliberate mask for their own spiritual corruption. Christ declared that they were working at cross-purposes to God's plan of redemption and doing so deliberately. They were perfectly willing to nullify the Law of God in order to maintain their own system of belief. The argument reaches its apex in Matthew 23:33 when Christ declares the Pharisees to be destined to an eternity in Hell! Truly, Pharisees then and now are not children of light with a higher view of holiness than their peers! They are, in fact, lost in their sins, blinded by the darkness of their minds, and entrenched in a religious system which condemns souls to Hell!
Taking these principles into today's context, we arrive at a completely different picture of the Pharisee. I can think of groups which fit the bill, but they are not Fundamentalists. Instead, they would be liberals, Roman Catholics, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, and many others who deliberately pervert the Gospel of Christ for personal and political advantage. These are more vitally concerned with their own agenda than the Gospel of Christ.
Much hay is made accusing Fundamentalists for adding to the Law by way of principles or application. Yet even Christ Himself added to the Law in Matthew 5:27-28. He did so as a means of showing that the Law was intended to have broader application than a merely superficial reading would give it. The first commandment declares that we should not have any other gods in God's presence. He alone must be worshiped, as He has revealed Himself. He who is intrinsically holy must be worshiped in holiness and truth. Modern usage of the rock beat adds an element of worldliness to both the private life and public worship of the believer. For this reason I hold that the use of such tainted music undermines the purity of our God and calls into question whether the individual loves God or the world. He cannot love both at the same time (1 John 2:15-17). On this issue I would highly recommend Why I Left Contemporary Christian Music by Dan Lucarini (available on Amazon.com for around $10).
There may be Pharisees within the camp of Fundamentalism, but the movement is based upon the holiness of God and His demands that we all be pure and separate from the corruption of this present evil world. Each of us must personally guard against a spirit of contention, but contend for the faith we MUST.
Steven's Senior Year
On Wednesday (Aug. 29), our oldest son, Steven, began his senior year at Bob Jones University. How did this happen? I'm sure I am too young to have a kid this old, but the evidence says otherwise. The Lord has been faithful over the years so that his schooling could go on without interruption. This year will be another adventure of faith.
In July Steven's summer employment came to an unexpected end. In spite of many hours of searching, he could not find a replacement job. One of the hindering factors is that his only transportation is a bicycle. His seizure last Spring made him ineligible for driving until late October. As a result, his summer savings never materialized. My advice to him has been to draw nearer to God and rest in Him. He knows how the needs of the year will be met.
Steven is leaning toward a career in business where he could use his interests in language and perhaps building design. The latter is a newer field of interest that he has begun to explore at our encouragement. Teresa especially noticed his ability in this area as we drove through Charleston, SC this summer. Our continuing prayer for him is that the Lord would direct him and that he would love Him with all his heart, regardless of the career or ministry in which he may be involved.
In July Steven's summer employment came to an unexpected end. In spite of many hours of searching, he could not find a replacement job. One of the hindering factors is that his only transportation is a bicycle. His seizure last Spring made him ineligible for driving until late October. As a result, his summer savings never materialized. My advice to him has been to draw nearer to God and rest in Him. He knows how the needs of the year will be met.
Steven is leaning toward a career in business where he could use his interests in language and perhaps building design. The latter is a newer field of interest that he has begun to explore at our encouragement. Teresa especially noticed his ability in this area as we drove through Charleston, SC this summer. Our continuing prayer for him is that the Lord would direct him and that he would love Him with all his heart, regardless of the career or ministry in which he may be involved.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
