Watching the walls come down

Hello everyone, it is just a couple of days until Ashlee and I take 12 days for a Christmas break! I just finished writing my last exam and soon we are off to do some Christmas shopping. But before we do I wanted to share with you about last Thursdays small group...

Thursday night we meet with a group from the church and I am teaching the basics of Christian doctrine. So far we have talked about the Bible, God the Father, Jesus Christ and Salvation. Each topic has taken two evenings and there is lots more to come. Last Thursday we were in our second session about Salvation and as we began discussing our security in Christ one of the members of the group, I will call him Frank, interrupted the conversation and began to share. Normally such an interruption could be seen as disrespectful but I could tell that it the reason was good.

You see Frank rarely talks in group and when he does he is either slightly off topic or his wife Maggy (also not her real name) cuts him off and/or disagrees with him. But he has a lot of questions and it is taking time for things to sink in because his past there are a lot of false teachers and lies. So this is our ninth evening together and Frank butts in and his eyes are shining light Christmas lights, his smile is peeled like a Christmas orange, and his voice is ringing like jingle bells. It looks like he is about declare world peace, and instead from his excited voice rings the words..."I am a sinner!"

I was a little taken aback, not expecting such a declaration, but then he continued and explained how after our previous study he had been thinking and going over the handouts and he came to the realization that sin is not merely what we do, but it is part of who we are. The truth of the unregenerate and unsanctified human condition hit him square between the eyes and as he explained I saw the Berlin Wall of lies and misunderstanding, the might walls of Jericho fall under the wonder working power of the precious blood of the lamb. God is good.

Maturity is a process. It takes time. One year is probably not enough time to see a lot of explosive growthy, but victories like Frank's are precious. The mission is accomplishing its goals.

Thank you for your prayers

Jeff

Ho Ho Ho

Merry Christmas everyone!!

This last weekend (December 2nd) our Church put on our Christmas outreach. We planned a breakfast that included incredible decorations, Christmas songs (some traditional and some more directed to our listeners' situations), some light entertainment, and a gosple presentation. At each table sat a host from our church with information about our small groups and regular services. We also included a clothes give away, gifts for the kids and adults too, and an appearance and opportunity for the kids, young and old, to get their picture taken with Santa. We offered a chance for anyone to come and request prayer from volunteers and also to accept Christ as their Lord. I know of at least one girl who responded and joined the family of God!

The morning after, Sunday the 3rd, I was talking with one of the men from our planning committee, Ernie, and he showed me a card that he had been given at the end of the saturday morning. A mother expressed her gratitude saying that this whole event meant the world to her family. They don't have enough money for Christmas presents for the kids and we gave them an opportunity to get some, they had no opportunity or plans to celebrate Christmas and the church filled that too. And she mentioned they didn't even have a tree, and after Ernie showed this card to a couple in the church they went out and got her family one.

Ernie and I talked and he reminded me of Jesus healing of the ten lepers. Jesus healed ten lepers and all of them went away to celebrate. Afterwards only one of them returned to give Him thanks. In a similar way we know that from one thank-you card and one expression of faith that many more were blessed.

Praise God for how He uses our works and does incredible deeds with them.
Praise God for His mighty works.
Praise God for tireless volunteers.
Praise God for His love, compassion and provision poured out on us so that we can pour our love, compassion, time and money on others.
Praise God for He is Good and His love endures forever.

In the last few days Ashlee and I have been doing our devotions in I John. Last night we read through I John 4, and verses 7 and 8 resonated with me.

"Dear friends, le us continue to love one another, for love comes of God. Anyone who loves is born of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God - for God is love"

Our Church may not have a nice building or a professionally packaged service. Our kids may make a ruccus in our services and people may walk in late. We lack staff, volunteers, and funding for what may seem like the most essential aspects of a church. But we have love and in this I know that our people know God.