Helen Roseveare: Being a Missionary

"I believe that, at its simplest, a missionary is one sent by God to live a Christian life, usually amongst people other than his own. It is living which counts. This may include formal preaching, but it will certainly include personal relationships, and these often have to be worked out under most trying conditions. For example, many missionaries discover that it is far from easy to adapt themselves to a completely different climate. The native foods may be hard, not only on the digestive system, but also on the aesthetic tastes. The language barrier may constitute a difficult problem, especially in early years. One cannot choose one's friends. Two missionaries of vastly differing backgrounds, likes and dislikes, may be thrown together for several years with no choice of other companionship. One is often expected to do jobs for which one is not trained, and which may be actually distasteful. Yet in all this, one is called upon to reveal Christ, to live a Christ-like life, to be a 'missionary.'

It is then that one realizes it is not the journey in the steamer that changes one's nature. I did not escape from myself by going to Congo. Rather, I came to know myself better, perhaps more as others had already seen me. The ordinary trials and frustrations of life that meet us all were just as real in Congo, and, in some ways, were more pronounced, as there were fewer ways of avoiding or circumventing them. For myself, it was only as I allowed the Lord to show me my own pettiness, or willfulness, or pride, in different circumstances and problems, that I became willing to let the Lord teach me of Himself. 'Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me,' the Lord said, 'for I am meek and lowly in heart.' What happened in the two years following my first taste of success as a missionary doctor shows simply how very much I had to learn of Him, for surely no-one merited the description of Christ-likeness less than I, if it was to involve the phrase 'meek and lowly in heart.'

~Give Me This Mountain, pages 85 & 86

The Bride of Christ

"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

Perseverance of the Saints

"Do I confess that I am being preserved by God's keeping power? Then his preserving must be coming to light in my persevering. The only proof I have that he preserves me is that by his grace, I am enabled to persevere." ~A.N. Martin

"Faith alone saves, but the faith that saves is never alone." ~Anonymous

The Story of William Carey

Carey was born in a small thatched cottage in Paulerspury, a typical Northamptonshire village in England, August 17, 1761, of a weaver's family. When about eighteen he left the Church of England to "follow Christ" and to "...go forth unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach." At first he joined the Congregational church at Hackleton where he was an apprentice shoemaker. It was there he married in 1781. And it was in Hackleton he began making five-mile walks to Olney in his quest for more spiritual truth. Olney was a stronghold of the Particular Baptists, the group that Carey cast his lot with after his baptism, October 5, 1783. Two years later he moved to Moulton to become a schoolmaster — and a year later he became pastor of the small Baptist congregation there.

It was in Moulton that Carey heard the missionary call. In his own words he cried, "My attention to missions was first awakened after I was at Moulton, by reading the Last Voyage of Captain Cook." To many, Cook's Journal was a thrilling story of adventure, but to Carey it was a revelation of human need! He then began to read every book that had any bearing on the subject. (This, along with his language study — for at twenty-one years of age Carey had mastered Latin, Greek, Hebrew and Italian, and was turning to Dutch and French. One well called his shoemaker's cottage "Carey's College," for as he cobbled shoes along with his preaching he never sat at his bench without some kind of a book before him.)

The more he read and studied, the more convinced he was "the peoples of the world need Christ." He read, he made notes, he made a great leather globe of the world and, one day, in the quietness of his cobbler's shop — not in some enthusiastic missionary conference — Carey heard the call: "If it be the duty of all men to believe the Gospel ... then it be the duty of those who are entrusted with the Gospel to endeavor to make it known among all nations." And Carey sobbed out, "Here am I; send me!"

To surrender was one thing — to get to the field was quite another problem. There were no missionary societies and there was no real missionary interest. When Carey propounded this subject for discussion at a ministers' meeting, "Whether the command given to the apostles to teach all nations was not obligatory on all succeeding ministers to the end of the world, seeing that the accompanying promise was of equal extent," Dr. Ryland shouted, "Young man, sit down: when God pleases to covert the heathen, He will do it without your aid or mine." Andrew Fuller added his feelings as resembling the unbelieving captain of Israel, who said, "If the Lord should make windows in heaven, might such a thing be!"

But Carey persisted. he later said of his ministry, "I can plod!" And he was a man who "always resolutely determined never to give up on any point or particle of anything on which his mind was set until he had arrived at a clear knowledge of his subject."

Thus Carey wrote his famed Enquiry Into the Obligations of the Christians to Use Means for the Conversion of the Heathen. In this masterpiece on missions Carey answered arguments, surveyed the history of missions from apostolic times, surveyed the entire known world as to countries, size, population and religions, and dealt with the practical application of how to reach the world for Christ!

And he prayed. And he pled. And he plodded. And he persisted. And he preached — especially his epoch-producing message, "EXPECT GREAT THINGS FROM GOD. ATTEMPT GREAT THINGS FOR GOD." The result of that message preached at Nottingham, May 30, 1792 — and all the other missionary ministries of Carey — produced the particular Baptist Missionary Society, formed that Fall at Kettering on October 2, 1792. A subscription was started and, ironically, Carey could not contribute any money toward it except the pledge of the profit from his book, The Enquiry.

It was in 1793 that Carey went to India. At first his wife was reluctant to go — so Carey set off to go nevertheless, but after two returns from the docks to persuade her again, Dorothy and his children accompanied him. They arrived with a Dr. Thomas at the mouth of the Hooghly in India in November, 1793. There were years of discouragement (no Indian convert for seven years), debt, disease, deterioration of his wife's mind, death, but by the grace of God — and by the power of the Word — Carey continued and conquered for Christ!

When he died at 73 (1834), he had seen the Scriptures translated and printed into forty languages, he had been a college professor, and had founded a college at Serampore. He had seen India open its doors to missionaries, he had seen the edict passed prohibiting sati (burning widows on the funeral pyres of their dead husbands), and he had seen converts for Christ.

On his deathbed Carey called out to a missionary friend, "Dr. Duff! You have been speaking about Dr. Carey; when I am gone, say nothing about Dr. Carey — speak about Dr. Carey's God." That charge was symbolic of Carey, considered by many to be a "unique figure, towering above both contemporaries and successors" in the ministry of missions.


*http://www.wholesomewords.org/missions/biocarey.html

J.I. Packer, on Calvinism

"The five points, though separately stated, are really inseparable. They hang together; you cannot reject one without rejecting them all, at least in the sense in which the Synod meant them. For to Calvinism there is really only one point to be made in the field of soteriology: the point that God saves sinners. God—the Triune Jehovah, Father, Son and Spirit; three Persons working together in sovereign wisdom, power and love to achieve the salvation of a chosen people, the Father electing, the Son fulfilling the Father’s will by redeeming, the Spirit executing the purpose of Father and Son by renewing. Saves—does everything, first to last, that is involved in bringing man from death in sin to life in glory: plans, achieves and communicates redemption, calls and keeps, justifies, sanctifies, glorifies. Sinners—men as God finds them, guilty, vile, helpless, powerless, unable to lift a finger to do God’s will or better their spiritual lot. God saves sinners—and the force of this confession may not be weakened by disrupting the unity of the work of the Trinity, or by dividing the achievement of salvation between God and man and making the decisive part man’s own, or by soft-pedaling the sinner’s inability so as to allow him to share the praise of his salvation with his Saviour. This is the one point of Calvinistic soteriology which the “five points” are concerned to establish and Arminianism in all its forms to deny: namely, that sinners do not save themselves in any sense at all, but that salvation, first and last, whole and entire, past, present and future, is of the Lord, to whom be glory for ever; amen."

Zambia Update

Here is the latest blog update on the Reece families who moved to Zambia earlier in the year to serve as missionaries. Please pray for their endeavors as they labor in this country and adjust to their new home.

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Progress on the camp pavilion is painfully slow but the structure is going up little by little everyday. The foundation walls and footings have been laid and the floor leveled. Seventeen teak posts are in the ground. For those who may wonder, we don't use teak to be extravagant. We use it because it's strong and it's the locally available building material of choice among the Lozi. Each teak pole costs about $3 USD. The bond beam (they call it a "ring beam" here) is almost finished. It is made up of seventeen beams running horizontally from post to post all around the perimeter of the structure. Four beams still need to be added and then it will be complete. The earth bag wall that separates the kitchen from the showers/bathroom area is almost finished. When we stand on it the bond beam (which is about nine-and-a-half feet up in the air) it is about waist high. One more hard day and I think we'll have it done. After that we will start on teak cross beams. Then teak king posts. Then mopani ridge poles and rafters. The last step before thatching will be to add small sticks called "lats" that will span between rafters and run parallel with the top of the wall. The bundles of thatch will be tied to the "lats". Vincent, our "foreman", is supposed to have a crew working on the storage room walls of the pavilion so that it will be finished when we get back. He needs monitoring so this could be interesting leaving him alone to manage this part. He's using the traditional Lozi building method called kukangala (adobe mud packed around a stick frame "matrix" - also referred to in England as waddle and daub).

A quick note about Vincent. He is very pleasant to work with. He's responsible, faithful, intuitive and shows initiative. I think he's a keeper. We continue to pray that the Lord will truly save him. It's possible that his heart has already been made new and he is trusting in Christ alone for salvation but just doesn't know how to express it in words.

So the Lord gave us a good gift the other day. Sean and I took Vincent with us to a place between Mwandi and Kazangula to see if we could buy some Mopani poles that I had seen in huge piles on the side of the highway. After driving two-and-a-half hours we were told that the man who owned them was building a lodge in Livingstone and was not willing to sell. I was praying and asking the Lord to help my attitude because it seemed that the whole trip was a waste. One of the old women suggested that we try to phone the man and, after a while provided his number. We took the old woman with us to where we could find a network signal. As it turned out we ran into a man who had cut all the trees for the guy building the lodge. He took us way out into the bush (30 more minutes) to his pile of poles out in the forest. He sold them to us for K 5,000 per pole which is about $1 per pole. To put that in perspective... these poles are at least twelve feet long and at least six inches in diameter, the strength of teak and the color of pine. Vincent was shocked at the quality of the wood and the low price. That made us feel pretty good about it. It was also a great testimony for him to see the Lord provide. It was a long day - Twelve hours altogether. But it was worth it. We pulled into camp at nine p.m. that night with 25 poles. Hopefully we can get 50 more from this same guy.

The rains have started but we are praying that we can be moved into this by Christmas! Thank you for continuing to pray.

~Shannon Reece

Response to the Gracious Summons

The Conversion of William Wilberforce

"It is a great story of the providence of God in pursuing a person through seemingly casual choices. On the long holidays when Parliament was not in session, Wilberforce would sometimes travel with friends or family. In the winter of 1784, when he was twenty-five, on an impulse he invited Isaac Milner, his former schoolmaster and friend from grammar school, who was now a tutor in Queens College, Cambridge to go with him and his mother and sister to the French Riviera. To his amazement Milner turned out to be a convinced Christian without any of the stereotypes that Wilberforce had built up against the evangelicals. They talked for hours about the Christian faith.

In another seemingly accidental turn, Wilberforce saw lying in the house where they were staying a copy of Philip Doddridge's The Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul (1745). He asked Milner about it, and Milner said that it was "one of the best books ever written" and suggested they take it along and read it on the way home. Wilberforce later ascribes a huge influence in his conversion to this book. When he arrived home in February 1785 he "had reached intellectual assent into the Biblical view of man, God, and Christ." But he would not yet have claimed what he later described as true Christianity. It was all intellectual. He pushed it to the back of his mind and went on with political and social life.

That summer Wilberforce traveled again with Milner, and they discussed the Greek New Testament for hours. Slowly his "intellectual assent became profound conviction." One of the first manifestations of what he called "the great change"--the conversion--was the contempt he felt for his wealth and the luxury he lived in, especially on those trips between Parliamentary sessions. Seeds were sown almost immediately at the beginning of his Christian life, it seems, of the later passion to help the poor and to turn all his inherited wealth and his naturally high station into a means of blessing the oppressed."


~From John Piper's "The Roots of Endurance," pages 124-125

We Begin to be Like Christ

(J. R. Miller, "The Life of Jesus")

"I am among you as one who serves." Luke 22:27

"He got up from supper, laid aside His robe, took a towel, and tied it around Himself. Next, He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples’ feet and to dry them with the towel tied around Him." John 13:4-5

Serving is not an easy lesson to learn. But it is a lesson we must learn--if ever we would become like our Master. He did not come to be served--but to serve. He served to the uttermost, just as He loved to the uttermost. Anything that needed to be done for another, He did as naturally and as simply as He breathed. He loved people, and was interested in them, and was ready always to be helpful to them. It never mattered what the service was, whether it was the saving of a soul, the curing of a grievous sickness, or the giving of a cup of water--He did the least as graciously and as divinely, as the greatest.

The washing of feet was the lowliest service any man could do for another. It was the work of the lowliest slave. Yet Jesus without hesitation, did this service for His own disciples. Thus He taught them that nothing anyone may ever need to have done--is unfit for the whitest hands. We begin to be like Christ--only when we begin to love others enough to serve them.

There is no surer test of the genuineness of Christian life, than in this matter of serving others. When we see the Son of God washing His disciples' feet--no service is too menial for us to do. A king may do the lowliest kindness to the poorest peasant in his realm, and his honor will only be enhanced by it.

"Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet--you also should wash one another's feet." John 13:14

Growth in God's Kingdom, Charles Leiter

Poetry by Amy Carmichael

O Splendour of God's Will

O Splendour of God's Will,
Clear shining mystery,
I worship and am still
Hushed by the thought of Thee;
Thy great and noble ways
Lowland and mountain know,
Fair flower bells chime their praise,
And to Thee the waters flow.

O Will most lovable,
Young budding trees aflame
And all things beautiful
Illuminate Thy name,
Far hast Thou passed my prayer,
Good hast Thou been to me,
Thy lover everywhere,
Blessed Will, make me to be.

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River of God

O River of God, Thy quickening streams,
Cause me to bud again;
My winter past as one who dreams
I see my summer reign.
For my bare height fresh pasture yields,
Where never grass did grow;
And in the borders of my fields
I see fair lilies blow.

My glowing sand becomes a pool
And all around is green,
And all is restful, quiet, cool,
As in a deep ravine.
O for a worthy song to sing
Thy goodness unto me.
Lord Jesus my eternal Spring,
All glory be to Thee.

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Shadow and Coolness

Shadow and coolness, Lord,
Art Thou to me;
Cloud of my soul, lead on,
I follow Thee.
What though the hot winds blow,
Fierce heat beats up below,
Fountains of water flow-
Praise, praise to Thee.

Clearness and glory, Lord,
Art Thou to me;
Light of my soul, lead on,
I follow Thee.
All through the moonless night,
Making its darkness bright,
Thou art my Heavenly Light-
Praise, praise to Thee.

Shadow and Shine art Thou
My Lord, to me;
Pillar of cloud and fire,
I follow Thee.
What though the way be long,
In Thee my heart is strong,
Thou art my joy, my song-
Praise, praise to Thee.

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Strength of My Heart

Strength of my heart, I need not fail,
Not mine to fear but to obey.
With such a Leader who could quail?
Thou art as Thou wert yesterday.
Strength of my heart, I rest in Thee,
Fulfill Thy purposes through me.

Strength of my heart, though suns burn low
And fades the green from all the earth,
Thy quenchless hope would fervent glow,
From barren waste would spring to birth.
Hope of my heart, O cause to be,
Renewals of Thy hope in me.

Love of my heart, my stream runs dry,
O fountain of the heavenly hills,
Love, blessed Love, to Thee I cry,
Flood all my secret hidden rills.
Water of love, come, pour through me;
I must have love, I must have Thee.

O, give me love, then I have all,
For love casts out tormenting fear,
And love sounds forth a trumpet call,
To valiant hope, and sweet and clear
The birds of joy sing in my tree,
Love of my heart, when I have Thee.

Life's Highest and Best Lesson

By J. R. Miller: "The Story of Joseph, Practical Lessons"

We read that Joseph bore himself so congenially, and did his work so well, and was so capable, so true, so trustworthy--that Potiphar "left all that he owned under Joseph's care; he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate." Genesis 39:6. Joseph would never have won such a success--if he had given up to discouragement, if he had brooded over his wrongs, if he had sulked and complained, if he had spent his time in vain regrets or in vindictive feelings. We should learn the lesson, and it is worth learning--for it is life's highest and best lesson.

The problem of life, is to keep the heart warm and kindly--amid all injustice and wrong; to keep the spirit brave and cheerful--in the midst of all that is hard in life's circumstances and conditions; to be true, and right, and strong--in all moral purpose and deed, however others may act toward us.

Our inner life should not be affected by our external experiences. Right is right, no matter what others around us may do. We must be true--no matter if all the world is false--even false to us. We must be unselfish and loving--though even our nearest friends prove selfish and cruel to us. We must keep our spirit strong, cheerful and hopeful--though adversities and misfortunes seem to leave us nothing of the fruit of all our labors.

In a word, we are to live victoriously, truly, nobly, sweetly, cheerfully, joyfully--in spite of whatever may be uncongenial in our condition!This is the lesson of all Christian life. We should not let the outside darkness into our soul. We should seek to be delivered from all morbidness and all unwholesomeness. We should not allow anything to crush us.

Remember, your task in living--is to keep sweet, to keep your heart gentle, brave, strong, loving, full of hope--under the worst that the years can bring you of injustice, hardship, suffering, and trial.

A Sermon from Kirksville

He Loves Us Too Well

(J. R. Miller, "Silent Times")
"I know, O Lord, that Your judgments are just, and that in faithfulness You have afflicted me." Psalm 119:75

Sometimes the ways of God do seem hard. Our fondest hopes are crushed; our fairest joys fade like summer flowers; the desires of our hearts are withheld from us. Yet, if we are God's children, we believe that a blessing is hidden in every one of these losses or denials. Right here, we get a glimpse into the mystery of many unanswered prayers. The things we seek, would not work good for us in the end--but evil. The things we plead to have removed--are essential to our highest interests.

Health is supposed to be better than sickness--but there comes a time when God's kindness will be most wisely shown--by denying us health. He never takes pleasure in causing us to suffer; He is touched by our sorrows. Yet He loves us too well, to give us things that would harm us, or to spare us the trial that is needful for our spiritual good. It will be seen in the end, that many of the richest blessings of all our lives--have come to us through God's denials, His withholdings, or His shattering of our hopes and joys.

We should never forget that the object of all of God's dealings with His children--is to sanctify us, and make us vessels fit for His use. To this high and glorious end, our present pleasure and gratification must ofttimes be sacrificed. This is the true key to all the mysteries of Providence. Anything that hinders entire consecration to Christ, is working us harm; and though it be our tenderest joy, it is best that it be taken away.

Prayer is not always granted, even when the heart clings with holiest affection to its most precious joy. Nothing must hinder our consecration. We should never think first of what will give us earthly joy or comfort--but of what will fit us for doing the Master's service. Pain is often better for us--than pleasure; loss is often better for us--than gain; sorrow is often better for us--than joy; disaster is often better for us--than deliverance.

Faith should know that God's withholdings from us, when He does not give what we ask--are richer blessings than were He to open to us all His treasure-houses at whose doors we stand and knock with so great vehemence. Our unanswered prayers have just as real and as blessed answer--as those which bring what we seek.

Arctic Update

This is a report received from Justin and Melissa Vold who are serving with their family in the remote parts of Alaska. The names of the remote villages have been taken out due to concern about cult activity in the area and the Vold's safety. Please pray for them as they serve The Lord of the Harvest on the mission field.

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Dear Friends,

It is always a challenge to write to you and report on what the Lord is doing in Western Alaska. As one friend of mine said, "When we share, it is a danger to not sound as if we are boasting, as if we have done anything, when actually we have only witnessed God doing great things. But it is important for those who pray for us and the work here to hear testimony of these things. So with that in mind, here is my report of what God has done and is doing in the remote parts of the U. S. here in Alaska. Much will be left out, as I do not have the space here to tell you all that I witnessed, but I will give you the highlights as best as I can.

My flight was delayed going to Anchorage, which turned out to be a fruitful time of ministering the Gospel to several travelers in great need. One was a cowboy named Jake from Australia. I ask that you pray for him. Another was a young lady who recently lost her husband and was upset with God. After 6 hours of flying and a long time in the book of Job, she was able to release many tears and express thankfulness to God and gain more understanding into His plans and ways.

After arriving in the first village it took only seconds to realize I was in more of a pagan area than I have ever traveled to. This area has been under heavy Russian Orthodox oppression for over 200 years, as well as mixed with the deceitfulness of Catholicism and their abusive priests.

The darkness of the enemy and the strongholds of sin were evident everywhere. My heart was grieved heavily to see such a state and then to think of all those living here, as well as the nearby villages who are like sheep without a shepherd. No true church, no Good News, no hope, and yet the Lord of the harvest is stirring hearts in these villages.

When I arrived, we got word that a cousin of Michael's had committed suicide by his second attempt after running his 4 wheeler at a high speed into the village council building. Michael's mother wanted to go to the services and so we paid the fuel to get her there. It also proved to be a fruitful time of sharing the Word of God and encouraging the very few there who are believers.

I met one family who have been strict Russian Orthodox, but in the last few months, their Dad has come under conviction of sin and a desire to read the Word and here in this lonely village he is seeking God. We had a good visit and season of prayer in their home.

When we returned 3 days later, we took a steam with some of the village elders. I was in the small cooling room, asking the Lord where the open door was to share the Gospel with them. Just then from inside the steam, Michael yelled out "Feed them some milk, brother!" He has only been a Christian for 2 years and is so fervent to see his people come to the truth and believe on the Lord Jesus.

From that point on, for the rest of this first trip, every house we went in and nearly every person we walked by, Michael said, "Justin tell them why you are here; tell these people about Jesus."

Each day from the time I woke up until I went to bed seemed to be constant ministry and preaching. One young man nick-named Monster walked in and sat down and the Lord opened the door to share with him. He was so hungry and had just moved back from living in a nearby village for 5 years. He said it was like hell to live there. God's hand seems to be on this 13 year old in a special way. In fact he told me when he was in that previous village he was "being mischief with his friends" and when he heard the Catholic Church bell, he left them behind and went in. They taught him how to read prayers to Mary and his guardian angel, but he was still so hungry for God. He said, "I don't want to do the bad things I've been do before; I am glad I heard about Jesus now while I am young." I have a lot of hope for him and ask you to keep him in your prayers.

A couple I believe the Lord saved while on this trip was Gary and Kelly who have a 2 year old son. We were in their house for several hours, explaining the Scriptures from Genesis onward about salvation in Christ alone. They were so hungry for the truth and His Word, and prayer with them was sweet and real.

Of course not all received the Gospel message warmly. In fact, Michael wanted to set up and announce some meetings, so he put up some posters to say I was coming, but they were always ripped off the walls of the native store. Several people would walk away with angry looks at the ground when they found out I was there to preach the Gospel.

I was able to sow some seed with one man known as a notorious God-hater in the village, as I wanted to look at a moose he had shot. After a general visit, I talked to him of the things of God and his responsibility as the spiritual head of his home and over his children. He spent the last year in prison for severe domestic violence and he has just been allowed back into his family. We prayed and I hope God will save him, as I see he could be used as an apostle Paul type. Please pray for R.N.

While I was there, Michael received a call from a family member who wanted to give him grief about his faith in Jesus. This gave us time to look into the Word on what God says about persecution and suffering, despite what he had learned from some of the white-washed tombs preaching on the TBN religious program that airs out here. We went through a stack of envelopes that were all requesting him and his wife to sow their seed to get rich and we had a good time looking in the Word on how God supplies our every need through Christ Jesus our Lord.

One of the highlights and most grieving experiences of the entire trip was walking through and ministering in a certain village. As many of you may remember, 4 1/2 years ago I asked you to begin praying for this village. I had never been there nor had I ever heard anything of this village. I had only found it by accident on Google Earth one night and then God gave me a burden for the souls in this village.

I told Michael, who is from there, that we have been praying for this specific village for 4 1/2 years. He looked at the ground with some despair, and I said, "I want to go there and I will pay the fuel for your boat." So we loaded up and left. On the way, I thought of all of you who have prayed for this village and I thought, "Here we go now, to share the Good News in a village that has no Gospel at all."

When we got there, all we saw was a mean dog tied up on the beach. We went to see Michael's brothers and then walked through the entire village, which was all on one dirt road. We passed by lots of children playing and I found out later they were playing in the village cess pools. Then as we passed by one house where many children were playing, there was the sound of people coughing and the strong smell of marijuana. I looked over and there in broad daylight were parents getting high at 2:00 pm. I saw many other things like this and the Lord opened the door to share the Good News with four of them who were living such wretched lives.

As I left the village that night, I was filled with grief for these people and their children. They don't have any church there at all. There is an old Russian Orthodox Church there where Michael's Dad is buried, and Michael asked me if I would pray at his Dad's burial sight. He told me of his Dad's last words to him, which amazed me, coming from the lips of an Orthodox church member: "Michael, if our way won't help you, then go to a church that will help you and use my Bible when you go to share in the villages."

We prayed for that village and decided we must come and preach to this whole village in November. We asked the head council for permission and she said to send a letter to the other board members. Please pray for this opportunity He has laid before us and for those lost souls dieing in their sins.

I also saw a young man saved by the name of Jerome. He stayed with us the rest of the trip and says he wants to give all to God. He began sharing in the village roads with me as we walked around. I gave him a Paul Washer CD the first night and J. C. Ryle's "Thoughts for Young Men". He stayed up that night listening to the CD and began reading the book. I have a lot of hope for him and ask you to please pray for him, as he is just a babe in Christ. Jerome and Michael are going to start meeting every Monday morning to study the Word and are hoping the Lord will add to their number.

We had the first meeting as a church there on Sunday the 13th and they plan by God's grace to continue the meetings, despite what the village says about them inviting others to come pray, worship, study the Word and fellowship.

In summary, as I walked around one night about 3:00 am after walking with Jerome, I had the opportunity to share with three of the village police officers, one of whom is Gary. When I mentioned Sodom and Gomorrah, Gary said with a smile on his face, "I read about that in my Bible this morning." He was not afraid to testify in front of them. When I walked home, the streets were filled with stoned kids offering me drugs and punk, which is a tree fungus they mix with tobacco for a hallucinogenic high. I also saw fights between men and women and even a young lady nearly raped. I said, "Lord, what is wrong with this village! O God, what is wrong with these people? I have never seen such depravity." As soon as I spoke those words, the Lord flashed before me all my past and I realized they are not different than any Christless person in all the world.

They are like I was years ago--groping through the darkness, filled with every sin, and all hatred. Like me so selfish as to not care about any one but myself. Oh, the thought that He poured out His blood to cleanse me, to satisfy the wrath of God, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am the worst; however, for this reason, I obtained mercy, that in me Christ might show all patience as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.

I have much more I could share with you, but I think that is enough for now. Now to the KING eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever.

Thank you all for your faithful partnership and prayers on our behalf and on behalf of those we serve.

Yours because He lives,
- Justin & Melissa

The Wall, the Winepress, and the Watchtower

I wrote this poem after reading the passage in Mark 12 about the vineyard and its tenants. What really got me thinking was the phrase in verse one which says this: "A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower." The poem is written in a way that focuses on the care that the Father takes of his children, and various attributes of God. I realize this is not at all the original meaning of the parable, but these are the things that came to my mind when I read that phrase in Mark 12.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

‘Round about His children the Father builds a wall
To keep them from the danger that encompasses them all.
The wall stands tall and firm, hemming each one in,
Helping shield them from the evils of flesh, and self, and sin.

He also builds a winepress, to trample out His fruit
For when it has been crushed it yields up all its juice.
The crimson that flows out from ‘neath the oxen’s feet
Has been pressed, but not destroyed, for its taste is sweet.

Last of all a tower, in which His guards await,
Looks out across the vineyard, watching all the gates.
When the enemy is spotted, there sounds a great alarm
And defenders soon respond by taking up their arms.

The meaning of these verses is carefully explained;
In each one an attribute of the Father is contained.
The wall depicts the strength with which He keeps His own,
In a shelter fortified, instead of leaving them alone.

The winepress shows us how He also tests and tries,
Using suffering and trials, His children to refine.
All is done in love, and when no dross remains
Unharmed they are brought through the purifying flames.

The tower in the field where the guardsmen stand
Is the ever-seeing eye that watches all the lands.
An urgent cry resounds, and warns all those inside
There is refuge in the Lord for those who will abide.

~A.L. 09/04/09

A Very Delicate Thing

(Arthur Pink, "The Eye of Faith") and distributed by Grace Gems:

Faith is frequently represented in Scripture, under the metaphor of bodily sight. Of Moses it is said that "he endured as seeing Him who is invisible" Hebrews 11:27. That is, his heart was sustained through faith's being occupied with the mighty God.

The eye is a very delicate thing--it is soon hurt and easily damaged. A tiny speck of dust will cause pain and make it weep. It is very striking to note, that this is the very way to recovery--it weeps out the dust that gets into it.

Just so, faith is a most delicate grace, thriving best in a pure conscience. Hence the apostle speaks of "holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience" (1 Timothy 3:9). The lively actings of faith are soon marred by the dust of sin, or by the vanities of the world getting into the heart where it is seated. And wherever true faith is--if it is hurt by sin--it vents itself in a way of godly sorrow.

The Ballast of Humiliation

An excerpt from John Piper's book "The Roots of Endurance," containing a quote from Charles Simeon, a main subject of the book. The following statement was made by Simeon after 40 years of serving and cherishing Christ.


"With this sweet hope of ultimate acceptance with God, I have always enjoyed much cheerfulness before men; but I have at the same time labored incessantly to cultivate the deepest humiliation before God. I have never thought that the circumstance of God's having forgiven me, was any reason why I should forgive myself; on the contrary, I have always judged it better to loathe myself the more, in proportion as I was assured that God was pacified towards me (Ezekiel 16:63)....There are but two objects that I have ever desired for these forty years to behold; the one, is my own vileness; and the other is, the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ; and I have always thought that they should be viewed together; just as Aaron confessed all the sins of all Israel whilst he put them on the head of the scapegoat. The disease did not keep him from applying to the remedy, nor did the remedy keep him from feeling the disease. By this I seek to be, not only humble and thankful but humbled in thankfulness, before my God and Savior continually."

A Service to the Flock

The other night I was thinking about the role of the pastor and shepherd of the flock. Part of that role includes church discipline, which I have seen first-hand place great pressure on men of God. While thinking about the weight placed on pastors to carry out church discipline I came across this quote in a book I am reading. It is an excellent quote from the perspective of a Shepherd that I was blessed by.

"Remember the nature of my office, and the care incumbent on me for the welfare of your immortal souls....Consider whatever may appear in my discourses harsh, earnest or alarming, not as the effects of enthusiasm, but as the rational dictates of a heart impressed with a sense both of the value of the soul and the importance of eternity....By recollecting the awful consequences of my neglect, you will be more inclined to receive favorably any well-meant admonitions." ~Charles Simeon

A Faint Symbol of Unutterable Affection!

From Grace Gems:

"Yes, He is altogether lovely. This is my Beloved, and this is my Friend!" Song of Songs 5:16

In calling the Lord Jesus "altogether lovely," the redeemed Church asserts that she sees nothing in Him which she does not admire. The world may rail at His cross and call it shameful; but to her it is the very center and soul of glory. He is never without beauty to her! She presses His pierced feet to her embrace--and looks upon His wounds as jewels! Fools stand by His cross and find many a theme for jest and scorn; but she discovers nothing but solemn reason for reverent adoration and unbounded love!

"You are absolutely beautiful, my Beloved--with no imperfection in You!" Song of Songs 4:7. Viewing Him in every office and relationship--she cannot discover a flaw! She knows too well, His perfect Godhead and His spotless manhood--to offer a moment's shelter to the thought of a blemish in His immaculate person! She abominates every teaching that debases Him! She spurns the most gorgeous religious drapery that would obscure His beauteous features! Yes, so jealous is she of His honor, that a hint against His unsullied purity would stir her soul to holy wrath--and speedy would be her execration, and relentless her execution of the heresy! Nothing has ever aroused the ire of the Church so much--as a word against her beloved Redeemer. To all true believers, this is high treason and an offense which cannot be treated lightly.

Jesus is without a single blot or blemish--yet this negative praise, this bold denial of any fault--is far from representing the fullness of the loving admiration of the Church. Jesus is positively lovely in her eyes! Not merely lovely--His beauties are attracting beauties, and His glories are such as charm the heart. But although this utterance of the Church is the very climax of the language of praise, and was doubtless intended as the pinnacle of all description--yet it is not possible that this one sentence, even when expanded by the most careful meditation, should be able to express more than a mere particle of the admiration felt. Her description towers above all others; but its stature fails to reach the towering height of Heaven-born love. It is but a faint symbol of unutterable affection! It is a choice pearl washed on shore, from the deep sea of Divine love.

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"Yes, He is altogether lovely. This is my Beloved, and this is my Friend!" Song of Songs 5:16

I was thinking on this verse after getting the Grace Gems email. What a wonderful thought that we can call Jesus friend! I am still trying to grasp this concept in its fullness. A close friend is someone that you can confide all things in. But who do we run to when there are trials, when there is something bothering us, or when there is something that has taken place to be thankful and rejoice over? There is nothing wrong with confiding in earthly friends, but above all we should confide in our heavenly friend who graciously gives us all things.

Sovereignty

(John MacDuff, "The Rainbow in the Clouds," from Grace Gems)

"The Lord reigns!" Psalm 93:1

No rainbow of promise in the "dark and cloudy day" shines more radiantly than this. God, my God, the God who gave Jesus--orders all events, and overrules all for my good! "When I," says He, "send clouds over the earth." He has no wish to conceal the hand which shadows for a time, earth’s brightest prospects. It is He alike who "brings the cloud," who brings us into it, and in mercy leads us through it! His kingdom rules over all. "The lot is cast into the lap, but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord." He puts the burden on, and keeps it on, and at His own time will remove it!

Beware of brooding over second causes. It is the worst form of atheism! When our most fondly cherished gourds are smitten; our fairest flowers lie withered in our bosom; this is the silencer of all reflections, "The Lord prepared the worm!" When the temple of the soul is smitten with lightning, and its pillars rent: "The Lord is in His holy temple!" Accident, chance, fate, destiny, have no place in the Christian’s creed. He is no un-piloted vessel left to the mercy of the storm. "The voice of the Lord is upon the waters!" There is but one explanation of all that befalls him: "I will be mute, I will open not my mouth, because You O Lord, did it.

"Death seems to the human spectator, the most capricious and severe of all events. But not so. The keys of death and Hades are in the hands of this same reigning God! Look at the parable of the fig-tree. Its prolonged existence, or its doom as a cumberer, forms matter of conversation in Heaven; the axe cannot be laid at its root--until God gives the warrant! How much more will this be the case regarding every "Tree of Righteousness, the planting of the Lord?" It will be watched over by Him, "Lest anyone hurt it." Every trembling fiber--He will care for; and if made early to succumb to the inevitable stroke, "Who knows not in all these things, that the hand of the Lord has wrought this." Be it mine to merge my own will in His; not to cavil at His ways, or to seek to have one jot or tittle of His will altered; but to lie passive in His hands; to take the bitter as well as the sweet, knowing that the bitter cup is mingled by One who loves me too well to add one ingredient that might have been spared!

Who can wonder that the sweet Psalmist of Israel should seek, as he sees the rainbow spanning the lower heavens, to fix the arrested gaze of a whole world on the softened tints of this Rainbow of Comfort, "The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice!"

Strength to Hope

This is an excellent message from Mason Vann that I just finished listening to. The purpose of the message is mainly to encourage Christians to guard their hope. The message also talks about ways to rid your life of things that encumber you. A questions useful for this that Mason mentions is "Will this help me run after God?" I was greatly encouraged by this and hope that you are also.

A Peculiar Kind of Striving

"The form of endurance has a peculiar energy: We put out great effort to endure to the end, but we do it in a peculiar way, namely, in the strength that God supplies. Paul said it like this in Philippians 2:12-13, "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." We work and we tremble at the magnitude of what is at stake in our endurance and what great obstacles there are in ourselves and in the world and in the devil. But we do not tremble with the anxiety of the abandoned. We are not abandoned. In all our striving, there is a deep restfulness of confidence, for we are striving not in our strength but God's."

~John Piper, The Roots of Endurance

Fellowship with God

"There is an experimental fellowship, or partnership, with the Father and with His Son, which consists in this, that all which we possess in God, as being the partners with God, is brought down into our daily life, is enjoyed, experienced, and used. This experimental fellowship, or partnership, allows of an increase or a decrease, in the measure in which faith is in exercise, and in which we are entering into what we have received in the Lord Jesus. The measure in which we enjoy this experimental fellowship with the Father and with the Son is without limit; for without limit we may make use of our partnership with the Father and with the Son, and draw by prayer and faith out of the inexhaustible fullness which there is in God."

George Muller, Valuable Selections from the Writings of George Muller, page 28

Matthew 12:21

"In his name the nations will put their hope..."

A Call for the Perseverance of the Saints

I recently listened to a message from Dr Helen Roseveare given at John Piper's church in 2007. The message is phenomenal and I thought I would share it since it was especially encouraging. You can navigate to the Desiring God website where the message is located by clicking on the link below, and then choosing the "Listen Now" option.

Helen Roseveare :: Desiring God

"The Rich Followers Of This Poor Savior"

Grace Gems, from The Letters of John Newton...

"There was a rich man who would dress in purple and fine linen, feasting lavishly every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table." Luke 16:19-21

However some professors may seem to differ from the world--they are not easily distinguished upon many other points; particularly at their meals. The people of the world can scarcely exceed them in the cost, care, profusion, and variety with which their tables are covered.

Perhaps there is no one circumstance in the history of our Savior so little laid to heart, so generally overlooked, by those who acknowledge him as their Master and their Lord--as that state of poverty to which He submitted, while upon earth. He had no home. He did not even have money to pay His tax. He was hungry when He went to the fig-tree. He wrought no miracle solely for His own relief; but He felt for the necessitous, and miraculously fed them by thousands; not with dainties, which would have been equally easy to Him--but, finding a few loaves and fish among them, He satisfied their needs with plain food. Yes, after His resurrection, when He had taken possession of all power and authority both in heaven and in earth--He condescended to dine with His disciples upon broiled fish and bread, which He likewise provided for them.

Alas! the rich followers of this poor Savior have more reason to be ashamed of . . . their gorgeous apparel, their fine houses, their elegant furniture, and their sumptuous feasting--than to value themselves upon such trifles! They are unavoidable appendages to people in some situations; but, I believe, those who have drank deeply into our Lord's spirit, account them rather burdens than benefits!

We must be watchful of that sinful, shameful conformity to the world, which spreads like a gangrene, which is the reproach of the gospel, and threatens the utter extinction of vital religion in multitudes who profess it.

Do Not Grow Weary

I listened to this short message tonight and thought it was a great exhortation to not become discouraged even when things are not going as planned. A good reminder that the Lord is gracious, no matter what circumstances befall us.

Good Reminders from George Muller

The child of God has been bought with the "precious blood of the Christ," and is altogether His property, with all that he possesses: his bodily strength, his mental strength, his ability of every kind, his trade, business, art, profession, his property, etc.; for it is written: "Ye are not your own; for ye are bought with a price." 1st Corinthians 6:19, 20

With Joy Will I Lift Up My Head

With joy will I lift up my head,
The Comforter is near;
Why should I be downcast,
I’ve nothing now to fear.

No longer held sin’s captive,
I am Captive to His mercy;
From the cross His tender grace
Flows measureless and free.

Nothing now can threaten
The security of my soul,
For I am hid with Christ on high
And will surely reach the goal.

While Jesus my Redeemer
Leads me through the race,
Darts are hurled from every side,
But I am fixed upon His face.

He urges me “Press on!”
He knows my every care;
As I struggle through the Way,
He helps my load to bear.

No trouble is too much for Him,
And in Him I can confide;
He has promised to remain with me
And in Him I’ll abide.

Such a gracious, loving Shepherd
Shall keep me to the end;
And my Savior, Master, Healer,
I may also call my Friend.

So why should I be downcast
My needs supplied as never before;
With joy will I lift up my head,
And gaze on the Risen Lord.

~A.L 6/23/09

Zechariah 10:12

"I will strengthen them in the Lord, and in His name they will walk," declares the Lord.

God Meant it Unto Good (Genesis 50:20)

"God meant it unto good"--O blest assurance,
Falling like sunshine all across life's way,
Touching with Heaven's gold, earth's darkest storm clouds,
Bringing fresh peace and comfort day by day.

'Twas not by chance the hands of faithless brothers
Sold Joseph captive to a foreign land;
Nor was it chance that, after years of suffering,
Brought him before the Pharaoh's throne to stand.

One Eye all-seeing saw the need of thousands,
And planned to meet it through that one lone soul,
And through the weary days of prison bondage
Was working toward the great and glorious goal.

As yet the end was hidden from the captive,
The iron entered even to his soul,
His eye could scan the present path of sorrow,
Not yet his gaze might rest upon the whole.

Faith failed not through those long, dark days of waiting,
His trust in God was reimbursed at last,
The moment came when God led forth his servant
To comfort many, all his sufferings past.

"It was not you but God, that led me here,"
Witnessed triumphant faith in later days;
"God meant it unto good," no other reason
Mingled their discord with his song of praise.

"God means it unto good" for you, beloved,
The God of Joseph is the same today;
His love permits afflictions strange and bitter,
His hand is guiding through the unknown way.

Your Lord, who sees the end from the beginning,
Has purposes for you of love untold.
Then place your hand in His and follow fearless,
Till you the riches of His grace behold.

There, when you stand firm in the Home of Glory,
And all life's path lies open to your gaze,
Your eyes will see the hand that you're now trusting,
And magnify His love through endless days.

~Freda Hanbury Allen

Isaiah 41:10

"I am on Your Side"

"When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. "Oh, my lord, what shall we do?" the servant asked. "Don't be afraid," the prophet answered. "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them." And Elisha prayed, "O Lord, open his eyes so he may see." Then the Lord opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha." 2nd Kings 6:15-17

When I feel frightened and alone,
Hemmed in before and behind,
You whisper “I am on your side.”
When my faith is all but gone,
And my soul is tested and tried,
You whisper “I am on your side.”

When the forces of darkness crowd,
And seek my soul to smite,
You whisper “I am on your side.”
When the battle rages loud,
And I cannot see the light,
You whisper “I am on your side.”

When my heart needs it most,
You lift the curtain from my eyes,
And whisper “I am on your side.”
Then I see the mighty host,
And all my fears subside,
As you whisper “I am on your side.”

When I recall Elisha’s day,
I can almost hear the sound,
As you whisper “I am on your side.”
When evil is held at bay,
And the light is gaining ground,
You whisper “I am on your side.”

When forces press and try,
I now no longer will alarm,
For you whisper “I am on your side.”
When on your strength I rely,
I am safe from any harm,
He has promised “I am on your side.”

~A. Leiter, 06/08/09

Lozi Mission Update, Zambia

Dear family and friends,

“And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ…” 2 Corinthians. 4:3-4

We’re back from our third trip to the bush in three weeks. I’m so far behind in admin work and answering emails; not sure when I’ll ever get caught up. It has been a joy having the company of dear American friends, Terry & Cindy Hammock, for the past week.

While in the bush, we taught sessions on God’s holiness and true conversion. Two sessions were in sub-villages of Ilwendo where we had never taught before. At the close of the first of these sessions, the Lord provided a special word of encouragement for us. One older woman asked, “Since you were chosen in America by the Lord to come and find lost sheep, when will you come teach in our village again?” How many times have we heard that question? What touched us most was her wording, “chosen to come find lost sheep.” In that moment, all the hard hours driving and setting camp seemed insignificant.

Our session in Makanda village produced a lengthy discussion on the place of keeping the law in salvation. Shannon was also visited at camp one morning by a young man, and spent a couple of hours debating salvation by grace through faith verses the works of the law. We are seeing like never before the reality of 2 Cor. 4:3-4, that our gospel is veiled to those who are perishing and Satan has blinded their eyes to the glorious gospel of grace in Christ. The older Lozi generation is blinded by ancestral traditions and witchcraft. The younger Lozi generation is blinded by works-based religion. We can spend 2 hours walking them through Galatians 2-3, Romans 3, and Ephesians 2, showing that no man is justified by the works of the Law, and they will immediately return to speaking the language of works rather than grace.

Even with the most curious, eager, and genuinely hungry, we are seeing that just because we teach something once or twice does NOT mean that they “get it.” We are just beginning to see the depth of hard spiritual labor that will be required to establish even one biblical church in this area. Those of you who’ve walked this road before us are laughing and saying, “Welcome to reality.” As a result, my vision for the Lozi work is actually growing 'smaller,' or perhaps I should say more sharply focused.

Let me use this example. The first time I visited Bass Pro Shops, it was overwhelming. So many departments to see – gun-hunting, archery, fishing, fly-fishing, camping, clothing/shoes, art gallery, etc. One wanders in frustration – there’s no way to see it all in the time available. But when I moved to the Ozarks, my trips to Bass Pro became more sharply focused. I knew what I needed, and rather than wandering through the store in a daze, I headed straight for the fly shop or archery department.

When one first surveys the spiritual need among the Lozi it is overwhelming. The Gospel is needed everywhere! There is a glamorous attraction to pushing deeper and deeper into the bush, preaching to unreached areas. But now that I’m here, reality is setting in. If our time and energy is consumed with trying to teach everyone, then no one will receive adequate teaching. God only called one David Livingstone, and I’m not him. During this last week in the bush, I resolved in my heart to focus on the field where God has sovereignly placed us, and do the hard labor of plowing the same field with the Word over and over again. If we leave Zambia someday with one biblical church established among the Lozi of Ilwendo village, it will be a life well spent and I will be pleased. If the Lord would allow us to establish three biblical churches – Ilwendo, Makanda, Imbwae – I will be ecstatic! Those of you who’ve walked this road before us are smiling and nodding, aren’t you?

Please pray. . . .

-That the Spirit will give us a clear vision for the work
-That God will speak the light of the Gospel into Lozi hearts.
-For progress in learning the language (we’re still in the helpful phrases stage)
-For the Lord of the harvest to send more workers into His field

~Sean Reece, HeartCry Missionary Society

Zephaniah 3:17

"The LORD your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing."

Thoughts on Humility

I began thinking about humility versus pride today because it is something that I struggle with greatly. Here are some things I found while thinking on the subject of humility that are both convicting and encouraging.

"He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?" Micah 6:8

"Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will easily pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility." ~Augustine

"Let any man turn to God in earnest, let him begin to exercise himself unto godliness, let him seek to develop his powers of spiritual receptivity by trust and obedience and humility, and the results will exceed anything he may have hoped in his leane.” ~A.W. Tozer

"A man can counterfeit love, he can counterfeit faith, he can counterfeit hope and all the other graces, but it is very difficult to counterfeit humility." ~D. L. Moody

"The only humility that is really ours is not that which we try to show before God in prayer, but that which we carry with us in our daily conduct." ~Andrew Murray

"If I cannot in honest happiness take the second place (or the twentieth); if I cannot take the first without making a fuss about my unworthiness, then I know nothing of Calvary love."
~Amy Carmichael

"I am sure that there are many Christians who will confess that their experience has been very much like my own—that we had long known the Lord without realizing that meekness and lowliness of heart should be the distinguishing feature of the disciple, as they were of the Master. Such humility is not a thing that will come on its own. It must be made the object of special desire, prayer, faith and practice." ~Andrew Murray

"If anyone would like to acquire humility, I can, I think, tell him the first step. The first step is to realize that one is proud. And a biggish step, too. At least, nothing whatever can be done before it. If you think you're not conceited, it means you are very conceited indeed." ~C.S. Lewis

"Humility and love are precisely the graces which the men of the world can understand, if they do not comprehend doctrines. They are the graces about which there is no mystery, and they are within reach of all classes... The poorest Christian can every day find occasion for practicing love and humility." ~J. C. Ryle

His Sheep Feed in the Midst of Wolves!

"The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want!" Psalm 23:1

The Lord is my Shepherd! This is a comprehensive word. The sheep can do nothing for themselves. The Shepherd must guide, guard, feed, heal and recover. It is well for us--that our Shepherd is the Lord Almighty! If His power, care, compassion and fullness were not infinite--the poor sheep would be forsaken, starved and die! But we have a Shepherd full of care, full of kindness, full of power, who has said, "I will search for My lost ones who strayed away, and I will bring them safely home again. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak!" Ezekiel 34:16. How tender are these expressions, and how well fulfilled! His sheep feed in the midst of wolves--yet are safely preserved; for, though they cannot see Him--His eye and His heart are ever upon them!

Which of God's children have not cause to say, "My soul is among lions!" But our Shepherd stops their mouths, or only permits them to gape and roar, and show their teeth. He does not allow them to bite and tear us at their will. Let us trust our Shepherd--and all shall be well.

As to daily occurrences, it is best to trust that a daily portion of comforts and crosses--each one the most suitable to our case--is adjusted and appointed by the hand which was once nailed to the cross for us! We must trust, that where the path of duty and prudence leads us--that there is the best situation we could possibly be in, at that time.

"Letters of John Newton," excerpt sent by Grace Gems. (Yet another Grace Gems that I found especially encouraging!)

Micah 5:4-5

"He will stand and shepherd His flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD His God. And they will live securely, for then His greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. And He will be their peace."

When I came across these verses they got me thinking about all of the attributes of Christ that are mentioned here. The fact that He is standing to keep watch over the flock made me think of His faithfulness. The next word, "shepherd," implies a tenderness in caring for the sheep. The verse then says that He shepherds His flock in the "strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord His God." I was so encouraged to think of the strength and power that Christ uses to keep His people, because it goes on to say that we are secure.

Also, because of the security of the Christian and the power of Christ, "His greatness will reach to the ends of the earth." I think that oftentimes we think that glorifying God is something the Christian says or something specific that they do. The reality is that just by continuing on with God in the sight of the fallen world around us, we can glorify God in a tremendous way! In many instances actions speak louder than words. Another way that we can glorify God is by making Christ our peace. The world is always watching, and if we find our peace in Christ rather than in temporal things, how much that says about the God we serve. He is faithful, tender, caring, powerful, majestic, great, able to keep his sheep, able to give peace to His people, and worthy of praise!

My Cup Overflows (Psalm 23:5)

There is always something "over,"

When we trust our gracious Lord;

Every cup is overflowing,

His great rivers are all broad.

Nothing narrow, nothing sparing,

Ever springing from His store;

To His own He gives full measure,

Overflowing evermore.

There is always something "over,"

When we, from the Father's hand,

Take our portion with thanksgiving,

Praising for the path He planned.

Satisfaction, full and deepening,

Fills the soul, and lights the eye,

When the heart has trusted Jesus

All its needs to satisfy.

There is always something "over,"

When we tell of all His love;

Unreached depths still lie beneath us,

Unscaled heights rise far above:

Human lips can never utter

All His wondrous tenderness,

We can only praise and wonder,

And His name forever bless.

~Margaret E. Barber

Seek Ye First...

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness: and all these things shall be added unto you." Matthew 5:33

"Do you make it your primary business, your first great concern, to seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness? Are the things of God, the honour of His name, the welfare of His Church, the conversion of sinners, and the profit of your own soul, your chief aim? Or, does your business, or your family, or your own temporal concerns, in some shape or other primarily occupy your attention? I never knew a child of God who acted according to the above passage, in whose experience the Lord did not fulfill His word of promise, "All these things shall be added unto you." ~George Muller

The Cross is not Made of Soft Feathers

(Charles Spurgeon) "Take up the cross--and follow Me." Mark 10:21

You have not the liberty of making of your own cross; although unbelief is a master carpenter at cross-making. Neither are you permitted to choose your own cross; although self-will would gladly be lord and master. Your cross is prepared and appointed for you by divine love--and you are cheerfully to accept it. You are to take up the cross as your chosen portion, and not to stand caviling at it. Jesus bids you to submit your shoulder to His easy yoke. Do not . . .

kick at it in petulance, or
trample on it in vain-glory, or
fall under it in despair, or
run away from it in fear.
Take it up like a true follower of Jesus.

Jesus was a cross-bearer; He leads the way in the path of sorrow. Surely you could not desire a better guide! And if He carried a cross--what nobler burden would you desire? The Way of the Cross is the way of safety--do not fear to tread its thorny paths.

Beloved, the cross is not made of soft feathers, or lined with velvet--it is heavy and galling to disobedient shoulders! But it is not an iron cross, though your fears have painted it with iron colors! It is a wooden cross, and a man can carry it, for the Man of sorrows carried the load. Take up your cross, and by the power of the Spirit--you will soon be so in love with it, that like Moses, you would not exchange the reproach of Christ for all the treasures of Egypt!

Remember that the cross will soon be followed by the crown. The thought of the coming weight of glory--will greatly lighten the present heaviness of trouble. May the Lord help you to bow your heart in submission to the divine will--that you may go forth to this day's cross with the holy and submissive spirit which befits a follower of the Crucified.

Cross-Bearing

Last week Bob gave a message on cross-bearing that was really encouraging. He began by speaking on Christ's cross-bearing and then went on to talk about the Christian's cross-bearing, which was especially helpful. I think it is good to be reminded that we do not bear our crosses alone but Christ bears them with us. Knowing that Christ is always with us to help in our cross-bearing makes the crosses seem lighter and the distance to bear them seem shorter. In my reading this week I came across this uplifting poem that reminded me of Bob's message.


"The road is too rough," I said;
"It is uphill all the way;
No flowers, but thorns instead;
And the skies overhead are gray."
But One took my hand at the entrance dim,
And sweet is the road that I walk with Him.

"The cross is too great," I cried--
"More than the back can bear,
So rough and heavy and wide,
And nobody near to care."
And One stooped softly and touched my hand:
"I know. I care. And I understand."

Then why do we fret and cry;
Cross-bearers as we go:
But the road ends by and by
In the dearest place we know,
And every step in the journey we
May take in the Lord's own company.

~Author Unknown

Life's Seasons

They say life has it's seasons
And so does every soul;
O'er joys and troubles fleeting
His Spirit has control

A perfect woven tapestry
Of gladness and of pain,
The threads all intermingled
As our seasons wax and wane

Whether groping through the valley
Or conquering the peaks,
Cast your cares on Jesus;
Seek the Mercy Seat

Plead the precious promises
And thorns upon His head;
Plead the nails and spear
And each drop of blood He bled

God cannot help but hear you
For His Son intercedes;
Take courage downcast soul of mine,
There is hope for me!

So fear not dreary seasons,
Our Lord endured much more;
We need only follow
Where He has gone before

~A.L.

The Eye of the Storm

I am not sure who wrote this, but it's beautiful!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fear not that the whirlwind will carry you hence,
Nor wait for its onslaught in breathless suspense,
Nor shrink from the blight of the terrible hail,
But pass through the edge to the heart of the tale,
For there is a shelter, sunlighted and warm,
And Faith sees her God through the eye of the storm.

The passionate tempest with rush and wild roar
And threatenings of evil may beat on the shore,
The waves may be mountains, the fields battle plains,
And the earth be immersed in a deluge of rains,
Yet, the soul, stayed on God, may sing bravely its psalm,
For the heart of the storm is the center of calm.

Let hope be not quenched in the blackness of night,
Though the cyclone awhile may have blotted the light,
For behind the great darkness the stars ever shine,
And the light of God's heavens, His love will make thine,
Let no gloom dim your eyes, but uplift them on high
To the face of your God and the blue of His sky.

The storm is your shelter from danger and sin,
And God Himself takes you for safety within;
The tempest with Him passes into deep calm,
And the roar of the winds is the sound of a psalm.
Be glad and serene when the tempest clouds form;
God smiles on His child in the eye of the storm.

The Breaker! (Charles Spurgeon)

Somehow I began getting emails from Grace Gems, an evangelical group in the UK? Anyway, they come daily and have been a really great blessing over the past year. I thought I would share the one that I got today because I found it particularly encouraging:


"The Breaker has gone up before them. He will bring you through the gates of your cities of captivity, back to your own land. Your King will lead you; the Lord Himself will guide you!" Micah 2:13
Inasmuch as Jesus has gone before us, things do not remain as they would have been, had He never passed that way. He has conquered every foe which has obstructed the way. Cheer up O faint-hearted warrior. Not only has Christ traveled the road--but He has slain your enemies upon life's road!
Do you dread sin? He has nailed it to His cross!
Do you fear death? He has been the death of death!
Are you afraid of hell? He has barred the gates of hell from being entered by any of His children; they shall never see the gulf of perdition!
Whatever foes may be before the Christian--they are all overcome!
There are lions--but their teeth are broken!
There are serpents--but their fangs are extracted!
There are rivers--but they are bridged or fordable!
There are flames--but we wear that matchless garment which renders us invulnerable to fire!
The Breaker, Christ--has taken away all the power that anything can have to hurt us. Well then, you may go safely and joyously along your journey, for all your enemies are conquered beforehand! What shall you do--but march on to take the prey? They are beaten, they are vanquished; all you have to do is to divide the spoil. You shall, it is true, often engage in combat; but your fight shall be with a vanquished foe! His head is broken! He may attempt to injure you--but his strength shall not be sufficient for his malicious design. Your victory shall be sure--and your treasure shall be beyond all count!
"Proclaim aloud the Savior's fame, Who bears the Breaker's wondrous name; Sweet name; and it befits Him well, Who breaks down earth, sin, death, and hell!"

The Life of Faith (1855)

Here are some practical thoughts from George Muller regarding faith in God and entrusting Him with the care of your possessions, money, and wealth. I thought this was especially good because it gives a glimpse into the mindset behind George Muller's faith that was displayed on a daily basis in the orphanage works that he carried out. The following excerpt was taken from Valuable Selections from the Writings of George Muller, page 18-19.


If anyone desires to live a life of faith and trust in God he must:

1) Not merely say that he trusts in God but must really do so. Often individuals profess to trust in God, but they embrace every opportunity where they may directly or indirectly tell someone about their need. I do not say it is wrong to make known our financial situation, but it hardly displays trust in God to expose our needs for the sake of getting other people to help us. God will take us at our word. If we do trust in Him, we must be satisfied to stand with Him alone.

2) The individual who desires to live this way must be content whether he is rich or poor. He must be willing to live in abundance or in poverty. He must be willing to leave this world without any possessions.

3) He must be willing to take the money in God's way, not merely in large sums, but in small. Many times I have had a single shilling given to me. To have refused such tokens of Christian love would have been ungracious.

4) He must be willing to live as the Lord's steward. If anyone does not give out of the blessings which the Lord gives to him, then the Lord, who influences the hearts of His children to give, would soon cause those channels to be dried up. My good income increased even more when I determined that, by God's help, His poor and His work would be helped by my money. From that time on, the Lord was pleased to entrust me with more.

Abandoned

Utterly abandoned to the Holy Ghost!
Seeking all His fullness, whatever the cost;
Cutting all the moorings, launching in the deep
Of His mighty power--strong to save and keep.

Utterly abandoned to the Holy Ghost!
Oh! The sinking, sinking, until self is lost!
Until the emptied vessel lies broken at His feet;
Waiting till His filling shall make the work complete.

Utterly abandoned to the will of God;
Seeking for no other path than my Master trod;
Leaving ease and pleasure, making Him my choice,
Waiting for His guidance, listening for His voice.

Utterly abandoned! No will of my own;
For time and for eternity, His, and His alone;
All my plans and purposes lost in His sweet will,
Having nothing, yet in Him all things possessing still.

Utterly abandoned! It's so sweet to be
Captive in His bonds of love, yet wondrously free;
Free from sin's entanglements, free from doubt and fear,
Free from every worry, burden, grief, or care.

Utterly abandoned! Oh, the rest is sweet,
As I tarry, waiting, at His blessed feet;
Waiting for the coming of the Guest divine,
Who my inmost being will perfectly refine.

Lo! He comes and fills me, Holy Spirit sweet!
I, in Him, am satisfied! I, in Him complete!
And the light within my soul will nevermore grow dim
While I keep my covenant--abandoned unto Him!

~Author Unknown

Hebrews 11:1

How do the blind know that grass holds the dew,

That sunshine is bright or that clouds carry rain?

Others describe to them all of these truths,

And faith springs from the unseen.

How does the soul know God is real,

Or feel the conviction of sin?

How do hearts of stone suddenly feel

The need for new life within?

The workings of God cause all of these things

To bring out repentance and faith;

Then out of the darkness a Christian heart springs,

A product of Christ's saving Grace.

Faith in things that are hoped for,

Conviction of things not seen;

Trust in the one true Lord of Lords,

You don't have to see to believe.

~A.L. 6/08