"In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ ." |1 Peter 1:6-7|
This last month has been hot, hard, and filled with lessons. We are doing well in the 123 degree heat, but would appreciate your prayers as the work here progresses. We are a young church in a land that doesn’t want us, made up of many cultures, backgrounds, and traditions. It is no surprise that conflict seems to arise as we try to unite together and corporately build our lives upon the Word of God. Each week there are fiery conflicts to be put out, more language that must be learned, more people to speak to, and more grace that is needed. There are disagreements between brothers that cause us as a church to limp along the way of missions, there are temptations that distract us from the purposes of God, and pride that fights for position rather than the worship of Christ.
I’m writing all this to ask for prayer. We are a young church of about 6 months and immature in many ways. Each week we plant seeds of the Gospel and water it with prayer, but we know that only our sovereign God can bring life out of death. We counsel people, pray with people, preach to people, live with people, but we need an act of God for any real change to take place in all of our hearts . Please pray that we as a church would grow, the Gospel would spread, and God would be glorified in this land. People have said a healthy church run by locals is impossible, but please pray with us that what has not happened for hundreds of years in this city, God would be pleased to make happen now through weak people like us.
We as a church have been going verse by verse through the book of Ephesian and will Lord willing finish in the next few weeks. We started a women's Bible study and believe that God will greatly use this for both spiritual growth and to spread His Word. Our language class taught from the Bible is going excellent and growing. The work here is hard and slow, but praise be to God the Gospel is spreading! A man called me two weeks ago in tears, begging me to explain the meaning of life because surely there was more than this broken world. A neighbor told me yesterday, “I feel as though I’m cursed I know there is a God but what is He doing… there must be something I’m missing.” We all need God and thankfully through Jesus Christ we can know Him. God is working in this city, in hearts, in His church. Please pray for endurance and grace, maturity and conformity into the image of God.
"And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus." |Acts 4:29-30|