The Periodically

Our world has certainly been turned upside down. Wow! What a difference a few weeks can make. Of course, we were aware of Covid-19 months ago, but honestly didn’t think much about how it would impact us here in Rwanda. On Saturday, March 14th, we got the news that the first case of Covid-19 had been confirmed in Rwanda. Suddenly, all schools, churches and public meetings were being suspended effective immediately. Six days later, all flights in and out of Rwanda were cancelled, and all borders closed. Following that, city to city travel was also banned, stranding some individuals and keeping them from being with their families. Subtly, for better or worse, the reality began to sink in that we are trapped here. A day later, a total lock down was instigated through April 19th. We expect that it will be extended. As of April 6th, only 104 confirmed cases have been reported in Rwanda and no deaths (in a population of over 13 million people). That in itself is pretty amazing! When Covi...

Please pray for the TCE Level 1 course continuing through Zoom. Pray for understanding with the students and for wisdom for the instructors as they use this new platform. Please pray for an additional 2-3 summer missionaries. They do have a few young people filling out applications right now. Pray for wisdom as they plan for our summer ministry amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Pray that the resources that CEF has developed for children would be used and that families would hear the gospel and respond in faith!

The economy can’t save us. We’ve seen how quickly a robust bull market has plunged into loss and chaos. Retirement plans have been reduced by significant numbers. Hopes for a secure retirement for thousands have vaporized almost overnight. The president can’t save us. President Trump has presented himself as being “bullet-proof” from all kinds of distractions, but he is powerless to stop this virus and the manifold fallouts in its path. Our political party can’t save us. Both parties in our governments, both state and national have exposed their weaknesses, greed, selfish motives, and personal biases, all to the detriment of future generations. The CDC and WHO can’t save us. They are manifesting a deeper weakness of our condition, that is, science can’t save us. We are truly at the mercy of “an unseen enemy”, however, our enemy is not merely a virus. Oh, to be sure, we are at the mercy of a mysterious COVID-19. But far worse, we are exposed and vulnerable to an unseen, but undenia...

The following summary is my notes from a sermon I heard this week by Dr. Jeremy Pierre, a professor at Southern Seminary, author, and biblical counselor. I’ll include a link to the actual sermon at the bottom –please give it a listen, it will be worth your time for sure! By God’s grace, up until the last few weeks, I have never really struggled with anxiety. Do I fear and worry? Absolutely! I remember 2.5 years ago after my car accident, that the fear of driving or others I love being in an accident was hard to overcome for a while and still can put me on edge. When I stopped and realized that the fear meant a significant lack of trust in my Heavenly Father, I began a process of continually turning each fear over to Him, not just in that area but in all areas. Fear and worrying are still daily battles of surrender for me. But praise God, anxiety hasn’t ever been to the extreme that I know so many wrestle with. But please don’t hear me say I don’t struggle with it. Especia...

Lamentations 3:21-26 21This [the character and nature of God] I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. 22It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions fail not. 23They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. 24The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. 25The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. 26It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD. ■ God is sovereign in daily living, even in your life. Could God have prevented this trial? Did this take Him by surprise? Is He losing control? Is He wringing His hands over this? ■ God is holy Is He evil in allowing this event/circumstance? Is He punishing me unfairly? Is He punishing me? Not necessarily, see Job 1-2 John 9:2-3 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parent...

David wrote these words toward the end of his life after God had given him deliverance from his enemies, including Saul. Consider what the commentator, William S. Plummer, has this to say about this passage: "God's way is perfectly just, perfectly wise, perfectly holy, perfectly good, perfectly sure to prevail, perfectly honorable to himself, perfectly safe to his people. It sometimes looks dark or doubtful, because we do not see the end. When that comes, all is right." Just? What about all the injustices David experienced in his life? Remember his encounters with wild animals as a shepherd? (1 Sam.17:36) Remember his brothers' scoffing and slanderous words before David fought Goliath. (1 Sam.17:28-29) Remember Goliath's degrading threats? (1 Sam.17:41-45) Remember Saul's initial envy? (1 Sam.18:8) Remember Saul's initial attempted murder? (1 Sam.18:11) Remember how Saul demoted David, in spite of his great successes? (1 Sam.18:13) Remember...

We are in total lockdown. Carol and I have been locked away in our home since 17-March. We cannot leave until 16-April. Only once did we go out to get some groceries--at least there was food. The nation is on total lockdown, and only essential services are allowed to be out, other than people going to get groceries, see the doctor, pharmacist or bank. That is it. Please pray that we find joy in the Lord during this time. Our services are virtual along with daily devotions ( www.christbaptist.co.za ). Pray for discipline during this time. It is easy to live like in a submarine with no perspective of time. Pray for stamina and time with the Lord. I prepare a message every day and then the Sunday message. Preaching into a camera is different. In many ways, this is no different than what everyone else is going through. We cannot go to any other facilities or neighbors. We can only stay behind our fence. I try to stay connected with all of our church members and pray for them ...

Please pray for the Custers' during this uncertain time. Here are some ways that you can be praying for them: 1) We need someone who can take over the WorldVenture on-line learning system as the present coordinator is leaving in 2 weeks.  2) Mobilizing for global missions is challenging when universities, Bible Colleges and churches are empty! Yet we know God's arm is not too short to move people, as they see many around the world dying from the Corona virus, who have never heard the name of Jesus. Our team is connecting with contacts with notes, via social media or through video calls. Pray God will mobilize people into His harvest through WorldVenture even during / using this pandemic. 3) Like all churches and ministries right now, WorldVenture is dependent on generous giving. We are well aware that some of those givers will undergo financial hardships during this pandemic and beyond. Pray that God will provide through whatever means He desires to use to keep WorldVen...

Today I was thinking about the recent instruction to make sure that you wash your hands long enough by singing the “Happy Birthday” song. I thought about how integral habits are to daily living. Habits are formed naturally, often without intentional forethought. New habits are hard to develop. Old habits are difficult to break. I want to offer a few suggestions for you as you consider reshaping some of your own personal and household habits. Don’t Sing Happy Birthday while washing your hands Instead, choose a Bible verse or song phrase that will impart a biblical principle. Use this new habit to do more than cleanse the body, use God’s Word to strengthen the mind and heart. Romans 10:17 reminds us that “faith comes through hearing the words of Christ”. W. A. Criswell said, “No word was spoken for God ever falls to the ground. Somehow, someway, in areas of life that we don’t understand and don’t know, God blesses it in his good purpose”. Use the new habit of frequent hand-was...