2. Continue to pray for one of our NCM professors Alphonse and his radio teaching program. God is using him mightily, so pray for wisdom and direction for Alphonse as he continues to teach God's Word.
Monday, December 6, 2021
A Prayer Update from Gary and Barb Bennett
2. Continue to pray for one of our NCM professors Alphonse and his radio teaching program. God is using him mightily, so pray for wisdom and direction for Alphonse as he continues to teach God's Word.
Monday, November 1, 2021
A Prayer Update From Catherine Coon
Personal
• Praise that my move from Fremont to Cottonwood went well.
• There is still much to do on the house, as well as much catch up from helping my mom move. I’d appreciate prayer for wisdom in handling all that needs to be done.
• Pray that I will settle in well and have a clear sense of how God would like me to be involved in the neighborhood, church, and larger community.
Hope Alive!
• Pray for a smooth transition of the executive director position of Hope Alive! from me to Caleb Smagacz at the end of the year.
• Pray for God’s guidance as we work on my job description for my new responsibilities with Hope Alive! after the transition.
• Pray that the Ugandan government will have a realistic plan to get all students back in school in January. Except for a few very special classes, schools have been closed for 19 months.
• We continue to provide educational classes for our students. Pray for the encouragement of all involved, that good learning will take place in encouraging and safe settings.
• Small acts of terrorism have been taking place in Uganda. Pray for safety for our students, staff, mentors, and their families.
• Pray that our students (and staff and mentors) will grow in their walk with God during these challenging times.
• Pray that I will settle in well and have a clear sense of how God would like me to be involved in the neighborhood, church, and larger community.
Hope Alive!
• Pray for a smooth transition of the executive director position of Hope Alive! from me to Caleb Smagacz at the end of the year.
• Pray for God’s guidance as we work on my job description for my new responsibilities with Hope Alive! after the transition.
• Pray that the Ugandan government will have a realistic plan to get all students back in school in January. Except for a few very special classes, schools have been closed for 19 months.
• We continue to provide educational classes for our students. Pray for the encouragement of all involved, that good learning will take place in encouraging and safe settings.
• Small acts of terrorism have been taking place in Uganda. Pray for safety for our students, staff, mentors, and their families.
• Pray that our students (and staff and mentors) will grow in their walk with God during these challenging times.
Thursday, September 23, 2021
A Prayer Update from Jill Hostetler
1. Pray for our after-school Good News Clubs. Praise God we have been able to restart 4 clubs.
2. Pray for a 2 week course I am taking at the CEF International HQ (Sept 19-Oct 1).
3. Pray for many children to attend our outdoor neighborhood outreach at our CEF office in October.
Tuesday, September 7, 2021
A Prayer Update from Dougg and LeAnn Custer
Praises:
- Great Mobilization Ministries Team retreat full of praying for each other's ministries as well as for more workers, encouraging each other, and training to enhance our effectiveness.
- The Ministry and Cultural Preparation Trainings this summer went very well - one was in person, and the other on Zoom. We all feel like we are hitting our stride!
Prayer Requests:
- For these missionaries who were trained and are nearing departure, that God would use the cultural and ministry training to make them better disciples in South America, Southeast and Central Asia, India, Japan, Europe and Africa.
- Pray that God would provide visas and open borders for the 14 fully supported units excitedly awaiting deployment to their field of service.
- Decisions are being made to hire a mobilizer for those working in the Disciple Making Movement as well as a media mobilizer, someone who would produce videos, brochures, etc. for the mobilizers to use on campuses, in churches and at conferences. Pray for all the details to be worked out.
Monday, August 30, 2021
A Prayer Update from Sam and Jamie Hornbrook
1. We are grateful our daughter Nicole spent two months with us this summer while she worked for a company in California. The internet allows you to do things like that these days. Nicole is 20 years old and will be starting her Junior year of college at Purdue University in just a few days.
2. We continue to have discipleship classes with our next door neighbors. We meet with Rosi the nurse and the elderly lady, Tere. Both are very excited and grateful for the gospel. The Lady Marisol had a conflict with her mother, who is Tere, and has refused to attend the class for over a month. We pray she will humble herself and come back, but also trust the Lord to reveal what is in each person's heart.
3. The third wave of covid is filling up hospitals and taking the lives of extended family members of church families. We are thankful that we have not had a death because of Covid yet, in our church.
4. We continue to meet as a church but are back down to about half of our congregation attending as people are concerned about public events.
5. Praise the Lord with us for a church member who returned to the fellowship of the church after 2 and a half years of being church disciplined. The result is she is now a single mother, but has come back and given her testimony of repentance and restoration to the Church. We thank the Lord for bringing Paty back to Himself and to our church!
Thank you so much for praying for us and giving faithfully!
Blessings in Christ,
Sam and Jamie Hornbrook
Blessings in Christ,
Sam and Jamie Hornbrook
Monday, August 23, 2021
A Prayer Update from Catherine Coon
1. My mom has successfully moved into independent living in a senior residence center and is settling in well. We are very thankful.
2. Hope Alive! students are doing much better with the tutoring that we are providing while schools are closed than they do in their very large classrooms (60 – 100+ kids). We are looking for ways to increase what we are able to offer as schools continue closed due to the pandemic.
3. The transition to a new executive director for Hope Alive! is moving forward well. Caleb Smagacz is in Uganda with his family. He and I continue to meet via Zoom. The expected date for handing off the baton is January 1, 2022. I will then focus on fund-raising, partner development, and curriculum development and hope to travel to Uganda two or three times a year for a few weeks. Please pray that the transition will be smooth.
Monday, August 16, 2021
Meditations on 1 Peter (Part 4): Engage
Often when we are experiencing hardship, our natural tendency can be to turn inward, focusing on our pain and isolating ourselves from God, the body of Christ, and those who sin against us. Often, we may spend hours crying, but we do not direct our cries to God (Hos. 7:14). We may think no person can understand the depth of our sorrow. We may simply have no words to express what we are feeling. We may feel too ashamed to draw near to God or others because of the devastating effects of sin in our lives. The last thing we feel like doing is interacting with someone who has hurt us. Even if we don’t actively retaliate, we very purposely avoid. However, Peter is clear that if we are going to glorify God in our suffering we must engage with both God and people.
Our relationship with God is the foundational relationship of our lives. The quality, depth, and intimacy of this relationship affects how we interact in all other relationships – with ourselves, with others, and with our circumstances. Peter makes it clear that we must actively engage with God. We can’t be passive in our relationship with God at any time, but especially in times of suffering, we have to be actively pursuing and cultivating our relationship with God. We must be continually turning to Him in humble dependence and trust.
Peter describes this active involvement with many different verbs throughout the book of 1 Peter. Peter encourages believers to rejoice in God’s mercy in causing us to be born again and giving us an inheritance. Peter tells us to hope in God (1 Pet. 1:13, 3:5). We are believers in God who call on Him as Father (1 Pet. 1:17, 21) We are to fear God (1 Pet. 1:17). We are to honor Christ as Lord. We are to humble ourselves under God’s mighty hand. These are more than just commands. They describe how we are to respond in our ongoing relationship with God.
Finally, we are to cast our cares on the Lord. He does care about us, and He does take care of us. We are to actively take our concerns to Him. We can talk to Him and know He hears. We can voice our questions. We can explain our concerns and ask for help. Then we must actively choose to trust Him and wait with hope for His strengthening and deliverance. This casting is not just a one-time prayer offered up as we then seek to solve our own problems in our own wisdom. In an ongoing relationship, we must engage with God in moment-by-moment dependence as we walk through suffering.
Secondly, as we walk through suffering, we also need to engage with other believers. We are involved in a brotherhood of suffering (1 Pet. 5:9), and we need each other. We must be encouraging and strengthening each other. In 1 Peter 4:8-11 Peter exhorts his readers, even in the midst of hardships, to love one another earnestly. Sometimes suffering provides us an excuse to back away from loving and serving others, but each believer is to use his gift to serve one another. God will supply the strength to serve. Sometimes our suffering may limit or shape how we can serve in the immediate context. That is ok. There is a mutuality in the one-anothering of the body of Christ. We should always, in some way, be both receiving from others and giving to others, and the degree and nature of this giving and receiving changes depending on our situation in life. What is important is that we be cultivating an attitude that acknowledges our need for the body of Christ and makes loving and serving one another the priority.
Finally, we are to actively engage with unbelievers or others who have sinned against us, even those who may be persecuting us. This is not a popular idea. One of the first things we teach our kids is to stay away from kids who aren’t kind to them. As adults we make rules about what behavior is acceptable from others if they want a relationship with us. Any relationship that costs more than it gives is likely to be abandoned pretty quickly. But 1 Peter is so clear about how to relate to difficult people. We are to follow the example of the Lord Jesus – both on the cross and throughout his whole life. He did not take vengeance. He didn’t revile those who reviled him. He didn’t slander or threaten. He didn’t return evil for evil. He didn’t fear them but feared God.
But that is not enough. It is not enough to refrain from evil. We must actively do good to those who harm us. We must bless those who curse us – not just ignore them. The way to overcome evil is by doing good (Rom. 12:21). We must learn to love our enemies. We need to grow so that concern for the welfare of their souls and God’s glory become more important than our concern for our personal rights. Peter is clear that a Christlike response to suffering provides a tremendous opportunity to display the glory of God (1Pet. 2:12, 3:1, 15-16). It also provides a powerful gospel witness, even causing the unbeliever to ask us about the hope we have (1 Pet. 3:15). Sometimes wise love will be difficult to discern in specific situations, but we know that the way is found in following in the footsteps of our Savior, who entrusted His soul to God and actively engaged with sinners.
1 Peter 4:19 offers a concise summary of Peter’s message on how to face suffering:
Therefore, let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.
Our relationship with God is the foundational relationship of our lives. The quality, depth, and intimacy of this relationship affects how we interact in all other relationships – with ourselves, with others, and with our circumstances. Peter makes it clear that we must actively engage with God. We can’t be passive in our relationship with God at any time, but especially in times of suffering, we have to be actively pursuing and cultivating our relationship with God. We must be continually turning to Him in humble dependence and trust.
Peter describes this active involvement with many different verbs throughout the book of 1 Peter. Peter encourages believers to rejoice in God’s mercy in causing us to be born again and giving us an inheritance. Peter tells us to hope in God (1 Pet. 1:13, 3:5). We are believers in God who call on Him as Father (1 Pet. 1:17, 21) We are to fear God (1 Pet. 1:17). We are to honor Christ as Lord. We are to humble ourselves under God’s mighty hand. These are more than just commands. They describe how we are to respond in our ongoing relationship with God.
Finally, we are to cast our cares on the Lord. He does care about us, and He does take care of us. We are to actively take our concerns to Him. We can talk to Him and know He hears. We can voice our questions. We can explain our concerns and ask for help. Then we must actively choose to trust Him and wait with hope for His strengthening and deliverance. This casting is not just a one-time prayer offered up as we then seek to solve our own problems in our own wisdom. In an ongoing relationship, we must engage with God in moment-by-moment dependence as we walk through suffering.
Secondly, as we walk through suffering, we also need to engage with other believers. We are involved in a brotherhood of suffering (1 Pet. 5:9), and we need each other. We must be encouraging and strengthening each other. In 1 Peter 4:8-11 Peter exhorts his readers, even in the midst of hardships, to love one another earnestly. Sometimes suffering provides us an excuse to back away from loving and serving others, but each believer is to use his gift to serve one another. God will supply the strength to serve. Sometimes our suffering may limit or shape how we can serve in the immediate context. That is ok. There is a mutuality in the one-anothering of the body of Christ. We should always, in some way, be both receiving from others and giving to others, and the degree and nature of this giving and receiving changes depending on our situation in life. What is important is that we be cultivating an attitude that acknowledges our need for the body of Christ and makes loving and serving one another the priority.
Finally, we are to actively engage with unbelievers or others who have sinned against us, even those who may be persecuting us. This is not a popular idea. One of the first things we teach our kids is to stay away from kids who aren’t kind to them. As adults we make rules about what behavior is acceptable from others if they want a relationship with us. Any relationship that costs more than it gives is likely to be abandoned pretty quickly. But 1 Peter is so clear about how to relate to difficult people. We are to follow the example of the Lord Jesus – both on the cross and throughout his whole life. He did not take vengeance. He didn’t revile those who reviled him. He didn’t slander or threaten. He didn’t return evil for evil. He didn’t fear them but feared God.
But that is not enough. It is not enough to refrain from evil. We must actively do good to those who harm us. We must bless those who curse us – not just ignore them. The way to overcome evil is by doing good (Rom. 12:21). We must learn to love our enemies. We need to grow so that concern for the welfare of their souls and God’s glory become more important than our concern for our personal rights. Peter is clear that a Christlike response to suffering provides a tremendous opportunity to display the glory of God (1Pet. 2:12, 3:1, 15-16). It also provides a powerful gospel witness, even causing the unbeliever to ask us about the hope we have (1 Pet. 3:15). Sometimes wise love will be difficult to discern in specific situations, but we know that the way is found in following in the footsteps of our Savior, who entrusted His soul to God and actively engaged with sinners.
1 Peter 4:19 offers a concise summary of Peter’s message on how to face suffering:
Therefore, let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.
Kim Anderson
Monday, August 9, 2021
Meditations on 1 Peter (Part 3): Entrust Yourself to God
Peter encouraged his readers to expect suffering. He encouraged them to embrace suffering – to accept it willingly because it is God’s will for His people and because of the opportunities that it provides. The teaching of Scripture is that suffering for the sake of Christ is a gift of grace (Phil. 1:28) that brings great reward (Phil. 3:9-10, 1 Pet. 4:14). Peter also encouraged the suffering Christians to follow the example of the Lord Jesus and entrust themselves to God.
To entrust means to “hand something over to someone (usually a right or authority).” In entrusting ourselves to God, we give up our right and authority to do whatever we want to with our lives. We give up our right to do whatever necessary to make our lives turn out the way we want. We hand over the responsibility for the care, keeping, and outcome of our lives to God. 1 Peter 5:6 speaks of this attitude of submission. “Humble yourselves therefore, under the mighty hand of God.” Humbling myself means giving up the right to determine the course of my life. It means choosing to believe that whatever circumstances God sends into my life are the best ones for me. I am experiencing my best life now. God sends the perfect mixture of toil, trouble, and blessing to work the highest good for me and the highest glory to Himself. To entrust means we give over the responsibility for the keeping of our physical body and eternal soul to God, and we commit ourselves to walking in obedience to Him no matter what the cost.
How can we entrust ourselves to God? Peter gives us many compelling reasons. First of all, our God cares for us personally (1 Pet. 5:7). We are not simply expendable pawns in His cosmic plan to establish His kingdom. He set his love on us when we were wandering like lost sheep. Christ bore our sins on the cross. He redeemed us with his precious blood. He adopted us as his beloved children. He is the God of all grace. He promises to strengthen and restore us. He has not left us. He is rescuing us even now in the midst of the worst suffering.
We can entrust ourselves to Him because He is faithful. God will do what He says. He promises that those who humble themselves under His hand will be exalted in due time. We will share in His glory. Our inheritance is sure. This suffering is only for a little while and then He will bring us into our full inheritance. (1 Pet. 1:3-5) We may face shame and humiliation at the hands of others. Our bodies may crumble apart under the curse of sin, but someday we will share in Christ’s glory.
We also can entrust ourselves to our faithful Creator because His hand is mighty. Power belongs to God. He is actively at work and nothing can stay His hand. No one can thwart His plans for His kingdom or his plans for our lives.
We can entrust ourselves to God’s care because He is the one who justly judges. We may suffer unjustly in this life at the hands of others, but we know that God does see. He does care. No one will get away with any evil they have committed. Human judges may show partiality but not the judge of the nations.
We can entrust ourselves to Him because we belong to Him. We are His chosen people. We are a people for his own possession. Like Israel, the church is God’s treasured possession. He has covenanted in His steadfast love to complete His work in us and bring us into His heavenly Kingdom. He will never desert us. Even the most stable human relationship may fail but God will not forsake his own.
And finally, we can entrust ourselves because our Savior entrusted Himself to His Father. He knew that His Father could be trusted. He knew that God’s eternal plan was better than temporal relief of suffering. Christ knew that the joy found in God’s eternal plan was better than any human plan for happiness and security. And we have seen the outcome of entrusting. Yes, Christ died a horrible death. But that was not the end of the story. God raised Him from the dead. Sin, Satan, and death were defeated. Eternal life, the forgiveness of sins, and fullness of joy spread to multitudes. God has used the worst evil of all eternity, the sacrificial death of the perfect Son of God, to bring about immeasurable good. The cross is irrefutable proof that our good, wise, powerful God can work all things for good, even our greatest sorrows and pains.
Lord, help us in the midst of suffering, to follow the example of our Savior and entrust ourselves to your care.
Kim Anderson
To entrust means to “hand something over to someone (usually a right or authority).” In entrusting ourselves to God, we give up our right and authority to do whatever we want to with our lives. We give up our right to do whatever necessary to make our lives turn out the way we want. We hand over the responsibility for the care, keeping, and outcome of our lives to God. 1 Peter 5:6 speaks of this attitude of submission. “Humble yourselves therefore, under the mighty hand of God.” Humbling myself means giving up the right to determine the course of my life. It means choosing to believe that whatever circumstances God sends into my life are the best ones for me. I am experiencing my best life now. God sends the perfect mixture of toil, trouble, and blessing to work the highest good for me and the highest glory to Himself. To entrust means we give over the responsibility for the keeping of our physical body and eternal soul to God, and we commit ourselves to walking in obedience to Him no matter what the cost.
How can we entrust ourselves to God? Peter gives us many compelling reasons. First of all, our God cares for us personally (1 Pet. 5:7). We are not simply expendable pawns in His cosmic plan to establish His kingdom. He set his love on us when we were wandering like lost sheep. Christ bore our sins on the cross. He redeemed us with his precious blood. He adopted us as his beloved children. He is the God of all grace. He promises to strengthen and restore us. He has not left us. He is rescuing us even now in the midst of the worst suffering.
We can entrust ourselves to Him because He is faithful. God will do what He says. He promises that those who humble themselves under His hand will be exalted in due time. We will share in His glory. Our inheritance is sure. This suffering is only for a little while and then He will bring us into our full inheritance. (1 Pet. 1:3-5) We may face shame and humiliation at the hands of others. Our bodies may crumble apart under the curse of sin, but someday we will share in Christ’s glory.
We also can entrust ourselves to our faithful Creator because His hand is mighty. Power belongs to God. He is actively at work and nothing can stay His hand. No one can thwart His plans for His kingdom or his plans for our lives.
We can entrust ourselves to God’s care because He is the one who justly judges. We may suffer unjustly in this life at the hands of others, but we know that God does see. He does care. No one will get away with any evil they have committed. Human judges may show partiality but not the judge of the nations.
We can entrust ourselves to Him because we belong to Him. We are His chosen people. We are a people for his own possession. Like Israel, the church is God’s treasured possession. He has covenanted in His steadfast love to complete His work in us and bring us into His heavenly Kingdom. He will never desert us. Even the most stable human relationship may fail but God will not forsake his own.
And finally, we can entrust ourselves because our Savior entrusted Himself to His Father. He knew that His Father could be trusted. He knew that God’s eternal plan was better than temporal relief of suffering. Christ knew that the joy found in God’s eternal plan was better than any human plan for happiness and security. And we have seen the outcome of entrusting. Yes, Christ died a horrible death. But that was not the end of the story. God raised Him from the dead. Sin, Satan, and death were defeated. Eternal life, the forgiveness of sins, and fullness of joy spread to multitudes. God has used the worst evil of all eternity, the sacrificial death of the perfect Son of God, to bring about immeasurable good. The cross is irrefutable proof that our good, wise, powerful God can work all things for good, even our greatest sorrows and pains.
Lord, help us in the midst of suffering, to follow the example of our Savior and entrust ourselves to your care.
Kim Anderson
Monday, August 2, 2021
Meditations on 1 Peter (Part 2): Embrace Suffering
To expect suffering is the clear teaching of 1 Peter and the rest of Scripture. It catches me off guard less often now, but Peter also encourages the believers to embrace suffering. An attitude of embracing suffering is essential if we are going to respond to suffering in a way that glorifies God, but this has been one of the hardest aspects in my journey of developing my theology of suffering. To embrace means to “to take or receive gladly, to accept willingly, to avail oneself of (an opportunity).” Accept willingly? See it as an opportunity? Throughout my life I have struggled and pushed back against suffering. I have tried to avoid it. I have railed angrily against those who have caused my suffering and against the God who ordained it. I suspect I am not the only one who has felt this way.
What makes it so hard to embrace suffering? Some reasons are obvious. Whether physical, emotional, relational, or spiritual, suffering is painful - sometimes mild, sometimes excruciating, but never pleasant. It is a natural human response to want to avoid pain.
However, as I have looked at my own heart, I have seen that there is more going on. Suffering simply doesn’t make sense to me. It doesn’t line up with my understanding. I have often asked, not just “Why did this specific thing happen?” but “Why did God have to set things up like this? Why didn’t He make His world differently?” As I have poured over 1 Peter over the last several years, one of the truths that I have wrestled with is that the God of all grace (1 Pet. 5:10) is the same God who calls me to a life of suffering (1 Pet. 2:21). In my pride, I have trouble embracing something that doesn’t make sense to me. I put more trust in my own understanding than in the ways of the all-knowing, all-wise Creator of the world.
Finally, I have realized that I don’t embrace suffering because what I want (by my definition of good) is simply more important to me than what God wants for my life. Building my own little kingdom, with my temporal desires at the center, sometimes matters more to me than knowing God, spreading His kingdom, and becoming more like Christ. There is nothing wrong with wanting a physically and spiritually healthy family or financial security or harmonious, intimate relationships, but when these things idolatrously become what I’m living for, there is no place for anything that threatens these valued treasures. There is no place for suffering. And there is no room for Christ.
Peter helps us understand some of the truths we need to grasp if we are going to embrace the path of suffering God calls us too. First, we must embrace the truth of who God is. He is the God of all grace and that grace flows freely to His people. He is the God who came near to us. He walked the worst path of pain and suffering ever to redeem us from our futile, sinful ways and to make us His children (1 Pet. 1:13-18). This salvation is so glorious that angels are amazed (1 Pet. 1:12). He has not treated us as we deserve but has shown us mercy and made us part of His people. He has given us meaning and purpose that transcends this life (1 Pet. 2:9-10). He is faithful. He is keeping our inheritance safe. He has promised that the those who believe in Christ will not be put to shame. Instead, our future is one of glory and honor with Christ. (1 Pet. 2:6-7). Finally, He is worthy of the sacrifice He calls us to – not just because of what Christ has done for us, but because of His excellencies. To Him belong dominion and power forever (1 Pet. 5:11). It is only right that all creation, including us, bow to Him.
Peter also encourages the believers to focus on God’s good purposes for suffering. In the first chapter Peter discusses the purifying power of trials. Yes, trials are grievous, but they are necessary. They test our faith, purifying it and proving its genuineness. The end result is praise, glory, and honor when Christ appears. Chapter 4 also describes the purifying effect of hardship, “those who have suffered in the flesh have ceased from sin” and no longer live for the passions of the human heart. Suffering exposes sinful desires of our heart in ways we would never see otherwise. Suffering also exposes the futility of living for the idols we have chosen, and the furnace of affliction purifies our hearts as we grow more deeply and singularly devoted to Christ. Finally, Peter makes it clear that when we respond to unjust suffering the way that Christ did, our lives provide a powerful gospel witness displaying God’s glory. Our good and gracious God is displaying his glory, spreading His kingdom, helping us know Him, and refining us through suffering.
Lord, help us to embrace suffering when You call us to it.
What makes it so hard to embrace suffering? Some reasons are obvious. Whether physical, emotional, relational, or spiritual, suffering is painful - sometimes mild, sometimes excruciating, but never pleasant. It is a natural human response to want to avoid pain.
However, as I have looked at my own heart, I have seen that there is more going on. Suffering simply doesn’t make sense to me. It doesn’t line up with my understanding. I have often asked, not just “Why did this specific thing happen?” but “Why did God have to set things up like this? Why didn’t He make His world differently?” As I have poured over 1 Peter over the last several years, one of the truths that I have wrestled with is that the God of all grace (1 Pet. 5:10) is the same God who calls me to a life of suffering (1 Pet. 2:21). In my pride, I have trouble embracing something that doesn’t make sense to me. I put more trust in my own understanding than in the ways of the all-knowing, all-wise Creator of the world.
Finally, I have realized that I don’t embrace suffering because what I want (by my definition of good) is simply more important to me than what God wants for my life. Building my own little kingdom, with my temporal desires at the center, sometimes matters more to me than knowing God, spreading His kingdom, and becoming more like Christ. There is nothing wrong with wanting a physically and spiritually healthy family or financial security or harmonious, intimate relationships, but when these things idolatrously become what I’m living for, there is no place for anything that threatens these valued treasures. There is no place for suffering. And there is no room for Christ.
Peter helps us understand some of the truths we need to grasp if we are going to embrace the path of suffering God calls us too. First, we must embrace the truth of who God is. He is the God of all grace and that grace flows freely to His people. He is the God who came near to us. He walked the worst path of pain and suffering ever to redeem us from our futile, sinful ways and to make us His children (1 Pet. 1:13-18). This salvation is so glorious that angels are amazed (1 Pet. 1:12). He has not treated us as we deserve but has shown us mercy and made us part of His people. He has given us meaning and purpose that transcends this life (1 Pet. 2:9-10). He is faithful. He is keeping our inheritance safe. He has promised that the those who believe in Christ will not be put to shame. Instead, our future is one of glory and honor with Christ. (1 Pet. 2:6-7). Finally, He is worthy of the sacrifice He calls us to – not just because of what Christ has done for us, but because of His excellencies. To Him belong dominion and power forever (1 Pet. 5:11). It is only right that all creation, including us, bow to Him.
Peter also encourages the believers to focus on God’s good purposes for suffering. In the first chapter Peter discusses the purifying power of trials. Yes, trials are grievous, but they are necessary. They test our faith, purifying it and proving its genuineness. The end result is praise, glory, and honor when Christ appears. Chapter 4 also describes the purifying effect of hardship, “those who have suffered in the flesh have ceased from sin” and no longer live for the passions of the human heart. Suffering exposes sinful desires of our heart in ways we would never see otherwise. Suffering also exposes the futility of living for the idols we have chosen, and the furnace of affliction purifies our hearts as we grow more deeply and singularly devoted to Christ. Finally, Peter makes it clear that when we respond to unjust suffering the way that Christ did, our lives provide a powerful gospel witness displaying God’s glory. Our good and gracious God is displaying his glory, spreading His kingdom, helping us know Him, and refining us through suffering.
Lord, help us to embrace suffering when You call us to it.
Kim Anderson
Monday, July 19, 2021
Prayer Requests from Gary and Barb Bennett
- Pray for our colleagues in Rwanda, the Fergusons. They have only been back on the field since April and now are the only WorldVenture unit on the field.
- Pray for the need for a new director for New Creation Ministries.
- Pray for Barb as she still needs housing in the St. Paul area while she does her internship with the St. Paul School District.
Tuesday, June 15, 2021
Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy: A Book Review
How long, O Lord, how long! Where are You? Why don’t You help me? Why don’t you answer my prayers? Why do I still struggle with this after all these years?
How long, O Lord? How long can this go on? When will this be over? When will this stop affecting my family?
Lord, why so much suffering? Why? Why so much pain and sickness and death among those I love and care about?
Over the last couple of months these words have come out of my mouth as I have struggled to process all that is going in my own life and in the world around me. So much suffering and so much sin. Looking around, all is not as it should be. How are we to think about these things?
Lord, why so much suffering? Why? Why so much pain and sickness and death among those I love and care about?
Over the last couple of months these words have come out of my mouth as I have struggled to process all that is going in my own life and in the world around me. So much suffering and so much sin. Looking around, all is not as it should be. How are we to think about these things?
Back in the fall while attending a virtual counseling conference, I bought the book Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy: Discovering the Grace of Lament by Mark Vroegop. Like many of the books I buy, it sat on my desk in a growing stack waiting to be read – until one day a friend called it to my attention again. I decided to dust it off and start reading. That was one of the best reading choices I have made in a while. To read of people in the Bible who have cried out with similar words in the midst of much worse circumstances than me has brought comfort and hope. The truths reviewed in this book have been a balm to my soul.
The author began a personal journey of lament as he faced his own deep sorrow, the loss of his stillborn daughter. To cry, the author says, is human, but to lament is Christian (25-26). Over and over, he emphasizes the theme that lament is how we live in the tension between a hard, painful life and a good, sovereign God. And as he has traveled down this pathway of lament, he has found that it leads to an unending supply of grace and mercy. “Dark clouds may come, but divine mercy never ends.” (191)
The book is divided into three main sections. The Part 1 is entitled “Learning to Lament.” Here Vroegop walks the reader through the pattern of lament. Four key elements comprise biblical lament – an address to God, a complaint, a request, and an expression of trust and praise. For a simple way to remember, he uses the words: turn, complain, ask, and trust (29). The author teaches about each element of lament by focusing on a different psalm of lament. In four chapters, he walks the reader through Psalm 77, Psalm 10, Psalm 22, and Psalm 13.
I personally was challenged by these chapters. I was reminded how often I do not cry to God from the heart but simply “wail upon my bed.” (Hos. 7:14) I was convicted that often I don’t ask boldly for help because in my unbelief I don’t really expect God to do anything. Finally, the author’s discussion of Psalm 13 reminded me that I must choose to trust based on the character of God. After voicing his complaints and requests, David confidently declares in Psalm 13, “But I have trusted in your steadfast love.”
In Part 2 “Learning from Lamentations,” the author walks through Lamentations chapter by chapter. “How lonely sits the city that was full of people!” These haunting words begin a two-chapter description of the ravaging affects of sin. Like the ancient Jews, we too live in a world broken by sin. We have defied a holy God, and life is not as it should be. Moving on to chapter 3 of Lamentations, the author challenges us to find hope in the midst of devastation by calling to mind the truths we know about our God. Discussing chapter 4 of Lamentations, the author exhorts us to learn from lament. It is an opportunity to grow. If we are willing to take a look, suffering exposes the other things in which we tend to put our hope. He identifies four common tendencies: trusting in financial security, making people our saviors, craving cultural comfort, and idolizing spiritual leaders. Then he walks through the prayers of Lamentations 5, prayers for God, who reigns forever, to remember and restore Israel.
Finally, Part Three “Living with Lament” call the reader to personal and community lament.
Who is this book for? Are you walking through a season of sorrow, loss, and pain? I think this book will be a great comfort to you. God does not call you to gloss over your pain and pretend that the hope of the gospel removes all pain from life. Are you walking with a friend who is suffering? This book can equip you to love and minister more wisely. Are you at a point of relative ease and rest in your life right now? Sit down with this book, read, and begin to prepare your heart to respond well when suffering does come again.
The author began a personal journey of lament as he faced his own deep sorrow, the loss of his stillborn daughter. To cry, the author says, is human, but to lament is Christian (25-26). Over and over, he emphasizes the theme that lament is how we live in the tension between a hard, painful life and a good, sovereign God. And as he has traveled down this pathway of lament, he has found that it leads to an unending supply of grace and mercy. “Dark clouds may come, but divine mercy never ends.” (191)
The book is divided into three main sections. The Part 1 is entitled “Learning to Lament.” Here Vroegop walks the reader through the pattern of lament. Four key elements comprise biblical lament – an address to God, a complaint, a request, and an expression of trust and praise. For a simple way to remember, he uses the words: turn, complain, ask, and trust (29). The author teaches about each element of lament by focusing on a different psalm of lament. In four chapters, he walks the reader through Psalm 77, Psalm 10, Psalm 22, and Psalm 13.
I personally was challenged by these chapters. I was reminded how often I do not cry to God from the heart but simply “wail upon my bed.” (Hos. 7:14) I was convicted that often I don’t ask boldly for help because in my unbelief I don’t really expect God to do anything. Finally, the author’s discussion of Psalm 13 reminded me that I must choose to trust based on the character of God. After voicing his complaints and requests, David confidently declares in Psalm 13, “But I have trusted in your steadfast love.”
In Part 2 “Learning from Lamentations,” the author walks through Lamentations chapter by chapter. “How lonely sits the city that was full of people!” These haunting words begin a two-chapter description of the ravaging affects of sin. Like the ancient Jews, we too live in a world broken by sin. We have defied a holy God, and life is not as it should be. Moving on to chapter 3 of Lamentations, the author challenges us to find hope in the midst of devastation by calling to mind the truths we know about our God. Discussing chapter 4 of Lamentations, the author exhorts us to learn from lament. It is an opportunity to grow. If we are willing to take a look, suffering exposes the other things in which we tend to put our hope. He identifies four common tendencies: trusting in financial security, making people our saviors, craving cultural comfort, and idolizing spiritual leaders. Then he walks through the prayers of Lamentations 5, prayers for God, who reigns forever, to remember and restore Israel.
Finally, Part Three “Living with Lament” call the reader to personal and community lament.
Who is this book for? Are you walking through a season of sorrow, loss, and pain? I think this book will be a great comfort to you. God does not call you to gloss over your pain and pretend that the hope of the gospel removes all pain from life. Are you walking with a friend who is suffering? This book can equip you to love and minister more wisely. Are you at a point of relative ease and rest in your life right now? Sit down with this book, read, and begin to prepare your heart to respond well when suffering does come again.
Kim Anderson
Monday, May 10, 2021
Prayer Requests from Dougg and LeAnn Custer
- Pray for the 12 attendees seeking whether God would have them serve in missions with WorldVenture.
- Pray for those hosting and presenting that weekend, that God would guide and give wisdom, not only for the formal presentations, but individual, informal interactions and conversations.
- Pray, too, that if the Lord has any others to be invited, He would make that known.
- Pray for those hosting and presenting that weekend, that God would guide and give wisdom, not only for the formal presentations, but individual, informal interactions and conversations.
- Pray, too, that if the Lord has any others to be invited, He would make that known.
2) Student Mobilization Philippines Team Debrief May 26-29:
- Pray for Dougg's team members who will be leading the Debrief, that they can see, hear and understand what is being said and how to help.
- Pray for all the logistics that are being worked out.
- Pray that God will use this Debrief to encourage, help and energize these workers in the Philippines.
3) Dougg was contacted by a former pastor who would like to help mobilize and train workers to work among unevangelized peoples using the Discipleship Making Movement model. He has received the official job description.
-Pray for wisdom for him and Dougg, that God would make His will known as to whether and how to move forward.
4) WorldVenture is planning another golf fundraiser which Dougg is overseeing and with which LeAnn is helping. A different model is being tried this time and he is looking for sponsors to pay for the course, so that any players' fees will be profit for WorldVenture. Thank God for a friend who is willing to help with this fund raising. One of our main goals is to introduce WorldVenture to more and more people, which we hope will lead to more and more people hearing about Jesus.
4) WorldVenture is planning another golf fundraiser which Dougg is overseeing and with which LeAnn is helping. A different model is being tried this time and he is looking for sponsors to pay for the course, so that any players' fees will be profit for WorldVenture. Thank God for a friend who is willing to help with this fund raising. One of our main goals is to introduce WorldVenture to more and more people, which we hope will lead to more and more people hearing about Jesus.
-Pray God will lead in all the details, and that He will use this fundraiser to serve His purposes through WorldVenture around the world.
Monday, April 26, 2021
Evangelism Encouragements and Free Book Offer from Sunday, 4/25/21
2 Timothy 4:1–2 says
[1] I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: [2] preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
As believers, we get the joy of being a part of God's evangelism ministry to the world--telling other beggars where we, as beggars, found bread. What a delight to be a part of God's mission. Does He need us? No. But He delights in including us in the mission. Think of a father and young son working on a project in the garage. The good father tells his son--come over here and help me drive this nail. The son, smiling from ear to ear, wraps his hands around the hammer, the father wraps his hands around his son's hand, and the work begins. Both delighting in the work.
The Great commission starts, "Go and make disciples"...locally and to the ends of the earth and ends with "and I’m with you always." His hands are around ours!
As a church, we want to see a culture of evangelism where the Father calls us to join Him in the work of evangelism--and we joyfully put our hands to work as His hands envelop ours.
[1] I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: [2] preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
As believers, we get the joy of being a part of God's evangelism ministry to the world--telling other beggars where we, as beggars, found bread. What a delight to be a part of God's mission. Does He need us? No. But He delights in including us in the mission. Think of a father and young son working on a project in the garage. The good father tells his son--come over here and help me drive this nail. The son, smiling from ear to ear, wraps his hands around the hammer, the father wraps his hands around his son's hand, and the work begins. Both delighting in the work.
The Great commission starts, "Go and make disciples"...locally and to the ends of the earth and ends with "and I’m with you always." His hands are around ours!
As a church, we want to see a culture of evangelism where the Father calls us to join Him in the work of evangelism--and we joyfully put our hands to work as His hands envelop ours.
Our church's purpose is to glorify God by proclaiming Jesus Christ as Lord and preparing His people to worship Him together.
When it comes to the proclaiming side of that purpose, we use 3 words starting with the letter "I" to help us understand what that means:
Invest:
We involve ourselves in the lives of those around us who do not know Jesus, so we look for opportunities to be introduced to new relationships with unbelieving neighbors, co-workers, and others in their community. We do this because we believe not everyone knows someone who truly follows Jesus.
Impart:
We deepen these new relationships and old relationships by giving sacrificially of our lives in order to care for those who do not know Christ.
Implore:
Along the way, we exhort our friends and acquaintances to place their faith in Christ alone. We do this by being equipped to do all of the above with theologically strong and question-based strategies to share the gospel.
Let me share an example of one BCCer putting his hands to the joyful work of evangelism. Craig Hodges, one of our elders, shared with me that:
A man came to his house to pick up an online item Craig was selling. In the conversation, the man mentioned that he wanted to retire in the next few years and hoped to have 10 years remaining to enjoy life. Craig had been reading a book on evangelism "God Space: Where Spiritual Conversations Happen Naturally" by Doug Pollock and his comment struck Craig as an obvious opening to talk about the hope that a believer has for after this life. So Craig asked him whether he believed it would make a difference after he dies whether he had this 10 years to enjoy or not. His response revealed a "mash" of ideas about Christ, Karma, Positive Energy, and good works he has done. He did have some church involvement in his earlier years. Craig says, "I shared with him that I knew I didn't have good works to earn God's favor and that I had sinned against God. Jesus came as a savior to reconcile us with God and through Him I can have eternal life, far better than 10 years after retirement. Because we had limited time, I asked him if he had a Bible and would he be willing to go back and read the book of John. He said he would. I've already thought of ways I think I could be better prepared and share better next time."
Was it about Craig getting it perfect? No! It was about Craig being faithful to do what God has called us all to do--joyfully look for opportunities to turn everyday conversations into conversations about Christ.
Daniel will be preaching on evangelism today and we want to give a free book to every household on the topic. This book talks about being a church with a culture of evangelism.
It's called Evangelism: How the Whole Church Speaks of Jesus by Mack Stiles. All of our elders and deacons already have one. If we run out, there is a sign up sheet to get yours.
Along the way, we exhort our friends and acquaintances to place their faith in Christ alone. We do this by being equipped to do all of the above with theologically strong and question-based strategies to share the gospel.
Let me share an example of one BCCer putting his hands to the joyful work of evangelism. Craig Hodges, one of our elders, shared with me that:
A man came to his house to pick up an online item Craig was selling. In the conversation, the man mentioned that he wanted to retire in the next few years and hoped to have 10 years remaining to enjoy life. Craig had been reading a book on evangelism "God Space: Where Spiritual Conversations Happen Naturally" by Doug Pollock and his comment struck Craig as an obvious opening to talk about the hope that a believer has for after this life. So Craig asked him whether he believed it would make a difference after he dies whether he had this 10 years to enjoy or not. His response revealed a "mash" of ideas about Christ, Karma, Positive Energy, and good works he has done. He did have some church involvement in his earlier years. Craig says, "I shared with him that I knew I didn't have good works to earn God's favor and that I had sinned against God. Jesus came as a savior to reconcile us with God and through Him I can have eternal life, far better than 10 years after retirement. Because we had limited time, I asked him if he had a Bible and would he be willing to go back and read the book of John. He said he would. I've already thought of ways I think I could be better prepared and share better next time."
Was it about Craig getting it perfect? No! It was about Craig being faithful to do what God has called us all to do--joyfully look for opportunities to turn everyday conversations into conversations about Christ.
Daniel will be preaching on evangelism today and we want to give a free book to every household on the topic. This book talks about being a church with a culture of evangelism.
It's called Evangelism: How the Whole Church Speaks of Jesus by Mack Stiles. All of our elders and deacons already have one. If we run out, there is a sign up sheet to get yours.
In the book is:
1-A resource that can help you walk through the gospel with someone. I've not seen many better than this one. It's called What is the Gospel?
2-Also, there is a bookmark prepared by us in the book with ideas for how you can be faithful in the joy of evangelism. Here are some of the things on the bookmark about how to invest, impart, and implore. Some things listed include:
-Being intentional to invite someone each time you are heading to this building
-Popping in on a neighbor with some cookies and asking if they have any prayer requests
-Coming to a June training on Sunday mornings to get more help in how to turn conversations to spiritual ones--The easiest one? "Did you know that I am a church goer? What are your opinions on God and the church?"
It's our practice for someone to lead us as a church in prayer during our service. Join me now in prayer for those who don't know Christ and for our outreach to them:
Father,
We are so grateful for your kindness to us in sending your Son, Jesus, to pay the penalty of sin that we deserved to pay ourselves.
2-Also, there is a bookmark prepared by us in the book with ideas for how you can be faithful in the joy of evangelism. Here are some of the things on the bookmark about how to invest, impart, and implore. Some things listed include:
-Being intentional to invite someone each time you are heading to this building
-Popping in on a neighbor with some cookies and asking if they have any prayer requests
-Coming to a June training on Sunday mornings to get more help in how to turn conversations to spiritual ones--The easiest one? "Did you know that I am a church goer? What are your opinions on God and the church?"
It's our practice for someone to lead us as a church in prayer during our service. Join me now in prayer for those who don't know Christ and for our outreach to them:
Father,
We are so grateful for your kindness to us in sending your Son, Jesus, to pay the penalty of sin that we deserved to pay ourselves.
Thank you for the gospel message today. We want to respond to it. Not in a way where we believe we can pay you back--that would be impossible! Not in a way where we are guilted into action by legalism. May our response be one that is overwhelming joy in knowing you and knowing you deeply. If this is the case, we realize that the gospel will pour out of us with no fear, no awkwardness, no shame. We simply are sharing about our closest relationship, the one with our Savior, with those who need a Savior.
Lord, we pray for the 18 .... All the missionaries we support as a church body. We pray for them to be faithful and joy-filled in their outreach. We pray for them not as super heroes of the faith--as they are people just like us--but we pray for them as fellow ambassadors in the faith. May we all be more like your Son Jesus is proclaiming His name.
God, we pray for local churches in our area. We pray for faithfulness and joy in sharing the gospel for these local expressions of your global body. May we be united in the gospel and reach the dying around us--may there be no arrogance in our speech, our social media, our writing, our attitudes. May those that do not know Christ be drawn to You by our humility and desire to listen.
Father, I pray for BCC...may we continue to build a culture of evangelism here. In the midst of the personal trials, sickness, and suffering, may we be a light to our care givers, our families, our neighbors/co-workers, store clerks and yes, even online shoppers coming to our home to pick up a purchase.
Help us to invest into new relationships, impart our lives to new and old relationships, and implore all to receive Christ alone so they, too, can be 100% sure they are going to heaven.
Thank you, Lord.
In Jesus Name,
Amen
God, we pray for local churches in our area. We pray for faithfulness and joy in sharing the gospel for these local expressions of your global body. May we be united in the gospel and reach the dying around us--may there be no arrogance in our speech, our social media, our writing, our attitudes. May those that do not know Christ be drawn to You by our humility and desire to listen.
Father, I pray for BCC...may we continue to build a culture of evangelism here. In the midst of the personal trials, sickness, and suffering, may we be a light to our care givers, our families, our neighbors/co-workers, store clerks and yes, even online shoppers coming to our home to pick up a purchase.
Help us to invest into new relationships, impart our lives to new and old relationships, and implore all to receive Christ alone so they, too, can be 100% sure they are going to heaven.
Thank you, Lord.
In Jesus Name,
Amen
Monday, April 19, 2021
Meditations on 1 Peter (Part 1): Expect Suffering
First of all, as believers in Christ we are to expect suffering. In 1 Peter 4:12 Peter exhorts the believers, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.” Especially in our American culture of prosperity, we are often surprised at suffering. We are so used to having so many comforts. Some days my biggest immediate problem is that the internet is out, and I can’t stream the movie I want to watch. Meanwhile, much of the population of the world lacks access to food, water, shelter, and the security of political stability. My acquaintances may laugh at me or think I’m stupid if I voice my allegiance to Christ, but around the world my brothers and sisters are thrown in jail, kicked out of villages, or even killed. I am used to a life of comfort and ease and am surprised by even the slightest hardships.
My access to money and resources tempts me to think I have control over my life. I expend a lot of effort obtaining comfort and avoiding hardships, not that all of these efforts are wrong. They are not, but when all my efforts don’t keep all hardship at bay, I am surprised. The effects of the Fall still break into my life. So many factors are outside of my control. My best efforts can’t eliminate the decaying of my body. My best efforts can’t prevent the pain and losses of life. My best efforts can’t hold back encroaching death. My best efforts can’t stop other people from making sinful, foolish choices that hurt me. And I am often surprised at that.
In so many religions in the world, people go through all kinds of rituals, sacrifices, and behaviors to keep bad things from happening to themselves or their families. I think even subtly, we adopt a similar mindset. Almost automatically, difficult circumstances draw out the questions, “What did I do wrong? Is God angry with me? What sin caused this to happen?” If I do well enough at the Christian life, I hope God might spare me hardships. We may even think if I serve Him well enough, then God owes me a life free of suffering. So when suffering comes we are surprised.
But we have a Savior who clearly said, “In this world you will be have trouble. Others will hate you because they hated me first.” And we have a Savior who laid out the path of the Christian life – suffering, then glory (1 Pet. 1:11) This has always been God’s plan. The Savior would walk a path of suffering. Then He would be exalted in glory. We are called to follow our Savior down this same path (1 Pet. 2:21). Suffering should not surprise us. It should not catch us off guard. Our God has told us to expect it.
But we have a Savior who clearly said, “In this world you will be have trouble. Others will hate you because they hated me first.” And we have a Savior who laid out the path of the Christian life – suffering, then glory (1 Pet. 1:11) This has always been God’s plan. The Savior would walk a path of suffering. Then He would be exalted in glory. We are called to follow our Savior down this same path (1 Pet. 2:21). Suffering should not surprise us. It should not catch us off guard. Our God has told us to expect it.
Kim Anderson
Monday, March 22, 2021
A Sobering Sampling of a Noteworthy and Helpful Book, “The Enemy Within”, by Kris Lundgaard
Remember that the mind is the watchman of the soul, commanded to judge and determine whether something is good and pleasing to God, so that the affections can long for it and the will can choose it. If the mind fails to identify as sin as evil, wicked, vile and bitter, the affections will not be safe from clinging to it, nor will the will from giving consent. This is one side of the castle wall, the first line of defense: to keep in mind that every sin is a forsaking of God (Jeremiah 2:19), to never forget the polluting, corrupting, defiling power of sin-to be shaken to the core by how much God loathes sin.
When Paul said Christ's love compelled him (2 Corinthians 5:14), he described the other side of this first defense: the mind must stay fixed on God, especially on his grace and goodness towards us. His love propels, fuels, drives us to obey. It is the fountain of our obedience, and our highest motive to finding out what pleases the Lord and doing it.
In order to walk before God, this is the mind's first duty: to know and hold on to the evil of sin and the love of God. This is how Joseph stood up against overwhelming temptation.
By now you may have guessed that the law of sin in us, as much as it hates God and as deceitful as it is, doesn't throw up its arms in surrender at this first line of defense. The flesh has its explosives ready to undermine the wall. Its first and most wretched attack is to abuse God's grace in order to make sense seem less sinful, less dangerous, less threatening,
You must understand this: the flesh weakens conviction against sin by separating the remedy of grace from the design of grace. The scriptures teach nothing more clearly than that God's design in showing mercy is to make us holy people: “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age” (Titus 2: 11-12). But God also provides a remedy for our lapses: his loving pardon gives us peace, so that we know that if we do sin, “we have no one who speaks to the Father in our defense” (1 John 2:1).
The flesh works to make you forget the design (that you are saved to be holy) and think only of the remedy (if you sin you'll be forgiven). It preaches half a gospel (a twisted gospel) to us: “Go ahead and indulge-it's already paid for.” Those who fall prey to such deception are evidently many, since the Scriptures go to such lengths to condemn it (Romans 3:5-8; 6:1-4; Jude 4).
You know the flesh has made a breach in your defenses when your heart is hardened by its deceitfulness (Hebrews 3:13) so that you are careless about sin.
Jesus blood alone can deliver from sin. Live in his blood and you will die a conqueror-you will, by the good provision of God, live to see your lust dead at your feet. Here's how to work your faith:
By faith, fill your soul with thoughts of the purpose of Christ's death.
By faith except help to come from Christ.
Set your faith particularly on Christ death, blood, and cross-that is, on Jesus as the slain lamb.
In your struggle against sin, never forget your duty-but neither forget the power of the Spirit. The killing of the flesh is your duty, but his work.
“If by the Spirit, you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.” (Romans 8:13)
“If by the Spirit, you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.” (Romans 8:13)
As you by faith apply all the means of grace God has given to kill the flesh, remember that it is the Spirit who works in every part to bring the victory from Christ.
Page 64-65; 143-147
Kent Kloter
Monday, March 8, 2021
Please Pray for Jill Hostetler
Here are some ways that you can be praying for Jill Hostetler as she continues to serve the ʟᴏʀᴅ through CEF (Child Evangelism Fellowship):
1. Please pray for our online discipleship ministry to children. We have 12 students enrolled.2. Please pray for our 6 students that we have taking our Teaching Children Effectively Level 1 Course.
3. Please pray for our staff as we begin to pray and look for summer missionaries to serve this summer.
Monday, February 15, 2021
Prayer Requests for Sam and Jamie Hornbrook
1. The virus is hitting Mexico hard. This is not only reflected on the World Meter, which shows Mexico as third highest in the world in total numbers of deaths, behind the US. and Brazil, but our church members share regularly how friends and family are dying from it. This past week, a cousin of a church member and a former church member died. Many prayer requests get shared on our church's media link, every week, of family and friends that have been admitted to the hospital, are sick or have died. Thank you for praying for Mexico and our church.
We thank the Lord for no deaths in our church, till now. Many have had COVID, including Jamie and me, but we have all recovered.
2. Because of the conditions here in Mexico, especially here in the Mexico City area, all our church services have been back on line, since the middle of December.
The income of our families is also way down. We pray for the Lord to provide for each one. The church helps the families that cannot buy enough food with their income.
3. Please pray with us for our church member, Eli, and her 4 daughters who moved out of their home, to live on their own, as the father/husband has become so abusive, drinking, angry and dangerous that it became necessary. The the church is helping this family with their needs.
4. We thank the Lord that Iglesia Nueva Vida en Cristo is doing well as a church body to love, pray for and look after one another.
Thank you so much for your prayers for us and for Mexico. May the Lord bring many people to Himself through this time of uncertainty.
Serving with you in Mexico City,
Sam and Jamie Hornbrook
Monday, February 8, 2021
Please Pray for Dougg and LeAnn Custer
Below are some ways that you can pray for Dougg and LeAnn Custer as they serve the ʟᴏʀᴅ during the COVID-19 pandemic:
1) On Febr. 15th, we will be part of the committees interviewing three candidates for acceptance by WorldVenture. Pray for wisdom and unity and God's clear leading as we try to ensure (as much as is humanly possible) that these candidates are a good fit for both cross-cultural work and service together with WorldVenture.
2) Following the interviews, Pre-Field ministry & Orientation will again be held virtually Febr. 22-24. These are three intensive days of training and guiding these new WorldVenture workers into the organization and then into their next steps of Partner Development. Please also pray for the following:
For those organizing and refining the training to make it the best it can be, including the coordination of the sessions and the scheduling of presenters
For the presenters to speak in such a way that not only communicates important information, but that connects with the attendees
For technology to work well.
That these new missionaries would be able to form a strong relationship with those they are meeting from WorldVenture, even though the interactions will be done via Zoom.
3) Febr. 26-27: A Discover WorldVenture Weekend will be held on the campus of Liberty University where there are a number of students interested in serving cross-culturally with us. Pray for God's leading for the students - we'd love for a number of them to find themselves a fit with us and able to fulfill ministry opportunities around the world. Also pray for Terry and Donna Jeanne Schneider as they follow up the decisions made on the weekend.
Tuesday, January 19, 2021
Jesus, Our Perfect Savior
BCC family,
As we head into 2021, I thought this email from a fellow BCCer would encourage you. I have permission to share, but the writer asked to remain anonymous because children are mentioned--though the writer would be happy to discuss face to face. You can contact me if you are interested. May God continue to work in all our hearts for His glory.
Pastor Ben
--
2020 has been a year of Joy.
2020 has been a year where my heart's brokenness has bubbled to the surface. Pridefulness has been revealed in my heart in glaring ways. My lack of control has been set before my face in profound ways. My children have struggled in ways that were too big and too dark for me to help with.
I struggled with despair and begged God to take my life instead of allowing me to exist in this present state of despair.
But then God revealed HIMSELF more. He took great lengths to meet me where I was and gently turned my face to look at him. He took me from a place of false belief. I know he has called me justified and saved from eternal Hell, by the blood of Jesus, but I thought he looked upon me in disgust and annoyance. He led me to the knowledge of a God with arms eternally open wide. He is a God weeping tears of love and joy--yearning for me to climb into his lap and be embraced. Just-as-I-am with a broken, repentant heart. Embraced, loved, and cried for by The Holy God!
Jesus has been my Savior for many years, and in 2020, he has shown me more deepness of his grace and showered me with limitless joy; more than in all of those years. This joy, I would not be able to experience without facing the depravity of my soul, exposed in 2020. 2020 was a year of joy.
For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Cor 4:6
Pastor Ben
--
2020 has been a year of Joy.
2020 has been a year where my heart's brokenness has bubbled to the surface. Pridefulness has been revealed in my heart in glaring ways. My lack of control has been set before my face in profound ways. My children have struggled in ways that were too big and too dark for me to help with.
I struggled with despair and begged God to take my life instead of allowing me to exist in this present state of despair.
But then God revealed HIMSELF more. He took great lengths to meet me where I was and gently turned my face to look at him. He took me from a place of false belief. I know he has called me justified and saved from eternal Hell, by the blood of Jesus, but I thought he looked upon me in disgust and annoyance. He led me to the knowledge of a God with arms eternally open wide. He is a God weeping tears of love and joy--yearning for me to climb into his lap and be embraced. Just-as-I-am with a broken, repentant heart. Embraced, loved, and cried for by The Holy God!
Jesus has been my Savior for many years, and in 2020, he has shown me more deepness of his grace and showered me with limitless joy; more than in all of those years. This joy, I would not be able to experience without facing the depravity of my soul, exposed in 2020. 2020 was a year of joy.
For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Cor 4:6
Monday, January 11, 2021
A Christian Response to a Deteriorating Culture
“…if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
This verse, (2 Chronicles 7:14), is familiar to many. Supposedly President Dwight Eisenhower opened his Bible to the verse during his 1953 inauguration. What’s not generally known is that this passage records God’s response to King Solomon’s prayer of dedication of the temple as recorded in 2 Chron. 6:36-42.
I realize that this is a specific promise, made to Israel, not to America, however I believe our nation is in desperate need of this same kind of promise from God at this time in our history, perhaps like no other. We are in an ethical war that threatens our very existence. Ironically, a myriad of voices cry for justice while at the same time, motivate prejudice, oppression, violence, injustice and anarchy. All of which is in stark violation of our nation’s long-established ethical standards, standards which have given us stability and freedom for over two centuries. Anger, violence and injustice seem to rule the day instead of courtesy, deference and respect for human dignity and true justice. Both sides blame the other with malicious, hateful and contemptible rhetoric. The staggering spectrum of radical ideas and demands threaten our stability, safety and freedoms. Childish and unsubstantiated accusations and attacks riddle the spectrum of nearly all of our media. Harsh rhetoric and name-calling supplant rigorous, logical debate in the public square. Wise and reasonable solutions are often met with brutal, relentless and unfounded rebuttal and attacks. It seems that we are on the brink of total collapse with no one to lead us to unity and peace.
What IS the answer to America’s crisis? Is it possible that our nation’s healing is actually dependent upon the humble repentance of God’s people, rather than the loud voices of our culture which demand justice through destruction and reparations?
Is it possible that our hope, healing and restoration does not lie in our rising up with resistance against tyranny and oppression?
Is it possible that the real root of America’s decline is actually due to the lukewarmness of God’s people and not because of the “wicked people” in Washington or in our streets?
Is it possible that God’s people need to repent of sinful anger, bitterness and partiality against the wickedness of the people of this nation and rather turn toward our God in humble, personal repentance?
Is it possible that the only real hope for America to avoid complete and utter ruin and devastation is clearly and simply found in repentance in the Church of Jesus Christ?
“If my people, who are called by my name humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
Is it possible that God is calling His people so He can use us to change our land by asking Him to change us?
I believe our greatest hope for America is for Christians to repent, myself included. If American has any hope to recover from the nonsense, chaos, rebellion and moral decline that has so deeply stained and corrupted our once great land, our only remaining hope is in God's healing us in response to our repentance.
Otherwise, our nation likely faces that same kind of rebuke and judgment that Isaiah speaks of against Israel in the first five chapters of Isaiah. No one can say with certainty what God is doing, but we can say that God is just and according to his word, he judges justly. At some point, without repentance, it appears that America will face the withholding of God’s grace and the resulting judgment that sin demands.
With the prospects of judgement looming on our horizons, Christians also need to proclaim the Gospel of God’s mercy and grace to a sin-darkened culture. The voice of Christian church needs to loudly proclaim mercy at such a time as this. Unfortunately, many Christian voices today are harsh, judgmental, cruel, bitter and unloving.
America needs for God’s people to repent and proclaim the Good News of God’s redemptive mercy. Isaiah learned that in chapter 6 where God sent him to proclaim the hope of the coming Christ. Pastor Alistair Begg's message entitled "Have Mercy" gives a stern warning to the Body of Christ about the effects that our attitudes and witness have upon our culture. I suggest that the hour he takes to offer this timely exhortation is one well worth spending.
The voice of the Church today needs to be primarily the voice of its own repentance and then a gracious voice offering redemption to a very lost culture.
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver. (Prov. 25:11)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcaikgzvEzE
Is it possible that the only real hope for America to avoid complete and utter ruin and devastation is clearly and simply found in repentance in the Church of Jesus Christ?
“If my people, who are called by my name humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
Is it possible that God is calling His people so He can use us to change our land by asking Him to change us?
I believe our greatest hope for America is for Christians to repent, myself included. If American has any hope to recover from the nonsense, chaos, rebellion and moral decline that has so deeply stained and corrupted our once great land, our only remaining hope is in God's healing us in response to our repentance.
Otherwise, our nation likely faces that same kind of rebuke and judgment that Isaiah speaks of against Israel in the first five chapters of Isaiah. No one can say with certainty what God is doing, but we can say that God is just and according to his word, he judges justly. At some point, without repentance, it appears that America will face the withholding of God’s grace and the resulting judgment that sin demands.
With the prospects of judgement looming on our horizons, Christians also need to proclaim the Gospel of God’s mercy and grace to a sin-darkened culture. The voice of Christian church needs to loudly proclaim mercy at such a time as this. Unfortunately, many Christian voices today are harsh, judgmental, cruel, bitter and unloving.
America needs for God’s people to repent and proclaim the Good News of God’s redemptive mercy. Isaiah learned that in chapter 6 where God sent him to proclaim the hope of the coming Christ. Pastor Alistair Begg's message entitled "Have Mercy" gives a stern warning to the Body of Christ about the effects that our attitudes and witness have upon our culture. I suggest that the hour he takes to offer this timely exhortation is one well worth spending.
The voice of the Church today needs to be primarily the voice of its own repentance and then a gracious voice offering redemption to a very lost culture.
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver. (Prov. 25:11)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcaikgzvEzE
Kent Kloter
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