Tuesday, February 26, 2013

MARCH & APRIL UPDATE

Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” 
Yes, we know we are on the winning side but sometimes it looks like the other guy is winning. A Buddhist yoga and meditation teacher has begun classes in a community centre right next door to where we meet. The classes are the same time as ours which is not a problem but the first day of classes he had more people than we have after years of meeting. What does this tell us? Firstly, if numbers is the sign of success the Buddhist is successful or at least more so than we have been. But again if numbers is the sign of success Islam, Catholicism and all the other ism’s are successful as well. No, no, no, success is not measured by numbers. Joshua 1:8 “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”
This is true success, being faithful to God and His Word until the rapture or until death. Note  2Timothy 4:1 - 7 “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine (WHAT WE ARE TO BE ABOUT). 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables (WHAT MANY ARE NOW DOING). 5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry (AGAIN WHAT WE ARE TO BE DOING). 6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith (IT ISN’T JUST ABOUT STARTING RIGHT BUT FINISHING RIGHT)”.
As we look back on our years of ministry we have seen many begin well but somewhere along the way they strayed and are unable or unwilling to finish the course. This is very sad! 
   
Secondly numbers sometimes shows that many people are more into false spiritualism than truth; John 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” and  John 17:17 “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”

Unless there is a spiritual change known as the new birth people take offense at the TRUTH! In spite of the Buddhist seeming to have more “success” in numbers we continue in the faith, grounded, settled, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel. Our numbers are small compared to some but we rejoice in those whom God has brought our way. Please continue to pray for us as we strive to reach this city for the Lord Jesus.

On a personal note Pam has been out of isolation a couple of weeks now and had her blood tests last Monday. The doctor phoned the other day and all is well on that count. She has an appointment with the endocrinologist in late May. We both have an appointment with the cardiologist the 8th of March.
I haven’t had any fainting spells since the pacemaker was implanted now a little over one year ago so it seems all is well in this respect.

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