“I will miss living in this community of saints, I would like to stay here forever.” This last word, Forever, came on my lips without really thinking. But as soon as I said it, I realized that it meant a great deal. For the first time, the sorrow I experienced in leaving a community of Christians did not feel so selfish or made me think I was just weak for being sad. This time I realized that my longing to be with God’s people was God’s desire for His children. He wanted us to live together in His city of gold, He wanted us to enjoy Him together. Then I realized why I loved bible colleges so much: it was a glimpse of how my heavenly home would be. But I know, just a glimpse.
It gives me a new breath to know that God knows how I’m feeling, that my desire to be with His people is from God. It gives me more courage to fly home tomorrow, leaving behind the blessings of this community called Bethany College because I know that God is telling me that it’ll be alright, that He knows how painful it is and that it won’t take to long for me to finally go home forever, in His community of the saints. It’ll be alright.
Knowing that God understands and has a mansion for me in His city does help, but still it is hard and harsh and it hurts (words starting with h are horrible words) on this earth. It is still tough for me to leave, because I don’t want what I think is in front of me.
But oh well. It’ll all be over pretty soon anyways. So may I be found living with the hope and joy that one day I’ll have my longing to be with God and His people forever, fulfilled.
I am leaving this peaceful Saskatchewan on Wednesday June 28 2006. I’m going back to my homeland, Québec. I’ll be missing Saskatchewan, Bethany and most of all, the people. But it’s time for me to say good-bye, good night.
I will be fairly busy and without internet at least until July 8. So this blog will remain the same for a while. Do come by though. I might be able to add some thoughts at some point. But maybe not.
I’ll be camp directing for a week so you all can pray for that. I still do not think I’m the right person for this good service. Pray for leadership and wisdom, pray for humility and that I’d use all the resources I have in me but most of all, around me for Jesus’ sake.
Write to you later.
Oh, I’m flying Wednesday @ 18:30 (Sask. time) pray for safety and no luggage problem.
Gabrielle
“But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions- it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus.” – Ephesians 2:4-6
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Monday, June 26, 2006
Let us Love and Sing and Wonder
I sometimes wonder the usefulness of certain rules that we Christians create out of our own judgment. Why do we need to put loads on our brothers and sisters who are eager to follow Christ? Why do we care so much about what people might think of our family, our church, or our organization? And by “people” I’m mostly talking about Christians.
I’m realizing that the rules we set up ourselves are usually not for our own betterment or our own spiritual growth, they are there for the world around us. We say we have certain rules so that we would not offend other Christians, the purpose of the rules is praiseworthy but when we think about it, many of us obey them because if we don’t, then people will be offended at us. Do I make sense? Our desire is no longer to care for our brothers and sisters with a (and I don’t say that lightly) weaker faith, but it is to care for our own reputation as a Christian family, Christian church or Christian organization. There is no more meaning to the rules when we act that way. If we would truly care about the saints, we wouldn’t care so much about our little reputations and how people might see us. We all want to look good and spiritual, but we aren’t good and spiritual.
I am mainly thinking about external rules, like how one is expected to dress at church or to look like in everyday life. Why do we add burden upon burden on our back and the backs of other Christians when Christ has called us to freedom? I believe that the freedom Christ has called us to usually do not bear the meaning we think it does. I don’t know much about this freedom so take my words as words and words only.
Christ’s call to freedom does not mean that we can do as we please, it means that those who are mature in the faith should stoop down to the level of the saints who aren’t mature enough to understand the big picture of what freedom in Christ is. The mature are called to be gentle with the weak and help them grow so that they come to maturity and then see what freedom is, that they don’t need all these rules and should not think that if some Christians drink wine or doesn’t wear dress pants at church, it’s fine!
I do not believe that Christ wants us to follow a bunch of external rules so we would look good in the eyes of Christians, so that we would not offend them. I believe that there is a proper time and place to observe these “unwritten” laws though. When I go to a different church, I always inquire to my friends how they dress at that church, so I am not offending anybody. I think that if Jesus would be ruling –physically- over the Church today, many laws and rules we have would be abolished. He would call us to freedom again. Christ wants us to put our own selves out of the way so we can love and care for others. Why should we tell people how to live –according to our own thinking of what a good Christian should look like and live and our own interpretation of the Word?
A.W.Tozer wrote:
“Be hard on yourself and easy on others. Carry your own cross but never lay one on the back of another.”
Let us live for Christ. Let us be free. But most of the time today, we are called to bend to the rules our brothers and sisters hold on to so dearly and then help them grow and see that Christ calls us to freedom, not to a set of rules, He calls us to peace and love that are true, not superficial and based on the places we go or the way we shave (or not) for church. We may have rules for ourselves, but let is remain to ourselves only. May the burdens we create be on our own shoulders, because we believe it’ll help us to be more like Christ (knowing that legalistic spirits are wrong). May we never start thinking that if others don’t live as we do, they’re not as good as us.
It’s between the Lord Jesus and us. What others may think is between the Lord and them. He is Ruler over all. Let us seek the good of His saints, in whatever way Jesus calls us to love them. Sometimes, I think Jesus wants us to “offend” fellow Christians in order to open their eyes… But there is a time for that and it is never done because of anger or of a “I am more holy so I know better” attitude. It is done with a heart that longs to see Jesus’ children understanding the truth, a deep love for them.
There is much more to say about this, but I don’t want to be too long, it’s been long enough. Let’s just be smart and full of love. Let’s consider why we think the way we do about rules and why we expect certain things from people and if these expectations are good or just burdensome.
By the way, I am probably worse than most people at that love command. I may write about it, but I don’t do much about it. Pray for me. I have such a strong legalistic spirit.
I’m realizing that the rules we set up ourselves are usually not for our own betterment or our own spiritual growth, they are there for the world around us. We say we have certain rules so that we would not offend other Christians, the purpose of the rules is praiseworthy but when we think about it, many of us obey them because if we don’t, then people will be offended at us. Do I make sense? Our desire is no longer to care for our brothers and sisters with a (and I don’t say that lightly) weaker faith, but it is to care for our own reputation as a Christian family, Christian church or Christian organization. There is no more meaning to the rules when we act that way. If we would truly care about the saints, we wouldn’t care so much about our little reputations and how people might see us. We all want to look good and spiritual, but we aren’t good and spiritual.
I am mainly thinking about external rules, like how one is expected to dress at church or to look like in everyday life. Why do we add burden upon burden on our back and the backs of other Christians when Christ has called us to freedom? I believe that the freedom Christ has called us to usually do not bear the meaning we think it does. I don’t know much about this freedom so take my words as words and words only.
Christ’s call to freedom does not mean that we can do as we please, it means that those who are mature in the faith should stoop down to the level of the saints who aren’t mature enough to understand the big picture of what freedom in Christ is. The mature are called to be gentle with the weak and help them grow so that they come to maturity and then see what freedom is, that they don’t need all these rules and should not think that if some Christians drink wine or doesn’t wear dress pants at church, it’s fine!
I do not believe that Christ wants us to follow a bunch of external rules so we would look good in the eyes of Christians, so that we would not offend them. I believe that there is a proper time and place to observe these “unwritten” laws though. When I go to a different church, I always inquire to my friends how they dress at that church, so I am not offending anybody. I think that if Jesus would be ruling –physically- over the Church today, many laws and rules we have would be abolished. He would call us to freedom again. Christ wants us to put our own selves out of the way so we can love and care for others. Why should we tell people how to live –according to our own thinking of what a good Christian should look like and live and our own interpretation of the Word?
A.W.Tozer wrote:
“Be hard on yourself and easy on others. Carry your own cross but never lay one on the back of another.”
Let us live for Christ. Let us be free. But most of the time today, we are called to bend to the rules our brothers and sisters hold on to so dearly and then help them grow and see that Christ calls us to freedom, not to a set of rules, He calls us to peace and love that are true, not superficial and based on the places we go or the way we shave (or not) for church. We may have rules for ourselves, but let is remain to ourselves only. May the burdens we create be on our own shoulders, because we believe it’ll help us to be more like Christ (knowing that legalistic spirits are wrong). May we never start thinking that if others don’t live as we do, they’re not as good as us.
It’s between the Lord Jesus and us. What others may think is between the Lord and them. He is Ruler over all. Let us seek the good of His saints, in whatever way Jesus calls us to love them. Sometimes, I think Jesus wants us to “offend” fellow Christians in order to open their eyes… But there is a time for that and it is never done because of anger or of a “I am more holy so I know better” attitude. It is done with a heart that longs to see Jesus’ children understanding the truth, a deep love for them.
There is much more to say about this, but I don’t want to be too long, it’s been long enough. Let’s just be smart and full of love. Let’s consider why we think the way we do about rules and why we expect certain things from people and if these expectations are good or just burdensome.
By the way, I am probably worse than most people at that love command. I may write about it, but I don’t do much about it. Pray for me. I have such a strong legalistic spirit.
Saturday, June 24, 2006
Thinking on a Roof
Today was a really good day. For the first time in a month I really felt like I was relaxing. I haven’t spent my free time without thinking about camp and when I wasn’t it was because I was somewhere else like Bigstone or Regina with friends, that’s not the times when I really relax. Anyways, today was Saturday and because camp stuff is under control, I found myself on a roof watching cars running in each other and making much noise. Today in Hepburn they had this event, I don’t know how they call it but a bunch of cars in a circle just run into each other for fun, the last car still running at the end is the one winning. I think I found the best spot, but don’t tell anybody. The event took place right in front of Bethany campus. So I went into the guys’ dorm (no worries there’s no guys living there at this time of the year) and I went on the roof of the dorm and walked all the way to the other side where I sat down. I could see everything, the crowd, the cars, the fire fighters very well. It was neat to be sitting there, but I did not enjoy the sight too much. Cars bumping in each other, setting on fire sometimes, car pieces ejected in the air, strong noise. I just felt like … that’s pointless.
It made me think about something though. These drivers’ purpose was to destroy everybody else around (and I’m sure they wanted to have fun too). But as I was watching them I just thought that the idea was stupid.
Sometimes we act the way these drivers do. We pick on everyone around us (yes on our brothers and sisters in Christ) and we are quick to find any black spot in them. We might not know it or realize it, but basically we like putting people down so we look better than them. It’s not just “fun” to talk about “this person who did this and that” it makes us feel good about ourselves. But really, as these cars running into each other, we are as stupid when we pick on people. That’s the same thing, we are destroying (not cars but) relationships, people’s reputations and other people’s fragile opinion of them.
When people around me say bad things about others, my perception of them (if I don’t know them well enough) changes for the bad. I believe that this is really unfortunate, it’s bad. We have to be careful when we talk about others because it doesn’t affect only ourselves (which is bad enough, we sin) but it affects people who are listening. They might grow bitter against these people or against you (that’s probably the way I’d be)! Because they’d be sick of your negative talk.
Anyways. Let us enjoy our today and be pleasant in the way we speak of others. Amen.
Bank for Native Missionaries: 8$ as of June 24, 2006 www.banknm.blogspot.com
* This month’s monies will actually be joined with July’s, at the end of July. Thank you for considering helping our brothers and sisters out there and doing something about it somehow by giving or prayer, or whatever.
By the way: BONNE ST-JEAN BAPTISTE!
It made me think about something though. These drivers’ purpose was to destroy everybody else around (and I’m sure they wanted to have fun too). But as I was watching them I just thought that the idea was stupid.
Sometimes we act the way these drivers do. We pick on everyone around us (yes on our brothers and sisters in Christ) and we are quick to find any black spot in them. We might not know it or realize it, but basically we like putting people down so we look better than them. It’s not just “fun” to talk about “this person who did this and that” it makes us feel good about ourselves. But really, as these cars running into each other, we are as stupid when we pick on people. That’s the same thing, we are destroying (not cars but) relationships, people’s reputations and other people’s fragile opinion of them.
When people around me say bad things about others, my perception of them (if I don’t know them well enough) changes for the bad. I believe that this is really unfortunate, it’s bad. We have to be careful when we talk about others because it doesn’t affect only ourselves (which is bad enough, we sin) but it affects people who are listening. They might grow bitter against these people or against you (that’s probably the way I’d be)! Because they’d be sick of your negative talk.
Anyways. Let us enjoy our today and be pleasant in the way we speak of others. Amen.
Bank for Native Missionaries: 8$ as of June 24, 2006 www.banknm.blogspot.com
* This month’s monies will actually be joined with July’s, at the end of July. Thank you for considering helping our brothers and sisters out there and doing something about it somehow by giving or prayer, or whatever.
By the way: BONNE ST-JEAN BAPTISTE!
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
My Peace
I am usually not under pressure, or at least, I usually don’t feel it. But right now, tonight, I feel anxiety growing in my soul. It’s been a month now that I’ve been spending planning for this one-week camp, 99% of all my evenings and 50% of my weekends were burned up in thinking and organizing. Now that my departure from Saskatchewan is coming up very soon it means that camp is awaiting me right at the arrival area in the Montréal airport. Well, not exactly, but it feels like it. And even though it’s not something I am used to experience, I feel anxiety in me. I feel like there are too many details to think and ask and talk about, too many things I need to buy yet, so much to plan, man. I feel overwhelmed still I know it’ll be alright. I know it.
At lunch time I was reading a book, “Peace shall destroy many”, and I am glad I read a chapter instead of staring at the lounge by myself.
“According to Christ’s teaching, peace is not a circumstance but a state of being. ... He brought no outward quiet and comfort such as we are ever praying for. Rather, He brought inward peace that is no way affected by outward war, but quietly overcomes it on life’s real battle-field: the soul of man.”
Oh, this is a novel by the way. This is probably the only novel I like, I usually strongly dislike them. But anyways. As I struggle with “everything that needs to be thoughts of and be done” my soul should remain at peace. The worry and questions and overwhelming feelings should go away because that stuff and all circumstances are under the lordship of Christ Jesus. I will do my best to obey my Lord and serve His people, but I am learning right now that I need to have my soul at rest in Jesus first of all, the outcome is in His hand amen.
Jesus I need you so much. In the midst of thinking and planning and organizing, bring your Shalom to my soul, may I trust you, Ruler over all. Thank you so much.
Bank for Native Missionaries: 8$ as of June 21, 2006 www.banknm.blogspot.com
At lunch time I was reading a book, “Peace shall destroy many”, and I am glad I read a chapter instead of staring at the lounge by myself.
“According to Christ’s teaching, peace is not a circumstance but a state of being. ... He brought no outward quiet and comfort such as we are ever praying for. Rather, He brought inward peace that is no way affected by outward war, but quietly overcomes it on life’s real battle-field: the soul of man.”
Oh, this is a novel by the way. This is probably the only novel I like, I usually strongly dislike them. But anyways. As I struggle with “everything that needs to be thoughts of and be done” my soul should remain at peace. The worry and questions and overwhelming feelings should go away because that stuff and all circumstances are under the lordship of Christ Jesus. I will do my best to obey my Lord and serve His people, but I am learning right now that I need to have my soul at rest in Jesus first of all, the outcome is in His hand amen.
Jesus I need you so much. In the midst of thinking and planning and organizing, bring your Shalom to my soul, may I trust you, Ruler over all. Thank you so much.
Bank for Native Missionaries: 8$ as of June 21, 2006 www.banknm.blogspot.com
Monday, June 19, 2006
God Speed
As the reader might know, I’ve been living in the not-so-flat province of Saskatchewan for basically two years. I have been spending time in Québec for summer & Christmas vacation but otherwise I have been in Saskatchewan.
These last months went by so quickly and I don’t know if I used my time wisely, or its best. I remember writing here that these months would be a time of loneliness but God has been extremely good to me, He kept me busy and working with good people that life seemed pleasant to me. People would ask me if I was looking forward to leaving Saskatchewan and I’d say that I wasn’t so excited yet because it was too far away. Until this morning I did not really realize that my time here in the Prairies would be over pretty soon, 10 days.
I spent the weekend in Regina, to see some friends one more time before I leave. It’s weird to say good-bye to people I love knowing that it might be the last time I see them on this side of life, and I’m only 21. Traveling back to Saskatoon I caught myself considering many things and realizing that all the time left I had here was 10 days. I wondered about the worth of leaving home, growing relationships and having to leave them probably for ever. I wondered about my tears, if the sorrow of my heart was something God wanted, if it was healthy. I know that it’s good to “mourn” but sometimes I get myself into things that hurt me and there would have been a different way to go that would have been less painful. I don’t know what I’m thinking. Are my friendships worth the pain of saying good-bye? It’s obvious, yes they are. But it’s still hard to embrace and understand why things work that way on earth.
Our God, our God! Your will is unfathomable and perfect. You do not think as we think and your wisdom surpasses all we can understand. Oh, let us all surrender to the desires of your Holy Spirit daily, today, right now. Let us embrace our today because you are in control as we let you be Ruler over us.
Bank for Native Missionaries: 8$ as of June 19, 2006 www.banknm.blogspot.com
These last months went by so quickly and I don’t know if I used my time wisely, or its best. I remember writing here that these months would be a time of loneliness but God has been extremely good to me, He kept me busy and working with good people that life seemed pleasant to me. People would ask me if I was looking forward to leaving Saskatchewan and I’d say that I wasn’t so excited yet because it was too far away. Until this morning I did not really realize that my time here in the Prairies would be over pretty soon, 10 days.
I spent the weekend in Regina, to see some friends one more time before I leave. It’s weird to say good-bye to people I love knowing that it might be the last time I see them on this side of life, and I’m only 21. Traveling back to Saskatoon I caught myself considering many things and realizing that all the time left I had here was 10 days. I wondered about the worth of leaving home, growing relationships and having to leave them probably for ever. I wondered about my tears, if the sorrow of my heart was something God wanted, if it was healthy. I know that it’s good to “mourn” but sometimes I get myself into things that hurt me and there would have been a different way to go that would have been less painful. I don’t know what I’m thinking. Are my friendships worth the pain of saying good-bye? It’s obvious, yes they are. But it’s still hard to embrace and understand why things work that way on earth.
Our God, our God! Your will is unfathomable and perfect. You do not think as we think and your wisdom surpasses all we can understand. Oh, let us all surrender to the desires of your Holy Spirit daily, today, right now. Let us embrace our today because you are in control as we let you be Ruler over us.
Bank for Native Missionaries: 8$ as of June 19, 2006 www.banknm.blogspot.com
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
God is Here
We have a new cd at work. I mean, someone brought a new cd, which is really nice. It’s Sonicflood’s Generation. I don’t know what I think of it yet, well, I sort of have my own first impression, but I won’t talk about it here. Anyways, there is a song that says something like “God is here, let the broken hearted rejoice, God is here, let the weak say I am strong, God is here…”. It talks about our super-natural God, God of miracles. I don’t know but it makes me feel like, because God comes, God is here, we should rejoice, it’s a happy day, because He is all-powerful and here to help and heal and encourage us. I don’t know how to explain this. The very presence of God should create joy in our hearts because He is the God of miracles who cares for us. God is here, let us rejoice. Everything is truly possible! God is here.
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you. Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O Lord. They rejoice in your name all day long; they exult in your righteousness. For you are their glory and strength, and by your favour you exalt our horn.
Psalm 89:14-17
Bank for Native Missionaries: 8$ as of June 14 2006
Monday, June 12, 2006
a Trip
So I got out of little Hepburn for the weekend. One of my (or our) friends has just started her internship in La Ronge area (Northern Saskatchewan) building relationships with the people up there. So I went there with a few friends to visit her and see people around. It was really neat to live in her lovely trailer, make hamburger helper together, watch a movie on her laptop with dill pickle-seasoned pop-corn, shower in her triangle mini-shower, follow her around in the mosquitoes (yes it was raining all weekend long, but mosquitoes were as present as the rain) to see different people, going to church and then to fellowship (can’t use the word church for this one) and eating pig’s neck bones with a family of 1 parent and 7 children and 5 guests. Life up there is different, that’s for sure, I had a good time, but not “good” as “good”, but “good” like … “good” Gabe’s way.
Life for those without Christ in cities seems to be easier than life without Christ in “secluded” areas like Bigstone. Pretty much all the houses were the same size and had the same rectangular shape, there was no beauty to the neighbourhood, mud, dogs, dirty dying dogs, kids playing on wet piles of sand, unpleasant smells a bit everywhere. I mean, the weather did not help at all I know, but still I felt like there was no life, no hope, that people pretty much did not know what to do with their time. I’ve been to some really poor areas near Lafayette, Louisiana a couple of years ago and I sort of felt the same way, people seem to be ok with their lives even when they are living in unhealthy conditions. Maybe I’m mistaken, maybe these men and women are desperately wanting better lives.
The way the planet is working right now is just wrong to me. As Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 4:1 “…I saw the tears of the oppressed –and they have no comforter; power was on the side of their oppressors- and they have no comforter. And I declared that the dead who had already died are happier than the living, who are still alive.” I don’t mean to say that people living in Bigstone would be better off dead. Don’t take me wrong, it simply seems like life is tough and there’s not much hope of a better life. God sent comforters out there, that is for sure. He sent a few missionaries and obviously, my friend is starting a “bring comfort ministry” as I like to think of it. It’s not that these comforters desire for the community to look nicer or be healthier in physical ways, they seek to comfort the soul of individuals with Christ’s love and help them realize that He is all they need. May God bless these comforters and grant them perseverance and to see the fruit of their labor.
I sometimes wonder if we lead mediocre spiritual lives without even knowing it. We tell ourselves that it’s always been that way so we don’t seek any better options, we are ok with it. May God send His comforters to us, may He open our eyes to see how much we need Him, right now, and that we aren’t strong enough or good enough or rich enough, that that stuff does not matter. May we become comforters to those around us that are suffering, let’s give up our bread and our time for the sake of those God desperately want to save, to comfort.
Bank for Native Missionaries: 8$ as of June 12, 2006.
What can I boast about, when the life that I live has been given me
What can I be proud of, but of Jesus who died, to set me free
Set me free
Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom
Let not the strong man boast in his strength
Let not the rich man boast in his riches
For all men are equal down at the cross
Jesus still reaches out
Not matter how far or how weak we are
His love has no bounds
And He reaches the ones down on their knees
On their knees
- The Kry
Life for those without Christ in cities seems to be easier than life without Christ in “secluded” areas like Bigstone. Pretty much all the houses were the same size and had the same rectangular shape, there was no beauty to the neighbourhood, mud, dogs, dirty dying dogs, kids playing on wet piles of sand, unpleasant smells a bit everywhere. I mean, the weather did not help at all I know, but still I felt like there was no life, no hope, that people pretty much did not know what to do with their time. I’ve been to some really poor areas near Lafayette, Louisiana a couple of years ago and I sort of felt the same way, people seem to be ok with their lives even when they are living in unhealthy conditions. Maybe I’m mistaken, maybe these men and women are desperately wanting better lives.
The way the planet is working right now is just wrong to me. As Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 4:1 “…I saw the tears of the oppressed –and they have no comforter; power was on the side of their oppressors- and they have no comforter. And I declared that the dead who had already died are happier than the living, who are still alive.” I don’t mean to say that people living in Bigstone would be better off dead. Don’t take me wrong, it simply seems like life is tough and there’s not much hope of a better life. God sent comforters out there, that is for sure. He sent a few missionaries and obviously, my friend is starting a “bring comfort ministry” as I like to think of it. It’s not that these comforters desire for the community to look nicer or be healthier in physical ways, they seek to comfort the soul of individuals with Christ’s love and help them realize that He is all they need. May God bless these comforters and grant them perseverance and to see the fruit of their labor.
I sometimes wonder if we lead mediocre spiritual lives without even knowing it. We tell ourselves that it’s always been that way so we don’t seek any better options, we are ok with it. May God send His comforters to us, may He open our eyes to see how much we need Him, right now, and that we aren’t strong enough or good enough or rich enough, that that stuff does not matter. May we become comforters to those around us that are suffering, let’s give up our bread and our time for the sake of those God desperately want to save, to comfort.
Bank for Native Missionaries: 8$ as of June 12, 2006.
What can I boast about, when the life that I live has been given me
What can I be proud of, but of Jesus who died, to set me free
Set me free
Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom
Let not the strong man boast in his strength
Let not the rich man boast in his riches
For all men are equal down at the cross
Jesus still reaches out
Not matter how far or how weak we are
His love has no bounds
And He reaches the ones down on their knees
On their knees
- The Kry
Thursday, June 08, 2006
From K.P.
Vinda and Vasia work primarily among the Dalits (Untouchables) of India’s Maharashtra state, and God has rewarded their dedication with a church of 150 believers … But pastor Vinda and his congregation face a challenge that is all too common among our native missionaries across South Asia: The rented facilities where they meet cannot accommodate all those who so much want to attend the worship services –and their members are too poor to be able to afford a building of their own. …
Right now, Pastor Vinda’s church is just one of more than 1000 on the mission field that urgently need their own buildings. …
Besides running out of space, there are other pressing reasons why churches in Asia need their own worship places. Some are unable to rent meeting places at all because they are located in areas hostile to the Gospel.
Other face restrictions on church activities in their rented facilities, and non-Christians landlords frequently cancel their leases at the least provocation. Many churches are under constant surveillance and harassment by anti-Christian groups because they meet in rented public places.
Any of these things makes it difficult for a pastor to build a solid work, disciple new believers and welcome visitors. What these churches need is their own church home where the believers can grow in their faith and all can worship Jesus without interference.
Although congregations like Pastor Vinda’s cannot meet the entire cost, they are eager to contribute land, material and labor to make “God’s House” a reality in their communities. So Gospel for Asia prayerfully encourages them to proceed with the construction of their church building as far as they possibly can. Again and again I have seen that there is no lack of willingness to sacrifice and work hard for this cause among these first-generation believers!
But the reality is that these believers, mostly Dalits, are desperately poor and cannot finish their church home without help.
So today, I want to ask you to help them.
The church buildings we build on the mission field are simple, concrete-and-brick structures that fit well within their culture and seat about 300 people, which is sufficient for their growing needs. And the cost of one church building comes to about 13200$
This is where God gives us the opportunity to function as the Body of Christ and help meet the needs of our dear brothers and sisters half a world away.
Just think, your gift … will actually help bless one of these Asian congregations with its own place of meeting, worship and ministry –perhaps for the very first time!
And somewhere in Asia, your love and generosity will be the cause of mush rejoicing and praising God from the hearts and lips of those the Lord so recently redeemed by His grace.
K.P. Yohannan
President & Founder of Gospel for Asia www.gfa.org
If you’d like to give, please send the money to
245 King Street E, Stoney Creek, ON L8G 1L9
Or give to this month “Bank for Native Missionaries” all the monies will be sent at the end of the month to Gospel for Asia towards a church building in Asia. As of June 8, 2006 we are at 8$. Thank you in advance!
See www.banknm.blogspot.com for more details on why and how to send help.
Right now, Pastor Vinda’s church is just one of more than 1000 on the mission field that urgently need their own buildings. …
Besides running out of space, there are other pressing reasons why churches in Asia need their own worship places. Some are unable to rent meeting places at all because they are located in areas hostile to the Gospel.
Other face restrictions on church activities in their rented facilities, and non-Christians landlords frequently cancel their leases at the least provocation. Many churches are under constant surveillance and harassment by anti-Christian groups because they meet in rented public places.
Any of these things makes it difficult for a pastor to build a solid work, disciple new believers and welcome visitors. What these churches need is their own church home where the believers can grow in their faith and all can worship Jesus without interference.
Although congregations like Pastor Vinda’s cannot meet the entire cost, they are eager to contribute land, material and labor to make “God’s House” a reality in their communities. So Gospel for Asia prayerfully encourages them to proceed with the construction of their church building as far as they possibly can. Again and again I have seen that there is no lack of willingness to sacrifice and work hard for this cause among these first-generation believers!
But the reality is that these believers, mostly Dalits, are desperately poor and cannot finish their church home without help.
So today, I want to ask you to help them.
The church buildings we build on the mission field are simple, concrete-and-brick structures that fit well within their culture and seat about 300 people, which is sufficient for their growing needs. And the cost of one church building comes to about 13200$
This is where God gives us the opportunity to function as the Body of Christ and help meet the needs of our dear brothers and sisters half a world away.
Just think, your gift … will actually help bless one of these Asian congregations with its own place of meeting, worship and ministry –perhaps for the very first time!
And somewhere in Asia, your love and generosity will be the cause of mush rejoicing and praising God from the hearts and lips of those the Lord so recently redeemed by His grace.
K.P. Yohannan
President & Founder of Gospel for Asia www.gfa.org
If you’d like to give, please send the money to
245 King Street E, Stoney Creek, ON L8G 1L9
Or give to this month “Bank for Native Missionaries” all the monies will be sent at the end of the month to Gospel for Asia towards a church building in Asia. As of June 8, 2006 we are at 8$. Thank you in advance!
See www.banknm.blogspot.com for more details on why and how to send help.
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Peace.
It was not before coming to Saskatchewan that I realized how “peace” was an important value among Christians. Well I say this very carefully, but this so-called peace is not the shalom God has in mind for His children or the kind of peace Jesus preached. What I am saying is that we Christians want to keep our communities, our work places (if Christian), our churches at peace, this desire is good, but the way we actually “produce” this peace among Christians, is often wrong. Here are some things I’ve figured:
- To avoid conflict is one way to keep everyone at peace;
- To agree with everything someone says keeps our relationship at peace (but it’s fine if I turn around and gossip about this person);
- People and relationships must look peaceful and good from the outside, what’s really going on inside is a different story and that’s fine, we’re at peace!
I’ve been reading in the prophets for a while and I’ve never encountered a passage where God tells a prophet to keep quiet about some people’s sins, because peace would be disturbed and the prophet might look bad in the eyes of these people. Rather, God said that if the prophet would keep quiet, the blood of the people He was about to judge would be on the prophet’s head (see Ezekiel 3:17-19).
Yes we are called to live at peace, but Jesus does not mean “outward” peace, He means real, genuine shalom. If we want to live at peace with our fellow brothers and sisters, we need to deal with them in ways that are “Jesus like”. It requires honesty, humility, selflessness and love… not only from others, but first of all, from ourselves. Peace is no peace at all when our hearts are bitter and our faces are happy. We are fake. When there is a issue, a conflict among us, it doesn’t mean we’re ungodly or “unspiritual”, the way we deal with other people’s mistakes, sins, the way we forgive or not, the way we think about things that frustrate us, will tell if we are truly seeking real peace or simply wanting to take a shortcut to fake peace, building bitterness inside, this I call “immaturity”.
After searching our hearts and finding why we feel the way we do, let’s not be scarred to open up and be seen as we are. Let’s just be honest and true with one another, let’s seek real peace, working through conflicts in godly, mature ways. No body is perfect but we need to be real and stop being so proud about ourselves.
Bank for Native Missionaries: 8$ as of June 7, 2006. www.banknm.blogspot.com
- To avoid conflict is one way to keep everyone at peace;
- To agree with everything someone says keeps our relationship at peace (but it’s fine if I turn around and gossip about this person);
- People and relationships must look peaceful and good from the outside, what’s really going on inside is a different story and that’s fine, we’re at peace!
I’ve been reading in the prophets for a while and I’ve never encountered a passage where God tells a prophet to keep quiet about some people’s sins, because peace would be disturbed and the prophet might look bad in the eyes of these people. Rather, God said that if the prophet would keep quiet, the blood of the people He was about to judge would be on the prophet’s head (see Ezekiel 3:17-19).
Yes we are called to live at peace, but Jesus does not mean “outward” peace, He means real, genuine shalom. If we want to live at peace with our fellow brothers and sisters, we need to deal with them in ways that are “Jesus like”. It requires honesty, humility, selflessness and love… not only from others, but first of all, from ourselves. Peace is no peace at all when our hearts are bitter and our faces are happy. We are fake. When there is a issue, a conflict among us, it doesn’t mean we’re ungodly or “unspiritual”, the way we deal with other people’s mistakes, sins, the way we forgive or not, the way we think about things that frustrate us, will tell if we are truly seeking real peace or simply wanting to take a shortcut to fake peace, building bitterness inside, this I call “immaturity”.
After searching our hearts and finding why we feel the way we do, let’s not be scarred to open up and be seen as we are. Let’s just be honest and true with one another, let’s seek real peace, working through conflicts in godly, mature ways. No body is perfect but we need to be real and stop being so proud about ourselves.
Bank for Native Missionaries: 8$ as of June 7, 2006. www.banknm.blogspot.com
Monday, June 05, 2006
Right Now
Since a long while I couldn’t come up with something to meditate on in my morning readings in the Word of God. I don’t know why, maybe there was nothing to be found, or maybe I was not listening to God’s Spirit who wanted to teach me, maybe it’s not it at all. I do have my ups and downs in my readings and I often feel like it’s been useless, just a routine but sometimes it’s good.
This morning I wrote “NOW” on my right arm. I read in Ezekiel 33 and it gave me peace. Verse 12 says, “… The righteousness of the righteous man will not save him when he disobeys, and the wickedness of the wicked man will not cause him to fall when he turns from it.” God is a God of right now, today. This verse sounds unfair to the ears of the fallen righteous people but it sets the repentant wicked people free. God doesn’t care about what I did yesterday or 10 years ago for Him (although He does) what He cares for the most is my right now, my today.
If I choose today to do as I desire instead of obeying God, I can’t lean on the devotion and the righteous stuff I did in the past, God will deal with me according to what I choose to do right now. In the same way, but somehow the opposite, if I turn to God in spite of yesterday’s sins and do what God asks me to do, God does not deal with me according to the past, but to what I choose to do right now.
I think it’s a real encouragement to know that our God is a God in the present. Yes, He knows what is behind and what is ahead of me and the way I’ll finish the race, but He walks with me day by day and always offers me to obey Him, to have peace, everyday, every time I turn to Him.
Bank for Native Missionaries: 0$ as of June 5, 2006 www. banknm.blogspot.com
There is now a “Prayer Requests” spot at the right of this page. I’ll be sharing different prayer requests I have, feel free to pray for me. If any of you would like to post his/her prayer requests with mine, please email them to me, it would be my joy to pray for you and post them here.
Saturday, June 03, 2006
Strong Statements
God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering my son. – Abraham to Isaac, Genesis 22:8
I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The Lord will rule over you. – Gideon, Judges 8:23
Even if Balak gave me his palace filled with silver and gold, I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of the Lord my God. – Balaam to Balak’s messengers, Numbers 22:18
You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will hand you over to me, and I’ll strike you down and cutt off your head. Today I will give the carcases of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands. – David to Goliath, I Samuel 17:45
How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; bit if Baal is God, follow him. – Elijah to the Israelites, I Kings 18:21
And if I perish, I perish. – Esther to Mordecai, Esther 4:16
Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised. – Job, Job 1:21
Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore stand in awe of God. – Solomon, Ecclesiastes 5:7
We do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up. – Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to king Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel 3:16-18
Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord – God through Joel, Joel 2:13
My favourite one is David to Goliath. I remember reading this passage shivering, not from being cold, but just because these words are so full of faith, so strong, just because our God is really glorious and no one can dare to stand against Him, the Almighty.
I find that reading verses like that creates in me a higher “ideal”, a stronger desire to trust and obey God. For sure, I am not called to says such things right now in my life. My life isn’t not threatened if I speak God’s Word to people, the fate of my nation doesn’t depend on my actions, I am not in trouble like that. But I am faced with small acts of faith compared to these great examples of the Bible. But it’s all about faith in God, knowing that He will act. It’s about being persuaded.
Bank for Native Missionaries: 0$ as of June 3 2006. www.banknm.blogspot.com
I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The Lord will rule over you. – Gideon, Judges 8:23
Even if Balak gave me his palace filled with silver and gold, I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of the Lord my God. – Balaam to Balak’s messengers, Numbers 22:18
You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will hand you over to me, and I’ll strike you down and cutt off your head. Today I will give the carcases of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands. – David to Goliath, I Samuel 17:45
How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; bit if Baal is God, follow him. – Elijah to the Israelites, I Kings 18:21
And if I perish, I perish. – Esther to Mordecai, Esther 4:16
Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised. – Job, Job 1:21
Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore stand in awe of God. – Solomon, Ecclesiastes 5:7
We do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up. – Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to king Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel 3:16-18
Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord – God through Joel, Joel 2:13
My favourite one is David to Goliath. I remember reading this passage shivering, not from being cold, but just because these words are so full of faith, so strong, just because our God is really glorious and no one can dare to stand against Him, the Almighty.
I find that reading verses like that creates in me a higher “ideal”, a stronger desire to trust and obey God. For sure, I am not called to says such things right now in my life. My life isn’t not threatened if I speak God’s Word to people, the fate of my nation doesn’t depend on my actions, I am not in trouble like that. But I am faced with small acts of faith compared to these great examples of the Bible. But it’s all about faith in God, knowing that He will act. It’s about being persuaded.
Bank for Native Missionaries: 0$ as of June 3 2006. www.banknm.blogspot.com
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