September - December
Am I willing to step out of the crowd, am I willing to put my own desires aside for Christ? I have been so challenged over the past few months with these thoughts. Where is my zeal for Christ, am I sold out for Christ? Am I learning from Him, am I being obedient, am I being changed, am I committed to His glory? Have I surrendered to Christ and His sovereign Lordship over every aspect of who I am - not on my terms but on His terms. Am I willing to take up my cross and follow Him? I am convinced that Christ is calling me to follow Him fervently. My life, all that I have, all that I desire - all are His. He bought my soul, He gave His life for me. This is the only life that I have - I want to be spent for Christ. I desire to be led by Him, I desire to be directed and used by Him in whatever I do. Is this not what a Holy God demands? How can we hide from a God who knows and see"s everything? Yielding to Christ, surrendering to Him involves more than just an emotion - it involves action. I want to be moved into action!
Recently, a few of us from ICBM were able to go on a missions trip to Mozambique. I remind myself over and over again, just how privileged I am to go and be a part of what God is doing among other people groups. Every time I get to minister with and alongside people within a new culture, where there are language barriers - I realize just how much hard work it is.We met up with two missionary couple's who were previously serving in their local Churches and teaching at the Word of Life Bible Institute in Brasil; before they were led to be missionaries in Mozambique. Carlos, a former pastor and elder of a local church in Brazil for over 20 years left what was comfortable for him and he together with his wife; they followed the call to missionary work. He went beyond his Jerusalem (Brazil), beyond Judea and into Mozambique(which is now his Samaria). Ministry he said was versatile - you never know what you will be doing as a missionary. One day you may need to meet with people, you may need to deliver a message, do admin, complete practical tasks, counsel people. A man who is flexible and willing can be used by God in Missions. One lesson I learnt was that in order for one to be flexible, one must first be humbled. Pride is such a big problem - it really brings about division and disunity - relationaly this is one of our biggest challenges when working with people. When you are involved with God's work - the enemy will come and attempt to destroy ! Unless you are humbled, you can not be dependent on God. Unless you are moved to love, your works are pointless. We were a group from diverse backgrounds and it could have been so easy for us, to work against one another. But Christ was our focus, and the Holy Spirit our guide, and God our defender! What a blessed experience, what a privilege to learn from others, to see what I saw and not be changed is impossible. To see them persevering, despite the difficulties,to see them labor - hour in and hour out. They press on, they love, they suffer,they sacrifice with joy because of their love for Christ , for the furtherance of His kingdom and the spread of His Gospel.
In my last letter I asked that you pray for my pre finals. Praise the Lord I passed with good marks - what an answer to prayer. I would like to ask you to please pray for my final exams, we write this week and I have been struggling to focus( it has been a long year). Also pray for the next two months, that I would work as one who works for the Lord. That I would not grow weary in doing good. I worked in Oncology recently and it was such an amazing privilege. It is not an easy thing to see people hopeless, with no good news - just waiting for their turn to die but it was such an eye opener once again to the reality of death. To consider that Christ has conquered death and sin, and the fact that He has accomplished that and we can know that and experience that victory. What a wonderful truth to have in our hands - Holding such an awesome Gospel in front of a person who's prognosis is bad brings such peace and joy to hopelessness. I praise the Lord that I can share my faith so openly without persecution but I know that Christ is calling me to suffer for His name - daily I follow Him in obedience, no matter what the cost. He is my rock and my salvation - I shall not be shaken!
