Seasons are changing

There is a time for everything,

and a season for every activity under heaven...

Ecclesiastes 3:1

We have been so blessed with 6 months of beautiful weather.   The seasons are changing and I am finding more of God's beauty as the rain refreshes the jungles.   It seems like things are coming alive in front of our eyes.   It is such an amazing experience.   The colors are so vivid and the wild life so prevelaint that you can't help, but be in awe of God's creation.

The people here have so many fears related to animals, rain, and the land.   It breaks my heart that they are living in fear of something that is so magnificantly created.

God saw all that he had made, 

and it was very good.   

Genesis 1:31

Even the Christians we work with, when asked will admitt to still being in bondage to these fears and falsehoods.   They have not truly found their freedom in Christ.  My heart breaks for these people.   I pray that their eyes will be opened and their hearts opened to the truth!

As the season changes here and rainy season begins to settle in the lagoon in front of our house at times turns a bright red/orange color.   We have heard so many reasons for this that are so far from the truth.   The children are terrified of it.   They fear birdhouses because they could house a dwarf that steals the children.   Owls are feared as well.   It is so sad to live in a fear based culture where they can not enjoy the pleasant things that God has given us.

Please join me in praying for these people held in a bondange that only true faith in Christ can save them from.   Pray that those that already have the knowledge of Christ will come to completly understand what a relationship with Christ means. 

  

The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear?  

The Lord is the defense of my life. Whom shall I dread?

When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh,

My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell.

Though a host encamp against me, My heart will not fear;

Though war arise against me, In spite of this I shall be confident.

One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek:

That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,

To behold the beauty of the Lord and to meditate in His temple.

For in the day of trouble, He will hide me in His tabernacle;

In the secret place of His tent He will hide me;

He will lift me up on a rock.

And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me,

And I will offer in His tent sacrafices with shouts of joy;

I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.

Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice, And be gracious to me and answer me.

When You said "Seek My face," my heart said to You 

"Your face, O Lord, I shall seek." ...

Psalms 27: 1-8

God is our Manna

These last few days and even weeks have been a constant battle on a spiritual level. We have faced so many new challenges and obstacles and it seems that each time the devil is there quickly encouraging defeat and surrender. It is during those times that we see it creeping into our lives and creating problems. We must focus daily on the Lord and stay in His word. We are doing something that God called us to do and God will see us through.

We are trying to be as frugal as possible, but at the same time it has been a necessary evil to buy things we will need to live in the jungles. We have prayed over every item and sometimes have spent weeks waiting for it to go on sale or find it in a discount store.

Today I was reminded of the following scripture when we were given a blessing by someone who had nothing to give, but selflessly gave anyway. This lady is herself facing many challenges, but wants to share God's blessings to her with us. God is our manna. He is enough. We have been and will continually be tested and no, we will not always gracefully handle the challenges, but as long as we are seeking God's will for our life we will be blessed.

Deuteronomy 8:2-4 (ESV)
You shall remember the whole way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. Your clothing did not wear out on you and your foot did not swell these forty years

How amazing is that? God is truly amazing. We are so humbled by the blessings he is allowing us so that we can spread the gospel.