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 Midnight Cry MessengerVolume LIII: Number 4 -- October-November-December, 2008Left: Great fellowship mailing the MCM!
Editor's LetterDear Saints, Greetings to all in the wonderful name of Jesus! As I write this we are embarking on yet another new year, looking to the Lord. This past year has certainly been a turbulent and difficult one for planet earth. Along with continued armed conflicts we have seen a significant shaking in the world of finance, one that is probably not over. I am sure glad that my hope is not in this present world but in Christ and the world to come. He is on the throne and whatever He allows to take place here, everything is working towards a wonderful and eternal end for all who have put their trust in Him. His grace is sufficient and nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ. 2 Cor. 12:9, Rom. 8:39. The fall was a busy time as always. Bro. Jimmy Robbins and I made the return trip to the Philippines that I mentioned in the last MCM. We traveled in early November and all of the ministry was in the Davao area this time. There were three very different kinds of ministry that the Lord arranged. The first one was a youth camp attended by about 150 very enthusiastic young people. They had a great time in their recreational activities as young people will. Of course, the most important thing is that I believe there will be a spiritual impact on many lives that will be reflected in eternity. God was faithful to help us in spite of weakness to share many basic and relevant truths with good attention from the listeners. A second type of ministry consisted of outreaches into poor areas where food was distributed and simple gospel messages shared. We trust that these outreaches will open doors of opportunity for the Lord to reach many souls with the hope that is in Christ. In one outreach in a mountain area there were more than 1300 small food packages given out to precious people of every description, children, young mothers with infants, the very old, and everyone in between. It is hard for people used to plenty to imagine what it must be like for people to live in the kind of poverty we saw. Some of the people walked many kilometers for a small package containing about a kilo (2.2 pounds) of rice with some noodles and sardines. The Lord helped us to give out very simple gospel messages about the bread of life that gives eternal life. We also visited a very poor community a short distance from a large modern mall and were blessed and touched in our contacts with the people. The third kind of ministry consisted of a conference in the local church there. The requested topic was “eschatology” or teaching about the end of the age. The Lord helped us greatly and I particularly sensed an unusual Spirit of revelation as we shared God’s word. It seems that most of the people in that area have long been schooled in the theories of dispensationalism, focusing on the so-called “rapture” as well as on the Jews and their supposed future. How simple are the words of Jesus and the apostles which portray the Lord coming back (once!) to gather His own and rain judgment on this evil world. We returned tired but thankful (jet-lag is real!) just in time for our November Meeting here in Southern Pines. What a wonderful time of blessing and fellowship it was! Two brothers and a sister from India were able to join us and we enjoyed them greatly. As we look ahead we have only one plan: to seek the Lord and do what He says! I pray that each one of you will be much blessed in the coming year. Your brother in Christ, |
