One night when I went to give a discipleship lesson, I found that the couple had just gotten a new little dog. He’d been suddenly taken from his familiar environment where he’d lived all his 3 years and was feeling very unsure and insecure in this new situation. For some reason he would not go to the two females in the house but jumped up on the man’s lap for a bit, then onto mine where he snuggled down and stayed for the whole lesson. Somehow he felt safe there, and enjoyed the scratching I gave him.

So it is with us and you, Lord. No matter how challenging our situation or how dangerous and painful the happenings in our life may be, we can snuggle down in your embrace, knowing that you have already prepared a path through whatever is facing us, that you will accompany us along the way, carrying us through. You have a plan, you are faithful, you will carry it out. “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for you are with me….” Psalm 23

The only element we must add in any situation is trust, based on our knowledge of who you are; then you will pour peace, joy and hope into our lives (Rom. 15:13), along with more than enough grace (undeserved help) to move through any circumstance with power (the definition of “endurance.”) “Trust in Him at all times, O people, pour out your hearts to Him, for He is our refuge.” Psalm 62:8.

I praise you now, Lord Jesus, for the day you have laid out before me. Help me to keep on the full armor you have provided, to trust you by getting up the shield of faith through offering the sacrifice of thanksgiving and to join you in what you are doing so that I may give you more and more honor each day.

[News: Barbara is home from the hospital and is much better!]

Another way of revealing Him to others is to share what we are learning as we read, study, memorize and meditate on Scripture. The insights and understandings He brings are far above human thinking and help us shift from a natural worldview to a biblical one.

For instance, in 1 Peter 1, where I am re-memorizing now, it says that trials come to us to test the genuineness of our faith (are we responding with the sacrifice of thanksgiving, trusting God, or do we complain, revealing the falseness of our faith?). Every negative event is a test and a chance to reject our natural response, to trust and grow.

But there is a further reason for trials: if we respond with faith, then when Jesus is revealed at the end of time, we will be given praise, honor and glory by God Himself!

That’s a worldview shift–moving from the momentary, myopic, me-centered goal of being comfortable, to the wide, high and deep understanding of how this particular discomfort fits into God’s great scheme for ending history and ushering in an eternity where He will share His glory with those who have lived by faith here.

This is the call for us to fix our eyes on Jesus, who for the joy that was set before Him—the joy of redeeming all mankind, pleasing the Father, being glorified as the Savior, ending evil and ruling forever in righteousness–endured the cross, despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God (Heb. 12:2).

Even in writing this, I am glorifying God, revealing to you, more of His powerful and pristine Character, helping you to worship Him more and better. May we be aware of the everyday opportunities to reveal God’s glory to those around us by praise, by offering the sacrifice of thanksgiving, by noting and sharing God sightings, and by sharing what we are learning at the feet of the Holy Spirit.

First, I just came home from spending the day at the hospital with my little wife, Barbara. She has a serious urinary infection that led to sepsis, a life threatening condition. Last night when I dragged her to the emergency room (she does NOT like to go there!) her temperature was 91, which really concerned the doctor. she was also very dehydrated.

Those conditions led to weakness, unsteadiness and confusion. So they immediately began hydration and after blood tests, intravenous antibiotics.

Today was her first full day in the hospital and there hasn’t been much improvement. I would like to ask you to pray for a full and speedy recovery, back to at least her pre-infection state.

Second, continue to prayer for the first stage relief work for the Turks who suffered in the earthquakes earlier this month.

Two pieces of news struck me. Since the first quake occurred about 4 am, many people lept out of bed and ran from their homes into freezing weather without socks or shoes!

The city of Antioch had a population of 1.6 million, half the population of Connecticut. 95 percent of the buildings were destroyed. The loss of life in that one city must be huge, although many will never be found.

Pray for food, shelter, heat and medical care for these poor, destitute people. Also pray for help in processing their sorrow and grief at these tragic losses

Third, continue to pray for a just and positive end to the war in Ukraine. And for many to find spiritual awakening in their suffering and trauma.

The most we can do is pray, the Word says in James, “You have not because you ask not.” Thank you for praying

Picture: Barbara in better days.

Another person who joined us in the fellowship start was Robert, who had a sister and brother-in-law who came to Christ in another city through the correspondence course. Robert’s sister had talked with him at length about spiritual things, andh e went to the small meeting his sister attended and was impressed with the message.

When he returned to our city, his sister gave him the address of one of our collogues.  Robert got in touch with him and after some weeks of Bible study, Robert made his commitment to Christ.

A fourth fellow, Chris, actually was led to the Lord by some-one in Salvation Fellowship, but he wanted a smaller fellowship. He met us through the bookstore and joined.

The last new believer, Sam, came to us through a chance contact with another one of our colleagues, an aggressive evangelist. He dragged Sam to one of the early gatherings and it was obvious that Sam was not happy to be there. However, as time went on he began to attend on his own, and became the fifth member.

These five were joined by two sisters who had gone to the Anglicans looking for potential husbands, but instead had met one of our lady teammates. She invited them to a bookstore event where they heard the gospel and shortly thereafter made commitments of faith.  So “Light Fellowship” was launched.

As with other such beginnings, we met in homes. One major goal was to develop leadership and out of these five male believers, four were potential elders and one possibly a deacon.

This was an unusual situation to start with. In the previous plant, the early believers had been very much fringe people. I earlier described them as starting their spiritual life at minus 22.  Our five new believers were starting at about minus five and some moved forward rapidly.

The enemy was not slow in seeking to torpedo this new work, however. A worker from another group brought a young fellow who claimed to be a believer. He attended regularly but since his earliest contacts had been with the Catholics, he began to draw the others in that direction.  Over time, Falcon and Chris left us for the Catholics.  Falcon said he was more comfortable there because he never had to take any responsibility, and if he didn’t come one Sunday, no one asked him why.    Chris had other reasons: he wanted to get to Europe, and the priest promised to help him with that, while we did not.

In the founding of Light Fellowship we did a lot of things right, but we also made one big mistake. In focusing on leadership development, we failed to keep up the momentum of outreach. It is a fact that for a fellowship to “take off” there needs to be a “critical mass” of fifteen to twenty committed believers. We never did reach that number and eventually after we left, “Light” fizzled and was closed down. That was a sad event for me; it was the “death of a vision.” On the positive side, however, most of the believers from Light have joined other fellowships and continue to grow in their spiritual life, which is a great encouragement.

I am praying for a “resurrection” of Light Fellowship, clinging to the promise in Psalm 1:3, given to the one who delights in the law of the Lord and meditates on it day and night:  “He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.”   That phrase, “Whatever he does prospers,” is what stands out to me.  May Light Fellowship prosper in whatever way the Lord chooses!

Picture: picnic event of Light Fellowship

Further thoughts on Psalm 15:1-5

Jesus is the perfect Paragon of excellence, the sinless Savior and supreme Shepherd, the marvelous and majestic Maker and Founder of our faith. As we read through Psalm 15, every quality the LORD requires for dwelling in His sanctuary is found in Jesus.

Psalm 15:1-2 “LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? He whose walk is blameless”

[I praise you, Lord Jesus, that you are blameless. In you there is no sin, no evil, no slipping into error, no darkness, no injustice or rebellion; you are without blame, without accusation, without sin. Praise you for your perfection, your purity, your pristineness, that you are the summation of all virtues.]

“and who does what is righteous,”

[All you have done and always will do is right, Lord Jesus, there is no error in your ways, no wrong, no fault, no unrighteousness. Therefore, you are absolutely trustable and believable in your faithfulness and goodness.]

“who speaks the truth from his heart”

[You are Truth itself and therefore speak only Truth from the center of your being. All you say is true, right, correct, positive and good.]

Psalm 15:3 He “has no slander on his tongue,”

[When you judge, Lord Jesus, it is correct, it is spoken to the right person with the right motive at the right time in the right way. There is no malice, selfishness, evil motive or wrong desire in your speech. Instead, you speak correctly to convict, to bring repentance, to restore and lead, giving light, love and life.]

“who does his neighbor no wrong”

[You only do what is positive and pure, helpful and good. To live with you is to experience the light of your goodness, the power of your purity and the provision of your positiveness.]

“and casts no slur on his fellowman,”

[You never speak unjustly, you never maliciously cut people down, or try to put them in a bad light. In fact, as the good Shepherd, you will work to protect people rather than expose them to ridicule. You always first nudge us towards repentance before having someone come and confront us.]

to be continued