Does Anyone Notice?

Have you ever wondered if anyone ever notices the little things you do for others? I can guarantee you that someone does!

Matthew 25:37-40 says:

Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, "Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?" And the King will answer and say to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me."

Recently one of our missionary ladies had an interesting discussion with a tribal believer about this passage of scripture. After talking about these verses, her tribal friend said, "I think when God wrote that, He was thinking about me."

When asked why, the tribal lady said, "God really does know all things. He knew when He was on the ground that this time of judgment would come up and the Holy Spirit wrote it all down through Matthew to tell us about it. But, He also knew what we would think and say when we heard His thank you talk like that. As soon as you read those passages, I thought to myself, 'When did I ever see Jesus on this ground and do anything for him? He was here so long ago. Why does he talk like we did something for Him?' I thought like that and then you read the next verse that says that the righteous ones, they asked the same exact question and then the King explained it to them. And now, He has explained it to me, too, because we read it just now."

God continues to build and strengthen His church in Papua New Guinea. This tribal lady is just one example of what He is doing around the world.

Our King most definitely takes notice of the things you are doing for others. One day He will say, "Well, done good and faithful servant."

In the meantime, I too want to express my thanks for all those who pray for me, send me messages of encouragement and contribute financially to my ministry. I am truly blessed with a wonderful team partnering with me in this ministry. Many thanks to all those who are helping me in this ministry of preparing the next generation of missionaries to take the good news of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth.

Bob

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"He Delights In Me"

Song of Solomon 7:10 "I am my beloved's and his desire is toward me." This, we may truly say , is the highest note in the Song of Songs; and yet, we may as truly say it is the lowest. Now the soul is done with itself, and entirely occupied with Christ. It expresses, we believe, the highest apprehension of Christ. "His desire is toward me" –He delights in me. Consequently, self is lost sight of. Grace has done its perfect work -the soul is established in grace. This is the perfection of beauty in the people of the Lord; and always that in which He delights…The bride is all beauty and perfection in His sight; she is clothed in the comeliness of grace. She knows this, and this is the perfect rest of her heart.

"His desire is toward me." Higher than this the soul never can rise… It is finding all in the love, the changeless love, of Christ. This must ever, and only, be the heart's deepest joy and sweetest peace. Oh! Happy state for a poor sinner saved by grace to be in, and to be in now! To find all its fresh springs in the love of Jesus!

To be able to say, "He knows me thoroughly; He knows what I am in myself, what I am in Him, yet nevertheless, He not only loves me, but delights in me." There is nothing beyond this…This ought to be the key-note of all our praise.

And should the song of His love ever become feeble on our lips? Surely it should become stronger and stronger as we near the bright realms of Glory, where the same Jesus, and the same love, shall be our happy song forever.

-A. Miller

The Principle of Discipleship in 2 Timothy 2:2

The Apostle Paul told Timothy, "the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also (2 Tim. 2:2)."

A number of years ago a church was planted among the Dinangat people of Papua New Guinea. Following the principle that Paul taught Timothy, Dinangat Bible teachers have learned how to reach their own people with the good news of Jesus Christ. Today they are laying the foundation to share the gospel with a neighboring village.

It took only one quick slash from a large machete. Suddenly the branch that moments before had been fastened to the tree for life and nourishment, was effectively dead because of its abrupt separation. Using that as an illustration, the Dinangat Bible teachers demonstrated the separation from God that took place when Adam and Eve sinned. When their neighbors saw that branch suddenly and permanently cut off, they were reminded that they were cut off from a holy and righteous God because of their sin. Even though the branch was still green and pliable, no one doubted that once it was separated from the tree, it was dead. The wilting branch was hung in the Dinangat teaching area as a reminder of the lesson on man's separation from God.

The power of that illustration has caused various members of the village to come to the Dinangat Bible teachers, troubled and burdened about their sin.

"I am just like that branch," one of them told the Bible teachers. "Because of my sin, I have been cut off from God. You say there is a promised Deliverer. Can you ask Him to somehow join me back to God?"

The Dinangat believers are excited to share the Good News about Jesus. They explain joyfully to these people that, as they come to hear teaching from God's Word, they will learn how to be joined back to God.

Please pray for this outreach among the Dinangat people. Pray that they will be drawn to the Lord and place their trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ! Pray also for the Dinangat Bible teachers as they teach the gospel to their neighbors.

Pray for us at the Missionary Training Center as we teach faithful men and women to take the gospel to unreached people groups.

Bob

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STORMS OF LIFE
John A. Owston

The problems of life have the potential of being either bane or blessing to us. Even though we may sometimes be like Habakkuk – not completely understanding God's purposes – difficulties can be the means of developing and maturing our faith. An untested faith may be genuine, but it can never be equal to a faith that has gone through the storms of life.

And we know that all things work together for
good to those who love God, to those who are the
called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28