Okay, there has been a bit of a blogging drought due to the Zambia trip but we are back! I should have some pictures up on the website within a week or so. Thank you to all those who prayed for us. God was faithful to keep us physically, meet us personally, use us publicly, and bear fruit eternally. For all those that stayed back with “the stuff” but were with us in Spirit–that fruit is to your account as well.
Thanks again!
The Psalmist believed God’s word was true (Psalm 119: 42, 89, 96, 142, 160). He knew the Scriptures demanded what was right (Psalm 119:75, 86, 128, 137) and provided what was good (Psalm 119:1, 2, 6, 9, 24, 98-100, 105, 130). He delighted in God’s word (Psalm 119: 14, 24, 47, 70, 77, 103, 111, 129, 143, 174). He desired God’s word (Psalm 119:5, 10, 17, 20, 27, 29, 33-35, 40, 131, 135, 169). He depended on God’s word (Psalm 119:31, 50, 52). In other words, the Psalmist believed what we should believe about the word and felt what we should feel about the word.
And notice what happened as a result. When all this underground pressure of believing and feeling explode on to the surface it makes a splash. Our thoughts and our affections concerning the word of God can’t help but burst forth as a geyser of Spirit-led activity.
So what do Christians do when they believe and feel about the word of God rightly?
1. They sing (Psalm 119:172).
2. They speak (Psalm 119:13, 46, 79).
3. They study (Psalm 119:15, 48, 97, 148).
4. They store up (Psalm 119:11, 16, 83, 93, 148).
5. They obey the word (Psalm 119: 8, 44, 57, 129, 145, 146, 167, 168).
6. They praise God (Psalm 119:7, 62, 164, 171).
7. They pray for help (Psalm 119: 36, 58, 121-23, 147, 149-52, 153-60, 175-76).
These seven actions are the best indicator of what you and really believe and feel about God’s word. If you do these things, you probably believe what is right even if you can’t quite explain it; you probably have your affections in order even if they don’t always feel like much. And on the other hand, if there is no geyser bursting forth into these kinds of activities, you probably don’t feel what you should or really believe all that is true.
Sing, speak, study, store up, obey, praise, pray. That’s what Christians do with the word of God.
For all of you who are unable to come along with the team this year, please be part of what the Lord is doing in Zambia by praying. Remember to be praying for both our hearts, the hearts of the saints at Calvary Chapel Ndola and the hearts of all those we will be ministering to. Here is a basic outline of what we will be doing.
June 14th–Leaving from Calvary and flying out of JFK
June 15th–Arriving in Lusaka (capital of Zambia) around 3pm and after making a few preparations taking a five hour bus ride to Ndola.
June 16th–Prep for the week, gather with the church and teach through Daniel 1-3 (they want us to teach the whole book while we are there).
June 17th–Sunday services Dan. 4-5. Prayer meeting with the church at night for the ministry of the week ahead. Dan. 6
June 18th–Chichetekelo Hospice outreach and Daniel 7
June 19th–Ndola Central Hospital; Arthur Davidson’s Childrens Hospital, and a mother’s shelter. Dan. 8
June 20th–Two different prisons. Dan. 9
June 21st–Sports day with the church, Mitanda home for the aged. Dan. 10
June 22nd–Evangelism in the marketplace and Dan. 11
June 23rd–Evangelism in the marketplace and Dan. 12
June 24th–Sunday services and dinner + prayer with the church
June 25th-26th–Mukambi Safari Lodge
June 27-28–Drive back to Lusaka and team up with orphanage ministry.
June 29–Pick up some souvenirs and fly out!
June 30th–Arrive home and tell you all stories of the good things God has done.
Of course this is all subject to change if God would have it. Please remember us!
When we say the times are worldly, we mean that people are always thinking of and loving things they see—things seen, things temporal, things that profit them here and are not much set by in heaven. These are times when people think of riches, honor, power, happiness, and mirth; of life and health and good spirits; of elegance and comfort; of beauty, love and prosperity; of eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage. There are times when people do not think of death, of judgment, of baptism, of Bibles, of churches, of communion, of constant prayer, of fasting and watching, of self-denial and hard penance.
Worldly times are times when all the world, but a few, seem to have agreed with each other to forget all these things, and to say nothing about them—not to take the trouble to deny them, but simply to forget them. This is worldliness.