Christmas 2016The last few months have been full. Christmas activities included a Christmas Tea, taking in a Christmas Service in Berlin, and our regular service on Christmas Day.

Skyler was able to be home with us at Christmas and we were also blessed to include R…., a refugee convert, in our family celebrations. It was his first time to celebrate the birth of his Lord and Savior. He was taken back by the giving spirit that embodies Christmas. His gifts were a combination of gifts given by our family, church family and members of our support team in America who gave extra.

A witness for Christ will have the proverbial door shut in their face.  This can be a friendship that grows cold or a family member that chides for “always talking about God”.  It can also be in the form of alienization from social groups and celebrations.  Job advancements can be affected and even terminated by simply representing Christ openly.  This reality has been documented throughout history and demonstrated in the present. 

StadtfestThe first one has left the nest. Soon after school vacation, we took Skyler to Berlin and dropped him off at college. Releasing him was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. He is tenderhearted, combined with a strong sense of duty. We are very excited to see him seeking and following the Lord's leadership for his life. Please pray for him.

 

R....has also missed Skyler’s companionship and fellowship. We are continually encouraged by R….’s continued learning and growth. He has served as an example to others who are "comfortable" in their faith. His discipleship to this point has covered the teachings of Salvation, Eternal Security, The Spiritual Battle and the Holy Spirit. This last week he suggested an apologetical answer to a response we received to the Persian tract which he helped to develop.

Reject the lie! The ulimate romantic lie is the idea that any person can ever fulfill the absence of the creator.  No human relationship, in a God vacuum, will ever result in contentment.  It is unfair, foolish and naive to expect a human to replace the Almighty.  God(love) is the third party, which is the essence, who makes “for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part” achievable.  Marriage is a triad!   Don’t deceive yourself by thinking it is just between the two of you!

God created man free:

“And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.” Gen 1:29

Satan laid the trap:

“And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:  For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.”  Gen 3:4-5 

MemraJewish sages say, "Memra…"

But they have missed the fact...

Jesus is the first and the last letter. He is the Word of creation. By Him, the Aleph/Tav, all things were made and by Him they consist. He is Memra – the creation WORD! He is God! (Col 1:16-17, John 1, Php 2:6)

 Isa 44:6 Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his REDEEMER the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.

Isa 48:12 Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.

There is nothing quite so nourishing to the soul of a Christian as seeing the light and excitement of a young disciple discovering a truth and growing in the faith of the Lord Jesus.   I love to see our two young converts grow in faith.  We will baptize them in a few weeks.  Yesterday was our first session after the two met with the Judge to determine their status as to whether they can stay in Germany.  Please pray for A… as his meeting didn’t go as well as R…’s meeting.  At the very least, A… needs prayer.  He is a sweet shepherd and the whirlwind of stress that he has been thrown into is often overwhelming.  Please pray that the Judge will decide in their favor.  Sending these two converts back to the middle east would be a death sentence for them.  Below is the graphic we designed for our first tract in Persian.

 



It illustrates Jesus preaching; "repent and believe the gospel" and Ephesians 2;8-9.  God's grace (Zeraphat) comes and brings salvation (Nejat) to those who repent (Tobe) of sin and believe (Eteghad) in Jesus the Messiah.

 

 

 

Serenity gave a super testimony in which she shared the Gospel and her faith walk with the Lord to a full house at her Modern Day Princess Ceremony.  Many who were amazed as to the scriptural depth and maturity were also surprised to learn that she wrote her speech without any pastoral oversight.

 

 

My mother came to visit us for two months.  What a blessing!

Today the husband of the lady that has been helping me in my quest to learn Hebrew called me Rabbi.  What a cool honor!  I have been visiting their little restaurant which serves of all things, Turkish “Döner” sandwiches.  God continues to give me favor in their eyes.  Please pray that God’s Spirit will use the gospel presented to give rise to faith in Jesus!   It is so exciting to see the eureka moments as I open the Old Testaments pictures of Christ to my Jewish friends.

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