Tuesday, January 19, 2021

January 2021 Update

 Happy New Year! I hope everyone is going well. I greatly appreciate your praying for me and for the work in Colombia. As we start a new year, may we keep on trusting our Lord who is in control of all things. If the craziness of 2020 continues on into 2021, we know that Christ remains on His throne. 

In December, I was able to fly back to the States for a few weeks for Christmas. I am grateful for the time away and the opportunity to see family and friends. I had to extend my stay a few days because of new regulations. I had to get a covid test to fly. The results came back negative, so there was no issue with that. But now Bogota has re-instated quarantine restrictions. As a result, I am limited as to how much I can move about the city. I can only go out every other day. Pray that these restrictions do not last long.

 

I have not yet been able to visit the Wounaan. I have made a few phone calls, but I hope to be able visit soon. I have been able to visit “Levi” and bring some food to his family. The whole quarantine situations continue to be really difficult on the indigenous. Please pray for relief. Also pray that many will come to know Christ and find hope in Him. 

Please continue to pray for “Ted and Amy.” Amy’s health is failing and doesn’t have long to live. She has been moved to a hospital, so I have not been able to visit with her. That Sunday before I went to the States, Ted attended Betania Baptist Church, and I was able to visit with him. Pray for me as I minster to them the hope of the gospel.

Please continue to pray for Leo and Martha in Vaupés. Some new opportunities to ministry have opened up. Please pray that the work there would be fruitful. On January 30, I plan to fly there where I will visit an indigenous community and assist in some training in a church.

 

We plan on doing some chronological Bible storying. The community is several hours away from the town of Mit˙ in the rain forest, part of the way will be on foot. We will stay in the community for several days. Please pray that we the teaching will be fruitful and that we have no significant issues during the trip. It is possible that I will make several trips throughout the year.






1 Timothy 2:1-7

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions so that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.



We are to offer up all sorts of prayers before God—humble petitions, request for assistance, intercessions on behalf of others, expressing gratitude for blessings already received. In this passage, we are instructed particularly to pray for governing authorities (whoever they may be). We are to pray that they might govern in such a way as to create a peaceful context for believers to live godly lives in their communities and love their neighbors and that the gospel may be further proclaimed without hinderance. 

 

In instructing us to pray for all, Pauls expounds upon the redemption we have in Christ. There is, therefore, a missionary focus. The Word tells us there is only one God and only one way of salvation. That one way is through the only Mediator—Christ Jesus. As the God-Man, only Jesus could be our substitute on the cross and satisfy the divine wrath which burned against us. And now, through the proclamation of the gospel, God commands all men everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30). All who come to Christ, resting in the grace and mercy available through the cross, will not be cast out (John 6:37) regardless of their ethnicity, social class, or the egregious nature of their worst sins. The gospel has been opened up for all. That is gloriously good news for sinners like us. Let us continue to be faithful to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to every tribe, nation, and tongue. Let us pray for all that all might come to repentance.

 

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