Greetings! I hope you all are doing well. I want to thank each of you for praying for the work God is among the displaced indigenous people in Bogota. Please pray that the word of Christ would speed ahead and be glorified among all peoples, that the gospel would advance throughout the world unhindered, and that those who walk in darkness would see a great light. Let us continue seek to proclaim the good news of our Lord to everyone we can so that others may come to find rest in Christ and full forgiveness in Him. May we trust the simple, bold proclamation of the gospel to birth new life into people bringing the hope of salvation to all peoples.
The majority my work in Bogota focuses on the thousands of displaced indigenous groups living in two parks and two shelters. They are living in poor conditions. There are many physical needs and sickness. And we often help them with those needs. But our main focus has been evangelism, communicating the good news of our Lord. We visit each place multiple times a week. We have recently had teams from Mississippi and Georgia come in for a week to visit the shelters and parks with us. The need here is great. Pray for those living in the parks and shelters. Pray that local churches will see the need and become involved in the work. Pray for us as we build relationships, evangelize, and disciple. Pray that God would give us wisdom as to when and how to conduct relief projects to meet their physical needs. One of the barriers we face is a language barrier. We have been able to create audio resources in one of their languages. So pray that these resources will be useful in communicating the Bible in their own language.
Continue to pray for me and my visits with “Silas” and the Wounaan. ray for us as we study the Gospel of Mark together. Pray for the small Wounaan church. Pray that they might be mobilized to reach their own people with the gospel. Pray for my visits with “Mike” and his family. He continues to have difficulty finding odd jobs here and there to make a meager living to provide for his family. Pray that will clearly communicate the gospel to him in my visits.
Pray for the ministry in Las Cruces too. A small church in the neighborhood is being started. Pray that this young church will grow. On Saturdays, they do an outreach for children. I haven’t been able to be as involved with that work recently due to the indigenous work. But continue to pray that the gospel would advance and for God to do a work there.
My visa is expiring in July. So I have begun the work of its renewal. The visa process has changed over the past few years. Some have had difficulties with renewal. At least one family was unable to obtain renewal and had to move to another country. Please pray that my renewal goes smoothly.
In June, we will have four summer workers (college student) here in Bogota to serve with us with the indigenous. Pray that their work here would be fruitful. Pray both for them and the indigenous with who they serve.
Thank you for your prayers. I keep saying this, and it’s true—prayer is an indispensable part of the missionary task. We need your prayers. So please pray for us. Pray for wisdom and patience as we serve Him. And may God continue to pour out upon you His mercy and grace as you serve Him and His church.
The Spirit of God is calling every tribe, nation, people, and tongue to come to Christ (Rev 5:9). God is now calling all men everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30). He is calling all the ends of the earth to turn to Christ and be saved (Isa 45:22). And God uses means to accomplish this task. He uses the bride of Christ, the church. The church calls the nations to come to Jesus. As ambassadors for Christ, God is making an appeal through us, as we urge all peoples to be reconciled to God (2 Cor 5:20).
When the woman at the well received the living water Jesus offered, she went into the city and called others to come (John 4:29). When the first disciples were called, they called others to come and see (John 1:46). We see in those passages the bride saying, “Come!” And this is what the bride of Christ continues to do. We say to the nations, “Come to Christ and be save!” This call to come is a gracious offer open to all who are thirsty, to all who see their poverty and need for grace and mercy. Many who sense their desperate need seek satisfaction elsewhere (Jer 2:13). But their desperation can only be satisfied by Christ.
At the Feast of the Tabernacles, Jesus stood up and said with a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.” Our voices too ought to sound out loudly for all who are weary and worn, “Come! Drink deeply of Christ the life giving water.” Jesus said, “All who come to me, I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37). He will not turn away anyone who comes to Him. No one is beyond the reach of the Savior. Those who come may drink of the water of life without cost. It is all of grace. It is free to all who come. All who come to Christ by faith will receive full salvation, absolute forgiveness of all their sins, and the certain promise of justification, sanctification, and glorification. Jesus has paid it all at the cross. The gospel call will continue to go out until our Lord returns. He is full of mercy and patience. And as we, in the midst of trials and persecution, urge the nations to come to Christ, we also cry out to our Lord, “Come, Lord Jesus!”
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