WIN India Praise & Prayer Report, May 2013

WIN INDIA PRAISE & PRAYER REPORT, MAY 2013

 

1. Calvary Baptist Church (Secunderabad) in largest slum:

Aunty, VBS is going on very well, today we had love feast - fried rice, chicken curry and dal. 250 slum children are attending vbs. We thank God that we could feed rice four days this year. Thank you for all your financial and prayer support. [The immediate need is move Pastor’s family to a different house. Their current underground room is too hot and has many problems for their ailing health; Needs to wire electricity and get water to church basement for a room to be made into an apartment.]

2. House of Gethsemane (Hyderabad) new church for domestic workers in unreached area:

The Lord helped us to sow seeds in thirty children. Thank God for contributions for all the needs of VBS: cool drinks and snacks for children all five days; colorful and useful “Children’s Bible” was given to every child. Parents and church members came on the last day of VBS to hear songs and stories of what happened at VBS. They rejoiced in what their children learned. [Needs $ for pastor’s salary.]

3. Ayusha Nilayam Boys Home (Hyderabad):

Three of the boys were the top of their class in annual exam; and 11 boys were in the top 10 of their class. Twelve children were selected to attend computer and spoken English classes. This sparked a great interest among all the boys. Friends of Ayusha donated the much needed overhead water tanks to meet the severe water scarcity; a fun donation was a table tennis set (ping pong) for the hot summer vacation -- this provided indoor sport entertainment. Many children visited relatives during summer vacation. [Need $ for shoes & uniforms; school fees; and books for 33 boys.]

4. Abundant Life Church (Hyderabad):

 

I am happy to let you know I have joined Seminary for M.Div studies. I am enjoying the studies. I believe the Lord will equip and use me. We are putting efforts to reach Hindus, who are our neighbors; we are visiting slums and doing prayer walks in this area of 100,000 people. We are doing personal evangelism and focusing on building relationships. We rented a small room where we can conduct church services and prayer meetings. [Needs money for 2 children’s school fee; M.Div fee; new glasses and eye exam; church rent.]

 

5. Dan Symonds, WIN India Communications Director:

 

Is loving his time of missionary training at YWAM Awaken DTS (University of the Nations, KONA). Has been selected as Prayer Room Worship Team leader, and asked to lead/sing/play on several Worship Teams for special events; Will be doing 3 month Outreach Program in Fiji. [God has provided majority of his school expenses; still needs money for plane ticket to Fiji.]

 

6. Aneesh Daniel,  Director at Shepherd Films (Hyderabad):

 

Excited about two big wins at film festivals; now believing the time is right to come to USA to attend the filmmakers ICVM conference in St. Louis, just prior to the CBA Convention; as well as meet possible investors and donors for missions film production that needs to shoot in Nov, Dec, Jan. [Need: Speaking engagements to your church or group  in St. Louis, Chicago, Toronto, Dallas, Sacramento and San Jose, California areas. Needs sponsors and help with plane tickets, motel, travel in USA.]

Thanks so much for your prayers and support for the needs and work in India.                   

 

Elaine Wright Colvin

WHEN WE GET INSTRUCTIONS WE DON'T UNDERSTAND

WHEN WE GET INSTRUCTIONS WE DON’T UNDERSTAND

Sometimes God give us instructions that do not seem relevant to us at the moment. But later we can see the importance of those instructions.

Don’t discard the lessons of the Bible because certain details seem irrelevant.

God’s instructions (laws) revive us, make us wise, bring joy to the heart, give insight, warn us, and reward us. God’s guidelines are lights for our path, rather than chains on our hands and feet. They point at danger to warn us, and then point at success to guide us.

PRINCIPLE FOR LIFE:  OBEY GOD NOW―IN THE FUTURE you will have a clearer understanding of his instructions and the reason for them.

Psalm 19:7 NLT - The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul.

Psalm 18:28-30 NLT - You light a lamp for me. The Lord, my God lights up my darkness. I’m your strength. I can crush an army; with my God I can scale any wall. God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.

Psalm 18:21 NLT - For I have kept the ways of the Lord; I have not turned from my God to follow evil.

ARE YOU IN A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN HEAR GOD?

Do you  hear what God thinks about your life's direction, priorities, and activities? Can you hear again what your heart is telling you -- to be, to do, to say, to write?

When was the last time you said: "Speak, God. I'm your servant, ready to listen" (1 Samuel 3:9 MSG).

The New Testament story sheds a lot of light on how we, His servants, should follow: "The gatekeeper opens the gate to him and the sheep recognize his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he gets them all out, he leads them and they follow because they are familiar with his voice" (John 10:3-4 MSG).

IT'S ALL ABOUT KNOWING JESUS HIMSELF.

The true test/sign of His disciples is: An intimate oneness with Him; A knowledge of Jesus that nothing can shake.

DO I HAVE A PERSONAL HISTORY WITH JESUS CHRIST?

The stories are told of three who knew Jesus.

MARY: Once He called Mary by her name, she immediately knew that she had a personal history with the One who spoke. "She turned to Him and said, Rabboni!" (John 20:16).

PETER:  Even after Peter had denied Jesus, Jesus appeared to him alone. Jesus restored Peter in private, and then He restored him publicly before the others (Matthew 26:69-75).

THOMAS: Thomas needed the personal touch of Jesus. When His touches will come we never know, but when they do come they are indescribably precious. "Thomas said to Him, my Lord and my God!" (John 20:28).

We can count on it! Now we must get in a place where we can hear!

"He calls His own -- by name." (John 10:3)

FRIENDSHIP: TO KNOW AND BE KNOWN BY ANOTHER

Does anyone really know you -- your hearts desire, thoughts, problems, yearnings? Do you really know your special friends as much as you would like to?

We can never know another person unless he or she practices the gentle art of self-disclosure. And that openness rarely occurs unless we create a non-threatening environment and build bridges of trust and vulnerability. 

To "really know" a person means we intuitively explore what may be there, what could be said, and what may possibly be disclosed.

To get to know your friend -- you may have to name and articulate what the other person will then be able to recognize as true, and then claim as their own.

In charismatic circles this is often called sharing a "word of knowledge" that God gives you or calling the person out on what the Holy Spirit has revealed to you.

In psychological and therapy sessions this could be known as confrontation, intervention, or playing the devil's advocate to see if it brings recognition, admission, or denial.

The point is: this kind of openness that makes room for deep friendships begins with us. It begins with the process of allowing ourselves to be known by others.

"Words satisfy the mind as much as fruit does the stomach, good talk is as gratifying as a good harvest. Words kill, words give life; they're either poison or fruit -- you choose" (Proverbs 18:20-21 Message).

WE ARE SAVED TO SERVE

We are saved to serve.
We are empowered to serve.
And we are blessed to serve.

Christians do not have an advantage over other people.
Our commitment to Christ simply puts us in a position to serve other people.
Being a Christian does not make us special people with special privileges or status in our social standing.

"God didn't claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life..." (Philippines 2:5-11)

"But the parent will die for what the parent did, for the sins of -- oppressing the weak, robbing brothers and sisters, doing what is dead wrong in the community" (Ezekiel 18:18  Message).

HOW CAN I BEST ENTER ANOTHER'S PAIN?

How Can I Best Enter Another's Pain?

We seldom really understand what our struggling brothers and sisters are going through. The journey of pain is the loneliest journey of all, upstaged only by the journey of death.

Some people suffer pain that is not fixable, people with disabilities, the poor, and those experiencing injustice do not have problems that have ready solutions!

We are called to walk in companionship, faith, prayer, and hope with another in pain -- and when helpful, take practical action.

(adapted from Whispers from the Edge by Charles Ringma)