Continue To Pray For Us

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,


I pray this letter finds you all well and more committed as ever in growing more and more into the likeness of Christ and experiencing further growth in your passion for His glory here on earth. It has been a while since my last letter to you and I must admit, with joy, I find myself writing this discourse to you now. With fond memory, we have thought of you often and in prayer we remember you in what we pray is a season of growth and advancement in the gospel where ever you find yourselves.


We as a family are now entering into a whole new theater of warfare for which we have been seemingly unprepared. The prince of this world does not easily cede his territory to the people of God and in our case there is no difference. It has been said of our enemy the devil; "Be sober-minded, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." 1 Peter 5:8.

I fear that in recent days the knife of his lying accusation has dealt a violent blow against me and the sent of my blood has been in his prowling nostril. Satan is a relentless foe and is often more powerful than what we give him credit. In recent days I have been more acquainted with the feelings of helplessness, inadequacy, and confusion more than I would care to admit. The enemy has set before me a continual attack of lies and whispers upon my ear that have left me tired, weary and dry. 

When I see the constant reminder of the state of things here (the lying tongue of these people, the theft of belongings all around me, the gossip in their conversation, the state of the family, the reports of molested children in the (communities), the constant false worship to false gods, the weakness of those churches and leaders who would even call themselves Christians, the mutilation and striping of the gospel in this location and the corruption within this culture that seems to be an everyday norm) I am sometimes overcome with a vision of the enormity of the issues we face here. It has been written by John Bunyan, no stranger to adversity and hardship; 

“It is not what enemies will, nor what they are resolved upon, but what God will, and what God appoints, that shall be done..... And as no enemy can bring suffering upon a man when the will of God is otherwise, so no man can save himself out of their hands when God will deliver him up for his glory..... We shall or shall not suffer, even as it pleaseth him..... God has appointed who shall suffer. Suffering comes not by chance or by the will of man, but by the will and appointment of God.”

It has been the truth of such a declaration as this, that now brings strength to the weariness of my soul. The truth is that in all things God is sovereign. Even in suffering. It is also just as true that in all things God is faithful. Therefore, I can trust Him as he states in His word; “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. 1 Cor. 10:13”

But, the question remains why all the weariness? Why the helplessness? Why the hopelessness? The plain truth is this: I am too at home in doing things in the power of my own strength rather than being in the desperate dependency of the power of God's Spirit. Stillness has always been an issue for me. As well many of you already know. All my life I have wrestled with the thinking that my life would become better or easier “if” or “when”. I struggle with thinking and saying things like; “If only I could speak the language already, then I would be more joyous in my service.” or “If only I already knew more clearly what my task was here then, I would run at ministry harder.” These are lies and thoughts without understanding or wisdom. Listen to what James Fraser missionary to China has written on the subject;

“Well, here in the training home, all my time must be given to language study – how can I do missionary work? But when I am settled down in my situation and able to speak freely, opportunities will be unlimited!”etc etc. It is all if and when. I believe the devil is fond of those conjunctions.... The plain truth is that the Scriptures never teach us to wait for opportunities of service, but to serve in just the things that lie next to our hands.... The Lord bids us work, watch and pray, but Satan suggests, wait until a good opportunity for working presents itself and needless to say, this opportunity is always in the future and never present.”


Brothers and sisters, I believe it will only be known on the last day how much has been accomplished in missionary work by the prayers of earnest believers at home. Will you join in with me and pray as John Bunyan has stated;

“Christian, pray for me to our God with much earnestness, fervency and frequency in all your knockings at our Father's door, because I do very much stand in need thereof, for my work is great, my heart is vile and the devil lieth at watch, the world would fain by saying, Aha, aha, thus would we have it! And of myself, keep myself I cannot, trust myself I dare not; if God do not help me I am sure it will not be long before my heart deceive, and the world [the flesh and the devil] have their advantage of me.”