We Stand Not On The Shoulders of Men

This Sunday was a review of the lessons from the past month. The children who have been with us for 14 months have responded so wonderfully to the catechisms that I cannot begin to praise God for deepening the children's understanding. The Old Testament's main ideas, starting with the Genesis' prophecy of the coming Messiah up to Joshua, required about a year to study. Much grace has been given to the teachers who put their hearts to pray for the children, and going the extra mile by burning the midnight oil, studying for the lessons, often into many mornings. It gives me great joy in encouraging them that their labors in the LORD are never in vain, and that they have been given the privilege of shaping these minds who would one day, Lord willing, be granted saving grace. They have a hand in affecting these children's lives who in turn will be the very ones to take the gospel into their homes, to their parents, and to their siblings. God is able to do more with the little we bring, and to give more with the little we ask: that His name be great among the people here. 

We look forward to the coming years of plenty when God will pour forth His abundant grace upon their homes and grant them too, the honor of family worship.

The LORD continues to sustain His work in spite of great discouragements this week. Our hope is in His faithfulness. The rules of man may weigh us down but the hand of God continue to hold us up otherwise, confirming His seal on the work with wondrous heavenly blessings. And when I say blessings, I am in no way referring to money. 

This ministry has never solicited help from anyone. We find it to be a blot against God's name that we would boast of His hand before people, and then ask for the help of people (Ezra 8:21-23). If this is God's work, He will sustain it. He does use people as means. But they give not because we asked, but because they were moved in answer to our asking. It is this moving that we look unto. We take after Mr. Mueller's advice, and make our needs known only to God; He provides the means - and that without fail.

In asking only from the Throne of heaven we get to see the hand of God move on our behalf. Our faith is exercised and our resolve, strengthened. The children not only receive scriptural instructions, but also help. They are poor in the world now, but God is rich in all things. And He has a heart for the children. 

We can say that the work among these young souls has a great need above all: wisdom to teach the truths of Scripture to them, and grace for them to understand. This is the promise Father gives us, 

"I am the LORD thy God.. open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it"

(Psalms 81:10),

and

"If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it"

(John 14:14). 

Indeed He does. We continue to ask, He continues to answer. The earthly supplies we have no worry about. Our God owns the heavens and the earth, and everything in it. Visible and invisible. There is nothing good He will deny us. Everything for His name's sake is ours for the asking. He is our God who delights in our asking, and takes pleasure in giving. 

The spread of the Gospel is still the main thrust of this ministry. I left my wife resting with high fever and had time to travel to the town proper and make my rounds at the Santa Maria market. At the end of my route only a few tracts remained. What was a short hour's worth of walking placed the gospel in the hands of a hundred people. This particular lady, when I returned to my scooter, actually thanked me and read all of it.