FAIR SUNSHINE

God's faithfulness bears fruit. To be so privileged as to serve our King and Lord by teaching these young minds about the excellencies of Christ is incredibly humbling. In May of 2023, the Lord's work began with just eight students; today, there are now twenty one. In the months that passed, some have left or were taken by their parents to attend conventional Roman Catholic mass, yet more still came. When we first arrived here, we prayed that Father would open doors for us to share the gospel with the families living in this compound. In His wisdom, God sent us the children in answer to our petition. By reaching two generations rather than just one, they will be the ones to deliver the gospel to their homes and save us valuable time.  Their families may not listen to us, but they will surely listen to their children. Since then they have taken up a study of the covenants, and the attributes of God, which the teachers simplified in easy-to-understand format geared towards the ...

Grace would have us conclude the church's three day prayer meetings deliberately held at 3AM to inconvenience ourselves and emphasize the dire urgency in petitioning the Lord's hand to bestow greater spiritual blessings upon us, most especially in the area of prayer. It is common to give what time we can spare to prayer but to see how evil these days are is to give the time we allot for rest and instead knock early in the morning on the door of the just Judge who not only does not slumber, but takes great pleasure in answering those who stand confidently at His courts, believing He will. Teaching the children's church, preaching, devotions, reading of Scripture in family worship: all these and more are dependent on God's hand moving. The desire to labor for God and the temptation to achieve it through the arm of the flesh steals from His glory. The work is His. The Christian is His. The power is His. Therefore the glory should be His. All the believer can claim as his i...

Posting this for record's sake, as the topic is of much importance. Chapter 1 of What is the Church by R.C. Sproul In the seventeenth chapter of John’s gospel, Jesus gives the most extensive prayer that is recorded for us in the New Testament. It is a prayer of intercession in which He prayed for His disciples and for all who would believe through the testimony of the disciples. That prayer is called Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer. One of the central themes of that prayer is Christ’s request to the Father that His people might be one. It was a prayer for Christian unity. Yet here we are, in the twenty-first century, and the church is probably more fragmented than at any time in church history.  We've seen a crisis with the question, "What is the church after all?" Historically, via the ancient church council of Nicea, the church has been defined by four key words. It is, 1) one, 2) holy, 3) catholic, and 4) apostolic. As we study the nature of the church, I want to look ...

After a year of daily family worship, it pleased the LORD to mercifully birth the reading of scripture to 4 new households this year. The young ones have brought the practice they've learned with us into their own homes, and they intentionally read the scriptures to their unbelieving families. There is already a stirring among those who have heard the word read. Its very heartbeat is to magnify the reality of God's great glory as the Scriptures are read, and the Psalms are either read or sang - by the whole family, the fruit of all this is left to God. To worship with the family in the home is to obey and honor God. Photo by Tish I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever. Psalms 45:17 Our prayer is for God to raise up a new community of families who worship God daily in their homes. Fathers who fulfill their rightful duties to God as the priest and teacher of the home, and the children are raised in the fe...

We are currently teaching covenant theology to the children starting from the Pactum Salutis. God has been so gracious as to provide the wisdom to translate this deep subject into simple language in order to communicate it well to the children. Covenant Theology is pivotal in giving us a coherent picture of the plan of redemption that culminates at the cross of Christ. It answers many questions and unifies what may seem to be disconnected stories of Scripture into one seamless and majestic revelation of the eternal God's grand design. Our goal is to explain the promise, necessity, and reason for the coming Messiah and His work in redeeming us to the Father, according to His eternal will. We are pleased to hear each precious soul, from the eldest to the youngest, recite scripture. May it please the LORD to preserve these blessed children unto salvation for His name's sake.

The most useful books for the whole week that compose the Sunday liturgy, with the family worship guide being used daily, 7 days a week. We keep the services 2 hours short, with an hour of close fellowship prior to start. An hour dedicated to prayer, worship, catechism, and Scripture reading - before the message. Ending in songs from the Westminster Scottish Psalter, and another hour of fellowship. God has tremendously blessed the dear ones by instilling a greater awareness of sin, and a deeper reverence for His commands, especially the seriousness of Lord's day, by which most of them have stood firm against much opposition and ridicule from employers, and even from their own families. The fruit of God's faithfulness shone through when I spoke with one of the young ones, "Should God gift me with my own family, we will dedicate every night to worshipping the Lord. From my children and to my grandchildren." Each one of them share the same sentiment. What a blessed work...

Father blesses the work by taking the Children's Church in a more experiential direction: the consciousness of the reality of the heart's corruption even in the little ones. We are totally inadequate to communicate the salvation of Christ, and we know our help comes from the Lord alone. Molested children are common here. It is a silent plague where parents and relatives themselves are often the offenders. We taught the children that their bodies were gifted by the Lord to be theirs alone, and no one else, except by their own mothers on necessary instances, can touch or see it. They were given warnings to be aware of when another person starts touching them where they are not supposed to be touched, and to wear clothes that cover a good portion of their bodies. One item in our monthly prayer and fasting includes the bringing out of many secret sins, in the children, and in the churches. It is of great comfort to us that our brethren from Lubbock, Texas and New Mexico are lifting...

The absence of an affection for God amongst toddlers, children and young adults of Christian families in many, or almost all churches (I say all because I can safely assume that families who attend church during Sundays have fathers who do not lead their families in daily and intentional worship in their homes,) stem from the unfulfilled obligations of the parents in raising their household in the Scriptures and in the fear of the LORD.  It is a pathetic excuse to say we simply do not have time. What we really are saying is either one of two things: I do not know I was supposed to lead my family daily in worship, or, I do not want to make time for it. These are the same people who can sit for hours fiddling with their gadgets, or watching movies, or doing other 'important' things. In our modern day we are simply detached from the reality of God and assume that just because we attend church our children will automatically learn God. We lazily delegate the teaching of our childre...

I was provided an audio book of this precious work by William Bridge more than 6 years ago and have acquired the very transcript with which I have printed and bound my own book. It has greatly comforted me in my distress regarding this aspect of my faith time and again, and has served well to emphasize the grace that God has graciously showered upon poor sinners via the merit of Jesus Christ's covenantal work on the cross. And as I seek to help those who are drowning in the same pit of hopelessness, I am awed with the majesty of God's sure election and His faithfulness to the everlasting covenant:  "As godly men shall never be condemned for their sins, so their sins shall never part God and them. What seems to be the reason why some are so discouraged about their sins, but because they think they shall not only lose the face and presence of God by their sins, but that they shall lose God himself.  But now, surely, the sins of the godly shall never part God and them. Their ...

We will be joining the churches of Lubbock Reformed Church, Grace Covenant Reformed Church, and some from Vanguard Presbytery, for a thanksgiving fast this coming 29th of December to worship the God of heaven and earth for His bountiful blessings, His exceedingly gracious answers to prayer this past year, for taking us to deeper waters, and to petition His mighty hand for the coming year.  May we see greater manifestations of His grace in our daily family worship, our personal devotions, our deepening of the faith, our desire to know Him daily through His Word, and to remain in constant awe at His majesty and mercy.

She embraced the gospel immediately and without apprehension. The difference between her person then and now is night and day. I am amazed with the LORD. Whenever I hear her pray, I am reminded of how wonderful the heart-changing power of the Holy Spirit truly is.

The children's Genesis book study comes to a close ( by the Lord's grace), and anticipation is high as we announced the start of our Exodus study next week Lord willing.  This is our second major review of the events taken up from creation all the way to Joseph. The study of Genesis was a great opportunity to thoroughly explain that God created only male and female, to talk about the perversion that is homosexuality, and its modern day attempt to corrupt children's minds and destroy the family.  Today's reviews were about the experiential application of Scripture. To teach them how to react biblically regarding scenarios with their family, friends, about forgiveness, telling the truth, the evils of lying and cursing, and Christ's finished work on the cross being the only way back to God apart from works.That salvation is through Christ alone. It was very humbling to hear them answering advanced trivia about Genesis and about our catechism studies. Here the children ...

Some parents of the children in our class also take them to the neighboring churches who give out gifts to attendees. The teachers there are surprised that the children know the books of the bible more than they do, and can explain their way through the Genesis narrative. This is great encouragement to us. It has also come to our attention how the students when playing outside keep silent and do not participate when the more rowdy children start cursing and behave badly. By God's grace we are teaching their young minds not to look at the problem when dealing with stressful situations in their family life. To respond instead by looking to God and trusting in Christ. God is working a change in the hearts of these blessed ones. We are now teaching them how to pray. The LORD is good.

God has continued to prosper His work here, growing this week's attendance from a class of just a few kids when we first started. I will never grow weary of emphasizing that we only prayed to begin a work among the families here in the compound, and Father has abundantly answered above what we asked by drawing the children to Himself. It appears that the change in the families would affect the younger generation rather than the older, that it would originate within their families rather than from the outside. God is to be praised for His wisdom. One mother told us that she frequently finds her son watching Super Book and reading his bible. And there are numerous indications that some of the kids are actually reading the Bible on their own. When they respond to questions from their teachers that I didn't anticipate them to remember or know the answer to, I am always in awe as I listen from behind my study. We express our gratitude to God for their tiny voices. They can now re...

This was the first major review of all the past lessons in the Old Testament, Catechism and the Decalogue we've covered since the children's church began several months ago. The sheer enthusiasm they bring every week is just so humbling and encouraging. These children belong to a large clan of conflicting families. They practically despise each other, but now by God's grace their children enjoy fellowship with one another. This is something that was not here when we arrived three years ago. Originally we thought of accepting only those above 9 years of age, reasoning that those below 9 might only distract the older ones. But the Lord in His word said not to hinder the children from coming to Him. So now we are thankful even for our little ones. God has blessed our concern by touching their hearts with exemplary behavior: they are very attentive, love participating, and are well behaved. We can only pray the LORD would use these little ones to minister in their own homes and...

Yes, children are a gift from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Children born during one’s youth are like arrows in a warrior’s hand. How blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! They will not be put to shame when they confront enemies at the city gate. Psalms 127:3-5

We have been waiting on the LORD since being sovereignly placed in this location the very first month of year 2000. Wondering yet as to how we can lift up Christ with no resources or support, save for God's faithfulness. Since starting with our nightly bible study series He has been pleased to bless His work not only with souls but more importantly with the right direction as to how to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. For us it is of no importance to start a work for Christ, if it be not according to His prescription. From the lesson of Nadab and Nabihu, God has clearly revealed how He is to be worshipped.  We would not have learned about the beautiful practice of elevated reverence for scripture and its proper place in sacred worship if Father had not sovereignly taken us from our previous denominations. Furthermore, it is evident from His placing us on the route of scriptural worship that He takes great care to ensure that we have a lamp at our feet and a light at our path. Ev...

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.  Psalm 91:1  Proverbs 31 An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life. She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands. She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar. She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens. She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard. She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong. She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night. She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle. She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of snow for he...

The worship of God has become our primary purpose in this small body. All else in the ministry stems from this very yearning. Since we began  months ago every night has been a remembrance of God's unfailing goodness and faithfulness, worthy of our meager praise. I for one have benefited greatly from this gracious gift. I pray the children do too. It is one that I am privileged to enjoy with the beloved brethren and sisters. Within the church of Christ, the mutual ministry of gifts moves constantly to the pulse-beat of the life of the Spirit. The body grows through the organic interdependence of each part. From the one Head, Christ, all the body “fitly framed and knit together through that which every joint supplieth, according to the working in due measure of each several part,” builds itself up in love (Eph. 4:16). That means that you cannot grow without ministering to others and receiving the ministry of others.   Clowney, Edmund P.. Called to the Ministry (p. 36). P...

Father has provided us the means to purchase bibles in our pursuit of putting His word in the hands of the children, to be distributed freely, and teach them the habit of opening the scriptures, not just listening to it read to them. To familiarize them with stories from both testaments and show how Christ is pointed at in the old, and fulfilled in the new, and that He can be seen in every story; how Christ is "written in the volume of the book," and inculcate the truths of God by way of catechism questions and answers. The end of every class is great encouragement to us in this work. Each one can recite the 10 commandments at will, but it will require God's grace to give it life in them, to be understood, and eventually lived out. This we thank God for and plead His hand.