Sunday Words of Encouragement April 19, 2015

This morning we heard from two mission fronts. Our Sunday School teacher showed us more photos and videos from his recent visit to Haiti. We are so excited by the obvious opportunity to help physically (we are looking for ways to help build a well near the new church grounds) and spiritually through the two congregations, one in Dessalines and one in St. Marks.

Our guest preacher is a missionary whose family will be going to Sri Lanka late this summer. The young teenage children sang a song, You Make Be Brave, that I was unfamiliar with. It is perfect for their family as they prepare to go to a foreign land on the other side of  the world as Christian “boots on the ground”.

The young pastor read from Numbers 16:46-48. He noted that Moses told Aaron to hurry to the altar, get (holy) fire and make atonement for the people as the plague was upon the people - as a wave of death. Aaron took his stand between the dead and the living, so the plague was checked (v48). Just so this missionary believes he is called to stand between the dead and living on a rescue mission to bring the good news to the lost. The pastor, while on a short visit to Sri Lanka, heard God’s message to serve; to take a generation from the foot of Buddha to the foot of the cross. A friend had started a church in Sri Lanka but several buildings were burned out. Instead of giving up they turned their efforts to home churches. The pastor speaking today, having suffered the death of two young children from disease, learned that you don't let temporary things change the eternal. God’s love and power are unshakable.

This is the song the teens sang: You Make Me Brave!
I love the song and especially like the sentence:
"Champion of Heaven, You made a way for all to enter in."

A Verse for Today
Numbers 16:48 NIV
48 He stood between the living and the dead, and the plague stopped.

Please say extra prayers for protection and success of this young family that has bravely answered the call to go and share God’s word. Also continue to share prayers for our brothers and sisters in Haiti and Sri Lanka.