SET APART

PRAY WITH ME FOR AFRICA: This week we start praying for the 4th largest island in the world, the exotic island of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean, off the East Coast of Africa. Madagascar is home to unique species of vegetation and 90% of its wildlife is found nowhere else on earth. Of Madagascar's 26 1/2 million people, 50% follow the traditional religion honoring Zanahary the powerful creator and family ancestors, 25% protestant, 16% Catholic, and 7% Islam. Pray for the growth of God's kingdom in Madagascar.

 
 Madagascar, fourth largest island in world and home to unique vegetation and wildlife




Just a simple reminder this morning about the word "holy". I was reading again this week how the primary meaning of the word holy in the Bible is set apart from the rest, and is used of any person or thing that is set apart unto God for His use or destruction. It also has as a secondary meaning which includes the idea of purity, to be set apart from what does not reflect the character of God's purity. So as God's people we are called to be set apart from the rest of sinful humanity unto God's own purpose to reflect His purity in our lives to His Glory. By extension this means that we are to separate from all sin which as 1 John 2.15-16 and James 4.4 explain is love for the world, described in terms of desire, pride and adultery.

 In our union with Christ we are dead to the realm and power of sin (Romans 6.1-11). Let us feed our minds on God's Word daily so that our minds might be renewed with understanding about who we are in Christ and about the will of God and our place of service in the body of Christ and in this world (Romans 12.1-8). Let us renew our spirits by often worshiping our God. Let us be holy unto God but not isolated from those who need to know the Savior, Jesus Christ. "You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you had not received mercy, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy." 1 Peter 2.9-10

Good Articles This Week:
 Thoughts on Revoice [This paragraph is particularly insightful:
I’ve discussed some of this issue in my blog post Gay + Christian. My main point was that it is inappropriate for a Christian to self-identify according to any pattern of sin or struggle. Paul proclaims this astonishing news: “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). The compelling and controlling power of corrupted characteristics, desires, drives, and compulsions (sin) that used to characterize us begin to fall away in our union with Christ. No prior life, or identity, should redefine who we are in Christ, as Christians.
Revoice must realize that advocating for the use of such terms is not an insignificant thing. It is one charged with meaning, ripe for being continually misunderstood, and one which will encourage those who call themselves “gay” or “queer Christians” to further identify with, or long for, the broken and sinful characteristics associated with those labels.]

7 Life Changing Prayers for Your Church

THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED AND GOD'S RESPONSE

PRAY WITH ME FOR AFRICA: Bible translation work is in progress for 18 languages. Only 8 Malian languages have a New Testament and only one has the entire Bible. Pray for these translators and for God to use His Word in Mali. Literacy is only 19% and life expectancy is under 50 years so pray for literacy projects and oral and radio ministries. Pray for work among students. Pray for Mali.

 Djinguereber Mosque in Timbuktu, Mali was built in 1327 of local clay and is still in use today, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.




This week my attention has been drawn to how God responds to the righteous and the wicked. In reading Kings and Psalms and Revelation, the theme is evident and consistent - God loves the righteous and hates the wicked, and God cares and blesses the righteous but abandons and curses the wicked. This truth is most prominent in Revelation as all people stand before God in judgement. The righteous, those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life, are ushered into God's eternal kingdom, but the wicked, whose names are not written in the Lamb's book of life, are cast into the Lake of Fire for eternity.

It will do you no good to complain against the Holy character of God and His promise of wrath and judgement on the wicked for this is reality. No human-rights tribunal can change the Holy character of God into our self-centered view of righteousness and justice and reduce God's judgement to what we call "fair".
We the righteous before God know without a doubt that we are not or could ever be righteous in ourselves and by our works. We have humbly accepted the reality of our rebellion against God, of our sinful nature, of our inability to ever please God and be righteous before Him, and with worship and gratitude have accepted the offer of God's free gift of salvation in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Christ is our righteousness so we make no boast of being better than others or make no claim of achievement. We are the righteous and blessed of God by Grace and by His mercy.
So if you are one of the righteous ones in Christ, rejoice and serve and worship and enjoy God and the hope that lies ahead. If you now see that you are unrighteous and unholy and a sinner before God, ask for the free gift of eternal life in Christ Jesus. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God".

Good Articles This Week:
China Detaining Muslims: The Goal "Transformation"‎
How to Avoid a Wonderful Retirement
A Time to Pray for Idlib

NO CONDEMNATION IN CHRIST JESUS

MISSION TRIP TO LIBERIA: I have signed up for a teaching trip to Liberia from December 6 to 15. We will be teaching the books of Ruth and Jonah along with preaching training. Please begin to pray for these 85 Pastors mostly from Liberia but also from Guinea, Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast.

PRAY WITH ME FOR AFRICA: Praise God for unity and partnership among all protestants working in Mali, with a focus on the seven largest and most strategic peoples in Mali and West Africa. Pray for God to empower these workers and to prepare hearts for conversion under the Gospel message. For now population growth outpaces Christian growth. Mali is very poor and aided by Libya and Saudi Arabia which promote Islam. God can work in Mali. Please pray!

FLAG OF MALI

 Green stands for fertility of the land, Gold for purity and mineral wealth, and Red for blood shed for independence from the French





I abound with joy and praise to God in the truth and reality of Romans 8.1, "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus". In union with the death and resurrection of Christ the believer is justified, declared right with God and fully accepted by God without condition or reservation, even when he may sin. In union with the death and resurrection of Christ the believer is dead to law, and will never ever again fall under the condemnation of law. O, what glorious liberty is ours in Christ Jesus.
My friend, I ask you today, do you know this glorious liberty in Christ? Do you know and have you applied the truth of justification by faith and all its implications to your life? Do you understand that the Law has no more power over you to condemn you and that you have the Holy Spirit of life in you so that the righteous requirements of the Law might be fulfilled in you? Do you condemn yourself when in Christ Jesus there is no more condemnation?

 As Lloyd-Jones write, "You may and you should feel ashamed (when you sin), but you should not feel condemnation, because to do so is to put yourself back 'under the law'. If we are in this position, 'in Christ', we are there for ever; there is no condemnation, past, present or future". As we will learn in our Sunday study of Galatians "For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery" (5.1).
Ask God to enable you to understand and embrace this wonderful truth of justification and the resulting peace and hope (Romans 5.1-2) and no condemnation (Romans 8.1-4) that is the result. You will overflow with abounding praise to God for his marvelous salvation in Jesus Christ.

Good Articles This Week:
Why Gospel Proclamation Requires Social Activism 
Army Chaplain Squires Cleared

BACK TO SCHOOL

PRAY WITH ME FOR AFRICA: For the next few weeks I want to focus on the Republic of Mali. This is the country where a number of our Canadian peace keepers will be serving. Mali is in West Africa, a former French colony and where you can find Timbuktu. Mali is 95% Muslim, 2.5% Christian (mostly Catholic) and 2% Animist with freedom of religion. Muslims are in the North and Central region and the Christians in the South. Pray for a movement of God to enlarge His Church in Mali.

West Africa - Republic of Mali

Today most students return to structured learning. We educate our children so that they may might learn to think and make decisions for themselves, in order for them to have the knowledge needed for future work in order to sustain themselves and their families, and for them to learn social skills.
As God's people we are born-again in order that we might grow both in grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Knowledge is a basic component of spiritual maturity. When we add to this knowledge Christ-like attitudes, wisdom and love, which become part of our nature as we learn to walk in the Spirit, we are equipped for service and a full entry into the eternal kingdom. (Read and meditate on 2 Peter 1.3-15 and 3.18 this week)
I want to encourage you in this new season of learning to grow in your knowledge of God's truth by:
1) Determining to consciously and carefully read a portion of God's Word every day and perhaps even to make some notes to yourself of what you learned.

2) Join a formal Bible Study group and make sure to do your reading and study during the week to prepare for the next class.

3) Take time to pray every day. Begin with worship and communion with God and then pray for others. Make a prayer list

4) Be aware of how you can serve others in the name of Jesus Christ and do 

 

  
Many students would choose not to go to school if that choice was available. The future would bring profound regret over that decision. Many Christians choose not to participate in the struggle to grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and therefore show little spiritual maturity. A Christian does not coast to spiritual maturity nor is spiritual maturity absorbed by osmosis. You need to choose and then fight against those circumstances that hinder true knowledge and spiritual maturity, but remember God and His resources are there to help you even  when you show the smallest desire to grow. So make some choices this week - not too many - and then pursue those choices in the power of God.

Good Articles This Week: 
How to Choose Good Books 
Let me add to the list above "Amy Carmichael of Dohnavur" by Frank L. Houghton 
Church Growth God's Way 
Will you become a Crossroads Mentor?

HE... YOU... SURELY...

PRAY WITH ME FOR AFRICA: In this last week of prayer for Tunisia please pray for a disillusioned youth (over 25% under 15) who are apathetic about spiritual things; for the women who have more freedom than other Muslim countries but are still hard to reach with the Gospel; and for the Berbers (nomads) whose ancestors were Christians. Finally pray for the Gospel to be established and to grow in the city of Kairouan, the fourth most holy city in Islam.

 The great mosque of Kairouan built in 670 AD.






Here are seven promises from the well known and popular Psalm 23. Because the LORD is my shepherd:
1) I shall not want - God will provide all I need.
2) He restores my soul - by leading me to refreshment.
3) He leads me in the paths of righteousness.
4) You will comfort me as I face trials and death.
5) You provide abundantly in this evil world.
6) Surely goodness and mercy are always with me.
7) I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Good Articles This Week:
 Judging Others.

STAYING IN REST

PRAY WITH ME FOR AFRICA: After over a hundred years of missionary work in Tunisia the church is finally beginning to grow even as Islam is experiencing new vitality. The church is not recognized by the government and is not allowed to own property. Leadership is gradually developing as churches meet for worship and discipleship with most believers having less than 15 years in the faith. Pray for the church and leaders in Tunisia.

 Red background represents blood shed in defending Tunisian independence. White circle represents peace, with symbols of crescent and star as a reminder of belonging to Islamic Ottoman Empire.

 


Are you aware of what God is working on in your life at this time in your spiritual walk? This awareness helps us to work with God and helps us to notice the resources and lessons that He places in our path toward His goal of making us like Jesus His Son. In my life at this time God is working on patience and rest in Jesus. So I was very much encouraged by the devotional in My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers on August 20th. It stated in very clear words the process that I was learning from God in the area of walking in rest. Here is the devotional:

Christ-Awareness

By Oswald Chambers

…and I will give you rest. —Matthew 11:28

Whenever anything begins to disintegrate your life with Jesus Christ, turn to Him at once, asking Him to re-establish your rest. Never allow anything to remain in your life that is causing the unrest. Think of every detail of your life that is causing the disintegration as something to fight against, not as something you should allow to remain. Ask the Lord to put awareness of Himself in you, and your self-awareness will disappear. Then He will be your all in all. Beware of allowing your self-awareness to continue, because slowly but surely it will awaken self-pity, and self-pity is satanic. Don’t allow yourself to say, “Well, they have just misunderstood me, and this is something over which they should be apologizing to me; I’m sure I must have this cleared up with them already.” Learn to leave others alone regarding this. Simply ask the Lord to give you Christ-awareness, and He will steady you until your completeness in Him is absolute.

A complete life is the life of a child. When I am fully conscious of my awareness of Christ, there is something wrong. It is the sick person who really knows what health is. A child of God is not aware of the will of God because he is the will of God. When we have deviated even slightly from the will of God, we begin to ask, “Lord, what is your will?” A child of God never prays to be made aware of the fact that God answers prayer, because he is so restfully certain that God always answers prayer.

If we try to overcome our self-awareness through any of our own commonsense methods, we will only serve to strengthen our self-awareness tremendously. Jesus says, “Come to Me…and I will give you rest,” that is, Christ-awareness will take the place of self-awareness. Wherever Jesus comes He establishes rest— the rest of the completion of activity in our lives that is never aware of itself.

 

 I find the insight about rest in this devotional particularly helpful and confirming in what I have been learning in my personal walk with God.

I encourage you to ask God to make you aware of what He is doing in your life and then to work with Him to be conformed to the image of Jesus in you. 

Good Articles This Week:
The Unreliability of Islam as seen in the Hajj
Jesus Loves Toronto Chinatown. Pray for this event this week.

YOU ARE DEAD TO SIN

PRAY WITH ME FOR AFRICA: Tunisia, in Northern Africa, where the once famous powerful city of Carthage (home of Hannibal and the elephants who attacked Rome) once ruled is home to 11 1/2 million people 99% of which are Muslim with less than 1% Christian, most of which are Roman Catholic, with less than 2,000 evangelical believers. Pray for this small church and its leaders in Tunisia.

MAP OF TUNISIA

 I have been spending many hours studying and reading on Romans 6. Understanding the teaching in this chapter is essential to the Christian's progress in holiness. Romans 6 is a powerful argument based on the truth of our union with the death and resurrection of Christ and the results of that union in our redeemed lives in relation to sin. I have found that the key to understanding this chapter is the realization that verses 1 to 11 are not declarations of our spiritual experience but declare our position before God in Christ. Verse 11 is the summary truth of our position before God, "So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus." This is a fact and upon the acceptance of this fact the experience of our response to sin begins as outlined in verses 12 to 23.
I once thought Romans 6.11 was a truth I had to force myself to reckon as true in my experience by concentrated faith and continued positive thinking. I had to make it true in my life in order to live a holy life. Now I know that verse 11 is who I am in Christ. I am dead to sin and alive to God as an irrevocable fact in the sight of God. Knowing who I am before God in Christ, I no longer need to allow sin to reign in my body and can offer my body in holy obedience to God which leads to righteousness, holiness and eternal life.
I would highly recommend Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones commentary on Romans 6 and 7 as essential reading for Christian growth.

As Christians we know very little about the teaching of our union with Christ and reflect very little on this wonderful truth which in turn minimizes our spiritual growth.
What fullness of life we have received by grace from our loving God in Christ.

Good Articles This Week:
Getting Unhitched from the Old Testament
What Christians and Pastors Can Learn From Jordan Peterson
Our Persecuted Brothers in India