Chidamoyo Update

Here is the latest update from Chidamoyo Zimbabwe.  Please continue to pray for Kathy and the people impacted by the government and the cholera and other issues that have been impacting them every day.

Grace and Peace,

 

Chris
www.Reform-Shire.blogspot.com
Coram Deo!!!

Subject: Chidamoyo Update

 

Chidamoyo Christian Hospital Update 24-January-2009

Welcome to another week of Survivor!  As my neighbor to my flat in Harare said to me recently, "we are all like reformed alcoholics—one day at a time!"  This week all of the nurses in government hospitals walked off the job on Wed night when they went to the bank to see how much they had deposited into their account.  It was equivalent to $3 US and 2 kg of sugar is $5 US.  The government doesn't care and continues to pay them so they have decided not to come to work at all.  Before they would show up 1-2 days and pretend to work; now they will just stay home.  Another sad day for Zimbabwe !

The government announced this week that as of Tuesday you can take your full amount paid by salary out of the bank with proof of your salary on a pay sheet.  Sounded too good to be true because money is always hard to get out of the bank, and sure enough—no pay slips came out this month from the government!  It isn't worth going to get the trillions of dollars from the bank as no place will take Zimbabwe dollars—except our hospital.  Everyone wants Obama dollars! 

Inflation continues to rage on and we have to change our prices almost once a week.  We know when to change our prices when we can't find change because people are bringing in bills we don't have change for!  We are now allowed to take Obama dollars, Rand , or other foreign currency, so that helps us when we go to buy things for the hospital.  We also barter and this week we got everything from a blanket to cooking oil to chickens and goats for our services.  Six chickens or 2 goats equals an X-ray.

This week we had an Inauguration party and the 2 doctors, Major's family, our medical student, Nura and Lori and I attended and we all had to wear red, white and blue!  We watched the swearing in of Barack Obama as President of the United States live and more for the next 4 hours.  We served an all-American dinner of hamburgers, chili, potato salad and chips and a R-W-B jello cake!  We were impressed and excited to view this piece of history live on CNN.

From Obama's speech on Tues:

 "To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy.To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds."  We do wish someone here might listen!

We had 2 C/Sections this week and lots of other very seriously ill patients and we continue to be busy at work.  We are now up to 521 cases of cholera and more are coming in.  We keep praying it might wind down, but not yet!  Thanks for all your prayers and thoughts.

Our new doctor, Dr. Vernon Murenje, is getting lots of experience and seems to enjoy it!  He called me up to do a vacuum extraction this week while he watched as he hasn't had much experience.  I am teaching Dr. Zimudzi how to do anesthesia for a C/Section so he can cover for me when I am away, and Dr. Murenje did the C/Section.

Thanks for all your support and love.  Our electricity seems to be a bit better this week—sometimes 24 hours in a row!  We had it for dinner 4 nights this week—a record!  We even had it for our Bible Study and movie night this week—wow!

Thanks for all your prayers and support!  In His Service, Kathy

 

Re: Ron Paul, Cynthia Mckinney, Ralph Nader, Chuck Baldwin press conference

Thanks for sharing this video by C-Span.  I attended the primaries and voted for Ron Paul.

That is very much needed to hear.  I also would like the people in my church and churches all across America who seem to think you can only side with the Republican party to see this video.

I have a video that I think you might find interesting since it really addresses a similar problem that  is affecting the churches in America.

Our country is supposed to be centered on the Constitution, but it has many things and people and organizations that are against the constitution and straying us away from it.

Our churches are supposed to be centered on Christ, but they have been preaching and teaching on everything but Christ and have been distracted and straying away from Him.

So, it sounds like we have a very similar battle going on.
Here is a website called Christless Christianity.  www.christlesschristianity.org also the website www.whitehorseinn.org

The video is also on my blog below.  Here I'll give you the link to the video:   http://www.whitehorseinn.org/2008_programs.htm#1116

Let me know how you are doing and what you think about the video.  I will post this email on my blog.

Thank you my friend,
Grace and Peace,

Chris
www.Reform-Shire.blogspot.com
Coram Deo!!!

---

From: joe avery <joeavery66@gmail.com>
To: Christopher Allen <christopherallen@sbcglobal.net>
Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2009 9:17:45 PM
Subject: Ron Paul, Cynthia Mckinney, Ralph Nader, Chuck Baldwin press conference

I highly recommend that you find time to watch at least the first half of this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYALxUfEmfQ&NR=1

Fw: CICM India Trip, September 16-30

Hello,
Looks like there are some changes to the India trip.  We are now going in September of this year since the other churches have backed out and we did not want to have the missionaries spend so much effort on just two people so we will join another church that is going Sept. 16-30th.

This was a little surprising a couple weeks ago but now it is very understandable. 
We'll go in God's timing. 
Thank you for your prayers and support.      

 

Chris
www.Reform-Shire.blogspot.com
Coram Deo!!!

Subject: CICM India Trip, September 16-30

L. V. Spencer and Tom Moen,

 

After prayerful consideration and group changes, we really feel that it is best to cancel our trip to India in March and reschedule our trip with CICM for September 15-30 to join the other group.  Since it was necessary for the other two church groups to drop out of the original March itinerary, we feel that it is would be inappropriate to request CICM to host two people alone; we would rather join a larger group later in the year.  As a result, Chris Allen and I are presently the only two members of our church that are preparing to join the team in September; Leanna is not available for either dates.  If more slots are available for other members of our church, I would be happy to begin advertising the openings; otherwise, we plan for just the two of us to join the team under the direction of Tom Moen.  I hope this meets your approval.  Thank you for your consideration and patience.

 

Phil Smith

 

P. S.  Leanna is still very interested in CICM and is beginning to pray and plan for 2010 instead.  She will be taking several business trips to Southern India this year and is looking to connect with the Christian community during her visits.

Chidamoyo update

Here is an email from an amazing missionary in Zimbabwe.  You'll have to read this and imagine what the days are like for Kathy.
Please pray for Kathy and the hospital in Chidamoyo.  Also pray for the people and please consider giving to this mission.  Looks like there is a link below where you can give through sadza.com.  Or you can give through Countryside Christian Church, in Wichita, KS.  Please let me know if you are praying or if you give and I'll let Kathy know when I email her soon.  I'm sure she would love to hear the encouragement.

Grace and Peace,

 

Chris
www.Reform-Shire.blogspot.com
Coram Deo!!!

From: Kathy McCarty

Sent: Saturday, January 17, 2009 1:40 PM

Subject: Chidamoyo update

Life in Zimbabwe continues to be a struggle.  Every day you see people just struggling to stay alive.  A new greeting has happened here.  Instead of Good morning—it is "How are you?" and the answer is "Hungry."  We noted yesterday to be a Zimbabwean means you are hungry all the time.    How sad that we have to deal with this all the time.  The question is how do you help people when everyone needs help?  We do our part by trying to help as we can.

Cholera continues to be with us and just when we think it is easing up another 10 people walk in wiped out.  As of this afternoon 468 people have been treated in our cholera ward!  We have visits by the Red Cross and local health officials every other day or so—they do bring us some supplies which help.  We have 3 nurses this week that are here to help with the cholera ward.  Today they brought us 50 kg of mealie meal (corn meal) to help us with feeding all of these mouths!  Many of our friends in the US and UK have responded and sent food via sadza.com or sent money direct to Sebastopol for food to be bought.  Thank you, thank you!

As of yesterday they printed a 100 trillion dollar note here.  Remember just in August they took 10 zeros off our currency and already we are back to 100 trillion!  The funny part is that legally you can only get your salary out of the bank per month and no one makes that much money so how can you ever get that bill to use?  It is worth 6 loaves of bread!  So the next time you buy bread remember you too are a trillionaire (in Zimbabwe)!

After a very busy week at work we were all looking forward to our Friday night prayer time and movie for the community.  We are playing the Indiana Jones movies and they love the excitement of them.  We have over 100-200 people that come to enjoy this each week.  Friday night is usually pizza night for dinner and I invited over two of our staff to join us for dinner.  Just as we sat down I got called to the hospital.  A pregnant woman presented with eclampsia—seizures due to high blood pressure in pregnancy.  She had been seizing since 4 a.m. and they had put her in a ox cart about 2 p.m. and brought her to the hospital.  Our driver on his way home from Karoi found them about 12 miles from here and brought her the rest of the way in, arriving at 7 p.m..  We immediately went to work on her as she was in a coma and the baby was dead—but we stabilized her and took her into theater for a C/Section.  During the C/Section she started bleeding and a common complication, stopped clotting her blood.  We have no blood or blood products and so we prayed a lot and held pressure on the incisions.  We were able to close her up but she continued to ooze blood.  We took her to her bed and finally got home about 11 p.m.  What a way to end an exhausting week.  Then I decided to check my e-mails before bed (because the electricity was on!)  and Major who was in Harare wrote to tell me he had been trying to buy X-ray films from the company we usually use and they wanted $1780 for a box of 100 films!  I went to bed that night wondering how my patients could afford that, how we could afford that and totally feeling tired and overwhelmed with trying to live and work in Zimbabwe.

I finally went to bed near midnight thinking I could finally sleep in since I had no visitors to get up and cook for and at 6 a.m. there was a knock on my door.  The kitchen people were looking for the keys and had gone to Mereki's house (where they are to get the keys from)  but no one answered so they thought they should wake me up to tell me—my answer was "go back and pound harder!"  Trying to go back to sleep I finally gave up and decided to check the e-mails—because, surprise the electricity was still on! 

The first e-mail was from Major saying he thought he wrote the X-ray film price was in US dollars but in fact it was in Rands (1/10^th the price of US dollar).  Wow—did that make me happyJ!  Then the next e-mail was from new friends in Eureka, CA who told me they were taking the next 2 Sundays to take a special offering for Chidamoyo from their congregation.  One of the ladies in the church had a son and his partner that were with me recently.  He is a cholera expert and his partner a resident in Family Practice in Boston.  She had matched them up with me and we put them to work for their 10 days here.  Based on his reports sent home  ,his mom went to work raising awareness of our plight and the people's plight in Zimbabwe and has caused all of this to come into place!  She has done such a great job I asked her to come and take over our government and whip it into shape!

The next e-mail was from a church in Ames, Iowa.  They have a commitment that whenever they spend money on a capital expenditure to give 20% of that expense to outside their church mission projects.  This Sunday they are presenting a check to Chidamoyo Hospital for $10,000!  Boy I keep hoping they build on and on to their church!

Then finally there was an e-mail from a woman who runs our UK Trust in England.  She was happy to tell me that they have raised enough funds for an electric washing machine for our hospital! 

How can I be overwhelmed with the problems here when so many people are praying for us, giving to us and concerned for us—God is so great and powerful.  All these things really brightened my day and many others that I was able to share with too!

When I arrived at the hospital and found our patient from last night awake and talking to me that also proved to me how great God is!  Against all odds she is alive and improving!  Not through our work but through God's power. 

I just wanted to share all this great news with you and thank you for your continued love and care and concern.

In His Service, Kathy

Ravi Zacharias - University of Florida Q&A

University of Flor...

University of Florida Q&A (part 2 of 3)

by Ravi Zacharias

Is there a moral or a natural law that transcends all else? Is there an irrepressible sense of right and wrong – or are they what we make them? Can God be known outside of the Scriptures? Tough questions – and Ravi answers them all in today’s interchange from the University of Florida.

______________________________

Here is part of a Q&A given by Ravi Zacharias at the University of Florida doing a Q&A session. I guess Ravi is a gluten for punishment. I really like his answer to a very tough question about the sanctity of life. I really appreciate Ravi's solution to the problem. Our human, intuitive idea is to change from the top down and to challenge these large groups and organizations that promote such things as "choice" or abortion and many times in the name of morality. But, that is not the way we have been given by Jesus Christ. He has chosen the preaching of the Gospel. He has chosen the changing of the hearts and minds of individuals. Then that will be what changes the laws and these organizations. Those organizations will lose their support one by one.

2 Corinthians 5 (English Standard Version)

17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Notice this passage points to the fact that when someone is in Christ, that is the point to where they really change. It does no good to get people to abide or behave a certain way. We really have only deterred them from that sin if we really have deterred them. They still need a savior and so do we. Pointing to specific sins only seems to create Pharisees in Christianity. We can easily be pointing at the sins out there. But, what about the sin in here (pointing to the heart)? There has to be a solution for the sinful human heart. Well, it is Christ, the Savior of the wicked, and we are all humbled by His gift of grace and faith.

Ultimately, we are not to be hated for our stance on abortion or any other social or political view. If we are to be hated for anything, it would be for the sake of Christ and His Gospel message. This message does not come naturally to our minds we have to be reminded of this on a regular basis. It is crucial for the life and growth of the church to reach out to the lost and to keep the Found humbled. As Ravi says in this message and I have quoted him before. "Christ did not come to make bad people good... He came to make dead people live."

Thanks for visiting and for those who have been supporting me and returning and encouraging me. Please continue to pray for me as I prepare for my mission trip to India. I will continue to update the thermometer to show how it is going. I'm giving about half of what is needed myself.

Grace and Peace,
Chris Allen
Coram Deo!!!

Mission Trip to Central India - Please Pray and Consider a Donation

Dear Reform-Shire friends,

On March 19, 2009 I will be going on a 14 day mission trip to India with Countryside Christian Church.

Our team will be involved in surveying the work and ministries of (CICM) Central India Christian Ministries including the women’s ministry, Bible academy, church planting, children’s home, and especially the ministry of Harris and Winnie Walters in Bhopal, India.

The purpose of my letter is threefold:

1. To inform you of some of the exciting things the Lord is currently doing in my life by giving me this opportunity to visit some brothers and sisters in Christ who are reaching an area that the Gospel is moving through in spite of much adversity. I hope that I may be able to encourage our Brothers and Sisters to let them know that we care for them and their mission of spreading the Gospel to India.

2. To request your prayers for the next few months or weeks as our team begins to prepare for this ministry opportunity.

3. To ask you to prayerfully consider being part of my financial support team so that I may experience and participate in this unique missionary opportunity.

The cost of our trip is approximately $3000.00. Anything you can do to help me in this endeavor will be greatly appreciated. Your financial gift is tax deductible. Your check can be made out to Countryside Christian Church. If you would like to donate online please use this link to go to the Secure Pay Pal website to make a donation via their website and I will forward to Countryside Christian on your behalf.

I am really excited about this opportunity to serve the Lord in a very special way, and want to thank you for assisting me in any way possible. May God richly bless you.

In His Service,

Grace and Peace,

Chris Allen

Coram Deo!!!

Viewpoint - Washington Post Web-chat with Dr. Michael S. Horton

Here is a question that I asked of Mike Horton of the White Horse Inn. And his answer. You'll notice that it is a similar topic that I sent to the Christian Standard Editor.

Grace and Peace,
Chris Allen
Coram Deo!!!

Wichita, Kan.: I have visited some of the Christian Bible Colleges around the country and have sat in some of the classes being offered. I have also visited churches planted by these colleges and they all have become infected by this virus and are now promoters of this Christless Christianity. Question: Since this problem is so sweeping across the country and denominations, do I contact the Presidents of these Colleges? What can we say or do to change the tide? Or are we on the "Downgrade" that Charles Spurgeon warned us about so many years ago?

Michael S. Horton: You put your finger on a major argument in my book. Conservatives often identify "Christless Christianity" with liberalism. However, it is hard to find Christ-centered preaching in so-called "Bible-believing" churches today. Everybody seems to be interested in other things these days.

The prophets, Jesus, Paul, Augustine, the Protestant Reformers, Spurgeon, and countless others had to confront the heresy of self-salvation. It is our default setting to believe that we are basically good people who could be a little better with the right game-plan, support-network, and coaching. "God helps those who help themselves": according to surveys, most evangelicals thought that this was a biblical quotation, when it actually comes from Ben Franklin. The Good News that the Bible proclaims, however, is that God saves those who cannot save themselves.

The first thing we have to realize if there is going to be genuine reformation in the churches today is that the self-trust that engenders Christless Christianity is not just a problem in some times and places, but is the natural drift of our fallen heart. We have to be taught out of it our whole lives as Christians. One generation assumes the gospel; the next generation forgets it; the next one abandons it. But each of us will be constantly tempted to fall back on ourselves instead of on Christ unless Christ is seen as the center and circumference of the church's preaching, teaching, the sacraments, and mission.

Christian Standard: Letter to the Editor

Just so you know my letter to the Editor of the Christian Standard Magazine has been posted on their website. I was right that they would probably omit the names of the Colleges that I visited. But, that's cool.
So, now what? Only God knows that. We'll just continue to challenge and observe what is being taught or presented in the name of Christ or even without the name of Christ.

I'm going to be fine tuning my sermon for this coming Sunday in the teen worship service at my church. I'm really pumped about this opportunity, but very nervous about the importance of such a task. All the while I want to be able to show the details of Christ's coming which is most certainly a timely time to deliver the Gospel. I've been told that we need to be careful about giving them the "Churchy" words. But, the Churchy words are necessary and just need some explaining what these scary words mean. I have to balance a solidly Christ centered message all the while keeping their attention without any kind of flash or gimmicks and still keep the message around 20 minutes. Hmmmm...... please pray for me. I have, at times, tend to be critical here on the blog but when preaching I so much want to be encouraging when delivering the Good News.

Grace and Peace,
Chris Allen
Coram Deo!!!

Good News for Lawbreakers, Part A Romans 3:20-31

Hello,

Once again here is a message that is so good. You may want to catch tomorrow's message as well. But, the emphasis on the Gospel is so inspiring. I could just imagine this kind of message being preached to the Youth of today. It is direct and right to the point and not spoon fed with sugar or some kind of media or method to make it more tolerable to swallow.
I have heard recently a pastor focus on the commission of certain sins like going over the speed limit or other seemingly small and insignificant sins. To where someone could make a case for not being that bad of a person. "God surely would not be so unfair and not consider them as a good person." The pastor mentioned a few sins and said that if you were to only sin 3 times a day for a year and multiply that say by 60 years. That's a whole lot of sinning. However, the pastor forgets that we sin every second of every minute, hour, day, month year, life and that is a whole lot of sinning. But, the focus, unfortunately, is on sins and not on the fact that we do not love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and we do not love our neighbors as ourselves. So, the emphasis should really move away from the acts of sin to the fact that we are SINNERS. And as Jonathan Edward's puts it, "we are sinners in the hands of an angry God". Now, we don't like looking at God from this standpoint because we have squelched this attribute of God and have only embraced the ones that we like. But the truth is that we are wicked people. And the law gives us the realization that we are in fact deserving of God's condemnation. As Alistair says, (paraphrasing) if we were to get a grade on how well we were doing in the school of righteousness, we would all get "Fs". No matter what effort or good deeds we do will ever change our grade to anything but an "F".
So, now we know why we celebrate Christmas... "Joy to the World, the Lord has come". We now have someone that gets the grade "A" on our behalf. We are in need of a Savior to come and rescue us from this life of destruction. I can praise Him and share Him as a gift that has come into this dark world. We can't help but share this gift of Christmas since we are blessed by God that His Grace was given. This present was already given and already opened by His Son Jesus Christ.
I listened to the story of Saul and David recently and it was quite interesting to here how God was working in the heart of David and how God protected David. God had to protect David because the son or descendant that would come out from him would also be David's Lord. The Son of God. The Savior of the World. This was promised to Abraham as well.
Remember when Saul threw the spear at David and all the times he pursued him to kill him? God protected David. He preserved him and this gift to come way before the Angels and the shepherds were to witness the birth of Jesus. And God continues to keep us and protect us as a humanity that was created as a gift from the Father to the Son. But, the Son had to come to Earth to be the Redeemer and redeem the gift (us) and be our atonement.
Why did He do this?
1. Because He loves His Father.
2. Because He loves the gift (us) He receives from the Father.
Isn't that the picture provided by the 10 commandments? Isn't that what the 2 greatest commands tell us? Not only our sins condemn us but our lack of perfect love and holiness condemn us.
That is just mind boggling if you really think about it.

Now that's a Christmas present worth showing to the whole world.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
Praise Him all creatures here below.
Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts.
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. AMEN!!!

Grace and Peace,
Chris Allen
Coram Deo!!!

Title: Good News for Lawbreakers, Part A Romans 3:20-31

Series: Pathway to Freedom more about this series >

by Alistair Begg | Thursday, December 11, 2008

Listen Now: Listen in Mini-Player

The breaking of the 10 Commandments are offensive against a holy God. What can we do to restore our relationship with Him? The first step is to discover some “Good News for Lawbreakers” on Truth For Life with Pastor Alistair Begg.

Recent Broadcasts

Good News for Lawbreakers, Part A
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Romans 3:20-31, Series: Pathway to Freedom

The Looming Christian College Cri$i$

This is a letter I wrote to the Christian Standard Editor. I hope this email will be seen as a genuine concern for the Church as a whole. It is certainly easier while I'm not a pastor to point these things out and I certainly have had help from Mike Horton and the guys on the White Horse Inn.

Grace and peace,
Chris Allen
Coram Deo!!!

---

Dear Christian Standard,

I have recently been visiting your online magazine and I have been pleased to see what has been written recently.
I have a hobby or ministry of evaluating preaching and church trends which also includes the Christian Colleges. I want to call churches back to the Gospel and Christ Centered preaching.

Over the years I have observed what has been produced by these Christian colleges and I'm concerned about what many of these "would-be" pastors or worship leaders have been taught. They come to us saying "this is how you should do ministry". And we reply emphatically, "No it is not!!!".

I have also visited and attended classes at 3 Christian Colleges (Ozark, Manhattan, and Johnson). I also have visited several churches planted by these colleges. I must say I am a little disappointed with what is being done in the name of Christ. It seems that the Gospel is assumed, and that we ultimately have a teaching that is moralistic, therapeutic, and deistic. I could get this same teaching from Anthony Robbins, Joel Osteen, or the Mormon Church. So, in a sense what I have seen coming out of these several years is basically a Christless Christianity.

So, to the point of this note to the editor, from my standpoint is I've lost any kind of confidence in the Christian Colleges. And I have a daughter attending one of these at this very moment. I'm especially concerned after recently attending the Missionary Convention I listened to the keynote speaker and interviewed many representatives of colleges and mission organizations. So now I'm starting to wonder if this Christless Christianity has infected the entire American Church. It is very discouraging and it is with a heavy heart that I write this and I plead with you the Christian Churches to do a self evaluation once again and maybe it is time for a "Reformation" to bring us back to a Christ Centered, Gospel preaching, church.

Here is a book entitled Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers

Also, a book and a website by Mike Horton called Christless Christianity.


Grace and Peace,

Chris
www.Reform-Shire.blogspot.com
Coram Deo!!!

Here is an amazing message given by an apologist whom I have admired for many years. I was especially impacted by the sharing of a letter written by a 12 year old boy. Listen to this message and think about your relationship with those around you. How about your father? How about you as a father? I marvel in God's holiness, that there can be such a thing as grace for anyone. Especially me. At times I just don't know where I'm going and I feel like Solomon in Ecclesiastes.

Ecclesiastes 1

All Is Vanity

1The words of^(A) the Preacher,^[a] the son of David,^(B) king in Jerusalem.
2^(C) Vanity^[b] of vanities, says^(D) the Preacher,
^(E) vanity of vanities! All is vanity.
3^(F) What^(G) does man gain by all the toil
at which he toils under the sun?
4A generation goes, and a generation comes,
but^(H) the earth remains forever.
5^(I) The sun rises, and the sun goes down,
and hastens^[c] to the place where it rises.
6^(J) The wind blows to the south
and goes around to the north;
around and around goes the wind,
and on its circuits the wind returns.
7All^(K) streams run to the sea,
but the sea is not full;
to the place where the streams flow,
there they flow again.
8All things are full of weariness;
a man cannot utter it;
^(L) the eye is not satisfied with seeing,
nor the ear filled with hearing.
9^(M) What has been is what will be,
and what has been done is what will be done,
and there is nothing new under the sun.
10Is there a thing of which it is said,
"See, this is new"?
It has been^(N) already
in the ages before us.
11There is no^(O) remembrance of former things,^[d]
nor will there be any remembrance
of later things^[e] yet to be
among those who come after.

It is all vanity, but there is one who gives meaning to it all. There is one who gives wisdom when we have been awaken from this darkened life of sin and self destruction. Regeneration is all of God bringing us out of this miry clay and makes us into something to give song and praise. Jesus Christ is the one that these passages point us to. Jesus did not come to make bad people good, nor to make poor people rich. He came to bring dead people to life. And all the while loving, and honoring the Father and loving and saving us from a Holy and Just God.

This past weekend I attended a Missions Convention and it was wonderful to see the many missions all over the world. But, I could not help but think. Who is the missionary to the churches, and the Bible colleges here in the United States? The reason I say that is, it seemed the emphasis by the featured speaker was that reaching the poor and oppressed was a greater mission than the great commission. I understand that is usually the focus of missionaries to do both and usually get caught up in the physical needs of the people. However, it should never be the emphasis of one over the other. Because, if you give emphasis to the Gospel message, (the same Gospel message that Paul gave), the results will always be compassion for the needs of the people. There are many non-religious and non-Christian organizations around the world that do a very good job of meeting physical needs. But, what distinguishes us from them is the bread that will sustain them for eternity. Living water that will eternally quench their thirst. So, I question the need to give emphasis to the Church on getting out there and helping those who are in need. This is part of our make up as human beings who are bearing the image of God. So, I hope that I am making this point clear, that it is important to meet the needs of people, but for us as the church, we must share this precious gift of Grace through Faith, on account of Christ Alone. Soli Deo Gloria!!! All the Glory goes to God Alone!!!

Grace and Peace,
Chris Allen
Coram Deo!!!

Who Are You God? (part 2 of 2) by Ravi Zacharias Knock-knock. “Who’s there?” God. “God who?” That’s a pretty heavy question to answer, isn’t it? How would you describe God to someone who asked? Would you start with His love or would you focus more on His power? What about His wrath - how does that fit in? Join Ravi Zacharias as he explores the question on the hearts of all mankind - Who Are You God?

Listen

Free mp3 download Real Audio

Prayer Request

Here is an update from Global Hope Network.  Please pray for them and this situation in Afghanistan and please also pray for those being persecuted in India.

Grace and Peace,

 

Chris
www.Reform-Shire.blogspot.com
Coram Deo!!!

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Michael Parks <michael.parks@ghni.org>
To: Michael Parks <michael.parks@ghni.org>; Sheri Parks <sheri.parks@ghni.org>
Sent: Sunday, November 16, 2008 12:21:56 AM
Subject: Prayer Request

We work in some of the hardest and most dangerous places on earth.

I want to share with you an "incident report" from Afghanistan , the type which I get every day.  

This situation you will read is a common event our staff, other faithful aid workers and the folks who live there face every day.

After you read this say a prayer for the people there who want to live a normal life, send their children to school to be educated without the fear of some terrorist seeking to kill them.

I see these reports every day and face them when I am in country but our staff and the people who live there face this often.

So for a moment try to put yourself in place of the mother or father or student…trying to live a normal life…yes, it is different from you or I, but like you and I, they want the same basic things in life…education, medicine for their children, food for their family, safety as they and their sons and daughters try to work, go to school, or buy groceries…in common public places.

 

 

Location:                   Khost Province , Khost City , Khost Technical High School

Incident type:            Attempted BBIED

Date/Time:               15 November 2008, 1440hrs

Report Source:          OTHER

Information:              A person entered the school premises and threw two grenades which detonated, causing some damage but no casualties. The assailant was then fatally shot by ANP and found to be wearing a suicide vest.

Assessment:              This incident comes the day after a SVBIED attack in the city and follows the shooting of three engineers in the neighbouring district of Mando Zayi on 13 November 2008. It also follows the killings of teachers in two separate incidents in the province in mid-October, and illustrates the threat against education facilities in the province as well as being part of a more general increase in AOG activity in and around Khost City .

Advisory:                   Any NGOs working or travelling in and around Khost should recognise a clear increase in threat level, as well as a shift in the nature of threat from AOG attacks against security forces to a wider range of risks such as those demonstrated in the past 72 hrs.

 

Regards,

Regional Safety Advisor- East

Afghanistan NGO Safety Office (ANSO)

 

Though we have our "Columbine" incidents, in Afghanistan it is a regular incident that some diabolical person is trying to blow up a girl's school, high school, market place…

But God…Who is great in mercy and grace is working in the hearts of many to bring peace and hope to a generation that has only known war and terror.  So don't grow weary in prayer for those who are seeking peace in a perverse and dangerous time.

I thank the Lord for your faithfulness to pray for our friends and for us.

God bless you!

Mike

 

 

Better than Perfect - Series: God's Beautiful Design for Women: Living Out Titus 2:1-5 - part 2

I just happened to be listening to the radio in my car during lunch and caught Nancy Leigh DeMoss talking about wives ministering to those in their family. But, what caught my ear is not just for wives but for all of us. And it was when she said, "first to the Lord." That is the place to start for all of us. If we truly have Christ at the center, then all other relationships should fall into place. Not just in the family but the church as well. If you would like to listen to this message click the link and look for the listen tab.

Grace and Peace,

Chris

Coram Deo!!!

_________________

Nancy: Well, we’ve been talking over the last couple of sessions about women being keepers at home—workers at home, being domestically inclined, the virtue of domesticity and having a heart for the home—and how this is in such missing supply today and really crucial. Anything that God says is important is important.

If God says this is the way that we’re supposed to function, then we’re going to find our freedom, our blessing, and our joy by functioning in that way. This is a call for women at every season of life to say, “Lord, what would it look like in this season—whether I’m in high school or college or newly married, with no children, young children, older children, or an empty nest? At every season of life, how can I reflect a heart for home?”

At different seasons of life, you may be able to do more by ministering to people outside of your own home. But in domestic ways, I want to tell you today the tale of two women. It’s actually two stories.

One is the story of a woman who sent me an email. She’s a friend; I’ve known her for a number of years. I told her that we were talking about domesticity, and I knew that God had done some things in her life along this line. I asked her if she would share some of that, so she sent me an email this past week.

I was hoping for a paragraph or two, and what I got was more of her story than I was even aware of. So it’s lengthy. But I want to take time to share it with you because I think it illustrates some of the principles we’ve been talking about related to the importance of women centering their lives around ministering to those in their family—first to the Lord, and then to their husbands and children—and the dangers that can take place when those responsibilities are neglected.

Your Enemy the Devil

Here is a wonderful message that I really feel is a great challenge for us as individuals and the church together. I was just talking on the phone to a new friend but an old Brother in Christ. Such an encouraging Pastor, and a true blessing to talk with.
I am glad to know that we are not alone in this battle to bring the church back to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We have been blessed to have been saved through the foolishness of preaching this message. We are doubly blessed to have our hearts charged with the desire to share this news. The Good News of Christ that saves us from the bad news of guilt before a Holy and Just God. Grace is truly amazing.

Grace and peace,

Chris
www.Reform-Shire.blogspot.com
Coram Deo!!!


Your Enemy the Devil - Part A

Monday, November 10, 2008

Why is it so hard to trust God, even though the Bible tells us that we should? If your spiritual life is less than it could be, you may be engaged in spiritual warfare. For some valuable insight into this topic, join Alistair Begg as he considers the next issue from Peter's first letter.

Series: Standing Firm in Shaky Times-Volume 3

1 Peter 5:8-9

Your Enemy the Devil Part B - 11/11/2008

Your Enemy the Devil Part A - 11/10/2008

In the INN - "Election Coverage"

Election! We just happen to be talking about this very subject in Sunday School. Or at least we try to talk about it. I think someone yesterday was trying to change gears or head into a different direction than what the passage was talking about. It was stated that Paul had his credibility in mind when he said "I am not lying" because the Jews know he betrayed them when Christ dragged him into faith on the road to Damascus. The Christians were a little nervous about him because he at one time was having them persecuted. However, if that was his motivation for writing this at this point in the book of Romans, I'm not buying it. He should have said "I am not lying" at the very beginning of this epistle, because he has already said quite a bit that his "credibility" would need to be discussed. But, that's OK. Next week Romans 9 will clearly head us into the weighty matters of election and there will be no need to wonder of Paul's credibility because no human would want to write what he had to write about the Sovereignty of God. It just isn't in ourselves to develop such a marvelous doctrine such as God's Sovereign Election.

Romans 9:1-18

God's Sovereign Choice

1I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit— 2I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, 4the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. 5Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised!^[a] Amen.

6It is not as though God's word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. 7Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham's children. On the contrary, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned."^[b] 8In other words, it is not the natural children who are God's children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring. 9For this was how the promise was stated: "At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son."^[c]

10Not only that, but Rebekah's children had one and the same father, our father Isaac. 11Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God's purpose in election might stand: 12not by works but by him who calls—she was told, "The older will serve the younger."^[d] 13Just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."^[e]

14What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! 15For he says to Moses,
"I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."^[f] 16It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy. 17For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: "I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth."^[g] 18Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.

This doctrine is very humbling and it is very beautiful if you really think about it. The thought that God would save anyone is remarkable. We as followers of Christ can go on with confidence that God's word will bring people to faith and not any kind of program or persuasion. I would rather know for sure that it was the Word of God that changed the heart, rather than my ability to "woo" them into some kind of feeling or sensation that won't endure the storms of this life. We have a great privilege to be a part of sharing in the redemption of those who are foreknown, predestined, called, justified, and glorified. We are saved by grace, through faith, because of Christ alone. All the glory goes to God alone. Sola Scriptura, Sola Gratia, Sola Fide, Solus Christus, Soli Deo Gloria.

Chris
www.Reform-Shire.blogspot.com
Coram Deo!!!

Join us for the 2008 series "Christless Christianity" Election Coverage Hello and welcome to another edition of the White Horse Inn. In this program we are intentionally - we are being right up front about it - we are using the old technique known as "bait and switch." Election is our subject and it's not the election that you are, like the rest of us preoccupied with at this time of the year, it is God's election. We are used to electing our monarchs, but when we talk about how God has saved us - salvation is of the Lord. It's a very different kind of picture. Click here to read the rest of this week's commentary Listen Now: "Election Coverage" RELATED ARTICLES Is God Unfair? by J. I. Packer Grace, How Strange the Sound by Michael Horton The Canons of the Synod of Dordt (Reformed) The Book of Concord on Election (Lutheran) Read Kim Riddlebarger's Blog Get your Reformation Gear here!

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