Okay, I know you all don’t have it easy in the US concerning how expensive so many things are at this time. I don’t have to tell those living in the States that gas is expensive.

I did however want to share a few things that the average Indonesian is going through on a day-to-day basis.

Food is getting more expensive here by the day. The lower classes of people are really feeling the pressures of buying the essentials of living. There is also a shortage on kerosene, with which they do much of there cooking. You drive down the road and instead of seeing people lined up waiting for kerosene, you will see their jugs waiting. They line jugs up on the ground outside of a small store that is scheduled to get a truck full of kerosene. Then a rope is routed through the handles of all the jugs to ensure your spot in line when the truck comes in the next 24 hours.(I know, sounds like a real fun process just to get the fuel with which to cook.)

Freedom of religion is also a problem area for Indonesia. It is an idea that is written in the law books of this country. However, it is not a law that is always followed. Pray for the liberties of Christians scattered across the islands of Indonesia to be able to share the message of Christ freely. The radical Muslims want to take over all of Indonesia’s islands. The majority of Indoesians don’t want that to happen, however those that scream the loudest often are listened to the most.

The burning of the mosque in West Java is an example of how religious freedom is not always a reality in the country. Through all that may come our way, pray that we will have boldness to share the gospel with clarity and consistency.

Please pray for a situation that has arisen in the past couple of weeks. It has been going on for years. Now, many Indonesians are demanding a sect of Muslims, that are not fanatics, to be disbanned. They have went so far as to burn down one of this sect’s mosques.

Please pray for the safety of the people directly related to this situation. Pray for God’s glory. Pray for the Christians that are in that area. It is in Sukabumi/Jakarta and is very far from us, however we have friends in Jakarta as well as in Bandung-about two hours from Jakarta. Pray that the President will not allow this harshness to continue.

Check out the full story here.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7370650.stm

I ask you to make it a matter of prayer concerning helping a pastor friend of ours purchase a motorcycle.

He is doing a great work.  Where he is ministering, public transportation is few and far between.

Please let me know if you would like more info concerning this matter.  He has almost half of the needed money.   He still needs about $400.  Thank you for considering this.

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Please pray that we will have wisdom about renewing our contract.

We want to be in the best area possible to further our ministry in this city.

If we should move, then we want to be ready and willing to do that.

Lg and I were invited to hold a Bible study in Ai’s home. Our first meeting was with him and his wife. They were very receptive. I have known Ai for some time and he reluctantly agreed to let us come to have a Bible study with him every Sunday morning. He told me he was too embarassed to have me come to his home. He also told me that he did not want to bother me.

He is a professing Christian however he does not have a testimony of calling on Christ to save him. He told me that he has always been a Christian because his parents are also Christians. Ai said that he has no idea if he really is going to heaven. Please pray that He will see his need of repenting of his sin and trusting in Christ alone for salvation. His wife Ra is also in need of salvation.

Ai told me his wife switched religions to become a Christian when they were married. (Though it has not always been this way, it is now the law that to be married, two must be of the same religion.) She was a muslim before that. When they married her family completely cut off contact with them. However, after they had a child a couple of years later, her parents came back around. Now the relationship is well again between them all.

She made this decision to leave her religion because she loved a man. She lost communication with her family for a while. Later her family joined back in a good relationship with her. This is not what will always happen, but it is one example of what happens to those who change their relgion.

We are not here to change religions of people, though we know that will happen if they trust in Christ.

We are focused on giving the message of Christ to these people.

Pray that many will trust in Christ as their only way of salvation.

Ai said that he would try to get more people to come to the Bible study. Pray with us concerning that also.

We have moved houses and have just now gotten the internet hooked up and working.  Just because it is hooked up does not mean it will immediately be working.  We hope to see you here more often.  Please ask any questions you may have for us.  Check back and keep us in your prayers.

Please pray with us as we are going to be kicking off our english classes. 

The Devil does not wan this to start, but I believe the Lord does want to use this tool.

Pray for power, zeal and wisdom for us as we begin.

As I sat at our dinner table doing my devotions this morning, I heard a common noise outside.  It was the very annoying sound of a truck’s horn being “honked”(more like layed down on) to announce its arrival on the street.  They sale refills for your propane tanks, for which we use for cooking and hot water. 

I heard the sound, saw the truck through the window, and immediately thought… “I hope the kids don’t wake up.”  It is such a nice time for my devotions.  When our two wonderful children get up, ages 14 months and almost 4yrs, the house comes alive.  Not the best conditions for devotions.

I immediately thought about the desire of some Christians, a desire for other Christians to not wake up.  They don’t want them to get up and excited about the things of the Lord.  A young Christian will be more work for those who are around that has something to teach them.  Some would rather they not get excited so that the older Christians would not have to worry with them.  The “mature” saints are very comfortable enjoying the SS class just the way it is right now. (who want someone asking dumb questions)

May we all have a desire to help others as they have a desire and a hunger for the things of God.  Don’t hope they won’t wake up.  Pray for them that they will wake up to serve God with passion.  Then get yourself up and help them. 

Sure, keep doing your devotions, but in order to help the young-uns you may have to get your devotions done early.  Our children get up and many things have to be done for them.  J needs a diaper change, H needs her clothes laid out for her, breakfast needs to be made, and hugs HAVE to be given. 

Please apply this to the young Christians around you.  Help them when they smell of immaturity-guide them and teach them as they mature.  Be ready to do a lot for them.  Teach them to feed themselves from the Word of God.  Hannah has even begun to help us get food ready for Joseph, but she still needs help.  Teach the young Christians to find someway to help others.  Through it all, LOVE the young Christians every step of their Christian life.

Exo 26:1 Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work shalt thou make them.

Lord, I know that the work that you have for us in this world requires a cunning work, planning and much effort from your people. I know there is nothing that you cannot do, but I also know that you have chosen to work through us. I want to devote myself, my plans, my thoughts to your work. Use me for your glory.

Help me to focus on your ministry and not on my work. I have found in my time in Indonesia, that I can stay busy about good things, but I want to have the ministry that does those things that are better than good, that is the best work for me this day. Good, better, best. I never want to let it rest until my good is better and my better is best.

 

Are you cunningly doing the work that God has for you?  What I mean, are you thinking through your life today so that tomorrow you may better serve HIM? 

It is great to help those in need.  We are to show Christ’s love through our good works.  We are not saved by good works, so often we don’t do many “good deeds”.  This should not be so.

Help people with their needs as you share Christ.

I wanted to help Pak Agus have a better marriage as well as be a better husband.  I gave practical advice in these areas, but my end goal is to share the true (benar, benar) help, and that is Jesus Christ in his heart.