Hello Readers!
Many of you were inspired by the November/December issue of The Call and are giving gifts of missions this year. Wouldn't it be cool if the needs to several projects were met because you honored somebody on your Christmas list. It gives me the chills just thinking about it. Together we can do it!
I am writing today because the January/February issue will be mailing this week. Hooray! This issue is challenging and inspiring. This issue asks the question, "Why do bad things happen?". Why are children dying of hunger in Africa, why was Haiti devastated with hurricane damage this year, and why don't children have coats in Kazakhstan - I don't know, but I do know that God is bigger than all of those things. The writers share their stories of life struggle and defeat, but through each circumstance God is in control.
You will soon be bombarded with ways to set goals for the coming year, ways to simplify your life, and ways to lessen your environmental footprint but take a moment to laugh, cry, and be reminded that God is in control, even in the bad times.
Wherever you are on the road of life be blessed!
Kristi Crisp
Call to Prayer Editor
World Gospel Mission
World Gospel Mission
P.S. Don't forget to share Call to Prayer with others. They can sign up for a free subscription at www.wgm.org/call
1 comment:
Grace and peace!
Your latest The Call was very good. Many articles faithfully answered the question, "Why do bad things happen?" We live in a fallen world, where disease and corruption entered through Adam's sin. But we have a Savior who is greater than our diseases, all praise to God, who came to die for us, and to set captives free, not only spiritually, but physically. In Luke 4, He declared that Isaiah 61:1-2a was fulfilled:
Luke 4:18-19 ( ESV) The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
May He increase our faith to believe that He is still not only saving and sanctifying, but also healing and delivering miraculously today. I'm sure many of your missionaries have seen cases of miraculous healing that is in no way aided by man but rather, is done in the name of Jesus Christ. I was healed of multiple sclerosis seven years ago, when man said there was no hope for me, and I testify that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever!
One other comment. In a few places in this issue, you have used Matthew 5:45 to answer the question, "Why do bad things happen?" Both rain and sun are a blessing in Israel; we take this Scripture out of cultural context if we say rain is a "bad thing," and then use it to show why bad things happen to both the righteous and the unrighteous. Look at the context in which Christ spoke Matthew 5:45. He spoke it following His command to love our enemies and pray for them (see 5:43-44). He continues, saying that blessing our enemies (by loving and praying for them) reveals that we are sons of our Father in heaven (because we could not love and pray for our enemies if we were not filled with the Father's love, and Christ's nature rather than the old sinful nature). He then illustrates the nature of the Father, saying that He pours the blessings of rain and sun on the evil and the good, the righteous and the unrighteous. I believe Wesley taught that it is through God's prevenient grace that the unrighteous are blessed.
To show why bad things happen to both the righteous and the unrighteous, it would be more appropriate to use the example of Israel, when they were at the border of the Promised Land and some doubted. All of Israel, including the faithful Moses, Joshua and Caleb, wandered in the desert for 40 years because of Israel's sin. If we who are faithful to Christ and the Father suffer, I believe the Bible shows us that it is often because of the sin (including the sin of unbelief) of others. Regarding natural disasters, we do live in a fallen world that is under the curse of God. In all of this, God's grace is sufficient for His children.
May the Lord continue to bless you as you bring forth the message of the Gospel.
In the love of Christ,
Rev. Sue Wynn
Living Streams Fellowship
A Free Methodist Church
Proclaiming Jesus Christ
Pastor Jeff and Pastor Sue Wynn
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