Part of the same family ...
Once while Jesus was speaking to the crowds His mother and brothers were trying to speak with Him privately (Matthew 12:46-50). Yes, Jesus had brothers and sisters. Mary was a Blessed Virgin when she gave birth to the Son Of God but the people of Nazareth and others knew that she had also given birth to James, Joseph, Simon and Judas and to sisters as well (Matthew 13:53-58). It may seem harsh to you the way Jesus answered the one who informed Him that His mother and brothers were standing outside seeking to speak with Him. "Who is my mother and who are My brothers?" He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said "Behold My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother."
Do we understand everything in the Bible and everything about our God? Obviously, our minds can comprehend only a infinitesimal part of Who He is. But joy of joys, that which has been revealed about God is quite enough to have a loving relationship with Him. If our Father says of the Son of God, "Your Throne, O God, is Forever and ever and the righteous scepter is the scepter of His kingdom." (Hebrews 1:8), I do not argue or fall to unbelief. No, we have experienced the reality of the Kingdom of God within us as we have submited to Jesus Our Lord. The scepter God spoke about concerning the Son is a staff borne as a symbol of sovereignty. The Lamb of God is also sovereign King, worthy of worship as the New Testament believers saw Him (Luke 24:52).
The Family Jesus refers to has no cultural barriers. We may not have the same earthly parents but certainly we are part of the same Family, the Family of God!! Those you see in this newsletter are part of your Family. We thank God for you. You, our prayer partners, have, over the years, substantiated the truth that Jesus spoke in this Biblical account. The Father's will is that He will have a people of His own from every tribe and nation. O, what a privilege to be involved with Him!!
"Pastor Nimal. his wife, son and daughter whom you are helping through our ministry to support their education. Nimal was a Buddhist who got saved, attended Bible college, and pioneered a church in a very difficult place in Sri Lanka." Pray for them.
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"Our son Timothy with his fiance' Maria, Pattie and I. We are thankful that the Bible gives us the promise that if we raise our children in the knowledge of the Lord they will not depart from Him (though they may be old). We pray that your loved ones will also come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and experience the true Family of God. He is faithful to His promises."
"Our oldest son Nathanael with Dad. Pray for his complete healing and restoration. Last night I reread our newsletter of July 2001, which Pattie wrote, showing a photo of Nathan in the hospital after his motorcycle accident. It made me think that "time does not necessarily bring healing but only the touch of our sovereign Lord".
"The 30 year civil war in Sri Lanka is over. The government troops killed Prabakaran, leader of the Tamil separatists and his cohorts. However, the civilian casualities are staggering. Thousands are barely existing in refugee camps throughout the country. Please pray for them. Pastor Chandy has sent us several photos. If you would like to help with the relief effort, please designate a gift for the refugees. We will send all designated gifts to help in this humanitarian outreach. Thanks.
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