Hold Up Your Card!

Fall is football season in North America. College teams are vying for championships and students are excited.

One of the phenomena of college football is the card section. Students in a particular section of the stadium have a number of cards that they hold up on command, resulting in a picture or slogan being seen on the other side of the stadium.

The only way to make this work is if there is a master of the section that calls out which card the student should hold up at a particular time. This photo, courtesy of the Penn State Department of Public Information illustrates this premise.
I am reminded of the story in the ninth chapter of John about the blind man that Jesus healed. Jesus was asked by his disciples who had sinned to cause this blindness.

Jesus replies in verses 3 and 4, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life."

We have to admit that many hardships are born of our sins. However, we should not dwell on this fact, for many of our trials are NOT the result of sin. Also, we should realize few of our hardships have to do with how we are living at the present time.

We, especially when feeling devastated, are focused on our needs. God is looking at the big picture. IT’S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT US!

At the football game we are given one card of many. The master is on the other side telling us what card to hold up. It doesn’t make sense to us but it does to the master who has the plan and sees the result. If we fail to follow the master, the picture is not going to develop as it should.

In the game of life, we may be dealt a card that we don’t understand. However, the Master … our Lord, who is on the other side seeing the whole picture knows what that card is doing and is pleased with the result.

Think of the millions of people who have heard this story and think of the glory it has brought to our Lord … all because the blind man held up the card that had been dealt to him … blindness. And, having successfully held the dealt card, the Lord eventually cured him of his blindness. Jesus opened his eyes and in verse 38, upon his confession of belief the man accepted the gift of eternal life.

We are all in God’s card section. He is handing out the cards. We may never understand why our particular card has been given to us but our faith in God and His ultimate plan will result in the final picture being gloriously correct.

So, with joy in your heart, endure your hardship and praise Him … the Master Creator and HOLD UP YOUR CARD!

Larry Abele – Editorial Team

A Letter From The Weresch's ...

Paul and Betty Weresch have been ministering in Europe since September 23rd. They have visited churches in Norway, then on to Russia and now are in Poland. Let me share their recent letter with you.

Greetings from two European travelers …

We had a very interesting time in Sochi and Adler Russia. The services were great. There was a very good spirit in all the services.

A highlight one evening was an 84 year old war veteran who received Christ as his Saviour We just wish you could have been with us to experience the wonderful time of worship and the way the people responded to the messages. The people were very excited to have us come to minister to them.

One Saturday (our free day) the pastor and his wife took us for a tour into the mountains. First we visited a tea plantation. It is the first one in Russia. We were shown around and then had tea and light lunch at the tea house. From there a 4 wheel vehicle picked us up and took us to a rehab center which is also a summer camp for children. The camp is being built in very rugged terrain but has good potential, however right now it is still very primitive. There is no running water or utilities of any kind.

While there we had a meeting with the rehab people. Their testimonies were most interesting. The leader of the group is a former drug addict that has been free for 5 years. He has taken Bible school by correspondence. What beautiful young lives that now have been free and redeemed by Jesus.

On Sunday we had a wonderful service in Sochi. They church was packed. Then we were taken out to a Georgian restaurant. It was a beautiful place. We dined in the loft of the building. The food was served with flair. Wish you could have been with us for it was very interesting.

After a very long traveling day on Monday we arrived in Poland at 4:00 AM Tuesday. We had flown to Berlin and there were picked up by the pastor's son at 11:30 P.M. Then we had a 4 hour drive to Dzierzoniow, Poland. After a few hours of sleep we are fine.

The weather here is the opposite from Sochi. It is cold, windy and
raining. Some parts of Poland had an early snow. On this trip we have learned to just take it as it comes. In November we will be returning to Canada.

God bless you
Betty and Paul Weresch

Continue to pray for Paul and Betty as they continue their mnistry in Poland.

Larry Abele - Editorial Team

Pastor Vidar fron Norway

Pastor Vidar is an amazing man!
He is a husband, father, and grandfather, a sheppard of 200 sheep, math teacher, and pastor of a local Church. In his spare time he runs across the hills and mountains of the West Cup of Norway. Betty and I found him and his wife to be the most gracious and loving hosts.
Thanks again, Jogina and Vidar!