50 Years Serving the Lord ...

I got a call from Paul a couple days ago. He and wife Betty, along with me, my wife and nearly 100 other friends of the Wereschs are relaxing after a wonderful party … Paul and Betty’s 50th wedding anniversary. The event took place at a beautiful oasis near Yakima, Washington and was put on by the couple’s loving boys Wesley, Jonathan and Dan; their wives Eileen, Jennifer and Bryn; and Grandpa and Grandma‘s joy, grandson, Frederick.

Paul said that as he thought of the thrill of seeing everyone, he was thinking about how children often dream of having one day in Santa’s workshop … seeing all the creations of the man himself … what a joy and a thrill that would be.

But then he said, "Larry, I have spent 50 years in God’s workshop, meeting, seeing, helping, encouraging the workmanship of the Lord … His marvelous creation … His children." He was nearly in tears of joy as he related the thrill of it to me.

I always admire those folks who in this day and age make it to 50 years of marriage and more. But, even more so the Wereschs who have served the Lord during every one of those years ... serving as ambassadors of our Almighty God.

I once asked an elderly gentleman in our town in Idaho for two words that would describe the success of their 70 plus years of marriage. He said without hesitation, "Yes, Dear!"

These two missionary sweethearts, the Wereschs, made a similar two word commitment when they decided to work together … "Yes, Lord!"

As a result of that obedience, they have had the privilege of sharing Jesus with thousands … even tens of thousands of souls in Eastern Europe and Russia … God’s handiwork.

You might think that with 50 years of marriage and service, they would think of retirement … think again! They have already prepared for a 5 week trip to Poland in October. As I bask in the memories of this recent party in Yakima … attended by friends, relatives, admirers and brothers and sisters in Christ, I can only imagine what the parties are going to be like in Warsaw or Bielawa or Barlinek or Bielsko-Biala … all cities in Poland where Paul and Betty served the Lord and are welcomed with open arms. I have seen the love the people of Eastern Europe have for the Wereschs … the parties will be great.

But, as I imagine a day in God’s workshop I can’t help but think of an eternity in God’s heaven … with brothers and sisters in Christ like Paul and Betty Weresch … now THAT will be a party!

Don’t miss it, my friends!

Larry Abele – Editorial Team

My Most Memorable Easter ...

I have had the privilege of seeing many wonderful miracles during our nearly half century of ministry in Eastern Europe. The Lord has given us boundless grace and mercy as He has lead us down many paths, protected us from great harm, and strengthened us to do His bidding.

During that time we have celebrated many Easter Sundays in many places. However, our most memorable Easter was not behind the Iron Curtain or in a small Russian village or a large Polish city … it was in Tacoma, Washington in the U.S.A. on an Easter Sunday evening, 19 years ago, when a dear brother placed his broken life on the altar and accepted Jesus Christ’s gift of a new heart.

As I meditated on the Cross and the perfect Lamb, Jesus Christ, I thought about how this selfless act of love by the Creator of the universe was a game changer for all of humanity. His beloved creation had taken a turn down a crooked path … a path to certain destruction … He had to straighten that path, and did, by offering his only Son as the sacrifice for all.

But while it was for ALL humanity, it is a wonderful blessing to see it being played out on a personal scale … with just one lost man. As my Easter offering to you, the reader, I share the remembrance of a man whose life was changed that Easter evening in 1993;  a man who has continued to grow under the tutelage of the Holy Spirit. I have watched his life change and bloom. And though he calls me “mentor” I call him “brother”. He is on our editorial team, a frequent contributor to “Let’s Talk” and a beautiful example of God‘s love.

“Our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.”  Titus 2:13-14

Happy Easter to all of our readers and to you, Larry Abele, my friend and my brother in Christ.

Paul Weresch

Easter - the Gift of Love ...

1 Peter 1:3-4 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.”

Easter is a message with special meaning for Christians around the world. It is a message of God’s love for mankind, it is a message of renewal, it is a message of mercy and grace, it is the message of salvation.

It is a statement to the lost and hopeless that there is hope … a chance to start over.

It is the promise from God that though his people had a rocky beginning … they can have a glorious, eternity.

It is a gift from a loving Father to an errant child.

Nineteen years ago, this Easter 2012, I was the errant child (a 58-year-old child) who opened that gift. I never dreamed that the simple acceptance of an unearned gift could change a life so dramatically. I never dreamed of the love, forgiveness, acceptance and possibility that sprang out of that gift given to me and to all mankind 2000 years ago.

I never dreamed that by simply admitting that I was much less than my boasts proclaimed; simply admitting that I was a hopeless sinner who needed a savior; and, simply admitting that only Jesus could pull me through, that I would become a brother in Christ and have life everlasting.

You, too, can open that gift. Easter Sunday 2012 would be the ideal time to complete that act and begin again. Don’t let the chance go to waste.

As Paul stated in 1 Corinthians 15:10: “But because God was so gracious, so very generous, here I am. And I'm not about to let His grace go to waste.” (The Message)

Happy Easter and Praise God!

Larry Abele – Editorial Team

Are You Satisfied?

We are all seeking satisfaction in one way or another … aren’t we? It is a condition that is built into us.

Before God created us, He created an environment of great beauty, power and mystery … a place for us. In us, He created the abilities to interact and enjoy all of it. The Lord, in His great love for us has given so very much and yet we seek our satisfaction in other things … often the very gifts themselves.

The recent untimely demise of singer, Whitney Houston, reminds me of another singer who wailed, “Thou I try, and I try, and I try, and I try, I can’t get no satisfaction!” Here is a young girl who was given a gift from God … a voice like an angel … and continued to search for satisfaction in all the wrong places.

Are we much different than Whitney and Mick … are we much different than the Israelites in the days of Amos?

In the days of prophet, Amos, people had been given much and had turned to the pleasures of the day to gain their satisfaction. Thou they had been given great gifts by God, they had turned to worship of the gifts and not the giver. And, in so doing they had forgotten the provider and turned drastically away from Him.

In this day the covenant of God to provide for all of our needs, (Philippians 4:19) has never been more evident. But, if you’re like most of us, you’ve worked hard and have accumulated things, forgetting that the strength and ability to do this work has been a gift from Him.

James 1:17 – Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like sifting shadows.

Some of us have been able to acquire great wealth and wind up counting our money instead of counting on the giver of that wealth … the ever merciful and gracious God.

Many of us spend time in nature, hiking or traveling around this glorious land, the trees, the mountains, beautiful bodies of water, ever changing landscapes and we wind up hugging trees instead of thanking the Lord.

Many relish the power gained in their lives and deny that the abilities that brought them to the top of whatever pinnacle they are on were given by our Creator.

Many of us are wallowing in the pleasures of life provided by the Lord and racing off to worship those pleasures … those gifts and forgetting to take time to thank the Giver.

In the times of Amos, the Israelites prospered, but it is God who gave them the strength, knowledge and perseverance required to do everything they did, as vile as it had become. They had lost sight of the fact that He can just as easily take it all away.

At that time the punishment was put forth by the Lord thru Amos in chapter 8, “The days are coming,” declares the Sovereign LORD, “when I will send a famine through the land – not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the LORD. That famine eventually came and the Lord was silent for over 400 years.

The punishment of those who had worshiped the gifts of God but denied the existence of God was separation from God. Verse 12 states, “People will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east, searching for the word of the LORD, but they will not find it.” In that day “the lovely young women and strong young men will faint because of thirst."

Could we face that same punishment as our society, as our schools, as our leaders try to separate us further and further from the Lord? Without the Lord we have no anchor in our lives, we wander from this pleasure to that pleasure searching for meaning. As we continue to deny God in our lives, we lose our stability, we “become faint because of thirst.” Our soul thirsts for communion with its creator and we become faint of heart.

Let us all remember that God’s gifts are given to turn us TO GOD … not toward the GIFTS!

Once we are able to come to grips with this fact and we stop chasing after THINGS instead of GOD to make us happy, we will be like Paul who said in Philippians 4:11, “I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.”

Larry Abele - Editorial Team

I Resolve To ......

Here it is the second week of a brand new year. I have purposely waited to publish this post until most new year resolutions have been broken. Or, are you one of those who valiantly keep your resolutions. 

Possibly you are one of those who make them so practical that they can be kept … “I resolve to spend less time exercising.” “I resolve to watch more TV.” Or, maybe, like me, you usually find them useless and therefore make none at all. After all, it is just a new calendar … nothing else.

Paul sent me a note with his take on this whole process:

“Some time ago, I became somewhat disillusioned with the whole resolution thing. I've found myself to be pitiful when it comes to meeting these long term, sweeping and really rather undefined and general promises for change.

Those who actually make change do not vow to do so, since that places such changes in the future, where they can be postponed continually - rather, such people (of whom I'm rather envious), simply change. They alter their behavior in small ways on a day to day basis.

However these changes have their limitation. Real consequential changes, changes of eternal value comes not from within us … they come from the Lord.

King Salomon said; "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." (Proverbs 3: 5-6) These words capture the essence of my resolution for 2012 perfectly: to trust the Lord in all things and pray for Him to reveal the next step in our journey. Can't wait to see all of the “good” things that He has in store for our family this year!”

As I struggled with the highs and lows of this past year … from the birth of my first great-granddaughter to the tragic end to three of my best friends, I am reminded that life is fragile, for newborns and for young men … for the middle aged and for seniors. Let us not let the mechanics of living out-weigh the compassion of living. And, remember that the fruit of our lives will always be representative of the god we follow.

I am making a resolution this year … one that I know the Lord will help me keep … one that I encourage all of you to make. I resolve  to love deeper, to care more fervently, to give more unselfishly and to savor every precious moment that the Good Lord gives me.

And, as Paul closed his note …

“Larry and I pray that the year 2012 is a great year for you, a year in which you will come to trust in the Lord and experience the blessing of His leading.”

Larry Abele – Editorial Team

Cherie, Glenn and Christmas ...

These last couple weeks, just days before the celebration of Christmas, I have lost two close friends from my little Idaho community.

Cherie was a dear woman … a member of our church, a widow lady who loved gardening, loved her church, loved helping people, loved the small group she was in … and loved her God. She was 81 years old and apparently in good health. Returning from a meeting in the city where she was putting together Christmas wreaths, she had a massive heart attack and died instantly.

Cherie’s memorial service packed our little church and the atmosphere was full of love, warmth, memories … and hope.

But, the reason I felt compelled to write this was my good friend, Glenn. Glenn was my neighbor. He was a wonderful dad to his four children (with one more due in a few weeks), he was a hard worker, he was greatly interested in his family, the school and his community.

When I had an operation on my hand this last summer, Glenn made sure my lawn was mowed and was there for anything I couldn’t handle alone.

Glenn had a generic back problem that made it very difficult and painful to work … and work is scarce around this part of the country anyway. Glenn was worried that he couldn’t care for the family that he loved so much and made the decision that they would be better off without him.

He spent Sunday with his children, wrote each of them a letter and drove up the road for the last time. Glenn took his own life yesterday morning … leaving a family that he loved behind and breaking my heart. I have no idea what the service will be like or if they will have one … I just know I miss Glenn.

The difference between those two new stories for the Christmas season is HOPE!

Cherie and her family had hope in their hearts … hope that comes from knowing that there is life in the Lord … here, now and in the future.

Glenn had no hope … though he was a good man, he did not have the Lord to fall back on when the going got tough. He thought he had to do it all alone … he had no hope.

In this day and age our society struggles with the TRUE meaning of Christmas … much ink and paper has been wasted on the airing of theories for and against. But if one looks at the statistics about the heartbreak and agony that is unseen amidst the shopping, decorating, baking and partying, one will see that the great gift of the Christmas season that God gave to everyone who will accept it, is the gift of hope.

Without that gift, life can be tough, as it surely must have been for Glenn. But with it … we are offered the strength to make it … no matter what the circumstances might be. We just have to find it, open it and marvel in it.

If you haven’t opened the gift that Christ was born and died to give to you … personally … this is a great time to do it. Accept God’s gift this Christmas.

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

Larry Abele - Editorial Team

This is Grace … Or, How I Spent My Summer Vacation

My friend Paul (his picture is at the top of this page) asked me how our summer vacation went. I felt like the kid in second grade giving his report to the teacher on the first week of school … How I Spent My Summer Vacation. This is my report:

We returned from our trip refreshed and loving each other more. That is a statement very seldom heard as the result of vacations. We enjoyed the country and each other, even though we did not have time to stop much with a busy schedule to accomplish in only nine days.

We had a wonderful reunion with my Aunt Ivadell at her daughter's place in Kansas City. It was a double pleasure in that it was Ivadell's 90th birthday and I hadn't seen my cousin for over 50 years. We spent a couple nights and a day ... had good visits, ate good food ... rested up well.

Then on to Oklahoma City for my Grandson’s wedding and a wonderful reunion with my three children … Tom, my son and father of the groom, and my daughters, Lisa and Wendy. It was especially glorious, the time we spent with them because Wendy, who has always been very cool towards me (rightly so, as I split when she was just a baby) was very warm and chatty with me. She even patted me on the back when I gave her a hug ... the Holy Spirit has been working overtime ... and I love it!!!!

The bride is a lovely girl and the wedding was eventful as well as very nice. It was outdoors at the bride's home, a small rural place ... the temperature was 100 degrees and the wind blew at 30 mph ... I describe it as a wedding in a convection oven. But, even with all that, a very enjoyable experience.

We made it back in two days, stopping for the night in Wyoming and getting home in plenty of time for Sharon to rest before going back to work.

All in all ... a worthy and worthwhile experience. The enjoyment was magnified by the factor of ten by the fact that I was with a wonderful wife full time, 24 hours a day for over a week, doing devotions together, praying together, laughing together and enjoying each other.

People always look for the Grace of God in large events … forgiving the murderer, healing the abuser … raising the fallen. Those are wonderful examples. However, if you want to see the everyday, simple act of Grace in a small, wonderful and practical way … you just read it.

And that was how I spent my summer vacation .... the end!

Larry Abele – Editorial Team

It's Good To Go Home

Both Paul and Betty and my wife, Sharon, and I have been doing some traveling this month. The Weresch’s are on an odyssey across the US and back across Canada taking the whole summer. Sharon and I traveled to Oklahoma to attend my grandson’s wedding. All four of us have marveled at the beauty of God’s creation. We have traveled through areas that cry out … confirming the power of the Lord … seeing new and different sights.

Isaiah 55:12: “You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.”

Yet, as our trip from Oklahoma City neared the end and we grew closer and closer to home, we began to look forward to our beautiful little valley, the rolling hills of wheat, the craggy canyons and wide flowing rivers, the awesome grandness of North Idaho … we were nearing our home and we were glad to be back.

Isn’t that the way we all are in our travels through life. The world offers so many wonderful things to woo us away from our home. We enter the world, we experience different things, we fight for position and for affection. We seek the approval of men and compete in the “rat race”. We become enthralled with sinful things, many times without knowing we are doing it … we have strayed from “home” … the bosom of God.

If, my friend, you have stumbled upon these words and you suddenly realize that you are a long way from home … or, if you have known for a long time and just don’t know your way back … there is good news. He is waiting. He is longing for your return … and He can’t wait to enfold you in His loving arms.

As the Lord told Israel in Hosea 14:1, “Return to the LORD your God. Your sins have been your downfall!”

Stop in the road and do a “180” … and say: “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.“ (Luke 15:21). That’s what the prodigal son of the Bible said when he returned … that is called repentance.

Remember the Father’s reply in verses 23-24? “Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” … that is called Grace.

"So now, come back to your God. Act with love and justice, and always depend on him.” Hosea 12:6

Though your travels may have led you far away … you are now home

As Asaph wrote in Psalm 73:28: “ ... as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.

Welcome home weary traveler!

Larry Abele - Editorial Team

From the Little Church Down the Street ...

The elders of our local church have a standing account with the Thrift Shop in town. If the proprietor, a Christian lady, sees someone in the store that is in obvious need, she is to offer a bag of clothes or whatever else they might need, and it goes on the account.

This little gift has proven to be a wonderful testimony to the Grace of God. The highest the elders have ever had charged was $10.00 and most of those receiving the gifts only take $2.00 or $3.00 worth. For that amount they can stuff in as much clothing as a paper grocery bag will hold. The store owner lets the recipients know that it is an offering of love from the little church down the street.

As a harried young mother accepted her bag of winter clothes … two small children hanging on to her hands … she was heard to ask, "Why do they do this for me … they don’t even know me."

She was right … the elders probably didn’t know her. But, they loved her … not because they knew her … but because they knew their Master, Jesus Christ.

John described the Christian when he said "We love because he first loved us." (1 John 4:19)

God is described in Deuteronomy 10:18 as the one "… who executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and who loves the strangers, providing them food and clothing."

John again, "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God." (1 John 4:7)

"We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us—and we ought to lay down our lives for one another. How does God's love abide in anyone who has the world's goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help? Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action." 1 John 3:16-18

Love does not ask how this young mother found herself in a position of great need. It doesn’t tsk-tsk over bad decisions she might have made. It just says … give. From your heart … give. Jesus Christ asked us to mold our lives here on this earth in an image of himself … and that is His image … one of love.

That is what Grace is all about … an unbending and undeserved love for all of us. All of us have made bad decisions … all of us have fallen short … all of us are the most dastardly of sinners. But, the love of God … Grace … trumps it all.

And, to that young mother and all who resemble her, God gives this invitation, "Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live." (Isaiah 55: 1-3)

That’s today’s message from the Little Church Down the Street.

Larry Abele – Editorial Team

Bad Hermeneutics or Blatant Con-man …

This week-end has been bewildering for many, devastating for many, maddening for many, and indeed, interesting for most. But, it is just one more week-end in the many throughout our history when the predicted end of the world did not happen.

The antics of self professed millionaire prophet, Harold Camping, have many of my friends in the quarry, picking out good throwing rocks … as well they probably should. However, as the last stone is piled upon one head, another will spring up. As long as there are naïve sheep who are willing to listen and follow, there will be false prophets.

Just for a moment, in Christian love, let us put down our rocks and reason together.

Harold Camping claims to have studied the Bible for 70 years. Yet the fact that he has ignored the admonition that, "no one knows of that day and hour, not even the angels of heaven, but my Father only", Matthew 24:36, proves that either he is a charlatan or has studied with bad hermeneutics ... the process of studying the scripture.

If we are to be good sheep and follow the right voice we must remember that everything we need to know is written for us in the ENTIRE Bible … all we need is the Bible, ourselves and the Holy Spirit to get it right. What Harold Camping and his followers missed is, among others things, three basic rules for studying the Bible …

1. We must study with a humble heart. We must study with the mind set of getting something out of the scripture … not adding our own ego into the scripture. If you are willing to tear the Bible apart and select just scripture that supports your preconceived ideas, the Bible can support any craziness you think up … ala, Harold Camping. We need to ask the Holy Spirit to open our hearts and minds to the wisdom written in those sacred texts.

2. We must look at the scriptures as written literally. When it says in the apostles that Jesus stepped out of the boat and walked on the lake, (Matthew 14:25) we can believe it was Jesus, it was water, and that He walked on top of it. It is literal … not allegoric.

When Jesus turned water into wine, (John 2:4-10) we can believe that it was real water turned into real wine … not an allegoric code that Jesus can take something of little worth and make it greater in value … although Jesus surely can and does do that very thing.

It may be a disappointment to many, but, the Bible is not full of codes … it is full of truths! It is true that allegory is used in the Bible but, it is thus identified. We should look for the naturally obvious, not a hidden code.

3. We should interpret normally. God meant for us to understand the Bible in the vernacular we are used to. For example, if you were to tell me your friend was as big as a barn, I wouldn’t be looking for a guy 60 foot wide, 120 foot long and 40 foot tall ... I would be looking for a really big guy!

When Peter tells us in 2 Peter 3:8 that, "with the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day" don’t pull out your calculators and slide rules as did Harold Camping. Just realize that God’s sense of time is infinite unlike ours which is finite. It just means a long, long time only known to God.

As for Harold Camping … stone him if you must, fellow Christian. Or … you might pray for him and his many followers. There are many of our brothers and sisters in Christ who are truly devastated today because they chose to follow the wrong shepherd. They need our attention.

If Mr. Camping is, as he claims, a believer, there is a proper procedure recommended in the Scripture for admonishment. If he is just the charlatan he appears to be … God will not be mocked … it is His job to handle the matter ... not ours. And, I believe, He is capable of it.

Larry Abele - Editorial Team

What is of “First Importance” to you?

Paul in speaking of the resurrection of Jesus Christ to the Corinthians said in his letter (1 Corinthians 15:3-5)

“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.”

Of First Importance!

Is the resurrection of Jesus Christ of first importance in your life? If it isn’t … or even if it is of “some” importance … today is the day to pray that the Holy Spirit will guide you through the steps it will take to make the significance of our celebration this Easter the most important thing in your life.

Once you have accepted, as Paul is suggesting to the Corinthians, that the resurrection and your reaction to it are the most important thing in your life … you will find all the other “important” things in your life are easier to achieve through Jesus Christ.

Hallelujah … He Is Risen!

Larry Abele – Editorial Team

Pray for Egypt ...

As the difficult situation continues on the streets of Egypt, pundits and politicians are filling the air with their specific type of "knowledge" … demanding this and that; setting up this solution and that solution.

The Lord of yesterday, today and tomorrow had much to say about this:

God told Isaiah to send a message to the people in Isaiah … The Lord Almighty has a day in store for all the proud and lofty, for all that is exalted (and they will be humbled) … The arrogance of man will be brought low and the pride of men humbled; the Lord alone will be exalted in that day, and the idols will totally disappear. Isaiah 2:12, 17-18

And, in 1 Samuel 2:3 you read, "Talk no more so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth; for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed."

If you read the story of Genesis 16 and 21:8-20 you will have some background into some of the troubles we face today in that region of the world … the story of Hagar and Ishmael.

There is definitely a war going on but it is God’s war … not ours. I doubt if God is going to put us in charge of a war if we haven’t even been able to complete the ONE task He has assigned to us ... that of spreading the Good News concerning His Beloved Son into all the world.

Unfortunately, this war has brought grief to millions of people in the Middle East, many who can trace their roots back to Ishmael, the son of Abraham. And, I know that God hears the voices of these helpless and needy people.

In the media, never once do you hear the one word that can mean everything in this tragedy … prayer! It is time we put aside our worldly arrogance, humble ourselves to God and pray!

And, pray for more than democracy … pray for the church to rise up and fulfill their commission … to proclaim the Gospel to the Muslims and Jews. We must pray that their eyes will be opened to the wonderful salvation of Jesus Christ.
Pray for Egypt, the church, all Christians and for all those in authority.

"You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust." Matthew 5:43-45

And finally from the words of James …

"Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness." James 3:13-18

Larry Abele - Editorial Team

Again and again and again ...

This morning I received an urgent email from Paul …

Pray for Russia and for Olga’s safety.
Olga has served us as a fantastic Interpreter for more than 12 years, she is to arrive in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Jan 24 for a two month stay to polish up her English.

A deadly blast at Moscow’s Domodedovo airport has disturbed us and we ask you to pray for Russia. At least 35 people have been killed and nearly 200 wounded in an explosion at Moscow’s Domodedovo airport according to the Russian Health Ministry. An Investigative Committee believes it to be a terror attack.

I just talked to Sasha our faithful coworker in Moscow, and he too asks you to pray for their country. Pray for the Caucasus … the region that we have been working in for the past 12 years. Caucasus is the region the security forces suspect the Suicide Bomber to from.

Pray for the Churches and their leadership in this vast region that includes Sochi, Vladikavkaz and Chechnya.

Paul Weresch

How ironic that the Pastor of our church preached a sermon just yesterday concerning the story of Noah and God’s destruction of his creation.

Sin had reached a point where the Creator could not tolerate the actions of His creation. He provided the provision of an ark to save any who would repent. When it floated away, it contained one family.

Twice again, the Bible reports the power of God’s wrath falling on a sinning people. Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed with, again, very few taking advantage of the provision provided. Ninevah also fell under the wrath of God. However, the story was vastly different because the entire city took advantage of the provision provided and repented of their sin.

It’s been said that "He who forgets history is condemned to repeat it." Have we forgotten … or do we completely ignore God’s history of hating sin as read in the Bible?

Are we doomed to repeat it? The answer is a resounding, YES! However, as before, God has provided a provision for all who will accept it. Our Jonah … our ark … the provision provided for us … is Jesus Christ.

Will you be like the people of Noah’s day? Will you be one of those lost in Sodom? Or will you repent like the people of Ninevah?

Everyday the news contains proof that the human race has become the people of Romans 1:25 .... exchanging the truth of God for a lie, and worshiping and serving created things rather than the Creator.

My friends … it is time! It is time to repent, believe and accept Jesus Christ, who has been given to you as the ARK … the provision for your salvation.

I beg you … get on board!

Larry Abele, editorial team

Be glad ... and have joy in the Lord your God

I received a note from Paul as he reacted to the destruction that is happening in our world. Read what he said:

“In my musing over the Christmas season and the Joy it brought to countless people around the world, I was reminded of the stark reality of life as it unfold before our eyes. My thought went out to the people of Haiti, Sudan, Australia, Brazil and the great tragedy of Arizona.

In times like this it is easy to spread blame, and demonize the other. My prayer is that we would turn to the source of Comfort, Hope and Peace.

Let me give you a portion of God’s Word as spoken to the people of Israel by the prophet Joel. Please read Joel 2:21-32 as he assures us we should have no fear because the Lord will give back the years that have been destroyed. ‘… Have no fear, O land; be glad with great joy; for the Lord has done great things.’

Read it, think about it and pray.”

Paul Weresch

Yes, Joel gives hope to the people of Israel where there seems to be no hope. And, just like the people of Joel’s time, we are given hope in words of the Bible.

Isaiah 34:4, Matthew 24:29-31 and Luke 21:25-28 tell us of the signs in the heavens … to “lift up your heads because your redemption is drawing near.”

Jesus tells us in Matthew 24 to “keep watch” and “be ready” but also to “… see to it that you are not alarmed.”

The Apostle Paul warns and comforts in 2 Thessalonians not to be deceived or to become easily unsettled as the events unfold, because Jesus will keep you “steadfast in the faith to the end.”

Peter reminds us in his second book to be error free by “recalling the words spoken of old by holy prophets” which takes us back to Joel 2:21-32.

Yes, dear friends … there is much happening in the world today to bring sorrow to our hearts. However, let us listen to Joel as he says, “Be glad and have joy in the Lord your God!”

Larry Abele, Editorial Team

Christmas is over … or is it!

It comes once a year … and then it’s over. All the hype and hubbub … gifts exchanged, gifts returned.

But, it doesn’t have to be that way. What if we celebrated the birth of Christ all year long? What if we gave something away every day of the year … the spirit of Christmas 365 days a year. How might our lives change if we followed the plea of Christ for us to "love one another"?

You could hug someone tightly and tell them you love them; forgive an enemy, realizing that Jesus loves them the same as He loves you; decide not to carry a grudge.

Lessen your demands on others and demand more of yourself; take time to keep a promise; turn off the TV for an evening and talk.
Pray for someone who doesn’t even know you ; apologize if you are wrong; be kind and loving to an angry person.

Write to a friend you have not kept in touch with; take time to read to a child; hold the hand of someone with sorrow in their heart; listen more and talk less.

Encourage an elderly or sickly person; do not be afraid to love; keep a pleasant continence; let someone know that you appreciate them … all of these are gifts that need no wrapping, cost very little but are priceless in the lives of those around you. Let others see Christ in you.

Let’s make Christmas one long extended time of giving to others … and through the miracle of Christ Jesus … you will find that you have given yourself a gift as well.

Larry Abele - Editorial Team

Pastor and Friend Martyred ...

The North Caucasus region of Dagestan which borders Azerbaijan and Georgia has been a troubled area for some time. It is also the home of the largest Protestant church in an area that is only 2% Christian. The church, shepherded by Pastor Arthur Suleimanov, has been extremely successful in their work with drug addicts, prisons and other social ills of that region.

On Thursday, July 15, Pastor Suleimanov became one of the Pastors martyred in their work for Christ. I received this letter from Paul and Betty Weresch ...

Dear Friends,
Please pray for the Family and Churches led by Pastor Arthur Suleimanov. Pastor Arthur, as we called him, has been murdered in front of his Home this morning.

Betty and I are deeply moved by this tragedy. I spent some time with Arthur during my visit in Sochi last spring. We were praising God for the great work he and his congregation were doing in the North Caucasus region of Dagestan.

Arthur was one of the pastors that was successfully reaching the people of this region with the Gospel of Christ. It is always a great loss when we see a great witness like that of Pastor Arthur silenced, however we are comforted with the words out of the letter to the Hebrew Christians (Heb. 11:4) "…he (Abel) being dead yet speaketh..."

Pastor Arthur has gone to be with the Lord and he is rejoicing in his presence, now it is we who need to pick up the challenge and redouble our efforts to proclaim the Gospel of Grace and peace to our World, a word that is filled with hatred bigotry and strife.

We will continue to prayerfully support the churches in the North Caucasus, please pray for us as we minister to the Church leadership of this troubled part of the world.
Betty and Paul

As officials attempt to identify the murderer, we must remember the words of Jesus who prophesied to the Church in Matthew 24:9: "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake."

We are not to be loved and accepted by the world, if we are then we are not loving God in the correct manner. Jesus said " Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for so did their fathers to the false prophets." (Luke 6:26).

As we mourn the passing of another of Christ’s soldiers, let us also be encouraged by the fact that Christ is with us … providing the strength to carry on … delivering the Good News to a broken world.

Larry Abele – Editorial Team

He Is Risen!

Look in your Bible and you will find the account in all four gospels.

Mary went to the tomb in which Jesus had been laid and discovered that He was not there.

What a shock that must have been, how heart wrenching … she had not only witnessed the tragic death of her beloved teacher … but then had been deprived of serving him in his death! Imagine the agony she must have felt. The depth of her sorrow.

But then the angels appeared to her and said,

"Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he is risen!"

If she had found him there in that tomb, we would today be worshipping another dead prophet. However, that one phrase changed everything. "He is not here … He is risen!"

We serve a living God … a Savior … a Father … a Friend.

And because He lives, we who believe in Him shall live also. Because the tomb is empty, Christians around the world fill churches to praise Him and thank Him for His selfless act. Because the tomb is empty, we have hope in the future and guidance in the present. We are not alone!

Let the spirit of Easter live in your heart the rest of your life on this earth ... He Is Risen!

Larry Abele - Editorial Team

"By this all men will know that you are my disciples ..."

An earthquake matching the power of several nuclear bombs struck the island nation of Haiti about 5:00 PM, Tuesday, January 12th. According to the U.S. Geological Survey report, the quake was centered about 10 Miles southwest of Port-au-Prince and reached a magnitude of 7.0.

The Red Cross has estimated that about 3 million people, amounting to one-third of Haiti’s entire population, have been affected by the quake. Although it is too early to tell, some officials feel that 50,000 to 100,000 people have lost their lives. Haiti is the most impoverished nation of the Western Hemisphere and this quake has dealt them a tremendous blow.

Those are the hard details to date that you will see on various news outlets. However, the final and most important detail of all is … that every one of those people affected by this catastrophe are individually and unqualifiedly loved by Jesus Christ!

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son ..."

The people of the world (the world includes Haiti) are our brothers and sisters and we have been commissioned, by our God, to love them as He loves us. John explains it very well in 1 John 4:9-11:

This is how God showed his love for us: God sent his only Son into the world so we might live through him. This is the kind of love we are talking about — not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they've done to our relationship with God. My dear, dear friends, if God loved us like this, we certainly ought to love each other. (from THE MESSAGE)

Our first task of love is to drop to our knees and pray for these people. Not just pray, my friends, but PRAY! Pray without ceasing. "The hospitals cannot handle all these victims," said Louis-Gerard Gilles, a doctor and former senator. "Haiti needs to pray. We all need to pray together."

Secondly, we must do what we physically can to help these people. Officials who are close to the situation recommend that the greatest thing you can do is to send cash to your favorite relief agency. Nearly every one of them have gotten on the band wagon and have well developed programs to deal with disaster.

Jesus said it … "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

Let's all show ourselves as disciples and love our brothers and sisters in Haiti.

Larry Abele - Editorial Team

In the Fullness of Time ...

January 2010 … a new year … another chance … a fresh start … a time to reflect … a time to resolve. We are constantly measuring and labeling blocks of time. We make plans involving time ... resolving to do this and to do that.

But, how could we not be interested in time. We are created in the image of the Great Timekeeper … our God! He tells us in His word that time is important.

He laid out for us His entire creative process measured in days (Genesis 1:1 – 2:3). He could have done it instantly … why didn’t He? Because He wanted to teach us His normal way of working … through a process.

He eloquently and poetically tells us in Ecclesiastes 3 that "there is a time for everything", again, part of a process.

He tells us in Revelation 21 that a new heaven and a new earth are coming. God is in the process of making all things new.

But the ultimate loving process of God for us is laid out in Galatians 4:4-7:

But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.

God has a plan for all of us involving redemption, restoration, reconciliation and adoption. In God’s time, his plan will be accomplished.

He will be back at precisely the right time. And what should our job be in all of this? Our resolution for 2010? Be ready. Accept what your God has done for you. Believe! Christians are born anew in an instant and through a lifetime process, God makes them new.

Remember, God has a plan for you … it will all work out … "in the fullness of time".

Larry Abele – Editorial Team

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