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Greetings!
Hello from South Asia! We are so glad that you took the time to read this newsletter. By this simple act, you have shown your interest in our lives and God's work. Thank you for investing your life in our lives. You may be thinking, "Reading a newsletter is not much of an investment." However we choose to spend our time is an investment. Our time is our lives. They are one and the same. We cannot give our time without giving our lives. Likewise, we cannot give our lives without giving our time. If that all sounds a bit philosophical, just keep reading and you will understand where all this is going. |
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Recently, the Lord has been speaking to both of us very strongly about mercy. This topic is at the very heart of Christianity. Many times we see in the Bible that God uses our level of mercy as the measuring rod to determine:
· If He will answer our prayers (Prov. 21:13)
· If we will be rewarded (Prov. 19:17)
· If we will be blessed or cursed (Prov. 28:27)
· If we will enter the kingdom of God
(Matt. 25:35-45) |
| This is only a handful of the many scripture references that show God's deep concern that His children show mercy. 1 John 3:16-18 tells us that if we are to be true Christians, i.e., followers of Christ, then we must lay down our lives for our brothers, just as Jesus did. This same reference questions whether we actually have the love of God in us if we can see the needy and not be moved to action. |
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Even in our newsletters, you see images of those who are needy. The hungry, the lame, those without adequate healthcare- these are commonplace here. Actually, it is so commonplace that these people become easy to overlook. Just a walk through the busy streets brings encounters with bandaged lepers in homemade carts begging for coins; mentally ill and demon possessed people, dressed in filthy clothes and talking to themselves; frail mothers with their children, asking for food. These people are everywhere, but it is amazing how a hardened heart makes them invisible.
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This last Sunday, as we drove past a local church, we saw the church gates lined with beggars. Many lepers, lame, and homeless people sat at the gates of the church waiting for the Christians to pass, in hopes of receiving a few coins. As I watched this scene, I was heartbroken to see these Christians walk past the needy without even a glance. These same people sit at the Hindu temples to beg. I wondered where they were shown more compassion. |
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Now, let's move west. Who are the needy in your part of the world? This is not a question that can be overlooked. God is very clear in His word that His children are to love with actions and with truth. Since God is concerned with both our physical and spiritual needs, we must be like Him and share His love by meeting both spiritual and physical needs, also. |
So, how are you spending your life? Are you investing your life in "the least of these"? You don't have to travel very far to find them. But, as was exemplified in the story of the Good Samaritan, our neighbor whom we are to care for may live on the other side of the planet. Are you investing your life showing mercy and blessing the needy? If not, now is the time to start developing your portfolio. Begin by asking God, the God of all mercies, to give you eyes to see the suffering around you. Ask Him, as we are, to break your heart for those who are hurting. This is a bold prayer, but assuredly God will answer this prayer if you will have the courage and conviction to pray it. Investing in the needy is a rock solid investment, regardless of the stock market!
Going for Him,
Stephanie and Leslie
P.S. Will you invest your time/life in reading the above scripture references? | |
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