Friday night, i met an Iraqi girl and her mom. We hung out and i played with her baby boy all evening while we had a cookout. Yesterday, i went to visit them with a couple people from the weekend missions team we had in (shout-out to First Baptist Montgomery). We found out this team had a guy who could speak Arabic, so he went with us. He ended up talking with the dad of this family for the entire two hours we were there, and apparently was able to talk with him about salvation (i had no idea what they were talking about while we were there). Meanwhile, me and another girl stood in the kitchen with the two oldest daughters and their mom while the made lunch (at 2:30 in the afternoon, mind you). The oldest is a senior in high school and asked us lots of questions about college life and what not. i am excites about being able to spend time with her this summer and help her college hunt! They invited us to stay and eat with them (yum!) which we did and they asked if we were coming back tomorrow! Ha! When i told them i would be here all summer...i've never seen so many people smile so big in my life! No joke!
Out of all my time in Clarkston, this was my favorite house visit ever! i've never been so comfortable with a family as i was with this family of seven, soon to be eight (i'm actually going to be in town when she has her baby!) i am VERY excited about getting to know this family better, especially being able to spend time with the three girls and the mom (who is trying to pass her driver's test...please pray that she does as she has tried before and failed). Also pray for Sara (the oldest) as she begins looking at colleges this summer and throughout her senior year. This family is a HUGE prayer need, as they are Muslim. Please also pray for me, that i would be sensitive to the Spirit as He leads. Pray that God would grant e a solid relationship with this family and that they may see who Isa (Jesus) really is through me. Since the dad seems to be open about talking about his beliefs, there are definitely some open doors.
i do not believe God brings people together for no reason. In Acts 17, Paul is speaking to the people of Athens. After seeing an alter there to "The Unknown God," Paul tells them who this God is...Jesus.
"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And He is not served by human hands, as if He needed anything. Rather, He himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. From one man He made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from any one of us."(v.24-27)
God allowed me to find favor in the eyes of this family and i intend to follow His lead. These Iraqis are beautiful people and kind. i desire that they have the hope i do, know the God i know, know Jesus as i know Him...personally.
Paul also talks about the Christian life being warfare, and the Christian being a soldier.
"For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
Paul teaches us that we have the upper hand. We have weapons that can break down Satan's best efforts at keeping the Gospel out of earshot (and therefore out of the hearts) of the lost and dead people of this world we live in. Do you believe that prayer in Jesus' Name above names can breakdown walls of unbelief...hardness of heart...the rut of tradition and culture? i do. my team does. That's how we pray because that's what works.
In Matthew 16:13-18, Jesus reminds us of the victory we work from, not for:
"When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets." "But what about you?" He asked. "Who do you say I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by My Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it."
The rock Jesus was referring to was not Peter, but the truth Peter confessed: that Jesus is "the Messiah, the Son of the living God." This is the truth that Satan hates, that he tries to suppress, that he tries to keep from being proclaimed from the hilltops and in underground house churches. But his efforts will fail and the wimpy white picket fence he puts up around those who follow him cannot withstand the people of God who will storm the gates of Hell on behalf of those who don't know who's side they're on.
Some people, when they can't give money or resources to help, say, "Well, at least we can pray." NO! At most, you can pray. Because the war we're fighting, my brothers and sisters, is not won by paying off the enemy. It's won by calling on the only One who can defeat Satan...JESUS! Will you fight with me?
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| This Iraqi meal has been my favorite home cooked meal so far. the small bowl of red in the top right is a mixture of corn, tomato sauce and spices. Sounds like Mexican, right? A lot of this food reminded me of Mexican flavors. Interesting! And we each got our own small plate. Sometimes ate off of that and sometimes we ate right off of the large plates with our fingers of with the bread. |
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