Trip to Tasmania

We arrived home yesterday from Tasmania, after two weeks on that beautiful island. We were involved in two missions conferences and spoke in 10 meetings total. It was an excellent time of connecting with some old friends, making new friends and having opportunity to share what God is doing in the Philippines and the great needs of tribal people. It was cold (an understatement), but Lea and I enjoyed the cold weather after not having a winter for the past 5 years. We had a few days to just relax and take in the beautiful sights of God's wonderful creation. Even got into some throwing snowballs on Mount Wellington near Hobart. :-)

Effortless Grace

“God . . . called me by His grace, to reveal His Son in me” (Gal. 1:15, 16).

Just think! Our Father has placed us in eternal and living union with His Son, that He, not we, may “be.” Moreover, He has placed His Holy Spirit eternally within us that He, not we, may “do.” Further, He has given us the necessary faith and Scripture that we may rest in this wonderful reality, trusting Him “to will and to do of His good pleasure.” This is a far cry from futile struggle and frustrating self-effort!

“Christians in the main groan and strive and struggle largely on the basis of human effort where the grace of God, though acknowledged, is scarcely operative—only to come to grief. Even at their best, they find the purpose of the Lord Jesus remains an ideal infinitely beyond their reach. The trouble lies in the fact that they are proceeding on the wrong basis.

“God does not expect them, as a result of their own endeavors, to be like the Lord Jesus. He expects them to realize the utter impossibility of such a thing (as in Romans Seven, where Paul comes to the end of himself). He expects them to know the Lord Jesus as their very life, disowning any other. He expects them to realize their position of absolute oneness with Christ, for He ‘has blessed them with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ’ (Eph. 1:3).” -F.J.H.

“Be strengthened in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 2:7, ASV).
Stanford, Miles Stanford, (Garland, Texas: Electronic edition by Galaxie Software) 1999.

The Christian life and service is not about our effort to imitate Christ, nor our striving to be like Him. It is not about us or our efforts in any way, but it is about our resting in faith in Christ living His life in us and through us and our participation IN the life of CHRIST. There is peace and joy and rest in ceasing from our own efforts. There is freedom in ceasing to be men pleaser's, and living to God and for God alone. Oh, the joy of performing for the audience of ONE. No, I don't think it is any contradiction.

Have a great day with the Lord,
Ross

Manila Smog - looks the same in every direction

Martin Burnham Mission Center

Praise the Lord all needed funds have been supplied to finish the building by July 2007. $Aus90,000 still needed to complete electrical, water and sewerage hook-ups and security fences etc.
Other mission organizations are wanting to book the building for their conferences, seminars, etc on the top floor.
This building is a testimony to the wonderful provision of God, mainly through the generous gifts of Filipino brothers & sisters in Christ.

The Cross and The Spirit.

By Miles Stanford

“But God forbid that I should glory, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world” (Gal. 6:14).

The Lord Jesus carried out the work of the Cross as to our eternal position. The Holy Spirit carries out the work of the Cross as to our present condition. “He will take the things that are Mine and will transmit them to you” (John 16:15, Amp.)

We cannot separate the Cross from the Holy Spirit. We can have no Easter and no Pentecost, until we have first had a Good Friday. Through the Cross alone we are prepared for life in the fullness of God; only he who is crucified with Christ can be a vessel unto honor. Our ‘old man’ must be crucified with Christ, and in His resurrection we find the roots of our new life. Whoever loses his life, shall find it, and he will find it in Christ. We must learn the lesson of the Cross, as condemned and rejected people, who have been crucified with Christ.

Then the door will be open for a life of power and blessing. All that belongs to death must be turned over to the death of the Cross, even as the body is laid away in the earth, because it belongs to the earth. The Holy Spirit, the Eternal Spirit, is unchangeable. He brought Christ our Head to the Cross, and us His children with Him. For this work in us is twofold. On the one hand, it leads us to death; and on the other hand, to that life which God has placed within us and which leads from glory to glory.

“And all of us, with faces uncovered, because we continue to reflect like mirrors the splendor of the Lord, are being transformed into likeness to Him, from one degree of splendor to another, since it comes from the Lord who is the Spirit” (2 Cor. 3:18, Wms.).

Mindanao Trip Photos

 

Trip to Mindanao

Dear prayer partners,

Thank you for praying for Lea and I over the last week. God has undertaken for us in wonderful ways. Everything went well for Lea in Manila with all her regular activities. God blessed me and the folks we visited abundantly on my trip to Mindanao. It was definitely a well worthwhile trip.

I was able to visit all our personnel on Mindanao and spend a considerable amount of time with each discussing relevant issue with each, encouraging each other in the Lord and in prayer. I travelled with Bill H, a regional leader and we travelled by road, by air and on foot. We travelled in missionaries vehicles, with SIL in their plane and in a variety of public vehicles. The hike out of the last tribe was a challenge for me. One of the photos shows looking down into a valley with some houses at the bottom. That was part of the hike out. After the hike we travelled in the bus show with all the cargo and the another bus after that. Quite a day for someone who spends most of his time in an office or in meetings.

Each of our tribal works that we visited have established tribal Churches with Elders and the missionaries continue to teach and all are involved in translation of the Scriptures and various other Bible helps. Translated Bible comics are being used quite a bit for communicating truth to the children of believers.

We are really encouraged. God is doing wonderful things in the tribes, in believers lives and in the lives of missionaries as well.

Your brother and sister in Christ,
Ross & Lea