Hope

Yesterday was the first Sunday of the Advent Season.  As the Advent Wreath candle was set alight our focus was on hope.

People hope for many different outcomes.  The citizens of Jerusalem at the time of Jesus were hoping for independence from Roman rule. Some people, like Anna and Simeon, were almost living at the Temple and daily prayed for the Messiah to come.  It seemed as if God had been silent for about 400 years.  Yet there were people who continued to have hope that they would see the fulfillment of God’s promises, words God had spoken many hundreds of years before.

Today we hope for freedom of religious expression.  We hope for the rain and flooding to stop.  We hope for recovery for the loved one who is suffering from illness. We hope to celebrate an occasion with family and friends.  We hope. We hope.  We hope.

Hope is unusual in that it has a connection to the past, is felt in the present, and usually refers to a happening in the future.  For those of us who believe the God of the Bible, the ultimate hope is in the Second Advent.  At that time, Jesus Christ will return in glory and power.  He will vanquish sin, darkness, and death allowing those who believe in Him to experience life as it was originally created to be.

But there is one more hope that is close to our hearts.  It is the hope that, before the Second Advent, people living in Taiwan and other distant places will hear about the First Advent.  They need to be told that Jesus came from heaven to save people from their sins.  They need to be told that it is possible to live life in the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.  They need to have access to this good news.

Thank-you for praying.
Thank-you for giving.
Thank-you for being personally involved.
Your investment is helping many more people to obtain hope.

Praise and Prayer

• Praise the Lord that the river dikes in Abbotsford have been fortified.  We are praying that the repairs will hold as an abundance of rain continues to fall.  Pray for the Samaritan’s Purse volunteers assisting in the clean-up and rebuilding process.
• The Baozhong Alliance Church is hoping for 4-6 families to register to participate in the Christmas events.  So far, one family has indicated they want to attend,  Please pray that others will desire to be a part of the event.

Eagles

Sometimes life events remind us about God’s Word.

On our trip to the Comox Valley this past weekend we saw bald eagles at different times.  It made me think about Bible verses that refer to eagles.  The eagle is mentioned by name 32 times in Scripture.

Most of us are familiar with the promise of renewal in Isaiah 40:31

Some may also remember the eagle being a symbol of salvation and protection in Revelation 12:14

A similar metaphor about the eagle is found in Exodus 19:4.

But frequently in Scripture, the eagle symbolizes the judgement that God sends.  One example is Ezekiel 17:12.

What things in life remind you of the Bible’s teaching?  Feel free to write and share with us when this has happened to you.

Praise and Prayer

• Praise the Lord that the flooding in Abbotsford is abating.  Pray for people who experienced huge losses because of this disaster.  Pray for those assisting in the rebuilding process.
• Praise the Lord that we were able to travel to the Comox Valley this past weekend.  We enjoyed the fellowship and the times that people shared with us examples of how God is working.
• Some of our readers will be celebrating American Thanksgiving Day this week.  Pray God’s blessing on them.  And, even better, join them in giving thanks to God.

Calling All Reservists!

Taiwan, this past week, announced that it will intensify training for all reservists.  Rather than five to seven days of training in alternate years, it will be changed to two weeks of annual training.  The purpose is to improve the combat readiness of the military reservists.

Thinking about God’s army, I don’t think there are reservists.  There is not someone who can train and participate in the warfare with darkness for only a few weeks each year.  Rather, God’s Word calls us to continual vigilance.  1 Cor. 16:13 tells us to: “Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong.”

Please be reminded that your participation in our work and in global efforts to give people access to salvation is important.  Your involvement is part of God’s plan in the war over evil.

Reading God’s Word is part of our regimen of ongoing training.  Thank-you for maintaining a state of readiness to do what our Commander asks of us. Thank-you for your prayers for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Praise and Prayer

• We are away at a pastor’s retreat this week.  Please pray that God will use the planned activities and the fellowship to encourage and renew the church leaders attending.  There are some pastors who due to the pandemic or other reasons are not able to attend.  Please pray for God to use multiple means to encourage them too.
• This year for Christmas, the Baozhong Alliance Church is planning some family activities.  Registration is limited.  Please pray that God will lead people with open, prepared hearts to attend.
• This week we choose to remember the sacrifice of those who fought in wars so that we can experience freedom. Most of us have not experienced the trauma of living in a war zone or fighting a war.  Pray for those who need healing and strength because of these experiences.

All Saints Day

Today is “All Saints Day.”  That was the original reason the night before was considered “holy” or “hallowed. November 1 is also known as “All Hallows’ Day.” It is a day on the Christian calendar to remember the known and the unknown saints.

Recognizing that certain traditions and arms of the church have taken this a different direction, I want to pull us back to the original meaning, the original intent.  It has a connection with a core belief claimed by our denomination—Christ is our Sanctifier.

The New Testament frequently refers to those who are in Christ Jesus as being saints.  A few, because they are apostles or had their story recorded in Scripture, seem to have special recognition or precedence.  But Scripture does not make that demarcation.  All true believers who are redeemed by Christ’s blood and made holy in Christ are saints.

So, today we salute the saints in our lives. We appreciate the work that God is doing in your lives and appreciate your example of commitment to belief in our Lord.  We value your partnership through prayer and sacrificial giving that make it possible to give more people access to becoming saints.

Praise and Prayer

• Praise the Lord for opportunities to share with groups both online and in person.  (Photo above is from a recent online presentation.)  Your words of encouragement and support are something God uses to energize us.
• Planning for Christmas events is in progress at Baozhong Alliance Church, just like it is at your church.  (I have our grandchildren’s Christmas program marked on my calendar.)  Please pray that God will use the celebrations to lead people toward putting their trust in Christ.
• Plans are being made to restart the ukulele classes at the church in Baozhong.  Now that pandemic protocols are being eased, this is again possible.

As Often…

This past weekend, we shared during the service and ate Holy Communion with the church family in Langley BC.  That was the church that prayerfully commissioned us when we first went to Taiwan in 1990.

As often as we partake in the sacrament by eating the bread and drinking the cup, we remember Jesus death; It is the thing that Christ-followers do together regardless of where in the world one lives.  While on Home Assignment we have the privilege of doing this in different local churches with different believers.  Each time we proclaim our unity in Christ.  As often as we do it, we together proclaim Jesus’s death and resurrection.

It is not just the cause of giving people access to Jesus so that they can choose to become disciples that unites us.  It is our Saviour and His sacrificial death that truly unites us.

Praise and Prayer

• Praise the Lord for the unity of soul and mind at the Annual Meeting of the C&MA in Taiwan on Oct. 16
• Praise the Lord for the teaching and interaction with classmates at the course Lorne attended last week.  May God help him to use some of the skills to serve God in additional ways.
• While on home assignment, we try to schedule medical check-ups and even some treatment.  Pandemic protocols are creating longer than usual wait times for many procedures.  Please pray that things can be accomplished and for peace from God for things that cannot be done this time.

The Places We Go

Arriving home after being with family for Thanksgiving, we discovered an email from Google.  It informed us that we visited 24 cities and 113 places in September.

Whether accurate or not (we sometimes went places without our phone or with the data turned off on our phones), it does remind us that life has been busy.

A more important question might be:  While at those places did I represent God’s kingdom well?  Did Christ’s rule expand in my own life or in the lives of those with whom we spent time?  Did we witness for Christ?…

Jesus taught his followers to pray: “…Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven…”  Saying those words may be easier than allowing the Father to act in those ways in our own lives.  Don’t you think so?

Let’s pray those words and also give God permission to answer those requests as we go different places each day.

Praise and Prayer

• Please pray for unity and Christ-inspired fellowship as the Taiwan C&MA pastors and church leaders meet Oct. 16 for the annual denomination business meeting.  The pandemic, political views, societal problems, and personal biases all tend to divide.  We believe that the Holy Spirit wants to unite people in Christ.  Let’s pray for this to happen.
• Praise the Lord for safety as we travelled this past week.  Because of schedule changes, we took some time to rest before joining our daughter and son-in-law for Thanksgiving.  We have much for which to give thanks.

Double Ten

October 10 is known as Double Ten Day.  It is the day that Taiwan celebrates its National Day.

News reports of recent days have mentioned growing tensions in Southeast Asia as the large country to Taiwan’s west exerts its influence.  Many nations, both those in the region and those who feel responsibility to maintain world peace, are expressing their concerns.

Taiwan is home to about 23 million people.  Historically it has been ruled by Polynesians, Europeans, the Japanese, and by the Chinese.  Although it is currently a democratic republic that is self-governed, the long-term political status of the island is disputed.  Some feel it is a province of China that needs to be reunited.  Others are pursuing a goal of greater autonomy. Between the two polar viewpoints is a large range of moderating views.

Caught in the middle are the residents of Taiwan.  Their views also span the wide spectrum mentioned.  But the most urgent concerns relate to providing for every day life.

It seems that regional tensions, that include the future of Taiwan, will not be resolved naturally.  The ambitious goals of competing powers seem destined for further conflict. Peace and security are unlikely to be found through political or military means.

This highlights the need for Taiwanese people to hear about Jesus. Christ provides citizenship in a heavenly kingdom that will be eternal.  He gives meaning to life and hope for the future, including during times of stress.

Please pray for the Taiwanese as they celebrate Double Ten Day.  Pray that God will reveal Himself to them and they will find hope and identity in Christ.

Praise and Prayer

• May God help us to have gratitude-filled hearts as we prepare for celebrating Canadian Thanksgiving.  Taiwan does not have an official Thanksgiving Day. However, having a heart full of thanks is a habit that helps to produce a healthy spiritual life.  Please pray that we will all aspire towards this goal.
• Please pray for unity and Christ-inspired fellowship as the Taiwan C&MA pastors and church leaders meet Oct. 16 for the annual denomination business meeting.  The pandemic, political views, societal problems, and personal biases all tend to divide.  We believe that the Holy Spirit wants to unite people in Christ.  Let’s pray for this to happen.

Remembering

As Kathy-Lu shared this last week at the midweek Primetimers event (Heritage Alliance Church), she talked about her grade 12 Sunday School teacher’s influence.

The teacher taught the lessons and also lived out the truths she was teaching.  It left a lasting impression.

That Godly woman is an example to us all to stay engaged in the lives of those around us, including those who are younger than us.

Will you pray that God will raise up Godly influencers to help working class Taiwanese to become disciples of Christ.

Praise and Prayer

• As the limitations of the Covid regulations are easing, Baozhong Alliance Church is planning to offer classes to the community.  Please pray as plans are made and believers commit time to these efforts.  The hope is that the transformational message of the gospel can be shared through the friendships that are developed.
• Please pray that seeds of truth planted in people’s minds (some a  long time ago) would produce the fruit of belief.  Pray that those words will be remembered, will be dreamed about, and that the memories will motivate people to seek out knowing Christ.

Traction

The time is coming to put winter tires on the car.  The purpose of changing the tires is to increase traction.

Have you ever asked God what change you need to experience in order to have better traction in your spiritual life?

The Psalmist prayed: Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!  (Psalm 139:23-24)

Please pray that believers in both Taiwan and Canada will not only pray such a prayer but also have courage to allow God to change the “snow tires” in our lives.

Praise and Prayer

• Please pray for Canada as it votes in a federal election. Decisions that are made about the economy, the pandemic, and international relations all affect efforts to give people access to hear about  Jesus.
• Pray for Lin Mama’s family to receive comfort.  Pastor Joshua will officiate at her funeral on Monday, September 20.
• Praise the Lord for people showing interest to serve as international workers in Taiwan.  Please pray for discernment and for visas to be granted in the near future.
• Pray for church leaders in Taiwan and Canada as they navigate ever-changing regulations that affect ministries.  Pray for wisdom and resilience as they guide those whom they shepherd.

HMR

According to Wikipedia there are at least 28 meanings to the acronym “HMR.”  They range from Heavy Metal Rock to Hazardous Material Report (or Regulations).  There is also the less usual, such as: High Moisture Resistance.

For C&MA international workers, HMR means Home Ministries Retreat.  This year it is designed to be an online time of teaching, sharing, and workshops.  It is designed for people like us who have returned from an overseas location to connect with people and groups in Canada.  We will be attending (virtually) all week.

The theme for this year is “Resilience.”  We want to be resilient followers of Christ who serve well.  Just like the annual physical examination that people schedule to remain healthy, this will be a time to have a spiritual check-up.  One of the key areas we will focus on is “Managing Transition and Stress Well.”

Thanks for praying that this week (Aug 9-13) will be a time when God renews, refreshes, and revitalizes those who attend.

Praise and Prayer

• A recent tropical storm that tracked across Taiwan resulted in flooding from the heavy rains.  Please pray for farmers who have suffered huge agricultural losses.  Pray for those whos cities and neighbourhoods have experienced heavy damage.  (News Story)
• Thanks for praying as we work through the process of re-obtaining Canadian driver licenses.  Progress is being made.
• Taiwan celebrated Fathers’ Day on August 8.  Please pray God’s blessing on those who are following the example of our Heavenly Father as they fill this important role.