Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Brothers and sisters
Our family wishes, first of all, to say "thank you" for the outpouring of love from our family at Laurel Bible Chapel. God's people have rallied around our family in help, care, and poured out themselves in so many ways in the spirit of love and unity through Christ.
Brothers and sisters
Our family wishes, first of all, to say "thank you" for the outpouring of love from our family at Laurel Bible Chapel. God's people have rallied around our family in help, care, and poured out themselves in so many ways in the spirit of love and unity through Christ.
We will be staying in downtown San Diego this coming week. The Ramet family has generously offered for us to take a break from our crowded camper and get a chance to take some time away in a timeshare apartment. This will be a great time to see the city and meet more people,to be witnesses for Christ in an area we have not yet been.
Other families have offered food and many other ways of showing love to our family as we continue to grieve the loss of our Joshua. We feel loved and want to express our appreciation to all those who continue to uphold us in prayer. It means so much to us to know that you are taking time before the Lord on our behalf.
While we are still working through our sorrow, we also know that God has purpose for our being here. We continued to pray through it all that the Lord would reveal His plans for our ministry here. So, we continue to go and tell others how they can be made right with God, how they can know for sure what their eternal fate will be, either in Heaven by faith in the Lord Jesus or in Hell, separated from God. We pray that everyone will be saved, but know that the fruit of our labor is in God's hands. We are but servants, playing a role, planting,watering, or harvesting. We pray that God's harvest is plentiful and are blessed greatly by being able to have some part in reaching those around us.
This past week, Justin and I took Ken Bradley, Carlos Hurtado, Ron and Elizabeth Mears, along with two homeschool families out to the community to reach people with the Gospel at their homes. People have been generally receptive, with some desiring to learn the truth from God's Word. Some reject and hardened in their hearts, but our place is simply to obey, to go and faithfully proclaim that which Jesus told us to say. We rely on the Holy Spirit to guide us, to work in the hearts of the unsaved, and to give us the strength and wisdom to do God's will rather than our own.
Mark and Sara met with the mid week group at the Mattix home on Wednesday. We all talked about the need and urgency to reach the lost for Christ. Some work with children, others with young people, but we all recognize our need to be ambassadors for Christ. All of us who have been reconciled to God through Christ should have the words of life flowing from our mouths and demonstrated in our lives. Each of us has opportunity to speak boldly of the love of God revealed to us through grace by faith.
Today, Ken, Carlos, Justin and Mark will be out knocking on doors in El Cajon. We map out streets and go back to the homes where nobody was home. Today, we will be going back on streets previously visited, to attempt to reach those homes where we previously could not. It is important to us to make sure that we are thorough, prayerfully trying to reach someone at each door to offer them literature, a CD, and to engage in conversation face to face.
It is our desire to reach every home in the area, and sometimes second and third visits are necessary. We also follow up with folks who have heard the Gospel, seeking to disciple and encourage those who do come to know Christ. There are many who ask us to come back, to visit, and sometimes these visits are the start of home Bible studies or bring new believers into the local church body.
This desire to build up the local body is why it is so important for local believers to be out with us, to establish a relationship, rather than a hit-and-run by the out-of-towners. We seek to help the local body, to grow the body of Christ, not just to preach and run. So, we pray that even those who are not comfortable will step out in faith and come with us. What is comfortable is usually NOT what God wants from us!
Street preaching is certainly not for everyone, but we all do have the responsibility to witness. I always say "don't knock it until you've tried it" None of us started out being comfortable with knocking on doors, but many have realized their gifts and abilities only after leaving their comfort zone in faith desiring God's will be done.
God works wonders in the lives of those who will open themselves up to be used however He sees fit. I know it doesn't come easy for me. I am shy and want to be liked, not wanting to be offensive. But, the truth about sin and our separation from God is offensive to those who are living according to the course of this world. A theif or murderer is not going to be happy to hear about the punishment due to them, but the offering of payment for sin through Christ is the only way to avoid the punishment that God has promised. So, even though it is offensive, we must go, to warn the lost soul of the promised end to their time on earth. We all stand condemned, so let's be faithful to show those condemned souls the way to life and eternity with God.
Our family will be taking some time off this coming week, but will also be in the neighborhoods of El Cajon, at the bus stops witnessing with Ken and Carlos in San Diego. We will hopefully be finding more opportunities to share with familiies and small groups about our calling, about the responsibility of all believers to spread the Gospel. Most important is giving all glory, praise, and honor to Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. If you have a venue where we can share the ministry, or to help equip others, please call or email. Our desire is simply to be used however the Lord leads.
Mark and Justin will both be speaking at the San Diego Rescue Mission. Carlos and Ken have asked us to share. Please pray that we will be empty vessels, fit for use by the Potter. Pray that the Holy Spirit will give us the words to say, that we will be used to help draw the men there to an understanding of their place before God. We pray that we will be used to draw men to salvation, understanding that Christ is the only way, the truth, and the life offered to all who will believe.
I would especially like to encourage any of the men(they only allow men in,sorry ladies) from Laurel to come out and support this work at the mission. Once a month, they give an hour for Laurel to come and open God's Word to the men there. This is one of the many ministries of Laurel, and we are happy to participate, and would love to see more of the body come and take part in reaching out to the men. I know that the brothers that do this ministry would love to have others help, to be encouraged, and to band together as brothers for the sake of reaching the lost.
Please feel free to call anytime. We would love to answer questions, visit, and be of encouragement to the believers at Laurel. We, (Cowperthwaites) will be in town until April 27, and the Humes will probably leave May 4.
Sorry for the long update. I just had to get that all out in print. We are excited to see how God will use His people here.
on behalf of Justin and family
Mark and the Cowperthwaite family
207-542-8916 Mark
207-691-2850 Justin
