7/29/2022 Been a minute, but I'm still in the saddle! What a switcheroo!!! And, to think.....I almost didn't go!Read Now Hi, All! Been a minute! Been busy w/personal stuff.....but the scope of my work has only amped up. This new website, "6 degrees and shrinking", refers to the increasingly smaller circle through which we know every human on earth. The Spirit, by His Providence, is making my circle smaller & smaller & smaller! A pastor recently encouraged me to say: These stories are to pump up the Church. No experience needed if the Spirit commissions you! (Isaiah 6:5-8)....Look at the 12! Disasterpieces made into masterpieces! The New Year in the I country is 3/21 there & 3/20 here. The preceding Wed. is a celebration where people jump over fire & say, "Your red health unto me.....my yellow (paleness) unto you." Despite sourcing the practice from their ancient indigenous religion, it has some redemptive hidden Temple/Gospel themes when properly cultivated. Modern fire temples still house perpetual sacred flames tended by priests---fire/water are symbols of ritual purity in much the same way they're symbols of the Holy Spirit & purity in Judaism & Christianity. There are other Jewish Temple parallels. Similarly, Resurrection concepts can be related to their Spring-themed New Year. In His Providence, God prevented false religion from getting so polluted that contextual bridges for His Glory can't be built. Ex: Paul on Mars Hill. (Acts 17) Although there are less than 200K modern adherents to this religion, many identify w/it in a nationalistic resistance against the regime. I wouldn't be surprised if "Jack be nimble" somehow has ancient roots in these practices. https://youtu.be/HbJpNcFRioY The season ends w/a picnic 13 days after the New Year. Since "A country" people are now my focus, I nearly skipped this yr. But the Spirit must've prompted, 'cause I went! I didn't expect to see A people (bad history between them)...but my language teacher introduced me to M (not even her real initial) & asked if I'd take her home. (She lives near me.) As I started up my car, she pulled a flier out of her purse, inviting ME to HER Church for Easter! She had no clue I was a believer. Our DMM team is praying for her community.....so...why am I surprised? Her son became a believer in a Euro camp & suggested she find a Church. (It's possible he may be sent back. Pray for him.) She'd gone to Church for 1 yr but encountered & trusted Jesus in a dream 2 weeks prior! She only had an English Bible, so I stopped by my house to get her Bibles in her 2 languages. Now connecting her w/many believers. BTW. Her grandma was Jewish! She's from a city w/a long Jewish history, dating back to the times of the prophet, Daniel.
There's more! So, rather than go to her Church, which is legalistic, I took her to the I Church that next Sunday. Another friend, a Christian student from the I country, had decided to just give up on his friends after an awkward spiritual chat w/them. BUT, 1 of them ended up self-inviting to the I Church for Easter service! Pray for a DMM on the campus!.....Just to think: I almost didn't go to the picnic! I met a young man named L (not his initial) & his parents at Church sponsored ESL class. He brought his mom the next week. He asked for a Bible although "it's only literature". Not a bad start! His holy book, which is comprised of one book, is dictated by an illiterate man whose violent verses contradict earlier peaceful ones. The Bible is A LIBRARY OF 40+ AUTHORS w/a wild variety of backgrounds! Shepherds/fishermen/kings, etc....a physician, 3 murderers & a fig picker ! Written on 3 continents over 1,500 yrs, it cross references & references the Cross! No wonder people from "that other Abrahamic religion" are curious! While fishing, we're not to get in the water & wrangle the fish into the boat, but let the Spirit do His thing! Matt. 4:19, John 21:11. In other news, it's encouraging to see how a group of 12 radicals have formed true New Testament community in an apartment complex & live among 15 or so families from the "T country". This was planted by Launch Global....And it "just so turns out" that some of these "T" folks are the same ones from the community whom we were already engaging in our interfaith discussion group! Who knew? ....... There are 2 other families who practice that "other Abrahamic religion", at least 2 Mormon families & 4 young Mormons who have dedicated this part of their lives to furthering their beliefs. Many have expressed interest in Church or Bible studies!! We need help prayer walking in the A neighborhood & teaching English. Please contact me if interested. Lastly, I'm a big supporter of Crisis Pregnancy Centers. Although I ignore the news these days, I'm aware of the infant formula crisis. (I guess its still going on.) I decided to start buying it whenever I'm at the grocery store. I encourage everyone to do this. Don't forget to save your receipts so you can get a tax write-off. I hope this catches on. For going when the Spirit says Go!, the mysterious tapestry of Scripture, DMM, CPC's , and the nations .......Just another witness to His Glory Comments are closed.
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