The last three days the ladies broke away from construction to go the local church and share God's word with the children. The first day was on the Creation and the plan of salvation. The children learned new songs and shared their songs with the ladies. One of their favorite songs that week was "God is so Good" and "Jesus Loves Me" in sign language English and Spanish. The ladies learned several of their songs in Spanish as well.
One of the highlights of the week was Bette learning the bible story for Sunday in Spanish. She gathered the children around her in the middle of the sanctuary and did a beautiful job sharing the story in Spanish. The children listen intensively as Bette, a North American spoke in their language about God and his Son Jesus. Also the ladies sang "Victory in Jesus" and sang the chorus in Spanish. They worked each evening on this hymn to perfect it for the people for church on Sunday.
Gene share a hymn, "Amazing Grace" as well. While Sunday School for the children was taking place Pastor Randy shared a sermon on "Things I long for or things to be better." It was exactly what I needed to hear this day. But this is how our God works. He pulled from Habakkuk 1:2-4 where Habakkuk wanted more for his world. Sadden by the condition of the world. He brings his concerns before God. As we look around us share our concerns to God. This is our prayer to share our concerns before God. Prayer includes listening, a relationship with God and to communicate with each other our concerns. Our prayers should be a two way communication with God. God tells us to wait and listen to his answer. Pastor Randy shared an example of Jose praying and dreaming for a home. God provided him a home. There were two other points Pastor Randy brought out coming from Philippians 3:4-14 to run the race God has called us to run and to persevere. The other point was in Revelation 7:9-17, the community of faith. Live out the vision of God into eternity. Live our lives as if we were going home to eternity today. Live our lives for eternity. Pastor Randy shared how we are worshiping as one today but one day we will be doing this together in heaven. What a beautiful day this will be. We had a sweet time when the grandmother opened her bible to Revelation 7 and this was the last book in her bible. She had somehow lost the rest of the bible. God's provision for worship on this day was perfect. It was beautiful watching the younger people in worship helping their mothers and grandmothers find the scriptures in their bibles. The beauty of all the bibles in church that day. Everyone had God's word sitting in their laps as they attentively listened to God's word.
Habakkuk 1:1-4
1 This is the message that the prophet Habakkuk received in a vision.
Habakkuk’s Complaint
2 How long, O Lord, must I call for help?
But you do not listen!
“Violence is everywhere!” I cry,
but you do not come to save.
3 Must I forever see these evil deeds?
Why must I watch all this misery?
Wherever I look,
I see destruction and violence.
I am surrounded by people
who love to argue and fight.
4 The law has become paralyzed,
and there is no justice in the courts.
The wicked far outnumber the righteous,
so that justice has become perverted.
But you do not listen!
“Violence is everywhere!” I cry,
but you do not come to save.
3 Must I forever see these evil deeds?
Why must I watch all this misery?
Wherever I look,
I see destruction and violence.
I am surrounded by people
who love to argue and fight.
4 The law has become paralyzed,
and there is no justice in the courts.
The wicked far outnumber the righteous,
so that justice has become perverted.
4 though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless. 7 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ--the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Pressing on Toward the Goal
12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
The Great Multitude in White Robes
9 After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice:
“Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.”
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.”
11 All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying:
“Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!”
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!”
13 Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?”
14 I answered, “Sir, you know.”And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore,
“they are before the throne of God
and serve him day and night in his temple;
and he who sits on the throne
will shelter them with his presence.
16 ‘Never again will they hunger;
never again will they thirst.
The sun will not beat down on them,’[a]
nor any scorching heat.
17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne
will be their shepherd;
‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’[b]
‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’[c]”
and serve him day and night in his temple;
and he who sits on the throne
will shelter them with his presence.
16 ‘Never again will they hunger;
never again will they thirst.
The sun will not beat down on them,’[a]
nor any scorching heat.
17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne
will be their shepherd;
‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’[b]
‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’[c]”
Revelation 7:9-17
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