It is encouraging to see the work continue to progress here. I’m thankful for a church that wants to know the Word and wants to know Christ. We recently completed a Bible study series where we made our way book by book through the Old Testament in order to see the story of redemption throughout and to find Christ in its pages. This was a very profitable time that served to help us grow and see the Bible as a unified whole, of which Christ is the essential focus
This time of year is always exciting as we celebrate the Incarnation and anticipate Christ’s return. Once again, we are planning special activities in the coming weeks. This includes Christmas caroling and distributing Gospel tracts throughout our neighborhoods, singing of and proclaiming Christ in a local nursing home, and gathering for our annual Christmas Eve service which usually brings in extra family members and friends. It is our hope that God will use these ministry opportunities to draw to Himself those that are lost.
The Lord has granted us several opportunities to share the Gospel in recent weeks, from a woman battling cancer who is seeking God’s help through her trial, to a prosperous man enjoying his retirement who sees no need for God in his life. In a recent conversation with the retired gentleman, he stated that he has experienced so much ‘blessing’ and happiness in this world that when he dies that will be it. He said he has had all the heaven he’s meant to have here on earth. I cringed inside as he spoke, knowing that he doesn’t truly realize what awaits those who have had their heaven here in this life. In Mark 10, Christ said, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” When a person’s heart trusts in their riches and is in love with the world, how hard it is for them to receive Christ as the greatest treasure and renounce everything else as loss in comparison to knowing Him. Please pray for this man to have eyes to see all earthly wealth and material gain as rot and loss when compared to the glorious riches that are found in Christ and in His grace.
We would also appreciate prayer for us as a church as we face a decision regarding the building that we are currently renting. It is owned by a club who recently decided that the building is too much for them to manage. They plan on moving to another facility and renting or selling this one. This will require a change for us as we are currently only renting out allotted times for our meetings, all at a very low cost. However, renting the building on a monthly basis will significantly increase our expenses, and buying it will certainly come at a cost as well. So we would appreciate your prayers on our behalf for God to give us wisdom and clarity on what He would have us to do.
I had a great conversation with a couple yesterday, Dale and Stacey. Years ago, before I even came here, they made a profession of Christ, but like the seed that grew among the thorns, they left the Church. However, we never stopped praying for them at the Blackville prayer meeting. It came to our attention that they were in great need. Dale was in the hospital with a serious condition. He could barely talk. In fact, he actually almost died twice. His wife Stacey, was so sick with the flu that she couldn’t be with him in the Hospital. We called her yesterday as we went to visit Dale. We praise the Lord for His grace as she seemed broken over her sin. She confessed hypocrisy and asked God to forgive her, which seemed very genuine. Time will tell. I don’t believe she is yet converted, but God is working on her. She’s seems to understand her sin and knows what she needs to do. Pray that God would save her.
When we saw Dale at the Hospital, he was also broken, and continually asked Dave to forgive him for his bad attitude toward us. Like the numerous accounts in the New Testament, he asked Dave how to be saved. Through this the door has opened again for us to reach out to him with the Gospel. He is still unconverted and in serious condition. He might not live much longer, so please pray that God would save him.
This short account cannot express how hard they had become to the gospel. The last time we went to visit them, they shut us down and told us never to come again. Now, it seems that the Lord is plowing their hearts. Truly, our God is a God who hears the petitions of His people! Please pray.
Please continue to pray for the building project. We were able to close on the 14th with no trouble at all. The land is now in our possession. We took a break from working on it until the start of 2019, but soon will be back into the development, specifically, acquiring permits and plans. Again, please pray that the Lord would send someone to oversee this project.
First of all, I wanted to thank all who support us prayerfully and financially. Both of these means make it possible for us to be a steady witness in this area. Apart from prayer, nothing will happen! We so desperately need an out pouring of the Holy Spirit in this country. Please continue to pray that God would bring many to himself in this area.
I also want to thank HeartCry for sending us books to strengthen the men I am training (The Soul Winner by Spurgeon, Counsel for Christian Workers by Spurgeon, Everyone’s a Theologian by R.C. Sproul, as well as others). God is using these tools to equip the men we are training. Please continue to pray for those in training. Pray for Dave, a retired special force in the Canadian armed forces, Jean Luc, a pilot from Sweden who attends the Fredericton plant, as well as another young man named Josh from Toronto.
Stephen began working for HeartCry in 2015. As coordinator for Asia, North America, and Western Europe, he currently oversees the missionaries over 10 countries. He currently lives in Virginia with his wife and four children.
More By Stephen Jacobs
