“In view of this, we always pray for you that our God will make you worthy of his calling, and by his power fulfill your every desire to do good[a] and your work produced by faith, so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified by you, and you by him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ” —II Thessalonians 1:11-12
I hope and pray that the Lord is fulfilling His purpose in you and that your faith is being enriched so that His name may be glorified.
In August, we continued with the limitations of face-to-face worship (30% of the capacity of worship facilities). However, I thank the Lord because despite these restrictions, we see the longing of the members to come together again. To facilitate attendance, we are having two services on Sundays. It involves a lot of effort from all of us, but we see the enthusiasm of the church when we meet.
Another reason for gratitude to the Lord is that many new people are coming, who because of the pandemic have seen their need for God. This teaches us once again that the Lord works His goodwill in all circumstances so that His Kingdom may continue and increase. Among those who are now attending, there are two men who are unbelievers. However, because of their wives’ testimony, they are now attending faithfully, listening to the Word, and demonstrating a change that only the Spirit of the Lord can cause.
This month, I continued with my sermon series in Proverbs. It is amazing how this series has helped me to grow in my faith and admiration for Christ and His Word. Oftentimes, people think of Proverbs as merely a collection of wise advice to help us navigate the obstacles of this life on earth, but I am seeking to show our church that Proverbs is much more than wise advice. Like the Law, Proverbs reveals the character of God—His holiness, eternity, power, omniscience, sovereignty, etc. That is why Proverbs helps us to know God better, and to love Him more. Second, Proverbs places a strong emphasis on God’s justice, which leads us to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We have not only failed the Law, but also wisdom. Therefore, it is only through Christ’s work on the cross that we are justified before God.
We continue to pray that the Lord will use this pandemic to sanctify His church around the world, and make us more faithful and dependent upon Him.
“Peace to the brothers and sisters, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all who have undying love for our Lord Jesus Christ” — Ephesians 6:23-24
Jairo Chaur is a missionary / pastor in la Iglesia Evangelica de la Gracia in Barcelona, Spain.
