Greetings Fellow Workers;
We thank God for you, we pray for you often, and we thank you for your labor of love. We are a blessed people to be able to call on our God in times of joy, times of sorrow, times of celebration, times of bereavement, yes, at all times. God continues to answer your many prayers, we are good, blessed in all the right ways.
Jesus said on one occasion; “I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.” (John 13.15). Our Lord has given us a “perfect” example, one that we are to follow. The Apostle Paul instructed the young evangelist Timothy; “...be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation (manner of life), in charity (love), in spirit, in faith, in purity.” (1 Timothy 4.12). Yes, we are “examples” to those our lives cross paths with, for good or for bad! The choice is one of our choosing, but God desires that; “.... all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2.4).
Today as we finished our worship to God, Christopher stood before God’s Church in Arusha having received twelve (12) request to God’s invitation. Some were thanksgivings for answered prayers, others for needed prayers for illness, others for help with their schooling, one restoration, but it was two requests that really “grabbed me” in a special way.
One was from our bother in Christ, Wilfred Massawe. He and his wife are now the parents of a new little girl. They sent a note to the Arusha Church, through Christopher, for the prayers of the Saints that meet at Arusha on behalf of their new gift from God. The second was from our brother Edwin Tusegalege, the evangelist serving the Forrest congregation at Mbeya. Edwin was asking for the prayers of the Arusha congregation regarding his health.
The thing that came to mind was the fact that the Arusha Church has, is, and will continue to be an example to all the congregations throughout Tanzania and beyond. As is the case with “all” congregations, the Arusha Church has had its ups and downs over the last few years. Year after year, more and more, God’s family that meets and works together in Arusha are being called upon with the many needs of the Lord’s people throughout East Africa, as is the case with the 37 million lost souls of TZ.
This is a very humbling thing to consider and to know. We are thankful God has blessed the Arusha Church, that She is “coming into Her own” and that She is willing to serve. I thank God for allowing Stephanie and I to be a small part of this wonderful aspect of His work.
“The end of Learning is to know God, and out of that knowledge to love Him and to imitate Him.” (Book: “Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life”, Donald S. Whitney). Let each know God, His will and "do" what is right in His eyes, to His Glory.
May our God bless each of you with a week of faithful service in Him! To His glory! As One in Christ. Thank you all for your fellowship in the Gospel and in the work of God here in Tanzania.
In Him, Cy, Stephanie and Exel