Global Day of Prayer for Burma

Dear friends, The Global Day of Prayer for Burma is this Sunday. I wanted to give you a heads up on this and to give you a resource to use for praying if you are so inclined. Our family will be praying and you can join with us and many many others around the world. Below is a weblink to a site where you can download a booklet that has updated info on the situation in Burma so that you can prayer with knowledge.  http://www.prayforburma.org/ Blessing to you all. --Paul Bradley

The Power of Confidence in Christ

Fear comes in many sizes, shapes, and forms.  There's a writer's fear of facing a blank page, a mother's fear of harm coming to her child, a father's fear of losing his job, a grandfather's fear of death, a banker's fear of being robbed, a soldier's fear of being killed, a country's fear of terrorist attacks.

As Christians, how do we face fear?  Phillip Keller writes, "Too many of us are shaken up, frightened and panicked by the storms of life.  We claim to have confidence in Christ, but when the first dark shadows sweep over us and the path we tread looks gloomy we go into a deep slump of despair...This is not as it should be."

When fear invades our spirits, we need to turn to the One in whom we have confidence--Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd.  The One who tells us that He is with us always,"to the very end of the age" (Matt. 28:20).

Oswald Chambers writes, "The problems of life get hold of a man or woman and make it difficult to know whether in the face of these things he or she really is confident in Jesus Christ.  The attitude of a believer must be 'Things do look bad, but I believe Him; and when the whole thing is told, I am confident my belief will be justified and God will be revealed as a God of love and justice.'  It does not mean that we won't have problems, but it does mean that our problems will never come in between us and our faith in Him.  'Lord, I don't understand this, but I am certain that there will be an explanation, and in the meantime I put it to one side.'

Although we may not understand why certain things happen in our lives, God instructs us to be strong and courageous, for "no one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life...I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Joshua 1:5).  Do you have this confidence--that God is with you in the storms of life?  That you can trust in Him and he will bring you through it all? Or do you trust in something other than Christ:  "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God: (Psalm 20:7).

David wrote of his trust in God in many of the Psalms, most notable, Psalm 23:  "I will fear no evil, for You are with me" (verse 4). Phillip Keller writes, "It is a most reassuring and reinforcing experience to the child of God to discover that there is, even in the dark valley, a source of strength and courage to be found in God....Because He has led me through without fear before, He can do it again, and again, and again.  In this knowledge fear fades and tranquility of heart and mind takes its place."

The only confidence we have in this life is knowing that God is always with us.  He is our Protector, Comforter, and Guide.  And if we are wise enough, we will look for and find God in every moment, filled with the assurance that He is with us through the good and the bad, the known and the unknown, the beginning and the end.  He is there when others are not.  If we follow God--through prayer and the reading and application of His Word--He will keep us close to Him, traveling down the right path, until we reach our home, where He greets us.  Within the shelter of His embrace, fear is vanquished.

Phillip Keller writes,  "The person with a powerful confidence in Christ; the one who has proved by past experience that God is with him in adversity; the one who walks through life's dark valley without fear, his head held high, is the one who in turn is a tower of strength and a source of inspiration to his companions."

Be a person with powerful confidence in Christ.  Renew your mind each and every morning with God's truth, for that truth is what will keep you confident and expectant throughout the day.  Plant God's Word in your heart and mind.  Pray for His deliverance:  "Deliver me from evil."  Leave your fears at His feet.

Reflect on your past experiences, how God has carried you through.  Go to your Protector, Guide, and Good Shepherd, for He and His Word are the only things that can set you free from all fear as You trust and hope in Him.  Know that "God will command his angels to protect you wherever you go.  They will carry you in their arms, and they won't hurt your feet on the stones: (Psalm 91:11-12).

~Donna K. Maltese

Isaac-Ismail Initiative Update

17  January 2012 Dear Friends, Greetings from Denver (although enroute to the Middle East). This past weekend I was involved in a "Train the Trainer" initiative withCrescent Project. I sat among a Saudi, Indian, and Moroccan who previously had come to faith in Christ. Another participant has lived in Kazhakstan for 10 years, another (Dutch woman) served for many years in Thailand.         What an incredibly rich and powerful time we had as we worked on how to equip local churches to reach out to Muslims in the West!        Today Susy and I fly to Beirut, Lebanon for the next week. I will be meeting with the director of World Vision (and visiting Palestinian refugees camps), connecting with other key leaders in the city, and preaching at All Saints Church, pastored by long-time friends of ours. This is the first time Susy and I will be in the Middle East together!        I am in the midst of developing a new seminar entitled, The Desire of Every Jew and Muslim, focusing on the similarities between them in relating to God (or trying to do so). I will be doing the seminar in Denver in February.         There is so much happening simultaneously in ministry it's a bit overwhelming at the moment. Please pray for balance as I juggle numerous opportunities. Family Update        Carly returned from Mexico last month and is back atWestmont College for the remainder of her third year. She is living off campus now, working a couple of jobs, and busy with school.        Steven is waiting to hear from several universities if he has been admitted. Earlier this month he was accepted to theUniversity of Denver and offered a partial scholarship. Denver is his "back up" school; he is waiting to hear from USC and NYUwhich are his first choices. Thank you for your friendship and encouragement. We will look forward to giving an update on our Lebanon trip in the next few weeks.       With Grace, in Christ, Brian and Susy

It's that time again....for CHILI!!!