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!!!

Brian and Suzy Newman-the Isaac-Ishmail Initiative

   

30 December 2011 Dear Friends, I stood staring into the vastness of the western Sahara Desert wondering how people live in such a wasteland, with no water or vegetation.        For the preceeding week in late September a group of us had met with 16 Muslim imams in a refugee camp in western Algeria, just north of Al-Queda controlled land. It is truly a wasteland, and provided a reminder to me about religious systems such as Islam which ultimately lead people away from God rather than toward Him.        Brian has launched the Isaac-Ishmael Initiatve because of the simple fact that Jews and Muslims alike are lost in the desert without Jesus. It feels that we are embarcing a divine moment.        The year 2011 has been one of developing vision, creating partnerships, and obtaining funding. This is a unique "divine moment" and I believe 2012 is now on the launching pad. In February we will hold a gathering in southern France with 10 of us to make plans for outreach fo immigrants in Europe; In June we partner in a week-long training called Sahara Challenge in Minneapolis; In the summer we hope to partner with Serve the City and have a mission team go to Lebanon. You can find more information about the vision of the Isaac-Ishmael Initiative at our new website, which officially launches today. Click HERE. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. ~ Eph. 3:20-21 With Grace, in Christ, Brian and Susy

Christ's Body Ministries--Falling Through the Cracks

     Lynn worked as an Optician for 30 years until his first bout with congestive heart problems made retirement mandatory.  He still felt secure in his apartment covered by Medicare, with his monthly Social Security check and a small Air Force veterans pension.  But gradually the prescription copays (he now takes 22 pills daily) ate up his savings and then his rent.  Once he lost his apartment then the only housing option left was cheap motel rooms which still cost $30/night.  Within a few weeks, Lynn, for the first time in his life, was one day away from being homeless.  As he tells in his soft southern voice, "I finally had to swallow my pride."  He went to Pastor Miriam at his church, Trinity United Methodist, for help.  Fortunately Miriam knows us and our respite care program.  She called Deb and thankfully we had one open bed for him.
     Lynn has been at Christ's Body for two weeks, and wanted everyone to know how grateful he is.  He said, "Everyone here is so kind.  Deb has been very helpful and with her help I have gotten more help and more things done in two weeks than in the months before."  Specifically Deb signed Lynn up for a Medicare program that covers drug costs for low income patients.  She also has started the process for him to get Veteran's disability help and placed him on Colorado Coalition for the Homeless low-income housing program.  Lynn had no idea that such programs even existed, let alone how to apply for them.  Beyond the practical help, Lynn told me, "Deb has God in everything she does and you don't often see that in social workers."
     What a blessing it is when we can show someone like Lynn that God is real and cares.  Many times people fall through the cracks of man's social safety net.  We are grateful to our government for the help they do provide.  This help however is often very hard to access, especially when sick, without a caring hardworking advocate like Deb Butte.
     Lynn now hopes to be able to get his own place in the next weeks.  I told him we were pleased to have him as our guest and there was no hurry.  He replied, "Oh no, as soon as I can, I want to move out because there is someone else out there who needs this bed as bad as I did."
     Thank you for supporting Christ's Body.  You make it possible for us to be the arms of God catching those falling through the cracks.                    -John Moorhead

Caleb Home from India for Christmas

Caleb will be in Idaho Springs, CO for Christmas.  He arrives December 17 and stays until January 16.  On January 1,2012 he is the guest speaker at First Baptist Church of Idaho Springs at 9:30 a.m. Located at 100 Colorado Blvd. on the west end of town.  Take exit 239 off of I-70 and follow it to the church.  Caleb is looking forward to getting to see many of you. You can call him at 303-567-2711.  January 5 - 10 he will be in San Diego to visit Aunts, Uncles, & cousins.

The pictures below: National Costume Day at Woodstock School, Caleb on the summit (20,773 ft.), Camp before heading to the summit of Banderpunch in the Indian Himalayas. The highest peak in the picture.

Caleb wishes you a Merry Christmas and Wonderful New Year.