WORKING OUT YOUR SALVATION

Steve and I have a ritual that we started many years

ago while I was driving an hour to work and 

an hour home each day.  Since he had a flexible

schedule and we had always done morning devotions

while the kids were growing up, we decided to do 

them over the phone on my way to work. 

This morning Steve was a little later than usual 

calling, and I was praying about all the many things 

I have going on right now with working a full-

time job, being a musician at our church, 

keeping grandkids on the weekend, teaching 

piano on Monday's and several other things.  

I was pondering on the fact that I have not been

able to hang out with the ladies of my church 

and go to events and I seldom get to make 

it to the ladies bible studies.  As I was praying

about it, I had asked the Lord to help me get a 

better picture of what was the most important at 

this time in my life and that I would be willing to

focus on what that most important thing was.  

For some reason a picture of a mother nursing her 

child came to mind.  As I thought about the mother caring

for her child, I realized when a mother gives birth 

to a new born, normal life as it had been comes to a 

halt.  The mothers diet is affected by this child she begins 

to nurse and care for, the mothers sleep habits change, 

her adventurous activities are put on hold and all of her 

attention has turned to that small child.   

Not fully understanding why I was pondering on a mother 

taking care of her small child other than maybe because my

daughter in love had told me about a friend who gave birth to 

her second child and adapting to motherhood once again. 

About that time, Steve called and read the bible reading 

for the day.  As he was reading, the verses that stuck out 

to me was,"Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have 

always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now 

much more n my absence, work out your own salvation 

with fear and trembling. For it is God which 

worketh in you both to will and to do 

of his good pleasure."

He continued to read the rest of the chapter and then
skipped over to the verses in II Peter that I posted below.  

When he finished he said, "What did you get 

out of those passages?'   My immediate response was, "I 

am not to do what I desire but what is most needful at

the present time and the most needful thing is to 

make sure that Thanh is nurtured and his
spiritual needs are met.  

You see, sometimes working out your salvation 

isn't doing what everybody else feels you should

be doing. It is doing what is most needful. 

What is most needful today may not be what is 

most needful a year from now. 

If I try to do the same thing I was doing a year

ago to work out my salvation, I would be 

making some huge mistakes and over looking

areas in my life that the Lord is wanting me to 

grow in and also to help someone else. 

The nursing mom has to change her 

diet drastically for her child so the food 

she intakes doesn't cause her infant to suffer

from stomach aches.  The same is true for us 

if we are mentoring a baby Christian.  The things

that we might normally do might cause the baby

Christian to stumble and fall.  We must choose

wisely how we work out our salvation during 

this process of assisting newborn believers. 

We need to make sure that we are doing as

II Peter says to add virtue and to virtue,

knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; 

and to temperance patience; and to patience 

godliness; And to godliness brotherly 

kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

I began to scratch my head and say, "Wow

that's a lot that I must do; just to assist a 

newborn in Christ."  The Lord ask, "Are you 

willing because just as you nurtured your

own children this baby in the Lord needs 

the same nurturing."  

As the newborn believer grows, we will be 

able to move away from them slowly so they 

connect with other believers who will assist

them in growing in new areas and the Lord will

be asking them to work out their own salvation 

with fear and trembling.  At which time we can 

step aside and fulfill our other rolls in life and watch

that new person grow as he teaches the person 

the things he knows about the Lord. 

Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, 

not as in my presence only, but now much more 

in my absence, work out your own salvation with 

fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh 

in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Do all things without murmurings and disputings:

That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons 

of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked 

and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as 

lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life; 

that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have 

not run in vain, neither laboured in vain. Yea, and if 

I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your 

faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all. For the same 

cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me.

Philippians 2:12-18

 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your 

faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge 

temperance; and to temperance patience; and to 

patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly 

kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

For if these things be in you, and abound, 

they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor 

unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

II Peter 2:5-8

HE CAUSES ME TO STAND ON HEIGHTS

Photo by Bud Guffey 

For thou art my lamp, O LORD: 

and the LORD will lighten my darkness.

For by thee I have run through a troop: 

by my God have I leaped over a wall.

As for God, his way is perfect; the word of 

the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them 

that trust in him. For who is God, save the 

LORD? and who is a rock, save our God?

God is my strength and power: and he 

maketh my way perfect.  He maketh my feet 

like hinds’ feet: and setteth me upon my 

high places.  He teacheth my hands to war; 

so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.

Thou hast also given me the shield of thy 

salvation: and thy gentleness hath made 

me great. Thou hast enlarged my steps 

under me; so that my feet did not slip.

I have pursued mine enemies, and 

destroyed them; and turned not again 

until I had consumed them. And I have 

consumed them, and wounded them, 

that they could not arise:  yea, they are 

fallen under my feet.  For thou hast girded 

me with strength to battle: them that rose up 

against me hast thou subdued under me. 

Thou hast also given me the necks of 

mine enemies, that I might destroy them 

that hate me.  They looked, but there was 

none to save; even unto the LORD, but he 

answered them not. Then did I beat them as 

small as the dust of the earth, I did stamp 

them as the mire of the street, and did 

spread them abroad.  Thou also hast 

delivered me from the strivings of my people, 

thou hast kept me to be head of the heathen: 

a people which I knew not shall serve me.

Strangers shall submit themselves unto me: 

as soon as they hear, they shall be obedient unto 

me.  Strangers shall fade away, and they shall 

be afraid out of their close places.  The 

LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; 

and exalted be the God of the rock 

of my salvation.  It is God that avengeth me, 

and that bringeth down the people under me,

And that bringeth me forth from mine enemies: 

thou also hast lifted me up on high above them 

that rose up against me: thou hast delivered 

me from the violent man.  Therefore I will give 

thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, 

and I will sing praises unto thy name.

He is the tower of salvation for his king: 

and sheweth mercy to his anointed, unto David, 

and to his seed for evermore.

REST A WHILE

Photo provided by Pennie Beth

REST

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are 

heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn 

of me; for I am meek and lowly 

in heart: and ye shall find rest 

unto your souls. For my yoke is 

easy, and my burden is light.

Matthew 11:28-30

These things I have spoken unto you, 

that in me ye might have peace. In the 

world ye shall have tribulation: but be of 

good cheer; I have overcome the world.

John 16:33

The LORD is my shepherd; 

I shall not want.  He maketh me 

to lie down in green pastures: he 

leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: 

he leadeth me in the paths of 

righteousness for his name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley 

of the shadow of death, I will fear 

no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod 

and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in 

the presence of mine enemies: thou 

anointest my head with oil; my cup 

runneth over.  Surely goodness and 

mercy shall follow me all the days 

of my life: and I will dwell in 

the house of the LORD for ever.

Psalm 23

HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD - A MASTERPIECE ON DISPLAY

Photo provided by Jan Davis 

There are times when you can see the wind blowing and know what direction it's coming from and know where it is headed.  Then, there are days that the wind is still and you don't notice it's presence at all.

The Holy Spirit is much like the wind and we tend to only trust the Holy Spirit when we can see what is taking place.  We tend to be people who do not like the great unknown.  We put our heals into the sand and dig deep to keep from letting change take place because it causes us to wade out into the waters of the unknown.  I truly believe America is doing just that; wadding into the great unknown.  America as we have always known it, is a thing of the past.  This causes our hearts to feel we are wading into the depth of the darkness with nothing to hold onto.  It sets fear into motion and for most of us when fear is set into motion we start wounding people around us.  Trying to find something to hold on to-many times we grab hold of others and pull them down with us, much like a person drowning in water.

Is this a bad thing that is taking place in America?  My answer would immediately be yes; if I were looking through my own eyes.  Although if I take my rose colored glasses off and look at what is taking place through the eyes of Christ, I might see something far different.

In order to form such a magnificent picture as shown above there had to be several things that took place.  The wind had to blow at just the right time in just the right direction, the sun had to be in just the right spot at exactly the right time.  The water had to be calm and not raging.  The moisture in the atmosphere had to be at the right level for the clouds to be summoned to that specific location and all the trees standing in attention.

You see, change had to take place in order for you and I to get to see the beauty displayed in this photo.  The same is true in our community and our churches.  We may try to fight change with all our being and in doing so we may miss the masterpiece of all times.

My heart chooses to believe the Lord has summonsed every nation and every tribe from around the world into America.  Will she be the same?  No, she will never be able to return to what she was.  Will she be hurt from the change?  Yes, I am sure she will be hurt.  Just as Joseph was wounded when he was sold into slavery, and then found out that God had such a greater plan for his life.  So America may find herself feeling the same for a period of time.

If you notice in the scripture that America isn't talked about in the last days, it may be due to the great change that takes place and she becomes weak so that the Lord's plan is displayed in a mighty way.  When we try to be larger than God, the world only can see America but when she is brought low, God's glory will be set on display for the world to see.

You might say, "Why would the Lord possibly desire to bring all the nations of the world into America?"  I say, "When Pentecost took place, which is a masterpiece of all masterpieces, people came from many countries into that specific place."   After they had gathered into one place the Lord caused them to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ, in their own language, and when they heard, they didn't stay.  After they left that place, they shared the gospel of Jesus Christ with their families, which took the gospel of Christ into every country they returned to and caused the gospel to spread like fire.

Just as Thanh has come to America and learned about Christ and is now desiring for his family to know Christ, the same was true in that day.  The bible says that every tribe and every nation will have heard about the gospel of Jesus Christ and will be without excuse before his return.

As the Lord causes the winds to blow, he draws those nations into this land and we are now given the opportunity of a lifetime.  You can demand to get what you want and refuse to change or you can stand and watch the Lord Jesus Christ display the masterpiece he has planned to display.

The last few weeks, we were able to see Thanh come to Christ and in turn started sharing Christ with his family.  What a beautiful masterpiece.  We could have pushed him aside and been angry that he had come into our country and refuse to speak with him and we would have totally missed out on this masterpiece.

The Lord has more masterpieces planned to display.  You can stand in the right place at the right time and get to be a beautiful part of that masterpiece that's put on display or you can scream, stomp and refuse to be a part.  It's totally your decision.

It wasn't difficult for the wind to be set on display in this portrait and neither was it difficult for the clouds.  The same is true for us.  We just need to be where the Lord puts us, doing what he wants us to do and he will paint the rest of the portrait.  A portrait filled with vibrant colors and one that could change your life, you community, your nation or your world.

I am sure when the countries gathered in Acts at Pentecost, had no idea what the Lord was fixing to display for generations to come, neither do we, but may we stand where he sends us and be who he wants us to be.

Acts 2: 1-21
1  And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2  And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3  And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4  And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5   And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
6  Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
7  And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
8  And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
9  Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
10  Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
11  Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
12  And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
13  Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.
14 ¶  But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
15  For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
16  But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
17  And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
18  And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
19  And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
20  The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:
21  And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

THANH'S STORY PART IV

Today while driving to work I began to ponder on something that Thanh had shared with me and a new thought came to my mind.  He shared that now he has a car and although it is difficult he takes his mother to work every morning and then he drives a different direction in order to get to his job. For him to be able to do this he has to get up very early, yet this is something he desires to do for her. 

As he takes his mother to work, Thanh will be able to share Jesus Christ with her and help her understand this wonderful thing he has found in his life. As he does this each day, we need to pray for him that the words he shares is exactly what she needs in order to understand and come to Christ 

As I was pondering on this thought I began to think about pollination and realized how important it is for each of to be careful the words that we speak,  We should be careful not only to those we are trying to witness to but also to the people we are not trying to witlessness to.  Even though we may not realize it, we are taking little drops of our life and placing it on top of every person's life that we come in contact with.  This is much like the butterfly or the bee does to the flowers it touches.  

Just as the pollen from the butterfly assist in helping develop the seeds in a flower so are our lives when it touches those around us.  It will pollinate those lives and will have a huge effect on the seeds that come from this plant.  The pollen you place on someone's life may be that of righteousness or it could be that of destruction.  

As I began to see this picture in my mind I realized what a beautiful thing Thanh is getting to do every day as he goes home and reads the Word of God, hides it in his heart, then the next day he takes those words to his mother and plants seeds into her life.  As he is planting those seeds he knows he has people from our church and Digging a Well Ministries praying for him that one day we will see the harvest of his mother and other family members and we will be able to celebrate in this beautiful thing that the Lord is doing. 

What are you pollinating the lives you come in contact with?  

Photo provided by Katie Peace

But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,  Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ;  If so be that ye have heard him,  and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:  That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;  And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;  And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil.
Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.  Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.  And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Ephesians 4:15-32

THANH'S STORY PART III

Philippians 4:19-20

But my God shall supply all your need according 

to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.  Now unto 

God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. 

Amen.

After spending the whole day at our house on Sunday, Thanh, Steve and I did some bible study together.  As we began to look at what the scripture said about growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and talking about how we can trust the Lord to supply our needs, it was apparent that Thanh had already experienced this.  

Thanh shared how his step father had given him five dollars one Sunday morning.  He came to church and as they passed the offering plate, he added one dollar of the five he had to the plate.  When he went back home from church his step father was angry with him and wouldn't allow him to eat food from their table.  He explained to the step father that he was hungry and was told to take the five dollars and go to the store and purchase something to eat.  He went and purchased food to eat but his step father was still angry with him.  The next Sunday, Thanh came to church and once again put one dollar into the offering plate and after the worship service we had a church picnic and he was able to eat with us.  Thanh was so very helpful and kind with assisting in the clean up, so I handed him a ten dollar bill.  

After returning home from church each week Thanh's father would be verbally abusive to Thanh and finally the day came that he asked him to leave their home.  He moved to Rowlett with an uncle and found a job at a grocery store but was not able to come to worship any longer since he didn't own a vehicle.  

As he was sharing with us about this experience he said,"The reason I realize that the Jesus you speak about is different from Buddha and all the other God's I've learned about is because, when I prayed to Jesus about my problems, I found answers."  He said, "When I gave one dollar, God gave one hundred back.  When I gave one dollar again, God gave ten dollars back and gave me a home to go to when my uncle asked me to leave."  He said, "I was working three days a week and needed more money and I prayed to Jesus and he gave me a job where I can take care of myself now and I can come to church again."  

Thanh said before when he prayed there was no answers but when he prays now to Jesus, he finds peace and has found this Jesus hears his prayers even when he prays for five or ten seconds, he knows he's being heard.  

He is concerned that his mother and step father have not found Jesus and is concerned because it makes his step father very angry when he talks about Jesus.  We shared with Thanh that just as Jesus met his need for money, he can meet this need for his family to know Jesus.  This may be something we pray for a long time before God answers but we can be assured that he is listening to our prayers.  Thanh also has a passion for others, not just Vietnamese people to know Christ but that everyone know about this Jesus he has found.  

Pray for Thanh and for his family that he will be able to share the love of Jesus with them and they might have open hearts to the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Hebrews 11: 1-6

Now faith is the substance of things hoped 

for, the evidence of things not seen  For by 

it the elders obtained a good report.  Through 

faith we understand that the worlds were framed 

by the word of God, so that things which are seen 

were not made of things which do appear.  By faith 

Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice 

than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was 

righteous,  God testifying of his gifts: and by it 

he being dead yet speaketh. By faith Enoch was 

translated that he should not see death; and was 

not found, because God had translated him: 

for before his translation he had this testimony, 

that he pleased God.  But without faith it is 

impossible to please him: for he that cometh to 

God must believe that he is, and that he is a 

rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

THANH'S STORY PART II

Today's worship service begin like any other worship service but for Thanh and those who have been praying for him, this worship service may have started the same but it truly didn't end like all the rest.  Our pastor Lash Banks, the ESL Teacher Brent Sorrels and myself all was able to be a part of Thanh's baptism.  This was truly a great moment in my life but even a greater one in Thanh's. I was still not truly convinced that Thanh fully comprehended the whole thing about baptism even though each of us had done everything we could to make sure he comprehended.  

Before going into the water, I explained to Thanh that I would be in the water with him and explained how that Brent Sorrels would lower him into the water and how that I would be behind him and raise him back up out of the water.  He turned to me and said, "Brent is going to bury me and I'm going to say, He's Dead He's Dead! and you are going to raise me back up and I'm going to say, He's Alive, He's Alive.  Wow,  the more I am around this young man the more I realize he truly understands what has taken place in his life.  

Following the worship services, Thanh joined us at our home for a day of celebration.  

Thanh receiving an English bible and Brent Sorrels showing him how to use the concordance to look up key words and scriptures. 

Steve and Thanh enjoying a game of golf on the Wii after Steve showed Thanh how to play. 

After finishing their golf game Steve and I was able to spend a couple hours sharing and answering questions that Thanh had.  Was a a beautiful time as he is learning not only new words but learning all about this new life changing experience he is having.  He was inquiring about his family coming to know this Savior and was talking about praying himself and wanting his family to know what he has learned.  He was so excited to realize he could pray for his family and we would also pray that his family come to know Christ.  He was blown away to realize that this Christ would not only hear the prayers for ourselves but that we can intercede for others on their behalf.   

II Peter 3:18
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

THANH'S STORY

April 2015

Springtime was in the air.  Flowers blooming, sun shinning and new life was being manifest all around.  People were getting out of their houses for walks on the warm days and the Lord was in the process of causing great change to take place.  It started with a walking path accidentally being poured across the north side of Murphy Road Baptist.  Suddenly the city was told the land belonged to the church and the project was put on hold but not too soon, as they had already poured the path across the land right up to the street and people would soon be walking across the church property when they walked the path. 

At the same time this was taking place "Pray for Every Home," was being started by Collin County Association.  On Wednesday nights small pieces of papers would be handed out to members that attended Murphy Road and they began to pray for the people that lived in the houses surrounding the church while I was up in the sound booth feeling like I wasn't getting to be a great part of it but was praying from where I was running the projector.

Our pastor began seeing a vision and preached a sermon titled, "Beyond the Waterfalls."  I remember coming home from church so excited that day that I could barely stay in my skin.  This vision he presented to our church was right in line with Digging a Well Ministry and the whole picture began to unfold as our church began to take on a new face.  People began to walk through the doors and for several weeks I would walk past someone and they would say, "Wow, that was powerful, when I walked through the doors you could feel the presence of the Holy Spirit."  There were times I would walk past someone and they would be weeping.  When I stopped to talk with them they would say that the power of the Holy Spirit was so strong and poured over them so heavy they began to weep.  This was a continuous thing we began to see happen.  The doors of heaven began to open at the same as I was losing my job and life as we knew it began to fall apart.  In reality, it was falling into place instead of falling apart and Digging a Well Ministries began to flow in every direction possible at that time.  The blog has gone into 45 countries and we have distributed over 2000 copies of books this year and have 27,100 hits on the blog. 

What was the sermon pastor Lash preached, you ask?  "Beyond the Waterfalls," was a message he received while visiting a waterfall on vacation.  As he watched the waterfalls, he noticed how the snow fell onto the mountains, it gathered into the stream, it traveled over the falls and moved into the streams below, which would move into the rivers and flow into the ocean.  The snow that once fell from the heavens on the mountain top was now touching the borders of nations around the world.  This was the vision he saw Murphy Road Baptist having,  The theme of our church is having a big foot print in this world.

Moving to the metroplex in 2013, we pondered what church we should join.  We visited churches all around for a sixty mile radius.  One Sunday we would drive one direction and visit a church and the next Sunday we would attend Murphy Road Baptist.  The following Sunday we would drive a different direction and visit another church and the next Sunday we would drive back to Murphy Road Baptist to visit.  After about six or eight months of doing this, Steve and I finally had the discussion, "Why are we going to Murphy Road Baptist Church every other Sunday?"  Neither one of us could really put our finger on it but for some reason we both were at peace doing it.  Therefore, we decided to join and wait, watch and pray to see why God kept drawing us to this church.

Thanh was the first sign to me that God had placed us exactly where he wanted us and from that point on the Lord sent continual confirmations that he was going to Dig a Well there and as pastor Lash had preached, it would fall on that little mountain, travel down the stream, flow into the river, meet the ocean and from there touch the nations around the world.

Therefore, I feel God isn't finished with what he started.  He has only begun and Thanh's story is the first of many to come as we watch the hand of God move over that church and watch the Lord God Almighty move people in from different areas that will fill the gaps needed in order to bring this to fruition and then bring in people from around the world for us to share the love of Jesus Christ with. For you see, when they find this love that Thanh has found, they will turn around and share with others about this Jesus who gives them peace, who meets their needs and who has given them eternal life.  From there we will see a larger stream bursting forth, flowing down the mountain and touching the cities around the banks it comes in contact with, as it goes forth into the world.

As Thanh and his mother walked that new path that had been poured they read a sign in front of the church.  ESL Classes - Wednesday 6:30 PM and inquired about it. (ESL, English as a Second Language)

One Wednesday Thanh and his mother showed up for ESL Class.  I am normally in the sound booth building the presentations for our Sunday morning worship times and also corresponding with people through my "Digging a Well Ministry" online.  But that night I had walked out of the sound booth to go to the restroom and get a fresh drink of water.  Thanh and his mother had entered the building and was looking for the class for Vietnamese speaking people.  I tried to assist them but soon learned, they knew no English and I knew no Vietnamese, so me assisting them was something only to be desired.

Although, living in this day and age has some advantages that other generations have never been able to have.  Google Translate was something I used often at work when I couldn't communicate but I had never used it to translate Vietnamese but tonight was a perfect opportunity to learn. 

As Thanh and I began to communicate with each other I watched his heart fill with excitement and he began to ask all sorts of questions that I would type and hand him the phone to see the answers.  He wanted to know what I did at the church and I explained how I typed all the songs for the services onto a computer and it projected it onto the screen for everyone to see and then on Sunday's I would be playing the piano.  He became more and more interested by the moment.  Pretty soon he asked if he would be allowed to come and watch American's worship,  This was the beginning of an adventure not only for Thauh but one for our whole church.  

Sunday morning came and Thanh showed up.  I knew using my cell phone worked to translate for some things but with translating a sermon I would need my IPad so I made sure to take it with me.  I had notified our pastor and told him that Thanh would be coming, so if he had a sermon outline he could provide me it would be most helpful.

Our first worship service begins at 8:30 am and true to his word, Thanh showed up for worship.  As Pastor Lash preached I would translate a few paragraphs that he spoke and condense it into a few sentences.  Back and forth we would go throughout the whole service. When the service was over Thanh said, "I understand."  

Now it was time for the second worship service which began at 9:45 am and Thanh is sitting there waiting for more.  I explained to him that we sang the same songs and Pastor Lash preaches the same sermon and I attend a class during the 9:45 service after playing the piano.  Thanh hands me the phone back and says he would like to stay and learn.  Today I do not attend class and once again I type as fast as my mind and fingers would move, pass it over to Thanh to read while I listen to what Pastor Lash is saying so I will know what to tell him next.  Back and forth trying to capture more in depth the second service.  The service ends and Thanh says, "I like this, I understand!"

Now it is time for our third worship service which begins at 11:00 am. and Thanh is sitting there waiting for more. I once again explained to him that this sermon is the same as the first two and all the songs I will be playing on the piano and the congregation singing will all be identical.  Thanh hands me the IPad and it says, "I stay and learn."

Once again I try to take Thanh a little deeper into what Pastor Lash is preaching and as I hand him the IPad he becomes more and more interested, He starts saying out loud,  "Yes, Yes, Yes,  I understand."

The next Sunday Thanh plans to come once again to all three worship services, so I plan ahead this time. On Saturday I type every song we are going to sing into his language.  I contaced our Vietnamese ESL teacher and ask him to make sure the words are translated correctly as sometimes there is confusion in translating Christian verbiage through Google Translate.  Brent Sorrels would go through and make corrections and send the songs back to me,  I would print the songs and have them ready to give to Thanh so while I was playing the piano and the congregation was singing he would know what words were being sung and could follow along. 

Pastor Lash would supply me with an outline and I would do my best to explain to Thanh what was being said.  Getting the opportunity to do it three times every Sunday was a huge asset, as there was no way I could type that fast and then let Thanh read what was being said.  Each Sunday I would watch as Thanh was drinking up every word he read.  By this time Brent Sorrels, Thanh's ESL teacher had given him a bible in Vietnamese and on one particular Sunday as I was translating he asked me to stop because he had found something in Romans chapter 8 and 9 that seemed far more important to him than the words Pastor Lash was speaking.

Posted below is what I wrote on my Facebook page after that service.

Sadly, a few weeks later Thanh told me he wouldn't be able to come to church now.  His step father was angry and had asked him to leave his house.  Thanh had found a job in Plano and would be moving and had no way to commute back and forth to church.  

We were all saddened to see Thanh leave but felt the times he came had been packed as full of the gospel as we could possibly give to one person that had an open heart. 

Months passed and not a word from Thanh until Sept 2016 and as I was leaving the second worship service after playing the piano, Thanh followed me out of the sanctuary with a huge smile on his face. Instead of going to my class, I turned around and took off where we left off months before.  This time, Thanh let me know he would like to just listen.  He had been taking classes and comprehends English better now and wants to listen as much as possible and learn.  

Then surprisingly Thanh asked me to translate.  Pastor Lash was baptizing someone and he wanted to know why he was doing this.  Why is this person grown and being baptized instead of a baby?   Why is he putting him under the water?  What is the reasoning for this type of thing we are doing?  The questions kept coming during the entire sermon of which neither he nor I listened to.  After the sermon Thanh told me he had excepted Christ into his life and wanted to see if he should be baptized also.  Brent Sorrels our ESL teacher assisted me as we all went out to lunch the next week and Brent was able to converse back and forth in Vietnamese and make sure that Thanh understood what it meant to accept Christ and to be baptized.  He assured us that he understood and had done this months before while attending church.  Looking back at the post I had on Facebook, I wonder if it was after pushing Google Translate aside and reading Romans 8 and 9.  The chapters are packed full of just the words Thanh wanted to hear.  

As Brent talked with Thanh, I was asking the Lord to give us a confirmation of Thanh's salvation.  He had brought a friend with him and she was from San Salvador.  Thanh asked Brent if he would translate into her language the gospel of Christ and see if she understood and find out if she believed.  Brent conversed with her and found she attended a Pentecostal church and this pleased Thanh.  

This was the confirmation I was looking for.  He had accepted Christ and now he was reaching out to see if his friend knew this Christ he had received.  He had found a treasure and now longing for others to find this same treasure. 

Thanh has spoke with his mother and step father.  They don't plan to attend his baptism and his step father is not happy.  His mother doesn't believe in his new found Savior, but she supports Thanh in his new decision.  I assured Thanh, that while Brent is baptizing him Pastor Lash has asked that I be right by his side which Thanh was very happy for, as this is all new to him.   

Sunday will be a great day of celebration as the Vietnamese class will see their first student be baptized, Pray for every Home will see how God is answering the prayers of the faithful praying for that neighborhood, Pastor Lash is seeing how the snow is falling on the mountain and making it's way down into the valley and moving into the rivers and beyond, and I get to present Thanh with an English Bible from Digging a Well Ministries.  This is a beautiful picture of how God takes a brush and uses the strokes of all the colors each of us present with our lives and has painted a masterpiece for the world to see.    

Thanh shared with me that he feels the Lord has blessed him abundantly since coming to America.  He has a great job and purchased a new car, has a place to live, and now he has a new family.  A big big family.  

Now we Wait, Watch and Pray to see how the Lord uses Thanh to reach others with the gospel of Jesus Christ as they see this great masterpiece of art displayed with the glory of Jesus Christ written all over every stroke on the canvas.  

BEHOLD MY GOD!

I know this blog is long but I can't leave without posting the words Thanh read that caused him to push away from the sermon and become engulfed with the Word of God.

Romans 8

1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

2  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

3  For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

4  That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

5  For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

6  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

7  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

8  So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

10  And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

11  But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

12  Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

13  For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

14  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

15  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

16  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

17  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

18  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

19  For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

20  For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,

21  Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

22  For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

23  And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

24  For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

25  But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

26   Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

27  And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

30  Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

31  What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

32  He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

33  Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.

34  Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

35  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

36  As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 9

1  I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,

2  That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.

3  For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:

4  Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;

5  Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

6  Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:

7  Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.

8  That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

9  For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son.

10  And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;

11  (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)

12  It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.

13  As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.

15  For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

16  So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

17  For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.

18  Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.

19  Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?

20  Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?

21  Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?

22  What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:

23  And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,

24  Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

25  As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.

26  And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.

27  Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:

28  For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.

29  And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.

30  What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.

31  But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.

32  Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;

33  As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

HE PLACED THE SAND FOR A BOUND FOR THE SEA

Photo provided by Teresa Bruce Gross

Hear now this, O foolish people, and without 

understanding; which have eyes, and see not; 

which have ears, and hear not:  Fear ye not 

me? saith the LORD: will ye not tremble at 

my presence, which have placed the sand for 

the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, 

that it cannot pass it: and though the waves 

thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; 

though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?

 But this people hath a revolting and a 

rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone.

Neither say they in their heart, Let us now 

fear the LORD our God, that giveth rain, 

both the former and the latter, in his season: 

he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks 

of the harvest.  Your iniquities have turned 

away these things, and your sins have 

withholden good things from you.

For among my people are found wicked 

men: they lay wait, as he that setteth 

snares; they set a trap, they catch men.  As 

a cage is full of birds, so are their houses 

full of deceit: therefore they are become 

great, and waxen rich.  They are waxen fat, 

they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the 

wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of 

the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right 

of the needy do they not judge.  Shall I 

not visit for these things? saith the LORD: 

shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation 

as this?  A wonderful and horrible thing 

is committed in the land;  The prophets 

prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by 

their means; and my people love to have 

it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?

Jeremiah 5:21-31

THY THRONE O GOD IS FOREVER AND FOREVER

Photo provided by Bud Guffey

God, who at sundry times and in divers manners 

spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, 

whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by 

whom also he made the worlds;  Who being the 

brightness of his glory, and the express image 

of his person, and upholding all things by the 

word of his power, when he had by himself 

purged our sins, sat down on the right hand 

of the Majesty on high;  Being made so 

much better than the angels, as he hath 

by inheritance obtained a more excellent 

name than they.  For unto which of the 

angels said he at any time, Thou art my 

Son, this day have I begotten thee? 

And again, I will be to him a Father, 

and he shall be to me a Son?  And 

again, when he bringeth in the 

firstbegotten into the world, he 

saith, And let all the angels of 

God worship him.  And of the 

angels he saith, Who maketh 

his angels spirits, and his 

ministers a flame of fire. But 

unto the Son he saith, Thy throne,

O God, is for ever and ever: a 

sceptre of righteousness is the 

sceptre of thy kingdom.  Thou 

hast loved righteousness, and 

hated iniquity; therefore God, 

even thy God, hath anointed thee 

with the oil of gladness above thy 

fellows.  And, Thou, Lord, in the 

beginning hast laid the foundation of 

the earth; and the heavens are the 

works of thine hands:  They shall perish; 

but thou remainest; and they all shall 

wax old as doth a garment;  And as a 

vesture shalt thou fold them up, 

and they shall be changed: but thou
art the same, and thy years shall not fail.

But to which of the angels said he at any 

time, Sit on my right hand, until I make 

thine enemies thy footstool?  Are they not 

all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister 

for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

Romans 1

THE FATHERS SEEKETH SUCH TO WORSHIP HIM

Photo provided by Teresa Bruce Gross'

The woman saith unto him, Sir, 

I perceive that thou art a prophet.

Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; 

and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place 

where men ought to worship  Jesus saith unto 

her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, 

when ye shall neither in this mountain, 

nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.

Ye worship ye know not what: we 

know what we worship: for salvation is 

of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, 

when the true worshippers shall worship the 

Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father 

seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: 

and they that worship him must worship him 

in spirit and in truth.  The woman saith unto 

him, I know that Messias cometh, which is 

called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us 

all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak 

unto thee am he.

John 4:21-26

TO KNOW THE LOVE OF GOD

Photo provided by Teresa Bruce Gross

Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, 

is this grace given, that I should preach among 

the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

And to make all men see what is the fellowship 

of the mystery, which from the beginning of the 

world hath been hid in God, who created all 

things by Jesus Christ:  To the intent that now 

unto the principalities and powers in heavenly 

places might be known by the church the 

manifold wisdom of God,  According to the 

eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ 

Jesus our Lord:  In whom we have boldness 

and access with confidence by the faith of him.

Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at 

my tribulations for you, which is your glory.

For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father 

of our Lord Jesus Christ,  Of whom the whole 

family in heaven and earth is named,  That he 

would grant you, according to the riches of his 

glory, to be strengthened with might by his 

Spirit in the inner man;  That Christ may dwell in 

your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and 

grounded in love,  May be able to comprehend 

with all saints what is the breadth, and length, 

and depth, and height; And to know the love of 

Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye 

might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding
abundantly above all that we ask or think, 

according to the power that worketh in us,

Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus 

throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

Ephesians 3:8-21

GREAT GRACE WAS UPON THEM

Photo provided by Janet Sledge

And when they had prayed, the place was shaken 

where they were assembled together; and they 

were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they 

spake the word of God with boldness.  And 

the multitude of them that believed were 

of one heart and of one soul: neither said 

any of them that ought of the things 

which he possessed was his own; but 

they had all things common.  And 

with great power gave the apostles 

witness of the resurrection of the 

Lord Jesus: and great grace was 

upon them all.

Acts 4:31-37

THY FAITHFULNESS REACHES THE CLOUDS

Photo provided by Pennie Beth

The transgression of the wicked saith within my 

heart, that there is no fear of God before his 

eyes.  For he flattereth himself in his own 

eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful.

The words of his mouth are iniquity and 

deceit: he hath left off to be wise, and to 

do good.  He deviseth mischief upon his bed; 

he setteth himself in a way that is not good; 

he abhorreth not evil.  Thy mercy, O LORD, 

is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness 

reacheth unto the clouds.Thy righteousness is 

like the great mountains; thy judgments are a

 great deep: O LORD, thou preservest man and 

beast.  How excellent is thy lovingkindness, 

O God! therefore the children of men put 

their trust under the shadow of thy wings.

They shall be abundantly satisfied with the 

fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make 

them drink of the river of thy pleasures.

For with thee is the fountain of life: 

in thy light shall we see light.  O 

continue thy lovingkindness unto them 

that know thee; and thy righteousness to the 

upright in heart.  Let not the foot of pride come 

against me, and let not the hand of the 

wicked remove me.  There are the workers of iniquity 

fallen: they are cast down, and shall not be able to rise.

Psalm 36