| Prayer Partners: Thank you for your steadfast support! It Takes Guts to Serve the Lord: Recently while preparing messages, it became apparent that the Lord was trying to reveal something to me. Sunday after Sunday, He kept leading to call the congregation to “expose the truth.” I did not know what I was asking them to reveal. But I reluctantly followed the Lord’s orders. Click here for Sermon Video – “The Transfiguration” => https://youtu.be/X2ckQvtvAfk?si=CwTuMTOZcgOokh2T “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” 2 Timothy 4:2 “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.” Ephesians 5:11 People began to open up. The Lord revealed offenses against Him, against our church and against me, dating back several years. For example, a woman in the village burned a Bible we had given her grandson. Satan has used this same home as a channel for accusations against Castaway Baptist, such as, “Christians are crazy.” In Cambodian culture, to say that someone is crazy is a brutal accusation. It made people reluctant to come to church. When Rebekah left two years ago, she told the neighborhood and nearby church that I abused her (not true) in order to divert attention from her own sin, adultery. Note below that adultery is a biblical justification for divorce: “But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.” Matthew 5:32 The village has now been corrected. Praise the Lord. God’s Word identifies our accuser as Satan (Rev 12:10), the father of lies (John 8:44). He shoots the messenger in order to discredit / disprove the message. Since high school, I have been reluctant to confront accusers. I would rather crawl under something and hope that “God will work it out.” But all of that has changed in recent years. The Lord has made clear that He will not continue to enable my cowardice (Heb 10:38). He has taught me to stand up for myself and for Him like a man. This week, the Lord led to several houses and a church. We confronted our accusers, fought lies with truth. We all grew through it. The Lord led to stand and fight like a man for the cause of Christ. PRAISE THE LORD! “The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.” Proverbs 28:1 Some have sought to provoke benevolent giving through a variety of schemes. For example, a church member suddenly becomes disinterested in attending… until someone gives them a sack of rice. Later, another scheme… “But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out.” Numbers 32:23 Satan’s goal in this case is to derail the Lord’s leadership and church resources toward pleasing people. The Lord has led to let them go, rather than play their game. We now have a points system that rewards those willing to faithfully serve and stand for the Lord. It encourages obedience to God and discourages manipulation. “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25 Bunrong: Few are willing to work hard like Bunrong. Usually the same Scripture that I will expound upon in by preaching at 10:00, I give him to teach the children’s simple version at 8:30 for the youth. He checks understanding by asking questions or playing a game. He also leads worship. I meet with him during the week to disciple and prepare him for success. Bunrong has shown tremendous spiritual growth. Praise the Lord!   “The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them.” Proverbs 11:3 The Lord Sent Them Out 2-by-2: After Bible study and cleaning the church on Saturday morning, typically our youth go into the village to share the gospel.   “… I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Matthew 16:18 Evangelism: How Do We Do It? Our approach is simple. Typically we approach a house and small talk. Then we proceed with the simple gospel message, being sure to make clear the requirement for repentance and coming judgment for the unbeliever: ‘God created all things. The first man and first woman sinned against Him. All have sinned. Jesus came to die on the cross, paid the penalty for the sins of the world 100% in full with His blood, and rose again. We must repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ in order to receive everlasting life in heaven. He will return to judge; we must be ready.‘ In addition to the gospel message, within a Cambodian context, most important to clarify is that “do good & get good” (karma) cannot save a person (from everlasting hell). A human being does not have power to cleanse his own sin / save himself through good works. If they ask questions, we answer them. If the Lord leads to do so, we pray with them. “… I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Matthew 16:18 Growth through Persecution: This season, we have seen tremendous fruit (ex. boldness to stand for Christ) through persecution. Praise the Lord! “If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.” 1 Peter 4:14 Life Is (Should Be) Evangelism: Anyone can stand for Christ in a church building surrounded by fellow believers. But few are willing to stand alone for Christ in the market, at the restaurant and auto mechanic. My Dad taught me to be willing to do the latter. He prays for opportunities to share the gospel daily and follows the Lord into them. It is not uncommon to find my Dad standing in an aisle at Walmart contending for the faith… defeating Satan’s lies with Bible truth. Even in the midst of tremendous trials and persecution, the Lord provides fulfillment and abundant blessing. THE JOY OF THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH!   “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” 2 Timothy 3:12 Christmas Prep: Speaking of Dad (and Mom and Aunt Bob), the family will be here on the ground in Cambodia in mid-December, Lord willing. I am looking forward to sharing the gospel in Cambodia with my Dad. Youth set up the Christmas tree, and we have already begun singing Christmas hymns.  Any of us could die at any moment. Click Here to find out how you can know enduring peace, God’s purpose for your life and be sure you will go to heaven when your brief time on earth is up. Ways to Partner: 1. Pray for: – Conviction, eyes to see and ears to hear for the LGBTQ. – That seeds would bear fruit, that the Lord would raise up Cambodian evangelists. – Revival for the U.S. church – that we would stand for difficult truth in these days no matter what the cost. – Financial support to keep me in the field doing what I am called to do. 2. Click to Donate via PayPal (tax deductible)! 3. PayPal charges a small processing fee. If you would like to avoid the fee, please send a check to: Castaway Ministries 99 Indian Mill Lane Clearfield, PA 16830 Praise the Lord Jesus Christ! And Thank You for your support! |
Tag Archives: the mission of the church
October Ministry Highlights
| Due to the sensitive nature of this ministry, some details, photos and videos have been removed from the below update that was sent to our prayer partners. Prayer Partners: Thank you for your steadfast support! Guest Pastor Yarin: Yarin (last ref, May 2022) is a Cambodian pastor who has been my greatest resource for ongoing language and ministry-relevant cultural insights. #1 challenge for most Christian youth is parents forcing them to return to the pagoda to worship Satan (e.g. worship evil spirits in an effort to obtain luck or avoid curses). Yarin’s preaching culminated in a high-impact testimony. At 17, his mother forced him to choose between her and the Lord. Yarin put Christ first and walked out. PRAISE THE LORD! “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” Matthew 10:37    He Sent Them Out 2-by-2: Yarin and I took the gospel of repentance and coming judgment outside the safe walls of the church building into the village and to transgender prostitutes.   Like me, Yarin often evangelizes alone. The Lord requires every believer to share the gospel (Mark 16:15-16). So why is it so difficult to find someone willing to join? “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 10:32-33 Several years ago, having endured much criticism about witnessing alone, I asked a deacon to join me. He said that was someone else’s responsibility. Similarly, many pastors and professing believers criticize Yarin’s approach, etc. He replies, ‘Did you share the gospel with anyone this week?’ They typically reply, ‘No.’ To which he replies, ‘When you are actively sharing the gospel, I will listen to your advice. Until then, don’t talk to me.’ Believers know they should be witnessing, but few do. Rather than step up and start witnessing, they try to tear down those whose obedience shames them. Power and income at stake, many are terrified to stand for Christ in their communities and workplaces, afraid to offend people. Their personal agenda conflicts with the Great Commission. “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Matthew 6:24 How Does All of This Tie into What Is Going on at Castaway Baptist? Willingness is key. The Lord has led through recent preaching from Exodus to push the church to step up to serve. Preparation is key. Last month, our oldest youth shared testimony in front of the church. This month, three shared the gospel message in front of the church. Over the past several months, I have trained our two oldest how to prepare a sermonette. Starting several years ago, we “dry run” how we should share the gospel in the village. Youth are challenged to share the gospel message from start to finish. Sometimes we arrive at a house to find folks drinking beer and smoking cigarettes, scoffing and mocking. So we role play that scenario. Rearing back in my chair, I pretend to smoke a cigarette and play that character: 1) ‘Haha! Does Jesus have money? I need some money!’ What would you say to that, guys? (Answer: Matt 6:33) 2) ‘Every religion is the same – do good and get good!’ This is the most common response to the gospel here. How does the Bible answer that one, guys? (Answer: Eph 2:8-9) 3) ‘Where is Jesus from?’ People ask this one sometimes to try to bring Christ down to the same level as Buddha – just a regular man, just a teacher. Answer: ‘Jesus was born in Israel. But He came from heaven. Jesus is the one true God. Jesus is Lord. He has no beginning and no end.’ (John 3:16, 16:28; 10:30; Rev 1:7-8) Praise the Lord Jesus Christ, King of kings and Lord of lords, He who was and is and is to come, God Almighty! “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:7-8 Put Action Behind Your Faith! 13 years ago, the Lord called and pushed me, ‘Do what others are not willing to do! Share the gospel!’ And He promised reward. Now the Lord is pushing me to push the youth that He has entrusted to me – ‘Do what others are not willing to do! Share the gospel!’ And the Lord promises reward. Photo Below: Sharing the gospel with unbeliever who struggles with alcohol addiction (see his believing wife crying to the right):  Photo Below: Sharing gospel with transgender, holding nephew:  Photo Below: Reward. Praise the Lord!  “And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.” 1 Samuel 15:22 Testimony Exchange with a Serial Killer: The Christian testimony of notorious serial killer David Berkowitz, aka “Son of Sam,” endures much criticism. I can relate to that. The Lord led me to write him. Excerpt below:  Excerpt from David Berkowitz’s reply:  God’s Word makes clear that those who practice homosexuality, murder and many other sins that YOU have committed will not inherit the kingdom of God (Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:3-5; 1 Cor 6:9-10). From the testimonies of Moses, David, Paul and others, God’s Word makes clear that THESE ARE NOT UNFORGIVABLE SINS: “And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” 1 Corinthians 6:11 If people were saved by being a good person, NOT ONE PERSON would make it to heaven: “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one” Romans 3:10 Praise the Lord for salvation by grace alone through faith alone in the Lord Jesus Christ! “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith” Philippians 3:9 Any of us could die at any moment. Click Here to find out how you can know enduring peace, God’s purpose for your life and be sure you will go to heaven when your brief time on earth is up. Ways to Partner: 1. Pray for: – Conviction, eyes to see and ears to hear for the LGBTQ. – That seeds would bear fruit, that the Lord would raise up Cambodian evangelists. – Revival for the U.S. church – that we would stand for difficult truth in these days no matter what the cost. – Financial support to keep me in the field doing what I am called to do. 2. Click to Donate via PayPal (tax deductible)! PRAISE THE LORD JESUS CHRIST! |
September Ministry Highlights
| Due to the sensitive nature of this ministry, some details, photos and videos have been removed from the below update that was sent to our prayer partners. Prayer Partners: Thank you for your steadfast support! Spiritual Combat Training: Satan has deceived the whole world (1 John 5:19). He has blinded the minds of unbelievers (2 Cor 4:4). Humanity has traded truth for lies and worships created beings rather than the Creator (Rom 1:20-32). The Lord has led to, ‘Teach these kids how to fight Satan’s deception.’ Christ is our best example. After a message on how the Lord defeated Satan with His Word (Luke 4), youth were tested… “sword drill” style. Example Question: Satan (through someone) says, ‘Jesus was just a regular person, maybe a good teacher, but not God.’ Which Scripture is most effective in combatting that lie? A) 2 Corinthians 5:17 B) Philippians 2:10-11 * Competition among youth drives progress. They did really well. Praise the Lord! IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS BELOW RE: “YOUTH TESTIMONY VIDEOS”: The focus of this month’s update is youth testimony videos, which are on Youtube. In Youtube, after clicking on the first testimony video below, PLEASE BE SURE TO CLICK “CC” to turn on English subtitles:  Youth Testimony Share @ Castaway Baptist: Testimony is another effective weapon against demonic deception (Rev 12:9-11). Another adult brother and I led by example, sharing our testimonies. Then, each of our four oldest youth were asked to share their testimonies the following Sunday. The four young men in the videos below have been with us from the 2019 start of the neighborhood youth ministry. Click each video below for their testimonies: Pheaktra’s Testimony Bunrong’s Testimony Piseth’s Testimony Jib’s Testimony PRAISE THE LORD! “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” Revelation 12:11 Twins’ Birthday Party: Twins Karona and Rachana (younger sisters of Piseth in the above video) recently turned 11. They have been worshipping the Lord with us since they were about 7 years old. Praise the Lord for their lives!  “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Jeremiah 29:11 Blessings for Faithful Service: Faithful servants of the Lord (youth who attend, step up to lead, clean the church, memorize Scripture and share the gospel) were recently rewarded with a buffet dinner. Praise the Lord!  “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.” Psalm 37:25 Faithful in Evangelism: Sometimes with teenagers, it takes some prodding to get them moving. But from the restaurant to the neighborhood, our youth have been faithful in evangelism. I believe that evangelism is the primary reason the Lord leaves the born-again believer on earth (Acts 1:8). Above all, we must be faithful witnesses. This is why we are here. PRAISE THE LORD JESUS CHRIST!   “And he said unto them, ‘Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.'” Mark 16:15 Online Ministry: “D” (a believer in Spain) reached out again this month for encouragement and prayer. The Lord provided an opportunity to pray with a transgender who reached out from Thailand. Praise the Lord! “But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.” 2 Timothy 4:5 Any of us could die at any moment. Click Here to find out how you can know enduring peace, God’s purpose for your life and be sure you will go to heaven when your brief time on earth is up. Ways to Partner: 1. Pray for: – Conviction, eyes to see and ears to hear for the LGBTQ. – That seeds would bear fruit, that the Lord would raise up Cambodian evangelists. – Revival for the U.S. church – that we would stand for difficult truth in these days no matter what the cost. – Financial support to keep me in the field doing what I am called to do. 2. Click to Donate via PayPal (tax deductible)! PRAISE THE LORD JESUS CHRIST! |
August Ministry Highlights
| Due to the sensitive nature of this ministry, some details, photos and videos have been removed from the below update that was sent to our prayer partners. Prayer Partners: Thank you for your steadfast support! By the Lord’s grace, I have led many in prayer to repent and commit to follow the Lord Jesus Christ by faith. However, I stop short of reporting tallies, as I am not able to see the heart of man. A Cambodian pastor once shared with me: ‘Franklin Graham came to Cambodia and filled a stadium. They reported hundreds came forward to make a decision for Christ (article here). Because of reports like that, people donate a lot of money. It sounds amazing! But where are those hundreds of people now? I’ll tell you where most of them are. They are back at the temple bowing down to idols.’ If I preached the gospel message (without warnings specific to Buddhism – ex. against idolatry) and asked people if they are willing to “repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,” I guarantee large numbers would be willing to pray with me and be baptized. Deep down, however, as a missionary on the ground here, I would know that they had no intention of worshipping ONLY the Lord Jesus Christ. The “best of the best” missionaries report tallies to keep money flowing in. I REFUSE TO DO IT. This is essential to understanding my ministry. First Baptism @ Castaway Baptist, 8/20/2023: Baptism does not have the power to save. The repentant born-again believer has been saved by grace alone through faith alone in the Lord Jesus Christ alone (Eph 2:8-9). AFTER having given his life to Christ, the born-again believer follows the Lord in full immersion water baptism as a re-enactment / demonstration that he has died to self and been raised to new life in Christ. The Lord led to preach on His baptism (Matt 3:13-17) and apply it to us today. IMPORTANT: The Lord led to warn folks not to step forward for baptism if they had any intention to return to worshipping Satan by way of idol, angel or ancestor worship (Ex 20:3-6; Deut 13:1-3; Col 2:18; 1 Tim 2:5). In a Buddhist nation that shuns the non-conformist, baptism is a particularly bold public statement. Praise the Lord for the brave 6 who publicly confessed Christ as their Lord and Savior! 2 more are on deck for next time.  2 of the 6 who were baptized 8/20/2023 gave their lives to Christ in 2019/2020. Like the Israelites in the Old Testament, returning to idolatry is more common than not here. The Lord led to wait for a variety of reasons, and I can see the value in that wait now. Several of these guys are bearing much fruit. Lord willing, I will be sharing more of that with you over the coming months. Click this link to watch the baptism 8/20/2023 video (English subtitles) => https://youtu.be/aqT0nrYURWg “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” Romans 6:3-4 Door-to-Door Neighborhood Evangelism: Our youth have been faithful in inviting people to church and evangelizing. Praise the Lord!   “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Galatians 6:9 My Motorbike Mechanic Friend: After “D” (unbeliever) and his wife (believer) came to Castaway Baptist, he and I hiked up to ancient temple ruins on top of a mountain. He pointed out on idol carved into stone, so the Lord led to use it as an object lesson. I asked, ‘If I worship this idol, can it help me? No! It can’t see or hear. It’s a rock. Satan has deceived the whole world…’ We walked through Scripture on my phone’s Bible app (ex. Rev 12:9; Isa 42:8). ‘The Bible says that when people die, their spirits either go to heaven or hell immediately (2 Cor 5:8; Heb 9:27). They do not roam the earth (as Buddhism teaches). Satan deceives people into worshipping him. He steals worship from the Lord Jesus…’ “D” simply said, ‘I understand.’ Because he agreed? Probably not. Because I am older than he is, it would be rude to rebut. True believers plant seeds and contend for the faith (Jude 3). We partner with the Holy Spirit in evangelism. Praise the Lord! Speak convicting truth that the Lord can use!  “Faithful are the wounds of a friend…” Proverbs 27:6 “…a word spoken in due season, how good is it!” Proverbs 15:23 Motorbike Evangelism: The Lord inspired an evangelistic mission into the countryside, beginning with the need to pay a visit to the monk who refers to himself as “Teacher Long Hair” (last ref, Feb). In total, the trip was roughly 390 miles.  Teacher Long Hair: On the long climb up the mountain to the monastery, I met him on his way down. I shared the gospel with him again. He read through Scripture. I asked if he had any questions and prayed with him. We must be faithful in seed planting.  LGBTQ+ Evangelism: From there, the Lord led to touch base with LGBTQ+ contacts. For example, “O” and I read Scripture and prayed together. As the Lord led through His Word, I shared that genuine faith results in a changed life (2 Cor 5:17; Jam 2:26).  More Evangelism: The Lord led to many others along the way – for example, several policemen, a fellow believer and a Seventh Day Adventist family. Doing my best in Christ to work it tactfully into the conversation, I told him that the Bible is God’s Word, and there is no other “book” or “prophet” (referencing false prophetess Ellen White and her writings). The patriarch of the family took it in stride. I shared the gospel and prayed with them. Praise the Lord.  “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:8 Any of us could die at any moment. Click Here to find out how you can know enduring peace, God’s purpose for your life and be sure you will go to heaven when your brief time on earth is up. Ways to Partner: 1. Pray for: – Conviction, eyes to see and ears to hear for the LGBTQ. – That seeds would bear fruit, that the Lord would raise up Cambodian evangelists. – Revival for the U.S. church – that we would stand for difficult truth in these days no matter what the cost. – Financial support to keep me in the field doing what I am called to do. 2. Click to Donate via PayPal (tax deductible)! PRAISE THE LORD JESUS CHRIST! |
July Ministry Highlights
| Due to the sensitive nature of this ministry, some details, photos and videos have been removed from the below update that was sent to our prayer partners. Prayer Partners: Thank you for your steadfast support! Castaway Ministries’ mission statement is: “To share the gospel of Jesus Christ by word and deed in the U.S. and abroad.” In short, Evangelism & Discipleship: Win souls to Christ (Only Jesus saves; 1 Cor 3:6-7) by sharing the gospel message with the full counsel. Then, train up converts in the Bible. The aforementioned “deed” refers to good works done FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF winning souls to Christ. We are not a “make the world a better place” ministry. The Lord Jesus Christ did not commission believers to ‘go into all the world and be a good person.’ He commanded us to… “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” Mark 16:15-16 Castaway Church – Tithing: Tithing is not an easy spiritual habit to form for many Cambodians coming out of Buddhism. Pastor of the church where I served in 2016, nearing retirement, spoke of tithing as if it is the mountain he continues to coax his congregation to climb. The Lord led me to tackle it in a sermon this month. The Lord of all Creation certainly does not need our money (Ps 50:10-12). Tithing is a test of faith, to trust the Lord with a portion of that which He has entrusted to us (Jam 1:17). Beyond what we can see, touch and feel, we trust the Lord to provide. He blesses obedience (Matt 6:33; Mal 3:8-10). Mature believers put action behind their faith, ‘put their money where their testimony is.’ Young believers were encouraged to put even a 2-cent equivalent into the offering, to begin the spiritual discipline of tithing, to jump from trusting the world into the arms of Almighty God. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33 Missionary from Alaska Visits: An American missionary who serves in Christian education in Alaska visited the church. Here in Cambodia for the summer break, he is refreshing before heading back. Click here to watch a video of him teaching the kids a song in English => https://youtu.be/pHtH0yETfsg “Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11 Cambodia’s Equivalent of Amazing Grace: This video (https://youtu.be/D7Yu4hQoVZA) is a men’s trio at Castaway Baptist singing Cambodia’s version of Amazing Grace. By that, I mean that virtually every Cambodian, believer and unbeliever, knows it. K’deye Sneye roughly translates to “Love in Action.” It sings the gospel message. Praise the Lord! “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 Breaking Fear of Asking Questions: Cambodian culture teaches to respect elders, which is great. Taking that a step further, Cambodians are also taught to obey without asking questions. Through Bible studies and a sermon on “Doubting Thomas,” the goal is to break that fear so that we can answer doubts with God’s Word and move forward with strong faith.   “Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.” Proverbs 30:5 With coaching, older teach younger…  “Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.” Psalm 86:11 Helping Illiterate Youth Memorize Scripture: Every Sunday, there is a memory verse. Below, Bunsin speaks the verse to illiterate youth. They repeated back and forth until able to memorize and recite the verse.  “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” Psalm 119:11 Bible Art on Display: These kids love to color. Typically we wrap-up Sunday School with a double-sided worksheet. For example, on the front, is a coloring sheet that illustrates the lesson and on the back, an activity.  Below is the back wall of the church displaying their artwork…  “Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work, of the engraver, and of the cunning workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of them that do any work, and of those that devise cunning work.” Exodus 35:35 Out in the Field – Those Struggling with Substance Abuse: Around my spiritual birthday, the Lord often brings about ministry that reminds me where I came from by His grace. Husband/father of the home has been torn apart by his binge drinking. His believing wife confided privately that she has been strongly considering leaving him. I encouraged her to stay. When we first met in 2018, he did not take the call to repentance and faith / new life in Christ seriously. Many in the throes of addiction are not willing to surrender to the Lord until faced with dire consequences. Recently he has come down with gout and has been struggling financially. So this time, he took me seriously and read Scripture. First steps in new life for those climbing out of addiction are challenging, but with the indwelling Spirit of God, the born-again believer can make it. I painted a picture for him of what lay ahead on the narrow, difficult path – for example, that separation from past-life friends is required. Although he was not yet ready to surrender his life to Christ, we all prayed together. Please pray the Lord breaks R’s fear of trading the familiar comfort of alcohol for everlasting life, joy and peace in Christ. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23 Out in the Field – Those Struggling with Substance Abuse: “V” is a prodigal from a Christian home. I have known him for about four months. He and his wife were standing at an altar to false gods as he told me all religions are basically the same, that all roads lead to heaven. I corrected him, ‘The Lord Jesus Christ is the one true God who created the heavens and the earth, the one true God who loves you, who died for you, the only path to everlasting life in heaven. He will return to judge. All other gods, all other paths lead to everlasting hell.’ After directing them to Scripture and praying with them, he began repeating what I said as though he was aligned. Please pray that the Lord resurrects “V” to new life. “Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;” Exodus 20:3-5 Out in the Field: Evangelizing the LGBTQ…   “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.” 2 Corinthians 5:20 Online Ministry – “S” from Serbia: Castaway’s online ministry continues to charge ahead by the Lord’s grace. There are many men around the world struggling with homosexual desires who are afraid to talk about it in their local churches. “S” from Serbia (the former Yugoslavia) reached out this month for encouragement and prayer. Praise the Lord! “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23 Ex-Gay Testimony, 2023: Please share this testimony with those who feel hopeless, that they have gone too far to be forgiven => https://youtu.be/-6IXPUuPmH8 Praise the Lord! “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” Revelation 12:11 Any of us could die at any moment. Click Here to find out how you can know enduring peace, God’s purpose for your life and be sure you will go to heaven when your brief time on earth is up. Ways to Partner: 1. Pray for: – Conviction, eyes to see and ears to hear for the LGBTQ. – That seeds would bear fruit, that the Lord would raise up Cambodian evangelists. – Revival for the U.S. church – that we would stand for difficult truth in these days no matter what the cost. – Financial support to keep me in the field doing what I am called to do. 2. Click to Donate via PayPal (tax deductible)! PRAISE THE LORD JESUS CHRIST! |
Castaway Ministries 