Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumpesctly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the times, because the days are evil. Where fore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
Ephesians 5: 14-17
This set of scriptures is a prayer that I have for myself and all of my fellow ministers of the gospel. I do not want to sleep through what the Lord is doing or through what the Lord would want have me to do. There are a lot of things that we can allow to desensitize us from the urgings of the Spirit. Stress, anxiety, emotion, confusion, and plain old sin to name just a few. These next few scriptures give us some very valuable pointers on how to combat being slumbering Christians.
Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks alway for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
Ephesians 5: 19-21
If we look around, there are many things for which to give thanks to the Lord. I don't want to miss those opportunites to offer graditude the Lord and to press into the future things of God. I would like to share just a fewof wonderful things that Lord has done here in Brasilia. Within the last month, four children have given their hearts to the Lord Jesus Christ. What a thing to rejoice over! Another little young lady who comes from a devout Muslim family rededicated her heart to the Lord, and is trying to find the strength to stand firm in her belief that Jesus is the Son of God and died for her sins. In addition, I had the opportunity to take all 21 of my students out to Siao, a home for abandoned and orphaned boys. We purchased and planted fruit trees to help feed the future orphans. It was an incredible privalege for all of us to serve the planting of the Lord, His children. The most recent spectacular event of the Lord came in the form of a new building for our school. We have long been in need of more space, and the Lord has truly provided that with a facility that is three times the size of our current school.
I hope you will rejoice with me in these victories for the kingdom. I'm praying theat the Lord will continue to open my eyes, to help me be alert, awake, vigilant, redeeeming the time, and to walk circumspectly so that I might serve Him better with my life because the days are indeed evil.
