Tuesday, November 25th, 2008
One of the pastors came to visit me today and greeted me with these words. “I hope you brought plenty of gospel with you.” I in turn hope there is plenty waiting for me when I return to the US in December.
Today I got outrun by an African wearing sandal, broke a window at the Bible Institute and was reprimanded by Pastor Edwyn. Productive day! We were playing soccer in the driveway between the missionary house and the Bible Institute when I kicked the ball a little too high and a little too wrong and smashed it through a window at the Bible Institute. Dumb American that I am wherever did I learn to play soccer in the first place. Of course if I had a bat and a ball I probably would have taken out a couple more windows. We kept playing anyway until Pastor Edwyn pointed out that it was getting dark and maybe we should stop before we took out another window and tomorrow we should go play in the field instead of near the institute windows. Hmmm soccer field soccer ball, now why didn’t I think of that?
As far as the running goes, I figured the Nigerians would line up to the laugh at the white man trying to run. This reminds me that I should probably be a little nicer to my sister and not laugh at her for how slow she runs. Sorry Mandy. In any case about ¾ into the run here comes a Nigerian in sandals and jogs alongside me without breaking a sweat. At least I have good competition. I am very anxious to get out and visit more of the people and churches but all the pastors keep telling me to wait, we will decide when to visit the churches on Friday at the General Pastor Seminar. Which means this week I will spend going over records, auditing finances, preparing budgets etc, and next week will be filled with church visits and preaching.
Here is a bit of a sermon that I have used a few times here in Nigeria as well as in India:
NKJ Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
(usually when preaching we are in a room that has four cement walls, maybe a few lights, a fan, and some chairs or benches)
What does it mean that God has given us every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places? Some people think that it means that God has given us every blessing and they are waiting for us there in heaven. But that doesn’t do us much good now does it? And besides this is certainly not what Paul means. Imagine instead if I told you I was going to give you every gift that I could find to give you in this room. Okay most of you could have a chair, someone would get a ceiling fan, and here is a nice sturdy wooden stand for one person. That is about it, not very exciting is it? Okay now let’s pretend I said I will give you every gift I can find for you in all of America. Okay now we are talking. Now every one of you is rich beyond your wildest dream, there isn’t anything left on earth you could possibly want. Now you are excited right? But what does Paul say, not this room, not America, but heaven. Here is God searching throughout all heaven trying to find anything that He can possibly give to you and then pouring this abundance of blessings down upon you right now. That is what Paul means by everything in the heavenly places, not that you have to wait for heaven to receive them but that this is where they come from. Every possible thing of any value that the Lord can find in all the mansions, and rooms, and palaces of heaven He has showered upon you.
Now consider what that means? That means whatever fight, whatever difficulty, whatever danger, whatever sorrow, whatever trouble, whatever task lies before you, every time you are tempted to think I cannot do this, or I want to do this but I don’t have what I need, Paul reminds us yes we can. Because what does he say, every heavenly gift is ours, every tool we might need, every weapon, there they are, they are yours because God has already given them to you . . .
May the bounty of heaven be the Joy of your heart and the praise of the King the offering of your soul,
– Matthew Ude