I have been frustrated lately. Being a lecturer at a bible college, Laidlaw, and having a wife who is a pastor, can become a little inward looking (to say the least). I love my life but I am usually researching or talking with Christians. Not that I have a problem with Christians! They are my family! Trouble is, I love talking to unbelievers and have been really frustrated lately and have been praying about this issue – asking God to lead me to more opportunities.
Anywho, I went shopping today and met up with Amy again. Amy works in the local Foodtown, a lovely Chinese woman. I spoke to her on the day of the Sept Christchurch earthquake when I was shopping and talked about how Esther, our youngest, was in Kaiapoi at the time, right on the epicentre, in a rickety old scout cabin. I told her how thankful I was. She told me of a woman she knew down there. Just a non-descript but real human encounter on a day NZers were kind of at a loss. Anyhow, today I bumped into her again. I often do, and she will ask about Esther, and I will point her out, as she works next door. Enough on that. Well today, I saw her, and we chatted. I asked her whether she believed in God. She said she and her husband want to, but they have seen no evidence. We got talking and I suggested she pray that God reveals himself to her. I told her how I did that years ago and over about 6 months came to that place. I plan to take her a mandarin translation of a little piece of work I am working on which explains the Christian message. She also told me that her brother has liver cancer and I said I would pray for him, but that were no guarantees. We talked about the Chinese underground church and more. Anywhy, please pray! Pray for Amy that she will receive a revelation of God. Pray that God does a miracle for her brother. She is so open. Please join me.
Then I went through the checkout and hooked up with Mindy. She is a loud American, lovely as pie. We got talking about things and I asked her if she was a religious person. She said she was, 'us Americans are God-fearing people,' she said. She then told me that she was brought up a Jew and believed in God and prayed. I told her that I followed a Jew, and that we are not far apart. I told her I thought Jesus was Messiah, she was very open, not at all fazed. Anyway, she then asked me what I thought about the end of the world today, and I told her that even Jesus didn't know the day or the hour, so I don't think we need to worry. It was nice. I did tell her he was coming back soon. When I left I said Shalom, and she was beaming. Such a lovely woman. Anywhen, please pray for her. Ask God to pour into her heart deeper understanding and fill her with desire to follow him.
It all goes to show that if you pray, stuff happens. I was really encouraged. Last weekend I met an old Christian friend, a cop. He told me that he had been experimenting lately about prayer and evangelism. He has been testing out what happens when he prays and when he doesn't. He is finding that when he prays, opportunities open up, when he doesn't they don't. He is a bright guy, not some deluded nut, has a degree in law, his father is the head of post-grad study at Auckland Uni, mum has a masters, sister has a doctorate, pretty full on family. Goes to show that if you ask, he leads. Upshot is, I am going to pray hard for Mindy and Amy, take them something to read, and I am going to pray more for opportunities – come Holy Spirit.
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