Happy 2010! We hope that all of you had an amazing holiday season!
New things for SBS: Not only is it a new Year for us, but the start of a new quarter for the SBS. Students started winter quarter off on Monday with the book of 1 Peter, and in a few weeks time will be ready to start the Old Testament...beginning with the book of Genesis! This is my (Annie) favorite time of the SBS! I love watching the old testament come alive to the students, as they see God's heart; his pursuit of people, and make the discovery that he truly is the same God in the Old Testament, that we see in the New. His compassion, mercy, redemption and love are all a gleaming beacon throughout the Bible from Genesis to Revelations.
New News for us: Not only are things changing in SBS, but we have received some news that is going to change our personal lives drastically! We are expecting a baby!!!! That's right, Little Baby Frase is due in August and we are thrilled! However, things have been a little crazy around here, as morning sickness, fatigue, and all of the other experiences that come along with the first trimester of pregnancy have taken up residence with us. Please be praying for us, as we walk through this time and continue trying to keep up with the crazy pace of life. (unfortunately life goes on whether you're sick or not, too bad we can't hit the freeze and resume button on life :-) )
lectures:
Our last lectures went well, so thanks to everyone who prayed for us.
1 Tim (Justin) this book is a charge to stop false teaching from spreading in the churches, and to refute it through sound doctrine. As Justin studied this book, I (Annie) watched his passion against false teaching grow outwardly, as God ignited his passion inwardly. He did an amazing job of showing the students the negative effect that false teaching can have on people. He used some examples from history and present. One of the things he did was to show a couple of Youtube videos, posted by people who have taken passages from 1 Tim out of context, and completely distorted them with hate and bitterness. Students were blown away by how people could take passages from scripture, misinterpret them, and then fuel them with so much hate, to convince others that what they had to say was valid.
Another example he used was that of the World Wide Church of God, which is a cult started by a false prophet and self proclaimed "apostle" named Herbert W. Armstrong. Justin showed a portion of a documentary about this cult. It shows the great pain that this man's false teaching has done, in leading people into bondage. The documentary also showed the power of God's word to speak truth into the darkness. In this documentary, many of the cult's leaders came to look at scripture, and realized that everything they believed and had taught for years was wrong. God walked them through a process of speaking out the word of truth and through their boldness to proclaim the world many lives were led back to truth, and much damage was done to the cult. Many people refused to see the truth and continue to this day to believe the false teachings of Herbert W. Armstrong. Others, however have been set free from a life of bondage by the proclaiming of the Word of Truth. Justin's charge to the students, was to continue studying and teaching the word, because there are so many people out there still in bondage, they need to hear the truth.
2 Tim (Annie) - was Paul's final letter, written shortly before his martyrdom in the late sixties, AD. I started the lecture off, as if it were a funeral service for Paul and we (myself and the students) were the first century church in Ephesus. This exercise was to get them to understand the plight of the original reader/s of this book. Theirs' was one of persecution, suffering, and the rapid spread of false teaching, which was threatening them, their families, and friends. Just as in this book, Paul urged Timothy to not give up, know matter what the cost, this was my charge to the students. God has placed a calling on each of their lives, and he is investing in them as they do SBS. I urged them, not to be selfish with that; not to take all of this bible knowledge that they will have spent 9 months acquiring and keep it to themselves. The point is to use it for others. I promised them that there will be a temptation to walk away from their calling, when things get hard, just as Timothy was tempted; but that they must have eternal perspective. So often we forget that material comforts are not eternal. When we give up God's calling and trade it for material or other such fleeting comforts, we are trading something eternal for something fleeting. Don't make material possessions, or comfort more important than people who are to reap from you're influence. There is a suffering and broken world that needs to hear about Jesus and be set free from bondage through the power of his word, don't make your own comfort more important than that! I ended the class by Knighting each of them as warrior prince/princesses of God's kingdom. My charge as I held a sword upon their shoulder, imitating a traditional knighting ceremony was this: that they not held back by fear, but be aided with the spirit of power, love and self control, as 2 Tim talks about. I charged them to go forth, as warriors for good, not counting the cost, but looking to God as they march forward to change the world. It was a powerful moment for all of us, and I truly believe it was one taken seriously by God. I believe in that moment, he truly anointed many of them to go forward into their calling.
Looking Back: As we look back on the year 2009, is seems like a whirlwind. It was a year of many new things, engagement, marriage, SBS staff. While the end of it was busy, with both of us teaching, preparing for the holidays, the trip home to Seattle, the News of Baby, we look back on the entire year with joy. We remember God's faithfulness to us, and continue to look to him to be our guide and our provider in the New Year.
Prayer Requests:
- finances: Babies cost money, and right now we need at least 300 dollars more a month in financial support.This would help us to move into a house here on the YWAM base, pay for costs of living, and costs of baby. We KNOW God will provide and we refuse to give up our work in global missions, so long as he calls us to it. Please pray that he will provide, and also, if you feel so led, pray about joining our monthly support team. Any amount is GREATLY appreciated!!
- Health: Healthy baby and mommy
- upcoming lectures: Justin- 2 & 3rd John; Annie- Leviticus
