Advent ....

                                                         

First Advent is a great time of Celebration. The darkness is finally giving way the Light. This is just a few short points and a few photos from the mission field.

1. Good traditions lift and are good to have. We need days of Celebrations. But tradition itself is not the main message.

2. The market is trying to "kidnap" Christmas here also in Ubon-Pakse to make money from The Christmas spirit.

3. Many here wonder: What is the real meaning of Christmas? I went out today Nov 30 'and …… found this in 2 shopping malls.

  

Today's people understand that The meaning of Christmas is not shopping. So what is it?

4. This season we have the great opportunity to tell about JESUS ​​and what happened the first Christmas.

"For God so loved the world that He gave… .." 

Advent and Christmas encourage us to see and "shine" for others who are still in the darkness.

Let us take new steps this Advent/Christmas 2019 so that those who fight in the darkness will also experience Jesus who is the light of the world. 1st Advent is a MISSIONS Sunday. A Pioneer Mission Sunday.

We have had many good meetings lately. We want to show you som potos from the work.

Have a blessed Advent 2019

Ingvar (Fred)

Creative Planning

Fruitful work requires God`s leading and presence but also creative planning as part of Good Governance. 

                                       

Having planning at the right level, at the right time .... and at the same time allowing the Holy Spirit to lead ... can be difficult these days when: 

       a) Some are so busy that they do not have time to come.  

       b) Others have nothing to do and feel loneliness. 

     For many years I wanted to be Man-of-Action - out there, and I didn't like board meetings - in there. But then year 2000 in a counselling section ..... I got help. And a miracle happened. Now I really appreciate sitting down, praying and talking-us-together.

Yesterday we had a very creative meeting in the Streams of Grace Church and the projects regarding our Christmas program. I was very encouraged by everyone’s participation: Yes I do this. Yes I do that. Everyone was very focused to give a fresh The real meaning of Christmas to the communities.

  

                     

Psalms 110 is ringing in me: ³ In that day of your power your people shall come to you willingly, dressed in holy altar robes. And your strength shall be renewed day by day like morning dew.

Dear friends, have a blessed planning for CHRISTMAS 2019 with a fresh and genuine Christmas message to today's people. Many here are also tired of the market-christmas with all Jingel Bells, Jingel Bells ... and they are asking for What is the real meaning of Christmas? Let`s put JESUS in the centre.

Ingvar (Fred)

2 stories: Giants and healing.

                                            

A couple of stories from past week: A young man whom decided to expose his giant (game addiction) about a week ago, when he decided to choose relationships before games. Relationship with God and with his family. Both had suffered greatly for some time. The giant had him in its grip. The battle to confess the truth and expose the lie he believed, was grim. 

To make the story short. On Friday he said. ‘’The view of the world around me is suddenly so huge, after quitting gaming’’. A miracle of peace happened in his relationship with his family.  

To me, Anna, it speaks a lot. But what we saw was that addiction to games, particularly war games or games with weapons involved, if the person has a past of painful and unhealed woundings, traumas where explosive anger still is like a sleeping giant. When games takes over then the surrounding can become the enemy and it triggers the giant of anger and it can become very violent. It can become so violent that the ‘gamer’ cannot control it. I am so grateful the loving caring dad and husband is back. But it scares me to think of all those people out there who thinks they can control their gaming. Then when triggered, their loved ones are suffering or anyone else in the wrong place at the wrong time.

One mother, a new believer in our Church shared today how she was learning to forgive and reconcile with her family and seeing miracles happening in both her own heart and in her family. Her husband is not a believer and her son is struggling with drugs and depression. When inviting God into their relationships she saw much healing.  

Anna 

A-B-C

I like to compare God's talk and people's talk. Sometimes they correspond, sometimes not. Acts 4:20 came strong to me one night:  ^“For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” The A-B-C is:

A)  We speak boldly what the Bible says. Both what people in The Old Testement and in The New Testement experienced by God's action and God's direct Word to them.

B)  I speak boldly what I myself have seen and heard what God does and speaks in and around me. It`s becomes my living testimony.

C)  I speak what others have experienced of God`s action and words. Both new and old belivers have wonderful testimonies. Are we giving them space to share their testimony about what God has done for them and spoken to them?

Dear pastor and missionary colleagues, it is so easy to stay at A. Over the years we have 100% correct theology, but along the way we have lost B and C?

One person today testified in the Streams of Grace Church about how she was so frustrated, but God strengthened her in the middle of the night. She felt God's word and ... a "warm hug". At first she thought it was her son who hugged her ... in his sleep. But it wasn't. She was strengthened by God's presence, so she cried load with gratitude. She also cried when she told it in the Church.

One man has said:

I have been "chewing" on these words. Yes, it is true that we believers also can have problems, but the problems are not becoming our Lord. So the truth is:

Have a blessed week in this A-B-C. Ingvar (Fred)

Part of the solution not....

Last week I and Pastor Boy and his family had a good visit to Laos.

At one point during this 3 days this word from Ps 40:3 came strong to me:

He has put a new song in my mouth Praise to our God;

Many will see it and fear, And will trust in the Lord.

A new song is not becaise it`s a new melody, a new text or new and better sound. No it is because: God has spoken and God has done wonderful deed among us. And we love to share this testimony to others. Ps 40:2 says:

He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay,
And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps.

This is our song.

The fight can be which song to sing: 

• The complains songs, the problem songs due to all problem and darkness around us.
• Or to sing about God`s mighty works in and all around us.

With Jesus I can declare even in a dark place like Ubon-Pakse that:

Ingvar (Fred)