Dear Partners and Friends,
How much power is contained in the Gospel message? We probably all agree that the Gospel has the power to forgive a person’s sin and in so doing, provide a place for that person in heaven. But could there be more power present than we think? Could we be overlooking anything? Jesus came to give us abundant life, but is that abundance confined to spiritual things, like the fruit of the Spirit? What about healing? What about food and clothing? What about the roof over our heads?
In this month’s newsletter, we hear how the Gospel message touched a community in spiritual ways, and also in physical ways, by caring for physical needs. People living in slums need to hear the message of hope, and be able to laugh and smile again. But they also need food and shelter, and sanitary ways to prepare food. God sent the manna from heaven when the Israelites wandered through the wilderness, but today food often comes through believers who make sacrifices and share their resources with others who are in need.
We have now trained hundreds of people, mostly women, how to operate a sewing machine, and how to run a tailoring business out of their homes. So often we find that teaching this simple skill, and giving the student a sewing machine (costing about $60) is the catalyst for transforming the economic situation of a whole family. They are filled with thankfulness and grateful that a God in Heaven would motivate people like us to care for people like them. One Muslim woman said she couldn’t believe that a church, of all things, would do such a loving thing as this. She had been conditioned to believe that Christians are bad people who want to take advantage of the poor. Our generosity opened her heart to the Gospel, and she, like so many others, is just a few steps away from committing her life to Jesus Christ.
As Christmas memories fade and the New Year begins, please remember the needs of those around you. Would you like to buy a sewing machine for a woman in India? Just write this in, on the enclosed response card. And please share this newsletter with as many believers as you are able. Copy it, send them to our website (https://revivalnow.excitingword.org), do whatever you can do to get the word out. We overcome by the blood of Jesus Christ, and the word of our testimony. The more people who receive this newsletter, the more hearts will be touched, and the more God will provide for our missionaries. Without your help, we could do nothing to promote the Gospel.
Thank you for continuing to pray for all of us here. And thank you to those who support us sacrificially every month. No words can adequately express our gratefulness for your partnership!
Blessings in the Wonderful Name of Jesus,
Thomas