Happy Thanksgiving from the Ogg’s!
Battlefront
There is a spiritual battle going on for hearts here in the Simbari. God’s Word is being proclaimed, the lies of Satan are being exposed and the Spirit of God is at work. Obviously the enemy is not pleased about all this going on. Several of our most keen men who have been attending daily and expressing faith in what they are hearing have been requested to leave and go out to Goroka for some really minor business reasons. One just flatly refused and wrote a letter back basically saying, “No way! I’m not leaving right now during the teaching.” Another man is still trying to make up his mind, he really doesn’t want to go but there is a lot of pressure on him from friends and relatives to go. Please pray for him to make the right decision. There are many others too, who face daily struggles with family, friends and self when wanting to come to the daily teaching. Please pray for them too.
Literacy
The literacy class started with 16 and we have lost 2. One adult man who was wishy washy in the first place and another young teen boy who decided he would rather be goofing off. But the rest are really excited about learning. They are about to finish their first primer and will get to read a real book. We have readers to follow each of the primers that use only letters that have been taught so far. It is good practice for them and also helps them to feel encouraged that they can really read. One older woman who has grown, married children has been doing very well but it has been getting harder for her. Learning to read at her age is tough for anyone but she really wants to learn to read the Bible. If it wasn’t for that motivating her she would have given up long ago. Another woman has been making a 3-hour round-trip hiking on rough mountain trails to come every day for the whole 5 weeks. She has only missed a couple days.
Important Lesson Postponed
Friday we were planning on teaching about the Passover. We had told people that it was an important lesson. They are all important but this one has a particularly clear illustration of the Gospel. The substitutionary death of a lamb as the only way to be saved. But Friday morning we woke up to a cold, cloudy and windy morning. A huge rainstorm on the mountain right above the teaching area was coming down. We went up 30 minutes later and it was still really cold and windy. There were several people huddled around trying to hide from the cold under their bark capes. We decided to postpone till Monday. Some of the most faithful attenders were dissappointed but many would have missed it if we would have gone ahead. We know who brought that weather our way and we trust Him and look forward to Monday.
In Him,
David and Shari Ogg
(Esther, Simon, Rachel and Jason)
Praise and Prayer:
- Pray for those who are facing decisions that will prevent them from being able to hear God’s Word.
- Praise for the progress of the literacy students.
- Pray for the literacy students to hang in there when it get’s tough.
- Pray that all those who come on Monday would clearly understand the concept of the substitionary death of the lamb.
- Pray for wisdom for David as he translates and teaches and for Shari too, usually functioning on partial nights of sleep.
- Pray that the hand-crank cassette players that we have ordered would get here quickly.
This Week’s Teaching Highlights:
- God the Ruler of Rulers revealed the future to Pharoah in dreams. (even though he did not believe in God, he was still under God’s authority)
- Joseph tells Pharoah that God could tell him the meaning of his dreams. Joseph, a slave and prisoner, is exalted to second in command of the nation of Egypt.
- Joseph reunited with his father and brothers. Joseph’s relatives brought to Egypt fulfilling the prophecy told to Abraham.(Gen.15:13)
- The people of Israel became numerous. A new pharoah, and the Egyptians, feared them becoming too powerful and so enslaved them.
- Pharoah orders the death of newborn males. God took care of them even in their slavery.
- Moses born, protected from death and then adopted by Pharoah’s daughter. God placed the future leader of Israel right in the house of the King of Egypt to learn.
- Moses himself tries to help help his people and fails. He runs away.
- God speaks to Moses from the burning bush. God heard the prayers of His people. God always sees us, nothing is hidden from Him.
- “I Am” the Self-existent One sends Moses to give His words to Pharoah.
- Moses first tells God “No”, but God who is loving and merciful promises to send Aaron with Moses. Moses obeys God.
- The Israelites believed that God sent Moses and Aaron. (Ex. 4:29-31)
- Pharoah and the Egyptians did not believe in God. They followed the lies of Satan and worshiped false gods. Pharoah foolishly rejects God’s Word given through Moses and Aaron. Don’t be like Pharoah and reject God’s Word.
- God wants to demonstrate that He is the one true God by His powerful acts.
- 9 plagues. The Egyptians could not save themselves from God’s punishment.
- God makes a division between His people the Egyptians who don’t believe in God. Even though they were neighbors Israel does not suffer plagues that Egypt suffers. God always does what he promises. (Gen 12:2,3)