Thanks for Praying!
We have been thrilled to see God at work here. Attendance averaged about 100 each day this week as we taught. After some of the lessons that were particularly convicting the people hardly wanted to dismiss the meeting. Though there are a lot of people listening we don’t know how many are really listening with their hearts. This is something you can really be praying for this next week. That the people would not listen passively and think that they are ok just because they are listening to “God’s Talk”. Listening alone is not enough, they need to agree with what God says in His Word about their sinful condition and need for a Savior and have faith in Jesus who died for them and rose again. Pray that they would not reject what the Holy Spirit is trying to teach their hearts.
Next Week – Presentation of the Gospel
After months of teaching through the Bible we will be teaching the final lessons of this evangelism course during the upcoming week. The lessons focus on the last week in the life of Christ and will culminate with the Gospel presentation on May 2nd and 3rd. Please pray that everyone attending would understand clearly that the only way to be saved from the punishment for their sin is through trusting in Jesus alone as their ‘sacrificial lamb’.
In Him,
David and Shari Ogg
(Esther, Simon, Rachel and Jason)
Praise and Prayer:
- Pray for good attendance for the final lessons this next week.
- Pray for the Simbaris to hear with their hearts and not just with their ears.
- Pray for a clear understanding of the Gospel message on May 2nd and 3rd.
This Week’s Teaching Highlights:
- Jesus knew His friend Lasarus was sick but wanting to show His power he did not go right away to heal him.
- After Lasarus dies then Jesus goes to raise him from the dead, declaring, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.”
- Jesus calls out, “Lasarus, come forth!” Then “he who had died came out…” Many believed in Him but some even though they had seen, still didn’t believe in Him.
- Jesus loves the little children and says “whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will by no means enter it” Just as a little child simply trusts his parents not to drop him from their arms and believes every word they say, So also in simple trust we must take God at His word and trust Him with our life.
- A man believing he was good enough to please God kneels before Jesus. His heart deceived him into thinking he could actually obey God’s Law. But Jesus knew his heart and taught him what was really in his heart. Even so, he was given the chance to follow Jesus, but still chose to follow his real love-his wealth.
- Jesus tells the parable of the rich fool. He gave no thought of eternity but only stored up earthly wealth so that he would have a comfortable life. Jesus calls him foolish because that night he will die and his wealth will not help him.
- Jesus tells the story of the rich man in hell and Lasarus in heaven. When a person dies his spirit cannot roam around. It will go to heaven or hell. Hell is a place of torment, the rich man asks for just a single drop of water on his tongue but is denied. Then later he wants to warn his family but cannot.
- He is told: They have God’s written word, if they won’t believe that, then even seeing someone come back from the dead won’t convince them. Luke 16:31.
- God’s Word tells us the only way to escape the punishment of sin. Jesus is the way to eternal life.