rejoicing in hope!

Romans 12:12 "Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer..."

These qualities are certainly important for us as believers today.

Paul tells us in Romans 15:13 "...Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing...."

We really are to rejoice in the Lord because He is the God of hope. As we place the God of hope before us we can more easily work patiently through our trials and tribulations and be able to continue steadfastly in prayer.

Over the past years I have been an advisor for the Middle East prayer group at Elim Bible Institute. We as a group prayed for all the countries of the Middle East including Afghanistan, Iran, and Turkey, asking the Lord to bring the peoples of these nations to salvation.

In 2005 and 2006 Shawn Neitz was the student leader of that group. On August 26th of this year our Afghan family, the Ebrahimis, arrived, and the next day as we toured the EBI campus Shawn came up. I introduced him to the Ebrahimis and remembered that Shawn had once led our Middle East prayer group. I asked him what years he had led the group. He replied, "2005 and 2006."

The Ebrahamis came to a country in the Middle East in 2005 and began attending a meeting of those who followed Jesus. In 2006, through a series of events among the same believers, the couple came to a place of full commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ. The very years Shawn and the prayer group had prayed for these countries were the years the Lord was working to answer and on Friday, August 27th He very quietly brought us together to show us what He had done.

Through the prayers of that group and many others the Lord was faithful to answer prayer and then after four years quietly bring us together. So, let us rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, and continue steadfastly in prayer!

Today's Blogger: Pastor Dick Dreyer


Tomorrow's Text: Grace Day