Wednesday, September 10, 2003
September 10, 2003
3:00 PM Phil Newton, pastor of South Woods Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee, has just launched a new website called The Way of Faith devoted to God-centered evangelism. It’s loaded with useful material both for seekers and for those who want to share the gospel with the lost. Highly recommended. 10:16 AM Lynette Hoy sent this to me:
Dear Ray, This man from Australia had written me requesting An Anchor for the Soul. So, here is his thank you note. Blessings! Lynette ————— Original Message —————————— From: “william” Date: Tue, 09 Sep 2003 Hi my name is William, and I am just writing to tell you how wonderful this book really is, I received it today! It has opened my eyes to many things about christianity I didn’t understand before. Thank you and may you continue helping people like me know God, the only one who can really help solve our troubles. William
8:48 AM I’m part of a small group of pastors who meet quarterly for fellowship and lively discussion. Yesterday our group met in Carol Stream. The group included Erwin Lutzer of The Moody Church, Colin Smith from Arlington Heights Free Church, Wilbur Ellsworth of Christ Church, Glen Ellyn, and a new member, Mateen Elass, pastor of Immanuel Presbyterian Church of Warrenville. He shared the amazing story of how he came to faith. It begins with this question: “”What are the odds that a son born to a Muslim father, raised for over a decade in Saudi Arabia, later schooled in western philosophy and psychology … and then trained as an instructor in yoga and eastern mysticism … should become a resolute Christian and a minister of the gospel?” Read more about it here. Our convener, as always, was John Armstrong of Reformation and Revival Ministries. After the meeting, Colin and I spent another 40 minutes talking together. He is one of the most encouraging pastors I know and my soul was strengthened as we prayed together before we left. 8:45 AM Rose Malinowski wrote the Living Sacrifices devotional for today based on Genesis 22:2, “Then God said, ‘Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love … Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering.'” Here’s an excerpt:
God never asks us to do the impossible. His Holy Spirit lives inside us, His angels protect us, and His Word feeds us, so that through Him and with Him, His will—whatever it is—is achieved.