February 2012

Our first (new and improved) men’s breakfast
will happen on Saturday 11 February!
Will you pray for these mighty men?
I am praying about hiring a local young man as an assistant pastor.

We have great relationship with teenaged students and increasingly with Primary school aged kids. This past week I spent the weekend with 140 young people at a ‘Scripture Union’ camp. as a counsellor discipling sometimes, just a fly on the wall learning how to pray other times, and a preach at leaders’ morning devotions one day. Our outreach efforts are due to ramp-up in 2012 with door-to-door visits from this local pastor. Why leave it to the JWs and Mormons?

We are seeing lots of inroads with local government and other Christian ministries. I serve in the community and stand for Christ unashamedly: in the local town council, the PTA, and other community groups. People seem to appreciate the loving commitment to Christ and the respect for people who do not agree with me.

There has been some fallout from the recent decision by the church of Scotland to accommodate same sex relationships and even to explore liturgy for marriage ceremonies. Lines are being drawn and it is very onerous. The Scottish National Party is the majority party in government in opposition to Labour and Conservative parties and they have proposed redefining marriage to include civil partnerships. If this decision goes forward, I think we will stop marrying people at all, and instead revert to a service blessing only those unions which are in line with the heart of God as revealed in scripture.

The days are evil.

Elizabeth is still set on divorce and does not agree about the Lord and His heart for marriage. We have stopped arguing about separation and I am coming to realize that she is an unbelieving spouse who has given up on trying to keep up the appearance of faith. She claims to have faith, but it is adrift on fuzzy notions of cheap grace and antinomian sentimentality. It is distressing, but I can’t make her believe.

Our boys know that their dad loves their mum, and loves them. I see them exactly half of the time. The boys love their church and only get there every other week. They are growing up and growing in grace. They (mostly) treat their dad with respect and honour. The church is very supportive and continues to pray for us. When Liz comes around they are loving and supportive of her.

God has really worked marvellously in both of our hearts; exposing sin and faithlessness. I don’t suppose I would trade it; if it meant I or Liz would not have grown as much as we have, in relation to the Lord and His heart for us.
I am just praying for Liz, for a revelation of his heart for her, and for marriage. I do not see light at the end of the tunnel, but I do trust the Lord in a deeper way which I see that I had not previously.

A very high price, but I also trust the Lord with this.

I am convinced that the time is coming when sound minds will not prevail. We are making the most of the time, taking a stand for the Lord and preaching the gospel in action, in a way that lines up with sound doctrine. I really believe that we must be courageously living the gospel and not merely proclaiming it with words.

We are seeing results amid great suffering.

Thank you for remembering us in prayer,

~David