5 Years...

"Though it tarry, wait for it." Habakkuk 2:3

 

Oswald Chambers "My Utmost for His Highest May 5

Patience is not indifference; patience conveys the idea of an immensely strong rock withstanding all onslaughts.

The vision of God is the source of patience, because it imparts a moral inspiration. Moses endured, not because he had an ideal of right and duty, but because he had a vision of God. He "endured, as seeing Him Who is invisible." A man with the vision of God is not devoted to a cause or to any particular issue; he is devoted to God Himself. You always know when the vision is of God because of the inspiration that comes with it; things come with largeness and tonic to the life because everything is energized by God.

If God gives you a time spiritually, as He gave His Son actually, of temptation in the wilderness, with no word from Himself at all, endure, and the power to endure is there because you see God. "Though it tarry, wait for it." The proof that we have the vision is that we are reaching out for more than we have grasped. It is a bad thing to be satisfied spiritually. "What shall I render unto the Lord?" said the Psalmist. "I will take the cup of salvation." We are apt to look for satisfaction in ourselves - "Now I have got the thing; now I am entirely sanctified; now I can endure." Instantly we are on the road to ruin.

Our reach must exceed our grasp. "Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect." If we have only what we have experienced, we have nothing; if we have the inspiration of the vision of God, we have more than we can experience. Beware of the danger of relaxation spiritually.

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How did we get from February to May without a post?

It seems like fb/skype is also fostering alot of communication with some of you.
I am glad to be in contact with our friends. Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/McFraser
skype: "liziathome"

Do you remember sending the Frasers off with the verse noted above in mind, our photo on your fridges?

April 23 was 5 years in Scotland.
June 15 will be 5 years in Alva.

This last month we have enjoyed a baby dedication and a request for baptism; some believing neighbours asking to become members of the church and a neighbour asking questions about faith and deciding to come along to worship just today.

We are seeing more and more activity in the church as we reach out to the community to serve our neighbours.  And the Pastor is increasingly granted access to local government and community leaders, whom we serve well in Christ's name.  And I wear my faith on my sleeve folks, they know whom I serve. (but not in an annoying, 'lordy' way)

After five years the number of committed worshippers is up to around 30 people from 12 when we got here, despite 9 funerals.  The crowd that orients toward this church stands at around 54 people over a month.  The surrounding community now knows this is not a disused building.  We host the community Council meeting and I sit on the board of the Ochil Leisure Enterprise group which is growing into a community development hub for the Hillfoots. The local schools know where they can come to ask their bible trivia questions, find a RE lesson in a pinch, and perhaps, on occasion seek a confidential listening-to.

The fellowship in Alva is growing in Love.

We have studied together through John, 1-2-3 John, Genesis, Ephesians, Philippians, Colosians, 1-2 Timothy and are currently in Mark, looking toward Romans next.  A core team of friends committed to Christ and the church have gathered here and we see ministry at all levels, along with active gifts of helps and mercy and hospitality

In June we expect to call an associate minister to come along side of me and begin to take over the youth work and be mentored by me in wider pastoral care.  The funds for this come from a member who died and was kind enough to bequeath a portion of the sale of her home to us.  We have enough for a year and are hoping the Lord will find us reliable to spend funds wisely and provide further funds before the church must let pastors go and eventually close it's doors.

This will happen in about three years or less (unless the church continues to grow as it has over the last year!)

Elizabeth has determined that she does not believe what I believe and cannot continue married, even if I left ministry and sought other employment.  This grieves me obviously, and the church, and some of our friends and family.  I will continue to hold to a hope that God will intervene, but I can only cooperate with Liz to assure her that I do love her and our boys and want the best for all of us.  If she walks away I will have to cooperate and merely seek that my relationship with the boys remains in-tact, as my spouse walks away from our marriage.  She (and her mother) has made it clear that she intends to, and hopes that I will, remarry at some point and sees no problem with this.

I can't begin to voice the deep grief and stress that these last three years represent.  But God has strengthened me through prayer, and His word, and your counsel, and circumstances I have faced together with my friends in our community here in Alva.  God causes ALL things to work together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purposes.

Please keep praying and thank you to those who still support us financially,

It has taken 5 long years.  And the last three has involved significant personal suffering, but we are starting to see fruit of this work.  I hope you will be encouraged by this report; and that this may, in part, renew your faith for God's work through you.

"Though it tarry, wait for it." Habakkuk 2:3

Yours in His service,
David Fraser