Salvation!

Isn’t it so exciting to see God work?

It has been evident for some time now that God has been drawing some of the kids in batey Concho Primo closer to salvation, one step at a time.  When I left in June, they seemed so far from understanding the basic truths of the Gospel.  But when I returned it was evident that He had begun to remove the blinders.  Having heard the Gospel countless times, the Holy Spirit was convincing them of their sin and their need of a Savior. 

God set the stage and brought in just the right people to fulfill the role. .  . This week we have a group from Georgia visiting and running a CEF Good News Club.  It “just so happens” that the leaders of the group (Pastor Mark and his wife Cindy) were missionaries in Mexico for almost 20 years and, obviously, are fluent in Spanish.  They came Saturday and today (Monday) and will return tomorrow and Wednesday, Lord willing.  At the close of today’s lesson on Gideon, Cindy shared the Gospel clearly and gave an invitation.  She went outside with the children who wanted to know more, while the others remained inside to play a review game.

Up to this point, we have not really been able to give an invitation of this nature because of the language barrier.  We are able to clearly share the Gospel; but an invitation is a little bit different.  Especially when working with young kids, you tend to have many respond to the invitation that have no idea why they are going to talk to the teacher, they only know that their friend was going so they decided to also.  You want to be sure that they truly understand what it means to be saved and why they need salvation . . . that is very difficult to do without having mastered the language. 

God used Cindy’s knowledge of the language and experience with kids to lead 3 precious souls to Christ!

Praise the Lord for the salvation of 1 girl and two boys!
Praise the Lord for opening the blind eyes to their need of Him!  I don’t know how He convinces us of our sin, but I am so glad that He does! 
Praise God for bringing along just the right person to explain the Gospel on their level, in their language! Praise God that He does all the convicting, convincing, drawing, saving. . .and yet allows us to be a part of it!

Please pray for the new believers: Amanda, Alexandre, and Dauri!
Please pray that more children will be saved this week! 
    In particular, I ask you to pray for Eddy Miguel, Luis, Alejandro, Juan Carlos, and Irenita.

Michael praying with Alexandre after Good News Club today

Discipleship

One of the biggest blessings and privileges that I have received here in the DR, has been the privilege of discipling a new believer.  Marolin is a 13 year old girl who was recently led to the Lord by Mike and Annie.  After turning her life over to Jesus, Marolin and her brother Estarlin have been coming out to batey Concho Primo every weekend with Mike and Annie.  Marolin loves to help with the little kids.  She has a magnetic smile and a sweet personality to which the kids are attracted. 

I was not here to witness the miracle of Marolin’s spiritual birth, but it has been incredible for me to see the miracle of her growth.  You may think that I am using the word miracle lightly here, but that is exactly the word to describe the change in a person’s heart. 

Let me give you a little background before telling you the work that God has done in her.  Marolin has grown up in a culture that “Christianizes” everything.  You hardly meet a person walking down the street who doesn’t believe in God or claim that they either “are” or “were” a Christian.  However, that term can be used to describe Catholic, Pentecostal, Baptist and just about everything in between - as long as you believe in God.  Hopefully you recognize that this is not what the Bible calls a Christian for James says that “even the devils also believe, and tremble.”  One of Satan’s weapons of warfare to keep people trapped in blindness is to convince them that their belief in God is enough.

 About a month ago, Annie and I began meeting with Marolin.  I had never before discipled a brand new believer.  (If you have not either, let me tell you that you are missing out on seeing part of the incredible work of God).  Looking at Marolin and her culture through my human lenses, I saw an impossible task: change her worldview from the “religious” worldview so prevalent here in the DR into a Biblical worldview.  Well, clearly that is not an easy task. 

Marolin is seated in the center, holding the baby;
and Estarlin is wearing the blue striped polo shirt in the back.

Yet, as we have met over the last few weeks, He has been showing me the work that He is already doing in her.  He was already transforming her heart and mind.  I only have to be faithful to show her what the Scriptures say, it is God who does the transforming. 

I was reminded that Jesus said in John 16 that the Holy Spirit will do the convicting, the drawing.  And that is just what He’s done in Marolin’s life.  I didn’t have to explain that we had sinned and needed to be rescued with 45 different fancy explanations, the Holy Spirit had already done His work to show her that she was a sinner.  I didn’t need fancy theology or eloquent words to show her that we needed a Savior.  The Holy Spirit had already removed the blinders and shown her her own need.  No, she didn’t answer all of the questions just right; and, no, her understanding is not complete yet.  But the Holy Spirit has clearly done a work that I could not.  And  we know that “He who has begun a good work in you will complete it!” (Phil. 1:6)

God has begun this worldview shift, this sanctification process, in Marolin’s life.  It’s not complete yet . . .there’s still more to learn (as there always is in each of our lives) and I am so thankful that He is allowing me to be a part of teaching her a little bit more . . .

“With men it is impossible; but not with God, for with God all things are possible.” (Mark 10:27)

Marolin doing what she loves . . . playing with the kids