Seeing Jesus in a New Light
admin February 4th, 2010
What a glorious new year! This time of year makes us think of new beginnings and a clean slate. We try to think of things in a new way and take time to evaluate the past and look toward the future. I love the “new” perspective… No matter how difficult it is or has been, as followers of Christ, we have been made new and He continues to renew and change us.
The JESUS film offers people a “new” perspective and the people we meet help us catch a glimpse of that as well.
Lillian was a very depressed woman when the JESUS film team visited her village in Zambia. Despite being very resourceful, she found herself a constant target of misfortune. She blamed her misfortunes on God because they began after she joined a church. Here is what she said about her experience:
“Shortly after we returned to our home village for retirement, my husband and I started working on our property. Because we were near a church, we felt it was worthwhile to be involved. We became very active in the church, and we felt we had family. Then tragedy struck when my husband got ill suddenly. We had to spend a lot of time travelling to and from the hospital, which was far from home and so costly. Eventually, I lost my husband, barely a year after returning home. By the time we were done with the funeral and related issues, we had spent most of our money, and I was emotionally drained. … two months later a neighbor’s cattle broke into our garden, and one of them fell into my well.
When the matter came before the elders, I was made to replace the animal. Within six months I had replaced four animals. In spite of the support received from the church during all this, I was so embittered against God because I had not known such misfortune before, until I started attending church.
“When the animals that World Vision had given me as a means to help me build economic capacity died, I was convinced God did not welcome me into the church. I decided to stop attending church, but when the JESUS film team came to our area, I was touched by the teachings of Jesus that say, ‘It is difficult for a rich man to enter God’s kingdom’ and ‘Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.’ … I was convicted that my reason for coming to church was to use God as a means to gain and not because I had received and appreciated His love manifested through Jesus Christ His Son. That evening, when the altar call was made, I went and gave my life to Jesus. Life has now taken a new meaning, and a peace I have not felt in a long time has come into my heart.”
May we, like Lillian, grow ever closer to God in the good times and the hard, seeing Jesus in a new light. He loves each of us more that we can ever imagine…
Please Pray for:
- College students returning to campus after their Christmas break back home.
- 10 year old grandson of Jesus Film director, Jim and Nan Green. Teddy was suddenly diagnosed with a life threatening brain stem and spinal cord tumor.
- The Global Aid Network and outreach going out to the millions of people in Haiti. If you have been burdened and seeking a way to help, please consider the relief arm of Campus Crusade for Christ – GAiN—already established with local churches in Haiti, it has containers with 1 million meals already on the ground there and 8 more containers with food and critically needed supplies are ready to ship… simply follow the link for Haiti at www.GAiNUSA.org
- [Fellow families who are serving those in need in Haiti…] Esperandieu Pierre, our National Director of the ministry and relief efforts in Haiti, as he continues to meet others’ needs, just received word his own wife and all his children are finally accounted for, but many of our staff and others are yet to be found/ heard from.
So blessed to be serving Him with you,
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