Sealed, Preserved, and Protected

Have you ever made jam, or perhaps watched your grandmother as she made it when you were growing up? If so, you may recall watching her pour wax over the top of the preserves until it was at the brim of the jar – and then carefully wipe some wax around the rim itself, and finally place the rubber lined lid on tight. The combination of the wax and the vacuum caused by the cooling preserves would seal the jar so tightly that it could sit on a shelf for years and still remain deliciously edible when opened at last. The jam had been carefully sealed, preserved, and protected.

In Christ, that is exactly what we are – sealed, preserved, and protected.

Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit. – Eph. 1:13

..may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. – 1 Thess. 5:23

..the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. – 2 Thess. 3:3

God placed a seal of ownership on us when we trusted in Him – and there is no power on earth that can break that seal. We are preserved and protected for His use on earth.

Our recent TCM graduates have returned to their countries, better equipped to minister to their people, and excited to be used by God in preaching the Gospel. Here is what one graduate had to say about his experience at Haus Edelweiss: From this Godly man (the professor) I have learned that any sermon and any ministry has one single final purpose -- to change lives.

We couldn’t agree more. As Grandma sealed, preserved, and protected her jam – God does the same for us – but with a much greater purpose than satisfying a physical hunger. God satisfies our soul hunger and calls us to GO into the world to transform lives through the power of the Gospel.

Moving Forward

Do you ever feel stuck in your relationship with God? Or feel as though you continually take the proverbial three steps forward and two steps back? Consider how God created the emu and the kangaroo.

These two animals share a common characteristic – they can only MOVE FORWARD. The emu’s three-toed foot causes it to fall to the ground if it even attempts to go backward. The kangaroo is prevented from moving in reverse by its large tail.

Unlike these marvelous creatures, God did not create us with an inability to move backward – either physically or spiritually. He created us in His own image – and gave us free will. And while life would certainly be simpler if we could only move forward in our walk with God, it would not be nearly as exciting and joyful as the on-going pursuit of a deepening, personal relationship with our Creator and King.

We recently had the joy of seeing 39 more students graduate from TCM at Haus Edelweiss – prepared to MOVE FORWARD in the pursuit of God and the spread of the Gospel. Through their dedication and perseverance, countless others will also MOVE FORWARD in their walk with God as these men and women teach their people about the love and plans their Savior has for them.

So like the emu and the kangaroo – keep MOVING FORWARD. Pursue Jesus today. Then share your love and knowledge with others – so they can move forward, too.

The Power of One

As we look at the problems of the world, we often lament: How can I really even make a difference? I'm just one person!

But consider this: Has ONE PERSON ever made a difference in YOUR life?

There is a heart-breaking true story told by a grown woman – recalling an incident from when she was just 10 years old – walking home from school. Along the way, she was assaulted by a group of teenage boys who knocked her to the ground and laughed wildly as they beat her up: kicking her, pulling her hair, hitting her and scratching her face while she screamed and cried.

As she was struggling and crying, she saw a boy standing across the street on the sidewalk, silently watching. So she screamed at the top of her lungs, "Help meeeee!"

He just stood there.

She screamed again, "Go get someone!"

He didn't move.

The teen boys eventually gave her one last shove before they ran off, leaving her with not just physical injuries - but a traumatized soul.

All around the world, this kind of physical abuse and “soul trauma” is taking place on a daily basis - only to a more horrifying degree. Many are living in bonded slavery, in poverty; many are persecuted for their faith in Christ; the painful stories abound.

And so we pose the question: Are we going to be like the boy across the sidewalk? Aware of their plight, but standing silent and unmoved? Do we think that because these problems are out of our physical sight, that God is okay with our lack of compassion?

God is very clear: Give justice to the poor and the orphan; uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute. ~ Psalm 82:3

All around the world, individuals are screaming out: Help meeeee! Go get someone!

We want hurting people to know that help is on the way. One of the ways we accomplish this is by further developing our students in their God-given gifts and abilities before sending them back to their home countries to continue serving those in need.

Can one person really make a difference? We know our answer. What's yours?

A Glimpse of Heaven

Picture heaven with us for a moment. We’ll even give your imagination a jump-start with some details from the apostle John who was given a real, live glimpse into our eternal home:

After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” ~ Revelation 7:9-10

What a glorious picture of heaven, isn’t it?! For those of you who have ever had the joy of sacrificing your time by serving as a Short-Term Worker at Haus Edelweiss, you may feel as if you’ve had a glimpse of this future glory here on earth. It is not uncommon for us to hear testimony after testimony of the impact on one’s heart and mind when they are joined together with believers from other “tribes and languages” – all singing hymns of praise in multiple languages – in one accord to our great God. 

We, at TCM, are passionate about developing International Disciple-Makers to spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth – for the glory of God. Revelation 7:9-10 gives us a glimpse of that future glory for which we all strive and for which we all must daily sacrifice ourselves for Him. He is worthy!