Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
This week, we take time for a testimony. Jeanne would like to share with you how God has worked in her life. She shares the following:
“I am settled. I am in a new cozy apartment. My heart is bursting with gratitude! And it’s all because of my Heavenly Father and my loving and caring Church, CPCM – CrossPoint Community Ministry. If not for the love and support of my Church, who made God’s promises aware to me in bible study, l would not have had the faith to believe that God would not let me be homeless in the dire situation I was in; – large rent increase, no means by which to pay it, arrears mounting, no potential affordable apartment in sight with the inflated increases in rent. I had to ask the question: Why Lord? Why was this happening to me? I had nowhere to turn but up. It was between me and God. He was requiring a huge amount of faith from me. Would I have it? Through this trial, I began to understand the verse James wrote in James 1:2: “Consider it pure joy. . . When we face trials of many kinds.” I learned in our women’s study that God allows trials to mold our character and give us maturity. It teaches us patience and perseverance and prepares us for eternity and for the work He will have us do. I learned that my difficult experience exposed my need for God’s wisdom. My affirmations each morning were Gods promises. “I will never leave you or forsake you.” “I will take care of you in your old age.” “I have a plan for you.” Then I could say “I trust you Lord, help me in my unbelief.”
I began to realize that I was on a journey that God lovingly orchestrated for myself to be closer to Him and to rely on Him only in a situation that grew more and more impossible as He showed me over the seven months it took to find a place to live. With rising inflation and with a government voucher as a retiree, there was nothing available. In these bleak moments, God gave me my daily bread. God reassured me each day. Who am I not to believe Him? I could not insult the Lord, my God who is my loving Father; yet He reigns in sovereignty in heaven. My tearful prayer was “Lord, I believe!” For seven long months I learned of His goodness, and how He strengthened my faith and patience and built my character. God showed me that He is sovereign and will answer my plea for help in His time.
My Father had me where He wanted me. Till the end of my term in the former apartment I clung to God and prayed each day to increase my trust in Him even as the agent for my future apartment refused to fill out the government paperwork or get the apartment inspected. He wanted to put it back on the market! God wanted me to do my part and fight for it. I had two days left to be out of my old apartment and, trusting God, I continued to pack. I had no ‘plan b’. I was on the brink of homelessness. Then, praise God, I got word that the new apartment was approved and inspection complete! God keeps His promises! And He is never late!
My message to you: Join in the bible studies offered here at CBCGL CrossPoint Community Ministry! If it were not for the bible studies I was involved in, I would not have been able to endure this trial without despair, anger, and bitterness. Taste the glory of God and the fellowship of His people. You will not be disappointed. You will understand God’s sovereignty and love for you. Learn to trust in Him and anything you ask in His name will be given if you believe. I prayed for a place to live in my price range, near my daughter and church and in a nice neighborhood and that’s exactly what God gave me!
I want to thank my pastor and my loving community, God’s faithful, who supported me spiritually, financially, and emotionally while on this journey. Prompted by the Holy Spirit, everyone rallied, and you know who you are. Even though the government agencies, set up to help people in this situation, could not be counted on to provide the help necessary for my apartment and move, His loving faithful came to my aid. God showed me how impossible my situation was and how I needed to rely solely on Him. Not only did God promise His plan for me and deliver, but also a plan to bring me ever closer to Him. I know now that I would rather have a trial and cling to God than no trial at all and be distant from Him! Glory be to God!
God showed me I had to believe and trust. I know He allowed this trial because of His love for me and to prepare me for the work He has planned for me. He is preparing me for eternity.
Again, the quote: “Therefore, consider it pure joy when we face trials of many kinds.” James 1:2
Gratefully,
Jeanne-Lucie Michaud”
Thanks, Jeanne for sharing! Also, here’s a quick note about a free resource. Some of you are eager to learn or use Christian apologetic material. Now you can have and use a free Compendium of Christian Apologetics Resources. It has been put together by the AIIA Institute, which is founded and run by the father of one of my Seminary professors. You can download the pdf here. https://aiiainstitute.org/resources/compendium/
Finally, please continue to pray for the nations of Israel and Ukraine. Pray that the wars would end. Here is a suggested list of prayers if you are at a loss for words in how to pray: https://send.org/story/hh_pray_for_ukraine. And https://worldrelief.org/blog-prayer-for-israel-and-gaza/ Thank you for kneeling on behalf of the people of Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Gaza and taking a stand (or a knee in prayer) against the forces of darkness in this present age.
This Week (Jan. 26- Feb. 1, 2024):
1. Tonight, Jan. 26, 2024, the Living Stones Friday Night Bible Study is meeting from 7:30-9:30 to study the question “Is Hell Real?” You can read 2 Thess. 1:3-12 to prepare. Join in person in Room A-218 or online via the following link at 7:30 pm:
https://zoom.us/j/685376249?pwd=cWtyUk1pckJiRHJxZVZCSGdJZWw2UT09
Meeting ID: 685 376 249
Password: 840840
Join by phone: +1 929 436 2866 US (New York)
2. The Living Stones Sunday School and Grace Ambassadors Sunday School are meeting this Sunday. The Grace Ambassadors will continue a discussion of “The Pilgrim’s Progress: Part 2”. The Living Stones will be studying an Overview of the NT in the Koinonia Room (A-216). They will use the following link for those who wish to join online this Sunday:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/491248585?pwd=RnpLcnpjQ01nTGZLSmhaZ3l4L3dKQT09
Meeting ID: 491 248 585
Password: 403767
Join by phone: +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
3. This Sunday, Jan. 28, 2024, at 11:25 am, our CrossPoint Community Service will start and Pastor Steven Chin will be preaching. Pray for him! Join us for worship at CBCGL!
Text: Mark 16:1-8
Title: When the End is Not the End
Live stream via Youtube: https://www.cbcgl.org/live-stream/
4. Each Wednesday, such as this week (Jan. 31) at 7:45 pm, you are invited, encouraged, and requested to join our weekly prayer meeting. We will not grow in Christ without growing in our dependence on God through prayer. The link is found below in the section on prayer.
Administration / Events
1. We have a missions update (so check out the missions tab in the bulletin)! You can provide support for COCM (in England), for James Liang (at UConn), or T and C who are serving in Africa.
2. Join us on Jan. 28! We will be having a CPC Soup and Bread Luncheon. You can sign up for with something to bring via the following link: https://forms.office.com/r/ipBG7LD9XX
3. This summer the youth fellowship plans to send two short term mission teams to serve in Boston Project and Taiwan Ershui. Praise God for calling the students to participate in these mission trips to spread the good news and experience the life changing power of the Gospel. To support these STMs, we will be organizing various fundraising events throughout the year. The first event is our NianGao sale during the Chinese New Year celebration. Order deadline is ***this Saturday 1/27*** and they will be delivered on 2/4. Please use the following link to put in an order https://forms.gle/UMMMAVBTSSQMGK7b6 . Thank you for your support to the Youth Ministry!”
4. Sunday Lunch Service is available at CBCGL with $5 lunches that are first-come, first-served.
5. All other announcements can be found here (in our CrossPoint Community bulletin)
For Prayer:
1. From Bishop J.C. Ryle – “To be prayerless is to be Christless, Godless, and in the high road to destruction…It will always be found that when prayers are few, grace, strength, peace, and hope are small.” Please join our Wednesday night prayer meeting (7:45 – 9:15 pm) even if you can’t participate the whole time.
https://zoom.us/j/758587937?pwd=aS9sZUdxcm1janNNM2I2aXJ6Smx2QT09
Meeting ID: 758 587 937
Password: 030086
Join by phone: +1 929 436 2866 US (New York)
2. We’d be glad to pray for you. If you need prayer, you can submit your prayer request via the following link: https://www.cbcgl.org/pray/
In Christ, your servant, SDG,
Rev. Dr. Nathan Willems
Associate Pastor of CrossPoint Community – A Ministry of CBCGL