"I fled Him, down the nights and down the days; I fled Him, down the arches of the years ...Yet was I sore adread, Lest, having Him, I must have naught beside... - Francis Thompson (1859 - 1907)
We went "Soul-winning" Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. A modern way of expressing it might be: "Visiting people in their homes and encouraging them to respond positively to the claims that Christ makes upon our lives." But whatever you call it, it should be done and we are trying to do it here in Puerto Rico.
We stopped by a woman's house that we had led to the Lord about a year ago. She hardly ever leaves her bed, so she invited us into her bedroom to visit with her. Her problem is that she is so heavy that she is housebound. Because we visited in her neighborhood, we were able to bring the gospel to her. She attempted to heal her hurting emotions with food instead of God, and now instead of liberty, is a prisoner in her own home. It is sad to see the bondage that people come under when they seek freedom outside of the will of God. We had a bible study in her home and her adult son listened intently and avidly read a tract we gave him. The woman and her family has passed through a lot of depression, but they can see that Jesus has a better life for them, They are encouraged by the words of hope we share with them from God's word during our visits.
We visited another lady, who came to Christ a few months ago and is also suffering. Previously, she and some family members sought freedom outside a number of the boundaries set for the family in God's word. Last week many harmful patterns begun before her conversion reached their apex. We found her sitting alone in her apartment Tuesday night in the dark without her daughter, husband, money, electricity or water. After a number of visits, lots of prayer and council, she too has made some progress. She has been attending church, reading the bible and making progress. The department of Social Services will allow her daughter to come to our church Sundays, and we hope that the family will be rebuilt around Christ as the center and foundation.
People are afraid that having God, they will somehow lose out on pleasure in their lives. But I know that if the service men fear to give God is given, they will find that they will enjoy life instead of suffering the oppression that comes from seeking joy apart from the Author of all good things. We are enjoying our relationship with Christ. We hope you are too and will pray that the joy that is in Christ will become a reality in the souls we are witnessing to in Puerto Rico.
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