Good Friday
Today is Good Friday, the day in which we remember Jesus Christ’s crucifixion. Scripture tells us that Jesus’ life was not stolen from Him, but He willingly “gave up His spirit” (John 19:30 NKJV) in order to fulfill the Father’s will (Luke 22:42) — to satisfy His wrath and pay our sin debt. It is a day of hopeful anticipation because we know the rest of the story: Christ did not remain in the grave but rose again three days later, conquering death and sin once and for all (Matthew 28:1-8). Praise the Lord for the free gift of salvation to all who believe. Praise Him for reconciling us to God. Pray for the millions of people who do not know what we know today. Pray for open doors to share this Good News.
First Lord’s Supper and First Baptisms in Elsengg
Carolyn, serving remotely, ministers to the Elsengg people of Asia Pacific. This Maundy Thursday, as we remember Jesus’ Last Supper with His disciples (maybe you are observing the Lord’s Supper and remembering Christ’s divine sacrifice today), it is fitting that we praise God that this month “the [Elsengg] believers celebrated the Lord’s Supper for the first time.” And by the time you read this, Lord willing, the Elsengg church will have had its first baptisms too. As Carolyn and Elsengg believer Bop write Bible lessons, “it has been such a joy to see the Holy Spirit enlightening Bop’s mind to understand New Testament truths,” and the church is learning these truths too — namely that “Jesus was the final sacrifice who perfectly pleases God forever and ever!” Praise God for this truth.
The accounts of the Last Supper can be found in Matthew 26, Mark 14, Luke 22 and John 13.
A Successful Milling Trip and a Failed Airstrip
Jacob and Charis Doerr are preparing to live and minister among the Mian people of Papua New Guinea. We were praying for the Doerrs and their teammates as they milled lumber for their future houses. The milling trip “was successful, and for that we praise the Lord!” We were also praying that the airstrip would be finished and approved. Unfortunately, the airstrip was much too soft and did not meet approval. And sadly, when the two pilots landed the Kodiak plane on the airstrip for the first time, the Mian people performed a ritual around the plane (involving the sacrifice of a pig) in order to appease the spirits. “[P]erhaps all this is why the Lord did not allow a successful approval of the airstrip. … Please pray for the Mian people! Pray that the Lord would be softening their hearts and paving the way ahead of us.”
Two Young Couples Join the “Pm” Work
Tim and Robin Walker minister to the “Pi” people of Latin America. Recently, the “Pi” church was challenged to bring the Good News to unreached people, and the response was amazing.* Since then, 12 “Pi” believers have traveled to where the “Pm” live. They met with the people there, including missionaries Merrill and Teresa Dyck’s co-workers in ministry. Praise God that “two young [‘Pi’] couples have already dedicated their lives to join the [‘Pm’] work!” Pray for another couple to join the work. Pray that God would provide for a team from the church to travel to “Pm” and begin building houses for the missionaries and a chapel “before the rain starts in May.” No project is too big for our God!
*Reminder here
Jesus Is Our Answer to Every Need
Seth and Kaitlyn Sanford minister among the Konomala people of Papua New Guinea. After a “highlight moment” for the Konomala church, the church experienced a challenging situation that was a reminder that Jesus is “our answer to every need in the mess of our lives” and not reliance on our own strength or merit. “Pray that we grow more together and unified as a church as we walk through hard things together. And pray that we wouldn’t give up when it stays hard. Pray that we would recognize Satan’s strategies clearly and fight [against Satan’s attacks] alongside each other in grace and truth. And pray that we would be humble together in fighting against our own flesh’s deadly patterns and thoughts. Pray for our marriages, parenting and friendships.”