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Tom, one of our team is now in Cuba for another visit with the goal of establishing believers in this place where conditions in general have deteriorated and made living very difficult. Here is part of a report from Tom
“I have all the documents that I need to enter the country. It is illegal to travel from the United States to Cuba as a tourist, so my purpose is to support the Cuban people, which is one of the twelve reasons an American can travel to Cuba. This means that I cannot stay, eat, or visit any place owned by the government. I also must keep all my receipts showing that where I ate and stayed was owned by a private Cuban citizen. Getting a receipt is often difficult. US customs are the ones that want to see the receipts. I will also introduce God’s Plan for His Disciples (GPHD) in two locations and prepare for my next visit when I have been asked to introduce it in 8-10 additional locations. Yuly and her husband, Alexis, have been given permission to teach Bible lessons to children who are residents of a mental health facility, which is a rare opportunity. Pray for them and this rare opportunity.” As you pray for Tom, please remember his health needs. During the past few months, he battled COVID which weakened his immune system. He has a large heart for the people of Cuba and especially churches that need establishing in biblical principles.
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As I continue to ponder the various aspects of being a shepherd, it forced me to go back to the “Chief Shepherd” and His words regarding this all-important function. Consider these:
“Just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice. So, there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason, the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it up again” (John 10:15–17). The is one Church – one flock. Sadly, many think in terms of denominations and many other descriptions that separate in our thoughts, hearts and actions between different groups. While there are biblical reasons for some separations, we should be more in tune with God’s view of the Church and how it was birthed. Remember Paul’s words in Ephesians 4, “There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:4–6). There will be more on this subject in the days ahead. Not every pastoring position is pleasant. Just a quick read of the seven letters to churches in Revelation 2 and 3 show that even Jesus said some hard things to churches who were not being faithful to their calling. Before you dismiss these concerns as only because Jesus was the perfect evaluator, I ask you to read a reference from Paul’s first letter to Galatia.
“Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth? They (false teachers) make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them. It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose, and not only when I am present with you, my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you!” (Galatians 4:16–19). There are two things about this last phrase I want you to meditate on. First, the spiritual health of these saints was in jeopardy because of the false teaching. This brought real pain to Paul’s heart. He could notleave them in this condition. Second, Paul was willing to go through intense pain “until Christ is formed”in them. He would not settle for less. QUESTION: How much pain are you willing to endure for the sake of “Christ in you?” In the last few weeks, the Lord and I have talked over the role of a shepherd in the Church, what it looks like and how it is carried out faithfully. While Paul and Peter modeled their teaching after what they saw in Jesus, John 21:15-19 in particular, they also spent time training others in this very important function. Textbook shepherding lacks developing the heart that goes into care for others. Let this quote from Paul help the illustration.
“I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know Timothy’s proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel” (Philippians 2:19–22). The gospel is at the foundation of concern for others. In referring to Himself, Jesus said, “I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep” (John 10:11). There may be various forms of ‘laying down your life,’ but we must remember that shepherding requires personal sacrifice in order to have genuine concern for the spiritual health and wellbeing of the flock. As I seek to make an impact on those around the world that are part of this ministry, it is critical that my words and form of communication come from the heart of THE SHEPHERD. If you are in this role in any degree, take time for a conversation with the Good Shepherd! This is one of the most beautiful expressions of interdependence, unity, and cooperation that existed between divine persons. Read this verse, meditate on it, and consider how and why Jesus needed to make this request of His Father.
“I will ask the Father and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,” (John 14:16). Combine this with another statement of Jesus, ““I can do nothing on My own. As I hear, I judge, and My judgment is just, because I seek not My own will but the will of Him who sent Me” (John 5:30). Such majestic glory revealed in the relationship between God the Father and God the Son (though fully human) is something I am unqualified to speak of, except to point to their glory as given to us by the Holy Spirit in God’s Word. In our Zoom Prayer meeting last evening, someone referred to John Piper’s book, Don’t Waste Your Life. In the Preface, John refers to 1 Corinthians 6:19-20: “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19–20). He adds, to “Glorify God in your body” Is because “God made you for this. He bought you for this. This is the meaning of your life” (page 9).
Anything less than living for this purpose is to live for something far less than what we were designed for. As I meditate on this principle, I think of Nehemiah and how he handled a major attempt to distract Nehemiah from rebuilding the wall. “Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come and let us meet together at Hakkephirim in the plain of Ono.” But they intended to do me harm. And I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work, and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?”” (Nehemiah 6:2–3). Are you able to discern between the enemy’s subtle suggestions a God’s call on your life?  Each week our Thursday evening Zoom Prayer call is filled with updates and news of what God is doing in various corners of the world. Don recounted how they stopped at a home on their trek in Nepal, not knowing it was where a witch doctor lived. They shared the gospel with this family and they all received Jesus as Savior, plus the daughter was baptized. What wonderful proof of God working where we least expect the gospel to be received.
This reminds me of Peter and Paul explaining the way God has always worked through the gospel. “Onceyou were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy” (1 Peter 2:10). “At one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8). This should not surprise us. Every person who received Jesus as Savior has been saved from the penalty of sin and adopted into the family of God. We have been rescued from darkness and brought by grace into His light which now shines in us by the Holy Spirit.  “Thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness” (Romans 6:17–18).
Some of the short reports we receive are worth many pages of thanks to God for what He is doing through our Timothy’s. This report comes from Zambia and is a perfect example of how the simple study of Scripture on the subject of baptism has led many to be obedient to God’s Word. “It was so wonderful to go through GPHD, acknowledging the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. As a result, we had baptized believers who were obedient to the Bible. This was followed by celebrating the Lord’s Supper.” This reminds me of John’s words, “For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth” (3 John 3–4). “Christians are transformed by the renewing of their minds. They understand that, in large measure, how they think about the gospel will determine how they will live for God’s glory. They learn to allow the Word of God to do its own work, informing and influencing the way they think in order to shape the way they live.” (Sinclair B. Ferguson, Devoted to God)
The greatest need in Cuba is not physical, although food is becoming harder to find, clean water is scarce, and electric power is often not available. What is needed more than anything is that believers are strengthened in their faith through God’s Word.
For that reason, I am asking that you pray for Tom who has carried Cuba in his heart for a long time and is planning to return. He was able to book a ticket to Santa Clara, Cuba and is scheduled to leave on April 29th. He will not be able to go to all the places that have asked for him to come, teach, and introduce God’s Plan for His Disciples (GPHD) because of the difficulty of traveling in Cuba. Another trip will be planned while Tom is there. He hopes to cover more of the island in the future. There is a hunger for God’s word and limited opportunities for biblical teaching once you leave the two or three large cities. While you pray for this trip, the most significant need is for Tom to get a Visa so he can travel there. He also wants the Lord to lead him while on the island. A local pastor told Tom that the situation in Cuba continues to deteriorate. Much prayer is needed. |
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