Aruba Convention – 2006

Yesterday we officially started our convention round with a one day convention in Aruba. We just had the usual Sunday morning meeting but we workers spoke for a little longer. Then in the evening we had a gospel meeting and invited contacts who get very few opportunities to listen to the gospel. We will have 4 gospel meetings in the week that we are here.

Winsome Lyn from Jamaica spoke from Rom 8 “All things work together for good…”

Sometimes experiences seem as if they are against us. But as far as God’s people are concerned, every experience is working for us. As Paul wrote, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” One of the Jamaican sisters who was supposed to be with us was refused entry when we arrived in Aruba and had to go back to Curacao. We were all rather shocked, of course, but it turned out for good because we had just made contact with a lady whose grandmother professes and she only speaks Spanish and so this sister speaks Spanish and has been able to have some meetings and visits with this lady and it sounds as if she is really appreciating it. So often what seems to be unfortunate can be for the best. And it’s true even when there isn’t obvious evidence at the time. Someone wrote recently in line with this thought that we are not the product of our privileges but we are the product of our prayers. Experiences can teach us many things, experiences can change us, experiences can deepen our love for God. We desire to learn from every experience, but if we don’t learn from the experience, it is only another event. We want to get the gold out of every experience. We can learn from the experiences of others and we do well to listen to the voice of experience. Even a bitter experience can be a growing experience.

This verse goes on to list all the things that could separate us from the love of God.

Tribulation: tribulation worketh patience. That’s what it can work if we have the right attitude. We read that those in heaven came out of great tribulation. They didn’t let tribulation separate them from the love of God. The bible teaches us that if we want to live Godly then we must suffer tribulation. Paul was persuaded that nothing was going to separate him from the love of God. In this verse it speaks about being “more than conquerors.” Be willing for tribulation. When Daniel and his friends went through tribulation there was no smell of fire. We could take out of tribulation a lot of things like bitterness, Job could have. But we don’t want to take anything out of the experience but more of the marks of Christ.

Then it mentions distress. Something else that could separate us from the love of Christ. A Father had a son and in the evenings he would piggyback him around the house. But there was one room without a light on. Whenever the father piggybacked his son through that room, the boy would cling on tighter. Someone said once to the father, “”Why do you take him through that room when he doesn’t like it, when it distresses him?” And the father said, “Because I like the feeling of him holding tighter.”

Persecution. Paul rejoiced that he was counted worthy to suffer…Don’t let persecution separate us but like mature Christians let us rejoice.

Life…cares of life, business. Good to have the purpose this is not going to separate us from the love of God.

Nor angels. Galatians 1, “Tho we or an angel preach another gospel..” Don’t think it can’t happen to us. Satan himself deceives as an angel of light. “If it were possible to deceive the very elect.” A lady of 90 in Jamaica who had been professing for many years was deceived by the Seventh Day adventist people.

Principalities and powers. Ephesians..wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers…. Don’t play with them. They are much more powerful than we are.

Things present…A brother worker was discouraged. Older companion said, “Well, can you make it today?” “Yes, I think I can make it today.” And the next day he asked the same question. We can make it a step at a time. Be true today, and tomorrow will take care of itself.

Height. Riches and promotion. Joseph rose right to the top but he didn’t let it separate him.

But what could separate us from the love of God. What we love. We read of those who were lovers of themselves more than lovers of God. One man gave his testimony and he said, “This year I had a bad year. I spent too much time on my computer.” Be careful of what we love.

Oom Piet told us about a time when he was with Jurgens Slabert and his older companion asked him to go and get some bread. But they had no money. They emptied their wallets and there was nothing. Anyway that afternoon the postman came and there was a package and in it was a 100 guilder note. That was a big amount in those days. It turned out that months before a lady had died and in her bible was an envelope with some money for these two workers. But the man had not noticed it till he happened to look by chance on the mantelpiece and it arrived just when it was needed. God knows the needs of His saints and we are glad that we still have the same confidence in the Lord fulfilling His promises to His servants. John said “I go a fishing.” They had nothing. But God wasn’t unmindful of their situation. Jesus was there with meat.

Just this for now…warm greetings…

Your bro,

Mike