From my office's window

Chinese grocery store @ Bristol

Take bus 8 to city center then transfer to bus 8 to Eastgate shopping center.

Love feast

Open bank account

I prepared the required document and went to the bank to open a bank account this morning. I thought it would be every easy and it turned out that I was wrong.

They asked for the bill as a verification for my address in UK. I told them that I didn't have a bill, since my rent includes everything. I showed them the agreement for attendence. They said it's not acceptable. Then they gave me the application form and a list of documents that I should bring with me. Still they didn't explain to me what I should do in order to verify my address in UK.

Then Helen, PA to the deprtment head, helped me to draft a letter as a proof for my employment and residency. I thought it should work out this time. So I went to the bank again. This time they told me that the letter was not acceptable, since it didn't address all the points that bank needs. "You didn't tell me what should be covered in this letter. And you should have told me last time when I came to ask." I said. They didn't say anything. Neither make an apology for their carelessness.

My roommate told me, " If there is anything can be wrong, it will be wrong." I guess it is just the style of Great Britain. (Just a joke. Do not take it personally.)

在風暴中有信心（二）

聖經經節

希伯來十二2：望斷以及於耶穌，就是我們信心的創始者與成終者；祂為那擺在前面的喜樂，就輕看羞辱，忍受了十字架，便坐在神寶座的右邊。

馬太十一28：凡勞苦擔重擔的，可以到我這裡來，我必使你們得安息。
29：…你們魂裡就必得安息。

職事的話

我們需要相信主，不看我們的環境或情況。我們不要看風暴，乃要看安息的主。你要跟從風暴還是跟從安息的主？我們甚至可以對主說，『主，既然你在安息，我也要與你一同安息。任憑風吹罷。因為你在安息，我就能與你一同安息。』

我們與主同在旅程中，常常會遇到風暴或旋風。然後我們可能受到打岔，忘記主的話，以及祂與我們同在且正在安息的事實。你能彀說，『主，既然你在安息，我也要安息麼？』們都要學習這樣操練。

按照路加福音裏的描繪，當我們走主所命定的路時，主會安息，仇敵會忙碌。邪靈與鬼會在我們的旅程中活躍，興風作浪來阻撓我們。我們需要記住，實際上這不是我們的旅程，乃是主的旅程，我們乃是與祂同行。我們走的是祂的路，祂與我們同在路上。事實上，祂甚至與我們同在船上。我們不該受攪擾，反該在安息的主裏面有平安。

(c) 2007 Living Stream Ministry。闡釋部份取自路加福音生命讀經，第189～190頁。美國加州安那翰市，水流職事站出版。

在風暴中有信心

聖經經節
路加八22：有一天，耶穌和門徒上了船，祂對他們說，我們渡到湖的對岸去罷。他們就開了船。
23：正航行的時候，耶穌睡著了。湖上起了風暴，船就要滿了水，甚是危險。
24：門徒進前來，叫醒了祂，說，夫子，夫子，我們喪命啦！耶穌醒來，斥責風和水上的大浪，風浪就止住，平靜了。
25：耶穌對他們說，你們的信心在那裡？他們既懼怕，又希奇，彼此說，這人到底是誰？祂竟吩咐風和水，連風和水也聽從了祂。

職事的話

按照新約聖經，信心總是基於主的話。我們若沒有從主來的話，我們的信心就沒有根基。主的話產生信心。在這件事裏，主給門徒甚麼話？就是二十二節所記的：『我們渡到湖的對岸去罷。』主既然說了這話，祂必定會履行。

門徒既有主的話和主的同在，他們就當安心，不該擔心風暴。主已經告訴他們渡到湖的對岸去，而且主與他們同在船上。他們不該因風暴而受驚嚇。

今天我們這些主的跟從者有個難處，就是風暴來臨的時候，我們時常忘記主的話。不僅如此，我們可能不注視主，反倒注視風暴。我們都需要學習，在跟從主的旅程中，每當有風暴興起時，我們該注視睡著的主，而不該注視風暴。我們不該在意風暴─我們該在意主的話。主總會履行祂的話。因此，當祂告訴我們渡到對岸去，不論有怎樣的風暴來臨，我們都可以確信會到達對岸。

Happy Birthday

Photo Book

I was sorting out the photos on my iPhoto last Saturday. It was fun to look at old pitures and recall what was happening at that moment. "Why don't I just make a book?" This idea appeared in my head and I started to do it. Now I have two unfinished books. One is All Time Favorite and the other is Cooking Book.

Believe or not?

Park Street

Cathedral

What is it?

A sculpture at Explore@Bristol.

Harbour

Transcending Everything through Praise

Bible Verses

Isa 38:18 For Sheol cannot thank You, and Death cannot praise You; They that go down to the pit cannot hope in Your truth.(19) The living, the living, he will praise You, as I do today...

Words of Ministry

Your whole being may struggle, complain, and cry for justice. You may find it difficult to forgive or pardon others. It is hard for you to overcome your feeling. You are wronged, slandered, persecuted, and you cannot get over it. Prayer does not help much. You want to fight and struggle against it, but you cannot. The more you try to shake off this burden, the worse you become. You find it hard to overcome. Please remember that when you suffer great personal hardship and severe injustice, it is not the time for you to pray, but the time for you to praise. You should bow your head and say to the Lord, "I thank You. You are never wrong in what You do. I accept all these things from Your hands. I thank You . I praise You. " If you do this, all your problems will go away.

Victory has nothing to do with struggling with the flesh. It has nothing to do with trying to forgive others or striving to pardon others with one's own strength. Victory comes when one bows his head and praises the Lord: "I praise You for Your
way. Your arrangement is always good. Whatever You do is right." When you praise the Lord this way, your spirit will soar above your problems; it will soar above your inner wounds. Your spirit will transcend to the heights... The Christian life soars through praises. To praise is to transcend everything to touch the Lord. This was the pathway our Lord Jesus took when He was on earth.


Bible verses are taken from the Recovery Version of the Bible and Words of Ministry, from Watchman Nee, Messages for Building Up New Believers, pp. 255-256. Both are published by Living Stream Ministry, Anaheim, CA.

Getting around in Bristol

Bristol is not a big city. Actually it is very convenient for me to getting around in the city. Basically I can walk to anywhere I want.

So far I have settled down. I rent a room in a house on campus. The room is really big, which is out of my expectation. There are 4 rooms in this house. So I have three roommates, all of them are male. One is, from South Korea, doing a Post-doc in medicine, one is from Holland, visiting Department of Chemistry and the other is from India, an academic staff in computer science. Quite international and diverse.

The location of the house is ideal, since it is close to everywhere: work, grocery store, bookstore, post office, resteraunt, etc. Wherever you name it.

Sainsbury's is the place where I go for general grocerie.

Fresh and wild, the whole foods market in UK, is my favorite place. Not only reminds me the US, but also it has my favorite meals and groceries. There is another small shop for organic fruit and vegetables. I run into that store the other day, but I forgot where it is exactly. So I need another exploration.

I have not been to Asian market. I am told that there are two in the town. The big one is close to Ikea and quite good. I am looking forward to visiting and cooking some Chinese dishes.

The bookstore, Borders, is 5 minutes away from my place.

Brandon Hill Park is 10 minutes way.

Harbor? I haven't been there. This will be my assignment for this weekend.

Sounds I like Bristol, right? Yes, I do.

Registration

Newfoundland Road police station
83 Newfoundland Road
Bristol BS2 9LU
Tel: 0845 456 7000

Things to bring: passport, 34 pounds in cash, and 2 passport-size photographs within 7 days of arrival.

Away day

Today is my official starting date to work at the University of Bristol.

It is also the first away day for the statistics group. The idea of away day to get to know each other and the group. I am lucky enough to meet almost all the people in the group on the first day. Moreover I get a pretty good idea about the group and I am happy where I am now.

The funny part is in the morning. Each of us has 10 minutes to introduce ourselves and this introdction is videotaped. Very interesting.

A scary dream

I seldom have a dream when I sleep. But last night I had this scary dream.

I didn't know where I was exactly. I was running into a school building for a seminar. But on my way I got hurt seriously. Both of arms and left leg were broken and they were wrapped with bandage. Basically I was not able to move. Suddenly I saw my friend and I wanted to grab him badly. But I was too far away, then I started running. It hurted, too much pain ... I could not catch him and saw him turning away ...

This morning I woke up with pain in my body. Maybe the bed is too soft. I should be able to move into my room early this week.

The function of the sisters in the church life

Ron Kangas , 02/02/07 2:00 pm, Milagro, Ecuador (under a shade tree beside a soccer field) (Notes by DWV)


The Function Of The Sisters In The Church Life

Scripture Reading: Luke 1:26-38- And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 To a virgin engaged to a man named Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, Rejoice, you who have been graced! The Lord is with you. 29 And she was greatly troubled at this saying and began reasoning what kind of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, Do not be afraid, Mary, for
you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to Him the throne of David His father, 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end. 34 But Mary said to the angel, How will this be, since I have not known a man? 35 And the angel answered and said to her, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore also the holy thing which is born will be called the Son of God. 36 And behold, Elizabeth your relative, she also has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month
for her who is called barren, 37 Because no word will be impossible with God. 38 And Mary said, Behold, the slave of the Lord. May it happen to me according to your word. And the angel departed from her.

This meeting is to have fellowship about the function of the sisters in the church life. It is not just for sisters. [NOTE: Some brothers had joined the meeting under the shade tree at the back.] Once again I would point out, we should not separate any matter in the church life from God's economy. God's economy was determined in eternity past. That is when He made his eternal purpose, when He chose us in Christ, when He foreknew us. That is when He predestinated us. It was all decided by God in Christ in eternity past. Then He created the universe for the fulfillment of His purpose. He especially created the earth and on the earth, human kind. God deliberately made man-male and female. Isn't this interesting? God could have made everyone female or everyone male. But he created a corporate man-male and female. It is not an accident that we are male and female. The male and female carry out God's purpose. The male and female bear the image of God. The male and female exercise dominion to subdue the enemy. The way we should proceed in our fellowship is not to speak today of abstract principles. Instead what we will do is take a tour of the New Testament from Matthew to Revelation. Then we will look at many of the females in the New Testament. And you may want to keep your Bibles open or make note of all the scripture references. As we look at what is recorded in the New Testament regarding sisters, we will learn a great deal. We won't cover all the females. For example, we won't cover Herodias. She was a bad lady. Actually we will only cover one bad lady toward the end.

The place to begin is with Mary in Luke 1. I would say she is the perfect woman. She is altogether a woman. She has the position of a female, the demeanor of a female, the expression of a female. She is pure before the Lord. Then she had an amazing experience. The Angel Gabriel came to her. The Angel Gabriel never came to me. Did he ever come to you? Surely this would be surprising. Gabriel came with a message from God. He told her that she would conceive in her womb, bear a son, call His name Jesus, and that He would be the Son of the Most High. Isn't this amazing? It never happened before or after. Understandably, Mary had a question. "How can this be? I have not known a man." In other words, she was a virgin. She was told that the Holy Spirit would come upon her and the power of the Most High would overshadow her and she would give birth to the Holy Thing-the Son of God.

This is the intrinsic function of the sisters-to bring forth Christ for the building up of the Body of Christ. When the Apostle Paul was bringing forth the believers he travailed in birth-he had to be a female. He even called himself a nursing mother (1 Thes. 2:7). You won't bring forth Christ literally like Mary did, but the principle is the same. The Spirit comes to you and conceives something of Christ in you and the God-man is born. The Spirit operates in us through the Word. Vs. 37 says, "No word will be impossible with God." or "No word from God will be impossible." Then immediately Mary prayed, "Behold the slave of the Lord. May it happen to me according to your Word." Here we have the Spirit, the Word and a human female. Her attitude was that she was the slave of the Lord. She had no opinion. She had no reasoning, no objection, no self-consideration. She said, "May it be happen to me according to your word." If we were all clear about this and all the sisters were females and all the brothers were females, the church would be filled with Christ. The Spirit would come through the Word; we would be submissive to the Spirit and the Word; and Christ would be brought forth. For the sisters to bring forth Christ, they need to be pure and they need to be simple. To be simple is not to be unintelligent. To be simple is to be uncomplicated before God. The Lord needs this. The Lord needs believers who are uncomplicated in His presence. There are no contrary thoughts, no rebellious reasonings. She didn't say, "Lord, may it happen." She said, "May it happen TO ME." She didn't say, "May it happen" as if it didn't involve her. She said, "May it happen TO ME. Something must happen TO ME." If the God-ordained things don't happen to you, then Christ cannot be brought forth in the church. So Mary was submissive, open, and actively cooperated. So we have this perfect pattern.

Now let's look at some other females in the New Testament. We will see some of them when they are still quite natural, and others when they are transformed. Matthew 20:20, 21-Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Him with her sons, worshipping and asking something of Him. 21 And He said to her, What do you want? She said to Him, Say that these two sons of mine will sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your kingdom. The mother of the sons of Zebedee came asking something of Him. The mother was the power behind the scene. She came WORSHIPPING, but her worshipping was not pure because she asked something. "What do you want?" "Say that these two sons of mine will sit, one on your right and one on your left in your kingdom." She was ambitious for her sons. She knew she could not ask such a thing for herself directly. She is living through her sons. She is the power behind the throne. She wants her two sons sitting in the best place in the kingdom. Then in the kingdom she could walk around and say, "Look at my two boys. Jesus is there, and on the right and the left are MY TWO SONS." This is how many women get their glory. Some get glory through their husbands If their husband is appointed an elder, then they think they are a queen in the church. Actually, you are simply the wife of an elder-a slave. When brother Lee appointed elders in a certain place, he told a story. He was explaining to the elders and the church that the elders were slaves. A sister-we know this dear sister-her husband was appointed an elder. She had a feast at her house and invited many saints to her house to celebrate the appointment of her husband as an elder. She is getting glory. My husband-MY husband will give the announcements. Who listens to announcements anyway? MY husband. I am the elder's wife. I wish I had been there when the feast was held. I could have been there as a prophet. I would have walked in and said, "Woe to you! Your life will be filled with sorrow. You will hardly see your husband. You are married to a slave. Instead of feasting you should be fasting. You are married to a slave." Many women are like this toward their sons. They push them and drive them and they, the mothers, are ambitious. This isn't very pretty. The Lord was faithful to this sister. "Oh, dear sister, your sons will be martyred. That is what will happen. I can't promise you anything." And James was martyred early and John was martyred through his whole life. From Mary we learn to be simple, open, pure, and uncomplicated in our whole life. From the wife of Zebedee we learn not to be ambitious.

Right away we come to a deep lesson. You all know that when a child is born there is the umbilical cord. This must be cut. There is also a psychological umbilical cord. Your soul is bound up with the souls of your children. If they are to follow the Lord fully, you must deny yourself and lose your soul life and not continue to live in the natural life. But probably out of 100 sisters, it would be hard to find 2 who would live this way. Most live in the natural life. And their natural life limits the Lord in them and their natural life frustrates the growth of their children. The Lord gave you children so that they would become sons of God. Mary gave birth to the Lord Jesus. The Lord Jesus said on the cross when His mother was there. He said, "Woman, behold your son. Son behold your mother." There was a transfer of life. She became the mother of John in the Spirit. In Acts 1, Mary was there as one of the sisters of the Lord Jesus. She got beyond the natural life.

A very different scene is in Luke 8. In vs. 1 we see that the Lord was journeying from place to place. The twelve were with Him as well as certain women who were healed of certain evil spirits and infirmities. Mary Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna and Susanna and many other women. Here we see the practical service of the sisters in response to his care for them. Mary Magdalene must have been a very troubled lady. She had 7 demons. Have you ever met someone with 7 demons? The Lord Jesus cast out the demons. She was the one who saw the Lord first (in resurrection). The Lord has a very particular ministry to the needy females. Many have been damaged, wounded, abused, misused-the Lord knows this and ministered to them and cared for them and healed them. The Lord met the needs. These sisters had some practical means and ministered to the Lord out of their possessions. Don't think this is an insignificant thing. I will be in Ecuador for about 12 days. Where will I sleep? What will I eat? I don't have to worry because you sisters are here. You care about these things. If we didn't have food to eat, a clean bed, a towel, we couldn't minister. We couldn't minister without you. I appreciate these verses. Here are women so damaged-even possessed by demons-but they are delivered and healed and then they minister. Yes, they are giving material things, but they are doing it in a spiritual way out of much love. The Lord will remember all of your practical service. He will remember all the meals you prepared, the laundry you did, the beds you prepared. You did this out of love and appreciation of Him. Didn't He say, "As you have done it unto one of these my brothers, you have done it to Me. If you give a cup of cold water in My name, you will not lose your reward." We need light on this. Physical service is not trivial. Without it we cannot have the church life. Yes, we have the mingled spirit and eternal life, but we are living in the old creation and we need this practical care. In Luke 10:38-42, we see two sisters. Martha is the dominant one and she received the Lord into her home. She had a sister called Mary. What did Mary do? Nothing. Listen to what Martha said, "Lord, doesn't it matter that my sister has left me to serve alone. Command her to help me." Isn't this strong? Can you sisters be powerful!? "Doesn't it matter to You?" She is criticizing God. "Tell her to do her part. I am commanding You." I would have had a big club. "Martha, you are too strong. Shut up. You are out of order." That would be the natural man meeting the natural female. The Lord said, "Martha, Martha. You are troubled about many things." In chapter 8 we see service in simplicity. Here in chapter 10 we see serving out of anxiety. She is nervous, occupied, troubled by many things. "Oh-we are missing a cup. Oh no, the food is cold." She is drawn about. She is not happy. Eventually she erupts and this happens with all the Martha's. They receive the Lord and start serving in their natural life because they are very capable, but then they get overwhelmed and they see Mary enjoying all the fellowship and they explode. This is the story of the "Exploding Martha's". They do all this work but there is no grace, no joy- just doing their duty all in the natural life. They are distracted from the Lord by what they are doing FOR the Lord. Actually to serve the Lord is quite risky. You may care more for your service than for the Lord Himself. "There is need for one thing. Mary has chosen the good part which shall not be taken away from her." The sisters need to serve (Chapter 8), but here we see the service is second. The one thing is simple-to be in the Lord's presence, listening to His word. Has this impressed you that you only need one thing? You know you need dozens of things. The Lord says, "ONE thing... Please stop what you are doing. Simply sit here and let me minister to you and let me give you My word. Mary has chosen the better part." We make choices. Martha made her choice-to make the best dinner for the Lord. Mary made hers-to love Him and listen to Him. In John 11 we see that Martha and Mary are active again concerning their brother Lazarus. They send Jesus a message appealing to His love. You sisters have a strong point. That is your love-your capacity to love. But the Lord doesn't respond to natural appeals for love. They sent an indirect message. "The one whom you love is ill. Lord, you love him. Love. LOVE." But the Lord didn't budge. He stayed where He was for a couple of days. Then he went back and who did He meet- Martha. She said, "If You had been here he would not have died. If You had come when we asked for You, this would not have happened." This is her opinion-very strong. She wanted the Lord to be the "God of prevention". We all want God to be the God of prevention. "Lord, don't let this happen. Fix this. Stop that." God wants to be the God of resurrection. He did not act according to the natural appeal for love. So he told Martha, "Your brother will rise again." She says, "I know. I know. Do you have anything else to say?" "Yes, I am the resurrection and the life and he who believes in Me shall live and never die." Lord doesn't say anything about Mary, but Martha goes to Mary and tells her that the Lord is calling for her. Some sisters are so subjective. They have an opinion and say it is the Lord. Then Mary says the same thing as Martha, full of opinion. Now they are heading toward the tomb. The Lord Jesus is about to raise Lazarus from the tomb. But Martha says, "He stinks by now. We CAN'T roll the stone away." Opinions impede the manifestation of resurrection life in the church. Everyone has opinions. But with the sisters, it is harder to drop your opinion, because you are deeper than the brothers and more subjective than the brothers. It is like your being-your baby. Your opinion is like your baby. Martha has all this opinion and it frustrates the resurrection life. First He has to subdue all the opinions and then He resurrects Lazarus. One marvelous way to serve the Lord in the church is to allow the Lord to subdue all your opinions. I have seen something about the health of the saints. A brother or sister gets ill and they seek a treatment. Other saints disagree. They have an opinion. They may care more for their opinion than for caring for this brother. "Don't go to the doctor; eat this kind of food; drink liquefied grass. DON'T GOT TO THE DOCTOR. Pray for healing." Why can't we just be one with the brother or sister. The opinions frustrate the flow of life. There are opinions about the elders, opinions about the church. Only those who care about the church will have opinions. But your opinions make you a Martha in John 11. You have the opinion and death rules. When you drop your opinions, submit to the Lord, submit to Him and obey Him, death is defeated by resurrection life. This is a real experience. When a sister is in her 20's, her opinions are not that strong. But when you get older you may become more opinionated until you are an old lady, filled with opinions. Then when you pass away, we should put a headstone that says, "Here lies Opinion". This is the tendency of human life to get more and more opinionated as we get older. You don't have to be this way. You can have more and more Christ as you get older-more and more life.

Let's peak at Chapter 12. They are in Bethany (vs. 1), having supper there (vs. 2). Martha served. Now her serving is different from Luke 10. Now Martha is in resurrection. Her service is in resurrection. Mary is still sitting there, loving the Lord and listening to Him. We should all be both Martha's and Mary's. We should love and pour out our lives on the Lord, but we should also serve. "Martha served" (what a lovely word!). Her function was brought into resurrection. If you go to the Lord, we will say, "She loved the Lord and she served. We were all touched by her love. She poured out her being on Him. And she served. She loved and she served." I would like to have such a testimony. At least a few times since I have been here I have told the Lord, "I love you. I serve You because I love you. Let us go to Ecuador. There I will give You my love." We have the first love (Mary) and the first works (Martha).

Few more portions:
In Acts 12, James has been killed. Peter has been put into prison. Vs. 5 says, "...but prayer... was being made fervently by the church concerning him." Not only for him-that is one thing. I can say I pray for you. I do something directly for you by my prayers. That is not wrong. But if I pray CONCERNING you, that means I have a realization how you are connected to God's economy. I need to pray concerning you- many things concerning you. The church prayed FERVENTLY. When Peter was released where did he go? To the house of Mary. I believe Mary and those like her took the lead to pray- to pray fervently. The Bible requires that we all pray. Paul told Timothy that the elders should first of all pray. The brothers need to learn to pray. But we cannot match the sisters in prayer. I don't know why fully, but we just can't. Whenever I travel I know that the church and a number of sisters also are praying. If the sisters do not pray, I cannot minister the word. Usually the sisters will be quicker than brothers to pray. Why? Because the sisters do not trust themselves as the brothers do. Sisters are not afraid to be dependent. Not afraid to say, "I don't know. I can't handle this." Men-the brothers-we think, we talk, we reason, we discuss, we argue, we try, and then-"Oh, we could pray." At the very end we pray. But with you dear sisters, that is often the first thing you do. In Luke 18, when the Lord wanted to teach us concerning persistent prayer, he used a widow as an illustration. The female life by God's creation is more dependent. In the spiritual realm, this is a great benefit. You will pray-you will depend on the Lord. You are praying and we brothers are reasoning. We need to learn to be the female in relation to our husband. We all know the story in Acts 9 of Paul's conversion. Ananias gets a word. Holy Spirit says, "Behold, he is praying."-like this is an event, something special. "Behold!" To have the ministry of prayer is a great ministry. You sisters are not going to be elders. If you marry an elder, you won't be a queen. You are the sisters. But the Father remembers your prayers. You will be rewarded for your prayers that fulfill His purpose.

In Acts 16, we have the Lord's move to Europe. Through whom did God open Europe. You might say, "The jailer." He was not the first. It was Lydia. The Lord opened her heart. When He opened her heart, He opened Europe. This is not a small thing. Here is a woman-she loves God-not yet a believer-but the Lord opens her heart. This was the beginning of the Lord's work in Europe. The Lord will often use the open heart of the sisters.

I received an email from a sister less than thirty years old who is serving full-time. Someone forwarded her a copy of a letter that David Vinson had written. She said, "I lived in Ecuador for some time in 1999. She lived with a family in Quito. I visited many of the cities where you are visiting. The saints are so dear and precious, but I realized then that they were being cheated in life and in the truth. So since 1999 I have been praying for Ecuador." Isn't this precious. It is marvelous. She is rejoicing that we are here. The Lord is faithful. Unless you are the family she stayed with you wouldn't know her. She wasn't being critical. She had discernment. The sisters judgment might not be very good, but their discernment is often very good. She realized the situation. Some brothers might be angry to hear this, but it is the truth. You have been cheated. She didn't make an issue. She didn't make a stink. She just prayed. Isn't this wonderful?

Just a few more sisters. Let's cover the NEGATIVE one first. Let's look at Philippians 4. The church met in someone's home. Epaphroditus arrives with a letter. I can picture them reading the letter aloud. "I exhort Euodias and Syntyche to think the same thing in the Lord." Vs. 3. "Assist them." In chapter 2 Paul said, "Is there any fellowship of love in the inward parts. Make my joy full." Now in chapter 4 he puts his finger on the problem. These two sisters in the church have a problem with one another. They don't think the same thing. What I am going to say now you may not understand today, but one day you will understand. Sisters are more experiential than brothers. They are deeper than brothers. Brothers are like bones and muscles in the Body. Sisters and are like blood and internal organs in the Body. When brothers have problem it can be serious and painful-like a broken thigh bone. But when sisters have problem it is critical. It affects the life flow in the church. This is a disease of the blood-of the kidney-of the liver. My wife attended a meeting Bro. Lee had almost 40 years ago. He rarely had meetings with sisters. He was speaking about this matter. "If I learned that there was a problem among the sisters, I would fast and pray for several days." I can only quote Bro. Lee. I have not had that experience. Those serving sisters had these problems. It is not a small thing for you to have an inward problem with another sister. She walks into the meeting and you have a reaction. You can't look at her. You can't pray together. You can't fellowship. This causes a great loss of life flow in the Body. That is why Paul asked someone to help. Do you want to serve the church? Then contact the Lord and, as far as it depends on you, be at peace with every sister. Forgive what has to be forgiven. If you have wounds, receive the Lord's healing.

I will stop my sharing with a few comments on Romans 16:1-2-I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a deaconess of the church which is in Cenchrea, 2 That you receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints and assist her in whatever matter she may have need of you; for she herself has also been the patroness of many, of myself as well. Consider. Consider that a co-worker would write the churches in Ecuador and say, "Sister Phoebe is coming. We commend her to you." A sister has to be quite pure to receive such a commendation. "I commend to you Phoebe, our sister." Do you sense the affection there? "Our sister Phoebe, who is a deaconess. Receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints. Assist her in whatever matter she may have need of you...." (cont.). Paul is admitting that this sister has been a great supply to him. Here is a serving sister. "Take care of her," Paul says, "because she has taken care of so many, including me." As I am finishing I am touched by one other matter that, for personal reasons, is the most touching of all. Vs. 13. "Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord and his mother and mine." "Rufus, greet your mother, who is MY mother." The Apostle Paul needed a mother. He had a mother. Do you think apostles don't need mothers? In 1981 a sister went to be with the Lord in Anaheim. When she went to the Lord as an overcomer, I felt I lost my mother. She had a heart condition and could hardly walk very much. She always carried her medicine with her to take immediately. Whenever I would see her on the sidewalk she would talk to me and I would listen. She ministered to me. She ministered to my wife. She prayed for me. And when she died, I lost my mother. That was in 1981. And I realized this is real. I thought, how can I go on? There are many sisters. But they know they can't be my mother. You can't be a young sister and be my mother. But we still do have a mother-us brothers. On the day Bro. Lee passed away, a few brothers went to Sister Lee's house. We told her, "Whatever you need, we will provide. For you are our mother." A mother. For a sister to become an elderly one in the church and to be mature in life and to live in resurrection and to have a life of prayer is one of the greatest blessing to the whole church. I hope you wouldn't be like the mother of the sons of Zebedee. If you are that way, let the Lord shepherd you. Let the Lord gain you. There will be no glory for you in this age. No glory. Very little recognition. Very little appreciation. But your spiritual sons and daughters will know who you are. And when you meet the Lord, He will stretch out before you a record of your whole life of service. Thousands and tens of thousands of things, some of which you have forgotten. God will never forget. When the overcomers are there, resurrected and raptured, we will be absolutely in the new creation. There will be no male and no female in Christ-all will be sons of God and the bride of Christ. But in this age-in the old creation-we must be male and female. This is the way the Lord made us. May you live to Him as sisters and become women of God-Phoebe, Mary, Martha, all in resurrection. Deep within, you will be very happy and through you the church will be blessed. Ecuador will be blessed. South America will be blessed. The recovery will be blessed. Praise the Lord. How blessed you are to be sisters in the Lord's recovery.

Cabot Tower at Brandon Hill Park

Bristol

I arrived at Bristol on September 13th, 2007.

The flight was very smooth and I got plenty sleep on the flight. When I woke up, it was just about landing. The Bristol airport is small. There was no walkway connected from the air plane to concourse. People has to walk outside, cross the street and get to the passport service port. After I picked up my luaggage, I took a cab to the department flat, at which I would stay temporarily. The driver dropped me off at the department flat address, but, somehow, I could not find the flat. It was a building with 8 flats, numbered from 1 to 8. What was given to me was a number labeled as "a". I could not find the contact person either. What should I do? I took a cab to the department. Luckily they figured out the correct address and send me over there. Great! Eventually I had a place to stay.

Before I came to Bristol, I tried to find an apartment online. But it is quite hard, since I am not familiar with the neighbourhood and I don't actually see the condition of the apartment. But I still inquired about some apartments. There was one drew my attention. This one is on campus, but it is a room in a house. Anyway, I made an appointment before I came. The appoitment was in the afternoon on my arrival day. I came to the flat, but nobody was there. Was I messed up again? No. The time was correct and so did the address. I kept waiting for 10 more minutes. Still nobody showed up. I was kind of angry at that moment. O, Lord! There was a nice-looking girl walking by. I stopped her and asked her if she could give me a hand. She helped me to call the person who was supposed to meet me. It turned out that they messed up with the appointment. A lady came 15 minutes later and showed me the room. It is a REALLY BIG room. I like it. Hopefully I will move in sometime next week.

I met some of my colleauges in the department. They are nice and freindly. I have aleady had my office with nice view.

Friday night I went to the home meeting. " We have found that meeting with the saints is the greatest joy on earth; 'Tis by this our spirit never faints and our lives are filled with worth." Thank you Lord for your body. Thank you Lord for your universal fellowship. Thank you Lord for keeping me in the flow of life. Lord, I love you.

Moving from one continent to the other is quite an experience, not only physically but also spiritually. Lord, supply me and strengthen me.