Greetings Brethren IN Jesus Name!
LAND
We’ve been here on the land for just under a year and we‘re almost finished with the work the Lord would have us to do here. I have to say, even though this is a beautiful place our time here really has been a trial and test from the Lord. It would be hard for most to imagine that it would be more difficult to be here in the US than being in either India or Mexico. But while we were in both of those countries our time was filled with ministry with brethren and ministry to the lost. And while those things are done unto the Lord they certainly bring one joy and satisfaction as well. Aside from the preparations the Lord has had us do here I can see how God has used this time to humble me and help me see regardless of what God has you doing, as long as you are in His will doing what He would have you to do, that is what should bring you joy and satisfaction. How easy it is to elevate things like evangelism and public ministry and equate them to “really serving the Lord”. But that’s certainly not the case. Being obedient to God in whatever He would have you to do or where He would have you to be is what is important. I know believers often say these things and agree with them, but it’s one thing to say them and another thing for God to test you in it. And while I do recognize that God has provided this land and everything on it for us and brethren in Christ, at times it really was a trial. I can’t tell you how many times I really did want to leave to preach and be around brethren. But, as good as those things are I had to die to them and trust in what the Lord was doing. But, it’s been a good and valuable lesson for me and one that now I’m glad the Lord has taken me through.
GODS PROVISION
As you know the Lord has given us this land in preparation for the future. Not only for us but for brethren as well. These last 10 months the Lord has continued to supply what we needed here as we’ve worked on the land. Being up in the mountains, one of the difficulties people have here is getting water. We’re up at almost 8000 ft and there really is no surface water supply. Because wells here are so deep most people haul water from places that allow it. That is what we have been doing the entire time we’ve been here. Lisa and I have prayed about the water situation many times. A few months ago the Lord answered our prayers! A brother in the Lord felt compelled to ask if we wanted help in getting a well drilled on our land. This was a huge blessing and we could not deny that God was again providing for us and others here on this land. So, for the last two months we’ve had well drillers out here drilling us a water well. They just hit water a few days ago at a depth of 1300 ft! That’s a deep well. Right now they are finishing the last of their work and should be done in 4 or 5 days. It’s always amazing to see God’s faithfulness to provide for whatever He calls His children to do.
LAND
We’ve been here on the land for just under a year and we‘re almost finished with the work the Lord would have us to do here. I have to say, even though this is a beautiful place our time here really has been a trial and test from the Lord. It would be hard for most to imagine that it would be more difficult to be here in the US than being in either India or Mexico. But while we were in both of those countries our time was filled with ministry with brethren and ministry to the lost. And while those things are done unto the Lord they certainly bring one joy and satisfaction as well. Aside from the preparations the Lord has had us do here I can see how God has used this time to humble me and help me see regardless of what God has you doing, as long as you are in His will doing what He would have you to do, that is what should bring you joy and satisfaction. How easy it is to elevate things like evangelism and public ministry and equate them to “really serving the Lord”. But that’s certainly not the case. Being obedient to God in whatever He would have you to do or where He would have you to be is what is important. I know believers often say these things and agree with them, but it’s one thing to say them and another thing for God to test you in it. And while I do recognize that God has provided this land and everything on it for us and brethren in Christ, at times it really was a trial. I can’t tell you how many times I really did want to leave to preach and be around brethren. But, as good as those things are I had to die to them and trust in what the Lord was doing. But, it’s been a good and valuable lesson for me and one that now I’m glad the Lord has taken me through.
GODS PROVISION
As you know the Lord has given us this land in preparation for the future. Not only for us but for brethren as well. These last 10 months the Lord has continued to supply what we needed here as we’ve worked on the land. Being up in the mountains, one of the difficulties people have here is getting water. We’re up at almost 8000 ft and there really is no surface water supply. Because wells here are so deep most people haul water from places that allow it. That is what we have been doing the entire time we’ve been here. Lisa and I have prayed about the water situation many times. A few months ago the Lord answered our prayers! A brother in the Lord felt compelled to ask if we wanted help in getting a well drilled on our land. This was a huge blessing and we could not deny that God was again providing for us and others here on this land. So, for the last two months we’ve had well drillers out here drilling us a water well. They just hit water a few days ago at a depth of 1300 ft! That’s a deep well. Right now they are finishing the last of their work and should be done in 4 or 5 days. It’s always amazing to see God’s faithfulness to provide for whatever He calls His children to do.
CALIFORNIA & MEXICO
While the well guys were still drilling Lisa and I had the opportunity to take a two week break from the land. In fact, we were able to take a trip to Texas and California to visit brethren. We drove 11 hours to Texas and were able to have my mom watch the kids for us so we could fly to CA for 9 days. It was a real blessing, especially for Lisa, because this was the first time in probably 7 years that she’s been able to take a real break from the kids! So after we visited some friends in Texas we flew to San Diego to visit a brother in Christ named Braden. I’ve known Braden since shortly after my conversion in 97. Since we were so close to Mexico Lisa and I wanted to visit the town that we used to live in when we were preaching there with Josef and Lina. The interesting thing is that the Lord was giving Braden dreams about going to Mexico as well. So it definitely seemed of the Lord for us all to go there. Braden, who’s fluent in Spanish, had a few reservations about going. After all, every news story about Mexico has to do with people being killed along boarder towns. Not only that, he works for the federal government and the FBI had warned them saying there was a bounty on the heads of all federal workers! But it was good because he didn’t let fear keep him from going. He just prayed about it and trusted the Lord. So while we were there we were able to go down to Rosarito Mexico twice. We were able to show him some of the places we were familiar with, where we lived and did ministry, and preach to a few people while we were there. One night we went out to eat at a place that has a lot of seafood restaurants. It’s sort of outside of Rosarito by the ocean. You have to park along a long wall and then walk to the restaurants. It can actually be a little overwhelming trying to pick a place to eat there. As you walk down the road the restaurants workers from each place come out and try to get you to go to their place. So you end up walking down the road with like 4 or 5 people getting right up in your face trying to get you to eat at their place. The funny thing is they all sell the same thing so in the end it really doesn’t matter where you go. Anyway, we picked one and had dinner. While we were there I met a young man in his twenties. I was able to talk to him for probably a good thirty minutes about the gospel. He told me that he ran a drug rehab in one city but then he was also trying to hook me up with drugs and prostitutes when we were there! Needless to say it was a great lead in to talking to him about sin, judgment to come, God’s nature and character, and salvation through Jesus Christ. I could tell at times he would come under conviction but would then try to change the subject to shake it off. Though he didn’t repent and believe I am believing God ordained our meeting for whatever He is doing in this mans life. I’m hoping to be able to talk to him again. After we finished dinner we headed back to the car. When we got there we noticed that the passenger door was open and the glove box was open. While we were having dinner someone had broken into Braden’s car. They had smashed the door handle and were able to open the door. Thankfully they just stole papers out of the glove box and left behind more valuable things that most people would steal. Having his car broken into was a real trial for Braden. He was already pressing through his hesitations about Mexico and now his car had been broken into. The great thing was was that he saw this trial as something from God. He told me that he had recently prayed to God about his belongings…about giving them to God and them not having a hold on his life. He saw this as God’s way of seeing if he had really let go of these things. I see so often that the love of material things, not wanting to suffer loss (materially or physically), and fear so often hold people back from giving all to God. People don’t realize the very things they cherish and won’t let go are the very things that actually keep them in bondage while they think they are free and keep them from being used by God. But it was good to see this brother begin to rejoice in his trial. And when we truly understand that God works all things for the good of the those who love Him, and understand that God is indeed Sovereign, we can as Paul said “rejoice in trials and tribulations”. If we know that God allows and brings certain situation into our lives then we can rejoice knowing that even, or I should say especially, through suffering and loss He is conforming us into the image of Christ. It’s a road very few people will allow the Lord to take them down because they really haven’t “forsaken everything from the heart” including their own lives. But it was a joy to see a brother rejoicing in a trial that God had brought his way. I know that when someone begins to embrace trials as God ordained in their life they will begin to know God in ways they have not known before. It really is wonderful to see.
HATS OFF TO THE JW’S
I hate to say it but I have to give credit where credit is due. If some of you have read my updates from when I was in Mexico you’ll know that I often wrote about the ministry of the JW’s there. I was constantly running into them and had several opportunities to preach to them and even to some of their elders. One thing was for sure….you could get up almost any morning and drive around and find some JW’s going door to door spreading their faith. I have to say, even though their doctrine is completely false they must really believe what they say they believe. Even if the reason they share their faith has selfish and false motives they believe it enough to be diligent about it. I found the same thing to be true when I was there this time. As I was preaching to the hotel manager he told me of people who would come by and hold bible study with him. I just dropped my head because I knew who it was. I asked him if it was the JW’s and he said yes. They were still going faithfully door to door sharing their faith. I spent a good while with him helping him to see the Christ of the bible and the falsehood of what the JW’s teach. Then later that evening I was talking to another one of the hotel workers about Christ. He was hard as a rock. He kept telling me about the “goofy Charismatic Pentecostals” who hit people on the head and make them fall to the floor. He talked about how they say people are healed when they really aren’t healed. He saw it all as a big circus (and I agree with him). For me the two encounters with these two workers just reiterated how backwards much of what is considered Christianity is today. It’s sad that people who don’t know Christ would see Christianity as a laughing joke and see the JW’s as those who take their faith seriously. And it’s true, while many churches seem to have their own little isolated club the JW’s are traveling land and sea to make one convert. We certainly do live in days of lukewarmness and apostasy. Now I’m not advocating that every believer begin a door to door evangelism ministry. While we’re all called to evangelism we are not all called to full time evangelism as a calling. That is something God calls men to and He sends them out. But I am convinced that if more professing believers were truly serious about their faith and had actually laid down their lives then they too would be sent by God and burdened to share with others the true riches that are found in Jesus Christ. True faith should and does produce a serious commitment to God and His kingdom. So much so that all other pursuits become foolish and vain in light of the truth of being a part of God’s unending kingdom. It’s a sad day when a cult is more faithful to what they believe then professing Christians who say they know the ONE who gives and has eternal life. It reminds me of the Keith Green song “Asleep in the light”. If you haven’t heard it you can listen to it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ik-XOVZcwow
MOVING TO MEXICO
As many of you know I truly have a heart felt desire to return to India and preach. And though I’ve wanted to go, at this time God has not confirmed that it’s His will or made it possible. (While I’m still hoping the Lord makes it possible sometime soon I want it to be in His will and not just my desire). However, surprisingly to Lisa and I, God has confirmed that He is sending us again to Mexico for a season. It’s certainly not a place that we ever thought we’d return too but we’re glad to do so in God’s will. We know the Lord at this time would have us to return to Rosarito and do evangelism ministry with Braden. Braden is fluent in Spanish and definitely feels called by God at this time to do ministry there. So for us it’s a joy to see the Lord put us together with him for a season to do ministry in Mexico. As of now, we’re planning on leaving on Oct 8th to head to San Diego and then to Rosarito to find a place to stay. We’ve been working with a lady in Rosartio who is helping us find a furnished place. That way we’ll be able to show up with just our clothes and a few other necessary items. How long will we be there? We could be there just through the winter or maybe longer. Only the Lord knows. We are though looking forward to working with our brother in Christ and preaching in Mexico. Also, given the fact that we’re so close to San Diego I’m praying about spending some time preaching in the Muslim community there.
While the well guys were still drilling Lisa and I had the opportunity to take a two week break from the land. In fact, we were able to take a trip to Texas and California to visit brethren. We drove 11 hours to Texas and were able to have my mom watch the kids for us so we could fly to CA for 9 days. It was a real blessing, especially for Lisa, because this was the first time in probably 7 years that she’s been able to take a real break from the kids! So after we visited some friends in Texas we flew to San Diego to visit a brother in Christ named Braden. I’ve known Braden since shortly after my conversion in 97. Since we were so close to Mexico Lisa and I wanted to visit the town that we used to live in when we were preaching there with Josef and Lina. The interesting thing is that the Lord was giving Braden dreams about going to Mexico as well. So it definitely seemed of the Lord for us all to go there. Braden, who’s fluent in Spanish, had a few reservations about going. After all, every news story about Mexico has to do with people being killed along boarder towns. Not only that, he works for the federal government and the FBI had warned them saying there was a bounty on the heads of all federal workers! But it was good because he didn’t let fear keep him from going. He just prayed about it and trusted the Lord. So while we were there we were able to go down to Rosarito Mexico twice. We were able to show him some of the places we were familiar with, where we lived and did ministry, and preach to a few people while we were there. One night we went out to eat at a place that has a lot of seafood restaurants. It’s sort of outside of Rosarito by the ocean. You have to park along a long wall and then walk to the restaurants. It can actually be a little overwhelming trying to pick a place to eat there. As you walk down the road the restaurants workers from each place come out and try to get you to go to their place. So you end up walking down the road with like 4 or 5 people getting right up in your face trying to get you to eat at their place. The funny thing is they all sell the same thing so in the end it really doesn’t matter where you go. Anyway, we picked one and had dinner. While we were there I met a young man in his twenties. I was able to talk to him for probably a good thirty minutes about the gospel. He told me that he ran a drug rehab in one city but then he was also trying to hook me up with drugs and prostitutes when we were there! Needless to say it was a great lead in to talking to him about sin, judgment to come, God’s nature and character, and salvation through Jesus Christ. I could tell at times he would come under conviction but would then try to change the subject to shake it off. Though he didn’t repent and believe I am believing God ordained our meeting for whatever He is doing in this mans life. I’m hoping to be able to talk to him again. After we finished dinner we headed back to the car. When we got there we noticed that the passenger door was open and the glove box was open. While we were having dinner someone had broken into Braden’s car. They had smashed the door handle and were able to open the door. Thankfully they just stole papers out of the glove box and left behind more valuable things that most people would steal. Having his car broken into was a real trial for Braden. He was already pressing through his hesitations about Mexico and now his car had been broken into. The great thing was was that he saw this trial as something from God. He told me that he had recently prayed to God about his belongings…about giving them to God and them not having a hold on his life. He saw this as God’s way of seeing if he had really let go of these things. I see so often that the love of material things, not wanting to suffer loss (materially or physically), and fear so often hold people back from giving all to God. People don’t realize the very things they cherish and won’t let go are the very things that actually keep them in bondage while they think they are free and keep them from being used by God. But it was good to see this brother begin to rejoice in his trial. And when we truly understand that God works all things for the good of the those who love Him, and understand that God is indeed Sovereign, we can as Paul said “rejoice in trials and tribulations”. If we know that God allows and brings certain situation into our lives then we can rejoice knowing that even, or I should say especially, through suffering and loss He is conforming us into the image of Christ. It’s a road very few people will allow the Lord to take them down because they really haven’t “forsaken everything from the heart” including their own lives. But it was a joy to see a brother rejoicing in a trial that God had brought his way. I know that when someone begins to embrace trials as God ordained in their life they will begin to know God in ways they have not known before. It really is wonderful to see.
HATS OFF TO THE JW’S
I hate to say it but I have to give credit where credit is due. If some of you have read my updates from when I was in Mexico you’ll know that I often wrote about the ministry of the JW’s there. I was constantly running into them and had several opportunities to preach to them and even to some of their elders. One thing was for sure….you could get up almost any morning and drive around and find some JW’s going door to door spreading their faith. I have to say, even though their doctrine is completely false they must really believe what they say they believe. Even if the reason they share their faith has selfish and false motives they believe it enough to be diligent about it. I found the same thing to be true when I was there this time. As I was preaching to the hotel manager he told me of people who would come by and hold bible study with him. I just dropped my head because I knew who it was. I asked him if it was the JW’s and he said yes. They were still going faithfully door to door sharing their faith. I spent a good while with him helping him to see the Christ of the bible and the falsehood of what the JW’s teach. Then later that evening I was talking to another one of the hotel workers about Christ. He was hard as a rock. He kept telling me about the “goofy Charismatic Pentecostals” who hit people on the head and make them fall to the floor. He talked about how they say people are healed when they really aren’t healed. He saw it all as a big circus (and I agree with him). For me the two encounters with these two workers just reiterated how backwards much of what is considered Christianity is today. It’s sad that people who don’t know Christ would see Christianity as a laughing joke and see the JW’s as those who take their faith seriously. And it’s true, while many churches seem to have their own little isolated club the JW’s are traveling land and sea to make one convert. We certainly do live in days of lukewarmness and apostasy. Now I’m not advocating that every believer begin a door to door evangelism ministry. While we’re all called to evangelism we are not all called to full time evangelism as a calling. That is something God calls men to and He sends them out. But I am convinced that if more professing believers were truly serious about their faith and had actually laid down their lives then they too would be sent by God and burdened to share with others the true riches that are found in Jesus Christ. True faith should and does produce a serious commitment to God and His kingdom. So much so that all other pursuits become foolish and vain in light of the truth of being a part of God’s unending kingdom. It’s a sad day when a cult is more faithful to what they believe then professing Christians who say they know the ONE who gives and has eternal life. It reminds me of the Keith Green song “Asleep in the light”. If you haven’t heard it you can listen to it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ik-XOVZcwow
MOVING TO MEXICO
As many of you know I truly have a heart felt desire to return to India and preach. And though I’ve wanted to go, at this time God has not confirmed that it’s His will or made it possible. (While I’m still hoping the Lord makes it possible sometime soon I want it to be in His will and not just my desire). However, surprisingly to Lisa and I, God has confirmed that He is sending us again to Mexico for a season. It’s certainly not a place that we ever thought we’d return too but we’re glad to do so in God’s will. We know the Lord at this time would have us to return to Rosarito and do evangelism ministry with Braden. Braden is fluent in Spanish and definitely feels called by God at this time to do ministry there. So for us it’s a joy to see the Lord put us together with him for a season to do ministry in Mexico. As of now, we’re planning on leaving on Oct 8th to head to San Diego and then to Rosarito to find a place to stay. We’ve been working with a lady in Rosartio who is helping us find a furnished place. That way we’ll be able to show up with just our clothes and a few other necessary items. How long will we be there? We could be there just through the winter or maybe longer. Only the Lord knows. We are though looking forward to working with our brother in Christ and preaching in Mexico. Also, given the fact that we’re so close to San Diego I’m praying about spending some time preaching in the Muslim community there.
BROTHER ISMAIL
As I mentioned in my last email brother Ismail was able to purchase a motor bike with the monies that some of you sent. Here’s a picture of him on his new (used) bike. Thanks again to all who helped!
If you will, please keep us in prayer regarding our upcoming move and ministry. And we truly thank each of you that pray for us, support us financially, and for those who have sent us encouragement through email. It’s a wonderful feeling to know that brethren you know, and brethren you don’t know and may never meet this side of eternity, are lifting you and your family up in prayer. May the Lord bless you….
IN Christ,
Sean & Lisa Scott & Family (Hannah, Hadassah, Ethan & Jeremiah)
www.preachingjesuschrist.com
www.preachingjesus.wordpress.com
IN Christ,
Sean & Lisa Scott & Family (Hannah, Hadassah, Ethan & Jeremiah)
www.preachingjesuschrist.com
www.preachingjesus.wordpress.com
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