Dear Agincourt Baptist Church family,
“Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and Jesus Our Lord. … His Divine power has given us all things that relate to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him that has called us to glory and virtue ” (2 Peter 1:2,3). May you be so blessed as I thank you for praying for me. “Grace and peace” was the common greeting between Christians in churches in the N.T. times because our relation to God and to one another is based on GRACE (giving us what we do not deserve: His goodness eternally and PEACE with God (because of His extraordinary mercy to us) and peace with one another creating a fellowship with God uniting us all into one body of believers.) Marvellous grace…!
Since arriving in Costa Rica one acquaintance came to church to see me because of big legal problems, the details of which I was unable to fully understand and therefore need wisdom in trying to counsel him.
Having visited Costa Rica annually for over 20 years, there are children that I have carried that are now in university and therefore able to share Scripture so far in two cases where one is a medical doctor and the other studying law; the one studying law, I helped him in high school when he was having difficulty with chemistry. In some cultures it is much more freedom in speaking about spiritual things and that is one reason I appreciate sharing ideas with foreign citizens and students. The object is that individuals will be encouraged to serve the Lord or be convicted to come to the Lord and know His marvellous grace and love.
I traveled over 5 hours by bus to stay with a Christian family for 4 nights; during that time I was asked to contribute about “working for the Lord” and on Sunday to talk to young people in their teen years and twenties. I spoke on the dangers of being religious and not really changing our heart attitudes as God intended us to do; I concluded with the different ways that we must respond to different temptations: the world, the flesh and the devil.
There are many others that I plan to visit with and I will need God’s wisdom and help in these ventures.
Blessings of God’s love and grace give you His peace and confidence in the Lord,
A fellow servant,
Barry
