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News for Friends, Family, and Partners |
Jan. 2001 |
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In This Issue “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…” Hebrews 12: 1, 2
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The Race In Hebrews 11, we are given the wonderful chapter on faith, which lays out the great heroes of faith from the Old Testament. These heroes are the “great cloud of witnesses” spoken of in Heb.12:1, 2. We are told to live our lives faithfully, as if we are running a race, but the key is to run without the weight of burden and sin to slow us down. The question is how, how do we do this? The answer is given in the next verse…we are to “fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…” The “cloud of witnesses”, the heroes of faith, did just that as they lived their lives. They believed with faith in the promises of God and it was counted to them as righteousness. They eagerly looked forward with faith to the promised Messiah. Yet, at times in their lives, they carried worrisome burdens and even committed terrible sins. The wonderful thing about the Bible is that it not only points out the good deeds and faith of these people, but it also points out in vivid and explicit detail their faults and failures. One example is Samson found in the book of Judges. Here we see that God could deliver His people by one champion even when this champion pursued Philistine women more than Philistine armies. In the end, the Lord delivered by allowing Samson to be humbled before his enemies, and it was at the point of Samson’s death that he looked forward to the fulfillment of God’s promises. So you see, the failures and sins of Samson, no less than his victories, are part of the story, for they show that One greater than Samson had to come if God’s promises were to be realized. It was at the end of Samson’s race that he cast off his burden and sin and looked forward to see the Messiah at the finish line, ready to welcome him home. How wonderful and awesome our God is! Because He sent His Son, born of a virgin, born in a manger, we no longer have to look in anticipation for the Messiah, the |
Savior. That holy child grew up to be the God/man with a redemptive purpose and a great example on how to run the race. Not only can we look at the cloud of witnesses to learn from them, but we also have the ultimate champion to emulate. Praise be to the Lord Jesus Christ who came to save us from eternal separation from God by taking on our sin and baggage at the cross and giving us his righteousness as the exalted Son! As you look back at the birth of the Savior and fix your eyes on the new race to come this year, remember that the great sin and burden Bearer is waiting at the finish line.
The Lord Reigns (even amidst our changes…) It is really a comforting thing to absolutely know that the Lord reigns over all His creation. Not one action takes place outside of His sovereign will and purposes. He is in control. His purposes and plans for our lives will be fulfilled, even when we see things falling down all around us. This has been our comfort in recent times as our lives, and ministry seems to be changing. Our beloved friends in Brazil, Valdeci and Meire Santos, have decided that the Lord is calling them in a different direction than church planting in Vitoria with us. We praise the Lord for His using them in a mighty way in Vitoria over the last year, and for what He will do through them in the future as Valdeci takes a seminary teaching position in Sao Paulo. We are still prayerfully waiting on the Lord as to how we might serve Him in Brazil. We still have a great desire to be involved in church planting mercy ministry, and yet be open if the Lord is leading in a new direction. MTW is looking into several possible ministries that will work best for our family. Lynn and I hope to make a quick trip to Brazil with MTW staff to look at these possibilities in late March or early April this year. |
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The Atkisson’s Schedule Dec. 19, 2000 David & Lynn’s 20th wedding aniv. Jan. 21 Speak at Emmanuel Pres. Franklin, NC Feb. 9-11 Missions conf. Highlands Pres. Ridgeland, MS Feb. 11 Speak at Providence Pres. Clinton, MS Feb. 14-17 Missions conf. 1st Pres. Madison, MS Feb. 17-22 Missions conf. Briarwood Pres. Birmingham, AL Feb. 23-25 Missions conf. 1st Pres. Augusta, GA Mar. 2-4 Missions conf. Westminster Pres. Johnson City, TN Mar. 5-23 Cross-cultural training Colorado Springs, CO Late Mar./early Apr. David & Lynn to Brazil with MTW staff Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness…The LORD is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks Him. Lamentations 3:22-23, 25
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Exams! On January 13, 2001, five years of preparation came to a head as I went before Westminster Presbytery for my final oral examinations for ordination as an evangelist and teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). The Lord was gracious and kind and very patient with me as I was able to pass the exams and be accepted into our presbytery. Many of you prayed for me for peace, calm, and recall of information for which I would like to express my heartfelt thanks for your intercession. He was faithful, and I am grateful. The installation service for my ordination will be held at our home church, Westminster Presbyterian, during the morning worship service on May 6, 2001. I have asked my good friend and former seminary professor at RTS, Dr. Elias Medeiros, to preach for worship. I would invite all of you that can to join my family and I for this service as we praise the Lord for His grace, mercy and faithfulness. Our Praises & Prayer Requests --Lynn and I shout our praises to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for His sustaining and instructing us over the span of our now twenty years of married life together. --We praise the Lord for His faithfulness and care as I was graciously allowed into Westminster Presbytery following the numerous requirements and examinations this month. --Please pray for the Santos family, as they will go through many changes as Valdeci takes his new position in Sao Paulo. --Please pray that our hearts and minds would be in conformity with God’s will as He directs our path in ministry to the people of Brazil in several possible directions. Please pray that we might know precisely His direction for our lives following our trip later this spring. |
--Even with the changes in our lives recently, our hope and prayer is to still be on the field sometime in late spring/early summer. Please pray for several options we are investigating for language schools in Brazil, both for Lynn and I and the children. --Please pray for Lynn and the children as they work together in the adventure of homeschooling, particularly during the busy travel schedule arriving very soon. --Please pray specifically for Hilary, Jacob, and Taylor as they will be away from home, their friends, and their usual surroundings for almost two months straight beginning in February. And finally… We first ask your forgiveness, as this letter is several weeks behind schedule due to my ordination exam preparations. However, know that we love and appreciate you because we know how you have given sacrificially and prayed faithfully for us. For this we praise our Triune God for you as we express our heartfelt thanks for your intercession on our behalf. Our prayer is that He would truly bless you as you seek to serve Him this year. May the God of all glory be your strength and refuge! Soli Deo Gloria, The Atkissons (If you have an email address, please send it to us if you would like to receive this letter in that fashion so as to save on postage. Also, let us know if you would not like to continue to receive it. Note our email address on the front.) |