Time together, Time with the Spirit

It is consistently the highlight of my week. Warm greetings. A few friendly laughs. The good Word. Some good questions. Even better answers. Prayer and thanksgiving to God. His blessing, and then goodbye. It's Friday night Bible study in Moca. It's time together with brothers and sisters in Christ who love you and love the Lord even more. It's time together with the Spirit of God. In the books and letters of the Bible, written by the prophets and apostles, we read and meditate on "words taught by the Spirit," spiritual truths expressed in spiritual words (1 Co 2:13).

Is it any wonder that it's a highlight? And no, it's not because of the fun or the fraternity. It's because it's time together with the Spirit of God. "No one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us" (1 Co 2:11b-12). Bible study is our prime face time with the Holy Spirit, when we get to know the God of all the universe a little better, when we understand a little bit more about the truth, when we realize once again that this God loves us undeservedly and freely gives us all things in his Son Jesus Christ.

Maybe you've already guessed that we're reading through Paul's first letter to the Corinthians. One chapter a week. We're only up to chapter 4, but what jewels of heavenly wisdom we've already found:

• Chapter 1: Paul writes to a Christian congregation stifled by sinful problems and top-heavy with sinful pride, and yet writes to them as brothers in Christ, with thanksgiving, optimism and loving-but-firm straight talk about their spiritual woes and God's clear will.

• Chapter 1b: The message of Christ crucified. A big nothing to the world; not quite strong enough or smart enough for our sinful side; in reality, the exclusive key to salvation and to absolutely everything else that matters. "Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God... that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption." (1:24,30)

• Chapter 2: Christ, the wisdom of God, was not discovered by the wise men of this world; it was revealed by God through his Spirit to his chosen apostles. Whose wisdom and word should we give our time and attention to? Man's or God's found in the Bible?

• Chapter 3: The preachers who plant and water the word are nothing; it's God who makes faith grow. To him be all glory! And yet God graciously and generously rewards his workers in proportion to the faithful work he himself has produced in them.

• Chapter 3b: We may think we are wise and put ourselves on a higher plane than others; we may do the same with our favorite pastors and teachers. But this only creates factions and fractures God's holy temple that is his Church. Toss that "wisdom" and become a "fool," who understands that we are all fellow servants and co-heirs of the world under Christ. We are one under him, even though we all have different roles, different gifts, and different callings.

That's through three chapters. Thirteen more to go. Holy Spirit, make us grow and glorify your name!

Pastor Shiloh

Latest Clay Jar to Appear on Shelf

Greetings brothers and sisters, loved by God and called to be saints!

Just introducing myself. My name is Pastor Shiloh Monday, WELS Missionary to the Dominican Republic. I've been mentioned in some of our previous posts, but have not posted until now. Consider me now blogged on.

Let me also introduce my family: my wife Molly and our three children, Samuel (3 1/2), Sophia (1 1/2), and Santiago (1 1/2 months). (You can find pictures of us in previous posts, or follow my profile link to the right.)

We have lived and served in Santiago for nearly four years now, and though many circumstances have changed here in that short time, our mission has remained the same: to uncover the gleaming treasure of Christ in the deathly darkness of sin.

For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. (2 Corinthians 4:6,7)

The darkness found in the DR is not essentially any different than the darkness that at one time was in your own heart or the darkness that still hangs over many people in your particular spot on the globe. It is the darkness of groping about day after day, unaware that the sins we commit offend God and condemn us, yet strangely aware that we are guilty creatures disconnected from our Creator.

The gleaming treasure that dispels this darkness is not any different either: simply, Christ, the once-and-for-all sacrifice for the sin of the world who gives forgiveness, eternal life and salvation to all who believe in him.

We who uncover this treasure here are no different from you either, brothers and sisters, or from Paul or Luther or any other of our spiritual ancestors. We are jars of clay holding the most precious treasure.

God bless our humble efforts to let the saving light of Christ shine out of these clay vessels. Out of yours and mine.

Grace and Peace!
Pastor Shiloh

Meet Missionary Monday

Yes, it's time for 3M -- Meet Missionary Monday.

Missionary Shiloh Monday and his wife Molly arrived in the DR straight from the Seminary in 2003. They live in Santiago where he mentors the pastoral ministry for two congregations: Iglesia Cristiana Luterana in Santiago and Cordero de Dios in Moca (just outside of Stgo). He is the outreach missionary for the field and occasionally teaches a seminary course.

Molly is a blessing to the field with her support of Shiloh, her always cheerful and positive words of encouragement, and the "bonus" of her medical knowledge as a nurse. She enjoys staying home to raise their two children, Sam and Sophia. And we can't forget the third one on the way--Molly is due in mid-May. Please pray that the Lord keep mother and child safe in his care.

Sam, born 19 Sep 2003, loves going to Sunday School and "Jesus' house". He's also becoming quite the expert on tractors and big machines.

Sophia, born 15 Feb 2006, is learning about Jesus, too, from family devotions. She loves to play with her big brother and has a smile and giggle that are simply contagious.

We'll get to know the Mondays better in future posts. May the Lord bless the labors of their hands and give them joy in ministering to his saints here in the DR.

The Lord bless you with his Peace,
NW