Cambodia - Sunday 23rd September 2012

Today is the first day of the mission official.
We have prayed that the Lord will be glorified and that we will be sensitive to His leading as the Holy Spirit does His work of bringing revelation of Jesus. It is through the Holy Spirit that Jesus is revealed. When we receive Jesus as our Saviour and Lord we receive Him, we receive the fullness of God, not a part, all of Him. Today in the preaching I illustrated that this is a gift. I took a Bible to represent the gift and I held it out to Sreymom. It is a gift. What must she do? Of course she must take the gift. We thought today together about Mephibosheth in 2 Samuel chapter 8. David was King. He seeks the family of Saul and Ziba, the servant, tells of Mephibosheth. In this day when a new King came to the throne he would ordinarily seek any family member of the previous and put them to death so when the soldiers of David came and took Mephibosheth to David I feel that he believed that his death was imminent.
What happened? David rather than putting Mephibosheth to death he chose rather to show him kindness. He restored to Mephibosheth all the lands of Saul, he appointed Ziba and his family to farm the land and bring in the harvest on Mephibosheth's behalf. Not only this Mephibosheth was to sit at the King's table and eat at the King's table continually.
Why?
David said it was for Jonathan's sake, because of the Covenant that existed between David and Jonathan.
So how much more because of the New Covenant established by God with Jesus as our representative are we seated at the Kings' table enjoying the company of the King, eating what the King eats, breathing the air the King breathes, enjoying all the benefits of the King's presence and favour, and not only this but servants are appointed to care for our inheritance and bring in the harvest of the qarah (qarah is Hebrew and means 'right happening') favour over our lives.
Now I want you to now remember that Mephibosheth was lame in both his feet. Mephibosheth could do nothing to 'achieve' this position for Himself. he could not bring himself to the King. He was unable to 'achieve' the favour the King for himself. He was unable to bring in the benefit from the land himself. He was not able to do anything. We are the same. True many times we try our own strategy but this is a path to failure, frustration and regret. and all the time Jesus holds out the free gift to us. Jesus declared on the cross 'It is finished'; was this the bleat of a dying man? Not a bit of it! This was the declaration of the victor who has finished the work of restoration and salvation and could now look forward to sitting at the right hand of God and were are we who believe? We are 'seated...with Him in heavenly places', we are seated at the King's table. Praise the Lord!
Now I hear you say but sometimes I don't feel like I am at the King's table...reject that lie that is fed to you by an enemy wishing only to 'steal, kill and destroy' and speak words of truth, yes I may have some trouble but Jesus says that when I have some trouble I am to fear not for He has overcome this world! I am seated at the King's table!

Today I travelled to Rokathom Village, Kandal Province to join with Lord's people at New Freedom Church. This is the church pastored by my brother and old friend Pastor Sokoin who I have known since the very beginning in 2001.

Alyson, Katie, Pete and Fiona met with the 'Living Hope for Children' sponsored children. I was not there so probably cannot say too much of what occurred although as I was sitting having lunch at Rokathom and three small children arrive. They are dressed in the best clothes that they can muster and are rejoicing in the good time they have had playing games and doing craft and hearing of the love, care and compassion that their sponsors have for them far away in Australia. Beloved you cannot underestimate the impact that your sponsorship has on these precious, young lives!
So I spent some time listening to the stories of these three beautiful children and how they are so happy to be able to go to school and are free from the worry of life with nothing. Oh your $35 per month brings hope, and joy, and shares the words of Jesus with these little ones that He cares for them. You know what they hear those words so clearly when they receive your sponsorship. Thank you so much. See our website www.cambodiawtl.org.au is you do not know about the Living Hope for Children sponsorship scheme.
I then want to share one story with you about Man Mengly. He is a sponsored child. He goes to school, he is healthy and happy and full of beans. He has three brothers and lives with his mother and father. They are unbelievably poor. The sponsorship Mengly receives not only supports his schooling and his health and welfare but it does the same for his family.
Mengly needed a bicycle to get to school. He wanted a bike and he prayed to God that He would provide. He was allowed to save a little each fortnight of his sponsorship money and after three months he had $60 and went and purchased his bicycle! So rejoice with Mengly in his bright red bicycle complete with gears that propels him at great speed through the dusty roads of Kandal, to and from the school, and as he plays with his brothers and friends. If I can work out how to upload a photo I will do so.

In the afternoon the whole team joined with the youth at Living Hope in Christ Church, Phnom Penh. What a joy to meet with and minister to young people fired for Christ and seeking to impact their community for Christ. At one point we joined with them to pray fervently for all teenagers in Phnom Penh that they will see Jesus and be joined to the family of Jesus Christ. We played games with them and sat around the King's table with them and then prayed for them and their leadership and committed them to the Lord. Many of them I have known for a long time. They were just small children back in 2001 and are now grown into beautiful and precious young adults with the spark of Christ in their eyes and the love of Christ in their hearts. I told then that I was so proud of them that they have endured and are still here. Some began with us as sponsored children and now are studying as one of our emerging leaders under the sponsorship of the Emerging Leaders Sponsorship scheme. So precious!

Thank you so much to all who are praying and who have contributed in whatever way. The Lord says to you that you will not be forgotten and you will not lose your reward. Blessings upon you and your families in the wonderful name of Jesus.

It is now Monday morning and I have left Phnom Penh and my team and headed to Kompot Province for the first gospel rally this afternoon. Alyson is leading the Women's Prayer Workshop and Katie, Peter and Fiona are ministering to the children at the Centre of Peace Children's Home in Phnom Penh. Please be praying with us that the Lord will be glorified and that the people will be touched with the love of Christ in both word and deed.

Blessings to you all.