Clayton and Robyn McCurdy: March 2008
Dear Pastor, Praying Friends and Family,
"O-B-E-D-I-E-N-C-E, obedience is the very best way to show that you believe." This simple children's song reminds us of one of the key ingredients to the Christian life - obedience. Yet, God does not simply want our obedience, he wants us to obey by faith. Without faith it is impossible to please God. So God wants us to obey Him even if we cannot see the benefits of our obedience immediately. This is where we have an opportunity to exercise faith.
For instance, God commands us to "Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15). So we go and we preach, but we don't see the results that we expected. We stand on a street corner and pass out tracts. We stop and talk to people; yet instead of them being excited that you are there to tell them of Christ and the Gospel, they get upset and tell you to go back home to America, or they tell you that they already have their religion, or they just look at you with contempt or don't even acknowledge you are there. It is during these times that it is easy to get discouraged and we think to ourselves that we are just wasting our time - if they are not interested in the message that we have, we might as well do something else or go somewhere else. Then, faith steps in and says, "Trust God and obey Him, regardless of whether or not you see the results right now." I believe with all my heart that God rewards obedience, and when He sees our obedience to His Word, He blesses with fruit. "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." (Gal. 6:9)
It is a blessing to see the evidence of God's working in the hearts and lives of Moldovans as we are obedient to faithfully take the Gospel to them. Last week as we were preparing to go into the busy central market to pass out tracts and preach, a man approached us and asked if he could have one of our tracts. After reading it for a few minutes he asked what he needed to do to be right with God. We have had many drunks and others come to us and make a mockery, but this man was very sincere. One of the national pastors who was with us had the privilege to take the Bible and show this man how to be saved. He bowed his head right on the street and trusted Christ as Saviour. God had already been working in Dmitri's life long before he came by us. Please pray for Dmitri to grow in his new life with Christ.
In February we started a new semester of the Bible institute. We are grateful for the students that have returned and for the new students that are just starting with us. We continue to pray that God will raise up pastors and godly leaders here in Moldova that are willing to take a stand and preach the Gospel with conviction and power. Please continue to "Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest" (Matt. 9:38). Pray for the teachers as we study, pray and prepare to teach the students God has given us.
We would also like to request continued prayer for the teenagers in our church. Most of these teens come from homes with lost parents and loved ones. They are a very faithful group of young people, and we look forward to seeing how God is going to use their lives for His glory. Pray for their purity. Pray for their Godly testimonies at home and school. Pray for their spiritual growth. Teenagers are the same world round and they are constantly facing tough decisions and peer pressures. We want to see our teens be all they can be for our Saviour and we covet your prayers on their behalf.
In closing, we want to thank you once again for your faithful love and support of our family and the work in Moldova. You are an integral part of the ministry here and we never want you to think that we take you for granted. We pray for you on a regular basis and we are grateful to be yoked with you in service for our Saviour.
Sincerely,
Clayton, Robyn, Yelisa, Emily & Kayla McCurdy