From Joe Komarek
One of my annual new year’s goals is to put to memory and the extraordinary application of one particular Biblical passage.
This past fall, our Sunday school class has been going line upon line in the book of first Timothy. Just before the New Year, God impressed a particular passage on my heart for 2010.
"Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching." – 1 Timothy 4:13
John* and Mary are friends whom recently attended our "Practical Introduction to the Christian Faith" course at church. I met Mary while spending one on one time with my friend Matt at a local restaurant ... yes, reading the Scriptures publicly.
Week after week, Mary would serve our meals and enjoy small talk. Matt and I listened much, prayed for her and learned to be more interested than interesting. One week she finally said, "I can’t believe you guys have so much fun together doing your Bible stuff. I wish I could learn more about the Bible, because I really need to know more about faith and God."
We shared that we were part of a group of friends that could help her get answers to a number of the questions she was asking and invited her out to our community at church. Mary showed up with John and her mother. It took around eight weeks and 100 great questions until they realized they were separated from God and needed Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins. Praise God they entered the Kingdom just before Christmas and are growing like crazy in our follow up studies.
We have launched our winter semester and we have a dozen friends (including John and Mary) going through the "Growing in Christ" Bible study and beginning a discipline in Scripture Memory. Would you please pray with us and for the other younger believers whom are experiencing true life in a safe Biblical community? There we have around 70 or so other participants in a number of courses that help our friends grow closer to Jesus.
Pray also for my co-laborers to stay courageous to continue to live out 1 Timothy 4:13 in this coming season. We are sensing an extra ordinary receptivity to the Gospel and desire to have the Holy Spirit continue to use us in the lives of our friends.
*names have been changed
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