Children, Orphans from Kibena and Matiganjola and Conscience

Central Family,

What a great week!

Monday through Thursday was such a great time as children, youth and adults celebrated Vacation Bible School. This Sunday you will have a chance to hear some of the good things that happened in and through the PANDAMANIA Vacation Bible School! On Thursday I was reminded how precious children are to Jesus. As over two hundred children from our community celebrated the last day of VBS at Central we received a package from our sister congregations in Southern Tanzania. It was such a joy to open the package and see over two hundred letters from the children in Kibena and Matiganjola. It nearly brought tears to my eyes as I remembered that just one year ago a son of our congregation was in Tanzania interviewing these orphans. Who would have ever imagined that over 250 orphans would receive an education, school supplies and uniforms because of the generosity of members of this body. On behalf of the Pastors and people of Kibena and Matiganjola, THANK YOU! If you are an orphan sponsor make sure you stop at the table this Sunday to get your letter from Bev Johnson or Sharon Ellis! Let's keep praying for all the children that the Lord has entrusted to our care, whether they attended VBS this past week or live in Southern Tanzania.

In addition to praying for children you might want to consider investing in the lives of youth. This Sunday Ryan Braley and Kaycee Robertson will share with us how we can be active participants in the lives of the youth in our community. I encourage you to pray and ask the Holy Spirit if this is God's will for you. These last two Sundays we have been blessed to hear the testimonies of two sons of Central, Stephen Johansson and Jake Ruprecht. God has entrusted us to lead and guide hundreds of children and youth into life giving relationship to the Lordship of Jesus. Listen because God might be calling you!

As I think of listening to God's call I am reminded of the verse that we will focus on at worship on Sunday. Paul is making his defense before the religious authorities in Acts 23. The chapter begins, "While Paul was looking intently at the council he said, "Brothers, up to this day I have lived my life with a CLEAR CONSCIENCE before God." What might it look like for you and me to live our lives with a clear conscience before God?

I think it is important to note that the conscience does not determine whether actions are morally right or wrong. Consider the life of Paul. In his former life it was his conscience that permitted him to persecute followers of Jesus. A conscience uninformed by biblical truth will not necessarily pass accurate judgments. Before his conversion, Paul's had not. It is possible for the conscience to be dysfunctional and even destroyed. The Bible speaks of a 'weak conscience' (1 Cor 8:7, 10), a 'wounded conscience' (1 Cor 8:12), a 'defiled conscience' (Titus 1:15), an 'evil conscience' (Heb 10:22), and a 'seared conscience' (1 Tim 4:2). How tragic it is when a person comes to that point in his or her life. The conscience is so covered with scar tissue from habitual sin that it no longer responds to the overtures from the Holy Spirit.

On the other hand, the Bible has much to say about a 'good conscience' (1 Tim 1:5; Heb 13:18; 1 Peter 3:16,21), a 'blameless conscience' (Acts 24:16), and a 'clear conscience' (1 Tim 3:9; 2 Tim 1:3). Whether I am a child in Southern Tanzania or an adult in Elk River, my conscience needs to be informed and defined by the standards of God's Word. This is what it means for us to embed the Bible in everything. Each and every day the light of God's Word and truth of the Scriptures can strengthen our conscience so we can join the Apostle Paul and declare, "up to this day I have lived my life with a clear conscience before God." If you are aware of sins in your life or if you have regrets I encourage you to turn to Hebrews 9:14; 10:22 and know that Christ has done everything necessary for you to have a 'clear conscience.'

Why is it such a great week? This is the week the Lord has made let us rejoice and be glad!

C U on Sunday!

Paul