UPNG Graduation trip - Day 6: "From God's Word"

After a relaxing Saturday & Sunday (writing emails & letters, processing our missionary's reimbursements, etc), I spent today with our missionaries and on campus.

We met as a staff team for a few hours in the morning - they asked me to give a devotion so I chose the topic of salvation.  I chose this topic because Kaylynn & I went to a funeral here in Port Moresby last month and a "super pastor" (that's what he called himself - I'm assuming that the super is from superintendent) preached that we become Christians by faith in Jesus, but then heaven is like a bank.  The good things we do add to the bank and the bad things we do withdraw from the bank - when we die, Jesus looks at the balance and if it's negative, then he will say, "I do not know you" and you will go to hell.  Then a few weeks ago, Dianne heard a sermon on the same topic and I thought that we should talk about salvation being a gift we receive by faith when we give our lives to Christ and it's always by faith and all our righteousness (that gets us into heaven) comes from Jesus.  Jesus' one sacrifice for all gets us into Heaven, not our works.  He does not have to die again if we sin. [I used the following scriptures if you'd like to have a look: Galatians 2:16 - 3:3, 1 John 5:11-13, Hebrews 9:27 - 10:25, and 2 Timothy 3:1-7, 3:13-17 & 4:1-4]

After the meeting, Elton & I went downtown to submit a paper for Elton's NZ visa application that we forgot to submit last Friday, and then to visit a good friend to talk about applying for land from the university to build a training facility and offices, etc.

In the afternoon, we went to campus.  We decided that since Elton needs to pull himself off campus to focus on finding more ministry partners (to financially support his ministry), that his 3 disciples will meet with Dianne's 4 disciples each week for Bible study and discussion on how the movement is going.  We had planned to meet these 7 students at 5:00 to introduce this... but through miscommunication and other factors, only 1 guy showed up.  We had a good yet brief discussion with him, but we'll have to leave the formation of the group to happen later.  Please be praying for the discipleship groups on campus, especially the men's groups!

At 6:30 or so (island time) our weekly meeting started.  We had a good time of singing and Beautlyn (one of the new missionaries) gave her testimony.  It was good, too, to see a first year student help as emcee - he did really well.

Then it was my turn to speak. I was asked to talk about having an Eternal perspective, and even though we (Campus Crusade) have several talks on this topic, I wanted to share from my experience and focus on scripture passages that have helped me focus my life own to live for eternity.  I started with a story of how the guy who discipled me at Penn State came up to me one day all excited saying that he discovered that the Bible talked about me.  I was a bit excited.  He then read Philippians 3:18-19, "For many walk... as enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and glory is in their shame", (this didn't seem very encouraging so far), "who set their mind on earthly things". "That's you", he said, "you set your mind on earthly things - you're an enemy of the cross!", he said with a big smile on his face.  This was a bit strong, but I knew he was right.  This was a turning point in my life, learning to set my mind on heavenly things, where I am a citizen already (verse 20).  I chose a lot of scripture, and some students faded, but several students were riveted on me as they wrote things down as fast as they could.  I know I am an earthen vessel (with flaws), yet God will still manifest himself to others through me & my humanness.  [These are the passages I shared: Romans 5:1-5, Romans 6:14-23, 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, 3:10-15, 2 Corinthians 4:6-10, 4:11-18, and Philippians 3:7-11, 12-14, 17-21]

After the meeting, 6 or 7 girls went up to the "Spider Chart" showing all the discipleship groups and wanted to be put into a group.  This was so encouraging!  And 1 guy (who was one who listened intently) also asked to be in a group!

It was a long day.  I went back to my guest house and ate dinner, 16 hours after I had eaten breakfast (with only some crackers in the middle of the day).  Things didn't all go as planned, but it still was a very satisfying good day.  Thanks for praying!