Pastor Henry Yoder came down from Pittsburg to have dinner with us and attend services at Cherry Glade. (Wednesday). On Thursday night we will be at Souls Harbor in Cumberland at 7:30pm.
CNA, government organization over homes for children, came to the house and went through every dorm, clinic, school, etc. They are always looking for something they can say is wrong. Walter said it went well but their report will take 2 weeks.
Aroldo is an awesome young man and Christian who not only lives with the dialysis patients but takes the medical lead for all of our children. A group has tried to raise money for him to get a small car so he can take patients to the hospital. They gave me a check Sunday for $3700. We need a few thousand more should you want to help.
Tim was again in the bank for 4 hours as an account I set up for him to do visitor money was closed. The bank argued and argued and said they could not accept a check unless held 45 days. Tim’s persistence paid off but he lost a half day. Only Guatemala!
2 Timothy 1:16 “The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain: 17 But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me. 18 The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well.”
Paul is imprisoned in Rome. Nero is murdering as many Christians as he can get his hands on. Onesiphorus is Paul’s pastor and lives 750 miles from Rome in Ephesus yet he travels to encourage Paul. We have seen that he was not ashamed of Paul and also that he was persistent in traveling and seeking out Paul when dozens of other Christians had fled and were avoiding the great man of God.
Onesiphrus was risking his own freedom and his own life to get to Paul and encourage him in his struggles. If there is a third truth in this short story it is that Onesiphorus was consistent in his walk with God and his relationship to his flock. As Paul’s pastor he was not going to allow something as trivial as his own life stop him from encouraging Paul.
The trek of 750 miles by foot and ship would stop 99.9% of Christians from going to Paul. Most Christians cannot even travel across town to visit the sick or the shut in. (Unless there is a Walmart on the way). It is a powerful statement Pau writes to Timothy when he says that Onesiphorus “ministered to me in Ephesus as YOU KNOW WELL”. The congregation knew the character of Onesiphorus. This was not his first attempt to minister to someone like Paul. Everyone knew his character and they had seen this in Onesiphorus many times before. What he was doing for Paul in Rome he had done over and over again for his congregation in Ephesus.
YOU CANNOT HIDE ENCOUARGEMENT!! Others can see this!
Whatever Onesiphorus was in Rome he was that in Ephesus. That should be the same for all of us. What we are in public should be what we are in private.