Language sharing....

Language sharing.....

Several years ago, my husband and I were privileged to join an English speaking group, invited to spend some time with some high school students in a foreign country to help with their English...they had had lessons since elementary school, but wanted help with their pronunciation, idioms.... 

We had a basic curriculum, black and white, few illustrations, ....basic ,  boring...it was our job to make it exciting enough to want to learn....these were students who chose to be there even on their break time, top students who were looking forward to the universities or overseas studies at some point...

We walked into their classrooms at 4 in the afternoon and stayed until 6 for 8 days... Their classrooms consisted on old desk chairs, a green chalkboard and chalk...no pictures, bulletin boards, no illustrations, ....four very bare walls...WE were their pictures, illustrations....and so we shared the curriculum, plain and simple, trying to make live and meaningful ...all the while speaking English to them and they to us....it was a most meaningful time....

Oh, and we could not  share about our faith...unless they asked...some did and some didn't ...we were there to sow seeds of kindness, brotherhood, language, smiles, hearts.....open lives...items which in the not too distant past had not been allowed....just being there was a privilege for us...a gift to all...

thank YOU for the opportunity....I don't know what eternity holds for these young people...but seeds were sown, hearts shared ....neighbors made....

John 16:25 “Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father.

Rev 5:9 And they sang a new song, saying:

“You are worthy to take the scroll

and to open its seals,

because you were slain,

and with your blood you purchased for God

persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.

^{Rev 7:9}After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. ¹⁰And they cried out in a loud voice:

“Salvation belongs to our God,

who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.”

Subject: A Debt of Love -- Immeasurably More

If you are having trouble viewing this daily devotion, please click here A Debt of Love Daily Devotional for November 15 From the Writings of Ray Stedman From your friends at www.RayStedman.org Read the Scripture: Romans 13:8-10 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. Romans 13:8 Have you ever struggled to obey the Ten Commandments? Have you found it difficult to face up to obeying these demands that you shall not murder or lie or steal or commit adultery? Well, Paul says it is really simple. All you have to do is love. Act in love toward people and you won't hurt them. The solution to all the problems we struggle with is this one thing. Have you ever thought of what would happen in this world if people could be taught how to love — and then they did it? The first result that occurs to me is that all the impending divorces would be happily resolved. Couples ready to split up because love has left their marriage could go back together and learn how to work it out. Furthermore, if we could teach people how to love we wouldn't fight in wars. Think of how much energy and money is being expended in keeping up this endless array of armaments simply because we can't trust people to love each other. If we could love each other, there wouldn't be any more crime. The streets of all the great cities of our land you would feel safe and secure. If there weren't any crime, you wouldn't need any prisons. All the money we spend on prisons and reformatories could be spent on something more useful. We wouldn't need any courts of law, or police. We need all these things because we are so deprived in this ability to love. This passage is telling us that the ability to love — that and nothing less than that — is the radical force that Jesus Christ has turned loose in this world by his resurrection. Therefore it has the power to radically change the world. Paul implies that this has to start with us. If we are Christians, if we know Jesus Christ, we have the power to love. You don't have to ask for it; you've got it. If you have Christ, you can act in love, even though you are tempted not to. Therefore, Paul says: When you come up against difficult people, remember that your first obligation is to love them. Paul says very plainly that we are to think of this as our obligation to everyone. I wonder what kind of radical things would start happening among us if we were to start living on this basis. Every day, every person we would meet, we would say to ourselves first, I need to show some love to this person. No matter what else happens, I have an obligation to pay him that debt. I have owed money to people in my life, and I have noticed that whenever I meet people I owe money to, that is the first thing that comes into my mind. I remember the debt that I owe them, and I wonder if that is what they are thinking about too. This is what Paul says we are to do about love. We are to remember that we have an obligation to every man — to love him. This obligation is to everyone. This is designed for your neighbor. Who is your neighbor? You think immediately of the people who live on each side of you, but you can see that it really includes everyone. The people you meet in business, and in your shopping are your neighbors. Wherever you are, the people you make contact with are living right beside you and are your neighbors for that moment. The word to us is that, since we have the ability to love, we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. The butcher, the baker, the cadillac maker — it doesn't make any difference, they are your neighbors. Lord Jesus, come in, be my Lord. Rule in my life, and give to me this amazing ability to love. Life Application: Do we see our calling to love our neighbor as the expression of Jesus Christ's radical love? Where can we this day begin to pay off our debt of love, trusting Him to love through us? Related Message: This daily devotional was inspired by one of Ray's messages. Please read "The Night is Nearly Over" or listen to Ray for more on this portion of scripture. Devotions for November from Romans << Previous Day Next Day >> Subscribe/Unsubscribe to the Daily Devotion by Email Copyright © 2014 by Ray Stedman Ministries — This daily devotion is from the book Immeasurably More: a year of devotions from the writings of Ray Stedman; compiled by Mark Mitchell. It may be copied for personal non-commercial use only in its entirety free of charge. All copies must contain this copyright notice and a hyperlink to www.RayStedman.org if the copy is posted on the Internet.