Thankful.
One thing should never change in the life of a Christian, and that is the practice of thanksgiving. “In EVERYTHING give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Giving thanks is not just a nice thing for us to to do, it is a sure indication that our minds are set in the right place. If our minds are preoccupied with the things of this fallen world it is easy to become discouraged, angry, and bitter. But if our ‘minds are set on things above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God,’ and if we ‘look not at the things which are seen, but at the things that are not seen,’ we can understand how Christians can have ‘joy unspeakable, full of glory’ even in the midst of difficult times.
The giving of thanks is called for in the life of a Christian because of the realities of our salvation. We are saved from an eternal death, forgiven of our sin, called into the family of God, adopted as sons and daughters, made joint-heirs with Jesus Christ, heirs of heaven and earth, given the gift of eternal life, given exceedingly great and precious promises, given the Holy Spirit as earnest payment of these promises and as a comfort and help in our time of need, brought into the assembly of the righteous, lavished with the love of a gracious Father, and, among many other things, promised to be never left or forsaken. Truly we have every reason to be thankful, even if our current earthly situation is bleak. Every earthly trial, trouble, and tribulation is just a blip in the grand scheme of God’s glorious plan. For ‘our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working fur us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory’ (2 Cor 4:17)
Make sure you are thankful today, and everyday. Even if things don’t go our way on earth, we can be sure that God is still working. God’s kingdom is not hindered by worldly kings or governments, and, in the end, He wins.
Ministry in Maryland.
As I noted in my previous newsletter, we have parked at a church in Maryland (Five Rivers Church). The pastor has allowed us to stay here on the property, and, in exchange, we have agreed to help at the church, specifically with the worship. Believe it or not, I’m playing the drums and Katrina is playing the bass (an instrument that she learned in literally one weeks time). The pastor has also given us some office space. This has been a HUGE blessing. We have been able to do ministry from here in some of the local areas, including Washington, D.C., which is about a two hour drive away. We also have done other local out reach.
In an especially different type of ministry opportunity, I was approached by a Japanese women while doing some street ministry in DC. She asked to interview me for her Youtube channel (which I found out to be a Japanese conservative news channel). She was very kind and asked me questions that opened the door to share the gospel with her audience. There were about 2500 people watching the live broadcast at the time, and as of this writing the view count has reached to 21,000! It was an unexpected blessing to be able to preach to so many Japanese people. I pray that the Holy Spirit will do a work in their hearts. I have posted the interview on my YouTube channel. Just click here to watch it.
Continue to Pray with Us.
Please pray for us as we navigate what outdoor street ministry looks like during in a COVID-19 world. Traditional ministry places are not as suitable for this kind of ministry as they have been in the past. Colleges are closed and people are social distancing, especially with strangers. We have been cursed and called ‘murderers’ for not wearing masks outdoors while preaching (even though we were at least 20 feet from the nearest person). But the truth of God will go forth, however that may look. Persecution may increase, but we, like Paul, can boldly declare that when we are weak, then we are strong. Thank you for your prayers and support.
Hal Chaffee Ministries
PO Box 1546
Elkton, MD 21922
Visit halchaffee.com/partnergive to give online.
Hal Chaffee 