Burden

I haven't logged in an update since coming back from Germany a couple of weeks ago. I am glad though to now have the time to do that and praise God for His grace during this time. During my time in Germany I got to think more about the Holy Spirit and it's work in believers and how it brings believers to believe. It was saddening to me to realize that not much is spoken about the Holy Spirit these days in the evangelical community. Is it possible that we have overreacted so much to the extremes of the Pentecostal movement that we are even afraid of what we say in regards to it? Are we coming to the point whereby we even ignore the person of the Holy Spirit? I pray not. The next several weeks we will be going through the upper room discourse of Christ (John 13-17) paying special attention to the person and work of the Holy Spirit. Please be praying for that, especially for me as I grow more in understanding this important person, in understanding God and living in a way that He calls me to.
There have been some really neat counseling opportunities the past couple of weeks and I praise God for that. I am burdened however at the guys who are leaving the center as they go out into a world filled with temptation and hardship. I think that this perhaps is the most challenging aspect for them where they have to face the realities of not being able to find a job because of their prison record or because they just don't have the means to get to the job if they find one. A lot of them give up and fall back into drugs and the life they used to know and are back in prison within a few months. Please be praying for me as I think through ways in which we can come alongside these men after they leave and be an encouragement to them, especially those who have known the Lord during their time at the center.