Nelson Newsletter - January 2018

“Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride.” Daniel 4:37

Happy New Year Friends!

I recently read a story about a man who learned humility the hard way. King Nebuchadnezzar was an arrogant man who believed that all his power and wealth were of his own doing. God loved him, so He humbled the king by taking the kingdom from him and sending him out in the field to eat grass for seven years. Nebuchadnezzar came to his senses and repented. God graciously restored his kingdom, and then he made the profound statement above. Read it again. After reading this story, I was challenged to pursue humility. May we learn from the king’s example and live humbly before God and honor Him this year! Receive God’s grace! “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (1 Peter 5:5)

Faithwalkers The conference in Asheville (Dec 28-20) is always like a sweet family reunion for us. Thank you for praying for Danelle, myself, and the students. It was delightful to have our daughters, Grace and Merry, and their husbands join us this year too. Our seminar was well attended, and most importantly, they were humble and eager to learn how to better engage unbelievers in spiritual conversations.

    

                                                 The Messers - friends from Florida

Clemson Danelle & I will visit our Alma mater to speak at a retreat for Clemson students February 3-4. Brian Bridgeman invited us to teach about our identity in Christ, including being the body of Christ (the church), and how to live that out daily. Pray for the Spirit to lead us and transform lives! Pray for God to mature more students as campus missionaries in 2018.

                                                              Prayer Requests

1. Clemson Retreat (Feb 3-4) Pray for us to be empowered by the Holy Spirit. Pray for each student to hear from God and humbly act on what He shows them. Pray for their love and unity to grow in 2018.

2. Atlanta Church Pray for our growing devotion to Christ that results in more love for unbelievers.

3. Our Support Thank you to each of you who gave special gifts in December! Thank you to all of you who give each month for our work in the gospel! We were able to receive all of our back pay from 2017. Praise God! You can give any time by following this link: https://reliant.org/steve.nelson?newGift  

Yours in Christ’s love,  

Steve & Danelle         

  

                                                                                                                                  

www.reliant.org 11002 Lake Hart Dr, Suite 100, Orlando, FL 32832    www.gcmnelson.com 

“When Facing Difficulties - Remember!”

“And you shall remember all the way which the Lord your God has lead you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. And He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.”

Deuteronomy 8:2,3

The responsibility for the life of the Jews was completely God’s. The Jews had no control. They were between the proverbial “rock and a hard place.” They were several million hungry people in the middle of the desert ready to starve. There wasn’t a Kroger for hundreds of miles! If God did not provide they would die! What did God want to teach them?

 

The Lord God wanted His children to know:

1. He was faithful to lead them and provide for all their needs (for forty years).

2. They could trust His word -  His promises.

What can we learn today from their situation?

First, remember He has been faithful to you in the past.

Second, God lets you get hungry. He allows trials. They are part of His plan.

Third, God does not always do the expected. He will feed you with manna, which you do not know. He needs you to give Him the freedom to provide in His way.

Fourth, you need to trust His word (promises).

It may seem like the responsibility is completely up to you to provide for your needs, and that things are under your control. It is not!  God wants you and I to be responsible, work hard, spend wisely, and give cheerfully to the work of the gospel. But He wants you to know it all comes from Him!