New Day Christian Ministry Minister’s Retreat 2016

We are proud to announce our second annual Minister’s Retreat!!

Through the years of ministry we have come to realize the many pressures pastors and their families face from day to day in ministry and in their personal lives and the great importance there is to build up and edify one another in the faith. It is our desire to provide this unique opportunity for pastors and their families to come together to minister to one another and to be ministered to. We hope that we will see you, or your pastor, and your/their family for this very special ministry to these men and women of God.

This year’s retreat will held November 10-12

at Laurel Lake Baptist Camp in Laurel, Kentucky

Over the years the camp has provided great opportunities for folks of all ages to come

to a place where they can grow closer to God and one another. The director of the camp is a long time friend of David’s and has given us a very special rate.

The cost of this year’s retreat is $70 per person. This covers all expenses including lodging and meals. Children 2 and under are free. 

“So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing”
(1 Thessalonians 5:11)

We are hopeful that our fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord will be willing to support this ministry to pastors with a special gift to offset the cost for them and their families wishing to attend. If you or the church you serve is willing to help support those who are attending, whatever you give is going to be greatly appreciate. 

Donations for this ministry to ministers can be given online or by mail:

(Click Here To Donate) 

Donations can also be sent to:
New Day Christian Ministry
PoBox 49610 West Carrollton OH 45449 

For mailed support please add minster’s retreat support in the memo of the check.

For all of the information and to register for this year’s retreat visit:

http://newdaycm.org/mensretreatemail2016.pdf

Or contact us at 937-307-0694 or david@newdaycm.org

All pastors must preregister to attend.

See you real soon!!! 

If you are needing assistance with registration cost please let us know as you have already read we are seeking support to help those in need and may be able to assist you. 

I would like to thank all of you who will share the word of this great opportunity to minister to those who minister and I look forward to seeing all of you who will be attending in November!

God Bless,

David Ingram

New Day Christian Ministry

Isa. 43:18-21

Forget the past; see God is doing a new thing! 

newdaycm.org 

Please help us share this information by sharing this posting with your friends and family and we do have bulletin inserts that can be printed and shared with your church here:

http://www.newdaycm.org/2016bulletin.pdf 

Hannah Banana

We both had fun making her Birthday cake and cupcakes.

      Our first born just turned 5 a few days ago. I can still remember bringing her home from the hospital and marveling at how amazing it was to finally have her home and begin our life together as a complete family.  For those of you who are unaware of her story let me share with you now:

David and I started out as any newly married couple wanting a family. However after 4 years of trying to conceive we were pretty sure that something was wrong and the possibility of never having a child was very real and hurtful. We did not have the means to get ourselves tested or even try for IVF (In vitro fertilization). 

Corky just after his surgery.

      When we first moved to Puerto Rico in 2004 we hadn’t been here for more than a couple weeks when news came that David’s dad was going in on a Friday to have angioplasty but was immediately rushed into surgery for a quadruple bypass surgery. Since we had just moved 3,000 miles across the ocean we were pretty tapped out for money. We could only wait by the phone and pray. News came Saturday morning that David’s dad had sat up during surgery and lost more than 30% of his blood but the surgery was over and successful. We called our friends back home and our supporting churches to pray. Sunday morning when David’s mother went in to see her husband, he was sitting up in his hospital bed eating breakfast and asked where she had been! We went to church that day still worried but prayerful. A Deaf friend of ours named Tony was there and he could see that David was worried but David did not take the time to explain everything that had happened, he simply said, “My dad is sick”. Tony went home that night and prayed and asked God to show him what was wrong. God did show him in a dream and that next Sunday morning Tony shared with David all that God had showed him. God had showed him about the surgery and his recovery, he said that his dad was having problems eating and recovering but because David had honored God He would smooth all of his dad’s recovery problems away and he would live a long and healthy life. We did not know about his recovery problems because David’s parents hadn’t told us because they didn’t want us worrying. His dad started eating normally that same day. We praised and glorified God over healing his father and the miraculous recovery.

    It was about 2 months later that Tony came to us again and told us that he had had a dream about us. He said God had showed him a picture of David and me with a baby girl that had blond curly hair, brown eyes, her name was Hannah and for the first 3 months we wouldn’t tell anyone we were pregnant. Tony knows Spanish, not English but he spelled “Hannah” in English not Spanish.  We were very excited to hear this news but we didn’t know when this would happen. In February 2007 we went on furlough and returned back to PR in May. We normally gain quite a few pounds from our traveling and staying with other people so when David started losing and I maintained my thick waist he began to wonder if I was pregnant. I was skeptical simply because over the years of trying to have a baby and buying EPT tests I was frustrated and didn’t want to get my hopes up. We bought a test and it was inconclusive. We bought another digital one and the result came instantly but I waited the full 3 minutes to tell David because I didn’t know if it would “change its mind”! It was positive and we didn’t wait to tell anyone we just started calling everyone. So much for waiting 3 months. or so we thought.

Heather, Hannah, Tony, and Papa Paul

       By the time we got in to see an OBGYN and to see the ultrasound the doctor told us we were 5 1/2 months pregnant! David nearly passed out and fell over! We told her all that Tony had told us and she said we were having a girl. On the delivery day all the nurses knew about Hannah's story and how we had been waiting for her.  When Hannah was finally delivered the nurses and our doctor all said, “Wow she does have blond hair the story was true!”  As Tony had said we wouldn’t tell anyone we were pregnant for the first 3 months because we didn’t know we were pregnant. We were overjoyed and amazed at this unexpected blessing that we thought might never possibly have come true. Hannah means “The Lord hears”, the Lord heard our prayers and even gave us a messenger to bring us peace while we waited!

Hannah helping with the laundry.

     Hannah has traveled to the States 5 times and went to Kenya twice. She can remember what the Amsterdam, Holland International airport looks like and where the “Jungle Gym” is located in the airport. She has a passport with about 5 pages filled with stamps and visas. We have taken her into third world countries and she has built snowmen with her grandparents in Ohio. In each circumstance and in each environment she has adapted and “gone with the flow”. To her if mommy and daddy are there when she goes to bed at night, she feels comfortable and at peace. We are so blessed to have an exceptionally graceful child!

       Now we have a second blessing on the way! Hannah can’t wait to be a big sister and is practicing taking care of a baby on her dolls. She talks all the time about how she will care for her baby brother and about all the things he will need.  She asks almost daily if the baby is “big enough to come out”.  Hannah likes to tell everyone that “mommy has a baby in her belly”!

     We know that the Lord has a special plan for Hannah and for Jacob even though he is still being formed by our Master. We pray for the grace and wisdom as we lead these 2 blessings as we raise them up with this verse in mind: 

 So that you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. Deuteronomy 6:2

 We are excited to see where the Lord will take them and what He has planned for them.What a truly awesome God we serve. We are not sure what tomorrow might bring that we know whatever may come the Lord is already preparing the way.

In Christ,
Heather  =)

Where does your hope come from?

I lift up my eyes to the mountains where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. Psalm 121 

I have not shared this publicly, and only my closer family and friends knew about it but during the time I was on my 40 days of renewal I was also dealing with an issue of my own. When we first learned of Heather’s pregnancy we were very excited to say the least. We scheduled an appointment and went in to have the blood work done. I had been having pains in my chest and so I made an appointment for myself to see the Dr. My right breast was very tender and was a little bigger than the other. He did an exam and shared that he felt something there and said I better go and get a mammography. Heather’s blood work came back confirming that she was indeed pregnant. My emotions that day were a bit scrambled. I was overjoyed knowing we were expecting our second child and at the same time fearful that I might not be there to see it grow up. News that the Dr. thinks you may have cancer is difficult especially when you half to discuss it with him in a combination of English and Spanish. He ordered tests for blood and urine. I left his office trying to stay positive and yet found myself fearful of the uncertain news. The following month I kept the matter in prayer. I  have a close friend who also was my teacher in HS. He just had surgery for cancer a couple weeks ago. He is a strong Christian man and a good friend. I found that it was a great comfort to be able to talk with him about the aspect of unknowing and trusting in the Lord come what may. The Bible says.

2 Corinthians 1:3-5

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.

When we do suffer we do so knowing two things. The first is that we are never alone in our suffering. God is always with us. In the ups and downs of my life I can attest that this is most definitely true. The other thing we can know as we have suffered and found our comfort in the Lord is that we too can comfort others when they suffer. When I meet a person who is divorced I can minister to them in away a person who has not been through a divorce would be able to and have learned to trust in the Lord in a distinct way. I have been through it and am on the other side happier and wiser than I have been or had hoped for when I was in the midst of it and can share of this hope with those who are suffering through it and can’t yet see how God will bring them through it.

Sadly, this aspect of building one another up in the faith does not happen as it once did. Christians are too busy, too disconnected or just fearful of what others would say. Each culture has certain mindsets that define it. For America the notion of pulling yourself up by the bootstraps is prevalent. Even in the church, though it is contrary to scripture. Christ does not expect us to do it on our own. He said He knew that we could not accomplish His will on our own. He shared that He was going to send us another just like Him. He has given us the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit goes with us from day to day. He empowers us, convicts of sin, reminds us of the word of God, and gives us the words to speak even when we have no words among many more wonderful things. We are promised that we are never alone in this world and that God is always with us, that He will never leave us or forsake us.

It is unfortunate if the Christians around you are not mature enough in their faith to pray with you, encourage you with the word of God, give you a shoulder to cry on, comfort you as they had been comforted, and know enough of the scriptures to remind you of where your hope comes from. In my darkest times in the midst of so many flawed voices there have always been those one or two people strong in the Lord who have been able to go to God’s word and share with me words of hope and peace. Whether or not others have been there for you in this way I pray that after you finish reading this you will determine in your heart to be this way for those the Lord will bring into your life.

We need not put our faith in anything else other than Christ. I need to be reminded of this as much as anyone else. My friend recently helped me to remember that when I needed it. If I can be there for you, I hope you will give me the opportunity to do so.

I did get my results back over a week ago. My blood and urine tests came back all better than normal. In fact the Dr. was very impressed with the results albeit a bit surprised. I had to have an ultrasound in place of the mammography. My tests came back perfect. I am doing much better now.

With each trial we face in life we have one of two choices, will I trust God or will I place my hope in trust in someone or something else. As we have all seen in one form or another trusting in anything apart from God is not without its own types of risks whether that be, relationships, wealth, education or medical experts, medications, illegal drugs, ext. These often come along with unexpected consequences. Sometimes the risks are not as bad as we thought while other times they cost us more than we had intended.

These things I know for sure. We who are brothers and sisters in the Lord should be quick to lift one another up in the faith, to comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God We must always be willing to place their needs above our own. Sadly telling them to straighten up, snap out of it or handing them a pill is easier for us to do. Knowing what God’s word says and how it applies to our lives, praying with others and not just about them, and sharing with others that you have learned as you have suffered that when God says in his word,”.. that we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him..” You can do so not because you have read it once but because He has proved it to be true in your life and He will prove it in their lives as well as they hold on to the hope and future God has for him.

When I was at my lowest point in my life a man, mature in the faith, gave me this passage of scripture and my life was forever changed. Perhaps God will use it to change your life as well.

“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing;now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.The wild beasts will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches,for I give water in the wilderness,rivers in the desert,to give drink to my chosen people,the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise. Isa. 43:18-21

God Bless,

David Ingram

New Day Christian Ministry

Isa. 43:18-21

www.newdaycm.org

How to expect the unexpected

“Here I am, Lord, send me!” are the words that mark a Christian servant. David and I both said these words when we were just barely teenagers. We experienced a turning point in our walk with the Lord and knew that someday we would be missionaries. When that day came we of course had our expectations and preconceived notions about what we would do and what our lives would look like when we landed in Puerto Rico October 2004. In 2005 God led us to begin New Day Christian Ministry.  At first it was just one small church but now we have 46 churches around the world, 2 of them being in PR.

Although church planting is an important part of our ministry it is not the only thing on our plate. God has led us to do many things and meet many people along the way that might seem arbitrary and random to most people. Yet these encounters and activities have become an intercut part of our daily ministry. We have come to expect the unexpected when we wake up in the morning. We never know who we might meet at our local gas station or store, or what blessings may fall on us or what form of tragedy might happen.

This last month we have had an abundance of all 3. We have been abundantly blessed in different ways; we have met many people and been blessed by them and been able to be a blessing to them and their families; we have also experienced a mountain of heartache this month. I would like to briefly share a few examples of each:

When we returned from Kenya we hit the ground running with plans to begin our second PR church branch. We have been blessed with the opportunity to share a church building with Hormigueros Baptist Church. The last few weeks we have traveled there many times preparing the building.  This last Sunday was our first service. We have a lot of work ahead of us and we are very excited at the incredible blessing of starting another branch and being able to meet in a church building. We eagerly wait to see how God will grow this church.

As we have been preparing for this church start, we faced a significant transportation challenge. Because of the distance needed to travel back and forth for this church start we needed to make sure our vehicle was in working order. We took it in for an inspection at our local auto shop and upon receiving an estimate for repairs we were very disappointed. The estimate was over $1500 to repair the breaks and front suspension. When we shared this with our friend, who is a certified mechanic, he quickly offered to help us do any repairs if we bought the parts. We eagerly accepted and bought what we thought were the necessary parts recommended to us by the auto shop. However, when David and our friend began disassembling the van they quickly realized several things were missing and several things that supposedly needed replaced were in good condition. David went back a few times to the auto shop and returned parts and exchanged them for different ones. Our friend also showed us that metal was showing through on our front tires. After replacing the breaks, front suspension and two new tires we spent only $500. Praise the Lord for this incredible blessing. We are so thankful to our friend for his immense help!

While we were preparing for our new church and also fixing the van we received word that a friend was in the ICU. Seven years ago when we started NDCM we needed a post office box. Harry, a postal worker for over 20 years, helped us open one. Through the years we shared stories of our families and different mile stones in our lives. When we became pregnant we excitedly shared pictures and when Hannah was born we brought her in to meet Harry and the rest of our postal friends. Every time we went away on mission trips to Kenya or on furlough to the States he not only personally took care of our mail but he served us and our ministry in a unique and important way. Three weeks ago he was admitted into the ICU for double pneumonia and a few days later died of a heart attack. David was honored to be asked by the family to perform a service and conduct the spreading of his ashes. 

Not more than a day after Harry’s service we received a text from one of David’s closest friends in the States that his mother-in-law had been rushed to the hospital with a brain aneurysm. Sadly she passed away the next morning. We had enjoyed several family get-togethers with his in-laws and had hoped to get to know her better. With so much tragedy in such a short time we were hopeful that the worst had passed. Unfortunately this was not to be.

As many of our friends know almost a year ago our close friend here in PR, Javier, was killed. Five years ago we met Javier at a gas station. David was speaking English and that intrigued Javier enough to approach us and talk for a few minutes. We exchanged contact info and went our separate ways. Five minutes after separating he calls and asks for prayer for some of his friends. This encounter led to meeting his family members, sharing holidays/birthdays and many visits to each others’ homes. On June 4, 2011 upon arriving at his house to show him our new puppy we learned that just a few short minutes before he had been shot and killed. His brother was an eye witness and identified the shooter which led to an arrest. The unexpectedness of his death and having him so violently taken from this earth and the closeness we had with him has left a void in our lives here in PR. This whole year we have been in and out of court, every time reliving the tragedy and pain. This past week a verdict of not guilty was issued and our expectations for a legally just ending was cruelly taken away from us by a corrupt judicial system.  

Literally on the same day that this verdict was given we left the court house to go and be with our friend Nelson and his family for the viewing of his brother. Five years ago through a mutual friend we met this young Deaf man, Nelson. He began attending our church along with his hearing sister’s. We also began to get to know his other family members. We have gotten to know his family through the years. Nelson is the only Deaf member in his family. He has grown so much in the Lord that he is now the Deaf leader for our Juana Diaz branch. One week ago to this day Nelsons older brother was shot and killed. Family members flew in, arrangements were made and David and I stayed with Nelson to be his voice during the viewing and funeral. It was so heartbreaking to interpret for Nelson at the gravesite as he said words of love to his deceased brother and fellow family members.

In the midst of this tragedy, like those before, our families have come together. We have formed new friendships and older friendships have been strengthened.

When a Christian says, “Here I am, Lord, send me” there is no way to prepare someone for the unexpected life of servant hood. Ministry comes in all shapes and sizes and we must be ready in season and out of season. I have found that in order to be ready to pour out the love of God to those I surround myself with, I must first have my cup filled with the things of the Lord.

Being a missionary comes with many preconceived ideas of a scheduled and neat life of church on the weekends and leading people to salvation in Christ. If that were the case I am almost positive there would be many more missionaries out in the field. Christ didn’t call his disciples to a neat and scheduled life of preaching. He called them to GO and MAKE disciples. That task of “going” and “making” are no way neat and scheduled. In order to “go” and “make” it requires surrendering all, not just possessions, but your own expectations, ideas, pride, comfort and having a balanced budget every month! It requires getting ones hands shoulder deep in the work of the ministry; sometimes you are blessed beyond belief by God unexpectedly in different ways by different people, sometimes God leads you into someone’s life unexpectedly and you never know why until an opportunity (or maybe many opportunities) presents itself for you to be a blessing or be blessed.

“Here I am, Lord, send me” doesn’t come with a rule book or a schedule book. These words must come from a place that is ready everyday for the unexpected activity of serving others in unimaginable way’s. 

Sowing The Seeds In Faith

~He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God.~ (2Co 9:10-12)

 One morning just a few days before we were to return to Puerto Rico, Nicodemus and I woke up and prepared for what I thought was going to be a couple hour trip and overnight stay to see  some land that he, his wife, Richard, Naomi and a few others had pulled together to rent and were having plowed.  A few hours turned into most of the day as we traversed along the sporadic path to Nakuru. We would ride on one bus or van that would be packed full of passengers to the next. On several occasions along the trip we would need to exit one vehicle and walk a mile or two before we could get to the next location to catch one that was also going our way. The further we got away from Nairobi and closure to Nakuru the harder it became to find transportation and the more crowded the vans would become. I decided at one point to count the passengers in the van I was in. I was up to 22 in my count when I was asked to get out of the van and move to the front seat. The man responsible for filling the van realized he could get more people in the back if I was moved to the front. Another 2 people were added to the already overcrowded van that was never intended to carry more than 10 passengers. Many of the passengers, like myself, had brought along a backpack or small suitcase for whatever journey still lied ahead of them. 

We did eventually make it to the place we were to stay for the night and were relieved to have a place to leave our things. The journey was not over, we still needed to make it to the fields. We walked out to a place where people were gathering but no one was headed where we were headed this time, or were already overloaded. Taking a taxi was not going to be very likely. As soon as the driver would see me the price would double. Eventually Nicodemus walked far enough away that I was out of sight and could negotiate a fair for us to travel to the fields, which I soon learned were at the bottom of the Great Rift Valley.  When we did meet up with the man who was plowing the land and I saw what this “garden” looked like I was reminded of the passage of the people who traveled out to the wilderness to see John the Baptist and were told, "What was it you came to see?". What I saw was a step of faith unlike any I had seen before. This garden was not one field it was 3 and covers 18 archers of land. As Nicodemus met with the man over the plowing of each of the 3 fields the scope of what they had set out to do had dawned on me. They were not preparing food for the children to eat for the coming year, they were preparing for a way to provide food for the children that would sustain them for many years to come.

Keeping 200 children fed each day is more than an obstacle, each day they get fed is nothing short of a miracle. For several years we have sent money that comes into our ministry that has been designated for feeding the children. Sometimes it is less and sometimes more. We normally send $65 each month to help the children with food. With last year’s famine coupled with a struggling economy where the money does not go as far as it did, the money we send is only enough to buy a week’s worth of food. The money helps but will not sustain them. The struggle to keep all of these children fed is not a small matter for those who are carring for them. They have all made significant sacrifices to provide for these children. Richard travels to Mombasa for work, Naomi has taken a job as s teacher for the Kenyan government, and Nicodemus spends months away from his family traveling from one part of Kenya to another trying to get enough to feed the children for that week.

These fields represent an opportunity for the struggle to feed all of these children to be fed to be lifted, not just for one season but for all of them. Collectively they collected $800 to rent the fields and till the land. It will take another $800 to buy seed and fertilizer to plant a harvest of corn and beans, the two main foods they use to feed the children. They are planting more than enough to feed the children for the year. With the remaining crop they will sell what they do not use for the school so that they can be in a position to plant next year’s harvest, and the next, and the next.

There is no doubt in my mind that they will get the remaining amount of funds they need to plant these crops. 

“He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.” 

I know that God will bless their trust and faith in Him. The only question is how will He go about it?

What about you? Are you sowing the seeds God has given you?

“The thing that we all need to remember is that if we are looking for a harvest we must first sow the seeds:

 “You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God.”

Now normally we do not think of this passage with real seeds in mind but this time you have an opportunity to sow seeds of faith that will produce a real harvest, that will fill the bellies of real children who will offer praises that will overflow into many thanksgiving to God who will in turn give you even more seeds to sow.

One of the fields is smaller than the other two. It will cost $200 to sow the first field and the other two fields will cost $300 each to sow. Perhaps God will lead you or perhaps even your Sunday school or church to provide the seeds for one of these fields. If He does please write, “seeds to sow” in the memo of your check and send your donations by mail to:

New Day Christian Ministry

PO Box 49610

West Carrolton, OH 45449

You can also make donations here by following this link: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=U8UZCCRKQAGVL

God Bless,

David Ingram

New Day Christian Ministry

Isa. 43:18-21

Christians, Stop Living In Fear!

FEAR = False, Evidence, Appearing, Real. Fear is the motivation for so many things that we will do outside of the will of God. Out of fear you will keep silent when you should speak up, go along when you should stand firm, lash out when you should listen, give up when you should press on. It is why we tip when we should tithe, turn people away when we should reach-out,horde up for ourselves when we should give to others, condemn when we should console, hate when we should love. Yes, fear is so very crippling when we give in to it. Satan knows this. The world knows this, your government knows it, and the media knows it. They use it to get you to buy things you do not need, put things in your body that can harm you, get you to support preemptive strikes and wars of aggression, justify the bombing of thousands of innocent people, approve torture, give up your rights to dignity and respect, of privacy and freedom.

    The next time you are tempted to give in to your fears please allow me to remind you that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the only fear we are ever told to have in His word. When you do face evil in this life remember that God has told us that you and I must overcome evil with good!!! Do not fear what men can do to you, for they are not your true enemy. Even if they can destroy your body they can not destroy your soul. We do not wrestle against flesh and blood but with the powers and principalities of this present age. Your enemy, the devil, is like a roaring lion seeking what he can devour and fear is one of his most powerful weapons. But we are promised that if you and I will resist the devil he must flee from us. Satan would have you to live in fear but you do not have to nor should you! God has not given you a spirit of fear but that of a sound mind. Therefore take all your thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ. Trust in the Lord with all your heart in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.

   Please, I beg of you, for your sake and those you love do not allow yourself to be guided by your fears!  From now on: speak up, stand firm, listen, press on, tithe, reach-out,give to others, console, love and convince those around you that they should do the same.  In all things remember: "Meanwhile these three remain: faith, hope, and love; and the greatest of these is love." (1Co 13:13)

God Bless,

David Ingram

New Day Christian Ministry

Isa. 43:18-21

www.newdaycm.org

Not Easily Broken....

And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. (Ecc 4:12)

    As I was praying and thinking about all that lay before us in the coming weeks, the Lord brought to my memory Ecc. 4 and it has given me much encouragement. I hope it will to you as well.

This month has been one of great accomplishments in taking the Gospel of the kingdom of God to those who are perishing:

• Peter wrote today to report on the progress of the church plants in Rwanda. There were many people reached while they were there the past 13 days. This Past Sunday there were 46 in attendance at NDCM New Day Christian Ministry  Bombei  and a second church was also established in the village Gai with 17 members. Peter and Joseph left today to head back to their families in Kisii, Kenya having accomplished much for the Lord while in Rwanda. 

• Last week here in PR we met with Pastor Jesus Ortiz in Hormigueros and have received full support in the use of their building, a sign, and an offer to go out with me to invite others to join us. 

• In just 14 days we are headed to Kenya for two leader training conferences and two Vacation Bible Schools, Lord willing.

     The opportunities are truly amazing, while the financial difficulties are also significant. The cost for the church start was higher than expected and although they have tickets for the two day journey home they each need about $30 for food and lodging on their way home. (we have received $25 already, we lack $35) When our second Puerto Rican branch starts in March we will be driving over 120 miles each week and gas is a significant concern. The trip to Kenya still lacks $2,370 in support that is needed for the journey and we have only 8 days left until we need to leave.

As I was reminding the Lord of these needs He reminded me of His word, “a threefold cord is not quickly broken”

Truly a little can go a far way in the kingdom of God. Working together we could do far more than we could ever accomplish on our own. If everyone who visited our web page, received our newsletters, and weekly updates gave just $5.00 a month each we would have enough support for all the work we have been given to do and would be lacking in nothing. We would truly be free to focus all our efforts on ministry.

Would you be willing to join us in combining together to make a stronger more secure cord to pull out those who are struggling to get out of the mire and muck of this world? I pray you will!

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Thank you for whatever you are able and willing to do. May God richly bless you and making you a blessing as you continue to serve Him!

David Ingram

New Day Christian Ministry

Isa. 43:18-21

 www.newdaycm.org

Hunger and thirst for righteousness

I have learned a few things in my life as I have tried to be observant of my environment and the people around me. I have made a little mental list of things I will look for. This list has proved to be especially helpful to me when I come into a new town. When I am hungry and traveling I have found that there is one truth that holds constant every time I am trying to find a good place to eat and it is this, “Look to see where the older people are going to eat!” I have learned that they know where the best food is and often at the best price. This simple truth has never let me down. If you question this logic just visit a Golden Corral (a large buffet style restaurant) during lunch time and look to see who is there.

 When it comes to being hungry and thirsty for the most part we have become experts on filling our bellies and tantalizing our taste buds, but what about our inner man?

Do we spend as much thought, time, and effort feeding our inner man as we do our flesh?

   I have heard people who have been Christians for years say that they feel that they are not being fed on Sunday mornings. I have also heard from others talk about how their pastor is so eloquent with his words, they will often add that they feel they are being fed at church on Sunday mornings and are satisfied.

I have always felt troubled by both of these lines of thought. 

It is true that we are to come together for the teaching and preaching of God’s word but this is not to be all of God’s leading, guiding, and providing that we should receive for the week and it is not the only reason we gather together. We also gather together to encourage each other, pray for others and share our requests, as well as to challenge each other in the faith as iron sharpens iron. 

The Christians who are only concerned about the presentation of the Sunday morning message act like they believe that the pastor or church Leaders are the only ones that can feed them, and Sunday morning is the only time that they can, “Be fed”. 

The question is, “why are they not getting fed everyday as they spend time in prayer and Bible study with the Lord, abiding in Him and Him in us?” 

Let me put it this way. Let’s look for a second at the Christian who says he or she is fed at Sunday morning worship and feels satisfied. In this example Sunday morning is like the person who eats at the local buffet on Sundays. The person comes in, eats all that they can handle, and goes home.  

How long will that meal last? 

If it lasted for a whole day would that be enough to keep you fed for the whole week? 

Would you go a whole week without eating in hopes that there would be a good meal on Sunday at your favorite restaurant?

What kind of physical shape would you be in if you spent years only eating once a week?

 What kind of Spiritual shape do you think you would be in?

But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, (1Co 3:1-2)

The Corinthians should have been spiritual people but they were not. They still needed to be fed milk like infants because they were not ready. 

This passage talks about milk for infants, what is this milk?

My baby girl Hannah was absolutely dependent on her mother’s milk when she was first born. Without it she would have died and she needed to have it often. When she was hungry she would cry out to be fed. She knew that she needed her mother’s milk and was always more than willing to let her mother know she was hungry. At 6 months old she started to eat baby food and drink juice. She still needed her mother’s milk but only a few times a day. The rest of the time she started to eat food. As she grew she depended on her mother’s milk less and less and now she is able to eat her food for herself. 

New Born Christians need to be fed the milk of the gospel by more mature Christians. The knowledge of how God redeemed them from sin, their need for the Word of God, prayer, the empowering of the inner man by the Holy Spirit, The need to abide in Christ and He in them. We call this discipleship though sadly we do not see this occurring as often as we use to.    

As soon as a new believer learns this truth and starts to go to the Word of God and pray for the Holy Spirit to feed them they begin to mature. They are able to move up to baby food, and eventually to solid foods, they will begin to encounter situations that challenge them to place their trust in God more and more completely. As they mature they become better able to teach others, not just the Word of God, but the truths of God’s word that they have seen at work in their own lives as the Holy Spirit has taken from God and given to them.   

Sadly this is not the case of many of the church members today. They have attended Sunday morning after Sunday morning skimming along on milk year in and year out and still are unable to eat the solid food of God. 

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.(Heb 5:12-14)

 Are you skilled in the word of righteousness? 

Are you having your powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil?

Are you being transformed by the renewing of your mind as you are being taught the Word of God by His Holy Spirit?

Have you matured to the point that it is time to start teaching instead of needing to be taught again, but are not yet teaching? If so what is holding you back? 

   The wonderful thing about God is every day is a fresh start with Him. His mercies are new every morning. If you know what God is leading you to do, all you need to do is obey.

 If you are not yet mature enough to eat the solid foods of God I encourage you to:

 Stop being hateful! Quit trying to fool people, and start being sincere. Don't be jealous or say cruel things about others. Be like newborn babies who are thirsty for the pure spiritual milk that will help you grow and be saved. (1Pe 2:1-2)

May God Bless you and draw you ever more closer to Him each day!

God Bless,

David Ingram

New Day Christian Ministry

Isa. 43:18-21

www.newdaycm.org