Dear Friends in Christ,
Alabama suffered through a horrific natural disaster on April 27, with tornado after tornado striking communities across the north and central part of our state. Many lives were lost and others who survived lost everything of material value. Experts believe that some of those tornados were EF4’s and 5’s in intensity and size. We continue to pray for those who are starting over in terms of grieving over loss of life, houses, and belongings.
Sin is like a tornado, bringing destruction and death everywhere it goes. Some sin is “smaller” in its impact on lives than other sins which devastate families. The Wales Goebel Ministry sees many whose lives are EF5’s in terms of the destruction. The ravages of drugs, alcohol, immorality, and bitterness, just to name a few, leave lives in shambles. Politics and passing laws does not stop these “tornados” from doing great damage to individuals and families. Only the gospel transforms a life wrecked by sin. Only the power of God can liberate and restore those who have been enslaved to sin.
Recently a couple, whose marriage was shaky, came for counseling. They both knew the Lord, but selfishness created a tornado of hurt and a breakdown in communication. God used this difficulty with their marriage to bring them both to the place of desperation and to the end of self-sufficiency. They both responded to the good news of our co-crucifixion with Christ and appropriated Him as their life. Each of them acknowledged that they had never heard about their identification in Christ. Forgiveness took place toward one another and they are experiencing a Christ-centered marriage.
The gospel is not just for the lost, giving them the message of forgiveness and the promise of eternal life in Christ. The gospel (good news) is also for believers. The gospel not only tells us that Jesus died for us, but we died with Him (Galatians 2:20). Just as we gave up trusting ourselves in order to become a Christian, so God wants us to live the Christian life trusting Him. This means coming to the end of ourselves and experiencing Christ as our life. God uses “spiritual tornados” to accomplish just that. The gospel of grace frees us from self to truly serve others in the power of the Holy Spirit.
God is at work through WGM in ministering the gospel to the unbeliever as well as the Christian. There are Bible classes, counseling, discipleship with individuals, and evangelistic outreaches going on weekly through our ministry. In some of the Bible classes there are non-Christians attending, invited by believers and seeking to know about the Savior. God is changing lives one person at a time.
The gospel is the only answer for sin and the godless state of our nation. Please continue to pray for our staff who weekly minister to men and women in their various spheres of operation. Pray that God will continue to use us, that He will give divine appointments, and that He will provide for our needs. You may be able to help answer the prayer for financial provision. It is for souls.
In Christ Our Life,
Dr. Jay Jackson
