Victory Magazine July 2016

Victory MagazineJuly/August 2016 Hidden With Christ Ministries

Page 9-10 A Princess Comes to Live

at Treasures of Africa

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OUR VISION:To demonstrate the love of God through mercy ministries and by freely teaching God’s Word around the world. OUR MISSION:To care for orphans and abandoned children and other needy persons through practical outreaches and by producing free Bible materials and training.

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Hidden With Christ MinistriesP.O. Box 3267Tustin, CA 92781USA

Hidden With Christ MinistriesP.O. Box 383 MoshiTANZANIA

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Our three youngest “treasures” at Treasures of Africa Children’s Home are all boys. This is a “first” for TOA as previously we have always had a girl in the

mix of the babies! Our youngest is Baraka James who turned six months in July. His Swahili name means “blessing” and he is all of that! He smiles continuously and has the sweetest spirit!

Next in age is John Joseph, who turned nine months in July. He has a more reserved

demeanor than little Baraka but he is warming up more and more every day. He is interested in everything around him and can cruise down the hallway in the baby walker on wheels at an amazing speed!

Little David has become such a handsome boy. He turned 26

months in July. Though a quiet personality, he is talking more and more and is extremely observant. David loves to “hang out” with the guys and if one of the older boys is around, he wants to go where they are going. He adores Raymond (who turns 16 at the end of July) because he will happily carry him around. Ray has always been a very caring big brother for the younger children at TOA.

Please pray for “Forever Families” for these three boys, as this is our hearts’ desire for them. But meanwhile, we will continue to provide a loving environment for all the children in our care at Treasures of Africa, with an aim at inspiring them to become godly leaders as they mature. Thank you for being a vital part of helping our children grow!

Baraka

David

John Joseph

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We thought you might

enjoy a peak at Treasures

of Africa Children’s

Home on an average day. So we took photos at

various hours of the day

and captured our staff and kids in action!

Enjoy!

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At almost any hour of the day you can find Mr. Emili Kweka laboring quietly to beautify the grounds of Treasures of Africa Children’s Home. He is a gifted landscaper who has made our dry ground blossom like a rose! His diligent work demonstrates the spirit of excellence that is one of the “7 Pillars for a Successful Life” that we teach the children at TOA.

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One of our Caregivers - Helen, feeding our 6 month old Baraka James. Helen is great with the kids and the little ones love her!

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Innocent is one of our night Security Guards. But his skills as a carpenter and overall handyman have been a blessing to Treasures of Africa during daylight hours! Here he is replacing screen on the upstairs window of the classroom to keep out those nasty malaria carrying mosquitos!

Two of our older girls – Helena and Doreen – help prepare the vegetables for dinner. Learning to cook is an important life skill that we want all of our kids to acquire before they leave Treasures of Africa.

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Our sweet A w a d h i enjoying some time on the slide. When he is home on break from his School for the Deaf, he takes full advantage of the playground e q u i p m e n t as well as the soccer field at TOA.

Our Primary school students just got home from Moshi Academy after a “field day” where they got to wear their uniform track suits and enjoy races and other sports activities.

Just another day in Tanzania with a visit from a Vervet monkey on our roof. And yes it is true - monkeys really do love bananas!

We are only God’s coworkers. You are God’s garden, not ours; you are God’s building, not ours.1 Corinthians 3:9 Living Bible

Though we love to call them “our kids” at Treasures of Africa Children’s Home, the truth is that they are not “ours,” they belong to God. As the scripture above very accurately states, the children living at Treasures of Africa are “God’s garden” and we are just God’s co-workers in nurturing His garden. But like any gardener, we do have great joy in watching the garden grow!

Seeing the teens and young adults at TOA mature physically, emotionally and spiritually is truly a privilege. While I was in Tanzania during May and June, I experienced the joy of watching them minister at a Maasai church located out toward Lake Manyara. I brought a team of eight of the older students and they ministered both in music and through prayer.

But it was the night before that church service, that I will always remember as being a particularly precious one. We had made the three hour drive from Moshi on Saturday afternoon, with a stop for lunch and errands in the city of Arusha. When we finally arrived at the lodge where we planned to spend the night, it was dusk. After dinner, we asked the innkeeper if there was a place they would allow us to meet together to sing and pray. (All of our rooms were very small with no chairs The TOA Choir: Ray, Catherine, Maggie, Mary,

Sifa, Witness and Benny

and could not accommodate our group of 10) They led us to an open air two story “hut” that amazingly had an electrical outlet on the second floor, so we were able to plug in our keyboard. We spent the next two hours just praying and singing worship songs in preparation for the Sunday service. The atmosphere felt so rich with the tangible presence of God. No one wanted to stop, though it was getting late.

It was pitch black outside but because of the “open air” design of the hut, we could feel the cool night air and see the multitude of stars in the sky. As we continued to sing, I was looking outside when a very dramatic shooting star coursed across the sky. “What a beautiful and miraculous sight!” I thought. But then, glancing back at the teens worshipping, I thought, “No, actually that is the more beautiful and miraculous sight!” I knew all of their stories – sorrow, loss, abandonment, rejection. Yet here they were

– all praising the God who created them and trusting Him for their futures. That was both miracle and beauty right before my eyes.

The next morning, everyone was excited and ready to get to the church. Benny, who has become an accomplished worship leader and keyboardist, led the choir. They sang with passion and the church received them joyfully. Catherine, served as the lead singer, and she did a beautiful job. Raymond, Mary, Sifa, Witness, Maggie and Innocent rounded out the choir. They also enthusiastically joined the church in dancing to their Maasai praise songs

and everyone had a fantastic time. Most of them had never been around Maasai tribal people before, with the exception of our good friend Pastor Zablon, whom they all have known for years. But this was a new experience, hearing the Maasai language spoken by the entire church, and they loved it. Benny added “Skilled Interpreter” to his list of accomplishments, by translating my English preaching to Swahili, while Pastor Zablon translated his Swahili to Maasai.

It was a truly amazing weekend, watching the garden grow.

Open air meeting room where we spent the evening singing and praying

Sifa in the foreground praying for a member in the Maasai church

Catherine leading in song andBenny on the keyboard

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Just before Christina and I left for our annual furlough in the U.S., we had planted a few different crops out at the orphanage’s

property site (Future Home of Treasures of Africa Children’s Leadership Village) but we weren’t too sure how things would turn out. There were so many variables and our new farming methods were unproven to us and not used in the area at all. We weren’t sure what to expect. All of our neighbors have been planting corn for decades in the same area by using a tractor to deep plow the soil and then watching the rains sweep the topsoil away inch by inch. It’s been working for them for a long time. But we are acutely aware of the damage that method of farming has done to the soil in the area over the years and we knew we had to farm our land differently.

Hidden With Christ Ministries is committed to doing all we can to be environmentally sensitive in this land of incredible deforestation, heavy soil erosion and constant pesticide use. The local rivers look like chocolate when the rains are heavy. My quips about the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory river aren’t really that funny when you come to realize that is precious topsoil being washed away due to the common farming practices.

Buying an expensive “Zero till” planter was out of the question, so we decided to use a modified zero till farming method that reminds me of the way the American Indians taught the early colonists to grow corn. Dig a small hole, put a small fish into the ground and then plant the seed where you buried the fish. (At least that’s the way I remember it from grade school history lessons.) Fish would have been expensive, but cow manure is free and abundant thanks to the Maasai tribes who graze their cattle around us. Finding a few manure covered acres of ground wasn’t hard. Scraping the manure off of the rocks and loading it into the truck was the hard part!

So two of our older boys, Ray and Emmanuel, came to help me gather the manure, along with our Guards/Groundkeepers Ben and Clay who live on the TOA property site. After 5 truckloads (3 for the property and 2 for the TOA garden) we had the beginnings of our plan in place. Now came the really hard work. Ben and Clay began marking rows with string and making small holes along the lines with a Jimbe (nothing but a large garden hoe). They filled the holes with our manure mixture and planted the seeds. They planted about 2.5 acres of maize and beans that way, avoiding the rockier areas and then planting some greens, tomatoes, peppers, and various other staples on our lower levels where we had been fortifying the soil for vegetables. After a few good rains we could see the seedlings coming up, but we still weren’t sure how they would fare in

Kids and staff at Treasures of Africa working together

removing the outer pods after our first harvest of beans

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the hard unplowed soil. Even with the small amounts of manure, how would the roots react when they hit the hard ground underneath? Would the water penetrate the soil enough or just run down our gentle slope?

It rained quite a bit before I left for the States but it didn’t rain once the whole month I was away. To say I was a little worried that all of the hard work was going for naught would have been an understatement. I’d seen the crops in Tanzania sprout quickly, only to wither and die before reaching maturity due to a lack of rain. Even now, that is the case when driving only an hour east of Moshi towards the coast. It gives you a very sad feeling driving by and seeing all of the maize that was so meticulously planted, only half grown, brown, shriveled and standing dead in the field.

But I’m happy to say that is not the case on our 5-acre plot in Hai District opposite the Machame slopes of Kilimanjaro. The corn is high, many of the fresh beans have already been harvested for the children’s meals and it’s been raining again. I was so pleased during my first time back on the property to see everything growing so beautifully. I was beside myself with joy and so extremely grateful for Ben and Clay. They have been working

diligently to keep it all together. We should have enough beans to last the Children’s Home for at least another 8 months after they’re all dried. The maize should surpass what we use in a year after we grind the kernels into flour and hold some dried whole kernels back for the traditional African dish of Makonde, that the kids eat once a week. The pictures here are worth a thousand words and we thank God for His provision. Seeing our crops growing brings such meaning to the scripture found in Zecharia 10:1 that states, “God sends the rain at its proper time.”

Lastly, I’d like to thank everyone who made our U.S. furlough last month so wonderful. Many of you blessed us beyond measure and made our time with family and friends very enjoyable and most of all - relaxing. You know who you are. Sometimes you plan a getaway and return more tired than when you left. But that was not the case this time. We’ve had some crazy African challenges since we’ve been back in Tanzania, but our rest at home this time was priceless. It really strengthened us.

May God bless you all for your sacrifices. Your generosity is helping us prepare to reap a harvest of young leaders from among the orphaned and abandoned children in the Kilimanjaro Region of Tanzania.

With love from East Africa,

Warren and Christina Oberst

Missionaries at Treasures of Africa Children’s HomeMoshi, Tanzania

The corn is high on the TOA property - Our staff member Clay is happy with the results of his hardwork.

Justina holding a bucket of beans from the first harvest

On June 10, 2016, God sent a precious princess to live at Treasures of Africa Children's Home. Her name is Esther and she is three years old. She was found early one morning by a farmer, abandoned in his rice field, battered and bruised. She was suffering from exposure as she had spent the night in that cold, wet environment. He contacted the police who took her to a government hospital in Moshi town. The police questioned her, and she knew only her first name. When asked who had brought her to that place, she replied, "Baba," which is the Swahili word for father. Her body shown signs of a beating. She spent nearly two weeks at the hospital recovering.

The children at Treasures of Africa fully embraced little Esther from the day she arrived. She joined the "little girls room" having Jessica, Diamond, Maria and Zoe as her roommates. They were thrilled to have a new little sister join them. Right before we left to go and pick up Esther, we asked the girls to think of ways to make her feel welcomed. When we returned, we found that 7-year-old Jessica, had taken her one and only stuffed animal, that she had received for Christmas, and placed it on Esther's pillow to welcome her. We could have wept, seeing Jessica pass on the love she had received, to little Esther. For a child who has so few personal possessions, that was sacrificial love in action!

The day that Esther arrived at Treasures of Africa, she was taken by the hand of our older girls to play outside. She quickly learned to play “Duck, Duck, Goose” and loved running foot races

and playing on the swings and slide. Watching her laugh as she played with the kids was pure joy. It was immediately apparent to everyone that Princess Esther fit right in.

We are so grateful to the supporters of this ministry whose generosity enables us to continue to “Rescue the abandoned, Raise up leaders and help to Restore a nation.” Thank you for your heart for our work at Treasures of Africa Children’s Home.

www.treasuresofafrica.org

Esther running a foot race at Treasures of Africa

A warm welcome for Esther from the kids at TOA

When my husband and I were called as missionaries to Tanzania, East Africa, we both knew that God wasn't calling us alone - as a couple. He was calling our two daughters as well. We have embraced the belief that as a family, God has called and anointed us to go and serve

others.

We were so blessed to have met Warren and Christina Oberst, the Directors at Treasures of Africa Children’s Home. They introduced us to their world of being daddy and mama to the “treasures” they serve on a daily basis. Although we have another project to work on, we still wanted to be a part of serving the kids at TOA as well.

Madison Welch works with TOA kids quizzing them on division flashcards

by Vicki Welch

According to James 1:27, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” We wanted to follow God’s Word, so it was an easy decision to begin to serve at Treasures of Africa.

We find no greater joy than spending time with the kids tutoring them in math, reading them stories, playing games, and other activities. It is a special joy to see them learn their math facts. (Can you tell I was a Primary School teacher back in the states?) You should see their faces light up when they realize they’ve gotten faster at calling out the correct answers!

We spend the majority of our volunteer time at TOA serving the younger students and our girls love having little sisters and brothers to mentor. Madison, our oldest, (age 17) goes at least 3 days a week to teach dance, play games and just sit and talk with the children. She has been so passionate about it that she has inspired others from her youth group to get involved in serving as well! Mackenzie, our youngest, (age 15) has made quite the impression on Justina and they are like two peas in a pod with their unique personalities!

Our family is so thankful for Treasures of Africa, a home that puts God first and trains up the children in His Word. These children know the Bible and know how to pray and receive from God. Matthew 18:2-4 says, “He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said:

‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.’” These sweet little ones have inspired us in our faith and the simplicity of becoming like a little child to receive the kingdom of God.

Thank you TOA for being a light and inspiration in Moshi, Tanzania!

Vicki Welch reading a story to the TOA kids

Vince Welch with 2 year old David

We could not have imagined how remote this school's location would turn out to be. We knew it was up in the Pare mountains, but that was all we knew. The long and winding narrow road up the mountain had started out nicely paved. It was a lovely day with blue skies and lush greenery from the recent rains. As we drove higher and higher, a family of Baboons scampered across the road and disappeared into the lush green bush. “What a lovely day to drive,” I thought, as we continued climbing higher up the mountain.

Once we arrived at a village called Kikweni, we inquired as to the location of the Secondary School we were trying to find. The man motioned toward a simple wooden sign which had the words, "Simburo Secondary School" painted on it and an arrow pointing the way up a horribly rutted dirt road. To me it resembled a mountain goat path more than a road intended for motor vehicles to traverse. We hesitated. Did we dare drive our Toyota Rav4 up that road? Maybe it will get better, we thought. Faith reminded me that the teacher she had spoken to had sworn that he drives his small car up that road all the time. So we pressed on.

We began our slow journey up the dirt road but the further we crawled, the more certain we became that we were driving the wrong car for this adventure. The ruts were getting deeper and the rocks were getting bigger. Yet there was no place to turn around. We prayed we wouldn't encounter a vehicle coming down the road as there was barely room for the width of one vehicle to pass.

We could see the effects of recent rains which had washed out any semblance of a proper road in certain spots. We thanked God it had not rained that day because we surely would have ended up stuck. Every time we passed someone walking, we asked how far it was to the school. Repeatedly we received the same reply, "It's just over there." That seemed to be a standard answer meant to encourage the hearer to continue on until the destination was reached without regard to distance. I sighed and wished we were driving a Safari vehicle that was made for these roads. I made a mental note to myself to buy a Toyota Land Cruiser for TOA as soon as financially possible!

After a very long and painfully slow journey, we arrived at a fork in the dirt road. Another hand painted sign pointed to the right, directing the way to the school up an even narrower road that looked worse than the one we were on. We looked at it, shook

our heads and called it quits. We couldn't risk damaging the undercarriage of our vehicle by attempting the steep incline which appeared to be made entirely of rocks. Yet we had come this far, and Frank, the boy we had come to see, had never had anyone attend the school's Parent Meeting on his behalf. So we decided one of us would stay with the car and the other would try to make the way up the road to the school on foot. How far could it possibly be?

Just then, some Secondary School students came walking down the road. Faith inquired how far it was to the school. "Not far," they replied. (We had heard that before!) "But if you take a Boda Boda (motorcycle taxi) it will be faster." Then one of the boys whistled and out of nowhere appeared a Boda Boda driver, ready to be of service. Faith climbed on the back of the motorcycle and they roared off.

I waited with the car. I became an object of immediate interest to the Secondary School girls who had walked down the road from the school. They stopped and stared and giggled a lot. I waved and smiled back. They don't see many foreigners up here, I concluded, since my very presence seemed to provide great entertainment. After a while, Faith reappeared with Frank. Both were passengers on the back of two motorcycle taxis. Faith informed me that the Parent Meeting, which had been scheduled for 11am, was just now getting started, even though it was past 2pm.

Maybe the other parents had as hard a time getting to that remote place as we did, or maybe this was just “African time.”

Faith gave Frank the school supplies and toiletries we had brought for him, as well as some "pocket money." He was very grateful. Boarding School in Tanzania is tough. But this remote government Secondary School was exceedingly tough. They have no running water. Every student must hike down the mountain to the river and draw water for the school for cooking, bathing and drinking. The school compound is primitive and the school struggles for the most basic supplies. But worse than anything is the lack of qualified teachers. When the school year started, they had no Science teacher at all, yet the students would soon be taking National Examinations with Science as one of the subjects upon which they would be tested.

The government had not provided a Science teacher to the school (it is possible that none would accept the post in this remote location) and the school Headmaster had tried to come up with a creative way to pay for one on his own! So he had increased the "food fees" and was using that "extra" money to pay a teacher's salary. But not all the parents had paid and that was a main focus of the discussion at the parent meeting. The Headmaster was explaining to the parents that he would not have enough money to pay the teacher at the end of the month unless all the parents paid their outstanding bills. This is Tanzania.

The harsh struggle for government schools to provide a decent standard of education in this East African nation is very real. Though the newly elected president, John Magafuli, is working hard to improve the academic standards of Tanzania's school system, he is fighting years of endemic problems which won't be solved overnight. When we opened Treasures of Africa back in 2007, our children attended government schools. But we quickly recognized the problems they faced including overcrowding, lack of books and often unqualified teachers. So we have fought hard each year to raise the necessary funds to place all of the children at Treasures of Africa in private English Medium schools, where they will be better prepared to enter a college or University when they finish Secondary School.

Though Frank is in his second year of Secondary School, he is new to Treasures of Africa Children’s Home. He officially became part of the TOA family in early April. He had been living in another orphanage that was recently shut down by the government. His previous caretakers had enrolled him in this remote government boarding school and then failed to pay his school fees. We paid all of his outstanding fees (one and a half year’s worth) and wanted to see the school he was attending. After observing the impoverished condition of his school, I was determined to get him out of that school as soon as possible.

We encouraged Frank to work hard and finish out the school year, and promised we would move him to a Private School in January (when the Tanzanian academic year begins) for his next two years of Secondary School. We told him we would pray for him and see him back at Treasures of Africa during his next school break.

We were engrossed in conversation about Frank’s school as we drove slowly back down the rough road. Somehow we ended up in the middle of a banana plantation, an unfamiliar place. That’s when we realized we must have missed a turn in the road. This had really become one long African day! Lovely as the surroundings were, we were not where we needed to be. We asked some women who were cutting banana stalks if this road led back to Kikweni village. They informed us we were headed in the wrong direction. They pointed the way back to the dirt road that we needed to follow to get off the mountain and we headed back to familiar territory.

Somehow that statement, “You are headed in the wrong direction,” seemed very appropriate in light of what we had just seen. Frank is a very good student who loves Math and Science and deserves the chance to receive a good education. But allowing him to continue at that impoverished school would be “…heading in the wrong direction.” We need to get him off of that mountain. To move Frank to Living Stone Boy’s Seminary for the next school year, where two of our boys (Samweli and Emmanuel) are currently attending, will cost far more than the school fees we are paying for that government boarding school. But it will be a worthy investment in this young man’s life.

If you have a heart to see Frank and our other children at Treasures of Africa receive an education that will help prepare them for the future, please prayerfully consider making a donation to our Education Fund. We are committed to changing the nation of Tanzania, one child’s life at a time!

Simburo Secondary School in the Pare Mountains of Tanzania

With our students at Treasures of Africa Children’s Home passing academic milestones every year, we are constantly looking toward the future for the next steps along the road toward their destinies.

Benny (pictured above) just completed what is known here in Tanzania as Form Six – which is essentially a two-year program of Advanced Secondary School, or the equivalent of 12th and 13th grades. He has taken his National Examinations and is awaiting his results so that he can apply to a Medical College program at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center. While waiting, we enrolled him in a Driver’s Training program and he will be the first of the “treasures” to earn a Driver’s License! He also has become the unofficial assistant to our faithful staff member, Sunday, and serves the orphanage daily in many practical ways by assisting Sunday in all his duties. He has also continued to be the best role model for the younger boys through his godly and respectful behavior and his diligence in both studies and work ethic.

Helena graduated from Secondary School last Fall, and like all Secondary School students in Tanzania, she had a 6 month wait to receive her National Exam scores to see if she qualified to apply for college. She received her Exam results and was able to apply to Joshua Teacher’s Training College – a Christian College outside of the city of Arusha. She is waiting to see if she is accepted for the next term. Meanwhile, she

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has been working at her very first job, doing basic bookkeeping for a local restaurant. She is saving her money and preparing herself to launch out into the world as a college student. She also serves TOA by assisting the caregivers with the youngest children and the staff has really appreciated her diligent help.

Sifa has decided to pursue a career as a Social Worker, hoping to work with Women and Vulnerable Children. She hasn't lost her zeal to own her own business, but felt she could contribute a lot to the community if she pursued Social Welfare as her career path, while planning to have her own small business on the side. She has applied to the Tengeru Institute for Community Development which is located just outside the city of Arusha. It has a three-year program in Social Welfare and she will live on campus. We are awaiting her acceptance letter. Meanwhile, she also has been serving at TOA, helping with the younger children, tutoring them in the evenings after school and helping with both weekly shopping for the orphanage and cooking. She has good skills in organization and has been a great help in many needed tasks at TOA. We have been so blessed by how she has matured. God is good!

We are sharing all of these details with you for two reasons. First, we want to ask you to pray for these students as they await acceptance to their chosen colleges. Prayer is desperately needed because the class sizes are limited and there are so many applicants hoping for the same opportunity, so there is no guarantee they will be accepted. Secondly, we want to sincerely thank everyone who has contributed to the Education Fund at Treasures of Africa. Of all the expenses we incur for schooling of the children at Treasures of Africa, the Secondary and College level costs are the highest. (Though extremely modest in comparison to the U.S.) Your help has been instrumental in bringing our students to this point in their academic careers.

In addition to the three students highlighted in this article, we have five more students who will be graduating from Secondary School in the Fall – Mary, Catherine, Doreen, Innocent and Emmanuel. This will add an increased need for funds for Education expenses as they choose their next academic steps. So please prayerfully consider being a part of training these future leaders by giving toward the Treasures of Africa EDUCATION FUND. It is an investment that will have a powerful multi- generational impact for the future of East Africa.

Here at Treasures of Africa – we are always LOOKING TOWARD THE FUTURE!www.treasuresofafrica.org

RegRet: Sorrow or disappointment with self for something you did or did not do; or over a circumstance you cannot repair.

In May of 1954, an Englishman became known as the fastest man in the world when he ran the mile in under 4 minutes. His name was Roger Bannister. Before he broke that 4 minute barrier, many thought the feat was impossible for the human body. But two months later, an Australian, named John Landy, broke Bannister’s record by a mere 1.4 seconds. A historic race was set for August 7, 1954 when the two men would compete against each other. It was dubbed, “The Race of the Century.”

As the race began, Landy quickly took the lead and held it until the final lap. As Landy neared the finish line, he was tormented by the question, “Where is Bannister?” He broke a cardinal rule of competitive running when he looked back over his left shoulder.

That momentary look back slowed his forward progress and cost him the race – as Bannister passed him on the right and broke past the finish line. A Time Magazine reporter interviewed John Landy after the race. Landy told him, “If I hadn’t looked back, I would have won!”

Regret causes a person to look back, again and again. Looking back resulted in John Landy losing “The Race of the Century” and it will cause you to lose in life. Just as it does in running, looking back with regret slows your forward progress.

Regret has been a human struggle since the Fall of Adam and Eve. We can find many Biblical examples of people struggling with regret. It is a condition that is both familiar and common to mankind across cultures and generations.

Regret over a mistake in judgment is a common one. In the book of Daniel, we find that the Babylonian King Darius regretted signing a law that resulted in Daniel being cast into the lion’s den. And the king, when he heard these words, was greatly displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him. (Daniel 6:14 NKJV) The King regretted a circumstance that he caused, yet could not repair. Many people have had regrets over a mistake in judgment that resulted in hurt to another person.

The apostle Peter struggled with regret over something he did in a moment of weakness and fear. Peter denied knowing the Lord after the arrest of Christ by the Jewish religious leaders. And Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said, "Before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." And he went out and wept bitterly. (Matthew 26:75 NASB) Many people have experienced similar regrets for something they did in a moment of fear.

A tremendously common regret is the regret people experience after giving in to a temptation to sin. One of Jesus’ own disciples, Judas, betrayed Jesus in exchange for money. But when he regretted what he had done, he could not “undo” the damage. Then Judas, who had betrayed him, regretted what had happened when he saw that Jesus was condemned. He brought the 30 pieces of silver back to the high priests and elders… (Matthew 2:3 ISV)

One regret that torments many people around the world, is the regret that is experienced after someone dies. People often regret what they did not do for that person, or what was left unsaid or unreconciled in the relationship. King David had regrets after the death of his son Absalom wishing he had died in his place. The king was deeply moved and went up to the gate chamber and wept. As he walked, he cried, "My son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you, Absalom, my son, my son!" (2 Samuel 18:33 HCS Bible)

Note the key words “If only…” in this scripture. This a clue that can help reveal any regrets you may be holding in your heart. Have you found yourself saying and thinking, “If only…” about your past?

With the reality facing us that regrets are so common in life, how can we have any hope of living free from them? The truth is that there is no relief from the sorrow, grief or regrets in life without God’s help. In fact, without God, regrets, griefs and sorrows can overwhelm a person to the point of despair and that can have a deadly result! We find this truth stated plainly in 2 Corinthians 7:10b Amplified Bible: ...But worldly grief (the hopeless sorrow that is characteristic of the pagan world) is deadly [breeding and ending in death].

But with God’s help, all regret can be vanquished from your life. When we come to God with our failings that have led to the regrets in our lives, through repentance, we can be forgiven. For having sorrow in a godly way results in repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regrets. (2 Corinthians 7:10a ISV) This is GOOD NEWS!

Here are some vital KEYS to living a life that is free from regret:When someone hurts you, make it your habit to forgive them instantly. Don’t hold a grudge against them 1.or withhold love from them (even briefly) so that you will not have any regret in the event of their sudden death. Keep communication and your heart OPEN with family members to the best of YOUR ability. Ask God’s Forgiveness for any sin (of commission or omission) that has led to any regrets you have struggled 2.with. Then choose to believe God’s Word that you are forgiven and cleansed of it according to the promise found in 1 John 1:9 (NASB) If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.LAY DOWN THE SWORD AGAINST YOURSELF! Forgive 3. yourself and stop beating yourself over that failing from the past. This is a choice you must make. Paul the Apostle was personally responsible for the imprisonment of many Christians and the death of at least one (Stephen in Acts 7). But after he accepted Christ and His forgiveness, Paul had to make a choice so that those memories of his failures and sins would not torment him for the rest of his life. He wrote these words in Philippians 3:13 - but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead… This is what you must be committed to do also. Decide you are willing to forget what is behind you and reach forward to what is ahead. If the Apostle Paul could do it – you can do it.Allow God to direct your future without constantly looking back and mourning over the past mistakes, 4.failures and omissions of your life! Embrace what God wants to do with your future! The Lord is speaking these words to you personally: Behold, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs forth; do you not perceive and know it and will you not give heed to it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:19 (Amplified) 5. Finally, remember God’s promise from 2 Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creation: old things are passed away; behold, all things have become new.

With the reality facing us that regrets are so common in life, how can we have any hope of living free from them? The truth is that there is no relief from the sorrow, grief or regrets in life without God’s help.

Hidden With Christ MinistriesP.O. Box 3267 Tustin, CA 92781

www.hiddenwithchrist.com www.treasuresofafrica.org www.myeverydaybible.com

I Will Not Fear...

Victory Magazine July 2016

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Transcript of Victory Magazine July 2016