The Wilkes Team

A season of joy, a time for giving, a reason for remembering!What a wonderful Christmas season it twas.

This Christmas Grandpa & Grandma had joy that was evident to all. Why? Because joy comes through giving. Whether working on the Christmas meal, setting up a basketball hoop, or helping us decorate ginger bread houses, smiles beamed from the faces of Grandpa & Grandma as they, with great pleasure, watched their children and grandchildren.

Joy comes through serving! While we were saddened over the move of some dear friends, great joy came as numerous families converged on their home only days after Christmas for a day of packing, lifting, and loading. “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is when brethren dwell together in unity (Ps. 133:1).”

Joy also comes from being together with those loved so dearly. Often the greatest gift one can give, is the gift of time. Let us remember that… “For God so loved the world that He gave… (John 3:16).” “…for the joy that was set before him (Christ) endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God (Heb. 12:2).”

What will the joy of the Lord within motivate you and I to give as we enter the year 2009?

Merry Christmas to all! God’s richest blessings on you as we enter this New Year! May joy abound in your midst.

2 Comments » | posted in Family News

On Christmas morning, Dad surprised us with a powerful series of testimonies from around the world as told by Morgan Jackson, International Director of a ministry called, “Faith Comes by Hearing.” This ministry has as its primary goal to record the Bible in an audio format for people of varying languages so that, regardless of whether they can read or not, the powerful truths of God’s Word may be heard. The following testimony set the tone for our Christmas day as we saw what Christmas truly is all about: the love of Jesus.

Years ago, Faith Comes by Hearing took the opportunity to do a dramatized recording of the Bible into the Ketchua language. Working with Wycliffe Bible Translators, ‘Faith Comes by Hearing’ completed and distributed the recordings throughout Bolivia.

Some time later, Morgan Jackson traveled down to visit some of the churches where the recordings had been given. He questioned the Pastors on what the response of the people had been. One pastor shared with him how the people were being drawn to tears through listening to the Bible. Morgan asked which particular stories or passages were causing this response. It was the story of the woman with an issue of blood (Mark 5:25-34). He visited another church and once again heard the impact the audio Bible was having and how the congregation was drawn to tears. Which story? The healing of the woman with an issue of blood. While Morgan recognized the amazing miracle Christ did in this story, he couldn’t quite figure out why the natives were drawn to tears. After hearing several more similar accounts across the countryside, Morgan sought to find out why.

The answer came through understanding the history of the Ketchuas. In years prior, the Shining Path guerilla group had murdered a majority of the pastors in Bolivia. With a desire to not forsake the assembling of the body of Christ, the Ketchua believers approached Spanish churches in the area and requested the use of the Spanish church for a Tuesday or Wednesday service. However, for some 500 years the Spanish have had grave prejudice against the Ketchuas. The Spanish reviled the Ketchuas, stating that God does not speak the Ketchua language and that the Ketchuas are animals and bugs. The Ketchuas request was disdainfully denied.

Because the Ketchuas are an oral based people, when a story is heard they will relate to the characters in a story and actually hear the story as if they were the very characters being described. Upon hearing the story of the woman with an issue of blood, the indigenous people quickly associated with the woman. When she reached out and touched the garment of Jesus, shouts of fear echoed throughout the church as the congregation braced for rejection. After all, this is all they knew.

But with love and kindness, Jesus turns to the woman and says, “Thy Faith hath made thee whole.” Tears would begin pouring down the faces of the congregation as they realized Jesus turns none away and that Jesus, the Son of God, did indeed speak their language. The people would begin sobbing and saying how much their heart hurt. The pastors opened up the church altar and lovingly invited the weeping natives to come give their life to Jesus. Many came to Christ – the One who speaks their language and loves each one.

If you would like your own CD from which we heard this powerful testimony along with many other similar ones, you can obtain a copy through “Sonlight Curriculum.” It is entitled, “God speaks my language.”

4 Comments » | posted in HIS-story, Ministry Reports

Though Christ indeed is risen, this phrase may seem a little out of place this time of year since we are celebrating the birth of Christ and will not be celebrating his resurrection until March or April.

Over the course of the year, our church fellowship has been ardently working on learning to sing in four part harmony. The progress by each member has been remarkable.  We learned 3 hymns, one of them being “I Serve a Risen Savior.” Then over the Christmas season everyone worked hard on, “O Come, All Ye Faithful.”

When the time came to go Christmas caroling (last Sunday), a suggestion was made to sing “I Serve a Risen Savior.” After all, Christ is risen and offers salvation to all who will call upon Him.

This brings to mind what is the real reason for the season – proclaiming, as did the Shepherds in Luke 2 (v. 20), that Jesus is born and has come, as said Isaiah (Is. 61:1), to bring liberty to the captives (of sin)!

The idea quickly caught on and the decision then made to add “I Serve a Risen Savior” to our Christmas caroling list. And so amidst the traditional carols, we also sang the wonderful news of our risen Lord. No better gift could be received this Christmas than the free gift of salvation.

8 Comments » | posted in Family News

The countdown till Christmas was ticking ever so quickly by. With days so full, there seemed hardly an opportunity for all eleven of us to pile into the car for our yearly Christmas tree hunt. At last an evening afforded an available slot of time; however, warm hearts would have to, atleast mentally, overcome the steady drizzle (heavy at times) and lower 40 degree temperatures. But at this point, neither rain nor snow could damper the excitement. 

And so it was with cheery hearts that we descended upon our local Home Depot. The wet, outdoor sales floor was deserted by all save our party of eleven. Our family’s personal favorite has always been the traditional Fraser Fir Christmas tree. According to family tradition, we generally shop at one nursery, look at a dozen or so trees, make a selection or two, and then confirm it with our official Christmas Tree panel (otherwise known as Mom & Jennifer) . Once their stamp of approval is received, the purchase is made.

This year, we branched out into new waters when Mom suggested buying a Balsam Fir. Similar in style to the Fraser, the Balsam Fir displays many commendable qualities – dense foliage, small needles, well shaped, etc. And to top it off, the Balsam Firs were $4 cheaper – thank you Mom for your thriftiness! The stamp of approval was received!

What fun memories we walked away with as all wet, eleven of us, tree in hand, marched through the Home Depot to the check out line!

It is events like these that bring to mind once again another reason for the Christmas season – and that is families making memories while doing things together. Often it is the simplest of activities and perhaps amidst uncomfortable circumstances that result in a family’s most memorable moments! This Christmas season, may you enjoy your time together as a family.

5 Comments » | posted in Family News

How many of us sometimes struggle with knowing the will of the Lord?

George Muller (1805-1898) was a man of prayer and one who regularly sought the will of the Lord. In so doing, he saw God answer prayer in amazing ways. His life is a tribute indeed to the Words of Christ, "And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son (John 14:13)."

The following notes are taken from Mr. Muller’s own journal. During our time of study in the Wisdom Booklets this morning, we read this excerpt & were greatly inspired.

May God bless you as you seek to pray according to His will.  

How to Ascertain the Will of God

1. I seek at the beginning to get my heart into such a state that it has now ill of its own in regard to a given matter.

2. Having done this, I do not leave the result to feeling or simple impression. If so, I make myself liable to great delusions.

3. I seek the Will of the Spirit of God through, or in connection with, the word of God…If I look to the Spirit alone without the Word, I lay myself open to great delusions also. If the Holy Ghost guides us at all, He will do it according to the Scriptures and never contrary to them.

4. Next, I take into account providential circumstances. These often plainly indicate God’s will in connection with His Word and Spirit.

5. I ask God in prayer to reveal His will to me aright.

6. Thus, through prayer to God, the study of the Word, and reflection, I come to a deliberate judgment according to the best of my ability and knowledge, and if my mind is thus at peace, and continues so after two or three more petitions, I proceed accordingly.

7. In trivial matters and in transactions involving most important issues, I have found this method always effective.

6 Comments » | posted in Book Reports, HIS-story