David & Vicki Creel
Our second week in UB was another eventful week (November 5-21, 2018).
Road trip to visit stations in two cities, east of UB.
We enjoyed the landscape, countryside, hills and herds on the road. There are about 3 million people in Mongolia and 60 million plus animals!
An added bonus to see the Genghis Khan museum on the way. (G.Khan was the great emperor of Mongolia in the 12th century).
Visiting a station.
Another station.
David and Tomroo fixing a transmitter.
Our first day to go out on the street after arriving the city, three days ago. We arrived Wednesday night, (Nov 7th, 2018) after a very long trip from Alabama, Atlanta, Seoul and Mongolia. I didn’t keep the number of hours, it was very long from Monday night flight to Wednesday night. Neither David nor I have been in this country before. Both our first time. We were relieved to meet by our FEBC Mongolia staff at the airport. Tomroo (photo in the red shirt), is the technician that David has been working with the past few months. Now they finally met face to face.
Day 2- Thursday, we were brought to the radio station, Wind FM 104.5 and met the staff. We hit the ground running and started our work right away. David met with the engineering team, and I met with the accounting team.
Day 3 -Friday- David shared his faith journey or testimony during the staff chapel. We had a very good time of worship and fellowship. We felt the move of the Holy Spirit. I felt the Lord was saying, the Christians in Mongolia has a “pure devotion”. We continued to work with the staff in the afternoon. And I also met with 5 workers who are volunteering to do Children’s outreach for the staff. We had a good planning time.
We are thankful to the Lord that the weather is okay, it’s in the 20’s and 30s F, but bearable because it is sunny and not windy. Besides, when we are inside buildings it is usually very warm. Thankful for those who are praying for us. Grateful to the Lord for sustaining us.
Day 6
Reading: Matthew 2: 1 – 6
v.6 “But you Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler who will shepherd my people Israel”.
Matthew Chapter 2 shares the account of the birth of Jesus in the town of Bethlehem during the days of Herod the king. At that time there were wise men from the East who came to Jerusalem. Those wise men were known in Bible history as men who had heard of the coming of the Messiah in Israel. They may have studied the Scriptures and the wise sayings of the prophets in the Old Testament. They knew the signs to look for and seemed to be aware of the times and the seasons regarding the Messiah that was to come. So, they traveled from afar to Jerusalem to look for the Baby who was born to be the “King of the Jews”.
v.2 “Where is HE who was been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him”.
When King Herod and the people of Israel saw the coming of the wise men who were looking for the Baby Jesus, they were troubled. King Herod called all the chief priests and inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. Since the priests and the scribes knew well their history and the Scriptures, they told king Herod, “in Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet;
v.6 “But you Bethlehem, in the land of Judah; Are not the least among the rulers of Judah, For out of you shall come a Ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.”
The quote in Matthew 2:6 was written by Micah the prophet. In Micah 5:2 it says:
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet, out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting”.
Reflection:
God chose Bethlehem as the birthplace of Jesus Christ, the true King of Kings. I have not been in Israel nor Bethlehem, but according to the book of Micah, it was a small place compared to the other places in Judah and Israel. God chose the small village of Bethlehem to be the birthplace of the King of Kings to express the humility, humbleness, and meekness of Jesus. God did not choose the mighty and great, but the least, so He could show His power.
Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, we praise You for your humbleness and meekness when You came here to earth. You chose the small things and the humble because You love humble hearts. Help me to always be humble before You and before others too.
Your Thoughts:
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via Day 5 -Matthew 1
Day 5
Matthew 1:23
“Behold the virgin shall be with child, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, God with us.”
Reading: Matthew 1:18-25
We are still in the story of the biological parents of Jesus, Joseph and Mary. An angel of God spoke to Joseph in his dream about the child that Mary his fiancée was carrying in her womb. The angel told Joseph the Mary will bring forth a son, and His name will be Jesus, v.21. And it was written that the birth of Jesus is the fulfillment of the words of God through the prophets in the Old Testament, Isaiah 7:14.
“Behold the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, ‘God with us’.
Since Christ came to earth 2000 years ago, God’s presence through the Holy Spirit has been with men. When Jesus came to earth, God literally came down to earth because of His love, His compassion, and His mercy. He chose to come and live among men, when Jesus returned to heaven physically, He sent His Holy Spirit, thus He still lives among us. Through the Holy Spirit we have the seal of salvation, a personal connection to the Father and with the Son. We have the power to overcome because God is with us.
Reflection: The Lord Jesus Christ came from heaven to earth so that God could dwell with His people. For me, as a follower of Jesus, it is an encouragement and comfort to me to know that God is always with me because Christ lives in my heart.
Prayer: Thank you Lord for sending your Son to us so that You could be with us always and forever, Amen!
Your Thoughts:
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Your Prayer:
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Day 4
Matthew 1:22
“ So,all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet”.
Reading: Matthew 1:18-24
The coming of Christ was foretold by some of the prophets in the Old Testament many years before. One of the prophets that spoke of the coming of Messiah was the Prophet Isaiah.
Isaiah 7:14 says, “Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel”.
Joseph and Mary were the chosen biological parents of Jesus. At that time, before they got officially married, Mary had the baby Jesus already in her womb. Mary having a baby was not from a union with a man, but a divine intervention from heaven. Mary that time was considered a virgin, and yet she conceived a Son. God put a seed in her womb. That became the fulfillment of the words spoken by the prophet Isaiah, 23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” (Matthew 1:23)
God did not forget what He promised to His people Israel. Even though it took many, many years, about 700 years, yet God in Hi sovereignty and power fulfilled His plan of salvation, Jesus Christ was born. The Lord fulfilled His promise when Christ came to the world as a baby to save the people from sins.
Reflection: God keeps His promises. What He says, He will do. It is an encouragement to me that God keeps His words. God’s words say, someday Jesus will come back again, not as a baby but as the King and I will be with Him forever in eternity.
Prayer: Lord God, thank You that You are faithful and true. I praise You that I could trust You for the fulfillment of Your Word.
Your Thoughts:
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Day 3
Day 3- to download the study guide
Matthew 1:21 “His name is Jesus; for He will save His people from their sins.”
Reading: Matthew 1:18-21
The story continues with Joseph and Mary. When Joseph found out that Mary was already carrying a baby in her womb, he was disappointed. So Joseph made plans to break up the engagement from Mary. However, God intervened and sent His angel to speak to Joseph in his dream. The angel told Joseph that the baby Mary had in her womb is of the Holy Spirit. The angel further said, that
“And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name [h]Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” V. 21
The name of Jesus literally means “Savior”. The angel was clear to Mary and Joseph when he said, Jesus will save His people from their sins, and not from the Roman rule and oppression, but from SIN. The people of Israel at that time of history was ruled by the Roman government. And according to history, many of the people suffered and were oppressed by the tyranny of the Roman rule. So many of the Jews or people of Israel were expecting and waiting for their Messiah, their Deliverer. They were expecting somebody that maybe similar to Moses or King David in the Old Testament who delivered the people of Israel from slavery and oppression. King David had fought many battles against the enemies of Israel- neighboring countries who tried to oppress them. So, many of the people of Israel on Jesus time on earth were waiting for their Messiah, someone to deliver them from the oppression of the Roman rule.
However, from the start and the plan of God was to send Jesus to save His people from their sins- from the bondage of sins. Jesus came to seek and save the lost. John 1:29 says, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! “
Reflection: Only Jesus can save Israel and the people of the world from sin.
Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank you that You came to save us from our sins! I thank you for Your forgiveness and mercy. I praise You that you are the lamb that was slain and the only atonement for our sins.
Your Thoughts:
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The Creels' Catch 