Tuesday, December 31, 2013

A women after God's Heart.

I have had the privilege of visiting many churches on behalf of LifeLight Ministries as we spread the good news of Jesus around Winnipeg, Canada, and the world. We are honoured to provide easy to read Bibles for all ages to read and connect with God.

Last week I was attending Bethlehem Aboriginal Fellowship, and we had a great service, as we worshiped, prayed, and shared God's word. We where all reminded that God is at work in our lives despite what we face in hardships and life trials. Romans 8 and Jeremiah 29 remind us of God's good plan for our lives, that will work for our good as we love God and trust Him.

As  the service was coming to a close, a lady in the congregation was acknowledged and was asked to come and share. Her name was Amy and she was 81yrs old, and has been preaching and teaching to her First Nations people all over Canada, in over 30 reserves, and for many years. She shared the stories of her people coming to Jesus, and how there was a need for more Bibles, and more Pastors needed to reach the lost of the north in country. She is still going strong and told many stories of young and old being transformed by God's word.She told us that the needs are great.

After the service was over, I stayed and we prayed together. After we continued to ask God to use us to reach the lost, I told her that I had a case of Bibles for her today, and she was overwhelmed at God's timing. She was heading back north and needed them desperately ! She invited me to join her as soon as possible ,to teach and preach to the 30 reserves that she is working with. We at LifeLight cannot wait to partner with and reach more people for Jesus. God is on the move, and it is great to be a part of what he is doing. Amy at 81 is still going strong for Jesus, and is an inspiration to us all!

Blessings,

Paul Winter
National Team Leader
Canadian LifeLight Ministries Inc




Sunday, December 15, 2013

Make a real difference today

Dear Donor

As many of you are now familiar, it has become a yearly event for us to participate in the various fundraising events that demonstrate the same love of Christ we represent. Iglesia de Cristo Misionera Manitoba, one of the partner churches that help us raise awareness of a need of scripture in our local community, proudly sponsor and represents Canadian LifeLight Ministries at all their fundraising events.

ICMMB is a Hispanic church who strives to teach the youth how to live life out loud and to stand up for what you believe in. It honours youth in their attempts to lead services and plan out these events. It is reminded of God's favour and love at every event and its members live in it on a daily basis. God's grace and abundant blessings follow and fuel their ideas and discussions which make all their events a great turn out. I became more involved with ICMMB when God called me to CLLM in the beginning of November 2013.

I lived in Winnipeg all my life, but only then did I find CLLM and since then my involvement in the church and community has grown. I have been very fortunate to have found LifeLight and am now working with wonderful people at LifeLight. This year I am a part of the Donor Care Development Team, to find out more about our donors and the needs of the communities in Winnipeg.

I can tell you of the impact this has had on my life. Just in these past few months, I have met with many churches and ministries that have not heard about LifeLight and about the good news of God's plan to restore our churches and bring life to our ministries. This is to present the vision of a huge distribution of the Word of God as well as showing our churches how we can be more involved in our communities to help our youth be a part of the kingdom of God. As you may know, part of this is fund-raising, and I would like to ask you to sponsor me.

I am putting faith in God and am dedicating my life to the vision with hopes of a ministry that takes part in our communities, as I work to become a future pastor of my church at ICMMB. Helping people from all over to become the part of the body of Christ they were meant to be. Find your calling. Bring a Friend. Bring a soul. Bring a life.

The next three months – day and night - will be devoted to prayer, fasting and continual spiritual development. In all likelihood, sleep will be scarce :) So those of you who are worried that I won't work for this donation don't have to worry.

If you would like to donate, please e-mail or call me with the amount you will be pledging, and you can send a donation, payable to the Canadian LifeLightMinistries, to me at the address below. Your donation is greatly appreciated and I thank you in advance. You can also donate on-line at www.DonateBibles.NET

If you would like more information, please contact me. I'd be happy to get any information you would need. If you would like to become more involved, I'd be happy to assist you, or lead you by example by taking the Word of God where it is needed. There are over 50 different Bibles and over 200 other materials you can use for your ministries that will help take your team to the next level in our walk with God. You can make a difference today!

 Ephesians 6:11-12

 11 Put on all of God's armour so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

Thank you for supporting the fight.

-- 
Thank you and God Bless

Edwin Montoya
Donor Development

Canadian LifeLight Ministries Inc
330-1695 Henderson Hwy Winnipeg MB R2G 1P1
www.TheLifeLight.com
 
Our purpose is to serve Christ by enabling His followers to provide God's Word for today.

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Get in from the Cold

The temperature outside was -40 and the wind was howling as I left Regina on my way home from Regina this week. It had been a full two days and I was ready to get home and see my family. As I left the city limits a man stood on the side of the road shivering,  hitchhiking, thumb in the air, trying to find a ride.

I drove past and could hear my wife's voice tell me," You  did the right the thing, it is to dangerous to pick someone up", but my heart told a different story. My heart said ,"it is to cold to be outside hitchhiking unless there is a good reason to do so". "What would Jesus Do", I asked myself. After several minutes of inner discussion, I turned around and went back to get the man ,who I hoped had already been picked up, which would solve my dilemma. But there he was..and so I picked him up.

God always comes back for us when we are lost, alone, cold, and without a way to get where we need to go. 

We will call my new friend  "Bob", and he was going to see his sick mother in Nova Scotia. He has had a hard life and was homeless. His whole life he had struggled with drinking, drugs, and the problems that they produce. We talked for 6 hours on the ride to Winnipeg, where I had the privilege of sharing my life story with him, of how the good news of Jesus changed my life, and that it could help him too. I gave him a Bible when I dropped him off at Deacons Corner at the edge of Winnipeg, and he committed to me that he was going to read it, and confided that his life needed to change , and that he was going to give God a chance. 

don't encourage the practice of picking up hitchhikers, but we have to listen to God when He askes us to help those in need. Please pray that "Bob" will follow thru, because I know that God will change his life, just as He changed yours and mine!

Blessings,

Paul Winter
National Team Leader
Canadian LifeLight Ministries Inc

Our purpose is to serve Christ by enabling His followers to provide God's Word for today.



Sunday, December 08, 2013

Dare to Prepare


I was honoured to speak at and take part in Riverwood Church Community's youth retreat recently. I was so encouraged to see the young people respond to God. What a great group of fantastic youth!

Our theme for the weekend was “Dare to Prepare," a topic focused on getting serious about our relationship with God. Twelve young people gave their life to Jesus that weekend and 55 made a recommitment and a decision to get back on track with God. Fifteen Bibles were given out to young people who wanted an easy-to-read LifeLight Scripture with helpful tips and reading plans. It was so amazing to see young people lining up to get a Bible! One young man was going through some serious struggles in life, was broken by God, and let Jesus back in to his life.  He realized that God has a plan and purpose for his life. Leaders prayed with their youth. It was a beautiful picture of the restoration process that only God can perform! We bless you for Partnering with LifeLight in God's great plan of salvation.  Your gifts make an eternity of difference!

Paul Winter

I was a WILD kid

Danny Mackay

I was a wild kid. I never could sit still. My first encounter with police began at the age of five when a number of neighbourhood kids and I broke a significant  number of windows in half-built homes in the new development going up across our street. Getting into trouble began to be a way of life and carried on deep into my teen years.

After a move to a new town, I was quickly pulled into a life of drugs and alcohol that spun out of control, leaving me in a state of despair, loneliness, confusion, distrust, and addiction. After several more encounters with police, I was reaching the end of hope for anything good in my life. I felt alone. In a desperate attempt to get away from all the hopelessness, I stole a car late one night and ran away from home. Little did I know that in that car was a book that was about to introduce me to the Saviour of the world.

I reached into a backpack in the back seat after a brief car chase with police and found a book by a Christian author written as an outreach to troubled teenagers. He used Scripture and stories of changed lives as he clearly outlined the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I was instantly hooked. Near the end of the book, I knew I needed Jesus and that He alone was my only hope.

I knelt down and gave my life to Christ as the tears flowed and His powerful love moved in. I knew I had been changed. I was in awe that this amazing holy God would send His only Son for us and was so overwhelmed that I knew I would never look back. The next morning I asked God for a Bible. Shortly after that I visited a friend. She was cleaning and had a Bible on the counter. I was curious as to why she had one and she told me that an aunt, who told her she would need it soon, had just given it to her  She didn’t want it and said I could have it. God had heard my prayer and provided! I took it home immediately.

I spent many hours reading and letting the Word of God fill me and heal me as I got to know this incredible and wonderful God. He spoke to me, comforted me, guided me, and taught me. I couldn’t put the Bible down. Today after almost twenty years, I still can’t. It is a vital part of my life in Him.

Since then, God has called me to share this good news around the world with e3 Partners through the I Am Second movement.  I have the great privilege of taking this Gospel to some of the most unreached parts of the planet. Through sharing the Gospel and teaching  the Bible, I have seen countless lives transformed all around the world as people just like me are finding hope in the most hopeless circumstances.

Truly He is an amazing God and His words are true: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new!” (I Cor. 5:17).

Family & Friends Event


Our Family & Friends event on November 9, 2013, was an enjoyable evening of entertainment, family, friends and fun! We shared a meal of delicious food from Danny’s Whole Hog, wonderful music by local artist Jordan St. Cyr, Bible games, and fellowship with those who came out in support of our ministry and staff. There were two guest speakers: Caroline Loewen, wife of the late Peter Loewen who worked with LifeLight to share the Gospel up North and Joel Cormie, Operations Manager of Lighthouse Mission. We held an auction with prizes ranging from kids’ stuff to women’s and men’s baskets, to a Christmas basket. The multimedia basket was the highlight of the evening’s prizes!

The atmosphere in the air was beautiful as we came together to celebrate what the ministry is doing and to share with our friends and family what we’re all about. It was also a chance to talk about our First Nations New Testament coming soon! This will help spread the Gospel even further throughout our Nation’s Aboriginal communities.

It was heart-warming to see our friends and family, some of whom we hadn’t seen in years, come out and support us! Thank you to all who took part in this fundraiser, including those who helped serve food, helped with set-up and the auction – we couldn’t have done it without you! This was a great time for all, and we look forward to many more events in the New Year!


Saturday, December 07, 2013

From a Steinbach Point of View

Another beautiful blanket of snow in Southeastern Manitoba! Of course with it comes the reminder of the stinging Canadian Winter winds that seems to make it’s way through any parka zipper and creep its way to your bones. One of the most common reminders about this season is how the snow makes everything look clean and new "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.” (Isaiah 1:18)


What great news! We have so much to celebrate and be thankful for! As people start to connect and reconnect with CLLM in the area, the word of God is being spread through personal ministries that are seeing people’s lives being completely changed. God gives those who are seeking Him the desire of their hearts (Psalm 37:4)


If your desire is to help point people to Jesus, what better way to do so than to live the life you’re called to in a way that displays the love of our Heavenly Father and sharing His truths in the Bible. What a joy and pleasure it is to see people in our community, in our lives, battle through life to come to know Jesus. Our lives are not meant to be spent alone. We have a Savior who walks with us no matter where we are or what we’re going through. Jesus loves us, He hurts with us, He celebrates with us and is cheering us on to eternity. Keep reading the Word while we struggle, study, ponder, ask questions, and pray!

 

Search your heart and partner with us as we take part in the First Nations New Testament project. We’re raising funds and awareness to print 50,000 New Testaments that speak to the hearts of our fellow man, woman and child in our many reserves and regions that many Aboriginal people call home. We want to share the good news of Jesus with them and have designed a Scripture that is themed to bring their great identity into the focus of the word of God. Please pray and consider how you can be a partner in this. Then call us and let’s see this project to completion. Donate on-line at www.DonateBibles.NET

 

Our Steinbach office officially has administrative talent! Yes, when I (Robert Wiebe) was hired, I requested prayer, as we knew that I’m not gifted in that area. As of December, my wife Priscilla has joined CLLM to take hold of the daily administrative duties that allows me to focus on the areas where my gifts lie. Please continue to pray as we step forward in this journey along with our great volunteers to keep the doors open in Steinbach.

 

Canadian LifeLight Ministries has had the pleasure of making a presence at some of the latest Christian events in Steinbach. This has been a blessing as people and churches alike needed reminding of where they can access and supply the Scriptures for corporate ministry or personal purposes. In October CLLM attended the John Waller and Petra Concerts, where Paul Winter (our national coordinator) and myself (Manitoba rep.) both shared about what we’ve seen happen and how we see your partnership benefit others around us. In November, we attended Global Connections at Steinbach EMC to raise awareness of our First Nations NT Project and made many connections to partner in prayer.

As we finish this year, we look forward to what is in store for us. Please continue to pray for more volunteers to come to Canadian LifeLight Ministries at #2 Victoria Plaza Mall in Steinbach and help us give away bibles today! Check out what's available in store or on-line at www.TheLifeLight.com

Warmest Regards and Blessings,

Robert Wiebe
Robert@TheLifeLight.com

Priscilla@TheLifeLight.com
1.204.320.9676
Toll Free: 1.866.HIS.WORD (18664479673)

Monday, December 02, 2013

Bibles in times of Disaster

From our Team Leader:


One of the worst storms in history recently hit the central Philippines and devastated the region. The images were hard to watch and our hearts go out to the people of that country, as well as the many people here in Canada whose loved ones were displaced or lost by this disaster.
 
On the Monday after this tragedy I visited Pastor Fred of the Church of the Living Hope. He had requested a box of Find God New Testaments to share with newcomers.  He also wanted some for outreach to the University of Winnipeg campus. His congregation  is largely made up of a Filipino  people.
 
 
We talked and prayed about the situation in the Philippians, and he invited me to come to the prayer meeting at the Philippine Canadian Centre of Manitoba the following night and suggested I bring some more Bibles. 
 
That evening 60-70 people including pastors from different denominations prayed in unity that God would intervene in the Philippines. We sang hymns that reminded us of God's faithfulness in the midst of life's storms. We prayed for specific needs such as food, shelter and clean water for the people in need.
 
I placed 24 Bibles on the table and invited anyone who had a friend or a relative that needed a Find God New Testament to take one. In its pages is the message of hope for people to get through the tragedies of life. I showed them the Four Feature Tracks included in this NT that instruct and encourage readers in the Christian faith and how to find them. When the evening was over all the FREE Bibles were gone. I am encouraged that many people will Find God in the trials and heartaches.

Blessings,

Paul Winter
National Team Leader
Canadian LifeLight Ministries Inc
330-1695 Henderson Hwy
Winnipeg MB
R2G 1P1
Cell: 204-218-7239
Paul@TheLifeLight.com
www.TheLifeLight.com

Our purpose is to serve Christ by enabling His followers to provide God's Word for today.



Sunday, December 01, 2013

About the NIrV Bible Translation

The New International Reader's Version® (NIrV) of the Bible is a version of the New International Version® (NIV) written for a third grade reading level. More people read the NIV than any other English Bible. Like the NIV on which it's based, the NIrV combines great accuracy to the Bible's original languages with English that is easy to read and understand.

The NIrV uses the words of the NIV whenever it can. Sometimes it uses shorter words. It explains words that might be hard to understand. The NIrV also makes sentences shorter. And it avoids using words that could have more than one meaning. All of this makes it a great Bible for children, for those learning English as a second language, or anyone who wants an easier to understand version of the Bible.
God has always spoken so people would know what he meant. When God first gave the Bible to his people, he used their languages. They could understand what they read and heard. God wants us to understand the Bible today, too. So we have worked hard to make the New International Reader's Version easy to read and understand.

Is the NIrV an Accurate Bible?

At the time the Bible was written, God's people used the Hebrew and Greek languages. So the first writers of the Bible used those languages. We wanted the NIrV to say just what the first writers of the Bible said. So we kept checking what the Hebrew and Greek said.
The NIrV uses the best and oldest copies of the Hebrew and Greek Bible manuscripts. Some of the first English Bibles could not use those copies because they had not yet been found. But today we can check copies that are closer in time to the ones the first Bible writers wrote. We wanted to make sure we were giving you the actual Word of God.
As with the NIV, the NIrV Bible text is reviewed and updated to keep it current with today's English. Accuracy in Bible translation means paying attention to both the original languages and to our language today. This keeps the Word of God fresh for people reading the Bible today.

Key Points About the NIrV

  • Based on the best-selling NIV
  • A third grade reading level
  • Accuracy to the original languages
  • Short sentences, easy to understand language
  • Perfect for children, those learning to read English, or anyone who wants an easier to understand Bible

What Is our Prayer for You?

The Lord has blessed both the NIV and the NIrV in a wonderful way. He has used them to help millions of Bible readers. They report that they can read and understand the Bible well. Many have put their faith in Jesus after reading these translations. Many others have become stronger believers.
We hope and pray that God will continue to speak to his people, and to you in particular, through his Word, the Holy Bible.