Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone!

We hope you all have a great time with family during this holiday season and have a great start to the new year. In Psalm we are reminded to number our days so that we may be careful to spend each day wisely. We pray that God will meet all of your needs and give you good health.

"Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom."
-Psalm 90:12

"Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ."

Tim and Tara Chamberlain
-For the sake of the Gospel

Merry Christmas!

Tara and I wish you all a Merry Christmas and hope you get some great time with family.
We'll be traveling quite a bit over the winter break and would appreciate your prayers.
Thank you for partnering with us in this ministry through prayers and financial support.
We couldn't be here without you.
Merry Christmas!

Tim and Tara Chamberlain
-For the sake of the Gospel

The Greatest Inheritance of All Time

In light of the economic hard times, it's refreshing to know that those who have put their hope and trust in Christ have an amazing inheritance that can never depreciate or lose value. (Unlike the stock market)

"So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba Father." So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir."

Can you believe that God, the one and only God of the universe who created all things, would do this for you and me? That we could be heirs to God?! You can't get much higher up than that.

David said in Psalm 8:4-5

"what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?
You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor"

The sad thing is that are many people around you and me that believe the lie that can get their way into Heaven. As long as they are good enough or give enough money or whatever the good work is.

Ephesians 2:8-9 says "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast."

2 Corinthians 10:7 says "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord"

Tim and Tara Chamberlain
-For the sake of the Gospel

Giving Thanks In All Things

Why do we give thanks? I know that sounds like a crazy question.
Americans spent approximately $28.5 billion dollars on Thanksgiving this year.
The day after Thanksgiving, Americans spent approximately $460 billion dollars.
WOW! I have to admit that I was a part of that group that shopped after Thanksgiving for presents. Tara and I had our list of who to buy for this Christmas and it was a great day to get good deals. But do we really need these things?

I heard a quote on the radio as Tara and I were driving back from South Dakota which this pastor said:
"I use to complain that I had no shoes, until I met a man that had no feet."
It's easy to look around and see what we don't have. Commercials and advertising is there to tell us that we aren't good enough unless we have their product.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 says "give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." It's seems easy to give thanks to God when things are going well. When the family is healthy, the job is going well, the cars are working well, the bills are paid, and the to do list is finished (atleast for now). But that's not what God intended for us. God wants us to give him thanks in all situations. As I was thinking about this verse this came to mind; when I complain and don't give thanks to God in all things, what I am showing God is that I don't believe that He knows what is best for my life.

We don't have a God that likes to make us unhappy. We have a God that loves us so much that He sent His son to die on the cross, a bloody death, for our sins. That in our repentance and faith in Christ we will have peace with God! How awesome is that!

Thank you Lord for dying on the cross for us and taking the penalty of sin on your shoulders. Thank you God for sending your Son to come and live a perfect life as an example for us and then die a criminals death for so that we might be free. Lord I pray that everyday would be a day of thanksgiving and that in all things we would thank You.

Tim and Tara Chamberlain
-For the sake of the Gospel

Light of the World

About a week and a half ago there was a day when people dressed up like someone else, Halloween.
What is interesting about the city of Whitewater is that it has a haunted past.
Whitewater's haunted past dates back to before the University existed.
In it's place was an institute devoted to communicating with the spirit world. Ever since the institute was built, Whitewater has been known as the "second Salem" because of the witchcraft in the city. The institute is no longer in the city but there is a group on campus that is devoted to witchcraft.

This past Monday I was talking with a guy I've been discipling and he mentioned that this past Friday there was a girl in Whitewater who was possessed by a demon. Her friends were talking to her about what it means to follow Christ, but the demon resisted. A few of his Christian friends brought her inside their house and called people to pray for her. They prayed over her and eventually it came out.

Later on Monday I was talking with one of the guys in my Bible study and asked him if he heard about this story of the girl. We were in his dorm room talking about this and some other spiritual things and his roommate turned around and told us that he believes in that stuff happening. I asked him about what he meant and he told me to close the door so that others wouldn't hear. He shared with us how he has been attacked by demons at night at home and even in the dorm room. I asked him if it scared him and he said it was a freaky. It happened to him in his dreams and he has seen the demons when he was awake. I asked him about what his spiritual beliefs are and he said that he believes some of the Bible but he also believes in reincarnation. I asked if I could share somethings with him about why I believe the Bible is truth. We talked for about 2 hours and shared with him the Gospel. I asked him how he gets the demons to leave and he said two ways; one by getting in the light and two by saying something. I asked him what he said and he told me that when the attacks are really bad he would pray to God and say the name Jesus out loud. (There is power in the name of Jesus!)

Before I had this conversation, I was somewhat discouraged. I was trying to connect with the guys in the dorms and they weren't there. So I felt like God wanted me to walk around the dorms and pray for each building and the students in there. We can't forget the power of prayer. There is a spiritual battle out there and we are the light of the world bringing good news!

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden." - Matthew 5:14

"This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil." - John 3:19

"When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."" - John 8:12

Please pray for the students hear in Whitewater. Pray that they would be attracted to the Gospel and find freedom from evil and darkness. Pray that God would allow us to be effective in the things we do and say and that the glory would be given to Him!

Tim and Tara Chamberlain
-For the sake of the Gospel

Beautiful Feet

This weekend Tara and I had the privilege of being a part of the Missions Weekend at my home church. The theme for the weekend was "Beautiful Feet".
In Romans 10:14-15 says:
"How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"
Paul explains that as we bring the Gospel to the lost; they see us as bringing something special and valuable. It's nothing about us that makes people accept the Gospel message but it is the Holy Spirit that goes ahead and does the work. We as Christians are called to be obedient to where God calls us and to share the good news of the Gospel where we are.

I picture a village of people that are sick and helpless. Many are dying and trying to do their best to hide the pain through alcohol and drugs. Their is a hole in each one of these people their trying to fill and it just isn't working. The village is filled with screams of pain. The city lights are burning out. It's dark and dirty all around. Then in the distance you see someone that is brightly shining and walking toward the village. As he speaks God's Word the things around him become more colorful and take life. The people that accept the Gospel Words are changed; the old self cracks of of them like a brittle black shell and they are standing there bright and full of life. More and more people come to see whats happening in the street. Some laugh and reject the man and go back into the darkness. Others receive the Gospel and become a new creation. They join together in the streets to praise God for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the life it brings. How beautiful are the feet of those that bring good news.

Tim and Tara Chamberlain
-For the sake of the Gospel

THE WEEKENDER - Fall Conference 2008!

What an amazing weekend we had!
There were 54 students from Whitewater that attended the conference.
There were over 400 students and staff and it was the largest conference the upper midwest Navs have had in a long time!
This years conference them was: "The Word is Life".
We had great conversations on the road there and back. This probably will be our last year at Village Creek Bible Camp because our group is growing out of the space they have at the camp; this is a good thing but sad to leave the camp.
Tara and I had lots of great conversations with students during the weekend. I stayed with the guys and she with the girls. Through those times connecting with our students we got to know them on a deeper level. Though some conversations went in to the wee hours of the morning, it was well worth it!
We are praying for the students that attended that they would continue to let God work in their lives. Much prayer is ahead for these students.
Thanks for praying and continuing to support this ministry!

Tim and Tara Chamberlain
-For the sake of the Gospel