January 2021 Newsletter

 TheyHave Met:                                                                                                                                 

Cornerstone Biblical Baptist Church had their first service in their new building on New Year's Eve! It was a task to get done along with my prayer that Cornerstone would be able to start having their church services in their new building by the end of 2020 when their rent year was done. Now they are rent-free! The initial flooring of the auditorium and the storage room, trusses, the Slate Roofing Sheets, and the Ridge Caps were all finished being poured, put up and put on by December the 23^rd. To those who gave towards their building thank you. Thank you Calvary Baptist and Faith Baptist as the most recent givers toward Cornerstone's church building. Cornerstone still has plenty of things to get done, but at least they are under roof!!! To God Be The Glory!!! This is where they are at now. They are putting up boundary/perimeter walls. They still need to put in windows, doors, permanent electricity, ceiling tiles, skimming the outside and inside walls with cement plastering. If you would like to continue to give toward this project you are welcome, but at this time I am not asking for more. I am grateful for what you have allowed God to do through you. We will see what Cornerstone can achieve with the remaining funds for the remaining work that they have. We post  on Facebook pictures of the church building progress and on our blog page we put our newsletters with pictures helping you visualize what the Newsletters say at: siekbertnewsletter.blogspot.com                                                                                                                            

The storage above the veranda

Pouring the floor to the storage area.

Finished

Pouring the auditorium floor

Finished

Continuing the roof

Roof complete

From the back, veranda side

Passing ridge caps up the ladder

Complete

CBBC First Service 12/31/2020

Working on perimeter wall 

Anaji Bible Study:   

                                                                                                                                       

In our November newsletter we mentioned needing to find a different room to rent for our Anaji Bible Studies and that we did. We have a Room! By the last two weeks in November we found a room  to rent. It is in a better location, it is a bigger room, and the cost of the room is the same as the former Bible study room we had. At the end of November when we started our Bible study in it's new location we had the usual 4  little kids come from the old location, which was a concern of ours that their parents might not let them come; Emmanuel, the architect I won to the Lord in August; Abigail, an older teenager who Jackie invited on visitation and frequently visits us at services as she struggles with going to a charismatic church she grew up in; and two  new youngsters of 11 years. Kalvin, the first youngster who comes faithfully to every service, being raised by his grandma on the second floor of the same building we now have our Bible study in, started coming the very first day we started at that location. My wife has talked with Kalvin about salvation but he is still confused about it. Koby, the second youngster that lives in our building also and was invited by Kalvin, just started coming about three weeks ago. I talked with Koby about salvation and he says that he is sure. After I spoke to him about salvation I asked him to faithfully come back to our church/Bible study services. He was surprised at that  invitation and then asked why? Then I told him that it is necessary as food but to the soul that can help him to  grow in knowledge and understanding. So he has been coming faithfully and his mother even introduced herself to us. Please pray for us as we watch, work, and wait!!! In December I finished up teaching New Testament  Survey I. January 12th I started teaching New Testament Survey II. There are six students:1 from Cornerstone, Benjamin; 2 from our Anaji Bible Study, Emmanuel and Abigail; then 3 from my family, Jackie, Joseph, and Nehemiah. Pray for understanding, growth, and God's Leading.   

                                                     

Miscellaneous Happenings:                                                                                                                          

Last but not least, we want to thank those who have given to us some Christmas gifts and the anonymous givers towards the work here in Ghana and our family's needs! You are in our prayers! God Bless You!                                                                                                                                             

Bits of Bread:                                                                                                                                                 

The Sermon on the Mount was just Preached by the Lord in Matthew 5:1-7:29. These teachings are Character Building and of Foundational Truths. Then in application to the Wise and Foolish builders on rock or sand Jesus said,"Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:" - Mt 7:24."The wise take the sayings of the  Sermon on the Mount at face value and build on them. The foolish are familiar with the sayings, but discount them." - John Phillips. We can learn from and build off of every part of God's Word. The Lord did not give us His Word in vain and no part of it is vain! For example, the messages to the seven churches in revelation were direct messages to them, but also for all the local churches during the church age to learn from.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Matthew J Siekbert