I waited until late in the day for an article to arrive in my mailbox and time slipped away from me. Under pressure, I could have left this blank, put in scripture, or even rerun an old article. Instead I am enclosing a report from a preacher many of us know. Every so often someone will ask me how they can contribute to the work of God. Perhaps this is food for thought! - Randy

I pray you are prospering in all ways, as your soul is prospering. It is always sobering to think of how John addressed Gaius in 3 John. I pray you are well. I haven't been door knocking like normal, due to a sciatic nerve problem, and the heat was also an issue. I don't have either of those excuses any more. The sciatica is a lot better now and it definitely is cooler. But even without the knocking, there are new people calling in because members drop cards here and there, and someone will tell someone else. Another student started a Correspondence course.

The Saturday night class with the Hart family has finished one study and now we are going to do a timeline of the entire Bible, and try to get this established as a base for their learning. The young girls, new converts, know so little of the Old Testament stories and how things all fit together. We also had trouble keeping the class schedule on Saturday night because they had so much family visiting, so we have moved it to Thursday.

In the prison work, in the 7:30 class for the brethren, we seem to gain two and lose two, as they move on or have to quit due to scheduling activities. For example, one can't come because his vocational class has been switched to our time slot and he has no choice because that class trumps ours. They can be excused from work for my class, but not excused from a vocational class. About 10 out of the 25 are not Christians, so we are hoping our studies will help them come to a knowledge of what they need to do to, and then DO it. We have just about finished a first principle study and are going to do I Corinthians, and try to bring out "what must I do to be saved" during this study when we can.

The 9:30 "Faith Based" class continues to go well with the 10 men as we study "How to overcome temptations." One of these men is very emotional and has counseled with me on two occasions about his marriage. I hope next time to pull him aside and talk with him. It is difficult to do, for there is not really a lot of time between the three classes - - they are all back to back now.

Then at 11:30 I go across the street to the maximum security. It is always a challenge to answer whatever questions they come up with about the Bible. And the head coordinator keeps changing rooms where I will speak on the computer. Two guards told me this month that they enjoy getting duty to watch me, because they are learning a lot. I hadn't thought of that, but these may be the ones that are most open. Who knows? We scatter the seed, and God gives the increase.

The 2' Sunday I preached to 152 men. I guess most of these are Baptists, then Charismatic’s, then a mixture of other "Protestants," some Catholics and then members of the church. I spoke on "Persuading Men." How those who became Christians were persuaded by the reasoning of Paul and Christ (Acts 19:8-9; 26:28). It was a very good lesson for the non-Christian. I just wish I could talk with them individually and see if any are ready to respond to the gospel.

I noted last time that I would be losing $650 monthly support starting in January. Three families said they will supply $450 of that. So I will only be lacking $200. Others gave me one-time help - - $100 from a couple in Livingston and some others help support the work (RC). I am going to use some of this for 50 books I am ordering for new classes, and tuck the rest aside until I need it in January. But at present we are not in need - - the Lord and my brethren have sufficiently supplied our needs.

In personal news, my wife has had a rough month, not getting out of the house for three weeks in a row. Getting out and going to worship God is always the first priority to her, and having to see her Dr. in order to get her meds.

Yours in Him who saves, Robert Raif