Dear "Choice Morsels" Friends,
   Praise God who gives us all good things. We arrived safely back in South Africa last night - for another six months. How thankful we are to be able to continue God's work wherever He would have us to be. Thanks again to every person and church that showed us so much Christian love while we were in the States.  Thanks to all our South African family for praying for us. May God reward you all abundantly.

     Tonight our people here are planning a 70th birthday party for me (Donna) here at the Mission office complex. It is so good to see our spiritual children again, and we are trusting God for great victories. God bless you. David and Donna Haag

ELEPHANTS

   "Because God's children are human beings - made of flesh and blood - Jesus also became flesh and blood by being born in human form. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he deliver those who have lived all their lives as slaves to the fear of dying." Hebrews 2:14,15 NLT

   When visiting the game reserves in Southern Africa, my favourite animal is the elephant. With their enormous bodies, natural strength and stamina, even when they flap their huge ears in frustration, it brings fear into the hearts of people. They have been known to be able to push over a vehicle with a thrust of their bodies.  However, even these enormous animals can be trained, if their training begins when they are young. In the country of Zambia, we have ridden elephants, sitting behind a trainer. By the way, elephants have very hard and rather raised backbones, as well as wide bodies, making the ride rather uncomfortable. However, even these gigantic animals have their weak points. It is said that if you take a small elephant and every day tie a rope around its leg and around a tree, eventually you can exchange a stake in the ground for the tree and a grown elephant will stay there - thinking it cannot move farther than the rope. It could be free, but is in bondage the rest of its life.

   The life that many Christians live is far below the victorious life Christ wants us to live. When Jesus is truly Lord of our lives, the devil has no power over us, other than what we allow him to have. When Jesus died on the cross, He broke the power of the devil. It says in Romans 8:14,15, "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. So you should not be like cowering, fearful slaves. You should behave instead like God's very own children, adopted into his family - calling him 'Father, dear Father.'" NLT. Too often God's children are like the elephant roped to a stake. We get the mindset that we cannot be free from doubts, fears, unbelief, works of the flesh, or any other bondage. The Word of God says in John 8:36, "So if the Son liberates you [makes you free men], then you are really and unquestionably free." AMP. The Lord wants us to live a life of victory in every area of our lives.  It is not an impossibility, it is our privilege as a child of God. Even the devil knows he cannot keep us in bondage when Christ is in control of our lives.

Complete freedom can be ours.