For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Matthew 6:21
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Week 4
But I say to you, Love your enemy and pray for those who persecute, so that you may be like your Father in heaven...
Matthew 5:44-45
Matthew 5:44-45
Friday, January 18, 2013
Gut-churning
Our Bible story last night was Jesus being left at the temple when He was 12. My son had an astute comment/question...why did the people go from favoring, liking, and being astounded by Jesus to plotting His death.
One reason is that as a child and young man, Jesus did not challenge the people by asking them to accept Him as Lord, God's Son, and the Messiah. When He did ask them to accept Him as such they strongly resisted. And they surely were not going to follow Him! And people today still resist. They may accept the morals and virtues of Christianity as good and wholesome but they will not repent from their current lives and turn to Jesus.
It is staggering to think how little we (I) follow Jesus. We (I) can't get more than a few verses into the Sermon on the Mount before colossal failure faces us at every turn. And yes, I know we are sinners and Jesus forgives sinners...but once forgiven I think I must move forward with more determination to not fail. I must ask Him, the Spirit, to reign in me and rule the day. And to keep on keeping on. And at the end of the day to stand in His strength and look back at the victories He amassed that day...and to keep on standing in Him.
I think Jesus is truly saddened by the amount of time I spend not thinking about Him. He is overjoyed every time I do turn to Him but these times dedicated to Him and Him alone are very rare and very short. So much gets in the way. I allow and oftentimes put stuff in the way. Satan doesn't need to devise too many ways to keep me from The Lord...I do it myself.
It has now been a week since the first gift distribution I did in Juarez. Our team talked about praying for the 12 week discipleship program. Tonight is the first night I thought of it. So I am signing off to spend some time in prayer for those precious kids in that desolate neighborhood in Juarez. Night.
One reason is that as a child and young man, Jesus did not challenge the people by asking them to accept Him as Lord, God's Son, and the Messiah. When He did ask them to accept Him as such they strongly resisted. And they surely were not going to follow Him! And people today still resist. They may accept the morals and virtues of Christianity as good and wholesome but they will not repent from their current lives and turn to Jesus.
It is staggering to think how little we (I) follow Jesus. We (I) can't get more than a few verses into the Sermon on the Mount before colossal failure faces us at every turn. And yes, I know we are sinners and Jesus forgives sinners...but once forgiven I think I must move forward with more determination to not fail. I must ask Him, the Spirit, to reign in me and rule the day. And to keep on keeping on. And at the end of the day to stand in His strength and look back at the victories He amassed that day...and to keep on standing in Him.
I think Jesus is truly saddened by the amount of time I spend not thinking about Him. He is overjoyed every time I do turn to Him but these times dedicated to Him and Him alone are very rare and very short. So much gets in the way. I allow and oftentimes put stuff in the way. Satan doesn't need to devise too many ways to keep me from The Lord...I do it myself.
It has now been a week since the first gift distribution I did in Juarez. Our team talked about praying for the 12 week discipleship program. Tonight is the first night I thought of it. So I am signing off to spend some time in prayer for those precious kids in that desolate neighborhood in Juarez. Night.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Amigo Fiel (final thoughts)
Glad to have served, thankful God paved the way to make it all happen, and consider it to have been a worthy experience.
Am still hesitant to classify what we did as "mission work". We had to have been a burden and hindrance to Carlos and his team. They could very easily carry on without us. I am thankful for the care and hospitality they showered on us. We were treated with such love and our comfort was a high priority.
Definitely felt my personal spiritual relationship with Jesus become more real and less an exercise in theology but more meaningful. My emotions (usually held firmly in check) were a bit more free in their movements and my thoughts were quite often residing in the spiritual plane. This was not necessarily because of any significantly sad or heartbreaking conditions I witnessed. It was, I believe, more a result of the atmosphere I continuously found myself in. We spent so much of every day praying, worshipping, studying, serving, witnessing for, praising, and loving God. Our very existence was to point others to Jesus...all day every day. So many of the cares, concerns, and distractions of the American world were absent in Juarez and it was so easy to have our thoughts dwelling on Jesus.
Will I be running off to the Mission field? Definitely not...though I would not be too upset if God were to transplant me and my family. No, my mission is my family. I am appointed unto them to care for them physically and spiritually. So many people in Juarez have been abandoned by their fathers and husbands and Amigo Fiel steps into the gap to show them God the Father and His love. My primary mission is to provide this for my family. I must not fail them. But from here on I want to be more sensitive to sharing the Gospel and serving others in whatever ways, big or small, The Lord directs. There is so much need out there...need for Jesus.
I look forward to filing this all away for now, to moving forward, and to waiting on The Lord and His paths He has prepared for me.
I look forward to His coming soon and rescuing us and all the innocents who suffer so badly out in the world.
Am still hesitant to classify what we did as "mission work". We had to have been a burden and hindrance to Carlos and his team. They could very easily carry on without us. I am thankful for the care and hospitality they showered on us. We were treated with such love and our comfort was a high priority.
Definitely felt my personal spiritual relationship with Jesus become more real and less an exercise in theology but more meaningful. My emotions (usually held firmly in check) were a bit more free in their movements and my thoughts were quite often residing in the spiritual plane. This was not necessarily because of any significantly sad or heartbreaking conditions I witnessed. It was, I believe, more a result of the atmosphere I continuously found myself in. We spent so much of every day praying, worshipping, studying, serving, witnessing for, praising, and loving God. Our very existence was to point others to Jesus...all day every day. So many of the cares, concerns, and distractions of the American world were absent in Juarez and it was so easy to have our thoughts dwelling on Jesus.
Will I be running off to the Mission field? Definitely not...though I would not be too upset if God were to transplant me and my family. No, my mission is my family. I am appointed unto them to care for them physically and spiritually. So many people in Juarez have been abandoned by their fathers and husbands and Amigo Fiel steps into the gap to show them God the Father and His love. My primary mission is to provide this for my family. I must not fail them. But from here on I want to be more sensitive to sharing the Gospel and serving others in whatever ways, big or small, The Lord directs. There is so much need out there...need for Jesus.
I look forward to filing this all away for now, to moving forward, and to waiting on The Lord and His paths He has prepared for me.
I look forward to His coming soon and rescuing us and all the innocents who suffer so badly out in the world.
Amigo Fiel (part 4)
SATURDAY:
This day was a carbon copy of Friday...until after the second distribution. We were given a list of specific shoeboxes to gather and then we set off for a HIV clinic. They were having a party for the families of their patients with small children. We were the surprise guests! Justin, once again, got the chance to present the Gospel with Carlos interpreting. Then we got to hand deliver boxes to about 60 children and then stay and watch them open them. A few children stayed even longer to play with us...I got to teach one boy how a slinky works and almost taught a little girl how to juggle! We closed the party down, helped clean up, and stored away the last of the shoeboxes.
We returned to Base and had a restful dinner and extended time of worship, prayer, devotion, and fellowship with each other and some of the staff. We were given some insight into the lives of these uber-servants...their trials, failures, and utter love & dependence on Jesus. Their testimonies were powerful and sacred. It ended up being another late and joyous night.
SUNDAY:
We rose and headed over to Amigo Fiel for morning services. We helped prepare the facility and then split into groups. My group jumped into the elementary Sunday School. The highlight was little Yesenia holding my Bible hostage until Michele gave her a Spanish Bible!! Between services we bid farewell to the Alberquerque Team and I played soccer with some familiar faces from the drama team. Second service started with an incredible time of worship in Spanish...which just ended up being a really cool time of worship, despite the language barrier. My heart was singing and God understood. Justin taught with Carlos as interpreter for both services. His message was well-received...the Spirit was definitely present!
We had a late lunch and bid farewell to Carlos and Chuy as they headed back to their lives in the states. Isaac, another of Carlos' loyal cadre, escorted us to a local shopping center for a taste of upscale Juarez life. After an early dinner we headed out to the final evening of outreach at the tent. The worship team from Amigo Fiel was filling the neighborhood with praise and worship. Leonardo preached in Spanish and I continuously prayed for the salvation of every soul there. Many came forward that night to pray for Jesus' entrance into their hearts.
The night was concluded with the giving away of clothes, beans, donuts, and hot chocolate that had been brought by Amigo Fiel. For such a small church they sure were actively involved in every event of the weekend! A couple of us on the Team gave away our hats, gloves, and jackets to those who looked most in need. I emptied my bag of the last of the candy and hacky sacks. A young father came back into the tent and in broken English asked me why I thought America was so great. I asked him why. He said because of people like me...I was speechless and could only think to hug him as tightly as I could. As he walked away, a number of God-glorifying responses came to mind...but the moment had passed. But for that instant, as we grasped each other, I had a sense of the unity that awaits us in eternity.
We returned to Base, packed up the next morning, left behind what ever extra gear we had brought (sleeping-bags, towels, shirts, sweaters, jackets, etc), and uneventfully returned home.
This day was a carbon copy of Friday...until after the second distribution. We were given a list of specific shoeboxes to gather and then we set off for a HIV clinic. They were having a party for the families of their patients with small children. We were the surprise guests! Justin, once again, got the chance to present the Gospel with Carlos interpreting. Then we got to hand deliver boxes to about 60 children and then stay and watch them open them. A few children stayed even longer to play with us...I got to teach one boy how a slinky works and almost taught a little girl how to juggle! We closed the party down, helped clean up, and stored away the last of the shoeboxes.
We returned to Base and had a restful dinner and extended time of worship, prayer, devotion, and fellowship with each other and some of the staff. We were given some insight into the lives of these uber-servants...their trials, failures, and utter love & dependence on Jesus. Their testimonies were powerful and sacred. It ended up being another late and joyous night.
SUNDAY:
We rose and headed over to Amigo Fiel for morning services. We helped prepare the facility and then split into groups. My group jumped into the elementary Sunday School. The highlight was little Yesenia holding my Bible hostage until Michele gave her a Spanish Bible!! Between services we bid farewell to the Alberquerque Team and I played soccer with some familiar faces from the drama team. Second service started with an incredible time of worship in Spanish...which just ended up being a really cool time of worship, despite the language barrier. My heart was singing and God understood. Justin taught with Carlos as interpreter for both services. His message was well-received...the Spirit was definitely present!
We had a late lunch and bid farewell to Carlos and Chuy as they headed back to their lives in the states. Isaac, another of Carlos' loyal cadre, escorted us to a local shopping center for a taste of upscale Juarez life. After an early dinner we headed out to the final evening of outreach at the tent. The worship team from Amigo Fiel was filling the neighborhood with praise and worship. Leonardo preached in Spanish and I continuously prayed for the salvation of every soul there. Many came forward that night to pray for Jesus' entrance into their hearts.
The night was concluded with the giving away of clothes, beans, donuts, and hot chocolate that had been brought by Amigo Fiel. For such a small church they sure were actively involved in every event of the weekend! A couple of us on the Team gave away our hats, gloves, and jackets to those who looked most in need. I emptied my bag of the last of the candy and hacky sacks. A young father came back into the tent and in broken English asked me why I thought America was so great. I asked him why. He said because of people like me...I was speechless and could only think to hug him as tightly as I could. As he walked away, a number of God-glorifying responses came to mind...but the moment had passed. But for that instant, as we grasped each other, I had a sense of the unity that awaits us in eternity.
We returned to Base, packed up the next morning, left behind what ever extra gear we had brought (sleeping-bags, towels, shirts, sweaters, jackets, etc), and uneventfully returned home.
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