Jesus answered him and said, "Most assuredly I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."
John 3:3
Monday, February 18, 2013
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.
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