Saylla: Saylla needs a lot of prayer. The adults are tapering off little by little. Some are losing interest and making work a priority and therefore not attending church services or even discipleship classes. The boys have been encouraged by the children who are super firm. The children are always there and seem to come out of nowhere. Eli and I are hoping to connect with their parents here in the near future. However, they did have one lady baptized this month in Saylla which was encouraging. Attendance: 24
Oropesa: Eli and I are ready to receive six members within the first couple weeks of December. We had two people baptized this month as well who will be two members. They have some really firm people here, few but firm. They are also really excited about the enthusiasm these people are showing. They want to do events already and are people who have good standing in the community and will be able to have a big impact on their friends and family. Attendance: 10
Urcos: Eli and I had one person baptized from Urcos but seven came to watch and support them. It looks like three more will be baptized this next month. We do have a lot of firm people, some firm families who have showed a lot of progress this month. We are very impressed with a young man named Wilson who is only 15 and very determined. His whole family has this same attitude and Eli and I are excited to see where it leads. Attendance: 19
Eli and I met a woman named Marta (Wilson’s mom) in the street one day and she invited them to her home. They began discipleship classes with her and she has shown and increased interest in studying the Bible. She reads the bible with her kids and teaches them what she learns from the classes each week. Her son Wilson finished all seven lessons in one week. We’ve been at the house when Marta has yelled up to her son Wilson “Wilson, what are you doing up there?” he responds “Mom, leave me alone, I’m talking to God!”
One day Marta needed to take a trip to visit her mother and collect her salary. She needed to go to another town about five hours from where she lived but had little money to get there. There was no bus so she sat down in the plaza of Urcos and began to pray. She prayed and prayed for a bus to pass by and that the bus would have open seats so she wouldn’t have to stand for the whole journey. Then, all the sudden, a bus showed up with open seats. She praised God for sending it and prayed the whole trip there. When she arrived she still had no money and needed to get yet another bus to get her to her destination. Everyone was telling her that there were no more cars that day. She prayed while she was walking and looked down to find 60 soles on the ground. She praised God for the money saying “now I have the money I just need another bus” and another bus came.
The man she had to collect money from has always insulted her and she has always insulted him back, they have always argued. This time she said she wanted to respond not by arguing but with a better attitude. She let him insult her, got her salary and left without saying anything regrettable. After receiving her money she left to visit her elderly mother. She heard God telling her, that he blessed her with that money so she could bless others. So, she gave 20 soles to her mother, 20 to her uncle and kept 20 for her return trip home.
We have never met someone with so much faith. She wants to apply everything she’s learned from the Bible and has faith in God that he will take care of every situation.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Update
Things are going great with the work. A lot of people are really starting to have a hunger for the word. Just this past Sunday we had 4 people get baptized and that makes 7 in all praise God! I thank you all so much for all of the prayers they really do help. I also wanted to thank the people that are giving financially to support me being here. Thank you for trusting in the Lord and selflessly giving so his word can be spread throughout the world. I know the Lord will bless you guys and I’m sure He already has. Your money is going towards materials, places to do services in, food and traveling expenses. Thank you so much it really does go a long way down here.
If there is anyone who would like to give more or start I am short $2,500. Many people are giving monthly and some when they can. Every contribution helps from $30 - $50 a month or even one time donations. If you feel lead to give you can go on www.extremenazarene.org go to staff and I’m the first one Alex Adams. From there it’s pretty self explanatory.
What I do if you do not know I am a 4040 missionary in Peru planting churches with the organization Extreme Nazarene Ministries. I have now been here for almost 2 years and I have about 6 months left. Everyday my partner and I leave the house to disciple people and evangelize. The 3 places we are working in Cusco Peru are named Saylla, Oropesa and Urcos. We are planting a church in each of these three towns. I thank you so much for all your prayers and support. God Bless all of you.
Ps. If you want to know anything more please email me at aadams@exrtemenazarene.org
If there is anyone who would like to give more or start I am short $2,500. Many people are giving monthly and some when they can. Every contribution helps from $30 - $50 a month or even one time donations. If you feel lead to give you can go on www.extremenazarene.org go to staff and I’m the first one Alex Adams. From there it’s pretty self explanatory.
What I do if you do not know I am a 4040 missionary in Peru planting churches with the organization Extreme Nazarene Ministries. I have now been here for almost 2 years and I have about 6 months left. Everyday my partner and I leave the house to disciple people and evangelize. The 3 places we are working in Cusco Peru are named Saylla, Oropesa and Urcos. We are planting a church in each of these three towns. I thank you so much for all your prayers and support. God Bless all of you.
Ps. If you want to know anything more please email me at aadams@exrtemenazarene.org
Friday, October 28, 2011
Chirldren Of God
So here are just a few things on my mind lately and I wanted to share them with you guys.
1 John 3:1-10 ( NIV )
“See what kind of love the Father has given us in letting us be called God’s children! Yet that is what we are. For this reason the world does not recognize us, because it did not recognize him either. Dear friends, we are now God’s children, but what we will be like has not been revealed yet. We know that when Christ is revealed we will be like him, because we will see him as he is. And everyone who has this hope based on him keeps himself pure, just as he is pure. Everyone who keeps living in sin also practices disobedience. In fact, sin is disobedience. You know that he was revealed to take away sins, and there is not any sin in him. No one who abides in him goes on sinning. The one who goes on sinning has not seen him or known him. Little children, do not let anyone deceive you. The person who practices righteousness is righteous, just as he is righteous. The person who practices sin belongs to the evil one, because the devil has been sinning since the beginning. The reason that the Son of God was revealed was to destroy the works of the devil. No one who has been born from God practices sin, because God’s seed abides in him. Indeed, he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born from God. This is how God’s children and the devil’s children are distinguished. No person who fails to practice righteousness and to love his brother is from God.”
Do we not understand the awesome glorifying and humbling fact that we (John 1:12) are sons and daughters of the living and Holy God! The God who’s glory no one can fathom, the God who created the heavens and the earth and the God who so graciously and lovingly sent His ONLY son Christ Jesus our Lord and savior to die on the cross so that whoever should believe in Him shall have eternal life (John 3:16). But we being very ungrateful are very shortsighted. We argue and complain (Ph 2:14) about in all reality very small things and miss the all the blessings by grace in our lives. We miss the very fact that we are Children of the Holy living God. But I guess first we need to ask ourselves if we are. What does Children of God mean? John 1:12-13 ( NIV ) “However, to all who received him, to those believing in his name, he gave authority to become God’s children, who were born, not merely in a physical sense, or from a fleshly impulse, or from man’s desire, but of God.” So to even have the right to be called “children of God” we must first receive Him. Ok fairly easy to understand, but the 2nd thing is we need to believe in His name. To believe in other words means to act. For example if you have a plate of food in front of you and you are really hungry are you going to just sit there and think or believe that that plate of food is going to fill you up or are you going to eat it? So if I believe I’m going to act. When we act for God means we are obeying Him (Mathew 28:19). But how can we obey Him if we don’t know what He says? Most “Christians” only really read the bible maybe once a week if that. I mean you can’t drive a manual car if you not know how, and you can’t obey God if you don’t know how. So we are not obeying how can we act? And if we are not acting how do we believe? Is it just more just a thought of Him than belief? And if we are technically not believing in His name than how are we children of the Hole God? Well of course Faith plays a big big part in the hole believing process. Hebrews 11:1 (NIV) “Now faith is the assurance of things we hope for, the certainty of things we cannot see.” So it is impossible for you to believe in something you can’t not see without faith, we need faith to believe.
If we go back to 1John 3 “And everyone who has this hope based on him keeps himself pure, just as he is pure.” Without reading the gospel we cannot be pure. Our hope is in Him and Him alone. In 1 Peter 1:22 (NIV) it say’s “Now that you have obeyed the truth and have purified your souls to love your brothers sincerely, you must love one another intensely and with a pure heart.” It is by obeying His holy purifying scripture that we purified. And to be pure in heart is the up most importance because in Psalms 24:1-6 ( NLT ) it say’s “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him. For he laid the earth’s foundation on the seas and built it on the ocean depths. Who may climb the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and never tell lies. They will receive the LORD’s blessing and have a right relationship with God their savior. Such people may seek you and worship in your presence, O God of Jacob.” So who can “climb the mountain of the Lore”? The one who has clean hands (John 13:6-10) He is the one that cleans us (Jer 2:22) and the one who is pure in heart.
OK I need you to pay attention to this next part of the passage in 1John 3 - Everyone who keeps living in sin also practices disobedience. In fact, sin is disobedience. You know that he was revealed to take away sins, and there is not any sin in him. No one who abides in him goes on sinning. The one who goes on sinning has not seen him or known him. Little children, do not let anyone deceive you. The person who practices righteousness is righteous, just as he is righteous. The person who practices sin belongs to the evil one, because the devil has been sinning since the beginning. The reason that the Son of God was revealed was to destroy the works of the devil. No one who has been born from God practices sin, because God’s seed abides in him. Indeed, he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born from God. This is how God’s children and the devil’s children are distinguished. No person who fails to practice righteousness and to love his brother is from God.” WOW! “The one who goes on sinning has not seen him or known him.” Not that we need to be perfect that’s kind a impossible but that if we keep falling over that same sin over and over or in other words “who does not stop sinning” has not seen Him or KNOWN HIM. The gospel say’s it’s like a dog returning to his vomit. It talks about in 2 Peter that it is worse off for the person that knows but still sins (2Peter 2:17-22). And then it goes on to say that “those people” are not children of the living God but children of the devil.
The questions are you abiding by God, or are you just sliding by doing the minimal? Have you really been born again? If so what fruits is your life producing? Following the gospels standards of children of God are you one?
1 John 3:1-10 ( NIV )
“See what kind of love the Father has given us in letting us be called God’s children! Yet that is what we are. For this reason the world does not recognize us, because it did not recognize him either. Dear friends, we are now God’s children, but what we will be like has not been revealed yet. We know that when Christ is revealed we will be like him, because we will see him as he is. And everyone who has this hope based on him keeps himself pure, just as he is pure. Everyone who keeps living in sin also practices disobedience. In fact, sin is disobedience. You know that he was revealed to take away sins, and there is not any sin in him. No one who abides in him goes on sinning. The one who goes on sinning has not seen him or known him. Little children, do not let anyone deceive you. The person who practices righteousness is righteous, just as he is righteous. The person who practices sin belongs to the evil one, because the devil has been sinning since the beginning. The reason that the Son of God was revealed was to destroy the works of the devil. No one who has been born from God practices sin, because God’s seed abides in him. Indeed, he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born from God. This is how God’s children and the devil’s children are distinguished. No person who fails to practice righteousness and to love his brother is from God.”
Do we not understand the awesome glorifying and humbling fact that we (John 1:12) are sons and daughters of the living and Holy God! The God who’s glory no one can fathom, the God who created the heavens and the earth and the God who so graciously and lovingly sent His ONLY son Christ Jesus our Lord and savior to die on the cross so that whoever should believe in Him shall have eternal life (John 3:16). But we being very ungrateful are very shortsighted. We argue and complain (Ph 2:14) about in all reality very small things and miss the all the blessings by grace in our lives. We miss the very fact that we are Children of the Holy living God. But I guess first we need to ask ourselves if we are. What does Children of God mean? John 1:12-13 ( NIV ) “However, to all who received him, to those believing in his name, he gave authority to become God’s children, who were born, not merely in a physical sense, or from a fleshly impulse, or from man’s desire, but of God.” So to even have the right to be called “children of God” we must first receive Him. Ok fairly easy to understand, but the 2nd thing is we need to believe in His name. To believe in other words means to act. For example if you have a plate of food in front of you and you are really hungry are you going to just sit there and think or believe that that plate of food is going to fill you up or are you going to eat it? So if I believe I’m going to act. When we act for God means we are obeying Him (Mathew 28:19). But how can we obey Him if we don’t know what He says? Most “Christians” only really read the bible maybe once a week if that. I mean you can’t drive a manual car if you not know how, and you can’t obey God if you don’t know how. So we are not obeying how can we act? And if we are not acting how do we believe? Is it just more just a thought of Him than belief? And if we are technically not believing in His name than how are we children of the Hole God? Well of course Faith plays a big big part in the hole believing process. Hebrews 11:1 (NIV) “Now faith is the assurance of things we hope for, the certainty of things we cannot see.” So it is impossible for you to believe in something you can’t not see without faith, we need faith to believe.
If we go back to 1John 3 “And everyone who has this hope based on him keeps himself pure, just as he is pure.” Without reading the gospel we cannot be pure. Our hope is in Him and Him alone. In 1 Peter 1:22 (NIV) it say’s “Now that you have obeyed the truth and have purified your souls to love your brothers sincerely, you must love one another intensely and with a pure heart.” It is by obeying His holy purifying scripture that we purified. And to be pure in heart is the up most importance because in Psalms 24:1-6 ( NLT ) it say’s “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him. For he laid the earth’s foundation on the seas and built it on the ocean depths. Who may climb the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and never tell lies. They will receive the LORD’s blessing and have a right relationship with God their savior. Such people may seek you and worship in your presence, O God of Jacob.” So who can “climb the mountain of the Lore”? The one who has clean hands (John 13:6-10) He is the one that cleans us (Jer 2:22) and the one who is pure in heart.
OK I need you to pay attention to this next part of the passage in 1John 3 - Everyone who keeps living in sin also practices disobedience. In fact, sin is disobedience. You know that he was revealed to take away sins, and there is not any sin in him. No one who abides in him goes on sinning. The one who goes on sinning has not seen him or known him. Little children, do not let anyone deceive you. The person who practices righteousness is righteous, just as he is righteous. The person who practices sin belongs to the evil one, because the devil has been sinning since the beginning. The reason that the Son of God was revealed was to destroy the works of the devil. No one who has been born from God practices sin, because God’s seed abides in him. Indeed, he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born from God. This is how God’s children and the devil’s children are distinguished. No person who fails to practice righteousness and to love his brother is from God.” WOW! “The one who goes on sinning has not seen him or known him.” Not that we need to be perfect that’s kind a impossible but that if we keep falling over that same sin over and over or in other words “who does not stop sinning” has not seen Him or KNOWN HIM. The gospel say’s it’s like a dog returning to his vomit. It talks about in 2 Peter that it is worse off for the person that knows but still sins (2Peter 2:17-22). And then it goes on to say that “those people” are not children of the living God but children of the devil.
The questions are you abiding by God, or are you just sliding by doing the minimal? Have you really been born again? If so what fruits is your life producing? Following the gospels standards of children of God are you one?
Sunday, July 31, 2011
But have we missed the point?
If you could love me as a wife
and for my wedding gift, your life
Should that be all Id ever need
or is there more Im looking for
and should I read between the lines
and look for blessings in disguise
To make me handsome, rich, and wise
Is that really what you want
I am a whore I do confess
But I put you on just like a wedding dress
and I run down the aisle
and I run down the aisle
I?m a prodigal with no way home
but I put you on just like a ring of gold
and I run down the aisle to you
So could you love this bastard child
Though I dont trust you to provide
With one hand in a pot of gold
and with the other in your side
I am so easily satisfied
by the call of lovers so less wild
That I would take a little cash
Over your very flesh and blood
Because money cannot buy
a husbands jealous eye
When you have knowingly deceived his wife
Now I'm sorry if the word's "bastard child" and "whore" offend you from this song. That was kind of the point. Not to “offend” you but just to prove a point, but it’s really what we are at times. The gospel talks over and over about us being His "bride" and, well, you get the picture. Derek Webb is a pretty awesome guy (from what I know about him). A lot of people don’t really like him. But what he does is show us through his songs that we “Christians” are looking at things in the wrong light. Like for instance the song Kick Drum…
Lyrics to The Spirit Vs. The Kick Drum :
I don’t want the Spirit, i want the kick drum
i don’t want the Spirit, i want the kick drum
i know how it works, oh i’m not dumb
i don’t want the Spirit, i want the kick drum
like sex without love
like peace without the dove
like a crime scene without the blood
i don’t want the Spirit, you know i want the kick drum
i don’t want the Son, i want a jury of peers
i don’t want the Son, i want a jury of peers
mascara’s gonna run when you see my tears
i don’t want the Son, i want a jury of peers
like lies without the truth
like wine without the fruit
like a skydive without the chute
i don’t want the Son, you know i want a jury of peers
i don’t want the Spirit, you know i want the kick drum
i don’t want the Father, want a vending machine
i don’t want the Father, want a vending machine
i know what i want if you know what i mean
i don’t want the Father, want a vending machine
like heaven without gates
like hell without flames
like life without pain
i don’t want the Father, you know i want a vending machine
i don’t want the Son, you know i want a jury of peers
i don’t want the Spirit, you know i want the kick drum
You see what he’s trying to do yet? We as “Christians” look and judge gays, murderers and thieves and we say “those are the worst sins” Ha, well maybe we think that more than say it. But what does James 2:10-11 say? There is not any sin bigger than the other. Gossiping is just the same and sadly Christians are at times the worst ones. Take a lot of the churches today; we “want a vending machine. “ Instead we should be trying to get closer to the Father. We take one look at these words and we say nah, this is not “Christian.” But that brings up another subject: why are Christians the only ones with their own gender of music? Do Mormons have their own music? Or how about Buddhists? But have we missed the point? Are we looking at it in the wrong light? What do you think?
Ps. A shout out of thanks for the blog idea form the conversation of Cailyn Stevens, Scott Englund and I.
"I understand that the mantra for a lot of Chritian music is that it's 'safe for the whole family,' but I don't believe that faith is always meant to be safe. I started really wrestling with the fact that I was only allowed to talk about certain things. At 17, I was so excited about changing the world, telling people about the Lord and rubbing shoulders with people and hearing their stories. The more I heard stories of some of the things people were going through, it made me realize that faith was not some sort of religious high. It's a lot less performance-based than I thought it was." Joy Williams of the Civil Wars
and for my wedding gift, your life
Should that be all Id ever need
or is there more Im looking for
and should I read between the lines
and look for blessings in disguise
To make me handsome, rich, and wise
Is that really what you want
I am a whore I do confess
But I put you on just like a wedding dress
and I run down the aisle
and I run down the aisle
I?m a prodigal with no way home
but I put you on just like a ring of gold
and I run down the aisle to you
So could you love this bastard child
Though I dont trust you to provide
With one hand in a pot of gold
and with the other in your side
I am so easily satisfied
by the call of lovers so less wild
That I would take a little cash
Over your very flesh and blood
Because money cannot buy
a husbands jealous eye
When you have knowingly deceived his wife
Now I'm sorry if the word's "bastard child" and "whore" offend you from this song. That was kind of the point. Not to “offend” you but just to prove a point, but it’s really what we are at times. The gospel talks over and over about us being His "bride" and, well, you get the picture. Derek Webb is a pretty awesome guy (from what I know about him). A lot of people don’t really like him. But what he does is show us through his songs that we “Christians” are looking at things in the wrong light. Like for instance the song Kick Drum…
Lyrics to The Spirit Vs. The Kick Drum :
I don’t want the Spirit, i want the kick drum
i don’t want the Spirit, i want the kick drum
i know how it works, oh i’m not dumb
i don’t want the Spirit, i want the kick drum
like sex without love
like peace without the dove
like a crime scene without the blood
i don’t want the Spirit, you know i want the kick drum
i don’t want the Son, i want a jury of peers
i don’t want the Son, i want a jury of peers
mascara’s gonna run when you see my tears
i don’t want the Son, i want a jury of peers
like lies without the truth
like wine without the fruit
like a skydive without the chute
i don’t want the Son, you know i want a jury of peers
i don’t want the Spirit, you know i want the kick drum
i don’t want the Father, want a vending machine
i don’t want the Father, want a vending machine
i know what i want if you know what i mean
i don’t want the Father, want a vending machine
like heaven without gates
like hell without flames
like life without pain
i don’t want the Father, you know i want a vending machine
i don’t want the Son, you know i want a jury of peers
i don’t want the Spirit, you know i want the kick drum
You see what he’s trying to do yet? We as “Christians” look and judge gays, murderers and thieves and we say “those are the worst sins” Ha, well maybe we think that more than say it. But what does James 2:10-11 say? There is not any sin bigger than the other. Gossiping is just the same and sadly Christians are at times the worst ones. Take a lot of the churches today; we “want a vending machine. “ Instead we should be trying to get closer to the Father. We take one look at these words and we say nah, this is not “Christian.” But that brings up another subject: why are Christians the only ones with their own gender of music? Do Mormons have their own music? Or how about Buddhists? But have we missed the point? Are we looking at it in the wrong light? What do you think?
Ps. A shout out of thanks for the blog idea form the conversation of Cailyn Stevens, Scott Englund and I.
"I understand that the mantra for a lot of Chritian music is that it's 'safe for the whole family,' but I don't believe that faith is always meant to be safe. I started really wrestling with the fact that I was only allowed to talk about certain things. At 17, I was so excited about changing the world, telling people about the Lord and rubbing shoulders with people and hearing their stories. The more I heard stories of some of the things people were going through, it made me realize that faith was not some sort of religious high. It's a lot less performance-based than I thought it was." Joy Williams of the Civil Wars
Friday, July 15, 2011
You Know.
Well here I am after about 7 months without a computer. Wow that was a long long time. But anyway I'll get you all caught up. Eli and I are working harder than ever now and are kicking some butt with a ton of help from the big man upstairs. But things are really going great. We came across this man about 3 months ago and he was dying of liver cancer from dinking way too much. He could not leave his bed and he was about at least 81 ponds and a little shorter than me. So he was pretty skinny. His name was Domingo and we started to teach to him the word of our awesome God. He learned quite a bit and even accepted Christ into his heart and repented. So one day I got this awesome idea (it's the only kind I have / jk it was from God) to make a video of him giving his testimony to help other people going down the same path. He agreed and we started shooting him and his wife giving their story together asking questions like how did this start? Or what would you tell others that are going through the same thing? The awesome thing is we caught him apologizing to his wife and accepting the apology. We got it all on video and I'm still working out the kinks in it. Domingo died a week later on 7-10-11. But he was suffering day and night in his bed not able to move. The last prayer I heard him pray was that he told "God if He was ready to take him then go right ahead. But if your will for to grant me another day than I will still praise you." But praise God that he is in heaven now with a new body and worshiping in the presence of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. Amen
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Master Builder's
1Cr 3:10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it.
1Cr 3:11 For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
1Cr 3:12 Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, [fn]precious stones, wood, hay, straw,
1Cr 3:13 each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test [fn]the quality of each man's work.
1Cr 3:14 If any man's work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward.
1Cr 3:15 If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
We can only do it through grace, do what you ask? Well disciple that is. We lay a foundation for those people we disciple. For what did God call us to do? He say's in Mat 28:19-20 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Fallow up/ teach them!! What's the point of having a big event and all these people accept Christ and after you just go home and do nothing? But anyway to disciple people we need to look at the that foundation we are laying. For the hole point of this passage is that "But each man must be careful how he builds on it." Then it go's on and say's that if they build on it with Gold - Straw / the best material to the worst material it will not matter. If the foundation that you have laid is "300 year old wooden boards" your foundation WILL break. Your then it will not matter what they build with because it will fall through and burn. If we are not ready the fire will come and test what we have worked so so hard to "strengthen" and consume it like gasoline. I mean sure we still have salvation but we will be the only one's escaping for the fire.
What's better then going to Heaven? Bringing someone els with you.
Everything will be for nothing if we are not "master builder's". Where are you? The NIV puts V 15 like this 1Cr 3:15 "If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames." Are we just working just to get to that free day, not putting our hole selfs in it? Are we "master builder's"? But God is still teaching us everyday and the Gospel teaches us that "For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ." Jesus Christ is our strength and that if we are trusting Him with our PAST, FUTURE and PRESENT fully, then we can truly be free.
- Mike Donehey- " We are not struggling to be free, if we are in Christ were free of struggle."
1Cr 3:11 For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
1Cr 3:12 Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, [fn]precious stones, wood, hay, straw,
1Cr 3:13 each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test [fn]the quality of each man's work.
1Cr 3:14 If any man's work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward.
1Cr 3:15 If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
We can only do it through grace, do what you ask? Well disciple that is. We lay a foundation for those people we disciple. For what did God call us to do? He say's in Mat 28:19-20 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Fallow up/ teach them!! What's the point of having a big event and all these people accept Christ and after you just go home and do nothing? But anyway to disciple people we need to look at the that foundation we are laying. For the hole point of this passage is that "But each man must be careful how he builds on it." Then it go's on and say's that if they build on it with Gold - Straw / the best material to the worst material it will not matter. If the foundation that you have laid is "300 year old wooden boards" your foundation WILL break. Your then it will not matter what they build with because it will fall through and burn. If we are not ready the fire will come and test what we have worked so so hard to "strengthen" and consume it like gasoline. I mean sure we still have salvation but we will be the only one's escaping for the fire.
What's better then going to Heaven? Bringing someone els with you.
Everything will be for nothing if we are not "master builder's". Where are you? The NIV puts V 15 like this 1Cr 3:15 "If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames." Are we just working just to get to that free day, not putting our hole selfs in it? Are we "master builder's"? But God is still teaching us everyday and the Gospel teaches us that "For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ." Jesus Christ is our strength and that if we are trusting Him with our PAST, FUTURE and PRESENT fully, then we can truly be free.
- Mike Donehey- " We are not struggling to be free, if we are in Christ were free of struggle."
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Monday, April 4, 2011
A Day With The Police
So the other day my partner Eli and I were in Oropesa and decided to get something to eat. As we were eating we ended up talking to the guy that owns the menu. He ends up telling us about this crazy possessed 25 year old guy in the town and tells us where the Priest for the Catholic Church lives. So we end up finishing and walking toward the Priest’s house. We knock on the door and the Priest answered. We started talking with him and asked a few questions. After about 10 minutes he tells us that he’s got something to do in 5 minutes so maybe we could talk later, so we went our separate ways. We ended up noticing that the big Catholic Church was open and we walked in just because I had never been in one especially here in Peru. As we walked in we noticed we had just walked in on them starting mass and here in Peru it is rude to walk in and then walk back out. We sat in the front row as people started piling in behind us. The Priest entered also and started singing with the nuns. My partner Eli loves to take pictures and record things so he pulled out his phone and started recording them singing. Right in the middle of the mass the Priest walks down in front of everybody right to our seats and asks if we are recording. We answered “yes we are.” He then asked for the phone, so we handed the phone to him and he lectured us in front of everyone saying how disrespectful we are and we are hypocrites and we can’t change their culture. After this he proceeds to take the phone and give it to one of the nuns. At this point Eli and I are kind of stunned at what was happening. There are tourists all over Cusco taking pictures, videos and recording things. After everyone walks out of the temple, the Priest comes back to us and starts lecturing us more. We tried telling him that we were not doing anything with bad intentions but he just said, “I don’t believe you.” He ended up getting a police officer to come and ask us questions and escort us out of the temple. The police officer turned out to be a real nice guy. We ended up having to give our info and have pictures taken of us. I also decided to smile during the pictures. The police officer ends up telling us to be careful because the Priests here in Peru have authority over the police and the president. He told us that if he was angry enough with us he could have sounded the church bell and people from all over the town would have come to beat us up. I’m glad that did not happen. But I thought the day went well and God defiantly helped us out. After, we went to the possessed guy’s house and talked with his mom and prayed with her and over the house. We are going back on Tuesday. We are praying a ton for this. We would appreciate if you could also pray about this and that God would equip us with what we need and that we would believe with 100% of our hearts that God can do it.
Monday, March 7, 2011
A new Concept of Worship
So this blog is going to be a little different. I'm going to talk about two subjects and I'm going to ask a few questions and I hope you will answer in your in your own way.
(You can worship in many way's, but this blog is going to be talking about singing and worshipping)
So what do you normally expect from worship? Just like little things, you know, like it's going to be like the last time, or it's going to be awesome and I'm going to have this encounter with God. Have you ever thought any of these things before you worshipped then were somewhat disappointed at the end?
Well I think the reality of it is that we need to stop having expectations of worship. If we want an encounter with God and want just to give Him our complete thanks, than we need to leave all the expectations at the door.
Now what about distractions? Tell me some distractions you have personally during worship. LIke for example what you're doing later, or singing really quiet so nobody can hear you, and we have the opposite where we sing loud so people can hear us. Well I could go on and on all day about different distractions we have but it all boils down to if we understand what the "Heart of Worship" is. What is it to you?
Mike Donehey said "I want to be so distracted by the beauty of Christ that I actually forget about myself altogether."
Well if this is the true "Heart of Worship" then what we need to do is forget about ourselves and put all our focus on God and God alone.
Like this one time I went to Scott's cafe for a church service and sat in the front row. At the end of Pastor Ken's message he played a couple songs. One of the songs just happened to be my favorite one. So I decided I was going to just give my all and worship God. So when I worship I like to stand so I did. I stared to worship with all my heart, but then I realized that I was in the front row. So I started to get red and hot and wondering what people were thinking and I did one of those one eye openers to see if any one was looking at me. But I was already standing and I could not just sit back down so I stayed standing. Then I just tried to worship the best I could but still I was distracted.
So we have those days also were we don't feel like worshiping. But we also have those days were we do want to do our daily devotion. So what do we do we take responsibility and just do it. Well in the book of Leviticus when the people wanted to bring in a Thank Offering it had to be perfect and without blemish. But then the weird thing is that when they killed it they would have to lay their head upon the head of the animal and then kill it. Now you may be asking "Alex why are you telling me this?" But the reality it of it is that this was their way of saying, "This is my offering and it is perfect and with out blemish." They took responsibly over there worship their offering.
Let's take responsibility of our worship.
(You can worship in many way's, but this blog is going to be talking about singing and worshipping)
So what do you normally expect from worship? Just like little things, you know, like it's going to be like the last time, or it's going to be awesome and I'm going to have this encounter with God. Have you ever thought any of these things before you worshipped then were somewhat disappointed at the end?
Well I think the reality of it is that we need to stop having expectations of worship. If we want an encounter with God and want just to give Him our complete thanks, than we need to leave all the expectations at the door.
Now what about distractions? Tell me some distractions you have personally during worship. LIke for example what you're doing later, or singing really quiet so nobody can hear you, and we have the opposite where we sing loud so people can hear us. Well I could go on and on all day about different distractions we have but it all boils down to if we understand what the "Heart of Worship" is. What is it to you?
Mike Donehey said "I want to be so distracted by the beauty of Christ that I actually forget about myself altogether."
Well if this is the true "Heart of Worship" then what we need to do is forget about ourselves and put all our focus on God and God alone.
Like this one time I went to Scott's cafe for a church service and sat in the front row. At the end of Pastor Ken's message he played a couple songs. One of the songs just happened to be my favorite one. So I decided I was going to just give my all and worship God. So when I worship I like to stand so I did. I stared to worship with all my heart, but then I realized that I was in the front row. So I started to get red and hot and wondering what people were thinking and I did one of those one eye openers to see if any one was looking at me. But I was already standing and I could not just sit back down so I stayed standing. Then I just tried to worship the best I could but still I was distracted.
So we have those days also were we don't feel like worshiping. But we also have those days were we do want to do our daily devotion. So what do we do we take responsibility and just do it. Well in the book of Leviticus when the people wanted to bring in a Thank Offering it had to be perfect and without blemish. But then the weird thing is that when they killed it they would have to lay their head upon the head of the animal and then kill it. Now you may be asking "Alex why are you telling me this?" But the reality it of it is that this was their way of saying, "This is my offering and it is perfect and with out blemish." They took responsibly over there worship their offering.
Let's take responsibility of our worship.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
My day Off
So the other day on a Monday to be exact, I wanted to go to a gym to work out. During my 3 months in Cusco so far I have yet to go to the gym. So I decided I was finally going to go. I grabbed a combi and sat in the front seat wearing gym shorts, a t-shirt and a backpack. So while sitting in the front seat I asked the driver if he knew were I could find a gym. He told me he would tell me when to get off. So I waited and about 100 different people later he says that I was at the stop were the gym was. So I get off and notice right a way that my shorts are lighter. So I checked and saw that my phone had fallen out in the combi. By the time I realized I had lost my phone the combi was 4 blocks away. So at that point I was not the happiest person but mostly just be mad at my self. I walked around trying to find the gym and after about 15 minutes I finally found it. I walked in and asked the ladies at the desk how much it was for an hour she responded with “8 soles”, Now that is super expensive, usually it is one sole an hour. So I walked out, just a little more frustrated. I got a taxi back to the house and as soon as I got there I used Cailyn’s phone to call mine in hope that the combi driver would pick it up. I repeat this about 17 times until the driver finally answers. He tells me to be at the spot were he dropped me off and he would meet with me in 30 minutes. So I grabbed my rain jacket (it was pouring down rain) a bag of Doritos because I was starving and ran out the door to grab a taxi. I ran about a mile until I found one and I was off. So I get to the bus stop were I was supposed to meet him and waited for 30 minutes. The 30 minutes felt like an hour and he still hadn’t shown up, so I call about 10 more times until he answered again. Then, he proceeded to tell me to wait 15 more minutes. So I do and call him again after the 15 minutes and he tells me that he passed me about 2 minutes ago and says he would be back in 2 hours. Now, keep in mind by this point I am soaked with water and the roads are rivers so high that there hitting the grills on cars and its raining crazy hard. So this particular Monday night we were going to have a super bowl party at a friend’s house pretty close to where I was. So I decided to go early. I start running in the pouring rain to his house while trying to call him to let him know I’ll be early. I get there and ring the bell just hoping someone was home because he did not answer his phone. But he was there and tells me that he was in a cab going to his house and was sharing that he is a Christian with the taxi driver and it just so happens that the taxi driver was also. So then Scott goes on and talks about the work we are doing and as he is explaining this, he looks out the window and sees me running in the rain and says “ look, you see that guy, he’s one of the missionaries”. So the taxi driver asked why is he running and Scott said “I have no idea?” After listening to Scott tell me that he had just seen me, I just smiled and took off all my wet stuff. After 2 hours pass I call my phone till he picked up, so the driver of the combi says “I’ll be at the buss stop in 15 minutes”. So I slowly put my wet stuff back on to go back out into the pouring rain. But as I was walking out the door I got a call from Tyler and the rest of my friends who were all on there way to the Super Bowl party. They tell me that they are on the combi that I dropped my phone on. Now they did not know this at first but when I called the driver they over heard the call and saw that it was my phone and asked for it. So I ended up getting my phone back in the most unexpected way ever. All thanks to the God all mighty and His awesome grace.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Muddy Slip and Slides
The other day I went with one of my contacts named Oswaldo to his work. Oswaldo's job is a "tecnico" which is kinda like a vet for animals in the "compo" which means out in the country. So I woke up at around 5 am and left the house around 5 30 am. I grabbed a bus and headed to Andahuaylillas where I was going to meet with him and head on out to the compo. We took a taxi for about 20 to 30 minutes up into the mountains and got out. Then we headed up higher on foot. Well, it was raining all morning so everything was very wet. Also, the road was mud so every step up the hill I sank a few inches and also slid back a few more. After trying my very best not to fall we got to the first house. Oswaldo needed to inject the bulls with vitamins. So my job was to hold the massive bull's nose with some clamps while he would inject the bull. But now let me tell you the bull's did not like that at all, so I had to cause more pain by twisting there nose with the clamps. They were just really mad at me the enter time. After finishing about 5 bull's, 2 pig's and being about 10 pounds heavier with mud I went back to Urcos and ate with him. After we were done eating I hopped on another bus and went back home. But with all that aside it was an awesome experience.
Updates
So my partner Jorge is not returning back to be my partner. And before you ask there was no explanation. So Extreme has another partner for me named Eli. He will be here on the 14th of February, so I guess he is my valentines day present.But no in all reality please pray for us. Eli and I have not really had the greatest run in's in the past and have had our problems. But Im trusting it is Gods will and everything will work out. Also on another note my 20th birthday is on February 11th!!! (Just a reminder)..
Updates
So my partner Jorge is not returning back to be my partner. And before you ask there was no explanation. So Extreme has another partner for me named Eli. He will be here on the 14th of February, so I guess he is my valentines day present.But no in all reality please pray for us. Eli and I have not really had the greatest run in's in the past and have had our problems. But Im trusting it is Gods will and everything will work out. Also on another note my 20th birthday is on February 11th!!! (Just a reminder)..
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
My mind is blown
So I've been doing my work now with out a peruvian partner for like about a month now and I was worried that I would not be able to do as good as a job as Jorge being he is still in his own country and being that its his language he is speaking. But let me tell you God is so awesome!! I have seen such an awesome improvement in my work. I mean about 5 new contacts in Oropesa and in Urcos not having any contacts before he left and now having about 6.. WOW!!! My mind is blown. Please continue to pray for the awesome work God is doing here in Peru through ordinary people like your self.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
The BREAK Fest Club
O man were do I start?
Well December 28th we/ Beth Beers, Cailyn Stevens, Tyler and Amy Liebelt and I were getting ready to make some pumpkin pancakes as we were talking about a bunch of random stuff. Then Beth and I remember about the night before. We had heard a massive boom that was louder than a normal fire work right by the house. Well we were asking everybody if they had heard it last night. That very second another boom went off, it was at least twice as loud as the one Beth and I were taking about . This boom shook our entire house. Now let me remind you all my house is 3 stories and made out of thick concrete, so when I say this boom was loud it was loud. But any way we all run out on the balcony and see our neighbors 3 house down has smoke billowing out of the top. As we see this we see a woman running toward to explosion and seeing something as she gave out a shrieking scream. So Tyler and I grab first aid kits and ran as fast as we could over to the house. As we made our way to the door to enter into the compound there was already a crowd forming around it. Tyler and I make our way in and were shocked by what we saw. A two story house blown to pieces and a body of what was a woman on the ground covered with a blanket. We checked to see if anybody was hurt just a boy with a cut above his eye that I cleaned out for him. Not knowing what els we could do we returned back to the house and shared that a 45 year old woman had died and that we should pray for the family, so we did. Please also be in prayer for them. (If your wondering what the explosion was they were fabricating fire works and Im guessing there hole stash blew up)
Puerto Maldonado
So Tyson and Tracey Smith are some awesome people please be in prayer for them. But any way the just had a baby in Arequipa and there house in in Puerto Maldonado. After having there beautiful baby boy they found out that there house had flooded and not just any rain water but like swig/ poop water. There house and all there possessions were most likely covered with poop water. So Tyler decided to go and give a helping hand for a week.
Here are some pictures of the flooding.
This is there bathroom.
This is Tyler and I in the tub filled with the blackest poop water ever.
This is Tyler and I dumping what was in the tub of black poo
Me in the water hole trying to get the poo water out.
So one of the days we were in Puerto we decided to get the city to come and dig a canal or some kind of ditch to drain the crazy flooding in the street by the house. Because it was like this
So they came out and tore up the bridge that was there and made the canal bigger. Than they left with out fixing the bridge. So Tyson, Tyler and I decided to make a new one. Now keep in mind we are building a bridge that big trucks drive over, so you can imagine the difficulty of it. So as we are digging a man comes over saying if we cant get this bridge built then he is going to cave in the trench that was made to have the flooding drain because he needed cars to be able to get to his business down the road. So he started to help us build the bridge. As we started digging again a man starts yelling in my ear and tyler and I have no idea what he was talking about but turns out he had been trying to get the city out there to build a real trench made out of cement for a long time and he was just mad at them and he also started to help. A few minutes pass by and a 3rd guy comes. Now let me tell you this guy was mad, M A D mad. He started screaming at all of us then him and the 2nd got into it and it got pretty heated. So long story short the 3rd man shoved the 2nd guy into the poop water and picked up the shovel and threatened to hit him. We calmed him down and he ended up walking away threatening us that he was going to reck the bridge we were making. But we made it and it is jungle strong let me tell you. Here is a picture of what we like to call the money bridge.
But please join me in pray for The Smith's thank you all and God Bless.
Well December 28th we/ Beth Beers, Cailyn Stevens, Tyler and Amy Liebelt and I were getting ready to make some pumpkin pancakes as we were talking about a bunch of random stuff. Then Beth and I remember about the night before. We had heard a massive boom that was louder than a normal fire work right by the house. Well we were asking everybody if they had heard it last night. That very second another boom went off, it was at least twice as loud as the one Beth and I were taking about . This boom shook our entire house. Now let me remind you all my house is 3 stories and made out of thick concrete, so when I say this boom was loud it was loud. But any way we all run out on the balcony and see our neighbors 3 house down has smoke billowing out of the top. As we see this we see a woman running toward to explosion and seeing something as she gave out a shrieking scream. So Tyler and I grab first aid kits and ran as fast as we could over to the house. As we made our way to the door to enter into the compound there was already a crowd forming around it. Tyler and I make our way in and were shocked by what we saw. A two story house blown to pieces and a body of what was a woman on the ground covered with a blanket. We checked to see if anybody was hurt just a boy with a cut above his eye that I cleaned out for him. Not knowing what els we could do we returned back to the house and shared that a 45 year old woman had died and that we should pray for the family, so we did. Please also be in prayer for them. (If your wondering what the explosion was they were fabricating fire works and Im guessing there hole stash blew up)
Puerto Maldonado
So Tyson and Tracey Smith are some awesome people please be in prayer for them. But any way the just had a baby in Arequipa and there house in in Puerto Maldonado. After having there beautiful baby boy they found out that there house had flooded and not just any rain water but like swig/ poop water. There house and all there possessions were most likely covered with poop water. So Tyler decided to go and give a helping hand for a week.
Here are some pictures of the flooding.
This is there bathroom.
This is Tyler and I in the tub filled with the blackest poop water ever.
This is Tyler and I dumping what was in the tub of black poo
Me in the water hole trying to get the poo water out.
So one of the days we were in Puerto we decided to get the city to come and dig a canal or some kind of ditch to drain the crazy flooding in the street by the house. Because it was like this
So they came out and tore up the bridge that was there and made the canal bigger. Than they left with out fixing the bridge. So Tyson, Tyler and I decided to make a new one. Now keep in mind we are building a bridge that big trucks drive over, so you can imagine the difficulty of it. So as we are digging a man comes over saying if we cant get this bridge built then he is going to cave in the trench that was made to have the flooding drain because he needed cars to be able to get to his business down the road. So he started to help us build the bridge. As we started digging again a man starts yelling in my ear and tyler and I have no idea what he was talking about but turns out he had been trying to get the city out there to build a real trench made out of cement for a long time and he was just mad at them and he also started to help. A few minutes pass by and a 3rd guy comes. Now let me tell you this guy was mad, M A D mad. He started screaming at all of us then him and the 2nd got into it and it got pretty heated. So long story short the 3rd man shoved the 2nd guy into the poop water and picked up the shovel and threatened to hit him. We calmed him down and he ended up walking away threatening us that he was going to reck the bridge we were making. But we made it and it is jungle strong let me tell you. Here is a picture of what we like to call the money bridge.
But please join me in pray for The Smith's thank you all and God Bless.
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