Jesus was persecuted by the priests because he chose to eat with the tax collectors, talk with prostitutes, lepers and bum around with fishermen. He provided hope for the hopeless. He was loved and hated. He was a rebel. HE chose to do what was good and right and just. He died on the cross for me and for you. He set the example of the life we are to live.
WE were NOT meant to Just Sit in church services Sunday and Wednesday. You may say, I'm not supposed to be a missionary, I can't reach people, I'm not made for that. But YOU ARE! Every Day you live and breathe is for the Lord! The one who created the universe, and came to earth to DIE for YOU.
What I'm saying is just let each day be for the Lord. Let him guide you. When he is tugging at you to go visit your neighbor or speak to the person in line at the grocery store, don't ignore him! You just might be that persons saving grace. "That couldn't happen to me," you say? Well, I hate to break it to you - but it can and more than likely will!
"I'm not called to....." If you have ever read the bible, you have been called - you've just missed it! It may not be to "go" somewhere, we're not all called to do that. But we are called to live like Christ whose image we were created in!
Okay, Okay, Enough preaching! I say all this because God has opened my eyes. He has opened them to his love, power and mercies. He forgives us all, for everything we have done. And when he grabs ahold of your heart there is no way to run, unless you don't want what he has to offer.
I've seen it! I am seeing God changing the life of a thief/drug-addict/seller/gang-member > Hector. God is using the people in the church to reach out to those "types" of people. We had a girl come to bible study tonight who is known as one of the "shadier" women here. Hector is bringing people to church....Hector is telling people about his Lord and Savior and this man that died on the cross for him. Hector has gotten the opportunity to talk to Julito, the number one in the gang. My friend Alyssa who just left got to talk to him!
{this is really cool!}
The morning Alyssa was leaving we all went to the mural she had been working on (and is almost finished) to take pictures. Let me give a piece of background - the water tower that the mural on is gang "territory" and through the grapevine Alyssa initially had to get permission from Julito to use the water tower to paint. The one thing they all have worried about most is that he would graffiti it.
Well, when we were leaving the water tower to go get in the vans a dark sketchy lanky mid-twenties Mexican in a white wife-beater and dirty shorts walked up to us.
JULITO.
Alyssa immediately introduced herself. She told him the story of how she was afraid he was going to do something to the mural and thanked him for letting them paint there. He said it was okay and that the mural was pretty. Alyssa asked what he thought of it and he said it was kind of like good on one side and bad on the other. This opened up the opportunity for Alyssa to share the mural and share some of the gospel with Julito. Alyssa told us later that when they were talking he had some tears well up in his eyes. She told him she knew his friend Hector had come to know the Lord and had changed and wanted to live the Christian life. Julito acknowledged that was correct and that Hector had shared everything with him and that he could see it.
WOW!
What is God up to! Can you see just a hint of what I'm experiencing here! Its mind boggling even.
Sunday I got to experience the baptism of 20+ people. The process here is somewhat different than what we do. They have to go through a class for so many weeks before the baptism. Then before they are baptized they have to share with the whole church why, and the way they came to their salvation. Many of them shared verses and none used the same! It was such a beautiful testimony time that brought glory to the Lord! Then there was a small service explaining the reason for baptism. Then we all gathered to the pool (at a waterpark fully in motion). Probably 30 or more people crowded around the pool. The church leaders got in along with the ones to be baptized. And one by one each and every one publically professed their faith being baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. En el nombre del Padre, el Hijo y el Espiritu Santo. The time was ended with prayer and song....with people still in the pool. How beautiful! If you're friends with me on facebook I have pictures of the baptisms posted!
God is alive. He is moving in a people group that is open. And I am so thankful to be a part of this. To witness this first hand. And to be able to share!
These people are so eager to leave their lives of fear, rezos and sin - to live a life for Christ. And guess what, they share it with everyone!
The one who has probably showed me the transparent child like faith is Iris, 28 year old wife and mother of four. She and her husband were both baptized on Sunday, any person she (they) meet she will tell them about her changed life, and about a life in Christ. She has been such an open witness to the people in the community!
I hope that when I return, that I can have a faith like Iris. Eager to share what my savior has done for me in my life, and can do for others!
I'm half way done with my internship, or I could say I've only half started. But either way - I know that this is where God wanted me to be this summer.
He wanted me to see this.
He wanted me to see Him.
Humbled by how BIG my God is.....
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Calma me
Calmate, Calmate, Be still and know that I am God.....
Sometimes I get so caught up in me and lose sight of how it feels to be so caught up in him. My heart and soul yearn to be captivated by the Lord.
Some days I am welcomed and some days I am not.
But isn't that everywhere, even in our own culture.
I've already learned a lot from my Mexican brothers and sisters. Valuable lessons on watching my actions. The smallest thing can happen and I will have offended someone - and be completely oblivious to it! The expression on my face - often expressionlesss - can be taken offense by someone as well. I think that has been the hardest thing for me since I have been here. In the past few years God has calmed my heart and my soul. I'm on a journey finding me. I know who I am. I'm confident in the Lord, and that is my strong hold. But I am not confident in myself. Often reserved, quiet and emotionless. I've built a shell around myself to try and protect myself from getting hurt - the problem is when that shell breaks - its going to hurt.
This person I have become - Is this who I want to be?
Sometimes panic rises inside of me because I am not content in who I am.
Calmate - Calm Down Hannah
Calmame - Lord Calm me
Maybe the Lord has brought me back into the wilderness with him (Hosea 2). This is a time of learning and learning is what I intend to do. And all my fears I give to him.
Psalm 23
1 The LORD is my shepherd,
I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
3 He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
Psalm 46:10
Sometimes I get so caught up in me and lose sight of how it feels to be so caught up in him. My heart and soul yearn to be captivated by the Lord.
But yet so many days I don't see my beauty. Here in Mexico my blonde hair and blue eyes stick out like a sore thumb in ways that, more often than not, are not welcome. Yes, I can get cheaper vegetables at the market from the older men, the children point out my eyes and want to play with my hair. But I also get whistled at, offered money and looked at as though I were a lepor." Let the king be enthralled by your beauty;
honor him, for he is your lord. " (Psalm 45:11)
Some days I am welcomed and some days I am not.
But isn't that everywhere, even in our own culture.
I've already learned a lot from my Mexican brothers and sisters. Valuable lessons on watching my actions. The smallest thing can happen and I will have offended someone - and be completely oblivious to it! The expression on my face - often expressionlesss - can be taken offense by someone as well. I think that has been the hardest thing for me since I have been here. In the past few years God has calmed my heart and my soul. I'm on a journey finding me. I know who I am. I'm confident in the Lord, and that is my strong hold. But I am not confident in myself. Often reserved, quiet and emotionless. I've built a shell around myself to try and protect myself from getting hurt - the problem is when that shell breaks - its going to hurt.
This person I have become - Is this who I want to be?
Sometimes panic rises inside of me because I am not content in who I am.
Calmate - Calm Down Hannah
Calmame - Lord Calm me
Maybe the Lord has brought me back into the wilderness with him (Hosea 2). This is a time of learning and learning is what I intend to do. And all my fears I give to him.
Psalm 23
1 The LORD is my shepherd,
I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
3 He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Idolatry
You would be amazed at the amount of Idolatry that is here in Mexico. The catholicism here is quite unique; there are statues and pictures of the Virgin Guadalupe - the "grim reeper" aka the saint of death is worshiped by over 3 million people in Mexico alone. Why? Because "she has kept me safe and blessed me; so I worship her." How morbid is that?
The catholicism here has nothing to do with Christianity - in fact Christ is formaly let out of the whole mess. When noted he is either in a manger or on the cross - Mary gets all the spot light. There is actually a prayer that all practicing Catholics use...God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. holy Mary, pray for us, Mother of Christ, holy Mother of God, Holy Mother of the Virgins, Mother of Divine Grace, Mother of Purity, Mother of Chastity, Mother Virgin, Good Mother, Admirable Mother, Mother of Good Counsel, Mother Redeemer, Mother Creator, Mother Savior . . . .and that is just the first half! But I stop there because I begin to get frustrated! It is obvious by this prayer alone that the Gospel is not preached.
Rezos - repitioon prayers - The Mexican and hispanic Catholics are taught repetition prayers for the different saints and Mary. Going into the catholic churches here seeing this first hand makes you see how easy it is to get caught up in tradition, family tradition, and easy repetitious lifestyles. Seeing mothers teach their small children the rezos to the saints and watching a mother and daughter fall on their knees upon entering the shrined church of Virgin Guadalupe and crawling on their knees holding candles and saing rezos all the way to the front of the church . . . . . what is missing here??
Christ, Christ is missing!
Why is Christ missing here?
Before the 1960's evangelicals were at 2.1% and today in 2011 its been raised to 8.3% which is amazing because before the early 1990's missionaries were not legally allowed in the country. Until recently, there was little or no Chrstian media permited - today there is unprecedented freedom to spread the Gospel in Mexico. >There is a window of opportunity that has been opened up!! Praise the Lord.
But what this also means is that many communities are still without a Gospel witness! There are many areas that do not have missionaries and never have had missionaries, local believers or media, to share the truth. - Persecution of believers is a major issue in Mexico. People are shunned from families, communities and work places.
Picture this:
World Population: 6,928,198,253
Spanish is the third most widley spoken language on earth.
About 1/3 of the world's Spanish speakers live in Mexico.
Population of Mexico: 113,724,226
Look at these top fives and see which two countries all have in common...
Most Population: Fewest Evangelicals: Fewest Missionaries:
#1 Mexico #1 Paraguay #1 Cuba
#2 Columbia #2 Uraguay #2 Columbia
#3 Argentina #3 Columbia #3 Argentina
#4 Peru #4 Mexico #4 Mexico
#5 Venezuela #5 Ecuador #5 El Salvador
The two countries on every list -> Columbia and Mexico >>>(The only difference is that the church is growing faster in Columbia than almost any other country in the Americas, Spanish or not!)
"...Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:19-20
The catholicism here has nothing to do with Christianity - in fact Christ is formaly let out of the whole mess. When noted he is either in a manger or on the cross - Mary gets all the spot light. There is actually a prayer that all practicing Catholics use...God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. holy Mary, pray for us, Mother of Christ, holy Mother of God, Holy Mother of the Virgins, Mother of Divine Grace, Mother of Purity, Mother of Chastity, Mother Virgin, Good Mother, Admirable Mother, Mother of Good Counsel, Mother Redeemer, Mother Creator, Mother Savior . . . .and that is just the first half! But I stop there because I begin to get frustrated! It is obvious by this prayer alone that the Gospel is not preached.
Rezos - repitioon prayers - The Mexican and hispanic Catholics are taught repetition prayers for the different saints and Mary. Going into the catholic churches here seeing this first hand makes you see how easy it is to get caught up in tradition, family tradition, and easy repetitious lifestyles. Seeing mothers teach their small children the rezos to the saints and watching a mother and daughter fall on their knees upon entering the shrined church of Virgin Guadalupe and crawling on their knees holding candles and saing rezos all the way to the front of the church . . . . . what is missing here??
Christ, Christ is missing!
Why is Christ missing here?
Before the 1960's evangelicals were at 2.1% and today in 2011 its been raised to 8.3% which is amazing because before the early 1990's missionaries were not legally allowed in the country. Until recently, there was little or no Chrstian media permited - today there is unprecedented freedom to spread the Gospel in Mexico. >There is a window of opportunity that has been opened up!! Praise the Lord.
But what this also means is that many communities are still without a Gospel witness! There are many areas that do not have missionaries and never have had missionaries, local believers or media, to share the truth. - Persecution of believers is a major issue in Mexico. People are shunned from families, communities and work places.
Picture this:
World Population: 6,928,198,253
Spanish is the third most widley spoken language on earth.
About 1/3 of the world's Spanish speakers live in Mexico.
Population of Mexico: 113,724,226
Look at these top fives and see which two countries all have in common...
Most Population: Fewest Evangelicals: Fewest Missionaries:
#1 Mexico #1 Paraguay #1 Cuba
#2 Columbia #2 Uraguay #2 Columbia
#3 Argentina #3 Columbia #3 Argentina
#4 Peru #4 Mexico #4 Mexico
#5 Venezuela #5 Ecuador #5 El Salvador
The two countries on every list -> Columbia and Mexico >>>(The only difference is that the church is growing faster in Columbia than almost any other country in the Americas, Spanish or not!)
Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the spirit of God : Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. 1 John 4:1-3
From the rest he makes a god, his idol; he bows down to it and worships. He prays to it and says, "Save me; you are my god." Isaiah 44:17
So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one. For even if there are so-called gods. whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many "gods" and many "lords"), yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live. 1 Corinthians 8:4-7
The truth, the pure Gospel is what is having to be shared and lived here for the people to see. When families accept Christ and learn the Gospel - their WHOLE LIVES CHANGE!
I know families here who are living breathing proofs of the truth and the way the holy spirit works!
Living my life for Christ everyday is not just something to say - its a way of life - living for Christ, living in Christ, living For Christ. . . Every Day, Every Action, Every Word, Every Breath . . . .
...or the world or life or death or the present or the future - all are yours, and you are of Christ , and Christ is of God. 1 Corinthians 3:22-23
"...Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:19-20
Volcanos and Cars
Saturday morning a group of us headed out to go to Paso de Cortez (Cortez Pass) which is in between two Volcanos. It only took us a little over an hour to get there. The two volcanos are named Popocatépetl and Ixtaccíhuatl - yeah try to pronounce that! These volcanos are about 17,000 feet tall, and where we were walking and driving around were about 11,000 feet. In our group were Me, Tiffany, Alyssa, Matt, Rod, Daniel, Dylan, Robert, Brigam, Fabian, Pancho, and David. We took Rod's big van and Fabian (a new church member)'s small VW golf. Let me just begin by saying it is not an off road vehicle by any means!
The weather was beautiful, blue sky, the clearest some say it has been in months. Starting up the mountain/volcano it was a curvy paved road, much like that of home for me, but then pavement turned into dirt and gravel. We stopped and went to a waterfall to take pictures and walk around. And then we continued on the road to La Venta for quesadillas and fishing. When we got to La Venta we were all discussing what we were going to do and then Fabian walked up to us and had oil all over his hand and proceeded to tell Rod that a rock in the road had blown a hole in his oil pan! Everyone in the group was discussing what needed to be done or what plan of action to take and about that time everyone started pointing up to the volcano and there was a large plume of ash coming out of the top - not as big as the day before. The eruption was cool to see!
Rod, Fabian, Daniel (Rod's son), Pancho and Tiffany all left in the van to go find a new oil pan for Fabian's car. Daniel, Pancho and Tiffany were sent home by public transportation, just in case we all had to ride in the van! I think they left around 2 pm. Rod left Me, Alyssa, Matt, Brigam, Robert, Dylan and David all up on the mountain quite close to a very active volcano. So basically we felt a little stranded on top of a mountain for two and a half hours. While we waited for Rod and Fabian to come back, Me, Brigam, Robert and Dylan went fishing in a trout pond....aka the fish hardly had room to swim! The first cast in I caught a fish. I had to teach all the boys how to cast and even one how to fish! Daddy would be proud! With the eight fish we caught we had the restaurant cook the fish for us for lunch, sounds great right? It was really good! When Rod and Fabian returned we were all just wandering about, they got back around 4:30 or so and we then had to wait for Fabian to fix the car! Alyssa and I went on a walk along a stream and enjoyed nature and the beauty of God's creation. Around 7 pm the new oil pan was finally on the car!
Here is where the story gets good!
We started to head back down the mountain, well up about five miles and then down about twenty curvy miles. Fabian was driving in his car with Matt and Alyssa in front of the rest of us in the van. While Rod was pointing out the spots where Fabians car had leaked and the two rocks where it had busted the oil pan. When Rod pointed out the location of the first hit we saw another trail, one that was not supposed to be there, and most of us at the same time realized it was a new trail of oil coming from Fabian's car! Yes, it happened again!! So about 2 or 3 miles into the 5 miles of dirt road to the top of the mountain the car broke down! Que Horrible!! How horrible! We all got out of the van to check it out and by that time the air had cooled off and was freezing outside! Rod told the guys they might have to push the car the rest of the way up! Rod found a nylon rope with hooks in the back of the van and so he tied the van to the car and tried to pull, the line snapped. While the boys were devising a plan Alyssa and I were in the van. I prayed aloud, "God, please send someone or something our way to help us!" About 3 minutes a small pickup truck drove by and stopped. Fabian bought a strong rope from the man for about 4 dollars. If that isn't an answered prayer I dont know what is! How "random" is it that someone drove by with exactly what we needed! Once again the boys proceeded to tie the car to the van and with a great joint effort - pushed the car enough to get it going and then ran and jumped in the van! Praise God!
Going up the mountain in a van pulling a car was quite interesting! When we got to the top we untied the car, put on our seatbelts and went for possibly the wildest ride of our lives! The van went in front of the car just in case the brakes did not hold! Fabian was driving down the mountain or should I say, Riding in the Hands of God. It was a true example of faith. His car was off, out of gear and no power steering! Can you imagine? I prayed the whole way up the mountain for a rope! and the whole way down the mountain for safety and for God to drive the car! After 20/30 minutes of coasting down a very curvy, very dark narrow mountain road, the road dipped agian and we had to tie the car back to the van to get it to a point of decline. We continued down the mountain and once the road leveled out tied the vehicles back together and guided Fabian into a gas station to park it for the night. We all piled in the van and went home. We got there close to midnight, our intended goal to come back home was 6 pm...
In the long Saturday God showed us his beauty (in the waterfalls), his power (in the volcano) and his faithfulness (in the car breaking down).
As a team we have been studying the first three chapters in 1 Corinthians.
"For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength" 1 Corinthians 1:25 (pushing a car, pulling a car with a rope)
"Let him who boasts boast in the Lord." 1 Corinthians 1:31 (We did not push and pull and guide the car down the mountain! Let all the Glory be God's!!!)
Fabian's car has been fixed and we are all well - and we all have a story to tell.
God is doing great things here, not by me, not by the team, not by Rod. But throught the holy spirit. "I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow." 1 Corinthians 5:6-7 By no means am I belittling the work that is being done here by the team andy by Rod, but my point is that God puts people and situations into our lives to plant seeds and water. But to grow - is God.
And this morning we talked about 1 Corinthians 3:16-23 "(16)Dont you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's spirit lives in you? ...(21) So then, no more boasting about men! All things are yours, wheter Paul or Apollos or Cephas or hte world or life or death or the present or the future - all are yours, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God."
The weather was beautiful, blue sky, the clearest some say it has been in months. Starting up the mountain/volcano it was a curvy paved road, much like that of home for me, but then pavement turned into dirt and gravel. We stopped and went to a waterfall to take pictures and walk around. And then we continued on the road to La Venta for quesadillas and fishing. When we got to La Venta we were all discussing what we were going to do and then Fabian walked up to us and had oil all over his hand and proceeded to tell Rod that a rock in the road had blown a hole in his oil pan! Everyone in the group was discussing what needed to be done or what plan of action to take and about that time everyone started pointing up to the volcano and there was a large plume of ash coming out of the top - not as big as the day before. The eruption was cool to see!
Rod, Fabian, Daniel (Rod's son), Pancho and Tiffany all left in the van to go find a new oil pan for Fabian's car. Daniel, Pancho and Tiffany were sent home by public transportation, just in case we all had to ride in the van! I think they left around 2 pm. Rod left Me, Alyssa, Matt, Brigam, Robert, Dylan and David all up on the mountain quite close to a very active volcano. So basically we felt a little stranded on top of a mountain for two and a half hours. While we waited for Rod and Fabian to come back, Me, Brigam, Robert and Dylan went fishing in a trout pond....aka the fish hardly had room to swim! The first cast in I caught a fish. I had to teach all the boys how to cast and even one how to fish! Daddy would be proud! With the eight fish we caught we had the restaurant cook the fish for us for lunch, sounds great right? It was really good! When Rod and Fabian returned we were all just wandering about, they got back around 4:30 or so and we then had to wait for Fabian to fix the car! Alyssa and I went on a walk along a stream and enjoyed nature and the beauty of God's creation. Around 7 pm the new oil pan was finally on the car!
Here is where the story gets good!
We started to head back down the mountain, well up about five miles and then down about twenty curvy miles. Fabian was driving in his car with Matt and Alyssa in front of the rest of us in the van. While Rod was pointing out the spots where Fabians car had leaked and the two rocks where it had busted the oil pan. When Rod pointed out the location of the first hit we saw another trail, one that was not supposed to be there, and most of us at the same time realized it was a new trail of oil coming from Fabian's car! Yes, it happened again!! So about 2 or 3 miles into the 5 miles of dirt road to the top of the mountain the car broke down! Que Horrible!! How horrible! We all got out of the van to check it out and by that time the air had cooled off and was freezing outside! Rod told the guys they might have to push the car the rest of the way up! Rod found a nylon rope with hooks in the back of the van and so he tied the van to the car and tried to pull, the line snapped. While the boys were devising a plan Alyssa and I were in the van. I prayed aloud, "God, please send someone or something our way to help us!" About 3 minutes a small pickup truck drove by and stopped. Fabian bought a strong rope from the man for about 4 dollars. If that isn't an answered prayer I dont know what is! How "random" is it that someone drove by with exactly what we needed! Once again the boys proceeded to tie the car to the van and with a great joint effort - pushed the car enough to get it going and then ran and jumped in the van! Praise God!
Going up the mountain in a van pulling a car was quite interesting! When we got to the top we untied the car, put on our seatbelts and went for possibly the wildest ride of our lives! The van went in front of the car just in case the brakes did not hold! Fabian was driving down the mountain or should I say, Riding in the Hands of God. It was a true example of faith. His car was off, out of gear and no power steering! Can you imagine? I prayed the whole way up the mountain for a rope! and the whole way down the mountain for safety and for God to drive the car! After 20/30 minutes of coasting down a very curvy, very dark narrow mountain road, the road dipped agian and we had to tie the car back to the van to get it to a point of decline. We continued down the mountain and once the road leveled out tied the vehicles back together and guided Fabian into a gas station to park it for the night. We all piled in the van and went home. We got there close to midnight, our intended goal to come back home was 6 pm...
In the long Saturday God showed us his beauty (in the waterfalls), his power (in the volcano) and his faithfulness (in the car breaking down).
As a team we have been studying the first three chapters in 1 Corinthians.
"For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength" 1 Corinthians 1:25 (pushing a car, pulling a car with a rope)
"Let him who boasts boast in the Lord." 1 Corinthians 1:31 (We did not push and pull and guide the car down the mountain! Let all the Glory be God's!!!)
Fabian's car has been fixed and we are all well - and we all have a story to tell.
God is doing great things here, not by me, not by the team, not by Rod. But throught the holy spirit. "I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow." 1 Corinthians 5:6-7 By no means am I belittling the work that is being done here by the team andy by Rod, but my point is that God puts people and situations into our lives to plant seeds and water. But to grow - is God.
And this morning we talked about 1 Corinthians 3:16-23 "(16)Dont you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's spirit lives in you? ...(21) So then, no more boasting about men! All things are yours, wheter Paul or Apollos or Cephas or hte world or life or death or the present or the future - all are yours, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God."
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