We are missionaries to Monterrey Mexico.

We are missionaries to Mexico who want to honnor JC more than anything else in the world. By God's grace we're planning to move to Monterrey Mexico with a great team to plant a new Great Commission church there.

Monday, January 23, 2006

What a great man of faith!


Today, I want to share with you the story of Caleb. What a great servant of God he was! This is what I call a man of character and integrity. A man who served the Lord until the end of his life and who patiently waited for what God promised to him. Here's a piece of his autobiography, we find it in Joshua 14. This is what he said to Joshua:

"You know what the LORD said to Moses the man of God at Kadesh Barnea about you and me. 7 I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh Barnea to explore the land. And I brought him back a report according to my convictions, 8 but my brothers who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt with fear. I, however, followed the LORD my God wholeheartedly. 9 So on that day Moses swore to me, 'The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance and that of your children forever, because you have followed the LORD my God wholeheartedly.' [a]

10 "Now then, just as the LORD promised, he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved about in the desert. So here I am today, eighty-five years old! 11 I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I'm just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. 12 Now give me this hill country that the LORD promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the LORD helping me, I will drive them out just as he said."

Here are some amazing secrets the Lord taught me:
  • Age is not an issue for God: Caleb engaged in his most amazing journey at the age of forty when he became a spy. Is age keeping you from doing mighty things fr God?
  • Caleb worked for forty five years in one command God gave him. He waited patiently for God's results. How long are you willing to wait to see God's miracles in your life?
  • Caleb was faithful and brought a report according to his convictions. This only shows where he was in his personal relationship with God.
  • Perhaps he was also scared at the beginning. However he overcomed his fears and brought a good report.
  • He was so confident in God's purpose and promise that even when other ten people came back saying it was a land of giants and full of danger, he remained confident in his God.
  • After forty five years he was as strong as the day Moses sent him out. How do you feel? Are you full of energy, enthusiasm, joy and passion for the Lord? Are you vigorous to face new challenges?
  • He was eager to drive out the Anakites of that land as the Lord had commanded him. He asked God's help and finally made it.
  • The result: Then Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron as his inheritance.
It's incredible to see how Israel received the Promised Land. At the proper time, they got it. And it's even more incredible to see that the 12 tribes of Israel received each a portion of the land, but the Bible mentiones two men who personally received a piece of land: Caleb and Joshua. Some heroes!

Monday, January 16, 2006

Joshua 1:1-9

What an amazing piece of Scripture! Joshua 1 :1-9. This is such an exciting story. I have been thinking a lot about what happens here and it's so encouraging. JC really knows how to show us who He is! And He does it in amazing ways.

I have learned so many things in this passage that I wouldn't like to miss the opportunity to share them with all of you. There are promises, commandments, miracles, principles and vision in this passage. This is what God showed me, perhaps you want to share also what God taught through this passage. You might want to share it with a comment.

  • Joshua was Moses servant. For a lot of time he was behind the scene but at the proper time God made him appear on stage.
  • Joshua and Israel are about to receive the promise made hundreds of years ago.
  • The promise is superlatve: the Promised Land. This was every Jew's dream.
  • Which promise are you going after? Do you have a "Promised Land" in your life?
  • Just before getting there they found a great challenge: the Jordan River. Did this mean God hadn't thought carefully about the promise he made? No, He was just testing their faith. The Promised Land was theirs. And they were really close to it!
  • Verse 4 says... "your teritorry will extend from the desert... " What is your current territory? What would you like it to be? Do you remember Jabez?
  • A great promise: "As I was with Moses, so will I be with you" This makes me feel confident!
  • A commandment: "Be strong and courageous..." We've got to be strong but in not our own strength...
  • "Be careful to obey all the law". This is what it's all about: obedience. I may know the entire Bible but if I don't practice its principles I may be building my house on the sand.
  • In order to do everything written in the Bible, I've got to meditate on it day and night
  • Day and night means intensively, it implies a lot of time, it demands a personal commitment
  • Again, something to rely on... "the Lord tour God will be with you wherever you go". Whatever you do, whoever you meet, whatever obstacle you find, no matter how weak you are or feel, He will be with you every day of your life. Isn't this powerful? Isn't this enough reason to be really happy?
  • Verse 10: Joshua answered and acted in obedience... immediately!
I want to encourage you to make a personal commitment to the Lord. That you may be careful to obey all the law, to meditate on his Word day and night, not to turn from it to the left or to the right. And He shall be with you as He was with Moses and Joshua.

Which chair are you sitting in? (Part 2)

This is the second part of this series. Once again, we encourage you to read this book. God has used it to change my mind in a lot of aspects.

Once we start reading and getting to know the characrteristics of the people sitting in the different chairs, we realize what a danger it is to be sitting in the 2nd chair. It is even more dangerous than to be sitting in the 3rd chair. Why you might ask? Usually the people from the second chair are christians who have grown tired and disppointed. They are tired of seeking God. They have found out that it is more "relaxing" to wake up at 7am, take a shower and then leave for work rather than waking up at 6am and seeking the Lord in prayer and in His Word. Watching TV 4 hours a day doesn't require much effort but going after the secrets of the Lord is only for those who fear him (Psalm 25:14). Making excuses for a selfish behavior is also easier than ackowledging our own weaknesses and admitting you're wrong.

The interesting thing about this is that it's not meant to be something to make us feel even worse. I don't believe Jesus intentions are to make us feel guilty or miserable. God just wants us to realize that our commitment to Him is something very important and if we have been feeling kind of frustrated or disappointed, his sole purpose is to restore us and encourage us. He is an awesome God!

Thursday, January 05, 2006

Which chair are you sitting in? (Part 1)

This is a good question that you might want to ask yourself. Have you ever heard of the powerful principle of the three chairs? Bruce Wilkinson talks about this powerful biblical principle in his book called Experiencing Spiritual Breakthroughs. I must say that this is an extraordinary book. I'm reading it right now and I consider it a christian jewel.

It will make you think about where you are in your spiritual journey. There are three different chairs:
  • The 1st chair is for those christians whose lives are committed to serving and honoring God. The Bible calls them "Spiritual men". This is the chair you want to be sitted in. Your heart is humbled before God: you are his servant and He is your Lord. You live for Him and not for your self-centered plans.
  • The 2nd chair is for those people who are saved and are good christians but have grown tired and kind of disappointed in their lives. The Bible calls them "lukewarm". They are not committed to the Lord in the fisrt place anymore but to themselves. They seek their own benefit. They are seeking either pleasure, power, fame or possessions and asking the Lord for it. They live for God's dream as long as it doesn't interfere with their own dream. They have good intentions and want to be good disciples of JC, they just don't want to pay the price of being one. They were once on fire for Jesus nevertheless this fire has slowly and constantly been put out.
  • The 3rd chair is for non-believers. The Bible calls them "the natural men". It's the kind of people who radically live for themselves. They do not consider God or his principles for any decision in their lives. They seek peace and hapiness but do not have a clue on where to find them. These people are not saved.
I encourage you to read this book and meditate about your own life. Which chair are you sitting in?