As thousands of believers are praying, and millions are voting in USA, here is a great reminder of "how to vote for president..."
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Time has passed so fast. Praise God for His goodness and faithfulness during our steps in Damascus!
I’m writing from Paris airport in my way back home (… home is a strange word right now because it’s not related with a physical place but a spiritual one, and I don’t feel very far form it.)
As I write I realize I have many new things in my heart now; a renewed love for people and God’s purpose, a new love for the Middle East, a new perspective about peace and war, a new family in Christ, new matters of prayer, new faces in my heart, new challenges and decisions to make, new hope and expectation to see God’s hand moving and inviting us to join His work… I don’t know where to start… I guess I need to ponder these things in my heart waiting for God to show the way.
This last report it’s about the last service I participated yesterday. It was the youth service so many of my young new friends and ‘students’ were present. The Pastor gave me the honor to share the word in this occasion… an honor that usually has come to me last minute in Syria. God is faithful always, especially last minute : )
As Betsy opened and prepared the hearts with powerful praise and worship, I tried to keep faithful to the word given to me - reconciliation -, and Pastor R. nailed all down making a call to young men and women from Syria and Iraq to forgive and bless each other; God moved powerfully. I did not need much translation to understand the powerful prayers that started flooding the upper room where we were, where we experienced God’s presence. I saw tears and passion as young men crossed the room to embrace and pray for other young men like them… pain, fear and pride started falling down, generations of resentment between cultures, years of judgment between nations that today are tied together in the strangest of the relationships… the one that force natives to live with refugees. In most of cases none of them chose to be in this position – especially being the young generation, the kids of the war – but both of them live its brutal consequences.
Many pages could be written attempting to address the issues these kids and their families live and my guess is that most of those pages would be useful just to satisfy information needs; after all, who can enter reach the depths of the human heart but the Spirit of God Himself. As the prayers and tears continued, as the words of forgiveness and blessing reach the heavens; my heart could also say ‘It’s here Lord, it’s here and now where we can ask for peace… peace in the Middle East’ May the Prince of Peace grant His peace as He is welcomed in all those young hearts; as He transform them in a generation of light for the nations, a generation of ministers of reconciliation.
The recurring story of this trip has been the story of Jesus multiplying bread and fish for more than 5,000 people… out of almost nothing, not even enough for the small group of disciples and their Master. I vividly remember Pastor R. words challenging the team to exercise the faith of the Spirit, not the faith of Philip or the faith of Andrew (see John 6), but the faith of the Spirit, where we give away all the little we have, Jesus takes it, breaks it, gives thanks for it, and makes a miracle with it. The little was enough, not just to satisfy the needs of many, but also – as Pastor R. stated – to gather a full basket and take it home… my heart is that basket as I leave Syria... praise the Lord for His goodness!
Thanks for your prayers and the ways you have contributed to this trip. Please, keep praying for me and for the rest of the team. Pray that we may be found faithful in giving away again what we have been given in Syria, this time to the ones that are closer to us. We all desperately need of that multiplied bread, the Bread of Life.
And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. (2 Cor 9:8)
Consider the life God has put in you and me. What is that life about?
Monday, October 6, 2008
I remember the time before that life, I remember my old life was about me, my desires, my pride, my fear, my time, my way, and my benefit over everybody else. Even in dear and intimate things as marriage and fatherhood, my own old life was only about me. One day, in the time determined by God I met the cross, and the blood of Jesus exchanged my old life for a new one… that is the life God put in me, not just the natural, but also the supernatural, the spiritual, the eternal life.
That life is about repentance, faith and reconciliation. It is about forgiveness and righteousness, it is about peace and clarity, it is about hope and love… it is as simple and sincere as it is powerful. In the new life I can understand purity, holiness and joy; statements like “Praise the Lord for His goodness”, or “My heart rejoices in God, just in Him I find delight” make profound sense in my new life. All of this is good, but is not all.
In the new life there is also purpose and meaning for existence. There is a call, a mission to fulfill, a quest to be obedient to this mission. Fulfilling this mission in the new life is not just a duty; it is pleasure and satisfaction… consider if the birds fly the skies out of duty, of if the sun shines out of duty… does the flowers blossom out of duty alone… or is if life itself that is revealed?
Consider the life God has put in you, and be obedient to it, live it out, consecrate to it… separate yourself to this life alone. As Jesus says… God will take care of the rest “… seek first His Kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well”
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