I went out to lunch (in Alabama) with my Mom and a friend. There was a man outside the restaurant who asked us for some money as we went in and he said he was looking for work. We were at five points south and I knew of a man who used to let homeless people do jobs for him in exchange for hot dogs from his shop. I told the man I would accompany him around the block to see if he could get work there. He said the man probably wouldn’t employ him and didn’t want to go check. In the end all I gave the man was a handshake and a have a good day.
Inside the restaurant I commented to my mother and our friend that most people don’t know to expect ministry to be complicated when it involves human beings. If we try to help someone and it doesn’t go as smoothly as expected, we assume we are doing something wrong or have messed up somehow. Sometimes it gets complicated because the person we are helping is trying to manipulate us or get something from us that won’t be good for them. Sometimes it’s complicated because the person’s needs are complicated.
In North America, cash is probably the smallest need of most people who will ask you for it. They may need rehab, they may need someone who will listen to them, they may want your respect as a fellow human being. Knowing that the solutions to their problems (and ours) are rarely immediate, don’t let that stop you from doing something.
(The gospel of Christ’s atonement for our sins is usually most effective coming on the tail of genuine love and concern for another’s well being.)
Friday, August 21, 2009
Therefore
I think a proper understanding of the word “therefore” is really helpful for understanding God’s grace.
I never understood what pastors meant when they said, “Every time you see the word ‘Therefore’, you need to look and see what it’s there for.” I don’t think that quote ever taught me what the word means.
I think the word therefore means “That’s why.” I’m going to make up a couple of examples:
I’m writing you this check for $1000, therefore I want you to cash this check.
I made your favorite ice-cream cake and put it in the freezer, therefore don’t leave the freezer open.
I forgive you for wrecking your car and I will pay for the repairs, therefore forgive your sister for breaking your bike.
Romans 13:1-2 says: “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.” This is a good example of the therefore pointing backwards to the reason just given for what he’s telling you (or asking you to do).
Romans 12:1 begins, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice.” One pastor stated that the “therefore” and the “mercies of God” are pointing back to the whole first 11 chapters of Romans in which Paul describes God’s grace to us. The second half of Romans contains a lot of exhortations and commands for Christian living, and they are based in what we learned about God’s love from the first 11 chapters.
It’s my opinion that God rarely gives us a command in scripture (ex. Love your neighbor) without first giving us a reason rooted in his grace toward us. We love because he first loved us.
I never understood what pastors meant when they said, “Every time you see the word ‘Therefore’, you need to look and see what it’s there for.” I don’t think that quote ever taught me what the word means.
I think the word therefore means “That’s why.” I’m going to make up a couple of examples:
I’m writing you this check for $1000, therefore I want you to cash this check.
I made your favorite ice-cream cake and put it in the freezer, therefore don’t leave the freezer open.
I forgive you for wrecking your car and I will pay for the repairs, therefore forgive your sister for breaking your bike.
Romans 13:1-2 says: “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.” This is a good example of the therefore pointing backwards to the reason just given for what he’s telling you (or asking you to do).
Romans 12:1 begins, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice.” One pastor stated that the “therefore” and the “mercies of God” are pointing back to the whole first 11 chapters of Romans in which Paul describes God’s grace to us. The second half of Romans contains a lot of exhortations and commands for Christian living, and they are based in what we learned about God’s love from the first 11 chapters.
It’s my opinion that God rarely gives us a command in scripture (ex. Love your neighbor) without first giving us a reason rooted in his grace toward us. We love because he first loved us.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Last letter from Mexico
Dear Board of Directors of CFCI and Friends on my blog,
Hi. I’m writing you from the Mexico City airport as I wait for my flight to Dallas, and then to Birmingham. Everything seems fine as far as flights and connections, but you never know in Mexico City, they tend to spring the changes on you at the last minute.
This is my last official team letter of 2009, not our last correspondence I hope, and not necessarily my last official field report ever. Right this minute, after all the energy required to pack up and move to the U.S., I’m not inclined to say, “Hey, Maybe I’ll do all this again next year and move back to Fresnillo”, but give me a week, and I’ll let you know. I have so appreciated the opportunity to minister full-time alongside a great team in a culture that is very hungry for forgiveness. Sometimes we don’t appreciate what we have until it’s gone, but I can tell you right now that ministering in Fresnillo was something special. I’m excited about the next chapter of my life, a little nervous, but convinced that God has a plan for my life that he will bring to fruition. I’m eager to see his leading and answer his call.
I filled out a debriefing form, but I’d like to share briefly a few of the changes that God has worked in me these three years:
I have been blessed by growth in my faith following my decision to follow the Lord’s great commission.
I have been humbled, humbled, and humbled by the brokenness I felt in my inability to speak, difficult interactions with the other team members, and culture shock, and the Lord has come in to that brokenness and made the gospel real to me in a very personal way.
That has manifested itself in a joy and ease in sharing the gospel with everyone I meet.
I have learned how to communicate with and express myself to a variety of different personalities in a way that is not threatening and non accusatory.
I have grown in my ability to work under leadership, an experience that I hope the Lord will use to make me a better leader someday, or to work well in whatever position he has me.
I learned to speak Spanish, appreciate another culture, understand my own culture better, and extend hospitality to those who find themselves outside their country of origin.
As far as the fruit in Fresnillo, we have the promises of God to trust in. It’s easier for me to write about the changes in me because I can share that first hand, but I am quite excited to see in heaven, or maybe ten years from now in Fresnillo, the good that he has worked through me and sometimes in spite of me.
Thanks for all you’ve done to support me in this time of my life; I am forever grateful.
Love,
George
Hi. I’m writing you from the Mexico City airport as I wait for my flight to Dallas, and then to Birmingham. Everything seems fine as far as flights and connections, but you never know in Mexico City, they tend to spring the changes on you at the last minute.
This is my last official team letter of 2009, not our last correspondence I hope, and not necessarily my last official field report ever. Right this minute, after all the energy required to pack up and move to the U.S., I’m not inclined to say, “Hey, Maybe I’ll do all this again next year and move back to Fresnillo”, but give me a week, and I’ll let you know. I have so appreciated the opportunity to minister full-time alongside a great team in a culture that is very hungry for forgiveness. Sometimes we don’t appreciate what we have until it’s gone, but I can tell you right now that ministering in Fresnillo was something special. I’m excited about the next chapter of my life, a little nervous, but convinced that God has a plan for my life that he will bring to fruition. I’m eager to see his leading and answer his call.
I filled out a debriefing form, but I’d like to share briefly a few of the changes that God has worked in me these three years:
I have been blessed by growth in my faith following my decision to follow the Lord’s great commission.
I have been humbled, humbled, and humbled by the brokenness I felt in my inability to speak, difficult interactions with the other team members, and culture shock, and the Lord has come in to that brokenness and made the gospel real to me in a very personal way.
That has manifested itself in a joy and ease in sharing the gospel with everyone I meet.
I have learned how to communicate with and express myself to a variety of different personalities in a way that is not threatening and non accusatory.
I have grown in my ability to work under leadership, an experience that I hope the Lord will use to make me a better leader someday, or to work well in whatever position he has me.
I learned to speak Spanish, appreciate another culture, understand my own culture better, and extend hospitality to those who find themselves outside their country of origin.
As far as the fruit in Fresnillo, we have the promises of God to trust in. It’s easier for me to write about the changes in me because I can share that first hand, but I am quite excited to see in heaven, or maybe ten years from now in Fresnillo, the good that he has worked through me and sometimes in spite of me.
Thanks for all you’ve done to support me in this time of my life; I am forever grateful.
Love,
George
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
Trusting in Jesus
Cordero and Pecas
Memo reading the Bible.
Tonight we had the last Bible study of the year for the home group that I am a part of. We get together every Tuesday to build each other up and with the hope of bringing non-christian friends and neighbors to know the Lord. We move from house to house and having it in my house for the last few weeks has made it really easy for me to invite my friends.
Tonight I invited two young men who have become my friends this year and have listened attentively to the gospel every time I have had the opportunity to share it with them. In the cell group Roberto shared the gospel with us and Nena lead us all in a prayer of salvation. I heard Cordero (lamb) and Pecas (freckles) praying quietly along with us. These two guys really want to be ready for the second coming of the Lord!
I know those seeds will need to grow, but I was encouraged to see them putting their faith in Jesus as best they know how.
One of the men in our community who would be most labeled a "sinner" (we are sinners, all of us), came to the group for the third time tonight. I think he has felt very loved and accepted among our group, and I have a lot of hope that he may continue with these Christians even after I am back in the US.
For those of you who read my blog but not my emails, I'm planning to move back to Alabama at the end of this month. It was very encouraging to see this fruit come before I go where I had labored to plant seeds.
Monday, June 01, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
April pictures
Hey. For some reason several funny things happened in april that I managed to get pictures of.
Here are three of the occasions.
Here are three of the occasions.
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
The Wiggles 2
They're acting out the story of Jesus Calming the storm. They are the disciples in the boat before Jesus calmed the water.
:)
:)
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
the wiggles
Hey, The kids are acting out part of a Bible story. See if you can guess which. I'll try to put the answer up next week.
Monday, February 02, 2009
Call Backs
A couple of mondays ago, I spent the morning in my favorite gordita restaurant. Doing my devotional etc. I've recently been convicted that I needed to be more explicitly evangelical in my "evangelism friendships". The gordita people have always seemed very open and I have shared the gospel with them in nugget form before. I've also been working on getting my saturday evangelistic youth talks shorter. I took my Bible and approached the gordita counter and asked them if I could preach my saturday youth talk to them, that I was having trouble making them short enough. I shared from Romans 3:21-26 and preached about justification apart from the law through the propitiation of Jesus´ blood. They were very attentive and asked some questions. A friend of their's standing behind the counter also asked some questions. It was really fun for me, and they responded well.
When the team went back there for lunch last wednesday, Blanca, the co-owner said, "When are you going to come back and do that... was it praying? or preaching?" I said, "It was preaching, and I'd love to come and do it again some time."
When the team went back there for lunch last wednesday, Blanca, the co-owner said, "When are you going to come back and do that... was it praying? or preaching?" I said, "It was preaching, and I'd love to come and do it again some time."
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Growth
Ponchito, you'll recall, had a little trouble with the resurrection. Here: poncho You'll see him tell the resurrection story only without the resurrection, despite all my coaxing to the contrary.
Today, he was rocking it. He's learned to read so I had him read the story of Jesus' baptism. He told me about how God had opened up the clouds to tell Jesus he was his beloved son. I told him he was beloved too because he believes in Jesus. Then we talked about the gift of the Holy Spirit for those who believe in Jesus, and we both God excited. He is a wonderful gift (the Holy Spirit).(Poncho is too for that matter).
Today, he was rocking it. He's learned to read so I had him read the story of Jesus' baptism. He told me about how God had opened up the clouds to tell Jesus he was his beloved son. I told him he was beloved too because he believes in Jesus. Then we talked about the gift of the Holy Spirit for those who believe in Jesus, and we both God excited. He is a wonderful gift (the Holy Spirit).(Poncho is too for that matter).
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
Be a better sunday school teacher by... fasting
On Sunday I completed my "training" along with seven other church members to become a part of our church's sunday school program. We have two classes: 1-5 y/o and 6-10 y/o. As part of the training Ruth encouraged us to try to fast and pray sometime in the week before we were to teach. I thought that was a good idea (although I don't do much fasting otherwise), and it made me proud to live in Mexico.
As I was writing that last paragraph, the birmingham news called my local alabama/internet number and asked if I wanted a subscription. I told them I would if they would deliver it here. If any of you would ever like to call me. My number is (205) 383-4775 and it's free if you're calling from inside the US.
Que te vaya bien (may it go well with you)
George
As I was writing that last paragraph, the birmingham news called my local alabama/internet number and asked if I wanted a subscription. I told them I would if they would deliver it here. If any of you would ever like to call me. My number is (205) 383-4775 and it's free if you're calling from inside the US.
Que te vaya bien (may it go well with you)
George
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Decision time
The young gangsters asked me tonight if I would let them plug in the Christmas lights for their Virgin of Guadalupe mural across from my house. It's fairly common in Mexico to lend some one your electricity if they have an extension cord. I told them the neighbor to their left would probably let them. "Or at least lend us an extension cord!" they said. I had already told them I was a protestant, and didn't they think it was strange to come to me for help, but they didn't want to take no for an answer. I didn't know how to say no, so I told them I would look to see if I could find mine, and I went inside, praying I wouldn't find it.
I found it almost right away! Now I had a choice.
If I loaned them my extension cord, they would probably think well of me and not break my windows on the biggest vandalism night of the year. If I went out and told them, no, and that I thought they shouldn't exaggerate Mary's role in salvation history because that's like the bride of Christ getting all exited over her mother-in-law and forgetting the groom, I didn't think it would go over well later tonight.
Was this a time to trust God's power and sovereignty, or to lend it because an extension cord is not really a big deal?
I decided to pray first.
You'll never guess the VERY Mexican solution that came to my mind, probably straight from the Lord. Don't go leave the house! In Mexico, if you tell someone "no" to their face, you are a jerk. If you go in your house looking for your extension chord and never come out, at least you are not a jerk.
The doorbell rang a little while ago and I jumped, decided to trust God's sovereignty, and looked out. It was a nice young couple who sells pastries to support themselves. I went down and bought 6 for a dollar and then locked up. When I went up to get the dog off the roof I saw that they (the gangsters) had built a fire in the street (it's COLD out there). They didn't pay any attention to me. Praise the Lord!
Praise our Gracious and Sovereign God.
George
I found it almost right away! Now I had a choice.
If I loaned them my extension cord, they would probably think well of me and not break my windows on the biggest vandalism night of the year. If I went out and told them, no, and that I thought they shouldn't exaggerate Mary's role in salvation history because that's like the bride of Christ getting all exited over her mother-in-law and forgetting the groom, I didn't think it would go over well later tonight.
Was this a time to trust God's power and sovereignty, or to lend it because an extension cord is not really a big deal?
I decided to pray first.
You'll never guess the VERY Mexican solution that came to my mind, probably straight from the Lord. Don't go leave the house! In Mexico, if you tell someone "no" to their face, you are a jerk. If you go in your house looking for your extension chord and never come out, at least you are not a jerk.
The doorbell rang a little while ago and I jumped, decided to trust God's sovereignty, and looked out. It was a nice young couple who sells pastries to support themselves. I went down and bought 6 for a dollar and then locked up. When I went up to get the dog off the roof I saw that they (the gangsters) had built a fire in the street (it's COLD out there). They didn't pay any attention to me. Praise the Lord!
Praise our Gracious and Sovereign God.
George
Thursday, December 04, 2008
I had a nice answer to prayer this week. I was going over to have lunch with one of the fathers of my club boys, and before I went I prayed for his salvation. I don't usually pray a lot before I do those visits, but after what happened, I might start!
To make a long story short. When I got there he was in bed watching tv. We watched a Jean-Claude Van Damme movie called Universal Soldier II which was pretty much JCVD's last movie, and with good reason.
after that, my host flipped the channel and we watched Left Behind: tribulation force. There they were, sharing the gospel and coming to christ right there on the screen. I was pretty amazed at God's providence for an in to share the gospel. After the first gospel scene was over I mentioned to him that what we had just scene was the main teaching of our "religion", and we talked about the forgiveness of sins.
So I'm grateful to God for using the usually so unhelpful tv to share the Gospel with Martin.
Now that I've written my blog post, I Think I'm going to go buy Christmas lights for my front window. :)
George
To make a long story short. When I got there he was in bed watching tv. We watched a Jean-Claude Van Damme movie called Universal Soldier II which was pretty much JCVD's last movie, and with good reason.
after that, my host flipped the channel and we watched Left Behind: tribulation force. There they were, sharing the gospel and coming to christ right there on the screen. I was pretty amazed at God's providence for an in to share the gospel. After the first gospel scene was over I mentioned to him that what we had just scene was the main teaching of our "religion", and we talked about the forgiveness of sins.
So I'm grateful to God for using the usually so unhelpful tv to share the Gospel with Martin.
Now that I've written my blog post, I Think I'm going to go buy Christmas lights for my front window. :)
George
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Lions, and Tigers and Bears.
Hey Friends,
How would you feel about a "Monthly blog?" It's actually been two months since I last posted, so I guess this new plan is off to a rocky start.
I don't have much energy to write a really interesting post so I'll err on the side of brevity. Here are a few interesting things from the past couple of months.
I bought a dog. She's a very nice dog, a boxer. I've been calling her Osa, (girl bear), and I think that will stick. My first choice was "not my people" named after hosea's second son, but I was worried about her self esteem.
I got to preach. That was a wonderful blessing.
Some really good evangelistic opportunities with men in my neighborhood. Sometimes I think that there are fewer men Christians because there are fewer men doing evangelism. I'm not sure my logic holds up, there, but I still want to get out and search for the lost.
I hope things are blessed on your side of the border. Just wanted to keep you up to date.
George
How would you feel about a "Monthly blog?" It's actually been two months since I last posted, so I guess this new plan is off to a rocky start.
I don't have much energy to write a really interesting post so I'll err on the side of brevity. Here are a few interesting things from the past couple of months.
I bought a dog. She's a very nice dog, a boxer. I've been calling her Osa, (girl bear), and I think that will stick. My first choice was "not my people" named after hosea's second son, but I was worried about her self esteem.
I got to preach. That was a wonderful blessing.
Some really good evangelistic opportunities with men in my neighborhood. Sometimes I think that there are fewer men Christians because there are fewer men doing evangelism. I'm not sure my logic holds up, there, but I still want to get out and search for the lost.
I hope things are blessed on your side of the border. Just wanted to keep you up to date.
George
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