Have you kept your New Year´s resolution?

I was so proud of myself for keeping up with this blogsite. I´m not sure if you remember or not but that was my New Year´s resolution. I decided that I was going to stay current with my blogging and informing yáll of the goings on down here in Chile. And I was doing quite well. Past tense. I was doing well but as of just recently I have both let you and myself down. Sorry. But I am not going to leave things unresolved. I am back on board and plan on staying more current with the blog.
Things have been going well down here. We had a special time last Sunday with our worship service and a baptism following. Another opportunity to witness to the community about our faith in the Lord Jesus. Please continue to pray for us and the flock at Grace Baptist Church.
Currently Ruth, Tabitha and I are in Uruguay. Nine years have went by since Ruth and I first met and we are taking some time to ¨get to know each other again¨. My mother-in-law, Ruth´s aunt and Kristina are holding the fort back in Curaco and we hear that all are doing quite well. We will be back in Curaco next week. I have a good friend who will be preaching in our Sunday service so I trust that the flock will be in good hands.
So, please continue to pray. Thanks again for your partnership in the gospel ministry. We truly do appreciate you and love you in the love of Christ.
Daniel

Busy day, blessed day

Today was one of those busy, blessed days. One of those days when you think that you know how it is going to start out but you really have no idea how it is going to end up. We had our services in the morning which went well. The Word of God was proclaimed and there were people with ears to hear. The afternoon and evening opened up some really good opportunities to connect further with some people both inside and outside the flock. Much to think about and more to pray about it. Please continue to pray for us and the ministry down here in Curaco. The work is plentiful so please pray that the Lord would enable us, the laborers. May we be busy like Martha and wait upon the Lord like Mary.
Daniel

Who's that knocking on my door? (and what do you need?)

In Luke 11:5-13 we find one of the many parables that Jesus spoke to His disciples. The message is that God's people need to trust in His goodness and in His faithful provision for their needs. It is interesting how the parable starts out and how this related to me in the past couple of days. In verses 5-8 there is mentioned a man who goes to his friend late at night to ask him for some bread. The guy doesn't want to do it, but he does it anyway because he doesn't want himself nor his family further disturbed at this hour. Understandable, right?
Well just the other day I heard a knock on the door, a rather loud knock on the door. I looked at the clock and saw that it was about 4:45 am. And I'm thinking, "what's going on? Is there some kind of emergency?" So I go to the door and there are three guys standing outside. I was a little hesitant to open the door but I did anyway. They ask for Jorge one of our coworkers who used to live in this house. I tell them that Jorge no longer lives here that he has moved a town over to Achao. Really I had hoped that that would be enough to get them going on their way, but of course it wasn't. The ringleader proceeds to tell me about the fact that he has a truck and that "many" times he had helped Jorge in the past. And I'm like "ok, I'm not Jorge, so now what?" But this guy is not taking "no" for an answer. And I don't want him to wake up the kids with his already elevated voice. So I get dressed and get the truck out and take them on their way. They are obviously intoxicated and I am just glad to get them out of the truck and to get myself back in the house. The next day I ask Jorge about this and he tells me that this is not the first time that they have pulled this trick. I say that for me it is the first and the last. And I would soon have my resolve tested. Just last night. About 1am I hear a knock on the door. It is a young man (one of the three from the other night) asking for a ride to Achao, a town about 10 minutes away from us. I put two and two together, realizing that there is no emergency and it just so happens that the big party just got over here in town and they probably want to keep the party going in Achao. Why would someone think to come to my house at 1 am asking for a ride to another town? Hey man, go to sleep and get up at 8 am and take the bus! Of course I don't want to be uncaring but I don't want to be a doormat either. And with that I also see an interesting connection with the parable found in Luke 11. God will of course hear our asking and our calling and He will notice that we are seeking. But what I believe is most important to Him is our motive. He doesn't want us to approach Him selfishly as if He were a celestial genie who must respond to our fleshly demands. He is the Holy One who does truly love us (John 3:16-17; Rom 5:8; 1st John 4:10,19) and will give us what He wants us to have (Matt 6:33), He is not a "name it claim it" God. He promises to give us "good things" (Matt 7:11) but He alone knows what we truly need and what He wants for us. (Psalm 37:3-5; James 4:2-3) So let's look for some balance here. Let's be fervent and consistent in our prayers, but at the same time let us leave the results in the hands of the Lord. (Is 55:8-9) He knows who is knocking on His door and He knows what we need before we ask Him. Let us approach Him boldly (and respectfully) through the Lord Jesus Christ trusting that we will find mercy and grace in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)
Daniel

His blood's for you!

Just the other day I was browsing one of my favorite internet sites called "A little leaven". It is a discernment/wake up call blog to the church to get back to the seriousness and the simplicity of the gospel. In one of the posts under the genre of "cheezy christian clothing" was a t-shirt that had obviously ripped off an idea from the Budweiser company. The shirt said "His blood's for you" (and for those of you who didn't know the Budweiser slogan is "This Bud's for you") And as the blogger stated, people are a lot more likely to relate this slogan to some watered down beer than they are likely to worship the Crucified Lamb of God. As a matter of fact when I read the blog and checked out the t-shirt I felt like both laughing and crying. Laughing because of the shirt being so ridiculous and crying over the way that it trivializes the cross of Christ. I mean whatever happened to not using persuasive (nor catchy) words and just preaching the gospel of Christ? (1st Cor 1:18-2:4) Brothers and sisters the gospel is our only hope. As the hymnwriter put it "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness". Jehovah Tsidkenu, the Lord our Righteousness. Yes His blood has been shed for us. Let us never forget that and let us never be ashamed to proclaim it to our fellow man. (Rom 1:16-17; 1st Peter 1:18-19) And may we not forget that it is the Holy Spirit working through the Word of God that saves people. It is not about man's wisdom nor gimmicks. Stick to the basics. It was good enough for Jesus. It was good enough for the Apostles and for the first disciples. Why would we think to use something different? Arrogance or ignorance? Whatever it be, let it not be so with us. Jesus' blood, the blood of the new covenant has been shed for the remission of sins (1st Cor 11:25) and praise be to Him who sits upon the throne! That blood avails for you and that blood avails for me. Thank you Jesus!

Now that's why I wanted to buy a generator!

We had a wonderful time of worshiping the risen Lord during our Sunday services then we had a nice time of fellowship with family and friends over lunch. A little relaxation and getting things ready for the kids' first backyard campout. (They were so excited!) Then a little visiting of the parishioners and back to la casa. I had invited some of the guys from church over to the house to watch "El Super Tazon". (The Super Bowl) And since we don't currently have an evening service there wasn't any need to cancel nor rearrange any service times and/or activities. Just a couple of guys getting together to watch the "big game". Whereas I enjoy sports I am past the stage of being a "sports fanatic". I really don't care who wins, I just like to watch a good game. So I didn't give a hoot if the Giants or the Patriots left Arizona as Super Bowl champs. I just wanted to watch the game with some friends. When the game started I thought to myself, "this would be a great time for the power to go out, and if it does I will post a blog with the title 'Now that's why I wanted to buy a generator!'" So if you read the title to this post you should already know what happened. By the middle of the 3rd quarter the guys were starting to understand more of why the referees throw flags and how many points a field goal and a touchdown are worth, etc. And then all of a sudden the power goes out all across Curaco. And I exclaim, "Now that's why I wanted to buy a generator!" Ha ha. Sure I was a little upset that I wasn't able to watch the rest of what had been an enjoyable game. (it was even free of any risque commercials, we have the international feed) After finding a candle and returning to the living room we talked a bit with our guests who after a few minutes excused themselves. I walked them to the door and that's when I saw a display much more impressive than the Super Bowl. With it being completely dark outside and with the night being 100% clear the beauty of the 2nd heaven sparkled for all to see. I commented to my friends that the heavens truly do declare the glory of the Lord and that we should stand in awe of His marvelous works. Have you not noticed that we often times are impressed with that which is not truly so impressive. And sometimes we lose sight of what (or Who) truly is impressive? For a moment I was concerned with the lack of light available in my house, the light that would allow me to watch a football game. But the Lord had all of His lights still on outside for the whole world to see. He has brought all of creation into being. His light cannot be turned off, His glory will be seen forever and ever! May we as well remember that we are the light of the world and that we have been called to display His light so that the He would receive the glory that He alone deserves. So I now realize that it is not so important that I buy a generator (so that I can watch a football game), the important thing is that I be a generator that shows forth the light of Christ!
Daniel

I passed the exam!

The technical revision monster has been conquered! Oh it was a formidable foe but it wasn't able to handle the power of the 1997 Chevy Luv. More details to follow. It's late and I'm tired and we've got a big day ahead of us tomorrow. Please continue to pray for all of us down here. We are praying for you as well.
Daniel

The exam

Today is the day that I go back to the "revision technica". Hopefully I will pass this time. There is always that hightened anticipation when one knows that they are going to be tested on what they know or on what they have done. As the Scripture tells us we will all stand before our Creator and give an account for our lives. Fortunately it isn't a pass/fail exam or even a "grade-on-a-curve" exam. Why? Because we all fall short (Rom 3:23) and even our righteous acts or as filthy rags before a Holy God. (Is 64:6) Praise be to God for His provision in Christ Jesus the Lord. He (God the Father) has made Him (God the Son) to be sin on our behalf that we may become the righteousness of God in Him (God the Son). So it's not that I could ever pass the test on my own; that would never happen! But Jesus did pass the test and through faith in Him I have had Christ's righteousness applied to my account so that God now accepts me and sees me as being clothed with the righteousness of His dear Son. How will you do on examination (judgement)day?
Daniel
p.s.
Of course there is "extra credit". Eternal rewards are part of the equation as well. We will talk about those in a different post. But suffice it to say, the grace of God in Christ is truly amazing!