Dear Friends:
What needs do you have? What are the most important matters in your life that are unfulfilled? Are there physical problems? Health problems? Emotional issues? Problems in a relationship? Financial issues? All of us have issues that we are dealing with in our lives. And, because we are human, we live in a natural world. The world we know through our 5 senses of taste, touch, smell, sound, and sight. There are many limitations we have because of this. We can’t know everything, we can’t see everything, we can’t do everything. We are limited. This often means we cannot fix what is wrong. We all have needs we can’t fix. Sometimes, we don’t even know what our problems are, because we are blinded by our limitations. For example, we may have had a traumatic experience at some time in our lives that has caused us to have fear in many situations. Our lives become limited by fear even though we may not recognize it. Someone may have said something or done something to us at some point in our lives that hurt us, and now we live in a world that is limited because of those experiences.
The Good News is that God wants to set us free! I want to remind us of a few Bible verses about this: David tells us in Ps 118:5-7 In my distress I prayed to the LORD, and the LORD answered me and rescued me. The LORD is for me, so I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? Yes, the LORD is for me; he will help me. NLT
Isaiah speaks prophetically to us in 61:1-3 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is upon me, because the LORD has appointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to announce that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the LORD's favor has come, and with it, the day of God's anger against their enemies. To all who mourn in Israel, he will give beauty for ashes, joy instead of mourning, praise instead of despair. For the LORD has planted them like strong and graceful oaks for his own glory. NLT
And Jesus speaks the fulfillment of all of this in Jn. 8:36: So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
But, so often, we don’t see people who have been set free, or perhaps we ourselves have not been set free. What are we missing? We know that God is all-powerful, all knowing, able to be everywhere at once, that He is in the past, present, and future, that He is eternal. We also know that He is the very definition of love, 1 John 4:7-8 Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 But anyone who does not love does not know God — for God is love. NLT Let me break that down. God can do anything, and He is all powerful. A loving God cares for His people. He wants to take care of their needs. He loves all who come to Him through Jesus, because Jesus became the substitutionary sacrifice for our sins. If we have been cleansed of our sins through confession, repentance, and being washed by the blood of Jesus, then it seems like any barriers between us and God demonstrating His love in our lives have been removed. And if they have been removed, then shouldn’t we be able to see our needs fixed?
I think the answer is “yes.” But, it all focuses on how closely we draw to the Lord. When asked what the greatest Commandment of God is, Jesus responded, Matt 22:37-39 "'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' NKJV
We need to ask ourselves: “How much do I love the Lord?” and “How much do I love my neighbor?” God’s explanation of what love should look like is shown in such places as 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, where we read: Love never gives up. Love cares more for thers than for self. Love doesn't want what it doesn't have. Love doesn't strut, Doesn't have a swelled head, Doesn't force itself on others, Isn't always "me first," Doesn't fly off the handle, Doesn't keep score of the sins of others, Doesn't revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end. MSG
This chapter is sandwiched in between 2 chapters that talk about becoming involved in the supernatural powers of God and how He wants to invest them in us! Take some time and read 1 Corinthians 12, 13, and 14—they all go together and together they show us God’s tools for overcoming circumstances that have enslaved and crippled us and others.
I long for the day when God’s church rises up, both here and in Palomas, and we operate in His supernatural powers to set ourselves and others free! Let’s meditate on how we can love God more and be filled with an overflowing of His Holy Spirit!
May the Lord fill us all with His Holy Spirit! Our next ministry weekend in Palomas is Feb. 11-13, and we invite you to come and be a vessel for God with us as we invest in young people’s lives! Come and join us!
After having a huge group of volunteers to help us for the December program, we had a small group of volunteers in January. Special thanks to our dedicated volunteers who came: Marco, Raymundo, Veloz, Gloria, Cucita. Our theme for the month was New Beginnings, and the kids were encouraged to break off the problems of the past and to dedicate themselves anew to the Lord and His work in their lives.
We gave out school supplies for the coming semester, along with some extra food for families in January. Andrea, one of our girls from Casa, has now moved to Cd. Juarez, where she is entering the University in Accounting. She will be helped through our Alas program, like the other college kids we are now sponsoring. It is such a blessing to have so many kids now getting a higher education, something that would not be possible without your support!