Prayer Requests

Alberto - He is not able to see his child that he has with his girlfriend. Pray for their relationship to be honoring to God.
Russel - His grandmother is sick. Pray also for his family and his daughter.
George - He has not seen his daughter for 10 years; she is now a teenager. Pray for his relationship with her.
P. - His sister is in prison. Pray for her safety during this time. He asks for prayer of safety for his mom and brother also. For himself: prayer for guidance and patience.
Ricardo - Pray for his family and their life and health.
Juan - Please be in prayer for his little brother. His substance abused has caused damage to his brain.
Beltron - Pray for him for God to continue working in his heart. He asks for prayer that the Lord will forgive all his sins. Pray that he will come to an understanding and acceptance of God's forgiveness in Christ.

Burden

I haven't logged in an update since coming back from Germany a couple of weeks ago. I am glad though to now have the time to do that and praise God for His grace during this time. During my time in Germany I got to think more about the Holy Spirit and it's work in believers and how it brings believers to believe. It was saddening to me to realize that not much is spoken about the Holy Spirit these days in the evangelical community. Is it possible that we have overreacted so much to the extremes of the Pentecostal movement that we are even afraid of what we say in regards to it? Are we coming to the point whereby we even ignore the person of the Holy Spirit? I pray not. The next several weeks we will be going through the upper room discourse of Christ (John 13-17) paying special attention to the person and work of the Holy Spirit. Please be praying for that, especially for me as I grow more in understanding this important person, in understanding God and living in a way that He calls me to.
There have been some really neat counseling opportunities the past couple of weeks and I praise God for that. I am burdened however at the guys who are leaving the center as they go out into a world filled with temptation and hardship. I think that this perhaps is the most challenging aspect for them where they have to face the realities of not being able to find a job because of their prison record or because they just don't have the means to get to the job if they find one. A lot of them give up and fall back into drugs and the life they used to know and are back in prison within a few months. Please be praying for me as I think through ways in which we can come alongside these men after they leave and be an encouragement to them, especially those who have known the Lord during their time at the center.

Amazing grace

Yesterday was a really blessed day as we watched 11 men get baptized as a public testimony of what the Lord has done in their lives. It has really been neat seeing the Lord draw them to Him and them growing in the knowledge of who He is. Pastor Juan and Pastor Oliver officiated the baptism service. Thank you for your prayers for these men and may all glory be given to the Lord most high in whom salvation is found.


Left - Steven, Right - the chapel
Below L - Justin, Below R - Tommy

"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19-20)

Praises

Recently we have been going through a series on the person of Christ. The past two weeks focused on Christ's deity, on Him being fully God. This was mostly done through an exposition of John 1:1 in which the Lord has really been seen working in these men's lives. For the next couple of weeks we will be focusing on Christ's humanity.

I was thinking of how the Lord has been working in these men's lives. I remember a year ago when I started going there how there would be one or two who would bring their Bibles to the meetings. And now it's the opposite; one or two do not bring their Bibles. It's encouraging to see that when they, the men, now come they know what the source of the authority is going to be. They know that it's now about the man who is in front of them but the God of the Bible. During the week they discuss what has been taught among themselves and bring questions on Saturday. I have hope for them and what the Lord is doing in their lives. All of them, save a handful, have spent a significant amount of time in prison and the destruction that has brought to their families is nothing short of sad. Please pray for their families as well.

Next week we have about ten men being baptized which has been another fruit of the Lord's work. My prayer, as I ask you to join me in, is that these are genuine professions of faith and that if they are not, the Lord draws these men to Him.
I am ever so grateful as well for the men who have come alongside this ministry and have been given a great desire by the Lord to minister to these men. Of special note is Jim Cosley, who lost his brother to drugs. He will be teaching on the humanity of Christ in two weeks. Another has been Bill Stamper. He has been faithful each week in encouraging the guys there and giving them practical advice on the world that awaits them after they finish their time. These guys have been a huge blessing from the Lord and we praise Him for that. I am also grateful for your prayers which I value greatly because the Lord does answer them.

Heartache and hope

Perhaps the one aspect that has lingered in the shadows during the time that I have been with Live Again is the heartbreak that comes with ministry. I have never spent time in prison as these guys have, neither have I done drugs in my life or been an alcoholic. I am thankful though that the Lord gave me a passion for those who have. My concern at the end of the day is not so much that they stop doing drugs, but rather, for their eternal souls. With that comes change that is through the Spirit and growth in Christ.

It is painful and sad when people reject the gospel because they are rejecting the very thing that gives them life and brings them to worship the Living God. It is also humbling in the same light that it is not the craftiness of our words that saves people but God Himself through this good news. I take comfort in Paul's words

"Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart, but we we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the Word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. And if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." (2 Corinthians 4:1-4)

This passage beckons us to fall on our knees and pray that the Lord removes this veil that the devil has placed on their eyes. To give up on unbelievers in our continuous evangelism is like to give up on the power of God to save. In spite of the heartache that comes with them rejecting the Lord, our God is still powerful to save and we take hope in that.

Prayer Requests

Eddie - Please pray for his family, and continue to pray for his relationship with his wife.
George - He asks prayer for his dad´s parents. He was able to visit his family this week. Pray for his relationship with Christ.
Steven - Pray for his sisters who have been affected by his drug usage. He is thankful for his family and their support.
Anthony - Pray that God would continue to convict his heart. He realizes his sinful anger towards his wife, pray for God to change him and make him realize his need for a savior through it. Also, pray for strength for his family while he is in Rehab.
Christopher - Pray for his walk with the Lord.
Edmundo - He is thankful for a week of soberity.

Doxa

I am thankful that I can sit down and write about how God has been working at the rehab center in the past few weeks. I have had finals and projects due and so have not been able to do this. By His grace I got through them and now will be doing summer school and working.

David - I have known him for the past nine months and it has been a joy to see him grow in the Lord. I have come to be convinced that he is saved. He is married with children and was into drugs together with his wife. She is still doing drugs as well. David left two weeks ago and it was really awesome to see his committment to change. Instead of going back home to his wife where he knew he will get enslaved again to drugs, I was blown away by the decision he made to live with a friend elsewhere as he tries to convince his wife to leave the sinful life of drugs and alcohol. As much as he loves her, he fears to sin against the Lord more. Please be praying for David and his family.

Chris - I have known Chris for a while as well. He's a Christian and is in his 40's. I am so thankful for him and how the Lord is working in his life. He knows what a sinful life he has been living and is always hungry for the word of God. It's emcouraging that after the teaching he is comes to me and is already asking for the verses I am going to talk about the next week so that he can be studying them. This also keeps me on my toes I guess. One really neat thing is seeing his love for the guys there and the nature of his prayer requests. It is refreshing and a great encouragement to see one always concerned for the salvation of his children and of specific individuals at the center.

Alvin - Joined us about a month ago. This guy has seen life and been through a lot. God has brought him to live at the center in a broken state. The change in his openness and knowing that the source of wisdom and the answers he is searching for are in Scripture has been a testimony of how God is not done with him. It is neat to see how before we start a meeting he is open about what he has been thinking through during the week, or a discussion about a text in Scripture he might have had with someone, and now wondering what exactly God's Word says about it.

Fernando - This guy joined us two weeks ago. On his first day in the session he got into a heated argument with one of the guys there and I thought things were going to go bad but the Lord's hand was in it. He later came to talk to me and I soon realized his anger towards everyone, especially God. We prayed for Him during the week and what the Lord did was amazing. Last week I was teaching on 'A Biblical Perspective on Satan,' and he raised a question to ask an interesting question, 'why does God allow Satan to play around with us?' We talked about this until he was teary eyed as he could only but confess that the Word of God had gripped him on his sin. It was such a huge difference from the week before of this angry man wanting to have a go at anyone. Please pray for him and the Lord continues to work in his heart.

Thank you for your prayers.

Prayer Requests

Christopher - For his family and children who are not saved. Pray that God would be at work in him to control his anger. He is thankful for the Lord and his work in his life.
Eddie - Continue to pray for his family, his wife and children. Pray that God would give him an obedient heart and a desire to do God's will.
George - His walk with God to be strengthened and for his prayerlife to be more focused.
Edmundo - Pray for his time at Rehab.
William - He mentioned some legal issues, please pray for him in that.
Justin - Pray for him to be focused on God. He struggles with depression. Pray that he would turn to God in prayer.
Chris - Be in prayer for his family and for him to continue in sobriety.
John - Pray for his family and friends. He is thankful for his salvation

Christopher - Be in prayer for him and his family and friends.
Edmundo - Pray for his time in Rehab and that he would come to know God.
William - A friend of his just was released from prison, but is now facing additional charges. Be in prayer for her during that time.
J.R. - Pray for his brother Jesse. Pray for him and the other men in Rehab that God would use this time to bring them to Himself and change thier lives. Pray that he would continue to see his need for God in his life.
Steven - He asks for prayer in continuing to seek God and have the ability to change his sinful lifestyle. Also pray for his family, and his father's vacation to Mexico.
Alvin - Pray for his family and friends; and for his time in Rehab.
Christopher - His children are not saved, please pray for their salvation.
Joseph - Be in prayer for his family and wife, who is sick. Also that they would come to know God.
Eddie - Continue to pray for his children and his wife, and his relationship with her: that God's will would be done in this situation.

The temptation of Christ # 1

This week we looked at Matthew 4: 1-4. There were a lot of questions from the men such as whether this was a real temptation or not since we say that Christ is fully God, could Christ have sinned? It was encouraging to see how they were thinking through the text and were ready to talk about it and contribute to the Bible study setting we had. We also went into studying more about the devil and how Christ described him in John 8:44 and how he appears in Job. In Rev 12:10 we see him as the one who accuses us before God day and night. It was really neat to make the connection of that with the gospel when discussing the temptation. For unbelievers, when the devil accusses, they are declared guilty because they are guilty and will go to hell. For believers when the devil accuses them, yes they are guilty...but the penalty of their sin has already been payed by the death and ressurrection of Christ and so it is in our sanctification as well (1 John 1:9) and they will go to Heaven. Next week we will be looking at the second temptation of Christ. Please be praying for that time.

Praise

Eddie - We had been praying for his divorce that the Lord would just intervene. His wife sent the divorce papers twice to the courts and each time they were returned. She has decided to hold on to them and they are now talking and she seems to be wanting to give their marriage another chance

Real people

Saturday saw the beginning of what is now going to be a series on temptation. The passage to be the focal point of this series is Matthew 4:1-11 on the temptation of our Lord. The original plan was to speak on the whole passage but there was just so much in the first verse that demanded going back to gleaning a deeper understanding of temptation itself and what Scripture says about it. We talked about the object of temptation, which is our flesh and how the Bible describes this. This was good in setting the stage for an understanding of how Christ was tempted and did not sin (Hebrews 4:15).
This opportunity was a huge learning process in my own inadequacy that is pointing me more and more to God's power. I was discouraged however, at how I seemed to deviate from my original message but it was humbling at the same time in how God uses such times to show me my weakness. It seemed to me that what I spoke did not flow. My prayer is that God uses His Word that was spoken as I grow in proclaiming it.
One thing that really blew me away though this Saturday was on the pain and suffering people go through. Marriages are broken, children are filled with so much anger, and the men there are in so much anguish trying to make it one day at a time. These are real people with real problems and really broken, well, at least most of them. At times when I hear the degree of enslavement they are in I am speechless. I am thankful though that we have a great High Priest who sympathizes with out weakness. I am thankful that in those times when I don't know what to say, I know who to point them to. Lets continue praying for these men.

John - He had a stroke recently and has lost part of his speech. Be in prayer that God might grant him healing.
Justin - Be in prayer for his family and children. Please pray for restoration with his family, and wife especially, as they are going to be divorced. Also, pray that God would reveal himself to him and that he would be able to trust in Him.
Ricardo - Pray for his family and friends.
Anthony - He asks prayer for his brother, that he might be set free from his enslavement. Also, pray for his children and his wife during his time in rehab and that he would learn to control his tongue and his anger.
Edmund - He desires to remain clean from now on. Pray for him that God would show him his need for a Savior.
Steven - Pray for his family and friends, especially those who are encouraging him to change. May he be changed by Christ and follow in obedience to him. He has been thinking about the legacy that he wants to leave behind, and you can pray that it would cause him to think about his life and his need for Christ.
Eddie - Continue to pray for his wife and seven children. His wife just got diagnosed with cancer. Pray that God would use those circumstances to work in both, Eddie and his wife, that they would be obedient to God and desire to please Him with their decisions.

Praise from Eddie

On 03/01 there was a prayer request that was posted for Eddie as we were praying for him to be allowed to talk to his children. I talked to him on Saturday and he was really happy that he had spoken to his children for the first time over the phone since the divorce situation started. Join me in praising the Lord for His grace in Eddie's life.

Fellowship

"Blessed be the God and Father or our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort we ourselves are comforted by God" (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

This week was a huge blessing from the Lord. Jim Cosley came and shared about his brother, Brian, who passes away last year of a drug overdose. We were also blessed by the testimony of my friend from seminary Brian and his wife, who shared about their brother in law and his struggle with being a drunkard. The aim this week was to show how the lives of them men do not only affect them but the people around them. Their sin affects their wives and children as well, but above all, they are sinning against a Holy God. My girlfriend, Dany, was brave enough to come and support this ministry with her presence and prayers and that was a huge blessing as well. We had more people showing up this week than the other weeks and I thank the Lord for that. There were six new faces who got to hear the gospel massage and I ask for your prayers that the Lord be working in their hearts.

Anthony - Pray for his wife and children, that they would remain strong during his time in the Rehab. Also for his parent's health. He desires to be faitful in studying God's word and be changed in his character (so that he would not get angry anymore). He is thankful for his soberness to this point.
Justin - Pray for his recovery and more so, for his relationship with Jesus Christ. Pray that God would work in his family and bring restoration.
John - Be in prayer for his children.
Joseph - Pray for the salvation of his mother and friend, and for better health.
Eddie - Continue to lift his family (wife, 7 children and granddaughter) up to God. Pray for restoration in his relationship to his wife.
Muno - He asks prayer that he would stay with God and continue to remain clean from addiction. Pray also for his family.
Steven - Pray that God would give him the strenght to resist the temptation to continue in his addiction; that God would work mightily in his life. He realizes that he needs God's help to accomplish lasting change.
Scott - Be in prayer for two of his friends, that God would protect them and reveal His forgiveness in Christ to them. Pray for his brother to remain sober. Pray for Scott as he is in Rehab, that he would be walking with Christ and remain sober.

The power of prayer

Now we should almost be up to date. These are the new prayer requests. After a break last Saturday because of Easter (well, much rather celebrating Christ's resurrection), the ministry will resume this Saturday. Please be in prayer for the men who will attend.

David - Pray for his wife to be freed from her addiction and for the salvation for his children. Pray for him that he would be able to live a life by the power of God.
Anthony - Be in prayer for his girlfriend, who will soo be his wife. His kids are sick, pray for thier healing. He asks for prayer in being able to understand God's word, which he desires to know and live out.
Albert - He wants to live according to God's calling in His life, being obedient to Him and doing His will.
Eddie - Continue to be in prayer for his wife and his children, as well as his granddaughter. He and his wife are going through a divorce and Eddie desires for his wife to change her opinion. He is thankful for his Lord Jesus Christ.
Joseph - He asks for prayer for his mother and her salvation. Also, please pray that God will save him from his own pride.
Antonio - Please be in prayer for his family.
Frank - Pray for his recovery and his family. And for God to work in his life and heart, so that he can be the father and husband he is supposed to be by God's grace.
Danny - He is coming close to completing the program. Pray for him as he soon will face the 'outside' world again, that God would help him to remain sober and work in his life through all situations that he will face.
Ricardo - Please pray for his family and friends.
George - Be in prayer for his family and his health. He is excited about having learned his first Scripture by heart - praise God with him for that.

Thank you for lifting those men up to God.

Praise

I received a phone call today from Joseph, one of the guys we were praying for and was just praising the Lord for answered prayer in the conflict that was in his relationship with his girlfriend. It is really neat to see God answering specific prayer requests.

The cost of discipleship

Last Saturday was particularly powerful and encouraging in seeing God's Word in action. The passage preached on was Matthew 16: 24-27 on the cost of true discipleship. Emphasis was on the aspects of what some of the conditional aspects of that are. There needs to be true repentance as a condition that is empowered in us by God. This includes denying yourself, taking up your cross and following Him. Christianity is about Lordship obedience. It is not about empty promises of a life without suffering, without commitment, without a price. Our salvation is a gift but it is conditional. Having said that, this can not be achieved by our works, but rather, by the grace of God (Ephesians 2:8). Let us not forget as well that Christ dying on the cross was a condition, a cost for God to forgive our sins, for His wrath to be propitiated.Emphasis in the message was also on the question 'why should I take this seriously?' From the passage we see that the reasons are to find the true meaning of life (Glorifying God), to save your soul (Not to forfeit it), and because Christ will return to judge

Here are this weeks prayer requests. Remember that God hears the prayer of those who love Him!

Scott - Pray for him, that he would continue his walk with Christ and remain sober. Please pray for two of his friends that God would give them peace and comfort in a hard situation. Also, pray that his brother would continue to live sober.

Albert - He desires to have a deeper understanding and knowledge of God, and true wisdom.

Edward - Be in prayer for his wife and 7 children and their family situation. He praises God for allowing him to learn new things from His word.

Joseph - Pray for him as he is going through a hard time.

Christopher - His children are not saved, please pray for their salvation. Also, he desires to see one of his children, that he has not met yet.

Anthony - Please pray for strenght for his wife and two children.

The power is in the message

Today was the first day of teaching at this ministry while heading it up. The Lord was teaching me to trust Him and reminding me that it is not me but the power of His Word that is sharper than a double-edged sword and able to cut through the thoughts and intentions of the heart. In that I have confidence. Paul writes in Romans 1:16

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is God's power for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

The power is in the message itself. This gave me great comfort in the face of my inadequacy. I taught on 1 Corinthians 15: 1-11 and broke down the gospel message and also our response to it emphasizing the fact that Jesus is Lord. A few of the guys really struggled with the message and asked a lot of questions. It was sad to hear of some of the perspectives some of them have to the Lordship of Christ. For some, since Christ died for us we can live a happy life and enjoy it to the fullest. Three guys walked out during the teaching. My hope is that they come back next week. I am challenged this week by Paul's words to Timothy:

And the Lord’s slave must not engage in heated disputes but be kind toward all, an apt teacher, patient, correcting opponents with gentleness. Perhaps God will grant them repentance and then knowledge of the truth and they will come to their senses and escape the devil’s trap where they are held captive to do his will (2 Timothy 2:24-26).

May the Lord grant me His grace in this. 6 Prayer requests were turned in today

Beginnings

This Saturday was the first day of the ministry now starting with me heading it. Before I had been doing it under Tony for 8 months but now have a time slot of my own. It was humbling and scary at the same time but I took comfort in the fact that these men need the gospel and the Lord was with me. It was really need to see some of the men there who I believe are already believers. The focus was on breaking the ice with them and allowing them to know me and well as I getting to know them a little. Please join me in praying for these prayer requests.

Carlos - Please pray for his mother and children (4 Children) during this time he is in rehab

Chris - Requests prayer for guidance and strength. He has 4 children that are unsaved

Ricardo - Prayer for his mother who is having nerve attacks

David - For wisdom in the decisions that he will have to be making while in rehab

Mike - For his relationship with his ex-wife and 2 daughters

Eddie - Just signed the papers for a divorce with his wife. Please pray for both of them and that he may be allowed to see his children.