repent | 1 Way 1 Truth 1 Life

Following Fausto (a short term missionary tale)

Posted on March 14, 2018 by wearemorethanconquerors837

80F267FE-2F53-4486-8A94-30597487B57E Last week I went on my first mission trip. Four people from my church joined a team of Christians from all across the United States to go to Loja, Ecuador. We never met before this trip but came home as if we had known each other for a long time. This statement is also true of the translators that we worked with. My family of brothers and sisters in Christ has grown.

My assignment on this trip was to go with my team member, Pastor Jase, and our translators Christopher and Cyndi, to a town called Catamayo. There we worked with Pastor Fausto.

Upon meeting Pastor Fausto he took us to his church office and asked us a few questions. He asked a little about us personally and some about our theology. Then he spoke some about himself then introduced us to his lovely family. Then he said “Haku” which means “let’s go!”

So we left the office and followed him. He seemed to know where he was going as if he had walked this path several times. He took us to a man who was sitting in a chair on the sidewalk cutting coconuts. He spoke to him for a minute then turned to us and gestured basically saying “You’re up. Do what you came here to do and share the gospel.” So Pastor Jase shared the his story then God’s story and the coconut cutting man said he wanted to trust in Christ. Praise God!

We prayed with the man, got his info for follow up, then Pastor Fausto said “Haku.” And he was off to the next person. And we followed him.

This was the pattern for 5 days of ministry in Catamayo. We followed Pastor Fausto from house to house. From business to business. From person to person. This man has laid ground work with so many people in Catamayo. He is building relationships. He is sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.

When Pastor Jase and I shared the gospel with people we could tell Pastor Fausto had already spoke the words of life to them. Some just needed us to come water the seeds that were already planted. We even visited people who he has already planted and is watering. His church members know their bible. God is bringing growth.

356DFA11-D774-464A-8043-4C8D3FA512B4 The thing that sticks out most as I reflect on following Fausto is how he loves. He can just decide to be content in his church office and pray people come to Christ. But that’s not what he does. Pastor Fausto goes to the people. He talks to them. He cares about them. I don’t think he goes just once either. He keeps going. He brings others with him. He prays over them. He not only tells them about Jesus Christ, he shows them Jesus Christ. This is how I want to be. I want to live the great commission as I saw Pastor Fausto live the great commission.

This is the text that came to my head after 5 days of following Fausto. Paul writes,

Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. 1 Corinthians 11:1

Pastor Fausto, thank you for showing me Christ as we followed you around your lovely city of Catamayo. I pray to come back and see all the fruit God grows through your obedience.

Haku!!!!!!!

Soli Deo Gloria

What A “Good” Lie!

Posted on August 26, 2014 by wearemorethanconquerors837

I have had more than a few conversations with people about destiny. No, not what you think the future holds for you in a way of career and family, but what eternity holds. What happens to you when you die? Most people have told me they believe in heaven. Then I ask the million dollar question…. How do you know that is where you are going? Most common answer. “I am a good person”.

Is this how we get to heaven? Do we need to be “good people”? How do we know what “good” is? Do I use our own standard of “good”? Do I use someone else’s standard of “good”? Or do I use God’s standard of “good”?

Some will use their own standard of “good”. I recently heard a Tim Keller sermon in which he made the point that if someone uses their own standard of good and took a tape recorder and put it around their neck, then at the end of the day played back everything they said, they could not even live up to their own standard of “good”. I agree. I know me and know I couldn’t do it.

So let’s look briefly at someone else’s standard. If I can’t live up to mine how can I live up to theirs? Unless theirs is so low that they allow me to live how I want. This may be so they can live without the guilt of not living up to their own standard.

Now let’s look at God’s standard. How do we know God’s standard for good? We have His Word. We have the bible. We have in the bible the commandments given to Moses. I will not list them but I will test myself against a few to see if I live up to the standards God’s wants me to live by.

Have I ever taken the Lord’s name in vain? Have I used it as a curse? Yes! One commandment broken.

Have I ever dishonored my parents? Yes! Strike two!

Have I ever taken something that wasn’t mine? Maybe even something small like a pencil? Yes! Strike three!

Have I ever been angry with someone and not forgiven them? Yes! Jesus says this is like committing murder in your heart. Strike four!

“You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not commit murder’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell. Matthew 5:21-22

Have I ever looked at a women with lust? Yes! Jesus says if you look at a women with lust you have committed adultery in your heart. Strike five!

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Matthew 5:27-28

Let’s stop at five. I can keep going because I have broken them all. There is no one who hasn’t.

as it is written, “THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; Romans 3:10

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Romans 3:23

So what does this mean? We can’t live up to our own standards. We sure can’t live to God’s standards. He will judge us. If God is just, He will give us what we deserve. He will not weigh the good we have done against the bad. That would not be just. That would be like if a person commits murder and goes to the judge and says “judge, look at all the good I did. It must outweigh the bad.” Would he be a just judge to let the murderer go?

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

Here is the GOOD NEWS!! Here is the GOSPEL!!! We have someone who took our punishment for us. God sees our sins and says “guilty”. My punishment is death. But, God came down and became a man in the form of Jesus. He was fully man and fully God. He lived that perfect life that God commands. He was tempted as we are tempted. He did not sin. Then He took a sinners punishment being whipped with a cat of nine tales being lashed to the bone. He was spit on and mocked made to wear a crown of thorns. He took my cross up Cavalry and had nails driven into His wrists and His feet and before He died said “It is finished.” He atoned for our sins. Now we can repent and put our faith in Him for our forgiveness. We no longer have to be slaves to sin. We can be free as slaves to Jesus Christ.

I do not write this to make you feel bad. I do not write this to lift myself up in self righteousness. I struggle with sin everyday! I am not perfect but I am being made perfect through Jesus Christ. I am a wretched sinner in need of the Savior. My hope is that you think about these things: “Am I good? By what standard? Can I live up to God’s standard on my own? Why did Jesus die? Can I put my faith in Him for taking my punishment and repent? Can I pick up my cross and follow Jesus?

I know this is a popular Scripture but it is truth.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16

My prayer is always that you are “whoever”.

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

Saved by grace alone, through faith alone, through Christ alone, by God alone.

For You

Posted on May 20, 2014 by wearemorethanconquerors837

Life is short. You don’t know what tomorrow holds. You don’t know if tomorrow holds anything at all. You may wake up. You may not wake up. If you are blessed to wake, what will you do with the time you are given? What will you live for? Will you take advantage of the time or will you let it take advantage of you? If you knew today was your last what will you do with it? Will you spend it having fun? Will you spend it living out the stupid acronym that was popular a few years ago YOLO? Or would you use your last day sacrificially? Would you give all you are? Would you do what you think will help people the most? This life is short. I pray you come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. He offers everlasting life.

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

I live today to tell you about Jesus Christ because I love you too much not to. I believe the most important thing I can do is tell you about Jesus Christ. I need to tell you what He did for us on the cross. I need to tell you that I am a sinner and so are you. I need to tell you God loves you and became a man and died the worst death because we are sinners. I need to tell you this because your sin, my sin, deserves to be punished. I need to tell you that God, who loves, is also just and will carry out the judgment, wrath, and the punishment we desever if we don’t come to the saving knowledge of His Son Jesus Christ who took that wrath for us.

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

These are tough words. DEATH and WRATH! But it is justice. Think of the most horrible crime imaginable. Think of this crime being commited against you. Maybe it is theft, murder, rape, torture, or worse. Should that person be punished for their crime? Should that person receive justice? Should that person be judged and sentenced to the full extent of the law? What if you are the theif or the murderer? I know you might be saying “I may have only taken something small, or told a little lie, but I never murdered.” Jesus said:

Jesus is saying holding ill will, hate, and anger for another in your heart is as bad as murder. I am guilty of that. This is a crime commited against God. The justice we want for a crime against us is the justice God has to carry for our sins against Him. We deserve to die for our sins. Not just the big ones, but all of them. This is because God is just. God is holy. Any sin we commit deserves to be punished by a holy and just God. The fact is all sins are against God.

We are all doomed!

No! While God is just He also shows amazing grace. God provided a way for all who believe. He provided the Way, Truth, and Life. He provided the wages for sins of all who believe. He provided Jesus. Those who believe need to repent and put their trust in Him.

From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4:17

Repenting is turning away from our sins. When you know Jesus is your savior you see your sin for what it is. He will give you the power to turn. You my have tried to do it on your own. Let Him lead you. Let Him sanctify you.

But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. 2 Thessalonians 2:13

The Truth is Jesus, who was from the beginning. May you know the Truth. May He work in your heart. May you come to saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. May you be freed from your slavery to sin. May you meet and follow Jesus.

This world is temporary, but then comes eternity.

while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:18

I pray you repent and put your trust in Jesus Christ.