An Unexpected Change in Direction

It's been almost a year since I've been back in the States. My physical health has seen a little improvement, though it still hasn't been possible to get much funds to treat my ailments. I've been making do with what I've had, working some gigs here and there to make money (hasn't been possible to get a full-time job yet due to my condition), and praying and waiting on the Lord. He has had mercy on me, though, and has brought me to a good local church and allowed me to meet many like-minded believers with a passion for evangelism. So ever since last August, much of the free time that I've had has been spent out on the streets handing out tracts, witnessing to people, and open-air preaching with my brethren. Praise the Lord!

Still, however--despite this glimmer of sunlight in the midst of the storm--one night several months ago I found myself on my knees, fighting sadness, confusion, and despair. My heart was in Peru; I missed my country of brith and my dear family in the Lord. I desperately wanted to return. In utter frustration, I cried out to God, asking Him why He hadn't opened the doors for me to go back. I wrestled with God, and finally He gave me the grace to lay on the altar several things in my life I had been holding on to, Lima being one of them. Humbled and broken, I let these things go and sought for His will and not my own. It was immediately afterward that I remembered a missionary couple I knew who lived in Mexico, and the thought entered my mind that I could possibly join them...in Mexico! This was followed by a joy and peace that I had not experienced in a long time, and a couple verses of Scripture that popped into my mind, which exhorted and encouraged me to look to Christ and trust in Him.

I continued to pray about this, and eventually contacted my missionary brethren to let them know, and they prayed about it as well. We trusted that if God was calling me to go He would provide and allow me to visit them to discover if this call to Mexico was really from Him.

And so He did...and about a week ago I flew down to Guadalajara to spend six days with them. It was a real blessing to say the least. I followed them around the city as they ministered in the streets, plazas and markets through evangelism, in house Bible studies, and with their local congregation. I had a blessed time of fellowship with them.

Josef and Lina Urban have been in Mexico for more than two years, planting seeds of the Gospel all throughout the country. They have recently moved to this big, bustling city in the state of Jalisco. There the Lord led them to a local church that not too long ago experienced an awakening to the true, biblical Gospel. They're solid in their doctrine, and the pastor and elders are godly men with a desire to radically conform their lives to the Word and be led of the Holy Spirit. It's amazing to see how passionate many of the brethren are for the Lord and for evangelism. God is clearly working in the hearts if this congregation.

If I could sum up my time in Guadalajara in one word, it would be, "unexpected". It turned out to be an unexpected blessing--I honestly didn't expect to have such an enjoyable time with my missionary brethren, to be so like-minded with them in doctrine and vision, to meet so many wonderful brothers and sisters in the Lord, and to see so many doors for evangelism and ministry open up right before my eyes. And even though, prior to my visit, I was still in my heart holding on to my dream of immediately returning to Peru, I have felt an unexpected peace about staying in this city instead, as long as God wants. He's given me a burden for the people there, especially for God's elect. On top of this, I may even be able to receive the necessary treatments for my condition there, as alternative treatments are more numerous and less expensive in Mexico than in the States.

So, God willing, I will be going back real soon, hopefully in a month or so. I'm praying that God would continue to prepare me spiritually and provide the financial means for me to get there. The cost of living is relatively cheap, and I've already looked at a couple possible rooms for me to stay in. I trust that He will make a way for me to live there.

Please pray for me, and for Guadalajara. It's in one of the most Catholic areas in all of Latin America, and there is little to no Gospel witness in this great city; most people have not even heard or understood the Good News of the Savior. The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few! Please pray for laborers, and consider going! And if you can't go, please consider giving. Your generous gifts will help fulfill the Great Comission. The Lord bless you and keep you.

--------------------------------------------

For more info about the ministry I'll be working with, please visit:

http://www.puregospeltruth.com

or
http://www.cristianismobiblico.com (Spanish)


Here are some pics of the trip:

...

Wow...haven't updated this blog for a while. Facebook and email just seem to be more practical and accesible means for posting updates.

Anyway...back in California for now, due to health reasons. It's been three long months since I've been here. My stay so far has had its negative and positive aspects.

Downsides: no job, car, cell phone, or way to pay for the treatment I need at the moment. Not to mention chronic pain and missing my brothers and sisters in Christ in Lima.

Upsides: getting to help around the house by cooking and cleaning, taking care of my little brother and helping him much (especially spiritually), learning to trust in the Lord in very difficult circumstances.

I don't know how long I'll be here for. My desire is to get back to Peru ASAP. But I must resign myself to the will of God.

Soli Deo Gloria.

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith--more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire--may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 1:6-7

MUST WATCH!

Weeping for Souls

Paul Washer's heart breaks for those who have been deceived by a false, superficial "gospel". When will we stop looking at people as numbers? When will we realize that they are precious souls? When will we stop playing games with the eternal salvation of millions?

Heartcry Evangelism Conference, Jan '09

The conference was awesome! It was held last week from Thursday to Saturday at the Baptist Church of the Savior in Barranco. Preachers from different parts of the world (Dominican Republic, USA, Argentina, Peru, and Cuba) attended and expounded on themes relating to the biblical Gospel--what it is, how we should preach it, the problem with modern evangelism methods, etc. And of course, brother Paul Washer was there. Most of what they taught I had already learned, but there were specific things that the Lord pointed out to me and convicted me of. Through the preachers He reminded me of some things that I always need to keep in mind. Namely:

-That we need to examine ourselves and make sure that our MOTIVES for preaching the Gospel are correct. We should not preach out of contention or vainglory (to promote ourselves) but out of a sincere desire for the glory of God and to see precious souls saved. The love of Christ should compells us (2 Cor.5:14). We should desire that through the Spirit, Christ's love might be demonstrated through us, helping us love the very people we're preaching to.

-The importance of the doctrine of Regeneration. Salvation is NOT a person's decision to follow Christ, it is a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit in a person's life. We can't expect a dead person to resurrect himself. A miracle would need to take place in order for a deceased man to receive life again. And so it is with salvation, for those without Christ are dead in their sins. Thus we need to be VERY, VERY careful when we handle precious souls, we don't want to give anyone false assurance that they are saved when they are not. Just because someone makes a profession of faith in Christ, even with tears, doesn't necessarily mean they are really saved. We are not to be superficial in our evangelism, calling sinners to come forward to an altar and "make a decision" or repeat an unbiblical "sinner's prayer," and then send them on down to their homes assuring them that if they were sincere God saved them. We don't have the authority to tell people they are saved, we only have the authority to tell people how to be saved. God tells them they are saved (Rom.8:16). And salvation won't just take "a few minutes"--it will take your life! If a person who is genuinely concerned for the state of their soul comes to us for counsel, we are to stay with them the whole day, if need be, explaining to them the way of salvation and, if prompted by the Holy Spirit, abide with them until they come to a true and real experience of regeneration. The salvation of one single soul is more important than whatever plans we may have. And if a person has really been saved, no one will have to tell them what just happened, i.e., "Congratulations, you have just been born again!"--no, they will KNOW that a change has taken place. You can't go from darkness to light, death to life, bondage to freedom, defeat to victory, and not know it.

...Ok, I'm preaching now. Well anyway, those are some of the things God showed me.

Each day after the conference we would hit the streets to preach the Gospel. On Thursday and Friday we went to Kennedy Park and on Saturday we went to a park in Barranco. We did a lot of open air preaching and one-to-one witnessing.

People from all over Latin America and Peru (including pastors) were able to attend the conference, and I could tell many were impacted. I pray they take these biblical teachings and apply them in their home churches and cities. And most of all, that their hearts BURN for the Lord, to see Him glorified and to take the glorious Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ to the lost!









Oh, and by the way, if you speak Spanish here is the website of the Baptist Church in Barranco and the Evangelism ministry they have, "En Los Pasos del Maestro":

http://www.enlospasosdelmaestro.com

Barabbas

POWERFUL VIDEO!!!

Ica Trip

Here are some pictures from our Ica outreach on January 9-10.

CLICK HERE to see them and read more...


Robin and Americo travel to Ica every Thursday to have Bible studies with local believers. I went with them that day. The next afternoon, Friday, the whole team came and we all met up at the hotel to discuss our plans for the next two days.




The folks at the home where Robin and Americo do the Bible studies offered to cook us lunch on both days. They prepared typical Ican dishes. The food was delicious.






We held the outreach in a park in downtown Ica. There were clowns, skits, puppets, and music prepared for the kids. Afterwards we would have worship songs, mimes, and preaching for the youth and adults. Here they are warming up before the show.



Many kids came on the first day.






Americo sharing his testimony and preaching the Gospel at night.



Since the oureach events we were holding began in the evenings (5-6ish), this gave us a couple hours of free time the next day in the afternoon before lunch. Most of us went out to preach the Gospel. We walked through the streets surrounding the hotel and the nearby parks, handing out tons of tracts and getting into conversations with people.

Here I am in the main square right outside the hotel. I tried to open-air preach here but the authortities immediately stopped me. They would allow me to preach only on the conditions that I not get up on my stool, not draw a crowd, not attract attention, not disturb the peace--in other words they wanted me to talk to myself. Scrapping that plan, we decided just to do one-to-one witnessing.




Evening worship at the park.




I got the opportunity to preach the Gospel.




Some of the brothers and sisters doing mimes.