3/24/2016 Preparation to Remember the Resurrection

This week is holy week or “Semana Santa” in Spanish.  The holy week increases the amount of people in the cities.  That’s what I was told and so far I have found it to be true for La Ceiba.  Banks are closed today through Sunday.  Sure not that way in the US to be closed that many consecutive days.  The lines of people outside the banks were unbelievable.  Before you bank employees move here to take a job let me say that banks are open on Sundays here, though maybe not all locations.

So, what are all these people doing?  Some are giving attention to their religious practices and superstitions because that’s the dominant thing in the culture.   What I see for the most part are people just focusing on temporal things such as food, alcohol, trips, and material things.  This is my first time to be in the country during holy week.

This weekend I will be preaching on the resurrection.  I can’t even bring myself to use the common name of the world’s system of religion.  You know which one I am talking about.  Easter, of course. For all my years as a Christian and understanding what my Jesus did for me, I can’t bring myself as a preacher to call this an Easter message.  Seems to me I would be showing acceptance or association with it.  The principal thing though is for me to focus on preaching the message that will get people on their way to heaven.  I will preach the cross, the crucifixion, and resurrection; the cross because of our sin, the crucifixion to take away our sin, the resurrection to lead us away and beyond our sin.

It was an awesome day to be outside in the breezeway preparing a sermon.  I can glance about on occasion and take in the beauty of the mountains.  Love drawing close to the Lord here.

 

3/22/2016 The Kingdom of God Comes with Power (Mark 9:1)

It’s holy week here in Honduras.  The catholics are doing the things they always do.  They carry the figure that is supposed to be Jesus from one place to another.  But God is neither in these rituals nor honored by them.  He didn’t instruct His church to do them.   According to catholic church, this thing called Easter celebrates the ressurrection of Jesus as fulfillment of Mark 9:1, “the kingdom of God come[s] with power.”  As far as the Bible goes, the text following Mark 9:1, the record of the transfiguration, is the certain and true fulfillment of the promise.  In case you didn’t know, the catholic church considers its teaching to be more authoritative than the Bible.  Easy to see why God is not in their rituals.   God is not in egg hunts.  I am quite sure he finds them offensive because of their connection to demonic idols.

Dear Christian, stay away from these things that are associated with the common practices of Easter today and stay focused on the cross of Christ, the ressurrection.  Come out from among them and be ye separate.   Seek to be found in him [Jesus] without spot or blemish.

03/12/2016 “Discerner of the thoughts” (Heb. 4:12)

A day of good weather after several of very heavy rain, gave us a chance to get out.  We went to a park area in La Ceiba along the water front that has places to walk and sit.  This area is very clean and safe and enjoyed by Honduras and tourists.  As Mrs. __ and I were sitting and talking, a man came up to us and was trying to sell us music CDs.  After telling him I was not interested and that I only liked Christian music, the conversation turned to talking about Jesus.  The man, who said he attended church, responded well to my question about what someone needed to do to be able to go to heaven.  Believing in the Lord Jesus was his answer, to which I also responded, “And repent and forsake your sins.” That pierced his soul.  This is where I began to quote scriptures about repentance and the Holy Spirit began to convince the man of his sin.  In all my 25 years as a Christian, I have never seen a man come under such conviction of his sin.  He knelt and wept from the depth of his soul.  The Lord dealt with this man and his sin of lust and pornography.  I sure pray for more opportunities like this one.  We remember this man in our prayer time every day.

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” – Hebrews 4:12

022716 Rivers of living water. (John 7:38)

We have had another round of very heavy rain over the course of three days.  Today it is looking like the sun might break through at sunset.  The street outside of where we live becomes a river.   It looks kind of nice except for the fact it’s supposed to be a street, not a water way.  Hopefully I can post a video.

Speaking of water, I spent time this week in John chapter 4, teaching about the “living water” that Jesus offers.  I asked the students how many of them were affected by divorce in their family, or knew anyone that had been divorced.  Surprisingly, there were few.  I know that it’s not uncommon here for people to just live together like a married couple even though they have not actually exchanged vows before God, or gone before the justice of the peace.   That’s not a marriage.  It’s called fornication and is part of the pathway to hell if not repented of.  But this was my introduction to the story of the Samaritan woman at the well and her encounter with Jesus.

The Samaritan woman is the picture of the “broken cisterns” of Jeremiah 2:13.  The world’s advice, along with the forsaking of her first (and only valid) marriage covenant, had left her isolated and miserable – unmistakably dry spiritually.  Nothing in this 4th chapter of John tells me that she went on in her sin.  She really displayed a strong case of repentance to drop what she was doing and run into the village and anounce the Messiah.  Oh that we would see more of this type of repentance today!

2/18/16 Fruit that will remain.

IMG_0419IMG_0420This is a mangosteen.  It’s a blessing to be able to eat these little gems because not only do they taste great, but they are loaded with all kinds of good stuff for your health.  You eat the white part on the inside.  It tastes unique.  The first time I tried one my taste buds where searching to try to identify something to compare it to.  I thought it had the texture of a plum with the taste of a tangerine.

IMG_0471Next we have a leechi.

These are very common here.  The outer hull is brissly.  The white fruit on the inside of the hull has a seed in the middle.  The white meat also has a unique taste.  I would compare it to a sweet green grape –  just not as juicy.

John’s gospel speaks of fruit that should remain.  This is spiritual fruit.  The mangosteen and leechi drop their fruit to the ground where it dies.  The germinated seed, as we know, can produce a lot of fruit after its kind.   Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.” (Jn. 12:24)  He is speaking about the result of his death on the cross, ressurrection from the grave and the receiving of the gospel message by those who believe.   Verse 25 is the charge to every believer to die to himself and find new life as defined by the Lord Jesus, that every believer should be able to bear fruit.

In no uncertain terms Jesus declares in John 15 that we are to bear fruit that should remain (vs.16).  To remain means that it would have been built on the foundation of Jesus Christ and will withstand the judgment of fire that is soon to come (1 Cor. 3:10-15).   We should be hearing the voice of the Good Shepherd as he directs our steps into everything we do.  This will be in conjunction with his word.  What Jesus leads us to do will be Holy, just as he is Holy.  To make sure what you are doing is of the Lord, try to ask yourself, “Is this something that Jesus would do?”  Avoid the correlation with the WWJD fad.  Think about Jesus in his ministry, who was about to lay down his life for his friends, and ask yourself if this is something he would do?

The unfruitful life is a very serious problem.  It can be one of two categories: 1) that which is empty and does not bear fruit; 2) that which defiles the temple.

The life that is empty of fruit, according to John 15:2 and 6, is “taken away” and “cast forth as a branch, and is withered, and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.”  When a branch is burned, in this example, nothing is preserved.  The picture here does not speak of surviving the flames as one might associate with 1 Corinthians 3:15.  The branch that is taken away speaks of judgment.  The fruitless person needs to repent.

The “temple” in 1 Corinthians 3 is the individual believer’s body.  Notice verse 17 says that God will destroy the one who defiles his temple.  Is there any doubt what destroy means?  I don’t think so.  You need to meditate on what might equate to defilement.  Jesus would never lead a person to smoke, get intoxicated, get a tattoo [even if it’s a scripture verse], use curse words, lie, have a second marriage while your first spouse is living, accept witchcraft or astrology.  These are just a few things but  this is so serious.  Not many are willing to pay the price to get right with God these days.  Truth is that  anyone who is defiling the temple can and should repent.

1/19/2016 Reaching out to students.

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I have the privilege of teaching Bible to a group of 7th and 8th graders a couple of days a week.  It’s a captive audience, but I pray that the Holy Spirit will make them really look forward to the class.   I get fired up when I think about the possibility of a young person, a teenager, really being submitted to Jesus Christ and able to be used of God.  Some of the youth in the Bible that were mightily used of God were King David, Daniel and Timothy, to name a few.  All of these were devoted to almighty God and prepared vessels, “meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.” (2 Tim.2:20-21)  These young Hondurans need prayer to be saved and to desire to be holy as God is holy.  If they would only repent and put their trust in Jesus and surrender their lives to Him, who knows what God could do.

1/13/2016 Preaching Repentance

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There is a great need in Honduras for understanding of the importance of true repentance as an inseparable part of salvation.  On my first opportunity to preach I felt lead to preach out of Genesis 4 the contrast of a life with and without repentance using the example of Cain and Abel.   Both brought an offering, which indicates a type of duty that could only be related to the testimony of three things; 1) the testimony of Adam and Eve of the glory that once was theirs and then was lost; 2) the prophecy of the redeemer in Genesis 3:15; 3) the substitution, or efficacy, in the covering of skins and the blood that had to have been shed to obtain the skins.  Abel obviously repented of his sins and by faith believed God, and that is why he brought the blood sacrifice.  Consider how much a step of faith it was for Abel by the fact that the instruction for the usage of animals for food only came after the flood.  Neither Abel’s nor Cain’s offering were random selections for something to bring.  It was simply that Abel’s offering followed the pattern of instruction from God, but that Cain’s followed the pattern of the serpent –  unrepentant disobedience.  Cain deliberately did it his way.  Cain’s fallen countenance means that his soul was literally in torment by the study of the word.  But even though God was speaking to Cain and encouraging and warning him in Genesis 4:6-7, Cain shows his hardness of heart and denial of his own sin by lashing out at Abel.  Is it not amazing that Cain could be that way and even kill his own brother?  So what we see in Cain is a life without repentance that suffers three things: The unrepentent heart, 1) will not respond to discipline (Gen. 4:6-7); 2) will not be saved (Gen. 4:11-14,16); 3) will not pass on anything but a curse to his children as seen in Lamech (Gen. 4:15,23-24).

I heard a story from a pastor about how he had observed how some Hondurans may make a profession of faith in the Lord Jesus and perhaps wait as much as six months to be baptized.  During the time before their baptism they sometimes indulge themselves in sin before the baptism with the attitude that they will have to be serious about their walk after the baptism.  My friends, that is not true repentance.  That man or woman is not saved from the fire of hell.  True repentance is a complete disgust of sin.  No more lusts.  No more fornication or even a hint thereof.  Take to heart what 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 says.  – Preaching the truth in love.

01/2/16 Feliz año nuevo…Happy new year.

 

It is the start of a new year.  There have been a lot of fireworks popping, but you don’t see fireworks stands like you do in the US.  I wonder where they buy them?  Still, it amazes me that people who seem to have so little can come up with the money to buy fireworks.  I see it as an attempt for people to have a release.  If they could only meet Jesus Christ to get the only true relief that touches the soul and spirit.  Only Jesus can give true rest for the weary.  “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matt.11:28-30).

Tamale
Tamale

We are adjusting to life in Honduras pretty well.  I count it a blessing to get to eat some of the local specialties such as the tamale pictured here.  This little treat is steamed in a banana leaf and has masa, beef, raisins and peas as well as other vegetables. Tasty.  Thanks to Mrs. __’s handy work in the kitchen, I had another local treat, my first taste of beans today since I have been here.  However, let’s put this in perspective and take to heart where the best food comes from, the Word of God.  “Man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.” (Deut.8:3)

Please pray for us to find a small truck to purchase.   This is a pressing need, and we need the Lord’s help.

 

12/31/15 You will know they need Jesus by what they say.

Getting started in the country requires going from place to place to get, shall we say, connected and results in having undivided attention of a clerk, sales person or technician.  This gives me the opportunity to share the calling of Jesus to the ministry in Honduras.  I spoke with a young lady yesterday that was suffering from a broken heart due to a break up of a relationship.  Being careful not to assume, accuse or be perceived as judgemental, I talked about God’s perfect plan for couples and the problems that result from failing to follow him.  I found out she had been an attender of an evangelical church all of her life and even said she had been a Christian since her birth, but I shared with her that a person becomes a Christian only by having a second birth through the Spirit according to John 3:3.  As I began to talk more about God’s plan for couples, she replied, “But this is Honduras” as if to say that can’t apply to this culture.  Oh, but it can.

Through this conversation one of the needs for this country is revealed.  God is calling out a people unto peace with himself for the blessing of forsaking the devil’s plan, (which is to operate under the lusts of the flesh), to turn to Jesus and his work and be saved and walk in holiness.  My friend, it’s time for the people of God to make an end of sin [Heb. 12:10, 14].

12/29/15 Apex of day one. (Matthew 6:31-34)

Oh, how we saw the Lord’s hand on us today to help us during our travel day to Honduras [Is.41:10].  He guided us around a long line of people through the help of an airline worker and fast tracked us through security.  We would have otherwise missed our flight.  Operating on only 2 hours sleep I felt surprisingly refreshed, no doubt because of the return to the mission field and the strength that the Lord is giving.  We had some great fellowship in the airport at San Pedro Sula with another missionary family to whom we are so grateful for their love and newly made friendship.  Now we are settling in for much needed time of rest for the weary.

In thinking of this day, and what it means, it represents an apex of time in our lives as we transition to full time ministry.  The verses in Matthew 6:31-34 were coming to mind to encourage me in the Holy Spirit about these basic steps.  They say, “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? For after all these things do the Gentiles seek for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.  Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”  I am taking no thought, but I am taking note with the Lord’s help.

Independent Baptist Missionaries to Honduras