Friday!

James tells us that "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this:to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world" James 1:17.  Today we get to go into a state run orphanage in Cajamarca and spend time with some precious orphans.  It is always one of my highlights.  For two and a half hours we get to go in and love on them and play with them but most importantly we get to open up God's word and teach them and pray with them and share the deep things of God with them.  I love this ministry that the Lord has allowed us to start.  Our primary focus is on planting a Bible teaching church and making disciples through the church, but we also get this wonderful blessing to be part of this orphanage.  One of the greatest blessing that the work of Christ obtained for His people is adoption into God's family.  This is something that we overlook so often.  When we think about salvation most the time we think of heaven and being spared from God's wrath and even having access to God the Father but so many times adoption is over looked.  As I work my way through Galatians on sunday mornings, I am being reminded of the great privilege of being adopted by God the Father and becoming an heir to all that He has to offer.  As we go into this orphanage this afternoon, what is most important for these priceless niños, is not that someone would come adopt them, but that they could be adopted by God the Father.  That by faith they can enter into the most incredible family ever.  They can can receive an inheritance that is above any earthly inheritance.  They can cry out with the rest of the saints, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with EVERY spiritual blessing in the heavenly places" Eph 1:3.
Please join with us in this ministry and pray for these young ones that the Lord may open their hearts to see just how great He is and that they would run to His open arms.

Being Available

It is thursday afternoon here in Peru and we have our midweek church service on Thursday nights.  We are currently looking at the life of Elijah and tonight specifically at the calling of Elisha.  Elisha is such a great example for the Christian as one who responds to the calling of God.  He made himself available to do what ever it is that God asked.  As I was reviewing my notes my wife got a phone call and was for the next hour and twenty minutes counseling a woman from our church.  I was so blessed that my wife took the time (which she should have) to minister to this dear saint.  It was right during lunch and after lunch there is always a crunch to get the homeschooling done so she can prepare dinner in time for the kids to eat before we head to church.  Keep in mind that my wife and homeschooling are  arch rivals.  It is not something she enjoys or really even wants to do, but this is where the Lord has placed her and she is answering the call of the Lord like Elisha.  I listened in to her counsel and was so impressed by her wisdom and godly advice that she gave.  I know it was hard for her and she was out of her comfort zone and it was a very challenging time of the day for her.  I am not trying to brag on her or say look at how great my wife is (even though she truly is),  my point is she was such an example to me that no matter what is going on I need to be available to be used by the Lord to minister to whoever needs it whenever the time comes.   I can get so caught up in my own little world that I forget what is happening around me.  Yet that is not what the Christian life is.  When we look at Jesus, He wasn't so caught up in His own little world that he neglected the needs of the people.  He actually left His little world, heaven, and came to earth to serve and not to be served.  Lord help me be more like Jesus.  Conform me to His image that I may shine His love in this world.  Forgive me for my selfishness and my sinful desires.  Let me see Jesus more clearly and thank you for the example of Elisha who left all to do your will and thank you so much for my wife and her example of being available and allowing you to use her so you could strengthen one of your daughters.