March-June Newsletter.

"GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS"

"He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it."  -1 Thessalonians 5:24

I am so thankful that i serve a God who is faithful to complete that which He has begun in me (phil.1:6)!  I’ve made more mistakes than I can count…I’ve failed often…But God.  God's Love towards me is unchanging, His grace is absolutely Amazing, and His faithfulness is unmatched by any.  You see, at a fairly young age Spiritually (I had been saved about 2 years), the Lord had spoken to my heart about a specific ministry He would appoint me to.  Then He confirmed it through MANY people, His word, and through various situations and circumstances.  God was calling me to be a Pastor.  At first I argued with Him… “I’m not a public speaker!  My vocabulary is non-existent! And I really don’t want to deal with people my whole life! I’m afraid!”  I didn’t see how in the world it was conceivable.  This would take MANY, MANY, MANY…and did I say MANY, confirmations from the Lord!  And so He did.  For about 6 years.  I told very few people (because who likes the guy who goes around telling everyone he’s ‘going to be a Pastor’) J.  I Just continued to go about the Lord’s business.  Going wherever He called me, doing whatever He called me to…I was simply walking through the doors He opened for me.  The Spirit of God has changed my life in ways that I could never have changed myself.  What a joy it is to look back over my short life and see the Lord’s Hand directing me all the way!

 June 17th, 2009 i was ordained to the Pastoral ministry along with my fellow brother, friend and co-laborer in the gospel, Eric Flores.  God, like He always does, has showed Himself faithful in my life!  He continues to grow me in the gift He’s given me and planted an overwhelming heart of Love for people that wasn’t there before.  The beauty in the Lord choosing me to preach and teach His word is that I will NEVER, EVER be able to take any credit for it.  I never had what it takes to do what I’m doing…I still don’t. He will ALWAYS get ALL the glory!  And that’s the way it should be.  And so I close with the same verse I began with… “He who calls you is faithful, who will also DO it.” 1 Thessalonians 5:24

Thank you: my Parents who traveled thousands of miles to be apart of my ordination. My family in Cali & NY for there prayers and support...i love you all more than you know.  My Pastor & friend Rafael Manzanares and his wife (who's a blessing), for trusting in the Lord and believing in what He's doing in my life.  Love you guys!  All of my friends who have been a huge support!  Cloin and Ayo who flew out!  the Flores family. Rick & Michelle. Paul and Heidi (who left there honeymoon early), CCSL, CCBC team that came out, ALL the speakers at the Conference (Dave, Phil, Joe & fam, and Louie & fam), CCCM for their support, and my family away from my family... Santa Ponsa Community Church!...i'll stop now.  Love you all!  and everyone i forgot...cus i know i forgot so many.  Love you :)

ALL OTHER NEWS:  the run down:

Another amazing semester has come and gone!  i Praise the Lord for the friendships that were established and the growth seen in everyone; staff and student alike.  i had a lot of fun as i taught through the letter to the Philippians.  It was actually on the Re-treat this last semester that the Lord confirmed to me during a teaching by Friend & Pastor Rob (of CCSL) that i was to go through with the ordination and Trust Him (long story).

in other EXCITING news!!!  i always knew the day would come...just doubted it would be in my life time...one of my closest & best friends in the world, Paul Drain, married the most incredible girl in the world, Heidi Andrews (now Drain), on June 6th, 2009!  i don't know if i've ever been so happy for two people!  The wedding was in Aberdeen, Scotland (they are both Scottish), and i was in the wedding...which means i wore a skirt...i mean kilt.  it was quite the experience! haha!  I love them a bunch!

Lastly, June ended with our first ever Conference!  The theme was "the Reality of Christianity" -Galatians 6:9.  The teachings were great. Pastors Dave Shirley, Joe Holden, Phil Twente, and Louie Monteith were the Guests speakers.  There were a ton of guests from all over the place that flew in for it.  Eric and my parents both flew in from Cali to witness the Ordination Ceremony which took place on the 2nd day of the conference.  GOD is GOOD!

PRAYER REQUESTS:

1. Discipline in my studies.

2. Wisdom

3. safe travels-  i leave for Cali Thursday, July 9th early in the morning.

4. Paul & Heidi-  That the Lord would richly bless their marriage!

5. The Work the Lord is doing in Mallorca, Spain.

*pictures coming this week.

February Newsletter 09'

Adoniram Judson was raised in a Christian home but was converted to Deism (God created the earth and then abandoned it assuming no control over it) while at Brown University.  While on his way back from pursuing his dreams of being an actor on Broadway in NYC he stopped at an Inn.  The only problem is there were no rooms available... "not unless you want to sleep across from a dying man" the Inn keeper told him.  Adoniram told the Inn keeper that he would take the room anyway.  That night he lye there haunted by the moans and groans of the dying man.  He began to wonder if the man was ready to meet death; knowing his father (a minister) welcomed the thought.  That morning when Adoniram Judson arose the groans had stopped.  He asked the gentleman at the front desk what had happened to the man sleeping across from him?  The gentlemen informed him that he passed away that night... and that his name was Jacob Eames.  The very same man who converted Adoniram to Deism.  He then sat there for 3 hours trembling.  Trembling because the man who was so bold and sure was terrified at the thought of the afterlife!

The fear of death is very real in whatever society you find yourself living in.  Especially when there is no assurance of your eternal destination.  We all know our end will come eventually... the only question is When?  What will that moment be like for you?

"For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself." 

Philippians 3:20,21

As i stood bedside at the hospital with a dear brother and friend, Fred... these are the verses i read him.  Fred had been diagnosed with cancer and was just hours away from stepping into eternity.  His body had been reduced to what looked like skin and bones and he could no longer talk.  Yet the joy of the Lord was ever present in him! Doctors said he was in a coma and would stay that way until he breathed his last.  But that didn't stop him as Heidi read Psalm 23 to him... from pushing his sheets aside and raising his hands toward heaven in Praise and adoration for our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ!  I learned a lot from Fred in his last days here on earth.  I was able to see with my own two eyes Romans 15, 'death where is you victory?  oh, death where is your sting'? work out practically.  The peace of God that passes all understanding rested upon good ol' Fred!

But it was what Fred told me the day before that had the greatest impact on me.  Fred told me something that i will never forget.  I asked him, "If the Old Fred could go back in time and give the young Fred a piece of advice, what would it be"???  He paused, thought for a second then replied "The old Fred would tell the young Fred to have a greater hope for heaven!"  I will never forget those words.  To me it was a call to fix my eyes on Jesus and live for the next life, because that one will be a whole lot longer!  Oh, that we as Christians would be a people that are heavenly minded!  People who Treasured Christ so much so that dying would be GAIN!!! A people that realized that our true citizenship is in Heaven...not in America, the UK, Spain or anywhere else for that matter.  A longing for heaven, that we might be present with our Savior and King.

On a much lighter note, a new Bible College Semester has gone underway!  The new students arrived excited and ready to meet with Jesus!  It was truly a blessed first month!  It's always such a blessing to make new friends from all over the world.

PRAYER REQUESTS:

1. my teaching: Philippians (Bible College); Galatians (Home Group); & Mark (Youth Group)

2. practical ministry: for Wisdom.

NEWSLETTER September-January...

To cover 5 months in one newsletter without creating a novel is not possible for me...so i'll just touch on some of the highlights!... Outreach, Home Group, Bible college, Men's Breakfast...

Outreach: 

Calvary Chapel Montebello sent a team lead by Abel out with the Guetierez Brothers (band) to do outreach on the island!  It was such a blessing to have them come along side the work being done here and reach people for Christ!  They did skateboard ministry, a Youth Carnival, street witnessing and much more.  

A new Spanish website was created just before they're arrival along with business card tracts with the web address on them to pass out. The website is full of answers to life's tough questions.  i was blessed enough to have the opportunity to write 3 of the articles!

Here's the website:  www.laverdadenamor.com (the truth in love)

Home Group:

The Lord has opened up an exciting door for me to teach a home group in a neighboring city (Pegera), at the home of David and Peggy!  Pastor Rafael had been asking me to pray about doing one and when the opportunity presented itself, everything fell together perfectly. :) 

We are currently studying trough the letter to the Galatians.

Bible College:

The beginning and end of another great semester has come and gone!  As always, it was a great privilege to have befriended a whole new group of brothers and sisters from all over the world.  I was extremely blessed to have taught through 1 & 2 Thessalonians and am that much more excited about the return of Christ!  We only had one student who graduated, Solomon Padilla, who had been with us for his final two semesters.  He went back to Colorado to serve at his home church and pursue graphic design.

We also had another couple Jeff & Bonnie Johnson who came and served with us for a semester, now heading off to serve at a Bible School in Uganda, Africa!  I pray that the Lord does exceedingly and abundantly more than they could have ever imagined Him doing with them!

LASTLY...in order to keep this short and sweet...

Men's Breakfast:

January 24th, 2009...Santa Ponsa Community Church had it's first Men's breakfast!  As Pastor Raf has pointed out, we (the men) are always years behind the women of the church in everything...they've had women's outings, Women's Breakfasts, Women's retreats...we're still working on that. :)

The breakfast went AMAZING!  Raf gave an incredible message touching on the life of Peter and how God's not done with us.  That the Lord will complete the work which He has begun and that we must come to Him with surrendered hearts and lives!...After worship and the Word we indulged in Breakfast Burritos!  90% of the men had never had one so it was a laugh just watching them try to make it!  It was a blessed time with the men of the church and there will be many more to come!

Prayer Requests:

1.   Please Pray for the Bible studies i'm teaching (Philippians, Galatians, Mark).

Philippians (Wednesdays)

Galatians (Thursdays)

Gospel of Mark (Saturdays)

2.  Roots- 8-13 year old youth group i lead on Saturdays.

3.  Wisdom in all that i'm in charge of and oversea.

THANKS SO MUCH!!! LOVE YOU ALL!!!

August Pictures!

AUGUST NEWSLETTER

While Jesus was facing a great multitude of hungry people He asked his disciples to feed them. Philip answered Jesus and said (paraphrasing), 'even if we had a bunch of money we still couldn't feed a crowd of people this big.'  Peter then says, "There is a lad here who has 5 barley loaves and 2 small fish, but what are they among so many?"  Then Jesus tells them to have this group of 5,000 men (not including women and children), to sit down.  And what happens next is a miracle (but what's that to God?).  "Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted." -John 6:1-14 

Sunday, August 24, i was asked to teach at the Church while Pastor Rafael was away.  I felt a whole lot like Philip and Peter did in the account recorded in John 6.  It was time to preach and i felt like my notes that i had spent so much time on were not enough.  I didn't have what it would take to feed the congregation with the Word of God.  To say i was nervous is a gross understatement...but the time came...announcements were over...the last worship song was sung...and i made a B-line for the back door...haha, Just kidding. Truth is, the peace that passes all understanding came over me as i headed to the pulpit and the Lord did His thing.  Jesus only had 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish and He fed over 5,000.  I don't know that i even had the equivalent of that to give.  The Lord takes what little we have to offer and He multiplies it beyond what we could think or ask.  I preached a message on the Cross (Gal. 6:14) and was both pleasantly surprised and in awe of how the Lord moved on the hearts of so many.  A young woman named Christina approached me after and explained to me that she had been contemplating a relationship with the Lord for over a month.  She said that the message spoke to her heart and that she wanted Jesus!  I had the privilege of then leading her in a prayer to except Jesus Christ as her personal Lord and Savior!  There's no greater joy than introducing someone to the King of Kings!  The ladies of the church had done an incredible job planting seeds and watering and are continually pouring into Christina's life.

God Corner 08'

The end of the month of August brought about an amazing opportunity to take part in an outreach at the Noting Hill Carnival in London, England.  The name of the outreach is God Corner and it's put on by some good friends whom also are the Pastor's of Calvary Chapel South London.  It's an annual event with live music, where Tons of gospel tracks are passed out, and the gospel is preached ALL day until late at night for 2 days.  It's a huge carnival where most who receive tracks just stick them in their pocket and keep walking.  It was like throwing seeds (so to speak) all over the place and praying that they would take root in the lives of all who received.  A good friend Daniel Fox and i were able to spend some personal time ministering to a man who was seeking God.  We were blessed to get to pray for him and encourage him to seek Jesus and begin going to church. Then i had a day of down time to spend fellowshiping and catching up with the brothers and sisters in the Lord.  It's always a refreshing blessing to visit the church in London.  The Love and generosity shown to me is indescribable.  CCSL, Love you guys!  See you in November!

Side notes

September is the start of another new semester!  There's a lot of excitement for all the new students.  Things are about to get twice as busy...also my birthday was this month :)

Thanks so much for taking the time to read my newsletters! Love you all!

Colosians 3:3

Prayer Requests: 

1.  Christina's new found relationship with the Lord.

2.  God Corner 08'- that the Lord would cause great increase in the lives of all who heard the gospel message.

3.  The new semester-  that the Lord would keep me diligent in my studies and responsibilities.

4.  Wisdom.

July Youth Re-Treat.