Here are my teaching notes that I will share at our Leader’s Small Group that we recently started at our house. I feel that this is a message that all of us need to be reminded of…or perhaps some need to understand for the first time. I hope that even just the notes speak truth to your heart.

Please pray for our meeting on Saturday that the leaders of our church will really understand the Gospel more, both for their own souls and for the sake of knowing how to share with others.

Where does the Gospel begin?

We often launch out with God’s love, He has a wonderful plan for your life, He wants you to be with Him forever in eternity, etc. You just have to accept Him into your heart.

But the truth is that we are not starting from the right place.

The Gospel does not start with John 3:16. Then where does it start?

Illustration – Cruise ship

The fact is that John 3:16 is indeed great news! But we can only understand the good news of the Gospel when we first understand the bad news.

We will not see the need, nor the value of putting on the life jacket unless we first realize that our boat is sinking and that we are going to drown. In the same way, the good news of the Gospel is not really seen as good until we realize that it is the only way in which we can be saved from our sins and brought near to God, that without it we are still under His wrath, we are His enemy because we are sinners and have rebelled against His holy ways, and that this will lead us to hell…eternal separation from Him. We have to see that our boat is sinking and that we are lost and without hope before we can truly appreciate the salvation that Jesus offers us.

The question then is: How do we know that our boat is sinking? And how do we convince others that their boat is sinking?

Good evangelistic question: If you were to die tonight and stand before God and He were to ask you, ‘Why should I let you into Heaven?’ What would you say?

Think about it. What would you say? (I’m a good person…I try to help people…I do good deeds often…I go to church…etc)

But the question we must ask is: Good according to who? Whose standard are we comparing ourselves to? Our neighbor who gets drunk everyday? The husband who cheats on his wife? This does not matter because we will not be judged by their standards. We are only judged by one standard…What standard are we judged by?

THE LAW OF GOD

Do we still think then that we are fairly good people? Let’s look at just a few of the 10 commandments…the standard in which God gave the people to follow so that they may be able to draw near to Him.

Thou shall not lie: Have you ever lied? What does that make you? A liar
Thou shall not steal: Have you ever taken anything that does not belong to you? Makes you a thief
Thou shall not commit adultery: Have you ever looked upon another with lust? (according to Mat. 5 Jesus said it is the same in God’s eyes as committing adultery) Makes you an adulterer.

So, by our own admission, we are liars, thieves, and adulterers…and we have only covered 3 of the 10 commandments.

So, in God’s eyes and according to His standard, do we still think that we are good people? Good enough to stand forever in the presence of a holy God?

And what does the Bible say about those who try to live by the law…those who think that their good deeds will be enough to get them into Heaven?

James 2:10 “For whoever keeps the whole law yet stumbles at just one point, is guilty of breaking all of it.”

Lev. 19:37 “And you shall observe all my statutes and all my rules and do them: I am the LORD.

Deut. 27:26 “Cursed is everyone who does not do all that is in the law…”

Have we kept the whole law? No
If we have even kept part of the law, we are still guilty of breaking all the law.

WE ARE GUILTY.

Our boat is sinking. Before we can understand and appreciate the solution, we have to realize that there is a problem.

That is why we don’t start with John 3:16…that’s the solution. We need to start with the problem, We have broken God’s holy laws. We are not good enough to do anything to make us acceptable to God. We rightly deserve to be condemned. Our boat is sinking and we are going to drown.

What was the purpose of the law in the OT? It was not to save us.

Rom. 3:20 – law won’t justify us, law shows us our sin
Gal. 3:10-11 – law puts us under a curse
Gal. 3:23 – law held us captive until faith came.
Gal. 3:24 – law was our guardian (greek – pedagogue…one who supervises and disciplines a child) until Christ came…so that we could be justified by faith.

So, we see that the purpose of the law was to imprison us…to show us that we were in desperate need of a redeemer, and to discipline and supervise us so that we would be restrained until the redeemer came…and the whole of Scripture then leads us to Christ Jesus who is the only One who can redeem us from the curse of the law.

The law is not the Gospel
The law does not contradict the Gospel
The law leads us to the Gospel.

Gal. 3:25 – “But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian”

Once we realize this, then and only then does the good news become good news. Christ is our only life jacket…our only solution to our greatest problem.

If we were on a boat that was sinking fast, and someone handed us a life jacket and hurriedly told us to put it on, we would put it on immediately realizing that this life jacket is the only thing that is going to save our lives.

And so too, when people realize that they are truly lost and hopeless to save themselves from their sin…when they realize that their own good deeds amount to nothing more than a used menstrual cloth in the eyes of God (the literal translation of Is. 64:6 “righteousness like filthy rags…”)…when we realize that our sinful condition makes us enemies of God and that we will be forever banished from His presence…then when we bring in the most amazing good news of what Christ has done for us so that we can be saved, forgiven, accepted, loved…that it is because of His righteousness that saves us…that, in Him, we will not be judged according to our own filthy righteousness, but we will be forever accepted because of what Christ has done…that is when the good news will truly be eagerly received like a life jacket given to the person who realizes that they are about to drown.

Christ indeed is our only redeemer. And we desperately needed redemption. Jehova Jireh truly is God our Provider.

Hey all,

Bendiciones a todos en el bendito nombre de Jesús!  I am so very excited to share with you this update and all that God has been doing in our midst as of recent.

As I wrote last time, we were really facing some struggle and adversity in so many ways such as: major culture shock issues, spiritual warfare, wondering what in the world we were doing in Nicaragua (true!), and really trying to learn to press in and be used by God no matter what we were feeling.

Well, since that last update, the Lord has really worked in our hearts and is teaching us so many important truths about remaining in Him no matter how difficult the situation.  You would think that I would already know such a lesson having walked through the loss of my daughter and, by His grace, steadfastly remaining in Him through it all.  But, I am a slow learner, so I guess God still has a lot more lessons to teach me.

Anyway, by His grace, we have been learning to push Read more »

Even though most of you receive my email updates, I wanted to share a little more specifics as to what has been going on with us as well as include a few pictures of my trip to El Rama.  By the way, if you are not receiving our email updates and would like to do so, please send me an email at codyandmaria2002@gmail.com and ask me to add you to our list.

We have had some hard weeks, but thanks be to God that He is seeing us through and giving us the strength to persevere.  The mission field is a battlefield…not a holiday vacation.  Whether its battling through major culture shock or battling against spiritual warfare…its still hard, but through the hardship however we see God at work in some great ways, both with regards to what He is doing in our own hearts as well as what ministry opportunities He is leading us to.

Recently I got back from a 4 day trip to a very rural part of Nicaragua called Wapí.  There, we had the opportunity to preach and teach the Word of God, both to the church as well as the community.  The church there shows a lot of outward religious expression, but very little true passion and desire to know God and grow in His grace.  So, the messages that I preached addressed issues such as religiosity and the extreme danger of it.  I also preached a message on Suffering and the Sovereignty of God because there are so many false beliefs in the church that state that Christians should not suffer…they should be healed.  So, my message on Sunday night spoke straight against such false beliefs.  Our pastor also preached a message that encouraged the church to stop focusing so much on mere outward religious expression and more on growing in our relationship with Christ.  So, it was a very powerful four days.  Below are some pics:

Leaving at 4AM for the 9 hour journey

El campo

Crazy dirt roads for the last 2 hours of the trip!

Typical food we ate each day...basic rice and beans with some sort of meat...wasn't bad

Me preaching on Saturday night

Thanks to God, many from the village came out and heard God's Word being proclaimed!

My friend Guillermo preaching in the park. God was at work and many heard the Word!

A picture at the end of our group with some of the church leaders. May God's Word achieve its intended purpose!

Acting a little crazy in Managua after the 9 hour drive back home.

It was a great trip and I pray that much fruit is born as a result of what we shared.  They have invited us to come back soon and continue to help encourage and equip the leaders of the church.

Also, my friend Guillermo, who wants to be a pastor, told me about a ministry that he just started up in his neighborhood where he is trying to reach out to the kids and teenagers by sharing God’s Word with them on a regular basis.  So, after spending the 4 days together in Wapí and talking much about the Gospel, I told him that I would like to come and help him with his ministry.  He was super excited and told me that I am most welcome to come any time.

So, yesterday I went to his house to join with him in this ministry.  We walked around his neighborhood for about 30 minutes just meeting different youth and families and inviting them to come to church with us on Sundays.  Then, we met back at his house where about 8 or 9 kids showed up.  I thought that I was just there to check things out and maybe support him in whatever way.  So, I was absolutely shocked when he tells the kids to all gather around because Cody is going to lead us in a teaching from the Bible!  Ok, I love to teach and share from God’s Word, right?  And God’s Word tells us that we must always be ready to give an answer for the hope that we have.  So, I’m ok with that…if I was speaking in English!  But, here I am totally put on the spot and these kids are now expecting me to share a teaching from God’s Word in their spanish language.  Wow!  I had no time to prepare notes…no time to even go through the Scriptures to get an idea of what I was going to share…no time to even think what I would want to say and perhaps go over in my head how I might say it in spanish.  But, there was only time for one thing…to start speaking and teaching from God’s Word.  And by His grace, that is what I did.

I shared with them about the importance of knowing God’s Word.  I challenged them that if they call themselves Christians, then it would only be right that they are learning what God’s Word says about God and about them.  I gave an example to help drive the point.  I asked them what would be the first thing that they would do if they received a new video game, but did not know yet how to play it.  They all understood that the best thing to do would be to read the directions that would tell them how to play the game so that they could get the most enjoyment out of the game.  So, I shared with them that God’s Word is the same way…it is the directions for a Christian…and it is only through knowing God’s Word in which we come to understand who God really is and what it is that He asks of us.  So, even though my spanish did not come off flawlessly, they all understood what I was saying.  I also shared with them the Scripture that says, “Your Word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path” and I expounded more on what that really means.

At the end, my friend Guillermo thanked me for sharing and then told the kids “Dale una aplausa a Cody por enseñarnos” (Give Cody a round of applause for teaching us), but just as they began to clap, I stood up and told them to stop.  I reminded them that I too am just a man who is in need of just as much grace and truth from God.  I told them that to give an applause is not what is most important to God…or to me, but rather the thing that is most important is that we put into practice the word that we just heard.  So, I think I shocked them when I completely interrupted their standard applause, but this is what needs to be done.  We need to rock the boat!  We need to boldly and truthfully (in love) speak against the mere outward religious expression that these people have grown so accustomed to.

So, not only did I interrupt their applause, but I also took it a step further. I did not just encourage them to start reading the Bible, but I challenged them and told them that I will come back next week and that we will each go around the room and share something that we read this week from God’s Word.  Each one will have the opportunity to share for a few minutes something that they will have read from God’s Word and what it means.  I’m telling you…the group was wide-eyed, but they received it.  So, for starters, we had to make sure that every kid had a Bible.  Several did not, so we gave out new Bibles to some kids and told them to start coming each week with their Bible.

Then, a girl showed up just at the very end because she had something going on after school.  Guillermo told me that this girl normally comes and is very interested.  So, rather than telling her that she missed out on what was taught, I called upon some of the other kids and asked them, “Who thinks they can share with Johanna what I just shared with you from God’s Word?”  Again, shock!  This is not something that they are used to doing.  They are used to simply going to church or Sunday School or youth group, hearing a teaching, giving an applause, and going home.  So, I really put them on the spot.  But they rose to the occasion and a few were able to articulate well to the girl what the teaching was about.  I was so happy to see that they got it!

So, I told Guillermo that I will come regularly because it is very much on my heart to teach the Word of God to these kids.  I shared some ideas of what we can do so that we are very specific in how we teach them.  He is very excited to really start a plan of teaching and discipleship.

I also spoke with my pastor about our vision for training and equipping pastors so that they are better able to shepherd and teach their own congregation.  I told him about our partnership with reaching and teaching and how I can help bring teams down on a regular basis specifically for teaching and training pastors.  He is thrilled about it.  So, we have already started to put this in motion and hope to have our first team some time later this year.  It will be a three year training program, meeting three times per year for specific biblical training.  I am excited to be a part of helping bring biblical training to many pastors here in León.

Also, I was sharing with my pastor about the need to really have the leadership team of the church better equipped so that they can better lead the people into biblical truth.  I suggested to him the idea of starting a small group specifically for the leaders of the church.  I shared with him that Maria and I could help lead it or facilitate it or whatever.  So, I’m so glad to see that he has really agreed with this idea and the first leader’s small group will be this Saturday.  Please pray that God will give guidance and direction for how this group can be led so that the leaders of the church can be fed, nurtured, and equipped for the work of the ministry.

Also, the ministry at El Anexo continues to develop with the computer classes.  We are starting to connect more with the guys on a personal level.  Both Scott and I have visited with some of the guys outside of class.  Scott took a few to lunch with him the other week just to spend some more time getting to know them.  So, we will probably launch a Bible Study with them within the next few months.  Please pray that we can reach the hearts of these guys.

Maria has been getting more and more stirred up by God to get involved with ministering to women and young girls who are caught in the very dark world of sex trafficking.  She met a woman through a connection in our church who also has a heart for this ministry, and they are getting together this Saturday to talk about ways and strategies in which they may be able to reach out to these women and bring them the hope of the Gospel.  Please pray for her.  The world of sex trafficking is very dark and I’m sure she will encounter a lot of struggles and obstacles along the way.

So, that’s some of what is going on with the ministry side of things here.  Please pray for these different things as the Lord prompts your heart.  As you can see, what is most important to us in our mission work is the proclamation of the Gospel.  Everything that we do will have that specific aim.  And not just a one time simple message, but rather continuously teaching the people what the Gospel is and how we live it out in our daily lives for the glory of God.

Please pray for us.  Pray that we can push through the opposition.  Pray that we are provided with the financial support that is needed.  Pray that the Lord opens the hearts of the people.  Pray that the Lord sends more workers into the harvest.  Pray that God gives us wisdom and discernment in these various ministries.  Pray that our marriage and family remain strengthened so that we will not give the enemy a foothold in our lives or ministry.  Thank you so much for your prayers.  Que Dios les cuide por siempre.

Here are my sermon notes from a message that I recently preached in a rural village here in Nicaragua.  I preached this at an Assemblies of God church where they often have the misguided belief that Christians should not suffer illness and that we have the authority to declare our healing in the name of Jesus and that those who are not healed simply lack faith.  So, this message confronted such false beliefs.  This is why we need to focus our attention on preaching and teaching and making disciples here in Nicaragua rather than focusing on other things.  I pray that this message also speaks truth to your own heart.

The sovereignty of God in suffering

Biggest question that the unbeliever struggles with – if there is a God, why suffering?

 Biggest question the believer struggles with – why do I suffer even though I love God?

 Without understanding God’s sovereignty, we will never understand suffering nor will we ever learn how to suffer well for the glory of God.

First – God is sovereign…which means He is in control of everything. Nothing escapes Him. There is nothing too great that He cannot have control over.

Isaiah 40:21-26 (READ)

God is in control. He is sovereign over rulers, over governments, over natural disasters, over sickness, disease, and even death. He is in control.

But so often, we complain when we are going through a difficult time…when we are in pain…when the storms of life are overtaking us…and what is the first thing that we usually cry out?

“God…where are you?” We think that because we are suffering that somehow that means that He has abandoned us.

Look at the next verse of Isaiah 40:27. (READ)

“Why do you say to me O Israel, my way is hidden from the Lord…my cause is disregarded by my God.”

In other words…”Where are you?” We do the very same thing.

Let’s admit…its hard to see God at work when we are suffering terribly, right?

But He is still there…He has promised never to leave us.

And in order to trust Him in our pain and suffering, we must first understand that He is sovereign over it. Meaning that He has complete control over it.

We are not the only ones who have a difficult time understanding the purpose of suffering.

Talk about story of Job….He was demanding to know why he was suffering…and God answers him with more questions.  God never answered Job’s questions.  He rebukes his questions.

But first He gives him a strong rebuke in Job 38:1. “Who is this who darkens my counsel with words without knowledge?”

“Now, I will ask you and you shall answer me….where were you when….(the earth was created, the stars were put in place, the seas were given its boundaries)”  In other words, God was showing Job that God is completely sovereign and should not be questioned.

Job’s response – “I have been so foolish to contend with the Almighty. I will shut my mouth and speak no more.

And we often do the same thing in our moments of suffering….we darken the counsel of God by giving words without knowledge.

But we have a much greater advantage than Job….We have the counsel of God…the Word of God. In it we learn who God is…His goodness, His love, and His sovereignty.

Isaiah 40:28-31 (READ)

Let this remind us…let us say over and over to our very own souls the same thing…”Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the creator of Heaven and earth.

O how we need to remind ourselves of this in the midst of our trial. We must remember that God is good and that He is in control of everything that we are going through.

Often, we want to fight against this. We often don’t truly believe it in our hearts and so what do we try to do? We try to do everything we can to escape from our suffering. We somehow think that God could not possibly be part of such pain that we are experiencing, so we try to run away from our pain as far as possible.

Some people run to things to distract them from their pain (television, relationships, work, etc). Some people run completely away from God because the pain is too great. And sadly, there are some in the church who have taught that any kind of suffering is not from the Lord, therefore it must be rebuked in the name of Jesus.

Somebody comes with a broken leg and is in much pain, yet the church has taught that in Christ we should be perfectly healed….yet here is a man that comes who is not healed. O he loves the Lord. He gives his very life to serve Christ and tell others about His love. What do you do? What do you say to that man?

Do you say, ” Hey brother, we just need to declare right now in the name of Jesus that this leg really is not broken. Its an apparition. It just looks broken. But we declare right now in the name of Jesus that this leg is not broken.”

But unless God performs a miracle, which He certainly can, but we cannot command Him to do so, this man walks back to his house still with a broken leg.

And there are some in the church who say, “Well, God did not heal him simply because he did not have enough faith. Because if He really loved God, he would not be suffering in this way.

But this response is not Biblical. The fact is that God allows suffering. Even to those who love Him and have all the faith in the world. The Bible is filled from beginning to end with people who loved God, yet suffered.

He is in control over our suffering. He uses our suffering to accomplish His will in our lives. He uses our suffering to sanctify us and make us more dependent upon Him.

So, instead of running away from the broken leg…instead of declaring that the leg is not really broken…instead of reasoning that the leg is not healed simply because we lack the faith….instead we should be saying,

“Lord, I know that you are good. Your Word tells me of your goodness. I know that you are sovereign and in control of everything. I know that you can heal me this very second from my broken leg if you so chose. But since you have not done that, I ask you now to show me how I may bring glory to your name through this pain that I am suffering. Teach me through my pain to trust you more. Teach me to look towards eternity more where one day I will be with you forever. “

Let me ask you a question? Which do you think takes more faith to continually glorify God? To be healed instantly of a broken leg? Or to not be healed and remain in pain for the rest of your life? Which takes more faith to praise and glorify God?

Don’t you think it would be easier to glorify God when the miracle happens in an instant? Don’t you think it would take more faith however to lift up your hands in praise and adoration to God while sitting in pain in a wheel chair for the rest of your life?

It takes a lot of faith in God’s goodness and sovereignty to go through the valley of suffering. That is why it is so important to know the character and nature of God.

Mat 10:29 (READ). His Word tells us that of the two sparrows that are sold for a penny that not one of them will fall to the ground apart from it being the will of the Father.

But that tells us something…sparrows do fall…it just tells us that God is in complete control of the falling sparrow. We don’t need to rebuke the falling sparrow…we need to embrace it and glorify God.

So, what is your falling sparrow? What is your greatest suffering? Physical illness, relationship difficulties, lack of resources. Don’t run away from these things. Don’t declare over and over in the name of Jesus that they don’t really exist….because they do! They are real. Instead, realize that God is good…that He is in control…that He has a purpose for everything…and glorify Him with your falling sparrow.

I had a fallen sparrow. (Susana)

But I had read in 1 Peter earlier that year and God taught me about suffering and His purposes before my daughter was ever sick. So, when she got sick…and even when she died, I knew and still know that God is altogether good…that He did not fail me…that it wasn’t because of a lack of faith that she wasn’t healed. He could have healed her…and I certainly prayed like crazy every day that He would. But He chose instead to call her home.

Sometimes sparrows fall.

But God is still on the throne.

He has a purpose for all that He does. He is glorified greatly when we trust Him and praise Him in the midst of our greatest sufferings.

First Peter is all about suffering…and glory. It was written during a time where the early Christians were being tortured and killed by the wicked Roman emperor. What does Peter tell them to do? You would think that Peter would write a letter to them giving them a specific plan of escape. You would think he would be saying, “Get out of there as fast as you can. Run!”

But no….He does not do anything like that.

Let’s look at 1Pet 1:3-9. (READ)

How does Peter begin this letter to a group of Christians who are being killed?

He reminds them of how awesome God is and what great promises He has given to us who trust in Him. That is why we need to really know who God is so that we can worship Him even in our sufferings.

Then he talks about their suffering. Does he attribute their suffering to the wicked Roman leaders? Does he say, “you guys are suffering because these Roman people have wicked hearts. I wish God could somehow intervene and stop the Romans, but I guess they are just too strong for Him to do anything.”

No, he reminds the believers that God is in control of their suffering…to embrace their suffering because God was allowing it so that their faith would be proved genuine and be refined as pure gold in the fire….for what end result? So that praise, glory, and honor would be given to Jesus Christ at the very end.

Talk about relationship between suffering and glory (1 Pet, 2 Cor 4, Rom

God allows suffering so that we may learn to trust Him and glorify Him and testify to the world who is watching that He is worth it all

I still don’t fully understand why He allowed my little girl to suffer and die from cancer. The only thing I do know is that we live in a fallen world because of sin…and as a result death and sickness, accidents, tragedies, poverty are part of this cursed world.

But the story does not end there. Christ came to redeem us. He has overcome the grave, therefore we who trust in Him will also rise to life…eternal life. My daughter is more alive right now than any of us here.

Christ has given us hope…but our ultimate hope and redemption is not promised here on this earth….

There will come a day when sickness, disease, tragedies, cancer, sin, and death will be completely done away with. But while we are still here on this earth…we will sometimes suffer. But God is with us. God uses our suffering. And God is glorified when we trust Him in the midst of it.

And let that be our greatest goal in life – to glorify God. Because He is worthy of all glory!

Let’s pray.

Our second week of our ministry at El Anexo went great.  This time we had two classes of 10, so there were some new people who joined the group.  The guys seem to enjoy what they are learning and so far they are doing well.  At the end of the class, we showed them a 5 minute video about domestic violence since domestic violence runs rampant all throughout Nicaragua.  It is just looked at as a common thing that a husband hits his wife regularly, and unfortunately…it is often just accepted as “the way it is.”  So, it was good to show them this video and then ask them what they thought about it.  They didn’t really say much at first.  Then Scott shared with them about the importance of taking this truth and putting it into practice.  It was great that they were able to hear another guy speak to them about the importance of showing kindness and love to the people that they love.

Then, I took the topic and pointed them to the Gospel, explaining to them that, unless God changes their  hearts, they won’t be able to stop doing these things.  I spoke about the real reason why a man would hit his wife…and that it all centers around selfishness.  The man wants what he wants, and if the woman does not comply, then he hits her.  So, I shared with them that the real problem is not the woman and how she might get on the nerves of the man, but rather the real problem is the selfish sin that lives within us which causes us to get mad when we don’t get what we want. (James 4:1-2)  And I shared that the only remedy for such a selfish sinful heart is the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I pray that the words fell on listening hearts and that the Lord opens their eyes so that they might truly see their need for Him.

Also, I went with the Youth Leader of our church to an evangelistic outreach that he recently began in a barrio in León.  There were about 15 or so youth ages 15-25 who came out.  The leader shared a quick message from the story of David and was taking about how we need to ask God to forgive us whenever we sin.  He then asked me if I wanted to add anything, so…I did.  Again, I took this as an opportunity to turn the conversation towards the Gospel and so I spoke to them about the basis of forgiveness, that we can’t just ask for forgiveness as it is just something that we always get, but that there has to be a basis upon which we can be forgiven.  So, I shared with them the fact that the basis of our forgiveness is solely on the blood of Jesus Christ and what He did for us on the cross.  It was really cool. I shared about the law and how God uses the law to show us that we can’t make it on our own, that we still lack something, that we need a redeemer.   As I was sharing, some of the family members from nearby houses came out and joined the crowd.  I could tell that what I was sharing was impacting some of the people.  I encouraged them to think about these things and that perhaps I would share more the next time. So, the next time will be tonight as the leader invited me to lead the teaching tonight.  So, I will continue to share with them the Gospel, for it is my greatest conviction that the Gospel is what God uses to open the heart.  May God be glorified.

Here are some pictures of our ministry at El Anexo and House of Hope

We had our first day of ministry at El Anexo and it went great!  There are about 20 high risk youth ranging from ages 15-25 who we are meeting with each week to teach basic computer skills.  We hope that this can serve as a bridge to get to know these guys and be able to share the message of the Gospel with them.  They really enjoyed the class and we can see that there are a handful who seemed really interested in learning.  Our first class was very basic.  We also just took some time getting to know a little about each guy and we also shared a little about ourselves.

We decided at this time to just do the computer class on Thursday rather than trying to do a computer class and a short Bible Study at the end.  I don’t want to have a Bible Study that seems more obligatory for them to be part of being the fact that they will have already been there for the computer class and so they would feel that they have to sit down for the Bible Study at the end.  That is the last thing that I wish to do.  So, our desire is just to get to know them and see if there is an open door for us to share the Gospel with them just in our relationships.  And if there seems to be an interest, then we would start up a Bible Study that would meet separate from when we do the computer class.  That way, those that come to the Bible Study would truly be those wish to know more about God.

It was great that even with our first meeting that we were able to bring up the message of Christ just through our conversations at the end.  These guys have serious issues.  Several of them have children, but are not married.  The leaders of the community tell us that these guys treat women very bad.  So, it was great on the first day that we were able to bring up the subject of marriage and share about our need for Christ in order to know how to treat our wives with love, dignity, and respect.  I only hope that these kind of conversations continue so that we can bring to these guys the truth of the Gospel.  Please pray for this ministry.  Please pray that the Lord will open the hearts of these young guys and that we will be bold to share with them the reason for the hope for which we have.

Scott, el maestro de la compu, teaching the basics

This is our classroom...how cool is that!

Enrique, the only guy with children who is actually married.

Students practicing what they learned

Basic homes in El Anexo

The Gospel is needed just as much here...

We had our pastor and his family over for dinner a few nights ago, and I learned that he used to be a semi-professional baseball player here in Nicaragua.  He is one that really has a heart to reach out wherever he goes in order to build relationships with the people and seek to share the message of Christ.  As a result, he has been the unofficial chaplain for many years for the semi-professional baseball team here in León.  He goes to the field every morning where they practice in order to build relationships with the players and managers as well as to share a devotion from the Word of God.  How cool is that!  Anyway, he invited me to join him yesterday, so I went.  It was great getting the opportunity to meet these players, coaches, and managers, and see them listening to the Word of God that the pastor shared before their practice.  After meeting several of the players and managers, they asked me if I would be the one to lead them in the devotional the following day.  Of course, I gladly accepted.  What a great opportunity to bring the Word of God to those in Nicaragua who would be deemed famous and successful.

So, I just got back from the stadium this morning where I was able to share in spanish from the Word of God a message that would both encourage and challenge them to seek Christ.  It was awesome!  Since they are just about to begin their season, I spoke about Moses when he had brought the people to the very edge of the promised land and gave them specific instruction so that they would remain successful in the land and enjoy its blessings.  I shared three things with them that Moses told the people of Israel.  1. Moses told the people to remember that it was the Lord who brought them to the promised land, they did not do it themselves.  As a matter of fact, 32 times in the Old Testament is the phrase repeated “I am the Lord who brought you out of Egypt.  So, I told the team to  remember that it was the Lord who brought them here.  They did not get here on their own.  All the abilities that they have and the success that they have had thus far is not from themselves, but rather it is the Lord who has carried each one of them.  And because of this, they should glorify God with all  that they have rather than think that it was solely themselves who accomplished these things.  2.  Moses told the people to listen…to hear the Word of the Lord and to be careful to do all that was written in it.  So, I told them that God is calling them also to listen to the Word of the Lord, to follow it, to love God with all their hearts and honor Him above all.  But I also told them that because we are sinners, we simply cannot follow the laws of God no matter how hard we try.  Then what was the purpose of the laws?  To show us that we were helpless and were in need of someone to redeem us.  And this is how I shared the message of Christ with them.  I told them that all of the Word of God points to our need for a redeemer and God sent us such a redeemer whose name is Jesus.  And I encouraged them to surrender their hearts to Christ and to seek Him above all things. 3.  Moses gave the people the choice.  He set before them life or death, blessing or curse, and asked them to choose life.  So, I also shared with them that God has showed us the way…and that is through Christ.  Through Him we have the promise of eternal life, but if we reject the way of God and seek to make our own way, we are left only with the fearful judgment and wrath of God.  And I encouraged them to choose life…to yield their hearts to Christ who gives eternal life.

That was the message that I shared.  I praise God for the opportunity to bring God’s Word to many different people in many different places…today just happened to be in the stadium with the professional baseball team of León gathered around second base.  May God’s Word bring forth fruit for His glory.

...as here

Last night, it happened to be in a completely different location with a completely different group of people.  I visited a home group through our church.  It was more like an evangelistic Bible study, but it was cool.  When I say “home group”, don’t think of a home with nice walls, sofas, fireplace, table for refreshments and snacks.  No, think more like four big pieces of corrugated tin and a roof…think of dirt floor…think of no running water…think of 10 plastic chairs in a circle on the dirt…think of mothers nursing babies…think of dogs roaming in and out…and now you have a good picture of the home group.  haha.  It was great.  I had the opportunity to share also from God’s Word some about the topic of faith that we were discussing.  I also played a song in spanish for them on the guitar.  It was cool.

I’m taking these next few weeks to check out all the ministries in the church just to get a better idea as to what the church is doing and how we might help serve in various areas.  Maria is talking with the pastor’s wife (Maria) about starting up a new believers discipleship group.  I also have hung out with the pastor a few days and have just been talking with him about various ideas.  He is excited to hear what I have been saying and the observations that I have made and he wants to discuss some further ministry ideas.  So, please keep all that in prayer.

Also, today Scott and I are beginning our computer training/Bible study ministry in this very poor barrio called El Anexo.  I’m looking forward to meeting these youth and trying to connect with them in hopes of bringing them the message of Christ.

Thanks so much for all your prayers.

On my way to preach my first spanish sermon...un poquito nervioso

Last Saturday night I preached in Spanish for the first time ever!  It was such a wonderful milestone for me.  I was so excited afterwards.  I mean, I did not read my sermon notes in spanish and every once in a while look up.  No, I preached a message from the Bible all in Spanish.  I maybe just looked down at my notes once or twice the entire time.  It was great.  I spoke at a church youth meeting at a church in Managua that a friend of mine invited me to.  I spoke for about 45 minutes.  I still can hardly believe that I did it.  I mean, I know I said some words wrong, but I didn’t have any long pauses.  I didn’t get stuck in the middle of a sentence.  I was able to articulate truth from God’s Word and that is what it is all about.  There were about 35 youth and young adults who were there.

I spoke about what it means to say that “God is faithful”…the idea that God is indeed faithful, but faithfulness has to be according to something.  I used the illustration of marriage and how faithfulness is determined in marriage in accordance with the vows and the covenant that was made before God and before witnesses.  These vows serve as the parameters for knowing how we are to remain in faithfulness and thereby remain under the blessings and promises that a marriage brings.  That in the same way, God is faithful according to His Word, and His Word is what serves as the parameters for us to know how to remain in His faithfulness and thereby receive the blessings of that faithfulness.  I shared that we as Christians can only “claim” those things which are found promised in His Word, and nothing else.  The prosperity gospel(name it and claim it) is pretty rampant here in Nicaragua, so I know that what I was saying was a direct attack against such heresy, and all I did was use Scripture to back up everything that I said.

As often has been the case, once again what I have learned about God, faith, hope, truth, etc from the Lord calling Susana home to Heaven was used in my sermon to communicate Biblical truth.  I shared about how when Susana was sick with cancer that we heard from several people telling us that we simply had to lay our hands on Susana and declare that she was healed in the name of Jesus.  I shared with them that within the parameters of God’s faithfulness to His Word, that He nowhere gives the believer the promise that their children or loved ones are never going to die early.  On the contrary, He shows us according to His faithful parameters that this world is under a curse because of sin, and with that curse comes all sorts of disease, suffering, and death, including children’s cancer.  But that within the parameters of His Word we are also told of Christ our Redeemer who has come to free us from the curse that leads to eternal death.  His redemption is for our eternal souls and our new glorified body that we will one day receive, but not for our corrupted bodies here on this earth.  Because this is given in His Word as His parameters, I have no right to “claim” physical healing on my sick child.  I can ask God to heal.  I can beg God.  I can pray morning, noon, and night, but I don’t have any Scriptural basis to “claim” her healing.  But what I do have Scriptural basis to “claim” is the fact that she is in Heaven with Jesus.  I can “claim” the promise that those who have trusted in Christ alone will not die, but have eternal life.  These are things that I can “claim” with joy because these are within the parameters of what God has set in His Word.  God is faithful.  And His faithfulness is unending…but His faithfulness has been set by parameters according to His Word.  And we cannot just claim anything simply because we are Christians.

Anyway, that’s what I shared about.  I had some good feedback afterwards and the youth leader shared that what I spoke about really spoke to his heart and helped him understand a better context for his own suffering. I thank the Lord that I was able to glorify God through sharing about Susana and the promises of resurrected life and hope in Christ that we can “claim”. And I use that word “claim”  lightly because the truth is that it is all a total gift of grace, but nonetheless we can be sure because His Word has given us such a sure promise.  So, praise God that He is still using Susana to make an impact for His glory.  Not that the whole message was about Susana (just my last closing example), but praise God that He uses all things for His glory.

Then, yesterday I met with a pastor who I have been getting to know.  I heard him speak a message on Sunday and he said some things that seemed contrary to Scripture concerning the idea of being able to lose your salvation (another big belief in many of the churches here in Nicaragua).  So, I met with him and had a three hour theology discussion on his front porch…all in spanish.  It was awesome.  I was able to show him so many places in Scripture that give indication that a person that is truly saved and regenerated cannot ever “lose” their salvation.  The Scripture references that he was giving me I was able to show him how these simply indicated that the person who did not “guard” their salvation and did not “remain” or “persevere” does not mean that they lost their salvation, but rather it is an indication that they were never truly saved to begin with.  It was awesome.  Every Scripture that he mentioned, I was able to show him the context of the Scripture and explain, using other Scriptures, how it did not signify that a person could be saved and then lose their salvation.  We had a great time talking about it, and he told me that what I said made a lot of sense and that he was going to really think about it and study it some more.  So, praise God for the opportunity to share the Word of God and try to bring clearer understanding of the truth that He has revealed to us.

I only hope that opportunities to teach, preach, and share on front porches continues to grow.  Please keep us in your prayers.

That is what would describe the recent 2 day Timothy Leadership Training that took place at the Nehemiah Center on January 24^th and 25^th. The topic of this module was “Biblical Preaching”. How amazing it was for several pastors and leaders from León, Chinandega, and Managua to learn more effective methods for preaching and teaching. The scripture that seemed to become the theme for the training is that of 2Tim 3:16 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” The two days were spent in the pages of Scripture, seeking to know more of God’s Word and how we are to utilize it so that we can be more effective in the ministry that He has called us to.

The training included such topics as: “How to correctly choose and use a text for Biblical preaching”, “How to point people towards Jesus and the message of salvation with the text that you are using”, and “How to preach with the intention of seeing results in the people who hear.” The training not only included teaching from different facilitators,  but also involved much discussion among the participants, as well as a time to implement what was being taught. Pastors worked together in choosing a text from the Bible to create a “vertical sermon” (one that points directly to the message of the Gospel) and presented this to their peers. They also put together a plan of action for the next 4 months so that they can implement what they have learned. The plans of action were taped on the wall for all to see, and at the end we all gathered up front to pray for the plans and commit them to the Lord. It was a very special time. Many of them have plans to share this training with their core leadership so that it can be reproduced in their own congregations.

These pastors were taught, encouraged, challenged, and renewed during our time together. They are hungry to know more so that they can be more effective in reaching their people with the saving message of Jesus Christ. I was blessed to spend time together with them, getting to know them, and hearing their heart for the Lord. I gave some of them a ride back home from Managua, including Pastor Erasmo who came with me to the training.  He has recently planted a church in an area called Telica, next to León, and I have been getting to know him some, so I invited him to the training.  Anyway, on the way back home from Managua, i just had a good time to get to know the heart of the pastors more.  I asked them what were some of the main issues that they were being faced with in their churches.  I also asked them what they thought was the most important characteristic that a pastor should have.  It was great hearing their hearts.

I also discussed with them my desire of providing more Biblical training resources for them so that they can be more effective in reaching their people.  They are very interested in pursuing this further.  During the training, I had shared with them even just some spanish websites that provide great Biblical resources.  Even with this alone they were very excited and thankful.  So, one of the pastors, who is the head of his group of churches told me that he plan to invite me to his next leader’s meeting with all of the churches so that I can share with them ways in which I may be able to provide further Biblical training.  So, please keep these things in prayer.

Please also pray for me as I myself am still being equipped through my on-line seminary courses that I am taking.  Pray also as I am thinking through and trying to put together a plan for Biblical training for pastors and leaders as well as a plan for basic discipleship for others who want to have a better understanding of faith in Christ.  Please continue to pray also for further language acquisition so that I may be able to clearly articulate the truth from God’s Word.  Thanks so much.

Digging for treasure in God's Word

Putting it into practice

Sharing how the story of Joseph points us towards Christ

The pastors and leaders who were part of Timothy Leadership Training

What will it take for us to wake up and see what is going on with the world?  Can’t we see a pattern that has been around for the longest time?  Tragedy hits…we mourn for a very short time…then we throw blame in any direction that will help us intellectually understand why the tragedy occurred…then we start spinning our wheels and spending millions of dollars on working towards a “real” and “lasting” change so that this type of tragedy never occurs again…we rally…we lobby…we convince the world and ourselves that there really is “good” in every human heart.  We get our new laws passed.  We get new grant money for new systems of care.  And once again, we proclaim ourselves as victors with the mindset that we, as good and capable human beings, have yet again conquered and solved our problem so that we can progress forward without the help of anyone, but ourselves.

We refuse to let the thought of  “perhaps God is trying to show us something” enter our minds.  The only thought we attach to God is “if there even is a God, then He must be some sort of sick being to allow these things to happen.”  And since we can’t imagine such a being, because after all, we’re all “really good” people on the inside, we easily dismiss and reject the idea that there is a God who may be orchestrating and using circumstances beyond our control.  So, with no thought of God and the possibility of accountability to His greater moral ways, we march on to our own victory and pat ourselves on the back when we see our new laws passed and our new grant money hard at work bringing “change.”   Then, what happens?  Another tragedy strikes…we mourn the allotted time and no more than that because we can’t waste time getting a new plan of action put into effect…we cast the blame…and the whole cycle repeats itself all over again.  Sounds pretty insane if you ask me.

And if we really took a good, inward, and honest look at ourselves and humanity, can we really say that we are marching forward towards victory?  Has the murder rate significantly decreased over the last 100 years?  Has the suicide rate decreased?  Has the drug and alcohol abuse decreased?  Has the violent crime rate decreased?  Has the political scandal rate decreased?  Has the poverty rate decreased?  Has the divorce rate decreased?  Are we so dull of hearing to continue to force ourselves to believe that we really do have the right formula for change, but we still just need some time to see results?

You know what I think?  I’ll bet you do.  I think that any “formula” for change that has completely rejected God from the picture is a formula that is destined for a repeated cycle of failure upon failure.  I think we are lying to ourselves and to one another saying that things really are getting better.  I think we are like ostriches with our heads in the sand while the world is deteriorating all around us.  I think that God has allowed these things simply because He loves us and wants us to wake up from our slumber and see that we are going completely in the wrong direction.  And that we will be doomed to utter destruction if we don’t wake up and turn to Him.

Our formula says, “We can do it.  We don’t need God.  There is goodness in every human being.  We don’t need a higher moral code to answer to.  We don’t need to be accountable to anybody, but ourselves.  ‘To thine own self be true’, says one of our poets.  We will succeed and make the world a better place.”

God’s formula says, “You cannot do it because your hearts have become darkened and wicked because of your own selfish pursuits.  Instead of looking to me, you have turned away and have only looked to yourself.  You need me for life.  I am the vine, and without you connected to me, you will surely die.  There is no internal goodness in anybody because of sin.  The only goodness that you will find in the human heart is a goodness that was put there by me.  But if you do not acknowledge me and turn towards me for life, I will continue to let you slip further and further into destruction until you are all utterly destroyed.  Because of your darkened selfish hearts, you don’t have a moral code in which you can truly live by.  That is why everybody is doing ‘right’ in their own eyes and you are all destroying one another and yourselves.  You will not succeed without me.  You will fail.  You don’t need new laws passed by your government…you need a new law in your heart that will govern you from within.  And I am the One who can put that new law in your heart.  But you need to repent (turn away) from your sin, confess that you have done evil, and then return to me.  I have made a way for you through my son Jesus.  Repent and turn to me.  I have promised that to those who do so will receive a new heart and a new law to govern that heart.  Without me it is hopeless.  Stop trying to do things apart from me…it just won’t work!”

Yes, that is what I believe God is trying to say to us.  His prescription for the world is perfect.  But it is certainly different from our prescription.  If we will turn to Him and seek His ways, He will heal our land.  But even more so, He will give us passage into the promised land, which is Heaven and then the New Earth where we will live with Him and all the saints for eternity.  Please open your eyes and see that the Lord’s plan is good.  Our plan stinks.  We can’t get it together.  We continue to fail.  And the only dumb thing that we are able to do with our intellectual processing is to cast blame on something or someone that caused the system to fail.  Wake up!  We are to blame!  Nobody else.  We have rejected God’s ways and have sought our own ways, and now we have nobody to blame but ourselves.

Hasn’t this been happening since the beginning of time.  God gives a prescription for good that has a promise that will bring life.  Man instead chooses to reject God’s plan and as a result brings tragedy, suffering, and death.

Adam and Eve were given the promise of life as long as they followed the ways of God.  They rejected it and as a result death and sin comes into the world.  The people of Noah’s day are living for themselves and doing as they please without any thought of God (sounds like us today) and what happens?  God sends a flood to destroy them all except for Noah and his family.  God tells the new human race to spread out over all the earth and repopulate, but what happens?  Man decides to reject that plan and seeks to congregate in one area and build their own tower that will reach the heavens.  So, what happens, God sends utter confusion among them so that their plans fail and they end up being scattered.  Israel is brought into the promised land with the promised blessing if they continue to seek the Lord.  What happens?  Israel starts worshiping other pagan gods and idols, and so what happens?  God raises up nations to invade Israel (God’s beloved), destroy their land (God’s promised possession), and carry them off into their own countries (enemies of God)  But why did God do this?  And yes, God is the One who did it.  So that Israel (God’s beloved people) would open up their blind eyes and recognize their sin and would repent and turn back to God.

Has God changed His ways since then?  No.  So, is it possible that God could be allowing enemies to strike us and spoil our good plans in our good land, but for the purpose that we would wake up and see our need for Him?  Absolutely.

Hasn’t their been a pattern since the beginning of the world of man trying to do it his own way, yet God causing man’s plans to utterly fail?  We see it all throughout the Bible, but then, as my friend who studies world history pointed out, this has been happening all throughout history.

I think of the latest tragedy that received national attention and is now the big buzz in politics…the shooting in Newtown, CT.  That hits home because I am from Connecticut and have driven many times through Sandy Hook.  But what happened there and the results is the same thing that has been happening forever.  Contrary to popular belief that there is decent goodness inside all of us, this young guy with a darkened heart walks into a school and kills all these children and some teachers and then kills himself.  And we put it all over the news for its short life as the nation “grieves”, but then immediately the cycle begins.  Because we still refuse to look to God and ask Him what it is that He wants us to do, or learn, or see as a result of this, instead we are off to the races casting blame so that we in our tiny little brains can make some intellectual sense as to why this happened, and then we jump right in to our self-created plan that will bring about the necessary change and reform that is needed for humanity to march on victoriously.

So, once again, we have passed over the issues of God, morality, sin, evil, etc.  We have not learned to ask the right questions.  We have not even grieved enough, not just with and for the victims of such a wicked act, but for the fact of wickedness alone.  We have not allowed God to show us the abhorrence of evil, the effects of a sin stained world, and how we ourselves, if we are not turning towards God and seeking Him, are no better off than those who commit such atrocities.  If we would open our hearts to God and ask Him to show us what is there and what it is that He wants of us, then perhaps our grief would run much deeper…perhaps it would lead to our own repentance and real true “change” for the good of not just humanity, but for God’s eternal kingdom.

But instead of taking the time to rend our hearts open before the Lord, we throw blame everywhere else.  And we storm the grounds of Washington D.C. and convince the powers at be that the solution to such wicked acts is gun control…its all about gun control.  Oh, how blind we still are.  Gun control is the furthest thing from the solution of preventing evil murderous acts.  Don’t get me wrong, I am not making any comment whatsoever about the issues and laws of gun control, but I’m just saying that to think that better gun control laws are going to aid in stopping such wicked acts just proves how blind we are.  Wickedness is a heart issue, not a political one.  To see humanity progress requires one thing, my friends…and God spoke it so well and clear so long ago:  “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (2 Chron. 7:14)

May the Lord open up our eyes to see this truth…  – Cody