Jesus is the Way!

Yesterday I had the opportunity to go with my new friend, Veronica, to visit her cousin overnight. Her cousin has just moved to Mexico City and was lonely because her husband was away all day while she was stuck in the apartment all by herself with two kids under the age of 2.

I agreed to go with Veronica, because I saw it as an opportunity to see more of the city as well as have some time hanging out with and getting to know my new friend. I didn't realize that I would be thanking God for being who He is, and allowing us the opportunity to be in a personal relationship with Him.

Veronica did not tell me before we left that her cousin and family were mormon. When she told me, I did not think much of it. I have friends who are mormon, and I like them, and what they believe does not really ever come up, so it really has never been much of an issue with me. We had a good time, but after yesterday and today, I am so thankful for what a wonderful God we serve.

God allows us to have a relationship with Him, our salvation is not based on works. There is nothing secretive or demanding about our faith. As we grow in our relationship with God, our love for Him grows and He shows us what to do and how to follow Him. We have leaders who help guide us and support us, but they do not tell us what to do based on some secret message or inspiration they recieved. Anything that is told to us is Biblically based, and we can read it and have God tell us Himself if it is right and we should do it. God is our authority, and He is who we follow.

I thank and praise God that He has allowed us this freedom to search and know Him, personally. That we are saved through faith, not by works. We are forgiven through Christ. He is the only way - but He is also the best way.

On a Mission

This summer, at my home church, I participated in the VBS program, "Sonforce Kids". The theme was we are agents for God and we are on a mission. I agreed with the idea, and thought it was cool but it did not really strike home until this evening. I have been reading through C.S. Lewis' "Mere Christianity", and several things he said are so amazingly true. One thing in particular has to do with this agent idea. Here is his quote because there is no way I can say it better than he does.

"Enemy occupied territory - that is what this world is. Christianity is the story of how the rightful king has landed, you might say landed in disquise, and is calling us all to take part in a great campaign of sabotage. When you go to church you are really listening in to the secret wireless from our friends: that is why the enemy is so anxious to prevent us from going."

How neat is that?! Scary, yes! Any war is, but that is what we are in, a spiritual war. Satan is trying to keep hold of this world and its people. God is trying to win it back. We are His agents and when needed, His soldiers. We meet together and are strengthened by fellowship with other believers, and are taught how to live, and then we go out.

The Free Methodist theme is One more soul. We are going out, reaching one more soul for Christ as we spread the good news, and as we do we gain more ground. We are winning! Satan may try to discourage us convince us that it is a losing battle, and that we should give up - but the war is already won! Isn't it great to be on the winning side?

God Answers Prayer!

God is amazing! He is so good to us, and it is wonderful to know that He listens and answers us when we pray. Last Friday I was praying that during my time here God would show Himself and how He was working in people's lives here in Mexico City. I was praying generally for the whole year, and I did not expect Him to show me so quickly. The following day, I had an opportunity to talk with a young lady who goes to the church, and she told me her testimony.

Two years ago she was hospitalized, she thinks that it started out as depression but it resulted in her being physically ill. She was in considerable pain all the time. The doctors prescribed many different medications and she became very dependant on them. Finally, the doctors perscribed morphine for the pain. It reacted with the other medications she was taking and she was unconscious for a few days, and when she woke up she had lost some of her memory. It also apparently led to some other mental imbalances. One day a lady from the church came to her and her family and said that they were depending on doctors and medicines to help her, but God was the one who was going to cure her. They prayed over her, and she was healed. She was able to get off the medications, her pain was gone, and she was mentally stable. She is still recovering her memory, but she praises God for healing her, and has learned to depend on Him in a way she never has before.

Isn't God amazing? Not only in answering my prayer the very next day, but also in how He works. I praise God for this young lady and for the work He is doing in many other people's lives around the world.