Congratulations Iglesia Bautista De Valle

We made it home! What a great trip to Juarez City in Mexico. The team from HBF did a great job of pouring concrete and assisting in outreach to the neighborhood near the church. Pastor Manuel and Martha were gracious hosts as always. By God's grace there were no killings during our stay in Juarez.

It was my great pleasure to preach to 15th anniversary celebration and teach the men of Iglesia Bauptista De Valle in a special evening service at a restaurant near our hotel. IBV is our sister church that twice as old as we are. I enjoyed the music, the food and the consecration of this key church in a key city. It is a new dawn in the heart of Juarez. The brothers and sisters in Manuel's church are trusting God to provide an oasis in the midst of a desert of hope. By God's grace He will continue to give them the fortitude to stand during the evil day that is facing Juarez and Mexico.

One of the themes you see all over Juarez is Amor por Juarez, meaning, Love For Juarez. It really made me think about about how much God loves that city and the people in it. On the mountainside on the south west part of the city is a message to everyone with sight to read the bible and find truth. I am convinced that the one of the best places on the planet right now to preach Jesus is Juarez Mexico. The hope and peace the citizens of Juarez are looking for is found in the scripture and reflected in the city's center at Iglesia Bautista De Valle.

My prayers and thanks go out to my Lord, our crew and the warm loving church family in Juarez. If the Lord tarries I am looking forward to what the Lord will do in the next 15 years.

The Deadly 'C' Word

Randy Foster sent me this article written by Sarah Pollak of CBN. As we study the persecution of the first of the church on Wednesday evenings all we have to do is look on the fields and we will see the same persecution in the last century before Christ returns for his bride.

The Deadly "C" Word by Sarah Pollak

Earlier this week, we carried a report about seven Somalis beheaded by Islamists with links to Al-Qaeda in Baidoa, Somalia. The murderers accused the seven of everything from being "spies" to leaving Islam to become "Christians." I do not know whether these victims were indeed Christians or not. It's very hard to confirm. The families are probably not volunteering that information for fear they, too, may be killed. What we do know is that, according to Open Doors, there are only 4,000 Christians in the predominantly Muslim country of more than 10 million. And Somalia is ranked fifth in the world by the organization for persecution against believers.

"Christian" = Criminal

Unfortunately, calling someone a Christian has become the "accusation du juor" that leads to persecution and death in many Muslim countries-whether or not the accused is indeed a Christian. It seems the term has become an easy way to make sure someone is convicted. It's kind of like a reverse of the American "Salem Witch Trials" in the late 1600s. When many good and honest people were accused of being witches and killed by hanging. The mere accusation often led to death.

"They even called me a 'Christian!"
When I was in the Dadaab refugee camp on the border between Somalia and Kenya, I interviewed a young Somali girl regarding the awful practice of female genital mutilation (FGM). Her father, a devout Muslim holy man (imam), stood up in his mosque to denounce the practice. He refused to let his daughters be mutilated.
As I talked with the beautiful young refugee, she said she had been beaten and called vicious names, because of her father's unpopular stand against FGM.

"They even called me a Christian," the Muslim girl said with eyes downcast.Even though this girl's family is obviously Muslim, the easiest way to persecute them without just cause is to call them Christians.

Radical Islam
To be fair, those that beheaded the seven in Somalia do not represent the majority of Muslims. Most of the Muslims living in the neighboring countries of Kenya, Ethiopia and Sudan are followers of Sufi Islam, a more contemplative "denomination," if you will. The brand of radicals that killed these Somalis come straight from Saudi Arabia. Hard-liners that believe those who disagree with their point of view are worthy of death.

"To live is Christ, to die is gain."
Early believers were ripped to shreds by lions and persecuted beyond imagining simply because they were called "Christians." And Acts 11:26 says the term "Christian" was first used by believers in Antioch. For more than two thousand years, people have lived and died for being associated with the label.Murdering people, Christian or Muslim, is against everything Scripture dictates. Persecution of any kind is wrong. We are told to treat others the way we want to be treated, regardless of their race, gender or creed.However, if someone must die for being a "Christian," at least let it be one who believes in Christ. One who has promise of a better life; for whom death is considered "gain."

Philippians 1:27-30
Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; 28 And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God. 29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; 30 Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.

God is Powerful

Romans 1:16
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

We had another great night at VBS! We talked about how powerful God is! He is powerful enough to save us from the world, flesh and the devil! He is powerful enough to keep us for eternity! Like Doug Pearson says, "If we are saved, we don't have problems".

Doug Pearson concluded our time by teaching us about God's favorite number, seven. He revealed this truth from both scripture and creation! It was a great time! I'm looking forward to tonight!

Fear Not! VBS 2009

Luke 12:7
But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

Tonight was a great night at HBF! We kicked off our 2009 VBS with plenty of guests and a lot of fun. I want to throw a shout out to all the folks who decorated, set up, prepped food, filled in, signed up, cleaned up, whew! I'm getting tired thinking about it. The thing I love about this ministry is the unity and common purpose it brings to our body! It is biblical and electric because God loves it when we feed the lambs.

The week is young, but it will fly by and be a memory soon enough. Pray with me for both the children, the parents and the workers. This is serious ministry and God is already at work in the lives of both young and old. I look forward to tomorrow night!

2 Timothy 1:7
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Scientific Proof

Today I received this very enlightening email from our Gene Purtle, our minister to the jails and prisons of Missouri. Gene must have come across this information while researching for a sermon. This is very heady stuff but I think you can digest it.

Archaeology:

After having dug to a depth of 10 feet last year, New York scientists found traces of copper wire dating back 100 years and came to the conclusion, that their ancestors already had a telephone network more than 100 years ago.

Not to be outdone by the New Yorkers, in the weeks that followed, a California archaeologist dug to a depth of 20 feet, and shortly after, a story in the LA Times read: 'California archaeologists, finding traces of 200 year old copper wire, have concluded that their ancestors already had an advanced high-tech communications network a hundred years earlier than the New Yorkers.'

One week later, The Kansas City Star, a local newspaper in K.C.,Mo, reported the following: After digging as deep as 30 feet in his pasture near Harrisonville, Mo, Bubba Brown, a self-taught archaeologist, reported that he found absolutely nothing. Bubba has therefore concluded that 300 years ago, Mo. had already gone wireless.

I don't care who you are, that's funny. Have a great day, Jesus is coming soon!