Finding Peace…

We find peace that we are free to serve the Lord without the looming weight of our iniquities. We rejoice and praise God’s name, for he put his apostle as a watchtower against the menacing threat to our joy and happiness. His love and worry for his people was expressed in one of his letters, "I shudder when I see the weapons that the enemy will use to steal our spiritual fervor.”

We were reminded of the promise we made in order to achieve pardon: we will not return to sin. Now we are back in our homes and feel the distance that separates us from the spiritual place we were united on the 14th of August. How will we find the strength and comfort we felt when we were by his side during the Holy Supper? The testimonies of brothers and sisters who have seen him through visions that God allowed them to see are living proof that he is not far. May his wishes be fulfilled and may our spirit see him through the letters that he writes to us. May this year be a prosperous year and that we don’t forget that being nearer to him means finding comfort and answers to our tribulations.

Architects of Our Destiny…

A tiring journey ends and we find ourselves reconciled with the spirit of the Lord. It seemed almost impossible because of the times and danger that surrounded us. The circumstances were not on our side, but with faith, we held on to the prayer of God’s apostle. The prayer lead us through the dangers of traveling and permitted us to arrive to the city of God, where our souls found a spiritual oasis as Israel did when they arrived at Elim (Exodus 15:27). We prepared ourselves to sit at the table of the Lord, where we feared rejection because of our sins. The prayer of the Apostle was successful, his words demanded our pardon and here we stand, free! The wrong doings that deprived us of good are gone (Jeremiah 5:25).

Now we find ourselves writing a new chapter in our lives, what will it read? How will we start off this spiritual new year? As the architects of our own destiny, God has given us the freedom to choose, the freedom to decide. Jacob recognized in Genesis 28:20 that it was God who protected him throughout his journey, and with that recognition came gratitude. Jacob gave his tithes as a show of gratitude. What example will we follow? The Lord has continued to protect us and now is our chance to show him that we are thankful.

God Will Provide…

It was noon when hundreds of brothers and sisters from all around the world reunited to hear the word of God. We rejoiced as we worshipped God in a common language, English. The majority of those who came together had arrived from the United states, Australia, England, India, and many other countries where English is their primary language. The diverse group we saw was a mere completion of the promise that all nations, tribes, people, and languages would come together to praise the Lord. The spirit of God had us reflect on the inclination of our hearts and invited us to turn our eyes away from worthless things and preserve our lives according to his word (Psalm 119:36). We were invited to look within ourselves to remove evil thoughts that can contaminate and corrupt us. These evil things were compared to weeds that can kill a plant if it is not removed in time. Pastor Lee Minemann also reminded us that if greed remains in our hearts, we will never be able to enjoy our personal lives with family, much less our spiritual lives with God. A person who is greedy can never be satisfied, but here in the path of God, our cup is always full and we are always given countless blessings from our Lord. We have a great example, as the Apostle of our God has lived only for the Lord and he seeks only our salvation. He teaches us that we shall be happy with what we have and that God will provide for us (Hebrews 13:5). Therefore, we must imitate his faith and not be afraid, for his prayer is in our favor.

A Walk of Obedience…

It seems as if time has flown by at lightning speed, and once again the church of the Lord prepares for that special day with reverent fear. Sharper than a double-edged sword, the word of God penetrated into our soul and spirit on Sunday reiterating the importance of our preparation for the Holy Supper. The Spirit of the Lord took us through time in which we were able to see the sacrifice of Christ as a self-willed act of mercy. An act, that only through him would have a triumphant outcome. Why was he the sacrifice? Why was he the one nailed on a cross? John 10:17 says, "I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again," said Jesus speaking of giving his life for us. We were asked, “Could just anyone offer their life? Could anyone tell you, ‘Don’t worry my brother, I will die for you in order for God to give you life?’” The answer was a resounding NO! It needed to be a perfect lamb, an indefective offering, but most importantly, it needed to be the one that God had prepared in his divine plan.

Eventually we were reminded of the letter we received on September 14th, 2006 by the great Apostle of the Lord, Brother Samuel Joaquin Flores that says, "With great love I uplift my prayer, offering my own life to obtain forgiveness for the church". His own life? The Apostle is authorized to forgive our sins, but at what cost? His life is worth more than all the nations of the world, but his main objective in life is for us to find rescue and forgiveness before God. But are there consequences in that? In Jesus it was suffering, agony, and embarrassment on the cross of death. Is the Apostle exempt from this? Perhaps he will endure illness? Pain? His son Asael has already suffered a physical impairment. What other pain will he endure for the sake of our forgiveness? The time for us to change is not the 14th of August, it is today! Let us open our spiritual eyes and take the Apostle's life into consideration through our obedience. He has declared that his joy consists of knowing that his children are walking in obedience. Today and forever, that will be our objective.