Do Not Worry

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? ²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

 How to use our worry?

• As a trigger to recommit our trust in the Lord.
• As a trigger to help us change where we are abiding in.
• As a trigger for prayer.
• As a trigger to remind us of our limitations and how much we need God.
• As an opportunity to receive God's care. 

Not Enough...

Chapel at Ashland Theological Seminary... we are reminded of important things...

These videos clips are from a YWAM lecture phase in New Zealand. The speaker is Graham Cooke and I think his words sum up a lot about what we are about in YWAM.

Treasures in Heaven

¹⁹ “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.²⁰ But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. ²² “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. ²³ But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! ²⁴ “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

We can choose to live today with eternity in mind. As C.S Lewis said: "It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this.”

If Jesus is not Lord of all he is not Lord at all. God claims exclusive allegiance. So, where is our trust?

I am No Longer my Own, but Thine

The Prayer

I am no longer my own, but thine.

Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.

Put me to doing, put me to suffering.

Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee,

exalted for thee or brought low for thee.

Let me be full, let me be empty.

Let me have all things, let me have nothing.

I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.

And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,

thou art mine, and I am thine.

So be it.

And the covenant which I have made on earth,

let it be ratified in heaven.

Amen.

(as used in the Book of Offices of the British Methodist Church, 1936) from The Covenant Prayer from the Wesleyan Covenant Renewal Service.

This is how the new quarter starts at Ashland Theological Seminary... by recommitting our lives to the lordship of Christ.

12 lecciones de caminos...

Pensé que sería bueno compartir con todos vosotros mi última carta de oración... Trata de caminos y de lo muy agradecida que estoy a Dios...

Edith

 xxx

Gracias por vuestro apoyo para Undivided'12

undivided :: 1700 participantes de más de 40 países de Europa, Eurasia y de Oriente Medio :: estudiantes de Letonia, Albania, Alemania, Serbia y Montenegro deciden seguir a Jesús :: el Prof. John Lennox predica de forma profunda y relevante de Génesis 1, Daniel 1, Juan 1 and Apocalipsis 1 :: 30 tracks sobre la evangelización en el campus

Te escribimos para darte las gracias por tu colaboración con la Conferencia Europea de Evangelización de IFES, que tuvo lugar en Semana Santa en Györ, Hungría. Un total de 1700 estudiantes, obreros y voluntarios de los movimientos de IFES de toda Europa, e invitados de Oriente Medio y de Eurasia, se unieron los días de Semana Santa para adorar juntos al Jesús resucitado y a escuchar Su Palabra. 

Doy gracias a mi Dios cada vez que me acuerdo de vosotros. En todas mis oraciones por todos vosotros, siempre oro con alegría, porque habéis participado en el evangelio desde el primer día hasta ahora. Estoy convencido de esto: el que comenzó tan buena obra en vosotros la irá perfeccionando hasta el día de Cristo Jesús. Filipenses 1:3-6

Siempre doy gracias a mi Dios al recordarte en mis oraciones,  porque tengo noticias de tu amor y tu fidelidad hacia el Señor Jesús y hacia todos los creyentes. Pido a Dios que el compañerismo que brota de tu fe sea eficaz para la causa de Cristo mediante el reconocimiento de todo lo bueno que compartimos. Hermano, tu amor me ha alegrado y animado mucho porque has reconfortado el corazón de los santos. Filemón 4-7

Haciéndose eco de las palabras de Pablo, los participantes han expresado su gratitud por el evento:

Gracias a este encuentro, mi confianza en Dios y en lo que Él puede hacer ha crecido, y quiero crecer y ser más útil al servicio del movimiento estudiantil (Relu, estudiante de Rumanía).

Dios ha obrado en mi vida a través de todo lo que se ha dicho aquí y puedo decir que ha sido una experiencia fantástica el poder conocer a tantas personas de tantas culturas diferentes. Y nunca olvidaré el culto del viernes santo, y sigo orando por las decisiones que tomé en ese momento (Daniela, estudiante de Rumanía).

Los nueve estudiantes que vinieron conmigo disfrutaron mucho, y diría que al menos siete de ellos volvieron a casa realmente comprometidos a hacer lo que puedan para levantar el movimiento estudiantil. Jonathan, obrero internacional en Grecia (Delegación de Rumanía en la reunión nacional).

Ahora quiero involucrarme más, orar más y amar más a mi prójimo. Orad para que pueda continuar alerta con el tema de los ídolos, y que siga orando por los movimientos de IFES en todo el mundo (Maïlep, estudiante de Francia). 

Ha sido precioso escuchar testimonios de otros países, escuchar historias de estudiantes que están estudiando la Biblia con sus amigos no creyentes, ser desafiados a amar a los estudiantes internacionales que hay en el campus y a vivir para Cristo en todas las áreas de nuestra vida. ¡Estudiantes que conocen a Jesús¡ ¡Graduados que avanzan su reino! ¡Se está predicando el evangelio! Dios está obrando en Europa, ¡qué alegría! (Sarah, obrera internacional en Italia).

Hablo de mi fe a la gente con la que veo a diario, ¡pero no soy una experta en retórica! Orad para que Dios me dé capacidad de hablar a los que están en contra de la fe, y que pueda confiar más en Dios (Céline, estudiante de Francia).

Hablar de la evangelización en el contexto de la idolatría y la adoración ha sido muy interesante. Es un reto, pero un reto que asumo con gozo (Benjamín, obrero de México). 

Este encuentro ha sido una experiencia inolvidable. He aprendido lecciones muy importantes y me llevo muchos retos y preguntas, como “¿Realmente amo a Dios con toda mi mente o estoy dispuesto a servir a Dios más a través de BCSU?”. Una de las mejores experiencias fue celebrar la resurrección, tomando la santa cena con cientos de hermanos (Estudiante de Bulgaria).

Los participantes se llevaron el reto de analizar de forma seria y profunda su relación con Cristo, reconocer los ídolos en sus vidas y esforzarse en vivir para Cristo con un corazón no dividido. Además, muchos estudiantes entendieron la necesidad de llevar el evangelio a sus compañeros en lugar de ignorar a los no cristianos que hay a nuestro alrededor. (Edith, miembro del comité de planificación).

Tu contribución a través de la oración y donativos ha servido para transmitir a esta generación de estudiantes la visión de llevar el evangelio a más estudiantes. Han escuchado el llamado a vivir el discipulado de una forma entregada, integrando la fe durante su etapa estudiantil mientras se preparan para la etapa después de la universidad, y viviendo vidas transformadas por el evangelio, vidas que influyen de manera positiva el lugar en el que están. Han recibido herramientas para hablar de Jesús de forma relevante y gozosa, para invitar a sus amigos a adorarle a Él. 

¡Gracias por tu valiosa colaboración! 

El Equipo Regional Europeo de IFES: 

Martin Haizmann (Secretario Regional), Susanne Koch, Cassells Morrell, Mirek Pieszka, Igors Rautmanis, Helen Rennie, Tim Vickers, Edith Vilamajó.

Si quieres recibir una copia original en inglés escríbeme.

Thank You for Supporting Undivided'12

We write to say a huge thank you for your partnership with us for the IFES European Student Evangelism Conference at Easter in Györ, Hungary! 1700 students, staff and volunteers from IFES movements across Europe, plus guests from the Middle East and Eurasia, spent Easter weekend worshipping the risen Jesus and listening to his Word.

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:3-6

I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, because I hear about your love for all his holy people and your faith in the Lord Jesus. I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ. Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people. Philemon 4-7

Echoing Paul’s words, the participants have expressed their appreciation for the event:

I think because of this event I have increased confidence in God and in what He can do, and I want to grow in my ability to serve in the student movement (Relu, a student in Romania).

God worked in my life through all that was talked about there and I can say that it was a great experience to get to know so many people from so many different cultures. And the Good Friday service will remain memorable and I continue to pray for the decisions I made there (Daniela, a student in Romania).

The nine students with me enjoyed it and I’d say that at least seven of them left the conference genuinely committed to doing what they can, with us, to get things established here                                                             (Jonathan, a cross-cultural worker in Greece).

Now I want to be more involved, pray more and love my neighbour. Pray that I may continue to be watchful regarding my idols and that I continue to pray for IFES movements around the world (Maïlep, a student in France).

It has been precious to hear stories from other countries, to hear about students studying the Bible with their non-Christian friends, to be challenged to love the international students amongst us and to boldly live Christ in all areas of life. Students coming to Christ, graduates furthering his kingdom and the gospel being preached! God is at work in Europe – what a joy (Sarah, a cross-cultural worker in Italy).

I talk about my faith to people I rub shoulders with daily, but I am not a master of rhetoric! Pray that God makes me more able to speak to those who oppose the Christian faith, and that I may rely on God more in my life (Céline, a student in France).

Dealing with evangelism in the context of idolatry and worship was very interesting. It was both a challenge and a joyful invitation, more than a “must” (Benjamin, a staffworker in Mexico).

Undivided was an unforgettable experience. I learned many important lessons and was left with many challenging questions, such as: do I really love God with all my mind or am I willing to serve God through BCSU more? One of the greatest experiences was getting to celebrating Easter together and participating in the Lord's Supper with hundreds of others (Student from Bulgaria).

The participants were really challenged to look deeper and more seriously at their relationship with Christ, to acknowledge their idols and start working toward gaining an undivided heart in their dedication to Christ. Also many students saw a greater need to engage people with the gospel instead of ignoring non-Christians around them (Edith, part of the planning team).

Your contribution through financial gifts and prayers has given this generation of students a big vision for reaching students with the gospel. They have heard the call to whole-hearted discipleship, engaging their faith as they study and prepare for life after university, living lives transformed by the gospel that affect their surroundings. They have been equipped to winsomely and joyfully speak of Jesus, inviting their friends to undivided worship of Him.

Thank you for your invaluable part in this!

Your IFES Europe Regional Team:

Martin Haizmann (Regional Secretary), Susanne Koch, Cassells Morrell, Mirek Pieszka, Igors Rautmanis, Helen Rennie, Tim Vickers, Edith Vilamajó.

If you wish to receive the original of this letter, do contact me.