Just a quick review of the last few months if you would like to catch up on what’s been going on. The posts are in chronological order, starting with the 3rd of March. These are the most visited posts, with the three most popular in bold.
I’m such a bad Bible study leader. Do you know what I did?
I’m so ashamed.
For our Bible study passage we … we … we opened the Bible at random.
I know, I know.
Actually, it’s not quite as bad as it sounds. We had just finished a two part study on how to study and understand the Bible. We did a review, and then as a bonus we look at 7 ways to look for Christ in the Old Testament. My claim was that you should be able to open up to any page in the Old Testament and find Christ.
So – after we got the training, we tried it out. Sure enough, we found Christ in several ways in – where was it? Some chapter in Jeremiah. It was quite interesting, actually. I noticed some things I hadn’t before.
Really, you should try it. Just don’t open the Bible at random expecting that it will be talking about you. That’s when you get into trouble!
Tomorrow we’ll head into “grey areas” – yes, actually a study about how to figure out what to do when the Bible doesn’t address it directly (how to dress – video games – going to the casino – you name it!).
Actually, this study is online in English – here is part 1, and here is part 2.
I’m preaching on Sunday, and would appreciate your prayers. Once again I’ve been learning about some things that have really confused me in the past, from Mark 6. Amazing stuff.
In the midst of all this – it’s (a slightly belated) birthday season! This week, a party for Hannah, and next week a party for Nathanael. Hannah’s party is a dolphin theme, and we’re taking her and some friends to the aquarium in Mexico City.
But if you know Shari, you won’t be surprised to know – cakes are being created!
It took the better part of yet another day. And there were many more strange and bizarre adventures as I talked to many different officials.
And I’m just not going to waste your time with all the details.
But at the end of the day (yesterday), we had a verified vehicle. With license plates.
So what does that mean? That means that after three and a half months of no van, we now have a vehicle that we can drive every day (unless there’s an unusual level of pollution – sometimes the government adds special restrictions).
Praise the Lord!
We’ll be trying to get the van back into good shape before the short term teams start arriving – in 3 weeks and 3 days!
I kind of feel like I need some driver’s training to remember how to drive. But Shari says it’s “just like riding a bike”. 🙂
Ten years ago today – Hannah and Nathanael had their first birthday party in Mexico. Considering the plethora of new bugs where we lived in Cuernavaca, it was appropriate that the theme was – bugs! Or – small creatures, anyway. I realize that neither caterpillars nor spiders are technically “bugs”. 🙂
I don’t always report back properly after asking you to pray – but then again, here on earth we only see a fraction of the results of your prayers!
I mentioned to you the Bible studies I was doing on Friday nights – recently focused on how to understand and study the Bible. These have been fun studies – and hopefully useful! Tonight we’re doing an extra-special study – a review of what we’ve learned, and a look at how to look for Christ in the Old Testament.
Sometimes I specifically ask for your prayers before I preach on a Sunday morning. I sometimes wonder – if I really knew what I was doing, and what was going on people’s hearts – would I freeze and be too nervous to speak?
God does amazing things in our hearts through His Word.
The last time I spoke, it was on Mark 5:21-43 (listen in Spanish). In this part of the book, Mark tells us about two hopeless causes – a woman who no doctor could help, and a girl who was beyond help because she had died.
Afterward I got thinking about the people who were listening. Someone with a mother in their house, who had come home from the hospital for her final days. A man who we almost lost this year, who has one leg and recently lost a good part of his remaining foot. Someone with a father with cancer. A sister with a chronic illness. The list goes on and on – and in such a small group!
There is no hope from me – no hope from within this world. But such wonderful hope from another world – from our Lord Jesus, the Resurrection and the Life!
Pain is not the basic reality of life. Death is not the end.
So this is why we need your prayers – because the darkness is deep, and the Holy Spirit must shine His light to guide us beyond what we can see.
Thanks for praying!
