Isaiah 9:6 (NIV) - "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
May the divine peace of the Prince of Peace fill you and your family this Christmas season.
www.twitter.com/StephenGuschov
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Pachacutec
On Sunday afternoon about 80 of us from FRC-Lima visited the shantytown of Pachacutec, Peru. Pachacutec is a place of extreme poverty in the sand dunes about the Pacific Ocean, about 90 minutes north of our cinema church. There are about 300,000 people that live in the shantytown of Pachacutec. Many of them come to Lima from the provinces of Peru, in search of a better life, but quickly find themselves trapped, without any job hopes or money, and they wind up in a place like Pachacutec.
We brought chicken, french fries, soda, and Christmas gifts to our friends in Pachacutec. There had to be close to 1,000 people there, and we didn't even promote the visit beforehand! Many of the people that we serve in Pachacutec only eat chicken when we bring it, and the Christmas gifts that we gave out will be the only Christmas gifts that many of them receive this year.
Serving nearly 1,000 people in a shantytown can be quite chaotic, and at times it reminds me of the scene in Matthew 9:36 (NIV), when Jesus "saw the crowds, (and) had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd."
Just like in Pachacutec.
It was a long and arduous afternoon, but also a time of great blessing for us, as we were able to be the hands and feet of Jesus to nearly 1,000 of the least of our brothers and sisters in the Peruvian shantytown of Pachacutec.
www.twitter.com/StephenGuschov
We brought chicken, french fries, soda, and Christmas gifts to our friends in Pachacutec. There had to be close to 1,000 people there, and we didn't even promote the visit beforehand! Many of the people that we serve in Pachacutec only eat chicken when we bring it, and the Christmas gifts that we gave out will be the only Christmas gifts that many of them receive this year.
Serving nearly 1,000 people in a shantytown can be quite chaotic, and at times it reminds me of the scene in Matthew 9:36 (NIV), when Jesus "saw the crowds, (and) had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd."
Just like in Pachacutec.
It was a long and arduous afternoon, but also a time of great blessing for us, as we were able to be the hands and feet of Jesus to nearly 1,000 of the least of our brothers and sisters in the Peruvian shantytown of Pachacutec.
www.twitter.com/StephenGuschov
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Settling
Thomas Merton once said, "The biggest human temptation is to settle for too little."
What are you settling for in your life and/or ministry?
Why?
Hold out for more.
Set the bar higher.
It'll make a big difference in what you can accomplish.
www.twitter.com/StephenGuschov
What are you settling for in your life and/or ministry?
Why?
Hold out for more.
Set the bar higher.
It'll make a big difference in what you can accomplish.
www.twitter.com/StephenGuschov
Monday, December 21, 2009
Time & Attention
On Saturday afternoon we visited a girls' orphanage that we support in Lima. 27 girls live there between the ages of 4 and 20. We had a Christmas party for all the girls featuring traditional Peruvian fruitcake - a Christmas delicacy here - and hot chocolate, plus our church youth put on a great Christmas show, and of course we had a ton of early Christmas gifts for all of the girls as well.
The Christmas party and the food and the show and the gifts were all a blast, but as I look back on Saturday afternoon I think that the best part of the whole day was when we were just sitting around, talking, playing, and hanging out with all 27 of our young friends. This casual social contact seemed to be just as important to the girls as the food and the gifts and the show. We were all very happy to bless the girls with all of those things, but we were even happier to be able to bless all of them with our time and our attention. And we were even more greatly blessed by them as a result.
Your time and your attention. These are two gifts that are both priceless and free for you to give to others this Christmas season.
www.twitter.com/StephenGuschov
The Christmas party and the food and the show and the gifts were all a blast, but as I look back on Saturday afternoon I think that the best part of the whole day was when we were just sitting around, talking, playing, and hanging out with all 27 of our young friends. This casual social contact seemed to be just as important to the girls as the food and the gifts and the show. We were all very happy to bless the girls with all of those things, but we were even happier to be able to bless all of them with our time and our attention. And we were even more greatly blessed by them as a result.
Your time and your attention. These are two gifts that are both priceless and free for you to give to others this Christmas season.
www.twitter.com/StephenGuschov
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Rabbi Jesus
A great book to read is "Sitting At The Feet Of Rabbi Jesus: How The Jewishness Of Jesus Can Transform Your Faith" by Ann Spangler and Lois Tverberg.
It can be easy for us to forget that Jesus was a first-century rabbi, and reading this book helps us to better understand the history, culture, customs, traditions, beliefs, prayers, and feasts of Jesus and other first-century Jews, and the role that they all played in His ministry and His teachings.
This book puts you right into the first-century Jewish world of Jesus. You read about how Jesus' parables would have sounded to his Jewish listeners of that day and age, and you'll learn more about the conversations and debates of the day that Jesus and other rabbis were having.
It's always important to remember the Jewish roots of the Christian faith, and this book does a great job of examining those roots and the role they played in the life and ministry of Rabbi Jesus.
www.twitter.com/StephenGuschov
It can be easy for us to forget that Jesus was a first-century rabbi, and reading this book helps us to better understand the history, culture, customs, traditions, beliefs, prayers, and feasts of Jesus and other first-century Jews, and the role that they all played in His ministry and His teachings.
This book puts you right into the first-century Jewish world of Jesus. You read about how Jesus' parables would have sounded to his Jewish listeners of that day and age, and you'll learn more about the conversations and debates of the day that Jesus and other rabbis were having.
It's always important to remember the Jewish roots of the Christian faith, and this book does a great job of examining those roots and the role they played in the life and ministry of Rabbi Jesus.
www.twitter.com/StephenGuschov
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Send Me!
Isaiah 6:8 (NIV) says, "Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?' And I said, 'Here am I. Send me!'"
God is looking to send people all over the world in order to change it.
Will you be one of them?
God wants you to be a worldchanger.
Don't be afraid when God sends you to do His work.
Be willing to go for Him.
Tell God, "Here am I. Send me!"
Then just watch how He uses you, and what incredible things will happen!
www.twitter.com/StephenGuschov
God is looking to send people all over the world in order to change it.
Will you be one of them?
God wants you to be a worldchanger.
Don't be afraid when God sends you to do His work.
Be willing to go for Him.
Tell God, "Here am I. Send me!"
Then just watch how He uses you, and what incredible things will happen!
www.twitter.com/StephenGuschov
Monday, December 14, 2009
Blessed To Bless
On Sunday afternoon we visited the Lima Children's Hospital, & it was a time of great blessing.
The LCH is an old, very humble hospital that is greatly understaffed & understocked. We truly admire all of the doctors, nurses, & others who tirelessly toil there under some very challenging conditions. The LCH had a dire need for many basic items, & we were privileged to be able to donate tons of soap, shampoo, combs, brushes, toothpaste, toothbrushes, socks, and towels to them.
We had a ball w/ all of the young patients there. Many of them were in extremely grave condition, & we were honored to be able to spend a few minutes w/ them, hang out w/ them, love on them, pray w/ them & for them, & brighten their faces w/ some early Christmas gifts for all of them.
The next time you are very inwardly focused on all of your own personal troubles in your life, visit a children's hospital near you.
Many people thought that we blessed all of the children @ the LCH on Sunday afternoon but, truth be told, they blessed us even more.
www.twitter.com/StephenGuschov
The LCH is an old, very humble hospital that is greatly understaffed & understocked. We truly admire all of the doctors, nurses, & others who tirelessly toil there under some very challenging conditions. The LCH had a dire need for many basic items, & we were privileged to be able to donate tons of soap, shampoo, combs, brushes, toothpaste, toothbrushes, socks, and towels to them.
We had a ball w/ all of the young patients there. Many of them were in extremely grave condition, & we were honored to be able to spend a few minutes w/ them, hang out w/ them, love on them, pray w/ them & for them, & brighten their faces w/ some early Christmas gifts for all of them.
The next time you are very inwardly focused on all of your own personal troubles in your life, visit a children's hospital near you.
Many people thought that we blessed all of the children @ the LCH on Sunday afternoon but, truth be told, they blessed us even more.
www.twitter.com/StephenGuschov
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Change
Max Lucado has written, "Change is a necessary part of God's strategy. To use us to change the world, He alters our assignments."
Are you becoming stagnant in your life or church or ministry?
Are you becoming too comfortable in your life or church or ministry?
Perhaps it is time for a change.
Most people fear change, because it implies moving into an unknown realm. That fills many people with fear, instead of faith.
If, however, God is nudging your heart to make a change in your life or your church or your ministry work, then do not fear. God told Abraham to change, and to leave his country, his people, and his father's household, and God promised Abraham that he would be blessed and all the peoples on earth would be blessed through him.
And all because Abraham was willing to make a change.
Be like Abraham. Do not fear when God is calling you to make a change. Embrace it. When the change is a part of God's strategy for you and your life, then He will confirm it, and He also will resource it with whatever you need.
God wants to use you to change the world, so don't be afraid when He alters your assignment.
www.twitter.com/StephenGuschov
Are you becoming stagnant in your life or church or ministry?
Are you becoming too comfortable in your life or church or ministry?
Perhaps it is time for a change.
Most people fear change, because it implies moving into an unknown realm. That fills many people with fear, instead of faith.
If, however, God is nudging your heart to make a change in your life or your church or your ministry work, then do not fear. God told Abraham to change, and to leave his country, his people, and his father's household, and God promised Abraham that he would be blessed and all the peoples on earth would be blessed through him.
And all because Abraham was willing to make a change.
Be like Abraham. Do not fear when God is calling you to make a change. Embrace it. When the change is a part of God's strategy for you and your life, then He will confirm it, and He also will resource it with whatever you need.
God wants to use you to change the world, so don't be afraid when He alters your assignment.
www.twitter.com/StephenGuschov
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
The Least
On Sunday afternoon we threw a huge Christmas party for more than 1,000 extremely impoverished children and their families in San Martin de Porres, Lima, Peru.
There was a Christmas show for the children, complete with music, dance, games, prizes, and superhero appearances, and then afterward everyone received hot chocolate and a huge wedge of "paneton", which is a delicious Peruvian fruitcake that everyone adores here.
The 1,000 kids and their parents all had a blast.
So did we.
The 1,000 kids and their parents all were greatly blessed.
So were we.
We were able to spend a Sunday afternoon with over 1,000 of "the least", as Jesus said, and in the end we were blessed even more than they were.
Who are you blessing this Christmas season?
There was a Christmas show for the children, complete with music, dance, games, prizes, and superhero appearances, and then afterward everyone received hot chocolate and a huge wedge of "paneton", which is a delicious Peruvian fruitcake that everyone adores here.
The 1,000 kids and their parents all had a blast.
So did we.
The 1,000 kids and their parents all were greatly blessed.
So were we.
We were able to spend a Sunday afternoon with over 1,000 of "the least", as Jesus said, and in the end we were blessed even more than they were.
Who are you blessing this Christmas season?
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Hands & Feet
Our Christmas series in Lima, Peru, this year is called "Hands & Feet." We are going to be the "Hands & Feet" of Jesus Christ to the world this Christmas season, in Lima, in all of Peru, and around the world as well.
We are basing our Christmas series on Jesus' words in Matthew 25:35-40, where He says that anytime that we feed the hungry, or give drink to the thirsty, or invite a stranger in, or clothe the naked, or look after the sick, or visit the imprisoned, it is as if we are doing it for Him as well.
How will you reach the world around you this Christmas season?
Will you be the "Hands & Feet" of Jesus as well?
We invite you to do so - to be the "Hands & Feet" of Jesus this Christmas season, no matter where in the world you are.
We are basing our Christmas series on Jesus' words in Matthew 25:35-40, where He says that anytime that we feed the hungry, or give drink to the thirsty, or invite a stranger in, or clothe the naked, or look after the sick, or visit the imprisoned, it is as if we are doing it for Him as well.
How will you reach the world around you this Christmas season?
Will you be the "Hands & Feet" of Jesus as well?
We invite you to do so - to be the "Hands & Feet" of Jesus this Christmas season, no matter where in the world you are.
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