Pete & Corrina's Baptism (9-11-15)

Worship | A Summary by Travis Sinks

What do you think of when you hear the word: Worship?

Many of us quickly think of the time in church where we sing “worship” songs, or times where the Bible says that people "fell down" and "worshiped" God. But this is such a small view of worship. Worship is meant to be an all-encompassing lifestyle not only an action done before an altar.

The dictionary’s first definition of worship is: “The acts or rites that make up a formal expression of reverence for a deity.” The Bible clearly teaches that people can give an “expression of reverence” to God in formal settings such as church, but also in every moment of our informal and normal lives. In fact, God often rebuked people in the Bible who had “expressions of reverence” formally, but did not live out their belief in God in their everyday life.

There will be 5 followup posts to this one that will touch on a different areas of life and how we can worship God in them, but as a guideline to live by, we need to ask ourselves:

Am I expressing reverence to God in my daily life?

Everything comes back to that question. Are my actions, speech, thoughts, dreams, and hopes all reflecting the truth that God is real, and that He is truly God, not me? The litmus test for whether our lives are worshipful to God is if we would continue to do, say, and think everything we just the same if God Himself was right beside us. If not, we need to repent and ask God to grow our worship for Him in our daily lives.

I hope this, and the subsequent posts on worship will be both convicting, and freeing. That you will have a sense of lack in your current worship, but that you will realize the grace and freedom in Jesus to be able to worship God in every area of life with joy. Worshiping God is not putting on the bondage of boring, instead, it is life giving because it is truly what each of us was designed by God to do.

Here are links to the followup posts on this subject:

WORSHIP | IN SONG

WORSHIP | IN PRAYER

WORSHIP | IN ACTION

WORSHIP IN SPEECH

WORSHIP IN WORK

Promising Freedom by Alesha Sinks

I've been studying through 1st and 2nd Peter for awhile now. Too long, probably, but I'm pressing on slow anyways. And a few days ago, these words seemed to hang out in front of me in the air, waiting for me to grasp their significance. "They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved." 2 Peter 2:19

Peter is discussing false teachers: their lives, their deceptions, and their destinies. He was warning the church against listening to or being led astray by false teachers.

The defining feature of false teachers in this passage was...

They promise freedom, but they themselves are not free.

As I read, I paused to think on this...that we can't offer to others what we ourselves don't have. And it struck me that this is exactly what our adversary the devil tries to do.

He offers peace, but he has no peace to offer. He offers power, but he knows that his power will be taken away. He offers riches, but he will ultimately be stripped of all he has. He offers happiness, but he is fueled by rage and envy. He offers freedom, but he himself is bound to earth and destined for eternal death.

All the promises of this world, all the riches and fame and joy and peace promised are simply lies of the deceiver himself, just reshaped and repackaged by those who have unknowingly fallen for his lies.

And I wonder what we’re listening to and what we’re preaching…

Because you can’t offer what you don’t have, and if you try then you’re following in the steps of the deceiver, the Father of Lies.

Pastor Daniel has said over and over, “If I’m not filling up on Jesus, then the best I can give people is myself.”

And I once again find myself looking deep inside and asking... What do I have to offer? What do I promise to others? What has overcome my life? What am I filling up on?

I don’t want to be a false teacher. I don’t want to resemble a false teacher even for a moment. I don’t want to promise freedom if I myself am in bondage. And I don’t want to give anything other than Jesus.

...because, in Jesus I am alive and can offer life to the dying. In Jesus I am forgiven and can offer forgiveness to others. In Jesus I have peace and can offer peace to a broken world. In Jesus I’ve been given freedom and can offer freedom.

We are free and can offer the freedom that is in Jesus to a broken and bondaged world.

This post is full of more questions than answers, because only you know your answers to these questions. I’m unsettled in writing this because it doesn’t feel tidy. But sometimes we need to simply be left with messy questions…messy because they dig into the messiness of our own hearts and lives.

So I’m not leaving you with a tidy post today...just the mess of questions that I’m asking myself. And I'm inviting you to join me in asking them. Will you?

Tara's Baptism Video (9-20-15)

An Update Interview with Bryan Henderson (9-15-15)

Here is an update video with Bryan Henderson from Sydney, Australia. We are blessed to support the Henderson family as they have helped plant Anchor Church in Sydney, Australia. For more information about Anchor Church visit http://anchorchurch.com.au. Let's continue to be praying for them and the Anchor Church family and we hope you enjoy this video getting to know Bryan a little better.

Norma's Baptism Video (9-1-15)

An Update On The House of Blessing

God is continuing to build and bless the House of Blessing Orphanage in Mexico! You can read the latest update from Jason and hear more about the new children who have come to live with them, their summer adventures, and the plans for the new school year below.

Back to school is in full effect here at the Casa.  The children started school last week and so far so good.  Wow, it was a bit crazy getting 13 children (including our daughter) prepped and ready for school.  But, with our great staff and a lot of work, everything fell into place and the kids are loving the new school year.  We have 4 kids in Jr. High, 7 kids in elementary and 2 in kindergarten.  Our staff was just as excited as the kids, for school to start because now we have 8 hours of peace and quiet each day.  I do miss the kids, but I too am enjoying the quietness. Now I know why my mom was so excited all those years for the 5 of us kids to start school.

The elementary and jr high kids are all set!

We had quite the busy summer, and time FLEW by.  Our Casa family continues to change and grow constantly.  At the beginning of summer, I think we had 14 kids.  Most of the children were able to spend part of their summer vacation with their mom's and extended family.  Overall, the kids enjoyed their time.  It is usually a challenge when kids come back from vacation because they are use to the freedom and lack of rules with their family.  However, for the most part, the kids have adjusted just fine being back at the orphanage.

Mary, the mother of Delia, Zuley and Victoria, also went to spend time with her sister in Chihuahua city.  We were really hoping and praying that they would come back to the orphanage by school time, however, they decided to stay in Chihuahua.  There are mixed feelings and emotions about this.  Obviously it is hard when children leave, but, in this case, Mary has found a job and will be living with her sister.  We are very thankful for the time the Lord allowed us to minister to this sweet mother and her girls.  Please continue to pray for them!

We also had a surge of new children come to the orphanage.  This past week, 3 new precious kids joined our family.  Natalia (age 6) and Valeria (age 5) came to the orphanage 6 days ago.  Both of their moms live locally here in Bachiniva, but need to travel to try to search for work.  They were wanting the girls to get a chance to go to school, but couldn't do that on their own.  These two girls are beautiful and have already been a blessing thus far.  Valeria is in the same class as our daughter Ayantu and already they are best friends.  

Valeria (on the left) and Natalia.  Sweet little princesses!

This past Sunday, another young boy named Osvaldo (age 10) joined our family.  Osvaldo's mother works locally here at the nursing home.  It's a blessing that she has a steady job, however, she works anywhere from 60-70 hours a week.  Whether its the morning shift or graveyard shift, Maria works constantly which forces Osvaldo to be home alone most of the day.  We were able to enroll Osvaldo in school and he is doing great.  He is a very nice and polite young man.  He has already become friends with the boys here at the orphanage and is adjusting very well!

Osvaldo

Not only were we busy with children coming and going, but also with activities and missions teams.  This summer we were able to host 2 different missions teams.  Our first group consisted of 16 individuals from Horizon Christian Fellowship and Immanuel Christian School, both located in El Paso.  Then earlier this month, we hosted 8 individuals from Cottage Grove Calvary in Oregon.  Both teams did an amazing job loving on the children, serving, encouraging and working hard.  The focus for both teams was laying the foundation and plumbing for our new offices.  We are SO exited to have these as it will free up space and allow for further growth.

Golfing in The Pacific Northwest 

I had the chance again, to travel back to Seattle for our annual golf invitational.  This year we had 81 golfers come out for an incredible day and we raised over $6,000.  I was absolutely amazed and had an incredible time with so many people supporting the ministry!

GOD IS FAITHFUL...

and continues to show that to me every single day.  Most recently, it has been in His financial provision.  I am absolutely amazed at the individuals, families, churches, businesses and even people I've never met, who give to the orphanage.  When Paul encouraged us that God would supply all our needs, he was speaking wonderful truths.  Anytime we've been in need of something, be that a vehicle, clothes, school uniforms and supplies, washing machine, utility bills, food, etc for our ever growing family, GOD HAS PROVIDED.  He has put it on the hearts of so many individuals who tirelessly give, pray and support us.  To all of you, we thank you from the bottom of our heart.  Truly, we could not do this without your help and support!

Psalm 23 {Perspective Reset}

{This post is an excerpt from my devotional ebook Perspective Reset: 28 readings and meditations from the Psalms. The devotional is FREE to all of my newsletter subscribers and I would love for you to download it. Click HERE to subscribe and download the ebook. You can also listen to a recent message on Psalm 23 taught by Pastor Daniel Williams HERE. }

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever." Psalm 23:1-6

If you’re like me, you’ve probably picked up this journal because you’re in desperate need of a perspective reset. You’re drowning in emotion. You’re finding your attitude places that you don’t like and that may even scare you. And if you are like me, this Psalm speaks straight to that place you desperately want to be in. You want to believe that these truths are for you. You want to be able to say these words with confidence, but so often fear overcomes your faith.

And I think that is why this famous Psalm has always held an ominous undertone for me. As I read, my faith wavers... "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” (v 4)

Every time I read these words, I feel their weight pressing into my soul. And I hear the whispers of the Holy Spirit asking me, “Will you truly fear no evil? Will you allow My rod and staff to comfort you? Will believe, even in the darkest moments, that the shining joys of the rest of this Psalm are for you?”

For this Psalm to ring deeply true in our hearts we have to first humble ourselves to desire the guiding and tending hand of the Shepherd in our lives, and then we have to believe that He is enough.

And my faith wavers so easily... Will He really restore my soul? Will the pastures actually be green and the waters really be still? Will goodness and mercy truly follow me all the days of my life?

And my faith wavers... But I need to remember that these truths about God won’t change, but my perspective on them will. My heart will waver and my faith will shake, but God is unchanging. So I have to choose to preach these truths to my heart, instead of letting my feelings dictate my faith in them. Because God’s Word isn’t a book to be judged and weighed and debated based on our understanding and feelings. It is truth that is intended to penetrate and change our hearts.

So come to today’s text willing to be changed by it. Let it challenge what you feel, because what you feel might not be true. Allow yourself to be humbled and restored in the face of these Words from the Giver of life.

Verses to Meditate On Today: "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want...He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.” Psalm 23:1,3

{Take some time to pray and ask God to help you to intimately believe these truths for yourself. Then read this Psalm aloud. One time. Twenty times. As many times as it takes for the truths to sink deep into your soul. Preach these words to yourself. Claim them as your own. Read them aloud until you can only stop and praise God for His goodness and care and tender shepherding toward you.}

As You Live by Travis Sinks

Matthew 6 is a chapter FULL of assumptions. By assumptions, I mean that when Jesus is teaching, He is not saying that giving, praying, fasting, spending, and living are optional. Far from it! He is assuming that you will do all of these things, and then He tells you how to do them well.

The fifth, and last, of these assumptions is found in verses 25-34.

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.  Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."

It’s as if this last section is meant to be a summary of the other 4. Jesus has spoken on giving, praying, fasting, spending, and now He gets to His final point, which is telling us how to live life well. These other things are actions within our lives, but this final piece of instruction comes to be a guide for all of life in general.

Jesus tells us the secret to living life well by giving us one thing we should not do and then one thing we should do. Keep in mind that both of these things are in light of the other 4. We have been told to do everything for God, not for people, and to live a life surrendered to what God would have us do with our time and money. Now we will see in what manner we should live all of our life:

1 Thing To Avoid in Life: Anxiousness.

Jesus tells us clearly that to live life well we need to “not be anxious about our life.” He goes on to not only correct our anxiousness, but He even gives us valid reasons why anxiousness is useless. He reminds us that the things we are truly anxious about are outside of our control. But rather than leave us there, He gives us sympathy and comfort, reminding us that we are important to God.

Jesus paints a picture of God’s care for the animals and for fields of flowers, then reminds us: God loves us even more. And if God, Who takes care of so many of these things all over the world, loves us even more than they - why should we worry?

He comforts our worry by reminding us of the simplicity of life. God knows we need food, water, clothing, and He will always provide these things for us. Jesus strips away our superficial desires for the newest gadget or popular clothing style, and He reminds us that we shouldn't even be concerned about those things.

1 Mindset To Have in Life: The Kingdom of God.

To followup His rebuke of anxiousness, Jesus pushes us towards the good and opposite response: Pursuing the Kingdom of God. Here, Jesus is telling us that when you are willing to loose the anxiousness of your own life situations, you are then free to pursue the Kingdom of God. Simply put, the Kingdom of God is anywhere God’s rule and reign are played out in real life. Similar to how 'home is where the heart is', the Kingdom of God is found where God is King.

Think of it this way: Jesus said that when He was on earth that the Kingdom of God was drawing near, that God’s perfect rule and reign had come close. What did that look like? It looked like Jesus' perfect devotion to the love of God and the justice of God. Jesus had a perfect balance of both “grace and truth” (John 1:17). He condemned sin and yet brought grace and redemption to the repentant sinner. He sought the outcast and brought them in. He comforted the mourning and brought hope to the hopeless. This is Jesus' example to us of living out God’s perfect rule and reign.

So how does putting off anxiousness, and pursuing the Kingdom of God connect? If you are anxious in life over “what will we eat, what will we drink, what will we wear,” then you have two problems:

1) You don’t have the peace of God's perfect rule and reign in your life.

2) You are too consumed with your anxiousness to be about bringing God’s Kingdom to the rest of the world.

However, when we pursue the Kingdom of God for our lives and the lives of others, we will naturally be putting off anxiousness in our own lives because anxiousness is not part of God’s Kingdom. Furthermore, Jesus makes us a promise: that when we are following the Kingdom of God, we will have food, water, and clothing. He doesn’t promise great wealth, fame, or status, but He does promise things necessary to life so that we may enjoy today as it is.

And this is how He closes His teaching on the Kingdom of God:

“Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."

What a life Jesus offers us! One filled with peace and without anxiously wondering what dread tomorrow will bring. No amount of wealth, insurance, or status could ever bring such comfort. So let us ask God to remove our desires for those things that promise so much joy, yet leave us so distraught, and let us hold onto a life that is surrendered to Jesus and pursuing His Kingdom so that we might experience a life well lived.

Questions To Ask Your Spouse by Laura Williams

Being married is one of the most wonderful and challenging adventures that I think we get to experience during this lifetime. We get to share the most intimate parts of our personality, our secrets, our bodies, struggles, our weird senses of humor, our quirks and phobias…and all of these together create a bond that cannot compare to any other human relationship we will ever have. There is so much comfort in having a spouse who gets you. But this isn’t something that just “happens” once you say, “I do.” Marriage takes work. And sometimes, I’ve found, the longer you are married, the more work the “knowing each other” can be. 

There is a comfortableness that assumes you may already have told all your stories, shared your deepest fears and joys, and maybe you’ve simply run out of new things to say. But our entire lives are meant to be spent learning and growing and loving each other deeper than before. Daniel and I have made a habit of asking one another some of these questions from time to time just for the sake of learning something new about the other person, and let me tell you, there are still surprises. :) We are far from perfect, but we have begun to understand the value in becoming reacquainted with the person we married. We married very young, and many of our answers to these questions have changed over time. Maybe yours will too. 

Knowing that God created marriage, it makes sense that He wants to continue to grow and shape us into His image throughout our married life, regardless of which stage you may find yourself in. The more we are able to experience of each other, the more we seem to find new levels of intimacy and unity that we didn’t even know was there waiting for us. And the more beautiful the work of Jesus becomes as you see your spouse through His eyes. Just like newlyweds believe nothing can top the euphoria of new romance and passion, we find deeper intimacies waiting for us at each new bend in the road. So, take some time to ask your spouse these questions and to answer some yourself. Even if you think you know the answers, listen. 

1. Name one thing I do that makes you feel loved.
2. What could I do to cause you to feel more loved?
3. Name one thing I do that causes you to feel respected/honored.
4. What could I do to cause you to feel more respected/honored?
5. Name one thing I do that causes you to feel understood.
6. What could I do to cause you to feel more understood?
7. Name one thing I do that causes you to feel secure.
8. What could I do to cause you to feel more secure?
9. Name one way I serve you that brings you great joy.
10. Are there specific ways that I can serve that I am not already doing?
11. What attribute would you most like me to develop?
12. Name one attribute (or mannerism or idiosyncrasy) that you most like me to change?
13. What attribute would you like me to help you develop in yourself?
14. What achievement in my life would bring you the greatest joy?
15. What mutual goal would you like us to accomplish?
16. How is our sex life?
17. Is there anything I can do to make our sex life better?
18. How are we doing with our family budgeting and finances?
19. What is one thing we can do to improve our budgeting and finances?
20. Name one personal goal for your life that I can help you achieve this year.
21. Name something new we might do together that would bring joy to our marriage/family? 
22. How are our relationships with our extended family (parents, siblings, etc.)?  Name one thing I can do to improve one of these family relationships.
23. Name one way that God has blessed our marriage.
24. Name one way that we could make our marriage more Christ-like.
25. Name one sin that you continue to struggle with.
26. What could I do to help you with this struggle?
27. Name one sin you see that I continue to struggle with.
28. What would you encourage me to do to deal with struggle?
29. Is there some way that you can help me with this struggle?
30. What would indicate to you that I really desire to be more Christ-like?
31. How has your love for God grown?
32. How is your devotional time going? (Specifically Scripture study & prayer)
33. Is there another spiritual discipline that you would like to develop? (fasting, " scripture memorization, etc.)
34. What can I do to help your love for God grow?
35. Name one thing about our church that brings you great joy.
36. Name one thing that would increase your joy in church?
37. In ten years where do you hope to be spiritually?
38. In ten years where do you think I should be spiritually?
39. Name one way that my leadership/submission has strengthened our marriage. What could I do to lead/submit better in our marriage?
40. On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate our marriage? What would make our marriage a ten?