Kids and The Word of God by Laura Williams

“Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105

This is the verse we learned on Kids Sunday last month. As I was preparing the lesson for the 1st-8th graders last month, I was reminded again and again of the importance of our kids knowing God’s Word—not just the stories in the Bible, but the PROMISES of God, the TRUTHS we know and believe about who God is, and the WORDS of Jesus about Himself.

So, this summer, the kids were challenged to learn 10 different Bible verses about the character of God and His love for them! I have been blown away by their eagerness to memorize these verses and say them—it’s only a few weeks in, and there have already been a few kids who have come close to memorizing all 10 verses already! 

I love knowing that as they take these scriptures and hide them in their hearts, the Lord will use them to reassure them of His goodness and character throughout their lives. Many of the scriptures that have become very close to my heart through the years were taught to me at a very young age, and I know that as we continue to pour into these kids, we will see God do many great things in their hearts. 

If you’d like to join in on the Memory Verse Challenge, here are the verses we are learning:

The GOODNESS of God

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! Psalm 34:8

What God is LIKE

The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. Psalm 103:8 

The GREATNESS of God

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; His understanding is unsearchable. Isaiah 40:28

The WISDOM of God

Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand His decisions and His ways! Romans 11:33

The LOVE of God

Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 1 John 4:8

The LIGHT God gives us

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. 1 John 1:5

God will NEVER CHANGE

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8

The MERCY and FORGIVENESS of God

Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; our God is merciful. Psalm 116:5

God is our SHIELD and PROTECTOR

Every word of God proves true; He is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Proverbs 30:5

God is HOLY and POWERFUL

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory! Isaiah 6:3

Father's Day Video

Sin Is Great, But Jesus' Grace Is Stronger

In Numbers 32:23, Moses reminds the children of Israel (as they begin preparing to enter the promise land across the Jordan) that sin is not taken lightly. He sternly reminds them that “your sin WILL find you out.”

And it’s true.

So often we think we can hide our sin.
Or that it wasn’t a big deal.
It was so small...
We shouldn’t need to repent over that.
Should we?

Moses reminds them that God’s standard is perfection. Jesus echoes these truths when He tells us that:

"Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops.” -Luke 12:1-3

Sin is a big deal.

But the story doesn’t end there.
Our failure is all too obvious.
Our need is extremely great.
But so is God’s grace.

In the end of the next chapter Moses then reminds them of the punishment for sin:

“But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those of them whom you let remain shall be as barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall trouble you in the land where you dwell.” -Numbers 33:55

Sin does find us out, and there is a punishment for it. Romans 3:23 tells us that the wages (payment) of our sin is death.

Moses has clearly laid out our natural reality:

We sin.
Our sin will find us out.
We will be punished justly for our sin.

But as Billy Graham has put it:

“You’re born. You suffer. You die. Fortunately, there’s a loophole."

This “loophole” is God’s payment for our sin.

Our sin is great. And our punishment HAS to be paid, or else God is unjust. But rather than us paying it ourselves, God Himself (Jesus) offers to pay our debt instead.

So rather than us receiving the “barbs in our eyes” and the “thorns in our sides” as our rightful punishment, Jesus instead has chosen to take the crown of thorns upon His head, and to have His side pierced for our transgressions.

"But he (Jesus) was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.”
Isaiah 53:5

Every sin requires penalty.
Requires justice.

But now, you and I can celebrate that Jesus’ death has not only brought us a clean slate, but renewed life! Our sin separated us from God and now we can come before Him, not only justified, but to ask for abundant life! The penalty of our sin has been paid for, so now we can come to God for His Spirit and for the strength to break the power of sin over our lives. We can come to Him for hope that every “sin and weight that entangles us” can be overcome by His grace.

So may you not only have a paid bill, a clean slate, and a “free ticket” to heaven, but may you take ahold of this new relationship with God that brings you freedom! May you no longer be a “slave to sin” but a “slave to righteousness”, and may you enjoy the abounding love, grace, and relationship with God that comes with it.

My Story | Chris Travaglino

The V Tribe | on mission for Jesus

We’d like to introduce you to ESTEBAN & TIFINY

From Pastor Daniel…

Laura and I first met Esteban and his wife Tifiny at the Calvary Bible College in Murrieta, California in 2011. We spent one month living on the Bible College campus with 12 other church planters and their families. We were preparing to come and plant in Florida, and Esteban was feeling called to plant a church in Spain. It is now 5 years later, and he and his wife and 3 beautiful children have seen the Lord provide and move them to Madrid, Spain where they are now living. They are at the beginning stages of planting a church, and we could not be happier to be supporting them as a church in our prayers, encouragement, and our finances. We hope you will take the time to read a little bit of their story and begin to pray with us for them as they are following Jesus in Spain.

From Esteban…

In 2011, about a year and a half after God began to stir our hearts toward Spain, during a month long Church Planting intensive at the CC Bible College in Murrieta God began to carve out and communicate a clear and simple vision. This intensive was abundantly rich in content and encouragement provided by the Spirit of God and experienced pastors. The vision God spoke at that time was clear – CHURCH PLANTS PLANTING OTHER CHURCHES. Prior to this I had never heard such an idea. Church planting wasn’t on my radar, so needless to say neither was this simple vision. Over time God has stirred my heart beyond simple discipleship toward raising up leaders and laborers for the harvest. I am passionate about it before having ever really done it. That seems to be the pattern in my life.

Over time the vision has been brought slightly into greater focus, as God has put the urban center of the country of Spain on the map and on our hearts….Madrid. The phrase “start at the heart” has echoed and resounded in my heart and mind. With Madrid being the heart of the country of Spain, we’ve discerned God’s continued revelation to be instruction for planting a church in Madrid and a hub to train and equip saints for the work of the ministry, and then send them out to other cities and beyond, to plant other Jesus centered, Bible teaching churches.

We had the amazing opportunity to serve the Lord in Mallorca Spain, at the Santa Ponsa Community Church and extension campus of the CC Bible College under an experienced pastor who is a Spanish national that has been faithful to serve Jesus in Spain for over a decade. 

As of early 2016 we've been in Madrid getting acquainted with the lay of the land, adopting to both the city and suburban life that are so closely woven together in Madrid, and taking care of all sorts of practical matters that have taken a boatload of paperwork to get through.

As we wait for the Lord to open the door for a Bible Study we are setting our sights on getting the Spanish language down as a family. We've recently enrolled all our kids into Spanish school with the hope they can learn Spanish and we can connect with the community and other families. We are making it a priority to connect with locals by meeting them where they go, such as parks and other family gathering spots. I've been working with an amazing evangelism ministry called "on the Redbox" in central Madrid. They take their work amazingly serious, training and equipping their volunteers, praying without ceasing for the work God has called them, and teaching others to do the same. They are out in the city center six nights a week. I am going through their evangelism certification process now, and hope to work with them for years to come. 

We are eager to plant a church and start a Bible study, though we realize that it's the Lord who opens doors and build his church. So in the meantime we want to be faithful to his calling by cultivating relationships all around us, connecting with him sharing life with those we have an open door with. We have recently spoken with a few people that have expressed interest in joining us in the work the Lord has called us to here in Madrid. A future volunteer/intern program is not beyond the realm of possibility.

It is our prayer and hope that the Lord will call more servants and labors alongside of us here in Madrid. I am no apostle Paul. However as we see in scripture that the city of Ephesus was a hub for the gospel and for people getting trained and equipped for the work of the ministry. If I summarized all the call and vision I believe the Lord has spoken and communicated, I would say Ephesus. That one day there would be a hub in the central city of Madrid where a Jesus centered, gospel preaching, Bible teaching church would greatly contribute to all who dwell in the region hearing the gospel of Jesus Christ.

His word - His Spirit - His glory!

A Love For God That Is Irresistible To Others by Bryan Henderson

To understand what it might look like for us, children of God by faith, to cultivate an infectious love for Jesus we must break down and simplify this powerful exhortation into everyday terms.

Cultivation carries with it the language of preparation. Some synonyms for this word: till, plough, dig, turn, hoe, farm and work. This word is a verb or an action word and it would seem that the action is being carried out by us towards the object, Jesus.

Though there is certainly a measure of our responsibility to act in a loving way towards Jesus, the action starts far further back and is far more foundational than this.

God, who is rich in mercy, has lavished His love on us through the person and work of Jesus. The best way we can prepare ourselves to have a love for Jesus is to daily dwell and meditate on the love God has bestowed on us in Christ!

The bible tells us, “We love because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). Love would not even be possible had Jesus not displayed and placed His love on us. Foundational for us to respond in our action towards God with an obedient love is remembering and receiving His gracious love on a constant basis.

As we recall and preach this good news to our hearts, we then willingly choose to surrender more of our lives into His loving care. Others will see our infectious love for God only when we grasp the beauty and severity of His radical love for us.

In light of us being loved and made new in Christ, we boldly and enthusiastically live this in such a way that others see it, yearn for it, receive it, and glorify the Father in heaven. His love for us and our experiencing it should revive our hearts and it naturally flows out of us for others!

Practically speaking, I cannot experience God’s love for me which then flows out towards others if I do not draw near to Him and meditate on His goodness and love towards me. I must daily seize the truths of the gospel, and the best way to do this is to ground myself in the scriptures which are laden with gospel identity truths that rejoice the heart!

Chris' Baptism Video (5-15-16)

Practical Ways To Share Your Faith by Daniel Williams

I know a lot of people that struggle with knowing HOW to share the gospel and their faith with others. I think we all go through this from time to time, but I want to encourage you and let you know that this can be a lot easier then you think! Below, you can read through 3 simple things that will make sharing your faith a more natural part of your life.

Love Jesus

The things that bring us satisfaction and joy are the easiest to share. When I find an amazing restaurant, I want to let people know about. I want my friends to experience the joy and delight of having a great experience and incredible food. I may even go so far to take them out to that restaurant with me and buy their dinner just so we both can experience it together. So as you are enjoying Jesus in your relationship with Him, it can actually become easier to share Him and your experience with Him with others…it is a natural overflow because you want that same experience for others. This is why love is a key component in sharing our faith. When we are pursuing Jesus and in love with Him, it is easier to proclaim Him and His gospel. 

-What would your life look like if you were completely in love with Jesus? How would this allow you to proclaim Jesus and His gospel differently?

Walk In Wisdom

Although proclaiming Jesus and gospel should be an overflow of our hearts, we should still have wisdom in how we share the gospel. Col 4:5-6 says, “Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.”

There is only one gospel, but it is important for us to understand that everyone is different and people respond to different approaches. This is where it takes wisdom and guidance from the Holy Spirit to share the gospel with each person as He leads us. The great evangelist, Greg Laurie, says, “When we go fishing for men, we need to realize that what works for one does not necessarily work for another.”  So, there are many approaches and ways to share our faith, and we need to ask God for wisdom in doing so. James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”

Learn From Others

One of the ways we can gain wisdom is by learning from others. Are there people in your life that you can learn from? Wouldn’t it be wise to ask them to teach you how to evangelize? Another great way we can learn from others is by reading books people have written about this subject. There are so many great books on evangelism and I would suggest that you invest your time and resources in buying a few books to grow in this area. I have gained so much insight on this subject and many others in the Christian faith by simply reading great books from others.  Here are a two suggestions for you that are easy reads and very practical: 

-G3/Tactical Guide (click here) 

-Passion for the Gospel Practical Help on How to Share Your Faith by Greg & Chuck Swindoll Laurie (click here) 

Proclaim Jesus This Week

One of the best ways to learn how to share your faith is by actually doing it! Take some time this week to pray and ask God to open some doors for you to share the gospel and proclaim Jesus. You may not know everything about the Christian faith, but that is ok…the simple truths of the gospel are enough for it has the power to save! (Rom 1:16-17) Be all about proclaiming Jesus to others, and don’t get side tracked or scared with all the other things you don’t know right now. Jesus is more then enough for people! Just as Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2:1-2, “And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” 

May we continue to pursue and proclaim Jesus!

My Story | Scott Chisholm

Evangelism Through Invitation by Travis Sinks

Sometimes we think that inviting people to a church service isn’t “true” evangelism. As the pendulum has swung from one end to the other, we’re in a place where many people think they have to personally share the Gospel and see someone saved to do any good in someone’s life, and that’s simply not true.

We don’t want to neglect our call to personally tell others about Jesus and His love for them, but it’s also just as important to be inviting others to Sunday services and community groups. Here’s 3 reasons.

1. Our witness together is greater than ours separately.

One of the things Jesus said about our community together as believers was that non-christians will know that we are followers and disciples of Him by our “love for one another” (John 13:35). This teaches us that not only are we supposed to be together frequently to display that love (which is one of the many reasons being a part of a local church is so important), but it also tells us that we should be inviting people to be a part of our gatherings - how else will they see this love between us?

Sometimes we think that our witness is merely regarding our individual life, but our witness together as a body of believers sacrificially loving each other is a greater than any of us could achieve on our own.

2. It allows a non-believer to experience Jesus’ people

Although you are a part of the church, you are not the whole church. If you were a basketball player but your friends never came to one of your games, they wouldn’t have the full experience of the basketball team, or even what a basketball game is like if they’ve never been to one before.

When you invite someone to church or a community group, you are inviting them to experience Jesus working through all of the members of His local church in a much fuller way. Although you have good words to share and know them well, Jesus may choose to use someone else in the church to reach out to that person in a way they will respond. By bringing them to church and community group, you are asking others to participate in reaching out to your friend or family member rather than trying to do it all yourself.

3. Coming to a service gives them uninterrupted time with Jesus

One of the reasons we try to plan our services with as little interruptions and distractions as possible is to give people uninterrupted time with Jesus.

The reality is that people are busy.
They are tired.
They are bombarded with information.
Ideas.
Thoughts.
Marketing.
Noise.

We try to have our services be a place away from all of those things. By bringing a friend, family member, or even a stranger to church, you are providing uninterrupted time for them to reflect on the most important questions we have to answer: Who is God? Why am I here? What is truth? Who is Jesus?

You will have, and should continue to, utilize opportunities to share the Gospel one-on-one, and we know that Jesus can save a person in the blink of an eye, but by bringing the person you’re praying for to church you are offering them an opportunity to step out in faith to seek God and have Jesus reveal Himself to them. They may not accept Him the first time, second, third, fourth, or even ever. But we are called to persevere, pray, reach out, and seek the lost for Jesus regardless of their response. We should be taking every opportunity God gives us to love people, share Jesus with others, and invite them to come see what He is all about.

We have seen Jesus change so many lives through being invited by a friend to church. We’ve seen people saved on Sundays, in community groups, and even throughout the week because of new relationships they’ve made. This is an opportunity we don’t want anyone to miss.

So, who will you invite to church this Sunday?