Let's Get Psyched for Sunday!!

I know the last song I posted was by PJ Putnam but let's face it, the guys got skills :) So I think an awesome song should be Saturday's post to get us Psyched to meet with our Lord on Sunday. Unless you go to church on Saturday night and then well... I've got all the bases covered!! The words of this song say it All. All that matters in this life is captured by the words of this song. The most important moment in time and the reason we sing and worship, is relayed in this song. I hope if you have not experienced The most Beautiful Love of all time, you will not wait a moment longer.

Weeding the Garden

"How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults." Psalm 19:12

We were out pulling weeds in our garden last week and I was in one area pulling and pulling and pulling. Thinking I had done a pretty awesome job I look and there in the middle of this nice clean spot is a Huge Goat Head patch!! How did I miss it?! And I immediately thought of the scripture in Matthew 7:4 about how we are so quick to point out the little faults in others but are blind to the Huge faults in our own lives. Right there in the middle of what we think is going pretty good, a Huge Goat Head Mess.

Today I came across this passage from Psalms and it made me think of my weed pulling session. This entire chapter is very inspiring about God's goodness and his Law, that we should meditate on day and night to live a right life and then we come to verse 12. Exactly!!! How can we know every sin lurking?! 

We are particularly blessed to have a "helper" that King David did not have, the Holy Spirit. We are particularly blessed to have the ultimate sacrifice that Christ Jesus gave on our behalf. And because of that sacrifice we have Grace. Is Grace a reason to keep sinning? In the words of the Apostle Paul, Absolutely Not!! But if we daily weed our garden by searching His word and Speaking with our creator, it will get easier to see those Goat Heads before they get so big they flower and then we have stickers all over the place. 

Prayer:

  Lord,

     Help me to see the sins lurking. Those things that keep me from knowing you completely. Those things that push others away from you and not to you. I know that I can never be all that you expect on my own and I thank you for the price that you paid that I could not. 

Midweek Ministry

 Things at our church, First Baptist Church of Belen, have

been heating up since our New Pastor David Guerrero arrived 

this last September. Every week I am seeing our members be 

reignited with passion and fire for what the church needs

to be about. We are refocusing on what our mission is and 

week by week it is so exciting to see our church transform 

into the Acts Church.

Our Youth Minister Sean Farrell has a vision for ministry

he calls his mission "Hands and Feet". We are to be Christ's 

hands and feet. We are to do for others what they cannot do

for themselves and love them like Christ loves them. When

people look at us as believers, they should wonder why we

are different and Sean is working diligently to instill these 

core values into our youth. Our desire is that our church would

be about service to those in need. Getting out in our community

and making a difference and that is what we are doing!!

A turn of events on Presidents day brought about a huge 

opportunity for our youth group and another youth group

from a fellow church! The plan was to go to White Sands

for a day of fun in the sand. But poor weather conditions at

White Sands ended the trip. Pastor Sean said he started to 

think and pray for an alternate plan for the youth. Then it

came to him! The previous day he had spoke with a gentleman 

by the name of Rex Lewis. Rex Lewis and his family lost

their home to a fire just a few weeks ago. Our church had 

already been out to help with the clean up but there is still

lots to be done to prepare for the rebuild. Pastor Sean had

told Rex he would assemble a team and come out again soon

to help. Sean realized he had a large group of teens and youth

workers at his disposal so he pitched his idea to the adults and

then the teens. Most were on board and very excited about

the service project. Of course there were a few of the teens who

Sean says "were not excited about the not having fun," and they 

went home. Little did they realize what they were going to miss

out on!

The workers piled into the vans and headed over to the Lewis's

and started working. Several of the youth I have talked to said 

at first it was quiet and everyone was a bit somber but then

the singing started and creativity in the clean up and silliness

and fun ensued!

 Some comments about the days events were:

- "Honestly, not only did yesterday rejuvenate me, but it turned out 

   SO much better than I had planned. All in all, I am so grateful that 

   the day turned out like it did instead. Where not only were laughs 

   present, but that of which matters, acting and serving out of love and

   devotion. Plus, it reminded me that we may have our plans, but His 

   are always better."     Miranda Lucero

- "I just have to say it felt amazing to help " Mystie Sky

- "Our students lit up Facebook with how much fun they had and how 

    good they felt helping."  Pastor Sean Farrell

- " I think it was a GREAT change of events and some of the students 

     even agreed. I spent time with two last evening and they mentioned 

     it was so wonderful to be in service to others in the Kingdom 

     than just to themselves. They had a great time of fun and silliness, 

     too! It is always such a blessing to give oneself away. I was proud 

     of the work the kids did and how well they did it, too."  

     Venetia Yates -Youth Pastor


- " I think we youth should do more service projects like that. I think 
     that's what we're supposed to be doing. Going to concerts and doing 
    fun things is nice, but so many kids don't realize how important these 
    things can be to someone else. I know yesterday, God was definitely at 
    work. I noticed a few things that happened to me yesterday, that might 
    not have happened if we'd spent all day down at White Sands. Of course, 
    God works in so many ways and through so many situations."  Katie Alvarez

.

The Youth and youth workers left Monday feeling excited and 

honored to be a part of such an awesome day. Of course the

Lewis family was most thankful supplying hotdogs, 

smores and appreciation!  I think that when we help someone in 

need and get our eyes off ourselves, we find that we are equally 

blessed. What I love most of all is that everyone saw that God had a 

much better plan for the day!