What a privilege to take our church family from North Carolina to our Honduran church family. Pastor Pedro's church family has become our church family here. His doors are always open for us when needed. We headed down the path of Pavana to go to Gesthamene Baptist Church in El Ero Blanco, Choluteca. We ran into a small dilemma, a cattle herding. We followed it several miles through Pavana for inching our way around these beautiful creatures God created for our pleasure on daily basis. We were of course welcomed with open arms by Pastor Pedro's baby girl Izzy. She is the social butterfly of the church family. But of course she learned from the best. The entire church family greeted each of our church family as if they had known them their entire life. What a beautiful example of Jesus Christ as you entered the doors of this precious church family.
Elmer's wife, Miriam led the worship service throughout the morning. A solo was done by a member of the church named Mabel. Mike read the scripture out of Psalm 24:1-4. Pastor Pedro got up to welcome everyone old and young alike. As it could not be any more special our sister in Christ, Carmen took up the offering and then led the offering into prayer to our Lord. What a beautiful start to a special morning in the Lord's House.
As the service continued the group got up to sing two specials for their new friends. One they did in English and Spanish, "Open the Eyes to My Heart Lord". The young ladies on the team sang "There is Sunshine in My Soul Today". After the singing the team had two testimonies given by Mason and Sophia. Mason shared how grateful he was to have been raised in a Christian home. He had received Christ at a young age but it took him a very long time to make it public. Mason shared once it became public he felt a load had been lifted and he felt free at last. He shared living my life for Christ is not easy sometimes but it is an amazing journey.
Sophia also was raised in a Christian home but at the age of 14 her parents divorced. This was hard times for Sophia she shared. But she also shared how the Lord saw her through this hard time and helped her grow into a stronger Christian because of it. She referenced Isaiah 40:31
After the testimonies John Scott approached the podium to share for the first time a sermon. While I was home earlier this year John Scott asked me who would be preaching and I shared I would love to hear you share John Scott. Well the rest is history. He spent numerous hours preparing his sermon for friends he had never met before. He did not know what his audience would be but God knew exactly what he wanted John Scott to share, Heaven, he chose to share about Heaven and our journey to get there. He shared how he learned down here eight years ago about a young lady in her 70's teaching Sunday School each Sunday in her home for the children because their community did not have a church. He quoted how she "Loved the Lord God with all her heart" and the second quote was "Love your neighbor as yourself." These two great commandments is how this lady lived out her life. I learned so much from her that summer, John Scott shared.
When we leave here we may not see each other again. He shared out of John 14:2 "My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?"
We are struggling in life. We are all sinners and it keeps us from serving the Lord the way He wants us to. Looking towards Heaven is our greatest motivation for wanting to serve the Lord and ask forgiveness daily for our sins. The battle with Satan is hard but we cannot get discouraged when we have God who is so much bigger than Satan. He referred to Pastor Pedros' comment "If God is for us who can be against us." In Genesis 3:14 So the LORD God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, "Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life."
In Romans 8:37 "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." We are conquerors in Christ. In Revelation 20:1 it says And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain." The beauty of Heaven we cannot fathom. This also encourages to live our lives to glorify God. Heaven is our home and happiness will be with the ones we love. It is not the material things in life that are important but time with our family, love ones and friends. But surely our greatest joy is found in our Lord and Savior.
One day we will all be reunited with our loved ones if we are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. Love will be pure, no more pain and suffering. It will all be perfect before our Lord. We all have the choice to choose our eternity, is it going to be Heaven or Hell. This is our individual choice. The bible shares in Matthew 7:13-14 "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it."
Where is your final destination, Heaven or Hell?
Thank you John Scott for allowing God to use you by you getting out of your comfort zone and sharing from your heart your love for your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
AMEN
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