Worship Service

 

The team gathers at the church in Monjares for worship with the community they served for three days with their medical team.  Today everyone is going to get spiritual filled with hymns and God's word.  The team was grateful for a day of rest and to reflect on God and HIS most holy presence.  Jimmy like the idea of the worship service not being prearranged.  Maida met with Maria who was in charge of the order of service and led the service.  They planned out the worship service without even a bulletin.  God is good all the time.

 

There was several specials during the worship service.  The team got up there with the children and sang in Spanish Jesus is Love.  Maria with another church member led the church family in some familiar hymns we sing back in North Carolina.  The North American team got up and sang 10,000 Reasons in Spanish and Allelujah in Spanish.  The team practiced nightly their songs for worship service on Sunday.  It was beautiful to hear them sing in Spanish and such an amazing job they all did.  One evening they were singing and someone out on the street walking by shouted "Amen" and hit the gate as they passed.  They were sharing the love of Jesus Christ out on the streets of Choluteca.  Many people each night heard praises to Jesus being song in the mission house and all in Spanish.  Thank you Coats Baptist for the extra efforts of preparing before coming and singing in the native language, Spanish. 

 

Mike got up to share from God's word, Matthew 14:22-31.  Mike shared that after Jesus feed the 5000 people He sent the disciples out in the boat while He went up into the mountain to pray alone with His Father. Early in the morning Jesus awoke and went to check on the disciples walking on water to get to the boat. The disciple were scared when they saw Jesus walking on the water. They did not believe it was Him. They thought it was a ghost. Jesus said "Take courage, it is I, don't be afraid."  Peter spoke up and said "If it is you Lord, call me to You". Mike asked  the people how many times do we see Jesus and do not believe it is Him. When we call on Him and we are not sure it is Him. "Take Courage, It is I, Don't be afraid".  Jesus is always there for us but we need to recognize Him. Like Jesus told Peter to Come, He is telling us to Come, He will not beg us to come he will only ask us to come to HIM.  He is always there waiting for us to recognize Him. Mike shared that Peter got out of the boat and headed toward Jesus but got distracted by the waves took his focus off of Jesus and started to sink. How often do we take our eyes off of Jesus, lose focus and start to slip away from Him. Similarly when Peter started to sink Jesus grabbed him and pulled him up. Jesus will do the same for you as long as we stay focused on Him and His way. 

Mike shared the story of "Foot Prints in the Sand and used a young child from the church. He shared how when the man died and went to heaven and was talking with Jesus and reflected to the times in his life, he remember two sets of foot prints. Jesus said that was when I was walking with you. Mike then picked up the young boy and carried him in his arms while sharing that during the hard times he saw only one set of foot prints in the sand. Mike shared that the man said that you left me during those times, but Jesus told him that was when I carried you through those rough times. Mike shared Jesus is always there asking us to Come, Come be with Him.   Is Jesus carrying you through your rough times?  If you do not know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior who holds you up in all situations please receive the best gift, Jesus.  After the service Mike offered an invitation to whoever wanted to receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.  Pastor David got up there and shared it again and asked the same question who would like to receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. There was several people who came to the front of the church to rededicate their lives to Christ.  But there is one lady who came down to receive Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior.  Angels were dancing and singing in heaven this day.  We may have seen 900 patients this week but we received a sister in Christ which is worth so much more.  Thank you God for our new sister in Christ.