ORDINATION SERVICE FOR OUR GO! MISSIONARIES

Today (WED) we had the privilege or ordaining Eric Flores and Jimmy Schauerte for the ministry. They are two of our GO! missionaries that serve here in Mallorca, Spain. Pastor Rafael shared that this ordination by man is only recognizing the Spirit's ordination already given by God. (John 15:16) "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.

Eric Flores' ordination

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Jimmy Schauete's ordination

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Phil Twente teaches while pastor Rafael translates. Phil is the mission's pastor from Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa. He has the joy of the Lord even after coming off a plane from Los Angeles! (Psa 118:14) The LORD is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation.

MORE HAPPENING IN SPAIN

Yesterday (MON) we toured part of the island of Mallorca, Spain with the missionaries and those attending the conference. We saw some beautiful sites, shopped, swam in a cove, and just enjoyed the day getting to know each other. (Rom 1:12) that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.
This is pastor Rafael (Raf) Manzanares. He pastors the Calvary Chapel here in Mallorca and also oversees the Bible College. He is a hands on pastor along with his wife Loretta. True servants! (Gal 5:13) For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

Today (TUES) was the first day of the conference. This is Joe Holden who spoke first. You've probably heard of him before. He is an apologetics teacher at Calvary Chapel Bible College. He is here along with his family. He's a gifted teacher from the Lord and I found out he loves ice cream! (Eph 4:11-12) And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, {12} for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,

Yeah, that's me teaching the Word after Joe Holden. Kelsey took this pic so I'm throwing it onto the blog to say thank you for praying for me. I encouraged the flock from this verse: (Gal 6:9) And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

Now it's off to TUES evening service which will be bilingual so my Spanish will be strengthened.

Two more days of the conference.

Thinking of you!

Adios and Chriso de bendiga!

Luis (Louie)

ARRIVED SAFELY IN SPAIN

Greetings in Christ to all of you. We arrived safely in Spain yesterday (Sat) by the grace of God and your prayers. We are visiting our GO! missionaries Jimmy Schauerte and Eric Flores and speaking at a Calvary Chapel Spain conference held here in Mallorca. Mallorca is an island off of the coast of Spain in the Mediterranean. There is a Calvary Chapel church and Bible College. God is moving here and it's great to be here and see it in person.

Love and miss you all!

This is Jimmy Schauerte and his dad Henry from Huntington Beach, CA. Here's here with his wife Eileen to see Jimmy ordained this Wednesday morning. Eric Flores is getting ordained too. Sorry no pics of Eric yet.

This is Dave Shirley. He is the dean of Calvary Chapel Bible College. He is one of the speakers at the conference this week. He gave the Sunday morning message and talked about the grace of God keeping us from condemnation. (Rom 8:1) There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

Jimmy greeting the Sunday morning flock and giving the announcements.


This is pastor Rafeal Manzanares. He has the joy of the Lord! (Neh 8:10) ...Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

The worship was lively. The service was in English so we could understand and be edified. (1 Cor 14:19) yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.

The worship band in the background.

The Seu Cathedral. The nation of Spain is 95% Catholic.

This is a picture taken from our flat. This is a bay that looks out into the Mediterranean.

Stay tuned. More to come if I continue to get internet access.

God bless!

Agape,

Louie

LIMITING THE LORD

SHEPHERD TO SHEEP

LIMITING THE LORD

(Psa 78:41) Yes, again and again they tempted God, And limited the Holy One of Israel.

Do you limit the Lord? Do you put restraints on what He can and cannot do? Maybe you tell yourself that He can handle the small stuff but when it's the "Big Kahuna" then no way. How can we believe the Lord for great things without succumbing to doubt and limiting the Lord because of our lack of faith?

I think the problem lies in the origin of our unbelief. Something big happens in our life and instead of seeing God as bigger than the problem we bring Him down our level. We project onto Him the inadequacy we feel. And in so doing we exalt the problem as god! We get things so backwards and twisted around. See what doubt does? It distorts reality. No wonder the Bible says to "magnify the Lord" (Psa 34:3). That means to focus on His greatness. When we do that then our problem shrinks to pocket-size.

Psalm 78 rehearses the history of Israel and focuses on Israel's unbelief in the wilderness. God took care of them but then they doubted. They failed to trust in the Lord and they started complaining. God wanted to do so much more for them but they limited His blessings. This reminds me of when Jesus came to His hometown Nazareth. As He taught in the synagogue they doubted His divine origin because He had grown up there. This sad statement follows: (Mat 13:58) Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief. God wants to work in our lives far more than what we are allowing Him!

But there's another reason why we limit the Lord. It's the sin we allow in our lives. Remember David? God had promised him so many blessings. The Lord would bless him immensely and he would always have a son to sit on the throne. (2 Sam 7) But because of his sin with Bathsheba he limited God's blessings. Here's what God said to David through the prophet Nathan:

(2 Sam 12:7-9) ... ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your keeping, and gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if that had been too little, I also would have given you much more! Why have you despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in His sight? You have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the people of Ammon.

We also limit the Lord because we don't feel worthy of His blessings. But remember we are under grace and not the merit system! (Mat 7:11) If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! God wants to give us so much more. Can you believe that? Let's trust Him today for the blessings that await us ahead.

Ps 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

Ro 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Luke 12:32 “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Louie

CHERI KEAGGY AT CCNORCO

We had Cheri Keaggy led worship all three services this morning. She was such a blessing to us at CCNorco. Here's a little clip for you to enjoy.

SHOULD ISRAEL GIVE LAND FOR PEACE?

Should Israel give land for peace? Read the following Shepherd to Sheep:

ISRAEL

"And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you. {8} "Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God." (Genesis 17:7‑8)

It seems like as long as we can remember Israel has had a struggle with her neighbors and with the Palestinians. Since it became a nation once again in 1948 there have been wars and conflicts and struggles and contentions. Such a small nation and we wonder what’s all the fuss about? Why can’t there be peace in the Middle East? Why all the fightings about this small piece of real estate? Who’s land is it supposed to be anyway?

The Lord told Abraham that He would make an everlasting covenant with Israel and that He would give the land of Canaan as an everlasting possession to them. (Let’s not forget this was around 2,000 B.C.!) God has not forgotten His people. It was prophesied that God would bring them back into the land in the last days (Ezekiel 36-37). This would be in preparation to fulfilling His covenant with them (Romans 9-11). You see Israel rejected the Messiah and the kingdom of God never was ushered in. Since that point of rejection it has been the time of the Gentiles where the nations have been presented the gospel and are being brought into the kingdom of God (Mat. 16:18; 28:18-20). But after the Rapture of the Church, God will begin working with Israel again. Many will come to Christ during the Tribulation and leading up to Christ’s Second Coming (Rev. 7; Zech. 12:10). Then the 1,000 year millennial reign will be ushered in where Christ will rule over all! (Rev. 20)

When the terrorists hit us on 9-11, we saw news reports of the Palestinians dancing in the streets because of our dead. Have we forgotten that these terrorists want the complete annihilation of Israel and will attack anyone who will support her? Satan has always had it in for God’s people. He hates God and he hates God’s people. He knows if he can hurt God’s people, He can get back at God. So all throughout history there has been attempts to wipe God’s people out. We remember Pharaoh’s killing of the Hebrew boys (Exodus 1) and Haman’s attempt at a pogrom against the Jews in the book of Esther. Herod tried to slay the Christ Child (Mat. 2:16). Study history and you will see the persecution of the Jews throughout. And how could we forget the Holocaust of WWII? But God has always preserved His people! From them came Christ our Lord! The Jews are God’s people and God has made an everlasting covenant with them and has given them the land as an everlasting possession. And the nation that supports Israel be blessed!
(Gen 12:3) I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."

(Psa 122:6) Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May they prosper who love you.

Louie

BRIAN COMING HOME SATURDAY FROM THAILAND/JAPAN

Brian has had a great time serving the Lord in Thailand/Japan. You can see his progress by checking out his blog here.