Posts Tagged ‘Charles Spurgeon’

The Power of Prayer in Ensenada!

Posted: August 5, 2013 in Bright Spots on the Border, Christianity, Ministry, Ministry Partners, Missions, Prayer
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A Prayer Meeting That’s Lasted 21 Years
Prayer meeting in Ensenada

Prayer meeting in Ensenada

This weekend I had the pleasure of attending a pastoral alliance prayer meeting in Ensenada, Mexico.

I wasn’t expecting much before I showed up. After all, prayer meetings are usually poorly attended, and frequently they aren’t organized all that well. This was definitely different! There were a number of pastors and leaders at this prayer meeting.

The prayer alliance meeting began 21 years ago, and the pastors meet weekly to pray for their city and the work of the gospel. That’s a wonderful testimony to the faithfulness of these men and women to come together and meet with God on behalf of Ensenada.

Worship & Prayer: The Celebrant Singers
The Celebrant Singers

The Celebrant Singers

The other surprise I received at this prayer meeting was that the Celebrant Singers were there performing. I could tell it was an American group, since they needed a translator. I asked them where they were from, and found out they came down from Visalia, California. Visalia is only about 45 miles from Fresno, where I grew up.

The church we met in for prayer was on a hill that overlooked the city. It reminded me of the church being a city set on a hill.

The view of Ensenada from the church site

The view of Ensenada from the church site

I do believe God honors the prayers for his people, and he loves it when believers and leaders and from different churches come together to cry out for the city.

I ask the Lord along with these pastors that God would give them Ensenada. That the gospel will go forth powerfully, and that the city will be transformed in Christ.

May God’s Spirit Move in Ensenada

These praying leaders reminded me of how the great preacher Charles Spurgeon used to have people praying for him before and while he preached. He called it his boiler room. I’m sure that it kept the place warm, and full of the Spirit.

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org

Related articles

Lord, Break Through on the Border!

Posted: July 29, 2013 in Christianity, Ministry, Ministry Partners, Missions, Prayer, Tijuana
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Dawn, Dave and David Jr. with Pastor Mauro and his family and friends

Dawn, Dave and David Jr. with Pastor Mauro and his family and friends

David Jr., Dawn and I had a wonderful Sunday afternoon with our friends at Lo Mejor del Trigo in Mariano, Tijuana. One of our friends from Harbor, Matt Dolstein was also able to join us.

Pastor Mauro Lopez, who leads the church has become a great partner in ministry. We’ve enjoyed getting to know him, his family and those that are part of the church he leads.

We Pray that God’s Spirit will Touch the People

Today (Sunday) I preached at the church. I love being able to encourage the people. This church has  been going through some tough times. I felt as I shared with them today that they needed the Lord to meet them in a special way. David, Dawn and I prayed that God would lead me as I preached, and touch the people.

Dave preaching at Lo Mejor del Trigo

Dave preaching at Lo Mejor del Trigo

Several years ago I read that right before Charles Spurgeon would preach he would repeat to himself, “I believe in the Holy Ghost, I believe in the Holy Ghost, I believe in the Holy Ghost.” I keep that in mind and make it my prayer before I preach. This prayer is a cry to the Lord to minister through me and his Word, and also a reminder that I am dependent on the Holy Spirit to touch others.

Our Source of Power

A friend of mine sent me an article this week that warned of ministers today forgetting to rely on the Holy Spirit as they minister. The author brought up some valid concerns.

Here’s an excerpt from Rev. Al Baker’s article:

My brethren, we are in desperate straits in the Evangelical and Reformed world. The church is generally impotent, tame, and woefully lacking in effecting the culture in which we live. I urge you to read the Scriptures afresh and anew, looking at, believing in the ministry of the Spirit. See how many times in the Book of Acts the Spirit is mentioned. I urge you to read Calvin’s Institutes, John Owen’s work on the Holy Spirit, Revival by Lloyd-Jones, and Scotland Saw His Glory by Richard Owen Roberts as a cursory study of the issue. And then let us pray, seeking God until we find Him.

He finishes the article with these penetrating questions, Are we given to unbelief? Do we doubt the power, efficacy, and immediacy of the Spirit? If so, may we repent and believe.

Our Prayer, Our Need

My prayer is that we will believe in the power, efficacy and immediacy of the Spirit, and that we will see the power of the Spirit break forth as we seek and serve the Lord on the border.

The Lord has been teaching Dawn and me more about his desire for the gospel to penetrate deeply into our lives. Luther, who God used to spearhead the reformation, stated that “we need to beat the gospel into our heads.” He also said, “all of life is repentance.” Good reminders! For some reason we forget the power that gospel has to change our lives as well as the lives of other.

Look to Jesus with us, and may we repent and believe.

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org

The Spirit Breaks Through in Bakersfield

Posted: May 22, 2012 in Christianity, Church Planting, Ministry, Ministry Partners, Missions, Prayer, San Diego, Tijuana
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Dave preaching at Covenant Presbyterian Church

Dave preaching at Covenant Presbyterian Church

On Sunday I had the privilege of speaking in Sunday School and preaching at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Bakersfield. The Lord really showed up. I left filled up. Thank you, Jesus!

I preached on Matthew 9:35-38 while weaving in Luke 15. Luke 15 speaks of the lost coin, the lost sheep and the lost son. Matthew 9 explains how Christ was going through the towns and villages proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing people. This affected Jesus’ heart. He had compassion on the people as he saw their sorry state. Then he asked the disciples to pray:

” The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

This is a great missionary passage. It’s a truth that still rings true today. The harvest is still plentiful and there is still a huge need for workers.

Dave with Pastor Randy Martin

Dave with Pastor Randy Martin

I’ve preached this sermon before, but for some reason this last Sunday God moved in my heart in a special way. His Spirit touched me, and I sensed that He was at work in the hearts of those that came. I saw some with tears in their eyes. Now I don’t usually have that effect on people, so I know it was God’s Spirit at work. I praise the Lord that He would use me to touch others for His glory.

I love Charles Spurgeon. He is a master in the way he crafts his words. He describes things in picturesque fashion. I shared one of his quotes and the Lord used it to minister to me and the people. I’ve read this quote before, but as I read it I got emotional, which doesn’t happen very often. Also I could see that some of the people were teary eyed.

This is the quote, and I hope the Lord will minister to you through it as well. As you read it think of how great God’s love is for you personally as well as those prodigals you may know. Spurgeon is referring to the scene when the prodigal returns to his father. The title of the Sermon is, “Many kisses for returning sinners.”

Think of yourself as well as I you read this – look at how much God loves you!

“In this repeated kissing we see, then, these three things: much love, much forgiveness, and full restoration.

Let me try to describe the scene. The father has kissed the son, and he bids him sit down; then he comes in front of him, and looks at him, and feels so happy that he says, “I must give you another kiss,” then he walks away a minute; but he is back again before long, saying to himself, “Oh, I must give him another kiss!” He gives him another, for he is so happy. His heart beats fast; he feels very joyful; the old man would like the music to strike up; he wants to be at the dancing; but meanwhile he satisfies himself by a repeated look at his long-lost child. Oh, I believe that God looks at the sinner, and looks at him again, and keeps on looking at him, all the while delighting in the very sight of him, when he is truly repentant, and comes back to his Father’s house.”

Isn’t it wonderful to be loved by our amazing Father? Isn’t it an amazing love?

In His Grip, Dave

P.S. Please be in prayer for me this week as I meet with many of our ministry partners on the border.

DiasoLifeontheBorder.org