Posts Tagged ‘John 10’

Life: Abundant Life!

Posted: June 6, 2016 in Christianity, Church Planting, Ministry, Missions, Prayer, Tijuana
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Celebrate Life in Abundance!
Pastor Cesar Zavala and his wife, Kristina in the blue shirts with Dave and some of the visiting pastors

Pastor Cesar Zavala and his wife, Cristina in the blue shirts with Dave and some of the visiting pastors including pastor Abraham Velazquez and Martha

This afternoon Hannah and I participated in a great celebration!

Vida Abundante church of Ministerios Transformación held their 12th year anniversary today. Pastor Julio Cesar Zavala and his wife, Cristina are good friends of ours and they invited us to participate in their anniversary celebration.

They started the church in the eastern part of Tijuana 12 years ago. They replanted the church two years ago in an area of TJ called La Torres. The Lord provided some land for them, and through their affiliation with Ministerios Transformación they were able to build a church on the land two years ago.

When they moved the church they lost some of their people, because so many people they minister to don’t have cars, so proximity to the church becomes an issue. This gave them the opportunity to build on their core from their church to reach out in this new community.

It was exciting for Hannah and me to be able to worship with them today. We could see the love and feel the Spirit working among this church.

Christ Promise of Abundant Life
Hannah worshipping at the Vida Abundante Church

Hannah worshipping at the Vida Abundante Church

I love the name of the church, Vida Abundante, which means Abundant Life. One of the verses both Dawn and I often refer to when we are sharing the gospel is John 10:10. The second part of the verse states, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

What a wonderful promise that Christ gives us, and yet so many people are not experiencing the abundant life. Those who don’t have Christ in their lives aren’t able to experience this abundance that Jesus speaks of. Also, many that are in Christ are not walking in the Spirit as Paul speaks of in Ephesians 5, so they miss out on this life as well.

Yet it is such a wonderful promise, and all God’s promises are true in Christ Jesus!

The first part of John 10:10 states that, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.” We must not forget that we have an enemy who wants to destroy us, but we are overcomers in Christ. Keep your eyes on Jesus.

Cesar and Cristina have a heart to see the lives of the people in their community transformed. The light of Christ shines brightly as they faithfully serve and share the love of Christ.

Pray for Kingdom Expansion
They gave Dave and some of the other visiting ministers an opportunity to share a word of encouragement

They gave Dave and some of the other visiting ministers an opportunity to share a word of encouragement

Pray for them that their church will continue to grow as they reach even more for the kingdom. Pray that the Lord will raise up many more like them.

This Thursday and Friday we will be holding church planting training for 12 pastors from Tijuana, Rosarito, Tecate and Ensenada. Cesar will be one of the pastors attending the training. Pray with us that the Lord uses it to minister to, and enrich the lives of these servants so that they will be even more effective in their ministries.

We pray that the church will continue to grow on the border, the Baja and Beyond! Jesus, hear our cry!

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org

Warfare Prayer: Don’t Leave Home Without it!

Posted: March 29, 2016 in Christianity, Church Planting, Ministry, Prayer
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Starting New Churches to Expand the Kingdom
Dave with Pastor Victor Bravo & Sol at one of the church plants we helped start in 2015

Dave with Pastor Victor Bravo & Sol at one of the church plants we helped start in 2015

I enjoy most things about my job, which is a tremendous blessing. What an amazing privilege it is for me to be a catalyst for church planting on the Border and the Baja! I love the opportunity to help start new churches and support the pastors who lead them.

Yet if I’m honest, there are some challenges to doing this work. These churches are invading enemy territory, so there is backlash. There is a battle going on. My family has felt it, and at times suffered from it. The churches have endured it.

Sometimes I have to make difficult decisions that not everyone is in favor of. My desire is to honor the Lord, and to follow him. Dawn and I seek to pray, and to be sensitive to God’s leading. That’s not to say that we always get it right.

We depend on God’s grace, and seek to repent quickly when we hurt someone.

Prayer Support – Warfare Prayer
Dave with Pastor Ivan Casados and his wife Rocio and Aaron at a church we helped plant in 2014

Dave with Pastor Ivan Casados & Rocio and Aaron at one of the church plants we helped start in 2014

All this reminds me of the huge need we have for prayer support. As we have served here now on the Border the Lord has brought some wonderful people in to our lives. They are people that are committed to pray for us. We’ve met some friends that are gifted in warfare prayer, and we’ve benefited greatly from them.

This week we find ourselves in a period where we need much prayer and discernment as we move forward. Join us in prayer as we interact with friends and colleagues about the church planting projects that we are getting ready to launch.

I find it interesting in the very verse that Jesus speaks of the abundant life he came to give us, that the verse begins with how the enemy attacks us.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. —John 10:10 ESV

What a contrast! The enemy wants to destroy us, but we have this great promise in Christ. We can have an abundant life in the midst of the battle. Jesus defeated our foe on the cross and through his resurrection. That’s what we celebrate in Easter. Hallelujah!

Even though Christ secured victory for us the battle rages on. We have been given armor for this warfare, and prayer is also a means to protect us and to attack. James reminds us of the power of prayer and confession in James 5:16-18 ESV.

The Sunset at Imperial Beach

Sunset on the Pacific

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.

What a wonderful reminder of how the Lord uses prayer to bring about healing and to change the course of nature! Do not grow faint as you labor in prayer. The part you play with us is huge!

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org