Posts Tagged ‘Luke 10’

Testimonies of God at Work
Pastor Davis & Luz

I like to look for positive stories. Stories and testimonies that display the goodness of God, and how He is at work. This is especially important while we are going through this world wide crisis, caused by COVID-19.

Two of the church planting couples that I’m working with in Mexico are in the initial phases of starting their church. One of them, Pastor Davis and his wife, Luz just moved into the community of Playas in February. One of the first things a church planter does when arriving in a new community is to begin making new contacts.

Davis and Luz are a very personable and likable young couple. They do a great job meeting people. Yet, you can imagine how it’s been for them since just barely a month after they moved in everyone is living in lockdown. It’s hard to meet people when they are all afraid to go outside!

I’ve been in regular contact with Davis and Luz encouraging them, and praying with them. One of things that we’ve talked about was for them to go on prayer walks in the neighborhood, once they felt safe doing so. Over the last couple weeks they started walking near where they live. When there is someone outside they often have the opportunity to greet them, which is positive!

God’s Guidance
Davis and Luz with their three children Davis Jr., Julian and Ashley

Last week Davis felt tired so he decided to take a nap. While he was sleeping he dreamed that his wife, Luz told him they should go to the pharmacy in the community, so that they could meet someone. When Davis woke up, Luz said, “let’s go on a walk down the street,” and he responded, “that’s not what you told me in the dream.” So they went to the pharmacy, and began to look for someone to talk to in the area.

They saw a number of people, but Davis didn’t sense at first that the people he saw were the one’s that the Lord was leading them to. Finally, Davis saw a man, Jorge and they went to talk to him. Jorge told them that he has lived in Playas for 30 years, so he knows a lot of people there.

Jorge was very friendly and Davis and Luz were able to talk to him for quite a while. They told him that they were starting a church and he expressed interest. Isn’t it encouraging to see the Lord guiding and answering prayer? We are praying and believing that the Lord will build this church. We pray that the Lord will open the doors and make a way. He is the Way Maker.

Jesus told his disciples to look for a person of peace when he sent them out to minister in a new city. The person of peace is someone who is open and he or she is willing to help. He can open doors for you into the community. Jesus refers to the person of peace in Luke 10:5,6. Jorge may be a person of peace for Davis and Luz as they meet people in Playas.

Join us in Prayer & by Giving
Playas in Tijuana

Join with us in praying for Davis and Luz as they continue to make contacts and share the love of Christ during these unusual days that we are passing through. I believe the Lord is going to use the pandemic to cause people to be spiritually hungry. I just saw the other day that Google searches for prayer are way up, since the COVID-19 crisis began. People are looking for answers, and seeking peace in the midst of all the fear.

Another related issue is that there are many people who are struggling to survive in Mexico and Cuba. I’ve written about the hunger and the lack of basic needs in Cuba in other posts, that you can see here… Poverty was already a problem in Mexico, and now that so many are out of work it has only worsened. You can help by giving to these needs by clicking on the link below.

Donation

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org

IMG_6321.jpg

Dr. Lloyd Kim sharing at MTW regional hub meeting

Yesterday Dawn and I went to a luncheon in Encinitas at Redeemer Church to promote missions with Mission to the World (MTW). It was a wonderful event as we heard from MTW’s coordinator, Dr. Lloyd Kim and Mobilization director, Dave Veldhorst.

They spoke about the vision of seeing 2,877 new missionaries join the mission force through MTW. That’s an exciting and a big goal for our mission. One of the ways we aim to do that is by forming regional hubs in places like San Diego, Dallas and St. Louis to train and prepare potential missionary candidates.

This vision is still coming together, so we need much prayer. One blazing truth that remains is that Jesus needs men and women to serve him in missions. He needs people who are willing to go and serve.

Christ asked his disciples to pray for more workers.

And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers in his harvest.” (Luke 10:2,3) ESV

Here’s a helpful short video that MTW put together that challenges us to think and pray about sending more people into the world.

Dawn and I have been praying since before we arrived on the border for more workers. Please join us in prayer that God will raise up many more laborers to go out into the harvest field, and that some of them would join us in our work in Mexico.

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org

Continued Opposition in Lazaro Cardenas

Dave with pastor Jose Luis Rivera and Raquel

Dave with pastor Jose Luis Rivera and Raquel

Yesterday I met with Pastor Jose Luis Rivera and his wife Raquel. They are facing tremendous opposition in an area of Tijuana called, Lazaro Cardenas. A witch and a mean-spirited family have set out to turn the community against them.

Jose Luis and Raquel have been doing prayer walks and sharing the love of Christ in the neighborhood. The people are receptive to the message, but they don’t end up coming to church.

Pray for a Person of Peace

We talked about various things, but one of the things that I encouraged them to pray for is a person of peace. A person in the community that is influential that can open doors for them.

When Jesus sent out the 72 in Luke 10 he encouraged them to look for a person of peace.

Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’ And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you. —Luke‬ ‭10‬:‭5-6‬ ESV

Join us in praying for a person of peace! Pray that the Lord will open avenues for the gospel to enter in. We know that sometimes the ground is harder, and it takes more time for the gospel to penetrate the hard soil.

Yet nothing is too difficult for the Lord, so we look to him to work. Pray also for the Lord to encourage Jose Luis and Raquel. It’s discouraging when you work and you see little tangible fruit. O that the Lord, would strengthen them and give them wisdom as they serve in the Lazaro Cardenas community.

Pastor Leo – Praying for Healing

Pastor Leo in the middle with the green shirt, and his wife, Gloria is behind him to the right with Jose Luis and Raquel and a young couple from Leo's church

Pastor Leo in the middle with the green shirt, and his wife, Gloria is behind him to the right with Jose Luis and Raquel and a young couple from Leo’s church

After I met with Jose Luis and Raquel we visited pastor Leo and Gloria. You might remember that pastor Leo was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor in his kidney. He is waiting on the hospital to schedule the surgery.

God is working in Leo and strengthening him. He is upbeat and positive. After the doctor’s warning about needing to take better care of himself, Leo has started to eat better and to exercise. He’s already lost some weight!

We are trusting the Lord with Leo for God’s intervention and healing. While we were there we gathered around Leo and we prayed for him. We cried out to our loving and gracious God and asked him to bring healing – to remove the cancerous tumor. O Lord, hear our prayer!

In His Loving Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org

Here's our group having some fun interacting and passing out flyers this week

Here’s our group having some fun interacting and passing out flyers this week

Each week as I go out to take Jesus to the streets, and promote our ESL class. I’m so encouraged by the people we meet. It’s wonderful to be in the community of City Heights! Even most of the people who already speak English are so willing to help out. It’s truly heartwarming.

Short-Term Group

This week we’ve had a short-term group from Mobile, Alabama here to help us. I had so much fun with them. Lately, it’s just been Vicente and me going out to meet people and pass out flyers, but this week we’ve had extra help. I enjoyed the energy that they brought.

When we got together to debrief our experience after we went out, it was evident that the Lord used their efforts. I could tell that the group had a good time, and it also blessed me!

The Person of Peace

I decided to take the group to a different area, about a mile or so from where we usually hand out fliers. This enabled us to go to a new school. Unfortunately, the school let out early the day we were there, bummer!

We didn’t meet many parents, but we did meet a few. I told one of them what we were doing, and she introduced me to the administrative/social worker for the Parent Center. The social worker was unbelievably nice. I explained to her what we were doing, and that we were offering free English classes. She asked me if a I could come back next Friday to speak to the parents and make an announcement at the parents’ meeting.

Wow! I couldn’t believe it.

Unfortunately, I’m going to be out-of-town next week, so I will try to find someone else. If that doesn’t work she said I could come to another parents’ meeting in the future.

Short-term team of college students from Mobile, Alabama, ESL, English as a second or foreign language

Short-term team of college students from Mobile, Alabama

A person of peace is someone who is connected, and can open doors for you in a community. You find an example of this in Luke 10:5,6,

“Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’ And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you.”

The Lord has connected us with some person’s of peace. We met the principal of another school who opened the door for us there a few weeks ago. God is blessing and we are so encouraged.

Keep Praying

Thanks for standing with us in prayer. I believe we need to pray for the Lord’s blessing on these new friends, our person’s of peace. Pray also for the huge need we have for childcare, and we’d like to improve upon our teaching structure. This will enable us to do a better job teaching.

God is so good!

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org