True Conversion

The other day I (again) ran across this, one of my favorite quotes by Dr. J.I. Packer (from his book Keep in Step with the Spirit):

"The only proof of past conversion is present convertedness."

An encouraging testimony

This week we're working on a promotional video for the college. Part of our work has been to videotape interviews with a number of students. One testimony in particular was a special blessing to me. I asked one of our freshmen students named Josué what kind of impact his time here has had upon his relationship with God. He replied like this:

The impact that UCLA has had on my life is that it has taught me to know God. Before I came here I knew absolutely nothing about God. . . . But since I came here I have accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior.

Praise the Lord! Our ministry here is to make disciples of Jesus Christ. By God's grace, we've had a good start with Josué!

The Essence of the Gospel by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

This morning I was reading my favorite preacher, D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones on 2 Peter 1:1-2. Here's the Doctor's explanation of the essence of the Gospel:

The message is, that there is only one way whereby man can be right, or righteous, in the sight of God; and that is by the righteousness that is given to us in Christ. The problem confronting man is how to be just with God. It is certainly very right to come back to God and to believe in God, but the first question is, How can I do this? God is Holy, God is Absolute, 'God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.' I am sinful. What can I do? The Old Testament contains a law, and the law said, If you do these things you will be right with God. And the tragedy is that so many people still try to do that. Yes, they say, we must be right with God. But how do I become right with God? How can I live that new life? I read the Commandments, I do my best to keep them -- I try to get right with God. But by my own efforts and exertions I will never put myself right with God. To believe that I can is in utter antithesis to and a contradiction of the Christian Gospel.

What is the Gospel? It is this . . . that Jesus Christ of Nazareth was none other than the only begotten Son of God, and that He had come on earth for one thing only, and that was that He might bear the sins of man Himself. In Christ God has dealt with the sin of mankind; He has punished sin there, He has done away with it. How can a man be right with God? Believe that, submit yourself to it, and say: I have no righteousness of my own; I accept the righteousness that God gives me in Christ; and, clothed in that I can stand and face God and the righteousness of God. That is the essence of the Christian faith.

Wow! That is truly "precious" gospel (2 Pet 2:1). Lloyd-Jones ends his sermon with this challenge:

It does not matter who you are, or where you come from; if you are a Christian, that is your faith, that is what you believe. You will find it all in Christ. You see that without Him you are lost and nothing, but in Him you are complete, for He 'of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.' He is my All -- Christ is all and in all. He is everything. Jesus Christ! And the faith in Him is 'precious' to my soul because of these amazing things He has done for me, and is still doing to me, and will yet do for me until I stand complete in Him in the presence of God. is the faith precious to you? It is precious to all who are truly Christian (italics added).

Amen!

¡Feliz día de acción de gracias! (Happy Thanksgiving!)

As is our annual tradition all of us "Gringos" that work at UCLA got together today to celebrate Thanksgiving. We had a great time of food, fun and fellowship. Lots of turkey and all the sides! I, for one, am particularly thankful for the great team of workers that the Lord has assembled here. We are unusually blessed to work in a place on the mission field with so many like-minded, Christlike co-workers. In all there were 23 of us (13 adults and 10 children).

Prayer update

God has been blessing at our mission church. The last few months we've had a good number of visitors that have continued to return fairly regularly. In addition, it seems that God is doing a work in the lives of several of our members. Here are a few prayer requests.

1. Please pray for Julio and Joel, two middle-aged men who have been attending very regularly for a couple of months. Julio professes to know Christ and has invited a number of friends to church, but we are still unsure of his spiritual condition. Joel has not yet professed Christ, but both he and Julio are attending a weekly Bible study with David, a member of our congregation.
2. Please pray for a number of married ladies who are regular members of our assembly whose husbands are not believers. Pray that God will use their testimony to bring their spouses to Christ.
3. Please pray for some special evangelistic outreaches that we will be doing from now until the end of the year.
4. Please pray for Obed, a 20-year-old young man who was converted here in the mission about three years ago. For about one year Obed was very faithful and manifested much fruit of conversion. But a couple of years ago he seemed to suddenly lose interest and quit coming. On many occasions we tried to meet with him and encourage him, but always to no avail. But the last two or three weeks Obed has been showing up at church. Please pray that God will work in Obed's heart. If he is a believer, we know that God will bring him back to himself. If he isn't truly a believer, we are praying that he would be converted.
5. Please pray for Rosy, a middle-aged woman who is one of our most faithful and long-term members. Rosy has been going through some very difficult trials lately. Without going into detail, it appears that God is graciously bringing difficult circumstances into her life to force her to make some very difficult and costly (but necessary) decisions. From a pastoral perspective, it is encouraging to see Romans 8:29 played out in the life of our people: "For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers." Please pray the sanctifying fire of God's providential dealings in Rosy's life would result in her further transformation into the likeness of her Savior.
6. Please pray for a few other individuals who have attended the mission fairly regularly for some time and profess salvation, but do not evidence clear fruit of conversion. Pray that the gospel will continue to be clearly proclaimed and that the Holy Spirit will perform his convicting and regenerating work in their lives.
   
7. As I've mentioned before, Chuy Alanís, who has been serving as pastor of the mission for the past year, is currently raising support to go to Ecuador as a missionary. Chuy hopes to begin full-time deputation in the spring, which means that the mission will be needing another pastor. Please pray that God will meet this need. Finding a pastor for this area is pretty difficult. The "colonia" (neighborhood) in which the mission is located is very poor and is a difficult place to live. Because of the nature of the area and it's people, it is will be very important to find a pastor who is able (and willing) to live full-time in the colonia.
   

Thank you for your prayers.

Photos:
Top: A church-wide meal a couple of Sundays ago.
Bottom: Some of our students (from the university) who help at the mission.

On Fellowship with Christ

“Fellowship with Christ is so honorable that the sorest sorrow is a light price by which to procure it.”

Charles Spurgeon, Morning and Evening, p. 255.