Residency Trip

/

So we will be leaving tonight at 1:30 am to head out toward Managua. The bus ride is around 6 hours. I will be picking up my residency which costs U$200 and Angela will be turning in her paperwork. Pray that all goes according to God's will and that God gives us favor in Jesus name!

Hector, Angela, and I will be traveling and we'll be back here in Nueva Guinea tomorrow night God willing! The bus's have been having problems, the last times that we have been riding them and sometimes the bus drivers aren't the best drivers so keep us in prayer as we trust in God our shepard. Also keep in prayer the finances for this month after these residency documents get done we we also need to make another trip to renew our non-profit organization, "Ministerios de Gracia International," in which we have the radio and the church included under. That cost is usually U$400 to do that and requires the use of nicaraguan lawyers. So keep this all in prayer and thank you for praying and following God's leading as we work together for the furtherance of the gospel here in Nueva Guinea Nicaragua.

Noel and His family

/

Well before service tonight I went to talk to one of the backsliden youth that was talking with some of the boys in the park that are in chains to alcohol. The youth didn't want to talk at this time and politely walked off. But the two youth that were drinking called me over and wanted to talk about God and wanted to know if God still loved them even though they were drinking. 

So we got to talking and were telling them yes God loved them but he also wanted to save them from alcohol and from sin. Both of the youth have families and young kids and were tired of alcohol. They poured out their alcohol on the floor and ripped up their cigarettes. They said they want to be free from alcohol. The word says that if the son has set you free than you are free indeed. One of the youth publically declared that he wanted to follow Jesus after church and we prayed for him as a church. He God willing will be coming with his family tomorrow. Pray for the youth here in Nueva Guinea there are many that are being destroyed by an addiction to alcohol pray that God frees them and helps them to grow to maturity in Jesus. 

Prayer Day for the Persecuted Church

/

The month of November is the month of prayer for the persecuted church around the world. So we have decided to invite the churches in our town to come pray. On the 28th of November we'll be having a prayer service that starts at 6am and will end at 3 pm. Different churches will be coming hour by hour to pray for different countries. We will than have a service together with the town at our facility at 6pm. Pray for this event as I'm sure the enemy does not like it. We'll be remembering countries like North Korea and keeping them in prayer as we are commanded to in Hebrews 13:3. In countries like North Korea and those in 10/40 window Christians are second class citizens and are persecuted severely sometimes even to death. We too can pray for them this month remembering our brothers and sisters that follow Jesus even when it costs them beatings and sometimes their lives. 

I'll try to get some pictures up later of some of the youth that are helping to research the countries that are persecuted. We are going to have posters up in the church of the 30 most persecuted countries around the world and what we can pray about for them. 

Also check pastor Carlos's blog today or tomorrow a video of Carla's 15th b-day should be up soon.

Love you,

Greg 

How you can pray for some of the disciples......

/

On Tuesday night we had a time for the some of those youth that are taking discipleship to come together to study the word. Many were not able to come. I invited Larry, Carlos Murillo, Rodrigo, Norlan, and Danny. 

Larry couldn't come because his dad wanted him to run some errands. Carlos Murillo couldn't come because his son became sick and he had to watch him. Norlan didn't come. We haven't seen Rodrigo for some time. Yet I found him in the Park recently and has said he wants to come again so pray for him for he get distracted by the things of the world.

Danny did come. I invited Yeltsin and Javier to come because they were in the park and didn't have anything to do in the evening. 

We opened the bible to Ephesians 2 and began to study the word breaking down the chapter together. The time went fast as we studied together and we had put together a teaching of about 20 minutes in around 40 minutes. It was a blessing because all were involved and the youth were able to practice and apply the scriptures to their lives as they have just recently gone through the Inductive Bible study course. 

Pray for their faithfulness to the Lord. Also pray for Javier as he has yet to make a decision to follow Jesus. Pray that they would love the Lord first before all and like Ephesians 2 says that they would walk in the life they have in Jesus. Click below to listen to a cover song I did.


Youth working for new teachings for the Radio Station

/

Jhonnys on the Right downloading teachings

Danny working on downloading teachings of Pastor Chuck Smith.

Some of the youth have risen up to help with the radio station. Right now we have Danny, Tino, and Jhonnys that have been downloading teaching of Pastor Chuck Smith. They are about half way through the bible as the online website requires that you download by teaching instead of by book or by the whole bible. 

Pray for their growth in the Spirit and in the Word that they would grow and mature day by day. 

God bless you,

Greg

Nicaraguan Independence Day

/

As the Us has their independence day on July 4th. Nicaragua has theirs the 15 of September. This year we were blessed with Jose from Managua who came to visit and help out from Calvary Chapel Managua. For Independence day we all got up at 5 am and walked to get hornadas which are a corn breakfast food that is good to eat with coffee. They didn't have any coffee so we shared a 3 liter soda. On our way back we we stopped by to cool down at the river called the Verbena. 

We got back at 11:30 and were able than to help Milton and Danny with their roof. Here the tin roofs rust after some time. So we went up there with wire brushes the kind that people use to clean off their grills and helped them scrub all the rust off that roof which is the hardest part. It was a blessing to help them and show them the love of Jesus in a practical way. And they shall know that we are His disciples by the love that we have one for another! 

Today we too can celebrate independence day in remembering the day that God liberated us from sin in the Cross. The day Jesus had victory on the cross and how we can also have victory in Him. 

God bless you this independence day!

Prayer requests: 

Our water pump just died. So we will we need to pull water out from the well for the church bathrooms. Also it makes it hard for the Chavez family as their kids don't have the water they need in their room for showers. Cost appropriately U$220. 

 

 

Evangelism in Perro Negro

/

We now have evangelism every last Friday of the month. The idea is that the church and especially those taking discipleship can practice what they learn. This time we went to the colony of Paraisito and to the colony of Perro Negro. There we were able to talk to 2 small towns about Jesus and then have an afternoon service. Pray for the youth and the church that they would have a heart for evangelism and to reach others with the love of Jesus. Next month off to a new place. We'll be praying that God guide and lead us where He wants.

Loving Your Neighbor as Yourself: Selfless service of Jose from CC Managua.

/

We were blessed with a Taxi ride into Nueva Guinea. Which is not very often with us. Thanks Leah Nafius!  So…. getting to Managua we started to work on getting my residency done. We found out we needed some extra documents which meant a lawyer trip to come back to Managua to get the docs. So I’ll need to go back next week or the week after to try again.

We were able however to get the much needed chairs for the church. Which we needed so we can seat those that are in the church and have enough for the youth as well. Jose from Calvary Chapel Managua was a huge help. He met us in Managua. He took off the whole day of work to help us out which was a huge blessing. With God’s help and Jose’s help we were able to get a big discount on the chairs and were able to get them back to Nueva Guinea saving money for the church and blessing the body. Blessings for Jose and may God to continue to use him for His glory.

The chairs took us from about 11 am to 6 pm. We picked up Jose from his job at the university where we went to the Mercado Oriental (Oriental Market) Which is a huge market. I know a part of it but Jose has walked through all of it and was able to show us around and get us to where we needed to go. We got the chairs and than we waited for transportation. So we walked about a half an hour all through the market area. The market area we went through was dim to the eye. The ceiling had old tin and there were trams of food, merchandise, electronics, fish, pets, weapons, pretty much anything you can think of stretched out over a maze of over a mile. The light streamed in at certain spots and in other was dark. So we got our food and were able to get back and than take the chairs to the bus stop which we loaded up on a rickety truck that we rode 30 minutes to a bus stop which would take our chairs another 6 hours to Nueva Guinea.

So thank God everything went well!

  • Pray for the upcoming trips. Finishing Greg’s Residency
  • Angela’s Residency
  • Lydia Chavez’s Passport

Norlan a youth that works in Claro just finished his first discipleship class today. Pray for him. He’s a brand new Christian and very excited. He used to fight a lot and have no peace and joy. But now says he is full of God’s peace and joy and has lost a desire to fight with others.

 

 

2015-08-23 16.07.24.jpg
  • Also Pray for Murillo and Larry that God would encourage them to keep the faith and to have victory in Him.

Chikungunya at Pastor Carlos's house

/

Keep in prayer Pastor Carlos and his family. Gabriela is just getting over Chikungunya. Which is a virus that people get when bitten by an infected mosquito. Currently Pastor Carlos and Judith have Chikungunya.  The symptoms of this are high fever, muscle and joint pain, and a rash that covers the body.

Pray that God would heal them. Hector and I prayed for Pastor Carlos and Judith and annointed them with oil so we trust God to do the work.

Also pray for the missionaries.  Pray that God would protect them from this virus. 

God bless you,

Greg

 

 

Discipleship Update

/

This is an exciting month as we see the Lord moving especially among the youth. This last month many of the youth are rising up to pray and also want to grow closer to Jesus. Keep in prayer Jerson who just started discipleship with Hector, Larry who is discipling now with another youth named Murillo. Murillo who I am discipling and helping him out working with Larry. It is exciting to see God raising up youth to disciple other youth and am exciting to see more Nicaraguans rising up to walk in the gifts God has called them into. Christian and Danny are also continuing to grow and will be on the last book of discipleship #3, pray for them that God would encourage them, giving them courage and vision of what God has for them. Tino has also been discipling with Pastor Carlos pray for him and that God would give him a patient heart as he is a very dramatic person and can his temper sometimes, but even through that we see that God has been moving and changing him dramatically. 

Continue to pray for the youth and for Hector and Deanna who are leading and directing the youth ministry. God has been very faithful and we praise him for the fruit! 

Pastor Carlos' Computer

/

Today Pastor Carlos' computer died.

Pastor Carlos has been using my old computer that is over 12 years old now. It has finally quit working. It had windows XP also and that doesn't work anymore with the new programs and internet. 

Pastor Carlos uses a computer to listen to studies for his teachings, correspond with others in the ministry worldwide, and to check up on brothers and sisters in the church locally and in the states through facebook and email. 

He could use a semi new computer or a new one with a current operating system. 

If you have something like this that or would like to donate a new computer please contact me at greg@graceministriesint.com. 

May God richly Bless you as you seek Him.

The building of lives - the work of the Holy Spirit

/

Imagine a man building a wall, but as it goes up there is someone on the others side with a sledge hammer knocking holes in the wall. So the builder stops and has to patch the holes. Then the helpers say it is too hard. That is what was happening in the book of Nehemiah and is relevant to our time. 

Today there is a over doing in the drives for pleasure, foods, and getting one's way, that has been brought to such an extreme that it has become excess and in its way a form of idolotry. The basic needs when out of balance cause damage instead of stability put when in balance cause strength. 

The youth of Nueva Guinea are being broken down like the wall with the sledgehammer... In need of direction. Kids without parents with no one to guide them at home, truly they are sheep in need of the Great Shepard. As we look at the broken walls of families, youth, and kids we are reminded of the broken walls in the book of Nehemiah. Of how Jerusalem and its people were in distress and ruins because they had allowed love for other things to creep into their walk with God. How easy we can fall into this trap. And how easily Satan can cause a family, a person, a youth to fall into spiritual captivity like the nation of Israel. 

The spirit of God calls for a restoration of his people. This starts with being open to God and returning to him with all your heart. We see this happening with some in Nueva Guinea. I see changes in lives like that of Rodrigo, Christian and others. And while other are advancing in following Jesus some get caught in the traps of the enemy: lusts and desires for other things choke the word of God in their lives, rebellion against leaders which is really a rebellion against God threaten to hinder  the progress. Pray for us and the youth. God is doing something awesome but the enemy wants to destroy it. 

This Monday the youth wanted to pray so we gathered together. Seven of them showed up and we prayed, worshiped, and waited on God. Those that came were Murio, Tualin, Cristian, Katherine, Juyneci, Larri, and Danny. They want to do it again next Monday. Pray that their hearts would continue to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and that God would stir and use them to draw others to Himself. That the enemy's lies and jokes about the ministry and other brothers would stop, that any insults and attacks would stop, and that the youth and brothers of the church would pay no attention to them. That they would continue on in the work, like Nehemiah, strong in Him through prayer, worship and the power of God. 

God bless you in His love,

Greg

Home bible study at the house of Moises Hernandez and Inductive Bible study course with CCSGV team

/

On Wednesdays we are going through the book of Ezdras. And we see how God was always faithful toward the people and was more concerned about the people having a heart right with him than the temple built. The whole reason for Israel going to Babylon was so they could turn back to Him. As I reflect on this I see all the projects: the radio station tower, the painting of the church, the kids class roof, and lots of other needs but know that what is most needed is that each of us would be open to the move of God to our temple, for we are now the temple of the Holy Spirit. That our temple that our hearts would be for God is more important than any other project. And we wait for God to move hearts to provide for some of the physical needs we want even more that he would move and repair hearts filling them with the Holy Spirit. One way to work toward this is through the Inductive Bible Study class this summer. 

We are looking forward to this course for the church here and for the leaders and pastors of Nueva Guinea and the surrounding colonies. It will have a radical affect on many lives and churches. Pray that:

God arranges everything so this course comes to pass. That God would remove any obstacles to having this course. That the brothers and sisters would be able to take the time off work and school to take the course. For all the arrangements and places for the people that come from far away would be arranged. That we would be able to know far enough in advance that the course will be a reality so as to inform the brothers of the CCNG and the community. Pray for the Inductive Bible Study Books for those that will be taking the course. 

The Inductive Bible study course will be in July tentatively. Pastor Leon from Calvary Chapel San Gabriel Valley will, God willing be giving the course. Moises, his wife, and Murio are just some of the the brothers and sisters in our church that could be truly blessed by this tool.

Moises Hernandez and his wife have been coming to our church for several months now. And as they have some time to be in the Lord they have proved to be a great blessing for the ministry here. Moises is now leading worship on Wednesday nights. Pray for him that God would protect him and encourage him as he serves the Lord.

Life's Currents

/

Then all of the heads of the father's houses....With all whose spirits God had moved arose.....      Ezra 1:5

The trickling of the water against the rocks of the Verbanita river of Nueva Guinea show a picture of the peace and tranquility God wants to give every believer. As the sun shines through the summer waters of April in Nicaragua Sardines swim against the current flashing their silver sides against the sun as they swim side to side. A pair of river otters come rustling down the bank, stopping briefly to spot me and then scurrying into the river and downstream. Nature has no problem with the laws of God. They flow with the river of God's design smoothly. Humans however have something different. A will, and they can live contrary to design. This will allows each person to to choose whether he will move with the flow of God or like the sardine swim against God's current.

The choice made today is ours but its affects are eternal.                                                                                                 Will we like creation choose to move with God our against Him?

Greg in Nicaragua Giving you something to think about.

Keep in Prayer especially this week the new disciples.

Larri - God would give him a love for God's word                                                                                              

Murio - God would keep him strong in the spirit and from temptation.

Ministry Update

/

Ministry Update

Be in prayer for the new disciples that are growing in the Lord. Also be in prayer that they would not fall to the distractions and attacks of the enemy.  That they’re hope would remain strong in Jesus. Here are some of their names:

  • Larry - youth
  • Carlos Murio – young married man
  • Keylin – She is a youth in our church that just had her mom die.
  • Llovani
  • Tania
  • Bilma

Saved people to pray for:

  • Cesar – For a heart to be a disciple and disciple maker.
  • Diego and Glomar- That they’d find their nitch in ministry also for their baby due in 1 month

Also pray for those that have not received Jesus as Lord but come to our church.

  • Juynesi
  • Milton
  • Taulin
  • Absalon

Those that have fallen away: Elmer and Noel

Sick with Dengue Fever:  Katherine in worship and Moises Hernandez in worship

That God would raise up more teachers to disciple the new believers.

There are also several couples in the church that live together professing to be Christians. Pray for them to have repentant hearts and show works of repentance by either getting married or separating. Pray that God would bring purity in this way to the church.

The youth will be going out this Friday to a Christian Concert. Pray for their safe travels and they would come back encouraged and strong with the joy of the Lord. We’ll be going with Alex our music teacher that studied abroad. The youth are really learning more about music and being equipped to better serve the Lord.

Upcoming events:

There will be a team from Calvary Chapel San Gabriel Valley coming in July pray for the effectiveness. Also 2 youth from California will be here for about 1 month pray for them and that God would use them while here to reach the lost and to encourage the brothers and sisters.

In Jesus,

Greg