Sunday: Worship with Iglesia Galilea

After a few days in Guatemala, we are settling in and becoming a little more comfortable with the culture and our lack of Spanish skills.  We are learning a smile and friendly “Hola” can go a long way.  Today went to church at Iglesia Galilea.  I wasn’t quite sure what church would be like not being fluent in Spanish.  How much of the service would I understand?  We sung praise songs I was able to pick a few words here and there, but was still brought in to a place of worship with fellow believers here in Guatemala, worshiping our great God.   What an awesome experience!  Pastor Merari’s message today was based out of Acts 3.  He spoke about the lame man being healed and as a result he arose and praised the lord.  This was the power of the Holy Spirit at work through Peter and John who made themselves available and obedient to the work of the Spirit. 

I find myself weak and sometimes doubting how we can make a difference.  This message was a huge encouragement to me as we prepare to head out to Zapote and Membrillal in the following days.  I believe that God is at work in this trip and that we will see amazing things as we submit ourselves to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. 

In the afternoon, we had the opportunity to hear the testimony of Rudy, one of the guys who works on the building projects with Iglesia Galilea.  We got to hear about how his life was changed through this ministry.  He told us about the importance of the building projects that Risen Life teams have been apart of, and the integral role we play in advancing the Kingdom.   What a perfect opportunity to hear the eternal perspective of the work that we are doing. 

Mike Jones

 I was really excited to get to attend church at Iglesia Galilea this morning.  I’ve had the privilege of getting to go to church services in Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic and Russia, and every time the God I think I know breaks out of the bubble I so easily put Him in and amazes me at how big He is-Creator of all people, of all countries, of all things.  How amazing is it that in multiple languages, in multiple countries, we are worshiping the same God!  It truly is mind blowing.  I was able to understand the lyrics of the worship songs in Spanish and sing along, and it was so neat to worship God in another language along with the beautiful Guatemalan people.  
 

Merari, the pastor of Iglesia Galilea, talked about Acts 3 where Peter and John heal a crippled man sitting at the gate that led to the temple where they were going to pray.  I’m amazed at the faith they had to tell this man, in the name of Jesus, to get up and walk.  This man was born crippled, he had never experienced walking down the street, running with his friends, or jumping in excitement.  Merari pointed out that Peter and John did not rely on money or any other human effort, but on God and His miraculous power.  I so often rely on a dollar here or my intellect there, but don’t have the faith to call on God’s divine intervention.  It was a really good reminder while we’re here, and anytime, that God’s plans are way bigger and far better than mine, even when I don’t understand them or they seem crazy.  I’m excited to see how God moves in ways that we don’t expect this week when we step out in faith and to see our faith grow in response!  I hope that your faith grows as a result as well.  After church, we had lunch as a group and then a few of us got to hear Rudy, one of the staff members of Iglesia Galilea, tell his story.  He so openly told us of his old ways, how drinking and hanging out with the wrong crowd led to him getting shot in the arm at 2 o’clock in the morning one night, an eye opening experience for him to say the least. 

He went on to tell us about his mother getting diagnosed with cancer and the family being told she had 3 months to live.  She passed out one day and as much as his sisters tried to resuscitate her, there was no response.  Her dying wish when diagnosed with cancer was that Rudy would go to church and seek God.  Finally, in the same house where his sisters were trying to wake up his mother to no avail, he went to his room and cried out to God.  He asked God for more time with his mother, and vowed to go to church if his mother lived.  Miraculously, his mother did live and is still alive and well today!  Following this, he went to his only friend he knew who went to church and told her he wanted to go with her.  She attended Iglesia Galilea, and he went with her that Sunday.  After 3 months of going and learning, he believed what the Bible says, that Jesus Christ is Lord and came to earth, lived the perfect life that we could not live, laid it down for you and me, and that God raised Him from the dead.  He believed that it is only by that grace that we are saved, and gave his life to Jesus Christ.  God has been transforming his life ever since.  He is now on staff with the church, helping with their ministries and groups like us that come to help serve.  It was amazing to hear his story, and once again be reminded of God’s amazing healing power and that He is far bigger than any of us can possibly imagine. 

Thank you for all your prayers and support, I am so excited to see what else God does this week!

-Courtney Jones

“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”  Romans 10:9