Helping People Find and Follow God.
We are celebrating Pastoral Appreciation Sunday October 25th, 10 am with a joint service between the English and Spanish Services.
Thank you Bishop Ray & Pastor Ana, and Pastors Dave and Iris for your love for God and this ministry! Feel free to bring them a card to express your appreciation!
“In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands.”
1 John 5:3
Let me ask you a question – Do you love God?
I hope your answer is yes… and if it is, let me ask another.
How is it that you show God that love?
Is it possible to love someone and not show it? Is it possible to love God, and never demonstrate it? I love you is a phase that we use frequently and simply out of habit. Using the words “I love you” too much can cause it to lose its meaning. When we love someone we don’t only tell the person, but, we also show them. In that same way, we shouldn’t stop with just telling God we love him. Our love for Him must be demonstrated. The way we can demonstrate our love is by keeping His commandments.
In fact, love must always be demonstrated. Love always “does” something. “For God so loved the world, he gave his only begotten son…” (John 3:16), “love your enemies, do good to them” (Luke 6:35), “love is patient, love is kind” (1 Corinthians 13:4), and I could go on.
Actions speak louder than words. Let’s demonstrate that love, by not only telling God we love him, but, by reading and applying his word in our heart, being obedient to his commands.
Thank you God, for your word.May we keep it in our hearts and show our love by following your commandments. In Jesus name, Amen.
About the Author:
““You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.” Matthew 5:13
Everyone enjoys a home cooked meal. Besides seeing and being with my family, going home to have a home cooked meal is my favorite thing about my visit. Unlike a restaurant, you know exactly the quality of food you are getting. It’s hot, fresh, and delicious and you just can’t get enough! You’re taste buds thank you for the flavorful meal, and your stomach is fully satisfied. But have you ever eaten food that had not been seasoned? What did it taste like? Was it flavorless? Did it just seem like something was missing?
In Matthew 5:13 Christ says “You are the salt of the Earth…”. Sometimes I read what the Bible says and I scratch my head. I ask, “Salt? Why salt?”. Then, I think of what salt does for food. While alone a spoonful of salt isn’t the most pleasant taste, added to your food it makes a world of difference. The food has flavor, has life, and is pleasing to the taste. Christ calls us to be salt, to be the difference in a world that is lost and flavorless. In verse 14 of Matthew 5, he calls us to be light in the darkness. In order to accomplish this we can’t be like the world. Christ continues in Matthew 5:13 by asking “…but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.” In Romans 12:2, we are told not be conformed to this world.
Sometimes we don’t stand up for what we believe in. Instead we conform to the ways of this world in order to preserve the peace, but in order to fulfill what Christ expects to be, we can’t conform. When we conform to the ways of this world we lose our saltiness, we lose our light. We as Christians need to show with our lives a difference. We need to be the salt that adds flavor, that brings life to this world. Let us no longer conform to the expectations of this world.
Don’t lose your saltiness just to fit the taste of others!
About the author:
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. -2 Timothy 2:15 ESV
When I read this verse 3 words stick out to me – “DO YOUR BEST.”
Many times we doubt God and His power. We tell Him, “No, God… not me… Someone else could do it better than I could.” or “I just can’t do this”. We start listing out everything we cannot do.
The bible shows us a strong leader who also struggled with insecurities. In Exodus 4:10, Moses, a strong leader that lead God’s people out of Egypt told God, “O Lord, I’m not very good with words. I never have been, and I’m not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.” We are talking about Moses here! Moses doubted his abilities, but we see God’s power breaking past his self doubt.
If God can do this for Moses why would He not do it for you? Let me tell you that my God knows what He is doing. Whenever we doubt God’s voice, we doubt Him. Lean away from your own insecurities and take a step out of your comfort zone. I want to encourage you today to talk to that friend, invite someone to church, stretch out a helping hand, give, love and in everything… DO YOUR BEST. I promise you God will do the rest.
Lord, I pray that your words encourage us to step out of our comforts zones. If we make excuse help us to remember Moses and that we may place our faith in You. In Jesus name, Amen
About the author:
“All I am is a product of grace.” – Andy Mineo I’m a christian without the religion| 21| Musician| college student| Amarillo, Tx
“ABRAHAM WAITED 25 YEARS FOR THE FULFILMENT OF GOD’S PROMISE OF BEARING A SON. WE CAN RELAX, TRUSTING THAT GOD’S PROMISE IS ON ITS WAY… EVEN WHEN IT’S COMING AT A CRAWL.” PASTOR DAVE
What a launch service! Here’s a photo recap of the service.
Week 2
August 16th, 2015 marked the commencement of a new chapter for our church. The Ribbon Cutting is the symbol that marks the beginning of a new endeavor. An endeavor and mission to bring hope, faith and love through Jesus Christ to all those in our community. Senior Pastors Ray and Ana Ramos were accompanied by AFC Pastors Dave & Iris, along with long time english ministry founders Daniel & Aurora Hernandez. What a great start to the amazing things God is doing!
In 2001, our brothers in Christ – Daniel and Aurora Hernandez,saw a great need in our church – there was a group of folks coming to the church that had a hard time with Spanish.
These folks were second and third generation Hispanics who were raised here, and we’re more fluent in the English language. The Hernandez family did not want these English speakers to leave the services without fully understanding the word of God. With the pastors and church leaders behind them, they launched the church’s official “English” ministry – El Shaddai.
Over the years, El Shaddai grew as they met every Wednesday night for Bible study. The Hernandez brought studies based on books such as The Battlefield of the Mind, Living Waters and The Purpose Driven Life. As students were being poured into by the Hernandez they were also invited share testimonies and devotionals. In the various meetings, such as the get-togethers at the Hernandez home (that were always accompanied by their famous barbecue chicken), Christmas banquets, Valentine’s parties and other events, the students of the class were edified and developed to be leaders along the Hernandez.
Fourteen years later, that seed that was planted has now grown to be Bluprint Life. Many young adults, college students and young marriages have been impacted through this ministry as they continue to meet every week.
Today, we are less than 6 days away from that same ministry, aimed at bringing the word of God to English speakers, to launching an “English” church – Amarillo For Christ. On Wedneady night, we honored this amazing couple. Stories were told, people recounted moments of those days and cakes and drinks accompanied the night.
It all started with a couple who was passionate about Christ and passionate about people, and moved in faith to plant that seed. They nourished and cared for it and continue to do so today.
Thank you, brothers Daniel and Aurora, for planting this great work.
Bluprint is our Wednesday night gathering. It’s a great time and space to fellowship and have a bible study. We invite you to it!
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. -Romans 8:31-39 [ESV]
In the movie, The Lion King, a young lion Prince, Simba, is cast out of his pride by his cruel uncle, Scar, who claims he killed his father. While the uncle rules with an iron fist, the prince grows up beyond the savannah. But when his past comes to haunt him, the young Prince must decide his fate: will he remain an outcast, or face his demons and become what he needs to be?
I think I can say that we can all relate to Simba. Simba had a purpose. He was to be ruling the land, not his evil uncle Scar. But Simba’s identity became lost, and he lived life far away from it while Scar made a mess of everything that belonged to him, to say the least.
You know, Simba’s story is alot like our own. We are full of purpose and calling, but there’s an enemy that wants to impose his rule and make us believe that we aren’t made for that purpose.
Scar wanted Simba to not assume his true identity and calling for his life. But Simba takes heart, and begins to walk in his identity.
The enemy doesn’t want us to know or assume our true identity. He wants us confused, doubtful and insecure; so that he can continue the havoc in and around our lives.
But when we believe and walk in our true identity, our true calling, and we begin to believe that “It’s not through me and my power, but through him” we begin to walk in the spirit of a Conqueror! And that attitude, that faith, that statement, simply messes up the enemy.
Scar was defeated, not because Simba was stronger and younger, but because he believed his identity. I am praying that as we launch in this new beginning, this new season, this new chapter that we take on this mindset. Let’s be ahead of the enemy and his tactics. When we stand in Christ, we stand in His victory, His strength.
The enemy wants you to believe you are a victim. That you cannot stand in the wake of life’s troubles. He wants you to think and believe that you are defeated.
But the truth is, he is talking about himself! He was defeated by Jesus on the cross! He cannot stand in the wake of God’s power and presence! We are more than conquerors because we are in Christ Jesus!
In Christ, you are more than a Conqueror! There’s a fierce lion when you look into the mirror. Walk in your true identity!
Amarillo For Christ Church