The Holy Spirit LIVE in Peru!

Every Wednesday, Jason and I, along with a couple of members of Iglesia Emanuel, lead Bible studies and sing with the people of the community of San Ignacio. The pastor of Iglesia Emanuel hopes this will become a new church in that area. Almost all of the people in that community, or at least the part of the community we go to, are related. Last Wednesday, we did not meet together because it was the anniversary of the death of one of the women's father and everyone was going to the cemetery. But the week before on March 12, God moved in a mighty way.

Jason and I were thinking that day of what we could do or speak about at the service but were not real sure. I had written out something that I had wanted to get traslated into Spanish so that I could speak to them in Spanish with out translation, but I was never able to do it. We ended up deciding that I would talk about what I had written down and get Desi to translate. After I spoke, we did a drama called "Walk the Line" that I had done in the Philippines (I'll try to get a video on here the next time we do it). The skit involves only three people who represent Jesus, Man, and Satan. It uses no words and shows how Satan has us bound in Sin but Jesus came and took our place and defeated Sin once-and-for-all. Jason spoke to the people explaining the skit and giving an invitation for anyone who would like to accept Christ in their heart.

I love it when Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2:1,4-5:

When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power.

This is exactly what happened that day. After we had spoken and did the drama, the Holy Spirit moved and called five people (their names are listed below so you can pray for them) into a faith relationship with the Father. It was a very beautiful time. One thing that has been difficult for us in San Ignacio and Peru, in general, is that it is very difficult for Jason and me to talk about Biblical things to the people. I can't do it at all in Spanish and Jason is very limited. But the awesome thing about it all is that despite our insufficiency and weakness in certain areas the "demonstration of the Spirit's power" completes the work regardless. I mean it is always God that is doing the work through us, but it is amazing to watch the Holy Spirit work right before your eyes and know there was absolutely nothing you did or could do. I thank you all for your prayers and ask that you continue to pray each week for our meetings at San Ignacio (about 5 pm central time every Wednesday) and for the following people who started to follow the Lord a week and a half ago:

-Maria Julia

-Carmen Tasayco

-Mirtha muñayte

-Carlos Pachas

-Carmen Gutierrez

Flora

Jason and I were walking around with Pastor Nestor in Los Jardines (a community in Chincha) visiting people from his church. The last place we stopped was the home of Flora. As Pastor Nestor spoke with her, she began to cry. She has some sort of paralysis on the right side of her body I think. She can't walk or use her right hand. She wears the glove to hide her contorted hand. My heart broke and tears came down my face as I watched this woman cry and talk about how she can hardly do anything anymore. All three of us laid hands on her and began to pray for her. I was reminded of John 14:12-14. At the time, I could not remember the reference, but I remembered Jesus saying to His disciples that He " will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father." So, I began to remind God of that promise and prayed expectantly for healing for this woman. She was not healed of her ailments right at that moment, but I believe she will be. This blog is to let you know about this beautiful woman, so that you can pray for her as well. Shower her in prayer and I will make an update later. Thank you all so much again for your prayers for me and the ministry going on here.

"God with us"

This is taken largely from my journal entry about the service on Sunday March 9.

The service this afternoon was one of the most powerful that I've ever been a part of. It's been awhile since I've felt the power of God like that. The service had just started when I walked outside and I could literally feel God's presence very strongly. Hilda, the pastor's wife, had asked us earlier if we would share a testimony about how we came to Peru. After Jason shared, I got up to talk, but I felt God leading me to share a special word with them before I shared my testimony of God's provision. I got Desi to read Matthew 1:22-23:

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through

the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth

to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"—which means, "God with us."

While we were singing, I was noticing so many reminders of that Scripture all around us. The beautiful mountains on one side, Chincha "rising from the ashes" on the other side, and God's children in the middle. Even on the other side of the church building, it said Matt. 1:23 and "...Dios con nosotros" ("God with us"). I believe that many of the people there could sense God's presence as well based on watching their praying and worshiping. I then shared about how God provided for me to come here (see my first blog). It was so incredible because twice the people applauded God for His awesome power (how he provided for the plane ticket and the $400 from the FBC McComb, MS youth group). May all the glory be to go for the testimonies Jason and I shared!

During the prayer and singing times, it was overwhelming to watch the people unashamedly worship and cry out to God. I've never seen wailing out in prayer to God like that before. Pastor Nestor from Los Jardines (pictured above) was even jogging and dancing before His King. Tears came to my eyes from the strong sense of God in that place and from watching others pray and sing with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. Even though I could not follow along, I would just raise my hands in praise to the Father. I did not know the words to the songs, but I just let the Holy Spirit translate my yearnings to God. It was a truly wonderful time with the Lord and His bride.

Day by Day

This blog does not have much to with the work going on here as much as it is about how I'm doing. It it a prayer request/thinking outloud.

Things had been going great with no complaints until the past few days. The lack of Spanish comprehension, much less speaking, is taking a pretty good toll on me. Because of not being able to understand anyone, I feel kinda useless at times and not needed and wonder why I'm even here. Yesterday afternoon, I had to get off by myself for a while and be left to English thoughts only for awhile. I know that it takes time to learn a language, but it's also incredibly tough when you're just thrown into it. I do have to give God some praise though because I have picked up the little I have learned a lot faster than I thought I would've.

Jason, the other guy with me here, was very encouraging last night. Most of you that know me very well know that I'm usually not the first one to bring up things I'm struggling with, and if no one asks, then I may not say anything. Well, I'm glad Jason asked and encouraged me. He said that he had begun to try to change the way he thinks and try to find the good things that happen each day instead of focusing on how much further along he wishes he was, in Spanish or his spiritual life.

I've been reading a book called George Muller of Bristol by A.T. Pierson. I would encouraged everyone to read it. It is the story of a man who sought to be a testimony that it is possible to live by trusting God alone for every little thing in life (the picture above is his tombstone). By the end of his life, he had started a Scriptural Knowledge Institute (a sort of Bible training school) and opened five orphan houses that cared for about ten thousand orphans during his lifetime. Not one time during his ministry did he ask anyone for money or supplies or helpers. He went first and only to His Father to supply all needs for His servant, His children, and His ministry. This account of this man of faith has been a great encouragement to me during my time here, and I believe it is a foreshadowing of the pattern for the rest of my life (referring to seeking God alone to provide personal and ministry needs). The only way that this man could live was day by day placing himself at His father's feet. Jason helped me remember this important lesson last night.

Sometimes in life, things are easy, but sometimes, they are very hard. No matter the circumstances we find ourselves in, we can only live day by day. Whether good or bad, the only thing we can make a difference about is today and pray that God will take care of the troubles of that day (Matthew 6:33-34). God has placed us in the day we are in for a reason. The only way we can know what the reason may be is to daily seek after God, sit a while, and listen.

So that's what I'm going to do. Live my life, whether in Peru or somewhere else, day by day at my Father's feet. May the grace of God be with us!

Pictures! Pictures! Pictures!

I've added a bunch of pictures up to my photo album site. You can check them out by clicking on the link below. Enjoy, leave comments, and I pray that you see the glory of God through them.

http://nickjones.myphotoalbum.com/

I'm back on the web!

This past week has been really good and I thank all of you who sent emails to me. They were very encouraging. I am using the internet again, obviously, but it will not be everyday like I did before. I have a few things I would like to write posts about and some pictures to add but I will get those up during the next week. So many things have been happening and I just wish you all could be here because it is so hard to portray through words or pictures. People are coming to faith in Christ, God is providing for needs, believers are wailing in prayer to their Father, and so much more that words cannot even express. I'm going to post blogs about the people that accepted Christ on this past Wednesday and the powerful service I was able to be a part of last Sunday. Thank you again for all the prayers.

P.S.
I would like to be kept up-to-date on your lives as well. You can click where it says comments below each blog or email me (nd2819@hotmail.com) to let me know how things are in your world or you just want to make a comment about that particular blog.

Until next week...

"To him nothing could compensate for the lack or loss of that fellowship with God and meditation on His word which are the support of all spiritual life."

-a comment about George Muller's habit of secret prayer

(George Muller of Bristol by A.T. Pierson)

Just a few minutes ago, I realized that I have in a sense turned this trip into something about me. Before I came, I was blown away at how God provided for ME to come. Since I've been here, I've thought about what God has planned for ME to do here and for ME to learn. I found myself today waiting to get on the internet when Jason asked if I wanted to talk about some ideas for reaching the youth in Chincha and getting them involved with Iglesia Emanuel. I realized that I was thinking about myself instead of the people I have come to serve and share the hope that I have in Christ. I have come to the conclusion that something has to change.

One of the things that occupied a lot of my time when I was back in the States was tv and internet. Well, I don't have tv here but I do have the internet. Lately, I've found myself occupying myself with the internet when I would get bored...posting blogs, posting pictures, checking my email and Facebook, etc. I have spent time in the Word and in prayer, but I have been convicted about my lack of devotion to it. I read some Scripture and prayer real quick, and I'm done. I have been convicted a lot lately at how I seek after God to find Him and then ask Him for something.

My desire is to seek after God with all my heart to find Him (Jeremiah 29:13), and then simply BE with Him. God has been teaching me some about trusting completely in Him and being totally abandoned to Him, and I can't do that if I am not spending unhindered and unrushed time with Him. How will I know what God has for the day, much less the rest of my life, if I don't spend time with Him getting to know His character and His vision for the world? As a disciple of Christ, I have spent little time sitting at His feet, feasting on His Word, and drinking in His Spirit. I want to know my Lord and be able to hear my Shepherd's voice. It is not something that can happen over night. I know that I will not have perfected it in a week, but I know that God has taken me out of my normal environment to grow me to be more like Him. And I have not allowed much of a chance for Him to work in me. Therefore, I will not be posting any blogs or pictures or sending any emails until me and Jason go to Lima for a couple of days at the end of next week. So, until next week...Adios!

My photo album

This is the site I will use to upload my pictures so you can SEE more of what I'm doing and other things going on here.

http://nickjones.myphotoalbum.com

Let's go walking, Chincha!

Desi, on the right is the son of the pastor we are staying with, took us around a community called Tambo de Mora. This community is still pretty much in ruins. Desi told us there was a Catholic church here that was having mass when the earthquake hit, and all 300 people died when the old building collapsed.

This is what used to be several homes in Tambo de Mora. Most of Tambo de Mora lives in small homes made of tarps like these.A wall that was split down the middle by the earthquake

Hotel de Misionero en Chincha

This is my house for the next three months. It is cool at night but by 8 am, it turns into an oven.

Jason sleeps in the gray and red tent next to mine. Past his tent are our lovely neighbors...las cabras (the goats).

Fernando of San Ignacio

We met a man yesterday who has a small tumor above his left eye. Because of the tumor, he has not been able to work for the past three weeks and his money is running out. He is a fisherman and he would come into town to sell what he caught. Jason and I gave him $70 USD to help out but more importantly we and the pastor's wife prayed over him. I prayed that God would heal him so that he will be able to work again and provide for his family...also, so that the glory of God would be revealed in a mighty way. I don't write this to ask you for money but to beg you for prayer. Prayer is more powerful than the almighty dollar...believe it or not! I do not know if he is a Christian but I can see that he has a kind and loving heart. I can also see how not being able to work is hard for him since he is not able to provide for his family like he was. But the Great Provider blessed me and Jason with more money than we needed so we were able to help meet a tangible need but he needs your prayers to meet his physical and spiritual needs. We will see him again this afternoon around 5 pm eastern time. Bring on the showers of prayer as we are with him and others in his community teaching the Bible.

Believing in miracles,
Nick

P.S.
I will post a pic of him on here when I get to a computer that'll read my camera.

Do you really know God?

This was written to me in response to my last blog. I wanted to post it on here to encourage and challenge you to look deep and ask yoursel:
1. Do you know God enough to be madly in love with Him?
2. If you really think about it, do you really want that kind of relationship?

Isaiah 53:5

But, He was pierced for my transgressions (my infringement, my violation of His laws, His commands and my duty to Him)

He was crushed for my iniquities (my gross immoralities and my wickedness, my time on the computer, my times alone, my times thinking of things and watching things and doing things).

The punishment that brought me peace was on Him and by His wounds I am healed.

This is the Christ I want to know more about.

This is the Christ I need to know more about.

The One who took all my crap, my darkest, grossest moments of immorality and was crushed for them…

The One who has taken on my daily disobedience to Him…

The One who has taken the shirking of my duties to Him…

The One whose punishment for my wickedness has given me peace…

The One whose wounds have healed me and cleaned me up in front of His Father…

This is the Christ I want to know more about.

And He will be called Immanuel which means "God with us"

Throughout the past month, God has shown me the meaning of Immanuel in greater and greater ways. I needed a lot of money to come and God was with me, but He didn't stay in America.

Yesterday, we had two baptisms and a wedding. The first baptism was just one man, who was the same man to be married later that afternoon. After he came up out of the water, the pastor's wife started a song. When the song finished, she pointed up to the sun and there was a ring around it like a halo. I thought that was a very beautiful symbol of the day that included a marraige and six people being baptized.

As I thought about the things that symbol could mean, I thought about the sybolism of Christ and the Church as a bride and groom. I thought about a wedding band and how it sybolizes two becoming one. Then I thought about how if we accept Christ into our hearts, we are in a sense entering into a marraige relationship with Him. We become one with Christ. I am not married myself, but when you enter into marraige, your life in a sense revolves around that person. You love them and want to do all that you can for them. As I looked at the picture I took of the ring around the sun, I thought about how if we are in a relationship with Christ our lives should revolve around Him. I have never seen anything like that before. I am not sure if I have ever seen my life go a complete revolution around the Son before I take a detour in sin or selfish desires (which are not always sins). Have you? Even though we constantly choose our way over God's way, He is faithful to always be "with us." Last night, Jason and I read Matthew 1:18-25. In verse 23, it says that Jesus will be called Immanuel which means "God with us." As I read that verse, I remembered that the name of the church where we are staying is called Iglesia Emmanuel, which means Immanuel Church or if I may throw a Nick Jones translation in, "Christ with His bride." Ask God to help you to fall madly in love with Him today and to help you to remember, no matter your present situation, "Immanuel."

With faith as small as a mustard seed...

I apologize that I've not been able to get any pictures up but Jason's computer is having issues right now. So I will try to get some up as soon as I can but I did want to give you a quick update on how things are going here.

Things have been going great. I have adjusted well. We've spent the last two days going around Lima and seeing the city and the beach and I've started to feel more at home here. Today, I received a letter in the mail for $300 from a Peruvian woman that my mother works with and her brother who lives in Lima. I wanted them to know that money will strictly be used for the people of Chincha. I praise God again for His awesome provision because I already had $200 more than I needed (see my first blog)! God never ceases to amaze me! Completely trusting God and having blind faith that He is going to provide all your needs when you seem to need so much is very hard but I'm seeing now how rewarding and amazing it is. I never want to slide back into the weak faith that I have. Nick Jones is a very weak and worthless person alone but in God's hands, He promises to use the weak things of this world to confound the wise. He is definitely using me and I am honored to be placed here by God so that through me He will receive glory among the people of Chincha, Peru, but also among those in the States who read this blog. My most favorite movie clip that demostrates faith is in Idiana Jones and the Last Crusade where he has to leap from the lion's mouth. I like that picture of faith because he did not receive the blessing until he made that first step. Sometimes God doesn't show you anything further than where you are at this very moment but He calls out for you to step into something you don't know. May God bless your life as you trust that very life completely over to Him!