Amazing God

We serve an amazing God. To allow us the privilege to serve The Kingdom. Thank you God for the grace you have shown me. Thank you for rescuing me from a life serving myself to a life sacrificing for others. Painful, but oh so worth it!

Tough Times

Many of us want to think life will always go well for us. Although it sounds romantic to have a carefree easy life, it's not supported by scripture. Even Jesus, for a moment, felt that God had forsaken him on the cross. However, that was God's shining moment, the moment he redeemed all of humanity. If only humanity would believe that...

Even though we may feel He is distant at times of difficulty in our life, He is not. Jesus says, "I will be with you always even until the end of the age."

What many of us need to realize is that there is a real enemy out to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10) Sometimes, when we are "attacked" by our enemy our natural response is to blame God. As believers, we know that all things happen for the good for those that love Christ Jesus and are called to His purposes. In fact, in the "dark times" are periods in our life, however painful, that we can grow the most if we continue to trust God and search for Him.

Read and believe Isaiah 43:1-2 and let that encourage you if you are going through a difficult season in your life.

Epic

Hung out with Epic last night and shared some Jesus-style compassion with the next generation.

One Year

It has been almost one year since we planted HPC El Paso. What an amazing year it has been. Great relationships, wonderful moments, transformed lives, and pretty good church. God has done so much. Thank you God!! 364 Salvations, over 10,000 hurting people served, and five campuses in two countries...Unbelievable!

Looking forward to another year of God's amazing grace and the power of the Holy Spirit expressed through His people planted in His house.

Thank you all so much for what you are doing. Never underestimate the impact we can have for the Kingdom when we unite together for the cause of Christ.

Still Serving

Still serving El Paso and Mexico...Great job HPC team! You are making an impact for Christ by meeting the needs of hurting people and sharing the Gospel. Over 300 salvations and thousands of people served in the name of Jesus!

Working Vacation

Just got back from Florida with my family. What a great trip! We celebrated Esther's Dad's retirement. Also worked as we hosted our fifth summer camp. Great time for all of us!

Family and Ministry

I am keenly aware of the fact that society has labeled my children...PK's or Preacher's Kids. Most people think that the children that follow a pastor and his wife are doomed. However, my perspective is different.
















Most of the activities our children are involved in require the parents to be in the audience or in the stands, away from their children, participating in a passive way. One of the great things about ministry is that you can "do ministry" together. Side by side, whether in the community or in the mission field we have the joy and privilege of serving alongside each other as a family.

No titles, no superiority, just brothers and sisters in Christ reaching a hurting world with Jesus-style compassion. I'm not too worried about what people may think; rather enjoying each precious moment with my family serving a loving God!

Birthday

On July 6th, 1967 I was born into a world where the headlines were reporting on the Six-Day War, 464,000 U.S. troops fighting, and winning, the war in Vietnam, and the Civil Rights movement is in full swing as the "Mississippi Burning" trial has begun.

1967 was known as the "Summer of Love". (My parent's must have gotten a head start.) The best selling albums were Jim Morrison's "The Doors" and The Beatle's "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band". Wow...do I feel old. LOL

I have seen so much in my life, not the least of which going from Albums to nano-pods and typewriters to laptops; but my biggest headline was when I decided to go "All in" for Jesus Christ about eight years ago at the altar inside Healing Place Church in Baton Rouge.

So much has happened since then, we are now a wonderful family of five, shepherding a new church plant in El Paso, Texas and two new churches in Juarez, Mexico.

With God's favor, a lot of sacrifice, and difficult days...we are truly living the Dream!-Thanks God...

Mexico Missions

Great time in Juarez with a mission's team from HPC Highland Rd. We have been able to do many things such as vacation bible school, work projects, and community outreach; but bonding with the children at the orphanage has been such a blessing. Tonight we were able to have an outdoor service with incredible worship, really cool ballet and dramas, and a good word!

We were able to pray for dozens at the altar call and to finish the evening off, we fed about 350 people good ol' American hotdogs and chips. Advancing the Kingdom is as easy as meeting the need and sharing the story of Christ with people that are hungry!

One girl

This little girl came up to me with such a beautiful smile and just began to hug and hold me. She stole my heart and this is the image I will keep with me from my trip to Africa.



















This beautiful girl represents hope in a land of hopelessness. We loved on each other, but she marked me for life. It is for this girl that we strive to run the race marked out for us.

Swaziland

We were able to train 350+ pastors at our first Go Global Leadership Conference. The event was called, "This is Africa: One Hope. One Heart. One Promise." We encouraged the pastors to take their nation for Jesus Christ. We told them that they were, "Plan A" and there was no "Plan B". I was able to encourage them to get a God-sized vision, a vision beyond them, and to hang on to it...no matter the cost.






















So many opportunities to help bring the message of hope to a country that is reeling in hopelessness.

Swaziland is one of the most hurting countries in all of the world. They have lost 1/3 of the population of the entire country in the last five years due to HIV Aids.





















Almost 1 person out of every two is infected with the virus. Leaving a country full of orphans with little hope of survival.

God cares for the poor and brokenhearted and uses us to reach them with the love and compassion of Jesus Christ. We can truly make a difference for The Kingdom as we live out the mission of Healing Place Church, "to be a healing place for a hurting world".

Contrast

Swaziland is a country of contrast. Beautiful country, beautiful people...ugly pandemic of HIV ravaging the people, leaving tens of thousands of orphans in their wake. Almost 1 out of every 2 people in Swaziland has HIV and the country has lost 1/3 of it's population in the last five years!!

We have been able to minister to and train pastors at our first Go Global African Leadership Conference at HPC Swaziland. We have served and spent time with the children and volunteers at many Children's Cup care points. (10,000 orphans are fed, medically treated, discipled, and have their education paid for due to a partnership with HPC/Children's Cup/other great ARC churches like Household of Faith, Celebration JAX., and Life Church of Memphis.)

I have spent time with some incredible missionaries that have left "everything" behind and committed their lives to caring for these children and serving at HPC, Swaziland. I look forward to continuing serving alongside Ben and Susan, Lad and Crystal, and Mark and Kay! I have much love for you all!

I have been left with a sense of awe and heartache all at the same time. I look forward to bringing a team from HPC El Paso as soon as God permits.

Africa

You may be wondering, why is Pastor Buck going to Africa? Just a few thoughts I would like to share. We have two HPC Campuses in Africa. One in Mozambique and one in Swaziland (Southern Africa). We have ten HPC Campuses on the planet-in Louisiana, Africa, and El Paso. How cool is that?

We are in Africa because we are a healing place for a hurting world and Swaziland is hurting. Life expectancy in Swaziland is lower than any other place in the world, 29.9 years. This country also has the highest HIV rate of any place in the world, 42.7% of the people in the country are infected with the virus. This terrible disease has left a country full of orphans...We are there because that's where Jesus would be.

Healing Place Church helped to provide 2.6 million meals to orphans in Swaziland in 2008 through a ministry called Children's Cup. We also care for 28,000 orphans a day in Swaziland, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique. When you give your tithes to HPC El Paso this is just one of things we do to accomplish our mission of being "a healing place for a hurting world". There is a lot of hurting in this world, but God is doing great things through His church!

Matthew 28:18-20
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in​​ the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Jesus has always had a heart for hurting people. This why we seek out and minister to His people with Jesus-style compassion. He said to Go into the nations and that is why we cross borders. Our God is great and His mercy endures forever and He is with us to the very end of the age!

Marriage

We just got back from our marriage life group. We had a blast! We are doing the Love Dare curriculum from the movie Fireproof. Lots of good dialogue and transparency in the group. After that, we had a good old-fashioned pool party. The guys played water volleyball while the girls hit the hot tub. Everyone had a great time. Thanks Juan and Angela!

Esther and I have been a part of a marriage life group for almost seven years now. So many great couples really committed to going ALL THE WAY in marriage. We share our struggles, challenges, and good times in our marriage. Our marriage is better and stronger than ever because we are a part of our HPC Life Group. We don't lead it, we just enjoy it! We honor our spouses with our intentionality and commitment to doing what it takes to have a successful marriage. Thanks God for so many amazing couples committed to honoring You through their marriage.

Vision

What an incredible heart God has for El Paso and Juarez. At HPC El Paso, we are fortunate to be a part of that movement. I have been praying for our future and feel we have received a spiritual break through and answers to several key questions.

As a church, we have been blessed with so many great leaders and I am looking forward to seeing them unleashed along the path to our destiny. The Bible says, that without vision the people perish, but with a God-given vision the people flourish!

There are so many hurting people in our communities. Together, we can and will reach the world by serving one!

LIFE

We just got back from the ARC Conference today. ARC is a group of church planters that plant churches around the country. So far, we have planted 104 successful churches that have given 8.5 million dollars to world missions just last year!

ARC churches are churches that plant other churches. We give part of our overall budget to do just that. Even though we are a new church, HPC El Paso has given about $10,000 that has helped to plant 30 new churches in the last three months. Talk about return on your investment! 30 cities and thousands of people being reached by the love of Christ!

ARC was my first ministry job. Brother Billy Hornsby, President of ARC, gave me an opportunity to work to help these amazing couples plant churches. I will always be appreciative to Billy for taking a chance and letting me live the dream!

At ARC conferences, we learn a lot, connect a lot, and hear and tell the stories...incredible stories of what God is doing around the country. I respect and admire these couples so much! ARC is a kind of fraternity, if you will, of people advancing the Kingdom through the local church.

Everyone at ARC has gone "all in" which means, making great personal sacrifices, going through pain and betrayal, and staying up late crying out to God for a city of hurting people; all the while living the dream that God has called them to: to reach a lost and hurting world with the simple message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The people at this conference are more ALIVE than anyone I know. I believe it is because God goes "all in" for the people that go "all in" for Him. Praise be to God!

You don't have to be a pastor or even in ministry, as a vocation, to go "all in". However, God wants ALL of you to love ALL of Him. When you do that, your heart for people will grow and you will never be the same. Moreover, you will not be able to let your life slip by, even another day, without doing something significant for HIM and OTHERS.

Mathew 10:39
"Whoever finds his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."

I pray that you begin to let go and lose your life for the sake and the cause of Christ. For in Him are all things and in Him is a life beyond our dreams. A life of sacrifice and pain to be sure, but a life of vigor, passion, and meaning beyond your comprehension. Go for LIFE in Jesus Christ. It is the only way to truly live. Seize your destiny today, by going "all in" for Him.

Nachoooooooo

God is moving so greatly through HPC El Paso. I am honored to serve the people of HPC and our great communities of El Paso and Juarez. Yesterday, I was able to preach in an authentic mexican Lucha Libre ring. (Like Jack Black in Nacho Libre. I have been told I look a little like Jack Black, lol)

Pastor Carlos has launched his new campus in downtown Juarez. He and his wife Emma are such a blessing to the Kingdom. I was fortunate to be able to spend the day with my brothers and sisters across the border.

Servolution Day 6

I just can't say enough how humbled Esther and I to serve a church full of people who truly have a heart for others. As of today, we have had 143 people come out to serve in six days. 1,731 have been touched by God through your kindness. What is even more amazing?...We are not done yet!!!

SERVOLUTION Day 5

1,267 people served in 5 days! God is good! A group of women went to the crisis pregnancy center today. They cooked and loved on 75 women and children. HPC El Paso is full of people who love to serve whole heartedly and want Jesus to get the credit. We are honored to see your heart for the hurting.

Contact the church for more information.

SERVOLUTION DAY 4

Another Home Run Church!! We are now up to 1,192 people served in El Paso and Juarez in four days. Today you were able to serve those who travel on our local bus system by giving them free bus tokens. Then, this afternoon we were able to serve some real hero's of this great nation. A group went to the Texas State Veteran's Home and had four mini-concerts for those men and women who have served and sacrificed greatly for our country. The last time we played for the evening was in a private room for a man, brother Roy, that had lost both his legs. He was so full of joy...an inspiration to us all...

Remember, your kindness can be someone else's miracle!

Grateful

I am so humbled by all you do and I am so grateful to be part of a church that's willing to go the second mile to share some Jesus-style compassion. In the last four days, you have hosted a men's retreat, li'l chick night, set up and tore down another great HPC Service, and begun 7 days of SERVOLUTION where you have touched and served 1,032 people in El Paso and Juarez.

Healing Place Church is advancing The Kingdom in our great community. It is great to see God move in such a mighty way in El Paso and Juarez.

Ecclesiates 5:3
A dream comes to pass with much business and painful effort.

A dream that was planted in the heart of a man 7 years ago is beginning to come to pass. Through much business and painful effort by the HPC El Paso team, combined with the prayers and relationships of so many others--a community is being changed...one person at a time. We truly are "a healing place for a hurting world"!

Esther and I are honored to serve you and we are grateful to be living the dream with so many incredible people! We love you!!

Sold out,
Pastor Buck

SERVOLUTION: Day 3

These are some pictures from last night's Bar outreach and today's Mexico outreach and hospital outreach

As a church, we have served over 1000 people in the last three days!!! Amazing! Today (Sunday) a team went to an Orphanage in Juarez and another team went to the children's wing of Providence hospital... Church YOU ARE AMAZING...

Call the Church for more information 861-9698

Servolution Day 2

Another great outreach!! We went to The Sandoval Government Housing to do a Block Party at Thorn Park. We were able to serve about 250 people! We had food, games, face painting, pinatas--it was a blast. Here are some pictures from the outreach. The people couldn't quite understand why we were out there serving them--without expecting anything in return. Caleb got up at the end and spoke a word to the kids explaining that we wanted them to see Jesus at work. I think they did...

Servolution Day 1

What an awesome kick off to Servolution 2009! We had a water outreach this afternoon and we served 400 iced cold bottles of water! Listen to what one person had to say about this afternoons event:

"I know that it pushed me out of my own comfort zone to serve others in this manner, but I will tell you that while serving in this manner I feel we all truly were able to live out Mark 10:45 - "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve..." Dr Jason Johnson

These next 7 days are going to be amazing! God is good.

Again call the church and leave a message if you have any questions! 915-833-3333

Kick off of Servolution

Ok Church!! We are about to start Servolution 2009. Actually, Esther and about 10 other people started a "pre-servolution outreach" tonight passing out invitations for the Fiesta Outreach Saturday afternoon. Keep checking the blog for updates on event times and locations. Tomorrow, Friday April 3rd is our first official outreach. We are meeting at the Johnson's at 4:30 or at Walgreen's at Redd and Resler at 4:50. Wear your red shirts and get ready to turn El Paso upside down for Jesus!! If you need more information please call the church @ 833-3333 and leave a message. Someone will return your call promptly.

We are so blessed to serve a chruch with a group of people who love to serve others!

Love,

Buck and Esther

Jesus

Pity the Fool

There is such a powerful thing that happens when someone mentions the name of Jesus. Battle lines are drawn. People take sides. Some wince with discomfort. Still others revel in the beauty of grace. It's such an interesting thing to behold in person. You can see the signs on people's faces. That reaction, whatever it is, can tell us a lot about who we are as a people. Think about what Paul said in 1 Corinthians.

1 Corinthians 1:21-25
21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

The Jews of the time demanded a sign that Jesus was who he said he was. The Greeks needed to reason out what he was all about. What did Jesus do? He offered neither a sign nor reason to unbelievers. He offered salvation for those who believed. Today is no different. Christians have been labeled "anti-science" and portrayed as brainwashed buffoons in the news and popular culture. Yet we are still here. We still endure. There are still those who believe in spite of how unpopular it might make them. God's promises still ring true.

Matthew 16:18
And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

So take heart, stand strong and never be ashamed of the Gospel. God is on the move. Let's go with him. Even his weaknesses are stronger than we can imagine. The gates of hell cannot defeat us, the Church of Christ.

The Art of Joy

Lately I've had a thought on my mind. How do we get joy? How do we express it?

Most of us will immediately think of things like getting something we wanted or being content with life, but if I think hard enough, the most joyful people I know struggle more than anyone. Having what we'd like doesn't cut it. Neither does accepting our circumstances. No, it's something deeper.

I traveled to India last year. A team from Healing Place teamed up with Joyce Meyer Ministries. We had an incredible time, but of all the sights, smells and sounds one has stuck with me more than anything. We visited a feeding center full of dirty little kids living in the worst sorts of poverty. They were excited to sing songs and tell us the few English words they had learned. And there was one girl that radiated a youthful glow of happiness. I couldn't help but being taken aback by it. Here she was in this slum, and she couldn't stop smiling. When I got back to the hotel, I still saw that smile. It almost haunted me. Maybe it was because I couldn't figure out why she was so happy. Maybe I was feeling shame for not being happy with what God had given me. Either way, it changed me.

Joy isn't dictated by what we either have or don't. Our only true joy is a gift from God. The more we trust him, the more joy he is willing to lavish upon us. The more joy we share with others, the more God will give back to us.

Psalm 16:8-11
⁸ I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

⁹ Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest secure,

¹⁰ because you will not abandon me to the grave,
nor will you let your Holy One see decay.

¹¹ You have made known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Yeah, some of us have to work at being joyful. We have to make it a point to "set the Lord always before" us. It's not a science nor method, and joy doesn't just happen. There is an art to it. There is a continual revelation in the making and spreading of joy. I just hope I can learn more in the ways of the art of joy.

REACH

God is moving so greatly through HPC El Paso as He is in so many other great churches in our city. We have been fortunate to meet and connect with so many new people. God is moving and we know that He can change the hearts of so many people in El Paso and Juarez. We are growing, not because of our marketing, but because God is honoring our heart.

One of our core values is "Reach". We believe in reaching outside the walls of the church and touching people right where they are.

Mark 1:40-41

A man with leprosy came to Him and begged him on his knees. "If you are willing you can make me clean." Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing.", he said, "Be clean!"

You would think that Jesus would have healed him first and then touched him. Jesus knew that this man was an outcast and hadn't been touched, even by his family, maybe in years. This man would have to shout, "Unclean, Unclean" on rare occassions when he went to town from his isolation. People would scatter, stare, and shudder. Jesus, filled with compassion, reached out his hand and touched the man.

There are many people with leprosy in El Paso. They are known as prostitutes, drug addicts, convicts, homosexuals, homeless, adulterers, pornograhy addicts, strippers, the sick, the poor, illegal aliens, widows, and even single moms. People that most people avoid for fear of catching their "disease".

These are the people we are called to touch. We are called Healing Place Church because we are "a healing place for a hurting world". We seek out, find, and minister to these people because they are the very people that Jesus came and died for. Let us not be known for our videos, guitars, or pastor...let us be known for being a church that is "filled with compassion" and does something about it.

Closer: To Home.

Last week Esther and I preached together on getting "Closer in Marriage". Doing ministry together has been a dream of ours and we are living it out through our church. Esther did great as we shared from our heart, our passion for marriages.

Closer: 30 Days of Prayer and Fasting

Day 30: Love Him

Deuteronomy 6:4-5
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

When asked what the greatest commandment was, Jesus replied with this. Love God, and the second was love your neighbor as yourself.

So, as we close out this 30 days of prayer and fasting, meditate on this word. We don't love God or others because of our goodness. We love because we were loved first by a boundless and infinite saviour.

Let's end with this simple truth. Love God. Love others, and you won't be disappointed.

Closer: 30 Days of Prayer and Fasting

Day 29: God Loves

The Bible is made up of 66 books and written over a period of 1,500 years telling one single story, a love story. God has always wanted a relationship with His creation from walking with Adam in the cool of the mornings; to spending time revealing Himself to Moses; to sending His son Jesus to restore a relationship with you and I.

Our God is very different than gods that were created by man. Instead of having to try and please a god to receive favor for rain, or harvest etc. Our God wants to have a relationship with us. He wants to serve us and love us. His story is a love story, many times of unrequited love, but still He pursues us to this day.

Isaiah 40:11

He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young.

As we begin to bring this time of prayer and fasting to a close. I pray that you are beginning to understand the depths of God's love for you. As He tends to you and gathers you close to His heart. Our God is amazing and He loves and cares for you.

Prayer Focus: Pray that you begin to understand the depths of His love and that you begin to love Him for who He is, your loving Father in Heaven.

Closer: To God. To Home. To Others.

Day 28: Faith

This past week has been a difficult one for families in our church. We have mom's, dad's, and cousins in critical or terminal conditions for various reasons. The good news is we serve a God that is Above the Storm. Even though we don't understand why bad things happen in this world, God that has a different perspective. When Job wanted a response from God as to why he was suffering so greatly, God responded in Job 38:4 "Where were you when I laid the Earth's foundation?"

God's eternal perspective is so much different than ours. He sees things we do not see. Although our questions are valid, God's purposes and plans are so much bigger than our own. We need to continue to "walk in faith and not by sight" even in the most difficult of times. One day we will have a different perspective than we have today. When that day comes we will rejoice in the righteousness and wisdom of our God.

Prayer Focus: Pray that we can walk in faith through the most difficult of times. Also pray for members of our extended church family who need your prayers today-Celia Calvillo, Phil Heick, and Cheryl Young.

Closer: To God. To Home. To Others.

Day 27: Legacy

I have a thought to share with you about Proverbs 4:23 and the instruction God gives us to “guard our hearts.” We should know how important it is that we celebrate what God has already done. I believe it is equally important for us to expect the best, as well.

We should wake up every morning shaking off any negativity, all the naysayers’ voices and all the doubt - and instead start each day with the decision to believe God and simply take Him at His word. And we should be obedient to that word. It’s easy to look at negative signs and get depressed. But our confidence is in God, and we look forward knowing who we are in Christ. Because of that, we can expect the best.

The beginning of Joshua 1 gives us some great thoughts along these lines. Check out verse 9 in particular:

“This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

As Kingdom Builders, we can believe that our lives have a legacy, that we are changing the world, that we’re doing something that matters, that we are part of something bigger than ourselves. Because we guard our hearts and deliberately put our confidence in God, we are able to dream, hope, expect joyfully despite the issues around us. Now is the time to be courageous, to realize that God is in control and is with us. Ask Him today what He wants you to commit, then obey Him with confidence and great expectancy.-Pastor Dino Rizzo

Prayer Focus: Pray that we can truly leave a legacy in El Paso/Juarez and beyond

Closer: 30 Days of Prayer and Fasting

Day 26: Decide

One of the raddest characters in the Bible would have to be Elijah. He was a prophet of God. These were the men that spoke for God to the people by divine inspiration. Probably the craziest story about Elijah was when he faced off with 850 pagan prophets on top of Mount Carmel.

He presented a challenge for them and the people of Israel.

1 Kings 18:20-21
20 So Ahab sent word throughout all Israel and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel. 21 Elijah went before the people and said, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him."
But the people said nothing.

Elijah told the pagan prophets to call down fire from heaven to burn up a sacrifice. After hurling some unique insults at their powerless gods, he prayed and the true God sent down fire that even burned up the rocks of the altar he had built. Then the people knew that Elijah's God was real and chose to listen to him.

Isn't that a sad story? They had to wait for God to send fire down from heaven before they would actually believe. Jesus had a similar group to deal with.

Matthew 12:38-40
38Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, "Teacher, we want to see a miraculous sign from you." 39He answered, "A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

"But the people said nothing." Those words are unsettling. I would hate to think that given that chance I would make the same mistake. Yet sometimes, I too demand a sign before acting on what I know is right. My hope is that we as Christians make our minds up now whom we will follow. Let's not wait for angels to tell us what to do. Jesus already gave us the sign of Jonah. He died and three days later rose again. Let's believe that is true. Let's share that with others. Let's decide to follow Him with our whole hearts.

Closer: 30 Days of Prayer and Fasting

Day 25: We Cry Out

Exodus 3:9
9And now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them.

We can never forget that God sees our pain and hears our cries. God's people were being oppressed in Egypt, and from their point of view, I'm sure it almost seemed like God had forgotten all about them. If you read ahead though, God sent his servant Moses to free his people from the bondage of slavery.

Be encourage that God still answers prayer, and He still moves on behalf of his people. So, don't give up in the face of insurmountable odds. Keep crying out to him.

Prayer Focus: Keep going to God with your petitions and believe that He will answer your prayers.

Closer: 30 Days of Prayer and Fasting

Day 23: Seeking God

2 Chronicles 20:1-5 says “Moab, Ammon, and some of the Meunites came to make war against Jehoshaphat.” Upon hearing what he was about to potentially face, Jehoshaphat became alarmed. He was moved by the news of a war. Jehoshaphat found inspiration to move toward God because he needed God to fight this battle. He faced a time and a situation where he felt small, weak, and inadequate, but Jehoshaphat would overcome by the following principles:

1. Jehoshaphat Overcame by Making God a Priority.
He turned his attention to seek the Lord. Like a laser beam, Jehoshaphat became focused on God. Every situation in life can cause us to refocus on Christ in a new and fresh way. In our twenty one days of prayer and fasting, hopefully you have come to know Christ better and deeper than ever before.

2. Jehoshaphat Overcame by Making Fasting a Priority. (2 Chronicles 20:3)
He disciplined his life to seek God by detaching himself from everything that would preoccupy him from what was really important.

Nothing makes us focused like fasting. Fasting for me has always caused me to see how strong the world’s pull and food really is. It’s amazing how preoccupied we are about our next meal and when we’re going to eat it. Fasting has always caused me to trust God more for strength and energy. In God, we are never stronger than when we are weak. I believe fasting signals to God that we are serious about His involvement in our lives.

3. Jehoshaphat Overcame by Fasting and Praying with Other Believers.
2 Chronicles 20:4 says, “Judah gathered together to seek help from the Lord; they even came from all the cities of Judah.”

How pleased the Lord had to be, and how pleased He is to see hundreds of cities and churches gather together like Judah for twenty one days of fasting and prayer. Jesus said where two or more are gathered, He is in the midst of them, and I believe God has been in the middle of this fast. He may be more pleased about our coming together than He is our fasting.

As we come to the end of these twenty one days, I pray the same peace that came upon Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 20:30) would come upon us all as we continue to seek God together.

God is moving and will continue to move as we pray and fast.-Pastor Joe Champion

Closer: 30 Days of Prayer and Fasting

Day 23: Closer

James 4:8

"Come close to God, and He will come close to you."

Many of us love this amazing promise from God. To think that God will come close to us is an incredible thought. God will come close to you, but there is a prerequisite-You must first draw close to Him. Too often we get so involved in our own little worlds we rarely spend time in His big world. Therefore, not seeing things from His perfect perspective. Let's take a look at this verse in the greater context of this passage of scripture.

"God opposes the proud but favors the humble. So humble yourselves before God. Resist the Devil and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up in honor."

In looking closely at this passage we see that the prerequisite before we can come close to God is to humble ourselves. Moreover, we need to ask forgiveness and truly grasp the fact of how deeply sorrowful we should feel for having a divided heart. I think there is so much emphasis on mourning in this passage because it breaks the heart of God when we abandon and reject Him.

When we truly and deeply repent for not coming close to God because of our focus on our own world rather than His, in this state of humility, we can approach the throne and He will lift us up in honor.

Prayer Focus: Ask forgiveness of the things you have done that break the heart of God and pray that you can come closer to Him and that He will come closer to you.

Closer: 30 Days of Prayer and Fasting

Day 22: Ask

Matthew 7:7-12
7"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

9"Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

Our God is referred to as "Father" over and over in the scriptures. Some of us may not like the comparison quite frankly. The concept of a wonderful and gracious father may be completely foreign to anyone who has had a strained relationship with their earthly dad. Yet God thought it was important to reveal himself as a heavenly patriarch watching out for his kids.

Here in the scriptures Jesus implores his followers to simply ask, seek and knock. When we turn away from prideful arrogance and humble ourselves before God, He answers our cries. The answer may not be what we expected, but just like a loving Father, he will answer without fail.

With that said, you still have to ask. Such is the importance of prayer. Present God with your needs. Leave them at His feet.

And then, don't forget the "do to others" part. If God supplies your needs, how much should you give back to others?

Prayer Focus: Ask God to supply your needs and to show you ways you can supply others' needs as well.

Closer: To God. To Home. To Others.

Day 21: Perseverance of Failures

In case you haven't figured it out yet, the Bible is a book full of failures. The Bible never fails to show us the true humanity of the figures we've grown to hold in high esteem. Whether it be Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Peter, Thomas, Paul or any number of characters, they all were completely fallible and failed often. Yet despite all of their faults, God still found a way to use them.

One of my favorites is the story of Jacob. He's seen as one of the three Patriarchs of our faith (Abraham & Isaac are the others), but let's look at his early life. He cheats his brother out of his birthright, lies to his father to get the blessing of the first-born and runs away in fear for his life. That's not the best start one can make. Still, he made a decision to follow God and listen to his words, and for this faith he was blessed to be the father of a great nation. It's not how you begin, but how you finish.

If we look at another person from the Bible, David, we'll see the opposite of Jacob's story. He started out with things going for him. He kills a giant and becomes famous, and even though he has hard times he always does the right thing. It isn't until he was king for a while that he committed the sins of adultery and murder. He paid the price for his sin the rest of his life. When we look back on his life, it becomes a cautionary tale. Again, it's not how you begin, but how you finish.

Perhaps you've had a rocky start in life. Maybe you are living for only yourself. The good news is, no matter what you've done, your story isn't over yet. Get back in the race, and you too can finish strong.

Prayer Focus: Pray that you can persevere to the end despite your failures.

Closer: To God. To Home. To Others.

Day Twenty: Liberty

What a great day in our nation's history. Whether you call yourself a republican, a democrat, an independent or something else, we are all Americans. Today was a great day to see an African-American take office, but more than that a common man. A man with very humble beginnings, great disappointments, and significant faults being elected to the most powerful office in the free world. Whether you agree with him or not, scripture calls us to pray for him.

To see a peaceful transfer of power by the inauguration of another President of the United States never gets old for me. I am a patriot and I am proud of our country. We truly live in the greatest nation on earth. Not because of our greatness, but because of the greatness of our God.

Below are the words of John F. Kennedy that were echoed today by President Barack Obama in his inaugural address. See also below a quote of Martin Luther King, Jr. and an excerpt from the Mayflower Compact.

The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life. And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebears fought are still at issue around the globe--the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of God...Let both sides unite to heed in all corners of the earth the command of Isaiah "to undue the heavy burdens...and let the oppressed go free." ...The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it--and the glow from that fire can truly light the world.-JFK

An excerpt of Martin Luther King Jr.'s, "I have a Dream" speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.-MLK, Jr.

An excerpt of the Mayflower Compact that the pioneers of our nation wrote after they landed in Virginia documenting the purpose for their voyage which was signed November 11, 1620.

In the name of God, Amen...Having undertaken, for the Glory of God and advancement of the Christian Faith and Honour of our King and Country, a Voyage to plant the First Colony in the Northern Parts of Virginia.-documented by William Bradford

Let us not forget that all things flow from God. The reason the United States of America is the greatest country in the world; is because it was founded "for the Glory of God and the advancement of the Christian Faith". It is freedom through Christ alone that is the light of this great nation.

Prayer Focus: Pray that Jesus Christ is exalted in our great nation and that revival comes to the world.

Closer: To God. To Home. To Others.

Day 19: Give Thanks

Leviticus 25:38
38 I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan and to be your God.

If you read the Old Testament, you'll notice a repeated theme over and over again. God is constantly reminding the nation of Israel that he was the one that brought them out of Egypt. It may seem strange or even pretentious of God at first to keep replaying the same message, but I think it represents an important idea.

Present situations can cloud our memory. When you're in the heat of the moment important details get quickly overlooked. Maybe you've been in an argument with your spouse and at the time couldn't remember why you got married in the first place. Your current situation clouded your judgment. There might be some things said, in the heat of that moment, that you'll regret later in the day. Often times, our immediate issues cloud out any sense of history. We forget too easily.

The Hebrews were no exception to this rule. They had to constantly be reminded of what God had done for them. We need to be reminded too. God has done a great work for us by taking away our sins. It would be very easy to look at any of our situations and forget what God has done for us. This is why we need to give thanks to God, especially during the hard times. I love how Paul puts it.

Romans 5:2B-5
2B)And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3)Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4)perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5)And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

"And hope does not disappoint us..." This is probably my favorite piece of scripture. That promise is so visceral, so tangible. We all have hopes, and often times they end up crushing us with disappointment. But there is one hope that will never disappoint. Just don't forget that hope. Don't let the worries of today cloud the promises of tomorrow, and never forget what God has already done for you.

Prayer Focus: Give thanks to God for what he has done for you today.

Closer: To God. To Home. To Others.

Day Eighteen: Our God is an awesome God!

Just reflecting on the journey that God has taken my wife and I on for the last six years. We are so blessed to be able to serve Him. We had a great service today where four more people came to Christ. Tonight, we have been connecting to old friends on FB, what an amazing thing!

Yesterday, Jerry Trevillian and I did an impromptu outreach to a new friend of ours, who is homeless. He is currently living under a bridge with his wife Cathy. He called me and explained his situation and I asked him what he needed. He said they were hungry and cold. So Jerry and I packed up a few things we had lying around the house and went to meet the need. John and Cathy were happy to see us and we hung out and talked underneath the railroad tracks. Their dogs had food, but they didn't. There are so many needs that need to be met. I pray that God will use you to meet the needs of hurting people in your life.

Prayer Focus: Pray for Big John and Miss Cathy. Pray that they are warm, have a full stomach, and are in the hand of The Father that loves them.

Closer: 30 Days of Prayer and Fasting

Day Seventeen: Just do it!

James 1:22-25

"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does."

Sometimes we need to do what the old Nike campaign said and "Just do it". I know far too many people who can quote scripture, talk about God in everyday conversation, and eloquently express their faith, but many of them fail to make even the slightest impact for God. Let's not be the man who gazes at the Word, but let's listen to God and then, "Just do it". Our world needs us to hear from God, by reading his word, and then acting on it. If more of us "just do it" we can be part of a revival like the world has never known.

Prayer Focus: Pray that you apply The Truth and make a Kingdom impact in your world today.

Closer: 30 Days of Prayer and Fasting

Now that I’m in my 40’s (as hard as it is to believe I admit “yeah I’m in my forties”), one of the things I am learning to really enjoy is a passion for practicing reflection. I truly believe it is hard to chart a good future and keep the wind of His Spirit in your sails if you’ve never taken time to look back over the sea of life you have just covered – whether it is for ministry, family, friendship, or seasons of life.

Stopping for reflection is a key to understanding this life in the Spirit. Check out 1 Corninthians 2:10 where Paul reminds us that “God has revealed it to us by His Spirit.” To see life by His Spirit – now, that’s the journey I want.

So for me, one of the essentials of all this is the fasting we have been talking about. I need it in my life. These are days to seek a laser focus on what God is saying by the Spirit and the Spirit of His Word that can be amplified by our dedication to a fast.

My prayer for you today as you sail across this 2009 is for your faith to be strengthened as you reflect on what God has done – on what He is doing now during this personal devotion time – and on what He is going to do with you on this amazing voyage called life.

So set your sails. The wind is blowing. And the seas are calling. -Pastor Dino Rizzo

Closer: 30 Days of Prayer and Fasting

Day Fifteen: Listen

Genesis 12:1
The LORD had said to Abram, 'Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.'

As I was asking the youth last night "How can we hear from God?" I heard some very good answers and some out of the box ones as well. Overall, I was trying to get them to think about the simple ways of stopping and listening to God's voice.

Reading the Old Testament like the scripture above can easily give someone the impression that in order to hear God speak, they need to hear an audible James Earl Jones-esque voice. No matter how hard you try or how long you wait, you may never have one of those experiences. But nonetheless, God still speaks today.

Have you ever just stopped and tried to listen to what God is saying to you? There are all sorts of ways to hear his voice. Let's get back to that conversation I had with the youth, and see some of the ways they said God can speak to us: friends, other Christians, dreams, the Bible, praying, quiet time, and on, and on, and on. We serve an infinite God that speaks to us in infinite ways. So, my encouragement is to take the time to try and improve your hearing. You may not have a chorus line of angels dancing on your duvet, but he will speak to you if you listen.

Prayer Focus: Pray for God to reveal to you ways of improving your spiritual ears.

Closer: 30 Days of Prayer and Fasting

Day Fourteen: Margin

Leviticus 23:22
"When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God."

Throughout the Bible, God speaks to us about His concern for the poor. How many gods that man has created to worship have cared about the poor...let's just say not many. What a caring and compassionate God we serve. It's us that get in the way. God has created enough resources to support the entire earth. The scarcity comes from our greed. Our God is a god of sufficiency. He has supplied us with everything we need. Think about this, "what do you eat or wear that doesn't ultimately come from Him"? God has enough for you and I and wants to use us to leave "the very edges of our field" for the poor and the stranger.

Prayer Focus: Pray for what you can cut out of your daily life, maybe Starbucks, that you could take and give to the poor.

Closer: 30 Days of Prayer and Fasting

Day Thirteen: Journaling

Some of you have asked about journaling. The Bible neither commands nor suggests that the believer should journal. However, we would not have the scriptures that govern our life if someone did not write them down.-Amen?

Personally, I think journaling is a good exercise. Writing down your prayers, thoughts, and events in your life can be simple yet profound. The act of writing them down is beneficial, but the best part comes in reading them afterwards. You can see how you reacted in a difficult time, remember how God has blessed you, and see how you have matured throughout your walk.

I will put an excerpt from my journal in March 2008. This excerpt was when we were just beginning the initial stages of HPC El Paso. We had no building, no worship leader, and very few people on the team. This was the day before our very first team meeting when Esther and I first shared the vision of HPC El Paso.

At this point in my life, I was unemployed but with a dream that God placed in my heart. I normally journal about one scripture, but this day for whatever reason I journaled after I read two passages of scripture. These are short entries but they need not be long. I typically journal my prayers and sometimes record events from our lives that are special to me.

3/18/08

Read Mathew 26:57-68
"Jesus, you were rejected for being the Messiah. I pray that you strengthen Esther and I so that we can stand with you...whatever the cost!"

Read Psalm 46:1-11
"Lord, I thank you for being my fortress. I shall not fear what happens on Earth for you are in control. We (the church) are secure in you! Be with us, inspire us, encourage us, protect us, and fill us with your Spirit as we preach the Gospel to the nations!

I will post one more journal entry before we finish our 30 days of prayer and fasting. I hope this helps see how easy yet how meaningful these acts of journaling can be.

Prayer Focus: Pray that we let the Word of God empower us as we draw closer to Him.