Regalos Sunday 2023

Thanks to all of you for being so patient on waiting for details about the Regalos DeAmor day we just had in Nuevo Laredo, Saturday December 2.

Regalos does so much more than gifts. They do regular outreaches, including Day of the Child, they give gifts to other Calvary’s that are far away from the border, they do weekly bible studies, they teach children English using the Bible as well as adults. But this particular trip was about the constant sharing of the Gospel.

Day 01

Now, in this first video, I wanted to tell you a few things.

The youth worship team from San Antonio did worship for us Fri/Sat.

Pastor Brandon from CC Katy shared our Devo The concrete structure at the beginning is Chuy and Hollys future Apartments. Pray for it to be completed asap - would be big saving for the mission. We then prayed for the invites and the kids before handing out invites and gospel tracts. Then we went to Pastor Seths church, Nueva Vida, and we worked,Then lunch, then worked, painting rooms, learning crafts, songs, and then… Dinner and we witnessed Pastor Chuy be ordained!

Play video then after: By the way, time for y'all to do the song.

Day 02

so, worship, devo by moi Then we went to the school. Both the elementary and kindergarten are financed by the state, but junior & high school require parents to pay. Most don't have beyond sixth grade education.

One example is how colors were used at every station. The colors of the fingernail polish, the paints on the faces, the pipe-cleaner crafts, everything was pointing at the Gospel. Liz is going to share the colors with you real quick en Espanol.

The school had two names because they do the classes in shifts. Morning and Afternoon. The crafts were controlled chaos. Everything was. I did pipe cleaner crafts with Liz, Lisa did face painting. Back was aching after, lol. But gospel was shared in everything. We gave out tracts, and the kids had to go through the Gospel colors before getting gift from each station. Kids and adults also accepted Christ! It was all beautiful and grand! Play the video

Day 03

Liz and Lisa will now come up share a bit about their experience before the next video After the shoeboxes we at at the schoolhouse for Regalos, made by a friend of the ministry. Was delish. We then packed up the vans and drove through a neighborhood, going door to door and sharing the gospel and giving gifts to the kids that were there.

It got chaotic pretty quickly but many were blessed and at least one person committed their life to Christ. Play the video

So what does that have to do with us?

Living by faith

Mark 16:14–16 “Still later he appeared to the eleven disciples as they were eating together. He rebuked them for their stubborn unbelief because they refused to believe those who had seen him after he had been raised from the dead. 15And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. 16Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned.”

Now first off, I wanna go in reverse as we examine this.

Mark 16:16 “Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned.”

The first part, acceptance, open, available to all who would believe. Period. No law, no rite, just believe. If you believe, you’ll get baptized, its what believers do. The second part, should chill everyone to the bone. Those who refuse to believe, are condemned. κατακρίνω katakrino in the greek - to judge someone as definitely guilty and thus subject to punishment—‘to condemn, to render a verdict of guilt. There is no doubt of this. Those who reject Jesus Christ, stand guilty before God.

John 3:18–19 ““He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” John 12:48 “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.” The jump to v14

Mark 16:14 “Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.”

Knowing His teaching, what they were reminded of, and the testimony of their fellow disciples, yet they did not believe. Because they were affected by their circumstances and hardened themselves against receving by faith the resurrection. Which is why after Thomas doubted, Jesus said, John 20:29 “Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.””

Blessed. Joyous, happy, fortunate. Simply because we can trust in Jesus. Oh happy day! This is what it means, to walk, live, continue, in faith. 2 Corinthians 5:7 “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”

Mark 16:15 “And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.”

As we go into this world, telling everyone that Jesus is alive. Remember, it is good news to those that choose to believe. Even if someone rejects now, its still good news, they just have no excuse. You have to say something. Through any means necessary. Preach it. Through song, through words, through giving a gift to a child in need. Preach to the kids, to the elderly, to young, men, women, theys and thems. God can save them all. If they truly believe, He will take them from their own philosophy, ideology and the like.

If we obey Him and are baptized, will should obey in everything He commands. You don’t make everyone believe or obey, you preach. Proclaim! A public declaration that Jesus is Lord. People will make their own decision. But first, you must make Him your own. Do you believe that Jesus died for your sins? That he was raised from the dead? Do you repent of your sins and accept Him alone as Lord? Trust only Him for your salvation?

Pray.