Deserting Jesus

Reading: Galatians 1:1-9

Paul writes to the churches of Galatia because they are being influenced by teachers who want them to keep the Law of Moses along with Jesus’ teachings.  In essence, Gentiles must become Jews to be right with God.  Galatians is Paul’s fierce rejection of this idea.  His greeting here is cut short by his desire to get to the matter at hand.  “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel”(Gal 1:6).  These are sharp words.  By accepting this teaching—and its hope of salvation through law-keeping and personal perfection—the Galatians are “deserting” Jesus.  They have deserted him not by rejecting his morality or disavowing faith in him, but by turning to a different gospel. 

Realizing that his language could be subject to misunderstanding, he quickly adds, “not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ”(Gal 1:7).  There are not multiple gospels, each as good as the next, for us to choose from.  These teachers are distorting the true gospel.  “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed”(Gal 1:8).  No matter who preaches it (even if an angel or apostle), we must not listen to those who would contradict or add to the message the apostles preached. If we want to be saved by Jesus, we must be saved his way.

What we teach matters, particularly because teaching leads to action.  If these Galatians accept this teaching and start keeping the Law of Moses, they are deserting Jesus.  This text impresses us with our deep need to evaluate modern teaching by comparing it against the original teaching of the apostles.  The stakes could not be higher.

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One Thing to Think About:  Am I as serious about the purity of the message as Paul is?

One Thing to Pray For:  Teachers who will help me remain true to the apostolic message

Dear brothers, a big greeting from me and my family.
My wish and pray to our God is that they are well, together with all their loved ones.
For our part, my family and I find ourselves very well, always enjoying the Christian life,
As for the weather, thank God, we entered the winter season, and due to this, the rains moved away in the north of Peru.
Now the government has begun to rebuild the country.
Regarding the local churches and the work in them, we continue to support evangelization and edification.
Paita, Sullana, zamba and catacaos, continue to grow in the grace of the Lord.

On my visit to Zamba this month, four souls were persuaded for salvation and obeyed the pure gospel. Today the churches in the north rejoice knowing that the churches are growing.
I need you to know about our new brothers in zamba
1 Pierina Jimenez painted. 13 years.
2 Corina painted Jimenez
3 Edgar painted Jimenez
4 Ricardo pool mass.
I also send your photos for your knowledge
 
I want to reaffirm my gratitude to each one of you, for the great support you give me, so that my family and I do not lack anything, may our good God continue to bless you and prosper your work.
If the Lord allows us to continue working on his work, I will do so with great gratitude.
May God bless all of you.
Yours in Christ:

David Guerrero

APRIL 2023 REPORT ON THE WORK IN CORRIGAN, TEXAS [email protected]

281-756-7957

ROBERT RAIF
171 CALDWELL ST LIVINGSTON, TX 77351

Greetings brothers and sisters! I hope you are all well, especially well in your souls.

Sam Brown is doing fine. He got a job in construction and is still living with his cousin, but he hopes to get out on his own soon. Most importantly, he is doing great spiritually. He will be on parole te rest of his life since he had a life sentence, but he is outside! Eric got out about 7 years ago and likewise is doing fine. He fills in for the preacher there in Bay City when needed. He has another 1 1⁄2 years on parole and then wants to support himself with money he put aside when he was working in the oil fields and just preach and teach the gospel. Esteban likewise is doing well spiritually in College Station. Spike got out 6 years ago and John about 2 years ago. Both of them were doing fine in the Lord, but both have died since then. All of these were converted while at the Estelle unit. Only one of these men went astray after a few months.

The prison system moved some of my guys away, and three others have been given different jobs so they cannot attend our class. I have only 7 in my class now, and they are very intent on following the truth. I need to round up 8 more to fill up my class, so please pray for open doors in this respect!

John and Deborah moved to Corrigan from California. He got our bulletin and came to worship. I had a study with him and he was baptized. I am continuing the studies with them, hoping she will soon obey the truth also. Pray for them.

Concerning the Bible Correspondence courses with the prisoners, I hope to soon turn this over to Nick Krumrie who has shown an interest in the prison work. It is one of the irons in the fire that I am not doing justice to.

Brethren, I thank you so much for being coworkers with me in spreading the truth here in Corrigan and the prisons. Always pray for open doors, both here and where you are. Paul teaches us to do so, and he also teaches us that the Lord DOES open doors! Pray that I (and all preachers) may speak boldly (Col 4:2-4).

In Him who saves, Robert Raif

(Read on for more information on the benevolent work to those overseas.)

The following is the aid sent out for April. $6600 was sent. Some aid is for the support of preachers who sacrifice so much. The fields are SO white with harvest! Sometimes they have to walk miles to a place where there is enough water to baptize. They cross rivers and mountains to get to a village and will have 30 people come out to hear the gospel. Sometimes they have to dig a hole and let the water seep into it to baptize. They need petrol for their motorbikes to go and spread the truth. The first number is the benevolence amount to faithful Christians, and the second number is for the preachers’ support. They also need Bibles and songbooks. One church has only two songbooks and only 1 Bible per 3 brethren.

Benevolence Support

Zimbabwe
700 300 300 300

Uganda
500 300

Kenya
200 200

Philippines
100 200 100 300 300 500 300 400 100 300 100 100 100 100 200 0

Nicaragua
300 200 150 0

Kudakwashe Bangure. (Four congregations.) Brighton Makurudza.

Kule Bisathu

John Ositu.

Glenn Fiesta.

Manny Pader.
Simeon Vargas. (500 is for medicine) Jimmy Domingo.
Rosendo Gumpad.
Andy M Dappas.
Felipe Jr Tan Tula.
Zurdan & Fe Baliog.

Jose Ruiz. Paulita Lopez.

I think with recent inflation, $10 will feed one individual for the month in Zimbabwe. If you want to personally support a preacher with $100 each month, that would be a great help. I could put you into contact with any number of men on FB messenger or email. You can hear from them daily and see their work.

If you want to help, you can send the money to me and I will send it on, or you can send it directly to them through Moneygram or Western Union or other methods using your computer. If you want to send a large amount and want a tax deduction, you can send it to Ron Halbrook, because he has a non-profit benevolent fund.

Christ’s church Hamilton, AL

Serving Christ In Surprising Ways

When I moved away from home at age 18, I never thought I’d live here again. In fact, I tried to get as far away as I could. I’ve been blessed to work all over the country and travel the world. However, in God’s providence, He brought me back home to care for my family and help with the Lord’s work in a small city along the interstate in Northwest Alabama. Perhaps some of you can identify with my own experience. Most of us have found ourselves serving Christ in some surprising way. Wherever the Lord’s providence may lead us, we must learn to bloom where we’re planted. At times, there will be opportunities to serve Christ that will conflict with our own dreams. We will be forced to choose between serving ourselves and serving the Lord. And yet surprisingly, we will find a greater joy and purpose in serving the Lord. Serving Christ is not merely attending worship or promoting the right doctrine. In addition, it involves actual daily service...gladly submitting and serving Christ through those sudden and unplanned opportunities presented

May 2023

every day. These opportunities are sometimes neglected because we are too busy serving Christ in our own way, according to our own desires, or in a way that is more convenient or attractive to us.

Being A Light & A Blessing

I’ve been praying that God may use our family to be a light and a blessing to those around us. Let me state the obvious. As a large family, we attract a LOT of attention wherever we go. In fact, we cannot go anywhere without someone commenting on the size of our family or the fact that we have all girls. But we don’t want to be just a spectacle. I pray that God may use our marriage and family to model something special to the world. After all, our marriages should be a reflection of Christ and His church. This is something that all married Christians should consider at every stage of their marriage. How well is our family representing and reflecting God’s truths? May God help us be a blessing to others through not only our teaching, but also our lifestyle, hospitality and generosity.

~ Joe Hamm ~

Gospel Meeting

We recently organized our first meeting in the new meeting space with various preachers speaking from the surrounding area. The event was well attended each night from brethren in the nearby counties and towns. We also had some local visitors. We were all greatly encouraged by the visitors and the wonderful lessons presented.

Preaching The Gospel From Genesis

I recently finished preaching a series of sermons through the book of Genesis focused on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I never ceased to be amazed how every Bible story, in fact, all of world history in some way points to Christ. After all, all things were created by him, and for him. (Col. 1:16). All of the worlds problems both collectively and individually can be traced back to Genesis. We have all turned aside to sin and rejected our Creator. We have turned our back on our origin story, Genesis. And yet, God in his grace prepared a way to bring us back to Paradise through the Gospel. I’m concerned that some stress the discontinuity between the testaments so much that we fail to see the wonderful continuity in God’s promises and fulfillment through the overarching story of redemptive history.

Member Spotlight - Helen Tidwell

Our dear sister Helen Tidwell has become like a mother to us and a grandmother to our children. She is our Tabitha (Acts 9:36-42) because this woman is full of good works. And boy, is she a worker! She cooks meals for the sick, goes above and beyond taking care of her extended family, makes dresses for our girls, opens her home to both friends and strangers, and is always prepared to care for the needs of others.

Prayer Requests

I’m thankful for your interest and confidence in our work for the Lord. Your encouragement means more than you may realize. Please pray that we will continue to be faithful through every trial both great and small. May the Lord give us knowledge and wisdom as we raise our children to serve Him. May we be a blessing to this local church. May the Lord help us be a light and blessing to our community. And May those who are seeking Jesus Christ see Him living in us.

Joe Hamm

151 Chestnut Circle Hamilton, AL 35570 256-398-0225 [email protected]

~ Joe Hamm ~

THE NEWSLETTER FROM THE NESTOR F. SANCHEZ’S DESK

[email protected]

[email protected]

May 10, 2023.

Dear Brethren in the College Station church of Christ.

Here I send to you the inform about the Lord’s work here in this side of the world.

MY WORK HERE IN PAN DE AZUCAR, COQUIMBO, CHILE: I continue sharing the gospel with our neighborhood. We meet here some time 23 or more people on Sundays. We have two visitors: Amparo Morales 18, Nayely Ito Alanguía (18), Bastian Riquelme (13). Rita Pizarro.

Also, I have one day in the week one bible study with an old couple they are José and Ruth Campillay. They are participating with the Pentecostal group but now they decided to study with us. The idea is to teach them to think and do like God thinks and does.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:

Also, I have one program of work to send by WhatsApp ten biblical questions to the brethren of the church here in Pan de Azucar. They answer and then send these to my personal WhatsApp, then I qualify their responds. This work is done during the weekdays in their own houses.

On Sunday I present one Biblical lesson and one sermon.

On Thursday I present one Biblical study to the congregation. In these moments we are studying the Ephesians book. We are in chapter 6 of this book.

Also, my wife and I have one bible study in the home of some members, and it is on Wednesday.

From here I have several preaching by Internet with people of different places like, Argentina, Perú, Colombia, México, Ecuador, Cuba; Guatemala; Nicaragua and Chile. Like a consequence of this work, several people have known the Lord’s word and have decided to obey in the commandment of the baptism in other countries.

BIBLE STUDY WITH BRETHREN IN ARGENTINA:

On Monday and Tuesday, I have bible study with some brethren in Mendoza and Buenos Aires, Argentina. Right now, we are finishing the First Peter Book. Right now, we are in the chapter five.

How you can see, I have not one day free, but I am very happy, because this is the best of the best work in the world. I am working for my Lord and God Jesus Christ.

BIBLE STUDIES WITH BRETHREN IN VENZUELA:

In my platforms of Zoom, Facebook, and YouTube, Google Meet, every Sunday I transmit one bible study that preach brother Mario Arellano, from Caracas. These studies go out at four O’clock p. m. In the beginning only six people were in the study, but now this number has go growing and in the last Sundays sometimes we have had until 25 people. Mario Arellano is a preacher of the gospel in Palo Verde, in Caracas, Venezuela. In these studies, we meet brethren from different countries such as, England, México, Chile, Venezuela, Panamá, Nicaragua, Argentina, Perú and others.

Romans 10:15; says: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!”

BIBLE STUDIES WITH BRETHREN IN AMBATO, ECUADOR:

In the past one month ago, I was invited for a church of Christ in Ambato, Ecuador to present bible studies two days in the week. I began to present these studies on Wednesday and Fridays. I am presenting one study about the Revelations book. I will continue this work until finish Revelations’ book. Maybe it will take several months. Just now we begin chapter four.

BIBLE STUDIES WITH BRETHREN IN QUITO, ECUADOR.

Also, I have been preaching for one church of Christ in Quito Norte in Ecuador. They have invited to me in three opportunities.

I CONTINUE WORKING IN MY PLATFORMS OF ZOOM, YOU TUBE AND FACEBOOK:

I have twenty-seven months working with my platform “¿What does the divine answer says?” Romans 11:4). Also, I have a Facebook and a YouTube channel. In these platforms I have more than five hundred videos with different preachers that I invite to present themes of the bible. In these platforms I have hundreds of followers that like of Biblical themes.

I am working from Monday to Sunday.

Every day I am receiving petitions and consult of Biblical themes, in my computer or telephone by WhatsApp, e-mail, or messenger. I dedicate time to answer all this questions and maintain the contacts. The last consult that I received is from Liannis Lalana, she lives in United States of America. She is asking me about 2 Thessalonians chapter 2: 5- 14.

MY TRIP TO PERU, I PREACHED AND BAPTIZED ONE YOUNG MAN:

As a result of my trip to Lima – Perú I baptized a young man. His name is Jhamir Morales Araujo and he is 15 years old. But first of all I preached him the plan of salvation.

I was preaching in the church of Christ that meet in the district of Surquillo. There meet like 20 people. There preach brother Emilio Lerzundi and Fausto León. I remember that twenty years ago I preached the first sermons and biblical classes and begun the church. They come from the institutional church of Christ.

Also, I was preaching during four days in the church of Christ in Santa Anita Lima, Perú. This church was stablished only one year, ago. They are seven members and some visitors. Brother Hugo Feliciano is the preacher.

He studied in an “institute” in Guatemala and then he come back to Lima, and he decided to abandon that doctrine. Then he looked in internet for another churches of Christ and he known to brother Jesus Briceño of Guadalajara, Mexico. Brother Briceño recommended to Brother Hugo Feliciano to contact me. So was that we are working in the lord’s things, just now.

I VISITED TO BROTHER FRANCISCO FELIPE GUILLEN:

Besides, this month I was preaching for three different churches of Christ in Lima Peru, and I took time to visit brother Francisco Felipe Guillén. I visited him together with brother Hugo Feliciano from Santa Anita, Lima.  Brother Francisco told to us that he has had three attacks to the heart. To walk, he leans with a cane. He has problems with his left leg. But he continues doing the Lord’s work and he has a small place in his own house the meeting for the Lord`s things. That place is very nice. There are like fifteen chairs one pulpit and is a place as for twenty people. I didn’t visit in a meeting day because I had other compromises with other churches of Christ. I think to come back in July to preach in the north of Perú and visit the church of Christ in San Juan de Miraflores, again, but in the meetings days. I hope that this information be useful for you.

In July I came back to Peru, but in this opportunity, also I will visit the churches of Christ in the north of Perú, near to Ecuador. Paita, Zamba, Chepen, Catacaos. 

ALSO, IN THIS TRIP I PREACHED FOUR DAYS FOR THE CHURCH OF CHRIST IN ARICA, CHILE

Also, I preached for the church of Christ in Arica, Chile. There the preacher is brother Ernest Sanchez. Also, I preached four days there. They are doing a very good work for the Lord`s things.

Now in May eight I will travel to preach in some churches of Christ in Mendoza, San Luis and Buenos Aires, Argentina. In the next inform I will tell you about that work.

Other trip will be in August to Panama, I will travel to work in the Lord’s things there in Panama City and other places in the country.

OUR TRIP TO CUBA:

With respect to our trip to preach in Cuba, I have not good news. The problem is that in Cuba there is no gas for the transport either to the local transport neither for the tourist transport. We need move us for different places and distances. Last year the trip was very hard because the same reason. We have received information of brother in Cuba that this year the transport is worse than the last year. They tell us is not convenient travel for now. Our trip was planned for July 2023, but we won’t do it.

Well brethren; I hope that this inform encourage you to continue working with me in the Lord’s things in this year 2023.

Also, I can tell you that I am invited for the church of Christ in Elizabeth Town in Kentucky, to visit and preach seven bible lessons in October eight through thirteen, 2023.

Finally, I am working in Argentina preaching in different churches of Christ. In the next month will inform you about this trip.

Please, maintain this work and your server in your prayers. Don’t forget that in all this work you have a very good part, too.

Sincerely in Him.

Nestor F. Sanchez