Category: Be Inspired

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GCI Mexico City is a congregation of Grace Communion International. Though going through difficulties in life, Natanael Cruz surrendered to God’s calling on his life to be a pastor. Through his faithfulness, the church is a community that is engaging and making an impact on their neighborhood. The church continues to be the church that lives outside its walls.

Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck.
I sink in the miry depths, where there is no foothold.
I have come into the deep waters; the floods engulf me.
I am worn out calling for help; my throat is parched.
My eyes fail, looking for my God.
Psalm 69:1-3 NIV

There are days in our life when even putting one foot in front of the other seems too hard. Days when we feel overwhelmed by the challenges life throws at us, when even the well-meaning request of a friend can feel like too much; like the straw that breaks the proverbial camel’s back. What do we do when we are struggling in these moments of darkness? When our lives seem paralyzed by regrets about the past and anxieties about the future?

The scripture above was written by King David in a moment of brutal honesty and is a prayer to which many of us can relate. David bares his soul to God, refusing to hide the emotions, turmoil, despair and anger that he is feeling at his present circumstances. He even acknowledges that the bleakness of his situation is affecting his relationship with God. In his darkest moment, he cannot see God, he cannot see his Savior, but rather than hide this from God, he confesses it to him. As the psalm continues, David finds solace in who he knows God to be—a God of great love, of great mercy, and who answers with a sure salvation (Psalm 69:13,16).

It is worth remembering in these moments that in Jesus Christ, we have a great high priest who knows what it is like to go through dark times. Jesus’ anxiety about his crucifixion was so great that it caused him to sweat “like drops of blood” (Luke 22:44). On the cross, the Bible records Jesus’ feelings of separation from God (Mark 15:34). Yet God did not forsake Jesus, and he will not forsake us. In Christ, there is always hope beyond our despair, and like David we must cast ourselves upon God’s great love, great mercy and sure salvation.

Our Father in heaven, in our moments of darkness, your light can seem so far away. Do not abandon us to our sin, to our pain and to our suffering, but let us feel your presence, your love and your comfort. And let us never forget the sure salvation we have through your Son, Jesus Christ. In his name, Amen.

By Gavin Henderson,
Operations Manager of the National Ministry Team
UK and Ireland

We Are GCI Series is a collection of videos where various GCI leaders and members are highlighted.
In this episode, Richard Bolner, GCI Pastor of Tipp City, Ohio, shares a little about himself and why he likes to serve in GCI and his love for bluegrass music.

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8, NIV)

Anyone who has feasted at the griddle of one of the 185 Hard Rock Cafés across the globe, could not help noticing their slogan, “Love All – Serve All” emblazoned across the wall in huge gold letters.

Personally speaking, I prefer the soft tinkle of a baby grand to loud rock music when I’m eating out, but I admire the HRC’s philanthropic aim to “do well by doing good” even though the cynic in me says it’s just a slick marketing ploy.

God, on the other hand, demonstrated true love and service for the whole of mankind when he sent his Son to die in our place. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16, NIV).

The mission statement on the Hard Rock Café’s website ends with this message: “Thank you for helping us in our goal to make the Earth a safer, healthier and better place.” An ambitious and worthwhile mission, certainly, but Jesus had an even grander plan: “I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of” (John 10:10, MSG).

Jesus’ mission really rocks!

Prayer: Father we thank you that you truly love all and serve all and that you demonstrated this love in the only way that could save us from ourselves; by sending your Son Jesus Christ. In his name, we pray. Amen.

 

By Peter Mill
Pastor
Edinburgh, Scotland

Click the image below for the October 2019 Prayer Guide.

Many in this world have experienced horrible, almost unspeakable circumstances. They have been brought on by war, violence, illnesses, loss, and abandonment. These experiences mold us and shape us; we develop defenses in an attempt to avoid being hurt more or forget the pain we currently have. Unfortunately, the defenses don’t seem to “fix” the problem. So what do we need? Maybe the answer is simpler than we realize—maybe we need a “safe place.” But is this safe place a literal location? Or is it a “state of mind”?

Jesus came to this earth with the intention of experiencing all the evil that one could do to another. Why would he do this? Maybe it’s so we could begin to consider that God himself has experienced the worst this world has to offer…and it didn’t affect who or what he is. When he ascended to the Father, he took with him all the horrible experiences one could do to another, and he paid the price for them. He is now offering us an identity that is in his love, which has no conditions attached…It’s a “safe place to be.” This is what he is offering all of mankind. So, we are not what we experienced. It had a profound effect on us, but it is not “who we are.” We are unconditionally loved children of God in Jesus and there is no safer place. (Romans 8:17)

Prayer: Dear Father, Son, and Spirit, let me sense your presence in the midst of times of darkness and sorrow. This is not what I am…I am unconditionally loved by you.

 

By Mark Mounts

It is with hope that we share Leonard Banks, GCI pastor in Rochester, NY’s, request for prayers for his wife Patama, who has been diagnosed with lymphoma and is preparing to undergo chemotherapy.

They ask for your prayers and thank you in advance for them.

We Are GCI Series is a collection of videos where various GCI leaders and members are highlighted. In this episode, GCI Pastor, Julie Frantz, shares a little about herself and why she likes to serve in GCI and what she likes to do in her personal time.

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us (1 John 4:16-19).

One of the deepest meanings of freedom for me is to be free from fear. Often, people fear what lies beyond or outside of us. But at one point or another in our lives, the struggle we face is overcoming what lies within.

Doubt. Guilt. Insecurity. Fear that we will fall short, that we will be irrelevant, that we will not be able to bear a credible enough witness to the Christ we profess. These visit us in different seasons. As a working mother, pastor’s wife, and ministry team member, there are still moments when fears like these cast shadows on my heart. Ironically, these shadows are borne out of something good — a deep desire to please those whom I love and pursue a purpose I believe in.

In the midst of this, God’s Word offers a tender and yet powerful reminder. 1 John 4 points to the true gospel about who God is, what he has done, and what that means for us as his children. Verses 16–18 mention God’s perfect love—a love that we can rely on; one that inspires confidence; a love that drives out fear. Verse 19 goes on to mention that we love because he first loved us.

It is in this premise of perfect love that we find our freedom. Rather than focusing on failure and judgment, we can embrace the freedom to be relentless and joyful in pursuing God’s call of loving one another, to nurture untiringly at home, to serve generously in our churches, to minister compassionately in our communities. We can keep going, certain that even in times when we are seemingly “not enough,” we need not fear because God’s love endures.

Prayer: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit–thank you for the bold gestures and gentle whispers of love that you surround us with. Continue to replace our fear with confidence in who you are, and out of that confidence, help us to love and serve generously as you have done.

 

By Joyce Tolentino
Mandaluyong, Philippines