Transforming Lives Through Love and Service

Summary

In today's gathering, I shared the incredible work God is doing in El Salvador through our partnership with Kingdom Builders. This collaboration has allowed us to reach out to children, rehabilitate gang members, and provide job training, transforming lives one family at a time. The video we watched highlighted these efforts, showing how your support has been instrumental in changing lives. Our mission is to be a catalyst for change, even in the most challenging environments, such as prisons, where we minister to those who are often forgotten by society. Hebrews 13:3 reminds us to remember those in prison as if we were there with them, and this has been a guiding principle in our work.

I shared stories of individuals like Maria and Angel, whose lives have been transformed through our ministry. Maria, once resistant to the gospel, found hope and purpose after accepting Christ, despite the tragedy of losing her husband. Angel, a bright young boy, has become a spiritual leader in his home after receiving an education and accepting Christ. These stories illustrate the power of saying "yes" to God's call and being willing to step out of our comfort zones to love and serve others.

The core of our mission is rooted in love, as taught in John 13:34-35. Love is not just a feeling but a habit that requires self-sacrifice and putting others first. We are called to develop this habit by lifting up the broken, being patient, generous, and forgiving. These actions reflect God's love and draw others to Him. As we continue to serve in El Salvador and beyond, we are reminded that love is the greatest commandment and the most powerful tool for transformation.

Key Takeaways:

1. Investing in Fertile Ground: Our work in El Salvador is a testament to the power of investing in fertile ground. By supporting Kingdom Builders, we are not just building homes or providing education; we are transforming lives and communities. This investment is a reflection of our commitment to God's call to love and serve others. [23:59]

2. The Power of Saying Yes: The difference between those who make an impact and those who don't often comes down to saying "yes" to God's call. It's not about being the most qualified or the best speaker; it's about being willing to go, to be, and to do what God asks of us. This willingness opens doors for God to work through us in powerful ways. [27:59]

3. Love as a Habit: Love is more than a feeling; it's a habit that requires intentionality and effort. John 13:34-35 teaches us to love one another as Christ loved us. This love is self-sacrificial and puts others first, demonstrating to the world that we are followers of Jesus. [35:15]

4. Generosity Beyond Finances: Generosity is not limited to financial giving; it involves giving of ourselves, our time, and our talents. By being generous in spirit, we reflect God's love and draw others to Him. This generosity is a powerful tool for ministry and transformation. [44:02]

5. The Transformative Power of Forgiveness: Forgiveness is a profound expression of God's love. When we forgive, we release the burden of hurt and allow God's love to flow through us. This act of forgiveness can heal relationships and open doors for reconciliation and transformation. [49:41]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [23:59] - Impact in El Salvador
- [26:20] - Ministry in Prisons
- [27:59] - Saying Yes to God's Call
- [31:53] - The Habit of Loving
- [33:37] - Developing Good Habits
- [35:15] - Love as a Commandment
- [36:28] - Love as Self-Sacrifice
- [40:37] - Lifting the Broken
- [41:35] - Patience and Humility
- [42:22] - God's Patience with Us
- [43:22] - Love Through Patience
- [44:02] - Generosity in Spirit
- [46:39] - Generosity in Action
- [49:41] - The Power of Forgiveness
- [52:28] - Prayer and Commitment

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Hebrews 13:3 - "Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering."
2. John 13:34-35 - "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

Observation Questions:
1. What specific actions are being taken in El Salvador to transform lives, as mentioned in the sermon? [23:59]
2. How did Maria's life change after she accepted Christ, and what role did the church play in her transformation? [27:59]
3. What does the sermon suggest about the importance of saying "yes" to God's call, even if one feels unqualified? [26:20]
4. How is love described as a habit in the sermon, and what are some examples given of this habit in action? [35:15]

Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the sermon illustrate the concept of "investing in fertile ground" in the context of El Salvador? What does this mean for the church's mission? [23:59]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that love requires self-sacrifice and putting others first, according to John 13:34-35? [35:15]
3. How does the story of Angel demonstrate the transformative power of education and spiritual leadership in a family? [27:59]
4. What does the sermon imply about the role of forgiveness in healing relationships and fostering transformation? [49:41]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you felt unqualified but said "yes" to a task or calling. How did that experience impact you, and what did you learn from it? [26:20]
2. Consider the concept of love as a habit. What practical steps can you take this week to develop this habit in your daily interactions? [35:15]
3. How can you be more generous with your time and talents in your community, beyond just financial giving? Identify one specific action you can take this week. [44:02]
4. Think of a relationship in your life that could benefit from forgiveness. What steps can you take to initiate healing in that relationship? [49:41]
5. How can you actively remember and support those who are often forgotten by society, such as prisoners or marginalized individuals, in your community? [26:20]
6. Identify a person or group in your life that you can reach out to, similar to how the church reached out to Maria and Angel. What specific actions can you take to support them? [27:59]
7. Reflect on the idea of being a catalyst for change in challenging environments. What is one area in your life or community where you feel called to make a difference, and how can you start? [23:59]

Devotional

Day 1: Investing in Fertile Ground
In El Salvador, the partnership with Kingdom Builders exemplifies the profound impact of investing in fertile ground. This collaboration goes beyond mere infrastructure or education; it is about transforming lives and communities through love and service. By focusing on the most vulnerable, such as children and former gang members, this mission reflects a deep commitment to God's call. The work being done is a testament to the power of faith-driven investment, where the seeds of hope and change are sown in the hearts of individuals and families. This investment is not just financial but spiritual, as it nurtures the growth of God's kingdom on earth. [23:59]

Isaiah 58:10-11 (ESV): "If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail."

Reflection: Consider a community or group in your life that is in need of support. How can you invest your time, resources, or talents to make a meaningful impact there today?

Day 2: The Power of Saying Yes
The difference between those who make an impact and those who do not often lies in the willingness to say "yes" to God's call. It is not about being the most qualified or eloquent but about being open to God's leading. This openness allows God to work through us in powerful ways, as seen in the lives of individuals like Maria and Angel. By stepping out of our comfort zones, we become vessels for God's transformative work, bringing hope and change to those around us. Saying "yes" is an act of faith that opens doors for divine intervention and miracles. [27:59]

Isaiah 6:8 (ESV): "And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?' Then I said, 'Here I am! Send me.'"

Reflection: Reflect on a recent opportunity where you felt God nudging you to step out in faith. What held you back, and how can you prepare yourself to say "yes" the next time God calls?

Day 3: Love as a Habit
Love, as taught in John 13:34-35, is more than a feeling; it is a habit that requires intentionality and effort. This love is self-sacrificial, putting others first and demonstrating to the world that we are followers of Jesus. Developing the habit of love involves lifting up the broken, being patient, generous, and forgiving. These actions reflect God's love and draw others to Him. As we cultivate this habit, we become living testimonies of Christ's love, impacting those around us in profound ways. [35:15]

1 John 3:18 (ESV): "Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth."

Reflection: Identify one person in your life who needs to experience Christ-like love. What specific action can you take today to demonstrate love as a habit to them?

Day 4: Generosity Beyond Finances
Generosity is not limited to financial giving; it involves giving of ourselves, our time, and our talents. By being generous in spirit, we reflect God's love and draw others to Him. This generosity is a powerful tool for ministry and transformation, as it opens hearts and creates opportunities for God's work to flourish. True generosity is about selflessly sharing what we have, whether it be our resources, skills, or presence, to uplift and support others. It is a reflection of God's abundant love and grace in our lives. [44:02]

2 Corinthians 9:11 (ESV): "You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God."

Reflection: Think of a non-financial way you can be generous today. How can you use your time, skills, or presence to bless someone in need?

Day 5: The Transformative Power of Forgiveness
Forgiveness is a profound expression of God's love. When we forgive, we release the burden of hurt and allow God's love to flow through us. This act of forgiveness can heal relationships and open doors for reconciliation and transformation. It is a powerful tool that breaks the chains of bitterness and resentment, allowing us to experience freedom and peace. By forgiving others, we reflect God's grace and mercy, becoming conduits of His love and healing in a broken world. [49:41]

Colossians 3:13 (ESV): "Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive."

Reflection: Think of someone in your life you need to forgive. Can you ask God to help you begin to extend His love and forgiveness to them today?

Quotes

I'm glad to help. Here are the selected quotes with timestamps:

"Man, I am so glad to be here with you in New Life today, and it's a pleasure for me. And one of the things I want to just share with you, because there's a lot to share about El Salvador, is that you guys are making an investment in fertile ground, and God is doing wonderful things in El Salvador. You know, sometimes people come and say, well, I want to share the good news, and I got some bad news for you. I don't have any bad news for you. All I have is good news, and God is working there in El Salvador." [00:20:34] ( | | )

"We say that we build lives one family at a time and you can see whether it's doing construction in the houses and helping people to get out of black plastic or rusted tin with dirt floors. If it's helping somebody in the prison to change their lives and be transformed, that's what God has called us to do. God has given us a great opportunity as we pastor the open door church to reach out and touch the community around us." [00:24:32] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"And so the country has changed. There's no more extortion. The violence has dropped down. And it never affected us directly because they trusted us as well, the gang members, because we're in their area. We're the pastor that's reaching out to their children, to their brothers and sisters. We're the ones that are helping build homes in the community. But what that has done is God has opened the door for us to also be in the prisons." [00:25:47] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"I'm willing to be, I'm willing to do. I'm willing to say, I'm willing to be your hand extended God to those that are in need. And there's a lot of people in need in El Salvador. Maria is one of them. Maria was a woman who didn't want to accept Jesus Christ. I talked to her a number of times. She lived in the community that we had right next to the school. She just laughed at me." [00:27:79] ( | | )

"And I watched as tears rolled down her face and she came down and she gave her life to Jesus Christ. Her husband was killed by gang members several months later. And she was left a single mom with four daughters. We reached out to her and, and we got her a job at our, in our school when the snack area is selling all of that, she can make an income. We let her four daughters go to school and for free." [00:28:21] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"Angel's another one. Angel's just turned 10 and just a quiet young man. He, he, I met him when we went out to build a home for, for his family. They were living in a tin shack or the dirt floor single mom with three kids the the the dad's in prison she's selling food or whatever she can do working on a coffee farm to make ends meet and i asked angel i said angel would would you like to go to our school and he said yes i would he's a smart young man i could tell by how he was watching as we built the house and and nailing and getting involved." [00:29:68] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"And that's why God called us to El Salvador, to reach an angel, to reach his sister Fernanda or Kimberly, or to reach Maria and her four daughters and to help them, to reach into the prison. And that's what you're doing through Kingdom Builders. You're reaching out and you're not just helping build a house or helping run a school or helping somebody learn how to decorate cakes or to sew clothes. You're reaching people and helping them know Jesus Christ as their personal Savior." [00:31:65] ( | | )

"And these are habits that God has called us to have. And love is an attribute of God. It's part of his characteristic. It's part of who he is. And the Bible tells us that he first loved us before we loved him. And he draws us to that. And you know what, we're all familiar with the scripture, but to make love a habit in our lives, it takes some working." [00:35:70] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"God's called you to love. He's called me to love. It's a habit. And it's a habit that we have to work through because, you know what? We become second or third place, not first place. God becomes first place. They become second place. And we're after that. That's not an easy thing to do." [00:40:56] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"The third thing I want to mention to you to show God's love is to be generous. And the first thing that comes to our mind is like money. You know, I got to give. But you know what? God doesn't always want us to give financially when we're talking about generosity. He wants us to give of ourselves." [00:44:42] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"When we forgive, we are showing God's love in his truest form. God's called us to extend forgiveness. My mom died a little over a year ago. The last year she was in a nursing home and it's really tough for me as a missionary to be overseas. And I have three brothers. I have one that lives in Nebraska and one is in Wisconsin and one that lived in the United States." [00:47:50] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"And that's what God wants us to do. He wants us to love people into the kingdom by healing them, by lifting them up. He wants us to love people into the kingdom by being patient. He wants us to love people into the kingdom by being generous. And he wants us to love people into the kingdom. Through forgiveness." [00:51:54] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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Transcript

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