“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever!
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
whom he has redeemed from trouble.” –
Psalm 107:1-2 ESV
Just as Tía and I did when our children were young, you probably also taught your children to say "thank you” when it was called for. According to Psalm 107, the people who God had “redeemed" (saved) were to come together and tell of His redemption. This attitude of appreciation and thankfulness is a form of worship. When we taught our children to say “thank you,” it was our intention and expectation that it would be said not just occasionally, but rather, as a way of life. As parents we said to our children whenever they received anything: “I didn’t hear you say ‘thank you.’ What do you say?” Just as we delighted in our children’s gratefulness, God delights in our thankful attitude towards His goodness.
Maybe you have seen painting of the man sitting down and praying over a simple meal of bread and gruel. Most of us would say, “God, I only have bread and gruel.” But this man is looking down at his plate and saying, “Bread and gruel and Jesus Christ too! What more can a man ask?”
It has been said that praise is not complete until thankfulness has been expressed. God’s goodness gives us opportunities to be thankful.
Tia and I want to thank those of you that lifted us up in your prayers and have given through your generosity of giving.
MINISTRY MOVING FORWARD
· Church plant in Cartago, Costa Rica—two Bible studies are now underway. Pray for the outreach and for the workers investing their time in reaching into this town about 30 minutes outside of the capital San Jose. Please pray for discernment and outreach opportunities for the gospel. We are part of a church planting team sent out by Iglesia Cristiana Misionera El Lugar (The Place Christian Missionary Church) here in our neighborhood.
Tia continues to minister with Word of Life to provide English classes for its ministry workers throughout the globe. As our globe grows smaller and smaller, the need for these ministry workers to speak English to their ministry associates around the world becomes more and more necessary. Furthermore, knowing the English language provides more opportunities to share the gospel and a greater availability of ministry resources. We currently have 47 students (in 8 countries outside of the U.S.) and as many on a waiting list; Please pray for more volunteer teachers for the program.
Kevin continues with his involvment in IBAC (Institutos Biblicos de las Américas y el Caribe/Biblical Institutes of the Americas and Caribbean) during the pandemic. The modular courses of IBAC bring theological training to bi-vocational pastors. Around the world, only 5% of pastors have actual theological training, and IBAC works to meet the need. While in-person classes have not yet been repopened, training of program leaders and teachers is ongoing. The current goal for Kevin and Esteban Amaya is to open a new module study in the Amazon of Bolivia and in Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina.
As part of our efforts to encourage pastors in Latin America (particularly in this time of a worldwide pandemic), Kevin has an opportunity to encourage and serve in person. In March, he will travel with a few other men to Bolivia to minister directly to national pastors through small-group activities. If you would like to help with gifts toward this travel or for these pastors, please see the donation information at the bottom of the letter.
Our efforts to encourage pastors in practical ways is funded through the Beaningfulbrew.com coffee sales. Gifts that have been given through this ministry thus far include shoes, tools, a water pump for a pastor’s home, vehicle repair, and a vehicle itself.
As many of you know, besides blessing pastors with more training, we also have the strong desire to help with practical needs. A key to the great commission is taking care of our national pastors.
One such help would be to provide for four national Bolivian pastors who Kevin will be seeing in March. Would you like to gift a tablet, with a keyboard case, mouse and more? The cost is $139.99. We will install in it theological study material in Spanish from the following authors (just to name a few).
Adrian Rogers A.W.Tozer D.L. Moody
John Piper Warren Wiersbe J.Vernon McGee
John Macarthur David Jeremiah Oswald Chambers
OPPORTUNITIES TO PRAY:
Growing ministries in church planting
Need for more teachers in English-as-a-Second-Language program for Word of Life ministry workers
Prayer for Tia’s mom who is experiencing serious health issues.
Renewal of our visas here in Costa Rica (a lot of the process has been slowed down by the pandemic—services both in the US and in CR).
Need for funds for discipleship and church-planting—Bibles and materials.
Thank you for reading this and praying for pastors in Latin America. If you are able to make a donation. To do so electronically, please go to http://reillysbygrace.com, page down to and click on the Donate button. You will be taken to Grace Baptist payment page. After completing personal and donation information, at bottom of that page, choose Giving Type: Grace Global Ministries. IMPORTANT: in the Notes, indicate the gift is for Coffee/Pastors. For questions or other donation options, please write to reilly.clr@gmail.com.
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