ARE YOUR STRUGGLING WITH YOUR SINS AND WITH YOUR SINFUL PAST?

                    In this blog post I want to share part of a lesson that I recently prepared for one of my discipleship classes in Juarez, Mexico.  A lot of people are haunted by the sins of the past and cannot let them go.  Others have a problem giving up their sin life totally.  Although they want to stop, they always fall back to the same thing and they continually repeat that which they hate.  Their sin is destroying them and their loved ones.  They feel that their sin is far to evil for God to forgive.  My hope and prayer is that this post will help you.  Maybe you know of someone with this sin struggle.  If you know of such a person you may want to share this with them and help them rise up and get a brand new start.  Of course this is not a book, it's just a short blog.  A whole lot more than what I share here can be said.  But hopefully this will be a start.  I suggest to those who are struggling with sin to follow this up by confession (to God, Christian friends, a pastor, or anyone that you confide in), seek forgiveness (including forgiving yourself), and seek further help.  You CAN be set free; there IS hope!!!  Get your bible out now and find the scriptures listed on this post.

Probably the most quoted Bible verses used in churches, books, teachings, etc. were written by the Apostle Paul under the direction of the Holy Spirit.  Before Paul knew anything about Jesus he persecuted Christians, brought them before the authorities, and many of them died under his direction.  Yet God arranged for this man who wanted the destruction of God's own people to come to know Him (read Acts chapter 9).  God had a plan for Paul and He has a plan for you (see Jeremiah 29:11).  God changed Paul so radically that He even changed his name (his name used to be Saul).  Paul became the greatest figure in the life of the early church.  And his contribution to God's Kingdom continues today even though he died about 2,000 years ago.  So don't believe the lie that you are hopeless.  

Satan is a liar. He is called the father of lies by Jesus (John 8:44) and he will try to convince you that you have no hope, no forgiveness, and no future.  But Jesus is the truth (John 14:6) and He came to set you free from the devil's trap and his lies.  He came to destroy the works of Satan (1 John 3:8).  Jesus will forgive you and purify you from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).  The Apostle Paul wrote that there is THEREFORE no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit (Romans 8:1; I suggest you read Romans chapters 7 and 8).  The Gospel (defined as the Good News) is filled with such scriptures (especially in the New Testament).  Don't listen to the Devil's lies, listen to God's truth.  After all, who has the final word?

Let me paint you a picture.  You're standing under the cross of Jesus, who is God in the flesh.  His blood is running down the cross and falling to the ground.  His lifeless body was the payment made for your sins (Romans 6:23).  He had no sin.  You believe and accept His sacrifice as the offering for your sins, ALL of your sins.  You hear the Father's voice from Heaven. He asks you, "Did you commit murder"?  Now you can point to the body of Jesus and say, "No, it was He who did it".  The Father can ask about your adultery, your stealing, your lies, and an endless list of every imaginable sin that you have committed.  And to each and every single one of the questions you can answer the same way:  No, it wasn't me, it was He who did it.  That's what it means when we say that Jesus took our sins upon Himself.  And it gets even better (for us).  There is a trade off.  Our sins are taken on by Jesus and we take on His righteousness.  When God looks at you it's as if He looked into a mirror.  He sees His own righteousness.  Through Christ we have become the righteousness of God.  

☺GOD MADE HIM WHO HAD NO SIN TO BE SIN FOR US, SO THAT IN HIM WE MIGHT BECOME THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD (2 Corinthians 5:21; see also Romans 3:21-31).  

We receive all this by faith (believing) and because of God's great love for us (John 3:16).  Do you believe that your sins are too great, too terrible for God to forgive you?  Then what you believe is that your sins are greater than the power of the blood of Jesus.  No, my friend, the blood of Jesus is the most powerful thing on Earth.  Through your faith in Jesus you will become a son of God.  Not all are sons of God.  We are all created by God, but not all are sons.  Those who do not believe in God and do not serve Him are sons of Satan (John 8:44).  I would not want to be a son of Satan.  I used to be, but not anymore.  Ask the Lord to open up your eyes that Satan has blinded (2 Corinthians 4:4), then you will understand and know the truth.  And then you will be set free!!  And you will no longer want to live in sin.  No son of God purposely sins.  Our sinful nature is gone; taken away by the blood of Jesus and the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit will live in you and direct you in your new life as a son of God.  You will love Jesus so much that you will no longer desire to sin to keep mounting your sins upon the body of Jesus.

  

If you want God to forgive you, first you need to repent.  Ask Him to remove your sins through the sacrifice of Jesus.  Ask Him to take away the desire of sin as He comes in to live in you.  Ask Him to give you a hunger for his word and therefore increase your faith (Romans 10:17).  As the Holy Spirit to help you live this new life in Christ.  Ask Him to help others forgive you.  And thank him for making you a new creation...your past no longer exists but you are new a brand new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).  You have been born again (John 3:3).  Now go tell others about the new you.  Not all will accept you but that's alright.  Remember Satan is a liar and the father of lies.  Satan came to kill, steal, and destroy but Jesus came that you may have life (John 10:10). Abundant life!!!  

Please send me your comments on the comments section below. 

Welcome to the family of God.

Daniel Torres  


      As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2:1‭-‬8‭, ‬10 NIV

SEVEN YEARS IN CIUDAD JUAREZ, MEXICO...

                In a couple of weeks I'll reach the 7 year mark of serving in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.  No missionary ever forgets their departure from what they used to call home to the new residence appointed to them by the Lord.  When the departure date is finally set there comes a flood of innumerable feelings, and sentiments.  A missionary needs to know that he has heard the voice of God without question or there will be many problems.  Even when a missionary is 100% sure of his call the enemy's voice is always there with every imaginable question and doubt.  The departure then becomes a great test of faith.  I recall pulling all my worldly belongings in a rental trailer for 995 miles from Searcy, Arkansas to El Paso, Texas (from there I would then cross into Juarez, Mexico).  It seemed that the enemy's voice challenged me every mile traveled.  The more I traveled the more I had to rebuke that voice and reassure myself that I had heard the voice of God.  I had left behind many securities of life, but I wasn't sure what would happen to me once I reached what was then called the most dangerous city in the world.  Before my departure most people that I knew were very kind and supportive.  I left with their promise to pray for me, which meant more to me than gold.  But there were very few that challenged me.  They disagreed with what I was doing.  I heard one accusation of leaving just to get attention.  I heard another accusation of being irresponsible.  Another accused me of abandoning my daughters.  But in the end every accusation made me even stronger as I trusted only the Lord's voice.  Every accusation made my obedience to the Lord even stronger and more determined.  It was a good thing that as I departed I burned every bridge that would take me back to Searcy.  There was absolutely no going back.  But yet the bridge ahead of me seemed very insecure, wobbly, uncertain, and dangerous.  But I knew that I knew that the Lord had me in the palm of His hand.  I often compare my moving to Mexico to an Indiana Jones movie I once saw.  His father was shot so that Indiana Jones would have no choice but to search for the holy grail whose powers would bring instant healing to his dad.  Indiana reached a point where a great chasm separated him from his next step.  There was no way he could jump from one point to the next.  The instructions stated that he had to take a leap of faith.  The love for his father caused him to take the leap.  So he raised one leg and when he set it down into nothingness an invisible bridge connected him across to the place where he would find the grail.  That's exactly how I felt.  I felt at times that I was taking a step into nothingness but the Lord's hand has under-girded me for seven years.  It was my love for the Father that has made me take steps that a few saw as being crazy and irresponsible.  I'm not upset about those comments that seemed negative because in the end they helped me reach a greater faith.

SOME OF OUR BOOKS IN ENGLISH

I don't think about my years in Juarez without thinking about Covenant Fellowship Church in Searcy, Arkansas.  The church people and its leaders have done more for me and the work that I've been able to do in Juarez than anything I could have ever imagined.  Without them the work would have been impossible.  I thank the Lord for the day in which he connected me with such wonderful and godly people.  Unfortunately Covenant Fellowship had to close its doors about 18 months ago but the work we started in Juarez as a team will always remain and the fruits of our labor will always be reproducing themselves in this needy city until the Lord returns.  

Many things have taken place in these seven years.  Many I don't write about because many people would not believe them.  But those who have sown into this work will one day know "the rest of the incredible story".  

SOME OF OUR BOOKS IN SPANISH

Now I want to mention a few recent projects that my wife Blanquita and I have been working on.  We continue to work with a girl's refuge in Juarez, Casa De Jovencitas. This ministry takes in young women (currently the age variance is from 11 to 19) whose lives have been in danger due to drugs, alcohol, prostitution, rebellion, and all the evils in the city.  There is a constant flow of these young ladies and the ministry usually keeps about 45 at a time.  The maximum number they can accommodate is about 60, but due to finances 45 is the limit at present.  They stay for 6 months to a year, but some who have been there for 5 to 12 years do not want to leave.  They become helpers in the ministry.  As with any other ministry in Juarez we have dealt with girls who came in demon-possessed, but due to the power of Jesus' name they were set free.  Aside from Bible studies (recently we finished a study from Genesis to Revelations that lasted over a year) we have started them reading books about the lives of great men and women who dedicated themselves to the Lord and have done amazing things in this world.  We normally start with the life of Dr. Ben Carson and go from there to missionaries, inventors, and Christians who have suffered greatly for their faith.  We take time to discuss the books with each individual.  This has helped to open up the world to them and they also learn of life in other nations.  We also use the stories to give them renewed hope, greater vision for their future, and the gift of knowing that we can accomplish anything with the Lord.  We are using the books in other ministries as well.  I have purchased some books that are for children with great interest shown.  I have purchased some books in English because some of the girls at the refuge can only read in English. 

I'm currently doing some discipleship classes with adults while Blanquita works with young adults, and children.  The results have been wonderful.  We are very pleased with the changes we are seeing in the lives of these people.  They are praying and are experiencing the power of prayer as God answers their petitions.  Besides other speaking opportunities I am committed to speaking at one particular church every Friday night and we are seeing the mighty hand of God move in many lives.  Many couples who have just been living together for years are now planning their wedding.  Living together without the benefit of marriage has become the norm down here, even with girls 12 years old.  It's not uncommon for a 13 year old to be a single mother.  Thank God for changed hearts.

PRECIOUS ONES ARE NOW
OFFICIAL

We were so blessed recently when we were able to help four young people get their birth certificates, which allows them to attend school next fall.  Many parents don't bother to register their children at birth.  It's as if they don't exist.  As a result they can't get into school, vote, or get a job.  The fee that the government puts on them for a late birth certificate increases with each passing year.  Three of these kids recently saw their father and older brother shot to death in their own home.  We reached out to them as they lived in extreme poverty.  When we found out that they had never been to school we decided to do something.  A fourth little boy was living with his grandmother because his parents had been killed.  But the grandmother passed away.  We were able to financially help a Pastor and his wife adopt the boy, get his birth certificate, and get his life moving.  All four were so excited about getting their birth certificates that they hugged us and thanked us for helping them become "legal".  All four are getting ready to attend school next fall and we have already provided their school supplies for them as well as other needy kids. And when I say "we", I include those who help support the work here in Juarez.  Thank you so much for your support.

Oh, another thing that we were involved with recently was helping a dozen adults clean out the stones in their gallbladders.  Yes, the Mexican diet leads to the growth of gall stones.  It is said that 60% of all surgeries in Mexico are gallbladder related.  In seven years I've  been able to assist over 60 people in Mexico clean out their gallbladder, including a few that were scheduled for surgery.  All our twelve participants passed the stones.  The treatment also cleanses out kidneys stones as well.  It's always a lot of fun listening to the testimonies of those who now have a clean gallbladder.  About a year ago I helped a Pastor to rid himself of the gall stones but his surgeon insisted on surgery.  I recommended that he get a second opinion but he decided to have the surgery that he didn't need.  The drainage tube that the physician inserted in his body got infected, causing many issues that they could not correct.  In a few weeks the Pastor died from the infections.  Sometimes while talking to people who needed this treatment has led to their salvation as they accepted Jesus as Savior.  We serve an amazing God.

Thank you all for these wonderful seven years. 

Thanks again to all who have helped in supporting God's work in Juarez, Mexico.  The Lord will be leading me into other nations soon.  I had the privilege of ministering to congregations and in Pastor conferences in Cuba about 3 years ago.  I know that doors to other nations will also open up soon.  Churches or individuals feeling the call to help support the work in Juarez may reach me at the numbers below or leave a message at the end of this blog entry.   

Blessings to everyone.  Shalom. Please pray for Israel and for Juarez.

Daniel Torres

501-827-7679

d_torres53@yahoo.com       

P. S.  Double click on pictures to enlarge.