Many months ago I met Pastor Felipe. He pastors a tiny church in a very poor section of Juarez, Mexico where I serve as missionary. Two years ago Pastor Felipe totally lost his vision. He still pastors and preaches. His wife helps in preparing his sermons. Also two years ago the construction of a satanic church began right next door to Pastor Felipe's christian church. Satanic churches are increasing in number in Juarez and in some areas of the city they are going up where Christian churches used to be. Pastor Felipe has experience a lot of strange noises and smells coming from the satanic church. He has lost most of his congregation. He continues to struggle in all areas of his life and ministry. He wants to work to make ends meet but it's impossible to find a job being blind.
Some weeks ago I felt that the Holy Spirit wanted me to visit the satanic church. I hesitated at first but the Spirit persisted. What would I do? What would I say? What would I experience? But I knew that the Bible says to open our mouth and God will fill it. I had to be obedient. So early on a Saturday morning I headed to the satanic church. I didn't tell my wife what I was doing so as not to worry her. Will I find someone at the church on a Saturday morning? I started to get nervous as I approached the satanic temple. I was praying the whole time. As I got closer I noticed two people leaving the temple so I pulled up, got out of the car, and began to speak to them. I was speaking to two teenage girls. I asked them what kind of things were done in the temple. One of them answered. She said they held mass and did other things. I told her that whatever went on in there was totally contrary to God's word. That's when she asked me if I wanted to speak to her father, pastor of the satanic temple. I said that I would like to. They said that he was at his brother's house, just across the street. So they went to look for him.
In the moments that I waited I prayed. I prayed for wisdom, for protection, for guidance. My heart was pounding. I tried to calm down knowing that no weapon forged against me will prosper. I envisioned a seven-headed beast coming to speak to me. But no. Walking up to me was a small-frame man about 140 pounds worth. He had red hair, multiple necklaces around his neck with pendants of Satan and other hideous images, and every one of his ten fingers had at least one ring with the same demonic images. I told him that I was curious and just wanted to know what goes on inside the temple. He repeated the same thing that his young daughter said to me. But I inquired more. I remained in constant prayer as we began a 45 minute to 60 minute conversation. I asked him why he wants to worship a loser who gets thrown into the lake of fire. He said that there is no literal hell. They worship the angel of death and he told me how that angel came to be. God told Adam that if they committed sin that death would ensue. So, death was born when sin came into the world. And also the angel of death that they worship is only a skeleton because "flesh" in scripture represents sin. So the angel of death has no flesh and is pure white because he is sinless, according to their belief. So supposedly that angel was born because of sin. I noticed that he knew a lot of the Bible, just like Satan knows all about the scriptures. I asked him about his familiarity with the Bible and he told me that he used to be a Christian many years ago. I reminded him of Satan approaching Jesus at the time of his 40 day fast, and how Satan used scripture but twisted it thus making the words erroneous. He had no answer for that. During the conversation he mentioned that Jesus had sinned. That's when immediately raised my finger and in a louder tone of voice than previous I told him that JESUS DID NOT SIN. But our conversation went on until I decided that my part was over for now. Our conversation had been very polite and respectful. As we closed the visit he extended his hand to shake mine. It seemed that for a brief moment everything went into slow motion. I looked at his hand and all the diabolical images. I knew that I would have to touch them with my hand as I shook his. I became somewhat worried but I still reached out and gave him a hearty hand shake and smile. I thanked him for his time. Then I was reminded of Mark 16:18 where it says that...they will take up serpents in their hands...but it will not hurt them at all. I had peace. And we parted ways.
But Iooking into his eyes caused a great compassion to come over me for Benito's soul. I had looked into the face of a man that was spiritually walking a tightrope over the eternal flames of hell, and taking many with him. We tend to judge people for their sins and faults and then brush them off forgetting that they are in real danger of eternal damnation. But God wants us to pray for them. We have neighbors that are hard to live with. Don't ignore their souls. Pray for them. We have co-workers, family members, politicians, drivers that we share the road with, and a host of other people that are less than loveable. Don't ignore their souls. Don't judge. PRAY FOR THEM!!! Aren't you glad that Jesus loved you when you were deep in sin? Someone was praying for you. Hell is eternal and horrible. Pray for sinners, no matter what awful things they're doing. The Word says to love your enemies; so we must pray for them also. God will save them.
Last Saturday I went to visit Benito again. I was being obedient to the Holy Spirit's leading again. And guess what? Once again he was there. I only had one thing to tell him. I told him that God had given me a great compassion for him and that I was praying for him. That I wanted God to reveal His love for him. Benito was almost speechless. His heart was clearly moved. The visit lasted only about 2 minutes. I shook his hand again before leaving. But I KNOW that the powerful Holy Spirit that lead me to him is also working in his life. God sent me to Benito because He loves him and wants to save him. And I know that someday I'll be able to call Benito my brother in Christ.
If you desire to help continue the work in Juarez, Mexico please contact me at:
Daniel Torres
12397 Chamberlain Drive
El Paso, Texas 79928
501-827-7679
d_torres53@yahoo.com
Some weeks ago I felt that the Holy Spirit wanted me to visit the satanic church. I hesitated at first but the Spirit persisted. What would I do? What would I say? What would I experience? But I knew that the Bible says to open our mouth and God will fill it. I had to be obedient. So early on a Saturday morning I headed to the satanic church. I didn't tell my wife what I was doing so as not to worry her. Will I find someone at the church on a Saturday morning? I started to get nervous as I approached the satanic temple. I was praying the whole time. As I got closer I noticed two people leaving the temple so I pulled up, got out of the car, and began to speak to them. I was speaking to two teenage girls. I asked them what kind of things were done in the temple. One of them answered. She said they held mass and did other things. I told her that whatever went on in there was totally contrary to God's word. That's when she asked me if I wanted to speak to her father, pastor of the satanic temple. I said that I would like to. They said that he was at his brother's house, just across the street. So they went to look for him.
In the moments that I waited I prayed. I prayed for wisdom, for protection, for guidance. My heart was pounding. I tried to calm down knowing that no weapon forged against me will prosper. I envisioned a seven-headed beast coming to speak to me. But no. Walking up to me was a small-frame man about 140 pounds worth. He had red hair, multiple necklaces around his neck with pendants of Satan and other hideous images, and every one of his ten fingers had at least one ring with the same demonic images. I told him that I was curious and just wanted to know what goes on inside the temple. He repeated the same thing that his young daughter said to me. But I inquired more. I remained in constant prayer as we began a 45 minute to 60 minute conversation. I asked him why he wants to worship a loser who gets thrown into the lake of fire. He said that there is no literal hell. They worship the angel of death and he told me how that angel came to be. God told Adam that if they committed sin that death would ensue. So, death was born when sin came into the world. And also the angel of death that they worship is only a skeleton because "flesh" in scripture represents sin. So the angel of death has no flesh and is pure white because he is sinless, according to their belief. So supposedly that angel was born because of sin. I noticed that he knew a lot of the Bible, just like Satan knows all about the scriptures. I asked him about his familiarity with the Bible and he told me that he used to be a Christian many years ago. I reminded him of Satan approaching Jesus at the time of his 40 day fast, and how Satan used scripture but twisted it thus making the words erroneous. He had no answer for that. During the conversation he mentioned that Jesus had sinned. That's when immediately raised my finger and in a louder tone of voice than previous I told him that JESUS DID NOT SIN. But our conversation went on until I decided that my part was over for now. Our conversation had been very polite and respectful. As we closed the visit he extended his hand to shake mine. It seemed that for a brief moment everything went into slow motion. I looked at his hand and all the diabolical images. I knew that I would have to touch them with my hand as I shook his. I became somewhat worried but I still reached out and gave him a hearty hand shake and smile. I thanked him for his time. Then I was reminded of Mark 16:18 where it says that...they will take up serpents in their hands...but it will not hurt them at all. I had peace. And we parted ways.
But Iooking into his eyes caused a great compassion to come over me for Benito's soul. I had looked into the face of a man that was spiritually walking a tightrope over the eternal flames of hell, and taking many with him. We tend to judge people for their sins and faults and then brush them off forgetting that they are in real danger of eternal damnation. But God wants us to pray for them. We have neighbors that are hard to live with. Don't ignore their souls. Pray for them. We have co-workers, family members, politicians, drivers that we share the road with, and a host of other people that are less than loveable. Don't ignore their souls. Don't judge. PRAY FOR THEM!!! Aren't you glad that Jesus loved you when you were deep in sin? Someone was praying for you. Hell is eternal and horrible. Pray for sinners, no matter what awful things they're doing. The Word says to love your enemies; so we must pray for them also. God will save them.
Last Saturday I went to visit Benito again. I was being obedient to the Holy Spirit's leading again. And guess what? Once again he was there. I only had one thing to tell him. I told him that God had given me a great compassion for him and that I was praying for him. That I wanted God to reveal His love for him. Benito was almost speechless. His heart was clearly moved. The visit lasted only about 2 minutes. I shook his hand again before leaving. But I KNOW that the powerful Holy Spirit that lead me to him is also working in his life. God sent me to Benito because He loves him and wants to save him. And I know that someday I'll be able to call Benito my brother in Christ.
If you desire to help continue the work in Juarez, Mexico please contact me at:
Daniel Torres
12397 Chamberlain Drive
El Paso, Texas 79928
501-827-7679
d_torres53@yahoo.com
