DENDE OIL from Brazil-Gethsemane

      This press or grinding mill is used to process the seeds from a palm tree into Dende oil for cooking. This oils is common in West Africa and Brazil (Bahia). Many people in the northeast of Brazil still process these seeds the “old” way using a mill.

       It is interesting that this type of mill was in use even in Jesus’ day. The Garden of Gethsemane is not really a garden but an orchard. Olive trees still grow there today. During Jesus’ day it was a place of business, an olive press producing the local areas supply of oil. 

This is where the word Gethsemane comes in. A gat(Hebrew) is a press, a , and a semane, or seman, is seed. So on the evening before his crucifixion he went to the orchard of the Olive Press with Peter, James, and John, to pray.

            It is no mistake that Jesus spent his last evening in the Garden of Gethsemane. From there he would leave to go to the cross and receive the weight of the world, the gethsemane of our sins, blood from his body running down the cross to the world below. Luke describes the pressure Jesus suffered that evening: “Being in anguish his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” The Grinding Mill is a Biblical image of Christ pouring out his life for us. 

A "MASTER" ...out of context

A “Master“ …out of Context

A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that 1,100 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.

Three minutes went by, and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace, and stopped for a few seconds, and then hurried up to meet his schedule.

A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping, and continued to walk.

A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work.

The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried, but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally, the mother pushed hard, and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.

In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money, but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the most talented musicians in the world. He had just played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, on a violin worth $3.5 million dollars.

Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.

This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste, and priorities of people. The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour: Do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context?

One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be:

If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?

WIGTAKE

Ask the Right Question!

    When Missionaries would arrive in a new country they would often look around at all the needs and not be sure exactly where to begin. Sometimes they would start a church, a social ministry, or a school. They usually asked the same basic question, “What can I do?”.  However, it all begins with asking the right question. If you ask the wrong question, you get the wrong answer, or start down the wrong road. The question you ask will usually define how you approach the problem or challenge. When a Missionary asks the question, “What can I do?”, they have immediately limited their ministry to what they can do.

    The better question would be “What’s It Gunna Take”(WIGTAKE). What is it going to take to reach this city, community, country, this people. If we ask "What we can do" we have limited our vision to what we can do. We may can start a church or two, start a school, start a ministry. We may can reach 100, 200, 500, over the years. However, the real question is: What is it going to take to reach the entire city of 250,000 , 1 million, 5 Million (Houston, Porto Alegre) 24 million ( Sao Paulo, New York, Mumbi). The entire people groups or segment of 800,000, 13 million, Etc.

   When we ask this question, we begin our strategy at a different level.

Answer the Right Question!

     It is not enough to ask the right question. We have to actually answer the question. How many churches will it take ( 1 per 1000?), How many small groups? ( 1 per 25?), how many leaders, teachers, pastors, workers? ( 1 per 25?). How will these groups reproduce? How often? Where will they meet? How often? Who will lead them? How will they be trained? A Vision with out a plan is only a dream!

Example:

      A few years ago a girl came to me after several Volunteer Mission Trips to Salvador. She said that she wanted to come to Salvador to work with children. I asked her about how many children she thought she could work with.  She explained that she had worked with groups up to 200 and more. She had years of experience.

      I explained that in Salvador we had over 850,000 kids in the public school system. This did not count the thousands that did not attend school or those in private schools. You see we are not just trying to reach 200 kids, we are trying to reach close to a million kids. To reach a million kids you will need to approach this quite differently than if you are trying to reach 200. You will take on a different role. You have to envision a ministry beyond “what you can do”.  Your plan must be God size and not Your size. You must depend on God’s resources not Your abilities. You begin to pray for grace, mobilize heaven and earth, involve any and every legitimate partner, cry out to God to do what God alone can do. When it happens, who get the glory? You guessed it, not you. God gets glory for what only God can do.

      To reach the people God has put on your heart, let me ask you a question. What is it going to take?

DIVERSIFY?!?!

     When we first arrived in Brazil in 1991, the inflation rate was over 35% a month. It made no sense to save you money since it was worth less and less each day. People would spend as quickly as possible investing in anything that would possibly hold it’s value. The banks were still necessary so folks would diversify their deposits  for security. If one bank failed they would have money in another bank. Many had multiple accounts in Bradesco, Banco do Brasil, Itau, Caixa Economica, Etc. Smart, right? Diversify your investments.

       In the area of religion, many do the same think. They “deposit” a little of their faith in the “Bank of Mother Mary”, the “Bank of Good Works”, The “Bank of Multiple Religions”, the “Bank of Self-Improvement”.

      When they hear about Jesus, here is what often happens. They think, sure, why not add Jesus Christ to the group. So in “accepting Christ”, they place Him on the shelf with “Mother Mary”, “Good Works”, and “all the other things they hope will work”. Diversify.  Cover all your bases.

      However, by the very fact that they are depositing in multiple “Banks”, basically they are saying, I really do not trust any of you guys. If I really trusted your “Bank” I would deposit all of my money (Faith) there. They are really not trusting any of the Banks. That is not “trusting”, that is gambling. They are just hoping that al least one of these will work.

    To trust Jesus Christ as your Savior means to “withdraw” all of your faith from the bank of “Mother Mary”, the “Bank of Good Works”, the “Bank of Good Intentions”, or any other “Bank” and deposit all of your faith in Jesus Christ. Anything less than that is a sham, a farce, and that kind of “faith” can’t and won’t save anyone.

John 3:16-18 “For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned, but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

SMALL GROUP#3-Accountability

Does the Bible speak of accountability? Oh Yes! In groups of 2/4 mark the verses with a 2 or a 4 to show if the verse says we are accountable 2 someone or 4 someone. Where in your church are people held accountable? Small Groups?

Accountability to God and to/for Others

Job 33:13  "Why do you complain against Him that He does not give an account of all His doings?

Rom 14:12  So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.

Heb 13:17  Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.

1Pe 4:5  but they will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

Mar 6:30  The apostles *gathered together with Jesus; and they reported to Him all that they had done and taught.

1Pe 3:15  but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;

1Jo 3:16  We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

Rom 12:10  Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor;

Rom 15:14  And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able also to admonish one another

1Co 11:33  So then, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.

1Co 12:25  so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.

Gal 5:13  For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

Gal 6:2  Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.

Eph 4:2  with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love,

Eph 4:32  Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

Eph 5:21  and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.

Phi 2:3  Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;

Col 3:13  bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.

Col 3:16  Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

1Th 3:12  and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you;

1Th 4:9  Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;

1Th 4:18  Therefore comfort one another with these words.

1Th 5:11  Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.

1Th 5:13  and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another.

1Th 5:15  See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people.

Heb 3:13  But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

Heb 3:13  But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

Heb 10:24  and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,

Heb 10:25  not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

Jam 5:16  Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

1Pe 1:22  Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart,

1Pe 4:8  Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.

1Pe 4:9  Be hospitable to one another without complaint.

1Pe 4:10  As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

1Pe 5:5  You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.

1Jo 1:7  but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

1Jo 3:11  For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another;

1Jo 3:23  This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.

1Jo 4:7  Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

1Jo 4:11  Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

1Jo 4:12  No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us

2Jo 1:5  Now I ask you, lady, not as though I were writing to you a new commandment, but the one which we have had from the beginning, that we love one another.

Act 20:7  On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread,

Rom 1:12  that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other's faith, both yours and mine.

2Co 7:3  I do not speak to condemn you, for I have said before that you are in our hearts to die together and to live together.

Eph 2:22  in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.

Eph 4:16  from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.

Phi 1:27  Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

Col 2:2  that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ Himself,

EXPERIENCING GOD's WILL

Romans 12:1-2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. ²And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

  Experience God’s will. Big order. Here are three truths found in Romans 12 that might help.

     First, is the step of Presentation. “Present your bodies a living sacrifice” This is first and not last. Before you “know”, you present. Before you have any details, you present. By faith you sign a “blank check”. You trust God to fill it in. No questions, no boundries, no line in the sand saying..“until here I will follow you.” No! First step, by faith, knowing that his will is best, you present.

   Second, is the step of Transformation. God will change your heart, head, hands, whatever is necessary to do what He says. God does not call the equipped, He equips the called. You Present, God Transforms. It’s simple. It is also a command. “Be transformed!” He begins with your mind, “renewing of your mind”. You must think differently. This is a process, a “transformation”. First presentation, Second transformation…..

   Third, is the step of Experiencing. “that you may prove (experience).” “That” (i.e. ..in order that, ..so that, …so as a result that) you will experience. What do we experience? Exactly what we were seeking ... “that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” God’s will is Good. God’s will is acceptable. God’s will is perfect. I will settle for perfect.

  

  Often we want to know God’s will. Then we will decide if that is what we want to do. That is not how it works. We decide first. Having decided, by faith, we present, He transforms, and we experience. Not that complicated. Just don’t get this out of order, it will be very frustrating, in fact, it won’t work. His will, His word, His way. 

PRISON MINISTRY in BRAZIL

Brazil’s Prison Population in September 2009 was 472,482, making it the fourth highest in the world.. According to the Brazilian Government’s National Penitentiary Department (DEPEN), in June 2008 the number of people being incarcerated exceeded the design capacity of Brazil’s prisons by 40 per cent, and the number of prisoners was increasing by approximately 3,000 per month. Brazilian prisons are notorious for their overcrowding, corruption, violence and torture. For many years Human Rights groups have cited overcrowding as being the cause of many of the brutal riots in Brazilian prisons.

         Of the 17 Prisons in the state of Bahia, 7 are in Salvador.  “S.O.S Prisidio” (SOS Prison Ministry) is our ministry to these prisoners and their families. The team leader, Jesse Jane (real name) has lead hundreds of volunteers to minister, evangelize, disciple, and plant churches in every pavilion in each of these prisons. Churches and ministry centers have been started in the communities near each prison to reach the relocated families in the area.

        

To work in the high security area, each volunteer must have a background check, go through a strip search, and often be humiliated every time we go in. Is it worth it? You bet! The Pastors, deacon, etc of every prison church were justly convicted of serious crimes but Jesus Christ changed everything. These men and women are now ministering and leading other inmates to Christ. It’s a type of “Cell” church.

        Pray for Jesse Jane, The Volunteers, the Christian inmates and those we are trying to reach. Pray for continued access, safety, ministry resources, and that many, many decisions will be made to follow Christ as Lord and Savior.