We are halfway through the year! Can you believe it? It feels like just yesterday was January, this year has certainly flown by. 2023 has been our busiest year since the pandemic started and our staff is delighted. We are overjoyed to see so many friends we have not seen in years, and it has been wonderful to meet every new friend. We continue to covet your prayers as we reach our halfway point of our busy season. Our bodies are tired but our hearts are full of energy! Please, continue to pray for our staff and workers. Please pray specifically for our energy, unity, and that all we do will honor and glorify God.
Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.
Psalm 42:5,11 and 43:5 [NIV]
DOWNCAST and DISTURBANCE
There are two words that are crucial to what we will study today. These two words are "downcast" and "disturbance." Downcast means, tiredness, discouragement, no strength or to abandon a project started. Disturbance means extreme confusion or stress level to the limit to the point of having suicidal thoughts.
We find these words three times in Psalm 42:5, 11 and then again in Psalm 43:5. It is said that these two Psalms are one, because both speak about these words. Psalm 42:5, 11 and 43:5 says “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.”
If at any moment of your life, you feel downcast or the disturbance of your soul, your mind and your inner self, the Bible says to surrender it to the Lord. And, when we do that, we should put our hope in Him, knowing that we will praise Him and give Him the Glory. We will then see what He will do amidst the downcast and the disturbance of our lives.
May we trust completely in the Lord.
Pastor Luis
BIBLE CONFERENCE
As we get closer to our Bible Conference we ask, that you prayerfully consider partnering with us for this ministry event. We have shared how much the Conference means to us and to the Pastors, Pastor wives, leaders, lay-men, lay-women, and other members who attend.
Yes, there are other conferences. Yes, we are not the only option. But we do this whole-heartedly, with love, dedication, and make it affordable. A good number of our participants do not pay to attend. We tell them they have a scholarship; this makes it sound like something they earned or deserve for working so hard for the Kingdom, which they do! It gives them more dignity and encourages them to continue with what they’re doing. Those who do pay usually give an offering anywhere from $10-$25 depending on their economic resources.
What do attendees receive for? In addition to good Biblical teaching, they are provided 3 nights’ lodging, 8 full meals, all material that we have available to distribute, an Impacto Ministry tote, hygiene products, pens, paper, along with lots of love, encouragement, and shoulders to cry on.
If God is laying on your heart for you to partner with us as we serve and minister to these amazing men and women of God, you can do so by donating here.
