Casas por Cristo Promo Video

By The Word of His Power

Did you look up at the Lunar Eclipse a couple of weeks ago? The announcement of the eclipse was all over every media and news outlet in our country. It was probably even announced in schools. It was stated as a scientific fact that we won’t be able to see another total lunar eclipse in this hemisphere for the next 4 years. FOUR years… The uniqueness of an eclipse makes it special. I think we could even go beyond that and say that it is precious. It is precious because at one moment in time, God gives us perspective that we do not normally see or understand completely. For this moment, we are able to see the shadow of the earth on the moon. We can somewhat feel the sun, moon, and earth lining up. We can visualize this and know exactly how things are up there for just a brief window of time.

In our flat perspective of the world, it’s important that we remind ourselves of the vastness of the universe that God has made. For most of us, we stay in a relatively small area of the world for most of our lives. For us at Casas por Cristo this small spot in the world is El Paso. By staying withing this vicinity, going home, to work, and to church, our perspective of the world tends to lull us into a false sense of security and control. We can all wake up and for the most part have an idea of what is to come in the day. Knowing what’s coming and feeling in control of our day’s destiny helps us feel safe and in control. For many of us it is rare to give much thought to what is going on beyond our city, state, country, continent, hemisphere, world, solar system, galaxy, and universe.

So how big is the universe? According to Nasa, no one knows if the universe is infinitely large, or even if ours is the only universe that exists. Other parts of the universe, very far away, might be quite different from the universe closer to home. It is estimated that there are 200 billion galaxies in our known universe. In our galaxy, the Milky Way, there are 5800 to 8000 visible stars but even that is just a sliver of the amount of stars in our galaxy. The estimation is around 300 billion. That is 300 billion stars with their own planets in our galaxy. Our galaxy is 1 of 200 billion galaxies in our KNOWN universe. Not to mention that there is a super massive black hole right in the middle of the Milky Way galaxy that is 4 million times the mass of the Sun. Our galaxy is spinning at a rate of 225 kilometers per second. In addition, the galaxy is travelling through space at the rate of 305 kilometers per second. This means that we are traveling at a total speed of 530 kilometers (330 miles) per second. That means that in one minute you are about 19 thousand kilometers away from where you were before.

Our planet is the third from the sun. Our planet has the exact properties needed for sustained life; The Exact. Think about this for a second. We are the exact distance from the sun needed for life. Any closer and we are dead, any farther away…we are dead. The planet has the exact physical properties, both in gas and minerals, to sustain life. Altered in any way, we are dead. The moon regulates tides, wind, and weather. Without it, we are dead. If an asteroid or comet hit our planet, most likely, we are dead. By the way, there are trillions of comets, and 18,000 known asteroids just in our solar system.

Let’s take this a step further. Your body has trillions of cells. So many in fact, no one can get a close count. Each one of these cells is like a mini-solar system. If the right kind of chaos happens in just one of these cells, you can get cancer. According to the ICD (Internal Classification of Diseases) there are 12,420 diseases, and there are 14,199 diseases if you include Chapter XX (External Causes of Morbidity and Mortality).

I’m not putting all of this in here to give a hypochondriac a heart attack or to scare us. Rather, I’m trying to give us some perspective. A perspective in which we can understand how vast but fragile the universe is. It is unbelievably fragile. How can anyone not believe in a creator who not only designed things to function in such balance for life but also holds all of it together? There is so much chaos and so many factors that exist that it’s a miracle that things hold together even for a minute. But God in His infinite wisdom and beauty is involved and active in His creation. 

Lee Strobel wrote a book called “The Case for Christ”. Strobel was an atheist whose wife became a believer. One day, he decided to attend church and start research for the purpose of proving that the Bible and Christianity were false. He believed he could prove it. At the end of his research he made a list. He drew a line down the middle of the page and on one side wrote the facts that proved Christianity true, and on the other side, facts that proved it false. He concluded that it would take more faith to believe that the God of the bible and the scriptures were untrue. All of the evidence pointed straight to there being a creator God who created and holds the world together, who also saved mankind from their sin by coming in human flesh, dying, and resurrecting from the grave. Strobel is now a believer.

Doesn’t it take more faith to believe in the non-existence of God? 
Look at Hebrews 1.

Heb 1:1                Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets,

Heb 1:2                 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

Heb 1:3                 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.

At every moment of every day Christ is holding up the Universe by the word of His power. He is holding all of this together. Is that not incredible to think about? Do you realize the implications of this? Every moment is Grace. Every moment is mercy. Every moment is love. When you sinned, He was holding you together. When you sin again, He will hold the very fabric of your being together.

Job 12:10             In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.

Act 17:24              The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man,

Act 17:25              nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.

Every breath we breathe is in the palm of His hand. Everything about us He is willing into being. He gives us everything. This perspective is precious. We have no bargaining place in the Universe. Our life is His. Our every moment is His. Let the truth of His control, grace, mercy, and love fill us from head to toe. He created us and is holding us and everything together for His Glory and because He loves us. These truths are meant to draw our hearts to Him. The signs and wonders that He does in creation are meant to give us perspective. Like the eclipse.

Every time that you can be a part of something that gives you perspective like this…embrace it. We need to be reminded of who is in control of everything. We need to be reminded that there isn’t anything God can’t do. He is in control of our body and everything in the Universe. Thank Him.

We Need You!

Life for many Americans is harder now than it has been in decades. Financial struggles are felt all across this country as well as the globe. Vibidiana Zapot is a woman in Juárez who is struggling as well. Vibidiana is a twenty one year old single mother of a five year old little girl named Jaqueline. Her story is one that motivates, encourages, and challenges us to change our perspective and moves us to action. Six days a week Vibidiana heads off to work a ten hour shift in one of the local Juárez factories, earning only $62 per week – not nearly enough to provide for her family. Vibidiana relies on her parents to take care of little Jaqueline while she is working.  On her day off each week, Vibidiana sets a strong example for her daughter by attending Misión Puertas del Cielo church and trusting in God. 

Vibidiana is living with her parents and dreams of one day having her own home for her and her daughter. That dream is closer than ever to becoming a reality. On February 18th, Team Casas is scheduled to build a home for Vibidiana and Jaqueline, and WE NEEDYOU. We still need two volunteers who would join us to make this dream come true. On March 7, 2008 Vibidiana applied to receive a home from her local pastor and almost three years later, we are only 2 volunteers away from providing the gift of a free home for her and her daughter. Will you join us on this trip?  Will you give the gift of a free home to a family struggling each day to survive? We have a spot for you right now so call or email us to sign up today.

Visit our site for more information by clicking here

Beautiful Cycle

 Luke 11:1-13

Many of us have our own picture of God.  He takes the form of a grandfather to some and a tyrant to others.  He is seen as glorious and powerful to some, power-hungry and stern to some, and unbelievably gracious and selfless to others.  What is your picture of God?  Whatever it is, it most likely shapes the way you pray and the way you behave toward Him.  Fortunately, God has left us with descriptions and truths about what He is like and how He feels toward us in scripture.  If we would take the time to try to get to know Him, our prayers and our behavior toward Him may change overtime for the better.  Our relationship with Him, instead of being filled with guilt, may become more fulfilling and peaceful.  Our prayers - instead of being dull, boring, and uncomfortable - may become more passionate, intimate, and sustaining.  Let’s dive in and understand God a little better.

Luke 11:1      Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples."

Luke 11:2      And he said to them, "When you pray, say: "Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come.

Luke 11:3      Give us each day our daily bread,

Luke 11:4      and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation."

The Lord’s Prayer.  Nothing new here for many of us.  Our prayers should be God-exalting, God- glorifying, God-centered.  Even the statement, “Give us each day our daily bread,” has God in mind.  Look at another place we see this statement in scripture:

Pro 30:8-9      Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, "Who is the LORD?" or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.”

The idea here is that God will give us just enough for our day so that we may glorify Him with our lives. Not too much, not too little.

God has set up our relationship with Him to be cyclical.  God gives, and then we give back.  God blesses, and we bestow blessing, honor, and praise.  God restores and we praise.  God heals and we glorify.  God loves and we love back.  Do your prayers reflect this cycle? Does your life reflect this cycle?

How one-sided is your relationship with Him?  We tend to be in one of two places when we are out of whack with God.  We either believe that God is demanding, commanding, and taking, taking, taking.  We see no blessing from God, but only His impossible demands on our life to serve and obey.  Or on the other hand, we have no clue that we are giving nothing to God but the leftovers of our time.  If we are giving Him seven minutes of our day, it doesn’t appear that we are loving God with “all our heart, soul, strength, and mind.”

Again, what do your prayers look like? What does your behavior toward God look like? Is it a beautiful, cyclical relationship? Or is it unhealthily one-sided.
I love this next part because it really does highlight what our relationship with Him should look like.  This example reveals the heart of a person that knows the goodness of God over time and believes in the beauty of that relationship.

Luke 11:5      And he said to them, "Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves,

Luke 11:6      for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him';

Luke 11:7      and he will answer from within, 'Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything'?

Luke 11:8      I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs.

Luke 11:9      And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

Luke 11:10      For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

Luke 11:11      What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent;

Luke 11:12      or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?

Luke 11:13      If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

I always thought this story was kind of odd.  Where is the cyclical relationship here?  Here, the friend in the house is God, and we are the friend knocking. What honors God here is the fact that the friend knew he could come to his friend in the middle of the night in his time of need.  He knew that his friend would come through.  The friend honors his wishes even though it isn’t deserved.
We can come to Christ for anything at any time.  We honor Him when we go to Him for help because we know that He is loving and kind.  We know that He is gracious and merciful.  We know that He always does exactly what He promises to do.  We know that He will come through no matter how crazy the circumstances - in the middle of the night, empty-handed, even when we have not honored Him or His wishes. God will answer.  Our boldness to ask and our faith in His provision honor Him.
Do you come to Him boldly?  Do you come to Him despite the circumstances?  Do you honor Him with your belief in His provision?  Do you honor Him with the belief in your relationship with Him?  Do you know His goodness well enough to run to Him with any burden?
In this crazy life we try to live alongside our Creator, may we come to know that God created our relationship to benefit both us and Him.  God gives and we give back.  Knowing His goodness, we give are faithful and we believe.  And He honors our boldness and faith.  It’s a beautiful cycle.

Thank God right now for your existence.    Thank Him for designing a beautiful and mutually beneficial relationship.   Then reach out and take an active role in your relationship with Him today.

Stepping Out

Juárez is in trouble.  Not because there is a drug war going on, but because so much of the Christian community has turned its back.  The innocent families on our waiting list of three years, those who have nothing to do with the drug cartel, are suffering.  They are left wondering if Casas por Cristo is going to make good on its promise to come and build them a home.  Wondering how to trust God to provide for their families.  In the past, families applying for a home didn’t wait longer than a year.  Today, those on the list will wait almost three years.  In 2009, we built 225 fewer homes than we did in 2007.  It’s not that we are disappointed that our “production” is down.  It’s for the simple fact that 225 fewer families received this amazing miracle.  And that is exactly what we believe these homes are…miracles.  A home is truly the largest and most valuable gift any of these families will receive on this earth.  And beyond that, it is an enormous expression of God’s love for them. 

But in addition to these families missing out on a great blessing, there are hundreds and thousands of volunteers that are missing the opportunity to be a part of something greater than themselves…a part of sharing Christ’s love and provision with those in need.  The following is one definition of the word mission:  “a course of services given to convert the unchurched or quicken (to make alive, or to cause to burn more intensely) Christian faith.”  How true this statement is to what we do here.  The definition is two-fold, as is the mission of Casas por Cristo.  Through our service of building a home, we are able to reach out to those who don’t know Christ and at the same time, our own faith is being quickened and ignited.  Brilliant.  I am pained for the thousands of volunteers who didn’t get to experience this quickening because fear kept them away. 

In his book, Crazy Love, Francis Chan sets forth the following challenge: “God doesn’t call us to be comfortable.  He calls us to trust Him so completely that we are unafraid to put ourselves in situations where we will be in trouble if He doesn’t come through.”  Juárez is in trouble, and its people need God’s presence, peace, and love now more than ever.  Please come.  Please serve.  Please trust God to take you outside the things you are comfortable with.  Be encouraged that there is no better place to be than in His will.  Come and help us share love and let’s fight together to make His name known.

-Amy Lowrey

Our Approach

We want to start sharing our Thursday devotions with you.  We hope that this will give you a place to come every Thursday to commune with and grow closer to God.  We also want to give you another way to partner with our ministry in what we're studying and learning.  May this be a tool to draw us all closer to our creator and our savior.

Our Approach

After finishing everything Jesus said on the mountain side, He is going to display His deity in an even greater display. At this point, Jesus has been performing miracles in proximity to His actions.  Jesus was at the party when the water was turned to wine.  Jesus cast a demon out of a man in the temple while He was teaching there. He touched a leper and healed him. He healed a paralytic in the same house. The list goes on and on. But what Jesus is about to do, is going to display his sovereignty as God. Jesus is going to heal, mend, and restore a person who is miles away.

Luk 7:1                  After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum.

Luk 7:2                  Now a centurion had a servant who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him.

Luk 7:3                  When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant.

This is an important point. This is a Roman official. This is a man who is a part of ruling over the Jews. At this time, Israel is held captive by the Roman Empire. This official does not come to Jesus in person likely because of the circumstances. The centurion instead decides to send Jews in hopes that Christ will respond to them because they are fellow Jews. This centurion is desperate and is trying to be as gentle and careful with this approach as possible. Yet he still approaches.

There is something to be learned here. Do you ever feel like you are in no circumstance to approach God? Do you feel like you have screwed up, or have taken for granted everything God has given and done for you? Do you find yourself in a place where approaching God seems like the last thing possible because of who you are, and what you’ve done?

Here is the glorious truth for us; Christ has bridged that gap. He has reconciled us to God so that we may approach Him with courage and hope. The important thing for us is that we do approach Him because when we approach Him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to heal us.

Luk 7:4                  And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, "He is worthy to have you do this for him,

Luk 7:5                  for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue."

Again, the religious have no respect or understanding that Christ is God and that man is entitled to nothing. They have no idea who they are talking to, and if they do, they don’t see that they are sinful and condemned. This is an age old problem. So often we have no concept of who God is or what man deserves.

Luk 7:6                  And Jesus went with them.

At this point, the centurion would have been better off going by himself. But despite what these Jews believe and have said, Christ shows more grace. Christ shows grace here that they do not deserve. He shows grace while they are at their worst. What a God of love we serve. Jesus is willing to work through the circumstances to reach through to the faithful. This we can find our hope in.

Though the city of Juarez and Mexico is being dominated by fear, violence, and evil; we can have faith that God will still reach through the circumstances to show grace to the undeserving and healing to those who are faithful. Thank Christ and ask Him for help to have faith in His goodness to the world.       

Luk 7:6                  And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, ‘Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof.

Luk 7:7                  Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed.’

From the centurion’s statement, we now see deeper into his heart. Not only does he show respect for the circumstances of the Roman occupation over Israel, but he realizes who Jesus is in relationship to himself. As a Roman to a Jew, the centurion has every right to demand Jesus to appear before him. But as a man to God, he has no right to demand anything but to humbly bow before the mercy of an almighty God. Faith, fear, and love for God was coming from the least likely of people and it is going to be beautiful to Christ.

Luk 7:8                  For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."

Luk 7:9                  When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him,

This word in Greek means a “wonderful admiration”.  This is the kind of faith that we should strive for.  This is the kind of faith that God Himself finds beautiful, wonderful, and glorifying.  When is the last time you had faith like this?  Do you believe in your heart that Christ is over all and is the master of everything?  Do you believe that He is ready to answer your cry for help?  Do you know that Christ can do anything?  If He willed it, if he spoke it, Juarez could be changed in a second.  We could have 500 registrations for families to receive homes today.  He could heal your pain.  He could heal your marriage.  He could change the world.  Do you approach God this way?  Or do you pray knowing that what you ask will probably never happen?  Let us touch the heart of our Creator and Redeemer.

Luk 7:9                  When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, "I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith."

Luk 7:10                And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well.

Many of us have been in the church or around the church for awhile.  We have experienced how people pray and how people act toward God.  To approach God as people who have not been spiritually desensitized by a lifetime of religion is a beautiful thing.  Growing up in church and being a “Christian” our whole lives many times makes us feel entitled to have God hear us because we have done our time and we have followed the rules.  In all actuality God owes us nothing, and we should not feel entitled for Him to hear us.  Rather, we should approach Him delicately, humbly, and hopeful, knowing that the only reason we can stand before Him is because of what He has done.  When He hears us and answers us, it will only be because of His great love and mercy and nothing we have done.  We can have courage (not entitlement) because of who He is and what He has done is perfect and will last forever.

We have probably prayed for hundreds of things where we felt like God didn’t show up. 

“Which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” Matt 7:9-11

Just because we think we know what we need when we pray, doesn’t necessarily mean it will benefit us and glorify Him. God will never grant us a request that will harm us and put Himself to shame. Have faith that he can do whatever you ask for and trust in His supreme wisdom.

Pray humbly and believe boldly, knowing that your requests are being made to the creator of heaven and Earth, who holds both in the palm of His hands. 

Team Casas

We want to invite you to join us for Team Casas in Juarez February 18-21, 2011.  Team Casas is an opportunity to come together with other individuals from across the United States for the common purpose of building a home for a family in need in the name of Christ.  Team Casas is a great way to kick off the new year and costs only $500/person (or just $100 if you are 0-11 years old).  This cost includes the building materials for the home and your food, travel, and lodging while in Mexico.  You just have to get to El Paso, and we'll take care of the rest.  We are currently extending the deadline to sign up for this opportunity to January 21st (2 weeks from now).  We already have four people signed up and need eight more to schedule the trip.  Will you help us with this endeavor?  Please contact us if you are interested, or you can follow this link to register online, click here.  Your registration and $50 deposit will hold your place for the trip.  However, if there are not enough people signed up, we will refund your deposit. Contact Roberta at rsanders@casasporcristo.org if you have any questions.  We would love for you to be a part of this amazing trip!!