In the ministry that the Lord has entrusted to his servants there are people who come to the Lord and it causes great admiration of the Lord's hand at work. On Thursday, August 5, in the city of San Salvador, during the first week of this month, the communities celebrated the festivals of Catholics, which motivates people to take rest during that week in cities that make up the Great San Salvador region. Protestant churches always take advantage of this holiday time in the best way possible.  In our brotherhood  we develop special activities for those free days.  

On Thursday, The Church in Quezaltepeque, met starting at 2: 00 PM and we had a study of God's Word, and then the sisters prepared some typical dishes. The surprise of the day was that Mr. JOSÉ SEGUNDO RÁMOS, 52 years old, decided to receive the Lord and be baptized.  Brother Segundo attended church meetings for many years where he always forced his heart away from the call to repentance at the end of each sermon. He had a powerful reason for many years because his largest impediment was alcoholic beverages of which he was reluctant to leave them. Prior to his repentance and his baptism I talked about  this very issue extensively with him. He confirmed to me that his repentance was strong, and his willingness to leave this defect was really serious and this is why this chronicle is entitled it: "As long as there is life, there is opportunity to deliver it to the Lord...!" This is the reason why I chose to call it this and I ask you all to pray fervently to God for our brother Segundo, so that he does not again become a victim of this terrible scourge. With yours prayers, by the strength of the Spirit of God, his own strength of will, and mainly, by the strengthening of the Redeemer, brother Segundo will not again follow the Prince of darkness or be controlled by the desires of his own flesh. It is our prayer that brother Segundo be led of God's Spirit.

 Brother Segundo is the husband of Sister Leticia, father of Krissia and Karla, 21 and 19 years old respectively, all of them are faithful Christians. One of the valuable skills of brother Segundo is that he is a Carpenter of fine furniture in delicate wood. We hope and we trust that this ability can be used for God's glory and the local Church.

The honor and glory keep for our Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!

For the cause of Jesus Christ,

Alexander and Silvia Castellanos

Missionaries - Valiant Warriors

El Salvador, Central America

(503) 7856-0542 (Cell)          

(503) 2278-8350 (Home)

alexsil@telesal.net

*SPECIAL NOTICE: Please consider supporting the Castellanos family in ministry. They are veteran 25 year missionaries to the country of El Salvador where they have served faithfully and with honor for the Lord. They currently have no means of support as their supporting church opted to work in a different country. Your prayers and financial gifts would be a great blessing to the Castellanos. You can find their E-giving account below.

SPANISH VERSION BELOW / VERSION EN ESPANOL ABAJO

¡MIENTRAS HAY VIDA, HAY OPORTUNIDAD DE ENTREGARLA AL SEÑOR!

Viernes, 13 de agosto de 2010

En el ministerio que el Señor ha encargado a sus siervos, suceden conversiones que causan impresión. El jueves 5 de Agosto, en la ciudad de San Salvador, durante la primera semana de este mes,  se celebran las fiestas patronales de los católicos, lo cual motiva que haya asueto durante esa semana en las ciudades que integran el Gran Salvador. La iglesia siempre toma ventaja de ese tiempo vacacional,  programa actividades especiales en vista de que la hermandad en general tiene días libres.

Ese día jueves, la Iglesia en Quezaltepeque, se reunió desde la 2:00 PM, tuvimos estudio de la Palabra de Dios, luego las hermanas prepararon algunos platos de comida típica. La sorpresa de ese día fue que el Sr. JOSÉ SEGUNDO RÁMOS, de 52 años de edad, decidió bautizarse para perdón de sus pecados. El hermano Segundo asistió a las reuniones de la iglesia durante muchos años, siempre endurecía su corazón ante el llamado al arrepentimiento al finalizar cada sermón. Había una razón poderosa para él, por largos años, su mayor impedimento fue las bebidas alcohólicas a las cuales se resistía dejarlas. Previo a su bautismo, yo hablé extensamente con él, me confirmó que su arrepentimiento era firme, y que estaba dispuesto a dejar ese vicio, es por eso que esta crónica la he titulado: “¡Mientras hay vida, hay oportunidad de entregarla al Señor…! Razón por la cual, les ruego a todos ustedes que oren fervientemente al Señor por nuestro hermano Segundo, a fin de que él no vuelva a ser víctima de ese terrible flagelo. Con sus oraciones, su propia fuerza de voluntad, y principalmente, por el fortalecimiento del Redentor, el hermano Segundo no le volverá a dar cabida al príncipe de las tinieblas.

El hermano Segundo es el esposo de la hermana Leticia, sus hijas Krissia y Karla, de 21 y 19 años respectivamente, también son fieles cristianas. Una de las valiosas habilidades del hermano Segundo es que él es un Carpintero que fabrica muebles muy finos en delicadas maderas. Esperamos y confiamos que este don  lo pueda usar para el bienestar de la iglesia.

¡La honra y gloria continúen siendo para nuestro Padre Celestial y el Señor Jesucristo!

Por la Causa de Cristo Jesús,

Alexander y Silvia Castellanos

Misioneros

Iglesia de Cristo en El Salvador

(503) 7856-0542 (Celular)

(503) 2278-8350 (Casa)

alexsil@telesal.net

Willingness...Is it there or not?

Malachi 1:10
"Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would not light useless fires on my altar! I am not pleased with you," says the LORD Almighty, "and I will accept no offering from your hands.

    In the book of Malachi we find a desperate situation where the LORD is disappointed and angered at his own priest because of several very important reasons.  The priest of the Lord, who were supposed to represent Him, had fostered an attitude that clearly said, "2nd best is ok for my God".  The priest of the LORD were accepting "less than the best" from the people as offerings for God.  The priest accepted and offered on God´s altar animals that were known to be stolen, sick, lame, and defective animals.  The prevailing attitude was like this, "If it´s sick give it to the Lord!". "If it´s lame, give it to the LORD".  "If we don´t have an offering it´s ok to steal one and to give it to the LORD".

    God is God and no one should dare take His glory lightly.  God told His priest that they might as well get up and close the door to the temple because they were lighting useless fires on God´s altar.  If we today are not giving God our very best then our offerings will likely not be acceptable to the Lord.

   Who's altar was it? It was God´s sacred altar with which He had decreeded specific ways that offerings were to be made in His honor.  It was not a decision simply left up to the priest of God, but was decreeded by God himself.  When the priest began to accept and to encouragae and instill an attitude of "2nd best is ok for our God" then the LORD himself stepped in and said that even the secular governors of the land would not accept such unaccetable offerings.  God said, ""Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would not light useless fires on my altar! I am not pleased with you," says the LORD Almighty, "and I will accept no offering from your hands."  Does the Lord accept the offerings that come from your hands and from your heart? Is the LORD most often angered and disappointed that there is a prevailing lack of willingness to make acceptable offerings to Him.

   The Lord Jesus spoke of doors that would be opened and doors that would be closed, but he also spoke of who is known to him and who is not. Look at what the book of Luke has to say...

Luke 13: 22-30

The Narrow Door

   He said to them, ²⁴"Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. ²⁵Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, 'Sir, open the door for us.'
      "But he will answer, 'I don't know you or where you come from.'

 ²⁶"Then you will say, 'We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.'

 ²⁷"But he will reply, 'I don't know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!'

 ²⁸"There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. ²⁹People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. ³⁰Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last."

In effect Jesus is saying that there are many who claim to know Him, but they choose to not honor him with their lives or with their willingness and their offerings.  Once the doors are closed they will not be opened for those who gave the Lord only their "2nd best"! You are encouraged to give the LORD you absolute best all of the time, with both a willing and a faithful heart. Are you willing to give Him your best offerings?

  Nearly 300,000 people have visited this ministry`s website and many are frequently "entertained", but very few are actual givers to the Lord.  The time for games has long since passed and the Lord is seeking willing givers for His ministry.  The Lord truly does not need your gifts or your sacrifices but He ask them of you as a way that you express your honor for Him.  Will you honor Him today with your firstfruit and best offering?

  

Exodus 17

Water From the Rock

 ³ But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, "Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?"

 ⁴ Then Moses cried out to the LORD, "What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me."

 ⁵ The LORD answered Moses, "Walk on ahead of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. ⁶ I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink." So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. ⁷ And he called the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the LORD saying, "Is the LORD among us or not?"

In my own way, whether right or wrong I know not but I was seeking to know that God was still with us as Mighty 300 Ministries. I was asking for "water from a rock" because I been feeling like this picture:

I felt like a tree growing and hanging on in a very hard place. We are surely blessed to be alive yet without financial support for life and ministry. We are blessed that we have roots that won't give up and they run deep seeking the water of life yet times get tough. We are blessed to receive sunshine yet we endure great storms. We stand firm yet hard pressed on every side concerning resources for ministry and life itself. We know this is where God has planted us and it is for a reason. The main reason is that you might see how God indeed provides for His servants who depend upon Him fully.

The note below is how God often works among us by speaking into the spirit and dreams of those we work the closest with on the other side of the world. See Pastor Suku's note that sprung forth like water from a rock in a time of great thirst.

The Amalekites Defeated

 ¹⁰ So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. ¹¹ As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. ¹² When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. ¹³ So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.

 ¹⁴ Then the LORD said to Moses, "Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven."

 ¹⁵ Moses built an altar and called it The LORD is my Banner. ¹⁶ He said, "For hands were lifted up to the throne of the LORD. The LORD will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation."

   These Valiant Warriors that God Himself has chosen are now holding up my right and left hand while others Valiant Warriors like unto Joshua are battling the enemy.  The LORD is indeed our Banner and our hands will be lifted up to the throne of the Lord from generation to generation as He give victory over the attacks of the enemy.

    I thank God for Valiant Warriors and friends in the hardest to reach places on Earth. Places like Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Africa, Myanmar, Indonesia and other places where men serve surely at the risk of their own blood.

I, Alexander Castellanos, write as a M300 Valiant Warrior serving our Lord Jesus Christ in El Salvador, Central America. We live at the service of our Unique, True and Powerful God, the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, who strengthens us permanently in our spiritual struggles so that on the day of the trial of the Lord we will forever be by His side.

The mission to preach Christ is a very edifying work and is a comfort, especially because it maintains our strengthened souls, with the certainty that has given us a very large and true salvation; this salvation is available for all people who are willing to understand and obey the commandments of Christ, the Savior of the world.

I am writing these lines and as I do so it is with the combined experiences that God has allowed us to preach His divine message for more than 35 years. This has been a work of many episodes: good, pleasant, and fabulous spiritual fruit, especially because the Lord has used not only myself but also my wife and my three daughters. So many souls have come  and surrendered their lives at the feet of Christ receiving and obeying His Holy Gospel.

In all these experiences which are so unique and stimulating, the moments of suffering have been present. El Salvador lived a civil war for twelve years (1980-1992) in which eighty thousand people were killed. We preached the gospel in the midst of that war. To attempt to talk about each of these episodes of this fratricidal struggle, would amount to huge spaces of written materials, as well as large amount of time in hours work. There are many books that have been written on this subject by renowned Salvadoran writers who were witnesses of these facts. In spite of these times of great hardship, the Lord used and afforded us many opportunities so that His word was preached and many souls found relief in the Lord.

For us it was never easy to preach the message of God in the midst of the circumstances of war.  Many times we were innocently caught in the midst of the firing of lethal weapons between the sides in conflict (army and guerrilla). We moved in the middle of situations of extreme violence and danger in each of our evangelistic journeys. Our three daughters accompanied us and God preserved us. We were never victims of the impact of a bullet or a bomb; however, there were Christians who did die. Some were found in areas where armed confrontations happened and some of them died innocently.

Eighteen years have passed since the peace treaty was signed... However, generations of children and adolescents who grew up in the latter war years grew with the nectar of violence, to the extent that they formed gangs. These gangs have caused much damage to the nation and are now operating on a global scale. In El Salvador daily there are an average of thirteen people found dead throughout the four cardinal points of the country due to gang violence and extortion.

The extortion by organized crime groups is now the "dish of the day".  Honest and innocent people are innocent victims of crime and brutality. The gangs practice kidnapping and extortion requiring the payment of sums of money which are practically impossible to pay. Unfortunately many extorted people have had to pay with their lives.

Such is the case of our beloved brother Rafael Antonio Lopez Lara, who was brutally murdered on Sunday, April 25th, 2010.  He was preaching at a worship service at his local church where he was shot seven times by an unknown murdered.  He died in the doorway to his local church.  Of this sad event I've already written a comprehensive chronicle, which I hope has been read by you. I repeat what I said in the chronicle, our brother Lara was very faithful to the Lord as a Christian and as a servant.  His death was something that filled  faithful Christians with much regret and was a great loss to Christianity in general.

Three week after this event a preacher of one of the churches in the city of San Miguel (this city is three hours from San Salvador, capital of the country) called me by telephone. He  told me that the previous night his uncle had been murdered. He was a victim of  one of these extortion groups. Obviously they had no funds to pay the amount of money that was being extorted from them so the extortioners proceeded to murder this common worker man. These extortion events occur daily in our country and they are countless in number. These infamous criminal acts that occur here daily are a fact of life for us who minister and for the people who we minister to. In some countries kidnappings occur where vast sums of money are extorted. In our country we have kidnappings for vast sums of money when rich people are involved but in our country there is a unique and harsh reality that the common man cannot escape.

It has become vogue to kidnap common everyday people as a line of work and in these cases seemingly small amounts of money are extorted but these seemingly small amounts of money are in many cases not able to be paid by those who are extorted. The great and tragic result is that in third world kidnappings sometimes people are murdered because their family cannot pay "the daily rate" of $20 or $30 per victim. This type of evil is rampant and the common man is at equal danger to the rich man. Pray for this situation with us. Enter fasting prayers with us that the Lord who loves justice and mercy will cause a n end to this evil in our midst. 

Living in such hazardous conditions of insecurity have led preachers of the churches to take security measures during the Sunday worship, as well as during the days of the week.  It is prudent to use caution when out on the street evangelizing and when gathered to worship.  In churches where offerings are given to the Lord it is now reasonable to have some form of security. We know that God did not intend or desire this but it is the effect of sin in the world. This is a paradox to our Christian Ministry. Our mission is to openly share Jesus Christ, projecting ourselves openly as servants and as a church, preaching the message of God to the lost that they might know the truth of God and receive the salvation of Jesus Christ; however given the adverse conditions of real dangers that we face it can make us doubt the unknown person as a visitor in our worship meetings. It is very sad to tell you this, but it is a reality. When a visitor appears we have to be wise as serpents yet harmless as doves. Pray for this with us that discernment and wisdom from God will prevail.

There are many other factors that contribute to our economic suffering as a nation,and also within the Church. We as national missionaries are victims of all of these sad life conditions. Unemployment prevails in El Salvador and statistically 57% of the population with work capacity do not have any employment. This factor contributes to the increase in crime and is a grave socio-economic problem. In addition, since 1 January 2001, the President of the  El Salvador at this time decided to dollarize our economy. In other words he chose to enter the US dollar, as "our national currency", which made the basic basket of daily food, increase significantly in cost. The US dollar is an expensive currency and time has proven that the nation of El Salvador cannot live at the level of that currency. Everyone here says we won at Colon  (antique coin) but we spend $ as if we win them at and equal rate as the people who live in the United States. It is also notable to point out that the churches to whom we preach are a very poor Churches. Within the membership there are many older people whom we must help with a bread ration monthly.

Coupled with these real and serious difficulties at the beginning of the year 2010 we as a missionary family totally lost our monthly support. Our supporting church of many years "decided to do something different" and our monthly ministry support suddenly dried up.

Our brother Wayne Gaines, Founder/Director at Mighty 300 Ministries has reached out to us to encourage us into 100% faith based ministry. We have known brother Wayne for many years and our family's were all blessed during the dual earthquakes in El Salvador to work together serving, rebuilding and helping the needy of El Salvador. Wayne was with us and was caught up in the second 6.6 earthquake where we all learned yet again to live by 100% faith is pleasing to God. As part of the M300 Ministries Valiant Warrior ministry we have an account on E-giving where you can be a blessing to our family and our ongoing ministry.

We are now living by 100% faith in the goodness of people who are willing to show us his love by their donations. Many times we do not have a  single dollar to live or to work with and this is the case at the time of this writing. In spite of everything, we have not stopped preach ing the Word of God. We have not been stopped by these economic constraints. We were not stopped during the El Salvador civil war during those twelve years years of death and violence, we continue teaching the message of salvation, the message of our Lord Jesus Christ risen, who lives forever and who gives the Eternal Life. That’s our strong conviction of 100% faith.

We dread having to expose to you our reality of life, economically speaking. We do this only in order that you might consider and take our needs into your prayers and into your giving. Our financial burden is a very pressing consciousness; if you are at your fingertips, we beg you to open yours hearts to us.  When you give to us and to this ministry your willingness of mind and heart should be that you will be contributing to the risen Christ and supporting preaching of a risen Lord in this nation of El Salvador. Our desire is that God touches your heart deeply making it much more vigorously in tune with our own sufferings. Your help will give us the ability to create a much stronger outreach and to see many more souls delivered. into God's kingdom.  God lead and bless your efforts and decisions!

Because Christ is Alive!

Alexander y Silvia Castellanos

35 Year Veteran Misionaries

El Salvador, Central America

alexsil@telesal.net