Gathered to be Scattered (for God's glory)

This past week I have been reminded of a saying that my dad would always used to say after every Campfires for Christ camp trip that we had, that is the Lord "gathers us to scatter us."
He calls us to be edified together and have our gifts stirred up and to encourage the body then sends us out to our mission field, whether that be our school, work, home or the more obvious far away countries to spread the truth of His gospel.

I have been able to see many Christian brothers and sisters who are subsequently going out to be scattered in the fields that God is setting before them. I myself will be moving, Lord willing, to another field by the end of and beginning of next year and am thankful for the recent gatherings that I have been able to participate and be encouraged in. The Lord is faithful to help prepare us for whatever work He has laid before us. For this I am thankful, for this I know that I don't need to worry, for this in part of the whole is why I love my God. Jeremiah 29:11.

I encourage you brother or sister to live in surrender to the Lord because He is worth living for.
It won't always seem the easiest but it is the best.

Reflections.

I am so thankful for this verse: Philippians 2:13
"for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure."

I fail. But He does not.
He wants to have me do that which pleases Him and even provides for the motivation to do so.
How awesome is that, all we have to do is believe in Him to do what He promises.

Psalms 61:2
"From the end of the earth I will cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I."

I have recently found myself overwhelmed.
Though it is quite humbling to say, growing up is tough.
But with my Lord who is my rock who is higher than I He will uphold me.

I thank the Lord pretty much daily for His unmerited favor towards me.
That concept seems so far from so many people's minds considering that
we are "supposed" to earn another person's love.
But who loves someone who hasn't "earned" their love in any way at all possible?
My God that is who.

I want my life to exude Christ. I want those springs of living water to overflow.
I want to be as perfect of a reflection of Christ as is earthly possible.

"A heart may be divided and not broken, and it may be broken but not divided; and yet again it may be broken and be whole, yet it never can be whole until it is broken."- C. H. Spurgeon

Sometimes I think public humiliation is good because it is just making the apparent position we should always have before God more apparent, just a thought. ( you probably could not tell that i embarrass myself a lot ^_^)

Well I praise the Father who has given us His Son to restore us to a relationship with Him then give us the Holy Spirit who helps us walk in the way we should.

What a good Father we have. Rejoice! We have been rescued forgiven and pulled from the grave!

Holy Matrimony:An Addition to the Amargo Clan

Ivan and Shannon got married this past Saturday, October 9, 2010. We are so blessed to have another Amargo in the family ;)

It's been amazing growing up with my siblings and seeing each of us draw closer to the Lord in our own lives. The Lord certainly has magnificent plans for those who trust in Him. Jer. 29:11

Everyone had an amazing time. I was pleasantly surprised at how smoothly the ceremony went, not to mention how fun ceremony and reception were. They definitely put their personalities in their wedding. From the Darth Vader Groom's entrance and the light saber first dance to their pictures which they took themselves as favors and every little detail in between.

It was a blessing.

May the Lord continue to, lead, guide, and direct them in the path He has set before them as one flesh serving, loving, and glorifying the Lord.

Worship Night August 21, 2010

This past Saturday we had our first Worship night with the youth groups of Calvary Chapel Bible Fellowship. We are hoping that it will happen at least once a month. I had the opportunity to help lead worship alongside my cousins, Gaddiel
(taller vocalist) , Luke (vocalist with glasses), and my brother Izak (not pictured, on the drums in the back) as well as the bassist Jessie and our lead guitarist Luke Richardson. The exciting thing about singing worship together to the Lord and is that not only are you singing with family your singing to the Eternal God with your eternal family. Pretty awesome to say the least.

There were actually four of us different teams that lead in succession with different teams Ed, Ernie, Art, and myself. It was a wonderful time. It was amazing how God pulled it all together.

I pray that we always worship the Lord in spirit and in truth John 4. Photo Credits: Top two: taken by Tanner Yates; bottom: taken by Micaela Hildebrand

The Name of Jesus 2010

I had the opportunity to go up to Green Valley Calvary Chapel Camp Ground a second time this summer. Yet, this time it was with my home church in Temecula: CC Bible Fellowship. I went as a counselor. It was a blessing the Lord was showing me a different or rather revealing to me a wider spectrum of what He is doing especially in the area of growth in and in walking with Him. Another sweet blessing was that there were 5 of us cousins at this camp. It is sweet to know that your blood relatives seeks the Lord. It makes the family bonds ground much deeper because they are rooted in Christ. The title of the camp was "The Name of Jesus." We had wonderful men of God guest speak during our morning and evening sessions yet I believe that many would agree with me that not much else besides the Word of God can do justice to the person and name of Jesus.

Summer Camp 2010 with St. George +

Izak and I went to camp with my brother's youth group and other youth groups from Arizona. I was mostly apart of helping out in whatever ways I could, like cleaning up to helping lead worship and also being leader/counselor.

The main focus or theme of the camp was entitled Organic: Rooted and Grounded in Love. The camp verse was Ephesians 3:17. The difference that I saw in this camp, that made it the best summer camp that I have ever been to, was that there was a realness to it. because often times as i have seen it become and I'm sure a few can vouch for the same that camp can be come a bit of a show. The name of the camp was appropriate in that we should as believers understand that the church is not something mechanic it is very much organic. Along with the fact that as Christians there is the elements of simplicity, sincerity, rawness, and realness that we should have. The worship and the devos were great and the teachings were awesome and refreshing. The Lord was doing a real work in the kids' lives because of the real Christ centered fellowship most of them got to see. There is so much more to say but all there is left to do is give glory to the Lord for changing and transforming lives and giving us such a beautiful hope in Christ Jesus.

CCBC Graduation: Murrieta Version

It has been about a month since the actual event but it is worth blogging. Faith and I graduated from the Bible college with our Associates in Theology along with my siblings, Ivan and Iza, who received their B.A. and walked with us. In the list of students two filipino familys (the Abads and Amargos) all walked to begin with and sitting right next to us was Sosimo. It was a good ceremony. s.God has been good to keep us walking with Him seeing that He is truly faithful in every generation with saving my parents, with bringing us up in the Word and giving us the desire to know more about Him through His Word that we might be thoroughly equipped for every good work. photo credit: 1st pic my self, 2nd & 3rd Ray Abad