Last week the Children of Hope staff from Canada came to Mexico and hosted a retreat for all the volunteers of Pan de Vida and Dulce Refugio Orphanages. This year our guest speaker was Pastor Tim Klassen of Abbotsford, British Columbia.
Pastor Tim started the sessions with scripture from 1 Thessalonians 5:9-11 stating that we are encouraged and equipped to walk with God. He then gave us short and to the point questions asking How close are we to God, why and what are we going to do it about it? This caused us all to look deep within ourselves and where we are in our journey.
We then moved into 4 disciplines on how to improve our relationship with God. Discipline #1 is turning our affection from other things and learning to preach the gospel to ourselves. He went on to ask us Idol indicating questions. It is scary how much more time we can put on other things that really are not important in the grand realm of things. We need to really believe God's love for us and His sacrifice to come and fully restore us through with the presence of His Holy Spirit and a personal relationship with Him.
Discipline #2 was about Cultivating Humility. We need to acknowledge our need for God, express gratitude, be active in the Word and prayer. We also need to examine our relationships, cast our cares upon Jesus, reflect on our days and always rest. This helps us become consistent in our behavior and receive the positive affirmation of God's Love.
Discipline #3 focused on rest. We can get so busy doing and often it can be in service to Jesus but then we never take time for Him. We must rest in Him. The Discipline #4 focused on Prayer and the way we show our dependence on God.
During these sessions Pastor Tim gave us time to have personal reflection in our current relationship with Jesus and really evaluate the questions we had been asked. We also prayed corporately and he emphasized on the need for us to always pray personally with Jesus. I cannot express how much all of these sessions over the 3 days refreshed us and confronted us with our need to have more of Jesus in our lives and to feel his presence within us.
I am thankful that Children of Hope provided us with this ministry to come together and encourage one another through intimacy with Jesus and fellowship with one another. Now the hard part begins with putting the disciplines into action. We were reminded that we will only get out of a relationship what we are willing to put into it. So if we take time away from the unnecessary things that can only distract us and shift it to focusing on Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross, we will feel His Holy Spirit and know He truly loves us!!
1 Thessalonians 5:9-11 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
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