Ryan and Lisa Worley Ministry, Moments, and Memories in Mexico Westminster Wednesday
It’s now time for Westminster Wednesday….enjoy!!!
Question – “Is there more than one God?”
This week’s question is another great one that drives at the heart of a persons, or peoples, belief system. Is there more than one God is a fundamental question that lies at the center of our worldview/core beliefs, and history is riddled with societies that answered that question with multiple ideas. Our culture today would answer that question with a resounding, “God is dead, and we have replaced him with ourselves.” However, the reality and truth of God is not so easily side-stepped, and our culture still has to answer to the God who through the whirlwind replied to Job in the book that bares his name, in Chapter 38:2-4 with;
“Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Now gird up your loins like a man, and I will ask you, and you instruct Me!
Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth! Tell Me, if you have understanding.”
And in Isaiah 45:5a God says;
“I am the Lord, and there is no other; Besides Me there is no God.”
Truth is truth, regardless of those who believe it or not, and having a correct understanding of God, and who He is, is vital for us as believers. Therefore, let us daily come to the source of Truth (which is the Word of God) and seek to be, “transformed through the renewing of our minds.” as Paul stated in Romans 12:2.
Answer – “There is only one, the true and living God.”
Thanks for visiting, and have a great day.
For His Glory and By His Grace
Ryan
Monday Moments
A moment in time!
This picture was taking in Colorado, this past summer, shortly before we arrived in Waukesha.
Weekly Weekend Update
Weekends here in Mexico, as in most cultures I would assume, are times of increased activity and getting together. Parties, informal and formal, are everywhere, and sometimes they land in your neighborhood, and sometimes they don’t. Thankfully, we live in a more tranquil neighborhood, and parties are typically few and far between. However, this past weekend brought two parties to our block, one of which was a karaoke blast, and the other one, just a simple “grill-out” with friends, and music. Neither of these affected us greatly, but the sound of bad singing and bar-be-que filled the air! 
Beyond the parties, this past weekend was filled with a flurry of activity, as every day brought something new to do, and or prepare for. Here is a brief breakdown of what was going on with us, this past weekend.
Friday Evening
Recently our church’s weekly Bible study was changed from Thursday night, to Friday, thus allowing more people to make it, because it is the start of the weekend. This past weekend, we showed up around 8 p.m., and got home around 11! We are working our way through the book of Philippians, and have almost finished it, and we had the opportunity to celebrate 3 birthdays! Below are just a few pics from our night.
We are just hanging out before the Bible study starts.
Greeting and talking, as more people arrive and we get ready to start.
And of course the kids always have fun at the studies as well.
Saturday
Saturday morning, and on into the early part of the afternoon, found Lisa cooking in the kitchen, as she prepared a meal for the Nahuatl tribal team, which consist of (Dan, Sarah and Josiah Alkire, Rachel Chapman, Katie Moore, and Tom and Teresa Elkins). After she got it prepared and ready, we headed over to where they were staying and enjoyed fellowshipping with them for about 4 hours. Once we arrived home, it was time for the kids to go to bed, and Lisa and myself were able to relax.
Sunday
Sunday was church day, and we love our church here in Mexico. The church is a Calvary Chapel plant, that has been around for about 1 1/2 years, and although the time has been short, the Lord has really blessed the growth of the church. About 6 months ago, or so, when we started coming, the regular attendance of the church was around 15 people. Now, on a given Sunday, we usually will have somewhere between 40 – 60 adults, with another 15-30 children. It’s awesome to see the Lord at work, here in Durango Mexico.
Capilla Calvario - Durango, Durango Mexico
For His Glory and By His Grace
Ryan
Westminster Wednesday
Week 4, of our Westminster Wednesday, is now here, and so let us get right to the point!
Question 4 – “What is God?”
Intrinsically tied to that question’s answer, for the answerer, is a peek into the depths of their soul, and belief system. “What is God?”, or “Who is God?”, are questions that strike at the foundations of our belief system. A.W. Tozer in his book, “The knowledge of the Holy” said;
“A right conception of God is basic not only to systematic theology but to practical Christian living as well. It is to worship what the foundation is to the temple; where it is inadequate or out of plumb the whole structure must sooner or later collapse. I believe there is scarcely an error in doctrine or a failure in applying Christian ethics that cannot be traced finally to imperfect and ignoble thoughts about God.”
The answers, that one would receive in response to this question, are many and varied, but we don’t form theology by consensus. If we want to form a solid foundation of theological truth, we must turn to the only source of that truth, the Bible.
So as we move towards the answer to week 4′s question, and seek to form theological thoughts about God that are accurate and worthy of Him, let the words of A.W. Tozer ring out again.
“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”
Answer – “God is a spirit, Whose being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth are infinite, eternal, and unchangeable.”
Thanks for stopping by. Have a great day, and take care.
For His Glory and By His Grace
Ryan
Monday Memory
It’s fun when you can capture a moment in time like this, and we are happy to share it with you. Enjoy!
For His Glory and By His Grace
Ryan
Weekly Weekend Update – Times are Changing
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord.
As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Isaiah 55:8–9
The truth embedded in the verses above, is amazing. On the one hand, there are moments in our lives, when it is very frustrating to try and figure out what the Lord is up to, but on the other hand, there are moments, when it is incredibly freeing. As humans, it’s hard to come to that point where we surrender our plans and thoughts, and through faith walk boldly into the uncertainty of the future. However, when we finally do let go of our ideas, and plans, and step back and look, we realize that we were right where God wanted us, all the time. Paul, in Romans 8:28, said;
“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.”
As March draws to a close, we find our ministry of dorming the children of a missionary family, the Fergusons, coming to a close as well. There are many contributing factors that lead both of our families to the conclusion that this ministry is no longer needed. One of the main reasons is the drug related violence here in Mexico, that makes security issues a constant concern. We are thankful for the opportunities that we have had to be apart of their lives, and ministry, here in Durango.
As we look to the future, and what the Lord has for us, we are excited to see where the Lord will take us. We don’t know where we will be, or what we will be doing, but there is peace in the journey as we look to God for His ways, and His thoughts.
As we close this update, our prayer is the prayer of Paul’s in Ephesians 1:1720;
“We are asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.
We pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the wonderful future he has promised to those he called.
We want you to realize what a rich and glorious inheritance he has given to his people.
We pray that you will begin to understand the incredible greatness of his power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.”
May our days be filled with the passionate pursuit of Jesus, as we continue to discover that He is our all in all!
For His Glory and By His Grace
Ryan
Westminster Wednesday
Wednesday is upon us again, and it is now time for the third question in the Westminster Shorter Catechism.
Question 3 – “What does the Bible primarily teach?”
The first chapter of A.W. Tozer’s book, “The Knowledge of the Holy”, is entitled, “Why we must think rightly about God”, and part way through that chapter he says this;
“Let us beware lest we in our pride accept the erroneous notion that idolatry consists only in kneeling before visible objects of adoration, and that civilized peoples are free from it. The essence of idolatry is the entertainment of thoughts about God that are unworthy of Him.”
Some of you may be asking, “Now why the quote”, and it is because it strikes at the very heart of question 3. When we allow ourselves to entertain thoughts about God that are unworthy of Him, we have inadvertently caused ourselves to worship an idol forged in the depths of our minds. I believe that is one of the reasons why Paul, in Romans 12:2 stated;
“…And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
How are we transformed by the renewing of our minds? By coming to the Word of God, and allowing the Holy Spirit to lead us into truth, and use it in our lives. It is through the Bible, that God has chosen to reveal Himself, and what He is like, and it is through the Bible that we come to an accurate understanding of who God is.
So, have you come up with the answer to week 3′s question? I’m sure you already knew what it was, but it is always good to remind ourselves of those subtle truths, that help form the foundation of why we believe what we believe. Here is the answer;
Answer – “The Bible primarily teaches what man must believe about God and what God requires of man.”
Thanks for stopping by and visiting us. See ya next time!
For His Glory and By His Grace
Ryan
Monday Moments
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then these photos are going to leave you speechless. Enjoy!
Samuel The Super Baby
Samuel The Super Baby
Samuel The Super Baby
Samuel dove into the dress up world the other day, and this is how he came out!
Thanks for stopping by!
For His Glory and By His Grace
Ryan
Weekly Weekend Update
This past weekend seemed to come and go with incredible speed, and if truth be told, it’s now Monday, as I write this!
This weekend brought the arrival of Caleb’s birthday! That’s right, this past weekend we celebrated his 6th birthday. 6 years old! Wow, where does the time go?
Getting so old!
Caleb, with one of his presents!
Caleb and Samuel
Samuel loves his brother, as does Caleb, but I think in this picture, Samuel might love the mixing whisk more!
Eliana and Caleb
Eliana and Caleb are the best of buds, and they love spending almost every hour with each other. It’s hard to believe how fast they are growing up! 
Thanks for dropping by, and see ya next time!
For His Glory and By His Grace
Ryan
Westminster Wednesday
Another week has come and gone, and Westminster Wednesday is upon us. Let us now look at the second question from The Westminster Shorter Catechism.
Question 2 – “What authority from God directs us how to glorify and enjoy Him?”
What do you think of, when you think of the word “authority”? To have “authority”, is to have the right to command or to act. It’s to have power; rule; or sway. It’s a powerful word, and when used, people take notice. You can guarantee when Jesus used that word in Matthew 28:18, that the disciples sat up and took notice. Jesus said;
“…”All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.”
Wow! What a powerful truth, when you sit there and think about it.
So, when you think about our second question, what comes to mind? TV? Internet? Church? Pastors? Priest? Elders? Ourselves? Now I know you probably already figured it out, but here is the answer to our week 2 question.
Answer – “The only authority for glorifying and enjoying Him is the Bible, which is the word of God and is made up of the Old and New Testaments.”
Did you guess right? I’m sure that you did, but the Bible isn’t only “the authority for glorifying and enjoying Him.” it’s also a very important tool that God uses to help equip us for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says;
“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”
Thanks for visiting, and may our lives be filled with the desire to glorify and enjoy God here on this earth, and forever more.
For His Glory and By His Grace
Ryan