Cornerstone Christian Center
Cornerstone Christian Center
Will You Go To The Other Side? | Kingdom Builders | Week 1
When Pastor Alberto Sosa recounts his experience of church planting in the face of adversity across the Middle East and North Africa, you can't help but feel the weight of his words. His tales of resilience and faith in God, despite being expelled from multiple countries, underscore the tenacity and dedication at the heart of missions work. Join us as we journey through narratives of courage and unwavering spirit, embracing the church's calling to spread the gospel and support the profound work of over 40 missionaries and ministries each month.
The echoes of war often bring stories of despair, but here, they reveal a beacon of hope and divine intervention. In a deeply personal account, Pastor Alberto shares the gripping tale of his family's perilous escape from the Sudanese civil war, a testament to the power of faith and the kindness of strangers. As he navigated the treacherous path to safety, the narrative becomes a reminder of the strength found in community and prayer, and how these elements can steer us through life's most daunting challenges.
Our episode concludes with a remarkable story of healing that transcends the barriers of culture and religion. Muhammad's miraculous recovery from a debilitating condition, thanks to a mix of physiotherapy and the power of prayer in Jesus's name, opens the door to an incredible transformation within his conservative community. The birth of underground home churches and the acceptance of the gospel in unlikely places is a testament to the life-changing impact of faith in action—a reminder that answering Jesus's call can lead to salvation and transformation far beyond what we can imagine.
Cornerstone
https://www.cornerstoneaz.org/
Follow Jesus
https://www.cornerstoneaz.org/follow-...
Life Groups
https://www.cornerstoneaz.org/life-gr...
Giving
https://cornerstoneaz.churchcenter.co...
Church Center App - Download then add Cornerstone Christian Center in Avondale, AZ
iOS
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/my-ch...
Android
https://play.google.com/store/apps/de...
----
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/cornerstoneaz
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/cornerstonea...
Twitter
https://twitter.com/cornerstoneaz.org
Amen. Well, hey, we're so glad you're with us this morning here at Cornerstone. My name is Jay and it's just a blessing to be with you. Celeste and I have a great opportunity of leading here at this church, and we have an amazing team of people that just love God and want to be more like Jesus. How many people know what I'm talking about? And that's our ambition together. We have this time that's set apart in this season. We're moving it from the end of the year, where we normally do it, to the spring time to focus on missions and our ambition to be a light to the world and to be those that partner with others so they may know the love of Jesus Christ, amen. So who we are here at Cornerstone is that we are people that love God, we make disciples and we reach the world, and it's in that last piece that we want to be active together. We see that each one of us could do something, but collectively we could do so much more. So we're able to partner with over 40 missionaries and ministries every month and partner with them so that they can move forward, being the light of the gospel everywhere they go. Isn't that amazing? We're so very thankful for that. Thank you for giving to Kingdom Builders, thank you for participating in that way.
Speaker 1:We have an amazing opportunity today to hear from one of our missionary heroes. They are a family that comes from Paraguay. They left Paraguay in a great, strong church to go and leave all everything behind to head to the Middle East, north Africa, arab Gulf region. As a result, they have been obedient to God in planting the church, in discipling people, in being a light in the darkness. They've been someone that, even though they've been kicked from several countries, they didn't go home, they didn't give up. They kept obedient to God and say, yes, god, I'll keep going, I'll keep on being someone who loves and is an example of your love to other people. Isn't that amazing? And so today I want you to honor and welcome with me Pastor Alberto Sosa as he comes to share with us today.
Speaker 2:Thank you brother, appreciate it very much. Thank you, good morning. It's an honor for me to be in front of you Greetings from my family and I have to say thank you Before I started anything. When the Sudan conflict started, I just talked with Pastor Jay and right away you guys have been praying for us, holding us in prayers, and sometimes people say you guys are the one that's going in the front line. But let me correct this we aren't. You are the one, because you are the one that sends the prayers and holds us in prayers, and I think we're doing this one for the kingdom. Thank you guys, thank you each one of you. I probably will not cross by your place and not give you a hug or shaking hands, but please, from here, receive my greetings for me and my family. Thank you, appreciate it very much. We are from Paraguay. Probably you doubt about my accent. I'm British or something like this. No, I am Paraguay, from Paraguay, working in the field.
Speaker 2:Several years have been kicking out from several countries, always 24, 48 hours to leave the country. I served with Pastor Jade in Alexandria, pastor Jay and Pastor Celeste in Alexandria. He worked as the pastor of the International Church. We have a church planting the synergy that we created was beautiful. A lot of fruit there, so praise the Lord for this. Yeah, last situation in Sudan was quite a challenge Because when Pastor Jay went in end of January to visit us, when Pastor Jay went in end of January to visit us, actually he went there for the first Sudan Assemblies of God retreat for pastors and leaders. So he went there to preach and teach to our pastors and leaders there. Praise the Lord, because we registered Assemblies of God in a Muslim country. Praise the Lord, this is another miracle. In another time, in another time, in another time, when I coming back, I will share with you those small pieces how the Lord putting together this kind of thing. One of the miracles is just we registered this one. Pastor Jay went there to preach and then in one of the off days he told meberto, how about if we go in and dive there? We went there, we searched for an agency. We met the head of the agency to dive, um, and we met I'll change the name here a little bit and we met muhammad. So muhammad was a sharp guy, is a master diver. He's top one on the country. We didn't know that. He's the guy that's doing well under the sea, in a very, very deep part of the sea, right. But anyway, we met him, we agreed to go and to dive with him and we from the beginning Pastor Jay and myself we say we are priests, priests of churches, and he say I am Moslem, and we got a very good conversation. He's sharp. As I say, he just formed, he was forming outside Sudan Very good English. So we just started a relationship, a good relationship, a friend relationship there. So we just started a relationship, a good relationship, a friend relationship there. So keep this point on note and later we'll put together the whole story.
Speaker 2:So days before the conflict started in Sudan, I received three pastors from Arkansas. So the date of the conflict we agreed to have a breakfast early in the morning at those pastors' hotel. My family stayed at home. Actually, from the hotel to my home was like five miles or so, maybe more, maybe less. So my two daughters, zoe and Anabela, and my wife Diana, they were there at home.
Speaker 2:So far the conflict started because I tried to get the meeting with the pastor finished. I tried to go and get my car the track and then a big bombing started, a big noise, abnormal noise. But so I checked my phone. My wife called me 20 times. The pastors, leaders and the and the, the lawyer called me as well. So I checked as you would check if your wife called you, you would check first. Hurt, right. So I did it. I checked and my wife said please do not cross to the other side. So if Sudan is here, khartoum, the capital is on the center, around the capital is there is the Riva Night. So if you cross to the other side, that is it's so difficult if you cross to the other side there's conflict. So my wife said do not cross to the other side, just stay there. And I said it's going to be just last for a date or so and they will be back, but that last until now still fighting there in Sudan.
Speaker 2:By that time we separate from each other 10 days. So ourself in the hotel, my wife and my family in my home but there's a point family was my family or our house. Location was maybe half a mile from my home was the headquarter of the rebel. So the civil war was between the military and the rebels. So the rebel headquarter was very near to my home. So what it means the headquarter was very near to my home. So what it means the military just bombing 24-7 there, 24-7 there.
Speaker 2:A lot, the shaking, the shaking of the house was terrible and one occasion I called my family. I said how you guys doing, now we just scale, how heavy was that? Right away, drop a bomb and shake the whole house. My youngest daughter said man, that was 10, that 10 number, 10 in scale, that shaking the whole house anyway, 10 days separate from each other. Nobody can get their private companies, some people that can try to go and get my family out of this red zone or difficult part of the town. Nobody can get them out.
Speaker 2:So we start praying with my wife and we say we have to figure out the way that you guys can leave. So we start praying. Since the first day, since the seven days and then the 10 days, arrived the confirmation of the Lord In a beautiful and magnificent way that only the Lord can do it, as you receive sometimes right, it's like the word of the Lord just shines on them in a beautiful way. So they decided to leave the house. They called me early in the morning day, number 10, april 25. That was amazing the way that they confirmed. So they try to get the house early. They couldn't because the fight was very heavy in front of the house Mid-morning like at 10, impossible by 1, 1231, they decide to leave.
Speaker 2:So my wife was about to open the gate and then she stopped for a second and turned to my daughters and they say my two daughters over there, myself, the beautiful guy there, the handsome guy, my wife and my two daughters, and she's Isela, our team member. So my wife just turned to my daughter and said Lord, what I'm doing here, I trust in you and I don't know what's going to happen there, because just days before, days before, a news came from the headquarter here in the state, intel told me their rebels are abusing women on the street, whatever they find, and they're getting into a house, a looted house. But in one occasion I remember I shared with my wife and I said and if that happened, happened, diana, you have to grab money, embrace the situation with the soldier and just hide our daughters. So right away, after half an hour, somebody knocked the door, shaking the door, and then right away, Diana went, zoe, my other daughter, she just took my youngest and put it in a hiding place. But I, just Zoe Annabella, the youngest one, ran over Diana and say please, ma'am, do not go there, they will hurt you, they will kill you and so on, so on. Then Zoe brought again my daughters and they just hiding.
Speaker 2:The conversation was five minutes that my wife got with the guard downstairs. I live in a house of two floors, so that was just five minutes. But stop there and think about my daughters, 18 years old, 11 years old. Five minutes of wondering what's going to happen if mom died. That was difficult, but anyway, the news came. They leave, the confirmation came, they leave the house with then this point on their head what's going to happen to my daughters, what we're going to do if somebody just died on the street.
Speaker 2:They start walking. They walk 100 meters, 200 meters, and then a soldier approached them and said you cannot be in the street under this circumstance. It's so dangerous for you to walk. And Diana said I have to go to the embassy, because earlier I talked with the ambassador of an embassy close to my home, like two miles from my home. Anyway, diana said to the soldier I have to go to this embassy in order to have refuge there and they have everything that I need because I don't have water and food in my home. And then the soldier said but it's dangerous for you, you cannot be in the street, so wait for me here, he say. He went and took his gun, put on his shoulder and start walking with it.
Speaker 2:Since that time nobody bothered my family. So they crossed checkpoints and soldiers around, nobody look at my family because this angel dressing as a soldiers, as a soldier, was walking with them. This is the way of the lord doing things, so and this is the lord that we are serving. This is a beautiful point. This is the lord that you and me we serve, the same lord, the same jesus anyway. So the end arrived at the embassy, everything was okay.
Speaker 2:The soldiers left then and a worse thing happened. The embassy left. They stayed there by themselves, nobody around, just soldiers and guns around, people just shooting each other. It was so difficult. So Diana was right in front of the embassy and nobody there. I tried to call her. Diana told me that's. When I called to the ambassador, the ambassador said Alberto, I'm sorry, we have to let we. We left because, because the situation was so difficult, that was, that was. That was very, very down time for my, for my family.
Speaker 2:Anyway, I said Diana, you have to walk eight kilometers south in order to meet me, because same time when they left, I left the hotel and there was a safe place named and a place named the hotel Al Salama Hotel. So that was the gathering point. So I told her I'm getting there, so just walk. And Diana told me I will not walk. Alberto, I don't have strength. We barely eat. I have flu, zoe have something on the stomach. We can't walk, we don't have the strength to walk.
Speaker 2:It was 2 pm. By 6 pm everything is dark in Sudan and walking on the dark in Sudan is committed suicide. That was the situation. Diana said I will not return home because we don't have anything there. And I is. It is a worst time to have a discussion with your wife in the middle of the war. So I just got the communication and I started trying to find a way.
Speaker 2:Meanwhile Diana was sitting in front of the embassy, from one of the streets just appearing, four soldiers walking in front of them, just greeting them. And then they came back after a while again and they brought two bags, plastic bags. What was in the plastic bag? Guess, two liters of water, fresh water, pack of dates. You know that you can survive in the desert with three days per day. It's enough carb and sugar for you to function. And then cookies and sugar. One of my daughters said it wasn't a sugar, it wasn't a juice, it was a sugar with color, it was pure sugar, and that was enough for them to just get up from this moment. And they start walking. So I call again Diana and Diana told me Alberto, do not call me anymore. We're walking towards you.
Speaker 2:And that's a difficult point for me, me being in a place I not can help it. I try to get into the town. They start shooting at me as well. So you cannot do anything for your family. But the Lord spoke to my heart and said hey, hey, hey, it's your wife, it's your daughter, but above everything, they are my daughters. They are my daughters. This is the time. It was a broken time for me and, males of the room, you understand me that you cannot do anything for all. You will do everything for your family, but when you can't do anything, it's when you have to trust in the Lord.
Speaker 2:So they start walking, they start moving from the embassy towards eight kilometers. Eight kilometers in two hours. That's a challenge. So they have to walk toward where I was waiting for them. So they start walking 100 meter, 200 meter, and then suddenly a group of soldiers stop then and say come here. Say you cannot walk by here, it's so dangerous, why are you walking? Same explanation no food. Come here, say you cannot walk by here, it's so dangerous, why are you walking? Same explanation no food, no water.
Speaker 2:Right in that time a truck stopped on Diana's back, so she turned. Who was on the truck? The angel, the soldier, same soldier. And say mama, what are you doing here? You cannot be in the street. I told you that it's dangerous, you cannot be in the street. I told you that it's dangerous, you cannot be there. And he just quiet. The other one Say just quiet, quiet. I know them, they are my friends. Go away there, Say to Diana my daughters, and they start discussing how they're going to help my family. Yeah, amazing.
Speaker 2:So the conversation of those soldiers that happened, that was in one hour. They didn't make anything. Diana, my daughter is just waiting there. Darks came, they cannot walk. Diana became very anxious there. One hour and 15 minutes, darks start coming, nothing happened. And then Diana go and embrace another conversation with the angels, right With the angels, and say we have to move. We have to go. And the angels again say the soldiers say no, you cannot do it, they're going to shoot you, they're going to kill you. You don't want to be there. We will find a way to help you.
Speaker 2:They return to the corner when they have been waiting and then suddenly appear an armored car, a Land Cruiser, armored car, black, with an armored car. A Land Cruiser, armored car, black, with a score of 10 soldiers with a big gun on the top. They just stopped in front of Diana. A guy, a high rank, left the car, greeted Diana very gently in the perfect English, same as my English. Say him Mom, I heard your situation, I'm coming here to help you, please. He opened the door and they jumped on the car Armor car, with a track as a score, ten soldiers Literally I saw that one, because later I would tell you how I saw that With a big gun on the top. So one, one soldier was holding a gun standing and another 10 around sitting on the back, in the back seat, in the back and the back and the back of the of the track.
Speaker 2:Now, a long walk with many checkpoints. That can be like at three hours they made in 15 minutes. Darkness not surrounding that. It's not beautiful. Oh, lord, it's the same lord that we serve. Now take away point. When we are in the will of lord, right in the center, no matter, no matter situation that surrounded you or me, or my family or your family, it would not happen anything. Let me tell you this is the story that the Lord provided the armored car in order that His promise, his promise, didn't happen right at this time. They jumped, they arrived. They jump on the armored car. They arrive in the hotel.
Speaker 2:I was waiting for them in front of the main street dealing with some guys that I tried to convince him to drive us outside of town, but suddenly they just came. You know those guys, they're not driving one mile per hour, they drive in a small street like 40 miles per hour. They just got inside of the hotel it erupted and then everybody just turned in and said what do you want? They are the ones that are killing people. Anyway, I said I don't care, I will try to convince this guy that take me to the other side when my wife is coming and I continue talking, getting the conversation on with the guy there, and I get back to the hotel and then I turn because the driver told me someone is waiting for you, is asking for you. So I turn and I saw my two ladies, my two daughters, just running across to the garden and I went and met them, I kissed them like never before and we just met them and then the first thing that my daughter, my youngest daughter, would say is we made it with Jesus, we made it with Jesus, we made it with Jesus. And then my uh, my first baby say our Jesus made our enemies in front of our enemies, invisible. Jesus, jesus is good. And that's coming the most excited part of the story because we move from there.
Speaker 2:The next day early in the morning we went to poor Sudan was a port from Sudan that we would try to Leave the country, going to the other side that is Saudi Arabia. It's funny because we moved from Sudan to Saudi Arabia, but anyway was a safer place. So those three pastors, they have many contacts in the country. They try to move contact, try to bring some airplanes. Nothing was working. The airport where Jay was landing in Sudan, it's destroyed, nothing. Nobody can move from the country, just by the sea. So we got a news that Saudi bought a ship taking people to Saudi. That was our plan, but any of those influenced people can help us. We almost arrived in Port Sudan and those three guys told me Alberto, do you have any friends in Port Sudan that we can refer to and see if they can help us? And I got just one friend. Who was that friend? The diver. The diver that we met in January with Pastor Jay. He is the one that helped us to get to there and find a solution there. So they take away point.
Speaker 2:Sometimes you don't know what you're doing, you don't know the situation that's surrounding around your life. But let me tell you, every single thing that you're doing is under God's control. You never know what you're doing right now. You never. You not understand, maybe, what you're doing or where you gonna, how it gonna end it up, but let me tell you, as this story, pastor jay went there and preached to our, to our pastor, and teach our pastor. But so far, because this trip I met muhammad and he's the one that helped us to leave the country. The. The Lord is good Because we arrived there where Mohammed was there, where Mohammed was just waiting for us.
Speaker 2:We went to the place where they're making a lease in order to leave the country by the bottle ship. When we arrived, there was 3,000 people just mashing each other trying to get out, trying to put their names on the list. That was a disaster, completely disaster. Anyway, mohammed came and said Alberto, my helpers cannot longer be helpers. So he stepped away from this. He said but I have a friend that's working in the embassy, let me call her. So he talked with his friend and after one minute or two he came back where we were gathering and he said I got the solution. He said what is the solution? She wanted to talk with the big boss, with the Navy guy. Imagine. I checked around, it was 3,000 people.
Speaker 2:The guy was very grumpy because literally he was grumpy, he was very he's shouting people. And I say we have to go and give him a phone and say somebody want to talk to you. Forget it. I say inside of me. But anyway, mohammed say let's try. Okay, say let's go and try it, we're not losing anything.
Speaker 2:When we turned, literally when we turned, who was in front of us? The naive guy, the decision maker. It's not good. The Lord, he is awesome. So we turned and Mohammed was very fast Because we turned and he phone somebody want to talk to you and he started yelling and say no, I how, I would not answer the phone. Do you think that I am your dog? Or very bad things he say. But at the end, mohammed say you have to answer this phone because he's from United States, the embassy of United States. Okay, give me this one, he said. He started talking two minutes. He came back and said where are your eight American friends? So the reality was just four Americans and four Paraguayans.
Speaker 2:But this guy called the eight American friends and Mohammed said very quickly, he said they are just sitting there. And here's another group Passport. He said very, very mandatory way passport. There's a beautiful part, because what color is your passport? United States passport is blue with a gold stamp. Our passport is blue with a gold stamp. So Mohammed did and that's why he presented four American passports with the gold stamp. So Muhammad did in this way he presented four American passports on the top and four Paraguayan passports on the bottom. And I started shaking when the just try to be in my position. You are there and he says all eight American. And we say we are not American and we anyway. He took the passport, he checked like this first American, he would go. Second American, third American, four American this guy in the Paraguayan. He grabbed the other four, put them over and said eight American leaving tomorrow. Applause wait a minute. You clapping there but I was shaking there.
Speaker 2:The Lord is good. The Lord is good because this guy that we met with Pastor Jay, is the one. He's very bold. He just faced a conversation with the Navy guy. He is great with the, with the, with the navy guy. He is great. We never know who gonna, who's in front of you and where you're going and when you're leading by the lord. You never know. You never know. The lord is good. The lord is good. After the, the conflict in sudan, I hope that I can give you the whole story with detail, but the next time I will give you the details. That is amazing, honestly. Anyway, we left Sudan and after Sudan, we relocated to Kenya. Currently, we're working in Kenya with unreached people group Not a Kenyan unreached people group, it's another country around that I cannot tell you online but working with this unreached people group. So let me share with you a one minute video that will help you to understand a little bit what we're doing over there.
Speaker 3:Most stories start from the beginning, but today this story starts with the end. At the end, the classrooms will be empty. At the end, the children won't be children. At the end, the sick will fall asleep. At the end, there will be no hope. Then I heard the Lord asking Whom should I send as a messenger to these people who will go for us? I said here I am. Send me Now. It's time to start over. But the one who endures to the end will be saved and the good news about the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world so that all nations will hear it. And then the end will come.
Speaker 2:Hallelujah, lord good. A development center located in an area inside Nairobi with more than 350,000 people without zero opportunity of hearing the gospel. This is where we operate at the moment. We have a development center in which we present three main components in order to spread the gospel effectively among those people. We have a clinic that is operating and the need, the medical area need of this area. We have primary school, kindergarten to third grade simultaneously. Next year we'll start growing four, five and six and we have ESL class, english as a second language. But no worries, I'm not teaching English there. It's not my goal. I'm not teaching English there, but I just supervising the school. Is school is doing well, by the way. By the way, we have an amazing opportunity to spread the gospel over there. Just imagine 350,000 people with zero opportunity, surrounded by the beauty of Kenya. But you got into it and you saw how the kids dressing. It's so different Now.
Speaker 2:But the Lord, give us a coin named Sudan and put in our hands what we done with that Amazing thing. With the Lord, amen. We plant the church, we plant four national churches, we have pastors and leaders and now we go into another unreached people group. What will we do with those coins. We will grab those coins and we will. We'll grab this coin and we'll put our in our packet. No, we tried to convert from two to four, six, ten, twelve, because this is the kingdom. We will not hide those coins. We will. We'll make it work for his kingdom, amen.
Speaker 2:And then when you think about sudan, you probably think about Sudan. You can say, but what a waste of money, because there's a lot of funds, a lot of investment you guys done there and many other churches. It's not a waste, not a waste of money, because the money is coming from the Lord. Amen. First, one, second one. We have pastors. We have pastors and leaders. They left the country. At the moment they are in another country, around Sudan, going to the Bible school, ready to be back in Sudan. So now is a big fight in Sudan Continued. But when the door is open, let me tell you this we all go back, we all will go back. Those pastors are ready. So it's not a waste in time, it's not a waste in funds, it's investing of the Lord and the time we got there and the time we plant the seed and the time that we run out from that. But when the door is open again. Again, not just ourself, not our team. We all will go again, because there's a people that praying, there's a people that giving for, in sake of the gospel, amen. Beautiful, the beautiful things that the lord is doing.
Speaker 2:But now let me share with you very quickly what the lord put in my heart, um, in order to go to the Word of God, so open with me your Bible in Matthew 14, 22, 26. Let me tell you. Let me tell you one thing before we go and read this part. Let me tell you one thing before we go and read this part is if, if you come here, if you came here or if you are online, let me tell you is the lord want to tell you something? It's not coming from me. Is the lord that right now is in control, the spirit, is the one that will start putting something in your heart. It's not about a human being. It's the Lord the one that will start talking to your heart. Amen, do you believe this? Amen, you came here for a purpose. Let's go to the Word of God. 14, 22 to 36, matthew 22 says Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat.
Speaker 2:14, 22 to 36,. Matthew 22 say Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side while he dismissed the crowd. And after he had dismissed the crowd he went up to the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came he was there alone. But the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. And in the forewatch of the nine he came to them walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were. They were terrified and said it is a goat. And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said take heart, it is, I Do not be afraid. And Peter answered him Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water. He said come.
Speaker 2:So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to jesus. But when he saw the wind he was afraid, beginning to sing and cried out lord, save me. Jesus immediately reaches out his hands and took hold him of saying to him O you of little faith, why do you doubt? And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased and those on the boat worshipped him, saying Truly you are the Son of God. And when they had crossed over they came to the land of Gennesaret and when the men of the place recognized him, they sent around to all that region and brought to him all who were sick and implored him that they may only touch the finger of his garments. And as many as touched, touch it were, made well, amen. My great question to today, this morning, is why? Why jesus sent to the other side? Or where did jesus send to his disciples? Where he went? The Bible at the beginning says to the other side, go to the other side. But you saw in the Word of God, when they arrived to the other side what happened. The men, the males of the area recognized Jesus and brought the whole people who was in need. But the men of the area put attention on this point. You know, when the Bible is reading something, is writing something, it's not because, just when I say the men of the area, by those times the men of the area represented the owner and the shame, the owner or shame of the area. But in this case the man was the one, the head of the tribe, the head of the family. So they recognize that Jesus is a good stuff coming. Let's bring those people who are in need so they give a chance to Jesus to come and transform the area by his presence.
Speaker 2:I remember very well one story in Sudan my first term in Sudan, 2007, 2013,. I was there Every morning. I got into the English Center again. I'm not a teacher there, I just get in there. I just work with people and I saw always on the side of our center there was sitting on a chair, mr Muhammad. Mr Muhammad, sitting on a chair is not normal in Sudan, because males in Sudan, they're not using chairs, they're just sitting by their legs. Normally. They're sitting by their position for hours. Do not ask me to do this one more than 50 minutes because I cannot get up from there. Try it, you can try it, but it's so difficult. Males are getting around a cup of tea or coffee at 5.30, 6, just to gather around as a social time. Just males sitting by their seat, but Muhammad.
Speaker 2:It was a shame for Muhammad and Muhammad's family that he can't do it Because he got something. He got something he couldn't. He's just sitting on the chair. He got something. He got something he couldn't. He's just sitting on the chair. But one day, when I got back to the next day. When I got back to the center I saw Muhammad's face. He was in a big pain. He was in a big pain and I went and talked to him and I embraced the conversation with him and I told him hey, muhammad, what has happened to you? You are suffering, right? And he told me, yeah, and he just pulled his pant up and his joint was like my head, swelling there, and his leg was like my finger. He lose muscle, he get a big inflammation on his joint in both legs. He lost flexibility on his low back. So he was very he walking like that. Literally that was a big thing.
Speaker 2:Shame for his family, because the male is not in this meeting. The male is not part of the community. You get my point right. So I talk with him and I say I'm a physiotherapist. So I say I'm a physiotherapist, I can help you with some exercise, stretching, and provide some medicine to you. But we want I can help you with one, just one request. I have to pray in the name of Jesus Christ before the session and after the session. And he said I don't care, I just want to be okay, no problem.
Speaker 2:Next day I went back to his home. We started the session Before and after started to pray, doing the exercise First, second, third, fourth, fifth day. Everything was good. The fifth day was different Because I went there, knocked the door, he wasn't at home. Mama came and say no, mr Muhammad is not here. He went to the coffee place at the same time of the gathering time, right? So I said, okay, let me go and meet him there. So I took my truck and I was thinking somebody took him to the market to have a tea.
Speaker 2:When I got getting close to the market I was expecting to see Mohammed sitting on a chair. He was sitting by his leg and from far away I saw Mohammed just sitting on his leg. It's not getting into my mind. So as much as I approached in my car with an old truck making a loud noise, he heard my truck and he's just standing. And I confirmed he was sitting by his leg after five sessions. So he's just standing and he starts shouting my name and say Alberto, my friends, come here, come here. He just approached me there, stopped the car, he jumped on me, he kissed me, he shaked my hands and say I walk from there to here, I walk from there to here. I walked. I was so happy. I was surprised he was walking, literally walking as we walk normally. He started walking and he just pulled me into his friends group.
Speaker 2:As much as I get in approaching his friends group, I started shaking because I realized their friends was the priest of the most of the area, those priests that have a long beard, that they are very radical. So I say, oh Lord, I don't know what's going on here, but I trust you. He already pulled me, he put me in the middle and said, alberto, order your tea. I barely can order a tea in Arabic because I was shaking, honestly, and you know what Muhammad said Alberto, I call my friends for you to share about Jesus, the one that helped me. The Lord is good. Again you clap your hands, but I was in a very difficult situation. Right there I said, lord, you have to help me.
Speaker 2:But that was the 15 minute, my brother, my 15 minute that I speak in a clear way in Arabic and I present the gospel. I present who is jesus. Never talk against anybody, just talking about love, salvation. That says who is jesus. And then, right away, after 10, 15 minutes, one of the elders just stand and a strong word in arabic is halas, so stand and say Halas, halas. And I said, wow, what's going on here? And he say, following the word Halas in Arabic, he say this kind of man, we need more of this kind of man in our neighborhood, the one that come here and help us talk about love and help our friends. So my son he referred to me, starting from today and on my doors is open for you and all the elders of the area is open for you Anytime that you need, come and we will help you. It's amazing. The Lord is good because since that time we planned six home churches over there. That time we planned six home churches over there, six home churches, underground churches. They, the neighborhood, knew what we done, but nobody say anything because we're doing a good thing for the community.
Speaker 2:This is jesus, now muhammad. Coming back to muhammad, muhammad never received the lord, but he heard several times about j. But his son received the Lord, his grandson received the Lord and salvation came to this family. The change is gone because my dad can go to the male's meeting. It's not the same what happened in our Bible study, in our Bible story. It's the same what happened. Our change is gone, sickness just gone.
Speaker 2:Everything is new in Jesus Christ, but everything started where when everything started. Everything started with one action. Follow what Jesus say Go to the other side, go to Gennesaret. The story start there, the Gennesaret waiting there. Excitement, excitement there in Gennesaret because a new lifestyle is coming, new lifestyles coming.
Speaker 2:And those people say imagine the faith that they have. They say, just let me talk with my finger, the border of your garment. Such a faith Wasn't you there. I was there, just crying out for Jesus, crying out for God, and he transformed your life, he changed your life, he healed your body, he gave you a new name. You are part of another, belong to another generation because you coming from David and the heroes of the Bible, this is your descendant. It's not anymore what your passport telling you who you are. You are eternal. You belong to the kingdom. Your name is not your name anymore. Your name is eternal name Gennesaret waiting. And the whole story starts with one action Jump on the boat and cross to the other side.
Speaker 2:I don't know where is your Gennesaret today. I don't know what is your storyennesaret today. I don't know what is your story today, but let me tell you, I'm pretty sure many people in Gennesaret is waiting for you, many people on the other side just waiting for you. You have to get in this boat. Do not miss this boat, because now Jesus is telling you, go. And when Jesus is telling you the word of God coming real, and the word of God coming real, and the word of God say I have the authority here on the earth and in the heaven. So go and make disciples to the nation. So Jesus, give you authority today to go to Gennesaret. Now you probably will not be the same Gennesaret that I have, but Gennesaret could be your office, could be just simply the gym, that where you're going, or just touching someone, just the fact of going and say I'm here with you, bearing with you this season.
Speaker 2:Sometimes this is your Gennesaret. I cannot tell you what is your Gennesaret, but let me tell you the boat is ready for you to jump on that. Do not miss the Gennesaret, do not miss this opportunity. The Lord is writing a story with you and he prepared the perfect story where you have to go. Gennesaret is waiting for you. Gennesaret is waiting for you. You just get into the boat.
Speaker 2:And what happened with the disciples? They start facing a big wave. They having a trouble there. They have problem there Because the evil knows what's going to happen over there. So, if your story is, you are carrying a heavy story. You are carrying today, you in the, in the church, with a heavy situation. Let me tell you, it's just a way, it's just a moment, because the enemy tried to try to put you down, because you have an amazing story for genesaret, the lord's right and story in your life, because you have something to share over there.
Speaker 2:But wave is coming so difficult and you can say, alberto, I can't do it, I can't do it, I can't do it. And you are in the middle of the sea that you cannot grab anything to hold, because you are just in the middle of the water and the storm that you're facing right now is not easy. No, it's not easy, my brother. But there's Jesus walking on the water. The only hole that you can have today is your day. Because if you are in this storm, let me tell you today is your day. Today is the day that you can cry it out and say I'm here, jesus, I can do it, guys, I can go to the other side with my strength, with my knowledge, with my possibility.
Speaker 2:Today is your day. Come as you are, the Lord want to give you a hug, want to spend time with you. He just want to hear Lord, I'm here. So how are you going to face this storm? You're going to face like the other disciples who stayed on the boat, or are you going to be like Peter? Peter was the only disciple that decided to leave and go in the water. Can you try walking in the water? Not walk in the water? But Peter said Lord, I'm in distress, I am in a difficult situation, nobody can help me, but please let me go to you in the water Come and waves come back and doubt came, but Jesus was there. Today is your day. Today is the day of salvation. Today is your day. Today is the day of salvation. Today is your day when the Lord want to help you in order to get to the other side. You have a story to tell there, in Gennesaret. I will not tell you where is your Gennesaret. The Lord and the Spirit will tell you where is your Gennesaret, but there's people waiting for you over there.
Speaker 2:Today is a call for the church. Today is a call for you to go to the other side and face the situation and the sea and sometimes it's very difficult to talk about. That's when, in the church, or our context, when we are talking about suffering Because you have to. You have to embrace those ways in order to cross to the other side, as those disciples, as those disciples did it. But now the word God say, paul say in Colossians 1 24, say I am rejoicing in my suffering. I am rejoicing in my suffering and my suffering is for your sake. That is the church and I'm feeling in my flesh what is the lack of suffering of christ for this generation? It's like christ is lacking something, because through him we have salvation. But here's the point Christ already suffered for this group of people over there time ago. But who's going to suffer, who's going to embrace those ways, who's going to embrace those difficult situations in order to get to Gennesaret? Is this church, is this group of people? There's a group of people that are waiting for the gospel. There's a group of people that are waiting for the story that you would tell to the other side.
Speaker 2:Today is a day of salvation for Genesis, because many people will stand and will get over the waves and the storm. How many of you want to be in the dust boat, close to Jesus Christ. How many of you experienced before Jesus? And you experienced a difficult, even bigger situation with Christ. If you want to be in this boat, I will ask you to stand with me. If you want to embrace another, another level of your relationship with Jesus, I think you have to. You have to stand with me and pray for this. Pray in this way. As I say, I don't know your situation, I don't know your season. I don't know your situation, I don't know your season, I don't know what you carry today, but let me tell you, the Lord want to help you today. If you came in this state and this way, if you came here wondering if you have to be in the boat or outside the boat, if you don't know very well where is your Genesis, this is your day. So let me pray for you. Close your eyes, do not look on the right, on the left, don't be distracted in this very special moment.
Speaker 2:Heavenly Father, holy Spirit and this day, father, I pray in this time. I pray, father, for every single person today, and I ask in you, father, that you may give us, father, your right hands. We are in the middle of a storm, father, on a situation in a difficult season, lord Jesus, but we need Father to get up from here and go to Gennesaret, father. I pray for those people that are facing situations, father, to get up from here and go to Gennesaret, father. I pray for those people that are facing situations, father, in life. I pray for those people that really don't know where to go. Where they're at Gennesaret, father, but we know that you have a special place for them, father, and I pray for them. Father, I pray that your presence can surrender them. Father, heavenly Father, I pray for this moment, father, I pray that you can take control of the day, father. I pray, father, that you can be with each one of them in their storm. Heavenly Father, thank you for this moment.
Speaker 1:We praise your name, that same attitude of prayer. There are some here today that have never made the decision to follow Jesus. Maybe that's you. Maybe that's you. You need to make that decision to follow Jesus once and for all in your life. Or maybe you made the decision in the past, but you've walked away from actively living for God. Today is your opportunity to do so. Scripture says it like this Apostle Paul writing to the church at Rome. He says because you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified. With the mouth one confesses and is saved. Friends, today is your day. It's your day to say yes to Jesus.
Speaker 1:I'm gonna ask that all the heads would be bowed here in the room for just a moment. If that's you, wherever you are right now, if you just raise your hand right here in this room just to indicate to me Pastor, I wanna be included in that prayer today. See, the hand that's there. Hand that's there. Thank you, lord. People making decisions to follow Jesus If that's you, online praying with you as well today, making decision to follow Jesus, praise the Lord, there are others making decision. Thank you God. Thank you God. Friends, it's a simple prayer that we pray. I'm going to ask if everyone would just say this prayer after me. Lord, thank you for loving me, thank you for sending Jesus. I believe Jesus died on the cross for my sins. I believe he rose again. Forgive me of my sins. I surrender my life to you. In Christ's name. I pray Amen, amen. Friends, we rejoice in you making a decision to follow Jesus today. What a powerful, powerful time.
Speaker 1:Weren't you encouraged by the word of God today? Aren't you thankful for Pastor Alberto, alberto, for the ministry of his family? You know they have had to abandon everything they had multiple times to follow after Jesus, but he would tell you that it's worth it. So you need to stay obedient to what God has for you and go to the Genesaret that God has set in front of you in your heart and your life, to your family, to your friends, to your office, your neighborhood, your gym, whatever that God has given to you to be, that place that you take that message to be. Let me encourage you to do exactly that.
Speaker 1:I'm going to pray as we come to this altar and worship together. That the Lord would empower us by his spirit so that we can be that mouthpiece of love. Lord, we thank you so much for your message. Lord, I pray a blessing upon Pastor Alberto, upon his family, lord, for their obedience. Lord, upon the work in Sudan, upon the work that you're doing amongst the unreached people groups. God, we give you praise for all of these things. In the same way, lord, I pray over every single person here. Lord, under the sound of my voice.
Speaker 1:Lord, that they would take on the challenge to be those that take the message of God's love to other people. Lord, they would be willing to brave the waves and to brave the difficulty to take the message to others. Lord, they would overcome the awkwardness, they would overcome the anxiety, the stress of those things. But, lord, instead, you are the one that calms all of that situation. You are the one that calms all of that situation. You are the one that provides a way for us forward that we're not gonna drown in this thing. We're walking, in obedience to you, to the other side and because of it there's gonna be healing and wholeness and forgiveness. There's gonna be liberty of people's lives, because we are obedient as a messenger of Christ. So, lord, I thank you in advance. Lord, and as we come to this altar, holy Spirit, we ask that you would pour yourself out upon us.
Speaker 4:we pray in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. Thank you for your grace and staying with us. Well, we are excited. We are starting a new season of Life Groups. If you go online today, you will see the list online on the app. Go, check it out. There's a lot of new offerings for the next two months. We'd love to have you be a part. They start next Sunday so you have the week to kind of look through, look through your calendar, see what you can be a part of. But we are excited for this new season.
Speaker 1:And then we have a couple items that are here available for you for Kingdom Builders. One is a band. It just says Scent. We have it in English and Spanish. It's just an idea for us to be reminded to pray for our missionaries and during this, kingdom Builders Focus just to be those that are living that out, to be those that are sent. Also, we have a Bible bookmark for you. It has some information, key scriptures there for us, and on the back it has some of the places that we support in the ministries the over 40 missionaries and ministries that we support. So information for you to pray over those as well. Before we go, let me pray this blessing over us today the Lord bless you and keep you. Lord, make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. Lord, lift his countenance upon you and give you peace. Lord, I pray a blessing upon your church, your people. I do empower us by your spirit to live your love out to those around us. No-transcript.