The District, The City, The Country, We Will Change

Kory Cassell
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This is Miraflores. It is one of the most affluent districts in Lima, Peru. This is our front line for the battle against the kingdom of darkness. This is our trench. This is our territory. This is where we will begin our conquest for the Kingdom of light. This is where we will build on the foundation laid by past generations of Christians. This is where the favor of God is falling.

Today, the mayor of Miraflores gave us permission to use the most public park in the district free of charge! This park has never had an event held on it, much less a christian outreach event. Not only did he allow us to have the event, but he is coming out to help kick it off! Why? Favor of God.

Today, we met with the global marketing directors for Starbucks in Lima. They want to partner with us, Flamingo Road Church, to reach this community. Starbucks is now offering sponsorship to all FRC events and working towards citywide collaboration. Why? Favor of God.

This is what happened today. Imagine tomorrow. We are moving forward and God is blessing the march of his children. It is such an exciting time to be here in South America. When He gives, blessed be His name! And when He takes away, blessed be His name!

Gloria Dios!

-KC

Bringing relevant outreach to South America!

Kory Cassell
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"What?! You guys are from a church?"


A relevant church is a strange phenomenon to the people here in Lima. There are only a few churches actually trying to meet people where they are in this city. The majority are corner monuments taking in the "sinners" on Sunday and counting there "members" throughout the week. But you can't blame them. That is all they have known. That's what they were taught. Our purpose here isn't just to build our church kingdom but to partner with the Church, the bride, to reach this city. As we reach out to the community and meet people where they are, as we advance on the offense instead of sitting back in our buildings on the defense, as we do simple things like playing some songs at a local Starbucks, we show people that we are here, we are for them, and most importantly we are for Christ!

Inspire

Kory Cassell
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One of the most attractive forces on the planet is passion.

Another, authenticity.
Add a worthy cause...
and you will inspire.

I have said it over and over again, people will pay to watch someone passionately bang on a trash can. It amazes me what the simple tool of passion can create and how people long to have it. You see that's it. Most people don't have a burning passion in there lives. They don't have that one thing they give their all to. That is why when we see a musician giving it their all on stage, we stop and listen. That is why when we hear a speaker blazing from the platform we lend an ear. That is why, when we see a couple truly in love... we stop and stare.

But just passion isn't enough. If that is all it is, it will fade and people will soon loose interest. It must be backed by authenticity. It must be real! Too many times we are duped into a watching a lie. Soon the truth comes out, and the people leave. So again, we see a musician truly in love with the style of music they are making, we stop, listen, and become fans. We hear a speaker blazing a testimony from the platform, we lend an ear and our minds. We see an old couple, married for 40 years, truly in love... we stop, stare and admire.

Finally, when we take passion and authenticity and back them with a worthy cause... when a musician is making music that they are in love with for the cause of a cure for aids... when we hear a speaker blazing a testimony about oppression and calling for the end of racism... when we see a couple, married for 4o years, holding their grandchild... we are inspired.

I can only hope that when I make music, when I speak, and when I love... when I help, when I hurt, when I go, when I return, when I laugh and when I cry... that my life as a whole will truly inspire people to live as if this is not our home.

-Kory

Not my idea of my neighbor, but my neighbor...

Kory Cassell
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In C.S. Lewis' "A Grief Observed" he recounts his loss of "H." his late wife. In this recounting he finds that there is a strong leaning towards holding on to a memory of H. rather than H. herself. Lewis then makes the statement:


"I mustn't sit down content with the phantasmagoria itself and worship that for Him, or love that for her. Not my idea of God but God. Not my idea of H., but H. Yes, and also not my idea of my neighbor, but my neighbor."

This is paramount on so many levels. All to often in life I find myself trying to picture God as I pray. Or praying to an image birthed from a finite human mind. As opposed to letting the awe inspiring glory filled King of kings be my all in all.

In the same case we all to often have a picture in our minds as to who our "neighbor" really is. When I thought neighbor, I imagined the widow in the wheelchair, or the orphan in Africa, or street beggar in Peru. But very seldom did I love the peer in my hometown with the selfless abandonment I imagined myself having for the orphan. Hardly ever would I go out of my way to give to my buddy down the street like I would for the widow. And when face to face with the beggar, I find that he has a name. He has dreams. He has hopes. He has an attitude, and wants and desires and ups and downs... just like any of my friends. I find that regardless of comfort, place or time, when Christ says "love thy neighbor" He means to love my neighbor. Not my idea of my neighbor, but my neighbor.

/KC

What Wondrous Love

Kory Cassell
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What wondrous love is this that calls the Lord of bliss to bear the dreadful curse for my soul?

When I was sinking down beneath God's righteous frown Christ laid aside His crown for my soul.
To God and to the Lamb Who is the great I Am. While millions join with thee I will Sing.
And When from death I'm free, I'll sing and grateful be. While millions join with thee, I will Sing.
O What a wonderful love!

This is a song by Alexander Means written in 1835... and it's truth transcends time and generations. It truly is a wondrous love that turns an enemy into an heir. If we look fully into the scope of our depravity we can't help but find ourselves in stupor when we attempt to fathom the restoring, rescuing, and ravishing love of the Father. Like Alexander, I too will be grateful when from death I'm free. But even now, on this side of eternity, I send my gratitude and praise to a worthy King. What a wonderful love. What a wondrous love!

Here I raise my... ebenezer?

Kory Cassell
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What the frick is an "ebenezer?" I've heard it explained several times but never did I remember where it was in the Bible and why we, "raise it" in the famous hymn "Come thou fount." I heard everything from, it is a cup we raise to be filled by God, to, it is a sanctuary for worship.


So what is it really? It's a... rock. Ha, a rock! I know, what the heck right? Why would we raise a rock? Why do we sing about raising a rock? Because that is what Samuel did.

I was reading 1 Samuel and sure enough that is where you find it. In 1 Samuel chapter 7, Samuel calls all of Israel to gather at a place called Mizpah to fast and pray. Israel had pretty much jacked up by losing the arch and worshiping other Gods and just being sinful. So Samuel gathered them together to repent and ask for forgiveness. While there, the Philistines heard they were all together and pretty much sitting ducks. So the Philistines said, let's go kill those dumb jokers and finally conquer Israel. When Israel found out the Philistines were coming they freaked out and went to Samuel to ask him to pray to God that he would forgive and protect them. So long story short, Samuel prayed and God sent a "thunderous noise" down and frightened the Philistines so that Israel's army could go down fight off the Philistines. From then on the Philistines didn't enter the territory of Israel.

So to remember how God forgave and protected Israel, Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen. He called the stone, Ebenezer, and said, "till now the Lord has helped us." It's simply that. A symbol to remind Israel and help them remember that God has been with them and helped them. So when we raise our "Ebenezer" we're just saying, "God we remember you and how you help us." It's in a way a confession to the protection we've had in the past and a reminder of the protection we'll have in the future.

So if life sucks right now, look at a rock. If life is really good right now, look at a rock. Haha, for real though. Look at a stone, or a symbol in your life that reminds you that God has you and we will always have you. And remember that there is no better place to be than in God's grace, favor and protection. There is NO better place to be in life, in eternity than in God's family, in the Kingdom of Light.

A real small group:

Kory Cassell
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"Then Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, his companions, and told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions might not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then daniel blessed the God of heaven." - Daniel 2:17-19


That is a connect (small) group! That's what it looks like, that's what I want and that's what I want to cultivate.

The King had a dream and wanted it interpreted, so he gathered all the wise men, magicians, fortune tellers, etc. and asked them to prove themselves by not only telling him the interpretation but by telling him what he dreamed. What?! Impossible! And it was for all of them. So the king said, "fine then, you are all fakes and now your gonna die." Or something like that. But then word reached Daniel, who was also one of the wise men of the kingdom along with his three friends. He made an appointment with the king to tell him the interpretation, and then what's the first thing he did? He went to his small group, his friends, the guys he did life with and asked them to PRAY. And they did! And guessed what happened... God showed Daniel what the kings dream was and gave him the interpretation. Wow! It really works! Community and prayer.

There are only a couple things I want to point out about this situation. First, Daniel's problem was their problem and they shared the burden together. That is a small group plain and simple. When one is hurting or in need, you share the burden and take care of them. It's a beautiful thing. Second, God showed up! God really does answer prayers when you humble yourself and pray. When your heart is burdened for your brother or sister and you seek Him relentlessly He does what He promised He would do. Third, Daniel got the credit. He became a big-shot in the kingdom because God answered THIER prayers. But here's the beautiful thing. Just like Daniel's boys had his back when he came to them asking them to pray, Daniel had their back. The first thing he did when he received his promotion was to appoint his three bros as big time officials in charge of a lot of stuff. Sweet deal.

If we really love God, and love each other, a real, powerful, effective connect (small) group should be attainable. One where we do more than study the Bible, where we do more than read a book together, where we do more than socialize, where we do more than catch up on life. No what I'm looking for is "a fellowship of the burning heart." One where we do life together. Where we seek the Lord together with passion. Where we have each other's backs. Where we grow and multiply. Where we take care of each other and serve in and outside the group. Where we know how to have a good time together and we know how to cry with one another. That is the kind of group Daniel and his boys had.