Posted in General Posts by Mark Rowdon on 5/18/2012
I am finding that unless I am willing to challange everything in my life, other than Christ, I may never fully walk in the grace, power, love and authority I have been given as a Son of God.
Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethern, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your resonable service. And do not be comformed 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.
I love and miss you all, Mark
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Posted in General Posts by Mark Rowdon on 4/10/2012
Here is a quick update on my travels and current location!
We left Zion’s Gate ministries on Friday morning where we flew from Tegucigalpa, Honduras to Miami, FL and straight from there to JFK airport. We spent 20 some hours posted up in New York City before we then flew to Istanbul, Turkey.
I didn’t have much interest in going in to New York City so Mac, my squad leader, and myself stayed behind in the airport and watched over everyone’s gear. The flight to Istanbul Turkey was an over night flight and took ten hours. It was an easy ten hours though. The seats in front of you had TV monitors were I could watch movies or even play chess.
In Istanbul we then had a short three-hour lay over. The change in culture from Central America to the Middle East/Eastern Europe was prevalent but not over whelming. I went from not being able to understand fully what people were saying in Spanish to not being able to make out words or even what language they were speaking here in Turkey.
From Istanbul we flew to Bucharest, Romania, which took about an hour or so. I traded seats with a local guys and got to hang out with Hugh and Kelly on that flight which was a blast.
After arriving in Bucharest in the middle of the night we spent the rest of the night in a cool little hostel with high ceilings and bunk bed rooms.
Bucharest was our second to last destination as from there we would take a 12 hour train ride to Oradea, Romania. This again was an over night travel as we would leave Bucharest at around nine or so and arriving around nine this morning on Tuesday the tenth in Oradea.
The train ride was full of good conversation and good company. Hugh, Kelly, Sisk and myself were joined in our train car by a twenty year old Romania girl named Theo. We shared some wine and talked about all kinds of things from past relationships to the race and what love is. That is actually what I sat down to write this blog about; what love is. But I will write about that tomorrow I guess.
Anyway, I am here safe and sound in Oradea sitting on my bed. The first real bed I have had at a ministry site since the start of the race.
That you all for your continued prayers and love. God bless, Mark
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Posted in General Posts by Mark Rowdon on 4/7/2012
So I have started and erased the beginning of this blog five times now. I don't truly know what to write about. However, I feel bad for having left you all in the dark this last month as we have been working with Zions Gate ministries in Honduras, so I have to write something.
Here you go.
Zions Gate is a fantastic ministry run by a man named Tony. He has turned what use to be a popular bar on 10 achers of property in to a safe haven for street kids from the local colony of Los Pinos. He currently has 10-15 kids living with him and his wife on the property ranging from ten, or so, to twenty four years old.
Each child is free to leave at any point they wish. But most stay and will tell you it is because of something different they experience while living with Tony. That something I believe is the Holy Spirit at work.
These boys are'nt receiving a "hand out". The younger ones are in school and the older ones are put to work either on the property or work with Tony at the ministry. These boys are being blessed by what Tony is doing. He is giving them a opportunity to not only enjoy this life but to have a chance to experience Christ and understand the love we have been given through Him.
Most of these kids have had a tough childhood. Some have abused paint thinner in the past, some marijuana. Most of the boys don't have a mom, dad, or both. All of them are yearning for love and have come to the light given by Tony.
I feel blessed to be able to work along side Tony in his ministry this past month.
Thank you to my supports and my brothers and sisters in Christ for your prayers.
If internet is available I will do my best to keep you informed about our work in Romania.
I love you all and pray you chose to love one another daily.
God bless, Mark
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Posted in General Posts by Mark Rowdon on 3/3/2012
So, are we free?
Because of Christ, let me count the ways:
1. Freed from sin (John 8:31-34, Romans 6:5-10)
2. Freed from the law (Romans 8:2-4, Galatians 5:1-3)
3. Freed from the judgment of ourselves and men (1 Corinthians 4:3-4)
These are only a few ways and references of the freedom we have received in Christ. However, this isn’t the freedom I am questioning. The freedom I place in question is for those of us who are called Americans. Are we truly the land of the free?
After experiencing what I did this week in El, Salvador, I’m convinced otherwise.
My team and I were blessed with the opportunity to share the gospel of Christ with a local public high school. The principal actually canceled classes so that my team could come in and worship, perform dramas and share the good news of Christ with her students.
Could you imagine if an American public school principal, cancelled class to allow almost complete strangers the freedom to share what it means to live life for Christ?
How quickly would a lawsuit ensue? Do you think that principal would still have their job at the end of the week?
I know some schools will allow discussions on religion, but in those circumstances you must give an unbiased opinion on the subject. And it would be required that other world religions be taught as well. Don’t take me wrong. I think all world religions should be taught schools, far more than they are now. But I also believe, if we want to call ourselves a free nation, Christians must be allowed to enter schools and speak openly about their faith. If other, non-biblical, religions doctrine commands its followers to share their message; they should be allowed access to our youth as well. We have already allowed humanists to preach evolution in schools for years now. Why limit others?
Why have our schools become so closed off to religion? What do people see dangerous about Christianity? A worldview that teaches you are loved by an all knowing, unfailing, sovereign God. That works are not required to merit this love. That the greatest expression man can show of love is to lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13). That we as loved and created beings should show love to those who hate us, even our enemies; that we should bless and pray for those who curse us (Matt 5:44).
Why as a nation have we allowed this message to fall silent in our schools? I will argue that until Christ can be shared openly in our schools, to our youth (Matt 19:14), America will never truly be free.
What is amazing is that the students we visited listen intensely about the story of the world, and of Christ, and had questions wanting to know more about the hope and love we were sharing.
I love and miss you all. Christ lives and is reigning! God bless, Mark
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Posted in General Posts by Mark Rowdon on 2/25/2012
I wrote this down during morning prayer after asking our Father where He wants to take our team this year:
He wants to take us where we want to go.
He has given us this burning desire to know Him more.
He wants to take us from the men and women we think we need to be.
He wants to show us the men and women who dwell with Him now.
He wants to take us home.
But, He wants us to bring friends when we are called.
He wants to take our hearts.
He wants them to be fully given.
He wants us to have immovable faith.
He wants us to be completely whole!
I want these things too.
Amen
Robin took this photo while we worshiped on a rock in Sunzal last week
Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers.
God Bless, Mark
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Posted in General Posts by Mark Rowdon on 2/18/2012
Have you ever stopped to consider why God placed both the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and the tree of life in the Garden of Eden?
I think He did it because, as is His pattern, He wanted man to have a choice. Man could choose to eat of the tree of life and live eternally. Or, as history shows, the first man and woman could eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and open our eyes to sin, things not of God, which leads to death.
So why didn’t Adam eat from the tree of life? It seems like such an easy choice looking in hindsight. Well this is what I figure:
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The two of them didn’t actually know what death was. Because, as of yet, they didn’t know the things of evil, the thing called sin, which leads to death (Romans 6:23).
And
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They were experiencing life as they walked with God in the garden. It doesn’t make sense to pursue something that you already have. Until they chose to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil they were fully alive both physically and spiritually.
What got me thinking about this was a passage from Genesis.
Genesis 3:22-24 “Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”—therefore the Lord God sent him out of the Garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the Garden of Eden, and a flaming sword, which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.”
God kicked them from the garden in order to protect them! If Adam and Eve were able to eat of the tree of life their bodies would never die. However, their bodies would be a prison of sin and they would forever be separated spiritually from God. So, considering further, death of our sinful bodies is actually God showing mercy on the human race.
This is what makes what Christ has done so incredible. He died and took our sins upon Himself that we may truly have life in Him. Not only eternally but here and now!
I love you all, God bless
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Posted in General Posts by Mark Rowdon on 2/14/2012
Greetings from El Salvador!
I realize I haven’t been keeping you, my beautiful blog readers, informed as to what ministry in Guatemala actually looked like. So here is a run down of our not so typical day.
Morning prayer took place at seven thirty and could look any number of different ways. Some days we would just speak to God in silence as a group, some days we would shout declarations of truth to the Lord, others we would just thank Him for all that we have been given and all that He is. However, the days we spent time in worship before prayer were particularly special for me. There is something beautiful about coming to God with our different gifts of worship that would set the mood for beautifully humble prayer.
We would generally do three different ministries a day. On Monday mornings we would spend a few hours in worship and intercessional prayer as a large group asking Him to prepare hearts to have the Holy Spirit move and we would give time to have God speak into our ministry. This was a great way to start our week!
Other morning ministries included prayer walks in the neighborhood, cleaning up trash from off the streets, and traveling to the local markets to worship and pray over people. At first the market was a challenge, but as the month developed I grew more comfortable in praying for people I don’t know and whose language I can’t speak. As racers we pray all the time (Check out Zack Cobos’ blog from E squad).
Ministry in the afternoon generally was around three and focused mostly on reaching out to unloved children. God really taught me this month that the best thing you can do to show Christ is to simply show someone love. That was the ministry we poured out into these kids, a ministry of love. Whether it was to the twenty or so Guatemalan orphans, the kids lying sick in the hospital, or the beautifully dirty kids living at the dump, we loved them the best we knew how.
Our night ministry was at the local park. Mama Hilda (our ministry contact) has a heart for these awesome local break dancers who are slowly coming to know the love of Christ. We gave two of them a ride home one day in our panel van and they actually joined in during our impromptu worship session (we have these frequently).
Also at night we would often lead worship in local churches as well as share testimonies.
My team, LionSong, has a true heart for worship that is indescribable!
Sorry again for not sharing more frequently how our ministry is going. I pray this blog finds you all in good health and hungry for the Lord. Praise Christ for the freedom we have received. I love and miss you all, YBIC, Mark
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Posted in General Posts by Mark Rowdon on 2/9/2012
Last week my team was blessed with the opportunity to share the gospel of Jesus Christ over the radio! Not our normal ministry here in Guatemala but an incredible opportunity to change lives. We were given fifteen minutes to worship and share about our God. We sang two beautiful songs and then I gave a ten-minute message. Exactly what I said, I have no idea. It felt like I was telling a story, the most extraordinary story ever told!
My voice spoke of the penmanship of our Father. His ability to author a story of love, redemption, and grace that has been unfolding since Jesus spoke the world into existence. How man was spiritually dead after choosing to know evil and that the Bible is a narrative explaining mans need to experience a relationship and the love of Christ our Lord. And how what Christ has done on the cross has given us life in his name.
I really don't know how many people heard this message. My only prayer is that the Spirit of God prepared the hearts of those who needed to hear it. I do know that one of the women Pricilla has been ministering too down the street heard us. She told Hayden this as she helped clean her house. Also, a local brother in Christ, Benjamin, heard me over the radio and gave me some very encouraging feedback.
Until we speak again know that I love you all! Please continue to pray for my team and squad as we share the gospel of Christ and show this dark world the love that we have received.
P.S. If you would like to view some amazing photos of how God is working here in Guatemala check out my teammate Robin Brooks' stunning photo blog at seerobinfly.tumblr.com
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Posted in General Posts by Mark Rowdon on 1/29/2012
What is Spiritual Warfare?
Ephesians 6:12, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places”
As far as I know, spiritual warfare is something I haven’t encountered much in life, nor have I spent too much time considering it. But since arriving here in Guatemala, I have been having dark dreams about demons and commanding them to flee in the name of Christ.
I’m not sure to what extent Satan can attack believers; if he can affect me in my sleep or not. Another possibility I have been considering is that I am having these types of dreams to prepare me for something. It is just odd because I have never had such vivid dreams about evil things.
Also, our team has been taking hour shifts on Friday night to pray for you all back home and for ministry here. During this time we have shared similar experiences of heavy darkness and feeling attacked spiritually.
However, we have been encouraged by these attacks. We figure we must be doing something right if we are meeting resistance by the darkness that is covering this world.
I love you all, YBIC, Mark
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