FBC San Isidro Pastor's Corner

It is better time to give.

2008-08-16T19:31:00.002-05:00

It is hard in these times to see youth connected to the heart of God. This past weeks we visited the landfill located in the border with Mexico, we took food, water, toiletries and clothes. This young boy saw a child without shoes and without anyone telling him anything, he took off his shoes and gave them to this child. I approached him and I said well done, he said " Today is my birthday but I know it is always better to give than to receive". There are times that we think too much about what we want and about what we need that we forget that there are people out there that must be helped and that I can become the hands and feet of Jesus. a mission trip can make a difference and it is you you gets the best blessing.

I would like for everyone to have this mentality and I can assure you we would live in a better community, state, country, and world.

I challenge you to go in to the world and experience the power of God.

Following Christ,

Ricardo Brambila

I Love Summer Time

2008-07-19T11:12:00.003-05:00

Hello Everybody:

We are in the middle of summer and we have been very busy doing God's work. In the past 5 weeks our church had 4 main events (VBS, Youth Camp, Camp day and a mission trip to Miguel Aleman). What makes all we do meaningful is to serve the Lord our God and to see children, youth, and adults smiling and being thankful to the Lord for His Word and for the fellowship we have.
I love summer time because we get to share about God's love to many people. I love summer because I saw in Youth Camp how wonderful is when youth seek the Lord and I know tough times may come for them but I know that the Lord has them by the hand and will keep them from falling. This summer let His Love shine in your life, get back to Him.

I love summer because it reminds me that my Jesus is not a religion but a real person who seeks to abide in us. Anyone can do religion, have you noticed? Look around you How many people you know that go to church to get a feeling of accomplishment? but in real life their religion has no impact in their daily life, no impact in the way they think, in the way they speak and in the way they behave. But I have found that relationship with the living God, the God of the Bible, Jesus Christ my Savior is the greatest thing that has ever happen to me and since I stopped fooling around and surrender my life to Him, WOW I know that I can not live without His presence in my life.

I love summer because I get to be His Hands And Feet, which by the way that is the mission and purpose of FBC San Isidro.

May His Love Fill your life,

Ricardo Brambila.

The call

2008-05-27T20:40:00.002-05:00

God is doing something amazing in San Isidro. God has called four people to go to Puebla to minister and to evangelize. Six people gave their lives to Christ, the number may sound little but in a city that is 100% against Evangelicals that is one amazing number for 9 days of work. I am praying for God's movement upon the church. I am going to share a challenge I will bring to the church this Sunday. Its is called JUST ONE. I will share more details next time. I am praying the Lord may guide us to be light and salt of the world.

I have a question I hope someone answers, Do you think we are living in the end times?

Following Christ,

Pastor Ricardo Brambila

In difficulties He is Glorified.

2008-03-25T20:44:00.003-05:00

When we face difficulties while we try to attempt something for His Kingdom. We think that all will come as we planned and we leave no room for change, there I would say is when God allows us to face difficulties to show and prove He is in control and that His plan is always better.

On Sunday Morning March 16th 2008 We face a lot of difficulties. We had prepared video, PowerPoint slides, special songs, a lot of multimedia involved to better project the most important message HIS WORD, but for our surprise there was no electricity here in San Isidro. What could you do or say when you have around 200 people for worship and you find that there is no electricity to do what we had planned. I can share that I was not taught what to do Sunday morning when there is no light (should be included in the minister's manual).

God used all of His church family to work together and none panicked but came together and brought generators so we could heat up the meal and the inflatables. I was able to see that His plans are better than mine. The Lord spoke to my heart and said "What is it that you need the most music, multimedia, bulletins or my presence and my spoken word?". Then it hit me that the songs, videos and slides can never compare the need of HIS PRESENCE AND SPOKEN WORD and the rest is not indispensable.

I learned that when things do not go my way, my duty is not to question the Master but to let Him lead the way, that His ways are better than mine.

My challenge today for you is that every time you face difficulties remember Jesus is on the Throne and He is the same Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.

Isaiah 55:8-11 NLT

8 “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.9 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. 10 “The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry.11 It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.

Following His Steps,

Pastor Ricardo Brambila

Thank you Lord

2008-03-04T20:20:00.002-06:00

I am so grateful to the my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for giving me the opportunity to be part for His work. I believe that he could do better without me but still He chose me. I want to thank Him for being good to me and my family.

I have been amazed to see God's work in His church and in His people. Every activity we do we see people coming to Christ. I want to challenge you to look around and see that there are people hungry for God's word, desperate for His unconditional love, let His Holy Spirit guide you in a conversation, in the they way you live, may others see Christ in you. I am convinced that God is willing to use not the capable or the able but those that are willing to be used by Him. I want to share this scripture with you that has brought to my life, hope, peace and love in the time of need.

Ephesians 3:14-21 " 14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height-- 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Following His Steps,

Pastor Ricardo Brambila

Planning.

2008-01-12T10:28:00.001-06:00

When a new year comes I try to plan for the new things that I know I must do. I try to learn from my mistakes and to change what I did wrong. But must important I remember that God in the Book of Jeremiah He tells His children that He has plans for them and plans to give us hope and future. The fact that Jesus is thinking of me and that He has good plans for me and my family it makes me feel so loved and protected by my Father.

What can I plan? Do you think my plans are better than His? I do not think so. His plans are always better. Do not get me wrong sometimes my loving Father just makes no sense at all in my poor short sighted perspective. But that's why He says I have plans for you His plans not my plans. If you want to make God laugh tell Him your plans, He won't laugh at you but with you.

Am I saying I should not plan at all? No, we should plan to stay as close as possible to His Heart then He will give us wisdom and skills to guide your heart in our decision making.

I had been praying for a church van for the 5 years. In His love and Grace God touched the lives of the Grinnel family and on Sunday December 23rd 2007. Bro. Steve and Sally approached me and said we have something for the church as I stepped out they say there you have it a brand new van. I could not believe my eyes, I was petrified, I was speechless. Sometime ago I thought it is going to take a lot to buy a van for our church because we are in a Building Campaign, I almost gave up but Jesus never gave up on me. Jesus taught me to always believe and to expect the unexpected even when all seems to go the other way. Thank God for Christians like Steve and Sally who heard that Lord speak and out of gratitude gave us a tremendous gift.

I thank God for taking care of me and my family this past year, I know that My Savior Lives.
I pray that 2008 will hold many blessings for all of you.

In His Journey,

Pastor Ricardo Brambila

On Mission

2007-12-05T11:50:00.000-06:00

We just came back from a wonderful time with our brothers and sisters from Cedar Crest Church From Atlanta. We partner to benefit the lives of 200 children who most of them live at a landfill. Everything was worth it for the Glory of God.
I saw our Lord working through His sons and daughters. I am very thankful to our Lord and bothers and sisters working together for His Kingdom, I know that without all of you who took the time to serve God could not be possible.

I know with our eyes of faith saw God smile when these boys and girls received their new shoes and socks. We washed their feet and some were amazed to see a stranger washing their dusty little feet. We wanted to touch their lives with the God's love pray for these children that they may be filled with hope, peace and love this Christmas. Pray for these children they need an opportunity to excel, the cycle of poverty can not be broken unless there is an intentional strategy to educate, motivate and empower these children in the name of Jesus Christ. The love of God can be preached and taught from the pulpit and from Sunday School classes but if nothing is being done in a tangible way, our faith is not connected to works and that makes our faith dead. I encourage you to be ON MISSION, there is someone around you who God wants to touch with His love and Grace heed the call to serve and do good in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In His Holy Name,

Pastor Ricardo Brambila

He who calls up on His Name.

2007-11-20T19:57:00.000-06:00

Acts 2:12 "And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved."

We experienced some car problems on our way down to Mexico City that we had to change car. We had no more problem other that heavy traffic and my daughter being a little fussy. We were driving back from Mexico City and it was around 11:30pm everybody was sleeping and I remember just thanking God for bringing us back safe when all of a sudden I see my rear view mirror and a notice a car coming very fast behind our car. I move to the side to let him go through but to my surprise he just gets really close to our car. I speed up and that car behind me got even closer. I could see that there were two men riding in front because my tail lights were lighting up their faces. I thought they were going to make a right turn but they were just following very close when I slowed down. I am human and I could feel how my blood pressure got higher and thoughts of a very serious problem. I thought about just speeding up and see what would happen. I remember that I can ask my Lord for help when no one can help me and my family in a situation like that. I prayed Jesus deliver us from evil.... I was not finished when the car behind us stopped and turn back and left.

Is it amazing how faithful our God is. Even when at first our human side calls us to rely on our own and to look for possible logical solutions, our Almighty God is so real and so present that the best prayers are when our hearts fail to find hope and we call upon THE NAME THAT IS ABOVE ALL NAMES that his Holy hand moves to protects us.

I challenge you today to call upon His Name and He will be there.

In His Precious Name,

Pastor Ricardo Brambila

Under His Wings.

2007-11-18T23:29:00.000-06:00

Wow! My family and I had a fantastic time in Mexico City. I want to thank God for allowing us to take this trip. I had to drive 13 hours so I had I lot of time to think, I will share my thoughts at a later time, but for now we are grateful to be back, we were homesick.

I thank God for allowing me to live in a small community. Mexico City is a beautiful city forgive my lack of traveling experience but I had never seen so many people in my entire life. Everyday millions of people try to get their work and leave 3 hours before time "because of the traffic they say" what would normally take 30 minutes. It is amazing how can people from big cities handle the stress of driving everyday bumper to bumper. I love the valley, and I thank God for being able to spend time with my family and to see the many great things He has done 2200 miles from here.

I will get back to you tomorrow with something amazing happened to us we drove back.

This is today's devotional.
And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good." Genesis 32:12

When Jacob was on the other side of the brook Jabbok, and Esau was coming with armed men, he earnestly sought God's protection, and as a master reason he pleaded, "And Thou saidst, I will surely do thee good." Oh, the force of that plea! He was holding God to His word--"Thou saidst." The attribute of God's faithfulness is a splendid horn of the altar to lay hold upon; but the promise, which has in it the attribute and something more, is a yet mightier holdfast--"Thou saidst, I will surely do thee good." And has He said, and shall He not do it? "Let God be true, and every man a liar." Shall not He be true? Shall He not keep His word? Shall not every word that cometh out of His lips stand fast and be fulfilled? Solomon, at the opening of the temple, used this same mighty plea. He pleaded with God to remember the word which He had spoken to his father David, and to bless that place. When a man gives a promissory note, his honour is engaged; he signs his hand, and he must discharge it when the due time comes, or else he loses credit. It shall never be said that God dishonours His bills. The credit of the Most High never was impeached, and never shall be. He is punctual to the moment: He never is before His time, but He never is behind it. Search God's word through, and compare it with the experience of God's people, and you shall find the two tally from the first to the last. Many a hoary patriarch has said with Joshua, "Not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass." If you have a divine promise, you need not plead it with an "if," you may urge it with certainty. The Lord meant to fulfil the promise, or He would not have given it. God does not give His words merely to quiet us, and to keep us hopeful for awhile with the intention of putting us off at last; but when He speaks, it is because He means to do as He has said. —Morning and Evening

I challenge you to hold on a promise from the word of God for that particular problem and meditate on it, pray letting God know that you believe what He has promised. I assure you you will receive an answer.

In His Glorious Name,

Pastor Ricardo Brambila

God is so good.

2007-11-12T18:04:00.000-06:00

I am so happy to see my Jesus changing lives. This past Sunday the lives of nine people were changed by His marvelous hand. I believe that one of the greatest expressions of faith is baptism, one of the many steps of faith a christian must walk, baptism is the first and most important in his new walk with the Lord.

Baptisms are the fruit of a healthy church, because it is God convincing, it is Him who convicts the person, its Him who uses the church to speak to His children. Praise be to God for such wonderful mission. Thank you God for allowing us FBC San Isidro to be part of your kingdom. I believe deep in my heart that you could do my Lord better without me, but you chose me, I can not believe that you remembered San Isidro and you have decided to glorify your name in the Church you died for. My heart Lord is full of gratitude, my Lord, my Savior Jesus Christ.

In the Book of John (my favorite) in Chapter 9:1-41. We learn that Jesus heals a blind man. We also learn how the religious leaders forget the essence of the law and accuse Jesus of not keeping the Sabbath. The religious leaders blinded by their envy, hated and anger question the healed man about his healing. On verse 25 I find the most amazing statement by a person " all I know is that I was blind but now I see". The greatest miracle a person can receive is the removal of the spiritual blindness, this man was able to see who Jesus was even when physically blind, and Jesus healed his blindness. On the other hand the Pharisees could not see who Jesus and they were not physically blind but spiritually were in complete darkness. How many times you and me can not experience the power of God because we choose to be spiritual blindness, we just do not want to see the facts, we get blinded by our envy, hated, and doubt.

Today I challenge you to ask God to open your spiritual eyes that you may see His perfect plan in all circumstances so that you may be able to say, I was blind but now I see.

In the Journey,

Pastor Ricardo Brambila.

I Believe

2007-11-08T23:48:00.000-06:00

Everyday I remind myself that Jesus has made all things right, that I have access to His presence by His precious blood. I am justified whatever was wrong, and torn He has justified the moment I believed. Do you believe?

This next Sunday we will celebrate baptisms. I give thanks to our God as He continues working in His children. These brothers and sisters are not perfect just as you and me, but they have confessed they believe in Jesus as the only and sufficient Saviour and that my friend brings Justification to make things right again. Pray that they might grow in His Spirit to walk in newness of life.

"All that believe are justified." Acts 13:39

The believer in Christ receives a present justification. Faith does not produce this fruit by-and-by, but now. So far as justification is the result of faith, it is given to the soul in the moment when it closes with Christ, and accepts Him as its all in all. Are they who stand before the throne of God justified now?--so are we, as truly and as clearly justified as they who walk in white and sing melodious praises to celestial harps. The thief upon the cross was justified the moment that he turned the eye of faith to Jesus; and Paul, the aged, after years of service, was not more justified than was the thief with no service at all. We are to-day accepted in the Beloved, to-day absolved from sin, to-day acquitted at the bar of God. Oh! soul-transporting thought! There are some clusters of Eshcol's vine which we shall not be able to gather till we enter heaven; but this is a bough which runner over the wall. This is not as the corn of the land, which we can never eat till we cross the Jordan; but this is part of the manna in the wilderness, a portion of our daily nutriment with which God supplies us in our journeying to and fro. We are now--even now pardoned; even now are our sins put away; even now we stand in the sight of God accepted, as though we had never been guilty. "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus." There is not a sin in the Book of God, even now, against one of His people. Who dared to lay anything to their charge? There is neither speck, nor spot, nor wrinkle, nor any such thing remaining upon any one believer in the matter of justification in the sight of the Judge of all the earth. Let present privilege awaken us to present duty, and now, while life lasts, let us spend and be spent for our sweet Lord Jesus. Morning and Evening

In His Love and Grace,

Pastor ricardo Brambila.

The gift of time.

2007-11-06T21:27:00.000-06:00

If you think that time is not on your side, think about this. God created cronos (time) for all of His creation with the purpose of creating in His infinite (timeless) divine nature, a creation that is finite (within time). God is not subject to time or space He is God, creator of the universe.

Ecclesiastes 3:3.... Every thing has its Time

We have the gift of time and because of that, our minds can created memories of precious moments. Today make sure you remember to count your days, to live today is it would be your last. Life is about moments within God's cronos, enjoy every second of life He gives you and in order for that to happen you must slow down and look around you, precious moments with your family, friends, a beutiful sun set, time with God in the secret place. If you are to busy to pray you are indeed just too busy.

Psalm 90:10-12 ... Teach us to number our days...

Make sure you remember that Today will be gone forever. What memories are you leaving behind ? to your family, to your friends, to those around you. When you realize TIME will never be on your side, you decide to focus your time and your effort on those things that are worth a minute of your life. We sould make a decision that for worries, bitterness, anger, revenge, resentment, gossip, and hate we do not have a single second of our finite lives. We have such a great mission in this finite life. Your first mission in life is to Love God with all your heart and to love people He has placed near you as you love yourself.

God has placed you here on this earth for His Glory, He gave us His Son as a ramson for the payment of our debts (sins) in order for us one day, God Himself will give is infinite eternal life.

In His Journey,

Pastor Ricardo Brambila

In His Time

2007-11-05T22:10:00.001-06:00

I am very grateful to my Lord for allowing me to be part of His wonderful movement. Yesterday at our worship service His presence was strong, I give Jesus all glory and honor, because we could not do it without Him, it is for Him and through Him that we can experience His touch and to hear his voice through His word. God is working in His church, in His people, do not miss what he is doing at our church.

Not my time but HIS TIME.

Genesis 21:2
2 For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. 3 And Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him--whom Sarah bore to him--Isaac.

Many of us have learned that God has a "set time", a divine appointment. Abraham, called the father of faith, believed God's promise. Today something is happening within you that is the
direct movement of Almighty God. Today something in your life is happening by divine appointed time. Do you believe it? Hebrews 11:1 mentions that faith is NOW not later, not one day. Faith is to expect something we have not seen nor heard but we trust will come from our God.

Do you have an unanswered prayer? Have faith in God and in His time, you will receive that which unselfishly you have prayed for. But mean while He will give you the strength, wisdom, peace, love, and the faith to stand if and only if you believe that TODAY YOU HAVE A DIVINE APPOINTED THAT WILL RELEASE A BLESSING.

In His Love and Grace,
Pastor Ricardo Brambila

Be Thankful

2007-11-03T19:30:00.000-05:00

My prayer is for you to begin a life that is full of thanksgiving. May you count your blessings and just slow down to enjoy the blessings you have, family, friends, brothers and sisters in Christ but above all for the peace God has brought to who enables to share time and moments with others.

Thanksgiving
But one of them, seeing that he was healed, returned and, with a loud voice, gave glory to God.
He fell face down at His feet, thanking Him. And he was a Samaritan.—Luke 17:15–16
Thankfulness is foundational to the Christian life. Thankfulness is a conscious response that comes from looking beyond our blessings to their source. As Christians, we have been forgiven, saved from death, and adopted as God's children. There could be no better reason for a grateful heart!
Lepers in Jesus' day were social outcasts. Their highly contagious condition ostracized them from those they loved. When ten lepers encountered Jesus, they desperately implored Him to show them mercy. Jesus sent them to the priest. As they obeyed, they were healed! These ten men had been forbidden to enter their own villages, to live in their own homes, to work in their own jobs, or even to touch their own children. Imagine what unrestrained joy must have filled them as they ran back home again!
One of the lepers, a Samaritan, stopped and ran back to thank Jesus. Samaritans were normally shunned by the Jews, but Jesus had healed him! Jesus asked him, “Where are the others?” Ten lepers had been healed. Ten lepers were reveling in their newfound health. Ten men were joyfully rushing to share the good news with those they loved. But only one considered the Source of that blessing and stopped to thank and worship the One who had given him back his life.
We, too, have been healed and made whole by the Savior. We are free to enjoy the abundant life the Savior has graciously given us. Could we, like the nine lepers, rush off so quickly to glory in our blessings without stopping to thank our Redeemer? God looks for our thanks. Our worship, prayers, service, and daily life ought to be saturated with thanksgiving to God (Phil. 4:6).—Experiencing God Day by Day

Candy Giveaway

2007-11-01T20:57:00.000-05:00

We thank God our Lord for giving us the opportunity to be part of His Kingdom. Yesterday we gave 125 bags with candy and a track with the gospel news. I believe that that it was a great opportunity to share His love and to have fellowship with our brothers and sisters.
I want to share with you a devotional:

Friends of God
“No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.”—John 15:15
You do not choose to be a friend of God. That is by invitation only. Only two people in the Old Testament were specifically described as “friends of God.” Abraham walked with the Lord so closely that God referred to him as His friend (Isa. 41:8). Moses spoke to God face to face as a man speaks with his friend (Exod. 33:11).
By His very nature God is a friend to us. He loves us with a perfect love and reaches out to us with salvation when we can offer Him nothing in return. It is quite another thing when someone has a heart so devoted to Him that God initiates a special friendship. David's heart was totally devoted to God (1 Kings 11:4). Although David was not sinless, he loved God. David hated sin (Ps. 103:3); he loved to worship God (Ps. 122:1); he took genuine delight in God's presence (2 Sam. 6:14); he loved to speak about God (Ps. 34:1); he was keenly aware of his transgressions (Ps. 51:3–4); and he delighted in offering gifts of song, thanksgiving, and praise, asking for nothing in return (Ps. 100). So closely did David walk with God that his words were on Jesus' mind as He hung upon the cross (Matt. 27:46).
Jesus called His disciples friends. He said He would disclose to them things that the Father had shared with Him, because they were His friends. There developed such an intimate friendship between them that He would share what was on His heart with His friends.
If you cannot describe yourself as a friend of God, commit yourself to seek after God with all your heart.

In His Love,
Pastor Ricardo Brambila

Annual Meeting 2007

2007-10-29T22:58:00.000-05:00

Thank you Almighty God for giving us such a sweet spirit on our Annual Meeting. Thank you church members for coming and for being so kind to me and my family. I had a great time and I believe God is up to something greater that what we can imagine. This just the beginning of great times for the glory of Our Lord Jesus Christ. We will continue serving God with our lives. We will minister in San Isidro for many years.

In His Grace,
Pastor Ricardo Brambila