Confession

 Jeremiah 3:24–25 (NRSV)

24“But from our youth the shameful thing has devoured all for which our ancestors had labored, their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters.
25Let us lie down in our shame, and let our dishonor cover us; for we have sinned against the LORD our God, we and our ancestors, from our youth even to this day; and we have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God.”

Both Israel, the northern 10 tribes and Judah the remaining 2 tribes had forsaken the Lord and turned away from him to worship false gods and idols. Their rebellion led to God divorcing Israel and sending them into captivity in Assyria. These tribes never returned but the tribes of Judah after their captivity were given the opportunity to return to Jerusalem and reestablish the nation. Repentance was required and Jeremiah readily admitted the sins of the nation and the dishonor that resulted. Sin has consequences that can be devastating. God does not look lightly upon sin and when repentance is scorned his wrath must be fall upon the people. He patiently waits for true repentance so that he can restore the people but when they continue to do what he has commanded them not to do, there will be justice. The rebellion of both nations caused them to suffer and lose their inheritance. Israel today continues to suffer for the sins of the past as the land they once inherited has been greatly reduced. They only have a small portion of the land that was promised to Abraham and his descendants. When Jesus returns to rule during the millennium, the land will be restored, and Jerusalem will be the center of the world as all nations will come there to worship Jesus. Until this happens Israel will face tremendous opposition.

The Road Less Traveled...October 2008

Greetings from Guatemala. The past month we started the Kid's club at the base and have had 50-60 children coming on Saturday mornings. It is a blessing to be able to invite them in to the base and spend time ministering God's Word to them. It has been wonderful to see the progress of our staff who have been learning Spanish and are now able to communicate with the children without the aid of an interpreter. This Saturday night we will be showing the movie, 'The Cross and the Switchblade' in Spanish to the people in our neighborhood. This is a timeless film that has such a powerful message. We always give the people an opportunity to accept Christ at the end of the movie and I ask for your prayers that God will touch the heart of the children as well as the adults who will be coming.

A couple of weeks ago a brother in Christ, Paul, who is from England had an accident while riding his bicycle and broke his hip. It has been a challenge to get him the help he needs as he has limited financial resources. We are trying to get him back to England as soon as possible to help him get the care he needs. Please pray that God would bring healing.

The ministry at Higher Grounds Coffee House continues to reach out to the many students and missionaries who are in Antigua. We are so grateful to have a place where they can come to study, use the internet and fellowship with other believers. Business has been slow this month and we continue to trust the Lord to supply for all of our needs. This past month during our Sunday night services we have been looking a the lives men and women whom God has used powerfully in the ministry. Roberts Liardon has produced a series of DVD's entitled, 'God's Generals.' He profiles 12 people who God has raised up in the last couple of centuries who have had tremendous ministries. If you have opportunity to view these you will be blessed.

I have been invited to go to India October 26-November 12, with Oasis International Ministries that is based in Minnesota. I am in the process of securing the required visa and am making plans to go with them. The ministry will be digging a well in a community to be able to supply clean water and they will be hosting evangelistic crusades in the evening along with training sessions for pastors. Several thousand people attend the crusades and several hundred pastors attend the training sessions. I will be working with Darrell Dobbelmann conducting the pastor's training and we will be visiting rural villages to preach the gospel to people who have never had the opportunity to receive Christ. Would you please pray for this trip. Currently in India there is great persecution against Christians in a couple of areas. 50 believers have been killed, homes and churches destroyed and there are constant threats by radical Hindus to continue the violence until the Christians stop preaching the gospel and leading people to the Lord. The area where we will be going has not yet suffered the persecution and we are praying that we will have open doors wherever we go. I will need to raise support for this trip so if you would like to be a part of it through your financial gift it would be greatly appreciated. I do ask for all of you to pray for the team who will be going. Perhaps the Lord will open doors for our DTS students in the future to be able to return to India to preach the gospel to a nation that is filled with great darkness.

I am happy to report that Pastor Efrain's wife, Betty, is responding well to the cancer treatment. The growth that returned is shrinking and we will continue to pray that she will be cancer free.

We will have a new staff member, Sue, joining us in November. She is from England and will be with us for 2 years. Please pray for her as well as she gets everything in order to be able to come.

Thank you for your prayers regarding my residency visa. This week I finally received some information from Immigration officials regarding my status. I need to submit 2 more items this week and hopefully that will be the end of the year long process. Please continue praying for this that I will get a favorable response in a timely manner.

I am grateful for your partnership through your prayers and financial support. I am blessed to be able to serve the Lord in Guatemala and for the opportunity to be a part of what He is doing here as well as in India.

For Him,

Bruce

Correspondence address:
Bruce Ahlberg
6ta Avenida Norte #33
Antigua, Guatemala

Contribution address:
YWAM Chico
15850 Richardsons Springs Rd.
Chico, CA 95973

I will break you

 Jeremiah 1:17–19 (NRSV)

17But you, gird up your loins; stand up and tell them everything that I command you. Do not break down before them, or I will break you before them.
18And I for my part have made you today a fortified city, an iron pillar, and a bronze wall, against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its princes, its priests, and the people of the land.
19They will fight against you; but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, says the LORD, to deliver you.

Jeremiah had a serious mission and message to share with the people. God promised he would give him the words to say but he had to have the courage to say what God had given him. If he failed in his mission there would be consequences that were not what he wanted to experience. God would break him if he failed in his mission. Any fears he had about sharing what God had spoken to him would be overcome by the promise that God would deliver him. Jeremiah needed to concentrate on fulfilling what God had called him to do and trust him to deliver him from evil. God was counting on Jeremiah and he did not want him to fail in his mission. God has called each person to a specific task or ministry and he is counting on us to do what he has called us to do. If we delay or fail to do what he has called us to do there will be correction to put us back on the path. He is always with us and will help us be victorious.

Glory exchanged

 Jeremiah 2:11 (NRSV)

11Has a nation changed its gods, even though they are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for something that does not profit.

Israel was guilty of forsaking God and seeking after gods that were not gods who could do anything to help them or deliver them from their enemies. The nation that was called to represent God to the other nations had exchanged the glory it once possessed for something that had no value or would be of any good to them. They exchanged the truth for a lie and began serving the things they created with their own hands using materials that had no life. It was a shameful act that betrayed their identity and brought the scorn of God upon them. Though the prophets warned them of the judgment to come, it had no effect on them. They continued in their evil ways and forgot the God who delivered them from Egyptian captivity. Today we witness the same attitude among many people who will not submit to the ways of God that bring freedom. They embrace the lies of the devil and follow after their fleshly desires that only lead to further captivity and destruction. They are destitute of the glory of God by following after sin instead of righteousness. Their actions are an abomination to God and relegate them to be something far inferior to the desires of God to conform them into the image of Jesus.

Worship or the Worm

 Isaiah 66:22–24 (LEB)

22“For just as the new heavens and earth that I am about to make shall stand before me,” declares Yahweh, “so shall your descendants and your name stand.
23And this shall happen: From new moon to new moon and from Sabbath to Sabbath all flesh shall come to bow in worship before me,” says Yahweh.
24“And they shall go out and look at the corpses of the people who have rebelled against me, for their worm shall not die, and their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.”

When Jesus returns to reign in Jerusalem, he will once again establish his people, and they will bring sacrifices to the temple. He will reestablish the priesthood and all nations will bring their offerings to him. He will receive the worship he alone deserves but all who have rejected him and lived according to their own desires of false worship will be destroyed by fire. Jesus mentioned the fact that the worm shall not die, and the fire will not be quenched when he taught about the final judgment and the destiny of all who have rejected him. For all who have received Jesus as Lord and Savior it will be time of great rejoicing and uniting of all believers in joyful worship of the Savior. But for all who have rejected him it will be a time of pain and judgment. They will receive what they deserve. The reality of this judgment should cause the unbelievers to turn away from their rebellion and receive the forgiveness and redemption that has been provided for them through Jesus. Yet many will continue to rebel and receive the just consequences they deserve.

A New Jerusalem

 Isaiah 65:17–19 (LEB)

17For look! I am about to create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered, and they shall not come to mind.
18But rejoice and shout in exultation forever and ever over what I am about to create! For look! I am about to create Jerusalem as a source of rejoicing, and her people as a source of joy.
19And I will shout in exultation over Jerusalem, and I will rejoice over my people, and the sound of weeping shall no longer be heard in it, or the sound of a cry for help.

When Jesus returns Jerusalem will be transformed into a city of praise. The blessings of the Lord will rest on the people, and the sins of the past will no longer be remembered. Jerusalem will be the city where Jesus will establish his rule during the millennium. It will be a city of joy and the gathering place for the redeemed people to worship the Lord. The troubles of the past will no longer plague the people who have suffered for their rebellion and denial of the Messiah. They will acknowledge that Jesus is their true King and enjoy all the goodness that he will pour out upon the people. These prophetic words will come to pass and are an encouragement to people today. The years before the coming of Jesus will be difficult times for Israel as the nation will continually face troubles and opposition from their enemies. God continues to plead with them to repent and seek him in order that they will receive Jesus as the promised Messiah, but their hearts are hardened.

The power of sin

 There is no one who calls on Your name, Who arouses himself to take hold of You, For You have hidden Your face from us And have delivered us into the power of our iniquities.  Isaiah 64: 7

Sin is a powerful force that controls the lives of those who have turned away from the truth and live under its rule. When people reject God's rule and will not repent, he turns them over to the devastating power of sin. He gives them what they desire, and the reprobate mind takes control.  His restraining force is lifted in order to give them over to the power of sin. Sin is the most destructive force in the world today, and those who live under its power can only be rescued by Jesus