Aurelio's Christmas Letter

We trust you are doing well in the Lord. Our prayer this Christmas is for the peace and hope of Jesus to be with you and your family. I want to thank you and let you know how much we truly appreciate your support! I also pray that you would allow me to share with you what the Lord is doing through the ministry of C28.  Through God's grace and your help, God's Word is reaching millions of people all over the world through printed shirts. We are grateful to God that in the past 7 years over 12,560 people have prayed to receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior through God's Holy Spirit and the ministry of C28 & NOTW. Through God's will, we at C28 get to preach the gospel everyday, and pray with as many people as possible. It is amazing how God uses the low for His glory!

This year more than ever, please remember C28 in your Christmas shopping plans. Your support is greatly appreciated and vital to the ministry. Again, thank you and know that we are grateful to both the Lord Jesus and to you, and ask that you please pray for us through these challenging times.

With all that said, we praise God that we can celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ this Christmas. Not celebrating and placing our hopes on the things of this world that bring us temporary fulfillment, but placing our hope in our Savior for both daily living and eternity. Recent events have reminded us not to place our future hopes in the stock market, the economy, government and even man, but to seek our true hope and peace that only comes through God. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”  Proverbs 3:5-6

When we rely upon worldly outcomes or place our trust in humans for our joy and peace, we are likely to be let down. We easily get bummed out when things don’t work out the way we want. God never said peace and joy would come from our expected outcomes. Instead, we can choose to accept and rejoice in whatever outcome God has for us. All we are expected to do is: love the Lord first, love others second and then trust and accept whatever God has chosen for us. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." Mark 12:30-31 We waste too much time and energy in trying to get our own ways. Again, God commands us to simply love Him, love others and accept His chosen outcomes for us. God knows what’s best for us and is in control of all things. The best thing to do is to trust an unknown future to a known God!

I know times are tough for everyone, yet I urge you to remember God’s promises of encouragement throughout His Holy Bible. “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” 2 Corinthians 4:8 I pray that you can meditate on God’s Word and then believe it, so He can provide you with His peace in your times of need. Ask Him to provide for you, ask Him to guide you, let Him know that you are tired of carrying your own burdens. Trust and wait upon the Lord and He will help you. Always know that God is full of mercy and grace. He created you and loves you no matter what you have ever done. God is your Father in heaven and He cares for you, always!

As believers, please also celebrate the fact that we are not at war with God. What I mean is, knowing that our standing with God is permanent and not based on our own performance means that we can have true peace. Why? Because Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins on the cross and our faith in Jesus, is credited to our account. Our faith in Jesus gives us the right to humbly approach God’s throne of grace in full repentance and thanksgiving; anytime, anywhere. “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith in to this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.” Romans 5:1-2 What a great gift that is. :-)

Because He lives in us, we are also not to be burdened with our guilt and worries that only serve to push us away from Him. Knowing these truths give us the fullness we need. “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.” John 17:13 God welcomes us back daily with open arms when we repent and our hearts are contrite. Will you surrender your heart to Jesus and ask Him in? Will you allow Him to take your fears and worries? Will you trust Him today regardless of your troubling circumstances? Talk to God right now in prayer, He wants to hear from you. “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8 Will you knock on His door of forgiveness and receive His fullness? Will you do this right now?

The times are so challenging, that I, my family, C28 staff and friends have found ourselves on our knees praying for God’s help and God is faithfully answering our prayers! “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:4-7 The key to the above verse is knowing God is near and then believing it. God is all knowing and caring, He is always there! I will leave you with this verse and pray that you seek Him and praise Him with all your heart. “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:8-9