The Nations And The Heart Of God

Hello All,

I have mentioned before my involvement with the Perspectives course prior to our first trip to Spain, which was almost 1 year ago. I attended the intensive 5 week course at the US Center For World Missions in Pasadena. It was a revolutionary time for me with regard to my missiology and my general outlook on the Bible.

The first day a statement was made that has stuck with me since that time. The teacher, a brother who was a professor at Cal Baptist University, made mention that the Hebrew song book, the worship hymnal, the book of Psalms, was filled with praises unto the Lord, and that over half of those songs included some statement about the nations! I began to think about how many songs we have that reflect that heart today or how many are simply songs of personal reflection and comfort. God's inspired song book is one that is perfectly balanced, half written from the need for a personal touch from the Lord and the other half related to the courting and winning of the nations. One side, related to the first table of the law, the vertical relationship between God and ourselves and the second table of the law, which is our horizontal, human to human relationship.

Take the first two Psalms for instance. Chapter 1 is the Hebrew secret of personal success, to walk in the counsel of God and to meditate, chew on, his Word day and night, a useful way of saying, that the Word would permeate a person's entire being. This is the wise person who will stand no matter the circumstance for he is planted by God's only abundant source of strength.

Then take a look at chapter 2. It is the story of the rebellious heart of the nations, set against the Lord and His annointed, which is the Jewish Messiah, the Savior of the World, Yeshua, Jesus. The Psalmist and King, David writes that this is a futile position. And even so, the Psalm is both a warning of wrath for continuing in such an obstinate way and a cry for reconciliation to a God who simply will not be denied. Verse 12 is beautiful final summation.

• "Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him." Psalm 2:12

David tells the nations, to make their peace with this sovereign ruler, who will be victorious despite their greatest efforts. David here, acts as a national negotiator, a peace negotiator, a representative who is calling on another party to surrender, lay down arms and fall under the blessed place of peace.

I write this today in hopes that 1) we see the interest that God has in bringing salvation to the nations and 2)that our worship of God would have an eye toward outreach. For myself, this way of thinking really began to revolutionize my walk, and really, the walks of my immediate family.

But it's not just my way of thinking. I am convinced that this is God's way of thinking. His mind and His heart has been centered on revealing Himself to the nations through "Abrahams" like you and I for generations and for what generations are left, He will continue that engagement.

My prayer is that you would continue to be inspired, not by our family's involvement in missions, but by God's involvement and investment into this enterprise.

Let the God of the Earth receive praise and honor from the nations. Let it be so as we participate in that call to Spain.

Blessings To The Friends Of Spain,
Frank Sanchez

Caleb News

Hello All,

For those who have been praying for Caleb, praise the Lord, the doctor revealed to us yesterday that he has a healthy heart and will outgrow the present issue. Thankfully, our hearts are glad for our little "Bwudda Bwudda." He continues to be oblivious to the "tiny" scare his doctor put into our lives, but we are grateful to have found out definitively that all things are fine. Thank you for praying.

Now, back to those visas...

Blessings To The Friends Of Spain,
Frank Sanchez

A Great Weekend

Hello All,

No, the Spanish Consulate did not call and tell us that there had been a huge mistake and that they would now be flying us back to Spain AND buying us our first Cafe Con Leche! Rather, we got no phone call, but had a fantastic weekend with some Spanish flair. We could not go to Spain, so the Lord brought a little Spain to us!

It began Friday night at our Spain Chain gathering. (Big thanks are in order to Matt and Krista Sauls who graciously opened their home to us and then stayed up and talked with us until about 11:30! You guys are really cool!!) The normal activities ensued, but the special part of the night was the inclusion of Cori Roybal and "the primos" Ivan and Eunice. They are planning to go to Spain in 2008 to begin a work in Malaga Spain. Presently, Ivan and Eunice are being trained at the Calvary Chapel Bible College in Murrieta and then they will go back to their homeland, accompanied by Paul, Cori and Roybal children. We are so pleased to be in fellowship with such sweet people and it was really a priviledge for our Spain Chain participants to meet and then subsequently lay hands on the Roybal/Primos connection. (By the way, "Primos" means "cousins") I will have further information available when it comes to me. Ivan and Eunice have a website that is being constructed, and when it is finished I will include it in the links.

Then Sunday night came and it was time to meet Chico and Cynthia Pichardo. I had talked with Chico several years ago, when he was in Spain, before we had gone the first time. They have been back for about a year now, but had served there in Tarifa Spain for 4 years. We met them at Victoria Gardens for dinner and put the faces with the names! In an eerie turn of events, they have a son who looks very similar to Caleb, and Benji and Caleb are only 2 days apart! Wild! But beside that, we had a great time sharing and receiving. I was so thankful to be there with them, for in my eyes, they are our predecessors, who have allowed the Lord to begin to open doors of possibility. Who knows what will become of the seeds that they were able to plant. At present, they are home pursuing degrees with an end to returning to Spain and being better able to serve His purposes.

This weekend was a real boost to us. Not that we were lacking in the fire area, but it never hurts to toss a few logs into the fireplace! It was a blessing to join ourselves to these wonderful believers who have the same heart as ourselves. We will be praying for them.

In that same vein, while we are home, I am in the middle of attempting to contact each of the missionaries in Spain. Soon, even perhaps by the end of the week, I will be able to post an all Spain prayer list. We'll see. International communication is still sometimes difficult. But that is where we are heading. For now though, I bless the Lord for providing such a rich weekend of fellowship.

Blessings To The Friends Of Spain,
Frank Sanchez

Spain Chain Meeting This Friday

Pictured above: 1st Picture from left to right. C.C. Upland High School Pastor, Eric Flores and Paul & Cori Roybal. 2nd picture is Lela and I with Eunice and Ivan from Espana!

Hello All,

As I said in an earlier post, this Friday is our Spain Chain meeting. If you are on the Spain Chain, you should be receiving an email real soon with directions. If you are interested in attending and are not on the Spain Chain, email us at lelafrank@aol.com or call us at 909-904-5891 and we will "hook you up" with the information you need.

I am particularly excited about this Spain Chain Meeting. We will meet at 7PM and have worship. Then we will give our report and field questions regarding our ministry and what is happening here and in our church in Jerez. Then, and this is where I am really pleased and excited, we will introduce you to some wonderful friends from Calvary Chapel of Upland, who are preparing to go to Spain themselves to begin a work a few hours from Jerez. The Roybal Family, and "The Primos," Ivan and Eunice (pronounced "Ee-vahn and Ay oo knee say") will be joining us to share what is happening in their lives, and share a little about their vision for Spain.

It excites me on another level as well. We have been talking on a local level, namely Jerez De La Frontera. But all along, we have been meeting other people who are just as passionate about the work to be done in Spain. We of course, first came into contact with Carlos Casco, then Steve and Aryn Caliguiri in Alicante, then Robert Shammell in Barbate. We have not personally met Raphael and Loretta Manzanares in Palma De Mallorca, but they have a ministry there as well. There are a few other people who are waiting on the Lord to get to Spain. Ej and Manie Lease, Ken and Rosalyn Steinmueller and Chico and Cynthia Pichardo, to name a few. Add to this list Brian and Andrea Jackson, who just arrived in Spain yesterday, and our friend J.D. Bennett, who is also up in the north.

Then there is the Roybal/Primos connection. Ivan and Eunice are natives of Spain and are being trained here at the Calvary Chapel Bible College for a return to Spain. We had met them the last time we were home, and they are really sweet people with a wonderful heart for the Lord. I look forward to hearing their perspectives on what the Lord is doing in their homeland.

What I am intoning is this: I want our Spain Chain to think nationally, toward a movement of God's Spirit to come over the entire nation of Spain. To this time, we have been keeping you posted on what we are doing, and we will not discontinue that. However, we also want to make you aware of all that the Lord is doing in Spain through these other missionaries as well. It's exciting to think, that in meeting our friends from C.C. Upland, and inviting them to come share, that somehow, we might be able to bless them and their ministry as well and in the process, join in to what the Spirit of God is wanting to do nationally over the nation of Spain.

WHOOO HOOO!! Sorry...just getting ready and excitedly anticipating Friday night.

We really hope you are able to attend if you are in the SoCal area. It should be a fun night.

Blessings to the friends of Spain,
Frank Sanchez