He is the lawyer who weants to take the pastorate of Roca Viva, but finances is the prime hinderance. He's a very funny guy, called me "his lawyer" and "my colleague." Well all these guys were sleeping (it was approaching 2am), and I had Mike's little flashlight. I was re-reading (for the 100th time) Ephesians Chapter 1 and scribbling down new insights that the Spirit was showing me from the text. I couldn't get enough. God's plan before time for blessing his church with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ...I was enthralled by the sheer beauty and mercy of it. God's will and pleasure is to give us truth after truth that springs from the gospel: chosen to be holy, adoption as sons, gift of the Spirit...inheritance...it's no wonder Paul can't go very far in his exposition of these great truths without erupting into praise. These are the truths that I taught on in Conference Session 2: Gospel Truths that Transform our Minds. I felt carried along and inspired of the Spirit as I taught. His word, His direction in the Word, and His strength to share it with these beloved Ticos. God be praised! A funny point during my teaching was when I was saying that Ephesians Chapter 1 is so rich with gospel truths that it is like a kaleidoscope of colors swirling around. Cam looks at me and exclaimed, "You're killin' me! Kaleidoscope?!" He, of course, was translating and hadn't had a reason to know how to say that 
word. Thankfully, one of the Ticos told him it was "kaleidoscopa" as my hand gestures added no help...only made me look ridiculous!Prior to my teaching session, the Lord really did a tremendous work in preparing us for the session. Max began with teaching a devotional from 1 Timothy about the responsibility of men to be spiritual leaders in their homes and churches. This was followed by our own Mike Mumford who shared a moving testimony about how God changed him from a man who identified himself by his career and devoted himself to it...to a man who refused to accept an invitation to come back to that job which was lost earlier this year. He testified of his love for Christ and the delight it is to serve him as a leader in his home and church. The men were very much engaged with Mike's talk. One man asked him how he would make it without a job. Another man encouraged him with God's promises. It was moving and powerful.
[At the airport in San Jose...more later]
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