A Right Relationship with God.

We have been studying evangelism in our weekly Bible studies.  One of the main questions we focus on is: How can I have a right relationship with God?

The answer starts with the Law - God is holy.  Can I, a sinful person, keep his law perfectly? What happens if I don't?  The answer is that God cannot except anything less than holy.  As sinful humans, we are unable to meet his demands.  We have nothing to offer a holy God.











What is the answer?  The answer comes outside of sinful man.  The answer comes from someone who was able to fulfill all of God's holy law.  The answer comes from someone who was able to pay the price that God demanded for sins committed.  That answer is - Jesus.

The presentation emphasizes two important things Jesus did.  The first was in His life.  During His life Jesus was fulfilling the Law of God.  He kept all the commandments - perfectly.  He did all this as my Substitute.  The second thing Jesus did was in His death, when He paid the price for my sins.  This He did as my Substitute.


These are the points we want to communicate in our witnessing opportunities to others.  God's law-which we cannot fulfill, and God's Gospel, Jesus lived a perfect life for me and died an innocent death to pay the price for my sins.

How can I have a right relationship with God?







The only answer is - Jesus.

Other gods

All this I will give you if you bow down and worship me.

This past week marked the festival to the god of abundance, Ekeko.  The fair grounds were full of vendors selling their wares to the followers of this god.  At the entrance to the fair, there stands a large statue of the Ekeko god.










What is the belief about this god?  Followers are encouraged to buy products in miniature that represent their desires.  If you wish to travel, you purchase a miniature suitcase.  If you want to graduate you purchase a miniature diploma.  The most common miniature sold is money - miniature bolivianos, miniature dollars and miniature euros.  The belief is that in the coming year, Ekeko will make these miniature objects become real.

Another belief is that Ekeko can change your life.  If women buy a miniature rooster, they will get married in the coming year (men buy miniature hens).  Miniature dolls will help you to have a child.  Frogs and elephants are said to represent good luck.  Owls will bring wisdom.

Amauta - La Razon

Amauta - La Razon

 After making your purchases, they are taken to the amauta (shaman) who blesses your miniatures.  He sprinkles some water over them and then waves them over a small fire of coals or incense.  Some people, as a final step, will also take their miniatures to the priest who sprinkles them with holy water.

Ekeko

You can also purchase your own Ekeko to keep in your home or business to ensure good luck

Ekeko

Worship the Lord Thy God and serve Him only.

Touching the Sky

Have you ever been told that you "have your head in the clouds"?  Most people know that Denver, CO is known as the "Mile High" city.  Well, here in La Paz we are over 2 miles high (11,975 ft.).  So I guess, technically,  you could say that we "have our head in the clouds"!

One of the drawbacks of living at such a high altitude, is that any time you are coming from a lower altitude up to the city, you are likely to suffer from altitude sickness.  This usually affects people with the following symptoms: throbbing headache, nausea, dizziness, sleep disturbance, fatigue.

What should you do?  The first recommendation is to rest.  Since the air is so thin at this high an altitude, your body needs to produce more red blood cells to be able to absorb more oxygen.  When  you sleep your body produces more red blood cells.  (Sleep is usually not a problem since  you are not feeling so well, anyway.)  Another recommendation is to avoid any kind of physical effort such as lifting, going up and down steps, etc., and eat  light meals.


Is there any way to relieve these symptoms?  The local residents recommend drinking coca tea made from unprocessed coca leaves.  This tea is readily available at stores or at the open market, or you can buy some raw leaves and brew your own.  There are also "soroche" pills to help you sleep through the night.

If you follow the recommendations and rest, avoid strenuous activity and drink your tea, you should start feeling better in 2-3 days and then you can start enjoying La Paz, the city where we touch the sky!

El Redentor - Redeemer Lutheran

El Redentor is a large Lutheran church located in La Paz. It was founded in the 1960's by a group that claimed to be a confessional Lutheran Church. The constitution of the church states that they follow all the Lutheran Confessions.

There are several other churches affiliated with this Lutheran group - all claiming to be Lutheran in their confession and practice. In reality, this has not always been true, as several of the leaders adhere to Pentecostal and Reformed teachings and practices.

About four years ago, one of the members of Redeemer church wanted to investigate what it meant to be a "confessional" Lutheran. He tried to find out which Lutheran churches truthfully taught the confessions and the teachings of the Bible. That is what led him to WELS.

For the past four years, LATTE member Larry Retberg, has been making regular trips into La Paz to work with the leaders of these different churches. On each trip, he has presented the confessional teachings of the church for consideration by these leaders. The Holy Spirit has blessed these teaching trips and some of the leaders are willing to present these truths to their members, even though it means much turmoil among their members as they struggle with these "new" teachings.

Now that we will be living here in La Paz, our task will be to continue teaching biblical doctrines and working with these leaders as they continue to study and present these teachings in their churches to their congregations. Our prayer is that they will recognize and reject the false teachings they have been taught and by the work of the Holy Spirit will full heartedly subscribe to and follow all the teachings of their true Redeemer, Jesus.