"Trust…"

At this point, all we can do is trust the LORD and wait on HIM. The Lord provided funds for me and my 2 eldest children (Adelaide & Hudson) to go visit the States. I had some important business to tend to and was much desirous to visit with friends, family, and the churches of God. However, my son’s Visa had expired over a year-and-a-half ago which we have been faithfully and diligently seeking to rectify for that entire time to absolutely no avail (the DHA of South Africa has not tended to our matter). I was advised that Hudson still could leave the country as he is a minor, my wife is a Permanent Resident of South Africa, and we have documentation of all our interactions with the DHA showing our intent and motions to rectify the matter in a timely and proper manner… however, when we left the country, Passport control stamped Hudson’s Visa as “Undesirable” and banned him from the country for 5 years… may the LORD have mercy.

"All things work together for good…"

While this is not the manner in which we desired to come to the States, through prayer and seeking the face of the LORD, we see the LORD’s hand in all of this. We were given means to follow to request a repeal of the ban in which the DHA of South Africa was to address the problem within 10-15 days; however, they did not comply. We hired a different lawyer to help and they have been pressing on their end but still to no avail. So at this point, we have now proceeded to take the next step to take the SA DHA to court in order for them to be court-ordered to address the situation (as per their own policy). Seeing this process can take from 2-4 months, through the help of a dear friend and brother in Christ, we were able to fly Hannah and our other 3 children back to the States to join us here. So by the grace of God we are now all in the States for an unexpected and extended “furlough”! The LORD has definitely used all these things for good and we see his hand of mercy helping us every step of the way. I (and my family) have definitely needed this time of rest and restoration from our many battles in South Africa. A dear brother in the LORD has graciously given us one of his vans to use while we are here so we are able to move about, and Farmersville Baptist church (a church I used to preach and teach in years ago) is allowing us to stay in their vacant parsonage next to the church building. We have been blessed to have been able to spend this time with my parents and to be able to move about and minister in and visit churches and dear brothers in the ministry. And so now we have moved out to Farmersville and filled the house with furniture and such so that we might have our own place for the next few months. Also, since the beginning of July, by God’s grace, I have been able to be a part of the preaching and teaching out at the church in Farmersville which has been a blessing from the LORD. Oh to live a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty! Our time out in rural America has really been a breath of fresh air. Please pray for the LORD to do a deep and holy work within and amongst us and the people of Farmersville for his name’s sake.

"Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand…"

Since being here in America and preaching on the streets multiple times it has become even more evident that people must repent, or else they have no hope of entering the kingdom of God. People have definitely become more hardened in their sin. And people will not believe in Jesus Christ and receive the holy light of the gospel of Christ if they will not repent. Let us pray that God may use us, our lives, our spirits, our words, and all our endeavors to help bring sinners to repentance so that they might find new and everlasting life in Jesus Christ our Lord. Because, “Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” 

Continue in the Holy Scriptures…

Paul told Timothy to continue in the holy scriptures because they were able to make him “wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” The more I have continued in the holy scriptures, the more I see just how true these words are. God does not want us to just get a shallow grasp on approximate scriptural truths, but rather, we must chasten our souls so that we may sit and patiently continue in the word of God in order to drink from the river of life. Please, change your lives so that you might continue patiently and faithfully in the scriptures to truly know and love and abide in Jesus Christ and our Father in heaven. I believe it is so important to read and meditate in the word of God alone and in secret. But I also believe it is just as important to read and meditate in the word of God with a small group of believers who are serious about following Christ and obeying his voice no matter what the cost. These times are so blessed and so needful for the body of Christ to truly grow in Christ so that we might be made ONE in HIM. Because in the end, there is no such thing as the Baptist church, or the Presbyterian church, or the Methodist church, etc… but ultimately there is only 1 bride of our Lord Jesus Christ, 1 body with 1 Shepherd over 1 fold. May we all be part of HIM and HIS fold for his glory and honour, world without end. 

Gatherings and Meetings…

Currently, our church in Farmersville gathers on Sunday mornings and Doug (the head deacon) is teaching on the topic of holiness for the Sunday school hour. These teachings have been such a source of blessing in my life. It is wonderful to know a brother in Christ who believes in both the holiness of God and the call and absolute necessity for us as believers to be holy in HIM. These teachings will be posted on our website and I would strongly recommend people who hunger and thirst after righteousness to listen. By God’s grace, I have been preaching the main “service” and the Lord seems to be confirming his voice through both of us. Then on Mondays and Thursdays I have an online Bible study with some dear brothers in Christ from South Africa, Zim, and America. We have been going through the book of Romans together for the past few months (we just finished chapter 6), and this has literally been the best group study I have ever been a part of in my life. I feel like for the first time, these deep and holy divine truths from Romans are not just being beheld by my eyes, or even just resonating in my heart, but I can literally feel these truths shining into the depths of my soul and setting my spirit free from within. Please keep these sessions in prayer for God to increase his revelation and divine glory in and through us. On Monday nights we gather at the Ciraolo’s house (dear members of the church) and have supper together and a time of prayer, singing, and reading through the Psalms. It is so nice to just read through these glorious prayer-songs together! Then, on Wednesday evenings we gather for prayer and the word with some of the folks from the church in Farmersville. We have just begun to go through the book of Proverbs verse-by-verse. Please pray that the glory I have experienced with the brothers in Romans can be manifest with the saints in Farmersville. I have been able to have meetings with a quite a few of the local churches in Western New York since being back. It has been an absolute blessing to visit with these churches and share an update of the work in South Africa along with being able to preach the word of God to the saints. The Lord has really given good liberty and the reception of the saints has been blessed. The pastors and churches have been so generous and I pray the LORD really bless and strengthen his people to continue in the faith of Christ. Please pray that if it is the LORD’s will that he would open more doors to meet with churches and preach Christ to his people. Please hold us in prayer that the LORD would continue to direct our steps and that HE would be well pleased with us.  Thanks be to God for all your prayers and support. 

Blessings and love,

The Cesar Family