Facing the Impossible: Trusting Jesus

In this conversation, Daniel Mamora and Pastor Gary reflect on the significance of Easter and the teachings of Jesus, particularly focusing on the miracles he performed and the importance of faith in facing life's challenges. They discuss the story of feeding the 5000, emphasizing the need for reliance on Jesus in impossible situations. Personal testimonies highlight the transformative power of faith, and the hosts encourage listeners to seek support and prayer in their own journeys. The episode concludes with a look ahead to future discussions and missions.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:20

Good morning, good afternoon, good evening, wherever you may be, and uh happy Saturday or whatever day. Uh this is airing on Saturday, uh the Saturday after Easter, and uh hope you enjoyed um your Passion Week and Easter weekend, and uh um it's it's just incredible, and just uh hope you guys did uh the little challenge and just asking the Lord to um take you through the journey of Christ uh in his word and uh and just kind of like meditate on that and just understanding uh the value of what Christ's death has brought us. So um, but now that this year's Easter is over, is going back to a normal week from now or normal uh season right now, and uh, and by the way, I'm joined with Pastor Gary, and uh I hope um and uh um if you guys uh just can we start again? I I messed up. I messed up.

SPEAKER_01 1:29

I'm like, man, Daniel struggling big time. Let's start again.

SPEAKER_00 1:39

Good morning, good afternoon, good evening, wherever you may be. Um, this is the week after Easter, and uh hope you guys enjoyed your Passion Week and uh your Easter weekend, and uh hopefully hopefully you guys were worshiping somewhere on Easter Sunday and uh just celebrating our risen Savior Jesus Christ. We're back to our normal uh season now and uh joined with Pastor Gary. And uh, by the way, um I hope uh you guys were blessed going through that journey. Um, you know, the challenge that we've given you as far as like asking the Lord to take you on that walk where Jesus um uh was led to up from the time of that Palm Sunday to the cross, and of course, ultimately his resurrection and uh just the value of what his death has brought that has given us uh the sacrifice that he has made so that we can live and uh do what he has called us to do. So um, and uh hope you guys are doing well. And uh as always, Pastor Gary, well not always, Pastor Gary is broadcasting from Colorado. I'm broadcasting from Orange County, and uh it's so cool like how technology is now these days. We could do podcasts remote, and um I mean times have changed, it's gone a long way, and uh and we could literally just do this anywhere we want to or where we can, and so as long as there is network. And uh um Pastor Gary uh was thinking of going through if you have your Bibles, John chapter six, um and uh he said he's not gonna um preach a message or anything like that, but you know, with the name Pastor, you know, with with with the pastor before the name, you know that hey, I'm not when they say I'm not gonna preach, they're really gonna preach. Yeah, but no, in a good way. So uh I'll let I'll just hand it to the Japanese samurai, Pastor Gary. Why don't you take it away?

SPEAKER_02 3:38

Yeah, well, uh unfortunately we're out of time now because Daniel took so long for the introduction. So I'm like, oh man, but hey, I w did you see this? Did you just spit water? That's so gross. What? I did oh I did, uh, anyways, I wore my post-Easter uh Aloha shirt. So um, anyways, I have a Hawaiian shirt.

SPEAKER_00 4:07

I just have it says goodness of God. That's it.

SPEAKER_02 4:10

Yeah, amen. Well, God is good. So amen. Um all the time. But I did want to share for a little um a few minutes and from John chapter six, and then just talk about the things that God has called us to do and why He's calling us to do it, and and even you know, how we face impossible situations. And I pray that that as God has used this to encourage us and our staff, that it might encourage everyone else. So let's uh open with prayer and uh and then we can get started. Father God, as we come before you, Lord, I just thank you for who you are and all that you are doing in our hearts and lives. I pray, Father God, that you would move upon the hearts of everyone who is listening. At whatever time or whatever point in their life they find this podcast that you would minister to them, and that Lord, you would touch them. And and Father, that that our goal is to glorify you and draw others closer to you. So, Lord, may that be established and your will be done in our hearts and lives in Jesus' name. Amen. John chapter 1, verse 6, it says, After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias, then a great multitude followed him, because they saw signs which he performed on those who were diseased, and Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat with his disciples. Now the Passover feast of the Jews was near, and Jesus lifted up his eyes, seeing a great multitude coming toward him, he said to Philip, Where shall we buy bread that these may eat? But this he said to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. So you know, so often we get into situations and circumstances where where we just don't see a way forward. And um, you know, I had a a a friend that um in the ministry that she was working in, um her name is Baroness Caroline Cox, and and um she said regarding her ministry that we don't we don't just need miracles, we rely on them. And so I I see so much of of what we're doing at Anchored International Relief is just the same way. We need God, we need God to move in a powerful way. And every day, I mean, you know, walking down the the road in the the village where where we live and work in Uganda, and just seeing all the hungry and hopeless people there, and and you know, many of them reaching out and saying, you know, help me, and you know, or I'm sick, and and and it could be really disheartening because it's like, what are we gonna do for all these people? And and you know, even um our work in Nepal uh up in the mountains, I mean, you know, the number of Christians in Nepal is is just a fraction of the total population, probably somewhere, you know, between um one percent to maybe two or three percent of the population are Christian. And when you look at that, and and you look at a nation that that uh doesn't know Jesus Christ, um, and you say, well, who are we? What can we do? And this is an impossible situation. In Mexico, we all know here in the U.S. the the the struggles we have in the US because of drugs that come over from the border, and and then you know, we're we're ministering to to kids. We just started uh a work with the the juvenile diversion program there that is um really targets these kids that are vulnerable, that you know, 10 years old and up, that are being courted by the cartels and the gangs, and and um and and wanting to show them that they have choices, they have alternatives. And yet every single one of them, we I was I'm reminded of a time when we were doing a um uh a lunch with a bunch of these kids, and there was about 80 of them, I think. And I asked them, how many of you know somebody that's been murdered? And I would say 95% of the kids raise their can. You know, I said, How many of you know someone who's committed suicide? Every one of them raise their hands, and you know, all of them, almost all of them are are from single-parent homes, and that single parent maybe works three jobs. Um you know, T1 is big. We're talking millions of people, and and again, you look at that and you say, Man, are we doing anything? Is is this going to really make an impact? And so here we have the disciples faced with an impossible situation. They've got you know approximately 5,000 men. So we know there's thousands of people that that have followed Jesus, and and now uh Jesus asked his disciples, well, what are we gonna do? Where how how are we gonna feed them? And and not only it wasn't even a matter where the of where they were at, of how do we have the money to feed them, it says, you know, he asked, where we are we going to buy bread? Where are we gonna find bread for these people? In other words, you know, we're we're talking Jesus time, there's no there's no 7-Elevens, there's no markets, there's no places where they can just go and and pick something up, and uh much less for that many people. And but Jesus already knew what he was gonna steal. And and so um, but he said this because he wanted to test his disciples, he wanted to show them his power and his majesty. So Philip said, you know, we don't have we don't have enough money. And you know, 200 denarii, that that's you know, over half a year's wages. We we we don't have that, and and even that wouldn't be enough um to to give them anything. We know from the other translation or the other gospels that uh one of the disciples said, hey, send them home. And you know, honestly, I might have been there, I might have been like, you know what, um, we can't do anything, so just tell the people go home. And and Jesus said said to them, you know, this is him saying, You feed them. And so here comes Andrew and Simon, and um, and he's got just a little bit. And and he says, Um, well, I have something, and here's a here's a little boy, he has five barley loaves and two small fish. Um, but he says, What are they among so so many? How how is that going to do anything for all the people that that are here? And so then Jesus says, in other words, so so here's what he did. He he let them come up with their ideas, and they all saw that no, all of our ideas are are are useless, and so we don't know what to do. We have an impossible situation. You want us to feed these people, there is no way that we can do this, and and so um then Jesus takes over. Now, something else about these people. Now, Jesus knew the motivations of the people that had come. You know, they had come looking for miracles, they had come, you know, this was after the the feeding of the 4,000, and so so they that many of it come just for the food. And uh um, you know, and and I was gonna say something, Daniel, about how you can identify with going someplace just for the food, but I won't. Anyways, uh and so they had they had they had the wrong motives, uh and yet Jesus desired to feed them. And you know, Warren Wearsby said that even though Jesus knew that most of these people were here for the wrong reasons, he still fed them. And perhaps, you know, he might be able to reach one soul. And so, you know, um the Lord taught me a long time ago that the ministry that he's given us is one child, one one person, one one church, one village, you know, one country at a time, you know, but it really it is that it's one one person at a time. And so we don't don't focus on everybody we can't help. We just say, all right, Lord, help us to help the ones that you have put in our past. And so they we all know the story that that they you know he prayed and um he distributed the the fish and the the sm five small barley loaves to the people, and and after he had fed the thousands, he gathered up the fragments, and they were left with twelve baskets of fragrance. So um fragments of barley loaves. And so not only was the task impossible, but but the the the s uh solution was miraculous. And I mean, there's no way that they could start with five little barley loaves and end up with 12 baskets of leftovers after everyone got filled. And so um, you know, it it just reminds me so much that um that God is all powerful, that God is all-knowing, and and when we face in our own s circumstances in our own lives, and and I know that that maybe people um who are listening, um, maybe they're in an impossible situation, and they don't know how they're ever gonna get out, and and they don't know what they're gonna do. We need to turn to Jesus. We need to go to him, we need to go to him in prayer, and we need to just say, All right, Lord, I don't know what to do, I don't know where to go, I don't know how I'm ever gonna get out of this, but you do, so help me. And and you know what what Jesus wanted to teach his disciples was his sufficiency that that they just needed him. And so that's what we need to know. We just need Jesus. And just a few four short verses here in um in John 6, he he sends the disciples out on the water, and he sends them right into the midst of a storm. And you think, why why would he do that? Why you know why don't we why wouldn't he just say, hey, let's wait a little while because there's a storm coming? Because we know he knew, and and why would he send them into a storm? And and so from one impossible situation to uh a life-threatening storm. And you know, uh well, I have to say, they were an impossible situation, they saw an incredible victory, and now they're in a storm. And I know that that God does things like that for a number of reasons. You know, one is maybe to keep them from being proud, um, and and trying to maybe take some kind of credit. Andrew could have said, hey, you know, hey, but we I'm the one that found the kid with the lunch. And so, you know, really I I I played a big part in this. And and, you know, it was to for them to remember that apart from him, John 15, they can do nothing. Apart from Jesus, we can do nothing. And and so um he sent them them out on the the sea, they ran into a storm, and then lo and behold, Jesus comes walking to them on the water. And they were scared. I mean, I would have been scared. And a couple things that are interesting. I mean, I I was just thinking the other day, if it were me, and you know, when when I am, not that I row that often, but the times I have rowed, you know, I'm not really looking around. I'm just focused on the oar and and rowing and you know, trying to keep myself going in the right direction. Uh and then they had the storm going around them, the wind and the waves. Um, but to see Jesus, they had to look up. They had to look above the storm. And so so here they are in the midst of a storm. They look up, they see Jesus walking on the water. And we know from the other gospel accounts that Peter said, Hey, if it's you, Jesus, because Jesus said, Don't be afraid, it's I. Jesus, he said, If it's you, bid me to come out on the water. And that's when Peter stepped out of the boat, walked on the water, began to sink, cried out to God and to Jesus, and and he rescued him. And again, we go from impossible situations to the midst of a storm. Maybe some of the people that are listening today are in the midst of a storm. And and what what we all need to do during those times is call out to Jesus. And and it doesn't have to be a long flowery prayer. It could just be, Jesus, help me, save me. And and so, you know, when when we're out there in the the field, I I gotta tell you, there's a lot of times when we're doing just that, we're calling out to God and saying, God, help us. We don't know what to do, we don't know how we're gonna get out of this situation. Um, help us. And and so um the Lord just is reminding us over and over again, and and you know, we've seen him, I know I have, I know you, Daniel, you've had you've seen him work mightily in your heart and life, even in even to the point of just getting us to salvation. So, you know, I I I I think that that uh you know as we go forward and and even uh right on the heels of Easter, right? You know, and and maybe went to a sunrise service, maybe went to Easter service, you know, maybe somebody got saved uh during the Easter service, and then Easter's over. Well, now what? Well, now what? Walk with Jesus, trust in him and love him, you know. And I'm sure Daniel, you've got stories and that you can tell of the faithfulness of God, right?

SPEAKER_00 20:03

I would have to write a whole book about it. And uh I mean, of course, you know, about 19 years ago, uh the Lord saved me from a suicide attempt. Uh, and uh, I mean, that's like the ultimate thing. Even though I grew up in a nice um Jesus-believing home, great parents, but only throughout my childhood though, from school kids and uh and then uh didn't think I was wanting to you know proceed through with life and w w w hyped up the mountains at up at Loma Linda in the San Bernardino area and uh weren't ready to jump off. And uh and so and I was so hesitant though. I was so hesitant because I'm like, if I do it, it's over, it's over. And uh but at least I don't have to think about it again, you know, because it'll be over. And then the one friend I have, uh, and uh he uh because we're supposed to do a project at school, and uh he was wondering where I was, and uh because this is before iPhone. This was like when we had like Motorola razors, the flip phones, and so and um, and so you couldn't track anybody where you they're at, anything like that, and then um all of a sudden, uh long story short, he comes up and then encourages me, hugs me, and uh, and he didn't know that this was you know, I mean he knew that I was bullied, but he never knew that this was my mindset, you know, 'cause I acted like it was a normal thing. And so yeah, and so and that's when I got introduced. Uh even though, like I said, even though I knew about the Bible and Heard it, grew up in an Indonesian church, but didn't understand the true gospel and knowing it personally. And he brought me to Harvest Christian Fellowship. Well his parents did, and uh at Riverside and uh um and actually it wasn't Pastor Greg Lori, I mean even though he was there, but it was Pastor Steve Wilbur. And uh and so who was the high school pastor at the time, but I was still a junior high kid and uh he has so much energy.

SPEAKER_01 22:30

I was like, hey, how do you do man?

SPEAKER_00 22:31

Welcome this and that and so and and then got saved there, and then and then also you know the Harvest Crusade walk down, you know. I was like, hey, you know what? It'll be new nice to walk down. And it's like, hey, this is be a cool opportunity. Harvest Crusade 2007. Yeah, and uh at Angel Stadium, and so uh yeah, it's been almost 20 years, uh yeah, 19 years uh almost here, it'll be 20 next year, and so that's the main uh testimony of you know how I came to the Lord personally, even though I knew about it but didn't know him, and his redemptive work. And looking through summarizing John chapter 6, it proves one point that we're all in need of a savior. He is the source, right? Where he says in verse 35, I am the bread of life. No one who comes to me will ever be hungry, no one who believes me, believes in me will ever be thirsty. But as I told you, you see me and yet you do not believe. And so and that was kind of like and I I felt like that was like every person that comes to church on Christmas or Easter, they hear the gospel, they hear the message, and yet they do not believe. Uh do we understand why? We don't, I don't, we can't, you know, because man looks at the outward, but God looks at the heart, and the Lord can see that, but that's why we don't do it ourselves, we don't do it out of our own effort, we look to the source, and even like we believe that he has in control, sometimes we don't. That's not our mindset because we want to do things, but then the Lord's saying, Hey, I got this, I got this, yeah. And so, I mean, one one testimony I could think of was um uh Suzanne Houston's daughter-in-law, Casey, and Rick and Suzanne Houston's daughter-in-law, Casey, and like just how I don't know exactly like 100% of her testimony, but I remember a few years ago, uh and how I remember how she came to or beforehand, like here, they were showing photos of her in the satanic world, in the in the demonic realm, and then you could tell by like you know, of course, like you know, when I mentioned the man looks at the hour, God looks at the heart, you know, but sometimes like when you see them, you're like, ooh. And then all of a sudden, like you see them as a born-again, totally saved, and then it just changes like how the way they look. I'm like, whoa, I can't believe this was you. And then even like the last women's conference we had, uh uh Rise conference back um a few weeks ago, Jack Marine O'Shane, she was in the occult world. And then who would have ever thought that her test her her past was literally like that seeing photos and videos and now she's a worship leader at Arizona with her husband. Where she met her, that's where she met her husband. And I actually got to meet her husband, talk with her husband, and we became good friends at the conference, and uh and so he he couldn't be inside the sanctuary because it's a women's conference, but he hung out with us in the green room, but um, but the point is, you know, God's redemptive work and and literally just the Lord bringing people Easter Sunday, even Good Friday. So uh and so because and even look look at verse 37 everyone the father gives me will come to me, and the one who comes to me I will never cast out. For I've come down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. This is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose none of those he has given me, but should raise them up on the last day. For this is the will of my father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him will have eternal life, and I'll raise him up on the last day. I mean, that's all we need to do. It's like there's no works that can't be done, our works cannot save us, nothing else can save us but his love, his grace, his blood.

SPEAKER_02 26:52

And so, and that's really a key because if if you're not gonna make it through an impossible situation, you're not gonna make it through the storm if you don't have Jesus. And that was the key here in Matthew 6, and that's a key for every single one listening. I mean, it's not you can't pull yourself up by your own bootstraps, you can't be, you know, just tough it out. We need Jesus, and we need to depend on him, and yeah, we need we need to accept him as our Lord and Savior and and receive his forgiveness, repent of our sins, and ask him to come into our heart as our Lord and Savior.

SPEAKER_00 27:33

Amen.

SPEAKER_02 27:33

And and then uh we're with with Christ and our eternity sure and secure in his hands, not in ours.

SPEAKER_00 27:44

Amen. Yeah, what a word.

SPEAKER_02 27:46

You know what? I just hope that that um this ministers to um to people that they'll be listening and they'll they'll they'll just um be able to hear um uh God speaking to them, not us, not Daniel, not Gary, but but the Lord speaking to them, saying, I love you and and come to me. And and I will give you rest, right? And you know, we all need Jesus. Amen. And uh it's not because we're in the ministry, it's because we're humans and we're weak, and we we we have failings, we have shortcomings, and we and Jesus in his grace and mercy, his love and his forgiveness, he forgives us if we'll come to him. So I just pray that that you know, if anybody, if this ministers to someone that they would reach out to us and and I um and uh and let us know that it touched them, or or if they prayed and asked Jesus into their heart to be their Lord and Savior, that they would would let us know if they need help, if they need someone to talk to. And I know Daniel, you've got that that um suicide prevention number right off the i in your head. So what let's hear it.

SPEAKER_00 29:14

1-800-273-8255. Again, 800-273-8255 or speed dial 988. It's open 24-7. Literally, there's someone out on the other side of the line that will encourage you and like even hey whatever you do tomorrow, that's up to you. But like, hey, today, no. This is your time to say no to the devil. And so, yeah, um yeah, and so because what happened, you know, don't take don't do it, don't make a decision that's uh a permanent decision that's only affecting you temporarily. And so, because my mindset was okay, this is permanent, this is gonna be my whole life, but man, if I took that jump, I would have not seen the Lord's blessings in my life. And look, like get to do what I do here, serve the Lord, God has blessed me with the woman, Vanya. I love you so much. Hope you're watching and listening, and uh, and uh, and I'm telling you, man, like just seeing like how the Lord and just not only blessing me, but be able to be a blessing to so many people. I know Pastor Gary and Carroll's done the same thing too, not just here in the in in this nation, but in Uganda, all over the world, in Nepal, you name it. And so, um, and just taking experiences. I mean, Vanya has had to remind me too at times when I have, you know, when I'm like, oh, what why did I do that? And then the grace of God, and like Vanya has always encouraged me, like, we're all flawed people, regardless of who you are, you know, even the best pastor in the world or that you listen to are flawed people. Even Billy Graham. I know that sounds blasphemous to say, but it's true. And so even he, Billy Graham himself, will say that himself. And so, but we're just all sinners saved by grace.

SPEAKER_02 31:12

And so the only perfect person ever walked this earth is Jesus.

SPEAKER_00 31:16

Exactly. Amen to that.

SPEAKER_02 31:18

Again, I also want to say, you know, people text um our text number 949-384-9282-949-384-9282. They they could ask for prayer. Yes. And and we'll get it. We we read those. And it also if you just text AIR air to that number, you'll get our prayer request because we really need some prayer warriors. So please reach out and you know, the the uh Daniel will give you the other numbers. And uh, but uh Daniel Yeah, give it to him.

SPEAKER_00 31:57

Yeah, that office. Well, I wasn't ready to say that number too, but the other uh if you want to talk, uh contact our office directly, 949-432-677. That's 949-432-6777. You could uh follow us on Instagram at Anchorrelief and uh also our YouTube channel as well. We're also on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Um and wherever you're listening or or watching, thank you guys so much again for your support. And uh our website, anchorrelief.org, our blog at anchorrelief.blog. If you like to uh support us financially, there's tax deductible. You can do that on our website as well. Also pray about these upcoming trips that we have uh uh in Uganda, Nepal, and uh keep up uh keep updated on our website because uh um you know, our three models pray, give, and go. Of course, and our number one thing is prayer. We you know, as Pastor Gary said, we love for you to pray for us and pray about how you can get involved. And uh, you know, if the Lord wants you, because He'll make it evident, He'll make it known. And um, and then of course I mentioned about the giving, you know, financial support. You know, we just want to say thank you guys for who've been uh constantly supporting us and going, you know, in in context with number one praying. It's like, you know, should I go? Lord, should I do that? Because um I'm praying about actually going to Uganda this year. So uh uh so I'm waiting for the Lord to uh uh answer me on that. And uh, but yeah, pray about that. Uh pray for me for uh for that as well. So because uh I know hearing from testimonies from Gracie and Casey and so many people, uh, it just changed their life. And so uh and um and then uh next week, um uh you want to tune in for um oh what we could say a very special episode uh with uh Pastor Carlos Avilas, uh for retired New York City cop, now a pastor at Calvary Chapel in uh Florida, and uh he's gonna be sharing Claremont, Florida. Uh he's gonna be sharing with us um just kind of like the experiences that uh his experience on 9-11, and also we're also um Pastor Gary's gonna be taking a crew on September to New York City uh to minister. Um because this coming September will be the twenty- I can't believe 25 years uh since the attacks in New York City and um Washington, D.C. And of course that uh in Pennsylvania. So past uh pray about that as well, too, because uh that'll be a great opportunity to minister to the uh the first responders in New York, and even just whoever the Lord puts uh um there. And because uh especially the current uh state of that city right now, they definitely need Jesus Christ. And especially them, especially the mayor. And that's what we're gonna talk about next uh next week with Pastor Carlos, kind of like what his experience was, what the Lord's been doing, um with the with the ministry, with a bunch of law enforcement officers over there, and um just like what the Lord has been uh uh showing him, and just kind of like what is the state of New York right now and of just just alone the city alone, and you know, because he was a New York City cop. And so you don't you definitely don't want to miss that. Pastor Carlos Avilas, that'll be on next week's episode. I'm excited about it. Yeah, and so and Pastor Gary being uh uh Orange County Sheriff's uh and uh what what was your highest rank? A lieutenant cadet?

SPEAKER_01 35:33

No kidding, a Japanese cadet, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 35:40

So we'll we'll be on with Carlos, but Daniel won't since he's getting fired. No, just kidding.

SPEAKER_00 35:48

So uh I'll joke in this.

SPEAKER_02 35:50

Daniel, take us out in prayer, man.

SPEAKER_00 35:52

Yeah, absolutely. Lord, thank you so much for um um just for the last just now, but Lord, I just want to say thank you, Lord, for just reminding us that you are the bread of life. And um, and just thinking too of like what you told that woman is uh, you know, if you drink the water that I give you, you will never thirst again. And Lord, I just pray that we look to the source of which is you, and that uh we don't look anywhere else um whenever we're in need and that we just look to you because you fulfill our hunger, you fulfill our thirst, you fulfill everything, you fulfill um our emptiness that we feel. And um, and Lord, forgive us wherever we try to look at any other way, Lord, and not you. And so, and I just pray that every single one of us, those that are listening, myself included, that we just look to you first and that you that you are the source. And so um, even through the storms, that we just look to you. So thank you, Lord, for reminding us that, and thank you for every viewer and listener, and uh and I just pray that you continue to bless the ministry of Anchored and just what uh you've been doing through us, uh, not just uh with this podcast, but just the real work and um seeing the the the fruit, the labor, and all the hard work that our missionaries do. So we love you, we thank you, we praise you in Jesus' name. Amen. God bless you guys. Thank you guys so much. God bless you. If you need prayer, please let us know. Those numbers are available. We're available on social media. Contact us. God bless you guys.