Spain Minus 15 Days

Please continue to pray for the GFC Spain team and for the people already "on the ground" in Spain. In Matthew 23.1-12, Jesus issues the "woes" to the Pharisees (and others). While he says to obey what the Pharisees say to do, he says not to be like them. The Pharisees are doing good works, but they are doing them for a reward. The reward of trusting on good works is the reward of those good works themselves. In the final judgment we will find out what the good works we have done are good for, based on the motivation of the heart we bring to those good works.
I challenge everyone who reads this to take a piece of paper and a pencil and spend five minutes writing a list of all the good works you have done recently. Only list those done with a genuine motive only to please God and love your neighbor as yourself entirely for that neighbor's good and God's glory.
We should find after five minutes of this that our sheet of paper is empty. Our motives are wrapped up in a combination of ourselves and God's will at best, and are entirely our desires at worst. We fall under the condemnation of the Pharisees in verse 5, "They do all their deeds to be seen of others" (ESV). If we are depending on others seeing us and recognizing our good deeds for our eternal well-being, we are cursed indeed.
As the team prepares to go to Spain, pray that those serving Christ in this service project may have hearts to do their service for the Lord and to care for their neighbors, not to desire an earthly reward.
As we receive praise from people observing us, pray that we will rightly ascribe that praise to the Lord who desires to use us to draw attention to himself among unbelievers in Osuna.
As we prepare to serve in ways which may be tedious, exhausting, and which may not fit our preferences at times, pray that we will have the mind of Christ as shown in Philippians 2.