"For of Such is the Kingdom..."

I am excited to see what God is doing in the mountain villages and towns of Chiapas, Mexico! In the US we seem to do so little with so much...here I see them do so much, with so very little!

Soon after I got to San Cristobal, we had what Harvest Evangelistic calls VBS of a Lifetime. Volunteers from outlying towns come to help us put together materials that HEA and Rebecca Archer of Arrow International Ministry have been working on, praying over, collecting, buying, cutting and preparing for over a year. Over 250 pastors and their childrens' leaders gathered together under the HEA roof and they learned how to use the materials at the Vacation Bible Schools they would be holding all through the summer.

We handed out material for 25,000 children, and the results are in: Over 10,180 children and moms and dads were saved!

I have had the privilege of being at several of these VBS’ and now that the testimonies have come in, I couldn’t wait to share some of them with you!

There is the teacher that shared with us about Osvaldo...they call him "El Pelos". "He comes every year," they told us, "but he fights with all the children and he always steals the offerings. This year none of the teachers wanted to invite him, so we decided to pray for him right after your seminar. We prayed in agreement and then we invited him to come. The first day of VBS he gave His heart to Jesus and it was a joy to see him be a model student this year! We watched as he would go forward to pray at the altar every day with reverence."

When little Cristina learned in "Promesas, Promesas!" that God keeps His promises, she was excited! She had lived with her grandmother all her life, and she wanted to meet her mother. She asked the teachers if they would pray with her, and they all gathered and prayed for Cristina to met her mom. A few days later, Cristina's Mother came to the village to meet her daughter! All the family was amazed, but not Cristina, she knows He keeps His promises, and He promised to answer prayer. Now she is praying for her entire family to accept Jesus as she has done.



“Memito is a tiny 5 – year old and he got up at 4 every morning to milk the cows so he could be at VBS. He never missed a day.”

“The parents came to closing day, 79 accepted the Lord as their savior and now we have started a new church in this tiny village.”

“Gabriel’s neighbors were not allowed to go to VBS so he made a puppet with his own materials and money, and every day he taught his 7 neighbors the lessons and shared his crafts with them. All 7 children accepted the Lord as their savior! Gabriel is 7 years old.”

“There were gypsies camped nearby and they all came to VBS. All the men accepted Jesus and they all made sure their children came every day. After VBS they have continued to come faithfully to our church.”

From a church deep in the mountains: “Carmita is 4 years old and her father is an alcoholic. She accepted the Lord as her savior together with her sister Josefina, who is 6. After Carmita and Josefina accepted the Lord as their savior, they begged their parents to come with them to VBS. They got up very early in the morning, and the girls gathered firewood for the day so that the parents would agree to go come with them. They walked a long way, but when their parents heard the Bible stories, they also accepted the Lord as their savior. Now the whole family comes together to the church services, and they are a great testimony to the community and to their relatives.”

What a joy to be here to pack the bags, sort the crayons, weigh the glitter and wrap the candy for 25,000 children to hear about Jesus! Even as I write this Rebecca of Arrow International Ministry is writing the lessons for next year and plans are being made to continue to preach His precious message of salvation in places where no one has heard that salvation is free and available to all who believe!

Our current project is Kingdom Kids Christmas- we will hand out 20,000 backpacks with toys and school supplies to children who have so little- sharing not only the kindness Jesus preached, but the message of salvation. Please pray for this huge project, and if you can share this video with everyone you know, you'll also be helping to further the gospel in the villages of the jungles and mountains of Chiapas, Mexico!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SgXCjGLpMY

For more info regarding Kingdom Kids please go to:
www.harvestevangelistic.org



Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the Kingdom of God. Mark 10:14

Your Kingdom Come

When I first arrived in Chiapas last June, Margarita was praying for Agusto’s wife, Elizabeth, who was feeling a little under the weather. I joined in, we all did. Agusto is one of the film Evangelism workers. We got on the bus and traveled about 2 ½ hours to pray for her. As I laid hands on her the thought came to me “She will be called an oak of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of my splendor. “ “Oh, God is going to heal her!” I thought. I shared this with her, and we prayed with joy.

I began to find out about her. She was 26, married since the age of 14, not at all unusual among the Tzeltals. She and Agusto have 5 beautiful children. She loves the Lord with a passion and she told Him she wants her life to bring Him glory. She and the children were planning on going with Agusto to the jungle to preach to the Chol Indians during the month of August. She couldn’t wait to get better to do all this.

As the weeks went on, we kept hearing news that didn’t sound good. She felt worse. She and her husband has gone to Dr. after Dr. and she was growing weaker. We went to pray for her a couple more times, again I heard in my Spirit “She will be called an oak of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of my splendor. “ Oh, she will be healed! I was excited, and I kept sharing that with her. I held her hand, looked into her eyes, and we smiled knowing healing was coming. She told me how she met her husband, then how she met her Lord. What an amazing spirit this woman has!

She went to a hospital in the town of Villahermosa and we drove 3-4 hours each way to pray for her and to encourage her. She was in pain, wasting away, but excited and waiting for healing. “When He heals me,” She said, “ I will never stop praising His name and talking about Him!” And then the diagnosis came. Cancer. Not long to live. No chemo, too late. Too advanced. The Dr. recommended she go home to die.

But… did I not hear? Did we not pray? Can you not heal her, Father? Does your word not say ‘What is impossible for man is possible for God’, ‘Heal me oh lord, and I will be healed’ ‘Come boldly into the throne of grace..” Oh, we have prayed! With her, and away from her. We have people praying in the Philippines and Africa, Mexico, Paraguay, Argentina and the US- people of faith. Doubtless, you have received emails from me asking for prayer!

Yesterday was her 27th birthday. She is now on medication so she doesn’t have the searing pain, and she can walk all by herself. We took her a cake and had “mole” and sang Happy Birthday to her. She looks radiant, now that she feels better. But how she feels is not how she is. The cancer is invading her entire body, the tumors are growing, and even protruding. She is peaceful, she is ready to go home.

She says she will never stop praising her wonderful Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. If He heals her, she will praise Him on earth. If He doesn’t, she will praise Him in heaven. I thought as she spoke, “She is beautiful! She is truly radiant! She is, already, displaying His splendor!” She has a treasured cloth bag hanging by her bed. It is full of the things she has collected to have buried with her. Pictures of her babies. Her husband. Her mama. A worn, tattered Bible.

We laid hands on her, and we prayed. I personally prayed, again, “Father, heal her.” And as I prayed that prayer, the thought came to me “Pray the way I taught you to pray.” As we drove home yesterday day I kept pondering… “Pray the way I taught you…” What did He mean? What is He referring to?

Oh no, not that! Not that particular prayer! How did He teach us to pray? He said, when you pray, pray like this: “Your will be done, here on this little planet, exactly the same as it in done heaven….” Just like He taught.

I believe He can heal. I believe He will withhold no good thing from those whose walk is upright, I believe that the angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him and He delivers them….

…..but what do I do with a God that doesn’t heal? What do I do when I can’t explain what Jesus is doing? Will I remain true when He doesn’t stop a tragedy?

A good friend reminded me of John the Baptist. There he was, believing. Waiting. He announced the Messiah, then was arrested and waited in prison for Him to come save him. He sent out word to Jesus “Where are you? Are you who I thought you were?" and Jesus answered, “I’m busy healing the sick , raising the dead" (my paraphrase) “See what I’m doing.” And then He adds, “Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me.” I thought of this, stunned.

Will I continue to cling to Him when His answer to my fervent prayer is “No!”?Can I still love and believe Him when He seems cold, aloof and uncaring?

Will I choose to love and obey Him when I don’t understand Him?

Oh, my spirit has been heavy as I have wrestled with this. “Yes, I do believe you, but why don’t you….?”

And finally, tonight: I will. I will always believe in you, Father, even when I don’t understand. I know you are kind and fair and just, merciful and full of grace, even when I don’t think I see it.

Through human tears, I am now able to wholeheartedly pray as You have taught us:
“Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.”

Sharing His Kingdom

I got an email today from a friend. She wrote “I am doing good, just in awe of the life you are living. Still do not think I could, especially the physical part, I would have to take up an exercise program. I do feel however that when my job ends here I will move towards the life that is more fulfilling than the one I am leading now. “

It has been running through my spirit all day. What DOES it take to serve God? I love what I am doing, but am I making my friend and others think if you can’t leave the country and hike a mountain you are not significant to the Kingdom of God?

We did hike a mountain, or some very large hills. I think of it dying my way up rather than making my way up the mountain. We were motivated- we had loads of supplies to bring to three widows whose husbands were killed for preaching the gospel. We also had a campaign planned in the church- we brought puppets, and we brought hope. We are taking His Kingdom to the people,” I thought.

We made our way up there and we prayed for the widows, who are still active in the church. Then we made our way to the church. I sat down under a tree near the shade-grown coffee next to a lady and tried to speak with her- I know about 5 words in Tzletal and I was determined to use them all. Your blouse is beautiful, “ I said. She smiled and said “Thank you.” “Did you embroider it?” She nodded. “How long does it take to make a blouse like this? “ Three months,” she answered. I was stunned “Three months? Not three weeks?” She laughed, and we counted up to 90 together…90 days. I knew they sold the blouses when they went down the mountain for $150 pesos- about $13. A while later I was doing something else and she came back to me with a translator.. He told me she wanted to run home, two hills away, and put on her old blouse so she could give me hers- I said "No, no thank you but no, I can’t let her do that!" Through the translator she explained "You don't understand, I have this one and one other! I have two! Who needs two blouses? I want to give this one to you!”

A couple of night later we were ministering to the Lacandone Indians. It was late and there was a woman sitting in front of us who had two little ones. One was wrapped up in her shawl; the other was on her lap. She kept moving like she was uncomfortable. Missy, who came down with the Lubbock group, was sitting next to me and she asked “Do you think she would give me her baby to hold?” “I whispered back “Probably not.” A couple of minutes later I thought “Why not ask her?” I stood and leaned over her and said “She wants to help with your baby, would that be ok?” She nodded gratefully, and Missy took her baby. Soon the invitation came, and I had to leave the area to minister to women who had come forward. When I went back to our seat I found Missy deep in prayer for the baby- and his Mom standing up front with a counselor! When she came back I hugged her and asked “Why did you go up front?” She smiled shyly. “Did you accept the Lord as your Savior?” She nodded “Yes, yes, I did. I’m so happy.”

What does it take to bring the Kingdom to someone? Sometimes it takes leaving your home. And dying your way up a mountain, yes.

But others?

Other times it means giving away your blouse to a stranger because you have two.

Or holding a baby for someone so that she can be free to make a decision that will change her life.

You don’t have to travel the world, or hike, or get sweaty or go deal with snakes to take the Kingdom to others. The Bible- the absolute word on His Kingdom- says “Blessed are the poor in spirit (the humble, who rate themselves insignificant), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven!”

My answer to my friend who wrote me and to you who are thinking, “ I love what she’s doing, but I could never do that!” is: You don’t have to do! Share His word, share His Kingdom, share His love with everyone you know wherever you are- start where you are, and keep going! “When we offer ourselves as instruments for God’s purpose, we create opportunities for others to experience God through us.”* There is no feeling like that in the world.

I’m wondering…how can you make yourself available to His Kingdom this very day, right where you are?

Who can you touch in Jesus’ name?

Whose baby can YOU hold?




*e.r.mcmanus.

Lessons from a Pack Trip in the Sierra

A few days ago we packed up a mountain to take supplies to 3 widows and to take some of God’s kingdom to a remote village called “Kantajtic”. We went with a combined mission team from Lubbock and Oklahoma City- an amazing group of people with a true servant’s heart. More about this amazing week later.

The Bible teaches that God wastes nothing of our lives- He saves every tear, takes our mourning and turns it to oil of gladness, our ashes He turns to beauty, He takes up the rags of our despair and he sews them into a garment of praise. Frankly, the 3 hours up and the 1 hour going down these mountains were, for me, 4 of the most physically challenging hours of my life. I want to share with you the lessons He taught me through that excruciating, blessed, awesome day. It’s very possible that you are on a climb of your own, dealing with your own mountains. I pray the lessons He taught me will help you on your climb.



1. Don’t go alone- take a guide who has been there before. The One ahead of you knows the way, make sure you follow and stay on the right path.

2. Take small steps. You have longer legs and feel like it would be easier to take larger steps- the One you’re following knows you must take small steps, because it’s the only way you’ll make it.

3. You feel like you can’t breathe; like you’re not going to make it- you want to give up and go back. Take heart: He’s taking you places you have never been before- places you could never go without Him. Keep going.

4. Don’t look up at the top of the mountain- keep your eyes on the footprints of the One you are following. If you do in a moment of weakness look up- don’t let fear tell you how big that mountain is. Tell the mountain how big your God is!

5. That man ahead of you who is telling you this is the last of the steep climbs- He’s probably lying; the God who tells you no matter how many steep climbs there are ahead, He will get you through them- He is Truth. Listen to Him.

6. God really does inhabit the praises of His people. When you can’t breathe- praise. When you can’t see- praise. When you think you can’t go on- keep praising. He is there- and He will show up and give you the strength to keep going.

7. What feels excruciating to you may not be as hard for others. Stop comparing yourself and keep going. They may be 30 years younger or 30 lbs lighter. When God called YOU to this mountain He knew you weren't a Russian gymnast- and yet He has promised to fulfill His purpose through you.

8. When you get to the top, stop for a moment. Look back in wonder and thanksgiving and admire the incredible view. Few people ever get the chance to hear the birds sing this way, to experience this kind of view, to feel that fragrance laden-breeze upon their face. Bask in His presence and…. look forward again- because there is always another mountain.

But the One who got you this far is ready….. and waiting. And the view from that next mountain awaits you.

The Kingdom of Heaven is like....

"For the Kingdom of Heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard….. “

...so begins a story in Matthew 20 about a man who hired people early in the morning to work for him. And then later in the day he went back for more, and again later, for more. Even at the 11^th hour, he went back for more. At the end of the day he paid the all for a fll day’s wage. But the people who had worked all day were upset because he paid the ones who began to work late in the day the same amount as he paid those who began to work early! They were paid what he promised, but the thought it was unfair that the workers who came later were also paid that amount. The landowner answered: 'Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?' So the last will be first, and the first will be last."

God called me to ministry when I was 17 and I said “No.” I didn’t want to be in the jungles, I didn’t want to live by ‘faith’. I wanted to have ‘nice things’ and I wanted to be a ‘normal’ Christian.

How thankful I am that like the landowner, God returned later in the day and called me again- he gave me another chance to work for Him.

And I get a full measure of blessing, of joy, of abundant living.

Unmerited.

Undeserved.

A perfect picture of grace.

This week, we get to seek His kingdom in many different places! We have a group from the US here, and we will keep them- and us- busy! We are going to a state prison, we are going to a refugee village, we are packing up into the ‘sierra” as the jungles around here are called, to take food and supplies and some of His kingdom to 5 widows. We will be doing VBS and ministering to Lacandone Indians- people who still hunt with home-made bows and arrows and for whom the Kingdom of heaven is still either unknown or a dream they have no idea is available to them.

I can’t wait to see what God will do…

I cherish your prayers! When we return I will be back here to share with you the glimpses of His Kingdom we have seen along the way.

Kingdom heroes...

One of my heroes of God's Kingdom is Manuel. He used to get drunk and party with his friends. When he met Jesus all that changed and he began to preach to all his friends. They hated that! One night they got together and attacked him with machetes, they cut off his arm, cut his face up, and left him for dead. God spared his life- he is one of the HEA native church planters- he alone has planted over 25 churches! With the help of a wonderful family, we were able to supply him with an artificial left arm. Shown in this picture are Manuel and I, along with Michele McLanahan- another Kingdom hero! more about her later!

Why a blog?

This blog is not about me- it's about God, and His Kingdom, and what He's doing on this earth. The Bible says "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness..." This blog is about that, seeking His Kingdom and sharing where it's found!

Thanks for stopping by.... catch glimpses of His Kingdom with me!