To Know God...and Make Him Known

McCalls

On Mission

Aloha It's hard to believe that June 2018 is here and we have begun our missionary journey to Europe. Time moves so quickly. During our brief stay in Southern California, en route to Finland, we've already had the joy of visiting with dear friends and seeing family. What a gift it has been!

 My (Chris) most recent trip to Myanmar has had such incredible fruit and we are so grateful to have a part to play in discipling the nation of Myanmar. In a quick bullet point update here's what God did through our team (which represented 14 different organizations including YWAM, Voice of The Martyrs, Jesus Film, Wycliffe, etc):

* Over 9,000 people heard the Gospel 

* 868 of those people responded to the Gospel 

* 5900 Bibles were distributed throughout the region

* Over 100 Pastors trained for evangelistic efforts

* Over 80 Worship Leaders were trained to go deeper in their knowledge of the Bible, in intimacy with Jesus, prayed for the empowerment of the Holy Spirit over their lives, and to release a sound of worship unique to their country rather than duplicating our Western world worship music

The revelation that they have something to bring to the table was both liberating and empowering for our brothers and sisters. I'm so grateful to help encourage brothers and sisters in Christ across the globe to know that they carry the power and authority of Jesus. 

As we continue on this journey with Jesus there are a few things that God has been stirring in my heart and mind recently. In no particular order, they are; The incredible power of God's Love, adoration, and prayer. Tim Keller once said, "To be loved and not known is comforting but superficial. To be known and not loved is our greatest fear. But to be fully known and truly loved is, well, a lot like being loved by God." God is love, His love is perfect, and it has the power to cast out all fear. It cleanses us, gives us power, renews and restores us daily, it conquered sin and death. I'm continually so amazed by how freeing it is to know and experience the love of God. It has released me to move forward with all He has asked me to do.In regards to adoration, I've found it's so easy to come to God to ask Him for things. "God, you're so amazing and will you..." It just seems to roll off the tongue. God has been stirring in me to come to Him in order to simply just come. To be in His presence, to gaze at His face, to give Him adoration without need for anyting in return. To sit at His feet for hours to simply enjoy His presence. After all...better is one day in His courts than a thousand elsewhere.And lastly, prayer. God has been stirring me to prayer like never before. We've been participating in 30 days of prayer for the Muslim world during this season of Ramadan and God is continually reminding me how important my life of prayer is to the advancement of the Gospel. How, after hours of adoration, my one petition prayer carry's such authority because it was birthed out receiving God's heart for the nations. I just love what Charles Spurgeon had to say when he wrote his devotional based off of 2 Kings 3:16-17. "Still the people were to make a believing preparation for the divine blessing; they were to dig the trenches in which the precious liquid would be held. The church must by her varied agencies, efforts, and prayers, make herself ready to be blessed; she must make the pools, and the Lord will fill them...The Lord has his own sovereign modes of actions: he is not tied to manner and time as we are...In the Gospel blessing; all the wants of the congregation and of the entire church shall be met by the divine power in answer to prayer; and above all this, victory shall be speedily given to the armies of the Lord. What am I doing for Jesus? What trenches am I digging? O Lord, make me ready to receive the blessing which thou art so willing to bestow."

I have a simple prayer for us in the days and years to come. "Here's my heart and my life Lord, do as you will."May the Lamb receive the full reward of His suffering!! 

Peace be with you,Chris, Lizzi, Malakai, Laila, and RhemaPS: We would love to hear about what God has been stirring in your PPS: For those of you who read all the way to the end...we're having a BOY!!

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