Pastor's Blog

Good Morning, Dear Family.

May the riches of God's loving favor toward us again this day gladden us and empower us to be a light in this dark world. Amen

We have arrived home safely from Guatemala, for which we are thankful to our God for His protection and provision during the whole trip. We have many pictures which we will be sharing with those who are interested. But it is as one of the young people who went with us said, "You can take pictures and bring them back home, but it does not have the impact that being there has." We certainly understand that, but we also realize and have experienced that when one shows pictures as well as attempts to reproduce the sense of what "surrounds" the pictures, those who are viewing the photographs are able to share somewhat in the richness of the experience of the one who was there.

I would like to share a couple of incidences which were used by the Lord to open up my understanding a bit more as to His nature. This is the Scripture which He brought to mind and then He illustrated the meaning of the verses with a couple of incidences.

Mark 10:13 And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.
14 But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
16 And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.

The first incident (which happened repeatedly) that keeps coming back to my mind is of the streets of the poor village close by to the place where we stayed, of Jesus walking down the streets and the little children running out to be received by the blessing hands of our Lord. You may think, how can that be, this is 2008 and that happened 2000 years ago? But it is as Apostle Paul recorded in the book of Galatians:

Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

In the same way in which Jesus walked down the streets of Palestine many years ago, we who are in Christ are not mere imitators of Him, but in reality He lives in us and ministers out of us in the like fashion as when He physically was here. Through the indwelling Holy Spirit we are as Jesus strolling through the villages of our day. When that is a reality in our lives, children sense it and are attracted to the Spirit of Jesus. With great humility and privilege, I observed that happening continually in the areas to which we traveled to in the Zacapa area as local missionaries ministered in the stead of Jesus.

The second incident which happened to me is actually the one through which the Lord opened my eyes to see in a clearer manner of that which I described above. On the flight back from Guatemala City to Houston, I had the honor of sitting next to a older woman who had been born in Guatemala and had lived there most of her life, but now lives in America. As we talked about our lives and what path we were on, she said to me. "When you were in Guatemala in the villages, what is the difference between the time when Jesus was here 2000 years ago and the places you were on this trip? The people are same, the conditions are the same, the problems are the same...everything is the same." What she said was so true, even though she has not as of yet come to fully understand the ministry of Jesus, nevertheless she helped me to understand that "everything is the same." That is all she said, but in my mind I saw the events of the past few days in which I observed the young children running up to the young resident missionaries with whom they have built a relationship of love and trust and being welcomed with open arms and hugs. At that point also, I breathed a prayer to Jesus, asking, Oh, let your Spirit flow from us so that people will see that type of love and compassion that you are in us. May the masses see the loving invitation of Jesus in us and through us. For He yet says today:

KJV Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

In Christ's love

Pastor Orval Wirkkala

Good Morning, Dear Family.

The blessed peace of God in Jesus be with us today and always!

This is being written from Guatemala where we have been for almost a week and have visited areas in which there are many children. Almost all of them are very happy and are always eager to be hugged and spoken to in their language even a few words. They enjoy being noticed and appreciated, just like all of us. At one of the places the Holy Spirit moved me to share Psalm 77 with a man who was sick, but told us that just because he is sick, does not mean that he has to be sad.

As we read and meditate over the psalms, we are made aware that some of them begin with a sense of one being alone and somewhat despondent, but then end with praise and thanksgiving. Psalm 77 is one of those. Verses 10,11, and 12 are the key verses of this psalm, in making the transition from doubt to faith and consequently, praise!

KJV Psalm 77:1 I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me.

2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted.

3 I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah.

4 Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak.

5 I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times.

6 I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.

7 Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more?

8 Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore?

9 Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah.

10 And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High.

11 I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old.

12 I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.

13 Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?

14 Thou art the God that doest wonders: thou hast declared thy strength among the people.

15 Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.

16 The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee; they were afraid: the depths also were troubled.

17 The clouds poured out water: the skies sent out a sound: thine arrows also went abroad.

18 The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook.

19 Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known.

20 Thou leddest thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

Who is a God like unto our God?

In Christ's tender care and keeping, we leave you.

Pastor Orval Wirkkala