Mark Update August 21, 2010

Dear Friends, Family and Brethren,

Much is happening and has happened over the past month or two. Where to begin is the question. I think one of the greatest blessings has been the arrival of Steve, a friend of our family, who is planning on living with us for the next five months to experience missionary life here with us. He came full of expectation and desire to serve the Lord. He also came with many notes and letters which were a great blessing and encouragement. I still need to respond to them on an individual basis, but thank you for your thoughtfulness.

The Lord led us to a new village since Steve arrived. We were planning on visiting Puca Chicta, were we had brought food and other things after the flood this past April. Joyce, Steve, Fausto (a brother in our church) and I made the trip on a Sunday afternoon. We traveled for about ¾ of an hour by car to reach this village.

When we arrived we found that most the people were either at the river or in their gardens in the jungle so there were only a few to visit. The visits we made were good and I believe edifying to all. As we left, Fausto took a turn off the road for our return and we visited with the people as we came to them.

This led us to a village called Kachiwanushka where we experienced a wonderful visit with many, many children. They just kept coming and were hungry for love and the singing of God’s songs. I could tell some of the children were familiar with the songs we were singing.

Two days later I received a call from one of my brothers in the church who said a native missionary wanted to meet with me. It has been a wonderful blessing to get to know him- he told us of his early years (1992) of reaching the area of Kachiwanushka for Christ. It was a 2 or 3 hour canoe trip with about 2 hours walking included in total, before and after the canoe. (There is now a road that goes there.)

He went on to say that the church there had many difficulties and the adults aren’t attending, (sounds like spiritual immaturity, no?)—but one faithful servant is ministering to 90-100 children each Sunday!

We have since been back there twice with the missionary and had an opportunity to encourage the adults to return to their first love. We reminded them that their true treasure is their children and their children need faithful examples to follow. Let us pray together for this community, that the grace and mercy of God will prevail and that the love of Christ would shine forth from there.

We are also praying for our Father’s timing and provision to do an aerial search for the family members of Paa and Epe. This is one of the things they told me they needed help with 2 years ago. I believe once they know where they are and what is the best way to access the area, they will be obedient to what the Lord wants of them.

I also want to mention a newly married couple from the States who believe God wants them to come to Ecuador and help with the work of spreading the Gospel in the jungle area. Andy and Priscilla D’Varga need our prayers that God will provide what they need to follow His call for them.

Friends and brethren, I realize that God has anointed me with a calling and a message—all the things I think about, talk, write and especially preach about come from this calling. I am to do the work of the evangelist—to live the Gospel and preach it. To remind God’s people of the precious Gospel that has been left in our stewardship. To encourage us to give our lives, (our time, talents and material resources), for the Gospel. We each have the personal responsibility to love/warn others and we corporately, as the body of Christ, have the responsibility to go unto the ends of the world with this Gospel. And that Gospel simply is SAVING FAITH in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ. His death, His burial and His resurrection.  I say saving faith because there is a faith that is dead. A faith that does not save us from our sins, a faith that does not produce good works, (obedience to the Word of God), in us is not saving faith- it is false.

I want to share with you one of my most precious treasures upon this earth. ( I have a box of treasures that includes pictures, drawings and notes that have been given to me over the years by my wife, sons, mother, and a few close friends.)

This was written by one of my sons in 2005. This son in particular, I have seen the devil try to kill-and I watched the Lord send His angels to preserve his life. I have watched the devil try to deceive him and get him off track.

I share this to remind you what our earthly lives are about when we enter into a restored relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

I had a dream, and in my dream I was standing in a mud hut in Africa, talking with a young African man. After awhile I said to him, “I would like to meet the people who first told you the gospel. Could you please take me to see them?”

His face fell as he replied, “That is the problem, we do not have enough missionaries. As you well know there are many natives here who need the gospel, but there are not enough people who are willing to come bring us the gospel. No one wants to tell us. For hundreds of years my people have lived in darkness, waiting for someone to come and tell them how they can be free from their sins. Many of them have died without hearing about The Way, and now are suffering in a Christless eternity.”

I was touched by what he said, and started crying as I told him, “I will come tell your people about Jesus Christ, but first I must go home and make preparations to come and live here.”

He answered and said to me, “Are you sure that you will come back? Many people have said that, but few have returned.”

Then I awoke to find out that it was only a dream—but was it?

Dear parents, I plead with you, I have seen many a young heart hear God’s voice and want to give their life for the Gospel. All they needed was love, instruction and guidance. Unfortunately, what they received was a parent who wanted to save them and not lose them for the Gospel’s sake. The parent wanted a good, comfortable life for their child. A good profession, a good home- all the things a good parent would want! But we must look with eternal eyes-God has a plan for our children, we are only stewards for a short time.

I received a letter recently and it told me of a young boy who prays for brother Mark and wants to be a preacher, like brother Mark, when he grows up. I wept! I raised my hands to heaven and groaned in my spirit that God would bring it to pass according to His will.

Dear young people, there is no greater life than a life dedicated and consecrated to God and His plan for us. Yes, it is not comfortable at times—there is suffering and persecution involved- but a million years from now when time is no moreJJJ IT WILL BE WORTH IT ALL!!

Dear businessman, mechanic, printer, paperboy, baby sitter, lemonade seller—give of your treasure for the gospels sake! There is no investment upon this earth with greater gains. I do not ask for myself--- I ask for the gospels sake. I still give to missions. I will never, by the grace of God, stop giving of my earthly treasure to further the Gospel.

WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS-THERE WILL YOUR HEART BE ALSO.

Lay not up for yourselves treasure upon earth….but lay up for yourselves treasure in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust can corrupt; neither can thieves break through and steal.

May God bless you and use you for His honor and glory!