Then the Glory filled the Temple!

First of all I would like to apologise for not having written earlier regarding the things we have seen and handled with our own hands. It took me a few days to adjust to the weather and time change. I want to take this opportunity to thank my congregation I'm a part of in Sheffield, City Life Christian Centre, for their prayers and constant encouragement; and all our spiritual warriors in the UK, Europe, Africa, Canada, the United States and of course Mexico. Moreover I want to give special thanks to Ministerios Unanimes, with whom we closely collaborate (http://www.ministeriosunanimes.com/unanimous-ministries/) in Mexico, for their Kingdom heart and zeal for unity. Thank you to the family and friends of Chris Nicholson for releasing him to join the mission and praying for us throughout. Finally I want to thank our Mexico ministry coordinator Juan Carlos Serrano for his work, integrity, loyalty to me as well as his tremendous anointing to minister the Word. All your prayers have been exceedingly answered!!

This is my seventh gospel-related trip to Mexico and every time I go there I encounter God in a fresh way. Three years ago I saw the awesome, life-changing and glorious, love-filled face of Jesus as I ministered to the sick in Veracruz and Chiapas, both in Mexico. Since then the Lord has been revealing to us different aspects of his character and nature. For us mission in Mexico is a central aspect in our knowing and experiencing God fully.

The Lord has given us a strategy for Chiapas. We're a ministry that works with the local church in winning cities and nations for Christ. For that purpose we have identified three stages: Revive, Equip and the Harvest. This trip was all about reviving the local church. Therefore the anointing that we received was to minister the Holy Spirit. This has surpassed all our previous expectations. In this sense many people were baptised in the Holy Spirit even as they heard the message, others were not even ministered to physically when they spontaneously began speaking in other tongues and prophesying. At times we literally witnessed people delivered from demons and healed from various sickness and disease where they stood. The Holy Spirit especially moved among the youth. On many occasions their expressions and body movements indicated that they felt as though their bodies were burning with a holy fire, although we're convinced their very souls were being purified by God's holy fire. In one of our meetings we literally saw the smoke of God's glory (please see previous blog entry).

This trip has been very special for several reasons:

- Several hundred people came to faith in Christ.
- Although we ministered in individual congregations, we also ministered to church alliances in three cities:
1. In Huixtla we did an evangelism workshop for pastors and leaders of the city.
2. In Tonala the congregations of the city came together to do a revival meeting
which we led.
3. In Tuxtla Gutierrez (capital of the Chiapas state) we ministered to about 40
pastors on how to win the capital of the state for Christ from an evangelistic
perspective.
- The Holy Spirit baptised many to be Christ's witnesses in their localities and to the ends of the earth.
- For quite some time it has been in our hearts to empower and equip young evangelists and church planters for the work of ministry both in Europe and abroad. This one time Chris Nicholson from Beacon Community Church in Norwich has joined us. He has been a blessing to the team and God has used him mightily through his message and with his hands healing the sick. As he laid hands of people many also received the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the signs that follow.

Here are a few comments I made after the end of some of our meetings:

27 August 2010

"After a day of rest yesterday recharging from the long flight, today we're off to preach at a fresh church plant in Motosintla, Chiapas. We are expecting many would come Christ and the Holy Spirit gloriously poured out on the brand new congregation. Please pray that's the case in Jesus name!"

28 August 2010

"We had a very moving time ministering this morning to the pastors here in Huixtla on how to reach the city for Christ. Last night also 15 people came to Christ at a new church plant in Motozintla, as well as several people baptised in the Spirit and speaking in tongues for the first time. Tonight we're off to a friend's birthday and tomorrow preaching morning and evening! God's certainly moving!!"

30 August 2010

"Huixtla and Pijijiapan saw the glory of God as many came to Christ. Many many miracles, deaf hearing, blind seeing, & Rosita testified her dad was healed from terminal cancer in one of our meetings 8 months ago! Her dad has put on weight and is now back to work! In Pijijiapan the smoke came out of nowhere, at that point many manifested and were set free and confessed Christ as Lord!"

1 September 2010

"another great day at the first fruits party in Tzanembolom, an indigenous community where, yet again, we witnessed God doing miracles and baptising them in the Holy Spirit! Praise the Lord!!"

2 September 2010

"last night the churches at Tonala, Chiapas came together seeking revival among the Christian community. They had it. A pastor came to me afterwards saying "I was anxious, couldn't see what next, but God set me free tonight. I can now see God's plan for my church" I replied "and what's that?", she said "wining the city for Christ!", I said "Amen!""

3 September 2010

"I've enjoyed hearing our mission team member, Chris Nicholson preaching at the one and only English speaking church in the whole state of Chiapas! Thereafter people were baptised in the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues for the first time! Tomorrow a youth conference in the city! Yay! More Lord more!!"

4 September 2010

"I was very pleased seeing over 300 youth with their families on fire for Jesus Christ here in Tuxtla!"

5 September 2010

"Amazing time ministering to pastors in the capital of the state on evangelism in the morning. In the evening we couldn't preach no more cos the Holy Spirit fell on the place healing many sick, saving 15 & baptising many. 3 preachings 2morrow, got heaps of strength, voice almost recovered, praise Jesus!"

6 September 2010

"Great stories @ the 3 places we visited 2day but 1 main character: the Holy Spirit! Similar signs of a move of God that's already a fact here. The outpouring's not been localised. Our question: "did you receive the Holy Spirit when you first believed?". People had prophesied, spoken in other tongues, wept, been healed & burned with God's fire. We now return & are convinced that revival is in us! Glory 2 God!!"

Our next trip to Mexico is to Equip the church to win the city so please join us in our prayers in the following areas:

- Our coordinator in Mexico, Juan Carlos Serrano, his wife Caro and his children Grace and Abraham.
- Financial support for them and for continuing the work in Mexico.
- Strength and wisdom to prepare all the learning materials for the church in Mexico.
- Protection for my wife, our collaborators and their families, and indeed myself.

We are extremely satisfied with the work being done and look forward to our next mission!

God bless you all abundantly!!

And the temple was filled with smoke....

On Sunday 29th August we ministered at a church in Pijijiapan, roughly a 2 hour drive outside of Huixtla. It is here we powerfully encountered the glory of God.
Having built up faith for miracles and prayed for the Holy Spirit to come in power, what we then witnessed was the first fruits of a true revival manifestation of God's glory.
There were miracles of blind eyes being opened as well as numerous other physical healings. People were being set free from demonic bondage, with many being baptised in the Holy Spirit.
It was then amongst us we noticed a misty, smokey presence, the holy fire of God was visible to the natural eye. It was truly awesome. This brought about further manifestations of deliverance, people were dancing and screaming as they were being set free, with even young children going down under the power of God's glory.
These are truly exciting times here in Mexico. Please continue to pray for us as we follow God's leading in bringing heaven to earth for his glory.

By Chris Nicholson

We finally arrived in Mexico!

Praise the Lord, for His faithfulness endures forever! In the early hours of Thursday we landed in Tapachula in the state of Chiapas (about 30 mins away from Guatemala by car) for 13 days of gospel mission. We spent the night at the Hotel San Francisco in Tapachula where we were able to rest well. Yesterday we met with one of our beloved collaborators in the area, Hector Najera. We spent our first day with both Hector and his wife and recovered from such a long trip in the best of company; the family of Christ.

Today we depart to Motozintla, about an hour away from Huixtla where we'll stay for the next two days. In Motozintla Hector is planting a church - so we hope, in partnership with God, many will come to Christ and the Holy Spirit will establish the new work.

I am travelling with Chris Nicholson from Norwich who is helping me out with some of the preaching in the several places we are going to. Please pray for him so that God uses him mightily. Moreover please pray that God would continue to keep us and guide us in everything we do. We are being really blessed in the home of our sister in Christ, Imita, who lives in Huixtla. Her wonderful family blesses us every time we come to the area.

Some exciting news: On the aeroplane somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean a scotsman called Doug, aged 23, gave his life to Christ. When asked how he felt after receiving Christ, with a big grin he said: "I feel this tingle all over my arms, I can't explain it!", to which we ...replied: It's God, His presence, He now lives in you!!

Isaiah 54:2

Hello again friends, blessings in Jesus' name! This is a quick update to let you all know what God is doing in our lives at the moment and where we've been working. Alongside our work in Mexico we've been working once again in the UK and in Spain. Our recent travels took us to a wonderful community church in Hampshire, where we were blessed to be able to share a message of God's heart for the lost as well as pray for the sick and those in need of a touch of God. In response to God's grace and power there were salvations and healings, of the body and the heart also. One man received prayer for a neck condition, he'd not been able to move his neck freely for years. He fell under the power of God and when he awoke he was beaming, full of peace and joy - God had healed him and he could move his neck for the first time in years! He was delighted and went his way rejoicing.

Later that evening we had the privilege to pray with the youth in that church, Mario spoke to them of boldness and confidence in the message of the cross - that we are not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, 'The just shall live by faith' (Rom. 1:16,17). We were humbled by the quantity of people, young and old, who demonstrated an earnest desire for more of God. This generation of passionate Christians is making waves in their community and are walking in their God-given authority through prayer and action. We are delighted to witness their passion and diligence, and look forward to seeing what God's going to do next!

Secondly, the Lord has opened some exciting new doors in cities in Spain. With a vision for every region, He is making a way for new centres of evangelism city by city, and tremendous favour in the body of Christ in facilitating this work with finance and workers. In July we will be taking a team out to Granada and working on the streets to share God's love and see the power of redemption at work. Please pray for us as we go, and we'll update you again soon! Be blessed, Sam

2 weeks of Mission in Chiapas (Mexico)

In the first 2 weeks of February we have seen how 200 people encountered the Lord Jesus Christ for the first time. It was wonderful how in Tuxtla, San Cristobal, Betania, Huixtla and Comitan among other places many people gave their lives to the Lord with rejoicing and tears. I would like to especially highlight our time in Comitan, a beautiful city on the border with Guatemala, for the church there has been working really hard in reaching out with the gospel of Christ. In an event that they beautifully organised at the city's theater titled "amor" (love in Spanish) I had the privilege to lead around 50 people to the Lord, many of them also came back for more the following day at the Sunday service. The church's pastor who organised the event is called Ismael, a good friend of mine. He and all his church have been such a blessing to me personally and to the whole ministry. At that event we also witnessed many miracles such as several deaf people who completely recovered their hearing.

Even though my stay in Chiapas was planned to be for 4 weeks, I was forced to come back as an emergency arised back in Europe. All things are now great, by the grace of God.

I would also like to especially mention my time in Tuxtla at the home of my sister in Christ, Chita, a real mother to us, who opened her house to the ministry and has blessed us greatly with her love, encouragement and indeed beautiful cooking!

Personally and as a ministry we're now entering in a new phase that promises more fruit and increase.

Please pray for us and do not hesitate to contact us should you wish to get involved in what we do. Our prayer list for this month is the following:

- We are employing a ministry coordinator in Mexico and we need indeed funds for it.
- The work in Mexico is very large, many doors are opened and we only want to go God's direction. Additionally our desire is to continue multiplying our gifts that the Word may prosper rapidly.
- We are now involved in Social Action work so larger amounts of funds are needed to finance all the different projects. Should you want to know about them, please do not hesitate to contact us.

That's all for now, and from Samantha and I peace and love from Jesus!!

Amen.

Just arrived in Tuxtla, Chiapas!

Hello everyone! Isn't God awesome! After a long journey I've just arrived in the capital of Chiapas, Tuxtla, from where I'll be traveling all over the estate of Chiapas preaching the good news of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is going to be a 28 day-mission. There are many exciting things coming ahead, if the Lord's willing. One of them is that I'll be crossing into the nearby state of Tabasco to Villaflores and meet a Pastor from Spain called Jose Mari who has been working with different ethnic groups there for the last 21 years. There I'll be ministering in several churches and places and I'm sure we will be plotting on how to take Spain for Jesus. So a bit of everything really!

Also I forgot to mention another great news is that Manuel and Rosi (Spanish man and Mexican lady) who are married came to Christ on the plane on my way to Mexico city. It was wonderful, we spoke for hours and they have invited us (me and Sam) to spend a few days with them in south of Spain. We must follow this up! Praise God

I'm also doing this mission without my beloved wife Sam. It's very hard because I absolutely love working in the gospel with her and miss being with her in general but sometimes there is a small price to pay for greater fruit. However, we will be speaking over Skype every day we can. In fact we did today and it was great! Praise God for Skype!

With the Lord's help I'll be able to understand the Spirit leading and prompting both in ministry and relationships. My real desire is to be a blessing wherever I go and bear much fruit in the Kingdom of God.

Please would you join me in prayer for the following? Your prayers and encouragement are precious to us:

- That God's Spirit would be pour out in all villages and towns we go.

- That I would adorn the Word with my life and example.

- That God's Word through us would prosper and run faster than ever before.

- That we would be protected both physically and spiritually.

- That I would be able to make new life-lasting friendships and establish old ones for God's glory.

Please send us any word of encouragement or anything at all!

May God richly bless you and prosper you in everything you do for His glory, in Jesus name! Amen.

Belated Update!

"For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. " (Habakkuk 2:14, NIV)

You may have been wondering, what are Mario and Sam up to? why are we not getting weekly mission reports? what's going on? The reason for this absence of reports has been that the majority of the places the Lord's led us to minister His love and knowledge have been out of internet or mobile coverage. For you, our beloved reader this is a summary of what we did in partnership with the Holy Spirit:

- This time we preached the gospel to thousands and about 1,000 people gave their lives to Christ in contained environments. In other words, all of them are being followed up by committed pastors and teachers. We have chosen to work only with congregations and ministries who are serious about discipleship. Jesus told us "go into all the world and make disciples" (Matt 28:19)... "and I will build my church," (Matt 16:18) however, so often these days we find people do quite the opposite, building the church themselves while leaving discipleship to Jesus. He gave us a specific mandate, and only in such cases of obedience to Jesus' command does church growth and maturation occur. We had to make a concerted decision to stop working with any ministries who were not dedicated to making disciples. We love them, but the word God gave us was clear: "I'm interested in fruit that remains," so we must focus on opportunities to create just that. Since making this decision and working with dedicated discipling churches, we're receiving reports that some congregations have doubled or even tripled in size! Praise the Lord!

- We're working with an association of ministries called "Ministerios Unanimes" (http://www.ministeriosunanimes.com/) who work all over the state of Chiapas. They offer spiritual cover to over 150 congregations from this state only. They are delighted that we're already supporting them in equipping the saints for fruitful and powerful evangelism throughout that net of churches.

- The glory of God has been manifested in awesome ways like never before in our three years of ministry. We've seen hundreds of miracles done in the name of Jesus! Here are three of the most remarkable miracles we've seen. They're remarkable for two reasons: firstly they were afflicted from birth; secondly the three of them were over 80 years old.

1. "Rosa, 81 (Comitan, Chiapas), was blind from birth and had a chronic back disease. She testified that when the word of healing went forth she felt heat in her spine and the pain was gone. She could now move normally! In tears she also described how she'd just started to see colours and people for the ...first time." (Facebook 26 of November)

2. "Maria Elena, 87 (Carranza, Chiapas) was completely deaf in both ears from birth but left the evening meeting completely healed. In tears, her daughter described that as her mum stood up to come forward and receive healing, by the time she made it to the front of the room she had already been healed" (Facebook 23 of November).

3. "Blanca, 85 (Union Juarez, Chiapas) was deaf and mute from birth and communicated with smiles, touch and sign language. Despite not hearing the call for prayer she came for healing and was set free in Jesus name! She asked me how I was and I asked her what her name was, she said "Blanca" and blessed me in Jesus name. The pastor run towards me and said she's mute and deaf from birth! What? She's not now, I said! Glory to God! This meeting was shown on National, non-Christian cable TV. I love it! Don't you?

If the Lord is willing we'll return to Mexico at the end of January. They've started organising several conferences and evangelistic campaigns in different parts of the state. Moreover, the Lord has opened a door to us in Mexico City which we're praying at the moment about what to do here. Please join us in prayer and tell us when the Lord shows you something about us.

Last but not least, we've started looking at 2010 as the start to children's work here in Chiapas as a very important part of our ministry. So we'll be organising mission teams and fundraising to finance this foundation of the ministry. In addition to that God has opened channels in the indigenous community for us to distribute medicines and provide health care. We're going to need funds to purchase medicines as well as volunteers to help with the distribution. This project is very exciting and we're already praying for God to release all it's needed. Again, if you feel called to help us here please speak to your pastor and give us a buzz!

We are ministering to both Mexicans and indigenous groups. The fruit has been amazing, the work is massive, the harvest is gigantic, the power of God is abounding but the workers are few. Please get involved, get your church involved, contact us, we want to know about you and share with you the reality of God in the nations.

Finally, redeem your time for you don't know when God will be demanding your life. Be prepared for His coming back (which is very very soon!), purify yourselves. There is not time for strife but to love one another that the love of God will be perfected in you!

May God bless you and prosper you as you choose the way of holiness!

Adios!!