Give me this mountain

This week we celebrated our 47th anniversary. Went out for supper to a place where some of

our friends hang out. Several of them commented that we deserve a prize for being together so long. Most of them don't have much of an idea of what a lifetime commitment means. We thank God for the way we complement one another and for the family and the ministry that he has given us.

Thinking of the years reminds me in this our 45th year in Spain, of what Caleb said. Let me quote from the King James, behold, the LORD hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years... I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in. Now therefore give me this mountain... (Joshua 14). Physically I'm not as strong as I was then (although Sharon probably is), but we have been learning to be victorious against  principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places (Ephesians 6). And we have a prayer support team who carry out what Paul requested in verse 19, (praying) that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel... Here's the CEV:  Pray that I will be given the message to speak and that I may fearlessly explain the mystery about the good news. (...)< This parenthesis is for you to take some time now to pray for God to clearly lead David and Sharon. We are grateful to those of you who have responded personally to my last SpainScreen, and my goal is to be more in touch.

20 years ago, thinking of Jesus evangelizing Galilee in about 2 years with 6 teams of 2 (all from Galilee except Judas), I began writing up my own Galilee plan. Josephus tells us there were about 200 Jewish towns in Galilee at that time. When Jesus rode into Jerusalem in triumph a large part of his followers had accompanied him from Galilee and Perea (see John 12:12). To have a Galilean accent made you suspect of being a follower of Jesus. The whole region had been harvested, as Jesus had planned.

Now I say with Caleb, GIVE ME THIS MOUNTAIN. It is generally translated hill country or mountainous region. The peak that we see from our house is the highest in the Gredos range, which runs about 150 km from East to West and whose southern slope drains into the Tagus river. "As the Father hath sent me so send I you".

Father, now enable us to reach the families in these towns, with special emphasis on the children. Enable me this coming Sunday as we study Romans 15, where Paul was planning to evangelize Spain, to enable this little group of believers to take steps to become a ministering church with the ability to reach their neighbors.

Father, your Word is a powerful sword. It will be read in thousands of Catholic churches this coming Sunday (starting Saturday evening). Open the eyes of people who are hungry for the truth as they listen to the reading of Colossians 2:12-14 (July 28, 2013). May they understand that you have cancelled our debt, nailing it to the cross. And show us how to contact the "people of peace" (Luke 10:6) who will become the key to the establishing of your church in their communities.

Give me the strength to prepare the property with the big house that we are renting and would like to buy, to make it a magnet for children to come for camps and for young people to come for retreats and become excited about Jesus. Send the army of helpers that you are preparing.

The mountain is named after Almanzor, a Muslim chieftain who commanded some of the armies that overran Spain for 600 years. Father, in this month of Ramadan, when they are fasting in the day and feasting at night, speak to our dear friends from the Maghreb who have come to work in so many of these towns. Give us an intelligent outreach to them. Strengthen our co-workers who are engaged in ministries to them. Show the Muslim people that Christians are a people of love and sacrifice. Show them Jesus in us.

Enable the prayer warriors who are supporting us to understand what this battle involves, to see the demon powers lurking with the intent of disarming us and maintaining the blindfolds on the people in this mountainous region. Free them up to dedicate more time to this warfare. Give us victories that will encourage them to pray even more.

And yes, what I am dreaming about here is unrealistic, when you look around at what is happening in Spain. But wasn't it also unrealistic for Jesus to try to harvest Galilee? There was so little spiritual life. People had been crushed by spiritual tyrants. But then Jesus came. And he is here now also, in us.