Hello brothers and sisters!

March 9th, 2010

As many of you are aware….following the youth outreach, I was invited to a  ’debate’ at a local high school. The kids were calling it:

“An epic battle between good and evil.” Not too far from the mark, actually.        I got off the train at the station. The nice man at the town hall
handed me a trail map, waved vaguely at the ‘Oden-Wald’ ( a dark forested ridge that looms over the town ) and cheerily informed me that: “A short, brisk hike will see you to the school.”.   It was ( curse these athletic Europeans! )  two hours of rigorous climbing later ( having become  lost several times in an incomprehensible tangle of goat-trails! )  that I found myself near the summit of the Oden-Wald, and at the entrance of the school, where  I was welcomed warmly by the students…and their instructor, who had prepared a lovely plaque apon which to mount my head.  It was a long hour and a half….but it was a wonderful hour and a half. The Lord had told me the day before that:
( Luke 21:13-15 ) “It will be an occasion for testimony. Settle therefore in your mind, not to meditate how to answer, for I will give you a mouth, and wisdom which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict!”

And so it was….God allowed me share the gospel fully…no interruptions…just rapt attention….very spooky. Every time I would stop speaking, their teacher would graciously compliment my presentation….and proceed to laud the desirable goal of “finding ones ‘Path’.” ( whichever path that might be ) and then point out that: “As we all know, there is no factual proof for the bible.”.  I would then compliment him apon his objectivity…and return to speaking about  Jesus!  The  the students posed many hard questions, earnest ones it seemed, not simply provocative….God provided the answers.
And as I watched their faces, I could clearly see a consensus form;
…..of the two men before them, one wore his prejudice and uncertainty like chains…while the other stood free,  absolutely convinced of his God’s presence’. Its hard to miss the difference.
“The foolish things….to confound the wise.”   The Lord, is a mighty fortress….a rock,  from which we cannot be moved.
One more round of ‘debate’.  The techer said that the current Koran was chosen out one hundred versions,  by one powerful Caliph, thus clearly showing ALL religious documents to be merely the writings of man!” He took the opportunity to point out one last time that: “There is no proof that the bible is true!”
I could almost see the Lord nod… ”Can I borrow your chalk?” He handed me his chalk. I drew a quick outline of the big dipper. “Anyone know what this is?” Lots of raised hands.
“The big dipper!”
I told them how God had questioned Job: “Can you tighten the cluster of Pleiades…loose the belt of Orion?” I explained how the other constellations were formed of stars in different galaxies….but Orion and Pleiades alone…were in the same gravitational ‘wells’….and that, four thousand years later ( and yeah, I stole this from Chuck Missler ) the Hubble telescope tells us that Pleiades in contracting…and Orions belt is loosening. “So yes…the bible is easily proved sir…the difficulty lies inobeying what it says, not in believing what it says.”
“Every word of God is pure;He is a shield
to those who put their trust in Him.”
Proverbs 30:5
bless you all for your prayers
Mike, Amberlea, Mercy and Zion Macy
PS   Please keep praying for these kids,that the seed would take deep root…and not be snatched away….and as for their instructor. Well, he and I connected somehow in the midst of this! I hugged him as I left…thumped him on the chest, and whispered: “You know bro….you’re going to make a fine pastor when you quit running from Jesus!”

Hello Brothers and sisters!

March 2nd, 2010
Many of you prayed for us last Friday.  A youth outreach. The topic: ‘Spiritual-Warfare’. How very appropriate. There was distracted feel to the crowd, the worship frequently disrupted by chatter and laughter. Not good.  It seemed time to draw a ‘line-in-the-sand’,  you know? I held my bible up over my head. “How many of you believe this to be the un-erring, divinely inspired, historically accurate word of God?”  Of the thirty or so kids…five raised their hands. My heart sank a bit…. but, three hours of un-broken silence later….my heart was singing!! Not one interruption, save polite questions about the bible I read from, questions about evolution, prophesy, religion…and the character of our Lord Jesus. I watched the Word at work,  like water on parched soil, you could readily see the hope reflected in their faces. It was epic!!  Afterwards, teenagers who had shown little interest in God,  began telling us about their english teacher, who often rails against Christianity…they asked us to come debate him publicly! How sweet is the Spirit of God!!
Before I left home, Amberlea had asked me to pick up a couple of loaves of bread, “Sorry sweetheart…no euros!” I said.  As we exited the building, a member of their staff walked up to me…he handed me two loaves of bread. “Man does not live…”

in His hands
Mike, Amberlea, Mercy and Zion Macy
PS  Hannah called as I  finished writing this. One of the kids’ mothers had called her.  It seems he’d returned from the meeting and had told her: “Mom, I want to follow Jesus now.”

Hello brothers and sisters!

February 22nd, 2010
The Lord has been sensitizing us to spiritual warfare. This path has taken some odd turns…last night I was attacked by a man dressed as a duck, then body-slammed by two security-personnel thumping some huge, drunken fellow further into oblivion…all around me the population of Hirschhorn danced, drank and sang to the pounding beat…it seems I had forgotten ‘Fasching’…’Carnival’. It took me ten minutes to negotiate my way across the town square. I arrived at the other side, jostled, disheveled and splashed with assorted libations….and I found myself staring down into the eyes of a most troubled woman…..Anna, our neighbor…whose daughter had disappeared into the maelstrom two hours earlier, and had failed to reappear.  “C’mon girl” I said, “Lets pray.” Wading through the bottles, cups and grimy slush, we went in after her. On occasion, weighing two-hundred and thirty pounds can be of invaluable assistance! This was one of those occasions. Light glared from spots and strobes…the ‘techno’ was loud enough to open large fissures in the concrete…and the participants, aging twelve to eighty, arrayed in dazzling costumes of every shape and hue….reeled and cavorted in the falling snow. We searched the crowd for hours. No Stephanie. We finally headed into the old main street, hoping to find her at home….thats when we ran straight into a great bloody mess. Literally. staggering out of the darkness ( now there is an appropriate metaphor! ) came a tall young man, his face and costume smeared and splashed about with blood. Lots of blood. Every once in a while the old ‘boy -scout-preparedness-thing’ comes in handy! I dug out the handful of napkins stashed in my bag…and pressed them to his face, stopping most of the flow. “Let us pray for you!” I said to him in German. He gripped the napkins to his face as he recoiled from us. “No! I won’t let you pray for me!”
“Sorry pal,” I answered, “We’re going to pray for you.” We watched the struggle. Gripped by the inner battle, his face and body contorted…and then suddenly, his shoulders slumped…and his head bowed. We prayed.

“…to preach deliverance to the captives…”

God Bless you

Mike, Amberlea, Mercy and Zion Macy

PS We found young Stephanie safe at home…where she will, no doubt…spend the rest of her life.

Hello brothers and sisters!

February 8th, 2010

My son Zion and I threw on our coats, gloves and scarves…heading to Heidelberg. My bicycle has taken a bit of a beating this year, and so,  I was forced to ride ‘Mom’s’ bike. ( a hideously bright pink! ) Zion likes the color, and it afforded enormous entertainment all who saw us, ( deep sigh ) …laughter seemed to be in the air this morning. Thats all right,  laughter opens doors, eh?
There is a dirty blanket of melting snow spread across the flanks of Europe, like a tattered afghan, every rent, every tear, speaks to me of its wars, its wounds, and the burden it’s people have borne for so very long….sin’s heavy yoke. Weary and stumbling in its traces, this tired, broken nag of a continent cries out for rest, for succor, for release. ( As all creation cries out, yes? )  We Christians, chosen sons and daughters of the Most High…have a charge placed upon us, an obligation to be salt and light. We must respond to this! Not only for the kingdoms sake…but for OURS!! The precious chance to work directly with our Master! To garner these crowns, these treasures that Jesus urges us to win….to be used of Him who bought us…our spirits twined with His…our ear-lobes fixed to His doorpost!! it just doesn’t get any cooler than this!!!
Am I a little excited? OK…I’m a little excited. I look out over this exhausted land…this depleted world, so ready for His return…and I can’t help but grin at the possibilities! Pray! Send missionaries!! Come yourselves…the harvest is white!

for our God, and His glory!

Mike, Amberlea, Mercy and Zion Macy

Hello brothers and sisters!

February 4th, 2010

“And I will drive them out little by little, until you become
fruitful…and take possession of the land.”

Exodus 23:30

I find a great deal of comfort in this verse. This morning I clutched it to my bosom as the woman at the ticket counter flailed at me with speech vitrirolic! The crowd behind me was obviously torn between irritation with the delay…and amusement at the large fellow being flayed alive by the small, angry woman behind the counter.  As it was indeed, my error,  I endeavored to drink graciously from the bitter cup she proffered. This fateful blunder had cost me a verbal lashing, but when the dust had cleared…I discovered my paperwork approved, my eardrums relatively intact, and wonder of wonders…the  co-worker of the woman who had flogged me…standing next to me at the mail-box outside. We talked about Jesus.
The Lord will arrange our paths. Given free reign in our lives He will do miracles! He will drive out the enemy of our souls….and give us the promised land! “Little by little.” Soul by soul….

He is able

Mike, Amberlea, Mercy and Zion Macy

PS   Thank you again for your prayers! Adrian is a brave girl, and though she faces pain and sickness daily…the world watches her do so, holding tight to Jesus’ hand!!

Hello brothers and sisters!

January 28th, 2010
There ia a bridge across the Siegen valley, where we were attending the European CC Pastors conference. Keith and I stood at the base of one of its massive support posts, towering almost a 500 feet above us, its grainy cement flanks glittered with the morning’s frost. I couldn’t help but wonder, how many hours he had spent at the foot of this colossus….Keith threw back his head, his features taunt with concentration…and spoke. It is an uncanny aspect of this particular edifice ( Keith informed me solemnly ) that a word uttered at the feet of its massive pillars…is easily heard, echoed back from its lofty summit! Carefully, Keith had me repeat the effect, till he was assured that I had it ‘down’ properly. As I was made to practice this, others from the conference, passing by,  paused to listen…and were quickly initiated into the arcane rite. I expect it goes without saying…but our Keith…is an odd one. Keith Fortenberry, of the Orcas Island Fortenberrys, shepherd, saint, inveterate provocateur…husband of the impeccable ‘Beste’ Fortenberry ( recently of Istanbul ). Once instructor at the Calvary Chapel Siegen Bible College, Keith now has joined the staff here in Heidelberg…where he practices his craft; he is teacher, missionary, servant….friend. I am greatly honored to be yoked with him!
As entrancing as the bridge was…the things that God revealed at the pastors conference were better! I went there praying that the Lord would speak to me about the year to come, that He would arrange our schedule… lead us to the Tibetans He has so fixed our hearts upon….and as is common in our dealings with Jesus…He opened the flood-gates, and poured out more than I had ever hoped for! God not only gave clear vision as to the cities He would send us to…but showed me things about  myself that He wants to alter! The Lord provided His comfort and correction….all He required of me was compliance…I complied, and took away lessons that will bless my family, and those we serve.
These 80 men, who pastor the Calvary Chapels in Europe are astonishing. Weighed down by battle…yet standing tall by His hand, facing huge challenges…yet doing so in the power of God Almighty, they are carving out a foothold in a land that once claimed Christ…but now, is rife with secular humanism. They are firm on a Rock that will not fail them…but are in need of your prayers! Please intercede for them!!

Saturday, back in Heidelberg,  sitting at the station in Weststadt, tired, grouchy…hoping just to nod off in my seat…then the guy next to me asks for help with the train schedule. One thing leads to another. and soon he is telling me of his calling to be a Seele-sorger’, ( ’soul-care-giver’ ) a counselor. “How marvelous!” I say.”You get to offer refuge and solace to those so desperately in need of it!” He smiles shyly, speaks of his training, his plans. “I am also a counselor.” I tell him.
“Where?” he inquires.
Calvary Chapel of Heidelberg.”
“Oh my!” He said, “I was just thinking of visiting this church tomorrow.”
“Ja.” I said, “Funny things….coincidences.”
not by might….
Mike, Amberlea, Mercy and Zion Macy

IMPORTANT NOTICE:   For those of you sending your support checks by   mail, there is a new address!
The NEW ADDRESS is:
Jo Delgado
107 hilltop
Caldwell, ID 83605
Please make checks payable to:  ”Becausejesuslovestibetans.com
or you can donate by ‘PayPal‘ at our website:
becausejesuslovestibetans.com

Hello brothers and sisters!

January 28th, 2010
Church today was a kick! Sunday is always a delight. Sure, its a battle. Our enemy is neither pleased, nor ignorant with what occurs when the body of Christ Gathers. The saints converge on the ‘place-of-meeting’, worship commences, we find the soil of our hearts ( hardened by the week’s
travail ) gently turned…and loosed from the worlds coils, the accumulated knots unravel from our tired skeins. We can suddenly breathe! The fresh breeze of the Spirit’s movement in our midst! We rub shoulders with rest of the flock, picking fleas from each others wool…our wounds are dressed, our sorrows bathed in love….cool stuff!

I made my way to the station this morning,  battling snow and ice every meter of the way ( not yard mind you…but meter, pretty European, eh? ), twenty-eight minutes on the train,  half a klick to the church…and there he was,  Walter, city employee, tossing handfuls of sand to the sidewalk…I rode past him towards the bike-racks…the Lord said: “Now turn around and go back Mike. ” As I drew near, Walter abandoned his efforts to make safe the streets of Heidelberg…and with wary eye, watched my approach. “Wohnen Sie heir in Heidelberg?” ( do you live here in Heidelberg? ) I asked. “Ja.” He answered. I handed him a card, pointed to the church sign behind me, and invited him to join us. Walter positively grinned!  Placing his bucket of sand on the ground next to him, he raised his sweatshirt….emblazoned boldly across his belly, in that timeless jail-house script, were the words: “JESUS IS LORD
God has presents waiting for us every day…we just have to sniff them out…ears perked for His small, still voice.

His gifts are good

Mike, Amberlea, Mercy and Zion Macy

PS Apparently Walter has been looking for a church…we’ll see him next week.

Hello brothers and sisters!

January 7th, 2010
About half an hour to the sunday service. We sit in the prayer room that connects to the stage, we are between prayers. You know that silence that isn´t bothersome or awkward, just a natural part of a conversation with our Father. Its sweet. Now, ours is an old building, refitted as best we could for the churches use. This of course, was a path fraught with compromise. This was never more evident to me, than when the main sewer pipe ( which runs across the ceiling of the prayer room ) first began its extraordinarily loud and resonant flow. A few chuckles …and then someone started to sing softly….”Create in me a clean heart O Lord…and renew a right spirit in me!”  As more people joined in, the sounds of the pipe receded, as did worries, cares and woes. God´s Spirit fills every heart…every corner, till there is no room for anything but Him. Its so good to sit down with Jesus before a service…
Time to ´gird-up´ for 2010. First and foremost; please pray that we would be a blessing to Calvary Chapel Heidelberg! That our hearts would break for the lost in Heidelberg, and in our village of Hirschhorn!  At your request…He fills us. By your petitions… we are empowered to do this work. We ask you to pray for the Tibetans He would have us reach. Pray that we would know where to go, who to speak with, what to say…that our every step would be as the Lord  ordains!! Pray for the Lamas, the rinpoches… the leaders of the Tibetan community here…that we would continue to have favor with them…access to their souls! Pray, please, for all the missionaries breaking up the hard, hard soil of Europe!
As I left the flat this morning, my son said: “Dad, I don´t think I can go with you…its very cold.”
“Its OK son.” I said, heading out the door.
“Don´t worry dad.” He says over his shoulder, “Jesus will be with you.”
Lord…give me the faith of a child.

because Jesus loves Tibetans

Mike, AmberleaMercy and Zion Macy

Hello brothers and sisters!

December 30th, 2009

      Zion and I were returning to Hirschhorn on the evening train. Now normally, I would wax eloquent on the safety, comfort and efficiency of the German rail system ( Greenwich-mean-time is calculated, not by nuclear clock, as one would imagine, but by the arrival of the DB-express into Berlin! ) but this fateful night, however,  would alter that opinion somewhat. Last night the cars were packed! Full to bursting!  Zion sat in his ‘child-seat’ on my bike, chattering away. My son begins speaking when his eyes open in the morning…and ceases talking only when sleep takes hold of him. ( we’re thinking this might be genetic. )  I wedged the bike into the crowded car,  and prepared myself for the nine stops to our village. What I wasn’t prepared for was the elderly German couple that squeezed through the doors at the next stop. They seemed so innocuous, so safe. Hah! Never judge a book by its deceptive cover! This sweet old woman  appeared  to be the soul of kindness, smiling at us, exchanging Christmas greetings with others in the crowded car…and then, without warning, ( as I bent over to adjust some portion of our gear ) she spun swiftly around in answer to some comment from her husband….clubbing me nearly unconscious with the umbrella strapped to her pack…a large, sturdy affair, quite sufficient for dispatching charging rhinos. ( or stationary evangelists, for that matter. )  I remember sinking towards the floor.  Generous folk reached out to assist,  Zion Laughed ( the little rodent! ) and  her husband gasped aloud…at which she spun to see what all the fuss was….bashing me again in the head….funny…I had always assumed martyrdom would be a much quicker demise, but apparently,  I was to be slowly bludgeoned to death by this viscous German grandma…ah, well.
      I was helped to me feet, ( again! ) brushed off (  I did flinch a bit when she first touched me! ) questioned concerning my health, my child was complemented…and polite inquiries made as to what brought us to Germany….approximately seven minutes till the next stop…so I explained our calling…at length.
        when the doors opened again in Neckargemund , the elderly couple virtually sprinted from the car. Those left inside stared at me with the same look found on the faces of soccer-players awaiting a  place-kick. 
       Sometimes the gospel is not well-received…but it is always received. The Holy Spirit convicts men ( and grandmas! ) of their sin, our job…is just to pass along the offer of salvation. Show them the door into life.
        Please be in prayer for this couple, and for all those others, left  trapped in the car with us! Only one train up the Neckar river…we shall, no doubt, see them again!

                                            
      “We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;   persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed…”         
                                            II Corinthians 4:8-9

                 
                             Mike, Amberlea, Mercy and Zion Macy

Hello brothers and sisters!

December 9th, 2009
“Therefore, since we have such hope…we use great boldness of speech!”

2 Corinthians 3:12

Chokgyurlingpa Urgyen Jigmed Palden Rinpoche…. one of the highest ranking Lamas in Tibetan Buddhism, a leading teacher in Europe, spoke last Friday at the park forum in Heidelberg. there was a crowd of Germans, a sprinkling of other nationalities, the Rinpoche, his attendant monk and, sitting in the back…me.

I had filched a poster off the bulletin-board at the market, and shortly afterwards; received an email from one of the church’s translators, asking if I planned on attending! ( Oh, be still my heart!! ) We prayed hard for a chance to speak with the Rinpoche…an opportunity to touch his heart! The group that assembled to hear the Lama was hushed, respectful.. .the fawning reverence that the westerner has for Eastern philosophy. When he called for a break, I went forward to talk with him. Ugyen had only a few words in English..so my somewhat sketchy Tibetan had to suffice. He was surprised to hear his own language, and more surprised still,  to hear that Jesus loved him! After a moments pause, he tucked his robes about him and said:”Buddha, Allah, Jesus…there are many paths to God!”
“But Rinpoche” I said, “Jesus claims to be the only truth, the only path to God!” I clasped his hands in mine, he leaned towards me. “It is either true…or it is a lie….and you, Rinpoche, you…have to choose!”
He nodded several times, obviously ill at ease, his attendant watched us both intently. “I will pray for you, every day!” I said quietly. I placed an envelope in his hands. He glanced at it…took my hands again and thanked me. Pray for this man, that God will water the seed that was planted! I left him clutching the envelope, sealed with a bit of red wax, bearing his name in Tibetan script…and containing a tract in his mother tongue, holding the key to his salvation… and perhaps, through him…the salvation of his people!
Like our friend Darlene says:
Thrilled to be serving the King of Kings!!

Mike, Amberlea, Mercy and Zion Macy


PS  Thank you all for praying….the terrifying ´cat-urine-frying- the-laptop- voiding-the- warranty- off-line- for-nineteen- days-without- communication´ ordeal has been successfuly brought to ´closure´….we received a great many emails in regards to our ´dire straights´,  quite a few from fellow ´Apple-Macintosh´ users…who regailed us with their tales of Mac-tragedy and  Mac-triumph,
“Standing by us!” in our moment of loss!! ( we Mac users are a silly lot! )  You also sent the total replacement cost of the computer…in less than twenty four hours!! We don´t deserve you…but we are so delighted to have you looking after us. God bless you all!