In 1974 Willie Nelson wrote a song called, Phases and Stages. The opening lyrics go something like this, “Phases and stages, circles and cycles, scenes that we’ve all seen before. Let me tell you some more”.
Well, can I tell you some more? 25 years ago in the year of 2000, we were blessed to do our first evangelistic crusade in the town of Nuevo Padilla with a team of Bible school students from Instituto Biblico Palabra de Vida. It was a very small one-night crusade on the main plaza. Phases and stages! Today, we’re going to Padilla with a team of 48 Bible school students to do another bigger one. In many ways, it is a déjà vu moment. Circles and cycles! God and His ways are truly mysterious. He is so wonderful.
Back in July of 2000, my Spanish was so broken. In the healing line, a tall cowboy was in front of me with a ruptured disc in his lower back. After I laid hands upon him and prayed for him, I tried to ask him if he was better. This is the word “mejor” in Spanish, but instead I asked him in Spanish, “Tu eres mujer”? Which means “are you a woman”? He answered with a strong macho “no”! So I prayed for him again and then asked again, “Tu eres mujer”? He exclaimed loudly, “No Señor!” then I said in Spanish, “Uno mas tiempo”, let me pray for you one more time. You should have seen the look on his face. The crazy thing is in spite of all this confusion Jesus healed him.
We had a really good one-night gospel crusade 25 years ago and if I remember correctly 110 people got saved. There were lots of healings including the cowboy. This time around we are taking the 18-wheeler trailer that Bobby and Lynn have given to our ministry and we will be doing it on a large open field next to the major highway for 3 nights. I believe God that many more people will come and many more will be saved and healed. The students have been out spreading the publicity, inviting people to come, and praying for the sick. I have been teaching them this week on how to share the gospel and how to receive a word of knowledge with the gift of healing. Also, how to pray and use authority and faith to minister to the sick. They got a chance to minister in the Tuesday night service here at Iglesia Palabra de Vida. They did really good and are gaining confidence as we start the crusade.
This time the crusade will last three nights and I believe it’s going to grow each night and result in a greater number of salvations and healings. Each night we have a free raffle and will give away 15 prizes a night. This includes some good stuff like: blenders, toaster ovens, cooling fans, and small televisions. We do this because if you’re gonna go fishing, you have to have some bait. People that are not sick may not come to a healing crusade, but they might come to win a prize. They will hear the gospel and the Holy Spirit will work in their heart and they will find Jesus. There are many poor in the area and the prizes will be such a blessing. Because of you, your prayers, and generosity, we are able to have this wonderful event to reach the lost. Thank you!
There’s been some bad stuff going on in this area so the people are scared to be out at night. We’re starting the meeting early and trying to finish up before dark. However, we’ve been praying. The angels of God will be with us. We’ll have divine protection and I believe it will be a glorious crusade. I’m so excited to be back in Mexico and here in Cd. Victoria with our beloved pastors, Bobby and Lynn Crow. There are so many people here at the church that Julie and I have known and loved for 26 years.
Phases and stages, circles and cycles. You know many things in the kingdom of God circle back and cycle over and over again. Each time they circle back or cycle, it’s better and easier, as God extends more grace. God gives us wisdom and we have grown some and can carry the assignment better and keep going forward. I’ve seen this with revival and many things in the kingdom of God. The reason we have phases and stages, circles and cycles, is because our Father is a God of great love, grace, and mercy. He keeps giving us chance after chance, opportunity after opportunity, and blessing after blessing, and never gives up on us. The only way we can completely fail is to just quit. Don’t.
In closing, I just want to say, don’t quit! God’s going to give you another chance. Another circle, another cycle, another phase and another stage. A scene that, yes, you’ve seen before. Maybe the first or second time things did not go as you had hoped. But hey, take the risk anyway and take the chance again. Because you’ll have an even better story to share and you’ll be able to tell a good testimony this time around. Like Willie, you’ll be able to “tell us some more”!
We love and thank you for sending us to the lost.
Charley & Julie
