The Kingdom of God

What is the Kingdom of God? What comes to mind when you hear the phrase, 'the Kingdom of God'? I asked that question often, whilst recently teaching in Adelaide and Melbourne, Australia. Since returning to Latvia, the same question seems to pop up. However, the answers vary. 

"the Kingdom of God is where He is King" - where He is allowed to rule and reign, in our lives, in a nation, etc.

"it's already here and not yet complete"

"it's God's ways"

"it's where God has ultimate rule and things are done as He wants - with love, compassion, justice, salvation, and mercy."

One thing that was common to all that answered was that articulating the fullness of the Kingdom of God in a phrase or sentence was challenging. 

Lately, my thoughts have been focused on the Kingdom. We pray 'Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven". I've been imagining what things would be like if God's Kingdom - His ways, His values, His economy, His love, salvation, compassion, truth...were to infuse situations around me. What would it look like, and how can I be an instrument of being a part of seeing 'Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven'? 

Above you see photos of the my neighbourhood from the view of my new apartment (on the top, 6th floor). This is reputed as one of the most dangerous areas of Riga. However, my perspective is it's a place where Jesus wants to come in and invade the lives and hearts of those that call 'Maskachka' (the diminutive name of the regoin) home. He wants to 'dwell - pitch His tent' here and point us to the Father. He wants to do it through me and others who follow Him in this area. 

There are people I see every day. They are strangers, yet our paths cross on a daily or weekly basis. There is the elderly woman who sells small tissue packs on the street no matter what the weather; the drug dealer in an apartment in my building, the ladies that work in the shop on the ground floor, the gallery owners whose galleries I visit on a regular basis, the homeless person I may see passed out on a street in Riga, etc.  What would it look like for God's Kingdom to 'come' into and permeate their lives?

God has been speaking to me about some very manageable and possible things to do...

Keep buying tissues from this woman, but stop and talk to her. She's got the time. After some time, ask to hear 'her story'. Maybe she'll share something that I can pray for, or simply bless her. Treat this drug dealer with respect and kindness. Perhaps she should be the recipient of a random act of kindness from me. Speak to the shop ladies, learn their names, and eventually ask about their stories. Everyone has a story - gallery owners, drug dealers, the homeless person on the street, and the person who lives in that 6th floor apartment.  Each of us are created in God's image, and are therefore valuable. As the Orthodox Christians believe, because we are all made in the image of God, we are living icons...God can be seen in us...Jesus can be seen in us. "if you've done it unto the least of these, you've done it unto me" - Jesus. This is just the beginning in action, small steps that are a precursor to bigger things. However, God is going much deeper, challenging the way I think, going to what's truly at the core of what I believe to be true...to the way I see people, the way I treat people, and the way I perceive the possibilities of making a difference in seeing God's Kingdom come.

These steps may be small and a precursor to bigger things - 

Art Day Camp for Children in this area of Riga

Hosting and participating with Intercession Teams for strategic prayer not only for artists and the arts community in which I work, but the community in which I live.

Fervent prayer for the people in this area.

I'm praying that God will shake things up in this place, and that we will see His Kingdom come and His will be done in Riga as it is in heaven.

Update coming as soon as I'm over jet-lag

I've just arrived last night in the States after several months in Riga, Latvija. 

Since last writing in April much has happened. I'm ready to write all about it,

but at the moment, I'm fighting the need to sleep.  So, within the next few days

I'll be getting more information out.

Blessings,

Elise

Prayer Trip Updates...and More to Come

Sveiki!

Prayer Trips, outreaches, hosting outreach teams, defining vision - personal and corporate as YWAM Riga have all been a part of this season since the last blog update. You can read about some of these in the following blog entries about Ruba and Balvi.

From the 10th to the 14th of April, a small team of us will travel to Norway for a Missions Conference at a local church. We will share about missions opportunities here in Latvija, as well as serve the church by leading their youth meeting, speaking on Sunday morning, and leading worship at various times throughout the conference.

Putting 'feet to the vision' with the arts ministry has gained momentum. Beginning 18 April, I will restart "Art Night". Art Night is simply opening my apartment and providing materials and an atmosphere for people to come and create or share what they have created in the areas of visual arts and music. Of course, tea and some type of food is compulsory. Who can create without tea, biscuits, chocolate, or fruit? This serves as an excellent platform for discipleship, encouragement, and as a place where vision, ideas, and strategies develop to build the Kingdom of God through the arts. This will be a monthly event to begin, but I'd like to see it develop into a weekly event.

Language, Language, Language...
I found a Latvijan teacher, so lessons are up and running...and my Latvijan is progressing once again. Also, there have been some opportunities that have opened for me to teach English. In many ways, teaching English has helped me to develop my understanding of my 'mother tongue'. If I had only paid more attention to English grammar when I was in school...

There is much more coming, with which I am involved, as summer is soon approaching...outreach teams, children's art camp, art evangelism projects, more prayer projects, concerts, a kayak/art camp along Latvija's longest river - Gauja, and involvement in teaching and training.

Prayer Trip to Ruba

Ruba 2008 (Due to technical difficulties with uploading...photos will hopefully come another time)

Ruba is a small village in southern Latvija, near the Lithuanian border. A Mission Adventures team from Norway came for a week long outreach during their Easter break. Mission Adventures in a YWAM ministry that serves to give youth groups from local churches missions experiences. YWAM serves to set up, organise, and host the outreach in country. Although, I didn't attend the outreach itself, I was a part of the prayer team that went before the team arrived.

Prayer for the schools in Ruba
Prayer for youth in the schools:
For relationships to be built with the youth and maintained.
The youth have feelings of isolation, not much opportunity to make a life for themselves.
Encourage youth, pray for hope!

Prayer for the farming community:
Farmers understand the idea of seasons, sowing and reaping.
They must work hard to provide for their families.
Planting in the spring to survive the winter.
Ruba seems 'dead' all around, but the people of this community, being mainly farmers, understand the idea of 'life coming out of death' "Unless a seed fall to the ground and die, it can not bear fruit".

Prayer for the outreach team having favor with the government in the town.
We felt that the team should be careful not to litter, and to pick up litter whenever they see it.

Prayer at the ruins of the Church:
Song ‘Did you feel the Mountains Tremble’ By Delirious.
This church sits at a cross roads between Ruba, Ezere, Druvas and the Lithuanian Boarder. Though it’s in ruin a cross still hangs infront of were the alter used to be. During prayer we felt that the ruins of the church represent the heart of the people, the state the church is in. That life comes out of death, the foundation is strong and the walls are still standing, that life still growing in the midst of ruin. We felt that worship needs to happen in this church during the outreach
to Ruba, with guitars, singing, and instruments the team has.

Prayer:
God to open the gates, open the hearts and emotions of the people and heal the wrong uderstandings and ideas about God and His church. For a renewing and strengthening of the foundation of the people and their hearts.

During the prayer time, the leader of the band Xenos - a Latvijan, Christian band, felt God leading her to 'return to the small towns' and come to play; to give something to the youth, to share with them the message of truth and hope. So, we will be exploring how to help these bands do this very thing. (Xenos, Man-hu, and Jorspais, as well as others, and a part of Youth With A Mission, Riga)

The Outreach -
Reports have come back of a very meaningful time that went deep. People were open and receptive for the words spoken, the time spent with visits to their homes, and the 'breath of fresh air' the team brought. One of the translators was from Ruba and became a Christian through a previous Mission Adventures team that went there. Follow up is also taking place through Christians who live relatively nearby.