God’s Splendor
Psalm 8 TPT
8 For the Pure and Shining One
Set to the melody of “For the Feast of Harvest,” by King David
1 Lord, your name is so great and powerful!
People everywhere see your splendor.
Your glorious majesty streams from the heavens,
filling the earth with the fame of your name!
2 You have built a stronghold by the songs of babies.
Strength rises up with the chorus of singing children.
This kind of praise has the power to shut Satan’s mouth.
Childlike worship will silence
the madness of those who oppose you.
3 Look at the splendor of your skies,
your creative genius glowing in the heavens.
When I gaze at your moon and your stars,
mounted like jewels in their settings,
I know you are the fascinating artist who fashioned it all!
But when I look up and see
such wonder and workmanship above,
I have to ask you this question:
4 Compared to all this cosmic glory,
why would you bother with puny, mortal man
or be infatuated with Adam’s sons?
5 Yet what honor you have given to men,
created only a little lower than Elohim,
crowned like kings and queens with glory and magnificence.
6 You have delegated to them
mastery over all you have made,
making everything subservient to their authority,
placing earth itself under the feet of your image-bearers.
7–8 All the created order and every living thing
of the earth, sky, and sea—
the wildest beasts and all the sea creatures—
everything is in submission to Adam’s sons.
9 Lord, your name is so great and powerful.
People everywhere see your majesty!
What glory streams from the heavens,
filling the earth with the fame of your name!
Greetings children of God! I am so happy to be giving you this update on what the Lord has been doing in our lives down here in Cerro Azul. I had an idea to begin teaching English classes to the kids in our area for quite a while and had tried on a couple of different occasions to start the classes but it never seemed to work out. God's timing is always perfect! Since the covid hit and I had more free time on my hands. I would usually be visiting churches in the states and be back and forth from Mexico to the USA. Most of the churches in the states were closed so in the summer I had more time to focus on here right in my own neighborhood. I asked the Lord what we should be doing at this moment in time. He said to teach the English classes. So Frank and I began having the classes right here at our house. That lasted all summer for 8 weeks. We began having a core group of kids coming each week. We were teaching English and with the help of Sonia she was also helping translate and give a bible lesson with the primary focus on prayer and intimacy with God. The kids loved it and all was well! When the weather changed we began to use a room at one of the local churches to have the class, we have been there since. The transformation that has taken place with these children has been amazing. Most of you know that my heart is for the lost and addicted. Since that is where I was when the Lord rescued me, and then later called me to Mexico as a missionary. What the Lord has done amazed us. He combined the two worlds, the innocent world of the children with the lost and forgotten world of the Tijuana landfill. Each month we go into the landfill with a team from Mexico or visitors from the states depending on who is here. The Lord gave us the idea to take the children into the landfill to help minister to the people that live there and also hand out food and water.
The outcome was more than I could of ever expected. All the people that we asked if we could pray for them said "Yes" which usually doesn't happen and all of the grown men began weeping. God has chosen the innocent children to minister to those who feel that they have fallen too far to ever get back up, God's ways are not our ways.
We began with the sandwiches, each time we go we take food and bottled water with us, usually peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. So we had the kids help us to prepare the sandwiches for the landfill visit, 100 sandwiches. It was a competition between boys and girls, boys won both times. The girls try and spread the peanut butter and jelly very neatly and the boys just slap it on the bread so therefore the boys were faster but the girls were neater, lol :). The kids range from 6 to 14 years old. So they see the process from start to finish. Preparing the food to handing out the food. There are also kids who live at the landfill so it is very impactful for the kids we bring to see the kids that live there and continue to pray for them when they get home. They often include the kids at the landfill in their prayers. We plant the seed and the Holy Spirit does the watering. We are blessed and honored to be able to steward this ministry of hope.
2 Jesus called a little one to his side and said to them, 3 “Learn this well: Unless you dramatically change your way of thinking and become teachable, and learn about heaven’s kingdom realm with the wide-eyed wonder of a child, you will never be able to enter in. 4 Whoever continually humbles himself to become like this gentle child is the greatest one in heaven’s kingdom realm.
With innocence and purity the children minister to those in need.
The same Holy Spirit lives in the children that lives in us. Their world view is that of a less complicated view and I believe the Holy Spirit flows through them with such power and purity. Some of us have dismissed the children and the power that they carry. Some of us still hold onto the old idea that children should be seen and not heard. I believe that the children need to have their voice heard loud and clear. They are our future and if guided through the paths of the Lord we will have a force so strong no enemy will be able to withstand the light of the Lord that shines so brightly from these young people. Proverbs 22:6
Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Amen
We are still having the English classes each week with a bible lesson or a lesson on prayer. Last week we had a short prayer walk with the kids and Sister Sonia. Worshipping the Lord with flags and praying for the community while we were walking here in Cerro Azul.
Teaching the kids English gives us an opportunity to also teach them about their identity in Jesus. We are able to bless them with new language skills along with lessons on Jesus. Frank taught them a lesson on the finished work of the cross and new creation identity through a message that we call the "dirty sock" message. We ask the kids to bring an old dirty pair of socks with them to class, the oldest dirtiest pair that they have even if they don't match.
He talks to them about sin and what it is and our old sinful nature, who we were before we invited Jesus to live in us. The old socks represent that identity. We then burn the socks outside to represent the finished work of the cross. The sacrifice of Jesus and we watch the socks burn and then think about all that Jesus has done for us. We then take the kids back inside and give each of them a brand new clean pair of socks. Which represent who we are in Christ Jesus. Our new identity, new creation in Christ Jesus. The kids love it. We have given the lesson at two different class locations already. Our class and a friend of ours who is also teaching English/prayer classes for kids out of her home.
I have a friend who would always say bring Deborah the children Lord. But at the time I had no idea why she would pray that, now we know why. As far as the rest of the ministry goes we are still doing food bags each month for the elderly. Between 35-40 each month in Tecate, Cerro Azul and Valle de las Palmas. Brother Jose helps us deliver the food each month to the elderly that the Lord has placed in our path.
This is Brother Jose, he is in a wheel chair but he is able to drive and with the help of additional volunteers he helps us deliver the food bags each month. The food is donated and I go and get the food donations and bring them across into Mexico also we purchase some of the items down here. This ministry is completely funded by donations, all of it. The more we give away the greater the increase. We are blessed to bless others. Last but not least the Lord has placed a vision on our hearts to help the people at the landfill by starting a rehab center/sober living community for them. It is still in the planning/praying phase. I have a draft written out of the vision if anyone is interested in seeing it I will be happy to send it to you. The border is open and if any of you would like to visit just send me an email and we can facilitate that for you.
We are blessed to be here at just this time in the world. With all of this chaos and confusion going on it is the light of the Lord that shines the brightest in darkness. The world needs us more then ever to shine. We must sit at the feet of Jesus and receive all that He has for us so that we can reflect His love to a lost and dying world. Look to Him for ALL things. For in Him we live and move and have our being. Amen :) He is everything and He lives in side of us and we are called to shine with the light of His love. Thank you for all of the prayers and support.
Frank and Deborah Verdin
To Mexico with Love
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