Going Back to the Basics: My Love Affair with Jesus - by Monica McKeen

One of the biggest secrets about God’s Kingdom is that the Kingdom of God is not something that you can point to and say, “Here it is” or “There it is” for it is a Kingdom that is found in our hearts and wherever His will is done.

God rules in human hearts. The Kingdom is manifested through the Church of Christ - not a building but it is us, God’s children, our hearts and relationship with God. Remember the disciples talking to Jesus about the Kingdom? They wanted so much to have an important part of His Kingdom. After all, they gave up much to follow Jesus. You find it in Matthew 18:1-4: “ At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, 'Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?' He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: 'I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.'"

Many years ago when I encountered the Lord and gave Jesus my heart, I signed up for Discipleship classes and learned to hear God Voice and went through the book as a church on prayers that heal the heart through Communion with God Ministries. I was radically changed and over the years the Lord used me and I had intimate times with Him. I learned to journal and hear His voice.  As I grew in Christ, He gave me a ministry where I would teach children everything I learned. He connected me with a ministry called Kids in Ministry and my daughter was able to learn more and meet children her age who wanted to hear the voice of God.   I became the Children’s Pastor, then the Family Pastor and soon got very busy and forgot to ask my Father about His plans. I got caught up in ministry. Oh yes, I would still spend time with the Lord. But I would not listen or even ask Him questions. Doubt started to creep in.

I was a single mother raising my daughter and discipling her but when I became the Family Pastor, I became so entangled in being busy I would never ask My Father if this is what He wants. I would go ahead of Him and say yes to all children’s conferences.  Yes to preaching and teachings. I meditated on the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit would show up at times. But fear and doubt would creep in that it was not the Lord. I wouldn’t journal anything because I didn’t think it was God. I forgot to pray and seek Him about everything.

Years ago, I wanted to go to Youth With A Mission. When I took in the Discipleship class at church, we learned about missions and I read Lauren Cunningham’s book Is That Really You, God?  I wanted to go on the mission field. I wanted to quit my job and go.   My daughter was 3 years old at the time. But back then I knew I needed to pray and seek the Lord and see what He thinks about this. I heard Him clearly tell me, "No, I want you to pour into your daughter.” I even received confirmation that it was not His timing. I put it on the back burner until a year ago.

A burning was coming into my heart for missions but when I prayed I heard the Holy Spirit say, "Take out your 401K and apply to YWAM." "Well, that’s not God," I said to myself and I let it go. I would listen to sermons that were speaking clearly to me, even without telling anyone what I was thinking. My pastor is very prophetic and she said to me, "I believe God is calling you for a season for missions." Wow, I knew it was God.  I started praying and asking the Lord for confirmation. I had such fear about pulling out my 401K. I would tell Him, “That is crazy, Lord.” I never shared about my 401 with anyone but every sermon was about Matthew 6:26-34: “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”

I finally surrendered at the altar one day and the peace of God came upon me. When I got to YWAM I was so happy. Then, the first week we had Dr. Mark Virkler and my attitude changed.  “I have already done his classes. Lord, I knew this wasn’t you." I wanted to quit. I was upset. So much pride I didn’t know I had.   But I humbled myself and remembered how the Lord led me here and surrendered once again. Although I argued with Him, I did surrender and said “Why, Lord?” I heard Him clearly through my first session in journaling “I am bringing you back to basics. You have lost your first love.” I grew so much those three months. Other speakers came in that our church had done their trainings but I was humble. I knew God had a plan and a purpose for me.  This was His will. The Lord wanted me to put Him first in everything I do.

Today, I pray about everything. I love to have those intimate times with the Lord. I thank Jesus for keeping us in His perfect will. My heart was to do His will and He knew that. Although I got off the path a bit, He brought me back to basics which we all need from time to time.

• Mark's comment on letting fear and doubt creep in: We never walk alone. We share any journaling we have doubt about with our 2-3 spiritual advisors, and ask if their hearts bear witness that it came from the Lord. Their confirmation is what engenders faith! If you need an additional spiritual advisor to bounce your journaling off from, we have several people who have journaled for years and they are glad to let you email your journaling to them and they will respond back to you.
• Where there is no guidance the people fall, But in abundance of counselors there is victory (Prov. 11:14).
• See Monica's children's book here.

Services Monica McKeen provides - She will teach your children while Mark Virkler is training adults

Children hear the Lord easier than anyone else. The most common blockage that children encounter is the unbelief of the parents and children’s leaders. The earlier you train a child to sense God’s presence and voice, the more likely they are to have a deep friendship with God.  Our greatest responsibility as parents and children’s leaders is to lead the children into an intimate friendship with God, which includes teaching children how to recognize and respond to the voice of God. Unfortunately in many places children are not regarded as having any spiritual significance.  The truth is, children do not have a baby Holy Spirit; they have the same Holy Spirit as anyone else.  It is only the vessel that is smaller.  And God uses them for His Kingdom.   God has always used children: Mary, Samuel, David, Esther and many others.  They are not simple Bible stories to read, but truth that God wants and has always wanted His children to have a relationship with Him and be used for the Kingdom of God.

Kids in Ministry Children’s conference is now partnering with Communion with God Ministries.  While the adults are in a weekend ministry conference with Dr. Mark Virkler, the children will have teaching that includes Hearing God’s Voice, God’s Presence, Prayers that Heal the Heart, Dreaming with God, and Burn for Him prayer conferences. 

These children’s conferences dig deep into the Word of God and teach significant doctrine loaded with creative inspiring visuals, object lessons and games to help your children learn adult principles on their level.  Parents tell us regularly that they love the change in their children and home devotions are so much fun as a family hearing from God and praying together. 

Monica has been a Children’s Pastor for  20 years and is available to take your children deeper while you learn to go deeper as well. www.kimimass.org