God Lives and Works Today - Part 1

A small piece of land, 25 acres in Darmstadt, West Germany. It is situated on Route 3, one of the main connections linking Frankfurt and Heidelberg. At the main entrance its name, Canaan. In scripture this means the land of promise. The evangelical sisters of Mary and the other residents of Canaan lead a life which at first glance may seem to be very unusual. Yet it is a life that can be summed up by the command of Jesus to follow him in uncompromising discipleship. It shows that by doing so, people can live together in true peace and reconciliation. The herald call of the evangelical sisterhood of Mary is heard in all the world and the land of Canaan has become a spiritual center for many people. This film is meant to share with you some something of life on Canaan. It heralds the call of Jesus. Repent, the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Mother Basilea Schlink, founder of the sisterhood. Jesus is king. No one can ever compare with him. He alone can bring a new world. There is no deception with Jesus. He comes to us with true life and abundant joy. Repent, this is his call. It means turning away from your old sad ways. Lose your life for Jesus' sake and you will gain everything your heart desires. The kingdom of heaven is near at hand and if you turn from your sinful ways, you will experience that it already begins today. Two young people heard Jesus' call and later became the founders of the evangelical sisterhood of Mary. Mother Basilea left, Mother Maturia right. Children of educated families interested in arts and sciences but not in Jesus. They completed their social welfare training. Mother Basilea took her doctor's degree in psychology. Then Jesus became real to them. Out of love for him, they gave up their good positions and everything else. They believed Jesus' promise that if we follow him without compromise, the kingdom of heaven will dawn. Whether brought before the secret police or questioned by Christian brothers, they experienced the reality of the Sermon on the Mount. Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you falsely on my account. The king of all kings, Jesus, drew close and gave them divine joy and followers. Through them, young people learned to love Jesus and dedicated their lives to him. Let us sing to Jesus, Sunday on Canaan. The bell is calling the residents of Canaan to worship. Many people join the mothers of the sisterhood. Canaan has become their spiritual home. The Canaan pastor and his wife from Holland. Young volunteer helpers. Sisters of the crown of thorns called later in life to follow Jesus in this way. All have heard a call and found a treasure worthy of all their love. Coworkers and patients. Canaan Franciscan brothers. The new life is spreading. Thousands of guests flock to Canaan. Those who long for Jesus to be their lord and king are attracted by this call. Repent, the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Guests from all five continents come for a 10-day retreat on Canaan. Young people from many nations join the youth community during the summer for three weeks of spiritual training. Our dear retreat guests from all parts of the world. This afternoon you wanted to hear something about Canaan secret. Some guests have already asked us, how can you explain this? On Canaan various people, even the sick and old, live together in peace and reconciliation. And you all look so happy. What is the secret? This afternoon I will tell you. I know the key which opens the door of the kingdom of our lord Jesus. It is a golden key. Although some may think it is black, it opens a gate to the kingdom of heaven. This key is called repentance, the joy-filled life. Those who sorrow for their sin find their way into God's kingdom. Repentance is the gateway. Repentance, the joy-filled life. One of Mother Basilea's most popular books. This is Canaan's secret. Repentance brings joy-filled life, love for Jesus and real happiness. We received this key as a present at a very special time, when we were jolted out of our old sad ways. A foreshadow of the kingdom of heaven was to begin in our midst. The foundation of repentance was laid, but in a way which shocked us deeply. It happened towards the end of World War II in September 1944, when you were in deadly peril. An air raid lasting only 18 minutes killed thousands of people and completely destroyed our city. Bombers are marking their target, Darmstadt. Our mothers had been praying for a revival in their extensive youth work. Faced with the holiness of God, we repented and confessed our personal and national guilt. Revival began. We had been Christians, but had not been captivated by Jesus. To be lukewarm towards God is the worst sin. We had the name of being alive, but were dead. God answered with fire. Out of ruins he created new life. First love for Jesus was kindled in our hearts. The Steinberg house where our mothers lived and the girls' Bible studies were held was not destroyed. Joyful songs filled the air. Our founders had come here in answer to a call of God. Instead of immediate fulfillment, they experienced 10 dark, apparently meaningless years. They did voluntary work, choosing poverty in order to wait obediently. They knew that even though they couldn't understand God, they could trust him. He had promised them. Our mothers believed with all their hearts that God is yea and amen. When they were misunderstood for his sake, the Lord comforted them with these Bible verses. His presence became more real than ever. We too were willing to lay aside attractive careers, forsaking everything in order to gain the most precious treasure, Jesus, our beloved Lord. In this room in the Steinberg house, the revival began. Now we long to live together as a community. Mother Basilea felt in her heart that a little kingdom of love should come into existence. The sisterhood of Mary was born. Our aim of faith was that Jesus should rule in our midst as Lord and King. You all take it now as a matter of course that we live according to these commandments of Jesus. Seek first the kingdom of God. Lose your life. But do you know when we came to the point where we started putting them into practice in our everyday life? It happened in 1949 in my small attic room in the Steinberg house. I was faced with the question, should our sisterhood go the way of faith? This would mean not charging set prices for our literature or for any other items or services. It would mean not taking out any insurance. I knew in my heart this is the way. God must be glorified. This first crossroad has been decisive for our whole life right up until today because it has meant carrying out all our ministries without charge or asking for donations. Everyone, even our friends said, that is foolish. You can't do that. What will happen when there are hundreds of you? A growing ministry must have a realistic foundation. But to be realistic is to be completely surrendered to the King Jesus Christ and to really live according to his commandments. Mother Mathuria and I and our co-founder, Pastor Riedinger, who died shortly afterwards, were of one mind. Let us trust God's word and launch out in faith. Ever since then, the sisterhood of Mary has been a child of faith, completely surrendered to Jesus. But suddenly it seemed as though our Lord Jesus was not keeping his word. Our cash box was empty. We had to learn a lesson to no longer count every penny, but to give away everything and trust God alone who cares for the birds of the air. One day a letter arrived ordering us to leave the house. Actually, the law was on our side, but we had to learn another lesson, not to fight for our rights. This meant following Jesus' commandment, of him that takes away your goods, do not ask them again. We would have to leave the house. We had nowhere to go, no money, no future. But it seemed to me that this was God's plan. And Jesus, our King and Lord, intervened. A little piece of land was given to us in Eberstadt, a suburb of Darmstadt. But now a new challenge we had to build by ourselves. On this little property that the Lord gave us, we began to build a chapel and motherhouse with bricks that we dug out of the city ruins. Later, this was to become the heart of Canaan. A Bible verse that Mother Basilea received in prayer was far more valuable to us than money. We had to search the ruins for bricks because we were so poor, but our Lord Jesus Christ proved his royal power in our midst. We only had 30 marks, but this did not make us waver, for God had said the construction took two and a half years. We had assured the building authorities the Lord would be responsible for our finances. On no account could we run into debt. We did not dare to let unrepented sin prevent Jesus from working miracles. So each difficulty drove us to prayer and repentance. People would either believe in God or doubt his power, according to the outcome of our project. Our help is in the name of the Lord, was the promise God gave us. When the buildings were completed, Mother Basilea, in thanksgiving, had a banner erected at the entrance, built with the help of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Hundreds joined us to praise the wonderful name of Jesus. The chapel and motherhouse had really been completed without mortgages or debts. The bell rang. People praised God who works miracles today. He had erected a visible reminder that his name is Ye and Amen, and that he keeps his promises. But this was only the beginning. The Lord was going to lead us along many dark ways of faith and suffering. May 4th, 1955, God's moment had come. In this night, he made his plan clear to Mother Basilea. He wanted to create a small land of Canaan. In these last times, Mother Basilea could picture a little land of reconciliation, love, peace, and joy, where God would dwell in our midst. A little place where Jesus could reign in our dark world. But there were many reasons making it impossible to acquire the adjoining land. For one thing, a bypass was planned right through the middle of it. One day, Mother Basilea came to us with this model. She sang a song until we, still a little doubtful, joined in with her. The bypass cannot stand, the bypass cannot stand. The Lord has marked it for Canaan land. God will give to us each acre, that we may live to praise our maker. May there be peace in Canaan. Yet it seemed hopeless to expect the bypass to be moved. However, Mother Basilea said, it will be moved. If Jesus is king of all kings, he has power over governments and local authorities. And the bypass was moved. But this was not the end. Mother Basilea said, there are too few of us. Jesus, our king, must have more subjects, more people who live according to his commandments. He must have a land where he is the sovereign lord and king. There were still many obstacles to be overcome. 25 acres of land, but no money for such a project. Homes for army officers had been approved and construction was to begin in two weeks. The other owners were city, church, state, and more than 20 private individuals. No one was willing to sell. Could the situation be more hopeless? At that time, Mother Basilea went up to a nearby mountain with us, to some castle ruins, just as she is doing today with some of her spiritual daughters. From there, we had a good view of the land that would one day become Canaan. This was one of our most significant moments. The little land of Canaan, where God was to be glorified, neither existed nor could be acquired. But in faith, Mother Basilea painted it before our eyes so vividly that we could almost see it. A fertile land abundantly blessed by God. A land where milk and honey flow. A land where people and animals live together as if in paradise. A land that the Heavenly Father watches over with loving, tender care. It will be a land of the miracles of God. A land, as you already know, of many festivals and boundless joy. And it will be a land where people come together from all over the world in the unity of love. It will be a land where peace dwells in the houses because it is a land of reconciliation. And a land where the Lord Jesus is proclaimed in his love, his suffering, and his victory. What a precious land. Faith brings God's almighty power to men so weak and lowly. When tempted, victory we will share if we but trust him wholly, for nothing can our way oppose. Even iron doors will yield to those who trust in God almighty. Eleven dark years lay between promise and fulfillment. When we finally obtained the land, it did not look at all like Canaan, the promised land. It was dry, barren. Our mothers prayed with us for water and for new and deeper repentance because with God, tears of repentance and water have a lot to do with each other. The geological test said there was no hope. Nevertheless, we paved the bed of the lake in faith. Then, and not until then, did the Father give us a deep well yielding an abundance of water. Even the experts called this a miracle. God had completed his little Canaan and fulfilled everything that he had promised. No words could express our joy. In 1966, people from 20 nations came to celebrate with us our festival of thanksgiving to the Father. Our Lord and God has proved that he is yea and amen. The immovable bypass has been moved. All the property owners sold their land. And the city withdrew its building plans. All the necessary money came through the goodness of our heavenly Father. And free of debt, all the houses lay spread out on our lovely land of Canaan. Motherhouse and Chapel. Jesus' Workshop with the printing press. The Retreat House, Jesus' Joy for Guests. The Herald Chapel for church services and herald plays. The Franciscan House for the brothers. The House of God's Goodness, a retreat house. Jesus' Comfort and Jesus' Victory for the crown of thorn sisters and co-workers. Beth Zion for guests and the parsonage. The Jubilati Hall for the sick. The Margaretan House and Bethabara for visitors. A monument depicting the beatitudes of Jesus. Who can believe that just three years before, this was a waterless Canaan, a desert. The Lord had promised, with joy you will draw water, and he fulfilled his word. God's very own possessions. The Fountain of the Father's Goodness, a symbol of the ever-overflowing love of God. Thousands drink from it and are refreshed in soul and body. Canaan, a land where milk and honey flow. I miss the heart of love only, the heart of the Godhead, and I and his child. E-e-e-e-yah, e-e-e-yah. E-e-e-e-yah, e-e-e-yah, e-e-e-yah, e-e-e-yah, e-e-e-yah, e-e-e-yah, e-e-e-yah. Almighty God, we worship thee. Canaan has truly come to be, that all thy faithfulness might see. Hallelu-Yah, Hallelu-Yah, eternal name Jehovah. Yea, and amen forever. Almighty God, we worship thee. Canaan has truly come to be, that all thy faithfulness might see. Hallelu-Yah, Hallelu-Yah. Amen.