July 14th, 2010 Marco picked us up this morning and took us for a cup of coffee before we went to a city wide pastor’s meeting with more than 50 pastors in attendance. They seem like a very happy and friendly bunch. I spoke from Malachi 4 and challenged them to dedicate themselves to becoming [...]
July 14th, 2010
Marco picked us up this morning and took us for a cup of coffee before we went to a city wide pastor’s meeting with more than 50 pastors in attendance. They seem like a very happy and friendly bunch. I spoke from Malachi 4 and challenged them to dedicate themselves to becoming great fathers. I said that I come to them not as pastors or church leaders but as fathers. I reminded them of how they probably prayed some time in their lives about being more like Jesus. Then I told them that Philip had said to Jesus, “Show us the Father and it will be enough.” Jesus said back to Philip, “Have I been so long with you Peter, that you do not know me? If you have seen me you have seen the Father!” I said if you are truly want to be like Jesus, then you should be doing all that you can to appear like the Father of Lights to the people that have been put into your care. The whole time, I spoke softly, with fear and trembling to this group of pastors, as I did not want to offend them in any way, but it turns out that they were greatly moved. Marco, himself was very moved and had a hard time interpreting for me. The pastors said that he needed to have me back and they will call for a conference so that I can minister to them and be a father to fathers.
After the pastor’s meeting, we met the rest of the team at a shopping mall by the ocean for lunch. It is Aida’s 31st birthday today, so we had a birthday party for her at the restaurant. Tonight, I will be going to the church of Moses & Rosa whom I met yesterday. I have no idea what that will mean but I’m thinking that it will be another expression of the liberating power of the kingdom of God!
Moses and Rosa's Church
When we arrived Wednesday evening at Moses & Rosa’s church, over two hundred people gathered. I perceived that this group was ready to be taught the word of God so I began with “In the Beginning” where I describe what Jesus really meant by “unless a man be born-again he shall not see the kingdom of heaven.” The spirit of revelation hit the house very strongly and several times the people shouted! At one point I explained how a few people that we have ministered unto have been healed not by our prayers from the earth but because we are from above and not below. I placed my hand on Pastor Moses head in demonstration of heaven flowing out of my arm, through my hand and how I command the body to be healed as a heavenly edict instead of a plea from the earth. Pastor Moses said that when I put my hand on him, everything disappeared and it was Jesus standing in my place telling him, “Now, finally, learn this.”
I called for those who have not been born-again as I had explained in the teaching and 27 people came forward. Among them was a blind man with a cane and several demon possessed people. I let Marco do the praying with them so that the time was not wasted with translating so that the people able to understand from their own language. After Marco’s prayer, the team began praying for the people. Demons began manifesting, but came out in just a few minutes of time. After they left, the people rose from the cement floor and were looking like they were completely different people. I gave Melody a little teaching on how to work with the blind man and the next time I saw him he was without his cane and was dancing when the music started. She said she prayed from the place of heaven and had commanded his eyes to be opened and to see. She went to the next person and forgot about him and the next thing she knew he was dancing. Two of the other people reported eyes being opened up after we had left the meeting. I prayed for only around 20 people. Most of the people I prayed for were in ministry and needed a sure word of prophecy for their continued work. I also prayed for a few sick folk, who to my knowledge, were all healed.
July 13th, 2010 Marco said the name of the “Resurrection Church” we went to yesterday is named the “City Of Refuge” church, which I think that fits pretty well. This morning at breakfast I sent you the preceding account of our journey so far. After I sent out the report, we went to the home [...]
July 13th, 2010
Marco said the name of the “Resurrection Church” we went to yesterday is named the “City Of Refuge” church, which I think that fits pretty well.
Me with pastor's Rosa, Moses, and Marco
This morning at breakfast I sent you the preceding account of our journey so far. After I sent out the report, we went to the home of a pair of pastors: Moses, his wife Rosa. They had pastored in the Baptist church for 20 some years before they were filled with the Holy Spirit and got kicked out. This caused them to lose all of their friends and even their relatives would not talk to them. Despite all of this, they continued to ministered to the people of a poor area of what I believe is south east Lima. In short order, they soon had a church up and running with the freedom of the Spirit, but no one in Peru wanted to help to them. Most of their help in building the church came from America, so he was eager to know us and to let us know that we are very welcome here.
Because Moses & Rosa had been treated like lepers and cast out of the church, with even their friends and family dishonoring them, I told them that that persecution was what has given them the glorious anointing that they now carry. It is a glorious anointing that sets the captives free from the confines of dead religion of all kinds.
I had a vision of him in the pulpit of his church with two sizable angels at his back. These angels were both holding scrolls of the Word of God in their hands. The angels proceeded to unroll the scrolls to reveal Jesus. So, I prophesied over him about the word becoming alive to him like never before. That the revelation of Jesus was coming out of him and his preaching was coming in a new and exciting manner. I then asked if we could go to his church and pray. After we finished our coffee at his house, we drove over to the church and found out that the baptist church he had pastored is across the street from his present church building. The baptist church has around 40-50 people in it, while he has over 600 in his church now and it grows regularly, on a weekly basis.
I prayed in their empty church building and prophesied 2 Corinthians 4: 1-10 to them personally but gave Psalm 144 to the church itself. We left to go visit the market and a shoe maker friend of Marco’s and then to lunch at a chicken restaurant. Marco then told me that I will be preaching in that church tomorrow night. So, we’ll see what takes place then.
I want to say something that is stirring within me. I told you that I have been studying leprosy in the scripture. I now see that it was a preparation for this trip. I had lost my love for nations and only saw even this as labor and responsibility. I had once looked at the poor of the nations in a warm romantic way, (romantic in the poetic use of the word), but have lost it somewhere along the way. This poor people have been restoring my love for the poor that I once had. I was studying leprosy hoping that I might be compassionate toward the downtrodden again. I did not know there were such poor in Peru. I am totally surprised at what is actually here. In fact, I’m shocked at how little I know about South America and all that is possible here. Lima is a very big city. It is chock full of people that are so kind and willing to hear the gospel. I have yet to be turned down by a single stranger that I ask if they would give their lives to Jesus Christ and let him come and live inside their hearts. Each one prays a simple invitation prayer and they begin to cry. Every one of them cries. It is a most fulfilling adventure that is causing me to want to bring them home with me.
City of Refuge Worship
Tuesday evening we went on the wild ride through the City of Lima north over a mountain pass to the city of Huaral where the City of Refuge Church was a waiting our arrival. Pastor Morales was at the door to greet us with a warm and excited hug. Worship started with exuberance; they really like it loud here! Pastor Morales really wanted to get to the action so he didn’t let the worship go long and he invited me to the pulpit with Pastor Marco quickly. I preached from Luke 13 about the kingdom of God being like a mustard seed. I challenged the witch doctors and spell casters and told the people that the kingdom of Jesus will always win and break the chains that the devil puts upon people. I announced over and over that the kingdom of Light, the kingdom of our God, will always win over the kingdom of darkness with the witches and their spells. I said we would break every spell that’s been placed of every soul in this church tonight. Well, as you can imagine, the demons started manifesting and we were casting outdevils most of the night. The sounds of deliverance rang through the building. Here’s what we saw: 15 to 18 people were saved, with another 20 to 30 rededicating their lives to Christ. Over 100 responded to give every part of themselves over to Jesus Christ and His glorious kingdom. The power was present and many were healed but it was so chaotic that I am unable to report on any specific healings.
If you can not be there, join your hearts with ours and catch us on the web!
If you can not be there, join your hearts with ours and catch us on the web!
