Wednesday 27 July 2011

Smells like hell, tastes like heaven!


Today we drove for over an hour to the mountain area around Butuan. We made our way to an Assemblies of God church that is under the supervision of pastor Rudi. Before the meeting, we went for a walk around the village and passed the pastor's house as well as some pigs. After our round trip we returned to the meeting.

Once again we had a congregation between the ages of 2 months and 79 years so I depended on the Lord to give me a simple message that everyone could relate to. I was led to speak about the paralytic that was brought by his four friends to Jesus and I explained how faith simply trusts in Jesus to heal and is not put off by obstacles in the natural. I then showed how Jesus would declare a spiritual truth and then demonstrate it in the physical realm. In order for Jesus to demonstrate that He has the authority to forgive, He healed the crippled man. Likewise, after announcing that He is the Resurrection and the Life, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. After the message I invited people to commit their lives to Jesus and over 10 people responded. I then prayed for each person to be filled with the Holy Spirit and then I invited people who needed healing to be prayed for. About 6 people came forward and all of them sensed the Lord doing something in their bodies, including a young boy who was very shy (see top).

After seeing God's Kingdom in our midst, there was much joy and we enjoyed some lunch together. The pastors have been dying for me to try a particular fruit that has been described as "Smelling like hell but tasting like heaven." I was curious! So I had a try and found the smell only slightly offensive and the taste was like a mixture between avocado and date. Apparently this fruit is extremely nutritious.

After lunch we visited a bed-ridden member of the church, anointed her with oil, layed hands on her and prayed in faith that Jesus would heal her (James 5:14,15). She experienced a touch from God and I am certain that what God has begun He will complete! Hallelujah!

We then returned to Butuan and enjoyed an early supper together. In the evening we attended a prayer meeting at pastor Jonathan's church and I spoke on how the believer's state should always be a state of peace as we allow the Prince of peace to rule in our hearts and we overflow with peace (Col. 3:15; Rom. 16:20; Phil. 4:4-7). After our time of prayer together, we enjoyed mango-shakes and avocado-shakes. Yummy!

"Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The Kingdom of God is near you.'" Luke 10:9

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