"One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple." Psalm 27:4

08 August 2007

Light in the Darkness

How do you think your congregation would react if during a service the electricity suddenly went out? Not on sunday morning when there's abundant sunlight, but on a sunday evening when even the moonlight is clouded by pollution. On a sunday evening when it's over 90 degrees and at least 80% humidity so you're sweating through your clothes and body odor fills the air. I forgot to mention, your church doesn't have a building and you have to meet outside in an empty plot, under the company of armed guards. Would you panic? Would you decide to suspend the service until the power was back?
This weekend we were having a worship time with the body in S when the power went out. People started singing even louder than they had been when the whole worship team had microphones! We wrapped up our worship & intercession time and moved right into the teaching, which D had been asked to do. It was his first experience in a church in P, and there was he, preaching into the dark. One man brought a battery powered light to shine on D's sermon notes. As soon as the sermon was over, the lights came back on and we went right back into worship & praise.

PRAISES: (from a nearby city)
  • We were able to share with the church and challenge them not to seek after idols but to instead seek after all that God has for them
  • A young girl was released from demons and is starting a new life through faith in Jesus
  • A woman testfied that her brother was miraculously healed from kidney stones in the name of Jesus
  • A young woman from a M*slim family was unable to conceive. She sought prayer in the name of Jesus and has now given birth to twin boys.
  • We were able to pray for many more people who wanted healing and some young believers who desire to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit
  • D recovered from food poisoning which he got directly after the church meeting on sunday night


PRAYER:

  • That the Lord would bring healing to many of those we were able to pray for over the weekend. In particular, a young couple who cannot have children and a woman who has very swollen and twisted feet.
  • That the Lord would guide us in our involvement in leadership training that will be taking place in S**alkot in the near future.
  • That the Lord would fill us with His Holy Spirit to heal the ear of Dr. K's relative. As far as H's limited language would allow, we understand that her ear and part of her head was chopped off in an accident with a helicoptor. She is walking and talking just fine but her ear is not there! We are fasting and praying that the Lord would give her a new ear through the power of the name of Jesus.
  • That the Lord would guide us to minister to Dr. K's sister who is severely depressed and drugged out on valium. She is quite a smart woman who speaks fluent English and used to be a doctor. After a failed arranged marriage and the realization that she could not have children, she sunk into a depression. May she find hope and freedom through our Lord and Savior.
  • That we would be able to meet and partner with other believers in our city
  • That the Lord would provide for us in the area of transportation.

03 August 2007

Praise and Prayer Aug 2nd

Hello everyone,

We just awoke to read that while we slept many people plummetted to injury or death after the collapse of a Minneapolis bridge. Many of you are probably praying for the recovery of the survivors and the families of those who have lost someone. May we be encouraged by the words of the prophet Isaiah:

"He will swallow up death forever,
and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces,
and the reproach of his people
he will take away from all the earth,
for the Lord has spoken." (Isaiah 25:8)

UPDATE ON KOREAN HOSTAGES:
One more of the South Korean hostages has been shot to death by the T*leban. 21 hostages, 18 of which are women, are still in captivity. We can only imagine their living conditions and what they are going through mentally, emotionally and physically. Let us pray for the remaining hostages as well as the families affected in South Korea: May they set the Lord always before them that they may not be shaken. May their hearts be glad, and may they rejoice! Let them know that He will not abandon their souls. Oh Lord let them feel joy in your presence in the midst of this current darkness. Let them be a light to their captors. Open the hearts of those who seek to harm them. May the T*leban repent and turn to you with fasting, weeping and mourning. (Psalm 16:8-11)
News from BBC:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6928408.stm

PRAISES:
  • Last night we had a chance to share the message of salvation through Jesus Christ with Dr. K, the man who owns the house we live in. He is a man who fears God and desires to do good. May the Lord open his eyes to see that He is the ONLY way to the Father. He has read the entire Bible before and is interested to read it again.
  • We have been able to reunite with more of H's friends and have been able to sing songs to them and talk about the God we serve. We are happy to share with them but we want more! We want them to come to fully understand the gospel and to come into intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.
  • We have been able to find out more information about jobs and contacts in the area.
  • Our new office AC wasn't working and after about a week of waiting it's now up and running again.


PRAYER:

  • That the Lord would fill us with His Holy Spirit to heal the ear of Dr. K's relative. As far as H's limited language would allow, we understand that her ear and part of her head was chopped off in an accident with a helicoptor. She is walking and talking just fine but her ear is not there! We are fasting and praying that the Lord would give her a new ear through the power of the name of Jesus.
  • That the Lord would guide us to minister to Dr. K's sister who is severely depressed and drugged out on valium. She is quite a smart woman who speaks fluent English and used to be a doctor. After a failed arranged marriage and the realization that she could not have children, she sunk into a depression. May she find hope and freedom through our Lord and Savior.
  • That we would be able to encourage believers this weekend as we travel to visit another city.
  • That we would be able to meet and partner with other believers in our city
  • That the Lord would bring justice to flood victims all over South Asia. Millions are currently stranded or marooned while all of their earthly possessions have been lost. Aid agencies and government officials have been unable to respond effectively to the crisis.
    South Asia floods strand millions
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6927389.stm

    Fury over flood relief
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6262668.stm

    May we cry out for justice day and night until the Lord returns (Luke 18:7-8)