Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Trailer Park Lovin

There was a team of five of us that launched out this past Saturday as we were set to enter into a trailer park area in which evidence of oppression could be seen and felt even as you pass by. We entered into the trailer park and did a little car circle around to get a feel for the place even better. As we did this, we noticed several children on bicycles riding around on the gravel drive that circled around the homes. One of the most noticeable things for me was that there were so many of these homes that had been absolutely abandoned. I was quite aware of the dark spirit of poverty that was likely a product of drug addictions in this area. And so, we parked and began to spread out to go and knock on doors to find all treasures of God that may be hidden away out in this very deserted area. As one team went to one side of the homes, my team went to the other. There didn't seem to be anyone home in the first camper trailers that we knocked on and the first actual trailers that we approached were in terrible shape. They were some of the obvious abandoned homes that I had seen when we did the drive around. This one particular one that I see in my mind is one that had tons of stuff just thrown out in the yard in piles right in front of the steps that would enter into the home. The door was wide open and the screen was torn out and on further evaluation, you could see busted out windows and that the back door too, was standing wide open with writing all down it. The smell around this home was really unapproachable, so we didn't see what the lettering had said. The home directly behind it was similar and as these homes were all pretty close together, I couldn't imagine my back yard being one of these nasty, demon infested, abandoned homes in which these children that we had seen on bicycles were easily capable of rummaging through and finding no telling what. Even as we continued on, these children had all gathered in a back yard where there were old couches out on the lawn. They were just shouting and going on as kids do. We continued on our search and finally approached a home that was being lived in . We were just about to step up on the porch and a young man stepped out, wearing only jeans, and boots in his hand. I began to dialogue with him and soon found that he was a very pleasant young man that had been raised in church but he hadn't been living for Him in a long time and, of course, was living in a neighborhood that told me he was a bit bound up with some other things too. God just poured out on this young man many encouragements of plans that he had for him and even as I spoke to him, I was feeling very specific expressions of this man's "heart thoughts" that I began to speak to him. His gaze never left mine and I could tell that he really knew that God had sent us. While we were speaking, the children were in a place in which we could see and hear them and one of the little boys just over and over dropped the F bomb as he was speaking to the other little kids. At that, he told me that those kids really needed some parental guides and that just opened things even more to share on freedom. I know that I shared God's heart with him for at least a half hour or so and then I prayed over him and encouraged him to surrender again but to know that there is truly an awesome fascination with knowing who Jesus is and that though he may not have experienced that kind of connection as a youth, the invitation is his, all he had to do was say yes. He didn't say that he was going to lay it all down at that very moment, but I know that the seed was planted and also that God would water that seed. That young man wants better for his life and his little baby boy's life, and so God has spoken that better word over him just as he has all of us and He will bring it into fruition. He was the treasure in the trailer park, either noone was at the other trailers, or they wouldn't open up to any of the others praying or speaking to them for any length of time. Doesn't matter to me if we speak over one or ten, God sent us there and I know that one is worth it!

On a different note, as far as them not letting us pray for them, we went to another trailer park right after this one for some-what of a "follow up". One of the team members that had been with me during the evangelism seminar had mentioned the name of an elderly man that we had prayed for a couple of times while we were out then. I felt as though God had placed him on her heart and so we went back to him to show him a bit of love too. As we approached his camper, the door opened and he just stepped right out, for we seem to be having a day like that, where God was just sending them to meet us the moment we stepped onto their property. He was very joyous to see us and we just loved on him and talked to him for a few minutes and then I had been attracted to a lady that was sitting in the front of her travel trailer at the very front of the park, which wasn't very far up from where we were. I had seen her often sitting there as I had passed by and she had always been highlighted to me and so today was the day I would get to meet her. I told the team to just start working there way up and so we began. As I was knocking on a camper door in which noone was answering, I pointed to a camper directly across from it and told my team member at how the last time I was there, the man in that camper wouldn't let me pray for him though he was wearing oxygen. In a moments time after telling her that, he stepped out onto his little concrete slab and was just looking directly at me. I waived and started toward him. I mentioned how he must be doing better this time since he wasn't wearing any oxygen and surprisingly enough, he kinda said something about him just having to be strong and lifted his eyes up and said something like "me and with His help". I told him that last time he wouldn't let me pray for him and as he was still resistant, he told me that he used to be a Christian but he wasn't living right and he didn't want to be a hypocrite. I then began to explain the lie of the enemy with using that as an excuse and after an argument of truth that he could not stand against, he allowed me took his hand in mine and I began to pray over him. He had tears in his eyes the entire time and I could see the longing for him to want to be right. He told me thank you and headed back into his camper, I think that was all he could take at the moment with a touch of God's hand on his heart, for I could so feel God's presence over him. Mostly, I find, people want to be right. They have such "yuk" hanging over them that they just don't know where to start. That is why God is sending us out, so that we can be His voice, sharing truth and bringing freedom to the people. I love to love Him in this way. To go fishing with my daddy is the best thing that I could ever be doing at any time. I may not always see what some would think is a "catch" but seeds are being planted and that is what we are supposed to be doing. As for the lady at the front of the park, she loves Jesus. She has had a hard way and is just seeking a new life after divorce and lots of hurt. In fact, I will visit with her again today as I go to bring her some food to help her make ends meet for the rest of this month. Sweet, precious, lady in which God just wanted more of His resource to be provided to her in this time. I believe that is why He sent me over to Her. Simply to share His love!

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

FIRE-HOP Prayer/Worship Schedule

As many that follow me may know by now, God is raising up His house of prayer in our city of Pine Bluff. At the moment, we are having as many meetings as we can at Centennial Fellowship Church as we wait on Him to open up doors for a venue possibly in the downtown area . All we know is that He has birthed prayer and intercession in our hearts and we yearn and burn to see His kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. Zeal for His house has consumed us and we absolutely know that as we press in, we will see all that He has in His heart released through us, weak and broken people that desire to be with Him where He is. Here are times that anyone interested may enter in and just have a time in His presence, reading the word, praying, and singing praise to Him:

Monday-6:00p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Tuesday-8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. (Live web stream from International House of Prayer)
5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Wednesday-8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. (Live web stream from International House of Prayer)

Thursday- 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. (Live web stream from International House of Prayer)
6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Sunday-7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.

If you are unfamiliar with the House of Prayer style, this is a very casual setting and you can come and stay as long as you like and leave as early as you like. You can even come at any time during. This is a great time of just "soaking" in His presence and I encourage all to come and just be with Him.

Monday, September 19, 2011

The Harvest is Plenty!

It is my privilege to share news of 20 responses to the prayer of salvation in one weeks time this past week. Starting on the 1st Wednesday of this month,I had gotten to witness two say yes to Jesus during time in the food pantry. One was a middle aged man who was so broken with addiction and so precious in knowing that God was the way to fix his life, and the other was a women around sixty that had just plainly never asked Jesus to be her Lord and Savior. She knew He was there, but had never had a personal heart to heart with Him. Never to late to say yes!
The following Wednesday, only seven days later, I had felt such a tugging in my heart as our youth gathered in the upstairs youth room. I could see so many new faces as well as some that had been coming for a little while (we have been having an overflow in which space in the room is very limited) and inside of me, I just knew that there were lost souls in the room. Under the Holy Spirit's leadership, I requested the mic and gave the call out to those who may not know Him. Not only one or two, but many youth began to raise their hands. I instructed all that had their hand up to move to a room to the side as there was other intense ministry that had already begun under the leadership of the youth Pastor where many others were praying for each other. When I entered into the side room, I almost couldn't believe my eyes as there were now eighteen youth gathered in that room to say yes to Jesus! I was overcome with His sweet presence upon me! During small group times with six other leaders ministering the gospel to these ones, I began to hear the sweet cry of repentance from different ones. I personally had three thirteen year old boys that were just so sincere in laying their hearts down with real tears of repentance and a seriousness that showed in the prayers as they prayed for Jesus to come into their hearts and to forgive them of the different things that were pressing on them that were not right in their lives. In fact, one boy was even crying out for forgiveness of having suicidal thoughts often. Please pray for him! After every one had gospel understanding and we went back into the evening service, I had found that some had said yes to Jesus before, but didn't really know what it meant so much because they were so young, but now they really had wanted to rededicate and get right. The Pastor had already had a time of communion planned and after playing a small part of the clip from The Passion of the Christ movie, we all took communion together. Tears were flowing all through out the room while around seventy of us reflected on His great love, teenagers from 12 and up, finding His heart for them, some for the first time. Precious! I truly do know that the time for harvesting is here and all we have to do is listen and obey and we will see them come!