HEARTS
FOR THE HARVEST
Street
Stories 2
HEARTS
FOR THE HARVEST
Street
Stories 2
We are very thankful for the opportunity to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven, heal the sick, and drive out demons. In Matthew 9:38, Jesus told his disciples to pray for laborers for the harvest because the harvest is plenteous. Then He called His disciples and gave them power against unclean spirits and to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and disease.
Jesus still sends out His disciples
to do these same works as they preach the good news of the Kingdom of God.
He sends us into the offices, factories, schools, neighborhoods, and market
places all over the earth. He gives us “burning hearts” for His harvest.
We believe that we are to do the same today as His disciples did when Jesus
walked the earth.
Now He lives and walks in His people as He
continues to make known His Kingdom in word and in power. May Jesus
set your “heart on fire” for His presence and for our lost brothers and
sisters. May we all joyfully labor together in this great harvest!
Follow-up to Karen's Testimony:
In a recent newsletter Karen wrote about "Martha," a woman who had Lupus
and had come by for prayer because of a continuing issue of blood and weakness
in her body. She also asked for prayer because her children had been taken
away from her by the children's services agency. Since the father of the
children couldn't have custody of the children due to alleged physical
and sexual abuse, he falsely accused Martha of the same. She stopped by
to see Karen about five weeks after this time of prayer and was very joyful.
As Karen wrote earlier, she had been healed of the issue of blood and she
continues to be healed. Now she has received a court decision freeing her
of the false accusations made by her ex-husband. As she rejoiced, she became
overwhelmed with thanksgiving. She revealed that at the time she had come
by for prayer that she had just purchased a large quantity of medication
and was planning to overdose that day because she had been so depressed.
She thanked Karen for "being there for her" when she needed some one. This
testimony is but one example of how we have been called as "pastors to
the streets." We are very thankful for the present outcome and continue
to pray for restoration for Martha and her children. Thanks for your prayers
and support so that we can "be there" for other "Marthas."
Ron's Testimony:
One day "David," who lives in a group home downtown for emotionally disturbed
people came by to talk with me. He stared off into space like a zombie.
He was so medicated that he could barely talk. I couldn't help but reach
out and hug him to reassure him that he was in a "safe" place so that he
could open up and share his heart and then receive prayer. He talked about
how he is a believer in Jesus and had gone to a church meeting a couple
of days ago and then tried to share his life and receive counseling and
help from the pastor after the meeting. He said that the pastor was unable
to relate to him and was shocked by the confessions which he began to pour
out. (As you probably know, it is hard to talk with pastors right after
the meeting because it is a very busy time for them. I know because I have
been there.)
As we sat on the wall in
front of Pioneer Courthouse, David poured out his early childhood experiences
of sexual abuse and involvement in homosexual perversion which began when
he was seven. He is now 37 but all these memories are fresh in his mind
as if they were yesterday. He had come under conviction at the church meeting
and needed to confess, give forgiveness toward those who sinned against
him, receive forgiveness from Jesus for his sins, and then stand against
the tormenting demonic spirits. When I prayed with and for him in this
process David began to tremble and shake as he sat on the wall by SW Fifth
& Morrison. (Sometimes people tremble when we pray for them because
of the intensity of their interaction with the Holy Spirit. See Acts 24:25
KJV where Felix trembled.) We do our best to keep people comfortable and
seated on the wall during this time even though we may be moved to tears
because of the intensity of His love, compassion, and power. We continue
to hold "David" in our hearts and want to see him completely free. This
is another example of "pastoring the streets" which Jesus has called us
to do. It takes time and energy and we are often quite tired at the end
of the day. As we continue to do it, more and more people come to us for
the Gospel of the Kingdom of God - for tracts, for counsel, for healing
prayer, and for His presence.
Angry Young
Men:
In contrast to those who appear to be hurting and defeated, I often have
to interact with angry men. Most often they are very, very, angry young
men. I seem to meet them everywhere - on the transit mall, on the college
campuses, and driving on the streets. I meet so many who are so angry and
I believe it is because they have no mentors, no older men who care for
them. Many are without fathers and many are involved in sexual immorality
and substance abuse. Of course, we understand that this is a way to defeat
a nation - take the young men captive to anger and then turn them against
one another and those who are older. Just read carefully Isaiah chapter
three (note verse 5).
Often these angry young
men are filled with vile, unclean demons. When they react against me and
against the gospel, it is usually with violent gestures, spitting, foul
language, and cursing. One day an angry young man came by and began to
rail on us. His mouth spewed out filthy language filled with sexual perversions
in front of everyone. He spat. He gestured and grabbed his genitals. He
cursed. He pushed. His whole face was contorted. Passers-by stopped and
looked on in amazement at what sin can do to a young man. He and I had
eye-to-eye contact without words for long periods of time as I waited for
God to show me what to do. In my spirit I stood against the unclean spirits.
They backed down. He left. Then he returned and grabbed a Bible and threw
it down on the ground with violence. We did not have to say much to those
looking on. It was obvious to all who had any kind of discernment. Here
was a man in his late twenties captured by evil and unable to control himself
in public. It was clear he needed help. And in the midst of all that he
said and did, we continued to strongly and clearly communicate the gospel
of Jesus Christ to him and to all who looked upon the spectacle.
We will all be learning
more and more about these angry young men as they move about tearing up
the society, cursing, raping, making babies, selling drugs, stealing, murdering,
etc. We, in the church, must seek God for the grace to stand up to the
angry young men who move about terrorizing our society because they and
those around them need Jesus! But we must not grant them the status of
"victim" which is so often done by the culture and parts of the church.
God sees many of these people as workers of iniquity and He is opposed
to them. The Scriptures refer to them as "the wicked" and our God is angry
with them (See Psalm 5:4-6; 7:9-11). They are not victims and we must not
treat them as such. They have chosen to rebel against God and against society
and their sin is conscious. Please note Psalm 94:16 & 17, "Who will
rise up for me against the evildoers? Or who will stand up for me against
the workers of iniquity? Unless the LORD had been my help, my soul had
almost dwelt in silence." It is not comfortable to encounter such people
with the gospel of the Kingdom, but it must be done. Such are the challenges
awaiting many evangelists, prophets, and pastors these days. We thank you
for your encouraging prayers and support.
Karen's Testimony
- Rescue the Children. The compassion of the Lord reaches out to
His children. Rescue those who are perishing and being led to the slaughter.
(See Proverbs 24:11)
The child whose father molested
her and who saw her mother divorce her dad. Later she saw her father have
her mother taken away from her as an unfit mother and found herself in
a foster home where she was raped by a teenage boy...
The fear and terror of three
children who saw a women come to their door and pour kerosene on their
mother and throw a match at her. Whose mother died in flames in front of
them..... Their father had committed adultery and the jealous girl friend
had killed their mother...
The child who saw his dad mentally and physically abuse his mother and
who saw his mother divorce his dad . Later he saw his dad have his mother
taken away as an unfit mother and found himself in a foster home where
he became controlled by an angry rage against his dad.
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