June 25, 2011
Morning devotion with Meredith
Unity
John 17: 20-25
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those whi will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be ONE, Father, just as you oare one in ME and I am in you. May they also be in us, so that the world---Lira, Uganda AFRICA--- may believe that you have sent me. I have given them in glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one. I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world---AFRICA---know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. Righteous Father, though the world--AFRICA--- does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”
Jesus prayed for unity, protection, and sanctity-holiness. That should give me confidence as I work for His kingdom.
Jesus’ great desire for his disciples was that they would become ONE. He wanted them unified as a powerful witness to the reality of God’s love.
Ephesians 4:1-5
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle, be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep unity of the spirit through His bond of peace.
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I learned to say “I love you”--- Amari--pronounced “a-maree” and yesumari, “Jesus loves you” yesterday. Florence taught me.
The ladies in my group really seemed to grasp generation sin. Which is one of my favorites, as a mom…so important to really get it!!
Kellie said she struggled delivering her message on sexual purity, but she did amazing and you couldn’t tell. One of the women I prayed with confided that she and her son are HIV+. Her story is heartbreaking. She is precious and has many decisions to make. Praying for strength, wisdom and guidance..also provision for her sons education. So, my head is focused on sexual purity when my the next lady comes up from prayer. I am ready to pray for purity…when she explains, thru an interpretor, that she is “bewitched”. After getting more details, I learn that… she was married to a man, who was also married to another woman, common practice for non- believers in Africa. The 2nd wife put a curse on the first wife and now her body was filled with pain all the time. Honestly, I was soooo not prepared for this. Physically & emotionally… I was struggling with fatigue and missing my family something awful, but even spiritually, not prepared for this. Well, I took a deep breathe and cried out to God to fill my heart and mouth..to fill me up and HIM to minister FREEDOM to this lady thru me. And then…the Holy Spirit began to do just that. Praise GOD, that demon of bewitchment and any curse the enemy had plagued her with was addressed, bound in the name of Jesus and CAST into the PIT of HELL where it belongs!!!!!!!! Father, YOU are so GOOD and FAITHFUL!!!! THANK YOU for hearing me cry out, and for setting this woman free even though I was completely inadequate for the task. Your word IS true----in OUR weakness.. We are made strong THROUGH YOU--and YOU DO receive ALL the glory. We CAN do ALL--- I mean..casting demons kindof “ALL” things THROUGH CHRIST--- when we put our complete trust in YOU!!!!!! As soon as I started praying for “Ms. T”, your Holy Spirit fell, as she raised her arms…they began to tremble… lol, I was thinking… “holy smokes…new ground is about to BREAK in Ms. T’s life, and in mine!!” Father, I pray she WALK out her FREEDOM, she IS FREE of curses, pain and bewitchment. Satan has NO ground here anymore in the name of Jesus!!! THANK YOU for the POWER of the cross!!!
Inner healing was also amazing. I was able to sit and take pictures and take IN all the freedom, love and compassion my fellow team members were dishing out. 2 young boys, came in for prayer---nbot sure how they wound up there… BUT, they did… one of them had a deep father wound and the other received Christ!!!!! PTL!!!
I think I mentioned it was a different kind of Encounter!! ;) This was all the first day of the Encounter…oh, did I mention there were children at the Encounter…little ones… You Liberty folks will know how…”out of the box” that is for an Encounter, cellphones EVERYWHERE, people in and out constantly, and momma’s nursing their babies…right there while PK preached it UP!!! Lol. Curtis would be fired UP!!! Lol. We really had to adapt, be flexible and understand…this is their culture. While, at the same time, brainstorm on how to bring more order to the 2nd Encounter that is next week.
Oh, oh oh…AD Eric fell asleep at the wheel!!! Lol… we all got a good laugh out of that! And maybe a few pictures!!! ;)
Next was supper at a restaurant. Shalom sat with me. We talked about the children in her village. She asked me if I would like to help her, to help her with the finances to support her younger sisters school supplies. I was kind of surprised she asked. I don’t know…just being real. I had felt the burden to help her in some way from the first night we met. I just expected the Holy Spirit to give me direction. Maybe this was it?? Haha. The needs are so great everywhere…some people go around the world to get to the point they need money, some ask for prayer then it comes out they want money, and then some just flat out tell you. It is again, so overwhelming. They really see us as white people with great financial means. The truth is, yes….we all…even the ones of you living on government support, sleeping in a broke down house…with no cars, and no cash in your pocket… even YOU have more than they do. As best I can tell, there is no government feeding their children or providing any type of assistance when they cannot. But, my reality is, even though I KNOW that, and I see it with my eyes… I cannot support all the people who have approached me in the past few days. And it feels …sad, and frustrating, and like you really cant help them at all. Yes, they see us as “HOPE”…. I really wanted that to means…hope, because we can point them to Jesus…not because they think we can give them money. So, I have struggled with that in a big way. I mean, me being REAL with you is that, I struggle, Phillip and I struggle since I am not working anymore. God is faithful, He DOES provide, but it is hard. I don’t have money to just hand out for their school fees like I would really like to do. It takes every penny we have to support our own family right now. And there are times, when, even well meaning ppl make you feel, just because we do live in the USA, we have the means to pay, the 300.00 ( I think) per year for their schooling…which really is, so inexpensive… I know. But when you don’t have it… you just don’t. What this has done, is plant a seed in my heart for eternity. And I will pray for God to show me how to help them. I have tons of friends who CAN send 300.00 per year to pay for a childs education here… and it IS a real need. And I will absolutely assist the moment that God provides for that. But, there is a …pressure to help now. And that saddens me…and makes me feel like I can’t make a difference.. it’s a good thing, I KNOW….that whatever I try to do in my flesh, is no good anyways. Trust God.
Ok…on with the DAY---
We went back to the hotel and, I confess, shut in my room…all alone by myself, sadness took over again. I miss my husband. I miss my children. Still no way to contact them. It feels so helpless. I don’t want them to worry…or my babies to want to talk to me and not be able to. I had not anticipated this. It was the “one thing” I thought I couldn’t make it thru…. If I was not able to talk to or see them the entire time. Phillip and I even had our first bigger argument in a lonnng time, over that. I cant believe its really happening, that I cant talk to them. Truthfully, if from day ONE of this mission trip to Africa, I had known this was a REAL possibility, I would have never signed up. I know God knows better than me…and that He can see a bigger picture, he works ALL things out for my good…and that even this, He is going to use for His glory. I can envision---see, me using this as a testimony someday… so, even thru my tears, I do know He is at work… in the moment…though… it just hurts. Deeply.
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On a extremely positive note, I have not taken a Lunesta since last Sunday night. The night before we left!!! Am I gonna be set FREE from this?? I believe so!! ;)
Theresa is sick again today. It is just not the same without her here. We came to Bridge of Hope’s new building for the final day of the Encounter. We were almost 2 hours LATE starting!!! Curtis would NOT be happy ;) It was a good thing though. We were able to visit with the community. I met some boys who were playing soccer. We recorded a video message of them telling each of my kids “hi” by name. It was sweet and I can’t wait for them to hear it!!!
A lady grabbed me when we got to the church today and said her daughter wanted her to give me a letter. The letter explained how she (the daughter) was drawn to me the previous day and would like to stay in contact with me. They were “excited when I smile. She wants to be my “pen friend”. There was a photo included. It was sweet…but I had a … leary feeling in my spirit.
Oh, and I was standing in the church this morning, and a little girl… maybe 4, slid her hand into mine. It was the sweetest moment since I have been here. And made me long for my little shadow---Kylee.
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PK is preaching on the cross---RIGHT NOW and he is BRINGING IT!!! AWESOME!!! Wish our Liberty family could see him in ACTION!!!
Oh, they are handing out the nails!!!!
Holy Spirit, right now…saturate this place with your presence!!! RAIN in this place!!! Soften the hearts of your people and draw them to YOUR side. Help them completely SURRENDER everything to YOU in Jesus Name.
And--I AM laying down sleep aides and my struggle with the attack on my voice. Satan, I rebuke you in the name of JESUS! I bind you spirit of anxiety and insomnia in the name of Jesus and cast you to the pit of HELL!! And I RECEIVE YOUR PERFECT PEACE and comfort and SLEEP. I bind every attack of the enemy on my voice and body and I cast it OUT in the name of Jesus!! You are NOT welcome in my body and you WILL NOT steal the voice God gave me..I WILL LIVE to declare the works of the Lord and HE WILL receive the glory and praise!!!I receive complete healing, in the name of Jesus!! THANK YOU FATHER, that by the stripes you endured on the cross I can ask and receive healing In Jesus name.
Its video time… It always hurts me to watch….and I try to close my eyes…but, feel like I must keep them open. Its what you suffered..for me.
I just looked over at my friend Florence, and she too…has her eyes shut tightly, with tears flowing down her face. I hear weeping behind me… Father, move in your people.
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