FROM MY HEART: INTIMATE MOMENTS IN GUINEA BISSAU

From April 1st FB Post

I just returned from a very fruitful missionary assignment in the nation of Guinea Bissau. We saw many healings, miracles, genuine salvations, and baptisms with the Holy Ghost. Many precious people were touched by God and set free. It was wonderful! But what marked me eternally on this trip were the many encounters and intimate moments I had with the Father.

At times while others were out ministering in the evenings and late into the night I stayed back in my room to just be with the Father. He kept speaking to me about how much He loved people, and how it grieved His heart at the lack of genuine love even among pastors and church leaders — how so many labored in the work of the Lord without really knowing the Lord of the work.

JESUS’ HAPPY PLACE

One incident that marked my heart was during one of our last meetings up in the villages. Ever since I became a missionary many years ago I’ve always loved the villages. There is something about the simple unsophisticated common people that I love. It’s where Jesus began His ministry. Those are the people who heard Jesus gladly.

In fact, when Carolyn and I were in Galilee on a trip to Israel several years ago He told us that Galilee was His happy place. There is where He really cherished His time with the disciples in a setting away from the hype, commercialism, and religiosity of Jerusalem. Galilee is where it all began. Jesus loved being with the 12.

We laughed and cried when the Lord shared these things with us. Jesus had feelings. He identified deeply with humanity. He is lonely today because so many don’t know His heart and ways. He didn’t have to tell us that. He volunteered it. When you just learn to wait on the Lord He will volunteer things and share the deep things of His heart with you. You become His friend.

BACK TO THE VILLAGES

Anyway, I was ministering up in the villages and pouring the love of Jesus and the Father into them — speaking to them of their worth and value in the sight of God. How He chose to first appear to Mary Magdalene after His resurrection, a woman who use to have seven devils; then sent a very special message to Peter who was so broken and bitter after he denied the Lord. I told them how much Jesus paid attention to every detail of their lives and is familiar with their pain and sufferings — that they were not forgotten or forsaken by Him. Oh beautiful Jesus! He’s so easy to love.

I saw the countenances of these precious people change right in front of my eyes. I saw light coming into their hearts. I saw tears. Then I saw joy. At one point I broke down in front of them and the manifest love and presence of God came into that little room. I had been preaching a long time and there they were sitting on benches with no back support, but they didn’t want to leave. I just wept openly, because they don’t usually get fed like that. I told the Lord what an honor it was for me to provide a feast for them of the word of God. It was one of the most cherished moments I had on this trip. And I had many.

THIS IS THE MESSAGE I GAVE TO A YOUNG MISSIONARY PASTOR FROM GUINEA BISSAU IN A RECENT DIALOGUE

“God will promote you in His kingdom when you are faithful to take care of people, especially the new converts. They are little lambs who can’t feed themselves yet.

“When you take care of them in secret God will reward you openly. Take joy in it because you are walking close to Jesus when you love people this way. He will fill your soul with delight and share His secrets with you.

“You will find Him to be a friend that sticks closer than a brother. You will know His heart and things others only know in theory.

“Love you _____(name)!”

Thank you all for your readership of some of my longer posts. Just wanted to share my heart with you. I hope you were encouraged and provoked to know the Lord’s heart more and more.

Love you all so much.