True Freedom
I returned from a mission trip to Pakistan on June 30th. As I celebrated July 4th. and the freedom we associate with that date I drew a parallel to the many in Pakistan who are now truly free in Christ as they stood to receive Him as Lord and Savior.
It was really touching to be able to present the pastors with my book, The Power Of The Lamb’s Blood, in their own language. The man who translated it had traveled an eight hour bus trip to be at the conference along with his wife and young son.
I was blown away when over 50 people stood to pray to receive Christ after I talked one night. There were over 80 the next night when Linda Dulin spoke. When we went into a village that had NEVER had the gospel preached before there were about 1200 attending and masses stood up to pray the prayer for salvation.
We heard of a number of healings of all kinds of pain, (one rib pain for 4 years), headache for 3 months, back problem, a tooth needing a root canal, joint pain, afflicted knee, headaches. The people were shy to come up and testify but we hope to get reports from the pastors in the villages and the evangelist who travels around to villages.
I had never prayed corporate group prayers but that was what we had to do. I took a stand against tormenting spirits over minds and one young woman came up and said, “I was possessed by a demon and it left” Is this beyond anything I have experienced – yes, but it was a part of Jesus’ ministry for sure. We went down the body and prayed over every part and every affliction connected with that part.
We saw an afflicted little boy – an extra finger on each hand, some palate problem for which he had had surgery and a severe dislocation of both knee caps and protruding knee bones on both legs. After we prayed over him I heard the word witchcraft and upon asking was told his grandfather was into witchcraft. So sad but the sins of the fathers are visited on the children.
I left a part of my heart in Pakistan and pray daily for the people we touched through the power of the Holy Spirit. I know I will see many them in heaven and I praise the Lord for that.
Copyright © 2010, Peggy Park.
Challenges of Relationships
“I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with long suffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:1-3
Last week my good friend shared with me how hurt she was over a comment someone had made to her. It was not sensitive and was out of the mouth of someone who was probably exhausted from a circumstance in their life. I think he acted out of what many of us sometimes do – that is thinking we need to give an answer for a situation. The best gift, and often the most helpful, is focused attentive listening.
Some of my thoughts are gleaned from a devotion book by a local minister, Tommy Hayes. I could whole heartily agree when he wrote “Relationship is risky and requires effort. To love one another means we must work at bearing with one another. None of this comes easy.”
John 15:12 actually commands us to love each other. It has been helpful to me to learn that while we are to love each other we are not required to like everyone. Some people are more likeable than others. Many of us are “walking wounded” from life experiences that we have allowed to continue to define who we are. That can make us “touchy” to deal with.
We must risk relationships, painful though they are at times, as we make ourselves vulnerable to others. I have finally come to see that these challenges give me an opportunity to let the life of Jesus be formed more perfectly in me. This happens if I do not take the “bait “of Satan and react out of my flesh. Actually we can cultivate an attitude of gratitude to the person who hurt us as they have provided this opportunity to grow in our godly reactions and not take offense. We can view it like a spiritual exercise to strengthen our inner man/woman.
Copyright © 2010, Peggy Park.