Pastor Adonica’s teaching on the heart last week was well to be honest both amazing and painful. So I guess you could say it was amazingly painful. The class was amazing because of the truth that everything begins and ends with the heart was revealed to me during the sessions and it was painful because she challenged me to examine what is in my own heart. As humans we have a tendency to point out others faults but ignore our own. So instead of thinking how loose some peoples mouths are during this class I began to see that I have a real problem with my own mouth. I sometimes have pointless conversations, sometimes I’m just loud, and sometimes I am just completely negative. I didn’t really know how bad it was until this week. The thing that I realized because of this class is that, my mouth is a direct representation of what is in my heart. I’ve heard that or something similar to that said hundreds of times but last week it became real to me. I understand now that I won’t engage in pointless, empty conversations if my heart is right before the Lord. Because rather than being focused on my fleshly desires I will be focused on what Gods desires for me. Each human being is going to have to give an account for every word that they have ever spoken. I learned that everything that we do begins with the right heart attitude. I’m struggling with my mouth but if I get the word in my heart then I will be able to control it. If someone has bitterness if they get their heart right then they will not be bitter anymore. This lesson is one that I am going to take with me for the rest of my life because I know if I can apply this truth to my life I take the limits off of what God can do in and through me.
I’m the French teacher from Thursday night’s session in Concord. (My friend was the congregational pastor.) My wife (from Sweden), Marie, teaches a class called Praise Guitar for Ministry to kids ages 8 to adult. The culminating activity, according to the curriculum, is to take these budding ministers to a nursing home and let them play the praise and worship songs that they have been learning. Tonight, the first Monday since you all were here, was their night for ministry. She took six kids and a couple parents into a nursing home, and began by saying that they’ve been practicing together, learning to play guitar so that they could tell people that God loves them and has a wonderful plan for their lives. Then they played. After the last song, Marie took the script, and just read it. My son counted twenty-four who wanted to pray to receive Jesus. Every child left asking Marie when they could do it again. They’re invited already to come back in August…They can even play the same songs!! As to my congregational pastor friend. I just talked with his wife Shawn today. This Sunday was a day of great rest and peace in their congregation, but most exciting, Pastor David has been able to sleep peacefully, and totally free from anxiety since Thursday night.
As I was preparing to come to Athens on yesterday, I had “accidently” had the opportunity and priviledge to lead a former student of mine to Christ. I live 8 mi in the country, and this guy walked past my driveway, I was turning in. Long story short; I gave him a ride home and led him to the Lord in his driveway. It was as if the Lord was preparing me for the soulwinning session today. I went to two nursing homes in the Atlanta area today with a team of four others. I led 20 people to the Lord Jesus today. I have never done anything like this in my life before! By the way I live 2 1/2 hrs. away from Athens. I had planned on coming at the 10:30 am session. The Lord had other plans- He woke me up at 4:00 am. I couldn’t go back to sleep so I said:”Ok Lord, I’m going to the early session at 9:00am”. I got here before 9:00, and that is a miracle in itself.
Pastor Rodney prayed for me when he called me up when I had a stroke. Pastor Poppi and her husband prayed for me first. Jesus healed me,in his time not yours or mine! I never stopped praying or believing. He healed me. I think he wanted to teach me patience which I didn’t have. that I know is one of the fruits of the spirit. Had I never gotten prayed for or believed I would not be here to testify! Thank You, He is still working on me!
A man on bench wasn’t sure if he’d go to heaven- was so happy after he received Jesus. Prayed with 43 in cafeteria, in nursing home. 81 people got saved. We were about to leave our last nursing home and were sitting in the front lobby gathering our group when a lady walked through and went outside. The Holy Spirit said”go” and I knew I was to talk to her. So outside I approached her and began to go through the script and she told me she was muslim. I persisted in the script and she said again:”I am muslim, but my husband is in the nursing home and he is still and you can pray for him”. I called to Cynthia and Jean and we went in together and she prayed and as she was praying they both were saved.