Wednesday, 26 January 2011 16:37
Woman Deaf since Birth Hears!
Tonight at Dios Es Amor Church a women who was deaf in her left ear since birth was HEALED by the Lord. After the service we asked her to share her testimony and we had it translated by Marcel. We serve a Living Lord! Praise God for his goodness!
Published in
Mission Field
Saturday, 25 December 2010 12:41
The Christmas House
"He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." Lk. 1:32-33
I hope you are all enjoying your holiday. The angel told Mary that Jesus will reign over a house. What goes on in our houses is a big deal to God. Yesterday all of my side of the extended family came over our house for Christmas Eve (wasn’t planned that way, but life happens). We started eating around 3:30 and weren’t done til very late. Good times…. Christmas is about Jesus, but it’s also about families meeting together in houses.
Isn't it great that everybody takes time off so we can get together and connect as family? In this culture that is a big deal and not easily done. It’s true that not everyone will be there and we miss the missing ones, but how incredible it is that those who are here are together!
As I think about having my kids over, sitting around the table with my nieces, brother, sisters, mother and in-laws, I know all the preparation and all the money spent on gifts was worth it. Emily and I pray that Christmas in your house will be peaceful and a true celebration of love and togetherness.
Merry Christmas!
Published in
Tony's Blog
Saturday, 05 June 2010 21:22
How Jesus Proclaimed the Gospel
Proclaiming the Gospel: It’s not necessarily about trying to convince people who don’t want to be convinced that Jesus will make their lives better. When Jesus started preaching, here is what He said:
"The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!" Mark 1:15
Notice how Jesus didn’t start off by saying anything about what a wonderful God He is. He didn’t beg and plead with people to come follow Him. Instead, it was as if He was saying, “A change is coming, a big one. A different King is coming and is about to take over, so get with it, believe it, and act accordingly. ”
Jesus never really came out and said He was God but He never apologized for being God either. He let everyone worship Him, whether on Palm Sunday or when Peter fell down in front of Him and said, “Get away from me Lord, I’m a sinful man.” The point is that Jesus didn’t proclaim the gospel from a point of weakness. He was bold and straightforward.
Just in case the people didn’t quite get who He was, He made a point of doing things that no one else could do. Look at what was reported to have happened when Jesus first started giving this message:
Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them. Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him. MT 4:23-25 (NIV)
Jesus didn’t come out with a whimper, but with a BANG! He made a point of healing not just one or two people, but EVERYONE! Can you imagine if someone walked into Florida Hospital and healed everyone and sent them home? It’s not hard to imagine why Jesus drew a large crowd very quickly.
Jesus healed people because He loves people. But He also healed people to make a point. He didn’t want anyone to miss who He is. Look at the message he gave to the disciples of John the Baptist when John was doubting who Jesus was when he was in jail and about to get his head cut off:
Jesus replied, "Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me." MT 11:4-6
Jesus used the testimony of all the supernatural events to prove to John that yes, He is God’s son, because only a supernatural being, or His agent, could do such incredible things.
So what do you think? Did Jesus make His point?
Published in
Tony's Blog
Tuesday, 11 May 2010 15:41
Celebration! Messengers Report What God Has Done.
Last night jaws were dropping as at least 7 different people testified to the miracles they have seen God do recently both in Ecuador and here in the United States.
Believers from at least 10 different churches came from as far away as Melbourne and Guayaquil, Ecuador, to hear the reports of God’s healing power and incredible love from our teams that went overseas to tell people the good news about Jesus.
 |
|
| Part of the meeting at Pat's house last night. Matt is sharing while holding his new son Kaden. (back) |
Matt Butschek started off by telling about the salvations he witnessed last February. In Santo Domingo, at a service where he thought he was only going to see 10-15 people, over 200 youth showed up and over a dozen responded to the call to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior.
Pastor Scott Lee of New Life Praise Worship Center, who accompanied Matt and Pat McGuffin on the February trip, told of a service he preached at where a woman wanted prayer for her marriage. After some discussion, the woman revealed that she was very suspicious of her husband, and had even gone to a pyschic to find out if he had been unfaithful. After some prayer the woman began to display some demonic manifestations. Pastor Scott recounted how he took authority over the situation in the Name of Jesus, and the woman was set totally free of her jealous spirit.
Pat then shared about a service on that trip where, right in the middle of the altar call and ministry time, 2 rival gangs entered the church fighting, screaming and yelling. Pat told of how the Lord directed him to also take authority, and verbally Pat commanded them to stop interfering with God’s work and to leave. Within 60-90 seconds, they did, without anyone showing them the door, and no one in the church was hurt.
We then fast forwarded to just 2 weeks ago, when Ray Watson and Chuck Blystone went to Ecuador. Ray shared about how the Lord healed 2 women
 |
|
| Part of the room watches Matt testify |
simultaneously of cysts in their breasts. Chuck spoke about at least 3 different women who were blind or nearly so, and the Lord helped them recover their sight. Chuck also spoke of a woman with arthritis that had crippled her fingers and caused them to curl up, that when she worked through forgiveness of a relative who hurt her, the pain was relieved and her hands and fingers were loosened and healed.
Dr. Freddy then spoke about what has been happening recently in his ministry. He is now preaching at the main church in Guayaquil (CEAD) at a new service every Saturday afternoon. He told about how all his efforts to get people to come to the new meeting failed, but how the Lord is bringing hundreds there that Freddy didn't know, to receive healing and salvation. In the 6 weeks since the meeting started hundreds of people have already been saved and healed.
Afterwards Freddy and his wife Edith prayed for all who needed healing. The Lord did some wonderful things last night, and quite a few were visibly touched by the power of the Lord.
These are incredible accounts of God’s miracle love and power, and are just a sampling of what was shared last night. It is nearly impossible to listen to these stories and not get excited about our Loving Creator. I encouraged all of us to share these testimonies everywhere. Jesus said,
You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. Matt. 5:14-16
Go on out and “shout it from the rooftops” that Jesus is alive, that Jesus cares, and that Jesus cares for us with outstanding miracles that prove His love.
Published in
Mission Field
Saturday, 17 April 2010 16:49
Return, Revelation and Rewards - Part 3: REWARDS
This is our final installment of Ray's journal from his last trip to Ecuador.
Our trip to Vinces was about an hour late leaving but we finally got our caravan of about 16 or 17 people together and made the 2.5 hour trek out to Vinces. In our car we had Pat, Chuck, Fernando, Marcel and myself. What a great time. I had planned to listen to some music and relax but this group had other plans. Chuck and Fernando spent almost the entire trip telling jokes and cracking us up. We declared Fernando the winner of joke telling just before we arrived at Dr Manuel’s home for a time of refreshing and dinner before our evening meetings. This was a great time of fellowship with each member of this group and helped clear our minds before the events of the evening.
Pat and Lee went with several of our group to speak at Galilea Church while Tim and I accompanied Chuck to Asambleas de Dios Church. We all had some great times of ministry with several healings and salvations. During the alter ministry, Chuck ministered to one of our team member’s brother. She had been praying for him to return to the Lord and for the restoration of his marriage. God showed up and did a wonderful work in him. It is so awesome to see cleansing come forth when the Holy Spirit is allowed access to soul.
Saturday, May 2nd again proved how great our God is and how he so much wants freedom, healing and restoration for us. We were able to help facilitate a medical brigade in Vinces, with several of our team doctors and Dr. Manuel. We had over 200 people show up for some type of treatment or medication. The doctors would provide the medicines for the physical ailments and our team would bring the medicine from Dr. Jesus for the spiritual sickness. Both venues were successful as God showed his mercy and willingness to not only bring healing of the body but also salvation and freedom to over 50 people by way of introduction to Jesus. How awesome is that!
Saturday afternoon proved to be my revelation day for this trip. It was requested that Pat provide a workshop for business leaders at the home of Pastor Cesar Guerrero. This was supposed to be an opportunity for our team and local business men and women from his church to interact with us to learn and discuss business principles from a Christian perspective to help them grow not only their business but also in their walk with the Lord. Many of these people were successful in business but very new to Christ so they were eager to hear and learn.
We had been discussing topics earlier as to what we would talk about during our meeting and Pat asked me to talk about fear in the work place. I thought what an odd topic and until the Lord reminded me of my scripture, “…do not be afraid that some plan conceived behind closed doors will be the end of you.” All of a sudden feelings and thoughts about a previous job from almost 20 years ago rushed into my mind. All of the feelings and hurts of how I had been treated when I was terminated without warning or for any cause filled me again. I knew in my heart I had laid these things down in the past and had dealt with them. I had given forgiveness to my past employer and done all the things necessary to keep me from harboring offense.
Revelation came when God showed me that while I had done things right, I had opened a door to fear after starting my next job. I made a conscious decision in my heart no one would ever treat me that way again. As a supervisor, I ruled with arrogance, harshness and strong words. I wanted my employees to know I was in charge, fear me and do it my way. I managed this way until I went through Cleansing Streams in our church in the fall of 1999. I changed, but the roots of this fear was still evident in my life and it wasn’t until this meeting I realized where I had opened the door.
I immediately repented, renounced, broke the contract and prayed blessing on myself. Instantly I felt freedom be restored in my spirit and soul. A boldness like I had never had before welled up inside me. II Timothy 2:7-8, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. So you must never be ashamed to tell others about the Lord” became alive in my spirit. I could actually sense a difference in my attitude and felt a weight lift from my body for the remainder of the trip. Our workshop was successful as each participant and leader brought forth good ideas for each of them to build on.
The remainder of this trip, Sunday and Monday were spent in El Empalme and Guayaquil speaking at several churches and spending time with our Heart of Titus team there. Monday night we met at Pastor Fernando Ubilla’s home as he hosted our Heart of Titus meeting. It is hard to comprehend that over 35 people would attend a meeting that would start some time after 10:00 pm. Many of these people were our friends from Vinces, who traveled over 2 hours to just be with us. They fed us, prayed over us, blessed us and loved on us and we returned it to them in kind.
If you have never been on a mission trip, this type of fellowship is hard to understand or even comprehend. How do people from totally different cultures come together and have such a wonderful time in the Lord? It is only through the love that Jesus gives and the closeness in the Holy Spirit, as he knits our hearts together. You talk about a reward, it doesn’t get any better than that!
Published in
Mission Field
