The Decision Card Count is in! – Freetown, Sierra Leon

What a joy it is to preach to the people here in Lome, Togo. This is a preacher’s paradise! The people are so hungry, so responsive and so attentive. It is no wonder that Jesus responds to them with such wonderful miracles.

A local worship pastor told us that one year ago he was singing and suddenly his voice was gone. For the past year he has not been able to sing or speak, but tonight, he said that as the prayer for the sick he felt what he described as “a washing” on his throat and vocal cords. Suddenly he realized he could speak, shout and sing! When he gave his testimony I handed the mic to him and told him to sing to the Lord. The tears rolled down his cheeks as he worshipped with his voice for the first time in months.

A little boy who was deaf and dumb from birth was brought by his next door neighbor tonight. After the prayer for the sick, the neighbor turned to the boy and asked, “Can you hear me?” The little boy replied, “YES!” I tested him on the platform and was amazed at how well he could hear and speak.

Just moments ago we returned from tonight’s meeting with joy. Evangelist Bonnke preached about “The Adulterous Woman” and the very eager and hungry crowd was hanging on every word. He told them that under the Law of Moses, that adulterous woman should have been stoned. The reason that Jesus could pardon her is that he was already on his way to the cross where he would take her punishment and pay the price for her sin. It was a powerful and holy moment when tens of thousands lifted their hands and accepted by faith the substitutionary death of Christ. This is the pure Gospel at work.

This is what has the power to change the world!

When I prayed for the sick we experienced an outpouring of the power of God. A couple of times I said, “This will be the last testimony we hear tonight”, but amazing stories kept on coming and I could not resist!

We have just returned to Togo after 20 years! Since the median age of the population in Togo is 19 this is clearly a whole new generation many of which will be hearing the Gospel for the first time.

This morning we paid a courtesy visit to the State president who welcomed us with open arms. Pastor Bonnke was able to pray with him privately and we are rejoicing at what the Lord has done. Please see the attached picture of our visit.

Tonight’s opening meeting in the capital city of Lome was a huge success. The city is buzzing with excitement and anticipation. Many thousands responded to the Gospel tonight and made a decision to follow Jesus. We also saw tremendous miracles including a man who was unable to walk without a cane for 16 years, a young man who had been unable to lift his arm and a visitor from America whose leg was healed!

Tomorrow the Fire Conference begins and we are anticipating a mighty outpouring as we have seen in other places. Please keep an eye out for our reports this week and remember to pray for us as we preach the Gospel in Togo

When a soldier is dying on the battlefield a medic will give him a potent dose of morphine. The drug will not save him, but it will mask the pain and ease the suffering. In the same way the blood of animals could never save and could not fix the root of the fatal wound; sin. These Old Covenant sacrifices could only mask the symptoms of sin for a short season, but every year new sacrifices had to be offered and new blood had to be shed.

The blood of Jesus was of a totally different quality than any blood ever shed before. The blood of Jesus not only dealt with the symptoms of sin, it went to the very root of the problem. The blood of Jesus was not a superficial remedy for a shallow flesh wound. It penetrated the core of the human condition and went all the way back to Adam; reversing the curse and turning the greatest tragedy in history into the greatest victory.

The turning of the water into wine was the first of Jesus’ miracles and it had a profound effect on those that knew him. John 2:11 says that it was because of this miracle that his disciples, “believed on him.” To most it would have been seen as a demonstration of power and a revelation of Christ’s Messianic identity, but those disciples would later see a much more profound prophetic meaning to the miracle.

In John’s elderly years, I’m sure that he thought often, about the “good old days” with The Master. He probably played and replayed every miracle, every healing and every teaching of Jesus over and over in his mind. Can you imagine the longing in his soul to touch Jesus again; to lay his head on his chest and gaze into his loving eyes? Even in his sleep the memories would haunt him; rolling through his heart night after night. And when those sweet dreams began to evaporate with the light of early dawn his only consolation was the promise of His blessed Savior, “Lo, I am with you always…”(…Continued)

What an embarrassing debacle! Running out of wine at a Jewish wedding was a shame to irresponsible hosts. Once their disgraceful miscalculation became apparent, the bride and groom could only wait and dread the moment when their thirsty drunken guests would start whining (no pun intended) about their dry goblets and itching tongues.

For all their bungles and blunders, however, the discombobulated newlyweds had unwittingly done something very wise…they had invited Jesus to their wedding. Jesus saved the day! I’m sure the bride and groom would have been thrilled for Jesus to supply any wine…even average wine. After all, it was the end of the wedding and usually the cheaper wine was served when the guests were inebriated and had become indifferent. But Jesus’ wine wasn’t just “good enough”…it was the best! It was the finest! It was more than enough!!

(more…) It’s also important to realize when reading the book of John that there is always something more to John’s stories than meets the eye. John often employees an ancient rabbinic method of teaching called “Remez” (which means “hint”) in which the teacher “hints” at something through a story or allegory but does not state his deeper meaning explicitly. Instead, the teacher allows the student to connect the dots and have a personal “ah ha” moment.

The book of John is full of “ah ha” moments and when the Holy Spirit illuminates the Word in our hearts, revelation begins to pour off every page. I have treated many of the other stories in the Gospel of John in other places, but for the next few days we are going to be studying the first of Jesus’ miracles – the turning of the water into wine at the wedding in Cana of Galilee found in John chapter 2. I’m sure you will be blessed!

“Water into Wine” begins TOMORROW!

I heard a minister recently talking about the rapture and trying to make the point that every prophecy necessary to the return of Christ has already been fulfilled. One of his points was that the Gospel has already been preached in all the world according to the promise of Jesus in Matt 24:14 (And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.), “Now” he said, “We’re just waiting for Jesus to come back.”

If you are one of those standing in line waiting for the rapture like a ride at Disney World, consider these statistics on world evangelism that I have collected from a variety of sources. As you read these keep in mind that in the United States there is 1 ordained minister for every 200 people. Yet…

Napoleon said, “…Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne and I myself have founded great empires; but upon what did these creations of our genius depend? Upon force. Jesus alone founded His empire upon love, and to this very day millions will die for Him….Across a chasm of eighteen hundred years, Jesus Christ makes a demand which is beyond all others to satisfy; He asks for that which a philosopher may seek in vain at the hands of his friends, or a father of his children, or a bride of her spouse, or a man of his brother. He asks for the human heart; He will have it entirely to Himself. He demands it unconditionally; and forthwith His demand is granted. Wonderful! (…Continued)

The biography of D.L. Moody tells of how his life was changed by a revelation of the Love of God. He had invited a young “beardless” preacher come and preach in Chicago. He lacked confidence in the young man’s preaching skill, and since he was going out of town, he told the officers of his church, “There is a man coming here Thursday and Friday who wants to preach. I don’t know whether he can or not. You had better let him try and I will be back on Saturday.” When he returned home, he asked his wife, “How is that young Irishman coming along? How do the people like him?”(…Continued)