I hope this finds you blessed with good air conditioning! Last week, Julie traveled to New Mexico to visit our son Will. He is doing very good and enjoying a lot of fishing this summer. He has a nice boat. Julie and he caught some monster walleyes. Their catch made me think of Mark 1:15-17. “As He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then Jesus said to them, Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” This is the second statement recorded in Mark that Jesus made. His first statement is, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:15-16
Will started fishing when he was seven. He heard a teaching about the kingdom of God and how in Genesis, God gave us dominion over the birds of the air and the fish of the sea. How that dominion and authority are restored to us in the name of Jesus. He asked us to buy him a fishing rod and we did. He went out to the lake in front of our house and shouted, “I have dominion over the fish of this lake!” He caught an 8 lb. bass on his first cast! Will got hooked on fishing that day and has been hooking them ever since for 33 years. May we all get hooked on catching souls.
Jesus said if we follow Him, He will make us to become fishers of men. My experience has been that the closer I am to following Jesus, the more passionate I am for lost souls. Jesus shares His heart with me for the lost. Often times, this makes me weep, cry, and to even groan deep within for their salvation as I pray for them in the Spirit. This praying makes me very conscious of the lost around me and gives me the compassion to stop and minister to them. When I do so, the kingdom is at hand and manifests. People are often physically healed or touched in some tangible way by the presence of God. Some repent and believe in the gospel. Below is a recent testimony from my dear friend, Darrel, who is part of the prayer group in Boise that I shared about last month. This really illustrates what I am writing about.
“Wanted to share a testimony. Been praying a lot in the spirit. Friday morning my mailman for my business came into my office to deliver a certified letter. I never get letters like that, so it is rare that I see him. I noticed he had a brace on his knee, and asked what happened. He said doctors have tried everything and it looks like now they are going to have to replace it. I asked if I could pray for him and God would heal him. I prayed and he said the pain left. He just came into my office again this morning and the brace was off. He told me he went home and told his wife that I had prayed for him and it felt like lightning was going down his leg when I did. He had to tell me that over the weekend, he was doing things with his leg that he hasn’t done in 20 years. Wanted to thank me personally. I told him that it was God who healed him and that when we met it was by God’s divine appointment that we did. That God wanted to shower him with His love. I gave him a card for the church and I believe he will be coming with his wife and kids.
So here is an update on the mailman. Jason, who is on the security team at church just came into my office and said his mailman was just testifying to him about someone praying for him and how God healed him. That he is thinking about going for a run now. Jason was inquiring who prayed for him. So, the mailman told him it was me. Turns out Jason works just 1 building over from mine, so he wanted to come see who it was. We recognized each other. His wife serves with me on the healing team. Jason told me that the mailman told him being healed has renewed his faith and will be coming to church. Praise God! Another update on the mailman, he did end up coming to church on Sunday. The Lord drew him to the altar, and he surrendered his life to Jesus. Jason, Troy, and I prayed for him in the salvation response room and he was emotional. God moved on him in a mighty way. Thank you Father God, for drawing him from darkness to the light. We praise and glorify your name forever.” -Darrel
Just now while writing, Darrel texted again with the following, “Update on the mailman. His wife came to church this week and surrendered her life to Jesus. Praise God! Thank you Lord for the whole family.” This evolving testimony has so blessed my heart. There are so many other great testimonies coming from those in the group that are travailing in prayer.
This month Julie, Hannah, and I will be traveling and ministering in Mexico. We will be with friends, Pastors Jerry and Ernie Garcia, for their Fire Conference in Pachuca, Hidalgo. Then next, I will be in Ciudad Victoria Tamaulipas with Pastors Bobby and Lynn Crow, teaching in the Palabra de Vida Bible Institute. I will also be conducting a gospel campaign using the 18-wheeler trailer that Pastor Bobby gave us. We will do this campaign with the students.
Please keep us in your prayers. We need: divine protection and favor as we travel, God’s heart and mind as we teach the students, His anointing and gifts of the Spirit to be in abundance as we minister to the lost and the saved, and blessing and favor over the gospel crusade. Please agree with us for a great catch as we fish with Jesus. Together with you, we continue on in God’s call to reach the lost and to equip others to do so. You have an equal hand in each soul saved, each one taught and equipped, and all who are healed. Thank you very much.
With love and appreciation,
Charley & Julie
