Monday, February 22, 2010

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Fun Day, But There Is More.....

After preparing for Out Reach we saw God move upon many who matched clues! We broke into teams to find treasure.

My group found a few people matching the clues, a few were not interested in receiving a blessing when we told them they were God's treasure, so we moved on.

Eventually I noticed a woman coming out of a store carrying a multicolored purse and in the dark, it looked as though it was a laminated fabric purse which is quite popular. I called to her and asked if her purse was laminated and she said no, her friend added that she had taken off the lamination after buying the purse. Woo hoo. We told her she is the treasure we were looking for. She explained she was searching, raised a Buddhist, we told her Jesus gave us the clues and was looking to demonstrate Himself as read to her. She received what we explained, eventually her friend, who had gone to school with one of our team members, turned to A. that they needed to go. So, off they went, seeds planted for watering on another day.

We walked across a major street to a clothing store where we found R. who matched several clues. He was standing next to a frisbee, platform shoes, plaid shirt, khaki pants. He was wearing a peacoat and jeans which nearly matched the clue, peacoat and black pants. He was wearing blue, but volunteered that he intended to wear black pants but found the blue first. Ah ha, R. was the treasure! He allowed us to talk with for a while, he was busy with school, not attending church, God was not at the top of his thought life. We turned his attention back to the clues and that God was looking to get his attention. He accepted what we had to say, we talked a little more than parted. Seeds planted to be watered another day.

Hungry the group decided to eat at a local pizza place, the wrought iron work in front matched a clue, the name of the place matched another. Our server matched a few clues, which we pointed out on our clue sheets, we talked with him each time he came to the table, he explained he'd been thinking about going back to church, asked if we could recommend one in the area, which we did. While talking with him I noticed a family leaving whose daughter was wearing red shoes. They allowed me to explain we were on a treasure hunt and that they were God's treasures, that Jesus had chosen for them to be found. They accepted a blessing.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Crystal's Testimony of Teamwork, And New Boldness!

Here is a great example of team-work. We asked Jesus for clues about who we should talk to on Saturday night. I thought of the word "blue shirt," and I also had the sense of a green shirt. As confirmation, another person on the team got the word "green shirt." Someone else heard the words "taste of Japan," and still another person got the word "water fountain."

During Out Reach, we found a courtyard next to a Japanese restaurant right outside of the mall, and in the courtyard was a waterfall. My friend and I saw two boys who looked like they were in high school. One boy had a blue shirt, and the other had a green shirt. We approached them and told them we were on a treasure hunt, and that they were God's treasures. After explaining that we had prayed for the clues which led us to them, another of their friends joined us, also wearing a blue shirt. We left them for a moment to grab a guy from our team, who shared the gospel with these open teenagers.

One of the boys had just received Christ a couple months ago, and he told his friends that he had felt "lighter" after receiving the Lord, and how his life had already been changed. He had also just had an accident while skateboarding off the steps next to the Japanese restaurant. He said he had a bruise on his hip that was hurting him. So, we prayed for the hip, commanding the pain to leave in Jesus' name. After praying twice, the boy told us excitedly, "I don't feel it at all! It's totally gone!" He was so surprised, and so sincere, that his friends were amazed. Both of the boys prayed to accept Christ as their Lord and Savior. We also prayed that they would be baptized in the Holy Spirit, and both of them felt the presence of the Lord.

***

Another clue that I heard from the Lord was "China." As far as I know, we didn't encounter anyone that fit that description on Saturday night. When I came home from church on Sunday night, however, I saw my neighbors walking around the block. I realized that one of my neighbors was actually born in China, and I remembered the clue I had received on Saturday.

I asked if I could walk with her, and I told her that she was God's treasure. She said that sounded good. She didn't know much, if anything about Christianity. I shared the gospel with her. She received my blessing, though she wasn't ready to receive the Lord. A seed was planted.

The amazing thing to me is that I have never been so bold before.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Team Effort Saw Many Touched On Saturday!

One of our team members got the clue 100. Later, while we were standing in front of a store, Karen spotted the number 100 on someone's back. Karen and I walked fast and we caught up with him. He did not speak any English. I told him in Spanish we were out ministering to people that the Lord had shown us. He was one of them. First he wanted to know who we were. I shared with him we were out praying for people and also blessing them. I asked him if he had a need and he said found out about a month ago that he has diabetes.
We prayed for God to heal him. He said could fill the present of the Holy Spirit. We prayed for his finances, for the Lord to bless him. He was excited and thanked us for praying.
Prayed for a lady at Sears. She had a blue shirt, which matched one of the clues. We prayed for a job for her in marketing. We encouraged her and she was thankful. She also knows the Lord.
One of the clues was someone wearing converse shoes black. For some reason in all our walking I did not see anyone with black converse shoes. Karen and I went in the Pet store which was another clue and we did not see anyone matching our clue. Ryan, Karen and I walked into a sporting good. Ryan ministered to Muslim Lady. He shared the Love of God with her. He told her God loves her. She was very nice and seemed to be receiving. We left there and went back toward the Pet Store and there was the young man with the convert shoes. Ryan started talking with him. He told us, he gave his life to Jesus about 3 years ago. His family was calling him to go. They needed to catch a ride. So I prayed as we walked with him. He was a little shy.
We headed toward another store. Ryan saw a man standing by the magazine This person was not on our list. But Ryan started to talking to him. He understood a little English. I asked him if he needed prayer. He said yes. Work was slow. We shared with him about Jesus.
He said he knew about him, but did not have Jesus in his heart. We then asked him if he wanted to receive Jesus and he said yes. We prayed the sinner prayer with him and prayed for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. He could feel the peace of God. He said I know you are the real thing. Other christian have talked with me. But this was different. We encouraged him to read the bible.

Monday, January 4, 2010

The Robert and The Dinero

On New Years day a few friends and I went walking along a bike trail that lined a rainwater channel. For some reason we all stopped and gathered at one spot overlooking the water. As we looked down, twenty-feet below us was an object shaped like a dollar bill. One of us from the group decided to go down at a safe place and retrieve whatever it was. It turned out to be $100 bill! We split it between the five of us and promised to put it to good use. We prayed and felt like the Lord said to give it to a man in a white-shirt and blue cap. After hours spent searching for this man we decided he wasn’t around here. We decided he must be somewhere else and at a different time.

The next day during worship at D’s house, the Lord clearly said to me that the money would go to, “Robert Dinero,” I thought, “The famous actor?” He clarified, “Give the Dinero to Robert.”

We left for Treasure Hunting at the Mall, and all of us tried to find the man that fit this specific description. We went into (store) for our last attempt to find Robert. As we walked in the store we found a man with his wife and older son pushing a cart toward us. This man had a white-shirt, blue hat, mustache and I felt the Lord highlight him right away. I immediately went up to him and asked, “Are you Robert?” Upon which he replied, “Yes, I am.” I showed him the clues that proved he was God’s treasure. Robert was shocked. I handed him the twenty-dollar bill and said “This money is for you.” He and his wife were amazed that someone would randomly call out their name, with a description of their appearance and give them money without hesitation. It wasn’t much, but we continued to bless them with prayer for greater provision. Robert told us that their family had been affected by the poor economy and he was struggling for consistent work.

D. felt the Holy Spirit come over her with His presence. She held the wife’s hand and prayed for God’s comfort and encouragement to come over the entire family. This was a testimony of God’s amazing love poured out to them.

To recap:
We found money, God told us give it to a man in the white-shirt and blue cap, his name would be Robert, he would have a mustache, and this man would be at the O. mall.

TALK ABOUT KNOWING ALL THINGS!! How amazing! He truly will do anything to show us that we are totally loved.
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Romans 10:14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"

John 14:12 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father".