I don’t know how your Sunday was, but I bet it wasn’t like ours! We went to 6 different churches, each pastored by a man we help support financially and who helps work with our conferences in India. The first was a new church started by Pastor Krupia. They meet on a porch but are hoping for money to build a shed on the roof of the house. I spoke about Daniel and the importance of being faithful.
Next we went to Pastor Caleb’s church where I talked about Esther and God’s control of everything, so we can trust Him. An old man shared a testimony about how he had worshipped idols but got very sick, so bad he couldn’t get out of bed. The doctor said he would die. Someone told him about Jesus and he believed, so a pastor came and prayed for him 2 times. Slowly but surely he got better and now he walks to church every time it is open. A young woman in a green sari said she had worshipped idols and someone put a curse on her causing her whole body to swell up. She heard about Jesus, believed and was healed. Others, including a Gypsie woman whose son is the head of their village (animistic beliefs) shared about her faith in Jesus. Many had idolatry in their back ground and demonic oppression was everywhere. We prayed for them against that before we left.
The third church was led by Pastor David. It was a church I had been out several times and had spoken and prayed at the church dedication. We had helped them with the construction of the church. There I spoke about Jesus healing the Syrophoenician woman’s daughter, even though she was an outcast and rejected by all.
Then we went to Pastor Krupia’s main church, another one I had been at several times before, including for a pastor’s conference. I talked about the leper Jesus healed (I spoke about something different at each place for the sake of Pastor Moses, Nancy and Leslie who had to listen to me every time). I know the pastor there quite well. In fact I was part of an impromptu baptismal service he ha 6 years ago and baptized several people in the local canal after chasing the water buffalo away. I didn’t have anything to change into with me so he loaned me one of his pants. Anyway, one of the women I baptized that day was in church and actually had a picture of me baptizing her with her in her Bible (which she received that day as well). I was touched beyond words! What a blessing to be part of the lives of these fine people! A man wanted me to baptize him but after that one year I have refused to do so. I don’t want them thinking there is something extra spiritual about being baptized by the American (1 Corinthians 1:11-17).
Pastor Raj’s church was next. It’s on a porch in a Gypsie village where they catch snakes and sell the skins for a living. They also make and sell Gypsie jewelry. I spoke about healing the woman who had been bleeding for 12 years, even though everyone rejected her.
Finally we went to Pastor Rasad Rau’s church. I had been here 6 years ago as well and remember it clearly for he was an old man with 11 women in his church, so I talked about Jesus only having 11 disciples for Him to train. Today there were almost 40 people there, most of them young men!
Praise God for Sundays like this – hope yours was memorable as well! (February 2, 2016 Vijayawada, India)
Psalm 100 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness, come before Him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us and we are His. We are His people, the sheep of His pasture. Enter His courts with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name. For the Lord is good and His love endures forever. His faithfulness through all generations.
Thank God for Sundays. Thank God for His people throughout the world who worship Him in so many different places and ways. Pray for His people everywhere, especially those in greatest need at this time.