Dear viewers and followers,
We are leaving this BlogSpot to begin a new one under this new address:
Alegriana57.wordpress.com
We look forward to seeing you there.
John & Joyce
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Thursday, January 16, 2014
God's favor
God’s Favor
We have recently returned from a five day, all-expense paid vacation to Orange County, California and the whole trip was so full of God’s favor, we couldn’t stop thanking Him for days on end. When we accepted the offer of the vacation, we knew the weather would need to be warm enough the house water pipes and indoor citrus trees wouldn’t freeze and the animals would remain healthy outside. A kind neighbor agreed to watch over the animals so we had to wait and see what would happen with the house and indoor trees.
We drove to KC on Christmas Eve day to deliver a chicken coop we had built to a lady who lived there and then to spend the rest of the day and night with our daughter, Jenifer and her family. During that night, it was so cold that the remote on our diesel truck caused the truck to start up….twice. This woke us up and made us concerned that if we left our truck at the airport parking, would we have gas when we returned or would it start and run the engine dry? We knew the key would be to have downhill parking.
Christmas day, after a lovely celebratory morning with our grandson and family, we headed off to the airport. All the airport parking lot was on a downhill slope. Thank you Lord. We parked and had barely turned off the key when a shuttle bus pulled up behind us. The driver said he had to fight with himself to come over and pick us up at the truck since he is only required to stop at the waiting shelters but we knew it was the favor of the Lord. We hurried like everything to get our luggage onto the bus, thanking the driver generously, and shuttled to the airport front door hoping we hadn’t forgotten anything.
Once inside, we found our line to check in luggage that would go under the plane and then the line to go through security. The lady looked at our ticket, looked at us, drew a yellow line through our ticket and said, ‘Tell the next people you have a pre-checked ticket. You won’t have to take off shoes, coat, or anything.” Wow! We walked up to the security guards, showed our yellow lined ticket, and were waved on through. Then we looked at each other and asked, ‘What just happened?’ God’s favor just happened.
Our flights were some of the smoothest ever, were uneventful in a good way, were on time or ahead of time, and we arrived to our destination to have our ride waiting at the front door just a few steps away from the luggage pickup point.
Jonna would come by the same flight a couple hours later. Meanwhile, her boyfriend, Mike, took us to see a large neighborhood known for exhibiting Christmas lights and other displays. We met and went with his parents also, enjoying the hot chocolate and cookies she brought us to munch on. We were participating in one of their yearly traditions.
We spent five wonderful days with our daughter, Jonna, and with the Montellano family, visiting many of their favorite places and restaurants, having our anniversary celebrated again with a tiara on Joyce and a big bow on John. We were treated with the greatest care in their home, sharing Christmas gifts, snacks, and stories with one another. Sunday of that week, we all went to church together, had lunch, then met in a nearby park to finish up a wonderful morning with another family tradition…sharing what blessings they had experienced in the past year and prayer requests for the New Year. It was such a lovely time sharing and praying together as family. Monday, we would head home.
Our return home was much as it was going; it was smooth, it was uneventful in a good way, ticket agents rearranged other people to bless us with seats together (one of John’s tickets didn’t have a seat assignment), and we went through security with the least amount of trouble. We never even had to open our bags although, John did have to take off shoes that time. We were so favored.
But the story doesn’t end there. When we returned to the parking lot via the shuttle bus, we explained that we didn’t know which waiting shelter because the arrival bus had picked us up at the truck. It was cold and it was midnight. The bus driver asked us about where we thought we were, he found it easily, and let us off right at our truck. Yes, there was gas in it…all that we had left in it. It started easily and took us back to Jenifer’s. We stayed to celebrate New Years eve with them in prayer and the Word and to celebrate anniversaries together. This was the third anniversary celebration for the year. That set a new record for us.
That in itself was significant to us because on our anniversary day, while in our time of prayer, the Lord said, “This is a new year of your marriage.” We still don’t know all that means but it seemed God was confirming His Word after the third time of our celebrating it. The rest of the meaning we will wait to learn.
We finally returned home. All was well. All was well. God’s favor was just as evident at home as it was with us on our travels. We were in awe and praise for days as we considered it all. A new baby kid was born and the weather went to extreme cold, below zero just days after we arrived home. But, we were home and we had time to prepare. God’s favor was made evident even in that.
That is only one story. There is more and more and more.
We had a registered Nigerian Dwarf nanny goat given to us a couple years ago. She didn’t carry her first pregnancy the first year and the previous owner seemed surprised that she even became pregnant. We have been praying the Duet 28 blessing over her and expecting her to breed and birth this year. She is now preparing to give birth. God’s favor. What happens you’ll have to hear about next writing.
We have a friend to whom was given several rabbits. She wasn’t fully prepared for them so when winter came, they needed a proper shelter big enough to house the expecting broods of bunnies. John saw how to and built a rabbit hutch. In exchange, he is getting three female bunnies and several gallons of fresh cow’s milk.
Next is a change of story, but not of subject. Through the prompting of the Lord, we attended a ‘healing meeting’ in Springfield we were invited to. We didn’t know the church, we knew of only one of the two speakers, we had no idea of what to expect, but God put a strong urge in us to be present. We arrived a half hour early to find it already packed and we seemed to get the last two available seats up in the far corner of the balcony. That night at the end of the meeting, we saw and experienced God’s healing power. John was healed of an old injury to a shoulder that occasionally pained him. We saw that there was a revelation of how to minister God’s healing that we did not yet know and we decided right then that we wanted that. The speakers of Global Awakening had a school to train you in their perspective of healing. It was online and it was not free.
“Well, God…you led us there and put the desire in our hearts. We will wait and watch to see what next.” Soon afterward, a second computer (and Ipad) and the monies came to begin the first class that would cover eight weeks training from videos, books, and interaction with other students from around the world. Upon registering, Joyce asked if there were any discounts. From that rather funny question, we both were surprised to receive a scholarship towards our first class. We both would study the first level….for free. The monies given would be held for books and future expenses. That was God’s favor. We have now been in our online class for two weeks and look forward to all we can learn. The ‘rest of the story’ will be in next writings.
God decides; God provides
The title explains it all but, we would like to share a couple of recent examples from our lives.
We were at our weekly prayer meeting group early one Thursday morning. One gentleman told us all about a conference going on in Springfield and that there would be a free meeting, open to public, on Friday night; it was to be a healing meeting. God put such an urge in our hearts to be there at that meeting that there was nothing else that mattered from that point on. We had to be there. We had no idea what to expect, what we would see, what purpose God had for us, but we knew we must attend. We reached a half hour early and barely found two seats in the back corner of the balcony. The lady sitting there found out we were there free and questioned our rights to be there. She was so disturbed about it, because she had paid good money to register and driven far to be present, that she went downstairs to ask. They assured her it was a “free night”.
The meeting went on for an hour and a half before getting to the real message and purpose. We felt several times like leaving but held on to the end. Towards the end, because of a Word of knowledge, John received healing to a right shoulder that had been seriously torn and injured 17 years previously. He went home and did push-ups to prove it was totally healed. We also received our next instruction from the Lord while there. We were to enroll in their healing school to receive their new revelation and impartation that we might increase in this gifting. Some of you are puzzled here and a little hesitant to receive this thought but, if you review the life of Jesus, He preached, He healed, and He delivered. That pretty much summarizes the majority of His ministry. Listen to the prayer requests in your own church and 90% of them concern health issues. Today’s media and advertising is mostly medical and health related. It is a HUGE need today just as it was in Jesus’ time. We must not continue to just go to church but, to BE the church.
How in the world, on our income, were we going to pay the high cost of their tuition? There are twelve levels towards a certification (as this can apply towards a bible college credit). There are three classes in each level. The first three classes alone were $2,100 for both John and I to attend….online. But, when God decides, He provides. We now have $1,025 of that money and Joyce has received a scholarship for the first class. That was amazing to us. She asked if there was any discount available and they told her they were going to decide the following week on giving out three scholarships to incoming students. She filled out the application and received the scholarship. We are ready to start and how far we go will depend on God’s decision and provision.
A second example was when God put on Joyce’s heart that she needed to take a certain lady to lunch and spend time with her. Joyce was telling God, “Uh, you know I don’t have the monies for that so when you provide, then I’ll be happy to do just that. I need girlfriends too since returning home so it will bless me also.” A week later she was sharing this prompting she had felt from the Lord with a lady prayer partner. That prayer partner had been told by a third person that “the lady{ needed “someone to befriend her“. This prayer partner said she had been carrying around a denomination of cash just waiting to see what purpose God had for it. She provided Joyce with the money to get car fuel and take the lady to lunch. Can you see the thread? God had prompted three people to get involved in loving this one dear lady. He decided it should be done and then provided the way through three different people. Isn’t God something wonderful? Do you realize how very much He loves you today? He is at work on your behalf to bless you with a hope and a future, to make all things work together. Give glory to His Holy name.
The title explains it all but, we would like to share a couple of recent examples from our lives.
We were at our weekly prayer meeting group early one Thursday morning. One gentleman told us all about a conference going on in Springfield and that there would be a free meeting, open to public, on Friday night; it was to be a healing meeting. God put such an urge in our hearts to be there at that meeting that there was nothing else that mattered from that point on. We had to be there. We had no idea what to expect, what we would see, what purpose God had for us, but we knew we must attend. We reached a half hour early and barely found two seats in the back corner of the balcony. The lady sitting there found out we were there free and questioned our rights to be there. She was so disturbed about it, because she had paid good money to register and driven far to be present, that she went downstairs to ask. They assured her it was a “free night”.
The meeting went on for an hour and a half before getting to the real message and purpose. We felt several times like leaving but held on to the end. Towards the end, because of a Word of knowledge, John received healing to a right shoulder that had been seriously torn and injured 17 years previously. He went home and did push-ups to prove it was totally healed. We also received our next instruction from the Lord while there. We were to enroll in their healing school to receive their new revelation and impartation that we might increase in this gifting. Some of you are puzzled here and a little hesitant to receive this thought but, if you review the life of Jesus, He preached, He healed, and He delivered. That pretty much summarizes the majority of His ministry. Listen to the prayer requests in your own church and 90% of them concern health issues. Today’s media and advertising is mostly medical and health related. It is a HUGE need today just as it was in Jesus’ time. We must not continue to just go to church but, to BE the church.
How in the world, on our income, were we going to pay the high cost of their tuition? There are twelve levels towards a certification (as this can apply towards a bible college credit). There are three classes in each level. The first three classes alone were $2,100 for both John and I to attend….online. But, when God decides, He provides. We now have $1,025 of that money and Joyce has received a scholarship for the first class. That was amazing to us. She asked if there was any discount available and they told her they were going to decide the following week on giving out three scholarships to incoming students. She filled out the application and received the scholarship. We are ready to start and how far we go will depend on God’s decision and provision.
A second example was when God put on Joyce’s heart that she needed to take a certain lady to lunch and spend time with her. Joyce was telling God, “Uh, you know I don’t have the monies for that so when you provide, then I’ll be happy to do just that. I need girlfriends too since returning home so it will bless me also.” A week later she was sharing this prompting she had felt from the Lord with a lady prayer partner. That prayer partner had been told by a third person that “the lady{ needed “someone to befriend her“. This prayer partner said she had been carrying around a denomination of cash just waiting to see what purpose God had for it. She provided Joyce with the money to get car fuel and take the lady to lunch. Can you see the thread? God had prompted three people to get involved in loving this one dear lady. He decided it should be done and then provided the way through three different people. Isn’t God something wonderful? Do you realize how very much He loves you today? He is at work on your behalf to bless you with a hope and a future, to make all things work together. Give glory to His Holy name.
Sunday, November 24, 2013
Dear friends,
We were reminded by the Holy Spirit, while teaching others, that all relationships begin, continue, and end with communication. This was part of our multi-cultural training and since then, has been our experience. We apologize to you that we have let our
communication to you lag. It hasn’t seemed like we had much of anything to relate and yet we have so much to relate. Its not always easy to put into words what God is doing and calling us to do in our lives, but today, we ask Him to anoint this letter with good, clear communication to you.
God called us to come home and "prepare" for all the change that was coming. Perhaps God knew that was going to be President Obama's battle cry, or maybe that is God's battle cry and He is speaking it through Mr Obama. :) Either way, there have been many changes in the world, in our home nation, and in our personal lives. We are "preparing" ourselves and others for the "last days". Our greatest calling is to "hear God and do what He says". This requires that we press into more of God through prayer and study of His Word, that we grow in spiritual wisdom and understanding, and that we speak what we have seen and heard, “that the Kingdom of Heaven is near“, and then watch God confirm His Word just as He did in the days of Jesus ministry on earth. We have seen Him do it in several other countries, but now He has called us to be HERE and that means to us He wants to speak and do the same things HERE. Is there anything more exciting that we could relate to you? We are certainly not the first or only ones to hear this. Many voices are reverberating with the same message: that the last days are here, prepare the way of the Lord; that the Kingdom of Heaven is here, rescue the perishing far and near.
God called us home but He has never changed our assignment or anointing. We have sat quietly for some years, waiting for His direction, learning from His Word, spending more time with Him. Our beginning here in the US is not unlike our beginning in other places. First and always is prayer. Without prayer, we know nothing, we can do nothing, we are powerless, and we are without relationship with or connection to the Head, The Lord God Almighty. We have been so thrilled to find a group of men and women who meet weekly with the purpose of praying and growing in corporate prayer as a part of the body of Christ. We have reveled in so many answered prayers there. Sometimes, someone comes one time to personally ask for prayer. They have never gone away without God showing up and bringing ministry to their lives in whatever fashion they needed. Others come regularly and their spiritual growth is so obvious that we rejoice together with the encouragement of seeing each other growing and being knit together in closer fellowship and unity of the Spirit. We are praying for and expecting revival, harvest, and harvesters.
The gifts of the Spirit, operating in and through the church, are for two specific reasons: to mature the Body of Christ, and to equip and send out the Body to produce more body of Christ in the world. We see the same operating in the physical realm: babies are born, grow up, and reproduce more babies. The beautiful difference is having godly babies that become godly and holy adults who reproduce godly babies who learn to overcome the enemy by the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of their testimony so that they do not love their lives, even if it means death.
Let me share some of the testimonies of answered prayers. Several different families have seen rebellious children come back to them and ask for help to get their lives straightened out. We saw a depressed, ragged youth minister come in, ready to commit suicide because of intense grief and struggle but, God delivered him from the afflicting spirits of his soul and gave him renewed hope of God's love and acceptance. We know of marriages that have been miraculously restored and got to hear personal testimony of one this past month that, after seven years, was being restored. We have seen people on their death bed in the hospital walk out of there within days after prayer was lifted up for them. We had one man walk into the prayer meeting recently to share his testimony of how God's love through the prayers of His people had caused him to be healed. He had been severely crushed at work from his waist down, was paralyzed, and never expected to walk again. Did we say he "walked into the meeting to share his testimony"!?
Yes! We have heard wondrous reports from returning missions trips of Gods power through prayer. We have a young policeman in our prayer group that tells how God's authority is displayed through his life as criminals submit to that authority instead of fighting him. Another young man came in devastated that his employers were going to "test" him in his welding skills and he felt sure he would fail and lose his job. God gave truth to him from different parts of the prayer group that restored and strengthened him. He later reported that the Lord brought him a very skilled welder, probably the best in all of Springfield, to teach him and help him improve his skills and he passed the tests successfully and praise-worthily. A young lady has been receiving wonderful visions from the Lord that have transformed her life, brought healing to her past, and is revealing the future, bringing encouragement to not only her and all of us. And the list goes on and on as the prayer meetings do.
There is no program, there is no method, there is no substitute for prayer, and even more powerfully is the corporate prayer of the Body coming together in agreement and unity. If one person puts 1,000 to flight, two put 10,000 to flight, how much more when multiple persons are present.
As we wrote above, God has directed us first to prayer. We have been praying specifically for our neighborhood, our communities and churches around us, and family members. That's our Jerusalem. We learned through a recent survey that only 25% of the people in our area attend church. That makes this area a mission field.
A policeman friend has made us aware that gangs, witchcraft, drugs, and perversion are on the increase in our city. There is a huge need for the Kingdom of heaven to come down and God's will to be done here where God has planted us. We are excited for every change we see beginning to happen as God's angels and Holy Spirit are working to bring that into being. We are so thankful for the relationships God is building for us in our neighborhood, surrounding communities, and for the continuing relationships with those we still hold dear and precious to us throughout the world.
A recent communication with our dear friends from India, who are missionaries now in Mozambique, told us of a government orphanage the Lord has drawn them to. Their going and participating in loving on those children in their spare hours is causing doors to be opened to those children that have never before existed. God has directed His focus on that orphanage and is now bringing His rescue to those children through His servants. We can't be there physically, but we are there in every way through prayer, asking God to complete His rescue and make that orphanage a House of Prayer, where children are changing the world all around them through changed lives and prayer.
Our assignment, our anointing has always been to make disciples of people
everywhere, baptizing them, teaching through the Word to operate in the
Spirit, training them to go and join the Harvesters all around the world.
In the past couple years, God has been bringing people to us, often to our
home, so He can speak into their lives, minister to their souls, their
bodies, and their spirits. One young couple spent the past year with
us learning the Truth while starting a home group of their own among other
young couples to spread the Truth. God has done a vast healing and
deliverance in their lives, has grown them up quickly and significantly, and
is ministering through them in a way that is so awesome. Along with studies
of the Word, we have had fun teaching them practical things of life like
processing a deer, canning vegetables, baking and sewing, leadership skills,
and even some marriage counseling. Then they got married. We don't see
them as often since they are adjusting to their new life but they try to come
monthly at least. As soon as they left to prepare for their marriage,
another couple ask to begin coming weekly and we are
getting acquainted and growing in fellowship with them while God teaches and
trains and changes their lives. What a rewarding task we have been given.
Our heart is being drawn more and more to seeing a Prayer and
Discipleship Center opened. This would be a place where anyone could come
to pray, be prayed with or be prayed for throughout the week. They could learn in small group settings how to grow from spectators in the church to being participators in
what Jesus is still doing in the earth today. They could learn from a
variety of different experienced teachers who have "been there and done
that". We know wonderful teachers from many different walks of life that
have rich things to share with those who are hungry to know and experience
more of God. God once spoke to us that "we would know who we are from the
inside out" because of the graces of God that He put in us before we were
born. So many people are still searching for that significance and
understanding of why God would create them when their life is nothing but a
mess. They are longing for a "way out" of the mess. Others have been
healed and are longing to know how to help others find their way out. So
many are hungry to have a more solid foundation of the Truth in their lives
and thankfully God is raising up teachers in a Big way through media that
can reach people even in their own homes. But being alone, learning alone,
maturing in these things alone aren't enough. We have got to connect, learn
how to love one another, learn to accept and be accepted by one another,
learn to submit to one another, learn the power of God and the authority He
wants to operate in and through us as a BODY. Like the Realtors learn to
say...everything is about "location, location, location." There is a great need in our immediate area for such a place for people to learn and grow together.
We also want to grow and know more. Recently, we attended a healing meeting at a local church. John was healed of an old wound to his shoulder and went home and did twenty push-ups to prove to himself he was healed. We believe in healing, we have been able to participate in healings, but these people had more tools that we feel would be very beneficial to us. They have a school where they teach and practice hearing God and seeing people healed; it can even be attended online. We very much want to participate in that. This would be another part of discipleship we would have to share with others. We simply lack the finances to register at $350 per person, per class....and there are three classes. That makes a total of$2,100. This is only the first of 12 levels. We don’t expect to need all levels as some are for special certification.
We are connected with other ministries and have been invited by several
to share in their work.
1. We are still connected with LAMP Ministries and the wonderful family we spent three
years in Mexico with. The Leader, James, has been traveling to several countries,
each of which are begging that someone come and train pastors.
2. We have a connection with a Baptist university student pastor who has been taking
students to the reservations in South Dakota the past four years. He was
showing us the extremely poor conditions of the people...equal to any third
world condition we have seen. He has discovered their bondage of
hatred and has been leading the students to go to the national monument, the
gravesite of the three hundred Indians massacred in the last great battle, to
intercede over it that God would deliver them of their hatred and give them the
truth that sets them free. There are less that 2% Christians among them.
3. We are connected with people who are regularly going to Haiti and
Nicaragua through Project Hope, a local ministry in Springfield Mo. who has
opened their building to us as a prayer meeting place.
4. We are connected with the Indian missionaries in
Mozambique, Africa that we mentioned above. We also have a brother in Kenya whom we met and ministered with in India. He has returned home and is doing effective work there.
5. We still have wonderful friends among the YWAM who have faithfully been
serving world-wide for many years. We still have strong connections with
men of God (our other families) in India.
6. We have a family connection with a single mom who is living in Costa
Rica and hosting orphans from Nicaragua in her home.
This is part of our greater vision because discipleship is not only about maturing the believer but, giving them opportunities to operate as part of the Living Body of Jesus Christ in the earth today. There are numerous opportunities both nationally and internationally, both locally and abroad, where those we disciple can be plugged into seeing Heaven come to earth and the Great Commission being fulfilled in the greatest Harvest of all time. Jesus is coming soon. Prepare the way of the Lord.
Hearing God and doing what He says....John & Joyce Clouse
Ministry donations to:
LAMP International Ministries
PO Box 14431
Springfield, Mo. 65814
(for John Clouse)
We were reminded by the Holy Spirit, while teaching others, that all relationships begin, continue, and end with communication. This was part of our multi-cultural training and since then, has been our experience. We apologize to you that we have let our
communication to you lag. It hasn’t seemed like we had much of anything to relate and yet we have so much to relate. Its not always easy to put into words what God is doing and calling us to do in our lives, but today, we ask Him to anoint this letter with good, clear communication to you.
God called us to come home and "prepare" for all the change that was coming. Perhaps God knew that was going to be President Obama's battle cry, or maybe that is God's battle cry and He is speaking it through Mr Obama. :) Either way, there have been many changes in the world, in our home nation, and in our personal lives. We are "preparing" ourselves and others for the "last days". Our greatest calling is to "hear God and do what He says". This requires that we press into more of God through prayer and study of His Word, that we grow in spiritual wisdom and understanding, and that we speak what we have seen and heard, “that the Kingdom of Heaven is near“, and then watch God confirm His Word just as He did in the days of Jesus ministry on earth. We have seen Him do it in several other countries, but now He has called us to be HERE and that means to us He wants to speak and do the same things HERE. Is there anything more exciting that we could relate to you? We are certainly not the first or only ones to hear this. Many voices are reverberating with the same message: that the last days are here, prepare the way of the Lord; that the Kingdom of Heaven is here, rescue the perishing far and near.
God called us home but He has never changed our assignment or anointing. We have sat quietly for some years, waiting for His direction, learning from His Word, spending more time with Him. Our beginning here in the US is not unlike our beginning in other places. First and always is prayer. Without prayer, we know nothing, we can do nothing, we are powerless, and we are without relationship with or connection to the Head, The Lord God Almighty. We have been so thrilled to find a group of men and women who meet weekly with the purpose of praying and growing in corporate prayer as a part of the body of Christ. We have reveled in so many answered prayers there. Sometimes, someone comes one time to personally ask for prayer. They have never gone away without God showing up and bringing ministry to their lives in whatever fashion they needed. Others come regularly and their spiritual growth is so obvious that we rejoice together with the encouragement of seeing each other growing and being knit together in closer fellowship and unity of the Spirit. We are praying for and expecting revival, harvest, and harvesters.
The gifts of the Spirit, operating in and through the church, are for two specific reasons: to mature the Body of Christ, and to equip and send out the Body to produce more body of Christ in the world. We see the same operating in the physical realm: babies are born, grow up, and reproduce more babies. The beautiful difference is having godly babies that become godly and holy adults who reproduce godly babies who learn to overcome the enemy by the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of their testimony so that they do not love their lives, even if it means death.
Let me share some of the testimonies of answered prayers. Several different families have seen rebellious children come back to them and ask for help to get their lives straightened out. We saw a depressed, ragged youth minister come in, ready to commit suicide because of intense grief and struggle but, God delivered him from the afflicting spirits of his soul and gave him renewed hope of God's love and acceptance. We know of marriages that have been miraculously restored and got to hear personal testimony of one this past month that, after seven years, was being restored. We have seen people on their death bed in the hospital walk out of there within days after prayer was lifted up for them. We had one man walk into the prayer meeting recently to share his testimony of how God's love through the prayers of His people had caused him to be healed. He had been severely crushed at work from his waist down, was paralyzed, and never expected to walk again. Did we say he "walked into the meeting to share his testimony"!?
Yes! We have heard wondrous reports from returning missions trips of Gods power through prayer. We have a young policeman in our prayer group that tells how God's authority is displayed through his life as criminals submit to that authority instead of fighting him. Another young man came in devastated that his employers were going to "test" him in his welding skills and he felt sure he would fail and lose his job. God gave truth to him from different parts of the prayer group that restored and strengthened him. He later reported that the Lord brought him a very skilled welder, probably the best in all of Springfield, to teach him and help him improve his skills and he passed the tests successfully and praise-worthily. A young lady has been receiving wonderful visions from the Lord that have transformed her life, brought healing to her past, and is revealing the future, bringing encouragement to not only her and all of us. And the list goes on and on as the prayer meetings do.
There is no program, there is no method, there is no substitute for prayer, and even more powerfully is the corporate prayer of the Body coming together in agreement and unity. If one person puts 1,000 to flight, two put 10,000 to flight, how much more when multiple persons are present.
As we wrote above, God has directed us first to prayer. We have been praying specifically for our neighborhood, our communities and churches around us, and family members. That's our Jerusalem. We learned through a recent survey that only 25% of the people in our area attend church. That makes this area a mission field.
A policeman friend has made us aware that gangs, witchcraft, drugs, and perversion are on the increase in our city. There is a huge need for the Kingdom of heaven to come down and God's will to be done here where God has planted us. We are excited for every change we see beginning to happen as God's angels and Holy Spirit are working to bring that into being. We are so thankful for the relationships God is building for us in our neighborhood, surrounding communities, and for the continuing relationships with those we still hold dear and precious to us throughout the world.
A recent communication with our dear friends from India, who are missionaries now in Mozambique, told us of a government orphanage the Lord has drawn them to. Their going and participating in loving on those children in their spare hours is causing doors to be opened to those children that have never before existed. God has directed His focus on that orphanage and is now bringing His rescue to those children through His servants. We can't be there physically, but we are there in every way through prayer, asking God to complete His rescue and make that orphanage a House of Prayer, where children are changing the world all around them through changed lives and prayer.
Our assignment, our anointing has always been to make disciples of people
everywhere, baptizing them, teaching through the Word to operate in the
Spirit, training them to go and join the Harvesters all around the world.
In the past couple years, God has been bringing people to us, often to our
home, so He can speak into their lives, minister to their souls, their
bodies, and their spirits. One young couple spent the past year with
us learning the Truth while starting a home group of their own among other
young couples to spread the Truth. God has done a vast healing and
deliverance in their lives, has grown them up quickly and significantly, and
is ministering through them in a way that is so awesome. Along with studies
of the Word, we have had fun teaching them practical things of life like
processing a deer, canning vegetables, baking and sewing, leadership skills,
and even some marriage counseling. Then they got married. We don't see
them as often since they are adjusting to their new life but they try to come
monthly at least. As soon as they left to prepare for their marriage,
another couple ask to begin coming weekly and we are
getting acquainted and growing in fellowship with them while God teaches and
trains and changes their lives. What a rewarding task we have been given.
Our heart is being drawn more and more to seeing a Prayer and
Discipleship Center opened. This would be a place where anyone could come
to pray, be prayed with or be prayed for throughout the week. They could learn in small group settings how to grow from spectators in the church to being participators in
what Jesus is still doing in the earth today. They could learn from a
variety of different experienced teachers who have "been there and done
that". We know wonderful teachers from many different walks of life that
have rich things to share with those who are hungry to know and experience
more of God. God once spoke to us that "we would know who we are from the
inside out" because of the graces of God that He put in us before we were
born. So many people are still searching for that significance and
understanding of why God would create them when their life is nothing but a
mess. They are longing for a "way out" of the mess. Others have been
healed and are longing to know how to help others find their way out. So
many are hungry to have a more solid foundation of the Truth in their lives
and thankfully God is raising up teachers in a Big way through media that
can reach people even in their own homes. But being alone, learning alone,
maturing in these things alone aren't enough. We have got to connect, learn
how to love one another, learn to accept and be accepted by one another,
learn to submit to one another, learn the power of God and the authority He
wants to operate in and through us as a BODY. Like the Realtors learn to
say...everything is about "location, location, location." There is a great need in our immediate area for such a place for people to learn and grow together.
We also want to grow and know more. Recently, we attended a healing meeting at a local church. John was healed of an old wound to his shoulder and went home and did twenty push-ups to prove to himself he was healed. We believe in healing, we have been able to participate in healings, but these people had more tools that we feel would be very beneficial to us. They have a school where they teach and practice hearing God and seeing people healed; it can even be attended online. We very much want to participate in that. This would be another part of discipleship we would have to share with others. We simply lack the finances to register at $350 per person, per class....and there are three classes. That makes a total of$2,100. This is only the first of 12 levels. We don’t expect to need all levels as some are for special certification.
We are connected with other ministries and have been invited by several
to share in their work.
1. We are still connected with LAMP Ministries and the wonderful family we spent three
years in Mexico with. The Leader, James, has been traveling to several countries,
each of which are begging that someone come and train pastors.
2. We have a connection with a Baptist university student pastor who has been taking
students to the reservations in South Dakota the past four years. He was
showing us the extremely poor conditions of the people...equal to any third
world condition we have seen. He has discovered their bondage of
hatred and has been leading the students to go to the national monument, the
gravesite of the three hundred Indians massacred in the last great battle, to
intercede over it that God would deliver them of their hatred and give them the
truth that sets them free. There are less that 2% Christians among them.
3. We are connected with people who are regularly going to Haiti and
Nicaragua through Project Hope, a local ministry in Springfield Mo. who has
opened their building to us as a prayer meeting place.
4. We are connected with the Indian missionaries in
Mozambique, Africa that we mentioned above. We also have a brother in Kenya whom we met and ministered with in India. He has returned home and is doing effective work there.
5. We still have wonderful friends among the YWAM who have faithfully been
serving world-wide for many years. We still have strong connections with
men of God (our other families) in India.
6. We have a family connection with a single mom who is living in Costa
Rica and hosting orphans from Nicaragua in her home.
This is part of our greater vision because discipleship is not only about maturing the believer but, giving them opportunities to operate as part of the Living Body of Jesus Christ in the earth today. There are numerous opportunities both nationally and internationally, both locally and abroad, where those we disciple can be plugged into seeing Heaven come to earth and the Great Commission being fulfilled in the greatest Harvest of all time. Jesus is coming soon. Prepare the way of the Lord.
Hearing God and doing what He says....John & Joyce Clouse
Ministry donations to:
LAMP International Ministries
PO Box 14431
Springfield, Mo. 65814
(for John Clouse)
Thursday, March 7, 2013
We are hearing about many wonderful answers to prayer at our early morning prayer meetings but there was one that rocked the room today in praise and worship to such an Almighty, Wonderful, Loving, and Merciful God. Let me share it with you in part.
A man in our group has a neice who for the past eight years has been a heavy meth addict. This addiction had destroyed all her relationships, her income or ability to make and income, her small family of three children, and lastly, her health. She was living on the streets when she was whisked away to emergency and family was notified that she was quickly coming to an end with septis in the blood stream. She was so entirely full of poisen in her system that they could give her no hope. Our man, Mr M. and his wife, drove several hours south to see her before her passing. They walked into the hospital room and felt the heavy oppressive spirits that were all around her. They were so overwhelmed that Mr M passed out and was taken to emergency. Nothing was found to be wrong with him, so he was released and he and his wife left to get some dinner and spend time in prayer before returning to the neice's room.
Upon returning, they spent hours in prayer and reading the Word to the neice, snipping away at the bondages that were holding on to her life. Her greatess sadness was that she felt she had noone to live for; noone that cared for her because she had destroyed all such relationships. She had ostracized her own family for years and not spoken to or communicated with any of them. My M assured her to get things right with God and He would work out the rest so, she did. She submitted her life to Christ. Next day, they could find no trace of the septis; she was healed. They did find one ulceration of the heart so took her into surgery to clean that out. The surgery was supposed to require eight hours, but only took four. It too was healing.
During this time, her brother had taken an old picture that was of himself and his sister, had it blown up, and wrote on it "I forgive and love you, sis". Her father came in to the room and she took him by the hand asking his forgiveness. God was healing her relationships, just as He was healing her.
Shocking enough, she died. God took her on into His glory. But the story didn't stop there. Mr M was there to speak at the funeral and saw her young fourth grader son. He invited him to come up front and stand with him so the young man could experience the anointing of God at that pulpit. Mr M spoke, the presence of the Almighty drew near, and as Mr M looked around to see how the boy was doing, he saw that the boy's hands were in the air and he was praying over the people. The congregation was weeping and feeling the power of God all around them. The neice's entire family came to know Christ as their Savior.
How great is the Love the Father has in that while we are yet sinners, Christ died for us. He chose the unworthy to clothe them in worthiness. He chose the wretched to clothe them in His righteousness. He chose the ungodly to clothe them in His holiness. What an incredible, wonderful Father God we have. We were all on our faces on the floor in worship to His majesty, THE KING!
A man in our group has a neice who for the past eight years has been a heavy meth addict. This addiction had destroyed all her relationships, her income or ability to make and income, her small family of three children, and lastly, her health. She was living on the streets when she was whisked away to emergency and family was notified that she was quickly coming to an end with septis in the blood stream. She was so entirely full of poisen in her system that they could give her no hope. Our man, Mr M. and his wife, drove several hours south to see her before her passing. They walked into the hospital room and felt the heavy oppressive spirits that were all around her. They were so overwhelmed that Mr M passed out and was taken to emergency. Nothing was found to be wrong with him, so he was released and he and his wife left to get some dinner and spend time in prayer before returning to the neice's room.
Upon returning, they spent hours in prayer and reading the Word to the neice, snipping away at the bondages that were holding on to her life. Her greatess sadness was that she felt she had noone to live for; noone that cared for her because she had destroyed all such relationships. She had ostracized her own family for years and not spoken to or communicated with any of them. My M assured her to get things right with God and He would work out the rest so, she did. She submitted her life to Christ. Next day, they could find no trace of the septis; she was healed. They did find one ulceration of the heart so took her into surgery to clean that out. The surgery was supposed to require eight hours, but only took four. It too was healing.
During this time, her brother had taken an old picture that was of himself and his sister, had it blown up, and wrote on it "I forgive and love you, sis". Her father came in to the room and she took him by the hand asking his forgiveness. God was healing her relationships, just as He was healing her.
Shocking enough, she died. God took her on into His glory. But the story didn't stop there. Mr M was there to speak at the funeral and saw her young fourth grader son. He invited him to come up front and stand with him so the young man could experience the anointing of God at that pulpit. Mr M spoke, the presence of the Almighty drew near, and as Mr M looked around to see how the boy was doing, he saw that the boy's hands were in the air and he was praying over the people. The congregation was weeping and feeling the power of God all around them. The neice's entire family came to know Christ as their Savior.
How great is the Love the Father has in that while we are yet sinners, Christ died for us. He chose the unworthy to clothe them in worthiness. He chose the wretched to clothe them in His righteousness. He chose the ungodly to clothe them in His holiness. What an incredible, wonderful Father God we have. We were all on our faces on the floor in worship to His majesty, THE KING!
Saturday, February 23, 2013
More we are learning about the Mind-the Mind of God
From the book: Come Away My Beloved by Frances J. Roberts
I Cor 2:5 Your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
(God speaking) O My child, give Me your mind. I shall keep it in perfect tranquility. Give Me your thoughts. I will keep them in peace. If you allow other people to do your thinking for you, you will be distressed. If you try to think for yourself, you may be in error through limited knowledge or misinformation. But let the mind of Christ be in you. Let My thinking displace and supersede your mind and your reasoning, and you will be kept in perfect peace and order; you will know exactly and precisely what is right, what is true, and what is the proper course of action.
As you draw upon My Spirit for physical strength, draw also upon My Mind for wisdom, understanding, and peace of mind. Make this a habit in your life, and you will be astounded at the results, the accomplishments it will bring. Rather than being motivated by impulse, you will be directed by Divine Intelligence.
Have I not promised that if any of you lack wisdom, you may ask of God who gives liberally and without reproach (James 1:5)? I have not left you to flounder like a rudderless ship. I will freely share with you all you need of my thinking powers, just as I share of My grace for the needs of the spirit.
This is a reservoir very nearly untapped. This is why I commended Solomon, because he asked the highest gift. In adding the other benefits, I gave him only those things that shall surely always follow after this first. For the life truly directed by My Mind shall enjoy many other blessings in abundance.
You shall know who needs healing, and what the physical body needs, even the true cause of illness that healing may be complete in the whole person. You shall know who is speaking in error, and you shall not only discern the craftiness of the enemy but how to rebuke him in My Name.
You shall be unafraid when you face others, for wisdom is power. You shall be unashamed to speak, for you shall know that the words you speak are not your own, but Hi shwo sent you and made you His messenger. You shall be able to testify as did Jesus: "The words that I speak to yu I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works" (John 14:10) Know that I will do it. Trust Me to do it. You will rejoice far in excess of any joy you have yet experienced.
Amazing things await you. You have had but the tiniest foretaste. Launch out! The Mind of God is fathomless. Who can ponder the smallest fraction of the intelligence of the Creator? It is all at your disposal-a great repository from which you may freely draw. Draw then, for truly the well is deep.
A portion from another entry that lends to it:
Commit to Me your sanctification. Bring your thoughts into captivity and let your mind be under the control of the Mind of Christ. Do not curb the impulses of the Spirit within you, nor refuse to allow Me the freedom to manifest Myself through you by means of the gifts. You may resist me because you feel unworthy or unready to be used. This is a delusion of the mind. I do not use you when you feel prepared, but when I need you and you are yielded. When I use you, you will discover that I also work within you to edify your own heart and life.
You block the way to your own spiritual development if you hold me back when I would minister through you (see Eph 4:12, 16) Indeed, if the time would ever come that you feel ready, I would then be completely blocked by your pride and would be forced to use someone else.
From the book: Come Away My Beloved by Frances J. Roberts
I Cor 2:5 Your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
(God speaking) O My child, give Me your mind. I shall keep it in perfect tranquility. Give Me your thoughts. I will keep them in peace. If you allow other people to do your thinking for you, you will be distressed. If you try to think for yourself, you may be in error through limited knowledge or misinformation. But let the mind of Christ be in you. Let My thinking displace and supersede your mind and your reasoning, and you will be kept in perfect peace and order; you will know exactly and precisely what is right, what is true, and what is the proper course of action.
As you draw upon My Spirit for physical strength, draw also upon My Mind for wisdom, understanding, and peace of mind. Make this a habit in your life, and you will be astounded at the results, the accomplishments it will bring. Rather than being motivated by impulse, you will be directed by Divine Intelligence.
Have I not promised that if any of you lack wisdom, you may ask of God who gives liberally and without reproach (James 1:5)? I have not left you to flounder like a rudderless ship. I will freely share with you all you need of my thinking powers, just as I share of My grace for the needs of the spirit.
This is a reservoir very nearly untapped. This is why I commended Solomon, because he asked the highest gift. In adding the other benefits, I gave him only those things that shall surely always follow after this first. For the life truly directed by My Mind shall enjoy many other blessings in abundance.
You shall know who needs healing, and what the physical body needs, even the true cause of illness that healing may be complete in the whole person. You shall know who is speaking in error, and you shall not only discern the craftiness of the enemy but how to rebuke him in My Name.
You shall be unafraid when you face others, for wisdom is power. You shall be unashamed to speak, for you shall know that the words you speak are not your own, but Hi shwo sent you and made you His messenger. You shall be able to testify as did Jesus: "The words that I speak to yu I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works" (John 14:10) Know that I will do it. Trust Me to do it. You will rejoice far in excess of any joy you have yet experienced.
Amazing things await you. You have had but the tiniest foretaste. Launch out! The Mind of God is fathomless. Who can ponder the smallest fraction of the intelligence of the Creator? It is all at your disposal-a great repository from which you may freely draw. Draw then, for truly the well is deep.
A portion from another entry that lends to it:
Commit to Me your sanctification. Bring your thoughts into captivity and let your mind be under the control of the Mind of Christ. Do not curb the impulses of the Spirit within you, nor refuse to allow Me the freedom to manifest Myself through you by means of the gifts. You may resist me because you feel unworthy or unready to be used. This is a delusion of the mind. I do not use you when you feel prepared, but when I need you and you are yielded. When I use you, you will discover that I also work within you to edify your own heart and life.
You block the way to your own spiritual development if you hold me back when I would minister through you (see Eph 4:12, 16) Indeed, if the time would ever come that you feel ready, I would then be completely blocked by your pride and would be forced to use someone else.
Monday, February 18, 2013
Crocheting
Joyce has been relearning to crochet. Her grandmother Spohn had taught her as a child and she remembered making the doilies that most usually became hats. But here, one of the ladies at church is a crocheter and is reteaching her the basics once again. Pinterest has sparked a lot of motivation by giving new pictures, ideas, and patterns. Crocheted items make splendid gifts, especially for the grandson. Crocheting makes nice times of fellowship with friends. She has been helping others relearn as she is learning. Here are a few of the items for beginners that she has made. You may even see one of them in your next gift basket.
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