A great pastoral couple who hosted us last year at a major service combining a number of churches and then welcomed us into their home (still under major construction at that time) for fellowship and a meal shared with 18 other people – pastors and wives… And, again this year, we have spent some wonderful time with them both ministering and also simply fellowshipping as we come to know each other better and hear what is on each other’s hearts.

We are in the city of Tikhoretsk – our second of three days here – and because of the length of stay in one place we are able to go into much more depth with those in attendance. More like a seminar or a conference than a three to six hour training session which is all we usually manage when in a city for one day. So, we get to settle in to where we are staying for three whole “sleeps” before bring uprooted again. Well, it lends a little bit of a sense of stability and permanency – better than simply “one night stands” and moving on. However, I must admit that as tiring as moving every day is we have become somewhat use to it.

In each place we have been ministering the stories we hear of God’s goodness towards His people are always amazing and wonderful to hear. Encouraging, in fact! And, to receive feedback from those whom we have prophesied over in the past whether here in Russia or at a conference in one of the other countries that they travelled to and attended is always exciting. When you hear that the Word of the Lord has or currently is coming to fulfillment and that every detail was seriously accurate – we all stand and rejoice and weep together – that God would tell us ahead of time His plans and purpose and even some of the obstacles. Amazing God we serve. And truly we stand there together – grown men – reaching across the nations and language barriers and bawling together.

And, we have stepped out and are praying for more healings than in past visits to this area. God is faithfully touching lives as we lay hands on the sick and addicted – bringing healing and deliverance. We are believing that this power side of the apostolic ministry will grow and become more dominate than even the prophetic ministry has become over the past several years. We are literally believing for miracles, signs and wonders and God’s power to manifest itself everywhere we go.

According to one prophetic word that I received almost three years ago through Dennis Cramer’s prophetic ministry – the apostolic power of God will be arriving in cities where I will be ministering three days before I get there and will sovereignly prepare the way for my ministry. Please stand in faith with me for that to begin to happen immediately. We need Him to be much more powerful in this ministry as we begin to plant churches where the Gospel has not been preached.

As always your prayers are an encouragement to us and we rely on our prayer support and base while on these apostolic trips. Thank you for fasting and praying.

We spend a great deal of our time in each service ministering the Word of the Lord. Every service has a teaching element to it as we open God’s Word and proclaim what we believe the Lord is telling us to teach. However, we also want to open God’s heart and allow Him time and space to speak personally to individuals, local leadership teams and local churches. So, we are careful to guard our time and use it wisely so that all aspects of the ministry are accomplished in good order and done with reverence and a sense of awe as they should be.

As we minister we are always amazed at what the Lord speaks to people as He comments on their future and the potential or possibilities that exist if they will cooperate with the words spoken and walk in His will for their lives. And, it is exciting, because this is a return visit to this neck of the woods, to hear about what has happened in the past twelve months to those who received a prophetic word last year on our visit. Drug addicts set free and into ministry; alcoholics who are out of bondage and loving their wives and children; pastors who were discouraged and about to leave the ministry now ministering powerfully and with enthusiasm once again; men who have seen their words fulfilled and now live hundreds of kilometers away and are heading up a new ministry in an area that has never heard the Gospel simply based on a Word of the Lord receivd a year ago during a local church service. I stand in awe of God’s goodness and His wonderful plans for people who love Him.

For some of the churches we are ministering in the prophetic ministry is new to them. So, our teachings are basic as we explain what prophecy is and that it is for today and did not ‘peter out with Peter.’ In other churches and locations they are more than use to the prophetic flow of the Holy Spirit and we can enter into a greater anointing and move right into the prophetic anointing ministering at greater depths because of greater expectations. Both are wonderful and powerful because in both situations God is speaking and blessing His people with direction and His plans and purpose for them.

We are honored to be a small part of what is going on here in Russia as God prepares the nation for a major role in the worldwide move of the Holy Spirit and the last days harvest. And, thank you for having a part – an important part – in this ministry we are experiencing daily here through your prayers and financial support. Both are greatly appreciated.

This morning Miroslav and I are ministering at a combined service of many churches from the Network (Union) that is hosting this visit to the Cacausus. There are a number of churches planted by different people which have come together in this union and so they have come together to celebrate God’s grace as a larger, extended family and to hear the Word of the Lord (prophesy) for their network or union.

We will, of course, teach from God’s Word, the Bible. And, they will take out their journals or note books and take notes on the teaching so they can discuss them later with one another. Last year, at a similar service for this network, almost everyone had a note book where they recorded their notes of the Bible teaching. Those without a journal, one would assume, were visitors or non-believers. Teaching these people is simple – they are seriously hungry for more of God and so draw the teachings out of you. A Bible teacher’s Heaven-on-earth.

Of course, they will want a prophetic word if at all possible. God is always gracious and willing to speak to His people individually. Last year they asked me at the last moment to do short prophetic words so as to cover more people during the ministry time. There were about 200 in attendance. I remember it vividly as I had never done rapid fire, short prophetic words over a vast number of people. However, the Lord assured me during worship that He would help me switch my prophetic format and gifting to respond positively to the desires of the leadership under whose authority we minister. So, I explain openly and honestly what I had been asked to do and that I had never ministered prophetically in this way before. So, I told them, either you will see the Lord do something new and great or you will see the greatest failure of my prophetic ministry. They were ready and forewarned, I was ready and hopefully God was ready.

Later in the day …
It was an amazing day with amazing words for many, many people. Individuals scattered all over the rented auditorium, whole rows of believers at a time moving rapid-fire down the row of people who I asked to stand up… I was simply overwhelmed at what the Lord did and how He used us. I was blessed and inspired, the people were blessed, and the leaders were happy. It was a good morning (we really went well into the afternoon).

I expect the same or better tomorrow as we gather together again as the family of God to honor the King, worship Him, and hear directly from His heart – in another city and another church.

The late afternoon and evening was a meal with all the pastors and their families who were involved in the morning gathering and celebration. There was lots of food and fellowship and they were, of course, expecting to receive more prophetic words for their ministries and families… as well as more about what God is doing in other places, other nations, and other groups of believers.

It was a full day and we covet your prayers and continued support.

It is an amazing part of the country. We are so blessed to be here … mountains, valleys, cities that are small and compact and yet have such beautiful places to walk… As we have been walking each day – in 25 C weather – we have been picking and eating apples, pears, grapes, walnuts, hazelnuts, and plums just on the side of the roads (there are no sidewalks to walk on so you often just walk right on the roads along with the locals). The fruit and nuts abound and are there in public places for whoever wants to pick and use them. We have been enjoying the fresh fruit and the nuts (which we crack open with a rock).

The services (almost always with just leaders) have been amazing. We are certainly relying on the Holy Spirit as the topics are chosen as we speak with them at the beginning of the day and so there is no time to prepare, think and pray. Simply respond, teach and minister. Every day is a different place and a different group of leaders – thus a different set of needs, problems, issues and areas that they wish to grow. It has been challenging and very tiring – certainly not a relaxing time of ministry.

In between, of course, there are the extra unscheduled meetings for emergencies. This morning, for example, during breakfast the pastor came and said he needed 30 minutes of our time. We are living in his church building and a former drug addict still in recovery is doing the cooking for us… It seems he has run in to the Spirit of Jezebel and the Spirit of Absalom and it has come to a serious confrontation point and he needed my input. So, an extra meeting right away even though we were about to drive out for 18 hours of ministry to another set of leaders in another city. Priorities – we helped by listening and advising him and his team what to do. Then left for the meetings an hour away without any time to think, pray or plan and prepare. Daily we have held at least three meetings like this – unscheduled and unplanned for. It has added to the weight of the ministry.

We have been having a major impact on each church and leadership group we have been with so far. This is apparent due to the feedback they so willingly supply. As well, the prophetic ministry has been amazing and extra special. A new level for my ministry with a new flavour. More on this another day after I have opportunity to think about it more. As well, we are receiving feedback from our last visit – healings, major miracles, changes in life situations that seemed impossible, family reconciliations, marriages being reunited … as we listen and marvel we have asked each of those sharing with us regarding what the prophetic ministry has accomplished in their lives since our last visit to write to us and give us the details. As soon as we receive these testimonies we will translate them and begin to publish them in our e-newsletter. It has been a real encouragement for me and for my team.

I have just returned from Mineralny Vody. A busy day. It is 1 hour from where we are living (staying). The church is in a city of 100,000 and is one of only three born again churches in the city. It has about 40 members. The building was purchased about 8 years ago but due to a dispute with the mayor of the city they cannot obtain rights to power, gas or water. So, at night they have a generator that gives them power. They bring water to the building and simply go without heat. In the winter they have to shut it down and rent a facility to worship in from another church. This dispute has also prevented them from putting up a fence, cleaning up the land, repairing some of the outside of the building and limited what they have been able to do in the inside. Governments are not in favour of born again and Spirit-filled churches. The church has been to court three times to overturn the ruling of the mayor and all three times have been denied.

However, in spite of the building and the facilities (bathroom by flashlight and no flush to mention just one) the Lord honoured our time with the leaders and we prophesied over many of them as well as taught them about prophesy and prophetic evangelism. We share a meal at both ends of the events and so had some great fellowship times and even managed a laugh or two. Of course, the conversation centered around what the Lord has done and is doing for them individually and as a corporate body of believes. I believe God is happy with the day and with what we were able to accomplish in His Name while with these wonderful people.