South Africa Here I Come!

So Excited!

 Covet your prayers.  Thank you!

 

July 2013 News

Hello Dear Ones!

I trust that you are having a wonderful start to your summer.  I want to share something with you that just rolled out of my spirit a few days ago.  Twice different people asked me about my trip to Africa and I found myself saying these words:  “It was Exciting, Exhilarating,and Excellent!” (I could have also said, Enriching, Elevating, and Educational but I will stop now!) I was pondering this rush of words and shared it with my friend Joan Brown and she laughed and said, “Nancy your trip was Eph. 3:20 through and through!” 

Ephesians 3:20  Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us...

Absolutely, right on!  Then Monday night she and I were in Philadelphia at a meeting, for a time of fellowship, refreshing and Divine Love connections.  I received two words while there in conversation with a couple of pastors. The first one said, he saw a shield going before me and I was not to worry about anywhere that God sent me.  And the other Pastor that I had just met, she said that God gave her a scripture for me.  Since it was for me I am putting my name into it!  (You should do that with scriptures that speak to you!)

Gen 15:1  After these things the word of the LORD came unto Nancy…, saying, Fear not, Nancy: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.

Hmm, there is that word again! Exceeding. So let’s look at this word, since He has quickened it to me now twice in a weeks’ time!  

Exeeding in the OT verse means vehemence! “Vehemently, wholly, speedily, SUPERLATIVELY INTENSIVE, diligently, and greatly.”   (Strongs)  It also means this according to Brown-Driver-Briggs: with might, force, abundance, with muchness, to a great degree, greatly, very (idioms showing magnitude or degree) exceedingly.

God added the word “great” to it and then ended the sentence with reward.

Great: be or become great, be or become many, be or become much, be or become numerous, multiply (of people, animals, things), to make great, to make large, enlarge, increase greatly or exceedingly, [bring in] abundance, do much, be full of, grow up, heap, be in authority, to nourish, have or make plenty (-eous), gather, over, take, yield) much, thoroughly, very.

Reward:  hire, wages, worth, benefit, Passage-money. 

GOD is giving us our passage-money through this journey of Life! Do you see that? He is our benefit.

Wow!  God is real serious about this isn’t He?  He is saying, “Vehemently, with force, I am diligently, speedily, bringing great blessings and abundance upon you to enlarge and increase you, that you may grow up and be in authority and be nourished and nourish others, and take over! I want you to be full of the revelation of the great intensity of my intentions towards you! “   (Jer. 29:11)

In the NT the word is coupled with abundantly. As if exceeding wasn’t quite enough! So let’s look at that combination too. There are actually 3 words in this combination:

Here the 1^st part means: above, beyond, over, superior to, more than. 

The 2^nd part denotes origin (the point from whence motion or action proceeds.  (That’s pretty easy- It all proceeds from HIM!) And it also means heartily, very highly, and vehemently It is often used of completion.  

The 3^rd part means: (in the sense of beyond); superabundant (in quantity) or superior (in quality); by implication excessive; adverb (with G1537) violently; neuter (as noun) preeminence: - exceeding abundantly above, more abundantly, advantage, exceedingly, very highly, beyond measure, more, superfluous, vehement [-ly]!  Exceeding some rank or measure, over and above, more than is necessary, superadded, exceeding abundantly, supremely, something further, more, much more than all, superior, extraordinary, surpassing, uncommon, pre-eminence, superiority, advantage, more eminent, more remarkable, more excellent!

Ephesians 3:20  “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us...”   Don’t read that verse “who is able” and think, but is he “willing?”  Look at the meanings of those words!  Vehemently.  If someone is vehement, what does that mean?  Webster’s Dictionary says this:

1. Violent; acting with great force; furious; very forcible; as a vehement wind; a vehement torrent; a vehement fire or heat.2. Very ardent; very eager or urgent; very fervent; as a vehement affection or passion; vehement desire; vehement eloquence.

God is furious about blessing us? YES! He is furious that we have listened to the lies of the enemy, furious that we have allowed so much to be stolen from us. Jesus told us point blank the enemy only comes to steal, kill and destroy! He is wants to violently bless us!  He is passionate about us. Passionately in love with us and showed us that by going to the cross, ripping the veil that hid Him from our view, going into hell and taking captivity captive and making an open spectacle of satan.

If His intention in the O.T. was set on blessing and prospering and expanding and causing Abram to rule and reign, then how much more does He feel that way now that He has given us Jesus Christ ?   Think about it!  Look at the preceding verses!  Eph.3:14-21(We’ll just look at the last 2 here)

Eph 3:20 Amp  Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]-- Eph 3:21  To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen (so be it).

What is the purpose? It is so Christ will be GLORIFIED in and through the CHURCH! It is so God can show HOW MUCH HE LOVES US! And we can show how much WE LOVE HIM.  When we walk in the fullness of His Love, in the fullness of His Plans for us we are glorifying Him.  When we banish fear and insecurity, and bickering and petty jealousies… when we speak the Truth in Love, and forbear and correct and restore in love… THEN we are coming into the full stature and measure of Christ. 

Not that I have by any means arrived… but I can see where we are to be headed, and so I call, exhort, encourage and cheer you onward- toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.  (Phil. 3:12)

I am telling you this for a reason. Stop thinking that what God is calling others to do, you could never do!  Stop believing that how He is blessing someone else, you can never receive. That is simply not so.  Some things take time, revelation, and pursuit! Some take sacrifice on our part to position ourselves. But the bottom line is He is not a respecter of persons, nor is He being stingy with you!  He wants us to be whole, and wholly His.  He wants the blessings to be from the inside out.  Because when we are healed and whole on the inside then what we have or don’t have and what we see or don’t see happening on the outside, around us, will not move us at all.  I have such a heightened expectation of Blessings coming into my life! I believe for a greater flow of the Spirit in and through my life.  I am expecting financing for the ministry to flood in.  I am looking with the eyes of Faith to the day I am full time in ministry!  I will be diligent to do what I must do, until I see the manifestation of God’s promises and prophecies to me.  But as Apostle Bobbie Jean Merck has said so many times; “Delay is not denial!”  So to all of you, whatever God has whispered in your ear, speak it out if only to yourself.  Put up pictures and things that represent the fullness of those dreams.  Keep the fire of Faith alive and hot.  My walls are covered with maps, pictures of people and mementoes of previous trips.  It has been prophesied that God is opening doors for me and to me, and that things are going to start exploding.  Some of those words have been a long time coming!  Some I forgot about and so God REMINDED me!  Let Him remind you too! Read this and put your name into it: “_____, my child, I entrust to you this command, which is in accordance with the words of prophecy spoken in the past about you. Use those words as weapons in order to fight well,…” 1Tim.1:18

Please keep these upcoming things in prayer: 

South Africa July 29- Aug 6^th.  “Taking Territories.”  Flyer enclosed. Please pray for these meetings! Pray for the ministers who will travel to attend. Pray for all of the speakers.  Pray for the Word to have free course and God to have free reign and flow. Pray for me and for the messages I am preparing and will bring. I am in final preparation stages for the travel part;  I need to go get a shot and Malaria pills and a few odds and ends.  (Also, some funding is still needed for this trip.)

Uganda and Nigeria this fall!  Sept-Oct.  Plans are tentative.  Details need to be worked out for times and locations.  And the funding necessary to facilitate the programmes: needed $5000-$7000.

Gambia!  Salvation Crusade, Pastor’s breakfast, Church Body enrichment meetings.  Tentatively early next year. Situated on the Atlantic coast in westernmost Africa and surrounded on three sides by Senegal, Gambia is twice the size of Delaware.  Religions: Islam 90%, Christian 9%, indigenous 1%

There are some other venues and plans on the horizon. I will share more as things solidify.

News and doings abroad:

UGANDA:  Ben goes out and does a crusade every month. Please pray for safety in travel, safety as they minister and for the family back home. Pray that many souls to come to the Lord.  Also, I expect that down the road new branch churches will emerge from the fruit of these locations!

GAMBIA:  Gideon has 2 programmes coming up in The Gambia this July and then he begins technical school in South Africa the end of July.  He will be learning media production to further expand his abilities and the studio work that he does for others, along with his own productions and CD’s!  He is also an international recording artist.

INDIA:  Titus has begun a new branch church in Madurai!  We are so excited! The location is rented where he is putting up the structure.   Please pray for him and the progress of this work. We are pressing into God for the remaining funds to purchase the land and start building the permanent compound and teaching centre. The amount needed is $6000.00 to finish purchasing the land.  

NIGERIA:  15 Study Bibles needed for new pastors!  Pastor Ibonga Essien  suffered a stroke 2 mos. ago and the Dr. has him on restricted duty and physical therapy and daily medication. Please pray for restoration and health. Pray for the church Christian Commissioners Assembly, as his wife now shoulders it all.  Another Pastor in Nigeria has also suffered what appears to be a stroke and was unconscious for a month. Pray for his healing and restoration also.  Another pastor battles high blood pressure and requests prayer.

Kenya:  Pastor Sammy has been to the hospital in Nairobi (a long bus trip for him.) He has had continual swelling in his legs and they are now too painful for him to use his bicycle or to stand or walk for long.  The Dr. diagnosed him with diabetes.  Please pray for his healing and the family as he was their sole support.

Thank you for your prayers and continued support as Heart n Hands reaches out to encourage, educate, inspire, stand in the gap with and for, and raise up mighty vessels of honor for HIS NAME and GLORY!

May you continually sink your roots in Him and build on him. May you be strengthened by the faith that you were taught, and overflow with thanksgiving.   May His face shine upon you and God Bless You richly.

Love,

Nancy & Tom