I got really spooked out with spiritual goose bumps yesterday to the point of the hair sticking straight up on my neck and arms. My wife told me that my choice of words to describe it is inappropriate, but I’m sticking with it.
As usual, yesterday morning I got up very early to engage in my quiet time and devotional and then I wrote Words for the Day. (I write it, record it for radio broadcast and the listen feature at the end of each post, and then send it to a technician in Tallahassee that posts it to the website, Facebook, and sends it to the subscriber list via e-mail). This all happens when he gets in his office around 6:30-7:30 a.m.
So right after I finished pressing send I walked into the living room to get ready to go deer hunting and have a cup of coffee. Suddenly I got a phone call and I noticed it was an international call. I wondered who in the heck might be calling me from another country so early in the morning. When I answered I immediately recognized the voice at the other end; it was my good friend Pastor Daniel Yaw Akuoko, founder of Grace and Faith Ministries in Ghana Africa; the man I had just written about in Words for the Day.
Yeah . . .
The hair stood up on my neck as I told him what just happened. You might recall that in yesterday’s entry I wrote that our Worldwide Ministry is getting ready to establish a worldwide prayer warrior team that will pray continuously that we are successful in our goal of preaching the Gospel to every nation and making disciples of them, and that many will call upon the name of the Lord and be saved. Additionally we will ask them to pray for our Renewal of America campaign that is aimed at the citizens of the United States, (the former shining light to the rest of the world), to renew their faith in God and turn to Him whereby He can restore our once great country to her former glorious state. I then mentioned that we already have a powerful start in Ghana Africa with Pastor Daniel’s church praying for us 24/7.
I detailed to Daniel what I’d written and he said he would go read it, but I told him it hadn’t been sent out yet. He was amazed at God’s timing and right then over the phone we prayed together and were amazed at God’s grace. You must understand Pastor Daniel has only called me from Ghana a few times, but never in the early morning hours. Imagine how that phone call made me feel, when right after I wrote about him he called me before it was ever mailed out!
Yikes! It spooked me out I tell you . . .
NO, it’s not a coincidence; it’s God sending a miraculous confirmation that He is pleased that our Worldwide Ministry is establishing an ambitious prayer program with the Big Hairy, Audacious Goal of having 5000 people in every nation in the world and 5000 persons in every state in the United States and Province in Canada praying and petitioning God 24/7 to bless our efforts.
My friend Pastor Daniel says in his subsequent letter below: How wonderful it is, if you are thinking about something and God in his grace sends you a message to confirm your thoughts. I can vouch for that statement; (perhaps wonderful is a better descriptor than “spooked out”).
The entire letter from Pastor David is below, (he calls me Pastor Willy 🙂 ) . . .
Hello Pastor Willy,
It was nice talking with you this morning from Ghana on phone to wish you Merry Christmas, healthy and happy new year. How wonderful it was, when I called you, you already had me on your mind for your today’s devotion.
I believe this is surely not a coincidence, but divinely arranged. I was utterly amazed when I read from your devotion today and found you mention my name to the numerous receivers of your powerful devotion. Thank you, and am grateful to our God of grace and mercy.
Yesterday and today, I have spent quite a lot of time in the house meditating and thanking God for the year 2013 and thinking through in the spirit for his word for 2014.
I came face to face with a challenge that ended up in making a resolution, thereby asking for grace to do necessary. it hit me hard as I learned that wrong habits die hard but eventually die with determination.
I have been asking the Holy Spirit to reveal to me habits that need to be dealt with to enhance my better walk with the lord and doing ministry. I was amazed to read something similar from your devotion today.
How wonderful it is, if you are thinking about something and God in his grace sends you a message to confirm your thoughts. Today has been a very healthy day for me.
One question I often ask myself, our pastors, church members and Christians God gives me opportunity to minister to them is, what do we live for, of the short time that we have on planet earth?
This question makes always me think and press to count but loss the vain things that charm me most. the next thing is to pour contempt on all my pride that I might gain him and his obedience.
Pastor Willy, we are in the same purpose and I trust that God will help us all to rescue the perishing in a way possible by measure of our graces.
I am praying and looking forward to the appointed time and date that all your national prayer co-coordinators to be raised will meet for a congress or convention or whatever in the United States and together see the way forward. In prayer with you.
Once again God bless you and greetings from Ghana
Pastor Daniel Yaw Akuoko
Founder Grace and Faith Ministries
So eloquently put! It’s really moving eh?
I recently spoke with a pastor friend of mine and he told me he had problems praying continuously for long lengths of time.
Hmmm . . . Come to think of I’m in that same boat. I do know an evangelist that barricades himself in a room for 3 days prior to one of his revival meetings and fasts and prays continuously for 3 solid days, but I just can’t seem to be able to do anything like that.
With that in mind we are designing a website that will enable you to sign up for as little time as you like. It can be 5 minutes, 5 hours, or 5 days or any variation in-between.
Many folks absolutely hate to be asked to donate money or don’t have any to donate, some don’t want to volunteer to work for the ministry or cannot for one reason or another, but anyone can pray.
Oddly I consider prayer to be the most valuable contribution that anyone could make to our ministry. Yes we need money and volunteers, but prayer is absolutely essential for our success. It won’t cost you but a few minutes per day, and the rewards are stunning.
Please consider becoming a part of our prayer warrior team (if only for a few minutes each day). You will be blessed and so will the millions of people all over the world that we are trying to reach on behalf of our Savior. More information will be forthcoming and I’ll tell you how YOU can be a part of this great team in the days ahead.
That wraps it up; I’m going hunting again, (in spite of the fact that I bagged a nice buck yesterday). I just like to sit on that stand and see God’s sun rise and the woods come to life thereby confirming His wonderful presence in my life.
And for those of you who are wondering, yes indeed I did receive my fair share of hate mail yesterday, thus confirming that a few idiots who support that despot are very much alive and are still spewing their venom . . . 🙂
Have a great weekend and go to Honey Lake Church, where I’ll be preaching on Sunday, (or somewhere) this weekend!
Mark 11:24
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
December 27, 2013 – Click here to listen