The Work of God......

Dear Friends,

On this weekend of remembering who God is and what He has done, here is a report I got this morning from a pastor in Little Rock, AK from last night's gathering. This is the end of the third week of unscheduled meetings every night. Be encouraged as God is making Himself known.

Also, as you pray, one of our teams is extending a conference in Cleveland, TN because of the extraordinary work of God. Our ministry has scrambled to form a fourth team to cover a Summit beginning Sunday in Saltillo, MS. We are praying that all of this is a reflection of God stirring in many places. Is it possible that national revival is approaching?

Currently our team is in Chattanooga, TN where the service last night went three hours and the conviction of the Spirit of God was heavy upon us.

In His grip!
Ben and Jennifer Slenk (and family).


The Wedding Ring that Funded a Homeless Prayer Center
Report of God’s Mercies 4.22.11

Last night, we began a teaching on Acts 2 and 4. It was beautiful to be reminded that we are experiencing, in a wonderful measure, exactly what was happening in the book of Acts. But we pointed out that there is one component that we are not yet quite seeing. No one considered that anything they had was their own. This is hard for us to even imagine because our thinking about our possessions (even among the most committed believers) is so Americanized. What would it be like if EVERY believer in the WHOLE CHURCH IN THE CITY didn¹t think of ownership, but was willing to give whatever God asks to meet the needs of the rest of the body so that (just as in Acts 4:29 and following) there was literally no more need? How it would amaze believers and create curiosity among unbelievers! We have been burdened in our heart for a long time that THIS ONE ACTS MODEL would be an amazingly powerful tool of witness to a lost world if it occurred in our whole city and have even prayed for this with our city pastors. One of our other teaching pastors followed with an exhortation from the first verses of James 5. Reminding us of our incredible wealth and how silly to be hoarding it, as we see the day of the Lord approaching. Then, another pastor was led to remind us from Matthew 17 that the Lord

Jesus was interceding for US, individually, by name at the right hand of the Father. Why should we worry about anything? Fear anything? Therefore we should take courage and do exactly what the Lord prompted us to do. There is nothing to fear. And again, we read from Psalm 27 that we should be strong and let your heart take courage.

In a few minutes, a precious sister came up trembling. She had been prompted to do something and she had prayed and prayed about it and the Lord kept impressing her heart about it. She went to her husband thinking he would disagree but, he agreed with the Holy Spirit! She then removed her (large) wedding ring and said that she wanted to give it to meet the needs of the homeless. A few minutes later, a man who had come from another church came up, told a story about a similar situation in Florida and said that he wanted to help buy back the ring for the lady and said all I have is $250 but I wanted to take this step. As he said this, one of the pastors was reminded that he had $250 in his pocket and this was amazing because he NEVER CARRIED CASH, BUT that very day had been given that money. They were able to put the $500 into the offering basket that contained the ring. People began streaming to the altar, filling the basket with money. In a few minutes, when the basket was full and after several other wonderful moments of prayer and ministry, we called the lady who had given the ring and her husband up and had a glorious wedding ceremony! You, like Mary, have given a beautiful gift that has anointed the Lord¹s feet and filled the room with the fragrance. But now, the King of Kings wants to remind you that you are married to HIM. And HE places this ring on your finger as HIS bride.

The church erupted in celebration.

In a few minutes, another amazing moment of giving occurred. Several nights ago a young woman came up whose husband had committed suicide in her presence 30 days ago. She was weeping and requesting prayer that God would deliver her from her anger towards God. People swarmed around and prayed and that anger was gloriously lifted from her soul. Another sister on that night mentioned to us that night that this widowed young wife needed a car and the people began to give and then a man who came in later found out about the need, had a 2001 Ford Explorer that the day before his father had said he needed to give to someone, and he gave her that car. Plus, she received the $2850+ that was in the offering. She NOW came to the offering and said that the Lord had told her to give HER wedding ring that had been given to her by her late husband. In a few minutes, another man came privately to me and said that he wanted to buy back HER ring for her, and others followed. We performed ANOTHER wedding as we placed the ring on her finger and reminded her, again from Psalm 127 that when mother and father (or husband) leave me, the LORD WILL TAKE ME UP! And reminded her as we placed the ring on her finger that God the Father was her husband and provider and she was married to Him. TWO WEDDINGS IN ONE NIGHT! And that was just the beginning!
Also,

• A couple came from another church and had two of our men come to the mic and share a need with their unnamed church where the pastor’s wife had just left her husband. It is a young, wonderful church. They wanted it to remain anonymous. The church TRAVAILED in prayer, reminding the enemy he had no right to touch God¹s pastor and the Lord¹s bride. Deep, fervent prayer and spiritual warfare on their behalf.
• A man that our church loves stood (for the first time in his life publicly) to admit that he had a 40-year addiction to alcohol. Before he finished the people came streaming and weeping around him. For the first few minutes, all you could hear was moaning and weeping and then massive, soulful, fervent prayer asking that God would deliver this brother. Four treatment centers had not delivered him. Great prayer was offered on his behalf.
• A brother from another church came to ask prayer for his son who is addicted to drugs and bound up. We invited others who were bound up with any issue to also stand for prayer and then those who had children who are bound up to stand. Dozens stood and the church gathered around them all with fervent prayer.

• A young man comes up and says that God has put the homeless on his heart and that the Lord has told him to go and live in a place where he can help men in need.

• Another brother comes up to tell us that his small group has already been praying about that and that they had prayed for a house in the Levy area and TODAY THE LORD HAD GIVEN THEM A HOUSE through a local Hispanic ministry. It’s a fixer-upper, but it is now God’s house to be used to help pray over and restore the homeless.

• We envisioned what it would like if God brought revival to the city for His glory, and EVERY HOMELESS NEED WAS MET. It could happen and has happened before in times of revival.

• People began to stream to the offering basket putting more and more money in the basket.

• A homeless man comes and brings his ring that his daughter had who died 12 years ago. More money comes in.

• We report that we are gathering Friday night on Good Friday. We cannot imagine being anywhere else but in His house with others on such a holy day.

• A dear sister, formerly Catholic, reports that she had always gone to her former Catholic church on Easter week services because she loved the reverence and the reminders of the Lord¹s work for her. But, she said, “I am now in this sacred place and I love it and am so grateful and will be here tomorrow night celebrating the Lord’s death and resurrection.”

And, at the close of the night the offering was counted. We know of more that is coming in, but at the CURRENT MOMENT THE OFFERING IS $12,747 given spontaneously and prompted by one beautiful, sacrificial gift. To God be the glory!!!
We meet tonight, Good Friday, at 7 pm around the cross and the Lord¹s Table.
Come praying. Bring someone to the Cross!