Have you ever been set up by the Lord? If you haven't, then you don't know what you're missing. A friend of mine, Joni Ames, says that God is Jehovah sneaky... and I've seen that quite a few times in my walk with Him. While we were in Peru, He set us up by having James go home only 2 days after we got there. He obviously knew we wouldn't have gone if we knew James would leave so suddenly. Sneaky?!@?
The picture above shows our taxi driver. He's the one in the orange tank top on the left in the back.
Well, also while we were there, God created a divine set up with one of our taxi drivers. We were in the taxi with Pastor Luis and our interpreter, Sammy. (remember everything had to be translated but here's the conversation). I heard the Lord say that we were on a treasure hunt right in the taxi. I said who's the "treasure" and the Lord said, our driver. I felt like the Lord told me to invite the driver to the church services but that he would say no. The reason he would say no is because he needed to work and earn fares. The Lord told me to ask what he would make and then offer him double fare. So, I tapped on the taxi driver's shoulder and said hey would you like to come to church service tonight, this is Pastor Luis sitting next to you and Ken and I will be teaching and ministering. I sense the Lord has something special for you tonight. The taxi driver immediately said no and that he couldn't afford to not work, that he had a lot of debt to pay and had to work. I said how much do you make in fares for an evening and he said 10 soles (that equates to about $3). I said what if I gave you 20 soles, would you come? He said, well I'm not in proper clothes (he was in a tank top and shorts). I said you know the Lord doesn't look at the outward appearance but He looks at the heart. We say come as you are, we accept you as you are, isn't that right Pastor Luis. Pastor Luis said yes, come. So he agreed.
As we approached the church, our taxi driver was getting cold feet, however, the Lord had a plan. The taxi driver's car suddenly quit/the engine died. The taxi driver repeatedly (about 20 times) tried to start the car but it wouldn't start. (hmmmm???) I said to him, the Lord wants you to come into the church services and when we come out later, your car will start right up. What choice did he have?? So he came in. Whoohoo!
As the worship music began, the taxi driver was standing in the back of the church and obviously wasn't as enthusiastic about being there as the rest. So I prayed. I said God, would you help him to have a good time and would you show him how to worship You? Just a minute or so later, he lifted his hands up every so slightly to worship. I said wow, cool. So I said to God, would you help him to not be distracted by his car not running and help him to worship You even more? In just a minute his hands raised up to shoulder height in worship. Wow!!! So I bumped Sammy (the interpreter) and said watch this - I said Lord, could you also have the taxi driver smile, he looks so sad and down. I am NOT kidding when I say that just a few seconds after that, he smiled and looked up towards me and I smiled back! God is soooooo good! Both Sammy and I were completely amazed at everything we asked for (according to His will) God did!
After worship, Ken preached a message about unity and how important it was that the people of the church are to each other and to the pastor. It was a timely and God orchestrated sermon!! I added a few words and then I thought we were going to leave because we were supposed to teach and minister at another church. Pastor Luis asked if we would pray over everyone there? Everyone lined up in the middle aisle and we prayed and prophseyed over each one. We were utterly amazed at how fluid the prophetic and healing was there. The prophetic words were absolutely dead on and instant healing happened to about 90% of those we prayed for. Can you believe that? I wouldn't if we didn't experience it firsthand!
In the line was our taxi driver. I was amazed he actually got in line for prayer. When he got to the front, the Lord spoke to me to lead him to the Lord. I said to the taxi driver, do you feel you were suppose to be here tonight? He said yes? Do you believe God has something for you tonight? He said yes? Do you understand what it means to become a Christian believer? He said he wasn't sure, so I explained to him what it meant. I said do you want to become a follower of Jesus tonight and come into the family of God? He said YES!!!!!!! I had Sammy pray with him the salvation prayer. Tears were coming down his face. After this, I shared to the entire congregation about the divine set up in the taxi and how his taxi died as we arrived and how God wanted him to come to this service. The crowd laughed and clapped in joy. I said to the church - please welcome him to the family of God, please show him what that looks like. Every single person literally went to him hugged him and kissed him and welcomed him. There was so much love and warmth. It made me cry! When he went back to his seat, he no longer was standing there alone. Others gathered around him. God is good!
After we got done ministering 3 hours later, the entire church went out to the sidewalk to watch as the taxi driver went to start his car. He got in and turned the ignition over. What do you think happened? IT STARTED FIRST TRY!!!!!! He started to laugh and the rest of the church clapped!!!!!!! On the 45 minute drive back to our hotel, he told us that he has never experienced God's power and love before. He realized that this truly was a divine set up. I told Pastor Luis that I felt the Lord wanted him to invite our taxi driver (can't remember his name, sorry) to his church and that he should mentor him and give him a bible. Now remember, I don't understand or speak spanish (yet). Pastor Luis said to me, I just invited him to come to our church, told him I would mentor him and that I had a bible for him. The taxi driver and the rest of us really were so amazed at God's hand in this whole thing.
Also - one more thing that I said in a previous post. Pastor Luis said on the ride back that in November 2010 the Lord gave him a vision of a couple from another country preaching in his church and they would bring life back to his church....and they would move to Peru. He told us that during the services, the Lord confirmed to him that we were that couple and that life came back to his church tonight. He said the countenance of the church changed as we were ministering.
We are still praying and seeking God for direction on a "move". Our sense is another trip there - maybe a longer stay and back again. ????
I am still trying to recover - coughing, chest congestion and exhaustion. Please continue to pray for healing.
If you have a ministry or prayer need or would like us to come teach or speak, we would be delighted to. Our heart is to love God, love others and help others do the same! We want to ignite the body of Christ to walk in radical obedience and total surrender!
God Bless YOU -
Ken & Michele Cole
This is how you can give to support the ministry God has entrusted us with, if the Lord so leads you:
Tax deductible donations can be made by visiting:
1. https://www.hhmin.org/make_donation_projects.php, select Ministry Projects, then use drop down box Ken & Michele Cole - Want InSight?
2. Or you can donate through my medical account, select Medical Projects, then Michele Cole.
3. Non tax deductible donations can be made directly to us by:
4. Paypal - account is michele@wantinsight.com
5. Send check to our home. Please contact us for the address.
Any donations made through Helping Hands will be anonymous. If you want us to know that you supported us through them, please let us know personally. Thank YOU
Also - reminder of some events coming up -
FEBRUARY 2012
Jerry Baysinger of Life Healing Ministries http://lifehealingministries.us/ will be here February 18th. We will be hosting him at our home to teach and minister. God miraculously healed him of liver cancer given only one month to live! God has used him mightily in the area of healing for the past 17 years!! If you are interested in attending this event, please email me as seating is limited. IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW NEEDS HEALING, BRING THEM!!!
APRIL 2012
Bob Sorge will be back on April 10th to give us another amazing teaching. Bob's messages come from the "secret place". He lost his voice 18 years ago. He only can speak for an hour a day and God uses him mightily. Bob came last year and we were all incredibly blessed. You can check him out at oasishouse.net/ Please email me if you are interested in attending. Seating is limited.
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