Gather the Outcasts

Check out our web site www.gathertheoutcasts.com for upcoming events, audio messages, pictures of mission trips, and other contact information.

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Prayers for Stephen

Dear beloved: One of the joys of preaching in Kenya was in meeting new people and listening to their stories; indeed, that is one of the great joys of being a missionary in a far off land. In Mumias, Kenya, I had the privilege of praying for a young man named Stephen, who was living with the Pastor Lucas and his wife Jane.

Stephen, who is 12 years old, has a story similar to many in Africa. His father is infected with the HIV virus, unable to take care of him; and Stephen's mother has already passed away from infection with the virus. The father took a couple of stepmothers to help him with the family, and they too became infected and passed away. And so Stephen is now living with the Pastor, his uncle. On the first night that I preached in the Mumias crusade, Stephen was one of the first to step forward for healing and salvation. I layed hands on him, and the mighty healing hand of Jesus touched him. The second day of the crusade he came forward again, and again the mighty healing hand of Jesus touched him. And again on the third day he came forward for healing prayers and the Lord touched him again. By the end of the week he was looking much better, displaying a healthy shine that would be normal for a young man his age. For you see, Stephen also is infected with the HIV virus. On Saturday of the final day of the Mumias crusade we had a baptism service in a river about a mile from the pastor's church, and Stephen was one of the first baptised, a testimony to the mighty work the Lord did in his life that week.

Matthew 18:2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them. v3 And said, "verily I say unto you, Except you be converted and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. v4 Whosoever shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. v5 And whoever shall receive one such little child in my name receives me. v6 But whoever shall offend one of these little ones which believe in Me, it would be better for him that a millstone were hung around his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea." I believe God is going to heal Stephen of AIDS, if He hasn't already, and that Stephen will be used mightily for the Kingdom to bring others to know Jesus as their Lord. Pastor Lucas has about thirty children that his church has taken in that are infected with AIDS, and they would like to build an orphanage as a permanent place to house, care for, and school these children. Would you pray about your part in helping to build an orphanage? They already have the land, now they just need resources for building materials. If you can help, get in touch with me through the contact information on my website, or email me at pureprairie@hotmail.com. Thank you and God bless you, in Christ, Jim

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Fortunes Of Job Restored

Dear beloved: Another of the pastors who spoke at the morning conference sessions in Mumias, Kenya was a tremendous preacher and teacher of the Word, and in addition,he is a modern day old testament Job. Over the coarse of his life he had buried seven of his ten children. One by one they were taken from him through various events and circumstances that left him and his wife with only three children.

The weight of all that pain, coupled with his preaching regimen, finally caused him to collapse in exhaustion; a deep exhaustion that was unto death. He laid down and was ready to die. The angels of the Lord escorted his spirit up to heaven as he watched his physical body lying there unresponsive on the floor. As he was escorted up through the heavenlies, he was torn between feeling a need and desire for his physical body and the feeling of freedom and joy that he felt from his new spirit body. However, when he came to the gates of heaven, he was not allowed entry, the angels informed him it wasn't his time to stay just yet. And so they escorted him back to earth and into his earthly body; as he approached it his spirit laid down beside and rolled into his physical body. Amazingly, he was refreshed and renewed and he felt no after effects of the fatigue and exhaustion. He has since gone on to preach and pastor with great passion, and is instrumental in establishing a bible college near the border of Uganda with Kenya.

How does one stand up when the circumstances and tragedies of life tend to overwhelm? Not easy, I'm sure, few are tested and tried the way this pastor has been, let alone Job himself. Psalm 68:19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden, the God who is our salvation. And in Job 13:15 Job says, "Though He slay me, I will hope (trust) in Him. Nevertheless I will argue my ways before Him." Eventually we read in Job that the Lord restored to him a double portion of all that he had. Job 42:10 And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friends, and the Lord increased all that Job had twofold, all his livestock and possessions. And he was given 10 more children, seven sons and three daughters. Why not 20 children, you say, that would be double? He was given 20; the ten in heaven that died he would soon be with, and ten more on the earth that were eventually also his to enjoy in heaven. v12 And the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning. v16 And after this Job lived 140 years, and saw his sons, and his grandsons, four generations. v17 And Job died, and old man and full of days. God bless you, in Christ, Jim

Sunday, August 21, 2011

The Narrow Gate

Dear beloved: One of the pastors who preached at the conference in Mumias, Kenya, relayed this testimony to me about a lady from Spain who had been in a car accident and was in a coma, hovering near death for 48hrs. As she was near death's door, she was taken up in the spirit by the Lord for a visitation to heaven. (See Paul's account of his visitation to heaven in 2 Corinthians 12:1-9) While there in heaven, she met Jesus and He told her it was not her time to stay in heaven, that He was going to send her back to her life on earth with a message. She was to share the message with everyone she came in contact with, and the message is this: Jesus said "only 2 out of 100 people who are dying on earth right now are saved believers coming into heaven."

Matthew 7:13 "Enter by the narrow gate,for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it. v14 For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life, few are those who find it." It is truly remarkable to think about all the ways the gospel is being preached all over the world this day and age: through radio, television, internet, Bible tracts, Bible distribution, preaching on street corners and in magnificent churches, and yet with all of that, only two percent of the people are being saved. The narrow gate is certainly narrow!

Where do you stand with the Lord Jesus today? If this were to be your last day on earth today, would you be one of the two who would stand at the gate and hear the Lord say, "Well done my good and faithful servant, come in to heaven to enjoy the place I have prepared for you." Or would you be one of the ninety eight who would hear the Lord say, "Depart from me you worker of iniquity, for I never knew you." And you would be banished to eternal torment, separated from God for all eternity because of your pride and hardness of heart. Spend some time today on your knees before the Lord, make sure that you are right with Him, that you have confessed Him before men as your Lord and Savior. You will then have no fear of death, and when you stand before the Lord you can hear those precious words, "Come in!" God bless you, in Christ, Jim

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Miracle Testimonies from Kenya

Dear brother Jim,
Iwant to thank God so much for your safe trip back home.God real did miracles in Mumias crusade.Many people received salvation , instant healing and hundreds were delivered.God real moved in a powerful way.God real used you very powerful and perfomed miracles through your hands as he did to paul.
There was many testimonies on Sunday how God perfomed many miracles in many lives.We dance in praise of what God did in mumias crusade.
The church was full that were not able to contain people.We do not know where we will put people in the following services.
Ihave attached the pictures of the ministry, i will please attach pics especially those you and was baptizing people in that river on Saturday.
I and my wife Jane was very church touched for your blessing ministry in our nation.We are praying many big blessings upon you and your work.May God open big doors for finances so that you can be of the blessing to us and use it to come again in 2012..
We kindly ask you to put our ministry website into yours so that many people read a bout us in Kenya.Encourage and speak to many people a bout us and our work , give them our website and God shall bless you . http://newhopefellowshipchurch.weebly.com/
God's rich blessings !!!
yours in His service
Pastors Lucas and Jane obanda

This was a message I received from Pastor Obanda in Mumias, Kenya, regarding the testimonies about the healings at the Mumias Catch the Fire Crusades. About 200 people gave their lives to the Lord Jesus in Mumias. Pray that we can return there to minister again someday. If you would like to help Pastor Lucas build on to his church, make a donation to Gather the Outcasts Ministry and note on it for the Mumias church. You can donate through PayPal or through the contact information given on the website www.gathertheoutcasts.com. God bless you, in Christ, Jim

Monday, August 8, 2011

Final Kenya Report

Dear beloved: This will be my final post from Kenya, I will be getting on the plane tonight at 10pm headed for Amsterdam, then Detroit, and on to Omaha. Thank you for your prayers for safe travel and good health these past weeks. The final tally for salvation decisions was over 900 who gave their lives to the Lord. To God be the glory! There was also many miraculous healings, in Mumias in particular one of the pastors told me on Friday that the Lord had spoken to him today would be a day for many miracles. I'm sure those reports will come in later.

Two scriptures have been on my heart today, the first from the book of Amos. Amos 8:11, "Behold days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will send a famine in the land, not a famine for bread or a thirst for water, but rather for hearing the words of the Lord." Many hearts are hard to the gospel, we preach and we preach, but many turn away because the the enemy has hardened their hearts to the point that they cannot hear or understand what the Lord is saying to them. The way to destruction is broad, the way to salvation is narrow, few are being saved in the present day. The second scripture speaks of the harvest that is being prepared and the need to continue spreading the word no matter what, for the time is short. Joel 3:13 "put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe; come tread for the wine press is full; the vats overflow, for their wickedness is great. v14 Multitudes, multitudes, in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision!"

The day of the return of the Lord is near, we must work while it is still day. Thanks again for your prayers and support. I will have pictures and videos posted on my website when I get back to America. God bless you, Jim

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Mumias Kenya Update

Dear beloved: Last night I flew back to Nairobi from Mumias and today I am just resting after preaching in a church this morning. We wrapped a powerful crusade in Mumias with over 200 coming to give their life to Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Yesterday we had a baptism service for some who wanted to get baptized right away, and about 40 were baptized in a local river. Praise be to God!

In addition, pastors from Kibera report that the final tally in the Kibera crusade was 710 salvation decisions, the harvest was great in both locations. I will be getting on the plane for America on Monday night so please pray for my travel home. If God wills I will come back again to Kenya to continue to bring the good news to these precious people. I will post pictures and videos on my website when I get back to Kansas, so check my website for that. Many thanks again to all of you for your prayers. God bless you, in Christ, Jim

Monday, August 1, 2011

Kibera Update #3

Dear beloved: Last night was the finale of the Kibera crusade. It was extremely powerful, many came to the Lord, over 200,and hundreds came forward for healing and general prayers. The Holy Spirit was moving so powerfully, at times I didn't know if I could stand up! Bwama a safiwe, praise the Lord! The pastors all said it was the best attented crusade they have had in that area in many years. Kibera is a very rough place, the people there are very hardened to the gospel.
The message was from Revelation 22:1, the river of living water that flows down from the throne of God. God wants us to drink of the living water; years ago the Lord took me up in the spirit to drink of the living water. It came at the end of a three day fast of no food or water, the Lord sat me down beside the stream of living water and I took a pitcher and dipped into the steam over and over and filled myself with the water. It was a powerful dream, the Lord was just showing me to drink of Him, that if I drank of Him I would never thirst again! How very true that has been in my life and will be in yours also. Last night as I was leaving Kibera for the last time, I began to cry for the pain and living conditions of those people, it is a very poor and dirty place, but I was also crying for those who are lost there who did not come to the crusade and give their heart to the Lord. I was also grieved that it was the last night; to preach the word of God to lost and hurting people is a high calling and it is true fulfillment. I thank you so much for your prayers.
I will be traveling to Mumias in western Kenya tomorrow and start another five night crusade there on Tuesday night. We will also be teaching pastors during the day so it will be a rigorous schedule. God bless you and thank you again for your prayers. In Christ, Jim