December 2002 Crusade

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2002 Crusades:  December

PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA. As of 11pm last night, the Lethlabile meetings have concluded. What can I say? Scores and scores were born again, people were healed, and last night the Lord led us to do a breathtaking thing - wash the people's feet. Hundreds and hundreds came forward, and we washed their African feet. You never saw such feet, and you never saw so many tears as the Lord did I don't know what in their lives through it.

Then the altar call came. I stood in front of the people, my pants filthy with the soil from their feet splashing up from the wash basins. I told them the Lord would have them see that as a picture of exactly what He did - took our filth upon Himself - washed us clean and took our filth upon Himself.

It was a holy and humbling 'picture,' to say the least. I could barely stand there myself in the graphic awareness that it conveyed. And with only a few exhausted words from Martin, the people came. They gave their lives to Jesus. They came and they came... and they came.

I have been doing this for nine years now, and this past week - I just don't know what to say. It has undoubtedly been one of the most stunning if not the most stunning ministry experience I've ever had. And here's the thing - it's only just begun!

We are planning for a stadium event before Easter. Martin had a vision for 10,000 souls and a target of several years out. Now he says the Lord has shown him it is only a matter of months. In this country everyone shuts down for December "holidays," but last night Martin said he has canceled his holiday plans. He said, "There is not time. The harvest is so great and coming in so fast I must stay and train more people to lead and disciple." I tell you, a guy like that just takes my breath away.

So the dust in Lethlabile has settled and Lord only knows all what happened and all what will happen in the future. But one thing has happened about which there can be no doubt. The Lord has birthed in me such a deep love for these people, and such a level of commitment to them. I have rarely felt as given over as I do today.

And by the way, my name is no longer Bruce. The Africans have given me an African name. And as much as it makes me smile and seems kind of 'cute,' it also blows me away because I know these guys and how they operate. They don't do a thing like this lightly. They pray and pray, and ask the Lord to give them the African name.

The name they gave me is "Jabu." Buckle your seat belt - it means "Joy." The Africans have named me Joy. Glory to the Name of Jesus!

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LETHLABILE, SOUTH AFRICA. I really don't have words to write what I'm about to write. It is something, though I've prayed and prayed about, deep inside I probably never thought I would ever actually experience.

A woman who was blind now sees. Yes, I was there. I saw the blind-cane in her hand, and I saw the tears in her freshly opened eyes as she said over and over, "I can see. I have been blind for 11 years and now I can see."

It was a miracle - a first century miracle. "Go back and report what you hear and see," Jesus said, 2000 years ago. "The deaf hear, the blind see... and the Good News is preached to the poor." I tell you, that woman was blind and now she sees. And for the first time, it is not me taking someone's word for it. I actually saw it with my own two eyes.

And she wasn't alone. While we were praying before the meeting we all sensed the Lord wanted to heal people. I actually 'felt' Him say to me, "Bruce, tonight is a night of healing."

It was a scary word. I immediately thought, "But Lord, I've never preached healing. I don't know how to preach healing."

He responded with one Scripture - "I came to give you life and life abundantly." It was so awkward because I got no sense of a message around the Scripture, and boy, did I struggle with that. But when I grabbed the microphone I just kind of gave in.

I told the people what we all felt the Lord showed us. I told them that He'd only given me one thing to say to them, "I came to give you life and life abundantly." I just kept speaking that to them, over and over.

Martin stepped up and called the people for prayer. We all began ministering, and I just don't know how to say what I saw in the next 2 hours. All I know is that a blind woman now sees. There are so many who believe God doesn't do those things in today's world, but forgive me - last night I saw it with my own eyes - a woman who was blind now sees.

And there was more. Two guys came forward saying they were deaf and now they could hear. Another guy said his asthma was gone. He said he felt it happen during the preaching. I could go on and on, and the greatest miracle of all, the salvation was again massive. Glory to Jesus.

So you must forgive me, as I'm a little stunned this morning. I mean, never in my wildest dreams, and here it is, inches from my face - God healing people of sickness and disease. My goodness, it is so humbling. It sounds so short of the mark to just keep saying it - glory, glory, glory to His amazing Name.

So in a few hours I leave for a fourth and final meeting tonight, and with the testimonies circulating all through the district, I tell you, the people will be coming from everywhere. I'm so over my head, and I guess the best part of that is I know it. But I need fear nothing after what I saw God do last night. One word and He did it, and I tell you, there just are no words for that.

Martin has already asked if we could do it again before Easter '03. It didn't take me a second to consider - "Just let me know the dates and I'll be there, Pastor."

She was blind, and now she sees. "Yes, Pastor, just let me know and I'll be there." Glory to the living God!

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