Ministry Report: OFCC - Our Fellowship Christian Church

It was a great honor to minister at OFCC on Sunday, May 17th. Pastor Howard Jackson is a longtime friend and spiritual father in the faith, a modern day Apostle Paul. If you are ever on his side of town stop in for a visit. You will be blessed by his prophetic ministry and gift!

Our Fellowship Christian Church
11224 Wilcrest Green Drive
Houston, Texas 77042
Pastor Howard : 281-450-4201
www.ourfellowshipcc.org

 

 

His best to you,

Samuel - Smashing Pillars...raising sons

Smashing Pillars International is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Your financial donations are all tax deductible. Please consider making a donation today or becoming a monthly ministry partner. The Lord has called this ministry to the global mission field from the pit to the palace. We have a work to do and you can be a part of it. Thank you in advance.

Donations can be made online at: www.smashingpillarsinternational.org

If you would like to mail in a donation, please mail to:

Smashing Pillars International
14403 Walters Rd., #681601
Houston, Texas 77014

Be sure to include your prayer requests. We want to join our faith together with yours, believing God for your breakthrough!

Ministry Report: 1st Smashing Pillars Meeting held May 9th!

We had our first ministry meeting earlier this month, May 9th. Walter and Mary Karwacinski were a great blessing to us all by hosting the meeting in their home. Kyle Simmons blessed us with some of his anointed music and the Lord gave me a powerful word about "Occupying" until He returns. It means more than just taking up space, but it means to do business. We know His business is the Father's business and so it should be ours too. We also had a prophetic word released, in which the Lord said He was releasing strategies to everyone there that night to begin to bring forth the assignments He has been stirring in our hearts for this new season we are in. We all took communion together and blessed the Lord!. We had a time of personal prophetic ministry afterwards. The Lord blessed us mightily that night!

 

 

Thanks to all who are supporting the ministry with finances and intercession. Much fruit for the kingdom of God is being made manifest. We all share in the reward together...souls. Pictures from the meeting included below.

Receive this blessing:
May the Lord bless you and keep you,
May the Lord make His face shine upon you;
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.

His best to you,
Samuel - Smashing Pillars...raising sons

Smashing Pillars International is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Your financial donations are all tax deductible. Please consider making a donation today or becoming a monthly ministry partner. The Lord has called this ministry to the global mission field from the pit to the palace. We have a work to do and you can be a part of it. Thank you in advance.

Donations can be made online at: www.smashingpillarsinternational.org

If you would like to mail in a donation, please mail to:

Smashing Pillars International
14403 Walters Rd., #681601
Houston, Texas 77014

Be sure to include your prayer requests. I want to join my faith together with yours as you are believing God for your miracle!

Prison Ministry Report: Pentecost...the outpouring of our new identity

And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. Acts 2:2-3

Last night's service was an amazing service at the Wallace Pack Prison Unit! The message the Spirit was releasing to the men was being made clear as each minister got up to share what the Lord was impressing on their hearts...receive your new identity tonight because it's being poured out freely. We spoke of the two trees in the garden, the dry bones in the valley, Paul describing his identity in all that he knew about Torah and his family lineage...basically, his identity and how he counted it worthless compared to identifying with Christ...the Excellent One! Finally, the day of Pentecost and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and with Him, a new identity! We have several power testimonies, but one that really stands out is a young man who renounced his Muslim faith, and accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. He cried tears of joy when he heard the Father loves him and always had a plan for them to have a life together...Jesus saw to it. It was so amazing to watch as this young brother's face began to glow with the glory of the Lord as the Holy Spirit filled him.
 
We were at the unit in support of Randy Sparks Ministries out of Rusk, Texas. I've known Randy and his wife Vicki for over two years now. They love the Lord and love people. Also in attendance was a great friend of Randy's, Jim Stockton, who was visiting the Pack Unit for the first time. Jimmy was Randy's mentor when Randy was incarcerated many years ago. He has been doing prison ministry for more than 20 years. I was personally honored to meet this brother. He has helped many men in the prisons and also when they are released. I heard some amazing things about this humble man and I hope I get to spend more time with him in the future.
 
Smashing Pillars came in with Kyle Simmons, Theresa Blanco, both Pack Unit favorites. The men love them for their transparency and encouragement they bring to the men. Kyle blessed the men with two new songs encouraging the men to identify with Christ. Theresa always shares with the men what God is currently doing in her and teaching her. She just lays it out there for them without any sugarcoating. Gives them what the Word says and how God is using it to change her life and how He will do the same for them.



Felipe and Gricelda Carrillo @ Wallace Pack Prison Unit


We were also blessed to have a special gift for the men,, Felipe and Gricelda Carrillo. They are youth pastors at their church in Houston, New Life Christian Church. OMG! The men were so blessed by the Carrillo Ministry, as were the rest of us ministers in attendance! Randy asked Felipe to the pulpit to say a few words. Felipe greeted the men and thanked them for allowing him to come minister...and then God showed up! Felipe pointed out that Pentecost actually began that night and told them men he believed it wasn't by chance that they were sitting in a church service. He told the men if they believed, God would do it again, pour out His Spirit on all flesh there in the service. BOOM! Things started happening after that. Gricelda went up and told the men to all stand up and raise their hands. She told them to cry out to God and He would pour out on them. See began to walk back and forth in front of the men praying in the spirit. Felipe calls her his five foot giant. It was an amazing sight to see and she walk back and forth in the midst of this sea of tall men with their hands stretched forth to heaven like trees of righteousness. The chaplain at the unit has offered the Spanish speaking service to Felipe and Gricelda if they are interested. I think it is interesting since he never met them in person and does not let just anyone in to minister to the men.

After service we got a bite to eat and enjoyed fellowshipping, sharing testimonies from the service. Randy and Vicki drive two hours one-way to come to the unit. They are mighty warriors for the Kingdom of Heaven, birthing sons through the gospel as Paul urges.

Felipe and Gricelda got blessed before we left. Randy and Vicki prayed for them right in the middle of the dining room at Pizza Hut!

 

Here is what was imparted to them.

 

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me,
Because the LORD has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD,
And the day of vengeance of our God;
 To console those who mourn in Zion,
To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.

Isaiah 61:1-3

 

Please continue to pray for our ministry, Smashing Pillars International and visit our website at www.smashingpillarsinternational.org. Pray about sowing a financial seed or becoming a monthly partner. We are a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Souls are being saved, lives are being changed and destinies are being fulfilled.

 

In Christ,

Samuel - Smashing Pillars International
www.smashingpillarsinternational.org
Facebook: Smashing Pillars International

May the Lord bless you and keep you,
The Lord make His face shine upon you;
And be gracious to you,
The Lord lift up His countenance on you,
And give you peace.

 



A call to intercession: 911 - Awake! Awake! O arm of the Lord!

Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord! Awake as in the ancient days, In the generations of old. Are you not the arm that cut Rahab apart, and wounded the serpent? Isaiah 51:9

 

I have been seeing the number 911 again for the last two weeks. Part of this word is a repost of a word I released December 23, 2013 regarding the number 911. At that time, I had been seeing the number everywhere. The Lord revealed to me a plan of deception the enemy was using to keep intercessors distracted and spiritually asleep. We already know the devices the enemy uses to distract the people of God from intercession - sports, entertainment, careers, dysfunction in the family, debt, addictions, etc. The Lord released a call to intercession concerning this and I believe those who answered the call to intercede averted the plans of the enemy at that time.

 

The Lord said these are not the devices the enemy can use to distract My true intercessors from staying before Me today. They are not so easily pulled out of place by these things anymore. I have taught them well how to not be distracted by these things. Instead, the enemy will use ministry, good works, to keep My intercessors too busy to pray. He will wear them out and overwhelm them by keeping them overcommitted and on the go. He will do this by causing My intercessors to be in high demand. He will cause them to be highlighted in the Church so that they will become a sort of superstar, super-spiritual mighty man or woman of God. Because My intercessors, My true prophetic intercessors, normally do not receive such recognition, they will be lulled to sleep, put into a drunkenness by the lust of the eye, lust of the flesh and the pride of life. The enemy will do this slowly and subtly to pull them out of the spirit, eventually bringing them to a place of weariness, causing them to begin to operate out of their own souls. This will become a snare to them and those they counsel. My prophetic intercessors must spiritually sober to discern this gross deception being poured out on them today. If they are not, they will begin to enjoy the recognition from the pulpits and all the benefits that will follow. This is how the enemy, the Deceiver, will place a hook in them to entangle them in the affairs of men rather than the affairs of God. Many will begin to call on them for counsel, advice and prayer, which may seem to be what they have been called to do, but it is not so. I have not called them to be in the spotlight, nor a keynote speaker of anything, not at this time. I have teachers called to teach and instruct the church in the way of intercession, but My seasoned, tried and true prophetic intercessors must stay focused, sober and alert to the call I am releasing to the church through them. I am revealing many secrets of what I am doing and about to do and My prophetic intercessors are the trumpets I am sounding today, but not only to the church. I am also using them to sound the alarm to the world so that no one may say they were without knowledge of the time and season they were in. What time and season? The great and terrible day of the Lord.

 

The enemy is deceiving many through hirelings and charlatans, which have no part in Me, just as the devil has no part in Me because the world has no part in Me. Many deceivers have been sent out among the sheep to be community organizers, deceiving with lying signs and wonders at gatherings I did not call. These are not sacred assemblies. I am not in their midst. They cry out Lord, Lord and prophesy in My name, Peace! Peace! They cast out demons in My name. They do many wonders in My name. Hear ME! I never knew them and they have no part in My kingdom. They build their own kingdoms and how dark their kingdoms are, but with a word from My mouth and with the blast of My trumpets, I will bring their houses down and great will be their destruction!

 

Sound the alarm and cry out to My little ones, Fear Not! Be Strong! The Great and Terrible Day of the Lord is at hand! But you, My people, you must not fear this day because it is the day of your Lord and Savior! Rejoice for the sound of Messiah coming fills the earth! Your redemption is at hand, and if you will lift your heads through intercession, you shall see it and know it. Then you will rejoice in this time of travailing and birthing the world has never experienced. I overcame the world. I do not act like the world that the world might know Me. I was given over to be sacrificed for the world. My Father so loved the world and desired that not one soul should parish. I did not say act like the world and neither do My disciples. Paul instructed you to imitate him as he imitated Me. Therefore, I say to you today, IMITATE ME! Then the world will know you are My disciples when you are acting like Me, doing greater things than I did, when I walked among them.

 

The enemy will present himself to be an angel filled with light very soon, but it is not the light of My glory. It is the light of his own distorted pride which burns bright in him. Do not mistake him for the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. He only seeks to devour My people and to accuse Me in the process.

 

 



1 Peter 5:8-11Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing the the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. 


Word posted December 23,2013

For weeks now I have been turning to see the time 9:11, mornings and evenings. I've been seeing it in many other places ***911, 911xxx, 000911000, ...911... and so on.

The Lord is clearly sounding an urgent warning to us. I have asked and sought the Lord about this and He said...Don't you know what time it is? Are you also asleep and dull of hearing? So I have made you to be a sign and symbol of the Church today. Asleep and dull of hearing, but confesses to hear and know the voice of God. If My people will turn from their wicked ways and pray to Me then I will make known to them that which is about to be revealed and unleashed that they may be prepared and unafraid of the things they will see with their eyes and hear with their ears. Deception and gross deception has lulled My people to sleep and is tormenting them in their dreams, but I am raising up My trumpets out of the remnant to sound the call to awake the Sleepers, but not too many will hear the call for their sleep is too deep....they are too busy. End

Then the Lord showed me many asleep as He said, but they were not sleeping as I imaged they would be...in a bed with eyes closed. They were doing various things - watching secular television shows and Christian television shows...glued to their television sets, sports shows, hobbies, programs, church programs, shopping at malls, partying in homes and clubs and many other forms of what we call life and living, but in all these different scenes the people were all in what looked like a state of hypnosis or a trance.

He said, My people are too busy by design of the enemy to keep them distracted and unaware of that which is being plotted against them. Wake My people up.

1 Thessalonians 5:3-7
For when they say, Peace and safety! then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman and they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this day should not over take you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night or of darkness. Therefore, let us not sleep as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night and those who get drunk get drunk at night. 
We must not grow weary in intercession. We must not give Him rest, but we must be vigilant to pray and fast...it may be the people will begin to stir and rouse from their deep sleep, but we must not fear them nor fear being rejected. We must stir the people of God to wake up. We begin in our homes...

Awake, Awake! Put on your strength, O Zion; put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the Holy City! For the uncircumcised and the unclean shall no longer come to you! Isaiah 52:1

Please share with your intercessors as you are led.

Samuel - Smashing Pillars International
www.smashingpillarsinternational.org
Facebook: Smashing Pillars International

May the Lord bless you and keep you,
The Lord make His face shine upon you;
And be gracious to you,
The Lord lift up His countenance on you,
And give you peace.

Dream: Proceed with caution. You are on the verge of breakthrough.

Dream was received 05-10-15, Monday morning, just before I woke up.

I was driving on a very bumpy dirt road. It was midday and it seemed to be a country road because there was open field on both sides of the car. I was driving past a few old white mobile homes that were aligned along the side of the road. There was a property at the end of the road. The property was a farm or ranch and had a fence that enclosed it. The gate to the property was open. I somehow knew in the dream it was left open making it easy to drive into the property. It was as if my arrival to the property was expected. Interesting thing is the bumpy dirt road I was driving on turned into a sooth asphalt road starting from the gate entrance as far as I could see into the property.

As I drove through the white mobile homes, I noticed two skunks on the road in front of my car as I passed by them. I slowed down to get a closer look at them. They were very big for skunks and were on opposite sides of the road. As I got a closer I noticed they were very dirty, mangy and matted. I knew their odor must have been horrendous. I immediately checked to make sure the windows on my car were up. Then they began to growl and shriek at each other. They became very aggressive towards each other. Suddenly, the skunk on the right side of the road quickly turned its backside to the other skunk, lifted his tail and sprayed the other skunk. It hit the other skunk all over its body. That’s when I noticed the skunks were very dirty, mangy and matted from fighting and continually spraying each other. They were the cause of their condition. I drove passed them hoping not to get their attention. All I knew was I had to get to the end of the road to enter the gate at the entrance to the farm land.   End of dream

 

 

Interpretation:

Here’s what I believe the Lord has shown me dream through prayer the last few days. The dream is a message of encouragement to those who have been in transition from one season to another, or from one place to another, be it in the natural or spiritual realm.

The Lord has also called many recently to step out into a new venture with Him. For some it may be a new business, and for others it may be ministry and for some it may be a project or assignment of some sort. Whatever it is, the Lord has called you to step out in faith and trust Him totally and completely for guidance and provision.

I also sense that many of you are inexperienced having never done anything like you are doing now. You may feel inadequate and almost foolish at times, causing you to question everything. Did I really hear the Lord say to do this? Where is all the provision? Why is it so hard to get started? Why does it seem like nothing is going as smoothly as I thought it would? Why isn’t the Lord speaking to me as clearly as He normally does? Where are all the open doors? The list of questions grows and with each new one you entertain in your thought life, the confusion, doubt and unbelief grows seems to grow. Stop it. Go back to the place when you first heard the Lord. Remember what He said? Do you remember how He confirmed it for you even when you didn’t ask Him to confirm it for you? Do you remember how you were so blown away by the confirmation? Focus on that. Focus on His calling to you to step out and how He reassured you that He would go with you and help you and how He would bring people to help you. He keeps His promises.

 Thus says the LORD to His anointed, To Cyrus, whose right hand I have held—
To subdue nations before him And loose the armor of kings, To open before him the double doors,
So that the gates will not be shut: I will go before you And make the crooked places straight;
I will break in pieces the gates of bronze And cut the bars of iron. I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that I, the LORD, Who call you by your name, Am the God of Israel. Isaiah 45:1-3

 

I say all that to say this. You are almost there! Keep moving forward and pressing in. Keep doing what you know to do because you are about to breakthrough to that place where things are going to get easy for you. You are on the right path and even though things seem to be moving very slowing or not moving at all, be encouraged because you have gone further than you realize and are closer than you think. 

 

A man's heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.

Proverbs 16:9

 

In the dream riding in the car alone is symbolic of feeling alone at times, some of you may even feel abandoned by some, but that is not the case. It is by design that you are in a place of solitude, a place where you have been set apart. This is so you can focus without distractions as the Lord draws you into the land that He has prepared for you, which is represented by the farmland/ranch, which would represent a land flowing with milk and honey. In other words, it is a place of provision that He is leading you to. It may seem like the path you are on is a difficult path to travel like the dirt road in the dream had to be traveled slow in the vehicle because of the bumps. The bumps themselves speak of mistakes along the way, hurdles, but still making progress, even if it is slow moving.

  

The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, And He delights in his way. Psalm 37:23

 

The encouraging thing is the old mobile homes in the dream because they are symbolic of something temporary or temporary living. So this challenging season is a temporary season! You are just passing through! Hallelujah!

 

The dream clearly states that you are moving in the right direction. You are getting close to a breakthrough and things are going to get easier, which is represented by the dirt road turning into a smooth asphalt road. The gate itself speaks of transitioning from one land to another or one spiritual land to another. The gate also speaks of a way or entrance, power or authority. But there is a warning in the dream also, and that is watch out for the skunks on this last stretch of road. They represent several types of people you may be around or encounter before you complete your transition. They represent gossipers, slanderers, defilers with words, false accusers, liars, doubters, mockers, deceivers, etc.

 

Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive. The venom of asps is under their lips. Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness. Romans 3:13-14

 

The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body. Proverbs 18:8

 

 

 

You get the picture. They have been strategically placed in your path to defile you, slow you down, take you prisoner and even rob you of your destiny if possible. How will they do this? By defiling you with their words. When I was approaching the two skunks and they began to fight, I was quick to make sure my windows were up before the one skunk sprayed the other. The number two is symbolic of division and separation. This clearly says to not get lured into getting involved in any strife or gossip at all costs! Now is the time to mind your own business and refuse to be trapped into getting involved in anyone else’s issues. You are not being judgmental, critical or without compassion towards them. It’s just that you haven’t ascended to that new place the Lord is taking you to in the spirit and so you must not allow yourself to be defiled with the sins of others by yoking up with them in gossip, complaining, murmuring, prayer, etc. The skunks in the dream were people the Lord was leading to the same place of breakthrough He is leading you to, but they did not keep themselves from defilement of the skunks on their path.

 

Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with a simple babbler.   Proverbs 20:19

As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him,

Titus 3:10

 

Stay away from people who are going to defile you with their doubt, unbelief and disrespect of others. Stay away from people who will mock you when you share with them what God has told you to do. Don't not let your eye and ear gates become polluted by the negative words coming out of their mouths. They will defile you and cause you to be confused and doubt that you really heard from God. Be mindful of who you share your dream and vision with. You will be able to spot them very easily as I was able to spot the skunks very easily. I could clearly see they were mangy, matted and dirty. In other words, you will easily be able to know them by their fruit. It will be visible and you will be able to smell them coming a mile away. Make sure the people you do connect with are people of faith who are filled with the Word of God and the Spirit of God who will pray with and for you and your vision. They exist, they’re everywhere. I promise.

 

There’s one more person I must warn you watch out for and that is Self.

 

 

If you are a person who is prone to any of the traits the skunks in the dream represent, you better put a guard over your mouth. If you struggle with envy or jealousy, now is time to put it to death. If you do not deal with it now, it will eventually creep up and cause problems for you, possibly even loss. Your own words could defile you and even cancel out the breakthrough God has for you.

 

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 18:21

On the other hand, your own words and actions could also accelerate your breakthrough.

A man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men. Proverbs 18:16

Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men. Proverbs 22:29

 

 

I pray you enter into all God has prepared for you. You are on the verge of entering in. Be encouraged. You will make your way prosperous and you will have good success. Joshua 1:8-9

 

God's best,

Samuel

 

Smashing Pillars...raising sons.

 

Visit our website at www.smashingpillarsinternational.org and sign up for ministry updates on the "Home Page".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prison Ministry Report: Wallace Pack Unit - Navasota, Texas

Completed third week of new curriculum - "Spiritual Slavery to Spiritual Sonship, Your Destiny Awaits You." The guys are growing and are hungry for more. The Lord is revealing Himself through the teachings in a way the men have not experienced in the past. Something new that is beginning to happen is the men are starting to have prophetic dreams and they know they are from the Lord. Today three guys came to me with dreams and asked for the interpretations. The Lord was quick to interpret them and the men were blessed and amazed at how easy the interpretations came forth. I received a dream in the mail from one of the men in the mail two weeks ago. I took it with me to class today with the interpretation which the Lord said was for the whole group. I got permission from the brother to share the dream and the interpretation and the men were blessed. Several men are also having encounters with the Lord and are coming forward to share them. They are losing their fear of being mocked for sharing their encounters. They are starting to encourage each other to share their experiences. Wow! Remember the Lord told me by the time the men go through all three curriculum He would activate the gifts in them and set them on fire with the Holy Spirit and power. I am beginning to see the sparks in the men's eyes. Hallelujah and glory to God. He is faithful to His covenant promises. Thank you for praying for the men. Please continue praying for them and their families. Your prayers are changing lives and families. 

Prayerfully consider supporting our ministry financially. We are a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. All donations are tax-deductible. You can visit our ministry page for more information at Smashing Pillars International

If you would like to be invited to our next ministry services, please join our mailing list on our ministry home page at Smashing Pillars International The Lord is blessing His people in these meetings in many ways!

The Lord bless you and keep you in all your ways.

Samuel

Smashing Pillars International

International Christian Embassy Jerusalem - Juha Ketola

On May 2nd, I had the opportunity and real honor of meeting this blessed and anointed brother in the Lord, Juha Ketola, at Houston Baptist University. Pastors Gladys and Ivan Seahorn hosted Juha at their Shabbat Service. We were blessed by their praise and worship dance ministry.

Juha is the International Director for the ICEJ in Jerusalem and was in Texas for some meetings. He was scheduled to speak the next day at New Life Church in Houston, Texas. I was to meet him at his hotel and accompany him to the church. Dusty Kemp is the pastor of the church. I was a member of New Life a few years ago, so it was great seeing Dusty and Mary again.

Juha is from Finland and currently lives in Jerusalem, Israel. He was a pastor for some years before God called him to Israel. He preached a powerful message on Israel and how the Church and America needs to stand with her. He shared some testimonies about what God is doing in Africa while we were waiting in the green room at the church that made me weep. No joke. We were so cocooned by the presence and glory of the Lord for the time that we were together, and I suspect it was because we talked mostly of the Lord and His great compassion and love for people. I share this because I saw something in this man that I quickly began to covet. I saw a heart that burned within him for Jesus. His love for Jesus was so deep and so intimate that I felt like a third wheel at times, almost embarrassed to be present when he spoke of the Lord. It moved me to tears more than once because of the purity and holiness that manifested as he spoke of the Lord and even more as he spoke to the Lord in my presence.

I thought about how I felt and I am convinced that I have not put this man Juha on a pedestal, but have been inspired by him to love Jesus more. He provoked me to jealousy. Wow.

 The apostle Paul told Timothy and others to imitate him. Paul was a father in the kingdom and he birthed sons through the Gospel. He then taught them to do the same. He said we were to imitate him as he imitated Christ. Paul was so confident in his identity given to him in Christ that he told others to imitate him as he also imitated Christ.

1 Corinthians 4:16 Therefore, I urge you, imitate me.
1 Corinthians 11:1 Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.

OMG! Where are all the fathers! Why are there no fathers instructing us to imitating them? Is it true that we have become a church with ten thousand instructors in Christ? I refuse to become ten thousand and one.

Lord...use me....please...to be a father in YOUR Kingdom. Amen.

   

 

 

 

 

Lunch at Lorenzo's in Houston Texas - Left - Brett, Samuel, Juha, Dusty, Mary & Elizabeth

 

National Day of Prayer in Houston, Texas 2015

Standing before the reflection pond in front of City Hall early morning before the event.

The National Day of Prayer at Houston's City Hall happened last week on May 7th and it was awesome! Hosted by Grace Community Church, it was very encouraging to see believers coming together to cry out to God in repentance for the sins of our nation and for a spirit of revival to be poured out all across our nation. Many pastors and elected officials were in attendance, many familiar faces there too. It was great to see my cousin, Arnold Trevino, and Marie Mitchell, Shaheen Gray and many others. I am very grateful for those who came out, but I wondered why there was not more Christians there to pray for our city and country. There may have been two or three hundred at the event out of a city that has over 6 million people in the Houston Metropolitan area. Again, not complaining, just wondering. I found out there were many prayer events all over the city throughout the day. Praise God. America stands with God and for Israel!

The following pictures were taken before and during the prayer event.