Conference in Cuba

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Published: Tuesday, 10 April 2012 15:20

Bro. Garry Morrison and I have recently returned from Santiago de Cuba, where the Lord gave us another tremendous ‘open door’ to teach at the seminary of the Eastern Baptist Convention of Cuba. There were 190 seminary professors, Bible exten-sion teachers, seminary students, church planters and lay leaders in attendance. God gave us the joy of teaching my most recent workbook entitled, “Walking In Victory In The Reign Of Grace”. Bro. Garry, as always, was graced to do an exceptional job of interpreting for me. I don’t believe that he missed a single word. The gift that our Lord has given to this brother is ab-solutely amazing! God has graciously blessed us with such a oneness of heart, mind, passion and purpose to ‘rightly divide’ the Word of God; and apply it to the lives and ministries of the spiritual leaders in Eastern Cuba. We both knew in our souls, that the Holy Spirit was applying His inspired truths about the grace of God in a demonstration of His mighty power. The ses-sions included such themes as: Salvation By Grace Alone The Call of Grace Justified Freely By His Grace, In Union With Christ Abounding Grace and the final 5 sessions was an exposition of Romans 6:1-14.

The following are just a few of the many testimonies received concerning the precious work that the Holy Spirit accomplished in the lives of these spiritual leaders. One pastor writes, “The Lord has poured out His grace on me during this week, as I have learned to properly interpret and apply many Bible passages that I had misunderstood in the past. I now understand that God is in complete control of all my situations. I now know that, at all times, the abundant grace of God is available to walk through any situation in triumph! This has been very encouraging to me. During this study I have privately consecrated my life to the Lord, so that I might teach others these marvel-ous truths of God’s amazing grace; and to teach others how to live in victory under the reign of the grace of God. God showed me that sin can no longer reign in my new heart and because of God’s marvelous grace, I live in union with the King who has conquered the tyranny of sin! I also came out of this conference personally convicted to allow God to direct my life and ministry; and to study God’s Word more pro-foundly; and to teach others about the greatness of God’s grace”. Another testifies, “Words cannot express my gratitude to you, as you came from so far, to invest so much into our ministries. I have learned so much more about how God’s grace has abounded over my sin. I came to realize that even when Satan brings adversities to my life to harm me, God will work out those same circumstances for my good and His glory. From the age of 15, I was diagnosed with schizophrenia. I have prayed many times for God to deliver me, through the years. But Praise His Name, I am now free from schizophrenia and serving the Lord and making disciples. This study of the Reign of Grace has helped me to better understand what the Lord has done and is doing in my life; and the life of those new believers whom I teach. I will definitely be teaching them about God’s amazing and abundant grace. Thank you for being an instrument of God, to illuminate my mind regarding the power and purpose of grace in the life of believers. May God continue to use you both in the equipping of the saints and in the furtherance of the Kingdom of God in Cuba. Please come back soon to teach us more truth”. A church planter writes, “God has been so good to me, because I knew very little regarding the grace of God. I had so many erroneous practices and false concepts about God’s grace. I praise God that now, as I prepare to go out as a missionary, I have a clear understanding of what God has given me through His Son, Jesus. Now I am going back to my home to thoroughly and repeatedly review all of the concepts, definitions and truths that I learned. My main goal is to practice what I have learned and teach other believers what I have learned.

Bro. Garry and I have been invited to return to the seminary in February 2013, to teach a study on the Holy Spirit. This is the study that I am preparing for the upcoming conference in May in Holguin, Cuba.

While in Cuba, we were also given the privilege of preaching 2 gospel evangelistic meetings at 4th Baptist Santiago de Cuba, where we have preached on many occasions in the past. This church is experiencing an extended period of awesome revival. The church is exploding in authentic conversions. It has planted 29 churches since 1996. Eleven of the 29 churches are full, and self-supporting. Eighteen of them are still in the mission-church state of development. There are also over 100 prayer cell groups that meet weekly all over the city. Senior Pastor Osbel, reminded me during one evening together, of how God gave me a precious ‘Divine Appointment” to be present at 4th Baptist, when that tidal wave of revival began. As a matter of fact, I had a brief meet-ing with a brother who is now a pastor of one of the daughter churches. He reminded me that he was converted during that cru-sade many years ago. It was absolutely awesome to see what the Lord has accomplished and continues to do, through one local church in such an oppressive situation! On Sunday evening, 2 services were held, in order to seat all the lost people. Approxi-mately 40 adults, were in the counseling areas after the message, testifying that they had come to King Jesus on His terms. Then, after returning home, I received an e-mail from a dear Cuban brother, who is now a pastor in the Bronx, New York. Pastor Ceasar, was my interpreter, many years ago on my first few trips to Santiago de Cuba. He testified in this e-mail that his older sister was one of those 40 adults which had testified of conversion in our Cuba outreach. What an amazing Divine Appointment! This was a glorious confirmation of exactly what I am writing about. Pastor Cesar was the brother who was standing by my side, interpreting all of my preaching and teaching during those early days of revival in ‘96. Now, 16 years later, he writes from New York, to tell me that his own precious sister has been converted, almost 1500 miles away in his home country, while Garry and I were proclaiming the Gospel. Please continue to pray for the extension of the Gospel in this communist nation. Also, please continue to pray for the 20 church planters that our Lord allows us to support in the Holguin district. We are returning, Lord willing in May, to teach a new workbook entitled, “The New Covenant Ministry Of The Holy Spirit”.