5 replies to this topic

[Elizabeth May]

Praise God! Prayers are being answered in Daytona Beach in Volusia County. This amazing group of women are doing what no one else would, in the power of the Holy Spirit...going into strip clubs to minister to owners, workers, and patrons. Read what God is doing...AND PLEASE KEEP PRAYING FOR THIS TEAM AND THOSE THEY MINISTER TO...open hearts, open doors, open heavens.

Here is the report from the Power of Love outreach (Jen attends Tomoka Christian Church), by Jennifer Colella ...
Hello Team,

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! This is the Power of Love outreach report for December 16, 2011. The outreach team ventured out to share Jesus with the employees of 5 strip clubs in Volusia County.

~Cheaters
The manager Tommy was on duty. We encountered many new faces and were blessed to pray with a small group of dancers in the dressing room.

~Diamond Dolls
We were given favor once again by a new door man and manager. The ladies were friendly and happy to see us. On the way out we invited the door man and his family to church for Christmas Eve service.

~Shark Lounge
The club was very quiet. We met a young lady who had only been dancing a few nights; she seemed a little nervous and we were able to pray with her. The other ladies were a bit distracted but welcomed our gifts. On the way out the door man Big Jim thanked us for coming out and voiced his frustration over the lack of business and his desire to quit the strip club lifestyle. A customer engaged team members in a conversation about spiritual matters and his take on God and heaven. They offered him a Bible but he said he would just throw it away.

~Biggins
Luke was manager on duty and welcomed us in; calling the ladies to the front to receive their bags. While I chatted with him about business matters, another team member was able to engage one of the young ladies in conversation and even got to share a bit of her testimony and the gospel.

~Lollipops
Sean the owner was working and in good spirits. There were a fair amount of customers and a lot of ladies working. We passed out every bag we went in with and blessed the many floor men with bags of home made cookies that put happy smiles on their faces!

During the outreach, we were humbled by God's timing and protection as we witnessed arrests, drove past an accident, and noticed many other disturbances throughout the city of Daytona. The most significant incident involved the Shark Lounge. After we left there, we went to Biggins and as we drove back by Sharks to go to our last stop; we witnessed police officers in front of Sharks with all the male employees out on the sidewalk. Whatever happened, occurred shortly after we left and our All Knowing God timed our visit perfectly. Not only our coming and going, but our driving by in the nick of time to see the police officers outside with all the male employees.

The Rock Church Power of Love team also had their outreach on December 16th. This was their first outreach they carried out completely on their own. They reached out to Softails in Deland and Bottoms Up in New Smyrna Beach.

~Softails
Business was slow as usual and there weren't many ladies working, but they were able to leave their bags with the ladies that were there. The door man was friendly and grateful.

~Bottoms Up
The team did really well with the ladies. They were able to pray with a lot of the ladies in the dressing room and made really great connections with a few of them.

We have a wonderful praise report from the Rock POL team. One of the young ladies from the Bottoms Up club called one of our team members after the outreach. The Rock team was able to visit with the young lady and her family and bless them with diapers and clothing for her children. Please pray that she will be drawn to seek God. The team is hopeful that she and her family will make it to a service at the Rock Church in the near future. Praise be to God for His faithfulness! Please pray for the Rock Church Power of Love team. We are so very grateful not only for their courage to take on such a difficult mission field, but for the relief it gave our Tomoka team. We were up to 7 clubs when we invited the Rock to partner with us and with their commitment to serve with us; we are now down to 5 clubs. Thank you Rock Church!! Please pray for the Lord to call out another church to partner with the Power of Love...we still have 2 clubs in Volusia County that are not being ministered to. Join us in praying for the Holy Spirit to soften the hearts of owners and managers at Molly Brown's in Daytona Beach as we ask for the Lord to enlarge our territory in the New Year. If it is His will for us to take ground there, we pray and ask that His will be done.

As 2011 comes to a close the Power of Love ministry has so much to be thankful for. I am humbled to report our team has greatly increased and our territory enlarged. I have witnessed team members grow spiritually and be abundantly blessed by serving and fellowship through the ministry. We have received countless phone calls from ladies we met during our 6 outreaches this year. We have had numerous reports of the declining numbers of patrons in the Volusia County strip clubs; as well as countless numbers of women leaving the business and getting jobs outside of strip clubs. We saw 2 young ladies make it to the Tomoka Christian campus to participate in special events and receive help from some of the many resources Tomoka offers to the community. We had 2 ladies make it to weekend services at Tomoka Christian. And the greatest news of all...we had one young lady invite Jesus into her heart!!

Thank you Team Love for your prayers, encouragement, and faithful support of this ministry. Each one of you are so very loved and appreciated. May God bless you and your families abundantly in 2012.

The Power of Love team will once again enter into the New Year with a 21 day Daniel Fast. Many of the team members will be using the Biblical tool of fasting to strengthen their spiritual discipline and draw closer to the Lord. If you have never fasted before but would like to learn more, a wonderful resource is the book: The Daniel Fast by Susan Gregory or the web site: www.daniel-fast.com. In her book Susan Gregory describes biblical fasting this way: "You are stepping into a different experience of feeding your soul, strengthening your spirit, and renewing your body. By entering into this special period of time, you are consecrating yourself (setting yourself apart) to focus more intently on the Lord and His ways. Sometimes you are so hungry, the only way to be fed is to fast." I hope you will prayerfully consider entering into a powerful 21 day spiritual journey starting January 1, 2012.

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Thessalonians 5:23


Blessings in Christ Jesus!

Jennifer Colella
Outreach Coordinator
Power of Love
254-220-5913

[BarElohim]

I wonder if any know of the wasted seed, and how the Lord hates it?
ASV: Genesis Chapter 38

[9] And Onan knew that the seed would not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother’s wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest he should give seed to his brother.
[10] And the thing which he did was evil in the sight of Jehovah: and he slew him also.

ASV: Matthew Chapter 13

[3] And he spake to them many things in parables, saying, Behold, the sower went forth to sow;
[4] and as he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the birds came and devoured them:
[5] and others fell upon the rocky places, where they had not much earth: and straightway they sprang up, because they had no deepness of earth:
[6] and when the sun was risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
[7] And others fell upon the thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked them:
[8] and others fell upon the good ground, and yielded fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
[9] He that hath ears, let him hear.


ASV: Luke Chapter 4

[24] And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is acceptable in his own country.
[25] But of a truth I say unto you, There were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when there came a great famine over all the land;
[26] and unto none of them was Elijah sent, but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.
[27] And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.
[28] And they were all filled with wrath in the synagogue, as they heard these things;

Those that would do what the prophet said do, was the only ones to whom Elijah was sent, and to whom Naaman was sent!

Surely the Lord knows those whose hearts are ready to receive the seed of life, why do many not listen to what the Lord would say as to whom the Lord would speak? If He sent Elijah to the widow, and sent Naaman to the prophet, will He not do the same for those that have been *BORN OF HIM?*

He led Israel of old, by a cloud by day and fire by night. How much easier is He capable to lead His own, to those whose hearts are readied for planting rather than wasting seed???? Jesus knew the difference, should His children not also?

Sincerely In Christ..
BarElohim.

[Laurie Collett]

Good Word, BarElohim. I understand your point and the specificity of hearing God direct us to a specific person. But what of the parable of the sower? Should we not cast the seed and see where it lands and grows based on that story?

Please hear my heart as well, I'm just looking for clarity and not being critical of your conviction regarding hearing God's direction. In fact I couldn't agree more.

I agree, Marvin, that we should cast the seed boldly and liberally as Jesus has commanded us to. It is then the work of the Holy Spirit to soften the heart that receives it. I pray that God will continue to embolden and inspire this team as they go, as Christ did, not to heal those who are well, but those who are sin-sick.

Laurie Collett, Saved by Grace
http://savedbygraceb...y.blogspot.com/

[Elizabeth May]

Jesus healed all 10 lepers despite only one coming back to thank Him. He could have just healed the one and left the other 9 in their condition. He only did what He saw his Father do. We are following Jesus' lead, giving all a chance to freely receive the gift. We will be judged on the Day and have to answer for every one that we DIDN'T inform that they should repent and be baptised in the name of Jesus.