Pruned for More of His Presence

We feel like we've matured these past months just to be able to offer our lives more wholly as a living sacrifice.  We feel like we've been pruned to the point where we just felt and knew we had nothing to offer.  But, it's in this place of love, brokeness and utter dependence where we see the Holy Spirit fanning the fire of God and releasing it upon others. As we abide (John 15:4-5), we see a ministry, not happening so much by our strength, wisdom or desire-but by the Lord Jesus whose presence is operating in hearts and ministries beyond our ability, experience, or capacity to plan, contain, and produce ourselves.  Here's some of His fruit that He is producing in the lives of disciples who are learning to value the importance of abiding in Christ.  Also, at the end of this blog is more information about the upcoming conference in Tanzania - Love Never Fails.

The Lord spoke to Mr. White, through a dream concerning a neighbor.  He went to the neighbor and told him to go to work where he sold sand, for there he'd find financial blessing.  The man was sick and told him he couldn't go, but he ended up going anyway.  The man came back very happy, because 3 big trucks came to buy sand. The man received money he had needed.  This is one of 3 recent testimonies of how God spoke to Christians very clearly through dreams in order to bring other people into an encounter with Jesus Christ.

Lucia came to church this past Sunday with pain and weakness in her body.  She knelt face down on the wet, reddish clay dirt in her clean clothes to worship the Lord.  As she did so, the Lord took the pain and weakness away, and gave her strength.  She began to smile again, praising the Lord and singing.

Isufu, one of our watchmen, gave this testimony.  He was very sick, so he asked his Muslim wife to pray for him.  He told her that even though she didn’t believe in Jesus, He could still use her.  She put her hand on his head and prayed for him in Jesus’ name.  Yes, he was healed!  Since then his wife’s heart has been opening more to the gospel.  This testimony came after we were praying for his wife.

TANZANIA 2013 - Fire: Love Never Fails
The time, May 9 -23, is coming for our "hands-on" conference to help support Iris Ministries Tanzania as I, Tyren, go to help train and equip Iris Congolese pastors/leaders and others living in a refugee camp, and advance Christ's purposes in that place. The Lord has been giving me fresh revelations of His love, so I am excited to see what Jesus will unleash in the camp as He releases His fire in hearts made desperate for their Saviour.

PRAY FOR: Wisdom, clear direction for things to run smoothly, God's love would change perspectives and daily habits in the camp. Please see our last blog post in March for more prayer requests.
DONATE: All donations are tax deductible when sent through our home church, Church of the Living God, 199 Deming St., Manchester CT 06042, (860)648-0520. Please include "Haynes" in the memo if you are writing a check. If possible, please send us an email so that your donation can be designated for Tanzania 2013. You can also donate online via our home church’s secure website: http://www.clgonline.net/Missions/Missionaries.aspx. As in previous years, we'll need to provide all travel, lodging and food costs for myself, Tyren, and Iris Tanzania Director, Pastor Deus, and all costs involved in holding the conference. We hope to be able to provide simple gifts for the Iris churches and, if possible, offer some kind of food assistance as well.

With love,

Tyren and Tiffany Haynes

Presence - We Need More

We love the increase, the end result, which can be healing, salvation, etc.  But, we are also seeing the importance of greatly valuing the planting of seeds and watering; or in other words, the process that is often involved before someone is saved, delivered or healed.  We have the great privilege and joy of relying heavily upon the presence of God to supernaturally create the opportunities needed for us to plant or  water, and open hearts to the true God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

LOVE – Touching the Unlikely of Hearts

A man who walks around the market is said to have mental problems because of the locally made cigarettes he smoked.  He doesn’t talk much, gets upset/irritated at times, but always says the same words, “Give me 5” (that’s  five Metical, or almost 20 cents U.S.).  He begs for money to buy food, although I was told by multiple people that his mom sells food in the market and feeds him.  Last week, I met him again and began to share the gospel and just love on him.  While loving on him, the presence of God came so powerfully, that the man became quiet, still, and listened intently to the gospel.  I’d never seen this man so peaceful or respond with any sort of normal understanding or intelligence.  When I asked him about God’s love touching him, he immediately touched his heart.  The Holy Spirit moved me to hug him, so I did.  And the man just stood there.  He wouldn’t move, but just stood loving the touch of God upon his heart.  When I mentioned about receiving Jesus, he responded, “I don’t know Jesus”.  That was one of the first intelligent communications I’ve ever had with this man.  I pray for his salvation and total healing.  Despite what this man has done with his life, the Father knew he had a heart to hear the gospel if only he was given the invitation.  There are so many people in the market who look perfectly well and are unsaved, but it’s amazing that the Holy Spirit chose to pour out the love of God on this man.

A Muslim woman was watching all of this.  I looked at her, then boldly and simply told her, "You know you need Jesus Christ in your life."  She just verbally agreed and nodded her head.  I began sharing the gospel with her.  As she was working and had to tend to customers at her fruit stand, I told her that I’d return later to explain more to her.  We are seeing that when the presence of God comes upon people or an area, things that may normally take a while can happen very quickly.

Pray for Lichinga and for Us.  Pray that we continue to stand in the outpouring of the Lord’s love upon our lives.  As our hearts stay focused and in “first-love” with Jesus, we are seeing how eager our Lord is to release His presence and do the “impossible” in people’s lives.  A while ago, the Lord told me that what Lichinga needed was to experience more of His presence.  Now, we understand that nothing else will accomplish the plans of the Lord for this place.

Serving with a passion for His presence.  Love,

Tyren and Tiffany Haynes