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Palm Sunday in Baroda, India

March 17, 2008 - Read all blogs

Last fall while speaking in one of the local churches in Baroda, India; I was asked to be the guest speaker for the annual Methodist pastors, leaders, and believers “Passion Week” Conference. Today is Palm Sunday.  I was awakened at 4 AM due to the strange noises coming from the streets and new surroundings. Resting on my bed, I began to meditate on my wonderful Savior. I asked God to bring revelation of what He wanted said this morning. The Triumphant Entry of Jesus is foremost in my mind.

I spoke twice this morning. The first service was at 9:00 and the second was at 10:15. The reason this was so unusual was that I spoke at two different churches which were 20 kilometers apart. The Methodist services are very punctual. I am still learning how to function in this type of service.

I always watch the eyes of the people while I am preaching. This helps me to know if they understand what I have been saying and to see the depth that God is moving on them. Sometimes language and culture can be a barrier. Today as I watched the people’s eyes, I could see a hunger for more of God’s presence developing within them. They did not even realize what it was that they were hungry for. They knew there was emptiness within. I began to explain to them that when Jesus rode into Jerusalem, He was not coming to overthrow the Roman enemies; but rather a lifeless religious system that could not even began to help the people. They were attentive as I shared that God wanted them to come near to Him in a deep relationship and not to have a heart that is far from Him.

At the end of each service, I gave an invitation for prayer to all who wanted a transformation to take place in their lives. Through years of tradition, the God’s very people have learned to be unresponsive to the Word of God. The yearning in their hearts overcame, and nearly every one came up for prayer. These same people will be at the services that will be held twice daily for the next week. I have been praying for breakthrough into their hearts and culture.

After the second service, I saw an old man who was the custodian. He was Hindu, but that did not stop me from asking him if I could pray with him. He agreed. I prayed that he would have an encounter with God and for a miracle of healing in his body. I am waiting for a report. The evening service will be less formal. I believe there will be more opportunity for prayer and ministry following the service.

A young woman about nineteen years of age had a vision of Jesus after the first day of preaching. Jesus came to her and sat down with her. He spoke to her about the call of God on her life. He spoke to her for about thirty minutes. She didn’t know what to do with her vision. She didn’t feel she could just leave her parents. I spoke to her about how to seek God. I also told her that I had been watching her eyes. I could tell that God was moving in her life, and I asked her why she was not responding to Him. The next service, she was quick to respond to the Lord, Jesus.

Keep praying for my Hindu friend, Kalpesh Patel. His father passed away a few weeks ago. He has now become the head of the entire family. I have been allowed me to talk with him some about a relationship with the Lord. There is still a wall that must come down. HOLY SPIRIT COME AND AWAKEN THE HEART OF KALPESH. DRAW HIM TO YOURSELF.

The evening services are being held crusade style as an open air meeting. The purpose is for the Hindu people to overhear the message of the gospel of Jesus. In Baroda, evangelizing is illegal. The meeting were set up as a “Believer’s Only Crusade”. The city of Baroda is so large that two crusade grounds were set up, one at each end of the city. The two American speakers alternated spots each evening. The service went well except for one thing, I ended about 15 minutes late.  I was graciously reminded to keep time. Keeping time is very important to the religious system here. It’s almost as if it is a barometer for godliness. The people didn’t want the preaching to end, they said that they wanted to hear more, and time was not a factor for them.  After the service there was opportunity to pray for the sick and also one young man came to me pray for his marriage. After he and his wife became Christians, his father in law took his daughter back. He now refuses to let him see his wife. In this city, a person can be imprisoned for becoming a Christian. God is the God of miracles, and He is bigger than the hardness of this man’s heart.