Lebanon, Macedonia, Greece

Hey friends,

It's been a whirlwind tour over the last week and a half.  As stated in my previous post, our beloved Rick Sizemore was with us in Lebanon.  After we returned, I traveled with him to Macedonia for several days where he preached and counseled in Veles and Skopje.  It was great to be with Rick and run around with him, observing how he preaches, teaches, and counsels.  I've been around him for a few years now, but the Lord always teaches me something new.  He's a great brother and a great example.  I had several opportunities to pray for and speak with people throughout the trip.  I even got to mow grass!

On Thursday night a group of young people met for prayer at Phil and Anna Evan's home where we were staying (Congrats on the birth of their son, Oscar!).  Igor shared that a friend of his had been in the hospital for some time with fluid in her lungs; drain-tube and all.  We prayed for her that night and when we saw Igor the following day, he said the fluid had almost completely dried up.  Praise God!  Jesus heals!  It was great to spend time fellowshipping, encouraging, praying for and alongside one another in Macedonia.  One girl gave her life to Jesus in a home we stopped in briefly, while another three gave their lives to Jesus Sunday afternoon.  God is saving people!  He is transferring them from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of His beloved Son.

After returning from Macedonia we rested for a day.  Then a group of 15 from the Network Community, together with Rick, and Danielle from Serbia, traveled to the island of Thasos to spend time with our brothers and sisters there.  Dimitris and his wife Mario, along with Swedish missionaries, Kenneth and Lena are doing a fantastic, persevering work there.  It was a great time of bonding and relationship building amongst ourselves; as well as, with the church in Thasos.  Rick preached on the heart of the Holy Spirit and I believe many were touched by the power and word of God through prayer and the ministry of the Spirit.  You can't begin to talk about that Guy without things happening.

It's good to be back in Thessaloniki.  Rick and Danielle returned to their respective nations today.  Victor, Tommie's son is here for spring break and Tommie's wife Gunilla will visit for a week next Thursday.

We're believing for a job for our friend, Nikola, potentially on the island of Thasos; as well as, for God to break in on the hearts of many of the others he has given us relationships with - For those that don't know Him, to have a revelation of Jesus and for those that do, to continue to have life-changing encounters with His love.

The motherlands of the gospel will give birth again.

I've been sick for the past several days and I would appreciate your prayers.  I want to be back full swing, meeting guys on the basketball court and campus.

Below are some photos from Lebanon - Click on this link to see more.

Love you all,

Ben

Emil (Syria), Craig Westhoff, Myself, Christine Westhoff, Hassan (Syria)

Tommie Naumann, George (Syria), and Joseph Zorob (Lebanon)

Mazin (Lebanon) and Rick Sizemore

1 Chronicles 14:11

"God has broken through my enemies by my hand, like the breakthrough of waters."

Lebanon was amazing.  The power of God was so strong.  Tommie hosted a conference on spiritual breakthrough among some of the local churches that he has developed a relationship with in Beirut.  Craig and Christine Westoff, Nancy Devito, Hans Joachim, Rick Sizemore and many others shared the word of God and ministered over the course of five days.

Sunday morning, the majority of us attended a church comprised almost entirely of Philippino women.  These women have left their homes in the Philippines in order to support their families back home.  You must understand that these women are like slaves.  They work all week, all day, for very little pay.  Many are mistreated and abused on multiple levels by their employers.  There must have been close to 70 women that packed out Joseph's church building, a relatively small two-room flat on the seventh floor of a downtown apartment building.  This Sunday morning service is their only breathing hole.  It's the only time during the week they are free from their employers.  After Chris preached about acknowledging and surrendering our pain to the Lord, we began to pray for people.  God displayed so much grace and healing power as He touched people through us.  I had the great pleasure of finding myself between a powerful, loving, jealous God and the beautiful people He wanted to encounter and heal.  Many wept and experienced freedom through the power of the Holy Spirit.

They were a truly inspiring group of women.  They worshiped God fervently in spite of their circumstances.  It was a testimony to me that He is most certainly, always good.

If there is one thing the Lord has been teaching me, especially on this trip, it's about being bold and taking steps of faith to express the impression He gives me - to speak out the words, thoughts, or questions He puts in my mind and on my heart.  Whether it be for my Syrian brother George, Pastor Joseph, our Greek taxi driver, or the Lebanese grad student in the airplane seat next to me.

"For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him?" (1 Cor. 2:11)

These thoughts and impressions come for a reason and I'm learning to act on them; to give what I receive.  I don't know what step 2, 3, 4, and 5 are.  I can't take 5 steps at once anyway...  so, why do I try?!  He puts one step before me at a time.  Speak it, say it, do it.  We don't know where God will take us and lead us.  The end-harvest of salvation decisions, healing, deliverances, all begin with the planting of a seed - a decision to take a step, speak a word, extend a hand.

David asked the Lord if he should go up against the Philistines, and the Lord responds, promising David the victory.  Afterward, David declares that God broke through his enemies by his (David's) hand!  God could breakthrough our enemies in a thousand different ways; but He has chosen to do it through our hands - alongside of us.  Thankful to be a part of it in Beirut last week!

Photos to come soon!

Oh, and watch this video.

John 11:41-42

"Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. I knew that You always hear Me;"

Hello friends,

I just got back from our Thursday night home group in the city.  I'm so thankful for people like Elainie that worship God freely with their whole bodies, giving expression in dance and prophetic movement.  They spread a freedom and liberty that is infectious and permeates the spiritual atmosphere.  As a team, we felt like the Lord wanted us to facilitate an environment for the things God has placed within everyone to come out and be released.  With that said, we had a lively discussion of Philippians 3 - one of my favorite chapters.  It's cool to see people freely expressing what's on their heart and others responding with truth and honest, sincere testimonies.  The body loving the body is a beautiful thing. Grace comes in to fill, strengthen, saturate, and raise up places of weakness.   I need a strong brother and sister out there in the world doing damage in the kingdom of light. We all benefit from that. Not to mention we're family and we're here for one another, right?

Praise Report!  A precious member of our body, has been battling intestinal inflammation and recurring abdominal pain for nearly ten years.  Within the past ten days the pain was so severe that she was hospitalized.  After various tests she was scheduled for a surgical procedure that would remove a portion of her intestine, with a potentially complicated, lengthy recovery.  On Tuesday, a group of us fasted and anointed her with oil, agreeing once again with the many prayers that had been prayed, for the kingdom of God to come in power upon her body (And just so you know how holy I am, I had forgotten about the fast and ate a pizza for lunch, haha.  However, I repented and continued fasting ;).  When the doctors went to do the surgery today, they couldn't find anything to remove!  They just enlarged a slightly narrow passage and that was it.  Believing this good report is an answer to prayer - THANK YOU, JESUS!

The Breakthrough Conference in Lebanon is fast approaching. On Tuesday a handful of us from the Network Community will be depart, together with Rick Sizemore and others friends from the United States.  Things in southern Syria are a bit dicey in the world, but we're believing for God to make a way for our friends in the Damascus area to secure safe passage to Beruit.  Prayer is much appreciated.  Pray for protection and the peace of God in Syria.  Pray for the wisdom and revelation of God, for those leading and attending the conference. Let the Lord's will be done.  We depart Thessaloniki at 9:35pm April 5th and return at 8:45pm on Aptil 11th.  Here are just a few names of those participating for the purpose of prayer: Myself, Annika, Jen, Amy, Tommie, Yanna, Rick, Chris, Nancy, Emil, Rana, Hassan, and Joseph.

Much love.  See you soon,

Ben

1 Corinthians 1:9

Hey friends,

Man, where to begin?  A lot has been happening..

First of all, it's awesome to see how God has pursued this Serbian guy that I met on the basketball court.  You can certainly run from God, but you can't hide, haha.  His lovingkindness is forever in hot pursuit (Psalm 23:6).  This guy met the Lord when he was 17, but fell back into the world and long-story-short, ended up in Thessaloniki.  He has dived right into fellowship and is loving on everyone.  It just wrecks me whenever I hear him pray - to hear this brother of mine that was lost and now is found.  I just want to weep and worship God.  It makes it all worth it.

He has joined Jen and Yanna on Tuesdays as they minister to the Roma (Gypsy) people.  He was really moved by the children that lacked shoes and clothing, so I went with them last Tuesday.  The first little girl, no more than two years old, that walked up to me didn't have shoes or pants.  There are shards of glass and busted pieces of metal everywhere.  I posted about it on Facebook and had a good response so far.  Praise God, I received some financial contributions for shoes and clothing; as well as, interest in sending some via mail or with the short-term missions team from Dwelling Place in May.  The kids are so hungry for love, attention, and discipline.  It's tough not being able to speak their language, though many of them can't even read, write, or speak Greek.  I just sat there and scatched little Andrea's (below in blue) back while Yanna was teaching them.  He just looked at me and smiled.  I intend to go there every Tuesday.

I've become part of the leadership team for the Thursday night homegroup in the city.  Really pray that Femi, Annika, Natalie and I would lead the group well.  Pray that we would take the group where the Lord wants us to take it and full of His heart.  Pray that people would really be released, free to express themselves, to grow, to love and to really get to know one another.  We need wisdom and unity!

Next Friday we are having 24 hours of prayer at the church from 7:00pm Friday to 7:00pm Saturday.  Some of our friends from the churches in Macedonia will be coming down.  I'm really looking forward to an awesome time of worship, prayer, and fellowship with our brothers to the north.  Last year this event was a point of significant breakthrough in the church.

Speaking of breakthrough, this is the theme of the upcoming conference Tommie is planning together with fellow churches in Beirut, Lebanon.  It's not in my budget, but I believe it's God so I'm going anyway! Haha.  I just heard a sermon by Tim Keller in which he recounted a story about Alexander the Great.  Alexander was of course extremely wealthy due to his vast conquests.  He told his generals that if they needed anything, to just ask him.  So, one day, a general came to him and asked Alexander's treasurer for the funds for his daughter's wedding.  However, he asked for ten or twenty times above any reasonable amount needed for even the most extravagant wedding.  When the treasurer went to Alexander and told him the general's request, he expected Alexander to be shocked and to dismiss or even rebuke him.  But instead Alexander told the treasurer that this was excellent.  He said, 'This general of mine must believe that I am extremely wealthy and generous,' so he gave it to him!  Beloved, have we begun to believe the depth of God's abundance and generosity?  'How much more will He give what is good to those who ask Him' (Matt 7:11)!

I digress!  We are still reaching out to students on campus twice weekly.  I was reminded today that God has been faithful to answer our prayers.  When I got here in late November, there was little to none of the promises that He had spoken to me previously.  But He told me to prophesy to this city, to the valley of dry bones, that the motherlands of the gospel will give birth again.  And this brother sitting next to me in church tonight was a fulfillment of those promises - the fruit of those prayers and pioneering steps.  He is faithful!

With that said, pray that the Lord would give me grace, wisdom and vision to continue to reach outward as opportunities to serve the body have increased.  Pray also that I would see and hear where the Lord is leading me this summer and fall, so that I would prepare and order my way towards that end.

God bless - Love you all!

Ben

The White City

Hey friends,

Forgive me for taking so long to write again.  I've been in Belgrade, Serbia for the past week visiting with the other Balkan missionaries from Dwelling Place, and haven't had the opportunity to write until now.

Serbia was amazing.  I love Belgrade.  For whatever reason, I feel so strongly to just praise God whenever I am there.  I think there is so much power in it for that city.

Let the high praises of God be in their mouth,
         And a two-edged sword in their hand,
    To execute vengeance on the nations
         And punishment on the peoples,
    To bind their kings with chains
         And their nobles with fetters of iron,
    To execute on them the judgment written;
         This is an honor for all His godly ones.
         Praise the LORD! - Psalm 149:6-9

Praise is warfare.

We attended the weekly prayer group meeting Thursday night.  I felt the presence of God so strongly when I first entered the apartment of this particular elder's family.  I became aware of the honor and privilege it was to know, be in the home of, and intercede alongside the real movers and shakers of Belgrade.  Only God could orchestrate such a course. He gives such abundant honor to earthen vessels.

We had the opportunity to pray for the pastor's wife among others.  The church there is definitely under attack, but the Lord gave me a word that the gates of Hades will not prevail against it (Matt. 16:18).  The body of Christ in Belgrade will overcome.  She said it really carried weight.  4,930 miles across the ocean to speak one word that causes life to be birthed in the body of Christ makes all the warfare worth it.  Bethany also received two words in visions that confirmed the very thing two others had prayed in Serbian.  There is one Spirit and He's awesome.

Leaving your city and diving into the body in another city always gives me fresh perspective when I return.  It's 1:55am here, so more on that later.  Ida ciao.

Much love,

Ben

Revelation 19:10

"For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."

Saturday night and Sunday night, Zoran Spasovski, one of the pastors at Christian Center 490 in Macedonia taught, preached, and ministered concerning the prophetic here in Thessaloniki.  I believe it was a very encouraging time for the entire body.

I don't think I fully understand Revelation 19:10, but I saw at least one aspect of how the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.  The spirit of prophecy releases GRACE.  Paul said the Lord had given him authority for building up and not for tearing down (2 Cor. 13:10), and that's exactly what I saw take place in our body these past few nights.  As the spirit of prophecy was moving and ministering, people were lifted up to a level they couldn't attain on their own.  And that's what Jesus came to do from the Father.  He was full of grace and truth.  He was always lifting people up, calling them to come up higher, to live at a higher level, above the world, in Him.

Words started to fail me, so I sketched the image I had in my mind.  I felt like the Lord really lifted our body to another level through the spirit of prophecy this weekend.  Hope was birthed also with the seeding of His promises.

Much love,
Ben

Ezekiel 37:3,10

"He said to me, 'Son of man, can these bones live?' And I answered, 'O Lord GOD, You know.'
So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army."

I wanted to add these photos of the university campus as a reference for prayer.  Pray that we would have favor, open doors, and divine appointments in this place.  Pray that the love, joy and presence of God would fill and surround us, attracting people to the abundant life found in Christ Jesus.