All posts tagged: kingdom

07/22/13 Testimonial during the 24/7Indy

FHL Week 2013

FHL Week 2013

I pray that you will be blessed as you read this story that happened on 24/7Indy. This was from one of our partners, Patty. Send me your testimonial and any encouraging message.

God showed me to divide the time into one hour slots and each hour focus on different topics. We did 20 minutes of worship, 20 minutes of declaring along with a testimony regarding that area from a testimony book from supernatural school at Bethel and 20 minutes of soaking. The time just flew and the Presence of God came in a wonderful way.

When we were in the 3rd hour of praying a group of young people came in from the camp. So I explained to them what we were doing and that they could join us. We all worshipped together and then got in a circle to pray for the government. I shared a testimony of healing I had had and offered individual prayer for anyone who wanted it. Becky, who was praying with us saw us touching each one of them and saying a blessing over them. We had them get in a circle and then 6 of us went around the circle and touched each one of the young people and the 2 leaders and spoke words of blessing and prophesy from God. One young man was on his knees the whole time and was overcome by the presence of the Lord! We were getting some powerful words for him. He is the one who God touched later with the joy of the Lord and he saw Jesus tickling him! God was doing a mighty and glorious work in him.

Then most of them left except for 5 who came to us for more prayer. It was 3 young people and 2 leaders. They each got prayer for specific things and one young man had scoliosis and we saw him get talller and one young girl had back pain and she received healing! The leaders also got prayer and were  touched by God!

Jeri, Deborah, Becky, Kathy and Matthew from FHL prayed during this time. It was a wonderful and moving and exciting time with Jesus!

Merlin Gonzales07/22/13 Testimonial during the 24/7Indy
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Outpouring of the Holy Spirit

Mid-week FHL Week & 24/7Indy celebration at Creekside Ministries

Mid-week FHL Week & 24/7Indy celebration at Creekside Ministries

WEDNESDAY, JULY 24, 2013

Reported by Facundo Cortez, FHL Anderson/Pendleton Area Coordinator

Today was an extraordinary day as we experience the supernatural pouring out of His Holy Spirit!!!!!!!

We met at WellSpring Church and had our group devo (devotional). We started the day soaking in God’s presence by being in His Word, praying, worshiping & praising the Lord! God’s presence was real! WOW!

Today we had two teams. One team went to Wheeler and another group went to Liberty Christian School to continue the painting project there.

The Wheeler team’s assignment today was to continue doing housekeeping at Wheeler Mission Center for Women and Children in Indianapolis. They cleaned the dining room.

When they were done they went to Garfield Park to enjoy their sack lunch.

The Liberty team continued to make progress painting the women’s bathroom on the first floor. They decided to go to Taco Bell for lunch. While there, one of the team was able to talk to another guest at the restaurant and give her hope since she was going to a rough time. It’s amazing where God can give us opportunities to share the Word about faith, hope and love!

The teams then got together at the ice cream shop across the street from Liberty and eat ice cream together. Then we said goodbye to the Steve Wolverton from Michigan and his two granddaughters. We could not have do it without them.

Then the Holy Ghost Fireworks started!!!

Several churches and ministries from the Anderson/Pendleton attended the 24/7 Indy at Creekside Ministries. It was led by their deaf (ASL) worship team and it was AWESOME! The presence of the Lord was everywhere! The power of the Holy Spirit began to be poured out big time!

(Let me say that my religious/church background is not one that normally feels comfortable with magnification of the Holy Spirit. Some of you reading this may not believe or accept the things I am about to share but I ask that you read with an open mind and heart.)

All of sudden, people began to be filled with the Spirit Holy, slain in the Spirit, shaking uncontrollably, speaking in tongues, laughing for no reason! Some became so drunk in the Spirit that they had to be driven home! Some people were crawling to the altar! Some were healed of physical sickness! Others were healed of broken relationships and broken hearts! Others were set free from bondages, generation curses and so much more!! As people walked thru the prayer tunnel they were also slain in the Holy Spirit. To put it mildly, it was wild!! All of us received the power of the Holy Spirit to do what He wants us to do: Be his witnesses! To proclaim boldly the Good News!

If you weren’t there don’t worry The Holy Spirit is coming to a neighborhood near you! I believe that as the momentum continues we will continue to see an outpouring of the Holy Spirit like in the day of Pentecost! Revival is here NOW! The manifestation of God with signs and wonders is happening NOW! And they will continue from this day forward! To God be the glory!

Merlin GonzalesOutpouring of the Holy Spirit
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The History of FHL Part 2

Building a church,  Costa Rica 2002

Building a church, Costa Rica 2002

After more than two years of trying and failing to go back to the mission field, I had the thought that there must be many people like me who have the heart to go on a mission, but who don’t have the time or money to go. I thought, why not do something similar to taking people outside the country?—Why not have a mission week in our own neighborhoods that would be available to many community churches in the area? The verses in Acts 1:8 made sense to me that we should reach out first to our own Jerusalem, then to Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth.

In February 2005, I contacted 35 pastors in two communities and invited them to discuss and explore having projects all around the neighborhoods for one week. I met with about 15 of them individually and proposed the neighborhood missions. In April 2005, several leaders from 12 different churches came for our first group meeting. I was surprised to see how many were interested since an associate pastor in my church told me it would be impossible to bring churches of different denominations to work together. It seems strange, but that’s reality.

Seven pastors from different denominations committed to do a week of outreaches in our neighborhood. We met on a regular basis identifying needs and resources in our communities. Once we narrowed down the needs list, we developed projects and then asked our congregations and the surrounding businesses to provide the resources needed. We did not have any budget so we worked hard to find resources around us. Seven churches and 200+ volunteers performed 10 projects for the first Faith Hope and Love (FHL) Week in Indianapolis.

I was very happy to see a vision became a reality. By November of the same year some of the pastors who joined us called me and asked what we would be doing the following year. I told them I was done. However, they shared with me that their congregations had a great experience and were already looking forward to next year’s local mission. So I developed a plan of action how to share the concept with other communities in metropolitan Indianapolis.

After prayers and encouragement, I shared the vision with several pastors in greater Indianapolis and asked them to be the area coordinators in their communities. The idea seemed very workable and the Lord gave me favor to recruit four more communities to do what is now known as “Mission Trip in Your Own Backyard.” The following year, we mobilized 50+ churches and organizations with 1,200 volunteers who performed more than 30 projects during the entire Faith Hope and Love Week.

To date, this ministry has worked with more than 200 different churches crossing denominational lines in central Indiana. FHL has year-round ministries such as planting self-sustained food pantries, Kindness Days and leadership training. It mobilizes more than 3,000 unique volunteers on an annual basis.

Update for FHL Week 2013:

FHL Week 2013 officially starts on Sunday, July 21 3p with Prayer Celebration at Creekside Ministries The Prayer Celebration is also the start of 24/7Indy More info to come regarding the FHL Week 2013, “The Year of Love”

 

Merlin GonzalesThe History of FHL Part 2
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9th Annual FHL Week, a Mission Trip in Your Own Backyard

The Official start of FHL Week

The Official start of FHL Week

Indianapolis, IN – Indianapolis will once again host the Annual FHL Week “Mission Trip in Your Own Backyard” from July 21-to July 28. Since 2005, many churches and various organizations come together for a week of unconditional service in their local communities. It’s like a mission trip without leaving home.

Faith Hope and Love (FHL) www.fhlinternational.org has been gathering different denominations, cultures and social status together through projects and services that are developed by the local communities. Merlin Gonzales, the Founder of FHL said, “On Dec. 12, 2012 (12/12/12), I had an impression that in order to bring deeper revelation of the unity in the Body of Christ here in Central Indiana, we should have extended Prayer, Worship and Praise together.” In addition to projects and services, this year’s FHL Week will include 24/7 non-stop prayer/worship from July 21st 3p to July 28th 3p (Eastern time).

There are many projects and services that are in the planning stage, such as minor home renovation, neighborhood clean ups, providing toys for the children of distressed families, food drives, possible oil changes, and many more.

For more information or to interview Merlin Gonzales regarding the 2013 FHL Week, contact 317-578-3370 or [email protected]

Merlin Gonzales9th Annual FHL Week, a Mission Trip in Your Own Backyard
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