ccm Cross 0101
Monday February 6, 2017
Mkoba Baptist Church
Mkoba, Zimbabwe
ccm Cross 0101
GPS/DMS 19° 26′ 54.67” S 29° 45′ 24.36” E
4304 cdd Ministering in Prayer
Cyber Daily Devotion
Volume 18 Number 074
Today’s Author: Pastor Bill
Scripture: Ephesians 4:11-12
“He (Jesus) Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” NKJV Emphasis Added
Hello, my name is Pastor Jeffrey Ncube from the First Baptist Church, Mkoba, Zimbabwe. This is my Cross Testimony of how Jesus chose me and how He has watched over me for years and taught me how to minister in prayer. I grew up in the rural area North of Harare near the Zambia border. My dad was a farmer while mom stayed home with seven children, I was number three.
When we were growing up we never attended church. Dad and mom had no interest in God, Jesus or the church. Then when I was seven years old a traveling evangelist from the USA visited our home. He shared Jesus with my dad and mom and that night they received Him as Lord and Savior in their lives.
Our lives changed immediately. We started attending church. I went along but never understood what happened in their hearts until I was 16 years old, in 1967. That’s when I heard the Bible story of the prodigal son. When the preacher was wrapping up his sermon he said that we might not be lost far away in a foreign land but we could easily be lost at home or even in church. He was talking to me. I wanted to have what my dad and mom had. I wanted to have a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Immediately I became interested in reading the Bible and praying. I could not take in enough. The next few years I was active in everything church. Even in school every one noticed my change to serve Jesus. In 1975 I was asked by my Pastor to seek more and attend Bible school for more training. I said no. Again, he asked and I said I’d pray about it. I took this opportunity to serve God diligently in prayer. Then on Christmas Day 1977, I received my answer. The Lord spoke and said, “Jeffrey, you must not fear going into ministry. Don’t look to people — look to me and I will show you what I will do for you.”
I entered the Theological College. Here I met Viola. Her love for Jesus was strong and we both shared the same vision to serve the Lord. We attended classes together and grew in the Lord together. We married while in school and graduated together in 1980. Since then we have six children and currently we have 15 grandchildren.
Our first ten years of ministry were in the rural areas. Then in 1991 we came to this church. We have been here ever since.
Throughout our ministry, the Lord has been faithful just as He said and many miracles and wonders have happened, as a result. Here are a few.
We were asked to pray for a lady. We visited her at home and found that she had a leg that had swelled up like balloon. It was very painful and had been this way for a very long time. The only way she could move around the house was to crawl. She had spent most of her money on doctors and witch doctors who could not help her. We prayed with her and the Lord said anoint her with oil. I remembered in James 5 where we as elders are called to pray for the sick and anoint them with oil.
James 5:14-15: “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven” NKJV
There was no oil present. We found some Vaseline. We anointed her with that and prayed for her recovery. We left with her condition in the hands of the Lord and went home. Two days later we returned to find her leg had returned to normal and she was beginning to walk around her house.
A family came and asked for prayer for their two girls. They were being tormented by demons. We entered the house and sat everyone down. We explained that to be released from this torment they must.
1. Accept Jesus Christ as Lord in their lives. This they did.
2. We asked if they liked what these evil spirits were doing to them. Answer, “no.”
3. We asked if they would like to be released from these evil spirits. Answer, “yes.”
4. We bound the evil spirits from them.
5. We asked if they trusted Jesus. Answer, “yes.”
6. We baptized them
7. The tormenting spirits left.
8. We asked the Holy Spirit to fill where these evil spirits had been
One lady attended our service and received Jesus Christ as Lord. After the service the lady asked if we would talk with her husband who was a practicing witch doctor. We asked that he visit us at church. He did.
He said, “my wife has become a Christian, I too want to be a Christian, but what must I do with my witch doctor things?”
We said, “You must make a choice, Jesus Christ or your witch doctor things.” He left, only to return with all his witch doctor things. We dug a pit and threw all his things in. We covered them with gasoline and lit a match. We could hear the screams of the demons attached to each item as they burned. They were finished. He became a strong Christian, loving father and wonderful husband.
Philippians 4:13 is my favorite Bible verse. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” NKJV
This Cross today is a powerful example of what Jesus Christ did by shedding His blood for me. When people walk by they will see hope. This community needs more of Jesus. We all need more hope.
Prayer: Father thank you for the power in prayer. It is so amazing to me how You intimately care for each one of us who accepts Your Son, Jesus Christ as Lord. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!
Beams were moved from inside the church to the work site.
Preparing the site one shovel full at a time
All work was done by hand and everyone helped out.
Lifting team learning the steps for planting a Cross
We were short of lifters but the guys stepped up big time.
Pastor Bill interviewing Pastor Jeffrey Ncube inside the church
Plaque “Declaring God’s glory” over Zimbabwe
And the rains started just as we finished!
Philippians 4:13
“I can do all things through Christ
who strengthens me” NKJV