On Friday morning I received a call from Pastor R****. He let me know that he had had heart issues; in fact, at least one heart attack. He was taken to a hospital and stabilized. He was in good spirits but wanted to keep us all informed so that we could pray. He was very anxious to get back to his tent because he had a graduation ceremony to officiate at for the last large group he had trained to be volunteer missionaries there in the Mideast.
We talked for a short time until the nurse told him he needed to hang up. I quickly prayed for him as has been our custom for all these many months and we hung up.
Before I could get anything typed up for an update I received the e-mail message below written by Sister Lois who serves as head of the prayer team for HOB in Jerusalem. I have copied it in its entirety below. Enjoy this update but PLEASE pray, and keep praying! God has promised that He would respond to the earnest prayers of righteous people. Who are the righteous? Those who are committed to our Master, Jesus Christ, and are following His leading to fulfill His purposes.
In Him,
Jake Geier
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PRAYER ALERT FOR PASTOR RASHID 11/22/2014
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me…Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.” (Psalm 23)
I have a glorious report to share today: Pastor R**** is alive and well! And he is more committed than ever to speed on training missionaries for the great harvest among the Muslims in the Middle East.
This morning at 8 a.m. Pastor R**** called me from his hospital bed in the ICU: “Good morning, good morning”. Little did I know by his cheery greeting what he would say next: “I had another heart attack around 2 a.m., but the doctors went in and opened up the blockage and I’m fine now.”
I almost had an attack hearing how close to death he had been during the night! You are fine? “Yes, yes, I’ll probably be released from the hospital in a day or two.”
Then Brother R**** shared this great miracle: his heart is not damaged in spite of all the attacks during the past 24 hours! So yes, now that all the blockages have been removed, he is fine and eager to start the next discipleship training. There are over 800 new believers in Yeshua who are waiting to be discipled as missionaries, and he has already chosen the next 150 who are the most qualified.
Today is graduation day for the current 150 missionaries Pastor R**** has been training non-stop for the past six weeks. His elders will be conducting the ceremony in the tent of meeting at the H.O.B. base camp, but that does not mean Pastor R**** will not be participating. The missionaries want him to personally sign their certificates, so he is sitting in his ICU hospital bed today signing away. I asked him how he signs his name, and after a little nudging he told me: “Your servant, R****,” Not Pastor R****? “No, I’m their servant.” He is truly a man after God’s own heart!
I told Pastor R**** that many have been praying for him. He is so grateful. “Please thank them. Let them know their prayers have been answered: I am healed! I’m doing well–at peace with no fear– and we need to keep going.”
Then he told me how hundreds of the disciples from the refugee camp had come to the hospital last evening and kept vigil all night. There were so many they had to stand outside in the rain. Pastor R**** was overcome with emotion, “I am so happy to be so loved by everyone, and to be so loved by the Lord who takes such good care of me.”
Please keep praying with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit. Although Pastor R**** is confident he is out of danger, we know we are warring against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places who want to rob, kill, and destroy God’s servants. But hallelujah! We have victory in Jesus Christ Who has conquered death and the grave.
Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world!
Love and Blessings from Jerusalem,
Lois