A SOUL TO REMEMBER.. By : Sis Noel

by NOEL CORDOVA
(HOLLISTER, CA)

Our focus has been souls. Fasting and prayer for souls. Soul winner's boot camp!!

Sunday, one of my best friends came down and she decided to go with me to prayer that evening. I wish I could explain in words what these prayer meetings have done for me and how much they have enriched my soul. It is just beyond beautiful to be with Jesus.

We were all talking afterwards and we talked about being in Love with the Lord. There is such a huge difference in loving someone and being totally in love with someone. The kind of love that just takes your breath away. I didn't want to leave. I told my friend sometimes I wish I didn't have the responsibilities and I could just stay for hours with Jesus like I used to. Don't take it the wrong way. I love my family, but I have to admit I wish I had more time to share in the presence of the Lord in that secret place. When you spend any amount of time there, its hard to step back into the reality of the flesh. I understand now what they were talking about when they said, to be lost in His presence.

I could just go on and on about my precious Lord, but I want to share what the Lord gave to me Sunday. He always sends us off with gifts. I love Him sooooooooo much....

As I prayed the Lord brought back to my remembrance a story I heard from a woman preacher. (I will really have to condense this.) She and her husband were missionaries somewhere in Africa and they lived in a village where leprosy was an epidemic. The smell was awful she said. She told about how she would go to the church and the man from the village would greet her at the doors by nodding his head. He never reached out to shake her hand because he had no hands. Plus she said she wouldn't touch them because leprosy was contagious. She went home one evening and she saw a woman with leprosy standing in her kitchen doing the dishes and she quickly rushed to her husband and said, "She can't stay here!" She has leprosy, we have children!" She said she was so upset with her husband. Her husband turned around and looked at her and said, "This woman was beaten within inches of her life for coming to church. She has no where to go, and they will kill her." He continued to say, "If you want her to go back, then here are the keys to my truck, you take her, and can you do me a favor?" He said, "Can you stop by Calvary on your way home?" He walked away. She said she went to the church to pray and passed the man who nodded to her. She went to lay out her shawl she always brought with her careful not to touch the ground. The Lord spoke to her and said, "Remove the shawl!" She said, "But Lord the floor is dirty and full of skin bacteria!" The Lord said it again louder.. She finally agreed to remove the shawl and laid her face on the dirty ground and prayed through and wept like she never had before. She said when she came out she asked the man for his hand. He looked perplexed and shook his head. She told him, "From now on I want you to give me your arm when I walk past you. I am not afraid to shake your hand anymore." She said Jesus gave her a fresh glimpse at Calvary. She said she cried so much but learned a painful lesson in looking past the fault and seeing the need. God will protect us when we are doing His work.

God started to speak to me under the spirit of intercession and told me, "It is the soul that I see. I don't look at the sin and all the stuff you and others see. I see the soul!!! Look through my eyes!! See the soul." "This revival you have planned is a good thing," the Lord said, "but don't forget the souls that sit among you who are hanging in the balance." He kept bringing two young ladies to my mind over and over as I prayed for them and travailed for their souls. God told me how much he loved them, and He sees their souls, and they matter so much.

He impressed me we can win all of Hollister but, He didn't want me to forget them. I felt like God was saying, "Don't forget to take care of your own first. Love the souls I have given you first. Reach for them with all you have first!! Then go out into the city with those you didn't forget and together we will win the city."

No one person is insignificant to God. I don't know these women. But I now know just how special they are to God. I will try to reach out to them.

It was remembrance for me of the parable of the lost sheep. We are all here yet God is searching for the soul that has gone astray. God is in this whole revival we have planned. I just want to make sure we don't forget to take everyone with us. God doesn't just want some of us. He wants all of us.

I know sometimes we see certain people just sitting there, BUT, they are there!!!!!! Don't look past them and decide their destiny. Get a fresh glimpse of Calvary and see their soul because that is what matters to God. Jesus help me to see the soul....