Saturday, March 26, 2005

My dinner with Pastor Robert Gonzales

Before starting my trip to Mexico I was fortunate enough to meet Pastor
Robert Gonzales and his wife Virgina. I was invited to dinner by Mike
Azevedo and his wife Leann. We all broke bread together. Pastor Robert
is a man on FIRE for the Lord. I was a bit taken back at first, his
eyes popping out because he can't say the words fast enough, his voice,
his hands moving in all directions this is a Man of God, full of the
Holy Spirit, overflowing with Joy,Teaching,and Passion. He and his wife
have traveled the world sharing the Word of God. He speaks of Africa,
England, Mexico, the Ozarks, and countless other locations. He speaks
of healing in all those places, the funniest was the Ozarks What we
would consider backwoods folk full of moonshine, overalls,missing teeth
and married to a cousin....he a hispanic man traveled into those woods
and shared Christ's message of Love, Grace, Forgiveness, the Cross, the
Blood shed for our sins. Baptism, Speaking in tongues, singing and
dancing to the Lord, the visitation of the Holy Spirit and the healing
of the sick. And that was just in one location, he is a man that shows
no fear, from the backwoods to a bridge in London on dodgey side of
town to an AIDS infested village in Africa,Pastor Robert is making a
difference. Believe me when you meet him you know the grace of God is
covering him and his Wife. I told him where I was headed, Rhema Bible
Training center... he just said so peacefully," Ah, Pappa Hagin"
He is a man saved from a drug induced DEATH to LIFE eternal by Christ.
He had spent many trips to Jail, the first ones weren't by choice
either. He has Ministered to these men from the inside and from the
outside, once while in San Francisco he was arrested while preaching
God's Word of Love and Grace to Prostitutes semi protected by the
policemen in the area. They told him he would be in Jail for 4 days...
he started his work inside, he was thrown out half way into the 3rd
day, the guards didn't want to have anything to do with him and the
turning of hearts, he unlike me was disappointed to be let out early...
he still felt he had work to do! This guy is a nut, a freak,
all for Jesus!
He is also working with a group of young Pastors, working on
provision for retired Pastors, men of God well into thier 70's and 80's
who have pioneered many churchs, trailblazed back in the 40's and 50's
and now faithfully believing in God's provision these Pastors are
bridging that gap, being an instrument of God.
I thank Mike and his wife Leann for inviting me to dinner that
night, I was feed the Word of God through the ACTION of others.
AMEN

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