News Letter December 12, 2005

OPEN HEART MINISTRIES
www.ohmint.org
Ben and Brenda Peters

Dear Saints (and those who think they have to work at it),

You are beloved, chosen and set apart for Himself.  Rise up into your destiny.  There is no time to waste.  Harvest time is here.

We just did an all-day Prophetic Ministry and the Harvest seminar in Genoa on Saturday to an on-fire group.  The anointing was very strong on the ministry time and the response was very powerful.  One letter we received today encouraged us that the teaching had taken hold.  This newly-prophetic friend has prophesied to several people since Saturday and her friends who attended have a new understanding and love for the Lord and each other.

Since Saturday's event was sold out, we have rescheduled another one on the 25th of March.  We hope to have a larger facility so we won't have to turn anyone away.

PLEASE PRAY

Both Brenda and I have some kind of flu that is going around.  We want to be well for ministry this Thursday and Friday.  Thursday is an Aglow meeting in Morris at 6:30 in the evening and Friday is a home group in Woodstock.

NEXT WEEK

We will be blessed with company from Canada.  Many remember Murray Smith and his brother Harvey.  They will be coming via Kansas City for about six days.  We are scheduling several events for them to participate in.  

On Monday, Dec. 12 we will visit the Elgin House of Prayer on Chicago St in Elgin.  On Tuesday night we will have a get-together at Pastor Bill Myers place.  They can seat about fifty in their basement.  On Wednesday, we plan on visiting and participating in the revival going on in Peru, Illinois, at the Eagle Rock Christian Center.  Then on Friday, Dec. 16, we will be in Freeport, Illinois, ministering at a coffee shop there.

FUTURE EVENTS

On December 17th Brenda will minister to the Skokie Aglow and at the end of the month we will join ten thousand others at the One Thing in Kansas City.  

On January 5-8 at Christian Fellowship in Crystal Lake there will be a great evangelistic dramatic presentation, which our son, Tim, is a part of.  This is a production by Mark Oliver and Sharon Sherbondy and others, and should be a wonderful event to attend.  

Meanwhile, we will be ministering at Pal Bok Presbyterian (Korean) church in Vernon Hills on Saturday and Sunday, finishing up the conference they are having with Che Ahn.  We feel very honored to be  speakers with Che.

We anticipate a visit to Oneonta and Albany, New York in mid January.  Then we need to try to fit in several places in Arkansas and Oklahoma, before heading to Florida in late February.

Please pray for wisdom in our scheduling.  We are also beginning to connect with other leaders in the Chicagoland area.  We don't want to be gone too much.  We need to hear from God.  Please pray that we will.

This letter is already too long, but I am going to copy a message I just wrote tonight.  I won't be offended if you don't have time to read it.  I would, but I won't have any way of knowing, so feel free to do something else.  You might not agree with it anyway.

For those who are persistent, here it is:


PUSH, BREATHE, PUSH, OH LOOK – IT’S COMING

A CHRISTMAS PRESENT FROM THE FATHER?

     By Ben R. Peters – Open Heart Ministries – www.ohmint.org


THE WATER BROKE

Shortly after Hurricane Katrina I felt the Lord spoke to me, “The water broke.”  As most of us know, a protective membrane, known as the placenta, holds the amniotic fluid that cushions the unborn child, until the time for labor has come.  When the placenta breaks, we usually say “the water breaks”.  We know then that it’s time to push, breathe, push and breathe.  

New Orleans experienced the water breaking through the protective membrane that was built up around the lake, flooding the city.  I received this word as a sign that God was ready to birth something in America.  Taking into account prophetic words by men such as Kim Clement, I released a message to our own mailing list and two others that it was time for serious spiritual labor to birth the revival that God was preparing to send to America and beyond.  At the same time Cindy Jacobs, Chuck Pierce and others were calling for special days of fasting and prayer, further confirming my convictions that God was speaking clearly to me.

The past few months since Katrina have been very eventful.  Two Supreme Court Justice positions were vacated, creating a rare opportunity for President Bush to appoint judges that would allow America to change directions in such critical issues as abortion.  Lou Engle has had a team of young interns, interceding for these court appointments and other critical political decisions which must be made in Washington, D.C.  Truly, our prophetic leaders have been leading us in some serious intercession, which I would call birth pangs for revival.

SIGNIFICANT SIGNS OF REVIVAL

We have seen many significant signs that revival is on the way in the past few months, since coming back from a life-changing visit to Mozambique, where we saw first-hand the powerful revival that Rolland and Heidi Baker have witnessed for several years.  A sharp rise in spiritual hunger and passion for Jesus is being witnessed daily here in North America, as we move among various churches and ministries.  

At every conference or seminar where we minister in these days, we are seeing people respond and apply the teaching and prophetic words we release to them.  They are becoming catalysts in their own world for revival.  In addition, there is an increase in anointing to preach, teach and prophesy, and there is an increase in physical healings, conversions and answers to prayer for the return of wandering sheep.

The fire is burning brightest in the youth that we have recently encountered.  There is a strong witness in our spirit that they are being prepared for something incredibly powerful and awesome.  They are so ready to lay down their lives for something bigger than themselves and they are seeing a lot of supernatural answers to prayer.  They are not seeking recognition or pursuing careers or a position in church.  They only want to worship their King and give their lives to serve Him.  They battle their own flesh and pride with a rarely seen intensity.  Believe me, they are very sincere and they have been getting me very excited.

DELIVERY TIME IS HERE

In the last few weeks, I have seen the birth process progress to the point that I believe we are now in the presentation stage, where the head of the baby is visible and it’s just a matter of a few more pushes and the whole baby will be born.  God has given me a personal sign, which may not seem terribly significant at this point to many, but I believe that what is happening here in Illinois, is already being replicated in many parts of this nation, from where it will spread to others.  We are witnessing an unusual move of God that has come to a church where we have ministered twice in recent months.  I have not experienced anything this special in America in many years.  This church has given up their normal agenda to pursue revival and put Kingdom growth above their own church growth.  

The Eagle Rock Christian Center in Peru, Illinois, is experiencing a powerful revival.  A small congregation, surrounded by corn fields, was made even smaller recently, when they embraced renewal, which they had previously opposed.  But as they focused more and more on worship, God began to move in their midst.  God allowed us to be a witness and a catalyst of this revival, which really took off after our recent weekend with them.  

During week night meetings, people are showing up that had no plans to do so.  One was a young man who had left his wife months before.  She was in the church and they had been praying for him the whole time.  When someone saw an angel with a sword waiting for him to come forward, he was called forward and asked if he wanted to return to God.  When he said yes, it was like he was hit by lightning.  For over two hours he thrashed on the floor, wrestling with issues God was asking him to deal with.  An eleven-year-old girl and a two-year-old boy both had prophetic words for him to let go.  When he was finished the divine deliverance, a restoration with his wife took place, initiated by the angel with the sword.

Others are writing to the leaders or coming in person with prophetic words regarding revival being birthed there.  I believe their intense worship has opened the Heavens in a special way over this congregation and its leaders.  

If this was an isolated instance, I would not be that excited, but I hear the sound of rain from many locations.  Eagle Rock Christian Center is my personal sign from God and I believe it is a foretaste of what will happen in churches everywhere, especially those whose leaders are pursuing intimacy with Jesus and making whatever personal sacrifices are necessary to expand the Kingdom of God in every way that they can.

COULD THIS BE A CHRISTMAS PRESENT FROM THE FATHER

We know that December 25th is not the actual date of Jesus’ birth, but it is the date we set aside to remember and celebrate.  Some scholars believe His correct birth year is 4 A.D. making this year just one year past the 2000th anniversary of His birth.  If we were to remove the 0’s from the year 2005 we have the number 25, corresponding to the date we celebrate Christmas.  

My greatest Christmas present ever would be to see revival sweep America to the extent that Americans would once again take the lead in spreading the gospel throughout the world.  Today, more missionaries are sent from “third world nations” than from the western nations.  Where we once had twice as many Christians in the western world as the “third world”, there are now four times as many in the “third world” as there are in the west.  It’s time to catch up to the “third world”.  Only a major breakthrough will bring that about.  Could that breakthrough be a revival birthed in this special time of this year?

For those who are weary of the labor and travail, take courage.  Take a deep breath of the Spirit of life, the Spirit of Revival.  Then PUSH (Pray Until Something Happens) again.  Then read Isaiah 66:9.  The prophet declares that God will not bring the baby to the time of birth and then leave it in the birth canal.  This baby – Revival in America – will be born.  The head is showing.  Let’s push it out.  Let’s labor together.  He is giving us the strength for the final push.  Being able to see and hold the baby will make it all worth the effort.  If this is a Christmas gift from the Father, I receive it.  

Help us Jesus in the critical hour to birth this revival which you have conceived in your people in this nation.  Amen.