In worship Sunday I mentioned me and my friend seeing those two snow white (doesn't even come close to doing it justice really) doves Thursday. And I know by now that lots of others know what was said. I'm not ignorant of what is really going on all around me/us, I'm really not. And I posed this question to the congregation
after I said during praise reports what had happened that day
"Where else am I supposed to go
and say this?
Besides here?
Who else
am I supposed to be tell?"
(For starters anyway :-)
(I got an "AMEN!"
from our visiting piano player too :-).
It was great. I needed it and she delivered.
I love it when she visits with us and fills in.
Anyways lol).
I also mentioned,
years ago I had asked someone
"What is going to happen when we get together?"
I meant are we going for coffee?
A burger?
Etc.
Their response?
"MIRACLES."
Thursday was the first day after I had told her:
"Im like you
I'll take a bullet for Christ."
(She had mentioned it the week before
but I didn't say anything then.)
"The period of persecution that lies ahead, in which Christians will be slain. calls for endurance and faith, two necessary prerequisites for martyrdom, for with out patient steadfastness in a time of persecution and death, coupled with a sublime faith in the final outcome, few would become martyrs."
But worship was like it always is at our church.
The opening prayer mentioned
the out pouring of the spirit.
(It was Pentecost Sunday BTW).
Fresco of the Pentecostal dove
(representing the Holy Spirit)
at the Karlskirche in Vienna, Austria
The Children's message included:
"We are to worship God in tough times as well as the good."
I had just told my friend Wed at bible study
when he said he was concerned about his grandkids
and what they faced ahead and I just said
Job 2:10
“Should we accept from God
only good and not adversity?”
is all I know what to say about our circumstances
and what we better be preparing out children for.
And then that's in the children's service four days later?
Saturday
I had told my pastor what had happened with the Doves we had seen earlier in the week. Cause you know, I make it a point to lie to multiple preachers over the course of a decade etc
(that's sarcasm BTW) and
During meet and greet time?
She was sharing a picture of a white dove
a friend of hers had seen in her yard
and had shared on FB,
Shortly after getting off the phone with me telling her about our experience?
My pastor sees this?
Friday?
After our collective experience with the doves on Thursday?
I was listening to:
I hadn't ever listened to it
even though I was a fan of theirs
back when they first came out
and I really liked their first couple of records:
So I listened to the songs that I knew I liked
and then I was working
my way through some of the others I hadn't heard
to see if there was anything else
they had done later on
that I wasn't familiar with that I might like.
Needless to say:
GOING HOME
struck a chord with me.
It was Friday.
After we had seen the doves on Thursday.
I had never heard it before.
I liked the intro and let it play.
I had skipped numerous others before it.
"They said good-bye to all their friends
And left their humble homes behind
They'd heard about a chance up north
Amidst the noise and dirt and fire
And on the way they prayed to God
"Have mercy send us down a light"
And when the babies cried they told them close
"Mi hijo (my son) everything is alright"
Going home
On the wings of angels
Going home
On the wings of a snow white dove
Going home
On the wings of angels
Going home
On the wings of love
One walked his way around the town
The other took the name of Rose
They both never had much wealth
But each one knew how a flower grows
And they spoke a language in new ways
And raised their familes true to heart
Their blood runs through my veins so deep
I know they could never tear us apart
Yeah, they broke their backs just trying to stake a place
That they could call their own
And as we lay them down to sleep
I know in my heart that they're going home."
Pastor in closing said:
"Be a seed planter."
Sunday school teacher for our children said:
"We planted seeds
for Christ this morning in Sunday school."
At my
completion
ceremony?
YEARS ago?
Do rag on my head and all
I stated:
"Look at me
I'm not exactly your cookie cutter Christian
by any stretch of the imagination.
I'm a seed planter.
Not a waterer or harvester."
People were there.
They know what was said
and what I was wearing.
"Well that's all just an accident/coincidence etc..."
I can hear them already Lucy :-).
(Is Fordsville still there BTW? :-)
When I was going through the Laity Academy for Church Excellence?
(LACE for short),
To be a certified lay leader/speaker in the United Methodist Church?
On multiple occasions,
(at least two and I'm thinking probably three)
I contacted the individual in charge of scheduling
our classes about when the next one was.
Thing is?
Each time I did?
She was in the process of sending out the schedule of classes at that very moment.
She even said:
"Andrew, this is kinda spooky."
I said:
"Why?
"People need to be getting ready for the outpouring of the spirit.
You're witnessing it first hand."
Later after our next class had ended?
Some of us stayed in the zoom session and I asked her:
"Tell them what happened
when I called you."
And she did, and people were amazed.
Im not sharing her name as i dont know her all that well but she knows who she is
and the others that were there in the after session zoom meeting know what happened as well.
Point is?
IT"S NOT A FAD.
IT"S HERE.
DO NOT LET YOUR MIND TRICK YOU
INTO BELIEVEING
WHAT YOU WANT TO BELIEVE.
BELIEVE WHAT YOU KNOW
IN YOUR HEARTS TO BE TRUE!
Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this world,
(NOT A PROBLEM :-)
but
be transformed
by the renewing
of your mind.
Then you will be able
to test and approve
what is the good,
pleasing,
and perfect
will of God."
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