Ever had one of those "Alleluia!" moments?
Yesterday, I did. I hadn't had one in a while (read: "once, maybe.") but this one was a full blown, mind altering, "Divine Pine to the Mind" kinda moment.
At Cracker Barrel. Really.
A friend of mine, Faustina, works there as a hostess. My wife and I first encountered her about two years ago. She is from Africa, Ghana to be precise, and is here on a school visa. She has recently finished her degree in Divinity, and is preparing to take her newfound training back to Africa.
This is not the moment.
As it happens, G-d has given me a certain insight that allows me to share His words with others. In this case, I was given quite a few words and a vision to share with our friend regarding her soon-to-be-realized ministry. However, this "insight" has only been given to me fairly recently, and therefore I do not have much of a "track record" regarding the accuracy of these "words". But I believe that this picture I laid before her was from
G-d and was therefore led by this faith to reveal what I had seen and heard.
This, also, is not the moment.
As it happens frequently when G-d uses a human to do His work, He also has a way of making everything line up so that the appropriate (for Him)meetings take place at the appropriate (again, for Him) work can take place. So, having said that, it is appropriate to give Him credit for what seemed a coincidence at the time.
Nope. Not the moment.
It was Christmas Eve. My wife and I were hungry and in the vicinity of Cracker Barrel, and so decided to stop in. It was Faustina's regular day off, but there were others there who, due to our frequency of visits, also had become friends. (Mind you, it hadn't actually occured to us that perhaps the restaurant might be closing early or anything like that.) But in we went.
The moment is getting closer...
We hadn't expected to see Faustina, but as G-d would have it, there she was. As usual, she greeted us with the warm embrace of a close family member. But there was a sparkle in her eye and an excitement in her voice that was above even her usual upbeat manner. She would not say what was causing this joy, except that she wanted to talk to us after we ate.
The moment is really close... Really.
When we had finished and stepped back into the entry area, it was then that Faustina took us in hand (and crutches - I am still dealing with my hip injury) and led us outside. Now, she has made a point of praying for G-d's guidance dury my ordeal, and so I was thinking this was more of the same. Wrong answer. When we were seated outside, She turned to my wife and I and asked what the word was that I had for her.
Moment is at hand.
When I had picked my jaw from off the sidewalk and got it back to working in its more normal position I then asked her how she knew I had a word for her. You would think it would have occured to me that my reaction to her question should have been answer enough, but, being a guy, I tend toward the typical male wooden head syndrome and asked anyway. She merely giggled and replied that my wife and I had been on her heart all day and that we had important information for her. I then proceeded to give her the words and vision that G-d had laid on me for her.
Now for the moment. (thunder rolls...)
Last night, another friend of ours, Pam, who shares the same Gift of Insight that G-d has given to me, came into town and announced that she wanted to eat at Cracker Barrel. I knew that Faustina would be working, and looked forward to speaking to her and hearing her speak about what was happening in her life. As usual, she was her sheerful self, and once again refused to speak to us until after dinner. So it came to pass in the fullness of time and belly that we once again found ourselves outside with Faustina. Only it was Pam, not I, that had the word and vision for her.
The moment?
The word and vision were the same as G-d had given me. In one brief, glorious moment, G-d had confirmed Faustina's forthcoming ministry and His Word to me that I might dare to believe what others, including Pam, had said my ministry would be.
Alleluia!!!!!
May God bless you and keep you!
Friday, December 30, 2005
Friday, December 09, 2005
Impasse
This injury has bound me...
As treatment continues, I am forced to consider life post injury, and I find the task daunting. I look to G-d, who has given me this faith that all will turn out as it should, but am forced to wonder: "How?"
(Insert appropriate crackle of distant thunder here)
My wife looks to me for answers, but I find I have only one, and, at least for her, it is insufficient. Is this how G-d tests his children?
How do I respond? Anger? Resentment? Impassiveness?
What?!!?!
Let us explore the possibilities...
I could become angry, raising my fist to an unfair G-d. He would then remind me that there are those for whom life has been even less fair, and then go on to point out that "fair" was never part of the agreement. After all, it is not in this life that we should look for reward, but in the life to come. When the apostle Peter had gotten angry about fairness regarding his relationship with Jesus as compared to that of John, he was reminded that he did not need to worry about it. Jesus had ordained certain things for Peter, little of it easy, and likewise had done so for John. As has been documented, Peter did not go to meet Jesus resting in a combo bed at the local Hilton.
I really do think my life is a bit more "fair" than that. So much for anger.
But I find myself dealing with resentment. Why does G-d make me wait? What is he preparing me for? Is this all that there is to my life?
We return now to the life of the apostle John.
John lived a LOOOOONG time. It was during these years that the early church had its greatest struggles. Anybody living through these times would be greeted with great adversity. John not only had to endure in these times, he also had the tast of supporting those who were growing up around him, people who had never seen Christ. When G-d finally did get back to John, he was an old man living on Patmos. Was his the life of a dignified old gentleman living out his fast fading years in the lap of retirement luxury? Ah, no. Exile to labor on Patmos is not exactly Miami in the springtime. But it was here, on Patmos (not Miami) was where G-d got back to John. Big time.
The Thunder Rolls...
OK, so I will wait. After all, my life is a WHOLE lot better than what John had to deal with on Patmos (or pretty much anywhere else he may have lived). So much for Frustration.
So I wait. Impassively.
Wrong answer. Again.
As has been demonstrated rather bluntly to Jonah, trying to circumvent
G-d by doing anything (or nothing) else has the effect of trading
G-d's attention in comfort for G-d's attention in, shall we say, less than comfortable surroundings. Jonah found the notion of living in the belly of a whale rather nasty. I myself have often refered to "The 2x4 Effect" in
G-d's dealings with me. So this time, as I lay in all my passive agressive glory impassively doing as little as possible to show my ability to withstand any and all suggestions from G-d to duck, (thunder) the rather large and fast moving piece of Heavenly lumber rapidly closing on my wooden head will, when it does eventually connect, knock me into the middle of G-d's presence as well as the middle of next week. This is invariably what happens. So, rather than have to deal with such attention as well as the Heavenly Lump, I am actively exploring whatever G-d would have me to do and/or say. This approach does not exclude the possibility that The Divine Pine will not be applied for other reasons; only that it will not be used to get me off my angry, resentful, impassive butt.
Miami, anyone?
As treatment continues, I am forced to consider life post injury, and I find the task daunting. I look to G-d, who has given me this faith that all will turn out as it should, but am forced to wonder: "How?"
(Insert appropriate crackle of distant thunder here)
My wife looks to me for answers, but I find I have only one, and, at least for her, it is insufficient. Is this how G-d tests his children?
How do I respond? Anger? Resentment? Impassiveness?
What?!!?!
Let us explore the possibilities...
I could become angry, raising my fist to an unfair G-d. He would then remind me that there are those for whom life has been even less fair, and then go on to point out that "fair" was never part of the agreement. After all, it is not in this life that we should look for reward, but in the life to come. When the apostle Peter had gotten angry about fairness regarding his relationship with Jesus as compared to that of John, he was reminded that he did not need to worry about it. Jesus had ordained certain things for Peter, little of it easy, and likewise had done so for John. As has been documented, Peter did not go to meet Jesus resting in a combo bed at the local Hilton.
I really do think my life is a bit more "fair" than that. So much for anger.
But I find myself dealing with resentment. Why does G-d make me wait? What is he preparing me for? Is this all that there is to my life?
We return now to the life of the apostle John.
John lived a LOOOOONG time. It was during these years that the early church had its greatest struggles. Anybody living through these times would be greeted with great adversity. John not only had to endure in these times, he also had the tast of supporting those who were growing up around him, people who had never seen Christ. When G-d finally did get back to John, he was an old man living on Patmos. Was his the life of a dignified old gentleman living out his fast fading years in the lap of retirement luxury? Ah, no. Exile to labor on Patmos is not exactly Miami in the springtime. But it was here, on Patmos (not Miami) was where G-d got back to John. Big time.
The Thunder Rolls...
OK, so I will wait. After all, my life is a WHOLE lot better than what John had to deal with on Patmos (or pretty much anywhere else he may have lived). So much for Frustration.
So I wait. Impassively.
Wrong answer. Again.
As has been demonstrated rather bluntly to Jonah, trying to circumvent
G-d by doing anything (or nothing) else has the effect of trading
G-d's attention in comfort for G-d's attention in, shall we say, less than comfortable surroundings. Jonah found the notion of living in the belly of a whale rather nasty. I myself have often refered to "The 2x4 Effect" in
G-d's dealings with me. So this time, as I lay in all my passive agressive glory impassively doing as little as possible to show my ability to withstand any and all suggestions from G-d to duck, (thunder) the rather large and fast moving piece of Heavenly lumber rapidly closing on my wooden head will, when it does eventually connect, knock me into the middle of G-d's presence as well as the middle of next week. This is invariably what happens. So, rather than have to deal with such attention as well as the Heavenly Lump, I am actively exploring whatever G-d would have me to do and/or say. This approach does not exclude the possibility that The Divine Pine will not be applied for other reasons; only that it will not be used to get me off my angry, resentful, impassive butt.
Miami, anyone?
Monday, September 05, 2005
It has come to pass...
Recently, I was injured while in the performance of my duties as a master technician in the industry for which I have been extensively trained (read: I slipped on a puddle of oil at the garage where I turn wrenches as a mechanic and ended up in the engine bay of a Honda. Needless to say {though I will anyway} this is not the softest nor smoothest of places to land. [Don't I just LOVE bracketed sub-clauses]). When I tried to extricate myself from said Honda, I found that I had hurt my back and hip.
Anyway, after the first doctor examined me by forcibly jabbing his finger into the spot I had pointed to, I was told I had hurt my back. This, of course, was a MAJOR newsflash for me. After making this stupendous announcement, said doctor then asked me what I thought he should do about it.
HUH?!??!?
This was from someone not only (theoretically) in the posession of a Doctorate in Medicine, but was also the Administer of the facility in which we currently have found ourselves. After my lower jaw did a few pushups, I suggested that perhaps if I knew in more detail what I had actually done to my back, I could make a more informed diagnostic. He then suggested an X-ray, followed by the prescription of pain pills and a few days off work and the directive to see him in 3-4 days.
Unfortunately, the world did not end, so therefore after 4 days I found myself back in the presence of Doctor Duh. True to form, he did nothing more than say I needed some physical therapy and could return to limited duty at work. No touching, no "may I see under your shirt?", no noticing my pronounced limp or the massive bruise in the middle of my back. Nope. Nada. Nothing.
So I went back to work. Sorta.
Ever consider what a limited duty mechanic can actually do?
Recently, I was injured while in the performance of my duties as a master technician in the industry for which I have been extensively trained (read: I slipped on a puddle of oil at the garage where I turn wrenches as a mechanic and ended up in the engine bay of a Honda. Needless to say {though I will anyway} this is not the softest nor smoothest of places to land. [Don't I just LOVE bracketed sub-clauses]). When I tried to extricate myself from said Honda, I found that I had hurt my back and hip.
Anyway, after the first doctor examined me by forcibly jabbing his finger into the spot I had pointed to, I was told I had hurt my back. This, of course, was a MAJOR newsflash for me. After making this stupendous announcement, said doctor then asked me what I thought he should do about it.
HUH?!??!?
This was from someone not only (theoretically) in the posession of a Doctorate in Medicine, but was also the Administer of the facility in which we currently have found ourselves. After my lower jaw did a few pushups, I suggested that perhaps if I knew in more detail what I had actually done to my back, I could make a more informed diagnostic. He then suggested an X-ray, followed by the prescription of pain pills and a few days off work and the directive to see him in 3-4 days.
Unfortunately, the world did not end, so therefore after 4 days I found myself back in the presence of Doctor Duh. True to form, he did nothing more than say I needed some physical therapy and could return to limited duty at work. No touching, no "may I see under your shirt?", no noticing my pronounced limp or the massive bruise in the middle of my back. Nope. Nada. Nothing.
So I went back to work. Sorta.
Ever consider what a limited duty mechanic can actually do?
At any rate, I slogged my way through a couple of days of magnitude 9.4 pain before going to my first Physical Therapy (PT) session, where a very adept and learned individual asked me a VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION:
"What did your doctor say was wrong after he did the full range of motion test?"
Uh, Fullrangeofmotion what?
This response apparently wasn't what she had expected due to the extended pause during which she picked up her jaw from off the floor. She then asked who, exactly, my doctor was. Upon hearing my response, she then rolled her eyes, made a somewhat unrepeatable comment regarding said physician, and then proceeded to conduct the diagnostic testing that apparently should have been done previously.
Yes, the Physical Therapist did the diagnostic. Accurately, I might add.
She then was instrumental in having our doctor changed to a physician who seemed far more interested in helping me heal than in how well her stock investments were doing.
Since that time, I have had nothing but the best of care and attention.
God bless those PT techs!
Saturday, August 06, 2005
Identities
As you may have noticed, I have changed my blog identity signature to Majlogon. This is a character I made up several years ago when I procured my first Star Trek computer game.
In addition to my music and office ministries, I am a devoted Star Trek nut. Now, just to reassure you, I don't own any "Spock Ears" or Klingon blood wine or formulate my own Romulan Ale. I just have something of a small collection of movies and micromachine starships and several novels I drag around with me when I move fron state to state. I find that most of the stories contained in the Star Trek world reflect a Hope for the future.
Besides, Its fun to arm phasers and torpedoes at traffic every now and then.
In addition to my music and office ministries, I am a devoted Star Trek nut. Now, just to reassure you, I don't own any "Spock Ears" or Klingon blood wine or formulate my own Romulan Ale. I just have something of a small collection of movies and micromachine starships and several novels I drag around with me when I move fron state to state. I find that most of the stories contained in the Star Trek world reflect a Hope for the future.
Besides, Its fun to arm phasers and torpedoes at traffic every now and then.
It has come to pass...
As I was reading other blogs recently, I noticed that most of what I had to say revolved my job. It was then that I happened to read The Savage Pea; specifically, about the green army guys. My wife and I have had a similar experience regarding these inanimate yet oh-so-important protectors of home and hearth. It came to pass that, early into my relationship with Missey J, the woman who would become my wife, that several wind up little F15 fighter jets found there way into a certain Christmas stocking. These were happily appropriated by said soon-to-be spousal unit as her "fighter escort". And, as has happened with The Pea of Savage, the escort squadron has increased in number and variety, complete with stealth and bomber capability.
Enemies beware! (tongue firmly in cheek)
God bless!
Enemies beware! (tongue firmly in cheek)
God bless!
Sunday, July 17, 2005
Reminders...
I was recently reminded that to be brutally honest, one must also be so with oneself.
Ouch.
Here I've been, merrily writing down all of these subtle little musings and I haven't so much as scribbled anything about myself other than my initials.
SO..... Enter the profile. I hope that perhaps it will shed a little light on who I am.
God Bless!
Ouch.
Here I've been, merrily writing down all of these subtle little musings and I haven't so much as scribbled anything about myself other than my initials.
SO..... Enter the profile. I hope that perhaps it will shed a little light on who I am.
God Bless!
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
Strange things are afoot...
Have you ever considered the music that is played, say, in your workspace?
Just the other day I was privileged to listen to what is considered "acceptable" music by some of my younger co-workers. This "music" was, shall we say, on the cruder side of explicit.
After listening to perhaps two or so tracks of the CD of the day, I felt compelled to put an end to the concert by shutting down the stereo and asking if the owner of the CD to put it away.
Now, I am not a Censorship Nazi; however, any "song" that ends with the shouting of the f-word followed by comments denoting canine lineage, (among other things), is not what most would think was acceptable in a public place of business.
It seems I wasn't alone in this opinion.
Since then, the choices for the music have been far more palatable. But I found myself wondering how many Christian folks go to work every day and subject themselves to this type of abuse and never even think about it? I have allowed many auditory insults to pass right by me without so much as a raised eyebrow and then at the next turn go medieval on someone for tossing a cigarette butt out their car window.
Time for a change.
Today, while near the radio I noticed no one was paying it much attention. So, I decided to put the local Christian music station on. Much to my surprise, a fair amount of the employees began singing along to the music. They knew the words! I was joyfully surprised!
When the day drew to a close, one of the other techs came over to me and said, "Your music was a nice change."
After staring at him for who knows how long, I scraped my lower jaw off the floor and smiled all the way out the door.
G-d is Good.
It wasn't that these were bad kids. It was that "popular" culture would have them follow certain trends or be "left out". Sometimes we all need a reminder that G-d gave us music, and it is though music that we can come together, even in a place as diverse as our place of employment, to worship Him. The Bible tells us at many turns to bring psalms to the ear of our G-d. The feeling of lightness and smiles on faces around you are testament to this.
Praise his Holy Name!
Wednesday, June 29, 2005
Minor Miracles
Signs and Wonders.
Most of the time, our search for the signs and wonders usually result in sighs and worries. Most people do not realize just exactly how wonderfully subtle G-d's miracles can be.
An example? No problem.
Earlier this week I injured my back in a terrible, tragic and, regrettably, avoidable accident. (I fell while washing my dog in the bathtub.) At any rate, my first impulse, after screaming at the top of my lungs and panicking at the temporary paralysis due to shock was to ask my wife for help. She complied while exclaiming, "My G-d, Help us!"
Guess what? He did.
Now, in this case there was no flash of light followed by the crash of thunder that Hollywood likes to add at these points. Nope. In this case,
G-d put an inspiration into my wife's pretty little head to "call a local Chiropractor" instead of the more normal "call the family doctor." Since I was really in no condition to argue (I had recovered the use of my legs at this point, but was fundamentally unable to stand up straight) I acknowledged the soundness of her suggestion, took a pain pill, and went to bed.
This brings us to the next morning. What Doctor should we call?
Get out the Yellow Pages!
Now, my addled mind was trying to get me to my regular doctor which resulted in my calling said physician while my wife was checking our local listings. Naturally, The regular doctor is on vacation. Wife is now looking at me with a patient "yes, I know you are a stubborn man" look on her face and suggests a name she has found in the Yellow pages.
*Sigh*
So I pulled this random selection up on the computer and found the requested website. The doctor, whose website was small, neatly laid out and easy to navigate, was just down the street. OK, nothing bad leaping out at us yet. Phone in hand, appointment made. Panic begins to hover nearby...
As we walk into the office, two things are readily apparent: The Doctor hasn't been at this location long (panic is rubbing my shoulders at this point) and (trumpets sound) there is a picture of my Lord Jesus hanging from the wall ( panic mutters to itself and leaves). I am suddenly suffused with calm. As it happens, the doctor has been practicing his craft for a great many years and is quite adept at it.
And so, what had seemed to be a random string of events led us to a man who was quite devout in his faith and who praticed his craft based on this faith. My back was restored to functionality, and in the course of his examination and treatment, the doctor, at no additional charge(!) was able to repair other problems that had been bothering me for some time.
G-d is good.
Most of the time, our search for the signs and wonders usually result in sighs and worries. Most people do not realize just exactly how wonderfully subtle G-d's miracles can be.
An example? No problem.
Earlier this week I injured my back in a terrible, tragic and, regrettably, avoidable accident. (I fell while washing my dog in the bathtub.) At any rate, my first impulse, after screaming at the top of my lungs and panicking at the temporary paralysis due to shock was to ask my wife for help. She complied while exclaiming, "My G-d, Help us!"
Guess what? He did.
Now, in this case there was no flash of light followed by the crash of thunder that Hollywood likes to add at these points. Nope. In this case,
G-d put an inspiration into my wife's pretty little head to "call a local Chiropractor" instead of the more normal "call the family doctor." Since I was really in no condition to argue (I had recovered the use of my legs at this point, but was fundamentally unable to stand up straight) I acknowledged the soundness of her suggestion, took a pain pill, and went to bed.
This brings us to the next morning. What Doctor should we call?
Get out the Yellow Pages!
Now, my addled mind was trying to get me to my regular doctor which resulted in my calling said physician while my wife was checking our local listings. Naturally, The regular doctor is on vacation. Wife is now looking at me with a patient "yes, I know you are a stubborn man" look on her face and suggests a name she has found in the Yellow pages.
*Sigh*
So I pulled this random selection up on the computer and found the requested website. The doctor, whose website was small, neatly laid out and easy to navigate, was just down the street. OK, nothing bad leaping out at us yet. Phone in hand, appointment made. Panic begins to hover nearby...
As we walk into the office, two things are readily apparent: The Doctor hasn't been at this location long (panic is rubbing my shoulders at this point) and (trumpets sound) there is a picture of my Lord Jesus hanging from the wall ( panic mutters to itself and leaves). I am suddenly suffused with calm. As it happens, the doctor has been practicing his craft for a great many years and is quite adept at it.
And so, what had seemed to be a random string of events led us to a man who was quite devout in his faith and who praticed his craft based on this faith. My back was restored to functionality, and in the course of his examination and treatment, the doctor, at no additional charge(!) was able to repair other problems that had been bothering me for some time.
G-d is good.
Tuesday, June 28, 2005
The Calender on the tool box
Something different happened.
I have been working in a shop that is very much a stronghold for the enemy and his forces that would govern this world. I had wondered for some time why G-d would put me in such a place.
For example, I had only been at this shop for a week when I was accused of stealing a rather expensive piece of equipment. Needless to say, I found this to be a bit discouraging. Even though the manager had told me to "go home", I was able to remain at the store and conduct my own investigation (as previously revealed, I had spent some time in law enforcement, and wasn't always "just a mechanic").
It was during the course of this investigation that two things (which I had thought were obvious, silly me) came to public light:
1) I didn't steal anything and was able to prove it rather easily, and
2) I was a Christian music minister and sometime youth pastor.
Now, the first factoid really surprised nobody. It was really quite easy to find out that the management team had been fed misinformation to draw attention away from the real perpetrators of this theft. It was the second that actually brought the most questions and revealed G-d's hand.
My co-workers to this point were, with one exception, all very young, between 17 and 25 years old. I have dental fillings older than that. These kids are full of the world and everything that it "promises". Before they found out some of the details of who I am, I had been regularly regaled with their, shall we say, recreational exploits, not to mention speech and "music" heavily laden with profane language.
And Then.... everything changed.
Suddenly, these same young people either were removed from employment (in part due to their involvement in the theft scandal) or became VERY subdued, especially around me. The new technicians brought in to replace those lost also made a point of "behaving themselves" when I was near. I was about to speak to one of them about this when they, in the form of a 25 year old journeyman tech, approached me.
What he asked was amazing.
"Why are you here, and how can I be more like you?"
Uuuuuhhhhh........ What? (Yoda would laugh at this point and say "Caught off guard, were you?")
After I picked my jaw up off the floor, I was able to speak to this young man about his questions. It seems that he wanted to go into law enforcement, but had been stopped by outside forces at every turn. It also came to light that he was a young Christian who found himself caught up in the popularity contest that is the world and had given in to the various temptation the enemy has to offer. And he, this young man, wanted out.
I explained what it took to get into law enforcement and where he could go to get the training he sought. But, more importantly, I was able to share with him my story. His wasn't all that different from mine, and so I was able to connect with him and show him that G-d would, if asked, deliver him from the grasp of the enemy and the forces that held this young man in the corruption of the world.
For the remaining time he was at this shop (he has transferred to a shop closer to the school for law enforcement training) he refrained from profanity and the disrutive music and behavior that had characterized his daily routine prior to our short conversation.
G-d is good. All the time!
But it hasn't stopped there.
I have, on my tool box, a small flip-type daily bible verse calander. It gives me something to think about and study briefly before I hit the daily workload waiting for me. The calander had been there for a couple of weeks when I noticed something strange: Whenever I went on days off, the calender was always on the correct day when I came back to work.
Someone at the shop was reading the calender.
Now, it wasn't until very recently that a began to see who this might be, and may not have ever known had this person not come up and asked me another of those jaw-dropper questions.
He asked, "How do you become a Christian minister?"
Duh-uh....
What?!!??! This was a man who went out most nights with his buddies to have a beer (not necessarily a bad thing) and pick up women (hmmmm) at the local topless club (off the deep end).
It seems, once again showing G-d as mighty, that he has been hanging around with some of our mutual friends, when he wasn't at work, and that they had decided to get back to the things of G-d based on what my wife and I had been sharing with them.
He had been told by these friends that he needed to clean things up himself. It seems that these mutual friends had come to realize that, by surrounding themselves with things and people of G-d, they were better able to resist the temptations of the enemy. This is when my co-worker sought me out with his question.
Once again scraping my jaw off the floor I was faced with answering a question that would be a turning point in sopmeones life. Fortunately, G-d had answered that very question for me. "Go to the people of G-d", I said, "and seek to do what He would have you do. As you Grow in Him, others will seek this same knowledge through you. You will then find yourself in the role of 'minister'"
He has done exactly that.
My calender still gets turned.
I have been working in a shop that is very much a stronghold for the enemy and his forces that would govern this world. I had wondered for some time why G-d would put me in such a place.
For example, I had only been at this shop for a week when I was accused of stealing a rather expensive piece of equipment. Needless to say, I found this to be a bit discouraging. Even though the manager had told me to "go home", I was able to remain at the store and conduct my own investigation (as previously revealed, I had spent some time in law enforcement, and wasn't always "just a mechanic").
It was during the course of this investigation that two things (which I had thought were obvious, silly me) came to public light:
1) I didn't steal anything and was able to prove it rather easily, and
2) I was a Christian music minister and sometime youth pastor.
Now, the first factoid really surprised nobody. It was really quite easy to find out that the management team had been fed misinformation to draw attention away from the real perpetrators of this theft. It was the second that actually brought the most questions and revealed G-d's hand.
My co-workers to this point were, with one exception, all very young, between 17 and 25 years old. I have dental fillings older than that. These kids are full of the world and everything that it "promises". Before they found out some of the details of who I am, I had been regularly regaled with their, shall we say, recreational exploits, not to mention speech and "music" heavily laden with profane language.
And Then.... everything changed.
Suddenly, these same young people either were removed from employment (in part due to their involvement in the theft scandal) or became VERY subdued, especially around me. The new technicians brought in to replace those lost also made a point of "behaving themselves" when I was near. I was about to speak to one of them about this when they, in the form of a 25 year old journeyman tech, approached me.
What he asked was amazing.
"Why are you here, and how can I be more like you?"
Uuuuuhhhhh........ What? (Yoda would laugh at this point and say "Caught off guard, were you?")
After I picked my jaw up off the floor, I was able to speak to this young man about his questions. It seems that he wanted to go into law enforcement, but had been stopped by outside forces at every turn. It also came to light that he was a young Christian who found himself caught up in the popularity contest that is the world and had given in to the various temptation the enemy has to offer. And he, this young man, wanted out.
I explained what it took to get into law enforcement and where he could go to get the training he sought. But, more importantly, I was able to share with him my story. His wasn't all that different from mine, and so I was able to connect with him and show him that G-d would, if asked, deliver him from the grasp of the enemy and the forces that held this young man in the corruption of the world.
For the remaining time he was at this shop (he has transferred to a shop closer to the school for law enforcement training) he refrained from profanity and the disrutive music and behavior that had characterized his daily routine prior to our short conversation.
G-d is good. All the time!
But it hasn't stopped there.
I have, on my tool box, a small flip-type daily bible verse calander. It gives me something to think about and study briefly before I hit the daily workload waiting for me. The calander had been there for a couple of weeks when I noticed something strange: Whenever I went on days off, the calender was always on the correct day when I came back to work.
Someone at the shop was reading the calender.
Now, it wasn't until very recently that a began to see who this might be, and may not have ever known had this person not come up and asked me another of those jaw-dropper questions.
He asked, "How do you become a Christian minister?"
Duh-uh....
What?!!??! This was a man who went out most nights with his buddies to have a beer (not necessarily a bad thing) and pick up women (hmmmm) at the local topless club (off the deep end).
It seems, once again showing G-d as mighty, that he has been hanging around with some of our mutual friends, when he wasn't at work, and that they had decided to get back to the things of G-d based on what my wife and I had been sharing with them.
He had been told by these friends that he needed to clean things up himself. It seems that these mutual friends had come to realize that, by surrounding themselves with things and people of G-d, they were better able to resist the temptations of the enemy. This is when my co-worker sought me out with his question.
Once again scraping my jaw off the floor I was faced with answering a question that would be a turning point in sopmeones life. Fortunately, G-d had answered that very question for me. "Go to the people of G-d", I said, "and seek to do what He would have you do. As you Grow in Him, others will seek this same knowledge through you. You will then find yourself in the role of 'minister'"
He has done exactly that.
My calender still gets turned.
Monday, June 27, 2005
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Welcome!
"Today is the first day of the rest of your life!"
I don't know about you, but I think that I must have heard this from every third teacher (whether I was their student or not) and just about all my Sunday School pastors! Uhg! Made me want to scream "can't you come up with something new?"
Sorry. Get ahead of myself sometimes.
The name's Brian D. I'm a music minister and sometimes preacher/teacher/whatever is needed at my local church. This church, while a wonderful fellowship, has become "stuck in the mud" of manmade traditions. They always sing the same songs, listen to the same sermons, "study" the same books as they always have.
This is, unfortunately, the way of the world.
So enters Double Portion Ministries, aka DPM! It is time for G-d's Kids, both young and old, to grow up! G-d didn't send His Son a couple thousand years ago to die for our "traditions"! NO! Jesus Died for Us! Not only that, but his followers, the original 11 (Judas bailed, remember) also, in most cases, gave their lives so that The Church (you and me) could grow and thrive.
Jesus told them, and now tells us, that he would send another, His Holy Spirit, as a comforter. When this happened in the Upper Room all those years ago, nobody in that room was left the same. Because along with the Holy Spirit came the spiritual gifts.
For some reason, though, these gifts seem to have been dismissed by the church (not you and me, but the one in Rome) as something akin to parlor tricks. And now, in these enlightened days, if it can't be measured in a lab somewhere it cannot POSSIBLY be real.
OK, I'll get off the soapbox now.
But here we are, just the same. I was personally healed of a rather nasty heart condition that kept me out of military service and pretty much framed my existence for 39 years. But then something "strange" happened. I was introduced to the notion that the G-d I had always acknowledged wanted to become more than a few words at mealtimes in my life. To show Himself both mighty and as a closer, more intimate friend and counselor, He bestowed upon me first a healing, then the gift of hearing His music.
Big Time Changes Occur At This Point.
I not only stopped having heart problems that required quarterly visits to the ER, (a soap opera all on its own) but I began to see G-ds hand in the lives of those around me. I could feel the presence of his messengers. My life was GOOD! Nothing could go wrong now!
Then two close friends died in the line of duty as police officers.
Ouch.
But.... G-d immediately showed himself mighty, even in this tragic time. A mighty Angel revealed himself to all who were on the central coast of California that day. I have a photo (posted on this sight somewhere...) that was taken just about the time the guys died.
Then the cross appeared on the sight where we found their bodies.
The investigation pictures taken at the scene have a beam of light that shines on the same spot, but this beam does not appear on the negatives.
(another picture posted...)
Nearly 2000 Officers came from around the world to the funeral for these two men.
Then the surviving family and co-workers asked me to drive the assigned patrol car of one of the two officers in the procession to the church.
I was the mechanic. G-d works in strange ways...
So now I, and my wife, have dedicated ourselves to breaking the hold the "traditional church" has on G-d's people, who are ultimately His Church! Jesus teaches, through his testaments, that we can have a real, physical relationship with Him! We do not have to wear a special robe or do some exotic ritual. All He asks is for us to listen, to give our lives to Him and He, in return, will guide us through life's ups and downs!
How bad would it be to live in a world where we only have to look into ourselves to see G-d?
How hard would it be to give someone a smile and encouragement instead of suspicion and animosity?
Is it possible to go to work not for a paycheck but as an example of G-d's love?
Is it possible to speak to another person without a profane word?
It is. And we can do it without some mystical training.
Find a Bible. G-d lays it all out.
I don't know about you, but I think that I must have heard this from every third teacher (whether I was their student or not) and just about all my Sunday School pastors! Uhg! Made me want to scream "can't you come up with something new?"
Sorry. Get ahead of myself sometimes.
The name's Brian D. I'm a music minister and sometimes preacher/teacher/whatever is needed at my local church. This church, while a wonderful fellowship, has become "stuck in the mud" of manmade traditions. They always sing the same songs, listen to the same sermons, "study" the same books as they always have.
This is, unfortunately, the way of the world.
So enters Double Portion Ministries, aka DPM! It is time for G-d's Kids, both young and old, to grow up! G-d didn't send His Son a couple thousand years ago to die for our "traditions"! NO! Jesus Died for Us! Not only that, but his followers, the original 11 (Judas bailed, remember) also, in most cases, gave their lives so that The Church (you and me) could grow and thrive.
Jesus told them, and now tells us, that he would send another, His Holy Spirit, as a comforter. When this happened in the Upper Room all those years ago, nobody in that room was left the same. Because along with the Holy Spirit came the spiritual gifts.
For some reason, though, these gifts seem to have been dismissed by the church (not you and me, but the one in Rome) as something akin to parlor tricks. And now, in these enlightened days, if it can't be measured in a lab somewhere it cannot POSSIBLY be real.
OK, I'll get off the soapbox now.
But here we are, just the same. I was personally healed of a rather nasty heart condition that kept me out of military service and pretty much framed my existence for 39 years. But then something "strange" happened. I was introduced to the notion that the G-d I had always acknowledged wanted to become more than a few words at mealtimes in my life. To show Himself both mighty and as a closer, more intimate friend and counselor, He bestowed upon me first a healing, then the gift of hearing His music.
Big Time Changes Occur At This Point.
I not only stopped having heart problems that required quarterly visits to the ER, (a soap opera all on its own) but I began to see G-ds hand in the lives of those around me. I could feel the presence of his messengers. My life was GOOD! Nothing could go wrong now!
Then two close friends died in the line of duty as police officers.
Ouch.
But.... G-d immediately showed himself mighty, even in this tragic time. A mighty Angel revealed himself to all who were on the central coast of California that day. I have a photo (posted on this sight somewhere...) that was taken just about the time the guys died.
Then the cross appeared on the sight where we found their bodies.
The investigation pictures taken at the scene have a beam of light that shines on the same spot, but this beam does not appear on the negatives.
(another picture posted...)
Nearly 2000 Officers came from around the world to the funeral for these two men.
Then the surviving family and co-workers asked me to drive the assigned patrol car of one of the two officers in the procession to the church.
I was the mechanic. G-d works in strange ways...
So now I, and my wife, have dedicated ourselves to breaking the hold the "traditional church" has on G-d's people, who are ultimately His Church! Jesus teaches, through his testaments, that we can have a real, physical relationship with Him! We do not have to wear a special robe or do some exotic ritual. All He asks is for us to listen, to give our lives to Him and He, in return, will guide us through life's ups and downs!
How bad would it be to live in a world where we only have to look into ourselves to see G-d?
How hard would it be to give someone a smile and encouragement instead of suspicion and animosity?
Is it possible to go to work not for a paycheck but as an example of G-d's love?
Is it possible to speak to another person without a profane word?
It is. And we can do it without some mystical training.
Find a Bible. G-d lays it all out.
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