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Showing posts with label Personal Testimony. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Personal Testimony. Show all posts
It's been many years since I've actually attended a revival...Yet, I've been at a week-long wonderful experience with Benjamin L. Corey, in which Reverend Corey provides readers with his own testimony about his own revival experience, in which he now shares that he...and I...and You...do not need to be afraid!
Hallelujah!
This is one we always sang "after" part of the reval service so that we could stand up and stretch... It brought us joy and fun just as these people had!
I love singing harmony with this song...I'll sing the high part and you sing melody! OK?
For surely, I have been blessed by the book Unafraid and at the end of the first day of reading, I was grinning, thanking God for sending me this book, for surely it was the one that all others had been building up to...at least until the next one! LOL
For surely, God wants to never stop sharing with us, His children... His Love is so wonderful, so powerful that there is absolutely NO limits to it!
Praise His Name!
This is one that I also chose often to sing solo...
Corey starts his story when he was young and was always doing something to gain approval...like being the best scripture memorizer and winning awards for that and then moves on to talk about his growing up in a conservative home and learning all that he must do to be accepted as one of God's children...
And, of course, along the way, he learned from the hell and damnation preachers who threatened the fires of hell if he didn't...whatever...was on the mind of the preacher that day...
And how he met with problems in his home life, losing his children that he loved... Of course, each one of us may have a similar background, perhaps? But each of us has our own personal story that reflects our own early home environment and church life. I was moving along with the Reverend, thinking about how his life compared with mine--something we all do, don't we? Well, the main thing I was thinking was that I really had no fear of God...
Or did I?
Folks, in over 60 years of reading book after book about God and Jesus--both nonfiction and fiction, I have never had My Personal Questions addressed as I found in this book--I've already ordered another book by this same author. For, you know, folks, I know that I know that I know that God has touched this man and he has a story to tell you that has been given to him by The Holy Spirit. It was a hard story for him to write. For some, it will be a hard story to read. Me, I was so excited that in some way, through what I call a God Incident, I had been led to this book!
Perhaps it was because of the title! For surely, with what is happening in America, so many of us are afraid. And most of that fear, in my opinion, is based upon the political climate that now exists today!
There is no way I can tell whether this book will touch you like it did me. All that I can tell you is that Corey has brought a revival to my spirit and I feel so Alive! And, of course, I call this a must-read if you are indeed afraid... Because, today, I say, I have no fear except from those individuals living in America. Who do not know that God is The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit! Once again I have no fear for I know that God is Alive...and Watching...and In Control!
And what happens may not be what many Americans will expect...
My first revival was a Billy Graham crusade revival and, though, he personally wasn't there, I was thrilled to meet George Beverly Shea as he sang and I was part of the choir that had been created prior to the crusade. Many years ago...
One of my most vivid memories I have of talking with my mother was about our nationality... From what I'd been told any name with the ending letters of "er" meant that I was of German descent and I had that on both sides of my parents' names--Bixler and Ellenberger. Recognize that I was born in 1945, which was so close to the war, Hitler, and death of my father 1944), that I think she must have been thinking about it herself... For she, somewhat sharply, claimed. We Are American!
You guessed it, I dropped the subject; my mother rarely raised her voice for any reason... I really don't remember whether we talked further, but, in my mind, the subject was closed. It was obvious to me, as I grew older, that being identified as of German descent, at least at that time, was NOT something to be proud of. Thinking now, I must have concluded that if it is not important to my mother, than it didn't matter to me... Still, I couldn't help but notice that, yearly, around our area, there would be an Italian festival of some sort, celebrating that nationality. I also noticed that there is a Black History month ever year! Cool, right?! But then, they are working to have what has happened to them be recognized...while, for my family, looking backward during that period is only to remember the discrimination and subsequent death of millions of Jews. But, I must add, that I was both proud of that the leader of German during the last administration was female...and that you could tell she and Trump did not get along... I smile now, thinking about it...
Which leads to my adding a sub-title to the name of my book... We Never Remember Days, Only Moments... I have, of course, copied the method of my friend Jack Savage, who creates short essays based upon Moments of his life he remembers... This also works for me, since, as you will see, many of today's events are causing past memories to surface for me...
That old "tickle" of "where, really, did I come from? Not so much the family lineage but the geographical region of the world... Why am I thinking about this these days? Simply because of what is happening as recently as yesterday when we learned that Ron DeSantis, for political gain only, obviously, had flown immigrants from Venezuela to Martha's Vineyard instead of welcoming them and helping them to stay in Florida... More nonsense from republicans...
Instead, those individuals who were shunned by republicans in Texas or Florida are now being welcomed by the churches in Martha's Vineyard! Surely, this was the exact opposite of why they were sent there! Thank God!
Can any man forbid the water, that these should not be baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit as well as we? 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.
I've enjoyed several of my favorite news commentators actually quote scripture to prove that God wants us to welcome the homeless, the lost, the hungry... Indeed, if we are to say we are Christians, that is our duty...
Follow Me is a song that I often have sung as solo in various churches. I love to sing it, and how the man in the video sung, is about how I would empathize the words...I consider it a sermon by music... For every time I may think of some thing to pray about, Jesus might very well give me the Truth! If just a cup of water He places in my hand...then a cup of water is just what I needed... and we are to be thankful for that blessing, that gift... Listen to the words of the verses carefully...
We have always been a giving family, as much as we could be financially. Whenever an event came, somebody would make food to take. Me, I would buy something since I rarely cook or bake... This is what Jesus asks us to do. Open our hearts and mind to serve those in need... I have to ask, just to be sure, as I did this morning..."Lord is this what you want me to do or say?" And I was given these words: "I am about my Father's business..." And I am to state this whenever I can say it...or write it. Sometimes, as Michael Brown and many other writers are talking about, what we "hear" from God might be words of our own desires... So, i doublecheck or seek confirmation.
Of course, I had heard the words before, but slightly different. So I pulled up the specific Bible reference and shared it above... Notice the tense of the personal nouns...you...I... Jesus is speaking to somebody and asking why are you bothering me...don't you "already (my word)" know that I am about my Father's business?
And compare that with what I was told to use... I am about my Father's business... The words I am to use from now on, are the same that Jesus spoke about himself... So, what is the point I want to make? I think the Holy spirit is telling us that each of us who are Christians, MUST be about God's business... Especially right now when so many lies or actions are being used to NOT support what the business of Jesus really is. His words are True... His command is to love... And I truly believe as others are saying, that we must, in order to pull away from the extremist hate rhetoric that is being sown among all of us... speak out I AM ABOUT MY FATHER'S BUSINESS...I VOTE YOU OUT OF BEING ANYWHERE NEAR THE GOVERNMENT OF AMERICA!
I believe that Christ gave Joe Biden's the command to fight for the soul of our nation...and he is doing it by providing for America's basic needs. No, it might not be fast enough... But recognize, that over four years have past where the last president did nothing to help America for "the common good..." or, even, anybody in Congress would vote for any program initiated by Biden or other democrats... And, we have seen that when some speak out in Truth, they are ostracized like Cheney and Kissinger!
Interestingly, most of my doing God's business has been in secret. Often, it would happen as if it were pre-planned... For instance, I remember one time I visited a local monastery where a prayer meeting was going on... Yes, I often visit or participate with people from different denominations...to me, that doesn't matter if I was being told to do it... Anyway, a woman was there that I had seen before and knew of her. She was praying for support, financial support and other as needed... The next day, I was eating lunch, downtown Morgantown, which I didn't do often... The woman was there... I saw her, and as I left, I went to her and gave her what I had on me that day...explaining as a response to her prayer.
I remember once that I was even personally involved with the situation. I was dating a man for a time and still cared for him. I had learned that he was getting married... The woman to whom he was marrying had already left the area and was attending a Bible school... I was told to help her... After saying goodbye to a man I had possibly even been in love with (who knows as you look back of some relationships), I asked for the address. I began sending monthly support for her, slowly losing my feelings of rejection as I did what My Father told me to do...
At least one other student I have also supported as he was in Christian training...and other times I've been called on to help indigenous children or adults as needed...If you are open to hearing His word, you will be guided through your life about His business... And, of course, all of my time helping writers, many of them self-published, has been at no cost, giving my time to help in fulfilling their dreams... I have always been about my Father's Business...
I call upon all of you who have acted in secret...Consider this...Now is a time when you must speak out against the extremist harmful actions of the republican party and, in my opinion, calling out those evangelical christians who have chosen a different road...that...is...not... following... Jesus...
I believe Living For Jesus is a higher priority than living for our own interests and that of the country... He is above all... That means Truth is the prime directive for our lives... That means Love is the ONLY true way to do our Father's Business! I will speak out, living and sharing for Jesus, this is my life, living it daily, following His direction... Can we all stop and be sure. I AM doing My Father's Business!
