Like a drug high

Below is an email to a friend that was once addicted to various drugs, including heroin. He also has been convicted on three counts of armed robbery. As a three time convicted felon he should be in prison for life. But God saw otherwise. He now leads a group omen and women who are growing spiritually while gaining freedom from addiction and struggles.This letter was in response to a comment that likened vicodin with feeling normal.

Last night I heard you say that the feeling on Heroin, I think it was. No, it was Vicodin, is like what we are supposed to feel like. I can not refute what you say. There were similar statements made by myself and others when we did other drugs. After coming to know God, I began to realize that these sensations on the the drugs were counterfeits of what life in the Lord could and indeed did provide.
If there is a grain of truth in what I say, I pray that it will nourish you. If not, then spit it out as if it were chaff. Let me tell of two personal experiences that illustrate my point. (At the University we were not allowed to share personal testimony. It was not considered to be factual or relevant or some other excuse.)
One day when I was working the big splitter at Idaho Cedar Sales I became extremely tired. This work was the most physically demanding work that I had ever done. When I hired on many months prior to the event that is being described I was assigned to the night shift, a six hour shift. Although it was only a six hour shift I was unable to perform at an adequate level, so God sent a helper to assist me until my strength came up to the task. But that is another story. It was described in my book. But this day after many months on the job, I became extremely tired. I went to the rest room. In the rest room was a coffee cup that was used to drink water from the sink faucet. When I looked at the cup I thought that I sure could use a cup of coffee, but none was available. I drank a few ounces of water. And then, I got a burst of energy, not unlike two match heads of crystal meth, but without the rush. Now at times when I get really tired and just keep going there is often an instant when I become totally revitalized.
As you may know my drug of choice was LSD, the purer the better, I thought. Most of the street LSD in the late sixties was cut with other drugs to make a high cheaper. Blue flats were cut with ritalin, while orange sunshine was cut with meth. We one time took three orange sunshine tabs, ground them up and dissolved them in a combination of water and chloroform. The acid is highly soluble in chloroform while the meth is highly soluble in water. Since water and chloroform won't stay mixed it is possible to separate most of the two. I loved the clean acid. Later, after I was saved, when I started going to church at Faith Tabernacle, I noticed that a powerful worship service had the same feeling as a 100 mike dose of pure acid. Having said that, I must say that I have not felt a service like those in over twenty years.
You may already know this, but I felt that I should write this to you. You know that God wants only the best for you, your wife and your family. This is why the drugs are only a counterfit, with God there is no let down, no withdrawal.

I love you, my brother,

Coming revival

When I was in Spokane at a healing rooms conference, Cal Pierce showed a cover of Newsweek that said something to the effect that church attendance is down over much of America. A short time later, as I was dancing in the spirit. The Lord quickened to me that when a really large wave comes to shore the water before the wave is drawn back into the wave itself, often exposing bare sand that before was covered with water. This is what is happening now. It appears that the church is drying in other parts of our country. There is a hugh wave coming. I remember a time some decades ago when the press was saying that "God is Dead." But what happened was the Jesus Movement came along with a new time of refreshing. There is a new wave coming!!!! I chose to ride that wave! I am sure it will be awesome.
Before the aforementioned time, I was in prayer and had a prayer dream. In the dream, I went to a very large empty field. At one edge there were a few table set up, on the far end was activity that appeared to be the setting of a stage. At the near tables were some women. I said to one, I have signed up and am here to help with the revival She said that it wasn't quite time yet. Then asked me what church I was with. I told her CFC. To which she replied that they had all they needed. She then said that I should stand in the spot for Kellogg. I said that there was no one else there. She said, "That more will be coming along."

Christianity, The President, and Abortion

The opening remarks of Casey Treat in first service this mornin, January 11, 2009, seem to be particularly relevant to our times. With a major change in the presidency and economic problems there is much room for negativity and reduction of faith. A friend from my old church in Monroe called me this morning. He asked me if I thought that the president elect might be the anti-Christ. I tried to make the point that the government is of this world and the Lord’s is of the heart.
I asked him why he thought that Obama might be the anti-Christ. He replied that Obama supports abortion. He also asked if any democrat can be a Christian? After the election Dutch Sheets says that he is quite confident that the election of Barack Obama was definitely not God’s will. http://www.dutchsheets.org/index.cfm. He seems to base this on the premise that Mr. Obama supports abortion. when I listened to Obama it seems to me that he knows that abortion is not the best option. It seems to me that President -elect Obama would like to enhance the life options, rather than returning to wire coat hanger abortions.
Let’s not just look at the particular issue of abortions, but the entire issue about a Christian individuals relationship to the Government. The fate of new born or unborn are issues that are of intense opinions thought out our society. This issue causes many to break laws and to lose their inner peace. look at those who are in prison now for the destruction of Abortion clinics. The opposition also shows much anger about the issue. Decades ago, I visited a friend of mine, Bill Warren. He was a photographer. When I met him he was very proud of his latest assignment. he had made the cover of Newsweek Magazine. It was a collage of shots that he had taken at some abortion protests. At that time abortions were illegal. Women were dying from ill performed abortions. Today almost forty years later I can still feel the anger of the demonstrators.
     These events have caused me to look at these issues in light of the Bible. After the election I looked up the verse about government in Romans 13:1-5.

1. Every person must be subject to the governing authorities, for no authority exists except by God's permission. 

2. The existing authorities have been established by God, so that whoever resists the authorities opposes what God has established, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.
3 For the authorities are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you like to live without being afraid of the authorities? Then do what is right, and you will receive their approval.
4 For they are God's servants working for your good. But if you do what is wrong, you should be afraid, for it is not without reason that they bear the sword. Indeed, they are God's servants to execute wrath on anyone who does wrong.
5 Therefore, it is necessary for you to be subject, not only because of God's wrath but also because of your own conscience. ISV
One interesting point about the Romans of the Biblical era was the way they handled a birth in a family. The baby would be presented to Pater Familias, the family head, who would decide the fate of the newborn. At the whim of the Pater Familias the baby would be taken to the forest and abandoned. There is archaeological evidence that some babies were actually placed on the trash heaps and never made it to the woods. If Paul admonished the Romans to obey the government and they were to pray for their leaders and to pay tribute. How can it be any thing other for us? God’s plan for us is peace. We may not see it in the world, but peace in our hearts, now!
I would like to comment about the Pastor that led President-elect Obama to the Lord, and to whose church Obama attended for many years. maybe you have seen the press videos of the Pastor ranting. Sometimes people vent. Does any Christian always have God’s Peace and His mind? I think that it would be almost impossible for anyone born in white middle class America to understand the Black experience in America. This certainly was made abundantly true for me one night in the mid sixties.
I had made friend a when I was working on the minuteman guidance system at the aircraft factory. His last name was the same as mine. We would go out at lunch time and ride our motorcycles together. He had a full dress Harley. I had a 250 rice burnin Yamaha. His first name was Vinsone, or Vinnie to me. One day he invited me to a party at his place. His place was in Watts, California. Vinnie was Black. It was only a year or two since Watts had burned the first time. So there I was, at a place that looked something like a plain old apartment complex, two story stucco sided buildings with lawns in between the building and close line poles in the lawns. At that time Vinnie chained his Full Dress Harley to a steel clothes line pole in the lawn in front of his apartment. While Vinnie's girl friend was trying to teach me to dance, Vinnie's brother burst in the front door and said that some guys were scheming to steal his bike. So, I said, “Let’s call the cops.” No response, only a heavy silence hung in the room as all eyes turned to look at the dumb white boy, me. So finally, it dawned me that in that part of town, in the local inhabitants minds, the cops weren't friends, allies or protectors, but something else.
Vinnie opened the closet by the front door and reached for the chains and baseball bats that were kept there. So, I said, “Let’s get ‘em.” I too reached for the goodies in the closet. Vinnie grabbed my arm and told me to stay there. It was good advice that kept my obit out of the Garden Grove paper. The guys went out without me, they were not gone long. When they returned they said it was all cool now. That night made me eventually realize that I am just a dumb white boy from the suburbs. As a white boy from the 'burbs I realize that I cannot, with the natural mind, understand another man's framework of thoughts and experiences. 

So how can I judge the stance or position of another person's walk with the Lord? Is He finished with me yet? Is He finished with you yet? A persons heart is only too easy to be deceived. The walk with the Lord, for many, is long and perhaps rocky. I can only think of the years that I walked in an abusive nature, while thinking that I was close to perfection.
It is with this background that when I saw Obama’s Pastor go verbally ballistic, ranting about this country, I thought, "This man has a lot to vent." Although, only God can know a man’s heart, I believe that someday Barack’s Pastor, Rev. Wright,  Barack and I will all be in heaven.

Myths of the Church #2

Yesterday I was telling a friend from our church that I had an appointment to discuss partnering with New Horizon Ministries. NHM reaches out to young street people. My friend said that they won't listen. That is the myth! That they won't listen.   

I still remember a time, about fifty years ago now, when my step mother told me that Roy Rogers and Dale Evans were very rare because they were active in Hollywood's Motion Picture industry and still married. They were Christians. Years later, that witness spoke to me, even though it didn't appear that I was listening when the story was told.

My part, and other Christians, is to reach out with the Love of God. That is the end of our responsibility. Those receiving God's Love, either spoken or demonstrated, may appear to not listen or to receive. But sometimes testimony takes time and goes circuitous routes. One thing is for sure, if the words aren't spoken, they will not be able to hear. My choice is give, and not withhold, give the chance that once was given to me. 

Isaiah 55:11
So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

It becomes apparent that it is necessary to be speaking the word of the Lord.