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."

praying in tongues

Glossolalia, speaking in tongues, is often debated for what it is or isn’t--whether it is an authentic manifestation of the Holy Spirit in the Christian’s life or bogus religious mumbo-jumbo. Rarely is it looked at for what it does for the believer. A pilot study done by Timothy Arthur Jones in partial fulfillment of a Masters Degree in Psychology at the University of Idaho, looked at the brainwave activity of Christians who prayed in tongues.

The experiment measured the electrical activity of both sides of the brain while the Christians were resting, then praying in tongues, then resting.
The study looked at three different types of brainwaves: alpha, beta, and theta.
In simple terms, alpha brain waves are found during periods of relaxation with eyes closed, but still in awake state. They are thought to represent the activity of the brain in an idle state. Beta rhythm are associated with normal waking consciousness (above 12 Hz). They are associated with active, busy, or anxious thinking and active concentration. Theta rhythms are normally absent in healthy awake adults. Theta waves are normally present in adults just before sleep, what is referred to as the twilight state: between consciousness and sleep. It is associated with increased creativity, stress reduction, learning enhancement, and an awakening of intuition and other extrasensory perception skills.

Findings: The most interesting finding was that a significant increase in theta waves was found during the prayer period.

Interpretation:The study suggests that the Christian that prays in an other tongues has the opportunity to fulfill what is being referred to in I Corinthians 14:4: that is, to build himself up, to find answers that require original and creative thinking.

“He that speaks in an unknown tongue edifies himself.” (I Corinthians 14:4).
ed·i·fy:
1) to instruct or improve spiritually...
2) archaic a: build b: establish
to instruct and improve especially in moral and religious knowledge : uplift ; also : enlighten , inform

So the real question about speaking in tongues is not whether it is a known language or not or whether it is for the modern day Christian, but rather, can it have benefit to the believer today and in if so, how? This study opens some thought provoking possibilities that should be addressed further.

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.