We would all love to see miracles occur in our life and we will see and hear about them, lots of them, especially when we step out in faith and obey God. They're bound to happen and not just for someone else. I have experienced miracles and I want to see lots of them. It is God's desire all His children to see and experience them, and there is no reason for them not to. It's a part of Christ's faith. He is the Heavenly Father of gifts, good gifts, and lots of incredible ones too.
This past week, I went down town to an art gallery that I hoped would sell some of my paintings that I had on displayed there. I planned to use the money to help prepare for my road trip next year and have some to give to the poor. However, after a couple months the owner decided she didn't want to have them, because of their traditional style and the confusion over my name change. The art market has changed a lot since I quit painting. What was once popular isn't any more. So I picked them up and was a little discouraged, but thanked her for trying. While I was in town I decided to go a few blocks away and give all the money I started to save for a passport and give to the poor people in the park and to a homeless shelter nearby. Now I needed a miracle.
As I was driving back home I was questioning God how He was going to provide the money so I would be ready to leave. I needed only a couple hundred to get my passport and an international drivers license to start with, but so far I had little extra money and now I had none to do even that, yet I believed nothing was impossible for God. On the way back I felt I was to change directions and stop by and see a friend so I could fix one of my paintings. While I was working on the painting at his house, he pulled out his wallet and said, "I want to sow into your ministry and give you all that I have." He counter out over three hundred dollars, and then said, "Is that going to be enough?" I was speechless and was about to weep. When I was finally able to speak, I said, it's more than enough. I would be able to buy even a few other things necessary for the trip. I told him I would have refused the money, but I knew he wouldn't have done that unless it was God's will. So I thanked him and God. What an awesome miracle and answer to prayer. My friend doesn't usually have that kind of money on him. God's timing is always perfect, if we're patient, trust Him and give Him our all as we follow the leading of the Spirit. Then we will see miracles.
A few days later, Sheldon David asked me to come over, because he needed to talk with me about something. What he shared not only grieved his and my heart, but God's. I made a decision and the next day I told my wife what happened, and that I would be leaving the little church where we have attended for the past three years. After I told her she decided to leave also. However, Sheldon had asked that his name and the incident not be mentioned when I left, and my wife agreed.
That night we went to the little church prayer meeting. After the meeting I told the pastor that I appreciated his dedication to this church and the people here, but I could no longer stay where I didn't agree with organized religion and with many things he said or did. (Including most recently his censoring of another prophet from speaking in his church and ministering to other members in their homes, even though he had attended that church for over five years and prophesied regularly with encouraging words to individuals and to the Body of Christ in general, and he was loved by most everyone. This rebuke had come in the form of a letter.) It was all based on gossip and miss quotations from a couple other members. There were no scriptural bases for pastor's actions or for how he handled it. Neither did he inquiry as to the truth of those accusations. There was also probably a lot of jealousy involved also. Sadly, the pastor doesn't even have a clue as to Gods favor on this man's life. But, the pastor did know how this prophet felt about organized religion, including Christianity, and therein laid the problem. I concluded my talk with the pastor by telling him, "Jesus was not the reason for the season!" Jesus is the reason for everything, and He has nothing to do with man-made holidays.
The previous Sunday leading up to this, I was surprised by pastor's sermon and I commented to my wife about it afterwards, how he seemed to be emphasizing, being aware of false prophets. Now it all made sense. Organized religion will always feel threaten by God's prophets. The pastor thought he was doing God and his flock a favor, not realizing he had just made the biggest mistake in his life.
I also told my wife, the Word of God says, He will bless those who bless you and I will cures those who cures you. And, God also says, "Do not touch my anointed ones; and do my prophets no harm." (Psalms 105:15) This pastor and church are headed for some serious problems. We decided to tell our friends goodbye that night, but we wouldn't mention David's name, because he didn't want to be the cause of division.
That night when we said our farewells, I told people I just didn't agree with what was going on there, and my wife said pretty much the same thing, although she did tell one member, "We won't stay where one in our family is not welcomed." I liked that, and I think God did too. However, that person caught the connection and said she would "give him a call," because they knew each other also. And so both my wife and I said our goodbyes and left. They were all sad and confused as to see us leave and so abruptly.
My prayer that night was, "Father forgive them for they did know what they do and open their eyes and ears to understand the truth about organize religion and a religious spirit." But God is God and there are consequences for disobedience and for those who are connected with them. (Remember Abimelech (Gen. 20:1-7) God's prophets should be honored. Many people will still stay in these types of churches. I don't expect things to change there that much. They'll keep praying their prayers for revival, not knowing they are the ones hindering it. The same applies to many other organized churches. The following Sunday I was told that three old people fell in different locations in that church. Thankfully none of them were seriously hurt, but coincident? They had nothing to do with what the pastor did, yet they are a part of that fellowship.
Many people are reluctant to change or move on even if they don't like some things. Jesus talks about the blind leading the blind. Notice, Jesus didn't say, "the blind leading the seeing." Something to think about.
Sometimes the best thing to do is just move on yourself, instead of being held back by waiting for others to change also. Do what your told to do and trust God to do the rest. Sometimes the seeds we plant or toss, fall on hard or rocky soil and other times they fall on good soil. I'm looking for better soil in the future.
Sheldon and I have done all we could to point the way and set an example at this little church, but the religious spirit is hard to get through. It will still probably be another six months, before my wife and I leave Vancouver, because that's when our apartment lease is up and the same for the renter in our house in Central Washington. Then I will move my wife back to it where she wants to live so she can be closer to our family and grandchildren. In the meantime I will finish what God want me do here in Washington State. Then I will be heading south in my van to other states and countries beyond the border of the United States for the next several years. (Mexico, Latin America and South America.) Then I travel by plane or transported some other way to other nations to continue reaching the lost for Christ. This will be an awesome experience and miracle—preaching the good news, healing the sick, restoring lives, raising the dead and setting people free from the bondage of sin, all by the wonderful love and power of the Heavenly Father.
No person is ever too old or too young to love Abba Father and serve the Body of Christ. As my daughter told my wife last month, "It looks like dad intends to go out in a blaze of glory." I like that, and that's fine by me I can't think of anything else I rather do. But the most important thing in my life is falling madly in love with Jesus and waiting in His presence.
Note: Things are changing and I'm getting ready to sow into new territory. How about you? What steps are you taking to be used of God? It's going to be a new year soon and a lot is and going to happen. Miracles are already happening and the angelic forces are preparing the way for supernatural events. Are you getting ready and expecting miracles? I am!
