Everyone ought to listen to this. It’s one of the most amazing NDE accounts I have come across and I’ve watched a great deal.
The Time I Taught Myself a Song
I read this quote today:
The fact that it was on the paper tab of my tea bag, or that it came from Coco Chanel didn’t lessen the fact that this is both a powerful and scary quote. Scary because what if “they” find out what I truly think?
I was reminded that it will all be shouted from the rooftops someday soon anyhow. I just read these words from Jesus last night:
“Whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be shouted from the housetops for all to hear!” Luke 12:3 NLT
I was reading this book recently that said we must overcome the fear of man and what “they” think about what you think. I thought, ‘what would I share if I didn’t have such fear of what “they” thought?’ Instantly I thought of a really fun amazing and eye-opening experience I had a few months ago and imagined sharing it. Central to this experience was the phrase, “To him who sits on the throne and unto the lamb”.
As I pondered on that, I turned the page of that same book I was reading. That same exact phrase was the bolded first sentence of the next chapter!! Wow! So now what?
A month has passed and I still haven’t shared… anything. You see, I’m not even courageous these days to share the title of the book I was reading lest you not approve of the author and therefore judge and reject me.
I’m shell-shocked lately by the judgement and rejection of others. I’m in my cave as of late. I’d rather not be.
The Dangers of Thinking For Yourself
To “think for yourself” is a great sounding thought until you try to explain it to a four-year old and realize, that this little one doesn’t yet possess enough facts or info or even have all the mental resources to think for herself yet. In the grand scheme of God’s universe, aren’t we all “little ones” and still “wet behind the ears”?
Thoughts are dangerous things after all aren’t they?
As I attempted to explain it to my daughter, I thought, what could I tell her? “Don’t listen to anyone elses wisdom and advice and just think your own thoughts? Make up your own mind? Don’t listen to your Mama and Papa?”
That’s ridiculous. None of us should strike out on our own and disregard all others and all their valuable wisdom.
But hopefully that’s not what we are talking about here or what the quote is really all about anyway. It is about fearlessly offering your perspective on what you think is true without fear of the backlash.
That takes guts. Especially when your around other Christians.
Did I just say that… out loud?
For some reason that “supposed” Ghandi quote is coming to mind:
“I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”
Whether Ghandi actually said it is beside the point.
But never mind. The above quote is bunk and here is why. True Christians are famous for their love. Love is what they are known for. (Perhaps you haven’t met any real Christians yet? I pray you will soon.) True Christians do not judge because their Master, the one whom they so devotedly follow, told them not to. Christians love others well and do not condemn others because the One they follow told them not to. Christians are the funnest, funniest, most generous, and warm-hearted people you could ever hope to meet because they have become like the One they follow. Prostitutes and homosexuals feel acceptance and love in the presence of Christians because they live and love as Jesus does. Christians ARE like their Christ because Christ is in them and has filled them to overflowing with his love and deep compassion.
I want to become a Christian. Don’t you?
So back to the point of this article and hopefully I will work up the courage to share my “experience”.
You have insight and thoughts that no one else has. You have a piece of the puzzle that no one else has. You bring with your perspective and experiences a new way of looking at the world and God that is interesting and beautiful. No one else will experience God and life the way you do. Your experience is precious and valuable and I for one want to share that experience with you. I for one, value you and what you bring to the table.
We may see things differently. That’s ok. I figure as long as we are both in relationship with the One who is Truth, we will both get ironed out and set right in due time. There is room to breathe and grace to grow. We are both on a journey toward truth and we are humble enough to shed our false beliefs once they are exposed.
One thing I did explain to my daughter was to allow our thoughts to be governed by God’s Word. The verse of the day:
“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.” 2 Timothy 3:16 NLT
I’ll be the first to admit it. In my quest for truth, I open my heart like a little child and, as I submit my quest to Jesus, I feel completely free to be open, curious, and trusting, knowing that I have a loving Papa who is going to direct and correct and lead me into all truth and remind me of Scripture that put me back on his path when I get it wrong. We all get it wrong from time to time… but I hope we can have the humility to admit it.
The last six months has been a life altering and learning transition for me. I wish I could share it all with you but much of it is superfluous to the focus of Pauls outward ministry and life. Paul said:
“For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified.” 1 Corinthians 2:2 NLT
Yes he knew and had experienced a great deal more of the kingdom of Christ than he ever let on (He visited heaven perhaps many times) but the most valuable thing for everyone involved was to keep the person of Christ and the cross central. And of course, we will do the same. So help us God. This foundation has been at the forefront of my mind as I have learned a great deal that has stretched my mind in ways I would never have imagined. I really feel as though I was and am (as I remain open and willing to) awakening to the true nature of Christ and Reality. My prayer life was all of a sudden something I really looked forward to. I was experiencing Papa and Yeshua in ways I’d long since nearly forgotten and continue to have wondrous fellowship with him.
A Fun Story
So here is a fun exciting story that illustrates and hints at the kinds of things I’ve been experiencing with Jesus.
I had watched a Near Death Experience video of a woman who met Jesus and was taken back in time to observe certain things. (Her story made me think of “A Christmas Carol” in which Scrooge was shown himself in the past, the present, and a possible future. I now think that perhaps the author, or someone he knew or had heard about, had experienced exactly what he wrote about… well, it could be.)
Here is her story if you’re interested:
And here is my story:
On a certain day in February 2014 I had some time in between concerts and so I went to a park and sat in my car and prayed, “Lord, It would be amazing if you would take me time traveling to observe something.” (This idea wasn’t out of my realm of experience as one of the first things I had experienced when I came back to Christ at eighteen was a time travel trip.)
I laid back in my car seat at a park and waited for something cool to happen…
Nothing.
I continued to spend some time praying for others and went to my concert at the Nursing Home.
During my concert I just so happened to pick up a song out of my guitar case that I had just picked up recently after shelving it for ten years, “To Him Who Sits on the Throne”. I began to say, “I really love this song because ten years ago I had a very vivid dream in which I was observing myself play this song and thought, wow, those are some interesting chords. I tried to pay attention as best I could and that is how I came to learn how to play this song.”
Then it hit me.
Wow!
Our Papa has an amazing way of answering our prayers!
I came home telling my wife, “I’m a time traveller! Isn’t that awesome?”
What’s next Papa?
Romans 8:15-17
The Message (MSG)
15-17 This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike “What’s next, Papa?” God’s Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children. And we know we are going to get what’s coming to us—an unbelievable inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with him, then we’re certainly going to go through the good times with him!
Here is the video version of that same story:
Paige with an “i”
The following is a story from my nursing home ministry. I really respect the privacy of those I serve and so I only post stories with the actual persons names if they have passed away.
I met Paige (that’s spelled with an ‘i’ she points out to me) in Green Bay. (I later learned that her full name was Catherine Paige). When I met her she was 97 years old, born in 1909. She told me she grew up in Illinois on a farm. Later, she lived up in the Marrinette area.
She grew up in a Christian home she says. She knows right from wrong. She tells me that she loves people. She doesn’t like to talk about herself and I suspect that is because it hasn’t been the easiest 97 years. I sensed that she was really broken, and now… lonely. She is a really sweet lady who made quite an impression on me. She “adopted me” as her grandchild and says that I am a good Christian boy. She asks me “why did you come here? Do I know someone? Do you have family here that you visit?” I tell her, “No, just you Paige. I came for you.”
Being around that kind of love is something special. She is very affectionate always holding your hand or putting her hand on your arm…that kind of thing. You get a sense that when you’re with her that she delights in you. She says that young people need to learn how to live right and make good choices and follow God’s path.
She started to tell me about her son, that he is away in California and never visits. She tells me about her kids who aren’t following God and the tears come. I hold her hand and look into her face as she cries for them and tells me, “ I just wish they knew, I just wish they knew.” And then with a resigned sigh she says, “But it doesn’t do any good to get all emotional about it.”
“God hears your sighs and counts your tears,” I tell her. “I never heard that expression before”, she says and starts to smile. “O yes it’s true, he knows every last tear.”
I look forward to seeing Paige every time I visit – which isn’t often enough. Every time I come for a visit I look for her, sometimes she rolls in a bit late during my concert and I greet her and she always has something real nice to say like, “I wish there were more young people like you sharing the love of Jesus”. She comments also about how lovely it is to hear Gospel music.
——–
“The righteous perish, and no one ponders it in his heart; Devout men are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil. Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; They find rest as they lie in death.” Isaiah 57:1-2
April 9th, 2010 – I was looking forward to seeing Catherine Paige again today. I arrived and was informed by one of the residents, “your friend passed away”.
“Paige?” I asked. “Yes.” She had just turned 100 this last summer. “That’s too bad.” I said. I realized that I had a responsibility to the rest of them to play my best and encourage them the best I could.
Later in my set I took a moment to talk about Catherine and dedicated a song that moved me when I first heard it. The song is “Abide with Me”.
“Abide with me, fast falls the eventide.
The darkness deepens, Lord, with me abide.
When other helper’s fail, and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me!”
I love that last line because I often feel quite helpless and it is such a comfort to know God is my help.
After the concert a man wheels up to me, and, as a tear fell from his eye, he says to me, “that was beautiful.”
Catherine Paige was an example of love to all who knew her. I hope some of those “young people” are listening. (I wonder who would qualify as “young people” to one who is a hundred years old?) Your grandma says, “Learn to live right and make good choices.”
ps. Please pray for our Hymn CD we are currently recording (which happens to include Abide With Me). We want to send it out to all the Nursing homes in Northeast Wisconsin. If you would like to donate toward making that a reality, you can donate at our website: www.reflectworship.com
Thanks for listening, Daniel
Categories: Death, Legacy, Love of God
Tags: legacy, lost loved ones, nursing home ministry
2 Comments
A message for young (and old) men
Dreams are one way that God speaks to me. Often what the Lord shows me in them are quite serious, sometimes life changing, sometimes they contain messages for the world (which I feel is my duty to share). The latter is what last nights dream was about. A message for men everywhere.
I was on vacation with my family. My girls were teens and we were on a boat going up a river. We arrived at a house by the river that we were staying at and two young men were there for our protection. There were nefarious forces (who I understood to be demons) seeking to do travelers harm and these young men were here to defend us in the house.
The problem was that one was falling asleep on the job and the other started to try to seduce my eldest daughter. I took a flat metal rebar and roughed him up a little bit and said, “If you try that again I’m going to have to put this through your chest. Don’t make me do it!”
I had the feeling in my dream that these young men were representative of all young men. They were called to be warriors, protectors, defenders who wage war against the forces of darkness. They were meant to be honorable warriors for truth, purity, and love. But they had lost the vision for their calling. They were bored and falling asleep. (And playing video games?)
Others have left from their intended role as defenders of truth and morality to being partners with the enemy they were meant to defend others from. They had given themselves to sexual vice.
How patient and long-suffering God is to us. How many times have my actions warranted a metal rebar being plunged through my chest? Yet he gives us time to repent. He doesn’t want to bring the judgement our sins deserve but would rather forgive and forget. He would much sooner redeem and transform our heart, restoring us to our true purpose and calling.
(Update: As I was pondering this blog post I thought I had wrote, “How many times has the LORD wanted to plunge a metal rebar through my chest?” Which would have been a gross misrepresentation of the LORD. (On par with Moses striking the rock twice in anger, for which he was denied access into the promised land). The fact is, God does not wish or want to bring anyone suffering. It is our own sins that do us harm, not the LORD. Judgement from the Lord consists of him allowing us to do as we wish. It’s a handing over process because we insist on leaving and love does not demand its own way. He lets you leave his loving care and presence and go into the darkness where there are a plethora of demons and evil spirits ready to torment you. Of course this hardly applies to those innocent who are victimized. To the victimizers Jesus has said that it would be better if a millstone were tied around your neck and you were drowned in the depths of the seas. But even they (child molesters for instance) can find grace and redemption if they seek it. For God is not willing that any should perish but all to come to repentance.)
“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you–even Jesus.” (Acts 3:19-20 NIV)
I am concerned for those who are pursuing their sins and refusing to repent. The sad fact is that people are using sin to reject and push away Jesus, and to reject your only Savior is what lands anyone in hell. To reject Jesus is to fire your only defense attorney who has never lost a case. And I don’t believe anyone has ever won a case in heavens court without him. We need to truly and humbly come to Jesus and beg his forgiveness and begin to honor him or face dire consequences.
Scripture says that those who continue in sin are storing up wrath on the day of judgement unless they repent:
“But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 He will judge everyone according to what they have done. 7 He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers. 8 But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness. 9 There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on doing what is evil—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. 10 But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. 11 For God does not show favoritism.” (Romans 2:5-11 NLT)
I am concerned about my daughters future. If Jesus doesn’t return for 15 more years, who is raising my daughters future husband? Are they honorable men teaching their boys to be warriors for purity, honor, and love? Or are they lost in a porn addiction and letting the demons have their kids as well?
John writes in his letter:
“I have written to you who are young in the faith
because you are strong.
God’s word lives in your hearts,
and you have won your battle with the evil one.”
LORD, make it true of young (and old) men everywhere.
Are You Strong Enough to Stand In His Love?
I was thinking about a particular lyric in a Jennifer Knapp song Hold Me Now (about the woman caught in adultery – John 8): “She is strong enough to stand in my love”.
Are You Strong Enough to Stand in the Love of God?
I have been asking myself that question, am I strong enough to stand in His love?
I recently encountered a story of a woman who encountered God and his infinite love. She says she was so drawn to his love and experienced it so fully and completely it “devastated her” in the most wonderful blissful sense possible. She trusted so completely. It was inspiring to hear her story
I want that.
I remember an occasion in a dream that I experienced his love like that.
The Dream:
It was simple really. I was just standing there looking at my dad. My brother was also present. As I looked at my dad I saw myself and my brother in him. We were the same. We were connected. Then God started to show me his love for my dad and started filling my heart with that love. The love grew and grew and grew and grew with such intensity it seemed to have no end in sight.
I willed myself to awaken when this infinite unconditional love seemed to never stop. I actually feared for my life. My ego felt very threatened.
At the time I hadn’t spoken to my dad for well over a year. I was bitter toward him for my parents divorce. I was also suffering miserably because of my unforgiveness.
Jesus set me free that night by the love he poured into me. Of course I forgave my Dad and I have loved him ever since. We talk every so often on the phone and enjoy a much improved relationship.
What I was pondering today was this:
What if I stayed in that love. What if I remained and let his Love “devastate me” as one woman reported happened to her? What if I was strong enough to remain in his love?
These kind of thoughts have been governing my thoughts and prayers lately. I have dared to trust and receive his love like never before. Try it yourself (but I suggest at least sitting or laying down first in case the Lord comes into your room and you fall – yes, I actually pray with this kind of expectation these days). Get alone and ask God to reveal his love for you. Say, “Lord Jesus I receive your love”. Say it again…
Lyrics:
From glass alabaster she poured out
The depths of her soul
Oh, foot of Christ would You wait
If her harlotry’s known?
Falls a tear to darken the dirt
Of humblest offerings to forgive the hurt
She is strong enough to stand in your love
I can hear her say
I am weak, I am poor
I’m broken Lord, but I’m Yours
Hold me now, hold me now
Let he without sin
Cast the first stone if you will
To say that my bride isn’t worth
Half the blood that I’ve spilled
Point your finger and laugh if you choose to say
My beloved is borrowed and used
She is strong enough to stand in my love
I can hear her say
I am weak, I am poor
I’m broken Lord, but I’m Yours
Hold me now, hold me now
Song inspired in part by:
John 8
New Living Translation (NLT)
A Woman Caught in Adultery“Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, 2 but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. 3 As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd.
4 “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”
6 They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. 7 They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” 8 Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.
9 When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. 10 Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”
11 “No, Lord,” she said.
And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”
Daniel Lovett
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