GREENE STREET LETTERS: Running into Jesus

Monday, April 19, 2010

Running into Jesus

It was a good day yesterday. I was unsure what to teach and Monday's sometimes are really hard. The weekend was over and guys were trying to get back into the swing of things. Sometimes they are very dull and not attentive to what is being taught, but the class must go on. Taught from Psalm 51, about the personal interaction that God likes to have with us.

We see such phrases as "cleanse me", "wash me", "create in me", and "restore me." All pointing to the fact that God is an up-close and personal God. Genesis 2 says that God "formed" man from the dust of the earth. Formed giving the idea that we were a hands on project where God himself was personally involved. I like that.

I told the men that they, for the most part, had no frame of reference for God. They had maybe read about Him or been to church but had not had an encounter with Him. I asked who would like to be prayed for and have such an encounter, a young man stepped forward. I began to pray and ask God to come and (as some denominations would say) fall on him. It wasn't long before it happened and as we prayed quietly, the young man began to tremble and sway. After a few seconds, he fell backwards and was caught, gently laid to the floor where he rested in God for the next several minutes. I had not touched him or placed my hands on him in any way. It was truly a moment where God came and met with this young man. Several others came forward for prayer and the God came to them in different ways. Some said that it felt like electricity flowing through their bodies. Some got so peaceful and the minds seem to drop all the clutter and thoughts that had been following them around. For the first time in a long time, their minds and hearts were at peace.

The one thing I see as I read the history of the church, those who walked close to God did so because of ongoing relationship and interaction with God, the father, through the work of the Holy Spirit. Their communication was to Jesus, our great mediator and advocate, who intercedes for us to the Father. That is why I am all about being hungry for God and for His purity and His presence.

Psalm 25:4-5

Show me your ways, O Lord. Teach my your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

God on you.........

1 comment:

Bobby said...: God's presence changes everything. More Lord!; April 20, 2010 at 6:53 PM

Looking At The World Through Cracked Lens

As ol' Paul wrote in his Corinthian letters.."We see in part and we know in part." Now what piece of this bit of wisdom do we not get? I wish to not run around acting and trying to be some sort of Biblical G00-Ru (I meant to spell it wrong). Or a sage of sages.

I simply want to be able to communicate some of what God has given to me. Why? Do I think what I get is better than what you may have received from Him? Nope. But I do think encouragement comes when we share our daily story of struggle and victory in an effort to encourage each other.

Thanks for letting me share.

Time to soldier on..

mbb

Our Statement of Faith

We believe that God is the eternal king. He is an infinite, unchangeable Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, goodness, justice, power and love. From all eternity He exists as the One Living and True God in three persons of one substance, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit equal in power and glory. we believe that God created mankind in His image, male and female, for relationship with Himself and to govern the earth. Under the temptation of Satan, our original parents fell from grace, bringing sin, sickness and God's judgment of death to the earth. Through the fall, Satan and his demonic hosts gained access to God's good creation. Creation now experiences the consequences and effects of Adam's original sin. Human beings are born into sin, subject to God's judgment of death and captive to Satan's kingdom of darkness. We believe that Jesus, God's Son, was sent to this world, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, Mary, fully God and fully man in one person. He is humanity as God intended us to be. Jesus was anointed as God's Messiah and empowered by the Holy Spirit, ushering in God's kingdom reign on earth, overpowering the reign of Satan by resisting temptation, preaching the good news of salvation, healing the sick, casting out demons and raising the dead. Jesus' atoning death on the cross took God's judgment for sin which we deserved as law-breakers. Jesus' resurrection and ascent back to heaven opened the door for those who received salvation to begin a relationship with God.

Little Nets Into Deep Waters

Fishing nets were designed for one purpose only. To catch fish. Nets are no good if they stay on the boat. Nets serve no purpose if they are never used. I think maybe God sees us this way. We are all created for a purpose (by the way, the creator gets to define what our purpose is). Any other use besides the one we were created for does us no good. But when the creator places His hands upon us, casting us out into those scary, dark places with deep waters, it is then we can see the reality of our purpose. He knew there would be a catch waiting for us. I think I will be the net God has called me to be.

The Twelve Steps

As a community of people in recovery, we affirm that our higher power is Jesus Christ. He did for us what we could not do for ourselves. Just as God told the children of Israel He was going to give them a promised land, He has revealed to us that He desires to give us a "Promised Life." When Israel got to the promised land, God instructed them to go and in a possess it, fight for it and claim it. In recovery, the 12 Steps are the directions given to us on how to fight, possess and claim this promised life.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Running into Jesus

1 comment:

THE REALITY OF THE NAME OF GOD