Psalm 108:1
A God, my heart is satisfied. I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.
The thing that makes Vineyard ReCovery different is the emphasis we put on meeting with God. Now when I use that phrase, "meeting with God"...I'm sure that everybody has a different idea of what I mean. I'm going to give you my best definition.
#1- we know that God is everywhere: Omnipresent.
#2- We know that we aren't always aware of His presence.
#3- Some people have never been awakened to the God's presence. They have heard about Him. Listen to sermons given on who God is. They have sung songs about this God, but have never really had a personal---one-on-one encounter with Him.
#4- VRCC's purpose is to introduce them to God. To set a table , so to speak, where the finite can meet the infinite. Where the mortal can be touched by the immortal.
To be touched by God...
To be made aware of His presence by the work of the Holy Spirit, gives a person a frame of reference from which to understand God (as best as we can). It makes the idea, and person of God come alive in heart's of those who have existed in spiritual darkness and blindness.
Every one of us has free will to either reject or receive from God. That is what VRCC is all about. Putting the two together so a decision can be made.
"Yes! I want you God...I give my life and will over to you!"
OR
"No! I want to continue to live and run my own life!"
Greg Birdwell brought the message last night.
The zeal, and love and honesty that poured out of him into that room was awesome.
Greg has a natural love and passion for Jesus, and it shows.
He is not afraid to be excited about what Jesus has done to him, for him and through him.
Greg reminds me of the cripple man who got healed in Acts chapter 3. "So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them.....walking, leaping, and praising God." So what this God has done to Greg fills his heart, and when there isn't any more room, it spill over and out through Greg's voice and movement and words. At this point, if you know Greg, I will ask you to give a big ol' "WHOOOOO!!!!!" for Jesus.
Greg spoke on the story of Jesus and Lazarus. If you're not familiar with this one, it is a keeper. Lazarus dies and his sisters send word for Jesus to come. He delays for reasons that didn't make a lot of sense to the disciples. Eventually Jesus shows up (at just the right time)...Lazarus has been dead for four days. Now that is some kind of dead and, as his sister told Jesus, he "stinketh". Four days dead? Stinks? No problem for Jesus. He speaks the words that the sisters have been wanting to hear. "Lazarus!!!! Come out of that tomb!!!" It's all downhill after that. Tomb's stone is moved...Lazarus comes out....Jesus tells the local's to remove the grave clothes. End of story. Except maybe for some "WHOO-hooing" and "Jumping about".....and a whole lot of "Can you believe this!!".
When Greg finished, I opened the floor up for anyone to come forward who wanted to be set free from their own tomb, and to meet and experience this Jesus we had just heard about. The front filled up and we began to pray. Simple prayers.....two words..."Come Lord!' He did. Much crying...much repentance.....hearts were open to receive, and receive they did. I could go on and on about the different stories I heard from the ones who came up. Suffice it to say that we achieved our purpose last night. To be a place where people are introduced to Jesus, and have a personal encounter with Him. It was some kind of good night.
Last night, some who were there moved from Step# 1 through Step # 2, and wound up squarely on Step #3. Now this coming week, they can began to take a fearless and moral searching inventory.
Thank you, Greg Birdwell, for being who God has created you to be.
May you just get even more crazy and passionate for Jesus...
God on you...
mbb
No comments:
Post a Comment