August 22nd was the 28th Anniversary of our moving from Ireland to America, and this week our friends the Prichards hosted a citizenship celebration for Hilary, Gilbert and myself as we have just taken the step of becoming US citizens.
34 years ago Lois visited our community in Belfast and stayed with a family one block away from our home. When we came to the US the house we were lead to purchase was one block away from Lois, her husband Tom Prichard and their family! The orchestration of the Lord!
Our South African friend Victoria traveled down from Duluth and we were also able to celebrate her recent citizenship which had been delayed for several months because her height was ‘mistakenly’ recorded as 3’10”. She realized this was her height on her knees. for God has sent her here, like us – primarily to pray!
We know now that another reason the Lord brought us to America was for, “Higher Education“
The name Coming King captures the heart of our calling. In the the musical Come Lord Jesus. This was presented by an intergenerational choir of Protestants and Catholics who had come together to worship God in Community of the King. This was quite miraclulous at a time where there were daily tit for tat assassinations between the two waring tribes!. I posted this recording of the first presentation once before….but here you are again.
I conveyed this message as best I knew at the time, so the Bride would be made ready for the Bridegroom’s Return. But the how, when, why and wherefore…… in my understanding, all needed more filling out!
In being lead out of the conventional ‘medical profession’ many years ago, it was not that we were no longer called to ‘healing’, but to grow in our understanding of ‘healing’, that is was not just of the body but of the soul and the spirit, of our relationships, our communities and ultimately of all creation!
Similarly in being lead out of Northern Ireland to America we have experienced the ‘ministry of RECONCILIATION‘(2 Cor. 5:18) that we have been called to, going beyond Catholics and Protestants, husband and wives, parents and children, as we have learned from others the magnitude of God’s wisdom, love and power in his plan to reconcile ALL things,
“For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him,(Christ) and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”(Col.1:19.20)
“Make friends and be friends.” was Father’s direction to us. Little did we know that among these friends he would lead us to locally would be some who have a profound understanding of scripture and the times in which we live.
I have referenced a number of times Stephen Jones. Peter said of Paul, “Some things in his letters can be difficult to understand.‘ (1 Pt.3:16) The same could be said of Stephen, however I have found his teaching challenges some of our ‘sacred cows’ and reveals some of the ‘idols of our hearts’. His books and blogs have been and continue to be for us a source of insight and hope in today’s world.
I recall on one occasion I was ministering in song alongside Stephen who was doing a bible teaching on ‘The Restoration of ALL things.’ I had received notification that day that the company handling the copyright of Lord Jesus We Enthrone You had changed. The new company – UNIVERSAL, A wink from Father, highlighting the scope of his salvation plan!
Another brother who has with his wife become dear friends of ours (and who will remain anonymous to protect the innocent) came to visit us just prior to our last trip to Ireland.
He shared about how, when the children of Israel left Egypt it was ‘with great substance’ (Gem.5:13) As we now leave ‘Babylon’ (another picture of ‘the world’ system) we can expect the same.
He had then been directed to the other well known verse containing the word ‘substance’, Hebrews 11.1, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for the assurance of things not seen.” He said God wants to take us to a ‘higher level of FAITH’ in this age.
The song (above) I was given, “I AM The Author“, reflects I believe a ‘higher level of FAITH’.
Many of the principles and even phrases used, I learned from this good brother.
As he was leaving our home I said, “Please step into my study for moment.”
There I pointed this out to him.
When we moved from Ireland we each were limited to two suitcases. In that deep pruning I decided to bring this significant piece of family history. The picture was the result of our family bible times around the breakfast table. The theme for that season was as you can see, FAITH.
Too faded now for you to easily see, are those in the grandstand of faith who look on from the ‘cloud of witnesses‘ recorded in Hebrews 11. Still moving along the track toward the finish line are a host of living saints – the ‘heroes of faith’ our children knew as they were growing up.
The week before my friend arrived I had taken this chart out to begin teaching my three grandsons in WW4K about FAITH.……after it had lain unopened for 28 years!!
As we enter our 29th year we are reminded of the 29th Chapter of Acts known as The Lost Chapter of Acts.”** Genuine or false it represents to us the unending journey of learning, we are all to be on, and whether Paul’s ADVENTURES contained therein happened or not, it reminds us of the blessing God promises to ADd to those spiritual descendants of Abraham who continue to VENTURE out, with FAITH in the living God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob!
“Show me your ways O Lord, teach me your paths, lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation and in you do I trust/wait/hope all day long.” (Ps. 25:4,5)