Reflections of the Gospel “The Ramsey Discussions pt. 1: ‘How much Does it Cost?’”
The following 2 blogs recount particularly meaningful insights from Craig’s brother-in-law Ramsey Bell in response to significant questions I had during our latest visit to Lakeland Florida. Ramsey’s insights were simple conceptionally and plain in their delivery, but upon further excavation they would prove to be fundamentally shaking, the vibrations traveling to the epicenter of where my beliefs mend with the person that I am. These vibrations have had a considerable impact upon that epicenter and even to this day they have produced a remarkable alteration that will last for the remainder of my existence…
I have experienced inexplicable growth and learned many things from Craig and the ministry of Awake International during my 5 month stay here in Moravian Falls. Of the many things I have learned, a key realization that Craig has demonstrated repeatedly over the duration of my stay is that”the price has been paid” for us through the atonement of our sins by the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is something i have always believed, but in this environment I have seen it with a new aspect of profoundness, as it has taken a different meaning all together. Healing, provision, the anointing, favor, wisdom, and various other spiritual gifts are “freely” given, that is to say they are readily accessible as a part of a Christian’s relationship with Jesus Christ (made possible by only through His death in our place for the remission of our sins). In many meetings with Todd Bentley in Florida however, he often speaks of “paying the price” for the anointing. I never was certain what that “payment” entailed, but tried my best to understand it as spending significant time in prayer, and having a hunger for God and His glorious presence, as this made the most sense to me. I saw the validity in each and agreed with each vantage point, but was baffled at the thought of the two of them co-existing. I brought this introspective inquiry before Ramsey casually one day as we were sitting in a baseball dugout. He simply told me “…The price has been paid, but Christ still asks for everything.”
Filed under Gospel | Comment (1)Miracles in OMAHA!!!!
Man we were back in omaha for a week and it was awsome! We saw God do some amazing things tuesday night the first night we got back in town we saw God heal Tim parker!! he as had cronic pain for several months and even years and that night he was smiling because he was feeling great, no pain. through out the week we saw many people with back pain healed on the spot, a lady could not turn her neck without pain and is now doing it pain free… On Sunday night at the wedding reception a young lady Alysha Plumber has had problems with her eyes, she had cataracts removed at 19 and is still dealing with problems stemming from the cataracts and could not see very well, she had floaters and black line in her vision and that night we prayed for her in the parking lot and she was healed!!! that was probably the highlight of the night. so we saw God do amazing things and i just want to encourage you all to keep on pressing to see God do that stuff through you… and send me any testimonies of what God has done to you and through you……
Filed under Tyler | Comment (1)the attack of the ear eating bugs!!!!!!!
okay… so there i was in my room laying on my bed talking to my dad when suddenly i hear a voice calling my name with some what of a urgent yet quiet tone but surprisingly loud for the person who i new it belonged to. i immediately new that it was Alyssa and that something was up. now as a bit of a side note Alyssa is a soft spoken person of very few words………. that you can hear, that is to say when she says something we all go “what!” so i rush to the stairs and she says “i have a bug on my ear and i cant get it off!” so i try and remove the little guy but i couldn’t, i realized at first glance it was i tick and there really is only one way to get a tick off and that is a liter, luckily i had one handy. some singed hair and a few seconds later no more tick and still some what freaking out Alyssa. it was quite the experience and has probably the potential of becoming a memory that will cause some laughs later.
Filed under Jesse | Comments (5)if i just had more time to smell the flowers
do you ever want to sleep away a day? do you ever wish you could stop time? wouldnt it be great if you could get everything done on time that you planned and still had energy? i feel like the more i rest and relax the more i realize how much it is so vital. sense being in moravian falls i feel like i am suspended in time, that as i am here the world is still spinning every where else. it feels like im in the “now what” stage. but the funny thing is i know “what” it just that it isnt time yet.
the truth is we all say “if i just had more time” but the real truth is not what is important but what is essential to you. in a world of fast pace and fast food it is so easy to sacrifice our selves for the needs of those around us but where is the balance where is the understanding of knowing when to go in to the wilderness for a while and when do you minister to the multitude? i find myself learning what is the priority what is essential to the plan and destiny God has given me.
it is said that time is our most precious commodity its worth can only be measured by what we do with the time we have. we never stop always trying to use our time to the best of our ability, striving every second of every day to reach some goal that we have set for our selves never satisfied when we reach it.
i have heard it said that you should “take the time to smell the flowers” i have started to do that every time i see a flower take the time to smell it enjoy its color and unique shape and design, think about it and wonder how God could make such a beautiful thing.
i have found that if i really want to find God i have to take time to find the beauty in everything.
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Reflections of the Gospel: “becky”
the following blog was written some while ago…the reason im posting it is because I believe I have discovered the person that it refers to in the conclusion…enjoy…
Lately Ive been presented with the choice of sleepng in or going to church/meeting with God and in every case opting with the latter has yet to leave me felling disapointed. The same oppourtunity presented itself today as my insurmountable fatigue beseached me to to sleep a lil more and neglect my ministry oppourtunity. Recalling my prior expierence with this situation as well as my desire to honor my verbal commitment to the youth pastor, it really wasnt a decision to make. I always enjoy going to places (the drive) but espically tose trips that allow me to use the OK-74 highway. Its just so beautiful! With the warm setting sun and lush green meadows, random 4 way stops with gas stations where the other two ways have to stop but you are allowed to keep going. the feeling of 75mph on such a road with the window down and the wind surging passivelyat your face, sweeping over the broad, yet fitting lenses of my aviator sunglasses. great stuff. Its also always fun because there are little towns that you drive through marked by the quickly decreasing speed limit. This particular time the first town I would “pass through” would be the town where i would be ministering at. Crescent. When I was traveling in Derail (the praise and worship band i used to be in), we played there at a commuity center and it seems as if everyone remembered me from that time. One thing I didnt realize was how big skateboarding was there! So when I brought my longboard out it was a hit, due to its length and smooth ride. I feel like it helped me break the ice in a way. Most kids didn’t know that i was going to be the speaker, I was just a dude with a long skateboard. I liked that alot. One of the things I remember from my last visit was that they’re wernt any black people at all, so it was great to see 2 at the event. Making my way over to talk to them I felt myself at odds pondering how i owuld be welcomed by them, because im not a typical…well I dont dress/look like alot of black people, and this puts me at odds with them, I feel. As if they are expressing contempt for me breaking some unwritten code of conduct/dress by my expression of my creativity/ personality. Anyway upon meeting them I quickly found a commonality in the anticipation for the new season as shelby and adriene were sr. running and full backs for the highschool. That round of ammo proved somewhat effective, but ran out very soon so i made my timely exit and moved on. I knew that God would do the work (whatever it was) later. I had fun meeitng the students and Jenifer, the girl next girl who was feeding the goats, and listening to Walking Seven, the opening band. They looked like they were nearing the the end of their highschool journey and played really well. My set was shorter as time had dictated but the 5 songs I did with emotion that was mustered from the people that surounded the little trailor stage. this only intensified as adriene and shelby moved from afar to join the party people by the stage. It was as if i was rapping just for them. As I delivered each rhyme, we met eyes and each time they were nodding to signify that they could make out what i was saying and they were down with it. So with all the engergy it had begun with, the set ended, and i transitioned to the message. You dont have to have notes whn God takes you through a dark place oin your life and teaches you along the way. A young man, Trey I believe, whom i had talked with and gotten to know before the show (we instantly bonded because we were both black gospel rappers, i was just slightly older!!!) the whole time went up for prayer. I thought that this and meeting adriene and shelby and having those “odds” broken down with Gods truth over tracks was blessing enough, but then i met sara and her sister becky and her daughter torra love. Becky, torras mom, was old school penticostal or threw that vibe due to her long (ankle length) skirt and long hair, sans makeup/jewlery. for all the haters i say there something in that modest appearence. I thik its the unwavering adhearence to that such appearence. in talking with Becky I realized she was the person I wanted to marry. She as well as her sister and daughter reminded me of what its like to wait for Gods best. A woman of faith, modesty, purity, and an intimacy with God that focuses on knowing His heart. that knowledge expresses itself in everything she does and all that she is, making her truly beautiful. This beauty is exceptional and so extremely rare that ill know it when i see it, and there wont be any mistaking it. Ive often seen alot of these qualities in girls ive persued, thinking they were perfect for me, but all this while I was so sure and Christ was saying simply “they may be perfect, but not for you..” and “you could make it work, but ive got better” Meeting becky I realized this was true and that such a woman makes ripples of impact around those close to her like becky had done iwth her younger sister and two daughters. We stayed for over an hour talking about the things of God. She was astounded to see so many Godly concepts I had grasped at “such a young age,” and i was amazed at how her devotion to God had such an impact on me. God confirms all kinds of things and tells us what we need to hear. When it happens its almost never the same situation and likewise we are almost never the same, but it always is a blessing.
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