I wrote this below article in 2009. That is 8 years ago now. Much has happened in eight years. I'll address that in a separate post. Here I am only republishing the edited post from 2009:
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I am blessed to be able to attend a discussion class at church, WestburyUMC in Houston, Texas on Wednesdays, where we are studying CHASING DAYLIGHT by Erwin McManus. Our preacher asked us, the congregation to read this.
I've liked this book muchly. I think that between reading the book and listening to the preacher preach and exhort based on the book and talking with my brother and sisters in class about our lives and experiences and how this book is pushing us to change in good ways, this book is having a good effect on me and others in class and in the church.
Today we were talking on the subject of "impact"- that pioneers in pushing out the boundaries of God's kingdom in new and untamed areas are going to experience buffetting and some kind of injury, probably. (why do I feel the need to step back from speaking in absolute terms?)
McManus has been using Jonathan's story (of 1 Samuel 14:1-15) to learn, teach and illustrate the principles of his book.Also, McManus reminded us of Elijah 1) demanding a demonstration comparing God's might and glory to the nothingness of the false gods that were the focus of Israelites who were drifted away from God, 2) raining down revenge on the 850 baal and other pagan priests (I still wonder if that part- the killing of the pagan priests- was God's will.), 3) running from Jezebel, 4) getting worn out and depressed, 5) being the blessed recipient of God's miraculous provision, encouragement and correction while on the run and 6) finally hearing from God in a quiet voice. (1 Kings 18 and 19).
My wondering about whether Elijah was in God's will when he orchestrated the killing of the pagan priests reminded me of what my main focus will be in my other blog, APOLOGIA. I plan to explore and discuss in the APOLOGIA blog the many times in history where believers, whether Christians, or, in the Old Testament times, believing jews (or others?) have gotten off course, out of God's will.
Andrew Wommack has taught me so much about the Bible and truths that are there if we will dig below the first few inches of topsoil. Bro. Wommack was the one who pointed out, comparing actual numbers in two places in the Exodus story, that Moses caused the Israelites time in Egypt to be 10 years longer than God had wanted, presumably because Moses (rashly) killed a man. (The man he killed was a cruel slave driver.) That vigilante act turned Moses from a prince of Egypt with great influence into an outlaw who had to run. (I would also interpolate that the manner in which the jewish nation left Egypt and the relationship between Israel and Egypt would have been much different if Moses had been among the ruling family before the events of the Israelites leaving occurred.)
Andrew Wommack calls it "Andyology" when he makes these jumps of logic mixed with intuition on non-principle ideas. But I think he is right with this. AND, I am beginning to think that these mistakes have had devastating consequences on the flow of history. But not anything God can't cure. I further believe that addressing these missteps by believers (including the Church) is a necessary step in bringing about God's ending to this part of the story of mankind.
I don't want this writing to be too dry. So:Today was a beautiful spring day, March 18, 2009. It started out foggy and mild. Later, it was sunny, bright, clear. I went and brought son, John, home from U of Houston, across town. There were seven of us in class today: Donna, Evelyn, Roy, Melissa, Janet, Mary Lou and me. Carol and Brenda couldn't be there for some reason.
I so much am nourished by being with these brothers and sisters in Christ, hearing what they think about what we are studying and stories from their lives, whether from today or twenty years ago. Tom cooked. That was good.
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