Anna Marta
09-06-2007, 06:08 AM
HI,
I just wanted to share this. If you are triggered by pictures one receives during prayer then this is not for you.
Last night we got together with several close friends and a new person, a pastor who needed comfort and compassion. His wife left him and forced a divorce. He has lost his job with the church because they do not want a divorced man as their pastor, even though they know the whole story and feel bad for him... :mad: So he is out of a job, not being contacted by those who he considered close friends and feeling very lonely and isolated. The result has been that he has had to rethink his own previous standpoints on a great many things. He admits he cannot judge them because he was every bit as "square and arrogant" as them, if not even more so. God has been doing a LOT of work deep inside him.
It was surprising for him to see our reactions when he told us he can't read the bible or pray or be around many people right now especially Christians who he doesn't know. We affirmed his feelings as normal and we able to allow him to "be where he is"... This man nearly cried with relief.
After dinner and chatting and laughing etc. we decided to put some music on and just try to sit in the presence of God and see what happened. He told us that Norwegian charismatics/pentecostals etc. have not had a lot of teaching on God; it has been the Holy Spirit and Jesus. Right now he needed his Father God to love him.
We sat and listened and just relaxed in the stillness of the room and allowed the music to envelope us. Someone got a scripture: "break up your unplowed ground", someone else the words, "Come to me" There were 2 pictures: 1.a human heart with a belt that was tightening around the middle of it - 2. leaves falling from a tree.
The whole scripture was Jer 4:3 "Break up your unplowed ground and do not sow among thorns." NIV
This spoke to the pastor because he thought God was telling him to re-examine his theology and be careful of actions and reaction.
The tree picture spoke to several - 1. Leaves falling off a tree is a natural part of the life of tree so new shoots can come. 2. That which is no longer useful must die and fall away. 3. What happens when one is not being fed by the root or branches.
The heart picture - 1. Something is trying to divide our hearts and one cannot live with a heart divided because it cannot pump life giving blood to the whole body. 2. The church's heart the center of its' life and motivations is being squeezed and divided by something that can be released by dealing with it and taking it off. 3. I saw those who have been wounded being strangled on the inside without knowing about it only feeling squeezed and tired and unable to feel good things.
We discussed things for a bit and said good night. It was a weird and very special happening. At the end the pastor fell asleep in the recliner chair because it was the first time he had felt safe and relaxed. The couple who owned the house tried to cover him so he could sleep but he woke up immediately with tears running down his face. He had relaxed and was able to release what he had been holding tightly before in fear that if he let go he wouldn't be able to gain control again. We agreed that God is amazing. Wounded and spiritually abused people ministering to each other as best they can trying to reconnect to God the Father.
As we walked out the door. The pastor suddenly said, "Wait I think I have something!" He said the following, "God is not sending out people with a message. He is creating people who ARE the message." That was the last word of the evening and we all felt the impact of it in our own ways....
Hope this was meaningful for someone.
Love
Anna Marta
I just wanted to share this. If you are triggered by pictures one receives during prayer then this is not for you.
Last night we got together with several close friends and a new person, a pastor who needed comfort and compassion. His wife left him and forced a divorce. He has lost his job with the church because they do not want a divorced man as their pastor, even though they know the whole story and feel bad for him... :mad: So he is out of a job, not being contacted by those who he considered close friends and feeling very lonely and isolated. The result has been that he has had to rethink his own previous standpoints on a great many things. He admits he cannot judge them because he was every bit as "square and arrogant" as them, if not even more so. God has been doing a LOT of work deep inside him.
It was surprising for him to see our reactions when he told us he can't read the bible or pray or be around many people right now especially Christians who he doesn't know. We affirmed his feelings as normal and we able to allow him to "be where he is"... This man nearly cried with relief.
After dinner and chatting and laughing etc. we decided to put some music on and just try to sit in the presence of God and see what happened. He told us that Norwegian charismatics/pentecostals etc. have not had a lot of teaching on God; it has been the Holy Spirit and Jesus. Right now he needed his Father God to love him.
We sat and listened and just relaxed in the stillness of the room and allowed the music to envelope us. Someone got a scripture: "break up your unplowed ground", someone else the words, "Come to me" There were 2 pictures: 1.a human heart with a belt that was tightening around the middle of it - 2. leaves falling from a tree.
The whole scripture was Jer 4:3 "Break up your unplowed ground and do not sow among thorns." NIV
This spoke to the pastor because he thought God was telling him to re-examine his theology and be careful of actions and reaction.
The tree picture spoke to several - 1. Leaves falling off a tree is a natural part of the life of tree so new shoots can come. 2. That which is no longer useful must die and fall away. 3. What happens when one is not being fed by the root or branches.
The heart picture - 1. Something is trying to divide our hearts and one cannot live with a heart divided because it cannot pump life giving blood to the whole body. 2. The church's heart the center of its' life and motivations is being squeezed and divided by something that can be released by dealing with it and taking it off. 3. I saw those who have been wounded being strangled on the inside without knowing about it only feeling squeezed and tired and unable to feel good things.
We discussed things for a bit and said good night. It was a weird and very special happening. At the end the pastor fell asleep in the recliner chair because it was the first time he had felt safe and relaxed. The couple who owned the house tried to cover him so he could sleep but he woke up immediately with tears running down his face. He had relaxed and was able to release what he had been holding tightly before in fear that if he let go he wouldn't be able to gain control again. We agreed that God is amazing. Wounded and spiritually abused people ministering to each other as best they can trying to reconnect to God the Father.
As we walked out the door. The pastor suddenly said, "Wait I think I have something!" He said the following, "God is not sending out people with a message. He is creating people who ARE the message." That was the last word of the evening and we all felt the impact of it in our own ways....
Hope this was meaningful for someone.
Love
Anna Marta