12.28.06
Posted in Uncategorized on December 28th, 2006 at 9:55 am by John Dobbs
by John Dobbs Dorothy has called me three to four times a day for months now. I first met her about two months after Katrina when she came to our facility. She was a large black woman with braided hair. Someone told me she wanted to see the preacher. Her eyes are bloodshot and her face lets me know that she is in significant pain. She reeks of a combination of bad hygiene and strong cigarrettes. Her request was the first of it’s kind for me.
"I have a demon inside me, and I need you to pray over me and cast it out." My mind immediately went to that move … The Exorcist. She wasn’t floating or spewing green goo from her mouth. But it’s too easy for me to find humor in this situation. This lady is in pain. I asked her to tell me about her troubles. It was a long list, but her description of the physical manifestations of the demon were identical to acid reflux disease. When asked, she told me that no doctor could help her. It had to be a spiritual warfare.
So, I prayed over her and asked God to cast the demon out, and fill her with His Spirit. There were no shrieks, no herd of pigs going into the gulf, and no one writhed on the ground. I actually doubt that there is a demon. Maybe that’s my problem.
When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. "Lord, have mercy on my son," he said. "He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him." "O unbelieving and perverse generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me." Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment. Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, "Why couldn’t we drive it out?" He replied, "Because you have so little faith…" (Matthew 17:14-20a)
Dorothy’s phone messages are similar in content every time. They are a mixture of a request for prayer, a quotation of a Scripture, or repetitive use of a mantra picked up on TBN or Benny Hinn. She tells me the demon hangs up the phone or makes it impossible to call out. It eats her food while she’s trying to eat. She insists that it breaks things in her apartment and moves the furniture around. Her simple plea really does break my heart, "Please make it go. Go now. Go completely. Never return."
The truth? I think she lives in a cloudy world and the "demon" is her way of conceptualizing her inability to function on her own. I do know that this woman has been terrorized by either her own imagination, a demon, a sickness, or unsound mental health. Since my prayers (and there have been many) have been ineffectual in her behalf, she now calls television evangelists and requests prayer. They have given her a variety of answers and suggestions. I feel sure they are asking for money also, but she hasn’t told me this.
"Teacher," said John, "we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us." "Do not stop him," Jesus said. "No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me." (Mark 8:38-39)
Recently I sat at a table with some people, including Dorothy. We had prayer together and I asked her if she would like to say a prayer also. She smiled slightly and said, "I’m trying to learn how to pray … but I have memorized the Lord’s prayer." So she led us in the Lord’s prayer. To me, this was a moment of grace. A prayer given to a troubled woman by our comforting savior.
My heart breaks for this lady who lives under the darkness that I cannot dispell. The only thing I know I can do is love her. I know Jesus loves her. And I do pray often for Jesus to please, make it go. Whatever it is.
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12.24.06
Posted in Uncategorized on December 24th, 2006 at 1:29 pm by Dee O'Neil Andrews
The Birth of Jesus
1In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3And everyone went to his own town to register.
4So
Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to
Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line
of David. 5He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7and
she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and
placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
The Shepherds and the Angels
8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
13Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
15When
the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to
one another, "Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has
happened, which the Lord has told us about."
16So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20The
shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they
had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
Jesus Presented in the Temple
21On
the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus,
the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived.
22When
the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been
completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the
Lord 23(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord"), 24and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: "a pair of doves or two young pigeons."[c]
25Now
there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and
devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy
Spirit was upon him. 26It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27Moved
by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought
in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
29"Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
you now dismiss your servant in peace.
30For my eyes have seen your salvation,
31which you have prepared in the sight of all people,
32a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel."
33The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. 34Then
Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: "This child is
destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a
sign that will be spoken against, 35so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too."
36There
was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of
Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years
after her marriage, 37and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 38Coming
up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about
the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of
Jerusalem.
39When Joseph and
Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned
to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. 40And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.
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12.05.06
Posted in Uncategorized on December 5th, 2006 at 1:13 pm by Greg England
by Greg England
Each Sunday after church, anywhere from a half dozen to twenty-five or more of our members will converge on the local Arby’s just a block south of the building and pretty much take over the place. I’ve yet to figure out the appeal of Arby’s, but then I’ve not found a fast-food joint that really impressed me. But I do enjoy the fellowship off-campus.
And each Sunday, sitting in the same place, eating the exact same meal, is a small, frail-looking, white haired lady who seems to enjoy watching our crowd.
Months ago, my wife and I arrived too late to get a seat with the church crowd, so we sat just behind the little lady. We cordially said, "Hello" to her, awaiting our meal. She engaged us in conversation … wanting to know who all those people were that came in each week. We moved from the table behind her to the seats beside her and enjoyed lunch with her that day. She introduced herself as Florence.
Since then, we’ve made it a point to go to Arby’s for lunch at least one day each week. Not that we like Arby’s, but that we enjoy the friendship of Florence. She’s been eating there for over 30 years and is an icon. Absolutely refuses to let anyone pay for her lunch. Stubbornly independent. But a sweetheart of a lady. If she goes a day or two without coming in, the manager of Arby’s, Margarita, will call her on the phone to check up on her.
We’ve come to know a lot about her, her life, her family, and her passion for a clean lawn! She lives on Olive Street, which is lined on both sides with magnificent jacaranda trees that spread out over the pavement with a purple canopy each year when the trees are in bloom. Otherwise, they provide a wonderful shade for residents and drivers. I will often drive down Olive Street just to enjoy the beauty of those trees.
But our friend finds in those trees a reason to go outside each morning. She rakes leaves. Her leaves. Her neighbor’s leaves. And the leaves out on the street. Then she comes to Arby’s to sit, relax, and slowly eat her lunch. The conversation is always the same … how much the leaves have covered her lawn. That her neighbors never rake the leaves out of their yards, so she has to do it for them lest they blow into her yard. Then she cleans them out of the street in front of her house. Each day, same routine.
And each day we eat lunch with her, we hear the same story. Then she will point out different people in the restaurant and tell us about them. Same people. Same stories. She’s become so close to us that she now will even pull some pranks on us. Like holding the door when we try to open it. The other day, she came back to the table with some napkins and "goosed me" in the side with her finger. "Gotcha!" I jumped and she laughed like a teenager. She told me, "I got you good, didn’t I? I would only do that to someone I love."
But in time, she has shared some of her burdens and we’ve prayed with her and share with her what’s going on in our lives and in our church family. Florence has become a dear friend. And on those days we drop in and she’s not there, I wonder about her. Is she okay? Is there anything we can do for her?
In many ways, we have a closer fellowship with Florence than we do many who attend our church. We love on her and she loves on us. There’s nothing better in life than the love of another person. Love given and received. And one never knows where that love might be found. Even in an Arby’s on any given day.
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