The River Was Dry
God’s work must be done God’s way.
I believe that seeking righteousness and justice in the church is God’s work…but there are times when I get so frustrated and angry that I’m not interested in God’s way.
I want to do it my way…with wrath and profanity and violent words that are written to shake the soul as well as the mind.
When those times come I run away to the river, for I am a God fearing man.
I run to where the river begins on the mountain and I walk into the icy waters and let them soak away the impurities in my body and soul.
God meets me there.
He’s always met me there.
I went there yesterday…and the river was dry.
The mighty Rogue was reduced to little more than a natural ditch.
I had never seen it in this state…ever.
Like Jonah when the gourd died, I was scared and angry.
There would be no comfort, no cleansing, no refreshing, no renewal.
There would only be a return to the valley…a return to the work.
I do not know how to ask certain questions without an attitude of derision and scorn.
May God forgive me.
Before I left, some Calvary Chapel pastors wrote and affirmed that they now believed that there may be a problem with Gospel For Asia.
The liturgy I posted stunk of Catholicism and those robes the same.
How dare they believe in something other than the memorial view of communion and not tell us?
The allegations of financial impropriety did not move them.
The possibility that the people of God might be being defrauded didn’t move them.
The testimonies of over a hundred former workers to abuse and cultishness didn’t move them.
The fact that affiliated brothers helped run the organization and refused to answer for it didn’t move them.
The trappings of religion…those were the things that shook them.
So, my questions are these.
What in unholy hell is wrong with you men?
Do you have a clue as to what it means to be a shepherd in the house of God?
When will you ever understand that our job is to protect the flock, not our traditions or our leaders?
Can the rest of you pray for rain before I lose what’s left of my mind?
Praying for you to be refreshed as a son in the house of His Father.
Praying that the people of God would drop the charades of Christendom and take up the call to partake of character development in the manifold grace of God bestowed in the Gospel of Christ.
It is only then that we will have the capacity to see and perceive; that God is separating the shepherds from the hirelings as He exposes the wolves.
Sheeps clothing is cheap and can be worn at will by anyone, character is priceless.
Thank you, vic…and amen.
I’m having that kind of day too. 🙁
London,
Hang in there, my friend.
“What in unholy hell is wrong with you men?”
There are so many possible answers to that question. One size does not fit all.
Some have built their own kingdoms, some have built on the foundations of other well established kingdom, some are so loyal that the cannot possibly believe that they were sold a bill of goods, while others are held captive, entranced by things or men’s reputations because they are respecters of men rather than of God, there are those who know so little that they think they know it all, while others are still using the same pair of glasses while in need of a new prescription, some are just plain stupid, and some are evil themselves..
We focus on how close to God we are at the expense of keeping a healthy perspective of our own depravity. The desires or our own heart becomes mistakenly interpreted as God’s desires. And we are all infected to some degree with the Prosperity Gospel virus.
There are hundreds of ways where the people of God run off the rails. God help us all.
Well said, pstrmike.
Here’s a little something to lift your mood…
PawnShop kings – “Love Like Jesus”
https://youtu.be/zs7LgC7kdYo
Michael, as you know, the climatologists are claiming that a massive El Nino is building up way out there in the Pacific somewhere. If it’s like the couple we had back in the 90’s, we’ll be begging for the rain to stop 😉
I remember living in Silverton at the time and it rained or misted rain for over 30 straight days. It was unreal.
Thanks, G.
Scott, right now the valley feels like the lobby to hell.
Triple digit heat and filled with smoke from the fires.
I’ve never seen the river that way in my entire life, so it’s a bit disconcerting.
I know, Michael. I drive the I-5 Eugene to L.A. and back every week. My eyes were burning so bad yesterday in south central California I could hardly see the road. The fires in CA are unprecedented. Every time I cross over Shasta Lake my heart sinks.
Here the inland area of SoCal, we are already getting some the El Nino effect; we are getting the heat and humidity up from Mexico. Ugh! I’m someone who just can’t do humidity. My energy gets sapped out of me and I become a grumpy bear with my family and others.
May the rains soon and hit central California, burying the Sierra Nevadas in snow. They can bypass SoCal, I just want it to cool down here. Hope you get a break in southern Oregon too.
We’re such brief creatures in the long timeline of life. The rain will return soon.
The question is always, “Who’s soon?”
been talking with a California cousin about a move to Florence, O… someone said, ‘oh, you don’t want to live that close to the ocean, you’ll be wet and cold all the time!’ they have no idea how good that sounds to just about anyone from Los Angeles
last summer (i’m living in a river canyon) we had fires both above and below us, the normally year round rushing river looked like Michael’s picture and we could not see the canyon wall about 500′ from the house for weeks… it really made one think about the advisability of avoiding spending eternity in hell – really did
not quite as bad this year, but winds are predicted to blow tonight that will bring the big Chelan fire straight at us…
but our company just left and i’m reading Packer’s book and a focus on Christ is like a cool breeze across my brain (maybe that’s cuz i amen every word 🙂 )
i am convinced that God is firing a warning shot across the bow of the nation – several of them, in fact, from Katrina forward… i don’t care if that idea makes me sound a bit … coo coo
“The question is always, “Who’s soon?” amen … and we keep kicking the back of God’s seat asking, “are we there, yet?” 🙂 🙂
I hope you find some rest, I do hope we get rain.
3 firefighters have just been killed – overtaken in the fires burning in Washington – God have mercy and bring comfort upon those who love them
Michael, I am not sure what is wrong with the robes. It reminds me more of my upbringing in a conservative Presbyterian church than Catholicism. Its just a uniform. Who cares? It shouldn’t be anything that upsets us. I’m not sure what the issue is there other than it may trigger some kind of emotional response to some from their own personal experience with a church.
Em…amen. Very dangerous job.
Andrew:
“it’s just a uniform. ”
If I were you I would retract that phrase and check out the purposes behind the “uniform” you speak of.
Firemen, police, and many others wear “uniforms” with very practical purposes beyond having a position of authority. In a religious org it is the same, but they aren’t trying to literally protect themselves from sparks or bullets.
Thank you for sharing Em–although it is horrific news, folks need to be made aware. Please pass the dire need for prayer along. Fighting fires is an insanely dangerous job and we need all the prayers we can get for those guys and gals out there. It’s an especially treacherous year. God have mercy.
In and of itself I generally don’t care if someone wears a robe or not. I am concerned when an organization says “it’s just a simple robe, nothing more”, “that is how they understand things there”, and it is found out that they were not completely honest. I am concerned when an organization hides the truth of what they are doing in the field, when leaders lie to staff, have students carry cash in their back packs, won’t answer questions in writing from staff or volunteers or donors, give the impression of immediate funds are needed when those funds may not be sent for months, misrepresenting how much cash the organization has in banks…
But what gets me are pastors who are aware of what is going on at GFA and remain silent while the congregation continues to give to GFA.
Michael,
There are no easy words to soothe your soul right now. I know we could all quote scripture and that would be well and good, but that will not change all the evil going on at this second and the resultant pain you feel.
All I can say is what others have mentioned, focus on Him. At 48, I am not the smartest, sharpest, brightest, holiest person alive. However, in those moments when He gets a hold of me deeply, I am reminded that He is in control and that all will be well. Like the Israelites of the OT who set up memorials, I look back at How God has worked in my life and realize He has gotten me this far, even when I was on the fast track to Hell, and know that God will finish the job.
Jesus gets all the credit. From His perspective it is perfect and beautiful. From ours, eh, not so much. We now our depravity and sin and life is just messy and sinfully ugly.
I just want you to know you are not alone. We are standing up for you, praying for, interceding for you and shedding tears for you, my brother. I think I can safely say that all of us here realize that God has called you to this ministry and He will give you the strength to get through it.
Lastly, may I add that if you have this pain, how much more God? We are His creation and this is how we treat one another. I expect this from unbelievers, but when Christians do these things, we have just dragged His precious name, blood, and sacrifice through the mud.
Brother, we are with you and so is God. He has not called you in vain.
OCDan,
Thank you…and bless you my friend.
After over a decade doing this, I’ve been here a few times.
It is the prayer and people that that keep us all going.
The river is dry, but the rains will come.
I think the level of delusion among certain self-proclaimed leaders is unprecedented. (Well, there WAS the Inquisition, that was pretty bad.) Agreeing with pstrmike that they convince themselves that their own desires are “God speaking” to them.