The Church In Cityview
An elder (Bob) who was speaking during a worship service mentioned that he ministered at another church in the past. He mentioned that a fellow died and said, “That was the end of my ministry to him.” Immediately the Holy Spirit came up within me and said, “Stand and say, ’You could raise him from the dead.’” It happened so suddenly that I was shocked and could hardly move. Then Bob said something else. So I said to God, “Well he has moved on to something else and it’s now too late for me to say anything.” To my shock Bob made a long pause, lowered his chin and waited. Then he said again. “That was the end of my ministry to him.” I knew that now God had given me another chance to speak up, but again I was even more shocked at this unusual turn of events - I was speechless! Learning to listen to God was still new to me at this point and actually following through with some action was contrary to my nature. So I just sat there and said nothing.
At church a fellow got up to give a testimony. In doing so he rolled up the sleeves on his arm to reveal many large bumps all over his two arms. He said he was going to the doctor to have them removed and gave a little background on them. Immediately God spoke to me and said, “Get the entire church to rise up and curse those bumps and melt them away.” I knew that God was speaking to me and I knew that that was what we were to do. But again I sat in silence as the opportunity passed by and did nothing. On Monday evening I went the fellow’s house and with faith; he, his daughter, and I cursed those bumps, but I knew that it was a late obedience on my part and wasn’t what God really wanted.
I was up front after the service and a girl came up to speak with one of the elders. As she started sharing with him the Lord spoke to me clear as a bell and said, “Turn to her and say….” But no I didn’t.
A group came to our church from a European country and shared what was going on in their ministry there. At the end of the service there seemed to be some confusion as to how to end the service. God spoke, “There is an anointing for children right here right now. Call all the children in and have them go by the front of the church while the visitors lay hands on them and pray for them.” But I still wasn’t used to doing anything like that so I sat in silence – I missed it again!
Once while in a prayer meeting an elder was kneeling and saying something about the elders. About 15 people were there surrounding him. As he shared the Lord kept speaking to me, “They’re only men, they’re just men.” The elder said, “Let me read something from my journal.” As he opened his journal the Lord said to me, “March 10th.” Then the elder said, “I am reading from an entry made on March 10th, and as he read he said, “We’re only men, we’re just men…”
Around April of 2001, I was painting the foyer of the church. Bob walked in with another fellow that I had never seen. As soon as they came around the elevator and I saw him I heard these words; “No, not him!” It was very loud and forceful. The man was Rick Green. At the time the words again shocked me and I didn’t know what to do with them. Perhaps if I had shared what I heard with Rick and others things might have been different – I don’t know. But I should have spoken up.
After church one Sunday I took my son out for a walk. We went along a walkway down to the Trinity River nearby. On the way back as we approached the church building I thought, “Let’s walk along the back of the building just for something different.” As we walked I noticed that several boards were broken and missing from the wood fence. On the other side of the fence was a rather large drop down into a drainage ditch which ran along the apartments behind the church. I kept thinking, “Those boards should be fixed – someone should fix those boards.” About two months later I heard from someone that a child had fallen through the fence down into the ditch. Again I had missed what God was saying to me!
One day in church I was led to sit on the second row. I didn’t know that one of the elders (Brad) was going to preach that day and Brad was sitting in front of me. I started shaking and quivering. I told the Lord I am about to fall on the floor out into the aisle. He said, “I want you to speak.” I said, “Well, okay I’ll do it if I get a chance.” Brad got up and said he felt like someone was supposed to say something so he yielded the floor to an open mike. Now I was on the hook as I told God I would if I got the chance! As I sat there someone came to the microphone and spoke, then another and another, but I was not off the hook! I said, “Okay God I will, what do I say?” He said, “It doesn’t work that way, first you get up there and then I will tell you what to say.” I gulped and rose to my feet. As I turned around to face the congregation I said, “There comes a time in the preparation for a wedding after everything’s been planned and arranged for that the bride must get herself ready.” Then I opened my mouth and the spirit of God rushed right through me as I blurted out, “She must take a bath!” I went on to say other things – I don’t know why because that was all God wanted me to say; I just didn’t know when to shut up.
After that I began to attend the prophetic school that John was leading. From time to time in that class we would get with a partner to practice listening and saying what we were hearing. I thought that was a little strange, but still I did it. As I partnered with Bob Wills, John said just listen deep within and listen to God. Deeper and deeper within me I went and I wasn’t hearing anything, but I was seeing the picture of a dog. I thought, “A dog! What’s that got to do with anything.” So I dismissed it. Then John said that we might see something too, that it’s not just about hearing. I kept seeing a dog. Bob prayed and spoke what he was hearing to me. I said I’m not really hearing anything so I will just pray and we’ll see what happens, so I did. John came up and asked how things were going. I laughed and said, “Honestly I’m not hearing anything, but I keep seeing a dog!” John looked at Bob and said, “Didn’t you bury a dog last week on your property.” He had and they talked about that. I was floored! Here God was revealing something to me all this time and I was missing it again!
These things were just the beginning for me of learning to hear God. God is speaking to us and sometimes we just need help to learn to recognize how He speaks. Who knows what might have happened if I had spoken up, what breakthrough might have occurred, what faith might have been enjoined, but I missed it! I share these things now to encourage you that just because you have missed it, is no reason to quit. If you are in leadership of a ministry then please by all means encourage people to step out in the use of their gifting. Make it well known to the body that you want to hear and cooperate with what God is doing in and through them. The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases and His mercy never comes to an end. So rise up O man and woman of God, Say what God says, and do what God does!
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At church a fellow got up to give a testimony. In doing so he rolled up the sleeves on his arm to reveal many large bumps all over his two arms. He said he was going to the doctor to have them removed and gave a little background on them. Immediately God spoke to me and said, “Get the entire church to rise up and curse those bumps and melt them away.” I knew that God was speaking to me and I knew that that was what we were to do. But again I sat in silence as the opportunity passed by and did nothing. On Monday evening I went the fellow’s house and with faith; he, his daughter, and I cursed those bumps, but I knew that it was a late obedience on my part and wasn’t what God really wanted.
I was up front after the service and a girl came up to speak with one of the elders. As she started sharing with him the Lord spoke to me clear as a bell and said, “Turn to her and say….” But no I didn’t.
A group came to our church from a European country and shared what was going on in their ministry there. At the end of the service there seemed to be some confusion as to how to end the service. God spoke, “There is an anointing for children right here right now. Call all the children in and have them go by the front of the church while the visitors lay hands on them and pray for them.” But I still wasn’t used to doing anything like that so I sat in silence – I missed it again!
Once while in a prayer meeting an elder was kneeling and saying something about the elders. About 15 people were there surrounding him. As he shared the Lord kept speaking to me, “They’re only men, they’re just men.” The elder said, “Let me read something from my journal.” As he opened his journal the Lord said to me, “March 10th.” Then the elder said, “I am reading from an entry made on March 10th, and as he read he said, “We’re only men, we’re just men…”
Around April of 2001, I was painting the foyer of the church. Bob walked in with another fellow that I had never seen. As soon as they came around the elevator and I saw him I heard these words; “No, not him!” It was very loud and forceful. The man was Rick Green. At the time the words again shocked me and I didn’t know what to do with them. Perhaps if I had shared what I heard with Rick and others things might have been different – I don’t know. But I should have spoken up.
After church one Sunday I took my son out for a walk. We went along a walkway down to the Trinity River nearby. On the way back as we approached the church building I thought, “Let’s walk along the back of the building just for something different.” As we walked I noticed that several boards were broken and missing from the wood fence. On the other side of the fence was a rather large drop down into a drainage ditch which ran along the apartments behind the church. I kept thinking, “Those boards should be fixed – someone should fix those boards.” About two months later I heard from someone that a child had fallen through the fence down into the ditch. Again I had missed what God was saying to me!
One day in church I was led to sit on the second row. I didn’t know that one of the elders (Brad) was going to preach that day and Brad was sitting in front of me. I started shaking and quivering. I told the Lord I am about to fall on the floor out into the aisle. He said, “I want you to speak.” I said, “Well, okay I’ll do it if I get a chance.” Brad got up and said he felt like someone was supposed to say something so he yielded the floor to an open mike. Now I was on the hook as I told God I would if I got the chance! As I sat there someone came to the microphone and spoke, then another and another, but I was not off the hook! I said, “Okay God I will, what do I say?” He said, “It doesn’t work that way, first you get up there and then I will tell you what to say.” I gulped and rose to my feet. As I turned around to face the congregation I said, “There comes a time in the preparation for a wedding after everything’s been planned and arranged for that the bride must get herself ready.” Then I opened my mouth and the spirit of God rushed right through me as I blurted out, “She must take a bath!” I went on to say other things – I don’t know why because that was all God wanted me to say; I just didn’t know when to shut up.
After that I began to attend the prophetic school that John was leading. From time to time in that class we would get with a partner to practice listening and saying what we were hearing. I thought that was a little strange, but still I did it. As I partnered with Bob Wills, John said just listen deep within and listen to God. Deeper and deeper within me I went and I wasn’t hearing anything, but I was seeing the picture of a dog. I thought, “A dog! What’s that got to do with anything.” So I dismissed it. Then John said that we might see something too, that it’s not just about hearing. I kept seeing a dog. Bob prayed and spoke what he was hearing to me. I said I’m not really hearing anything so I will just pray and we’ll see what happens, so I did. John came up and asked how things were going. I laughed and said, “Honestly I’m not hearing anything, but I keep seeing a dog!” John looked at Bob and said, “Didn’t you bury a dog last week on your property.” He had and they talked about that. I was floored! Here God was revealing something to me all this time and I was missing it again!
These things were just the beginning for me of learning to hear God. God is speaking to us and sometimes we just need help to learn to recognize how He speaks. Who knows what might have happened if I had spoken up, what breakthrough might have occurred, what faith might have been enjoined, but I missed it! I share these things now to encourage you that just because you have missed it, is no reason to quit. If you are in leadership of a ministry then please by all means encourage people to step out in the use of their gifting. Make it well known to the body that you want to hear and cooperate with what God is doing in and through them. The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases and His mercy never comes to an end. So rise up O man and woman of God, Say what God says, and do what God does!
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