Last night was a great night of family devotionals. Devotionals in our home means reading a short passage of Scripture, sharing our thoughts about what it means (with plenty of examples from personal experience), and then prayer. My wife and I have seen a tremendous growth in our oldest son. He shows such a keen understanding of the Bible and what it means to be a Christian.
Last night we read about having the faith the size of a mustard seed and how this faith can literally move mountains (Matthew 17:14-20). This really struck a chord with Danny Boy as one of his favorite songs is "Si Tuvieras Fe," which is a Spanish song based on this Scripture set to a tropical Latin beat complete with movements (Salvador has a great version).
To demonstrate the Scripture, I shared many stories of God's miraculous powers. One amazing but true story that my mother had just told me over the phone minutes earlier was about one of their member's near death experience, visitation to Heaven, and miraculous recovery from a coma. I relayed to him of how God had also worked a miracle with this Lady's son, whose car had all of sudden quit working while on the road. He prayed and then immediately felt a strong push that allowed his car to reach his destination. I explained to him that these miracles moved mountains in the lives of these people, all of whom happen to be ministered to by his grandparents. All that was needed was faith (belief in God) the size of a mustard seed watered with a lot of prayer.
Danny Boy was pretty shocked by the fact that there are people who do not believe in the stories of the Bible, like the story we had just read and discussed. The reason for his shock is that he has not only heard stories from the Bible, he has actually experienced them firsthand.
As we began to pray after our devotional we sensed a strong and beautiful presence in our living room. We immediately recognized this presence because we experience it on a routine basis at church, work, home, and just about everywhere when we pray---it's the presence of God.
I noticed Danny Boy look up to a corner of the room and then scan around the room. I knew by the expression on his face that he had just seen something. Interestingly, minutes earlier, I had seen some movement out of the corner of my eye while I was reading the passage of Scripture (I kept this little observation to myself).
After scanning the living room, he looked around to me and then said rather calmly "Dad I just saw an angel." I asked him where he had seen the messenger (angel means "messenger") even though my wife and I had both seen his actions as he scanned the room. He pointed to the corner of the room near the ceiling. As I looked up and back to him I saw a small flash of light dart from the corner. He then retraced the messenger's movements around the room.
Last night we read about having the faith the size of a mustard seed and how this faith can literally move mountains (Matthew 17:14-20). This really struck a chord with Danny Boy as one of his favorite songs is "Si Tuvieras Fe," which is a Spanish song based on this Scripture set to a tropical Latin beat complete with movements (Salvador has a great version).
To demonstrate the Scripture, I shared many stories of God's miraculous powers. One amazing but true story that my mother had just told me over the phone minutes earlier was about one of their member's near death experience, visitation to Heaven, and miraculous recovery from a coma. I relayed to him of how God had also worked a miracle with this Lady's son, whose car had all of sudden quit working while on the road. He prayed and then immediately felt a strong push that allowed his car to reach his destination. I explained to him that these miracles moved mountains in the lives of these people, all of whom happen to be ministered to by his grandparents. All that was needed was faith (belief in God) the size of a mustard seed watered with a lot of prayer.
Danny Boy was pretty shocked by the fact that there are people who do not believe in the stories of the Bible, like the story we had just read and discussed. The reason for his shock is that he has not only heard stories from the Bible, he has actually experienced them firsthand.
As we began to pray after our devotional we sensed a strong and beautiful presence in our living room. We immediately recognized this presence because we experience it on a routine basis at church, work, home, and just about everywhere when we pray---it's the presence of God.
I noticed Danny Boy look up to a corner of the room and then scan around the room. I knew by the expression on his face that he had just seen something. Interestingly, minutes earlier, I had seen some movement out of the corner of my eye while I was reading the passage of Scripture (I kept this little observation to myself).
After scanning the living room, he looked around to me and then said rather calmly "Dad I just saw an angel." I asked him where he had seen the messenger (angel means "messenger") even though my wife and I had both seen his actions as he scanned the room. He pointed to the corner of the room near the ceiling. As I looked up and back to him I saw a small flash of light dart from the corner. He then retraced the messenger's movements around the room.
A picture drawn by Danny Boy the day after our angelic visitation depicting the angel he saw in our living room 
I told him that angels bring messages from God and that we are supposed to only pray to God and not to angels. I knew that God had a message in store for Danny Boy.
As we prepared for bed, Danny Boy asked me "Dad what does Jesus look like?" I told him that I did not know for sure but that based on a dream that I had had of him, that matched the accounts of the Transfiguration and those in the book of Revelation, he looked very much like the pictures we often see of him. He was content with my answer and soon fell asleep.
This morning he woke me up in excitement. "Dad last night I saw Jesus in a dream." He added, "I saw the cross and him dying for my sins." Remembering our messenger's visitation the night before, I asked him "did he tell you anything?" He responded "yes, he told me that he was hungry and had no place to go in." Immediately, I was reminded of the parable of the sheep and the goats (Matthew 25:31-40). He then said that he woke up and looked for Jesus but did not see him anywhere.
I knew this was a message from God for several reasons one of which is that Danny Boy has never heard the parable of the Sheep and Goats (we have been his Sunday School teachers all his young life).
This morning as I prepared to post this blog, I remembered the Chinese missionaries that are taking the message of the Bible to the most dangerous places on earth: the Islamic, Buddhist, and Hindu countries along the old Silk Route to Jerusalem. Recently, the Assemblies of God has challenged its members to give to this effort. These missionaries, who are a part of the "Back to Jerusalem" movement are giving spiritual food to people who are spiritually lost, hungry, and homeless. They are ministering to people who resemble the Jesus of Danny Boy's dream. You will be inspired by their amazing stories and those of others. You can learn more about and give to their cause and similar causes by:
Emailing:
Visiting:
Back to Jerusalem
http://www.backtojerusalem.com/
Testimonies from Back to Jerusalem
http://www.backtojerusalem.com/news.htm
Danny Boy's dream is not that uncommon when you check out some of the visions and dreams that these Chinese missionaries have had. Amazingly, Muslims are having visions and dreams of Jesus, as well as angelic visitations. However, unlike Danny Boy, they do not know who this Jesus is. That is, until someone tells them, feeds them, and shows them the only way into God's home. Have you met the Jesus of Danny Boy's dream? He is knocking at your door. Follow Christ.
1 comment:
Good to hear from you Molly. Let's feed the poor in spirit, mind, and body together! God Bless and keep you.
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