I went to the car wash this morning to get my wife’s car detailed on the inside. I was told that it would take them four hours to complete their job, so I took a walk toward the nearest Barnes and Noble bookstore to find a book. Actually, I found several books, and a cup of coffee and a blueberry scone. I sat down to relax, read and watch people.
One of the several books I bought is “Jesus > Religion”, by Jefferson Bethke. The title caught my eye because of my past experiences with religious people claiming to be Christians. I lost my faith in denominations back in the 80’s; because so many groups seem to promote rules and regulations over the true Spirit of Christ in Mercy and Truth, while practicing their own form of justice. I have found that so many people find a one-time experience with Christ; then proceed to prove to themselves and others that they are followers of Christ, by the number of rules which they keep for their particular group. A little spirituality can easily turn you into a religious Pharisee, keeping the letter of the law without the mercy of the Lawgiver.
Mr. Bethke found himself a Christian, but without a personal relationship with his Lord. In his book he tells his story of moving beyond the rules, and developing a personal experience with Jesus out of love, instead of out of duty. Jefferson says,
“The Bible is not a rule book. It’s a love letter. I’m not an employee. I’m a child. It’s not about my performance. It’s about Jesus’ performance for me.” “Grace isn’t there for some future me but for the real me. The me who struggled. The me who was messy. The me who was addicted to porn. The me who didn’t have all the answers.” “The Jesus of the Bible is a radical man with a radical message, changing people’s lives in a radical way.” “When we have no real transforming power of Jesus in our hearts, we hold up a list of external behaviors so someone can look at us and identify us as Christians.”
“We give our allegiance to sex, alcohol, sports teams, and religion, but not to Jesus.” “True freedom is being able to give up all your rights for another out of love. Just ask Jesus. He willingly came to earth. Willingly lived life for thirty-three years. Willingly let himself be beaten, scourged, and crucified. All for others. All for us.”
After a few hours reading, I walked back to retrieve my car. I walked onto the back of the lot as Blake was finishing up his detailing. Small talk was made and after I shared that I had returned from Barnes and Noble, he asked what I was reading. I shared with him the title of Jefferson’s book about a personal experience with Christ, rather than with an organization. Blake then shared with me that he was a Christian and was seeking some direction for his future with Christ. He had some rough experiences as a child and as a young person, and was led to Christ by a ‘bunkmate’, as he called him. He now wants to do something that will help others find the wholeness and personal change of heart that he has found.
Well, the preacher in me came out and we had a good time of discussion and a quick prayer asking God to protect, provide, and guide Blake into the area of service where Christ wanted him to be used for the Kingdom of God. I shared with Blake my website, the title of Jefferson Bethke’s book and another book, titled “Appointments with Heaven’ by Dr. Reggie Anderson.
I believe God has great things in the future for Blake and his sincere desire to please his Lord by pursuing a profession that will help others be pulled up out of brokenness toward wholeness, that only Christ can give to everyone.
Dr. Anderson had lost family members in a horrible robbery gone wrong, and as a result of the pain, he lost his faith in God. While Dr. Anderson was on a camping trip, Jesus appeared to him in a dream; and his family members were with him. They were all young and happy, without any bullet wounds whatsoever. The Lord told Dr. Anderson that He wanted him to be a medical doctor in a rural town. This was the farthest thing from Dr. Anderson’s mind, but circumstances in his life blocked him from being a pilot and then from being an engineer, then from being a dentist, so he pursued medicine. As a medical doctor, he ended up assigned to a rural town in Tennessee; and there he was able to comfort people as they were dying. He felt this was his calling, to be with his patients during their final moments of life. In doing so, he was privileged to experience the souls of people leaving their bodies and being escorted by angels to heaven. He also got to experience the dark side, when demons escorted those who refused to trust in Christ as their God, to hell.
One experience Dr. Anderson shares is with a blind patient, named Lois. Lois was dying, but was not ready to die. Lois shared her room with another patient, named Sissy, who was also dying. One night Lois became very upset, crying and saying that she was not ready to go. Dr. Anderson and the nurses tried to calm her and let her know that it was okay to go to be with her Lord; but she wouldn’t be calmed. She kept saying that she saw ‘them’ hovering in the room and she didn’t want to go. Later that night, Sissy passed away; and all of a sudden Lois was calm again. When Dr. Anderson asked her why she was okay now and not before, she said, “The angels. They’re not flying over my bed anymore; they’ve gone with Sissy. They’ve taken her away.” “Like bright lights. There were so many of them darting around. They hurt my eyes.” Dr. Anderson said, “God had sent a band of angels to escort Sissy home, and had allowed a blind woman to see them.”
I believe the Lord directed my steps today. When I made the appointment for the car detailing, I didn’t inquire how long they would need the car; so when they told me four hours, I decided to spend the time at the bookstore. I love books, no problem. I texted my wife and she offered to pick me up on her bank run for her job. I agreed, but then decided to stay and read some more at the bookstore; so I called her to say thanks, but I would be staying. I then left the bookstore to go back to the car detailer, after 3 hours and 15 minutes. By the time I walked back to the car, Blake was just finishing up the car at the back of the shop. The walk back from the bookstore brought me to the back of the shop instead of the front. The conversation immediately turned to his Christian experience, after asking what I had been reading. We got to share experiences about church and the Lord, while he continued to finish up the car. If my wife had picked me up, I would have retrieved the car later in the day and most likely would not have met Blake. The same would have happened if I had waited the full four hours before returning for the car. I believe, just like Jefferson and Dr. Anderson are saying in their respective books, that God has a timetable that is not based on our own.
It is interesting because Blake asked me about “how does one know what God has for one to pursue in life?”. The answer is — stop trying to control our circumstances; and spend our time seeking Him in a personal relationship, by constantly asking Him every second, every minute, every hour of every day to protect, provide, and to guide our steps into His purpose. Then, allow Him to direct the circumstances of our lives.
Romans 8:28 says “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”
The Lord’s Prayer teaches us to ask Our Heavenly Father for ‘daily needs’; as Jesus said, each day has its own supply of evil, and when we seek God’s Kingdom first, all the other things we need for this life will be taken care of and brought our way.