Rich — nuggets for thought, comments, chewing….
The idea of these blogs are to stir up questions, thoughts in action, and to build wisdom and better hearing from our hearts in what God wants for the author as well as some readers.
June 15-16, 2018:
Traveled to Blue Mountain Retreat, Tamaqua, PA, to hear Robert Stearnes and worship, and to tune our prayer life for upcoming American Awakening in Rhode Island. While at conference one lady prayed for Debra to receive an anointing somewhat like she did the previous year, and to go to Israel with Robert Sternes, Eagles Wings Ministry. Before we left two other ladies from Philadelphia, as we were praying for them, told us that the day before they heard to give us a check for $100.00 towards our travel to Israel.
June 18, 2018 On way up to MA, we heard that my Dad was taken to hospital in Newburyport with dizziness and very sore back and legs. We were already going to visit Rich’s Mom at Rehab in same city. She broke her leg in March, and it wasn’t healing properly. Dad ended up in same Rehab facility as Mom, and on June 21st they got to celebrate their 75th wedding anniversary in the function room. It was a joyous time, with lots of flowers, and Dad reading cards to Mom, saying we proved them wrong and we made it to a good place. What a fantastic gift from God over a 90+ age span!
6/22/18 We visited old friends to bring joy and comfort in Norwell, MA. A great tour of Scituate and reminiscing after two years away from each other.
6/24/18 Stayed in N. Attleboro, MA to attend an American Awakening Crusade in Central Falls, RI, headed up by Tommie Zito. Much street ministry of offering the message of Jesus’ freedom and love, plus many nights of worship, and teaching specifying all nations, Israel, and America.
We enjoyed some refreshing time in Newport at Warren’s Restaurant, Newport Beach, and Brenton State Park.
7/1-7/2/18. Drove to Calvary Camp in Ashland, VA for 2 nights. We heard Mahesh Chavda, from Charlotte area, speak. Debra and I had our picture taken with receiving his new book, ‘Power of a praying woman’.
7/3-7/4/18 Visited Kay Lewis in Rocky Mount, NC. Her and husband, Johnnie were the chaplains at Shiloh Place Ministries in Conway, SC, where we still volunteer in healing schools of affirmation and sonship in Father God’s defining.
We have had wonderful leading from The Lord in different avenues in June-August, 2018. Father God is tuning us to be better hearers of where people are in need. Some questions He has had us ask and ponder are, “Were you born in the right family?” Also, “Lord, what do I look like and feel outside of ministry?”
8/8/2018 Mom’s Home Going to The Lord
8/11/18 After a great New England Awakening, week – long meeting and street evangelism for the state of RI, first responders, and all nations that attended, we were back in Mass., after going home to SC for a month, and then back quickly to celebrate and honor the passing of Richard’s mother, Barbara M. Walsh, in Georgetown, MA.
Mom was 96 years old, and broke her leg last March, developed complications from pneumonia, and succumbed on 8/8/2018 at 11 PM. The number 8 meaning new beginning, and 11 meaning transition. The celebration of her life and funeral was attended by 5 generations in her family. She is survived by Richard’s Dad, Richard, Sr. and 4 generations of her offspring. She was raised in Georgetown, MA, where she was interned at The Harmony Cemetery alongside her son, Robert, and baby Barbara I.
A wonderful celebration and thankfulness for the life and love that Father God has brought her through, and in a life of love and thankfulness was viewed, and spoken of her with great joy.
8/15-17/2018 Stayed and ministered to a friend, and his two women friends beside, whom we hadn’t seen in about 10 years in Cape Cod. The Lord is so kind and gentle, even when we were talking to a Buddhist monk at the airport. Many more highlights of overwhelming, that are not fully unexplainable yet.
March 9, 2018
Fathers leaving this earth (Billy Graham, Bob Jones and others by example (including our own parents), as we grow older, leaves examples of our loosening soul ties often, and the sons and daughters being positionally – released into higher destiny. Understand the pathways and guidance provided for us, and realize by choice the release needed of past control or being in the shadow of what others desire of us and not the greater calling in freedom of what Father God desires. The legacy of hunger is within our compassion for those that left us Godly examples of liberty and Kingdom (family) mindsets. Now we have the ability to accept our calling and become totally free in mind, will, and emotions, walking stronger with The Holy Spirit’s guidance, and hearing the voice of God better. We are walking out of the shadows of the past, even the shadow of the valleys of death (Ps. 23) in more maturity laying aside with Jesus’ help the needs to please people, instead of doing in excellence as if to The Lord. Out of the shadows we begin to see and understand God’s Destiny for us to be more into a heart and grace leadership, with His ability.
Right or Relationship
Would we be rather right or have relationship? Do we need to speak up, be correctional, or develop trust in comfort before we are heard in love towards others, in order for them perhaps to choose to change because of God in us?
The homecoming to The Lord of our fathers allows us to see clearer often in what they have deposited or what we try to emulate, and yes sometimes beyond our own purpose, as we come into a greater light out of the shadows of even great persons. In our latter years especially we walk out dependence on God more so in how He sees our purpose, and are to ask and do what The perfect Father God does. We are to exemplify and encourage others in our positions for wisdom, comfort and affirmation and then go and do likewise in what we have received and been given.
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February 28, 2018
Elijah and Relationship with The Lord
1 Kings: 18 -19
After the great victory against the prophets of Baal, that Queen Jezebel appointed, that Elijah prayed for a fire from God to consume the sacrifice that the prophets of Jezebel couldn’t do by praying to Baal, she sent a messenger to Elijah saying, “”So let the gods do to me, and more also, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.” And when he (Elijah) saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba,…” (1 Kings 19:1-3). Elijah fled in being despondent, and, ” he prayed that he may die, and for the Lord to take his life” , crying out that, “.. he was no better than his fathers.” (1 Kings 19:4).
After 2 meals brought by angels, Elijah arose and traveled for 40 days alternately wandering due to his despondent condition. He arrived at Horeb, the mountain of God. “”And there he went into a cave …., and behold the word of The Lord came to him, and He (God) said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”” (1 Kings 19:9).
11 The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shatteredthe rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
14 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.” (1 Kings 19:11-14).
My questions to readers/listeners of this blog would be, ” Is The Lord’s power that followed Him by the wind, earthquake and fire shown alone? Do these scenes unfold to enhance and try to reassure Elijah of the power of The Lord in his life? Or was this also an example of the despondency inside of Elijah needing a father’s encouragement at this time, where Elijah felt alone also? Dr. J. Oswald Sanders states that “the whispers from Calvary are infinitely more potent than the thunder of Sinai in bringing men to repentance.”
Some speak of Elijah’s “repeated, self-righteous lament”; 8 but others note that “such repetition is well-known in the saga convention and may be deliberate, in order to emphasize the isolation of Elijah and his zeal for Yahweh and the measure of his frustration.”9 In my judgment, the latter sentiment is more likely to be accurate. Elijah is neither punished nor demeaned for his (repeated) answer, even if he is corrected on a point (one might contrast the dialogue here with the dialogue in Jonah 4). “Remarkably, it is neither the experience of God’s dramatic nor quiet presence, for which many so long in the midst of such feelings, but in attending to the work at hand and needing to be done through which life is renewed.”10 ____Paragraph Commentary by Brent A. Strawn
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February 12, 2018
Fathers in The Kingdom/Family of God
In the five fold ministry, leaders are called to be fathers that not only love unconditionally, and are not just nice and comforting. They are called to correct and admonish when false teaching, sin, and misguidance is in the midst of the congregation. That is love in action for growth to the disciples, members of the church body, and in maturity they are open to receive correction from other fathers in the five fold ministry. Those not in the five fold ministry often get offended by correction offered, and need to see how Paul, Jesus and others corrected throughout the bible and to other leaders also.the prophets and apostles are not above Jesus in action. Apostles especially bring correction. Holding back correction, stunts growth in both direction. No member will be above Jesus’ teachings of focus and maturity, and still able to consider that the church is a family representation.
—Paraphrased from Equipping the Equippers, Jonathan Welton
Kingdom = family under God
“Believe today, if you will believe it later” — Stephen Alls
Read from book of Joel.
*Thought for today___
When the praying has ceased for a time, ask ourselves what we are to declare in what we believe? God’s Presence and His faith is in that.
Let us maintain the reverence and awesomeness of The Lord in our lives. When we are weak, He is strong in our lives. Our finest hours where suffering and compassion are inseparable. He is faithful. Be encouraged and receive The Father’s affirming love.