Don’t Get Left Behind

My sister is supposed to be tried today. I don’t know what’s going on. I haven’t had any contact with her for a week or two, and when we spoke, it was about getting her out of the house where she lives so the ownership can change and it can be prepared for renters.

It may seem odd to stay home when your sister is facing three to thirty years (by my reading of the statutes), but I got tired of showing up only to learn that she had obtained continuances or simply chosen not to go. If she can’t be bothered to show up, I don’t see why I should be there. The stress of this situation was never intended for me. I sleep soundly, and I forget about this mess for days on end, except during my daily prayers.

I have no idea what’s going to happen. Excuse me if I repeat facts here. I believe she faces two mandatory minimums: three and five years. I have no doubt that she is guilty of the charge that carries the three-year minimum, and the evidence is overwhelming. But the courts are designed to let people go. Nothing is certain.

The victim was a police officer, and it’s my understanding that in such cases, the state does not like to offer pleas. It depends on whether the officer allows the prosecutor to show leniency, and generally, they will not do that.

I think six months would do her a world of good. If she comes home this week with the charges dismissed, it will teach her that she can get away with anything, and that will be the end of her.

I’m glad they didn’t ask me to testify. The things I know could only affect her negatively.

My church continues to explode with supernatural power. God keeps doing the things I ask him to do for the church; so much so that I took my pastor aside and gave him a list of all the things I had prayed for. These things will start happening, and it’s better to talk about them in advance. Anyone can predict the past.

I have been asking God to cause the Holy Spirit to take over the services, and it happens almost every time. The speakers don’t get to present the material they’ve prepared, because the Holy Spirit starts manifesting. We baptize people with the Holy Spirit, we pray, we enter into God’s presence, and we get prophesy and healings.

I think it’s mildly frustrating to the pastors, but they’re all for it, regardless. At my old church, the Holy Spirit was not welcome, and they scheduled things down to intervals of several minutes, but at New Dawn, we never know what’s going to happen.

I have been hearing from my friend Ward regularly. His spiritual life has really blossomed, and he has been counseling my pastor and me. He has felt concern that an undue respect for titles could cause problems. We talked about it last night, and I saw that this related to my prayers.

I keep asking God to bring godly people into the church, and to promote people into the positions they should occupy, and it has been happening. Unlike the territorial pastor at my old church, my pastor is not selfish or clannish, and he is glad to put new people before the church. We have new members prophesying and praying all the time. On Tuesday, a lady named Chachy got up and prayed and prophesied, and a woman with a neck problem was healed. God touched my knee, which is a little hinky, and made an improvement. We are also getting prophecy from a young man named Danny, who used to be a gang member.

That’s great, but talking to Ward, I realized there was a down side. I have also asked God to remove the people who hinder him, and to demote them. It’s very pleasant when he promotes new people, but now I know he’s going to cause the unproductive to fade. And it may be that people who have titles and respect are going to be overshadowed and even replaced. That’s great for the kingdom of heaven, but it may strain relationships.

Sometimes the people who have titles and authority don’t do what they should. We have Biblical examples like Eli and Annas and Caiphas, to name but three. When that happens, God anoints someone new, and the person who doesn’t listen has to move into the background. A title isn’t an anointing. An anointing is God’s authority. His permission and approval. When you stop following his will, you lose the anointing, even if you retain your title and your gifts.

A few people who seemed solid have left the church. It may also be that some folks who are still active have forgotten their first love. It may be that they have become less passionate about the supernatural, and about advancing God’s kingdom. Maybe they’re not praying in the Spirit at home, to the extent that they should. Maybe they still show up and speak before us, but the fire and revelation aren’t there. Those that don’t get in line with God’s will are going to be pushed into the background, because he listens to those who pray for his order.

Ward did a study of Eli recently, and it appears that it may have prepared him to counsel us in this season.

It’s a funny time. I may be leaving Miami soon; things are lining up. My sister’s problems will be resolved one way or the other. The house she lives in will be in my dad’s name or my name. Right now, she and my dad are joint tenants, and it has been a terrible headache and snare. Once that’s done, things will break loose. We’ll be able to rent it out and move on.

Keep praying in tongues every day. It continues to pay off. It’s not just “evidence.” It’s God’s umbilical cord. All the things that are happening in my life and in my church are happening because of tongues. If you want it, it’s yours. Just move your lips.

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Looks like they’ve reset the trial for 8/19.