From Time To Time – Part Two

19 Nov

From Time To Time – Part Two

Michael D. Rourke Events 0 0

The Threshold Volume Two

Chapter 4: New church vs. Old Hymns Loved, from pages 68-74

Soon after the new year of 2012 began, that church closer to home lost its meeting place and found another building a bit farther away. I met a couple at church and enjoyed their outlooks on life. His name was Roman, and his wife was Josie.

She said she was an avid reader and was interested in looking at my loose rendition of a manuscript. I gave her the bulky text, and she enjoyed what she was able to read in her busy schedule. Her comments were the first encouraging words I heard about my writing.

I continued going to the small church, but found some doctrinal differences appearing regarding some “B” issues. “B” issues are important—they are also what keep some people together and some apart. It’s a matter of “like minds” in agreement.

Tolerance of each other was a bigger picture I needed help with. To me, it was an issue of being taught the meaning of God’s Word by the pastor and being able to agree with it.

Not knowing what the next issue would bring or what level of differences would appear, I decided to bow out and stop going there. Again I saw how easy it was for me to leave without having a family to consider. Again I saw my issues with rejection take shape. I spoke with the pastor on the phone, thanked him for all his help, and said good-bye.

By February, my knee operation was a thing of the past. I decided to go back to the long-distance church ride across the Hudson River driving past the many lakes. I was also in need of friendly Christian counseling with Pastor Jerry in regard to my manuscript, which was near completion. With a half-gallon of ice cream and my bulky manuscript, I arrived at the pastor’s and his wife’s apartment. We all enjoyed the dessert and discussed my writing and its need for critique.

I went to church and tried to learn how to be more understanding. I thought perhaps I might be in a better frame of mind with more patience to learn how to agree to disagree regarding the praise choruses. Getting along with others was a large missing part of what I needed in church and all of life. After the long ride, I always stood in the parking lot stretching and gazed about at the beauty of God’s creation.

G o d ’ s K i n d o f L o v e

What kind of love

Blows a kiss it sails far, past every star?

God’s Kind of Love

Rides heaven’s tide, sure, fast, and far.

What kind of love

Fills the night, pinpoints bright Milky Way?

God’s Kind of Love,

Not asleep but keeps falling on winter’s day.

What kind of love

Paints the earth, seeds of color for me and you?

God’s Kind of Love.

Sand shakes and quakes, whipping the winds all new.

One kind of love, God’s Kind of Love.

There’s only one kind of love, God’s Kind of Love.

The next Sunday I went to the long-distance church again for the Sunday school, as well as the worship service that followed. I really enjoyed myself. Pastor Jerry told me he enjoyed reading my manuscript when he had time. He found things I wrote about that were similar in his life, like riding bikes with his brothers—and how his dad took their dog out in the woods and shot him like I did with my Thunder. Hearing how others could relate to my stories was a blessing.

I drove the distance weekly and thought while listening to the CD’s Bible teachings that I got in the mail. For several weeks the church’s early Bible study was on Proverbs, which I enjoyed thoroughly. After class I gave Pastor Jerry a copy of my lyric “A Proverb Day,” and then we all worshipped together. I was praying for God to help me understand how to be more flexible with kindness toward God’s people.

A Proverb A Day

Opening God’s Word with concern, His will for our life to discern

With grace in faith, we turn, Reading A Proverb A Day.

Christ Jesus has risen, Holy Spirit will lead thee. We’re learning to listen, Holy Bible will feed me.

No more drifting away, Lord, we’re praying to stay, Reading A Proverb A Day, reading A Proverb A Day.

My neighbor’s alone as he cries, Lost in the world and its lies,

With Christ he can clear his eyes, Reading A Proverb A Day.

Christ Jesus has risen, Holy Spirit will lead thee. We’re learning to listen, Holy Bible will feed me.

No more drifting away, Lord, we’re praying to stay, Reading A Proverb A Day, reading A Proverb A Day.

The good and evil engage, The planet cries out in rage

God’s love is turning the page, Reading A Proverb A Day.

That spring I struck up a friendship with a couple at the lake church. His name was James, and his wife’s name was April; their nine-year-old son’s name was Kelly. They had been Christians for only one year, and they had all kinds of religious baggage. James was a Catholic, a New Ager, searching for truth most of his life. April was raised Jewish and then became Catholic and searched also.

But it was young Kelly that God drew to Himself first. Through the attention of Grace a Christian woman who watched Kelly while the parents were out, the boy’s interest in Jesus perked up, and very soon the parents followed. It was so good to see God move in people’s lives. To help in their Christian growth, I gave them several of my California CDs, which they enjoyed greatly.

They were people who enjoyed reading a lot. They volunteered to read my manuscript, so they also got the bulky text. I was thrilled with the fact that they were actually reading my clumsily written manuscript with enthusiasm.

They also offered to help with my fourth upcoming major joint surgery. The next operation would be a partial replacement of my left shoulder. I still felt so estranged from my brother and his family at that time I never asked him for help. I’m sure he would have helped if I had asked. But I figured I might as well learn how to get along without my brother or his family since that was the pattern that was taking shape.

As I look back and see today God’s eternal heavenly family has always been and are those that love Jesus.

Unfortunately there has been no change so far, in the lives of my friends or family with regard to accepting Jesus as Savior and Lord into their lives.

God our Father created all men and women and wishes none to perish in hell eternally. Those who choose not to love Jesus are in the family of the devil.

John 8:42-45 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me.

As I look forward with millions of followers in Jesus Christ we are at peace with God and cling to our hope in Jesus and His words.

John 14:22 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

learn praying tolerance understand

The Threshold