Watching the Hand of God

[Ed Hurst]

One of the burdens on my heart over the past few years was seeing my online friends get to know each other. As long as I had a blog, it kept me in the focus, and everyone was communicating with me. That has its place, but the interaction with each other was confined to just a few active folks. That's why I asked Jay to fire up this forum.

The Father will often move in ways we don't expect. Some of what He provokes has a very long lead time. This forum is an example of that. Now that He has signaled the shutdown of my public blogging, the focus has moved here. It's a very good move, in that it fulfills an urging I felt long ago to bring the family together. It's still easy for folks to come and lurk, but it's also a whole lot easier to stay and chatter. I need that; I need very much to see you chattering with each other. Maybe I'm the one who got you here, but that should mean I'm only the door attendant, at most.

Come on in! Stay awhile.

Lately my prayer protocols have moved more to broader horizons. I'm sensing the leading of the Spirit to some things I couldn't see at first. In other words, I had to move to another place before I could see the vision. On the one hand, I know that we will see local fellowships spring up. On the other hand, there's some distance to go before that happens. This is a matter of prophetic vision. Some of you may be starting to see some activity in that direction where you are, but most of us don't yet. At the same time, there's a lot to do. We aren't standing in the right place yet, as a group, I believe. It takes a little nudging from the Spirit to get us where He wants us. So in my prayer times morning and night, I've opened it up to praying that His Presence fall on all of the USA.

And I certainly understand better than ever why Jesus used to crawl around the hills so much in the wee hours of the morning. There's never enough time to stop and pray. Just a few minutes here and there. It's not new that I find myself talking to the Lord privately all day long, every moment when I'm not busy with something else that consumes my attention. However, it's never been this intense. As I sit here typing this, it's another one of those moments when I really need the spiritual engagement, but I know the time is limited; I have to go do my laundry.

But all in all, I'm deeply grateful to see the hand of God moving wherever and however it shows. The real praise here is that it most certainly is moving, and it's plain as day to me.

[forrealone]

Yesiree!  I have been busy all morning myself.  And that includes some prayer requests that have been asked for or that I initiated anyway.  Sickness or daily challenges friends or family are going through.  Plus other needs I am aware of.

It is good that He is so gracious to let us know when a prayer is needed and that He is ALWAYS here to hear our requests.  (:^)

[IainH]

Ed, you're the squeaky door hinge that gets people curious as to what the heck that light is coming from the room with the squeaky door and some folks just walk right on in while others take a look and keep going. The rest got their faces in their phones and don't even notice.

[Ed Hurst]

I can see it now, all across the US. Signs popping up -- empty store fronts, random suburban homes, odd buildings on rural highways -- "Church of the Squeaky Door."

[IainH]

I can see it now, all across the US. Signs popping up -- empty store fronts, random suburban homes, odd buildings on rural highways -- "Church of the Squeaky Door."

I like it.

[Benjamin]

I can see it now, all across the US. Signs popping up -- empty store fronts, random suburban homes, odd buildings on rural highways -- "Church of the Squeaky Door."

Ditto what Iain said. 

One image I just got was about what happens when someone starts to open a door and they don't want to be noticed, and it squeaks... they have to make a decision... do they back out and run, or do the forge ahead and deal with the "embarassement". They likely don't know yet how those inside will treat an "interruption".

Of course we all know that we love people with God's love as best as we can. So they have nothing to fear coming in through our squeaky door. But they don't know that yet. So, be ready to love them from "go", no matter what you were in the middle of.

Even posting a name like that would make people curious.

If we believe in truth in advertising, and our door hinge doesn't squeak, we might need to wedge a dog toy in there somehow, so it DOES squeak. <grin>

---

Lately my prayer protocols have moved more to broader horizons... So in my prayer times morning and night, I've opened it up to praying that His Presence fall on all of the USA.

Ed, I want to say that one thing recently I've really enjoyed is getting a glimpse into how you are praying. And in the spirit of your post here, it might be beneficial if others of us posted about what we've felt led to pray about recently as well.

I wanted to write out one such mention of yours in the blog a few weeks back. I didn't get to actually writing it out, but I still remember the essence. Basically you were praying for God's presence to be made manifest in your neighborhood, including the initial "correction/judgement" that must necessarily come, and to start with yourself.

I felt the rightness of that prayer and started praying that way myself, in three different circles of aquaintance.. my place of employment (co-workers/team), my neighborhood, and my local assembly.

Not sure if it's connected, but within a week or three of praying like that, I got covid (might be the second time) and then my wife and children went through it for the first time, and while mine was mild, my wife's was debilitating for about a week. I've not done so much cooking, dishes or laundry in a long time, or maybe ever. Whole new level of appreciation for my wife's skills.

Thank you Lord, for the work you are doing in me.
Didn't take God by surprise, and we're all better now, thankfully.

[Ed Hurst]

What a sweet testimony, Bro. Benjamin. Folks, keep it coming. We need it.

[jaybreak]

I've been feeling and noticing something in my story writing recently. I don't know quite what to make of it, really, but there's something of a "next step" I need to take with it, in terms of it being a ministry of sorts. I don't have any details yet, though I am simply continuing it as planned. I'm sure it will develop over time. I'm just here for the ride.