Part 5: My Love is Near
142nd Day
Dear Diary
Arriving in Seattle with such excitement, I had high expectations: I will finally get to see Rose’s church. I caught a flight to Portland, and arriving at the airport, I went straight to the nearest telephone. I called the Church of Jesus Christ of the Firstborn and there was still no answer, only a message. I could find no listing in the phone book – how am I going to find them?
As tired as I was, I decided to search on my own. I asked the taxi driver to take me to the nearest church. Maybe they could help me. But it was the middle of the week; no one was around. I went to six churches. Nothing. It was late, so I checked into a hotel, and decided to go to sleep. I will continue my search tomorrow.
143rd Day
Dear Diary
This morning I went to breakfast. Near my table was an elderly woman. I leaned over and asked if she knew the city. She said, “I’ve lived here all my life.” Maybe she had heard of this church! She said there used to be a small church by that name, just outside of the city limits. Her dearest friend had been healed after a minister called Rev. Syd prayed for her. We continued to talk while eating our meals and she gave me directions to the church.
When I arrived, I was warmly greeted by a man who said he was Rev. Waters. I could tell he was a good man. He said he did not know of Rev. Rose or of her church. I was devastated! I was sure this was it. Now where do I go?
We sat and talked for quite some time. I told him of my journey. He said he was once on a journey, much like mine, but the Vietnam War had settled him. The death and suffering had shaken him up. He finally resolved to become a pastor. The Holy Ghost has shown him some of the same things he has shown me. He believes in reaching perfection and the Melchizedek Priesthood. I told him I had read about the priesthood in Hebrews and Genesis. What did he know? That night over dinner, my life again changed. When he explained perfection, I knew that his understanding of king and priest was true. Rev. Syd had given me a new insight into my Love and my Father’s will: all of God.
The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
Because of Rev. Syd’s teachings, many of the ministers of the mainline churches have called him a possessed man. He told me that he has received much persecution and many threats against his small church. On two separate occasions, he has found a bottle of kerosene thrown at his door. That is why he does not advertise in the directory. He even screens his phone calls.
He found a couple for me to stay with for a while. I will remain in Portland for now, waiting on the Lord. I felt the Lord tell to me to wait for 50 days and then he will speak to me on how to continue my journey. He also spoke that I need to minister the Holy Ghost to these people. My heart went out to them because of all the persecution they have endured.
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Lord, thank you for your peace.
192nd Day
Dear Diary
I have waited 50 days now, and during this time, many have received the Holy Ghost. I have increased in teaching and wisdom. But the greater thing happened to me: The Lord, my Love, spoke very clearly to me, “I am about to remove the root of sin that is in you. You have made yourself ready.”
My Love is near. I shall be his Bride.
Rev. Syd’s wife, Marissa, ministers with him. I have taught them the value of praying in tongues. We have fasted together for the church. I convinced them to change their schedule for Sunday School. Now the children sit with us under the anointing of the Spirit. Prophecy and healing is more evident.
And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
Wanting to talk to the Lord, but not having the words, I began to speak in tongues and turned to the comfort of the Word. I read about faith in Hebrews. It is impossible to please God without faith. I believe that God is leading me in everything I do.
The couple I have been staying with has a computer. I felt led of the Spirit to check and see if Kate had e-mailed me. She had sent me one in Manila, to tell me that she now lives in Dallas. Sure enough, there was a message from her. She has invited me to join her at a revival in St. Louis. Her cousin will be preaching there in two weeks.
Now I have my direction! I e-mailed her back and told her I would love to come! I have two more weeks.
198th Day
Dear Diary
Without the Holy Ghost leading me, I could never do this. I could never make this journey and come this far. He has been my teacher, my comfort: he has led me into all truth, the truth of the Word of God. Rev. Syd said, “Have you noticed that you can say anything against the Son of man and it shall be forgiven, but if you speak against the Holy Ghost, it will not be forgiven?”
Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.
206th Day
Dear Diary
This morning I thanked the young couple who had so graciously shared their home with me and said my goodbyes to them. Rev. Syd and Marissa drove me to the airport. On the way, I handed an envelope to the man whose ministry I had come to love. Inside the envelope was $2000. The Lord had spoken to me to help them. They were overcome with emotion. They had been praying for God to provide. They said that $1000 would pay off a long-standing debt. The Lord is so good. With the other $1000, they could pay for their son’s college education, but there was a greater need in the church – the young couple that I had stayed with. I told them, “God already spoke to me about them. You keep it.” I had given my host family $1500.
How good God is.
As I was ready to check in for my flight to St. Louis, I remembered that I told the Captain to look me up in Portland, so I let Rev. Syd know. I mentioned to Syd that the Captain was searching for answers. The plane left on time.
My God, how I love thee.
I thought again about the Captain. I find myself thinking about him more and more.
Kate met me at the airport. She looked great! With her was her cousin. I’d seen him before, but where? He studied my face, then abruptly said, “I pray for a lot of people; were you ever in Australia?” “No,” I answered. He looked puzzled. “Where did you meet my cousin?” I replied, “In Panama.” Then he smiled. “I’m Norton, who prayed for you in the hospital in Panama. Rev. Norton Manley. Remember? I told you that you were called to a pure walk but had drifted.” I was astounded. This is no coincidence!
We went for brunch, and had a great reunion. I told them of my journey to find my love, Jesus. Just two weeks ago, he had spoken to me very clearly about the root of sin. Norton looked at me, “Your Love will do this new work before the revival is over.”
The three of us went on to the revival. It was packed and I could see the difference between Norton and some of the others who ministered. He had life in him and spoke with such authority of the Spirit. He was able to look into the hearts of many.
A woman in the crowd stood up and spoke loudly in tongues. A silent hush came over the congregation of more than two thousand. All could hear. I watched the six ministers as the woman finished and sat down. One of them rushed to the podium. I had seen this happen in Syd’s church. It seemed as if this man was going to go ahead of the Spirit. But before he could speak, Norton took the microphone and said, “Let’s wait on the Spirit first.” Syd had done the same thing in Portland. After a long three minutes, a man in the back of the church auditorium, walked to the front and said, “I believe I have the interpretation of the message of tongues.” Norton said, “Yes, I believe you do.” I wrote down what he said:
I, the Lord God,
am raising up a church, the Bride, holy and pure. I have, from the beginning, desired a church of my making: one that is spotless, one that is without wrinkle; one that has no sin.
Do you not know, my People, that I, your God, made a way, a narrow way? Have you not read of my ways, of my Son, how he became perfect? He did this by the things that he suffered, being obedient in all things. Did he not ask that the cup pass, nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done? Did he not cry out to me three times that night in the garden? Did he not sweat blood? Yet he embraced the cross joyfully, knowing my will: that all men might be saved.
There shall be much tribulation on this earth. They who have made themselves clean, shall walk triumphantly in me. Some shall face kings and magistrates and be challenged; and be put to death for my name’s sake.
The days are shortly coming when the man of sin shall stand up and demand a mark. Do not take it. Will you be pure and clean so that all can be endured? Endure to the end. In patience possess ye your souls. I will be thy shelter. I will cover you under my wings. I will be your covert in the storm. But do not take the mark. Do not depend on the ways of man. Do not limit my ways. Depend on me, your God.
Did I not protect Noah? Did I not protect Abraham? Did I not deliver all who came out of Egypt from Pharaoh? Do I not say that the righteous shall inherit the earth?
What of my own Son, born of a virgin? Did I not, by an angel, lead him to be hid in Egypt when Herod desired him killed? Did I not ask him to lay on a cross for you? Did I not raise him from the dead on the third day? Am I not a God of the Living and not of the dead? Have I not said in days of old, be ye holy, for I am holy, saith thy God.
Men have turned, having itching ears. Many have gone astray. But I shall raise up and am now raising up in these last days, a perfect, a blameless, a holy Church. For my Son, I have said, Sit down until I make your enemies your footstool. The enemy is Satan. The enemy is sin. The enemy is death. The enemy is the lying doctrines set in my Church.
I, God, shall rid my Church, the body of my Son, of all lies and deceptions, and all liars and deceivers. Did my Son not say, If you love me, you will keep my commandments? Keep my commandments.
Be ye perfect as I am perfect. Amen.
With this, many began to weep and cry. Even children were on their knees. I heard big, tall men yelling, “God, forgive me.” The couple in front of me was holding their twin boys and saying, “Mommy and Daddy will never get drunk and do drugs again.” The person to the side of me was sitting down. I knew that he was repenting before a living God. Three of the ministers were lying face down, calling out for mercy. One was saying, “I misused the money. I misused the money.” The one next to him, a woman, was crying, “Oh God, how I have lied by false teachings. I told them things they wanted to hear instead of pointing out their sin. Forgive me.”
The presence of God was so strong. I knew what the Holy Ghost spoke in the interpretation was for me. I was praising and worshipping God, thanking him for bringing me so far. Every inch of my Journey has been worth it. Then Norton came up to me and whispered in my ear, “God has shown me that you have been faithful, and he has removed the root of sin from you today.”
I believed him. I knew I had really changed.
The Journey Continues in Part 6