We did a switch this week and went through the Song of Solomon.  There is something deeper that we need to address in learning to hear God communicate to us and that is even wanting to hear what He says. 
Song of Solomon is really a synopsis of the who Bible.  There is a King who is charming, wealthy (in every aspect of the word), and in search of a bride to lavish His love upon.  God is the King and we are His future bride.  This is what Christianity is all about.  RELATIONSHIP.  A loving relationship at that.  And the bride here is not a gender but someone to commit your life to take care of and love.  Intimacy that satisfies the heart.  Not lust but love.  And after seeing so much about "love" this valentines day that is soo not it, thought we should focus on love here.
We talked for like 6 hrs so no way I can share even 1/100th of what we said.  BUT, will say it was amazing.  Song of Solomon so conveys this King who came as a Shepherd to a peasant girl and loves her until she becomes His bride is what its all about.  He comes a shepherd and later comes back for her as King.  He helps her find her identy as a bride worth dying for.
I think few realize the symbolism that is in this book.  Its not about a lust filled guy saying sweet/phoney stuff to get this girl to have sex with Him.  That is soooooo not it.  We broke down the symbolism in His comments to her, and you see the deep passion God has for us all.  A love that is more powerful than death. 
I think most of us are so scared of real love.  We've been burned so many times by man's phoney love that we are afraid to look our bridegroom in the eye as we might be disappointed once again and we cant' take any more of that. 
BUT, I would encourage us all to take one more risk to look HIS direction and see how HE really feels about us.  He isn't just putting up with us or being faithful to us cause He wants to be a man of His word.  He's not concerned about His reputation.  He is selfless and His concern is for US.  His bride and His creation.
AND, when once we've gotten a glimpse of Him we will want to hear His words.  His words are sweet as honey.  :)
Ohhh geee.   How frustraiting to have to stop here but I will have to.  More on this later for sure.
xooxoxox

We didnt' get far in the book last night and that is ok.  The chapter we were to do was called "keeping it simple", and so we did.  We pretty much talked about who God is and how HE is so different from men.  And tried to sort out the events in our lives and see where God was in them and how we have let other people's action cloud our perception of God.  If we can just translate life through God's eyes we'll be good.  And we will see HIM without confusion. 
It seems the stumbling block to most of us is that we attribute what people have done to us to God.  Like HE wants people to reject us, be mean, etc. to us and that is totally not His plan.  His plan is for people to love, period.  And most people are not following His plan.  So, we have to seperate who people are and who God is to know the truth.  Then once we know who He is and are rooted in HIS love we can handle the lack of love in this world and even have some to spread around to others.  HIS plan is "simple" and yet impossible to live without a close walk with Him to equip us.  And some would say "why would He ask us to do something impossible?"  And the truth is He isn't.  He isn't asking us to walk this without Him and fully plans to help us walk it.  The load is on HIM to make this happen not us.  The Gospel is so freeing.  I'm loved and can love others.  Religion and doubters have complicated it.  Making God look like something HE is not.  I keep wanting to say "will the real Jesus please stand up?"  His love for you is so deep and real, and if others dont' agree with Him they are not seeing straight.  Scripture says "HE will cause those who error in mind to know the truth".  Amen, let it be so.  Make Your love known in this dark world and help us not be afraid to believe.  You won't disappoint us!!
That's all I"m gonna say for now as I'm keeping it simple and short today.  oxoxox

Tonight we talked a lot.  lol  Lot's of people had a lot on their hearts.  A lot of questions, and comments.  So we talked.  And that is ok as that is what we are there for.  We don't want to be soooo in a mold here that we can't talk about what's going on right now if it doesn't fit the book.  We want out of the box.  So we talked and counselled and prayed and stuff.  Cool. 

That having been said, we did talk about hearing God a bit too.  We talked about journaling.  (We made journals one week.. fun)  Many people journal about their feelings, struggles and all, and that may be helpful to get these things "out there" so you can identify what is going on inside you or with others.  But, this kind of journaling leaves us with few answers most of the time.  I suggested journaling what God is saying to you each day.  Let's look for answers to our problems.  What does God say about your situation? 
We also went into detail defining God "speaking" to you.  We are not talking about an audible voice (though a few have experienced that and we dont' want to limit God if He chose to do this).  And yet we are talking more about God "communicating" to us.  Revealing Himself, his will for us, or information about others.  He may communicate in a thought, a dream, a tv commercial, the sunset, or through another's voice, and certainly through the scripture.  Most realize He speaks through scripture but we might add that HE chooses the verse that He wants to communicate to us with.  It's not just us picking any verse we want and then saying "God said this one to me".   The "Word without the Spirit is dead." the Bible says, and so life will come when we hear the verse God wants to communacate to us in life.   It's the Spirit of God that knows what He wants to say to us and will choose the verse needed in our situation. 
Anyway, you'll be surprised if you sit down at the end of  the day and say, "God what did you try to communicate to me today that I missed...??"  I do this a lot and always several things come to mind that just passed by me in the business of life.  Yeah, we are all WAY too busy. We need to slow down and get quiet more often.  Learn to listen  rather than talk.  We are missing what God is trying to say quite often.  A verse in Job says "why do you say God doesn't speak, for God does speak; first one way then another, even in dreams and visions when a man sleeps upon his bed at night though he may not preceive it... "  Yeah, we need to learn to preceive!!
I write things down.  And then later when you are in a funk and feel God is a million miles away you can reread your journal and realize He has been speaking, we just forgot.  I do this often with the venue.  When it looks like we aren't going to make it financially I get no journal out and am reminded God say He would make it work and so I can go on.  Stretched until I see it happen (lol) but glad when it works out and glad I endured. :)
We talked about the need to "expect" God to communicate or do something in our lives.  Expectancy is tough in the beginning but will grow as we keep walking till we wake up in the morning excited to see what God will do that day.  There are enemies of expectation:  fear, doubt, self satisfaction, distractions, etc.  I think fear is the greatest.  We are afraid of being disappointed.  Afraid that God really doesn't want a relationship with us, OR that He will treat us as people have, or think of us as we do oursleves. 
I heard someone say one time faith is spelled R I S K.  You have to take a risk to find out the truth about God.  God says "a hope fixed on me will NOT bring disappointment".  Is our hope in others, ourselves or in HIM?  Well, that's a whole other subject. 
Back to our focus.  Hearing HIM.  Hearing that voice that is soo pure love and is not like any human voice.  It is really worth taking the risk to search for.  And as for my many years walking with Him, I can honestly say it is the main focus in my life and I hope will be true of you too.   :) 
Well, we ended the night praying for each other and we asked God to show us how to pray and then listened a while to hear what He might show us to pray for each other.  Was sweet, even in our extreme tiredness.   lol  
Looking forward to next week. Next week is about "keeping it simple".  :)  Ohhhh, how we've complicated the relationship with a lot of religious junk. 
Well, untill next week.. xooxoxoxoxo   Let us know if you have prayer needs or anything.    xoox d.

This week was not your normal week as we all went to a church to hear Steve Sampson, author of the book we are studying, speak.  He didn't speak on the subject of hearing God and yet he did more than talk about it he demonstrated it.  Those who came mentioned how humble (or NOT full of himself) he was and yet passionate about God and His people.  I had heard him many times and thought it good for others to "meet" the author of this book.  I think it's easier to understand what a person is saying in written words when you have met them.  You know their spirit and can interpret what spirit/tone of voice, etc. that they are speaking in.  This is sooooo true for the Bible too.  We need to meet the author.  Then you can translate written words into the spirit of the message as you know what their character and spirit are like.  Which gets us back to our whole purpose of "relational christianity". 
I have heard people quoting God sometimes from the scripture in the meanest, most arrogant way.  And I think sometimes, "Do they know Him well at all?"  Cause if they did they would know He would never mean for His words to bring anything but grace to who was listening.  Even if His words cut deep there is life in it and you feel freed that He cut off something that was killing you and are glad.  We have substituted condemnation for conviction.  And thinking God condemns and is critical and run from Him because of it.  Sorry, rabbit trail.  But maybe it needed to be said.  !!

I don't claim to know everything about God.  I've been a believer for 32 years now and realize the more I seek Him the less I really know. And yet I've found many who claim to speak for Him really don't. We've got to find Him ourselves. There is LIFE in the words HE speaks to us.  And I can honestly say the times I've heard Him communicate/speak, whatever you want to call it, my heart has been melted and overcome with a supernatural love and wisdom that is no where on this earth!!! 
I realize stating these things about God really doesn't cut it.  You have to hear for yourself.  Which is what happened at the meeting with Steve.  He didn't just tell us God wants to speak to you, He was a vessel for God to speak.   He walked around the room asking God who HE wanted to minister to.  He walked by my chair, turned back and put his hand on my head and began to pray.  He said that God knew the hard times I had been having and that He was using it all to strengthen me, that I was not just going to get through it but that I was going to go over the top, and that in a few months I would be amazed at all the wonderful things God was going to do.  Oh, and that God was moving in ways that I don't see right now. Something like that.  I felt such love and peace confirming what he was saying.  I cried and cried.  And felt the hand of God on me for sure.  hahah  God does speak.  And through whoever He wants.  When He wants.  And I DO think 3 months from now I will be in awe!!! 

God showed me some time ago that I was an intercessor.  I wondered what that meant and others told me it was my job to take people's needs to God and that was interceding for them.  BUT, I've found it is more than that.  I've found that when I do this (take needs to God) that I'm moved with His heart for others and that God will actually show me a bit of what HE is doing in that person's life as HE did with Stever for me Sunday night.  And part of "intercession" is to bring back an answer to the person from God as part the standing in the gap part.  We need to learn to how to walk in this!  And when we do the body of Christ will find such healing! 
We DO need to be careful for sure what we are telling people God is saying.  As I mentioned earlier we've all heard people say God said......  and you think are they nuts.  God is not like that.  And yet we don't want to throw the baby out with the bath water as they say.  God does want to communicate with us.  We just need to sort out what He is or is not saying.  It may sound difficult or even impossible but the more we sharpen our hearing skills the more life becomes an adventure and we find what He intended for us which is intimacy with Him and abundant life.  Which none of us are experiencing right now.  Let's go for it!  Let's learn to walk this out, k? 
Geee, so much I want to say and yet my fingers are numb already and I'm sure you are out of reading time.   Bummer.  To be continued as I always say.
Well, we will be at MSC again this Sunday.  Hope you can come hang with us.  xooxoxoxo 

Well, this should be blog #3 but for some reason my blog last week never got on here??  So we'll move on I guess as I'm not sure what I said last week.  :(
Had a cool night last night.  Anytime we start talking at 7pm and are still going at midnight is cool.   Wish our bodies didn't get tired or we'd still be going.
Notes on discussion:
Established again that God died to have a relationship with us.  Relationships are about talking heart to heart.  Being real.  Honest caring.  Face to face stuff.  We also talked about the fact that though most people know God talks to them throught scripture, and yet He also communicates to us about other things that aren't spelled out in the Book.  Like He wouldn't sit down and "talk" with us right now quoting scripture all the time and never saying anything but scripture.  He had specific, relational converstations with His disciples and He will do that again today.  And that is not weird.  Christianity is not just about doctrine, believing the right code of ethics or belonging to a certain church.  It's about a relationship with a living God named Jesus.  :)  So we are attempting to move back toward what God intended.  Knowing Him and being His friend. 
We talked about how many people are afraid to venture into a more intimate conversational relationship with God because they have seen the weirdness.  Like people who have told them "God didn't tell me to brush my teeth today so I didn't".  Or, the guy who thought God told him to take a belt and whip christians into holiness or something like that.  Or like the guy who came to me years ago and told me God said I was to step down and he was to take over my ministry.  (Not being one to want to control, I asked others in our team at the time and none of them wanted to follow this kid.  I told him maybe he should just join out team and volunteer a while and IF he was the leader here kids would be drawn to his love for them.  He left and never showed again.)  Yes, we need to discern, but we CAN do this.  God gives us the Holy Spirit to sort it all out. 
So though there is abuse in the whole "hearing God" delimma, yet, on the other side of the coin, not ever communicating with God IS WEIRD!!!!  And not at all normal Christianity.  Moses and many others in the Bible talked to God face to face in conversational ways and God answered.  And Moses and the rest are NO different from us.  We can walk the say walk.
How do we do this and keep from getting weird someone asked.  I shared a few guidelines I've been taught over the years from people I see as mature, fruit bearing christians and will share:  What you think God is saying to you will never violate scripture.  The communication will be rooted in:  humility, love, grace, compassion, hope, etc.  Is there fruit of the spirit in it?  Will it help you or someone see God's love more clearly?  Will it feed our deepest need for love?  Is it controlling?  (God telling you when to brush or not brush your teeth is a bit controlling and HE is NOT controlling.) Did it make you feel condemned and hopeless?  We'll talk about more ways to do this as we go.  Also, having mature Christians you can bounce things off of in the sorting process is helpful.  Geee, there is so much to say here, so we'll develop this more as we go.  If you are following this study please don't stop here.  There is so much more to cover.

We talked again about the key verse that says ...."man will live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God"..   Again, He is NOT controlling which is why we have an earth that is filled with people with free choice, as He won't boss or demand, and gives free will to us all.  And yet, look where "every man doing what is right in his own eyes" (also a verse) has gotten us!  The world and the church is a mess right now because we aren't communicating with God rightly.  The relationship is missing and religious rules and man's ways are in charge.  UGh.
We so need to hear His kind, gentle, loving, humble words to change us all, make us more Christlike and to get the cycle of love going on this earth.
I asked everyone to share what they had written in their journals that God had spoken to them during the week.  My personal word from God for the week I received in line at the drug store waiting for a perscription when I heard the song Mother and Child Reunion by Simon & Garfunkel come on the speaker.  When I heard the words to this song I began to cry.  The words were just want I needed at the moment.  Lyrics: "For I will not give a false hope"...   "for a mother and child reunion is only a motion (hug) away"... etc.  I so want to see a reunion of the human race totally.  First to God and then to each other.  And the scripture came to mind that "a hope set on HIM will not bring a disappointment (false hope).  Does God speak through Simon & Garfunkel.  Yes, He can speak through a donkey if He needs to.  And we better listen if He does.  He can speak outside Bible language, though it needs to agree with scripture which these lyrics did.  And my heart was filled with love, hope, and a fresh revelation of what God is like.  Yeah.  That is what His words will do.   Produce faith and fruit in us. 
I also felt God quicken the verse that we are "not to cast our pearls before swine.. as they will tample your pearls and turn and tear you to bits".  How often in the past I have shared with someone something I felt God was saying and they said it was stupid and tore me to bits, etc.  Only later, for God to do exactly as He told me and that person having to eat his words.  So, though I think it good to share with others your communication with God, HE has warned us to be careful who you are sharing it with.  Swine, by the way here is an analogy of people not washed in the grace and truth of Jesus.  And they really arent' going to believe the God of the universe is gracious, sweet, loving enough to talk to any of us, which HE totally us!  So maybe avoid sharing with people like that and find people who know His grace and can help you discern.
It's just so exciting to wake up in the morning with a heart filled with hope as to what God will say/do to show you His love that day! 
Gee, once again trying to condense 5 hrs of discussion into a few paragraphs is difficult, but hopefully this will give you something to feed on for now.
Learining the different ways God does communicate is really important and we will work on that in a couple of weeks.  This Sunday we will be going to hear Steve Sampson, author of the book we are studying, so won't be at our venue this week.  Let me know if you want to go.  We'll talk about ways God speaks the next week.
We want to hear comments??!!!!  xooxoxoxoxo
 
 

We are working out of a book called "You Too Can Hear the Voice of God" by Steve Samson.  I think the book is out of print but you can try to find it if you want.

Again, the point of this study for us is to help Christians or nonchristians to see that God wants a relationship with us VS us following a bunch of religious rules.  When we love someone you naturally want to please them.  No one has to make you do it either.  You will want to do it when you know how much they  love you.  And you will want to have a relationship with someone who really does love/care about you deeply and proves it by their actions not just their words.  Yet, what most people think about God is that He is demanding, mean, self absorbed, distant, arrogant, harsh, and uncaring.  It's no wonder people don't want to have a relationship with someone like this.  I'm afraid they have gotten this image from Christians who really don't have a deep relationship with God themselves and so portray Him in a way He is not.  God help us find out the truth!  If we knew the truth about Him, His character and His plan for mankind we'd run to Him the Bible says.  We'd be thrilled to spend time communicating with Him on this earth and in eternity.  But instead, we drudge through life thinking God is distant, uncaring, playing "hard to get", and has abundant life for us that He is withholding, etc.  Let's find out the truth of what He had in mind and see our lives change in 09!!  I'm sick of the boring, painful, meager existence we are all living and want to move on.  Anyone want to go with me?!! I know it takes risk to even study all this.  We are risking we'll just be disappointed as we are with everything in life right now, but I KNOW it will be worth the risk.  I've experienced a taste of a better life in relationship with HIM and I want more of it!!!  Many people at Main Street say they feel loved there.  (sorry if you are one who hasn't.. we aren't perfect yet as you may have found but we are working on it)  And this love is really just a touch of what we can experience in relationship with HIM and each other.  Sooo, we are wanting you to join us in finding His way into a better life, and we will start looking at some comments in this book I mentioned and will springboard from there....

I'll summarize some points in the Introduction we discussed from the study and then we can talk about it:

Many Christians are oblivious to the awesome knowledge that they can live in an active engagement of conversation and communication with God.  (dead religious activity, or trying to please God with our works, or living without HIM is not it)

Hearing God IS normal Christianity.  Heb. 8:11 "None shall teach his brother, saying, know the Lord, for all shall know me from the least of them to the greatest".  (We can all KNOW Him and fellowship with Him one on one with no intermediary besides Christ.)

Jesus said "my sheep hear my voice", He didnt' say my sheep listen to tapes or read books or memorize Bible verses (all beneficial), and yet He says they hear His voice and follow Him.  (we'll discuss how to "hear" in other studies)

Frankly, all Christians DO hear God, but many don't even know it, or don't credit Him when He is speaking. (the old trick of the enemy "did God really say?.... " is still working.  Doubt.  And I would also add that God is speaking to many nonbelievers too and they don't recognize it's Him.)

Nothing much is being done to train Christians to hear God.  (Have you ever done a study on hearing God?)

We have substituted religious gobbledygook for training our spirits to hear God. Heb. 5:11 "...for I have much more to say to you, but you have become dull of hearing".  The implication is that we were born (as a new christian) with good spiritual ears but have not trained or disciplined ourselves to pay attention to the Holy Spirit (or we have been given a bunch of religious activity which has distracted us from a relationship with God, and our ability to hear has been dulled.  Many are afraid to hear what He might say to them thinking it will be condemnation or something weird which shows we really dont' know Him very well.)

Although, we may grow in knowledge of the Word of God, we don't necessarily grow in relationship.  Information about the Bible (or God) doesnt' guarantee relevation on who God is or His desires for us.  (We must move from a head knowledge "about" God to an active relationship with Him.  This is the difference from Christianity to other religions.  Our God still is alive and speaks, and is here to guide us through this rough world.  His plan is not to leave us here as orphans.  Our Father is not sitting in the recliner listening to tv with the newspaper in his face while we hurt and struggle!  He is ready to talk.  He has words that will heal and bring peace!!!!!)

Well, this is tough trying to limit all this to a blog but hopefully this hodgpodge will stimulate some thought and prayer.  
Comment us if you'd like (keep it sweet please as love is what we are after).

And come join us on Sunday if you can. 

xoxooxox d.

 

Many have asked when we will reopen, and the answer is I don't know.   I'm waiting .. to get the reconstruction done.  I'd love to reopen tomorrow but can not till we get the work done.  So we are in limbo. 

We will be doing work parties most every Saturday.  Check myspace and bulletins for details.  Patience is tough.  I miss everyone.  Miss the good times we had here.  Know God wants us to go on and yet can't move on till we get volunteers and/or finances.  People are busy.  It hurts to realize we are not high on priority lists.  And yet I understand.  Wish I could pay for help and have worked 6 yrs towards this end but have not been able to make it happen.  Frustraiting and yet I see love happening and so will not stop as long as we are seeing fruit. 

Needs to-date:  electrician/plumber who will donate time, bathroom fixture donations, general clean up crew, mudding/painting, etc.   Or donation to help pay for stuff.  We are cleaning the place up to do a new years party cause we think it important to give kids an alternative on new years to drinking in the new year.  We prefer Laura's pancakes.  :)  So, just letting you guys know what's up.    

This is what's up with MSC.  I'm still waiting on architects, the owner of the property and others to finalize plans to remodel.  Seems we are not a big money maker for anyone so we are low on priority lists of people that need to take care of this stuff.  :(  In the meantime we are doing all the work we can while we are shut down and can leave the mess reconstruction makes and not frantically clean up the mess and in so doing fall off ladders (as I personally have done)  :(

We have done a lot of work already.  Painted walls, moved the light bars to the ceiling, (still need to re-attach some track lights), put chandeliers up, put curtains around the drum riser, etc.  All stuff that is not mandatory with the codes people, but stuff we could do in the meantime that doesn't cost a lot, only man power. The place looks amazingly different.  Sound is sooo much better (not that it was bad before) with the air duct raised to the ceiling as sound was bouncing off of it.  I've wanted to move that duct for two years.  Finally!!!  The room looks sooo much bigger now!

I'm still getting bids from electricians, plumbers, carpenters, etc.  So when we get the go ahead we will be ready to go and get this stuff done.  Since I haven't been able to get people to donate everything (understandable), we will need to raise some funds to pay for the work.  Still not sure, but could be around $20,000.  So, any fundraising efforts anyone wants to tackle is ok by us.  Well, talk to us first.  :)

I should say too that we are rethinking what we want to do with this great building that we know is a gift from God.  We will keep doing shows for sure, though the music business is the worst I've ever seen it since I've started.  Seems the last spike in gas and the economy have taken a huge tole.  And with a weak economy, entertainment is the first thing to go.  So many bands quitting and venues closing.  And, yet, that is what is so awesome about our venue.  It's not just a place to be entertained.  We haven't seen that much of a financial pinch ourselves really.  Done the best financially in the last year we have ever done, which is still not enough to pay bills but has been better.  And yet a lot of our touring friends have been hurt severely.  Many have broken up, and I've had the fewest tour offers this fall ever.  So, in light of this situation we are making plans to do other things in the facility once the construction work is completed.  (Not sure when that will be, depends on when I get help)  We have talked about doing more art, poetry, building a small shop offering one of a kind furnishings/clothes, video production, MSC clothing line, renting for weddings/receptions, etc. ($1000)  So if you have any interest in any of these areas please contact me.  I have several people oversees that may come help build our Sunday nights so we can be the "out of the box church" that we believe God wants us to be.  Can't say who it is yet, but you'll be surprised.  :) 

So, we are in a real time of transition.  I thank God for all the wonderful people we have met here and for the friends we have literally all over the country and the world.  Been amazing to see what a handful of unpaid staff people can do.  And yet, I think there is more.  I was praying one night and looked down at the table and saw etched on the table "i can't escape this hell".  I began to weep so hard and made me realize as long as one kid at this place is feeling this way our mission is not over! 

Sunday nights are still going on.  4:30pm Hugs (artsey stuff), 6pm "Hearing God", 7pm worship

We are working on a New Years party.  Will let you know if that works out.

Email us and let us know how you are doing and what's up in our friends lives .  Keep watching bulletins for work parties.  The sooner I get help the sooner we reopen!  Pray for us if you would, and let us know what your thoughts are about MSC's furture. 

Hugs, hugs, hugs, denise

We have a group of musicians who are doing worship now on Sunday nights regularly and it is sooo sweet.  Real layed back and relational of course.  Come check it out.  7pm Sunday nights.  No charge.  I'm so excited about this. 

 

xoxo denise

Can you believe it?  We've been going for 6 years this July.  So we will be starting our 7th year soon.  7 is a good number.  We are expecting good things in this next year.  Some interesting things are in the works for us that I can't talk about right now.  But, I'm trusting things will get better and better around here. 

Its is amazing to me we have operated this long with so little funds and no full time paid staff.  Grace, grace, grace.  I do think a celebration of some sort is in order. What do you think?