JUNE 1973
I had another friend at the Coast Guard station in Peteluma who was a Christian but not Pentecostal. In other words he didn't believe in or didn't know about the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with Speaking in tongues. I felt very strongly that this was an important part of living a victorious life in Christ, so I convinced him to go with me to a Pentecostal church - a small Assemblies of God church where the Baptism of the Holy Spirit was taught.
We walked into a church with about 40 people in it. The Pastor who met us at the front was very nice, so I had great hopes that this would be a good service to help my friend get a deeper walk with Christ.
As we sat down a I noticed that the church was a little odd. First a drooling lady in front got up and turned to a friend, "Hi Gerty." She was unusually strange and repulsive, but I thought to myself that I should not be judgmental, so I pushed away my feelings and waited for the service to begin. We sang a few hymns and then the pastor introduced the guest speaker - a traveling evangelist. My heart sank.
Pentecostal preachers that I knew could easily preach 45 minutes to an hour. And if the "Holy Spirit" was leading them, they could go much longer, but in the case of visiting evangelists, anything could happen and usually did in the few times I saw them, which always seemed to be days I brought guests.
This one spent his entire sermon pacing the stage, yelling, frothing at the mouth, and getting all emotional saying one thing over and over and over for the 30 minutes my friend and I could handle being there: "If you want to be free," he preached, "you have to get know how to praise the Lord." No kidding - that's all he said for one half an hour, for 30 long minutes, 1,800 dragged out seconds of my life; and while he paced the stage back and forth the congregation got louder and louder; and while they got louder and louder my friend and I got more and more uncomfortable; and as we got more and more uncomfortable, the travelling visiting evangelist focused his attention more and more on me and my friend looking right at us as he preached, "If you can't praise the Lord, Satan has bound you and you need to get freed. And you can get freed if you praise the Lord, and raise up your hands and shout, Halleluia; Praise the Lord! Amen! Can I hear an amen? Can I hear an amen? Halleluia! Shout to God! Let's get excited and praise God! So many are bound by Satan, they can't praise the Lord (he looked at my friend and me), but you can be free!" Oh everybody got so into it. There was loud praising and excited response from all the congregation. From the drooling lady to Gerty, they were all swept into his excitement, everybody that is except me and my friend.
Finally, after 30 minutes of nonstop verbal abuse, I turned to my friend and without saying anything, we both got up and started walked out of the church. I had given up all hope that God would meet us there in some sort of blessing for my friend.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Saturday, January 31, 2009
The End of California
May 1973
When Storekeeper school was nearing the end a list of places needing personel was put up on the board. People with the best grades got the best choice of stations. I was 6th in a class of 26, so I should have had a great choice, but I was on loan from the SW district. In other words, I had no choice in the matter, I was to go to wherever my district decided, and they decided that a ship in Charleston SC needed a Storekeeper. That ship was the US PawPaw which I told you about in an older blog.
The PawPaw was the worst ship known to humanity with all time low morale when I learned about it in 1971. However, I didn't know that the Coast Guard was trying to straighten it out and make it better. It was still a far cry from anywhere I wanted to be.
I had a month before I had to report on duty so I drove to Jacksonville, FL and stayed with Ray who was not working at the time and living at home with his mother who at 50 years old was already going senile.
During this month I met my 2nd fiance Dru.
When Storekeeper school was nearing the end a list of places needing personel was put up on the board. People with the best grades got the best choice of stations. I was 6th in a class of 26, so I should have had a great choice, but I was on loan from the SW district. In other words, I had no choice in the matter, I was to go to wherever my district decided, and they decided that a ship in Charleston SC needed a Storekeeper. That ship was the US PawPaw which I told you about in an older blog.
The PawPaw was the worst ship known to humanity with all time low morale when I learned about it in 1971. However, I didn't know that the Coast Guard was trying to straighten it out and make it better. It was still a far cry from anywhere I wanted to be.
I had a month before I had to report on duty so I drove to Jacksonville, FL and stayed with Ray who was not working at the time and living at home with his mother who at 50 years old was already going senile.
During this month I met my 2nd fiance Dru.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Dru
June 1973
I met Dru at Southside Assembly of God's Wednesday night Bible Study. When I first saw her I thought she was a very nice looking girl, but I didn't ask her out or even persue her for one reason - I didn't think she was that spiritual. No kidding, that was the reason. Otherwise she was great in every way.
During the month I stayed with Ray in Jacksonville, Dru hung out with us a lot. It seemed that everywhere Ray and I went Dru was there. Then to top it off, even when I went places by myself she was there. She wasn't stalking me, because oftentimes they were chance encounters - in fact, so many chance encounters that I began to wonder if it was meant to be - and I loved being with her.
It turns out Dru liked me but thought I was shy and thus didn't make any moves. But one day after about 4 weeks of seeing Dru it hit me like a ton of bricks and I got convicted.
Conviction is that uneasy feeling like you did or are doing something wrong. It is much like guilt, but guilt gnaws away at you without any solution. Conviction gnaws away but provides solutions that make you better. When the solution is put into place, conviction goes away.
I got convicted big time! I was being judgmental. It was the best conviction I ever got. I accepted it with open arms as I accepted Dru with open arms and began a two year relationship that turned into engagement.
However, after 2 years our relationship simply stalled and we broke up remaining very good friends. Years later, I heard that Dru married a local television newscaster, and I met Kim, got married and had 2 kids - both girls.
By the way, if you look at other Christians and think they aren't as spiritual or aren't as good a Christian as you are, do yourself a favor... knock it off.
I met Dru at Southside Assembly of God's Wednesday night Bible Study. When I first saw her I thought she was a very nice looking girl, but I didn't ask her out or even persue her for one reason - I didn't think she was that spiritual. No kidding, that was the reason. Otherwise she was great in every way.
During the month I stayed with Ray in Jacksonville, Dru hung out with us a lot. It seemed that everywhere Ray and I went Dru was there. Then to top it off, even when I went places by myself she was there. She wasn't stalking me, because oftentimes they were chance encounters - in fact, so many chance encounters that I began to wonder if it was meant to be - and I loved being with her.
It turns out Dru liked me but thought I was shy and thus didn't make any moves. But one day after about 4 weeks of seeing Dru it hit me like a ton of bricks and I got convicted.
Conviction is that uneasy feeling like you did or are doing something wrong. It is much like guilt, but guilt gnaws away at you without any solution. Conviction gnaws away but provides solutions that make you better. When the solution is put into place, conviction goes away.
I got convicted big time! I was being judgmental. It was the best conviction I ever got. I accepted it with open arms as I accepted Dru with open arms and began a two year relationship that turned into engagement.
However, after 2 years our relationship simply stalled and we broke up remaining very good friends. Years later, I heard that Dru married a local television newscaster, and I met Kim, got married and had 2 kids - both girls.
By the way, if you look at other Christians and think they aren't as spiritual or aren't as good a Christian as you are, do yourself a favor... knock it off.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Another Prophecy
June 1973
I was at South Side Assembly of God in one of the back rooms with some other Christians when this girl told me she had a message from God for me. I pretty much remember that she said God was going to teach me His Word (the Bible) and .... I don't remember the rest, maybe she told me I was going to be a great prophet or something. She may have said I was going to be a pastor...in which case, Wow! She was right on the spot! But then maybe she said I was going to be a circus clown. The heck if I remember.
I was just thinking during the whole time, "Oh no, here we go again," but it wasn't extreme like the first prophecy I got. In other words, she didn't say anything that was too outrageous. I was even drawn to what she was saying about God teaching me His Word and hoping that it was true. I really wanted to know a lot more about the Bible, there was so much of God's Word that seemed so foreign to me and I wanted to know so much.
In the end, I basically decided that if the prophecy were really from God, the message would come true. If it wasn't from God there was no loss. I took that position from then on. If I felt like God spoke to me in any way, whether through dream, word, prophecy, a feeling or whatever, if it's God speaking, then it will happen like He says. But if not, I don't need to sweat it out.
Its done me good in life.
By the way, the part of the prophecy about learning the Word of God was true. I have been a professor for 4 different Evangelical Universities.
I was at South Side Assembly of God in one of the back rooms with some other Christians when this girl told me she had a message from God for me. I pretty much remember that she said God was going to teach me His Word (the Bible) and .... I don't remember the rest, maybe she told me I was going to be a great prophet or something. She may have said I was going to be a pastor...in which case, Wow! She was right on the spot! But then maybe she said I was going to be a circus clown. The heck if I remember.
I was just thinking during the whole time, "Oh no, here we go again," but it wasn't extreme like the first prophecy I got. In other words, she didn't say anything that was too outrageous. I was even drawn to what she was saying about God teaching me His Word and hoping that it was true. I really wanted to know a lot more about the Bible, there was so much of God's Word that seemed so foreign to me and I wanted to know so much.
In the end, I basically decided that if the prophecy were really from God, the message would come true. If it wasn't from God there was no loss. I took that position from then on. If I felt like God spoke to me in any way, whether through dream, word, prophecy, a feeling or whatever, if it's God speaking, then it will happen like He says. But if not, I don't need to sweat it out.
Its done me good in life.
By the way, the part of the prophecy about learning the Word of God was true. I have been a professor for 4 different Evangelical Universities.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Love Lines
JUNE 1973
From time to time I would stay over at Ray's house for a day or two, just to hang around. On two occasions one of Ray's other friends also came over for the night. His friend was in charge of taking local calls for a national program called Love Lines, so for those two nights he transferred Love Lines to Ray's house.
Love Lines was a national program that featured Rock and Roll music with an anouncer who would preach the gospel and invite people to call in. Everybody calling in from Jacksonville would actually call into Ray's house on the 2 nights Ray's friend hooked up his phones at Ray's house. In other words, people would hear a program originating in New York, but when they called in from Jacksonville, they called into Ray's house.
The three of us took turns answering calls. When it was Ray's turn he got a call from a woman on the verge of divorce. Telling Ray about one problem after another about her relationship, Ray interupted her and asked her point blank, "How are you doing with the Lord?" After some thought she told Ray she wasn't doing too well so Ray focused on that for the rest of the conversation and led her to the Lord that night.
One year later, the second night we had the Love Line phones at Ray's house, when it was Ray's turn to take the phone, he got a call from the same lady he talked to a year previously. She called for the first time since she talked to Ray a year ago just to say she was thankful that since she gave her life to Christ, her life had turned around and her marriage was doing great.
From time to time I would stay over at Ray's house for a day or two, just to hang around. On two occasions one of Ray's other friends also came over for the night. His friend was in charge of taking local calls for a national program called Love Lines, so for those two nights he transferred Love Lines to Ray's house.
Love Lines was a national program that featured Rock and Roll music with an anouncer who would preach the gospel and invite people to call in. Everybody calling in from Jacksonville would actually call into Ray's house on the 2 nights Ray's friend hooked up his phones at Ray's house. In other words, people would hear a program originating in New York, but when they called in from Jacksonville, they called into Ray's house.
The three of us took turns answering calls. When it was Ray's turn he got a call from a woman on the verge of divorce. Telling Ray about one problem after another about her relationship, Ray interupted her and asked her point blank, "How are you doing with the Lord?" After some thought she told Ray she wasn't doing too well so Ray focused on that for the rest of the conversation and led her to the Lord that night.
One year later, the second night we had the Love Line phones at Ray's house, when it was Ray's turn to take the phone, he got a call from the same lady he talked to a year previously. She called for the first time since she talked to Ray a year ago just to say she was thankful that since she gave her life to Christ, her life had turned around and her marriage was doing great.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Charleston, SC
July 1973
I moved to Charleston having resigned myself to the fact that I was going to the worst place/ship I could think of. I was no longer depressed about it, but I did feel like had to go and I had to deal with it as best I could. Charleston was a 4 hour drive from Jacksonville which was the center of my universe that included the church I loved, my new girl friend and most of my good friends including Ray.
I spent many weekends driving back and forth between Charleston and Jacksonville finding different adventures not only on the ship but on the drive to and from Jacksonville.
The weekends I did stay in Charleston I went to the largest Pentecostal Church of God in the U.S. It was several hundred people who attended, most of whom were under the age of 12. The Pastor and his wife were from South Africa and very nice people, but the church offered no other fellowship from people my age.
I moved to Charleston having resigned myself to the fact that I was going to the worst place/ship I could think of. I was no longer depressed about it, but I did feel like had to go and I had to deal with it as best I could. Charleston was a 4 hour drive from Jacksonville which was the center of my universe that included the church I loved, my new girl friend and most of my good friends including Ray.
I spent many weekends driving back and forth between Charleston and Jacksonville finding different adventures not only on the ship but on the drive to and from Jacksonville.
The weekends I did stay in Charleston I went to the largest Pentecostal Church of God in the U.S. It was several hundred people who attended, most of whom were under the age of 12. The Pastor and his wife were from South Africa and very nice people, but the church offered no other fellowship from people my age.
Monday, January 26, 2009
The Guy at the Picnic Table Somewhere in GA
August 1973
The Setting:
- Sunday afternoon after church in Jacksonville, after saying goodbye to my girlfriend Dru.
- Somewhere along HWY 95 in Georgia driving to Charleston.
- Stopping at 7-11 to get a Coke to wake me up on a tiring drive.
- Man sitting alone at a picnic table on the side of the parking lot.
- I am walking to the store from my car and see him at the table.
- I am struggling inside.
"Should I talk to him? I don't really think I should; I should ask him if he would like to hear about Jesus. That would be stupid. O.K. I'll talk to him, but I am not going to ask him if he would like to hear about Jesus. Not that, anything else. That is so..."
"Excuse me sir, would you like to hear about Jesus?" I couldn't think of anything else to say and I felt so embarrassed by what was coming out of my mouth.
The man looked up, "Right now there's nothing else I'd rather hear about!" I couldn't believe what I heard; I told him, "Just a minute, I'll be right back," then went to my car, got my Bible, went to the picnic table and sat down with my Bible across from the man who wanted to hear about Jesus.
His brother was a Pentecostal Christian who died 2 weeks ago. He had been drinking non-stop since then. We prayed, he gave his life to Christ and I told him something I never told anybody or dared to tell anybody since. He worked at the liquor store across the street from the 7/11, so I told him he should trust the Lord and get another job. I was simply thinking that with a possible drinking problem, it may not be good for him as a new Christian to work at a liquor store. He agreed and talked to me about a place he could move to.
2 weeks later I stopped at the liquor store to visit him and was told, "He left two weeks ago, we don't know where he went."
The Setting:
- Sunday afternoon after church in Jacksonville, after saying goodbye to my girlfriend Dru.
- Somewhere along HWY 95 in Georgia driving to Charleston.
- Stopping at 7-11 to get a Coke to wake me up on a tiring drive.
- Man sitting alone at a picnic table on the side of the parking lot.
- I am walking to the store from my car and see him at the table.
- I am struggling inside.
"Should I talk to him? I don't really think I should; I should ask him if he would like to hear about Jesus. That would be stupid. O.K. I'll talk to him, but I am not going to ask him if he would like to hear about Jesus. Not that, anything else. That is so..."
"Excuse me sir, would you like to hear about Jesus?" I couldn't think of anything else to say and I felt so embarrassed by what was coming out of my mouth.
The man looked up, "Right now there's nothing else I'd rather hear about!" I couldn't believe what I heard; I told him, "Just a minute, I'll be right back," then went to my car, got my Bible, went to the picnic table and sat down with my Bible across from the man who wanted to hear about Jesus.
His brother was a Pentecostal Christian who died 2 weeks ago. He had been drinking non-stop since then. We prayed, he gave his life to Christ and I told him something I never told anybody or dared to tell anybody since. He worked at the liquor store across the street from the 7/11, so I told him he should trust the Lord and get another job. I was simply thinking that with a possible drinking problem, it may not be good for him as a new Christian to work at a liquor store. He agreed and talked to me about a place he could move to.
2 weeks later I stopped at the liquor store to visit him and was told, "He left two weeks ago, we don't know where he went."
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