What iniquity

Jeremiah 2:5 Thus saith the LORD, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?


Some scriptures I read speak to my heart and some remind me of times, places and people. Jeremiah 2:5 will always remind me of the first time the LORD told me to go tell, "His People," something. To say it wasn't easy is the understatement of the century. I was scared!

I was only a few months out of a Christian based drug rehabilitation center. I had been out about a month and decided AA and NA wasn't what I needed. I had finally decided to stop running from GOD. I had been running for several years I ran and he followed. He didn't seem to mind following me. He said if I make my bed in hell he'll be there. He was. Like my sister Claudia said, "I made many beds in hell, I was the chambermaid of hell".

There was this ministry that would come in twice a week to minister to us in the center. I fell in love with them mainly because it was started by people that were broken, wounded, ex-con, reformed drug addicts and alcoholics. They were far from the self-righteous group whose hypocrisy helped me in my decision to run from Jesus. I had found my place in the body of Christ or so I thought.

My first visit the Apostle and founder of the ministry took me aside and spoke to me like a tender and loving father. I couldn't wait to get back, that was on a Sunday. The following Friday I went back. They had a guess speaker a doctor, not only of Divinity but also a medical doctor. He was speaking about the heart, his terminology went straight over my head and I have extensive knowledge of medical terminology. I was confused as to what any of this had to do with Jesus. I had one of my conversation with Jesus in my head that I oft have. "What is he talking about?," I asked, Jesus said he didn't know, his people always complicate, he gave them the simplicity of the gospel. He said the cross is simple.

By then a full fledged deliverance service had begun. Several ministers were casting out this demon and that demon at the alter. One man had the demon of heart trouble cast out. He was told to run and he did. Then it happened!

This man walked in past these two big burly guys at the door. I watched as he walked in. He looked as if he may have had a problem with alcohol but he didn't look drunk. He was limping and he looked as if he had been recently beaten. He didn't say anything he just walked in the door and headed toward a seat. Before he could find an empty seat the two burly guys grabbed him one under each arm, he cried out in pain. Without thinking or intending to I cried out "Stop it, what are you doing?" All hundred or more set of eyes were on me and what was going on. I made a mental note to myself (self remember not to scream out in the middle of a church service).

The Apostle whom I thought the world of spoke up, "What's going on?" the whole church got quiet the focus was off of me. Surely he will put an end to this madness. The injured man was the first to say something, the two burly guys still had his arms but my outburst seemed to have confused them. They didn't appear to know what to do, continue with their assault or let him go. They looked to the Apostle for an answer. The injured guy asked if he could say something, his voice was soft and pleading. The Apostle said, "Throw him out!" I was more then just appalled. I was physically sick but I didn't want to make another scene. I fought back tears and this horrible disgusted feeling in my stomach. Know one else seemed to be bothered by it and service went on. More demons were being cast out.

The Apostle came to me and said I needed prayer and gently lead me to the prayer lined that had formed. I didn't want to make more trouble so I didn't mention what had happened or how I felt until I got in front of the woman Pastor of a sister church that beckoned me to her for prayer.

I went. She asked me what I wanted her to pray for. I asked her to pray that I wouldn't continue to dislike some church folks. I meant it..that was what I needed most at that moment. Her breath smelled really bad like bowel. It made me sick but I waited for the prayer. She got real aggressive and said I had a demon that hated God's people. I told her I didn't hate anyone. I hated how some behaved. She once again said I had a God people hating demon. I said if that's the case shouldn't you be casting it out? She called the two burly guys to throw me off the alter. She said to get me away from her I was full of uncontrollable demons, she was loud and rude. They came to escort me off the alter. I had become like the injured man not worthy of prayer or deliverance.

I went home hurt and embarrassed and trying to figure out how I could have avoided that ugly scene. I was the official trouble-maker by mistake. I couldn't sleep that night. The LORD dealt with me. He told me he had me scream out but I didn't follow the spirit lead. I was concerned about what others thought of me. So he let what I feared happen to me. I told him that's wasn't funny! I didn't throw the guy out..THEY did!

He told me to go back and gave me that scripture in Jeremiah. I'll tell how that scene went tomorrow.