Call Upon Me And I Will Answer Thee, And Show Thee Great And Mighty Things Which Thou Knowest Not




Greetings!

I just came out of a three day fast: seventy-two hours with absolutely no food, no drink other than water, prayer, times of reading the word (bible!), and fellowship. Although at one point it was a tremendous challenge to remain in the fast, the night of the second day, through prayer the strength and grace of God brought me through to the end.

I committed to this fast because of an up-coming trip I am making to Europe. On July 14th I am leaving for Vilnius, Lithuania, to attend a rather prestigious literary seminar. There, I will be working with some world renown, very accredited, and accomplished award winning authors, writers, and poets. The seminar runs for a two week period- from July 19th to August 4th. I have tremendous aspirations and dreams as a writer and poet; some, one might say, that are totally inconceivable and far fetched, and others, seemingly possible. As I've shared the magnitude of my dreams with certain individuals, it is apparent that some are totally convinced that I can and will do it, and others, think just that, that I'm just a dreamer. The reason I'm going to Europe is that back in February, I entered a poetry contest. The contest was facilitated by Concordia University, English Department, out of Montreal. This was an open contest and entries were sent in from various parts of the world. Out of over nine hundred submissions, I came in as a semi-finalist. A letter sent to me later indicated that the judges were very impressed with the quality of my writing and poetry, and I was offered a fellowship of a thirty-percent tuition waiver in an invitation to attend this seminar. Looking at my present financial situation and debt incurred in my separation, the cost of this trip, even with the tuition waiver was going to be $4, 368.95. This does not include lodging or food, and expenses toward scheduled tours, functions, and entertainment. This trip seemed like a total impossibility. By the support of my home community in an agreement that I've made with them, many things came together and in less than one week, I'm on my way to Europe. They have very strict guidelines, conditions, and criteria, to which they have to abide- and for them to assist me in the way that they have, really, is a miracle. While in the fast, I prayed that God's will be done on earth as it is in heaven, while I am in Vilnius. That everyone that I'm supposed to meet, I will meet, and everything that I am to be a part of and everything that is to be a part of me, will happen. I prayed for prosperity, for absolute success, diligence, commitment, desire, not only for Vilnius, but for my career as a writer, author, and poet.

I think of Joseph in the bible, he, as a child, had tremendous dreams; things in his life that indicated that he was destined for great, great things. His own family ridiculed him, laughed at him, mocked him and called him a dreamer. The book of Genesis says of Joseph:

Genesis 37:3-11: Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colors. And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him. And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brethren: and they hated him yet the more. And he said unto them, hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright: and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance (gesture of respect and deep reverence) to my sheaf. And his brethren said unto him, shalt thou indeed reign over us? Or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words. And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it to his brethren, and said, behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, what is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.

At this point, Joseph's brothers took their father's flock to a place called Shechem, and then further to a place called Dothan, that they might be fed. Joseph's father called him and instructed him to go to his brothers to see if all was well with them and the flock. Joseph was to report back to his father.

The story continues (Vs. 18 -34):

And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him. And they said one to another, behold, this dreamer cometh. Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams. And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands; and said, let us not kill him. And Reuben said unto them, shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him; that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again. And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stripped Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colors that was on him; and they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it. And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt. And Judah said unto his brethren, what profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood? Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content. Then there passed by Mideanites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt. And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent (tore) his clothes. And he returned unto his brethren, and said, the child is not: and I, whither shall I go? And they took Joseph's coat, and killed a kid of the goats and dipped the coat in the blood; and they sent the coat of many colors, and they brought it to their father; and said, this have we found: know now whether it be thy son's coat or no. And he knew it, and said, it is my son's coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces. And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth ( a garment made from coarse fabric and worn as a sign of mourning) upon his loins and mourned for his son many days.

Through trials, testing, abandonment, accusation, and imprisonment; Joseph's dreams probably at a certain point in time, seemed just that: dreams.

I often reflect on the things the Lord has planted in my heart, in my spirit. I think of the prophet Elijah praying down fire from heaven. What a sight that must have been. I imagine Moses and the people of Israel standing before the Red Sea and all the enemy fast approaching from behind with full intent to slay them, ultimately destroy them, to kill every last one of them. By a word of declaration in his God and with his staff raised, Moses speaks. I see the waters of the Red Sea parting to form great walls as the people stared is absolute awe and disbelief, and cross on dry land. I see Peter as he merely walked the streets and his shadow fell on the sick laid along the way, and instantly they were healed. Truly miraculous. Truly magnificent. Truly, awe inspiring. An omnipotent, wonderful, powerful, powerful God. The beauty of it all, he's the same God then as he is now.

I write right now as I am most in need of reminding of this great and powerful God that I serve. You see, on the morning of the sixth day from now, I leave for Europe. I have but a dollar to my name in the top drawer of my dresser, and thirty dollars left in the over-draft of my bank account. My total debt amounts to $39,060.91: this is my bank loan as well as credit cards combined. When my wife and I separated, we agreed that I would assume full responsibility for our debt on the premise that she would require no further monies from me. Although I've been late with many, many payments, everything to date that needs to be paid has been paid. This is even miraculous in itself given that, out of the kindness of my heart, and yet love toward my ex-wife, I continue to help her financially. As I re-read this specific paragraph and feel the immensity of my obligation and extreme, dire need, for more finances toward my trip, I read out loud as my voice trembles and shakes and tears roll heavily down my face. God does not have to meet with me, does not have to do anything further, does not have to provide further finances: He has done so much already...but you see, the bottom line: I can't stop loving him; I can't stop praising him; I can't stop worshiping him...I can't help but believe.

As Paul said (Romans 8: 35-39): Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, for thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

This is truly how I feel. Through the deaths of my best friends, Fred and Linda, my brother and sister; through the agonizing pain and uncertainty of my initial separation; through the death of our pet and truly our baby, Gepi: nothing has separated me from the love of God. I feel him today more than I've ever felt him before. I love him more than I've ever loved him before. He is my all, my everything. I exist and breath, only because of him. He is my God: he is my Jesus.
What is my deliverance you may ask? Jesus, first, is my deliverance. But he's not just going to show up at my front door and hand me a cheque for $39,060.91 and give me extra cash for my trip to Europe (although he is not exempt from performing in this manner). I believe now he has truly blessed the work of my hands. I have two manuscripts seeking publication and I believe with all of my heart and everything inside of me- these will be published. I have absolutely not one shred of doubt. This is only the first phase of my dream, it gets bigger; much bigger.

How does my dream end...here's how Joseph's dream ended- after he interpreted Pharaoh's dream- Pharaoh: the King of Egypt (Genesis 41: 37-44):

And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants. And Pharaoh said unto his servants, can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is? And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, forasmuch as God has shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art: Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, see, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.

The Pharaoh's dream came to pass. Just as Joseph had interpreted, famine hit the land and was going to last seven years. Everyone in the surrounding area came to Egypt to buy what food that they could. They had to come to Joseph- including his brothers.

Genesis 42:6-9 says- And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph's brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth. And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, from the land of Canaan to buy food. And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew him not. And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them...

There is much more to the story. In the end, there is joy, happiness, tears, love, hugs, and forgiveness. In the end, there is life.

Where are my dreams taking me? Exactly where God said that I am to go: not a step or a word further, and not a step or a word short: Exactly, where I am to be.

Here is an excerpt from one of the poems that has me on my journey to Europe: And thank you, it is my absolute privilege to share a part of my day with you. Cheers!


- posted by Free2write @ 9:19 AM