Waiting 2017 Recap #3 – Session #2 (Saturday PM)

Praying for Young People

This is the third in a series recapping Waiting 2017 assembly.  To read from the beginning of the series, click here.

For videos of  Session #2, see below.

Unfinished Business

A couple of things that happened on Saturday morning (well, technically, it was afternoon, as we had passed the 12:00 barrier) which I failed to include in the previous post is that we were able to engage in prayer together for our “elder brother” Israel (see Exodus 4:22) led by Amy Heath, after which Elizabeth Doss delighted us by singing “Jerusalem of Gold”, the unofficial national anthem of Israel, in both Hebrew and English.  Then, as (we thought) we were about to break up for lunch, Pastor Jamie Hargett shared with us that he had a witness that we were to pray for our young people.  This turned out to be one of the most beautiful moments of the weekend, as Pastors Reimar Schultze, Mike Douglas, and John McAdams passed the baton of blessing on to our truly loved youth.  What a sight!

                                          

Anointed Interlude

Some of the best things that happened during the weekend were between the meetings…under the radar.  Some of the dear ones from Parker City had put together a simple but delightful lunch on Saturday afternoon that enabled us to stay right on the premises during the meeting.  As good as the food was, the fellowship that we were able to enjoy with each other was even better.  No matter how wonderful the meeting, there is nothing like just being able to break bread together and share the goodness of the Lord.  Kathy and I got to spend some quality time with Darwin and Deborah Beck and their precious family.  They are jewels in God’s house! All around I could see people enjoying fellowship with one another…telling Kingdom stories…

Waiting Here For You

A real treat awaited us as the afternoon session began, as Molly Keller led us in worship with her brother Taylor.  How appropriate to begin another session of “Waiting on God” with the beautiful worship song, “Waiting Here For You”, then continuing with the stirring “Awaken My Soul,” which is what God had been doing to all of us as we waited on Him, then “Hallelujah! What A Savior!”  Indeed!

Silence Is NOT Deadly

Though in these meetings, we had many moments of worship, praise, thanksgiving, exhortation,

Missy Simms at the altar

teaching…yet we also had moments of silence.  This is a good thing.  It takes a certain level of spiritual maturity to “not reach for the remote," as Pastor Aaron frequently encouraged us not to do, when nothing seems to be going on.  Yet, in our gatherings as well as in our lives, times of quietness are not something to be feared but something to be embraced.  Our lives are so often spent in hyperactivity, not the type that sometimes requires medication, but the type that results from having too much on our plates…too many hats to wear.  Amazingly, in this gathering billed as a “Waiting,” we actually waited!  Just abiding in His presence.  Just being still and knowing that He is God. 

Ya’ll Know How to Praise the Lord!

One of the absolute prerequisites for God to send His awakening fire on His church is reconciliation leading to unity of heart and spirit.  I am persuaded that our Lord will not send revival on a church that is divided…Denominational division, racial division, doctrinal (non-essential) division.  One of the wonderful things that I believe that God is doing right now is breaking down this “middle wall of partition between us” (See Eph 2:14, 15). Here in southern Indiana where I am from, we have seen this happening just in the last couple of months, as God is moving to bring together our church (Fair Haven) with a sister church across town.  Which brings us to Lutrille Dixon…

One of the people that we were delighted to become acquainted with this last weekend was Sister Dixon.  She and her husband lead a largely African-American congregation in nearby Anderson, Indiana and she graced our meeting with her presence on Saturday.  She stood up and testified that afternoon exclaiming with a loud voice, “Ya’ll know how to praise the Lord!”  She assured us that she “didn’t feel like “a fly in the buttermilk” (I hadn’t heard that description before), but felt at one with us.  Praise the Lord!  Then, we persuaded her to come sing.  Lutrille is the worship leader in their church.  She told us she is “one of them Radical Praisers.”  Anyone who heard her sing can testify to that fact!  Have you ever heard “The Old Rugged Cross” sang Aretha-Franklin-style?  (Now that I think of it, maybe when Aretha sings she ought to say “in Lutrille-Dixon-style…😎😎).  And then when Molly Keller joined in…oh, my!  And who knew that Esther Morey could accompany with such bluesiness (is that a word?...I just freaked out my spell checker!) Other wonderful worship moments included a beautiful piano solo by Hope and Kevin Heath's sharing the uplifting "You Raise Me Up."

Speaking of Radical Praise…

Later, Pastor Aaron threw some well-deserved bouquets of praise to James and Elizabeth Doss, who dropped everything days before to help their friends Pastor Aaron and Missy with anything they needed in preparation for the meetings.  Thank God for these wonderful servants of God!  We were greatly blessed after this as Elizabeth shared the modern-day Christmas hymn “In the First Light” and then Allie Shoup shared several wonderful songs.  One of the coolest and most anointed times of worship during the whole weekend (for me) was, after Allie led us in the simply elegant “I Love You Lord”, someone in the congregation (God bless you, whoever you are!), just spontaneously started singing “I Exalt Thee”.  Pretty soon, the congregation began to lead those on stage, now including Missy Simms, in this exaltation of Christ.  We were entering the realms of glory here!

Other Kinds of Worship

As in every session, God led for much prayer.  One of the prayer highlights was prayer for a relative of Rita McNeely.  She and her family are long-time friends of our and of the Simms.  God was working!  Pastor Jamie Hargutt from Beaver City, Nebraska (I believe he gets the award for coming the farthest distance!), a man who Pastor Aaron described as “fire on fire,” shared with us his testimony as well as several anointed scriptures from 1 Peter. I asked Pastor Jamie to share with me anything on his heart concerning the meetings.  I share it here:

Read Luke 1:67 – 79  

Brother Wayne I know we prefer not to spiritualize the Scriptures and take them into context. However, I strongly feel this (scripture in Luke 1) is an accurate description as revealed to me through the Holy Spirit. If we only read the verses describing what we witnessed this weekend at the Waiting 2017 it is beautiful. The Advent of John paved the way for Christ, and I am faithful we are beginning the days of the Second Advent. Sincerely, Pastor Jamie Hargett Friendship Church Beaver City Ne.

After the meeting, which lasted from about 3:30 – 7:00, but didn’t seem nearly so long, we joined a group at IHOP Christ Fellowship…well, at least that’s what IHOP became for a short time Saturday night. One of the truly wonderful treats that we received this weekend was getting to spend some time with Esther Morey there.  She shared with us the truly amazing things that God is doing in Fayetteville, WV through the Coda Mountain Academy that He authored a number of years ago.  If you are looking for a worthy organization to support in prayer and in finances, this would be it!  I would also like to share here that they are badly in need of God-sent help to assist in their music, art, and Lego Robotics Program.  For more information about this very worthy organization, which is “changing the world, one child at a time,” click here.

We went to bed tired but happy in the Lord…What would await us on Sunday?

To read Recap #4, click here.

(First video is from Session #1, then the rest from Session #2)