As she handed over her house as she says "lock stock and barrel" for use by the fledgling Emsworth Church as a Bible House in the 1970s, she prayed this prayer:
"Lord ,Let this be the match that strikes a light for this country."
I still believe that God is about answering this prayer.
Certainly the third level is more than such a match. For decades Britons have been praying for a revival, and as the last major one was in Wales and was very much the crucible of Pentecostalism, people are still thinking in those terms, or in terms of Billy Graham and Moody and Sankey.
I think what God is about is huge. And some of this is described here.
Geraldine is losing her near term memory, so when she ran across me in the street the other day she did not remember me. I am also fatter. But she arranged for me to come and tune the piano which I had done for many years.
When I arrived for the appointment Geraldine was still getting herself ready so I set to with the piano. But you know something. Even in the 30 years I have known her she has changed. I am not talking older. Actually her face doesn't really look that much older.
First change. Sitting in the sitting room on my own I felt an incredibly strong Presence of the Lord.
Second change. When she came through I found her much less impulsive.Pushy.Annoying.We always use to say "Geraldine" as an adjective. She is a lot more "ooozy". This fragrant oil of Jesus. Time spent with Him.
Third change. I would say her face is kind of radiant. Certainly when she smiles. Lovely, lovely soft cheerful eyes.
Like a lot of people who wish to remain in their homes, she has infrastructure. People and family that come to visit and help. But otherwise, apart from the (Anglican)church there is not too much social interaction. She told me that the night before she was chatting with Abba and asked if she could meet someone when she went out for a walk.
Well she did. And that other person had prayed the very same prayer. So they had a great time. They'd never met before.
So forget networking sites folks. This is the inauguration of the Melchizedek Social Networking Organization that runs on very similar lines to how believers in Communist countries used to run their secret underground meetings in Russia and China. By listening to the voice of the Lord.
I tuned her piano and Geraldine shared the details of this song that she has just been given.I was so sure that some of you out there would really like this that I asked if I could film her playing the music for it.
"Stay here close and let My love flow over you!
Stay quietly close, let it sink into your soul -
There you may be waiting quietly, near to me....."
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So this is how the Holy Spirit guided me:-
A s he got older, my beloved (earthly) Father came to live with our family. We had lived in a much larger house. Dear Pa paid the rent bless him! out of the funds in his pension easing the tax he had to pay. So- now, after six years with us, he needed to go into a Rest Home; and we had to find a new and smaller dwelling. Two of our five sons had gone to further education. So we numbered Cledwyn and me, and three sons. But where?
As a guide , Pa "saw" a large window. Ah- good. There were five houses to choose from, nearer to their school. So off I went with an elderly friend who had had a lot of experience this way and a list to visit. We passed by four of them - not what we wanted- so along , quite near to our big house, a delightful estate of bungalows; one where the boys had friends.
Through the front door, into the hall; old Audrey danced a little jig of joy at what she saw that delighted her! I, with the window in mind, went into the sitting room - THERE IT WAS! "This is the house Audrey!" It had a large room upstairs, and three downstairs, a large dining room/sitting room with a view into a large square garden.(Bathroom,kitchen ofcourse). We were detached from our two neighbours. A previous viewer was busy getting three mortgages. But we had enough - Praise God - to pay cash- He organised a gift of £8000 - you see He wanted a large house for people in His Plan!!
for the Emsworth Christian Church (now New Life Church fellowship);He'd said to me audibly - "I want you to give me "Alpenrose", lock,stock and barrel!" When we had chosen our new home, I could go prayerfully round Alpenrose and choose what we could have! And it was so. Picture:Alpenrose became the first UK Bible House
You remember the window? In the sitting room? Beside it one morning for my Quiet Time - sitting quietly - Abba sang this song to me. I quickly wrote the words as He sang, and little jottings for the tune too. Then to the piano to find the tune and memorize it and the words. But I don't have the manuscript of the tune - It needs taping and the manuscript - On we go!
I arrived within a day or so of Geraldine writing this and actually made a film of her playing the music using my Samsung D900 mobile. Below is the full song:
Stay close to ME and let My love flow over you!
Stay quietly close, let it sink into your soul;
There you may be, waiting quietly near to ME,
Drinking from the Cup that I am giving you.
Moment by moment let this quiet waiting be
Quiet and undisturbed, resting near My heart.
Leave all to Me, how well I know your deepest longings,
No other heart can understand like Mine.
Just like a book your life lies open to Me
How well I know what's written on each page;
Heart's desires and longings, fears and strong imaginings;
Nothing goes unseen - The Light of love sees all!
How dear you are, My dear one, you will come to know
When you see my Son dying on that Cross for you;
Only His Blood can touch and cleanse away all sin
for He has lived in a body - just like yours;
And He knows the rugged pathway,
He knows the hard frustrations,
There's no place of sorrows
He doesn't know them too.
So my dear one, stay here close
And know the Love I have for you,
Comfort sweet and sure! Your own place in My heart"
(God's own gift to all who want to share in this treasure - for you too!" )
That is a cool story and a sweet beautiful song.
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