matthew 5 insight

So I was l reading with my wife in matthew 5 where Jesus is talking about murder and then shares that if you say to your brother "you fool" then you are in danger of being thrown into hell! He also says that about saying to your brother "Raca"... Raca??? What does that mean? I asked my pastor this question and his response was really interesting. He said that if you say that to your brother it would be like saying that you don't care about his/her soul! In fact when you say the word Raca correctly you have to use the back of your throat and say the word, almost spitting. As if you are spitting on your friend in condemnation!!! No concern for the person in any way, you then would be in danger of hell. In first John it says, how can you say you love God when you do not love your brother.

Very interesting!

I an Ordained....

So,

last night, I was ordained in the Nazarene Church! Just wanted to let you all know, my name is still Joel!

Please Pray for me in these days ahead...

I want to share with you all what happened, but this is also for me to get it out writing it down. My councelor told me that this would be a good thing to do (write it out).

This last Monday, ya, it has taken me this long to get it out, but I was in Hayward, CA and came out of a Peet's Coffee after studying for about 2 hrs and put my backpack in the trunk of the car and turned the corner to get in to my car when a man that was crouched my my drivers door jumped at me. It starteled me, but I did not expect what happened next. The man simply said, "I want you to take out all the cash in your pockets and give it to me and if you do not, I will shoot you and kill you!" At this time, he pulled out a black gun and pushed it to my stomach. I immediatly reached in my pocket and got the $26 that I had and gave it to him. He then asked what was in the bag that I was holding in my hands, and I told him, "Just books" (Bible and Hebrew Prophets Book, and a Timeline of hebrew prophets). He did not believe me, so he took it. Then he said, I want you to get in your car and stay there or I will shoot you and kill you if I see you get out!" All I had going through my mind was a picture of Amy and I said, "Ok, Ok, just don't shoot me!!" I unlocked my car and started to move past him to get in the car (It was narrow between him and I because a car was parked close). As I moved past him, he was now behind me, the man decided to punch me as hard as he could in the right side of my neck and it threw me into my car door that was now open... I cannot express that fear that went through me even now thinking about it, but I honestly thought to myself, that if this man at 4 pm in public is hitting me this hard, he is not going to stop, this is it!!! I really thought he was going to kill me! So I threw my body in the car and slammed the door thinking he was still right there, but in the corner of my eye I saw him jumping a fince about 20-30 feet away and I started to sob and put my head back and said outloud, "Thank you God for sparing my life!!!!!" I kept looking ahead and dilled 911 and hooked my phone up to my AVX in my car so that I could just speak and hear the opperator through my speakers... In 10 min, there were 6 cop cars swarming the area and well, long story short the cops came to me and I was shaking when I got out of the car and they asked where he went again, so I pointed where, and well, they never caught him. They are assuming that he jumped on BART and took off.

This has been a week of emotional pain and reflection and it is now 4 days later, and I am still really hurting (physically and emotionally).

Please keep me in your prayers.

Thanks,

Joel

Catalyst 09

So I am almost finished with a conference called Catalyst in southern California. I have to say, this by far has been the best conference I have ever been to. I will have to share later, but look in the future on my blog titled "Catalyst"

Another oppertunity at "El Pollo Loco"

I was at El Pollo Loco for lunch today in the San Pablo area, and I was eating some chicken when a kid about 16-17 years old walked in with a very noticable limp... I felt the presence of God on me. I literally felt what to me felt like an anointing and so I approached the boy. I asked him about his limp and how long he had had it? He said that he had it his whole life and with broken english asked why I asked. I began to ask him if he knew who Jesus was and trusted Him. He knew very little about Him, but was like a child in wanting to know some more. I asked him if I could pray for healing in his leg, and he told me that I needed to ask his mom that was at the counter ordering lunch. So I walked over and asked mom, who did not understand what I was saying until I pointed to my leg and put my hands together symbolizing Prayer... She immediatly knew what I was asking and said, "Si, Si!!" so I went over and sat down and asked if I could put my hand on his leg. I prayed and worshiped God in the process and asked God to create faith and do a miracle. I said Amen and asked him to stand up. I saw him struggling to get up, and I said walk around. His limp started to look noticably different, so I said, what are you feeling, and he said, "I feel and see a difference!"

Praise the Lord!!!

I gave him my card and told him to keep me posted in any changes.

Three Nights In A Row (4:35am)

So last night (or I guess you can say this morning) I woke up again at 4:35am again!!! This is three nights in a row. Each time, I have a numb leg and I usually get up and pray. Read last 2 posts if you have not clue in what I am saying... Last night though, I was like, this is not just by accadent, God is really wanting to say something to me! I immediatly heard to get up and go look at LUKE 4:35... First off, I doubted serriously that there even was a 4:35- there are not a ton of chapters in the gospel with 35+ verses, but I got up and went to my backpack and grabbed the Bible. I went and looked at Luke chapter 4 and searched for a verse 35 and IT WAS THERE!!!

Here is what it says...

Luke 4:35

"Be quiet!" Jesus said sternly. "Come out of him!" Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him.

If you know the context of my last month, this might be something...

I am praying about this and if anyone hears something and I should hear what you are hearing, please, please, let me know.

Two healing yesterday

I will have to add more later, but it is 5 am and I just felt the need to write this all out now...

Yesterday, I woke up at 4:35 am with my right leg that was numb and cold. My toes we also very cold. I was not in a position where it would be easy for my leg to go numb when I was sleeping. I sat in bed and asked God if there was anyone that I needed to be praying for? Did not hear anything so fell back to sleep after walking around a little. Yesterday in staff meeting, Anne Harris (Director of our Preschool) stated, "Please pray for me, because my leg is really inflamed." This immediately got my attention and I asked her, "Anne, is it your right leg and she said yes." She had to leave to get back to the kids and got up, and we prayed for her in our meeting. I shared all this with Pastor Rick and then went out to see her and share my experience and prayed with her (oh, by the way, my leg is still a little numb and all day was cold!) and in the middle of praying, my leg noticeably got warmer and came back to normal temperature. After praying, Anne stood up and started to walk around and noticed change. She said to me, "I will let you know a little later more how I am feeling." So about 20 min later, I came out and asked her how she was doing, and she said, "Much better!"

Last night at SALT group with the teens, I asked the kids if anyone needing healing, and Rachell Pilisdorf said that she needed prayer for her Left leg. She explained and we had her sit in the middle of our family room and I had her put her hand on her knee and we began to praise God and thank him for his love and power. We prayed for healing and after we were finished praying she stood up and said "SHE WAS HEALED! NO PAIN!" PRAISE GOD!

Rachell kept thanking God all night... I could see her mouth moving and I asked her what was up and she just said that she wanted to thank God. She had a HUGE grin on her face all night. She had never experienced physical healing yet, and well, it was a good night.

SO why do I write at 5 am? I woke up again this morning at 4:35 am AGAIN with a numb leg and started to pray for both of them and well, my leg is now normal!

PRaise GOd!