Chapel, Tongues, and My Heart
Chapel was intense today. I came with expectations, and they were exceeded.We have had the speaker Reggie Dabbs on campus for the past two days. When it was announced that he would be here this week, everyone seemed to go crazy. I've heard of Reggie, but I didn't see what all the hype was about. I didn't understand why everyone was so obsessed with him.
I went to chapel yesterday. It was good; he made me think about my purpose in life. He got the crowd involved, and he made us all laugh. But I left chapel not understanding why he kept saying that his chapel services would change my life and be something we talked about for weeks.
So I went to chapel again today just to see what would happen. I was curious.
Reggie read from 2 Samuel 13:1-19. This is the story of Amnon and Tamar. This is a difficult story to talk about, especially preach about, because it involves rape, hurt, and not following the heart.
I didn't relate to the message as much as others did, but I know it was very important. I saw many chains break today. I saw freedom be restored.
Something that Reggie did say that I quickly took note of before it slipped out of my mind was this: "Let your past be the trophy of God's grace in your life."
I've never before looked at my past/sin in this context. This is something that I need to ponder the meaning of for my life. Maybe it will be a separate blog post.
After the alter call was given, I stood back just seeing what was going to happen. At the end of a worship song, someone was given a message to say over the student body. It was spoken through the gift of tongues. Then one of the leaders at school encouraged us to pray for the Holy Spirit to give us an interpretation of what the message was. Many people spoke out with their interpretations. One of the interpretations struck my heart. What was said was fairly identical to a prophetic message given to me a couple of years ago.
It was July 19, 2011. I was counseling at senior high camp at Lakewood Park Bible Camp. (That was a life changing week, let me tell you!) I was sitting outside of the chapel before the night service talking with my youth pastor's wife. Then the camp nurse came up to me and spoke this prophetic word over me. It came out of nowhere! But it meant so much to me.
Later I had the nurse write down what she said to me. Of course, she couldn't remember exactly what she said, but I needed to remember it. Here is the note she wrote for me:
"You can look into His eyes.
You don't have to look away. He loves you. He is pleased with you.
Lift up your head to the coming King.
You don't have to be afraid to look into His eyes.
You are beautiful.
You can sit on Daddy God's lap and put your arms around Him, and He'll put His arms around you.
He will hold you tight and not let you go!
He loves you with His everlasting love."
One of the interpretations given in chapel today directly correlated with this word. I was in awe.
So, I left chapel with the reminder that God sees me. He sees my heart. He is my Papa, my Daddy, Yahweh. I'm not alone. He has called me to be holy.
1 Samuel 16:7 - "But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.'"
1 Peter 1:15-16 - "But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.'"
I went to chapel yesterday. It was good; he made me think about my purpose in life. He got the crowd involved, and he made us all laugh. But I left chapel not understanding why he kept saying that his chapel services would change my life and be something we talked about for weeks.
So I went to chapel again today just to see what would happen. I was curious.
Reggie read from 2 Samuel 13:1-19. This is the story of Amnon and Tamar. This is a difficult story to talk about, especially preach about, because it involves rape, hurt, and not following the heart.
I didn't relate to the message as much as others did, but I know it was very important. I saw many chains break today. I saw freedom be restored.
Something that Reggie did say that I quickly took note of before it slipped out of my mind was this: "Let your past be the trophy of God's grace in your life."
I've never before looked at my past/sin in this context. This is something that I need to ponder the meaning of for my life. Maybe it will be a separate blog post.
After the alter call was given, I stood back just seeing what was going to happen. At the end of a worship song, someone was given a message to say over the student body. It was spoken through the gift of tongues. Then one of the leaders at school encouraged us to pray for the Holy Spirit to give us an interpretation of what the message was. Many people spoke out with their interpretations. One of the interpretations struck my heart. What was said was fairly identical to a prophetic message given to me a couple of years ago.
It was July 19, 2011. I was counseling at senior high camp at Lakewood Park Bible Camp. (That was a life changing week, let me tell you!) I was sitting outside of the chapel before the night service talking with my youth pastor's wife. Then the camp nurse came up to me and spoke this prophetic word over me. It came out of nowhere! But it meant so much to me.
Later I had the nurse write down what she said to me. Of course, she couldn't remember exactly what she said, but I needed to remember it. Here is the note she wrote for me:
"You can look into His eyes.
You don't have to look away. He loves you. He is pleased with you.
Lift up your head to the coming King.
You don't have to be afraid to look into His eyes.
You are beautiful.
You can sit on Daddy God's lap and put your arms around Him, and He'll put His arms around you.
He will hold you tight and not let you go!
He loves you with His everlasting love."
One of the interpretations given in chapel today directly correlated with this word. I was in awe.
So, I left chapel with the reminder that God sees me. He sees my heart. He is my Papa, my Daddy, Yahweh. I'm not alone. He has called me to be holy.
1 Samuel 16:7 - "But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.'"
1 Peter 1:15-16 - "But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.'"
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