Judgement House

Monday morning, not much sleep, tons on my heart and my mind is full. Is there something I need to be doing?
Prayer is the seasoning to good judgement.

3:06 this morning in John 3:6 - Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the spirit gives birth to spirit.

I am at a loss as to what that means. I know there is more to it but as of right now, all I have is that we give birth to others - flesh to flesh - but only through Gods spirit can we be reborn again so that His spirit lives in us. Without the spirit, we are just born and leading a godless life. I know there is so much more in there, I just don't have the vision for it just yet.

This past Saturday night we had 15 students and leaders head down to Rock Hill SC to Calvary Church for Judgement House. Imagine a series of rooms that a group of folks walk through and a series of actors and actresses act out a story as we move from room to room. I don't remember how many rooms we all moved through but this story took place with a high school student who had lived a tough life up until this point. Her mom and dad both in jail, living with her grandmother, caught dealing dope and accused of using it. Her friends at school dont like her and push her aside, make fun of her, beat her down. These are her Christian friends. Grandma has made arrangements for her to go on a youth retreat and it has the entire church up in arms. Parents don't want their children hanging with her. They feel as though they pay the bills in the church so they should have a say on things. As we begin to see the first few rooms unfold, it was obvious that nobody wanted to be friends with her, reach out to her in any way and degrade her as if her life meant nothing to nobody. By the third room, a call is taken by one of the youth leaders and news is passed to her that her grandmother passed. Her grandmother tried so hard to live out her faith to her and accept Christ and now the only thing in her young life that was stable was gone. Next room we find her struggling and angry with God. She decides to take a bunch of pills and end the pain because of her cercumstances. She let her life choices, the things around her, let people speak their truth to her to dictate the direction of her decisions.
Next room as we enter is a white room, a large official looking table in the center and a large book on it. The book of life. A man, white hair and beard sitting behind the table we see the grandmothers name called out. Her name is in the book of life. An angel takes her by the hand - My child, job well done my good and faithful servant. She is lead through a gate that is bright and beautiful. The girl comes in next and after a few exchanged words, a plead for her life and following her grandmother the news is stated that her name is not in the book of life. The Anvil is hammered and that noise I will not soon forget. It was such a defining moment... as to say - the decision is done. No more 2nd chances. You chose the paths in life and now those choices define the destination. A demon person comes and grabs her and drags her out while screaming. The white haired man, God in the play - then reads everyones name - first and last in the group to step forward. What a powerful moment to remember. We had to let go of the person next to us and walk that alone. Far too often our faith is built on others. We think because my uncle was a preacher, that we are good. I grew up in church so as an adult I can live any way I want to. It is not the case loved ones. Our faith is ours. Its personal and each of us have a walk and journey that we must navigate and chose. Our day of judgement will come to each of us, a journey we must make alone. When my mom passed, I couldnt help but to think that she had to take this journey alone. How I know some of us wanted to go with her and the comfort in those thoughts are that she is already there, she has made the journey and is waiting on us. I take comfort in knowing that and my journey will be less alone because mom went before me.
Next room we find ourselves in a hot dark smokey room. In there is the young girl, 2 demons are insulting her, mocking her, she is hot, her skin is hurting. They laugh and tell her how she will never leave and how aweful and alone her eternity is going to be. She is crying and screaming out. I feel arms and hands grabbing mine and everyone moving closer - some are crying. Some can't believe what they are seeing. Some are saying - Uncle Lonnie I am scared. I pull my arm over a student and help hide her and then along the side is a preacher man. He is in chains, he is saying I spoke of God my entire life. I preached messages about you and here I am. I lived the message of Christ but I too didn't truly believe. It was a powerful scene that shows us that even good church people go to hell - even when they act the part. Its what is inside our hearts that truly matter. The girl is screaming to have the preacher man save her, to help her in some way but he knows the truth. There is no escape. There is no way out. The devil appears from the back. His face red, pointed nose, and he screams. It was worse then anything I had seen at Carowinds. It was so real and as he screamed he loved the fact that the young girl was scared, crying and his forever. The crowd was crying, I was crying and all around me people were shaking. We left that powerful room to go through another room where we were on a journey to heaven. We meet the grandmother entering heaven and the room is all white. Folks are smiling and the grandmother is greeted by her husband. Who spoke in english a piece of scripture that I wish I could remember. It was a happy meeting and couldn't help but to think of Walt and Marylou. How they are now together and happy. What a great meeting that must have been. I thought of my mom then and tears flowed from my face - as was almost everyone elses in the room. With a white cloth around my neck - made it even more powerful as we were standing in heaven. The scripture was then read in 5 or 6 different languages. Christ appears and he is smiling. He welcomed the grandmother and people began to sing and praise him. He spoke for a good little while about salvation and how in this life we only have 2 choices and our destination for eternity is up to us. He then went and sat on the stage which was like an altar and the children came running to him and sat with him. We then walked out and sat in a room where one of the leaders from Calvary church - welcomed us, thanked us for coming, prayed over us and then shook hands. We had 3 students give their lives to Christ Saturday night. I can't help but to tear up as I type this. That is what its all about and why I press on through these hard things that take place. Its that changed life that has heaven singing and celebrating.

I don't think that I have seen a story played out to be so real and so heavy. I think about not only myself but also for those around me. I am thankful for those who made the trip down but sad for all those who didnt go because I know that there is no amount of explaining could really capture what we experienced Saturday night. Pastor Travis spoke to all of us, the 3 students who gave their hearts to Christ shared tears and hugs. Pastor Travis prayed over us and a much different ride home started. Different because of the very real life story that was played out in front of us. Very real decision of what are we going to decide about Christ.

I want to end todays post with the lyrics from ThirdDay - Surrender
When the day began
and you opened up your eyes
No, you didn't recognize
What you were seeing
Then it all came back
You remembered where you've been
Well is never seems to end
and you're still running

Will you ever change your mind
You're almost out of time

You better give up
Gotta stop running
Its the end of the line
Its time to surrender
Hands up
Turn it around
Fall to the ground
Are you gonna surrender

Now the day is done
And you want to close your eyes
and pretend that you are fine
but you'd be lying
and you want it back
the life that you once had
'Cause inside you find
That you are slowly dying

Loved ones, dont let your today become your yesterday. Your future is in front of you.... and its bigger than you ever imagined.
Lonnie~