The Answer

Well, last night's adventure to the downtown church was nothing short of an awe-inspiring, miraculous, God-in-action evening. The roads didn't end up being too bad, and so I arrived at the church at about ten to six. There was no parking in front, so I had to drive up 96th street to come around and park on the block before the church.

But let me backtrack a little bit. A few weeks ago, I had a dream about the downtown church people, which made me realize how much they had worked their way into my thoughts. In my dream, I went down an alley to give a man some money, and he returned the favour by demanding more, and I looked around for help, but there was just a building, and nowhere to go. I ended up running towards a soup kitchen.

So last night I drove up 96 street, past the Mustard Seed, where dozens were waiting to get in for Sunday dinner, turned onto 107 avenue, and then south down 95 street. I thought that if I turned right on 105 avenue I'd end up at the place I wanted to park. So I turned right, and it was a dead end...by a building....and I yelled out loud, "THIS IS THE PLACE FROM MY DREAM!" and it was. Over beside the building were some people and shopping carts, and as I hyperventilated and my brain tried to comprehend the scene, I spun the car around and headed back to the street.

I finally returned to the street on which I could park my car, and all that I could think was "Do you really believe that what you believe is really real". It was going through my head over and over again. I went into the church, invited by a fellow FPU leader, thinking that the revelation of my dream was the reason I was sent last night. But there was more to come.

I walked into the sanctuary and the band was practicing, playing lines from "Knocking on Heaven's Door". It was a welcoming church, and I just sat and took it all in. The band played for an hour or so, very upbeat, lots of dancing and flag waving, and true joy expressing itself through music.

The first speaker was a pastor from Sylvan Lake, who didn't impress me much as the first thing he did was demand that every make an offering so that they could be prosperred. Hmmm....that didn't quite sound right. He then spoke about some of his visions and what they meant to the church in 2010. My head was trying to decide how I was going to make a graceful exit. The second speaker was much better, and had a great message on fire, God being a consuming fire, needing to have the fire within us to reach those outside the church, and being salt to flavour the secular world. He was a great speaker and we ended singing a song that had been written by the founder of the Salvation Army. As we sang the song, I thought that I would leave soon after.

After the song, the entire congregation was invited to the front to receive prayer and to receive the fire. I was happy to just sit in my seat and watch everyone else, and Franca (the fellow FPU leader) asked if I wanted to go out to receive prayer. I reluctantly joined the crowd, feeling slightly uncomfortable as people started falling on the floor. The pastor from Sylvan Lake approached me, and I raised my arms up as he touched my neck and yelled, "FIRE!" My hands dropped to my chest as my knees buckled, but I stayed standing, and he returned as my eyes were closed and again touched me and yelled, "FIRE" and I had to grab a chair to keep from falling. I stumbled downstairs to the washroom, completely lightheaded, drained, like I had been zapped by an electrical current.

I came back upstairs and sat in my chair, repeating to myself, "Do you believe, do you believe, do you really believe that what you believe is really real."

Church in Devon felt different today. I decided to start my own Sunday School bible study on Genesis because I like Genesis, but heard a voice telling me to instead study Isaiah, and so I am tackling that massive book for what is currently an unknown reason. I gave with thanksgiving, giving back to the Lord, knowing that it is all His to begin with and I gladly give my tithe to Him. The sermon spoke volumes as it discussed Ephesians 4 and how we should carry ourselves in this world. Everywhere I looked I saw opportunity to give and to help and contribute to The Kingdom, and I'm not sure where I will be next, but I prayed fervantly and will continue to pray tonight.

Finally I can answer the question, going against all logic.

Yes.