:HeartThrob: :HeartThrob: :HeartThrob: :HeartThrob: :HeartThrob: :HeartThrob: :HeartThrob: :HeartThrob: :HeartThrob: :HeartThrob: :HeartThrob: :HeartThrob: :HeartThrob:
I earned my Chaplain's credentials primarily because of my work in street ministry some 20 years ago. A year after I was married, I had a Pastoral Vision that made little sens to me... It was a heart beating filled with rich green grass. The next morning on a Truth for Life broadcast, Alistair Beg explained the word Pastor comes from the word Pasture, and that it is only God who gives a man a "Pastors Heart" then my vision made sense to me, while sitting in my car warming it up for my drive to work... I did not pay any attention to the shadow of a man sitting next to me that day, till years later when I had my near death experience...
I was a Deacon in my church (PCA) after my deactivation from military duty in 2004.
I then became independently ordained two days before my 20 years of military service, (February 4, 2005). While on my twenty years of service, (in water survival training) I suffered massive heart attacks, and a near death experience, having Jesus shoulder to shoulder next to me (in shadow); and later looked down upon my own ambulance (out of body).
I was not expected to survive, but today in only having 2/3 ds of my heart, they tell me now that I may not even need my defibrillator. God used this event to remove me from my contract as a marine machinery technician with the Army; I would have held to sixty years of age.
I then went on to become a certified Chaplain with the UECA December 1, 2006.
I now am simply walking through doors the Lord is opening for me.
I am a first Lieutenant withe the U.S. Corps of Chaplains now and am currently working on volunteering as a Chaplain with the Corps at the National Navel Medical Center.
It has taken over a year to make contact with the right people at Bethesda, yet the Lord has providentially provided a "Christian" Chaplain, who just came on board at the hospital.
It is also providential that the Chief of Chaplains just happened to be coming down the elevator the 2nd time I spoke with my personal Chaplain that day.
I was thinking yesterday when in Church listening to the sermon on Abraham being told to sacrifice his son, how people who only think God speaks to them in the scripture would have thought today this was demonic, and not of God! The Bible will always reflect who God is and how he communicates, yet the Bible is only like reading a car manual and not driving the car if you believe the Lord will only use the scriptures to communicate to you!
This is what sets me apart from the rest of our Presbyterian Congregation, and may even include the Pastors! Oh yes it is much easier to label me as pentecostal or charismatic rather than to understand and grow in the fact most of us are capable in having a much closer relationship with God in Christ than many are taught or think possible!
I was blessed in having some learning disabilities, as God actually revealed himself to me instead of some clerical suit telling me how it is. Is this not exactly what happened in the scriptures when Christ touched some ones life, and then the scholars rejected them...?
I know it to be so, yet most people are much more comfortable identifying themselves as a Baptist, Catholic, Charismatic, Evangelical, Lutheran, Presbyterian, on and on; then trying to walk in faith as themselves in Christ alone!
I prayed a simple prayer a week before my event; it was that I would be effective for Christ like the apostle Paul, and that the Enemy would know who I am!
A couple weeks later after a relapse in my heart condition; a black female Nurse exclaimed to me out of the blue: " Mr. Dell, the Enemy knows who you are but this will not stop what God has planned for you!" I was stunned, and my wife and a friend who was pulled from a totally crushed automobile accident by a huge "unknown" firefighter, believe this was an angel... I don't know, but I do know how real God is in my life as he once laid shoulder to shoulder next to me!
Feel free to blog this post on the net; I told the Lord if he allowed me to live, I would no longer keep my mouth shut because of social pressure, and the "church"...
CH Roland Dell
Hi Chap...wondered where you'd been :thumbsup:
AMEN! :2c:
Hello Mr. Moderator,
Sorry for not showing up more, I had my nose cut off by some scholarly intellectuals on this site, who rather than dig in the scriptures, just land blasted me with "excepted" doctrines, and tried to dazzle me with their credentials and intellectual knowledge.
Yes the scripture must indeed be taken in contexts, and we also must be willing to dig historically when reading the texts. Latin has distorted in its translation part of the texts and it is no easy task in challenging people to seek greater understanding, especially when you do not hold any exceptional degrees in theology...
Yes it is easy to be put off by these type people, but our call is in seeking greater truth and listening to our Lord rather than trying to make a point to people.
I get scared sometimes and am hurt by those attempting to crush me, yet God allows this in only strengthening my faith, and the fruit than becomes wine in its pressing.
Thank you for taking the time in welcoming me back, I like the resources you have available on tentmaker.org, yet still struggle in taking the time to read.
:cloud9: Good testimony, welcome back...... :thumbsup: