Purification is Messy

I went to this Immanuel session with a problem. I was bothered by my "unchristian" attitude toward a fellow Christian. I was annoyed by just about everything this person said or did. I hated this about myself.

During the session Jesus showed me that He wasn't on the cross any more. He was everywhere. I was under a white canopy of his presence. He said it was all good under the canopy.

He said He was working on the situation and that my part was insignificant.

 Jesus said, "I'm in charge. Watch me work. Be patient. Pray. I've got this."

"But, I get so annoyed!"

Then I saw a beet, a deep red beet turned upside down. (This was a riddle. A beet is a root vegetable. It was turned upside down. Jesus was taking me to the root of my problem and turning my point-of-view up-side-down.)

Then Jesus took me to a memory of the time my Christian Reformed father, at the invitation of a neighbour, took the family to a Pentecostal meeting. I was about seven. I remember feeling very uncomfortable there. It was weird and scary and dark. I felt alone and didn't like it.

With the prompting of my coach, I asked Jesus where He was in the memory. Jesus showed me a canopy over the whole meeting. He had the place covered. His light was piercing the darkness. All sorts of bad stuff was being stirred up. That is why I was so bothered.

His light overcomes the darkness.

There is darkness even under God's canopy, but He is there and He is dealing with it.

"What do you want me to know Jesus?"

"Stay under my canopy, be part of what I am doing."

"How?"

"Pray. Rejoice. Be patient."

During this session, my perspective changed dramatically.

In the Middle of the Mess

At the beginning of each Immanuel session in the opening prayer the coach prays that the recipient be reminded of a time or times she has experienced the Lord's presence in special way.

At this particular session I was reminded of being in the back room of the store where I work part-time. The room was quite a mess that day with boxes everywhere and papers spilled out over the floor. In the middle of this mess I could smell a most wonderful sweet smell which I have come to recognize as the smell of the presence of Jesus.

I thanked the Lord for who he was in that memory. "Thank you Lord for your sweet presence even in the middle of a mess."

The rest of the session was spent realizing that Jesus really is right there with me in the middle of any and all of my messes.

He's Got It Covered

At one of the Immanuel sessions I have participated in, I saw myself standing in front of a scarred, blackened landscape. There was a fire burning off to one side. I knew this was a picture of a situation I had been praying about.

The coach asked, "Where is Jesus?"

I saw Jesus very big and all dressed in white. At first he was standing beside me. Then he stepped in front of me so that all I could see was white, the white of Jesus's back. I could no longer see the blackened landscape.

Coach: "Ask Jesus what he wants you to know."

Me: "Jesus what do you want me to know?"

Jesus: "I've got this covered."

What Happens At An Immanuel Session?

With the Immanuel Approach you meet with Jesus and he tells you what he wants you to know. There are parameters. Dr. Karl Lehman and his team developed a safe way to participate. Each session is bracketed with prescribed opening and closing prayers.

Dr. Lehman's website is the best place to get a grounding in the ins and outs of the Immanuel Approach.

Here is a video with a short overview.

Immanuel: God With Us

When I was a child I attended Immanuel Christian School: "God With Us" School. I learned God was with us in his creation. We knew he was real by studying his creation.

When I was a "young" mother" I attended Immanuel Christian Reformed Church: "God With Us" church. I learned that God was with us in his Word. Every word in the Bible is God-breathed.

Now in my 60's I am participating in Immanuel sessions: "God With Us" sessions. I am learning that Jesus is right here with me as so vividly portrayed in this video.

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28: 19-20 (NIV)

The Immanuel Approach developed by Karl Lehman is awesome. Our church, Flamborough Christian Fellowship, is having sessions every Friday evening starting at 7 p.m. for anyone who wants to come. Call the office at 905-689-5355.

Immanuel sessions are amazing. I am addicted, so addicted that I participate in a session with a friend every Tuesday and jump at the chance to do a session with anyone who asks. Jesus always shows up. You don't even have to be a Christian to be on the receiving end of an Immanuel session.

In the days ahead I will be posting some of my personal sessions.

Minnie Goes to Heaven (132)

(a novel continued)

“Well praise the Lord,” John proclaimed. 
Minnie hugged the boys. “Welcome into the family of God. I guess we know what this means, eh John.”

Henry and George looked a little puzzled.

“Did you notice the for sale sign on the lawn.

“Missed that,” George said.

Minnie and John told them about the deal with the Lord, including the fleece.

“So, you are the ones to thank.” Henry said.

“You could say that,” John said, “But, we were only following the Lord’s leading.”

Just then Mary came home. “Hey, George, Henry, what’s up?”

“Notice anything different?” George said.

“You look kind of happy.” Mary ventured.

“We are,” Henry said.

“Okay, you won a lottery.”

“No, guess again.”

“You’ve decided to buy the house.”

“There’s an idea,” George said. “We’ll have to consider that one.”

“We’ll give you a good price,” John said.

“Too bad the realtor is already involved,” George said.

“Okay, I give up,” Mary said.

“We gave up too,” George said. “We belong to Jesus now.”

Minnie Goes to Heaven (131)

(a novel continued)

“We were listening to the radio one day and this preacher came on describing sin, and a life of sin. He said it wasn’t fair the way we blamed God for creating us with a desire to sin, when we were the ones that brought it on ourselves. 
“That preacher had my attention because I was going to shoot him down, but first I had to hear him out. The way he told it...he said the devil brought sin into the world. Mankind sinned and was filled with desire to sin. We all carry in us original sin which we inherited from Adam. We all have this innate propensity to want things that don’t belong to us, to lie, to steal, to cheat. We fight these desires because there are laws against such things and we don’t want to bear the punishment. He also mentioned that it used to be that the laws of the land lined up with God’s laws, but just because something isn’t against the law of the land doesn’t make it right. That was just an aside.

“He said that God writes a law on our heart. He also said that if we accept Jesus as our Saviour, we accept His payment for that sin that is in each one of us. That doesn’t mean the desire goes away, but He paid the price for that sin. He took the punishment. And, He helps us fight against wrong desires if we accept Him.

“Now this is the crazy part. Henry and I looked at each other and decided we could put this thing to the test. We had nothing to lose. To be honest the sex part of our relationship was getting a little old. So, we actually got down on our knees and confessed that we had given into our sinful desires. We asked Him to forgive us. Then we asked Jesus to come into our hearts and take over, to be the Lord of our lives. All those Sunday School lessons weren’t wasted you know. We asked him to help us fight against our wrong desires.”

“I can’t begin to describe the peace, the joy, the freedom....” Henry said.

“It was like a thousand pounds lifted off me,” George said.

“I felt, I still feel so clean,” Henry said.

“The neat thing is we are still buddies.” George said, “and that sexual attraction I used to feel is absolutely gone. It’s a miracle. I know it is.”

Minnie Goes to Heaven (130)

(a novel continued)

‘Now what?’ prayed Minnie one snowy morning. She felt that the Lord required something more. John felt it too. ‘Wait on me.’ Minnie heard in her spirit.  The Lord impressed on them that they should fast. 

John and Minnie only drank water for the next two days. The third day they cut out the water as well. Then they heard the Lord, ‘The task I require requires sacrifice.’

‘Lord, tell us and give us the ability.’ John prayed.

‘I want you to sell all you have and give it to the poor. I want you to go out into all the world and preach the gospel. I will meet all your needs. Simply go where I direct and do as I say. You will see even greater miracles than you have seen here in Haven.’

‘Can we think about this?’ John asked. ‘Can we perhaps put out a fleece?’

‘Ask anything and I will perform it.’

‘Well,’ Minnie said, 'That’s easy. I ask that George and Henry give their lives to you.’

‘Yes,’ John agreed, ‘we ask that George and Henry turn over their lives to you completely.’

'"Consider it done.'

The next day John called the realtor and listed the house as well as the nursery.

The day after that George and Henry came to visit. They were beaming. “Mom, Dad, we have something to tell you,” George said.

“We have never been so happy,” Henry added.

“We’ve given our lives to Jesus,” George said.

“How does that change things for you?” John asked.

“It’s very amazing,” George said.

“I knew that if I gave my life to Jesus, He would want me to live a holy life. That’s why I put Him off for so many years. I like my life the way it was. Besides I really didn’t think it was fair the way God created me. I always figured if He created me with an attraction to men instead of women, it wasn’t fair that He called that sin."