Update and Encouragement

I just wanted to share a little story and encouragement from a situation that transpired a week ago tomorrow (1.19.2011) as I ministered to a group of kids.  Please understand right up front I am sharing this not to draw attention to myself, but as a means of encouraging you to follow God's lead while you minister to kids.

I am not sure if it was the "coming snow", full moon or just plain rowdy kids, but lets just say they were wired! I just about pulled the plug and sent them home, IT WAS NUTS!! As I was reaching wits end I was praying under my breath, "God HHEELLPP!!!!"  As always he was faithful to do just that.  I was leading worship (poor kids) normally I would do a fast song then slower song.  Since my voice isn't that strong (Actually I think a horse sounds better) I usually don't do a true worship song because I need to cover my voice.  When I looked at the iPod I hit "Here I am to Worship" by Chris Tomlin before I realized what I did.  I just went with it and led the kids in that song.  It was a live version and when Chris hits the line "I'll never know how much it cost to see my sins up on that cross" he repeats it several times.  Instantly I remembered a dream I had over 14 years ago.  I knew the Holy Spirit was leading me to share that dream with the kids. 

I had the kids sit down and began to share the dream.  In the dream my two sons were the same age as they were in reality (At the time of the dream Baylor had not been born yet.) The doctors had informed us that Boston (14 months old) had some sort of radical blood and would die very soon without a “suitable” donor. The disease was incurable. After an extensive search, it turned out that the only acceptable donor was my oldest son Brayden (4 years). There was a catch though; the donor would not live. Brayden wanted to help save his little brother from certain death, knowing that he would have to die in his brother's place. The doctors and we were concerned that a child that young could not possibly grasp the seriousness of what he had committed to do (Please remember this is a dream). We had him examined by several psychologists. Each one stated that he definitely understood the situation. They told us, “This child is amazing, (I knew that, he’s my son.) he really understands. So we went ahead with the process. 

Once the "donation" had been taken from Brayden he began to fade quickly. Boston was injected and improved equally as quick.

Shelly and I found ourselves with Brayden at some sort of amusement park (he had been released but would likely die within a few hours. However, they hadn't realized the grotesque changes his little body would go through before our eyes). There were many of our close friends from church there at the park. The overwhelming atmosphere among us was peaceful and joyous, yet utterly horrible if you can understand that. We were standing in some long line, as I began to watch my son change in my arms. His hair had turned dark (he is blonde), and eventually white. He was feeling really rotten. His little face began to twitch, and with each passing minute, I saw him slipping away. I watched the life being sucked out of him to the point that he barely looked human (psalm 22). I thought, "Certainly there has to be something I can do", but all I could do was stand there helpless and proud that I had been able raise such a caring, giving son for even just a few years. I even turned around and set him on the floor for a moment because I just couldn’t bear to watch anymore. Shelly and I watched as his face became disfigured, and his eyes rolled back into his head. Then it hit me, “Raise the dead”! The price will be paid with his sacrifice and death it would be totally legal to raise him from the dead. (In the dream I for some reason the donor had to die in order for the donation to be effective.)

As I awoke from the dream I catapulted from my bed, uttering the words “Father, What in the world was that?” No sooner than I said that, I heard God answer (not audibly) me, “You just saw the crucifixion, and my plan of salvation in a way you could understand and relate to. I can tell you that based on what I experienced through that dream: I could never doubt any promise in God’s word. 

I told the kids "HE IS LOVE!!, He is a good father and He will go to any length to reach us.  I then proceeded to give an altar call.  I was shocked at the number of hands that went up.  I was also shocked by the silence in the room as I shared the dream with them.  I realized that sharing that dream was totally God's lead.  My plan for that day was to talk to them about "The Faithfulness of God", but his plan was to utilize my mouth and willingness to follow His lead to bring between 9 & 11 kids to a decision point for Him.  There is nothing like wrapping up a meeting and knowing that God truly was in control of that meeting.

So as I wrap this up I just want set those of you who would worry about sharing this dream with children that I padded it a great deal for them so as to make the point.  I have shared this dream many times in the last 14 years and the result is always similar.  I also want to encourage you who are ministering to kids at the schools to get out of the way and let God lead you in whatever you do. Your plan just isn't that important.--Bob Heath