Now to pick up where I left off....
I eventually left MCC to attend another gay affirming church called New Creation Christian Ministries. It was during my journey there that my acceptance in the eyes of my Heavenly Father was solidified. My spouse and I had been debating with each other about tithing. I believed in tithing and she did not. One weekend she went away to a Holy Spirit conference being held by Benny Hinn in Orlando, Florida. God took that opportunity while He had me to Himself to begin to speak to me about the call on my life. He made it clear that in order to follow this call I need to be obedient in the area of tithing. I begin to tell him that my spouse was the problem. He told me he would take care of my spouse that all I had to do was be obedient. I shared this at worship practice and asked for special prayer.
When my spouse came back she was on cloud nine. I was in fear and trembling of telling her that I tithed while she was away. I started by saying I have something to tell you and I don't think you are going to like it but God told me to do it and that He would take care of you. I told her what I had done and her response was I have something to tell you as well. When she went up to receive a confirming prayer after receiving a healing touch in her body she stood before the Lord and surrendered everything to Him. She told Him she would do whatever He told her to do even if it was to leave me. As Benny Hinn came to lay hands on her she fell out under the power of the Holy Ghost and God spoke to her heart and said I want you to start tithing.
After that experience I have never looked back. God on that day dealt with us as a family unit in His eyes. I do not care what law is passed or not passed. I know that my Redeemer lives. I am accepted by Him. We have had several similar situations in our lives over the years where God has answered our prayers and spoken to us as a couple. You can not buy or sell that experience!
Now how does this all related to reconciling with my brother? He did come to faith in Christ several years ago while serving one of his many terms in prison. He was accepting of my relationship prior to accepting Christ but after no so much. I cut off any further communication with him. He was convinced of his position as I was of mine. For a season I lost my brother. He really was the only one from my natural family that has ever reciprocated in staying in touch, with either cards or phone calls.
Ten years passed. Just last week I received an e-mail from him asking me to forgive him.
Here is an excerpt from his e-mail:
My prayer is that you can find it in your heart to forgive me for ever trying to judge you with, or without God's word. What I have learned over the past 9 years is that in regard to god's Word, love is always the most important thing. Jesus taught us that. Paul echoed it in 1 Corinthians 13. That is what the Jews, and unfortunately I, forgot. when I lost sight of the love aspect, I lost sight of God's true intent all along: to bring us all together under one umbrella. Loving Him and each other in a way fitting for those that would be in His presence one day.
In my journey to biblical truth I went to the far extreme, believing God's law, all 613 commandments, are to be obeyed w/o question or it is sin. But God was faithful in His teaching, and I eventually came to see the similarity in that mindset, with that of the Pharisees and the Sadducee of Jesus' time on earth. we know where that got them....don't we?
Do I need to say that I e-mailed him pretty quickly and told him that I did forgive him. That morning on the way to work I had church. I am so thankful that God is so alive in my life. He is stilling healing, forgiving, and restoring people's lives, including mine.
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