Surprising facts about George Friedrich Handel

This summer we went to Handel's house in London, which has been made into a museum, the Handel House. It was here that he wrote his greatest works, including Messiah. It is in the center of the city, in Mayfair, and worth a visit if you are in London. Some interesting facts about Handel which we learned there:

1. Handel was a bachelor all his life.

2. Jimi Hendrix, the famous American rock guitarist, lived in the same house, which is a little weird.  He hosted big parties there with famous rockers and lots of drugs.  A whole room in the house is devoted to him.

3. Handel was something of a childhood prodigy.  When he was a child his dad took him along to visit a family friend who was a Duke. Handel was put on a piano stool and began playing on his own, awed everyone, and the Duke convinced his dad to get him musical lessons since he obviously had talent.

4. The writer of the words of Messiah was very disappointed with what Handel wrote (see the quote above). Charles Jennens said "I shall put no more sacred words into his hands to be thus abused". Of course, today everyone has heard of Handel and few remember Charles Jennens.

Funny word of knowledge

Recently I had a funny spiritual shopping experience.  I was in a famous discount variety store, and as I walked through the kitchenware section (on my way elsewhere) a picture of these great snack and desert bowls we used to have flashed into my mind.  We had a bunch of these given to us at our wedding, and all but one broke five years ago when a kitchen shelf collapsed and most things on it were smashed (it was quite dramatic!).  I have looked for them ever since, but with no luck.

But when I walked ten feet further, there were two of them just sitting there on the shelf.  I scooped them up, and gave glory to God.   God can lead you shopping after all!  Was this a word of knowledge?

Favorite thing in London

Several people have asked me about what I liked best on our trip to London and its surroundings.  Kew Gardens, Stonehenge, and the British Museum were all most impressive.  But my favorite will surprise you.

The British Library has a room of historic books and writings of all sorts (Gutenberg Bible, Beatles original songs, Shakespeare's plays, etc.)  But the most valuable is the Codex Sinaiticus.  This is a 4th century manuscript of the Bible, one of the two oldest, most famous, and original in the world (Codex Vaticanus is in Rome).  The story of its discovery is worthy of an Indiana Jones movie (check out the story on wikipedia). But it was an amazing experience to be inches away (it is is an alarmed glass case) from maybe the oldest copy of the Bible in the world.  I stood in front of it and just gazed at it for a long time.  It is written in capital Greek letters, mostly without word breaks, just continuous letters.  I was able to read a few words from it.

God's word is an incredibly powerful thing.

Weirdest thing found in a church parking lot

Last week we found a heavy iron 15 pound dumbbell in the parking lot.

Anyone working out?

Beatitudes

I am so excited to be speaking on the beatitudes for the next 8 weeks or so.  God used our first visit to Israel to provoke me to think more about them.  The site where Jesus spoke them is absolutely beautiful, a naatural amphitheater on the side of a mountain sloping down into the Sea of Galilee.  They deal with the character of a believer, and the characteristics that we need in our lives to have God's blessing present.  If there is anything we need in this day, it is godly character.

Join us for this series!

Man of steel

What a great depiction of fatherhood is shown in "Man of Steel", the new Superman movie!  I saw it last night, and much of the story turns around how Superman related to his Krypton father, and also his earthly father.  Both are great examples, and teach and sacrifice their lives for him.  One even keeps guiding him after his death through technology (you have to see it, no more details) . Superman struggles with his identity, and becomes the best of both great examples.  (I am not even going into a theological truth  that Superman is presented as an excellent Christ-figure by the movie, which was planned by the director.)   But this movie is worth seeing for its depiction of fatherhood. The action sequences and scifi were good too!

Odd spiritual experience at the mall

This morning I continued my  2 year old adventure of prayer walking Freehold.  I was at the Raceway Mall, having covered almost all of the town north of that area.  Today I walked the ring road around the mall, which is surprisingly huge.  As I was near the spoke at the corner leading to the movie theater off Rt. 537, the Holy Spirit came on me, and I saw the mall in a different light, a supernatural way (this is hard to put into words).  I felt God urging me to ask the Holy Spirit and His presence to fall on the mall and all those in it.  I believe this happened, and some unusual things will result from this in the future. The experience was exhilirating.

Uncle Tom's Cabin

I have been trying to read some classics lately, and just finished "Uncle Tom's Cabin".  This book is truly great in that it was written by a strong Christian with a very strong Christian message and goal, at a time when almost the whole audience of Americans saw themselves as Christians.  It also had a huge impact in ending slavery by showing how it worked in daily life.  What touched me most, though, was how the slaves, especially Tom, dealt with suffering as Christians.  Their comments are moving and timeless.

This is a great book for you to read some time.

Easter attendance

Several people have asked me how many people were here on Easter Sunday, seeing the large crowd spread over three services.  Our total was 1151, a new record for a Sunday morning.  God has really been blessing the church lately, with many new faces from all over.  I attribute much of this to our 21 days of prayer and fasting starting the year.  God spoke to me a few years ago that the church would one day have 2500 people in attendance, but I am not sure when.  But there are many others who need Christ in the area, keep praying and working.  We may need the next phase of the building plan sooner than we thought.

New ask the pastor question

"Does God want us to be happy?"

Jury duty

For the third time in my life, I was called this week for jury duty.  Five years ago I was called for 3 days, but did not serve (I was bumped off a trial by the attorney when he found out I was a pastor!).  About 15 years ago I served on grand jury for 3 or 4 months every Wed.  This was interesting, we would hear 10-15 cases a day to determine if there was evidence to go to trial.  I gained a lifetime of stories and sermon illurtations, but since it is confidential, I can't share any of them.

So guess what happened this time?  I was "on call" for 3 days, but did not even need to go to the courthouse.  I had lots of ministry work to do, so I feel like I dodged a bullet!

Prayer for neighbors

I was greatly encouraged to keep praying for our church neighbors by something that happened last week.  I went out to lunch 40 minutes away at a business in Cranbury with someone new to church.  At lunch he said, "Did you notice the lady at the first desk on the right as you came in?'  I said yes. Dave told me that she lives right across from the church, she sees the church out her window. This is right off my adopted street of Witherspoon.  I said I would like to meet her when we returned to the office.

Dave introduced me as the pastor of MWC.  She told me, "I live right across from it!"  I told her she should stop by and visit some time.  She said that she and a neighbor friend have been  thinking of it!  I will be inviting them for Easter, the drama, Vanderblast ,etc.

God is hearing our prayers, keep asking. It amazes me to think that God brought a Christian to her workplace over half an hour away in answer to our prayers.

Mountain climbing dream

Here's a dream from early Sunday morning that I think was prophetic.  I was climbing a huge mountain with another local pastor I have not seen in several years.  We reached the top, and spread out below it was a beautiful long valley half full of bright gold mixed with dirt.  Past that valley were several others, also full of gold and dirt.  Somehow I felt that since we had discovered this, the valley contents belonged to us.

What does it mean?  Someone said that the gold represents souls.  I like that better than real gold, which is not bad either! In any case, it is a good dream.

Any thoughts on what this means?