"The Heavenly Man"

Though many of you may be thinking - "She is especially fond of Eric today." That is not the inspiration of my title....love you hun, but you will always be "The Skills Man" to me. My title is the title of the book that I am just finishing. It is a biography of a Chineese man who was tortured and imprisioned often for his faith and his amazing passion for spreading it through China.

As I read his story, the Holy Spirit prompted me to see something that I haven't really thought much of before. Throughout the whole book, Brother Yun (the chinese man) was constantly telling us what the Lord was saying to him and it was almost always Scripture - there was an occasional vision or dream - but for the most part it was just Scripture. He had memorized so much of the Bible that he was able to recall and recite it during his most horrible moments. And I must say this man will need about 50 U-Hauls to carry all the crowns that he must have earned in Heaven for his sufferings. I think us Americans who suffer little for the sake of Christ think if we pray that God should somehow tell us directly something or have someone else tell us what he's thinking. I guess I knew I should be reading my Bible more, but this book gave me a real revolation. That the Bible IS GOD's WORD. Yesterday, today and tomorrow this will stay the same and if I am reading and memorizing and meditation on his Word I will hear from him. Personally I have a very weak personal relationship with Christ. I have much head knowledge, live to the best of my ability as a follower of Christ should, and desire to serve him wherever he wants me.....but I don't spend much time with him. I don't fellowship with him daily and read his Word to hear his voice - I just ask him to tell me so I can skip that task.

This book touched my spirit and reminded me to get in the Word, to work on memorizing Scripture so I will not lean on my own understanding, so I will not depend on my own strength, so I will be in union with Christ and may know that I am on the right path because I am on the path with HIM.

Thank you Lord for real stories of others who have lived a life so amazingly connected to you that their expression of faith and servanthood draws others closer to you. If you need or desire a stirring from the Holy Spirit - "The Heavenly Man" by Brother Yun and Paul Hattaway will do just that.