Renewal In Christ Ministries: Texas Reflections

Reflection on RICM weekend in Midlothian, TX - April 2004
Hearing and Obeying the Call of God       By Sherry Crow

    This past Christmas, I felt a strong sense that the Christmas gift we should give my sister, Melanie, was to pay for her registration to this particular weekend so she could attend with us. (So she had to wait all the way to April to actually get to use her Christmas present!) It was her first time to go and she was quite excited, and really looking forward to the weekend after hearing about our past experiences at RICM weekends.
    We arrived late on Friday night due to various circumstances, so the worship was well underway when we got there. The presence of the Holy Spirit was powerfully evident, even at this early point in the weekend. People were coming forward to surrender their lives to God, and great ministry took place that very first night for many, and especially for Melanie! What a blessing that was! Consequently, I was able to concentrate on what I was seeking from the Lord, knowing that Melanie was being taken care of just fine by the Lord and didn't need her "big sister" to see that her weekend was going well! (Not that she had given me any indication that she needed my help, but the "big sister" part of me was feeling responsible for her, whether she asked or not!)
    As the weekend went on, we learned how to first hear the call of God on our lives, and then how to test that call and take practical steps toward surrendering to that call.
    True surrender to God means unbelievable freedom! Surrender is not normally associated with freedom. But surrender to God means freedom from the burdens of the world and freedom to enjoy His rich blessings which are immeasurable, and not of this world.
    I was able to feel that surrender as the weekend progressed since I had been freed to concentrate on what I had come there for, which was to surrender the order of my life to the Lord. Isn't God amazing! He not only cares for our needs, but orchestrates things so that we can get out of our own way, to allow Him to do the very thing we are asking!
    As I looked around the room as the weekend progressed, it seemed that the small groups had been put together by the very mind of God! And, that the speakers were arranged and given what to say by God.
    Having been to two previous RICM weekends, it was a true joy to watch those who had not yet fully experienced the Holy Spirit's power in their lives. Although that power is available to us at all times if we call upon Him, it helps to have the luxury of 48 hours to spend just concentrating on asking for it in our lives. And spending so much time in praise, worship, prayer, fellowship and seeking the Lord together is a powerful thing! It invites the anointing of the Holy Spirit into our midst. Time and time again, just as He promises, He inhabited our praise!
    As I reflected later with other attendees, it was amazing to hear how the Lord met each person just where they were, and ministered to them just as each had need.
    What a blessed weekend indeed! It was a great blessing to my sister, and a great blessing to me to have the ability to share
in that experience with her. . . . I can't wait until the Fall!

RICM In Midlothian        by Shirley Sharp

"…And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God." (Rom.5:2)

    Arriving early at the center where we would be meeting for the weekend, I was privileged as part of the team to help in the preparatory activities before everyone's arrival. I had a sense of quiet expectation longing to see God's hand at work in the lives of His people. I came wanting only to rest in the presence of the Lord, and to be refreshed. Someone had a vision of angels looking through the large windows of the room where we gathered, reminding me of the 'silence in heaven' (Rev.8) where the angels waited for the prayers of all the saints. They, too, anticipated the great things that would be taking place. It would be a weekend of new beginnings.
    A quiet hush pervaded our camp all weekend. The cloudiness that surrounded us never left its place. It was as if God Himself was amongst us like the pillar of a cloud that led the Israelites out of the desert. Someone commented to me that it was as if we were in a cocoon being protected from the world. God challenged me on my second renewal to become a more active participant in both prayer and praise. "When Jesus had called the Twelve together, He gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and He sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick." (Lk.9:1 Reading this scripture several weeks ago I was challenged to not only believe it, but to understand that I too, had been empowered to do these things in His name. And so I said, "Come, Holy Spirit." What a privilege to pray for, encourage, and build each other up in the name of the Lord and then witness the work of His hands. Someone shared with me a vision they had of bridesmaids, all dressed in white and with radiant faces, following the bridegroom. Hovering above the bridesmaids were multitudes of butterflies (signifying freedom and glory). This would be a day when many of us would be set free from bondage, and one would accept Jesus as their Savior. "And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit…" (Rom. 5:5) What a glorious day it was to witness Gods glory here on earth working in the lives of His people.
    As our stay came to an end, the heavens parted and the sun came out in all its splendor as we began the closing Eucharist. It was as if God was saying; 'Come bask in the glory that is mine.' In the great room where we were gathered, eight large pillars served as supports for the ceiling. In a vision, the pillars were seen as angel's wings extended over us. The number eight represents "new beginnings-the result of putting off the old life'. We had shed the old and been made new in the love of Christ. Our work is not done, though. In His faithfulness He will continue to cleanse us and mold us anew into the glorious vessels He has ordained us to be. Praise be to God!
    "Be careful never to forget what you have seen God doing for you. May His miracles have a deep and permanent effect upon your lives, tell your children and your grandchildren about the glorious miracles He did." (Dt.4:9 tlb)

Glory to God,   Shirley Sharp