George Bernard Shaw said that only a small percentage of people contribute to the life force. He obviously included himself as an author. He had his set ideas about life and how to live it. It is clearly seen in the musical My Fair Lady where a conceited English gentleman by the name of Higgins transform a lowly flower girl into a posh lady by correcting the way she speaks. It is beautiful and very entertaining and one of my favourites.
In this account lies some seeds of reform that can bring about change. Mr. Higgins is an astute student of phonetics. He recognizes any English accent and can write it down in his notebook phonetically.
Peter was caught out at the fireside when a little servant girl accosted him with the fact that he was one of the disciples of Jesus. He denied it but eventually his speech gave him away. You sound like one of Jesus' followers. I always wondered how that sounded? How would Mr. Higgins have noted Peter's way of sounding like Jesus? If only someone had jotted it down we could all have copied it and imitated the Lord! But no one did. It remains an enigma!
But something in Peter the fisherman must have changed from walking around with the Master for almost three years. Something in his vocabulary must have been affected, something must have indicated that he sounded like Jesus, otherwise that comment would not have been made.
I sometimes wonder what I sound like. I don't like listening to any recordings of my preaching nor like to watch any DVD or video. I never liked watching me act on film either. It is such a vulnerable state - to watch yourself perform.
The performance demands the unveiling of a soul and that moment is intimate: it is you and the crowd, or if it is a film, you and the camera. Then it is over. To watch it again is embarrassing to say the least and the very core of the performance lies in the self-forgetfulness of the moment. You almost become someone else in order to reveal your heart. You perform.
I have been called to Perform The Word of God as a prophetic actor. Sometimes, while I am preaching I totally forget where I am and get completely honest with my audience about deep laying issues. In order to illustrate a truth I often forget myself and afterwards, when I think of all I've done, I cringe! I wonder if I should rather stop preaching and go back to acting, but then I remember the vow I made in Switzerland and the vow I made when Yvette was born in Sunnybank, Australia.
Many people say they see themselves when I act certain things out. Some say they heard the Lord or saw the Lord in me. That is the ultimate. I don't know how to perform the Lord or sound like Him, so He must have shown up somewhere during the Performing of His Word - maybe only in their imagination or in their mind, I don't know. I cannot control this appearance or revelation. If I could it would not be the Lord, would it? If I could switch it on or off I would be the magician and I could then display the Lord whenever I choose. That would be a form of witchcraft and spiritism.
Peter did not know when they would see the Lord in Him. Unfortunately it was in his worst moment of denying Christ three times before the cock crew, according to Jesus' prophetic warning to him. He went out and wept bitterly that he did not live up to the moment. But that is the difference between him and Judas Iscariot. Instead of weeping and seeking forgiveness Judas went and hung himself. He was too proud to admit a mistake.
Peter made mistakes, he was rebuked in front of the other disciples, he said the wrong things at the wrong times, he cut of Malchus' ear when they came to arrest Jesus in the garden and Jesus had to heal it and put it back on! He deserted Jesus and followed at a distance. He was not near the cross like John. He went back to fishing...back to his old ways...until Jesus showed up again and gave him three chances to repent from the three denials.
Then Jesus gave him a three fold commission: feed my sheep, feed my sheep, feed my lambs!
Peter chose to change. He waitied for power from on high and became the first person to preach under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost and 3 000 people got converted to Christianity from Judaism!
Eventually people not only saw Jesus in Peter they tried to get into Peter's shadow to get healed by Jesus! Amazing tansition! He not only sounded like Jesus, but acted like Him as well. When they were arrested the chief priests took notice of him and John that they had been with Jesus. They were unlearned fishermen, but they had been with Jesus!
That is the key to change! That is the key to Reform! That is what this apostolic reformation is all about! The Spirit intimated to me, ' reform to be conformed to the image of Christ!' That is how we are going to change the world. When each one of us desires to spend more time with Jesus and to conform to the image of God's Firstborn Son, we are going to sound like Him, act like Him and people are going to try to get into our shadows to get healed by Him.
Can a blogspot change the world? Yes it can! Translate this into any given language and send it out to the world! You have my permission! I Andries Jacobus Pelser, known as Andre, give you permission to translate these words into your language and distribute it for the glory of God.
3 comments:
Since you were last in Portugal and since I have been reading all the articles and hearing the sermons all your sites and there are two words that I cannot stop saying and that I cannot keep thinking, which are – wonderful and beautiful! Now there is a third, which is amazing!…God seems to be talking to me through you and others at Harvester, constantly, even if I’m not present and even when you don’t know that I am listening. Sometimes it feels like I'm in church with you…The wonderful thing about it is the impact is has upon me, it is changing me…It is producing when I talk to people, it is doing so many things that only with time I could tell them all…May God bless you and all of Harvester multiplied times the blessing all you have been and are being and will still be to all those you contact…Over for now, but not Out!
By the way, you are one of the funniest people that I have come to met...God bless...
Some of the things you act out will remain with me forever. I will never forget the cup and pen you used in St Etienne and more recently the speaker cover that became both a serviette and a waiter's apron. Profound moments often come from the simplest things. Keep doing it.
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