The Miracle of CommunionFire

Recognizing The voice of the Lord 

Camille shared the other day, "One of the most wonderful things that has happened for me in our practice of Communion and in the miracle of CommunionFire is that, 


"I recognize the voice of the Lord more and more and I trust it." 

How many of us want to know the voice of the Lord? When (as Wesley says) we are 'communicating' with the Lord at His Table we learn to recognize His images and His voice. Its like knowing the images of people you are close to (when they are happy, when they are curious, when they are showing care). We know what that person sounds like when they are happy, determined or simply sharing from their heart. his is the same when you spend time with Jesus at His Table. You also learn to recognize when it is not Him. The following are two journaled encounters that Camille and I experienced. 

What we do, when we 'do this' as the Lord invited us to.

We declare The Apostle's Creed whenever possible and then someone asks the Lord's blessing on the Bread of the Host and the Wine of His Blood in His Cup.

When we receive Communion we eat the bread of His Flesh 'that was broken for us' and then are very still with eyes closed and we allow the Holy Spirit to open our eyes and to help us recognize what the Lord wants to show us or share with us. Then when drinking the Most Precious Blood that was 'shed for us' we are very still with eyes closed and we listen as the Holy Spirit opens our hearing to whatever message the Lord has prepared to share with us.

(The images at the right of each set of comments journaled while being shared at The Table is my attempt to give you some imagery that reflects what I understood when it was shared.)

(Maundy Thursday) 
at The Surfside CommunionFire Gathering

Camille
Eating the bread of His Body: I was in the Upper Room at the first Communion and I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Blessed are those who have not seen." (As if: Only the Holy Spirit can open our eyes to see the unseen.) 

Drinking the most precious Blood:I heard the voice of the lord again, "Its a new thing every time!" "Look, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it?" Isaiah 43:19

"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:18

Bob
Eating the Bread of his Body: I saw one candle at 3 o'clock and then one closer at 4 o'clock and then as if pulling back revealed the gathering for the 1st Communion in the Upper Room. ("Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house." Matthew 5:15)

Drinking the Most Precious Blood: I looked at Jesus and after seeing many of the "movie faces of Jesus' It settled on the face you see to the right. Jesus said, looking at me smiling, "I like this face!" (as if to say, it is seeing me that transforms no matter which face you see of Me.")

 "For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God's glory displayed in the face of Christ." 2 Corinthians 4:6

Good Friday
Evening Communion in Our Living Room

Camille
Eating the Bread of his Body: Camille thought she heard "sepulcher, sepulcher" then she heard more clearly "Supper"! (She did not know what the word sepulcher meant. When I told her it meant burial place, we concluded with Paul's words, "As often as you do this you show Jesus death until He returns." Corinthians 11:26

Drinking the Most Precious Blood: I heard the Lord say, "Come as you are!"

"But I said to you that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out." John 6:36-37

Bob
Eating the Bread of his Body: I immediately saw (before finished eating) where Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River. He was there with others, splashing, excited and smiling on a brilliant sunny day, saying, "The waters are fine! They are the Kingdom of God. The waters of Baptism bring you into My Kingdom!" ("I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.") Matthew 3:11
 
Drinking the Most Precious Blood: Same thing - immediately as I drank) I saw at least four fierce warriors on very strong horses coming towards me; and they were in leather armor and as I looked I heard, "I am releasing an army of 'Spurgeons' into the whole world. (He was speaking of powerful preachers that would be like 'preaching warriors'. As if doing great damage to the enemy and bringing security to God's people. Could be angels?)

"Their appearance is like the appearance of horses; And like war horses, so they run. With a noise as of chariots They leap on the tops of the mountains, Like the crackling of a flame of fire consuming the stubble, Like a mighty people arranged for battle." Joel 2:4-5

"This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come."  Matthew 24:14

 It is amazing how consistent the Lord is! He is always there. He always shares with us. Each experience is new and fresh. On sees, another hears, another senses something like His peace or His touch of comfort or healing and whatever the encounter might be - He never leaves us or forsakes us and if nothing else we sit at the Table of the king of kings dining on eternal life provided by Him. "He prepares His Table before us".