Querido Hermano Rivers,

My name is Raul and as a Heterosexual Christian, allow me to say that you have shamed me.

Today, I was feeling broken and weary. Debating with not only those who would mock my faith but many times those of my faith whose human frailty and closed hearts leads them to mangle scripture to hurt my GLBT brothers and sisters, exhausted me. Trying to minister to others only to find that consumerist culture and the apathy of society has made them unwilling to stand up for the oppressed, unwilling to tend to the hungry, sick and needy, drained my spiritual reserves.

Today, I just laid on my bed and bemoaned the weight of my task and asked God to ease my burden. I then casually checked back here, and read your story, your ministry, your incredible faith, and indomitable courage.

I was so ashamed. Here I was complaining about the difficulties of being a witness for the Lord from the comfort and safety of my room, and there you were, risking everything and being open to your Heterosexual brothers and sisters to bridge the divide in their hearts. There you were, bringing the Word of God to people far from your homeland. There you were, demonstrating the miraculous power of the Spirit and the fortitude that Christ himself told us we would have to possess in order to walk in his steps.

Thank you, Rivers. Thank you for reminding me that there is hope. Thank you for bringing me out of my self-pity.

You are truly are an example of the Holy Spirit at work within our Faith. May God bless you and keep you.

Yours in Christ,

Raul

Dear RaulG,

I notice you live in Orlando. Let me just say, having lived in Tampa for 2 years a decade ago, that the Central Florida region is an area I love very dearly and I understand how you must feel sometimes in talking with other Christians, not just in Florida but online, about these issues. There is a mindset, a stronghold in the mind if you will, and a culture and paradigm that locks people into one way of thinking, even if what their words and actions have no fruit and do not line up with the word of God.

But be encouraged. The battle is already won. It is not up to us to “debate”, but to bring revelation and illumination and to allow the Spirit of God to speak through us in ways that people become conscious of the presence of Jesus, and their hearts start to burn within and they recognize in their hearts the truth of what we say or simply who we are, not just because of a strong, rational, logical argument, but because the Holy Spirit in us bears witness with the Holy Spirit in them that we are indeed sons and daughters of God, part of the same family and part of the same kingdom of love.

Jesus said He only spoke those words the Father gave Him to say and only did those things He saw the Father doing. And that’s all we need to do to. Just relax, yield to the Holy Spirit, be filled with all the fullness of God and then let the love of God flow out of you like a river. That’s when the Spirit will quicken you and lift you up to soar like an eagle without tiring or striving or becoming weary, because it won’t be you doing the works, it will be Christ, the Anointed One and His Anointing, moving through you. And you will win the hearts of many through your love.

Today I came out to two very conservative twenty something pentecostal Christians from Tampa. They were home-schooled and have led very sheltered lives, but love the Glory of God and His presence, and responded to me in such a positive, non-condemning loving way I was almost shocked.

Those in the Spirit recognize the anointing and the Spirit of God in us. Its up to us as GLBT Christians to be continually filled with the Holy Spirit and to shine brightly as the lights we are. Then as we arise and shine, people will see the Glory rising upon us and be drawn to the light of Christ in us, and our sons and daughters will come from afar, and the scales will fall off the eyes of the church, and the one silver coin that was lost from the church, the GLBT community, will be found and embraced and come home, and the whole earth will celebrate.

Timothy

Hi Everyone!

God gave me a strong word at the All Nations Gathering in Long Beach to go ahead and start a ministry in Tokyo now, so I have started putting out weekly “miracle messages” and meeting different ones the Lord is connecting me to. Good things are happening! God is so good.

Please pray for us and check out the blog: http://tokyomiracle.blogspot.com/

Here is the link to the first message: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/12591884/TMC_01_Foundations_101002.m4a

I am believing for 12 intercessors who will commit to pray in the Spirit daily for the work here in Tokyo. If that’s you, please let me know at [email protected].

Please also connect any GLBT in Japan you know to us on Twitter or Facebook.

Thank you everyone for your love and support.

Be blessed!

Timothy

Sounds exciting Rivers. 🙂 🙂 🙂

Blessings,

Ann Maree

not sure about the holy ghost meeting tim….but if I’m around it certainly would be good to meet up and connect you with some of the freedom 2 b[e] gang in Sydney.