X-RAY FAITH 9: DREAM CENTER

X9 DREAM CENTER

Marty    Freedom Fellowship Church    Palestine, Texas

I. A CLARIFICATION

It has been stated that the idea is to expose the corruption among ministries and churches that he had experienced. The name of the Church is not listed because they may not be aware of things. There is no intent in purposefully defaming anyone. This hearkens back to Matthew 18:15-20 about problems among Believers. The desire is to leave the Church room enough for them to act accordingly to Scripture. On this occasion, the person’s last name has been omitted as well. In fact, pronouns may abound.

“We need less buildings and more hope.”

V for Vendetta

II. MORE OR LESS BUILDING HOPE

The old YMCA is near the Church. Marty’s idea was to refurbish it so that  the homeless could take showers and eventually it would become a shelter. The facility would also be there for the Church to use. Marty had told him that  he would get ten dollars an hour. It would be part volunteer and part pay. Marty receives his military pension and he did not know that Marty’s part-time bus driving job was paying the wages. He worked thirty-five hours and was paid for eight. He had bills to pay. The long and short of it is that he had to go to Marty a few days later to get ten dollars for food and toiletries. He was starving and he had to get a real job. If one desires to help the homeless, the poor, and so forth, a job would seem to be a good place to start.

He had tried to clue Marty in about what had been learned about the homeless state. Marty stated that he did not wish to hear it. It seems that knowledge would be a good thing. This equates into opening a car lot by someone who has little knowledge and interest about automobiles. However, Marty did like the fact that women’s disposable razors are usually sharper than men’s razors. Coupled with a refusal to listen and the Christianese phrase of ‘I have a heart for the homeless,’ were the first warning signs to be on guard. There seemed to be a sub-surface anger, however, sometimes the energy behind anger and passion can be misconstrued for the other. 

He had told Marty that it would be a good idea to get the cops involved on this endeavor. He stated that the Palestine Police Department and Anderson County Sheriff’s Department had been his saving grace. Not many people champion Law Enforcement in this day and age. He was banned from a place across the street and he also wanted to let a particular officer know this fact. He was surprised when Marty balked at the idea. The Law was already one jump ahead of him. Shortly after he left, he had heard that they were volunteering at the place. 

He had stated that it would be a good idea to begin their days together with a brief time in Scripture. Marty’s said that they would begin that once they had opened. The next day, they were joined by a lady and that time in Scripture inadvertently happened while they were driving. He interviewed the individuals in order to determine how to help fix their needs. This was not taken seriously and he began to see an ill-equipped application of generic principles. Cookie cutter solutions have low success rates. People’s needs are different and the general solution usually has to be modified to fit the individual. That absence of intimacy is another telling sign of manipulation. 

The two of them had worked together for about two weeks. Poverty got the best of him and he had to quit. These things are bothersome, should not the idea be about helping these people get back on their feet. Otherwise it is another paste and cut method of using the poor and homeless. He had wondered if his replacement would make any headway. Most likely, his replacement would have the same problem as him: letting your desperate situation place you back in the hands of those that use you. He wanted to be wrong.

III. TAKING GREAT GAINS FOR PAIN

About a half a year later, he was out of medicine and there was one chance to get it. Thursday was his last day for the medicine. On Friday, he had talked to a member who agreed to paying for it, but Montezuma’s people balked at the idea of taking him there. On Saturday, he sent a text to the that member of the Church. He gave the blog address and this was done for the sake of open disclosure. The desire for transparency backfired on him.

He called the member back on Sunday and now he refused. His claim was that he had talked to his doctor about it and declared that it was not a necessity. He found that puzzling considering that the member also claimed that he was once prescribed the same medicine. Some questions stood forth. If you had taken it, would you not also be informed on it. He was also supposed to be in a class on a Saturday. Then again, maybe he had his doctor’s home phone number. His parting words were to call Marty because what Marty does is to help people. He thought that all Believers were to help others. You serve God, Man, and then yourself. Then again, this did not sound like this person being himself. Considering how gossip is in East Texas, it was probable that the waters had been poisoned. He left it as the person was influenced in an unduly fashion.  

IV. TORTURE IS A PLAYGROUND

He was miserable. He kept dropping off to sleep. He could not concentrate and depression returned. Living out in the tool shed with manipulators living in the house was bad enough. No money added to it. Then the lack of food, cold weather, cold showers, circulatory problems, and so forth just added to the mess. When it came to ministries, he had become persona non-gratis. This was done without trying. 

He was desperate enough to call Marty. It was his idea to trade a portable sound rig for his medicine. The rig was valued between two and four hundred dollars and the medicine was sixty-three. Marty said that he did not have to do that and then loaded the sound equipment. On the way there, Marty began the routine about his poor choices and this surprised him. He had to get a job because he was working for Marty for free. Something smells funny and a combative nature was not on his list. More stress when it is absolutely unnecessary always solves problems. The banter went back and forth. Till they arrived at Krogers. 

Enough people had already told him how bad he looked that day. They were right. He had been coming here since 2013 and they knew him. It was all too much and then he dropped. He equated it less with blacking out and more with falling asleep really fast. Earlier that day, he found himself waking up a few times in the backyard. He is prissy about dirt and hygiene is important. He had been out of character all weekend because the laptop was left in a closet at a local fast food place. That computer was like part of him. If you mention his name to anyone, they would draw a blank. If you say ‘the guy with the laptop,’ they know immediately who he is.   

He was relieved that the paramedic was familiar with the side effects of his medicine. He gave a blog address to an employee that was also with the Tennessee Colony Fire Department. There is a convenience in having it written and available. Despite the circumstances, it was nice not to feel alone, crazy, manipulated, and being condemned. As the paramedics dealt with him, his usual clerk received Marty's card. It was a telling moment, any shelter under Marty is a bad idea. He had already asked if he could stay there. The response seemed to be an essential 'no', but this should be clarified. He just needed a job and stability Marty likes control and matters become convoluted in his spin of how long he had known these guys. Needing shelter is not enough, there is also the fraternal criteria for acceptance and this usually means that you are a prop. There is no trust, consistency, and true adherence to Scripture. Marty is an egoist and you have already been on a treadmill. Arguments are won by reason, not volume. 

V. EDEN WAS WEST OF OURSELVES 

Calm reason trumps volume and repetition in acts of influence and understanding. God raises people out of bad circumstances usually through love, application, people, place, and money. A few months earlier, he had assisted returning a friend from a homeless state back into normalcy. He did this with few resources. Listening and empathy are rudiments of love. Love seeks their needs and gives in joy and abundance. They owe you nothing. He talked to him, he gave him food, cigarettes, and Wes' number. Wes is a good man, good to work for, and has probably helped more people than all of these local organizations combined. He does it all without fanfare.

In truth, he did very little and he is not responsible for his friend being lifted up. The formula was simple: he loved his friend and he knew Wes. He and Wes both know God. Marty is a name, an attribute applied to the problem for the sake of illustration. The problem seems real and immediate because it has a name. It is not that he is not grateful to Marty, because he is. It is that the real Marty is covered beneath all the fiction. That is a shame, because the real Marty is this little kid and the extra layers are how we pretend to be adults. Why bother with such rubbish if God says that we are to come to him as children.

There should not be anything special about helping another. If one claims to love God, then it should be part of your lifestyle. Scripture states that we are to take strangers in our homes. Considering that today's Church is so far from the Book of Acts, shelters are the consolation prize.

Taking people in goes along with Hebrews stating that we should confess our sins to one another. It builds intimacy, accountability, prevents social hierarchies, diminishes vanity, and bonds all Believers into a more substantial body. Now everything is parceled out and distant. To declare that helping others is special is like getting recognition for merely breathing. Helping others is an act of love and that should be part of us.

It is like the notion of revival. Revival will not come with a combination of Scripture, politics, and music. The Bible does not mix with anything. Revival begins with confession because confession purifies. Humility resides within the pure and the Spirit will fill a clean and humble vessel. Revival comes out of true love, not us play-acting charades of holiness for our fellow man. God is not impressed with us. Our sin is that we are impressed with ourselves and God is quite clear about the distance from Him and the proud. He is also resoundingly clear about using and abusing the poor.

For the second day in a row, he did get something that had been sorely missed. He prayed with someone. It is amazing how difficult this is to achieve here. Two days in a row is a record. Things will be fine now. It has been a trying weekend. Why does a Believer need control when God has all of the control anyway. 

DREAM CENTER

by REGGIE LANE

X-RAY FAITH 9

LEAGUE OF DREAD
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