🏳️‍🌈✝️ When The Lights Go Out

Rainbow Pastor David

06/10/2018

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“No one lights a lamp and then puts it in a cellar or under a basket [hiding the light], but [instead it is put] on the lampstand, so that those who come in may see the light. The eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is clear [spiritually perceptive, focused on God], your whole body also is full of light [benefiting from God’s precepts]. But when it is bad [spiritually blind], your body also is full of darkness [devoid of God’s word]. Be careful, therefore, that the light that is in you is not darkness. So if your whole body is illuminated, with no dark part, it will be entirely bright [with light], as when the lamp gives you light with its bright rays.” Luke: 33-36

You never know ahead of time when God is going to use you to bring His Light into someone elses life, therefore the scripture to remind us to always be ready day or night 2 Timothy 4:1-2;

I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word [as an official messenger]; be ready when the time is right and even when it is not [keep your sense of urgency, whether the opportunity seems favorable or unfavorable, whether convenient or inconvenient, whether welcome or unwelcome]; correct [those who err in doctrine or behavior], warn [those who sin], exhort and encourage [those who are growing toward spiritual maturity], with inexhaustible patience and [faithful] teaching.

In every situation we find ourselves in, we must always remember God may use that moment in time as a witnessing moment to someone who is in need. You may be at your worst or lowest and that may be the time God uses for you to be a light to someone else.

So remember these scriptures during those times:

Do everything without murmuring or questioning [the providence of God], so that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and guileless, innocent and uncontaminated, children of God without blemish in the midst of a [morally] crooked and [spiritually] perverted generation, among whom you are seen as bright lights [beacons shining out clearly] in the world [of darkness], holding out and offering to everyone the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to rejoice greatly because I did not run [my race] in vain nor labor without result. Philippians 2:14-16

For that is what the Lord has commanded us, saying,

“I have placed You as a light for the Gentiles, So that You may bring [the message of eternal] salvation to the end of the earth.” Acts 13:47

But whoever practices truth [and does what is right—morally, ethically, spiritually] comes to the Light, so that his works may be plainly shown to be what they are—accomplished in God [divinely prompted, done with God’s help, in dependence on Him].” John 3:21

The Lord reminded me on June 9^th 2018 just how BIG He is and how He lets things happen sometimes in our life so we can be a blessing to someone who has been seeking answers from Him.

On this day I had been feeling a bit off most of the day. As most of you know I am living this part of my journey living with HIV and all the numerous complications that can come alone with having HIV. One of those many things has been my heart and blood pressure. On this day I had run out of one of my main blood pressure medications because of delivery timing from the pharmacy. Yes, as anyone else in my situation would do, I complained and grumbled to myself about it just a little. I do still have an old script that had recently been filled of another blood pressure medication I was no longer taking so I used that one in place of the one I was out of that day. The last blood pressure reading I took for the day around 6pm was great. It was 111/58; however my heart rate was quite elevated for me being 85. I felt a little swimmy in my head but went on doing what I needed so Scott and I could go out to eat. I fed the dogs, let them out and then I was ready to go. By the time I did all that my blood pressure had started to decline quite rapidly so I decided to take it before we left to go to eat. The reading at this time 6:51pm was 62/37 with a heart rate of 72. This should have been the first warning sign that something was going wrong. My blood pressure never drops that fast after taking medication. I am usually waiting hours for my blood pressure to come down to normal ranges after taking my medication. Just the two days before my blood pressure had been staying up in the 160’s and keeping nauseated to the point I could not keep any food down.

It is now 7pm on July 9^th and we are off to eat Mexican food because we knew that would help bring my blood pressure up {because of all the sodium}. On the way to the restaurant my hearing started going, my eyesight was growing dim and I just did not feel right. I kept telling Scott I could not hear him and I could not see. By the time we arrived at the restaurant it was between 7:15pm and 7:30pm I was not feeling right at all. As I got out of the car and stood up I felt my lights going out. Scott said I told him three times I did not feel right as he watched my eyes glaze over and I hit the pavement. I remember saying one time I did not feel right then opening my eyes to see the pavement in my face. I was confused, scared, and still dizzy from the whole experience. He ran into the restaurant for wet clothes to clean me up from the blood coming out of my knee. After he helped me up we went on inside to eat. He told me I kept passing out at the table so we got our food to go. He decided it was best to get me to the ER to be checked and that is where I needed to be.

When I first arrived I had no idea where I was or why I was there. My blood pressure had bottomed out at 54/28 and they were pumping IV Fluid two bottles at time into me. My first reality check was when I looked at the clock and it was 10pm. Where had all the time gone? I really checked out at around 7:30pm and was just now coming back to life.

At one point in this evening of craziness, I was alone in my room with the nurse. Scott had gone out to get my Mom because they were getting ready to take me back for scans and x-rays. It was at that moment that seemed time stood still and it was just me and the nurse and God. I remember asking the nurse if she was a Christian, then the Lord took over. After what seemed to be an eternity, although just moments in time I was finishing up my story as we both had tears in our eyes. Mom came in the room asked me if I was okay because she could tell I had been crying. All I could tell her was God is so good.

As the night passed on the fluids began to work and I was back to my chatty self cutting up with the staff and getting some good laughter in. All the tests had been done; the results were looking good so the wonderful ER Doctor said I could go home as long as I promised her I would not forget to eat and to drink lots of water replacing some of the green tea I drink.

I left the ER feeling so blessed that God allowed me the horrific, scary experience even if it was just to see the smile through the teary eyes of that beautiful nurse.

On the way to car I noticed a blue sheet of paper stapled to the back of my discharge paperwork. It was a precious note from the awesome nurse God brought into my life that evening. I want to share that note with you so you know how GREAT GOD our creator is and so HE gets ALL the glory for all the things He had me say. I have of course blocked out her name. I know that one day she may be reading this and know who she is and that is all that really matters to me. God, my wonderful nurse and me in that order because it was God who wanted to speak to that nurse, I was just the always willing vessel.

I give God praise as I sit here with tears rolling down my checks once more just thinking about how TOTALLY AWESOME our LOVING GOD is and how much HE will use you if you just let HIM take the controls. Thank you Heavenly Father for showing me one more time how much you love and care for each of Your children’s needs.

God Bless you all on this wonderful 10^th day of June 2018.

Always and forever in Christ Service,

Rainbow Pastor David