How God turned off my television
My grandparents grew up in Alabama and later migrated to the north. Although they left the south, they still brought southern ways.
One day I was watching television. It was a sunny day outside but quickly grew dark and overcast. I heard crackling thunder and saw flashes of lightning. Then it happened.
My grandmother promptly turned off all the lights, unplugged most of the appliances and then turned off my TV. She whispered to me not to talk. The only explanation she gave…”God is moving”.
It seems those old people believed God moved in a storm. They believed you should shut down the non-essentials and put a pause on your pursuits until the storm passed. My grandmother turned off the TV and made me miss the ending of the show – the good part.
Our country is in a storm. Our lives are surrounded by storms. Even the Church -not just the one you go to but the one we all go to – is in a storm.
Maybe we should shut down for a moment, turn off the TV and wait.
35 years later, I found the old TV series I was watching that day “God was moving”, on DVD. I always blamed God for what I missed.
I found the episode. I found the part I missed. After all these years I discovered that while God was moving – I didn’t really miss anything worth my time.
Can you recall a time when you blamed God for a storm but later realized He was moving on your behalf?
Talk to me!
Dr. Ed
Pastor,
I, too, remember my grandmother telling us to hush when it stormed because the Lord was working. I disagree with you, though, as far as America being in a storm. Storms arise through no fault or control of ours. I believe America and much of the world, however, is in rebellion. We are like the generation during Noah’s time. We as a nation have turned our back on God. Even our churches have forsaken preaching the pure unadulterated Gospel of the Kingdom of God in exchange for today’s popular “ear tickling” messages. What America is experiencing is a glimpse of what it is like when God takes away his hand of protection. Unless the Lord protects the nation they that watch over it do so in vain. We see our elected leaders trying to make sense of the economic situation but they don’t know what to do. We don’t have a economic problem. We have a spiritual problem. We have a nation that murders their unborn. We have a nation that wants to call same sex marriage good and appropriate. We have a nation that increasingly cries out to have God removed from our everyday lives. They would rather lean on their own understanding. More alarming, we have a church that is silent, irrelevant and ineffectual. There are even some who claim to be believers who going right along with all of this. America was only great because she lifted up and depended on a great God. Now she believes she no longer needs that God. It doesn’t matter who is in leadership, democrat or republican. As long as the nation as a whole continues to drift further and further away from God and as long as our churches are more centered on gaining the wealth of the world rather than souls for the kingdom, it will only get worse for America and the world. No, I don’t blame God and I don’t believe we need to wait for God. He has already given us the answer. We need to repent (a message we don’t hear preached too often anymore). We need to turn away from our wicked ways. We need to seek God and God only ( not the blessing, not the way to get this and that).
Then like disciplined soldiers in the army of God who are mindful of our real enemy, we need to proclaim the Truth. We need to encourage the lost to come out from this fallen world and escape the coming judgement. Declare boldly and without fear that Jesus is the Way to true life and that He really is coming back again.
yes Pastor Ed there are so many lessons i have learned in the storm. The main one is that God directs the storm so i should stop fearing the dark clouds that ultimately get my attention! Cause that attention sends me straight to talking to the ONE IN CHARGE!
GOD BLESS
KATHY (S-I-L)
Hi Pastor,
Although most people think that we are in a storm today, I believe God is moving. I think that God is looking for people who have the ability to make a change, on his behalf, to improve the lives of others. I received my notice from one of your sermons about 3 years ago related to “transition.” It was after that sermon, I begin to look for ways my life might begin to transition (shut down) and I looked for ways to focus on the events. With much effort, I have moved from working in healthcare for 23 years to teaching others about my experiences those 23 years.
Dr. G.
Pastor, I feel GOD, has control and the storm, we seem to think we are in,is really not a storm,this nation has left its first LOVE, which is GOD, theres,so many other things that have our time.The churches have to cut not only the t.v. but everything else that have almost stopped in the church. Revivals are shorter,prayer meetings are almost gone and GOD, Is speaking.We need to cut off all of our technology, And get back to GOD.I am from ALABAMA, When we make the turn back to GOD,Then we will see the sunshine,instead of the storm.
and He’s still talkin!
Praise the Lord Pastor; That has happen to me a lot and yes i still do that. Because I grow up in the South as well the only different is now when i know the strom is coming i began to cry out to God.
But the stroms in my life I have to cry out to God a lot so I just turn off the TV so I can hear from him and get direction.
I remember having to do this when growing up. But the memory that comes to mind today is I remember going to Georgia with a good friend who has gone on to be with the Lord and her Grandmother did they same to us while we were there on vacation. I miss her. “Ya’ll better turn ‘dem lights off now and get off that porch!”
On another note, I agree with Michael Moore above to a certain extent; however, I also believe that “Something’s Happening.” That was the shout of a minister at a conference I attended recently. When we think nothing is happening in the realm which we can see and hear, God is always moving in the spiritual realm. Believe me. Something’s Happening. We should all watch as well as pray. AND VOTE! We can talk all day, but when its time to VOTE will you be counted in the number?
With much love and prayer, Lil’
Absolutely Awesome!! That was a divine word from God, and it is right on time.
I just want to receive the Word. And I thank God for men of God like yourself.
I am inspired today. Stay blessed.
Pastor your comments on the T.V. unraveled my moments as a child. I too was raised with the spare the rod ruin the child and turn off everything while God is working. I tell you if we could have this generation absorb just a fourth of what we grew up on ; the world would be better!
This generation has not been fully developed and have moved on in an adult form of a body with an undeveloped mind. It is sad because our generation failed them in teaching them what we were taught about moral values. Hey it did not hurt us so why do we think for one second it would hurt them?
Pastor your comment is very familiar, my mom still turns off the television. I am experiencing my “GOD is moving” moment right now….I have been laid off since last June, and my experience/resume in the medical field is outstanding, but I have yet to get a call back regarding a job. I have always wanted to continue my education and go to nursing school, which I am hoping to start in October. My grandmother-in-law keeps telling me, HE will give it to you when HE is ready….this I believe, and I “TRUST” HE will come through right on time, all bills are always paid, and my four daughters, and husband( who is disabled due to a motorcycle accident) have no complaints (roof over their head, food in the mouths, and a vehicle to get to ALC on Sunday…..I know HE is working it out for me!!
This is dead on for me both with my grand parents traditions and The Lord is there in the storm with me protecting me from the dangers….AMEN
I also agree with Michael Moore. I remember as a child growing up in Houston, I was not an outdoor girl, (I did not like to perspire!). I did nothing but watch a lot of television. I liked horror movies, like Wierd, Twilight Zone and Alfred Hitchcock. I had no grandmother to tell me to turn the television off. I turned it off out of fear! Not of God, but of the images that were burned in my memory from all of those horror movies. When the lightening flashed and the thunder roared, it sort of put the “fear of the Lord” in me. I knew nothing about the Lord moving. As I got older and traveled the path that the Lord had for me, I experienced things that made me wonder “where was God” in all this. One night as I was standing in my driveway, pondering the fate of me and my family, and distressed over a situation that seemed to have no end, the voice of the Lord spoke to me. He told me to look up. He asked me what did I see. I told Him nothing; nothing but clouds. He asked me if I could see the clouds moving. I told Him no, but I knew that they were. He said, just as the clouds continue to move, although they do not appear to be moving, know that I am continuing to move in the earth. So, no matter what is going on in the earth, no matter how far away God may appear to be in our situations, He is always there and He is always moving.
There are a lot of things i miss about the way we grew up and our beliefs and “funny” things our parents told us like “Shuhh Jesus is talking..sit down and be still”. yes things are quite different today even in churches.. it seems like everything is on a schedule.. everything is Timed. No more hearing from God and allowing God to speak to our hearts.. humm
Oh Pastor, thank you for this lovely post! I read it the day you first posted and have wanted to respond….today is the day it seems! I heard the same “shhh, GOD is moving,” as a child from my grandparents! Isn’t that precious? Reading all the responses here just makes me….well….hopeful. This morning the Lord was speaking to me from II Timothy 4, and with your permission, I would like to share His Words:
“…proclaim the Message with intensity, keep on your watch. Don’t ever quit. Just keep it simple.
You’re going to find that there will be times when people will have no stomach for solid teaching, but will fill up on spiritual junk food ~ catchy opinions that tickle their fancy. They’ll turn their backs on truth and chase mirages. But you ~ keep your eye on what you’re doing; accept the hard times along with the good; keep the Message alive; do a thorough job as GOD’s servant.”
II Timothy 4:2-5, The Message
Does it get any plainer than this? Bless you….I really miss being in worship with ya’ll on Sunday, but the LORD has me ministering at the hospital in my job every weekend….so until such time as I am released from that ….. see you around town!
Blessings!
Sharoni
When my oldest was in K4 at a Christian school, his teacher said; “Sometimes God has to go to drastic measures to get you to where you need to be.” Isn’t that true? Sometimes a break-up for a teenager can be devestating or losing a job can crush your self-confidence and self-worth; but, the truth is God may just be putting you back or keeping you on his path. If he hadn’t stepped in, would you have stayed in that relationship or left your employer? God always has something better waiting for you.
Much Love,
Yvonne
Thank you for your faithfulness. I also have such memories but thanks for the reminder. I really needed to hear this message as I have recently went thru a church storm but now find myself in transition and can now see how God was in the mist of it all. My mom always says “don’t get caught up on how God moves you, just be grateful He moved you.”