His Name is as Ointment
...The
ministry was called Shekinah Fellowship.
There were probably close to
100 of us who traveled as lay ministers throughout the Southwest to
wherever we were invited, holding huge miracle and healing services.
It
was intense and a real partnership with the Holy Spirit. The faith
healer himself was Brant Baker, a personal friend of ours, and a man
undeniably under the anointing of God.
The services were often televised
with no attempt to hide the signs and wonders which were being
manifested continually. We saw incredible miracles of healing every week
and the ministry got a real boost when Paul & Jan Crouch of TBN
began supporting it.
In its heyday there was nothing like it, and I've
shared some of the things in my forthcoming book showing how God used
and blessed us; gay and straight together.
When it got to a place where
it no longer could be denied that Brant and many of us in the ministry
were gay, the spotlight on us was quickly turned off and we were dropped
like a hot potato to a point where Brant's once household name was
never allowed to be mentioned over the TBN airwaves again.
In time, due to a series of unfortunate events, the ministry dwindled to nothing. Brant died of AIDS. So did his brother. So did David, and Jerry, and so many others.
In time, due to a series of unfortunate events, the ministry dwindled to nothing. Brant died of AIDS. So did his brother. So did David, and Jerry, and so many others.
All of us knew in our hearts that this was a
one-time shot for us, that we'd never walk in the anointed miracle power
of the Holy Spirit in the same way again in our lifetimes.
We'd go in
our separate directions and some would find a degree of fulfillment in
other things, other ministries, but never again would we be so up close
and personal with Jesus Himself.
2000 years ago when Jesus went forth to
bring healing and salvation to multitudes of people, scores of
disciples and supporters went both with and ahead of Him, setting up the
crusades and working in a body ministry just like we did in Shekinah
Fellowship all these centuries later.
Hang on, there's a reason why I'm sharing this with you.
Hang on, there's a reason why I'm sharing this with you.
Sometime during the years of our
involvement in this incredible miracle ministry, Vince took some time
off and vacationed in Europe.
He attended a small church in the south of
Spain and recorded part of the service. Fortunately it included a young
woman with the most beautiful voice, one of exceptional quality by any
standards. As she sang the church fell dead silent.
Her melodic voice
echoed throughout the church. It was extraordinarily mesmerizing,
spiritual, hallowed, and even eerie. The presence of the Holy Spirit
hovered over the parishioners like a cloud.
The experience translated right through the tape recording. Only God can do that. Neither of us could catch the name of the song, thought to be of African origin, but the melody has haunted my head for almost 30 years now.
The experience translated right through the tape recording. Only God can do that. Neither of us could catch the name of the song, thought to be of African origin, but the melody has haunted my head for almost 30 years now.
I
took the tape to the office where I worked at the time and had my boss, a
Christian, listen to it. The song bothered him too in the same
spiritual way as it did us, but none of us were able to come up with
it's title no matter how much research we did.
Just recently a number of web sites have been put up on the Net in honor of the Shekinah miracle ministry of all those years ago. You can find them.
Just recently a number of web sites have been put up on the Net in honor of the Shekinah miracle ministry of all those years ago. You can find them.
People who
were involved with Shekinah are still hurting in their hearts because
that intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit and particular anointing
of power has been a once in a lifetime experience for most.
What I
didn't know was that Brant used to sit on the steps of the Shrine
Auditorium after Kathryn Kuhlman's miracle and healing services for
hours crying to the Lord to allow him to be used like she was.
The part I
knew so well was that God did do exactly that. What I also didn't know
was that that song was instrumental in the formation of the Shekinah
Fellowship and that it was called His Name Is As Ointment.
Why has it taken so long for me to connect with this one song which has unceasingly haunted me day after day all these years?
Why has it taken so long for me to connect with this one song which has unceasingly haunted me day after day all these years?
Am I coming full
circle? I think so.
The Holy Spirit is reminding me what this is all
about. It started with Jesus and it will most decidedly end with Jesus.
Alpha and Omega; the first and the last.
Without Him my life would have
been a waste.
If you're young you may not know it, but in retrospect I
can tell you that I regret not even one moment, the bad with the good,
because I have walked with Jesus.
I have known Him intimately, and yes,
Jesus' name is like an ointment poured upon me.
And on you.
An ointment
of comfort, protection, and all encompassing love beyond description.
His name is unspeakably Holy. It's the warm liquid whisper of love
infiltrating deep within your soul. It's the ointment. Let Him pour
Himself on you, through you.
It's no stretch for me to
see how blessed I have been, that God has chosen to protect me for 62
years.
My life has been spared over and over from close brushes with
death - car accidents, near drowning, concussion.
Not to mention
escaping AIDS which stole the life from well over 100 friends throughout
the years; many of them spirit-filled Christians.
I don't have answers,
but I can speak to the mercy of God.
When nothing else is left, God's
mercy faithfully endureth.
His name is as ointment poured forth
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus
His name is as ointment poured forth
His name is as ointment poured forth
His name is as ointment poured forth
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus
His name is as ointment poured forth
His name is as ointment poured forth
by Richard White
"Thy name is as ointment poured forth.
"Song of Songs 1:13
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