Beloved Friends,
Lonnie Ellis Jr. graduated to glory in the sweet embrace of Jesus just before 4 am this morning. These are not the words I wanted to be writing to you this morning--especially after the intercessory battle for his life that many of you so lovingly and powerfully engaged in. None of that, by the way, is wasted! In a way that only God truly knows right now, every prayer and declaration was heard and will be acted upon.
Lonnie is now part of the Great Cloud of Witnesses (Heb. 12:1) where he is fulfilling his destiny and prophetic promises from the other side of this paper thin division we call life after death. It is much more accurately Life after life as Jesus told us that we would never die (John 11:26), but we will go on from life to more Life!
For now, we trust our Papa as children who fully believe the absolute truth that He is good at all times in all ways! Our Father, who knows all things and all eventualities, who is outside of time and sees the beginning from the end, has chosen to do what He knows will bring the most people possible to Jesus and to glorify His name in the greatest possible way through Lonnie Jr.
Lonnie Sr. has conveyed to me that he and the family are not praying for Lonnie to be raised from the dead. While that may seem like a contradiction to some of you in a culture where we are believing for the impossible, it is really a matter of listening to the Father's voice. While Jesus did raise several people from the dead while he was alive as a man walking on this earth, he clearly did not raise everyone who died in that time span. Instead, he only did what he saw his Father doing (John 5:19)
Right now, Lonnie Sr. is getting some much needed rest since he has not slept much in the last several days. As much as you want to convey your love and concern for him, please give him a little time first, or write to him at lonnie@drmi.org. I will send out more information as soon as I receive it about the service celebrating Lonnie's life as well as ways that you can bless the family should you want to do that.
Tomorrow, July 4th, we will most certainly be gathering to worship God together (6 pm at Harvest Valley Christian Church, 3200 Hopyard Road, Pleasanton). I anticipate that it is going to be a very meaningful family time together and we are going to celebrate communion in complete agreement with the eternal truth of our union with Christ, now and forever! The last thing Lonnie Jr. told me when we were leaving his hospital room last night was, "When I beat this cancer and get out of the hospital this weekend, I'm coming to Blazing Fire to give my testimony!" My response was, "Lonnie, you can have the whole night--preaching and everything!" He joked back, "Not the singing part!" I believe that Lonnie's testimony will be heard on Saturday night and well beyond!
I declare God's grace and love-filled Presence to saturate each one of you in the glorious name of Jesus!
Lonnie Ellis Jr. graduated to glory in the sweet embrace of Jesus just before 4 am this morning. These are not the words I wanted to be writing to you this morning--especially after the intercessory battle for his life that many of you so lovingly and powerfully engaged in. None of that, by the way, is wasted! In a way that only God truly knows right now, every prayer and declaration was heard and will be acted upon.
Lonnie is now part of the Great Cloud of Witnesses (Heb. 12:1) where he is fulfilling his destiny and prophetic promises from the other side of this paper thin division we call life after death. It is much more accurately Life after life as Jesus told us that we would never die (John 11:26), but we will go on from life to more Life!
For now, we trust our Papa as children who fully believe the absolute truth that He is good at all times in all ways! Our Father, who knows all things and all eventualities, who is outside of time and sees the beginning from the end, has chosen to do what He knows will bring the most people possible to Jesus and to glorify His name in the greatest possible way through Lonnie Jr.
Lonnie Sr. has conveyed to me that he and the family are not praying for Lonnie to be raised from the dead. While that may seem like a contradiction to some of you in a culture where we are believing for the impossible, it is really a matter of listening to the Father's voice. While Jesus did raise several people from the dead while he was alive as a man walking on this earth, he clearly did not raise everyone who died in that time span. Instead, he only did what he saw his Father doing (John 5:19)
Right now, Lonnie Sr. is getting some much needed rest since he has not slept much in the last several days. As much as you want to convey your love and concern for him, please give him a little time first, or write to him at lonnie@drmi.org. I will send out more information as soon as I receive it about the service celebrating Lonnie's life as well as ways that you can bless the family should you want to do that.
Tomorrow, July 4th, we will most certainly be gathering to worship God together (6 pm at Harvest Valley Christian Church, 3200 Hopyard Road, Pleasanton). I anticipate that it is going to be a very meaningful family time together and we are going to celebrate communion in complete agreement with the eternal truth of our union with Christ, now and forever! The last thing Lonnie Jr. told me when we were leaving his hospital room last night was, "When I beat this cancer and get out of the hospital this weekend, I'm coming to Blazing Fire to give my testimony!" My response was, "Lonnie, you can have the whole night--preaching and everything!" He joked back, "Not the singing part!" I believe that Lonnie's testimony will be heard on Saturday night and well beyond!
I declare God's grace and love-filled Presence to saturate each one of you in the glorious name of Jesus!
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