Eve of New Opportunities

We are certainly in countdown mode for 2008. In a few hours we will enter 2009 with many emotions; these emotions can be both positive and negative. As I reflect on 2008 I want to thank God for the ways that He has touched our hearts and lives throughout the year. I can remember the times that the Spirit spoke words of direction, guidance, correction, and encouragement to us. I can remember seasons in which the Spirit strengthened us during times of praise, worship, and intercession. As we prepare to see 2008 come to an end we need to thank God for His presence and for His desire to strengthen our relationship with Him. As we look forward to 2009 I anticipate God working in our lives in ways that I can not fully imagine. I desire for my dreams to exceed my memories. Certainly I am grateful but I am also hopeful as I reflect on the greatness of God and all that He has planned for our lives. I am asking God to use us in the work of His Kingdom in a greater manner in 2009. God still uses people to change the world; you can and you will make a difference in the lives of those people that you encounter in 2009. Be prepared to be bold; be prepared to be courageous; be prepared to be challenged; but also be prepared to celebrate victories in the coming year. 2009 will require that many of us step out of our comfort zone and follow Christ with fresh zeal and passion; but as we obey, God will provide what we need to answer the call. Ann and I pray Blessings on you, your family, and your journey with God in 2009!

Looking Forward

We are approaching the end of 2008 and the beginning of 2009. I was looking at one of my new calendars; the pages are blank waiting on me to place appointments and information on the pages. My future is full of many opportunities in which God is waiting to place His direction, inspiration, and instructions upon the pages of my life. In great anticipation I await what God is going to "write" on the pages of our lives. According to Jeremiah 29, God has good plans for me. Now that does not mean that everything that happens to me will be good (at least from my viewpoint); I believe that it means that God's presence will be with me regardless of what happens in my life. Let us look forward with a healthy spiritual anticipation and awareness of the presence of God. We can rejoice when we look back and realize that God was in our yesterday but we can also look forward with hope as we rejoice in the fact that He will be in our tomorrows. The unction of the Spirit at the Cathedral church last night was very powerful. The Lord released a word of challenge to all of us and reminded us that we will face many opportunities to make the correct decisions regarding our commitment to Christ. Pastor Douglas commented to me that he felt that God had spoken to him regarding restoration. Restoration would encompass the resurrection of our surrender and being willing to yield ourselves to God. 2009 will have its share of challenges I am sure; but I am also sure that 2009 will have its share of the strength of God for those who choose to follow Him with all of their hearts. Do you want to be among the number who follows after God with passion and fervency; ready to surrender all of ourselves to the great cause of Christ and His Kingdom? I sense that many blessings, miracles, and provisions await those who truly commit themselves to Christ and His plan for their lives. We (Ann and myself) are walking with that promise written upon the pages of our hearts!

Weekend Review

We trust that each one of you had a wonderful Christmas celebration with your friends and family. We enjoyed our family's presence in our home and our time of fellowship with them. I was asked to share the eulogy at the funeral service of a wonderful lady on Saturday. Sis. Rosie Hood and her family have been a blessing to us for many years. We were honored to serve as her and her family's Pastor at the Willisburg, KY local church. The Lord encouraged me to remind the attenders of the funeral that we needed to give attention to our relationship with God and to our relationship with our family. As we approach 2009 we need to allow the Spirit to examine our lives regarding these two important aspects of our lives. Sunday morning afforded me the opportunity to attend Ann's Sunday School class. The Lord through her challenged the class to take time and listen for the Voice of the Lord. God does not always appear in the miraculous or supernatural; on many occasions He appears in the stillness of His voice to bring direction to our lives. Each of us are in great need for direction and that direction can only come from God. 2009 needs to be a year in which we commit to do our best to draw near to the Lord. Sunday night found us in Winchester, Ky at the Cathedral Church with Pastor and Sis. Douglas. We had the privilege of being with them in a revival back in early November. We were blessed by the worship time, the fellowship of the people and the freedom to declare the Word of the Lord. The unction of the Lord was powerful and many came forward for a time of prayer and surrender. One young man surrendered his life to Christ and others received various unctions of the ministering power of the Spirit in their lives. 2009 may be full of its challenges and battles but it is also going to be full of the presence and power of the Spirit. Let us continue to prepare our hearts to seek after God with passion and fervency.

Wonderful Day!

Ann and I enjoyed having our children and grandchildren in our home on Christmas Day! Christmas is a time to reflect on the importance of family; we need to appreciate those family members that God has placed in our lives. Of course we enjoyed a wonderful meal that Ann had prepared and also the time of exchanging gifts with one another. As I was praying one morning the Lord had impressed my spirit for us to take some time and allow the family to exchange some thoughts concerning the true meaning of Christmas as well as sharing some of our Christmas memories. We took that time before we exchanged our gifts. It was a little awkward at the beginning (our grandchildren range in age from eight to two); but as they begin to talk they seemed to enjoy the opportunity to talk about Christmas. I just felt that we needed to remember and discuss the true meaning of the Christmas celebration. We do not need to push Christ out of Christmas. All of us have our "family traditions" but the greatest blessing of Christmas is the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Let us rejoice and be glad, our Savior came to this world to offer Himself as a sacrifice for the sins of mankind. Oh what a Savior!

Christmas Blessings!

Ann and I send Christmas blessings to our brothers and sisters in Christ. It is such a great blessing to be a part of the family of God. God has rewarded our lives in so many ways through the years and we are grateful for all of the wonderful friends that He has given to us as we have made our journey through life. We pray that God will bless you and meet the needs of your lives as you continue your pursuit of a deeper relationship with God. Gifts will be opened today and meals will be prepared but let us keep in perspective the true meaning of this day of celebration. Jesus Christ came to this earth to provide the greatest opportunity for mankind; the opportunity of relationship. His birth, death, and resurrection provided humanity the freedom from our sins and the blessing of a fresh start in Christ. As we spend time with our family and friends today let us pause for a few moments and offer God praise for the birth of our Savior. Let us express to each other our sincere gratefulness for all that God has provided. It is so easy to remember all of the battles, struggles, challenges and daily heart aches of life and fail to remember the victories and strength that God has provided. It is true that many of us have faced some trying circumstances this year but it is also true that we have sensed the presence of God's Grace during those moments. It is certain that 2009 will bring its share of those moments but once again we will be able to come to the throne of Grace and obtain help in time of need. Let us REJOICE our Savior and Redeemer is alive! MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Hope!

Christmas Eve allows us to meditate and reflect on the great promises that we find in the story of the birth of Christ. One of these promises is hope. We are presently facing some very trying circumstances in our nation and around the world. We are confronting the war on terrorism, the continuing economic struggles, and the stress that these and other challenges are bringing to our families. But I ask you to take another look in the manger this year and realize that we can have our hope renewed and strengthened. God has not forsaken you and neither has His Word lost any of its power. God is prepared to come along side of you in your moments of challenge. Allow your hope to be revived as you face the storms and challenges of life. Let us pray one for another that God's mercy and grace will be present in the lives of those who need Him the most. Ann and I are looking forward to the Christmas Eve service at Eastside Praise. It is always a blessing to be able to worship God on this special day of Christian celebration. Although I do not need a "holiday" to worship God; I am blessed by the unique opportunity of Christmas to be able to focus my attention on the Savior, Jesus Christ.

Christmas Week

I am enjoying a few days at home with my family. This time of the year allows us to reflect on the rich and wonderful blessings of God; the encouragement and love of our family is one of the many blessings that God daily provides for us. I was able to teach Ann's Sunday School class yesterday; I was blessed by the exchange and interaction with the students. Today we are privileged to spend time with two of our grandsons, Cade and Luke. They are enjoying the first day of the their Christmas break from school. We were able to see them participate in the children's program at Highland Park church last night; certainly we thought they done an awesome job in presenting the story of the birth of Christ. Let us remember our military and their families at this time of the year. We are blessed to live in a country of freedom but we need to remember that freedom comes with a price. We are thankful for our military force who is willing to defend our nation at whatever cost is necessary. May God bless them and their families this Christmas season.

Sharing

Different thoughts and ideas have flooded my mind as I have been writing about sharing and giving. I have asked myself, am I person that willingly shares my time, gifts and talents? I can sense the Spirit challenging my heart to spend some time in self-examination as I approach 2009. I do not want to become a "spiritual Scrooge" who fails to understand the blessing of sharing. I thought of another gift that we can offer this Christmas season. It the gift of our testimony. People need to hear our story of trial and triumph. Many times people can become aware of our trials but they also need to become aware of our triumphs. How long has it been since you shared a testimony of victory with someone? In a recent revival meeting we were privileged to have a large number of youth from several youth groups. I felt impressed to tell them to look around the room and realize that the room was full of people with testimonies of battles that have been won, healing that has been received, sins that have been forgiven, and miracles that God has provided for them as they walked down the road of life. Each of us have stories to tell that will bless and encourage those with whom we share them. Find an opportunity this Christmas to share your story and testify of the goodness of God. You may be amazed at the response that you will receive. We must not allow our stories to be lost in all of the "noise" of this world. Lift your voice and share your testimony with someone today.

Sharing

This is called the season of giving and sharing. But for Christians that should be the attitude that we possess throughout the year. We should always be looking for opportunities to share our time and concern with those around us. How many of us truly look for those opportunities. The Bible still declares that "it is more blessed to give than receive." That Biblical principle sounds great but do I truly walk with that view in mind? What other gifts do we have to offer? We have the gift of friendship to share. Several weeks ago I wrote about the blessings of friends that God has placed in our lives. But today I want to look at the other side of the equation. Am I offering myself to others in the gift of friendship? What do my acquaintances say about me when I am not in their presence? Do these people describe me as friendly and even more importantly would they declare that I am their friend? As I approach 2009 I want to develop the desire to become a friend to those who are in need of a friend. It is easy to become a friend with someone who has many friends but what about that individual who has no one to call friend? Let us commit to being more sensitive to those around us who are in need of the gift of friendship. All of us possess the ability to become a friend to people and what a joy to watch that friendship develop through the years.

Sharing

Let us continue exploring the inventory of gifts that each of us have to share with those people that God places around us. Do you realize that you are influencing people whether this is your intention or not your intention? As we approach 2009 let each of us commit our hearts to being aware and alert to those "God moments" in which God has strategically placed us to make a difference in the life of someone. What do I have to share with anyone may be a question that constantly arises in your heart? Each of us are blessed with various gifts and talents that God has placed in us so that we can benefit others on their journey with God. Many of us keep these gifts and talents hidden from the view of others. In some cases we do this out of fear that our abilities do not measure up to the ability of others. We fail to share what God has given us because we are always playing the "game of comparison." We need to stop comparing ourselves to each other and just become dedicated to the improvement of what God has deposited in our lives. I once read this challenge from someone; "Just imagine where we would be if we focused our energies on improving our strengths as we did in be-moaning our weaknesses." I am not saying that we do not need to improve the areas in which we are weak; but I am saying that we need to develop what God has placed in us and surrender these gifts to serving Him in His Kingdom. Stop putting your gifts "under a basket"; use them and share them for the glory of God. There are some very gifted and talented people that will read this challenge; lay aside whatever has hindered you and offer your gifts and talents to the body of Christ.

Sharing

Many of us don't share or give as we should because we don't think that we have much to offer. But that is not true, each of us have much to offer if we would only take the time to perform an honest inventory of our lives and the gifts that God has placed in us. In many cases we fail to understand that others will be blessed and encouraged by us taking the time to share with them. Each of us need to take the time to do a proper inventory of our lives. Much of our basis of giving is based on our monetary wealth but I want you to take a look at other resources that you possess. Each one of us have "time" to share with others. The real question is whether or not we will "take the time" to share our time with those who need us. We are all very busy and in many cases the truly important things get pushed to the side. Our children need the gift of our time, our parents and grandparents need the gift of our time, our siblings need the gift of our time, and those special friends of ours need the gift of our time. The list is endless of those who would be blessed if we were just willing to spend some quality time with them. During the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season take some of your time and invest it in the life of someone else. You will be blessed and the recipient of your gift will be blessed.

Weekend Review

I was blessed to be able to attend church this weekend with my wife, Ann. I have been speaking about giving and sharing during this Christmas season but I would like to share another thought today. As I sat in the Sunday School class listening to Ann share her heart with the class, the Lord placed her words deep in my heart. She taught about being willing to say "yes" to the Lord decision by decision. I had to ask myself, "Am I truly willing to say Yes to the Lord in each of the decisions that I am facing?" Or do I seek just to say Yes in the major decisions that I face? But the Lord reminded me that I can not make the major decisions unless I learn to make the daily decisions in the correct manner. Today I pause to thank God for reminding me of the importance of be willing to follow the direction of the Lord in the daily manner that pleases Him. Each of us need to ask God to help us make the daily decisions that will open the door of blessings in our lives.

Scripture Reading

"Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be open to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. You parents--if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him" (NLT). Each one of us need to be consistent and persistent in pursuit of our relationship with God. We can not afford to stop asking, seeking, and knocking.

Willing to Share

Each one of us have much to contribute to our fellow travelers on the road of life. The Spirit spoke these encouraging words to the church at Ephesus. Ephesians 4:16, "He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love" (NLT). This is such an encouraging verse of opportunity to each one of us. Everyone of us are given the opportunity to contribute to the success of the body of Christ. Do I willingly share my gifts, talents, and abilities with my brothers and sisters in the Lord? Do I shrink back from my duty because I view my abilities as inferior to my fellow believers? Yet the Bible declares that as I do my "own special work" the body grows and matures. Look what you miss and look at what others miss when you hold back what God has given you to share. During the Christmas season of 2008 let us recommit ourselves to sharing what God has placed in our lives. Do not hold back from sharing the great gifts that God has deposited in your life. God has created you and me to share with others; don't be a "spiritual Grinch" this Christmas.

Reflections on Giving

As I was praying this morning the Lord reminded me that He set the pattern regarding giving and sharing. He shared His Son, Jesus, with with the world. Jesus shared His life with the world and was willing to die on the cross for the sins of humanity. Jesus shared His life as a ransom for those who were bound in the bondage of sin. We can rejoice when we consider all that God was willing to do that we might have the opportunity to have fellowship with Him. This brings us to the question of the day. What am I willing to share with others? I want us to think beyond the obvious of money, gifts, and other materialistic items. I want us to think about our "personal" offerings to others. Most of us look at our ability to give based on our material wealth. We think in terms of dollars and cents rather in terms of availability to God. We think in terms of comparison and competition rather than in terms of encouragement and support. Each one of us have many resources from which to draw if only we can become willing to give cheerfully and to give without looking for anything in return. The real blessing comes when we give to someone who needs what we can offer and they do not have the ability to return a gift of equal or greater value. Let this be a season in which we give cheerfully. We will look at some of the resources that we possess as we proceed through this Christmas season which serves as a reminder of God's gift to this world; the gift of Jesus Christ our Savior.

Possessing a Heart that Shares

The celebration of Christmas reminds us of giving and sharing. I enjoy the opportunity to share a gift with someone and watch the effect that the gift has on them. I can remember seeing tears of joy and excitement fill the eyes of our children and now we are able to witness the same expressions on the faces of our grandchildren. Being willing to give and share with someone is a great attribute to possess in our lives. We need to develop that attitude even more as we see the pain and suffering in our world. I know that we are unable to meet the needs of everyone but we can be sensitive to the leading of the Spirit when the Lord presents us an opportunity to bring a smile to the face of someone who is need of encouragement. The Bible expresses a wonderful challenge in 2 Corinthians 9:7, "You must decide in your heart how much to give. And don't give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves a person who gives cheerfully" (NLT). It is such a blessing to give out of a heart that recognizes the opportunity to invest in the life of an individual rather than feeling that we are forced into some action that fails to produce any response from either the recipient of the gift or a response from our Heavenly Father. I desire to give cheerfully and not out of obligation. We will explore this further over the next few days as we move through this season of gifts and giving. Let us take a moment and ask God to examine our motives in giving. I desire for God to be pleased with not only my actions but the motives behind those actions.

Prayer for Today

Dear God, as I am preparing to celebrate Christmas help me to remember the true meaning of this celebration. Let me remember that Christ came to offer reconciliation to God, He came to give His life a ransom for my life, He came to give His life as a sacrifice for my sins. Forgive us of placing the emphasis of Christmas on us and not on You! Forgive us of being selfish and absorbed with satisfying our wants and not seeing the needs of others. Speak to our hearts and lead us to offer gifts of kindness, thoughtfulness, and cheer to those who are in need around us. Finally, let us remember that the gift of Salvation was for everyone in the world and not just for a select group of people. AMEN!

Weekend Review

Due to my travel schedule I have been unable to place any updates on the blog. I was able to enjoy a trip to Decatur, Alabama on Friday and spend some time with my parents and many of my extended family members. Our family is scattered around the nation but we do our best to assemble before Christmas and spend time with each other. The more mature (sounds better than becoming older) I become the more important family becomes. In these times of crisis and uncertainty we need the strength and encouragement of our family and friends. Our family is blessed in that we have have parents who are intercessors/prayer warriors who understand the importance of praying for their family. As we approach the conclusion of 08 and the beginning of 09 each of us need to commit to be intercessors for our family members. As I traveled to Alabama on Friday, I received a phone call from Rick Phillips (Ann's brother) who felt led of the Lord to call and pray a prayer of blessing over me and my family. Before Ann's mother passed away she was a great intercessor/prayer warrior and her family is carrying on that same rich tradition. It is such a blessing to know that God uses the power of prayer and intercession to encourage the people in His Kingdom. Don't wait another day become a person of prayer today; do not overlook this important ministry in the Kingdom of God. We were privileged to be with Pastor Terry and Sue Burkhead and the Bethesda church in Shelbyville, KY for Sunday services. The presence of the Lord was very evident as we gathered to worship the Lord and exalt His name. The Lord reminded us that He is "mindful of us" and that He has promised to be with us as we journey down the road of life. Many responded to the invitation in both of the services; God is speaking to our hearts, will we listen and pay close attention to the Voice of God? I have a renewed desire to hear clearly what God is saying to me both personally as well as ministerially. This is not the time to lose our spiritual hearing; O God give us ears to hear and a heart to respond to your guidance.

Thankful

Last night was the concluding service at the revival in Gallatin,TN. It can be truly said that the presence of the Lord was with us. The worship was encouraging and uplifting; the fellowship was rewarding; the anointing of the Spirit was powerful; and the freedom to seek God in the altar was very evident. We just give God all the Glory for what was accomplished in all of our lives. We need to recognize that God through Jesus Christ desires to draw near to us. He has provided the opportunity of relationship and fellowship. I desire to recognize His ongoing presence in my life and I desire to share that knowledge with people that I contact. We need to know that God cares and that God is ready to come to our aid in time of trouble. Pastor Windell Moore and his wife, Myrna are to be commended for the leadership that they are providing for the local church in Gallatin. We were blessed last night with the Youth Pastors from the Lebanon, TN and the Portland, TN churches. Each of them brought a group of youth from their church and many of them were in the altar seeking more of God in their lives. We must remember that God desires to reach all generations and we are challenged to make sure that we are sharing the Good News of the Gospel with everyone. The Youth Praise and Worship team of Gallatin led the service last night; they were certainly a blessing to the service. Several of the Gallatin youth were in the altar seeking for the direction of God in their lives. God is calling, will we answer that call or will we continue to ignore God?

Prayer & Fasting

I truly believe in the power of Prayer & Fasting. It has been a common practice of ours for several years to begin the New Year with a time of intercession and fasting. As we approach 2009, I would like join distinguished colleagues such as Randall Howard, General Overseer of the Church of God Prophecy; William Wilson, Director of the Center of Spiritual Renewal; and Don Brock of Synergy Ministries in calling for 21 days of Fasting and Prayer beginning January 1- January 21 of 2009. This would be an unique opportunity for Christian believers to unite together in a time of seeking the face of God. All of us can certainly recognize the fact that we are in need of seeking for the direction of God in America. Would you give consideration to this great challenge from these spiritual leaders of the church? I believe that God still responds to the prayers of the people of God.

Challenges

Each one of us are facing our own unique set of challenges and circumstances. Our response to those circumstances with either produce hope or discouragement. We must turn to the Word of God as we walk through the valley of decision regarding our response to the challenges of life. As individuals as well as collectively as a nation we are facing some challenging times but we must remember that God will not forsake our abandon us; we can trust in His promises. I read a wonderful passage in James 1:2-4 today and I would like to share it with you. "Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing." (NLT) All of us have faced times of trouble and until Christ comes for our soul we will continue to face those times of trouble. But we do have a choice to make; will I look for the opportunity of joy? I will not find joy in my trouble but I believe that I will find joy in knowing that God is at work in me completing what He began at my conversion. It is not always easy when we are going through the process of spiritual development but remember the reward of the process is worth the price that you had to pay. God is good even in the midst of our troubles; just stay focused on the promise of His presence.

God Draws Near

The celebration of Advent reminds us that God desires to draw near to us and to the challenges that we face in our lives. "Emmanuel, God with us" reminds us of the awesome love that God has revealed to this world and it is through this love that we are brought to a right relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Oh, we have so much to celebrate! We can rejoice in the fact that God does not avoid us at the times of our difficulty but rather He chooses to respond to the cry of our heart. All of us can be grateful that through Christ we can have access to the Heavenly Father and our Heavenly Father loves us more than we can realize. Do not allow the "holidays" to lose its spiritual significance; recognize and remember the door of opportunity that God has opened to us through the birth of Jesus Christ. The service yesterday at Gallatin, TN was wonderful. The worship time was anointed and inspiring. It is such a blessing when we feel the "heart connection" with God as we gather to celebrate His Greatness. We do not gather to celebrate our great accomplishments; we gather to celebrate the GREATNESS OF OUR GOD and recognize Him as the One who is worthy of our praise. We must remember who deserves the praise and the glory; take a moment today and let God know that you recognize His Greatness!

Reflections

As we prepare to enter the season of Advent in Christianity we need to remember the great promise of the birth of Christ. God through Jesus Christ would draw near to humanity and we would be given the opportunity to be adopted into the family of God through the process of faith and trust. Jesus would offer Himself as a sacrifice for the sins of the world and through His death we would have the promise of eternal life. We need to be careful and not allow the "hype" of Christmas distract our attention from the true meaning of the birth of our Savior. I am glad that I do not need another "holiday" to remind me of my need to worship and adore the King of Kings. I am glad that I have decided to lift my voice and shout out praise to the One who willing came to die in my place and bring to me the opportunity of relationship with God. Let us declare this message this year with renewed passion and fervor.

Prayer for Today

Dear God, we are thankful for all of the blessings that you have provided for us. As we enter the Christmas season give us a greater desire to share the Good News of the Gospel with the people that you place in our lives. Give us a greater desire to serve you and offer ourselves a "living sacrifice" so that we can please You in all that we do. Give us a greater love for You and for the people that You have placed in our lives. We are thankful for all of Your Grace, Mercy, and Love. AMEN!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

We wanted to take this opportunity to wish each of you a Happy Thanksgiving. Today is a day in which family and friends will gather to eat a wonderful meal, enjoy sharing old stories and even some new stories, naps on the couch, and even catch a little football in between conversations. We look forward to our children and grandchildren joining us for lunch later in the day but surely there is more to Thanksgiving then the things that I have just mentioned. I am sure that I will enjoy some of each of the things that I mentioned but in the midst of all the challenges that people are facing I want to be able to show "true appreciation and thankfulness" to God for all that He has provided and continues to provide. Each of us need to take a moment and not just bow our head but bow our heart in an act of worship to God. He is the One who has provided for all of us and He is the One who releases the daily benefits in our lives. I just want to let Him know that I am grateful and thankful for Him and all that He has placed in our lives. We pray God's blessings on each of you today and we encourage you to continue your pursuit of a deeper relationship with Christ.

God's Grace

As I prepare to begin my day I am reminded about the awesome presence of God's Grace. It is such a blessing to realize and understand that the Grace of God is present at all times and in all circumstances that we face. Even when we do not fully discern the presence of His Grace we can be encouraged to remember that He has promised never to leave us or forsake us. He has promised to accompany us down the road of life. Some of you today may be facing some challenging times but take comfort in the promise of His Grace. As we approach Thanksgiving Day let us give praise to God for His marvelous Grace; He has touched our lives in more ways that we can remember. Take a moment, bow your head and allow God to know how much you recognize and appreciate His Love, Grace, and Mercy that has been released in your life.

Thankful Hearts

As I was reading my devotional this morning I came across these scriptures. Psalm 71:6: "You have been with me from birth; from my mother's womb you have cared for me. No wonder I am always praising you! (NLT). Psalm 31:7: "I will be glad and rejoice in your unfailing love, for you have seen my troubles, and you care about the anguish of my soul." (NLT) Matthew 6:30: "If God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you." (NLT) I Peter 5:7: "Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you." (NLT) In a few days we will celebrate Thanksgiving with our family and friends. Is my heart truly thankful for the blessings that God has provided? One of these blessings is the "great care" that God has provided for me and my family. It is such a blessing to recognize that God is truly interested in my life and my circumstances. God does not distance Himself from me but He desires to draw close to me in the cares of my life. Take a moment today and thank God for His wonderful care. Remember that He truly cares about you and the needs of your life.

Weekend Services

Thanks be unto God for His marvelous blessings! The Saturday night service at Browntown was amazing. The Lord challenged us to a lifestyle of "radical Christianity." The words of Jesus in Matthew 16 remind us that we are called to deny ourselves and follow Him. There is a price to pay if we are going to truly serve and please God. At the end of the altar time, the Worship leader felt led to lead the hymn, "The Old Rugged Cross." At the conclusion of the song one of the members of the congregation was directed by the Spirit for us to pray for those with physical needs. The power of healing and restoration was released in the service and several came forward for prayer. I am truly convinced that God responded to the obedience of their faith. It was a great blessing to be with Pastor Tanner, Sis. Kris and the Browntown congregation. The presence of the Holy Ghost was evident in the revival. Sunday found me at the Leesburg church with Pastor Andy Washburn and his wife, Rhonda. The Worship team was a great blessing as they led us into the presence of God. The Lord reminded us that in these uncertain times we can trust in the strength of God. The Lord has been declaring that truth in my heart the past few days. I am determined to trust in God regardless of what is happening in the world around me. The Sunday evening service was wonderful as once again people came forward to present their needs to the Lord. We can rejoice in the fact that God truly cares about us and what is happening in our lives. I was blessed to be able to be at Leesburg with the Washburn's and the local church body. On a personal note; I was honored that my parents, Wallace and Bennie Sue Willingham made the trip from Decatur, AL to be in the service. My dad who is a retired Pastor has preached at the Leesburg church many times over the years. Both my parents and the local church were blessed to be able to have a time of fellowship with each other. Friends and family are such a BLESSING to all of us as we travel the road called life. I am thankful for all the people that God has placed in our lives that have assisted us on our journey with God.

Trust

During prayer this morning the Lord reminded me of a line of an old hymn; "Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus..." I am glad that I have learned and I am continuing to learn to trust in Jesus. As we look around our nation today there is not a lot of confidence regarding the future among people. I hear the words "lack of confidence" used by the investors on Wall Street; they are concerned about the future direction of the nation and this concern has caused major swings in the Dow Jones Average over the past several months. I am glad that we can still place our "confidence" in the Great, "I Am", of the Bible. He has not changed and neither has He lost any power or ability. As we are preparing for our Thanksgiving celebration take the time to remind your family and friends about the greatness of God and encourage them to place their confidence in Him and the authority of His Word. The service last night was highly anointed. The aisles were full of people who were seeking for more of God. Many of us decided last night we were not content with the status quo but we are committed to reach for all that God has planned for us. We are going to stop looking out the rear view mirror at where we have been and we are going to start looking out the windshield at where we are going. I encourage you to keep KEEP SEEKING AFTER MORE OF GOD!

Commitment to the Journey

During prayer and study time the Lord reminded me that I needed to stay focused on my journey with God. It is easy to become distracted by all that is happening around us and those events that are happening to us. I must keep the eyes of my heart; A.W. Tozer calls it the "gaze of my soul", focused on Christ and allow Him to guide the steps of my life. I must make the decision of commitment to Christ. I can not afford to walk aimlessly through this life; the enemy of my soul has a well planned strategy for my demise and defeat. But I can remember that the Lord is fighting for me and not against me. God has provided for my victory and not my defeat. Today, stay focused on where you are headed and who you are in Christ Jesus! I am anticipating another encounter with God at service tonight. The Lord's presence has been revealed and released in each of the services; God is responding to the cry of our hearts. We must keep walking after God and allowing Him to develop our relationship with Him. Oh, to know God in a deeper, fuller measure if the desire of my soul.

Communion

Last night's service at Browntown was very unique. The presence of the Lord was evident from the very beginning of the service. God used the Worship team to challenge our hearts regarding our desire to seek after God. The special singers shared "sermons" and not just songs. The words of the songs were a direct statement from heaven regarding our walk with Christ. My heart was very full when I arose to share the message with the congregation. I shared about this being a "season of blessings." I fully understand that these are very serious and uncertain times in which we live. As a matter of fact we are traveling in "uncharted waters" with regards to the economic crisis that is affecting our world. But in the midst of these difficulties I sincerely believe that God is and will continue to provide the blessings that we need. As I moved toward the conclusion of sharing the Word something caught my attention in the pulpit stand. I noticed a container of the self contained Communion cups; those with the combination of bread and juice. Immediately the Lord encouraged me to lead the service in a time of celebration of Communion. I am not the Pastor but I felt in my spirit an urgency to celebrate the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. I asked Pastor Tanner permission (I am sure that I put him on the spot) to lead the Communion service. I must hasten to add; I have never taken that action in any other Revival meeting. Pastor Tanner agreed with what I felt and he assisted me by providing the sacrament to the congregation. We proceeded in a wonderful time of sharing Communion with each other. I also felt led of the Lord for the families to gather together after the elements of Communion were served for a time of prayer for each other. (NOTE: After the service Pastor Tanner shared that the Lord had already dealt with him concerning the families praying for each other. Isn't it amazing when God is in control of the service?) I felt led to instruct the family to pray "prayers of blessing" over their family members. We entered into a season of prayer and we begin to minister to one another as the Spirit led. Each of us need to pray blessings over each other; the enemy is seeking our destruction and demise but God is releasing abundant life in us through the power of the Spirit. Rebuke destruction and walk in LIFE!

Looking Forward

Drawing closer to God has been a desire of my heart for a great portion of my life. In the past few years this desire has intensified as I have sensed the presence of God in a fresh and new way. I fully understand that the enemy will do all in His power to hinder my pursuit of God and He will use any means and methods at his disposal to interfere in my journey with God. I must refuse to let him weigh me down with baggage and garbage that will hinder my race of life. I must turn my heart to God with renewed passion and fervency. I must re-dedicate myself to a lifestyle of commitment to the great cause of the Kingdom of God. I refuse to allow the enemy to distract me from my intended goal; my goal is a relationship with God that is transforming me into the person that God desires. I must not stop short of that goal; I must run the race of life with purpose and daily surrender. The services at Browntown have been anointed and powerful. The Spirit of God is challenging all of us through the Word and through the revelation of the Spirit in the altar (alter) services. Victories are being received; God is preparing all of us for the harvest. We must be prepared to follow after God with great resolve and passionate love; these are not the days to grow cold or indifferent. God is calling all of us off the sidelines; this is not the time to be a spectator. Become involved in what God is doing in this world through the revelation of His Kingdom power. We must surrender to the King of the Kingdom!

The Provision of God

Life has a way of bringing moments of overwhelming challenges to us. We often find ourselves exhausted. This exhaustion can be spiritual, physical, emotional or even financial. It is during those times in which we need to look to God who has the resources to bring us peace and rest even during those times of exhaustion. This morning I read a portion of Psalm 23 in the New Living Translation. I would like to share a few of the verses with you; "The Lord is my Shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; He leads me be beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to His name." My heart was enriched as I remembered times in our lives in which God provided what we needed. I remembered those times in which both my body and spirit were worn down by the difficulties of the moment yet God would send the refreshing presence of His rest. I remembered the times that we were at intersections in our lives and we needed to know the direction that God would have us to travel and God revealed the way to us. I could continue in my remembrances but I feel led to encourage you to reflect on the promises of the Great Shepherd. Even more than the promises is the presence of the One who has made the promises. We can walk with hope and courage today regardless of what we are facing; God is there leading the way even when we fail to recognize Him. The service last night was wonderful. The Worship time focused on the "greatness of God." We must remember that God is still in charge of our lives and we need to remember His power and authority. Several people received the ministering power of the Spirit during the altar (alter) services. God desires to transform our lives if we will yield to Him.

Weekend Review

The Lord's presence was very near to all of us who attended the Sunday services at the Browntown, AL church. Several responded to the call from the Lord during the altar invitation. I truly believe that God desires to meet us at the point of our need. God has not planned for us to walk the road of life alone; He has made provision for His Spirit to come along side of us and assist us on the journey. It becomes our responsibility to respond to the call of the Spirit and allow Him into our lives. We can not keep God at arm's length, we must allow Him to draw near and release His presence into our lives. Pastor Tanner, Sis. Kris and the entire church family provided a warm welcome into their local church body. I am anticipating a mighty outpouring of the Spirit as we press into the presence of God this week. I wanted to remind you of this one thought. Do you realize that God has blessed you so that you can be a blessing to others? So many of us fail to remember that God has planned for us to help encourage, strengthen and pray for each other. We were not created to live isolated, lonely lives detached from one another. The family of God needs to take the time and make the effort to build up (edify) their brothers and sisters in Christ. We need each other and we need to offer our prayer support to each other. We are all facing our own unique set of challenges and situations; we certainly need the help and direction of God but we also need the care and concern of the people of God.

Personal Reflections

Today is a special day in our family. Our youngest grandson, Carson will celebrate his second (2) birthday; his parents are throwing a party in his honor tonight. This celebration reminded me of one of the great blessings that God has provided for me; it is the blessing of my family. Each member of my family has played a role in my spiritual development. I was a Minister when Ann and I married; that call has been on my life throughout our marriage. She has stood with me in this call and she has been willing to work with me regardless of the responsibilities that we were asked to accept. I just give God glory and praise for such a godly woman who desired to see the kingdom of God prosper even if it meant a challenging transition for our family. I am grateful for this great and wonderful blessing from God. God blessed our marriage with two wonderful sons who also were a vital part of the success that we have enjoyed in the field of ministry. Although there were certainly times in which our decisions brought them into the challenge of transition; they were willing to recognize that their parents were trying to follow the direction of God. In each of these moments of decision God always provided new friends, new opportunities and opportunities for them to grow and mature. As we move toward the Holiday season; I just wanted you and my family to know that I am both blessed and thankful for my family. I am excited about the return trip to Browntown, Alabama next week. It was a great blessing to be with Pastor Tanner and the local church earlier this year. I sense that God has great plans for the services.

Outpouring of the Spirit

My heart is rejoicing this morning as I reflect back on the services this week at the Cathedral church in Winchester, KY. I truly sense and believe that the lives of many people were impacted and influenced by the presence and power of the Spirit. I shared last night with the people that we need to walk in the strength of what God has deposited in our lives. We must run the race with endurance; we must be determined to walk in the blessings of God. We must participate with God; God keeps reminding me of that need in my life. I need to submit to God and allow His Spirit to work in my life. Will you join me in that process of surrender and yielding? These are the "days of the harvest" but you can not reap a harvest if you are not sowing seed. We need to keep "sowing" into the work of God through our service to Him and to those whom God places in our lives. We thank Pastor Douglas and the local church for welcoming us into their local church body and allowing us to share what the Lord placed in our hearts both in the sermons as well as the times of prayer during the altar (alter) services. We give God the glory for all that was accomplished in the services.

Moving Forward

As I was preparing my heart for the service tonight I was reminded of the need to set my desires in the direction of moving forward. The enemy desires to capture our desires so that we will remain content in our spiritual surroundings. I do not want to find myself only living in my experiences of yesterday as good as they may have been. I desire to be looking at where I am going and not looking back at where I have been. The writer in Hebrews talks about "laying aside every weight and the sin that so easily besets us"; this "laying aside" allows us to move in the direction that God is leading. We must allow the freedom of the Spirit to release us so that we can "run the race" with endurance, obedience, sacrifice and commitment. Are you ready to "run the race"? Are you reaching for the destiny that awaits? Are we content with the usual or do we desire all that God has planned and purposed for our lives? I desire to lay aside anything that will slow me down and I desire to pick up my cross and follow Him. Last night's service was very interesting and exciting. Even after many of the congregation had left the initial altar service several stayed for a time of prayer for their needs. Some of these had failed to respond during the initial invitation but knew they did not need to leave until they had an encounter with the Lord. It was inspiring to see the presence of the Spirit released in the lives of these individuals and to see them receive the ministering power of the Spirit. We must continue opening the doors of our hearts to God and allow His Spirit to minister to our lives. Stop resisting and start submitting!

Where Are We Looking?

Much is being said about the financial problems that are facing America. I am sure that all of us are concerned about the economic struggles that many Americans are facing at this present time. But I believe that we are at a crossroads in this nation; where are we putting our trust and confidence? Where are we looking for direction and in whom are we placing our trust? Last night in the sermon at Cathedral I felt impressed to tell the church that we need to "dig down deep and find the Rock on which to build our lives." The Bible teaches us about the houses (which could represent our lives) which are built upon the foundation of sand. Those houses could not resist the power and presence of the storms and winds that beat upon them. But the houses that were built upon the solid foundation were able to resist the storms and winds that came up against them. To be successful in this journey I must build upon the Rock called Jesus Christ and allow Him to direct my life. Each of us need to examine the spiritual foundation of our lives; we are in the midst of some stormy and challenging times yet we do not have to fall or fail. God through Jesus Christ has provided the victory, we can overcome the strategies of the enemy. Lift up your heart today and trust in Christ; He alone is our answer. The altar (alter) meeting last night was awesome. God was calling us to leave our past in the past and focus on where He desires to take us. I still believe that our future can be greater than our past if we will put our trust in God.

Weekend Services

The weekend services at the Cathedral church in Winchester, KY were wonderful. Pastor Douglas and the local church received us with open arms and warm Christian hospitality and fellowship. The worship team were excellent in leading us into the presence of God. Oh, how I desire to offer God praise and honor for all that He is in my life and the lives of my family. I just pray that all Christians once again will cherish and embrace the opportunity to offer God heartfelt praise and worship to God. During prayer today the Lord reminded me that we have made "going to church" a function of our religious routine. We need to realize that when we enter the church service it is our collective opportunity to have an encounter with God. Don't we all need an encounter with God? Don't we all need the transforming power of the Holy Spirit sweep over our lives in such a manner that people know that we have been in the presence of God? I desire more than emotional highs; I hunger for transformation. Join with me in seeking for true revival which will bring the process of transformation near to all of us. The altar services on Sunday saw a great response. Many people were under the influence of the ministering power of the Holy Spirit. People were receiving the baptism of the Spirit and many were being delivered and encouraged. God is ready to send strength, hope, and healing to His Body if only we will respond to His call. Are you prepared to respond? Are you ready to lay aside all that hinders you and run the race of Christian service to the best of your ability? This is the time to make the decision, step forward, and serve God with all of your heart. Our destiny awaits!

Words

I have spoken many words in my life. I am sure that some of them were more harmful than they were helpful. I am trying to reverse that trend in my life; I desire that my words are words of help and encouragement. I am not just referring to the words that I use when I am sharing the Gospel in the pulpit; no, I am referring to the words that I speak in daily conversations with those people who come in and out of my life. What impression do I leave with them through the words that I have spoken? Do they consider me pleasant and do they enjoy the times of conversation that we share? I know that there are occasions in which those who are listening or reading can mis-interpret your words but I want those moments to be a very small portion of my life. I truly desire to be an encourager to those who are around me. I do not want people to see my coming and they chose to turn away and walk in a different direction. O God, help our actions and disposition be pleasant and helpful even when we are facing our own set of challenges. AMEN! I look forward to the meeting next week at the Cathedral Church of God in Winchester, Kentucky. I am blessed by the invitation of Pastor David Douglas. I anticipate a mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit. I still believe the presence of God desires to send REVIVAL to our nation. O God, awaken the spiritual giant we call the "church."

Kingdom Celebration

Last evening was the final service of the "Kingdom Celebration" at Keith St. Ministries in Cleveland, TN. The presence of the Lord was with us in a powerful way as people received salvation, sanctification and the baptism of the Spirit. It was a great source of encouragement to see the children and youth of the church in the altar crying out for the presence of God to be at work in their lives. I face tomorrow with great hope; you and I are not alone in our pursuit of God. God is raising up people who are determined to seek His face and to walk in the promise of His presence. We can not allow the pressures and anxieties of the world to create doubt in our lives; we must remain firm in our commitment to the principles of our faith in Jesus Christ. When I see the hunger that is being manifested in the lives of people of all ages it reminds me that God is truly at work and I need to join with Him in what He is doing in His Kingdom. After all HE IS STILL KING in His Kingdom and I am privileged to walk in the authority that He has released in my life. Praise Report: In recent days we have received phone calls from people testifying to their prayers being answered. The Lord knows these fellow believers as well as the needs that they were facing. I am reminded of the acronym PUSH: Pray until something happens. This is the time to pray, pray again, and then pray some more. Do not stop praying regardless of what the enemy places in your thought process. Remember that with God "all things are possible."

Time for Faith & Confidence

Many of us went to bed last night realizing that our nation is moving in a new direction under President-Elect Obama. Some my agree with this decision and some may disagree with the decision of the voters. But all of us can agree that this is a time to release our faith and confidence in God. During prayer time this morning I was reminded that God is Sovereign; God still reigns in our individual lives as well as in this nation. We are living in the "last days" and these are the times in which our faith is being challenged. But this is not the time to throw in the towel of surrender but this is a time of intercession and crying out to God for a great spiritual awakening in America. We are taught in the Bible to pray for our leaders; I feel impressed to ask those of you who have been praying for the direction of the election to now pray with that same intensity for the soul of America. After all, our hope is not in man but our hope and trust is in God. God reigns in power, authority, grace and mercy. O God, stir my heart to change and revival. Let my soul be awakened to a deeper relationship with you. Stoke the fire of soul winning, evangelism, and outreach to our communities so that we can be salt and light in the world in which we are living. You have have placed us here to make a difference. AMEN!

Experiencing God!

It is such an honor and joy to walk in a relationship with God. I am thankful that God is calling all of us past the mundane and ritualistic attitudes of religion and He is calling us into a personal relationship through Jesus Christ. I shared with the service last night that I truly desire to walk in the blessings of the Kingdom of God. It is so easy to become comfortable and not allow my faith to be stretched and energized. All of us are facing situations in which we are being challenged to enlarge and release our faith. I want to be able to say yes to the Lord when He calls me to step out in faith regarding the needs that I have in my life. Many of you sense the same challenge taking place in your circumstances. The enemy desires to keep you in bondage but the Lord is calling you to freedom. I am choosing to listen to the voice of the Chief Shepherd and follow Him into a life-changing Journey. The altar response was tremendous last night. Once again we witnessed many people bringing their needs to the Lord; but we also witnessed people releasing their faith and believing that God was interested in their position in life. Always remember that the Lord is ever present and that He will respond to active and deliberate faith. Do not allow your faith to grow passive; release your faith on a daily basis and see God work in your life.

Weekend Services

We are enjoying a beautiful day of Fall weather in Cleveland, TN. Not only is the weather great but the services at Keith Street Ministries were filled with the beauty and anointing of the Spirit yesterday. Pastor John A. & Judy Stone are doing a wonderful job leading this congregation into a deeper pursuit of the presence of God. The worship experiences were awesome; last evening the Ladies of Lee came and ministered to us. The Lord used them to point us to Christ; we must remember that the Lord is relevant to our lives and to the needs that we are confronting. I reminded the congregation last night that the enemy of our soul does not want us to believe that God is interested in us but we must refute and refuse that lie from satan. God does care and God is aware of our journey and He stands ready to assist us. I sincerely feel that those principles need to be repeated to us so that we can deposit that truth deep in our hearts. The service last night was a special blessing to me and to those who attended the services. A large number of youth who were in the service responded to the invitation and allowed the Spirit to minister to their lives. It was a great source of encouragement to see young men and women crying out to the Lord for help. Tears were flowing, hands were raised in Praise, shouts of adoration were being lifted, and the gift of the Holy Spirit was operating in the lives of many of these young people. It was also a blessing to see the members of the Body of Christ ministering to these young people through intercessory prayer. Heaven had to enjoy the presence of love that was being released in the service last night. NOTE: Continue to pray for our nation as we approach election day 2008. Take time tomorrow to cast your vote. We are blessed to have that great privilege.

Availability to God

Many of us are more concerned about our abilities than we are our availability. We allow the enemy to hinder our walk with God because we only identify the lack of talent, gifts, abilities, etc. in our lives. We fail to remember that God needs our availability more than He needs our abilities. He can train, teach, and mold us if we are willing to submit to His process of development. I am at the crossroads of my life in which I desire to be available to the process and plan of God. Jesus reminds us that His sheep His hear voice and they follow Him when He calls. Are we truly willing to follow Him when He calls or has that scriptural principle merely become a "religious" theory that we know should be true in our lives? I certainly desire more than just religious knowledge of God; I desire to be available to Him so that He can complete what He has begun in me. I desire to enjoy the journey with God as well as the excitement that surrounds the destination. Take a moment today and recommit your availability to God and allow Him to use you to be a blessing to someone who needs to see the love of God revealed through your life.

God's Love

It seems that in recent days and recent services God keeps reminding me about the blessings of His love. In the service last night the overwhelming presence of God's love was released in the service. We remained in the altar for a significant amount of time praying with people and reinforcing to them that God was genuinely interested in their lives. So many people are searching for love and acceptance; but many of them are looking in all of the wrong places. It is time for the church to step forward and share the true love of God with people and let them realize that they are important to God. I witnessed this taking place in the service last night and and I am still rejoicing over that fact today. One thing that you can always be certain of is God's love for you. When you go through hard times, it doesn't mean that God has abandoned you. Rather, hard times allow God to reveal His infinite love and care for you. Assurance from other relationships is good at times, but God is the only one in whom you can trust completely without fear of disappointment. You can be assured that what He says is true and what He does is reliable. The world is full of uncertainty, so why search for assurance in it? Assurance in this life comes from experiencing God's love for you, which gives you security for today and for eternity! SPECIAL NOTICE: I want to use this means to wish our son, Kyle, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Kyle, we love you and we are proud to call you our son.

Scripture of the Day

The revival service last night was very challenging. The Lord taught us that we are living in the days of challenge, anxiety, stress, and demonic oppression. But in the midst of these days God is raising up in our hearts a greater desire to serve Him and follow Him into greater victories. If I am going to walk in the strength of this victory I must learn to lean on the promises of God. The Lord led me to one of those promises this morning and I would like to share it with you. Isaiah 43:1-3, "Listen to the Lord who created you...the One who formed you says, Do not be afraid. For I have ransomed you. I have called you by name: you are mine. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord, Your God, the Holy One of Israel, Your Savior." (NLT) All of us will face times in which we are required to trust God. There are times that we will face challenges and situations which are greater than our ability to handle them. It is at those times that we release our faith and realize that God will see us through those challenging moments. Today is the day to release your faith and allow Him to strengthen you in the day of battle.

Sunday Services

The first two services at the Crossroads church with the Riley's was a great blessing to all of us who gathered on the Lord's day to offer worship and praise to our great King. I am convinced that God is calling us into a deeper time of praise and adoration. God is asking us to lay aside our pre-conceived ideas and our fleshly pride. We must realize that there is a great struggle between the flesh and the Spirit. The flesh wants to stay in our comfort zone and the Spirit is calling us to pursue a deeper relationship with God. We must choose which course of action we will take. Do we want to remain relaxed, lethargic and unchanged or do we desire for the presence of God to manifest Himself in such a manner that we are transformed into the people that God desires us to become? I want to do my best and answer the call of the Spirit and not allow the flesh to dominate my process of responding to God. Will you join with me in making this declaration to God? O God, I am ready to respond to You, I am ready to step out of my "spiritual comfort zone", and I am ready to obey You to the best of my ability. Let us declare this from the very depth of our soul; God is ready to respond the cry of our hearts.

New Week

I am looking forward to being in Revival at the Crossroads Church in White Bluff, TN with Pastor Gary Riley. I sense that in these days of challenges the Lord is prepared to reveal His Glory to those who will seek His presence. Do you want to be in the number of those who will seek after the face of God? Many of us desire His blessings but do we sincerely desire His presence? The presence of God reveals His power to transform us into His into image and likeness. I desire to reflect His presence in my life. I am excited about this coming week; would you continue to pray for the anointing of the Spirit to rest upon the services? We can do nothing without HIM!

Rest in God!

During my devotional time this morning I received an encouraging thought from the Lord. His Word reminded me that I could find the rest and peace that I needed even though the world is in a state of crisis at this moment. Everyone of us are facing certain circumstances that will try to rob us of our peace and rest in God. We all face those moments of anxiety, concern, fear, or disappointment. We look for the hand of God to direct our steps. At a very important point in the journey of Moses God shared with Him (and us, I might say) these encouraging words in Exodus 33:14, "And he (God) said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest." The promise of the presence of God has such a calming effect as we face the challenges of daily living. Do not feel forsaken or lonely; Christ has promised to be with us. We can rejoice and declare that we can still find peace and rest in the strength of God.

Praising God!

After service last night the Lord challenged me with this thought. Have I forgotten the true joy of just praising God for all that He has done for me? Have I forgotten the joy that the Father receives when I offer Him thanksgiving and appreciation? Has praise become a lost treasure among those of us who have attended church for much of our lives? Do we wait on the "new converts" to express all of the joy, excitement, thankfulness for us or should not the "seasoned believers" be leading the way when it comes to praise and adoration of our God? Praise and worship is good for both the "new converts" as well as the "seasoned converts." I challenge you to take some time today and make a definite statement of praise to God. But please remember the praise needs to come from your heart and not just speak words that we have learned through the years of our connection with the church. The last two nights of the revival at Dacusville have been great. The Lord has spoken a direct word to many of us and we are choosing to walk in the stength of that declaration to us. I anticipate a mighty encounter with God tonight.

God's Encouragement to His People

It seems that God keeps reminding me to remind His people of the great LOVE that He possesses for all of His creation. I am understanding that I am unable to truly fathom and understand the power of His love and the desire that God has to release His love in our lives. Yesterday at Dacusville there was a great release of the love of God in the services. Many people struggle with the concept that God truly loves me and that He is interested in my life and that He is concerned about the challenges that I am facing. I told the church yesterday; the Lord will meet you in your time of crisis. He will not forget you and He does not expect you and me to navigate this journey on our own. He is our Shepherd/Guide who travels in front us and He leads us through the perils of our journey. We must learn to not only rejoice about the love of God we must learn to walk in the strength of His great and wonderful love. Some of you who are reading this blog today need to be reminded that God TRULY DOES LOVE YOU AND THAT YOU ARE IMPORTANT TO HIM! Walk in the revelation and declaration of His love over your life today. The Sunday services at Dacusville were wonderful. Surely the presence of the Lord was in the services as we lifted our voices together in praise and worship. People came forward during the invitation time and shared their needs with the Lord. I anticipate a great move of the Spirit throughout the remainder of the services.

We Are Not Alone

As I was reading a devotional this morning I was reminded of the blessing of my fellow Christians on the journey of life. It is sad that many times we take for granted those that are dear to us. I realize that God has placed wonderful people in my life through the years that have encouraged me and blessed me/us with their support and friendship. Take a moment today and remind yourself of the wonderful people that God has placed in your life and remember the blessing that they have been to you. You are not alone on the journey; God has given you friends and family that provide support, encouragement, love, and prayers to assist you through the challenges of life. This past week I have been in the home of a friend who has allowed me to use his computer and internet service so that I can stay in contact with people around this nation. I am staying in my brother's home during my revival tour in SC. These are great reminders that I am not alone. My wife is praying for me and for the success of the meetings although we are located in different states yet our hearts are connected through the call of God. Take a moment and thank God for all of the WONDERFUL people that He has placed in your life.

Time of Rejoicing

Last night concluded the services at the Piedmont, SC church. It was a great time of refreshing, encouragement, deliverance, strength, and victory. Pastor Manley and the local church are to be commended for their spiritual preparation before the meeting. The anointing of the Spirit was truly AWESOME! Each evening the Spirit challenged us to allow our faith to expand; last evening the Spirit taught us that the presence of God will release the stream of cleansing in our lives. We must be free and cleansed from any obstacle that the enemy will place in our lives; the enemy seeks to hinder my walk with God but God seeks to fulfill His good pleasure in my life. I desire to choose what God has planned for me and to reject the tactics of the enemy. Let us continue to walk in faith; let us continue to seek God with sincere and serious passion; let us continue to desire for His Kingdom to come in our lives; and let us lift our hearts to God who is our true source of help and strength. One final thought. During prayer the Lord reminded me that I do not need to allow the "issues" of life to hinder my desire to reach people with the message of the Gospel. All of us have a sphere of influence and in this sphere are people who need to know about the marvelous love of God. It is so easy to be consumed by what is taking place in our lives that we fail to see the harvest fields that are all around us. Let us open our eyes and believe that we are truly living in the "days of the harvest."

Decision Time

During the service last night the Spirit reminded us that we are in great need of making the proper decision regarding our walk with Christ. These are not the days to be living in the "valley of decision." We can not afford to live in the moments of indecision. Indecision leads us down the road of lethargy, apathy, unconcern, and spiritual laziness. I do not want to miss what God is doing because I have become content and satisfied in my relationship with God. God desires that my faith is growing and maturing so that I can reach the full potential of my relationship with Him. Will I make the right choice and follow Him? God is calling for active faith; active faith causes me to release my life into His hands so that He can be glorified in all that I do. I desire to please and surrender my heart to God. Will you join me in stepping out of the valley of indecision and making a sincere commitment to Christ? These are the days to follow Christ with passion and sincere desire.

God's Call

The service last night at Piedmont was great. You could sense the presence of Christ from the very opening song. The Worship Team led us deeper into the presence of God and the Word of God challenged us to participate with God. I desire to release my faith in such a manner that I am in agreement with God and the purpose that He desires to release in my life. We witnessed the Holy Spirit give the second invitation of the evening and many others responded to "God's Call." Are you responding to "God's Call?" Do we spend time listening to all of the noise that is going around us? Does this "noise" block out the Voice of the Shepherd who is calling us to draw near to Him into deeper fellowship/relationship. We need to listen for the Voice of Christ and allow Him to speak words of direction, conviction, guidance, and encouragement into our lives. All of us are facing situations in which we need the guidance of the Lord. O Lord, give me ears to hear what You are declaring to me.

Weekend Review

The presence of the Spirit was very powerful in the Sunday services at Piedmont, SC. Pastor Barry & Georgia Manley are doing a wonderful job leading the church in a deeper pursuit of the anointing of the Spirit. Many people responded to the altar invitation and came forward to receive strength from God. God is at work in the lives of people if only we will take the time and notice what God is doing among us and what He is saying to us. We must be serious in our response to God and we must recognize the majesty of God as we worship Him. During prayer this morning the Lord reminded me that I needed to be careful and not become sidetracked or distracted with everything that is going on around us. It is so easy to lose our focus and not walk in a passionate pursuit of God. I desire to remain in touch with God so that He can shape, form, mold and make me in His image and likeness. I must choose to focus on Him and allow His presence to order and direct my steps.

The Process of God

Last night Ann spoke at the monthly meeting of the Faith Builders Group at Eastside Praise. During her presentation she spoke that every product has to go through a process before it becomes the finished product. She related that illustration to our journey with God; our walk with God is a process and we must submit to that process if we are going to become the finished product that God has planned for us to become. We must all remember that God does have plans for all of our lives and we must live with that anticipation. It is not always easy to submit to the process; Ann also told us that we must be willing to let go of yesterday and embrace the freshness and newness of today. God is ready to provide fresh life and direction to all of us if we will embrace His process and willingly place our lives in His hands. How many times have I resisted the "process of God" rather than allowing Him to complete what He has started in my life? I want to repent for my spirit of resistance and I want to say yes to what God desires to accomplish in my life. God has great plans for you, yield to the process and enjoy your journey with God!

Heart for God

I am preparing my heart for the revival meetings in the next few weeks. The schedule for the fall is going to be very busy but I am excited about the opportunities to minister in the various churches. As I was preparing some bio information for a Pastor this morning I was reminded about a prayer that God placed in my heart several years ago. He reminded me that I was interested in what others thought about me and what I was doing in the Kingdom of God but it had been a long time since I had asked Him what He thought about what I was doing in His Kingdom. Today God reminded me that I still needed to be asking for His heart to be revealed to me not just in a ministerial manner but in the personal manner of my relationship with Him. How long has it been since you asked God what was He thinking regarding your life and what your life was releasing in this world? Are you more interested in the thoughts of others more than you are in the thoughts of God toward your walk with Him? This is the time to be honest and open with God; we do not need to ignore the heart of God and what He desires to deposit in our lives. I re-commit to seeking after the "heart of God" every day of my life. I desire to hear Him say "well done thou good and faithful servant."

Scripture Passage

During my devotional time this morning the Lord led me to this passage of scripture found in Psalms 9: 9-10, "The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee" (KJV). I can trust God because He is truth; their is no lie found in God. Truth is not just a character trait of God; it is the essence of God. Many of us are facing situations that is requiring us to "trust"; we can depend on the truthfulness of God. He has declared that He will not forsake (abandon) us during those moments of challenge/decision. Be encouraged today and know that God is ready to come along side of you and walk with you on your journey. Give Him praise today for His great and precious promises that have been declared over our lives. AMEN!

Looking Ahead

It is such a joy to be able to serve the Lord. Although we are surrounded by great challenges we can look ahead by faith and realize that God is very present with us at all times. God not only lives in our past but He is living in our future. I desire to learn to trust Him more; I want to be faithful in all that God is calling us to do. Faith will provide the means of my spiritual success; I must walk by faith and not by sight. All of us are facing situations, circumstances and challenges that can discourage us but as we keep our hearts focused on God we can realize that He is leading us down the road of victory. Do not be discouraged today; lift your heart toward God and be reminded that He is Sovereign over all situations. As I am writing I felt led to ask you to pray with me for our nation. Will we allow God to speak to us at this critical time in our history? Will we look not only at our financial challenges but also look at the spiritual needs that are among us? Have we walked away from God and endeavoured to walk in our own strength? O God, open our eyes so that we can see You at work drawing us near to You?

Weekend Review

The services at Bethesda Community Church went very well. Pastor Tony & Linda Cooper are working in the field of this new church plant and the Lord is blessing their labor of love. They are being supported and encouraged by a group of people who have a heart to make an impact in their community through the message of Christ and His mercy and love. Each of us need to pray that God will provide the resources that they need to finish the building that they are leasing to own as well as the leadership they need to fulfill the vision of Pastor Tony. God is sending a move of His Spirit in the lives of those people who are seeking His presence; I want to be among those who are seeking the presence of God. We need to continue praying for our nation; we are seeing that man does not have the ability to meet the needs of our society. Let us look to God and realize that He is still the answer for humanity.

Uncertain Times

God is teaching me that I need to trust Him in these uncertain times. These are unique days to say the least but in the midst of the challenge God is revealing His presence and power. He is reminding us that we are not alone and that He is aware of our journey. He will not walk away from us during our distress or discouragement. Pastor Tony Cooper taught us last night that God desires to fellowship with us and that if we will draw near to Him He will draw near to us. I desire to believe the promises of God's Word which are being released into my spirit. PRAYER: O God, strengthen Your people as we face the difficulties of life. Let us understand that we are weak and that You are strong. Forgive us for pushing You away through our arrogance and pride. Allow us to understand that we are in great need for Your love and direction. AMEN!

"Bail-out or Rescue"

Over the past several days the U.S. Congress has been dealing with the financial crisis that is facing our country. I do not profess to have the knowledge to fully understand all of the matters that are being discussed; but I have spent time in prayer asking God to give our leaders direction in working through this problem. This legislation was first introduced as a "bail-out" for the struggling economy but in recent days the strategy of the politicians has changed and now they are referring to this legislation as a "rescue." NOTE: The legislation passed today in the House and it passed yesterday in the Senate. During today's prayer time for the service in Willard, Ohio the Lord reminded me that He has already provided the true "rescue" plan for mankind. When Jesus died on the cross He opened the door that humanity could be redeemed and rescued from their lifestyle of sin. We do not have to wait for some scheme and plan of man; we have the presence of the risen Savior who is ready to respond to the battles that we are facing. Today, each one of us needs to take a moment and thank God that we have been rescued from the hands of the enemy. We have been delivered from the power of the adversary and now we walk in the freedom of relationship with the Heavenly Father. I look forward to the evening service at Bethesda Community Church with Pastor Tony & Linda Cooper. I can sense the presence of God that is ready to be released in the service tonight. We ask that you cover this weekend meeting in your prayers.

"Great Love"

Wednesday night's service at Brecksville was outstanding. We were blessed to have Pastor Fred Robinette and the Worship Team from the Elyria Church of God of Prophecy. They were anointed as they led us into the presence of God and we were able to celebrate the greatness of our God. During the course of the message God encouraged me to speak these words; "great revivals come as the result of great love." During devotional time this morning I reflected on those words and I was reminded that I (we) must seek for our love to grow deeper and stronger. First, we must love God more and second, we must love people with a deeper love that is filled with compassion and concern. I am convinced that God is ready to fill the church with a fresh and vibrant love that reaches out to this hurting world. Will you join me in asking God to refill and refresh our love for God and our love for our fellow man? During the altar (alter) call we witnessed twelve (12) youth give their heart to Christ and many others move forward for their needs to be met. Truly the presence of the Lord was revealed in the services. Pastor Markham and the congregation are to be commended for being open to the moving of the Spirit. Each night found us walking in the strength of a new and fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit. God is at work and I am determined to follow Him with all of my heart. Will you continue to join me on that journey and walk of faith?

Tuesday's Service

Tuesday night at Brecksville, Ohio was AWESOME! It was amazing to see the simplicity of the Gospel message at work in the lives of people. The love of God reminded all of us that He is looking for us and that He desires to minister to the needs that we are facing. People with various needs came forward as the Spirit of God through an interpretation declared God's love over those who were gathered to worship. People needing to be saved came forward, people who needed to be delivered from the oppression of sinful habits came forward, people who desired to receive the baptism of the Spirit came forward, and people with emotional and physical needs came forward. The great grace and presence of God was encountered in the altar (alter) service. We give God praise for all those who received Christ (at least 3) and for those who received the baptism of the Spirit (at least 4). We give God praise for those who were healed and delivered of various oppressions. We rejoice over what God is doing among those who dare to release their faith and trust God to answer their prayers. We must return to the heart of the Gospel message which reveals to us the great care, concern and interest that God has in our journey through life. Be blessed today as you walk in the benefits and blessings of the provision of the cross.

Surrounded by Clouds

During the service last evening the Lord reminded me that many of us are surrounded by various types of clouds. He revealed to me that these are clouds of anxiety, uncertainty, insecurity, frustration, disappointment, etc. By now I am sure that you are getting the picture of what many of us are facing in our lives at this present time. But the Spirit did not leave me in the valley of discouragement and despair; He reminded me to remind the congregation that God is the "King of GPS"; He knows your location. He is aware of your position, not only physically but also emotionally. He also knows your destination. Many of us have started out on this journey and we have encountered some detours and obstacles. But remember the Lord has not given up on you and neither should you give up on yourself. During prayer time on Sunday morning I felt led to tell someone those very words; do not give up on yourself, God stands ready to assist you in recovering your desire and passion to follow after His will for your life. Several people received the ministry of the Spirit in their lives last night during the revival service at Brecksville. I am convinced that God desires to provide emotional healing as well as physical healing. Some of you who will read this note today need to receive the encouragement of the Spirit as you walk through the challenges of your life. Rest assured that the Lord has not lost you in the crowd and that He is prepared to draw near to you in your time of pain and difficulty.

Weekend Review

The services on Sunday at Brecksville were powerful. People testified to being saved, sanctified and baptized with the Holy Ghost. It was a great blessing to see many believers come forward for prayer and allow the Spirit to minister to their lives. I am convinced that God is calling for a response from us. Are we willing to respond or will we continue to put God on "hold?" Are we offending God through our arrogance and self-dependence? We need to ask for forgiveness, respond to His Spirit, and receive the ministering power of the Holy Spirit. God is ready to transform us if we will submit to the direction of His presence. I want to be available to all of the provisions that will come and are coming through the outpouring of the Spirit. In the midst of all of the uncertainty in our world we can still trust in the promises of the Word of God.

Revival in Brecksville

It is a great privilege to be with Pastor Donnal & Jennifer Markham in Brecksville, Ohio. I am anticipating a great move of the Spirit in the services this week. I was in Brecksville last September and the presence of the Lord was powerful in each of the services. God is ready to touch our lives if we will willingly submit to the leading and direction of the Spirit. I still believe that God desires to revive and awaken the church in America; surely the signs of the times remind us of our great need for more of the Spirit in our lives. Do not allow the enemy to release the spirit of contentment and ease in your life. This is the time to arise, shake off the spirit of slumber and walk in the unction of the Spirit. Pray for this meeting this week that the lives of people will be transformed through the unction and anointing of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer for Today

Dear God; we are in great need of your direction. Our nation is in dire need of Your reviving Spirit. The moral fiber of our nation is deteriorating and we are seeing the end result of this in all the aspects of our lives. O God, open our eyes to our need for forgiveness; open our hearts to a deeper sensitivity to the things of God; open our spirits to a great dependence on You and to a lifestyle that pleases You. Visit our nation with a renewing of conviction so that we can identify the error of our ways and make the proper correction that is needed. Bless the leaders of our nation as they address the problems that are confronting us. Bless the spiritual leaders of our nation as they lead us into a deeper relationship with You. AMEN!

Review of Revival

I can truly say that "I was glad when they said unto me, let us go the house of the Lord." Each of the services at Kempville Chapel were outstanding. Each of those present in the services opened their hearts to the leading of the Spirit and I sincerely believe that many of us felt the transforming power of Christ in our lives. The altars were full each evening of hungry people who were seeking the will of God for their lives; I was blessed through the opportunity of sharing the Word of God and praying with the people. God's love was revealed in a mighty way as people were led to bring their needs to the Lord and trust that He would hear the cry of the heart. According to the promise of the Word, God does hear the cry of our heart. I look forward to hearing great news from Pastor Meadors and the local church. The Tuesday night service was blessed by the ministry of the "Mid State Quartet." The Lord used them the share the gospel in song and testimony. Two of the singers testified of God bringing them through a battle with cancer and they both reported that they were cancer free. The song is true, "What a mighty God we serve." The newly formed Kempville Choir ministered on Wednesday evening and the Lord used them to encourage us to remember that God desires to send the fire of His Spirit among us. All of us need to remember that God has great plans for us if we will be willing to surrender our lives to Him. Are we willing to surrender our life to Him or will we choose to walk in our own will? Great victories await for those who will choose to surrender their will to God's will.

Monday's Service

The Monday evening service was awesome as the Lord revealed His great love to many that were sitting in the congregation. Several people moved forward during the invitation time with tears streaming down their faces as they responded to the love of God. During the service God had reminded us that we do not have to be defined by the circumstances that we are facing. God has a plan and purpose for our lives and it is our responsibility to submit to that plan. Not only are we asked to submit to that plan; we are also asked to follow that plan. We must understand that God has a 'higher calling" for all of us and the enemy does his best to keep us imprisoned by our failures. weaknesses, difficulties and insecurities. But the Lord is declaring that this is a day of freedom and it is time to allow the Spirit to remove the shackles and walk in the freedom of the Spirit. The trio, Forgiven, was a great blessing to the service last night. The Lord used them to minister to the people as we listened to the care of God being expressed through their music and singing. I am always blessed by the different ways that God sends the message of hope, concern, and care to our lives. He never forgets us and He never gives up on us. Jesus died for our sins and He gave His life for me that I could find my life in Him. Just continue to trust Him today and walk with the knowledge that the Lord is concerned about everything that is happening in your life!