Love of God

John 16:27: "for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God" (NKJV). During one of the services at the meeting in Bucyrus the Spirit of God reminded us of this great principle. As I began to worship God and concentrate on His presence my heart was refreshed and renewed as I began to receive the love of God. There are times in which we "think about the love of God" but do we truly open our hearts to receive His love into our lives? Many of us know the principle of the love of God (John 3:16, 1 John 4:8-10) but do we walk in the practical application of His love to our lives? Much of humanity can recite and announce all of the reasons that God does not love them but very of us take the time to walk in the revelation of His love toward us. Each of you reading this blog need to take a moment and refocus your attention on the fact that God's Word declares that He does love us and that He is interested in revealing that love to us. Life is full of perplexities in which we need a "fresh" revelation of that love. We will face times of illness in our lives and in the lives of our family members; we may face a layoff from our job; we may face the death of a family member or a dear friend; we may face internal struggles in our marriages; or we can face an inexhaustible list of events that will challenge our peace of mind. It is during those moments that we learn to run to Abba Father and allow His love to flow over our lives. Many of the above mentioned moments offer us the opportunity to grow bitter against God and bitter about the events that are taking place around us and even taking place to us. But God "who is rich in mercy" is prepared to reach out to us and soothe our fears and calm the inner turmoil that we are feeling. It is during these moments of life that the Word of God and the Spirit of God will reveal and declare the love of God over us and in us. Our responsibility is to take the time and make the effort to receive His love. I can remember times when our children would push us away when we wanted to give them a hug. But I can also remember the times when those same children would readily accept and receive the embrace that we were offering them. I need to encourage someone today; don't push God away but readily receive the love that He is offering you. The release of God's love in your heart will give you the strength and courage that you need to face the challenges that you are confronting today. You can find rest in Him (Matthew 11:28-29).

Discernment, Part 2

The intensity of the challenge of the Spirit increased each night of the Bucyrus revival. Truly the presence of the Lord could be felt in the "atmosphere" of the church service. Each service found us responding to the call of the Spirit to be alert not only to the evil that is taking place in our world but we also need to be alert to the ministering power of the Spirit. God, in His rich and great love is reaching out to our world. Am I willing to respond to His love or will I choose to walk in my own way and unresponsive will? I have said it often but I will say it one more time; "This is the time to make ourselves available to the leading of the Spirit and respond to the call from the heart of God." According to the Bible it is not the will of God that any man should perish. I must bear full responsibility of my decision if I fail to develop a relationship with God. Psalm 119:34, "Give me understanding and I will obey your instructions; I will put them into practice with all my heart" (NLT). We are in desperate need to understand the instructions that we are receiving from God. Only God can direct us into the full understanding of what is true and false, or what is good or bad. There is so much that will appear on the surface to be beneficial to our spiritual life. The enemy is cloaking deceit in the clothes of false religion; this false religion has one purpose and one purpose only. It desires to remove the spiritual filter of Biblical truth from our lives. False religion desires for me to develop my own ideas of right and wrong. This development allows me to become a "god" unto myself; I think that I can answer to my own ideas rather than giving an account of my life to God. Oh, how important it is that we allow the Spirit to bring discernment into our lives so that we will have the knowledge, understanding, and strength to make the proper choices of life. Discernment will lead us through the maze of options that we are facing in this present time. We can not afford to settle for anything less than the plan of God for our lives. Like the sun that burns away the fog of the early morning. discernment cuts through confusion and distractions and bring clear thinking and clear decisions to life and to the issues that we face. We must commit to obeying God when we receive clarity to those "life issues" that will either lead us to spiritual life of spiritual death. Remain on alert to the tactics of the enemy.

Discernment

"Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong" (Hebrews 5 :14, NLT). Oswald Chambers encourages us to remember that we are to "get to know Christ" through His Word and through the presence of His Spirit. This knowledge of Christ is not just confined to the moment of our conversion to Christianity but it is to be an ongoing process in our lives. The modern day church is in desperate need for maturity. We are needing the "solid food" from the Word that we might put on the "armor of light" (Romans 13:12). This armor of light will provide us the ability to discern the issues of life that we are facing. All of us are given the opportunity to make the correct decisions concerning our relationship with God. I must ask myself, "Am I maturing in my relationship with God or have I grown content to live in "spiritual adolescence?" Discernment is the ability to know the difference between right and wrong, true and false, good and bad, important and trivial, godly and ungodly. Discernment helps you properly interpret issues and understand the motives of those who are pushing a certain agenda. Our culture is full of opportunities of discerning between right and wrong. It seems that in many cases those lines separating right and wrong are being blurred by the humanistic approach to life. People seem oblivious to the consequences of their decisions. Only the knowledge of Christ and the presence of the Spirit in our lives can direct our steps into making the correct decisions. All of us are sensing the pressure of the culture to compromise our views in so many areas of our lives but Christ will provide the direction we need as we continue to develop in the area of spiritual maturity. As I was ministering the Word last night I could sense in my heart that the Spirit was drawing us into the deeper relationship with Him which would include the need for correction. Because God loves us He will correct us. He corrects us because He desires to redeem us from the snares of the enemy. I want to be open to His correction. The conviction of the Spirit which has led me to make the right response to God has opened the door for God to speak correction in my heart. Those moments are not always pleasant (at least initially) but they lead to a healthy and maturing development of my relationship with Christ. I encourage each of you to continue your recognition of the need for maturity in your walk with Christ. PRAYER NEEDS: I have received several messages from people who are facing a challenge in their lives at this moment. I ask the readers of this blog to agree with me in prayer for those needs; there is power in agreement. Feel free to share any requests that you may have. There are prayer partners across this nation who are covering this ministry with prayer and they are ready to agree with you for the needs that you are confronting.

Change of Atmosphere

I trust that each of you took the time yesterday to reflect on the men and women who have volunteered their service to our nation so that we could live in freedom. This morning I am thinking of the "spiritual leaders" who have given their life for the sake of the Kingdom of God. These are wonderful men and women of God who loved God more than their own lives. They were willing to offer themselves as living sacrifices on the altar of servanthood so that the message of the Gospel could be shared in our world. Some of you reading this blog today are those people and to you I declare a great THANK YOU. Thank you for leading the way and being faithful to God and to the call that He placed on your life. To those of you that I refer to as the "support staff" I also declare a great THANK YOU. Thank you for your willingness to come along side of these Gospel Ministers and provide the support, encouragement, prayer covering, and assistance that has allowed them to share the Word of Hope with this generation. God has not and He will not forget your acts of service to this great cause of Christ. Blessings on your walk with God as you continue your journey through life. I want to take a moment and share what the Lord taught me last night in the service. During the worship service we were in the midst of "singing our songs." There was a good feeling in the service yet something begin to take place that was unique and different. The Worship Leader began to sing this song; "Holy Lord, Holy Lord, are You..." It was at this moment that you could feel the atmosphere of the church service begin to change. We moved from singing to worshipping. We moved from the mere expression of words into heartfelt adoration of the King of Kings. We moved from the outer courts of routine into the inner court of fellowship and communion with the Loving God who desired to draw us near to His presence. This time of Worship and Adoration opened the door of ministry time for the Word and for a season of prayerful intercession for ourselves and for each other. I have come to understand this principle; when we turn the attention from ourselves to Him the atmosphere of the service will change. The Lord also taught me that I need to focus, concentrate, and dedicate myself to making sure that I turn my attention to Him and to Him alone. After all, He is worthy of our praise and adoration. In recent meetings the Lord has revealed that principle to me and I felt impressed to declare that understanding to you. Make it your desire to move from the outer court of routine into the inner court of heartfelt Worship and notice the change in your personal life as well as the services that you attend.

Weekend Review

I am writing from Bucyrus, Ohio. Pastor Tom and Norma Weill and the local church welcomed me into the fellowship of the local church yesterday as we began a few days of revival services. The presence of the Lord was with us as we gathered to worship God and offer our praises to Him. I have said it before but it is always a joy to gather with the people of God and participate in a time of corporate worship. Corporate worship is an unique time in which God not only speaks to us individually but He also speaks to us as a family of believers that are united in a common interest. I am glad for my time of private devotions but I also enjoy the time of worshipping with my "family" as we come together to seek the direction of God. The writer of Hebrews reminds us "not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together, as in the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching." (NKJV) Let us remember the challenge to encourage one another as we see the return of Christ approaching. Remember that God is still calling His people together into corporate settings in which He can speak to His family. Oh, what a joy to be counted as a member of the family of God. Today is Memorial Day. Let us not forget those brave men and women who paid the ultimate price for our freedom. Let us remember those brave men and women who are serving in harms way at this present time. These men and women are willing to serve our country and defend our country so that we can enjoy our freedoms. Freedom comes at a cost; even our spiritual freedom came at a cost. Jesus Christ was willing to lay His life down as a sacrifice for my sins and your sins. He died on the cross so that I could live in the freedom of salvation. Do not let this day pass without thanking God for His plan of salvation. Do not let this day pass without thanking God for those brave men and women who have served this country and who continue to serve this country. I offer a personal debt of gratitude to my father who is a WWII veteran. My dad fought in the infantry with General George Patton's Army. He was involved in some of the major battles in Germany toward the end of the war. I am blessed by my dad's service to our country and I honor him today. He will be involved in a ceremony in Decatur, AL recognizing the sacrifice of those who gave their lives in the line of duty. I am blessed with a rich heritage of patriotism and for that I am thankful. We also have a nephew who is presently serving in the US Army. Derek recently returned from a deployment to Iraq. Derek, we are proud of you and we are blessed that you chose to give a portion of your life in service to our great country. May God bless these men and women today and may God bless America!

Beauty of God

Yesterday was a travel day for me as I returned home from Virginia. The meeting at Harrowgate Worship Center was awesome as God revealed Himself in so many ways. Pastor Johnson and the local church have connected with several believers from Kenya. These brothers and sisters in Christ bring such a spirit of prayer and praise into the local body of believers. During the altar meeting on Wednesday night two of the ladies began to sing a song of praise in their own native language. Although most of us could not understand the words we were able to connect with the Spirit that was ministering through them. I felt led to remind the congregation of the beauty of the moment; we were able to recognize the fact that God truly loves the whole world and He was allowing us to see a small portion of the Kingdom of God. His Kingdom reaches across all nations, all languages, all races, and all people groups. I thank God that I was able to witness this revelation of the Spirit; it served as an encouragement to me as I continue to spread the Good News of the Gospel. Little did I realize that God was not finished reminding me of His beauty. As I drove home through the mountains of Virginia and West Virginia I noticed the great beauty of His creation. Looking at the mountain range and the beautiful green valleys I was reminded of the awesome creativity that God possesses. Not only has God created the earth on which we live He has also created you and me in His image and His likeness. As I drove God reminded me that I am so busy that I fail to recognize the beauty of His creation. I fail to take the opportunity to reflect on all that He has provided for me and I have the tendency to overlook the blessings that He daily places in my life. Oh, I have no problem recognizing the great blessings (pay raise, new job, new car, new home, etc.) but do I have that same sense of recognition of the daily blessings that He places in my life? But God was not finished teaching me the valuable lesson of remembering His beauty in my life. I was able to see two of my grandsons last night. Once again God was teaching me as I watched them play some games last night. In my mind I traveled down the road of my life and I remembered that it was only "yesterday" that I was watching our children play games in our house. But I was so busy at times that I failed to take the time and recognize the beauty of my family. Now that I am older I see things in my grandchildren that I missed seeing in my children. My wife made the extra effort to prepare a special meal for us to enjoy after my long trip home. She works very hard to support this ministry call that we feel (employment as well as intercessory prayer). Yet, she took the time to prepare for my return with a wonderful meal (she even purchased ice cream for dessert). Don't make the mistake of missing the beauty of God that He has revealed to you through your family and friends. As we enter this Memorial Day weekend reacquaint yourself with those "beautiful" blessings that God has placed in your life. Do not miss the blessings that God will reveal if only you will take the time to listen to His voice. I am truly thankful that God spoke these reminders in my heart as I traveled home yesterday. I am truly a blessed man even as I face the daily challenges of life. God has deposited many blessings in me and I want to express sincere praise and thankfulness.

Spiritual Maturity

It is always a privilege to sit and write those things that God places in my heart. Many of these postings are just a reflection of those feelings that are pent up in my heart or they are the result of the convictions that the Spirit places in my life on a daily basis. I am not embarrassed to let you know through this blog that I am a "spiritual work in progress." A children's song of a few years ago declared, "He is still working on me, making me what I ought to be." Do I still sense that in my heart or have I grown comfortable with my spiritual life rather than pursuing the full revelation of His Grace and direction. This morning there is a renewed desire to reach out for spiritual maturity; in the process of maturation I will be able to reach my full potential and reach the destiny that God has planned for my life. Much is written about destiny in our modern Christian literature. Can you fully reach your destiny if you avoid the road of spiritual maturity? Can you fully become all that God has intended you to become if we seek to avoid the type of relationship that challenges our commitment to Christ and His principles being revealed in our lives? I wonder if we have not placed the proverbial "cart before the horse"? Are we interested in our destiny and Christ is interested in our maturity? I don't believe that these two Christian elements are adversaries; but I believe that God intended for them to work together for our spiritual well being. During prayer this morning, I heard the words of Paul rise in my heart; "That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death." (Philippians 3:10, NJKV). Does your heart cry out to know Him? Do not settle for knowing about Him; seek to know Him. Let us seek for His Word to make a difference in our lives. These results were reported in a recent George Barna poll taken among Christians; "29% of Christians said their faith has been helpful but has not greatly transformed their life and 9% stated that their religious faith has not made much a difference in who they are and how they live." (The Barna Group, April 15, 2009). I refuse to live in that category of believers; I have made the decision to pursue spiritual maturity. Will you join me on the journey? Let us prepare to move from our comfort zones into the presence of the Loving and Living God who has a plan for our lives.

Prayer is our Friend

I feel led to share with you concerning last night's service at Harrowgate Worship Center. Pastor Johnson challenged us from the very beginning concerning our opportunity to receive the presence of Christ into our lives. He reminded us that God has invited us to participate with Him and that we can receive the Living Water that He is willing to share with us. The anointing of the Spirit was upon every aspect of the meeting and many in the congregation responded to the altar invitation to come and receive. Is it possible that we have complicated the plan of God with our ideas, plans, and thoughts concerning the matters of the Spirit? Have we rejected the presence of Christ for a "man-made" production of church? Have we learned to "do" and "have" church in the strength of the flesh rather than the unction and direction of the Spirit? I truly believe that God is calling His people into the freshness of the Living Water and the Living Bread. It is time to break free of the hindrances of tradition, ritual, routine and become genuinely receptive to the ministering power and presence of the Spirit. I could sense the Lord speaking these words and thoughts in my heart last evening. God is prepared to awaken His people if only we will come to Him in open and honest surrender. We must make the decision to pursue the presence of God with open hearts, open minds, and open spirits. We must be ready to respond in obedience to the leading of the Holy Spirit. These actions can become the spiritual soil in which a mighty move of God is produced. One final thought concerning last evening's service; I believe that this is truly noteworthy for all of us. A young man (middle teens) desired to share a testimony at the conclusion of the service. But rather than sharing a Praise report he felt led to share what the Lord had placed in his heart. He spoke the following words as he trembled under the influence of the Holy Spirit; "Prayer is our best friend." He went onto elaborate on the need for us to be consistent in our prayer life and that prayer must continue to be an important part of our spiritual discipline. The words he spoke were incredibly challenging but the unction and fervency with which he spoke them caused me to sense that we were hearing a portion of the heart of God. God speaking through this young man was reminding us that we must not forsake our time of prayer and communication with our Heavenly Father. I know that I often mention the need for prayer but I sense that the Lord is concerned about the lack of prayer that takes place on a daily basis in our lives. We must make time to pray. We must be committed to pray. We must be an example to those family members and friends that God has placed in our lives. Be resolute in your determination to either begin a prayer journey with God or to strengthen your prayer walk with God. Today is the best day of your life to begin a lifestyle of consistent prayer.

Weekend Services

Pastor Lyndon and Tonya Johnson welcomed me into the fellowship of Harrowgate Worship Center on Sunday. The anointing of the Lord could be felt by one and all as the Worship team led us into the presence of the Loving Father who desires to release good gifts into our lives. The people were very warm and friendly as together we begin to reach up toward God and reach out to those that were around us. The Harrowgate congregation is is multi-cultural as well as multi-national church which desires to minister to those in their community. I was blessed and encouraged as I witnessed people from various ethnic backgrounds coming together for one purpose; that purpose being the exalting of Christ and the offer of eternal life to anyone who will choose to accept Him as their Savior. Oh, that God would release that desire in all of the churches throughout this land. We are a nation of diversity; but this diversity is not meant to divide us but this diversity is meant to serve as a testimony to a lost and hurting world that there is a Savior who loves all of us. My heart is still rejoicing this morning as I think of the endless possibilities that await us as we pursue the work of the Kingdom of God in our lives. Stay focused on His Kingdom and refuse to establish your own kingdom in which you seek to serve as ruler. We must surrender our lives to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and I am seeking that more and more every day that God allows me to stay on this earth. I don't normally go into this much detail about a local church but there is one more important fact that I need to share about yesterday. When I arrived at the church I could hear the sound of intercessory prayer being offered to the Lord. The church made a decision to dedicate one of the rooms in the facility for a Prayer Room. The intercessors meet in this room prior to the services to offer prayer for the upcoming meeting. It was such an encouragement to enter the building and hear the prayer of the saints. I mention this because I believe the secret of our spiritual success is tied directly to the interest in prayer that is being exhibited among us. We must not loose the recognition of our need to pray and seek the face of God. We are comfortable seeking Him for "things and needs in our lives"; but how long has it been since you came to seek God for His life to be revealed in your life? I think of that often as I enter my prayer time; what is my purpose of being in His presence? Am I just looking for "something" from Him or do I just want Him to reign and rule if my life? Am I coming to surrender or am I coming just to have my requests granted? Please note, I am not against asking God for our needs to be met; I just believe that we need to also seek for more of God to be manifested in our lives. Be blessed as you continue our journey with Him. This is a new week full of many opportunities to make an impact in the Kingdom of God. Walk in the strength of the Spirit and see God work in your life.

Disappointment, Conclusion

The past few posts have meant to be a source of encouragement as we face those moments of disappointment that will arise in all of our lives. All of us will sense those moments in which we feel overwhelmed by the circumstances that are surrounding us and the enemy seeks to use this environment to affect our attitude toward life and even our attitude toward God. It is during those times that we are challenged to refocus our attention on God and the plan that He has for our life. Disappointment will cause us to doubt the purpose of God for our lives, it will cause us to doubt our abilities, it will cause us to doubt the gifts and talents that God has placed in our life, and it will even cause us to doubt our relationship with God. We need to remember that the ultimate purpose of the enemy's strategy is to affect/hinder our relationship with God. Last evening as I was thinking about today's post I was reminded of the challenge that Paul gave to the church at Philippi. He spoke these words of himself and I believe that they can be applied to us today; "...but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead" (NKJV, Philippians 3:13). Rest assured that there will be times in which we will need to focus on where we are going rather than where we have been. The enemy desires for us to live in the hurt, fear, anguish and sorrow of yesterday; but he is concerned when we choose to focus on our future and the direction that God will provide. God does not want us to focus on what could have been; He wants us to focus on what could be. This does not mean that we do not learn from yesterday; no, it simply means that we do not allow the enemy to imprison us in our past. God is the God of hope who desires to reveal and declare His favor over your life. When you begin to feel the sense of disappointment rising in your life take a moment and reflect on these three things. 1) Remember all of the blessings that God has bestowed on your life. 2) Determine to use this moment as a time to grow and mature in your walk with God. 3) Understand that you can walk in the approval of God and after all He is the One that truly matters. Romans 5:5,"This hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us. Because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love" (NLT). Be blessed today as you walk in the strength of God's love.

Disappointment, Part 3

It is such a blessing to understand that God desires to bring you through whatever struggle or challenge that you may be facing. God is able to provide strength even in the most difficult of moments as we trust in Him. I need to realize that God knows that I will walk through the moments of disappointment but I do not have to park my life in those moments. I must learn to focus on where I am headed in Christ as I continue the road of life. Last night Pastor Michael Smith shared a challenging sermon on praise. I was sitting there receiving the Word from the Lord as He began to speak to me concerning the battle with disappointment. Why do I allow myself to wallow in the valley of disappointment? Why do I allow the enemy to hijack my joy, peace, and rest? Why do I allow the enemy to cause me to forget my identity as a "child of God?" Is it because that I have failed to offer the appropriate praise and honor to God? Is it because I have failed to express to God my sincere love, thanks, and appreciation for all that He has done in my life? I quickly began to realize that a true sense of praise to God can begin to lead me out of the valley of disappointment, disillusionment, and discouragement. I am not talking about offering the language of spiritual phrases that I have "learned" in church. I am not talking about some "canned" reaction that I have picked up from other worshipers. I am not talking about some type of fake response that is supposed to impress my fellow believers. NO, I am talking about a heart that is full of sincere praise that is rising up in me as I reflect on the greatness of God. I am talking about a heart that is full of thanksgiving and appreciation for the God who has chosen to draw near even when I don't feel good or act good. I should have a strong desire to offer praise to God who has invested much in me and who has been there to assist me through the journey of life. In the discourse of the sermon Pastor Smith reminded the congregation that true praise is a decision that we make regardless of the circumstances that we face. David said, I will bless the Lord at all times and His praise will continually be in my heart." Offering heartfelt praise to God will lead you out of the valley of disappointment. The enemy seeks to surround us with concerns, issues, situations, and challenges that can confound and confuse us. But God desires for us to respond to the enemy in such a way that it brings confusion to his strategy. I believe that true praise can bring confusion to the enemy and true praise will lead you through whatever moments in live that you are facing. Throughout this day offer God praise and worship for who He is and all of the blessings that He has deposited in your life.

Disappointment Part 2

It is certain that each of us will face some form of disappointment during our lives. Disappointment has a way of finding us as we pass through the transitions of life. But how we respond to those moments will make the difference in our spiritual as well as emotional health. Disappointment can lead to the feelings of discouragement, depression, anger, shame, or even bitterness. When we allow the effects of disappointment to dominate our thought process, we can easily become a negative individual which can put stress on our relationship with others in our lives. Most of us have been around those type of people and we remember that the experience was not a pleasant one. Being negative can put our lives in such a spin that we fail to recognize the blessings of God that are at work in us even during the moments of discouragement. I can look back over my life and reflect on the times that the enemy sought to blind me to the blessings of God. Satan wanted my life to be hindered by the spirit of discouragement and in doing so He would limit my desire to praise and magnify God for all that He was providing for me at that very moment. Disappointment can be turned into an opportunity to learn, grow, and mature. It has been during times of disappointment that I have learned much about the true character of my life. It has been during disappointment that I have learned much about the character of God (His unfailing love for me, His faithfulness to His promises, and His purpose for my life. These are just a few of the valuable character lessons that I have been taught). It is during the moments of disappointment that we learn to appreciate what we have and not focus on what we have missed. All of us take too much for granted; we don't mean to do this but we take our family and friends for granted, we take the blessings of God for granted, and we even take the opportunities of life for granted. Disappointment can lead us to open our eyes to the realities of the blessings of God and understand that even during those difficult times we are walking in the blessings and strength of God. Each of us need to pause for a moment and take inventory of where we could be if the "Lord was not on our side." I am sure that each of us are grateful for all of the blessings that God has placed in our lives. Do not let disappointment cloud your view of the work of God in your life. We will continue to learn more about responding to discouragement in tomorrow's posting. Until that time arrives be blessed and walk in the leading of the Holy Spirit. He will lead us even when we are walking in those moments of disappointment.

Dealing with Disappointment

Proverbs 23:17-18, "Always continue to fear the Lord. You will be rewarded for this; your hope will not be disappointed." (NLT) Life has a way of bringing many challenges our way. All of these challenges do not necessarily bring us into situations of comfort or ease. Some of these challenges bring us face to face with disappointment and this challenge proceeds to test the strength of our faith. Disappointment can come in many forms; perhaps you did not complete all of your objectives on a certain day, someone hurt you or let you down, maybe you let someone down, or things just did not go the way that you planned. Some of our disappointments are easily resolved while others create a deep sense of discouragement and despair. In many cases this "spirit of discouragement" can create the feeling that we are not "good enough" for God or "good enough" for people. I dare say that all of us at some point in time sense these feelings but we can not afford to allow the enemy to imprison us in disappointment. When we are facing the challenge of disappointment it is easy to condemn ourselves; we can ask the "what if" questions or even focus on the "if only" statements that lead us into even more despair. This does not mean that we should not have serious moments of introspection but those moments must lead to a change of heart and attitude and not more despair and disappointment. Certainly each of us can learn from moments of difficulty so that we can be better prepared to face the next challenge when it arrives in our life; and rest assured the next challenging moment will appear at some point in time. We can fall into the trap of blaming ourselves or even blaming others. But none of these responses will be able to bring us out of those moments of challenge and difficulty. As a matter of fact some of these above mentioned actions will only cause us to inflict more pain upon our self. It is at these moments that we remember the words of the old hymn, "Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus." We can remember that we have someone in our life who is ready to help us carry the load of disappointment. Let us meet back here tomorrow and learn more about overcoming disappointment. Do not carry the feelings of disappointment and despair alone; God is very near to your life today and He understands the emotions that are flooding your soul. Ask for His help and watch Him respond in love to the cry of your heart.

Weekend Review

I trust that each of you had a wonderful Mother's Day weekend. It is always a pleasure and honor to be able to recognize those special people that God has placed in our lives. I am blessed with a wonderful Mother who has invested in my life in so many ways. I am also blessed with a wonderful wife who God placed in my life over 37 years ago. God has certainly given me a "help meet" who has been at my side in these many years of ministry service to the Kingdom of God. My wife is a "great" mother and grandmother who is now investing herself in our family and the needs that they face on a daily basis. God has used my wife as an intercessor over the years of our marriage; not only for her immediate family but also for those that we have served during the Ministry. I can certainly rejoice and reflect on the blessings of God that He has provided me through the love of my mother and wife. This weekend reminded me of the need to be thankful for all the people that God has placed in my life. God has used many people to shape and mold my relationship with God. These people of influence have taught me much about God and about the reality of life. I have learned the need to offer my time and service to others. I have learned the joy of offering my life in service to God. I have learned the joy of surrendering my life to the Will of God. I could continue listing those Christian lessons that I have been taught by these people of influence that God has placed in my life at strategic times. Each of you could speak the names of parents, grandparents, pastors, teachers, employers, etc. that have influenced your life in a positive way. I feel God encouraging me to remind the readers of this blog that we not only need to appreciate those people that God has put into our life but we need to express that appreciation to them. Don't miss the opportunity to express sincere appreciation to those who have played a role in your spiritual, physical, financial, and emotional development. We are thankful that they took the time to invest in our lives and we are thankful that they loved us enough to care. Take some time today and express thanks to those people that God has placed in your path of life. We were blessed to participate in an anointed service at New Day Worship Center in Lancaster, Kentucky. The local body welcomed us with a warm spirit of friendship and Christian love. It is always a blessing to be able to worship with the Family of God. Several people responded for prayer at the end of the message; burdens were lifted, hearts were encouraged, and the lives of people were influenced by the presence of the Spirit. We were blessed to be able to share the Word of God and pray with the people during the prayer time at the close of the service. Let us always remember to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ; many of our "family" are facing situations in which they need the intervention and direction of God.

Reflections

Yesterday was a travel day for me. I trust that you took time to pray for our nation, your community, your local church and your family yesterday. Every day needs to be a National Day of Prayer but it is a blessing to have those special times in which the Body of Christ corporately seeks the face of God. My vehicle became my prayer closet as I joined other Christians around this nation in crying out for the intervention of God in the affairs of our nation. On several occasions I was able to tune into various radio programs that had asked for people to call and record their prayers for our country. I was blessed as I listened to the various members of the Body lift their voices seeking for God to send His Spirit afresh and anew in our lives. I heard both old and young intercessors, I heard people from various ethnic backgrounds and people from various sections of our country lift their voices to God seeking for His direction. It is such a blessing and strength to be a part of the family of God and watch the other "family" members offer their prayers for me and the needs that I am facing. Many of us may be intimidated by the thought of prayer. We are concerned if we are praying in the right manner and using the right words. I read this quote recently and it reinforced my desire to pray even more. The writer defined prayer in this manner: "Prayer is simply having a conversation with God." If we could only take that approach when we come to God in prayer. Certainly we offer respect and reverence for God but we also need to remember that God has given us the opportunity to come to Him in prayer. It is God who has called us to draw near and make our needs known to Him. It is God who has sought to interact with mankind; it is God who has chosen to adopt us into His family through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. Why should I fear prayer? Why should I be intimidated when I come before the presence of the loving Heavenly Father who has called me His child? I am always reminded of the simplicity of faith when I see a child or young person come forward for prayer during a revival service. Just to see them offer their request or need to God with sincerity reminds me that God will not turn anyone away who comes to Him in faith believing. Take a moment and review your thoughts concerning your prayer life. The Father is waiting to spend time with you; make yourself available to Him.

Knowing Christ

Special Notice: Many of you may have chosen to follow the revival this week through the live streaming of the services via the Internet. The Breezewood church staff wanted you to know that the provider of the service had some difficulties during the broadcast last night and they apologize for any inconvenience that you may have noticed. Last night's service was awesome as the Lord released the Word of God to the congregation; not only was the Word released but the Word was received by those in attendance. Once again the altar was full of people who were seeking after the presence of God. I truly believe that God spoke deliverance in the lives of many people. The anointing of the Spirit spoke freedom and liberty to all of us. This is the day in which we need to walk in our spiritual identity; we are children of the King and we need to operate our lives in the authority of His Kingdom principles. As I was praying this morning I was reminded of how important it is for me to become better acquainted with Jesus Christ. I can read books about Christ and His work in my life. I can even read the Bible and gather knowledge about His presence in the world and His desire to make a difference in my life. I can even sing songs about Christ and even sing songs to Christ; but all of these actions will never take the place of knowing Christ. The church can not afford to settle for less that a true relationship with Christ. This relationship must be growing and maturing every day. We can never learn everything concerning Him; His ways are higher than our ways. But we must have an ongoing hunger, passion, desire and recognition that encourages us to become better acquainted with Him. It is imperative and necessary that we become better acquainted with Him and with His revelation of truth. National Day of Prayer: Tomorrow is a day set aside for believers to intercede for our nation. Many churches are arranging times of prayer throughout the day for us to come together and cry out for the intervention of God in the affairs of our land. Surely all of us can recognize that we have a great need for God to touch our nation with spiritual renewal. The Body of Christ is in need of spiritual renewal and awakening; we must be about the "Father's business." I encourage you to participate in some way with your local church but also take some time for private prayer in which you intercede for your community and for the needs that are present. Also remember to pray for the leadership of our nation, both spiritual as well as all levels of governmental leaders. May God bless America is the cry of my heart!

Heart of God

Last night's service at the Breezewood church placed today's thought in my heart. We were able to experience the revelation of God's heart toward His people as we basked in the presence of His love. I know what many of you maybe thinking as you begin reading those words; you are thinking that you know all about the love of God. But is it possible to fully understand the love of God? Is it possible to fathom the depth and width of the love of God as He releases it in our lives? Pastor Donna, the local church Worship Leader, reminded us that it is possible that we may have "outgrown" the revelation of John 3:16, "For God so loved the world..." I do not want that statement to be a reflection of my view of the presence of God's love in my life. I want to cherish it more and more as I continue my life on this earth. I fully realize that there will be days in which I will need to walk in the depth and richness of God's love. There will be days in which I will need to be reminded that God "truly" loves me and that He has great concern for the welfare of my life. Today I encourage you to take a moment and rejoice in the presence and power of His love as you take today's journey down the road of life. Oswald Chambers provides this interesting thought today: "The Christian worker must never forget that salvation is God's thought, not man's..." He goes on to remind us that we can never fully comprehend all that His love entails for His creation. I have made this statement on several occasions; "God can not be defined in the term of one spiritual experience but God desires for us to experience Him everyday of our lives." As I am writing, I sense that some of you are like myself you need to experience the presence of His love today. You can remember that He loved you yesterday but you need to remember that His love is extended to you today. Don't lose sight of the declaration of truth, "God is love." His character reflects His love towards His creation and God desires to draw near to your heart as you live out this day in His presence and in His strength. The presence of God was awesome in the service last night. From the very opening of the Worship time we began to flow in the strength of the Holy Spirit. After a time of Worship and exhortation many responded to the leading of the Spirit. People brought physical needs, spiritual needs, emotional needs and even financial needs and laid them in the arms of the Lord. They leaned near to Him so that they could hear His heart for them. Many in the service was able to realize that God did care and that God was aware of their need and He responded in love. Pastor Bill, Sr. Pastor, reminded us at the close of the service that we don't base the meeting of our need on the emotion that we feel but we base our faith on the promise of His Word! Trust in His Word today and remember that God REIGNS in your life today.

Weekend Review

Pastor Bill and Donna Vines welcomed me into the Breezewood church with a very warm and gracious greeting. We are celebrating the one year anniversary of the Vines assuming the Pastorate of the Breezewood church and the Lord is blessing their obedience to the call of the Spirit. The church has remodeled their old school building into a state of the art Worship Center, and they have relocated their church offices into a building that also has been remodeled and it is located on the property adjacent to the new Worship Center. God is blessing the local body as they seek to make a difference in this community. I pray every day that God would raise that desire in the heart of the church in America; we need to make a difference in the lives of people that walk through our doors week after week. I have heard this question asked in various leadership conferences that I have attended; "If your church closed today would your community miss you?" Each day causes me to sense that God is calling each of us into a deeper love affair with Him. Is it possible that we have learned the role of "professional Christians" in which we have grown comfortable with the format of the church and we have learned how to make the appropriate response? We know when to stand, when to sing, when to give and we even know how to offer prayers. But do we know Him? Do we know Him in His great desire to have relationship with us. Do we truly believe that He is moving toward us and not away from us? Do we truly believe that God has a plan and purpose to make a difference in our lives so that we can make a difference in the culture of which we are a part. I truly hunger and thirst for that to become a stronger reality in the church in America. I am praying everyday for that to become a reality in the hearts of believers all across this nation. Will you join with me in that prayer? We are in great need of a spiritual awakening that will transform the heart and soul of America. I am convinced that God desires to do His work among us if only we will follow Him with resolve and courage.

Special Announcement

Greetings from the office of the Breezewood Church. You can watch the revival services on the Internet through the live streaming of the evening services. You can connect to the services by visiting the church's website at www.breezewoodchurch.org. Look for the information (upper right hand corner) that says USSTREAM.TV and click on the icon and it will link you to the services. The evening services begin at 7:00 PM. We hope you can join with us in the celebration of our great King and Lord!

Fayetteville, NC

I arrived in Fayetteville earlier this afternoon for the meeting at the Breezewood church. I am here to celebrate Pastor Bill & Donna Vines' one year anniversary as Pastor of the local church. I was here one year ago in revival and the Lord gave us a mighty move of the Spirit and I am anticipating an outpouring of the presence of God. I truly believe that this is the time in which God desires to send revival fire among His people; the harvest is ripe and we need to be involved with God in reaching people with the message of the Kingdom of God. During my drive over to this city I began to pray for the needs of this nation. Many of you have contacted us with various requests concerning yourself as well as other members of your family. I believe that God does answer prayer and I would like to ask each of you to agree with me in prayer for the needs of your brothers and sisters in Christ. We need to stand together in faith and see God work in all of our lives. I desire your prayers this week as we seek to overthrow the powers of darkness that have encamped against the people of God. God is at work all around us and we need to take the time to identify His power at work. I desire to walk in faith and encourage my fellow believers to trust God with whatever they are facing.