Weekend Review

This week finds me in Brecksville, Ohio (suburb of Cleveland) with Pastor Don & Jennifer Markham. It is always a pleasure to return to this local church and renew the ministry connection that I have with them. The services on yesterday were wonderful. The presence of the Lord was very powerful. The local church had led a Prayer Conference on Saturday with over 30 people gathering for six hours of intense prayer concerning revival for Northeast Ohio. The presence of the intercession "lingered" in the sanctuary as we worshipped, shared the Word of God, and ministered to people in the altar services. Each service found the altars full as people came looking for divine intervention in their lives. Once again, I will take this opportunity to emphasize the importance and necessity of prayer. We are in need of intercessors who will stand in the gap and cry out for the mercies of God to flow over our communities. God is looking for people who are willing to make themselves available to Him and to His direction for their lives. Personally, I have not given up on the church in America. I refuse to believe that the message of the Gospel is out-dated and irrelevant to this generation. The Gospel is still the power of God unto salvation. The evening service found Pastors, leaders, and laity from several churches in Northeast Ohio gathered to seek the face of God. The anointing of the Lord was upon the service from the very beginning. Pastor Markham done an excellent God leading the worshippers into the presence of God. People testified to receiving Christ as their Savior, receiving the baptism of the Spirit, as well as being healed and encouraged. One person told me after services that they were delivered from bitterness against people as well as bitterness against God. Another spoke of being released from the bondage of discouragement; the enemy had sought to discourage this person through all of the circumstances that they were facing at this time in their life. Pastors received strength from God as people from their churches gathered around them for prayer. Even this morning I can still sense the power of the Spirit as I type these words. God is a wonderful God who is truly interested in your life and He desires to minister to you today. Take a moment today and sense His presence in the midst of your struggles. You are not alone and God has not forsaken nor has He forgotten you. The old song declares, "He is as close as the mention of His name." Call on His name and allow Him to minister to you at your point of need.

Word of God

Proverbs 2:1-5, "My child, listen to what I say, and treasure my commands. Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures. Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God" (NLT). I am convinced that God is calling the church to re-acquaint ourselves with the Word of God. The writer in Hebrews 4 reminds us that the Word of God is alive and powerful; the Word of God allows us to discover the truth concerning God and it also reveals the heart of God that is turned toward fallen mankind. The Word of God allows us to see the actions of God concerning the needs of previous generations. These actions afford us the opportunity to see God at work in the hearts of His creation. These actions reveal the care, concern, and compassion that God releases in various circumstances. These actions reveal the promises of God on which we build our hope and faith for our relationship with God. Our faith is built on the fact that we have received the Word of God in our hearts and this Word has given us confidence to trust God in all that we are facing at any particular moment. The Word of God reveals the character of God which confirms that He is a God of Love and that He is interested in our redemption from the snares of the enemy. Many of us commit to other works of literature; don't you think it is time to commit to reading the Word of God? Let this be a day that you begin a new journey with God and discover the powerful principles of truth and love that are revealed in His Word. The Word of God will reveal the understanding that we need to make the critical decisions in life that we will face. Enjoy finding God in His Word!

Rejoicing

We are thankful for a safe trip home from Seneca, SC. We drove home after service last night due to Ann's appointment with her Orthopedic Doctor. God was with us and provided an uneventful trip home; the traveling mercies of the Lord are such a blessing to all of us. Thank you God seems such "small words" in comparison to the blessings that God provides us on a daily basis. I will take this opportunity to encourage you to express gratitude and thankfulness regardless of the type of day that you may be experiencing; God is worthy of our praises regardless of the circumstances that may be surrounding us. It is hard to put into words the blessings that were upon the meeting at Seneca. Pastor Wayne and Wanda Hall as well as the local church body were prepared to receive the outpouring of the Spirit that God had planned for each of the services. We must understand that God has made preparation for the times in which we meet with Him; I believe this includes those private moments as well as public gatherings. I desire to release my anticipation as I approach an encounter with God. Each evening we saw someone saved, encouraged, strengthened, or blessed of the Lord. These types of encounters only happen when people prepare their heart to receive what God has prepared. We must learn to be prepared to respond in faith to the presence of the ministering power of God. Great things are still ready to be accomplished in our lives if only we will surrender to Him. I encourage you today to take the opportunity and make the effort to look for those encounters with God in which He will bestow a special blessing of His love and grace on your life. God is ready but am I ready to respond? Open your heart and allow Him to speak His Life over you and in you as He shares His love with His creation. This past week has caused me to walk in even greater anticipation of worshiping God in Spirit and Truth!

Day of Opportunity

I would like to share a quote from Dietrich Bonhoeffer which says; "The responsible person seeks to make his or her whole life a response to the question and call of God." Galatians 6:10 reminds us that all of us have a responsibility to "...work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith" (HCSB). How do we respond to those moments when God presents us with the opportunity to share the love and kindness of God with those who are in need? Each and every day, we are presented with opportunities to serve and worship God. When we respond in obedience to God, He will bless our lives in so many ways. But there are times in which we are so busy "taking care of our self" that we squander those opportunities to assist others down the path of life. We fail to understand that not only will God bless those who are recipients of the help that we share but we are blessed because we took the time to share the care and concern of God. Have we become so busy with our own needs that we fail to take the time to see the needs of others? We must remove the emphasis from ourselves and start recognizing the opportunities to serve others. This is a great day of opportunity that God has shared with you, how will you respond to those opportunities? Someone is waiting for you to be obedient to the call from God and share His awesome love and grace with them. Be obedient today and respond to those God planned opportunities for you. Be excited about being a servant in the Kingdom of God; great will be your reward! The services at Seneca continue to be led by the mighty presence of the Holy Spirit. Once again last night the altar was full of God's children asking for the gifts that He has prepared for them. In the midst of all of the challenges of life this is still a day of hope and courage. Trust in the truth of God that is being declared over our lives.

Love of God

These words may sound very repetitive but God continually amazes me as He releases His love in the lives of people that are facing their own unique set of circumstances and situations. We should never lose sight of the revelation of God's love to lost humanity. This is the message that the hurting world needs to hear as they are searching for answers and solutions to their problems. What do they see and hear when they come to our services and what do we say in our private conversations with them? Let us share with them the awesome love of God that He possesses for them and encourage them to realize that nothing will stop God from loving them. I am convinced that the message of God's love and concern must be declared among the people so that they can recognize the importance that God places on their lives. The meeting at Seneca last night was wonderful and highly anointed. The presence of the Lord was present from the very outset as we lifted our voices in praise and then we begin to respond to the leading of the Spirit. It is such a blessing to see the unction of the Spirit come upon individuals and begin to minister to the inner needs that each of them possess. God's grace and mercy is renewed in our lives on a daily basis and we can thank Him for His awesome presence. Let us rejoice in the fact that God is love and that He loves us with unconditional love.

Weekend Review

It is a blessing to be able to be back in SC this week in revival. The services in Seneca were very wonderful yesterday. Some people received Christ in the morning service as well as others who rededicated their lives to Christ. I could sense the change in the atmosphere in the service as the presence of the Spirit began to touch the lives of many people who were in church yesterday. The hearts of many were made tender by the anointing of the Spirit; their faces began to reflect the drawing power of God's love as He began to remind people that He is truly interested in their lives. Last evening's service was anointed in a powerful way as many people responded to the invitation at the close of the message. God is releasing His presence among His people and He is releasing His ministering strength in the midst of all the challenges that we are facing. We need to recognize the presence of God when we gather for corporate worship and respond to the call of the Spirit. God is calling us to understand the difference between what we want and what we need from God. Many times we can become discontented in our walk with God if we feel that He is not meeting our needs. But it is possible some of these "needs" are really things that we want that will make our lives more comfortable or comparable with others that are around us. It is so easy to become captured by the attitude of comparison. We compare our status, our possessions, our finances, etc and out of these comparisons arise discontent that can lead us to feel discouraged about God's provision for our lives. But we need to remember the great promise of God, "But God shall supply all of our need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." God provides daily provision for our lives as we continue to trust Him and seek Him with passion and surrender. Do not become captured by looking at other people; but allow your heart to be encouraged as you look to God to be your daily Provider. We must learn to focus on God and thank Him for His daily blessings that He bestows on your life.

Discontent vs. Thankfulness

I Timothy 6:6-8, "True godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can't take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content" (NLT). This post is not intended to discourage your desire to succeed in life and to reach your God designed potential but rather it is being written to remind us of our need to be thankful for all that God has provided for us. It is so easy to become discouraged when you take an inventory of your life and YOU don't think that you have made the progress that you desired. But the Word of God teaches us to put into perspective our life and realize that life is more than just being successful in the eyes of other people. Discontent sneaks into our life for a variety of reasons and is released through our life in a variety of actions. We have the tendency to allow our present troubles to overshadow the blessings of God that are present with us on a daily basis. Most of us have no problem thanking God for those "big blessings" (new home, pay raise, new car, birth of a child, etc.); but what about the promise of God that declares "Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loads us with benefits, The God of our salvation! Selah" (Psalm 68:19, NKJV). Even in the midst of our difficulties God is providing daily benefits. We also have the tendency to dwell in the past and miss out on the blessings of today. It is so easy to get captured by "yesterday" and all of the good things of life that we fail to realize that God is at work at this very present moment. Take some time today and recognize those daily consistent blessings that God places in your life. Thank Him for the food on your table, thank Him for the roof over your head, thank Him for your family and friends, thank Him for your church family, and most of all thank Him that He loves you with unconditional love. It should not take you long before you realize that you are walking under the covering of God's blessings!

Trusting God

Proverbs 3:5-6: "Trust in the Lord with all of your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Don't be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil" (NLT). Many of us are sensing the desire to trust God as Solomon is instructing in this passage. But we are still housed in this body of flesh which has the tendency to trust in our wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. We don't mean to fall prey to that scheme of the enemy; yet we find ourselves struggling to identify the path that God has chosen for us to travel. I have faced those moments in my life when I sensed that inner struggle between the desire of the flesh and the leading of the Spirit. Deep in my heart I knew that I wanted to follow the leading of the Lord but the flesh would immediately identify the road that looked more comfortable, more profitable, more inviting, and even more pleasurable. But my spirit knew that God was calling me to obedience and trust. I sense many of us facing that decision today; we know that God is calling us to a deeper level of trust yet the flesh is present trying to take us down the path of least resistance. Let me remind you what the Word of God declares; "Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take." There will come a time in all of our lives in which we must rest in the strength of the promises of God and recognize the assurance that God will direct an obedient heart that is surrendered to Him. Our understanding and knowledge is limited at the very best; but God knows the end from the beginning. I am learning that there is a great reward when I trust Him in full surrender and obedience. I encourage you today to lean on the Lord and allow Him to order your steps. God rewards those who seek Him with all of their heart; continue to be a seeker of the will of God. The meeting at Harvest Church of God was anointed with the presence of the Holy Spirit. Each evening found people responding to the "Word" that was spoken directly to their hearts. I am encouraging people to recognize the fact that God desires to speak with His "family" and He is certainly desiring to add "new family" members on a daily basis. God has direction for the family of God in this hour if only we will take the time to listen with an open heart.

Our Way or God's Way

Proverbs 21: 2-3, "People may be right in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their heart. The Lord is more pleased when we do what is right and just than when we offer him sacrifices" (NLT). It appears that the culture of our world is pushing the idea of individual rights and with these rights comes the authority to make decisions with regards to what is right and wrong. Certainly each of us were created with a free will and this free will affords us the opportunity to make decisions concerning the direction of our lives. But we must remember that with this freedom of decision comes responsibility. We have the responsibility to make the correct decision and according to our scripture text God will examine those decisions and the intentions of those decisions. We need to understand the seriousness of our decisions. Has our society become so casual in our decisions regarding our way of living that we are failing to consult God's Word for the proper direction for our lives? Do we depend on our own thinking, our own analysis, and our own ideas so much that we have forgotten to seek the direction of God? Do we depend on the opinion of others more than we follow the leading of the Spirit? The Word still declares that God is pleased when we do what is right and just. We must reestablish the desire in our hearts to do what is right and pleasing in the eyes of the Lord. It is so easy to fall into the trap of satan and fail to understand that God is going to require us to give an account of the decisions of life that we have made. I want my life to reflect "good decisions" that reveal my love for God and my love for those that God has placed around me.

Quote for the Day

"If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator. If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist. If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist. But since our need was forgiveness, God sent us a Savior." (Max Lucado) I pondered this thought during prayer this morning. Each of us can identify "needs" in our personal lives yet God truly knows what we have need of in every area of our life. Our need for forgiveness required a Savior who would provide the purchase price for our redemption. Someone had to be willing to pay the price of ransom so that I (all of humanity) could be delivered from the slavery to sin. Each of us need to remember that we needed redemption and that we could not pay the price through anything that we could do; it took the death of Christ on the cross and His resurrection to bring to pass the opportunity of redemption. Oh, that the spirit of praise and thanksgiving would leap forth from our souls as we look at the One who was willing to suffer for our sins and pay the ultimate price as He offered His life in our place at Calvary. We must not forget this great revelation of God's love to fallen mankind. Many "gods" and many religions are being promoted in our land at this very moment but we must never forget the Lord God Almighty who has made provision for our salvation. The message of God's love must be declared from our pulpits but also from our daily living in the midst of this ungodly and rebellious world. Take a moment and ask God to give you the strength that you need to make His name known in the circle of friends that God has placed in your life.

Weekend Services

Yesterday was a wonderful day at the Harvest Church of God in Louisville, KY. The presence of God was very near in each of the services. Pastor Wheat and the congregation welcomed us back to the church with open arms of fellowship and encouragement. The flow of the love of God was very evident in each of the services as people responded to the call from God to offer praise, adoration, worship, and thanksgiving to the Lord God Almighty. It is still such an honor to be able to attend church services in which the freedom of the Spirit is present and in which people respond to that freedom in exalting the name of Christ. There were several people who received Christ as their Savior in the morning service as well as many others who brought their needs before God in prayer. Last night we witnessed the same response as people realized that God was not against them but that God is fighting for them. God is at work in our lives and through His presence He is leading us to victory. Will you and I be obedient to the Spirit and allow Him to lead us in the appropriate direction or will we continue to choose to walk our own path under our own strength? Is not the world full of examples of people who are choosing to follow their own ways rather than the Way, Truth, and Life which is Christ. People are looking for answers yet they are looking in all of the wrong places. Wrong places will produce wrong answers. Wrong answers will take you down the wrong road. The wrong road will lead to destruction. Destruction will lead to eternal separation from God. This is the day to make the right choice and follow God's way and allow Him to lead us into eternal life. Take a moment today and examine the choices that you are making; are your choices taking you away from God or they taking you toward God?

Walking with God

Yesterday was a travel day as we returned home from the appointment in Pulaski, TN. The Lord provided a great unction of the Spirit as I was invited to share the Word of God with the Wales Baptist congregation. We were welcomed by the warm fellowship of the congregation and the presence of the Holy Spirit. The altars were full after the Word of God was shared; a second invitation for healing was issued and again several came forward for prayer. There is the presence of "spiritual hunger" in the lives of many in the local body as they as are seeking to enter into a deeper relationship with God. Should that not be the cry of the hearts of each believer at this critical moment in the history of our nation? Each of us need to seek to draw closer to God and allow His Spirit to direct and order our steps. It is the enemy who seeks to create an attitude of complacency that is gripping the hearts of so many in the church in America. We must arise and shake off that spirit and allow the fire of the Holy Spirit to awaken our heart to a passionate relationship with Christ. I was privileged to be able to spend the night at my parents home in Decatur, AL. An uncle of mine took the time and made the effort to bring them to the service in Pulaski. It is always a blessing to be able to be in service with my parents. It is through their relationship with God that I was introduced to Christ. I am very thankful for the Christian heritage that has been a part of my life since I was born into this world. There are two thoughts that I would like to leave with you; 1) Be thankful for those people who have influenced your life concerning a relationship with Christ, 2) Remember that you have the ability to influence those people that God places in your life. We are here to offer our service to Christ and allow Him to work in our hearts so that we can be a faithful witness of God's Grace and Mercy.

Presence of God

Each one of us face our own unique set of circumstances which will challenge our faith in God. These circumstances may include discouragement, disappointment, frustration with others as well as yourself, lack of understanding, questions concerning the events that are taking place in your life, fears, doubts, and this is just the beginning of the issues that we may face as we make our journey through life. But I am not writing this to depress you or add more anxiety to your life. I am writing this to remind you once more of the promise of the presence of God. He is "Emmanuel, God with us." We can trust in the promise of the presence of God regardless of the situations that we may face. God will not walk away from us during our moments of pain or difficulty but He will draw near to us. He will come along side of us to assist us on the journey. There are times that I view Christ as the medic who arrives on the battlefield to attend to the wounded soldier. Christ will not leave you to die on the battlefield of life but He will attend to your injuries and provide the strength that you need to arise and continue your journey. Always remember to trust in the promise of the presence of God even when the moments of life are challenging and difficult. Take a moment, bow your head and thank God for His presence in the circumstances that you are facing at this very moment.

Weekend Services

Yesterday was a travel day as I made my way home from the NC State Conference. We stopped in Morehead, KY to visit with some dear friends whose parents have been in the hospital and are in need of healing. We are praying for the Lewis and Bailey family that God will be with them at this challenging time. On Sunday we had the privilege to minister in Greensboro, NC with Pastor George McLaughlin. Pastor and Sis. McLaughlin and the local church received us with the love of Christ and a spirit of anticipation regarding the morning service. No one who attended the service was disappointed; the Praise Team done a wonderful job leading us in the time of Christ exalting worship and the freedom to minister the Word of God was awesome. Many responded to the invitation at the close of the sermon; you could sense the release of the Holy Ghost in the lives of many as needs were being met. Pastor McLaughlin and the congregation are preparing to move into their new church facility in a few weeks and I anticipate hearing great things concerning the work of the local body. I am still convinced that God is looking for "hungry and obedient" people who will be willing to surrender their hearts to God. Sunday evening found us visiting with Pastor Ron and Alma Boyd in Altavista, VA. Sis. Boyd brought a challenging sermon concerning the need for the power of the Holy Ghost to be at work in our lives. We were blessed by the time of fellowship, worship, and prayer time; God is at work if we will listen to His Voice. The meeting in NC truly impacted my life. I have a greater desire to follow the plan of God in all that I do. We are in need of direction that can only come from God and I anticipate a mighty move of the Spirit as I continue this journey with Him. I am looking forward to the future because I am convinced that God is in charge.

Season of Miracles

The Friday night service was centered around reaching the youth with the message of the Gospel. The Youth led many parts of the service; God is calling the "church" to invest in the children and youth of our communities. We can encourage them to understand that God will use them NOW and they do not have to wait until later stages of their lives. I am amazed at the talent, skill, and excitement that exists in the heart of theses young ones. Oh God, give us a heart to release these young people into their areas of ministry so that the harvest field can be reached with the message of spiritual freedom and deliverance. The Lord challenged me to remind those in attendance as well as those watching via the Internet that all of us face some form of giants/challenges in our lives. But He also encouraged me to remind the people that God has called us to victory and not defeat. He is prepared to defeat the enemies of our soul as we walk by faith and not by sight. The altars were full, the aisles were full, and people were kneeling and sitting in their chairs receiving victory over the giants that they were facing. People were receiving salvation, people were receiving victories over the giants in their lives, Ministers were receiving fresh fire and inspiration, and people were being baptized in the Holy Spirit. Isn't God amazing in the sense that He could take one message and speak to the hearts of so many different individuals? As you prepare for your encounter with God today and tomorrow remember that the Word of God and the Spirit of God is able to meet the needs that are in your life. I will leave this Conference energized in the Spirit and realizing that God is in charge of our lives and that He will direct our steps if we will be willing to follow. Blessings on your walk with Christ today and the remainder of the days of your life!

Season of Miracles

Last night's service at the NC Conference was highly anointed. The State Conference Choir and Trumpet Soloist Dave Brown ushered the worshippers into the presence of God. We rejoiced in the greatness of our God and offered Him praise and adoration. It is still such a privilege and blessing to be able to bestow upon God the honor that He so richly deserves. In all that I do and say I do not want to forget that the King of Glory is worthy of the worship that I offer Him. Do not let your day pass without taking some personal time to offer God your words of true thanksgiving and appreciation. God alone is worthy to be adored and exalted. He is the true source of all of our resources. Do not wait on someone else to offer your praise; you are the only one that can praise Him for all that He has provided for you and for your family. A fresh Word from God was released in my heart last night. I could sense the Lord leading me to "follow His heart" and not my prepared sermon. God desires to reveal His heart to the people of our world; He is speaking this revelation to the believers as well as the non-believers. I feel that God truly desires to let us know His thoughts toward us and these thoughts are revealing the love, concern, and care that God has for His creation. Many of us have spent our lives walking in condemnation rather than the forgiving Grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The Word of God refers to Jesus as "Emmanuel, God with us." This name allows us to understand that God desires to draw near to us through Jesus Christ. Do not push Him away or ignore Him; allow Him to fully rule and reign in your heart and life. Remember that He has good plans for your life and that He stands ready to guide you along the path that He has prepared for you to travel. You are not alone, God is with you. Several of you have watched the Conference services via the Internet. I have received various reports of the Spirit of God touching your hearts as you watched the meeting in your home. Isn't the presence of God wonderful? Isn't God so wonderful as He reveals the presence of His love in your life at very critical moments? These are challenging times in which we are living but we serve the true and living God who is able to meet the challenges and allow us to triumphant over our foes. Hopefully many of you will be able to be with us in service tonight via the Internet.

Season of Miracles

Please take a moment and notice the post that I made late yesterday afternoon concerning the live Webcast of the NC meeting. People from around the nation joined with us in the service last night via the Internet. I trust that you will be able to join with us tonight as we seek after the presence of God in High Point, NC. Last evening's service was anointed with the presence of the Lord God Almighty. It is such a privilege to be able to worship the Awesome and Mighty God who does make provision for all of our needs. Bishop Gilmer of NC felt led of the Lord to use the Conference as a reminder to all of us that God is still working miracles in our lives. I truly feel that God is encouraging us to release our faith; the enemy does not want us moving toward God, the enemy wants us to remain trapped in our circumstances. But God has a plan and purpose for your life and He desires to free you from anything that will hinder your walk with Him. I challenge each of you to be prepared to release your faith when the opportunity arises. Each of us will face those "God moments" in which the presence of God is very near and He begins to call us to respond in obedience. Miracles are birthed in the soil of faith and obedience. The enemy desires to hinder our response to God but we must be determined to listen to the Voice of God and trust Him to meet the needs that we are facing.

LIVE WEBCAST OF NC CONFERENCE

The evening services of the meeting in NC are scheduled to be broadcast live on the Internet beginning tonight (Wednesday). The connection directions are as follows: go to www.nccogop.org and scan down the page until you see the announcement, Live Webcast. Click on the icon and it should take you to the services. A musical prelude begins at 6:30 pm (EST) and the service begins at 7:00 pm (EST). I trust that the services will be a blessing and that you will be a part of the "Season of Miracles."

Protection of God

Yesterday was a travel day as I made my way to High Point, NC for the State Conference of the Church of God of Prophecy. I am looking forward to the meeting this week, Bishop Gilmer felt inspired to use the theme, "Season of Miracles." Each of the evening services will be directed toward receiving the miracles that each of us need in our lives. I am convinced that God is still a God of miracles; although this is downplayed in some "religious" circles it does not hinder God from providing His miraculous power in our lives. I anticipate a mighty outpouring of His Spirit in the meeting and I am asking you to join in prayer with me for miracles, signs, and wonders to be released in the meeting this week. Let us join our faith together in agreement; you can receive your miracle in your life as we seek God in unity. I always pray for God's protection when I leave our home for a trip whether it is personal or ministry related. Yesterday I was reminded of the need of living under the protection of God. I was traveling on East of Lexington on I-64 yesterday morning as a rain storm began to develop. I have driven through many storms over the years but never had happened to me what took place during that storm. The vehicle began to hydroplane for whatever reason and began to spin out of control. I will not go into details other than to say that the vehicle spun from the East bound lane into the median, spun around in the West bound lane, back down into the median, and back onto the East bound side. God's PROTECTION was with me as the vehicle never turned over or struck another vehicle all though they were present on the interstate. To the best of my knowledge the vehicle received no damage other than having to have some grass and gravel removed from a tire; the grass and gravel was lodged between the rim and the tire. Someone has already declared that potential terrible accident was the "first miracle" of the meeting this week. I am writing this from High Point, NC where I am preparing to preach this evening. The old song says; "Isn't God good to give so many blessings, undeserving is what we are.. ' This morning I offer God praise and glory for His mighty protection. After I collected myself this thought came in my mind, "Someone is praying for us this morning." Always remember to follow the leading of the Spirit when He places a burden on your heart; you never know what the need may be in the life of the individual for which you sense the burden. Thank God for all of those who cover this ministry call in your prayers!

Weekend Services

I was given the opportunity to attend church this past weekend at Eastside Praise Ministry Center in Louisville, Kentucky. Pastor Michael & Sherry Smith are doing an awesome job in leading the local body into a deeper walk in the Kingdom of God. Pastor Mike has become a great friend and spiritual leader in my life over the past several years and I am blessed by His heart for God and His heart for reaching people with the message of Christ. During the sermon yesterday morning the Spirit through the Word that was delivered reminded me that God still has a plan for my life and that He is aware of the future opportunities that await me. Although I have served God for many years and preached the Gospel since 1971 God still has plans for the rest of my journey. Someone who reads this blog today will also need to be reminded of that revelation. You may feel that God has somehow forgotten you and that you have gotten lost in the crowd but God knows exactly where you are located and there are promises yet to be fulfilled in your life. Don't give in to the assault of the devil but trust in the Love and Grace of God as you continue listening for His Voice of Direction. God is faithful to His Word and He is faithful to His children! I was asked to share the Word of God in the evening service and the Lord released a marvelous anointing. I felt impressed to remind those in the service that each of them were blessed with gifts, talents, and abilities that needed to be used for the glory of God. This is not the time to dig a hole and hide the gifting that God has placed in your heart. But this is the time to find a place to serve in the Kingdom and release those gifts that God has deposited in your life. There is a great reward for those who offer their service to God with a willing and obedient heart. Many times we are asked to serve out of the limelight of the observation of man but rest assured God is always aware of all that you do for for the sake of the spreading of the Gospel message. Take a moment today and take a quick inventory of what you can do for God rather than focusing on what you can not do. I read a statement one time and it has stuck with me through the years; "God is not as interested in your abilities as He is interested in your availability." Make yourself available to God and watch Him work in your life.