Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Luke 1:79

Our passage from today is taken from the prophecy of Zacharias (father of John the Baptist). He made this declaration in relation to the ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke 1:79, "To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death. To guide our feet into the way of peace." The more I study about the ministry of Christ the more I realize that He desires to release strength into our lives. All of us go through those times of "darkness" in which we are struggling to see our way through those challenging moments. We look for God but the enemy seeks to hinder our revelation of His ongoing presence; but rest assured the Lord is present to guide our steps so that we can find the peace and rest that we need. Prior to prayer time this morning the Lord began to teach me a valuable lesson that I feel that I need to share with you. I have made this comment often in the services in which I minister; "Each of us are facing our own unique set of circumstances in life which seeks to hinder our response to God." I firmly believe that statement and each day I pray for those who will be in the evening services that they will understand that God is reaching out to them to show them the way. This morning God reminded me of some individuals that He has placed in my life over the past few weeks; each of these have taught me the need to "press through" the challenges of life so that I can reach out for more of the Lord. I connected with a dear friend who has been battling brain cancer for two years. In the midst of her treatments her husband had to have prostrate cancer surgery. I connected with a friend who has faced the challenge of breast cancer three times. I heard a man testify last night of three separate struggles with cancer. I re-connected with a friend from my Jr. High School days who has fought MS and its side effects for several years. I am not giving these illustrations to discourage or overwhelm you; I want you to identify a common chord that I noticed in each of them. They had chosen to continue their pursuit of God regardless of what they were facing. The friend with MS told me that the disease had caused her to be even more sensitive to the need for more of God in her life. Someone who will read this blog today needs to remember the famous words of Winston Churchill; "Never give up, never give up." You may feel that all hope is lost; you may feel that God is distant from you; you may feel that your problems are too large and great for God (this is a lie from satan) and you could even feel that God has forgotten your location. But remember there are others who have probably felt what you are feeling but they made a conscious decision to follow after God and seek Him even in the midst of their pain. God hears the cry of His children and He will respond according to His will and way. Do not give up but press near to the presence and love of Jesus Christ. "He is as close as the mention of His name."

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Weekend Review

Pastor Doug & Judy Stephenson and the Rossville congregation offered me a warm welcome as we gathered to lift up the name of Jesus in the worship services on Sunday. The presence of the Lord was with us as we decided to seek the face of the Lord and allow Him to bring renewal and refreshing to our lives. I am glad that God has awakened a great desire in my heart to draw near to His presence and I am blessed that God is encouraging me to spread that Word everywhere I travel. We must pay attention to the call of the Spirit and we must stop ignoring the call from God. This is not the time to push God away for a more convenient time and season in your life. "Today is the day of salvation"; this is the day to do some introspection of our lives and see where we stand regarding our relationship with God. We certainly need to be concerned about others yet we also need to be concerned about our standing with God. If Jesus came today, would you be prepared to meet Him? If this was your last day on earth (prior to your death) would you be ready to meet God? Are we truly seeking God with passion and desire? All of these questions need to be answered so that we can allow the Spirit to lead us into a deeper relationship with Christ. Do not allow the enemy to lead you into a state of "spiritual relaxation"; this is the day to be alert and aware of all that God is prepared to release in our lives. At the end of Sunday evening's service my heart was heavy as I thought on this question from God. "What miracles and deliverances have we missed because we failed to respond in obedience to the direction of the Spirit? I felt that some people in the service had missed an opportunity for God to reveal His strength and mercy. NOTE: I have felt that same feeling in many services through the years; I do not state that in a tone of judgmentalism but in the spirit of love and concern. It concerns me that we hear the Spirit, we sense the Spirit, and we feel the Spirit yet we choose to remain in the same spiritual position. What are we waiting on? What do we need to see or hear that will convince us to respond? Why have we allowed the enemy to hinder our faith response to God? I am determined to keep attacking the kingdom of darkness. I am determined to keep sounding the alarm for the call to battle. I am determined to be a "voice crying out in the wilderness" in this present world. We must be prepared for the return of Christ and we must be determined to pursue God with passion and fervency. Do not allow the enemy to put you into a "spiritual coma"; come alive in Christ and allow Him to perform His work in your life.

Friday, March 27, 2009

The Promise of a Harvest

Psalms 126:5-6; "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." (KJV) As I was reading this passage this morning the Lord placed in my heart the need to encourage you concerning the harvest. Many of you are like me; there are some of your prayers that have not been answered as of yet. You are still looking to God for miracles both in the spiritual, physical, emotional and financial realm of your life. The enemy whispers to you that you might as well give up and forget about your request being answered. But I have come to remind you that you can not afford to give up. You are the one that God has called to intercede for those needs that are in your spirit today. You are the one that God has called to stand in the gap against the powers of the enemy. Do not be discouraged today; allow the promises of this passage to strengthen your hope and faith as you continue to bring your needs to the Lord in prayer. Keep sowing your tears and spreading the precious seed of His Word and the harvest that you are looking for will become a reality. I am agreeing with you for the needs that are dear to your heart. I am still convinced that God will send a Spiritual Awakening to America; I refuse to give up on that promise from God and I will continue to sow the seed of the Gospel everywhere I travel. Even as I was writing these thoughts I received a phone call from a friend in Louisville, KY. He was sharing with me a praise report of a prayer that was answered this morning. They had received good news from their doctor concerning some test results. As you read these words join with me and say "Praise the Lord." God still answers prayers. You may have prayed yesterday, but pray again today. You may pray today, but pray again tomorrow. People are depending on your prayers. Continue to cry out for the Lord to intervene in the lives of people that you know and love.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Where is my heart headed?

2 Thessalonians 3:5, "And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ." You that have read some of the previous posts of this blog recognize that I believe that we ALL need our hearts turned toward God. There are so many "spirits" seeking to influence us in this day and time and we must be very careful and make sure that our hearts (lives) are headed in the right direction. I pray with people in various churches night after night and many of them are seeking the same things; direction and confirmation from God. I accompanied the Pastor on a visit today in which a man was asking God for direction. He had reached the place in his life in which he needed to change directions and begin his journey with God afresh and anew. All of us need for God to direct our hearts into a deeper relationship with Him. During prayer I often repeat these words to the Lord; "I do not want to grow cold, lackadaisical, apathetic, or unconcerned." We must be aware of the tactics of the enemy; he seeks to move me away from my determined effort to follow Christ with all of my heart. He will bring distractions into my life and the purpose of them is to cloud my view of Christ. Let this be a day in which we re-commit ourselves to ask God for Him to direct our hearts in the way that we should go. Do not let the spirit of this culture determine the direction of your life but allow the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth of God's plan for your future.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Word of God

Psalm 12:6,"The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times." (KJV) As a Gospel Preacher I am well aware of the power of the Word of God; I see the authority of the Word revealed many times in the Bible. But this morning the Lord reminds me that what He is speaking is true and pure. This week the Lord has reinforced my thinking about the provision that He has made for us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Hebrews 6:18 teaches us that it is impossible for God to lie; He is absolutely Truth and He is truthful. These questions comes before us as we encounter the Word of God; what am I doing with what I hear? Do I refuse and refute the Word of God through my failure to respond? Do I overlook the impact that the Word of God can have on my life because I have become familiar with what I read or hear? Do I think that I have enough knowledge of the Lord that I no longer need to sense the influence of the "pure words" of God? Do I allow the Word of God to shape and mold me into the image and likeness of Christ? Do I allow the Word of God to align me with godly principles that will cause me to be a different person in all areas of my life? These questions and many others are flooding my mind as I am sharing these thoughts and concerns with you. Once more we must regain a serious approach to hearing the Word of God being read, being taught and being shared in the presentation of a sermon. I know that I can sense the seriousness of standing before a congregation and sharing what God has placed in my heart. We must "handle" the Word of God with care, with respect, and with confidence in the Author who stands behind what has been written. As you read and hear the Word of God allow it to sink deep into your heart so that it will accomplish God's intended purpose for your life.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Place of Refuge

Psalm 62:6-8, "He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory; the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in him at all tines; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah." (KJV). In the first few days of the revival in East Clemson God has spoken to me and through me concerning the need to re-connect to the message that God desires to reveal to this world. Many people are in need of finding a place of refuge in the time of storms and trouble. During prayer time and my Bible reading the Lord reminded me that God is my refuge and strength. But then God also placed these challenging questions in my thoughts. Why do we hesitate to flee (run) to Him in times of need? Why are we so slow to respond when we hear Him speak to our hearts and whisper to us that He is ready to respond to the cry of our souls? Have we become so calloused and hardened that His Voice no longer has an effect on our lives? I believe that God is ready to reverse those trends among us if we will repent and ask for His help. This is the time to arise and follow after God with strong and fervent passion. We must refuse to grow cold and indifferent; we must come alive in Him and restore our walk of faith. Take a moment and ask God to help sharpen your sensitivity to the Voice of the Spirit. Do not push Him away or ignore Him; He is our refuge and strength in this challenging hour. The service last night was wonderful. The worship service turned our thoughts to Christ (that should be the purpose of all that we do). The time of prayer was anointed as several came forward and brought their needs to the Lord. There was a time of refreshing and renewal in the ministry time in the altar. Many of us are learning that God is ready for us to make our way to Him when we are encountering those difficult days on the road of life. We praise God for His desire to draw near to us in our time of need.

Monday, March 23, 2009

Weekend Review

Pastor Fred Fisher and East Clemson Christian Fellowship welcomed us into their fellowship on Sunday. I have been blessed to be with them on previous occasions and it is a great blessing to be able to renew old acquaintances as well as make new friendships. As I have written before, it is always a great opportunity to worship the Lord with fellow believers as well as share the Word of God that the Spirit has placed on my heart. The presence of the Lord was refreshing to say the least; the front pew was full of people on Sunday morning that were needing a physical miracle. I am believing that God touched them and that He will continue to meet their needs. The Spirit was very near in the evening service as we worshipped and responded to the call from God. Several of the young people came forward and began to seek the Lord for His direction. I felt a strong urgency to have a special prayer for the men of the local church; we are in great need for a revival among the men of local churches all across this nation. O God; raise up godly men who will have a heart and passion for a strong relationship with Jesus Christ. Yesterday and today the Lord is speaking to me concerning the foundation of our faith. Why can I trust in God? Why can I put my confidence in the promises of God? Why can I say to people that God really loves them and that He is truly interested in their well-being? To answer those questions and many more I must look back to the cross and the death of Christ on that cross. I must remember that the cross issues an invitation to me to believe and accept the declarations of God that is spoken to me. Not only did the cross speak to me; the power of the cross is still speaking hope, salvation, and deliverance today. The old story of the death and resurrection of Christ is still fresh, powerful and convincing. I can believe because Jesus paid the price for my redemption on that old rugged cross and in great confidence I can point people back to that time in history and say to them, "God has made a way for you to serve Him." Oh the joy of knowing that God through Christ has issued the invitation to this world (this invitation includes you that are reading this blog) to walk in relationship with Him. Do not spurn that invitation but RSVP (Respond So Very PROMPTLY). Time is short, the coming of the Lord is very near; this is the day to lay aside everything that hinders and follow God with all of our heart.

Friday, March 20, 2009

Surrender or not to Surrender, That is the Question

Over the past months I have used the word "surrender" in several of my postings. We can feel very close to God when we declare that we have surrendered our lives to God. As a matter of fact the use of that term can make us feel very "spiritual" in our conversation with others as well as our conversation with God. But as I was praying this morning the Spirit challenged my use of that word in my conversations with God. Am I truly at the place in my walk with God that I fully desire to surrender my plans, my desires, my treasures, my gifts and calling, my abilities, etc. to the higher plan and purpose of God? Or have I become comfortable just using that term to appear spiritual in my thinking and in my praying? To the best of my ability, I believe that total surrender is the cry of my heart. To the best of my ability, I believe that I have a strong desire for God to work His will in my life. To the best of my ability, I believe that I desire for His purpose to be accomplished in my life. But for full surrender to be accomplished in my life I have to be willing to step beyond the use of words and put into action the words that I so easily declare to God and in some cases declare to others. As I am writing these words I do not sense any spirit of condemnation; truthfully speaking, I sense a spirit of liberation. Full and complete surrender offers liberty and freedom as I die out to my own desires and begin to live in the strength and purpose of His plans for my life. God is calling all of us out of the mere use of "religious phrases" into the blessed journey of complete surrender. Jesus modeled that lifestyle by going to the cross and willingly surrendering His life to death on the cross so that I (you) could live in the strength of His Life. Let us thank God for the awesome opportunity to live in full surrender to the King of Glory!

Thursday, March 19, 2009

The Path of Life

As I was praying this morning the Spirit reminded me that I needed the right attitude toward God and His direction for my life. I must be careful and demonstrate the right approach to God when I come to Him in praise and prayer. This inspiration coincides with the thoughts of yesterday; I need to remember that all that I have comes from Him. He is the provider of all things in my life (health, strength, possessions, ministry unction, family, etc). I am sure that you can recognize that we would not even exist without the Hand of God being stretched out across our lives. This correct attitude toward God will allow me to understand that God truly desires to minister to me and bring transformation (change) to me. If this transformation is going to reach its intended goal I will have to take my mind of myself and began to set my affections on Christ and those things He has planned for me. God desires to hear my praise and receive my sincere adoration. I know that I say it often but God desires to hear our sincere praise and adoration; not some "learned and scripted" version that someone has taught us. We can speak many words to God but He is looking for a heart that is set ablaze with true appreciation for all that He has done in our lives and all that He is going to do. The Psalmist David declared this truth to us in Psalm 16:11, "You will show me the path of life; In your presence is fullness of joy; At your right hand are pleasures forevermore." (NKJV) David understood that as He continued to focus on God and draw near to Him it would open the door for fresh revelation of joy and pleasures. Is it possible that joy is absent from the lives of many people because they are failing to draw near to the presence of God? It is God who will reveal to us the path of life but we must be near to Him so that we can enjoy those times of sweet and intimate fellowship. His presence can become our secret place where we will discover joy, peace, rest, and direction. His presence will reveal the blessings of abundant life in every place, in every season, and in every circumstance that life brings to us. That is the reason that the enemy of our soul does not want the people of God to enter His presence. But I am going to refuse those tactics of the enemy and I am going to continue to draw near to the Great and Living God. One final thought that I read yesterday; "We must remember that the grace of God that starts us out in this new life in Christ is the same grace that develops this life in Christ."

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Self Sufficiency

I recognize that there is the tendency in my life to try and analyze the situations that I face at certain times in my life. I believe that there is a certain amount of analysis that can be beneficial in any final decision that needs to be made. But I also understand that the enemy can use this characteristic of mine to create an atmosphere of self-sufficiency or self-dependence. I can learn to trust in my ability or desire to analyze the situation to where I reach the place that I am depending on my abilities rather than depending on the Spirit to direct my heart concerning the matters of life. I am not anti-analysis but I do believe that God is speaking to me today to remind all of us that we need to make sure that we are depending on God to bring the guidance that we need. Each of us are facing decisions, situations, and circumstances that is greater than our ability to chart the correct course of action. But rest assured that if I will surrender my heart to Christ and truly seek to depend on Him He will will not fail to provide the direction that I need. The Spirit through Paul gave us clear instruction in 2 Corinthians 3:5, "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God." As I am writing this morning I am reminded that even our ability to think and analyze comes from God. As the writer has said, "...in Him we move, and have our very being." When we stop and realize that everything about us has come from God, the Divine Creator and Sustainer of life; we do not have the ability to exist without His presence being manifested in our lives. Oh, how we need to give God praise and glory that He has given us the great opportunity to walk through life with Him as our guide and teacher. We are not asked to maneuver our way through the challenges of of life without Him at our side. Not only is He at our side but He also resides in our heart offering grace, peace, and rest as we face those challenging moments that life will bring to us. My heart is encouraged this morning when I realize that I do not have to depend on myself to meet the needs of life but I can depend upon the greatness of God to be with me. Let us come humbly before God and ask Him to forgive us for walking in the spirit of self-sufficiency and let us ask Him to help us recognize that ALL of our sufficiency comes from Him.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Hearing the Voice of God

As the Devotional leader began service last night he reminded us of the need to hear the Voice of God. Those of you who have been in service with me know that I sense that this is one of the "messages" that God is sending to His people. We are being challenged by the Spirit to not only hear what God is speaking but we are being challenged to make a decision to respond to what we are hearing. I am not fully convinced that we are giving serious consideration to this challenge; we must be careful and not develop a "take it or leave it" mentality. We must consider the consequences if we fail to follow the leading and direction of the Spirit. Once again during prayer this morning the Lord placed in my heart a personal desire to hear the Voice of God. I know that I must hear Him regarding my personal walk with God as well as the ministerial call that is on my life. I believe I am correct when I say that I need the personal interaction with God which will position me to have the correct ministerial interaction with God. Is it possible that many modern day Christians are more interested in the public interaction with God then they are the personal interaction with God? But in the name of Jesus I am going to refuse that type of relationship; I desire for God to work "in" me so that He can work "through" me. The scripture reading for the day is found in Exodus 19:5, "Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to me above all people; for all the earth is mine." (NKJV) Moses brings the Word of the Lord to the people; "Then all the people answered together and said, All that the Lord has spoken we will do." (v.8). Two points come in view; 1) The future promises of God are contingent on our willingness to obey what the Lord speaks to us. 2) The true spirit of obedience is not one of "selective" obedience in which we pick and choose those principles that we obey; but we fully surrender our lives to God in complete obedience to His Voice and direction. Oh how my heart desires to fully surrender my life in obedience to God. I have traveled too far down the road of life to miss what God is saying at this critical time in the history of mankind. Don't wait another day; openly confess your desire to hear the Voice of God. Openly confess your desire to follow the direction of God so that you can please Him in all your ways. He will respond to us in love and mercy.

Monday, March 16, 2009

Weekend Review

Pastor John Brown and the Lenhardt Christian Fellowship of Easley, SC offered me a warm welcome on Sunday. Although it was a cold rainy day in SC the spirit of the people was very warm and friendly. The presence of the Lord could be felt by one and all as several responded to the altar invitation in each of the services. I sensed that people were being encouraged and strengthened by the ministering presence of the Holy Spirit. It is wonderful to see God work in the lives of people when they are willing to obey the invitation from God. After service on Sunday night I kept asking myself this question; "Why do we so easily reject the presence of the Spirit when we know that we have needs in our lives?" God is prepared to draw us near to Him yet we allow ourselves to resist the opportunity to receive an impartation of the Spirit in our lives. I will continue to pray that God will help ALL of us open our hearts to the ministry of the Holy Spirit. One of the passages of my devotional reading is found in Psalm 36:7,"How precious is Your lovingkindness; O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings." (NKJV). The second word of the passage is what caught my attention. God's lovingkindness should be precious to us. It is so easy to take for granted the goodness of God and is it possible that we fail to praise and thank God as we should? During yesterday's sermons I was challenged concerning the seriousness of my praise and worship. Several days ago I began sharing my heart about the need to take seriously our worship. Have we forgotten the investment that Christ has made in our lives? As we move toward Easter we need to remember that He actually died for our sins. He willingly gave His life so that I could receive eternal life. Do we still consider the preciousness of the price that Jesus paid for our ransom from the bondage of sin? A line from an old hymn of the church declares, "When I survey the wondrous cross"; how long has it been since you took a moment and reflected on the cross and the price that was paid for your sins? I firmly believe that when we truly consider what He has done for us it will be reflected in several ways. First, it will be reflected in our sincere praise to God. Second, it will be reflected in how we live/conduct ourselves in this world. Third, it will be reflected in our witness to others. Finally, it will be reflected in our desire to be obedient to God and His purpose for our life. Prayer requests: My mother is ill and in the hospital in Alabama and also our grandson, Cade was very sick over the weekend. We are praying for your needs on a daily basis and we believe that God does hear and answer prayers.

Friday, March 13, 2009

Recognition of God

2 Chronicles 29:13-14, "O our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name! But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us! (NLT). Yesterday's posting talked about our worship; today I desire to combine our worship with the need to recognize the true source of our blessings. Even in the midst of our difficulties we need to recognize the source of our provisions. It is so easy to forget God and walk in the false strength of self dependence. The teaching of our text reveals to us the need to recognize and remember that God is the true Provider of all that we have and all that we can offer back to God as a sign of our true worship. It is a very humbling revelation of truth to understand that "everything we have comes from You (God)." We need to take notice of the word "everything"; everything we have has God as the original Provider. The understanding of that truth allows us to offer ourselves in willing surrender to Him and His plan for our lives. The understanding of that truth allows us to offer our gifts, talents, abilities, finances, and possessions back to Him in the act of true and sincere worship. The recognition of that truth offers true freedom to sincere believers who desire to submit their lives to the leadership of Jesus Christ. O God, help us understand that all we have has come from You and we desire to offer it back to You as an act of adoration and worship. As you move through this day take a moment to offer praise and worship to God for all that He has provided for us.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Encouraged Through Worship

It is amazing how God constantly reveals His presence to our lives. The Wednesday night service at the Revival in Moulton was a great personal encouragement to me and I also believe that the other believers who were present were encouraged. Four men (three of them were teenagers) led the church in a time of Praise and Worship. The Lord used them to do an awesome job leading us into the presence of Jehovah-Jireh, the Provider of the needs of our lives. I was certainly encouraged as I watched these young men sing and play their various instruments with such seriousness and sincerity. I was struck by the sincere offering of their gifts and talents. It was not a show for them neither was it a time of religious ritual; it was an opportunity to offer their heartfelt thanksgiving to God. You could see the desire on their faces and you could hear it in their voices. They were not ashamed of their Savior and they desired to lead the rest of us into this time of pure and sincere praise to God. It was so refreshing and a sense of renewal swept over my heart as I reflected on the time in my life when I first encountered Christ and I began to offer to Him my offering of praise. I thank God that there is still times in which "a child shall lead them." This same group of worshippers were in the altar seeking God and praying for each other. I was honored that the Spirit encouraged me to ask them to pray for me and my journey with God. I was challenged by the Spirit to examine my attitude of Worship. It is so easy to get captured by the externals (styles of music, types of songs, hymns or choruses, the people that are leading, etc.). But God reminded me that I need to be captured by the thought of His presence and not the "vehicle" that is leading me into His presence. I need to offer sincere worship to God. I need to offer sincere thanksgiving to God. I need to offer sincere praise to God. The key word in all three of these sentences is the word "sincere." Whatever I offer God needs to be from a sincere attitude of adoration for the One who died for my sins. As you spend time in prayer today ask God to place an attitude of sincere praise in your heart as we seek to please Him in all that we do. I only know the name of one of the young men but I will always be grateful that God used them to remind me of the correct thought process toward God as I offer my worship to Him. I can not wait until it is time for me to worship God again whether it is in a private setting or a public worship service because I know that my heart will be different after the service last night. Open your heart and allow God to speak to you concerning your attitude toward your personal worship to God.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Having an Open Heart to God

The Lord has taught me much in the past few days. Some of what God has placed in my heart has been a reminder of former revelations of truth that has been declared in my life but God has also revealed Himself in a deeper manner concerning my desire to pursue God regardless of what is happening around me. I give God praise in so much that I am grateful that God never stops teaching, guiding, and directing our lives. He is the consummate Father who has a great plan for His children if only His children will listen to His guidance. Pastor Dale of the Moulton church has opened every service of the Revival with words to this effect; "If we would open our hearts and allow God to speak to us, He would meet the needs that we have." The first part of his statement is the one that has challenged me the most. I am asking myself, Am I truly opening my heart to God or have I learned to participate in a "religious practice" which brings respect from those that around me? Am I more concerned about the approval of God or the approval of man? Am I more concerned about seeking after God or I am concerned about the opinions of others? I must look beyond all of the barriers that can surround me and have a passionate hunger and desire for God. A hunger for more of God must be at the top of my spiritual priority list; I must desire to reach for all that God has for me regardless of all the obstacles that the enemy may put in my path. This is time for the church in America to make some honest evaluations of our passion for God. I know that I write much about passion but we must be aware of our need to follow God with strong resolve and courage. The challenges of the hour will not afford us the opportunity to be weak in our faith walk with God. We must look beyond our circumstances and see our need to hear the Voice of God and respond in obedience. Let today be the start of a new recognition of our part that we need to "open our hearts" to the Lord and see what He will accomplish in our lives.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Drawing Near to God

The Lord keeps reminding me of the challenge that all of us need to identify in our lives. Is not God calling ALL of us to draw near to Him in a meaningful relationship? Is it not time to lay aside all hypocrisy, pretense, showmanship and seek the Lord with all of our heart? This is the time for sincerity and seriousness in our walk with God as we view all of the circumstances that are surrounding us. The services at Moulton have been challenging us to look past all that is going on around us and seek to respond to the call that God is issuing to the church today. This is the time to step out of darkness and allow the Light of the Gospel to shine forth in our lives. We need to understand that the enemy will not stop his assault on our faith. He is seeking to hinder us in our pursuit of God. But we need to remember that our predecessors faced some of the same tactics of the enemy. Moses had to step past his speech impediment; Peter had to step past his ethnic prejudice; Paul had to step past his "religious" thinking; and the list could go on and on. Anyone who has ever chosen to respond to the call from God had to make the decision to move beyond their own set of obstacles as they responded in faith to the Lord. Look at all the great stories that we have read about the afore mentioned men of the Bible; we would not have those stores of victory unless they had chosen to follow God in spite of their obstacles. What is hindering you today? What is slowing down your spiritual progress? What tactic does the enemy bring against you? Each of these must be defeated so that we can reach our spiritual destiny. Focus on where you are going rather than where you have been; God has so much more of His presence for us to receive if we would only be willing to look beyond our circumstances and see where God is taking us. Do not hesitate when you hear the call from God; arise and follow Him into your victory.

Monday, March 9, 2009

Weekend Services

Pastor Dale Dilbeck and the Moulton church welcomed me into the fellowship of their local church on Sunday. The services were anointed and the presence of the Lord could be felt in the time of worship, the special music that was offered and the time of sharing the Word of God. I found people who were hungry for the presence of God and who were desiring to draw closer to God. Many people were in the altar in both of the services asking God to touch their lives and provide the direction that they need. I was especially blessed by a young child who came forward for prayer for the healing of his body; the sincere faith of this child was a reminder of the ability of God to speak to people of all ages. The preaching of the Word brought me back to the original purpose of the ministry call that God had placed in my life. I firmly believe that God is prepared to awaken the church in America. Our passion and desire for God needs to be awakened so that we can pursue a deeper relationship with Him. Many of us have fallen into the routine of "religious practices" rather than the heartfelt relationship that we received at the beginning of our journey. We must rediscover that passion/fervency and allow God to finish in us what He started in our lives at our conversion. The Lord placed this spiritual progression in my mind this morning. Revival comes after we experience awakening; awakening comes after seasons of intense prayer and the release of our faith; true prayer is birthed in the response to hunger and thirst that only God can place in our lives. We will never experience true revival (both corporately as well as individually) without the process of awakening and prayer. Many of us are feeling the call to prayer and we need to heed the call and allow God to bring us to the place of sincere intercession. I urge you today to answer the call to prayer and allow God to place a concern in your spirit for your personal walk with God as well as the needs of your family. This is a great day for the people of God if we will only respond to His call and His direction. Take a moment today and ask God to remind you of the need to call on His name and surrender your life to the direction of God.

Friday, March 6, 2009

Personal Reflections

With your permission I would like to digress from the thought that I shared yesterday concerning our acts of service being defined as a means of worship to God. As the Lord directs I will pick up that inspiration in the near future. Yesterday was a wonderful day in my life; I was able to celebrate another birthday. Little did I realize that my wife, Ann, had planned a surprise party for me with most of our immediate family who lives near to us. I just thought that we were meeting one of our sons and his family at a local restaurant for a meal. I must give credit to Ann she certainly played down the importance of the meal and she was very calm and serene as we left home to make our way to the restaurant. But as we entered the restaurant I noticed setting to my left the members of our immediate family ready to celebrate with me another year of life and a year that has been full of many blessings and opportunities. A time of hugs, embraces, and greeting took place as each of them welcomed me into the festivities of the moment. Our grandchildren and "adopted" grandchildren began to share their cards (some of them were prepared through their own design). Our children began to share their gifts and kind words with me and my heart began to respond to the warm feelings of love and thoughtfulness that was being shared with me. Ann shared her card and her gift as we prepared to share our meal together. It was during those moments that the Lord reminded me that "I was truly a blessed man." I began to look around the table and realize that each of the individuals present had provided an unique revelation of God to me. Each of them had brought special gifts in my life and each of them had influenced and impacted my life in some significant way. God had used each of them to help me feel loved, appreciated, respected, and encouraged (just to name a few of the blessings they had brought to me). Each of them had played a role in my spiritual development; my wife who had stood with me in the years of our ministerial service; our children who had supported our decisions even if it meant a time of transition for them. And now these same children are praying for us to continue our pursuit of God. I am truly a blessed man. I could continue about the reflections on each of those who were present but I will save that for my own personal musing. I looked around the room and realized that the most important people in my life were sitting with me sharing a meal and sharing some great fellowship. In my heart I began to thank God for those who mean the most to me and I asked Him to forgive me if I have ever taken them for granted. That "conviction" from God is what I need to share with you today. Do not take for granted those wonderful people that God has placed in your life. I can tell you that we have faced our set of challenges and difficulties as a family but we have also learned to stand together at those times and draw strength and encouragement from one another. Take some time today, look around your home and recognize and reflect on those people whom God has placed in your life. Bow your head in a moment of prayer and thank Him for placing His love in their hearts so that they would love you even though you are imperfect, even though you make mistakes, and even though you fail to express your love to them as often as you should. Remember the greatest gifts (next to receiving Christ as your Savior) is sitting near to you. Make a commitment that from this day forward you will not take your family or friends for granted but you will offer thanks and praise to God for sharing them with you. I also received many emails, e-cards, phone calls, and warm wishes from family and friends around the world. I thank each of them and each of you for your love and kindness towards me and my family through the years. I am a blessed man!

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Worship through Service

Yesterday I wrote about the need to put actions behind the words that we speak regarding our relationship with God. Last night the Bible Study focused around the need of service. Pastor Smith reminded us that we worship God through acts of service to non-believers as well as believers. My heart was challenged as I listened not only to the Pastor but to the whisperings of the Holy Spirit into my heart regarding my service to God. Most of us like to think that we are "servants" at heart; but do I truly possess the desire to serve others? Am I more interested in those things that are done for the recognition of man or am I interested in those things which bring praise to God? I am reminded of a statement that I have often made; "We receive more of a blessing for those things that we do in private then the things that we do in the eye of the public." Now, that does not mean that there is not a need for acts of public service but it does mean that we need to be sensitive to those opportunities to serve people out of the notice of others. I have alluded to these thoughts in an earlier posting but I am convinced that these are the days in which the people of God can step forward and become lights in the midst of the darkness that is surrounding us. My thinking about service was also challenged along this line of thinking; when I consider all that Christ has done for me, how should I live and conduct myself? Is my life revealing gratitude and thankfulness through my service to others. It can certainly be said of Jesus that He was not "self-serving." Does my life/conduct reflect "self-serving" or does it reflect the desire to serve others in sincere acts of kindness? If someone was describing you today, would they describe you as someone that is kind and gentle? Would you be described as a person that is willing to listen when someone needs to share their struggles? Would they describe us as people who represents Christ through our acts of service toward others? I know these questions may sound somewhat intrusive into our lives; but after all the Bible did call us "ambassadors of Christ." We do represent the King of Kings in this present world and we are given the awesome opportunity to reveal His love and grace to a lost and hurting world. I desire to represent Him well and I desire for my life to be lived through the "worship of service." Let my life be a sweet fragrance/aroma to those that I encounter on a daily basis. Let this day be a day in which you purposefully look for opportunities to release random acts of kindness which in turn will release the love of God toward those that we encounter.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Words or Actions

During the sermon last night I made reference to the Words of Jesus that is found in Luke 6:46, "But why do you call me Lord, Lord, and not do the things which I say?" (NKJV). This morning I arose with that thought on my mind. Many modern day Christians have learned the language of the church, they have learned the words of songs, they have purchased all types of Christian books and various translations of the Bible, and they have even been somewhat faithful in church attendance; yet something is missing in their walk with God. Is it possible that the missing element can be defined in the following question; have we learned the words of the church but we have failed to put these words into action in our lives? It is easy to say to someone, "I love you"; but your love is demonstrated in your actions toward that individual. Jesus asks a very pointed question in this passage. They had learned to use His title when they addressed Him but they had failed to make contact with His purpose. Christ desired for the Words He spoke to make a difference in the lives of those who had heard Him declare the truth. He called for action/obedience in response to what He was declaring. We must ask God to raise up a stronger desire in us to obey the Word and not just settle for listening to the Word. We must put into practice those principles of truth that Christ is speaking to us. God is still looking for a people that are obedient to Him and willing to put into action those things that we are being taught. The meeting at the Madison New Testament Church was a special blessing. I was able to meet new brothers and sisters in Christ who were hungry for the presence of God. The Spirit challenged all of us in the services and the altar meetings found people who were looking for God to place more of His Word and Spirit in their lives. I just pray that God will continue to bless and inspire Pastor Nickell and the local body of believers.

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Facing Our Struggles

I have made the following statement in the various locations in which I have ministered in the past few years; "Each one of us are facing our own unique set of circumstances or struggles." No one of us is immune from the challenges of life but it is in those challenges that we learn to trust in the strength and power of God. All of us would probably choose to avoid those moments if we could but it is during those moments that we are able to receive courage, help, direction, and encouragement from our Heavenly Father. Hear what the Word of God would say to us today in Exodus 15:2, "The Lord is my strength and my song; He has given me the victory." (NLT) What a powerful word to remember in this very difficult hour in which we are facing all types of challenges and struggles. This is not the hour to give up in our pursuit of a deeper relationship with God but all of us must learn to receive the strength of God into our daily lives. We must rely upon the Word of God and the Spirit of God to provide the victory that we desperately need. These moments of challenge or struggle will serve as the training ground for us and during these times God will teach us the principle of perseverance. He will teach us that we can overcome all the strategies, plans, and schemes of satan. It is during these moments of struggle that our spiritual character is developed and we find ourselves growing and maturing in our walk with God. These moments remind us of watching our children or grandchildren learn to walk. There were times when you observed your child wobbling, struggling, and having to take hold of something or someone near them to keep from falling. But you did not give up on their ability to learn to walk, you understood that "time of struggle" was part of the process of growth. God will not give up on us as we "wobble" under the struggles of life but He encourages us to reach up and take hold of His powerful hand and He will steady us until we are ready to continue our walk. You may feel that need today, just trust in the strength of God and allow Him to provide the victory that you need.

Monday, March 2, 2009

Weekend Review

Pastor Allan Nickell and The Madison New Testament Church offered a warm welcome as I arrived to begin the meeting this week. This was my first preaching visit to this church and I was blessed by the opportunity to share the Word of the Lord. The presence of the Lord was evident in the fellowship with fellow believers, the presence of the Lord was evident in the time of Worship, and the presence of the Lord was evident in the time of sharing the Word of God. You could sense the desire of the people to see God strengthen their relationship with Him. People responded to the invitation for prayer in both of the services and I believe that God has good plans for the remainder of the meeting. During the service last night God reminded me that there is a fine line between obedience and disobedience. The culture of our world is trying to influence us in the direction of what I call "selective obedience." Selective obedience leads us to believe that we can pick or choose what we will obey and we have the option to ignore other principles of the Word of God. We must be careful and remember that Jesus teaches us in Matthew that "wise" people hear the Word and they put into practice those principles that God reveals. "Foolish" people hear the same Word but they fail to put into practice those things that they have heard. I want to avoid the foolish approach to my spiritual journey; there are storms of adversity swirling in our nation at this very time. We need to have a solid foundation on which we are building our lives and building our spiritual future. This solid foundation is none other than Jesus Christ, the Rock of Ages. Are you building on that foundation or is your life being built on the sinking sand of man's ideas and opinions? The old hymn declares, "On Christ the solid Rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand." The Spirit is challenging all of us to examine our lives and make sure that we are building on the Rock. We can resist the storms of deception as we build our life on Christ and the principles of His Word.