Friday, February 26, 2010

Personal Reflection

Today Ann and I celebrate our 38th Wedding Anniversary. I have been blessed that I was able to marry the love of my life and I have been able to share the past 38 years with her. I want my wife to know that I love her and I appreciate her faithfulness to God and to our relationship. God is good and He provides so many blessings as we travel down the road of life. Ann has not only been a marriage partner but she has been a ministry partner. She has truly stood by my side through the years and she has willingly offered her gifts and talents to God and He has used her to support the call of God that is on my life. I was a Gospel preacher when we met and Ann has never tried to interfere or take me away from that call. I just wanted to thank God for my beautiful (both physically as well as spiritually) wife and I wanted her to know that I am grateful for the past 38 years and I look forward to the future years that God allows us to share with one another. According to the Bible it is proper and correct to take the time of offer honor to those whom honor is due. Today I honor my wife for her love for me and for her love for our family. She has been a blessing to me and to all those who have known her through the years. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY ANN!

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Thankful

I returned home early this morning after a wonderful meeting at the Lakeside church in Westmoreland, TN. Thank you Pastor Graves for the invitation and for the freedom to share the Word that the Lord placed on my heart. I also appreciate the openness of those who attended the services and their willingness to receive the Word that God was speaking to our hearts. We must open our hearts to God and allow Him to speak truth into our lives. The Bible still declares that the "truth shall set you free." We are in great need of spiritual freedom and that freedom begins with our being receptive to the truth of God. We must move beyond the "hype of just attending church" and present ourselves to God as willing vessels. God desires to work in our lives and we need to be willing to respond to the invitation of the Spirit. My soul longs to be open to God and to be unashamed in my response to the leading and moving of the Spirit. Each of the services at Lakeside found us in the presence of God and in His presence the transformation of people takes place. Will you join me in praying for the church to be aware of the need of transformation? We were able to witness the power of transformation in many individuals and many of them will never be able to return to the status quo in their relationship with God. Thank God for the unction of the Holy Spirit in our lives!

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Thoughts of my Heart

I continue to rejoice over the move of the Spirit in the services this week. It is an encouragement to see people push past their inhibitions and receive from God. Each of us face struggles in which the enemy seeks to intimidate our resolve and intimidate our desire to respond to God. We hear the whispers of hell; the enemy sets in motion a plan to discourage and defeat our faith. But I hear more than a whisper coming from God; I hear the sound of a rushing mighty wind which ushers in the presence of the ministering Spirit of God which brings a renewing of hope and faith. Reject the whispers and listen for the sounds of the presence of God. Over the past two days I have received four separate phone calls from individuals who desired to share testimonies of praise and thanksgiving to God. Each of them had received an answer to prayer and I might add that each of these answered prayers were very significant in the lives of these people. Once more I want to encourage you and your faith today. Do not stop believing, do not stop trusting, do not stop worshipping, and do not stop seeking God for Divine intervention. Prayer still works. God still responds to the prayers of His people. God still listens when we call on His name. God still has authority over all the powers of the enemy. It was a privilege to see the Spirit touch the lives of many people last night in the revival service. God's Spirit ministered to people of all ages and we were able to witness the transformation power of God. Do not resist God. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not grow cold in your walk with Christ. Do not allow the enemy to gain a foothold in your life. This is the day to walk in obedience to God in all things and in all ways.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

HOPE

My heart is overflowing this morning with hope and anticipation. During my time in the presence of the Lord this morning I could sense the Spirit depositing a renewed strength of hope, perseverance, and anticipation. God's plans for His creation includes His plan to finish what He has begun in us. All of us know that truth based upon the promises of the Scripture but the enemy of our soul seeks to take that away from us as we walk through times of challenge and difficulty. Each of us have faced those attacks of the enemy but we have also seen those moments in which "God has arisen and the enemies have been scattered." I am thankful for those moments and times in my life and I am sure that you feel that same feeling of appreciation and thankfulness. Each of us must focus on where we are going and not where we have been. Today is a day of victory and triumph over the enemy of our soul. Let us rejoice in our Savior and King. The service at Lakeside last night was awesome. From the very beginning of the meeting there was a call from the Spirit to exalt and lift up the name of Jesus. The special music as well as the Worship Team led us in responding to the call. The Lord reminded me this morning that the church can not become captured by the culture of the world. We are not here to please the attitude and spirit of the culture but we are here to please God who has called us out of death into the life of the Spirit. I want to resist the influence of the culture and offer myself to God with a sincere heart of praise and adoration. I want to point people to Jesus Christ and let them know that He is still the answer to the needs of their life. Last night we witnessed several people who decided to step out of their comfort zone and follow the leading of the Spirit into a fresh commitment to the plans and purposes of God. Will you be willing to leave the comfort of yesterday's experience with Christ and experience Him today? The journey is exciting, enjoy your walk with Christ!

Monday, February 22, 2010

Weekend Review

It such a privilege to walk in the knowledge that God truly loves me and that He is interested in my well being. He is aware of my struggles and He is even aware of my faults and failures yet He chooses to continue to love me. Now that does not mean that God wants me to become satisfied with my spiritual status but on the contrary the Spirit is challenging me to grow and mature in my spiritual walk. As the people of God we must commit to listening to the Voice of the Spirit and realize that He is working out His plan in my life if I will only submit to His direction. Each of us must commit to a lifestyle of obedience and surrender to His will and way. The services at Lakeside were powerful yesterday. The presence of God was in the sanctuary as we lifted our voices to God in praise. We must never forget our responsibility and opportunity to praise and honor God. Do you not hear the Spirit reminding you of the need to offer sincere praise and worship to God? We must break free from all that hinders our liberty and allow the Holy Spirit to have His way in our hearts. The release of God's love was powerful and gracious last night. The Heavenly Father reminded many of "His children" of His love for them. We must never become so "spiritual" that we lose the impact and influence of God's love on our lives. It may sound "simplistic" yet the love of God is so profound. Our hope for the future is based on our recognition and reception of His love and grace. We must learn to walk in the strength and power of God's love that is being revealed and released in us.

Friday, February 19, 2010

Self Examination

2 Corinthians 13:5, "Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?--unless indeed you are disqualified." (NKJV) The Spirit dealt with me concerning the seriousness of our relationship with God as I was sharing the Word of God last night. Do I take the time to seriously examine my walk with Christ? One of the meanings of the word "examine" leads us to the understanding of the need to "scrutinize" (Strong's Concordance) my life and my walk with Christ. People will spend hours researching the purchase of a new car on the Internet yet very little time in the study of the Word of God. People will spend hours researching "tidbits of news" concerning their favorite movie stars, sports icons, favorite sports teams, etc., yet spend very little time in personal communion with God. Is there any wonder that so many people are weak in their faith and commitment to Christ? We are living in the time in which we need "to be strong in the Lord" rather than weak in the faith. I believe that our strength comes from having an on-going personal relationship with Christ that is in the stages of daily development. We must understand the need to commit ourselves to a lifestyle of self examination. The combination of the Word and the Spirit will provide the means that we need to take the proper look at our lives. The Spirit and the Word of God will also provide the proper help and guidance that we need to make the right and proper adjustments to our lives. I am not speaking these words in a harsh or condemnatory attitude but rather in the spirit of love, grace, and mercy. God desires to develop each of us into strong Christians who can overcome the tests and trials of life. We must become courageous and strong as we face the challenges of the enemy of our soul. I am convinced that the modern day church will respond to this call of the Spirit. I have not given up on the church in America; I firmly believe that God is doing a great work among those who are consistently seeking Him and placing their lives in His guiding Grace.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Courage & Faith

Psalm 27:14: "Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord." (NJKV) This scripture passage came to my attention as I was reading this morning. I noticed the combination of courage and faith. One writer says that we are to "wait in faith." This waiting is not the lazy, slothful, non-active waiting but I believe that it is a "wait" that is full of anticipation and hope. It is a "wait" that has its focus on the presence and power of God and remembers that God has been with us as we have faced the challenges of daily life. Someone needs that encouragement today. Do not give up on seeking, asking, and knocking. We must keep looking in faith and knowing that God is at work in our lives. We are in great need of the strength of the Lord; many of us are trying to navigate life in the power of the flesh rather than the power of the Spirit. But our strength comes when we are able to walk in courage and faith through the storms and challenges that life brings our way. God is near to those who wait on Him and God is near to those who trust in Him and in the promises of His Word. "Wait, I say, on the Lord." Do not give up your pursuit of the direction of God in your life. Do not let the devil make you doubt your ability to believe. Each of us have the ability to believe; it is our choice to release that faith and allow God to strengthen our journey. Remember that God has provided for your success and not your failure!

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Catching Up!

I have been unable to make the daily posts due to my schedule, both ministry and travel, as well as the snow storm that we received in Louisville. I wanted to inform you so that you would know that I have not lost my passion when it comes to sharing my heart with you. God is good and He is speaking many wonderful things (I do not use this term loosely) into our lives and I am convinced that God desires to reveal a deeper manifestation in each of us if we will continue our pursuit of His presence. I am fully committed to the journey and I am fully determined to pursue a deeper relationship with Christ. The theme of the meetings in Missouri revolved around the theme "Raising the Standard." This theme was applied to our ministry development as well as the relationship with our spouse. As I was preparing for the meeting I asked myself this question; "Do I truly believe that God desires for me to raise the standard of right living in all areas of my life." I will confess something at this moment; "Isn't it easier to see the need for improvement in other peoples' lives rather than our own life?" I can identify the areas of weakness in your life quickly while I am justifying the lack of improvement in my life. Isn't it time for us to have a honest evaluation of our own personal walk with God and allow that same opportunity to the community of believers that surround us? It is so easy to criticize others (I can speak from experience) while being so easy on myself. I do not want these statements to become a heavy burden on you but I do feel impressed to challenge us to "raise the standard" in our personal journey with God. We must stop resisting the work of the Spirit and we must become willing to submit to His direction. God knows our needs and He stands ready to complete in us what He has started. Let 2010 become a year of introspection of our personal life and avoid the trap of inspecting the lives of our fellow Christians.

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Pastor's Conference

We have been blessed to be a part of the Mid America Pastor's Conference in Branson, MO. I have been privileged to address the Pastors on two separate occasions and in each of them you could sense the presence of the Spirit. I appreciate the prayer covering of each of you; it is a blessing to be able to walk in the strength of the prayers of the family of God. The Internet accessibility has been limited but I wanted to give you an update on the Conference. The theme of the Conference has centered around the need to continue dreaming the dream of serving and following after God and His plan for our lives. God has a plan for your life regardless of your occupation or status in life. It is our responsibility to pursue that plan with faith and in a spirit of obedience and surrender. I know that I write and speak much about obedience and surrender but I truly believe that God is reawakening those Christian attributes in the hearts of His people. Several people responded to the call of God during the time of prayer last night; I saw men and women seeking God for spiritual direction in their calling to servant leadership. Do not give up on your dreams or aspirations. Keep reaching for those opportunities that are in your future and allow God to fulfill His purpose in your life.

Monday, February 8, 2010

Weekend Review

The presence of God was very powerful in the Sunday afternoon service in Radcliff, KY. We celebrated Communion as we were reminded of the price that was paid for our sins. As I wrote a few days ago, we must never forget the willingness of Christ to die in our place. He was willing to give His life as a ransom for our sins, He died that we might live. I am glad that I can celebrate the living King who is truly concerned about my spiritual well-being. Don't you think that it is time for the people of God to recognize God in all that we do and say? We must become bold in the declaration of our love for Him and we must be prepared to live a life of radical commitment to Christ. In a world of selfishness and self absorption we are given the opportunity to worship someone greater than us. I am glad that I am choosing to lift my voice and declare the greatness of God. Several people responded to the invitation for prayer at the close of the sermon. I am always blessed and encouraged when people choose to respond to the Spirit and Word of God and allow the Spirit to speak peace and life into their individual circumstances. All of us face those moments in which we need a special visitation of the grace and mercy of God. God loves us enough that He desires to strengthen us at those times of challenge and difficulty. He allows us to exchange our weaknesses for His strength and might. Ephesians 1:19, "and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power." (NKJV)

Friday, February 5, 2010

Faith

I came across this quote from Rick Warren as I was preparing for service last night. Pastor Warren made this observation: "Worship is expressing our love and joy to God for who He is, what He's said, and what He is doing." That comment began to set in motion my thoughts concerning my faith. Many of us look to certain events to fortify our faith or we even look to the personality of the minister to increase the strength of our faith. But neither of these can be or should be the source of our faith. We believe because of the declarations of the Word of God. We base our hope on the authority of the Word of God and not the personality or presentation of the Gospel minister. Faith in the fleshly works of man will only move you so far on your journey but our true hope arises when we base our faith on the promises of God. We need to allow this principle to be planted deep in our hearts. I see far too many people looking to man to bolster their faith rather than allowing the Word of God to encourage and strengthen their trust and confidence in God. Let us commit to listening to the Word of God and allow our faith to arise concerning the needs that we have and the needs that our family and friends may have in their lives. Today I encourage you to give God praise for the spiritual victory that we are able to win through the authority and power of the Word of God that has been spoken to us and in us. Let the Word of God speak to you as you read the Word and as you listen to the Word of God being shared by your Pastor. The Word of God will bring Life and Hope to those who will take time to listen!

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Thought for the Day

How long has it been since you have remembered the price that was paid for your salvation? Jesus refers to Himself as a "ransom for many." The term "ransom" literally means "a loosing, the redemption price of a slave." We must understand and remember that Christ paid the price for our redemption when He willingly offered Himself as a sacrifice on the cross. He paid the debt that we were unable to pay. We should never forget that the sin of humanity required a price that we could not pay; but it is through the death of Christ that we are able to enter into our spiritual freedom and enjoy the blessings of the Kingdom of God. We need to recognize the value of the gift of salvation; it cost Christ the suffering, shame, and the shedding of His blood on a cross. Jesus died what writers call a "vicarious death" The term vicarious means "taking the place of another thing or person, substitute, deputy" (Webster's Dictionary). Christ vicariously suffered and endured pain in our place. He fought the battle for our deliverance and He won our freedom from the kingdom of darkness. We must continue to declare the story of Christ and realize the true value of His willingness to die in my place. Let us rejoice in His willingness to offer Himself as MY (our) redemption price from the slavery of sin. Oh, how we need to worship Him today! We need to exalt His name above the "gods" of this world and let the world know that we still believe that Christ is "the Way, the Truth, and the Life." God continued to pour His Spirit out in the service last night in Radcliff, KY. The refreshing presence of freedom and deliverance could be sensed and felt by those who were present in the service. The Spirit ministered to many of those who were in the service. God is ready to release from us from the shackles and chains that hinder our walk with Him. We must be ready to respond to His presence and allow Him to speak His Life into our lives.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Spiritual Motivation

Over the past few years we have been given much information about proper motivation. Employees need motivation, students need motivation, athletes need motivation and even Christians need the proper motivation. During the service last night the Lord began to speak to my heart concerning my motivation regarding my Christianity as well as the ministry call that I feel. Often in the past few months the Spirit has challenged my heart with the need to re-connect with the purpose of the ministry of Christ. What was the purpose of Christ and how did He live out that purpose? What would you describe as a significant identifying mark of the life of Christ? Each of us may have varying answers but I think the Bible answers this question very clearly. Christ came seeking to save that which was lost. Christ came for the hurting people of this world and Christ came looking to make a difference in the lives of people that He encountered. I need to measure my life by the pattern that Christ placed before us. He is pictured as the caring Shepherd, He is pictured as the caring Physician, He is pictured as the caring Minister, and He is pictured as the caring Savior. Ask yourself this question today; when people describe you do they use the word caring? I sincerely believe that each of us need to be motivated by the "spirit of genuine care" for those among us who are in need of a Savior/Healer for their lives. I also believe that God is awakening this generation to the need to connect with the ministry purpose of Christ. Will you arise to the occasion and allow His Spirit to awaken your spirit and your heart to the need of others around you? Once again the service at New River Ministries was wonderful. The anointing of the Spirit could be sensed from the opening call to worship. The Praise Band was anointed as they led us into the presence of God and the freedom of the Spirit was evident as the Word of God was shared among us. This is the day of spiritual freedom and deliverance. We must lay aside the shackles and chains that hinder us and pursue the presence of God. Let us prepare our hearts for the journey with God!

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Freedom

The Lord is reminding me of our need to walk in the freedom that He has provided for us. I can understand the challenges that life presents but I also can read the promises that God has given to His people. Christ died that we would be able to overcome the strategies of the enemy. We must remember that each of us are special to God and that He loves us with the unconditional love of a Loving Heavenly Father. The presence of the Lord was in the celebration service last night in Radcliff, KY. The call to worship song set the tenor of the meeting as we were able to focus on the promises that God has given to us through Jesus Christ. One of the lines of the song that was shared last night makes this declaration; "There are no strangers, there are no orphans, there are no outcasts..." This is making reference to our relationship with God our Father. Today we can rejoice that we have been adopted into the family of God and with this adoption comes certain rights and privileges. Christ has made it possible that we can share in His triumph over the enemy of our soul. We can rejoice in the provision that has been made for us through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We need to walk in the strength of the provisions that have been made available to us through the power of the Kingdom of God. We celebrate the King, Jesus Christ, who lives to make a difference in our daily lives. Will you join me in exalting Jesus Christ and allowing His leadership to lead you in the right direction? He is certainly worthy of our sincere adoration! Let us celebrate the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

Monday, February 1, 2010

Weekend Services

Yesterday was a day in which I was both blessed and encouraged by the Word of God and the Spirit of God. I am doing my best to attend church with the anticipation of encountering the presence of God during the service. My anticipation was rewarded yesterday as God challenged my heart through the Word as well as the refreshing opportunity to worship the Lord God Almighty! The morning service afforded me the opportunity to listen to Pastor Smith challenge out hearts through the preaching of the Word. He reminded us that God has provided the power of the Holy Spirit to counteract the influence of the culture. I can sense the powers of evil seeking to use the attitudes of the culture to move us away from a life that is directed by God. We must resist these influences through the development of an on-going strong relationship with Jesus Christ. We can not afford to just go to church and go through the motions; we must allow God the opportunity to do His work in our lives. We are living in a battle zone and the battle is for the leadership of my soul. Will I allow the fleshly desires of my life to lead me or will I surrender my life to Christ and allow His Spirit to direct my heart? I have chosen to surrender my life to Christ and to allow His Spirit to lead me in the right way. Yesterday afternoon found me in New River Ministries in Radcliff, KY. We began a series of Kingdom Celebration services which will continue through Thursday night of this week. I am committed to shared the call from God that was placed in my heart as we began 2010. We must declare the "greatness of God." I know that we are living in the time of an increasing presence of spiritual darkness yet the power of God and the work of the Spirit in the Kingdom of God is still very real. We must not allow darkness to intimidate us; we must rise to the occasion through our faith and hope in God and realize that He has made provisions for our victory. It is time for the people of God to rise up with praise and adoration being declared through our voices. No one can make the declaration of praise for you; you and I need to make our own declaration that "God is great and greatly to be praised." If you live in the area of Radcliff/Fort Know we invite you to join us this week at 7:00 PM for the celebration of the King of Kings. The address of the meeting is 1878 Illinois Ave., Radcliff, KY. NOTE: See schedule for more information!