Baptism of the Holy Spirit

The focus of the International Assembly of the Church of God of Prophecy has been centered on the need to return to a dependence on the leading, directing, and inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Bishop Randall Howard, the General Overseer of COGOP reminded us this morning of our need to have our own "upper room" experience with God. We must walk in the Spirit and not trust in the abilities of the flesh. The flesh or the natural man can not meet the needs of humanity. All of us must be challenged to seek for a deeper walk with the Holy Spirit.

Week of Service

This week finds me in Greensboro, NC.  I am serving on the Planning and Management Team for the International Assembly of the Church of God of Prophecy.  My duties will consist of serving the delegates to this gathering in the area of Ushering and in house Security.  I will help lead and direct a group of volunteer servants from across America who will offer their service to those who attend this week of meetings. 

I am making this post because I want the readers to know that there are people who willingly sacrifice their time and effort to serve other people.  This is very opposite of the nature of selfishness and "what is best for me" attitude that grips the hearts of many people in our nation and this attitude even reveals itself in the hearts of believers.  We need to remember the sacrifice that Christ made for us on the cross and we need to remember that Christ calls us to a lifestyle of service to humanity.  It is a pleasure to serve others and we need to enjoy the opportunity of giving ourself in service to the cause of Jesus Christ.  These men and women will work long hours this week but they will be rewarded through the smiles and words of thanks that will be shared with them as they assist others; NOW THAT IS PRICELESS!

Encouragerment

Today has been a day in which God reminded me about the blessing of being encouraged.  Through this revival ministry I have made many contacts with people all around the nation.  Electronic communications such as email, Facebook, Twitter allow people to send messages to me that releases the blessing of encouragement in my life.  I was reminded today that I need to be thankful for the encouragers that God has placed in my life through the years of my Christian service.  I received many words of encouragement from people through the years where we have served in the Pastoral ministry and I wanted each one of those people to know that I am appreciative of the kinds and thoughtful words that have been spoken to us through the years of our service in the Kingdom of God.  Kind and God inspired words can create an attitude of encouragement in the valley of discouragement.  We need to be alert to the needs of each other and speak life and encouragement to our fellow travelers on the journey through life.  We also need to recognize those "God moments" and realize that God is sending us a message through the thoughtful words that individual person is speaking.  Take some time today to be an encouragement to someone.  You will be blessed and that individual will be blessed and strengthened.

The posts on the blog next week may be erratic due to my responsibilities at the International Assembly of the Church of God of Prophecy.  The Assembly is being conducted in the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, NC.  Delegates from around the world will converge on Greensboro in a concerted effort to seek after the heart of God.  Would you commit this meeting to prayer this coming week?

Consistent Prayer

Each of you who take the time to read this blog understand the importance that I place on prayer.  I truly believe that prayer is one of the spiritual disciplines that is overlooked or ignored by many believers.  There are many reasons behind the lack of prayer and I will not address them at this time but I was led to a passage of scripture this morning that I believe will speak to one of those reasons.  I believe that the enemy wants us to feel weary and discouraged in our prayer life.  The enemy seeks to defeat our faith and in doing this he hinders the development of a consistent and persistent pursuit of Christ. 

David understood this strategy and the Spirit gives Him an encouraging word to share with us today.  Read the words found in Psalm 138:1-3, "I will praise You with my whole heart; Before the gods I will sing praises to You.  I will worship toward Your holy temple, And praise Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You have magnified Your word above all Your name.  In the day when I cried out, You answered me, And made me bold with strength in my soul" (NKJV).

I sincerely believe that God will provide "bold strength" as we consistently commit to seeking after the Kingdom of God.  You may need to step into that "bold strength" today.  Many of us have been praying for certain requests for an extended period of time and we have grown weak during these times of intercession but remember that God hears the prayer that emanates from your heart.  We also need to understand that some of our prayer concerns (family, friends, local church, Pastor, etc) will be "long term" prayers.  We will offer continual prayers (pray without ceasing) for certain needs, situations, or circumstances.  But even in these type of prayers God will provide the "bold strength" that we need to continue our times of intercession.  Do not be discouraged today rather be encouraged as you realize that God listens to your prayers!

The service last night at Christ Tabernacle saw several people step into the miraculous presence of the Spirit.  We were able to witness people who definitely entered into a dramatic encounter with God.  We saw physical needs as well as emotional needs met through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit.  We must continue to release our faith as we enter into the presence of fellowship with the Lord God Almighty.

Plan of God

I must constantly remind myself concerning the plan of God for our world.  It is so easy to become overwhelmed with the sin, evil, and wickedness that has become so common place in our society.  These concerns can try and hide the plan of God for the world in which we are living.  Over the past several months the Holy Spirit keeps refreshing my thought process as well as my commitment to the plan of God for fallen and sinful mankind.  The old song is still true; "In times like these, we need a Savior..."  Each of us can realize that we are in a time of great need and in a time of great peril but it is during these times that God reminds us of His promises and He reminds us of HIS PLAN for humanity.  I want to draw strength from His Word and I desire to apply the promises and directions of His Word to my life. 

Let us remind ourselves of a great promise found in 2 Peter 3:9, "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" (NKJV).  Many of us are praying for people that in our opinion are not even thinking about God.  The distance between them and God seems so large yet God says that it is His plan to bring them to the place of repentance.  I encourage you this morning to maintain your prayer vigil on their behalf.  Winston Churchill, the Prime Minister of England, during WWII reminded the British people that they could not afford to give up.  As a matter of act, He used the words "never give up, never give up..."  We can not afford to give up on our friends and our family.  The plan of God is full of hope and promise for the believer as well as the non-believer.  Never give up, the plan of God is at work even as you read these words.

Last evening's service in Christ Tabernacle Church was highly energized with the presence of the Holy Spirit.  A sincere spirit of recognition, appreciation, praise and thankfulness brought many of us to the altar to offer our worship to God who has been with us as we dealt with the issues of life.  I believe that the release of our future faith is directly related to the release of our praise to God for the past times of divine intervention in our lives.  Remember that God has been and continues to be faithful to the promises that we find revealed in His Word!

Weekend Review

This week finds me in Sheridan, IN with Pastor Rich & Cathy Barker at the Christ Tabernacle Church. The services on Sunday were wonderful and the challenge of the Holy Spirit was very strong. We must move beyond religious traditions and religious functions; we must develop a hunger and thirst for the presence and power of God. The altar service was powerful with several people responding to the call of the Spirit. I know that I mention that on numerous occasions but I see the work of the Spirit in the lives of people as I travel. I just wanted to share this information with you; I believe that God is at work in the lives of people and I make that declaration today. Take a moment and praise God for His transforming PRESENCE!

Ephesians 3

During prayer this morning the Lord reminded me of a powerful passage in Ephesians 3.  I sincerely believe that God was placing in my heart some understanding of the deepness of His presence that we have sensed in the past few services in Carbon Hill, AL.  The words "deep and rich" were spoken by some people as they departed after last evening's service.  There are times in our lives in which we can not fully comprehend all that God is revealing to us; we just accept by faith the ministering release of His Spirit in our hearts.  I want to take a moment and remind you of the great revelation of the Spirit that was spoken to Paul concerning the power of the love of God.

Ephesians 3:17-19, "that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is is the width and length and depth and height--to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God"  (NKJV).

I encourage you to review the promises from God that are found in this passage.  I truly believe that God is revealing to the church a fresh awareness of the love that God possesses for His people.  He is truly a great and wonderful God.

Looking to God

The past few services in Carbon Hill, AL have reminded me even more of the need to keep my heart focused on God.  We can not afford to "lose God" in the midst of all of the trappings of the modern day church.  It is so easy to replace the presence of Christ with the decorations of religion and our religious practices.  I refuse to accept any replacements or any replicas of the presence of God.  I hunger for Him and I hunger for His presence in my daily life.  I was reminded this morning that the presence of God is not confined to the House of God; the presence of God is meant to be manifested (revealed) in my daily walk with Christ.  I can not afford to relegate the presence of Christ to one day of the week or one location such as a church building.  The old song declares "I need Thee every hour."  I want that statement to be the utterance from the depths of my heart.  Take a moment today and allow the Lord to awaken and stir that same desire/passion in your life today.

Mercy of God

I sense the challenge and encouragement of the Spirit to remind people about the mercy of God. I fully understand that God is a God of judgment but I also believe that the Word of God declares that He is a God of love and mercy. I firmly believe that God is actively releasing His love and compassion toward the people of our nation. But we must be willing to respond to His loving presence. We must be willing to open our hearts to His presence and receive His love into our hearts. I was blessed to be able to see people open their lives to the ministering presence of the Spirit in last evening's service and you could see the difference as they left the building and made their way home. Oh the joy of knowing the love of God; we must spread the news wherever we go!

Weekend Review

This week finds me in Carbon Hill, Alabama with Pastor John and Janice Butler.  The services yesterday went very well with the altar response being very positive.  Many people came forward in each of the services and the Spirit of God ministered to those who opened their hearts to the promises of God.  I am truly convinced that God is working in the hearts of many people as we are turning our focus on Christ.  As I was praying this morning I was reminded of the need to remain "Christ centered" in my approach to ministry opportunities.  Our individual lives need to be Christ centered, our families need to be Christ centered, our local churches need to be Christ centered, and even our church organizations need to be Christ centered.  It is so easy to become self-centered and self absorbed in our attitude toward others and even in our attitude toward God.  We must allow the Spirit of God to challenge our lives and bring us back to the focus of the heart of God.  The heart of God is calling us back to the revelation of the love of God that was displayed on the cross through the death of Christ as well as the daily interactions of Christ with people as He walked this earth.  Will we re-connect with this call from God or will we continue to ignore the call from God and continue to follow our own way?  I desire to hear the call from God and pursue a life that is truly Christ centered.

Will of God, Conclusion

For the past few posts I have been sharing some thoughts concerning the pursuit of the will of God in our individual lives.  Many of us continue to pursue the will of God on a daily basis.  I feel that I need to interject this thought; the importance of the "will of God" is not just limited to the "ministry".  Each of us need to seek and desire to walk in the daily plan and purpose for our lives. 

Here is one of the conclusions that I have reached over the past few days of prayer and introspection; the will of God is attainable.  Living in the will of God can be accomplished through the practice of spiritual disciplines and spiritual principles.  Here are some of the disciplines and principles that I have been able to identify over the past few days; we must maintain a persistent and consistent pursuit of the development of our relationship with God; we must maintain a willingness to lay aside our will and desires for the plan and purpose of God; we must maintain a heart of submission and surrender to the all-knowing power of God; we must maintain a prayer life that keeps each of us connected to the heart of God which will reveal the loving direction of God even when we don't understand the path that we are traveling; and we must maintain a deep love for God that transcends all of the obstacles, barriers, difficulties, and challenges that we will face as we travel the road of life.  Each of you could add your thoughts and ideas to this list but I would encourage you to review these inspirations that God spoke into my heart.  Each of us should be examining our heart to make sure that we are making applications of these principles/disciplines to our daily walk with Christ. 

There is one more conclusion that I desire to share with you today; each of us must stay focused on Christ as we seek the will of God for our lives.  It is so easy to become distracted and subsequently loose our focus on the higher calling that God has for each of us.  The enemy will seek to create a spirit of apathy and complacency in each of us which will stymie and hinder our focus.  But through the power of Christ we have the authority to resist and defeat the efforts of the enemy.  We can be victorious and we can successfully walk in the will of God for our lives.  Do not lose hope and do not forsake the principle of tenacity.  As I have said on previous occasions; "God will lead if I will take the time and make the effort to follow!"

Will of God, Part 3

As I was sitting in Bible Study last night the Lord once more began to deal with my heart concerning His will and direction for my life.  My wife was leading the study and her thoughts centered around our need to "love God with all of our heart."  At first glance this principle seems to be a no-brainer for the children of God but in actuality it is the true foundation of our relationship with God.  We know that the Word of God teaches us to love God in that manner but in reality it is easier to speak those words than it is to live out those words in our daily walk with Christ.  The lesson offered this reminder and this challenge; "Jesus knows the depth of my love for Him and He knows the strength of my commitment."  I maybe able to deceive you with my fancy words and my religious actions but Christ truly knows my heart.  In the second chapter of Revelation, Christ commends the church for their good deeds and for their good works but He also identifies that something is missing in their lives.  They had left or departed from their "first love" experience and relationship with Christ.

Now you may be thinking, what does my love relationship with God have to do with the will of God being accomplished in my life?  The connection with these two principles became clear to me as I listened to the Word that was being planted in my heart.  I must keep spiritual principles in the right perspective and in the right order.  First of all, I can not afford to lose my "love connection with God."  I must continue to develop my relationship of love with Christ and not allow my passion and desire for Him to grow cold and indifferent.

The love of Christ provided hope for the conversion of the Apostle Peter even after his failure and betrayal of Christ.  I will be unable to fully walk in the will of God until I recognize my need to accept, receive, and walk in the development of my love relationship with God.  The will of God is not some cold statement of actions or demands that I receive in the mail or email via the Internet.  No, the will of God for my life is based on the marvelous and compassionate love that God has for me and for all of His children.  It is when I consistently recognize the precious love of God for me and when I pursue the development of that love relationship with my Lord and Savior will I be able to fully comprehend the will of God for my life.  The will of God is an-going revelation of His direction for our lives.  Let us commit to loving Him and drawing closer to Him on a daily basis.

Will of God, Part 2

I desire to continue the challenge that I spoke about in yesterday's post.  Walking in the "will of God" has become a life long pursuit of this blogger.  I felt the urgency of walking in the will of God as a young man who was sensing a call from God on my life.  I can remember telling my Pastor, (who was also my father), that I just wanted to "do the will of God."  Many of you who read this blog can certainly understand the challenge of that longing or hunger in my heart.  Since that day of original surrender to the plan of God I have walked with that burning passion or desire in my heart.  I will admit that there have been days in which the pursuit of the will of God seemed more important in my heart that I can even state today.  I will admit that there have been days in which I was completely convinced that I was walking in the complete will of God for my life at that moment.  I will also admit that there have been days in which I was just doing the best I could to fulfill my responsibilities while I was reaching/seeking for the next step in God's plan for my life.  But no matter the circumstances of my situation there was still the desire deep in my spirit to walk in pursuit of God's plan for my life. 

This morning I sincerely feel that the Lord reminded me of another step in the spiritual equation of walking in the will of God.  I believe that I must reach the place in my pursuit of God that the "cause" of His Kingdom and purpose must become greater and more important than my cause.  I must be willing to surrender my personal desires and plans to the plans and desires that God has for my life.  Let me explain my feelings in these words; "I must be willing to lay aside my selfishness and become willing to commit to a lifestyle that calls me to lay aside my view of my life and recognize God's view of my life."  Could this transition reflect the warning that Paul gave us concerning people who would be "lovers of themselves?"  I confess that there are times in which I am guilty of loving my own self and my own desires/plans more that I love the plans of God.  The plans of God can require me to move beyond my comfort zone.  The plans of God can require me to deny my "selfish and carnal" plans for the plans that are according to the destiny that God has set in motion for my future.  The plans of God can require me to seek the the counsel of God more than the counsel of well meaning people who think they know what is best for my future.  This does not mean that I should not seek counsel from truly spiritual people but it does mean that I must recognize the counsel of God above the counsel of man.  The plans of God can require me to spend time in prayer, fasting, fellowship, and communion with the Heavenly Father who loves me more than I can truly comprehend.  Let us look for that "cause" that is greater than our cause and when we identify that "cause" let us pursue it with faith and passion.

Will of God

As I was catching up on some reading on Monday I came across some information concerning "the will of God."  The term  "will of God" is a very common one used among Christians.  We often say to God and to our fellow believers that "I desire to live in the will of God for my life."  This post can in no way answer all of the questions concerning the the will of God but I will share some thoughts that the Spirit placed in my heart as I was contemplating this great challenge of New Testament Christianity.  Being able to live out and practice New Testament Christianity is one of the "convictions" that God has placed on my heart.  I am so tired of just learning how to use the right combination of "spiritual words" yet falling short in putting those principles into daily practice into my walk with Christ. 

Surrender and obedience is one of the requirements of walking in the will of God.  Jesus was the perfect example of walking in the will of God.  The will of God took Jesus to the cross where He willingly died for sinful humanity.  Isn't it easier to speak of the will of God than it is to practice the will of God?  Let us be honest with ourselves and with each other.  There are times that the will of God will take us down paths that we had rather avoid.  The will of God will often require sacrifice and a willingness to offer our lives in service to God and in service to our fellow human beings.  The will of God will require a denial of fleshly desires and a hunger for the Holy Spirit's direction in our heart.  The will of God will require us to look to our Heavenly Father for guidance and inspiration as we walk the road of life.  The next time you think of the "will of God" being fulfilled in your life link it to the principle of obedience.  I can sincerely say that I have a desire to surrender to the will of God but am I truly willing to walk in complete surrender and obedience?  My willingness to obey God holds the key to the will of God being fulfilled in my life (at least in my prayerful opinion).

Weekend Review

This is a weekend in which America reflects on the gift of freedom that we are able to enjoy.  I trust and pray that each one of us recognize and understand that that our freedom is not free.  We need to remember that many men and women have paid and continue to pay the ultimate price for our freedom.  Freedom is not cheap and the men and women who defend our freedom should be admired and respected.  We have been mired in an on-going battle against terrorism; only God fully knows the full length and depth of this war but we can rest assured that many brave AMERICANS are putting themselves in harms way on a daily basis so that I could sit at this computer and share my thoughts with you.  Don't you think that these brave men and women deserve our respect and they deserve our prayers?  What if the sound of our prayers would make as much noise as the sound of the fire works that we heard last night?  Can you fathom the depth of the revival that would sweep across our nation if we seriously pursued the presence of God in our daily lives?  I refuse to give up on the fact that God will hear us when we pray; we just need people who will take the time and make the effort to call out to God for His mercy and love to sweep over our nation.

Sunday morning found me in Radcliff, KY at New River Ministries.  The presence of the Lord was in the service as we reflected on the songs of our nation as well as the songs of the people of God.  During worship we sang patriotic songs as well as recited the pledge of allegiance to the flag of America.  There is still a stirring in our hearts as we lift our voices in thankfulness for this great nation.  We must continue to tell the stories of sacrifice, honesty, family values, patriotism and many other values of America to the youth and children of this generation.  The sermon called on us to turn our attention to one of the symbols of our Christian freedom; the cross on which Jesus Christ died for the sins of humanity.  As Christians we look to an empty cross, we look to an empty grave; but we see Heaven which is full of the glory of God.  The glory of God releases the ministering presence of God which in turn touches our lives and the needs that we encounter on a daily basis.  I encourage you to reflect on your spiritual freedom and to walk in that freedom regardless of the attacks and strategies of the enemy that you are facing today.  

Personal note:  Friday was a "one day vacation" with the children and grandchildren.  We had a great time and it was a blessing to be able to spend the time with my family.  Family is so important and we need to cherish our family members and appreciate the contribution that they make to our happiness.  Family makes the adventure of life more enjoyable; take time to appreciate your family today.

Thankfulness

The service last night in Sylvania, Ohio reminded me once more of the need to be truly thankful for all that God has done and is doing in my life.  We use the words "thankful, grateful, and appreciative" on a daily basis in our conversations.  But do I truly say those words to God from a heart that is sincerely responding to the blessings and provision that God is making in my life on a daily basis?  The Worship Leader last night shared a portion of her personal testimony and she alluded to the thankfulness and appreciation that she felt in her heart toward God concerning needs that He had met in her life as well as the life of her family.  She then challenged those of us in the service to fully reflect on the goodness of God that is extended to us on a daily basis.  I can not afford to wait for the "big things" from God before I express my appreciation and worship.  I must discipline myself to reflect on and recognize the daily provision and protection that God sends my way consistently.  Do not misunderstand me, I am thankful for the "big things" that God has provided and they have been great in number throughout my life.  But I am learning to recognize the daily "hand of God" that is stretched over my life and today I take a moment to celebrate His daily goodness.

I am truly thankful for the ministering presence of the Spirit that we felt on a nightly basis in the revival meeting in Sylvania.  I was both blessed and amazed as the Spirit of God and the Word of God spoke directly to people during the altar meetings.  Each service found people receiving the strength and purpose of God into their lives.  The countenance of people began to change during the course of the meeting as they were able to walk in the strength of the love of God and realize that God was providing for their victory over the strategies of the enemy.  Even now I can sense the encouragement of God as I am sharing these reflections.  God is a good God and He is truly worthy of our praise and adoration.  We were able to witness the life changing power of God as people surrendered their life to Christ and received the gift of salvation.  I truly believe that God desires for the spirit of thankfulness to be re-kindled in our lives as we once again recognize the goodness of God in the midst of our struggles.

I am truly thankful for another safe trip home from Sylvania; I left after service and made my way back to Louisville.  I have written these words before but I felt that I needed to testify of the protection and goodness of God.  Each of us need to take the time to lift our voices in praise to God for all that He is doing in our lives.  The world is cursing God but the church needs to be praising God.  I refuse to take the blessings of God for granted anymore.  I refuse to stay silent any more.  I am going to praise the Lord God Almighty for who He is and what He is doing in my life.  I challenge you to take the time to express to God your sincere appreciation today. 

Tell somebody about the goodness of God and watch their lives be influenced by the words of your testimony!