Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Week Review

It is hard to imagine that it has been a week since I made my last entry in the blog.  I am sure that many of you have endured or should I say enjoyed a week of many activities.  The celebration of Christmas contains many opportunities of fellowship with family, friends, and with your church family.  Much of my week was spent at the remodeling project for the relocation of New River Worship Center.  We were blessed to be able to celebrate our first service in the new location on Christmas morning.  Oh, what a wonderful day to celebrate Christ and all that He has provided for us.  We honored Him through Interpretative Worship, songs, prayers, offertory, and the sharing of the Word of God.  The presence of the anointing of the Spirit was powerful and believe it or not the people were not in a great hurry to go home.  Many of us are realizing that we not only need CHRIST back in Christmas but that we need CHRIST in our daily lives.  I desire to recognize Him and recognize my need for Him on a daily basis. 

We enjoyed a great Christmas celebration with our family.  God has blessed our family this past year and we took some time to reflect on His blessings.  Each of us need to remember the true meaning of Christmas and make sure that our children and grandchildren are taught the true understanding of the Christmas celebration  I was also able to travel to Alabama on Monday and visit with my parents and one of my sisters and her family.  It was a day trip but one that was worth the time and effort.  My family has offered me great love, support, and encouragement throughout my life and I am truly thankful for each of them.

I will give further updates on the relocation process of New River Worship Center in the near future.  We are close to the completion of Phase 1 and we are excited about the opportunities that God will provide in 2012.

Monday, December 19, 2011

Emmanuel

Yesterday I was privileged to gather with other believers and celebrate the presence of Jesus Christ in our daily lives.  I am truly blessed and excited about the presence of Christ is my life on a daily basis.  There are many reasons to rejoice during this season of Christmas but one of the most important ones revolves around the promise stated in the Matthew passage concerning Emmanuel.  Here is an excerpt of a portion of the sermon that I delivered at New River Worship Center in Radcliff, Kentucky.

Matthew 1:23, "Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us."

The Christmas story contains many stories within the scope of the Christmas story.  We can read the story of the shepherds keeping watch over their sheep at night. We can read the story of the wise men making the long trip to worship the Christ child. We also can read the portion of the story that makes the declaration that "Jesus would be the Savior of the world."  Certainly the story of Christmas produced many great and wonderful benefits to the family of God but one of the most important announcements is found in our text in verse 23. The baby that would be born to Mary and Joseph would be called "Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us." Hidden in all of the miracles of the Christmas story may be the greatest miracle of all of them. God, through Jesus Christ would make Himself available to mankind. He would take this opportunity to open the door of relationship with every human being who would choose to receive and embrace Him as Savior. This simple statement found in this story may not excite us but the implication of this statement is the basis of our hope and faith. God offered a plan in which He would draw near to humanity and we would have the wonderful opportunity to serve Him. I truly believe that God is calling us to celebrate the wonderful promise spoken in Matthew.

Friday, December 16, 2011

Emmanuel

Over the past few days the Lord has dealt with my heart concerning families who are celebrating their first Christmas since the death of their loved one.  Christmas can present some challenging experiences and memories to say the least but these memories can be enhanced with the extra burden of grief and sorrow.  The season of Christmas is one that is meant to be celebrated but family events can create extra anxiety as people gather and realize that their loved one will be missing as they gather together.  Nothing that I say can take away the pain and sorrow of grief but I do feel led to remind each individual that they are not alone as they travel this difficult road.  I am not referring just to the presence of their family members or friends but I am referring to the presence of Jesus Christ.

One of the names of Jesus mentioned in the New Testament is the name "Emmanuel", God with us." (Emphasis added).  The story of Christ not only brings us the story of the birth of our Savior it also brings us the story that God through His Son, Jesus Christ, would be present with us as we navigate the struggles and challenges of life.  This wonderful revelation and promise allows us to understand and receive the awesome presence of Christ in our lives regardless of the circumstances that we may be facing.  We can rejoice in the knowledge that God does not expect us to face the difficult moments of life alone.  We can find rest and peace in the midst of our turmoil as we turn our attention to the presence of God. 

An unknown author wrote these powerful words, "God did not promise days without pain, laughter without pain, sun without rain.  But He did promise strength for the day, comfort for tears, and light for the way."  As we celebrate Christmas, let us remember, "Emmanuel, God with us."  (Matthew 1:23).  

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Update

It is hard to imagine that it has been a week since I made my last post.  The past week has been hectic to say the least.  I do appreciate the prayers regarding the surgical procedure on my arm which took place this past Thursday. The recovery seems to be going well; I do have a significant amount of pain due to all that the Doctor did during the procedure.  I began therapy yesterday and I am looking for positive results from the therapy as well as the surgery.  I desire your continued prayer covering.  The surgery did not keep me out of the pulpit on Sunday and we were blessed with another awesome and anointed service.

New River Worship Center was saddened by the sudden passing of one of the gentlemen who attended church with us.  Bro. Jim was a wonderful man and God was doing a great work in his life.  We celebrated the home going of Bro. Jim on Monday morning.  Bro. Jim was a Viet Nam veteran who retired after 27 years of military service for our country.  We honor and respect the service that he offered to our nation and it is men and women such as him who have served and fought in various wars and conflicts that provide me the freedom to write these words today.  We will miss him but his testimony and life will live on in our memories.  Please keep his wife, children, and grandchildren in your prayers.

I  am truly thankful for what I sense that God is doing in my life.  My wife and I were involved in an anointed and Spirit directed time of prayer on Monday evening.  The Spirit began to open my heart to some of the enemies that have risen against the people of God over the years of the existence of the family of God.  The Holy Spirit began to pray through us and illuminate these enemies to my heart and I began to speak them out as the Spirit gave the utterance.  NOTE: This is not being said as a means to draw attention to myself or my wife as some special spiritual people.  But it is being said to remind us that our spiritual enemy is real and that he does have a plan and strategy to destroy the Kingdom of God that is being released among the true children of God.  I believe that the days of hypocrisy and performance based Christianity are about to be revealed and that God will receive greater glory than ever before.  I am preparing my heart to openly identify these enemies as the Spirit directs my heart over the next weeks, months, and even years.  Each of us must take a serious inventory of our lives and make sure that we are walking in a proper relationship with Jesus Christ.  After all, this is the season that we celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ!

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Prayer

Many of you read this blog on a consistent basis.  Each of you realize the emphasis that I have placed on prayer during the past few years.  I am convinced that the church in this modern era of various religions need to be awakened to our need to develop a pattern of consistent communication with our Heavenly Father.  It is imperative that we begin to "put into practice" the call to prayer that the Spirit is issuing to the church through the various leadership voices of the church of today.  I know that I am doing my best to spread this "call" to the people that I serve when I am given the opportunity to share the Word of God.

Last night I felt that the Lord shared a dream or vision with me.  My wife and I were walking through various cemeteries and reading the information on the headstones.  This morning I can not remember the names that we were reading last night but during the dream we did recognize the names and we did know the people whose name were on the headstones.  The Lord revealed that these various individuals had entered into "spiritual death" because of their lack of prayer.  They had lost their relationship with Christ because of their failure to spend time in the presence of God.  Prayer is not just coming before the Lord with our "spiritual wish list."  Prayer is lingering in the presence of the Lord and allowing Him to teach us about the development of our relationship with Him.  You are probably thinking, "What does this have to do with Christmas?"  We must remember that the birth of Jesus Christ opened the door of a personal relationship with God through the Son of God.  Can you connect the dots in this spiritual scenario?  Christ was born!  Christ lived on this earth!  Christ died for our sins at Calvary!  The birth and death of Christ opened the door for relationship!  Prayer develops our relationship!  Thank God for the wonderful and awesome gift of prayer as we celebrate Christmas!

Prayer Request:  I will be having a second surgery on my arm tomorrow.  This is due to the fall that I received in October of 2010.  I have not enjoyed a full recovery as of yet and the Doctor feels that he can improve my mobility through this second procedure.  I would appreciate your prayer covering.  I may be away from the computer for a couple of days but I will be praying for each of you.  Feel free to share your prayer requests with me; I would be honored to join with you in prayer.


Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Looking toward Christmas

People face this time of the year with various emotions.  There are people that will celebrate this season without a loved one for the first time.  They face the various celebrations with trepidation and sadness because they will miss the presence and participation of their family member or friend.  Children look toward the season with excitement and anticipation.  Our youngest grandson arrived at our house a few days ago with his "Christmas catalogue" held tightly in his hand.  He was prepared to show us some of the gifts that he had been looking at over the past few weeks.  The other grandchildren have made sure that my wife and I are aware of some of the things on their wish list.  There are families that will face this season with some fear and concern because of the financial challenges that they are facing at this present moment.  These families are working to make sure that they can stretch their budget as far as possible.  But you also have those people that Christmas is just another day on the calendar and they will choose to ignore all of the celebrations as well as all of the concerns of this season of the year.  Each of us may be able to look back across our lives and remember when we were living in one of the above mentioned circumstances and those were the emotions that dominated our lives.

But as believers in Christ we are filled with an unique and powerful hope.  We are able to look past the parties, tinsel, gifts, food, trees, and family celebrations and realize that Christmas allows us to focus on the introduction of our Savior to this world.  We have hope in our life due to the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  Our greatest celebration is not the gift or gifts under the tree but our greatest source of celebration is the One who died on the tree over 2,000 years ago.  We look toward our future knowing and understanding that Christ is with us every day of the year and not just a certain designated time of the year.  Christ is not confined to the month of December but He is a daily participant in our walk through life.  Do not let your life be defined by the emotions that you may be feeling at this present time rather allow your life to be defined in the fulfillment of the promises of God.  Luke 2:11, "For there is born to you this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." (NKJV)

Monday, December 5, 2011

Thankful

Some of you may grow tired of hearing about the weekend services in which I am privileged to participate.  I often write about the richness of the presence of God and you may even think that it is impossible for that to be true Sunday after Sunday.  But I can declare that it is TRUE and that the presence and direction of God is real.  I go to church in the spirit of anticipation and expectation.  I assume based on the promises of God that He is going to be on the premises when His family gathers to offer sincere praise and worship.  It is possible that some people miss the presence of God during worship because they go looking for other things.  It is hard to notice the presence of God if your heart is set toward grumbling, complaining, and fault finding.  I doubt that you will notice much of the presence of God if your mind, heart, and soul are focused on all the above mentioned distractions and discouragements.  I am deciding to make the choice to ignore the tricks and tactics of the enemy and look for the presence of God.  I invite you to join me on that journey today!

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Relationship with God

Last night's discipleship class at New River Worship Center was both enlightening as well as challenging.  Each of us are aware of the need to continue developing our relationship with Christ yet there are times that this is not the true priority of our lives.  We can find ourselves spiritually "coasting" and become comfortable with going through the motions of a religious routine or ritual.  This "coasting" can lead to the situation in which our hearts can become hardened to the Word of God.  Coasting can lead to our eyes becoming blinded to the enlightenment of the Spirit.  Coasting can lead to our ears becoming deaf to the direction and guidance of the Spirit.  How can we counteract those tactics of the enemy of our soul?  We reached the conclusion last night that the application of truth to our individual lives is the only true solution to that particular challenge of satan.  We must hear the Word and allow the Spirit to apply the Word to  our lives.  The process of application will strengthen our relationship with Christ and the strengthened relationship with Christ will place us in the right position as well as disposition to follow Christ into a lifestyle and attitude of obedience.  The Word of God is alive and powerful and it will make the proper adjustments to our lives as we continue the development of our relationship with Christ.  Place your relationship with Christ at the top of your priority list and recognize the difference that it will make in your journey through life.

In My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers wrote, "There is only one relationship that matters, and that is your personal relationship to a personal Redeemer and Lord. Let everything else go, but maintain that at all costs, and God will fulfill His purpose through your life. . . . Always remain alert to the fact that where one man has gone back is exactly where anyone may go back . . . Kept by the power of God - this is the only safety."


Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Don't Lose Focus

Prayer time this morning was interesting as God begin to remind me of something that I often share with others.  It is easy to lose the bigger picture of what God is doing in your life because we are captured by the events that are taking place at that moment.  We have to maintain our focus on God and continue to allow Him to direct our steps.  Coaches "preach" focus to their players all of the time.  Coaches realize that their team can become distracted by all of the things that take place away from the game in which they are participating.  Is this not also true for believers?  We can become distracted from our consistent walk with Christ and in doing so we lose focus on our journey and on our purpose.  The enemy's strategy is designed to lead me away from Christ and to be discouraged and overwhelmed by the spiritual battle that is taking place in my life.  The strategy of the enemy wants me to lose focus on the details of my daily walk with Christ so that I find myself just going through the motions and routines of my relationship with Him.  Coaches have made this statement after their team has been defeated on the playing field; "The team's mind was not in the game today and they did not take their opponent seriously." We can not afford to make this same mistake in our walk with Christ.

Stay focused.  Take the enemy of your soul seriously.  Walk by faith and not by sight.  Allow the Holy Spirit to direct your path and order your steps.  Don't let the daily details of life overwhelm your desire to serve Christ faithfully.  Stay committed to the cause of Christ and the work of His Kingdom in your heart.

Monday, November 28, 2011

Weekend Thoughts

My years of serving God has not diminished my excitement as I stand amazed at the work of the Holy Spirit among the family of God.  There was a character in a television show of many years ago who had a statement that he made often throughout the programs.  He would make the following remarks after he identified a successful mission; "I love it when a plan comes together."  I love it when a plan from God comes together.  As human beings we spend much time in planning sessions, strategy sessions, programming sessions, and organizational sessions.  I certainly don't think that we do not need any of the above mentioned strategies at work in our personal lives as well as our spiritual lives.  What if we applied as much time to spiritual preparation as we did in our natural preparation?  What if we prayed as much as we discussed?  What if we sought after God as much as we sought after the opinions of our fellow man?  Again I am not against any type of discussion and interaction with fellow believers but there does come the time in which we need to believe in and trust in the wisdom and knowledge of God.  We must learn to lean on God and not just lean on our own understanding.  Isaiah reminds us that God has ways and thoughts that are higher than our ways and thoughts.  The Apostle Paul gave us a great promise in Ephesians 3:20-21, "Now unto Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever, Amen. (NKJV)

I was able to witness the ways and plans of God become a reality on Sunday morning at New River Worship Center.  The leadership of this local body does its best to plan the service after the heart of God but there are times that God has plans far beyond our ability to plan and strategize.  We also have leaders who have a desire to listen to the Voice of God and His plan for the service.  I was amazed as the Call to Worship, Interpretative Dance, and Corporate Worship flowed in the same anointing.  To my knowledge these individuals had not spoken to one another yet they flowed in the same unction from the Spirit.  The Spirit reminded the congregation of the faithfulness and fidelity of God.  The Spirit reminded the congregation that we can trust in the promises of God.  I felt that the Word that God placed on my heart to share added confirmation to the direction of the Spirit.  I am still rejoicing this morning as I reflect on the direction and presence of the Spirit.  Many of you have seen this happen in your lives and in your local church settings but we DO NOT NEED TO FORGET THAT THE CHURCH BELONGS TO GOD AND NOT TO US.  The Spirit is aware of the needs that we face and He is able to reveal the truth that we need to hear at any given moment. Let us trust in Him to bring the direction that we need both personal as well as corporate.

Friday, November 25, 2011

Pursuing Thankfulness

Although the "holiday" called Thanksgiving has come and gone it does not have to interfere with our need and our desire to be described as a thankful person. During our Thanksgiving dinner last night I looked around the room and realized once more that I am truly a blessed man. I listened to the chatter and laughter from a family that brings so much joy and pleasure to me. God has rewarded my life with more blessings than I can count. The text messages and emails that we received throughout the day also reinforced the understanding that God has blessed us with some awesome friends and spiritual family members. How can I be anything less than a thankful person? I am sure that I will face my moments of discouragement and despair (I am human) but I can face those moments with a renewed desire to offer my appreciation to God for all that He has done in my life. Let us display an active attitude and spiritual discipline of praise and thanksgiving as we move toward the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ our Savior. The greatest gift that we have ever received or will ever receive is our relationship with Jesus Christ.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Thankfulness

Ann and I wanted to wish each of you a Blessed and Happy Thanksgiving. This unique day of celebration allows each of us to reflect on the wonderful blessings of God. Let us seek to set aside all of the challenges that we face and forget about all of the cares and concerns that we are burdened with today. Let us make it a day of praise and gratitude for all of the many blessings that God has provided. Many of us will spend time with family and friends today. Take a moment and look around the room and thank God for the people that He has placed in your life. Have a wonderful day of celebration but let us remember those military families who have family members deployed around various parts of the world. They need and deserve our prayers today.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Gratitude Meter, Part 2

This statement from George Herbert spoke to my heart a few days ago;  "Thou who hast given so much  to me, give me one more thing--a grateful heart!"

Is it possible that each of us need to take a moment and examine our attitude toward gratitude?  Do I truly exude and declare thankfulness to God for all of the daily benefits that He provides for me?  Would my family/friends describe me as a thankful person? Does God recognize me as a person that offers sincere appreciation to Him and even to others for the kindness that is extended to me? Yesterday I wrote about some of those blessings and today I desire to remind you of some of the other blessings that God has distributed to our lives through the years of our existence on this earth. 

I am thankful for the family of God.  This morning I was reflecting on all of the mentors, teachers, intercessors, encouragers, supporters, and co-workers that God has placed in my life on this journey.  I can think of people who have made an eternal impact in life.  I can think of congregations that we have served through the years of our ministerial journey and I remember the love and concern that was extended to me and my family.  It is so easy to allow a few negative situations that we have encountered to override the good things that have taken place in our lives.  I can think of people who have spoken a word of encouragement at the right moment.  I can think of people who have taken the time to make you feel important and make you feel that your life as a Christian is making a difference in this world.  I think of the people who have said "Thank you" for those actions that you have taken to assist them in their life.  I can think of the smile of a young child when I took the time to talk with them.  I can think of the warm embrace of a teenager as I was able to interact with them during times of fellowship as well as times of prayer.  I can think of the many couples of which I have stood as the officiant of their marriage ceremony and a few years later I find myself officiating at the dedication ceremony of their child to the Lord.  Oh, the joy of serving the family of God as a Minister.  I can still sing the old song, "I wouldn't take nothing for my journey now."  This morning my mind is flooded with warm and gracious thoughts toward the family of God.  I am thankful that God has allowed me to be a part of His family and I am thankful for all of the friendships that we have developed through the years of our walk through life.  I offer sincere appreciation to each of you who have made a difference in the lives of Michael & Ann Willingham.  Each of you still bring a smile to our faces when your name comes up in our conversation.

Happy Thanksgiving from a person who desires to recognize and remember the goodness of God!

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Gratitude Meter

I have been blessed in so many ways that it is truly difficult to express to God a complete and full testimony of thanksgiving but I do want to raise my gratitude meter another notch today

I am thankful for my relationship with Jesus Christ.  I was raised in a Christian home.  Attending church and being taught about God was always a part of my life.  The question was never asked, "Are we attending church today?"  The question raised in our home was, "Are you ready for church yet?'  I am thankful for my Christian roots; I do not make that statement in arrogance or religious superiority but I praise God that He placed me in a home that taught me about a relationship with Jesus Christ.  I gave my life to Jesus as a child and I faced my own set of trials through the ups and downs of adolescence.  Our Christians surroundings can not completely insulate any individual from the challenges of the enemy.  I can remember the night as a young man that I fully committed my life to Christ and began a journey that has been wonderful and rewarding.  I have not lived a perfect life by any means but I have lived a life that has allowed me to recognize the benefits of a relationship with Christ.  Life has not always been easy but I have "found a friend in Jesus" that has walked with me through the valleys and through my mountain top experiences.  I am GRATEFUL for the love that God has given to me and still shares with me on a daily basis.

I am GRATEFUL for a wonderful family.  My parents not only taught the principles of Christianity they also lived them out in their family.  I am GRATEFUL for my each of my five siblings; each of them have been a blessing to me through the years and they have been supportive of my walk with Christ.  I am certainly GRATEFUL for my wife of almost 40 years; she has stood with me and besides me as we have walked the road of life together.  My wife has taught me much about the grace and mercy of God as I have observed her share her love with many individuals through our years of Christian service.  I am GRATEFUL for our two sons, their wives, and our four grandchildren.  Each of them have brought much joy, laughter, and encouragement to me through my years as a Dad and now a "Poppy."  I am GRATEFUL for our two "adopted" children.  Ann's brother and sister came to live with us after the death of her mother.  Although that has been over 37 years ago; Danny and Marcella continue to feel like our children. I have even taught Marcella's children and grandchildren to call me Papa Mike.  I am GRATEFUL for my in laws.  Ann's parents are both deceased but they treated me as family and for that I will always be thankful.  Each of my in laws have been a blessing to me in some way or another.  They have become dear friends who have served as Prayer Partners and encouragers in my walk with Christ.  Personal Note: I could write a complete post about each of the above mentioned individuals because each of them continue to impact my life today.  To each of you I say that I love you and that I am thankful and proud to be a part of your family!

I realize that I have taken some of your time with my own personal words of gratitude.  But I hope that my expressions of gratitude will spur your heart to "count your many blessings" and begin to verbally articulate them and realize and remember that God has been good to you and that He has blessed your life with some wonderful people.  

Monday, November 21, 2011

Weekend Reflection

The weekend services afforded us the opportunity to remember and reflect on the daily provisions that God has provided for each of us.  I believe that there are moments in which we spend our time waiting on some great or spectacular blessing from God and we fail to appreciate the load of daily benefits that we receive from God.  One of the young men from the local church shared a poem during the Call to Worship portion of the service.  In that poem he reminded us of the need to not take for granted the blessings that God has placed in our lives.  It does become so easy just to walk through life and fail to fully appreciate those blessings that God has given to us.  We can even take for granted our family and friends that play such a major role in our daily existence.  I believe that it is time for each of us to take an inventory of our gratitude meter and make sure that we are offering proper thanksgiving and appreciation to God for all that He is doing and providing in our life.  During the next few days make a consistent effort to raise your gratitude meter to a higher level.

The Praise Gathering on Sunday night at New River Worship Center was a great blessing and source of inspiration.  Various individuals shared stories from their time of conversion as well as testimonies of special needs that God had met for them.  My heart was enriched and my faith was strengthened as I listened to the road that some people had traveled.  The times of testimony and praise reminded the congregation of the unconditional love that God has for each of us.  People are never too far away from God that He can not reach them.  The testimonies also reminded me that we can never give up praying for our family and friends who are in need of a Savior.  The lives of our loved ones may be in complete disarray but God's Grace and Mercy is able to reach to the depths of despair and misery and rescue that individual.  Maintain your constant desire to pray and intercede for those who need a Savior.  The eternal souls of mankind hang in the balance and we must be willing to share the love and concern of God with them.

Let this be a week of true praise, adoration, and worship as we reflect on the precious gift of Jesus Christ to a lost and hurting world.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Personal Refreshing

I have been serving as the Evangelist in a revival meeting at Christ Tabernace church in Sheridan, Indiana this week. The Spirit of the Lord was evident each evening as we chose to respond to the leadership of Jesus Christ. I was able to witness the ministering presence of God in the life of several individuals. I was truly blessed by that portion of the service but I was also encouraged by another aspect of the meeting that goes unnoticed at times. I sensed the Lord doing a personal "revival" in my life. The Spirit brought refreshment, inspiration, enlightenment and a deeper sense of commitment as a result of the imparting of the Word of God in my personal times of prayer, study, and reflection. I just felt that I needed to express my praise and appreciation to God for His great care and concern for my soul and for my walk with Him. God is very near to anyone who will take the time and make the effort to seek the face of God. I am thankful for the blessings and goodness of God! Thank you Pastor Rich and Sis. Kathy for the invitation to share the Word of God these past few days. I return home a man that is more determined to follow after the heart of God!

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Weekend Review

My travel schedule on Monday hindered an opportunity to bring a weekend update to you via this blog. Once again I am truly thankful for the presence of God that was evident in the services. Each of us need to remember that the Father desires to release His love and grace in our lives if only we will make the commitment to open our hearts to His presence. Why do we allow the enemy to bring the "spirit of hesitation" into our lives when the opportunity to respond to God is presented to us when we gather to offer worship to our Loving Savior? The Holy Spirit is dealing with my heart concerning that particular attitude that seems to be gaining a foothold in the hearts of people. We find it simple to respond to the pleasurable things of the flesh but so difficult to respond to the call of the Spirit. I seek to reverse that trend in my personal life. I seek to respond quickly and obediently to the call of the Spirit and learn how to say no to the pleasures of the flesh that will hinder the development of my relationship with Jesus Christ. God is at work in the lives of His family and I desire to respond in faith and obedience to His call to draw near to Him. Let each of us ask God to develop our spiritual sensitivity to the presence of His Spirit in our daily lives!

Friday, November 11, 2011

Veterans Day

As a American citizen I want to recognize all of the brave men and women who have served our country in the various military branches. I also want to recognize those brave men and women who are presently serving our nation in the military. I desire to personally thank you for your willingness to put yourself in harms way that we might enjoy our freedoms today. As a Gospel Minister I am thankful for the freedom to share the message of the Gospel without the fear of imprisonment. This freedom only happens because of the service of the Veterans and the men and women who are presently serving our nation in the military. May God richly bless you and your family and may God to continue bless America. On a personal note I recognize the service of my father. He presently resides in Alabama and he served our nation as an infantry soldier in World War II. He served in the Third Army under the command of General George Patton. His infantry unit was involved in some of the major battles toward the end of the war (Battle of the Bulge, crossing the Rhine River, the Siegfried lines, to name a few). He was called to preach the Gospel after he returned from the war. For over 60 years him and my Mother have offered their lives in service to the great cause of Christ and His Kingdom. Dad, you are loved, appreciated, and respected by your family and all of the people who have known you through the years of your life on earth. I am proud to be one the children of Mr. & Mrs. Wallace E. Willingham. Happy Veterans Day!

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Personal Reflection

Many of you are aware of my participation/leadership in a church plant in Radcliff/Fort Knox, Kentucky.  We have been able to witness the marvelous blessings of God as He has touched the lives of many people over the past several months.  These people have included those individuals who have come from "church" backgrounds as well as those who have come from a non-church background.  We must always remember that the Grace of God will reach across the vast spectrum of humanity and touch whosoever chooses to believe and receive that Grace into their lives.  I know that we are living in some very challenging times and I see those circumstances being played out on a weekly basis.  BUT I am convinced that the power and presence of the Spirit is greater than all of the forces of the enemy regardless of the tactics that the enemy may use against the people of God. 

Because of the growth of this ministry outreach effort we have purchased a building so that we can have room to expand.  I have shared a little of the story in previous posts regarding the purchase and remodeling of the building.  Feel free to email me if you would like more information concerning this effort or if you would be interested in investing in this outreach effort.  Feel free to contact me if you have friends/family who live in Hardin County, Kentucky or any surrounding counties or friends/family who may be stationed at Fort Knox.  I would be glad to make a personal contact with them regarding New River Worship Center.

I must share the blessing that I received last night as we were working in the building.  The remodeling of the building has included the combination of volunteer labor as well as the hiring of some contractors.  Last night was a night for volunteers to show up and invest their time and energy in the project.  The building was a beehive of activity last night as we gathered to clean the facility as well as place some insulation in the structure.  Neither one of those tasks are very attractive yet last night we drew a group of individuals who were interested in offering their service to this project.  I was blessed as I looked from the platform across the area that we will use for the area of corporate worship.  I saw children, youth, parents and even a 93 year old man present for the work event.  Children and youth were pushing brooms, moving trash, sweeping floors and even placing insulation in the walls.  Their parents were working side by side with them as we are approaching the end of the initial stages of this project.  My heart was warmed and encouraged as I realized that the Spirit will draw the heart of people into an offering of sacrifice.  Each of these individuals were sacrificing their time, energy, and abilities for a cause greater than any of us.  The cause is not the building but the cause is the people who will sit in the building in Children's Church, Youth service, and times of corporate worship.  The "church" must remember that we are here to reach people with the life changing message of the Gospel.  Take heart today and realize that many of us still believe in the power of the message of the Gospel.  The lives of people are still being changed and rearranged through the power and presence of Jesus Christ.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Purpose of Christ

Each of us as individual Christians need to remember the true purpose of the entrance of Christ into our world.  A devotion that I read last week challenged me to revisit my thinking concerning the ministry of Christ in our world.  It is so easy to fall into a pattern of "religious" activity and not become fully engaged in the activity of the Spirit in our world.  Jesus declared in Luke 19:10 that "The Son of Man came to find lost people and save them." (ERV)  We must desire to put the Words of Christ into action in our daily lives and realize that the family of God must emulate the purpose of Christ.  All though we can not "save" anyone through our own ability we can make certain that we point them to Christ, the Savior of mankind.  As you read the purpose statement of Jesus Christ it becomes very clear that we as the family of God bear a great responsibility as we look on the condition of our world.  People all around us need a Savior and they need to see the family of God engaged in the "Father's business." We have a great message to share and that message has the ability to bring salvation and deliverance to anyone who will choose to believe.

I am unsure of the name of the person who wrote the devotion that inspired and quickened my heart but he or she shared these thoughts.  "Jesus did not come to please the religious crowd.  Jesus did not come to pander to the social crowd. Jesus did not come to hang out with the wild bunch. Instead, Jesus entered the world to save sinners.  When we look back over the Gospel of Luke, we see Jesus reached out to men and women, young and old, powerful and forgotten, demon possessed, and the politically connected. He came to save sinners of all shapes, sizes, and stripes.  He came to save you and me."

I encourage you to re-read the purpose statement of Christ and commit yourself to following after that purpose in your daily life.  There are people all around us who need a Savior and we need to let our light shine in the midst of this sin darkened world.

Friday, November 4, 2011

Friendship

I have always been taught that a job worth doing deserves to be done well and done with quality in mind.  I take this point of view into the ministry role in which I am presently serving as well as the other responsibilities that I have as a husband, father, and grandfather.  But this morning I want to encourage you to do your best in your role as a friend, mentor, and Christian witness in the community in which you live and serve.  Is it not true that each of us are called to serve?  Each of us just serve in different areas and capacities of service to our fellow human beings.  Doing our best to serve with quality will be very rewarding not only to those that we are serving but it will also be very rewarding to those of us who are offering their service.  Many of us have walked away from an opportunity to serve and we felt such a sense of accomplishment realizing that God had used us to be a blessing to someone. 

Friendship and mentorship have been on my mind the past few days.  I desire to have good friends but do I desire to be a good friend.  Do I truly desire to offer "quality" friendship to individuals that God places in my life?  Do I truly do my best to invest my life in various individuals that God places in my life for a specific reason or purpose?  Do I seek to become a better person through the development of friendship and do I seek to assist that friend of mine to become a better person?  I recently read this quote of Mother Teresa; "Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier."  I was deeply challenged by those words.  How do people feel once they leave my presence?  Are they encouraged or discouraged?  Did they sense the presence of God at work in my life or did they identify the absence of God?  Would they feel comfortable introducing me to their friends and be willing to identify me as a friend of theirs?  Friends bear great responsibility for each other and I am learning that I desire for God to help me become a better friend/mentor to those who God places in my life.  I trust that this post will encourage you and me to inventory our lives and see what areas of friendship needs improving.

Ephesians 4:29, "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." (NIV) 

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Good Works

Ephesians 2: 8-9, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. (NKJV)

Is it possible that we place too much pressure on ourselves to perform the works of Christianity rather than allowing our works to become a natural outflow of our relationship with Christ?  I continue to understand the fresh revelation of God's Grace and Mercy.  I understand that my salvation is not based on my ability to "perform" certain actions and attitudes that are associated with being a disciple of Jesus Christ.  I must continue to identify my weaknesses and depend on the strength that is provided through Jesus Christ.  Do you remember this declaration of Paul in Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through  (emphasis added) Christ who strengthens me." (NKJV)  We must constantly remember that it is Christ working "through" us to reveal His presence in the midst of this world.  Christ said that people would see our good works and glorify the Father which is in heaven.  John the Baptist declared that he "would decrease and Christ would increase."  The more that I release my life into the working of God's Grace the more successful I will be in sharing my witness with this world.  We can witness verbally but there is also opportunities to witness in a non-verbal manner.  Non-verbal witnessing would include those opportunities to serve our fellow man through acts of kindness, thoughtfulness, concern, care, etc.  This type of service expects nothing in return other than the joy of serving and the blessing of pointing people to Christ through those acts of service.  These acts of service encourage us to walk humbly in our relationship with Christ realizing that we are dependent on the work of Christ being released in us and through us.  Take a moment today and thank God for His marvelous Grace and Mercy.  Also be prepared to share that Grace and Mercy through acts of selfless service to others.  You will be blessed by those actions and Christ will be honored by your acts of service.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Grace or Works

Ephesians 2: 8-9, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. (NKJV)

This particular topic has been debated by many people for many years.  I will not attempt to deal with this passage in its fullness but I do feel led to remind us of the principle that brings hope and peace to each of us.  I am truly thankful that my salvation does not depend on my ability to perform  good works.  There are days that the quality of my works are not as convincing or complete as they are on other days of my life.  The principle found in Ephesians 2 helps me understand that I could never work hard enough or good enough to deserve or receive the full blessings of the Kingdom of God.  This principle does not condone the lack of Christian works or actions in my life rather it allows me to understand that my relationship with Christ does not rest on the foundation of my works.  The opportunity to have a relationship with Christ is built completely on the grace (unmerited favor) of God that is provided through Jesus Christ our Savior.  But many of us struggle with the desire or feeling that we need to "earn" the favor of God by our actions rather than simply trusting the wonderful and marvelous grace of God.  It is true that each of us do not deserve the grace of God but it is also equally true that we can not earn the grace of God based on our own list of personal merits.  Salvation is a gift that God that bestowed upon us through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross and the completion of that process was His resurrection from the grave.  But the enemy of our soul wants us to stumble over the principle of believing and receiving and become trapped by thinking that we can earn our way into the Kingdom of God.  That trap of satan leads us into the temptation of seeking recognition for our works and efforts that should be willingly offered to God out of a heart that is simply and fully filled with gratitude and thanksgiving for the gift of salvation.  I encourage you to seek for more of God and not become captured by your own efforts and actions that lead to frustration rather than peace with God.  

Monday, October 31, 2011

Weekend Reflection

This past week has been full of opportunities to see the ministering presence of the Spirit released into the lives of different individuals.  Much of my time this past week was spent with people in hospitals, nursing homes, and sadly even a funeral home.  Those moments of interaction served to remind me that life does present to us some very challenging situations in which we are in need of a power that is far greater than our own power or ability.  I personally witnessed the strength of God bring people through major surgical procedures with very positive results.  I also witnessed the Spirit bring comfort and hope to a room full of individuals who were in deep grief over the the tragic death of their loved one and friend.  I am still blessed and encouraged as I am able to point people to the ever-present Savior who is willing to meet people at their point of need.  It is no wonder that I share the message of the Gospel with fervency and enthusiasm.  I believe that the message of the Kingdom of God is worthy of declaration and worthy of our participation.  I do not have to hang my head in despair or embarrassment as I stand week after week and point people to Jesus Christ.  I am convinced that Christ is still the Hope for each and every individual that lives on this earth.  I am even more committed to the declaration of the life-changing message of the Gospel as I continue to see the effect that Christ has in the lives of individuals.  Each of us carry our own unique set of burdens and concerns yet Christ invites all of us to bring them to the Lord.  And in doing we are given the opportunity to exchange our burdens for the rest that we can find in and through Jesus Christ.  You do not have to travel the road of life alone; there is someone who cares about you and all of the situations that you are facing.  Take some time today and share your burdens with the Lord; you will not be disappointed with the response of Jesus Christ our Savior.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Greater Vision Worship Center

I would like to send my apology to Pastor Roseboro and the Greater Vision Worship Center congregation.  Due to some Ministerial duties I was unable to fulfill my commitment to be one of the speakers for the Pastoral Anniversary Celebration.  I am sure that the meeting continues to be a wonderful success and we sincerely regret our inability to participate.  We pray blessings on Pastor Roseboro, the local church leadership and the entire church body.  We pray that your future will be greater and more highly anointed than your past. 

We are also in prayer for Stayce Hazell as she deals with the death of her son, Gage.  Gage was a senior at North Hardin High School in Radcliff, Kentucky.  We are also praying for the friends of Gage as they deal with the issues of his tragic and untimely death.  It is during times such as this that we need the Savior who is able to sense and feel the grief that each of feel as we face the death of a loved one or the death of a friend. 

Monday, October 24, 2011

Weekend Reflection

I do not want to sound redundant or repetitive when I write about the presence of God when I discuss the weekend services at New River Worship Center. Is it not true that God desires to fellowship with His family as they gather to offer praise, adoration, worship and heartfelt thanksgiving? Should we expect anything less from God as we open the eyes of our heart toward Heaven and receive His direction for our lives? The lack of the presence of God in our midst may be directly related to our lack of hunger/passion for more of God (at least in my sincere opinion). The songs on Sunday, the testimonies, and the declaration of the Word of God kept pointing us to the promises of God. The promises of God reveal to us the continued presence of God in our daily lives. The presence of God continues to remind us that we are not alone on our journey through life. We must continue to desire more of the presence of God in our lives and we must remain committed to offer our lives a living sacrifice in the Kingdom of God. Take a moment and recognize His presence today and you will find yourselves encouraged as you remember that God has not forgotten about you or the situations that you are facing!

Thursday, October 20, 2011

More of God

Blaine Morris is only 2 years old, and his vocabulary is limited. But when his family passes the church, he knows what it is and shouts, "More God! More God!" That should be the cry of the whole world—"More God!" That is what we need—not more money, not more weapons and not more industry. We need more God. This illustration speaks to what I sense in my heart on a day basis as well as the message that I am constantly sharing in the ministry venues that God provides. We are in great need of "more of God." I truly believe that God is calling each of us to draw near to His presence and in doing so we open the door for the Spirit to perform His work in our lives. The work of the Spirit should be the daily longing/hunger of our soul. Let each of us cry out for more of God as we gather in our local churches this coming Sunday. Let us open our hearts to God on a daily basis and allow Him to transform our lives as He so desires. Our individual transformation will position us to see the release of the Kingdom of God in this world. The world needs to recognize the Kingdom of God at work in our heart and life!

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Facing our Trials

James 1:2-3, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know the testing of you faith develops perseverance." (NIV)

As I read this passage this morning, two phrases grabbed my attention very quickly.  The phrase, "consider it pure joy, and the testing of your faith" challenged me to reconsider my approach to the daily challenges of life.  I remembered that there have been many times in which the trials I was facing did everything but bring joy into my life.  It was during those trials that I was looking for anything but the principle of perseverance rather I was looking for immediate deliverance and victory.  I was more interested in receiving the blessing that I needed rather than the training and development that God had in mind.  I am constantly amazed at my inability to fully comprehend the lessons that the challenges of life seek to teach me.  I am writing these thoughts from the point of view of what some people may deem as a "seasoned believer."  Yet, I still struggle at times when my faith is truly being tested.  I am more interested in facing those challenges and moving through them as quickly as possible.  I desire an immediate victory so that I can bounce back into church the next Sunday and have a stirring testimony of victory.  But I must remember that Christ is interested in me completing the journey with Him and there are times that I am more interested in living for the moment.  This does not mean that Christ is not interested in the daily moments in our lives but He has a long term plan for our life which will ultimately place us in His presence for eternity.  I have the tendency to look at the temporal and the plan of God focuses on the eternal.  Some of you are facing the "fiery" trials that the Apostle Peter referenced in his writings but rest assured that Christ has not lost you nor forgotten you in the midst of your trial.  Christ is working His eternal plan in each of our lives and we must be prepared to persevere regardless of the circumstances that may seek to hinder our walk with Him.  I realize that the previous statement can be challenging to receive but I do believe that it is the right statement to receive.  God does have an eternal plan for each of our lives!

Monday, October 17, 2011

Weekend Review

It is always a great privilege and honor to share the Word of God with a group of people who are desiring to grow in their relationship with Christ.  I was able to sense that this weekend as I shared what I felt the Lord had placed on my heart.  The previous statement in and of itself is such a daily challenge to me.  Do I truly place the "heart of God" above my own agenda and plans?  It is easy to develop an attitude of "I know what the people need to hear" but as a spiritual leader I must have an attitude of hearing from God.  That same attitude/desire needs to permeate the heart of each and every sincere believer.  It is easy to go to church and just "listen" but do I go to church and "pay attention?"  I used to hear my parents say, "Michael, are you paying attention?"  Is it possible that our Heavenly Father often says, "Are you paying attention to what I am saying?"  It is possible to go to church and give a nod of our head or a hearty "Amen" to what is being said and never fully comprehend the heart of the message that is being released in the service?  I desire to move beyond the proverbial nod of the head to Christ.  It is easier to bow our head than bow our heart to God and His Word for our lives.  I desire to have a heart that sincerely longs to listen closely to the directions, encouragement, discipline, caution, etc. that the Spirit is sharing.  The previously mentioned attitude will certainly propel us out of the status quo into a more passionate desire to follow after God in obedience and surrender.  The moderator in yesterday's service reminded us that we are called to be a follower of Christ and not just a fan of Christ.  Followers develop listening ears and obedient hearts as they respond to the heart of God that is full of compassion and love.  Lamentations 3: 22-23, "Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not.  They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness."  (NKJV)

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Stability vs. Instability

We are living in a world that is facing our own set of unique challenges.  The words "things are changing around here" have become very commonplace is all spectrum's of life.  I know and believe that all change is not bad but in a world of instability and confusion we need to have a strong and steady spiritual foundation.  The Psalmist David reminded us that he went "to the Rock" when his heart was overwhelmed by the circumstances that was surrounding him.  It is a source of strength and encouragement to know that we can have spiritual stability through the revelation of God that we find contained in the Holy Scriptures.  We may feel and sense a feeling of unsteadiness as we look at all of the challenges that we are facing in our nation and world yet we can remain confident in God who has promised never to change.  God is unaffected by all of the changing circumstances of our society. 

I felt led to share some passages of scripture that I believe can give you a strong sense of stability in the midst of our changing and challenging world.

Revelation 21:6, "He said to me, It is done.  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.  To him who is thirsty I will give him to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life."

Psalm 40:2, "He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand."

Psalm 18:2, "The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.  He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."

I Timothy 1:17, "Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen"

In the midst of an unstable world we can have peace, hope, comfort, and salvation through the promises of God!

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Peace of God, Part 2

John 10:19, "On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, Peace be with you!" (NIV)

There are some situations of my life that I more easily release into the Hands of God.  But there are also those challenging moments in which I know that I need to place that situation in the Hands of God but I struggle with a control issue.  I feel better if I can just keep the situation close to me so that I can help God handle whatever needs to be handled.  I don't mean to take this action but I want to be prepared to assist God if necessary.  Now I already know that God does not need my assistance but I want to be prepared to provide any help that He might need.  Have you ever prayed for a certain request and made sure that you included your desired answer for that request in your prayer?  I know that I have been guilty of offering that type of assistance to God.  But the true peace of God affords us the opportunity to place our full assurance and confidence in the fact that God is working His will and way for my life.  I may not always feel and see His hands in action but I can trust His heart that reveals His love for me. 

I must not allow my desire to be in control of my life hinder the work and process of God.  The peace of God allows me to release those stressful moments into the Hands of God and realize that He has the power and ability to meet the need that I am facing.  I must stop grasping for control of my life.  My desire to be in control of my life can be very counterproductive to the plan that God has outlined for me.  The more I manipulate and grasp for control, the more anxious I become.  The more anxious that I become, the more I look for man-made solutions to the circumstances.  The more I look for man-made solutions, the more my decisions are driven by the flesh and not led by the Spirit.  I must resist the temptation to walk in the strength of the flesh and allow the Holy Spirit to release direction into my daily life.  Trusting in the flesh may provide some temporary solutions to our difficulties but we must continue to seek for God's directives to be accomplished in our life.  Instead of grasping for control of our lives we must be willing to open our hands to God and release the matters of our life into His Hands.  God also asks us to open our mind and heart to Him so that He can speak the peace that we need.  The opening of our heart and mind to God allows us to become aware of the presence of God.  The recognition of the presence of God allows us to receive the peace of God that will bring the rest and assurance that we need.  We need to take the approach to God much the same way that a young child takes the approach to grasping the hand of their parents.  The young child places his/her small hand into the larger hand of their parents and in doing so they express confidence in their parents.  Rest assured you can place your confidence in God!


Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Peace of God

"Peace, Peace, wonderful peace, coming down from the Father above..." are words from a song that may be very familiar to us.  I can remember singing that song on many occasions throughout my Christian life.  I am glad to report that the song is more than just words that flow from my mouth but I have seen the peace of God truly manifested at various moments and in various situations in my walk with Christ.  The peace of God is more than a myth; the peace of God is a definite revelation of the manifest presence of Christ!  Listen to the words of Jesus to the disciples who had scattered after the death of their Leader and supposed Savior.  They were afraid, discouraged, overwhelmed, and disappointed just to name a few of the emotions that they were feeling.  John 10:19, "On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, Peace be with you!" (NIV)

First, notice that the doors were locked.  Remember that no situation can stop Christ from drawing near to His children.  Haven't we all faced those situations when the enemy sought to convince us that Christ was unaware of the needs that we were facing?  Fear did not stop Christ from making His appearance to His disciples.  The fears that each of us face will not hinder the appearance of Christ to us as we face those moments that "peace" seems such a distant friend.  Second, notice that Christ stood among them.  He could have spoken peace to them from a distance; after all He had performed other miracles from a distance for His followers.  Yet we find Christ in the midst of the disciples whose lives had been captured and somewhat controlled by fear.  Remember the words of Paul in Romans 8 as he reminded us that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ.  I truly believe that Christ will walk into the midst of our situation and pronounce the peace that we need at that moment.  The disciples did not need a "long distance" miracle they needed the intimate presence of their friend, mentor, and Savior.  Jesus enters through closed doors, stands in the midst of their fears, and makes this announcement; "Peace be with you!" 

Today Christ stands in the midst of your difficult moments whatever they may be and declares once more "Peace be with you!"  Make sure you take the time to hear His loving voice and remember that you are not alone.

Monday, October 10, 2011

Weekend Review

The weekend services at New River Worship Center were very inspirational and encouraging. I still stand amazed at the loving presence of God after all of my years as a Gospel Minister.  I still rejoice when I see individuals respond to the call and leading of the Holy Spirit.  I am thankful that God stands ready to minister to our needs regardless what these needs may entail.  God does not take a step back from us when we face our set of challenging circumstances but he still chooses to draw near to us and minister to our lives.  Yesterday we were able to witness one of the children of our Children's Ministry make a public profession of her faith in Christ through the sacrament of Water Baptism.  This baptism was special because her father was in attendance.  Her father's attendance was special because he is preparing to be deployed to Afghanistan in a few days and she desired for her father to witness her baptism before his deployment began.  We were also able to witness her father come forward for prayer during the time of invitation.  God still arranges the lives of His people in such a manner that we are in the right place at the right time.  I thank God that I was able to participate in that awesome service which gave us a fresh revelation of the love of God.

Sunday night was a time of Worship and Intercessory Prayer at New River.  Once again the scripture became real to our lives; James 4:8a, "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you..." (NKJV) God still rewards those who diligently seek Him and we were able to witness the fulfillment of that blessing last night.  We saw the presence of God revealed through the songs that were shared during the worship time.  We used Proverbs 3:5-8 as our prayer map.  It is time for the modern day church to recognize and acknowledge the leadership of Christ and allow Him to direct our paths.  I could say much about the time of prayer as I heard different individuals lifting their hearts in prayer, praise, and intercession.  But toward the end of the prayer time the Spirit raised up a moment of divine encouragement.  I felt led to ask people to read the passage in the Bible that God had used or was using at that particular moment to encourage them.  My heart was melted as I listened to various individuals read with such passion, tenderness, tears, compassion, encouragement, hope, faith, etc.  I can not attest to what others felt in that portion of the meeting but I KNOW that God spoke strength and courage into my spirit.  I still believe that God responds to the cry of our heart.  I still believe that God is interested in the needs of His children.  I still believe that God cares about fallen mankind.  I still believe the the Word of God offers hope and solutions to the needs of our daily lives.  I can testify that I was both blessed and encouraged by the presence of the Lord that was evident in the services this weekend at New River Worship Center.  I start this new week with a renewed desire to walk after the heart of God in obedience and surrender.

Remember to pray for the Internet Revival.  Read Friday's post for more information regarding your participation in this revival meeting.

Friday, October 7, 2011

Internet Revival

I have been asked to participate in a new and interesting Gospel outreach.  Evangelist Leroy and Betty Curry of Greenpond, Alabama have felt led of the Spirit to try something that is definitely out of the religious box.  They are leading an Internet Revival during the week of October 9-16, 2011.  I have been given the opportunity to serve as the Evangelist for this meeting.  I will be preparing the sermon (written) for each of the daily services.  Bro. & Sis. Curry already have a large group of believers that are connected through the Daily Chapel Ministry.  This Ministry already provides a daily devotional as well as an Intercessory Prayer Ministry for requests that are sent to them from around the United States as well as some countries of the world.  You can contact the Curry's at curry938@bellsouth.net if you are interested in being a part of these revival services.  I also ask that you pray that this effort of the Daily Chapel Ministry will be an effective tool to share the message of the Gospel.  The Curry's have a great desire to see this effort become a great blessing to those who receive the messages and music. 

Let us join together in prayer for every church as they gather to lift up the name of Christ this weekend through their individual worship services.  America is in need of a Spiritual Awakening and I believe that God is hearing the prayers of His people.    In the past few days I have received reports of answered prayers from several different individuals regarding needs that they are facing.   Feel free to email me any prayer request that you may have.  We are having a special Prayer Gathering on Sunday night, October 9th.  We would be honored to be able to pray for your request at New River Worship Center.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Personal Reflection, Part 2

I wrote on Tuesday about the opportunity to share the eulogy/message of the gentleman who passed away after his battle with cancer.  I shared that eulogy last night at his home-going celebration.  The post that I wrote on Tuesday became the basis of the thoughts that I shared with those in attendance.  I sincerely feel that God is dealing with my heart concerning the need to recognize and appreciate the life that God provides for us on a daily basis.  Could it be possible that we are so consumed with looking for a "better life" that we fail to identify those important and rich blessings that God has placed in our lives?  I believe in looking forward and planning for the future and I also believe in looking back and remembering the blessings of yesterday.  But we must also develop the attitude of appreciation for those blessings that God has placed in our lives at this present moment.  I sense an urgency to remind you of the need to take a moment and look around at all of the good things that God has placed in your life.  I know that I am being challenged to do that very thing in my life.  It is so easy to become discouraged by the challenges that we face that we fail to appreciate all of the blessings that God has provided for us.

I must learn to accept the day that God has given to me and in doing so I learn to look for God in every situation that I face.  I have been guilty of wasting my time and energy desiring a different set of circumstances or opportunities.  I will miss what God is wanting to do in my life if I am always looking for something different rather than choosing to learn the lesson that God is teaching me on that particular day.  Once again I remind you that I am not advocating a "lazy" approach to life that does not set goals or make plans to improve our lives.  Rather I am saying that we need to cherish each day regardless of whether we call it a "bad day" or a "good day."  Many of my "bad days" became the initial stages of growth and opportunity as the plan of God unfolded in front of me.  We may need to take the mentality of Joseph who faced his own set of unique circumstances but refused to believe that he was trapped and defined by those circumstances.  Joseph faced the wrath of his jealous brothers who sold him into slavery.  Joseph faced the lies of Potiphar's wife that landed him in prison under a false charge.  Joseph faced the problem of being "forgotten" and allowed to remain in prison even after God has used him to be a blessing to others in his life.  Listen to a portion of the words that Joseph shared with those same brothers as God brought full restoration to their relationship and a revelation of the plan of God that had begun in a pit that led to slavery and a false imprisonment.  Genesis 50:20, "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive." (NKJV)  The key words in this passage may be "in order".  We must remember that God can bring order out of chaos and disorder (read the story of creation).  The plan of God always triumphs over the plans of satan and the plans of man.  You may be living in one of those "in order" days in which you are waiting on the full revelation of God's plan.  I truly believe that I am personally living in one of those days at this moment; I am earnestly waiting on the fulfillment of the promises of God.  But as I "wait" (with action, hope, and service to Christ) I will appreciate the daily blessings that God is placing in my life.  I encourage you to take the same approach to your situation today.  Do not give up on the promises and provisions of God!

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Personal Reflection

Psalm 118:24, "This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." (NIV)

I have been asked to share the sermon/eulogy this week of a man who passed away in his early fifties.  He has been facing a battle with cancer and has fought that battle very bravely from my point of view.  The death of an individual always causes us to reflect on our life.  We all recognize the brevity of life.  The Bible teaches that our life is as a vapor that is here for a while and then it vanishes away.  We often think of this passage when someone passes away and we reflect on how young they were when they passed.  The death of a family member or friend brings to each of us a reality check concerning our own humanity.  We actually can be here today and gone tomorrow.  I do not mean for this comment to sound cold or morbid; I just believe that we need to examine our lives and appreciate the time that God has given to us.  After all, God knows the end of our life from the very beginning.  He told Jeremiah that He knew him even when he was in his mother's womb.  We do not know how many days God may give to us but we need to cherish each and everyone of them. 

I felt the Spirit encourage me to take a moment for some personal inventory concerning the "day" in which I am living.  What will I do with this day that God has given to me?  Will I live in anticipation of another "day" and because of that I will not squeeze life out of this day?  Is it possible that we can become trapped in waiting on a "better day" that we fail to rejoice in the one that God has given to us?  I am not desiring for these comments to sound harsh or judgmental.  I just sense the unction of the Spirit causing me to look deep into my heart concerning my approach to life.  Is it possible that we can become so captured through the mental activity of waiting on tomorrow that we never take the time to enjoy today?  I truly believe in living with hope and expectation for the opportunities of my tomorrow but not at the expense of missing the blessings and opportunities of today.  I live with dreams, visions, hopes, plans, and expectations but I also live with the reality that I do not know the number of tomorrows that I am promised.  My tomorrows are in the Hands of God but He has given me another day and I want to live life to the fullest measure that I can.  I do not want to miss what God has planned for me to experience today.  Today is full of endless possibilities; take a moment and fully receive into your life those things that God has planned to reveal.  Tell your family that you love them.  Tell your friends that their friendship is a source of strength and encouragement to you.  Yes, dream and plan about tomorrow but enjoy the day that God has given to you.  I plan on applying that principle to my life throughout this day.

Monday, October 3, 2011

I Stand Amazed

Although I am a man that uses many words on a daily basis I still stand amazed at the revelation of the presence of God. I have tried to describe the manifest presence of God on many occasions yet I still find myself speechless when it comes to the description of the presence of the Love of God. The Sunday morning service at New River Worship Center was one of those occasions. We could sense the presence of God from the very beginning of the service. A young college student who attends our local fellowship shared her song and her heart in the Call to Worship. We then entered the blessing of Holy Communion with the family of God and the fresh revelation of the love and grace of God captured our hearts. It is amazing how God will reveal Himself when people gather in His Name and stay focused on the purpose of exalting Christ. The corporate time of Worship was highly anointed as we declared our confidence and hope is in God. Once again the family of God must regain our boldness and declare that our trust is in the Lord and in Him ALONE! Needless to say the Spirit continued to minister to us as the Truth of God was declared. There is freedom and deliverance in the Truth of God; we must constantly seek to hear the Voice of our Heavenly Father. The ultimate celebration came as people responded to the call of the Spirit to come forward for prayer. Needs were met and lives were touched as we opened our hearts to God. I have gone into this much detail because I am convinced that God is revealing Himself to people who are willing to surrender their lives in complete obedience. I truly desire to be one of those people. I want to place my life in the hands of God and offer my service to Him. I encourage you to keep your heart open to God and allow Him to direct your path.

Friday, September 30, 2011

TGIF

TGIF has become a common acronym of our vernacular in modern society. "Thank God It's Friday" has been often quoted and used in our comments as we move toward the end of our work week. In most cases when we use TGIF we emphasis "IF" which refers to our excitement over the fact that we have survived another week of life. This morning I want to take a moment of your time and emphasize "TG." I truly believe that the Spirit reminded me this morning that we need to offer sincere praise and thankfulness to God. We can easily identify our set of difficulties but how quickly do we identify the blessings from God? It doesn't take long for my troubles to be included in my conversation but how often do I make room for praises to God in my conversation? How long has it been since my family or friends have heard me declare my thankfulness to God for His blessings being released in my life? I believe that God desires to raise up in our hearts a renewed desire to offer praise and adoration to God. Thankfulness to God must become more than a Sunday morning "routine or ritual.". Being thankful to God must become an attitude of our heart as well as a characteristic of our lifestyle. The Psalmist David declared that the Lord provides each of us daily benefits. TGIF but I can also TG (Thank God) on a daily basis and not wait for a particular day of the week. The Lord is worthy of our praise and honor. Take a moment on the last Friday of September and rededicate yourself to becoming a person of thankfulness at all times and in all circumstances. Ephesians 5:20, "And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." (NLT)

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Prayer

I know that I write often about the need for prayer.  Each of us as individuals face situations in which we are in need of divine intervention.  We know that only God can make the difference in the particular need that we are facing.  We are also challenged to release our faith because we do not know what method or means that God may choose to answer our prayer.  Our faith also has to be strong enough that if God chooses to say no to our requests we do not allow our faith in God to be destroyed or dismantled.  I must consistently choose to surrender my desires, needs, and aspirations to the greater plan that God has for my life and in all honesty that is not always easy.  We are always challenged when God call us out of our "comfort zone" of spiritual ease and contentment.  But there is a great reward to faith; just ask the woman with the issue of blood who had exhausted all of her avenues of help yet chose to make the effort to make contact with Christ.  Her faith was rewarded and her body was healed.

I had other ideas on my mind this morning but I felt led to encourage someones faith today.  We have several families at New River Worship Center who are facing some challenging circumstances today.  I prayed with several of them on Sunday and I continue to pray for them today.  I just encourage them as well as encourage the readers of this blog not to give up nor give in to the tactics of the enemy.  God still reigns and rules and God has the final answer in the affairs of our lives.  Even in the midst of your darkest and most difficult times do not forfeit your faith or hope through despair or discouragement.  The song, How Great is Our God, is playing in the background as I write these words.  I can sense the presence of the Spirit sending forth faith and encouragement to you today.  Feel free to email any prayer requests to me and I will be more than glad to place them on my prayer request list.  This is a time for spiritual agreement among the family of God, we must unite our faith and call on the name of the Lord.  "All things are possible to them that believe."

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Service to God

There is a football analyst by the name of Lee Corso who does commentary for ESPN.  He uses the following statement when he is discussing a difference of opinion regarding the results of one of the upcoming football games.  Mr. Corso says, "Not so fast my friend."  Those words came to my mind this morning as I was preparing to share this thought on the blog.  I combined those words of the football analyst with a conversation that I had with my father last night.  It is very important for each of us to be willing to offer our "service" to God.  It may be possible to offer our heart to God and not be willing to offer our service to God.  Serving others is a natural out-flow of serving God.  But each of us deal with the issue of whether our service is useful and whether or not our acts of service are making a difference.  There are times that we lose that debate with ourselves and we back away or back down from serving God.  We have a tendency to compare our service to the service of others.  We have a tendency to define our service as unimportant or unnecessary.  We have a tendency to "think" that God does not see or remember our service because it is done out of the limelight of the knowledge of people.  It is also true that in some cases we may never receive any appreciation for the particular act of service.  But as Mr. Corso would say, "NOT SO FAST MY FRIEND."

Your service to God is important and your service to God is necessary.  Each individual member of the Body of Christ has a distinct purpose for existence.  Paul reminds us that the eye should not degrade or despise the usefulness of the ear.  Each of us are necessary to the overall work of the Kingdom of God.  No one can fulfill your purpose and no one can bring your distinct qualities into the work of the Kingdom of God.  Look at the limitations that your physical body would face if one of your limbs were not working correctly.  You could survive but some other part of your physical body would have to make up for the loss of the usefulness of that member of your body.  Do not allow the enemy to put you on the sideline of spiritual inactivity; these are the days to be connected and involved in the work of the Kingdom of God.  Recommit yourself to service in the Kingdom of God.  Recommit yourself to serving others with a heart of sincere love and appreciation for your fellow man. Recommit yourself to releasing the gifts and talents that God has placed in your life.  Do you remember when God asked Moses to "use what was in his hand" as they faced a great obstacle in their life (Exodus 14)?  Use what God has given to you and stop making excuses for what you do not have!  One man said that "God is not looking for your ability but your availability."  Are you making yourself available to God?

Now to the conversation with my Dad.  My Dad is a 85 year old "retired" Minister.  This past Sunday my Dad and Mom drove 2 1/2 hours to a former church where they had served as Pastors several years ago.  My Dad was asked to bring the sermon that morning and of course he was more than ready to share the Word of God.  He was prepared to serve.  You may say, "Isn't he too old or isn't that dangerous for his health?"  I answer that with Mr. Corso's comments, "NOT SO FAST MY FRIEND."  My Dad spoke with me yesterday as though he was a young preacher who had just delivered his first sermon.  The passion and desire to serve was still alive and vibrant in his heart even after all of his years of service in the Kingdom.  It is amazing how you feel as you offer your service to Christ.  Open your eyes and heart to the opportunities to serve Christ and His mission to this world.  Your life will be impacted as well as the lives of those people you serve!

Monday, September 26, 2011

Weekend Reflection

The past few posts have centered around the Love of God.  I will make this statement one more time; "It is very difficult to fully comprehend the awesome and wonderful revelation of the Love of God to mankind."  It is truly difficult for an imperfect individual to understand that the Lord God Almighty could actually take an interest in our lives and the set of circumstances that we are facing.  I truly believe that each of us are the individuals who build the wall of resistance around our lives and not God.  Our Worship Leader led us in a song yesterday that made this declaration; "Draw me Lord, Draw me Lord, and I will come running after You..."  She also reminded us the promise that we find in the Word of God, "...draw near to God and He will draw near to you..."  God is prepared to release His love toward us regardless of the circumstances that we are facing.  We are given the opportunity to respond in the appropriate manner to His love and this response opens our soul to the ministering presence of the Spirit. 

Once more I was able to witness this type of response in the service yesterday at New River Worship Center.  Throughout the service the Holy Spirit was wooing or calling each of us to draw near to His presence.  The worship and the declaration of the Word reminded me of the words found in Psalm 63:8, "My soul clings to you, your right hand upholds me" (NIV).  We understand that the adventures of life bring us into close contact with our share of struggles and challenges but it is during those moments that the Heavenly Father calls us to cling to Him.  We can see our relationship with God as we remember those times that our children tightly gripped our hands when they were afraid.  The strength of our hands brought them comfort and peace when they realized that someone larger than them was walking by their side.  The revelation of the Love of God brings that same type of reminder to each of us on a daily basis.  Someone larger and greater than us is at our side and our Father is declaring His love over us in different ways and at different times.  We can cling to the hand of our Father as we walk down the road of life.  I witnessed men and women of various ages and various needs place their hand in the Hands of a Loving God who did respond to the cry of their hearts.  We are able to experience more of the Love of God as we place our confidence and trust in the promises and provisions of God.

One of the men who attends New River Worship Center shared this scripture with me on Saturday.  He felt that the Lord had placed this in his spirit regarding the work of God in our individual lives as well as our corporate lives.  Hebrews 10:35-36, "Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward.  For you have need of endurance (cheerful or hopeful endurance, patient continuance, constancy), so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:" (NKJV).  We must never let go of our confidence in the Love of God regardless of the circumstances that we may be called on to endure.  There is a reward for patient faith and obedience.


Friday, September 23, 2011

Love of God, Part 3

I John 4: 19, "We love Him, because He first loved us." (NKJV)

The past few blog posts have concentrated on a needed reminder concerning the Love of God.  It is possible (at least in my opinion) that we may become so comfortable with this principle that we take for granted the presence of God's Love in our daily lives.  I do not want to fall prey to that trap of satan.  I desire to recognize and appreciate the concept of God's Love being revealed and released in the daily affairs of my life.  Does not the scripture declare that "God is love"?  God is the One who has planned for His love to be spread among His children as they face the daunting task of daily living.  The old song declares "...I can not even walk without holding His hand..."  I truly believe that the modern day church needs to be reintroduced to the concept of God's love so that we can remember that we are to share that Love with a hurting world.  We are to share with others those blessings that God has shared with us; "...freely we have received, freely we give..."

A major portion of our relationship with Christ revolves around knowing Him in a deeper and greater manner.  This developing relationship with Christ allows us to discover how wide and long and high and deep is the Love of God for each of us.  Read Paul's reminder to the church in Rome; "For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39, NKJV).  The recognition and reception of the Love of God can be overwhelming at times.  The enemy of our soul seeks to make us feel unworthy and undeserving of God's marvelous and wonderful love.  But we must place our hope and confidence in the promises of the Word of God.  Each of us do not know what challenges that we may face before this day comes to an end.  But we can know that the Love of God will travel with us through the adventures of life; whether these are easy or difficult adventures.  We can rest in the promises of Romans 8 and realize that there is nothing that can keep God from loving us.  Christ is committed to loving us, are we committed to loving Christ in return?  We need to reciprocate that love on a daily basis and allow our relationship to develop into a deeper love relationship with our Savior and Redeemer. 

Take a moment today and reflect on the powerful reminder and promise found in Romans 5:8, "But God demonstrated His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (NKJV)  Praise God for His awesome LOVE!