Friday, July 29, 2016

Friday's Reminders

This has been a week in which I have encountered several opportunities to minister to individuals as they were facing various difficulties. These moments included ones in which people were facing either a surgery for themselves or a surgery for a family member. I also was present when a family said their final good-byes to a loved one that made their transition to their Heavenly destination. These moments as well as just the daily walk of life remind us that we need a place of refuge or safety. Each of us need a place to "run" when life seems to be overwhelming us with cares and concerns. It is during those moments that we look to our Savior and realize that He is our REFUGE!!!

I was reading this passage of scripture this morning and I felt it would be an encouragement to you. Each of us are being called to draw closer to God!! We are also being called to place our faith and trust in God!! Each of us are looking for a place of Refuge!!

Psalm 57:1-3,
"Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy! I look to you for protection. I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings until the danger passes by. I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill his purpose for me. He will send help from heaven to rescue me, disgracing those who hound me. Interlude My God will send forth his unfailing love and faithfulness." (NLT)

I also read these words of Max Lucado during my time of meditation and prayer.

"Refuge is a favorite word of David’s. You will count as many as forty-plus appearances in some Bible versions. But never did David use the word more poignantly than in Psalm 57.  The introduction to the passage explains its background: “A song of David when he fled from Saul into the cave.” Lost in shadows and thought, he has nowhere to turn. Go home, he endangers his family; to the tabernacle, he imperils the priests. Saul will kill him. Here he sits. All alone. But then he remembers he’s not. And from the recesses of the cave a sweet voice floats: "Be merciful to me, O God! For my soul trusts in You; and in the shadow of Your wings I make my refuge.” (Psalm 57:1)

Blessings on your journey of faith today!!

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Thoughts on Tuesday

It seems as though our world is full of chaos and evil actions. But at the same time we see the goodness and kindness of mankind on display in our lives as well as the lives of others in our nation on a daily basis. These positive actions serve as a "counter attack" to the attempts of satan to defeat, defy and override the faith of the family of God. But through our faith and with our faith we can resist those attempts of satan. God will provide what we need as we continue to trust in Him and remind ourselves that His promises are true and steadfast. That is one of the reasons that I am so determined to point people to Jesus Christ and to remind everyone that He is our ANSWER!!!!

I would like to leave a passage of scripture with you today.

Psalm 46:1-5
  God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
Though its waters roar and be troubled,
Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah
There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God,
The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.
God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved;
God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.

Friday, July 22, 2016

Encouragement

We can read the headlines in the paper or even on our electronic devices and realize that there is a "spirit of anxiety" in our land. The political pundits continue to remind us that people no longer have confidence or trust in our elected officials. There is even a great divide among our politicians on which direction our nation needs to proceed. Division and separation continues to raise its ugly head in various situations throughout our culture. There are divisions in families, marriages, and even church organizations, etc. 

BUT there is  one statement of truth that each of us can embrace. That fact is that the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY IS OUR PRESENT HELP IN TIME OF TROUBLE!! We do know where to turn and we do know in whom we can place our trust. I was reminded of that principle this morning during prayer. The Lord had placed Psalm 40 in my heart last night as I was praying for and thinking about various individuals and the struggles that they are facing. I am going to encourage you to allow a few verses of that Psalm speak to your heart (seat of your emotions) today. Would you take a moment and remind yourselves of the "hope and confidence" that is revealed in the Spirit's words through the writing of David?

Praise God for His Word!!!

Psalm 40:1-5 (NLT)

I waited patiently for the Lord to help me,
    and he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the pit of despair,
    out of the mud and the mire.
He set my feet on solid ground
    and steadied me as I walked along.
He has given me a new song to sing,
    a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what he has done and be amazed.
    They will put their trust in the Lord.
Oh, the joys of those who trust the Lord,
    who have no confidence in the proud
    or in those who worship idols.
Lord my God, you have performed many wonders for us.
    Your plans for us are too numerous to list.
    You have no equal.
If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds,
    I would never come to the end of them.

Thursday, July 21, 2016

Thankfulness< Part 3

Psalm 100:4, "Enter into His gates with thanksgivingAnd into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. (NKJV) (Emphasis added)

I realize that each of us are facing our own set of challenges/situations/concerns/problems. These vary from individual to individual but each of us have the opportunity to face them looking through the eyes of praise and thanksgiving. I know that there are some moments in which praise or thanksgiving may be the action that we DO NOT WANT TO TAKE AT THAT TIME in our lives. But we must remember that it is always appropriate and Biblically correct to participate in those actions.  The Word of God is full of different situations in which the people of God were called on to offer God praise, worship or thanksgiving prior to the victory being won in their lives. 

I understand that is not always easy. I have been at those moments in which God directed my heart to offer praise even though the answer that I needed had not arrived as of yet. I find myself taking that action in many situations that I face as a Minister of the Gospel. I can sense that God is at work and I choose to offer God praise and thanksgiving prior to the answer arriving or the need being fully met. Those are the moments that we choose to act on the faith that is rising in our heart. Do not be discouraged today. You are not alone in making those decisions to offer praise prior to the prayer being answered.

That is one of the reasons that I am focusing on remembering and reflecting on the blessings that God has already provided for each of us. We will take a look at a few more of the blessings that this individual in our church has witnessed God provide for her.  Take time to prepare your list today!!

Thurs.:
He blesses me with a good church that lets you talk and ask questions.
He blessed me with a God fearing and praying church family.
He blesses me by speaking to me.
He has blessed me by increasing my faith.
He has blessed and does bless me by providing for my family.
He blesses me by letting me praise and worship Him.
He blesses me with His mercies every morning.
He blessed me with a thinking mind and the ability to understand.
He has blessed me with unknown blessings and mercy that I don't know about.
He has blessed me with His love so that I can love others.

Friday:
He blessed me by taking away the hardness of my heart.
He blessed me by opening my eyes to Him.
He blesses me by not leaving me.
He blesses me by changing me.
He blesses me because He didn't give up on me when I was going to walk out the church      doors again. He came after me after the church service was completed.
He has blessed me with His Healing Power.
He has blessed me by forgiving me when I couldn't forgive myself.
He has blessed me by by seeing me through stuff when I didn't see a way.
He has blessed me by helping me to figure things out and not leaving me to do it by myself.
He blesses me by taking the "world" out of me more and more every day.

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Thankfulness, Part 2

I Chronicles 16:25, "For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised; He is also to be feared above all gods." (NKJV) (Emphasis added)

Have you ever noticed that the enemy seeks to hinder our memories when it comes to remembering the victories that God has won in our lives? Some of us call these lapses of memory "Senior Moments" when we are trying to remember names. dates, phone numbers, etc. I don't know if there is a name for the attempts of satan to hinder our spiritual memories but I do have a remedy for the attack.

The antidote for this "disease" is a heart that is full of praise and thanksgiving. God warned the people of Israel not to forget God when they entered the Promised Land. Paul reminded Timothy that people have the tendency to become unthankful. Forgetfulness and Unthanfulness  could be "spiritual first cousins." Neither of these attributes need to exist very long in the life of a child of God. We can quickly remember that God has been good to us when we view the larger album of life rather than just a few selected snapshots. Let us keep the words of praise and thankfulness in our hearts and on our lips.

Here is a continuation of the testimonies that a sister in Christ shared with me. I pray that these words will cause each of us to recognize the goodness of God in our daily lives.

Tuesday:
I'm blessed by His healing.
I was blessed and still am that He saved my soul.
I'm blessed that He lives within me each and every day.
I'm blessed that saved me from a near fatal heart attack.
I'm blessed cause He's still healing my heart.
I'm blessed cause He was in the hospital each day and helped me get through the loneliness.
I'm blessed that He healed me from the lung cancer.
I'm blessed that He healed it in 5 treatments instead of 5 weeks of them.
I'm blessed by the time that He gives me.
I'm blessed when He touches me and restores my soul.

Wed.:
He blesses me with a good friend of 18 1/2 years.
He blesses me by waking me this morning.
He has blessed me with a loving and hard working husband.
He has blessed me with a daughter that I waited for, for 13 years.
He has blessed me with knowledge and understanding of His Word.
He has blessed me with hearing, sight, walking, etc.
He has blessed me with His forgiveness.
He has blessed me with God fearing mentors and friends from New River.
He blesses me with His goodness.
He blesses me when He puts a certain verse from the Bible in my heart.

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Thankfulness on Tuesday

I began to sense the need to write on thankfulness a few days ago. I have been encouraging people to pray for the challenges that our nation is facing. But I also felt that I needed to turn our attention toward the need to offer praise and thanks to God. That was confirmed to me a few minutes ago as I received a early morning call from a dear fiend. Our friendship was established many years ago and so it was easy to quickly move backwards into time and remember some funny moments of interaction between our families. The Spirit reminded me of my appreciation for friendship as my conversation with this individual produced laughter and I even found myself talking with a wide smile on my face. Have those feelings ever arisen in your heart? We need to cherish those moments and value these people both family as well as friends as VIP's (VERY IMPORTANT PEOPLE). Our nation is in trouble because we no longer value people and value their role and purpose in our life.

A couple of weeks ago I gave the church an "assignment" during the sharing of the message. I encouraged them to take some time and write down blessings that God has provided for them on that particular day. I have heard from various individuals who took the time to accept the challenge to put their thoughts into words that they could read out loud. I do expect to hear from others as we continue to remind ourselves of the role that the "Good, Good Father" has in our lives. Did I just hear someone shout out these words of thanksgiving? "THANK YOU JESUS FOR ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR ME!!!

I want to share to some "praises" that one of the ladies of the church emailed a few days ago. This lady has been a believer for a few years and already the Lord has brought her through several major trials of her faith. God is not only good but He is also faithful to His Word. I plan on sharing other testimonies from time to time. I encourage you to take the opportunity to actually put into words your feelings of appreciation to God for all that He has done in your life. Feel free to share them with me if you feel led to do so. 

Sunday: 
He refreshed me at church this morning.
He encouraged me.
He woke me up.
He has blessed me a good loving husband.
He has blessed me a loving daughter.
He has blessed us with a home.
He has blessed me with His Word.
He has blessed me through His Son's precious Blood.
He has blessed me with a wonderful, loving and caring church.
He has blessed me with a God fearing, caring and loving pastor.

Monday:
I'm blessed by His Protection.
I'm blessed by His love for me.
I'm blessed by His forgiveness of my sins.
I'm blessed by His grace.
I'm blessed by His mercy.
I'm blessed by His adoption of me.
I'm blessed because I can call out to Him.
I'm blessed that He listens to me.
I'm blessed because He is my helper.
I'm blessed because He has never left me. He is always with me.

Thursday, July 14, 2016

Heart Issues, Part 2

I am completely convinced that God desires to do a great work within us. We look for what He can do "through us and with us" but I believe that God is more concerned about what He desires to "do in us." We learn more about God and we learn more about ourselves when we submit to His work in our lives. Those moments can be enlightening as well as challenging as God examines our lives and reveals our areas of weakness as well as sins. But let us never forget the end product that results from that spiritual process taking place in our lives. Our lives are never the same and our lives more fully reflect the glory of God on our daily journey through life. 

I read some statements that former President George W. Bush and President Obama made at the Memorial service for the slain Police Officers in Dallas, Texas. I read these words after I had finished my blog post on Wednesday. I was both challenged, encouraged and reminded of those attitudes as well as attributes that has guided America and Americans for many years. I would like to share a portion of them with you.

President Bush: "Americans, I think, have a great advantage. To renew our unity, we only need to remember our values. We have never been held together by blood or background. We are bound by things of the spirit, by shared commitments to common ideals...At our best, we honor the image of God we see in one another. We recognize that we are brothers and sisters, sharing the same brief moment on Earth and owing each other the loyalty of our shared humanity."

President Obama, speaking at the memorial service, quoted Ezekiel 36:26: "I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh." Let me also share the insights of Jim Denison to this post. "The key to this "new heart" is found in the next verse: "And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules" (v. 27). Human words cannot change human hearts. The One who made us is the only One who can change us."

I truly believe the change that America needs will begin in our hearts. But we face the challenge of thinking that it is everyone else but me who needs to change. What would happen if each of us made the commitment to surrender our lives to Christ? I truly desire to make that commitment to my Lord and Savior today!!!

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Heart Issues

Psalm 46:1-7, "God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
Though its waters roar and be troubled,
Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah
There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God,
The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.
God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved;
God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.
The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved;
He uttered His voice, the earth melted.
The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah   (NKJV)

Psalm 46 was read by our Worship Leader in this past Sunday's service. It continues to speak to my heart today. I join with many of you expressing my concern about the condition of the "heart" of our nation. Is it possible that the problems in our nation are evident to us because of our "heart" problems? My wife works with a group of Cardiologists. Many of their patients exhibit certain "symptoms" in their bodies that reveal to the naked eye that they are experiencing issues with their heart. Needless to say there are also other patients who can only be diagnosed when their heart is listened to with a stethoscope or other diagnostic tools. BUT EACH OF THESE PATIENTS ARE SUFFERING ISSUES WITH THEIR HEART!! Some symptoms are visible while other symptoms are hidden beneath the surface of the skin.

I realize that there will be those people who will say that my analogy is very basic and simplistic. They will also say that the issues that we are facing personally as well as collectively are far more serious and far deeper than I can even imagine. You are welcome to your opinion to say the least and I will respectfully accept your differing view. I also understand that our problems will not be solved with one blog post from me. But I also understand that the problems in our individual lives as well as our nation continue to escalate. Political leaders plan more meetings to deal with the issues. Even spiritual leaders call for more meetings to address the issues. People who are dealing with issues in their lives also call for more meetings. 

I am not against dialogue; as matter of fact I believe dialogue can be a benefit if it is handled correctly. I need to interject a question concerning these meetings. It appears that we are leaving out the only Person with Power that can change the heart. Where is the Lord God Almighty included in these meetings? Have you ever heard the expression, "Come to Jesus Meeting." I believe that our nation needs to have a nationwide time of Prayer in which we call on the True and Living God. He has promised to be our "refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." Don't you believe that we need a refuge, we need His strength and we need His help in the troubles that we are facing?

I truly believe that God can transform the "hearts" of America. But each of us have to be willing to surrender our lives to Him. And that is where the battle of self desire, selfishness and self denial begins to take over. I refuse to give up on the belief that God desires to touch each of us with His presence and His power. Our problem as a nation is a "heart" problem. Far too many of us have left God out of our lives!! We have chosen to follow our on way rather than God's way of love, grace, mercy, care, concern for each other, kindness, respect, appreciation, thankfulness, etc.

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Thoughts on Tuesday

It is interesting to realize all of the tactics that satan will use against the children of God. Why does the enemy of our souls continually seek to hinder our journey with Christ? I believe that he uses these tactics to take our eyes off of Jesus Christ. He does not want any one of us to look fully into the presence of God and realize that we are not alone in our journey through life. Do you remember these words from a worship song; "Open the eyes of my heart Lord, Open the eyes of my heart Lord, I want to see You, I want to see You." I desire to see the Lord as my Hope, Joy and Strength!!!

I would like to share some questions that I posed in a recent message at New River. I ask that you take a moment and review them in your heart. And then take a moment and respond to God as you feel led. I asked our local church to respond through the act of writing down some of the blessings that God has provided through the years of their lives. 

How long has it been since you took a fresh, new look at the Savior and realized the risk of releasing your faith has brought great rewards in your life?  How long has it been since you have sat down and attempted to remember just a few of the blessings that God has provided to you in your lifetime?   How long has it been since you have taken time just to thank God and offer Him praise for never leaving you or forsaking you? How long has it been since you have thanked God for not walking away from you at your moments of greatest despair and emptiness? How long has it been since you have offered God praise for forgiving you of your sins and adopting you into His family? YOU AND I CAN NOT AFFORD TO GIVE UP WHEN WE LOOK BACK AND REALIZE THE GOODNESS AND GREATNESS OF GOD IN OUR LIVES!!! 
Blessings on your walk with and in Christ!!


Monday, July 11, 2016

Monday's Musings

I fully realize that these are challenging and troubling times. The word "chaotic" could even be used to describe the atmosphere of our nation as the events of life unfold on a daily basis. But I was reminded of something during our altar time at church on Sunday and I was reminded of it again this morning during prayer. God is still calling people to draw close to Him. And there are people who are still answering that call. I was privileged to pray with several of those people in the service yesterday at New River. Many of you who will read these words today sense that same "call to draw closer to God" deep in your soul today. Let me encourage you with these words, "Do not be embarrassed to respond and do not let the intimidation of the enemy hinder you from responding."

I truly believe the Lord inspired my heart to understand this principle. The enemy is concerned and somewhat afraid of people who become hungry for more of God. Our hunger and thirst for more of God is not in vain!! Our hunger and thirst for more of God is coming directly from Him!! Our hunger and thirst for more of God will bring results. Our hunger and thirst for more of God will bring a response from God!! God will provide the strength each of us need to continue our pursuit of God and His direction in our lives!!

I encourage you to remind yourselves of the promise that Jesus declared in Matthew 5:6, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled." (NKJV) (Emphasis added)

Did you notice the last five (5) words of Jesus' message? He has promised that we would be filled with His righteousness!! Is it no wonder that satan works to keep us from being hungry and thirsty for more of God. The enemy of our soul seeks to convince us to receive the "bread of life" from the other sources of our culture. But Jesus plainly declared that He is the "Bread of Life." We can not find eternal life in any other source than Jesus Christ. I believe that God is raising up an army of hungry and thirsty soldiers who will seek after Him with all of their heart, soul, mind, energy and strength. 

Are you hungry and thirsty for more of God today?

Friday, July 8, 2016

America the Beautiful???

2 Chronicles 7:14, "if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." (NKJV)

My heart is saddened this morning as I prepare to write this blog post. I am saddened by the events of the past few days across our land but I am even more saddened at the condition of the hearts of Americans. I spent much of my prayer time in confession this morning. The Book of Daniel reveals that Daniel confessed his personal sins as well as the sins of the nation. This was the spiritual position that I found myself in this morning. I was able to identify the lack of concern for others as well as a lack of respect for one another that has taken a firm grip on our nation. Wasn't it just a few days ago that we were "celebrating" America? And now we are seeing the results of our personal as well as our national rejection of God at work in our land. Where did we get off course?

These words may not be popular but I do think that they need to be said. Each of us bear some responsibility as we view the landscape of our nation not only today but over the past several years of our lives. Where is our brokenness when it comes to the affairs of humanity? How long has it been since we have shed any tears over the spiritual condition of our families and our friends? How long has it been since we got alone with God and actually prayed? How long has it been since we have attended a meeting that was "dedicated" to prayer? When will we stop using the excuse that we don't how to pray? Dedicate some of your time to Prayer and you and I will learn to Pray!!

We no longer gasp at the stories that fill the headlines of the news reports. It seems that the Louisville television stations or radio stations are always reporting about a murder or murders in our city or surrounding cities. We easily forget the death of a three year old that was murdered by her father. We easily forget those unknown people (at least to us) who die from a drug overdose. We easily forget the family who is dealing with the death of their family member who was killed by a driver who was operating a vehicle under the impairment of alcohol or drugs (both street as well as prescription). We also forget the family of the driver who was at the wheel of the vehicle. What about the people who commit suicide? What about the people who are trapped in the lifestyle of prostitution or the sex slave market? Does it truly concern us when we see others trapped in the clutches of sin which lead to anger, frustration, desperation, volatility and uncontrolled actions or reactions? 

I was convicted of this fact; I forget very easily when I do not have a personal connection or attachment. But my forgetfulness in these situations is not a product of the fruit of the Spirit. Listen to these words; "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." Is it possible that this is one of the missing elements in our nation? The Bible reminds us of this awesome principle, "For God so loved the world..." We hear the term "worldview" used in many different scenarios today but John 3:16 gives us "God's view" of the world. Our worldview needs to embrace the worldview of God. I encourage each of us to repent and ask God to show us our sins, failures and faults when it comes to our care and concern for our fellow human beings regardless of race, color, ethnicity, social status, educational status, political persuasion, etc. 

I want to leave you with a verse of a song that was written by Woodie Guthrie. I was reminded of this song this morning as I was preparing to pray. I know that seems odd but it was one of the ways that God reminded me of the importance of EVERY PERSON IN AMERICA!!!

This land is your land This land is my land
From California to the New York island; 
From the red wood forest to the Gulf Stream waters 
This land was made for you and Me.

Did you take time to notice the last line of this verse? 

Thursday, July 7, 2016

Thursday's Praises

Our small Group Meeting on Wednesday evening have been focusing on the study of I Corinthians 15 the past few weeks. We have been involved in an in-depth discussion of Grace and all of the attributes that are connected with the deeper understanding of Grace. We sing the song Amazing Grace but it is truly "amazing" when we identify the presence of Grace in so many areas of our lives. But that is not what I want to write about today.

I wanted to share with you about our Prayer Time prior to the beginning of the study. I opened the time of study and discussion with a Praise Report of my own. I shared about two unspoken requests that had been shared with me recently. One of them was on Tuesday evening of this week and the other one was shared with me last week. Both of these needs were met with one of these needs being met within in a matter of a few hours. I begin to offer praise to God for these answered prayers as well as other prayers that I had seen answered in the recent months. The New River church family has witnessed several situations in which God has divinely intervened over the past several months. To God be the Glory!!!

I could stop with that portion of information from last night's meeting and it would be wonderful. But there was more good news that needed to be shared. Other individuals raised their hands and begin to share their own story about answered prayers. And for several minutes the "study time" was changed to a "TIME OF PRAISE." The voice of praise and thanksgiving was lifted in our Fellowship Hall as we celebrated victories that had been won in our lives or in the lives of our loved ones or friends. 

Many of you have stories of prayers being answered. Do not keep them bottled up in your memories. Share them with someone today. Let people know that God is alive and that He is still interested in the lives of His children. I AM THANKFUL THAT I CAN REPORT THAT GOD IS STILL ANSWERING PRAYERS!! As a matter of fact, I have already received two praise reports this morning and neither one of them is connected with last night's service. PTL!!!

I feel led to share Psalm 150 with you this morning. I encourage you to pay close attention to the last verse.

Praise the Lord!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty firmament!
Praise Him for His mighty acts;
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!
Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet;
Praise Him with the lute and harp!
Praise Him with the timbrel and dance;
Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!
Praise Him with loud cymbals;
Praise Him with clashing cymbals!
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord!   (NKJV)

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

Don't You Think That IT IS TIME TO PRAISE GOD

Isaiah 12:4, And in that day you will say: “Praise the Lord, call upon His name; Declare His deeds among the peoples, Make mention that His name is exalted. “ (NKJV)

A few weeks ago my wife directed a Ladies Ministry effort at the local church where we serve as Pastor. The theme of this ministry outreach was "Tell Your Story." This morning as I read today's passage of scripture I was reminded of that service and the challenge that was placed before those ladies who attended. 

Do we realize that each of us truly do have a story to tell and a story to share with others? In a world that is full of bad news and horrendous activities we need to be willing and ready to share the Good News that has taken place in our lives. Is it possible that we are always waiting for the "big moments" to share our story? And because of this waiting, we never seize those precious moments of opportunity that God places in our lives. 

I remember reading these words when I first began in the ministry. "You will never be able to preach to a large group of people if you are not willing to preach to a group of four or five people." That challenge has always encouraged me to do my best to share the Gospel message regardless of the size of the crowd. You and I never know who may be listening to the words that we are sharing and we may never know the full impact that the Spirit of God will make on their lives. We need to be prepared to share "our story" whenever the opportunity arises.

Notice the first few words of today's verse; "And in that day you will say..." TODAY is that day to Praise His name. TODAY is that day to call upon His name. TODAY is that day to declare His deeds among the people. TODAY is that day to make mention that His name is exalted. Oh, I am looking forward to TODAY so that I can show forth the praises of God who has brought me out of darkness into His marvelous light. 

What will you do with TODAY? Will you take the time to SHARE YOUR STORY WITH SOMEONE TODAY?

Monday, July 4, 2016

Happy July 4th

Today is a rainy, possibly stormy day in Louisville. Kentucky. Our nation celebrates its 240th Birthday. Our history books are full of examples in which our nation faced some "stormy" days. But it was at those times that God would raise up "patriots", or "spiritual leaders", or just everyday normal people who would become "heroes" in a cause that was bigger than themselves. We are in need of men and women of this caliber today who will rise above the fray and realize that there is a cause that is greater than our egotistical approach to life. We must not allow this  narcissistic, self-engrossed, self seeking and self-absorbed approach to life become the "Trojan horse" that leads to the destruction of our nation. 

I would encourage, implore and even plead with you to take some of your time today and pray for our nation. Here are a few prayer points that are on my heart this morning.

Before you even look at my list, ask the Holy Spirit to direct your prayer life so that you can connect with the heart of the Heavenly Father for our nation. 

1) Pray for the Leaders of our nation. You could begin with the family leaders, the educational leaders, the spiritual leaders, as well as the governmental leaders.

2) Pray for our Armed Forces who are presently serving at various bases around the world and also include those bases located in our homeland.

3) Pray for the families of our military personnel.

4) Pray for the upcoming election in November.

5) Pray against the spirit of anger, frustration, division and violence that has such a strong grip on our land today.

6) Pray against those enemies who are out to destroy our nation and the principles of freedom upon which we stand.

7) Pray for another "Spiritual Awakening" across America.

Thank you for your prayers and may GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!

Friday, July 1, 2016

What Will We Celebrate?

It seems that people are looking for something to celebrate. Fellowship parties always draw a larger crowd than Prayer Meetings. A few weeks ago some people estimated that over million people gathered in the streets of downtown Cleveland to celebrate the NBA Championship of the Cavaliers. Many of them spent the whole day waiting on the champions to arrive and say the same things that they had been saying since they won game 7 on Father's Day. There is nothing wrong about celebration (I celebrate God every opportunity that I have presented to me.) but in my opinion we do need to remember whom or what  we are celebrating.

July 4th is just a few days away. The business establishments that are selling fireworks have been open for a few weeks now. People are stocking up on hotdogs, hamburgers, drinks of all types, charcoal, chips, condiments, etc. People are preparing to celebrate although many of us may have forgotten what we are truly celebrating. July 4 will mark the 240th birthday of America as a nation. Our nation existed prior to July 4, 1776 but on that particular date our Forefathers chose to make the final decision to break away from England and establish a nation that would be based on freedom. Historical manuscripts reveal that these early pioneers leaned on the promises of God and actively asked God to be with them on this new journey to freedom. They looked for freedom based on the fact that they were placing their trust in God to guide their decisions both at the present as well as in the future. I just wonder, "Is that true among our leaders today?"

Would you look at this scripture passage with me for a moment? John 15:12-14, “ This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.” (NKJV)

WE MUST ALWAYS REMEMBER THOSE BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE OFFERED THEIR SERVICE TO OUR NATION IN THE ARMED FORCES!!! I am proud to report and declare that these men and women are the true heroes that the citizens of America need to be honoring and applauding today. The police will close streets and halt traffic because a “celebrity" has arrived in town for an event yet our Veterans will have to wait several hours for medical treatment in overcrowded and outdated VA Hospitals. Does anybody see anything wrong with that picture that I just painted?  

Because of the valuable service of these men and women through these 240 years we still can celebrate FREEDOM OF RELIGION today. We can believe in and offer our heartfelt, sincere, genuine and authentic worship to the Lord God Almighty this morning. Although I must confess that the freedom to exercise our right to walk in the principles of Christianity is under attack. There was a time in America when a crisis arose in our nation that our governmental leaders as well as our spiritual leaders encouraged us to turn to God and seek His help. Now there is a very vocal element in our culture who seeks to blame Christianity and its followers as the cause of the crisis. What would our Founding Fathers truly say if they could speak?   

I would like to encourage you to remember the reason behind getting a day off from work on Monday!! I would like to encourage you to remember those brave men and women who have given their service to our nation so that we may have a party/celebration on Sunday as well as Monday!! I would like to encourage you to remember those brave men and women who are presently serving our nation in the Armed Forces!!

HAPPY JULY 4TH!! ENJOY YOUR CELEBRATION!!