Encouragement to Pray

Last evening we were scheduled to attend a Prayer Conference in Louisville, KY. The Worship time was powerful, a choir from Covington, KY moved the congregation through their anointed singing as they pointed us to Jesus Christ who is the Holy One. Pastor Bryan Cutshall of Twin Rivers Worship Center of St. Louis, MO shared a very challenging word from the Lord. He spoke not only to the leaders but to the laity; I want to share what I heard and received. This is the time to "be about the Father's business." All of us must be committed to fulfilling our place in the Body of Christ so that the witness of the Spirit can be released in our world. Are we truly seeking to do what we can do for the glory of God? Have we become willing to let everyone else do the "work of the Kingdom" while we sit idly on the sidelines of ease? How many times have you prayed for your spiritual leaders this past week? I am talking more than just their name crossing your mind; I am talking about sincere, heartfelt intercession for those that the Lord has placed in our lives to bring the Word of God alive to us? I came across this comment from Richard Burr: "A dynamic praying church must be built from the inside out, employing all four levels of prayer: the secret closet, the family altar, small group praying and finally, the congregational setting." Andrew Murray, a prolific writer when it comes to prayer, makes this statement: "Prayer opens the way for God Himself to do His work in us and through us. Let our chief work as God's messenger's be intercession; in it we secure the presence and power of God to go with us." I am convinced that God is calling all of us to a serious commitment to prayer. We must learn to pray in private as well as public. We must learn to seek God not just for our needs or wants but we must learn to seek Him so that we can know Him more completely. We learn His ways in those secret moments of prayer in which He releases His Grace into our hearts which begins to rearrange our desires and plans. Prayer allows us to surrender our life to Him. Take a moment and examine your prayer life. Is prayer a major component of your relationship with God? Is sincere prayer important to you or do you participate out of guilt or embarrassment? God is calling us to the "closet of prayer?" Are we willing to follow Him into this needed area of Christian involvement. I believe the answer will be YES for many of us and God will use us to make a difference in the portion of our world.

Personal Reflections

If you would allow me this privilege I would like to take this posting to reflect on a special milestone in our lives. Today Ann and I celebrate our 37th Wedding Anniversary. We were married in Huntsville Alabama on February 26, 1972 by Pastor Billy Nettles at the local church where Ann attended. As I was driving home last night I began to reflect back over the years that we have spent together. All of our married life has been spent in the ministry; I was preaching when we met. We began our Pastoral journey 6 months after we entered into our marriage. The Lord reminded me of the one constant presence that has been with us throughout these years. The constant presence has been our relationship with God. It goes without saying that we love one another and that our love has grown over the years but through all of the challenges that life has brought our way we could always rely on our developing relationship with God. When ministerial transition came, God was present. When we encountered financial challenges, God was present. When Ann's parents passed away, God was present. When our children were born, God was present. I could go on and on naming other events, situations, and challenges but the message that the Lord wanted me to share with you is found in the phrase; God was present. Many years ago God placed in our individual hearts a desire to know Him and follow Him. We have helped each other develop that desire and passion and today that desire and passion is greater than ever before. As you look at your companion, your family and your friends today remember that God desires to use you to encourage them in their walk with Christ. Take a moment and encourage someone today through an email, a phone call, or a note of encouragement. Make contact with someone today and let them know God is present! I can boldly declare that God is still present with us and for that we are thankful. The meeting at Lakeside closed last night. Every night was AWESOME! The presence of the Lord was sensed and felt by one and all. The lives of many people will never be the same because of the Love of God that was revealed through Worship, the preaching of the Word and the ministry time in the altar. Only Heaven fully knows all that was accomplished. We give God praise and thanksgiving for all of His many blessings.

Obeying God!

I fully believe that the presence of the Lord is calling each of us into a deeper commitment to obedience and surrender to the direction of God. The Lord is calling all of us to a intimate knowledge of God through the reading of the Word. The Word of God reveals to us the heart of God which is full of mercy and compassion to His creation. This knowledge can only be cultivated through the process of becoming acquainted with God through a heartfelt relationship. As God communicates to us through the Bible and as you pray, He will show you what He wants you to do and where He wants you to go. Many of us are trying to put into practice obedience without taking the time to develop relationship. I have a burning desire to obey but I also have a burning desire to develop a life-changing relationship with my Heavenly Father. Psalm 119:105, "Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path." (NLT). God has provided the means for us to be able to obey the call that we sense in our hearts. First, God calls us to obey His Word. Second, God calls us to do what is right and make the right choices regarding our walk with God. Third, God calls us to show genuine love for others. We can accomplish these goals as we continue to allow the Word of God to speak strength and life in our hearts. I am asking God to awaken the heart of the church in America so that we will desire to do what He wants us to do and that we will have a heart that is willing to follow after more of God. This is a day of great opportunities for the people of God; people are in trouble and their lives are in disarray. But God has given us the Word of hope and encouragement; we just need to be ready to share our testimony about the greatness of God. The altar services have been full of "hungry" people. People that are hungry for more of God in their lives. They are looking for more than just an emotional feeling they are looking for God to reach deep into their hearts and rearrange their lives. O God, continue to send the fire of your Spirit as we enter into Your presence through Praise and Worship!

Beware of Deception

Galatians 6:7-8: "Don't be misled--you can not mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from their sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit." (NLT) The first few words of this passage brought a challenge to my heart. I must be alert to the tactics of the enemy and not allow him to mislead me. The Bible declares that he is a predator (walking about as a roaring lion) and he is always seeking to lead me away from my walk with Christ. Satan will use any and all means to mislead my heart so that I will have a broken relationship with God rather than a healthy and maturing relationship. I must be alert and awake to the tricks of the enemy and not allow the flesh to be in charge of my life. We open ourself to deception if we think that we can disobey God and not suffer the consequences or that we can ignore God and still receive His blessings. We are opening the door to deception when we live with only this present world and what it has to offer as our major desire and priority. The Bible declares that this world will pass away but he that does the will of the Father will abide forever. I want to walk with eternity in my view and realize that only what I do for Christ will last. Make sure that you are investing in eternal things that will produce a harvest of eternal blessings and rewards. The best way to defeat deception is to keep your heart open to God. An open heart toward God allows His Spirit the freedom to minister direction and correction to our lives. Ask Him to help you develop an open heart which lead you down the path of spiritual maturity which will ultimately place you in His presence for all of eternity. The service last night at Lakeside was awesome. People from various churches in the community joined with us for an encounter with God. The altar was full of people seeking for God to meet them at their point of need. I can report today that God did meet them at the point of their need! We give Him praise and honor for His mighty presence.

Psalm 5

Psalm 5 is written to remind us that we are the Lord's inheritance. We can rejoice in the fact that we belong to God through the act of spiritual adoption whereby God chose to place us in the family of God through the confession of our sins. As I was reading this passage, I was reminded that you do not forget about your inheritance. Read aloud these words that the Spirit spoke in Psalm 5:11-12; "But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee. For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield." (KJV) These words offer great encouragement in these challenging times. God has not forgotten you nor has He misplaced you among all of the "stuff" of the world. God keeps a close eye on His inheritance and we can respond as the Word encourages, "we can shout for joy." We can rejoice over the fact that God does defend us against the strategies and attacks of the enemy. We have someone (God) who is fighting for us and not against us. I believe that God truly desires to bless us and bring favor into our lives. The term "favor" can be misconstrued by many; but I believe favor allows us to understand that God will provide whatever I need to be successful on my journey with God. Take a moment today and recognize the presence of God in your life. Pause to remember those times in which God provided what you needed to move you through the challenging moments that you were facing. The old song declares "God is not dead but He is alive"; He is alive to bring you through the battles of life so that you can lift your voice and testify of His awesome and mighty love. Remember the old adage; "You can't have a testimony without a test." But God will not forsake you even when you are going through your time of testing; trust in the revelation that you are a important part of the family of God.

Weekend Review

Due to my travel schedule I have not written on the blog in the past few days. We returned from the service at the Lakeside church in Westmoreland, TN a few hours ago. Pastor Graves and the local church welcomed us and invited us to participate with them in an awesome time of Praise and Worship. The Worship team did an excellent job leading us into the presence of God and allowing each of us the opportunity to respond to Him with spontaneous expressions of thanksgiving and adoration. I sensed that the Lord spoke a "direct Word" to many of those who were in attendance and many responded to the call of the Spirit. Great freedom was released in the altar service as the presence of God ministered to many people who were in need. This is not the time to disobey God but this is the time to draw near to all that God desires to release in our lives. I anticipate a great move of the Spirit in the next nights of Revival. We were privileged to have Kenny and Marcella Gillenwater (Ann's sister and her husband) accompany us to the service today. We enjoyed the time of fellowship and conversation on our trip to Westmoreland. Please make note of our new email address. You can use this to send your prayer requests or contact us for speaking engagements. Email address: mwwillingham@gmail.com

Praying for our Families

A few days ago I was given a Prayer Journal by Pastor Mike Smith. The past few days this journal has challenged me to pray for my family. I am aware that many of you would say, "I am praying for my family on a daily basis." But I began to sense a true urgency for those that are in my immediate family. During my prayer time I have a system in my mind which walks me through those immediate family members as well as those of our extended family (parents, siblings, and the children of our siblings). As I was reading some devotional passages this morning I was led to Matthew 18:19 which teaches about the power of agreement. I felt that I needed to enter into a prayer of agreement with Ann for the needs of our family. The Lord also reminded me that He desires to reveal Himself to this generation and that we are the herald to declare that message to the succeeding generations. Many of you have children and grandchildren that are in desperate need of a divine encounter with the Lord God Almighty. This is not the time to give up and surrender but this is the time to intercede for those who are in need and this is the day to believe that our wayward children and grandchildren are going to return to their spiritual heritage and once more realize that God is real and that He is ready to make a difference in their lives. Some of you may be discouraged today but lift your heart toward God and join in agreement with your spouse, your friends, and your Pastor believing that God's Spirit is at work in this world drawing people back into fellowship with Him. The service last night was full of the presence of God. Once again the altar was full of people seeking healing, encouragement, strength, direction and guidance for their lives. Men and women were pouring their hearts out to God unashamed that they recognized and responded to their hunger for God. O God, just continue to send Your Spirit among us to challenge and convict.

Heart of God

Last night's service reminded me of the great challenge that all of us face; that challenge concerns remaining connected with the heart of God. God's heart is turned toward people and the needs that they face. I understand the holiness, majesty and greatness of God but I also understand that God desires to reconcile people to Himself. He desires to draw us near to Himself through His Grace and Mercy. He desires to build a relationship which in turn will develop a deep fellowship with Him which will lead to a divine connection by which we desire to please Him on our journey on this earth. Pleasing God begins with building a relationship and understanding that God desires to build that relationship with us. You and I do not bear full responsibility of the development of that relationship; God through Jesus Christ has come near to us and we can respond to the love and forgiveness that He is offering to us. Oh, we can rejoice today over the fact that God desires to draw near to me and that He desires to work in my life. Take a moment and thank God that He desires to fellowship with you.

Greatness of God

It is such a wonderful honor to be of called of God to join Him in this great journey called life. I am visiting with two of the special mentors that God placed in our lives many years ago when we were serving as Pastors in Taylorsville, KY. Fred and Betty Fisher were placed in our lives to help guide, challenge, encourage and teach us about our need to draw close to God and to serve Him with passion and desire. We will always be grateful for the friendship and mentoring that the Fisher's have offered to us through the years; and this week I am given the privilege to be an encouragement to them in the District Revival. Take a moment and thank God for the people that God has placed in your life as well as those that He is placing in your life for the very purpose of your spiritual development. This morning I was reflecting on the greatness of God. During prayer I looked out the window at the large trees that are standing in the backyard of the Fisher's home. Each of them started as seeds which grew into young saplings which continued to grow and mature into trees that now stand to bring beauty and shade to the backyard of the Fisher's. My life has seen growth and maturity through the years yet I still desire to reflect the beauty of God and bring some "shade" to those who are in distress, discouragement, defeat, etc. Do you possess that desire today? Are you willing for God to "grow in you" until you can produce spiritual fruit that is a blessing to others? The trees in the yard have endured drought, storms, wind, and rain. They have endured those natural transitions because of their deep roots; their roots which are hidden from the natural eyes have allowed them to grow and prosper even in the midst of adversity. Pause for a moment and thank God that He taught you the valuable lesson of spiritual roots. Thank God that your life is rooted in the Word of God and the saving Grace of Jesus Christ. You have endured because your spiritual root system is deep and strong.

Weekend Review

The services Saturday and Sunday at Anderson were truly anointed of the Lord. Two people testified of receiving Christ as their Savior; we give God praise and glory for the Spirit of conviction that was present in the services. The Spirit encouraged us to keep pressing through the obstacles that we may face on this journey through life. All of us face our own unique set of circumstances but God is not intimidated by any of them. We can find great confidence in the promises of God and in the knowledge that God is truly interested in us as individuals. As I travel I am constantly reminding people that God is interested in them and the circumstances that they are facing. We can rejoice in the fact that God truly loves us and that He truly cares about the burdens that we carry. Even as I am writing I can sense the unction of the Spirit concerning this principle of God. As you read these words you may need to take a moment and bring your burdens to the Lord and allow Him to lift your heavy load. Some of you may be facing great obstacles and great concerns but through the faith that you possess you will be able to reach for the Hand of God that is being extended to you. Take a moment and allow Him to refresh your heart, soul, mind, and body. The song says, "He is as close as the mention of His name." I am blessed that God is interested in my life today. You may feel that your faith is weak; but rest assured that God will respond to the cry of your heart. He is waiting for you to ask for His help and guidance. He will not push you aside but He will draw near to you.

Friday's Service

Pastor Allan Rhodes and the Belmont congregation gave me a warm welcome as we begin the weekend services. The presence of the Lord was great as we gathered to worship the Lord and cry out for His presence. A drama group from the Church of God of Prophecy in Ninety-Six, SC provided a great time of ministry in drama and music. The Lord used them in a special way as they pointed us to the Lamb of God, the One who died for our sins on the cross at Calvary. All of us need to be reminded of the price that was paid for our salvation. I am always blessed and encouraged as I see young people who are willing to share their testimony through their gifts and abilities. God has young people who are refusing to bow their knee to the god of this world. Take a moment and thank God for young people that you know who are doing their best to offer their life to Jesus Christ as a living sacrifice. Once again the altar was full of people surrendering their lives to the power of Jesus Christ. Both young and old began to cry out for the strength of God; God responded in love and mercy and many received the presence of the Spirit into their heart and soul. I am in church many nights during the year but I am still amazed by the loving presence of God's Grace as He reaches out to a lost and hurting world. REJOICE today, God is truly interested in your life. Today is Valentine's Day. I want to tell my wife that I love her and that she is still my special Valentine. Ann, you are still the love of my life.

Danger, Part 2

We need to sense the importance of allowing the Spirit and the Word of God to guard our hearts. These two powerful forces are able to form a portion of the "spiritual guardrail" system that all of us need in place. No one of us is immune to the attacks of the enemy; how we respond to those attacks will determine victory or defeat. God has planned for your victory. The path of our heart (desires) determines where we go in life because it most affects our passions. If we don't guard our heart with God's Word and stay focused on the road that God has put us on; we may find ourselves involved in a spiritual accident when the enemy comes to draw us away from our walk with God. Satan is constantly on the attack, trying to tempt you to sin against God. We must not throw caution to the wind; we must recognize the warnings of the Spirit. When these warnings come we must make the correct decision and allow the Spirit to direct our path into one that brings victory. The Lord placed this passage of scripture in my path this morning; Isaiah 41:13, "For I, the Lord your God will hold your right hand. Saying to you, Fear not, I will help you" (NKJV). We can depend on the help from God when the enemy of our soul comes seeking to destroy and devour. God has greater plans for you; just continue to trust Him with all of your heart. The District Meeting in Greenville was awesome. Last night the altar was full of those seeking for a turnaround in the circumstances of their lives. This is not the time to draw away from God but this is the time to draw near. We must allow the Spirit to open the eyes of our hearts and identify that God is at work in the affairs of mankind. I am encouraged by the great and precious promises of God!

Danger

Years ago there was a television program called Lost in Space. On this program was a robot that would announce these words, "Danger, Will Robinson, Danger." In many ways I believe the Spirit is doing the same to us today through the written Word as well as the spoken Word of God. These are truly times of spiritual danger with much deceit and deception being released in our world through many forms of false worship and false teaching about God. We must be made aware of these elements so that we will know how to respond to this particular challenge. Listen to the warning of the Spirit through the Apostle Peter in I Peter 5:8; "Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour." (NLT). The first two words of this passage must sink down deep into our hearts; we must stay alert to the tactics of the enemy. We must be aware that he is seeking our demise and that he seeks to interfere in our successful walk with God. Many highways have guardrails that are placed on the shoulders of the roads. These guardrails are not meant to interfere with our ability to drive but they are placed there to save our lives. They are there to stop us from leaving the road and plunging into danger. The guardrail is a sign of security and safety, not an obstacle to the completion of our journey. These "guardrails" need to be in place in our spiritual lives as we travel the road of life. These are not meant to inhibit our spiritual freedom but to help us avoid danger and to keep our lives from getting out of control. Take a moment and thank God for those "guardrails" that He has placed in our lives. Thank God for spiritual leaders who take the time and make the effort to declare the Word of Truth so that it can direct our steps on this journey through life.

Humility

I was going to share another thought this morning but two separate devotional readings reminded me of the need to live in a spirit of humility if I am going to progress in the Kingdom of God. Matthew 18:4, "Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." (NKJV). It is easy to presume that we are humble yet our lives can become full of pride, arrogance, independence and self-sufficiency. I must constantly resist that temptation and ask God to help me maintain an attitude of child-like humility. We must remember that there is a great difference between childlessness and child-like humility. I remember that difference as we raised our two sons and watched them reach deeper levels of maturity. But I also enjoyed those times that their child-like humility sought to bring joy and pleasure to our lives. I remember them bouncing into the room with a broad smile on their face because they had accomplished a task that they felt would bring smiles to our faces. How long has it been since we brought a "smile" to God's face because of some random act of kindness? How long has it been since we brought a "smile" to God's face because we "bounced" into church with joy, praise, adoration, and thanksgiving flowing from our hearts? No one had to force us to praise as a matter of fact we were disappointed when the music and songs came to an end. I feel that God desires to remind us of the need to examine our state of humility and realize that God takes pleasure over us and He is blessed by our recognition of the fact that our strength and hope comes from Him. Take opportunity today to bring a smile to God's face. The first night of the District Meeting in Greenville went very well. The second invitation of the Spirit proved to be one in which the ministering power of the Holy Spirit was released in a special way. Many of us are facing strong winds of adversity at this present time but in the midst of them all God is at work in your life. Be encouraged in Christ today!

Preparing My Heart

It is a beautiful day in Greenville, SC. I can see the bright sun shining and I can hear the birds chirping outside my window. As Mr. Roberts of Sesame Street would say, "it is a beautiful day in the neighborhood." I truly desire for my life to fully reflect the glory and beauty of God. God has provided so many blessings in my life and in the lives of my family. I am truly thankful for all that God has provided. Take a moment today and thank God for His awesome kindness that has been extended to you and to your family. The Lord was dealing with my heart this morning during prayer time. During prayer time I began praying concerning the revival service tonight. I truly sense that God is placing a challenging Word in my soul. But as I began to pray and concentrate on what God was speaking; He reminded me of this principle. He was more concerned about what He wanted and needed to do in me than what He wanted to do through me. This became a very sobering thought to me; it is easier to become more excited about what God will do through us than what He will do in us. Others see and take notice of what God does through us but in reality the greatest need that we all have is the inner working of the Spirit in our hearts and in our lives. Also remember that what takes place in you will be released out of you so that you can be used of God to bless and encourage others. Do not be discouraged when you sense God at work in your heart; it is the most fulfilling part of the spiritual process of God.

Travel Day

I have spent the day on the road to Greenville, SC where I will begin a series of meetings on Tuesday night (see schedule). I am writing from the comfort of my brother's home; he has welcomed me to stay with him for the next few days. I am blessed by all of those who have provided lodging for us on this Missionary/Evangelism journey. God is so good! We are also very thankful for all of the prayer covering that we receive as we continue to pursue the call of God that is on our lives. These are the days that we must become even more intense in our prayers of intercession. God rewards those that diligently seek Him; do not lose sight of that promise. The Lord taught me something as I was driving today. I am one who surfs the radio dial trying to find something that interests me. I started early this morning listening to the news but it did not take long before it became repetitive and somewhat discouraging. It seems that everything now is laced with the spirit of negativity; and if we are not careful that "spirit of the world" will influence our lives in such a way that we begin to lose our faith. By this time I am beginning my search for Gospel radio stations with a little ESPN news mixed in occasionally along the journey. I found all types of music; Contemporary, Southern Gospel, Bluegrass, and even some Black Gospel. But something dawned on me as I drove down the road; all of these types of music were seeking to accomplish the same goal. They were striving to point me to Christ as the answer for the ills of life that we all face on a daily basis. Whether it was the four/four timing of Southern Gospel, the beautiful of words of the Contemporary worship songs, the mandolins and the banjos of the Bluegrass or the soul sounds of the Black Gospel; all of them had a purpose. They shared the story of a man called Jesus Christ who came to die on a cross for me that I could live a life in which He was the center of my desires. I begin to thank and praise God for reaching my heart one more time with His awesome presence. Take a moment, stop what you are doing and allow someone, some sound, or the printed Word to point you back to Christ as your answer today.

Psalm 46, Part 3

This passage in the Psalms continue to speak to my heart as I have purposed to seek the perspective of God in the matters of my life. Even as I am writing I am reminded that many times we seek the perspective of others and yet we fail to seek the perspective of God. I am not against asking for spiritual counsel from those who can assist us on our journey but I am against us failing to incorporate the direction of God in all that we are facing. As I stated yesterday all of us will face times of crisis and moments in which we feel hopeless, confused, overwhelmed, fearful, disappointed, etc. But in these moments we do not have to live in despair. We can call on Jesus and believe that all things are possible to them that believe. God has the ability to guide us toward peace and hope in the midst of our crisis. We must never loose focus that God has a plan for our lives and He desires to move us toward the completion of His plan. Crisis can appear to interrupt that plan but rest assured God is in charge of all of the matters of life that concerns you. He does not lose you nor forget about you in the times of crisis. We must realize that God's plan for us is an eternal one; His plan is not just a temporary day to day plan just to get us through life. His eternal plan includes a home in heaven--a place where all trouble will end forever. But before we arrive at that final destination we will have some moments in which we will be required to walk by faith and not by sight. It is during those moments that our faith will either fold up or hold up. We can be confident in the promises and presence of God; we must resist the temptation to only focus on what is taking place in our lives at the moment and loose sight of God's eternal plan for our lives. Be refreshed and encouraged today as you recognize the presence of God at work in your life today!

Psalm 46, Part 2

I would like to continue my thoughts that are taken from the first three verses of Psalm 46. I will remind you that God has already declared that He will be with us even during times of trouble. We must learn to recognize and respect His presence and have the humility and discernment to accept His help. I can remember our children going through the stage of life in which they felt they did not need any help with a particular challenge in their lives. They would say; I can pour my own milk, I can tie my own shoes, I can button my own shirt; I am sure you get the picture now. But I can also remember when at the point of trouble they realized that their parents were available to assist them. We must discern the fact that God is own our side and that He desires for us to succeed in the process of life. But God also knows that life will bring us moments of crisis and trouble in which we need to trust in someone that is greater than our own ability. Difficult moments come to good people; we face the death of a loved one, broken relationships with friends and family members, financial challenges, and even personal health issues that create great stress and anxiety in our lives to mention just a few examples. It is during those moments in which the Word of God offers strength and assistance. Allow the first few words of Psalm 46 to serve as a reminder to us of His presence in times of trouble; "God is our refuge and strength. Always ready to help in times of trouble..."

Psalm 46:1-3

In the past few months God keeps bringing me back to a principle which needs to be declared in our lives. It is the principle of the presence of God. I know that I have written about this in previous postings but I am convinced that this is the Word from God. We need to be reminded of the promises of God and of His plan to be with us regardless of the storms of life that we may be facing. This passage in Psalms was in my daily devotional guide and I felt that I needed to share the Word of God with you. Psalm 46:1-3, "God is our refuge and strength. Always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge." (NLT). In many ways this passage is addressing the times in which we are living. Our nation is in trouble; not only financially but more importantly morally. Is it not true that we have drifted away from God; even in the church we notice a tendency among some to grow cold or indifferent in their relationship with God. Things that once were secure and strong (investments, retirement, employment, etc) are now very weak and unstable. Companies that once boasted of strong portfolios and long term strategies are now struggling to meet the challenges of the present moments. Where are we to look during this time of "earthquakes"? We are to look to God who is in charge of our future as well as in charge of our present. I am relying on the fact that if I can trust God for my eternal future I can trust God for the present set of circumstances that I am facing. We do not need to ask God to be with us, He has already declared that He is with us. I need to accept His promise and walk in His strength. Be encouraged today; even if you are facing some of these "earthquakes" remember that God cares and that God is watching over you as you navigate through these troubled times in your life.

Updates

It has been a few days since I updated the blog. We are still dealing with some effects of the ice and snow storm that affected our area a few days ago. As a matter of fact there are still many families in our city and around the state that are without electricity. We are receiving some light snow as I am writing this update. At this moment the revival in Sturgis will have to be postponed due to the power outage; I am sincerely disappointed as I was looking forward to the fellowship with the people as well as experiencing an outpouring of the Spirit. But it appears that God has other plans in mind for them as well as for me. It is during these times that we learn to trust in the will and direction of God even when it goes contrary to what we have planned or what we desire. I desire to keep my faith and hope secure in my relationship with Jesus Christ and all that He has planned for my life. I spoke to a Focus Group Sunday morning and in that discussion several challenging thoughts were raised by the participants. We discussed the situation of living to please others more than we live to please God. There are times that we are more concerned about the opinion of others than we are the opinion of God. We realized that we must focus on pleasing God; that doesn't mean that we completely ignore the feelings and thoughts of others but it does remind us that we are called to please God in all that we do and say. We also discussed the need to have a strong determination to pursue the gifts and calling that God has placed on our lives. God has a plan for all of us and we need to be willing to search for that plan and allow God to work in our lives so that we can fulfill that plan. That statement certainly defines our journey; we just desire to be faithful to His call that has been placed in our hearts.