Looking to God

I find myself facing the same challenge that many of you experience; "Where am I looking for direction and guidance?" All of us feel the pull of this culture who teaches us to trust in ourselves, trust in our skills, trust in our abilities, and trust in our knowledge. Yet, God is calling us to trust in Him and look to Him. David said that he would look to God for his help. David understood that God was his strength and help in time of trouble. During prayer this morning the Spirit kept reminding me to keep my concentration on God and the provisions that He has prepared for my life. Do I consistently look to Him or do I just cast a casual glance His way when I am facing a time of crisis or a time of decision or a time of need? I must not allow my life to become one that does not fully focus on His Providence, focus on His Presence, and focus on His Provision. He is still Jehovah-Jireh, our Provider. Will you commit to looking to Him everyday with every need that you face? Allow the Spirit to deposit this desire in your heart today; do not allow this enemy to replace your desire for God with anything else. We are in great need for our desires to be set on God and the provisions that He has prepared for us. The presence of God was with us in each of the services in Franklinton. The New Beginnings Church under the leadership of Pastor Richard Sauls is positioning themselves for a greater awakening of the Spirit. I was blessed by the spirit of hunger and thirst for more of God that was released in each of the services. People of all ages were responding in tears and praises to God looking to Him for more His Spirit to be released in their lives. Each of them and each of us need to remember this one great principle. One of the keys that opens the door of blessings is found in surrender and obedience. We must find those "keys" and not misplace them again. Jesus was an example of full obedience and surrender and we need to follow the example of our Leader and Chief Shepherd. Oh God, help me and help these readers to understand that you are looking for obedient people and for those who will surrender their lives to You. Amen!

Uncertainty

Each and every day I am reminded about the awesome presence of God. He reveals Himself to me in so many ways that these ways cause me to offer thanksgiving to God for His presence in my life. But there are times in life in which we face the uncertainty of the future and we look to God for the peace and rest that only He can provide. As I was praying this morning I realized that the only way that I can face the uncertainty of the future is to reflect on the certainty of God. God is God no matter what is taking place around me and I must focus on the certainty of His promises that are declared in His Word. I sense that many of us are living in those times of uncertainty. Certainly our nation is going through uncertain times as we face the struggles with our economy, the threat of terrorism, the challenges with the presence of evil and now the concern with the outbreak of swine flu. But my concern goes deeper than just the concerns facing the nation; I am talking about the uncertainty that many of us are facing as individuals. Where will we look? Whom will we trust? Where will we place our confidence? In these uncertain times I am choosing to look to the certainty of God and realize that He has invited me to lean on Him and bring my cares to Him. He has invited me to "cast my care upon Him because He cares for me." Knowing that God truly cares offer me hope to trust Him with my needs. You need to remember that His care will not change regardless of the uncertainties that you are facing. You are not alone regardless of what you are facing today; God walks with you and God's love is extended toward you. Trust Him with your uncertainties and watch Him reveal Himself to you.

Abandonment to God

For the past several weeks the Lord has been challenging my thought process concerning surrender/obedience to the leading of His Spirit. I know that those are very common "Christian" terms that we use in our conversation with God as well as each other. But have I reached the place that I am prepared to fully surrender to the Lord and walk in the Spirit of obedience regardless of the requests and directions of the Lord? These words are easier to speak then they are to put into action. I sense and believe that God is calling me and those of you who are reading this post today to obedience and surrender. But this call can not be fully answered with only words; it will require action and response to God to fully bring the favor of God in our relationship with Him. My devotional reading today brought a quote of Oswald Chambers into my life. Chambers says, "Are you prepared to let God take you into union with Himself, and pay no more attention to what you call the great things? Are you prepared to abandon entirely and let go?" Chambers also goes on to challenge our approach of asking God too many questions rather than choosing to trust God. As I read these words I was convicted of my failure to fully abandon myself to the great cause of Christ. I have prayed these words; I have spoken these words to other believers in the discourse of sermons; and I have even encouraged other believers to be willing to take the next step in their relationship with God. Yet, I felt the tug of the Spirit on my heart and I began to realize that my abandonment was not as strong as God desired. I must move away from the weakness of the flesh and trust in God with all of my being. Do I know where God is leading me? The answer is no, but I may not know the destination but I do know the direction. The Spirit is directing me to draw closer to God in a more intimate relationship with Him. And out of this developing intimacy will come the revelation of the destination if I will continue my heartfelt pursuit of God. Open your hearts today and begin afresh and anew the journey of abandonment to the direction of the Spirit. The intensity of the Spirit continues to grow stronger in the revival services at New Beginnings church. I am praying that each of us who are involved in the services will continue to respond to the leading of the Spirit. God is ready to meet the needs of His people if we will follow Him and love Him with all of our heart. I appreciate all of those who are praying for the success of the revival; rest assured your prayers are making a difference!

Weekend Review

This week finds me in Franklinton, NC with Pastor Richard and Melisha Sauls. The Sunday services were very anointed and encouraging as the people opened their hearts to the presence of the Spirit of God. In each of the Sunday services the altar was full of people who were crying out to God to provide the ministry that they needed. It is always such an overwhelming experience to see men and women open their hearts to God and with tears streaming down their faces begin to seek for a Divine encounter with the Lord God Almighty. We were blessed with testimonies of victory and deliverance as the move of the Spirit was evident in the services. These type of meetings remind me of the need to stay in pursuit of all that God has planned for our lives. We are living in a time of great turmoil and crisis; yet in this midst of these times God is a present help in our time of trouble. We must remember to stay focused on the greatness of God and His desire to walk with us through the challenges of life. As I was praying this morning the Lord reminded me of the need for my life to be "Spirit driven." The culture and attitudes of this world are seeking to influence our decision making process. The pull of the flesh and carnal desires are seeking to influence our decision making process. An automobile can only have one driver (although many of us listen to the voices of the "back seat driver") for the journey to be a safe one. We need to make sure that the Spirit is the One that is moving us through the journey of life. We must be careful and not allow the voice of the "back seat driver" direct our soul and heart. Christ, and Christ alone must be allowed to lead and direct our journey. He knows the road that we are traveling and He understands the perils that we will face. I am learning that I must surrender my life into His hands so that He can fully direct my steps and order my path. But that surrender must be more than words; I must willingly place my life in His hands and allow Him to direct my journey. This spiritual decision requires my active participation with God and His plan for my life. Be ready to join God on the journey of your life as you watch Him plan your future and direct your path.

Responding to God, Part 3

I sense that I need to continue writing concerning our response to God. I know that much of what I feel is directed toward my personal walk with God as well as my response to His direction. I don't believe that I am walking in disobedience or opposition to the direction of God; but I do feel that the times in which we are living are demanding that I (we) take the right actions towards the unction of the Spirit. This morning I also sense that the Spirit is reminding me that God is not looking for some "learned" or "programmed" response that I have developed over the years. It is easy to fall into the practice (habit) of responding to God out of routine or ritual. Did Christ die for a group of Christian robots who respond to Him out of routine? I believe that He died for people who would desire to respond to God with a heart that is full of love, passion and desire for a more intimate relationship with Him. I feel that God is sending a "wake-up" call to the Christians in America. We are seeing the impact of Christianity eroding every day in our nation as we hear the news reports of the day's activities. We see the effect of the enemy's tactics in our homes, families, churches and communities. How will we respond to these activities of the enemy? How will we respond to the spiritual alarm that God is sounding through the voice of the Ministry of the Body of Christ? We must lay aside all of the weight and sin that hinders us and we must run the race of life with strong endurance and determination to please Christ who has redeemed us. I for one am ready to turn my attention to Christ with renewed fervor and desire. This desire will lead me not just to hear what He is saying but this desire will lead me to put into practice those principles that God is speaking. Will I (we) have the courage to follow Him or will I (we) find myself just going through the motions/learned practices of the Christian way? As for me, I have chosen to make the decision that I will do my best to respond to the Voice of God in obedience and surrender. As we end this week, take a moment and ask God to give you the strength to do what is correct regarding your walk and journey with Him.

Responding to God, Part 2

Our responsibility to respond to God is a great concern to me as I think about the need for America to be awakened from the state of "spiritual sleep." I do not write this in a spirit of criticism or judgmentalism but from a heart that is heavy with a burden/call from God to see the Spirit move in the hearts of people all across this nation. I truly believe that we are living in the season of revival/awakening if we will be willing to make the correct response to God. It is the enemy's strategy to lead us away from God while at the same time the Spirit is calling us closer to God. We must be aware of the tactics of the enemy and respond to those actions by a strong release of faith. I know that all of us go through times of weakness and spiritual fatigue; it is at those moments that we need the prayers and encouragement of the family of God. If we allow the enemy to run rampant in this world without responding to his challenge then we have failed in our responsibility to those who are looking to us for spiritual direction. I do not want to fall "asleep at the wheel" of my life. I do not want to allow the enemy to lead me down the path that will lead to eternal separation from God at the end of my life. I do not want to allow the enemy to cause me to fall short of the eternal purpose that God has planned for my life. You can rest assured that the enemy does not want you or me fulfilling the eternal plan that God has for our lives. He wants to circumvent, interfere, discourage, and even destroy our walk with God. But I have come to raise my voice in opposition to the strategy of the enemy. The Spirit is at work dispensing the tools that we need to reject and rebuke the strategies of the enemy. God is looking for those in this world who will follow the call of the Spirit and respond in obedience and humility. God will not conscript us into this response; our walk with God is one that comes from a heart that willingly surrenders to His will and way for our lives. God is aware of where He desires to lead us if only we would receive His leadership/direction into our hearts. This morning, I still hunger for His leadership in my life. I desire to follow Him and not allow the enemy to hinder my response to God. I hear the Spirit calling and I desire to lift my heart to Him in complete obedience. Join with me and cry out, "Lord, have Your way in my life. Show me the way that You desire for me to live." God will respond to that prayer if we speak it with a sincere desire to walk with Him in obedience.

Responding to God

I am truly thankful for the presence of the Lord that was evident in the service last evening. I rejoice in the knowledge that God desires to draw near to His people and He desires to release His ministering Spirit in our midst. It is always an honor to be able to stand in the presence of people and declare the Word of the Lord. I do not take that privilege for granted no matter how many times that I am afforded the opportunity to share the Gospel, the Good news that Christ is Lord of all the situations of our lives. The "old story" never grows old and it is still relevant to any generation and all that they are facing. I left service last night with some concerns and conflicting thoughts. Why do some people find the strength to respond to God while others sit in the same service and find "reasons" to disregard the call from God? (Note: I notice this struggle in each of the places that I minister.) Have we grown comfortable in justifying our lack of response to God? If this is true, what information are we using to justify our action? How does God react to the "cold shoulder" that we offer to the Spirit as He begins to speak to our lives? Even this morning I still sense the feelings of concern; I know that we are living in challenging times and that we are in need of divine intervention in all of our lives. What will it take for our eyes to be opened, our ears opened and our hearts softened so that we can make the appropriate response to God? I long for the day that we as the people of God will choose to make the correct response to God. Can you imagine the strength and power of God that would be made manifest if ALL of us chose to obey God in any given service? Some may say that I am asking for the impossible and they may be correct; but I refuse to accept anything less that total surrender and obedience to God. Let us remember that a great price was paid for our salvation. Salvation is more than just the initial forgiveness of our sins; salvation includes the strength, courage, faith, and desire that we need to finish our journey with God. Let each of us commit to responding to God in the correct manner when we feel His presence touching our lives. This commitment will include both our public worship time as well as our private time of personal devotion. We will be amazed at the response of God when we fully surrender our lives to Him

Transformation

Over the past several months God has touched my heart concerning transformation. Is that not the true purpose of Christ? The death of Christ opened the door of change; even the Biblical term "reconciliation" denotes the idea of exchange. We exchange our sins for His righteousness and we exchange spiritual death for life. I am both blessed and excited as I view the opportunity of transformation. I marvel at all of the change that has taken place in my life and I can anticipate the future change that will take place if I will continue my pursuit of the Kingdom of God. During prayer the Lord reminded me that I do not need to become confused and settle for less than true transformation. Is it possible that the modern day church has settled for outward manifestation rather than inward transformation? Possibly many of the readers of this blog have been in revival services with me and you know that I am not against the outward manifestations of the Spirit. But you will also have to agree that I also encourage people to press into the presence of God which provides the transformation that we truly need in our lives. We must see the need of allowing the Spirit to work in our lives in such a manner that He will develop us into the lifestyle of becoming lifetime learners. I believe that true disciples are those who are continually learning more of the truth that the teacher is sharing. We know that Christ is our true Teacher and that we need the truth that He is revealing to our lives. The truth of God will shape, mold, change and rearrange our lives until we reach the place of maturity in Christ. Do not grow indifferent toward discipleship which will continue producing the transformation that God has intended. The promise of the Spirit through Paul as He wrote the letter to the Philippians resonates in my heart this morning; "Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ." (NKJV) Rejoice in the fact that God will complete what He has started in us if we will only submit and surrender to the process of transformation. The service at Roberts Tabernacle was awesome last night. The altar was full of worshippers and seekers. Worship offers us the opportunity to seek for the strength of God as we face the trials of life. During the altar meeting people were receiving Christ as their Savior, believers were being baptized in the Spirit, spiritual enemies and obstacles were being overcome and believers were being encouraged. Always remember that God is able to meet whatever need that you may be facing in your life. He is truly Lord of All!

Weekend Services

The weekend began with Ann being one of the teachers in the Roberts Tabernacle Ladies Conference. The presence of the Spirit was very evident in the times of worship as well as the times of sharing the Word of God according to the words of the ladies who attended the meeting. The theme of the Conference was "These Chains Are Gone." All of us can agree that we need to experience the freedom of the Spirit in our lives. The enemy comes to hinder, discourage and in some cases to destroy our faith which in turns leads us away from our relationship with Jesus Christ. These are the days in which we need to be secure in our walk with Christ and not wavering from the onslaught of the attacks of the enemy. I was privileged to "eavesdrop" on Ann's class and I was blessed as I listened to hear her challenge the ladies concerning their relationship with Christ. Do not allow the enemy to hinder your freedom; "He that the Son has set free is free indeed." Pastor Tim and Sheena McCaleb offered a warm welcome as we began the Revival meeting in the morning worship service. The Praise Team was used of the Lord as they led us into the presence of God. Please take note the statement that I made; "they led us into the presence of God." No one can worship for you, God desires to receive your personal worship. The Worship team is only used of God to point you to Him so that you can take the opportunity to present Him the offering and sacrifice of praise and adoration. Is it possible that we have grown lazy in the extent that we want others to to do the worshipping and we just want to enjoy the music and singing? Do not grow content, lazy, or apathetic in your offering of worship. Each of us need to lift our heart to God as well as our voice to Him in sincere thanksgiving and appreciation. The Lord provided great freedom as the Word of God was shared with the people. During the evening service the Lord reminded me during worship that we needed more than another sermon preached to the people. We were in need of the "revelation and declaration of truth" in the midst of the congregation. We may have grown comfortable with "good preaching and singing"; and this attitude of comfort may have created a laxness among us for the need to have truth declared to us. The application of truth to our lives will bring the transformation that we so desperately need. I am convinced that God's purpose for the preaching of the Word of God is to lead us into a deeper relationship which will transform (change) us into the person that God has purposed for us to become. Am I willing to allow that process to take place? Do I truly desire for that process to take place or have I allowed the enemy to lead me down the road of spiritual contentment? In each of the altar services we were able to see people come forward who truly felt that God wanted to reveal the process of transformation in their lives. We do not have to be embarrassed that God is at work in us; rather we can rejoice that God has a plan and purpose for all of us.

Seeking His Kingdom

Matthew 6:31:, "Seek the kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need." (NLT). This challenge is found in what we refer to as the "Sermon on the Mount." The message that is declared in this passage of scripture offers life changing principles that will produce the right type of relationship with God. After all, should that not be the true desire of our heart? Should we not desire the right type of relationship with God? The destiny of our soul depends on our desire to follow God in the manner that pleases Him; I do desire to hear Him say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant." Knowing that you will one day live with God in His eternal kingdom helps us set our priorities on eternal needs rather than on worldly desires. Many of us are facing situations in which we need divine guidance and provision. I sincerely believe that this guidance and provision begins and ends with seeking for the Kingdom of God to be a reality in in our lives. God truly desires to rule and reign in our lives and we can only reach that place of surrender through sincere prayer. I believe that the provision of our "needs" begin and end in the challenge to first seek the Kingdom of God. Is it possible that we skip over this principle and move into our needs being met? Is it possible that we have overlooked the priority that Christ established for the seeking of the Kingdom of God to be a reality in our lives? After all, Christ uses the words "first, or above all else." Those words make it plain that our seeking of the Kingdom of God is very important in the overall plan of God for our lives. Notice the progression of the scripture; 1) Seek the Kingdom of God, 2) The Kingdom of God will reveal to us how we ought to live, and 3) God will provide for the needs of our lives to be met. God has divine order and I believe that this passage reveals a portion of His divine order for our lives. God desires to provide what we need but He also desires for us to live in a manner that will bring glory and honor to His name. Seeking His Kingdom will reveal the way that we should live in the midst of this sinful and wicked world. Let us commit to seeking His Kingdom above everything else and let us allow His principles to direct our lives and order our steps.

Heart of God

I returned home last evening after the service concluded. Once again the presence of the Lord met with us and we were able to receive strength, encouragement, direction and inspiration from the unction of the Holy Spirit. I am convinced that God is prepared to respond to the release of our faith if only we will be strong and courageous. We need to remember that the enemy will do all in His power to hinder our response to God. The enemy becomes concerned when people begin to make their way toward God and surrender their hearts to the process of discipleship. I desire to continue the process of spiritual maturing as I learn more about the heart of God which will reveal the plan that God has for my life. Last evening as I was driving home I kept sensing the Spirit teaching me about the need to become acquainted with the heart of God. The heart of God reveals His love, mercy, and compassion for humanity. The heart of God reveals the care that He desires to have for His creation. The heart of God reveals His desire to reconcile fallen man back into relationship with Him. The heart of God reveals that He has a definite plan for my life and that same heart will bring that plan to pass if I will be willing to submit to His leadership. Is it possible that we can see His hand at work in our lives yet fail to become acquainted with His heart? Don't just settle for His blessings; learn to know Him in an intimate relationship. He is our redeemer and He has much to reveal if we will take the time to know Him.

Praying for our Nation

I will take a moment of your time and share the burden that the Lord placed on my heart this morning. I sincerely feel that God is calling many of us to intercessory prayer. We are sensing the need for intense prayer to be offered for the needs that God brings to our attention. Often during the course of my prayer time God will place a special emphasis on my heart and I will follow the leading of His Spirit and begin to intercede for that particular need. Many of you have experienced that same unction of the Spirit. I take this opportunity to encourage you to make yourself available to God and allow Him to direct your prayer time. This morning I felt a great burden for our nation. We are in great need for a spiritual awakening to touch our lives at this critical moment in our history. I began to ask God to forgive us of our idolatry. We have replaced the true and living God with many false gods who do not have the ability to save us. We have looked to ourselves and not to God. I asked God to forgive us for allowing the spirit of wickedness and evil to have such an influence in our society. I asked Him to forgive us for moving away from the moral compass of right and wrong. We are in desperate need for the spiritual leaders of our nation to arise with unction and anointing and lead us back to the cross and back to a relationship with Jesus Christ. How far have we drifted from God? How far have you and me drifted from God? What "gods" have we allowed to dominate our lives and have we allowed these "gods" to direct our decisions? We must resist the spirit of this culture and find our strength as we draw close to God. Who will join me in this spiritual battle? Several years ago I saw a poster in the Youth Ministry area of our local church; the poster declared "Making war on the Floor", which referred to the power of intercessory prayer. Will you join me in declaring "War on the Floor" as we pray for revival in America? It is not too late to cry out for God and His grace to be released in our lives! The services at Portland have been wonderful each evening. Every night God has released a fresh move of His presence and people have responded to the call from God. Many battles are being won and many lives are being changed. This is the day to commit to serving God with all of your heart, soul, strength and might. God is ready to lead if we will follow.

Seeking God

Psalm 34:4, "I sought the Lord, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears." One of the many blessings of serving in this field of ministry is to see people in the altar night after night seeking God. Some of these people are seeking God for spiritual needs while others are seeking God for strength to deal with certain issues/circumstances that may be taking place in their lives. Some of them may be praying for friends or family members that are estranged from God but all of them have something in common. The Lord is hearing the cry of their heart; He is aware of their individual situation and He is ready and willing to respond to them. You may need encouragement in that area of your life today; remember that the Lord does hear your prayer and that He stands ready to respond. His heart is alert to your need and He cares about the needs that you possess. Trust in His promise and trust in His power to fulfill those promises. Over the past few services God has reminded me that He responds to us as individuals and not just collectively as a body of believers. He will reach out to the individual need that I have and He will minister to me in such a way that I can be comfortable in my response to God. I always encourage people to understand that God will reach out to you at the point of your need and He will provide the ministry touch that you need. I see people cry, I see people shout, I see people smile, and I see people embrace those around them when they sense the presence of God come into their lives. It does not matter how you respond, just be willing to respond to His love and care. God hears, God cares, and God is interested in your life.

Weekend Review

Pastor Edward Ferrell and the Portland, TN church offered me a warm welcome into the fellowship of their local church. I was given the privilege to worship with them on Easter Sunday. I was also given the privilege to share the message as we celebrated Resurrection Sunday. I trust that each of you took the time to remember the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Because He lives we can face tomorrow and we can understand that Christ has triumphed over the powers of then enemy. I am glad that it does not take a date on my calendar to remind me of the resurrection power of Jesus Christ; I sense Him at work in my daily life and I realize that I want to know Him more and more as I see His return approaching. I trust that you enjoyed your time of worship on Sunday; we were blessed with two wonderful services with the altar being filled each service with people seeking for presence of God to manifest Himself in their daily lives. I am glad that God does desire to draw near to us during the challenging times of our lives. I want to encourage you today to continue seeking the direction of God for your life. Each of us need the Lord's plan to be revealed to us and we need the strength to follow that plan. God is looking for people who will trust in Him. I am asking the Lord each day to help me trust Him more and more. The promise of the Lord can be found in Psalm 84:12, "O Lord of hosts, Blessed is the man who trusts in You!" (NKJV) I am being reminded that I do not walk by sight but I walk by faith. Faith encourages me to look beyond the clouds, beyond the storms, and beyond the battles. Faith encourages me to look for the presence of God and the revelation of His strength in my life. Faith causes me to offer worship and praise to God even when I am facing a struggle in my life. Faith cause me seek the face of God even when the enemy is telling me that my prayers will not be answered. Faith fills me with hope that the answer I need is found in my relationship with Jesus Christ. On this post-resurrection morning, remember that the tomb is still empty and that Christ reigns on Monday morning as well as Resurrection Sunday.

Reflections on the Cross

We refer to today as "Good Friday." This is the day that we reflect on the death of Christ on the cross; we are encouraged to remember the great and precious price that was paid for our sins. The day of crucifixion was a great day for humanity but a difficult one for our Savior. Throughout this week the Spirit has kept reminding me that the story of the cross must be more than a "story." I must move beyond the facts and reflect on the significance of the event that took place. The death of Christ on the cross was not one of beauty; He died a terrible death that I would have the opportunity to become a part of the family of God. The opportunity of forgiveness of my sins and your sins required that our Savior literally offer His life as a living sacrifice in my place. He did not deserve to be on the cross yet He willingly took my place. Hebrews 12:2 teaches us an interesting aspect of that day on the cross; "Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has set down at the right hand of the throne of God." (NKJV) We must always remember that Jesus was the author (originator) of our faith. The source of our faith is Jesus Christ and His death on the cross. Not only is He the source of our faith but He will be the One that will complete or finish what He has started in us. We began this journey by faith and we will finish by faith. The old song declares "we have come this far by faith..." The scripture also teaches that Jesus endured the cross. Jesus did not die an easy death. Crucifixion was a horrible form of death for those who had broken the laws of Rome yet Christ "endured" that the terms of our ransom could be met. I am still amazed that He would die in my place and allow me to exchange my sins for His righteousness. Let us look beyond the cultural approach to Easter (clothes, egg hunts, and family meals) and remember the spiritual impact that the death of Christ has made on humanity. He died that we might live through the power of His Spirit that lives in us. Let us also understand that He ascended back into Heaven and He reigns in power and majesty. He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. The Apostle Paul in the letter to the church at Philippi gave us a look at the risen Christ. Philippians 2:9-11,"Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." It is no wonder that the song writer declared "Oh what a Savior." As we move toward Resurrection Sunday let us remember our Savior and all that He faced and endured so that we could walk in the freedom of deliverance from sin. We can not afford to forget all that Christ suffered that we could live in the power of relationship with God. In the midst of your busy day find some quiet time and offer God a prayer of thanksgiving for making Himself available to you and to fallen mankind. "OH WHAT A SAVIOR!"

God's Love is Amazing

Last night's service was unique in which there was a wonderful manifestation of the love of God. I often speak of the love of God as I minister the Word of God in various locations across the nation but last evening's service found many of us drawing near to God and allowing His love to minister to our needs. There were several people whose faces were wet with the warm tears of a child and these tears were drawing a response from our wonderful and loving Heavenly Father. I saw people of various ages engaging God in heartfelt conversation as they shared their hurts, their concerns, their struggles, and even their need to make the correct decisions concerning their future. But in the midst of the tears and in the midst of the conversation; the presence of the gentle Father was revealed as the Spirit released the healing oil of hope that began to flow over our lives and into the deep recesses of our spirit. Oh what a joy to be able to understand that we are loved and that God truly desires for us to cast our cares upon Him. I pray that each of us will learn to walk in the understanding that God does love us and that He is truly interested in us individually. As I was driving home last night God taught me that His love is the message that is being spoken from the cross. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son..." (John 3:16); this is one of the great revelation passages of the Bible. This declaration allows us to catch a glimpse of the heart of the Heavenly Father; He has a plan and a desire to reveal His love to this world. God has made preparation for us to receive His love and the cross makes that preparation available to humanity. As we move toward Good Friday we need to not only reflect on the price that Jesus paid for the redemption of mankind but we need to identify the motivation that caused our Savior to pay the price. Behind the agony of the cross stands the great Love of God and His desire to bring that love near to our lives. Do we fully appreciate the love of God or is that just some "religious jargon" that we speak in the course of our worship time with God? Don't you think it is time that we recognize and identify the blessing that "God truly loves us" and that He is interested in sharing that love with us? Let this be a day of reflection concerning the awesome presence of His love. I can say with great fervor and passion that God opened my eyes and heart to a fresh dimension of His love and care in the service last night. I was able to identify a depth of His love that I have not identified on previous encounters with God. I offer God sincere appreciation for the love that He has shared with me and I seek to walk in the love of my Heavenly Father.

Amazing Love

As I am writing this morning I am listening to the song; "Amazing Love, How could it be that a King would die for me?" My heart was challenged by the words "a King would die for me." As I take this week and look back to Calvary I need to remember that the King of Kings offered His life in my place on the cross. He died for my sins and for the sins of every human being that would be born into this world. We need to reflect on the significance of His death; the death of Christ provided the door of transformation for me. Read with me the declaration of Paul to the Colossians as He wanted them to reflect on the transformation and transition of their lives; "He (Jesus) has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed (transferred) us into the Kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins." (NKJV) Let us reflect on the power of this revelation of the death of Christ. The death of Christ on the cross "delivered us from the power of darkness." We were unable to free ourselves from evil practices, evil desires, evil attitudes, etc; but Christ came with authority and power and our deliverance was secured through His death. Let us never forget that Christ does not intend for us to live under the influence of darkness; He has brought to us the light of the Gospel and that light will direct our path into a deeper relationship with Christ. The next time you sing or read about the cross just remember that darkness has no authority on you as you walk in the deliverance of Christ. Not only has Christ delivered us from the power of darkness He has "transferred us into the Kingdom of the Son." You have changed kingdoms and you now live under the influence of a new King. You are now being led by the Spirit of truth who desires to bring you into deeper knowledge, deeper understanding, and deeper relationship with the King. My heart is bursting forth with praise and thanksgiving as I realize all that has been offered and provided to me through the death of Christ on the cross. Do not let the world's approach to this "holiday" take away the spiritual strength and significance of this special revelation to the family of God. The suffering of Jesus was not in vain; today we lift our voices and our hearts and we declare that we are grateful for all that He has provided for our journey with Him. We offer sincere and heartfelt gratitude for His willingness to die in our place and lay His life down for humanity. Would you take a moment and offer Him praise and adoration for the sacrifice that He made for this world which still is struggling under the powers of darkness? But I can report today that He still rules over the power of darkness and that there is hope for this generation in Christ Jesus our King and Lord!

Reflections on the Cross

As we continue to move toward Good Friday we need to reflect on the challenges that Jesus faced during His last week on this earth. He would endure the sham of false witnesses being presented at the various "trials' that He faced. He would endure the mockery that was shouted at Him as He listened to the untruths that were being presented. He would endure the physical torture and beatings that would be inflicted upon Him; remember all of this was before He ever reached the agony of the cross. Oh, what price was paid for the redemption of mankind! Our human minds can never fully conceive the price that was paid for our sins; but aren't you glad that He was willing to die in your place and pay the debt for your ransom from the powers of darkness? Jesus' death on the cross opened the door for my redemption and for my relationship with God. We should lift our voices in praise and thanksgiving as we reflect on the cross. I was awakened this morning with this scripture passage being repeated in my heart. The Apostle Paul shared these encouraging and challenging words with Timothy in his first letter to him. "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called..." (1 Timothy 6:12a) NKJV. This scripture allows me to understand that I must be prepared to do whatever is necessary to insure that I am going to follow after God in this journey through life. This passage allows me to understand that I will face some battles and struggles in which the enemy will seek to overthrow my faith and interfere in my walk with Christ. It means that I must allow purpose and desire to be released as I "lay hold" on eternal life. Eternal life will have to be grasped through faith and the enemy will do all in his power to interfere with the release of my faith. But Holy Week teaches that Jesus did not allow the difficulties of that week to stop Him from His intended purpose. He knew that His destiny would take Him to the cross on Calvary yet He remained true to His journey on this earth. We too must remember that God has a destiny for all of us and we must be determined through the grace of God to walk the course of our destiny. We must be willing to "fight" through all obstacles and barriers that seek to hinder us and we must be willing to "lay hold" on the strength that God has provided us through the death of Christ on the cross. Take note, the Lord has provided for your victory and not your defeat. He suffered in death that we might live in power and might. Take courage today; press on; look up and see the presence of God leading the way; and trust in the promises of God.

Weekend Review

Pastor Terry Gann, his lovely family and the Hamilton Church welcomed me into their fellowship on Sunday. The presence of the Lord was very near as we began to lift our hearts in worship on the day we celebrate as Palm Sunday. Several people responded to the altar invitation as the unction of the Spirit began to minister to the needs of those who followed the call of the Spirit. I am still convinced that God is ready to respond to the cry of His children if only we would release our faith and surrender our needs to Him. For some reason the enemy still convinces many people to carry their own burdens and needs rather than surrender them to our Loving Father. I will continue to encourage people to respond to the invitation from God; He has prepared to meet our needs if we will be willing to obey and trust in Him. I made reference to an old hymn yesterday and one of the lines of that hymn resounds with this promise; "Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, just to take Him at His Word. I'm so glad that I learned to trust in Jesus..." I am glad that I learned to trust in Jesus and I am thankful to report that I am still learning to trust in Jesus. As I was praying this morning I could sense the Lord speaking to my heart about this week we refer to as "Holy Week." This week serves as a reminder of the events that led to the death of Christ on the cross for our sins and the redemption of our lives. As Christians surely these thoughts are near to us every day but God uses special moments to strengthen the process of our memory and the process of our reflection. I believe that God desires for all of us to use this week for moments of personal reflection and introspection. It is easy to look at the lives of others and identify their problems, needs, sins and other actions that we find disagreeable. But how often do we take those same measurements and evaluate ourselves? How often are we willing to get alone with God and allow His Spirit to search our hearts and reveal those things that need to be changed or corrected? I felt His Spirit in such a manner this morning and I understand that much of what I sensed was for my personal walk with God but I also sensed the unction from God to share the principle of the encounter with you through this blog. Some will choose to ignore this challenge because the enemy will seek to convince you that it is not you that has any needs in your life. Others may choose to make a half-hearted attempt at this type of encounter with God. Great freedom and encouragement awaits those of us who choose to come openly and honestly before God and allow Him to examine our lives. Already this morning I have sensed the presence of the Lord in prayer as well as in the writing of this blog. God is at work, surrender your life to Him and watch Him do a great work in your life.

Desire for more of God

Philippians 2:13, "God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him." (NLT). Those of you who have heard me minister in a local church realize that today's thought is one that I declare often as I am sharing the Word of God. I truly believe that God is calling all of us to follow Him with strong passion and desire. All of us have the ability to release our passion/desire toward a goal, purpose or plan. We respond with passion to our family, our employment, our education, our political persuasion, our sports teams, and even our hobbies just to name a few. As I read this passage today I realized that the Word reminds us that "God is working in us." We do not have to do God's work for Him; He will work in me if I surrender my life to Him. Many of you are sensing God calling you closer to Him but you are afraid to make that full commitment. You are afraid because of the fear of failure; but remember it is not you at work in your life, it is God who is at work completing His plan and purpose. Second of all, it is God "giving you the desire and power to do what pleases Him." He is the source of our desire and power. He will provide the strength and courage that we need to follow Him with an obedient heart. I do not want us to feel irresponsible toward God but I want us to understand that God is taking the responsibility to finish what He has started in us if we will be willing to submit to the process of His Spirit. He is the One that is supplying the desire and power; I need to submit to Him and continue to open my heart and receive all that He is ready to deposit in my life. He will finish the project (my life and my relationship with Him) if I will recognize that He is the true source of all that I need. Take a moment today and sense the desire and power that God is releasing in your walk with Him. And when you sense that desire and power being released, respond in complete obedience and surrender in a spirit of praise and thanksgiving. Remember that God is at work in YOU!

Walking Through a Time of Darkness

Psalm 23:4, "Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for You are close beside me. Your rod and Your staff protect and comfort me" (NLT). I felt that I needed to encourage someone today. All of us face circumstances in which we feel the presence of darkness crowding around us. We wonder if we will ever reach the end of the darkness or will it become a permanent fixture of our lives? We often feel alone, isolated, and sometimes forgotten when we face those moments of trial and sorrow. But rest assured that you are not alone; the Lord is close to you even when you are in the dark valley. God fully understands what you are feeling and thinking; He knows us, yet He desires to draw near and provide the protection and comfort that we need. I don't know if we are able to fully comprehend the greatness of God's care and concern. Oh, I know that we talk about His love and concern in a somewhat abstract manner; but do we fully recognize that He desires to release His love in our lives at the very most difficult of times? God is not only present to compliment you on a task that you have accomplished but He is ready to comfort you when you are saddened by a series of events that is taking place in your life. Can we offer Him praise and adoration today for His grace, mercy, and love? God does not take those dark moments in our lives lightly. Rather, He responds to those who suffer the challenges of the "dark days" with great tenderness, understanding, and compassion. The enemy certainly seeks to overwhelm us with feelings of oppression, depression, and even discouragement. But we must not allow these attacks to distract us from the presence of God's power and the strength of His promises. As we continue to develop the habit of seeking God, reading His Word, and attending worship services on a consistent basis we are able to have a clear perspective that God is working for us and not against us. We must ask God to give us a Biblical based perspective of the presence of God; He will not forsake us in those moments of darkness. As we continue to seek God He will fill our minds and hearts with encouragement; we will be able to receive the great love and compassion of God as we reflect on His faithfulness. Do not despair today; God is walking with you during the times of "darkness" and He will bring comfort and strength as you trust in Him and His Word.

Fools Follow Their Own Way

Proverbs 12:15; "The way of the fool is right in his own eyes, But he who heeds counsel is wise." (NKJV) As most of you know April first is referred to as "April Fool's Day." I am not going to bore you with the history of this day but I am going to speak to the "spirit of foolishness" that is gripping our nation and world. We have failed to comprehend the seriousness of the source of the direction for our life. Many in our world have chosen to reject the counsel/direction of God and have chosen to follow their own ways and course of action. They are failing to recognize the error of their ways and are failing to see the end result of their rejection of God. Psalm 14 reminds us "That the fool has said in his heart, there is no God..." Surely we are not allowing that spirit of arrogance or should I say ignorance control our thinking. We need to recognize that only God can provide the true direction that we need and only God can fully reveal the path that we should travel. The Word of God goes on to warn us in Proverbs 14:12; "There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death." (NKJV) The spirit of our culture leads us to believe that it does not matter what path you travel or what type of lifestyle you choose to live. The culture says that God loves everybody (which is true) and that you can make any choice you want to make without dealing with any consequences (which is not true). We need to realize and remember that there is a price to pay for the choices that we make. The Word teaches that "my way seems right." Doesn't those words "seems right" concern you? We do our best to take the "right" roads as we travel. We do our best to take the "right" medicine that the doctor prescribes for us. We do our best to choose the "right" school for our children to attend. We do research so that we can purchase the "right" house for the "right" price. Why have we become so lazy when it comes to making the "right" decision concerning our soul and our walk with God? Why do we trust ourselves and not trust God with the matters of the soul? This is the day to be alert and aware of the tactics of the enemy; do not lean on your own ways. Follow the directions of Proverbs 3:4-5, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths" (NKJV). Let this be a day in which we declare; I AM DECIDING TO TRUST GOD WITH MY LIFE.!