Sunday's Challenge

First of all, I begin this post by offering praise and thanksgiving to God for Ann's recovery. She is doing well, just having to adjust to some limited mobility due to the automobile accident (see last week's posts). We do request your prayers as the next two weeks are very crucial to her recovery from the injury to her foot; if things continue to go well she can avoid having surgery which will only prolong her complete recovery. We ask that you join with us in prayer knowing that God is Jehovah, our Healer. He is in charge of our lives and He will work His will as we trust and obey Him. I trust that all the father's had a wonderful Father's Day. I was unable to post my wishes earlier but I trust that each of you were blessed as you reflected on the goodness of God through the smiles and embraces of your family. I was blessed to spend time with my wife, children, and grandchildren. Each of them brought a smile to my face as I could sense their love, care, and concern for me as their father and "Poppy." The blessings of God are truly wonderful! The service at church yesterday also spoke a challenge to my heart and to my walk with God. The Word that Pastor Smith spoke challenged me in this manner; "Am I hearing the call from God?" This call is not just the call to draw near to God but it is the call to "take up spiritual arms and prepare for warfare with satan." Am I fulfilling my responsibility or do I choose to remain silent, sit on the sidelines and allow others to engage the enemy? My family needs me to stand in the gap for them and wage war on the enemy. Many of us have allowed the enemy to be the aggressor and we have become very passive in our response to the tactics of the enemy. This is the day to be liberated from our passivity and become proactive in our dealings with the enemy. The enemy is seeking to "steal, kill, and destroy" (words of Jesus) but Christ has come to bring us abundant life. I am preparing my heart to answer the call to arms. If you listen closely I believe that you will hear the call to arms. Do not ignore the working of the Spirit in your life, allow Him to speak strength into your heart so that you can assume your rightful place on the battlefield. The war is raging whether you choose to become involved or not, you can ignore it but the war will not go away.