Today finds me in Decatur, AL. I began a revival meeting last night in the local church in Decatur. This is the area of my spiritual roots. My parents served as a Pastor of a church in this area as I began my process of spiritual formation. Many of my first sermons were preached in this area as I began my journey with God. It is a privilege to be able to re-visit this area of my life and remember the call that I felt from God as a young man. I still sense the urgency of that call this morning and I feel that I have a stronger desire to fulfill that call than even when I first felt the Spirit dealing with my life. I am thankful for all that God has done in my life but I am anticipating even greater revelation as I continue this journey.
The weekend services at the Union Grove church were wonderful. The anointing of the Lord was very strong in the Saturday night meeting. The Spirit spoke directly to several people who were in attendance at the service. It is amazing to know that even in a crowd of people God is aware of your needs and He will speak direction to your heart if you will give Him the opportunity. We must never under estimate the power of God's love and concern for us as individuals. The Homecoming celebration on Sunday morning was great. The Lord used the service to remind us that everyone is important to God and that He is the God of all generations. God reaches across the different generations to raise up a family that pursues God with all of their heart. We must learn to appreciate and respect the various parts of the family of God and identify the importance of each of them.
We enjoyed a great meeting in Decatur last night. Pastor Reeves and I were childhood friends and we have continued to keep that relationship through the years. People from some of the surrounding churches were in attendance last night; some of these have known me from the time of my childhood and early years of ministry. I appreciate all of the people that God has used to encourage me through the years of my walk with God. We must always recognize those key people that God places in our lives as we walk through life. God never meant for us to travel alone; He will provide the support we need if we will take the time to receive the support that God offers to us. Last night's service reminded us about the faithfulness of God. God is with us regardless of the circumstances that we are facing. The promises of God are true and sure!
Monday, May 17, 2010
Friday, May 14, 2010
Psalm 23
Psalm 23:1, "The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need." (NLT)
In yesterday's post I made mention that I spoke at a funeral on Tuesday in Louisville, KY. During the preparation of that sermon/eulogy for that funeral I read and re-read Psalm 23. Many of us are very familiar with the words of that Psalm yet have we truly paid attention to what is being spoken to us through the words that came to us from the heart of the True Shepherd? I began to reflect on that passage and realized that God was reminding us that He is present with us during what I call the "ups and downs" of life. God is present in the good times but He is also present in the challenging times that we face. Many of us recognize God during those moments of blessing and goodness yet we become concerned when we perceive that He is absent during the difficult circumstances that we will face as we travel the road that we call life. The first verse in Psalm 23 reminds us that the Shepherd will provide what we need. I don't think that means that God will grant my "wish list" of things that I desire to make my life more comfortable or those things that will increase my inventory of possessions. Rather, I believe that the Shepherd will provide what I need to make the right decisions in life; He will provide the strength and courage that I need to obey Him and love Him with all of my heart; He will provide power and understanding to resist the strategies of the enemy of my soul; He will provide the Holy Spirit which will teach and reveal truth to my life; He will provide Grace and Mercy to forgive others and to receive the assurance that Christ has forgiven our sins; and He will provide whatever I need to finish my race and complete the course of my life. I could go on; but hopefully you are able to see the depth of the promise of verse 1 of Psalm 23. Take a moment and review some of the times in your life in which the True Shepherd provided what you needed at certain times in your life. I believe that you will find yourself lifting your voice and offering sincere praise and thankfulness to the Lord God Almighty and remember that He is the True Shepherd and that He does care about your journey through life.
The service last night was wonderful as the Spirit continues to challenge our hearts about our need to surrender our lives to the process of examination and transformation. We must not allow ourselves to walk with a "self inflated ego" which rejects the idea that we actually need more of God in our lives. The Bible reminds us that "pride goes before a fall." Was pride not the issue that Christ found in the church in Laodicea in Revelation 3? Christ saw the church one way and the people of the church viewed themselves in another manner. Christ knew that they needed more of Him in their lives but they were content to "assume " that they had what they needed. We must be careful and not rely on "fleshly assumptions"; they can be deceitful and take us away from God rather than taking us toward God.
In yesterday's post I made mention that I spoke at a funeral on Tuesday in Louisville, KY. During the preparation of that sermon/eulogy for that funeral I read and re-read Psalm 23. Many of us are very familiar with the words of that Psalm yet have we truly paid attention to what is being spoken to us through the words that came to us from the heart of the True Shepherd? I began to reflect on that passage and realized that God was reminding us that He is present with us during what I call the "ups and downs" of life. God is present in the good times but He is also present in the challenging times that we face. Many of us recognize God during those moments of blessing and goodness yet we become concerned when we perceive that He is absent during the difficult circumstances that we will face as we travel the road that we call life. The first verse in Psalm 23 reminds us that the Shepherd will provide what we need. I don't think that means that God will grant my "wish list" of things that I desire to make my life more comfortable or those things that will increase my inventory of possessions. Rather, I believe that the Shepherd will provide what I need to make the right decisions in life; He will provide the strength and courage that I need to obey Him and love Him with all of my heart; He will provide power and understanding to resist the strategies of the enemy of my soul; He will provide the Holy Spirit which will teach and reveal truth to my life; He will provide Grace and Mercy to forgive others and to receive the assurance that Christ has forgiven our sins; and He will provide whatever I need to finish my race and complete the course of my life. I could go on; but hopefully you are able to see the depth of the promise of verse 1 of Psalm 23. Take a moment and review some of the times in your life in which the True Shepherd provided what you needed at certain times in your life. I believe that you will find yourself lifting your voice and offering sincere praise and thankfulness to the Lord God Almighty and remember that He is the True Shepherd and that He does care about your journey through life.
The service last night was wonderful as the Spirit continues to challenge our hearts about our need to surrender our lives to the process of examination and transformation. We must not allow ourselves to walk with a "self inflated ego" which rejects the idea that we actually need more of God in our lives. The Bible reminds us that "pride goes before a fall." Was pride not the issue that Christ found in the church in Laodicea in Revelation 3? Christ saw the church one way and the people of the church viewed themselves in another manner. Christ knew that they needed more of Him in their lives but they were content to "assume " that they had what they needed. We must be careful and not rely on "fleshly assumptions"; they can be deceitful and take us away from God rather than taking us toward God.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Reflections
I am in Mooreville, MS this week at the Union Grove Family Worship Center for a Homecoming Celebration Revival. The local church will be celebrating its 91st anniversary this coming Sunday. I am truly blessed with the opportunity to share the Word of God with this local body of believers. I pray each day that I will only share the "Heart of God" with the congregations that I serve as a visiting Minister. It is so important and even necessary to hear from God and not just hear from man. The greatest of men or women are unable to meet the needs that we have in our lives but we can serve as heralds that point people to the greatness of our God. I sincerely ask God to help me accomplish that desire every time that I stand to minister the Word of God. Our nation, our families, and each of us as individuals must hear and receive the Word of God. The Word of God will bring the spiritual transformation that each of us so desperately need in our relationship with God. Each of us are a work in progress and we must allow the Holy Spirit access to our hearts and lives. Our destiny can only be reached through obedience and surrender to God; in my sincere opinion these are the only ways to reach our spiritual completion in Christ. Last night the altar was full of people who brought their needs to the Heavenly Father. Focus on this truth; when you respond to an altar invitation you are not responding to the Minister, you are responding to the Heavenly Father and the love that He possesses for you. It is such a blessing to know that God is truly interested in my life!
On Tuesday I was asked to deliver the sermon/eulogy for a lady that I met in 1993 when we were asked to move to Shively, KY (suburb of Louisville) to serve as Pastor of the Larkwood congregation. Betty did not attend the local church but her mother was a faithful attender of the local congregation. The connection with Betty's mother began years of friendship with her and her extended family. Since 1993 I have been given the privilege to share the sermon/eulogy at the funerals of several family members. The development of true friendships affords us the opportunity to be with people through the difficult times as well as the good times. Do not allow yourself to become only a "fair weather" friend; they are only around when things are going great. Make a decision to become a "serious friend"; a friend that is present at all times to offer whatever assistance that individual may need at that particular moment. All of us need "serious friends" who are willing to assist us at any moment and who are willing to offer their love and support as we navigate the waters of life. Call a friend today and let them know that you appreciate their friendship!
On Tuesday I was asked to deliver the sermon/eulogy for a lady that I met in 1993 when we were asked to move to Shively, KY (suburb of Louisville) to serve as Pastor of the Larkwood congregation. Betty did not attend the local church but her mother was a faithful attender of the local congregation. The connection with Betty's mother began years of friendship with her and her extended family. Since 1993 I have been given the privilege to share the sermon/eulogy at the funerals of several family members. The development of true friendships affords us the opportunity to be with people through the difficult times as well as the good times. Do not allow yourself to become only a "fair weather" friend; they are only around when things are going great. Make a decision to become a "serious friend"; a friend that is present at all times to offer whatever assistance that individual may need at that particular moment. All of us need "serious friends" who are willing to assist us at any moment and who are willing to offer their love and support as we navigate the waters of life. Call a friend today and let them know that you appreciate their friendship!
Monday, May 10, 2010
Weekend Review
The past few days have found me away from the computer and unable to post any updates concerning my travels and the services in which I was involved. I trust that each one of you enjoyed a wonderful Mother's Day as we celebrated those Mothers who live among us as well as remembering those Mothers who have already passed away and received their eternal reward for their faithful examples to their families. I am truly blessed with a wonderful Mother and awesome wife. I thank God for those "spiritual Mothers" that God has placed in my life through the years of my travel on this earth; God has allowed these women to serve as examples to me as well as teach me the heart of service to the people of God. We must never forget those people who have made an investment in our lives.
The last two services at the Gold Valley church in Middlesex, NC were powerfully anointed. You could certainly sense the presence of God speaking to our hearts and reminding us of His ability to work His will in our lives if we would make the commitment to surrender ourselves to God. One lady made this comment to me following the Thursday night service; "It felt as though the Holy Spirit and the Word of God took me into the living room of God." I think her comment spoke what many of us were feeling. We must become "comfortable" in the presence of God and realize that He desires to finish the process of spiritual development that He has begun in us. I encourage you to continue the development of your relationship of love and surrender to God. God is at work in His Kingdom and we need to allow the "Kingdom of God to come and His will be done" in our individual lives.
Thursday was National Day of Prayer across our nation. There has been much controversy surrounding the Day of Prayer this year but the Lord reminded me that we do not need to have a Presidential Declaration to see the need to pray for our nation. There is no doubt that our nation is in spiritual trouble and that we have a great need for a spiritual awakening that can only come from the presence of God. Will each of us answer the call and begin to seek the face of God and ask for Divine intervention in the affairs of our land? Each Day needs to be a NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER as we consistently seek the face of God for the needs that we are facing.
Sunday found me ministering in Radcliff, KY at New River Ministries. We are working with a great group of people who have a desire to reach out to people in the Radcliif/Fort Knox area of KY. Please contact me if you have family or friends who either live in this area of KY or maybe they are stationed at Fort Knox. We would be glad to contact them and invite them to the services that we are conducting. I feel that the Spirit led me to challenge the congregation that we are in need of people who are willing to be live a life that exemplifies a true commitment to Christ. We must have Christian examples so that we can see faith lived out in our lives. We must have more than just information about God; we are in need of people who will show us God through their daily lives. God is "recruiting" people who will be willing to live in such a manner that their faith and spiritual lifestyle is noticed by those whom they interact with on a daily basis. These times of interaction should be with our family as well as our friends. I firmly believe that many of us have a desire to surrender to this "recruitment" process and that God will use us to be a blessing to those people that God has placed in our lives.
The last two services at the Gold Valley church in Middlesex, NC were powerfully anointed. You could certainly sense the presence of God speaking to our hearts and reminding us of His ability to work His will in our lives if we would make the commitment to surrender ourselves to God. One lady made this comment to me following the Thursday night service; "It felt as though the Holy Spirit and the Word of God took me into the living room of God." I think her comment spoke what many of us were feeling. We must become "comfortable" in the presence of God and realize that He desires to finish the process of spiritual development that He has begun in us. I encourage you to continue the development of your relationship of love and surrender to God. God is at work in His Kingdom and we need to allow the "Kingdom of God to come and His will be done" in our individual lives.
Thursday was National Day of Prayer across our nation. There has been much controversy surrounding the Day of Prayer this year but the Lord reminded me that we do not need to have a Presidential Declaration to see the need to pray for our nation. There is no doubt that our nation is in spiritual trouble and that we have a great need for a spiritual awakening that can only come from the presence of God. Will each of us answer the call and begin to seek the face of God and ask for Divine intervention in the affairs of our land? Each Day needs to be a NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER as we consistently seek the face of God for the needs that we are facing.
Sunday found me ministering in Radcliff, KY at New River Ministries. We are working with a great group of people who have a desire to reach out to people in the Radcliif/Fort Knox area of KY. Please contact me if you have family or friends who either live in this area of KY or maybe they are stationed at Fort Knox. We would be glad to contact them and invite them to the services that we are conducting. I feel that the Spirit led me to challenge the congregation that we are in need of people who are willing to be live a life that exemplifies a true commitment to Christ. We must have Christian examples so that we can see faith lived out in our lives. We must have more than just information about God; we are in need of people who will show us God through their daily lives. God is "recruiting" people who will be willing to live in such a manner that their faith and spiritual lifestyle is noticed by those whom they interact with on a daily basis. These times of interaction should be with our family as well as our friends. I firmly believe that many of us have a desire to surrender to this "recruitment" process and that God will use us to be a blessing to those people that God has placed in our lives.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Can You Hear Me Now? (God)
Proverbs 12:1, "Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, But he who hates correction is stupid." (NKJV)
This week God has dealt with my heart concerning perception. There is a great need to recognize the presence of God which will bring the direction of God for my life. But we must do more than just identify that God is present; we must decide to listen to His Voice and make preparation to follow the direction of God. I will not be able to follow the direction of God if I am living in a state of rebellion or disobedience. I (we) must learn to accept correction; in all honesty we know that accepting correction is not always easy to receive. In some cases we think that we know more about the situation than the one who is offering the correction (human correction). But we must realize that God is always correct and that His discipline or correction is meant for our well being and not our destruction. Hebrews 12:5-7, "And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as sons: My son, do not despise the chastening (discipline) of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives. If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?" (NKJV)
These verses have challenged me to re-examine my view of the discipline of God. God's discipline is meant for my good; He seeks to use His discipline as a means to develop my spiritual character. His discipline is issued from the heart of love and concern for my well being. God's discipline provides the strength that I need to successfully continue my journey down the road of life. I want to receive the discipline of God as a "son" and not resist the instruction that God provides. Let us re-consider the reasoning behind the correction of God and receive His discipline so that we can reach our spiritual potential.
This week God has dealt with my heart concerning perception. There is a great need to recognize the presence of God which will bring the direction of God for my life. But we must do more than just identify that God is present; we must decide to listen to His Voice and make preparation to follow the direction of God. I will not be able to follow the direction of God if I am living in a state of rebellion or disobedience. I (we) must learn to accept correction; in all honesty we know that accepting correction is not always easy to receive. In some cases we think that we know more about the situation than the one who is offering the correction (human correction). But we must realize that God is always correct and that His discipline or correction is meant for our well being and not our destruction. Hebrews 12:5-7, "And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as sons: My son, do not despise the chastening (discipline) of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives. If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?" (NKJV)
These verses have challenged me to re-examine my view of the discipline of God. God's discipline is meant for my good; He seeks to use His discipline as a means to develop my spiritual character. His discipline is issued from the heart of love and concern for my well being. God's discipline provides the strength that I need to successfully continue my journey down the road of life. I want to receive the discipline of God as a "son" and not resist the instruction that God provides. Let us re-consider the reasoning behind the correction of God and receive His discipline so that we can reach our spiritual potential.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Presence of God
Psalm 68:1-4, "Rise up, O God, and scatter your enemies. Let those who hate God run for their lives. Blow them away like smoke. Melt them like wax in a fire. Let the wicked perish in the presence of God. But let the godly rejoice. Let them be glad in God's presence. Let them be filled with joy. Sing praises to God and to his name! Sing loud praises to him who rides on the clouds. His name is the Lord - rejoice in His presence!" (NLT)
The meeting this week at the Gold Valley church has served as a reminder of our need to focus our attention on the presence of God. It is so easy to become "distracted" by all of the circumstances that we face on a daily basis; the enemy certainly seeks to move my attention away from God and onto those things that are going on in my life. But God has a way and God has the power to reveal His strength in such a manner that I feel drawn to His presence. I truly believe that the presence of God is "arising" in this day and time and we are understanding that God can still defeat our enemies. I am being reminded this week that I need to consistently and constantly seek for the presence of God. Is it possible that I want the "things from God" more than I want God? Once again we must identify and testify to our desire to recognize and receive the presence of God in our lives. How would you grade your spiritual focus today? Are you struggling to see God in the midst of your circumstances or do you have the desire to look above your circumstances and see the AWESOME presence of God in the midst of your life? It is a wonderful opportunity to join with David and praising God with joy as we recognize and entertain His presence. We can sing "loud praises" to God and realize that we are not alone in our walk through this world; God is a present help in our times of distress and trouble. We can rejoice in the greatness of our God today and realize that His presence is with us on a daily basis!
The meeting this week at the Gold Valley church has served as a reminder of our need to focus our attention on the presence of God. It is so easy to become "distracted" by all of the circumstances that we face on a daily basis; the enemy certainly seeks to move my attention away from God and onto those things that are going on in my life. But God has a way and God has the power to reveal His strength in such a manner that I feel drawn to His presence. I truly believe that the presence of God is "arising" in this day and time and we are understanding that God can still defeat our enemies. I am being reminded this week that I need to consistently and constantly seek for the presence of God. Is it possible that I want the "things from God" more than I want God? Once again we must identify and testify to our desire to recognize and receive the presence of God in our lives. How would you grade your spiritual focus today? Are you struggling to see God in the midst of your circumstances or do you have the desire to look above your circumstances and see the AWESOME presence of God in the midst of your life? It is a wonderful opportunity to join with David and praising God with joy as we recognize and entertain His presence. We can sing "loud praises" to God and realize that we are not alone in our walk through this world; God is a present help in our times of distress and trouble. We can rejoice in the greatness of our God today and realize that His presence is with us on a daily basis!
Monday, May 3, 2010
Weekend Services
This week finds me in Middlesex, NC at the Gold Valley church with Pastor Jim and Judy Dickerson. This is my first trip to this local church and I am honored that Pastor Dickerson has invited me to share the Word of God with this local body of believers. The services on Sunday went very well; the Praise and Worship Team done an awesome job leading us into the presence of the Lord. I am always blessed when the songs of praise support the theme of the message that God has laid on my heart. It is such a reminder from the Spirit that He will direct the hearts of those people who truly seek His face. We must remember that our dependence is on the Lord and not in the strength of our abilities. We are unable to meet the needs of people but Christ is able to draw near to us and He fully understands and comprehends the needs of our lives. It is no wonder that we are blessed through the privilege to Worship that affords us the opportunity to express our sincere appreciation to God for His loving care that is released into our lives on a daily basis. We must never forget the daily presence of God and the daily care that He releases toward us. I was blessed as I saw people in both of the Sunday services come forward and begin to express their needs to God. On the basis of the promises of God I can offer hope and opportunity to people who come forward and seek God for those situations that each of us face on a daily basis.
The end of last week was very busy; each of you can understand the life of being busy. I was able to minister Thursday night in a wonderful service at New River Ministries in Radcliff, KY. The mighty presence of God is very evident each time we gather together in Radcliff; I am truly excited about the future opportunities that God will bring to those who are attending New River. Friday was a time to catch up on grandfather time. I was able to spend some time with my children and grandchildren as well as my wife. One of our grandsons, Luke, will be celebrating his 6th birthday this week; he is very excited about his party on Thursday. I will miss his party but I will be thinking about him. I have said it often, but I will say it one more time; I am blessed with a wonderful family who offers their support to me and to the call of God that I sense in my life. My wife is such a blessing and God certainly uses her to encourage me as well as other people that she interacts with on a daily basis. She directed the Kentucky State Ladies Conference a few weekends ago and God used her and her staff to minister to the ladies that were present at the Conference. I am very proud and blessed by the gifts that God has placed in her life.
The end of last week was very busy; each of you can understand the life of being busy. I was able to minister Thursday night in a wonderful service at New River Ministries in Radcliff, KY. The mighty presence of God is very evident each time we gather together in Radcliff; I am truly excited about the future opportunities that God will bring to those who are attending New River. Friday was a time to catch up on grandfather time. I was able to spend some time with my children and grandchildren as well as my wife. One of our grandsons, Luke, will be celebrating his 6th birthday this week; he is very excited about his party on Thursday. I will miss his party but I will be thinking about him. I have said it often, but I will say it one more time; I am blessed with a wonderful family who offers their support to me and to the call of God that I sense in my life. My wife is such a blessing and God certainly uses her to encourage me as well as other people that she interacts with on a daily basis. She directed the Kentucky State Ladies Conference a few weekends ago and God used her and her staff to minister to the ladies that were present at the Conference. I am very proud and blessed by the gifts that God has placed in her life.
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