Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints (Ephesians 6:10-18).
The opposition you face today does not have its’ origin in people or circumstances. It began with demonic forces seeking to trip you up. They want you to wallow in unbelief, fear, anger, self pity, selfishness, impurity, poverty, and the list goes on and on. They want to separate you from the Word and from the tenderness of the Spirit of God. Their goal is the downfall of the kingdom of God, and your failure.
The good news is they are already defeated! And it is our job as believers to demonstrate their defeat in our daily life and lifestyle. Every time you conquer fear, unbelief, anger, self pity, selfishness, etc, you show God’s power through the Word and through Jesus’ sacrifice for you!
We don’t take our armor off when we go to sleep at night! We wear it to bed! We are always on alert, ever watching lest the enemy to trip us up. We have the girdle of truth on our waist. Just as a belt holds your pants snug, the Word keeps the armor of God in place in your life.
The breastplate of righteousness guards your heart from condemnation and inferiority so that you are free to constant go into the presence of God with your needs and with your faith.
On your feet are the shoes of the gospel of peace. In every situation in life today, the Word is your guide. You don’t go anywhere that the Word doesn’t go.
The shield of faith is held in front of you and stops every attack of Satan dead in its tracks! You walk by faith, not feelings. You believe you receive from the Father in every area of life, and you never let down your shield in unbelief!
The helmet of salvation keeps your mind protected with the Word. Mind renewal is a lifelong process with you. Every thought that comes is processed through the filter of true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, positive, and praiseworthy (Phil. 4:8). Every thought is submitted to the Lordship of the Word!
The sword of the Spirit is the Word spoken out of your mouth. You recognize the spiritual force behind the words that you speak, and you speak the Word over and in every circumstance.
This armor creates a powerful prayer life in you as a believer, and demonic forces turn and run when they see you coming. Keep your armor on at all time. You don’t fight against flesh and blood!
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Friday, November 28, 2008
Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen for His inheritance. The LORD looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men. From the place of His dwelling He looks on all the inhabitants of the earth; He fashions their hearts individually; He considers all their works. No king is saved by the multitude of an army; a mighty man is not delivered by great strength. A horse is a vain hope for safety; neither shall it deliver any by its great strength. Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy, To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in Him, because we have trusted in His holy name. Let Your mercy, O LORD, be upon us, just as we hope in You (Psalm 33.12-22).
We enjoyed Thanksgiving Day with our children and some wonderful folk from our congregation. Today, we’ll be in SC visiting our parents.
The following is George Washington’s Thanksgiving proclamation from 1789. We need leaders today that will humble themselves before God in this way:
Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me to "recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:"
Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.
And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.
We enjoyed Thanksgiving Day with our children and some wonderful folk from our congregation. Today, we’ll be in SC visiting our parents.
The following is George Washington’s Thanksgiving proclamation from 1789. We need leaders today that will humble themselves before God in this way:
Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me to "recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:"
Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.
And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies (Psalm 107:1-2)
Take some time today to reflect on your life, and in a heartfelt way thank God for His blessings. I turned 50 year old this year, and if you look at the list of folk I hung out with in my teen years, I simply should not have had a positive life. Thankfully through the prayers of my mother, God intervened.
My best friend from my childhood committed suicide in his late thirties. Another friend was imprisoned for selling cocaine. Another committed murder. Yet another committed suicide. And I really don’t think I would be alive today without God, bottom line.
I can take no credit for anything the Father uses me to do. For without Him, I am absolutely worthless. Outside of Jesus, I am a crude, selfish, arrogant bag of wind! But thank God, in Him I am a brand new person! My identity in life is wrapped up in Him. I am hidden with Christ in God! What I was has disappeared. Jesus Christ made me a new creature. The old things left, and He replaced all my mess with Himself. I diligently seek Him today and everyday, because I dare not look back to what I was.
The truth for all of us is that if you cease to walk in the light, darkness will fill the void. I cannot and will never look back. What I was will never be again, by God’s grace. I have family friends, a beautiful wife, wonderful children, a church full of some of the most wonderful people I have ever met. All because of Jesus Christ. All because of His great sacrifice for me.
Lord, thank you for your great and tender mercy on me. Thank you for not giving me what I deserve in life. Thank you for your grace that has taken my mess, wiped it away, and replaced it with your abundant and merciful blessing. All that I am, all that I have, all that I will ever be is in your hands. With all of my heart Lord, thank you for placing your hand on my life. Let me never take you and your blessing for granted.
Take some time today to reflect on your life, and in a heartfelt way thank God for His blessings. I turned 50 year old this year, and if you look at the list of folk I hung out with in my teen years, I simply should not have had a positive life. Thankfully through the prayers of my mother, God intervened.
My best friend from my childhood committed suicide in his late thirties. Another friend was imprisoned for selling cocaine. Another committed murder. Yet another committed suicide. And I really don’t think I would be alive today without God, bottom line.
I can take no credit for anything the Father uses me to do. For without Him, I am absolutely worthless. Outside of Jesus, I am a crude, selfish, arrogant bag of wind! But thank God, in Him I am a brand new person! My identity in life is wrapped up in Him. I am hidden with Christ in God! What I was has disappeared. Jesus Christ made me a new creature. The old things left, and He replaced all my mess with Himself. I diligently seek Him today and everyday, because I dare not look back to what I was.
The truth for all of us is that if you cease to walk in the light, darkness will fill the void. I cannot and will never look back. What I was will never be again, by God’s grace. I have family friends, a beautiful wife, wonderful children, a church full of some of the most wonderful people I have ever met. All because of Jesus Christ. All because of His great sacrifice for me.
Lord, thank you for your great and tender mercy on me. Thank you for not giving me what I deserve in life. Thank you for your grace that has taken my mess, wiped it away, and replaced it with your abundant and merciful blessing. All that I am, all that I have, all that I will ever be is in your hands. With all of my heart Lord, thank you for placing your hand on my life. Let me never take you and your blessing for granted.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
I solemnly urge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will someday judge the living and the dead when he appears to set up his Kingdom: Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths (2 Timothy 4:1-4- New Living Translation).
As we prepare for Thanksgiving, my heart is breaking for my nation. I am a US citizen. I love America. But I feel that I am now witnessing the slow and steady dissolution of my nation. Our nation was founded on the principles of self-government under the moral laws of God. Without moral law ruling civil society, breakdown occurs. And our culture is throwing morality to the wind.
The responsibility for what happens to our nation sits at the feel of the church. We the church are responsible to preach the Word of God in season and out of season. We are responsible to reprove, rebuke, and exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
Sound doctrine has in many church circles been replaced by itching ears preaching that is light on reproving sin and heavy on expounding on blessing.
As a believer, you and I are standard bearers in our community and circles of influence. Demon spirits tout politically correct speech so as to offend no one. Political correctness voids the truth of scripture. Our God given responsibility is to be SALT and LIGHT. Our goal should not primarily be to be accepted by people but to love them and by example show them the way to our Father God through His Son the Lord Jesus. Love stands for what is right and exposes darkness.
Let me say this again. The responsibility for the ills of our nation falls at the feet of the church. The ONLY answer to current problems is repentance and earnest prayer. Current problems are spiritual in nature and their answers are spiritual in scope.
Take time today in your personal prayer life to call on God the Father on behalf of our beloved nation. Confess your own sins and the sins of your nation before Him asking for His mercy.
Judgment is looming on the horizon of time. Prayer brings God’s mercy and justice on the scene. Let’s ask Him for revival in hearts and spiritual renewal in our nation. It is our nation’s only hope.
If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land (2 Chronicles 7:14). Are we doing this?
As we prepare for Thanksgiving, my heart is breaking for my nation. I am a US citizen. I love America. But I feel that I am now witnessing the slow and steady dissolution of my nation. Our nation was founded on the principles of self-government under the moral laws of God. Without moral law ruling civil society, breakdown occurs. And our culture is throwing morality to the wind.
The responsibility for what happens to our nation sits at the feel of the church. We the church are responsible to preach the Word of God in season and out of season. We are responsible to reprove, rebuke, and exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
Sound doctrine has in many church circles been replaced by itching ears preaching that is light on reproving sin and heavy on expounding on blessing.
As a believer, you and I are standard bearers in our community and circles of influence. Demon spirits tout politically correct speech so as to offend no one. Political correctness voids the truth of scripture. Our God given responsibility is to be SALT and LIGHT. Our goal should not primarily be to be accepted by people but to love them and by example show them the way to our Father God through His Son the Lord Jesus. Love stands for what is right and exposes darkness.
Let me say this again. The responsibility for the ills of our nation falls at the feet of the church. The ONLY answer to current problems is repentance and earnest prayer. Current problems are spiritual in nature and their answers are spiritual in scope.
Take time today in your personal prayer life to call on God the Father on behalf of our beloved nation. Confess your own sins and the sins of your nation before Him asking for His mercy.
Judgment is looming on the horizon of time. Prayer brings God’s mercy and justice on the scene. Let’s ask Him for revival in hearts and spiritual renewal in our nation. It is our nation’s only hope.
If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land (2 Chronicles 7:14). Are we doing this?
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all (2 Corinthians 13:14).
Paul encouraged the believers to experience God’s grace, to walk in love, and to walk in harmony with the Holy Spirit. The word communion in this verse is the word koinonia and according to Kenneth Wuest's Studies in the Greek New Testament koinonia means a joint participation, a belonging in common to, a partnership, an association, an intercourse, a sharing, a relationship between two individuals which involves a common interest, and a mutual active participation in that interest, and in each other.
The Holy Spirit wants to be our partner in life. He dwells in us and has an ambition to make Jesus real to us so that we can grow to be like Him! The Holy Spirit also has a strong ambition to use us to bless others.
For us to experience this communion, this koinonia with the Holy Spirit, we must be on the same page in our lives that He is! We must ask ourselves; do I have a major ambition in life to be like Jesus? Do I want to change? Am I pursuing the goal of changing things in me that are unlike Jesus? Am I asking the Lord to make me a blessing to others? Am I open each day to be a conduit for God’s love? Am I actively seeking to hear the Holy Spirit and be used by Him to minister to those around me?
To be a partner with the Holy Spirit, you must fall in love with the Word of God! He is the Spirit of Truth. The more you involve yourself with the Word by reading and meditation, the more the Holy Spirit will witness to your own spirit. If you’ll decide and purpose to be a doer of the Word, the Holy Spirit will begin to show you many things about your life and will begin to manifest in you the nature of the Son of God.
Once you choose to follow this path in life, joy that you have never known will engulf you. But for this to happen, you must give yourself away to your partner, the Holy Spirit.
I want to leave you today with a quote from Kenneth Wuest’s Word Studies in the Greek New Testament, volume III. Here he quotes a man by the name of G.D. Watson who obviously came to know the Holy Spirit very well:
The Holy Spirit will put a strict watch over you with a jealous love, and will rebuke you for little words and feelings, or for wasting your time, which other Christians never seem distressed over. So make up your mind that God is an infinite Sovereign, and has a right to do as He pleases with His own. He may not explain to you a thousand things which puzzle your reason in His dealings with you, but if you absolutely sell yourself to be His love slave, He will wrap you up in a jealous love, and bestow upon you many blessings which come only to those who are in the inner circle. Settle it forever, then, that you are to deal directly with the Holy Spirit, and that He is to have the privilege of tying your tongue, or chaining your hand, or closing your eyes, in ways that He does not seem to use with others. Now when you are so possessed with the living God that you are, in your secret heart, pleased and delighted over this peculiar, personal, private, jealous guardianship and management of the Holy Spirit over your life, you will have found the vestibule of heaven.
(from Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament, Copyright 1940-55 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. Copyrights © renewed 1968-73 by Jeannette I. Wuest. All rights reserved.)
Paul encouraged the believers to experience God’s grace, to walk in love, and to walk in harmony with the Holy Spirit. The word communion in this verse is the word koinonia and according to Kenneth Wuest's Studies in the Greek New Testament koinonia means a joint participation, a belonging in common to, a partnership, an association, an intercourse, a sharing, a relationship between two individuals which involves a common interest, and a mutual active participation in that interest, and in each other.
The Holy Spirit wants to be our partner in life. He dwells in us and has an ambition to make Jesus real to us so that we can grow to be like Him! The Holy Spirit also has a strong ambition to use us to bless others.
For us to experience this communion, this koinonia with the Holy Spirit, we must be on the same page in our lives that He is! We must ask ourselves; do I have a major ambition in life to be like Jesus? Do I want to change? Am I pursuing the goal of changing things in me that are unlike Jesus? Am I asking the Lord to make me a blessing to others? Am I open each day to be a conduit for God’s love? Am I actively seeking to hear the Holy Spirit and be used by Him to minister to those around me?
To be a partner with the Holy Spirit, you must fall in love with the Word of God! He is the Spirit of Truth. The more you involve yourself with the Word by reading and meditation, the more the Holy Spirit will witness to your own spirit. If you’ll decide and purpose to be a doer of the Word, the Holy Spirit will begin to show you many things about your life and will begin to manifest in you the nature of the Son of God.
Once you choose to follow this path in life, joy that you have never known will engulf you. But for this to happen, you must give yourself away to your partner, the Holy Spirit.
I want to leave you today with a quote from Kenneth Wuest’s Word Studies in the Greek New Testament, volume III. Here he quotes a man by the name of G.D. Watson who obviously came to know the Holy Spirit very well:
The Holy Spirit will put a strict watch over you with a jealous love, and will rebuke you for little words and feelings, or for wasting your time, which other Christians never seem distressed over. So make up your mind that God is an infinite Sovereign, and has a right to do as He pleases with His own. He may not explain to you a thousand things which puzzle your reason in His dealings with you, but if you absolutely sell yourself to be His love slave, He will wrap you up in a jealous love, and bestow upon you many blessings which come only to those who are in the inner circle. Settle it forever, then, that you are to deal directly with the Holy Spirit, and that He is to have the privilege of tying your tongue, or chaining your hand, or closing your eyes, in ways that He does not seem to use with others. Now when you are so possessed with the living God that you are, in your secret heart, pleased and delighted over this peculiar, personal, private, jealous guardianship and management of the Holy Spirit over your life, you will have found the vestibule of heaven.
(from Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament, Copyright 1940-55 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. Copyrights © renewed 1968-73 by Jeannette I. Wuest. All rights reserved.)
Monday, November 24, 2008
If anyone wants to follow in my footsteps, he must give up all right to himself, take up hid cross and follow me (Mark 8:34 – Phillips Translation).
In my message yesterday I mentioned that we must be willing to give ourselves and our willpower over to the rule of the Holy Spirit. We are the custodians of our will. Our will is a sacred thing that God will not overpower. The Holy Spirit has the ability to aid us in every department of life, but He waits for us to yield our will to Him. If we don’t, carnality will reign.
The largest challenge in any believer’s life is yielding their will to God and His Word. We so want our own way!
In 1 Samuel 15, King Saul was commanded by God to totally kill the Amalekites because of their wickedness and dealings with the Israelites in the past. Instead of doing exactly what God said, King Saul spared the best sheep and cattle to sacrifice as a burnt offering to the Lord, and he kept the Amalekite King Agag alive.
The prophet Samuel came to King Saul and made some very sobering statements when he found that Saul has deliberately disobeyed God in his stubbornness: So Samuel said: "Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams (1 Samuel 15:22).
The Samuel said something that applies to us today if we choose to stubbornly and willfully disobey God: Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols (1 Sam 15:23- NLT).
When we choose to stubbornly go the way of the flesh when the Lord is clearly dealing with us to avoid it, and when we know what the Word says to the contrary of our premeditated action, then we are actually opening up a door for demonic intrusion into our lives! And that can bring deception that will callous and blind us to God and His ways.
This is happening all the time in our day. I’ve been walking with Jesus now for over 32 years, and I’ve watched as friends and associates over the years have chosen their own stubborn way instead of the way of God’s Word and will. There seemed to be no repercussions initially. But over a period of time, their calloused heart drew them away from God, and into one calamity or another. Life was never the same for them.
If their remains in you a stubbornness that must have its own way at the expense of God’s will, now is the time to deal with it before its costs you dearly. Go back and read the whole of 1 Samuel 15, and learn the sober lessons of King Saul. Disobedience and stubbornness will bring ruin.
As Michael Brown says: Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay! Yield you will to Jesus and ask Him to deliver you from willful disobedience!
In my message yesterday I mentioned that we must be willing to give ourselves and our willpower over to the rule of the Holy Spirit. We are the custodians of our will. Our will is a sacred thing that God will not overpower. The Holy Spirit has the ability to aid us in every department of life, but He waits for us to yield our will to Him. If we don’t, carnality will reign.
The largest challenge in any believer’s life is yielding their will to God and His Word. We so want our own way!
In 1 Samuel 15, King Saul was commanded by God to totally kill the Amalekites because of their wickedness and dealings with the Israelites in the past. Instead of doing exactly what God said, King Saul spared the best sheep and cattle to sacrifice as a burnt offering to the Lord, and he kept the Amalekite King Agag alive.
The prophet Samuel came to King Saul and made some very sobering statements when he found that Saul has deliberately disobeyed God in his stubbornness: So Samuel said: "Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams (1 Samuel 15:22).
The Samuel said something that applies to us today if we choose to stubbornly and willfully disobey God: Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols (1 Sam 15:23- NLT).
When we choose to stubbornly go the way of the flesh when the Lord is clearly dealing with us to avoid it, and when we know what the Word says to the contrary of our premeditated action, then we are actually opening up a door for demonic intrusion into our lives! And that can bring deception that will callous and blind us to God and His ways.
This is happening all the time in our day. I’ve been walking with Jesus now for over 32 years, and I’ve watched as friends and associates over the years have chosen their own stubborn way instead of the way of God’s Word and will. There seemed to be no repercussions initially. But over a period of time, their calloused heart drew them away from God, and into one calamity or another. Life was never the same for them.
If their remains in you a stubbornness that must have its own way at the expense of God’s will, now is the time to deal with it before its costs you dearly. Go back and read the whole of 1 Samuel 15, and learn the sober lessons of King Saul. Disobedience and stubbornness will bring ruin.
As Michael Brown says: Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay! Yield you will to Jesus and ask Him to deliver you from willful disobedience!
Sunday, November 23, 2008
The only thing that stands between the Christian and obedience to the Father is that believer’s will. Jesus cleanses us from sin in the New Birth. Then the soul and body must then be submitted to the Lordship of Jesus through the Word. The body has been trained to yield to certain appetites and desires that if partaken of after the New Birth, will break their fellowship with the great Father God. The body must be controlled. The mind has been filled with ideas and beliefs that are contrary to the plan and purpose of the Father. The mind must be renewed. The emotions have been trained to yield to the carnal and selfish appetites.The emotions must be submitted to the Born Again human spirit. And the human will has been accustomed to yielding to call of the body and of the un-renewed mind. This unharnessed will must be submitted daily to Jesus and His Lordship.
Jesus addresses the will of the believer in every Gospel, appealing to us to yield ourselves willingly to God and His plans. Listen to His strong appeals:
Don't think I've come to make life cozy. I've come to cut — (35) make a sharp knife-cut between son and father, daughter and mother, bride and mother-in-law — cut through these cozy domestic arrangements and free you for God. (36) Well-meaning family members can be your worst enemies. (37) If you prefer father or mother over me, you don't deserve me. If you prefer son or daughter over me, you don't deserve me. (38) "If you don't go all the way with me, through thick and thin, you don't deserve me. (39) If your first concern is to look after yourself, you'll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you'll find both yourself and me (Matthew 10:34-39 – The Message). Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. (25) If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it (Matthew 16:24-25 NLT). If anyone wants to follow in my footsteps, he must give up all right to himself, take up hid cross and follow me (Mark 8:34 – Phillips Translation). Anyone who comes to me but refuses to let go of father, mother, spouse, children, brothers, sisters — yes, even one's own self! — can't be my disciple. (27) Anyone who won't shoulder his own cross and follow behind me can't be my disciple …(33) Simply put, if you're not willing to take what is dearest to you, whether plans or people, and kiss it good-bye, you can't be my disciple (Luke 14:26-27, 33 – The Message).
All of us must be willing to yield our thoughts, plans, and ideas to the Word of God and to Jesus the living Word! If we fail to do this, we will miss God’s highest and best and open an avenue for Satan to work in our lives. Tomorrow I will give you an illustration of this in the life of King Saul.
Take time today to recommit your will to Him who loved you and gave Himself completely for you.
Jesus addresses the will of the believer in every Gospel, appealing to us to yield ourselves willingly to God and His plans. Listen to His strong appeals:
Don't think I've come to make life cozy. I've come to cut — (35) make a sharp knife-cut between son and father, daughter and mother, bride and mother-in-law — cut through these cozy domestic arrangements and free you for God. (36) Well-meaning family members can be your worst enemies. (37) If you prefer father or mother over me, you don't deserve me. If you prefer son or daughter over me, you don't deserve me. (38) "If you don't go all the way with me, through thick and thin, you don't deserve me. (39) If your first concern is to look after yourself, you'll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you'll find both yourself and me (Matthew 10:34-39 – The Message). Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. (25) If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it (Matthew 16:24-25 NLT). If anyone wants to follow in my footsteps, he must give up all right to himself, take up hid cross and follow me (Mark 8:34 – Phillips Translation). Anyone who comes to me but refuses to let go of father, mother, spouse, children, brothers, sisters — yes, even one's own self! — can't be my disciple. (27) Anyone who won't shoulder his own cross and follow behind me can't be my disciple …(33) Simply put, if you're not willing to take what is dearest to you, whether plans or people, and kiss it good-bye, you can't be my disciple (Luke 14:26-27, 33 – The Message).
All of us must be willing to yield our thoughts, plans, and ideas to the Word of God and to Jesus the living Word! If we fail to do this, we will miss God’s highest and best and open an avenue for Satan to work in our lives. Tomorrow I will give you an illustration of this in the life of King Saul.
Take time today to recommit your will to Him who loved you and gave Himself completely for you.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
So you shall serve the Lord your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you (Exodus 23:25).
God originally planned for us to live in these bodies for eternity. Sin marred God’s plan and introduced its offspring, sickness, disease, and death. Our redemption in Christ guarantees us freedom from sickness. And eventually our last enemy death will be destroyed by the Son of God!
When God delivered the Israelites out of Egypt, He made a covenant of healing with them that was perpetual and was more sure than the rising of the sun. If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you (Exodus 15:26).
This healing covenant is still in force, and is now a part of our inheritance in Christ. We have a better covenant established on better promises! We are redeemed from the curse of the broken law (Galatians 3:13). This involved poverty, sickness, and spiritual death.
It’s important that we keep our faith built up for the healing and health of our bodies. Faith comes by hearing the word! Take time to feed on the promises of God for your health. Don’t allow sickness to trespass in your body. You have a legal right to health under the terms of your covenant! You must insist that Satan keep his hands off your body!
The moment symptom appear in your body, command in the name of Jesus that they leave! Believe right then that you receive healing based on your covenant with God. Remind Him of His promises, and act like He heard you! Don’t sign for the “package” of sickness that Satan brings by confessing the symptoms. Refuse it and tell him that it’s not yours!
Expect the Holy Spirit to quicken your body! Expect health and healing to be yours life long! How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him (Acts 10:38). That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: He Himself took our infirmities And bore our sicknesses (Matthew 8:17). Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness — by whose stripes you were healed (1 Peter 2:24).
Keep the healing Word of God built up inside of you. Meditate on these healing promises daily! Speak health and healing, not sickness and disease. Expect the Father to bless your food when you eat, and expect Him to keep sickness away from you!
God originally planned for us to live in these bodies for eternity. Sin marred God’s plan and introduced its offspring, sickness, disease, and death. Our redemption in Christ guarantees us freedom from sickness. And eventually our last enemy death will be destroyed by the Son of God!
When God delivered the Israelites out of Egypt, He made a covenant of healing with them that was perpetual and was more sure than the rising of the sun. If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you (Exodus 15:26).
This healing covenant is still in force, and is now a part of our inheritance in Christ. We have a better covenant established on better promises! We are redeemed from the curse of the broken law (Galatians 3:13). This involved poverty, sickness, and spiritual death.
It’s important that we keep our faith built up for the healing and health of our bodies. Faith comes by hearing the word! Take time to feed on the promises of God for your health. Don’t allow sickness to trespass in your body. You have a legal right to health under the terms of your covenant! You must insist that Satan keep his hands off your body!
The moment symptom appear in your body, command in the name of Jesus that they leave! Believe right then that you receive healing based on your covenant with God. Remind Him of His promises, and act like He heard you! Don’t sign for the “package” of sickness that Satan brings by confessing the symptoms. Refuse it and tell him that it’s not yours!
Expect the Holy Spirit to quicken your body! Expect health and healing to be yours life long! How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him (Acts 10:38). That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: He Himself took our infirmities And bore our sicknesses (Matthew 8:17). Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness — by whose stripes you were healed (1 Peter 2:24).
Keep the healing Word of God built up inside of you. Meditate on these healing promises daily! Speak health and healing, not sickness and disease. Expect the Father to bless your food when you eat, and expect Him to keep sickness away from you!
Friday, November 21, 2008
Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives' tales. Instead, train yourself to be godly. Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come. This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it (1Timothy 4:7-9 - New Living Translation)
Your natural life is a direct reflection of your spiritual condition. What you are on the outside is the result of who you are within. The mental habits that you have spill over into every crevice of life, both natural and spiritual.
Our outward world parallels our inner world. When you make strides toward God, and increase in spirituality, there should also be a change in natural behavior, or it’s not true spiritual increase!
If you’re late for work, you’ll also be late in being faithful to a ministry obligation. If you’re not passionate about natural life responsibilities, you won’t be passionate about spiritual responsibilities. If you see no value in obeying natural law, you may show the same disrespect for spiritual authority. IF you’re a lazy bones naturally, and find it hard to get motivated to perform, you’ll be lazy bones spiritually and will lack spiritual passion.
If I look in your car and see all kinds of debris in the floorboard and seats, it tells me that you don’t value excellence, and you’ll be prone to under perform spiritually! If I walk into your home and it’s consistently untidy, that tells a lot about your values. Excellence starts with thinking, and will filter into all we are and do.
When God started the process of changing my life with His Word, my natural life began to feel the pressure to change! And it’s been changing ever since!
When I’m looking for those to help me in ministry, I look at these natural areas first. You can pray fervently, shout loudly, and preach like you’re spitting cotton! But if natural things don’t sing the same song, it’s all a bluff!
Give yourself a check-up today. What’s your natural life saying about what you value right now. Remember, your natural life is a direct reflection of your spiritual condition.
Your natural life is a direct reflection of your spiritual condition. What you are on the outside is the result of who you are within. The mental habits that you have spill over into every crevice of life, both natural and spiritual.
Our outward world parallels our inner world. When you make strides toward God, and increase in spirituality, there should also be a change in natural behavior, or it’s not true spiritual increase!
If you’re late for work, you’ll also be late in being faithful to a ministry obligation. If you’re not passionate about natural life responsibilities, you won’t be passionate about spiritual responsibilities. If you see no value in obeying natural law, you may show the same disrespect for spiritual authority. IF you’re a lazy bones naturally, and find it hard to get motivated to perform, you’ll be lazy bones spiritually and will lack spiritual passion.
If I look in your car and see all kinds of debris in the floorboard and seats, it tells me that you don’t value excellence, and you’ll be prone to under perform spiritually! If I walk into your home and it’s consistently untidy, that tells a lot about your values. Excellence starts with thinking, and will filter into all we are and do.
When God started the process of changing my life with His Word, my natural life began to feel the pressure to change! And it’s been changing ever since!
When I’m looking for those to help me in ministry, I look at these natural areas first. You can pray fervently, shout loudly, and preach like you’re spitting cotton! But if natural things don’t sing the same song, it’s all a bluff!
Give yourself a check-up today. What’s your natural life saying about what you value right now. Remember, your natural life is a direct reflection of your spiritual condition.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Now concerning how and when all this will happen, dear brothers and sisters, we don't really need to write you. For you know quite well that the day of the Lord's return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. When people are saying, "Everything is peaceful and secure," then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman's labor pains begin. And there will be no escape. But you aren't in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won't be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief. For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don't belong to darkness and night. So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded. Night is the time when people sleep and drinkers get drunk. But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation. For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us. Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever. So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing (1Thessalonians 5:1-11- NLT)
The Lord spoke to us through prophecy in the 9:00 am service this past Sunday. I’ll post it below. This is a great time of adjustment and change worldwide. The earth is being prepared for the return of Christ. At the same time, Satan is seeking to exalt His man of sin, the Anti-Christ, and thwart the purposes of God. So there is mush conflict in the air worldwide politically, economically, socially, and spiritually. Don’t be shaken by the great changes. We’ll be transported to heaven soon via the rapture. Get yourself ready for the days to come. The ride may be a bit bumpy, so hang on tight to your faith and confidence in the Father. And live in a way that your life is such a witness to others that they ask you questions. Then just pour your heart out to them. The Holy Spirit will help you!
Here’s the Word the Father gave us Sunday. Allow it to edify, exhort, and comfort you!
Don’t wring your hands, and don’t grimace your face and say, “Oh God what are we going to do, and what about the future time, what’s going to be happening in the weeks and months to come?” No, lift your hands, and lift your voice, and lift your face, for I’m the God of glory, and I’m the God of grace. For everything is going just the way that I designed that it go. That which is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in My sight. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” And so these are the days that I’m going to shine, not in the way that your mind would conceive, but in the way that I design that I shine. For I will shine in your weakness, I will shine in your need, and I will be a light in the midst of darkness. And the darker the darkness gets, the brighter My light will be in you. This is not a time to wring your hands and grimace. This is a time to lift your hands and make straight the feeble knees, and make a straight path for your feet. For I’ll show myself strong in you. Those things that have bothered you, those things that have kept you from me, I am instilling in you and equipping you with my ability to overcome them. You will be My people. You will be called by My name. There will be a move of My Spirit in this hour, for heaven is in preparation for your coming. So prepare yourself for the days ahead, and be enthused because your God is for you, not against you. Things are not out of control, they are in My control, says the Lord.
The Lord spoke to us through prophecy in the 9:00 am service this past Sunday. I’ll post it below. This is a great time of adjustment and change worldwide. The earth is being prepared for the return of Christ. At the same time, Satan is seeking to exalt His man of sin, the Anti-Christ, and thwart the purposes of God. So there is mush conflict in the air worldwide politically, economically, socially, and spiritually. Don’t be shaken by the great changes. We’ll be transported to heaven soon via the rapture. Get yourself ready for the days to come. The ride may be a bit bumpy, so hang on tight to your faith and confidence in the Father. And live in a way that your life is such a witness to others that they ask you questions. Then just pour your heart out to them. The Holy Spirit will help you!
Here’s the Word the Father gave us Sunday. Allow it to edify, exhort, and comfort you!
Don’t wring your hands, and don’t grimace your face and say, “Oh God what are we going to do, and what about the future time, what’s going to be happening in the weeks and months to come?” No, lift your hands, and lift your voice, and lift your face, for I’m the God of glory, and I’m the God of grace. For everything is going just the way that I designed that it go. That which is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in My sight. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” And so these are the days that I’m going to shine, not in the way that your mind would conceive, but in the way that I design that I shine. For I will shine in your weakness, I will shine in your need, and I will be a light in the midst of darkness. And the darker the darkness gets, the brighter My light will be in you. This is not a time to wring your hands and grimace. This is a time to lift your hands and make straight the feeble knees, and make a straight path for your feet. For I’ll show myself strong in you. Those things that have bothered you, those things that have kept you from me, I am instilling in you and equipping you with my ability to overcome them. You will be My people. You will be called by My name. There will be a move of My Spirit in this hour, for heaven is in preparation for your coming. So prepare yourself for the days ahead, and be enthused because your God is for you, not against you. Things are not out of control, they are in My control, says the Lord.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, the Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously? (James 4:5).
The Holy Spirit is a jealous lover. He is jealous over what occupies our thoughts, our time, our ambitions, and our daily lives. His major job is to make Jesus real to the believer.
He works constantly to keep us on the path of righteousness, bearing conviction through the Word when we go astray. His goal is our Christ-likeness. We should be thankful for this jealous lover that the Father has placed within us.
He perhaps more than us wants us to hear the words well done good and faithful servant when we stand before the Father one day. He works incessantly to keep us out of trouble and close to Jesus and the Father.
We should be careful not to grieve Him through neglect of conscience, bearing unforgiveness towards others, or by the wrong use of our words or our anger. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you (Ephesians 4:30-32).
The Holy Spirit is chosen by Jesus and the Father to be our constant companion throughout life. Listening to Him will keep us out of trouble and will cause us to fulfill the will of the Father every day. He is very sensitive to the Word. One of His major responsibilities is to open the Word to us, making it real and applicable to daily life. He feels neglected when we don’t spend time with the Father in the Word.
I’ve found that one of the best ways to pray for fellow believers that goes astray is to pray for this jealous yearning of the Holy Spirit to rise us within them. I pray that everywhere they are and everywhere they go the Holy Spirit will woo them and make then uncomfortable with wrong living. I’ve seen some wonderful answers to prayer by this method.
Honor the jealous lover in your life today. If you do, He will give you’re his joy and peace. This only comes through obedience to the Word and to His incessant pull away from the world and to Jesus and the Father. Remember, you are never alone!
The Holy Spirit is a jealous lover. He is jealous over what occupies our thoughts, our time, our ambitions, and our daily lives. His major job is to make Jesus real to the believer.
He works constantly to keep us on the path of righteousness, bearing conviction through the Word when we go astray. His goal is our Christ-likeness. We should be thankful for this jealous lover that the Father has placed within us.
He perhaps more than us wants us to hear the words well done good and faithful servant when we stand before the Father one day. He works incessantly to keep us out of trouble and close to Jesus and the Father.
We should be careful not to grieve Him through neglect of conscience, bearing unforgiveness towards others, or by the wrong use of our words or our anger. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you (Ephesians 4:30-32).
The Holy Spirit is chosen by Jesus and the Father to be our constant companion throughout life. Listening to Him will keep us out of trouble and will cause us to fulfill the will of the Father every day. He is very sensitive to the Word. One of His major responsibilities is to open the Word to us, making it real and applicable to daily life. He feels neglected when we don’t spend time with the Father in the Word.
I’ve found that one of the best ways to pray for fellow believers that goes astray is to pray for this jealous yearning of the Holy Spirit to rise us within them. I pray that everywhere they are and everywhere they go the Holy Spirit will woo them and make then uncomfortable with wrong living. I’ve seen some wonderful answers to prayer by this method.
Honor the jealous lover in your life today. If you do, He will give you’re his joy and peace. This only comes through obedience to the Word and to His incessant pull away from the world and to Jesus and the Father. Remember, you are never alone!
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Someone left me a comment about my message on Sunday that I would like to address. Their comment was basically wondering why I had people come up and pray when the Lord has already promised to prosper us. This person mentioned that the scripture is clear that if you give you will receive; God's promises work, so the inference was why do you need to spend time praying and believing for something that God has already promised?
This past Sunday, I had people come for prayer for jobs, and I asked the business people to come up front if they owned a business. I talked briefly about exercising personal faith for a job, and for the Lord to prosper your business ventures. I gave examples from my own life of the Lord honoring His word when I stepped out to receive a job. And I gave examples of how I have incrementally trusted the Lord to increase our weekly finances here at Victory as well as our attendance.
I mentioned that you're going to believe something about everything in life, so why not believe for more rather than believing for nothing. The person who commented to me mentioned that doing this is like praying to consume it own your own lusts as mentioned in James 4:2. A person who responds to what I did on Sunday in this manner obviously has a shallow understanding of the principles of faith in God.
I mentioned on Sunday that when I believe for a job, I get specific with the Lord and believe that I receive before it looks like I have the answer.
I also mentioned on Sunday that I pray in faith for our church finances, and I ask for more than is currently coming in, and I stand in faith until it comes. I also mentioned in both praying for a job and in praying for the Lord to prosper your business that I command the angels of God to go and cause the finances to come in. I've been doing this for many years now.
I started praying for a business the Lord led me to start in this manner many years ago, and the Lord prospered it greatly. And I pray the same way for our ministry here now. Please understand that when you do this, you must also be living right, and you must be obeying the principles of giving clearly mentioned in scripture.
Hebrews 1:14 A.S. Ways translation reads: The angels! - what are they all but servants, spirits who render service to God, who are hour by hour being dispatched on errands of ministration for the help of us who are destined to have salvation as their heritage. Psalms 103:20 reads: Bless the Lord, you His angels, who excel in strength, who do His Word, heeding the voice of His Word.. The angels of God work behind the scenes for us as we trust God and speak His Word.
I encourage you to trust the Lord as you walk with Him. Believe for His best in your life and circumstances. Set your goals high as you walk with God. All things are possible to him who believes.
This past Sunday, I had people come for prayer for jobs, and I asked the business people to come up front if they owned a business. I talked briefly about exercising personal faith for a job, and for the Lord to prosper your business ventures. I gave examples from my own life of the Lord honoring His word when I stepped out to receive a job. And I gave examples of how I have incrementally trusted the Lord to increase our weekly finances here at Victory as well as our attendance.
I mentioned that you're going to believe something about everything in life, so why not believe for more rather than believing for nothing. The person who commented to me mentioned that doing this is like praying to consume it own your own lusts as mentioned in James 4:2. A person who responds to what I did on Sunday in this manner obviously has a shallow understanding of the principles of faith in God.
I mentioned on Sunday that when I believe for a job, I get specific with the Lord and believe that I receive before it looks like I have the answer.
I also mentioned on Sunday that I pray in faith for our church finances, and I ask for more than is currently coming in, and I stand in faith until it comes. I also mentioned in both praying for a job and in praying for the Lord to prosper your business that I command the angels of God to go and cause the finances to come in. I've been doing this for many years now.
I started praying for a business the Lord led me to start in this manner many years ago, and the Lord prospered it greatly. And I pray the same way for our ministry here now. Please understand that when you do this, you must also be living right, and you must be obeying the principles of giving clearly mentioned in scripture.
Hebrews 1:14 A.S. Ways translation reads: The angels! - what are they all but servants, spirits who render service to God, who are hour by hour being dispatched on errands of ministration for the help of us who are destined to have salvation as their heritage. Psalms 103:20 reads: Bless the Lord, you His angels, who excel in strength, who do His Word, heeding the voice of His Word.. The angels of God work behind the scenes for us as we trust God and speak His Word.
I encourage you to trust the Lord as you walk with Him. Believe for His best in your life and circumstances. Set your goals high as you walk with God. All things are possible to him who believes.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you (Proverbs 4:25 – Living).
To walk in the best that God has for you, it’s important to look ahead, not behind. Think about how many people live in the shadow of what they have done. If it’s negative, the past becomes a weight, or a strong chain, holding you back and keeping you from progressing. If you only in the light of past accomplishments, you’ll feel depressed, thinking that nothing could get better than that.
But our best days are ahead of us. I heard Lester Sumrall say many times, Nothing that I have done, nothing that I am doing, is to be compared to what I’m going to do for Jesus!
Paul encourages us to focus on the future: Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13-14)
During an era of great personal hardship in my life, my mind wanted to focus on where I had been, what I had accomplished, and how God had used me. It made me feel as though my days of usefulness and adventure were over. The Lord graciously showed me the dead end street I was on, and urged me to look ahead and believe Him for greater things.
During this time, as I was working one day God used a song by Steve Green to adjust my focus from behind to ahead. I broke down in sobs of thanksgiving as he sang: He who began a good work in you, He who began a good work in you, He’ll be faithful to complete it, He’ll be faithful to complete it. He who started the work will be faithful to complete it in you.
Let you daily confession be that your best days are yet to come! Think of all things that the Father has put in your heart, and make them the focus of your mental attention. If you want them badly enough, as you seek God, and pursue diligence, the Father and you will find a way to bring those desires to pass.
Remember that the path of the just is as a shining light, that shines more and more until that perfect day (Proverbs 4:18). Remember that He will perfect that which concerns me (Psalm 138:8). 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 (Philippians 1:6).
In the end, we become what we really expect. Expect God’s best!
To walk in the best that God has for you, it’s important to look ahead, not behind. Think about how many people live in the shadow of what they have done. If it’s negative, the past becomes a weight, or a strong chain, holding you back and keeping you from progressing. If you only in the light of past accomplishments, you’ll feel depressed, thinking that nothing could get better than that.
But our best days are ahead of us. I heard Lester Sumrall say many times, Nothing that I have done, nothing that I am doing, is to be compared to what I’m going to do for Jesus!
Paul encourages us to focus on the future: Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13-14)
During an era of great personal hardship in my life, my mind wanted to focus on where I had been, what I had accomplished, and how God had used me. It made me feel as though my days of usefulness and adventure were over. The Lord graciously showed me the dead end street I was on, and urged me to look ahead and believe Him for greater things.
During this time, as I was working one day God used a song by Steve Green to adjust my focus from behind to ahead. I broke down in sobs of thanksgiving as he sang: He who began a good work in you, He who began a good work in you, He’ll be faithful to complete it, He’ll be faithful to complete it. He who started the work will be faithful to complete it in you.
Let you daily confession be that your best days are yet to come! Think of all things that the Father has put in your heart, and make them the focus of your mental attention. If you want them badly enough, as you seek God, and pursue diligence, the Father and you will find a way to bring those desires to pass.
Remember that the path of the just is as a shining light, that shines more and more until that perfect day (Proverbs 4:18). Remember that He will perfect that which concerns me (Psalm 138:8). 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 (Philippians 1:6).
In the end, we become what we really expect. Expect God’s best!
Saturday, November 15, 2008
He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you (John 16:14-15).
There is a nugget of truth hidden in this verse. God the Father occupies the highest position in the universe as the Most High God! Yet, he defers to the Son and elevates Him. Jesus was born into humility, though He was Lord of all. Jesus as Lord and sustainer of all, doesn’t attract attention to Himself, but defers to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit does not attract attention to Himself, but His main goal is to magnify and exalt Jesus.
How frequently do believers get upset if they are not recognized for their efforts and achievements! This human pride thing runs very deep, and it takes the Holy Spirit to root it out of us!
Let’s take our example from The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Let’s refuse to draw attention to ourselves. Let’s refuse the spirit of pride that dominates the world. Let’s choose to stay in the background and give all glory for anything accomplished to the Father and the Son. It’s the way the Holy Spirit would want it to be.
There is a nugget of truth hidden in this verse. God the Father occupies the highest position in the universe as the Most High God! Yet, he defers to the Son and elevates Him. Jesus was born into humility, though He was Lord of all. Jesus as Lord and sustainer of all, doesn’t attract attention to Himself, but defers to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit does not attract attention to Himself, but His main goal is to magnify and exalt Jesus.
How frequently do believers get upset if they are not recognized for their efforts and achievements! This human pride thing runs very deep, and it takes the Holy Spirit to root it out of us!
Let’s take our example from The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Let’s refuse to draw attention to ourselves. Let’s refuse the spirit of pride that dominates the world. Let’s choose to stay in the background and give all glory for anything accomplished to the Father and the Son. It’s the way the Holy Spirit would want it to be.
Friday, November 14, 2008
The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms (Deuteronomy 33:27).
There is no situation in life that is bigger than God’s ability to help you out of it! As my former pastor used to say, God had the answer for your every problem prepared before the problem ever existed!
The reality is that we now live in the volatile time just prior to the return of Christ to earth! This is a season of rearranging. And it’s not going to be comfortable. We must make a choice right now. See the light instead of focusing on the darkness. Expect the promises of God for renewal and revival worldwide to happen. Prepare for a fresh move of the Spirit of God. Prepare for a large influx of people into the family of God!
And in the middle of change, see the providence of God working in your life. He is your Protector, your Provider, your Sustainer, your Shield, your Defender, and He is your Life! Lean on His promises. Expect Him to honor His Word in your life. Expect His Providential care to make a way for you every day.
He has not brought us this far to fail us now. It’s time for us to shine with His Glory. But the choice is really ours. Will we trust God; will we trust His Word and lean on the Holy Spirit to show us what to do? Or will we lean on the arm of the flesh; worrying, wringing our hands, allowing ourselves to be caught up in the negative circumstances of the moment?
See yourself under the care of the Divine Shepherd. You belong to Him, and He had obligated Himself to care for you. Walk by faith, listen to the Spirit of God within you, and expect Him to show you what you need to do every day. And expect Him to open a way for you. He will not disappoint!
So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever (2 Corinthians 4:18- NLT).
There is no situation in life that is bigger than God’s ability to help you out of it! As my former pastor used to say, God had the answer for your every problem prepared before the problem ever existed!
The reality is that we now live in the volatile time just prior to the return of Christ to earth! This is a season of rearranging. And it’s not going to be comfortable. We must make a choice right now. See the light instead of focusing on the darkness. Expect the promises of God for renewal and revival worldwide to happen. Prepare for a fresh move of the Spirit of God. Prepare for a large influx of people into the family of God!
And in the middle of change, see the providence of God working in your life. He is your Protector, your Provider, your Sustainer, your Shield, your Defender, and He is your Life! Lean on His promises. Expect Him to honor His Word in your life. Expect His Providential care to make a way for you every day.
He has not brought us this far to fail us now. It’s time for us to shine with His Glory. But the choice is really ours. Will we trust God; will we trust His Word and lean on the Holy Spirit to show us what to do? Or will we lean on the arm of the flesh; worrying, wringing our hands, allowing ourselves to be caught up in the negative circumstances of the moment?
See yourself under the care of the Divine Shepherd. You belong to Him, and He had obligated Himself to care for you. Walk by faith, listen to the Spirit of God within you, and expect Him to show you what you need to do every day. And expect Him to open a way for you. He will not disappoint!
So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever (2 Corinthians 4:18- NLT).
Thursday, November 13, 2008
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs 1:7) Happy is the man who finds wisdom, And the man who gains understanding (Proverbs 3:13).
A head full of knowledge without wisdom is useless. Wisdom mixed with knowledge brings success. Wisdom is the ability to use knowledge correctly.
The vantage point of wisdom is seeing all of creation in the light of the moral laws of God and cooperating with them. Wisdom means being skillful and successful in one's relationships and responsibilities ... observing and following the Creator's principles of order in the moral universe(Dr. Roy Zuck). (1)
Warren Weirsbe reveals: Biblical wisdom has little if any relationship to a person's IQ or education, because it is a matter of moral and spiritual understanding. It has to do with character and values; it means looking at the world through the grid of God's truth. (2)
Notice the benefits of wisdom as mentioned in Proverbs 3:14-18: For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, and her gain than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies, and all the things you may desire cannot compare with her. Length of days is in her right hand, in her left hand riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are all who retain her.
The above verse in Proverbs tells us that if we walk in wisdom we’ll have length of days, riches, honor, pleasantness, peace, life, and happiness.
Jesus said that if we seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, that all the things we need for life will be given to us (Matthew 6:33). That is walking in wisdom!
Now here is the great news. Jesus is our wisdom in life. Notice 1 Corinthians 1:30: But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God — and righteousness and sanctification and redemption . You don’t have to grunt and strain for wisdom. If you’re in Christ, you have it! All you need to do is to open yourself to receive the wisdom that is already there.
Of course James tells to ask if we lack wisdom, and if we ask without wavering in unbelief, we’ll receive the needed wisdom for the moment.
Let’s stop saying, well, I just don’t know what to do about this or that. Let’s let our confession be that God is granting us His wisdom in every endeavor of life. He is enabling us to see the end from the beginning!
1. From The Bible Exposition Commentary: Old Testament © 2001-2004 by Warren W. Wiersbe. All rights reserved.
2. Ibid.
A head full of knowledge without wisdom is useless. Wisdom mixed with knowledge brings success. Wisdom is the ability to use knowledge correctly.
The vantage point of wisdom is seeing all of creation in the light of the moral laws of God and cooperating with them. Wisdom means being skillful and successful in one's relationships and responsibilities ... observing and following the Creator's principles of order in the moral universe(Dr. Roy Zuck). (1)
Warren Weirsbe reveals: Biblical wisdom has little if any relationship to a person's IQ or education, because it is a matter of moral and spiritual understanding. It has to do with character and values; it means looking at the world through the grid of God's truth. (2)
Notice the benefits of wisdom as mentioned in Proverbs 3:14-18: For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, and her gain than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies, and all the things you may desire cannot compare with her. Length of days is in her right hand, in her left hand riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are all who retain her.
The above verse in Proverbs tells us that if we walk in wisdom we’ll have length of days, riches, honor, pleasantness, peace, life, and happiness.
Jesus said that if we seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, that all the things we need for life will be given to us (Matthew 6:33). That is walking in wisdom!
Now here is the great news. Jesus is our wisdom in life. Notice 1 Corinthians 1:30: But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God — and righteousness and sanctification and redemption . You don’t have to grunt and strain for wisdom. If you’re in Christ, you have it! All you need to do is to open yourself to receive the wisdom that is already there.
Of course James tells to ask if we lack wisdom, and if we ask without wavering in unbelief, we’ll receive the needed wisdom for the moment.
Let’s stop saying, well, I just don’t know what to do about this or that. Let’s let our confession be that God is granting us His wisdom in every endeavor of life. He is enabling us to see the end from the beginning!
1. From The Bible Exposition Commentary: Old Testament © 2001-2004 by Warren W. Wiersbe. All rights reserved.
2. Ibid.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Here's a link to my Picasa web album. I've posted some pictures from the Congo trip. Click on the link and check 'em out, or check out the slideshow below!
If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever — the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you (John 14:15-18).
Jesus was everything to the disciples. He met their every need during His three and a half years of ministry. If they didn’t understand a scripture, they would go to Him and He would explain it to them. Once they needed money to pay taxes and Jesus told Peter to go fishing, and the first fish he caught would have the tax money in its mouth!
When they had trouble ministering healing to an epileptic boy, Jesus set him free. When they needed to feed a large crowd, Jesus was there to multiply a little boy’s lunch and feed over five thousand with it. Jesus was everything they needed.
Here in John 14, Jesus is preparing His disciples for His departure to heaven. He wanted them to know that He was not leaving them as orphans. He told them that He would send someone to take His place in their lives. That someone would be everything that He was to them. When He told them that He would send another comforter, it literally reads in the Greek, another comforter of the same kind. Everything Jesus was to them, this coming person would be to them.
The word helper in verse 15 above is the word parakletos in the Greek. It means one who is called alongside to aid or help. The Latin word for helper means one who comes with strength. The Amplified Bible gives the various shades of meaning this word parakletos contains - Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby.
We actually have it better than the disciples did who walked in Jesus’ presences. The Holy Spirit now resides in us and Jesus promised that He would be to us everything that Jesus was to the disciples. Inside of you today, is wisdom, guidance, strength, ability, and insight.
You’re not an orphan! You’re never alone. Develop your relationship with the Divine personality that lives inside of you. He is sent to replace the physical presence of Jesus in your life. Yield to Him. Court His presence. Open your heart life to Him. Saturate your mind with the Word so that He can communicate with you easily.
He knows the challenges in our future and has promised to be our helper and our guide. Expect His help today!
Jesus was everything to the disciples. He met their every need during His three and a half years of ministry. If they didn’t understand a scripture, they would go to Him and He would explain it to them. Once they needed money to pay taxes and Jesus told Peter to go fishing, and the first fish he caught would have the tax money in its mouth!
When they had trouble ministering healing to an epileptic boy, Jesus set him free. When they needed to feed a large crowd, Jesus was there to multiply a little boy’s lunch and feed over five thousand with it. Jesus was everything they needed.
Here in John 14, Jesus is preparing His disciples for His departure to heaven. He wanted them to know that He was not leaving them as orphans. He told them that He would send someone to take His place in their lives. That someone would be everything that He was to them. When He told them that He would send another comforter, it literally reads in the Greek, another comforter of the same kind. Everything Jesus was to them, this coming person would be to them.
The word helper in verse 15 above is the word parakletos in the Greek. It means one who is called alongside to aid or help. The Latin word for helper means one who comes with strength. The Amplified Bible gives the various shades of meaning this word parakletos contains - Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby.
We actually have it better than the disciples did who walked in Jesus’ presences. The Holy Spirit now resides in us and Jesus promised that He would be to us everything that Jesus was to the disciples. Inside of you today, is wisdom, guidance, strength, ability, and insight.
You’re not an orphan! You’re never alone. Develop your relationship with the Divine personality that lives inside of you. He is sent to replace the physical presence of Jesus in your life. Yield to Him. Court His presence. Open your heart life to Him. Saturate your mind with the Word so that He can communicate with you easily.
He knows the challenges in our future and has promised to be our helper and our guide. Expect His help today!
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age (Matthew 28: 19-20).
I actually forgot I hadn't blogged the last few days! I guess I'm still catching up from being away for a couple of weeks!
We had a staff meeting this morning and the subject of my missions trips came up. There were questions and comments about my missions trips; their frequency and length; was it good for me to be gone etc. It was a lively discussion with honest dialogue. It made me think deeply about why I go on these trips.
My first missions trip was to Liepia, Latvia in June of 1993. My second trip was to Omsk, Siberia, with Houston Miles and a team from Evangel Fellowship in March of 1996. There I met Bruce McDonald, and Bruce and I have been going to India together since 1998, and to Africa together since 2002.
As a local church pastor, my primary responsibility is to minister to the congregation at Victory Fellowship. As a church, we have outreaches to our community fairly regularly, and are planning to ramp up out local outreach even more.
I believe that our missions outreaches keep up from becoming too focused inwardly, and keep us aware of the needs of the whole world. We support 23 missions organizations or individuals each month. Since God so loved the whole world, I believe we should help in some way with the evangelization of the world. In doing so, I believe that God honors our efforts and blesses our church in a large way.
We will continue to sponsor short term missions trips to other countries as long as the Lord allows. I'd encourage you to go on one of these trips with me to another country. Just one trip will be life changing.
My next trip is to Ethiopia this January. We have 16 churches under our name there, and work with over 100 more in developing leaders and in community evangelism. We just helped a church build and new building in southern Ethiopia, and we will be dedicatiing it to the Lord on this next trip. We will also visit churches that have been established in the Omo Valley of Southwestern Ethiopia. This is a very rustic area that is still prsitine and undeveloped.
Until Jesus comes, we have a mandate from Jesus to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature and to make disciples in all nations. I believe that if we continue to do our part, God will continue to shine His favor upon us! Thanks for helping me obey what I beleive the Lord has called us to do together!
Saturday, November 8, 2008
For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? (Matthew 16:25-26).
Life is full of the unknown. We are finite beings in relationship with the infinite God Almighty! His desire is that we give ourselves unreservedly to Him in faith and surrender. Jesus said that if we love our natural life more than our relationship with Him, then we would suffer great harm and loss. But, He continued, if we put our relationship with Him first and foremost, then He would see that both natural and spiritual needs are satisfied!
When confronted last week with great danger when fighting broke out while I was in the Congo, I found a great sense of security on knowing that my life was wrapped up in the will of God. The safest place to be is in His will! If you are doing what He is asking of you, and are purposing to please Him, then things will work out for good in your life.
Instead of bemoaning the circumstances that suddenly change, let’s learn to “roll with the punches” that life brings and lean on the eternal faithfulness of our infinite God! He is bigger than every circumstance that looms before us. He always sees the end from the beginning. He knows the crooks and bends in our road of life. As we trust Him with faith and patience, He will shine His light on our path and make a way for us.
Resist the temptation today to worry or complain about the “suddenly” things that surprise you in life. Take one day at a time, and expect your Father to take care of you. He has never failed a person who really trusts Him.
Friday, November 7, 2008
It's wonderful to be home again after this testy missions trip! The Lord showed to me His love and mercy during this trip by protecting us in some dangerous situations we faced. I want to thank those of you who took time to pray for us, I firmly believe that your prayers for our safety help protect us from harm. Let me share one story with you.
Wednesday, October 29th, we were visiting the refugee camps just outside of Goma in the afternoon in preparation for ministry in the four camps the following days. We had to meet with the overseers of the camps and the security officers there just to make sure that things were ready and they were comfortable with us going in to minister.
We were on the way back into Goma around 3:00 PM or so when we were met on the road by a huge convoy of Congolese troops exiting the town at a high rate of speed. There were tanks, personnel carriers, trucks with huge guns mounted on them, and an assortment of private vehicles packed with soldiers on the run. We had no idea of what was going on. Then we notice that pedestrians began running away from town too as the convey of soldiers passed.
We pulled off the road and stopped momentarily as the convoy passed. Suddenly one of the tanks lost control, leaving the road and heading straight for our vehicle. Just before it looked as though it would run right over the top of us, it suddenly diverted back onto the street, missing us by no more than 2 feet! This happened so quckly that we had no time to pray much less respond. The Lord protected us! Thank you for those who prayed for our safety!
We continued our journey into town after asking and receiving no clear understanding of what was going on from the fleeing pedestrians. They were in a panic. As we traveled in to town we notice soldiers commandeering motorcycles and cars ahead of us, stealing them and leaving town in them. Our driver became concerned that our hired vehicle would be stolen and diverted us onto some really horrible side streets. We darted in and out steering clear of soldiers as they eyed our vehicle and motioned for us to stop! Forty five minutes or so later, we arrived safely at our hotel.
As we ate dinner that Wednesday night, fighting once again erupted a couple of miles form our hotel. The sound of tanks and big guns firing could be heard in the distance for several hours. The electricity was cut off a few hours later so as not to bring attention to our hotel. Machine gun fire could be heard in the streets fairly close to us during the night hours. We found out later that 20 or so soldiers and civilians were killed in the fighting, 13 or so civilians were wounded; several women were raped by soldiers and a number of stores were looted.
We canceled our planned meetings at the refugee camps on Thursday so as to access te situation. Several UN monitors came by our hotel the next morning for breakfast in the dining area. I can see the hand of the Lord in this. They told us what had happened the night before and advised our leaving Goma to stay in Rwanda, just across the border. Another UN negotiator came by the dining area and gave a clear assessment to us of the situation and advised our leaving the city during the night. The situation had calmed but was certainly volatile. On Thursday afternoon we moved from our hotel in Goma to a hotel in the Rwandan border city of Gisenyi. Ministry began on Friday and continued through Tuesday.
The Lord protected us as He promised! We were able to get the information we needed so we could make sane and safe decisions as to ho to proceed. Certainly underneath us are the everlasting arms. I've posted some pictures for you of some of our ministry experiences. I'll show a brief 5 minute video synopsis of our ministry in Goma Congo in our services on Sunday.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
I've not been able to get online since Sunday afternoon your time. I'm now at Heathrow Airport in London. I've been traveling 24 hours so far on my journey home!
Here's a brief update. On Monday, we ministered to pastors again at a pastor's conference in one of the refugee camps. I opened it up for a time of questions and answers, and we had a lively time! Questions ranged from how to stand when it looks like your prayers are not being answered, to what to do when you are older and can't read the small print and feel really tired by still have the preach in you, to questions about marriage and family issues and even about the meaning of Revelation 12! They were greatly encouraged and felt the love we had for them. We fed these pastors every day of the conference, which was Thursday through Monday! Staving bellies have a hard time hearing what you're saying.
Monday afternoon we held another evangelistic crusade in yet another refugee camp. We stopped on the way to pick up several large bags of food for the pastors at the camp to distribute. We bought enough to feed 1000 people. They were overjoyed!
I preached in this crusade. We have thousands in attendance. We were encircled by people on all sides. I preached on being ready for death, on the reality of heaven and hell and the after life, and the coming judgment for those who do not know Christ. It's hard to count them all, so I will say that well over 2000 people were saved! We had a time!
After some brief exhortation for those who were saved to pray and attend a church in the refugee camp, I ministered briefly on healing and offered prayer for the sick. God's compassion is very real in these settings, and when you preach, you can feel His presence so strongly! As I offered a mass pray for healing, God's power swept through the place and hundreds raised their hands to testify of being healed! It was just amazing. They jumped for joy! We had time for only a few testimonies of healing and had to leave so we would have time to cross the border to get to our hotel in Rwanda.
On Tuesday we visited a Pygmy tribe in one of the refugee camps. We bought enough food on the way to feed this tribe of a thousand or so for 1 full week! They did not know we were bringing food. The important thing to note here is that Pygmies are looked upon as the scum of the earth, even in a refugee camp. And they get the last morsels of any food distributed. When they saw the food we brought, they danced and danced for joy.
A news reporter from a Nairobi paper tagged along with us for this trip to the Pygmies, and was thrilled to see what we do. He also writes for the LA Times. He told us he would send us a copy of his article on what we were doing in the camps.
We hurried from the Pygmies to a University in the center of Goma. There, Bruce delivered 400 Bibles in Swahili and French. The students were very appreciative.
We left on our long journey home your time on Wednesday at 2:00 AM.
I'll be home at 4:10 pm on Thursday! Thanks for praying for us. We were alerted that fighting broke out again in Goma on the Tuesday night before we left. Please pray for these people, that the violence would be stopped, and that peace would return to this troubled town in Congo!
I'll post some pics of my trip when i get back to the States!
Here's a brief update. On Monday, we ministered to pastors again at a pastor's conference in one of the refugee camps. I opened it up for a time of questions and answers, and we had a lively time! Questions ranged from how to stand when it looks like your prayers are not being answered, to what to do when you are older and can't read the small print and feel really tired by still have the preach in you, to questions about marriage and family issues and even about the meaning of Revelation 12! They were greatly encouraged and felt the love we had for them. We fed these pastors every day of the conference, which was Thursday through Monday! Staving bellies have a hard time hearing what you're saying.
Monday afternoon we held another evangelistic crusade in yet another refugee camp. We stopped on the way to pick up several large bags of food for the pastors at the camp to distribute. We bought enough to feed 1000 people. They were overjoyed!
I preached in this crusade. We have thousands in attendance. We were encircled by people on all sides. I preached on being ready for death, on the reality of heaven and hell and the after life, and the coming judgment for those who do not know Christ. It's hard to count them all, so I will say that well over 2000 people were saved! We had a time!
After some brief exhortation for those who were saved to pray and attend a church in the refugee camp, I ministered briefly on healing and offered prayer for the sick. God's compassion is very real in these settings, and when you preach, you can feel His presence so strongly! As I offered a mass pray for healing, God's power swept through the place and hundreds raised their hands to testify of being healed! It was just amazing. They jumped for joy! We had time for only a few testimonies of healing and had to leave so we would have time to cross the border to get to our hotel in Rwanda.
On Tuesday we visited a Pygmy tribe in one of the refugee camps. We bought enough food on the way to feed this tribe of a thousand or so for 1 full week! They did not know we were bringing food. The important thing to note here is that Pygmies are looked upon as the scum of the earth, even in a refugee camp. And they get the last morsels of any food distributed. When they saw the food we brought, they danced and danced for joy.
A news reporter from a Nairobi paper tagged along with us for this trip to the Pygmies, and was thrilled to see what we do. He also writes for the LA Times. He told us he would send us a copy of his article on what we were doing in the camps.
We hurried from the Pygmies to a University in the center of Goma. There, Bruce delivered 400 Bibles in Swahili and French. The students were very appreciative.
We left on our long journey home your time on Wednesday at 2:00 AM.
I'll be home at 4:10 pm on Thursday! Thanks for praying for us. We were alerted that fighting broke out again in Goma on the Tuesday night before we left. Please pray for these people, that the violence would be stopped, and that peace would return to this troubled town in Congo!
I'll post some pics of my trip when i get back to the States!
Sunday, November 2, 2008
I have a testy connection here, so I'll be brief! We had an awesome day on Sunday. We crossed the border into Goma from Rwanda early and I preached in a church in the city. A great time of worship, and they just soaked up the Word!
After a brief lunch, we headed for the refugee camps which are located at the base of an active volcano. This thing erupted just a few years ago and covered the place in lava. It's hard to walk on! What a setting! The refugees are displaced from the war with the rebels. They have little food, and little hope. It's heartbreaking to see all this. I will bring you to tears to see the families in little make shift huts made of straw and covered with tarps to keep out the rain. Children play on the grounds here, which is nothing more than hard, cutting lava rock. There are tens of thousands of people in the refugee camp where we went. And thousands of make shift homes dot the landscape as far as you can see.
Our crusade was on a platform in the middle of the camp with the volcanic mountain looming over us in the distance. The speakers are blaring as the praise team sings from their hearts and dance with utter abandon.
Then the rain begins as Bruce preaches his heart out and confronts the people with their sinfulness, the reality of hell that will come if they don't repent, and of the salvation offered through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. There were perhaps as many as 10,000 in the crowds that were watching. When the altar call was given, well over 2000 responded for salvation. It was awesome! Joy erupted when the salvation prayer concluded. Man is this fun!
Then a mass prayer for the sick and afflicted was offered. God's power fell on us. You could feel it in the atmosphere. He loves these people so much! I would say hundreds were healed. Again, joy erupted. We had time for only a few testimonies from those who were healed. Several cripples were healed. People were astounded by God's love and power. Absolutely amazing!
We had to leave abruptly so we could cross the border before it closed. We will return there today. It's 6:30 AM on Monday as I write this. I must prepare to teach pastors this morning in the refugee camps, and we will hold another crusade this afternoon. Thank you, thank you, thank you for praying. This is not a walk in the park. It's tough!
I'll be back in touch when I return today!
After a brief lunch, we headed for the refugee camps which are located at the base of an active volcano. This thing erupted just a few years ago and covered the place in lava. It's hard to walk on! What a setting! The refugees are displaced from the war with the rebels. They have little food, and little hope. It's heartbreaking to see all this. I will bring you to tears to see the families in little make shift huts made of straw and covered with tarps to keep out the rain. Children play on the grounds here, which is nothing more than hard, cutting lava rock. There are tens of thousands of people in the refugee camp where we went. And thousands of make shift homes dot the landscape as far as you can see.
Our crusade was on a platform in the middle of the camp with the volcanic mountain looming over us in the distance. The speakers are blaring as the praise team sings from their hearts and dance with utter abandon.
Then the rain begins as Bruce preaches his heart out and confronts the people with their sinfulness, the reality of hell that will come if they don't repent, and of the salvation offered through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. There were perhaps as many as 10,000 in the crowds that were watching. When the altar call was given, well over 2000 responded for salvation. It was awesome! Joy erupted when the salvation prayer concluded. Man is this fun!
Then a mass prayer for the sick and afflicted was offered. God's power fell on us. You could feel it in the atmosphere. He loves these people so much! I would say hundreds were healed. Again, joy erupted. We had time for only a few testimonies from those who were healed. Several cripples were healed. People were astounded by God's love and power. Absolutely amazing!
We had to leave abruptly so we could cross the border before it closed. We will return there today. It's 6:30 AM on Monday as I write this. I must prepare to teach pastors this morning in the refugee camps, and we will hold another crusade this afternoon. Thank you, thank you, thank you for praying. This is not a walk in the park. It's tough!
I'll be back in touch when I return today!
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Our day began today with a real long border crossing. We had to go to the government office in Goma to get a multi-entry visa so we could pass through quicker and easier. As you know, we're staying in Rwanda at night and crossing into Congo each day to minister.
The situation remains calm yet unpredictable in Goma. We are exercising great caution as we plan day to day. I have a peace that all will be ok.
Today we ministered in a refugee camp to pastors. They were both hungry and excited. They never have visitors from the outside to encourage them. There exuberance is contagious. I'll show you some pics when I get home.
This afternoon we went to another refugee camp to conduct an evangelistic crusade. The choirs were singing, a huge crowd of people had gathered, and the excitement was growing. Then a Noah's flood rain came! It was complete with fireworks(loud thunder and lightning). The people continued to sing and dance in the rain until they were drenched. We fled to the waiting vehicle and had to get back to Rwanda before the border closed!
Tomorrow I will preach in a church in Goma for their Sunday morning service. Then in the afternoon we will conduct another evangelistic crusade in a different refugee camp. Please pray that we will be able to minister this time! The people are eager to hear. I'll give you an update tomorrow.
I'm preparing for tomorrow and will be retiring for the night soon. Here it is 8:30 or so at night on Saturday. Don't forget to set your clocks back an hour tonight!
The situation remains calm yet unpredictable in Goma. We are exercising great caution as we plan day to day. I have a peace that all will be ok.
Today we ministered in a refugee camp to pastors. They were both hungry and excited. They never have visitors from the outside to encourage them. There exuberance is contagious. I'll show you some pics when I get home.
This afternoon we went to another refugee camp to conduct an evangelistic crusade. The choirs were singing, a huge crowd of people had gathered, and the excitement was growing. Then a Noah's flood rain came! It was complete with fireworks(loud thunder and lightning). The people continued to sing and dance in the rain until they were drenched. We fled to the waiting vehicle and had to get back to Rwanda before the border closed!
Tomorrow I will preach in a church in Goma for their Sunday morning service. Then in the afternoon we will conduct another evangelistic crusade in a different refugee camp. Please pray that we will be able to minister this time! The people are eager to hear. I'll give you an update tomorrow.
I'm preparing for tomorrow and will be retiring for the night soon. Here it is 8:30 or so at night on Saturday. Don't forget to set your clocks back an hour tonight!
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