Today!

God has been dealing with me recently!  I have been beat down through the itineration process.  Itineration is the name we give to the time missionaries travel throughout the States raising financial and prayer support.  Well, as the U.S. economy being where it is, there are many struggling churches, making itineration that much more challenging.  After almost 15 months of itineration, we are at 50% of our fund-raising.  My spirit has been struggling with depression.  A pastor friend asked me about this and recommended the book "Spiritual Depression" by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones.  A didn't fully realize how bad it was getting until I was driving to a church on Sunday morning to preach.  It was a two and half hour drive and Tona and the kids were sleeping.  God was talking to me and the Spirit was upon me.  He was telling me that the "Faith" that I have been preaching about is not always visible in my spirit.  I must walk in faith as I preach on faith.  He said call on me to deliver you from depression.  Call on me to give you strength.  Call on me to handle that which belongs to me.  Jesus' sacrifice was to provide deliverance from attacks of the enemy.  There is power in that name! 

A friend heard me calling out His name, "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus" and said reminded her of the movie "Beetlejuice".  (If you call the name of Beetlejuice three times, he shows up.)  Well that is precisely how it works!  "Jesus" my Lord, "Jesus" my strength. "Jesus" my deliverer and there He is!

When the enemy attacks, he keeps attacking.  He looks for ways to grab strongholds in our lives and he exploits them.  He seeks to destroy our faith as well as our spirit.  He tells us that we are alone and we should be embarrassed to share with others.  The devil is the king of lies.  He wants to separate us from others, especially God, in order to control us.  He loves our pride, our fear, our depression...  But, he has no power against our Lord and Savior.  God cast him out of heaven and He will cast him out of the earth when Christ returns.  We, who know Christ, share in His victory.

And so, driving to the church, God said, "Tell others that the victory is yours, through Me.  Your Lord is the deliverer and has already won the battle for you.  Release your struggles for they are Mine to handle.  I am and will be with you all the days of your life.  I will never leave you nor forsake you.  Call on me each day at your waking hour to be with you and there I will be."  The Spirit of the Lord was so powerful that the long car ride felt like 15 minutes as we approached the church.  I was determined to share what God said to me.  When we arrived at the church, we handled our typical pre-service routine of table setup and media preparation.  The pastor took me into his office and shared with me the struggles of the church.  By the time the service started, I was beginning to question the word that I needed to share...until the worship band played the song "Today"

Today I choose to follow You
Today I choose to give my "Yes" to You
Today I choose to hear your voice and live
Today I choose to follow You

As for me and my house we will serve You
As for me and my house we will spend our lives on You
today

Wonderful counselor, everlasting father
Eternal King, Lord of Hosts, willingly we follow (today)

Today I choose to follow You
Today I choose to give my "Yes" to You
Today I choose to hear your voice and live
Today I choose to follow You 

And then a woman went to the front as God was calling her to come and seek His path for her.  And the pastor extended the invitation to the congregation.  But the Spirit was telling me there were more...they're just afraid to take the first step. And so I leaned over to Tona and said "God wants me to change things up.  Is that okay with you?"  If you know Tona then you know that changing structure makes her nervous, but at that moment I could see the peace of the Lord upon her.  She just said "Tell me when you need me!"

And the Spirit of the Lord moved and I shared His word for me and for them.  It was definitely not me on that stage; the Spirit was having His way.  We continued with a modified version of our service, allowing the Spirit to reshape and reword as needed. 

Afterwords, a thankful pastor shared with us, "That was the perfect message that God was telling me for today!"; the confirmation to me that God wants us not only hear His words but obey.

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, today I choose to follow You!  Today I choose to say "Yes" to You!  Today I will listen and obey and we will walk in victory, together.

Is quitting the same as suicide? (Spiritual Suicide)

I have felt burdened in prayer for friends and family (new and old).  When I hear that a friend doesn't feel excitement or love in their marriage so divorce is their solution?  I'm bored with what I'm doing so I guess I'll quit!  I wish this was a one time occurrence but it's not, I'm seeing it over and over.  There is no doubt why this generation is labeled "Generation Now".  I want it and I want it now!  Patience is now a vulgar word.

Who or what is the god of the "Now Generation"?

If patience is one of the fruits of the Spirit, where does impatience come from?  Patience is part of the Spirit but impatience is part of the flesh.

  For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.


                                  Romans 6:23 (NIV)




Those that live in the flesh, either don't know the Lord or have turned away from Him.  In the story of the "Prodigal Son", we see the patience of a loving father overjoyed with the return of his son.  He showed great patience with his son to allow him to rebel and run away from a loving home.

Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons.  The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them.
  "Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.  After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.  So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.  He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
  "When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!  I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.  I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.'  So he got up and went to his father.
      "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
  "The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'
  "But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.  Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate.  For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.
  "Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing.  So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on.  'Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.'
  "The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him.  But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.  But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!'
  " 'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.  But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' "

                                  Luke 15:11-32 (NIV)


Sin is exciting for a season but the excitement will be followed by regret.  Although your Father is awaiting your return, your life does not have a pause and resume button. There are consequences of sin.  Sin is a quick way to destroy the life that you know and regret will haunt you.

In my travels and studies, many pastors and councilors have stated that the best start in solving relational conflicts is an inward search (instances of abuse and adultery may be different).  It is easy to see flaws in others, but we must first address our own flaws.

"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?

                                  Matthew 7:3 (NIV)


David speaks of patience; sometimes out of desperation; other times out of straight respect for the Lord.

  I waited patiently for the LORD;
       he turned to me and heard my cry.
  He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
       out of the mud and mire;
       he set my feet on a rock
       and gave me a firm place to stand.
  He put a new song in my mouth,
       a hymn of praise to our God.
       Many will see and fear
       and put their trust in the LORD.
  Blessed is the man
       who makes the LORD his trust,
       who does not look to the proud,
       to those who turn aside to false gods.
  Many, O LORD my God,
       are the wonders you have done.
       The things you planned for us
       no one can recount to you;
       were I to speak and tell of them,
       they would be too many to declare.
  Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
       but my ears you have pierced
       burnt offerings and sin offerings
       you did not require.
  Then I said, "Here I am, I have come—
       it is written about me in the scroll.
  I desire to do your will, O my God;
       your law is within my heart."
  I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly;
       I do not seal my lips,
       as you know, O LORD.
  I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;
       I speak of your faithfulness and salvation.
       I do not conceal your love and your truth
       from the great assembly.
  Do not withhold your mercy from me, O LORD;
       may your love and your truth always protect me.
  For troubles without number surround me;
       my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see.
       They are more than the hairs of my head,
       and my heart fails within me.
  Be pleased, O LORD, to save me;
       O LORD, come quickly to help me.
  May all who seek to take my life
       be put to shame and confusion;
       may all who desire my ruin
       be turned back in disgrace.
  May those who say to me, "Aha! Aha!"
       be appalled at their own shame.
  But may all who seek you
       rejoice and be glad in you;
       may those who love your salvation always say,
       "The LORD be exalted!"
  Yet I am poor and needy;
       may the Lord think of me.
       You are my help and my deliverer;
       O my God, do not delay.

                                  Psalm 40 (NIV)


David is such a great example to us.  In no way was he perfect or near perfect, but he chased after the Lord.  Pursuing blessings was a regular part of his life, an art that is being lost with our generation.  We are so caught up in the "ME...ME...ME..." and "NOW...NOW...NOW...", we forget about the blessing that the Lord has promised us.  Some of our blessings come quick and easy and others require patience and focus on that still small voice.  We teach the concept to the youth and children of Colombia and  amazing things are happening.  Here in the States, where the Lord is not sought or desired, lives are falling to pieces.  Divorce is so common that marriage is being skipped altogether.  There are now prenuptial agreements for couples that chose to live together.  Has the once powerful nation of the United States of America gotten so deep in sin that the Lord has hardened hearts?  Should we give up on those that have already given up on life?  Is it Spiritual suicide?

Never!

It's time to DECLARE WAR!  We must declare war on the enemy!  We must fight a spiritual battle that is more important than anything else!  We fight for our families...for our friends...for acquaintances...for the nations...and yes, even for our enemies!  It is time that we fight back and not only hold our ground but take back the ground we have already handed over to the enemy!  Why did we allow the enemy to gain strongholds in our lives?  our families?  our country?  and our world?  Greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world!  Like every great story, if you skip to the end, you will discover the winner.  So why do we let "the Loser", Satan, have any power in our lives?  We are on the winning side and it is about time we started living that way!