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!

It's harvest time!

I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.

John 4:35

How much time do we think we have? How often do we think we have plenty of time for a task only to be surprised when the time runs out? We all know the term 'Time flies when you're having fun!'

If the harvest is ready, is the end near?  I don't know.  The end will come like a thief in the night. (1 Thessalonians 5:2)  You can TRY to anticipate a thief, but you never know  When they might strike.  So, if the harvest is ready that means simply the harvest is ready.  If the forecast predicts foul weather, don't farmers work extra hard to bring in the harvest before the storms?  And, if there is a chance that the end is near, shouldn't we work extra hard to bring in the harvest before it happens?  I, myself, feel an urgency to return to the field soon. Am I predicting the return of Christ?  No, but I would rather have done everything I could before that time than be here in the States asking for help to return to the field.  God wants each of us to do our part, for some it's to go and others it's to send.  If God called us to go, has he called others to send us?

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent?

Romans 10:13-15 (NLT)

Whom shall be called to send?  Neither calling is entirely easy and both are equally important.  It's a team effort and no one person can do it alone.  Without you there is no team.  Please join our team.

If God is for us, who can be against us?

Romans 8:31 (NIV)

Irony (Patience)

I was driving in Atlanta last night to a Light For The Lost (LFTL) Banquet. Just a quick setting of the Atlanta area; it has been raining for the past 2 weeks (100 year storm conditions). It was raining hard and I just left on a 50 minute drive to the hosting church, not good conditions. Within the first mile, the road was under 6 inches of water; the point most NORMAL people would have returned home. I am not normal, I am an impatient missionary with a desire to get back to Colombia. I had a feeling that 50 minutes was not very realistic in Atlanta during rush hour and it was raining, so I left 2 1/4 hours before the banquet. Plenty of time, or so I thought. I was relaxed in the car, listening to some podcast sermons. After 2 hours passed, I was starting to get very nervous. The irony kicked in as the current podcast was dealing with "Waiting Patiently on the Lord".

How many of us truly know how to wait upon the Lord? We pray and if we don't hear anything, we just start doing. The Lord called and sent Moses up and down the mountain many times. He had no car, no horse, no cable cars, he just hiked and climbed. And when he arrived to where the Lord was, he waited...patiently. He waited 7 DAYS before the Lord spoke. Have you ever waited 7 days on anything? If we are expecting something, we want to know exact timing! "Oh Lord! 7 days? Okay, at what time in the day?" And we put God into our schedules. And for 7 days we fill our schedules with everything else, except God. "Okay God, you have 15 minutes, make the best out of it." When Moses came before the Lord, he wasn't told a certain day or time. He just waited patiently for 7 days. He didn't do any work. He didn't play with a phone or computer. He just waited patiently!

David wrote:
I waited patiently for the LORD;
he turned to me and heard my cry. Psalm 40:1

Patience is a requirement of time with the Lord. I often pray, "Father, not my will but let your will be done." ...But in my timing! I don't say it, but it is in my spirit. We live in the "Age of Technology". We are the "Now" generation. The world has changed, but God hasn't.

"But Lord, I don't have time because of my two jobs" (to pay for stuff I don't really need). "But Lord, I don't have time because I need to run the kids to soccer, baseball, football, etc. and then run errands." (I got Stuff to do, You play second fiddle.) "But Lord, I don't have time because I am too busy doing ministry for You." (A problem that I struggle with) Excuses don't work with teachers or parents so why do we use them with God? EXCUSES are tools of the enemy!

"Father, I'm sorry for my impatience. I'm sorry for excuses. When you wish to speak to me, I will wait patiently. When I need to hear from you, I will wait patiently. Your return is at a time that you know and I don't need to know. Let me do as you wish in your timing. I seek only to please you. Lord, help me to learn and teach others the beauty of patience. I ask this in the precious name of Jesus. Amen."

Fruit #1: If you have not Love, then you have not!

There is no greater command from God than love and no greater gift.


The gift of God's love: For God so loved the world... (John 3:16)


It's nice to know He created us in His own image. He loves us so much that He sacrificed His one and only Son. He gave that love to us. Do you show others that kind of love?


His Commands: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." (Matthew 22:36-40)


We are commanded to love. The most wonderful experience that our lives could experience is a command? God is good! Do you love the Lord? Do you love your neighbor? ...not just the nice ones, but the enemies and the outcasts? I'm not asking can you love? ...but do you? ...or will you?


If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13)


I'll let the words of John bring this point to an end.


Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. (1 John 4:8)

If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. (1 John 4:20)


Love the unloved, those that are mean, the "losers". It won't be easy at first and you may feel rejection. Don't ask why...just love!

"All you need is love."      John Lennon