Wishing You A Happy New Year

2012 is almost here!

Are you ready?

Praying that your year will be blessed. May you continue to experience the goodness and love of God. I hope that you grow closer to the Father's heart for you.

Thank you for taking the time out of your day to read this blog. I look forward to sharing more with you in the year to come. It's been a fun year of sharing my thoughts with you.

I leave 2011 with these thoughts from Psalm 71:14-16:
"...I will hope continually,
And I will praise You yet more and more.
May mouth shall tell of Your righteousness
And Your salvation all the day,
For I do not know their limits.
I will go in the strength of the Lord God;
I will make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only."

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

The Word Became Flesh...

Just a couple of more days until Christmas. While the world may celebrate a season of giving gifts and time with family, we choose to rise above the materialism, commercialism, and routine of the holidays. We will celebrate the birth of the Christ.

Here's some tips to helping you keep Christ in your Christmas:

#1 - Remember that He would be called Emmanuel - "God with us"

#2 - Jesus Christ was the Word become flesh (according to John 1:14). The "Word" in the Greek is "Logos" - "Divine Expression".

#3 - John 1:18 also tells us that Jesus declared God to the world. The word "declared" in the Greek literally means to lead forth into full revelation. It metaphorically mean to draw out in narrative. Jesus came to reveal, manifest, and interpret God unto man. In Him we have the full revelation of God!!!

#4 - In our Christian tradition we refer to Jesus as God-incarnate. The incarnation is basically the personification, embodiment, manifestation, and materialization of God in living form. Jesus told His disciples "If you have seen Me you have seen the Father." (John 14:9).

#5 - The Bible also tells us that He will be called Jesus because He will save His people from their sins. We sing the song: "There's just something about that name" - this is why!!! At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord.

Don't allow the coming of our Lord to be clouded with the image of a young lady holding a baby. Don't get caught up with the thoughts about the actual date of His birth (I know we could spend a lot of time arguing these points). I want you to take some time to consider that the reason for His coming was to fully reveal the heart of God to the world, demonstrate a life filled with the grace of God and empowered by the Spirit of God, and to give His life as a ransom for ours.

Over the next couple of days we will be celebrating the miracle of God coming in the form of man. We will give thanks for this incredible gift of eternal life. And we will lead our families in praise to the God who loved us enough to send His Son into the world.

Many Blessings to you all & Merry Christmas!!!

Taking Another Look at Peace and Rest

I need to make a correction concerning the blog from yesterday. It was actually 1st posted in August. Today we will be looking at a blog entry from September. Hope you have enjoyed some of my "greatest hits" (LOL!). Be blessed.

"For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder...Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end..." [Isaiah 9:6-7]

Typically, we only hear the above portion of Scripture around Christmas time. This is part of Isaiah's prophecy concerning the coming of Jesus. And...there's something here for you.

I was listening to a sermon by Steve Thompson the other day and he shared these verses. What he said next is worth hearing: "The reason we have difficulty in sustaining a supernatural life is because of the lack of rest and peace at the core of our lives." Isaiah told us plainly that the government would be upon His shoulder - not ours. He also said that the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. Religion is good at keeping us busy but it can never bring us rest.

Have you ever noticed that some of the most spiritual people are usually not the busiest people? They're not lazy; they have just figured out something that we have been missing. And what we have been missing is the power of peace and rest.

Most of us could testify to the fact that our busiest seasons are usually our less spiritual seasons. We may be getting a lot done, and burning the midnight oil but we are normally running on adrenaline. I think a lot of folks have taken the phrase "an idle mind is the devil's workshop" and created a business mentality. It's like saying if we aren't busy enough then the enemy will have his way in our lives. The fact of the matter is that it's quite the opposite.

When we learn to rest in His peace then we will be able to hear His voice. When we learn to be still and know that He is God, then we can experience His presence. I want to encourage you to look at your calendar. If it is anything like mine then it's full of appointments, ballgames, orthodontist visits, and etc. Is there time for rest? Is there time to collect our thoughts? Is there time to simply sit in the presence of God to hear what He has to say in our lives?

Think of the words of Jesus: "Come unto me all you who are burdened and heavy laden. I will give you rest." Doesn't sound like a man who is preoccupied with keeping you busy. Of course, He saw what the religious leaders had done to the faith. The people in Israel were under a heavy burden of dogma, activity, and tradition. Jesus came to set us free from anything that would get in the way of a love relationship with God.

Are you ready to rest? Would you love to simply enjoy His peace for a while? As you think about the answer to those questions, allow me to share a quote from Kris Vallotton that will take this a little further: "Sometimes God is more interested in what He is doing in you rather than through you."

Revisiting Receiving From the Spirit

I posted this blog in September of this year. Enjoy!

"But people who aren't spiritual can't receive these truths from God's Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can't understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means." 1 Corinthians 2:14 {NLT}

There is nothing quite as difficult as trying to understand spiritual truth with the natural mind. In fact, it is impossible. Logic - the area from which most of humanity operates cannot grasp the ability, power, and moves of the Holy Spirit. Logically, we want to contextualize the work of the Spirit. We would love to have a handle on how He speaks, how He prompts us, and what He's going to do next. However, trying to box in the work of the Spirit only limits Him.

Paul made it very clear to the church at Corinth that anyone not operating in the Spirit of God (those who are not spiritual) will never understand the truth that God wants to bring forth. God is continually revealing His hidden wisdom to those who are willing to receive it (Go to 1 Corinthians 2 if you need a scriptural reference). The question is whether or not we truly want to operate that way.

Here's why we struggle in this area:

It's Frustrating - the natural man is more natural. That is why it is much easier to function in the natural. Trying to function in the spiritual from a natural prospective will only leave us frustrated.

It's Useless - remember the religious men who tried to cast out demons in the name of the Jesus that Paul preaches? They were overtaken. The reason why they were overtaken was because they lacked the Spirit of God at work in their own lives. They were simply operating out of hear-say. This is one of the most dangerous things that we see in the church today. We know the verbiage but we lack the power of the Spirit at work. Not only can we not receive the things of the Spirit, we can't release it either.

It's Presumptuous - While I believe each of us were created to live in a spiritual reality, not all of us do. Failing to observe the limits of what is permitted or appropriate in the Spirit gives us the idea that we can do it all in our natural ability. When God begins to move in a person's life, He does enhance natural ability. But He also gives us supernatural ability to walk in the things that He has ordained.

How do we change this?

Ask - It is that simple. God wants to reveal Himself to you.
Seek - The truth that you are looking for doesn't always show up at your door. You have to seek it out.
Knock - Jesus promised us open doors.

If you and I are willing to get before the Lord and seek His face, He will meet with us. It's not about your spirituality. It's not about you own ability. It's simply about us making ourselves available to Him. If we are willing to be empty vessels that God can pour into then He will pour into us.

One Person's Intimacy (Revisited)

Here's a blog entry from July of this year. I pray your heart is stirred...

Abraham, Moses, David, Jesus...all of these lived with an intimacy toward God that had never been displayed. Each of them had a profound impact upon God's people.

Corrie Ten Boom, He Cares for You, wrote:
"My Father prayed because he had a good Friend with whom to share the problems of the day. He prayed because he had a direct connection with his Maker when he had a concern. He prayed because there was so much for which he was thankful.
"...When I was a little girl I was sure that Jesus was a member of the Ten Boom family. It was just as easy to talk to Him as it was to carry on a conversation with my mother and father. Jesus was there. I was closer to the reality and truth of Jesus' presence than the one who makes fellowship with the Lord a problem by reasoning and logical thinking."

Sounds like Corrie Ten Boom had a father whose intimacy with God became a catalyst for her own. What she learned from him is a lesson that each of us should hope to pass on to our children. Our personal intimacy with God will impact our families, our friends, and all whom we meet. God intimacy?

Think about the names that I mentioned earlier.
Abraham (whose originally name was Abram) walked a unique path with his Maker. God told him that all of the nations of the earth would be blessed through him. Have you ever considered that your own intimacy with God had that type of impact?

Moses was God's chosen vessel to lead Israel out of bondage. While he may not have been Israel's choice, God had a unique relationship with this servant. Scripture tells us that God spoke to Moses (at that time) in such a way that was very personal - face to face. This man's intimacy with God allowed to see things no one else saw, hear things that no one else heard, and do things that no one else had done.

David was given the title "a man after God's own heart." There was no committee meeting to determine this title. He didn't apply for the position. This title was given to him by God. David's worship of his Creator impacted a nation and continues to serve as an example to us all. This intimacy with God led to the downfall of a giant, rise to a nation, and a lineage that produced the Savior of the world. By the way, it's the tabernacle of David that God says He will rebuild.

Jesus walked the most unique path of anyone. In fact, He is the only one that could walk in the earth without sin. His intimacy with the Father allowed Him to view life from Heaven's perspective, affect the world in which He lived, see what the Father was doing, and bring Heaven to earth. Jesus' intimacy with the Father allowed Him to say "Not my will but Yours be done." This intimacy led Him to the cross, paid the penalty for our sin, and allows to experience the fullness of God's love.

What can your intimacy with God accomplish? Let's start with your family. Do you think your kids can glean from your personal prayer life, your understanding of Scripture, your walk in the Spirit? Can you wife gain security in knowing your heart for the Lord as you transfer that love unto her as well? Take this same approach with others. Watch as people experience your personal walk with the Lord. Your intimacy will lead them to ask you for prayer, seek your counsel, and trust your judgement. As we walk in intimacy with the Lord then His grace and mercy spill over in our lives touching everyone.

May all the nations of the earth be blessed through you.
May God speak to you in personal ways.
May you be a man/woman after God's own heart.
And may your life be a revelation of the heart of the Father.
All of this is possible when you learn to live a life of intimacy with God. He has made it available through Jesus. The question is whether or not you will take Him up on His offer.

The Nature of Love (Revisited)

The following is a blog entry from June of this year. Be blessed.

"It is not the nature of love to force a relationship but it is the nature of love to open the way." ~ Papa (The Shack p.192)

Have you ever questioned whether or not God was working in the lives of other people? You know...the ones that you have been praying for that never seem to change. There is one thing that I know for certain: God is always working.

Bill Faye, creator of "Share Jesus Without Fear", talks about this very thing. In his testimony he goes through a listing of people who shared the gospel with him. Most of those people were verbally abused, mocked, and rejected. However, he never forgot the faces or the people that shared with him. In his mind, they were successful witnesses to God. How is that possible? These people were successful because they were obedient.

Friends, I don't want you to ever lose hope when praying for the lost around you. You must trust in the power of the Gospel and the nature of God. God is always reaching out to those who do not know Him. He will never force a relationship on anyone. But every time you come around, every time you share the "Good News", and every time you trust in the Cross - you are opening the way to a relationship.

It seems as though we forget that not every person that came into contact with Jesus chose to believe in Him. In fact...many rejected, many cried out for His crucifixion, and even after His resurrection many still chose not to believe. Yet even in the midst of all this rejection, the way to a relationship was opened.

Take Note of What God Has Accomplished:
> God has reconciled Himself to the entire world.
> God has chosen not to count the sins of the world against them.
> God has forgiven the world already.
> God has provided an opportunity for everyone to be saved.
The death of Jesus has opened the door. What was once only attainable through obedience and sacrifice has been made available through faith in Jesus Christ. The salvation of the lost hinges upon the grace of God at work in the belief of an individual. If they will simply believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus, and choose to make Him Lord of their lives; they will be saved.

While many of you know this truth, it is good to be reminded of the nature of God's love. All you need to do is be a demonstration of that love. A love that never condemns, never shames, and is ready to accept all of those who come by faith. There is not one person in this world that is outside of the reach of God's love. There is no such thing as a hopeless situation or lost cause. God manifests His love through you, the Holy Spirit does all of the convicting, and Jesus stands ready to save all who call upon Him. That is the nature of love. The question is: Are you ready to demonstrate His nature to those around you?

You CAN Be Whole (Revisited)

Here's a blog entry from May of this year. Enjoy!

"For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be (Sozo) saved." {John 3:17}

Sozo is a Greek word typically translated as saved in the Scriptures. However, upon further examination of the word you will discover that it means "saved", "healed", "delivered", and "made whole."

Why is this important? The reason why we need to understand "Sozo" is because too often we only understand the salvation aspect of Jesus. In other words, we know that Jesus came to bear our sins upon the Cross. The problem with this limited view is that we typically only enter into the amount of grace that we see available. If all we know of grace is forgiveness of sin then we will be forgiven but continue to live in defeat. What God has made available in Jesus is so much greater than just being forgiven. God has unlocked the potential for all of us to experience abundant life through His Son.

Sozo is an interesting word in the Bible because the New Testament writers did not always use it when referring to being saved. There are other words translated saved, healed, and delivered. Sozo carries with it the idea of God's complete package. When we read about the ten lepers that were healed by Jesus, all of them were healed but only one was Sozo. The one who came back to Jesus was made whole.

As I was thinking about these verses the other day, I wondered how many people have simply considered Jesus as the cutting off point with God. We know that Jesus has said that He is "the way, the truth, and the life" and that "no one comes to the Father except through [Him]." Since Jesus is the only way to the Father then God can finally get rid of all those sinners. Right? But I want you to consider that God's intention is not to cut off anyone. 2 Peter 3:9 tells us plainly that "The Lord...not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." God has already judged sin at the Cross. The Cross was God's final verdict upon the sin of man. Jesus became sin so that we could be made the righteousness of God in Him. God isn't trying to cut everybody off. He's trying to bring everybody in!

The Good News of the Gospel is this:
1) God has Reconciled the world to Himself
2) He judged sin at the Cross
3) Sin is no longer the issue
4) Salvation is no longer about keeping the Law
5) To be "Sozo" (Saved) comes through Believing and Confessing

The use of the Gospel is not to bring condemnation but conviction. What's the difference? Condemnation is a sentence of damnation (i.e. - "cut off"). Conviction simply show us that we are guilty of falling short of the glory of God. Condemnation says that there is no hope. Conviction causes us to ask the question: "What must I do to be saved?"

Through Christ I don't have to be a slave to sin. I don't have to be a drug addict, an alcoholic, or an abusive person. In Christ I am healed, delivered, and set free. This is not only true for me but for every person who puts their faith and trust in Jesus. Why not be made whole today? You can be SOZO!

LUI - Revisited

Here's a blog entry from April of this year. These re-posts are for the benefit of us all. They are here to remind us of all that God has been teaching us this year and to stir up the work of the Holy Spirit within our lives. I pray that you are encouraged.

"And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit" {Ephesians 5:18}

"Do not quench the Spirit" {1 Thessalonians 5:19}

These are two very interesting commands in regards to the church and the Holy Spirit. The Ephesians verse teaches us to be "continually filled" (according to the Greek) and the Thessalonians verse teaches us to never do anything that would "stifle", "put out the fire", or "suppress" the work of the Holy Spirit. While these verses are working from a different perspective, they each have a common denominator: The Holy Spirit of God.

I don't think the Apostles ever considered having church apart from the Holy Spirit. I truly don't believe that our Lord envisioned a time when the church would never need His Spirit at work in them to bring the nations to Christ. On the day of Pentecost we witness the Promise of Jesus coming upon the believers in the upper room. What you may not know is that this was during the "Feast of Firstfruits." It was a time of bringing in the first of the spring harvest, with the promise that God's provision would never end. What took place on the day of Pentecost was only the beginning. The church, and believers, would continue to experience more of the Spirit's filling throughout the book of Acts.

This is vital to our understanding of what it means to live a Spirit-filled life. How can we expect to live out our faith if we are missing out on the working of the main ingredient. Jesus said it was the Holy Spirit that would guide the believer into truth. It is the Holy Spirit that was to teach and admonish the believer. We have established discipleship programs within the church that basically says if you will read the Bible all the way through, memorize some scripture, and tithe that you will grow. I ask you (the reader), has anyone ever taught you how to be filled with the Spirit? Has anyone in the church taught you what it means to wait for Him to move upon you, how to recognize what He is doing, or how to go deeper in the things of the Spirit? While I believe every follower of Christ should read His Word, commit Scripture to memory, and give; there is so much more available to them than just going through the motions.

I truly believe that we are seeing a generation that expects to see more from the church. I'm serious...we cannot keep going with the same old stuff and expect to impact the world. We have tried being relevant without realizing that the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit. We have tried being relational without understanding that it is very hard for light and dark to co-exist. While each of these goal are admirable, I believe that it is when the church decides to be a revelation in the world that everything will change.

How does this happen?

> Be Filled With The Spirit
> Don't Quench The Spirit

Jesus promised the Father would give the Holy Spirit to those who ask. Paul said to be continually filled and then went on to tell us not to quench the Spirit's work. It is evidently clear that what we need to see more of in the church, and in our personal lives, is the Holy Spirit. It's a return to what worked in the 1st Century Church. They didn't have the educational background, the experience, or the finances to pull it off. All they had was the Holy Spirit and a commission to make disciples of all nations. Today...we have been educated beyond obedience, are way too experienced (know how to do it), and have too much money (scared to lose it). When all we need is just some men/women who are willing to walk with Jesus, be filled with the Spirit of God, and take the risk of taking the Gospel to the nations.

It's time for Living Under the Influence. Any takers?

Marriage & The Gospel Revisited

This blog entry was from March of this year:
I was driving home last night listening to a Focus on the Family broadcast. I was unable to catch the names of people involved or the location, but the discussion that I heard on marriage is worth sharing. To put it plainly: If the gospel doesn't work in your marriage then you have deceived yourself.

I have no doubt that many people will question this statement. However, when we consider the power of the gospel in our lives, how can I marriages not be affected? Is there any other relationship in the world where we need to offer forgiveness, grace, mercy, and truth? Is there any other area of our lives where we are required to love in such a way? Folks, if we love Jesus then we will love our spouse. If we have been forgiven then we can offer it to others. If God has shown us mercy then we should be doing the same.

I was talking with a friend of mine about this very issue. He shared with me an incredible quote: "There should never be irreconcilable differences in a Christian marriage. For a Christian to make that statement is to tell the world that the gospel is impotent." WOW!!! It's one thing to look out in the world and wonder why marriages don't seem to stay together, but it's quite another to look into the church and see that we aren't doing any better.

What are some core truths of the gospel?
Sacrificial Love
Grace
Mercy
Forgiveness
Most of us would agree with this but I wonder how many of us are living them out. If Jesus has changed my life through sacrificial love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness; then I should be offering these same things to others. I should definitely be offering these things to my spouse.

One of the other topics discussed on the broadcast was the idea of a "soul mate." The popularity of this type of thinking has lead people to believe that there is one person out there who can fulfill their every desire and need. This is not a biblical concept. Plato (Greek Philosopher)surmised that a perfect human being was tragically split in two, resulting in a race of creatures sentenced to spend the rest of their lives searching for that missing other who can complete them. However, this thought process is not found in the Bible. Here's how a believer should approach marriage: When we say "I Do" then that person is the one. We are to devote our entire lives to this one individual. We have chosen to be bound to them in the continual pursuit of love.

It's time for believers to get a stomach for the fight. Marriage is to be a picture of Christ and His Bride. Jesus has never given up and will never give up in His pursuit. His love knows no end. His mercy is everlasting. His grace is amazing. We must root out all selfishness in our lives because love doesn't seek its own. We are to die to ourselves daily according to the gospel. Have we done this in our marriage?

I'm praying for a revival in the church...a revival of marriages. May God bring back to life this sacred institution. We need nothing less than the Spirit of God to breathe upon us in this area. May the church, once again, be a safe place for marriages. May we never relent in the continual pursuit.

Still chasing...

Sermon Refresher Revisited

The following is a blog entry from February of this year. I thought it would be good to share considering the events of this past week. During a worship encounter on Wednesday night, several people were touched by the power and presence of God.

One story before I re-post the blog. One of the boys in our church came forward for prayer on Wednesday night. A week or so before he had broken his thumb. The family asked me to pray for healing. He removed the splint from his thumb, I anointed him with oil and prayed, and he began to move his thumb saying that it felt better. The next day, he destroyed the splint. His mother encouraged him to hang on to it so he could "protect" the thumb. He said, "Why? My thumb is healed. The devil can have the splint!!!" You gotta love the faith of a child.

2 Timothy 3:1-5...In verse 5 the Bible says, "having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!" Allow me to share some points from the message.

In the latter part of his second letter to Timothy, Paul warns him of the perilous times ahead. He gives a detailed description of what we can expect to see in the world. Men will be lovers of themselves, boasters, lovers of money, etc. These are easy traits to pick out. However, the most deceptive trait of people in the last days is found in verse 5. People will have an outward appearance of godliness but will deny its power. Here's what I believe:

1) They Will Deny the Power of the Gospel
When we read passages such as Romans 1:16 and 1 Corinthians 1:18, we discover that the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation. If we are talking about those who are simply playing the game...going through the motions...and using hypocrisy to cover up their sin, then you can be that the "Good News" of Jesus Christ will be nowhere to be found. You cannot allow the Gospel to be preached or you will see the power of God manifest itself in the lives of someone.

2) They Will Deny the Power of the Word
Hebrews 4:12 teaches us that the Word of God is powerful. God said of His own Word that it will accomplish that which He has sent it out to do. Just as we have found people today who deny the power of the Gospel to change lives, we have also found that there are way too many in the church who do not believe in the Word of God. We will see an increasing denial in the power of God in creation, the incarnation, and redemption. In these last days you will find a more humanistic approach to preaching, teachers that will scratch itching ears, and a more socially acceptable version of Christianity. We must remember that the Word of God is the foundation of all that we believe!

3) They Will Deny the Power of the Spirit
Paul knew nothing of preaching the Gospel without the power and demonstration of the Spirit of God (Read 1 Corinthians 2:4-5 & 1 Thessalonians 1:5). In the book of Acts we find that the early church operated in the power of God while proclaiming the Good News of Jesus to the world. Far too many churches operate just the opposite of this approach today. We vainly think that it's all about our singing, our preaching, our programs, and our ministries. How desperately we need to see the power of God in our midst!!!

Here's what we need to remember: "For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power." {1 Corinthians 4:20}

In the Greek we read that the kingdom is not in "logos" but in "dunamis". It's not in our words, the expressed ideas of the kingdom, and not just in the Word of God only. This verse tells us that the kingdom is in the MIGHTY, ENLIGHTENING, QUICKENING, CONVERTING, & SANCTIFYING Power of the Holy Spirit. This kingdom is also found in the demonstration of that power.

We already see many today who deny the power of God. We even find them trying to use the "logos" WORD of God to claim that certain aspects of the "dunamis" POWER of God are not the same. But I still believe in Acts 1:8!!! I still believe that we are to be "endued with power" when the Holy Spirit comes upon us. That power coming upon us should transform our lives, our churches, and our mission in life. It is through the power of God that we expect to see nations changed, communities awakened, and people saved. It is the power of God that is needed to impact our families, our schools, and the kingdom of God. If we deny this power then we lose our ability to touch lives.

I guess if all you ever want to do is "play church" then the power of God will only get in the way.

Hearing From the Father (revisited)

I'm doing several re-posts of some of my favorite entries over the last couple of years. This particular blog came out in January of this year. I thought it would be good for each of us to be reminded about the necessity of hearing from our Heavenly Father. Be blessed!!!

The following is an experience that Jonathan David Helser had with his daughter. I heard him share part of this during a worship experience and have since found a note that he shared on facebook. I pray that the Lord will encourage your heart through the reading.

"So I had this amazing experience the other day..... My wife took my little daughter Haven shopping for the first time and let her pick out her own dress. When they returned I was in my room reading in my favorite chair. I heard my little girls feet run up the stairs to her room above me. I could tell by the commotion that she was either wrestling a alligator or that she was changing into her new clothes with the fury of a four year old. Then I heard her little feet come back down the stairs and she burst into my room. Without any words she ran and stopped in front of me wearing the new dress she had picked out. This was one of those moments when time also seemed to stop in front of me. As she stood still and time stood still, I realized it was one of the greatest moments I would ever have as a Father. She was waiting to be defined by my voice. Her little heart was like clay waiting on my thoughts to shape her. So with everything inside me I looked deep inside her and said 'Haven you look more beautiful right now than you have in your whole life.'

"Everyday for the next week Haven would put on her new dress and come find me. No matter what I was doing she would pause before me and wait for my voice to tell her again that she was beautiful. It was like her little heart was saying over and over to me 'do it again daddy.... tell me who I am.'

"Identity is discovered through the voice we listen to. We have all been created to be defined by a Fathers voice. Every girl is made to hear those words, 'You are beautiful' and every boy is designed to hear the words 'well done.' My words over Haven are but a shadow of the radiant thoughts that the Father in heaven has for her. Until we each have an encounter with our Father in heaven like my daughter had with me, we will spend our lives broken in search of our identity.

"The Father is sitting in His favorite chair, just waiting on us to burst into his presence and say 'Daddy, do it again, tell me who I am.'" ~ Jonathan David Helser

Have you ever considered the voice of God to be encouraging and uplifting? OR...do you hear God's voice and interpret it as negative and condemning? Can I give you some insight into discerning the voice of God? God does not deal with His children in a condemning fashion. Romans says that there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. Even in His discipline of us, God is not condemning us. The Bible says that He disciplines those He loves. In 1 Corinthians, Paul deals with the use of prophecy (sharing a word from God with the body). He says that prophecy is for encouragement, exhortation, and edification. God will not ask us to operate outside anything that He is not willing to operate under. God is encouraging, exhorting, and edifying in all that He shares with us.

Why not take some time today to get into the presence of your Heavenly Father. Allow Him to speak encouragement into your life. Allow Him to build you up. And allow Him to teach you about Himself.

The Goodness of God Re-revisited

Here's a blog entry from around this time last year. I thought it was worth sharing again: Is God really good? That seems to be a major question in today's culture...How can we get to a place where we trust in the goodness of God?

I'm glad you asked...

In 2 Corinthians 5:19, Paul (under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit) said: "...God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation." He goes on to talk about their ministry as ambassadors for God - sharing this message of reconciliation. It is through our understanding of what God has provided for the world through Christ where we can see the goodness of God. If there is ever a doubt in your mind about His goodness; all you have to do is look at the Cross.

The Good News of the Gospel is this: God has already forgiven men's sins. Jesus died and carried the sins of the entire world. Not only did He take care of the sins of the world but He took the punishment for those sins. When Jesus said "It is finished", God said that we are forgiven. Our salvation isn't a matter of God being willing to forgive. Our salvation is a matter if we are willing to believe.

Reconciliation - 1a) to reconcile (those who are at variance). 1b) return to favor with. The Bible says that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself. Jesus was the "Christ" (Anointed One) sent into the world to bring about this reconciliation. It was the Christ who bore our sin, shed His blood, took our punishment, and overcame death to conquer sin once and for all. The Bible goes on to tell us that God no longer "imputes" our trespasses to us. In other words, He no longer takes inventory, estimates, or reckons our sins to us. You and I are saved when we believe upon the finished work of Jesus Christ and confess Him as Lord of our lives.

Romans 10:9, "...if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." It is that simple! We have got to stop with the idea that people go to Hell because of their sins. People go to Hell because they don't believe in the finished work of Jesus. What God offers us in Christ is His righteousness. If we refuse His righteousness, we can never be fully reconciled to God. God has already reconciled the world to Himself - we just need to believe it, accept it, and confess it.

"The message of reconciliation tells us that God did all we would ever need through Jesus. He became our sin so we would not have to stay sinners. He took the curse of the law so we would never have to be punished for our sins. He went to hell so we would never have to pay the ultimate price for our sins. He conquered our sins we He arose from the dead so we would never need to fight the battle with our sin. He obtained our righteousness so we would never have to earn it. He gives it to us as a free gift, thereby, qualifying us for all of the promises of God. In so doing, He is worthy to be our Lord." {James Richards}

Only when we believe and accept the finished work of Jesus can the grace of God empower us to experience the life of God. Once we do that, we have a message to share with the rest of the world: Be reconciled to God! He has already done His part.

Don't Stop Believing...

What an incredible week of testimonies!!!

Can I share what God is doing?

This week alone, I have heard a couple of incredible testimonies:

#1 - A man came to our prayer meeting a couple of weeks ago. He was a new believer, had been diagnosed with cancer, surgery had been scheduled, and he wanted us to pray for him. Our folks gathered around him, anointed him with oil, and prayed the prayer of faith. This week, he went in for surgery and the doctors backed out saying "There is no sign of cancer!"

#2 - Several months ago we had started praying for a man who had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. The doctors only gave him "months" to live. Just the other day, after going through surgery and extensive treatment, he called a friend to say that he was 100% cancer free!!!

#3 - A pastor that we know in Ukraine had a stoke just a couple of weeks ago. The prognosis wasn't good. After spending a week in the hospital, he was able to return home and was told to return for continued care. When he went back for his check-up, his heart rhythm was normal, blood pressure normal, and was released from the continued care that he was supposed to receive. The hospital does want him to continue some type of therapeutic care but all-in-all he has had a miraculous recover!!!

*These are just a few of the testimonies that I have heard this week and I want to use them to announce very clearly that God is still our Healer!!!

I don't know who or what you are praying for, but don't stop believing. Be encouraged that God hears our prayers and continues to show Himself mighty in our lives.

May you be blessed as you continue in your faith.

Learning Sonship

One of the greatest difficulties in Christian thinking is how to live as a son/daughter of God rather than a servant. It seems as though we understand how to return to the Father as the prodigal son (let me be like one of your hired servants), but really struggle with wearing the robe and the ring.

It seems to me that I'm continually learning that my relationship with God has nothing to do with what I do but who I am. Think about it: Jesus took the time to teach us the story that is commonly referred to as the "Prodigal Son." In this story we read about a young man who wasted his inheritance, became broken/destitute, and determined to return to his father to live with him as a slave. Thankfully, the father had other things in mind. "Let me live as one of your hired servants" has a nice ring to it but falls way short of where the Father wants to take us. It is His determined purpose that each of us reign as sons and daughters in His kingdom.

It's when we come into this understanding that we must ask ourselves a question: Do I want to build a brilliant working relationship with God or do I want to know what it means to live in friendship? Far too many are building a working relationship but possess a lousy friendship with God. Abraham was called the friend of God. David earned the title of one who was a man after God's own heart. Each of these men lived under a different covenant than what we get to live in.

Jesus paid an incredible price to bring us into relationship. You may not feel as though you deserve Him, but He deserves you. And what you and I need to come to grips with is that He isn't simply looking for servants. He's looking for those who would LOVE the Lord with all their heart, soul, and strength. Jesus never said that God was looking for servants but that God is seeking out worshipers. Is that you?

I happen to think that most of Christianity works from the mindset that says: "Well...I messed up. I'm not very good at sonship so if God could just use me as one of His servants then maybe everything will be o.k." But if we understand the story of the "prodigal" then we must realize that the Father is always waiting to restore us within this relationship. He's always seeking to give us everything that is a part of the kingdom. He has dealt with our sin once and for all at the cross. Now He is dealing with us according to righteousness. Yes...there are times that we blow it as His children. Let's go ahead and deal with that. The good news is that we still have access to a throne of grace where we can obtain grace and mercy. How is that possible? It is possible through the atoning death of Jesus Christ.

Jesus turned to His disciples one day and said, "I no longer call you servants but friends." He went on to explain that a servant doesn't know what his master is doing. But it has been given to each and every one of us to know what the Master is doing in the kingdom. We have been declared joint-heirs with Christ. Can you see how the relationship has changed. We are more than servants of the Most High. We are children of the King!!!

So...you blow it from time to time. Don't wallow around in it. Learn to pick yourself up from where you are and go to the Father. He's always waiting for us to return to Him. Grace gives you the ability to say "Abba, I blew it. I really want to live for you." He's not standing there to condemn you because there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ. He's longing to restore you. He wants you to know the joy that is His. He wants you to walk in the abundant life that He has promised. He wants you to be aware of the righteousness that is yours in Christ. You can actually get up, dust yourself off by His grace, and walk as a child that belongs to the Father.

Learn to live as a son/daughter of God. Don't try to build a relationship with the Father through your ministry or service to God because it falls way shore of what the Father wants to do in your life. Learn to establish this relationship upon His grace, His unconditional love, and His redemptive purpose. Discover what it means to be fully forgiven, completely righteous, and unconditionally loved. Live from that mindset. And enjoy your place in the Father's heart.

Giving Thanks

Aaahhh...the week of Thanksgiving! This is one of my favorite times of the year. I'm thankful for all that God has done in my life, all that He has allowed me to be a part of, and all of His incredible blessings. Hope you don't mind, but I posted a picture from my recent trip to New Mexico as one of the things for which I am truly thankful.

God's Word teaches us the importance of one generation declaring the praises of God over the next. This isn't that difficult when we learn to live a lifestyle of thanksgiving. I want my children to hear continual praises come from my mouth. I want them to see me operate from a heart of thanksgiving. In this way, they will be able to recognize God's goodness in every part of life. Psalm 145:7 says, "They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of your righteousness." I want this verse to speak about my life.

I am truly thankful for my life. God's blessings upon my family continue to increase. He continually gives me favor, overwhelms me with His unconditional love, and sustains me through His abundant grace and mercy.

I'm thankful for 16 years of marriage to an amazing woman of God.
I'm thankful for 2 healthy and beautiful children.
I'm thankful for the PBC Family who have allowed me to share my heart with them over these past 10 years.
I'm thankful for the PBC Team that I work alongside of every day.
I'm thankful for the harvesting of a mule deer this year in New Mexico.
I'm thankful for the turkey that I see marching across the field outside my study window.
I'm thankful for my health, God's prosperity over my life, and the journey that He has taken my own over the past year.
I'm thankful for the revelation of who I am in Christ.
I'm thankful for the Word of God that continues to teach me of God's goodness.
I'm thankful!!!

PBC will be having our annual Thanksgiving Eve Service - Tonight - 7:00pm.
This is one of the most intimate services we hold throughout the whole year. It's a time of giving thanks, worship, and sharing in the Lord's Supper. I hope you can join us.

Take some time today to consider all that you have to be thankful for in life. Make thanksgiving a lifestyle rather than just letting sit on the calendar for one day out of the year. Declare His praises over another generation.

May the Lord's greatest blessings be yours. ~ Neal

Love Really Works

This will be my last blog for at least a week. I hope to make it a good one.

1 Corinthians 8:9, "But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak."

Since becoming a believer in 1991, there has been a lot to learn. I was fortunate to have people around me who could teach me the fundamentals and stir up a desire to go deeper with the Lord. And for much of those formative years, I did not stray too far away from the belief system of my pastor, teachers, and friends. Today, however, that is not necessarily the case. Maturing in the Lord allows us to think for ourselves, be guided by the Spirit of God, and even to change our minds.

In an age of denominations, this is hard for many people to understand. They struggle with those who have differing views of scripture (notice that I didn't say opposing views!). I have heard many different pastors actually refer to people in other types of churches as unbelievers or cult members. It's crazy to think that we have become so narrow minded that we cannot disagree without somebody losing their salvation.

Not only is there a struggle because of the denomination mindset, but a struggle when it comes to how we flesh out our faith. What does our faith look like in our personal walk with the Lord. Some of the "hot button" issues: Music, Bible Translations, Clothing, Personal Appearance (tattoos, piercings, hair), Personal Habits (tobacco products, alcoholic beverages), etc. It's amazing the different views that you will find among the Body of Christ. What does the Bible teach us about these things? How do we know what is right or wrong? How do we handle those who are different in their views?

This may shock a lot of people but the Bible doesn't have a lot to say about many of these "issues." In fact, most of what people believe doesn't come from the Bible as much as it does from those who handed them down. What the Bible does teach us is that we have incredible freedom in the Lord. But with that freedom comes responsibility. Most importantly, we have a great responsibility to those around us.

Paul taught the church to be careful that there freedom doesn't put a stumbling block in front of the weak. The "weak" that he refers to are those who may not be as free in certain areas as you are. The only problem is that too many people have resorted to legalism to keep the members of the Body in check. Legalism is not the answer. Love is.

We are told to love the Lord with everything. Then we are told to love our neighbor as ourselves. When we walk in love with the Lord and others, we discover a grace that protects our relationships. As one who walks in love, I want to ensure that I protect those who are weak in the faith. I would never want someone to stumble over my freedom. However, there is also freedom to enjoy the things that the Spirit of God allows.

Colossians 2:21-23 gives us incredible understanding to what I'm trying to say: "Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence." Notice what Paul is saying here. He is saying that trying to control people through commands may look nice but it does nothing to change the behavior of an individual. Not only does it not control their behavior, it does nothing to ensure they walk in righteousness.

How do we handle these issues? LOVE
How do we react to those who are different in their views? LOVE
How do we maintain fellowship? LOVE
How does God handle them? LOVE

Love really works!

Righteousness Through Relationship

2 Corinthians 5:21, "For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ." There's no two ways about it: Our righteousness is through a relationship with Jesus Christ. Therefore, we must learn to live as those who have been declared righteous.

Yes...I know you have heard me say this before. No...I don't plan on changing the message. It's for my own good (and yours as well) that we spend some time dwelling on this important fact. Seeking to establish my own righteousness in this relationship is to fall away from the grace of God. (See Paul's letter to the Galatians)

Romans 3:22, "We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are." How we begin this relationship with the Lord is how we continue in it. It is through our faith in Jesus Christ that we are made right with God and it is through our faith in Jesus that we walk in righteousness. Paul also asked the church in Galatia "How foolish can you be? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?" {Galatians 3:3} CAN'T HAPPEN!!!

God doesn't want our focus on becoming righteous or even maintaining our righteousness. Our focus is to be upon His kingdom. And I have seen a lot of believers waste a lot of energy trying to become what God has already declared them to be. Can you see how limited our vision has become? When we learn to rest in the grace of God then all of our effort at living a life of righteousness becomes empowered by that grace. Righteousness will actually flow from the life of God within us. We will bear the fruit of righteousness. I will even go as far to say that righteousness is something that we cannot produce apart from the Spirit of God at work in our lives.

So how can I be sure that I am living in righteousness? The way that you can ensure that you are living in righteousness is to live according to the Spirit of God within you. When we allow Him to guide us into all truth - calling to remembrance all that Christ has spoken - we will walk in the truth of God's Word. With that being said, it's important that we develop a sensitivity to the Spirit of God. Without an awareness of what the Spirit of God is doing within us will lead us to a form of godliness without power. And this my friend is the beginning of religion.

The life of the follower of Jesus Christ must be rooted in faith righteousness. It becomes the foundation upon which we build the rest of the relationship. If my foundation is upon my own effort to be right with God, what happens when I fail? I destroy the foundation. And if I am continually destroying the foundation, then my whole existence as a believer is one of rebuilding rather than moving forward.

Hebrews 6:1, "Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God." As long as we struggle in the area of the foundation, we can never move on to maturity. Over the past year I have been doing a lot of teaching to help people get the understanding of the foundation. Why? Because I still have people who are just now getting it. The good news: When they finally get it - look out!!!

As we learn to live in relationship with the Lord, then we will learn to live righteous in the world.

Zeroed in on the Kingdom

I'm in preparation for a hunting trip to New Mexico. These are exciting days! The trip will present many firsts for me: stalking mule deer, encountering the high altitude, and possible long range shooting. Be sure of this: the gun will be ready.

The fact of the matter is that there are plenty of variables that I cannot control. Most hunters understand at least these two things: We cannot control the weather & We cannot control how the deer move. What I can control: Making sure the gun is zeroed.

This is one of the most important aspects of hunting. Interestingly enough, it's the one are that a lot of hunters neglect. Almost there may work for 50-100 yard shots but if you have to "reach out and touch something", you have to ensure that the gun will be true. I have been reading up on the ballistics, trying to understand the bullet drop at different yards, and I have been shooting the gun. Knowing that the gun is zeroed in at a particular distance gives me an anchor point for everything else.

Being zeroed in is crucial to ensuring that the gun is accurate. This same philosophy is true in our lives. As followers of Jesus Christ, we must have our lives zeroed in on the kingdom of God. We make Him the center of everything. He becomes the mark (if you will). If you want to live victoriously in the Christian life, you have to know your anchor point.

Scripture teaches us this very thing:
Philippians 3:14 - Paul tells us that he pressed toward the mark of the upward call of Christ Jesus.
Hebrews 12:2 - Teaches us to look unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.
Matthew 6:33 - Exhorts us to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.

All of these verses show us the importance of being completely focused in life. The Kingdom of God becomes the mark of our lives. We press toward it, we keep our focus in it, and we seek after it. Everything else is secondary. There may be times when certain aspects of my life seem very far away. But if I'm zeroed in on the kingdom, I can make adjustments. It doesn't matter which way the wind blows - I can adjust - because I'm zeroed in. Get the picture?

Take some time every morning to tell the Lord that you will keep His kingdom in focus throughout the day. Don't wait until your in the midst of a mess to try and focus. In the middle of the hunt is a horrible time to find out that your sights are off. Be prepared for every situation by keeping your eyes on Jesus.

Got your mark?

A Book That Has Changed Me

The last couple of days I shared with you excerpts from a couple of books that have impacted my life greatly. God has used these wonderful men to share some incredible insight with me. However, today I want to share with you from a book that no others can stack up against. Warning: The following is powerful!

John 3:16-17, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved."

Romans 5:8, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Romans 10:9-10,13, "...if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation...For 'whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.'"

Romans 6:14, "For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace."

Galatians 5:1, "Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage."

Ephesians 3:20, "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us"

Jude 20-21, "But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life."

1 John 4:17, "Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world."

The verses listed above are just a sample of the many that God has used to speak into my life. While I am grateful for the insight of so many men and women, none can compare to the words of my Creator. Jesus took the words of God and gave them life: "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life." ~ John 6:63

The wonderful thing about the Word of God is it will lead us to an experience with Him. We can do so much more than just memorize verses/passages; we can actually participate with the Word of God through the Holy Spirit.

Be sure to take some time to put His Word into your life. But be warned: His words are POWERFUL!!!

Walking in Revival

Several years ago I read Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire by Jim Cymbala (Pastor of The Brooklyn Tabernacle). This book was a fresh awakening for me in leading the people of PBC to conduct Wednesday night Prayer Meetings. Words cannot accurately describe how God has moved among us.

The following is an excerpt from Pastor Jim's book:

"Whether you study the Great Awakening, the Second Great Awakening, the Welsh Revival, the 1906 outpouring on Azusa Street in Los Angeles, or any other period of revival, you always find men and women who first inwardly groan, longing to see the status quo changed - in themselves and in their churches. They begin to call on God with insistence; prayer begets revival, which begets more prayer...

"The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of prayer. Only when we are full of the Spirit do we feel the need for God everywhere we turn. We can be driving a car, and spontaneously our spirit starts going up to God with needs and petitions and intercessions right there in the middle of traffic.

"If our churches don't pray, and if people don't have an appetite for God, what does it matter how many are attending the services? How would that impress God? Can you imagine the angels saying, 'Oh, your pews! We can't believe how beautiful they are! Up here in heaven, we've been talking about them for years. Your sanctuary lighting - it's so clever. The way you have the steps coming up to the pulpit - it's wonderful...'

"I don't think so.

"...I have talked with pastor after pastor, some of them prominent and 'successful,' who have told me privately, 'Jim, the truth is, I couldn't' have a real prayer meeting in my church. I'd be embarrassed at the smallness of the crowd. Unless somebody's teaching or singing or doing some kind of presentation, people just won't come. I can only get them for a one-hour service, and that only once a week.

"Is that kind of religion found anywhere in the Bible? Jesus Himself can't draw a crowd even among His own people! What a tragedy that the quality of ministry is too often measured by numbers and building size rather than by true spiritual results."

While many people may disagree with this statement, I believe that we are walking in revival right now. It looks different than the Great Awakenings and other moves of God but it is real. This current revival is happening in the lives of individuals who have been moved in their hearts to seek God in everything. They are crying out for Him to extend His hand, reveal His goodness through their lives, and change their communities. The fuel of this move of God is prayer and worship. As we continue to experience His power, we continue to pray and seek the face of God.

The "Church" as a religious organization has no part in this revival. The church as the Body of Christ does. And as long as the Body of Christ continues to pray, I have no doubts that this revival can be sustained.

We as the church need to pray: "Lord, teach us to pray."

Commitment to Lordship

Romans 10:13, "For 'Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.'"

Dr. James Richards wrote a book entitled "Taking the Limits Off God." I would like to share with you from chapter 10 "Commitment to the Lordship."

"One of the main reasons there is such a lack of victory among Christians goes back to the way the gospel was first presented to them. Most new Christians are taught to call upon Jesus for salvation, but they lack commitment to His Lordship because the concept of Lordship was not adequately explained to them.

"Many people...know and believe that Jesus is the Son of God, but that knowledge alone is not sufficient for salvation. There must be a commitment to His Lordship. Nowhere in the New Testament is salvation promised apart from His Lordship. The Bible does not teach us to call upon the Name of the Savior, but rather to call upon the Name of the Lord. Salvation is what comes from making Jesus Lord.

"There is even some confusion about just what it is we are to confess with our mouth when we get saved. Some people teach that we must confess our sins in order to be saved, but the Bible says we are to confess Jesus as Lord in order to be saved (Romans 10:9).

"In the New Testament, the word Lord is used to mean an owner, master, or the one in control; in other words, the boss. If salvation is contingent upon making Jesus Lord, it is the obligation of the new convert to find the will of the Lord and do it. This process is not salvation by works: it is the fruit of repentance.

"What is the salvation of the Lord? The word which is translated as saved is the Greek word: sozo...Strong's Concordance defines sozo as 'to deliver or protect: heal, preserve, save, do well, be whole.' Thayer's Lexicon expands the definition to include: 'to keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction, to make well, restore to health, to deliver from the penalties of Messianic judgment.'

"...We know that Jesus died to set us free from the results of sin so that we can partake in His salvation. We are obligated to receive every aspect of salvation. If Jesus is really our Lord, we do not have the option of refusing the abundant life. If Jesus is really our Lord, then we are under an obligation to reach the lost, to undo the works of the devil, to have the abundant life, and to do the things that He did (and greater!).

"You must believe God will fulfill His promises. You must actively pursue those promises, not out of greed or even need, but because Jesus is Lord. You must allow His perfect salvation to be made manifest in your life. Salvation is more than just a ticket to heaven. It is the sum total of what Jesus died to give us. It is the full, abundant life. Therefore, the abundant life should be the norm for every Christian. (It is the obligation, not the option, of every believer.)"

*Excerpts taken from pp57-59. "Taking the Limits Off God" by James Richards © 1989

The Secret Place of Prayer

Matthew 6:6, "But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you." ~ New Living Translation

Over the last few weeks, I have been thinking a lot about what it means to get into the "secret place" with the Lord. In case you are wondering, the secret place is where you and God meet together. It may be time in a prayer closet, out in the woods, in the car...it really doesn't matter, just a place where you and the Lord meet together in a time of intimacy.

Jesus modeled for every believer what it means to have this daily time of intimacy with the Father. The Bible is very clear about Jesus withdrawing to a place of prayer all by Himself. Making time with the Father was never an issue. He understood that being all that God had ordained for Him to be meant having the ability to always see what the Father was seeing, hearing what the Father was saying, and doing what the Father was doing.

Folks, making time for our Heavenly Father should never be an issue with us either. In fact, the issue should be making time for everything else. It's all about where we place our priority. If intimacy with the Father is what we want, it can only come in the secret place with the Lord. Jesus tells us plainly that if we will go into that closet of prayer that God will reward us. In fact, it is the best reward system available. There are plenty of opportunities to do things for God out in the open. But if we want to live the life that is truly blessed by God then we must find our closet, shut the door, and pray to the Father.

Why is this important?

1) The stillness of a prayer closet is a critical environment for hearing the Lord.
2) In a busy society we have lost the importance of rest. The secret place is a place of rest in Him.
3) Private worship and private prayer is the fuel for everything we do in the open.
4) The prayer closet is where we develop our own personal history with God.
5) Following Jesus means that we learn to follow Him into the prayer closet as well.

We live in a culture where everything is instant. Success can happen at any moment or any time. The "American Idol" mentality says that we can be a star right now. However, in the Lord, we learn the importance of abiding in Him. It is in the abiding that we allow the Lord to prune us, grow us, and have His life flow through us. Jesus said in John 15 that He was the vine and we are the branches. What God does in and through our lives is a product of our development in Him in the secret place.

David was considered a king before he ever took the throne.
Gideon was considered a mighty man of valor before he ever picked up a sword.
Abraham was considered a father of nations long before he ever had a child.
What was the difference? Who they were before the Lord in the secret places of their lives. God wants to do great things for us but He also wants us to learn what it means to be great in Him.

Take the time this week to withdraw to the secret place in Him. Allow God's dreams and visions for your life to become a reality. Discover what His heart is for you life as you pour out your heart to Him. And make the choice to never leave the prayer closet the same way you went in. Wait for the answers. Wait for the encounters with Him. Wait until you know that He has spoken.

Where Two or Three are Gathered...

Matthew 18:20, "For where two or three together as my followers, I am there among them." What if God's idea of "Church" is different than ours? Will it cause us to view things differently?

I remember a time where I used to look at houses churches through a lens of skepticism. In fact, I was often critical. However, over the last few years, God has softened my heart to these dedicated believers. I have been able to understand the biblical model for church life and accept these house fellowships for what they truly are: the church.

Jesus told His followers very plainly that wherever they gathered together in His name, He would be in the midst of them. Throughout the New Testament we read about the church gathering in homes, in buildings, or on the beach. It really didn't matter where they met, Jesus was always with them. It's important to note that the church is about the community of believers who have gathered together for a specific purpose. It is my opinion that this is why we can visit with some "churches" and never sense the presence of God among them. It was never God's intention that the church become a religious establishment or another religious tradition. The church is the body of Christ that is composed of fellow believers who gather together for His glory.

I have been in the homes of believers who gather together for the purpose of edification, encouragement, and worship. There have been times that the presence of God was very strong in their midst. It is because of their heart to join together in fellowship, share the love of God with one another, and be the body of Christ that makes all the difference. Over my lifetime church has been associated with a building and was never considered "legal" unless it had a denominational name attached to it. You can imagine the surprise when "non-denominational" churches began to pop-up across our landscape. Who were these people and why couldn't they commit to a certain group?

Now that I have gotten to know many of these church members, it's easy to understand why they do what they do. They simply want to be known as followers of Christ. They may be non-denominational but they adhere to a belief system that is agreed upon in the group. For many of them I have witnessed a strong commitment to their fellowship. They are active believers who live out their faith in the community. They share with those in need and seek ways to minister as a group. They love the Lord and want to grow in the relationship with Him.

Why am I sharing all of this? The reason is very simple. I want us to consider why we join together. I want us to think about the reason we have joined with a particular group of believers. I want us to understand that every time we gather together as His followers, He is in the midst of us. We carry His presence and we must learn to practice His presence among us. It doesn't matter if we are meeting together with another group of believers in a house setting or an established church building - He will meet with us. Every time we get together is an opportunity to enjoy His presence together.

As the weekend is upon us, take these thoughts into your gathering place. Practice the presence of God among your brothers and sisters in Christ. Worship Him with all of your heart, share His love with every one around you, and enjoy your time in the Body of Christ. Remember that He is among you.

Setting Your Mind

Colossians 3:2, "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." The focus of a believer needs to be on the things of heaven. This doesn't mean that I sit around dreaming of heaven, or holding on till Jesus comes. It is a deliberate setting of the mind on kingdom principles.

2 Corinthians 4:18 puts it this way: "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." Everything in the natural is temporary. Jobs, possessions, etc. are all things that fade away. The things of this earth is what the world pursues. There is a focus on having the right job, building/buying a nice home, riding around in the best vehicles, having the latest fashions, or talking on the newest phone. What we discover in this type of life is that it is an empty pursuit. Our focus in not on earthly gain but in heavenly influence in the earth.

When I set my mind on heavenly things, I learn to live by heaven's values. Jesus told us to pray "Let Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." The will of God was to reveal Himself to us through Jesus. Now He reveals the Son through us. For Jesus to be made manifest in our lives means that we have the same exact mindset that He possessed. We learn to live from Heaven's provision, love from the Father's heart, do the things that Father is doing, and display His goodness throughout the earth. But when we are focused on earthly things, we struggle to carry the joy and peace that the kingdom of Heaven provides.

Consider this with me: You can have an amazing week until a hot water heater goes out or you have to pull the pump out of the well. Ever been there? All of a sudden, money becomes an issue. Or how about when the car goes down or an unexpected bill comes in? This is where the struggle begins. Are we going to be earthly focused or heavenly minded? Will we continue to trust in the Lord's provision or are we going to try to bail ourselves out of a situation?

I know...I know...we were raised in this world's system. And in this world's system, we know how to get things done. There is credit available, loans we can sign up for, and even "cash for titles" (YIKES!!!). What or Who am I going to trust in these situations? Am I going to bank on my ability to pull myself out of a hole or will I have the faith to believe that God is my Heavenly Father with all the provision I need?

FOCUS!!! Live from the resources of Heaven. Learn to claim the inheritance that we have in Christ. Find out what it means to live from God's value system. Trust me when I say that He will allow us to make our own decisions and learn from our own mistakes. The good news is that He never condemns us but chooses to walk with us even when our focus is all out of whack.

Matthew 6:33 from the Contemporary English Version: "But more than anything else, put God's work first and do what he wants. Then the other things will be yours as well." God has not abandoned us to a worldly system. He has promised that when the Kingdom of God is our focus, He takes care of the rest.

Are You Ready to Share Jesus?

Mark 16:15, "And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." Jesus makes it very clear: We are to share the good news of the kingdom with everyone. And you never know who may be ready to listen.

Vance Havner told of a church equipped with a sing that said: JESUS ONLY. One night, a storm smashed out the first three letters, leaving US ONLY. Unfortunately, too many churches think only of themselves, their needs, their convenience, their comfort. As a result, they become keepers of the aquarium rather than fishers of men.

As followers of Christ, our mission is every person. It doesn't matter what color of skin, what nationality, what gender, or what background. Every person must hear the gospel message. I like what Paul Powell said in his book "Building An Evangelistic Church": "Not every person can be a great thinker, writer, student, preacher, singer, or speaker. For those who are color blind, the loveliness of art means little. And for those who are tone deaf, the glory of music is lost. One thing is sure, though: every human being can know Jesus."

Rather than spend a lot of time talking about the necessity to share Jesus, I want to share an encouraging story with you. We had a member of our church that took the message home with them this week. I had preached about the Body of Christ and the need to "BE" the body. All week long, this church member had been presented opportunities to share the gospel. With my sermon still ringing in his ears, and the Holy Spirit moving upon his heart, he shared faithfully. God gave him one person in particular this week that he was able to share with at great length. He had just told me about this yesterday. This morning I received a text telling me that the person he had been sharing with accepted Jesus!!!

Sharing the gospel with every person puts us in a position of greater rejoicing over the salvation of the lost. Sure...there may be times that it seems a little awkward. We aren't promised a quiet room with just you and the other person. However, if we are willing to be a little inconvenienced, we may get to be a part of another person's testimony. There is one thing for sure: this church member will never forget that he was a part of the salvation of another human being.

Be willing to share the gospel. You never know who is ready to listen.