Look His Way!
By now you know that I have a wonderful little grandaughter by the name of Lucia! If not you can see her at her very own website: http://www.babycrabb.com/. Now that I'm through with the commercial, I'll move on to the thought of this blog posting. We have webcams so we can visit with HER and the couple that feeds her and cares for her. (Yes, my daughter Tarah and son in law Scott.)
When they get her all ready for our video visit, they call and say, "get ready, we are about to turn on the camera". Teresa and I are crowded around the computer. We are breathing heavy and our hearts are filled with anticipation. Then, "click", there she is in all her glory. We stare at her from head to toe. We look at every little finger. We check out her little perfectly formed head and see if more hair has appeared on it. We say over the microphone, "hold her closer so we can see better"! "I believe she's looking at us. Is she Scott, is she looking at us"? At that moment there is nothing on this planet that is more important than experiencing Lucia. Right about now it hits me. That is exactly how the Father in heaven feels about you and me. Every day, he feels that same kind of excitement. He looks at every part of our life, not with judgment but with the joy of a Father. The thing that stirs his heart more than anything is when he sees you and me looking back at him with love and adoration. Look His Way today!
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Anointed to Serve
This past Mother's Day I was sitting in the pew listening to Pastor Randy Stephen deliver a wonderful word of encouragement to Mothers. I glanced on the Order of Service and noticed that I was to pray the closing prayer over the Mothers. I had been traveling a great deal and word hadn't reached me about the prayer. I prayed a brief prayer, as is my custom, asking the Lord what he wanted me to pray. Instantaneously I heard, "pray for the anointing to be a Mother"! Wow, an anoiting to be a Mother! I had never thought of it. As I sat there, (yes, I was listening to the sermon)it all became very clear. If Motherhood is the most important job in the world, and if "the hand that rocks the cradle, rules the world", there needs to be the anointing of the Holy Spirit upon Mothers.
I remembered the command of Jesus that basically told his disciples to tarry in Jerusalem until they were clothed with the power of the Holy Spirit before embarking on a journey of ministry in his name. Jesus was telling his disciples not to go out preaching and saying they were representing his ministry unless they were empowered with the same anointing with which he was anointed.
If there was ever an hour we needed the power of the Holy Spirit in our ministries, it is today. Let's press in again in a fresh way for a fresh touch of the Holy Spirit anointing!
This past Mother's Day I was sitting in the pew listening to Pastor Randy Stephen deliver a wonderful word of encouragement to Mothers. I glanced on the Order of Service and noticed that I was to pray the closing prayer over the Mothers. I had been traveling a great deal and word hadn't reached me about the prayer. I prayed a brief prayer, as is my custom, asking the Lord what he wanted me to pray. Instantaneously I heard, "pray for the anointing to be a Mother"! Wow, an anoiting to be a Mother! I had never thought of it. As I sat there, (yes, I was listening to the sermon)it all became very clear. If Motherhood is the most important job in the world, and if "the hand that rocks the cradle, rules the world", there needs to be the anointing of the Holy Spirit upon Mothers.
I remembered the command of Jesus that basically told his disciples to tarry in Jerusalem until they were clothed with the power of the Holy Spirit before embarking on a journey of ministry in his name. Jesus was telling his disciples not to go out preaching and saying they were representing his ministry unless they were empowered with the same anointing with which he was anointed.
If there was ever an hour we needed the power of the Holy Spirit in our ministries, it is today. Let's press in again in a fresh way for a fresh touch of the Holy Spirit anointing!
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Can you take the truth?
Making a decision to believe a lie leads to a dark and unprotected place. Yet, we seem proned to turn away from reality and prefer our own perception of truth. We like our view and so we convince ourselves that our take on things is right even if the majority of those around us seem to have a different view. What pride and arrogance! Yet, it is our first inclination when we encounter truth that is in contradiction to our chosen path. This blind obedience to the altar of self love leads us to shipwreck time and time again.
Only the Cross of Jesus and the embracing of that cross can deliver us from this habit of self delusion. There has to be a healing deep within that stems from an open and honest look into the recesses of our heart. Only a converted heart can look at itself in the light of Holy Spirit Truth. Once we see and embrace the painful process of honesty leading to healing, then, and only then are we ready to move to the next level. As long as we have a convoluded perspective of our own condition, we have a skewed view of the identity of God. We then try to make God become who we want Him to be. God is free of all our uncertainties. God is not a God who conforms to our view of Him. He is quite comfortable in his own skin. He is who he is!
Let us face ourselves with Truth and allow the HolySpirit to shine deep within us, to bring healing once and for all. It takes courage, but once completed, we will see and experience God as he is and in his fullness. From this platform of wholeness and honesty we are now more able to be a transporter of Truth.
Making a decision to believe a lie leads to a dark and unprotected place. Yet, we seem proned to turn away from reality and prefer our own perception of truth. We like our view and so we convince ourselves that our take on things is right even if the majority of those around us seem to have a different view. What pride and arrogance! Yet, it is our first inclination when we encounter truth that is in contradiction to our chosen path. This blind obedience to the altar of self love leads us to shipwreck time and time again.
Only the Cross of Jesus and the embracing of that cross can deliver us from this habit of self delusion. There has to be a healing deep within that stems from an open and honest look into the recesses of our heart. Only a converted heart can look at itself in the light of Holy Spirit Truth. Once we see and embrace the painful process of honesty leading to healing, then, and only then are we ready to move to the next level. As long as we have a convoluded perspective of our own condition, we have a skewed view of the identity of God. We then try to make God become who we want Him to be. God is free of all our uncertainties. God is not a God who conforms to our view of Him. He is quite comfortable in his own skin. He is who he is!
Let us face ourselves with Truth and allow the HolySpirit to shine deep within us, to bring healing once and for all. It takes courage, but once completed, we will see and experience God as he is and in his fullness. From this platform of wholeness and honesty we are now more able to be a transporter of Truth.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
It's Time To Advance!
One of the most poignant messages that came out of 9/11, were the words regarding firemen. People running from the burning towers were impacted by the firemen running in. Everything in the hearts and minds of the people fleeing was screaming, "run for your life". Everything in the hearts and minds of those brave firefighters was screaming, "save a life". It all has to do with values, perspective and training. The value you place on life, the perspective from which you view the current situation and the preparation of the past that has brought you to this point. I have been traveling a lot of late and that travel has given me the opportunity to see several ministries up close and personal during our current turbulent times.
Rodney Thrift of Crossway Church in the Blackshear/Waycross, Georgia is leading a relatively new church. As with any new work there is a building process. With all the anxiety of our present day and with all of the financial challenges, Crossway Church continues to train people for the future. In the rear of their small and often cramped auditorium is a large and spacious room that will be their new worship center. Here we see an example of expanding in faith while the world is trembling in fear.
John Carney is the Senior Pastor of The Church in the Meadow in Salem, Oregon. I have ministered there several times before. This time as we arrived I noticed the new parking lot all striped brightly inviting cars to enter. I saw the new signage in place. Transition is taking place on their ministry team and new members are being added. Once again, expanding during a downturn.
James Wiley is Senior Pastor of Oak Grove Assembly of God in Port St. Joe, Florida. Oak Grove is an old church in a small fishing town in the panhandle of Florida, in an area called "the forgotten coast". As I arrived the land next to the existing sanctuary was buzzing with activity. The ground was being prepared for a new sanctuary. A much loved hugh oak tree had to be removed in order to make room for the new building. The hugh stump with much of it's root system still in tact lay on it's side in the rear of the property. I thought, "what a shame". Then I realized that it had to go to make way for the future. As I contemplated the work underway I noticed the sign saying "future home of Oak Grove". I had just left the Interstate where gas prices were breaking new record highs every few days. Housing values are slipping and homeowners across America are experiencing more and more repossessions. There seems to be a raging fear and a feeling of hopelessness. Yet, the church is preparing for the future. Expansion can be seen on many fronts. I am greatly encouraged by the faith and courage of the people of God. There is a stirring, this knowing that it is our time! For the fearless and the faithful, it is time to advance!
One of the most poignant messages that came out of 9/11, were the words regarding firemen. People running from the burning towers were impacted by the firemen running in. Everything in the hearts and minds of the people fleeing was screaming, "run for your life". Everything in the hearts and minds of those brave firefighters was screaming, "save a life". It all has to do with values, perspective and training. The value you place on life, the perspective from which you view the current situation and the preparation of the past that has brought you to this point. I have been traveling a lot of late and that travel has given me the opportunity to see several ministries up close and personal during our current turbulent times.
Rodney Thrift of Crossway Church in the Blackshear/Waycross, Georgia is leading a relatively new church. As with any new work there is a building process. With all the anxiety of our present day and with all of the financial challenges, Crossway Church continues to train people for the future. In the rear of their small and often cramped auditorium is a large and spacious room that will be their new worship center. Here we see an example of expanding in faith while the world is trembling in fear.
John Carney is the Senior Pastor of The Church in the Meadow in Salem, Oregon. I have ministered there several times before. This time as we arrived I noticed the new parking lot all striped brightly inviting cars to enter. I saw the new signage in place. Transition is taking place on their ministry team and new members are being added. Once again, expanding during a downturn.
James Wiley is Senior Pastor of Oak Grove Assembly of God in Port St. Joe, Florida. Oak Grove is an old church in a small fishing town in the panhandle of Florida, in an area called "the forgotten coast". As I arrived the land next to the existing sanctuary was buzzing with activity. The ground was being prepared for a new sanctuary. A much loved hugh oak tree had to be removed in order to make room for the new building. The hugh stump with much of it's root system still in tact lay on it's side in the rear of the property. I thought, "what a shame". Then I realized that it had to go to make way for the future. As I contemplated the work underway I noticed the sign saying "future home of Oak Grove". I had just left the Interstate where gas prices were breaking new record highs every few days. Housing values are slipping and homeowners across America are experiencing more and more repossessions. There seems to be a raging fear and a feeling of hopelessness. Yet, the church is preparing for the future. Expansion can be seen on many fronts. I am greatly encouraged by the faith and courage of the people of God. There is a stirring, this knowing that it is our time! For the fearless and the faithful, it is time to advance!
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