One of my favorite songs right now is by Kristian Stanfill called “Always”. The song talks about going through troubles and how we are to lift up our eyes to the Lord, because that is where our help comes from. Psalm 121
Our help may look like it comes from different places or different ways. But our help comes from the Lord. So lift up your eyes and look to the Lord., because that is truly where are help comes from. The chorus of the song has these words, “Oh, my God, He will not delay”. When we are in troubles and we cry out to God, we want immediate results. God is faithful and delay is not denial. And delay doesn’t mean God didn’t hear you.
Remember Lazarus in John 11? Lazarus was sick and when they brought word to Jesus, He stayed two more days where He was at. John 11:6. Mary and Martha both said to Jesus, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died". The situation seems hopeless, but Jesus says to them, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” You know the rest of the account, how Lazarus died and was brought back to life, so that people would see the glory of God. John 11:40-43
Remember Acts 12? Peter was in prison and going to be killed the next day. The church had been praying for him. And the last night before Peter was to be killed, he was miraculously rescued by God.
So when you find your faith being tried, or you find yourself in a fiery trial, lift your eyes up!
Lift up your eyes. Your help comes from the Lord. And He will not delay, Help is on the way!!
1 Peter 1:6-7 (NIV)
In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
1 Peter 4:12-13 (NIV)
Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
The good hand of the Lord
In my bible reading the other day, I was reading the little book of Ezra. I began to notice in chapters 7 & 8 a phrase that was used, “The hand of the Lord his God was on him”.
Ezra 7:6 this Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses, which the LORD, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted him everything he asked, for the hand of the LORD his God was on him.
Ezra 7:9 He had begun his journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, for the gracious hand of his God was on him.
Ezra 7:28 and who has extended his good favor to me before the king and his advisers and all the king’s powerful officials. Because the hand of the LORD my God was on me, I took courage and gathered leading men from Israel to go up with me.
Ezra 8:18 Because the gracious hand of our God was on us, they brought us Sherebiah, a capable man, from the descendants of Mahli son of Levi, the son of Israel, and Sherebiah’s sons and brothers, 18 men;
Ezra 8:22-23,31 I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, “The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him.” 23 So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer. On the twelfth day of the first month we set out from the Ahava Canal to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us, and he protected us from enemies and bandits along the way.
I was reminded that in order for us to be successful in life we need the hand of the Lord upon us.
It is the good hand of the Lord upon us that He hears and answers our prayers.
It is the good hand of the Lord upon us that guides and directs our lives.
It is the good hand of the Lord upon us that gives us favor with people of influence and brings organization to our lives and projects.
It is the good hand of the Lord that brings divine contacts into our lives.
It is the good hand of the Lord that brings protection from the enemies.
Eph 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
How good it is to have the good hand of the Lord upon us!
Ezra 7:6 this Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses, which the LORD, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted him everything he asked, for the hand of the LORD his God was on him.
Ezra 7:9 He had begun his journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, for the gracious hand of his God was on him.
Ezra 7:28 and who has extended his good favor to me before the king and his advisers and all the king’s powerful officials. Because the hand of the LORD my God was on me, I took courage and gathered leading men from Israel to go up with me.
Ezra 8:18 Because the gracious hand of our God was on us, they brought us Sherebiah, a capable man, from the descendants of Mahli son of Levi, the son of Israel, and Sherebiah’s sons and brothers, 18 men;
Ezra 8:22-23,31 I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, “The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him.” 23 So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer. On the twelfth day of the first month we set out from the Ahava Canal to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us, and he protected us from enemies and bandits along the way.
I was reminded that in order for us to be successful in life we need the hand of the Lord upon us.
It is the good hand of the Lord upon us that He hears and answers our prayers.
It is the good hand of the Lord upon us that guides and directs our lives.
It is the good hand of the Lord upon us that gives us favor with people of influence and brings organization to our lives and projects.
It is the good hand of the Lord that brings divine contacts into our lives.
It is the good hand of the Lord that brings protection from the enemies.
Eph 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
How good it is to have the good hand of the Lord upon us!
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
My thoughts on "Erasing Hell"
I have just finished reading “Erasing Hell” by Francis Chan. It is a book on a topic that no one really wants to talk about, but needs to be talked about. It is amazing that a subject that Jesus talked about a lot, the church or church leaders don’t want to talk about, especially on Sunday morning. But people need to know and deserve to know the truth. I can tell you that hell is real and people do go there if they do not have a relationship with Jesus. I encourage you to read Francis Chan’s book. It will help you with any questions you have and perhaps bring you clearer insight on some things you have always wondered about.
While reading this book, I came across a blog titled “Why 99% of Pastors are Universalists . . . at Funerals” by Caleb Wilde. It made me do some thinking. I know I have preached some funerals for people I did not know. To the best of my knowledge I don’t think I ever referred to the deceased person of being in heaven or hell. I can relate to this article. I am sure you have sat in the funeral of someone where the minister only spoke of seeing the loved one again someday, or that the deceased is "in a better place", whether that is the case or not. I have only been to one funeral where the family requested that the minister speak the truth. That there is a hell. The minister was very clear about it and then offered a call of salvation which was accepted by a few. I have never been in a funeral where hell was talked about since then and probably never will. But it is stark reality, which is why we cannot be quiet on telling people that there is a real hell, and that people really do go there.
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
While reading this book, I came across a blog titled “Why 99% of Pastors are Universalists . . . at Funerals” by Caleb Wilde. It made me do some thinking. I know I have preached some funerals for people I did not know. To the best of my knowledge I don’t think I ever referred to the deceased person of being in heaven or hell. I can relate to this article. I am sure you have sat in the funeral of someone where the minister only spoke of seeing the loved one again someday, or that the deceased is "in a better place", whether that is the case or not. I have only been to one funeral where the family requested that the minister speak the truth. That there is a hell. The minister was very clear about it and then offered a call of salvation which was accepted by a few. I have never been in a funeral where hell was talked about since then and probably never will. But it is stark reality, which is why we cannot be quiet on telling people that there is a real hell, and that people really do go there.
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Rain!
In Oklahoma and throughout the midwest states, it is hot! Most of this area is not only hot, but also very dry. Much of Oklahoma is experiencing a drought. July 2011 has made it into the record books as the hottest summer ever in Oklahoma, and August hasn't been much better. It is so bad that the Governor of Oklahoma has asked us to pray for rain. The heat has kept many people from doing the things they usually do, trading the outdoors, opting to stay home in the air conditioning. This extreme heat can also affect your walk in Christ. The hot weather can make you lethargic, not wanting to go to church or do the other things we are to be doing to further our Christian walk. What we really need is a spiritual rain, a refreshing from the Spirit of God.
So, if you find yourself suffering a drought in the spiritual realm, then it is time to prepare ourselves as Hosea says in Hosea 10:12. Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you. Even though we may be experiencing a spiritual drought, we are to continue to sow, reap, break up fallow ground, and seek the Lord.
After a 3 ½ year drought Elijah prayed for rain in 1Kings 18:41-46. Elijah prayed and didn’t give up and finally the rain came. When God sends His rain it comes like Hosea says in Hosea 6:3 Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.
Here is what happens in the natural when it rains:
From Wikipedia: Many people find the scent during and immediately after rain especially pleasant or distinctive. The source of this scent is petrichor, an oil produced by plants, then absorbed by rocks and soil, and later released into the air during rainfall.
When it rains in the spiritual on you, you will be able to release the scent of the Holy Spirit on those around you. So go ahead and pray for rain, because I hear the sound of the abundance of rain.
So, if you find yourself suffering a drought in the spiritual realm, then it is time to prepare ourselves as Hosea says in Hosea 10:12. Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you. Even though we may be experiencing a spiritual drought, we are to continue to sow, reap, break up fallow ground, and seek the Lord.
After a 3 ½ year drought Elijah prayed for rain in 1Kings 18:41-46. Elijah prayed and didn’t give up and finally the rain came. When God sends His rain it comes like Hosea says in Hosea 6:3 Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.
Here is what happens in the natural when it rains:
From Wikipedia: Many people find the scent during and immediately after rain especially pleasant or distinctive. The source of this scent is petrichor, an oil produced by plants, then absorbed by rocks and soil, and later released into the air during rainfall.
When it rains in the spiritual on you, you will be able to release the scent of the Holy Spirit on those around you. So go ahead and pray for rain, because I hear the sound of the abundance of rain.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Make a difference, NOT MY LIFE
Maybe you are like me, sometimes I just feel like I am going through life and not really making a difference at anything. We can minister in our churches, or we do our jobs, raise our families, but sometimes if you are like me, you ask the question "Is this all there is?"
Recently, we went and saw a documentary on human trafficking, NOT MY LIFE. Human trafficking is one of the greatest crimes against humanity and it is growing everyday. In fact, they said they are only helping .001% of those who are caught up in human trafficking. One woman involved in rescue efforts said that for every 10 girls they help on a given day, 20 more girls got caught up in human trafficking that same day. Oklahoma has one of the largest human trafficking areas in the United States.
Upon hearing that only .001% of those who are taken into human trafficking are rescued worldwide, I asked myself if it was really worth it. But then I realized that if they only reach one woman, man, or child, at least they are making a difference to somebody. If only one life was changed by being rescued from exploitation, it is worth everything they are doing.
I was reminded of a story I read in Pastor Craig Groeschel's book WEIRD. It is called Every Starfish Matters (page 214). It goes like this… A young boy was frantically picking up stranded starfish and throwing them back into the ocean. Now there were hundreds if not thousands of starfish all over the beach. An older gentleman saw this you boy picking up the starfish and throwing them back into the ocean. And said hey their youngster; you shouldn’t waste your time with the starfish. There’s to many of them. You’ll never make a difference. Looking up at the old gentleman, the boy picked up a starfish and hurled it into the ocean. And he said I made a difference to that one! And he continued on with his mission.
That's what got me. A story about starfish. You will never make a difference until you believe in something. The youngster in this story believed that his actions made a difference for the starfish. The story says that he "continued on with his mission". In the documentary, NOT MY LIFE, a man involved in rescue efforts in the United States said that the statistics did not discourage him. ( .001% ) He stated that those numbers just gave him reason to work that much harder. That there are more lives out there that can be reached, one at a time. Just like the starfish.
Rescuing those enslaved by human trafficking may not be your calling. I have come to realize that we can only do what we are called to do. And I am not called to do everything, but I am called to something. So, I just have to settle the issue that I can make a difference right where I am at, doing what God called me to do.
But I do know that everyone is called to something. I just want to encourage you to find out what God wants you to do and do it with all your might. Make a difference one life at a time.
Oklahomans Against Human Trafficking has upcoming fundraisers that you can be a part of.
If you would like to know more about human trafficking you can contact Oklahomans Against Human Trafficking (OATH). To find out more about NOT MY LIFE, visit http://notmylife.org/.
Upon hearing that only .001% of those who are taken into human trafficking are rescued worldwide, I asked myself if it was really worth it. But then I realized that if they only reach one woman, man, or child, at least they are making a difference to somebody. If only one life was changed by being rescued from exploitation, it is worth everything they are doing.
I was reminded of a story I read in Pastor Craig Groeschel's book WEIRD. It is called Every Starfish Matters (page 214). It goes like this… A young boy was frantically picking up stranded starfish and throwing them back into the ocean. Now there were hundreds if not thousands of starfish all over the beach. An older gentleman saw this you boy picking up the starfish and throwing them back into the ocean. And said hey their youngster; you shouldn’t waste your time with the starfish. There’s to many of them. You’ll never make a difference. Looking up at the old gentleman, the boy picked up a starfish and hurled it into the ocean. And he said I made a difference to that one! And he continued on with his mission.
That's what got me. A story about starfish. You will never make a difference until you believe in something. The youngster in this story believed that his actions made a difference for the starfish. The story says that he "continued on with his mission". In the documentary, NOT MY LIFE, a man involved in rescue efforts in the United States said that the statistics did not discourage him. ( .001% ) He stated that those numbers just gave him reason to work that much harder. That there are more lives out there that can be reached, one at a time. Just like the starfish.
Rescuing those enslaved by human trafficking may not be your calling. I have come to realize that we can only do what we are called to do. And I am not called to do everything, but I am called to something. So, I just have to settle the issue that I can make a difference right where I am at, doing what God called me to do.
But I do know that everyone is called to something. I just want to encourage you to find out what God wants you to do and do it with all your might. Make a difference one life at a time.
Oklahomans Against Human Trafficking has upcoming fundraisers that you can be a part of.
If you would like to know more about human trafficking you can contact Oklahomans Against Human Trafficking (OATH). To find out more about NOT MY LIFE, visit http://notmylife.org/.
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