Fear Not

"Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." -- Isaiah 41:10, NAS

The Bible commands us to be anxious for nothing. The Bible commands us to fear not. Survey the Bible and take note of the many times the Lord commands His people—indeed, even the great heroes of the faith—not to fear:

Genesis 15:1: "Fear not, Abram"
Numbers 21:34: "Moses, fear him not"
Joshua 8:1: "Joshua, fear not"
Daniel 10:12: "Fear not, Daniel"
Matthew 1:20: "Joseph, thou son of David, fear not"
Luke 1:13: "Fear not, Zacharias"
Luke 1:30: "Fear not, Mary"
Luke 5:10: "Simon, fear not"
Acts 27:24: "Fear not, Paul"

The Lord instructs all His people, the sheep of His pasture, not to fear:

Isaiah 41:14: "Fear not...ye men of Israel"
Joel 2:21: "Fear not, O land"
Zephaniah 3:16: "Jerusalem, fear thou not"
Luke 12:32: "Fear not, little flock"
John 12:15: "Fear not, daughter of Zion"

Note also the many times righteous men and women of faith encouraged God's people not to fear:

Genesis 50:19: And Joseph said unto them, "Fear not..."
Exodus 20:20: And Moses said unto the people, "Fear not..."
Joshua 10:25: And Joshua said unto them, "Fear not..."
1 Samuel 12:20: And Samuel said unto the people, "Fear not..."
2 Samuel 9:7: And David said unto him, "Fear not..."
1 Kings 17:13: And Elijah said unto her, "Fear not..."

I would add the following:
To me, the Lord says, "Fear not..."
To my family, the Lord says, "Fear not..."
To my friends, the Lord says, "Fear not..."
To Cobblestone, the Lord says, "Fear not..."
To my pastors, the Lord says, "Fear not..."
To our flock, the Lord says, "Fear not..."

Today's prayer: "God, today I choose to fear not nor to be anxious for anything, for you are with me. You are my God and you will strengthen me and uphold me with your righteous right hand."

One Size Fits All

Jesus put him off: "Unless you people are dazzled by a miracle, you refuse to believe." -- John 4:48, The Message

We are often tempted to classify miracles by size or by how much we are "dazzled" by them, but I say when it comes to miracles, one size fits all. I believe God is calling us to celebrate every miracle with the same gratitude, the same enthusiasm, the same praise, and the same testimony. Are not all miracles from God, the Maker of heaven and earth? From the straightened finger to the disappearance of cancer; from an ear opened that was clogged by infection to an ear delivered from deafness; from the instantaneous removal of pain to the person who was wheelchair bound leaping to their feet, our God is to be praised. We cannot refuse to believe because the miracle before us is not big enough to dazzle us.

Today's prayer: "Oh Lord I pray that we have not become so bound by our culture of sensationalism that we no longer see your hand in every miracle. Forgive us for wanting to be dazzled before we believe. I give you thanks for the opened ear, the healed back, the relief from pain, the heart restored, the seizures that have ceased, the blood pressure lowered, the diabetes under control, the blockage released, the multiple sclerosis vanished, the cancer eradicated, the hole in the heart closed up, the sense of smell returned, the salvation of the lost, the deliverance of the oppressed, the skin rash that disappeared, the migraine that suddenly stopped, and all the other miracles that I have had the privilege to witness!"

Turning Cartwheels

"Though the cherry trees don't blossom and the strawberries don't ripen, Though the apples are worm-eaten and the wheat fields stunted, Though the sheep pens are sheepless and the cattle barns empty, I'm singing joyful praise to God. I'm turning cartwheels of joy to my Savior God. Counting on God's Rule to prevail, I take heart and gain strength. I run like a deer. I feel like I'm king of the mountain!" -- Habakkuk 3:17-19, The Message

When we see a day of trouble approach, it concerns us to prepare. A good hope through grace is founded in holy fear. The prophet, Habakkuk, looked back upon the experiences of the church in former ages, and observed what great things God had done for them, and so was not only recovered, but filled with holy joy. He resolved to delight and triumph in the Lord; for when all is gone, his God is not gone.

Today's prayer: "God, looking back over the past nine years, you have done great things for your church, Cobblestone. And though the bank account is not overflowing, and the chairs not all filled, Though all are not healed, delivered or set free, and Though many have yet to be introduced to you, you have done GREAT things and I rejoice in You, turning cartwheels of joy to my Savior God."

Human Frailty

Jezebel, a hard and wicked queen, sent Elijah a life-threatening message. Elijah had been on the mountaintop with God and as often happens, reality of our human frailty sets in after a great victory. Great faith is not comparable to being strong. Elijah had been equipped by God to do this very service to Israel at this time. Elijah depended upon God fully for He was doing God’s will. Yet in a very human moment, he runs away. Here God allows Elijah to know his human frailty; to show that when he is bold and strong, that it comes from the Lord and the power of His might! God in His everlasting love and mercy takes care of the despairing prophet, as He does for us in our lowest moments, for He knows we are but dust. (For He knows how weak we are; He remembers we are only dust -- Psalm 103:14). God knows what He designs us for and though we do not know what services or what trials await us, God will take care that we are equipped and furnished with sufficient grace to do His will. (1 Kings 19:1-5)

7 Years & Still Going Strong

Today is a very special day for me. I think it's fitting that it snowed. Reminds me of the purity of God as He washes us whiter than snow. Seven years ago today, in Nashville, TN, I received my miraculous healing from what man has called an incurable disease, multiple sclerosis. My life has never been the same. I don't look the same nor do I act the same. And, praise God I have rarely even been sick (a common cold now and then)! God has granted my request. He has heard my prayers. He has healed my land. He has called me, equipped me, and I have dedicated the rest of my life to laying hands on the sick and praying for their healing.

My life scripture: "Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received! (Matthew 10:8)

Here I Am Send Me

God seems to be speaking a lot to me these days through songs. Makes sense. Heaven is filled with all kinds of music. Today's shout out goes to Delirious for their song "Here I Am Send Me." The words to this song speak of Isaiah, Eziekel, and Paul and oftentimes we think these were exceptional men, out of our league, when in fact they were ordinary men like us, touched by God to believe for the impossible and allow God to accomplish it through them. God is looking for availability. He'll take care of the impossible. Here I Am Send Me. Is that your heart's cry? Ingest and savor these lyrics:

Here I Am Send Me:
Show me a vision like Isaiah saw,
Where the angel touched his lips and he sinned no more.
Let me hear your voice saying “Who shall I send?”
I’ll say send me Lord, I’ll follow you to the end.

Show me a vision like Eziekel saw,
An army of light from a valley of bones.
Breathe life into these lungs of mine,
So I can scream and shout of your love divine.

Search light, burns bright, floods my eyes,
Invade me, serenade me, I’m giving back my life.

Here I am send me, Here I am send me,
There’s nothing in my hands,
But here I am send me.

I’m in Jacobs dream seeing heavens gate,
Let me climb all night on my ladder of faith.
Wrestle with the angel till my body is weak,
Dislocate my bones for it’s you that I seek.

Show me the light Paul apostle saw,
When he fell to the dust and he could see no more,
Open my eyes, open my eyes,
Open my eyes, open my eyes.

I’m frightened what you’ll find,
When you open up my heart, I’m walking in the light,
Cos it’s light that changes the atmosphere,
So touch these lips that criticize,
And put a song in my mouth that opens our eyes.

Today's prayer: "There's nothing in my hands Oh Lord, but here I am send me."

Going Through The Motions

Sometimes it feels as if I'm just going through the motions -- how about you? I woke this morning to Matthew West's song, "The Motions" and the lyrics struck a chord somewhere deep inside my soul. I don't want to just go through the motions. I need the consuming passion of Jesus inside of me. And more than that, I want to live on purpose, not defined by routine or ritual. I made this song my morning devotion. I stepped aside from my somewhat normal routine; in fact, I didn't even open my Bible today. Sometimes God speaks loudest through another person, a song, a chance encounter, His creation, circumstances, a dream..... I think it's okay to change things up a bit once in awhile. And before you stone me, I don't recommend skipping your Bible reading, but just for this morning it was what I needed. "I don't want to spend my whole life asking what if I had given everything? Instead of going through the motions."

Matthew West, "The Motions"

This might hurt
It’s not safe
But I know that I’ve gotta make a change
I don’t care
If I break
At least I’ll be feeling something
‘Cause just ok
Is not enough
Help me fight through the nothingness of life

I don’t wanna go through the motions
I don’t wanna go one more day
Without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don’t wanna spend my whole life asking
What if I had given everything?
Instead of going through the motions

No regrets
Not this time
I’m gonna let my heart defeat my mind
Let Your love
Make me whole
I think I’m finally feeling something

Take me all the way
Take me all the way
Take me all the way

Today's prayer: "God, I don't want a life of ritual without meaning. I need a life of passion for you. I want to find out what might happen if I throw caution to the wind and embrace this destiny in you. Consume me with that passion."

To Know You

My determined purpose is to know Him and the power of His resurrection.
-- Philippians 3:10

Casting Crown's new CD "Until The Whole World Hears" includes a song called "To Know You." This song will absolutely take you to your knees at the feet of Jesus in worship and surrender. Here are the lyrics:

To know you is never worry for my life, and
To know you is to never to give in or compromise
To know you is to want to tell the world about you
Cause I can't live without you

To know you is to hear your voice when you are calling
To know you is to catch my brother when he is falling
To know you is to feel the pain of the broken hearted
Cause they can't live with out you.

More than my next breath
More than life or death
All reaching for, I live my life to know you more
I leave it all behind, you are all that satisfies
To know you is to want to know you more
To know you is to want to know you more

To know you is to ache for more than ordinary
To know you is to look beyond the temporary
To know you is believing that you will be enough
Cause there is no life without you

More than my next breath
More than life or death
All reaching for, I live my life to know you more
I leave it all behind, you are all that satisfies
To know you is to want to know you more
To know you is to want to know you more

All this life could offer me, could not compare to you
Compare to you
And I count it all as lost, compared to knowing you
Knowing you

More than my next breath
More than life or death
All reaching for, I live my life to know you more
I leave it all behind, you are all that satisfies
To know you is to want to know you more
To know you is to want to know you more

Compared to you
Compared to you
And I count it all as lost, compared to knowing you
Knowing you
And I count it all as lost, compared to knowing you
Knowing you

Focus

"The Jewish leaders were infuriated by Stephen's accusation, and they shook their fists in rage. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily upward into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God's right hand. And he told them, "Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God's right hand!" Then they put their hands over their ears, and drowning out his voice with their shouts, they rushed at him. They dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. The official witnesses took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul. And as they stoned him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." And he fell to his knees, shouting, "Lord, don't charge them with this sin!" And with that, he died." -- Acts 7:54-60, NLT

When God leads me to the same scripture through multiple channels in the same week I take notice. What is God saying? I believe He is saying, "keep your FOCUS" -- No matter what others are doing or saying; no matter what difficulties are "shaking their fists in rage"; no matter who is casting stones, be filled with the Holy Spirit and keep your gaze toward heaven. In fact Stephen hardly noticed the shouts of the crowd because he only had eyes for God, whom he saw in all his glory with Jesus standing at his side" (v. 55, The Message).

Today's prayer: "God, help me keep my focus. Let me see your glory. Amen."

A-MAZE-D

"Show me the path where I should walk, O LORD; point out the right road for me to follow." -- Psalms 25:4

Earlier this week I took part in a team building exercise with my work colleagues. We visited the Butterfield corn maze just west of Oxford. We were told to expect about an hour to get through the maze. We paid our $5 and were handed maps. After counting off into two teams we started in. Our designated leader took us through the maze in record time and our team won the race. Twelve minutes! But what I felt when we exited was far from excitement. It was more like disappointment. Where was the fun in racing through a maze with map in hand, not making a single wrong turn? Getting lost down a dead end, celebrating teamwork through forced strategy, having an adventure complete with laughter, these things were missing.

I couldn't help but ponder how going through the maze parallels life. If God gave us a map we would probably finish in record time and miss out on all the adventure. If the maze represents our life, then God has already accounted for all the wrong turns and dead ends. There are often unexpected surprises awaiting us off the path. We were told that there were mailboxes hidden in the maze containing postcards, but we were quite certain they were hidden down the dead end paths. And, having a map in hand, we were only concerned with finishing the race in record time and not in savoring the "treasures." God knows our frame. I think He knows if we had a map we'd probably do the same thing. Today I praise God for drawing in the map only as our feet touch the next step in our journey. Let us run the race in good faith knowing that God does indeed have hidden treasures down some of the "dead end" roads we travel.

God Winks

Today, while walking across an open parking lot, I felt a nudge to change my direction and walk about 15 yards south of my current location. I usually obey these kinds of nudges because time after time God has used them to bless me, challenge me, show me something, or just wink at me. Today, He winked. About ten steps into my new direction I spotted a discarded McDonald's cup. It still contained the instant win stickers for the current McDonald's monopoly game. I reached down and pulled them off the cup. Yep! Instant winner (of a sandwich). By the way, I forgot to mention that I was on my way to McDonald's at the time. Anyway, second wink: I walked up to the counter to place an order and the lady behind the counter handed me an instant win ticket for a free small drink (as an employee she wasn't permitted to redeem it). I had planned to purchase a medium drink and told her so but she said no problem since I could get a free refill. Third wink: I finished the small drink and went for the refill. No small Coke's were ready so she gave me a medium instead, and there on the cup was two more tickets. And, that is how God winks .....

God loves to bless us! He says in Malachi 3:10, "Try it! Put Me to the test." He wants us to put Him to the test because He wants us blessed. He says, "Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in My Temple." If you do, He will bless your socks off! "Your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them from insects and disease. Your grapes will not fall from the vine before they are ripe..." (Malachi 3:11). He wants to show the world that living for Him is the way to live. "Then all the nations will call you blessed!" (Malachi 3:12 NLT).

OHOP

OHOP or Oxford House of Prayer began on April 4, 2008 and has met every Friday night, with few exceptions .... that's 81 weeks. We've seen roughly 100 individuals come through the doors, representing about 10 different churches. Attendance varies from 10 to 35, but has never exceeded 35. People ask why it doesn't grow. And here's what God impressed upon my heart:

It's not about the masses, it's about the one.
It's not about the one, it's about the masses.

Two simple statements that appear, at first, to contradict one another, but in reality they complete each other.

OHOP is about the one who has a need and meets that need in Jesus on a Friday night. I've prayed with a college student anxious for an exam, a mother anxious for a child, a person needing physical healing or healing for a family member, a man needing deliverance, a woman needing to feel God's presence and love, and 100 other stories. God always makes provision for the one, and when that one receives a touch it becomes about the masses.

OHOP is also about the masses. We pray for the city, for area churches, for the nations. We know that when God is about to move He always sets His people to praying. When the masses are changed, they will impact the one.

I'm called to OHOP and to prayer and I'm not that concerned with the numbers. I made a committment to pray for the one and for the masses every Friday night. Because in the end, the ONE who really matters will always be there .... and worship and prayer for an audience of ONE will always impact the masses.

....................................................

OHOP Core Values
"My house shall be called a house of prayer..." Mark 11:17

#1 - You will become what you gaze upon. Participating in OHOP will cause you to focus on the King -- in prayer -- in worship -- in surrender. The more you focus on HIM the more you will become like HIM and everything else will begin to fade away (sin; bad habits; meaningless noise; misguided priorities).

#2 - Praying together brings about unity. We are all encouraged to pray alone in our prayer closets and that's a vital part of prayer. But when we join together in prayer; our voices combine into powerful prayers. The Bible says (Deut. 32:30) that one can put a thousand to flight (or subdue a thousand enemies) and two can put ten thousand to flight. Now that's the kind of multiplication I like. Prayer will crush the enemy. Also, praying with others will challenge you; just like iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17); God will cause the rough edges to get smoothed out. You will be challenged; even uncomfortable at times; and that's a good thing. If you're comfortable with prayer in your prayer closet; then OHOP will seem familiar to you -- but, if you're not spending time in prayer when you're all alone; OHOP will seem foreign; maybe even make you feel like you just visited another world -- and the truth is YOU HAVE.

#3 - OHOP is a discipleship/training program. If you hang out at the House of Prayer you will hear prayer modeled; see prayer in action; hear the WORD being lifted up in prayer; learn to pray. It's a learning tool. Want to have a powerful prayer life? Hang out at the House of Prayer. Prayer can be taught; but more often it's "caught." The anointing is transferable.

#4 - Prayer changes things. God does nothing but in response to prayer. And, when He wants to act, He sets his people to praying. When you grasp that your prayers are making a difference; that your prayers are changing your city or region; that your prayers are being heard by God; that you just saved someone's life in prayer; you will NEVER be the same. You won't be able to stay away!

#5 - Prayer is exciting. God loves to talk (more than we love to listen). God even calls us His friends (John 15:15) and He enjoys sharing His secrets with us. His thoughts toward us are innumerable (Psalm 139:17-18); ask Him and He will tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know (Jeremiah 33:3).

The Rudder

Job 22:28: "You will also declare a thing, and it will be established for you; so light will shine on your ways."

It's a good idea to line up our mouth—the rudder of our life—with where we are going and then to keep it steady and on course.

If a ship heading in one direction suddenly turns in the opposite direction and keeps doing that over and over, it will go nowhere.

Our tongue, the rudder of our life, often has the power to cause us to go nowhere. If we speak about our blessings and the good things we are expecting to happen one minute, and then spend the next half hour talking about the negative things happening that are keeping us from getting there, we begin turning our lives in circles.

When we line up our spoken words with where we want to go for a little while and then focus on the bad weather when we meet a storm along the way, we lose track of where we were headed in the first place. We forget that we have the power (in Christ) to turn our lives around the storm or press on through it to the sunshine on the other side. We often forget that the "Son" has never stopped shining on our lives, no matter how dark the clouds in the sky are.

Even in the midst of what looks like catastrophe, let's keep speaking the blessing, keep the ship of our life on a steady course, and before you know it the storm clouds will clear and we will have broken through difficulty and left it far behind.

Speak

A hymn about hearing God speak:

Speak, Lord, in the Stillness 
Speak, Lord, in the stillness, 
While I wait on Thee; 
Hushed my heart to listen
In expectancy. 
Speak, O blessed Master, 
In this quiet hour; 
Let me see Thy face, Lord, 
Feel Thy touch of power. 
For the words Thou speakest, 

"They are life," indeed;
Living Bread from heaven, 
Now my spirit feed! 
All to Thee is yielded, 
I am not my own; 
Blissful, glad surrender, 
I am Thine alone. 
Speak, Thy servant heareth! 
Be not silent, Lord; 
Waits my soul upon Thee 
For the quickening word! 
Fill me with the knowledge
Of Thy glorious will; 
All Thine own good pleasure 
In my life fulfill. 
Like "a watered garden" 
Full of fragrance rare 
Ling'ring in Thy presence 
Let my life appear. 
--Emily May Grimes Crawford

The Thunder Rolls

Praise You in This Storm
words by Mark Hall/music by Mark Hall and Bernie Herms

I was sure by now,God, that You would have reached down
and wiped our tears away,
stepped in and saved the day.
But once again, I say amen
and it's still raining
as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain,
"I'm with you"
and as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away.

Chorus:
And I'll praise you in this storm
and I will lift my hands
for You are who You are
no matter where I am
and every tear I've cried
You hold in your hand
You never left my side
and though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I remember when I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry to You
and raised me up again
my strength is almost gone how can I carry on
if I can't find You
and as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
and as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away

Chorus

I lift my eyes onto the hills
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth
I lift my eyes onto the hills
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth

Chorus

Today's Prayer: "God, this song sums it up. You know the depths of my heart. I don't. Amen."

Chastening

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. (Revelation 3:19)

Keep your conscience clean. Strive to keep offense out of your life, both towards God and man. (Acts 24:16)

Those whom God loves, He chastens. So be enthusiastic! Celebrate the ability to feel conviction because it means there is a connection between you and God. Just remember, you cannot do anything about what you do not see or what you do not know. So, let's rejoice when God shows us our sin.

Recently, God brought to mind something that happened a number of years ago, an unresolved issue. I had stuffed it down and locked the door. But God in His great love and through an unlikely chain of events, gently caused it to resurface. Now, faced with the dilemma of what to do with all the raw emotion, I understand why God wants us to deal with things as they occur. Tonight, God and I finally put it to rest, wrestled it to the ground, with God on top and me lying on the floor panting for air. He won and therefore I win.

The Other Side

"Ephraim mixes with the nations; Ephraim is a flat cake not turned over." Hosea 7:8

Picture this: a pancake in the skillet, not yet turned over. One side is done, the other still runny, bubbly batter. In Beth Moore's study of Esther, she points out that we are often just like that. We have one side that we show at work, at church, and in social situations. But there is often another side that few people get to see. She says that if we are to be fully used by God, we will have to be turned over .... expose it all and let God bake the other half. Our testimony is wrapped up in our destiny. Where we've been will be part of our ministry to others. We cannot be half-baked and effective for very long. Thanks Beth, as always, for your inspiring words.

Today's prayer: "God, I don't want to be a cake not turned, half burnt and half dough, none of it fit for use; a mixture of idolatry and the worship of the one true God, Jehovah. Take the spatula and flip me over; mold and make me into the person you've called me to be. Let me be the same in all circumstances -- at work, at church, at home, at play."

You've Got A Friend In Me

I was in the card isle today at Kroger's and a friendship card caught my eye. I had to smile when I opened it and it began singing, "You've Got A Friend In Me" (by Randy Newman). This song was made popular in the hit movie Toy Story; a truly remarkable tale about friendship; accompanied by a great song that celebrates Buzz & Woody's friendship. God is all about friendship and I'm thankful to be called his friend and to be truly blessed with some of the greatest friendships this earthly life can offer. Sing along ....

You've got a friend in me
You've got a friend in me
When the road looks rough ahead
And you're miles and miles
From your nice warm bed
Just remember what your old pal said
Boy, you've got a friend in me
You've got a friend in me
You've got a friend in me
You've got a friend in me
You've got troubles, well I've got 'em too
There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you
We stick together and we see it through
You've got a friend in me
You've got a friend in me

Some other folks might be
A little bit smarter than I am
Bigger and stronger too
Maybe
But none of them will ever love you the way I do
It's me and you
And as the years go by
Boys, our friendship will never die
You're gonna see
It's our destiny
You've got a friend in me
You've got a friend in me
You've got a friend in me

Beyond Words

Late last evening, I sat on my bed with my Bible to the right and a book I've been reading to the left. I could not muster the strength to open either. I was feeling weary and was not even sure I could find the strength to pray. I sat there in silence for quite some time. My eyes kept drifting to the book I'd been reading, Supernatural Communication, by Rachel Hickson. Finally, I knew I was supposed to pick it up. It was beckoning to me with a force that had to be from God.

And, here's what happened, I opened to the last place I had been, held there for me by my bookmark, and here's what I read:

"Have you ever been really weary, so tired that you feel you can't even find the strength to pray? In those time you can come and just lie in God's presence, saying, 'Lord, I'm beyond words. I haven't got any words to offer. But everything in me is calling out to You. I need You."

That's all it took. God had already made provision for my heart's cry and had orchestrated my life in such a way that I would read that page the EXACT moment I needed it!

Beyond Words! That's God . . .

Today's prayer: "God, thank you that last night I found you in the silence. Today, I thank you with words of gratitude and shouts of joy to my King!"

Hung By Your Tongue

A valuable lesson: Only speak the things you want people to KNOW.

In your spiritual conflict with the enemy, don’t tell him everything. Don’t tell him where you are hurting. This is like a spy seeking top secret information of the enemy country in order to defeat them. So, do not tell the devil what is going on. He will not know unless you tell him. Satan cannot read your mind, unless you deal in ESP or telepathy. We see this in scripture as the devil was trying to kill Jesus as a young boy. Herod sent the three wise men to find Jesus, but the angel told them to go to their own country. Herod then began to kill all the boy babies under two years of age and the angel told Joseph to take Jesus into Egypt. Satan did not know that Jesus was in Egypt, or else he would have sought Him out there to kill Him. Satan could not find Jesus to kill him.

The Bible says that we are hid in Christ and the devil cannot find us, so he goes about like a roaring lion trying to get us to come out (say something) so he can tell where we are. But if you do not tell Satan what is going on, he will not know. Tell him what you want him to know, such as, “Jesus is Lord,” “I’ve got power,” “I’m an overcomer,” “I’m more than a conqueror,” “I’m healed, saved, and delivered out of darkness.”

We should not suspect that Satan knows everything, because he does not. God’s ways are spiritually discerned and Satan does not receive the things of God. If he could, he would have understood the prophecy of Elizabeth to Mary and the prophecy of Simeon and Anna in the temple over the baby Jesus in Luke 2:25-38. But he did not understand or perceive God’s plan of the Savior. He knew that God was doing something but couldn’t put his finger on it.

Do not fear Satan knowing your thoughts or plans, just tell him what he needs to know. You are in control with the correct use of your tongue. DO NOT BE HUNG BY YOUR TONGUE!

Excerpt by Francis P. Martin

The Beauty of Simplicity

The first line of a great song by Telecast: "It's the beauty of simplicity that brings me down to my knees...."

I spent this past Monday in Amish country and was blessed and amazed at how God can use the simple things in life to speak the most profound things to my heart. As I sat in solitude and silence last evening I breathed in the silence. The crickets chirping outside the window were part of that silence and it was good. No tv's, no media, no radios, no cell phones ... for one brief moment I felt a connection with the Amish and somehow found God afresh in the midst of a world so full of overload.

Today's prayer: "God, help me return to the simple things. They truly bring me down to my knees."

Ego

When Esther's words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer: "Do not think that because you are in the king's house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:12-14)

Esther was not appointed Queen to stroke her ego. Our destiny will always involve a group of people in one way or another. God appoints one but is after corporate results, no matter how large that is, whether 20 or 2000. Look around to see where God has placed you. What position or area of authority have you been given? It is not so you can become proud of your title, or level of authority, or stroke your ego. You've been put there "for such a time as this" to bring about change for a group of people.

Our problem is that our ego would rather be special than useful. We tend to think we've been granted special privilege, exalted to high and noble offices because God likes us so much. Well, I propose that we'd better be finding out why God has placed us there. There is work to do, so get to it. Stop stroking your ego and take a risk. Become useful. If you remain silent, relief and deliverance for God's people will come from another place and I guarantee your crown will drop to the ground in the process.

Today's prayer: "God, I'm looking around at where you've placed me. Help me to not remain silent. Give me the courage to drop the ego and become useful for you. Amen."

Why?

Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received! (Matthew 10:8)

Prompted by Donna Partow's book, Becoming the Woman God Wants Me to Be: A 90-Day Guide to Living the Proverbs 31 Life, I decided to write a mission statement for my the remainder of my life. Here's what I wrote:

LIVE OUT LOUD Matthew 10:8.

That's why I named my blog Matthew 10:8. Writing a mission statement for your life and living it are two different things. Today, at least, I'm asking the big, age-old question: Why? Why did I do it? Why is it so hard? Why do I want to quit every other day and why can't I? I've really been challenged a lot lately. I've been confused, questioned, misunderstood, beaten down, crushed, mocked, and accused. I've been on the mountain top, in the valley, on a roller coaster, and on an adventure and thrill of a lifetime. I always come back to the question WHY? Why am I not seeing the dead raised, the lepers cleansed, demons cast out, and ALL the sick healed?

And then someone very wise gave me some counsel and perspective. If God allows me to make a difference in just ONE person's life. If He uses me to heal one ailment, cast out one demon, cure one case of leprosy, or raise one person from the dead (physically or spiritually), it will be a life well-spent. As someone who has received healing from an incurable disease, I know how important for me that ONE moment was and continues to be. It has literally changed my entire life. It is the reason I can't quit. It is the reason why I have to get up every day and give it another shot. It is the reason why I must continue to lay hands on every sick person I encounter. It is the reason why I must keep striving for the standard set by Jesus: 100% healed! It is the reason why I must strive to LIVE OUT LOUD Matthew 10:8. Freely I have received. Freely I must give. It burns in my bones (Jeremiah 20:9).

Honor the Point

In Bill Johnson’s book “Face to Face with God” he talks about how when we recognize God's presence through others and we "mimic" their actions, or step out in faith believing that God has shown up, that we will also experience God's presence. He writes:

"It's possible to be right next to God and not know it! I often see this truth played out in life. It never ceases to amaze me that in the same meeting one person can be experiencing a powerful touch from the Lord, and at the same moment the person next to him is wondering when the meeting will be over so he can go to lunch.

There are two things that we should learn from this fact. The first thing to realize is that it is possible to position ourselves to encounter God by learning to recognize the signs of His presence, not only as we experience them but also as others experience them. My hunting dog is trained to 'honor the point' of the other dogs he is hunting with. That means that he 'points,' even when he has not yet picked up a scent of his prey. He assumes the same posture to give me a signal that he has found something. He takes the same posture that the other dogs have. As a result, he eventually picks up the same scent that they have picked up. Likewise, when we recognize that others around us are connecting with the presence of God, even when we are not yet aware of Him ourselves, we set ourselves up to become aware of Him by acknowledging His presence on the basis of others' experience.

The disciples learned a challenging lesson in Mark 16:14 in this regard. Jesus rebuked them because 'they had not believed those who had seen Him after He had risen.' Learning to believe God through another person's experience is one of the most difficult yet important, lessons in life. Because the Holy Spirit lives within us, we are required to recognize when someone is telling us the truth even when we don't understand.

The second thing to realize is that when God does lift the veil of our senses to perceive what is going on in the spiritual realm, we are not spectators who have stumbled upon something that has nothing to do with us. God is communicating with us and allowing us to see what He sees in order to invite us to know Him and partner with what He is doing.

It is a mistake to think that only certain people with unique gifts can hear and see God. If I think that it's only for others, then I will disqualify myself because I know I'm nothing special. In doing so I remove myself from active faith. One of the essential gestures of faith is to live with the expectation that the God who said that His sheep hear His voice and who gave His live to restore relationship with each of us would like to communicate with us. This faith leads us to lean into His voice--to learn as the prophet Samuel did to say, "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening." Significantly, it was as soon as he learned to take this posture that he gained access to the greater revelation that God had been inviting him into."

Doorkeeper

"I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked." -- Psalm 84:10

God knows we need more doorkeepers than we do kings or presidents. We need people who know how to access God's presence and open the door for the glory of God to come into our homes, churches, cities, and nations.

"Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up you everlasting doors! And the King of Glory shall come in." -- Psalm 24:7

What does it mean to be a doorkeeper? Think of holding up the heaviest garage door you can imagine. Your arms are lifted upward in praise and worship. The breeze of God's presence is blowing through the open door. Doorkeepers are in the best position to catch that breeze. They are literally the gateway for the rest of the world to have an encounter with God.

We often miss the mark when we prefer to go inside and let the door swing shut behind us. In that mindset, we don't care about the world as long as we get it. A doorkeeper props open the heavens; invites others to enter in; stands in the gap and keeps the door open. The doorkeeper gets the richest blessing just by standing at the point of access.

The Lord is standing at the door and knocking. The oil of His presence is on the doorknob. The doorkeeper gets to touch that doorknob over and over and over. The anointing is transferred to the hand of the doorkeeper.

Today's prayer: "God, I want to be a doorkeeper for you, in this city."

Short Leash

“Everything is permissible for me – but not everything is beneficial.” -- 1 Corinthians 6:12

I once decided to write a book entitled “Living on a short leash with God and loving it!” Other than the title and a couple starts at chapter one I put it to rest. It’s in the book graveyard with other great titles such as .... “Unity: What can we learn from the ant?” or “Have you lost your first love and become religious?” Maybe someday these book titles will become sermons. :)

The concept of the “short leash” is one I practice daily. I propose that the shorter my “leash” is with God, the better my life gets. Once we come into salvation through Jesus Christ, we usually begin refining our practices. For example, we may stop doing certain things or going certain places. The deeper our walk gets with God, the more we discipline ourselves, and the leash begins to shorten.

First, it is important to note that the leash was not put on me by God. I put it on myself out of love for Christ. I want to please him. I want to choose the best. There is safety in a short leash because the choices become few. I love that! No longer do I have to decide if it’s okay to do “x, y, or z”, the decision is already made and I’m restrained by the “leash” (or by my word or by my decision to manage my decision).

Second, as the leash becomes shorter my proximity to HIM becomes closer. And, I would also propose that the shorter the leash is, the closer I am to HIS voice; the easier I recognize those slight tugs of adjustment; and the easier it is to be overshadowed by HIM. There is definitely safety in a short leash with God and I’m loving it!

Today’s prayer: “God, everything is permissible for me but not everything is beneficial. How true that is! Thank you for the ability to make choices. Today I choose you! I choose to be bound to you as tight as a belt around your waist. Thank you that you will never let go of me. Amen.”

Destiny

"Destiny. You've dreamed about it. You've longed for it. You've dreaded it. You've run from it. You're so nervous that the butterflies in your stomach have become vultures, and you can feel their claws all the way to your toes. Your life is about to change . . . one way or the other. It could be your best day or your worst, but it cannot be a normal day. Destiny has not come knocking at your door. It's come mauling you like a bear." (excerpt from Beth Moore's Esther study)

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." -- Jeremiah 29:11

God will not fulfill my destiny without me. There is a certain responsibility on my end. If I seek God, God's will for my life will find me. That about sums it up. Destiny. And still, I want to run away from it, but also toward it, all at the same time. It intrigues me. It scares me. It's what invades my sleep and whispers my name through the pages of His WORD. It's a package tied up with a bow ... too pretty to unwrap; too mysterious to leave inside. I can't. I won't. I must. I will. Destiny.

Friend of God

"I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you." (John 15:15)

"This is true perfection: not to avoid a wicked life because like slaves we servilely fear punishment, nor to do good because we hope for rewards, as if cashing in on the virtuous life arrangement. On the contrary, disregarding all those things for which we hope and which have been reserved by promise, we regard falling from God's friendship as the only thing dreadful and we consider becoming God's friend the only thing worthy of honor and desire." -- Gregory of Nyssa (331-396)

Life Coach

"A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of." (John 10:10, The Message)

I'm changing my title to Life Coach. One of the most common conversation starters is: "So, what do you do?" or "What is your title?" Honestly, my title doesn't come anywhere close to describing what I do M-F; 8-5. Like most people, I need money to survive, but that "day" job doesn't define me. It enables me to do my real job. My real job on this earth is to help people discover new life, abundant life, in Christ. I'm here to point people in the right direction; coach them to salvation and life in Christ; come along beside them and help carry the load; stand in the gap in prayer; lay hands on the sick; set the captives free; and every now and then offer a challenge to help them grow. As Christ Followers, we are all "Life Coaches." So, the next time someone asks, "What is your title?" My answer will be "I'm a Life Coach."

Grass

"For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." (Luke 18:14)

Live as a low-blade of grass because our God is always mowing.

The thing about grass is this: grass does not look or function well when it is tall. It needs to stay low to the ground, become thick, and habitate in close quarters with other blades of grass to choke out the weeds. Weeds grow tall, they don’t congregate as well, and they’re always trying to be seen.

The same is true with us. In God’s economy the way up is down. And I mean down on our faces in humility. We cannot and should not promote ourselves. That’s God’s job. I like to picture God as a lawn mower sometimes. He regularly comes along with the mower and cuts down anything that tries to exalt itself above the knowledge of Him. Best to stay low so you don’t get your head cut off.

Signs That Make You Wonder

I attended a Joyce Meyer conference in Columbus this past weekend and a very peculiar thing happened. It was peculiar to me because I'm forever believing that God is speaking and demonstrating his power in big and SMALL ways.

On Thursday evening, Joyce was preaching on the condition of our hearts. She then veered off briefly into a discussion on the supernatural. She claimed that although she has many friends that see angels and other sorts of supernatural phenomenon, her eyes have not been opened to these things. Just as she was finishing up those thoughts, a piece of confetti-type paper (about 1" x 3") came floating down from the top of Nationwide Arena and landed right on her podium. The audience burst into hysterical laughter. Now, if you know Joyce at all, she is hysterical! She grabs the piece of paper and says, "Oh my, a message from God!" And then she said it would take all night for her to read it because it was written in invisible ink. I guess you had to be there. It was priceless.

But, here's my point of the whole experience. Nationwide Arena is quite large, seating up to 20,000 people and what are the odds that one single piece of confetti would float down at that exact moment and land on the podium right as Joyce is discussing supernatural signs? I believe that these kinds of things are happening all around us if we would just take notice. I call them "kisses" from God. Oh, that he would kiss me with a thousand kisses!

Today's prayer: "God, I love your ways! They are not my ways. They are much higher. I want to see you in every sunrise; feel you in every breeze; hear you in every rustle of the leaf and note of the cricket; taste you in every drop of honey; and perceive you in every sign that makes me wonder. I am in love with you, my God, my King, my Rock, and my Redeemer."

Laughter

"The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them." (Psalms 2:4)

I love to laugh. Sometimes, I laugh when I pray. Some might say that laughter is not very "HOLY." But holiness means "wholeness" and "set apart." It also means "uncommon." I'm sure you have been in meetings, or even by yourself, when the spirit of laughter just hits you for no apparent reason. The Bible says that God looks on His enemies and laughs and holds them "in derision" (Psalm 2:4). So, if God laughs then He must be laughing because of the victory that is assured. I'm committed to joining in on that laughter any time it comes. :)

"Laughter is the Echo of the Vacant Grave..."
(Borrowed from Mabel Andlers)
Laughter—uncontrollable joy.
Laughter—the outward manifestation of being more than a conqueror.
Laughter is the sound of Resurrection Morning echoing throughout eternity.
Laughter is seeing our Captain of the Hosts, holding the keys!!!
Laughter does a heart good, like a medicine.
Laughter is an exceedingly, abundant, above and beyond attempt by the physical body to express a full picture of redemption.
It is diving into and swimming the breadth, the length, the height and depth of His love.
Laughter = spasms of uncontrollable God laughter, incapacitating the physical body.
When enabled, laughter walks on the wings of the wind...upon clouds, and is carried in God's arms. Unknowing and uncaring of where it's been or for how long.
It is the garment of praise unleashed into a broken world.
Touch these vessels with much care, fullness of JOY may contagiously overflow.
Laughter is the echo of the vacant grave...
Amen.

Deep Water Faith

I'm turning 49 tomorrow and I can't help but think about how I might be caught in the middle ....
As lyrics to "Somewhere in The Middle" by Casting Crowns echo in my head, I pause to ponder my life. At least half of it is over and yet I feel like I'm just getting started -- just getting started grasping "deep water faith" and just getting to the place where I think I could let go and jump in with everything I am and not look back to see who might be watching. I gotta do this thing now; time is running short; we gotta take this city for the Lord; passion for His House burns within me. I think I've left the cold, and the old, and who I used to be. I'm ready for the hot, and the new, and who I am in HIM. Deep water faith cannot be tested in the shallow end. I'm diving in. :)

"Somewhere In The Middle" by Casting Crowns

Somewhere between the hot and the cold
Somewhere between the new and the old
Somewhere between who I am and who I used to be
Somewhere in the middle, You'll find me

Somewhere between the wrong and the right
Somewhere between the darkness and the light
Somewhere between who I was and who You're making me
Somewhere in the middle, You'll find me

Just how close can I get, Lord, to my surrender without losing all control

Fearless warriors in a picket fence, reckless abandon wrapped in common sense
Deep water faith in the shallow end and we are caught in the middle
With eyes wide open to the differences, the God we want and the God who is
But will we trade our dreams for His or are we caught in the middle
Are we caught in the middle

Somewhere between my heart and my hands
Somewhere between my faith and my plans
Somewhere between the safety of the boat and the crashing waves

Somewhere between a whisper and a roar
Somewhere between the altar and the door
Somewhere between contented peace and always wanting more
Somewhere in the middle You'll find me

Just how close can I get, Lord, to my surrender without losing all control

Lord, I feel You in this place and I know You're by my side
Loving me even on these nights when I'm caught in the middle

OHOP

"My house shall be called a house of prayer..." Mark 11:17

I attended a workshop at C-HOP (Cincinnati House of Prayer) last week and one thing (among many) really stuck with me. Core Values. What are the core values of Oxford House of Prayer (OHOP)?

#1 - You will become what you gaze upon. Participating in OHOP will cause you to focus on the King -- in prayer -- in worship -- in surrender. The more you focus on HIM the more you will become like HIM and everything else will begin to fade away (sin; bad habits; meaningless noise; misguided priorities).

#2 - Praying together brings about unity. We are all encouraged to pray alone in our prayer closets and that's a vital part of prayer. But when we join together in prayer; our voices combine into powerful prayers. The Bible says (Deut. 32:30) that one can put a thousand to flight (or subdue a thousand enemies) and two can put ten thousand to flight. Now that's the kind of multiplication I like. Prayer will crush the enemy. Also, praying with others will challenge you; just like iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17); God will cause the rough edges to get smoothed out. You will be challenged; even uncomfortable at times; and that's a good thing. If you're comfortable with prayer in your prayer closet; the HOP will seem familiar to you -- but, if you're not spending time in prayer when you're all alone; HOP will seem foreign; maybe even make you feel like you just visited another world -- and the truth is YOU HAVE.

#3 - OHOP is a discipleship/training program. If you hang out at the House of Prayer you will hear prayer modeled; see prayer in action; hear the WORD being lifted up in prayer; learn to pray. It's a learning tool. Want to have a powerful prayer life? Hang out at the House of Prayer. Prayer can be taught; but more often it's "caught." The anointing is transferrable.

#4 - Prayer changes things. God does nothing but in response to prayer. And, when He wants to act, He sets his people to praying. When you grasp that your prayers are making a difference; that your prayers are changing your city or region; that your prayers are being heard by God; that you just saved someone's life in prayer; you will NEVER be the same. You won't be able to stay away!

#5 - Prayer is exciting. God loves to talk (more than we love to listen). God even calls us His friends (John 15:15) and He enjoys sharing His secrets with us. His thoughts toward us are innumerable (Psalm 139:17-18); ask Him and He will tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know (Jeremiah 33:3).

Edit / Prune

"He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful." (John 15:2)

"I am doing a great work and cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?" (Nehemiah 6:3)

I'm in edit mode these days, which I liken to self-pruning. God has given all of us a great work to do and we cannot afford to stop that work and come down or slow down for anything that distracts from that high calling. Of late, I've wrestled with commitment overload; information overload; and possession overload, just to name a few. I recently attended a Ministry Board meeting and as I listened to each Director describe exciting opportunities, I began to say to myself, "Wow, that sounds good. I should do that." But I can't. There are not enough hours in the day to participate in everything. Don't get me wrong. These are all good things; great things, but not everything good is God's best for ME. I've vowed to slow down and think and pray through each new request; and I've also begun the hard work of pruning and editing things out of my life and schedule. I just wish it was as easy as hitting the 'delete' key on the keyboard. :)

Today's prayer: "God, show me how to empty my hands of things I shouldn't have grabbed hold of. Help me prune and edit with excellence and integrity; truly giving up the things that are not your best for me; and yes, keeping the hard things if they are my calling. Your WORD cuts like a knife through the darkness. I need that precision-type pruning! I don't want to leave ragged edges for others to stumble on. I vow to help with the process; to do so willingly; and to allow you to do a thorough work in me. Thank you for your patience with this child."

GOP

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." (Hebrews 12:1-3, NIV)

Dr. David Faust, CCU, recently spoke at Cobblestone and challenged us to find our "GOP" -- He defined GOP as the intersection of your gifts, opportunities, and passion. When those three things come together (or intersect), we ignite! I think he was trying to say that our GOP needs to be our priority -- we need to find that intersection; and throw off everything else that hinders or gets in the way of running the race marked out for us.

I've been asking God about my gifts -- I'm not musical, athletic, scientific, or craftsman material. I can get lost on a one-way street. I often refer to myself as directionally-challenged. I cannot put together a bookshelf or other piece of equipment without very clear directions, complete with pictures and lots of arrows. And, even then, I have to turn the diagram so that it lines up with what's in front of me.

On spiritual gift assessments, I consistently score high in faith, intercession, discernment, leadership, and wisdom. But, my passion is prayer; both in the secret place (or prayer closet); and in more public settings (praying over & laying hands on others). Since we're all called to pray without ceasing, I ask, "Is it possible to be gifted in prayer?" Or, is prayer the passion, and faith & discernment the gift that makes it powerful? These are the kinds of questions I've been pondering of late.

Today's prayer: "God, thank you for calling me by name and preparing a plan for my life in advance of my birth. Thank you for directing my steps along that path and steering me back when I veered off that path. You, by your Spirit, have ignited a passion for prayer in me and I thank you. It was not always that way. You have selected my gifts and I am grateful for your wisdom. O, Lord, now I ask you to set before me opportunities in which my 'GOP' will glorify your Holy Name."

Deep Secrets

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him (wow, that includes me)...But we know these things because God has revealed them to us by his Spirit, and his Spirit searches out everything and shows us even God's deep secrets." (1 Cor. 2:9-10)

I love this scripture. The Message Bible says that since I'm spiritually alive, I have access to everything God's Spirit is doing and that I cannot be judged by unspiritual critics. Do you dream big with God? I do. Sometimes, my dreams are so big that I have to ask God if He's really talking to me or if I'm eavesdropping on a conversation meant for someone else. My eye has not seen everything revealed to me by his Spirit; my ear has not heard everything; and certainly my mind has not imagined (or has not grasped hold of) what God has prepared for me. But, the Scripture says I KNOW these things because God has revealed them to me by his Spirit. How do I know them? That's what I've been pondering. I know them because his WORD tells me that I will heal the sick, cast out demons, raise the dead, and cure those with leprosy. I know them because his WORD says that the Holy Spirit will give me power to do these things. I know them because the WORD says that my God gives me counsel in the night. I also know them because I am one of his sheep and I know his voice; a stranger's voice I will not follow. I know them because he speaks to me in a still small voice and then confirms his voice in numerous ways. I know them because on occasion he uses people or circumstances to shout them to me. And lately, my dream life is overrun with the deep secrets of God, revealed by his Spirit; confirmed in his WORD, through his voice, and through circumstances. WOW, my God cares for me that much. He cares that much for you too. His thoughts toward us are innumerable. How many of those thoughts are you catching?

Today's Prayer: "God, I've been pondering many things in my heart over these past several months. I admit I don't know the future, but I say YES to you. Even when I'm slow to respond or obey, my answer is always YES. Even when the things I sense you saying seem scarey or unattainable, my answer is YES. My answer can only be YES because of your amazing love. Where else would I go? Who else would I turn to? You are the Faithful One, the Holy One, the One I cling to. So, again, I say YES. Oh, and what was the question? Doesn't matter; the answer is still YES!"

Hiding and Spying

I'm currently reading a book by Edward T. Welch, "When People Are Big and God Is Small: Overcoming Peer Pressure, Codependency, and the Fear of Man"

I was particularly struck by a comment the author made about the way in which we hide behind walls. He implies we all do it to some degree; some walls are thicker than others. But in our hiding, we peek out through the cracks in our walls to "spy" on the lives of others. This spying takes on many forms. Two examples given by Welch: 1) following TV reality shows; and 2) reading "people-type" magazines. We feel as if we "know" these people if we can just get a glimpse into their lives. And, in truth, it makes us feel better about ourselves when we find out that others struggle with some of the same issues.

And then, it struck me, what about Facebook? Isn't Facebook a form of hiding and spying? We often friend people we barely know; maybe in hopes of actually getting to know them! I recently had someone "unfriend" me and it nearly drove me crazy trying to figure out WHO it was. Never did figure it out. That's absurd; ridiculous even. Apparently, someone I barely knew "unfriended" me and I took it personal. God, help me!

Today's prayer: "God, I pray that my hiding will occur in the secret place of the Most High! I pray that my spying will be done in the enemy camp in order to know and thwart the plans of the evil one. I pray for the Spirit of the Fear of the Lord to fall on me and remain. I pray that I will not succumb to the fear of man. I pray that I will live a life worthy of being spied upon, for the purpose of advancing the Kingdom and bringing encouragement and edification to the Body of Christ. All my hope is in you, the Light of the World."

Dynamite

"But you shall receive power [dunamis: dynamite miraculous power, force, might, strength, enabling power through the Holy Spirit] when the Holy Spirit has come upon you." (Acts 1:8)."

"I get excited about the dunamis power of God. With God's power (dynamite!) all things become possible. God takes ordinary people and through the Holy Spirit brings power to their speech, their preaching, their witness, their worship, their prayers, and their life. The Spirit of God and power go hand-in-hand. Paul himself said that his speech and preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power (see 1 Cor. 2:4).

Today's prayer: "Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, I give thanks to you for your incredible working in and through my life. I give thanks that you allow me to participate in what you're doing. I give thanks that you called my name before time began. I give thanks to you for orchestrating the events in my life to bring me to this particular place in time. I again say YES to your plan for my life. I know it's going to be a wild ride."

The Counsel You Keep

Psalm 1: "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish."


I attended a Casting Crowns concert last week. It was AMAZING! Mark Hall described the song "Slow Fade" by linking it to Psalm 1. If we aren't being intentional in our walk with God, we begin a slow fade. We begin to walk in the counsel of the wicked. He stated that it's all about the company we keep (i.e. the counsel we choose; the people we surround ourselves with). If we get slack in this area, pretty soon we won't be walking anymore, but "standing in the way of sinners." Standing means no movement; we've become lukewarm; and a danger to sinners. We're neither hot nor cold and they're confused by us and WE trip them up. Next thing happens is we SIT DOWN with the mockers and scorners. Be careful, it's a SLOW FADE when we give ourselves away. POWERFUL STUFF!

Lyrics:
"Slow Fade" (Casting Crowns)

Be careful little eyes what you see
It's the second glance that ties your hands as darkness pulls the strings
Be careful little feet where you go
For it's the little feet behind you that are sure to follow

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
It's a slow fade, it's a slow fade

Be careful little ears what you hear
When flattery leads to compromise, the end is always near
Be careful little lips what you say
For empty words and promises lead broken hearts astray

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day

The journey from your mind to your hands
Is shorter than you're thinking
Be careful if you think you stand
You just might be sinking

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
Daddies never crumble in a day
Families never crumble in a day

Oh be careful little eyes what see
Oh be careful little eyes what you see
For the Father up above is looking down in love
Oh be careful little eyes what you see

Compassion

After Jesus heard the news of John the Baptist's beheading, he was greatly grieved and went off to be alone and pray. A vast crowd followed Jesus and he had compassion on them and healed all their sick (Matthew 14:13-14). Jesus set aside his own grief and had compassion on the people. I've seen this type of servant-leadership demonstrated in my pastors. Day after day and week after week they set aside their own grief to minister to the needs of the people. God, I'm asking for a special blessing on these mighty servants who LIVE OUT LOUD the compassion of Christ.

Sweep Me Away

I love the lyrics to the song, Sweep Me Away, by Bryan Duncan. And, today that's my hearts cry. Sweep me away Lord. Hide me from the dungeons of evil where the captives lay. I'm growing weary from the arrows that fly. Yet, I will stay, patiently watching the sky.

Lyrics:
Sweep me away
To an all new horizon on a brighter day
Sweep me away
From the dungeons of evil where the captives lay
Carrying on but waiting
Always ready, willing, I watch the sky
I'm in hope of seeing your face returning
I could never live here without you
I'm just waiting for the day you sweep me away
Like a sail in the ocean, on a windy day
Sweep me away
In the sparkle of sunlight on a distant bay
My ties here are temporary
I know that we're all running out of time
But I'm not gonna cry out to the rocks to hide me
Patiently I'm waiting here for you
Until there's nothing left to do but sweep me away
Sweep me away!
Coming back for me
I don't know when
But you'll have my allegience until then
Promises are true
They've always been
And I will live or die to honor you, yeah
Sweep me away
To an all new horizon
Sweep me away
From the dungeons of evil
Sweep me away
Like a sail in a the ocean
Sweep me away
In a sparkle of sunlight
Sweep me away!

Eagles and Buzzards

Do you soar with the eagles or hover with the buzzards?

Eagles spend their time soaring and when they’re not, they’re solitary, off some where in a high place waiting. This reminds me of Psalm 91: "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty!"

Buzzards spend more time on the ground than they do in the heavens. In fact, buzzards like to live in places like garbage dumps. They hang around the side of the road waiting for an accident. A buzzard’s discernment is not that accurate but it is trained to smell death. And that is the only thing a buzzard is interested in. It is interested in death. It is interested in rotten flesh and it likes to feed on it. It thinks it’s found a prize when it finds something that’s dead. Buzzards rejoice when they find death and gossip and slander.

An eagle on the other hand will not eat anything dead. They focus on life. They see past the problem and see the potential that the Lord has hidden in people. We have to make a commitment to look for the good, to soar high with the eagles, and to stay away from the garbage dump where the buzzard lives.

The only thing it takes to see what’s wrong with someone is a critical mind and one working eye. Let's strive to look at each other through the loving eyes of God. Each person is more valuable to him than a whole flock of sparrows. Let's soar with the eagles!

Warfare Worship

Spiritual Weapons
(2 Corinthians 10:4) Let's remember some of the weapons that pertain to warfare worship:

Playing an instrument like David did (1 Samuel 16:23).

Psalms 144:1 says, "God has trained our hands for war and our fingers for battle." Singing praises silences the enemy (Psalms 8:2).

Shouting scatters the enemy (Joshua 6:20) and brings down the walls of strongholds like Jericho.

Clapping strikes the enemy (Psalms 47:1).

Dancing places the enemy under our feet (Malachi 4:3) and rhythm creates the tempo for God to beat the enemy through our praise (Isaiah 30:32).

Prophecy is the voice of the Lord that shatters the enemy (Isaiah 30:31).

The ultimate weapon is the presence of God which causes the enemy to melt like wax (Psalm 68:2).

Today's prayer: "God, I will sing praises to you and my enemies shall be silenced; I will shout loud praises to you, yes, and they shall scatter; I will clap my hands and dance before my God, placing the enemy under my feet; and I shall seek your presence, which will cause them to melt like wax. For you alone are God and you are the one I praise."

Weapons of War

As long as we're doing what God wants us to do we're going to continue being attacked, but "when the enemy comes in like a flood the Lord will raise a standard against him." (Isaiah 59:19)

John Wesley's Explanatory Note on this scripture: "When" - At what time soever the devil, or his instruments shall make violent irruptions upon the church. "A standard" - God shall make known himself to take their part and defend them, by his spirit alone.

Today's prayer: God, it seems like the enemy is coming in like a flood. Therefore, I KNOW that you will raise a standard against him. Thank you for the promises in your WORD. I cling to them; I cling to You; I will not be defeated. Amen.