FAITH PLEASES GOD!

          How did we get here?  Faith….. that’s it…. Faith to take life one day at a time and believe that whatever we face, God in His infinite wisdom knew we would be here and He has provision for us for every day that we live in the earth.  I believe He is preparing a bride…. a Church without spot or wrinkle…… a glorious church that knows how to judge themselves so they are judged by no man.  And they know what it means to submit to the process of deliverance in their lives.

          We all have things in our lives that we battle.  I believe the key to those strongholds is never accepting that as my identity.  I am a spirit… that is my true identity.  I live in a body and I possess a soul.  If I don’t know that, or if I forget that then I am as one with no hope.  My bondage is not my identity.  …..My identity is in Christ and who He is not in what I’m not.  If I am fighting the good fight of faith then I have to believe that my life is a process of deliverance; and everyday my faith will bring me closer to another stronghold falling off of me. 

          Father, without faith it is impossible to please you.  Hebrews 11:6  tells us… “But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”  Above everything and everyone else in our lives, we desire to please you.  Help us to face our fears with faith…knowing that your wisdom, your goodness and your power are greater than our personalities.  Therefore, we can trust you to lead us, guide us and direct us through every situation and circumstance that life hands us.  We can be confident that if we will not give up or give in, we WILL SEE OUR VICTORY!

Patiently Correct, Rebuke and Encourage

The marriage of two be it people or ministries has got to be the greatest challenge one will ever face in life, but also the most rewarding. 

We are coming to the close of our first month with Rock Solid Foundations and Revolution Ministries being united as one.  It has been a great four weeks met with many challenges and opportunities to walk in love and choosing to walk in the Spirit so as not to fulfill the lust of the flesh.

My challenge has been for the past two years how to do as Paul instructed Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:2)… “Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.”  (The New Living Bible)

Faith works by love.   Our motivation no matter what when it comes to ministry is and must always be “LOVE”.  We must desire to see the people that we are called to lead reach their God-ordained destinies and go beyond where we are. 

Paul admonished Timothy to “PATIENTLY” correct, rebuke and encourage his people with good teaching.  As leaders, it must be the desire of our heart to patiently, lovingly and gently by the Holy Spirit of God,  to lead them, steer them and point them in the direction of success before God and man.

Father, today we thank you for the Apostle Paul and his example and instruction of leadership.   We ask you to perfect that part of our calling to the place that we would never injure or cripple these little ones.  We ask that you would enable us to bring healing and wholeness even in our correction.  We trust that you are leading us and anointing us to impart to them and to minister “good teaching” to them that they may impart and minister to others.  In Jesus’ Name….. Amen

“EVERYTHING…”

     This past Saturday’s “REVOLUTION” is right up there in the top three of the best services that we’ve had.  The Drama Team out did themselves in the human video “Everything”.  When they finished people were wiping tears all across that Family Life Center (Gymnasium).   It was awesome.

 

 

 

 

 

Our speaker was the former Youth Pastor.  She did a great job teaching those teens and young adults that we must know God for ourselves and we must believe Isaiah 46:9-11….. He really does have us tatooed in the palm of his hand…Isaiah 49:16 in the Amplified Bible says… “Behold, I have indelibly imprinted (tattooed a picture of) you on the palm of each of My hands; [O Zion] your walls are continually before Me.”

LIZZIE’S GUARDIAN ANGEL

Lizzie’s Guardian Angel

            My friend Liz invited me to her home for lunch.  I had known Liz for quite some time, but I had never been to her home.  As I walked into the living room, I could see their love for fine angel art was obvious.  The lighted curio cabinet was filled with angel figurines in many varieties, ceramic, porcelain, pottery.  They were all sizes and beautiful to say the least.  The mantel displayed angels as well as oil and watercolor paintings of angels around the room.  

       Liz took me from room to room and it was the same.  Every room displayed some form of angel art. 

            I asked Liz if there was a special reason that they had such a love for fine angel art.  She pointed to a picture on the wall and began to tell me how it started. Her Grandma and Granddad had a picture called “Guardian Angel”.  Every time she would go to visit them as a child she would sit in her Grandma’s lap and listen as Grandma told her about her Guardian Angel. 

            She would say, “Lizzie, God has assigned to you a Guardian Angel.  These angels are ministering spirits that are sent to everyone who accepts Jesus as their Savior.  There will never be a time in your life when you’re Guardian Angel won’t be there. It is because of Jesus that we have these angels in our lives.  You can always trust Jesus and His angels to be there even when no one else is there.”

I NEVER DOUBTED HIS LOVE

     Seven months ago today I said good-bye to one of the pillars of my life….. my one and only Daddy…  He taught me about life and love in a way that no one else could have.  He wasn’t a perfect man by any means, but he was strong and in many ways just a big ol’ teddy bear.

      The last 12 years of his life were hard years.  Years that he battled his body not cooperating with him, but one thing about him, I never doubted his love.  We are a lot alike in so many ways and I know that is why at times we locked horns like we did. 

      The one thing about my Daddy is that I never doubted his love.  I may have longed for his approval at times when I didn’t get it.  I’m sure I disappointed him more times than I could count, but I never doubted his love.  That has always been a constant in my life and for that I bless the Lord.  I’m glad that his struggle has ended for him.  Although I’m very sad for us and I hate the empty part of our lives here without him.  Nothing is the same, but that’s life.  Nothing ever stays the same.  And I know this, he is in Heaven in the presence of God and in the arms of Jesus.

      Something that I’ve learned is when I really miss my Daddy, if I’ll press in to the presence of God Almighty I’m with him.  Paul said to be absent from this body is to be present with the Lord.  So, if I’m in the presence of the Lord, I know that in a special way I’m with my Daddy.

     He left us a mighty legacy.  He wasn’t a perfect man, by any means, but HE WAS A FAITHFUL MAN.   That speaks volumes in and of itself.

     Father, tonight I thank you for giving me my Daddy.  He taught me so many things about life, love and you.  I bless you for the precious gift and most of all for the extra 11 days that you gave us with him…. In Jesus Name I pray that if you tarry the coming of the Lord that all of his children, grandchildren and so on and so on will be faithful first of all to you and then to the people in their lives.  Amen…

HE Knows What WE Need!

(Hummingbirds Outside Our Kitchen Window)

     PSALM 61:1)… “HEAR MY cry, O God; listen to my prayer.   (2) From the end of the earth will I cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed and fainting; lead me to the rock that is higher than I [yes, a rock that is too high for me].”

     I can relate to the cry of David’s heart, can’t you?  He said, “Hear me, God!   And when my heart….my will, my mind and my emotions…. are overwhelmed and fainting, lead me to the ROCK that is too high for me!”

     Lead me to a place that I cannot reach alone.  If you will hear me and lead me to THE ROCK…..JESUS CHRIST….. then I’ll make it.

      Father God, I pray today that you would hear our cry and listen to our prayers.  We are crying out to you today asking you to take us by your Spirit where we can’t go in our flesh.  By your Spirit may we be seated with Christ Jesus in Heavenly places and may we dominate our world by the authority of Jesus Christ.  In Jesus’ Mighty, wonderful and powerful name…. Amen!

The Marriage of Two Ministries

           

     We are preparing this week for our monthly Revolution Service on Saturday.  This will be the first Revolution Service since Rock Solid Foundation Youth Ministries and Revolution Ministries were married at the beginning of the month.  My staff is excited and ready for whatever God wants to do.  

          I got a call this morning from one of my staff members telling me about an invitation that we got from a local youth minister for the Revolution Band and Drama Team to come to their church to minister in a concert/youth rally next month.   This is what we have been waiting on.  We have been believing God for favor in Revolution to join and knit other youth ministries with us to really impact our area and to put us with other youth ministries that want to reach outside the local body.  Now, we are beginning to see two years of hard labor pay off.  God has put together some talented, gifted and anointed people to do a work for Him. 

     My prayer today is that we can make a difference in the lives of those that we are assigned to and change our world one life at a time.

     Our second weekly Rock Solid Foundations service is tomorrow night and we are expecting good things to happen.

“Yet….I’m Sure Of It!”

    

 

     It’s official.  Revolution and Rock Solid Foundations are one team.  We took our first step into “the challenge” last night.  We had our first Youth Service as leaders of Rock Solid Foundations. 

     My day started early.  I woke up about 4:30 a.m. and couldn’t go back to sleep, so I got up and worked on blogs for a couple of hours before I had my morning prayer. 

     God is amazing.  His Spirit is amazing the way He leads us, guides us and directs us.  If we ever really get what it means to walk in the Spirit and not fulfill the lust of the flesh, our lives will be so different.  I get really steady for a while, and then it seems that the cares and pressures of my life and the lives of those I love pull me out of my secret place and then nothing seems to work right.  There is such a peace and security walking in the Spirit.  That is the only time that I really feel at home and no matter where I am, I am comfortable, when I’m hearing Him clearly, feeling Him gently lead me and know that He is carefully guiding me and directing me.

     I know that is what has brought me to this place in my life.  In the seasons when I’m battling the flesh, He patiently waits for me to work through my own character flaws and heart distortions.  Then, He empowers me to pull on His strength for deliverance.

     I stood in my place last night before those teen-agers and young adults knowing that it was Me and The Trinity.  I had no crutches and no scaffolding to hold to.  If I fell, I was going to fall into the arms of my God – Jehovah, My Brother  –  Jesus and the Holy Spirit would brake my fall.  My total faith, trust and confidence was in them more than it has ever been.  At this point in my life I know that the hard things that I’ve been through have prepared me for this place that my journey has led me to. 

     I’ve never felt called to teens and young adults, but I have always had a heart to see the generations blended and mixed as well as races.  It is a very foreign place to me, but I had a blast last night!  As I stood before them, I felt the anointing and I knew that my help was there.  None of my team members were able to be there.  The two who were to do the service were both sick.  One spent the night before in the Emergency Room and the other spent the night and day throwing up.   So, I stood up and my help (The Trinity) took over.  Through the years I have learned that when it seems I’m standing alone, that is when I’m the strongest because I have learned to pull on my help (The Trinity) and they have never failed me.  It’s much easier to go in their strength anyway than on your own.

     I gave those young soldiers last night the opportunity to tell me what was in their hearts and what their vision was for Rock Solid Foundations and their words set me on fire.  These kids are ready to experience God in His fullness.  Basically, they all said the same things.  One of the young men said,  “I just want Him (Jesus)!  That’s all there is to say…. I just want Him (Jesus)!” 

     They want Him (Jesus).  They want to experience Him and learn His Word and touch others.  They want His presence to resonate in the services and they want to take Him outside the walls of the local body to their world.

     Needless to say, by the end of the service I was full of joy and energized for the journey that is ahead of us.

     The past two years of Revolution have been awesome.  We have seen a lot of things happen, but “we ain’t seen nothin’ yet!”  I’m sure of it.   Now, Revolution will be our outreach ministry and Rock Solid Foundations will be in the local body.

     Father, help us to stay focused and to look to what is ahead and to learn from what lies behind.  I thank you for grace to leave the past behind us and to embrace what is ahead of us.  It is a new day!!!  In Jesus Mighty Name…. Amen (It is so!)

“YES”

     It takes faith to say “YES” to any challenge.  What is faith anyway?  The writer of Hebrews tells us that, “Faith is the substance of things we hope for, the evidence of things not seen.”  Paul tells us in Galatians that, “Faith works by love.” 

     When our love for God the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ) and the Holy Spirit is as it should be our faith will work.  It is the kind of love that trusts the divine more than the human realm.  The more we love and build our relationship with the Trinity the stronger our faith will become.

     Jesus said that every man is dealt “the measure” of faith.  A friend of mine has always said, “You are never going to have any more faith than you already have.”  The difference is in the way we build our faith.  He related it to a muscle.  The more you use it and work it out, the stronger it becomes.

     The challenge of our lives in this season is to be motivated by love to the point that our faith is stengthened.  That is how Peter walked on the water.  His love motivated Him to go to Jesus.  His faith held him up.  It was when he began to doubt that he started sinking, but he didn’t sink.  The Master was within reach and Jesus reached down and took him by the hand so that he wouldn’t sink.

     Maybe today you feel like you are sinking.  Look up, I can see Jesus reaching His hand to take yours to pull you to safety, lead you into the boat to go with you to what is waiting on the other side of the sea.

     Father, help us today to hold on to  Jesus…your Son…. the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, especially when we feel that we are sinking.  We choose today to cling to the nail scarred hand, knowing and believing that He will lift us up when we are sinking.  Then, He will help us into the boat so that we can reach the other side….. where our destiny awaits.  In the name above every name… the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth …… Amen

Saying “Yes” To The Challenge

     I’m in awe at how God works.  His ways are past finding out for sure.  He never ceases to amaze me.  Just when you think you have it all figured out, then He leads you into something that causes you to know that you can never figure it out.

     We have been doing Revolution Ministries for two years as ministry within the local body to teens and young adults and as an outreach in our area.  I have a staff of six and now the youth Pastors have resigned to pursue a different avenue of ministry.   Our Pastor came to us two weeks ago and asked me if my team would take on the youth ministry and combine the two.  It has always been in my heart to see these two minsitries work together to advance the Kingdom of God, but it was never my desire to lead all of it. 

     All of that being said, I have said “Yes” to this challenge, after the fact that my team members said “Yes” to this challenge.  So, this week we embark on this new journey in our lives.  I know that His grace is sufficient because His strength is made perfect in our weakness…..