Search me oh God

But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. – (1 John 2:20-21)

Jesus had promised that the Holy Spirit, whom he called (depending on which version or translation of the Bible you read) the Comforter, Counselor or Advocate, would come and lead us into all truth (John 16:13). The Spirit, who inspired the writing of the Scriptures (2 Tim. 2:16-17), is alive in us and helps us discern, know, and understand God’s truth (1 Cor. 2:10-16).

The Spirit of the Living God lives in us and is at work in us —that means He’s working in me!

So now each of us has got to ask ourselves whether or not we are inviting the Holy Spirit into our lives to assist us discerning, knowing, and understanding God’s truth? The question in our minds should be aimed at our yielding or lack thereof to the Spirit and be honest with yourself enough to ask am I digging in the Word of God seeking to be informed and transformed by Holy Spirit? Am I asking for the Holy Spirit to challenge, correct, filter, and redeem what I hear, read, see, and think? Rather than surrendering to the lie that all truth is subjective, let’s turnover what we hear, read, see and think to the Spirit of truth!

Prayer : O Lord, right now  my heart joins with the words of David, your servant, who said: “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Please transform my thinking and my living by Your Holy Spirit and change me for Your glory.

It starts with you

How many times have we heard it said ... it starts with you ... do we really know or understand what it means?  We sit in churches today and wonder what is wrong with the people, the worship, the pastor .... We go to God (maybe) and have a conversation that might sound a little bit like this .... we ask the proverbial question why don't they, she or he meet my needs, sing my songs, preach the way I want him too?  If I was so and so or such and such I sure would do it differently.  Well I guess that's the key, we ain't them, her or him.  So then we ask why Lord, why and if we sit still and remain quiet long enough we just might hear the answer and more times than not the answer isn't what we want to hear .... "What about you?" ....but Lord if only they would do it my way .... "What about you?"

So God is asking each of us, what about you ... We seek change, we seek life, we seek revival in our churches but when was the last time any of us really prayed for the pastor, the worship team, the people .... when was the last time we prayed that God would show us how we could be supportive instead of judgemental? When was the last time we went to the church for God instead of ourselves?  When was the last time we asked for God to empty us and fill us with You oh Lord?

You want change, be the change, you want revival then ask God to start with you ....

Start with me God. Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

We've got to remember that all those folks we want to see changed belong to God. Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

True revival starts in our heart .... those big crashing waves we see on the beach didn't start out that way, it takes momentum for those things to grow and revival starts in the heart of one; so today let it be you.  Let the tidal wave of revival in your church start with you. For it is Christ who is our hope and when your hope is in the Lord it don't matter what happens around you.

1 Timothy 1:1  Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope. 

(from the NAMES OF CHRIST by Horton and Hurlburt) He is  "Our Hope." His promises assure us and fix our faith upon Him. He is the center of the life of a true believer.  We could not think of the coming glory without eyes fixed upon Him.  The incentive of a loyal life is to please Him.  What could be more satisfying after a day of toil and burden bearing than to remember how His Word was our comfort and His promises our peace? We look at the rising sun as it bathes the mountain peaks with its glory, and at the glittering stars at night:  They foretell the coming of the glorious day when He will have us with Himself.

Lord,  our Hope, our faith is fixed on You.  Help us to rest upon You each day.  You are an anchor to our soul.  Amen

FEARLESS ... the Adam Brown Story

Man oh man; while I've been waiting on the Kingdom Man to arrive I was provided an opportunity to read this story FEARLESS.  It's a story about Adam Brown a Navy Seal who was part of the team that eventually took out Bin Laden.  I won't give away the story but just wanted to let y'all know I couldn't put the book down ... I read it in a day, yes it was that good.  While there were portions of the book that I thought could have been left out because in my opinion didn't do anything to add to the story it's a book that will definately draw you in with this guy's life.   I walked away invigorated and challenged to evaluate my own life and the things I've done as well as the things I will do.

For those of you who face addictions; whether you are in the midst of an addiction or on the other side of it and still find struggles this story is yet another example of the redemptive power a relationship with Jesus Christ  brings.   Bottom line is that you too can overcome those addictions no matter how deep you are into them.  But you say I’m not you and you are so right, but neither are any of us Adam Brown, but the very thing that gave Adam freedom to say he wasn’t afraid of anything that might happen to him on the earth, because he knew that no matter what, nothing can take his spirit from him.  The resurrection power of Jesus Christ can also make you fearless when it comes to overcoming.

For my brothers and sisters affiliated with the military, I believe many of you may have parallel stories.  You wonder whether or not what you’re doing is making a difference. Day in and day out you see things that others don’t see, you train on things others couldn’t even possibly imagine.  This story is another example of what strength and perseverance can do for you.  When you choose to give something back or stand up for someone who otherwise couldn’t do it for themselves. Sure sometimes a thank you would be nice, but like Adam it isn’t about the accolades but what are your feelings about you.  Adam knew whose he was and that’s what drove him to be who he was.

For everyone else this is a tremendous story of a son, brother, husband, friend, dad ... I believe you will walk away with a sense of how God sees us all.  We are all rough around the edges, and yet Christ loves us with an everlasting love.  To follow Adam’s journey from childhood, to addictions, to overcoming, to struggling, to persevering … allows us all to look in the mirror and face ourselves and realize that there is something deep within us that desires to be what God has called us to be. Often times we struggle searching for that thing we were created to do.  We remain restless in this life seeking for it.  We may even stumble along the way as we try to do it in our own strength, but when we come to the understanding of who God is and that He loves us rough edges and all for His glory … that’s when it all clicks.  It doesn’t mean there won’t be trials but it sure means we have a soft place to land.  Just like it did for Adam; fearless will help you too become fearless for God.

FEARLESS will be available at bookstores everywhere around May 22 ... oh yeah my beautiful wife got me the book Kingdom Man for my birthday.  She realized I couldn't wait for this book to eventually show up in the mail ... Tyndale Publishers said they were going to send it but I still haven't gotten it.  I am in the midst of this really good book ... talk about a wake up call ... men of God we've dropped the ball and have allowed it to lay there long enough.  Our homes, churches, communities, cities, states, nations are being devoured by the enemy.  Dr. Tony Evans brings it and it is right on time.  Get out there and vote, make your voice heard ... but don't do it with your eyes wide shut; OPEN THEM UP, get informed of the issues and the ones running ... most importantly seek GOD while He can be found.  He said we will find Him if we seek Him with our whole heart.

A closer walk with the Savior...

The essence of prayer is entertaining God.  It's kind of like when someone comes a knocking on your door to stop by your place, you welcome them in, prepare a meal and enjoy the fellowship.  That's where and what God wants to do with us.  He wants us to "entertain" Him; not entertain as in amuse Him but welcome Him with open arms and the desire to spend time with Him, to bask in His presence.

We know that in His presence there is fullness of joy and I don't know about you but I sure like marinating in the joy of the Lord.  It is my strength.

In Case You Were Wondering ...

No matter what it is remember God loves you, He knows and He cares

Prayer changes things

I'm following a blog entitled Following God's Miracle ... it's a great story that I won't tell you about because I want you to go over to that blog and watch everything unfold before your eyes. When I heard the news of the initial stages of Nathaniel Ethan Watkins, I felt compelled in my spirit by Holy Spirit to sound the clarion call to the men of our church.  We've had a few all night prayers and some of our guys are hungry to see the move of God and our prayer is not only for our men, but the whole church (not just our church) BUT THE BODY OF CHRIST to deploy the weapons of our warfare ... following is the E-Mail sent out to the men and I wanted to put it on this blog as a call to anyone else who reads this and is empowered to pray.

"Wanted to get this out so that we can all go full frontal assault on the enemy.  We've been talking about putting some action to our words and we've been waiting to see miracles, signs and wonders and as Pastor brought the word last Sunday about believing for the mountain to be moved and that mountain move, it's time for us to lock arms and go to battle for one of our own.

Isaiah 53:5 says, "The chastisement [needful to obtain] peace and well-being for us was upon Him, and with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed and made whole" (The Amplified Bible). The Hebrew word for peace in this scripture is shalom. It basically means "nothing missing, nothing broken," or wholeness in every area of your life—spirit, soul and body.

And tonight y'all it's time for us to pray for wholeness in every area in the life of Nathaniel Ethan Watkins.  Not just for tonight but until the day that baby is birthed.  Bro. David and Sis. Missy received some news that Nathaniel Ethan has some issues with the full development of his heart.  From earlier this evening the report was that this young warrior for Christ basically has half of a heart that is in the wrong position and is scheduled to have a road of surgeries to get things fixed right.  But as Nathaniel Ethan continues to develop and prepare for his journey through the birth canal, the doctor's will be amazed (prepare to be amazed) at what the Lord is about to do in our midst ... there's a healing taking place y'all. Get ready, get ready because we know the Creator of the universe.  We know the One who speaks things into existence.  We know the One who can do all things but fail.  We know the One that can change it all with one word. And it is in the Name of Jesus that Nathaniel Ethan will be made whole.

1Pet 2:24; Ex 15:26; Ps 118:17

God bless

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECxUupqLNQA "

Time to rise up and do some kicking on the enemy instead of always getting ... doesn't it say it is better to give than receive?  Time to give y'all

Time for activation

As I pondered on the thing this blog is for, I was a bit perplexed at what my thinking was.  I originally started out doing this because I needed a place to hang my book reviews and as you can see there are a few reviews on this site.  In fact 90 percent of my content is book review, but then I wondered I've got a voice, God has blessed me with the ability to write and as you get to know me (more so in person) you'll discover I don't like to talk a whole lot but when it comes to writing I'm able to express myself better.

The enemy has always held me down ... let me rephrase that, I've allowed the enemy to whisper in my ear that I can't speak, or what ever comes out of my mouth just doesn't sound right or people think your goofy because of what you are saying.  I thank God for my wife because she continues to encourage me daily that I can speak well, so I'm able to stand on the word from the Lord through my wife.

I'm working on the area of my life, so I'm going to start using this blog as another weapon to lay the smack down on the enemy.  The world loves to beat us down, call us worthless and every other thing except a child of God.  We are the righteousness of God, y'all it's time we rise up and start thumping on the enemy for his season is over.

Lead, follow or get out of the way...

This was a saying we used in the military and in the military we were all about mission. Well it's no different except the person in charge is the King of kings and Lord of lords.  The Jesus Mission by Steven K. Scott

"Christ completed 27 missions while on earth. Take up the 4 He assigned to you." While it sounds pretty easy this is truely things are easier said than done. However, what the author does is break it down so the elephant is easier to eat. Scriptures are used throughout to document that Jesus did in fact complete 27 important missions while he was alive on earth, and that he also assigned four important missions for us to complete as his disciples. And just as the completion of his tasks would have been impossible without the enablement of God, his Heavenly Father; it is impossible for us to complete our four missions unless we are enabled by Jesus Christ through the power of the person of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us as followers of Christ.

This book is not written for the light hearted person who is interested in just getting saved, no, this book is written for those who are serious about their commitment to Christ and want to fulfill the mission assigned.

I have received a complementary copy of the book for reviewing from Waterbrook Multnomah.