Bring It On!

You ever been challenged and you've just had enough and so you throw down the gauntlet and say, "bring it on!"? Well, that's where I'm at.
No,it's not a physical fight that I'm referring to, nor is it a verbal exchange.
I'm talking about a spirit battle line that has been drawn and I've had all I'm going to take and it's time to throw down.

For some time Satan has just been pestering, hounding, pushing, threatening, and I have fought back, enough to get him to back off a bit, but soon enough, there he was again. He's attacked me emotionally. He's come after my personal finances, my family, my church, friends around me... just one thing after another. I shared at church awhile back that I'd suddenly be awakened in the middle of the night with an overwhelming feeling of death. I'd literally hear Satan taunting me that he was going to take me out, that I'd never see my daughter graduate high school. He's told me over and over that I was wasting my time with the church in East Galesburg because when it was all said and done, the church and my ministry would lie in ruin. The list could go on and on for some time. The devil has just tormented me, robbed me of sleep, robbed me of joy and peace, pushed me to the point that I at times was so weary all I could do was lay in the floor at night and cry. Last week, he crossed the line with me and righteous anger rose up in me and I've told him, "bring it on!"

I won't go into detail, but suffice it to say that some witches in the area sacrificed some snakes and tried to place a curse on my church and my home. I'm confident that they thought this would strike fear in my heart and in the hearts of those around me. Quite the contrary, you pushed just the right button this time that got me angry. I hope you are reading this, because I'm standing up to your challenge and I proclaim that "greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world." Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior, He is my strength, my stronghold, my fortress, my supplier, my peace, and because of the blood of Jesus Christ I am already victorious over you and the one whom you represent! You are already defeated by the blood of Jesus Christ! Bring it on. I have no fear and I declare to you today that you are defeated, and in the Name of Jesus Christ you are now and will be subject to the power that lives in me through the infilling presence of the Holy Ghost. You've pushed the wrong guy one too many times. I declare that righteousness will be proclaimed in the streets of Knox County, that souls are going to be saved, the deaf shall hear, the blinded eyes shall see, the bound shall be set free and the Name of Jesus Christ will be exalted in this City and County. You've had your reign over East Galesburg long enough. Your physical altars in East Galesburg have been torn down and we are now dismantling them in the spirit realm as well. Your stronghold over East Galesburg is being torn down and a new tower of refuge is being raised up in Jesus Name! You are defeated NOW! No more defensive posturing on my part, I and my church are launching all all out offense beginning in East Galesburg, then moving into the streets of Galesburg and all of Knox County. The spirit of fear is defeated. The spirit of sexual perversion is already defeated and we will drive it out of this county, in Jesus Name. Yeah, bring it on. We're up to the fight, and we stand victorious already in Jesus Name!

Stop the hysteria!

I've really had it with the all out attempt to push Americans into a state of panic over the swine flu. Is it something to be concerned about? Yes. Panic and hysteria? NO!

There have been a total of 64 confirmed cases of swine flu in all of America. Sixty-four! One person has died, and they believe this was a Mexican national who was on American soil.

Let's put this in perspective. Every year in America, some 13,000 people die every year from the common flu, yet they are trying to get American's stirred up over 64 people out of a population of over 303 Million people.
Hello?

Look beyond all this and see what is going on. A week ago, people were calling for the firing of top Obama staffers. This week, we are not hearing a word of this because the focus is on 64 people who have become ill.
Get a clue America. It's smoke and mirrors... that's all.

The Lion and the Lamb

Overcome

This is one of my favorite songs...

Preparing For the Prom

My baby girl is going to her first school prom tonight. She is just a sophomore but was asked to go with a senior. Ashley has been to other school dances, even formal dances, but not a prom. She's been so excited for weeks. We've been shopping several different times in different cities until we found just the right dress, the right shoes and the right jewelry. Since we bought the dress she has had to try it on over and over. We also had to take the dress to have it altered a little to fit her short, petite frame. We went and ordered the boutonnieere for her date a few days ago and will pick it up later today. Last night a dear friend and church member came to the house to do her nails for her. Today, her hair will be done and she'll put on all the final touches with makeup and prepare for her big night. Pictures will be taken here at the house, at Tanner's house, and probably at the park or somewhere. It's taken weeks of preparation for this one event which will be over before you know it.

As I sat here this morning thinking about all of the preparations, I began thinking about the preparations that we all should be making which of are far more importance; that of the marriage feast of the Lamb. We've been told about this for some 2000 years, yet so many are still not really preparing for the time that Christ returns. As I look at the world events happening all around us in 2009, it is so apparent to me that the return of Jesus could happen at just any moment and we need to be prepared. Not only should we be prepared, but we should do our part to make sure those around us are also prepared. In the weeks of preparation for the prom, Ashley and the other girls have compared with one another, told of sales and helped one another to find dresses, jewelry and so on. We too need to be concerned for those around us, helping them to be ready for "the big event." It's my prayer that we all make the preparations and are ready for the day, the moment, the twinkling of an eye when the bridegroom comes and we are taken away.
I remember the chorus to a song that a family member wrote many years go that says:

This old world will never hold me
Anymore, and I'll be gone
For I've made my consecration
And I have my wedding garments on

Too many people think that they are going to wait for the last minute to get ready. It just doesn't work that way. Could you imagine if Ashley had waited until today to begin getting ready. No way would she find a dress, shoes and all the other accessories to match. There would be no time for alterations. It wouldn't happen, just like it is not going to happen for people who think they'd get ready with God just before the Lord returns. Today is the day of salvation. Now is the time to get ready and tomorrow just could be too late.

Patriotic Retirement

I received this in an email today, and I really don't know if this actually appeared in the ST. Petersburg Times or not, but I thought it was great and needed to be shared.

Patriotic Retirement - This Would Work:

This was an article from the St. Petersburg Times Newspaper on
Sunday. The Business Section asked readers for ideas on "How Would You Fix The Economy?"

I thought this was the BEST idea. I think this guy nailed it!

Dear Mr President,

Patriotic retirement:
There are about 40 million people over 50 in the work force;
Pay them $1 million a piece severance with stipulations:

1) They leave their jobs. Forty million job openings - Unemployment fixed.

2) They buy NEW American cars. Forty million cars ordered - Auto Industry fixed.

3) They either buy a house or pay off their mortgage- Housing Crisis fixed.

All this and it's still cheaper than the "bailout."

Submitting Ourselves to Authority

A much neglected topic in the body of Christ is that of submitting ourselves to those who are over us in the Lord as well as in the world. The concept of freedom and liberty in Christ does not mean that we are not to be submissive, but it seems more and more, that there is a tremendous lack of submission. As a pastor now for some 20 years, I have to say that while there have been a few that have submitted themselves to their pastor, by and large, it just does not happen. I try not to be the type pastor who pushes his weight around, for I believe that to be abusive and a sin in itself. But there are times when, as leader, I have to set my foot down and say, "this needs to be done" or "this is what I expect." More times than not when this happens, I get attitude, anger and rebellion. Hey, I know that NO ONE likes being told what to do, but there must be a head to the body, and there are times the head has to give direction to it's members. I often am just stunned at the reaction that I receive. While the exact words are not spoken, the reaction to the direction I give basically says, "I will NOT do what you say!" I've had people yell at me, not because I was wrong, but because they did not like my direction. I've had people do what I suggest but the flames shooting from their eyes and the stiffness of their posture and the immediate return to the previous way of doing things says, "I will NOT do what you say!" I've talked with various pastors and this problem is huge in our churches. People just refuse to submit themselves to the leadership of the pastor. In fact, they are down right rebellious in their attitude, and the Bible clearly equates rebellion with witchcraft. How can we expect God's blessings in our church and our homes when we are walking with a haughty, prideful, rebellious attitude? It just is not going to happen. I have come to understand that how we respond to authority in our life is the proof of to what degree we have submitted to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Will we respond as the world does?? Or as Christ would - following His example; doing what He wants us to do - which is completely opposite from how our sinful, selfish hearts would respond on their own.

I often think about a story that a friend of mine who now serves as a State Youth and Christian Education Director for the Church of God relates about when he was first starting out in the ministry. He was working on staff of a growing church as a Minister of Music. One Sunday not long after he started working in this church his Pastor came to him and told him that he wanted him to develop an orchestra for the church to play in the worship services and he wanted it to begin the next Sunday. My friend began trying to put this together, but was only able to find a couple of people in the church who played instruments and were willing to play in the orchestra, and the type instruments he found were not going to blend very well, and honestly, the people were not very talented, so he did not have them play the next week. After the service his pastor called him into the office and fairly well chewed him out, saying something to the effect of, "I told you I want an orchestra starting this week, where are they?" A lot more was said than that, and my friend related that he was angry at his pastor for talking to him this way and making these unfair demands, so he determined he was going to show his pastor just how ridiculous he was being. The next week he put the "orchestra" that he was able to find on the platform and had them play during service. He says that they were absolutely horrible and he figured that this was his last day of working for this church. When the worship service was over, the pastor came running over to him and he figured, "this is it, I'm fired." But to his surprise his pastor said, "Well done!" He just looked at the pastor, stunned. The pastor said to him, "I did not tell you to put together a great symphony, I told you to put together an orchestra, and you followed my direction. What I really wanted from you is to learn to submit yourself to my direction and you have done it well. Now we can work together as a team."

There is a powerful lesson in that story. In so many of our churches there is a struggle between the Women's Ministries and the pastor... or the Minister of Music and the pastor... or the Youth Pastor and the Pastor... and to be brutally honest, the problem is that people refuse to submit themselves to the direction of the pastor. That is rebellion, and it will undermine everything in the church and hinder the flow of the Holy Spirit in our churches. I'm not saying that the Pastor should be an iron fisted dictator, but there must be submission to leadership. It doesn't end there, because Pastor's also need to submit themselves to those who are over them too. It is something that has to be worked at. I will be honest enough to say that over the years I have had Overseers that I did not like and at times I found myself rebelling against them, ignoring State programs and just doing my own thing. But I have learned (the hard way) that when I sew those seeds of rebellion, I reap rebellion in my own church. Even if I don't like my Overseer, he is over me in the Lord and I am called to submit myself to him and his leadership. One of the things that I have found interesting is that when I began to submit to their authority, I began to see things differently and I developed better relationships with them too.

I wonder how thing would be different if we would begin to submit ourselves, not begrudgingly and with anger, but with humility and respect. I wonder how that practice might open up a flow of the Holy Spirit in our churches and in our homes. I am convinced that when people sew that rebellious attitude toward their pastor (or even their bosses at work) they reap a harvest of rebellion in their lives as their kids and spouses begin warring in the same manner in their homes. I learned long ago, if my Overseer tells me to do something and I disagree, I may need to discuss it with him (that does not mean with anger) but if the directive comes down, I submit to his authority. That is what the Bible commands of me. There have been times after I submitted that the Overseer has called and told me that he was wrong and changed the directive. One Overseer even said to me that it was my willingness to be submissive that caused him to recognize that he was wrong. We just might be surprised at how the dynamics would change if we would begin to practice Biblical submission, without the closed door gossip and tear down sessions. God will begin to bless and his presence will be manifest in our lives, homes and churches.

Almost Back to Normal?

It's been thirteen days now since I had my surgery and while I am feeling quite a bit better, I really just am not myself. Today I went back to the doctor to have the stint removed (which I NEVER want to go through again) and I'm already feeling a little better since it is out of me. I have brief periods where I'm feeling almost normal, but then it is just like suddenly I have no energy again. I've been frustrated by this to say the least, but today I asked my doctor about this and he assured me that I am doing very well. He told me that I needed to realize what I've gone through. He said that pneumonia, kidney stones and surgery, all at the same time, whereas anyone one of these would normally set someone back signifcantly for a couple of weeks, but having them all three of these simultaneously has put a great strain on my body and that it may be a couple of months before I am back to normal. I guess my expectations are just too high, but I am feeling enough better that I want to jump up and get things done, but my body is telling me to put the brakes on. I have never been one who does slow down and wait very well, so this is a real challenge and learning experience for me.

Where Did Your Expectation Come From?

The following is adapted from a devotional I read a few years ago and stuck away so I could remember it again. The Devotional was called, "The Word for Today."

A few years ago a young pastor decided that he was going to plant a new church in a rapidly growing part of North Atlanta. He sent out 100,000 fliers to every home in the immediate area. Why? Because all the surveys and church planting experts showed that when others had done this, approximately 250 people showed up for the first service, and statistically, half that number usually stayed and became the basis of the new church.

To the young man's horror, on the launch day, only 38 showed up for that first service! He was absolutely devastated! Previously this young man had already built a very successful church in northern New York, but now he was struggling and felt like an absolute failure. You could see it in his face and hear it in his words. He told his friends: "When I came here, God gave me this promise from Isaiah: "Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life" (Isa 43:4).
So where are they?" he asked.

Finally his old mentor confronted him head on. "You didn't need God, you had the whole thing figured out yourself. Repent of your pride and quit trying to do the work of the one who promised: "I will give...thee...people for thy life."
Instead of complaining and affecting everybody around you, turn every service into a celebration and allow God to build His church!"

Nine months later he had over 100 people, and had learned this lesson: If our expectation comes from any source other than God, we're setting ourselves up for disappointment!
So stop and ask yourself today: "Where did my expectation come from? God or others?"

Trapped Inside Myspace

For those who do not know, I have been pretty sick the past week, fighting pneumonia and then being taken twice to the ER and then admitted for kidney stones on Thursday night. Sunday I had surgery to remove a stone that that was embedded in the wall of my bladder. I was having a lot of complications with the morphine that I was on, with a lot of nausea, pain and so on. I literally was so out of it for two days that I really did not know what city I was in. I was sooo confused and disoreinted. When they took me down for surgery on Sunday, I was really pretty afraid. I told Libby that I was, but I did not tell her why. I was just so disoriented and confused that I was not comprehending what was happening.
Anyway...

In the O.R. they began giving me the sedatives and immediately I began hallucinating. As they went through the surgery and during the time in recovery, I was hallucinating to the point that I literally was INSIDE, of Myspace. I had this little cubicle and people where sending me messages, and graphics and so on, but it was not just to my Myspace... it was to me. I WAS in the stupid thing! I wish words could relay this more, but I was freaking out, and as I began coming to, I really struggled at what was a hallucination and what was reality. I haven't had a trip like that in almost 29 years... and I don't want another one soon!