My Interview in the Register Mail

I've had out of town friends wanting to see my interview that was in today's Galesburg Register Mail. It is not online, so I snapped a shot of it. If you click on the picture, it should enlarge.

Hang In There, and Go Back and Look Again

I met with someone this morning that was going through a bit of a struggle and having trouble “hanging in there” with their faith. (Haven’t we all been there?)  The issue they had is personal, and does not really pertain to what I’m writing about today. Just a brief note… but I simply want to remind us all, we need to persevere… to hang on, and keep hanging on. God does not always act when we want him to act. Sometimes we are left waiting… and that waiting is the hard part.
While I was talking with this person today, I was reminded of the story in 1 Kings 18. There had been three years of drought upon the land, and now Elijah has told King Ahab that the drought in the land was over and the rains were coming. After telling Ahab that the drought was over, Elijah took his servant and climbed up the mountain. Elijah took a seat on the ground and told his servant, "Go up now, look toward the sea." So he went up and looked, and said, "There is nothing." And seven times he said, "Go again." Then it came to pass the seventh time, he said, "There is a cloud, as small as a man's hand, rising out of the sea!" So he said, "Go up, say to Ahab, 'Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you.'" ...in the meantime...the sky became black...and there was a heavy rain...' (1 Kings 18:43-45) 
Pay particular attention to the portion of that scripture passage where Elijah said, 'Get up and go again.' Seven times he sent his servant back up to look again. Think on that a minute… seven times! How many of us would have said, “Look, I’ve climbed up this stinking mountain 4 times already! I’m done! It’s not happening, and I’m not wasting my time or energy! Do it yourself!”
The message is clear. We must persist!  One translation says, “Go back and look again.”  We have to keep going back to what God has promised us, and keep looking for what God says is coming!


Not long ago I greeted a woman and asked how she was doing. She told me that her back was really hurting. I replied that I knew that God could heal her back and take away her pain, and to my surprise she snapped back, “If he was going to do it, He’d have done it 20 years ago!” I told her that I was sorry I had asked, and said, “Without faith and expectation, that healing would never come.”  The thing is, things just don’t happen when we want them to happen. God does not always move the first time we ask… or even the seventh, or tenth. But we must keep going back.  If we don’t go back and “look again” we will miss what God wants us to possess or experience. Another point is that if we don't recognize and celebrate the small miracles 'the size of a man's hand' that come along the way, we will miss the bigger ones that are on their way.  I wonder how many times we have given up… stopped looking and did not go back, just before the break through or miracle we had been hoping for was ready to manifest itself in our lives. 

The Blood Covenant (part 2)

I want to continue on with the thought of yesterday's post on the blood covenant by going back to the beginning of the Abrahamic covenant. Abraham knew the power and significance of a blood covenant, so when God promised him all the land from the river of Egypt to the Euphrates, Abraham asked God, “O Sovereign LORD, how can I know that I will gain possession of it?” (Genesis 15:8) Abraham knew God was sovereign and was free to whatever He wished with Abraham, so he was looking for additional assurance from God that he would gain possession of the land. In effect, he was asking God to make a covenant with him, and that is what God did. The LORD made a covenant with Abram and said, "To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates” (Genesis 15:18).

In the book of Hebrews, the writer references this passage and says, “God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged” (Hebrews 6:17-18). There are two things God cannot do: He cannot lie and He cannot break a covenant. Abraham had both God’s promise and the covenant to confirm the promise.

We today have the same assurances as a foundation for our faith... God’s promises and the covenant He made with us. Let's be real. We often act all timid and humble in our prayer and we will say, "do what you want to do Lord." And we think we are praying a prayer of faith. But I submit that this is not praying in faith at all. Praying in faith requires you to know what God has promised and to stand on that promise and believe it is yours because of the blood of Jesus.

I mentioned in yesterdays post that in our culture we really do not understand the blood covenant because we don't see it practiced in Western society. There is, however, one area where we somewhat see the principle and practice of the blood covenant in action... and that is in marriage. Granted, it is a watered down version and can easily be broken, but it is still the norm that most people in our society see marriage as a covenant, not a contract. In most marriages, there is an exchange of rings. The rings serve as a constant reminder to ourselves and to others of a covenant that has been made. In like manner, with the blood covenant of Jesus, we must remind ourselves (and Satan) daily that we are in covenant with God, or Satan will take occasion to bring doubt and discouragement to our mind.

In a marriage, at the reception, the couple will feed each other cake. While admittedly most don't realize this any longer, the practice of feeding the cake to one another is symbolic of our bodies. When they feed the cake to their new mate, the symbolic gesture is saying, "take my body, it is yours. You are free to do whatever you like with my body." Then in a traditional wedding reception, they take the glasses and interlock their arms together and drink from the cups together. Again, this was (and is) a symbolic gesture where they declare that their lives belong to each other. They are declaring, "We are not our own. We are owned by one another. We are not free to depart and go elsewhere." There is a very strong resemblance to what took place in in what we call the Lord’s Supper.

Also, we often see the best man toast the newlyweds. Traditionally, this was where the best man spoke and declared blessings and curses... blessings if the couple keeps their word of covenant and curses if the covenant is broken. Now days, we only hear an upbeat and sometimes joking speech, but there is usually still a blessing... but we seldom hear any mention of consequences for breaking the covenant. (Perhaps we need to go back to affirming the curse of a broken covenant?) It is also very significant that in a wedding, the groom gives his last name to the bride. This means that the wife will be treated with the same respect as the groom. She can sign for any withdrawal from the bank. She is Mrs. Groom and has the use of Mr. Groom’s name and authority. His name is her name and thus she has instantly becomes as rich as her husband.

There are many New Testament passages that we may be very familiar with but we may fail to recognize that these scriptures were based on the blood covenant.
Here are some examples:
In the covenant, God has pronounced blessings upon us. It is not only that God has saved us; He continues to bless us, all because of the covenant. Take for example where the Bible says for us to put on the full armor of God. This is significant because God has given us a promise to fight our battles and He has given us His armor so we can be assured of victory.
The Bible also says that we are heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. Everything God has belongs to us, because we have a blood covenant through Jesus Christ. If we need wisdom, then God promises to give it to us. If we are weak, then He will be our strength. If we lack anything, then God promises to be our provider... and He does all this because of the covenant we have with Him.
Jesus gave us the right to use his name. “In my name you shall drive out demons and heal the sick. Whatever you ask the Father in my name, He will give it to you.” Where do you think Jesus got the concept of giving us His name? It has to do with the covenant we have with Him.
As our groom, He gives us His name, his authority and power and resources!

The Blood Covenant

For the last month, the Lord has been dealing with me about the blood, and this is all I have preached on. We've come upon a time where this generation of so called church growth experts is telling us that if we want to see growth, don't preach on the cross or the blood, because it turns people off. To me, that is very scary. Without the blood, there is no remission of sin. (Hebrews 9:22) If we stop preaching the blood, we might as well stop preaching. The size of the crowd does not matter if souls are not being saved. What's the point otherwise?

Let's be clear... salvation, healing, and deliverance are all based soley in the blood covenant of God. If we will study until we fully understand the blood covenant, it will fortify our faith in a way that will transform our walk with the Lord. Zechariah 9:11 (NKJV) says; "As for you, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will free your prisoners from the waterless pit." The problem is, as I shared recently in church though, those of us in western society lack any real understanding of what a blood covenant is. The concept of covenant is simply unknown to many believers. The reason is because here in America we are far removed from seeing covenants practiced. You see, we more commonly see and there for understand contracts instead of covenants. In some respects, a covenant is a form of a contract, but it is sealed in blood and the agreement is all-inclusive in that everything that belongs to one party belongs to the other party as well. There is no subdividing or limit of exchange on a blood covenant.

In a contract you may purchase an item. For example, many years ago my wife and I bought an expensive set of cookware. We signed a contract, where we agreed to pay $50 a month for so many months and in exchange they gave us a set of cookware. By signing that contract, we came to a specific area of agreement. We did not by the company that produced the cookware, only our set. By the same token, they did not own us either. The contract was limited to that specific purchase. But in a covenant, those involved in the covenant own everything the covenant party owns and they own everything you own; you take all their assets and liabilities and they do the same with you.

Jesus made a covenant with us, not a simple contract. At the feast of the Passover the night he was betrayed, Jesus took bread and wine and lifted it up and said, “This is my blood of the new covenant which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” (Matthew 26:28). There was not a contract drawn up in agreement. When we understand that we have a covenant with God through Jesus Christ, then we can live with new and unlimited awareness that if we lack something, then God is obligated by covenant to meet the need. OK, ok, I know the idea of God being obligated to do anything is very strange and difficult for most Christians to understand. The reason is most have been taught that God is a sovereign God and that He has the right to do anything He wants. It is absolutely true that God is sovereign, in that sovereignty He has chosen to bind himself to us through a blood covenant. That's what a blood covenant does... it binds the parties together, so they are not free to do anything they wish; they must fulfill the obligations of the blood covenant. This is a crucial point that we must understand about our faith in God. If God was free to do anything He wishes, then there would be no solid foundation on which to build our faith. We could not be sure what God’s will was if He had not bound Himself to a blood oath. We have to grasp that God willfully made the choice to bind himself to us and His Word tells us that God cannot lie, so we can trust in that oath He has made.

(To be continued)

The Abundant Life

There has been a lot of manipulation of God's Word and the things of God, especially in the area of prosperity and abundance. We could go into a lengthy debate as to the reason and the methods of some, but I don't want to focus on the negatives today, but rather the truth of God's Word, and what it has to say to us and about us. Our God is a God of abundance. Paul writes in Ephesians 3:20 "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think..." Jesus said in John 10:10 "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." This is a fantastic and powerful verse of scripture, yet I fear something is lost in translation, mixed with time.


Allow me to share this same verse from the NIV, and then explain myself just a bit. In the NIV that verse says, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." Again, powerful verse... looking at the two, "abundantly" and "to the full" speaks to me of abundance... yet still there is something that is missing... and that something can only be understood by understanding the culture of the day in which Christ lived. 


To those who lived as contemporaries of Jesus, when he spoke these words, it took on a different meaning. Again, translation is somewhat lacking, even in the NIV translation. The word that is translated in the KJV as "abundantly" and "to the full" in the NIV literally means "overflowing" as in an overflowing cup. This was powerful to those people. You see, in the time of Jesus, if you were visiting in someone else's home, as long as your cup was kept full you were welcome. But if it sat empty, the host was hinting that it was time for you to go. If your host really enjoyed your company he kept filling your cup, but not only filling it, he would fill it until it ran over the edge and down onto the table. This was saying, "you are welcome in my house and at my table... stay as long as you like. I enjoy our fellowship." Do you see the significance of what Jesus was saying? It is not only about how he wants to bless us with "things", but rather the abundance of his fellowship and presence in our lives! Now think about that for a minute... if we are walking in close and abundant fellowship with him... daily and continually... how is that going to affect our lives?


Is your cup overflowing today? That means you're welcome at God's table, your seat is guaranteed, nobody can take your place... and your needs will be abundantly supplied. God is not wanting to sprinkle a few blessings here and there. Get this picture in your mind... whatever the blessing in your cup, it's sure to run over! With the Lord, it is always the best. The calf is not the runt of the litter, but it is always the fatted calf... the robe is always the best robe, the joy is joy unspeakable and full of glory... the peace is a peace that surpasses all understanding... God's way is always characterised by...overflowing abundance! I am convinced that the last thing on earth that God wants us worrying about making ends meet. Our cup overflows! But we err when we make this all about our financial abundance. Our salvation that has been purchased by the blood of Jesus is to give us the abundant life in every area of our lives. Take, for example, grace... Romans 5:20 says in the Living Bible; "The more we see our sinfulness, the more we see God's abounding grace forgiving us." "Abounding grace"... running over... more than enough grace and mercy! That's our God!


So many people lack understanding of the overflowing cup and they live in such a way that they are always afraid that the "cup will run dry." That one day God is going to say, "no, you've had enough.... my patience and mercy have run out. That their mistakes have been too many or too great? What Jesus was saying in John 10:10 is, "Your are welcome at my table... I want to have fellowship with you. I love you and I died for you. I'll never ask you to leave! Remember this... before Paul had an encounter with Christ and became a Christ follower, he went around persecuting, imprisoning and killing Christians. But after meeting Jesus and surrendering his life to him, he wrote, "...grace...was poured out on me abundantly..." (1 Timothy 1:14 NIV) The blood of Jesus "cleansed him from ALL sin, and cleansed him from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)


Whatever you need today, God has it... and He has it in abundance. So ask, and believe Him for it... and then... receive it!

The Simple Joys of Youth

 So, this evening I'm driving back into town after a photo shoot and I spot these kids having the time of their lives. I circled a block and came back to hopefully take a couple of pictures of them, and as I started to get out of the van, they started to get on their bikes and run off. I hollared at them and told them that it was ok, to come back and play, and asked them if it would be ok to take their pictures while they played. One of them told me that they were afraid I was the owner of the land and was going to run them off. I had to laugh, remembering many times doing similar things back when I was their age. Any way, they graciously consented for me to intrude on their fun, and I snapped a few pictures of them. I really enjoyed watching them, and as I said, it took me back in time, to a more simple time. Something tells me their moms may not be quite so happy with them when they got home tonight, but I'm glad that there are still kids out there just being kids and enjoying life. I gave them the address for this site and told them to look it up. If you guys are peepin' in, thanks again for allowing me a minute of your time and for sharing your fun with the old guy!

 

Such a Small World We Live In

I've been writing this blog now for more than 5 years, and I am still absolutely amazed to see the readers who pop in from all over the world. It is just amazing that sitting in a small town in the mid-west, my thoughts and ideas are reaching people literally in all points of the world. Take a look at the map on the left side of this page and see for yourself. Click on that map and it will blow it up for you, and you can see the numbers of people from around the globe. The size of the dot represents how many reader from that portion of the world. 


I was thinking about this just a few minutes ago, and realized just how much of an impact getting our church services online in the near future can could touch lives that we may never know about. We have got to get that project in gear soon.

The Danger of a Divided Heart

I've been doing some reading in Genesis again recently and going through the life of Abraham. I was reading about Abraham and his nephew Lot, and began to realize that to the casual reader, it might appear that both Abraham and lot were spiritual men. But if we take a closer look, we see that this story reveals that this was not the case at all.  We all know, Abraham lived for God... but Lot, on the other hand, lived for himself. Abraham walked in the Spirit while Lot walked in the flesh. Abraham lived by faith... Lot lived by sight. And most significantly, Abraham walked with God... while Lot walked with Abraham. We see in this story parallels with people that make up the church today. Some are fully following God, while others are following a pastor, or a church or denomination. They have a half hearted commitment.


Unfortunately, because of Lot's half-hearted commitment to the Lord, he was becoming a spiritual drain on Abraham...  The relationship they had was pulling Abraham down. a similar parralel that we see in the church today.  God had earlier told Abraham, "Leave your country, your relatives, and your father's house, and go to the land that I will show you" (Genesis 12:1). But Abraham was not willing to leave all of his family... not willing to leave his nephew Lot... and it cost him. Later when a famine came, Abraham actually went down to Egypt. It was a definite step backward. Remember that Egypt is always symbolic of "the world" and sinful ways. Abraham eventually came to his senses and realized he was in a backslidden state. He decided to return to the place where God had called him. But that wrong choice of going to Egypt haunted Abraham. In time to come, he reaped the results of that wrong choice. You see, it was in Egypt that a woman named Hagar became Sarah's servant. Abraham ended up having a child with Hagar. The child's name was Ishmael, and conflicts between his descendents and the descendents of Isaac continue to this very day.


The choices we make are seeds for tomorrow’s harvest. Wrong choices don't just affect us today... they have a lasting impact. We often choose to allow ungodly influences in our life, and they often wear us down. It may be an unadvised personal relationship, it may be something we are pursuing in our life, and these things can become a spiritual drain in our life. We need to all examine our lives and ask ourselves if we have been making compromises and choices that are weighing us down or veering us off course. We cannot be fully committed to Christ if we are allowing ungodly people or pursuits to pull us and steer us in a direction that is not where God would have us to be.

God will be there for you

The following is from my devotions this morning and I just felt like it needed to be shared. Hope it helps someone else today. (Taken from "The Word for Today")



Philip Yancey says, 'Faith means believing in advance, what will only make sense in reverse.' If you fear the future, look back and see how God took care of you in the past. 'This I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness... The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks Him.' (Lamentations 3:21-25 NIV) 


You say, 'I don't know what I'll do if my loved one dies.' You will--when the time comes. 
You say, 'I don't know how I'll pay these bills.' Jehovah Jireh, the Lord who provides, will be there--when the time comes. 
You say, 'I'm not qualified to handle this, there's too much I don't know.' Maybe you want to know everything too soon. God will give you wisdom--when the time comes. 
The key is to meet today's problems with today's strength, and leave tomorrow in God's hands. 
During World War II, Arthur Sulzberger, publisher of The New York Times, found it hard to sleep or rid his mind of fear until he adopted these words from the hymn 'Lead, Kindly Light': 
'I do not ask to see the distant scene; one step enough for me.' 
And God isn't going to let you see the distant scene either. 
No, He promises a lamp for your feet, not a crystal ball for your future. 
'He leads me' and that's enough for today. 
And tomorrow? '...we will find grace to help us when we need it...

I Hate Religion

There is an old hymn that goes:

Give me that old time religion. 

Give me that old time religion.

Give me that old time religion. 

It's good enough for me.

It goes on to say, "It makes me love everybody."

And THERE is the problem. Religion MAKES you do things. You are obligated... forced to do things.
Religion is actually doing things in a sytematic, repetitive way. This is were we get sayings like, "I do  'x,y,z' relgiously."  Most of us get dressed religiously. Think about it.  Most people will always put their socks on by starting with the same foot every time. When they put on their pants, they always put the same leg in first. That is "religion."  And the really sad truth is, for way too many people, they go to church "religiously." They go, because it is Sunday, and that is what you do on Sunday. They stand and sing, because that is what you do. They give in the offering, because that is what you do. They do good works, because that is what you do. 
That is religion, and religion is stiffling and best... strangling at it's worst. 
Religion kills the soul. 


Ephesians 2:8-9  says   “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” (NIV)


Often times when people hear me say that I hate religion, I get some of the strangest looks and stares that could kill. Some people (who don't really know me) think I'm really out there, and possibly even an atheist.
But the thing is, while I dispise religion... I am madly, deeply, crazy in love with Jesus Christ.
Yes, I hate religion, but I am absolutely sold on Christianity.


OK, so some of you reading may be thinking "What's the difference?" 
I'm glad you asked... so I will try to explain.


"True" Christianity is considered a religion but in reality it is profoundly different than man-made religions.  If you consult Webster’s New World Dictionary religion comes from the Latin religare (re meaning “back” and ligare meaning “to bind”). In other words religion means “to bind back.”


It is not just a twist on the word origin, but I content that in a real sense religion is “back to bondage” that is applicable to all man-made religions. Religions all enslave a person in bondage to extreme legalistic rules and regulations with little or no personal freedoms. 
I am convinced that religion is man’s search for and attempt to please God through man-made ways such as good works and/or religiously adhering to certain rules, rituals and regulations.


In sharp contrast, genuine Christianity is God’s search for lost mankind by giving his Son, Jesus.
He came as a baby, lived and walked on this earth and then died on the cross to pay the penalty for your sins and mine. He paid it all. There is nothing else we can do, other than simpy receive salvation... that is, accepting the gift, that Christ died in our place, and we no longer have to pay the price, for he has paid it in full. 


Genuine Christianity is about freedom. As a follower of Christ, I am set free from bondage... both the bondage of sin, AND the bondage of religion. My life is not about religious "do's and don'ts" but rather is about living in freedom.


The Bible tells us that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.  Sin has separated us from a holy God and as such it is impossible for man to save himself. All our efforts to devise our own way to God are doomed to failure, even before we begin. We can only find and know God by following his way and that is by believing that Jesus is the Son of God and that he died to save us from our sins and the consequences of that sin, which is eternal separation from a holy and Just God. 

Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” 

I hate religion, because religion has kept people in bondage, when the gift of life is free and available to all, if we would simply get beyond ourselves and understand that we don't need more religious duties and baggage... we need to meet Jesus... and get to know him, walk with him and allow Christ to continue his earthly mission through us. What was that mission? "To seek and to save that which is lost!"

I'm so glad that on June 15, 1981, I died. My religious ideas died. My selfish desires and plans died, and on that night, I asked Jesus Christ to come into my life... and I surrendered completely to his will... and my life has never been the same.

Your Past Is Not Your Future

Isaiah 43:18-21
18. Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.
19. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.
20. The beast of the field shall honor me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen.
21. This people have I formed for myself; they shall show forth my praise.


Every one of us have three areas of our lives: Past, Present and Future.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what past, present, and future mean.

The past is what it says it is … … PAST – Already over.

The present is what it says it is … … PRESENT – Taking place right now.
The future is what it says it is … … FUTURE – What is to come.


In this life, there is always the possibility of two was to see things. There is always a positive and a negative outlook.
Sometimes it can be a good thing for you to look at the past.
Sometimes it can be a bad thing for you to look at the past.


And while it is true that glancing at the past can often times allow us to use it for a boost, on the other hand Satan can use it to pull you down.


I have people say things like this to me all the time:
“Well, I am trying Pastor D, but I already know how it will end up. It always ends the same. 
No matter how hard I try, the same thing always happens.”
People with that outlook are locked in on their past.
They are so sure of the out-come of future events that they make it happen that way!


For some who are reading this... you’ve had a rough past.
For some of you, your past history is not a good past history.
For some of you, the past is a hindrance  and it keeps you from getting what you want from God.
But regardless of your past you have an assurance that says … “YOUR PAST IS NOT YOUR FUTURE.”


I want you to know that it doesn’t matter what you may have done in your past … 
When you have repented of your sins,
When you have invited Jesus Christ into your life and surrendered your life over to him…
The only thing that you should ever see when you glance at the past is the color red.
RED ??? I'm talking about the shed blood of Jesus Christ on Calvary. 
That blood was shed for every mistake or failure you’ve ever made.
For the time you messed up and couldn’t recover.
For feeling like you’ve failed.
My friend, don’t base your future on your past mistakes and mishaps … 
Look to Jesus! 
He’s got a way in the wilderness and a river in the middle of you desert!
God’s got everything planned just how He wants it and there is nothing that can stop what God has started.
Again... Your Past Is Not Your Future!




Some of you just need to trust in God to plan your future and stop allowing the devil to rule and reign in your life. There is nobody that can do for you what God can!
He has all authority, all power, all knowledge, and all control of this entire universe. 
There is nothing that escapes his attention. No event is too great… or too insignificant to avoid his presence. There is no one to whom He is accountable. There is no authority with which he must consult. He has no equal, no counterpart, and not even an exact opposite. 
He is the only self-existing one! His plan will be carried out and even when it appears as if evil is triumphing. The reality is God’s plan is being placed into perfection. It is all in His control and He never makes a mistake! You might have experienced some ups and downs and your church hasn’t always been the way it used to be.
The reality is, it doesn’t matter what’s happened in your past, what pain has been caused...  all that really matters is the fact that God has put that stuff in the past!
He’s trying to tell you that YOUR PAST IS NOT YOUR FUTURE!


For some... Life might even seem as if it will never un-fold the way you want it too.
Allow me to tell you something:  If you just trust in God and never doubt the Lord will unfold your life in the way it should go.


Isaiah 35:1-8
1. The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.
2. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God.
3. Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.
4. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.
5. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
6. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.
7. And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes.
8. And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.


In this passage, Isaiah is summarizing revival for us. In these few words, he was assuring the divided nation of Israel that God would take them from desert to glory. 


You’ve heard people say, "God works in mysterious ways," and he does. He is Spirit and he is sovereign and he is unfathomable in his holiness. We cannot fully understand him, and nothing limits the way that he works. Even though there is a bit of mystery about our God, can I tell you though, he is not completely unpredictable. He is consistently faithful and he is consistently good and loving toward all that are his. Even if his timing and his methods are unpredictable, his compassion and his love and his initiative are consistent throughout history. His compassion and his love and his initiative will be consistent in your life. By his faithfulness and consistency, I am assured that his compassion and his love and his action can be counted on in the future and for our eternity. 


To understand this template, let me point out four landmarks on the journey from desert to glory.


When God unfolds your life, it will be perfect and just how He made it to be!
If we can just realize that God has a plan for our life and when we totally submit ourselves unto God, He will unfold our lives into the most beautiful thing that we have ever seen.


God will take all the dry spots and the empty spaces of your life and fill them joy and healing and cause the desert of your life to overflow with rivers of living water.


God will make a way for your life to unravel and once we realize that ONLY God can do these things, the Lord will do His wondrous works and perform miracles in your life.


But ... We have to be willing to let go and just let God!


Truth be told, we all have times when we feel like we are lost in the wilderness. 


We have a sense for spiritual things. We believe in God. 
But when we look, we cannot see God. When we listen, we cannot hear him. 
When we try to walk in his ways, we stumble like the lame. And when we try to declare his name, we can make no sound at all. 
Have you ever been there? 
Do you sometimes feel like a man in the wilderness? 
Are you there today?
Let the blood of Calvary set you free from whatever it is that holds you back and keeps you from getting where you want to be with God.


Because … Your past is not your future!

A Modern Fairy Tale... We Wish It Were Not True!

Once  upon a time the government had a vast  scrap yard in the middle  of a desert. Congress said, "Someone may steal from it at night."    So  they created a night watchman  position and hired a person for  the job. Then  Congress said, "How does the  watchman do his job  without instruction?" So they created a  planning department and  hired two people, one person to write  the instructions, and one  person to do time  studies. Then Congress  said, "How will we know  the night watchman is doing the tasks  correctly?" So they  created a Quality Control department  and hired two people. One  to do the studies and one to write  the  reports. Then Congress said, "How are these   people going to get paid?" So They created two   positions: a time keeper and a payroll officer, then hired two   people. Then Congress said, "Who will be  accountable for all of these people?" So they created an  administrative  section and hired three people,  an Administrative  Officer, Assistant Administrative Officer, and a  Legal  Secretary. Then Congress said, "We  have had this  command in operation for one Year and we are  $918,000 over  budget, we must cutback." So they laid off the night   watchman. NOW slowly, let it sink   in. Quietly, we go like sheep to  slaughter. Does anybody remember the reason given for   the establishment of the  DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY..... during the  Carter  Administration? Anybody? Anything? No? Didn't   think so! Bottom line. We've spent several  hundred  billion dollars in support of an agency....the reason  for which  not one person who reads this can   remember! Ready?? It was very  simple..and at  the time, everybody thought it very  appropriate. The  Department of Energy was  instituted on 8/04/1977, TO  LESSEN OUR DEPENDENCE ON FOREIGN OIL.  Hey,   pretty efficient, huh??? AND NOW IT'S 2010 -- 33   YEARS LATER -- AND THE BUDGET FOR THIS "NECESSARY" DEPARTMENT  IS AT  $24.2 BILLION A YEAR. IT HAS 16,000 FEDERAL EMPLOYEES  AND APPROXIMATELY 100,000 CONTRACT EMPLOYEES; AND LOOK AT THE JOB IT  HAS DONE! (THIS IS WHERE YOU SLAP YOUR FOREHEAD AND SAY, "WHAT WERE  THEY THINKING?")  33  years ago 30% of our oil consumption was foreign imports.   Today 70% of our oil consumption is foreign  imports. Ah,  yes -- good old Federal bureaucracy.  NOW,  WE HAVE TURNED OVER THE BANKING SYSTEM,  HEALTH CARE, AND  THE AUTO INDUSTRY TO THE SAME   GOVERNMENT?      Hello!!   Anybody Home?

It's the Blood!

I was recently walking through the Menards store and came to the section of Halloween costumes. They had an unusually large selection of costumes centered on Vampires. If you have not noticed, one of the things that is running rampant with our teens and young people today is the fixation on Vampires. In fact I just recently saw that this was the number one draw in the age bracket from the age of 12 to 25… which is the area that is being targeted in marketing. Because our young folks in this world are drawn and literally fixated on Vampires. The entertainment folks are especially trying to make movies and books on vampires. Some of the top rated… or top selling movies and books are the Twilight series… which if you’ve been living in a hole… are on vampires.

Now…

Why do you think that is happening?

I believe it is happening because the enemy knows that there is something valuable and important about blood.

In fact, in the book of Leviticus, the Bible tells us that “life is in the blood.”

The enemy of our souls is quite cunning. In the last few decades, churches and denominations have de-emphasized the blood, because they have not wanted to offend anyone. The Methodist's removed every reverence to blood from their hymnals. We don't teach and preach on the blood, because we don't want to seem freakish or gory. But the Bible clearly teaches that without the blood, there is no remission of sin. It is the blood that cleanses us and sets us free.  So, as the church is taking the focus off of the blood, the enemy comes charging in with a counterfeit... vampires. Isn't it interesting, the parallels that are drawn? The power is in the blood. The life is in the blood. Without blood, death is imminent. And teens and young people are eating it up. And the church has shied away from this vital truth! 

We've got to get back to the preaching of the blood!

Want Coffee

An Indian walks into a cafe with a shotgun in one hand and the other hand pulling a male buffalo with the other. He says to the waiter: "Want coffee."
The waiter says, "Sure, Chief. Coming right up."


He gets the Indian a tall mug of coffee.....
The Indian drinks the coffee down in one gulp, turns and blasts the buffalo with the shotgun, causing parts of the animal to splatter everywhere and then just walks out. 


The next morning the Indian returns. He has his shotgun in one hand, pulling another male buffalo with the other. He walks up to the counter and says to the waiter: "Want coffee."
The waiter says, "Whoa, Tonto! We're still cleaning up your mess from yesterday. What was all that about, anyway?"


The Indian smiles and proudly says, "Training for position in United States Congress. Come in, drink coffee, shoot the bull, leave mess for others to clean up, disappear for rest of day."


ON NOVEMBER 2 VOTE THEM ALL OUT OF OFFICE!

Water Walking

I don't do this often, but from time to time I feel led to share a sermon. 
I preached this one about 5 years ago, but it just kept coming back to mind tonight. 


Hope it helps someone.

Matthew 14:24-32 MKJV
(24)  But the boat was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves; for the wind was against them.
(25)  And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.
(26)  And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a phantom! And they cried out for fear.
(27)  But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, Be of good cheer, I AM! Do not fear.
(28)  And Peter answered Him and said, LORD, if it is You, tell me to come to You on the water.
(29)  And He said, Come. And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.
(30)  But seeing that the wind was strong, he was afraid. And beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me!
(31)  And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him; and said to him, Little-faith! Why did you doubt?
(32)  And when they had come into the boat, the wind ceased.




Here are some things you need to know about water-walking:
(1) Everybody has a boat. 


Your boat is whatever gives you your greatest sense of significance and security. 
It's what you're tempted to put your trust in, especially when life gets stormy. 
Want to know what your boat is? 
Your fear will tell you. 


Ask yourself, What is it that most produces fear in me - especially when I think of leaving it behind and stepping out in faith?


(2) You must keep your eyes on the Savior, not the storm. 
When did Peter sink?
When he saw the wind. 
We all know what it's like to see the wind, don't we?    
You begin a new adventure full of hope.        
Maybe it's a job or a new relationship.        
Maybe you're trying to succeed in a new venture. 
At the beginning you're full of faith.
It's blue skies and sunshine… 
Then reality sets in. 
Setbacks.     Opposition.      Financial challenges. 


Life's full of surprises so we should expect it, but somehow trouble still has the power to blindside us. 


Because of the wind some of us never leave the boat. 
But the truth is, there's no guarantee that life in the boat will be any safer. 
Everything's risky! 


Do you realize that Baseball's greatest hitters fail 2 times out of 3.     
But if you don't step up to the plate you'll never know the joy of getting that hit. 
Understand this: if you live in the boat you'll eventually die in the boat, and you'll end up wondering what your life might have been if only you'd been willing to step over the side.


Matthew 14:30 MKJV
(30)  But seeing that the wind was strong, he was afraid. And beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me!
WHEN HE SAW THE WIND HE WAS AFRAID. 
The truth about water-walking is: the fear never completely goes away! 
If you want to grow, you must go into new territory. 
And each time you do you'll experience fear. 
You might as well give up trying to make fear go away! 
Fear and growth go together; it's a package deal. 


The decision to grow means choosing between risk and comfort. 
Each time you get out of the boat you become a little more able to get out the next time. 
It's not that the fear goes away, but rather that you just get used to living with it. 
You realize that it doesn't have the power to destroy you. 


On the other hand, every time you choose to stay in the boat rather than heed the call of Christ to Come, the voice inside you gets a little quieter, till finally you don't hear it at all.
Did Peter fail that day? 
No; I don’t believe he did.
Think about this… Besides Jesus, he's the only man who ever walked on water. 


Failure isn't an event, it's just an opinion.    
It's not what happens to us, but how we think about it. 
Only Peter knew the joy of being empowered by God to do what couldn't humanly be done. 


Walking on water changes you forever. 
When God flows through you to do the supernatural, it will change you forever.
And Peter came to know the grace of being lifted by Jesus in a moment of desperate need. 


I have been there!    
I know what it is like to be knocked down and think I am going out, only to have Jesus lift me up out of the pit of despair!
Peter learned something that we all need to learn: that when you take baby steps of faith, the Lord will never let you drown. 
He had an experience with Christ unlike any other ever has had, but so can you! 
So, failure isn't sinking in the waves, it's never getting out of the boat!

I So Hate Being Sick

Some weird stomach virus is floating through the mid-west and has hit our area with a vengeance. Our church was hit really hard this week, and that I know of, there are at least 14 of us battling with it this week.  I know, no one really likes being sick, but I've got to be one of the worlds worst patients. I'm going stir crazy wanting out of the house. But I'm trying to be a good boy, get some rest and get over this mess. Hope you all get to feeling better too.