Taking a stand for strong health...

Have you ever noticed that when you are working for God, that seems like the times you are hit hardest with colds, flus, bugs etc?? For example, you go on a mission trip, and everyone gets sick! Does God bring that sickness to slow down the work?? Or could this possibly be an attack of the enemy?? How about at home? You want to get up and have devotions, and you even went to bed at a decent time....but for some reason, when you are ready to wake up and have devotions the biggest bout of tiredness clings to you!! You're in a fog! You can't think....

For years, I took every sickness, every bout of "tiredness" that came with a "grin and bear it" mentality! God must have a reason in this, so I just need to get through! However, as Eric and Leslie shared recently in regard to "Fortification" (if you made it through the longer post below - it is powerful!) I have begun to realize that maybe this attacks of health issues (for people that are normally healthy and have good sleeping habits) really aren't from God after all, but are deliberate attacks to discourage and destroy.

I have some friends that just finished some intense ministry. They are drained and depleted rather than feeling revived and refreshed. Is this right?? God tells us in his word, "Even the youth shall faint and be weary (even those strong and in good health), but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles. They shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint!" As I read stuff like this, it doesn't seem to me that it is in God's plan that we serve him, and we faint....we get sick, we get knocked out with exhaustion or this flu bug or that cough. I just never realized this before.....maybe you didn't either!

Again, like I said, Eric and Leslie already talked some about this topic in the message on "Fortification" which I shared a couple posts below. However, in another message I just heard, they shared more specific answers to prayer and how God has been working in their lives and giving them victory, and I'd like to share more details in regard to their battle over poor health....especially relating to work in ministry.

Here's my notes I typed from this talk:

Let's jump in where Eric is talking...

Ok – fast forward a number of years…we are married now…we had been in ministry for 4 years and the battle, and chaos seems to be getting more and more intense. All these crazy things began to take a toll on our faith, and we were constantly fighting health issues. We began to pray more survival type prayers. Not bold prayers, not wrestling prayers, not prayers of intercession for others….more survival prayers, just for our own needs and just to get through the day intact. But as we did this, God began to convict us that there were breaches in our lives and things that the enemy was using to harass us with….like attacking our health, finances, staff …and on! It was getting really bad! We felt like we were being soo attacked that we couldn’t fulfill God’s purpose in our life. But we had been accepting these attacks with a cheerful attitude, "OK - I will bear this cheerfully for you!" But in the process we were getting more and more confused....

So we began to pray and seek to close breaches in our spiritual lives and then began to claim victory and God began to shore up these areas in our life, one by one by one. So we began to tackle the area of health.

Leslie: I was always getting infections….everytime trying to speak or involved in ministry activity, I would be sooo drained and exhausted, would get colds infections, bronchitis or something like this. It was crazy! It all revolved around our outpouring and service to God! Finally we began to realize that this was enemy attack, and we didn’t need to just grin and bear it and say, “Ok God, I accept this for your glory!” No we needed to awaken and fight this. So we started praying! We had a whole entire day of prayer just on the topic of health…. Corrie Ten Boom says, “Don’t pray when you feel like it. Make an appt with God and keep it. Pray when you LEAST feel like it!” We didn’t have much emotion or feeling, and were drained and exhausted from ministry, but we were seeking to obey….we kept praying….didn’t see break through right away….but after a few days, we began to have breakthrough….began to get stronger….however, the battle wasn’t done!

Eric: Leslie and I should have kept detailed prayer journal during this time….but we didn’t! Keep a journal because you never know what God is leveraging in your life for His glory, and you will want to refer to his answered prayers in the future. Anyway, We were praying during this time for any thing that came up regarding health – any congestion, stiffness in neck, HA, or anything….and funny thing is, we kept having things like this come up…one health issue after the other! We’re like, “How long do we need to pray!? This is crazy” But we were determined, we would not let go! I entered into a fast, and I was determined I would not stop until something changed. (Now, don’t do this unless God is telling you to do this!!)

So about 4 days I fasted….and then on the fourth day, the sickness suddenly was gone!!!! It wasn’t a natural getting better or healing….it didn’t work it’s way through and leave. No Leslie was sick, but I kept fasting and praying, and on the 4th day, God broke through. It was suddenly gone!! But this was a strategic process…a strategic prayer. We came to God for our command. And we knew we needed to take a stand and tell the enemy NO MORE!!!

Now for years, I'd just been letting things go by. She'll get over it, it's ok! Just grin and bear it, I would tell her! But then God began to open my eyes to what was happening! So, as the man of the house and protector of our home, I knew I needed to take charge and stand in God's strength and on His word. So in God’s strength, I started to take stands in our home and said…we are not going to take these health attacks any more. We are healthy, we are seeking to serve God, and this is not from God!! This is to destroy us!

Would you believe that for the next 52 days I prayed this, I was hit with exactly 28 different health issues!!! It was unbelievable! I never get sick, I NEVER have issues! It was always Leslie ! Now I was being hit!!!! As attack after attack came against us, I realized the enemy was in defiance of my prayer. I realized that “WE ARE ON TO SOMETHING HERE!!!” We cannot give up this battle! The enemy is going out of his way to try to stop us and discourage us. And I am not going to have my family part of this harassment….from enemy anymore. Our little two year old, Hudson run to emergency room 10 times during this period. He would fall down and split his lip open!! One crazy thing after the other! So I started to stand up on Ps 91 – They will not dash their foot against a stone. “NO! NO MORE!!!”

Finally, after 52 days, the attacks stopped!!! And that’s still the way it is in my home!! Leslie does not struggle with sickness anymore when we do ministry, or at other times either. We haven't been sick since!!! Anytime I see any “bonk” in our home with the kidds… I say NO!!!!! My family as a whole is strong physically….but you take us back when Hudson was in his first years….Leslie was constantly under attack. Hudson was having all kinds of accidents….we didn’t know we were being attacked. We just thought it was normal life! But now, NO!!!!!! We stand. And now we have 4 kids all under 5, and none of them have had accidents or had to go to emergency room and no one gets sick. None of that since then!!! We stand on faith.….if something tries to creep in, a sniffle or a cold, we say NO! And we go on!!! And it comes no further…

There is a family that we know that is always sick….sickness passes around entire home! We tell enemy NO….we are going to be healthy, because God has a calling on our life, and we are not going to be controlled by this….

There’s a principle of Fortification that few Christian’s in our day and age realize…there are two types of pain….Pain from God to grow up and bring glory, to prune you and bring more fruit, and pain from enemy to trip you up, slow you down, destroy you and discourage you….we’ve learned to know which pain we accept and which we stand up against! This is crucial in this battle…..

[IMPORTANT NOTE: Eric has made it very clear and numerous occasions, that he does not believe in the "health, wealth and prosperity" gospel! But He does believe in Eph 6, and that we are in a supernatural battle against darkness to destroy our lives, our potential for growth in God, and our potential to minister to others. So when something gets in the way of one of those three things happening, he shares how He and Leslie have been learning to take stands spiritually. God didn't give His Word and promise strength for nothing! It must be REAL, even for us today!!! Of course, there are trials and pain that God allows for a reason, to prune us, grow us, to bring greater fruit or to build our faith.]

Sneaking around at 3:00am...

3:00 am! It's Sunday morning and my Alarm buzzer on my phone is going off. But it's not a mistake. I sleepily crawl out of bed and stagger to the bathroom to wash my face. Then I sneak next door to make sure my suite mates are awake. Yep, they are wiping the sleep out of their eyes too! We grab our flash lights and quietly tiptoe down the hall, careful to make sure we haven't disturbed anyone! We're not sneaking out of the dorm, we're headed to someone's room. It's not just anyone's room either...it's our dear Annie! Today she is turning 27, and we are celebrating early.

We arrive at her bedroom door, but make not a sound. Quietly we put together our piece of artwork. We want it to be a perfect surprise for when she steps out in the morning! It doesn't take long. Only a few minutes and we are done. As a final gesture of love, we leave a note at the door - "We love you!" Then we are gone!

It's hard to go back to bed and back to sleep. I toss and turn til nearly 4am. Finally I fall back asleep for a couple hours. (After all, it's Sunday, so I can sleep in a LITTLE!)

Later, at breakfast we enjoy fellowship with our friends. "Did you hear?" someone asks... "Someone toilet-papered Annie's door last night?" "Oh really?" I ask in mock surprise! "I wonder WHO would do that!" One of my friends and I cast each other knowing looks, but no one else knows what's going on. We just smile! "Yeah," our informant continues. "You should have seen the look on Annie's face when she opened the door this morning! It was priceless. But she thought it was cute and handed out her camera for us to take a picture." We smile. "That's neat! We wish we could have been there." We go on with breakfast...

No one will ever know! And they'd be shocked if they did...to learn that one of the oldest and two of the youngest kids around conspired together to show Annie their love in a different and unique way. [Of course, no one knows that originally I thought that we should ALL go piling into her room at 12:01am to wish her a Happy Birthday! That way we'd be the first to wish her a happy Birthday, and it would be one that I'm sure she would never forget!] But...decided she probably needed her sleep. So we did what we did instead! Anyway, hopefully she got the message...that she is LOVED!!

WHAT FUN!!!! I feel like I am back in high school again, playing pranks on my classmates!

Hope she knows we REALLY DO love her!!!

Shhhhh....don't tell ANYONE!!!!

The next morning....

Our beautiful Annie with a cake from her family!! :-)

"BACKward CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS"

Backward Christian soldiers,
Fleeing from the fight,
With the cross of Jesus,
Nearly out of sight.
Christ our rightful master
Stands against the foe
Onward into battle, we
seem afraid to go.

Chorus:
Backward Christian soldiers,
Fleeing from the fight,
With the cross of Jesus,
Nearly out of sight.

Like a mighty tortoise
Moves the church of God.
Brothers we are treading,
Where we've often trod.
We are much divided,
Many bodies we,
Having different doctrines, but
Not much charity.

Crowns and thrones may perish,
Kingdoms rise and wane,
But the cross of Jesus
Hidden does remain.
Gates of hell should never
'gainst the Church prevail,
We have Christ's own promise, but
we think it might fail.

Sit here then ye people,
Join our sleeping throng.
Blend with ours, your voices
in a feeble song.
Blessings, ease and comfort
Ask from Christ the King,
But with our modern thinking,
We won't do a thing.

by George Verwer

Condemned or Convicted??

You're just talking "Condemnation talk!"

This is a favorite term that the world, and those seeking to run away from the spirit of God, use. But there is a difference! Condemnation is accusation with no hope. What we as Christian's share is actually conviction.... because we hold up the Word of God for what it actually is - THE WORD of GOD... and that conviction shows people how unlike the Law and TRUTH they are! But at the same time, it offers HOPE for what they can be, through Christ! However, people that don't want to be convicted, they run away saying, "You are just being legalistic and condemning! Stop it!" So which is it...if it convicts, then do something about it. Repent, go to Jesus, make U-Turn, and walk another way...in the HOPE of ETERNAL LIFE!! If it's just about condemnation...who are we to preach...the sinners that we are?

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them that walk not after the flesh, but walk after the Spirit." Rom 8:1

We can't walk in the Spirit in our own strength because we are carnal sold under sin. Only He can enable us to walk in the Spirit in His strength!

Yes, the world may accuse us of a "Holier than thou" attitude. But think about it! We ARE to be "holier than thou!" We are not to be anything like the world. God has called us higher....to His very throne room! We are to be "Holy" or "Set-Apart" for Him, just as we would be for our own earthly husband or wife. We are not to be snobby, but the lines are to be distinct and separate...God is "other-than" this world. We should be too, with no apologies needed!

We in Christianity aren't content to stay in the superficial. Just as there are layers of earth, there are layers of scripture. Most of the world lives in the superficial...we are to learn to be excavators! To go deep in God's Word!!!

The Doctrine of Sin ~ Battle of Flesh versus Spirit

Sin in essence means, "To miss the mark." The way we ought to be is the mark we have missed. When we miss that mark, and are not who we ought to be in God's strength, sins result. Issues result! In that case, in the throne room of our lives, SIN or SELF has taken the throne that rightfully belongs to God. We are living in the control position that ought to be His. We realize this and so we try to get up and move. But we discover we can't! We're stuck!! So we ask God to help us. He takes us, picks us up...only He can help us get off His throne! He should demote us to prison for taking His throne, but He places us at his side as "head Butler." We are to work closely with Him. When He again takes the throne, just as a bird can fly ("law of aerodynamics" trumping the "law of gravity") so the "law of sin and death" is trumped by the "law of of the Spirit." We have died to the flesh, and our life is hidden in Christ with God.

So - Flesh versus Spirit - How can we keep Flesh off the throne!

Depends on who we feed which will rule! We feed the flesh, it will rule. We learn to feed the Spirit and deny the flesh, it will rule! What voice are we listening to...

Flesh says, "Watch out for self, guard your own space and your own rights! Don't let anyone else in. You don't need to be unselfish, you don't need to do that..." We must learn to give NO EAR to the flesh! The more we listen to the Spirit, the stronger it's voice will be in our life and vice versa.

However, we have learned how to spiritualize the flesh away in our lives. We have grown up and learned social etiquette and decorum. But it's still all just about US! We've learned how to cover up the flesh, but it's just a front for most Christians. They succeed in looking good on the outside to the world, but the flesh still rules their hearts and their private lives. The gospel has not yet penetrated their hearts.

God intends for us not just to have a "Holy Place" experience... "Read Bible, Pray everyday, tell a few people about Him" etc. He intends for us to have a "Most Holy Place Experience" in His presence...daily...all the time...that's what He purchased for us at the cross! Not just payment for sin, but transformation and restoration to that intimate one on one connection with Him! When we have tasted that relationship, nothing in this world will ever satisfy us again!!

Oswald Chambers Inspiration...

This morning my roommate shared some profound thoughts for me from "My Utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers.

"By what right do we have to become a royal priesthood? It is by the right of the atonement by the Cross of Christ that this has been accomplished. Are we prepared to purposely disregard ourselves and to launch out into the priestly work of prayer? The continual inner searching we do in an effort to see if we are what we ought to be generates a self-centered, sickly type of Christianity, not the vigorous and simple life of a child of God. How long is it going to take God to free us from the unhealthy habit of thinking only about ourselves? We must get to the point of being sick to death of ourselves, until there is no longer any surprise at anything God might tell us about ourselves. We cannot reach and understand the depths of our own meagerness. There is only one place where we are right with God, and that is in Jesus Christ. We must launch out in reckless unrestrained belief that our redemption is complete. Then we don't need to worry about ourselves anymore, but walk in faith, a life poured out for others."

"A pitiful, sickly, and self-centered kind of prayer and a determined effort and selfish desire to be right with God are never found in the New Testament. The fact that I am "trying" to be right with God is actually a sign that I am rebelling against the atonement by the Cross of Christ. We cannot make ourselves right with God. We cannot make our lives perfect. I can only be right with God if I accept the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ as an absolute gift. Am I humble enough to accept it? I have to surrender all my rights and all my demands, and cease from every self effort. I must leave myself completely IN HIS HANDS."

[Profound huh?? But so true! And I have been all too guilty of this type of thinking!! Ugh!]

A few more profound thoughts from the pen of Oswald Chambers...

"The unchanging law of judgement - This statement is not some haphazard theory, but it is an eternal law of God. Whatever judgment you give will be the very way you are judged. There is a difference between retaliation and retribution. Jesus said that the basis of life is retribution - "with what measure you use, it will be measured back to you." If you have been shrewd in finding the shortcomings of others, remember that will be exactly how you are measured. The way you pay is the way life will pay you back. This eternal law works from God's throne down to us. (See Psalms 18:25-26)

Romans 2:1 applies it in even a more definite way by saying that the one who criticizes another is guilty of the very same thing. God looks not only at the act itself, but also at the possibility of committing it, which He sees by looking at our hearts. To begin with, we do not believe the statements of the Bible. For instance, do we really believe the statement that says we criticize in others the very things we are guilty of ourselves? The reason we see hypocrisy, deceit, and a lack of genuiness in others is because they are all in our own hearts. The greatest characteristic of a saint is humility, as evidenced by being able to say honestly and humbly, "Yes, all those, as well as other evils, would be exhibited in me if it were not for the grace of God. Therefore, I have no right to judge!" Jesus said, "Judge not, that ye be not judged." Who of us would dare stand before God and say, "My God, judge me the way I have judged others!" God judges us not as sinners, but as we are on the miraculous atonement of the Cross of Christ. Can not we see our brothers and sisters in this light as well??

[What can I say again, but profound! And OUCH!!! Lord forgive me for the times I've judged others, or spent an over-amount of time reflecting on my own short-comings...as if I would ever get to the bottom of them all!]

Blessings in Disguise...

Yes, I'm still pretty sad about losing the iTouch....but as I'm realizing, it can be a blessing in disguise!

So don't cry too much for me! As I've realized without it...I've come to depend too much upon electronics and the "instant answer" when it comes to spiritual searching. I want to find a verse and I look it up instantly on my iTouch, or I want to know an answer and it's there. But now I am being forced to return to the old-fashion method....just thumbing through my concordance and reading my paper-page Bible! Not that these electronic conveniences are bad....but I think we can depend too much upon them. At least I have.

What am I gonna do when I'm out running or hiding in the wilderness someday, and all I have is ME and MY Bible!! Will I know where to find what I need....will I know how to do stuff the old-fashion way??

Well...I'm still sad about losing Mr. iTouch....so you can still cry with me. But I am learning to see the blessing in disguise as well... :-)

It's ok!!

Watery Grave...

I baptized my iTouch yesterday....very much by accident. And I don't think it's gonna recover!!! I had put it in my back pocket as I had been using it too look up promises of Scripture as we prayed, and it fell out of my pocket into the toilet on one of my bathroom trips. I grabbed it right out, but it wasn't meant to be baptized....so the damage was already done. It died!

Now I'm starting to feel the loss....and I am heart broken!!!!!!!!!

This beautiful piece of equipment, which I got for FREE when I bought my MacBook last year (but cost about $229 to replace), has become like my little brain that I take with me everywhere. It had all the features of an iPhone minus the PHONE ability....so I've even used it to check e-mail or type messages when needed. It had all my drug encyclopedias for Nursing, several Bible Versions, my addresses and contacts and passwords that I'd uploaded on it's applications, all my music (which of course I still have on my computer backed up in iTunes and which I use often to help me go to sleep at night as it drowns out the noise of the girls around the dorm), and it has a host of other applications that I have found to be so helpful. My biggest loss though is that most recently I had found a program that enables me to make scripture memory flip cards to put all my Bible verses into, so I don't have to carry around all these rings of cards. I just flip through my verses with one touch....it's all there in the size of a wallet...rather than all these gobs of cards I use to carry everywhere!!

However, now it's GONE...it's dead...and there's nothing I can do but cry and go on!

Would you join me by mourning its loss? :-(((((((((((((((((((((

Early to rise...equals Colorado Sunrise!!

I've actually been enjoying the Colorado sunrises this week...they are beautiful!

Yes, believe it or not, I'm finally starting to get on top of my schedule...getting morning exercise (which I need) and prayer time (which I can't do without) into my schedule! I haven't exercised much in awhile, so this week for the first time I started getting up at 4:45am so I could go jogging a couple miles before my friends and I meet for prayer! It's a bit early....but I've been making it. And you can know that by the time 8:30pm comes at night, I am ready for bed.... Smiles! (Mom, aren't you proud of me?!)

While I've always been an early to rise person (my whole family is), I've struggled with going to bed early a lot these last few years, especially when I take so many projects under my belt. I have more and more found myself burning the candle at both ends. So it's good that my sleeping habits are getting changed for the better. (Of course, it might help that I don't have Internet access at night right now, so wont stay awake answering ARME e-mails, writing my blog, or reading!)

I guess I am not the only one being affected in a positive way. It was kinda funny because my friends and I went to a nursing home last night to get acquainted with all the sweet elderly people, where we will be doing some outreach. We spent some general time just visiting with them and then sang songs to them. (Reminds me of highschool days!)

Anyway, at the end when we were saying goodbye...it was about 8:00pm, and one of the young gals in our group asked an older lady there... "Are you tired? Are you ready for bed yet?" "Oh no!" the lady replied. "I can stay up a lot longer! How about you?" There was a pause. "Well, um....I'm tired....I'm ready for bed!" the girl replied. We all laughed as we realized the irony of it. Here we young ones, that should be staying up partying at night, or at least on the Internet, are now getting use to getting up at such early hours to spend time with God, that when the sun begins to set...the party is over. We are ready for bed! Kinda a turn-around from modern culture...and yet isn't this the way it should be?

When it comes to developing consistent habits of getting up early to spend time with God (which means, going to bed early so you're not too exhausted to get up early and spend time with God), I heard about something very applicable that happened with John Wesley during his life of service to God.

One evening John Wesley had been invited by a very important dignitary to spend time with him. This was an honor that few received. However, before the evening was over, John Wesley got up and began to excuse himself saying that he needed to leave. The dignitary was almost offended. "Why are you leaving when the night is still young. Don't you realize that I am a very important man and many people beg to spend time with me at my table?" John Wesley's simple reply was this... "I don't mean to offend you Sir, and feel very honored for this time together. But I have an appointment with the King of the Universe now, and I dare not be tired and I dare not be late."

Wow!! Isn't that powerful? He's showing, as it should be for all of us, that making sure we have that personal devotional time with God is MORE important than spending time with a worldly dignitary! I've thought about this for a long time actually....even thought about writing a blog post or article called, "The morning after the night before." It's theme of course, would have been revolving around learning to plan ahead...even the night before, so you are rested and ready to meet your appointment with God in the morning! I don't think I need to write the article though...as this illustration proves the point perfectly!

So here's to going to bed early......so you don't wake up late! :-)

We have a sweeter Song to sing...

Learning the art of "Intercession" is so needed in our day and age. We need to be made strong by God so that we can be poured out for the weak. When a baby is learning to walk and falls, everyone thinks it's cute. But that baby will learn to walk, and he will fall less and less. He will grow up and run and climb mountains. That's expected! If he gets to 22 and he's still trying to walk or falling all the time, you know there is something wrong. It's not cute anymore!! The same is true with us as Christians.

It's ok that we start out as babies in Christ...feeding on the milk of the word, stumbling and falling in sin and getting back up again. But God designed for us to GROW UP, to mature in the faith, to be men and women of His strength, able to learn to help others to walk, to be intercessors standing in the gap and filling in the breeches for others. But most of Christianity today is still toddling around like babies. We have soooo many of our own issues that we can't do anything or go anywhere without falling. We have soooo many holes in our own spiritual walls that we cannot help fill in the breeches of others.

In fact, regarding ISSUES, it seems that we spend our lives diagnosing ISSUES. We think we are special because we have this problem or that, we have this bad experience or that, we have this battle scar or that. We think our issues and problems will be fixed if we take a med, have a change of circumstances or environment, or if we could be married to a different person! However, as one of my favorite authors puts it: "I have news for all of us!!! WE are NOT special! We all have ISSUES...but all our ISSUES are the result of only ONE BIG ISSUE...and that ISSUE is SIN!!!! SIN results in lots of ISSUES! We think our ISSUES are too big for God to deal with, but He's already dealt with root of all issues - SIN - so nothing is too big for Him!"

"So...you all want to know, where do we start?? Jesus Christ!!! He is the only solution. When we get stuck diagnosing ourselves or trying to work our our own problems in our way, we are saying we are greater than God. He can't solve my issues, I have to work them out. But self-work is not the solution. The only answer is Jesus Christ! That's what we will be pointing you back to over and over again!"

"My wife and I are not the answer...we don't want you to depend upon us! We don't want you to depend upon each other. Encourage each other, lift each other up, pray with each other....yes...but don't lean upon fellow humans. Your only safety is learning to lean upon Christ! The "selfishness and neediness" among believers, those that should be born again and baptized by the power of the spirit has got to stop! Satan's greatest joy is when we stay STUCK on ourselves and our weaknesses and our sins...but this does not bring glory to God. We must learn to run to Him...to abide in Him...to gain our daily strength from Him!"

Key thoughts to contemplate...

• God's Kingdom and His glory (our Kingdom and our glory must die!)
• That we would seek after Holiness of life - not in our own might, but in His strength! (All that He has commanded us to do, we can achieve in Him!)
• That we would see it an honor to take the lowest place of service...even to die!
• That money, position, career, and all worldly esteem would loose their attraction in our hearts. (That our lives would truly be, all about Christ!)
• That we would not esteem the best-looking and most talented as most deserving of our time. (Israel chose Saul as King because he looked the best...but God's choice was a lowly shepherd boy! God is looking for those truly humble and teachable in heart...not the proud, good looking or talented. We must be nothing in our own eyes, or He can make nothing of us!!)

We have a Sweeter Song to sing...

There is a legend about a point along the Sirene coast where sailors always wrecked their ships because they were pulled in by the intoxicating melodies of the sirene's. (Remember this is a legend!) Usually one or another thing happened. They wanted to hear it so badly, even though they knew others had died passing by, they thought they were strong enough. So they sailed past the dangerous point. They too would be drawn in and killed as their ships dashed upon the rocks. Others would put wax in their crew's ears (so they could not hear) and then would have the crew tie them to the mast, so that no matter what they heard, they could not give in to temptation. They stayed tied to the mast until danger was past, but about died from the agony of wanting to get closer to shore. Seemed like there was only TWO WAYS to get past. Give in and die, or tie yourself to the mast and suffer.

But one captain had a better idea....As their ship got close to the coast where the enchanting music played, he brought out his violin and began to play the sweetest songs. They sailed by the coast without ever hearing the music from the sirenes.

The same is true in the Christian life. It's not to be about telling you what you can't do - "Don't sail near that coast line or you will die!" It's not to be a free-for-all where we all do what we want, and then we have constant failure or regret as we fall over and over again. Nor should it be about righteous works - tying ourselves to the mast so that we can't give into temptation. Our lives are to be a "Sweeter Song," such a sweet song of Heaven that we will not even WANT to listen to the song of the world or the voices of temptation around us. We can only learn this sweeter song by focusing on Christ...Christ, and more of Christ! There is a sweeter song to this Christian life...unfortunately, most of us have never seen it, heard it, let alone sung it!

Sleep walking discoveries...

So the other night I got up...I was looking for my flash light actually...and was pawing through the stuff that I thought was on my my shelf. But I couldn't find it...And I was finding things that I didn't recognize the shape of. A coffee mug, a glass case, blush brushes, dried flowers...I don't even remember what all it was. But I was thoroughly confused! Where was my flashlight! I continued to grope around in the dark....then I walked over to what I thought was my bed and there was someone in it. I touched their hair and it was curly. "This is really weird!" I thought! I am sooo confused. It was still dark and I began to panic... "I'm lost! I can't find my light and I am stuck here!" Then it slowly began to dawn on me that I was sleep-walking, and I was rummaging through my roommates stuff. After a bit of stumbling through the dark, I finally found my side of the room again and I found my flash light. But I was still half asleep and half confused. I ended back on her side of the room with my flash light looking through her books. I actually needed to go to the bathroom. I don't know why I was still looking through her books. Finally I began to wake up enough to realize the ridiculousness of what I was doing and I found the bathroom. I hoped I hadn't woken her up. Can you just imagine it? She'd be like, "What are doing looking through my stuff!" I was soooo embarrassed. But I was really confused and turned around!

The next morning, my midnight escapade was only a faint memory. She hadn't even felt me touch her head or anything, and thankfully she hadn't seen me pawing through her stuff. But it was funny, because although the meanderings of my night were just a foggy memory, I saw a picture in my mind of my roommate on the back of a book. Had I imagined it, had I actually seen it, or was my mind just playing tricks on me. So I asked her... "Is your picture on the back of a book or something? I'm thinking I saw that last night when I was sleep walking and finally found my light..." Well...it turns out my mind wasn't playing tricks on me!

My roommate is an author and I didn't even know it! In fact, this is a book of her thoughts and testimony from over 5 years ago! Wow!!! She gave me a copy and I've already been enjoying reading it. It's a true hearted call from a young girl, calling her generation (that's us) to turn our hearts back to God and stop being caught up in the thinking patterns of the world. I'm inspired...

So....hmmm...I was thinking maybe I should pray for some more midnight sleep walking episodes. Maybe there is even more for me to discover...not just about Tessa...but about God's calling upon my life!

So what is the Gospel??

If you ask this question, most people would respond..."In a nutshell, the gospel is that Jesus died for my sins, so now I can go to Heaven and live forever with Him." However, while that is truth, that is only a very small piece of the truth!

This is the fuller story....

We have been sold into sin - we are carnal. Because of that we have taken the throne that belongs to God and claimed it as our own. We are living in sin under the enemy's rulership of this world.

Unfortunately, "The wages of sin is death."

Satan has almost succeeded in destroying us and we are in prison with a death sentence hanging over our heads. But then Jesus comes as our intercessor to take the "death sentence" that is rightfully ours. By taking our "death sentence," he has paid the penalty of sin, and opens the prison door so we can go free.

However, although He unlocks that door...many of us stay inside. We're scared to step out, or we're not sure if we truly are forgiven. However, the miracle and magnificence of the gospel is that Jesus didn't die for us and save us to leave us in prison living in the stench and filth of sin. He died to set us free from it as well.

In fact, He not only died to remove us from that prison cell...but He invites us to live in His kingdom. When we realize how undeserving we are of his goodness, our natural response is probably, "I don't deserve to be in His Kingdom. I'll gladly take the lowliest position among his subjects, just to be there is enough." But no, it goes farther. He not only died to free us, so we could leave that prison and live in His Kingdom, but He wants us to live in His own palace. "Wow - that's too big a honor!" we say. "I don't deserve to be there. Maybe I could be one of the King's door-keepers or servants." But the good news of the gospel is, that Jesus didn't just die to rescue us from prison, to bring us to his kingdom, to live in His palace....He wants us to live in his throne room WITH HIM!!!"

"Ok, now we have gone waaaaaaay too far! This is too much!" we think. "I can't live in his throne room. I'm not deserving of that....just make me a servant."

But Jesus doesn't take us to his throne room to be his servant...He adopts us as his sons and daughters! And he gives us the keys to his kingdom. Everything that He has is ours for the taking. We don't deserve it, not one single bit....yet Jesus gives it to us! ALL!!! However, it doesn't stop there.

Our King Jesus beckons us close. "I have a job for you..." he says with a smile. We reply in humble adoration. "Anything Lord! Anything! Whatever you want....your wish is my command."

"I need you to go back to that prison cell that I rescued you from, and I need you to rescue the other captives that are still there. I'm calling you to die to self and all worldly interest. I need you to go..."

"Gladly!!!" we cry! "Our greatest joy would be to help others receive the incredible gift you have given us and to bring us back to your Kingdom! We long to share the joy of your presence with others."

"But wait..." he continues. "I'm not done! I'm not sending you alone! I'm going with you! I will live in you, I will be your strength."

And so we go, hiding in the strength of our Lord. Just being together is Heaven. Of ourselves, we can do no more then a little child shoveling snow out of the driveway. All the work is really Christ's...but still he honors us by allowing us to work at His side, and it seems at times as if we are doing great things. But all the strength and the power and the rescue mission isn't not accomplish of ourselves. It's through His power in us! That is the ultimate purpose of the gospel!!

So that is the full story...Christ rescuing us, setting us free, cleansing us, changing us, bringing us to his Kingdom, to his palace, and to his throne...and then commissioning us through his power and through his strength to return to rescue others. That is the gospel message!!

What is true Prayer...

A group of us were to meet for prayer this am. I wasn't sure if I was going to go, but God woke me up (5:02am to be exact) in time enough to rub the sleep out of my eyes and take a shower so I could meet with the group by 5:30. So I made it....and so glad I did!

Our prayer leader started by sharing how prayer is an art of God, and just as there is the true and the false in every other spiritual discipline, there is the true and false way to pray as well. We want to make sure that we are truly praying God's way and in His Spirit, and not in our flesh. So there are THREE important things to learn if we want to truly pray and see results!

1. Pray God's prayers.
2. Pray in Faith!
3. Pray until the answer comes!

What does it mean to pray God's prayers?

Romans 8:26 says, "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God."

We must ASK GOD to remove all roadblocks of sin in our hearts, we must ask him to teach us how to pray, what to pray for, and what His will is. Our natural human prayers tend to be selfish and self-centered. It is not our task to save the world, that is God's task...but we are to cooperate with Him and be in tune to His voice, so we know where to focus our time, our energies and our prayers...not just pick and choose who and what we think we should pray for! Even when we are praying for others, our prayers may sound all flowery and nice, but they are often springing from our own mind, born of the flesh and not of the spirit. We must be humbled and broken and put all flesh aside and cry out to God to teach us to pray, teach us WHO to pray for, WHAT to pray for, and HOW to pray for it. Nothing in prayer should be of ourself.

Sure, God still cares, He still hears...and He honors our feeble attempts at prayer. But if we really want to see results, if we really want to see spiritual power in our lives...we must learn to silence the flesh and allow His spirit to give us the prayers we should be praying!!

God has already given us parameters in which we are to pray, knowing that He will answer...and that is what is ACCORDING to HIS WILL. But we have to get our mind in tune with His, we have to be open to His voice (like we are to our mother), or we wont hear what we are to pray for. We will just invent our own words and our own prayers, and they are empty!

Secondly, we are to Pray in Faith! He's promised us victory from sin. He's promised us the ability to tear down Satan's strong-holds. He's promised us to bring us to Canaan. He's promised us souls for the Kingdom. He's promised us whatever will advance His Kingdom and glory. He's promised us wisdom. He's promised us strength...the promises are ENDLESS!!! Yet we sit around praying our selfish childish prayers, stuttering along, our request too vague and nebulous to even know if God is answering or not, and yet wondering if God will hear and afraid to claim anything boldly. We don't truly believe! We don't step forward in faith claiming that which God has already promised 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." Heb 11:6

"God is not a man that He should lie, neither the son of man that He should repent. Has he said it, and shall he not do it. Or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good." Numbers 23:19

"But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering..." James 1:6

Thirdly, our leader shared, if we want to see answers, we are to pray with perseverance...we are to pray until the answer comes, or until we have peace in our hearts that God has granted our request! God's ways and God's timing aren't always our own, but we are to continue in faith before His throne, asking for His will, and persevering until the answer comes. We loose much because we give up too easily....sometimes God wants to build our faith, sometimes there are obstacles to fight through...but we must keep at it.

I am reminded of Daniel 10:12-13

"Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. But the Prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days."

"So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: It shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." Isa 55:11

Either God is who He says He is, and He honors His word...or this whole thing called Christianity is just one big farce! Will we believe, will we trust, will we press forward in faith.

After telling us about the three ways to ensure our prayers are answered, he began to pray...so firm and strong. I almost expected to hear thunder in the distance. This is a man that knows His God, and He knows what to pray for...and He's seen God work in amazing and mighty ways!

All I can say is, it was beautiful! You'd have to have been part of it to understand...

Frazzelnut Ice-cream...Ummmmm......Yum!!!

An illustration reflecting what often happens in modern Christianity:

Sales-woman to customer:

"Have you heard about the amazing "Frazzlenut Ice-cream"?? If you haven't tried it, you simply must. It's the latest hot, or should I say "cool," thing on the market with ingredients of only the finest quality. Frazzlenuts of course, rich carmel, mouth watering chocolates, and some special secret flavors that everyone is dying to know. Let me just tell you, it is the most luscious dessert you will ever wrap your taste buds around! And when you swallow it, as it goes down your throat and into your stomach, it has healing properties that heals any digestive ailments you may have. It's so extra-ordinary that we've built schools to train people how to make it. Like I said, the ingredients are extra-ordinary, specially imported from several parts of the world, and I can tell you about each one of them...that is except for the secret flavors. (For now, that's a secret!) Furthermore, I can tell you how the Ice-cream is processed and why it has to be made in only specialized factories. For one, it goes through a special machine unlike any other ice-cream maker ever invented, which allows the Frazzelnuts and chocolates to be folded into the carmel cream within separate layers. And that's just getting started. Like I said, there is so much to tell. In fact, this ice-cream is such a winner that we've even written songs about it. I can teach them to you. We sing them every day. You really must buy some and take it home to share with your family...you wont regret it!"

Customer: "That sounds great! Do you eat the stuff yourself?"

Sales-woman: "Well.......(pause)...... No! I'm Vegan! But, I know it's REALLY good. You simply must buy some!"

Like I said, this is kinda a funny scenario I put together based on some things my friend Eric shared, yet if I think about it in relation to the Christian life. How many of us go through our lives talking about God, memorizing scripture, memorizing all the proof texts, knowing how to give Bible studies, rattling off the answers to all the Bible questions, singing songs to honor God...yet we haven't really tasted for ourselves that God is good! We haven't experienced him truly for ourselves!

It's like we grow up memorizing the map of Christianity, we guard the map with our lives, we talk about it, we philosophize about different routes we could take, we look at pictures of the scenic parks on the map, and we talk about the journey. But we never go anywhere...we just talk about the journey...we don't take it!

This is where most of surface Christianity hangs out! Everyone is great map-readers and great salesmen for "Frazzlenut Ice-cream." But they've never taken the journey themselves, and they've never really tasted the ice-cream...It's all just in their heads. The intellectual understanding hasn't gotten to their hearts!

Let's stop being good salesmen, and start taking the journey ourselves!!

Are we still walking in the Wilderness??

• Egypt - The World, living to the lusts of the flesh
• Wilderness - The in-between land of testing and growth that we must pass through before we discover the rewards of Canaan. Growing in faith, small victories, yet still struggling with the desert of un-met spiritual expectations & un-achieved victories! If you don't feel like you have "arrived" yet spiritually...You are still in the Wilderness and you are NOT suppose to stay here! There is MORE and it can be gained in THIS LIFE!
• The Promised land - Our spiritual destination (not just in Heaven, but now!) Spiritual maturity and land of overflowing spiritual abundance and joy, victories, miracles, and daily answered prayer as we bring more souls into the Promise land

Most of the Christian world thinks that the "promised land" is only when we get to Heaven. But God designed and planned for us to experience it now as well! (So many verses in the Bible prove this fact!) He never intended for the Israelites to spend 40 years wandering in the wilderness, nor does He intend for us to spend our spiritual lives wandering in the wilderness. He has the promise land, flowing with vegan milk (I added that) and honey...and we are to experience that NOW!!!!!! But too often, we get stuck in the wilderness...because of our doubt, our failures, our unbelief in God and what He wants to do. We think that is where we are suppose to be...so we spiritualize our need to press further away. (After all, we have left the world...we have left Egypt behind! We are a step ahead of everyone else!) So we build sand-castles, we march around mountains, we look for quiet places of security to rest in the shade! But God is calling us to cross the Jordan...by faith to grasp for more...

But learning to deny our flesh, to get up in the morning, to have that time with him when we'd rather sleep in, to press into prayer when we least feel like it, to reach out to others when we'd rather just take care of ourselves...these are not natural tendencies. And unlike the material paycheck that you get when you work at a job in the world, there is no "instant paycheck" that God hands down to you when you spend time with Him. So we don't strive to be disciplined in the spiritual realm. We do what works, what feels good, and get by on the bare minimum. What we don't realize is that getting up in the morning to have that focused time with God, learning to spend hours on our knees interceding for others in prayer, learning to make the spiritual life just as much a discipline as a real job holds - these are MORE important than anything we can do in this world!!!!! And while these disciplines and times of denying the flesh may not give us physical money to put bread on our tables, or make us look good to others, it is spiritual money put in the Kingdom, and eternal souls of ourselves and our families hangs in the balance!! We MUST stop living in the wilderness and cross the Jordan...

But we see the large Jordan, we see the giants of the land (which are actually only Satan's enemies to try to discourage us and keep us back), and we say, "I can't do it! It's too big! I can't cross that!" God says, "I know you can't! Step forward anyway, by faith!" "But I don't have strength, I can't do it!" we cry again and again. "I know you can't, that's why you depend upon me! I will do it for you...but you must take the first step! You must step forward!!!!"

A few step forward and receive not only the wrath of the enemy, but the strength and joy of Heaven and of victory in Him! But most of us...we stay behind to protect our sand castles. We pitch our tents...and we miss the Endless frontier of the Promise Land that lies before us...

Where were YOU????

ARME Oregon 2010

ARME was such a special experience...and it's an experience that when you've worked so hard to help it come together, you don't want to experience it alone. You want to share it! Especially with those that matter in your life...

One particular morning, towards the end of camp, I stood in the back watching the meeting progress. Everything was going smoothly and the place was packed with already 400+ warm bodies. It was incredible to see how people were grasping hold of the truths being shared. And it was exciting to see the people respond to appeals and altar calls. Lives were being changed!

However, I was sad...sad because two people that I really wanted to experience a taste of ARME had not come! They had intended to come, they had told me that they were going to come...but the hours dragged by and still they had not arrived. They actually had a reasonable reason for not arriving when I expected them to, but at the moment, all I could do was complain and feel sad in my heart. "Why aren't they here yet? They are missing the best part!"

Then I started thinking about it all. Here we were at ARME BIBLE CAMP and we had a full house. In fact, we had about 100 more people then we were expecting. People were being blessed, encouraged, and even transformed by the messages. God was working in a big way in the lives of so many. And yet, I was unhappy that 2 people had not come. Then I realized, it didn't matter to me at the moment that everyone else may have been there…the world could have been there!! But because I knew that those two people weren’t, I was sad.

Yet, think how it is with us and God. He may have 99 in the fold, safe and sound and enjoying the fruits of his Kingdom…but if one is not there...if one is on the outside, He is still going to miss them, and He’s going to go out searching!! Me missing the people that I care about in my life is no big deal. But think about God…there are millions of people on this planet, and He loves all of them. He loves those that are saved with a special love…but those that are lost, He loves too…and He misses their presence.

If only we knew how much God sacrificed to come and rescue us…our one lost world that went astray…and yet, we are told, he would have done it if it were only for YOU and if it were only for me!!

The two lost sheep (actually, they really weren’t lost after all) did finally show up at camp and join us. And of course, I was very happy as I wanted them to see how things had come together and to be a part. But what is more important is what I was reminded about God that day…and how he may have a whole host already inside his fold of safety…but if one is out, He misses them, and He’s going to find them at all cost. The only thing that will keep him from finding them and bringing them in is if they refuse to be brought home…

Hmmm….profound thoughts, huh?! At least, I thought so…

Miracles at ARME...

“God is good, all the time…God is good!” We kneel in awe before the throne of God for His goodness and blessings of our Oregon ARME BIBLE CAMP this past Memorial day weekend, May 27-31, 2010. It is truly amazing what happens when we come together on our knees, and when we cling to God for strength!

For those that aren’t use to hosting an event for 400+ people, we can tell you, it is no small undertaking. (Now we have even more respect for those that are hosting events for 4,000…like ASI or Generation of Youth for Christ or the like.) Our first ARME camp last year was a huge success and blessing, but to be honest, very stressful for those of us behind the scenes. However, this year was different and much smoother…and I think that difference had to do with the Prayer team of volunteers that have been meeting every Sunday morning and praying together for the past several months. Then, once the camp started, we met as a whole team with the attendee’s to pray in the early am – and poured forth our praises and request together to God. (Many mornings we had 100+ in prayer session!) On top of that, we had a building called “The boiler room” where some of our leaders prayed with people all throughout the day and then also covered the meetings in prayer. We are amazed and praising God for the healing and spiritual rejuvenation that this brought to so many lives. So ARME BIBLE CAMP’s motto “Forward on our Knee’s” has been even more a reality this year! Prayer truly makes a difference. There were a few times when I wondered, “Hmmm….not sure how we are gonna work this or that detail out!” Yet, I had no sooner voiced the concerns or prayed, then God worked things out. I was busy it seems and I didn’t have much time to just rest and enjoy the messages, yet this time, I did not feel stressed. Things came together…they flowed together…and they stayed together…smoothly! Praise the Lord!

This year we made a point to emphasis certain attitudes among our attendees. We’ll share them here, directly from our program booklet, for we think these attitudes are ones that we should all seek to embrace…not just those that come to ARME.

An absolute confidence in Scripture as the foundation and authoritative test of all doctrines and teachings. “If they speak not according to this Word, it is because there is no light in them.” Isa 8:20

A respect for the Spirit of Prophecy as a divinely inspired source of instruction, comfort, and warning for our lives today. “Believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.” II Chron 20:20

A dependence upon God thru Prayer as it is only thru earnest prayer that we will realize the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our lives. “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” James 5:16

A quest to be completely surrendered and ARMed through commitment to spend daily time in prayer and God’s Word. “Put on the whole armor of God that ye may be able to stand.” Eph 6:11

A striving for holiness of the inner life and purity of heart as it’s only in the heart where no one but God knows that the real victories in our lives are won. “Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” I Sam 16:7

An attitude of humility and unselfishness as Christ has left us His example in working with others. He came not to be served, but to serve. So as we spend this weekend together, let us put “status” and other “rankings” aside, and let us learn to serve each other...even in the smallest tasks.

An attitude of joy & patience in all circumstances: For as we see the magnitude of God’s sacrifice for us, we realize that the discomforts, cramped quarters, irritations and other trials that we face here on this earth (or at camp) are actually a privilege to endure for Him. “Count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations...For I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” James 1:2 & Phil 4:11

And finally, an attitude of striving for God’s glory & personal excellence in every aspect of our lives: “Whether ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do ALL to the glory of God.” I Cor 10:31

For those that have never attended an ARME and wonder what it’s like…Well, some things you just can’t describe in words. You have to attend to really understand the spiritual impact. But in brief overview, our days went like something like this: Prayer at 6:15 am with our prayer Warrior Melissa Maranda leading. (Again, most of our attendees came to be a part of this and later reported that this was one of the most important aspects of the camp for them!) Following prayer we had inspiring devotions by Martin Kim on prayer, faith, and greater surrender. (Powerful spiritual manna to start the day!) Then we had physical manna - breakfast. (The vegan cooking was delicious, and many people complimented our cooks on the great food!) At 9am we had rousing singing with our musicians Taylor and Craig. Then started the training that everyone came to ARME for… “How can we learn to study our Bible’s more deeply?” We had a long lunch break and time for parents to spend time with their kids, then more sessions in the afternoon. In the evening after a long dinner break, we had our final meeting, sharing ministry spotlights, music, and an inspirational message by one of our speakers. We tried to end earlier so everyone could get a good night sleep and be up for the early morning prayer time!

Over the course of this camp our speakers and trainers included: Pastor Myers, Pastor Bohr, Evangelist Pacaleb, Evangelist Baek, and Scripture Memorization trainer Dan Vis. Between practical pointers, inspiration, and personal testimonies, it was powerful! But that wasn’t all! Simultaneously, we had a children’s program going on led out by Lisa Quade with Feeding His Lamb’s Ministry.What a blessing it was to benefit from Lisa’s many years of experience in Child evangelism. And what a blessing this was for the 40-60 children we had registered as well, as God’s Word was skillfully planted in the garden of their hearts.

Throughout the conference, our speakers shared on a variety of Bible Study topics…from the basic “How To’s” of Bible Study, to “Learning to study Prophecy,” and to learning to give “Bible Studies” to those of other denominations and faiths. Some of our speakers also shared their inspiring testimonies! Finally Sunday evening, we had our Testimony Banquet – a simple, but elegant meal complete with candles and flowers and more scrumptious food. The testimony time itself was the most inspiring though, from the children’s scripture songs and sharing time, to the tear-jerking testimonies as person after person lined up to share about how God had impacted their hearts and lives and had inspired them to dig deeper in the word because of ARME BIBLE CAMP! In fact, goose-bumps ran up and down my arms as I listened. “Was this really true? Had this many people seriously been that blessed?” I wanted to cry out praises to God! I guess as a leader behind the scenes it’s easy to loose the personal impact others are gaining as you are trying to keep the program running on time, keep the schedule on track, and keep up with all the details! But God isn’t stressed and He’s not blinking his eye. He’s just quietly bringing things together as we learn to more fully depend upon Him! Many made decisions for baptism or re-baptism. Even men got up on stage and cried as they shared how they had been impacted– it was powerful, and humbling to those of us who had been working and praying so long. Truly…our God is an awesome God.

So…once again, we praise the Lord for an amazing successful ARME BIBLE CAMP and for using this small ministry to make a difference for Him. Our motto continues, “Forward on our Knee’s” and may God receive all the glory, for it was not us, but truly Him!