The Balm of Gilead

"Behold the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people because of them that dwell in a far country: Is not the LORD in Zion? Is not her king in her? Why have they provoked me to anger with their graven images, and with strange vanities? The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved. For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me. Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? Why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered? Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!" –Jeremiah 8:19-23 KJV

These words were penned just before the fall of Israel into Babylonian Captivity. From the heart of the “weeping prophet”, Jeremiah, we hear these words that are spoken in absolute grief and pain because Jeremiah knew that judgment was coming and could not be stopped.

Israel, God’s chosen people, were under attack from enemies on all sides. They were surrounded and had no way of escape. The enemy had come from a far country to steal, kill, and destroy Israel once and for all.

Friends, Israel’s spiritual condition back then, mirrors the spiritual condition of so many in the church today. God created us to worship and serve only Him. He desires to bring everyone into a right relationship with Him. God never stops trying to reach those who lean away from His presence and draw them back into His love. Jesus wants to extend mercy and grace to each of us. And yet, so many continue to live their lives as if Jesus is not there at all. Just as Israel had done, they let anything take the place of worshiping Jesus. Even though they know that one of the commandments that God has given to us says, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”

Please take heed to these words today friends. Anything that we place above serving Jesus becomes our god. Whether it is our job, our hobbies, our friends, or even our family; God must have first place in our lives, or He will have no place at all!

We live in a world where we are surrounded by temptation. We are surrounded by the enemy on every side, and evil people who would lead us away from God. Satan is the prince of this world and his job is to steal, kill and destroy every man, woman and child who walks the face of the earth. This world is not our final destiny, not for anyone.

Those who live for God will soon be leaving to take possession of their heavenly home. Those who do not live for Jesus will leave this world to go into the world of the condemned: a world where there is no joy, peace or happiness forever. Where darkness, pain, hatred, and despair will
reign forever and where they will never die.

Jeremiah knew that God still loved Israel. His question, “Is not the Lord in Zion? Is not her King in her? It was a question to which there could only be one answer, YES! GOD IS EVERYWHERE, AT ALL TIMES!

God sees all, knows all, hears all, and is all in all. There is no place, whether in the depths of the seas or the farthest star of the universe that we can escape His presence. Surely, God is here this day to hear our cry, to see our pain, to read our heart and to know what we are even thinking.

Israel, knowing that God was there to see everything they did, had “provoked” God’s anger with their idolatry and self-centered ways. It was as though they not only ignored that fact that God was there, but they stood with their fists balled up and thrust into the face of God saying, “I dare you to stop me from living life on my terms instead of Yours!”

Time and again, with loving-kindness, the Holy Ghost tries to reach out to those who lean away from holiness. Jesus has given us His Word to learn of Him as much as we can, He wrapped himself in flesh, died on the cross, shed His own blood to purify us from our sin because we could not wash it from ourselves. And even now the relentless love of Jesus is calling out to the wayward to come home, the Holy Ghost is just waiting for an invitation to be a part of your life, to cleanse you, to fill you, and to lead you into truth!

Jeremiah had hoped that Israel would repent of her ways and turn to God, but they did not. Nebuchadnezzar’s army had laid siege to Jerusalem for nearly two years now and surely Israel would see the danger and turn from their sinful ways, but Israel was too caught up its own fun and cares of this world to see the danger that loomed ahead.

My friends, that’s a picture of our world today. I believe with all my heart, as I see what’s taking place in our world today and weigh it against God’s Word, we are living in the last days. We live at the very door of some of the most terrifying prophetic messages of the entire Bible. Just over
the horizon, even at our very doorstep, the events of the prophecies concerning the end times are about to begin.

Friends, we can choose to do what Israel did. We can walk on in denial that God’s judgments are coming. We can walk on, and just keep doing those things that we want instead of what He wants. God will let us make our own choice, but He will also judge us according to our choice.

Jesus is in the process of reaping a harvest of souls for His kingdom. He died and rose again so that the harvest could happen. Jesus doesn’t want anyone to perish. He wants everyone to experience the joys of Heaven. He doesn’t want to send anyone to eternal punishment.

HEAR THESE WORDS TODAY! IT IS OUR OWN CHOICES THAT WILL
DETERMINE WHERE WE WILL SPEND ETERNITY! IF YOU DON’T THINK HOLINESS MATTERS – YOU’RE MAKING A TERRIBLE MISTAKE!

The time of harvest is still here now, but it will soon be over. Don’t wait lest you have to say with Jeremiah, the summer is over, the harvest is past, and I am not saved. Jeremiah cries out, because Israel is dying before his very eyes. He was amazed at their callousness in refusing to see the truth that was so plain.

Friends, this morning I am grieved and hurting for those who were once filled with the Holy Ghost but have chosen the lusts of the flesh over God’s presence. As Jeremiah wept for Israel, I weep for our community, and our world who refuse to see the truth. I can see their end. I can see the judgment that awaits them, and I cry for them.

Jeremiah asked another question that can only have one answer, “Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there?”

There is a Balm in Gilead this day for you. Jesus wants to fill you with the Holy Ghost. There is healing for your brokenness today. There is joy for your pain. There is a way for you to be free from the chains of sin. There is a way for your life to be changed forever. You can be born again today! There is a Great Physician who has come with healing in His hands, and His Name is Jesus. Jesus already knows your name, call on the Name of Jesus right now and let the healer begin to restore you today!

This Is How I Fight My Battles

The writer of the book of Ecclesiastes reminds us that every season of life has a purpose:

 “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)

We will all face many different seasons in our lives. There will be times of great difficulty and times of great joy. We will experience seasons of hard work and seasons of plenty. The Lord can use each of these seasons, the ups and downs of life, to teach us something about who He is and how much He loves us. And I have come to understand recently, that even though I may never fully understand God’s plan, my attitude toward life changes when I learn to see each season as an opportunity to grow spiritually.

As I have journeyed through the seasons of life, I have experienced many ups and downs. Friends, maybe you too have experienced the highs and the lows, maybe right now you are going through something that feels like a ride on a roller coaster.

Have you ever been on a roller coaster ride? Did you enjoy it? Roller coasters go up, down, twist, turn, loop and plummet. A ride on a roller coaster is probably over in a couple of minutes; and maybe for those few minutes you hold on so tight your knuckles turn white. You laugh, you scream, you cry, maybe you struggle to get your breath. You may even find yourself begging to get off. Then it’s over and you’re safe again. You quickly get off the roller coaster car and are happy to be standing on solid ground. Then one of two things usually happen, either you head back to the end of the line so that you can do it again, or you vow never to be so stupid again and move on.

There is not a single person who will get through this life without experiencing the ups and downs that life in this fallen world delivers. But as servants of Jesus we do not face them on our own, He is with us. His promise to us is that He will never leave us or forsake us.

What spiritual season are you experiencing now? Do you feel like you are on roller coaster right now? Are you trusting Jesus to help you in the season you are in? If we put our trust in Him, then whatever we are going through, whatever circumstance or situation we are in, whether we feel like we are deep in a valley of despair or on top of a mountain, in good times or bad times, Jesus is with us through every twist and turn.

This morning the Holy Ghost drew me to the book Habakkuk. I want to look at two passages from that book. Habakkuk was the last of the minor prophets to preach in the land of Judah. He prophesied during the fall of the Assyrian Empire in 610 BC and the final Babylonian invasion of Judah in 588 BC. Judah was the southern kingdom of Israel, during the reign of king Josiah it had experienced a time of peace, prosperity, reform and restoration. During the 31 years that Josiah was King, there was prosperity, stability and spiritual revival. Then Josiah died and his sons took over the throne, and everything changed in Judah.

After Josiah died Judah became a nation in chaos, instead of peace there was violence, people turned against each other and perversion and wickedness spread throughout Judah. Sound familiar?

“O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save! Why dost thou shew me iniquity and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention. Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.” – Habakkuk 1:2-4 KJV

These words were written nearly 3000 years but they sound like they could have been written yesterday. Since Habakkuk wrote these words centuries have gone by. Seasons have come and gone and come again, yet his words seem to accurately describe our world as it is today.

The book of Habakkuk is a unique book. It is a record of a one to one conversation between the prophet and God. It is a real conversation with God from the heart of the prophet. Friends, honestly, how often do we take the time for a real conversation with God? Not just a quick prayer asking God to do something for you, or praying for someone else, a real heart to heart conversation between you and Jesus.

The Apostle Peter reminds us in 1 Peter 5:7 that we can bring all of our cares, all of our worries, all of our hopes and fears and dreams to God because He cares about us: “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” – 1 Peter 5:7 KJV

Whatever season you find yourself in right now, whatever circumstance or situation you are in right now, have you taken the time to really pray about it? I’m not talking about a lay me down to sleep, woe is me prayer. I’m not talking about a pity party! I’m talking about an honest heart to heart conversation with Jesus. The kind of conversation where you cry out to God in your dilemma, and then you take the time to listen to the Holy Ghost and receive His guidance! Or are you stuck on transmit?

That’s the kind of conversation the prophet was having with God. He cried out to God for answers, and God answers Habakkuk. God tells Habakkuk what He is going to do, “Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvelously: for I will work a work in your days which ye will not believe, though it be told you.” – Habakkuk 1:5 KJV

God tells Habakkuk that He is going to do something so unbelievable, that he wouldn’t believe it if someone told him what was going to happen. God says He is going to do something so amazing that it would be beyond belief. Can you imagine the smile on Habakkuk’s face as those words sink in?

But God has not finished His response to Habakkuk, God continues in verses 6 and 7. Habakkuk asked for help and God says He is going to solve the problem in Judah by sending the Babylonians to wipe out everyone and everything. That is not the answer Habakkuk was expecting, Habakkuk does not understand God’s answer and he questions God again: Why are you going send a group of people who are more wicked, more violent, more perverted than we are to destroy us? Why are you sending the wicked to destroy the righteous?

Habakkuk does not understand God’s answer. Maybe there have been times in your own life when you have prayed and you have found it difficult to understand God’s answer to your own prayer.

There are times when we pray, when we have an idea fixed in our mind about how God will answer our prayer. We think it through, we reason it out, we convince ourselves of the answer we think God will give us. We expect a specific answer, we expect a specific outcome, yet God’s answer is far from what we expected to happen. Have you been where Habakkuk has been? I know I have!

Habakkuk prays a second time and again waits for the Lord to answer. “And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.” – Habakkuk 2:2-4 KJV

Verse 4 says that the righteous will live by their faithfulness to God. Three times in the New Testament, the Apostle Paul quotes this verse: Romans 1:17, This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”

Galatians 3:11, So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”

Hebrews 10:38, “And my righteous ones will live by faith. But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away.”

Faithfulness to God, what does that mean, it means trusting God in whatever season we are in. Trusting who God is, trusting in His perfect plan, trusting in His provision, trusting in His presence, and trusting in His power.

There are going to be seasons when we will question what God is doing. There are going to be seasons when we will not understand what God is doing. But in every season, we must have faith in God, we must trust Him, in every circumstance, in every situation, in every difficulty and in every blessing – the response that brings us peace is to trust God.

Faith, such a small word for something so important, and so essential. My faith in God is not dependent on your faith in God. Your faith in God is not dependent on my faith in God. Friends, each of us needs to have our own personal faith in God for every season of life.

The book of Habakkuk is only three chapters long, and in the final chapter Habakkuk concludes his conversation with God with praise:

“Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.” – Habakkuk 3:17-19

In this final chapter there is a shift of emotion in Habakkuk. The questions are gone, Habakkuk rejoices in God’s goodness. He has moved from a place of anger and confusion to a place of faith and trust. Perplexity has been replaced with praise. Confusion has been replaced with confidence in God. Worry has been replaced with worship. Fear has been replaced with faith. Habakkuk’s strength is renewed, there is a joy in his heart and his faith is increased.

Friends, my final thought is this: In Habakkuk we have a great example of how we can trust God in every season of life. Despite how you feel, despite your circumstances, your faith in God will sustain you. God is sovereign, God is in control and He is a God who listens and responds to His people. 

Life can be a roller coaster of twists and turns, sit back and enjoy the ride, God is in control, in the presence of our struggles he has prepared a table, a table of provision and blessing. A table surrounded by His presence and power! So, I will trust, I will follow, I will walk in the steps He has ordained for me, and I will praise the name of Jesus – the Glory and the lifter of my soul! That is how I choose to fight my battles!

My Blood Issue is Cleansed

Luke 8 :40-48

I have come to understand that, as I’ve grown older, the things I thought that I fully understood, I don’t fully understand at all. There is always more to learn, no matter how much I know. The story in Luke chapter eight of the woman being healed of an issue of blood is one of those stories that I only thought I understood, until I looked again.

The facts surrounding this miracle are easy enough to understand. The woman in the story had been sick for 12 long years. She had done everything she knew to seek help. She was growing weaker every day and unless she had a miracle, she was going to die. She had reached the end of her rope and had lost all hope of receiving help.

In addition to her health issue, there was the added social and spiritual issues of her condition. Her condition labeled unclean, and she could not mix with other people. She could not attend worship, she was shunned by others because if they touched her, they too would be considered unclean. So, we must assume that she stayed to herself most of the time. She may have had friends before her condition came upon her, but now, they kept their distance.

When I read this story this week, I was reminded that all of us are born with an issue of blood. We are all born in sin, our blood is tainted by the blood of Adam. We have inherited a fallen nature. No matter how hard we try and purify ourselves, we are considered spiritually unclean; lost in the eyes of God and dead in sin. Until we come to Jesus and are born again, we are living flesh with a dead spirit that is growing weaker every day, and closer to the grave with every breath. No matter what remedies we try to revive our spirit, all our efforts are futile. There is no solution that man can offer us for our issue.

I have been there myself, and so have some of you. I tried everything that man had to offer to make me feel better: drugs, alcohol, I went everywhere and spent everything trying to feel better, but I still ended up hopeless. No man-made pleasure, no earthly remedy has the power to purify our blood. Only the blood of Jesus, and the power of the Holy Ghost can deliver us from death. Just like the woman in the story, whatever it takes, we must get to Jesus!

The woman must have heard that Jesus was coming, and a spark of hope arose in her heart! This was the Great One, the Rabbi that has the power to heal, the one who performs miracles of healing and deliverance wherever he goes! She must have thought, ‘maybe, just maybe, if I can only get to him! If only…’

I imagine as I read this story that she must have planned out her mission to the best of her ability. She would wait in the shadows, until Jesus walked by. But once there, the crowds of people everywhere, thronging him and surrounding him! I can begin to feel the cries of her heart: How will I ever break through to touch him? I am weak, sick, and unclean! If they notice me, will they stone her for trying! Even if I get to Jesus, will he even touch me publicly and cause himself to be unclean? So many questions, but there was only one answer for her desperation, she had to get to Jesus, no matter how much it cost her!

I can tell you from experience friends, you don’t know how much you need Jesus until Jesus is the only hope you have left! Everything else fades into the background of your priorities when you reach that point in your life where no one else but Jesus has the power you need!

It has been over 6 years now since I have had a drink or used any drugs. I have shared my life story openly before, so I’ll be as brief as possible. I felt the call to be a pastor when I was 14 years old. I fought it with all my might, but eventually gave in to what others told me was inevitable. I went to bible college straight out of High School and spent the next 22 years in ministry. But I never really surrendered control of my life to the Holy Ghost.

In 2007 I became very ill and required several surgeries. When all was said and done, I had become addicted to the pain medicine. I lost my church, and after 6 years of abusing drugs and alcohol, I had lost the respect of my children, and nearly lost my marriage. I was locked in hopelessness, I wanted to stop, but I didn’t know how. I had reached a point where I was cut off from almost everything and everyone. I missed the birth of my granddaughter because of my sin. That was when I said, “I must get to Jesus.”

I cried out to Jesus and told Him, I don’t have the answer Lord, I don’t know what to do, I have tried to stop but I can’t find the strength. I felt the Lord speak to me like I had only felt once before in my life: “If you will surrender your life to Me, I will give you the strength.”

I did, and Jesus has kept His promise. Clean and sober for over 6 years! I am born again of the water and the Spirit, baptized in the name of Jesus and filled with the Holy Ghost. And Jesus has even restored me to a place where I can minister to and help others.

The woman with the issue of blood finally reached Jesus and touched the hem of his garment, and her faith healed her. Because of her faith to believe and receive, the power flowed from Jesus and into her body, instantly performing the miracle that she needed. Jesus did the same for me when I finally reached out to Him, and He has done it for so many others.

That’s what God wants to do for everyone who still suffers an issue of blood! He wants to remove the burden of sin and shame, and bring you back into a right relationship with Him, and He wants us to know that it’s purely a work of faith; faith in the power of His shed blood to cleanse us; and in the power of the Holy Ghost to save us. All you need to do, is get to Jesus!

Broken

What I am about to share today may not seem to be as encouraging as I usually try to be, but I feel in my heart that this is what the Holy Ghost was saying to me this morning. And I want to say that I thank God for the church and the pastor that I serve, because what I see this in most of the church today, has not made its way into the place where I worship.

In the book of Nehemiah. The city of God, Jerusalem, is in ruins. The walls are a pile of rubble. How did God deal with this? How did God restore the ruins? Friends, I want you to understand something about Nehemiah: He was not a preacher, he was an average working man. The only thing that set Nehemiah apart from the other men of his day was that he was also a praying man. God found a man who would not just have a whim of emotion, a sudden burst of concern, and then let it die. Nehemiah initially turned down the appointment, he said "no." But then he fasted, and he prayed and sought God for a word. The Word says that he "prayed night and day."

“Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid,

And said unto the king, Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire?

Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.

And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build it.” – Nehemiah 2:1-5

Why didn’t anyone else have the answer? Why did God use someone else to restore the ruins of Jerusalem? Why didn’t they have a word from the Lord? Because there was no sign of brokenness in them! No weeping, not a word of prayer, they had no passion to pursue God for an answer, meanwhile the city of God was in ruins!

As I look around at the whole church scene today, everywhere I see ministries of the flesh. They are powerless, they have zero impact on a world that is on it's way to hell. I see the world’s music taking over the house of worship and there seems to be an obsession with entertainment, entertainment replacing the power and presence of the Holy Ghost by people who call themselves “Christians.” All over the world, the House of God is in ruins!

There is a hatred by this current generation of  discipline and correction. A pastor cannot correct any of these ‘daffodil’ saints, and if he does, they leave. Nobody wants to hear the truth of their sin anymore.

What has  happened to brokenness in the life of the believer? What has happened to brokenness in the  lives of ministry? Brokenness is a word you simply don’t hear in this age of self-indulgence.. Brokenness is a term that has disappeared from most of the church’s vocabulary. Another word for brokenness is anguish, anguish means extreme pain and distress. It describes an event when your emotions become so stirred that it is painful.

Brokenness is deeply felt pain, a inner sorrow, it is the ability to feel, and empathize with, the agony of God’s heart over the ruins of the lives of so many

So many denominations, and so called 'believers,' have held onto their big talk about revival, but they have become passive. All true passion for the lost is born out of brokenness! Without passion, all their big talk about revival is just rhetoric, it amounts to the promises of a politician - its empty! All true passion for Jesus comes out of brokenness. I f you read the Word and you already know that when God was determined to restore, He would share his own agony over what He saw happening to His people. Then God would find a praying man and he would take that man and break him until he could feel the agony of God's heart. Then when that man was broken, God anointed him to recover and restore what was ruined. That's what He did with Nehemiah, that's what he wants to do in the people of God today.

Does it matter to you today, do you weep, is there any passion in you at all over the fact that the Church, in so many places, is married to the world? It is in ruins! Does it matter to you that indifference to the principles of God seems to be sweeping our land and that holiness has become a thing of the past for so many? The church is in ruins and it is draining spiritual power. We have become blind to the spirit of the church of Laodicea, blind to the lukewarmness and the ways of the world that is creeping into the body of Christ!

That’s what the devil wants to do, he wants to deceive you into believing that I’m okay and you’re okay when nothing could be farther from the truth. The enemy wants to take the fight out of you, he wants to kill your passion for the things of God. He wants to keep you from feeling the agony of God’s heart over what is taking place in the Body of Christ. Why? So, you won’t labor in prayer anymore, you won’t weep before God anymore, so you won’t allow yourself to be broken over what breaks the heart of God. So, you can sit and watch television while your family is going to hell!

Are the words that I'm sharing getting through to you today? Is the Holy Ghost convicting you at all? There is a great difference between being broken over something and being concerned about it. Let me share with you what I feel the Holy Ghost is saying to me today, if it is not born in brokenness, if it has not been born of the Holy Spirit, when what you saw or heard hasn't driven you to your knees, if it didn't take you down to an altar and break you, if it didn't cause you to weep and pray and seek God – then you're just concerned, not broken. Until we are in agony, until we are emotionally destroyed over it, and all our ministries and projects and everything we do is driven by a passion that comes from the agony of God's heart, we are not broken over it.

Where are the Youth leaders that weep and are broken over the kids that they know are receiving the message of repentance and going to hell? You see a true prayer life begins at the place of brokenness. If you decide to set your heart on prayer, God is going to come and reveal his heart to you. And your heart begins to cry out – Oh God your name is being blasphemed, the Holy Ghost is being mocked, the enemy is out doing everything he can to destroy the testimony of God’s people. You begin to become energized and you know that something must be done.

Friends, I want to tell you what God clearly showed me today. There is going to be no renewal, no revival, no awakening, until we are willing to once again let God break us. We are living in the last days, I know you’ve heard that for years, but look around you and you can see in the light of God’s prophetic Word, time is getting short, it’s getting late and it’s getting serious.

I’m fed up with folks telling me they’re concerned, and then they spend hours in front of the television and on the internet, but they can’ find 10 minutes to pray. Come on, really? You’re concerned? There are some receiving this message today that need to find and altar and confess: “I am not what God has called me to be, I am not walking where He has called me to walk. Jesus, I don’t have your heart or your burden for a lost and dying community that I walk and live in everyday. I have become passive, I have allowed the enemy to render my ministry powerless. I wanted it life to be easy, I just wanted pleasure and happiness, but I know now Lord that true joy only comes out of brokenness. I repent and I ask you to restore to me the joy of thy salvation that I might become a testimony for the lost”

There is nothing of the flesh that will give you joy. I don’t care how rich you are, how big your house is, or that you drive an expensive car, there is absolutely nothing physical that can give you joy because joy is a fruit of the Spirit. It is only what is accomplished by the Holy ghost when you listen to His voice and obey Him and take on His heart.

Build the walls around your family, build the walls around your heart, let God make you strong and secure against the enemy. Is that the cry of your heart today? God that’s what I desire!

The Lord is My Shepherd

Friends, the one thing I want to clearly communicate to you today is that God has been so good to me! I can look back and see how the hand of God has graciously moved on my behalf. Some who know the health issues I have been facing may question the truth of what I am saying, but when I look back on my life thus far, there is no doubt that I can attest to the goodness of my God. So, today I will sing of the goodness of God.

I can identify with King David as he sings this song of praise in Psalms 23. There is no doubt in my mind that I am one of God’s sheep and Jesus is my Shepherd?

Psalms 23:1, "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want."

Are you in want for anything this morning? We live in a world of discontentment. People always “want” something. Jason Lehman wrote a poem that says it this way:

It was spring. But it was summer I wanted - The warm days, & the great outdoors.

It was summer. But it was fall I wanted - The colorful leaves, & the cool, dry air.

It was fall. But it was winter I wanted - The beautiful snow, & the joy of the holiday season.

It was winter. But it was spring I wanted - The warmth, & the blossoming of nature.

I was a child. But it was adulthood I wanted - The freedom, & the respect.

I was 20. But it was 30 I wanted - To be mature, & sophisticated.

I was middle-aged. But it was 20 I wanted - The youth, & the free spirit.

I was retired. But it was middle-age I wanted - The presence of mind, without limitations

Then my life was over, and I never got what I wanted.

People always want what they don’t have. It seems like we are never satisfied with anything for very long. But this isn’t the “want” that David wasn’t talking about. The “want” that he is talking about in the 23rd Psalm was not what he could go out and get for himself, but those things that he needs that can only come from God.

You can work hard, earn your money and then go out and buy possessions. You can buy food, clothing, cars, and homes or just about anything you need. It may not be the top of the line or the cream of the crop, but it is enough to meet your need. But money can’t buy health, it can’t buy life itself, it can’t buy peace, it can’t buy satisfaction, and it can’t buy real love. Money can’t buy the things we want most.

As we follow the Great Shepherd, it is His responsibility to supply our wants.

Psalms 23:2, "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters."

Most of us, as individual “sheep” in the Lord’s house are lying in some truly green pastures. It’s so easy to just slip into that comfort zone and become satisfied. Why move when everything seems so good right where we are?

But let me tell you a few things about sheep. Sheep are dumb animals when you get down to it. Unless their shepherd makes them move on, sheep will ruin a pasture, eating every blade of grass, until finally a fertile pasture is nothing but barren soil. Sheep are near-sighted, stubborn, and easily frightened. An entire flock can be stampeded by a jack rabbit. They have little means of defense. They’re timid, feeble creatures. Their only recourse is to run if no shepherd is there to protect them. Sheep have no homing instincts. A dog, horse, cat, or a bird can find its way home, but when a sheep gets lost, it’s a goner unless someone rescues it.

I don’t know about you, but for the last year, since I quit riding and have no dedicated ministry, I’ve felt that I had hit a real dry spell in ministry. While I knew that God’s anointing was still with me, and I knew that transitioning to something new was the will of God, it just seemed that something was missing. I can see now that all I was doing was devouring the blessings but not giving much back. I had even lost the fire to preach. I used to miss the pulpit when I faced seasons where I didn’t preach much, but that yearning to stir the anointing was missing. Do you know what happens to a sheep that isn’t productive? Have you ever heard of Lamb Chops?

So, what did Jesus, The Shepherd, do to get me moving again? He began to “stir the waters”. Things began to transpire in my life that would take me out of the green pastures and out of my comfort zone. I hope and pray that I never have to be stirred in this manner again. I pray that His Word remains a fire in my bones, and I cannot contain it – I am there again and I am thankful because I feel the blessing of His pleasure, I feel the stirring of His anointing, and I am eager to fulfill His calling again.

Psalms 23:3, "He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake."

That’s what God has been doing all along. He saved me, filled me with the Holy Ghost, gave me faith, helped me to trust in Him, and then He began to lead me in paths of righteousness that I had never walked before. God is expanding my vision, pushing me toward a new horizon, and leading me into doing things and going places that I have never been before.

The past 13 months have been some of the most faith-building, and trust-building times that I have ever faced. True enough, there have been a few times when doubt or frustration may have tried to arise, times where depression began to overtake me and I even prayed for my life in this world to be over, but through the power of the Holy Ghost, and the overwhelming presence of God, they were overcome.

There were times when I wondered if I had missed God. There were times when I even wondered if I was going to continue ministry at all. But God is faithful, I am still here, and I might add, stronger in my walk than I have ever been. I have been through the fire, my life refined to be able to bring honor and glory to Jesus.

The storm doesn’t appear to have ended yet, but I have peace during the storm. And now I believe that the storm is subsiding. I believe that Jesus has said, “Peace be still” and I can sense that the winds of adversity are lessening and the waves that seemed to be so tall are coming down. The storm is nearly over. Just a few more breezes; a few more waves; and I will see smooth seas once again. Not that all will be perfect, but I will be in those green pastures once again.\

Psalms 23:4, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

I feel that I have literally walked through the valley of the shadow of death: a serious motorcycle accident, severe illness, and most recently a stroke. In the dark days when I was confused as to why all this was going on, what would happen next, or where God would take me from here, I was in the valley. When I looked at my circumstances, I thought more than a few times, “God, I can’t survive this much longer. Yet all the while, the Shepherd was leading. He has a vision of where I was going, even if I couldn’t fully see. Despite the devil’s attempts, I remain faithful.

Psalms 23:5-6, "Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever."

I can certainly identify with David here. It wasn’t the enemies of men that I faced, but spiritual enemies from the supernatural realms. Satan’s attacks on my mind were very real. His intentions were to destroy me. He wanted to send me scattering in fear and stop the preaching of God’s Word – BUT HE HAS FAILED!

Amid the battle, God sent me a wonderful man of God who encourages me and prays for me. He sent people, brothers and sisters from my church, brothers who were not from my church, and he used them to supply my every need, emotional, physical, and spiritual. I could never thank them enough.

After everything that has happened in the past year, I can surely say that “Goodness” and “Mercy” has followed me, and will continue to follow me into the future.

I came across a song this week, ‘The Goodness of God’, and it brought me to tears as I realized what the Holy Ghost was reminding me of through the words of a song:

I love You, Lord
For Your mercy never failed me
All my days, I've been held in Your hands
From the moment that I wake up
Until I lay my head
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God

And all my life You have been faithful
And all my life You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God

I love Your voice
You have led me through the fire
And in darkest night You are close like no other
I've known You as a Father
I've known You as a Friend
And I have lived in the goodness of God, yeah!

And all my life You have been faithful, ohh
And all my life You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God, yeah!

'Cause Your goodness is running after, it's running after me
Your goodness is running after, it's running after me
With my life laid down, I'm surrendered now
I give You everything
'Cause Your goodness is running after, it's running after me, oh-ohh
'Cause Your goodness is running after, it's running after me
Your goodness is running after, it's running after me
With my life laid down, I'm surrendered now
I give You everything
'Cause Your goodness is running after, it keeps running after me

And all my life You have been faithful
And all my life You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh, I'm gonna sing of the goodness of God
I'm gonna sing, I'm gonna sing
'Cause all my life You have been faithful
And all my life You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh, I'm gonna sing of the goodness of God.

Cross the Line!

When I was in college studying to be a pastor I minored in history. I guess I still hadn’t come to grips with my calling and was hoping that I would still be able to pursue my dream of teaching. Eventually I knew that wasn’t in God’s plan. This week as I was reading a passage of scripture in 1 Samuel 17 one of the stories that I heard in class came to mind. God used that story to show me something, and today I feel led to share what God showed me.

In the year 1836, the Republic of Texas was fighting for its life after some very costly battles with the Mexican General Santa Anna. In the opening days of this campaign to reclaim Texas for Mexico, Santa Anna had to face the Texians, as they were called then, at a lonely mission outpost known as the Alamo.

Outnumbered greatly, legend says that the commander, Col. Travis drew a line on the ground with his sword and, after making a patriotic call, asked every man willing to give his life for Texas to cross that line. The same legend says that only one man did not cross the line. His name was Louis Rose and he was the one that supposedly told the story that the legend is based upon.

Within 24 hours every man who had crossed the line was dead. They had all given their best, their lives, their fortunes and their homes attempting to bring freedom from the tyranny of the Mexican Army. Their lives were given for a cause that was great and a cause they deemed more important than life itself.

In the Old Testament book of I Samuel, chapter 17 we can read of the account of David and Goliath. It’s a story that all of us are familiar with but I want to call your attention to verse 29.

"And David said, ‘What have I now done? Is there not a cause?’" – 1 Samuel 17:29

David’s own brothers were angry with him because he was shaming them for having run from Goliath and the army of the Philistines. Some had told David that he should be at home keeping the sheep and leave the fighting to real men, but that didn’t deter David. He knew that Israel was God’s chosen nation and that his God was real and would not fail. David’s cause wasn’t so much to defeat Goliath, or to protect Israel, his cause was to serve his God and fight against all who would mock the God of Israel.

Friends, we too are fighting a battle for freedom. Our great cause is the freedom and deliverance of men, women and youth who will face eternal damnation and the prison of hell if we don’t win this battle. Jesus has drawn a line in the sand, spiritually speaking, and has asked, “Who will step across that line and give your all to win the war against sin?”

"Therefore, said he unto them, the harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth laborers into his harvest. Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way." – Luke 10:2-4

Over 2000 years ago Jesus sent his disciples into the world with the words above. And today Jesus is still seeking to send those who will cross the line and commit their all to setting the captives free. Those who cross the line must realize that there is a price to pay for victory. It will mean either victory or death for there can be no surrender. To surrender in the war against sin is the same as death for the penalties are the same. The devil takes no prisoners. His job is to steal, kill and destroy and don’t ever forget it.

I want to remind you that once the men of the Alamo had crossed that line it meant either win or die and when David crossed that valley to meet Goliath head to head, he knew it was either win or die. I believe that the men of the Alamo knew death was certain, but they chose to die in the fight rather than give up and live a life of mediocrity.

David knew that God would not allow Goliath to win and had faith in the victory. I’m not so sure that David knew he would live or not, but he committed his life and his faith into God’s hands and trusted God for the victory.

When we cross the line and commit our lives to Jesus, we must understand that there is no turning back. It’s a do or die battle to the end. We must put our trust and faith in God for the outcome. Like David, we must realize that in the end, no matter what happens, victory is ours. We must also have the same heart felt commitment as the defenders of the Alamo, knowing that even if we die physically, our life is nothing compared to the greater cause of winning souls and making Heaven our home for eternity.

If we are to join this battle for souls in God’s army, we must realize a few facts from the verses in Luke 10:2-4.

First, we are vastly outnumbered. There are far more unsaved than there are saved in the world. If you were to look around you and realize that only a few of the people you know are going to Heaven and understand that most of them will spend eternity in hell, it’s a sobering thought.

There are few people, who call themselves Christian, that are concerned about lost souls. Most people in our churches are too self-centered to worry about others. Thank God for those who are concerned and who are doing all they can to reach out to those who need Jesus.

"Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." – 1 John 4:4

That’s the good news that I must share with you. You may be outnumbered but you are still stronger because Jesus resides inside us. His will is that we spread the gospel to a lost world. You are always walking in the Lord’s will to witness and testify to God’s saving grace and mercy through the shed blood of Jesus.

Second, we must realize that laboring in the field of God’s harvest is not going to be easy. Not only will you be trying to reach souls who refuse to hear your message, but you will also have to face demonic power to reach them. Satan won’t go away without a fight.

How many times have we seen people who repented of their sin, were baptized in Jesus name, and prayed through to the Holy Ghost, and yet a few months later we find them right back in their old lifestyle? Satan won’t stop trying to keep those that have served him for so long. Thank God that Jesus has the last word! No soul who, really wants to serve Jesus, can be stopped by the powers of hell.

Third, not only will people refuse your ministry and the devil will try and stop you, but we must realize that the field is hot and dry – It’s just plain hard work. Ask any pastor, missionary, evangelist, or anyone who spreads the gospel and they will all tell you that it’s not easy. Some may have to endure great pain and hardships. Others may have to endure great persecution from the unbelievers. Others will be required to give up everything to answer the call to some foreign land. Each of us, whether in our nation or a foreign nation will have our own burdens to bear.

No matter how hard the battle gets or how tired we are from the work of the harvest, we must press on! The cause is too great to stop. Jesus will make a way of escape from every trial and He will give us the grace to withstand every hardship.

Finally, we must realize that we are being sent forth as sheep among wolves, in harm’s way. Jesus told His disciples that they would face persecution and even death in the course of their duties. We are not exempt from those same circumstances.

We don’t need to worry about what path is there, just walk it. We don’t need to worry about providing for the necessities of life for Jesus has promised to take care of the things we need. If he feeds the birds, clothes the flowers, causes the rain to fall on dry ground, what makes us think that he can’t handle our financial, physical, or emotional needs? I will step out as a defenseless sheep, into a world of wolves, because He is my strong and mighty tower! He is my refuge and my strength! It is not in my strength that this battle will be won, it is His strength.

Has God called you to a ministry? If He has, be a man or woman of God and cross the line! Stick to it and do your ministry with all your might! Do it with joy, with thanksgiving for an opportunity to serve Jesus and others, knowing that you in God’s will. Do it quickly and without fail knowing that souls are hanging in the balance.

God hasn’t saved us to enjoy a life of perfect ease or for a bed of roses. He saved us by His grace, washed us in the blood of Jesus, lifted us out of the miry clay, and filled us with the Holy Ghost and commissioned us, "…Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature."

The United States Marines have a slogan that says, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” 

I pray God that every one of you, and every Christian in God’s army would have that same motto. So, what, if things are tough, get tougher than the circumstances. If you get knocked down, discouraged, bruised in the fight, and fall do like one speaker that heard say, “If you must get knocked down, fall on your back. That way you can still reach up and punch the devil in the nose while you are getting back on your feet!”

I get so tired of those who are in ministry who have no time or energy for their ministry. If you don’t have enough vision to get in there and fight, then either get down on your knees and pray for a new vision or get out of the way and let someone else who will.

There are no acceptable excuses for not being in place for the battle. If you are a preacher, preach! If you are a singer, sing! If you are a youth leader, then lead by example, not by word! How can we ever expect to win people to Christ, if all we are ever concerned about is our own little world?

There are people all around us, thousands, millions of people who have been taken captive. They are behind enemy lines. Trapped in all kinds of bondages: Drugs, alcohol, depression, loneliness, and every kind of human depravity imagineable. They are enslaved by the devil. Some of them are aware of their need to be freed, others are so deceived they cannot see the chains that bind them, but nonetheless, they are bound.

There is a great need for God’s people to cross the line and deliver the gospel of freedom, an urgent need for those who are filled with the Holy Ghost to bring them a message of liberty. We must answer the call that has been sounded by the ‘Lord of the harvest.’

I know their need, because I have lived behind enemy lines in chains. I was bound by drugs and alcohol. I yearned to be free from that bondage, but I didn’t think I would ever be free of it. Until the Lord sent a man into my life who was filled with the Holy Ghost. He crossed the line for me, he took a risk for me, and he loved me into the Kingdom of God. Thank God, Nathan was relentless! Now it’s my turn to cross the line for the lost.

Yes, I know the battle is hot. I know the way is hard. I know the world doesn’t want to hear your message. I know it requires a lot of inconvenience. I know it requires a great commitment. But I also know that Jesus is my Lord. Jesus saved me, I am baptized in His name, filled with the Holy Ghost, and anointed me with the power of the Gospel. Now I have a job to do, so, I am crossing the line! Are you with me?

You Are My Rescue Story

Psalms 13

1 How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? Forever? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me?

2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?

3 Consider and hear me, O Lord my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;

4 Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved.

5 But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.

6 I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.

I have been suffering some serious health issues over the past year or so. It has even, at times, kept me from writing this article every week. Not because I was feeling sorry for myself, although at times I have been, but because I was just too sick to do anything. Then 3 weeks ago, on top of it all, I suffered a mild stroke which left me unable to type with both hands. I have to admit I found myself quoting a verse from Psalms 13, “How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? Forever? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me?”

Friends, I don’t know why the Lord put this word on my heart this morning but I suspect that there are several others that are asking the same questions I have been asking. How long will I have to tolerate this? How long will God let this happen in my life? How long before I get my breakthrough?

When David wrote these words, he sat in solitude in a cave. Saul was seeking his life. This is a man after God’s own heart was going through a time of suffering in his life that seemed like it would never end. Samuel had already anointed him King, but David was feeling that God had forgotten him. He was feeling that God had abandoned him.

I do not need to be reminded, nor do I need to remind you, that we are not promised an end to trouble? Sometimes we think that we have it all figured out. We’ll grow up, get married, have children, get a house, and live healthy and happily ever after. Then, it seems to us, life shows up. Sickness comes along and takes you for a ride, finances disappear, relationships disappoint, or your children turn their back on God. You are hurt, frustrated, discouraged, you feel alone, you’re angry, and you are starting to get bitter.

You have rebuked it, claimed it, cast it out, laid hands on it, you’ve done everything you know how to do, and still there is no breakthrough in sight. You’re at the breaking point and finally you say, “How long, O Lord, wilt thou forget me? Forever?”

We all have troubles in life, struggles, trials, especially those who truly serve God. It’s going to rain sometime in your life. “How Long?” David asks this question four times in this Psalm. Asking the same question four times shows the level of his frustration, and his intense desire for relief and deliverance.

David was a mighty man of God, a warrior, and a man after God’s own heart. But he was subject to the same despair that we feel when things were going awry in his life. Look how many times David lamented to the Lord for relief:

“My soul is in anguish. How long, O LORD, how long?” – Psalm 6:3

“O Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue my life from their ravages, my precious life from these lions.” – Psalm 35:17

“We are given no miraculous signs; no prophets are left, and none of us knows how long this will be. 10 How long will the enemy mock you, O God? Will the foe revile your name forever? 11 Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand? Take it from the folds of your garment and destroy them!” – Psalm 74:9-11

“O LORD God Almighty, how long will your anger smolder against the prayers of your people?” – Psalm 80:4

"How long will you defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked? Selah” – Psalm 82:2

“How long, O LORD? Will you hide yourself forever? How long will your wrath burn like fire?” – Psalm 89:4

“How long will the wicked, O LORD, how long will the wicked be jubilant?” – Psalm 94:3

“How long must your servant wait? When will you punish my persecutors?” – Psalm 119:84

Will You forget me forever? David had been promised a kingdom. He must have been asking, “Hey God, what happened? You brought me this far, have you now abandoned me?”

If we were looking at this for the first time we might say, "Come on David, Can God forget?" The truth is we’ve all said the same thing at some point in our life. People say this. Churches say this. Pastors say this, etc.

David asked how long God’s face would be hidden from him. This is a picture of hopelessness. He is accusing God of deliberately turning away. As if God were playing some cruel joke on him. He was accusing God of not caring about his suffering. The phrase, ‘hide your face from me’, denotes divine displeasure or even punishment.

He was doing the same thing that we do; David was wrestling with his thoughts. I can’t win. I can’t even help myself. There are questions in these times that we all ask: Does God Forget? Is He concerned? Does He know? Is God fair? Where is the justice? Why do the unsaved seem happy? 

What were some of the thoughts going through David’s head? What are the thoughts going through your heads? Why God? Your Word promises us security. How can we be secure when we are surrounded by such uncertainty?

David moves from Complaint to Intercession. His Complaints turn to prayer: Psalm 13:3, “Look on me and answer, O LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death;”

God wants our attention. Sometimes God strips us from our physical comfort so He can get our spiritual attention. David’s prayer was for understanding, for God’s enlightenment. This takes our eyes off ourselves to see what God sees. Only God can save. If He does not intervene, David will die. He wants to see God’s ways. God’s ways are higher. "Let me see your way."

David moves from Intercession to trust. Psalm 13:5, “But I trust in your unfailing love;”

"But" – even though; David remembers that he trusted before and found God faithful, he is going to trust again. Trust is not easy, it requires faith. We must remember, God rescued before, God never changes, He will not leave you in the pit, count your blessings, praise Him from the pit, and God will rescue again. The fruit of prayer, the natural result of praise, is confidence in God.

The Writer of Lamentations writes:

“Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. My soul hath them still in remembrance and is humbled in me. This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.” – Lamentations 3:21-25

The Christian life is about trusting an unseen God to do the impossible. David moves from trust to praise. "My heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me."

David is thankful for salvation, even if nothing else. Notice that his situation did not change a bit, but he remembered, God has been good to me.

One thing that touches me more than anything, and the Lord knows this, is music. I have committed to God that I will not listen to the world’s music. I only listen to Christian music. God uses music to minister to me, sometimes in ways that nothing else can. This week while I was alone, feeling poorly and lamenting that God had not yet changed my current circumstances despite my many prayers a song came on the radio, “Rescue Story.”

There I was empty-handed

Crying out from the pit of my despair

There You were in the shadows

Holding out Your hand You met me there

And now where would I be without You?

Where would I be Jesus?

You were the voice in the desert

Calling me out in the dead of night

Fighting my battles for me

You are my rescue story

Lifted me up from the ashes

Carried my soul from death to life

Bringing me from glory to glory

You are my rescue story

You are, You are

You are my rescue story

You are, You are

You were writing the pages

Before I had a name

Before I needed grace, oh

Singing songs of redemption

'Cause every time I ran away

You were louder than my shame

And now where would I be without You?

Where would I be, Jesus?

As I listened to the words that I had heard before, but that never really captured my attention until that moment, tears began to roll down my face. I began to realize that everything God has already done for me was enough.

I am saved, baptized in the name of Jesus, and filled with the Holy Ghost. If God never moves on my behalf again, though I have faith that He will, He rescued me from the pit of Hell and saved me! And that’s enough, it’s more than enough, and more than I deserved!