Sunday, June 29, 2008

So, You Don't Know Enough

The Lord is an easy employer. Simply put, no experience necessary, just show up for work. When it comes to ministry in any venue (witnessing, teaching, preaching, etc.) most regular church members feel very inadequate. They may have gone to church all their lives, but still don't feel "qualified" to do certain "jobs". But the problem is theirs, not God's. He makes it easy on everyone, just show up. The Psalmist said it this way, speaking for God, "Open your mouth wide and I will fill it." Don't know what to say, just open your mouth wide and trust God to supply the words. Even on the day of Pentecost, when the 120 in the upper room received God's power from on high, the scripture says, "They spoke as the the Holy Spirit gave the words."

When Peter went to Cornelius' house (a gentile!) to preach the gospel to him, he reports to the leaders in Jerusalem, "As I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell..." Not to hard, huh? Just step up in obedience and open your mouth. What if nothing comes? It will. What if nothing happens? It will. What if things go bad? By whose judgment? Just show up for work.

And get this, God pays good wages! "I wish above all things that you may prosper..." Or try this, "God gives seed to the sower and bread to eat." Just gets better, doesn't it?!

So just show up for work, and give it a try. If nothing happens, you're cool. But I guarantee, something will happen.

Be blessed.

Friday, June 27, 2008

Waiting on the Lord

"For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him. " Isaiah 64:4

Today, I am reminded of the importance of waiting on God. Waiting is an interesting term in Bible parlance. Rather than just waiting around, it means to sit in God's presence, lifting up praise from our hearts (not necessarily our mouths), and letting him know that you are waiting on him and with him. Not impatiently, just waiting. Letting God know that to be in his presence is the most important thing in your life. Waiting can happen in silence, in private, while you are working around the house or the yard. It can happen in the middle of the night when you are awakened, either by God or just because you can't sleep. Often nothing happens, no words are heard, no directions are given. To judge by this world's judgment, it seems to be a waste of time. People have said to me, "I waited before the Lord and nothing happened." But trust me, something is happening, something not measurable by this world.

God says he has something prepared for those who wait for him, wait with him, wait on him. And at the "oddest times" we know something, or say something, or do something out of the ordinary which is a blessing for those around us and ourselves. It comes from waiting with the Lord, waiting in his presence. You should try it.

"Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God." 1 Corinthians 2:12.

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Decree A Thing

Job 22:28 says, "Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy way." What a powerful verse. It reminds me of Paul writing about Abraham in Romans 4 where he says of God that he calls those things that be not as though they were. The very strong implication is that Abraham, like God, called those things that be not as though they were. At any rate, his faith was such that he called the plan of God into existence.

My sister-in-law's worship minister and his wife have just had twins born at 27 weeks (3 months early). They are very small and one has some complications, or rather a situation that could result in complications. They don't have any hope from the doctors. (Thank God that hope springs eternal from our loving heavenly father!) You should read his blog here. And from there, read the later updates. Here is a young man and his wife who have decreed a thing -- a big thing! (As a grandfather of 3 healthy preemies (one with a type 4 brain bleed), I am decreeing with him!)

One can be a beggar when it comes to needing from God. Or he can search the scripture to find what God says about his situation, then begin to "decree" the word of God. To decree a thing may be new to you, but it would be worth your while to check it out. Sometimes we pray about things that God has already established, when instead we need to decree those things in our lives; cf. healing, prosperity, joy, authority, etc.

So check out the Word of God, and begin to decree. Satan really doesn't want you to, and God does. Hmmm.......

Saturday, June 21, 2008

An Anomaly

It is a strange world. Just about the time you think you have some things figured out, there comes a strange phenomenon. England is not a particularly Christian nation, though some very fine Christians live there. In fact, you can expect some very sordid things to come out of England. There is on cable a BBC America channel. Now most everything on TV nowadays is not very Christian or fails to hold up high morals, and this channel is one of the worst. In the midst of a terrible TV lineup, and especially coming from England, is this one-hour series called "Robin Hood." It is such a clean hour that kids of any age can watch it without having to cover their eyes or ears. The show is squeaky clean, yet very well done as TV series go.

Robin Hood holds up all the great morals that you want to teach your children. There is a rule in his camp, "No killing unless absolutely necessary." And those killings which must occur are not at all gruesome, in fact, sometimes the act is not shown. The sheriff, though quite evil, still does not speak foul words. It is overall a very wholesome show. One that I highly recommend. Robin is extremely compassionate and forgiving. He takes time to care about his 'men' and others.

Who would have guessed. From England comes a very clean, moral, encouraging series that any Christian can watch and be proud of. If you have an hour on Saturday evenings at 8pm Central, tune in. You will be quite surprised -- I was.

An Effort to Encourage

This is a new blog for me. The blog that concerns my everyday life is Gary's Thoughts. The purpose of this blog, Victory Ground, is to bring little tidbits of life encouragements. I hope to be able to stir you, encourage you, exhort you, console you -- and just overall, to bless you. Feel free to comment about what I say. You can disagree or even queston me about things. I will do my best to answer.

This blog will eventually be connected to our ministry website: victoryground.com. That site is not up and ready for view, but when it is, you will be able to get some teaching helps, etc. It is presently being developed -- with you in mind, as they say. I will announce when it is ready for viewing on both of my blogs.