Wrestling with the Word of God

 Have you ever wrestled with the word of God? You read Bible truth, but your experience and your prayers  resulted in a different reality. You wrestled with God over His word. What He promised He would do it appeared He did not do. You did mental gymnastics trying to  reason your way through the discrepancy of your experience and God's truth. Does God keep His word? Is He a promise keeper or a promise breaker you may have wondered? These are legitimate questions. 

Is there one single verse in the Bible that is not true? Can people really stand on God's word and His assurances to us? Have you ever wrestled with the word of God?

You may read verses like Matt 7:7-8. You may have asked, sought, and knocked, but you did not receive, you did not find, and the door was not opened for you. Maybe you  read and prayed Mark 11:23-24, but your mountain did not move. You might have read Jn 14:14 and asked in Jesus name, but you did not receive what you asked for? There are multiple other verses that could be cited and the out comes be the same. What is the answer? Is it some preacher double talk making excuses for God's failures? Is there some other insight that has not been considered?

Walk with God long enough and you will come upon an experience when it appears God did not keep His word. What do you do then? John the Baptist faced such a moment. He doubted Jesus was the Messiah. He sent people to get an answer to his question. Jesus answered in a mysterious way that the blind received their sight, the lame walked, but blessed are those who did not stumble on account of Him. To put that another way, Jesus responded by saying blessed is the person who does not understand Him, but trusts and follows Him anyway. 

There is a tiny part of many Christians who read God's word and apply it in prayer while thinking they know the best way for God to answer. They figure out in their minds the way they think God ought to work to give them the desired result. Be very careful and repentant if such thinking enters your mind. You are in essence saying, "God I know how to run the affairs of my life better than you do." That is blasphemous. Sovereign God knows what He is doing. There will be many times when it appears He failed and let His people down. Trust Him anyway. 

I cite two old testament and one new testament example. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers and eventually put in prison for a false accusation by a lustful woman, whom Joseph rejected her sexual advances. Sitting in prison recalling his freedom, it must have felt like God failed him. Fast forward. In one day God promoted Joseph from prison to the palace second in command over the land. God did that to preserve His covenant people Israel from perishing in a drought. That would not have happened if Joseph did not get sold into slavery. 

After Joseph died and Pharaoh died, another ruler reigned in Egypt. When he saw the swelling population of Israel he feared. The people of Israel became slaves. Generation after generation begged God for deliverance but still died slaves. Did they feel God let them down? Eventually God raised Moses to deliver them from their bondage. It seemed like God was not keeping His word to Abraham about making him the father of a great nation. In reality, God kept His word. During the slavery years, the Israelites multiplied into millions of people. It was then that God brought them out slavery in miraculous fashion as a whole nation of people. God did just what He promised Abraham He would do. 

In Acts 8, after Stephen was stoned to death, persecution hit the church. This caused Christians to scatter to the surrounding regions outside of Jerusalem. Saul was arresting Christian men and women and hauling them to prison. It did not appear that what God promised in Luke 24:49 and Acts 1:8 were true. The reality was God scattered His people so the gospel could be taken to Judea, Samaria, and the far parts of the world. God kept His word after all. 

You may wrestle with God's word compared to your experience. You only see in part while God always sees the whole picture. He knows what He is doing, and therefore can be trusted. In your wrestling with the word of God, put this in the back of your mind. You only see part of the puzzle with several key pieces missing. You cannot make out the whole picture from your vantage point. God holds those missing pieces and knows WHERE and WHEN to place them in the puzzle so that it makes sense and it glorifies Him. Don't judge God too hastily or harshly. You just have not seen the full picture yet. Give God time and watch what He does. He will always vindicate His faithfulness when given time. 

The Steadfast of Mind

 The longer I walk with the Lord the more I see the need to win the battles in the mind. I believe Satan attacks there most. He is constantly assaulting our thoughts planting toxic doubts, depression, and disillusionments there. He is relentless in those attacks. You could be having a great week, and then one thought along with dwelling on that thought could send you on a tail spin. Your faith cracks. Doubts creep in crowding out hope in the God who loves you. 

When those thoughts are accompanied by confusing circumstances, multiple why questions, and crushing crippling criticisms that God has failed and abandoned you it is easy to live with turbulent thoughts. None of those things are true, but the enemy can wreak havoc in the mind to make us believe they are. These are not one time skirmishes with the father of lies. They are ongoing battles. Where do we go for help?

A little verse in Is 26:3 may help. The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace because he trusts in You. NASU  The word steadfast in this verse means the one who is supported and upheld. This does not mean through our own efforts we trudge ahead. It means we rest in God and are reminded God holds us no matter what we are going through. Sooner or later we all face things too difficult for us to bear. Things that are too heavy to carry, too painful to endure , too complicated to solve, and too massive to move. In those times, our steadfast mind must remember God is our support and help. 

The word keep means God will watch and guard us. Like a lifeguard at the beach watching ocean swimmers. He is always on the alert scanning for those who get in trouble. So is God watching us. He never sleeps. He never gets distracted. We need to remember this when the enemy sows toxic thoughts in us and our lives get topsy turvy. 

He keeps us in perfect peace. That means He keeps us in complete sound security. Why? Because we trust Him. We have confidence in Him. We keep our faith in Him. We believe He will always be there for us. No matter what we are facing. No matter how difficult life gets. The result of our trust is that God keeps us in perfect peace as we are steadfast in our minds. 

What does that mean? When life is chaotic and out of control, we can still rest in God in perfect safety and sanity of mind. When the crisis comes over and over again to the point we entertain the thought we can't take anymore, those who remember God supports us are able to reign in our wild runaway thoughts. When the tragedies come no matter how grievous, those who are steadfast in their mind have a firm foundation. When the storms blow so hard our thoughts begin to drift, the steadfast in mind find an anchor resulting in perfect peace. May the Lord strengthen and encourage troubled hearts with this word today. 

Travailing

 The word travail is defined as painful and laborious effort. That describes the kind of praying it takes to give birth to miraculous moves of God. The kind of heart, soul, and passion poured out before God. The only thing to liken it to is a mother giving birth to a child. There are tremendous labor pains and excruciating effort before the bundle of joy comes. 

This kind of prayer is taxing. It requires time, focus, perseverance, and gut wrenching agony in the kind of fervent petitioning that moves mountains, changes circumstances, and calls the things that are not into existence. It is a rare form of prayer among the pew dwellers. It cannot be accomplished in a few short minutes. Time becomes irrelevant in travailing intercession. A person will get lost in the presence of God losing track of time. Burdens will be unloaded and new ones will be planted from God about the things that break His heart. 

Just like a baby is conceived and then must grow to maturity before birth comes, so with some answers to prayer. Some answers come quickly. People love it when that happens. Other answers are delayed until God's perfect timing and plan unfold. This season of waiting is necessary just like it is necessary for the embryo to become a fetus and eventually a baby. God's answers will not come one second earlier than He intends. Some prayers linger in the ears of God. He does not always give us what we want. Many times we do not know what is best. The waiting period can seem long and drawn out. 

Then the time comes to travail. The answer is close at hand. The agony of such travailing times are not pleasant. In these times, faith is tested. Resolve is proved. Perseverance is required. The end result of all that is the long sought after answer. This is where God is glorified. Where His people get to testify of the great things He did. When the tangible answer is visible for all to see and enjoy. 

Sadly, some never get to this point. They give up too soon. The quit travailing, quit believing, cease hoping, and lose heart. How many millions of prayers were not answered that God intended to, because His people failed to travail long enough to give birth to the answer. Let us travail until we see God work for His glory. He is glorified when He does impossible, improbable, and implausible things. He is able. He is reliable. He is undeniably powerful. Let us travail until the miracle answer comes. 

Another Funeral

 I'm grieved today. Saddened by another death and another funeral. Don't get me wrong. I am not grieving the death of a person. I'm grieving the death of a church. To be more accurate, the death of multiple churches. I read a sobering statistic that in one denomination alone 900 churches close their doors every year. It is sad. 

I think about the excitement among the people who started those churches. With great hopes and optimism they felt the call of God to begin their church. A handful of charter members dreamed God's dream to start a Bible believing church. They prayed, sacrificed, and labored to see those churches established. People were saved. Ministries were started. Facilities were built. All with such high hopes. I bet not one person ever dreamed a day would come when the doors would shut forever. God is not glorified when that happens. 

Sadly, I have been a part of two such churches. Both of them were churches Brenda and I started. Both started with great enthusiasm and high hopes. In the end, both fizzled in finances and effectiveness. I walked away from both of those churches with a symbolic imaginary "F" stamped on my forehead standing for failure. I often wonder why we ever felt called to those tasks when God knew beforehand they would not succeed. 

Churches die for many reasons. The primary reason is that they forget the main thing. Go make disciples. When churches lose that primary vision of making disciples who go and make other disciples, that congregation will die a slow death. Members will age. Younger families will not come and take on roles of leadership. People retire. The finances dwindle. The facilities show wear and tear. There is no longer a volunteer base to lead different ministries. If no new disciples are reached, the church will not survive. 

It's tragic and a bad reflection on God. What does the closure of a church communicate to a community? That God was not strong enough to sustain His work? That people were not committed enough to keep the work alive? Neither bring glory to God. 

I mentioned earlier that one denomination reported 900 churches closing each year. I also read another report that estimates there are as high as 15,000 churches shutting down across denominational lines in North America in 2025. It is tragic. I spent a great deal of time praying about it this morning how I can be a part of helping. For years I carried a burden for church planting. I still believe there is a need for that in places. I think there is an equal or greater need to replant and revitalize dying churches. I have done both. Planting and replanting churches are both hard. In my opinion, replanting is harder and more strategic. 

It is harder because of traditions, bad church history, bad past leadership, and people are set in their ways. Yet, one advantage is established churches has facility that already exists. One of the great challenges of church planting is finding a place to meet. In our church planting efforts, we met in a student building on a college campus, two different school cafeterias, a football stadium, a daycare, a warehouse, and a living room. Finding space for a new church is always a challenge. If thousands of churches are closing the doors, then thousands of places already exist. These spaces could be available  if someone is willing to do the prayerful and hard work to see them revitalized. 

I pray God raises people who catch a burden and call from God to go alone beside a dying church to trust God to revive them. It will take brave warriors who are filled with faith unphased by the many challenges. What glory God will get when the trend changes When hundreds and thousands of churches are saved from closing their doors. God will always get more glory for reviving a church than for one dying. That is a funeral I hope to avoid in the future. 

The Prerequisite of Prayer

 Wherever you see a great move of God, know for sure that prayer preceded that move. We must have the prerequisite of prayer before we see God do powerful things. We must prayerfully plow to turn over the soil of petrified hearts, wayward hearts, sinful hearts, apathetic hearts, and hypocritical hearts. We have plenty of programs. Programs have not produced the power of God. We have personalities. Churches are filled with personalities who use their charisma to minister, but that does not mean they are empowered by God. 

I long for the power and presence of God right here in Fritch, TX. I know there is more. So much more than routine services. So much more than religious routines. So much more than going through the motions week after week. So much more than swapping church members with other churches. There is evangelism, spiritual awakening, revival, times of refreshing, and the people of God turning in repentance. There is more. 

I had an experience in 1995 that changed my life. A revival was going on in Pensacola, FL and a couple invited me to drive them from east Texas to the revival paying all my expenses. I could not pass up that opportunity. I had heard about that revival. I was not prepared for what I experienced. We arrived on the church property around 4:00 p.m. Hundreds of people were standing in line waiting for the doors to open for the service at 6:00 p.m. When I say hundreds, I mean close to one thousand people. The next day we showed up much earlier. 

Months later I took several members from our church. We drove through the night and got to the church property at 6:00 a.m. Dozens of people were already waiting in line prepared to stay there for 12 hours until the doors opened. It was in August in Florida. That meant hot summer temperatures and high humidity. We endured and it was well worth it. They opened the doors at 6:00 p.m. and the 2,500 seat sanctuary filled up in minutes. The worship was intense. The preaching was hard and biblical. The invitation was like a wave rolling onto the beach. Hundreds upon hundreds ran to the altar. Some to be saved, some to repent, and others to receive prayer. There were sights that I will never forget. It created a hunger that I have not shaken in 30 years. 

I yearn and hunger for God to do it again right here. Right here in the Panhandle of Texas. Up here in the big country. In this small community. In this small church. In all the churches. In this remote part of Texas. We must have God. I am hungry. More hungry for this than I have been to see God move in a very long time. 

There is a lot of plowing in prayer that must take place first. Prayer has to precede the coming move of God. Private prayer. Groups praying together. Praying in worship services. Pastors praying together. May prayer permeate the culture to turn back the darkness and precede the glorious moving of God.   

Siren Warning

 I was seated at my desk when a piercing emergency siren warning pierced my ears. It serves to warn people about tornadoes or other natural disasters are coming. It is a perfectly clear day here, so my guess is it was just a test to make sure the siren is in working order. Prepared for another day when such a sound would not be a test, but rather a warning about impending danger. 

Consider this post a siren warning. While people may go about each day as business as usual, I intend to sound the siren warning that it will not always be this way. We approach with each passing day when planet earth will enter into the end times. Seven years of great tribulation. Seven years where God will pummel earth with judgment stacked on top of judgment. Millions will be killed at one time. A new world government will come on the scene. One world ruler will rise identified as the antichrist. He will be ruled by Satan and will punish any Christian who does not bow in allegiance to Satan. Those who resist will be executed. 

That is not even the worst of it. The worst awaits those who never turn to Jesus in repentance and cry out to Him for salvation. The full fury of God will be poured out on those unrepentant. They will be condemned to eternal torture and torment in fiery hell. In utter darkness, in the bottomless pit, and suffering from eternal fire. It will be beyond imaginable suffering. It will not relent or lessen for eternity. For endless ages. 

That fate is coming. History is winding up to the end. Be forewarned. Heed it before it is too late. 

Prelude to Revival

 The burden is heavy. Deep seeded. A weight carried night and day. One that drives me to the prayer room. One that just compelled me to go into the sanctuary to pray some more. A yearning greater than I can put into words. To want to see the power and presence of God poured out in this church, the churches of this town, and through this community. 

Revival does not come without a cost. I'm not talking about a revival meeting where a church sets aside a few days with a guest preacher. The revival I yearn to see is much deeper. It is not scheduled. God sends it when He chooses. It could last weeks, months, and in some cases even years. A prelude to revival will always be a praying people. Prayer meetings are nearly extinct in so many places. We began Sunday night prayer meetings here a few months ago. I did not expect God would send revival right away. I know the soil of this church and community must be plowed through prayer for months or maybe years before such a move of God comes. 

There are many factors that contribute to revival. Yes, prayer must precede revival. There also has to be repentance. The people of God must be cleansed of sin. Repentance is not high on the priorities of many churches these days. It does not tickle the ears of this entertainment driven church age. The message of repentance will thin the crowds attending. Repentance has never been a popular message and never will be for that matter. It is needed. The people of God must turn from their wicked ways if they ever hope to see a real move of God. Another factor necessary for revival, is the people must hunger for God and His move among them. A hunger than transcends all other desires. A hunger that compel people to fast and pray. 

You could travel far and wide not finding churches where the people really pray, take repentance seriously, and really hunger for God to move powerfully. I think the results are self evidence. I was recently in a meeting with church consultants where they stated 90% of churches are plateaued or declining in attendance. This is a sure sign that God is not moving powerfully in the majority of congregations. I think people are content for it to be this way. Churches do not seem desperate enough to really have earnest corporate prayer meetings. When is the last time you heard of a church having a service devoted exclusively to repentance? Is repentance needed in the church today? Sure it is. When it comes to hunger, I say there are as many churches filled with people who hunger to see their children or grandchildren succeed in sports as they do to see God work powerfully in their lives, congregations, or communities. 

As long as those trends continue, there will not be great moves of God among us. I cannot accept that for the rest of my life. I know there is more. Much more. I have experienced it and I carry the burden to experience it again. Revival does not come just by wishing for it or reading a book about it. When the people of God get serious about meeting the requirements as stated in II Chronicles 7:14, God will get serious about working in transformational ways. 

There is always a prelude to revival. I'm on the front end of that here in Fritch, TX. Fritch, TX made the national news a couple of years ago with wild fires that destroyed over 200 homes. I pray for the day this community will make the national news again for the spiritual fire of God spreading through the churches here and through the whole Panhandle region. Prayer, repentance, and hunger must perseveringly come first. 

Wonder Working Power

 There is a lot of talk about the power of God. Rightly so. It is an awesome jaw dropping power. Only trouble is so few people really experience that power. There are hundreds of thousands of preachers in the United States. How many preach with the wonder working power of God? I certainly do not feel like I do, though I long for it. I preach the majority of time without results. The altar is barren Sunday after Sunday. I think that scene is replicated in worship centers across America. 

Where is the wonder working power of God? It does not come from reading books and gaining more intellectual faith. It does not come from sitting in academic classrooms. The wonder working power of God comes from one place. The secret place. The prayer room. Time spent there shut up to God is where what the Bible calls the anointing is born. This fresh anointing does not come without secret supplications. Only God knows how long that will take. 

We seem content without the wonder working power. I am not. I've tasted it. I saw the wonder working power of God in Seminole, TX back in 2010. God displayed that power. We experienced things that have been seared into my soul for 15 years. We saw the wonder working power of God at times weekly, and in one special season, we saw it nightly for weeks. Salvations. Deliverance from sin. Repentance. Brokenness. Revival. 

Since that summer I was forever changed. I can never be content with going  through the motions preaching again. No matter how many lifeless services I endure, no matter how many sermons I pour my out in preaching with no visible results, I know the power of God is wondrous. I know the power of God works in ways beyond explanation. I know God can do more in days with His power than I can ever do in my strength in decades. 

I can't explain why there is such a lack of power of God in the land. I can't even explain the lack of power in my own life. The Lord knows I sure pray. I pray a lot. Maybe I need to pray more. Maybe others need to pray more. I don't have answers. I just have a longing for the wonder working power of God. 

At the end of the day, it is the sovereign choice of God to anoint whom He wants. I long for Him to anoint me. I'm not out trying to make a name for myself. Certainly not trying to climb the ladder of success. I just want to be a vessel in the hands of God. An instrument of God's wonder working power. All I know to do is to keep praying. To keep pleading for more power. To remain faithful to preach the word of God without compromise or cowardice. I have to leave the results up to Him. Will you pray for your church and pastor for the fresh anointing of God to flow and the wonder working power of God to be on full display week after week. May we live to see those days ushered in again. 

What Do You Want Me to Do for You?

 Jesus asked that question to blind Bartimaeus in Mark 10:51. Bartimaeus, who was blind, did not hesitate to respond that he wanted to receive his sight. That was a very specific answer to Jesus' question. He boldly responded. 

Think about the way we pray sometimes. We often pray vague ambiguous prayers that we would not really know if God answered or not. We pray general requests that cover a multitude of things. I believe we should learn to pray specifically to address what we need God to do for us. If we have a need of His provision and the need is for $957, then we should ask God for $957. I know this sounds dangerously close to name it and claim it theology. I assure you I do not support that. 

Go ahead and get your Bible and read Heb 11:1. Read the first few words. Does your translation read, "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen?" Maybe yours reads a little differently. Generally they are similar. Did you notice that word "things". What things? What sort of things? When Abraham prayed believing God for an heir, he believed God for a specific gender in a son. When Israel thirsted in the wilderness, Moses prayed specifically for clean water to drink. When they desired meat, Moses prayed for meat and God sent quail. When Elijah prayed for the drought to end, he prayed for rain. You get the idea. 

What is it right now you want to God to do for you? The word "want" in Mark 10:51 means what do you desire, wish, and intend for Him to do for you? This is not based on what we deserve. It is based on mercy.  The compassion of God giving us what we could never earn or deserve. We all have wants. Some of those wants are legitimate needs. Others are things we wish God would do. What do you want Him to do for you? 

He is powerful enough to do anything. He is capable of answering. Notice Jesus did not ask what do you need me to do for you? He specifically used the word want. For many years, Brenda and I have stood firm in faith on Ps 37:4 "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." The key phrase in that passage is delight yourself in the Lord. That means to desire what He desires. That means finding such contentment in Him that He curbs your desires into what He wills to do for you. 

Each of us has our own wants lists. God may will to answer some or all of them. One sure way to get prayers answered is to pray for what God wills to do. I Jn 5:14-15. I exhort you to not be afraid to pray specifically. Let me conclude with an illustration. In 2017, I asked God for five vehicles for my family. Between Thanksgiving and New Years, God answered that prayer. He supplied five cars with no debt. Each of those vehicles had over 150,000 miles on them. Each of them is on its last leg. They need to be replaced. 

Fast forward to 2025. I'm once again praying for vehicles. Only this time, I'm praying for six vehicles because our oldest son Taylor and his wife are down to one vehicle. I'm praying more specifically than I did back in 2017. God answered for the five cars, but they were all old and worn out when we got them. I'm asking God for His best vehicles with no debt. That does not mean I'm asking for brand new vehicles. It just means I'm asking for vehicles that will last a long time. I even asked different members of my family what kind of vehicle they would like. Doesn't mean God will give that, but I am praying accordingly. I asked God for those specific makes and models. 

I know that sounds outlandish. I get it. If God is asking me what I want Him to do for me, that is one thing I'm asking. Maybe I should say six things. My list is long. There are many other items I ask. I dare not list them so that you do not think I've lost all my marbles. I know that God can do anything. He glorifies Himself with answers. I lay this out now in advance so that when God answers you will know God answered specific prayers. He will be exalted. 

Go ahead. Ask in faith. Honestly answer God when He asks what do you want Him to do for you? You are just one miracle away from breakthrough. One miracle away from mountains moving. One miracle away from getting the desires of your heart. 

Countdown to the Holidays

 As the calendar turns to November, the holiday season is only weeks away. Christmas commercials started airing last month. A television network began showing Christmas movies around the clock already. I've even seen a few Thanksgiving commercials. A good friend of mine has been listening to his Christmas playlist for a couple of months. 

Not me. I am a traditionalist who does not want to think about Christmas until after Thanksgiving. I look forward to the first time we will have all four sons and daughter in law under our roof that fourth Thursday in November. We will watch some football, eat a feast, share around the table what we are thankful for and take our Christmas card picture. Either that evening or the next morning, we will decorate. 

I always dread this time of year. I'm no scrooge. Between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day the working world slows down and in some cases even comes to a halt. What God has called me to do does not come to a halt because of the holidays. I have two ambitious goals to complete by the end of the year. To finish reading through the Bible. I have a long way to go to complete that task. I also set a personal deadline to complete the rough draft on my latest book. I just finished the third chapter and have a long way to go. There will be little slowing down for me. 

I will pause long enough to enjoy my family, and to truly give thanks for what God is doing for Brenda and I. I will celebrate His blessings. I will exult in the birth of Jesus, and once again be captured by the majesty and mystery of the Messiah's birth. 

I will also keep my nose to the grindstone and not use the holidays as an excuse to be apathetic. I read this morning from Ps 90:12 to number our days so as to present to God a heart of wisdom. I interpret that to mean make those days count. We only get a certain number of them. I do not want to squander them on things that will not matter. My favorite quote outside the Bible is from C.T. Studd. He said, "Tis only one life to live and twill soon be past. Only what is done for Christ will last." I want that to propel me into the holidays and past. To let that fuel ignite passion to do what I can while I can until my last breath. I hope you too will number your days even with the holidays coming. 

Millions of Voices

 In a world of millions of voices, are they all of equal value and authority. Does every news broadcaster deserve our attention? Does every author deserve our time to read? Does every social media influencer really have a message worth serious reflection? Does any politician really have something important to say without spinning it? There are millions of voices competing for our attention. Which ones are worthy of our full attention?

There is one voice that supersedes them all. Interestingly this voice is not always the loudest. It is not a voice jabbering away hoping to generate more followers on social media. It is not a voice found in celebrity printed materials or videos. It is not a voice found in the hallowed halls of Congress or even the Whitehouse. It is not a voice looking for a platform or a microphone to generate a buzz. 

The voice is strong but often still and soft. The voice is powerful and yet not power seeking. This voice is both popular and unpopular. It is voice heeded by the masses and ignored by the majority. It is a voice of reason in irrationality, comfort in chaos, truth in turbulence, and authority in anarchy. It is the voice of God through the Holy Spirit. 

God does not compete to be heard. He simply speaks for those who are listening. He speaks in many ways. He speaks through many vehicles. He may speak through His word, the Holy Spirit, music, other people, the church, and through circumstances. He is always speaking. Where people are truly tuned to what He says, two things are evident. These people know it is God doing the speaking. They also know what God is calling them to do. Noah was called to build an ark. Abraham was called to become a father of the nation of Israel. David was called to become a king. The disciples were called to follow Jesus. If you listen, you will hear what God is calling you to do also. 

Listening for the voice of God in a world of millions of voices requires some things many are not comfortable doing. First, you will have to read the Bible. That is the primary place God speaks to people today. Second, you will have to learn to embrace silence. To cancel out distracting noise. That means turn the tv off, silence your cell phone, and tune out all other voices waiting on God's voice. This will also necessitate solitude. Intentionally withdraw from people to be alone with God shut up with Him alone to hear Him speak. People are too busy to read their Bibles. People are uncomfortable with silence and solitude. What results is people not hearing the still small voice of God in their soul amidst the clattering chatter around us. With millions of voices all around, one should stand out above all the rest. That is the voice we must all seek to hear above the others. The voice of God. 

Lessons Learned by Waiting

 I don't know many people who enjoy waiting. We are impatient people. We are used to instant gratification. This works in a world of instant coffee, streaming services, and smart phones. It does not work so well in the spiritual world where God often makes His children wait. There are lessons that can best be learned by waiting. 

For one, we learn of our absolute dependence upon God. We are fooled from time to time thinking we are in control of our circumstances. All of this can change without warning in health issues, mechanical breakdowns, downturns in the economy, and natural disasters. We are not in control of any of those things. When we have to wait on God, we must come humbly and admit our total dependence upon Him. We pray and are forced to wait on God to answer. Like a child depending on a parent for food, shelter, and clothing we must depend on God. 

We learn endurance when God forces us to wait on Him. The farmer learns to endure during the harsh summer before gathering the harvest. The student must endure through grueling study sessions to complete the assignment asking for endurance to push through fatigue. The pastor must endure Sunday after Sunday to deliver God's word trusting Him with the results. The athlete must endure extreme workouts preparing his or her body for competition. The soldier must endure challenging circumstances to complete the mission. So must Christians learn to endure by waiting on God through prayer in the midst of trials and tribulations.

Another lesson we can learn by waiting, is not to settle for less than God's best. There are temptations to settle all around us. To settle for a second rate spouse, job, open door, or to even take matters into our own hands. God's way is best and His plans are best. Just ask Joseph in the Old Testament who was sold into slavery by his brothers, falsely accused and imprisoned by a wicked woman. God was at work all the time. God worked His best plan. God took Joseph from prison to the palace in one day in His providential plan. Abraham learned this lesson on waiting for God's best. He settled by listening to the foolish plan of his wife originating in the flesh to marry her maid servant to have a child through her. Ishmael was not God's best. Isaac was God's best and Abraham waited on him for twenty-five years. 

God uses waiting periods to refine us. Moses was a murderer as a young man. Forty years of waiting watching sheep refined Moses into a great leader for the nation of Israel. God works in the waiting periods. We must learn to embrace these periods of waiting. David waited to become king as an insane Saul chased him down like a fugitive to kill him. David waited and God prepared him to be a great king during that waiting period. Waiting on God is not wasted time. He is always working. God is never late. He is always right on time. You may have to wait a little longer, but at the proper time God will accomplish His purpose. Don't wait impatiently. Learn to wait in faith and expectantly. 

Merry Go Round

 I loved playing on merry go rounds when I was a child. I found equal enjoyment if I was the one spinning or riding. If I was spinning, I tried to spin it so fast my classmates could barely hang on to the bars. I took pleasure in the fact that people either got so dizzy it made them sick, or some actually could not hang on falling to the ground. Looking back that seems very cruel. Vice versa, if I was riding, I prided myself on never giving up or getting so dizzy I begged them to stop. There were times when I actually hooked my legs underneath the bar and hung upside down off the edge to get a greater thrill. 

While I loved that playground equipment, that is not what is on my mind today. I'm thinking of the merry go rounds of our busy schedules. Schedules that are spinning faster and faster out of control. The nights of sleep appear so short while some of the days appear long. Days with appointments and assignments piled on top of one another. Days so crammed you are tired before the day even gets started no matter how long you slept. 

I got myself in a jam a few years ago. I was the full time pastor at a church. I also took on the role of an Athletic Director for a private Christian school that met in our facilities. I coached basketball, P.E., weightlifting and started up a six man football program as well. On top of that, I preached or taught 8 times every week. I was on a merry go round I could not get off from spinning increasingly faster. 

It started taking a toll on me emotionally and psychologically. I just did not have down time. Nor did I have much time alone when somebody did not need me to do something. It all became real when during the week of Spring Break when I had the entire facility to myself, I got irritated when a teacher stopped in to feed her fish in the classroom. She did not bother me. It bothered me that she was in the building, even though minding her own business. I knew something was wrong with me that day. 

I was given a book about refreshing the soul soon after that incident. As I read it slowly and I identified the reason for my irritation at the teacher coming in the building. My life was spinning too fast and I needed to slow down. There was no off ramp. No way of slowing down the increasing speed of the merry go round. I went from even tot event exhausted. I forced myself to the next task, to mark the next to do item off my list, trudging through the days. My joy waned. My fatigue manifested itself in impatience.  I dragged myself out of bed in the mornings, and fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow at night. 

If life was not crazy enough, Brenda had back to back knee replacements in the span of five months. I read the book about restoring the soul in a park in Decatur, TX while she did her physical therapy. In that park, I made the prayerful and hard decision to jump off the merry go round. I knew I was called to be a pastor. It became clear I was not a good fit for an Athletic Director. I had to step down. In fact, I had to step down from several positions during that season that were all good, but not vital to what God called me to do. 

Do you need to jump off the merry go round? Is your life spinning too fast out of control. It will continue to do so unless you take control and make the tough decisions to slow down. It will not make everyone happy when you start saying no to the things you said yes to before. I just read about God slowing King David down in Ps 23:1-3. Perhaps you should go read it for yourself. There is nothing wrong with going to a place of restoration and refreshing for your soul. There is nothing wrong with jumping off the merry go round when life is spinning too fast. 

Another Funeral

 Don't let the title mislead you. I am not referring to the death of a person. What is weighing heavy on my mind this morning is the death of churches. Every single day another six churches closes their doors in North America. It is estimated that over 6,000 churches die and close the doors every year. Preliminary predictions from a researcher is that North America will lose as many as 15,000 churches this year. 

Think about that. Somebody somewhere got a burden and a call from God to start a church somewhere. They began that church with prayerful resolve and vigor to reach people. The church grew. Maybe they even built facilities. Over the years people and pastors came and went. The church continued to grow and flourish. Each church had a hey day. The height of their ministerial effectiveness. 

In time, people moved off, some died, and beloved pastors left to follow God to their next assignment. In time, the attendance and the finances dwindled. The congregation aged. Once younger couples became senior adults. They no longer had the energy they once had to keep things going. The attendance dwindled to just a faithful few. Eventually the day arrived when they could not financially afford to keep the church going. The cost of insurance, utilities, and trying to pay a pastor a small salary became too burdensome. The painful and difficult decision to disband as a church was reached. They met for their tearful last Sunday and with that conclusion they became another statistic. Sadly, this seems to be happening more frequently. 

Some churches are dysfunctional and unhealthy. They do not honor God with all their fussing and fighting. Constant divisions and church splits seal their fate in time. It is tragic. Healthy churches can face this ultimate end with people who love one another and have a heart for God. Time changed and things that used to work in ministry were no longer work. These stalwart people of the church were unwilling to change and clung tenaciously to ministries that no longer work. The proof is in the pudding as they say with dwindling attendance and tired saints who little left to give to turn the church around. 

So what am I saying? Each church is doomed. Not all. Not if those churches prayerfully seek God for a fresh vision. Not if those churches will surrender to God's leadership and make reaching lost souls their focus. Churches often grow through what we call transfer growth. Christians move their membership to other churches for various reasons. The God ordained way for churches to grow primarily is through conversion growth. New people trusting Jesus for salvation. This is how the church grew in Acts 2:47. When people trust God desperately, get serious about reaching the lost, and will devote themselves to prayer, God can do something miraculous. 

It saddens my heart when I drive by an abandoned church building. May we seek God fervently and live on mission for Him so that our local church does not become one of  those statistics. The fields are ripe unto harvest, so let us pray God will raise and send laborers into that harvest. [Matt 9:37-38] May He do a fresh work in all churches. 

Held Captive by the Word of God

 I am held captive by the word of God in my devotions, teaching, and preaching. There is always something new to discover, new truths to expound, and hidden passages that spring to life in obscure passages passed over by most. The word of God is worth serious study by serious students. When I say students, I am not referring to academic study. I am thinking of devotional study as a devout disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ seeking a closer walk with Him. 

I have read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation a few dozen times. There are always fresh words from the Lord to apply to life. I rarely preach topical messages based on current events. I prefer to preach expository messages through books of the Bible verse by verse. This is not the easiest way to do it. My convictions hold it is the most necessary way to do it. Difficult passages arise that must be addressed and not avoided. My call is to preach the whole counsel of God. 

I'm currently teaching through Mark, Acts, and Colossians. Methodically marching through verse after verse. Great themes and doctrines of God's word present themselves. Hard texts have to be wrestled with to uncover truth. I recently sat a round table with several couples to teach from the first few verses in Mark 10 dealing with divorce. With the exception of Brenda and I, everyone else at the table had suffered through divorce. It was uncomfortable to say the least. There were a few tense moments. There was also grace as truth got explained. It was painful to expound that truth. To teach the truth in love, not in judgment or condemnation. It was not the most fun I've had expounding scripture. It would have been easier to avoid those scriptures. That would have been the coward way out. I'm held captive to the word of God and must present the truth contained in it. Even when it is hard. 

I do not have to be creative. Nor to rely on gimmicks to entertain the people. I abhor the dog and pony show to attract a crowd. I'm held captive to the word of God. It should be enough to draw people to come. It is not always easy to listen to God's words. Some passages are pointed. They have a sharp edge to them. They cut to the heart. Others scriptures encourage and strengthen people in their daily journey. Either way I keep pointing people to God and His book. May we all be  held captive. 

Pleasing in the Sight of the Lord

 In I Kings 3:9-10 the new King Solomon prayed something that pleased God. He did not ask for riches, military successes, peace under his rule, or to amass more power. He asked God for an understanding heart to discern between good and evil to lead the nation of Israel. That simple prayer pleased God. 

The word pleasing means God was glad and celebrated Solomon's petition. It makes me wonder if God is pleased with our prayers. Do we pray things that delight God? So many of our prayers can center on our needs, our burdens, our trials, and our wants. Solomon did not pray selfishly. He asked God in essence for wisdom to lead. That prayer came out of humility. 

Leaders choose to rely on their natural instincts, education, skill, and experience in leading organizations. I wonder how many humble themselves before God begging for an understanding heart to lead rightly and righteously. Probably not as many as we think. Have you heard of any leader making dictatorial decisions, bad errors in judgment, or making wrong choices that caused pain and upheaval? 

As a pastor of a local church, I know I cannot lead without God's help, guidance, and discernment to not choose good ideas, but to choose God ideas. Jesus is the Head of the church. I am just an under-shepherd leading in submission to Him. He alone has the right to lead His church as the rest of follow His directions. 

What a different world we would live if people in leadership positions from PTOs to the Whitehouse, and all points in between, prayed for understanding and discernment from God. God knows far better than any of us how to lead His church, communities and countries. Elites think they are smarter than God. Just look at our world and the evils abounding. Look at antagonist nations and arrogant leaders pushing their global agenda. It appears there are few leaders who really care about the people they serve. Petty politics has caused a government shutdown and hardworking common people are not getting paid because partisan policies. What if every branch of government prayed for God's wisdom to lead, legislate, and make judgments? This would be a very different nation with the hand of God's favor on us. If those leaders prayed in that fashion, I am sure God would be just as pleased as He was the day Solomon asked for understanding and discernment. 

I Want to Know You

 Father, in a world filled with voices, 

One filled with multiple choices, 

Where there is so much confusion, 

Coming as an unwelcomed intrusion, 

I want to know You in communion, 

A closer uncommon bond and union, 

I want a more intimate beholding, 

Of Your glorious might unfolding, 

Your peace like a river flowing, 

On my face Your glory glowing,

In You alone to truly be content, 

In pursuit of You to never relent. 

The Secret Place

Jesus told His followers when they prayed, to go into an inner room and close the door. He also told them to pray to the Father who is in secret, and sees what is done in secret. [Matt 6:6] Many people talk the Christian talk in public. These same people do not frequent the secret place. The Father sees. He sees what is done in the secret place. He takes note of the fervent and faithful petitions of those who give soul sweat in the secret place. 

These are the intercessors. They do not get noticed. Their ministry is done in obscurity. While others scurry about in busyness, the intercessors shut to the world out to spend time in the presence of the One who has power to change people, circumstances, churches, communities, and countries. 

The secret place is where the Father waits for His people to seek Him.  It is there that He gives revelation and the sparks of revival are ignited. In that wonderful place God listens. More importantly God acts. He also speaks. The Devil will do anything to keep God's people away from the secret place. Distractions abound. Most are too tired at night to pray. Many are too tired in the morning to do much more than rush through a devotion. They have good intentions to pray in secret, but never seem to get around to it. Life is so busy. The secret place has to be prized and prioritized.

The secret place is where war happens. Where strongholds are torn down. Where the enemy is confronted and withstood in the powerful name of Jesus. It is in this place, battles are won to reclaim prodigals. Battles are fought and won for the lost to be saved. Skirmishes are fought and won over families, friends, and even foes. While many sleep, stalwart soldiers take their watch in secret and pray fervently. These are God's sentries strategically stationed in secret to oppose the evil forces of darkness. You may never know their names, but God sees in secret and His rewards are openly displayed in public. 

The secret place is a solitary place. It is a place where God beckons His followers to come alone. To seek alone. To plead alone. To enjoy God alone. I am not saying that are not times for believers to gather with others to pray. There is certainly a precedent for that. See II Chron 7:14 and Acts 1:14. Those times can never substitute for the private encounters God desires for His people. 

It is appalling how few Christians really spend time alone with God in private devotions. Bibles go unread and unheeded. Prayer is neglected while the enemy advances. Love and passion wane in lieu of religious rituals that rot the soul. The remedy for that is time, and lots of it, spent shut up with God in the secret place. May God stir all to make that a priority. 

I'd Rather Be in a Chair

 I would rather be in a chair listening than teaching tonight. The subject matter is a difficult one. The truth is tough tonight. There is no sugar coating it. No soft peddling. It would be easier to skip the truth and move onto to an easier topic. It would be more pleasant for everyone in the room if someone else was teaching a different topic and I was seated in a chair listening. 

God called me to be a truth teller. He also called me preach and teach His word. All of it. Even the parts that are hard to digest and harder to explain. I will be the most uncomfortable person in the room. I will stand on God's word and deal with the consequences. I will not be winning any popularity contest tonight. Neither will I wimp out. 

Preachers often sidestep difficult passages. They don't want to ruffle any feathers. They prefer passages that pacify as opposed to verses that vex hearers. We need all of God's word. The parts that edify, build up, and inspire. We also need those truths that challenge, convict, and correct. 

Still, it would be easier to sit in the chair to listen. Let some other squirm under the intense weight of truth tonight. Nonetheless, this is the assignment I've been given. To teach truth in love. To teach with conviction and compassion. To instruct with grit and grace. It is not something I want to avoid nor something I necessarily look forward to teaching. It must be done. It is God's word. It is the next section of scriptures in a book I've been teaching through for the past six months. I shall not abdicate my God ordained responsibility. God, please help me honor you and your word, while at the same time, ministering with love, compassion, and grace. 

Keep Your Head Down

 One of the jobs I did not look forward to as a child was raking leaves. I grew up in east Texas with massive trees. The house I grew up in had lots of pine trees in the yard. Those pine needles fell every fall requiring hours on end raking and hauling pine straw to the burn pile. We had an average sized front yard, but a much larger back yard. It usually was an all day and sometimes a couple of days job. 

I learned pretty early on to keep my head down, and keep working instead of looking up at all the time to see how much more work I had left to do. Just keeping my head down, and focusing on the task at hand seemed to make the job go by a little faster. Those were long days with blistered hands. My back and arms ached from dragging those little piles of pine straw. I made piles all over the yard and then had to haul those piles to burn. Many times I thought the pine straw kept falling from the trees faster than I could rake it. Most years we had to rake the yard more than once because the pine needles became too thick. Heaven forbid it rained soaking the leaves. That made the job much more difficult. 

That lesson has served me well in life to keep my head down. Whether working on a research paper in college, mowing a yard, moving furniture for a furniture business, breaking up concrete with a jackhammer, splitting firewood, preparing sermons, writing books, and enduring long work days. Just keeping my head down helped me get through those assignments. 

I did not always keep my head down. I looked up to see the overwhelming amount of work I still had left to do. Like hauling hay. Instead of focusing on the bale in front of me, I looked up to see the thousands of other bales still in the field making me lose heart. The same thing happened on my 100 mile bike ride. Many times I looked up losing heart at the next hill or the sign telling me how many more miles I had to pedal. When I just kept my head down pushing the pedals, it made each mile more bearable.

I don't know what your station in life is. I am sure you have your own challenges. It is tempting to look up and compare ourselves to others. This will only get us into trouble. Comparing ourselves will either lead to pride because our accomplishments are better than others. It could also lead to depression because our progress is not as good as others. Neither mindset is healthy. It is much better to keep your head down and faithfully execute the assignment God gives you. 

Wherever God planted you, keep your head down and just do the work He has given you to do. Focus on the task at hand. Do it to the best of your ability. It may not be a glamorous assignment. You may not get applauded by others for the work. Like the time I did some disaster relief work in south Texas after Hurricane Harvey. Their were not accolades. Just hours of sweaty hard physical labor. That labor was done for the Lord just as much as for the victims. Maybe you do not get rewarded or recognized for that work. God sees. Keep your head down and do your work as unto God and not people. [Col 3:17] Do your work with all your heart for the Lord. [Col 3:23] He sees. He will reward His children for their labors. 

I practiced what I preached. I kept my head down and now have come to the end of this post. I just typed the next word, the next sentence, and then the next paragraph. Perhaps God will use this to help someone to keep their head down and finish their work trusting God for the reward and the results. 

Developing a Prayer Culture

 Do our churches have a culture that depends on God? Prayer is depending on God. We say prayer is important. If we really value prayer in our churches, it will be built into our schedules. The church schedule will reflect that commitment. Does your church reflect a culture of prayer?

Here in the small community of Fritch, TX, at First Southern Baptist Church we are trying to develop a prayer culture. One of the things we did was to institute a Sunday night service divided into two halves. We do Bible study, and then we break into huddles to pray out loud around the sanctuary. It is such a powerful time. I love the sound of the saints praying out loud in different huddles. 

Please do not misunderstand. I do not want to falsely portray mass crowds showing up to pray. We have less than two dozen people in attendance. I determined from the beginning of our ministry that we would have a prayer meeting. A meeting devoted to prayer. Not a meeting where we would spend all of our time taking prayer requests and then offering a small prayer at the end. We determine a kingdom focus for our prayer time, and direct our attention praying on that. 

We have a small band gather on Sunday morning before our connection classes to pray. It rarely has over half a dozen people. We still pray. I exhort our committees to pray over their meetings. It is in infancy trying to shape the culture around seeking God. Prayer is important, but I cannot say at this point that the culture here is saturated in prayer  yet. We are heading in that direction. It will take time. 

To be completely transparent, the intense spiritual warfare rages in this body of believers. I have seldom felt it more intense in decades of ministry. I'm talking about physical ailments, mechanical breakdowns, mental battles, relational conflicts, and other trials. The enemy is stirred. I think it is because we committed as a body of believers to pray for our community. Once we started doing that, it felt like we became a target for the enemy. The fight is real. We cannot back down now. 

In fact, we are hosting a community wide prayer meeting this Sunday evening where other churches will join us. The desire is to develop a prayer culture far beyond this church. A prayer culture catching on fire in all the churches and across the community. Why? The reason is because God can do more in days than we can do in decades. WE NEED THAT! 

Our communities have seen what we as churches can do through our programs, organizations, and strategic efforts. The results are paltry. What could happen if God's people united in prayer for our communities and God blessed. Transformation could happen. Transformation that would infiltrate families, schools, businesses, city governments, and the churches. None of that will happen without a culture of prayer. May that spread all over this nation and the world. 

The Prophet

 The prophet is a rare breed. He does not care about the opinions of men. He is singularly focused with the opinion of God. The prophet often forsakes the company of men to keep company with God. He is obsessed with doing the will of God even when it puts him at odds with doing the will of others. The prophet is both fearless in zeal and fervent in prayer. He is totally out of step with the times yet remains in step with the Lord. 

The prophet is unpopular. Some want him silenced. Others want him dead. He does not draw large crowds and often lives in poverty for proclaiming truth. He seldom gets rewarded for his labors. He lives hard forcing him to pray hard for provision and to preach hard to please God. He is not a celebrity. He prefers to live in obscurity so he can seek and hear from God. He does not seek fame or fortune. He seeks faithfulness instead. 

The prophet is not afraid to upset the status quo, to obliterate the religious routine, and to offend the top brass officials on the platform. He will not be invited to preach at conferences. He will not write bestselling books. He will be feared more than revered. He seeks not the applause of people but will endure the persecution of people. His desire is to only hear well done from his master. 

Prophets are a rare breed, but how much we need them today. We need those men of God to thunder against the evils of our day. We need courageous men in the pulpit to promote God in His holiness. We need fresh words from God and not the echoes of men. God, please raise up faithful prophets again and help us to listen intently to do your bidding. 

You Will Not See the Sword

 "You will not see the sword," so prophesied some false spokesmen for the Lord in Jeremiah's day. They were telling the people what they wanted to hear. That was contrasted with the prophetic words Jeremiah kept proclaiming. Jeremiah called the people to repentance, but they would not listen. False prophets proclaimed a prosperity message. 

Some years ago, I stumbled on a so-called prophetic website. Different ones posted their words from the Lord. They all sounded very similar. Words of prosperity abounded. I scrolled through several pages reading as much as I could stomach. Do you know what I did not see? Not one message about repentance. Not one. 

In a world filled with wickedness, not one person heard God call the church to repentance. That is what Jeremiah did for this whole ministry. It was not a popular message in his day nor is it popular in our day. You can read about the false word from the Lord in [Jer 14:13-14]. 

In verse 14, God sets the record straight. God said He never sent any of those false prophets no more than He sent some who prophesy to gullible people for financial gain today. God also reported that He did not speak to any of those false proclaimers. They invented those supposed words from the Lord. God said they prophesied false visions, false divinations, and deceptions. 

Telling people what they want to hear makes big bucks. It wins crowds and fills the collection plates with love offerings those deceivers love to take to the bank. They abound. These hucksters sell a bright future when the Bible tells us the end times will get infinitely worse leading up to the Great Tribulation. Watching the headlines I see how easily we could be in WWIII. Tensions with Russia and China are escalating for us in the United States. We in the states are an apathetic and hypocritical church age in many places. We are a prayerless impotent church in far too many communities. 

We have allowed wickedness to be legislated over and over again with homosexual marriage, abortion, removing prayer from schools, and allowing ideologies like LGBT to permeate public school classrooms. Censorship of ideas and spreading of Bible truth have been enforced in many places. Do we dare believe that God will turn a blind eye to wickedness of pedophilia and sex trafficking? Do you think God turns a deaf ear to being mocked and ridiculed by academia elites and celebrities? God will have the last word. 

If the multitudes want to be duped by charlatans dressed up in clergy attire, they do so at their own peril. I am called to tell the truth. The future is not looking so bright to me on many fronts. The people of God must repent and pray. There is coming a judgment day when God will account all our deeds. Every false preacher will answer for it. Every silent preacher who tickled the ears out of the desire to be compensated and applauded will answer for it. Preachers and teachers will receive a stricter judgment than the rest. [James 3:1] Repentance is in order. Repentance is needed. Repentance is the call of God on His sin soaked and sick church. Repent before it is too late. 

Transformation

 You can define transformation with just two word, radical change. That is what our world needs. That is what our churches need. That is what people caught up in addiction to all sorts of sins need. That is what our local communities need. The times are dark, but JESUS IS STILL THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD piercing the darkness. 

We need transformation that cannot come from a home makeover show. The kind of transformation we need is born out of travailing prayer. It is born out of a desperate need for change in culture. Only God can bring this kind of change. Only God can turn sinners to the Savior. Only God can reclaim the backslidden to repentance. Only God can deliver the demon possessed and oppressed. Only God can awaken an apathetic church. 

God has transformed communities before. He did it in drug infested Calcutta, Columbia back decades ago. A group of believers became so burdened to pray that they organized prayer meetings with various churches. Huge drug cartels were arrested and brought down soon after. This served to fire up those prayer meetings to the point they grew to fill up entire soccer stadiums for evenings of prayer. Can God do that again? It would look different, but that is what we are after. Transformation. He absolutely can do that again. 

Be warned. To travail in prayer for transformation will mean intense spiritual war. The forces of darkness will come against praying churches. In Calcutta, Columbia, the leader of that prayer movement was shut down in murder on a sidewalk. It is a fight. Not a fight with military weapons and tactics. It is a spiritual fight with the weapons of prayer, fasting, scripture, and the gospel message. Those weapons are divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses of the enemy. [II Cor 10:3-4]

Transformation will not happen apart from prayer. [II Chron 7:14]  Even though Jesus said His house would be a house of prayer, truth is most churches and believers do not pray much. It is one of the weakest areas next to evangelism. I can see transformation in my spirit. So much so I can almost taste it. Transformation will take a miracle and God is in the miracle business. May we give God no rest as we pray and believe for transformation. [Is 62:6-7]

An Upset

 Aleksandr Karelin is considered the most dominant Greco Style wrestler in history. He stood 6'3" tall. He weighed in at 286 pounds. He had freakish strength. He was nicknamed the "Russian Bear" and the "Experiment." The latter name because people believed he used performance enhancing drugs. He simply argued back that he trained like a mad man. 

He won multiple consecutive world championships gold medals. He won three successive Olympic gold medals. In one six year stretch, no opponent even scored a point on him. In one Olympic match, he defeated his opponent pinning him in only 14 seconds. When asked about his toughest opponent, he reported it to be his refrigerator. He single handled carried the 500 pound refrigerator up 8 flights of stairs. 

He cruised his way to winning his fourth straight Olympic gold medal. He faced an underdog American in the gold medal match. Ruland Gardner, a farm boy from Wyoming, shocked the world by defeating the Russian Bear. It is still considered one of the greatest upsets in history. 

Not greater than when a shepherd named David faced a giant named Goliath. David faced Goliath when more skilled warriors cowered in fear. Goliath towered at over 9' tall. David faced Goliath because Goliath insulted God. David took a stand when grown men and professional soldiers preferred to take a seat and spectate. Everybody knows that story. There is one phrase in that story that has always inspired me. That phrase is found in I Sam 17:48, "...David ran quickly to the battle."  He did not hesitate. He ran to meet his opponent. He ran to the challenge instead of fleeing from it. He ran to face his fears. 

What happened? We all know the end of that story. A miraculous upset. The giant fell. David's fame grew. The shepherd would eventually become king. It all started when he took those steps to sprint to face down Goliath. Here is the secret. David never relied on his own strength or skill. He relied on God to help him do something impossible. That is what we are supposed to do also when facing our giants.

God still does impossible things. He looks for people to run to the battle. We are exhorted in scripture repeatedly not to live in fear. The challenge is to live by faith and obey by faith. We will face some giants along the way. Giants bigger and more dominant than the Russian Bear. Will we flee in fear or run toward the risk? Upsets happen when we embrace the danger, overcome our fears, and fight the fight of faith trusting God with the results. All so that God is glorified. 

Deep Pockets

 I have been fortunate in ministry to be around a few millionaires. These were not pretentious people. Make no mistake about it. They had deep pockets. Very deep pockets. I have seen them open their wallets opened filled one-hundred dollar bills. I heard them talk about business deals worth tens of thousands of dollars, and on a few occasions worth tens of millions of dollars. These people are not pretentious. They are down to earth. They are wealthy. 

Brenda and I have never been that blessed. We have not done without. We have been able to give to others to help meet their needs. We have not had deep pockets. We have all we need. Let me tell you about someone we cherish who has deep pockets. By my calculations, we have been close to six millionaires. One gave us $6,000 on one occasion. Another gave us $10,000. One gave us $15,000 on one occasion. We never asked any of them for anything. We prayed when we had needs. They responded to God's promptings and gave out of obedience. Please understand this is not an everyday occurrence. There have been times when months went by without any such provision. It is a life of faith we have embraced. 

There is one who has deeper pockets more so than the others. There is one who is generous beyond description. He is very perceptive continuously looking for opportunities to help those in need. He is wealthy beyond my comprehension. He is my Heavenly Father. God. Yahweh. Jehovah Jireh. My Father has been there each time Brenda and I have faced financial trials. We have taken needs to Him ranging from washing machines, refrigerators, houses, vehicles, and money. The stories I could tell. I will only tell you two of the most recent ones. 

In 2024-2025 Brenda had both her knees replaced. For about half of that year she was unable to work as she rehabilitated each one. I recall sitting in her hospital room after the first surgery. She slept while I sat in a chair next to her bed praying. I reminded God that we were going into a long season where we have to live on my salary alone. God provided over and over again. You can scroll back through the months of July-December of 2024 and somewhere in them you will find posts about how God provided. The same thing from January of 2025 until right now. For most of that time we have still lived on my salary alone and we bought a house on just my salary. How have made it? Our Father has deep pockets. 

On a trip back home from seeing our youngest son, Tanner, we had a blow out on a busy highway connecting Fritch to Amarillo not far from home. Closer examination revealed that we needed four new tires. We had not planned for such an expense. We had to use a credit card to purchase the four tires. In less than one week, our Father prompted someone to bless us with $500. His deep pockets provided for the four tires. We did not tell one person of our need except God. Our Father has deep pockets. Deeper than any of us can imagine. Deep pockets to share when we need. 

His pockets are deep enough for you too. There is not a financial need you will ever have that His pockets are not deep enough to reach in and help. His resources are abundant. Just read Ps 24:1, Ps 50:10, and Phil 4:19. I think those scriptures will reinforce the truth that God has deep pockets. His resources are endless. He can go to His unlimited storehouse and pull out anything you may ever need. Not just you. To anyone anywhere no matter how great the need. 

If you are facing financial crisis, I urge you to go the One who has the deepest pockets of anyone I know. He can help you too. 

The Upside Down Life

 The call to follow Jesus is a call to have a total different set up priorities than people who do not align with Jesus. Those people can be selfish. We are to called to live selflessly. The world values getting to the top. Jesus modeled descending from heaven. The world exalts fame and fortune. We are to exult in sacrifice and doing good without notoriety. The world executes vengeance on enemies. We prize grace and forgiveness. 

Jesus modeled an upside down life. He had no place to lay His head. He loved people others shunned. He helped those others stepped over and looked past. Jesus came to bless others and not to be blessed. He promoted building the kingdom of God and not an earthly kingdom. He taught to turn the other cheek when slapped. He taught to store up treasures in heaven and not on earth. He taught to pray in secret where the Father sees, and not in public to be noticed and praised by people for eloquent petitions. He promoted and modeled servanthood rather than being served. He taught people to live in the light and not hide in the shadows to hide evil deeds. He condemned hypocrisy, but was favorable toward contrition. 

He calls us to be crucified to the world and the world crucified to us. We are called to value Him the most and count everything else as loss. To count our lives as nothing so that we might fulfill the call He puts on our lives. To learn to live contented in a world where people are never satisfied. Jesus calls us to fast while the world gorges on bountiful feasts. He calls us to follow Him and not the crowd. He calls us to live in holiness and morally while the world indulges in immorality. He calls us to covenant marriage while the world says have multiple sexual partners and live together without marital bonds. Jesus teaches us to give our money away while the world says hoard all you can. Jesus modeled surrender to His Father and His Father's will even when it meant going to the cross. The world values comfort, ease, and enjoying in temporary pleasures. 

The upside down life is not radical. It is normal for followers of Jesus. The people of faith compromised and blurred moral absolutes, and watered down the commands of God to blend it with the world. Churches do the same to attract crowds. The upside down life has impact. The upside down life consists of convictions. The upside down life requires courage to live with a different set of values and priorities. The upside down life may lead to risk rather than security. The upside down life will lead to faith steps that defy reason. The upside down life may lead to martyrdom. Jesus prized those who laid down their lives rather than trying to preserve it. 

Following Jesus is the upside down life. It is the life I love and long to live more. Living upside down will put you at odds with family, friends, and eventually even the government. A time will come when the people of God will have to count the cost for faithfully standing with and serving Jesus. We will have to choose whether we will conform to the world or choose to live upside down. Choose carefully. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord and live upside down. 

Pray Your Way Through It

 Life is filled with so many challenges. In the church we serve, recently two families had transmissions go out in  their vehicles, and two families had to replace their air conditioning units for their homes. Later on this morning, Brenda and I will go to the hospital for one of the members of our youth group having surgery. We have two other people battling mysterious ailments the doctors cannot diagnose and treat. This leaves family members frustrated and bewildered as they watch their loved ones continue to suffer. These are just the ones I know about. 

I see in the eyes of some of our students the pain and sorrow of the living hell they have to endure. I can only speculate what they have to trudge through everyday. Some are verbally abused. Others face far worse. On top of that, is the constant peer pressure to reject God and pursue a life of sinful pleasures ignoring God's standards. Some of these students are addicted to screen time and all  that comes with having access to anything good or evil at their fingertips. There is also the issue of bullying through social media where some students get pounded on relentlessly. I even heard about a group of moms doing this to a football player in a neighboring town to the point the player quit the team because of the social media criticism. 

I saw one of our church members last night. She wore a very visible bandage with blood spots on it. I made my way down to her at a public event to offer a prayer. I heard from a parent concerned about a health issue with a child yesterday. There are the daily stresses at work relayed to me by others who live with the stress of having to deal with people. There are financial stresses too. Mental health is a real issue many fight for everyday. 

It seems we go from trial to the next trial. We no more than get through one when the next one waits on the horizon. The constant pressure is too much for some. They sink into disabling depression. Others use addictions to cope. Some withdraw and sit in the shadows licking their wounds. Those who are children of God are often confused, frustrated, and even infuriated that God does not provide the long sought relief. 

How are we supposed to handle these difficult times? The same way people of God have handled them in world wars, the Great Depression, the Holocaust, terrorist attacks, the assassination of a president, the ongoing persecution of Christians around the world, cancer, cognitive decline, and the death of loved ones. YOU HAVE TO PRAY YOUR WAY THROUGH IT. You must cling to the truth that God is good and faithful. You must hang onto His word even if you are barely hanging on by your fingertips. You have to pray even when you do not feel like praying. You have pray through it even when it feel like God has abandoned and forsaken you. You must pray through it when the answer is delayed and slow in coming. You have to keep praying because you have nowhere else to turn. God is all we have, and He is all we need to get through the tough times. 

The Bible is filled with stories of suffering people and encouraging truths to persevere. Take for example, Moses dealing with a million angry people who wanted to stone him because they were hungry and thirsty. Moses turned to God in those times and prayed some very frank prayers. We can draw strength from David when King Saul hunted him down like a wild animal, and David lived as a fugitive. David prayed through it. There is Elijah, that great prophet, who sank into depression, but in prayer heard the still small voice of God that brought him out of  those toxic thoughts. There is Jesus in the Garden praying with sweat drops of blood for the cup of the crucifixion to pass from Him, but finding peace to surrender to the will of God. There is Paul beaten and bloodied in prison fastened in chains singing and praying at midnight. THEY ALL PRAYED THEIR WAY THROUGH IT. 

That is what each of us is going to have to do over and over again through life's journey. I had to do that on Monday afternoon. I had multiple things hit at once. I felt overwhelmed, heavy laden, and unclear as to what to do. I told our secretary I was going to the other end of the building to pray. Even while in there the pressures did not stop on the outside, though I was shut up with God alone is secret prayer. I prayed my way through it, and found the needed solutions to handle the situations. Some situations take more prayer than others. Praying your way through it may require long seasons of secret prayer intensified by fasting. 

I know from reading scripture, reading biographies, and listening to others that people prayed their way through tough times. We all can do the same. [Luke 18:1] Let us pray our way through it and not lose heart. 

1500

 I did not even see it coming. I had my head down doing my work trying to faithfully fulfill my calling as an intercessor, pastor, preacher, and a writer. Doing my work day in and day out. Month after month. Year after year. You get into a routine. I know what I need to do and the timeline I need to get it done. I routinely preach or teach five different times a week. That is studying for five different messages. There are other commitments I have built into my routine. 

Prayer is an important part of my daily routine. I dare not neglect that time alone with the Lord. Out of that time flows the rest of my ministry. One of the things I love to do is to write. It is an extension of my ministry. My desire to write things I hope will help people in their walk with God. As the late Vance Havner said, "I come preaching to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable." That is what I hope to do in writing. 

A friend introduced me to this blog website over 15 years ago. I started writing on it in 2008. From 2008-2016 I wrote under the site nocompromisefbc.blogspot.com. I fell in love. I could write and with the click of a button make those writings available to people all over the world. I wrote on that page through three different churches we served. In a very dark season, the darkest season of my life and ministry, my writings became darker. So dark I I quit writing for nearly two years. 

In 2018 I created a new page with followhard638.blogspot.com. Follow hard came from the KJV of Psalm 63:8 which says, "My soul followeth hard after Thee God." That became my new focus. It was a fresh start. I wrote when I felt inspired. Many times I got writer's block or became so busy with other things that I did not have time to write. Some days I felt inspired and wrote more than one post in a day. There were weeks and even months I did not write anything. For instance, in the month of this past September, I only wrote one thing. I never felt inspired to write anything. This month the inspiration just keeps coming. 

I can report this site is visited by people all over the world. I get a weekly report to show the audience viewing this site. Here is the latest statistics. In the last week, over 2,300 people visited this webpage. Here are a few of the numbers. 1,060 people from Singapore. 673 from Hong Kong. 263 from Mexico. 137 from the United States. 42 from Brazil. 18 from China. 14 from India. 6 from Russia. There were visits of two or three from 35 other countries. I am amazed at what God is doing. 

I clicked on the computer moments ago to crank out another post with no definite idea in mind. I got the computer ready to type, and was about to pray for an idea when I just happened to look up and notice this makes post 1,500. On the no compromise page I reached 1,538. To hit that 1,500 milestone again is humbling. I take no credit for this. God placed the desire to write in me. God inspires the ideas. He gave me the ability to communicate through the written word. God created the technology. I am but a vessel. I'm called to write. Once I hit that click button I have no control over who reads it and how far it reaches. I'm just an ordinary man with an extraordinary desire to be useful to my God. May He inspire another 1,500 and beyond. 

A Crafty Foe

 I have been in some skirmishes the past few days. I got blindsided. He snuck in and struck when I was defenseless. It was not a physical blow. That would have been easier. The attack was much more subtle. Deceitful. Sinister. I got drug into a fight I did not want to be in and tried to avoid. I got pulled in anyway. My foe is crafty. Smart and expert in attacking from all fronts. 

I am not in a battle with flesh and blood, though Satan tries to make us think people are our enemy. Our adversary works behind the scenes to stir the pot. He plots people against other people. You see it in our nation with race wars, Democrats verses Republicans, ANTIFA verses established government, Christians verses atheists and agnostics and so forth. Satan schemes are wicked. He is relentless. He is an expert in the art of war. Christian people better be on the alert. Warfare is intensifying. Even to the point of assassination of strong voice for the cause of Christ. 

Our crafty foe attacks the mind. That is where temptations begin. If every thought is not taken captive in obedience to Christ [II Cor 10:5] we may act on the temptation. We try to fight in the flesh instead through prayer. God does faithfully make a way of escape. [I Cor 10:13]. We don't have to fall to the temptations. We do not have to fight in the flesh. The weapons God gives us are divinely powerful for the tearing down of strongholds. [II Cor 10:3-4]

Jesus battled Satan and He did so using scripture. When tempted by the devil, Jesus fought back quoting God's word. We must follow that example. In my skirmish, I had to take hold of Bible truths and pray them. I also had to be reminded who the real enemy is. Satan. The Father of lies. The Accuser of the Brethren. A thief. A deceiver. We fight back with the Bible. Passages like James 4:8. Jesus rebuked demons like the man with the legions of demons in Mark 5:8-9]. We are told to stand firm against the wicked schemes of the devil. [Eph 6:11] 

Our church invited the attacks from our crafty foe. Several months ago we divided our Sunday evening service into half Bible study and the other half prayer. We do not take prayer requests during this time. We take a specific prayer focus for our church or community and divide into prayer huddles. People pray out loud and fill the sanctuary with the sounds of fervent intercessions. Those petitions ascending to God is the sweetest sound I hear each week. I warned the congregation on our first night that the spiritual warfare would intensify. It certainly has. 

A few weeks ago, I was approached about hosting a community wide prayer meeting from a community leader. I believe the Lord called us to do that. We will hold that meeting on Sunday night October 19. Since then the enemy has been on the prowl attacking families right and left. My personal prayers have been more directed and focused on the spiritual war in this community. We invited this fight and we are not backing down. We come in the name and authority of our Lord Jesus Christ. We stand on the walls of this community to keep watch. We pound the doors of heaven with our fervent intercessions. It is true our foe is crafty. It more true that greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world. 

Sun Stand Still

 Tucked away in the tenth chapter of Joshua in verses twelve and thirteen is a prayer that is hard to fathom. I have never heard anyone preach on this passage. I read a book written on it once some years ago. The prayer and the answer to that prayer truly boggle my mind. It is definitely an Eph 3:20 prayer. God answered in powerful fashion. 

Let me set the context. Joshua and Israel are taking possession of the promised land and are in a fierce  battle. Joshua asked God for victory over the Amorites. That is not the mind boggling prayer. That prayer follows when Joshua asked the Lord to make the sun stand still so they would have more daylight to win the victory. This would defy the natural order of the universe. It had never been done before. 

Who prays like that? This prayer surprises me and inspires on three fronts. First, to even imagine such a prayer is impressive. Have you ever even imagined asking God to make the sun stand still in the sky and not go down for an extended period of time? I didn't think so. His God inspired imagination dreamed something bigger than anyone ever prayed or dreamed in the history of the world or had ever experienced before. 

I want that kind of imagination fired and inspired by God to think bigger. Too often we think small and pray small. God is capable of doing so much more. Exceedingly more. Too often small minded people control the flow of ideas. D.L. Moody, the famous evangelist, once expressed, "If God is your partner, make your plans large." We need to think sun stand still thoughts. Not to limit God with our small mentality. God is capable of such more. There is not an idea, a prayer we can offer, nor a dream we can dream that is bigger than what God can do. He created the sun with just a spoken word. Making it stand still was no tall order for our Creator. 

I am also inspired by the faith of Joshua. It is one thing to dream and think large. It is another matter to really believe in the core of your soul that can and will do the big thing. Joshua truly believed that God had the power to make the sun stand still and would make it stand still to accomplish the impossible feat. That was more than mustard seed faith praying. Joshua's faith moved God to do something He had never done before. Can our faith move God to also do things He has never done before? He certainly gets glory for doing such powerful things. 

The other thing about Joshua's prayer that encourages me, is that he prayed with authority. I am not saying he demanded God do make the sun stand still. None of us are in a position to demand anything from God. God does give us authority to pray with confidence. See Hebrews 4:16. We are invited to come with confidence and boldness. We are given authority in Jesus' name to pray prayers that change circumstances and outcomes. Joshua prayed with an authority I have never known, but long for down in the depths of my soul. The only way I know to pray with this kind of authority is to pray God's word, and to pray in His will. I John 5:14-15. 

What is your sun stand still prayer? That prayer that sounds so audacious and outlandish to people, but moves God to supernatural action? I hope you have something. Something that fires the imagination, stretches faith, and encompasses your God given authority to pray. I can't wait to see the answers to those prayers. 

Church Crisis

 There is a mammoth problem facing churches today. It is not necessarily new. It does seem to be growing in frequency. Pastors, youth pastors, worship pastors, and priests continually fall into sin shaming our Savior and His church. 2024 was a terrible year for several high profile ministers getting exposed for secret sins which were brought to light. Some of those pastors were household names. They were held in high regard and served in high profile positions. They were highly sought out as conference speakers and authors. Each one that fell was another blow from the forces of darkness wreaking havoc on the church. 

This is nothing new. In I Samuel 2:12-36 we learn of Eli the priest who had two sons who also served as priests. They were sinful men who grieved God. They were greedy with people who offered sacrifices. They demanded to be given part of the sacrifice of meat, by force if necessary. They wanted their portion before God got His. This sin was great in the eyes of the Lord. 

There are many in the ministry for financial gain. They pad their pockets with the gifts and offerings of people who are often manipulated emotionally. Hardworking men and women support these preachers who go on television constantly pleading for more money for the next project or to be able to continue to broadcast. I kid you not when I say some of them are worth millions. A few even hundreds of millions. They live  lavishly but constantly plead for people to send more and more financial gifts to fund their ministry. They are shameless in their appeals. While the very people who fund their ministries, are seldom the wealthy as much as the common people sending in $50 here and $100 there. 

These so called prophets preach for profit. They fly around in private jets, live in million dollar homes, and wear designer clothing. On the other hand, there are faithful pastors who preach to small congregations and get paid so little they are forced to work a second and third job to make financial ends meet. They pray hard, preach hard, shepherd their flock faithfully, and work long hours year after year without being compensated adequately. Some churches simply cannot offer more salary. Other churches just refuse to do so. Still these shepherds sacrifice without complaint. They do not fly around in private planes, but drive jalopies that barely get them from point A to point B. They live meagerly and often go without. Their names will never be known by thousands. Some cannot even muster a crowd of 50 congregants. These faithful stalwart warriors of the faith may have hardships down here, but one day they will hear God say, "Well done good and faithful servant. Enter into your reward."

Eli's son also committed sexual sins. They fornicated with the females who ministered at the Tabernacle. Eli heard about all of this and did nothing. He scolded them, BUT HE DID REMOVE THEM FROM MINISTERING. It breaks my heart to learn that hundreds of preachers who have committed sexual sins get to move onto the next church with no accountability or repercussions. Things are swept under the rug so as to get rid them, and to protect the reputation and name of the church. Just like Eli these churches do nothing. 

Victims are often shamed into silence and ignored causing a trauma we cannot imagine. The Southern Baptist Convention did this with over 700 pastors. They concealed their names and sexual sins even though those sins were reported. In many cases, those pastors moved on to serve other churches and to continue their predatory behavior. The SBC did nothing just like Eli. One report indicated there are over 1,700 such pastors across denominational lines. THOSE ARE JUST THE ONES WHO WERE CAUGHT. 

One pastor of a prominent fast growing church was scandalized when seven women from that congregation came forward to report having affairs with the pastor while he and his wife were on vacation. A youth minister sits in prison today for sexually molesting young boys in his youth group even though he was engaged and preparing to get married. Another youth pastor preyed on young girls in his youth group. Instead of turning him in to law enforcement officials, the church he served remained silent as this sex fiend went to another church where he repeated the same sins. He was forced to resign and later arrested in a town about four and a half hours away. 

High profile names came across the evening news in 2024. It almost felt as if they fell like dominoes. Scandal filled the airways, hurt many who trusted these clergymen, and even one man's legacy was tarnished with his secret sins were revealed after he died. Tragic details of victims of abuse were kept secret by the very churches they trusted. These men who were supposed to shepherd them and feed them the word of God used and abused them. I attribute much of this pornography addiction by pastors. 57% of pastors report this addiction. 64% of youth pastors report addiction to pornography. It is out of control in our churches.  

Many get away with it. They intimidate victims into silence or bribe them to keep them quiet. There is no getting away with these sins before holy God. There will be a day of reckoning. A day when we have to face the consequences of our sinful choices. It will be a terrifying day for the con-artists who stroll the stage like showmen while living a double lifestyle in secret. 

I'm thankful for each nameless pastor who honors the Lord in the way he conducts his private life. You will never hear about them. They do not make the front page. They minister faithfully without fanfare. They often go unnoticed. They are seldom thanked. Rarely really appreciated for all the faithful service they render. They work as unto the Lord and not men. These faithful servants live mindful that God is always watching. They strive for holy living. They would rather die than shame the name of Jesus or His church. I thank God for these. It is the others that give all ministers a bad name and cause lack of trust in our Lord Jesus Christ. The unfaithful make it much harder for the faithful. 

May God clean up His church starting with those in the pulpit. May judgment begin in the house of God. May we all live in holiness according to I Peter 1:14-15. 

Draw Near

 There is a fascinating story in Exodus 19 when the literal presence of God came down on Mount Sinai. There was smoke, fire, and the whole mountain trembled. God warned the people to not even touch the base of the mountain or they would die. He commanded Moses to set boundaries around the mountain for the people's protection. It must have been an awesome sight to behold. 

God invited one man to come up on the mountain to speak His commands. Moses was summoned to the top of the mountain. It was there that he received not just the ten commandments, but also the other commands as well. Moses was literally consumed in the presence of God. God made Moses go back down and warn the people again not to broach the mountain. 

I have read this account dozens of times over the years. I even preached it one night at a youth camp under an outside tabernacle as a thunderstorm rolled in. The thunder was so loud I had to pause in preaching to let the magnificent presence of God take center stage. I saw something today I have never seen before in scripture. Not in thirty years of serious Bible reading and study. One little verse captured my heart. 

      21      So the people stood at a distance, while Moses approached the thick cloud where God was. New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Ex 20:21.

While others feared the presence of God, Moses was drawn to Him. The people did not even want God to speak to them directly. They feared what a direct message from God might do. They all stood at a safe distance. What a resemblance this is for the people of God today. So many are content to stand at a safe distance in devotions and corporate worship. They are content with a little religion, but steer clear of a close personal relationship with Yahweh. 

Moses was different. He yearned for the presence of God. He desired to encounter Him. His first God encounter happened in Exodus 3 at the burning bush. That only whetted his appetite for more. Does that describe you? Do you hunger and thirst for the presence of God? Do you long for more of Him? Moses did and He drew near. That means Moses approached God through the thick cloud. What frightened others intrigued Moses. He wanted to get closer. 

God wants to be known more than most people want to know Him. There is nothing on this earth I desire more than to know Him and to hear Him speak. I could not always say that. I got sucked into the fallacy of the American dream. Houses, vehicles, clothes, hobbies, and success consumed me for most of my life. For thirty years God whittled, chiseled, and cut away into that mentality to remind me of passages like Ps 16:11, Ps 73:25, and Phil 3:7-8. It was a painful process. 

I hunger for God as much or more than I ever have before. I yearn for more encounters with Him. While others may remain content to worship from afar, I want a more intimate view. I keep drawing near through the clouds of confusion to get closer to Him. The beautiful thing for any of us is that as we seek to draw near to Him, He is also seeking to draw near to us. James 4:8. 

More than worship services with multitudes of people I long for the private encounters with God in the secret place. I find a solace and contentment this world cannot offer when I am shut up alone with Him. He pulls me from underneath the snug covers at all hours of the night to come draw near. Even sleep cannot compare to the soul satisfaction found in His presence. I keep approaching God because there is so much else to discover about Him and to experience in Him. 

Will you spend your remaining days as a serious seeker drawing ever nearer to God? Will you be satisfied with the rot of religion that turns the stomach like spoiled food? Maybe you are scared to really draw near. Drawing near will forever change you. You will never be satisfied again with religious routine done out of duty and not the delight of pursuing God. I urge you to spend your remaining days drawing near.