I saw this on the web and thought you may like to read this thought provoking paradigm…

The study on my heart at the moment is the mystery of what happens when we arise and go! I know now that there is something to that concept, something that has taken me years to discover. Looking at my life, I see that I have roosted on both extremes of the spectrum between abandoned risk and fear-induced paralysis. Lately, I have constructed a memory collage of unrelated events in which I now see a common thread: something needed to be done; I arose and went. And in the going, I ran right into my miracle.

The footprints of those who understood go are all over the Bible. Their stories seem to have common elements: a difficult situation, the character's own inability to meet the problem, the character's resolve to rise up and do something, God's miraculous intervention.

One of my favorites of these characters is Jonathan, King Saul's son. I Samuel 14 Chronicles Jonathan's exploits when the Philistines were encamped around Israel, whose king, a fearful man, himself, failed to inspire courage in those around him. Instead of supporting their king, the warriors of Israel were scattered and trembling. It looked bad for the good guys. In spite of his circumstances, however, Jonathan had an idea. He said to his armor bearer, "Let us go…."

"It may be that the Lord will work for us," he continued. Jonathan did not know that God would give him the victory until he stepped out and took the risk. God had not told him to do it. Jonathan just knew God's ways. He wasn't being doubtful or arrogant or presumptuous. It mattered to him that something needed to be done, and the faith rose up in his heart to do it.

His declaration of faith expressed his understanding of God: "Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be the Lord will work for us. For nothing restrains the Lord to save by many or by few" (I Sam. 14:6). Maybe the words he uttered show the progression of his decision, "Let's go. Maybe God is in it. Hey, He is God; He can do it! Whether we have the whole army or just ourselves, we need Him to win, anyway."

His faithful armor bearer responded, "Do all that is in your heart. Go then; here I am with you, according to your heart" (I Sam. 14:7 NKJV). I'm impressed that Jonathan said the word "go," not God. This type of go that I am exploring seems to be initiated by us, yet, God-inspired, always produces miraculous results.

Opportunity

In the year 1265, Kubla Kahn ruled China, most of India and the greater portion of the Asian continent.  He was one of
the most powerful men on the face of the earth.  In that same year, two Italian men named Nicolo and Matio Polo, the
father and uncle of Marco Polo (yes he was a real person, not just a pool game) took a journey to China.  They traveled
that great distance to Eastern Europe, through Asia and into China where they met the great Khan.  They told Kubla
Kahn about Jesus Christ.  They told him about the death of Christ.  They told him about the crucifixion of Christ, His
sacrifice for our sin, His offer of forgiveness.  They told Kahn about how Jesus Christ is the hope of the world, how He
offers eternal life to all who believe.  The Holy Spirit was working in the heart and mind of Kubla Kahn in what we call
prevenient grace.  In that moment he was ready to become a Christian.

   Kubla Kahn thought, I would like all of my leaders, all of my officials, all of my officers to become Christians.  I want my
people to be Christians.  I want you two men to go back to Italy and bring 100 missionaries here.  I want then to tell all of
my people about Jesus Christ.  So Nicolo and Matio returned to Italy in 1269.  They talked to the church leaders, who were
not very impressed.  They were not willing to send 100 missionaries, but agreed to send two.  So, in the year 1271, Nicolo
and Matio Polo, with the 17-year-old Marco Polo, left for China again and they took two missionaries with them.  When
they were halfway there, the two missionaries were so wearied of the journey, they turned around and went back to Italy.  
It was 30 years later when missionaries finally arrived in China.  By that time, Kubla Kahn was dead.  It was too little.  It
was too late.  The door was closed.  The opportunity would never come again.

   How can we possibly know what would have happened if the church of Jesus Christ had been faithful in that moment?



Is there something God is calling you to do?

Piggy Back Ride

I head out for the window in less than three weeks. PLEASE PRAY! The steps of the righteous are ordered by the LORD!

Sri Lanka – Arriving into Sri Lanka will again be another time into this country of civil war. ALL who live here now are under extreme strain as bloodshed is everywhere. People are getting desperate as inflation has driven bread and rice cost to all time highs… Pray for the believers in Sri Lanka to remain faithful. We will minister for 5 days then "GO" to the continent of Africa.

Swaziland - After many times of invitation to "GO" to minister with Children's Cup, the Lord finally released me to "GO". After Sri we will be with Ben & Susan Rodgers to get a 1^st hand look @ the AIDS epidemic in Africa and how the "Cup" is ministering to families and children affected by the disease. Dave & Jean Ohlerking have been ministering here for years and it will be an honor to get some African dirt on my feet again for Jesus.

Mozambique – From Swaziland the road will be a fun drive… to minister Easter celebration at Healing Place Church – Mozambique. This is going to be awesome to spend with Pastor Isaac and this new church plant in this nation. I am looking forward to taking communion with these believers…

Kenya – Kenya has erupted in political war this year with as many have died in Nairobi. Pastor Don Matheny and Nairobi Lighthouse Church are standing in the midst of great struggles. Thousands of new refugees have sprung up as the fighting and chaos is wracking this nation.

North India Evangelism Project

We will go specifically again to Chandigarh to work with Pastor Norman Gray. We met Norman during the Tsunami in Sri Lanka and went last year to be part of his new church plant. This year the church will be two years old as we lead a team Rusty Domingue is bringing from Celebration Church from Georgetown, TX. Chandigarh is located north of New Delhi about a three hour train ride. The Punjab people live here in this city and work primarily in the government of India. Most of the people commute to Delhi weekly on the three hour train ride to the nation's capitol. Chandigarh is one of the two "planned" cities in India with a sewer system and roads designed by the French pre British colony days. Please pray for us and help us with this church plant. We are going by Faith… our budget to do the meetings and travel is $10,000US. We ask you to pray… Jesus loves Faith and signs follow those who believe. Believe with us for many to come into the kingdom this month.

Reports from the 1040 window

Wow I have gotten a lot of tough emails as of late from people I know in dire strait situations in Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan. I thought I would pass on a few excerpts for your information and your prayers!

Sri Lanka - Pastor shot dead in Ampara District (Eastern coast)
Pastor Neil Edirisinghe of Ampara was shot dead last night (17th
February 2008). He was shot in the chest and his wife was shot in the
stomach. She has been admitted to hospital in a serious condition. It is
reported that their child too has sustained injuries.

Please pray for this family and the Church.

India – Orissa State

Almost 25,000 Christians left homeless. More than 1000 churches attacked. 730 Christian houses burned to the ground; thousands of Christian homes looted and emptied of everything. 126 Christian businesses destroyed. Thousands of the Christians beaten; some had heads shaved to humiliate them; Christian women raped. Over 4000 Hindu militants are roaming around looking to persecute Christians. Their only crime – they refuse to bow down and worship Hindu idols.

Pakistan - Dear brother, PLEEAASSEE do not look at me as a liability, but things here are really getting BAAADDD for us with the present turn of events.

My older son yesterday was severely harassed by some individuals who actually managed to obtain his office telephone number and this is an International group. Today I have arranged protection for him through the Police. I may regret this action later though.

Today he was coming home from a Football game the other day when he was held up at the Traffic lights for his Mobile, fortunately he is sharp enough and floored the car + we always travel with a Weapon in the vehicle. But you see this is how things are worsening on a daily basis. The school received a Bomb threat before the Elections; they were shut down for a week. We have an Armed Guard at the Gate this is in spite of the fact that we live in a most secure Army housing society.

Please tell your friends we need to get out while we can, even though right now we are financially all the way down but we will sell all we have and leave and then look at making our way to Canada from there, but please dear brother, ask them to at least communicate with me and let me know what, if anything at all, is happening.

IHOP - The Prayer Room

The Lord has led me to IHOP! International House of Prayer… not Pancakes. All this year I have felt a stirring to seek God for an encounter with his power. This kind of movement takes concentrated seeking through prayer and fastings. My sister has been in this prayer movement for three years and the affects of her intercession has moved me to check out IHOP. Wow they are shaking heaven with all the young people seeking an out pouring of God's spirit. Check it out… www.theprayerroom.tv on the web and on God TV late nights.

Pressure & Preparation

I remember the 1st time I went to India… the pressure was starting to mount as I had committed to making this step to an unknown world. Little did I know the spiritual warfare level I was about to step into… We were planning to go into North India.
I had some old cows that I was feeding and it was about this time of the year so they were hungry as usual. So I got home from work right @ dark and decided to take a big round bale of hay to feed them hungry critters. I pulled my coat up around my ears as I climbed on the tractor to stab the bale and drive the short couple of miles down the road to where I kept the cattle. Little did I know the wild ride I was about to embark upon… it was almost dark and I should not have been on the road with this bale of hay for the record. I was cutting it to close to allow the devil an opportunity to keep me from what God intended for my life. We get in such a hurry we forget the big picture… this guy had been @ work and like most middle class guys on his way home had stopped for a couple of beers. He said he never saw the tractor and bale of hay as he slammed into the back of me. The hay was covering the slow moving vehicle sign as the impact shoved the forks into his radiator. The force of the blow propelled the tractor into high gear speed as I struggled to control the old machine. Of course this happened on a bridge and the tractor leaped up on the edge of the railing as I was screaming JESUS @ the top of my lungs. Well the Lord hears prayer for sure and had his angels with me as almost if the tractor suddenly was moved back on the road and right down the middle finally slowing to a controllable pace. Whew… just the memory of the ride had my hands typing fast, hello!
Well the state tropper came and accessed the accident and can you believe I got the ticket? I was wrong but he never checked the young man for being drunk as he reeked with alcohol. So with bent forks and wounded pride I went home but so very thankful to be alive. This incident did not stop as it was during this time I had been trusting the Lord for the finances to travel to India. After insurance claims from the truck and I was at fault, the cost for the old work truck was $3000. Guess how much my budget was for the trip to India that was due the next week…yes sir $3000. Well the Lord provided in a supernatural way as he does so often when we step in faith this moves God! Faith is what moves him…
Yesterday I had a rough day with preparation and pressure as again I prepare for India and specifically North India. Again I did something not too bright but at least it wasn’t taking a chance with al old tractor and a bale of hay. People will hear the gospel as we obey his command to “GO” and prepare the way of the Lord. As a great friend would say to me when I was just a young believer…”brother pray for me, I need the prayer and you need the practice!”

Amy Stockstill
We got word yesterday that Pastor Joel Stockstill’s beautiful wife Amy went to heaven Tuesday evening… an update can be seen on Joel’s blog, www.joelstockstill.com Wow I have known Joel and his family for a long time and to see such steady faithfulness in such trials is simply God’s Amazing Grace he pours out on our lives. We love you Joel and family…

Influence – Bucket List

This morning my son Andy asked me an interesting question… name the top five people that has influenced your life in a godly way.

I have so many I could put on this list as I sat pondering his words I thought about influence. I thought of how our lives and actions are influencing people every day. Another cool thing that I got to do lately was take in a movie called the Bucket List. I am not advocating watching too much Hollywood but man this movie got me to thinking… there is one explicit adjective and a scene with old Jack Nicholson with a little sign language you see on the freeway every once in awhile, outside of this though this movie will get you to asking yourself some serious questions about the priorities in your life.

Man I really want to make me life count for something and the more people I influence for Jesus the better off I am and the more JOY is evident in my life (watch the movie and remember the 2 questions involving JOY).

So name the top 5 people that have influenced your life in a godly way… then call them and tell them how much they mean to you.

Here are my five for the record... the order is not reflective of their priority. This was hard as I have so many people that have impacted my life and I know the Lord has more in the future to help me along the way…

Scott and Merriann Hornsby (tonight we celebrated Scott's 60^th birthday, we had an Elvis style party) they have loved me like their own child and allowed me to be part of their family.

Sandy the love of my life… what a joy she brings to my life.

Jack Harris – my friend and mentor in missions

Brent Hornsby – my hero of the Faith

My daddy and mama… Luther and Patricia Walters without them I would not be here lol!

Prayers for Stockstill Family

Ask you to lift up prayer to our Lord for the Stockstill family. Pastor Joel's wife, Amy is in need of a miracle from the Lord as her life hangs in the balance. Thousands in the body of Christ are joining their faith in unified intercession for Amy. This year to date I have again sensed the spirit of the Lord wooing his bride to seek Him with fastings and prayers like I have not witnessed since I first became a believer at the tail end of the charismatic movement. Worldwide the Lord is moving on his people to cry out and lift their voice for his out pouring upon his people. The Lord is using Amy life to create such prayer with groaning of intercession that signs and wonders may be done on the earth so that Jesus may be glorified. This next generation has not seen a move of God like the charismatic movement but the expectancy is high now with the great pressures upon the earth. We ask you Lord Jesus release the power of your spirit upon your people that your name may be glorified…

For more current updates check out Joel's blog, www.joelstockstill.com. Joel is a young dynamic pastor that ministers with his dad, Bro. Larry Stockstill @ Bethany World Prayer Center in Baton Rouge, LA.

10 year Visa Incredible INDIA!!!

Today I was so thrilled to apply again for another 10 year Visa to India. I kind of set back as I had to write all the places I have traveled to and ministered in this incredible nation. We call India the land of extremes… extreme heat/cold, extreme poverty/wealth, extreme traffic from bicycle rickshaws to the world's largest train system, extreme population with over 1 billion in this nation alone, extreme mountains – Himalayas, extreme religious groups with severe persecution to Christians, etc… I think you are getting a little picture. But the most incredible extreme is the smells of India. Sandy cringes @ the curry and I cringe in the slums @ times… when you step off the plane to this nation you take in a deep breath of a people that are in desperate need of Jesus. Oh how I love to GO to India!

I remember this guy from my home town that went to India and came back wearing strange clothes… I judged the fire out him from my redneck closed minded attitude. Jesus sure is funny and sure knows how to get our attention to do something incredible with our lives. Now I got all the strange clothes and live a life caught between the cultures of the west and the subcontinent nations around India. I remember sitting in front of my fire place one cold winter night reading the story of the sower and contemplating over the 4 different kinds of seed. In my spiritual pride I pictured myself as the 4^th seed producing good fruit, 30. 60 and 100 fold yields. Then I heard that sweet voice of the Holy Spirit say to me not so… you are 3^rd seed now. So in a huff I gave out my spiritual resume' and my Lord, Lord accomplishments for his kingdom sake… finally the conviction of the Holy Spirit had me yielding in my miserable self righteous state knowing I had resolved myself to complacency and satisfaction… a very dangerous spot called stagnation. So I bowed my head and whispered, "Lord, what do you want me to do?" I felt this prompting to go to India and immediately jumped up rebuking the devil… Lord do you know how far it is, how dangerous, how much it costs, they don't eat cows, I am so not ready, etc… all my questions and reasoning was falling upon a closed heaven until I yielded my heart in obedience.

Next month we will again be in India, specifically north India, that is hard ground for the gospel. We have meetings scheduled with church planters as a team from Celebration Church in Texas is coming to sow some of their life into incredible India. I am super fired up that my old partner Rusty Domingue is organizing all these 1^st timers to take on India. We will preach the good news of Jesus with signs following with our strange clothes on lol… We got some financial challenges for these meetings, but we know he always provides for his work and uses people like you and me .

Come in Incredible India awaits you… sissy baby!

Nonstop…

Oh wow I just so enjoy nonstop flights… direct to intended destination, off the plane and down to business. Travel to Sri Lanka I promise you does not have any nonstop flights but in reality you are flying nonstop, hello! 29 total flying hours via the Pacific routing will eventually get you to Sri Lanka… yes sir 29 hours.

Honestly I do enjoy travel but it is a lot of hard work. For years I worked shift work and felt the pain of living without sleep and in a FOG like mind condition. The disciplined training received to work under high pressure at expected peak performance serves me well in the rigors of the 1040 window. Basically jet lag is an animal! Recently the Lord has been teaching me how to maximize my production by simply obeying his leading and not forging ahead with youth like strength and very little wisdom. The Lord wants you in the right place @ the right time for his glory. I even got an email from a dear friend today with an attached nugget found in Exodus 33:14. I have been meditating on this all day… presence and rest go together hand in hand. Impatience and forging ahead will get you hurt… and those around you will be hurt too.

So take a chill pill, spend some quality time with the one that brings rest to your soul! Nonstop life style will blow you up… I am still learning.