Daylight's Burning...

2010-08-19T08:08:00.005-05:00

It ain't overt till it's over...

I was reading in John 21 about the disciples going fishing after Jesus had gone to the grave...

They went back to doing what they knew to do after 3.5 years walking with Jesus, witnessing the miracles, casting out devils, healing the sick, learning the ways of the kingdom, etc...

They went back at night... darkness will draw you back to the old life. Been crazy lately the amount of believers choosing the "old life" again after the years of being faithful. Lord make me faithful to the end... it is how we finish the race.

Peter and the boys were in a low spot... no resources, no presence, dark, hiding from the public/people. Yet they responded to his voice when he spoke to them the next morning.

Joy comes in the AM! Wait it out till the AM before you make a bad decision in the PM.

Then the disciple whom Jesus loved recognized him... John the Revelator, the one who laid on his bosom, who listened to his heartbeat, smelled his breath, his intimacy with Jesus was staggering (another message perhaps)...

At his command they OBEYED and cast the net again... Them boys grew up fishing. They knew you couldn't catch fish in the daylight in Galilee, yet @ his Word!

153 whoppers almost sunk em... could this number be significant in our day? Are we right at the end of the final harvest? 153 unreached people groups?

Nevertheless Lord at thy word, CAST THE NET!

2010-08-17T08:13:00.006-05:00

“A man's steps are directed by the LORD.” Proverbs 20:24a

We want to announce that our youngest daughter Mary is moving to the nation of South Africa to work with Life Church - Durban pastored by Gregg and Kristin Evans. Mary has a target date of September and is full on working hard to prepare for the next year of her life. Sandy and I are excited at the reality of one of our kids living as a missionary on the field!

Mary came to me earlier in the year inquiring about an internship for the summer. We prayed together and this opportunity to serve in the nations came about. Yes, it is a little more than a summer but so many young people in other “religions” take two years and invest their lives. Mary decided after our blessing the least she could do was follow the Lord’s leading investing her youth and zeal into the nations.

Mary will be working specifically with Gregg and Kristin Evans and the Life Church team in Durban, South Africa. The launch of the church just took place and now they need help with their children's ministry. Not to mention Gregg and Kristin have a new born baby which one of Mary's greatest strong points is loving on babies!

Mary is currently in the process of working to raise her support. This month she is having garage sales and “jambalaya” dinner fund raisers. Now her highest priority need is for committed monthly support for the next year. This is important for budget plans to be set. Her overall move budget is a great step of faith as she needs airfare and logistical supplies for her move. So we are asking for consideration and commitment to help resource Mary’s step of faith into Africa.
Sandy and I are thrilled with the aspect of one of our children now leaving the nest as a missionary. Just like we did taking a huge risky step of faith to serve Jesus with all our hearts. Thank you for your prayers for our ministry and our wonderful family.
Daylight's Burning...

2010-08-17T07:54:00.002-05:00

"The place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek, so that many people could read it." John 19:20

As I was reading my daily devotion this early AM, I came across this scripture that made me smile. Jesus in his most critical hour on earth had in his plan the most simple way to communicate to as many people that could read...

Here are a few thoughts about this scripture that come to mind. I am gonna kind of random shoot here. Enjoy the meditation... Psalms 1:2

Many times when we minister in the nations, we translate the message into 3 languages.
What about the people that can't read? How will they hear if they don't have a preacher? Somebody has to go and "read" the gospel to them... Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God!
We must all preach the gospel, if necessary use words... St. Francis of Assie
Jesus suffered so that he may both in word and deed demonstrate his great love toward us. "We are always on his mind..."
Revelation 1:3 Blessed when we read the Word and especially the book of Revelation!

2010-08-03T10:39:00.002-05:00

Full Throttle...

Been a long time since I blogged but after getting some fresh revelation here lately thought I need to write some of these things down.

Let's catch up...

November - Katie accident and deliverance from the trap of the enemy.

December - more Katie in ICU. Kind of cool as the family spent Christmas in the hospital alone. Another cool things was Katie's doctors @ the Promise Hospital were all Indian. We loved them and all felt like family. Dr. Gumadi is awesome...

January - Katie out of ICU snuck off to Sri Lanka with Andy, Kyle and Chris.

February - April Katie rehab, the Lord had me watching over her carefully. Been a different year for sure.

May - Washington DC Conference - Watchmen on the Wall. The Lord is doing something big in American these days. Certainly a shifting is taking place...

June - Panama Kuna Indians, basketball evangelism

July - Costa Rica with Fellowship Church Zachary

August - September headed to Sri Lanka, Dubai, & Spain... I am so ready to roll. We got a church plant in Northern Sri Lanka launching soon. Also Joshua Mills Glory School @ WOW in Colombo... and the most awesome miraculous shout his name from the roof top things is Katie will travel with me to Sri Lanka. We will testify of the goodness of the Lord!

Yes money is tight too... but the only way to please God is by faith. So by faith we step again into the 1040 window again and again and again... When God calls you to stand in his name... faith is challenging but so fulfilling and I love pleasing Jesus, Hebrews 11:6.

So this AM as I was cutting grass... I love to cut grass as it so easy to concentrate on the Lord for me. I know strange... anyway as I was cutting grass I started complaining about things going so slow. I got this thing about Daylight's Burning... so I was whining about things being help up, stuff not happening, souls in the balance, all my grumbling prayers that I am sure the Lord laughs at cause of my ridiculous attitude. Then I was whining about the old mower has seen it's last days as it is 5 years old and the motor is smoking... blah, blah, blah... get the picture?

So the Lord spoke to me and said "increase the power to full throttle"...

What? no it could not be that I had neglected to put the power to full throttle. I looked at the throttle and sure enough it was only half way, only half the power was being used to get the job done. As I eased the throttle to wide open, I sensed the Lord say yes I heard your grumbling but I see your heart son. Keep going at full throttle... the night comes when no man can work.

So we are ramping up preparing for Sri Lanka. Katie was in the pool swimming laps last pm... she knows the better prepared she is the more God can use her.

Mary too is increasing the power as she prepares for Africa. She is headed to the mission field for the next year! Love it...

Keep us in your prayers as we increase the throttle!

2009-11-16T04:36:00.002-06:00

Ask for the Nations...

Well I needed to shake the dust off my blog. Life can get so fast with so much to do that the time to sit and write kind of took a back burner. Or should I say another form... I found my Mac had a faster less complicated way to communicate and have been using that for the past few months. Pretty efficient but not raw heart stuff like the old blog affords...

So, let's see where to begin. Ok... let's catch up. My last entry the kids were headed to school and I had just returned from Panama. Since then Luke and I went on a long itineration trip ministering through the heart land of the US. We are finding a grass roots move of Holy Ghost power taking root in the heart of the saints. Christians in the US are hungry for God to manifest his presence. A sincere intimate relationship with the Lord our protector and healer.

From here we jumped deep into the 1040 window... India, Sri Lanka and the UAE. The Hindu world of India is being impacted with great light these days. We were in North India at the Assembly of Believers Church annual conference. Wow what a growing movement of evangelism into the softening ground of north India. Church planting efforts are now taking root into stronghold regions of the world. When the last person has the gospel preached to them, then he will return!

From India we swung south to our beloved heartland of Sri Lanka. I stand amazed @ God's mercy to allow me to minister in these nations and how we as a family lived and worked in these wonderful places. We met with our partners in Sri Lanka and a great report from WOW as the new work is moving forward. A new venue has been established to house this great awakening happening in Sri Lanka. Luke and I got to visit with some of our old friends... mainly a Muslim family that befriended us. Remember... you may be the only Bible some people ever read.

From Sri we traveled to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Wow what a city! This trade city on the Persian Gulf has all the bells and whistles of a modern city but the under current of Islam rang loud as we walked through the streets ministering. We had met a Nigerian pastor in India and got to meet with him and his wife. One of those God ordained moments... We gave them the word of the Lord and laid foundation for future ministry. We stayed with our dear Pastor Neil and his awesome family. They even had a welcome banner in our rooms... so sweet!

We sat Pastor Neil and had awesome discussions on God's Grace! Some great revelations...

So that will kind of bring us up to date... now looking forward to reflecting, relaxing and then preparing to climb the next mountain the Lord has laid before us! Thanks for being our friends and for taking the time to read... God bless you!

2009-08-24T06:55:00.002-05:00

LSU Tigers...

Today is the 1st day of classes for the fall semester @ LSU. Andy is a sophomore and Mary a freshman... Wow I remember my days in college as fun yet challenging and away from home. How naive and innocent I was to the ways of the world...

Here is a taste of the note I sent them this am to let them know their parents were behind them and praying for them.

4 things keeps His hand of favor on your life...
1. Faithful - daily relationship with the Lord. Seek 1st the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you.
2. Obedience - It is better to obey than to sacrifice...
3. Love - Above all the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13
4. Forgiveness - When we forgive others... God will forgive us.

I just shake my head in amazement as to the Lord's hand of grace upon Sandy and I to be parents. Jesus entrusted us to raise our four kids in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Such an honor to see God's hand on all our kids and the fear of the Lord deeply rooted into their lives.

Train up a child in the way they should go for when they are older they will not depart from it... I love the Word of God so alive and such a blessing of promise.

2009-08-20T11:32:00.002-05:00

Amazing Video on Missions...

My great friend Jack Harris got this video from another missionary named Ryan Philips. Talk about stir your soul... let me know what you think!

2009-08-18T06:43:00.003-05:00

Wow for all my followers I repent... two months and no blog posts. Well all I can say is obviously we have been a little busy and I have kind of had some writer's block. So much to say but honestly trying to keep my emotions in check. Just a season but important to effective communication...

A quick catch up since end of June... I went to Sri Lanka to attend WOW - Sri Lanka huge evangelistic meeting and launch of the new cutting edge church in Colombo proper. Exciting to say the least to see the Lord moving in this next generation with signs and wonders. The nation is like a new place with the war complete. But as a great man of God wrote me the war in the spirit for the souls of men still rages violently. I will be saying more about this in the future.

Before I left we moved to a new place in Clinton... a great friend of ours personally has allowed us to move into their home. This positions us to continue the transition we have felt coming in our personal lives. This is a story yet to be played out... I suppose life is a transition as the Bible says we are changed from glory to glory. Everyday is a step closer to eternity. Sandy and I are in the "fun" stages of walking our kids into adulthood... they are gonna turn hell upside down for Jesus!

After I returned from Sri Lanka I got the flu... I don't know if it was swine flu but I sure felt horrible nevertheless it didn't stop me from working and preparing for a trip to Panama. The day before I was scheduled to leave for Panama the fever broke and the yuk in my head broke out and I got totally healed... Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord!

Panama was an incredible trip with my great friend Pastor Johnny Brady and Fellowship to the Nations Church in Houston, TX. Those Texas folks are passionate for Jesus and their love for the Kuna Indians has proven decades of fruit with souls. Johnny's dad starting going their in the 60's building churches and evangelizing the Kuna's. Johnny uses a unique method of bringing basketball players to play exhibition games and draw the crowds. The huge Americans playing the fiesty small Indians is too funny... One of my personal highlights is too see the spirit of the Lord touch the team as most of them are 1st timers to the mission field. Lives changed and passion poured out into young people as they give of themselves... you will never be the same once you leave your comfort zone and go to the nations.

I have always said I could never give back to the mission field what the mission field has done for me...

2009-06-26T07:09:00.002-05:00

We have been moving out of the missions house in Zachary to a new place in Clinton the past few days. Actually I am in a hurry now as we prepare to leave for Sri Lanka next week. So a whole lot of hard work is happening at around us these days. First we built a big storage room at my dad's barn in Mississippi in the searing hot heat. All in all a good investment as Sandy said she had enough of giving away all her furniture. I did not over rule this time...

This picture is of my most awesome favorite mother in law in the whole world! Her and Sandy both love to move furniture... I mean serious like therapy. I just stand in awe as they move it and move it back, then move it some more. It is so funny to experience their creativity. So cool to see Proverbs 31 come to life in these great women.

So pray for us as we move... change is a challenge but well worth the effort to allow to God to use you for his glory.

2009-06-02T07:58:00.002-05:00

O Lord, you are my God;
I will exalt you and praise your name,
for in perfect faithfulness
you have done marvelous things,
things planned long ago.

When I was a little boy growing up in Jackson, LA. My mom got me to enter the local high school's talent show sponsored by the Future Business Leaders of Louisiana (FBLA). Innocent and young but emboldened with a personality of expression, I belted out the rendition of "He's got the whole world in his hands". Little did I know the performance would bring the house down and I would go home with my first trophy the winner of the FBLA talent contest. As I read the scripture in Isaiah 25:1 this AM my thoughts raced back to God's plan for my life. Such a wave of emotion and thankfulness swept over my soul as I bowed in worship. Jesus is so faithful and worthy of praise!

2009-05-28T16:19:00.011-05:00

My Father in LAW - Mr. JB Gulotta

Sandy’s dad passed away on May 24th after a long illness. Mr. JB Gulotta was a great man and he will be missed dearly. He was so good to me trusting me with one of his precious children and his baby daughter. Talk about talented... he was an incredible finish carpenter as I witnessed him transform so many pieces of junk furniture and houses into master pieces. He also loved to grow things as he always had a big garden and grew so many tomatoes as he knew his bride of 52 years, Mary Ellen loves tomatoes. He raised his children to work hard as they ran a dairy in the Loranger area for years then he took over the rural letter carrier post from where he retired.

I was honored to preach the funeral and minister to the family. Gonna be different now without him in this life but look forward to seeing him in eternity. We love you Mr. JB and Daddy!>

2009-05-18T07:43:00.004-05:00

All Smiles!!!

We got official word this early AM the war is over in Sri Lanka, www.theacademic.org . The Sri Lankan government has taken control over the whole country as the LTTE (Tamil Tigers) have laid down the arms after their senior leaders were killed in the last battles. Lets of emotions and questions are running through my mind this AM. After nearly 30 yrs of war the country will be at peace... no more road blocks, check points, military bunkers, strained looks on people faces, etc... Sad too that so many have and are suffering for a lost cause. Civil War is horrible!

This war ending was something we have always envisioned for Sri Lanka. Please keep us in your prayers as we look to the future with the people of Sri Lanka with hope for a better day. Pray this new hour will again bring opportunities for the gospel to go into closed areas. This makes me think of all the times Luke and I went into the war zone... only covered by the blood of Jesus and the prayers of the saints. Now we can go bring this gospel unhindered... serving and loving and giving Jesus to this nation. Yes I am moved this AM...

We look to the Lord and his people to help us get to the people.

2009-04-12T08:14:00.004-05:00

No Lines...

Today is THE day to celebrate the risen saviour, Jesus Christ. Not a dead God but one who overcame death and the grave! Wow I am so fired up to have such a great relationship with a God that is ALIVE and risen from the dead. Come on this is something to shout about and rejoice. As I awoke this AM the hall mark scripture of John 3:16 was whispered in my ear by the Holy Spirit. My thoughts raced to Jesus and his great love for me personally. then my next thought was his love for the world. I once heard a US senator tell me about his experience when he flew on a space mission. He spoke of his looking back at the earth and seeing a world with no lines. My heart leaped as this man was speaking of how God looks at his creation. No lines... the old sunday School song says, Red, yellow, black or white Jesus loves the little chidren of the world. We are all his children my friend as their will be no grand children or step children in heaven. Just fully paid for blood line inheritance by the precious sinless blood of the lamb of God... Jesus my Lord!
Each day on our website, http://www.map1040.com/ a new unreached people group profile is shown on the homepage for prayer consideration. This is how it all started for us... prayer for the nations. No lines... Jesus died and rose again for the sins of the whole world.

Sandy and I want to extend a Happy Easter to all our friends and family. We are celebrating today with our family in Mississippi. The past few years we have been in Africa ministering on Easter. So it is going to be real nice to sit at my mama's table today. We are gonna eat some awesome Mississippi food and breath in the fresh air and sound of no cars in the rural country side of southwest Mississippi. Ya'll have a good one ya hear...

2009-04-06T07:33:00.007-05:00

The Gathering...

Spent the last few days at "The Gathering" in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. 19 international missionaries representing 14 nations were in attendance as well as many home missions ministries. Pastor Darren Davis of Harbour Church, Ft. Lauderdale "gathers" missionaries from all over to meet and get reports. Wow so awesome to hear the reports and to minister to the missionaries. We got to tell our story of the Glory meetings in Sri Lanka and all of the work we are involved inside of the 1040 window.

One of the highlights for me personally is this church is where my baby sister came to know the Lord Jesus and now she is being sent out to the nations. Tish is heading to South Korea to teach at international school. We are too excited as she has been living with our family this past school year and we have been preparing her to move forward.

2009-03-24T07:06:00.005-05:00

Commitment...
Done deal at our house as the wedding went off in grand splendor. Ty and Katie stood before the Lord and vowed the marriage covenant on March 21st @ 6pm. Wow it was so special and honestly I did not cry... Sandy wept and I laughed with joy! We had a great time celebrating with our family and friends. We had guests as far as India grace the wedding as the "international" nature of our lives even shined through with a curry dish in the wedding feast.
Our main goal was to honor the Lord as a witness to the bridegroom coming for his bride. We so prayed for God to bless this time. We sensed such a special presence of God in the event... May his name be glorified and honored in our lives and specially in Ty and Katie's.

2009-03-16T07:16:00.002-05:00

Wedding Week...

Well this is the beginning of wedding week at our house as our eldest daughter Katie is set to get married March 21st @ 6pm. Katie is marrying Ty Rigby who in our opinion is the man God intended for her. Ty has a great heart and an intensity about him that we sense will grow and need to be married to Katie, hello! The best thing is Sandy and I are convinced of his love and dedication to Katie. Enough mushy stuff... all the wedding plans are in full force. The Lord has been so good to set this time to celebrate in royal fashion.

The wedding will take place at our misson's base in Port Hudson, LA. up river from Baton Rouge. This old house is called Willow Springs and was a hospital site for both sides of the great American Civil War conflict at the Battle of Port Hudson. Interesting how this place is a place of healing and peace. The beauty of the setting with the old live oak trees and park like garden will be ordained with all the pomp and circumstance of the local culture. Basically this translates into a whole lot of work for us but it will be well worth the joy. Sandy is set to put our best foot forward in welcoming our family and friends to celebrate our 1st child's wedding. What an awesome time for family and we are gonna have a great time.

The greatest wedding with soon take place at the marriage supper of the Lamb when the bride of Christ will be united with her bridegroom, Jesus our Lord. What a cool picture of how weddings are really gonna be like... What a party it is going to be! So let the celebraton begin...

2009-03-11T05:12:00.002-05:00

Built for specific purposes...

After I watched this video performance the first thought that came to my mind was God built us all for a purpose. Inspiring rendition of Amazing Grace I am sure you will enjoy...

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid271552717/bctid1913313052

2009-03-06T15:10:00.002-06:00

Turn aside and see this great sight...

Today I am in the prayer room @ IHOP and what a great time with the Lord. Just sitting and meditating on his awesome power and presence. I have been reading Psalm 27 over and over and over and over... the power of his love flooding over me has been awesome.

IHOP is hosting a Passion for Jesus conference this weekend and I had planned last year to come for a weekend of fasting and prayer. Time spent turning aside like Moses did with the burning bush is time invested into eternity.

The cool thing is hanging with a great church planter here in the KC area named Andrew Fortner. We will be with them Sunday at Networks Church to present the "window" and pray an increase of vision for the lost. Andrew is really cool and zealous to be the pastor for Lee's Summitt, MO. So honored to hang here in KC...

2009-02-24T07:01:00.004-06:00

Slum Dog wins Best Picture @ the Oscars... Reveals India to the West!

India cries out…
I am not a big movie goer but I had to go see this work about India. My great friend and missions mentor Jack Harris (Global Messenger Service) told me about this movie. So off I went to experience India on the big screen… WOW! I cried off and on during the movie so stirred with the sights and sounds my family and I have often experienced.
India was what moved me to action of obedience to the harvest fields of souls. Nothing I have found on this earth will move you like the raw desperation of humanity in India. The sights and smells of thousands of dung fires preparing supper for their families in Bihar will stir any man's soul. The masses of people, honking of horns, chi tea in stalls everywhere, cows in the streets, colors of dress, huge temples, deeply religious people, etc... Oh Incredible India!

I got to accompany one of the greatest missionaries of the modern time in one Jack Dyer to see Slum Dog. This was my 2nd time to go see the flick... I knew Jack would be impacted in an incredible way. Jack and his wife Shirley spent 7 years in the rugged Himalaya mountain region serving at Wood Stock school after 27 years of service in Honduras. The big eye opener is Jack did not get started until he was in his late 40's... he forsook the ways of Babylon and left the comforts of familiar to bring honor to the name of Jesus. I am humbled just to be his close friend...

I got some cool friends name Jack...

Jack Harris - Fenton, MO

Jack Dyer - Baton Rouge, LA

Both are world changers and passionate to make His name great in the nations!

Slum God will give you an idea of life in India. An idea is nothing like the smells... HA! Oh come on now, if my wife can handle it anybody can... she is amazing.

God call us to sell out for souls... Let the Word of the Lord run swiftly (II Thess 3:1-5). Lord give to us the deeper revelation of masses of multitudes in India in the balance of eternity in Jesus name.

2009-02-19T06:10:00.002-06:00

Harvest @ East Gate
Trincomalee, Sri Lanka

2009-02-05T23:00:00.006-06:00

Sri Lanka's war is super HOT!!!

I wanted to send out a quick request for prayers for the nation of Sri Lanka. The war is horrible in the north as it is affecting thousands of families across this strife torn nation. This country has lost so many lives due to the war and literally a way of life for a whole generation of people that have been involved in this conflict for almost 30 years. Wow 30 years of war... bloodshed, heart break and destruction.

I have many thoughts coming to my mind as to how we all can get trapped into our opinions based on cultural prejudices and traditions. I have been studying WWII with Germany's onslaught and how the people were caught in a conflict of ideals developed by the people in power. Sri Lanka is in desperate need of peace!

Underneath this big military offensive in the north to eradicate the Tamil Tigers and any people aligning themselves with this group is another assault on religious liberties in Sri Lanka. Again the anti conversion bill comes before Parliament with strong lobbying efforts of the majority religion aimed to stop conversions. Funny how you narrow mindedness and lack of vision to change can cripple a nation. Also the world media has not mentioned one word about this anti conversion bill on the table...

All nations of the world need to look at the history as to how Jesus life and story has impacted this world. As always the war we see with our eyes and the war in the spiritual realm is two different worlds; the war for the souls of men.

Please we ask you to pray for Sri Lanka for the stopping of the shed of blood. Also pray this government will be wise to keep an open heart for the best interest of the people.

2009-01-17T15:57:00.004-06:00

Ready, Get Set, Go... 2009!
It has been awhile since I posted so this post will catch us up...
January comes, goes and gets me fired up for 2 reasons... deer season and another year to preach the gospel in the nations of the world. Deer season gives me a chance to breathe easy and catch up on the half read books but importantly to "sabbath" and prepare. So here I am in Singapore preparing to speak tomorrow the good news of Christ story. Oh I am so happy my Jesus is alive and saved my nasty soul and gave me a special grace to preach to the nations. Ephesians 3:8-10

So next week I will head into war torn Sri Lanka and specifically the east coast city of Trincomalle. We have been doing glory meetings in the major "gate cities" of the nation bombarding hell with powerful intercession and worship. These meetings will be called "Days of Glory" and we are anticipating a big time move from heaven.

The enemy is not too be taken lightly as I just received word that my dad has to have major surgery on his neck. He had been hurting all thru deer season with cold arms and legs but he still shot 4 deer and could not hardly lift his arm, ha his stand was his truck... anyway he has bad vertebrae impingement in his neck to the point he is critical and a bad move could paralyze him. Of course I get this news while I am here in Asia and the surgery will be performed while I am in the war zone of Sri Lanka. We all have a price to pay...

The last time this happened we were doing a huge youth festival in Sri Lanka and my dad was having his 2nd open heart surgery. We had invested heavily in these meetings and I was set to leave it all behind to be with him and a strange sense of peace only the Lord could give came upon me. We had over 300,000 people hear the gospel those days of Glory in the heart of the city of Colombo... the Lord is in control of all things and his heart is for the lost. So we already have word of huge crowds coming to our "Days of Glory" meetings...

Keep the lost at the center of your thoughts, priorities and prayers and He will fight your battles.

Pray for our family and especially my dad during these next 2 weeks.

By the way, the picture of this small buck was "shot" by me in south Texas on some great friends of mine ranch... he was 20 steps from our stand eating corn. He will be a nice deer in a few years... Big thanks to my great friend Pastor Johnny Brady and Tommy and Renee Balke.

2008-12-23T08:04:00.002-06:00

Crash...
Well it's been ahile since I wrote but I have a little excuse... a cast on my left arm as I got into a real scary car wreck before Thanksgiving. Awkward and inconvienant the cumbersome cast has been but nothing like the broke ribs and brusied leg. Obviously I got the cast off as I am typing with glee in anticipation of Christmas soon to be here! It seems so surreal the 2008 has wisked by and all the places and people the Lord has allowed me to minister... I guess that is why the enemy tried to take me out but I will live to preach the gospel another day!

2008-11-27T09:36:00.000-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

“I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can close” (Revelation 3:8, NLT).
This scripture reminded me of my truck door smashed into my side 2 days ago from a wreck I was involved in... The door was unable to open until they got the "jaws of life" and opened the door. The enemy tries to mess you up and smash doors in but God always has a way to escape, I Cor 10:13.
By the grace of God I have only a broke wrist, bruised chest and leg but very uncomfortable and my nurse is giving me trouble. So today being Thanksgiving and tomorrow being my birthday, I have alot to be thankful for... especially my nurse!
We pray this day for us all to take the extra step and love on our families like never before. Grace is such a powerful thing from heaven.

2008-11-13T07:53:00.004-06:00

Great Flexibility...

As I was working out this AM I thought about how "out of the box" or to put it another way, how flexible we need to be in ministry and how paramount this is in cross cultural works in the 1040 window. I have been on a stretching routine as of late and the more I stretch muscles and joints that have been stagnant the better I am feeling physically but the revelations from the Lord are pouring in... Get to a better position by stretching yourself. The more flexibility your range of motion gives you better performance. Paul said it like this..." I become all things to all men that I may reach some."

Again Kudos to Rodney, Karen and Coop for making the journey to the window and the great flexibility that the Lord has poured into their lives. Nothing will increase your flexibility like riding in a vehicle in Sri Lanka and India...

2008-11-01T05:47:00.003-05:00

Amazing Shot...
Yes sir you don't get photos like this too often...
Pastor Michael Cooper from Sonrise Church in Cedar City, UT along with my good friends Rodney and Karen Jarrett from Fellowship Church in Zachary, LA were with me in Sri Lanka last week and what a blast we had... literally. In this picture we are finishing our week of adventure at Pinnewella Elephant Orphanage after a non stop ministry schedule. The last night of ministry an air raid by the guerilla faction called the LTTE dropped bombs on the city of Colombo. We had a dark ride home but the darkness of the night could not stop the Light of the World that is pouring out His spirit in abundance in Sri Lanka. Seems that the tougher times are more of God's grace shines upon us. Trying to get back to the US now to VOTE!

2008-10-12T20:26:00.000-05:00

Vote... no excuses!

A great lady from Poland wrote the following... I thought it would be a good read to inspire us on the benefitis of one of our greatest liberties as Americans... VOTE!

Here is the link to her blog...www.majorchangeacademy.com

Growing up in a Communist country, and being now an American citizen, this is my second time I can vote in the USA. That’s why my whole family went today to a rally in Lee’s Summit, MO to support John McCain and Sarah Palin.

I grew up in a Communist, Eastern European country, during 70-ties and 80-ties. We longed for freedom of choice, for validation of our individual voices, for freedom of speach. I am an American now. I will be voting for the second time. I am Christian. And I am shocked seeing how Christians in this awesome country, are making choices based on pure convenience and personal interest. I still can’t believe that the followers of Jesus, who should follow ten Commandments, are even considering voting for a person who is so bluntly (although charmingly) pro-abortion. What happened to their conscience?

As we walked just two weeks ago around the Mall in Washington DC, we saw the sign engraved on the Korean War Memorial Wall: Freedom is not free. Somehow that took me back to my childhood, when I remember my grandfather longing for a free country, and dying not seeing it. I remember decade after decade without any prospects for political independence. I remember demonstrations on the streets, people dissapearing suddenly, schools full of propaganda, fear and ridicoulousness. I remember that a life of a person was considered nothing in comparison to the collectiv needs of masses. How could I vote against life of the speechless? That’s why I’d rather see USA as one nation under McCain, then one nation under Obama

Here is a link to help you out if you are like me and plan to be out of town on election day... http://govoteabsentee.org/

Whatever you do encourage everyone you know to get out and vote. No excuses...

2008-09-29T07:18:00.003-05:00

Mexico - R&R

Since the hurricane's of Gustav and Ike, we have been "swamped" with lots of good ole fashioned work. Things have settled a bit so this past weekend Sandy and I headed to South Padre Island, TX for a little R&R. We went to Mexico for some shopping at a little border town called Neuvo Progresso. I talked to her in that low mono tone Louis Lamour style as we laughed and enjoyed our weekend. We so enjoyed crossing the border into another nation... give us the Nations Lord! As September winds down, we are thankful for the Lord sustaining us. A good report is my mom went through her back surgery with great resuslts so far. She had a rough go with surgery recovery but the pain has been relieved and she is progressing to a better quality of life. PTL!
The next 40 days are shaping up to be times of serious turbulence in the US with the Presidential election fast approaching. These are times that Great Men and Women of GOD rise up and petition the Lord for his mercy. We want to encourage believers to seek the Lord with fastings and prayers over the next few weeks. I promise we will all be so glad we did..

2008-09-23T10:56:00.001-05:00

Whew... Been awhile!

We have been rolling since Mexico working in Louisiana and Texas with the hurricane storms.
With a sigh of relief we are finally normalizing a little after Hurricane Gustav tore through our home state of Louisiana. Here is our story… After ministering at a local church in Louisiana on Sunday a week before the storm hit, I was kind of wound up and could not sleep. It got to be 1AM so I looked in the “net” at the satellite images of the Caribbean. Noticing a small cluster of thunderstorms below Haiti I felt this prompting from the Lord, “Go buy a generator before you go to Mexico, this is going to be hurricane and it is going to hit Houma, LA.” I questioned but got no answer as I was schedule to minister in southern Mexico with Pastor Joel Dyke. I really was hesitant to go but felt no stop sign so I boarded the plane trusting the Lord for his leading. We had a grand time ministering to pastor’s and rejoicing in the fruit of Joel and Angel’s 10 years of missions ministry in Mexico. The leaders raised up now receiving training through Joel’s network of John Maxwell’s Equip is amazing. But the whole time my heart was thinking of my family in Louisiana preparing for Gustav. The day Gustav hit as Cat 2 storm, Joel and I were traveling back to the US and I was petitioning heaven of how I was going to get to my family. The Word I got was “backdoor” while I was in the airport in Mexico City. Joel was going to fly home to Monroe and I remembered flying over a cyclone out of Tokyo one time… we were going to fly over Gustav into Monroe and get in the backdoor. I rented a Honda Pilot all wheel drive after the roller coaster ride landing and made the dark journey of 3.5 hours through the backdoor arriving at our missions base safe and sound. Ever since we have been cutting trees and helping folks come back to normalcy. We are preparing now to bring supplies to hard hit Houston, TX from hurricane Ike. Pray for us as we minister to our home folks. Got to go…

Daylight’s Burning!

2008-08-31T16:45:00.002-05:00

Mexico Report
Pastor Joel Dyke and I have been in southern Mexico ministering to pastors the past few days. Joel and his wife Angel were missionaries in Mexico for 10 years and now pastor "The Life Church - West Monroe". Joel is a great friend and fun to be with but I saw a side of him on this trip that I have never seen... how he has left his mark for Christ in another nation. Joel has so many friends in Mexico and the fruit of their labor and vision is incrdible! If you want to get connected into a close work on the mission field for your church; this is a great start for new believers to get the "passion" for the lost in the nations of the world. Joel and I had a blast and of course had to battle some "Montezumas Revenge". We were both sick as dogs last night... YEA!
Ok I am now preparing to travel home and already the airport in Baton Rouge has closed from hurricane Gustav. Sandy is not to keen riding this storm out alone and we need your prayers that I can get home before the full force hits. I got a plan... as usual God will allow me to get in the back door. The drive to the house will be let's say, I am glad I have alot of mission field experience traveling in not to keen circunstances. Really I will be home to begin the clean up... I have not begun to think about the needs. If you feel the Lord prompt you to help as we get all the supplies together, you can go to our website, http://www.map1040.com/ and click on the donate page. Katrina had us into the hardest hit area the next day. So I will load up the truck with water and gas then head to deep south Louisiana to check on my friends and help where we can. Keep us in your prayers!
PS: The Indian pastor in the top picture walked all night to get to the conference... yes sir walked!

2008-08-27T07:30:00.002-05:00

Storms... Here we go again?
Katrina hit the Gulf Coast on September 1, 2005 and thousands were affected by this storm. I was revisiting those hot days of rescue and change in my prayers this morning. Katrina meant cleansing and how this storm literally cleaned out the city of New Orleans. Now again the potential of another storm named Gustav is forming to impact the US mainland. Ironically, Gustav means God's Staff...
Please pray for the people as they prepare along the Gulf Coast as another storm approaches.
Got some prayer requests...
I am headed to southern Mexico today for ministry and scheduled to arrive back Monday night into Louisiana. Pray for the ministry in Mexico and pray I get back to my family safely. The storm is coming in about the same time I arrive... Just Great... should be a wild plane ride.
Pray for my friend Pastor Billy Fitzgerald as his wife is having some physical challenges. She has a doctor's appointment today with anticipation of the next step. Billy and Diane live in New Orleans and are great personal friends and faithful leaders in the kingdom and the storm approaches...
Pray for my dear friend and honestly this woman is like a sister to Sandy and I, Baby Elam as she fights the relentless demonic attack of lupus. Jesus is our healer... in the midst of the storm!
My mom as she is facing surgery next Tuesday. She is not wanting the knife but the pain is unbearable for her. Lord help her face the storm... take her hand!
One of our partner churches and great friends from Cornerstone Church in Amite, LA lost a key leader last night, one Kevin Carter. He had a heart attack right after prayer meeting. Wow prayer then heaven... lift them up as they walk these days out. "
Jesus... Calm the Seas!

2008-08-19T07:35:00.003-05:00

What you will be tomorrow depends on the choices you make today...

I was reading this morning during my devotional time and came across this quote. It is so true about the choices we make in our lives. God gives us the power of choice or should I say he gives us a will. He will never over ride our will/choice... this is why we will stand before him to account for our actions, good or bad. Wow I need his grace to make wise choices.

Andy and I were in the streets of Washington, DC this past weekend and came across many Democrats for Obama. All were young kids in college and they were working the streets getting their "choice" before the people. The picture above is 2 young men that we got to dialoge with for awhile. It was pretty apparent their views were narrow but the fascination we had was the choices they were making from this narrow view point. They along with so many have not the wisdom to see into tomorrow... May the Lord give us wisdom to to make the right choices for tomorrow.

2008-08-12T07:59:00.001-05:00

The Call - Washington DC

Andy and I are in DC @ "The Call" today. I just felt again to be counted in the number for the ones who can't speak for themselves... We already got to stand in front of the Supreme Court in silent prayer and feel God's heart. Wow we are humbled to be here represeting our family and friends. Pray for us today as we stand for our family and friends before the Lord.

Read the simple Dr. Suess book, "Horton hears a Who". I got the message out of this little book to again lay it out for the unborn.

Reasons for this assembly... II Chronicles 7:14

#1 Day of fasting and prayer for the sins of the nation.

#2. Asking God to have mercy for the sin of Abortion... 50 million babies have died. Begging God for the stopping of the shed of innocent blood.

#3. A great awakening of revival in America.

2008-08-12T07:42:00.001-05:00

“May the Lord, the God of your fathers, increase you a thousand times and bless you as he has promised” (Deuteronomy 1:11 NIV).

This particular Sunday, December 26, 2004, I had made my way to my home church to minister and felt this "unction" to plant a seed. I had read this above scripture earlier and just had this incredible urge to believe for 1000 times more... not knowing what what was about to unfold. So I strolled into my pastor's office and placed this seed into his hand ($100) and asked him to pray over the offereing according to Deut. 1:11. He kind of looked at me strangely and said a simple prayer. Couple of things here to know that it is a good thing to bless those who feed your life spiritually by honoring them as this allows you to say thank you (honor and thankfulness)... that was for free!
We walked out of his office to the service and people started to walk up to me telling me of the Tsunami that had hit Sri Lanka. I had this queasy feeling of trouble but a resolve that "God had called me for such a time as this". After the service I packed my bags to head to torn Sri Lanka and the year of brokeness endured in 2005 from the Tsunami in southeast Asia and Katrina that smashed my home state of Louisiana.
The seed was blessed as we were able in two months to sow $100,000US into Tsunami relief efforts in Sri Lanka. Still today the ministry fruit is going forth with lives changed in Sri Lanka by the simple act of sowing a seed in faith. Giving releases God's economy to flow through your life to bless others. I promise great joy comes from seed as it brings an abundant Harvest.

2008-08-08T08:09:00.003-05:00

My girlfriend...

Got this in an email... it was so good I had to post it!

ONE. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.

TWO. Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you get older, their conversational skills will b e as important as any other.

THREE.
Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you want.

FOUR. When you say, 'I love you,' mean it.

FIVE. When you say, 'I'm sorry,' look the person in the eye.

SIX. Be engaged at least six months before you get married.

SEVEN. Believe in love at first sight.

EIGHT. Never laugh at anyone's dreams. People who don't have dreams don't have much.

NINE. Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it's the only way to live life completely.

TEN.. In disagreements, fight fairly. No name calling.

ELEVEN.Don't judge people by their relatives.

TWELVE. Talk slowly but think quickly.

THIRTEEN! . When someone asks you a question you don't want to answer, smile and ask, 'Why do you want to know?'

FOURTEEN. Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

F IFTEEN. Say 'bless you' when you hear someone sneeze.

SIXTEEN. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.

SEVENTEEN. Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for others; and Responsibility for all your actions.

EIGHTEEN. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

NINETEEN. When you realize you've mad e a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

TWENTY. Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice.

TWENTY- ONE. Spend some time alone.

2008-08-08T07:33:00.004-05:00

I went with my best friend to check out a camper he was looking to purchase. It was one of those "why am I doing this" things we sometimes do not knowing the reason. We were looking at the camper when the lady of the house drove up and we were so happy to be introduced too. One, Loretta Schultz and her husband Bruce have been battling her breast cancer for the past 12 years. Loretta is an overcomer and inspiration as she told me her story. She and two other ladies coauthored a book on the "ins and outs" of breat cancer, "What doctors didn't tell us about double breasted suits and single breasted women." She honored me with her last printed copy and made me promise to pass it on...
So today I ask all my bloggers to pray for this lady according to Acts 4:30. Her life is one of God's grace and mercy as she has talked with many other women struggling with this affliction. We were so awed of how God led us to this great lady and we got to pray with her... Thank you Lord Jesus!
"Stretch out your hand with healing power..." Acts 4:30a NLT

2008-08-04T07:53:00.001-05:00

Unreached People Prayer Profile

We had a "small group" that met regularly every Friday night for years in St. Helena Parish. This small rural parish is the poorest in the state of Louisiana but has some fine people that love Jesus there. Anyway our group of at times 40-50 people would meet and seek the face of the Lord as we had unreached people group profiles laid in our hands. We were asked to pray for people we did not even know or had ever heard of... people Jesus died for. To make a long story of 13 yrs of ministry in this area short, from our prayers my family and I were propelled into the mission fields of the world. I really believe that when we move the heart of God, he moves the heart of men.

The Joshua Project (http://www.joshuaproject.net/)is an organization that profiles unreached people groups all over the world for strategic prayer and intercession. Each day a new people group profile is put on their website for specific prayer that the Lord would breakin and reveal himself. I think this is awesome and have for a long time included in my quiet time. We also recently added this to our webpage... http://www.map1040.com/.

Keep moving God's heart for those who have never heard his name!

2008-07-31T09:58:00.003-05:00

40 days with Cup...

I have been reading the book, "The Private Writings of the Saint of Calcutta" as of late and been doing some writing about some of the incredible insight this woman of God had in her life. I am going to start feeding my blog readers some of these revelations but this one would not wait. Here is a question she asked, "If only one little child is made happy with the love of Jesus, will it not be worth… giving all for that? – Mother Teresa

Wow seems like this year every time I turn around somebody is praying and fasting for 40 days! Tomorrow Children's Cup (http://www.childrenscup.org/) is embarking on 40 days of prayer for the kids in Africa. Cup bases in Mbabane, Swaziland which has the highest HIV positive population in the world. Earlier this year I was in Swazi and I was stunned to know that 50% of the whole population is infected with Aids. So I just wanted to communicate to our network and the blog world to get on board with the Cup folks in prayer.

2008-07-29T07:37:00.002-05:00

Well this is the last of the 21 questions I have been working through the past couple of months. I am seriously hungry for the Lord to "make all things new" in my life. The more I seek him, the more of his love is poured out. Sometimes we don't realize how dry we become and need of his love soaked rain to refresh our spirits. Thanks for hanging with me through this season of writing and seeking his face. I really appreciate the comments…

21. Is Christ real to me?

Last of the questions… I think I may do this once a year just to rewrite my thoughts. We are lively stones and where we are at today will definitely be different a year from now. But I KNOW one thing that never changes… The Word of God! Jesus died on the cross, the perfect sacrifice, and he never changes (Hebrews 13:8). He changes not; his Word never has grey areas and is always simple enough for even a child to understand.

Today's question is a simple faith. Is Christ real? To believe in a God we can not see… but my friend we can experience. My answer to this question is YES, YES, YES! The Lord is so real to me, so alive and not dead. Jesus is my friend, my lover, my LORD and he is more real to me now than when I became a born again believer 25 plus years ago. Jesus just continues to get tweeter and tweeter…

My prayer today is that Christ is REAL to you…

2008-07-26T08:46:00.000-05:00

Mary had just returned from summer camp @ the International House of Prayer (IHOP) in Kansas City. MO and we were debriefing with her. She told me how radical the people at IHOP were with prayer for the unborn and repentance for America for the sin of shedding innocent blood. Honestly she was kind of taken back as Mary is sweet her personality not aggressive to this point... yet! I looked at her, smiled and began to tell her the story of our days of involvement with Operation Rescue in the late 80's and early 90's. The look on her face when her daddy told her that I had been arrested nine times and carried to jail for abortion protesting will forever be etched in my mind. The reality of the issue came rushing upon her...
So this morning again I am stirred for a "Call" to action with the issue of abortion in America. I want to make an appeal to mobilization to attend "The Call" in Washington DC. Get your bags packed and make the effort to attend this I sense in my spirit a moment in history event.
Below is a website that is responsible for the organization of this event led by one Lou Engles. Recently I had the pleasure of spending a day with this man watching him in prayer for literally 12 hours at IHOP. He is the real deal and passionate after God's heart. Watch the video that was made to promo this event and it will get your attention. If you need more info, just contact me as my son, Andy and I are set to stand with the multitude in fasting and prayer for America on August 16th in our nations capitol. My prayer is God would shake all our hearts...

www.thecall.com

2008-07-26T08:38:00.002-05:00

20. Do I grumble or complain constantly?

There seems to be always something to complain about… is there ever enough or why does something have to break or tear up? Life will always give you challenges and something to work on. This is why I am thankful to be married to Sandy… she seems to always be positive and full of hope. In our early days of marriage I recollect her believing in me and to a point I understand her devotion but all that changed the 2^nd week of our marriage. Funny… she has learned to put her trust in the Lord no matter where we are living or status in life. I literally marvel at her faith and she exemplifies this with patience and a deep confidence that prevents her from being negative. She is one of the most positive and happy people I know on this earth. I am truly blessed!

One thing I have learned by serving God is that HE is our sufficient one! The things of this world will never satisfy us. When this is all we seek after and worry about, the fruit of our lips is murmuring and complaining. I have found the more time I give to worship, reading the Word and prayer brings a satisfaction that eliminates lack in my life. To have the peace of God in my heart in what so ever state I am in is paramount. At times I have failed miserably at contentment… The more I seek him I have learned that I will have more than enough. The problem is a divided heart or maybe a mixture of heart brings bitterness of soul. So many subtle ways for this division or mixture can get us so negative and our heart become negative. When we seek after the things that are temporary we begin down this road of murmuring and complaining. May we go to Jesus who is rich and mercy to give us grace to keep our heart pure and single…

I need more of you Lord Jesus to be Lord of my heart.

2008-07-22T16:16:00.001-05:00

Today I have been stirred about the shedding of innocent blood in America. 50 million babies blood cries out for justice. Proverbs 31:8-9 states... "Speak for those who cannot speak for themselves;ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice".
August 14-16 there will be a huge gathering for fasting, prayer and repentnce in Washington DC. A million people are expected to travel, yes sacrifice to stand up and speak for the sins of our nation for shedding innocent blood.
Check out the info on the web at www.thecall.com.

2008-07-22T07:47:00.002-05:00

19. Is there anybody whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold resentment toward or disregard? If so, what am I doing about it?

Relationships… Jesus is the best example on how to handle difficult relationships with so many different types of people. He had 12 disciples that he hung out with for his time of ministry on this earth. There was conflicts abound with these guys as you see where they about who would be ranked above each other. Jesus knew it too and addressed them that to overcome these problems of conflict they had to serve one another.

I will be honest and tell the truth that I just don't like everybody I come across. I detest people that brag on themselves and all that they have accomplished… I find myself being quiet around these people as I can't measure up. What surprises me are the ugly vindictive "something is going to happen to you thoughts" that hit my mind as I smile that hypocritical way. Oh don't tell me you think this way too… oh the need of the cross. The need for God's love to be shed abroad in our heart!

But why does it seem that those closest to us we hurt? We get so familiar to our family and friends that we forget the little things we can do to show our love. This question is a do something about the situation challenge. The first thing we can do is ask the Lord to forgive us and heal us of our offenses. Then we can ask forgiveness of others… Since I started writing these 21 questions I have made some mistakes but interesting enough I have found the strength and resolve to go and ask forgiveness whether I was right or wrong. My relationships with people are high on the Lord's list for us to keep straight.

Lord my prayer today is for you to change my heart from being hard and vindictive to a heart of Love!

2008-07-16T10:22:00.002-05:00

#18 Do I thank God I am not as other people, especially as the Pharisee who despised the publican?

My great friend and missions mentor Jack Harris and I were walking on a dirty street in North India. This street in particular I remember had hundreds of dung fires lit preparing the evening meal. Jack and I were enjoying the sights, sounds and smells of India when he asked me this question… "Why was God so good to you that you were born in America?" As I have thought about this question Jack asked me so many times again my memory raced back to that moment when I read and pondered today's question. One of the educations I received from international living and travel was to how Americans/Christians were perceived and or rather how Americans/Christians represented our country. My family and I were determined to do our best with our family creed… You represent the Lord, your country, family and church. Sandy and I felt the importance of training our kids to be a witness in word and deed. We realize too that only Jesus can give us the power to be this kind of witness (Acts1:8). Our main objective was and is to present ourselves as Christ followers and not religious zealots from a heart of love and not finger pointing do this or that attitude. Then we got to see that when living this witness before people that had zero Bible background we may be the only Bible people ever read…

Well of course there are many answers to Jack's question but I know Americans which includes me as to the attitude of "better than others" at times. The Bible makes it clear that there is no respect of persons and we should not think more highly than ourselves. We should not justify decisions and actions to fit the moment. This is why Jesus raised the standard from the letter of the law to a relationship out of love.

May the Lord give us grace to be a witness for Christ out of a heart of love… and not Pharisee type religion.

2008-07-14T08:42:00.002-05:00

#17 Am I proud?

Ouch! God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble… one litmus test of humility in your life is quickly revealed when you are corrected or challenged about your actions or words (The Lord's chastisement). Submission to authority is paramount as a believer I have experienced as these authorities over my life "watch out for my soul" and keep me accountable for my actions. Not in a controlling way but in love which covers a multitude of sins (James 5:20). I am thankful for a great pastor and friends that have and are being used over the years to keep me humble and love me enough to check the motives of my heart. You see pride is an issue of the heart. This is the very thing that got the devil kicked out of heaven… Pride will destroy your life left unchecked.

Over time I have noticed that if we over react to situations we disagree with it shows the signs of pride and resistance or even to the point of rebellion. This is a great opportunity to take the low road of humility and wait on the Lord. Oh this has proven me benefits and I have learned is so pleasing to the Lord. He took the low road for us! He humbled himself and became obedient even to the death of the cross to put into action the ultimate act of humility. He choose to become the sacrifice… he chose to taste this ultimate humility and shame for you and I. Thank you Lord Jesus!

James 4:6-7

But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Lord I ask you to remove the pride from my life and to renew my heart with your love.

2008-07-10T07:09:00.002-05:00

16. How do I spend my spare time?
Waste not want not is the old cliche… God does not like slothfulness period! I sign off my emails and letters with "Daylight's Burning". The reason is my dad would come wake me up for daily chores before daylight when I was a teenager. Back in those days I was like what is the deal… it is still dark outside. Little did I know how the Lord was using this great man to train me in the simplest of ways to have a good work ethic and to make full use of the time given to me from the Lord. He understood that the simplest of choices I made with my time would affect the quality of my life and eventually my destiny.

Time is the only thing on this earth that is an eternal investment. We can spend it away or make full usage to maximize its potential. I am convinced that even "spare time" can be quality moments of God's blessing upon our lives. The Lord has given us the choice to steward what we do with this precious gift called time. May we use it wisely!

Lord I pray for wisdom to use this gift of my "spare" time…

2008-07-07T09:59:00.002-05:00

15. Am I defeated in any part of my life? Am I jealous, impure, critical, irritable, touchy, or distrustful?

This morning I awoke with the Lord speaking to me about rebellion being the as the sin of witchcraft and how demonic spirits will return with seven spirits more wicked to try and reestablish itself where they once dwelt. These thoughts rushed me to before I was saved and how demonized my life was and how glorious Jesus delivered my wicked soul from the clutches of hell. How good Jesus was and is to me as he personally cast these unclean spirits from my life and set my feet on the Rock of my salvation. But to stay free… to stay moving forward in his perfect love is a challenge because even stagnation is not moving forward. Times of testing and demonic assault weigh you down and make you feel defeated. But the Bible says… the devil tested Jesus for a season, then he left as he can't be in all places at all times like the spirit of God. Samson even shook himself and his hair began to grow back as God desire is for his power to be revealed in us. The Lord will not allow us to stay defeated as he is a God of mercy. When we call on the name of the Lord will be saved, delivered, set free… Oh how good Jesus is to us.

Thank you Lord for setting me free of my sin and keeping me free!

No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD. Isaiah 54:17KJV

2008-07-03T09:41:00.002-05:00

14. Do I insist upon doing something for which my conscience is uneasy?

Again God is moving on my heart… The condition of our heart is what Jesus dealt with the most when he was training his disciples and dealing people in general. The young rich ruler was confronted with a heart issue and where his "treasure" was invested (Luke 18:18-23). When Jesus told him to sell all that he had and give to the poor and come follow me, it struck a heart issue with this young man. Jesus pricked this young man's conscience and the Bible says he went away sad.

Now we all have this tendency to be self preservationist in our approach to life. This tends to lead to a life without Faith… and without Faith it impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). The blessing is "God is bigger than our heart and he knows everything" (I John 2:20) and loves us so much to forgive us when we do things that are shady to our conscience. But a continual neglect to allow God to prick our conscience leads us to a hard heart. The Holy Spirit gently deals with us to live life guilt free and worthy of he who call us but he will not demand his right. He gives us a choice to decide and this will determine our quality of life.

Lord help me to live guilt free and to make wise decisions!

2008-06-30T12:41:00.002-05:00

13. Do I disobey God in anything?

Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice… I Samuel 15:22a

Obedience comes easy with proper relationship. This morning I was dealing with one of my children with obedience issues… as I was talking to him I looked at this scripture with this question fresh on my mind. Then it hit me like Wow… Listen! If I would have just listened I would not have this heart ache or problem. As my semi adult / teenage children are starting to make life decisions, my wife and I are getting new revelation of the relationship with Jesus and the Father… wow did Jesus have it right as it all comes down to obedience to the Father's will. The old adage, "Father knows best" is such a great rule to live by but man when I was in my early 20's I had no clue to obedience to the father's voice. All I had on my mind was to do my own thing of rebellion. But God… Romans 2:4.

This makes me think of the 10 commandments and how these were given to God's people not to make it hard but in essence to make life easy and simple. When we disobey… we sacrifice! When we disobey the voice of the Father… we get totally away from God's will as simple acts of disobedience brings to light the stubborn, do it our own way attitude, deeply rooted in our hearts. Wow we all struggle with obedience as rebellion to the will of the Father keeps us from submission. I am convinced the more we humble ourselves, submit to God and obey his voice, the less stressful and joyful our life will be.

Lord give me the spirit of wisdom and revelation that light may come from the Father into my heart that I may be obedient!

2008-06-26T08:20:00.002-05:00

12. Do I get to bed on time and get up on time?

Structure… I am firm believer that God loves this. I KNOW he wants us to get proper rest as this is one of the vital components of taking care of our body. I have found there are two types of people when it comes to creative times, Early Risers and Night Owls! The importance of going to bed on time sets you in position to start your day off correctly whatever type person you are. Over time I have come to know I am an Early Riser. So this means I need to go to bed early… but the problem is I think I am going to miss something and stay up too late. Now late for me is 10:30pm… which throws me off in getting up or I get up tired. Once you lose the proper rest you need you can't get it back. When I do get to bed at my proper time, I am more productive during the day because I start my day off correctly spending the proper time with my Lord.

I sign my emails with "Daylight's Burning"… this came from my dad who would wake me up as a teenager before daylight to get up and get to the barn for work. He set the stage for work production at our home when I was a boy growing up by getting out of the bed to not to waste daylight hours. Little did I know the WORD… Jesus says we must work while it is day; the night comes when no man can work! My dad is still a wise man as he still gets up early and so do I…

So the early bird gets the worm! Or rather… they that seek me early shall find me!

Will this encourage you to evaluate your daily routine so you can make priority to spend time with God?

#11

2008-06-24T09:44:00.001-05:00

11. Do I pray about the money I spend?

The Lord gives us resources to be stewarded and used for his kingdom. I have to admit that I have missed this prayer many times… I have been thinking about this question this morning and I sit shaking my head as I am listening to the Lord tell me he wants to be involved in every area of my life even to the minuet and mundane details! Lord please grant us wisdom to recognize you want to be Lord over every area of our lives including the money you give us!

Money is such an incredible subject especially how it relates to God's kingdom. I listen attentively to people as they speak about money especially believers. I listened to a young man recently tell of his goal to make two million dollars before he turned 40 years old. I was shaken… as all I could see in his life was a drive to make money. This drive is making this man miserable and little by little hardening his heart. Paul wrote, I have had much and I have had little but to be content is the key (Phil. 4:11-12). Jesus was clear about how deceptive our heart can be when it comes to money. The Bible is clear about "the love of money is the root of all evil" and how covetousness is lurking to slip in and pervert our motives.

Now one of the secondary benefits of kingdom living is prosperity. God wants to proper his servants for the purpose of bringing his kingdom to the earth. Jesus was not a poor beggarly man nor was he covetous. He dealt with business leaders and called money people into discipleship, Matthew, Judas, Peter, Zacheus, etc… his purpose was to bring his kingdom to the earth. Jesus family had wealth by God's divine intervention of the wise men seeking out the King (gifts of gold, frankincense, & myrrh). When you seek him you will find him!

The disciple's personal wealth and influence were given to them for the purpose to promote God's kingdom on the earth (make Jesus known to ALL men). When we don't pray about how we spend the resources entrusted into us our tendency is to heap it upon ourselves with bigger and better and throwing moderation to the wind.

Hebrews 13:5
Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

#10

2008-06-22T07:40:00.001-05:00

Am I making contacts with other people and using them for the Master's Glory?

When I first got saved my life was in a shamble… I had disgraced my good name that my father had worked diligently to keep good. The folks that ran our local bank frowned when or if I ever came to pay my debts… so when Jesus came into my heart, this incredible process of transformation began (Romans 12:1-2). 1^st to learn humility and the fear of the Lord, then to be responsible and all the while remaining faithful has been the path to be a witness for the Lord he has allowed me to follow. Faithfulness is the key as over time (Gen 8:22) the people you walk before in life begin to recognize how great our God is! These people shake their heads in amazement when they see your faith being walked out by doing exploits for the Lord. Your life is a witness of his Glory!

People like to see faithfulness! I know the Lord has given me power to be a witness (Acts 1:8) to these people as all they see now is a changed life by God's grace. The people we are in contact with are in our lives for a purpose… yes even the ones that we detest! I too chuckle when I am around people that knew the "old Luke"… thank you Lord for your grace and mercy (Micah 6:8).

I recently read in "Mother Teresa's" book on her private writings this prayer she prayed… "Lord remove from me anything that may hurt you or hurt your people." I was in awe as I read these words…then I was nudged by the Holy Spirit with the scripture in Psalms 26:1-2 to remind me that we can pray and ask God to keep us pure in our heart. After reading this book on Mother Teresa I saw again the thread of her witness… remaining faithful!

When our hearts are right before the Lord… his Glory comes with great power!

Lord let my life bring you glory and please keep my heart right!

21 days to a better you… #9

2008-06-20T10:00:00.001-05:00

When did I last speak to somebody else with the object of trying to win that person for Christ?

Proverbs 11:30b "He that wins souls is wise."

This is a good one… action! The past few days we have been laying a foundation of prayer but today we move to putting feet to our prayers. Actually telling someone of Jesus' love… his greatest desire to bring lost people to him! Wow I am so happy today he saved my soul… he revealed his glory into my life.

So you may have some struggle with this… I am not one that is shy so I can easily do this but some people just lock up thinking about talking with someone about Christ. My 1^st suggestion is to arm yourself with the WORD… ever heard of the Roman Road? Easy scriptures that can walk someone to Christ…I suggest you to visit them and memorize these scriptures.

One of the highest percentage ways of leading someone to Jesus is to bring them to church. Get ready for excuses and rejections for someone not to want to attend a church service… Prayer will prepare them to receive but we must be diligent in bringing them. Call em up, don't take no for an answer!

Put feet to your faith! Who are you going to talk to about Jesus today?

Romans 3:23,5:8,6:23,8:1,10:13

Question #8

2008-06-19T07:46:00.001-05:00

Song of Solomon 4:16 Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits.

Am I enjoying prayer?

Come on be honest now… Prayer can be made into hard work. I think now I have seen some amazing dedication when it comes to prayer… Buddhist flock to the temples by the millions to spin their prayer wheels and chant, Muslims pray five times a day… recently I was on a flight with Muslims clerics and they asked the flight attendant to check with the pilot to find out which way was toward Mecca so when they spread their prayer cloth to bow in prayer and face toward Mecca, Hindus and their strict regime of temple prayers, the wailing wall in Israel, various Christian denominations in prayer… but the question is are we enjoying prayer? Is it a religious duty or birthed by a deep love to communicate with our heavenly Father.

Prayer at first can seem boring… so I have learned to shake it up. Get up, move around, get radical in intercession… then I promise a breakthrough comes and a flood of light and joy. A great intercessor mentor for years would always check on my prayer life. He would keep me accountable as to the blessing of talking with the Lord. He would always walk away saying…"I need the prayer and you need the practice!" I understand more of his direction and care for my soul… Thank you Bro. Les!

Another awesome thing to do is write your prayer request down as this too will allow you to see where the focus of our prayers is pointed. When we get our prayers off ourselves and pointed to others there is a release into our own lives of the Lord's mercy and grace.

Here is another cool thing to do… pray the WORD! You can't miss with this directive… Jesus model prayer is a no brainer then Paul started off most of his letters to the church with specific prayers to pinpoint effectiveness to the believers and express his heaven inspired revelation.

But I will admit the most spiritual prayers I pray are when I focus on praying in the spirit… yes sir the more I pray in the Holy Spirit, the more powerful my life is. Praying like Paul did in Romans 8:26. The more prayer in the spirit, Jude 20, the more of His will in my life come forth. Lord come to your garden as the old hymn sounds out… I come to the garden alone, while the dew is still on the roses… just to talk with the Lord.

Help me to enjoy prayer more Lord…

21 Days Question #7

2008-06-18T06:28:00.001-05:00

7. Do I give the Bible, God's Word, time to speak to me each day?

Psalms 91:1 I love how the Amplified version put this verse… "HE WHO ^[^a]dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty [Whose power no foe can withstand].

Wow that daily time with God… the discipline of seeking him alone in the closet. (Matt 6:6) Time is the only eternal thing we have to give here on earth… Giving God our time is a love relationship. I can relate this to my bride, Sandy. If I don't hear her voice and just sit and talk with her every day, I feel like something is missing from my life. Spending time with God will change your day because we learn to hear his voice when he is speaking to us. Starting the day with the Lord is the best thing I do personally every day. I am an early morning person… my creative juices are rolling by daylight. So to give this to the Lord is so sweet to me. Don't get me wrong I too understand the night watch of waiting on God but there is a reason God made daytime Iight and nighttime dark… the daylight sure makes it easier to see, hello!

God begins to speak and encourage me through his Word as I just sit and listen. Yesterday I got such a peace over some decisions about opening my heart up to some people… then when the heat of the day came and my peace was trying to be robbed, again God spoke to me from a friend who called I normally don't get to talk much too. I know it started in my quiet time with the Lord…

Today is a new day and I can't live off yesterday's Word… the children of Israel were required to get fresh manna every morning to sustain them for that day except for the Sabbath day in which they got to get a double portion. Maybe I need to blog about this principle too… Sabbath day resting. What you think?

Ok, I am going get my coffee and take my place at his feet with my Bible. It is a choice… Enjoy!

One Prayer Series…

2008-06-16T08:59:00.001-05:00

WOW the ONE PRAYER Series, at my home church Fellowship Church Zachary, has been participating in has been awesome! Pastor Scott kicked off the series with his message on Lord, make us Fearless. I was in Singapore and got to listen to these messages and get fed from the other side of the world! Is that cool or what? Then, Pastor Craig Groeschel from Life Church. TV message on "ONE" was powerful and convicting. His message struck at the heart of leaders and believers as the competitive spirit from the devil main objective is to divide so the church can loose her effectiveness. What would it take to unify the church? One enemy, one heart and one purpose… Oh if we could get this right what a powerful impact upon the world! Help us Lord be one!

Then yesterday Pastor Chris Hodges spoke on Lord make us authentic… My goodness this struck the heart at how we present ourselves. Are we real? Are we the real deal? Are we authentic? Next week Pastor Jenson Franklin will be on the big screen… is that cool or what? The tool of technology ministering to the body of Christ globally… oh this strums my heart strings!

Come on, if you could pray one prayer what would it be?

21 days #6

2008-06-15T05:16:00.001-05:00

6. Did the Bible live in me today?

I mean really, did the Bible come forth into my life today? Am I a hearer only and not a doer of the Word…? Am I a plugged cistern or is this powerful Word of God flowing through me like a river of Life? Oh the joy of knowing God and having full access to the Bible. God's promises to us are "Yes and Amen". The big thing is we can go as deep into God's Word as we want, it is a choice. Isn't it strange we can spend hours in front of TV yet neglect to spend time reading and being blessed with God's Word? I will admit that reading the Bible at times has gotten methodical. So I changed it up, got a new version, started a new Bible course online… just to keep this part of my love relationship with God moving forward. Like my marriage I need to keep the romance fresh! Reading God's love letters will bring such inspiration and joy… I love you Lord for giving me freely your Word and preserving it with great sacrifice for me!

Back to Matthew 5:3 NLT "God blesses those who are poor and realize they have need for him…" I need God and I need his WORD!

I was in a hotel in India and inside the bedside table was a copy of the Koran not a Gideon Bible this always upsets me. What a blessing to see the ministry of the Gideon's to put Bibles in hotel rooms. Be creative in giving someone the Bread of Life… Give someone a Bible today!

Life giving words not a religion that destroys… Take some time to read the Bible today (Rev. 1:3) and if you are real wise, read it to someone else or give one to somebody!

21 days… #5

2008-06-13T21:02:00.001-05:00

#5 Am I self-conscious, self-pitying, or self-justifying?

Wow these questions are not getting easier… they are provoking me to look inside deeply and consider my state. When I think of these words all proceeded with SELF, I think of how for years the devil condemned me of just about everything I ever did in my life. Of course I gave him a lot of ammunition as I like all sinners I was consumed with SELF. I was not good enough or just did not meet the standard… I remembered in high school the part down the middle feathered hair and I had curly hair. What a mess as I tried to be like everybody else. Then the pride of "I am not like those… Pharisee attitude! Trying to keep up with the Jones' mentality… on and on the heart thoughts of what we look like on the outside. Then the devil comes to destroy with thoughts of condemnation on every turn… Spirits of rejection that kept me not thinking I would ever over come my inadequacies. Then I was led to the Cross… this is where I found relief from all! Oh the Cross is where I found new life and revelation of the power of the Bible, God's Holy Love language to us! His Word began the process of undoing all my mess… Wow when I found Romans 8:1 and began this journey of realizing what the price of his blood paid for me. Then to become a full heir to an inheritance via the adoption by the Father, Romans 8:15. This was just the beginning… I remembered the night I read I John 3:20 that God was bigger than my heart… freedom from condemnation and guilt!

So today if you are in the funks of SELF… start again @ the CROSS! Let SELF be crucified and JESUS placed on the throne of our hearts forever!

21 Days to a Better you #4

2008-06-12T19:04:00.001-05:00

#4 Am I a slave to dress, friends, work or habits?

4 parts to this question… and all point to bondage. My 1^st take is that we look @ what is on the outside but God looks @ what is on the inside and this makes me know that this is a heart issue again. Who I am trying to please and what is the result of my actions? Everything I think or do is a choice… good, bad or indifferent it is a choice to live for God or to live under the bondage of sin.

Then I start to consider what makes us slaves. Could it be ignorance or just plain bad thinking? What about our attitude? The Word says in II Corinthians 10:3-5 that the battle is in the mind and this can be won only through the blood of Jesus Christ. Take control over our thought life Lord that we might be free in every area of our lives…

I love too what Paul writes in Romans 7… dig into these scriptures and give me some thought on this dilemma.

Jesus came to set the captive free… Free me Lord!

Sri Lanka’s Glory & Desperation

2008-06-11T03:21:00.003-05:00

We spent a fast weekend in Sri Lanka ministering after Vietnam. From the airplane straight to a wild 4 hour drive to the deep south of Sri Lanka which is known as a fortress of buddhism. Hambantota, Sri Lanka where the Tsunami of 2004 literally wrecked this city is where we held a powerful Glory meeting. My friends in Sri have been touched with open heavens of signs, wonders and miracles in the midst of desperate times for this war torn nation. WOW it was awesome to witness God open a young girl's blind eye and many other miracles but the most powerful thing was so many staunch buddhist bowing to Jesus to make him LORD! OH I am telling you this was sweet to me… Souls added into the kingdom. We want to thank our friends in Sri and our partners for sending us to the nations and especially our dear Sri Lanka.

21 Days to a better you… #3

2008-06-11T02:26:00.001-05:00

3. Do I confidentially pass on to another what was told to me in confidence? Can I be trusted?

Wow this one is big… I remember the 1^st time I read in Proverbs about being a faithful confidant. I said Lord I can do that… For a long time I did a good job of this and won the trust of many but one time I remember vividly messing this all up with one of my closest friends and brothers in the Lord. I have seen his life flip and flop since the incident and I can justify what I said in most circles. But in my heart… I know I sinned against my brother and let him down. Then what he told me got all misconstrued and all parties involved broke relationship. What a mess and I justified that I was doing the right thing.

Kind of like how people get off crimes they commit in a court room… but God's court room is different. He sees the heart…

As I pondered this question, I have resolved to go see my friend who still loves me dearly which is the miracle and brings the conviction upon me to right the wrong… Take a moment and remember how it felt when someone you opened up too broke your trust. O it hurt and stung… but we can forgive, this is the greatest power of the gospel. If you have wronged someone, go quickly and humble yourself and too if someone has wronged you… invoke the love of Jesus… FORGIVENESS.

Help me be a trusted counselor like you are Jesus.

Name revision…21 days to a Better you!

2008-06-09T13:08:00.001-05:00

A dear friend suggested a new name for these 21 questions of blog posting… 21 days to a Better you! I like it who knows this me a book…

Here is ? #2…

2. Am I honest in all acts or words or do I exaggerate?

Do not lie... Wow was I a perpetual liar. As a young kid I would lie because I did not want my daddy or mama to whip the tar out of me... I was ashamed of my actions but I didn't parents upset with me. This was the enemy whispering to me as I did not have any wisdom and would compound my problem with by not telling the truth...

I didn't do it is what I would say...' Kind of like Cain when he killed his brother Abel and as his brother's blood cried from the ground, innocent blood... his response was "I did not do it…" His punishment was banishment from God's presence. Genesis 4:1-16 this story has made me listen carefully to my words that proceed out of my heart and to evaluate why am I doing what I do? Is this for me or for God's kingdom? Are my actions pure? Give me grace Lord Jesus…

Another thought that crossed my mind is what I do or say is it to please God or man… Lord make me a God pleaser!

Are you?

Holy Club Intro - Question #1?

2008-06-08T23:26:00.001-05:00

I feel prompted to do a "series" on my blog. A lot of churches we partner with are in the ONE PRAYER (www.oneprayer.com) series for the summer and I am excited as to seeing how the Lord is moving the body toward him in deep intimacy. This intimacy brings deep repentance and extreme power from within as the Lord pours out his spirit… Joel 2:28-23, Acts 2:17-21.

These questions were developed from John Wesley's Holy Club and used to ask themselves for personal devotions. One of the churches we minister in on the mission field of Sri Lanka's east coast is a Methodist church as the 1^st time I looked upon it I thought of the fire of the Holy Ghost that prompts men to give their lives to bring the gospel to others… this fire comes from deep devotion to the Lord and blind acts of obedience.

I think the next 21 days will be a great time for us to really ask God to open our hearts and let the Holy Spirit shine his illuminating light. So each day for the next 21 days I will send out a new blog with a new question... I am going to try to do this @ least. I am in Sri Lanka as I write today and have a tight schedule and will be traveling in between... this may cost me some sleep. Oh well, his KINGDOM come!

Here is today's question... look forward to your comments.

Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I am a better person than I really am? In other words, am I a hypocrite?

The Sermon on the Mount was Jesus' blueprint for us as believers to follow. If you never really understood what the first beatitude meant (Matthew 5:3), "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven". I would recommend you to ask yourself these questions daily and see how poor in spirit you really are. Every time I read them, I have a rude awakening of how truly poor in spirit I am.

One thing I am confident of is we can't fool God. He knows us on the inside and the out... most importantly it is what is on the inside. Take a look today @ the condition of your heart... what is really on the inside? When I again embraced this question a short while ago, I saw how poor I really was and in self righteousness I had deceived myself. Again I stand in need of Jesus to be Lord of every area of my heart!

It took some courage and a dose of humility to bow myself to the Lord and allow him to enter into areas of my life that only I went too. I don't want to be a hypocrite... My prayer for today is "Lord make us transparent..."

How did God speak to you with this question?

More to come? Sri Lanka

2008-06-07T01:31:00.001-05:00

Sri Lanka bus blasts kill at least 23

Associated Press,
Fri June 6, 2008 09:45 EDT . BHARATHA MALLAWARACHI - Associated Press Writer - COLOMBO, Sri Lanka - (AP) Bombs ripped through two buses in Sri Lanka on Friday, including one packed with morning commuters near the country's heavily fortified capital, officials said. At least 23 people were killed and 67 wounded. With much of the fighting taking place hundreds of miles to the north, the recent attacks have shaken the south, home to Sri Lanka's Sinhalese majority, and left residents fearful of more to come.

I am sitting in the airport in Singapore about to board flight to head into war torn Sri Lanka. The latest news can be found on www.theacademic.org as I normally keep up with the news coming out of Sri. The country is in a mess and VERY unpredictable now… Thank you for sending us. Not for our safety but that people will know HIM. You can pray for my family… as a an old intercessor friend of mine told me regularly… "I need the prayer and you need the practice…"

2008-06-06T18:55:00.011-05:00

Hope in Vietnam...

We didn't want to communicate while inside of Vietnam and I was about to scream because of all the awesome things HE did and is doing in the closed nation of Vietnam. Jack and Sherry Harris, Steve Smith and myself were so honored to again travel to Vietnam... Jack and Sherry have been going to 'Nam for almosty 20 years as their faithfulness is being honored with thousands coming to the knowledge of HIM. Jack & Sherry have been great mentors and friends of ours for many years now and it is just awesome to hang out in the nations with these folks. This time I got to hang out with Sherry's brother Steve which makes Global Messenger Service a three fold cord not quickly broken. Thank you GMS for allowing me to join you again in Vietnam and for our partners sending us as we are really having an amazing impact in the nations.

2008-05-29T02:25:00.004-05:00

24 years...

Monday, May 26th, Sandy and I celebrated 24 years of marriage... yes sir that is a statement of sheer signs, wonders and miracles that she has put up with me for almost half of my life. I never dreamed God could give me such a blessing to have her as my soul mate, helper and the love of my life. She has been so faithful to me and our kids... but her greatest accolade is her faithfulness to the Lord. I listened to her talk the other day about how shocked she was that some people wanted to go see a movie that was let's say crude and raunchy. She was appauled that grown women with families would lower themselves to watch filth. Again I saw in her life a standard of holiness that God put in her at a young age that attracted me to her. I tell my boys if you find a young chaste virgin that God brings into your life, move quickly to marry her to allow God to bring you his blessing of balance and double power. God has developed her into a Proverbs 31 woman and I praise her for her single eyed faithfulness to me. We have been all over the world together living our dream. I just could not ask for anything better than to be with that girl.

I am always flirting with her too... keep your marriage fresh. I ask her constantly does she have a boyfriend? She says no...Do you want one? Again she emphatically says no... Can I hold your hand? No... What will it take for you to go out with me? Forget it man... next thing I know you will want to get married and have 4 kids! I think you get the picture...

Sandy is a dream come true to me... I love you girlfriend!

2008-05-24T21:32:00.003-05:00

Prayer Lake - John & Joy Mounger

Many years ago I would go to Red River in Concordia Parish deer hunting and I would pass by this place in Lettsworth, LA called Prayer Lake (http://www.prayerlake.org/). After asking a few questons I decided to stay at this place and got the awesome privaledge of meeting John and Joy Mounger. So many people have too found this sanctuary to turn aside and take some time to sit at the feet of Jesus.

Last year I got wind of John being pretty sick and ran into him in Shreveport as he was getting treatment. John went with us that night to 1st Assembly in Shreveport to hear me minister even as sick and in pain as he was... I was taken back as he was walking his salvation out. I am so glad we took the time to spend with John that night. Then last month I was in north India and really felt in my heart to take a day after returning to the US and go spend with this great man and woman of God. Again... I was so blessed as Jack Dyer and I met Pastor Pete Wunstel up there for some Holy Ghost prayer ministry and to change the blades on the lawnmowers. The presence of the Lord was thick in their home as I sensed God's ministering spirits there to give grace and mercy in a time of need. Oh it was so sweet...

Well my friend John went to be with the Lord Friday, May 23rd after a lengthy battle with illness. Wow it was breath taking to hear the news but in a way a joy spread over my spirit now that he has departed this life and is in the arms of Jesus.

Please keep Joy and their family lifted up over the next few days and months dealing with their loss. The funeral celebration will be at Bethany North, Tuesday @ 11AM.

Pain

2008-05-20T07:55:00.001-05:00

All things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. —Romans 8:28

I was working on our sink in the house yesterday. Good ole nasty under the sink in close quarters honey do stuff… my wife asked me to replace the dripping leak of our faucet. So of course this led to replacing the whole drain system! We were fasting and prayer too so this made all matters try to compound. Amazingly God's grace and patience was resting upon me as my sons and I worked with diligence to rebuild our sink. I used a screwdriver to chisel the old part off the old cast iron sink which was the wrong tool for the job… sounds like another good topic. Anyway the last bump broke the part off but everything slipped and my left hand ground into the jagged metal edge gouging chunks of meat off my left ring and pinkie finger. Oh it hurt… as blood flew and I broke out in a cold sweat grabbing my hand in a yelp of PAIN!

I got my composure after some first aid and cold water. We got the sink finished but I knew a couple of sore days were before me. I got up this AM to read and today's devotion was so on time I thought I would post this topic as I meditated on God's goodness and mercy in my life and thought of people I know that have endured PAIN…

This is the story of PAIN copied from Our Daily Bread found on the Radio Bible Class website…

I'll never forget when our youngest child Matthew fell and broke his wrist. It was grotesque! His arm took a sharp left turn at his wrist and then turned again to resume its normal journey to his hand.

We rushed him to the hospital where the doctor began to set his wrist. I watched as the physician pulled and twisted Matthew's arm. I wanted to jump up and pull him away from my son! But I simply sat and watched, knowing that the agony was necessary to make Matt whole again.

If we trust earthly doctors to do that for our children, how much more we should be willing to trust God, the Great Physician, to reset our broken lives "to be conformed to the image of His Son" (Rom. 8:29). One of God's purposes in pain is to brand the image of Jesus in our hearts. Can we weep with those who weep? God may need to stain our cheeks with our own tears so that we can genuinely empathize with others as Jesus did. Are we self-sufficient? God may need to strip away our security to conform us to the God-sufficiency that Christ displayed. Are we faithless? It may require a tragedy to teach us to trust the Father as Jesus did.

Next time you feel broken, don't panic—praise Him! God is at work!

— Joe Stowell

Life's fractures can be mended
By faith in Christ the Lord—
At first the pain but then the gain
And usefulness restored. —Hess

God's purpose in pain is to brand His image in our hearts.

Counterfeit…

2008-05-19T09:22:00.001-05:00

My son Luke comes to me every full moon to remind me of "Poya" in Sri Lanka. Poya is a monthly buddhist holiday where thousands go to temples to worship the idol trying to obtain Nirvana. Don't ask… anyway each month has its only Buddhist teaching flavor and the month of May is called Vesak…

Vesak, or Visakha (pronounced way-sak), is a celebration that commemorates the Buddha's birth, enlightenment, and death, and his passing into nirvana. It is named for the month of May and is celebrated on the full moon, when the Buddha's mother is said to have given birth to him in a garden in the Himalayan foothills while en route to her parents' home. According to most Buddhist calendars, he would be 2,548 years old this month.

Amazing how religion tries to counterfeit Christ death, burial and resurrection… the difference is the RESURRECTION! Jesus bones can't be found on this earth.

Anyway we know the beating of the drums, the chanting of thousands, the firecrackers going off in bomb like proportions as they try to ward off evil spirits… Poya days are amazingly dark days in buddhist countries and especially Vesak.

Yes I am not scared to tell the good news that Jesus is Alive! Romans 1:14-17

2008-05-12T08:16:00.003-05:00

John Siebeling and his cool family!

Life Church Memphis
Home for a few days then off to Memphis and another Bible School classmate (Class of '91 MTI), Pastor John Siebeling. John and Leslie Siebeling launched The Life Church of Memphis (http://www.thelifechurch.com/) over 10 years ago. What an incredibly unique job they have done as this church has such an excellent approach to Life! The Life Church of Memphis is one cool church with a deep love for Christ and a culture distincitvly designed to reach Memphis. John's fresh approah to life (StarBuck's anmial) with a unique twist of mission field blend is a refreshing experience in worship and intentional Word. John and Leslie are some of my personal heroes as they have been always encouraging and believing in us and the vision we have for the 1040 window. Check John's blog out, http://www.johnsiebeling.com/ , as he is one of my top 5 great communicators but an even greater friend.

2008-05-12T07:46:00.005-05:00

Rolling... IHOP
The past two weeks has found me traveling in the US. Wow it was awesome to spend a few days in prayer at the International House of Prayer in Kansas City, MO (IHOP... not pancakes). I had no idea this prayer movement has been going on since 1999. Check it out on the web, http://www.ihop.org/. Going to IHOP allowed me to connect with my Bible school classmate, Keith Major. Keith's family (www.majorchangeacademy.wordpress.com ) has been @ IHOP for four years and it was awesome being with them. God's hand is deep into their lives from the "wait upon the Lord" intensity in their lives. Keith serves in the media department at IHOP and Keith "trained" me to run the TV video program that is shown on God TV regularly.

IHOP was an experience not of outward demonstrative expression but of a touch from the Lord upon my heart. I encourage anyone hungry for Jesus and looking for a special place to "turn aside for a season" to check out IHOP. Kudos to you Keith for following Jesus no matter the cost!

2008-05-07T17:59:00.002-05:00

The Wail in Myanmar...

Myanmar Cyclone

YANGON, Myanmar (AP) -- Hungry people swarmed the few open shops and fistfights broke out over food and water in Myanmar's swamped Irrawaddy delta Wednesday as a top U.S. diplomat warned that the death toll from a devastating cyclone could top 100,000.

Signs of the times... the beginning of sorrows!

2008-05-01T08:35:00.002-05:00

National Day of Prayer...
2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV): "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
On April 17, 1952, President Harry S. Truman signed a bill proclaiming the National Day of Prayer into law. It was in 1972 that the National Prayer Committee was formed. It went on to create the National Day of Prayer Task Force, with the intended purpose of coordinating events for the National Day of Prayer. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed a bill into law decreeing that the National Day of Prayer should be held on the first Thursday of May.
Take time today to thank God for America and to touch our land!

2008-04-26T14:49:00.004-05:00

Jack Harris and Luke Walters

Dreamers...

Wow talk about awesome to spend a few days with our dear friends Jack and Sherry Harris in St. Louis. Jack and Sherry head up Global Messenger Service (GSM) impacting the world with creative evangelism and developing leaders in the nations. Their website is http://www.globalmessenger.org/ check em out! Jack & Sherry have become such a mentors in our ministry and we are forever indebted to Jesus for their pouring into Sandy and me. They are the type people that will stand with you back to back in battle. We have a few folks like this in our lives and I just love that kind of relationship that is not superficial and a facade.

We are planning to partner with GMS for work in southeast Asia in the near future. Just the thought of again in the nations with these great people excites me. Sherry's brother, Steve Smith works with them and he too is a mover and shaker for the kingdom. Steve puts out a weekly EHope that sometimes just stuns me as God really speaks to my heart. If you want to get his ehope, drop your email in comments and we will hook you up.

So it was great to be with Jack and Sherry, their girls and son in law Bobby to dream for the nations, dream for the lost and hungry people of the world. Keep Jack and Sherry in your prayers as they head out to speak at a huge biker rally in Brazil next week. I know the Lord is about to again use them to bring the message of hope in Jesus! We love God even more for allowing Jack and Sherry to be in our lives... Keep Dreaming!

2008-04-17T10:48:00.002-05:00

All Access - ARC 2008

I had been back in the US for 2 days before we drove to Birmingham for the All Access ARC conference @ Church of the Highlands. Wow talk about encouraged as God stepped into all who came for a word in season and a mandate challenge for church planting. Billy Hornsby and the leaders of ARC really have a big vision but they also have incredible infrastructure for leaders to launch a successful life giving church.

I was tired before I left but anticiapted being with all the great pastors we partner with @ the ARC. But I had this longing to be with Sandy... originally we had planned for her to stay in Louisiana with the kids but after the 1st night I persuaded her to saddle up and make the 6 hour ride to be with me. It was a drink of cold water just having her presence with me and the great pleasure to show her off to all our friends. After she arrived and graced my life again I felt complete with her beside me. Wow do I love that girl!

Ok enuf mushy stuff... Pastor Chris Hodges kicked the 1st night off with a moving sermon that really connected everyone into what is takes to do God's will... Thxs Chris for the Word, the love and doing an incredible job of hosting us in the new facility! Then the sessions... some of the cutting edge pastors in America telling their stories. Wow such insight and passion for Jesus and his church. Then to hear Brian Houston speak was a real treat with his "funny" accent, lol!

You can get the services in itunes, Church of the Highlands. It will be worth your while... l8r!

2008-04-12T04:56:00.002-05:00

Incredible India...

After Africa I headed to New Delhi to catch up with my good friend and awesome Man of God, Rusty Domingue. Rusty "Blue Flame" Domingue has been a great influence in my life since the beginning of MAP 1040 and again we hooked up to blast into the heart of the 1040 window and incredible India. Specifically we headed to the North Indian City of Chandighar with a team of 1st timers from Celebration Church in Georgetown, TX pastored by Joe & Lori Champion. We also got the incredible blessing of Heather Alise coming representing Healing Place Church in Baton Rouge pastored by Dino & Delynn Rizzo. Also Pastor Todd Lugli and his wonderful daugher Sophia met us coming in from Sri Lanka. Todd has become my California connection as he has such passionate love for Jesus, life and me. Todd pastors "The Well" church in Buellton, CA. So our jounney began...

We were in Delhi 2 days ministering @ Assembly of Believer's Churches before we connected with my young pastor friend Norman Gray. I bumped into Pastor Norman during the Tsunami days in Sri Lanka in a divine appointment type encounter. Norman invited us up last year to minister in his new church plant in Chandighar (Indian city north of New Delhi that has the best infrastructure system in India!) So this was our return to Chandighar with this team. God did not disappoint us as we rode the train into deep north India.

Some of the 1st for the Team...

1st time to India

1st time to pray for the sick

1st time to lead people into Salvation

1st time to lead people to the baptism of the Holy Spirit

1st time to cast out demons

1st time to speal publicly

1st time to ride an Indian 2nd class sleeper coach train... what a blast! LOL...

I think you get the picture... this year I too have been doing some 1st work in my life. I have been to India hundreds of times the past 10 years and specifically New Delhi. Much to my dismay I have always said "next time" I am going to visit the Taj Mahal. I asked God to help me eliminate "next time" out of my vocabulary. So... this time we went to visit the "incredible" Taj Mahal. This place had a "WOW" affect on all of us in the shear magnificance of the structure and passion the king had for his bride! Oh come on that will preach... the passion the bridegroom has for his bride! Incredible...

Lots of souls and God's spirit being poured out in India these days. Let me know when you are ready to go... he already told you, so obey and saddle up! Go...

2008-04-04T20:07:00.003-05:00

Ambassadors in Kenya

We are called to be an "ambassador for Christ" and I learned this revelation sometime back when Sandy and I were in England for the first time. We were returning from India and wanted to do the tourist thing and see Buckingham Palace and the "changing of the guard". So we hit the "tube" and arrived to the pure pomp and circumstance of England. This day was special in the fact it was the Queen Mother's birthday. We were with the thousands in mass to see the royal family exit the palace to celebrate in church the Queen's birthday. A lady that stood by us expressed her delight as she had been to see the "changing of the guard" without seeing the royal family many times before. But this time was special I declared that an ambassador for a great King had come to see the royal family. Sandy looked at me as she knew I had something in mind… I started sharing with this woman about Christ and his kingship. Anyway it was a funny way to talk about Jesus.

Well I was just in Nairobi, Kenya and thought about how well I was treated… like Royalty! Don and Amy Matheny have been missionaries in Kenya for 30 plus years. They pastor Nairobi Lighthouse Church (NLC) in Nairobi and what a strong vibrant church. The recent violence in Kenya had touched my heart as I knew the loss of lives and property would be much greater than reported so after South Africa the Lord instructed me to visit Pastor Don and Amy. Wow what an awesome time… we hit the ground running ministering in the ravaged Internally Displaced People (IDP's) camps as NLC was in full mode to help hurting people. I mean as soon I was there they had me eating goat again…lol! It was nonstop but in an awesome way as the Lord had sent me on a mission to minister to the people and to just hang out with Don, Amy and their family in this time of transition for the church. Pray for NLC as they have been meeting in a soccer stadium for the past 12 years and now are moving to a new venue for the 5000 member church.

The Lord is stirring Africa these days again to call on his name. Wow it was so humbling to minister to NLC and give them a word in season… God will remember Africa as she took me in! The Lord spoke to my heart about how he would move from the mouth of the Nile northward through the valleys to Egypt with salvation. Little did I know that the Great Rift Valley starts here in Kenya. Don took me up on this mountain top to see the view the day after service and I was stunned… and of course God spoke to us both on the mountain top. Don, Amy and their family are some of God's finest people and will forever hold a special place in my heart. I was treated like royalty and honored to be in their home. So now I am off to Incredible India…

2008-03-28T03:42:00.014-05:00

My "CUP" runneth over...

Wow I got the honor to spend a few days with Children’s Cup (CC) http://www.childrenscup.org/ , in Swaziland, Southern Africa. I really did not get the impact of how much God’s hand is upon this ministry until I was flying over praying asking God to bless them. The Lord really opened my eyes to the customized “niche” CC has been afforded the opportunity from heaven. I have been connected with the boss and his bride, Dave & Jean Ohlerking for the past few years as they have been quietly persuading me to go see CC. I had this window so I jumped and the trip was a God ordained time of ministry.
Ben & Susan Rodgers head up CC in Swaziland and just being around these guys swelled my heart with Jesus’ love for this special family. I could not get enough of the love their kids were pouring all over me as they stayed in my lap practically the whole time I visited with them in their home. Then the “Cup”… oh my goodness. Care Points in three nations ministering and feeding thousands of kid’s everyday with a staff of 20 missionaries on the ground, making it happen, Jesus style ministry. What an awesome strategy to meet the needs of the people as the HIV epidemic is on schedule to totally wipe out Swaziland’s population by 2020. Ben whispered to me as we walked through the street that one out of two people in the country was infected with HIV. I kind of stumbled simply stunned as the result of sin and the wide open door for the devil to wreck havoc broke my heart for the people in these southern African nations. So… I growled in holy anger at sin and the demon of disease and set about to pray more of God’s mercy and grace into Africa.
My first thing to do was the blessing to speak to the staff @ CC. We spent some quality time ministering to the staff and heightening their awareness and encouraging them. Wow it was so awesome to love on these missionaries in the thick of it... Special grace from heaven blessed us all in his presence! Then Ben took me to some care points to see the infrastructure and the nuts and bolts of CC work. The main giving of love is feeding the kids a nutritious meal everyday and to provide a place of refuge for kids being exploited to pedophile atrocities. We prayed at one of the most unbelievable village areas that have been known to sell their kids in pedophile activity. The spiritual atmosphere was electric with God’s power as the joy on the workers was so apparent with Jesus’ love for the people. These care points are set for pastors and local church plants as Ben & Susan just launched the 1st church plant from the need of a life giving church in Swaziland. HPC – Swaziland opened over the Easter weekend… Roll on Healing Place Church, http://www.healingplacechurch.org/ for his kingdom to come on the earth! HPC is one of our greatest partnerships and a great honor to represent in the nations.
Well I simply feel in love with Ben, Susan and their kids. I am going to bring Sandy here next time…Kudos to Jordan my main man that took me to the Game Park and Natalie from HPC – BR… you guys are awesome! I am going to incorporate some CC strategy in the “window. I will go back one day and prayerfully soon… now I am off to Nairobi. DB!

2008-03-26T03:51:00.003-05:00

Easter in Mozambique, Africa

A couple of months ago the Lord dealt with my heart about spending Easter in Africa again. I was kind of glad as I thought of my first trip to Africa four years ago but I sensed that this time it would be very different and very fruitful. After the game park morning it was time for work as we drove into Mozambique and the city of Matupu to meet Pastor Isaac and Carol Williams. They pastor a new work launched by a great partnership between Healing Place Church in Baton Rouge and Children's Cup (CC). This church plant came into being from CC work to establish a care point ministry to orphan children. CC's main base is in neighboring Swaziland and I will tell you more about the care points and CC work later...

We started the Easter weekend by having a special showing of the Jesus film and over 500 packed the church to see the movie. Isaac and Carol have been working here for a year and have seen the church steady grow from the impact of community service by feeding the kids everyday. M-F HPC and CC feed over 200 kids here a vital meal that is for the most of the only meal and most nutrion they receive each day. I wept seeing the plight of the children!

Saturday we did some small group discipleship speaking to Isaac's young leadership team. The average life expectancy in Moz is 34 years old. Most of Isaac's team were teenagers and already God is growing them into great men at such a young age. The gifts in these young guys life are incredible as the hope of a future given by Christ has touched these guys. We did a short youth service and talk about dance... Africans got rythmn like this old white boy don't know, hello!

Sunday the crowd again swelled into the church building as all seats were packed. Isaac allowed to minister to his people and I was just stunned thinking if any church in the US would allow a missionary to preach Easter Sunday service... wow! I ministered on the Lordship of Jesus Christ and we had an awesome communion at the end. I needed healing in my knee as I twisted it and as I write and smile thinking of how Jesus used the meal that heals (Come on Perry Stone) to touch my knee. Just had to walk it out a little bit... PTL.

Last report on Moz as I look back was the awesome time I got to invest into Isaac and Carol. I am talking two of God's champions that have an incredible ministry before them. I love ministering to missionaries as over the past few years the Lord has taught me many lessons of being effective in the nations. So I go and pass it on... I will be in Swaziland with Ben and Susan Rogers and the CC staff. Oh it is going to be great... DB!

2008-03-22T00:12:00.003-05:00

The Roar of the Lion!
Well I rolled into Southern Africa from Sri Lanka to minister in the nations of Swaziland with Children’s Cup and Mozambique with Healing Place Church – Mozambique. The first night in Swaziland we went to a game park as I got hang out with a young missionary from Georgia names Jordon Flores. Jordan and I visited a pastor that ministers among sugar cane workers then got to spend a night and morning with the lions! We were not disappointed either as the 1st lion we heard in the pre dawn was the Lion of the Tribe of Judah as we worshipped together before starting our day. I started to read out loud to Jordan how in the New Living Translation the Lord is described as the God of Heaven’s Armies. When I spoke these words out of my mouth, real lions erupted outside our camp in a ferocious praise toward heaven. The Lord’s creation began to lift their voices in praise to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords! Jordan and I sat stunned at what had just happened… I am telling you it was an awesome presence of the Lord! We headed out into the bush in search of the lions and we got blessed to have a small pride walk within 6 feet of our jeep. Yes it was an intense moment but man what a thrill!
So the Africa round has began… I am in Mozambique now after traveling most of the day by car through these incredible countries. Last night we were with Pastor Isaac and Carolyn Williams showing the Jesus film @ the church here. There was standing room only as the village showed up in mass to watch the movie. This was too cool as it brought back memories of the numerous times we showed this film in villages in Sri Lanka and India. The Jesus film has impacted so many lives as one of the most effective evangelism tools in operation today. Please keep us in prayer as I minister to church leaders today, youth meeting tonight then Easter Sunday services tomorrow before traveling back to Swaziland. DB

Science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke dies at 90 in Sri Lanka

2008-03-20T00:12:00.001-05:00

Associated Press,
Tue March 18, 2008 18:07 EDT . RAVI NESSMAN - Associated Press Writer - COLOMBO, Sri Lanka - (AP) Arthur C. Clarke, a visionary science fiction writer who won worldwide acclaim with more than 100 books on space, science and the future, died Wednesday in his adopted home of Sri Lanka, an aide said. He was 90. Clarke moved to Sri Lanka in 1956, lured by his interest in marine diving which he said was as close as he could get to the weightless feeling of space.

``I'm perfectly operational underwater,'' he once said.

He was the co-author with Stanley Kubrick of Kubrick's film ``2001: A Space Odyssey,'' but he was regarded as far more than a science fiction writer.

He was credited with the concept of communications satellites in 1945, decades before they became a reality. Geosynchronous orbits, which keep satellites in a fixed position relative to the ground, are called Clarke orbits.

He joined American broadcaster Walter Cronkite as commentator on the U.S. Apollo moonshots in the late 1960s.

When we 1^st lived in Sri Lanka I met this man @ a sports club. I remember drifting over to the old man as he sat kind of slumped over in his chair. I sat down and began to chat with him and he asked me if my home was from the southern states in America… I wonder how he figured that out. He asked what brought me to Sri Lanka and I boldly just told him about God's destiny on our lives and he smiled… then he asked me if I knew who he was. I smiled as I was looking @ him as an old man that needed some company but he thought he was old man that deserved fame. I had no idea who he was until a year had passed by and his name came up in the papers. He asked me to play ping pong that day and in his crippled state of body, I kind of laughed… that old man made me have to work to beat him but he still beat me one game from a wheel chair. I will never forget afterwards as I got to share God's love to him as he allowed me to enter his world for a moment through a bold gesture from a redneck from Mississippi to a world famous visionary. Jesus allowed me to tell him the gospel and he smiled as I began to leave and said I will take your time and words under consideration. You just never know do you…

2008-03-18T00:56:00.002-05:00

30 days...
Quick update as I have started a 30 day tour of the nations... my home church is doing a series titled "What would you do if you had 30 days to Live?" I had to do some serious contemplation as plans for this ministry itineration had me leaving the US the day after this 1st message. I was thrilled as the Lord message put an eternal spin on how we were living our lives. God matters, people matter and eternity matters... great points and something we should all consider in this short time here on earth we call life. So...
Sri Lanka has been my 1st stop and my home away from home. In the middle of chaos and war the Lord is manifesting his glory to the church. Signs, wonders and miracles are taking place as God is preparing the church for things to come... I actually had some incredible manifestations in my own life and so happy as to know that I am trying to focus on eternity.
Next up is Africa... I will keep you posted as the Lord reassured me we are carriers of his presence to the nations! Thxs for prayers... DB!

2008-03-16T20:30:00.003-05:00

Don't get Peeled...

I was riding down the streets in Colombo, Sri Lanka yesterday and saw this picture of fresh cut bananas brought to market in the city. My mind raced back to the days as a young believer… Bro. Les Sibley is an incredible man of God that the Lord used to speak into my life from time to time. His prayer life kept him on the devil’s hot list as he seemed to ooze with presence from heaven. One day he told me about the banana… if you get pulled from the bunch you are surely going to get peeled! Bro. Les was referring to staying in fellowship with believers and the importance of local church attendance. As I looked @ the picture closer I noticed how large the vine was from where the bananas got their source of nourishment to grow. Jesus told us that he is the VINE… without him we cannot do nothing but he is ready and willing to do the impossible for us. Another thought was that when the banana comes to full ripening, the fruit will fall to the ground so that the seed will bring more fruit… Seed, Time and Harvest.
Sri Lanka is in dire straits these days with conflict and fear on every corner. In the middle of the chaos the Lord is pouring out his grace with signs, wonders and miracles. Please pray for Sri Lanka that Jesus would have mercy…

Great Word

2008-03-07T07:01:00.001-06:00

God's dream for your life is so much bigger than your own! He wants to bless you indeed and enlarge your territory. His ways and thoughts are so much higher than ours, and His plan is so much bigger than we can imagine. Choose today to focus on the good things God has in store for you. Don't allow the circumstances of life to drag your thoughts down. Choose to think God's thoughts by meditating on His Word. The scripture says to "set your mind on things above." Those "things above" are God's thoughts and ways which are, "I am blessed and highly favored. I am above only and not beneath. I am the head and not the tail. I am a victor, not a victim. I am righteous, and my path shines brighter and brighter to the full day. I am more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus." When you allow those higher thoughts to fill your mind, they will direct your steps, and you will rise higher in life! You will see yourself as an overcomer and live the abundant life the Lord has for you.

Cup of Blessing

2008-03-02T05:38:00.001-06:00

I am stirred for children this early Sunday morning for some reason… Sandy and I had dinner with the director's of Children's Cup last night. Dave and Jean Ohlerking have devoted their life to ministering to children and presenting them with the gospel. The focus of "Cup's" ministry is in the south African nations of Swaziland, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Dave also has done major work in Vietnam with Cup style work… I will be seeing firsthand the on the ground network of care points the end of this month as they feed and minister to thousands of children daily that are deep in the plaque of HIV infection. Arise O Lord to touch the children of the world with your great love we pray in Jesus name…

Dave and Jean were such a joy to come and spend time with Sandy and me. Just feeling their passion for souls and the children of the earth stirs you to prayer and actions. Check out their website… www.childrenscup.org or better yet saddle up and Go to Africa and give em hand loving on and feeding the kids.

2008-02-26T20:35:00.002-06:00

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

2008-02-26T20:21:00.001-06:00

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

2008-02-25T09:05:00.001-06:00

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

2008-02-22T08:13:00.001-06:00

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

2008-02-22T07:50:00.001-06:00

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.

2008-02-13T06:49:00.000-06:00

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!”

2008-02-13T06:48:00.000-06:00

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

2008-02-08T22:05:00.001-06:00

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

2008-02-08T13:56:00.001-06:00

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!!!

2008-02-07T16:21:00.001-06:00

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…

2008-02-07T15:49:00.001-06:00

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.

Just the Right Time…

2008-01-26T19:52:00.001-06:00

For years as a believer growing up my home church I would listen to missionaries come in and hammer believers for their lack of involvement for the souls of men. It seemed almost anger coming from their spirit so Sandy and I vowed to never bash God's people or beg people to give. I honestly have been tempted or should I say frustrated and now understand where these folks were coming from yet we choose not to hurt God's people in any condemning manner. So after I read Dave Ohlerking entry into his blog and felt the pain and heart break for hurting people, I just had to copy and paste this blog entry for you to get a feel of what we see and endure and sometimes get so frustrated with coming from a land of abundance to these worlds of pain and destruction. We too understand the destructive forces of war and pedophile predators in Sri Lanka… we have a dream to rescue these victims, we dream of giving hopeless people the good news of the gospel, a place to worship our Lord freely…with heavy and heart and deep sighing we trust Jesus to move as it says in II Cor 6:2 NLT "at just the right time"…

Take a moment and read his words carefully I beg, then pray and ask the Lord where you are in this kingdom army. Do you pray? Do you give? Do you Go?

CC works in these nations Swaziland, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Vietnam focusing on AIDS victims and orphan children… we know the Lord wants to expand CC into all of Africa. Dave has put into words some of the feelings we carry with us ministering in these nations. The Cup's heart is to see a blood washed clean continent! We beg you Lord Jesus to move…

January 15th, 2008 by Dave Ohlerking

A buoyant great joy and an unspeakable sorrow both sweep through my soul as I remember 2007.

Children's Cup grew to double the number of CarePoints and the number of children we care for (about 7000 now) whose lives we have seen Jesus change.

But how quickly other scenes ambush my heart as I look at the ones still waiting for our help.

I can tell you how it feels to watch a sobbing child's body shut down with AIDS.

I have heard dying mothers plead for someone to care for the children she will leave behind.

I have watched orphaned children—in one case a 6 year-old girl—become the sole protector and breadwinner for her younger siblings.

I know of dozens of unwanted and unnamed toddlers who were handed off to village men to be sold for sex. If the children wanted even a morsel of food they would have to do whatever the man wanted.

I can tell you the problem is growing faster than we have the funds to respond.

I can tell you that the twin destroyers named AIDS and Hunger are measuring and defining the church—the Body of Christ—as they gallop in unrestrained apocalypse destroying families and nations.

But I cannot tell you why or how so many of my fellow believers who call upon the name of Jesus for their own needs refuse to respond to the needs of a dying generation.

What can be said or done in 2008 to reach past indifference and ignite the hearts of God's church?

Children's Cup website… www.childrenscup.org

Certain Women

2008-01-26T19:40:00.001-06:00

I got this devotional from a great woman of God that provoked my thinking…

Sandy and I know so many talented women that impact the gospel with their lives and their prayers. I am in Sri Lanka and I miss Sandy hello… and my mama.

So we want to encourage you in your walk with Jesus that your life is affecting the kingdom of God. From business ladies to the greatest vocation in the world, being a mother… the Lord Jesus has his hand upon your life to impact this world for him and your husband… LOL!

So keep seeking, keep speaking that word in due season, keep passionately pursing Jesus in prayer, keep getting up in the middle of the night to open your door to strangers, keep going… keep trusting him to fulfill your every need and desire.

We love you…

They Walked With Him: Certain Women

The twelve were with Him, and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities . . . who provided for Him from their substance.
Luke 8:1-3

Have you ever wondered how Jesus financed His ministry? When He left the carpenter's trade, He gave up His regular income, yet still needed three meals a day, an occasional change of clothes, money for taxes (which He once paid with a coin from a fish's mouth), and provisions for the twelve who left their livelihoods to follow Him.

It was a group of women who helped underwrite His earthly work. Having been touched and transformed by His power, they did what they could, giving from their means; and they provided the money He needed for His three-year mission.

If we'd been alive in those days, would we have given anything to Christ for His work? There's an easy way to answer that, of course. He is still alive and doing His work on earth. We can discern what we would have done then by seeing what we are doing now.

When He touches us, He touches our pocketbooks, too, inspiring us to finance His work as He has prospered us.

Light in Goshen

2008-01-25T00:26:00.001-06:00

A threefold cord is not quickly broken… Rod Jarrett, Andy Ardoin and I are in Sri Lanka now. The Peace agreement has broken off and the country has again slipped into civil war. We were scheduled to travel across the nation to bring gifts and supplies to 200 kids at the Methodist church children's home we partner with in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka. The day we left the USA bombing began again in earnest and the roads were closed as fear of land mines shutdown transportation. We did send the gifts via courier service and the kids had a party. They had planned a whole day of events for us to come and celebrate with them… Can you imagine how good the Lord is to the people in Sri Lanka in the midst of conflict and bloodshed? Days of increasing darkness are on the horizon as the pressure of God's call for repentance falls on Sri.

This AM I was reading my daily Bible in Genesis about the story of Joseph being sent before by God's design to save his family from destruction. His family landed in the land of Goshen, the very best land in Egypt. I thought about Goshen and years later when God sent Moses to deliver his people. Ten plagues were to fall upon Egypt for their resistance to God's call for repentance. One of these plagues was gross darkness… The Bible said that in the midst of the plague of darkness, there was light in the dwellings of the children of Israel - Goshen! The Lord's greatest desire is for us to know him and know that he will take the best of care of us and has our best interest at heart. He will provide the Best for us in the darkest times. The report we got from Trinco was the kids and workers had a day of great joy… in the midst of great darkness God takes care of us.

Gathering

2007-12-30T20:33:00.001-06:00

I was in the woods doing some deer hunting in south Louisiana this past week enjoying the peace and quiet. December is my time to reflect on the past and get the Word of the Lord for the New Year. I love to deer hunt and spend this quiet time seeking the Lord, finishing all the books I started (I get bored with most books about halfway thru) and just refresh my soul. I have learned it is imperative to prepare yourself by drawing away into solitude to spend quality time with the Lord. The more I do this, the more effective I am and my life is just better ya know…

Well I was scouting an area that usually held a good deer and I only had a quick hour before daylight ended (Daylight's Burning yes sir) to check the sign in these woods. So instead of boots I put on tennis shoes so I could cover a lot of ground quickly. I walked close to 3 miles and came across little deer sign but I found a bonanza of "fat pine", kindling, fire starter, etc… for all you city folks. I thank the Lord for growing up in the woods and a farm cause so many times these lessons of living close to the earth saved me and my family lots of sickness and heart aches in Sri Lanka and India.

So I knew some folks that needed some "fat pine" for their fireplaces @ home and resolved to tote out some to sow a seed of blessing into their lives. Most folks now do not know where to get this "fat pine" or just too busy (lol) to go get em some. I slung a huge chunk on my back and began the mile hike back to the 4X4. No problem I am big guy but with gun, backpack, warm clothes, etc… after about half way my arms started to burn. I heard whisper to me quit, give in throw it down, it's not worth it… they don't care if you bring it or not… but something inside of me I have learned as the spirit of the Lord would not allow me to quit. Oh yea I was hurting, sweating and laboring by the time I made it back and the last 100 yards was sheer determination. But alas I prevailed and threw it in the back of the old truck victorious conqueror of the "fat pine" challenge.

As I sat in the truck shaking my head and kind of laughing, the Lord spoke to my heart about being a gatherer! He confirmed my life's work to gather in the harvest and bless others with the joy of a warm fire (nothing like the love of God!).