Answered Prayer!

Bro Aaron, thank you for praying. We are back home now. The Lord is so good. Sis Joyce is recovering slowly but no longer in danger. God bless u and your family. Happy New Year. Bro Jun

Thanks to everyone for praying!

Prayer request - Sister Joyce Monderin

Sister Joyce is the wife of Jun - a wonderful missionary brother and friend in Manila.

Jun and Joyce are both college graduates who were on their way to professional careers when God redirected them. They both now serve faithfully as full time missionaries in the city Jails in the Manila area - Mandaluyong, Manila City etc as well as Brother Jun pastoring the church within the New Bilibid Prison - maximum security.

Brother Jun has asked for prayer for Joyce as she has had some major Asthma attacks in the last day or so. She has been hospitalized and hasnt responded well to medication. They had a very close call yesterday. Brother Jun is confident in the Lord's hand on her and so I ask that we all pray expactantly for this dear sister.


They have become dear friends. Below is a pic of their beatuful baby Betsy. Their testimony and their service have been very influencial in my life.

Pastor Paul Perkins was out of town the first couple days I landed in Manila for the first time and so it was brother Jun that first took me to the jails to preach. It was clear that the inmates have a respect and relationship with this young missionary. They are zealous for the Lord Jesus Christ. Sister Joyce ministers faithfully multiple days a week with the ladies and children in the city jails.

I remember hearing how eager she was to get back to the jails after the baby was born. Because of sickness, sanitation etc (the jails are not pleasant) the doctor recommended giving it some time. Jun had all he could handle in keeping his wife from ministering there. It was refreshing to hear of the burden and devotion of this sister. She has a degree in law and yet laid that aside so that she could use the law of God to bring prisoners to Christ, Praise the Lord!

Brother Jun's life verse is

Psa 79:11 Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die;

Join me in lifting up this missionary family.

Home!

Thanks again to all that have been praying, we arrived home from the hospital Thursday afternoon. Emma is doing great and we praise the Lord for His goodness.

Out of NICU!

Just a quick update and praise. About 8:30 pm they brought Emma out of NICU. Tests will continue on an outpatient basis to monitor blood counts etc. She is now with mom in her recovery room and Lord willing she will be going home with mom as early as tomorrow or Friday. Thanks again for all the prayer.

Just a few of the answered prayers
How about the hundreds of prayers offered during the pregnancy that were answered - safety in the c-section, healthy baby, precision, clarity of thought and availability of her doctor to attend to the surgery - 10 fingers, 10 toes, etc.
Our kids at home handing well the time being away from us
Mom and Dad being available to watch them
Specifically the past couple days
Steph being given permission to transfer to Strong to be with the baby
Respiratory concern - baby was off the oxygen within 18 hours
Blood pressure concern - declared fully stable within 15 hours
Results of blood work back after 48 hours - negative (which is the good result)
Reticular good after one day (meaning she is working on making up red blood cells which she is short on)
No answers about why she is anemic but will be monitored as an outpatient - she has not yet needed to receive a blood transfusion
taken off IV's and out of NICU after just 60 hours - We were told best case scenario was 5 days in NICU
Taking well to feeding

We have been blessed beyond measure.

Continued prayer requests
- she has lost 10% of birth weight which is significant - for good feeding and weight gain
- she is Jaundice, that this will not get worse or hinder her departure time
- Steph's recovery (she is doing well, for it to continue)

We trust and hope that all our friends have joined us in being encouraged, amazed and increased in their faith by God's goodness and answered prayer on behalf of our little Emma Joy

Emma Joy - update

What a beautiful sight! Emma and mom had continued improvement yesterday. Autumn, Anna and Sarah came up for the first time (Sarah is too young for NICU) and had a good time meeting sister. They miss having us home although Grandma and Grandpa are taking great care of them.Then of course there was the beak/blanket - Dad's first little gift to Emma. I'm expecting goos, gaahs and smiles right?... not quite
...but she grew to like it!
Emma started eating yesterday and is doing well with it. Once they have confidence that she is eating enough and is responding well is when they will likely release her to mom's room. The other stipulation is tat some other tests come back negative today - 48hr turnaround.
Have a great day.

God is good, prayers continue to be answered. Let God be magnified!

Emma Joy - many prayers answered

Just getting a second to post this as an introduction to my sweet new Baby Daughter Emma Joy Putney.

The Stats:
11/26/07
18.5 inches
6lb 8oz
8:49am



The Story (in pictures)

No, I'm not robbing a bank, just taking the most flattering picture of myself that I could!


Mom is not liking pics being taken while in the midst of a c-section (take note fathers!)
This isn't the first pic but it tells the story of the level of care and monitoring they gave her at frst. Her respiratory rate was super fast (it seemed like her heart was going to beat out of her chest). Her blood pressure was very erratic and her skin was very pale. Park Ridge is a great hospital but not well equipped for babies that need extra care. Within a few hours they were setting up the transfer. Certainly an emotional moment as Emma was in transport and mom had to say goodbye for a few hours.O.K. - no story line but pics of baby feet sure are cuteMore than 24 hours after she was born, mom was finally holding emma!!!!

From the NICU (where she still is) to this pic - you can see how God has been so gracious to us - and so many thanks to all that have been praying. I will take time to list all the answers later...
but for now - my 3 older girls are coming to see Emma for the first time.

Mom: Stephanie is a blessing and a trooper. I have been blessed to see her faith and patience in the Lord as the baby was quickly taken to the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) at Park Ridge and then hours later transfered over to Strong for a higher level of care and testing. She is getting around pretty well already and was transfered over to Strong herself last night to be with Emma. Finally this morning had the privilege of holding Emma for the first time. The outlook at first was at least a week in ICU - talk of blood transfusion, infection, disease etc...

Within 24 hours they are talking about having her come out in just a few days and all prognosis is excellent.

The many prayers of our dear friends and the Faithful God who answered them are to be thanked!

Happy Thanksgiving - Have a Psalm with that Turkey Leg

Take a minute to read and reflect on all God has done for us. This is a beautiful passage to spark our memories of His goodness and mercy. HINT: Might not be a bad passage to read before cutting into the bird at the table!

Psa 103:1 - Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Psa 103:2 - Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
Psa 103:3 - Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
Psa 103:4 - Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
Psa 103:5 - Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.
Psa 103:6 - The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.
Psa 103:7 - He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.
Psa 103:8 - The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
Psa 103:9 - He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.
Psa 103:10 - He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
Psa 103:11 - For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
Psa 103:12 - As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
Psa 103:13 - Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.
Psa 103:14 - For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.
Psa 103:15 - As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.
Psa 103:16 - For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.
Psa 103:17 - But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children;
Psa 103:18 - To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.
Psa 103:19 - The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.
Psa 103:20 - Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.
Psa 103:21 - Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.
Psa 103:22 - Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul.


This Psalm speaks wondrously of the eternal blessings and mercy God has poured out on us. If you then read Psalm 104 you see another theme of thanks and praise - the psalmist reflecting on the beauty of creation, God's care for man and beast and his glory in this temporal world He has allowed us to behold and be part of. It is a beautiful compliment to Ps 103. Then if you read Psalm 105 you get another psalm of praise, this time reflecting on God's merciful and miraculous dealings with man - recounting the deliverance of his people out of Egypt and into the promised land. And then.... you get the point - He is worthy of our praise!

BLESS THE LORD!

Mouth of the Lord

I was reading Joshua 9 this morning about the Gibeonites deception in making a league with Israel and the root cause of the success of this deception was that Israel did not ask counsel at the mouth of the Lord.

That phrase - like so many in scripture just stands out. So, using my trusty e-Sword I ran a phrase search and it turns out this phrase is found 11 times in Scripture.

In those 11 verses I think we learn 11 different truths regarding the mouth of the Lord - i'm sure there are many more and perhaps other phrases (like mouth of God - 2x MT 4:4 and 2 Chron. 35:22 etc) that would correspond.

Here they are at a quick glance - commenst, additional insight etc always welcome - just a quick wednesday morning topic study. I am thankful for the word of God this morning, and the ability to search it in so many efficient ways because of technology.

MOUTH OF THE LORD

1. A Christians necessary food – the Bible = the mouth of the Lord
Deuteronomy 8:3 - And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.

2. Trouble comes when you don’t seek wisdom, discretion and guidance at the mouth of the Lord
Joshua 9:14 - And the men took of their victuals, and asked notcounsel at the mouth of the LORD.

3. Judgment comes from disobedience to the mouth of the Lord
1 Kings 13:21 - And he cried unto the man of God that came from Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the LORD, and hast not kept the commandment which the LORD thy God commanded thee... (look it up)

4. A true preacher/prophet speaks directly from the mouth of the Lord (source and authority)
2 Chronicles 36:12 - And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD his God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth of the LORD.

5. If it comes from the mouth of the Lord, it will come to pass - TRUTH (this applies to all the points of course)
Isaiah 1:20 - But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. (goes with #2)

6. The Mouth of the Lord has promised His Return and Rule
Isaiah 40:5 - And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

7. Blessings are available to us at the mouth of the Lord
Isaiah 58:14 - Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

8. The mouth of the Lord has promised us a New Name in Glory
Isaiah 62:2 - And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name.

9. The mouth of the Lord is looking for those to whom He can speak
Jeremiah 9:12 - Who is the wise man, that may understand this? and who is he to whom the mouth of the LORD hath spoken, that he may declare it, for what the land perisheth and is burned up like a wilderness, that none passeth through?

10. The mouth of the Lord will clarify who is a true or false prophet
Jeremiah 23:16 - Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD.

11. Safety and blessing are assured by the Mouth of the Lord
Micah 4:4 - But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it.

Have a thankful day and seek wisdom from the mouth of the Lord - the KJV

Subtlety Sunday

(2Co 2:11) Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

God gave a friend of mine a powerful message to preach a couple years ago in Zambia. That message demonstrated powerfully that Satan is no match at all for our Saviour Jesus Christ. He doesnt compete, he cant win, he cant even be pitted fairly against my Jesus.

Let me ask though, if today there was a broadcast on TV, radio and the papers that advertised the fight to end all fights - a bout that has the entire universe on the line - supreme authority for all of eternity over all of creation -
Yes, Jesus vs. Satan for control of the universe

What do you suppose would be the response?

We know Christ could look at Him, wave His hand, speak or just breathe toward him and it would be the end of this wicked enemy. It is only his longsuffering for the souls yet to be saved that He has stayed His wrath on this enemy and all that will reject Him. Yet I would venture to guess that there would be throngs and throngs of people that would rise up in support of Satan - millions if not billions that would somehow think that this will at least be a difficult fight - endless souls that would analyze the tale of the tape out of concern for who will win and what impact it would have on them...

Can I suggest that this was not the case from creation. Surely when God created Adam and Eve there was no consideration of someone that could challenge the Creator and yet somehow Satan began to sway people.

And as I'm certain we all know - he did it through subtlety.

If today, there are many that would at least think he'd be in the fight (perhaps even many professing Christians) then Satan has been making strides in accomplishing his goals.

Isa 14:13-14 For thou (Satan) hast said in thine heart,

1. I will ascend into heaven,
2. I will exalt my throne above the stars of God:
3. I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
4. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;
5. I will be like the most High.

Satan has used his subtle attacks throughout the generations to build for himself an army of followers to him, lulled others completely to sleep through false gods - money, cult beliefs, humanism, idolatry of celebrities and sports figures and rendered many of the third party - the saved, less effective through fear, through distractions, through allurements, through worldliness, through shedding doubt on the word of God etc etc.

He has much of the world sold on evolution and a worldview of everyone doing what is right in his own eyes. Past that, he has influenced a watered down Christianity where the souls of men, the thirst for the word and a literal belief of what it says is of little importance. God's word has not changed. Yet even though the words on the pages stays consistent with the KJV (which is always under attack) - the reverence for it and adherence to it have been thwarted. I fear a good part of Christianity would rather find ways to explain things away then study it out and recognize how we need to change.

Satan's will
(2Ti 2:26) And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

His will is to snare people, to take them captive and to bring them under his bondage and control through sin, addictions, worldly pleasures and worship of anything but the One True God

Eph 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Eph 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
Eph 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Eph 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

Satan desires to keep the lost walking according to the course of the world and to convince the saved that the course of this world is not too bad and that it is ok to still take pleasure in most of it. His most effective strategy for this generation has been just taking the same old worldiness and attitudes, repackaging it and adding some religious verbage and trinkets to it.

God doesnt need snares, He doesnt need allurements - where Satan uses subtlety - God uses the most recognized event (The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ) in all of history to draw people in a clear manner away from the sin that was damning and turning them to that event.

It is that gospel and the living, cutting, sharp, fiery, hammerlike, unbound, true, perfect, preserved, holy, wonderful love letter that will accomplish what God pleases - The King James Bible in the hands of Christians who have the privilege to share it that does the work.

Almost done (purely for my journaling at this point - anyone else checked out 4 paragraphs ago)

Today I was reading in Numbers again and came across a word that I immediately recognized from a commonly quoted verse but I didnt remember having seen it anywhere else.

WILES -

(Num 25:18) For they vex you with their wiles, wherewith they have beguiled you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a prince of Midian, their sister, which was slain in the day of the plague for Peor's sake.

WILE, n. A trick or stratagem practiced for ensnaring or deception; a sly, insidious artifice.
That ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Eph 6.
WILE, v.t. To deceive; to beguile.

You know the pattern for Numbers and here it is again - no matter how blatent God's power and deliverance was - the disciplines needed to avoid trouble drops, the standards for protecting the eyes, mind, heart and family are forsaken, the flesh starts getting its desires met and left unchecked - sin lieth at the door.

They didnt see it coming, they didnt intend for it to happen...but it did and not just the 2 involved paid the price but 24,000 others...

Why?

because the subtlety of the enemy gradually swayed people from God's will...

Lest Satan should get advantage of us - we must never be ignorant of his devices

Soul Winning Saturday

Pro 11:30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.

I would suggest that you can't spend a day of Bible reading, even a few chapters without passing verses that state God's purpose and desire - to be glorified in the restoration of people back to Himself through the shed blood of our risen Saviour Jesus Christ.

For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Luke 19:10 -

God's primary interest is not in our hobbies, our bank accounts, our activities, our careers or even our families outside of how those things can be used to glorify His name so that others may see our good works and glorify our Father which is in heaven (Mt 5:13-16).

Today I continued in Numbers and again read multiple accounts of the way that man rebelled against God and His leadership He established through Moses
how God then responded in judgment on the people
how Moses and Aaron pleaded with God for a rescue
and how then God offered that rescue through various atonements like the serpent on the pole (all of which are a picture of THE Atonement of Jesus Christ)
this atonement allowed for a restored relationship with God.

In Psalms, you often cant go a few verses without seeing the desire that the sweet psalmist of Israel had for God to be magnified and individuals to turn to God

Psa 82:4 Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.
Although this is context of physical help and deliverance -

• Who is more poor than the lost?
• Who is more needy than the lost?
• Who is more in the hand of the wicked one than the lost?
• Who is to deliver them?
• By WHOSE Power?

The gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God to deliver those who are right now how you once were - Condemned for their sin. They are taken captive by Satan at his will (2 Tim. 2:26)

Now is the only life we have and the only chance they have. That chapter ends with the wonderful promise of victory and rule that Christ will have

Psa 82:8 Arise, O God, judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations.

We have the privilege to influence some to worship Him for all of eternity.

Then in Psalm 83 is one of those chapters where the psalmist (Asaph) is praying for judgment and wrath to be poured out on the enemies of God.

This poses a problem for many because clearly we are told to love our enemies, bless them that curse us, do good to them that hate us and pray for them which despitefully use us and persecute us.

How to reconcile - we do love them, bless them, do good to them... but we pray that God will do to them WHATEVER is necessary to humble them and bring them to seek him - see what I mean below

Psa 83:13 O my God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble before the wind.
Psa 83:14 As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire;
Psa 83:15 So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm.
Psa 83:16 Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O LORD.
Psa 83:17 Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish:
Psa 83:18 That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.

The prayer is that judgment will come upon them - this results in people seeing the judgment of God and having it impact them to consider their standing with him. (corporal punishment was ordained by God for that individual to change their ways). The prayer is that they are so leveled from thinking that everything is ok, that they are in control, that they dont need God, that they will never have to give account - to the point where they are broken and trembling before the holy God and that they may seek thy name, O LORD.

If that person doesnt break, convert and as a result impact others by his testimony of God's goodness to him... then the prayer continues that they even perish if necessary That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth. (capital punishment was ordained by God to influence others to change their ways).

Our responsibility in interaction with people and witnessing is to love, bless, minister and overcome evil with good (Mt. 5:44-45; Rom 12:14). Remember, we dont love them by not giving them the truth with the grace - it is the law, and sincere warning of judgment by that law that is the schoolmaster that brings people to Christ.

Our hope and desire is that people will be saved by the wonderful goodness of God leading them to repentance (Rom 2:4)

Our prayer, though, should be that God will do whatever is necessary for that individual to be broken over their sin and put their faith in Christ.

I would rather a soul reach heaven because God brought tremendous and even painful circumstances in their life to break them instead of that soul going to hell having lived a prosperous and successful life by this worlds standards, amen?

Tell someone about Christ's mercy today!

Family Friday

My three girls - Autumn, Anna, Sarah. Treasures of the Lord to an unworthy father. Two weeks from Monday, with the Lord's mercy and protection we will have a fourth girl to add to the family picture - Emma Joy. We have great anticipation for our new addition and stand in awe of how God has taken us from wondering if we would ever have kids to four little girls.



I wrote on Wednesday of revival. Families are perhaps the most beautiful of God's institutions because they are so real, so personal and they touch every aspect of our emotions and senses in powerful, heartwrenching ways. They present an individual with a sense of comfort, love, ownership (or responsibility), accountability, devotion, investment, warmth and so much more.
The love we have for them, the concern when they are sick, the burden for their souls, the gravity of the task of raising them in a Christ like way, the joy when they are glad, the walking in the door to three kids running toward you with smiles and hugs, the cleaning up after them, the teaching them something new, the amazement in their eyes over the beauty of God's creation in the simplest of creatures that we unfortunately lost our wonder of a long time ago, the melting of our hearts when we have to discipline them and so much more.

The greatest foundations that God establishes of course are the most attacked foundations by the enemy. Genesis 1 gives us creation, which as we all know - Satan has attacked through the foolishness of evolution, the big bang or just outright leading people to worship the creation rather than the Creator. In Genesis 2 we have the first mention of families as we have the first mention of father, mother and wife in verse 24. Satan attacks the family in hundreds of ways - many of which I am certain we are not even aware of since his subtle tactics (those attacks we'll save for another day) likely have changed God's intended behaviors and desires for families generations before we even came into this world. Of course the next would be Genesis 3 where we see God's word come under attack right away. We could go on and see every major institution God set up (like government) and how it has come under attack.

God's design for all of these things are to be pictures of things in the spiritual realm - His family relationship with us, His justice and holiness in government, His truth and immutability in His word, His power and beauty in Creation and so much more. The enemy wants to destroy those foundations and If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? - Ps. 11:3

Every generation Satan seems to gain more headway - further tainting the perfection of God's creation through sin, confusion, wrong priorities etc. Yet we have wonderful hope, we have access to God and the preservation of His word which Satan can't do a thing about!

A powerful revival for all of our families is God's desire that the hearts of fathers will turn back to their children and their children to their fathers. I will save the study on fathers for another day but here is a verse to reiterate how God promised to bring revival at the end of the OT.

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
Malachi 4:5-6

The more a father reflects the Father/Child relationship that God desires to have with all of us - the more our hearts turn toward our kids in desire for them to walk with God and not just be pleased with us by spoiling them - the stronger of an impact we will have on this world for Jesus Christ.

God has charged me as a father with many things - and He has also set the expectations of what He wants my precious little girls to become (Prov 31, Titus 2). The way of getting there is through communion with Him by worship, prayer and loving His word.
I am far from it and can't do it on my own, but by the grace of God we can all be confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in us will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:6).

Have a great day and love on your kids if ya got 'em!

Thanksgiving Thursday

OK, so today is not THE thanksgiving Thursday (although it is coming soon - along with my fourth little girl - 11/26 - c-section - appreciate your prayers).

Of course we know that every day is a day in which we should offer thanks to God for all of His mercies, gifts, blessings and graces on our lives.
Yesterday I wrote of revival, something I believe that we all need - quite frankly we all need revival every day - 2 Cor. 4 tells us that that we must not faint because although the outer man perishes - yet the inward man is RENEWED DAY BY DAY

The lone comment from yesterdays post was from Missionary Kevin Pestke who said this: "How do you wake up people when they are spiritually sleeping? Is the solution prayer/fasting? If so, most people that are sleeping will have little desire for such spiritual activities. In part, 1 Cor 15 that you refer to speaks mostly of the resurrection of our Lord - I don't think the statement "awake to righteousness" just happened to find itself in that context by accident. In my simple opinion, we need to get back to realizing that our GOD is not among the dead, but HE has RISEN from the grave! Paul ends that chapter with an encouragement to continue to labour... why?, because Christ has risen!"
Couldn't have said it better myself, hence the reason I quoted Kevin! Were it not for the resurrection of Christ it says in that chapter...
1Co 15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

Our hope, encouragement and ability for renewal and revival is because of our RISEN SAVIOUR - our purpose, our motivation, our inspiration, our dedication, our anything that means anything is due solely to our Risen Saviour Jesus Christ This goes back to thanksgiving of course. When we as Christians spend more time contemplating challenges ahead, pitfalls, obstacles, temptations etc then we do reflecting on the God that Rose from the grave (giving us eternal victory, access to His throne, the Holy Spirit to guide, the deliverance from this present evil world and more), we quickly become like the children of Israel in the wilderness - worriers, complainers, wanderers and discouragers.

I received a blessing and reminder this morning as my daily reading is about the wilderness wanderings in Numbers and my daily Psalms happened to be 77-78 which refer to the very accounts I read in Numbers 7-13.
The key lesson was this: The children of Israel were too focused on the day to day issues of their flesh and as a result spent their time groaning and complaining... "we should have stayed in Egypt, I should be the leader - not Moses, why did Moses marry an Egyptian anyway, why do I have to eat the same food every day, I could really use some cucumbers..." you get the point THEY COMPLAINED, THEY SINNED, THEY BROUGHT WRATH UPON THEMSELVES BECAUSE THEY FORGOT ALL THAT GOD HAD DONE FOR THEM - they stopped reflecting, they stopped thanking, they stopped bragging on all his wonderful works.

Psalm 77 taught me how easy we can get ourselves down and wondering where God is in our trials and day to day goings on - then it gives the resolution - REMEMBER, MEDITATE, TALK.. of our wondrous God - you know - LOOK UNTO JESUS!
Psa 77:7 Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more?
Psa 77:8 Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore?
Psa 77:9 Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah. Psa 77:10 And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High.
Psa 77:11 I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old. Psa
77:12 I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.
Psa 77:13 Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?

Psalm 78 again
Psa 78:40 How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!
Psa 78:41 Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.
Psa 78:42 They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy.

Christ Rose from the dead giving us victory and expectation of eternal glory! When we do not remember, reflect, thank and speak of this our hope - we open ourselves up to allowing current situations to control our attitudes, emotions and spiritual walk - thereby quenching the Spirit and Limiting what the Holy One of Israel wants to do in and through us for His glory.
Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. 2 Corinthians 9:15 -

More to come on thanksgiving...study it for yourself - more importantly - lets practice it - brag on God today. Not sure how? See the video below for Praising God 101!

Wake-Up Wednesday

1 Corinthians 15:34 - Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.

This verse is one of the most convicting in all of scripture.

It is a wake up call in every sense
1) It is a rebuke by God through Paul to Corinth to wake up, (thereby making it clear that they were spiritually asleep) -and it is a rebuke that passes through time to all who are sleeping in every generation

Consider the state of sleep:

• it accomplishes something beneficial for self but not for others
• the sleeping individual is not aware of what is going on around him/her - vulnerable
• large periods of time go by in this state without the individual really noticing it - it seems like only a moment to them
• often an individual does not wake up on their own but it require some type of outside disturbance or wake up call

We all understand that this command of God echoes through time from its original intended audience to God's children of today - "Those of you who are sleeping - WAKE UP!"

There is little doubt that there is a significant need for revival across churches in America today - many of us in the body of Christ have gone through these times of sleeping where the emphasis was turned to self and not others, times where we have become vulnerable and fallen victim to many of the subtle attacks of the enemy because we were not sober and vigilant to see the impact of these subtle wiles, a lot of time has past with little spiritual growth and little fruit abounding to our account and quite frankly - we like our sleep - it is comfortable and we are not likely to wake up on our own...

Hence God cries out again and again - AWAKE

2) It is a call to Righteousness, a call to perfection (sin not)

I know arguments come in here but consider that if we are to take the Bible as being perfect, then to say that perfect doesn't really mean perfect as in flawless is a problem...

Websters - Perfect
1. Finished; complete; consummate; not defective; having all that is requisite to its nature and kind; as a perfect statue; a perfect likeness; a perfect work; a perfect system.
2. Fully informed; completely skilled; as men perfect in the use of arms; perfect in discipline.
3. Complete in moral excellencies.
Mat 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Complete is what we use to define it, mature, developed, rooted, disciplined, consistent biblical adherence with the right motives behind our right practices.

That the man of God may be perfect...

1 John 4:17-18 speaks of being perfect in love - producing boldness

Christ teaches throughout the sermon on the mount to be perfect in motives and methods

We are shown by Paul in Romans 6 that we have victory over sin through Christ's victory over sin, death and hell

Can we be perfect? Reconciling these passges with what we know about ourselves and Romans 7 - in me that is, in my flesh dwelleth no good thing, for to will is present with me but how to perform that which is good I find not...

The inward man delights in the law of God but it is at war with the law of sin which is in our flesh

Never should we have an attitude of "I just need to try to sin less" We are called to be sinless. We are commanded to turn from it, to hate it, to revile it, to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God.

Will we fall short? A million times over - yes but we must never be content with that. We must never set a lower expectation for ourselves than what God sets and His expectation and command according to 1 Cor. 15:34 is to sin not.

Praise God that when we do sin - we have an ADVOCATE who is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

When we accept that some sin is to be expected and that it is common to all - then what happens is that it does not grieve us how it should - we do not hate it how we should, we grow cold to our sin and we even find ourselves joking and foolish talking about our "little sins."

Pro 8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

Psalms 97:10 - Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.

Remember Job

Job 1:8 - And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that [there is] none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?

Yet when he saw who he was compared to God

Then Job answered the LORD, and said, Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.
Job 40:3-4 -

I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.
Job 42:5-6 -

This was a man that already beseeched God daily on behalf of his children lest peradventure they had sinned...

Isaiah has a similar reaction when he saw God (Isa. 6)

Seeing God for His absolute holiness and seeing us for our absolute wickedness through His word is what will help us see just the extent of revival that we need.

One preacher put it this way - If you have ever been closer to God then you are right now, it is obvious you need revival. To take that one step further, at our closest to God, is it likely that we were as close to God as Job when God bragged on him...

Revival is desperately needed - to be able to weep for souls, to see thier fate without Christ as I approach them, to be so enamored with the cause and mission of God that the things of earth grow strangely dim and incredibly unimportant.

3) FOR SOME HAVE NOT THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD - SPOKEN TO OUR SHAME

it is this generation of Christians reponsibility to reach this generation of the world with the gospel of Christ

When we are asleep, when we are desensitized away from the need, when we become selfserving, when we are accepting of sin rather than hating it vehemently, when we do not hunger and thirst after righteousness by hungering and thirsting after God through His word - - the burden is weak, the passion is small, the love is not all consuming, the concern is not great, the mission is not ever on our hearts, in our prayers, the talk of our lips, the topic of our studies and the goal of our lives

The neighbors, coworkers and friends do not get reached by sleeping Christians

God does not get worshipped in spirit and in truth by sleeping Christians

The uttermost does not get reached by sleeping churches, God's heartbeat for souls all through the world is not in the forefront of the priorities of sleeping churches.

And when Christians are asleep, often we dont realize it - we are in a dreamworld where we are such a success for God that He is pleased with all we do and although we need a little brushing up and maybe to read an extra chapter a day etc - we certainly dont need to weep or be broken or consider that we may actually not have arrived.

Now that I have discouraged myself (since i'm my only reader) lets remember that after Romans 6 where we learn we are to have victory over sin and then Romans 7 where we learn that it will be a continuous battle with our flesh for life we have Romans 8.

There we are encouraged with promises of being conquerors, being adopted by God, being on the winning team and that nothing can separated us from that love of Christ - GLORY!

Lets allow God to drive us to His word and to our knees right now - Revival is typically associated with fasting, weeping and mourning in scripture. Those things are responses to conviction about our sins, the lost world around us and a brokenness for wanting to be closer to God and more like Him.

God takes pleasure in showing mercy and in His mercy He would desire to bring revival if we are ready to be broken...

Testify Tuesday

This is my first venture into uploading video on the blog - it's about time since this is now my 50th post!

I thought that Testify Tuesday had a ring to it and I have some various videos, pics and more importantly testimonies of God's grace and mercy in my life and others that He had blessed me by allowing to meet and fellowship with over the years.

Psalms 89:1 - I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.

God is faithfully working around the world in the lives of people - saving, transforming, forgiving, healing, cleansing, restoring, equipping, calling, guiding, loving, answering, comforting, empowering, strengthening, using, encouraging and so much more.

These things that God is doing are well worthy of our Boasting on Him all the day long (Ps 44:8).

I am sure if you can watch the video below that it will be an absolute blessing to you - it was shot in Zambia in March of 2005.



Joseph Mubanga is a young man who graduated from North Star Bible Institute in Zambia. He is a spirit filled man who loves Christ with a zeal and sincerity that is humbling to those who are in his presence. God had equipped him with spiritual giftedness in preaching, singing (as seen above), translating and prayer. Brother Joseph quickly became a friend to Andy Hinds and myself as he translated for us during the conference. The truth is that he should have been doing his own preaching and translating. We were blessed and honored to be a part of his ordination and commissioning ceremony at Kafulafuta and then brought him with us to his field of ministry in Livingston at the end of our trip. Pray for brother Joseph. He is now married and has a son, his ministry is going well and the vision that the Lord has given him for Livingston is truly an encouragement and challenge.

A couple memories that I have of Joseph were when he opened up his notepad with his vision for Livingston - it was two pages of some of the loftiest ministry goals you could imagine - Praise God that Joseph knows that he has a big God that could do all that and more. Would that we were all that expectant, amen?!

I also remember his response when I gave him a Bible. His was worn out and falling apart and here he was going to his mission field. Like all of us spoiled Americans, I had multiple Bibles with me. Upon giving it to him - he did not look at me, shake my hand or acknowledge me at all. I was nothing but the vessel that God used to bless him. His response imediately was to praise God, he started thanking his Father God the moment He took that Bible in his hands. What a powerful lesson that was also in my life.

Last one - as we were walking one day down a dirt road between services - Joseph shared with Andy and I about how God would wake him up to pray, sometimes for hours at a time. He shared how he really wanted to be married but he believed that God would give him a wife that would wake up with him and pray by his side. He also shared how he prays that God will someday allow him to stay in fervent prayer for a full 24hrs. You may say that could sound like hypocritical or boasting type statements - if you spend 5 minutes with Joseph you'd know that he is for real and that his desire is to just commune with and intercede to God as much as he can - yep, another humbling moment. I cant say if his prayer was answered about his wife or not but I expect that a man with a heart like that for God and a prayer of that type is likely to have been answered by our great God.

As we prepare for the Philippines, it is a blessing to be able to praise God for allowing me to meet this man and know that these experiences are something God allowed in my life so I can learn from them. As I rejoiced in these thoughts today, these accounts and challenges became more of a motivational factor for our calling in the mountain regions of Luzon Island.

Have a testimony? I'd love to have some comments of what God is/has done in your lives or who God has used to influence you. Take some time to brag on God, I'd love to hear about what God is doing!

boast on God today - after all - it is Testify Tuesday...

Testimony of God's mercy

Psa 71:17 O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works.
Psa 71:18 Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.

The Lord opened the door for me to go to a dear friends church in Mississippi at the end of October. I have many testimonies I could share of what God has done and is doing there.

One of the highlights of this trip was a man names Bro. Linwood. This man is about 70 or maybe older and yet he was right alongside the young men and women of the church on Satruday morning as a good portion of the membership of the church came out for prayer, soul winning and bus visitation.

Do I have to tell you that God knows what He is doing?

God brought brother Linwood to another man - named Jim who was working on his car. Jim is 78 years old and was lost as could be. God used brother Linwood to show this man the brevity of both of their lives at thier age and that thier was one important difference between them - the eternal destination of their soul. The Holy Spirit convicted that man and he he repented and trusted Christ right there in that parking lot.

Psa 136:1 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Psa 136:2 O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Psa 136:3 O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever.

I was encouraged in many ways by this event
1) God's sovereignty in bringing Bro. Linwood to Jim that morning
2) Bro. Linwoods desire to be used of God and continue to spread the gospel in his advanced age (hence the text above)
3) That an invitation to church showing up in the mailbox wasnt going to get that man to church - he was old, resistant... and had a broken car, amen?!
4) God's longsuffering and mercy on this man who probably had heard the gospel many times in his life but had resisted to that point

Praise the Lord for another brother in Christ, pray for Brother Jim to get in church, grow spiritually and get out there witnessing with Brother Linwood.

A reminder to my tongue...

Psa 35:28 And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.

What do eyes, ears, hands, feet, tongues, TV, Internet, Vehicles, Radios, Books, Words, Thoughts, Actions etc have in common?

All of them can offer something positive or negative, profitable or destructive

Feet can be swift to shed evil according to Rom 3 or they can be beautiful as they spread the gospel - Rom 10.

The Tongue can be a fire, a world of iniquity according to James 3 or a powerful witness of the praise, majesty and wonder of our matchless God according to the verse above.

We can record videos of sermons and play them on TV or we could waste hours of our life on vain unprofitable programming or downright wicked content.

A car can be used to bring a missionary across the border of a closed country with Bibles in the trunk or it can be used to run every member of the family to a different location and activity every day thereby keeping them away from the structure and togetherness that God desires for our families in order to grow.

Since it seems to be the tongue that I cant shut off fully (wouldnt that be nice at times), cant park, cant disconnect, and cant close like many of these other things (y'all are probably shouting hearty Amens right about now - no he cant!) - this is a reminder to my tongue that you belong to God and what you say is to be for the honour and glory of Christ

• Praise him all the day long
• Speak of His righteousness all the day long
• Witness all the day long
• Boast of God all the day long
• Preach the word all the day long
• Love, encourage, challenge, teach, sing and pray all the day long

(Psa 141:3) Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.

(Psa 34:13) Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.

(Psa 51:15) O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.

(Pro 29:11) A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards.

(Luk 6:45) A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

I have concealed the words of the Holy One

The words of Job
Job 6:10
I have not concealed the words of the Holy One

To my shame and to my Saviours disappointment I cant say this

Is there perhaps a more challenging and convicting statement in scripture? I have never read that phrase and not felt guilt and conviction. Never have I been able to go to God and look back at previous days weeks and months and said, God, I am innocent - I have not concealed the words of the Holy One. To say that completely, to have a clear conscience that every moment of every day, every opportunity was seized to share the gospel - far from it.

On sunday we were walking into Sam's to buy, you guessed it - diapers, and we stopped to witness to a man in the parking lot. The man was not receptive, he took the tract, saw what it was and wanted to give it back. I attemtpted to reason with Him and let him know that we care about his soul but he walked away - off to his car. I pray for that man, but lest anyone think us faithful witnesses - how many others did I pass in that lot, in that store, on the street without offering a tract - plenty. I am regularly guilty of concealing the words of the Holy One.

I write this in rebuke of myself and if necessary, as a challenge to all my dear brothers and sisters that our emphasis, focus and standards about personal evangelism must be drastically increased - we have the words of eternal life and a King who laid down His life to make this blessed hope available - we must avail of the privilege of sharing it with others.

Job prophesied of Christ and told the world of his coming Redeemer - I pray that I would more faithfully do the same

Job 19:25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:

Doth Job fear God for naught?

I am thankful to God this morning for the three little girls asleep comfortably in bed when I left this morning.

I am thankful for a wonderful wife of 11 years, 8 months pregnant with our fourth little girl that will be ready to teach, pray with, pray for and minister to the kids.

I am grateful for God's mercy as my littlest daughter fell and hit her head on a sharp wooden corner last night and came away with only one small little cut and bruise.

I am thankful that a great wind did not come from the wilderness and smite the four corners of our house causing it to fall on my family as it did on Job's - amen?!

I am appreciative that my job my car started, my trip was safe and i had a job to work at this morning

I am glad for a family that gathered yesterday to celebrate my wife and daughters birthday and for the fellowship we had.

I am ecstatic that I have an eternal home in Glory awaiting me at the end of this life...

As we all know, God allowed Satan to take his best shot at making Job turn on God - and what a shot it was...

Job 1:22 In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

As much as you the readers and I would like to have God point to us when dealing with Satan and say - Hast thou considered my servant...(Insert Name), this is one of those chapters that makes us really consider the cost that may be associated with that.

How glad i am to know that regardless of the challenge, the affliction or the trial - the victory is assured already through Christ!
Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Rom 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Rom 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Rom 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Rom 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

In my weakness and anguish I cant say that I would recite Job's response if such tragedy befell me.

I read this today and said, we dont fear God for naught - how much closer I need to draw nigh to God so that it is His strength and not my flesh and reasoning that takes over when afflictions arise. The strength and the grace come from Him alone - no one reading this would stand a chance of being able to deal with such tribulation in their own strength.

Yet, How many examples can you think of where the grace of God provided such amazing help in the midst of difficulty that you could only wonder at how awesome God is. Take some time and praise Him for those displays of His love and grace.

I remember my little Anna being born. We did not know right away that she was born with a cleft palate. She was delivered through an emergency C section and then within hours they had to take my wife back in for emergency surgery. The following morning my little 7 pound Anna choked. Since she had the cleft, both her airways were fully blocked. The doctor started flipping her upside down and hitting her back with tremendous force. We watched with horror as she turned purple and they rushed her out of the room. I followed them out but they closed the door on me in the treatment room. Her heart rate dropped to 29. I never thought I'd see her alive again. I fell to my knees and uttered the most heartfelt cry to God I could. God, save her. Why God in His mercy spared my wife and daughter at that time while somewhere in the world I expect the outcome of tragic events were not so positive I wont understand until glory. We are not expected to understand God's ways, but we can know they are Good (Rom 8:28) and that we can trust Him even though we don't understand (Prov 3:5-6). The grace of God displayed, the support and prayers of friends, the testimony to others - looking back I can now see the good that it brought and the strength that it built.

How grateful I am that God did not put me through what Job went through and how grateful I am for the grace that God at this moment is giving to those who have and are going through far worse that what we experienced.

I pray that experience taught me that I dont fear God for naught...

Happy 3rd birthday Anna (10/18) - you are a treasure I dont deserve - as are all my girls and my wonderful wife

While We Can

Rev 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Rev 14:7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

As I read through Revelation it is stunning to see the extent of the great judgment that the Lord, the righteous Judge will pour out on this earth as He fulfils His promise of wrath on the ungodly and reaps a harvest of souls, primarily those of the children of Israel.

I read of all those that will take the mark of the beast and worship his image for temporary convenience, commerce and supposed safety only to have the first vial judgment afflict them horribly.
Rev 16:2 And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.

It is much the same now, there is a false sense of security this world has in something. It may be religion, it may be our strong military or it may be economic prosperity but the time is coming and is soon present when a judgment will come that will have a staggering world effect.
Oba 1:3 The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground? Oba 1:4 Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD.

If God chooses to pour judgment out on America prior to the rapture I would expect to see what we see in Revelation, that while some will turn to God, many others will also blaspheme His name. A third group, of course, would die in the process, their souls being sent off to an eternal destination. The time is short.

We are blessed and priveleged to have the everlasting gospel to preach of Christ who died and rose again to pay for our sins and give us a way to eternal life. We have but a short time, we know there is impending judgment, we know that billions of souls are in jeopardy right now and we know our loving and longsuffering Saviour ordained in this time in history for us to be the conduit for the gospel to go to all the world.

What a challenge, what a privelege, what a sober and humbling responsibility. What grave consequences are on the line, what little time there is - lets be faithful and fervent to spread the gospel - While we Can

God is going to put the gospel, at least in part, into the hands of an angel during the tribulation. Right now, it is in our hands. Through the leading of the indwelling Holy Spirit of God and His word, may we be found faithfully preaching that glorious gospel wherever we are when that trumpet blows. Satan would like nothing more than to keep us from this crucial work, I expect that he has had success in doing that more than once in each of our lives through distractions, busyness, wrong priorities, sin or otherwise. Today is a new day, to be devoted to Jesus Christ, He deserves our all and with His help, we can give Him our all - While we Can

A great day

Yesterday was a blessing. It was my wifes birthday and I took the day off, not for her birthday but so that we could spend the entire day with people she had never met before. Ok, obviously that didn't sound good.

The people she hadn't met were my missionary friends from Cebu, Philippines - the Lewis Family. They came in late Tuesday and will only be here until Friday morning. (A special thanks to Pastor Vince Giardino and Gospel Light Baptist Church for allowing them to stay in their beautiful missionary apartment/prophets chamber. They made the same accomodations for the Perkins family and it has been a great blessing.) We spent the day yesterday with Travis, Angela, Gideon, Alayna and Victoria (Toria) as well as Angela's mom and dad who are traveling with them this week to see the fall foliage in the Northeast. We had a great day at Letchworth park picnicking, hiking, talking about ministry and building a wonderful friendship. We then went to Old Paths Bible Baptist Church (that support the Lewis Family) for a great service. Brother Travis preached from Luke 5 on the Devastating need (man sick of the palsy), the Devoted men that cared for him and the Deliverance through Christ. He applied it to the great need around the world, the ministry of Christ that we should reflect by being willing to minister to one soul at a time and the dedication it requires. One soul at a time may not seem like much when billions are lost but as was mentioned last night - it makes all the difference in eternity for that one affected. Better than that, the one saved will now go reach others.

I want to thank God for allowing our families to meet and for such a wonderful wife of 11+ years who is so loving and faithful to such a worm as I. Happy birthday Steph!

The Wonderful Grace of Jesus

wonderful, the matchless grace of Jesus...
all-sufficient grace for EVEN ME!

2Co 8:9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
2Co 8:10 And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago.

From the throne of glory to a dirty manger He came, His grace strong enough to overcome the 4000 years of rebellion that man had already grieved Him with. He submitted Himself to the influences of pain, weakness, poverty, hunger, thirst, rejection, abuse, temptation, fear and so much more. His poverty was more than just giving up the wealth and worship He enjoyed in glory. He demonstrated to us that not only was He willing to pay a debt that we could not pay and that He did not owe but that He would also be an example of how to set aside the comforts, wealth and pleasures on the earth, to take off the fine apparel and gird ourselves with a towel to wash the feet of others. I have not followed that example nearly enough.

Forward a year ago, what an oft preached statement. For the world that means one step closer to retirement, bigger nest eggs and a nicer car. For Christ, it was further abuse, escalated rejection, increased poverty, more villages to preach in, more feet to wash, more people to minister to - until the culmination - the resurrection - when His work was complete, the joy that was set before Him began to be fulfilled and He took His rightful place at the right hand of the throne of God where He ever lives to make intercession for us (think about that-praying for us)

The richest rewards and payouts are typically with the most costly and often risky investments. This is where there is a difference

• there is a cost to serve God versus fulfilling the lust of our flesh - but not near the price that we deserve to pay for the sin that we are saved from - and eventually we realize that the "temporary cost" is still so beneficial in the relationships formed, the strengthening of family, the trouble that you dont end up in because you live more responsibly and especially the communion we get to enjoy with our Saviour
• there is no risk involved - His word is true - it is a blessed hope we have - even when the message we bring is rejected we are laying up treasure in glory. What amazing grace God has shown us!

2Pe 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
2Pe 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
2Pe 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Would that eternity was always on my heart, how often I fail so miserably, grieve God, lightly esteem the Rock of my salvation - and yet He is there to forgive and restore!

O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me...
I thank God through Jesus Christ - Rom 7:25

1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

How great is His love for us - I can't wait for the day when we will no longer be bound by these bodies of flesh and can live with Him in perfection and glory!

Proverbs 2 and animals...also

Some thoughts on Proverbs 2

The Fathers Challenge and Conditions
(Pro 2:1) My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;

(Pro 2:2) So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;

(Pro 2:3) Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;

(Pro 2:4) If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;

What I don’t see here is the instruction to just LISTEN to music or messages, or just ATTEND (church), or even just SERVE or just Do Right. Serving in a dozen ministries for 30 hours a week would not meet these conditions – service is an outpouring of our love for God. To love God how we should and to please Him with our service - then we must

Receive His word,
Hide His word,
Incline our ears to His wisdom,
Apply our hearts to what He tells us
Cry out for His knowledge
Lift up our voice for understanding
SEEK and SEARCH HIS WORD for it as if for treasure – because that is what it is – of far more value than GOLD AND RUBIES – keep your yacht, keep your cottage, keep your Mercedes, keep your designer clothes – God’s Word is the great treasure – would that our thirst for it would be so strong that we'd have no other desire for stuff, that we wouldn't receive the least bit of relief or false satisfaction from anything but God…

The Fathers Covenant

If you follow the above - Then
(Pro 2:5) Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
1 Statement – 1 verse that expresses the covenant promise but Oh, what that verse contains – the fear of the Lord – the knowledge of God
Do you need the list of the benefits and blessings associated with the Fear of the Lord?
Wisdom
Knowledge
By Humility and fear of the Lord are riches and honour and life

By the fear of the Lord men depart from evil

the List of verses about the Fear of the Lord is big - DO A STUDY ON IT!

Do we need the verses from Paul and Moses and Jeremiah and other saying how there is nothing more important in all the universe than to KNOW GOD – Phil 3:7-10, Ex 33:13, Jer 9:23-24

The Fathers Cabinet
O the riches that God has reserved, the wealth, the wisdom, the power, the victory, the knowledge, the treasures that God has laid up – they are reserved for His children –

Treasure of thunder to discomfit those Philistines and make them flee, Samuel
Treasure of hail to vanquish those enemies, Joshua
Treasure of flies, and lice, and frogs and darkness to show His might and prepare the Egyptians to let you go, Moses
Treasures of fire to consume the offering and show who is the one true God, Elijah
Treasures of manna to feed you in the wilderness, children of Israel
Treasures of the Precious Blood of Christ to wash away your filthy rags, sinners (ME!!!)
Treasures of clean garments to cover you with the righteousness of Jesus Christ!!!
Treasures of forgiveness and cleansing by His faithfulness for those who will confess their sins

And Brothers – He has treasures of Wisdom, and Knowledge and Discretion and Understanding that are offered to us through His holy BOOK!

(Pro 2:6) For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.

Jas 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

(Pro 2:7) He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.

(Pro 2:8) He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.

WHAT A PANTRY
Giveth – you must have something to give it
Layeth up – What excess He has available for the asking – do you think God runs out – does wisdom go on back order
Keepeth – is his knowledge ever discontinued
Preserveth – is His word ever something that could be spoiled, could it go bad, could it no longer have value

Could this book have an expiration date somewhere? – “wait, is this it – nope – that's the ISBN number – oh HERE IS THE EXPIRATION DATE - 1Pe 1:25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.”

The wisdom, knowledge, understanding, protection, judgment, and guidance of God for the saints is stored up and preserved within His word and through accessing it by faith in prayer…

The Covenant Continued
(Pro 2:9) Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.

EVERY GOOD PATH is not understood without an understanding of His righteousness, His judgment, His equity, His fear and His knowledge – these are the covenants – the promised results to those who receive and hide and incline and apply…

The trendsetters, those that establish the precedents that others follow - how often are they followed, looked to and mimicked as a result of personality, popularity, profitability and persuasiveness while having little true understanding - think hollywood

God says - know my word, apply, seek, cry out for it and apply thine heart - then with wisdom you can understand righteousness, judgment and equity and establish Good Paths to follow.

(Pro 2:10) When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;

(Pro 2:11) Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:

DISCRETION – 1. knowledge and prudence; that discernment which enables a person to judge critically of what is correct and proper, united with caution; nice discernment and judgment, directed by circumspection, and primarily regarding ones own conduct.

A good man--will guide his affairs with discretion. Psa 112.

My son, keep sound wisdom and discretion. Prov 3.
OH FOR PERFECT DISCRETION – OH FOR THE PERFECT KNOWLEDGE OF GOD – WHAT PLEASES HIM IN EVERY AREA SO THAT WHETHER I EAT, DRINK, SING, SPEAK, WORK, WITNESS, SERVE, PRAY, LEAD, LOVE ETC – THAT ALL OF IT IS DONE TO THE UTMOST GLORY OF GOD – THAT MY CHOICE OF SHOES FOR THE DAY WOULD BE THE MOST APPROPRIATE FOR THE TASK AHEAD – THAT EVERY LAMB, EVERY TALENT, EVERY MOMENT THAT I OFFER IN SERVICE TO GOD WOULD BE MY BEST – WOULD BE SPOTLESS AND ACCEPTABLE – IT IS OUR REASONABLE SERVICE

Would that discretion will keep us and understanding preserve us today. Seek God to give you of His abundant treasures of wisdom.

The Fathers Assurance of Conquest

Why the need for this discretion?
(Pro 2:12) To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things;
(Pro 2:13) Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;
(Pro 2:14) Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked;
(Pro 2:15) Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths:
(Pro 2:16) To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words;
(Pro 2:17) Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.
(Pro 2:18) For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.
(Pro 2:19) None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.

Summary - Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path

(Pro 2:20) That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.
(Pro 2:21) For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it.
(Pro 2:22) But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.

Today - discretion tells me - STAY IN THE CAR - there really is a Lion in the street (and his friends!)

Have a great day! (Pics taken at African Lion Safari near Toronto - many years and many kids ago!)

Quick quote

Here is a quote that a friend posted on his churches' website. It falls in line with Isa. 55 and should be a daily reminder to all of us trust in the Lord through His word and prayer - for His glory!

Dr. A. C. Dixon of Spurgeon's Tabernacle once wrote, "When we rely on organization, we get what organization can do, when we rely on education, we get what education can do, when we rely on eloquence, we get what eloquence can do, and so on. I am not disposed to undervalue any of these things in their I proper place...
BUT WHEN WE RELY UPON PRAYER, WE GET WHAT GOD CAN DO!"

The Gomar Family

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,


A week ago Friday, Brother Francis Gomar, a member of Antioch Bible Baptist Church - Pastored by Steve Pawley went home to be with Jesus as a result of a car accident. Brother Francis leaves behind a wife (Lisa) and three children that range from 9yrs old to 7 months.


Ps. 116:15 says Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints. We know that Paul said that to be with Christ is far greater than to be on this earth and that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. We do want to rejoice that this brother is far better off in the presence of Jesus Christ but of course our hearts immediately and overwhelmingly go out to a wife without her husband and three children without their daddy. Brother Francis would have just turned 30 this past week. I know that I held my family a little tighter last night as we continued praying for God's matchless and abundant grace to be poured out on this family.


It is for this reason that I write. I would like to share with you briefly the wonderful salvation testimony of brother Francis. In May of 2003 my wife and I went to our first family camp weekend at Camp Li-Lo-Li that is hosted by Pastor Vince Giardino of Gospel Light Baptist Church. While there we had prayer meetings each morning where Pastor Steve Pawley shared with us his burden for this man Francis who needed Christ. Francis' native tongue is Spanish and as the weekend progressed, God orchestrated something special. Andy Hinds drove from family camp back to Rochester to be with his Home Bible Study on Friday night and when he came back, he brought Don and Kathy Hinds (missionaries to Guatemala) back to family camp with him. This was an answer to prayer as Pastor Steve wanted Missionary Don to talk to Francis. If I recall correctly, they had an initial conversation on Saturday and then during the Sunday morning service God used Don Hinds to deal with him after the message and lead him to Christ! I remember tears in the his eyes after He became a new creature in Jesus Christ that morning and how many of us rejoiced by being blessed to see this miraculous work of God! That event taught me alot in that I was somewhat critical of Andy leaving his family that night to go all the way to Rochester for a Bible study he wasnt teaching at that evening. Then his parents returned with him and the pieces came together, I was humbled and rebuked. God's ways and thoughts are much different than our reasoning of a situation but as you can see from this example, God always has a reason and a plan that is far greater than we could ever think of! Praise the Lord for what He orchestrated that weekend to bring Brother Francis to Him! Pastor Pawley's testimony regarding Francis is that he remained on fire these past four years, ministering to people, spreading tracts and being a godly husband and father. May we all have that testimony when we depart this pilgrimage and go stand before our Saviour!

The other reason that I post this is that I have been in contact with Pastor Pawley and he has expressed that they intend to support Sister Lisa and her family financially so that she can continue to stay home and raise the family according to God's word. As we know, it is the church that God put in place to minister to people in their time of need and certainly a commission of God to His people through time has been to defend, support and honour the widow and fatherless. The body of Christ that assembles weekly at Antioch could use some help in ministering to this family. If you would like to assist this family financially through a one time gift or regular gifts of support, they can be sent to

Antioch Bible Baptist Church

3984 Lockport Olcott Rd

Lockport, New York 14094

with a designation to Lisa Gomar

Lets all keep them in prayer and communicate to others regarding the opportunity to be an encouragement and help to this dear family. The testimonies that I have read already (click here for a blog post with comments well worth reading) indicate that God is being gracious and faithful in this painful time to the Gomar family. Our God will comfort and strengthen.