Over the last several months I have had questions. I have watched businesses in Michigan stake huge hits and simmer under great fear. I heard the Govenor of California announce that their state government was running $40,000,000 in the red each day and was facing an economic armageden. I hear about the pain and cold in the "rust belt" of the Northeast, and then I think how blessed we are in this Goshen area. It is warm in winter. It is beautiful. One national search engine listed Baldwin County as the 4th best county to live in during recession. Etc.
My compassionate side wants answers. I find myself quickly putting God on trial with the quesiton, "Why them and not us?" Survivor guilt I think.
The answer the Lord rekindled in my heart was, "Keep your eyes on your own paper." If you start looking at other situations and the pain that those outside yourself are experiencing, it will only harm your faith in Me. If you keep your eyes on your own paper then you will accomplish what I want you to accomplish and you will follow My Spirit with aptness. If you let your eyes wander to sitations that you have no control over, you will put false values on them. You do not know their story or their heart. The Lord reminded me that He has a plan that is in motion for others as well as myself. Their story is none of my affair. Just my sitatuation is what He wants me to focus on.
So as we enter 2009, let's focus on our own stuff. If we are honest, I think we can all admit that dealing with just our stuff is a full time job! If we are honest, we let our eyes drift when we do not want to deal with the hard issues in our own sitations. It can be both diversionary and numbing to look elsewhere so that we don't have to feel or deal our own pain.
Blessings and Love in Christ this new year,
Father Scott +
Monday, December 29, 2008
Monday, December 22, 2008
The Leaves of the Tree Are For the Healing of the Nations
Last week at Men's Group, the Lord showed me a picture of the River of the Water of Life and by it, the Tree of Life from Revelation 22:1-2. I somehow knew that the focus of the picture involved the leaves that were from that marvelous Tree.
The purpose of the leaves were for "the healing of the nations". That re-played over and over in my mind. Then it was as if the Lord downloaded understanding into my heart. As believers in Jesus, we are the leaves that He uses to make a compote with that He then applies to the wounds of the world. This compote-salve is for "the healing of the nations".
The word, "nations", is from the Greek word, "ethnos". You can easily see the variety of English words that we derive from it. "Ethnos" means "peoples, nations, or groupings of people". Our purpose, as leaves from God's Tree, is for the healing of the ethnos. It is not just some hokey, Miss Universe, answer when we state that God wants world peace. The Prince of Peace wants that healing, nurturing, growth producing tranquility as a normal part of every day life!
When you and I do unto others as we would have them do unto us, we are smearing the compote-salve from the leaves of the Tree of Life over that person or situation. When we treat others (our spouses, our children, people who wait on us) with care and true love without some element of personal gain, then we bring healing to the ethnos.
This Christmas, allow the healing of the nations to flow from your heart. That truly is God's will for you. His plan is to "pick you" from His Tree (the Cross) and use you for healing. When this happens, then the Love from Christmas truly becomes a "rest of your life" experience.
Blessings,
Father Scott +
The purpose of the leaves were for "the healing of the nations". That re-played over and over in my mind. Then it was as if the Lord downloaded understanding into my heart. As believers in Jesus, we are the leaves that He uses to make a compote with that He then applies to the wounds of the world. This compote-salve is for "the healing of the nations".
The word, "nations", is from the Greek word, "ethnos". You can easily see the variety of English words that we derive from it. "Ethnos" means "peoples, nations, or groupings of people". Our purpose, as leaves from God's Tree, is for the healing of the ethnos. It is not just some hokey, Miss Universe, answer when we state that God wants world peace. The Prince of Peace wants that healing, nurturing, growth producing tranquility as a normal part of every day life!
When you and I do unto others as we would have them do unto us, we are smearing the compote-salve from the leaves of the Tree of Life over that person or situation. When we treat others (our spouses, our children, people who wait on us) with care and true love without some element of personal gain, then we bring healing to the ethnos.
This Christmas, allow the healing of the nations to flow from your heart. That truly is God's will for you. His plan is to "pick you" from His Tree (the Cross) and use you for healing. When this happens, then the Love from Christmas truly becomes a "rest of your life" experience.
Blessings,
Father Scott +
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
The Toxin and the Antidote
While Rosemarie and Don Hall were in Oregon this fall, their tour group went hiking in the forest's of the beautiful Northwest. As they walked along, their guide pointed out various plants and interesting details about them. Some of the plants were poisonous. The guide pointed out, however, that where ever you found a poisonous plant along the trial, you would usually find a plant with the antidote to that particular poison growing close by!
How incredible to see God nature through His creation. Within a short distance from the poison would be growing the anti- poison. When the Hall's told me about it, I realized that this is the way it must work in the spiritual realm as well. When we deal with toxic issues, the antidote grows close by.
Scripture is full of the promises of God for the various and sundry toxins that we encounter in life. The antidote for one problem will not be the same verse or truth as another. But planted close by will be God's answer to each and every trial or sin. Look for it. Do not despair. It is within reach. Each problem will have its own verse of Scripture to give life in the midst of death.
Blessings,
Father Scott +
How incredible to see God nature through His creation. Within a short distance from the poison would be growing the anti- poison. When the Hall's told me about it, I realized that this is the way it must work in the spiritual realm as well. When we deal with toxic issues, the antidote grows close by.
Scripture is full of the promises of God for the various and sundry toxins that we encounter in life. The antidote for one problem will not be the same verse or truth as another. But planted close by will be God's answer to each and every trial or sin. Look for it. Do not despair. It is within reach. Each problem will have its own verse of Scripture to give life in the midst of death.
Blessings,
Father Scott +
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Parable Pictures of the Eel and Serpent
From time to time the Lord will give us a teaching picture at the Friday Men's Group. These pictures that serve as parables for as the old adage says, "A picture is worth a thousand words."
Last Friday, the Lord gave one of the men two pictures. The first picture was of amoray eel. Its coloring was dark green and it had fierce teeth. Below its eyes, this creature had a round flap of skin that could flare when it wanted to appear larger than it was for offensive or defensive reasons. The other detail that the Lord showed this man was that this creature had a will and plan all of its own. It was an aggressive predator.
The second picture morphed out of the first one. The deadly eel turned into a serpent that wrapped itself around a man's leg. Although it had not bitten, it was about to strike. Because the snake was wrapped around the leg, it could not be easily dislodged. Also, since the snake was higher up on the body, its strike would be more deadly.
The Lord revealed that these were pictures of worry and fear. He taught us that worry and fear have a will of their own. They are not benign. They have teeth and make themsevles appear larger than they actually are (the cone of skin). Fear and worry are toxic (the serpent). It not only has a will an independent of us but its goal is to entertwine itself to us so that it cannot be shaken easily off .
As we unpacked these pictures, the Lord told us that worry and fear could actually prevent a blessing from arriving at its human destination and could even block some answers to prayer. The Lord wanted us to take seriously this threat to faith and not to take worry or fear lightly. They were aggressive, hell driven tools of the enemy to deter and prevent us from receiving all that God has for us in each situation. This is why it is vital that we deny them entrance into our lives.
I encourage you to ask the Lord to identify the areas where fear and worry are at work in your life. They are not benign. They are predators with a will of their own, looking for victims. Their presence can at times block God's blessings or prevent answers to prayer that were meant for us.
"Fear not for I am with you. Be not dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you; yea, I will help you; yea, I will uphold you with the right hand of My righteousness."
Last Friday, the Lord gave one of the men two pictures. The first picture was of amoray eel. Its coloring was dark green and it had fierce teeth. Below its eyes, this creature had a round flap of skin that could flare when it wanted to appear larger than it was for offensive or defensive reasons. The other detail that the Lord showed this man was that this creature had a will and plan all of its own. It was an aggressive predator.
The second picture morphed out of the first one. The deadly eel turned into a serpent that wrapped itself around a man's leg. Although it had not bitten, it was about to strike. Because the snake was wrapped around the leg, it could not be easily dislodged. Also, since the snake was higher up on the body, its strike would be more deadly.
The Lord revealed that these were pictures of worry and fear. He taught us that worry and fear have a will of their own. They are not benign. They have teeth and make themsevles appear larger than they actually are (the cone of skin). Fear and worry are toxic (the serpent). It not only has a will an independent of us but its goal is to entertwine itself to us so that it cannot be shaken easily off .
As we unpacked these pictures, the Lord told us that worry and fear could actually prevent a blessing from arriving at its human destination and could even block some answers to prayer. The Lord wanted us to take seriously this threat to faith and not to take worry or fear lightly. They were aggressive, hell driven tools of the enemy to deter and prevent us from receiving all that God has for us in each situation. This is why it is vital that we deny them entrance into our lives.
I encourage you to ask the Lord to identify the areas where fear and worry are at work in your life. They are not benign. They are predators with a will of their own, looking for victims. Their presence can at times block God's blessings or prevent answers to prayer that were meant for us.
"Fear not for I am with you. Be not dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you; yea, I will help you; yea, I will uphold you with the right hand of My righteousness."
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Father of LIes
Yesterday I was depressed. Up until now I had successfully dodged world news, safely following it from a distance. Yesterday, however, I got too close. The front page of the Internet caught me and I fell into an emotional pit. My day was not ruined and everything bumped along as usual, but there was a dark oppression that seemed to cover everything like a pall.
I cried out to the Lord for help and His response seemed a bit unusual at the time: "Satan always lies." With that word, the Lord began to show me what was behind a great deal of the news in its various forms. I am not saying the news lies, but the spiritual force behind the media does. Just because we do not intentionally lie does not necessarily mean we are necessarily telling the truth.
Next, the Lord asked me a series of questions. Was the perspective behind the Internet Christian in substance? Was the perspective behind the news on television Kingdom oriented? Was the newspaper's source the Book of Truth? As I answered each question, my heart began to heal and my spirit began to buoy.
Am I saying be foolish and ignore when the news tells us that a hurricane is in the Gulf? No. I am saying that it would be just as foolish to believe every convincing headline that is reported to us either by paper, TV, or Internet. Satan lies. This is his chief tool. It is his very nature. There is no truth in him and whatever and whomever he has control over will have the same traits as their father. Jesus explained that in the Gospels.
All of this is to say that there is one piece of "media" that is always true--God's Word. That is actually what "media" is-- conveying information through words. God's Word is the TRUE media. It is the media that will never depress our hearts but encourages them in faith. When we experience the fruit of the enemy such as depression, fear, hopelessness, all is lost, etc., then quickly anoint those areas with the Word that is always True--the word that is always full of hope. Combat the lie with the Truth.
God bless you,
Father Scott +
I cried out to the Lord for help and His response seemed a bit unusual at the time: "Satan always lies." With that word, the Lord began to show me what was behind a great deal of the news in its various forms. I am not saying the news lies, but the spiritual force behind the media does. Just because we do not intentionally lie does not necessarily mean we are necessarily telling the truth.
Next, the Lord asked me a series of questions. Was the perspective behind the Internet Christian in substance? Was the perspective behind the news on television Kingdom oriented? Was the newspaper's source the Book of Truth? As I answered each question, my heart began to heal and my spirit began to buoy.
Am I saying be foolish and ignore when the news tells us that a hurricane is in the Gulf? No. I am saying that it would be just as foolish to believe every convincing headline that is reported to us either by paper, TV, or Internet. Satan lies. This is his chief tool. It is his very nature. There is no truth in him and whatever and whomever he has control over will have the same traits as their father. Jesus explained that in the Gospels.
All of this is to say that there is one piece of "media" that is always true--God's Word. That is actually what "media" is-- conveying information through words. God's Word is the TRUE media. It is the media that will never depress our hearts but encourages them in faith. When we experience the fruit of the enemy such as depression, fear, hopelessness, all is lost, etc., then quickly anoint those areas with the Word that is always True--the word that is always full of hope. Combat the lie with the Truth.
God bless you,
Father Scott +
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Taking A Deep Breath
At the Friday Men's Group some weeks ago, we were discussing "wisdom". Someone made the point that wisdom is when you take a deep breath before you respond to whatever or whomever is pushing you at the moment.
How could it be so simple? How many times have we gotten into trouble because we were moving so fast that we didn't think things through? How many times have we felt pushed by our impulses to say or do things that we have later regretted? Take a deep breath. You have just become wise.
When one of the guys shared this, the Holy Spirit pointed out that taking a deep breath is not just some psycho-relaxer thing we do. We take a deep BREATH! The Old Testament word for Spirit is "ruach" or "breath". A wise person first takes a deep, cleansing gulp of the Holy Spirit before making his or her next decision or speaking words that will alter their course.
When I was young, people would say, "Count to ten before you speak." That is the world's version of taking a deep breath. I, however, think that wisdom and the Holy Spirit are indelibly linked and that is why when we pause--when we take a breath--it make us rest in the Lord, even just for a moment. It is then that He quickly and quietly tell us to either hold our tongue or speak the truth; to act or not to act in each given situation. Take a breath.
Today, I encourage you to take some deep, cleansing breaths, especially when life pushes you around and roughs you up. If you will pause before responding and take a breath, then you will be a wise person.
How could it be so simple? How many times have we gotten into trouble because we were moving so fast that we didn't think things through? How many times have we felt pushed by our impulses to say or do things that we have later regretted? Take a deep breath. You have just become wise.
When one of the guys shared this, the Holy Spirit pointed out that taking a deep breath is not just some psycho-relaxer thing we do. We take a deep BREATH! The Old Testament word for Spirit is "ruach" or "breath". A wise person first takes a deep, cleansing gulp of the Holy Spirit before making his or her next decision or speaking words that will alter their course.
When I was young, people would say, "Count to ten before you speak." That is the world's version of taking a deep breath. I, however, think that wisdom and the Holy Spirit are indelibly linked and that is why when we pause--when we take a breath--it make us rest in the Lord, even just for a moment. It is then that He quickly and quietly tell us to either hold our tongue or speak the truth; to act or not to act in each given situation. Take a breath.
Today, I encourage you to take some deep, cleansing breaths, especially when life pushes you around and roughs you up. If you will pause before responding and take a breath, then you will be a wise person.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Betrayal
Unfortunately, betrayal is universal to the human experience and few escape it. The times I experienced betrayal left me in deep, deep pain. Betrayal hurts so badly because you can only be betrayed by someone you trust--it has to come from someone close to you. That is its very nature. A stranger can hurt us but a stranger cannot betray us.
I was remembering a time I felt betrayed and remembered how badly I hurt. Depression came knocking at my door. It made it hard to work because I was always thinking about the pain or the person(s) involved. Not only is there the incident of betrayal to deal with but also the loss of the relationship that was once valued. Sometimes the pain would seem overwhelming. That kind of pain produces hopelessness.
In the midst of my pain, however, it was as if Jesus whispered the antidote to the poison dart of betrayal into my heart. What I heard was, "Judas did the same to Me. I know exactly how you are feeling. The pain is horrific! You are not alone in what you are experiencing. I like to died over it. Judas was very close to Me and he did the same thing to Me. Be of good cheer. I have overcome the world!"
What amazing grace flows forth from the Word of God. Jesus reminded me that I was not alone. Jesus reminded me that He knew exactly how I felt because He too had been victimized in the same way. This comfort from the Scriptures put life back in my heart. It wasn't through a verse or a passage--it was from the reality that Jesus was betrayed by one of his twelve closest friends Whom He had participated in ministry with for three years. My experience paralleled His.
I began to see on a deeper level that Scripture was full of human interactions and situations that we too experience on a daily basis. Our answer can often be found waiting for us between the two covers of our Bible. As we find those parallels, such as betrayal, let us also find the answers in how we are to respond or not respond accordingly--we are not alone. Jesus experienced the same thing as well.
Blessings,
Father Scott +
I was remembering a time I felt betrayed and remembered how badly I hurt. Depression came knocking at my door. It made it hard to work because I was always thinking about the pain or the person(s) involved. Not only is there the incident of betrayal to deal with but also the loss of the relationship that was once valued. Sometimes the pain would seem overwhelming. That kind of pain produces hopelessness.
In the midst of my pain, however, it was as if Jesus whispered the antidote to the poison dart of betrayal into my heart. What I heard was, "Judas did the same to Me. I know exactly how you are feeling. The pain is horrific! You are not alone in what you are experiencing. I like to died over it. Judas was very close to Me and he did the same thing to Me. Be of good cheer. I have overcome the world!"
What amazing grace flows forth from the Word of God. Jesus reminded me that I was not alone. Jesus reminded me that He knew exactly how I felt because He too had been victimized in the same way. This comfort from the Scriptures put life back in my heart. It wasn't through a verse or a passage--it was from the reality that Jesus was betrayed by one of his twelve closest friends Whom He had participated in ministry with for three years. My experience paralleled His.
I began to see on a deeper level that Scripture was full of human interactions and situations that we too experience on a daily basis. Our answer can often be found waiting for us between the two covers of our Bible. As we find those parallels, such as betrayal, let us also find the answers in how we are to respond or not respond accordingly--we are not alone. Jesus experienced the same thing as well.
Blessings,
Father Scott +
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Sails A Flapping
Two blogs ago, I wrote about a sail on a clipper ship that the Lord had shown me. The weekend following I happened to watch "Master and Commander" with Russell Crowe. It is the tale of HMS Surprise that pursues the French frigate, "Ascheron". This sea epic takes place during the Napoleonic Wars when England and France were at bitter blows.
During one scene, there is a terrible storm and a number of the sails are flapping wildly. At that moment I realized that the Lord was again showing me something about sails and the Christian life. Sails that are not tied down are useless and even worse, run the risk of being damaged and damaging the ship. In the movie, sailors had to climb the masts in order to gain control over the sails by strapping them to the cross beam. Only then could the ship be managed. Everything was in chaos until the sails were harnessed.
That is our story. It does not matter how strong or large or powerful our sails are, they were worthless until strapped to the cross beam of Christ. And the larger the sail, the more dangerous the situation becomes if left to flap in the wind it would tear or even worse, permanently damage our ship.
We do not like to be "tied down" and yet it it is only when we are tied down that we save our life. If we try to save our life we will lose it, but if we lose (give up--surrender) our freedom, we will find perfect freedom--our destiny--our purpose for being.
Once strapped down, we enter into the full power God and what He has designed for us to be. Holes in the canvas produce weak sails. Sails that are not tied down produce dangerous sails. What is the area of your life that is flapping today? Why not surrender that particular sail to the gracious hand of the Captain of our Souls and let Him harness you to the wind of His Spirit.
Blessings,
Father Scott +
During one scene, there is a terrible storm and a number of the sails are flapping wildly. At that moment I realized that the Lord was again showing me something about sails and the Christian life. Sails that are not tied down are useless and even worse, run the risk of being damaged and damaging the ship. In the movie, sailors had to climb the masts in order to gain control over the sails by strapping them to the cross beam. Only then could the ship be managed. Everything was in chaos until the sails were harnessed.
That is our story. It does not matter how strong or large or powerful our sails are, they were worthless until strapped to the cross beam of Christ. And the larger the sail, the more dangerous the situation becomes if left to flap in the wind it would tear or even worse, permanently damage our ship.
We do not like to be "tied down" and yet it it is only when we are tied down that we save our life. If we try to save our life we will lose it, but if we lose (give up--surrender) our freedom, we will find perfect freedom--our destiny--our purpose for being.
Once strapped down, we enter into the full power God and what He has designed for us to be. Holes in the canvas produce weak sails. Sails that are not tied down produce dangerous sails. What is the area of your life that is flapping today? Why not surrender that particular sail to the gracious hand of the Captain of our Souls and let Him harness you to the wind of His Spirit.
Blessings,
Father Scott +
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Three Recent Words from God
One blessing that has been constant at Grace Church has been that God confirm's prophetic words or a pictures by giving it to two people independent of each other. Yesterday, this happened with two words and then several weeks ago with an "angel sighting".
Word 1: Yesterday at Bible Study, a woman shared that we are at war! The war is happening even as I write. It is being waged on the battle field of our young people's hearts, our finances, our families, our country, and our hearts. It is a spiritual war.
Earlier that morning, via email, another woman from the Bible Study who had written what she had heard in prayer. "We are in a war that is raging right now. " The two women who had gotten that same word and shared it that morning. They had not talked to each other about it. It was confirmation.
It now makes sense why the Lord had us have a prayer vigil each weekend in August. We are at war against hell! It now makes sense why the Lord has us fasting each Tuesday in September. We are at war!
Word 2: At Communion yesterday, the congregation had gathered around the altar and had finished receiving the bread and wine. As we waited on the Lord one person shared that they were getting that there were people who did not feel worthy to take their place at Christ's Table. As soon as it came out of that person's mouth, another person said that they had gotten the exact same thing. That was 2 for 2 that morning.
Word #2 is that we are to share with people that they have a place at Jesus' table no matter who they are or what they have done. As Corrie ten Boom used to say, "There is no sin too great that God is not greater!"
Angel Sighting 3: A couple of weeks ago at Soaking Prayer a person saw a gold angel in the church. I found this interesting since usually I think of angels as dressed in white and/or shimmering in white light, not gold. This angel, however, was dressed in gold and was present in the church.
Exactly one week later at the Noon Communion service, a man came up afterwards and shared that during Communion, he had seen a golden angel. He knew nothing of what had happened the Wednesday before at Soaking Prayer. It was again a confirmation.
The angel at Communion was holding a Bible and the Bible had gold leaf as well. The angel stood at the altar with the rest of the congregation and just a bit behind the person who saw it. Each time he would try to look at it, the angel would back up. When the man would look back towards the altar, the angel would come closer.
The Holy Spirit gave me the understanding of what was happening. The angel, in no way, wanted to DETRACT (DISCTRACT) from Jesus who was the FOCUS during Holy Communion.
Three Current Words--We are in a war! God has sent angels to minister His grace to us. There is a place for everyone at God's Table. The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come!"
Word 1: Yesterday at Bible Study, a woman shared that we are at war! The war is happening even as I write. It is being waged on the battle field of our young people's hearts, our finances, our families, our country, and our hearts. It is a spiritual war.
Earlier that morning, via email, another woman from the Bible Study who had written what she had heard in prayer. "We are in a war that is raging right now. " The two women who had gotten that same word and shared it that morning. They had not talked to each other about it. It was confirmation.
It now makes sense why the Lord had us have a prayer vigil each weekend in August. We are at war against hell! It now makes sense why the Lord has us fasting each Tuesday in September. We are at war!
Word 2: At Communion yesterday, the congregation had gathered around the altar and had finished receiving the bread and wine. As we waited on the Lord one person shared that they were getting that there were people who did not feel worthy to take their place at Christ's Table. As soon as it came out of that person's mouth, another person said that they had gotten the exact same thing. That was 2 for 2 that morning.
Word #2 is that we are to share with people that they have a place at Jesus' table no matter who they are or what they have done. As Corrie ten Boom used to say, "There is no sin too great that God is not greater!"
Angel Sighting 3: A couple of weeks ago at Soaking Prayer a person saw a gold angel in the church. I found this interesting since usually I think of angels as dressed in white and/or shimmering in white light, not gold. This angel, however, was dressed in gold and was present in the church.
Exactly one week later at the Noon Communion service, a man came up afterwards and shared that during Communion, he had seen a golden angel. He knew nothing of what had happened the Wednesday before at Soaking Prayer. It was again a confirmation.
The angel at Communion was holding a Bible and the Bible had gold leaf as well. The angel stood at the altar with the rest of the congregation and just a bit behind the person who saw it. Each time he would try to look at it, the angel would back up. When the man would look back towards the altar, the angel would come closer.
The Holy Spirit gave me the understanding of what was happening. The angel, in no way, wanted to DETRACT (DISCTRACT) from Jesus who was the FOCUS during Holy Communion.
Three Current Words--We are in a war! God has sent angels to minister His grace to us. There is a place for everyone at God's Table. The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come!"
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Rips in the Sail
While praying for a person some years ago, the Lord showed me a picture of a huge sail from an 18th century wind driven ship. When the canvas was unfurled, it would catch the wind and propel the ship along at a steady clip...ergo the name, "Clipper Ships".
As the prayer continued, I not only saw the giant sail but also began to hear the words "Inner healing". As the words the words were repeated over and over, I began to see tiny vertical rips and tears all over the canvas of the sail. I realized that when you have a tear in the sail, then the sail cannot hold the wind and cannot move as fast as when there is a completely whole canvas.
The Lord showed me that picture so that I would know how to pray for that person, but even more so, the Lord showed me that picture to teach me about the importance of Inner Healing. Each unforgiveness is a rip in our sail. Each root of bitter is a tear in the canvas. Each place in my life where a person has quit growing either because of disobedience or abuse becomes a tear in their sail. It is no wonder that our boats do not move as fast as we want them since there is weak places all over the sail that cannot contain the wind.
When we ask the Lord to heal those places, however, then He comes and repairs each rip so that we are able to catch more wind of His Holy Spirit.
Blessings,
Father Scott +
As the prayer continued, I not only saw the giant sail but also began to hear the words "Inner healing". As the words the words were repeated over and over, I began to see tiny vertical rips and tears all over the canvas of the sail. I realized that when you have a tear in the sail, then the sail cannot hold the wind and cannot move as fast as when there is a completely whole canvas.
The Lord showed me that picture so that I would know how to pray for that person, but even more so, the Lord showed me that picture to teach me about the importance of Inner Healing. Each unforgiveness is a rip in our sail. Each root of bitter is a tear in the canvas. Each place in my life where a person has quit growing either because of disobedience or abuse becomes a tear in their sail. It is no wonder that our boats do not move as fast as we want them since there is weak places all over the sail that cannot contain the wind.
When we ask the Lord to heal those places, however, then He comes and repairs each rip so that we are able to catch more wind of His Holy Spirit.
Blessings,
Father Scott +
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Quote of the Week
"Religion is not enough.
It satisfies neither us nor Christ."
Francis Frangiapane, "With the Glance of Your Eyes"
August 21, 2008-www.elijahlist.com
It satisfies neither us nor Christ."
Francis Frangiapane, "With the Glance of Your Eyes"
August 21, 2008-www.elijahlist.com
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Calls of Coincidence
Once last week and already once this week I called someone (or vice versa) about something material and mundane. Yet before I had hung up, I had encountered the Lord!
I was looking for a DVD for our Thursday Kids' Group and could not find it. Thinking that one of the kids had put it away somewhere, I called his aunt thinking that she was babysitting the young boy that day. It turned out that she was not babysitting. However, out of that mis-directed call came a powerful conversation that caused me to literally begin praying in the Holy Spirit for an hour a day since!
This morning, someone from another congregation called thinking that they had dialed their church to ask about someone who was in the hospital. We laughed about the mix up and then the person began telling me about a book they had just finished about "hearing from God". This person then told me of another conference or small group where the theme had again been "hearing from God." What that person did not know was that I was drafting a book about "hearing from God".
Whether my book ever gets published or not, I thought it strange, interesting, and exciting that this mis-directed call ended up encouraging me to complete the work. It seems that we are in a time when God needs His people to know how to hear His voice.
I wonder how many "mis-directed" calls God might have out there for us. There is a message from Him in every one. Let's listen between the lines. Let's be friendly and see where some of our converstations go.
Blessings,
Father Scott +
I was looking for a DVD for our Thursday Kids' Group and could not find it. Thinking that one of the kids had put it away somewhere, I called his aunt thinking that she was babysitting the young boy that day. It turned out that she was not babysitting. However, out of that mis-directed call came a powerful conversation that caused me to literally begin praying in the Holy Spirit for an hour a day since!
This morning, someone from another congregation called thinking that they had dialed their church to ask about someone who was in the hospital. We laughed about the mix up and then the person began telling me about a book they had just finished about "hearing from God". This person then told me of another conference or small group where the theme had again been "hearing from God." What that person did not know was that I was drafting a book about "hearing from God".
Whether my book ever gets published or not, I thought it strange, interesting, and exciting that this mis-directed call ended up encouraging me to complete the work. It seems that we are in a time when God needs His people to know how to hear His voice.
I wonder how many "mis-directed" calls God might have out there for us. There is a message from Him in every one. Let's listen between the lines. Let's be friendly and see where some of our converstations go.
Blessings,
Father Scott +
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Closing The Serpent's Eyes
We have finished the Season of the Basilisk (King of Serpents). During those three weeks and a week or two prior to the season's beginning, two intercessors were given interesting pictures while at Soaking Prayer on Wednesday nights.
Picture #1-The intercessor saw a large green snake slithering towards her. The serpent actually came up to her in this vision. The person was praying and worshipping the Lord and as she did, she noticed that the snake could not find her. The serpent had come up to where she was praying but it was as if she was invisible to the snake while she prayed. She noticed that not only could the serpent not see her, but it could not smell her as well while she was in prayer and praise to the Lord.
The snake slithered off and left the building without finding its prey.
Picture #2-Another intercessor, who was not there the night of first picture, saw a large, ugly snake with extremely large yellow eyes slithering in front of her. She knew that the serpent was looking for someone or something.
As the woman continued to pray, the serpent shut its huge eyes and could not open them as long as she was praying.
I found both of these pictures not only interesting but educational. We often underestimate the power of prayer, but in both pictures, the enemy was looking for someone. Peter writes in his epistles that Satan is like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. That is what the snakes were doing--seeking someone to devour.
As Christians prayed, however, the serpent is rendered sightless. In both cases, the enemy was unable to see (find) its prey and so slithered off seeking someone else who might not be in prayer to devour.
I think you have the picture of the importance of prayer.
Blessings,
Scott +
Picture #1-The intercessor saw a large green snake slithering towards her. The serpent actually came up to her in this vision. The person was praying and worshipping the Lord and as she did, she noticed that the snake could not find her. The serpent had come up to where she was praying but it was as if she was invisible to the snake while she prayed. She noticed that not only could the serpent not see her, but it could not smell her as well while she was in prayer and praise to the Lord.
The snake slithered off and left the building without finding its prey.
Picture #2-Another intercessor, who was not there the night of first picture, saw a large, ugly snake with extremely large yellow eyes slithering in front of her. She knew that the serpent was looking for someone or something.
As the woman continued to pray, the serpent shut its huge eyes and could not open them as long as she was praying.
I found both of these pictures not only interesting but educational. We often underestimate the power of prayer, but in both pictures, the enemy was looking for someone. Peter writes in his epistles that Satan is like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. That is what the snakes were doing--seeking someone to devour.
As Christians prayed, however, the serpent is rendered sightless. In both cases, the enemy was unable to see (find) its prey and so slithered off seeking someone else who might not be in prayer to devour.
I think you have the picture of the importance of prayer.
Blessings,
Scott +
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Distraction or Disobedience
We are in a season of special prayer from July 20-August 10. To war in the heavenlies, we are having three prayer vigils. During the first prayer vigil the Lord gave me the 3D's which were the enemy's game plan during this intense season: Distract; Detract; Destroy.
What I have realized is that the battle is usually won or lost with the first D: Distract. I saw this because I lost quite a few battles even after being told my enemy's game plan! I would be spending time with the Lord on my deck and I would begin to notice that certain plants were beginning to droop or that some dead branches needed to be pruned and so on.
I was being distracted. I would quickly go get the hose to water the drooping plants even as the Holy Spirit was saying, "It is just a distraction." I would tell Him that I could take care of this quickly and get right back to listening for the Lord and spending time with Him.
I was not committing some terrible sin--I was just watering my plants. I was going to get right back to the Lord and guess what happened. One distraction led to another until I was so far from home plate that I could not get back if I wanted to.
Thirty minutes later I would move towards the deck and then I would realize that my next task of the day was calling. I would justify to myself that I would catch up with the Lord later that afternoon, etc. As the afternoon came and went guess what had not happened. I had successfully been disctracted and had been unsuccessful in obtaining my primary priority--to pray--to spend time with the Lord--the be equipped against the wiles of the devil during this season of intense warfare!
Distraction is all about disobedience. I do not like calling myself disobedient but I was. The Holy Spirit was trying to have a conversation with me and I responded to the "call waiting" instead of continuing the conversation. In my heart of hearts, I was willfully disobedience. I knew better than God. So did Eve. Disobedience is about priorities. Who comes first in my life? I answered that many times that first week. I did! I came first. I had THE ANSWER and still failed the test because of my own willful disobedience. I was THE priority not Jesus.
Once I dealt with the priority issue, the distraction issue dealt with itself. If something or someone is a priority, nothing stands in the way of it. One of the learnings of this season has been that I needed to re-establish my priority-Jesus Christ and His Way as the Only Way to whatever aspect of salvation I needed at that given moment.
Blessings,
Father Scott +
What I have realized is that the battle is usually won or lost with the first D: Distract. I saw this because I lost quite a few battles even after being told my enemy's game plan! I would be spending time with the Lord on my deck and I would begin to notice that certain plants were beginning to droop or that some dead branches needed to be pruned and so on.
I was being distracted. I would quickly go get the hose to water the drooping plants even as the Holy Spirit was saying, "It is just a distraction." I would tell Him that I could take care of this quickly and get right back to listening for the Lord and spending time with Him.
I was not committing some terrible sin--I was just watering my plants. I was going to get right back to the Lord and guess what happened. One distraction led to another until I was so far from home plate that I could not get back if I wanted to.
Thirty minutes later I would move towards the deck and then I would realize that my next task of the day was calling. I would justify to myself that I would catch up with the Lord later that afternoon, etc. As the afternoon came and went guess what had not happened. I had successfully been disctracted and had been unsuccessful in obtaining my primary priority--to pray--to spend time with the Lord--the be equipped against the wiles of the devil during this season of intense warfare!
Distraction is all about disobedience. I do not like calling myself disobedient but I was. The Holy Spirit was trying to have a conversation with me and I responded to the "call waiting" instead of continuing the conversation. In my heart of hearts, I was willfully disobedience. I knew better than God. So did Eve. Disobedience is about priorities. Who comes first in my life? I answered that many times that first week. I did! I came first. I had THE ANSWER and still failed the test because of my own willful disobedience. I was THE priority not Jesus.
Once I dealt with the priority issue, the distraction issue dealt with itself. If something or someone is a priority, nothing stands in the way of it. One of the learnings of this season has been that I needed to re-establish my priority-Jesus Christ and His Way as the Only Way to whatever aspect of salvation I needed at that given moment.
Blessings,
Father Scott +
Friday, July 25, 2008
3 D's-Distract/Detract/Destroy
During the prayer vigil last weekend, the Lord spoke 3 D's into my heart. It was if He was saying that these 3 D's are the enemy's plans to defeat us during this intense season from July 20-August 10. Here was God whispering the plan to us so that we would not be taken by surprise but instead would be victorious!
The 3D's are: Disctract then Detract and finally Destroy.
Distract-To draw attention to a different object.
Detract-Take away; diminish the value of.
Destroy-Put an end to.
These parallel toehold, foothold, and stronghold. When the enemy distracts us, we shift our FOCUS to something other than what we are suppose to be gazing at. Hebrews 12:2 says, "Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, let us run with endurance the race marked out for us."
Scripture is littered with the saints getting distracted and the disaster that followed. Peter was doing great walking on the water to Jesus until "he saw the wind....". He shifted his gaze from the Master to the waves....from the solution to the problem.
Luke 10:40 says, "But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made." Her FOCUS then shifted to Mary and she began to complain to Jesus about her sister.
Look where her eyes were.
Once we are distracted, the enemy begins to quietly detract from us. He steals the blessings we have been given or he diminishes the value of the truths God has worked within us.
Once enough bricks are removed from the wall, it falls. Destruction.
Distraction is subtle. We begin drifting. Our gaze shifts from Jesus to other things or other people. Detract takes away--the stealing of what is rightfully ours. But when enough is stolen and we weakened by it, the full force of the enemy hits and we are destroyed in that area of our hearts.
That is why John 10:10 a says, "The thief comes to steal (detract), destroy, and kill."
But thanks be to God that He has showed us the plan. Our counter plan is to determine in our hearts that we will not be distracted, no matter how glittering. We will keep watching the face of Jessu until this battle is over. We fight the good fight and say no to the thief. The strong man be bound in the Name of Jesus Christ with the end result being Life and that more abundant in lieu of destruction.
Blessings, Father Scott +
The 3D's are: Disctract then Detract and finally Destroy.
Distract-To draw attention to a different object.
Detract-Take away; diminish the value of.
Destroy-Put an end to.
These parallel toehold, foothold, and stronghold. When the enemy distracts us, we shift our FOCUS to something other than what we are suppose to be gazing at. Hebrews 12:2 says, "Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, let us run with endurance the race marked out for us."
Scripture is littered with the saints getting distracted and the disaster that followed. Peter was doing great walking on the water to Jesus until "he saw the wind....". He shifted his gaze from the Master to the waves....from the solution to the problem.
Luke 10:40 says, "But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made." Her FOCUS then shifted to Mary and she began to complain to Jesus about her sister.
Look where her eyes were.
Once we are distracted, the enemy begins to quietly detract from us. He steals the blessings we have been given or he diminishes the value of the truths God has worked within us.
Once enough bricks are removed from the wall, it falls. Destruction.
Distraction is subtle. We begin drifting. Our gaze shifts from Jesus to other things or other people. Detract takes away--the stealing of what is rightfully ours. But when enough is stolen and we weakened by it, the full force of the enemy hits and we are destroyed in that area of our hearts.
That is why John 10:10 a says, "The thief comes to steal (detract), destroy, and kill."
But thanks be to God that He has showed us the plan. Our counter plan is to determine in our hearts that we will not be distracted, no matter how glittering. We will keep watching the face of Jessu until this battle is over. We fight the good fight and say no to the thief. The strong man be bound in the Name of Jesus Christ with the end result being Life and that more abundant in lieu of destruction.
Blessings, Father Scott +
Thursday, July 17, 2008
I Am Sending the Angel of the Lord Ahead of You
Recently, I was reading along in Exodus. Then in chapter 23:20 and following came wonderful promises that God made to His beloved people.
"See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared." The word for angel in Hebrew means angel or messenger or ambassador. It is obvious this reference is about the Lord Jesus.
"Pay attention to him and listen to what he says. Do not rebel against him; he will not forgive your rebellion since My Name is in him."
"If you listen carefully to what he says and do all that I say, I will be an enemy to your enemies and will opose those who oppose you."
These promises of God are like jewels hidden in a handkerchief drawer. The Israelites are trudging through the wilderness and suddenly, God makes these incredible promises that are still valid today.
The mandate to "pay attention to Jesus and to listen to what He says" is more necessary than ever. And note the last condition--if we listen carefully to what He says and do all that the Lord tells us, He will become an enemy to our enemies and will oppose those who oppose us.
I encourage you to let the Lord shine His spotlight into your lives to see where we are listening and where we have turned a deaf ear....where we are obeying and where we are in rebellion. This may answer why there is incredible victory in parts of our lives and captivity in others.
Blessings, Father Scott +
"See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared." The word for angel in Hebrew means angel or messenger or ambassador. It is obvious this reference is about the Lord Jesus.
"Pay attention to him and listen to what he says. Do not rebel against him; he will not forgive your rebellion since My Name is in him."
"If you listen carefully to what he says and do all that I say, I will be an enemy to your enemies and will opose those who oppose you."
These promises of God are like jewels hidden in a handkerchief drawer. The Israelites are trudging through the wilderness and suddenly, God makes these incredible promises that are still valid today.
The mandate to "pay attention to Jesus and to listen to what He says" is more necessary than ever. And note the last condition--if we listen carefully to what He says and do all that the Lord tells us, He will become an enemy to our enemies and will oppose those who oppose us.
I encourage you to let the Lord shine His spotlight into your lives to see where we are listening and where we have turned a deaf ear....where we are obeying and where we are in rebellion. This may answer why there is incredible victory in parts of our lives and captivity in others.
Blessings, Father Scott +
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
The Parable of the Cracked Pot
The Cracked Pot: A water bearer had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water.
At the end of the long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to his house.
Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.
After 2 yrs of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you. I have been able to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house.
Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts," the pot said. The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house."
Moral: Each of us has our own unique flaws. We're all cracked pots. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take each person for what they are, and look for the good in them.
Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape. Remember to appreciate all the different people in your life!
At the end of the long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to his house.
Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.
After 2 yrs of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you. I have been able to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house.
Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts," the pot said. The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house."
Moral: Each of us has our own unique flaws. We're all cracked pots. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take each person for what they are, and look for the good in them.
Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape. Remember to appreciate all the different people in your life!
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Prayer Warriors
The term, "Prayer Warrior", is an often used but seldom thought about. "Prayer" & "Warrior" in the same phrase--what is that about?
When you picture the "prayer warriors" of the church we often times we think of very old, gray haired ladies draped in Victorian lace as the ones who pray. They have time to pray since they have little else to do in life. That doesn't seem very warlike or muscular as one might envision with the term, "Prayer Warrior".
Yet prayer is powerful work. Some of the first prayer warriors are found in Exodus 17:8-13.
Their's was "manly work"! (I am not being sexist--it is just that women seem to have a natural propensity to prayer where men often dismiss it because there is not much sweat or work involved or we men or just too busy. But I beg to differ.)
The first prayer warriors were men--important men--leaders--men of power and influence. They were gathered around THE LEADER, Moses, as Moses' assistant led the Israelite army against the cruel Amalekites.
As long as Moses held up the staff of God Israel would win. When his arms grew tired and he would lower the staff to rest, the Amalekites would prevail. Oh to have that staff on Iron Bowl Weekend!
The solution to this problem was to roll a stone under Moses so that he was now sitting. Then his brother and nephew would take turns holding up his arm that held the staff. At this point, the staff never dropped and Israel won the day.
That is how prayer works as well--holding the staff of God over a loved one or situation. We often grow weary from holding it up by ourselves. But others came and joined Moses in the intercession. They got smart about prayer and it worked!
Those were the first prayer warriors. The actual, bloody, sweaty warriors below could not have won if the warriors above had not prevailed. The same is true today. Others you love and pray for cannot prevail unless you war for them in the heavenlies.
There is someting powerful and muscular about prayer. It is not just for sweet, elderly Victorian women....it is for the 12 Apostles--it is for Paul and Barnabas. It is for you and me.
Blessings,
Father Scott +
When you picture the "prayer warriors" of the church we often times we think of very old, gray haired ladies draped in Victorian lace as the ones who pray. They have time to pray since they have little else to do in life. That doesn't seem very warlike or muscular as one might envision with the term, "Prayer Warrior".
Yet prayer is powerful work. Some of the first prayer warriors are found in Exodus 17:8-13.
Their's was "manly work"! (I am not being sexist--it is just that women seem to have a natural propensity to prayer where men often dismiss it because there is not much sweat or work involved or we men or just too busy. But I beg to differ.)
The first prayer warriors were men--important men--leaders--men of power and influence. They were gathered around THE LEADER, Moses, as Moses' assistant led the Israelite army against the cruel Amalekites.
As long as Moses held up the staff of God Israel would win. When his arms grew tired and he would lower the staff to rest, the Amalekites would prevail. Oh to have that staff on Iron Bowl Weekend!
The solution to this problem was to roll a stone under Moses so that he was now sitting. Then his brother and nephew would take turns holding up his arm that held the staff. At this point, the staff never dropped and Israel won the day.
That is how prayer works as well--holding the staff of God over a loved one or situation. We often grow weary from holding it up by ourselves. But others came and joined Moses in the intercession. They got smart about prayer and it worked!
Those were the first prayer warriors. The actual, bloody, sweaty warriors below could not have won if the warriors above had not prevailed. The same is true today. Others you love and pray for cannot prevail unless you war for them in the heavenlies.
There is someting powerful and muscular about prayer. It is not just for sweet, elderly Victorian women....it is for the 12 Apostles--it is for Paul and Barnabas. It is for you and me.
Blessings,
Father Scott +
Sunday, June 15, 2008
The Rear View Mirror
During Men's Group several weeks ago , we were praying for each other. As the group prayed for me, one of the men saw a picture of the side mirror on my car. The mirror, however, was blackened out. You could not see what was behind and it was a "good" picture.
A picture is worth a thousand words. In one brief snap shot, the Lord made clear that "yesterday" was not important. He did not want me looking backwards--what was past. Instead, the present was where He is. As He said to Moses from the Burning Bush, "Tell them, I AM sent you."
I have taken great comfort in that picture. Don't look back. When I blow it on any given day, I often take the guilt or the shame of that mistake into the next day and start off trying to work out the problem before moving on. The guilt and the shame are viewed from "the rear view mirror". Instead, we are faithfully given a new start each day.
Lamentations 3:22-23 says, "It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. KJV"
Philippians 3:13-14 says, "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
The Israelites in the Wilderness stumbled when they looked back to the how wonderful Egypt and slavery were! Satan will try to deceive us by having us gaze into the mirror of the past when Jesus is saying, "I AM!" No looking back. I have made the present for you. "Today is the day of salvation!" As that great old evangelistic song says, "No turning back....no turning back." Let us be forward looking men and women of God.
Blessings,
Father Scott +
A picture is worth a thousand words. In one brief snap shot, the Lord made clear that "yesterday" was not important. He did not want me looking backwards--what was past. Instead, the present was where He is. As He said to Moses from the Burning Bush, "Tell them, I AM sent you."
I have taken great comfort in that picture. Don't look back. When I blow it on any given day, I often take the guilt or the shame of that mistake into the next day and start off trying to work out the problem before moving on. The guilt and the shame are viewed from "the rear view mirror". Instead, we are faithfully given a new start each day.
Lamentations 3:22-23 says, "It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. KJV"
Philippians 3:13-14 says, "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
The Israelites in the Wilderness stumbled when they looked back to the how wonderful Egypt and slavery were! Satan will try to deceive us by having us gaze into the mirror of the past when Jesus is saying, "I AM!" No looking back. I have made the present for you. "Today is the day of salvation!" As that great old evangelistic song says, "No turning back....no turning back." Let us be forward looking men and women of God.
Blessings,
Father Scott +
Monday, June 9, 2008
What I Learned From My Cats, Part 2
Last week I introduced you to one of our cats named Cookie. Cookie is not the smartest cat in the world nor the bravest. Cookie gives new meaning to the term, "Fraidy Cat". She is as fearful as she is dumb and dumb as she is ugly (I am not being mean, just factual!)
The Mud Room in our house is a small room with the washer and dryer on one wall and the computer and book cases opposite them. The remaining two walls have doors in them. It is a pass through room from the den to the garage. Cookie sleeps in the garage.
One day I was working at the computer. I realized that Cookie was standing by the door that leads to the garage. She wanted out. As I got up to open the door for her the chair made a small noise, and she immediately bolted back to the den. I sat back down at the computer and continued to work.
Again, Cookie was at the garage door and again I got up, quieter this time, to let her out and again she bolted back to the den. This back and forth up and down, interruption and bolting went on three or four more times. I was getting tired of it. Cookie wanted into the garage, but something would always spook her and cause her to bolt.
Finally, I decided to "trap" her. As she stood by the garage door I reached over and quickly shut the den door. The Little Fat Cookie was trapped. At that point, she seemed to calm down. I then got up and opened the garage door and let her out. She was happy. I was happy, and all's well that ends well.
This is how it is with God and us. We know where we want to be. He is happy to bless us and help us get there but we grow scared. Our fear causes us to bolt and run back to where we have been even though it is not where we want to go.
There are times after we have played that game with God that He, in His love, shuts a door behind us so that we can only go forward. We do not always understand His plan just like Cookie doesn't always understand what I am doing, but I am doing it for her ultimate good. I want her to have what she wants. I want to bless her. How much more does God want the same for us.
So let's no be afraid of doors that close behind us. Sometimes, that is the only way that God can open the door that is in front of us.
Blessings,
Father Scott +
The Mud Room in our house is a small room with the washer and dryer on one wall and the computer and book cases opposite them. The remaining two walls have doors in them. It is a pass through room from the den to the garage. Cookie sleeps in the garage.
One day I was working at the computer. I realized that Cookie was standing by the door that leads to the garage. She wanted out. As I got up to open the door for her the chair made a small noise, and she immediately bolted back to the den. I sat back down at the computer and continued to work.
Again, Cookie was at the garage door and again I got up, quieter this time, to let her out and again she bolted back to the den. This back and forth up and down, interruption and bolting went on three or four more times. I was getting tired of it. Cookie wanted into the garage, but something would always spook her and cause her to bolt.
Finally, I decided to "trap" her. As she stood by the garage door I reached over and quickly shut the den door. The Little Fat Cookie was trapped. At that point, she seemed to calm down. I then got up and opened the garage door and let her out. She was happy. I was happy, and all's well that ends well.
This is how it is with God and us. We know where we want to be. He is happy to bless us and help us get there but we grow scared. Our fear causes us to bolt and run back to where we have been even though it is not where we want to go.
There are times after we have played that game with God that He, in His love, shuts a door behind us so that we can only go forward. We do not always understand His plan just like Cookie doesn't always understand what I am doing, but I am doing it for her ultimate good. I want her to have what she wants. I want to bless her. How much more does God want the same for us.
So let's no be afraid of doors that close behind us. Sometimes, that is the only way that God can open the door that is in front of us.
Blessings,
Father Scott +
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
What I Learned From My Cats
We have a number of cats, but one that is especially dear to me is named "Cookie". She belongs to my daughter and is over 12 years old. Cookie is not the sharpest tool in the tool shed, nor is Cookie pretty. How can I tactfully say that age has only helped not hurt Cookie's looks! She looks like a batch of blonde brownies that went wrong.
One day is was raining hard outside. You could see it. You could hear it. Yet Cookie stood by the front door and did that obnoxious meowing that only cats can do over and over again. We have three small windows that begin about waist high next to the front door. I could see out and knew that Cookie would not be happy on the front porch once I let her out. I explained this to Cookie in great detail knowing that sheer logic might somehow cause her to change her mind and distract her from her plan.
The problem was that Cookie did not have a human brain. She had a cat brain (and a small one at that!) Cookie did not have my perspective. I am much taller than she and could see out. All she could see was a door that was blocking her from her goal which was to go outside. The meowing persisted.
Finally, much like in the story Jesus told about prayer, where the Judge was being continuously nagged by the widow, I gave in to my furry little widow, opened the door, and released her to heart's desire. The winds blew. The rains came, and out she raced.
Cookie could not see me but I could see her through those three small windows. She looked around, took in her environment and turned back to the door and began to meow again. This time to be let back in. She had her heart's desire yet it was not to her liking.
I left her outside for a bit in hopes that she might learn something from this experience (which of course she didn't) and then let her back in.
I realized that this is the way we are with our Heavenly Father. We do not have His perspective. His ways are not our ways and His thoughts not our thoughts. All we have is the desire for what we want. We stand at the various doors in life and howl for what we want. The Lord, from a higher perspective knows that we will not be happy with what we are begging Him for. We get angry with God for not quickly giving us our heart's desire. This goes on and on until at times, God finally gives us what we clammer for only to watch us immediately turn back, wishing we had never gone out that door.
May we trust the one who is closer to us than a brother. May we not fall into temptation of blaming God for some of our closed doors, but instead realize that He is being so kind as to protect us from those things that would ultimately make us miserable.
Blessings,
Father Scott +
One day is was raining hard outside. You could see it. You could hear it. Yet Cookie stood by the front door and did that obnoxious meowing that only cats can do over and over again. We have three small windows that begin about waist high next to the front door. I could see out and knew that Cookie would not be happy on the front porch once I let her out. I explained this to Cookie in great detail knowing that sheer logic might somehow cause her to change her mind and distract her from her plan.
The problem was that Cookie did not have a human brain. She had a cat brain (and a small one at that!) Cookie did not have my perspective. I am much taller than she and could see out. All she could see was a door that was blocking her from her goal which was to go outside. The meowing persisted.
Finally, much like in the story Jesus told about prayer, where the Judge was being continuously nagged by the widow, I gave in to my furry little widow, opened the door, and released her to heart's desire. The winds blew. The rains came, and out she raced.
Cookie could not see me but I could see her through those three small windows. She looked around, took in her environment and turned back to the door and began to meow again. This time to be let back in. She had her heart's desire yet it was not to her liking.
I left her outside for a bit in hopes that she might learn something from this experience (which of course she didn't) and then let her back in.
I realized that this is the way we are with our Heavenly Father. We do not have His perspective. His ways are not our ways and His thoughts not our thoughts. All we have is the desire for what we want. We stand at the various doors in life and howl for what we want. The Lord, from a higher perspective knows that we will not be happy with what we are begging Him for. We get angry with God for not quickly giving us our heart's desire. This goes on and on until at times, God finally gives us what we clammer for only to watch us immediately turn back, wishing we had never gone out that door.
May we trust the one who is closer to us than a brother. May we not fall into temptation of blaming God for some of our closed doors, but instead realize that He is being so kind as to protect us from those things that would ultimately make us miserable.
Blessings,
Father Scott +
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Hand Rails
Hand rails are put up for a purpose. Safety. To keep us from falling over the edge of something. It could be the edge of a stair well or it could be the edge of the Grand Canyon.
Yet, there is something in us that does not like hand rails. We witness this, especially in young boys, who feel restricted by any barriers meant for safety and which also keep them from "fun".
God has placed hand rails in our lives such as parents when we are little, spouses in adult life, the Community of the Faithful and so on. But let me back up and state that again--"God has placed them as such in our lives."
I wonder how subconscious our dislike of hand rails really is. None of us like having someone or something deter our "freedom". The word of the Lord was a hand rail to our first parents, Adam and Eve. Eve was deceived and Adam made a choice to ignore God's hand rail and to lean out over the Grand Canyon of Sin. As you know, THEY FELL! What if we saw a young child fall from a great height. That is our tragedy in Genesis 3. We have been struggling on the bottom of that canyon ever since!
Maybe it is time to dredge up from our subconscious the truth that we hate our hand rails. We hate anything and anyone who keeps us from what we want to do, that try to prevent us from independence from God.
Once we have realized the list of those who have been God's gift to us as hand rails, we realize that our anger is ultimately towards God. He has lovingly put protections in our lives and we, like petulant children, have despised the One who is actually keeping us safe.
Let God show you who and what those hand rails are. We may need to forgive them and then also ask forgiveness for not appreciating them or the One Who sent them to keep us from horrible falls in our lives.
Blessings,
Father Scott +
Yet, there is something in us that does not like hand rails. We witness this, especially in young boys, who feel restricted by any barriers meant for safety and which also keep them from "fun".
God has placed hand rails in our lives such as parents when we are little, spouses in adult life, the Community of the Faithful and so on. But let me back up and state that again--"God has placed them as such in our lives."
I wonder how subconscious our dislike of hand rails really is. None of us like having someone or something deter our "freedom". The word of the Lord was a hand rail to our first parents, Adam and Eve. Eve was deceived and Adam made a choice to ignore God's hand rail and to lean out over the Grand Canyon of Sin. As you know, THEY FELL! What if we saw a young child fall from a great height. That is our tragedy in Genesis 3. We have been struggling on the bottom of that canyon ever since!
Maybe it is time to dredge up from our subconscious the truth that we hate our hand rails. We hate anything and anyone who keeps us from what we want to do, that try to prevent us from independence from God.
Once we have realized the list of those who have been God's gift to us as hand rails, we realize that our anger is ultimately towards God. He has lovingly put protections in our lives and we, like petulant children, have despised the One who is actually keeping us safe.
Let God show you who and what those hand rails are. We may need to forgive them and then also ask forgiveness for not appreciating them or the One Who sent them to keep us from horrible falls in our lives.
Blessings,
Father Scott +
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
The Worm and the Claw
God speaks in various ways. One of the most fascinating way He speaks to us is through sign and symbol. He speaks to us using sign and symbol because they act as parables--pictures that we seldom forget.
Friday, a week ago, the Men's Group asked the Lord for a Word for one of its members. As we waited on the Lord, one of the men shared an unusual picture he had just been given. The picture was that of the end of an earth worm that wiggled back and forth. The worm began to change, however, into a very sharp claw with a point that could tear through anything.
It was if the Lord was saying that this was what He was doing in this person's life. It was an unusual symbol and sometimes, unusual symbols create doubt where we wonder if we have actually heard from the Lord or just made this up. Two hours later, however, the Lord confirmed that this was His picture and His word.
At noon that same day, I was in the church. I noticed something that looked like a twig up by the sanctuary. As I got closer I realized that it was alive! Possibly a baby snake! As I drew closer I found that it was neither. It was an earth worm! We have been in our present building since 2003 and never has there been an earth worm in it to my knowledge until that day.
The following evening (Saturday night), one of the men from the Men's Group called me about the Scripture that I had sent out via the internet for Sunday. The Scripture was Isaiah 41:10, 13-14. This fellow was so excited because Isaiah 41:14 says, "Do not be afaid, O worm, Jacob....."
He then said, read Isaiah 41:15. "See, I will make you into a threshing sledge, new and sharp, with many teeth."
What are the odds of finding a worm on the same day of that vision? What are the odds that Sunday's scriptures would include a worm that turns into sharp threshing teeth? God speaks through sign and symbol. Everytime I see a worm or a sharp piece of metal from now on, guess what will now come to mind?
Friday, a week ago, the Men's Group asked the Lord for a Word for one of its members. As we waited on the Lord, one of the men shared an unusual picture he had just been given. The picture was that of the end of an earth worm that wiggled back and forth. The worm began to change, however, into a very sharp claw with a point that could tear through anything.
It was if the Lord was saying that this was what He was doing in this person's life. It was an unusual symbol and sometimes, unusual symbols create doubt where we wonder if we have actually heard from the Lord or just made this up. Two hours later, however, the Lord confirmed that this was His picture and His word.
At noon that same day, I was in the church. I noticed something that looked like a twig up by the sanctuary. As I got closer I realized that it was alive! Possibly a baby snake! As I drew closer I found that it was neither. It was an earth worm! We have been in our present building since 2003 and never has there been an earth worm in it to my knowledge until that day.
The following evening (Saturday night), one of the men from the Men's Group called me about the Scripture that I had sent out via the internet for Sunday. The Scripture was Isaiah 41:10, 13-14. This fellow was so excited because Isaiah 41:14 says, "Do not be afaid, O worm, Jacob....."
He then said, read Isaiah 41:15. "See, I will make you into a threshing sledge, new and sharp, with many teeth."
What are the odds of finding a worm on the same day of that vision? What are the odds that Sunday's scriptures would include a worm that turns into sharp threshing teeth? God speaks through sign and symbol. Everytime I see a worm or a sharp piece of metal from now on, guess what will now come to mind?
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
The Scorpion and the Turtle
There once was a turtle and a scorpion. They were on a small island in the midst of a river that was on the rise due to spring rains. They needed to swim to land for safety.
As the turtle prepared to get in the water, the scorpion asked if he might ride him on the turtle's back. The turtle quickly replied, "No." The scorpion asked, "Why?"
The turtle responded that the scorpion would sting him once they were safe on dry ground. The scorpion reassured the turtle that would never happen.
The turtle finally gave in and off they went into the water. Just as they were reaching shore, the scorpion stung the turtle. As the turtle lay dying he asked the scorpion why he had broken his word? The scorpion replied, "I could not help it. I am a scorpion."
The nature of evil does not change regardless of how convincing its words. I am not saying that people cannot change. I am saying, however, that this is a time for us to put on our discernment re people and situations. What people say and what they do can be very different. Jesus said that you will know them by their fruit. Regardless of what a scorpion tells you, it will always be a scorpion and will do what scorpions always do. So put on the whole armor of God and stand firm. Don't be duped by evil. Instead, expose it and return evil with good.
Blessings,
Father Scott +
As the turtle prepared to get in the water, the scorpion asked if he might ride him on the turtle's back. The turtle quickly replied, "No." The scorpion asked, "Why?"
The turtle responded that the scorpion would sting him once they were safe on dry ground. The scorpion reassured the turtle that would never happen.
The turtle finally gave in and off they went into the water. Just as they were reaching shore, the scorpion stung the turtle. As the turtle lay dying he asked the scorpion why he had broken his word? The scorpion replied, "I could not help it. I am a scorpion."
The nature of evil does not change regardless of how convincing its words. I am not saying that people cannot change. I am saying, however, that this is a time for us to put on our discernment re people and situations. What people say and what they do can be very different. Jesus said that you will know them by their fruit. Regardless of what a scorpion tells you, it will always be a scorpion and will do what scorpions always do. So put on the whole armor of God and stand firm. Don't be duped by evil. Instead, expose it and return evil with good.
Blessings,
Father Scott +
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Witnessing without the Gimmicks-Part 3
I want to conclude this story and the series on Witnessing without the Gimmicks. To read parts one and two clicks on each link for the correct section, Part 1 / Part 2
I tell you this because this story does not have a fairy tale ending. It has a real life ending. I shared the Lord with this guy over the following weeks. I watched him wrestle with the concept of Jesus running his ruined life rather than himself. He had made such a mess of it yet still wanted to maintain control of it. We met several times more and as he wrestled with the Master and my job was to love him, empathize with him and continue to impress on him the wonder of a life that only Christ could offer.
My new friend came to church once and Bible Study once, but he was choosing not to give in—Hell, he had lost everything! There is nothing logical about evangelism. Why would anyone in their right mind not choose The Way, The Truth and the Life?!
But that is Evangelism Lesson #5: Evangelism is not rational. It is spiritual and some choose to receive while many more choose to walk away. The rich young ruler walked away. The cost was too high to become a disciple.
This man to date has done the same thing. So was I a successful witness? I believe so. I tried to listen to what Jesus was saying. I tried to be as genuine as possible rather than fabricated. I became a friend first. I love this guy to this day and am praying for him because there is a fairy tale person inside me who somehow, someway believes that this guy will one day come to Christ and that those visits were seeds for the Kingdom.
Evangelism Lesson #6– Every encounter is a seed for the Kingdom. Paul wrote that some plant, others water, but it is God who gives the growth.
Lastly, Evangelism Lesson #7-Wherever God shows up, so does the devil.
Jesus shared this truth in parable form. A farmer went out to plant wheat. His enemy came at night and sowed weeds that looked like wheat in his field. This is what happened during my eight or nine weeks of witnessing to my friend. The devil sent people and situations, and bitterness to work against this man coming to Christ. I am convinced, however, that the seeds Jesus planted will have a longer term effect on this man than the enemy’s. But know that the enemy is out to sabotage all that the Holy Spirit is doing. So pray! Pray for yourself and pray for those whom you are sharing the Gospel with.
Evangelism In A Nut Shell-Final Recap
I tell you this because this story does not have a fairy tale ending. It has a real life ending. I shared the Lord with this guy over the following weeks. I watched him wrestle with the concept of Jesus running his ruined life rather than himself. He had made such a mess of it yet still wanted to maintain control of it. We met several times more and as he wrestled with the Master and my job was to love him, empathize with him and continue to impress on him the wonder of a life that only Christ could offer.
My new friend came to church once and Bible Study once, but he was choosing not to give in—Hell, he had lost everything! There is nothing logical about evangelism. Why would anyone in their right mind not choose The Way, The Truth and the Life?!
But that is Evangelism Lesson #5: Evangelism is not rational. It is spiritual and some choose to receive while many more choose to walk away. The rich young ruler walked away. The cost was too high to become a disciple.
This man to date has done the same thing. So was I a successful witness? I believe so. I tried to listen to what Jesus was saying. I tried to be as genuine as possible rather than fabricated. I became a friend first. I love this guy to this day and am praying for him because there is a fairy tale person inside me who somehow, someway believes that this guy will one day come to Christ and that those visits were seeds for the Kingdom.
Evangelism Lesson #6– Every encounter is a seed for the Kingdom. Paul wrote that some plant, others water, but it is God who gives the growth.
Lastly, Evangelism Lesson #7-Wherever God shows up, so does the devil.
Jesus shared this truth in parable form. A farmer went out to plant wheat. His enemy came at night and sowed weeds that looked like wheat in his field. This is what happened during my eight or nine weeks of witnessing to my friend. The devil sent people and situations, and bitterness to work against this man coming to Christ. I am convinced, however, that the seeds Jesus planted will have a longer term effect on this man than the enemy’s. But know that the enemy is out to sabotage all that the Holy Spirit is doing. So pray! Pray for yourself and pray for those whom you are sharing the Gospel with.
Evangelism In A Nut Shell-Final Recap
- Don’t be fooled by appearances.
- SHOULD-OUGHT. Pharisee words.
- Follow the Holy Spirit over "Sunday School" answers. He is ALWAYS right!
- A successful witness is one who has followed the Holy Spirit and shared the Faith with another whether they receive Christ or not.
- Evangelism is not rational. It is spiritual and some choose to receive while others walk away.
- Every encounter is a seed for the Kingdom.
- Wherever God shows up, so does the devil.
Blessing,
Fr. Scott +
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Witnessing without the Gimmicks-Part 2
Earlier in Part 1, I spoke about a man who had visited me and my story of witnessing to him or "lack of witnessing as most Christians know it". You can read first part of the story in the previous post by clicking on the link, Witnessing without the Gimmicks-Part 1.
....This went on for five or six visits. After a while I began looking forward to seeing my new friend. He would stop by for forty five minutes each week and we would drink coffee and talk about his life and the broken parts of it. On the fifth or sixth visit, the Holy Spirit whispered in my heart that I could mention "the Lord" TWICE during the conversation. I got excited and waited and waited until finally the green light came and said, "Well, the Lord was taking good care of you on that…" or something like that! (The Pharisee immediately condemned me saying, "Big witness!")
By the seventh visit, the Holy Spirit said that I could now share with him the full enchilada! I was not to share "The Four Spiritual Laws" , however, I was to share how Jesus had saved me during broken times in my past when everything was falling apart in my life. I shared this with him and told him that the solution to his disaster was to surrender to Jesus as Lord. I told him that he could do this by simply crying out to the Lord. He would hear.
Evangelism Lesson #4: A successful witness is one who has followed the Holy Spirit and shared the Faith with another.
Whether that person receives Christ or not, does not determine if you have succeeded or failed in your evangelism of that person. Jesus calls us to present the gospel when He gives us His green light. A person’s response has nothing to do with our obedience. Our obedience and our sharing is evangelism. Their choice is between them and the Lord–that’s salvation.
I tell you this because this story does not have a fairy tale ending. It has a real life ending. I shared the Lord with this guy over the following weeks. I watched him wrestle with the concept of Jesus running his ruined life rather than himself. He had made such a mess of it yet still wanted to maintain control of it. We met several times more and as he wrestled with the Master. My job was to love him, empathize with him, and continue to impress on him the wonder of a life that only Christ could offer.
This is still not the end of the story, I'll finish it in the next blog. But, it is important to remember as you witness Lesson #4-A successful witness is one who has followed the Holy Spirit and shared the Faith with another whether they receive Christ or not.
Blessings,
Fr. Scott+
....This went on for five or six visits. After a while I began looking forward to seeing my new friend. He would stop by for forty five minutes each week and we would drink coffee and talk about his life and the broken parts of it. On the fifth or sixth visit, the Holy Spirit whispered in my heart that I could mention "the Lord" TWICE during the conversation. I got excited and waited and waited until finally the green light came and said, "Well, the Lord was taking good care of you on that…" or something like that! (The Pharisee immediately condemned me saying, "Big witness!")
By the seventh visit, the Holy Spirit said that I could now share with him the full enchilada! I was not to share "The Four Spiritual Laws" , however, I was to share how Jesus had saved me during broken times in my past when everything was falling apart in my life. I shared this with him and told him that the solution to his disaster was to surrender to Jesus as Lord. I told him that he could do this by simply crying out to the Lord. He would hear.
Evangelism Lesson #4: A successful witness is one who has followed the Holy Spirit and shared the Faith with another.
Whether that person receives Christ or not, does not determine if you have succeeded or failed in your evangelism of that person. Jesus calls us to present the gospel when He gives us His green light. A person’s response has nothing to do with our obedience. Our obedience and our sharing is evangelism. Their choice is between them and the Lord–that’s salvation.
I tell you this because this story does not have a fairy tale ending. It has a real life ending. I shared the Lord with this guy over the following weeks. I watched him wrestle with the concept of Jesus running his ruined life rather than himself. He had made such a mess of it yet still wanted to maintain control of it. We met several times more and as he wrestled with the Master. My job was to love him, empathize with him, and continue to impress on him the wonder of a life that only Christ could offer.
This is still not the end of the story, I'll finish it in the next blog. But, it is important to remember as you witness Lesson #4-A successful witness is one who has followed the Holy Spirit and shared the Faith with another whether they receive Christ or not.
Blessings,
Fr. Scott+
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Witnessing without the Gimmicks-Part 1
I want to share an important aspect to evangelism that is often missed by Christians. I was brought up in an evangelical church and was taught how to share Jesus with those around me. I was given "witnessing" tools to help me do this. One of the tools was called "The Four Spiritual Laws". It came in the form of a small pamphlet that anyone could use to lead non-saved people to Jesus. Somehow, however, I never felt comfortable with those pre-fabricated tools. The tools were fine, yet They did not seem authentic to me, even though I did appreciate aspects of them. I wanted to lead people to Christ in a genuine way and not with "gimmicks". That is the background of this blog series and of an encounter I want to share.
Some years ago, a man stopped by my office on the recommendation of one of the church’s members. Outwardly he looked as if he had it all. He had the outward trappings of a successful American. Yet the reason for the visit was that his life was falling apart-- marriage, family, money, you name it.
So, Evangelism Lesson #1-Don’t be fooled by appearances. As it says in I Samuel, "Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart."
This man began to share his story. As I listened, the little Pharisee living in my head told me that I SHOULD witness to him. This man was probably not a believer. He had been raised in an institutional church but it never took. The Pharisee kept yelling that I OUGHT to witness to him and share "The Four Spiritual Laws".
Evangelism Lesson #2: SHOULD and OUGHT are Pharisee words, not Jesus words.
The Lord, however, was whispering in my other ear , "Don’t say a word about Me!" (That was NOT the right "Sunday School" answer!) The Pharisee and the Holy Spirit argued all the way through my conversation with this guy until I dutifully surrendered to the Holy Spirit and just listened.
Evangelism Lesson #3: Follow the Holy Spirit over "Sunday School" answers. He is ALWAYS right!
The man left un-witnessed to. I wondered if I had made a colossal mistake by not sharing the Gospel with him. A week later, however, the man stopped by a second time. Again, the argument in my head began but this time I switched off the volume to the Pharisee side early on. A second time, the Holy Spirit told me to not say a word about church, the Lord, Jesus, etc. I was just to listen and interact with this guy. After forty five minutes he left and I thought that either I was really right or really wrong and that there was no middle ground!
There's more to this story and I'll get to the rest of it next blog. But, remember next time you begin to witness:
Some years ago, a man stopped by my office on the recommendation of one of the church’s members. Outwardly he looked as if he had it all. He had the outward trappings of a successful American. Yet the reason for the visit was that his life was falling apart-- marriage, family, money, you name it.
So, Evangelism Lesson #1-Don’t be fooled by appearances. As it says in I Samuel, "Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart."
This man began to share his story. As I listened, the little Pharisee living in my head told me that I SHOULD witness to him. This man was probably not a believer. He had been raised in an institutional church but it never took. The Pharisee kept yelling that I OUGHT to witness to him and share "The Four Spiritual Laws".
Evangelism Lesson #2: SHOULD and OUGHT are Pharisee words, not Jesus words.
The Lord, however, was whispering in my other ear , "Don’t say a word about Me!" (That was NOT the right "Sunday School" answer!) The Pharisee and the Holy Spirit argued all the way through my conversation with this guy until I dutifully surrendered to the Holy Spirit and just listened.
Evangelism Lesson #3: Follow the Holy Spirit over "Sunday School" answers. He is ALWAYS right!
The man left un-witnessed to. I wondered if I had made a colossal mistake by not sharing the Gospel with him. A week later, however, the man stopped by a second time. Again, the argument in my head began but this time I switched off the volume to the Pharisee side early on. A second time, the Holy Spirit told me to not say a word about church, the Lord, Jesus, etc. I was just to listen and interact with this guy. After forty five minutes he left and I thought that either I was really right or really wrong and that there was no middle ground!
There's more to this story and I'll get to the rest of it next blog. But, remember next time you begin to witness:
Evangelism In A Nut Shell Recap-Part 1
- Don’t be fooled by appearances.
- SHOULD-OUGHT. Pharisee words.
- Follow the Holy Spirit over "Sunday School" answers. He is ALWAYS right!
Blessing,
Fr. Scott +
Monday, April 28, 2008
Jesus Doesn't Go Around Us-He Uses Us
Mark 6: 30-44
Surprise. Jesus did not feed the 5,000.
The disciples did.
Jesus gave the food to the disciples.
Jesus directed the 5,000 through the 12.
This is key learning for us.
This is why there were 12 baskets leftover.
The Lord wanted each disciple to have a souvenir to take home with them to remember what they had been taught that day.
Jesus works through you in His world, not around you.
He wants to touch His world, and He does it through His Body.
Are you willing to step out into apostleship today.
Blessings,
Father Scott +
Surprise. Jesus did not feed the 5,000.
The disciples did.
Jesus gave the food to the disciples.
Jesus directed the 5,000 through the 12.
This is key learning for us.
This is why there were 12 baskets leftover.
The Lord wanted each disciple to have a souvenir to take home with them to remember what they had been taught that day.
Jesus works through you in His world, not around you.
He wants to touch His world, and He does it through His Body.
Are you willing to step out into apostleship today.
Blessings,
Father Scott +
Four Power Principles of the Kingdom
Jesus put four powerful spiritual principles together when He fed 5,000 + people in Mark 6: 30-44.
- Jesus took 5 loaves and 2 fish. Surrender. When we surrender anything to God, great power isreleased. The situation is now is Jesus' hands.
- Jesus gave thanks. Thanksgiving changes the atmosphere. The spiritual atmosphere had been, "Send the people away." "Let the people save themselves." When the Master began thanksgiving, the atmosphere changed and the Father was invited into the situation.
- Jesus broke the bread. When we are weak, Scripture tells us, then we become strong. It is the humble and the broken that have easy access to the grace of God vs. the proud and the arrogant. Jesus knew that as He broke the bread and tore apart the fish.
- Jesus gave. Luke 6:38 tells us that when we give God gives back to us pressed down, shaken together, full and running over. As Jesus gave to each disciple to distribute, more was given back to Him until 5, 000 + were fed and satisfied.
These are principles of the Kingdom. They work! See which ones the Lord means for you to use in ministry this week with your family, friends, and neighbors and see if a little will go a long way.
Flunking Discipleship 101-Mark 6:30-44
I find it interesting that the 12 are called Apostles at the beginning of the Feeding of the 5,000 and Disciples at the end? A disciple is one who is learning. A disciple is like an apprentice who one day will have the confidence and skill to be a Master.
An apostle, however, is one who has the authority to minister in the Master's name. An apostle is one who has learned and is now ready to use what he or she has been taught.
So why the digression from Apostle to disciple in this passage? Earlier in Mark 6, Jesus sent the 12 to solo in ministry for the first time. Jesus gave them His authority to preach, cast out demons and heal the sick. The 12 were sent 2 by 2, and they succeeded in this work. They had become Apostles. They had watched Jesus do the above and in turn, they themselves were now moving in the authority given to them by the Master.
As Joyce Meyer says, "New level, new devil." The disciples were now faced with a different ministry involving human need and hunger. It was late. They were in a barren place and there were 5,000 + people. You can tell if you are a disciple or an apostle in any given situation by how you respond to the need. The 12 responded to the needs of the 1,000's with soulishness: with their minds, their wills, and their emotions. Apostles respond in Faith and the authority given to them.
The disciples said send the crowd away and let them save themselves. This has always been fallen man's solution to any problem. The disciples would do it again later when mothers brought their children to be blessed by Jesus. What was the response? "Send them away." When the woman came and anointed Jesus feet with costly perfume the response was, "Send her away."
That is discipleship. When we are still learning when we respond like that. Apostleship, however, was modeled by the Master. We can be apostles in some areas and disciples in others. Ask the Lord to show you in each ministry situation or crisis or blessing if you are, in that setting, a disciple (still learning) or if you are becoming an apostle (taking up His authority on His behalf).
An apostle, however, is one who has the authority to minister in the Master's name. An apostle is one who has learned and is now ready to use what he or she has been taught.
So why the digression from Apostle to disciple in this passage? Earlier in Mark 6, Jesus sent the 12 to solo in ministry for the first time. Jesus gave them His authority to preach, cast out demons and heal the sick. The 12 were sent 2 by 2, and they succeeded in this work. They had become Apostles. They had watched Jesus do the above and in turn, they themselves were now moving in the authority given to them by the Master.
As Joyce Meyer says, "New level, new devil." The disciples were now faced with a different ministry involving human need and hunger. It was late. They were in a barren place and there were 5,000 + people. You can tell if you are a disciple or an apostle in any given situation by how you respond to the need. The 12 responded to the needs of the 1,000's with soulishness: with their minds, their wills, and their emotions. Apostles respond in Faith and the authority given to them.
The disciples said send the crowd away and let them save themselves. This has always been fallen man's solution to any problem. The disciples would do it again later when mothers brought their children to be blessed by Jesus. What was the response? "Send them away." When the woman came and anointed Jesus feet with costly perfume the response was, "Send her away."
That is discipleship. When we are still learning when we respond like that. Apostleship, however, was modeled by the Master. We can be apostles in some areas and disciples in others. Ask the Lord to show you in each ministry situation or crisis or blessing if you are, in that setting, a disciple (still learning) or if you are becoming an apostle (taking up His authority on His behalf).
Friday, April 4, 2008
Our Authority In Christ
Recently I found some notes from a class I had taken on Spiritual Warfare and the authority that God has given to His children.
So there we have it. Let’s keep out eyes out for the lies that are behind each trial. Let’s also remember that Jesus has given to us–the Keys to the Gates of Hell so that we, in Christ, can take back what the enemy has been stolen from us! Instead of giving place to the devil, let’s give place to God through our thoughts, words, and deeds. That is where the peace of Christ exists.
The devil can only have power in my life if I acquiesce to him or give him permission.
Remember Eve. Remember the temptation of Jesus. The thief came to steal, destroy and
to kill. We are behind the strong door of God’s grace. We are safe unless we choose to unlock that door.
God has already done everything necessary for me to have authority over the enemy.
The cross made that possible. Because of Jesus’ death on the cross our sins were
forgiven; the power of evil was broken; and we were empowered to ministry through
Jesus’ Spirit.
All lies are simply variations of the first great lie in Genesis–"You are missing something in your life." "God is holding out on you."
At the heart of every lie is the cruelest lie of all–that God is holding out on you. Lie: God is not the most loving being in the universe. God wants to withhold from you good things.
We give place to the devil through our:
Thoughts ("As a man thinketh, so is he." "Above all things, guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life.")
Words ("Life and death are in the power of the tongue." The tongue is like a bit or a rudder-James)
Actions
So there we have it. Let’s keep out eyes out for the lies that are behind each trial. Let’s also remember that Jesus has given to us–the Keys to the Gates of Hell so that we, in Christ, can take back what the enemy has been stolen from us! Instead of giving place to the devil, let’s give place to God through our thoughts, words, and deeds. That is where the peace of Christ exists.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Strengthening the Offensive Line
Let's say that you are the quarterback for your football team. You have been playing hard for three quarters. Your line is not holding as well as it was, and you are getting tackled more than you like. What do you do?
When a quarterback gets tackled behind his line, a wise coach strengthens his offensive line. In the trials that come our way, you are the quarterback. The Lord Jesus is our coach. The offensive line consists of the people, verses and words that the Lord has given us during our particular trial or "game."
Usually, trials last longer than our energy level can sustain them. Our line grows weak. Verses from Scripture that the Lord gave us at the beginning have worn thin. Fellow teammates who carried the load with us have too grown weary along side us. The game is not over, what do you do? Recently, this happened to me. The Holy Spirit, blessedly, guided me to a friend who said, "Strengthen your offensive line." I asked what that actually meant.
I drew out an offensive line diagram in my journal where I recorded what the Lord is teaching me. I wrote down what had been working as my offensive line against the wiles of the enemy. I began to realize ,y line was tired and and that calling that particular friend was like changing out a player. It was putting someone fresh on the line while the others that had blocked for me could rest for that moment. Just like a coach in the game, he switches out players so the freshest source of strength is available to secure a victory.
Another way the Lord showed me to strengthen the offensive line was to find new verses that were from the Lord," I let former verses rest. These new verses leapt into the game, and the difference was almost immediate.
Our battlefield (game field) is in the mind. In the midst of trials, the warfare rages in our minds. The Word of the Lord is powerful. It bathes our thinking. A bath washes away the dirt and grime of the lies with which satan slimes us. And, it is refreshing to change out the bath water each day. There are other promises in Scripture that will strengthen us. There are other people that the Holy Spirit will use to block those lies for us by defending us with God's truth.
You are God's quarterback in the present situation. Bless your line of players. Bless the people and verses that make it possible for you to pass, hand off, or run His plays. When you begin to get jostled more than you like, check your line. Players may need to be switched out - tired ones for fresh. "Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Blessings,
Father Scott +
When a quarterback gets tackled behind his line, a wise coach strengthens his offensive line. In the trials that come our way, you are the quarterback. The Lord Jesus is our coach. The offensive line consists of the people, verses and words that the Lord has given us during our particular trial or "game."
Usually, trials last longer than our energy level can sustain them. Our line grows weak. Verses from Scripture that the Lord gave us at the beginning have worn thin. Fellow teammates who carried the load with us have too grown weary along side us. The game is not over, what do you do? Recently, this happened to me. The Holy Spirit, blessedly, guided me to a friend who said, "Strengthen your offensive line." I asked what that actually meant.
I drew out an offensive line diagram in my journal where I recorded what the Lord is teaching me. I wrote down what had been working as my offensive line against the wiles of the enemy. I began to realize ,y line was tired and and that calling that particular friend was like changing out a player. It was putting someone fresh on the line while the others that had blocked for me could rest for that moment. Just like a coach in the game, he switches out players so the freshest source of strength is available to secure a victory.
Another way the Lord showed me to strengthen the offensive line was to find new verses that were from the Lord," I let former verses rest. These new verses leapt into the game, and the difference was almost immediate.
Our battlefield (game field) is in the mind. In the midst of trials, the warfare rages in our minds. The Word of the Lord is powerful. It bathes our thinking. A bath washes away the dirt and grime of the lies with which satan slimes us. And, it is refreshing to change out the bath water each day. There are other promises in Scripture that will strengthen us. There are other people that the Holy Spirit will use to block those lies for us by defending us with God's truth.
You are God's quarterback in the present situation. Bless your line of players. Bless the people and verses that make it possible for you to pass, hand off, or run His plays. When you begin to get jostled more than you like, check your line. Players may need to be switched out - tired ones for fresh. "Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Blessings,
Father Scott +
Thursday, March 20, 2008
The Stone The Builders Rejected
As I read the Passion Narrative this year, the word “stone” kept leaping off the page at me. It was not a word that I thought much about yet from Palm Sunday to Easter morning, “stone” is used a number of times.
· Luke 19:40-Palm Sunday-The Pharisees wanted Jesus to silence the crowds. Instead, Jesus responded, “If the crowds keep quiet, the stones will cry out!”
· Luke 20:17-18-Holy Week-Jesus taught in the Temple that the stone the builders rejected has become the chief capstone. A number of years ago, an architect friend told me that the capstone is the last stone and the center stone laid when creating an arch. It is the one that when in place, puts the correct amount of pressure on the other bricks or stones in the arch so that they do not collapse.
· Luke 21:5-16-Holy Week-The disciples were commenting on how impressive Herod’s Temple was, adorned with such beautiful stones. Jesus, however, prophetically declared that a day is coming when not one stone will be left on another.
· Luke 22:41-Gethsemane-Jesus withdrew from the disciples about a stone’s throw beyond them. Jesus was always a stone’s throw beyond what the disciples could grasp and here on the night He was betrayed it was that distance that kept them from seeing Him sweat blood as well as be ministered to by an Angel.
· Luke 24:2-Easter Morning-The Stone was rolled back.
I Corinthians 10:3-4 states that Jesus was the “Spiritual Rock” that followed Israel in the wilderness. Israel drank from that rock that followed them and that rock was Christ!
No wonder David was able to kill Goliath. He used a stone. Could that stone have been Christ?
Jesus named his leading disciple after Himself (the Rock that followed Israel) when He changed Simon’s name to Peter. Rock. Large Stone. Later, when Jesus reinstated Peter after Peter had denied Jesus three times, Jesus calls him by his former name, Simon, not Petros. Jesus was telling Peter between the lines that he had not behaved like his master, who had turned his face like “flint” (a type of stone) to the road of suffering ahead of him.
Isn’t it fascinating that in the first temptation of Jesus, Satan tempts Jesus to turn “stones” into bread. The response is that man does not live by bread alone but by The Word. Then on Maundy Thursday night when Jesus, the stone the builders rejected, takes bread and declares, “This bread is Me (the stone) in substitution for you, do this in remembrance of Me! Satan had been close, but the timing was all wrong.
Another time in Jesus’ ministry, He told the crowd who had brought a woman caught in adultery, “He who is without sin cast the first stone.” Again, we see the Rock that followed Israel was Christ. He and He alone was the only one who could have cast the first stone.
I do not think that it is by accident that Jesus was placed in a rock hewed tomb with a stone that served as the doorway to the death place. Since Jesus is the stone that the builders rejected….since Jesus is the rock that followed Israel in the wilderness...since Jesus was the stone that killed the Giant, isn’t Jesus also, by His once and for all sacrificial death, the one who opens the passage from death into life? God moved that stone. The stone no longer shut the door on death. Instead, the stone was moved in order to allow life to escape. There was no body. The stone was rolled away!
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
The Power of "Lack"
James 1:2-3 says, "Count it all joy, my brothers, whenever you face trails of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
Not lacking anything. How often the Lord uses stress caused by our "lacking" something to untimately bring us to a position where we lack nothing!
To get to where we lack nothing, we must go through seasons where we lack something in order to change our life's water into wine. Fermentation is a death process. For there to be wine there must first be death before there can be a deeper meaning to life.
God's ultimate purpose is for us to be mature and complete, not lacking anything. To get there, the journey must be through seasons of lack. When the fermentation process is complete, however, we lack nothing. The wine is mature.
Sorrow lasts for the night, but joy comes in the morning. Every hardship is designed to mature us not destroy us. So count it all joy!
Not lacking anything. How often the Lord uses stress caused by our "lacking" something to untimately bring us to a position where we lack nothing!
To get to where we lack nothing, we must go through seasons where we lack something in order to change our life's water into wine. Fermentation is a death process. For there to be wine there must first be death before there can be a deeper meaning to life.
God's ultimate purpose is for us to be mature and complete, not lacking anything. To get there, the journey must be through seasons of lack. When the fermentation process is complete, however, we lack nothing. The wine is mature.
Sorrow lasts for the night, but joy comes in the morning. Every hardship is designed to mature us not destroy us. So count it all joy!
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Power of Joy and Gladness
My history with trial has been both successful and unsuccessful. Successful in that I am here to tell the tale! Unsuccessful in that I have tried to wiggle my way out of every possible one. At the end of a trial, when the Lord miraculously comes through as He always does, I can be found groaning and mumbling under my breath the I NEVER want to go through that again!!! In one breath I am saying, "Praise God, He did ... we made it" and with the next breath, " I almost died! It was horrible! Why did God have to take so long?"
It seems it is at this time when the Lord wants to grow a new muscle in us. He is teaching us the importance of how to persevere and yet maintain joy and peace. James 1:2-3 says that it is not only possible but absolutely essential that we face tests with an attitude of pure joy because of what is going to be produced in us in the end. "Consider it PURE JOY whenever you face trials of MANY kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be MATURE and COMPLETE, not lacking anything."
James uses the word "perseverance." Its root is "severe." The prefix, "per" means through." Out faith is tested and developed through the severe experiences in our lives and we must have an attitude of joy. The Lord always looks at the big picture. He knows that we desire to be mature and complete. The only way this can happen is through the testing of our faith that then develops strength "through severity." Once we have made it through the severity, we become mature, lacking nothing! Joy, rather than dread, becomes the attitude we are to adopt when we see a new trial coming our way. Joy and gladness are not suggestions, rather, they are essentials in the life of a follower of Jesus.
- "I was glad when they said unto me, 'Let us go into the house of the Lord.'"
- "This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice (joy over and over again) and be glad in it!"
- "Rejoice (joy over and over), pray without ceasing. Give thanks in all things, for this is the WILL OF GOD in Christ Jesus."
- "Count it pure joy whenever you face trials..."
The Lord enjoys joyful, glad sons and daughters just like you and I do. It is depressing when one of our family members or friends is in constant doom and gloom. They are so much more enjoyable when they are happy and excited. God doesn't want a single hour of a single day wasted with the depression that would try to steal His gift of life from us. As you plan your day, look for those gifts that God has hidden throughout each 24 hours of your life. Some days are just difficult. However, the Lord has planted oases (plural for oasis!) throughout even our most difficult times. An oasis could be as simple as a good meal in the midst of a bad day or a phone call from a friend, that half hour at the end of a day with a favorite novel, soaking in a hot bathtub or enjoying clean sheets. These are things that make us GLAD. The Lord desires that we enjoy pleasures in life the He has so abundantly littered across our paths.
Joy is a fruit of the Spirit. God grows it in us as we choose to allow Him to plant it in the fields of our hearts. Joy also is a choice -- as are most of the important aspects of our faith. Joy grows out of the choice to renew our minds. I choose to "rejoice always." I choose to be a blessed man on a Thursday and to declare it publicly and privately. 1Thessalonians 5 tells us that this is the very will of God. there is no getting around it.
God does not desire joy and gladness for us out of selfishness on His part. He desires it for us as a blessing. We just feel better when we have joy and are glad. Scripture tells us that the JOY of the Lord is our strength. He wants us to be strong in the midst of trials. So He plants that wonderful hint in James 1:2-3, "Count it PURE JOY (pure strength) when we encounter tests for they produce maturity and completion."
So there you have it. I am not saying put a brave face on your trials. I am not encouraging stiff upper lips. Instead, let Jesus help us stay in a posture of joy and gladness because we have learned that this is the will of God and whenever we are in the will we are in the best place possible. We also know that the joy of the Lord is our strength!
Blessings!
Fr. Scott+
Friday, March 7, 2008
Fret Not--It leads Only to Evil
What kind of word is fret? You don't often hear people talking about "fretting" over circumstances. It is one of those words we think we know its meaning but in reality what does it mean?
Fret - 1.to feel or express worry, annoyance, discontent, or the like.
Psalm 37:8b says not to fret--it leads only to evil. I bolded "only" because in it is the word "one". When you fret, it leads to one thing--evil. There is a tendency to think of "big sins" as leading to "evil". However, this verse tells us that fretting leads only to evil. Once on the fret highway, you will end up in evil town. Satan wants us to worry. Worry is fear based and fear is Satan's "faith". The enemy would like us to take our gaze off the Lord and become annoyed by the smallest things or to become discontent with the hand the Lord has dealt us. We express worry and annoyance and before we know it, the environment around us has changed and is not pleasant. We are at the outskirts of evil. We must beware of fretting in particular because it is the kind of sin that floats under the radar of our discernment. We are on guard against the obvious sins, but fretting?The Lord, however, has given us several powerful weapons to use against fretting. When you suddenly realize you are falling victim to worry, annoyance, or discontentment begin to give thanks.
Thanksgiving changes the environment around us. It is powerful because it quickly puts our eyes back on the Lord. What we behold is what we are in agreement with. As we enter His gates with thanksgiving we gaze upon the Lord and fretting is put to flight. Another powerful weapon against fretting is to remember. All through Scripture, the Lord tells us to remember the past. Rehearse what God has done for you. How many dark moments were there in the past yet look where you are today!At the Holy Communion, Jesus tells us to remember the most important and pivotal point in the history of the world and then to receive Communion in remembrance of Him and His death on the cross. King David wrote, "Do not fret--it leads only to evil." King David's greater son, the Lord Jesus, is the one who saves us from that worry and leads us into peace. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed upon Thee for he trusts in Thee."
Blessings,Father Scott Davis +
Fret - 1.to feel or express worry, annoyance, discontent, or the like.
Psalm 37:8b says not to fret--it leads only to evil. I bolded "only" because in it is the word "one". When you fret, it leads to one thing--evil. There is a tendency to think of "big sins" as leading to "evil". However, this verse tells us that fretting leads only to evil. Once on the fret highway, you will end up in evil town. Satan wants us to worry. Worry is fear based and fear is Satan's "faith". The enemy would like us to take our gaze off the Lord and become annoyed by the smallest things or to become discontent with the hand the Lord has dealt us. We express worry and annoyance and before we know it, the environment around us has changed and is not pleasant. We are at the outskirts of evil. We must beware of fretting in particular because it is the kind of sin that floats under the radar of our discernment. We are on guard against the obvious sins, but fretting?The Lord, however, has given us several powerful weapons to use against fretting. When you suddenly realize you are falling victim to worry, annoyance, or discontentment begin to give thanks.
Thanksgiving changes the environment around us. It is powerful because it quickly puts our eyes back on the Lord. What we behold is what we are in agreement with. As we enter His gates with thanksgiving we gaze upon the Lord and fretting is put to flight. Another powerful weapon against fretting is to remember. All through Scripture, the Lord tells us to remember the past. Rehearse what God has done for you. How many dark moments were there in the past yet look where you are today!At the Holy Communion, Jesus tells us to remember the most important and pivotal point in the history of the world and then to receive Communion in remembrance of Him and His death on the cross. King David wrote, "Do not fret--it leads only to evil." King David's greater son, the Lord Jesus, is the one who saves us from that worry and leads us into peace. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed upon Thee for he trusts in Thee."
Blessings,Father Scott Davis +
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
