556 - I' m Fighting!

Lord Jesus - Praise you Father!! Thank you thank you thank you for the work you did in and through me while i was in Tenn. at the True Love Waits conference and Easter Celebration. It was incredible! I could not believe how organized everything was and how smoothly it ran! Friday night with the teens was a tough group. 5 - 12 graders, boys and girls, and parents. But You, Lord, gave me awesome words to speak and I think they came out with much passion and enthusiasm. It was interesting - no matter how bad you do with women there is always people pleaser in the group that will come and reassure you that you did well and spoke to her - or at least the general group - "you really blessed us". ha ha! But youth are tough. They stare and sometimes glare at you. They will laugh and crack up, but then they go right back into that stare - you are not so cool - come on now - enough already - kind of looks. I know this because I already get it at home too. But it was awesome and really inspiring! The preacher was there to help with everything and was so supportive. I do not always see that - and that is the key to making any event a sucess! Preacher's support and endorsement!

A lady stopped by my house - Julie - and we just got to talking about my weekend - it was coming up at this time - and she passionately expressed to me that rebellion in a teen does not have to have happen. It was a lie from the pit of hell that every teen had to go through a rough and wild time. She told me to make sure I told the parents they have to be ready, but not necessarily for the worst. Not every kid has to take the worst road. I think that was very wise advice. But on the flip side - another one of my friends that I spoke with briefly concerning this event told me to tell the parents to not trust their good kid so much. She was a really good kid that got pregnant - her parents gave her so much freedom because they just trusted her too much. I thought that was great advice too. Parents commented on that as well.

I have a conference this weekend in my old little town - Norris City. It is at Crossroads Church and I will be speaking about Fighting the good fight! Want to come? - just email me and I give you specifics. This group has made the cutest little shirts ever - brown long sleeve with a pink embroidered girl with a pony tail with armor on. It is so cute!! I can not wait to get one!

So today - Lord Jesus you sent me to 1 Tim. 6:12, but it was actually one verse before that really struck a cord in me. "But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness." That was verse 11. The part that really stumped me was the pursue endurance. I can understand the righteousness, godliness, faith, love, and gentleness, but the endurance. I was not thinking so much about pursuing it, but just that you must have it. Like you grab it as if grabbing it before the fight happens, before you take off to fight and keep going it. But this is more like your pursue it, run after it, chase after it - chase after something that will help you to keep chasing...

So I had to go to the special books and find out more. This endurance is like patience, or bearing up under, persevere. I so think about being patient with people, but that actually is a different Greek word. This endurance is specifically the word for endurance or patience as to things or circumstances. Now I love this. There is no doubt we are called to be patient with people and endure them - holy cow do we have to endure them at times and others enduring me. But in Eph. 6 the Word reminds us that we are not fighting against flesh and blood - people - but against the evil world and its team and schemes. When we remember that and put things in perspective that is real endurance. While the evil one may use people to seemingly be against us or you or me - it is actually the scheme, plan, circumstance, or things that we need to have endurance with.

So how do i pursue this endurance? How do I chase after something that seems like I should already possess? I think the key to it all is making sure we have on the Armor of God each and everyday - making sure during the day we don't change clothes - at critical moments we don't forget to pick up the sword - if we take a nap we make sure it is appropriate and not in selfishness - making sure we know who we are fighting and that it is not flesh and blood even though it may so appear to be that way. Oh Lord - help me to be mindful of all this. Lord I want to pursue the things of You. I want you! I know there is a good fight to fight, but that also means that there is probably fights or battles not worth fighting. Help me to discern the Truth and to walk in that. Help me to know when to fight and when to hold off. Along the way help me to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, gentleness, and endurance. Lord, you are my all and all. I want you you so desperately in my life, breath, down to the marrow of my bones. Fill me to the brim with your Spirit today and may I walk worthy of the calling! I love you!

267 - Don't you give in!!

Oh Father - this time change about got me this morning. I wanted to crawl right back in the bed and not even it the snooze - just turn off the alarm. But thank you for getting me up and meeting with you. I studied about how we discern God's will for our lives - 4 easy step process - but this morning i want to praise you for a great weekend with my parents and the wonderful church we had. I mean incredible.

The praise music was just a tad too loud, but it didn't bother me. We sang the News Boys (or maybe it was Newsong group) song Rescue. It was wonderful and just beautiful. Chad our preacher is a great singer and the piano player is out of this world. There is another lady on keyboard that is awesome too. I could not hear the piano player as well as i would have liked to yesterday. Maybe they were having some sound troubles - they had a video that didn't quite work. Anyway - they brought us to the Throne of Grace for sure!

Chad did an awesome job on the sermon yesterday. We were talking about the power of a word - that would be the inspired Word of God. When God lays something on your heart and then confirms it in scripture - that is your Word. You hold on to that Word until You see Him releases you from that or He works it into fruition. He will, but sometimes we have to be patient. Patience is one of those things that is the prelude to many blessings. But i think too often i go right on passed that blessing because i take things into my own hands or never wait to see it through. Forgive me Lord.

We found ourselves in Acts 27 - the account of Paul going to appeal Caesar. He had been accused of something and they really couldn't find a crime to peg him with, but nevertheless they wanted to have him killed. So as a Roman citizen, Paul had the right to appeal before Caesar to get the decision reversed. This is much like someone appearing before our Supreme Court. Before I go on about all the Paul endured, I was kind of astonished at the Word we received in I Thes. 2:17-18, specifically vs. 18, "Satan hindered". In the Greek that means to make slow, difficult, or prevent action. It is as if a person is going on a trip and they are hindered such that either the trip must be stopped or the trip has to go in a totally different direction.

This is where I and many of us throw in the towel. We get one obstacle and quit. Not willing to fight any longer, not willing to rough it out, not willing to give it our all. It is easier to assume that God did not will that for our life and just give up. But following Him takes work. First we have to know that the situation is worth fighting for. We have to have received a Word, that take patience, from Him knowing we are to proceed through. Then we have to be willing to fight and wait and fight and wait.............and then wait some more. Just because we don't see it happen immediately doesn't mean that God changed His mind.

In Acts 27 - this is where Chad was tremendous and so anointed. We went through the ship wreck story of Paul. He received his Word that he was to appear before Caesar. His real goal was to preach the gospel to Caesar. He knew this was his purpose in life from this point forward. So they set sail in a bad storm. "Unite your faith in the midst of the storm, not lose your faith" - Chad. Angel of the Lord confirmed Paul's purpose, but the storm continued for 11 days. They finally reach land - long time - and he loses all his stuff and lands on a island of Barbarians. He then is cold and makes fire. As he is making the fire he gets bit by a poisonous snake. They are ready to watch him die, but God prevents that. He then gets hailed as a god and taken to a palace - he has yet to see the Caesar, but is holding tight to his Word. Many months have gone by. Paul gives up......... not!!!!!!!!!!! When we have a promise or Word from the Lord, we must fight, we must be patient, and we must prevail - only Him through us! Prayer must be the foundation.

Lord, thank you for this word yesterday. There are many ways i can apply it. Lord, help me to reach deep within and hold onto the patience You have given me. I have received a Word that I am willing to fight and wait for. In the mean time don't let my worst, or nearly my worst, enemy ruin everything. That would be me!!!!!!!!!!! Dawn Everette and Tracy Berta are both waiting to have their babies. May that be soon for both. Thank you for today, already. Thank you for mom and dad coming and the great time we all had. Please heal my dad's back or allow him great relief from a cortisone shot. However you can heal him!! I love you, Lord.