Greg's Thoughts

""Why You Trippin?"

2014-07-08T10:01:00.001-07:00

I was working a while ago at a call center here in Fresno and came upon an issue with a customer. I wasn't sure how to take care of their issue and was frantic in trying to find a solution. I went to one of my co-workers, my friend Tyrone Redick, and presented their issue to him. He took one look at it and said, "Why you trippin?" He had already found the solution that I couldn't see.
I followed his advice and instruction and the issue was solved.

As I read the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 19, I could hear his words once again. But this time the words were not from him to me, but from God to Elijah.

Elijah had received a death threat from Jezebel because he had killed the prophets of Baal. Elijah, the prophet of the Most High God, ran for his life apparently in fear of Jezebel's threat. After a days journey the angel of the Lord came to him twice and said, "Eat because the journey is too great for you." Elijah ate the food the angel brought to him and in the strength of that food, travel forty days and nights to Horeb, the mountain of God. Upon his arrival there, God asked him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" Elijah's response was "I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life. - 1 Kings 19:10" What happened next was interesting.

It says that God told him to come out to the opening of the cave he was hiding in. After which, a mighty wind blew through and ripped the rocks into pieces, but God was not "in" the wind. Next, an earthquake rocked the mountain, but God was not "in" the earthquake. After that, a wild fire burned through the area, but God was not "in" the fire. Lastly, a still small voice was heard and it doesn't say God was not in that voice. Elijah then covered his face with his mantle and went to the opening of the cave again. The next thing we see is God speaking to Elijah asking him the same question as before, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" Elijah's response had not changed even after all he had just seen and experienced: "I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life."

God then simply assured Elijah that He had everything under control and a backup plan was already in place. He had Elijah anoint Hazael as king over Syria, Jehu as king over Israel, and Elish as a prophet to pick up where Elijah had left off. Furthermore, He assured him that He had 7000 prophets that were still totally devoted and committed to Him. God never appeared to be upset with Elijah for his stance and decision to call it quits. He instead seems to denote that it was all good and that His plan would not stop with Elijah.

Here's what I see in this.

God was demonstrating His surpassing great power as an answer to the threat of Jezebel with the wind, the earthquake, and the fire, but He demonstrated His heart to Elijah in the still small voice. In other words, the wind, earthquake and fire are what God would do to Elijah's enemies including Jezebel and was giving Elijah an opportunity to change his mind (i.e. asking him the same question before and after the demonstration of His power). When Elijah did not change his response, God put plan B into effect. In essence, God was asking Elijah, "Why You Trippin? I got this!" But Elijah had to decide if he was going to continue or quit.

I find that this is the same with us. "Oh God, they're coming to take away my car." "Oh God, they're threatening eviction." "Oh God, we're facing bankruptcy." "Oh God, we can't pay our bills." On and on our prayers go, and rightly so. This is no way minimizes whatever current circumstance you may be facing. But God is attempting to display His great power on our behalf, perhaps not by removing the issues we face, but by reminding us of His ability and His heart toward us. The question is, after we have been reminded of His ability regarding the enemies of our peace and His heart toward us, will we quit? Either way, God's got this.

So to you I present the same question my friend Tyrone Redick presented to me, "Why You Trippin?"

Be encouraged today and be reminded of Who it is that fights for you.

God's got this.

2014

2014-01-01T04:46:00.001-08:00

Well, here we are in a new year. God has graciously allowed us another year to experience His presence, love, mercy, grace, and power. He has allowed us more time to expand and extend the kingdom to all those willing to receive it and to represent Him better than we did the year before. This is really an incredible privilege when we think on it honestly. I'm in London at the time of this writing and actually got to experience a new birth year as well as a new year. It was good, but not the same without my precious family around, though.

My friend and brother, Michael Randle and I, were talking last night. With the travel, time change and schedule, things can sometimes get a little confusing. I was trying to figure out specifically when I was set to return home as weary as I was (and still am). The more we talked, the more confused I seemed to make things! I couldn't get out of my mind that even though it was after midnight this morning of Jan 1, it would not be Jan 2 when I woke up later today (lol)! Blame it on jet lag! Michael looked at me and said, "Bro, when you wake up, it's still gonna be the 1st!" We laughed at that for a little while.

Then, in typical Mike Randle style, the profound began to come forth. He said, "You know, Man, here we are trying to figure out a time of day and the day itself and getting confused. Yet GOD has all of eternity rapped up in the palm of His hand. He knows intimately every issue that well over 200 billion people on the planet has. He know every hair, sees every tear, listens intently to every prayer, and has mapped out every life. And here we are trying to wrap our minds around a day!" Then it dawned on me. In light of the fact that we now embark on a new year, consider the mercy of God. Consider how after all the wrong things we all have done and fallen short regarding, we are STILL here and He STILL gives us yet another year to do better. Consider all those times that we have felt forsaken by Him or have felt like we have done too much for Him to love and care for us, and then consider the fact that He kept us safe and alive during the entire time of the previous year.

Now let all those words, what Mike said and what was just written, sink in. What is it that is plaguing your thoughts right now? What are you having a hard time understanding and figuring out? How amazing is God to take all the stuff that we throw at Him, both good and bad, right and wrong, sinful and righteous, and still love us enough to take care of us? How amazing is it that He is not governed by the actions of His kids, but deals with each one as a loving, just, and righteous Father that only wants the absolute best for His children? Mind blowing, if you try to wrap your mind around that.

So my encouragement for you in this year of 2014 is simply this: UNBOX GOD IN YOUR LIFE. Secondly UNBOX YOURSELF TO BELIEVE HIM AND RECEIVE HIM EVERYDAY. Let everyday be a new day of acceptance of His lordship in this year. Will you understand everything? Absolutely not. Will everything go well and perfectly for you? Maybe not what WE would consider well and perfect, but it will regarding the purpose of God regarding you. Will it be easy? No. But will it be worth it? YES!! Worth betting your life on.

Be blessed!

"Position Yourself!"

2013-09-06T18:48:00.002-07:00

I had an interesting little experience the other day. It wasn't anything really dramatic, per se, just different. I was sitting outside on our patio at home and noticed this Praying Mantis hanging on the window screen. It is still sitting there today! I thought to myself, "Doesn't this thing have anything more to do? I mean, come on!" It just sits there and sits there "doing" nothing.

At least, that's how it appears.

In reality, it is sitting there waiting for it's next meal. It waits patiently knowing that some unlucky, unsuspecting bug will indeed cross its' path. And when it does, "SOUP'S ON!!"

But here's what I learned. This little "bug" of a predator sits patiently with it's front "paws" in a cupped position as if praying. And the Lord sort of told me that this is how I should be. Ever in a position of prayer WITH expectancy. 2 Chronicles 20:17 says, "You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem! Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you." All they had to do was be still. But notice something: If all they had to do was to position themselves and stand still, why then were they told to go out against them? Last time I checked, that didn't quite look like standing still!

Here's the deal. What the enemy wants us to do is to become so busy trying to find a way to win a battle, when the battle has already been won. Jahaziel, the one who prophesied this to the children of Israel, was telling them to still their hearts, minds, and souls, and watch as God fights for them. Their positioning of themselves put them in a place of being able to see the victory that was theirs in God. It wasn't necessary for them to come up with a battle strategy or to fear defeat, but instead to STAY in the place of KNOWING, BELIEVING, AND CONFIDENT EXPECTATION of the hand of God fighting on their behalf. They were told not to be afraid or dismayed because God was going to take care of this enemy. And also, notice he said to stand still and SEE. The enemy wants you to ONLY see the challenge set before you. He doesn't want you to see the victory that is yours in Jesus, for Jesus came to "destroy the works of the evil one (1 John 3:8)". These are God's chosen people and nobody was going to succeed in devouring them if HE had anything to say about it. Guess what? You have been grafted into this chosen-ness (Romans 11:17-18). This means that the same passion that He has for His chosen ones, He now has for YOU. That being the case, you, too, can have the kind of expectancy and trust that the children of Israel were instructed to have.

Matthew 6:30 says, "If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe -- you of little faith?" And verse 34 says, "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." In other words, POSITION YOURSELVES in confidence, faith, trust, and belief in the God who fights for you. SEE yourself victorious because of what He has done for you and will do for you. This He will do so that His name may be glorified in you. What is it you need? He knows and is able to provide for you. The enemy would have you fully embrace fear of "what if" or "how will," but God wants you to fully embrace His "I have," "I will," and "It is written," for 2 Corinthians 1:20 says, "For all the promises of God in Him (Jesus) are YES and in Him AMEN, to the glory of God through us."

The enemy wants you to run away from this. Why not today, RUN TO IT? There is nothing left secure to stand upon. The only thing certain for all eternity is God and His word that is forever settled in heaven (Psalm 119:89-90).

Personally, I am relocating from the place of the impossible to the place of the possible. The place of the impossible isn't a very nice neighborhood to live in.

How about you?

G

"Mantle vs. Anointing"

2013-07-23T08:59:00.001-07:00

Recently I posted a status in Facebook which stated the following: "What is the difference between the anointing and a mantle? The anointing visits and the mantle inhabits." The responses that came in caused me to realize that terminology without clarification can cause confusion (duh - haha). Forgive me for not really paying attention to my own writing. Allow me to explain.

A mantle is a covering of sorts, but much more than that. A mantle not only covers, it envelopes whatever it covers. It totally encompasses its object so completely that the object itself is no longer visible. The contrast I desired to draw with my post was this: there is a difference between being anointed for a moment and being anointed to occupy an office or position, spiritually speaking.

King Saul, when he came upon a gathering of prophets, became "anointed" in that moment to prophesy, but that anointing did not last upon him. It did not envelope him. It was only for a moment in time. Conversely Elisha, when he picked up the mantle of Elijah that fell from the fiery chariot, hit the waters that they had previously crossed and it parted. The next thing we see us the company of prophets that had been watching recognizing that the spirit (anointing for the office of a prophet) now "rested" or enveloped Elisha. Ant this is why I posted the reply to my own question, "The anointing visits and the mantle inhabits", though I probably should have said the mantle envelopes (ha-my bad).

At any rate, I find this to be an interesting thought because there are many people in ministry that have been "anointed" to be used of God spiritually for moments needed, but not necessarily enveloped with an anointing for occupying that spiritual office. There are those who are anointed to preach, but not to pastor, anointed to sing, but not to be a pastor of music in a church, anointed to vision cast, but not to administrate. It therefore behooves to know what we have an anointing to do and be and what we have been called to walk in on a constant basis.

"Just thinkin'"

"Life"

2013-06-22T20:59:00.001-07:00

Life happens. Everyone has the same 24 hours in a day to share. Unfortunately, many of us waste those hours on unnecessary things. In the same token, though, many of us try and squeeze every little ounce of life out if every second that we fail to enjoy the time we do have. Both are frustrating. You can be so relaxed that you become completely unproductive, or you can be so productive that you can't even enjoy a breath! There MUST be balance.

Personally I like being productive, but I also like breathing!

When you are productive, you can enjoy the accomplishments you have attained, and that's good. But the question is how "productive" are you socially with those around you? Do those around you view you as the proverbial slave driver who is driven to get things done at all costs all the time? How "productive" is that really? Sure you finished the task, but what about the carnage of people left in your wake in trying to get the job done?

Adversely, when you just "chill" and relax through things, that's good, too. But the question is how confident will people be in assigning you specific tasks not knowing if or when you'll get them done? Will you be considered trustworthy? Will you be considered dependable? Sure you will be fun to be around, but what about the people waiting at the end of your obedience and diligence to accomplish the tasks set before you?

Therefore, it behooves us to strive for the place of balance. Put our hand to the plow and not look back. Adversely it is equally important that we learn to relax and enjoy the air. In this way we will be both trustworthy and a delight.

'Nuff said...

The Heart Never Forgets...

2013-03-18T16:48:00.000-07:00

I was driving this morning to an appointment with my Mother-in-Law and had one of my favorite praise and worship CD's on (Paul Wilbur's "Your Great Name." GET THE CD!!). I had not been "feeling" particularly spiritual or even close to the Lord at that moment. As a matter of fact, I had really been struggling in my walk with Him because life was, and still is, happening. It was the first bit of praise and worship I had listened to this morning and I hadn't had any time in the word, either, so needless to say my heart wasn't to tender at the time. Struggles with money, health, transportation, and ministry, seem endless and the one place I should run to, I was having a hard time entering. The presence of the Lord is the safest place to be in moments like these, but life makes it difficult. Ever been there? There now?

Well, when it came to the chorus of one of my favorite songs on the CD, "Nobody Like You," something happened. Each time I heard the words "Holy, is the Lord of Glory..." my heart felt like it took a couple extra beats. It was funny, as if the Holy Spirit was shouting, "CLEAR!!" and then shocking me with the paddles from a crash cart! My spirit remembered what it was like to praise Him, even though my mind, will, and emotions were being extremely and exhaustingly challenged. I had no joy. There was no lasting peace. Frustration and sadness seem to be my constant companions. BUT there is something about praise that causes the heart to remember where it came from. That place within us, that reborn place, our spirit, recognizes the voice that created it. It recognizes the DNA that it shares with the Almighty (Gen 2:7) and responds when it hears Him speak. My spirit remembered His presence even though I couldn't sense Him near.

The heart never forgets. When one encounters the Spirit and presence of God, you never forget what that is like. And whenever you step into that place again, whenever you relive that moment, something within you comes alive regardless of where you are and what you are experiencing. And the purpose for that moment of remembrance is to cause us to remember further what His presence meant for us when we first met Him. It's for us to remember the joy that we experienced, the peace that engulfed us, the love we felt, and the purpose we recognized. It's to cause us to remember who we are and Who's we are. That then leads us to remember the loving, accepting, and father heart of God toward us, realizing that because He's here everything will be alright, regardless of what we see. That remembrance causes us to recognize the power of the Mighty One on our behalf and to recall that no matter what we face, HE is working it all for our good. Then comes the challenge of Is. 53:1 "Who has BELIEVED our message? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?" After these moments of remembrance, we are faced with the challenge of who and what we will choose to believe. Will we believe what the circumstances say, or will we believe what God says about the circumstance?

Life doesn't play fair. Life tries to wring us out like a wet towel draining all the life blood we possess. But God is the giver of life and if we will set our gaze upon Him regardless of our circumstances and issues, He will replenish what has been drained out of us through the cares of life. Stuff is hard, but God's love and faithfulness toward us and to His word are MUCH stronger.

The voice of circumstance rattles the walls, but the voice of God shatters the mountains.
The gaze of circumstance causes our knees to knock, but the gaze of God makes demons tremble.
The arm of circumstances press us down, but the arm of the Lord scatters His enemies and sets captives free.
The presence of circumstances brings hopelessness and depression, but the presence of the Lord brings fullness of joy and pleasures forever.

We must decide what we want because God has already decided what He wants to give. The heart yearns for this. The heart craves this. The heart hungers for His presence because... The Heart Never Forgets.

"Pain and Resolve"

2013-01-15T16:21:00.000-08:00

It's a new year. 2013 is set to be a very interesting season, it seems. Sitting here in a Starbucks in Fresno, CA, many different things run through my mind. This is a bit of a rough season for us right now. It's excruciating, actually. And there are opportunities to go several directions. That's just the way pain is. Pain oftentimes causes us to forget the things we know to be true and scramble for a way out of it. Often when we are faced with it and are unable to escape, we react in unrealistic ways. We lash out, we fight the wrong opponent, we look for solutions with no success, we settle for temporary relief, and many times we simply give up. Frustration drives us instead of peace. Grief consumes us instead of faith. Sometimes we even refuse the right solution to our pain because it isn't what we want to hear or requires more time before full relief comes. Honestly put, sometimes we don't really want people to pray for us because prayer is not typically a quick fix and we are just simply tired of hurting, even though prayer is one of the most powerful forces on the planet. I've been there before, wanting the quick fix. Have you? Well this is one of those rough times of life, not pushing away prayer, but rather just a season of frustration. So permit me to preach to myself. You can listen in. It's cool with me. Maybe it'll help you in YOUR pain. This is NOT the time to the power of the pain! Yes, it has gone on for a while. No, it is not even in the arena of being enjoyable. No, it doesn't mean God is punishing you, and no you are not defeated. You are never alone and that MUST be enough for you. You want people to be around you and support you, encourage you, believe in you. But none of those people can support, encourage and believe in your more than God. Why settle for people when you can have God? Remember that The God we are talking about is someone who has promised you eternity with Him and life everlasting. But never forget that you are going FROM GLORY TO GLORY, which means there MUST be change. Each change creates in you a deeper root in Him and will be able to sustain you in greater fashion ONLY IF you allow it to finish what He started it in you for. Think of it this way: You're in good company! Think of how Joseph felt when he was promised all that God had promised him, only to end up in a prison on some trumped up charges. Consider David when God set him up as king being hunted by Saul when he was innocent. Think of Moses leading the children of Israel and having to go through all that he went through in obedience to God. How about Jeremiah, imprisoned for speaking the word of God? There was one common denominator in all of their situations: THEY WERE NOT ALONE. Be resolved that there is a plan the God is working out, even though we may not understand. Be resolved that you will say as Job said, "Even if God kills me, I’ll still put my hope in him. I’ll argue my case in front of him." (Job 13:15 New International Reader's Version) Be resolved He is STILL faithful, STILL for you, STILL involved in your life, STILL working things out according to plan, and STILL loves you. He has never led you astray in the past and isn't about to start now. And if you've been disobedient, be resolved that you are not being punished, but that what you're going through is simply a consequence and holds no bearing on His love for you, His plan for you, or His acceptance of you. Be resolved that if He died for you when it was impossible for you to do ANYTHING right, why would He cast you away for any fault or failure, provided that you are indeed repentant of it and desire to change? He pines for you every single day, whether in obedience or not, because He loves you and is greater than your faults AND your fears. Don't run away, but rather run to Him. Don't refuse His solutions simply because it is not a quick fix, but rather submit to His solutions and watch how miraculously He works on your behalf. His character is borne out in scripture and in our current lives. He can be trusted. Perhaps this little excerpt from my upcoming book "Hidden For Divine Purpose," regarding the processes God takes us through, will help just a little: "Submit to the process – As stated before, your submission to the process of God while waiting in the hidden place is vital to the revealing of who you were created to be. But you must understand and remember that the process, no matter how difficult, is for your good and your protection. Understand there is a purpose for the process and a method to the madness. The process does not DEFINE you. The process REFINES you. Never forget that you are NOT your process. However, submission to the process is the only way to mine out the jewels it contains. Consider a person with a bad heart. They have two choices: either to medicate the pain by taking nitroglycerin tablets and live with it, or they can see the doctor and prepare for open-heart surgery. One requires action on their part and is only temporary, while the other is potentially life saving and life prolonging and requires the patient to let someone else help them. Similarly you and I can either say no to the purpose of God and remain in the hidden place until stronger methods of getting God’s point across are issued, or we can submit to the hand of God in breaking us to reveal Himself in and through us at the appointed time. The patient doesn’t get truly well until they “submit themselves to the doctor’s knife.” This is not enjoyable, but afterward they have a greater chance of living a longer, more fulfilling life. And life is what God offers us. The hidden place incubates us as we grow in the life He releases to us." I guess that'll teach us to be careful with the counsel we give. One day we'll need those words even more than when we first learned their meaning (ha)! "nuff said" G

"Change"

2012-11-04T17:44:00.001-08:00

You know, life can really be lonely at times. You live, you love, you breathe, you experience, and you die. Seems like a pretty dismal existence, doesn't it? If that's all we do, then yes. Quite dismal. No purpose, no destiny, no real reason for breathing this air, leaves us wanting. But then you try to find out what your life is all about and you find that the journey is a real lonely one. This is because it is YOUR journey and not anyone else's. No one can discover your destiny and purpose for you but you. It is a task many of us hate because it requires a letting go of what we've grown familiar to and taking on the new thing that awaits us. Oh, for a friend. Life goes on. People come and go. Sometimes friends that are close to you seemingly become distant memories of years long past. You yearn for the closeness you felt with them before, but unfortunately, life happens and we are only left with a memory. Where did they go? Where did WE go? WHO MOVED?! No one did. It's just "life." I sometimes have those lonely moments in life as well. There are friends that at one point I'd talk with all the time, but then life happens and time disappears. I get busy and they get busy. It's not personal, just business (haha). But the understanding of it all still doesn't remove the sting of their absence. Sometimes as you strive to discover who you are, though, you HAVE to go it alone. I really hate those times, and yet I love them. I hate them because it means something is going to die. Maybe a comfort zone, or a thought process. Perhaps it's a pattern of living or a habit. Whatever it is, it MUST pass away before the new can come. But I love those times because it means a new and exciting revelation of who I am and who God is in me is coming. It means a new phase of living is about to spring up on the scene. It means I am growing from where I am to a new place of even greater effectiveness for the Kingdom of God. But there is still that issue of loneliness. What to do? Let me tell you, I don't have anything mastered at all in this arena. I hurt, I ache, I gripe, I cry, I do all those things. But in the midst of it all I realize that even though it seems no one else is around that cares, HE is still there. God NEVER leaves or forsakes us. He always keeps His word even when it seems like He isn't. The issue is we don't see what He sees and we don't know what He knows, but He can be trusted with our hearts because He has our good in store. Sometimes He has to strip away the things that weigh us down so that we can be free to really live. This is a painful process. In those times, He reveals to us that the things we've been trusting in are not all that we make them out to be. We begin to understand that there is a better way of living, but it will require a letting go of whatever we are clinging to if what we are clinging to is a hinderance to our lives. Listen. I don't like the processes anymore than you do. But I'll tell you that I'd rather have God's processes of change than the bondage of staying the same. I'll take it, loneliness and all. In the long run, when all is said and done, I will be like Him. And so will you. Keep holding on. Don't let go. Please. I plead with you on behalf of those who await you on the other side of obedience, don't let go. You really are NOT alone. Peace.

"God" Bless America?

2012-05-22T07:59:00.000-07:00

To all who read this, let it be noted that I speak not as one who is perfect nor as one who is superior in any area of life. Those who know me know this full well. However, I do speak as one who has simply observed a few things occurring in this, my country. It is increasingly frustrating to me how we as a nation can be so dumbfounded and blinded by a blatant disregard for “human” decency and honor. I find it appalling that we permit certain things in our government to stand, declaring we allow them in the name of progress. Tell me: what kind of progress are we making when we disavow the standard of marriage being between a man and a woman? How are we so much further forward in our “evolution”, if you will, when we do that? We call ourselves open-minded, when in reality it is only “open” as long as it’s what “we” want. This is not open-mindedness. It is rebellion. This nation was founded on biblical standards (I know I may have lost many of you right there, but I dare you to keep reading). Regardless of how much we may cry out to the contrary, it is indeed true. Our very laws support this. Who said it is illegal to kill someone? Why is it wrong? Could it be because the bible says “You shall not kill?” You may say, “Well, Greg, it’s simply morally wrong to kill someone.” I agree with you. It IS morally wrong. But my question is simply “Where do we get our standard of morality?” What defines it? Someone steals something that doesn’t belong to them and the recourse is they are arrested. Why? Is it wrong to steal? Why is it wrong? Could it be because the bible says “You shall not steal?” The very laws that we use to govern our nation come from the very book we seek to destroy and the very God we seek to deny. We say that the bible is archaic and outdated. We say we need to evolve beyond the standards it possesses. Yet to do so would require us, yes even demand of us, to disavow the laws we use to govern ourselves. It has been preached “You can’t pick and chose the parts of the bible you want to follow.” I find that very applicable here. We basically are saying to God, “I want you in my life, but on MY terms.” “I want you to be a cushion for me as I live, because it’s MY life after all. You had nothing to do with it, really, God. And for you to tell me how to live it is just wrong.” Yet we deny the very fact that our origin begins with Him. It’s wrong for us to be conformed to His image, but it’s ok to require Him to conform to ours? How does that work? We cry out for constitutional rights. Where do we really think those rights come from? We are schizophrenic, for in one breath we want to “defend” the constitution, but in another we want to “amend” the constitution. Why do we call a standard a standard? It is to be erected as a plumb-line by which everything in life is to be measured. What we have done is moved the standard to fit and accommodate our choices. If a choice we make doesn’t align with the standard, WE CHANGE THE STANDARD. How can this be considered forward progress. I watch in disbelief as we have the ten commandments set up in place in front of a government building and people dare to have a problem with it. Really? I am shocked to hear about people who want to use a very popular patriotic song, but desire to reword it simply because it says, “God Bless The USA.” How utterly idiotic! We cry out for “separation of church and state” but tell those in need, “Our prayers are with you.” WHO are we praying to? We hate any mention of God in our government while just a few days ago, our own president ends his speech at a graduation ceremony with “God bless America.” We try our best to have our own pledge of allegiance altered to exclude the mention of God. Again, HOW can this be considered forward progress? I guarantee that if you went to another nation that had a creed upon which it was founded, and you entered that nation with a desire to change it’s foundational creed, YOU would lose that fight. Yet here, in the “free” United Stated of America, we say it is wrong to hold true to the creed WE were founded upon. The more disappointing thing is that our own government agrees with this preposterous idea! We say that not allowing gay and lesbian couples to have the same rights as a married couple is bigotry and is equal to racism against African Americans. How disrespectful to a people group that has fought for RACIAL equality! Not allowing gay and lesbian couples to have the same rights as a married couple is not wrong because it is NOT a racial issue! It is a sexual orientation issue, which has NOTHING to do with marital rights! But we are SO intellectually advanced (I speak sarcastically) that we simply “change” the constitution to fit our ignorant choices and comforts. How wrong! Again, I make no attempt to portray myself as a “holier than thou” type of person. Nothing could be further from the truth. But I see a nation that is being tossed around by the power of public opinion and shaken loose from the foundations that made it a great nation in the beginning! What are we leaving for the next generation? Are we just leaving them to fend for themselves and make due in this chaotic world? We are basically destroying our nation and asking the next generation to fix it. Yet we give them no tools and no foundation to bring about repair! No, we teach them that if the standard doesn’t meet your expectations, change the standard. We are telling them that there is nothing solid, nothing sacred, nothing sure upon which to place their hope. We are teaching them that a successful life depends SOLEY upon how you want to live it. Whatever sounds good to you is totally ok. You should be allowed to live how ever you want. So what happens if I decide that it’s acceptable for me to go into someones house and rob them? It is something that works for me! It’s something that I’m totally ok with (Again, speaking sarcastically) and want to keep doing. Who are YOU to tell me it’s wrong? Why don’t we just amend the law so that it allows me the right to go into any house I see and take whatever I want? Suppose someone decided, “You know, I think it would be great to just go and shoot this guy or that because they upset me on the road and were holding up traffic. It’s not right that I should suffer tardiness because they don’t want to move. Tell you what. Let’s get them to change the law to make it ok to shoot guys like this as long as we follow certain guidelines. Yeah! That’s a GREAT idea (sarcastically)!” Who are you to tell him he’s wrong. WHERE IS THE STANDARD, AMERICA?! Here’s another question: Why is Jesus and the bible SO offensive to people? Why is it so wrong for anyone to live their faith in Jesus out loud? Try going to a foreign nation and proclaim faith in a different god then yours and watch what happens. The entire nation would have your head on a platter! Why? Because their nation was FOUNDED on the tenants of faith the believe in. We were once a strong nation. We were once a prosperous nation. Now we are becoming a byword to the other nations around us. We are being seen as gutless, weak and powerless to those who watch us. We are being seen as people who are selfish and self-centered with no control over ourselves or our people. But we are much more than that. We are much greater than that. God WANTS to bless America, but it MUST be on His terms. He is the “Boss” and we are to do what He requires. We are to conduct ourselves as He dictates because it’s His world. And no matter how much we may not like it, it still remains the truth. But He LOVES this nation deeply. We would do well to call upon Him not only when we’re in trouble, but just to know Him for who He is. It is then that we as a nation will begin our journey back to being the nation we were created to be. Instead of excluding God from our lives, it is time to INCLUDE Him once again. I still believe in my country! I still believe she is a great nation! I still believe she has an incredible destiny! And I still believe she is “One nation UNDER GOD!”

"Maturity"

2012-05-14T07:04:00.000-07:00

I was recently in Ft Myers, FL ministering with Paul and the Lord really did incredible things while we were there. The atmosphere was charged with the tangible sense of His presence. Waves of worship moved to and fro all around us as we praised and sang to the Lord. It was quite a sight to see.

During our worship time on Saturday of that weekend, we were called upon to go throughout the crowd of people that had been called forward for prayer. We were to lay hands on them and agree with them for God's answer to their needs. I noticed that I ha not particularly heard the Lord over each person as I prayed for each one. I was searching and listening for instruction as I walked, but none was specifically given. Part of me wondered why, while another part of me was completely content.

Then I had a revelation.

It seems to me that as we grow in the Lord, the pattern of communication changes. When I first came I the Lord in 1984, He would speak to me so clearly and frequently. But I have noticed that as I've grown in Him, He doesn't speak as often regarding to others, or even personally. The one constant is that His love for me hasn't changes at all, but His expectation of me has.

The older we become in the Lord, the more He requires deeper, more confident faith on our end. We've walked long enough with Him to know His heart, His motives, His intentions, an His purpose for our success in life. These are foundations upon which we build our experiences with Him.

I have noticed this dynamic in marriage. When we first meet our spouse, we are in a constant state of discovery of them. We are learning how they communicate, how they process things, what makes them who they are interpersonally. The longer we grow with them, the less we need to figure out. We have been with them so long that we can "finish each others thoughts" as the saying goes. The same occurs between us and the Lord. The more we grow in Him, the less we need to understand from a foundational standpoint, what and why He does what He does. We have grown to a level of certainty the end result of the occurrences in our lives. We may not understand the process, but we do understand the purpose.

Perhaps you are going through a time of growth and refinement right now and you don't understand what is going on. Perhaps you've sought God and it seems like the heavens are closed and your prayers appear to stop at the ceiling. I submit to you that perhaps the Lord is silent because you really do know the final outcome of His purpose for your situation. He knows that you've walked with Him long enough to take comfort in His motive regarding your life (Jer. 29:11/Jer. 31:3/3 John 2). And if you know Then end result of His purpose for you, perhaps He expects you to simply trust in the thick of the process. Remember what Jesus said regarding Lazarus in John 11:4? “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” In like fashion the process of growth is "not into death" even if it "feels" like it is, but for the glory of God AND for your good.

So cling to the confidence you have in the heart of God toward you. Rest in that, knowing that even though He seems silent, He isn't. Even though it feels like He's far away, He isn't. Even though it feels like He's simply watching you go through without working on your behalf, He isn't. Why? Because He promised, and He NEVER breaks a promise.

He has been, is, and will always be FAITHFUL.

He loves YOU.

Go THROUGH!

2012-02-12T15:13:00.000-08:00

There is a favorite song I have that was written by my friend and brother Ron Kenoly which says, "If you catch hell, don't hold it. And if you're going through hell, don't stop!" Catchy, isn't it? Yes, catchy, but true. Many times when we face difficult and challenging times, the enemy tries his best to get us focused more on the difficulty than the promise of victory from the Lord. He loads us with discouragement and tries to dishearten us continuously. And because we become weary in the fight, many times he succeeds in getting us so focused on our pain that we just settle for the situation as it is. And if we give up and stop fighting the battle set before us, we trade Jesus' peace for the devil's chaos. That is NOT God's plan, nor His desire. One of the devil's most powerful weapons is that of persuasion. If he can persuade us into thinking a certain way, his way, he snares us. But if we hold on tightly to what we have believed even in the midst of struggles, we WILL come out on the other side standing stronger and taller than we did when we went into it. God has called us to be effective vessels of His glory and it behooves us to be fully convinced of who we are and Who's we are on a continual basis. Remember Daniel 11:32 "...the people who KNOW THEIR GOD will be strong and do great exploits." Pressing in to know the Lord daily will cause us to stand up in that reality and fortify us against the onslaught of the enemy. But many times we DO continue the fight and continue to stand, and it seems nothing is happening. That can cause us to become discouraged and disappointed. Listen, friend, God understands and knows that. It is NOT a light thing to Him. Many times we DON'T understand what's going on, but when I don't understand, I try my hardest to turn my fight towards fighting for His peace toward me instead of trying to understand. See, I believe that when we "fight" to understand instead of "fight" to remember, we exert energy that would be better spent on fighting for our peace in Him. And the harvest of THAT fight is a stronger fortification of our confidence in His love and promises toward us. And that, in turn, empowers us to remain victorious over the onslaught of the enemy. I remember something that my Pastor friend, Pastor Danny Chambers, told me a long time ago. He said, "When you go through a transition, KEEP YOUR PRAISE HIGH AND YOUR SERVICE STRONG." Keeping our praise high positions us in a place where the Lord can release His presence on our behalf, for the Lord, "inhabits the PRAISES of His people." Know this: Where the Lord has rulership, His word has the FINAL jurisdiction. Therefore, we enthrone the Lord on our praises and He in turn lays down a judgement against the enemy that is attacking. And just like Daniel, after praying for 21 days to understand the visions given him, was told that the day he set his heart to understand, the answer was given, sot it is with us. From the day we set our heart to enthrone the Lord on our praises and persist in it no matter how long it takes, His judgement against the enemy becomes effective and begins to reap a harvest. So take courage, my friend. It may be excruciating for you right now. It may be horribly tough. But remember: "IF YOU CATCH HELL, DON'T HOLD IT. AND IF YOU'RE GOING THROUGH HELL, DON'T STOP!!" Go THROUGH to the other side and stand strong. You ARE going to make it! Shalom, Greg

"Seasons"

2011-12-17T01:33:00.000-08:00

Life happens. It is a very indiscriminate thing. It happens to each and every one of us. No one can escape it. It is sometimes very difficult to navigate through, but once you do, breathing becomes easier. The effects of life happening change like the seasons. At one point, you could be in the season of summer, where everything is warm and cozy. Other times you could be in the the season of winter, where things are cold and icy. Then there is the season of fall where things are falling and dying or you're in the season of spring where everything is coming back to life. Each warrants a different response. The tough part for us is to recognize what season it is that we are in. I know that for many, myself included, this is both the season of fall and spring. There are things in our lives that are falling away or coming to an end, while at the same time other things are beginning. We often end up in the "place of in between" and that leaves us floundering a bit until we can get our footing sure. Personally, I know that I am in a season where what I did vocationally is taking on a new expression. In like manner, my home is also taking on a new expression as well. With a son out on his own and a daughter about to be, both out of school and in the workplace, facing the empty nest syndrome, life can be a bit disconcerting. But it is there that we MUST remember the one constant in the midst of all of it. That is, the promise that God has of having plans for our lives that are for good, not for bad, to give us a future and a hope. But when you are in the place of in between, an intense battle ensues. It is the battle for the promise. For those who strive to live life according to the word of God, no matter how imperfectly, they strain to hear what the Spirit of God is saying regarding their lives at that time. And when they believe they have heard a word from the Lord, and the timing seems to match up with the promise, they take a step out of what was toward what will be. The thing is, during the transition process we have one foot in what was and one foot in what will be and are stuck in the middle until the other foot leaves the old and joins the foot that is in the new. That can be a really tough time, which is why you must war for the promise you heard from the Spirit of God as you step out. Never forget that the enemy ALWAYS has a "hath God said" up his sleeve. And if he can get that question to take root in our hearts, he can totally dismantle our faith, which is the anchor that keeps us in place. My point is this: Recognize what season you are in and respond accordingly. How will you know what is the correct response? You will know as you listen to the Spirit of God and trust that His heart and desire toward you is nothing less than YOUR good. If we can hold securely to that truth, it will make our transitions from one location to the other a lot more confident, even in the midst of trials, because the trials will most definitely come. But if you truly believe you have heard from the Lord, there is nothing you can't step into that He will not either confirm or redeem. You are safe with Him at ALL TIMES and ALL SEASONS, even when it doesn't "feel" like it. So the word for us today is "keep on holding on to the promise He has given you and DO NOT surrender it to the hands of the enemy." There is success waiting for us if we just take the step that God has confirmed in our hearts. Go for it! Greg

Get In Your Place

2011-05-14T20:57:00.000-07:00

I really believe this is a word for some. If it applies to you, receive it. If it doesn't, pray for those for whom it is for.

I've never felt such an urgency in my spirit as I do right now about us all being in our place. The Lord is calling each and every one of us to OUR place. Sometimes it will mean digging your heals deeper into where you currently are now, making a deeper commitment to your place. Other times it will mean a change of position from where you are right now to where you are supposed to be. This is critical at this time because if you are out of YOUR place, it means you're in SOMEONE ELSE'S place, causing them to be misplaced. They can't occupy their place because you're in it. As soon as you move, you will free that space up for them to take. Until you do, there will remain a domino effect that will leave in it's wake a host of people that are potentially out of place.

GET IN YOUR PLACE!

It's time for us to seek the face of God to discover our place and dig into it with all that is in us. It is time. Many will not discover the fulness of their lives until they find their place. They will live frustrated lives trying hard to make where they are right now work for them. All it will lead to is a dead end and you will continue beating your head agains a brick wall until you stop, seek the face of God, discover where you truly are supposed to be, and get after it. Your life will remain a frustration or it will remain a temporary fulfillment for you. It will be like working hard and putting your pay into pockets with holes in them. You work hard, feel a sense of fulfillment, only to have that fulfillment drain away with nothing left to speak of.

It is time to stop beating a dead horse. I heard a phrase from a friend named Kevin Leel, which was, "If the horse is dead, dismount!" Why try to make live what has died? Don't try to resurrect a dead end. Move on to where the life is. However, this is something the must be submitted to the leading of the Holy Spirit. See, God is able to make the place where you are, YOUR place and He can breathe new life into it. But it is ONLY if it is where you are suppose to be in this hour.

I say again, "GET IN YOUR PLACE!"

And do not be afraid if you don't understand it all or know how you will make it. All you have to do is be where you're suppose to be and God will cause you to make it. Please just be obedient to His voice right now and let Him sort out the details. Be like Abraham, who was told by God to leave where he was and go to a land that would be shown to him at a later time. He left not knowing where he was going, but he knew God had called. He moved out in obedience. You must do the same.

It's time! "GET IN YOUR PLACE!"

Searching For Daylight...

2011-04-21T18:47:00.001-07:00

There are seasons when we feel like we're just sort of existing, making no progress at all in our lives. Oftentimes when this occurs, it becomes very evident that what we focus on, we will experience. If we focus on fear, fear is what we will have. If we focus on joy, joy is what we will experience. The mind plays a vital role in the effect faith has in our lives. What do I mean by this? I mean, simply, that the word of God is clear when it says, "As a man thinks in his heart, so is he...(Prov. 23:7)" Faith may be present, available, and effective, but if you are convinced that no matter how much faith you have you will never succeed, you will never see the success that faith can provide. I am finding in this season of my life that persuasion is incomprehensibly powerful in life. It's sort of like a person who gets on an airplane and no matter the safety precautions, they will not be at peace. Or like the super model who just can't believe that they are attractive no matter how many successful photo shoots they perform. What is one to do?

I'm reminded of a person that I had spoken with many, many years ago that lived a totally negative life. Everything in their life, no matter what, would end up in the negative. Everything they looked at would be viewed through the lens of negativity. I tried on numerous occasions to point out the upside of their life, but no matter how hard I tried, they just couldn't see it. The last time I had seen this individual, they had picked their forehead raw because they just hated the way they looked. All I could do was hold them while they cried.

Why do we do things like this to ourselves?

Listen, the value you put on yourself is far greater than the value others put on you. The belief that your existence on this planet serves a purpose is far more important than the opinions of others. If you have a purpose, you have a reason to live. No purpose means no true living. Having a purpose is the makes the difference between living and just existing. Negative focus is an incredibly powerful force that has destroyed the lives of millions of people throughout the worlds existence. Negativity can lead to depression, which leads to more negativity, which leads.... you get the picture. It becomes a vicious cycle that seems to have no end. But if you believe that there is NO WAY that the Lord of life would place you on this planet just to take up space, breathe this air, and not have a purpose in it, you can survive AND thrive. I mean, just look at the order in creation. Plants, trees, animals, everything exists with some kind of divine order. Notice how the waves of the sea most typically come only to a specific point and recess back upon itself, and there is not anyone or anything stopping it from going further, at least not that we can identify. However, God said for the go thus far and no further and that's exactly what happens every time. Notice that most typically, the moon doesn't rise at the same time as the sun, but rather, the sun comes up for a certain time and then moves out of the way for the moon to take over. Now, if God would take the time to make sure that the planet functions with some kind of order, why would He not be able to bring some order to our lives?

Listen. No matter how horrible, irritating, frustrating, or whatever other word you would like to use to describe your life right now, God has a plan that really DOES make sense. It doesn't look like it right now, BELIEVE ME, but you and I have seen too much to believe otherwise. I know this is true. God has been faithful in the past and there is absolutely no way He will start being unfaithful to you now. So by all means possible, take courage and be encouraged with that. It may look like only darkness right now, but rest assured that daylight WILL shine again.

Just don't give up now. You've come so far already. You're SO close to your breakthrough. Dig your heels in deeper and hold on even tighter. And when you look up, you'll actually find that it's not you holding on to Him, but HIM holding on to YOU.

Keep Passion Alive!

2011-03-17T17:20:00.000-07:00

Last night, I watched part of a show on tv where David Foster was playing music with some of his friends. It was SO compelling. And the talent? Forget about it! It was off the hook!! But what I found interesting about the whole encounter was what began to happen to me as I listened and watched. I was flooded with this wave of emotion emitting from the music. It was something that really took my breath away. There was a sweetness and a tenderness to the songs they played. When I paid particular attention to David Foster's playing, I could feel the emotion with which he played, be it ever so simple. And the brilliant collaboration of the instruments all together, the strings, brass, percussion, bass, guitar, piano, and vocals came across as two elements becoming one. The instruments alone made up one element and the vocals made the other. But when they sounded together, it was a little touch of heaven.

I was enthralled

But then I began to notice something else. I was taken back to the way I used to listen to music. I remember how it would take me to different levels of emotion and how it would "sing" my heart. I remember listening to David Foster's project that I believed was entitled "The Symphony Sessions" where I was taken away in my heart while listening to "Winter Games." Wow. And then the "Water Fountain Theme from the movie Secret of My Success." These two songs so impacted me that my wife Brenda, and I, had them played at our wedding. They carry such emotion.

But what got me was remembering my deep, deep passion and emotional connection to music and the me now that has seemed to have forgotten it a bit. Remembering that passion sometimes gets lost in the necessities of life and work. And when your vocation is in the area of your passion, oftentimes it ceases to be a passion and becomes a job. This is not because it's toilsome at all, but now it's being done out of necessity instead of pure joy. In the 15-20 minutes I listened, all the emotion and passion that I used to feel and experience came rushing back into my mind and heart and I've gotten hungry for it again.

This translates directly to our walk with God. Sometimes walking with the Lord and living and dealing with life can be in conflict. You begin to have to fight to keep things in the correct perspective. I mean, think back with me, won't you? When you first came to know God, what was it like? How excited were you? How passionate were you? What was it like for you to believe in Him and watch as He'd answer your prayers? Do you still have that passionate fire burning on the inside? If not, why not? Could it be that the very thing Jesus spoke about in Luke 8:8, 11-15, and in particular, verse 14? "Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity."

Now, please note that my focus is on the renewal of passion because of it being choked out in our lives. What is it that has choked out your passion? What is it that robs you of a passionate relationship with God? Can you identify it? I know that for me, I'm attempting to rekindle the fire that burned within my heart for the love of music, but more importantly, I'm striving to KEEP my relationship with God alive, passionate, and breath-taking. That's what He feels for me. I want to always feel that for Him as well.

Join me, won't you?

Greg

A Parental Rant

2011-03-09T15:49:00.000-08:00

There is something that boggles my mind. Parenting and is quite a challenge in this day and age. It's a challenge with TWO parents, much less being a SINGLE parent. It's tough to watch kids grow up. They become more and more independent and seem to need you less and less as the years progress. The problem is that the more they grow up, the more they feel that they are so grown up that the respect for you as the parent seems to slowly drain away. Why is that?

I'm not talking about losing respect for you as a person. I'm not just talking about losing respect for your position as a father or a mother, and showing that disrespect by the way they speak, respond, and react to you. Yet they are the first ones to cry out "foul" whenever they "feel" disrespected. These are my questions:

Is it ok for you as the child to speak to the parent anyway you want, but get angry with them when they hold you accountable for it?

Is it ok for you as the child to sometimes snub your nose at them when they make a request of you, but just because it's "uncomfortable" for you, you gripe and moan about it?

Is it ok for you as the child to argue and fight with the parent because you disagree with them, yet require them not to raise their voice to you?

Is it ok for you as the child to mope and storm out of an area in the house and slam doors just because you disagree or dislike something that you were told?

I have heard the phrase, "You give respect, you get respect." But who is the one who defines respect for the family? Is it the child? Is it the parent? Actually, it's God. But who is the one who enforces that respect? Is it not the parent? If it is the parent, why do you as the child not offer that respect simply because you don't like the requirements? Where is the honor from the family to the parents? Where is it? Why does it feel as if the parents have to explain their decisions to those who are to be submitted to them? In the employment world, oftentimes there are decisions made by the boss that affects each and every employee and the employees are expected to follow the directives given, with or without an explanation. I am not advocating blind obedience, but rather a trusting of the office held by those parents that are doing all they can to follow the Lord. They are not perfect or flawless as parents, but they strive with all their might to be fair. So why, child, do you feel the right to respond to your parents as if they are your peer?

They are not your peer. Not to the extent you think.

Please note, child, your maturity is not a license to now begin to dishonor and disrespect the office of your parents. THEY ARE YOUR PARENTS AND DESERVE YOUR HONOR AND RESPECT, PERIOD. I'm not speaking of those parents who are idiots abusing their children and not caring. But is it wrong to think that those parents YOU KNOW are doing all they can to treat you with the respect that God requires, however flawed, and strive to be the kind of parents they were meant to be in God, to be esteemed higher than they are? Is that bad? And if so, why?

Why not honor and respect the office of a parent? The President of the United States may not act very stately, but there is a respect for the office of the President. Why has the role of the parent been made to be less than it should?

It's time for a change. Not a change to something more or something better, but BACK to something foundational. Let's be a family where there is clear leadership, honor, and respect. Let's go BACK to gracious speaking with one another in the home. It will be the best PROGRESSION we've ever made.

Just thinkin'

On Eagle's Wings

2011-01-27T09:36:00.001-08:00

You know, life happens. It is indiscriminate as to who or how it affects us, and it always leaves us empty when it hits. It causes us to feel alone and abandoned at times, and yet we are expected to press on as if we were invincible. But the reality is that no one is invincible. Everyone is affected when "life" happens. Whe we're seemingly under the thumb of circumstances and situations, our perspective gets very cloudy, to say the least. We sometimes can't see any way out of the situation and hopelessness can begin to settle in. Even if the way things look is truly difficult, we can think that we will not survive it. However, that isn't always the case.

I remember a financial counselor friend of mine telling me years ago, "I know you're behind the 8 ball with your creditors, but remember that they can't eat you up! You WILL come out of this." That wasn't the least bit comforting at the time, even though it was true. For me, the most comforting thing would have been to receive an insane amount of finances to pay every one of my creditor in full! Now THAT would have been encouraging! But "life" doesn't always work that way. I mean, it does happen, but that isn't the norm. Working "through" tough times is really the norm of living. We must "do" life, not just simply exist while it tramples us.

Which brings me to the point of this article. How can we do life if our perspective is despair? How can we live if our perception of the light at the end of the tunnel of circumstance is really a speeding train heading straight for us? In order to do life and do it well, we must have a "higher perspective" than the one that faces us at the moment. The higher perspective can only truly come when we calm our hearts and be still long enough to notice. For example, have you ever observed how an eagle flies? You'll notice that it uses its wings only a little and then glides, riding on the wind. And it is often at that time that it is able to see from incredible heights what it needs to survive: food! From that elevated position it is able to locate precisely where their food is and find an end to their hunger for that moment. But what we don't see is that the eagle rides on "heat thurmals" rising from the earth surface. That's one of the things that keep it airborn. As long as it stays within the heat thurmal, it can see clearly how to survive.

So it is with you and I. God says in John 15:4-5, "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." And further in Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

The application is this: Christ is your "heat thurmal" and causes you to "mount up with wings as eagles (Isaiah 40:31)" so that you can see clearly how to make it through life's intrusions. Stopping and being still in your heart and mind is you waiting on that heat thurmal to lift you up above the circumstance so that you can see with a heavenly perspective instead of an earthly one. You don't have the power to do this by yourself, so God says you can do it by the power of Jesus as you abide and live and daily exist in the knowledge, understanding, and relationship with Him. And in turn, receiving Him to live, abide, and daily exist in you. He will lift you up and cause you to see as He sees. Therein lies YOUR hope for tomorrow.

Happy hunting!

"Steadfast.."

2010-12-26T10:35:00.001-08:00

You know,time is a bit of a frustrating thing sometimes. It scurries on minding it's own business as well as affecting yours. It is always important and necessary to maintain the consistency of that which cannot be shaken. The confidence of the Lord's faithfulness at all times must NEVER be surrendered to the whim of circumstances. I believe me, as I'm sure many of you know, "stuff" always tries to shake that reality.

You MUST remember that at the foundation of your life is the never ending love of God toward you at ALL times. There wasn't anything you could do or have done in order to cause Him to love you more and there is nothing you can do to cause Him to love you any less. I encourage you to keep that at the forefront of your heart at all times. He loves you more than you could ever imagine.

His plans toward you are nothing less than good. Therefore, you can trust that He will never do anything in you life or to your life that is to result in your demise. It will ALWAYS be used for your good and for the good of the kingdom.

You never really know when the final tick of the clock will strike, so it is necessary to be ready to fight as needed for your confidence. NEVER give up to the enemy that which Jesus died and rose again to grant to you.

Your anointing individually is powerful, but when your anointing mingles together with the rest of the body of Messiah, it is much more difficult to stop. The anointing grows to astronomical sizes when joined together with others forth COMMON good. The old statement, "No man is an island" comes into play here. Life was never meant to be lived void of others. We all need each other and the enemy would want to discredit those connected to us in massive ways to cause dissension. We must wage war on that ugly enemy. Remaining steadfast in the midst of challenge is key to our survival. Steadfast in faith, steadfast in trust, steadfast in peace. Keep working hard to stand.

The Path...

2010-12-12T21:15:00.001-08:00

In this season and time, there seems to be some kind of universal sense in almost everyone I have come in contact with lately. It's the sense of beginning to do what they have been called of the Lord to do. There is a sense of searching in the hearts of many wondering what on earth they are supposed to be about in the first place. I have felt this myself in this season as well, wondering what and where is my place in God's overall plan. What does my piece of the puzzle look like? What is the expression I'm supposed to contribute in His plan for the world?

I find this to be an extremely important question to answer because it really identifies with whom we are to partner with in order to accomplish our purpose. You see, nothing of what we are called to do in the earth today is to be done alone. God has called us all to work together for the advancement of His kingdom and for the building up of His body, the body of Messiah. If we do not have the proper alignments, we will hinder the effectiveness we are meant to have. It will mean the Lord will need to either make work what we have locked ourselves into, or He will have to work things differently in our lives to get us back on track. Never the less, in all of this, He will turn it around for our good and for the good of the Kingdom. I would just rather get it right the first time instead of having to take the "make up test," if you know what I mean.

In this season just before a brand mew year, I encourage you to join me in seeking the face of God for our purpose and the expression thereof. If we hear it right the first time, we will have less time to have to make up or catch up. There is a path for each and every one of us to walk. We do well to hear HIS voice and gather HIS plan in order to accurately walk it out.

A pastor friend of mine said years ago, "There are souls waiting on the other side of your obedience." I really try to take that to heart as much as possible. In this season, hear the voice of the Lord for your life. Patiently wait on what He tells you regardless of the things in your life that try to get you to rush His process. But once you hear, be faithful to OBEY His word regardless of how insurmountable or scary it may seem, if that is the case. If HE said you are to do thus and so, then you are guaranteed EVERYTHING He has declared over you.

THIS is the time when this generation needs you to be in YOUR place! Step up to the plate a take a swing. Who knows? You just might hit one out of the ballpark!

See you on the path...

G

Fighting for Faith

2010-11-29T10:55:00.000-08:00

Today is a tough day. Each and every one of us have them, so welcome to reality, huh? And the crazy thing is you never know when they will show up. Stuff comes at you sideways and knocks you on you rear, and in that moment you have two choices: 1. stay down on the ground, curl up into a little ball, and pray that it all goes away soon, or 2. get up and start standing again.

You choose.

Something like that happened to me this thanksgiving. It was totally unwelcomed, uninvited, and far from desired, but came nonetheless. When the tailspin ensued, I found myself grasping for emotional stability and noticed in that moment how easy it is to want to gain comfort in anything else but the Lord. Needless to say, the battle has been great.

And that's exactly what it is even now: a battle.

But battling for what, is the question. Am I battling for mental stability? Am I battling for security? Am I battling for provision? No. I am battling for the faith to believe that God is greater than ANYTHING that could and will ever come against me, whether it be personal or corporately. I'm battling for the faith to believe that absolutely NOTHING escapes the all-seeing eyes of the Lord. He sees, He knows, and He IS involved. Emotions SCREAM loudly for me to run and escape. But it all still comes down to the words of Peter when Jesus asked if they were going to leave Him like the others: "Where else can we go, Lord? You alone have the words of eternal life." That really is the bottom line. Mental stability, security, provision, peace, joy, hope, confidence, all of these are found in the very capable hands of the Almighty, the Abba of our hearts.

Even when you are faced with the past as it rears it's pitiful ugly head yet again, He is STILL greater. And if your past blunders and sins have been removed from you in Jesus as far as the east is from the west, there is no need to blubber over it. Your past only has power over your future if you allow it, and you DON'T have to allow it. I don't have to allow it.

Strength is in the presence of the Lord. That's where I MUST run to. In so doing, I don't run from the issues, but rather I run into a place where I can see clearly how to deal with each and every one of them. The certainty of victory depends on the vantage point from which it is attempted. I'd rather attempt AND attain victory from God's vantage point instead of my own.

Fight for Faith!

G

Pressing Forward

2010-11-15T20:12:00.001-08:00

At the time of this writing, I am on a plane heading home to Jacksonville, FL from Cincinnati, OH. We had an incredible time of worship this weekend, though not without it's challenges. One of the venues had issues that were out of our control, but affected what we do very directly and had to be overcome. Praise be to the Lord for bringing us success. God's presence was strong and powerful in our midst an many were blessed. At another venue this weekend, we were faced with exceptionally few issues and were even more free than before to enter into the presence of the Lord. That got me thinking.

Each time Paul and I go out to minister, there is always a sense of assignment that we feel. We know the Lord has called us to the place were we're going and that he has already prepared the way. That causes there to be great expectation and confidence in Him to accomplish exactly what He has declared for us. However, issues in the natural plague and attack our flesh all the time, causing us to potentially lose focus on what He has assigned for us and what He has declared and to instead focus on the problems coming against us. Once that happens, there is a battle that ensues and we must now fight to regain our stand in the Lord. But if we STAY focused on what God has declared and on what He has assigned for us, we will be better equipped to remain in position to be used by Him to accomplish His plan.

Case in point: Jesus declares to His disciples, "Let's go to the other side.". They all got into the boat and started across the see. As they went, Jesus went to sleep. But in the midst of the journey, the storm arose and the waves began to beat upon the boat. The winds began to blow increasingly and toss the boat around on the water. However, Jesus remained asleep until His disciples woke Him and asked Him, "Master! Don't You care that we Re perishing!?" Jesus rises and rebukes the storm and the waves and then turns to His disciples and said a most curious thing: "Why is it that you have no faith?"

I've heard it taught that Jesus was telling them that THEY had been given authority to calm the storm. And though I do subscribe to that thought to a degree, could it be that it was something much simpler than that?

I submit this: Jesus was telling them, "Listen, Guys. When I told you that we were going to the other side, I didn't say we'd get there if the weather permitted. I said we're going to the other side because we have an ASSIGNMENT to complete there. So next time, I want you to believe me when I DECLARE something to you, ok? Ok."

The point is this: Whatever God has declared over your life, put your TOTAL confidence in His word because it will SURELY come to pass exactly as He said. Understand that there will always be opposition to your stand for God and for the Kingdom, but if we stay in our position of victory regardless of experience, if w fight to hold on to what we KNOW God gas told us, we will see our God-given purpose become a reality.

Press forward toward that which God has declared, but leave the fulfillment of His word in His hands. You and I are not big enough, strong enough, wise enough, ANYTHING enough (smile) to make it happen. We do what is before us to do and watch Him be faith to "complete that which He has began in you."

Peace

G

"Welcome Into the Stuff"

2010-11-12T06:39:00.000-08:00

There's a little phrase that sits in a frame on my desktop that I have sitting in from of me everyday. The phrase reads, "The man who KNEELS to God can STAND up to anything." That phrase is something that I try to practice everyday, though I don't always succeed. I mean, sometimes I come into the office and am more focused on welcoming the day instead of inviting the Lord of the day. Know what I mean? That's something that I really want to change.

It's sort of like stepping into a gun fight without putting bullets in the gun (ha)! That's not a good way to fight, but it's a great way to get slaughtered! And when we neglect kneeling before the Lord to welcome Him into our stuff, we become powerless to fight against the things that hit us. But welcoming God into the midst of our stuff, whatever our "stuff" is, gives us a much better perspective on how to view it. He empowers us to stand up in the midst of the stuff because we are able to see it from His perspective instead of our own.

Consider Elisha and his servant in 2 Kings 6:13-18. They were surrounded by the Syrian army and the servant became deathly afraid. Elisha told the man not to fear for "more are with us than are with them." He prayed for God to open the man's eyes, and when he did, the man saw the mountains full of horses and chariots of fire surrounding the Syrians. One perspective was that of the "stuff" while the other perspective was that of the Lord. Notice that the perspective they gave their attention to was the deciding factor in their victory or defeat. And because they were enabled to "see" from a different perspective, they walked out in victory.

If you're going through the "stuff" today, I encourage you to welcome the Lord into the midst of it and see from His perspective instead of what you're facing. What does God say about it? How does He see it? What's more is how does He see YOU in it? If you are willing to believe foudationally that God loves you, that He has your best in mind, that He's for you and not against you, that He is working on your behalf for good and not for evil, and are willing to fight for those foundational convictions, you will have positioned yourself to see CLEARLY from His perspective. These foundational convictions are to be the backdrop of our lives in Him from the beginning. The enemy knows this and tries to discredit God in our hearts all the time. If he succeeds in doing that, he weakens us at our core and then attacks with a vengeance.

Welcome God into your "stuff" today and see the salvation of your God. He's for you.

Peace

Reflections on How Cool God Is...

2010-11-09T07:21:00.000-08:00

So many times, stuff happens, ya know? I was sitting in my office and some friends walked in with a guest. As I stood there talking to them, the Lord began to reveal some things about the guest, whom I'd never met before, to encourage them with. Now, I had just gotten back home from a major ministry trip with Paul Wilbur and had been met with our only vehicle being out of commission. We had no money to cover the repairs. I had a fight going on in the inside to just stay positive. And when you have to fight to stay positive and had just poured out of your spirit for 6 days straight, it really is a challenge. You're tired physically and still have to hear God to minister to others.

Kinda tough at times under those conditions.

But along comes the Holy Spirit to help. As I stood there conversing with them, the Lord began to show some things in this friends life that He wanted to encourage over. He began to speak as this tired keyboard person began to listen. He received the glory and a fellow member of the family of the Lord was encouraged and edified.

It's always amazing what the Lord can do even if you're not feeling like you're in a position to be used by the Holy Spirit. Just goes to show that it's not us, but it's all Him and however He desires to flow.

Just be available to Him even in your weakness.

God bless you richly!

G

Emotions vs Truth

2010-07-19T15:19:00.000-07:00

At the time of this writing, this is a rather trying time on a very personal level. Ever been there? Ever felt like things just keep going wrong in certain areas no matter how hard you try to make them go right? I mean, you've done everything you know to do as well as you could, but no matter what, it seems that things strike against you and you find yourself on the ground again and again and again.

Why?

That's the question that continues to emerge from the rubble of frustration.

Unfortunately, more often than not, there are no answers to that monumental question. However, there is one thing to understand. That is this: we all have a common enemy and he doesn't ever play or fight fair. He doesn't know the meaning of courtesy or demilitarized zones. His is a "destroy at all costs" mentality. He hates you and me. For those of you who read this and are believers in Jesus, he hates the God you serve. He hates what you were created to do and to become and he wants you to become unproductive in all areas of your life. He fears your success in the Lord and wants you gone. But he's not just after you, he's after the seed you sow. He is after your seed.

Everything we do now is a seed planted into our future and will one day yield a harvest. The question is, "What kind of future are we planting for?" That is determined by the seeds of works and words you sow today. Life is a field, a fertile land, so be careful what you plant in it.

But sometimes when you plant seed in the ground, it just doesn't seem to be yielding anything no matter how you cultivate it. It seems like it's a struggle from the word go. Yet in other places in the field, other seed seems to sprout up with no problem. Why? I don't know. But the thing to remember is that you DID plant the right seed into the RIGHT soil. Therefore, no matter how long it takes, a good farmer will be certain to continue to do what he knows to do and to expect the harvest he has been wanting in due time. It doesn't matter what he feels or sees because he KNOWS how the laws of planting seeds in fertile soil works, and it always works. Therefore, what his emotions scream at him, he has a choice to make: Does he listen to the emotions or cling to the truth?

That's how things are for us. Our emotions scream at us, "Just give up! It's useless! You'll never win! Things will never change! Prayer won't work because it hasn't up to now! You're forsaken and done! You're wasting you time on this or that!" But WHAT DID GOD SAY? What did God say about His own word? "So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it." Isaiah 55:11. Now, did God say that His word wouldn't come back to Him void if it looks like it's working? No, He said it wouldn't come back to Him void PERIOD. And that includes HIS word that has come forth from YOUR mouth as well. His word is powerful seed planted in the soil of our hearts and released from our mouths. It is not dictated OR intimidated by what we FEEL with our emotions or SEE with our eyes.

I encourage you as I encourage myself with this note: BELIEVE GOD IN SPITE OF THE CIRCUMSTANCE.

Be blessed.

Surely You're Kidding!

2010-07-07T06:32:00.000-07:00

I received an email this morning from Godtube that just about took my breath away and made my blood boil. It was a story about a mosque being built at Ground Zero in New York. The statement made by the proponent of the building of the mosque said that it would be used as "a bridge for peace between Muslims and Americans." He goes on to say that the people desiring to have the mosque there were outraged at the attack on 9/11 and that is why they are wanting to erect the mosque.

GodTube video

Oh really?? Hmmmmm.

Tell me, where was the outcry from them condemning the attacks on 9/11? Why has it taken 10 years or so for them to surface with an "attempt" to do something about it or make a statement about it? Where is the consideration for and sensitivity towards the families who lost members in the collapse of the buildings on that day? And why now when we have a President who has on different occasions admitted he is a Muslim? Why now when the President has CLEARLY shown a bent toward Muslims and TOTALLY against the foundations upon which this nation was founded? Please understand and let me be clear. There is nothing at all wrong with being Muslim in the sense of being a people group. But there is something totally wrong with setting up what would be considered a monument to the destruction and murder of innocent people. And that is precisely how this edifice would be perceived.

Something is wrong.

Something is wrong when a people group affiliated with another people group responsible for the innocent and unnecessary deaths of thousands who did nothing to provoke it, desires to erect an edifice that represents the very people who committed such crime. What's worse it that something is wrong when some of the people of the land have no problem with it.

But something else is even more wrong.

WHERE IS THE CHURCH? Where are the believers, who have been given the right to bear the name of Jesus, that will stand up against injustice? Where are the intercessors that will join arms and bow the knee to pray for this nation and for the rulership of God to be manifest in our midst? Where is the outcry of the church against the unrighteousness in government? Where is the church that will band together and make their voices known at the voting booths? Are WE really that asleep? Have we REALLY given up our nation because of personal fear? Are we more concerned about offending others above offending God? What are we, the church, doing? Why are we silent.

What has happened to our nation?

Is this the "change" that this nation desires to embrace? Where are the absolutes? Where are the standards? Is there anyone who will put their foot down on solid ground and say, "NO! NOT HERE, NOT NOW, NOT EVER!"? We are a nation of survivors, a nation of people proud to be free. We are a nation that stands up for truth and righteousness. We are a nation founded on a solid and unmovable foundation and liberty fortified and purchased by the blood of countless brave Americans who embody the essence of what this nation stands for.

There was a day when the law meant something. There was a day when a slap in the face like this would NEVER be tolerated, much less given an audience. There was a time when the decisions of leadership in this nation would be immediately contested by a voice so loud, it would have shaken the foundations of the earth and knocked it off of its axis! Where is that voice now? Where are the watchmen on the wall who declare with a loud voice, "NOT ON MY WATCH!"? Where are the proud Americans who would dare to stand up in the face of tyranny and join forces to protect this nation and its inhabitants from enemies both foreign AND domestic? Are we so asleep? Have we changed from being the proud majestic Eagle to the frog boiling in a little water with NO IDEA he will be dead in a matter of minutes?

Here stands one.

This is MY nation and we have power in the polls, in the voting booths, in the media, and in print, and we CANNOT allow our voices to be silent. "Our voices become silent when our hearts become cold." May it not be said of us. May we not sit idly by and watch our nation become a sleeping giant again. Let the sleeping giant sleep no more! Let the mighty warrior be released to do battle against the forces that want to strip us of our God-given identity.

WE ARE AMERICA!