Still The Healer!

I am at a loss for words. I had my blog all planned out for the day and what you're reading now isn't what I had written. I was in the middle of writing on healing and I was using the song/video "Healer" to provide some additional multi-media stuff to what I was saying. In the middle of me typing, I decided to check out a song that I have come to know and worship to so often. As I was investigating the story behind the lyrics and the young man sickness that led him to write such a powerful song, I found a disturbing clip on youtube that implied his sickness was fake?

I thought to myself, "That's just like the world to try to take something so meaningful and wonderful 'away' from believers". Then I saw the interview where Mike, the songwriter, confessed that he never had cancer and that he had been living a lie to the world and to his wife and child and to his father, a pastor of a large Australian church.

I must confess that I am a bit devastated to hear this horrible news. Just 2 months ago, I listened to Darlene Czech, author of the famous "Shout To The Lord," speak about how moving it was to sing with this young man and what an inspiration he was to her...and now this. BY THE WAY, SCROLL DOWN TO THE VID BAR ON THE RIGHT AND WATCH AND LISTEN TO THIS POWERFUL SONG.

I am shaking my head in disbelief as I write this to you. Just last month, God used a portion of that song in my personal worship time to really show Himself to me. It's just hard to take in that all of the inspiration behind the song wasn't real. Who could lie to his family, stand up in front of thousands and proclaim that God can even heal cancer when he never even really had it? It makes me even madder to think that I know people at this very moment that are dying of cancer and yet he mocks them by faking this deadly disease. HOW COULD HE BE SO LOW? Now that I've said all of that I humbly must submit that the answer is simple...ANYONE can be so low and slimy!

If I put the shock factor of this aside for the purpose of trying to see this objectively, I understand how great his huge lapse in judgement could ultimately be. You see, I hate the fact that he deceived the world. I hate to hear him have to publicly speak of his own addiction to porn and the dark places it has taken him. I hate to hear him say that he has been living a lie. In spite of all of these things, the Word of God reminds us that all of us SIN and fall short. His sin became large and now is known throughout the world. His days of writing worship songs may be over. His actions are even negatively effecting his father's church. In spite of all of these consequences of his sins, there is still forgiveness. There is still redemption. He has confessed and hopefully turned from these things for good (repented). Now he must forgive himself as he is likely pleading for forgiveness to the Lord of Lords!

Can you imagine the burden that he no longer feels connected to because he told the truth FINALLY? Can you imagine just how much the truth HE has revealed has set him free? You see he really is free now. He is free to no longer live a lie, but free to live a life GENUINELY following after the Lord. I'm thankful that God has convicted him so strongly that he felt led to go on TV and confess to the world. How amazing too that he wrote a song about healing when that in fact is truly what he actually needed all along.

Mike's deception doesn't change the truth in the song or the meaning in the song. It says,

"You hold my every moment
You calm my raging seas
You walk with me through fire
And heal all my disease
I trust in You I trust in You

I believe You're my Healer
I believe You are all I need
I believe You're my Portion
I believe You're more than enough for me
Jesus You're all I need

My Healer, You're my Healer
Nothing is impossible for You
Nothing is impossible for You
Nothing is impossible for You
You hold my world in Your hands"

OKAY so because the man singing and leading this song was supposedly dying of cancer certainly made it more powerful to listen to but it doesn't change the fact that God IS OUR HEALER...HE IS OUR PORTION...God really is MORE THAN ENOUGH for us to get through whatever it is we are going through.

Don't give up on God healing and restoring just because a man made some big mistakes. God is still the ONE who redeems and forgives and heals! There is no deception in that statement and it is truth!

If you're out there in blog world reading this and you feel like you've been this guy...living a lie...deceiving your family...whatever...please go speak to your pastor or a Christian friend you can trust...use this man's life as an example of repenting and being free from your sinful ways once and for all! The Lord is faithful to us and wants to forgive us...that is why He sent Jesus to the world after all. He's standing at the door knocking on your heart! Let Him in!

The Shack

On Sunday one of my dear friends Wendy let me borrow a copy of a book called, "The Shack". Wendy had read the book at the urging of her mom (serving in South Africa...keep them in your prayers) and then Wendy urged Neal and I to read it.

I want to thank Wendy for getting this book in my hands. It was one of the most amazing books I've ever read outside of the Bible itself. It's a fictional book that uses God's Word to help a man named Mack through some hard times in his life. The book will challenge your humanistic views that we have created about God, but I promise you will not put it down if you ever start reading it.

I read the book in 2 days and cried for about 12 hours it seemed. I know we men don't like to cry, but this wasn't necessarily tears of emotion over what I was reading, but tears of grief over the things that I felt conviction on as I read this book.

My blog request to those reading it is this....GO BUY THIS BOOK AND READ IT NOW...then get it into the hands of the hurting, of those that may be lost, confused or unsure about life and about God. Get it into the hands of a friend today!

LET IT RAIN!

Don't forget...you don't need to register to make a comment on this blog...simply type your comment and choose anonymous user and then post comment...now on with the blog!

It's raining! After several weeks without rain, we have finally seen the heavens open up! Thanks to the leftovers of Tropical Storm Fay we may all get some needed rain. I have about 70 feet of cable running through my yard that I have to bury and the ground is too hard to dig. I figured the only way to make it rain was to wash my car (LOL!) but thankfully the Lord sent the rain!

The grass at my house is brown and dry! To be honest that's the way I've been feeling now for a few months - brown and dry. Do you ever get that way? On top of me feeling burned out, I feel brown and dry spiritually. In my examination over what's going on, I've figured out the problem. It's me. Somewhere in the chaos and confusion over moving all summer, I've allowed my personal time with the Lord shrink and shrink and shrink. The reason I'm not feeling connected is because I'm not. I've gotten caught up in the motions of what I enjoy doing here at the church in my roles, but my personal role in my relationship with Christ has been suffering terribly.

Stay with me here....In Ukraine there was a government-made famine back in 1932. Millions of farmers and their families died of starvation during this terrible tragedy. Please understand, the famine didn't happen because there was no rain or because the crops weren't growing. No! The harvest was always plentiful, but the worms in Stalin's government would take the harvest and ship it to different parts of the Soviet Empire. Thus the very people that raised the food died by the thousands. No, this famine wasn't brought on by drought it was brought on by man.

Just a few years ago, I remember the horrible images showing on the TV screens of small children in Africa starving to death because there was a terrible drought in the land. The rain refused to fall for years and the land had dried up and become incapable of producing a harvest to feed the people. There simply was no food to distribute.

Our spiritual life can often go through these types of cycles. Sometimes the famine we feel like we are experiencing is because we create the conditions that lead to that famine (like in Ukraine). We don't get in the Word, we don't pray daily or pray enough daily, we aren't praising God for what He has done and on and on. When we start neglecting these key elements in our relationship with Him, we should only expect one outcome...famine...and we have ourselves to blame.

Our relationship with Christ must be personal. How long would your marriage last if you sat on the couch all day and night and did what you wanted to do but ignored your spouse completely? Most likely, the relationship would be seriously strained. As a husband or wife you must invest time and activities and communication into the marriage or it will be doomed for failure. We should take our walk with Christ to the same level, but often let everything take priority over doing the things we should be doing to deepen our relationship with Him.

Sometimes, even when we are doing the things we are SUPPOSED to be doing, the Lord allows us to experience a time to where it seems like He's not moving, like there's no rain. I assure you though that He is still there, working and moving in unseen ways. Perhaps He's trying to make you even more HUNGRY for Him...that's what drought does right...makes us more hungry. When we are desperate people we cry out for relief, we cry out for the rain.

I have to say I'm thankful for the rain today in so many ways. I'm thankful the dust is washed off of my car, that my yard may turn green again, and I'm thankful that the Lord has used the rain to remind me of my shortcomings with Him over the last few weeks. It's time for this Ron-made drought to be over!

NO COMMENT!?!

Good morning everyone. I have changed the administrative settings on the blog so you don't have go through the annoying process of registering if you want to leave a comment on my blog about something that I've written.

All you have to do to comment is click on the comment like at the bottom of my posted blog, type in your reply or comment, verify the word that is shown on the screen, and then click on publish comment!

I love getting feedback so don't be shy. Who knows? I may find a guest blogger out there who would like to write and post their own blog from time to time!

Well the Olympics are over! I didn't bother watching the closing ceremonies. Instead I read on the book "The Shack". Wendy and Pastor Neal are so excited about this book that I have to get it read so they will stop talking in code around me so that they won't reveal too many details! It's going to be an interesting book that I believe will challenge how we view our relationships with the people that we love. It seems it will also be a book that will help us look at God in a way that maybe we don't look at Him. I don't know. I'm interested though to find out. I will say that from what I've read so far it's very well written. The imagery is wonderful and as you read, it's as if the words just pour off of the page and transform into a great visual in the imagination!

Anyone, I know there's not much stuff here today to read about, but it is Monday! I'll have more tomorrow! Until then!

OUT of STEAM? BE STILL!

Good Friday to everyone in blog world! I must confess I am simply out of steam today. After the last few weeks of moving and trying to get settled down and then staying up too late to watch the Olympics, I am just plain out of energy.

It's called burnout and I'd like to officially welcome myself to this horrible state of mind. Does anyone out there ever feel this way? Surely I'm not the only one. I enjoy being actively involved in whatever. I like busy-work. Joy, a lady at our church, and I joke about never being able to rest. She's one of those that can't relax either. We've joked that her husband and my wife should start a support group for themselves because they simply look at us and shake their heads when they see that we are unable to relax and be still even if a TV show is on.

I've learned that I have to be careful with this same issue in my ministry as well. You see, I like to plan and organize and make things happen, but sometimes I try to do them in my own energy and strength. Sometimes I catch myself not asking God first because I'm confident in what I'm doing. There's nothing wrong with using the gift that He's blessed me with to make sure things happen and get done, but there is something wrong if I'm never still before Him and say, "Is this what You want for us God" or "Am I on the right track". It's kind of like the free will He gives us all. We have the right to choose Him or not and yet once we accept Him we should basically turn that free will over to our master each day. It's still our life, yes, but He should be at the head of every decision and choice. When we get this into our way of thinking we then become His bond servant, working for and with the Master not because we have to but because we want to.

When I fail to ask first, I ultimately end up doing it on my own and then I do not have anything left in me after it's all said and done. WHY? Because I tried to do it within my own power and not His. I'm slow and stubborn to learn I guess. I hung a picture up on the wall in our living room last night and it said the all too familiar passage, "Be still and know that I am God." Sometimes I guess I have to remind myself to be still and let Him be God or to be still and know that Ron's not God.

Oh it's so hard to be so honest about yourself in a public forum like this but that's me in a nutshell. When used in the right way, great things happen in our lives and our ministry. When it isn't, then we get a burned out Ron. I pray that if you see a little bit of yourself in me to please, slow down a little bit, enjoy the sunsets, the deer in the field, the screaming kids in your ear, and BE STILL from time to time. You'll find it resting, relaxing, and refreshing! He is God. Let Him be Lord!

Fay Won't Behave

One of the things you may or may not know about me is that I love weather. My dream when I was growing up was to be a meteorologists. I am especially fascinated by hurricanes. I spent many summer days watching the Weather Channel on my grandmother's satellite dish and when the local forecast would come on I would pretend I was giving the weather. I even went so far to get copies of a map of the USA and draw fronts and other weather symbols on them as I gave the weather. Of course, me being the hurricane buff that I am I would often have 2 or 3 hurricanes slamming into the coast at one time.

From time to time I will use my blog to talk about things like weather and politics and my life in general. I anxiously await winter when I can post my personal opinions on what I think a snowstorm will or will not do to our area. The weather people in Roanoke get it wrong very very often.

Anyway, I am fascinated by a persistent tropical storm named Fay. Did you know that the eye of Fay has made 3 landfalls (Key West, Marco Island, and Daytona Beach). It's very unusual for such an event to take place. Only Gordon in 1994 and Donna in 1960 have made any such onslaught onto the "Sunshine State" of Florida. It looks like Fay will continue to push inland around the outer edge of the High pressure system and rain itself out over land. Of course in the dark recesses of my weather mind, I think of the possibility that it could actually come out just below the panhandle into the gulf before making it's final turn northward. Who knows? If that were to happen it would be that Fay made landfall 4 times onto one state. I'm sure that will be a new record indeed.

If you're still reading this by now, I'm impressed. Most have you have already fallen asleep or checked out Neal's blog. I know, I know...it's weather, but hey, it's what I love. Thanks for sticking with me!

Looking Back and Looking Ahead

Yesterday was an exciting day at our house. We had carpet added to our living and bed rooms. It made a big difference in the house and I dare say it's never looked better!

As I was cleaning out one of our storage areas yesterday I found a photograph of my great grandmother sitting on the front porch of the house we now live in. It looked like she was relaxed and enjoying life. I sat in amazement at the fact that so many generations have lived there. To think that my grandparents and my great-grandparents have enjoyed their lives and raised children in the exact same place I am is a bit too much to think take in. As I looked at that picture I thought about what my great grandmother must have been looking at as she stared off ahead of her. What did she see? The same beautiful line of mountains that adorn our view to the south? Did she gaze out towards the garden and reflect upon the good or the bad season of crops they would have? Did she watch as her daughter (my grandmother) played in the yard under the sugar maple tree with her grandson (my father)?

It's all a bit much really when you look back and think about those types of things. Now we sit in the same antique metal chairs looking at the same beautiful vistas, watching Katie swing in the hammock under the same tree that I swung in and that my dad probably climbed. Heritage is a wonderful thing really. It's nice to be able to look back and see pictures of the home that my grandmother made for her family and that we are now making for ours. There was a lot family pride in me when I replaced my grandfather's old mailbox and planted a new one in the same spot with 196 GIBSON shining proudly back at me!

The house that we are living in is perfect for our family. I can see the craftsmanship and skill and care that my grandfather took when he built it. Little did he ever guess that his grandson would one day need a home to raise his family in that was well built and ready for living in. I'm sure he never would have imagined that Gibsons would again occupy the land that he cared so deeply for.

Family heritage, as far as possessions are concerned, is indeed something to be proud of. I'm even more proud of the Godly heritage however that my family has passed on for generations. All of my grandparents were spiritual influences for me, especially my Grandaddy Manuel. I can still remember him opening up his Bible at the beginning of every morning to have time in the Word. They raised Godly children who have gone on to raise Godly children. I am just so thankful that we have a Godly heritage to be thankful for and proud of too. God is so good!

This makes me think about the lost in places like Ukraine. Their spiritual heritage simply doesn't exist. People my age only know one thing there...and that is that there is no God. The USSR implemented an atheistic protocol in terms of religion back in the 1930s. Since then millions of Russians/Soviets have entered into a belief system that will or has led them straight to hell. Generation after generation lost to the darkness.

I want our friends that we work with in Ukraine to one day be able to write blogs about their spiritual heritage in Christ. I want them to know the Savior! I want them to know the freedom they have. Please pray that as we can so easily look back on our own blessed life as free people and as Christians, that we will look ahead as well and say to the Lord, "Here am I. Send me."

China Confiscates Bibles

Happy Monday friends! I trust you had an enjoyable weekend! Sarah and I have been busy working on our new house. For those of you who may not know, we have moved twice in the course of just 6 weeks. I joke around with my friends and say that all I ever do is go on mission trips and move because that's about all I've gotten done this summer it seems.

We are now living in my grandparents old house and we absolutely love it. In my childhood I spent a lot of my summers and afternoons here. I feel like I'm home! I feel a great sense of peace and happiness here. Even though the moving and the work involved around the moving has been a bit overwhelming, it will definately be worth it!

"I read the news today oh boy" (line from Beatles song) and I gazed in amazement at an article about our not-so-tolerant friends in the Chinese government. It seems they decided to confiscate 300 Chinese Bibles from some women from Kentucky who were attempting to take the Bibles in to distribute to the persecuted Chinese Christians. China, an atheistic-based nation, told them they could have one personal copy for themselves and the rest they would "take care of" (sure they'll take care of them...can we all say bon fire).

I shook my head in disbelief as I read the article, but as I write this I realize that we should never be shocked to read that the Chinese government are allowing Bibles to be taken or that they would arrest and imprison Christians and force them to make Christmas tree lights for us here in the states. A Godless government is going to behave like we would expect a Godless government to behave.

In hindsight, I guess what shocks me the most and yet pleases me the most is to hear that these women were taking a chance. They "got out of the boat" and did something that many are unwilling to do. How many people do you know would try to sneak Bibles into China? Would you be willing to try?

I applaud these bold women! Paul was also willing to take the Truth into nations and areas that were unreceptive. He was persecuted for his actions as well, but his boldness and courage from the Holy Spirit helped spread the truth of the Lord Jesus to a lost world. Jesus told us that if they hated Him that they would hate us too. No, we should never be shocked to hear that persecution happens. Instead we must realize that it exists and is very real.

Even though we may have Joel Olsteen and others like him preaching nothing but fluff, happy skies, smooth sailing, and prosperity to the American Church the believers who are actually doing something for the Kingdom are being arrested, beaten, whipped, and yes killed because they preach and share the Truth of Jesus with the world. I'm sure you won't hear Mr. Olsteen preaching on that side of Christianity. As I said, persecution is real and instead of worrying about how God is going to prosper us we need to be interceding for our brothers and sisters around the world who are bold, brave, and full of courage as they spread the seed of the gospel.

GO UNTIL HE SAYS STOP

The call to "Go" to our community, our state, our continent, and our world was the LAST recorded words of Jesus in Acts 1:8. His last words and His last command should be at the TOP of every Evangelical Christian Church across the globe. It's funny to me, however, that we often shove that command somewhere down the list right after many internal church programs that only appease and entertain those that sit on the pews each week. Reaching the lost of the world must come first. How do we so easily forget, or better yet, ignore this call?

After my first trip to Ukraine, I came back with a life-changing perspective on the importance of telling the world that Jesus lives and is Lord. I was so excited about this new insight and told everyone I knew about the things I experienced and how it had changed me. I became frustrated with the blank stares. I grew bored of the line, "Well I just don't felt led to go myself, but I think it's great that you do."

At what point in God's Word does He say, "Don't 'go' until I say to." Let's see...oh that's right, you won't find it in the Bible. He tells us simply to "Go"! He isn't concerned about your vacation schedule, how hardcore you boss may be, or what your finances are. He is asking, no telling us, to go. My challenge to you today is just to consider the places you "go".

Now let me be clear, I believe that God uses different people for different missions opportunities. For example, Joe Doe may be the type of person that has health issues and can't travel by air. Joe Doe however may be just the perfect person to head up some of the local missions programs that will reach the lost in his community. Mary Doe may work for the government and unable to go to certain countries in the world, but Mary still makes every effort to participate in state and national missions, like Disaster Relief. My point is, you may not be a world traveler or you may hate staying at home. At the end of the day, you simply need to jump on board at your church and "go". Whether it's across the street, across the country, or across the international date line you need to go.

One of the great things about our church body is their ever-increase awareness to go. We have lots of people that aren't necessarily going to get on a plane and fly to Ukraine or South Africa, but we have plenty that can help us with a local mission event we call Community Spring Fest. We feed the entire community for free and have a huge yard sale and great activities for the kids. The first year we did this local mission outreach, we fed about 180 people. This past year the Lord brought almost 1200 to our event and several accepted Christ! Praise God! Almost everyone from our church body turned out to be a part of this outreach event. They did indeed go, even if was to the park down the street!

Where will you "go" and what will you be a part of that may make a difference in someones eternity?

The Ultimate Goal

WELCOME TRAILBLAZERS!!!

It's exciting to begin this new Trailblazer Missions and Music blog for our PBC family and friends! It is my hope that you will find some great resources and insight through our postings and our links.

Our Missions department has had an action-packed year. We have traveled from New Hampshire to Alaska and to Ukraine. We have seen the Lord work and move in marvelous ways!

My role as a Missions and Music Pastor may seem like a strange combination of responsibilities. After all, what do the two have in common? John Piper wrote a great article for "Decision" magazine that really helped me understand just how linked those two roles actually are.

"Missions is not the ultimate goal of the Church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn't. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall of their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. WORSHIP ABIDES FOREVER!"

It may surprise you to learn that some people have suggested that maybe our church body is doing too many mission trips!??!. After all, on top of our nation and international travel we are active locally in our community with some great mission outreaches just in the area. As a Missions Pastor, I understand how expensive trips around the globe can be. I know too how hard it is to leave wife and kids behind. I know how draining physically it is on the body.

I also know that God wants EVERY tribe, EVERY tongue and EVERY nation to worship and sing His praise. Remember, the Bible says, "Let EVERYTHING that have breath praise the Lord." It doesn't say, let just the Americans and a few other like-minded nations praise the Lord. The Lord wants EVERYTHING that breaths to praise HIM and HIM alone! We cannot slow down our drive and our passion to take trips and to serve locally because there are people in every nation that should be praising and worshipping our Saviour right now as we read this. We must be urgent. We must be diligent. We must not waiver. We must not wait or keep thinking about it. We must act. WE MUST GO! How can people worship Him if they never hear and how can they hear if we sit at home and never go? It is our job to Go. The lost of the world are waiting for us to get off of our duff and get on with the business of sharing the story of salvation and redemption with everyone!

Bottom line...."Worship is the fuel and goal of missions. Missions begins in worship!"

If you have never shared your faith or if you've always thought you wanted to go on a missions outreach trip I'd like to ask you this, "What are you waiting for?" The time is now. Will you be a harvester or an on-looker. We can pray for the harvest til we're blue in the face, but we still need to be in the fields if we want to gather it. Join us! Become a trailblazer for Christ from here to the ends of the earth...the nations are waiting for YOU!

If you don't read it already, I encourage you to check our Pastor Neal's blog site as well at pbcvoice.blogspot.com.