THE UNDONE WORSHIPPER

From Matt Redman's "Unquenchable Worshipper"...from Chapter 2...being undone before the Lord is one of my favorite ways to visualize our response to His glory and our response to His calling...When we are "undone" how do we respond, how do we live? Have a great Friday...Ron


CHAPTER 2
´I saw the Lord, sitting on a throne´

´. . . the train of His robe filling the temple . . .´

´Seraphim stood above Him . . . ´

´And one called out to another and said ´Holy, Holy, Holy . . .´

´And the foundation of the thresholds trembled at the voice . . .

The intensity of the opening verses in Isaiah 6 build one upon the other, a steady drumbeat marking the march towards the moment of realization. Whenever that moment took place, it becomes clear that, in verse 5, reality came crashing down around the prophet -

´Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips, for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.´

The Oxford English Dictionary defines ´undone´ as ´destruction.´ If Isaiah 6 is about a picture of God´s grandeur and glory, then it´s also, at the same time, about the ´destruction´ of the prophet himself. The two seem to go hand in hand. When faced with one of the most glorious visions of unhindered, true worship of God, he declares his own ruination and destruction. He didn´t need a lesson in theology to understand that he could not survive standing on his own merit in the presence of eternal perfection. In Isaiah´s mind, meeting God in such a way marked the beginning of the end.

There are moments in worship when we must, like Isaiah, declare that we are undone, that we are ruined, that the ways in which we still cling to what Paul called the ´old self´, must be destroyed if we are to be in the presence of our King.

Chapter 6 could have ended with the doomed finality of Isaiah´s own words. But God, in his unknowable, unfathomable love and mercy grants us a fresh, new start -

´Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand . . . He touched my mouth with it and said, ´Behold, this has touched your lips and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven.´

Undone worshippers do the hard work of turning the light of God´s glory into the corners and crevices of their souls, to find any way that may be unpleasing to the Lord. When called, they humbly return to the realization that they cannot stand on their own, that they must be cleansed, regardless of the cost. They realize that, only once they have been undone by God´s holiness and glory and restored by His love, can they begin again and fully respond to His call -

´Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?´

Scripture Review

Scripture tells an amazing story of a God searching, seeking, and hungering after a relationship with humanity. In that story there are moments of revelation in which the Lord bursts through time and space and meets with men and women, young and old, rich and poor to point them towards Him. Some are healed, some are comforted, and some are undone. Below are a few passages to read, consider or pray through as an individual or as a group. They are stories of undone worshippers throughout scripture. They are individuals who have found themselves broken in the presence of the Lord and yet, in that brokenness, found grace, hope, empowerment and promise for the future.

Saul/Paul: Acts 9 verses 1-17
King David: Psalm 51
Thief on the Cross: Luke 23 verses 35-43
Peter: Luke 5 verses 1-11
John: Revelation 1 verses 9-20

Questions for Study

1. Psalm 139 verses 23-24 is a passage that strikes at the heart of what it means to be an undone worshipper. David decides that he wants so much of God that he asks God to search his heart for any hint of sin. Undone worshippers invite God to point out any sin in their lives because they knew that this was the only pathway to true and unhindered worship. Consider whether or not you need to move from being a reactive to a proactive undone worshipper. Is it time to move on from waiting for God to point out ways you need to change and begin to tenaciously pursue holiness?

2. Essential to understanding the idea of being an undone worshipper is the idea of God as both a tough and tender Father. Many of us have real trouble balancing those notions of God in our hearts and minds. We may run from being an undone worshipper because we are afraid of seeing God as some angry and wrathful Father who wants to punish and inflict pain upon us. Others of us may live and dwell in our past, not forgiving ourselves though God has forgiven us, punishing ourselves and never allowing ourselves to move on in freedom, love and acceptance. How do you see your Heavenly Father? Does your view of God hinder your ability to fully become the undone worshipper He wants you to be? Have the events and relationships in your family or your life skewed your idea of the God described to us in Scripture

UNQUENCHABLE?

I am including an excerpt from Matt Redman's THE UNQUENCHABLE WORSHIPPER for some insight on dealing with life and loss.....

"Who could blame him really? In a matter of days Job had lost his fortune. His children had been suddenly taken from him. The pain from the boils that covered his skin must have been unbearable. All of it; his health, wealth, and family was gone. Job was not dead, but that was just a minor technicality. And so Job´s outburst is understandable, for deep suffering isn´t only looking for the pain to end, but for an answer to the question: ´Why me?´

´If I have walked with falsehood . . . and my foot has hastened after deceit, let Him weigh me with accurate scales and let God know my integrity . . (Job 31 v 5-6) Oh, that I had one to hear me! Behold, here is my signature, let the Almighty answer me! And the indictment which my adversary has written . . . I would bind it to myself like a crown.´ (Job 31 v 35, 36b)

And how does God respond? He does not defend Himself. He does not explain Himself. God chooses to reveal Himself.

´Have you ever in your life commanded the morning, and caused the dawn to know its place, that it might take hold of the ends of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it . . .(Job 38 v 12-13) Who has put wisdom in the innermost being or given understanding to the mind? Who can count the clouds by wisdom, or tip the water jars of the heavens?´ (Job 38 v 36-37)

When silence falls once again, Job finds that the answer to his suffering is not found by asking: ´why´ but by knowing: ´Who.´ It is not found in questioning God´s worth, but in seeing Him for who He is. God answers the problem of Job´s suffering with the grand and wonderful mystery of His power and presence. Job himself says as much:

´I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted. (Job 42 v 2) I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; but now my eye sees You.´ (Job 42 v 5)

An unquenchable worshipper does not rely upon endurance, doctrine, or determination alone. An unquenchable worshipper returns again and again to the revelation of a God whose worth and whose love does not waver to spite our suffering. An unquenchable worshipper can sing then with Job perhaps one of the most profound lines in all of Scripture:

´The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.´ (Job 1 v 21)

THINGS TO ASK AND CONSIDER...
Chapter 1 of this book looked at the analogy of a fire needing heat, oxygen and fuel to keep going. We can lose the ´heat´ in our worship by allowing the cares and struggles of life to take our focus away from God. Essential ´oxygen´ can be cut off when we don´t allow the Holy Spirit to take the role of lead worshipper in every aspect of our lives; in church and outside of it. And finally, we can shut down our fire´s ´fuel´ supply by not recognizing the revelation of God´s power and glory all around us. How strongly is the fire of your worship burning right now? Could it be fading in any way because of a lack of heat, oxygen or fuel? What steps can you take today to stoke your worship´s fire?

AND SHE WILL BE CALLED...

We it's finally settled. After months of agonizing over what to name our little girl we have finally decided.

You see ever since we've found out that Sarah was expecting we've wanted to name the baby a name that had significance. It was made even more apparent when I went to Africa and was reminded by the wonderful people there just how important a person's name is to them. So Sarah and I knocked several names around and just really couldn't decide. We started off liking Chloe but we just weren't sure if that was it. We moved on to Piper and Annalee and even Emma. All of those are great but we just didn't know which one to choose.

We've actually been praying about it. I know that this may sound crazy for some of you reading this that we would pray over such a relatively simple decision but it's that important to us! Anyway last night I'm reading "The Timothy Diary" and there was an obscure reference to the "household of Chloe" in the Corinthian Church plants. Since this book is "historical fiction" I decided I needed to see if this name Chloe was really in the Bible or was this simply a part of the story by the author. Sure enough there it was..in verse 1:11...For it has been declared to me of you, my brothers, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

I guess I've never remembered reading her name before, but the name Chloe is in the Bible. So I've been trying to understand who this Chloe was...the name is only mentioned once and not much is known specifically about her...here's what some of the Bible commentators say about the matters...

JOHN WESLEY..Chloe - Whom some suppose to have been the wife of Stephanas, and the mother of Fortunatus and Achaicus. By these three the Corinthians had sent their letter to St. Paul.

OR

FROM UMC...The church community gathered in the triclinium ("three reclining places room" at left) for a meal before worship. The dining room of a Roman house, which would have been furnished with couches (lecti). After dinner, services were held in the tablinum, the office or study. If the group was large, people stood in the atrium or peristylium. the tablinum was the office of the male head of the household. In Roman society and the Corinthian church, who headed households also, meaning that some Christian group's met in a woman's office. Women in early Christianity took on some of the same leadership roles as men within the congregation. One such woman was Chloe (1 Corinthians 1:11). "Chloe's people" were slaves, freed persons, or both

Lorraine Cunningham, in her book, "Why Not Women" said..."It seems Chloe was more than a homeowner, she was a leader in the Corinthian house churches. If she was a leader, Paul's letter takes on a new urgency. Paul wasn't responding to some idle gossip that had made its way to him. He was responding to the report of an official delegation sent by one of the church's leaders. And he took her report seriously. Paul [obviously] considered her assessment to be trustworthy. Because he believed the evaluation on the condition of God's people, we have the letter of 1 Corinthians. (pg 147/148).

Well needless to say I'm pretty excited that a name we like is after all in God's Word. I'm even more thrilled that her role in one of the house churches of Corinth was apparent and Paul obviously trusted her leadership and judgment to know that he needed to write a letter.

For Sarah and me the issue is now settled! Our little girl will be Chloe Annalee Gibson and may she be the hands or feet for the Kingdom of God and the declarer of truth to lost people around the globe!

FROZEN? ARE YOU SERIOUS?

I heard on the news that Simon Cowell of American Idol wants to be frozen when he dies...guess he wants to insult people hundreds of years from now too - LOL! Anyway, Cowell believes that technology is developing that will allow his body to be frrozen now so that he would be able to be resurrected in the next century.

It's amazing to me that there are so many people in the world that are worried about coming back to life. I mean let us be serious for one second. Who want want to come back to life on this earth in 100 years? It's bad enough now, can you even imagine what it would be like in another century?

It seems people will go to great lengths to avoid accepting the ONE thing that can bring them everlasting life. I understand that man has been inventing ways since the dawn of age that they believe will lead to eternal life or even another life and then another life. Why is it that we try to put our hopes in technology or science or OURSELVES so that we can maintain life or have everlasting life and yet we completely reject the only HOPE that we do have and that is in trusting and believing in Jesus. Yes He died and then He rose again so that when we that put our faith in Him can live AGAIN (after we die) with Him in heaven. Perhaps mankind believes that it's just too easy to do this. Perhaps we think that it can't REALLY be that simple? So we make up stupid stuff and go to complicated means so that we can have a false sense of peace in OURSELVES and our own abilities? I don't know?

The world rejects Christ and yet we embrace being frozen so that we can live again. It's sad that our world is so exceedingly blinded by the lies and deception of the enemy. Since the days of Eve, people have been in a mindset of unbelief that God is who His Word says He is. We really don't trust HIM to save us and free us from our sin, instead WE in our super-human minds believe that you have to pay priests for forgiveness or go up and down a set of steps on our knees like Luther so we can "make up" for our sins. And so believe that it is your own good deeds and works that will save you...it's Christ + nothing that sets us free, saves us from our sins, and ensures that we can be in heaven with Him for eternity. Put away your ice chambers Simon and put your faith in trust in the only one who can set us free!

THE BLESSING OF OUR NATION

There's something that's really been on my mind this week and something that I'd like to research further. Have you ever stopped to think about our nation in terms of her being evangelized? I have no research notes or anything for reference for this posting, just some thoughts and questions.

I have a map of the globe hanging in the stairwell leading to my office and it shows all of the nations of the world with respects to the degree of evangelization of each country. What stands out more than anything is how "green" the US is colored in compared with so much of the rest of the globe. There are others, like Australia, Sweden/Norway area of Europe and some parts of Brazil that are seeing a good saturation of the gospel, but nothing stands out more than our USA! What I look at too is just how unevangelized other parts of the world are. If you look at Turkey, it is only "partially" reached...most yellows and oranges (red is the most unreached with green the most reached). I guess I look at Turkey specifically because I've been reading a book on the missionary journeys of Paul and he did so much work in Asia Minor at getting the gospel to them, and yet some 2000 years later the church still isn't nearly as established as it is in areas that have only had the gospel for much less time.

These are all questions in my head that I'm asking myself...feel free to answer via a comment...but what makes the USA "receive" the gospel and what has kept Asia Minor from growing the seeds that were sown by Paul? What makes us different? Why did God choose us, the United States of America, to be so effectively planted and then harvested? Why do some parts of the world who have had the gospel for 2000 years still struggle with a belief in Christ, when we've had ours 400 years and we're considered a "reached" nation? I would love to know who it was that took the gospel of Jesus Christ to England. Was it some little missionary who had the heart to share Jesus, the real Jesus? Was it simply the Lord working through Martin Luther that woke up the otherwise asleep "Evangelical Church" that took him from going up and down stairs on his knees for penance to trusting that GRACE in Jesus was enough? Was it Luther that challenged the system and ushered in the entire new reformation that ultimately led people in England to want to have religious freedom from the Church of England so desperately that they sailed the high seas and founded America? Or was it SPECIFICALLY a pastor that shared Jesus with someone there who ultimatly had a major say on the happenings here in the yet-to-be-called United States?

If so, once they got here did "they" just plant their feet and say we are going to found a nation based on Christ and Christ only? and as a result of that their children were brought up with an understanding of grace and faith in Jesus? And then their children and their children and their children?

I guess the one thing that we had going for us was that of a truly NEW nation...When Paul was preaching in now modern Turkey, he was preaching Jesus to people who either worshipped other false gods or worshipped the Law of Moses. He was working against much unbelief that had been firmly entrenched.

When the settlers came to America they did not take on the belief systems of the land...no they stayed away from the Indians' customs and they worshipped Christ the Savior. They were not swayed and they had nothing to build the faith of this nation upon except THE CORNERSTONE...JESUS. Look at the results...400 years of plenty, blessing, and being used to evangelize other nations of the globe.

I'd really like to see the flow of the gospel from the time of Paul to the nations of Europe to America and then to the entire globe. I bet it would be quite astounding to see the change in global evangelization once believers in America started going out and sharing and equipping new believers in other nations...love to see that map!

The thing is we still have the power of the Holy Spirit in us as believers. We can still make a difference in this nation and this world, one mission at a time. May we be as bold as our founding fathers as we declare the ways of our Lord. Let me know if you have any insight into this...I'm going to do some research of my own and I'll share with you anything I think is worthy of posting.

PRAYER ALERT

Hello everyone. Please be in prayer for our two missionaries in East Asia. Without going into a lot of detail they, along with their team are being watched by the local police and the government. Now this is no surprise as they constantly live with that expectation, but right now everything is being very carefully monitored by the authorities because of issues that existed in the local area with local people about this time last year. What happens over the next few weeks with their targeted people group could affect their "work" for months or even years to come so please lift them up in your prayers and ask the Lord to keep their identity concealed.

I am also asking that today you pray specifically for our missionaries in South Africa as well. Rich and Michelle Franzen have been trying to acquire permanent residency status for several years now and they keep hitting walls. Once they receive this status by the local goverment it will much easier for them to acquire land and do other specific ministry-related tasks. One thing I learned while I was in Africa was that it takes forever to do anything. For example it was so easy to get into the country...no visas or hassels with customs...just get the passport stamped and boom...you're in! BUT GO TO EXCHANGE MONEY...oh that was like signing over your first born. It took 30 minutes a person just to trade out money...not counting the lengthy "application" process. Anyway, I saw all of that to ask that you pray that the junk that is hindering these things be removed and the path paved for them.

Thanks again for your prayer support of our friends and missionaries. May the Lord bless you!

Ron

THE NEW HALLELUJAH!

I'm really excited today! Oh yes, I am aware that it's Monday and that it's cold and that there are snow flurries flying around, but it doesn't diminish my joy! My heart is leaping inside of me and my spirit sings as I think about the return trip to Africa this upcoming fall.

We have finally nailed down our trip dates (October 9-17th) and we are gearing up for what's certain to be another Spirit-filled adventure on mission for God. What gets me even more excited is the prospect of other churches joining us in our work as we go. On of our former members, Allison, who is in NC serving with her husband Ryan at Etowah Baptist, is going to put together a team from their church body that go along with along our team!

In the back of my mind I think about all of the logistical issues that may come up or how much harder it may be to manage a large group than our small group from last year...but like I said that's all in the BACK of my mind. In the front of my mind, I can only think of one thing and that's of the faces of the people that heard the gospel last year. I see their eyes as they hear. I watch the fear melt off of them when they understand in their heart that they don't have to die and go to hell. Oh yes, I think of the many many more faces that we will see because so many more people will be going. As more people go then more people will hear! And as more people hear, more people will believe! That's what Paul tells us in Romans and I cling to those things! I am hoping for at least 20 people on this mission and if more can go then we'll take more.

God wrecked me a few years ago. Back in 2006 I went on my very first missions trip. I had no idea how "messed up" I would become. Since that trip, I have followed the Lord's leading into the field and here at home. I left my job to serve as the missions pastor for our church and I now seek out ways and means for us to serve Him in greater ways through outreach. There is a "new hallelujah" (as Michael W. Smith sings) that has yet to be sung in so much of the world and here in the USA. I'm looking to go where the Lord says, "I want a NEW hallelujah to rise up and honor and praise me from here or here." I want to be a part of the heavenly harvest and I want others to see how God is moving around the globe!

Hear my heart today friends. God is not willing that any should perish...but how they can live with Him eternally if they never hear of HIS grace, of HIS great love for US? Go, just go...it's not a matter of whether you should or not is it? He has ALREADY said that we should "go" (see Acts 1:8)...the only question now is will you?

MY LOVE...

I want to take this opportunity to tell the world just how much I love my wonderful wife Sarah. God has truly blessed me with this beautiful, Godly woman. I'm so very thankful for her love, her friendship, and her support of the things the Lord leads us into! It is her love for Him that makes her love of me so much more incredible. I love you honey! Ron

HINDERED HARVESTERS

I received an update from my friends and missionaries Rich and Michelle Franzen (from South Africa). I am posting it here so that you can read and see for yourself how desperate our field workers are to have people come and be a part of the Lord's Harvest!

The economy has affected all of us and will likely continue to do so for some time. GOD is STILL SOVEREIGN and He still owns the cattle on a thousand hills...it's all HIS! God doesn't need a bailout or stimulus...He is just looking for a few willing hearts...perhaps in these delays He's challenging us to pray and checking our motives at the door to see if we're really taking the lostness seriously?

This story absolutely breaks my heart. I've seen the tears of grown men and women as they repent and confess Jesus as their LORD! I've seen the smiles on their faces. I've heard them say after hearing the gospel, "I am full in my belly now even though I was hungry." Yes without this team going, there will be people that won't hear that are prepared to hear. There will be people that will slip into eternity without ever knowing about the Grace of God.

As you read, ask yourself if you're willing to go. I am officially giving you an open invitation to join us as we hope to return October 9-17th. If you want to go, I will do everything to get you there.

Rom 10:13 For "Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved."
Rom 10:14 But how can they call on Him to save them unless they believe in Him? And how can they believe in Him if they have never heard about Him? And how can they hear about Him unless someone tells them?
Rom 10:15 And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, "How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!"

Will you consider being the beautiful feet to go to South Africa?

From Rich and Michelle...
Praying for Our International Team Members

Originally this past week we were supposed to be hosting a team from Washington however due to lack of finances they had to postpone their trip.

We are realizing more and more the effects the economic state is having on individuals, families, businesses, ministries, and churches. As a result Rich and I decided to take some extra action (in the spiritual realm that is). We daily pray for our partners, churches, teams, etc however, we both felt impressed to make extra time each week where we would pray TOGETHER specifically for our international team members.

There is a lot to be done and no one person can shoulder it alone. It grieves me to think there are people all over that have a strong pull on their heart to get on a plane and minister to the hurting around the world but are being held back because of finances. That is just not right. I’m saddened that The Rock interns were not with us this week; they have been a blessing to the African people in the past and I believe they would have been again. I know they’ll be back…it isn’t canceled it is just delayed but the reason of delay is pushing me to greater action.

There are teams currently planned to come work with us from the latter part of May through August and then a couple are talking of coming out in the fall. We’ve seen great ministry take place both in the team members and the African people…healings, salvations, freedom from bondage, training, practical help…and the list goes on. We can cover a lot of ground with the overseas troops and the fruit has been effective and eternal.

Would you join with Rich and me in petitioning the Throne Room on behalf of these teams coming and those wanting to come; that not one person or group would be held back because of finances?

YOUR GOD or MY SAVIOR?

If someone asked YOU (a believer in Jesus), "Who is Jesus Christ?" How would you answer? Would it be the textbook answer that people would expect you to say like, "He's the Son of God?" Would you say, "He's God's perfect, sinless sacrifice that died on the cross for the sins of mankind?" All of those answers are good responses...answers that tell who He is in broad, general terms. Shouldn't the answer be even more personal though? Shouldn't it be even easier for the true believer to define just WHO HE IS to him or her? Our choice of words may indicate our state of heart.

Stay with me here...King Saul is an interesting person to study. My favorite books of the Old Testament are 1 and 2 Samuel. For years I've always been fascinated and amazed at the series of events that take place in this period of time and history. King Saul was anointed by God to be the first king of Israel. The prophet Samuel proclaimed God's intentions with this kingship and was a constant "voice" for the Lord to King Saul during his reign. King Saul was given the Holy Spirit of the Lord that empowered him to be successful and useful for Israel, but Saul's ultimately was faithless and a fake. Saul was foolish in his leadership time and time again to the point where God was not happy at all about Saul's actions and decisions. God then withdrew His Holy Spirit from Saul and gave it to the soon-to-be King David.

Debate exists as to whether Saul was actually "saved" or not. Whether he was or was not is not for me to decide, but something stood out to me as I read over his amazing lapses in judgement and as he attempted to "justify" these lapses. On at least two occasions that I can find Saul gave a response that would indicate there was in fact NO PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP with God....Let's look at one example...1Sa 15:30 Then Saul pleaded again, "I know I have sinned. But please, at least honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel by coming back with me so that I may worship the LORD your God.

If Saul had a real relationship with God wouldn't his answer have been "the Lord MY God?" It seems to me Saul's choice of wording is an indication of a heart condition. He clearly didn't "know" the Lord as a believer would "know" the Lord. He knew of Him as God, yes, but there was only a knowledge. Where's the heart? Where's the relationship? The demons of hell KNOW God exists but there is no relationship with Him. If I go to a social gathering with my wife Sarah and someone asks me who she is, I'm not going to say, "She's a woman I went on a mission trip with and fell in love with." I'm going to say she's MY wife!

Perhaps the best answer that any of us as believers can give is that "Jesus is MY Savior; He's MY KING; He's MY Rock; He's MY shield and strenght!" Before your day goes any further give yourself a heart check-up. Do you know enough about God to know He's there but never engage with Him to the point that you would say that He's "My God?" Saul was scratching the surface of faith but never went anywhere with it and he ended up falling on his own sword at the end of the story. Don't fall on your own sword! Give it all...your heart too...to follow hard after the Lord and trust Him in all things...LET HIM BE YOUR SAVIOR once and for all!

Using the word "my" is an indication of relationship. If someone asked me who Sarah is I would answer that she's MY wife because that's who she is. How we speak and how we live is indicative of what word or words we may choose to describe who Jesus is to us.

FEARING SATAN OVER GOD

At our small group meeting last night we were watching a video from the "Fresh Encounters" study by Henry Blackaby. Now as many of you know Blackaby is one of my spiritual mentors so I listen to his preaching often. He isn't the easiest preacher to listen to by any means. Why do I say that? Because when he preaches he preaches with a SILENT intensity and an INTENSE humility that will smack you right in the face and step on your toes all at the same time. He preaches things that most pastors seem afraid to say these days and when you combine his obvious ability to hear God's message to give to His people and the correcting and convicting power of the Holy Spirit, you get an amazing preacher. He doesn't raise his voice and he doesn't jump up and down to keep us awake, he simply speaks the Word of God in a way that I can only visualize Jeremiah or Ezekiel must have delivered the Word!

Last night on this video he said something that has stuck with me..."Most people fear the Devil more than they fear God." That hit me hard and I had to really think about that for a second. If you think about it I think you will find that statement to be true. We always talk about spiritual warfare and the devil did this or that. How many people has the devil actually destroyed? Now think in the Bible to how many people God destroyed...sometimes even His own? When God's people would fall into worshipping idols and false gods of the land in which they were occupying, God would often bring a harsh correction. The point is that we should fear God more than we fear the enemy. Not that we should count God as an enemy because we should fear Him but because He is OUR LORD and our fear is a REVERENT FEAR! God extends us mercy through the cross and through this we should rejoice!

Yes, the enemy seeks to steal, kill, and destroy yes we know, but if our faith and trust is in the Lord FIRST then what shall we fear from the enemy? With the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, the devil was defeated. Yes he's still free to roam and create havoc and troubles if we let him, but all he can do now is lie. He has NO power over us and yet we give him soooo much credit. He's a liar and imitator. Jesus gave us the POWER to cast out demons, to heal, and to teach in HIS NAME and yet we so often let the false, perceived power of the enemy dictate what we think we can or can't do.

Blackaby said it was time that we stopped worrying about conferences on Spiritual Warfare and started having meetings on revival and seeking out forgiveness for our actions as individuals and as a nation. 2Ch 7:14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

We are looking at our approach all wrong. We act like we are on the defense instead of the offense. God comes first...always but when we put Him second we see the disastrous results.

SIN THAT ENTANGLES US

In my discussions on revival and the future of this nation, I thought it only appropriate to post this devotion on sin. Unconfessed sin is keeping us from progressing forward towards the revival that is needed for this land.

by Henry Blackaby...

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, (Hebrews 12:1)

Sin is our most persistent, determined, and pernicious enemy. Sin seeks to rob us of every good thing God has designed for us. Paul tells us that sin brings death (Rom. 7:11). Yet it is very subtle. Sin creeps into our lives when and where we least expect it. It packages itself so attractively that we are lulled into thinking that it cannot really harm us (2 Cor. 11:14–15).

Sin stealthily and relentlessly entangles our lives. We will never be able to run the race marked out for us as long as we are entrapped in sin. We free ourselves from sin’s only if we recognize it for what it is. If we call sin a “mistake,” a “bad habit,” or a “weakness,” we will never escape its grasp. We must not blame our sins on others. We must not allow pride to convince us it is too humiliating to admit the sin in our lives. Sin can blind us to its presence. It does not always command our attention but rather, it subtly and pervasively robs us of the spiritual power and victory that could be ours. The good news is that there is no extent to which sin can entangle us that God’s grace does not abound still more to free us (Rom. 5:20).

Has sin robbed your joy? Has it prevented you from being the best husband, wife, son, daughter, or friend you could be? Is it keeping you from spiritual maturity? If you have become entangled with sin, God can release you immediately, no matter how desperately entangled you may have become!

SILENCE IS GOLDEN

I have nothing to say today! Take a minute and enjoy the silence. SELAH (means pause and reflect on what you just heard/read).

BE TRANSFORMED!

Yes everyone it has snowed yet again and yet again there is no school. I guess this is probably snow day number 9 for our county school kids. That means another day of hanging around the house trying to entertain Katie long enough for her to let me do my school work today. Of course we'll have to get some sledding in a little later today and there's a snowman just waiting to be made in the front yard!

Life is full of interruptions. Sometimes they come in the form of small and beautiful things like a few inches of snow and other times it could be something much larger like sickness or family problems. Thankfully today we're just going to adjust our lives around those 3" that cover the grass and transform the world.

As I was typing the transform thing some Scripture came to my mind and I'll deviate from my original thoughts at this point..."Rom 12:2 Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you." This is from the Message Bible and I love the way it phrases what we know traditionally to read as "be not conformed of the world but transformed by the renewing of your mind."

Snow transforms our world. Just look at the photo above...What was once a tree is now barely recognizable! The snow falls so silently and steadily. If you look when snow falls it doesn't just cover the grass so that the grass is unrecognizable, but it falls on the largest of tree branches to the smallest of needles on a pine branch. Snow covers the mud and the gunk that you see around everyday and transforms it into something so neat so very beautiful. When I was little, I used to hate it when the dog or cat would go out in the snow and track through it or make a mess of it. I would sometimes try to leave one spot of the yard untouched by my feet or my snow forts just so it would still look pretty and fresh.

If you think about it, the snow is a picture of the power of the applied blood of Jesus in our lives. His blood takes what is otherwise a sinful and ugly nature and covers us so that we are clean and beautiful and acceptable in the eyes of God. His blood doesn't just cover us on the outside for all to see, but gets down inside of our every pore and covers us and changes us from the inside out. Sometimes I guess I'm not as careful as I should be when it comes to allowing the world to trample and throw its ways on me. What if I were as concerned about what affected my mind and my heart as I was about making sure no one walked on the new snow? What if I didn't care what everyone out there thought of me? What if I took care of this temple that houses the Holy Spirit of the living God!?

Today I guess I'm challenged with the message of the snow...I'm challenged to do what Paul says jsut before the verse I quoted above...:"Rom 12:1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him."

Under the old covenant sacrifices were dead animals that were slaughtered and placed on an alter and burned. In His new covenant through the sacrifice of a sinless, spotless Lamb of Jesus, the blood has already been offered and accepted. Now WE, that's me and you, offer OURSELVES up to the Lord as a LIVING SACRIFICE by the way we live and the choices we make. The world has no say so as to what is good and acceptable...the Word of God makes that clear and we follow that and when we do it is WE who are changed from the inside out, transformed. Our transformation then changes the WORLD!!!

Just some food for thought today...now go enjoy the snow!

Ron

EAST ASIA AND SOUTH AFRICA PRAYER CONCERNS

Our John and Jane Trailblazer have made it to their mission site and the Lord has directed them to an apartment that He had set up JUST for them! They found a place that had 3 heating and cooling units already installed. This was an expense that they thought they were going to have to purchase and so they saved a bunch of money (at least $1000) that can be used for other things! They also had a place that included two of the other appliances that they were told they would have to buy! Again more money saved! All of the weight they lost the year before they left will pay off because their pad is on the 6ht floor and there are no elevators in this part of the world...steps every day! Their individual apartment also had issues with the electricity and the owner said instead of fixing their individual box that he would only charge them $10 per month to use main power! This apartment is in the exact area they were praying that they would be able to get into. Minus the nasty mess they've had to clean up and the tons of roaches that was also included in the rent (LOL!) things are moving in the right direction! God continues to show us all that He is who HE says He is...our provider!!!

Their sweet little girl "Beth" Trailblazer is sick however and we must lift her up in prayer. They think she may have bronchitis. Please lift "Beth" up in prayer!

Thanks for your continued financial and prayer support. May the Lord the bless you for your sacrificial giving and may He use them for a great harvest in East Asia!

There is also a matter of prayer for our friends in South Africa. Pastors Thom and Penny Cooper just returned there from the USA and found their house had been broken into yet again. This is the second time in a matter of months! Satan is trying his best to discourage and defeat their ministry so please cover them in your prayers as well.

Rich and Michelle Franzen, also of Johannesburg South Africa have reported back to us of a sad incident at an indigenous church called JUDAH AFRICA...one of the churches that we worked with while in Kya Sands...please follow the link to their blog to read more...www.impactafricablog.blogspot.com

Jesus promises to build the church and tells us that the gates of Hell will not prevail against it. No matter what the enemy tries to do to tear down, the Lord is in the building and restoring business! Amen!

Ron