Retooled & Thriving
In the event, you are not yet familiar with this first class monthly publication, Plain Values out of Winesburg OH, consider this your opportunity to add value to your living room’s coffee table and far, far beyond by opening the link below. Blessings today as you go forth disseminating Christ’s truth, hope, and justice in this yet, desperately dark world.>>>>> merlin
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First came the Achy Connective Tissue Flu….
Warning! This blog is not like any prior! Read at your own risk.
lost the last week of 2021. Seriously, I was totally mentally incapacitated. Perhaps the theory that the white hats instigated Omicron to once for all end this covid crud crap by providing all of planet earth’s yet living residents their needed natural immunity regardless of their injection history to date, any current or projected trauma, etc. It was bad! In fact it was so bad that Jan 1st just before midnight, I realized our men’s prayer group was to meet Sun 8 AM. I awoke in time but not to dress so I went in my PJ’s . Told Loretta I’m not going to church, I’ll be back after prayer meeting. It was an amazing turnout too! Standing room only. I told everyone I wasn’t staying for church since I’d come in my PJ’s. But you know what? If you sleep in classy PJ’s, who is ever going to even notice? Especially with today’s fashions. So I decided to stay for church. PJ’s and all. Of course, I sat in my usual and customary pew in the east balcony, affording me a complete view of everyone in attendance.
And after the inspiring message spoken just right at me on my Damascus Rd encounter that prior week of crud, detailing so well
1.) my sucky conditions of late;
2.) my confrontations & His ability to transform them;
3.) my big time confusion… Who are you Lord?;
4.) my current calling, get up, get dressed, No PJ’s, go into the city, stay for Church and SS! Then I’ll tell what’s next..;
5.) followed by Commitment… not sure Carl, was it my C to Him, OR, His C to me?. Perhaps both!
I even then met with my SS class of 4 die hard males! Ages 85, 83, 73, and a youngster in his 40’s yet! I was at church over 4 hours in my PJ’s. Seldom am I ever at church that long!
Then Regaining Momentum….
So Monday and Tuesday did not go well. Likely no big surprise. But I accomplished some major reading that will forever change my spiritual lookout as a coaching faith facilitator in the remaining time I have. I read in Moody Highlights (Paul’s name is on the label though) that Dr Gary Chapman at his retirement celebration recently told of visiting Lottie Moons gravesite years ago and was expecting to see a great gravestone; instead all he saw was a small stone engraved with her name, birth and death dates, and words that made Dr Gary weep at the time: Faithful until death. Lottie spent nearly 40 years (1873-1912) living and working in China. Born to affluent parents on her ancestral 1500 acre tobacco plantation near Charlottesville VA, she early on was a scoffer of faith until she was in college attending a revival service. She was one of the first women in the South to receive a Masters degree from UVA.
Finally, It was Time to put on the coveralls and get some work done…
On Wed in preparation for the colder weather I saw forecasted, I put on my coveralls and decided it was high time to get ready for the Artic blast. Actually temps were in the 40’s when I tackled getting my tool barn ready for winter. I pulled the Zero turn out, hooked up to the trailer and backed it in toward my 15 bags of potatoes ( only half-ful so I can handle them) that were put away last summer for friends and family. At harvest, I went thru them diligently separating those with blemishes and giving them away early on. Since, I’ve only been over to diminish the pile twice. I was really interested to see how well they were “wintering” thus far. I went thru each bag dumping them slowly into 5 gal buckets looking for culls that should be used earlier. And I was happy to have only sorted out maybe 8 lbs for such priority use. And I only found five spuds that had blackened, hardened and shrunk down since harvest. Last year I found too many more that had turned to “soft mush” frequently affecting a few more about them as well… but not one like that this year. So thankful, but in all honesty, I have no idea why or why not! Divine Providence!
I shall presume what I am witnessing amongst these “storing well” spuds on Wednesday, was natural immunity un-provoked by any such forced injections wherein they simply self-isolated restricting any further spoilage. So in time, these 13 bags were re-situated into our garage on boards so they are off the concrete, wrapped up in old blankets, and then darkened by several black mats that inhibited weed growth during the summer. And in case, garage temps dip dangerously close to freezing before spring, we do have a natural gas heater available to lessen the chill…
So with the spud transaction transition complete, I turned my attention to moving the summer implements, such as the push mower, both tillers, and the 60 in. zero turn further forward into the space where the spuds had earlier resided. But now two other implements were in the on deck circle, that being my ’61 Cub Cadet with its unique rear carrier that Sterling McFarren had built years earlier for transporting himself and “making firewood” tools to and from any such endeavors of falling timber that were suddenly to present themselves. This carrier was large enough for both Stihl chainsaws, a jug of chain oil, a 2 gal jug of mixed fuel for the saws, plus a small plastic pail with 2 wedges, a rubber hammer, a vise grips, a channel Lock, screwdrivers, extra chains, etc.
FYI, one of the last times I used the Cub Cadet, I decided to make it a family outing. Since my dog was never taught to heel, (and just why not, could well be fodder for a classic short story, if not a novel on child rearing!) I thought I’d attach a short rope to the Cub’s hitch with a link so as to attach it to my dog’s leash, Sir O Riley, so that he could accompany me on these adventuresome jaunts into our property’s 10 acre world of derelict decaying decomposing at one time magnificent stalwart Ash trees.
Historically, such trees were highly sought after by two very unique industries. For years prior to “synthetics” being introduced into the world of baseball, the baseball bat of choice was made from Ash wood. Also, since the beginning of time, horse drawn implements requiring a singletree attachment between the team, frequently if readily available, also preferred Ash lumber.
First consider baseball. For decades, baseball bats had been exclusively of ash. But in the mid 1990s, Sam Holman, a sort of Johnny Mapleseed of baseball bats, started experimenting with maple, giving samples to several players, for the nearby Toronto Blue Jays. Eventually one found its way into Bonds hands. He liked the way it felt, and the results seemed self-evident. Correlation might not imply causation, but imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
Since Bonds started using a maple bat to crush balls into McCovey Cove, maple has supplanted ash as Major League baseball’s wood of choice, a fortuitous change since America’s supply of ash has been imperiled by an invasive beetle species. It’s estimated now that around three-quarters of major leaguers swing a maple bat, and even though that’s brought its own problems, maple dominance is only expected to increase. It seems ballplayers are a superstitious lot, and ballplayers believe maple makes for better hitting, – even if the science might not exactly back it up. Oh, dear! And just where have we heard the likes of that before? Taken from Deadspin and Vince Guerrieri “How Maple Bats Kicked Ash and Conquered Baseball (8/28/18 2:45PM))
So, since our increasingly globalist driven world isn’t yet in a race for securing horse drawn implements, the availability of sufficient ash lumber here in OH shall not be of any great consequence to anyone. And I also suspect that Amish manufacturers, such as Pioneer Manufacturing, now Pioneer Corp, are well prepared for their future even though ash was the stronger lumber while also being among the lightest, and that the ash choice for singletrees was strictly one of many waiting in the wings given the Amish ingenuity, especially in this Wayne/Holmes community.
By far the bigger peril to be exacted yet though in the former prolific woodlands of the ash trees across OH and PA, will simply be the effects of gravity on the remaining trees. Within the past decade, I personally had two acquaintances killed by falling ash limbs while cutting firewood. Soon many woodlots with dead ash trees will be too dangerous even for children to play in or near unless the trees are closely scrutinized. The same is true for many of our roads, whether township or even St Rts. However, unlike the globalists continually needling their afflictions into all aspects of productive society, the statute of limitations will run out eventually on these dead ash trees. I predict within ten years the bulk of the towering danger will be safely at rest on the ground decomposing, although long past its usefulness as firewood.
One final note though, that I do need to clarify. The only time Riley was ever so engaged with the Cub Cadet for his adventure to helping make firewood was the very first time I set it up, Monday June 29th, 2020. That date was remembered well because I logged nearly 21 miles that day on my Oura tracker working up 4 larger dead ash trees never once suspecting the next day (30th) the cardiac testing would reveal heart problems that then on the July 1st at 10 AM brought everyone running placing me in an ambulance headed to Aultman in Canton to fix a Widow Maker on July 7th.
And no, Riley and I have not done the caper again. We may soon go out on a bright sunny day to cut up several of at least a dozen ash trees on the ground that continually bug my 32 window peripheral vision perspective. I do live in my mother’s house. We designed it for her. She definitely instilled in me a love for trees, for cornfields, raspberries, anything green, and even more importantly, from the Genesis account: And God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over ….
You realize from my perspective as a MN woodsman since age nine, God created trees first for their intrinsic and holy beauty, and when mature, then for lumber, perhaps even shavings, etc. and if all else went a-muck in their lifecycle , they were always good for firewood but only if processed in a timely manner, so as not to bug my peripheral vision of being “wasted” wood. “Waste not, want not.”
Neither the historical Marxists nor their elite globalists yet understand either waste or want; and certainly not “God is love,” or John 3:16, or ….. Sad indeed! Do remember how simple life really is: Faithful until death.
Go forth living in your fleeting moments of visible vapor leading to the commitment ….
Faithful until death!!>>>>> merlin
Utmost For His Highest Dec 20
“And if I’m Lifted Up . . .I will draw all peoples to Myself” (John 12:32).
Again, I’m compelled to continue this vital Utmost narrative. . mle
Very few of us have any understanding of the reason why Jesus died. If sympathy is all that human beings need, then the Cross of Christ is an absurdity and there is absolutely no need for it. What the world needs is not “a little bit of love,” but major surgery.
When you find yourself face to face with a person who is spiritually lost, remind yourself of Jesus Christ on the Cross. If that person can get to God in any other way, then the Cross of Christ is unnecessary. If you think you are helping lost people with your sympathy and understanding, you are a traitor to Jesus Christ. You must have a right – standing relationship with Him yourself, and pour your life out in helping others in His way – not in a human way that ignores God. The theme of the world’s religion today is to serve in a pleasant non-confrontational manner.
But our only priority must be to present Jesus Christ crucified – to lift Him up all the time (see I Cor. 2:2). Every belief that is not firmly rooted in the Cross of Christ will lead people astray. If the worker himself believes in Jesus Christ and is trusting in the reality of redemption, his words will be compelling to others. What is extremely important is for the workers simple relationship with Jesus Christ to be to be strong and growing. His usefulness to God depends on that, and that alone.
The calling of a New Testament worker is to expose sin and to reveal Jesus Christ as Savior. Consequently, he cannot always be charming and friendly, but must be willing to be stern to accomplish major surgery. We are sent by God to lift up Jesus Christ, not to give wonderfully beautiful speeches. We must be willing to examine others as deeply as God has examined us. We must also be sharply intent on sensing those Scripture passages that will drive the truth home, and then not be afraid to apply then.
Accomplish Your Mission. Fulfill Your Destiny. . . mle
Utmost For His Highest December 19 reading
As I read this first thing today as usual, I was compelled to blog this reading verbatim for someone today.
Confronted Once Again! Author Oswald Chambers is relentless.
Perspective at the Crossroads.…… His or Mine?
Reading based on “I did not come to bring peace but a sword” (Matt.10:34).
“Never be sympathetic with a person whose situation causes you to conclude that God is dealing harshly with him. God can be more tender than we can conceive, and every once in a while He gives us the opportunity to deal firmly with someone so that he may be viewed as the tender One. If a person cannot go to God, it is because he has something secret which he does not intend to give up – he may admit his sin or wrongdoing, but he would no more give up that thing than he could fly under his own power. It is impossible to deal sympathetically with people like that. We must reach down deep in their lives to the root of the problem, which will cause hostility and resentment toward the message. People want the blessing of God, but they can’t stand something that pierces right through to the heart of the matter.
If you are sensitive, to God’s way, your message as His servant will be merciless and insistent, cutting to the very root. Otherwise, there will be no healing. We must drive the message home so forcefully that a person cannot possibly hide, but must apply its truth. Deal with people where they are, until they begin to realize their true need. Then hold high the standard of Jesus for their lives.
Their response may be, “We can never be that.”
Then drive it home with, “Jesus Christ says you must.”
“But how can we?”
“You can’t unless you have a new Spirit.” (see Luke 11:13).
There must be a sense of need created before your message will be of any use. Thousands of people in this world profess to be happy without God. But if we could be happy and moral without Jesus, then why did He come? He came because that kind of happiness and peace is only superficial. Jesus Christ came to “bring a sword” through every kind of peace that is not based on a relationship with Himself.”
In addition to giving us His Spirit, he has provided us the scriptures.
Consider, this introduction in each Gideon Bible.
“The Bible contains the mind of God,
the state of man,
the way of salvation,
the doom of sinners,
and the happiness of believers.
Its doctrines are holy,
Its precepts are binding,
Its histories are true,
and its decisions are immutable.
Read it to be wise,
Believe it to be safe,
And practice it to be holy.
It contains light to direct you,
Food to support you,
And comfort to cheer you.
It’s the traveler’s map,
the pilgrim’s staff,
the pilot’s compass,
the soldier’s sword,
and the Christian’s charter.
Here Paradise is restored,
Heaven opened,
And the gates of hell disclosed.
Christ is its grand subject,
Our good the design,
And the glory of God its end.
It should fill the memory,
rule the heart,
and guide the feet.
Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully.
It is a mine of wealth,
A paradise of glory,
And a river of pleasure.
It is given you in life,
Will be opened at judgement,
and be remembered forever.
It involves the highest responsibility,
Will reward the greatest labor,
And will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents.”
May rich blessings penetrate your heart, mind, and spirit as you
prepare for the celebration of His birth>>>>> mle
Utmost For His Highest… December 13 Intercessory Prayer
The prior blog briefly mentioned intercessory prayer. I’m thinking perhaps some clarifications are now in order for all of us.
Utmost today, December 13, titled “Intercessory prayer” cites Luke 18:1 “men always ought to pray and not loose heart”, or quit, or faint, etc. Not surprising, Chambers states “you cannot truly intercede through prayer if you do not truly believe in the reality of redemption. If so, you are only turning intercession into useless sympathy for others, which only increases their contentment for remaining out of fellowship and spiritually floundering.
Interesting how Chambers says true intercession involves bringing either the person or the circumstance, that seems to be crashing in on you in Real Time, before God until you are changed by His attitude toward that very person or circumstance. People describe intercession by saying “It is putting yourself in someone else’s place. That is not true. Intercession is better described as putting yourself in God’s place; and ultimately, having or identifying with His mind and His perspective toward the individual or situation in question.
Chambers warns us as an intercessors, we are not to seek too much information from God about the situations we are praying about, simply because we may become overwhelmed, hindering our prayers because the circumstances of those we’re praying for become so overpowering, that we can no longer see God’s vision to be accomplished because we are unable to get to the underlying truth. God wants our work to be in such close contact with Him that we have His mind about everything we do. If we operate without His mind, we then tend to substitute “doing” for “interceding.” Or could it be said we become merely “human doings” aligning ourselves perhaps with the social justice agenda rather than seeking God’s mind as fulfilled “human beings.” Trust me, those thoughts were not the original Utmost wording.
However, I think Chambers foreseen the emerging social justice shortcut when he said such substituted “doings” does lead to praying for someone to be merely “patched up” rather than praying the person completely through into contact with very life of God. Pause for a few minutes and reflect on the number of people God has brought across our paths and even in our doors, only to see us drop them! We’re back again to Craig’s message Sunday encouraging us to “pull” others in, rather than to “push” them out. And that’s exactly what happens when we pray on the basis of redemption, for God will create something He can create in no other way than through effectual intercessory prayer.
I am reminded of a story used by Dutch Sheets on the last page (285) of his 25 year old book simply titled “Intercessory Prayer,” now virtually a classic during these last days as we enjoy his “spiritual preppie kingdom.”
Are We Ready?
We need to be like Sam and Jed. Hearing that a $5000 bounty had been offered for the capture or killing of wolves, they became bounty hunters. (Sorry, in typical Dutch fashion, he sometimes omits pressing details that allow our minds closure) Waking up one night, Sam saw that were surrounded by at least 50 pairs of gleaming eyes – ravenous wolves licking hungry chops. “Jed, wake up,” he whispered to his sleeping partner. “We’re rich.” (See, Jed & Sam had all the details (we don’t yet) and KNEW they were going to be rich. Much like God only knows all the details of our heavenly riches!)
Premier Point Here! WE need to see the present multitude of unbelievers (ravenous wolves) around us not as threats, but as limitless opportunities. Our task would be overwhelming were it not for the fact that we are relying on God’s strength and ability, not ours. Though a host should encamp against us, we can still be confident (see Ps. 27:23). Gideon’s 300 were more than enough to defeat 135,000 with God on their side. If He is for us, who can successfully be against us? (see my favorite verses, Rom. 8:31-39)
Let’s demonstrate the awesomeness of our God.
He is ready. Are we?
Are we ready to walk in our calling as an intercessor?
To re – present Jesus as the reconciler and the warrior?
To distribute His benefits and victory?
Are we ready to birth, liberate, to strike the mark?
To fill some bowls, to make some declarations, to watch and pray?
Are we all ready?
I challenge you to also add this book to next year’s reading list. Stop procrastinating! Sometimes available used on thrift books for only $4.69! Exercise your spiritual leadership training. Skip your fancy indulgence just once and really nourish your soul. GO FORTH TODAY GREATLY ENCOURAGED>>>>> mle
My Feeble Response to Archbishop Vigano
Actually, before we leave the Archbishop’s comments, he did state the vaccine campaign of these injections, although they lack the necessary scientific validity, they serve first, as the apparent legitimization to implement global tracking and controls….. And then secondly, inoculating people with an experimental genetic serum provokes a weakening of our natural immune system assuredly representing a very grave crime against humanity because it turns ordinary healthy people into chronically ill people, and consequently into customers of big pharma and their associates inflating profits for the globalist elites and a general impoverishment of the ever dwindling surviving populations….
Actually, this Vigano insert was well placed following Robison’s spiritual birth in Part One in that this insert depicts a rudimentary or cursory introduction to Christianity’s State of the Union today, only two weeks before Christmas 2021! I read the entire “eye of the needle” Q & A as presented by Sacchetti several times, even though my Latin lacks in contrast to his expressive English and I also largely ignored his free mason rhetoric and references/predictions to future Catholic and Italian leadership.
My primary interest here is how does the church practically prepare now and in the immediate future for this take down and destruction of our society? And especially so, if there is little or no verbal community or church communication and the threat of a grid and internet lock down is imminent and the supply chain shut down (SCSD) is perhaps already past the tipping point?
At several points throughout the article, he took on the role of an OT prophet when he said “Once we have acknowledged Him again as King, Our Lord will not allow His children to perish in battle, and He will reward them with a great victory.” He wisely immediately adds though that “However, until we understand the error that lies at the base of the present horrors, we cannot hope in the intervention of God!”
And that is precisely where I find myself today.
No, I do not think we understand at all the error that lies at the base of our present horrors! But I still hope and pray for the divine intervention of God. I believe too few of the now quite diverse anabaptist community whose forefathers suffered martyrdom widely throughout history and were chased back and forth across Europe during WW I & II from the same forces creating our havoc now, have little for the ideology and vision that founded this country and protected them and their Christian values in relative peace thus far. Yes, the republic certainly wasn’t perfect but the mechanics of the system worked, and if given time, short-comings usually self – corrected. And it worked well provided the majority of its citizens simply followed the Biblical moral code lessening the need for government intervention.
Notice in the two paragraphs before the question about the formation and location of an “anti-globalist Alliance”, he speaks of a renewal first within the church, that will in time renew His reign in civil society. In the next paragraph, Your Excellency’s eternal optimism appears when he said “This is why I hope and pray that Providence would grant the world a time of peace and conversion, in order to lead back the Pastors and the Flock to fidelity to the Gospel, so that they will be able to face with dignity the final persecution before the Universal Judgement.” I do hear a few Christians today mention that reasoning; God please grant us more time to prepare…. Thereafter he mentions Russia’s potential but nowhere in this article do I recall he mentioning China, the CCP, as a threat. Perhaps that is for another day.
The above words are certainly not the gospel but indeed, fodder for your discernment; defined here as “separating the profound from the profane.” Talk to me. Any ideas? Suggestions? Are we dealing with “dead silence” here, or perhaps we prefer to quip as empty-nesters do, our “silence is golden.” Goes with “Being the quiet in the land” I guess. Yeah, right! See now why I enjoyed the provocation by Archbishop Vigano?
Ever notice how conversation on the trivial stuff of life really flows so easily? Consider the profound – profane balance again as we typically exit worship. I venture 98% of the verbal conversations heard walking out after a 60 minute worship experience never mentions the sermon or the service even remotely. Seriously, and we just worshiped the Almighty God who created the universe! What are we thinking? You reckon God notices? Just how would you feel, if you were God?
May I offer you yet a different perspective. Several weeks ago I witnessed closing a worship service differently than I ever witnessed prior. Pastor Ken Hawkins of Really Recovered closed his sermon without the traditional closing prayer, hymn and benediction. Instead, the entire audience broke into reverent extemporaneous prayer, whether singularly, as a family, or in clusters of 2-3 persons for perhaps 10-12 minutes before quietly exiting the sanctuary. I experienced it, after the initial shock of being thrust into a “profound expression” rather than being merely on autopilot, as a very worshipful concluding transition!
Now, be it known, I am avid people watcher where ever! I have stood at the railing in the east balcony and honed in on persons leaving the sanctuary. I do admit less than holy thoughts (not profane but while in the sanctuary, perhaps so?) while critiquing trivial observations such as their predictable weekly seating locations, who engages conversationally with whom, their appearances, their hair, their posture (mine is not so hot);“they look so tired,”; “same outfit as last Sunday?(my memory isn’t that good!)”; “their kids look so bored!” And to think at times I am guilty of such thoughts immediately after worship! Now that is profane! And He has invited me, actually expects me, to be an intercessor for those I was just “watching”!! May God forgive me and lead me immediately into His paths of righteousness.
I am continually require retooling/renewal. Utmost For His Highest today (Dec 8) says it well from I Cor 1:30 Once we realize we possess all this, including wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, redemption; the limitless joy begins in us. However, WHENEVER THE JOY OF GOD IS NOT PRESENT, THE DEATH SENTENCE IS STILL IN EFFECT. Ouch! It would have been really nice if Chambers would have at least added “perhaps” before “the death sentence” line. Virtually anyone can smile, but when joy pervades your face and beyond, it supercharges your demeanor, even brightening your glow! Advice: Either find and stay close to those with the glow of Joy OR do figure out how God specially gifted you to spiritually jump start (revitalize) the joyless.
Blessings as you “get real(enjoy life) and get out” of your comfort zone>>>>> mle
As promised last time, taken verbatim from Pages 23-26 in James Robison’s book “Living Amazed.”
Several years ago while I was at a luncheon with a group of business leaders, Cathy Hendrick of the Hendrick Motorsports family, was sharing with us at the table about a trip she had made with our LIFE Outreach mission team to India, where it was like stepping onto the set of the Academy Award – winning movie “Slumdog Millionaire.”
If you’ve seen the film, you know that it portrays a group of children who have been taken captive and forced to beg on the streets of Mumbai – enriching their captors while the children live in poverty. Some were blinded or had their fingers or a hand cut off to make them more effective beggars. But the kids Cathy saw on the streets of India were not movie actors, and the suffering was real.
She told of how our mission team went to these children and loved and cared for them in our LIFE Centers, which are homes we have established in nations around the world to provide a loving atmosphere, food and clothing, a safe place to sleep, an education, and godly instruction for children in need. And then she said, “I just watched these little kids who were staring at our team, and we would talk to them, and they would say that somebody had left them and they didn’t know if they were ever coming back.”
When she said that, I just broke down and wept at the head table. I cried so hard that I had to lay my head down on the table . You see, I flashed back to the first five years of my life, when my mother would come and get me at the Hales’ when I was three or four years old, and she would take me with her for three or four days at a time, but then she would leave me at somebody’s house because she would have to work and couldn’t take me with her into the homes of her patients.
The people she would leave me with were always really nice to me and would say, “Hey, James, here’s your room, if you want to go into your room.” But I can remember just going to the front window and putting my nose up against the glass or the screen, staring outside for hours, wondering if my mother was coming back to get me. Those times gave me a real feeling of being overlooked – and it hit me like a ton of bricks when Cathy Hendricks shared her experiences in India.
I think that’s why, when I read my Bible, I have such a tender heart for King David. David was a kid who, in the eyes of his own family, didn’t seem very significant. When Samuel came to anoint the next king of Israel from among the sons of Jesse, Jesse didn’t even think to call his youngest son in for consideration. But David was faithful in taking care of the sheep. He loved and protected them. Toiling in obscurity while his older brothers were off serving in Saul’s army, David killed a lion and a bear to protect his sheep. And one day in the same confidence, he would kill Goliath, the enemy of God’s people. David lived amazed, and God still did amazing things in and through his life. He wasn’t perfect. His failures were epic and legendary. But in the balance, he became known as a man after God’s own heart. Even in his darkest days, he couldn’t stand to be away from the presence of his heavenly Father. He not only lived amazed, but he showed the world amazing grace and a brief glimpse of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
When looking at David’s exploits, it’s easy to forget that he wasn’t born into privilege; he was plucked from obscurity. And yet God used him mightily. And God can do the same with you and me – if we’re faithful while tending the sheep and not being noticed; if we love the Father; and if we love the family of God, even when they don’t notice us and don’t think we have any ability; and even if we’re young, shy, and scared.
I think also of Gideon, whom the Bible describes as the least of the least – not because he was insignificant, but because he felt that way. But God had bigger plans for Gideon, and all Gideon had to do was respond in faith and obedience. How would you like you like to put to flight an army of soldiers “as numerous as locusts” and camels “as numerous as the sand on the seashore,” and do it with only three hundred soldiers of your own?” That’s the equivalent of an average-sized church congregation in America today taking victory over enemies beyond number. (Sounds rather like our odds today. mle) That’s what living amazed is all about.
Those years that I lived with my mother allowed me to see the reality of people’s pain. (God never wastes our pain. mle) Today, whenever I see an overlooked child or people who are hurting or lonely, I want to go to them and help them, because I know that God wants to reach out to them. Much of the world today is looking out their windows, with their noses pressed to the glass, and they’re wondering if anyone is noticing, if anyone sees their need or their pain.
Perhaps, if we would just allow the truth of God to penetrate our minds, and then receive the love of God into our hearts, perhaps we could then release God’s truth and love into the world to the folks around us. We would become like a river of life, like the channels of blessings we are intended to be, to those in our proximity who are hurting, lonely, or in despair enabling them to find peace, hope, and rest.
God absolutely sees what is in our hearts. He loves us like a father. He cares about what we care about. Even when we seem not to care about him, He always cares about us, and he’s always watching over us – even before we come to trust Him with our lives and realize that every good and perfect gift comes from above.(Wow, we need to just ruminate on that last paragraph, and drink deeply! Blessings HERE FORWARD!>>>>> mle)
taken verbatim from James Robison’s book “Living Amazed: How Divine Encounters Can Change Your Life” Pages 16-19.
Later that fall, Betty and I went up to the retreat property again. We were sitting out back enjoying the scenery one afternoon when a man in a suit and tie came walking up through the brush. He must have crawled over a barbed wire fence to get in to the property, because the gate at the road was locked. But, there he was.
He introduced himself as Max Copeland and said, “I know this may sound crazy to you, but I’m the pastor of First Baptist Church in Marble Falls, and a few months ago we lost one of our football players. The day he died, every kid in the church who could get a hold of me called to say they weren’t coming back to church anymore, because they had been praying for God to save their friend’s life, and he had died. I mean, their faith was totally devastated.
“But the following Sunday, they were all there in the pews, and they told me about a man who had stopped at the convenience store and shared Jesus with them.
“James, I want you to know that I baptized twenty young people who had accepted Christ in that parking lot after you left. Other kids who had pulled away from God are now on fire for Him. We are experiencing a revival in our town because of this.”
“That is truly amazing,” I said.
“I wonder if you’d be willing to come back and preach to us sometime,” the pastor said.
I told him we were planning to come back and do some hunting soon.
“We have a big barn out in the country where folks could gather. Would you be willing to preach in a barn?”
“I’ll preach anywhere.”
After agreeing that Betty and I would come, I asked him, “How did these kids know who I was? I never told them.”
“I put up a poster about a revival in Austin, in case some of our people wanted to go. The kids saw it and came into my office and said, ‘You see that man in the picture on the poster? He’s the one who stopped and talked to us in the parking lot.”
Several of those young people were the ones who had spoken to me at the revival.
When Betty and I went back to Marble Falls in December, we drove outside of town about fifteen miles, along some country roads, until we found the barn. When we arrived, there were cars everywhere, and a thousand people inside the barn. The population of Marble Falls at the time was only about fifteen hundred, but a thousand of them had come to hear me preach.
When I gave the invitation that night, ninety – nine people came to hear me preach. I remember the exact number because Betty and I were laughing in the car afterward that I almost asked her to come forward so we could get an even hundred.
Brother Max invited us back again the next summer, and we did a three-night crusade at the high school football stadium, where another 176 people made the decision to accept Christ. Out of that parking lot conversation with thirty or forty high school kids, 275 people had now come to Christ.
But the story doesn’t end there.
A few years later, at a crusade in Orland, Florida, a woman approached me after one of the meetings and told me that her daughter had been at that convenience store parking lot in Marble Falls. She had not been a Christian at the time, but with everything that happened afterward, she had come to Christ and had become a beautiful witness for Him. Recently, though, she had been killed in an automobile accident. Although her mother was grieving her loss, she wanted to thank me because she knew that her daughter was in heaven, and she knew that the turning point had been that night outside the market.
When I stopped at the convenience store for chocolate milk that evening, I had no idea what I would find there. And the kids to whom I had spoken had no idea who I was. They didn’t know I was a preacher. I was just some guy that looked like a bum and had a heart for the Lord. And when the Holy Spirit spoke to me, and told me what I needed to say to those grieving kids, I had all the following usual excuses lined up and ready to go.
It’s late, I’m tired. My family’s tired. I’m busy. I need to get home. And even if I could get those kids together long enough to talk with them, why would they listen to me anyway?
But here’s the point of all this: What I did that night could be done by anyone with a heart yielded to God. All it took was being available, been willing, and being obedient to the call. And the result was living amazed.
Early in 2015, I called the church in Marble Falls to see if Brother Maxwell was still around. Indeed, he was, as pastor emeritus. It had been almost fifty years, but he still remembered me. He said he would never forget the day he climbed over a barbed wire fence to come find me, because a brief encounter at a convenience store parking lot had turned his entire town inside out. That’s what living amazed is all about.
Just a few months after I last spoke to him, Max Copeland went to be with the Lord at the age of eighty-five, after sixty-nine years of ministry, including fifty-seven years in Marble Falls. What distinguished his ministry in the minds of all who knew him was his genuine, steadfast love for other people. That’s something we all can emulate.
What the Bible says about LIVING AMAZED
After the demon was cast out, the mute man spoke; and the crowds were amazed. Matthew 9:33
Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus. Acts 4: 13
“it could have been done by anyone with a heart yielded to God!! All it took was being available, being willing, and being obedient to the call.”
Go Forth yielded, available, willing & obedient… while you’re able! >>>>> merlin
Everything has life cycles. We humans, as do empires, nations, ideologies, political parties, businesses, economies, even churches, all ebb and flow, or rise and fall. Humans compared to the other examples I offered, are not organizations and differ in the fact they are created in the image of God, possess a soul, and are capable of experiencing eternity, thereby exempt from the typical life cycle demise.
Most unique and so disturbing to the evolution crowd not wanting to recognize the innate qualities and capabilities God has physically endowed into humans over their animal cousins, and what’s even worse for that crowd, is the fact when humans are in relationship vertically with the Trinity known as Christ Followers, they are empowered by the Spirit and are known to exhibit recognizable supernatural dimensions.
For some reason, while driving the scenic back country roads during my route days, I’d stop when time permitted, in the parking lots of either these evidently failing or already closed churches, and read the signs: you know, the grass not mowed, no gravel, either no sign of identity or welcome; or if so, gravely faded; weeds well rooted and in full bloom, etc. And that is just what I could see. Then my imagination kicks in, and I imagine this churches cycle of life; who were the persons and the events that drove its formation, who were all the individuals and families that came thru its doors for the churches dynamic good years, for weddings, baptisms, funerals, revivals, prayer meetings as they sent young men and women off to war, or during the Cuban missile crisis, or for celebrations such as the ending of wars…
And then I would imagine the leaner years, after the attendance dropped, members were no longer drawn to worshiping, or praising God; evident first in their homes likely because the TV became the family altar replacing Bible reading and prayer, and then as years passed and when the culture lost its morals, followed by the subsequent proliferation of additional addicting forms of entertainment, perhaps even professional sports, accentuated by loss of leadership, whether in the pulpit, or among the elders and deacons, but especially in the pews and the surrounding community.
And once the congregation lost standing, influence or respect throughout the community, whether slowly thru assimilation, or quick and decisive, by such as devastating moral failures, or perhaps discouraging times such as we are witnessing since covid, hospice appeared to be their only option. Their last valiant ditch effort from the three remaining members, all in their upper 80’s, was to donate their edifice to an upstart fellowship in need of their building, but alas, no such qualified individuals could be found anywhere capable and interested in continuing the building’s decaying legacy.
But my vivid imagination observed one of the three had found several of Dr. Terry Teykl’s five books in his home library that he had long forgotten, giving outstanding insight and guidelines into establishing successful prayer in the local church. Sharing these books with the other two remaining members, they decided it was best they tackle the book on establishing a prayer room first. Below are the words of Dr Teykl:
Making Prayer visible in our churches makes it more likely to happen and encourage more people to participate. We must do everything we can to make prayer appealing, from investing in first-class prayer materials to raising up comfortable, inviting places for people to seek God. Prayer does not need to be mercenary to be spiritual.
One of the simplest and yet most profound things a prayer room offers is a place to be alone and still before God. It promotes humility and a visible dependence on God. Prayer rooms also generate and facilitate other prayer ideas given by the Holy Spirit to affect the whole ministry of the church in the community.
Ten Reasons Your Church Needs A Prayer Room
1. It allows us to schedule prayer in a systematic manner, making it likely to happen. Scheduled prayer is Biblical. If you read in the book of Acts, you will see that the disciples had scheduled times of prayer – 9:00 am in Acts 2:15; 3:00 pm in Acts 3; 12 noon in Acts 10: 9; and 3:00 pm in Acts 10:30. Also, scheduled prayer tends to be inspirational prayer because it is based on a conscious decision to seek God at a given time each week, not merely during a crisis or a feeling.
2. A prayer room provides an excellent place to keep a record of all the deeds of God in the life of the church – a reminder to thank and praise Him for all He does.
3. Prayer rooms provide places where information can be gathered and prayed over, promoting agreement in prayer.
4. Prayer rooms provide ownership of the church vision and serves as tangible, visible reminders of our commitment to pray.
5. The compassion of Jesus is displayed to the community while we make a statement to them about the importance of prayer.
6. A prayer room provides a place where prayer can be practiced and matured – a training center for both corporate and individual prayer.
7. An inclusive impact is made on the church because a prayer room brings everyone to one place to pray.
8. Prayer rooms minister the presence of God to those who come, providing a place where people can be quiet and hear the voice of God. Church staff and prayer counselors can use it when a quiet, private place is needed.
9. Prayer rooms encourage soaking prayer – prolonged periods of prayer – persevering prayer. Sometimes it takes persistent prayer to reach a spiritual breakthrough. It is sobering to realize how many prayers fell just short of the mark because we gave up too soon.
10. A prayer room provides a control center for strategic prayer evangelism, for warfare and other prayer ministries.
A prayer room needs to provide privacy and be closed off from outside distractions. It should be comfortable, with a pleasant atmosphere, – an inviting place to enjoy the Lord’s presence. It’s important that it be safely accessible 24 hours a day, with a telephone and preferably a separate outside entrance that is well-lighted and has a combination lock. It should be inspirational and should have helpful information to guide people as they pray.
Blueprint for the House of Prayer, pp. 48-49
PS
From where I sit at my writing table, I can see Marcus A Yoder’s book, Cathedrals, Castles, and Caves on the shelf. I’ve not read it yet but I always want to inject barn haymows into the three C’s. Part of my anabaptist genealogy I guess, resists the ten point footwork and says that the shop, the summer kitchen, the backyard swing, the spring house, the garden bench, the apple tree crotch in the far corner of the orchard, and the multiple barns, all offer the needed seclusion for engaging times of prayer. But I must remember the most folks do not have access to such organic prayer sites as many of us rural folk do, and neither do many worship facilities, and neither do too often our homes. Perhaps if we offer such in our corporate worship centers, our homes will follow the example of restoring the Family Altar for praise, prayer, Bible reading and especially, the art of conversation. No devices allowed!
1.) Define good;
2.) Spiritually, are you more “form” or real “substance?”
Though the title was to get your attention, the questions have merit and I hope they clarify your evaluations of your current spiritual race. Perhaps it is best if we first define the word “good.” The Hebrew word for good is tob. A few of the definitions found in The complete Word Study Dictionary are: “to be happy, acceptable, to do well, right.” The New International Encyclopedia of Bible Words takes it deeper by stating:
“This simple word means “good” in the broadest sense. It includes the beautiful, the attractive, the useful, the profitable, the desirable, the morally right.
The concept that links all these uses of “Good” is evaluation. To determine the good, one must compare things, qualities, and actions with other things, qualities, and actions.
The account of the Creation introduces tob biblically as God views each day’s work and pronounces it good. God too evaluates. It is in fact because God shared His image and likeness with mankind that human beings have the capacity to make value judgements. But Sin has distorted humanity’s perceptions. (there is that perception word again!) Because of this, only God is able to evaluate perfectly. The writers of the OT were convinced that not only was God the giver and the measure of good but also that He alone knows what is truly beneficial for us and what is morally right. Only because God has shared His evaluation of good in His Word are we who rely on Him able to affirm with confidence that a certain thing, quality, or course of action is beneficial.“
I suggest the key word from the above is evaluation. Adam and Eve chose to evaluate good and acceptable apart from God’s counsel. They made an assessment according to a different set of standards: their own. This has been the root of man’s hostility with the Creator ever since. It has taken various shapes and forms, but it always comes down to this underlying motive: “I know what is right for my life and don’t need anyone to tell me otherwise.” Yet God declares: There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death”(Proverbs 16:25).
God certainly knows how easily the line between good and evil can be distorted. If it happened in the garden, how much more easily can it occur today? God warns there will be ways – behavioral patterns, thought processes, beliefs, customs, and yes, even traditions – that seem acceptable by our evaluation but will eventually prove faulty in the building of our lives, and will in time, extract its toll. The results may take months or years to appear or sometimes not even show up until the Day of Judgement. Paul says, “Remember, the sins of some people are obvious, leading them to certain judgment. But there are others whose sins will not be revealed until later” (I Timothy 5:24 NLT). I can’t speak for you, but the second part of that verse causes me to tremble. Not that I’m scared of God, but rather, I’m terrified to be away from Him, outside His loving presence.
The bottom line is simply this: do I truly believe God’s wisdom is perfect and trust Him for what’s best for my life? Every human being must solidify the answer to this question in their own heart. And this core conviction cannot vary from one matter to another. Either God’s wisdom is perfect in all cases in my life, or it’s flawed, and if the latter, we will consequently attempt to operate independent of Him.
So what is the standard of good we are to trust? What leads to the way of life? The apostle Paul tells us: All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. (II Tim. 3:16 NLT)
Perhaps this is an appropriate time to examine several key elements of Paul’s statement.
All Scripture. Notice, it does not say some. And definitely not just the ones we like or agree with. Or those that fit with our way of thinking or believing. Be honest. Do you view God’s wisdom as right in some areas but out of date or irrelevant in other cases?
Consider Eve. She knew God was Creator. She enjoyed the riches of His goodness along with the wonder of His presence. She lived in the ultimate Garden of Eden in peace, harmony, and abundance. Yet – and this is huge! Once convinced by the serpent an area of God’s wisdom wasn’t right, she fell directly into Sin and was removed as was Adam from the garden. So, if Eve could be swayed in a flawless environment of abundance, whatever will be our protection in the midst of the corruption in our culture? Only Scripture and the promised Comforter can and will suffice!
Consider Scripture an absolute must to teach us what is true and right! Yes, it is so possible for something to have the appearance of good yet be just the opposite. You’ve all experienced concepts, assumptions, opinions, qualities, ways of reasoning and thought patterns that can seem so good and right; yet, not are all so endowed. For these hidden dangers, God has given us a complete play book (manual) so we do not unknowingly veer away from truth and be consumed with the seductive compelling bunny trails frequently leading to death. You know by now of course, the only viable playbook is the Bible. And unfortunately, as with instructions for the assembly of Christmas gifts on Christmas Eve, it is often ignored until it becomes a last resort life preserver event, requiring God’s exquisite gifts of grace and mercy. Perhaps even, again!
It is pertinent for us to ask ourselves when free from deadline stress and such chaos, am I consistently reading my Bible? Answer honestly. Recall I’ve been giving numerous invites in recent blogs to join the 2022 For LIFE family in reading The One Year Bible! Next, do I actually study it? Do I spend time searching out God’s wisdom for the specifics of my life, my family, my peers? Or do I, like Eve, just presume I’m fluent in His Word, you know, I show up all decked out in my Sunday morning sometimes fake smile (my form) too often accompanied with little or no internal “spiritual substance of merit?”
So in summary, perhaps the big question is just this: while living on this uniquely corrupted planet earth while also battling the ever conniving tempter Satan – do I really believe I am better than the historical Eve in her Garden of Eden, at understanding and obeying God’s truths, staying relationally aligned both vertically with the Trinity and horizontally with peers, community, and other Christ Followers? May God have mercy on my soul as I struggle to stay in the race!
Good or God? Why Good Without God Isn’t Enough. John Bevere Pages 29-31. My apologies to John as I exercised considerable latitude and license in editing his text this time. Just seemed appropriate as I read tonight but you’ll never know the extent unless you have a copy.
I am fully aware much of my material of late is perhaps too elementary for many of you, so on this blog I attempted to reintroduce the basics with a different twist. John Bevere has an amazing testimony and God has richly blessed him and his family as world class faith facilitators with their renown Ambassadors International organization. I do admit though I occasionally will swallow hard at times when reading some of his writings, and having read most of his books, I know that is rare and I’m deeply indebted to John and owe him much gratitude for his teaching, wisdom, and encouragement that he has imparted to me over the years.