Don't Fight the Wrong War

Do you remember the dramatic scene? Jesus leading thousands of his passionate followers through the streets of Jerusalem carrying signs of protest. "End Roman Rule Now!" "No More Taxes to Caesar!"  As they made their way through the city, they knocked on every door and handed those, who's doors were opened to them, fliers that read, "Jesus for Governor".  Of course, if they could install a charismatic Jew into leadership then the world would be as it should be.  Right?

After the demoralizing crucifixion  of Jesus, the Apostles were given the task of convincing the Romans, the Greeks, the Samaritans, and the Jews that they were immoral and needed to stop their sinful ways.  It was a moral crusade!  If only they could just make society better one person at a time. So, they started campaigns to stop prostitution, end capital punishment, and to make illegal the selling and consumption of wine. They stood side by side with the leaders of the Roman Pagans, the Jews who denied Jesus, and the worshippers of Mithras the sun-god because their common desire for goodness was greater than any religious differences that might separate them.  Arm and arm they walked carrying out demostrations in front of brothels, cross making plants, and vineyards.

Alright, so I made all that up.  But it's not so far from Western Christianity in 2013.  Why do I care? Why should you care?  Because Jesus did not, at any time, wage war against the government that oppressed them.   Nor did he try to crusade for moral change in a culture that denied him.  He did not attempt to better society by fighting social injustice along side those of other faiths.  His message was clear.  "Come to me all you who are weary and heavy ladened and I will give you rest". "I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me." If he had a message of condemnation it was for hypocritical religious leaders who were "white washed tombs, full of dead mens bones."  But to the rest he was interestingly silent.

Likewise, Jesus' followers didn't go town to town speaking against the immoral practices of society at large or walk arm and arm with other religious leaders in seeking better social conditions.  Jesus and his followers gave their lives in one pursuit, the spreading of the Gospel. They knew that anything short of salvation by faith in Jesus through his atoning death on the cross was only a bandaid on a fatal wound.  They were fighting the right war, the war against the wages of sin and death, not death of the body but death of the soul, eternal separation from God.  Jesus clearly taught us to love, to care for widows and orphans, to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to mourn with those who mourn but those things never were in leu of the message of life and grace through HIM.

Jesus left all other wars to the worldly.  He knew God the Father was sovereign in the affairs of man.  God raised up kings and brought them down.  God led the Jews into captivity and led them out again.   No matter who is in office or what party is the majority, God is on the throne!  No physical or social battle would change the world.  We should know that by now.  Immorality, war, and chaos continue today as they did in the Book of Genesis.  Jesus knew that what they needed was not more religion, better morals, or a new government.  They needed HIM.  We need HIM.

I also find myself getting caught up in the polarized, political debates of the times.  I have a bent toward one side of the isle but I forget that as we move toward the return of Christ, the world will not become a better, more holy, or more Godly place.  In fact the Bible tells us the opposite will occur. Why?  Sin.  We don't have a political problem, a drug problem, an abortion problem, a God left out of the pledge problem, or a sexual orientation problem.  We have a SIN problem.  And the problem will not go away with ballot proposals, new legislation, interfaith coalitions, or by wearing purple bracelets.  The only answer to the problem of sin and death is JESUS.  Thats why Paul said,

"And so it was with me, brothers and sisters.  When I came to you I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.  For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified."  1 Corinthians 2:1-2

Here's the deal.  Jesus was born, was crucified, and was raised to save sinners.  Our war, as his disciples, is the same one: to save sinners, of whom Paul said he was the worst (I think I could give him a run for his money). Along the way we will meet those who need our love and support in many ways (food, clothes, shelter, comfort, and grace) and it is the working out of our faith to provide all of that and more but it is not our mission to fight as the world fights.  I promise that it will be a loosing battle.  Please know that this doesn't mean ceasing to love and help those in need but don't get distracted by politics.   I know this next statement will bring backlash but it is a weapon of the enemy to join Christians with those who deny the Lordship of Christ in the pursuit of social justice.  Why?  Because if we place a higher value on ending discrimination, poverty, and education than we do on salvation, Satan will have won a battle for souls.  The end to the war, however, will be when Jesus returns on a white horse as Lord of Lords.   Until then leave the worldly wars to the worldly.

In Him, David

Are You Living a Tarzan Life? One Vine to the Next

Those of you who are old enough to remember the original Tarzan recall how he would grab a vine and swing down through the trees and when he got to the top of the arc he’d grab the next vine, swing down and grab the next, and so on.   He was traveling vine to vine.  One vine wasn’t enough to get him where he wanted to go.  It didn’t fully satisfy his need or fulfill his desire.  One day to the next, one destination to the next, one “save Jane from the villain” to the next, Tarzan would go vine to vine. Each vine might have been a little different, one a little longer, one a little thinner but ultimately they were just vines and when Tarzan looked back in time all the vines were but a blur. 

It’s kind of like that in so many areas of life.  We spend time planning a meal and even more time in its preparation. We sit down to eat and twenty minutes later it’s gone and soon we prepare for the next.  We live meal to meal.  We bathe in the morning and the next day we’re in need of a bath.  We pick up our paycheck on Friday (if we’re blessed to have a job these days) and one or two weeks later we pick up the next.  We live paycheck to paycheck.  It seems we’re swinging vine to vine and it has a way of making life seem like a treadmill or like one of those exercise wheels in your hamster’s cage; he runs but really gets nowhere.

Every once in a while I lay in bed at night and get this weird feeling that time is flying by and I’ve been running on the hamster’s wheel.  Get up, shower, shave, get dressed, grab a cup of coffee, drive to work, do the job, get in the truck, drive home, hug my wife, super-secret-handshake the boys, mow the lawn, eat dinner, help with the dishes, get the kids ready for bed, say prayers, brush my teeth, crawl in bed, read for twelve minutes, and fall asleep.  Get up and start over.  All of a sudden three months have gone by. All of a sudden three years have gone by.  All of a sudden life has gone by.

I think that’s how King Solomon felt when he wrote Ecclesiastes.  After all his toil and after all his indulging he looked back and felt a sense of meaninglessness.  But I also think there are many people who are so busy swinging on their vines or are so busy running on their hamster wheels they never even notice that they aren’t really going anywhere.  Sure, maybe they have built a bigger house or bought a shiny new car but in a little while those things will look like old vines that they’ve swung on before.

God is showing me that, although I need to eat, sleep, and earn a living, without him and the promise of eternity there is an emptiness to life.  Without the promise of eternal life we are just slowly moving through time to an ultimate nothingness.  No wonder people who have been taught by secular educators that we are the random product of time and chance, coming from nowhere and going to nowhere, choose to end their lives when they are in a moment of despair.  I think it may be the same for those who believe in reincarnation and the “circle of life”.  If this life isn’t working out, check out and try the next one. 

The Bible tells us that we are created in the image of God and that this life is in preparation for the next.  What we believe here and what we do with that belief matters, not just now, but forever.  Jesus told his followers to “Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness then all the rest will be added unto you.”  He promised to be the bread of life so that we would never be hungry.  He promised to be living water so we would never be thirsty.  He promised to be the vine so that we would always be connected to our source of life.  He promised to be our Sheppard so that we would always have safe pasture.  He promised to be resurrection and the life so that there would never be an end to life.  When Jesus rose from the dead he validated his promises and gave us meaning and hope.

As you go from vine to vine in life take a moment to pause and ask yourself "Why am I swinging and to where am I going?"  God’s plan is not that we swing for self-satisfaction or worldly gain but that we do so for him and by his power.  Jesus told his disciples to “Follow me.” Stop swinging for a second and ask God for direction.  I’ll do the same.

Peace, David

Christianity - So What?

I've been thinking a lot lately about Christianity and what it means to follow Christ.  I've been trying to come to grips with the many faces of the "church" especially in the West. It really hit me when I received an email from one of my closest brothers in the faith.  He has been diligently pursuing his degree in theology hoping to pastor a church but recently became convicted about what he saw around him.  The words that came to his heart were, "So what?"  So what if he showed up every Sunday and preached a message and then the people went about their lives like they always have.  So what?  What's the point?


He wasn't questioning the point of Christ's death and resurrection or the power of the gift of salvation through Jesus but was questioning the day to day, month to month, function of the church.  It just seemed that there was a blah, blah, ineffective, routine to it that wasn't pleasing to God. We talked about it this week and I agreed that the Lord put this on his heart not because preaching the Word is futile but because if we aren't careful it can become futile through us.  The church and the Word preached through it can be the power of God unto salvation or it can be a powerless social club that is merely a gathering place for people putting in their obligatory religious time. It can also become a place were the truth is blurred or blatantly contorted. 


Here is what struck me about the phrase. "So what?"  


I have encountered many people including a number of Christian pastors who say that all paths lead to God and that Christ is one of many ways to God.  I have heard comments like, "Jesus is the way for me but others have their way and those who claim Jesus is the only way have put God in a box."  If following Jesus is optional then I have to yell from the mountain tops, "SO WHAT?!!"  Why follow Jesus?  Why not just live life to the fullest, pursue financial wealth, meditate twice a day to decrease stress, be a nice guy, and pay my taxes on time?  Why in the world would I want to follow Jesus?  At least not the Jesus of the Bible.  The Jesus of the Bible said some crazy things about following him.


I think I've figured it out.  If we pick all the really pleasant, easy, and uplifting things Jesus said and did and form a religion around them we can sell it as a really nice way to live.  We can blend nicely with the world, with Zen, and with all the world's religions.  The answer to the question, "So what?" to them becomes: "Because it feels good and is a really good way to live."  But what about the real Jesus?  What about these scripture verses:

"Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me." (Matthew 24:9)

"For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him." (Philippians 1:29)

"For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it." (Mark 8:35)

"Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life." (Revelation 2:10)

If Jesus was right, following him might not make my earthly life better but drastically worse.  If Jesus was telling the truth then following him might lead to persecution, imprisonment, and even death.  History seems to show that he was right.  Christians have been fed to lions, used as fuel for Roman Tiki torches, burned at the stake, flogged, beheaded, crucified, and stoned.  So why in the world should anyone follow Jesus if we can be happy, safe, comfortable, and content without him?  If Jesus was fibbing when he said, "I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the father except through me." then the answer becomes, "It's ridiculous.  No way!  It's a difficult road that need not be traveled. Time to take a detour to easy street."

But if he was telling the truth and the only possibility for peace with God and eternal life is through him the answer then becomes, "Because it's a matter of life and death."  Why preach with passion, truth, boldness, love, and conviction?   Because God has given us the privilege of participating in his plan to save people from the penalty of sin.  

Paul said it this way in Romans 1:16 

"I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile."

The point I'm trying to make is this:  The reason we preach, the reason we suffer for the name of Jesus, and the reason we lose our lives to live is because Jesus Christ is the only name under heaven, given to men, by which we must be saved.  It is through Him we receive the crown of life.  When we see the urgency of it and the stakes involved, we won't be satisfied with just going through the motions.  We won't be tempted to reshape Jesus into a more palatable holy man who walks hand in hand with Mohammad, Krishna, the Dalai Lama, and Buddha. We will preach because we love and we will love because God first loved us.

Peace,

David

Ninety-Five Percent of Church Should Happen Outside of Church

I've struggled so much with "church" lately.  I don't mean the "Church" as in the Body of Christ but the places, the denominations, the politics, the programs, the plans, and the rest of what most would call the "church".  This isn't about one church but the general trend of the church particularly in the west.  I will say up front that this is a generalization and that there are local bodies of believers that don't fit this mold.  I will say that we each need to look at ourselves individually and then as local bodies to see where we stand.  Self-examination is important because if we don't regularly check our walk we may find that we have taken a slow but dramatic detour from the path God had us on.  There is a trend away from the truth of Scripture, away from God's call for holiness, and a seeming  scarcity of consumed, Holy Spirit filled, passionate, radical lives changed by Jesus.

I remember the day I was saved.  I don't remember the day I was born but I remember well the day I was born again. I've seen childbirth and what I can say (at least from the perspective of an observer) is that it is both brutal and beautiful at the same time.  It is a time of pain and a time of immense joy.  It is a miracle.  Well, the birth of a spirit that was once "dead in transgressions and sins" is no less a miracle.  But here is the question I have for us today:  Why?  Why does God save us then leave us here in this broken and sin-filled world?  What did the church of born-again believers look like in the first century as depicted in the Book of Acts.

So, what am I getting at?  I want to start by answering the question I posed at the beginning.  Why didn't God just take us to heaven when he saved us?  So that we could be comfortable and happy for a few more years here on earth?  So that we could fill our bank accounts and houses with more money and trinkets?  So that we could gather together once or twice a week to do church.  I think not.  As far as I can tell there are three main things to do while we are here:

1)  Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and love your neighbor as yourself.  Luke 10:27

2) ". . .  to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?  Isaiah 58:6-7

3) Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  Matthew 28:19-20

What does it look like to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind?"  Seems pretty consuming doesn't it.  A life radically changed by the grace of God through the sacrifice of Jesus becomes consumed.  What is the word that is repeated here? "All" That means God consumes our emotions, our thoughts, and our efforts.  It's like from the moment we wake to the time we lay our heads on the pillow, our lives are consumed with the things of God.   Paul said these words in his letter to the Philippians:  "What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him." Where are you and where is your church?  See also Galatians 2:20

Can we break the chains of injustice, set the oppressed free, feed the hungry, cloth the naked, or provide shelter for the wanderers if we spend 95% of the time as the "Church" within the walls of the "church"?  Doubtful.  When I look at the disciples in the book of Acts (By the way, they were the Church) it seems that they were on the streets and in homes more than they were in the temple or specific buildings called "churches".  This isn't to condemn buildings called "churches" but if we gather like a small social clubs and fail to get out of the walls we have failed.  One more thing here.  Just because a church does a mission trip or donates some money to the needy doesn't mean we are doing what the Lord has asked.  Acts 4 tells it like this:  "There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need."  Where are you and where is your church?

Social justice is good but if we stop there we have left people with full bellies and warm feet but still dead in their spirits.  We are commanded to go and make disciples.  I think the key word here is "go".  We expect them to come.  Jesus didn't say wait for them to show up at church then tell them the "Good News".  He said, "go".  Our most important task is to bring people to the cross.  Jesus also said, "teach them" so that they would know the commands and obey them.  Holiness and obedience have very much been put out with the dogs as we have preached grace.  Grace is amazing but Jesus said obey as well.

I want to finish by saying that I don't believe we can do these things with finely tuned plans devised by men void of the power and direction of the Holy Spirit, for man's plans will never produce more than man-sized results.  So like I have said before, we should probably spend way more time praying, fasting, and seeking God than meeting in committees with rigid agendas and a final vote or two to make it official.  The Holy Spirit says, "Go." and you go.  He says, "Speak." then you speak.  He says, "Preach your sermon." Then you preach.  He says "Tear up your sermon and say this instead" then rip away!  

Love God. Love and care for the people.  Share the Gospel and teach the people; all with an all-consuming passion.  I understand that some days you'll not feel passionate or consumed but this isn't about emotions.  I understand that even in the first century the people, like us, were flawed and imperfect.  But let's not get stuck in the mundane and the irrelevant.  Let's get a little crazy for Christ!  

Peace in the risen Jesus!

David

Aliens in a Foreign Land

It's January.  Last week I was scraping hunks of ice from my windshield and digging a really cool snow fort with my boys.  The sky was its usual dull grey and the sun was like Amelia Earhart (missing for a long time!).  We were home.  My sons and I could communicate with each other because we all speak the same language.  There is a kind of comfort in being at home, a familiarity with the things, the surroundings, and the people.

Today, however,  I'm in Mexico.  It's hot and I now know where the sun went.  It's down here getting away from the snow I guess.  People are speaking Spanish, French, German, and a Canadian dialect of English.  The money looks funny and for some reason a $100 bill (Pesos) is worth about eight bucks.  Now it's easy to see that as I sit here, I am a foreigner and an alien in this land.  It is wonderful to be on vacation but there is an underlying uneasiness.  First I though it was because I was in a foreign land far from home but then I realized that there were many times I felt like that right in my own living room. 

I've talked to fellow brothers and sister in the faith who share a similar feeling.  No matter how happy they are there is never a complete contentedness.  Don't get me wrong.  I love my family and I am continually in awe of God's creation and the blessings I have.  It's something deeper, much deeper.  What is it?  I think that Peter gives us a clue and I think that Jesus reminded us of it as well.  Let's take a look.

1 Peter 2:9-11

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.  Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. 

Peter said, "I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world . . ."

That's it!  I'm an alien and a strange, not just in Mexico but even in Michigan.  That's why there is always just a little part of me that can't cling to the things of this world.  I also have a growing understanding of the temporal nature of the stuff I try to grab hold of.  The great meals come and go and a couple hours later my stomach growls again.  The sun rises and the sun sets (at least it does here in Mexico). So why is it that God allows me such joy but won't let me take hold of it too tightly?  Why can't I completely dive into the things of this world and feel at home?  Why?  Because, I am a visiter.  I am an alien and a stranger.  God made me for a different place and for a different purpose.  

Psalm 119 verse 19 says it this way:

"I am a stranger on earth; do not hide your commands from me."

Jesus made it clear that we do not belong to the world.  In John chapter 15 he said, "If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own.  As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world."

I just wanted to share with you today that if you are a child of God through faith in his Son don't be too discouraged if you just can't seem to be completely content in the world.  It's OK!  That's the way it is supposed to be. There is another facet to this that I think is important to share.  When God chose us out of the world he didn't do so in order that we just kick back and have a great time  but so we could lead others to him.  I know he blesses us with many wonderful things and I know he graces us with joy and laughter and peace but remember that the real deal will be when we get home.  I love it here in Mexico but I have to say that there is no place like home!

Peace,

David

We Grieve with You . . .

It's ten o'clock at night and I needed to get this off my chest. Ivor and I have said from the beginning that we would be transparent with you because a ministry that is too shiny, too pretty, and veiled in the superficial is worse than no ministry at all. I know you all just gave me your precious time yesterday so I will make this short and sweet.

This week's post was about faith. It had to do with praying and believing. It had to do with the fact that we often pray "Perfunctory" or routine and dusty prayers, doubting the ability or willingness of God to answer them. I want to share with you my struggle tonight and then maybe give you a few final thoughts.

In the past three days, two friends lost their fathers, a wonderful young man I know lost his battle with a severe bone marrow disease (on or near his first year anniversary), and a friend's young son is battling a viral brain infection. I have done much praying this weekend and I have done so in faith. Tonight the wind has gone from my sails but I think that I need to share with you what God has laid on my heart.

Death is in the world and death is ugly. Sin is in the world and sin is ugly. God hates both but has shown us his plan for both. His Son Jesus died to do away with the penalty of sin and his resurrection conquered the grave!! Did God hear my prayers? Did he hear the prayers of countless others who prayed for my young friend? Yes! And, I don't think that most of those prayers were in vain or perfunctory but God has told us that we each must pass through the gate of death. Sometimes his answer to our prayer is revealed in the miraculous and other times his plan is different and results in our grief. Tonight I'm grieving but here is the kicker! I hear God's Spirit telling me to worship. How do I worship with tears in my eyes? I'll let you know when I next talk to you. Until that time and after that, we (you and I) will continue to pray prayers believing that God can do what our eyes and minds say he can't. I've seen it and believe.

All of our love surrounds you Lisa, Kim, Jen, Curt, and Karen! We hope that the peace of God that transcends all understanding floods your hearts tonight and for many nights.

Peace,

David

How Big is a Mustard Seed?

per-func-to-ry

-adjective

1. performed merely as a routine duty; hasty and superficial

2. lacking interest, care, or enthusiasm; indifferent

I was recently told about a leader of a "Christian" organization who felt that prayer was "perfunctory and meaningless". It kind of made me mad! Dang it! How could he say such a thing!? But, be careful David when you chuck a stone in a glass house . . . you could see your own walls come crashing down. God has shown me something recently and I have to tell you up front that the first accusatory finger gets pointed at me. I didn't like what this man said but you know what, at least he was honest. Prayer to him was a thing "performed merely as a routine duty" so why bother. He said out loud what I think many people feel but don't admit. Whether you're a believer or just visiting today (not an accident by the way) I'd like you to hear me out. I pray, but then go about my business as if I didn't.

Jesus' disciples had tried to cast a demon out of a young man and were unsuccessful (yes, a demon. Jesus believed in them and he spoke to them so they must exist. Sorry, for the detour.) So, Jesus "rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment." The disciples were like "What the heck!" Actually they said "Why couldn't we cast it out?" Jesus replied, "Because you have little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

"So, how big is a mustard seed?", you ask. Ever seen a poppy seed in a muffin or on a bagel? Well, a mustard seed is about 1/3 the size of the poppy seed. Apparently, this is still quite big because we still struggle with faith. I was at an outdoor event last night and the forecast was kind of ominous; good chance of rain and thunderstorms. So, I prayed that God would hold back the rain. I think many people prayed that God would hold back the rain, but most of those people brought umbrellas. I felt in my spirit that it wasn't going to rain but my feeble and fickle brain said. "Man, that sky is kind of grey! Better rent a tent! Pack the umbrella! OK, at least grab a rain jacket you fool!" Now, I wasn't testing God but maybe he was testing me. OK Lord, no tent, no umbrella, no rain coat. Rain stayed away and it began to rain only as I was leaving the event. Now, I know this could be coincidence but I don't think so. This is the point: If we don't really believe then why bother? Why waste our time and our breath? The man I told you about didn't really believe in miracles so he didn't pray nor did he allow that kind of thing in his meetings. He never saw God move because he never really believed. So, he gave up on prayer and faith. We pray for financial breakthrough then we speak words of defeat. We pray for healing then we aim our focus on the abnormal lab values. How big is a mustard seed? Apparently, quite big.

Now, listen to me please. God is still God and God is still the boss. Not because he is on an ego trip but because he created all that is, all that ever was, and all that ever will be. The Bible talks about praying "according to the Father's will" so when I say, "Lord, I want to win the lottery" chances are that he knows it would be a VERY bad thing for David to have 25 million dollars. God's answer, "NO!". Does God always give us what we want? No. Thank you God! But how often do we really, really, really, trust him. I wonder how many miracles we we've missed because we pray perfunctory prayers.

There is this scene in the movie "Facing the Giants" where this small, high school, back-up field goal kicker is asked to kick a 51 yard field goal into the wind during the last seconds of the state championship. The scene goes like this (paraphrased), "Coach, the longest I've ever kicked is a 39 yard field goal. There's no way I can make that." The coached asked him, "David, do you believe God can help you kick this field goal?" David answered, "Yes" The Coach responded, "Then you just give God your best and let him do the rest."

Friend, God made your amazing eyeball. He made hummingbirds, blue whales, galaxies, and your best friend. Do you believe he can heal your body, your bank account, your marriage, or your mind? If the answer is "no" or "not really" then the mustard seed might as well be a coconut. I believe that the God who raised Lazarus can still raise the dead and can still straighten crooked limbs. God is still in the miracle business and nothing is beyond his ability.

But, I also know that the Bible says "It is appointed man once to die then face the judgement." So God will eventually call each of us out of this life. Sometimes the answer will just be "No", "Not yet" or "Not in the way you want." I get that. I have a friend and wonderful man of God who has been wheelchair bound his whole life. He knows God can heal him but God is using him powerfully just as he is and he has shared with me that if he were cured, he would likely drift from God so he is content where he is. He is one of the most powerful deliverers of the Word of God I know.

So, what do you and I do about this? I'm going to borrow another scene from "Facing the Giants". A faithful man told the Coach the story of a drought and two farmers. Both farmers were diligent in their prayers, but only one prepared his field to receive the rain. Then he asked the Coach, "Which of the two men had the greater faith?"

I want to leave you with a couple questions. Are you preparing your fields to receive the answer to your prayers or are you mulling around in a dry field speaking words of drought and defeat? Are you kicking the ball and trusting God to get it though the uprights or are you saying, "There's no way!". I don't know what you are struggling with, but please begin to pray and trust. Then praise him if you win and praise him if you lose. I have begun to experience God's miracles in both circumstances. Praying in faith is not perfunctory but power. The power of the God of the universe! One last thing: My friend in the wheel chair told me today that if God chooses not to heal him in this life that one day his corruptible body will be made incorruptible and the first time he is actually able to kneel will be at the foot of his Savior. That is faith !!

Drop us a note if you need us to pray for you. You can trust that we will pray in faith.

In Him,

David