Dear Friends,
On this weekend of remembering who God is and what He has done, here is a report I got this morning from a pastor in Little Rock, AK from last night's gathering. This is the end of the third week of unscheduled meetings every night. Be encouraged as God is making Himself known.
Also, as you pray, one of our teams is extending a conference in Cleveland, TN because of the extraordinary work of God. Our ministry has scrambled to form a fourth team to cover a Summit beginning Sunday in Saltillo, MS. We are praying that all of this is a reflection of God stirring in many places. Is it possible that national revival is approaching?
Currently our team is in Chattanooga, TN where the service last night went three hours and the conviction of the Spirit of God was heavy upon us.
In His grip!
Ben and Jennifer Slenk (and family).
The Wedding Ring that Funded a Homeless Prayer Center
Report of God’s Mercies 4.22.11
Last night, we began a teaching on Acts 2 and 4. It was beautiful to be reminded that we are experiencing, in a wonderful measure, exactly what was happening in the book of Acts. But we pointed out that there is one component that we are not yet quite seeing. No one considered that anything they had was their own. This is hard for us to even imagine because our thinking about our possessions (even among the most committed believers) is so Americanized. What would it be like if EVERY believer in the WHOLE CHURCH IN THE CITY didn¹t think of ownership, but was willing to give whatever God asks to meet the needs of the rest of the body so that (just as in Acts 4:29 and following) there was literally no more need? How it would amaze believers and create curiosity among unbelievers! We have been burdened in our heart for a long time that THIS ONE ACTS MODEL would be an amazingly powerful tool of witness to a lost world if it occurred in our whole city and have even prayed for this with our city pastors. One of our other teaching pastors followed with an exhortation from the first verses of James 5. Reminding us of our incredible wealth and how silly to be hoarding it, as we see the day of the Lord approaching. Then, another pastor was led to remind us from Matthew 17 that the Lord
Jesus was interceding for US, individually, by name at the right hand of the Father. Why should we worry about anything? Fear anything? Therefore we should take courage and do exactly what the Lord prompted us to do. There is nothing to fear. And again, we read from Psalm 27 that we should be strong and let your heart take courage.
In a few minutes, a precious sister came up trembling. She had been prompted to do something and she had prayed and prayed about it and the Lord kept impressing her heart about it. She went to her husband thinking he would disagree but, he agreed with the Holy Spirit! She then removed her (large) wedding ring and said that she wanted to give it to meet the needs of the homeless. A few minutes later, a man who had come from another church came up, told a story about a similar situation in Florida and said that he wanted to help buy back the ring for the lady and said all I have is $250 but I wanted to take this step. As he said this, one of the pastors was reminded that he had $250 in his pocket and this was amazing because he NEVER CARRIED CASH, BUT that very day had been given that money. They were able to put the $500 into the offering basket that contained the ring. People began streaming to the altar, filling the basket with money. In a few minutes, when the basket was full and after several other wonderful moments of prayer and ministry, we called the lady who had given the ring and her husband up and had a glorious wedding ceremony! You, like Mary, have given a beautiful gift that has anointed the Lord¹s feet and filled the room with the fragrance. But now, the King of Kings wants to remind you that you are married to HIM. And HE places this ring on your finger as HIS bride.
The church erupted in celebration.
In a few minutes, another amazing moment of giving occurred. Several nights ago a young woman came up whose husband had committed suicide in her presence 30 days ago. She was weeping and requesting prayer that God would deliver her from her anger towards God. People swarmed around and prayed and that anger was gloriously lifted from her soul. Another sister on that night mentioned to us that night that this widowed young wife needed a car and the people began to give and then a man who came in later found out about the need, had a 2001 Ford Explorer that the day before his father had said he needed to give to someone, and he gave her that car. Plus, she received the $2850+ that was in the offering. She NOW came to the offering and said that the Lord had told her to give HER wedding ring that had been given to her by her late husband. In a few minutes, another man came privately to me and said that he wanted to buy back HER ring for her, and others followed. We performed ANOTHER wedding as we placed the ring on her finger and reminded her, again from Psalm 127 that when mother and father (or husband) leave me, the LORD WILL TAKE ME UP! And reminded her as we placed the ring on her finger that God the Father was her husband and provider and she was married to Him. TWO WEDDINGS IN ONE NIGHT! And that was just the beginning!
Also,
• A couple came from another church and had two of our men come to the mic and share a need with their unnamed church where the pastor’s wife had just left her husband. It is a young, wonderful church. They wanted it to remain anonymous. The church TRAVAILED in prayer, reminding the enemy he had no right to touch God¹s pastor and the Lord¹s bride. Deep, fervent prayer and spiritual warfare on their behalf.
• A man that our church loves stood (for the first time in his life publicly) to admit that he had a 40-year addiction to alcohol. Before he finished the people came streaming and weeping around him. For the first few minutes, all you could hear was moaning and weeping and then massive, soulful, fervent prayer asking that God would deliver this brother. Four treatment centers had not delivered him. Great prayer was offered on his behalf.
• A brother from another church came to ask prayer for his son who is addicted to drugs and bound up. We invited others who were bound up with any issue to also stand for prayer and then those who had children who are bound up to stand. Dozens stood and the church gathered around them all with fervent prayer.
• A young man comes up and says that God has put the homeless on his heart and that the Lord has told him to go and live in a place where he can help men in need.
• Another brother comes up to tell us that his small group has already been praying about that and that they had prayed for a house in the Levy area and TODAY THE LORD HAD GIVEN THEM A HOUSE through a local Hispanic ministry. It’s a fixer-upper, but it is now God’s house to be used to help pray over and restore the homeless.
• We envisioned what it would like if God brought revival to the city for His glory, and EVERY HOMELESS NEED WAS MET. It could happen and has happened before in times of revival.
• People began to stream to the offering basket putting more and more money in the basket.
• A homeless man comes and brings his ring that his daughter had who died 12 years ago. More money comes in.
• We report that we are gathering Friday night on Good Friday. We cannot imagine being anywhere else but in His house with others on such a holy day.
• A dear sister, formerly Catholic, reports that she had always gone to her former Catholic church on Easter week services because she loved the reverence and the reminders of the Lord¹s work for her. But, she said, “I am now in this sacred place and I love it and am so grateful and will be here tomorrow night celebrating the Lord’s death and resurrection.”
And, at the close of the night the offering was counted. We know of more that is coming in, but at the CURRENT MOMENT THE OFFERING IS $12,747 given spontaneously and prompted by one beautiful, sacrificial gift. To God be the glory!!!
We meet tonight, Good Friday, at 7 pm around the cross and the Lord¹s Table.
Come praying. Bring someone to the Cross!
In 2007, God called us from a fifteen year history in manufacturing to Life Action Ministries to help support the message of revival. It is our desire and passion to see personal revival transform lives in order that we may become a nationwide community of believers who are loving, Christ-like, and committed, so that Christ’s redemptive purposes can be accomplished in the world.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
The Choice to Forgive
"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." - Matthew 6:14-15
Let's start with this most obvious lesson in our verses today: we must choose to forgive. Forgiveness is a decision I'm making. In Matthew 6:14–15 Jesus said, "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But, (don’t miss this) if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."
Now, sometimes a passage of scripture seems complicated as soon as you read it. That's not the case when we realize what Matthew 6:14–15 says. Jesus’ words are stunningly clear. Read them again above.
Do you get it? I mean, those are pretty serious verses, right? Not hard to understand - just hard to undertake. You read them and think, "that’s gonna leave a mark! I’m going to have to look again at how forgiving I am." That's nothing you want to be messing around about, or sort-of getting it right. The verses aren’t complicated - but they will definitely complicate your life if you are an un-forgiving person!
And it's not saying that you get saved by forgiving. It is saying that people who are really are saved are forgiving people, increasingly so. Not perfectly, not entirely, but increasingly we are more and more forgiving. As the love of Christ penetrates our hearts more and more deeply and more and more genuinely, we just become more forgiving people. Forgiveness is one of the expected bi-products of genuine salvation.
You ought to be the most forgiving person that you work with. Out of all the people, when they talk about you, they're like, "Man, he's not a guy who holds grudges. He's just not someone who finds fault." "She doesn't try to make people pay, she just lets it go. She just moves on. She's not petty." "He's not a scorekeeper. He's just not like that. He's forgiving, that's what he is." That's what people ought to be saying about you. The more you get to know Jesus, the more it ought to be true in your life that you choose forgiveness.
James MacDonald – walkintheword.com
Let's start with this most obvious lesson in our verses today: we must choose to forgive. Forgiveness is a decision I'm making. In Matthew 6:14–15 Jesus said, "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But, (don’t miss this) if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."
Now, sometimes a passage of scripture seems complicated as soon as you read it. That's not the case when we realize what Matthew 6:14–15 says. Jesus’ words are stunningly clear. Read them again above.
Do you get it? I mean, those are pretty serious verses, right? Not hard to understand - just hard to undertake. You read them and think, "that’s gonna leave a mark! I’m going to have to look again at how forgiving I am." That's nothing you want to be messing around about, or sort-of getting it right. The verses aren’t complicated - but they will definitely complicate your life if you are an un-forgiving person!
And it's not saying that you get saved by forgiving. It is saying that people who are really are saved are forgiving people, increasingly so. Not perfectly, not entirely, but increasingly we are more and more forgiving. As the love of Christ penetrates our hearts more and more deeply and more and more genuinely, we just become more forgiving people. Forgiveness is one of the expected bi-products of genuine salvation.
You ought to be the most forgiving person that you work with. Out of all the people, when they talk about you, they're like, "Man, he's not a guy who holds grudges. He's just not someone who finds fault." "She doesn't try to make people pay, she just lets it go. She just moves on. She's not petty." "He's not a scorekeeper. He's just not like that. He's forgiving, that's what he is." That's what people ought to be saying about you. The more you get to know Jesus, the more it ought to be true in your life that you choose forgiveness.
James MacDonald – walkintheword.com
Monday, March 28, 2011
Family Update March 2011
A Note from Jennifer…
As winter slowly recedes, and spring confidently emerges, I can’t help but be amazed at how quickly time continues to go by. We’re in the final months of our fourth year traveling with Life Action. Less than twelve weeks left in our eighth year of homeschooling. Ben and I move into our forties this year. And it’s over twenty years since the Lord placed a handsome, blond Dutchman into my life, blessing me with the only man I will ever do life with. Truthfully, this journey with the Lord just keeps getting better. God loves us too much to stop refining us. He’s so powerful, He’s not content with letting us attempt only what’s humanly explainable. And that, my friends, is exciting!
So what’s been happening over the last couple of months? We have had the privilege of ministering in seven different churches since we left Holland on January 1, 2011: Okeechobee, FL, Dothan, AL, Dalton and Savannah, GA, and Conover, Rocky Mount, and Kinston, NC. While in Conover, our team lead an 11-day Summit where Ben taught nightly on Biblical truths related to marriage and family. The Lord has placed such a burden on our hearts for not only the preservation of marriages, but also that husbands and wives would be passionately pursuing the Lord and being obedient to what He commands in order that Christian marriages would truly be a reflection of Christ’s love for His people. Each week, we ask the Lord to use us however He desires, and whether it’s through Ben teaching, Jennifer teaching at the weekly ladies’ luncheon, mentoring team members, or relationships with church staff and the church body, God continues to use us, imperfect vessels, to accomplish His perfect plan.
This has been such a sweet season with Christian and Elizabeth as well. To see their hearts continue to mature in the Lord is an encouragement as well as a challenge to us to continue investing in them. Christian is excelling in his school work, taking guitar lessons from our Tupelo, Mississippi team member Jonathan Becker, putting lots of miles on his long-board, and loves anything related to the military. The Lord orchestrated a meeting with a West Point couple, TJ and Jennifer, while we were in Savannah, Georgia that resulted in a visit to the Hunter Army Airfield where TJ currently serves as a Chinook tandem rotor helicopter pilot. Before we knew it, TJ and Jennifer were helping the kids work through part of the Army Rangers’ obstacle course and answering any questions Christian had about life at West Point and in the military. What a blessing to see how God continues to use this couple as a light within the military.
We continue to see Elizabeth’s creative side develop through her writing, drawing, and excellent progress in learning to play the piano. Sasha Shubert, our team member from Hull, Georgia, faithfully works with Elizabeth weekly to teach her piano technique and theory. What a joy it is to hear Elizabeth’s sweet voice as she sings along to whatever song she is playing on the piano. One of our school highlights with her this year is our study of Anatomy and Physiology. She is not only thoroughly enjoying science this year, but also has a keen interest of this area of science. Amazing how God has given us the opportunity to learn more about our brilliantly designed bodies and how they work during the same stretch of time that Mom and Dad Rogers have dealt with heart surgery and double knee replacements. The energy and sparkle we see in Elizabeth brings sunshine to our home!
Along the way, we have also been able to experience a gator farm in Florida, the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, and more sunshine than any Michiganders should be allowed in the winter! As for Ben and I, we’re daily celebrating the “oneness” God continues to solidify in our marriage. We love ministering together, parenting together, and just doing life day to day together. Ben is my best friend, and I am thankful for every day the Lord gives us.
Last spring, we ministered at First Baptist Church in Enid, Oklahoma. This congregation has a 100+ year tradition of taking a special offering for the wives of the men who minister to their church body. This gift comes with a stipulation: it may not be used for practical things like groceries, kids’ clothes, etc. It must be used for something fun and special…at the wife’s discretion. What an amazing surprise that gift was! Because of their generosity, our family was able to experience what is probably my favorite vacation spot…Disney World! On our way to our first church in Okeechobee, FL this January, we spent a couple of days at the KOA in Kissimmee, FL and spent the day at the Magic Kingdom. It was the BEST day together as a family! We rode Space Mountain three times, screamed riding Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in the dark, fought the evil emperor Zurg in Buzz Lightyear Spin, and ate funnel cakes overlooking Cinderella’s Castle. The next evening, we introduced the kids to a wonderful dinner show at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Campground that Ben and I went to on our Disney honeymoon back in 1994: the Hoop Dee Doo Revue! It’s an old-fashioned dinner show with Wild West singing, dancing, and family-friendly vaudeville comedy. We ate delicious food and laughed like crazy! As I’ve been working on scrapbooking pictures from our time at Disney, I can’t help but smile, remembering what a wonderful time we had and how much we enjoy spending time together as a family. Thank you, FBC Enid for making Disney possible for us.
Well, that’s a snapshot of our family for now. We’re eagerly anticipating what God has for us as our journey continues!
As winter slowly recedes, and spring confidently emerges, I can’t help but be amazed at how quickly time continues to go by. We’re in the final months of our fourth year traveling with Life Action. Less than twelve weeks left in our eighth year of homeschooling. Ben and I move into our forties this year. And it’s over twenty years since the Lord placed a handsome, blond Dutchman into my life, blessing me with the only man I will ever do life with. Truthfully, this journey with the Lord just keeps getting better. God loves us too much to stop refining us. He’s so powerful, He’s not content with letting us attempt only what’s humanly explainable. And that, my friends, is exciting!
So what’s been happening over the last couple of months? We have had the privilege of ministering in seven different churches since we left Holland on January 1, 2011: Okeechobee, FL, Dothan, AL, Dalton and Savannah, GA, and Conover, Rocky Mount, and Kinston, NC. While in Conover, our team lead an 11-day Summit where Ben taught nightly on Biblical truths related to marriage and family. The Lord has placed such a burden on our hearts for not only the preservation of marriages, but also that husbands and wives would be passionately pursuing the Lord and being obedient to what He commands in order that Christian marriages would truly be a reflection of Christ’s love for His people. Each week, we ask the Lord to use us however He desires, and whether it’s through Ben teaching, Jennifer teaching at the weekly ladies’ luncheon, mentoring team members, or relationships with church staff and the church body, God continues to use us, imperfect vessels, to accomplish His perfect plan.
This has been such a sweet season with Christian and Elizabeth as well. To see their hearts continue to mature in the Lord is an encouragement as well as a challenge to us to continue investing in them. Christian is excelling in his school work, taking guitar lessons from our Tupelo, Mississippi team member Jonathan Becker, putting lots of miles on his long-board, and loves anything related to the military. The Lord orchestrated a meeting with a West Point couple, TJ and Jennifer, while we were in Savannah, Georgia that resulted in a visit to the Hunter Army Airfield where TJ currently serves as a Chinook tandem rotor helicopter pilot. Before we knew it, TJ and Jennifer were helping the kids work through part of the Army Rangers’ obstacle course and answering any questions Christian had about life at West Point and in the military. What a blessing to see how God continues to use this couple as a light within the military.
We continue to see Elizabeth’s creative side develop through her writing, drawing, and excellent progress in learning to play the piano. Sasha Shubert, our team member from Hull, Georgia, faithfully works with Elizabeth weekly to teach her piano technique and theory. What a joy it is to hear Elizabeth’s sweet voice as she sings along to whatever song she is playing on the piano. One of our school highlights with her this year is our study of Anatomy and Physiology. She is not only thoroughly enjoying science this year, but also has a keen interest of this area of science. Amazing how God has given us the opportunity to learn more about our brilliantly designed bodies and how they work during the same stretch of time that Mom and Dad Rogers have dealt with heart surgery and double knee replacements. The energy and sparkle we see in Elizabeth brings sunshine to our home!
Along the way, we have also been able to experience a gator farm in Florida, the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, and more sunshine than any Michiganders should be allowed in the winter! As for Ben and I, we’re daily celebrating the “oneness” God continues to solidify in our marriage. We love ministering together, parenting together, and just doing life day to day together. Ben is my best friend, and I am thankful for every day the Lord gives us.
Last spring, we ministered at First Baptist Church in Enid, Oklahoma. This congregation has a 100+ year tradition of taking a special offering for the wives of the men who minister to their church body. This gift comes with a stipulation: it may not be used for practical things like groceries, kids’ clothes, etc. It must be used for something fun and special…at the wife’s discretion. What an amazing surprise that gift was! Because of their generosity, our family was able to experience what is probably my favorite vacation spot…Disney World! On our way to our first church in Okeechobee, FL this January, we spent a couple of days at the KOA in Kissimmee, FL and spent the day at the Magic Kingdom. It was the BEST day together as a family! We rode Space Mountain three times, screamed riding Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in the dark, fought the evil emperor Zurg in Buzz Lightyear Spin, and ate funnel cakes overlooking Cinderella’s Castle. The next evening, we introduced the kids to a wonderful dinner show at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Campground that Ben and I went to on our Disney honeymoon back in 1994: the Hoop Dee Doo Revue! It’s an old-fashioned dinner show with Wild West singing, dancing, and family-friendly vaudeville comedy. We ate delicious food and laughed like crazy! As I’ve been working on scrapbooking pictures from our time at Disney, I can’t help but smile, remembering what a wonderful time we had and how much we enjoy spending time together as a family. Thank you, FBC Enid for making Disney possible for us.
Well, that’s a snapshot of our family for now. We’re eagerly anticipating what God has for us as our journey continues!
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
What is Forgiveness?
"Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony" - Colossians 3:12-14
Forgiveness is a decision. It's an act of will to release a person from the obligation that resulted when they injured you.
Unforgiveness sounds like this: "You owe me! I'm going to make you pay by hating you, by slandering you, by returning in kind, by recruiting other people to my bitterness. I'm holding this over you!"
Here's forgiveness: "You don't owe me. I'm not trying to get even. I'm not looking for a chance to pay you back. God didn't make me that way. I choose to forgive."
You say, "James, I can forgive today, but I know by Thursday I'll have that thing back on my back again." I understand that. Get this: forgiveness is a crisis and a process. The first thing you have to do is see your unforgiveness as sin. You have to acknowledge that God's not going to forgive you if you don't forgive others. You've got to have that crisis. You've got to stop explaining, defending, holding onto it, cherishing, and reviewing it. You've got to say, "I don't want this for my life."
The crisis means, "I choose to forgive. I'm letting it go." But the process means, when the painful matter comes into your mind again, you promise yourself to maintain the following process: "I won't bring it up to the person; I won't bring it up to other people;" and most hard by far, "I won't bring it up to myself anymore."
Someone said to me, "James, I can't help myself. As soon as I see the person, Bam! My mind goes right to that thing." That's why forgiveness is a crisis and a process. In the crisis you decide, in the process you live it out.
Now, here's a key: When you fail in the process you have to return to the crisis. When you find yourself flashing back to unforgiveness, realize you failed in the process. You've got to return to the crisis. You've got to get before the Lord and say, "God, forgive me. I want to be a forgiving person and here I'm holding this again, Lord. Help me again. I commit afresh to let it go."
Crisis/process. Over time you'll let it go and you'll be a lot happier because of it.
James MacDonald http://www.walkintheword.com/
Forgiveness is a decision. It's an act of will to release a person from the obligation that resulted when they injured you.
Unforgiveness sounds like this: "You owe me! I'm going to make you pay by hating you, by slandering you, by returning in kind, by recruiting other people to my bitterness. I'm holding this over you!"
Here's forgiveness: "You don't owe me. I'm not trying to get even. I'm not looking for a chance to pay you back. God didn't make me that way. I choose to forgive."
You say, "James, I can forgive today, but I know by Thursday I'll have that thing back on my back again." I understand that. Get this: forgiveness is a crisis and a process. The first thing you have to do is see your unforgiveness as sin. You have to acknowledge that God's not going to forgive you if you don't forgive others. You've got to have that crisis. You've got to stop explaining, defending, holding onto it, cherishing, and reviewing it. You've got to say, "I don't want this for my life."
The crisis means, "I choose to forgive. I'm letting it go." But the process means, when the painful matter comes into your mind again, you promise yourself to maintain the following process: "I won't bring it up to the person; I won't bring it up to other people;" and most hard by far, "I won't bring it up to myself anymore."
Someone said to me, "James, I can't help myself. As soon as I see the person, Bam! My mind goes right to that thing." That's why forgiveness is a crisis and a process. In the crisis you decide, in the process you live it out.
Now, here's a key: When you fail in the process you have to return to the crisis. When you find yourself flashing back to unforgiveness, realize you failed in the process. You've got to return to the crisis. You've got to get before the Lord and say, "God, forgive me. I want to be a forgiving person and here I'm holding this again, Lord. Help me again. I commit afresh to let it go."
Crisis/process. Over time you'll let it go and you'll be a lot happier because of it.
James MacDonald http://www.walkintheword.com/
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Filled with Peace When I Feel the Pressure
"And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!' " - Luke 2:13-14
One of the things that just grieves me is when I think about how we picture the nativity scene. I mean how we picture the people there with glowing faces and embroidered clothing. That is so NOT the way it was. Those people were under pressure! Jesus came to regular people overwhelmed by challenging and difficult circumstances and I believe that peace is the antidote to pressure.
So what makes me feel pressure? Has this ever happened to you? Do you feel like sometimes people are making decisions about your life and no one really checked with you? That's when I need peace, when stuff just comes suddenly out of nowhere.
That happened with Joseph for sure. Joseph must have been thinking, "What's some guy at the other end of the Mediterranean Sea doing? And right when my wife's getting ready to have a baby. Someone lost my reservation and there's nowhere to stay but some cold, nasty stable, and then Mary tells me that the baby is coming NOW." That's pressure. Joseph needed peace. So do we.
We need peace with God. That's the peace I feel when I feel conversion. Romans 5:1 says "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." You can't have any other peace until you have that - peace with God.
Peace from God is descriptive of a covenant relationship with Him. The Old Testament concept is shalom, it means peace, but is the complete state of wholeness and wellbeing. It's the sense that I'm living in a close, covenantal, relationship with God. It means great things about my life and future because of His grace toward me.
Then there's the peace of God. It's the calm assurance that what God is doing is best. It doesn't matter what comes in the mail today, it doesn't matter what the doctor says, it doesn't matter who rings my phone, it doesn't matter what comes my way today I have something guarding my heart.
You can get off the emotional rollercoaster and let this peace guard your heart. Nothing can penetrate that except that you open the door yourself. God's gonna take care of me. It's an awesome thing. And listen it's a real thing.
Peace with God, peace from God, peace of God. That's what the angels were talking about.
James MacDonald – Walk in the Word
One of the things that just grieves me is when I think about how we picture the nativity scene. I mean how we picture the people there with glowing faces and embroidered clothing. That is so NOT the way it was. Those people were under pressure! Jesus came to regular people overwhelmed by challenging and difficult circumstances and I believe that peace is the antidote to pressure.
So what makes me feel pressure? Has this ever happened to you? Do you feel like sometimes people are making decisions about your life and no one really checked with you? That's when I need peace, when stuff just comes suddenly out of nowhere.
That happened with Joseph for sure. Joseph must have been thinking, "What's some guy at the other end of the Mediterranean Sea doing? And right when my wife's getting ready to have a baby. Someone lost my reservation and there's nowhere to stay but some cold, nasty stable, and then Mary tells me that the baby is coming NOW." That's pressure. Joseph needed peace. So do we.
We need peace with God. That's the peace I feel when I feel conversion. Romans 5:1 says "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." You can't have any other peace until you have that - peace with God.
Peace from God is descriptive of a covenant relationship with Him. The Old Testament concept is shalom, it means peace, but is the complete state of wholeness and wellbeing. It's the sense that I'm living in a close, covenantal, relationship with God. It means great things about my life and future because of His grace toward me.
Then there's the peace of God. It's the calm assurance that what God is doing is best. It doesn't matter what comes in the mail today, it doesn't matter what the doctor says, it doesn't matter who rings my phone, it doesn't matter what comes my way today I have something guarding my heart.
You can get off the emotional rollercoaster and let this peace guard your heart. Nothing can penetrate that except that you open the door yourself. God's gonna take care of me. It's an awesome thing. And listen it's a real thing.
Peace with God, peace from God, peace of God. That's what the angels were talking about.
James MacDonald – Walk in the Word
Monday, December 13, 2010
The Benefits of Waiting
"I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord." - Psalms 40:1–3
The longer I live, the more I come to understand that life doesn't have a lot of green lights. There are hardly any times where God is like, "Do you want that? Have it right now. Why didn't you ask sooner?" More often God is like, "I'd like you to wait."
"No! I want it right now!"
God is like, "Listen! You might think you want it now, but I'm going to give it to you when you're fit to receive it. I'm going to use the process of waiting to shape you into the woman or the man that I want you to be. Getting it now wouldn't advance My purposes for you. I want you to wait."
Waiting is not an easy thing. Waiting is not passivity. Waiting on God is not the absence of efforts. Waiting is "I've done everything I know how to do but it's not enough and now I am waiting on God to do for me what I could not do for myself."
That is such an important lesson to learn. Let me tell you about some of the benefits that you get when you wait on God. Here are five verses that spell them out.
• According to Psalm 40:1 when we wait on God, He hears our prayers: "I waited patiently for the Lord and He inclined to me and heard my cry."
• According to Isaiah 64:4 when we wait on God, He acts on our behalf: "Nor has the eye seen a God like You who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him." That's what God is fired up about. He works for the people who wait. I wonder how many things we don't get because we're out there working for it ourselves beyond what we should and God's like, "Would you just stop that? I act on behalf of the people who wait for Me."
• Psalm 25:3 says that when we wait on God, He keeps us from shame: "Indeed none of those who wait for You O God will be ashamed."
• Isaiah 40:31 says that He gives strength to those who wait: "Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength."
• Psalm 37:34 tells us that those who wait for God are exalted: "Wait for the Lord and He will exalt you."
Bottom line; God always makes it worth our while to wait for Him!
James MacDonald - Walk in the Word
The longer I live, the more I come to understand that life doesn't have a lot of green lights. There are hardly any times where God is like, "Do you want that? Have it right now. Why didn't you ask sooner?" More often God is like, "I'd like you to wait."
"No! I want it right now!"
God is like, "Listen! You might think you want it now, but I'm going to give it to you when you're fit to receive it. I'm going to use the process of waiting to shape you into the woman or the man that I want you to be. Getting it now wouldn't advance My purposes for you. I want you to wait."
Waiting is not an easy thing. Waiting is not passivity. Waiting on God is not the absence of efforts. Waiting is "I've done everything I know how to do but it's not enough and now I am waiting on God to do for me what I could not do for myself."
That is such an important lesson to learn. Let me tell you about some of the benefits that you get when you wait on God. Here are five verses that spell them out.
• According to Psalm 40:1 when we wait on God, He hears our prayers: "I waited patiently for the Lord and He inclined to me and heard my cry."
• According to Isaiah 64:4 when we wait on God, He acts on our behalf: "Nor has the eye seen a God like You who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him." That's what God is fired up about. He works for the people who wait. I wonder how many things we don't get because we're out there working for it ourselves beyond what we should and God's like, "Would you just stop that? I act on behalf of the people who wait for Me."
• Psalm 25:3 says that when we wait on God, He keeps us from shame: "Indeed none of those who wait for You O God will be ashamed."
• Isaiah 40:31 says that He gives strength to those who wait: "Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength."
• Psalm 37:34 tells us that those who wait for God are exalted: "Wait for the Lord and He will exalt you."
Bottom line; God always makes it worth our while to wait for Him!
James MacDonald - Walk in the Word
Friday, December 3, 2010
Angola Prison
Hello everyone, just wanted to give you a quick update on an adventure that we are about to embark on. We have been invited to the Louisiana State Prison (aka Angola or “The Farm”) to facilitate a four day conference. We have been invited by Awana Lifeline which God has used to make a significant impact in the lives of many of the inmates. Angola is the largest maximum security prison in the United States and houses just over 5,000 inmates. 4,000 of the inmates are serving a life sentence and those that remain average a sentence of 90+ years. What used to be the considered the most violent and dangerous prison in America is now considered one of the safest! Only one reason, God at Work! Awana Lifeline has started a program called the “Malachi Dads” which is having the largest impact of any program that the prison has ever experienced, and they have asked us to come alongside and help continue on with what the Malachi dads program has begun.
Then link below is for a video highlighting what is happening with the Malachi Dads program at Angola. The interesting thing is that it was produced by USA Today. I would encourage you to take a look at the video to get a glimpse of what has been happening that we have been given opportunity to be part of.
I had the opportunity to take a trip to Angola this past August to do some preliminary work in regards to our days there. I have attached a picture below.
Fathers for Life Video
Angola State Prison Website
I will be sending updates through Twitter and Facebook while at the Prison. Check it out.
Then link below is for a video highlighting what is happening with the Malachi Dads program at Angola. The interesting thing is that it was produced by USA Today. I would encourage you to take a look at the video to get a glimpse of what has been happening that we have been given opportunity to be part of.
I had the opportunity to take a trip to Angola this past August to do some preliminary work in regards to our days there. I have attached a picture below.
Fathers for Life Video
Angola State Prison Website
I will be sending updates through Twitter and Facebook while at the Prison. Check it out.
Monday, November 29, 2010
The Harvest
"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith." - Galatians 6:9–10
We have looked at the principles of planting and harvesting and we talked about various seeds. Now it’s time to see some of what the harvest teaches us.
1. We harvest only what has been planted. I mean, how clear is that? You can't harvest stuff if you don't plant it. Farmers never decide to skip the planting and just pray for corn! Good results spring from good choices; you know what comes from bad choices! Too often we forget that we're planting every day.
2. We harvest the same in kind as we plant. You see a person acting a certain way, treating people in a certain way, you say to yourself, "That's coming back to her or him." If we're not watchful of what we plant, we can expect to be disappointed with the results we get.
3. We harvest in a different season than we plant. Decisions take a moment; consequences and results roll out for a long time. We often tend to live through the spring time of life and we make all these shortsighted decisions: "I'm gonna act the way that I want to. I'm gonna do the things that I want to do. Who cares about results - this is my life!" And so we plant all these bad things: choices, habits, and decisions. Young people can get rebellious and make bad choices that seem to go unnoticed. By the time they reach adulthood they're like, "I beat the odds. Nothing's gonna happen to me. I got away with it." And then we get to harvest time and we're like, "How did this happen?" And it all comes down on our heads. And we're like, "Why didn’t somebody tell me?" I'm telling you right now. You harvest what you plant; but you harvest in a different season. Numbers 32:23 says, "Be sure your sin will find you out." That’s as true today as it was when God instructed the Israelites not to treat sin lightly.
These are three significant reasons why we should be continuously in prayer to the Lord of the harvest, that He will instruct our planting efforts each and every day.
James MacDonald – Walk in the Word
We have looked at the principles of planting and harvesting and we talked about various seeds. Now it’s time to see some of what the harvest teaches us.
1. We harvest only what has been planted. I mean, how clear is that? You can't harvest stuff if you don't plant it. Farmers never decide to skip the planting and just pray for corn! Good results spring from good choices; you know what comes from bad choices! Too often we forget that we're planting every day.
2. We harvest the same in kind as we plant. You see a person acting a certain way, treating people in a certain way, you say to yourself, "That's coming back to her or him." If we're not watchful of what we plant, we can expect to be disappointed with the results we get.
3. We harvest in a different season than we plant. Decisions take a moment; consequences and results roll out for a long time. We often tend to live through the spring time of life and we make all these shortsighted decisions: "I'm gonna act the way that I want to. I'm gonna do the things that I want to do. Who cares about results - this is my life!" And so we plant all these bad things: choices, habits, and decisions. Young people can get rebellious and make bad choices that seem to go unnoticed. By the time they reach adulthood they're like, "I beat the odds. Nothing's gonna happen to me. I got away with it." And then we get to harvest time and we're like, "How did this happen?" And it all comes down on our heads. And we're like, "Why didn’t somebody tell me?" I'm telling you right now. You harvest what you plant; but you harvest in a different season. Numbers 32:23 says, "Be sure your sin will find you out." That’s as true today as it was when God instructed the Israelites not to treat sin lightly.
These are three significant reasons why we should be continuously in prayer to the Lord of the harvest, that He will instruct our planting efforts each and every day.
James MacDonald – Walk in the Word
Thursday, November 18, 2010
O Canada!
After five weeks ministering in the beautiful country of Canada, it is good to be back in the United States. But, oh, what an adventure we had while visiting our neighbors to the north! Allow us to share just a few things we learned about life in Canada:
• Milk does not come in a jug…it comes in a bag!
• Canadian ketchup is ridiculously sweet
• A pound of butter comes in a block, not four sticks
• Food is a lot more expensive
• There is an 18% tax on everything
• Tim Horton’s coffee/donut shops are EVERYWHERE!
• Ben loves Coffee Crisp candy bars
• Canadians do a much better job with portion control than Americans
• Conversation with Canadian immigration officers went something like this: “So you live in this trailer? Yes, sir.” “You’ve been invited to these Canadian churches? Yes, sir.” “They’re not paying you anything? No, sir.”
• You can get Oreo Double Stuff in Canada, but the package is half the size…kind of defeats the purpose, don’t you think?
• There’s an app available for the iPhone to convert everything to the metric system (ie. mph, clearance of a bridge – very important for us)
• Canadians are an extremely friendly bunch…Right? Aye!
• We have yet to find a good piece of Canadian beef…but our new friends in Wyoming, Ontario have promised us when we return in May we will have some!
• Canada is beautiful!
• Canadians know far more of what’s going on in the United States than we do about what’s going on in Canada
• Store clerks are happy to put your purchases in a plastic bag…for $.05 each!
• We now have some incredible new friends in Canada!
We also had some opportunities that gave us some incredible memories:
• Christian and Elizabeth went to a Sarnia Sting hockey game
• We took the subway into Toronto and then went to the top of the 1,815 ft. CN Tower and walked out onto the glass floor…did we mention Ben is not a fan of heights!?!
• Celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving Monday, October 10 with a traditional Thanksgiving dinner with Ryan and Maryann Loveing’s family
• Celebrated Christian’s 13th birthday in Cobourg, Ontario including a surprise party thrown by the youth group of Fellowship Baptist Church
• Playing in the leaves in Cobourg
• Watched the snow come down on a Sunday morning in Barrie, Ontario
• Strolled on the shore of Lake Ontario where Jennifer, Elizabeth, and Maryann and Crista Loveing discovered milk weeds to blow into the breeze…what a beautiful time with good friends!
• Viewed the amazing Niagara Falls
• The kids spent lots of time in the indoor skate park within Fellowship Baptist Church, rollerblading and playing hockey
On the ministry front, we saw God’s hand move mightily in all three churches. During our three conferences, God’s Word was faithfully taught, and people responded humbly and obediently which resulted in an overwhelming number of people experiencing personal revival. Consciences were cleared, relationships were reconciled and rebuilt, and the Spirit of God was wonderfully evident. On one Sunday, the morning and evening services included a combined five hours worth of people testifying to what the Lord was doing in their lives! Our two Summits in Canada were also the first opportunities for Ben to begin teaching marriage and family principles during the first 30 minutes of each service as well as during the Home Life Cafe’ on Saturdays. Jennifer is continuing to enjoy teaching Ladies’ Luncheons with Maryann. We had a packed gym of 370+ women at one church! God is continuing to stretch us, yet He has been so faithful to give us just what we need to do exactly what He calls us to do.
O Canada, how we enjoyed our time with you…see you in the spring!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)