Partners

We don't get through life without the benefit and blessings or other people in our lives. God puts partners in our lives who love us, invest in us, encourage us, believe in us, and support us along the way. They share wisdom, life experiences, discipleship, and they may even financially help to make our dreams come true.

This morning I came across a passage I've never noticed before. O, I've read it numerous times in the past. Something was different this time. The passage seemed illuminated in my mind and heart. The truth seemed meant for me. It felt like God wrote me a personal note to encourage me this morning.

Philippians 4:14-20 (ESV)
¹⁴  Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble.
¹⁵  And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only.
¹⁶  Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again.
¹⁷  Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit.
¹⁸  I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.
¹⁹  And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
²⁰  To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

I've always seen Paul as a fiercely determined, independent, and courageous soul. Fearless in the face of danger. Faithful in the face of hardship. Rock solid in the face of suffering. 

What surprised me from this passage is how Paul needed partners in his ministry. He said the Philippians "shared in his trouble." He went on to elaborate that they "partnered with him in giving". He goes on to say they "sent help for my needs once and again." He also reports he "received full payment, I am well supplied."

Paul needed people to come along side him. He needed partners. God used people to help him in his ministry. Suddenly I felt a connection with Paul I've never had before. Over the past two and a half decades I have also had many financial partners. God has used them to help me along the way.

Many times these gifts came in amounts of $25, $50, and $100. I cannot even recount all the wonderful people God has used to support Brenda and I in our ministry pursuits through No Compromise Ministries. Dozens and dozens of people who sent their gifts. Selfless people willing to sacrifice. Kingdom minded people.

I recently made a preaching trip to east Texas. Funds were extremely tight. I did not know how I would make the whole trip in gas and meals. God used some partners. My host for the night offered to drive the four hour round trip from his home to the church I preached in that night. What a blessing. He also bought my lunch that day. His gifts were a real blessing.

Later that night after preaching I met with a lady and her young son I used to serve as pastor years ago. Before she left she handed me some cash. She said God told me to do this. Her gift enabled me to make the trip back home without using a credit card. God used partners to help me.

Many years ago I recall a lawyer coming to my office once and handed me a check for $10,000. On another occasion a farmer gave me a $10,000 for a project. Once someone blessed me with $15,000. I think of a faithful couple who send us money every month to help and on many occasions have sent gift cards to the boys at Christmas. A single lady recently began sending us a monthly gift to help us in our walk of faith.

When in college a ranching couple gave me a car. Several years later a doctor gave me a Jeep Grand Cherokee. The truck I now drive I have because God used three people to bless us with the money for it. God continues to use generous, gracious, and people willing to sacrifice to help my family and our desire to follow Him.

There are so many partners God has used. Each sermon, each book I've written, each blog, each mission trip, each revival, youth camp, youth retreat, or rally has all been possible because God has used multitudes of people to help us along the way. For that I thank God for all the people He has used along the way. Praise His holy name and to Him be all the glory.

The Prayer Ministry Connection

Some weeks ago while praying I became burdened for a lady I baptized many years ago. We lost touch when I moved from the church she attended. The burden was so intense I knew I had to try to make contact with her. I called the church she attended and to find her number. I called and called to no avail. I could never get an answer. I tried on several different occasions but with the same result. Turned out it was not even working number any longer. The line would just ring.

Today, out of the blue, that lady contacted me telling me she needed my help. We talked as she unloaded her sorrows. After listening to her I understood more fully why God had burdened my heart for this sister so heavily.

What amazes me is how the Holy Spirit burdened my heart for this lady several weeks ago and then moved her to contact me this morning. It was a privilege to listen to this sister in the Lord and to pray with her over the phone.

On another day recently when praying I received another burden for someone. This time the burden was more specific. I texted this person the next morning to see if the burden I had was correct. It was indeed. The next day I again had a burden for this person but even more specific than the first burden. I texted this person to see if I was correct in my assessment of the problem. The reply was I was spot on.

I was not spot on owing to my ability. The Holy Spirit knew the situation and impressed on me how to pray. I think He desires to do this for all followers of Jesus if we will slow down long enough to be sensitive to His promptings. Think of the endless possibilities if we could discern His leadings while we pray. He could reveal troubles, sorrows, waywardness, specific scriptures, and ways to minister to people.

It is my conviction that the Holy Spirit is the forgotten part of the Trinity. We love the Father and Jesus. Many have little use for the Holy Spirit. Our Pentecostal brothers and sisters embrace the Holy Spirit far more than other denominations.

If you and I prayed in step with the Holy Spirit and walked in step with the Holy Spirit how many people could receive effective ministry through prayer and face to face. We cannot afford to grieve and quench the Holy Spirit. Baptist churches put very little emphasis on the Holy Spirit. He is the one who connects the needs of people with those who are to minister. That is why years ago I created my own denomination. I call myself a Baptecostal. I recognized years ago we need the Holy Spirit to help us in ministry. He empowers. He comforts. He reveals truth He convicts. This past week He made connections between my prayers and hurting people. No college or seminary classroom can teach you that.

Holy Spirit we welcome you. We need you. We ask you to connect our prayers with the hearts of those who need your touch the most. Show us the ones you are convicting and preparing to respond to the gospel Show us the brokenhearted. Show us the discouraged. Show us the hopeless. Show us the ones who are lonely. Please reveal to us the ones who are weary. Please help us make the connections. Then I ask you to empower us to minister to their needs. In Jesus' name, amen.

What Would You Do?

What would you do if God showed up and revealed something He was about to do? Let me be even more specific. What would you if God showed you how He was about to punish a group of people living in sin?

This is the very spot Abraham found himself in the Genesis 18 story. God even said, "Shall I hide what I am about to do?" God chooses to reveal how the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah had grieved Him. Great sins. Grave sins. God was about to send angels into the cities to see for themselves.

Abraham had a nephew living in that area. Abraham began to intercede. He asked if God would destroy the righteous with the wicked and asked if God would spare the cities if there were 50 righteous. He pressed on getting all the way down to pleading with God to spare the city if there were only 10 righteous. In the end there were not even 10 righteous people in those cities and God destroyed them.

God had mercy and allowed Lot and his family to get out before His wrath fell on Sodom Gomorrah. Lot's wife did not resist the temptation to look behind her to see the destruction on their escape. She died as a result.

If God came and revealed something like He did to Abraham how would you respond? Would you ignore it. Would you dismiss the whole thing. Would you write it down and tell someone else. Would you second guess yourself hearing correctly. Abraham interceded. His fervent prayers saved Lot's life. How many of us would intercede. How many of us would take the warning of God seriously and pray earnestly for mercy.

The United States is walking on thin ice. I don't see any sins Sodom and Gomorrah practiced that people in the United States do not practice as well. In addition we suffer from the sin of prayerlessness.

I had a pastor call me today and ask me how he could lead his church to become a praying church. I told him I didn't know. I am no expert on prayer. Far from it. I know a little more today than I knew when I first became a pastor. I am not sure you can lead or teach people to pray. In order to really learn how to pray and intercede you have to PRAY and INTERCEDE. Prayer is better caught than taught. It is better practiced than preached. It is better lived out in real life than learned in a classroom.

That is what America needs. Millions making intercession. Maybe God will relent from doing this nation harm and leave a blessing instead. We certainly do not deserve His blessing. We deserve His wrath as a nation. May more of us follow Abraham's example and pray fervently. Otherwise I am convinced some very difficult times are coming for the land of the free and the home of the brave.

God Please Have Mercy

O God please have mercy on this wicked nation,
A flawed vessel marred in Your hands of creation,
How long will Your judgment day delay and relent,
When America refuses to listen or to come repent,
How we have grieved You with our transgression,
When multitudes sit in pews but refuse confession,
How often have we sinned and brought You offense,
We have no excuses - no justification - no defense,
We have turned our backs on You in stubborn defiance,
Our sins we cherish - we enjoy and on You no reliance,
How long before Your burning anger is fully released,
When America no longer exists but becomes deceased,
Before that day I cry out in grief and brokenhearted,
Please send another Great Awakening You once started,
We have no other hope but for Your grace and mercy,
Please start as You convict and thoroughly search me.

My Meager Offering

While people prepare for family and Christmas a much more sobering thought keeps coming to mind. How long before God judges America. Like a ticking time bomb America marches defiantly toward her own demise seemingly unaware. To a nation like ours where God has given so much will He not expect much in return.

We have access to God's word. Multiple translations. Audio Bibles, electronic Bibles, and Bible colleges. We have churches of all shapes and sizes. Country churches. City churches. Traditional churches. Contemporary churches. Cowboy churches. Liturgical churches. Informal churches. Spirit led churches.

Sodom and Gomorrah had no Bible. I'm pretty sure they did not have any churches either but, God did not spare those cities from their rebellious and wicked ways. What will He do with America. To be sure there is a remnant of faithful followers sprinkled throughout the land. There are still intercessors in this nation. You may never know who they are because their ministry takes place in private behind shut doors. Is all of that enough to stay God's hands.

Every time another sex scandal rocks the church, congress, and Hollywood is God angered? Each time another homosexual couple exchange wedding vows before some spineless pastor officiating how does God feel? Each time a child is abused what does God think. Each time a pastor steps behind the pulpit to offer another speech with no scriptural emphasis or exposition how God must grieve. Each time another child is aborted because a woman thinks she has the right to choose life or death how abhorred God must be. Each time the educated profess to be wise they only make themselves fools and God is not honored.

At some point I wonder if God will get angry with America even though He is slow to anger. Is there a tipping point when God finally says enough. Will there be a judgment on this nation who boasts, "In God we trust," on our currency but shun His word and laws in our colleges and congress.

While others celebrate the season I have this deep dread that keeps me awake at night and drives me to the prayer closet. Who am I to warn people. I have no great platform. I am a small time pastor and revivalists. I do not have influence over the masses. Yet I feel I would have blood on my hands if I did not blow the horn of warning for the church of God.

In light of eternity I have heavier things on my mind these days than entertainment and holidays. I have the future of this nation at heart. There are many more anointed, gifted, influential, and effective ministers. Yet I cannot hold my tongue.

On most days barely two dozen people ever read these posts. I still have to share this burden. I trust God will take my meager offering of loaves and fish in this writing and multiply it for His good purposes. Wake up America. Wake up church. Wake up pastor. Wake up follower of Jesus. Wake up hypocrites. We are one day closer to judgment than before.

Says

Faith says, "Go,"
Fear says, "No,"
Faith says, "Walk,"
Fear says, "Balk,"
Faith says, "Bold,"
Fear says, "Fold,"
Faith says, "Trust,"
Fear says, "Bust,"
Faith says, "Now,"
Fear says, "How,"
Faith says, "Leap,"
Fear says, "Keep,"
Faith says, "Abide,"
Fear says, "Hide"
Faith says, "Today,"
Fear says, "No way,"
Faith says, "Believe,"
Fear says, "Deceive,"
Faith says, "Up street,"
Fear says, "Retreat,"
Faith says, "Go,"
Fear says, "No."

One Little Step

I recall with great excitement how Brenda and I anticipated the first step each of our boys would take.  For weeks we would hold them by the hands and walk with them. We coaxed them to stand on their own and then to take a step toward our outstretched arms. Most of the time they would plop down. Sometimes they stood on wobbly legs tottering back and forth before losing their balance and falling down.

You could see them working through taking that first step without our help in their minds. They were unsure. They preferred the security of our strength. In time we rejoiced when each of our boys took that initial step. We celebrated that momentous occasion. Now we take them walking for granted. We are not overly impressed when they walk across the room or the yard. We have come to expect more out of them. We have celebrated them running track, playing football, basketball and baseball.

When I look back over my walk with God I remember one of the first faith steps I ever took. That step scared me. I felt wobbly on young legs of faith. I wanted to cling to security but God nudged me toward faith. He has been doing that now for over three decades.

Faith is trusting God enough to take one little step of obedience after another. The first step can be the hardest. Just one little step toward God and His invitation to join Him or to believe Him for the impossible. Just one little step. One step toward obedience and away from rebellion. One step toward trust and away from doubt. One step toward God's promise and away from the Devil's lies. One step toward the impossible and away from the safe and secure. One step toward Him and away from living life in our own strength and wisdom.

How many mighty acts of God started with one step. Noah cutting the first tree before building the ark. Abraham becoming the father of a great nation by taking that first step away from his home. Moses stepping out toward the Red Sea. Moses going up on the mountain to receive the commandments of God. Joshua leading Israel into the promise land. Elijah stepping up on Mount Carmel against false prophets. Jonah eventually stepping into Nineveh. The disciples stepping away from their nets and toward Jesus to follow Him. All of it with just one step.

What is that one step God is requiring of you right now? What is He calling you to do? What is the next little step you need to make? You have a choice to make. Do you trust God enough to take one step of obedience? I have a choice to make. Will I trust God enough to take that one little step. Ready or not here I go.