Fishers of Men

December 30th, the same day Craig preached the last message of 2007 about becoming again an active witness of Jesus Christ, the daily devotional "God Calling" by A.J Russell had this to say.

"When you think of those of whom you read who are in anguish do you ever think how My Heart must ache with the woe of it, with the anguish of it?

If I beheld the city and wept over it how much more should I weep over the agony of these troubled hearts, over lives that seek to live without My sustaining Power.
'They will not come unto Me that they might have Life.'

Live to bring others to Me, the only Source of Happiness and Heart-Peace.

Be a Witness / Jesus is Praying

Craig spoke a really good word today about “Jesus, the Missionary” and that we are sent to be witnesses. He basically said, “if you’re not sharing your faith, can you call yourself Christian?”

That brought to mind something I read this week in Eternity in their Hearts, by Don Richardson. Evidence shows the reality is people are much more wiling to receive the good news about Jesus Christ than we are willing to share it. Whoa!

As powerful as those two thoughts are, the imagery that really sticks in my mind from Craig’s sharing the last two weeks is this. Jesus dismissed the crowd and told his disciples to go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. He went to be alone with the Father. They obeyed and ending up “straining at the oars” as a vicious storm arose.

If God’s told you to do something, don’t give up. Stay at it! He’s coming to you, perhaps even now, walking on the water. You’re about to see Him in a new way!

And never lose the image of what was happening just before. Jesus, in the darkness on the mountain, is praying for you! Do you think the Father hears when Jesus prays?

Enjoy the journey, storm or fair. Enjoy His presence. He is near. Your brother, Dwayne

God of Hope and Joy

ST. PAUL PUT HIS PEN TO PARCHMENT AND WROTE WORDS THAT EVERY PERSON ON PLANET EARTH NEEDS TO HEAR AT TIMES LIKE THESE.

"MAY THE GOD OF HOPE FILL YOU WITH ALL JOY AND PEACE AS YOU TRUST IN HIM, SO THAT YOU MAY OVERFLOW WITH HOPE BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT."

THAT HOPE DID NOT INVADE THE WORLD IN THE FORM OF A SUPREME SULTAN RIDING DOWN MAIN STREET JERUSALEM ON A WHITE STALLION DEMANDING THAT MEN BOW TO HIM AS A REIGNING MONARCH.

HE CAME IN THE FORM OF A BABY WRAPPED IN SWADDLING CLOTHES LYING IN A DESOLATE MANGER SURROUNDED BY SHEPHERDS, SHEEP, OXEN, DONKEYS AND JOSEPH WHO WAS STRUGGLING TO UNDERSTAND THE MAGNIFICENCE OF THIS MOMENT.

THE HOPE THAT CHRIST BRINGS TO OUR LIVES GENERATES PEACE THAT SURPASSES UNDERSTANDING, JOY THAT IS UNSPEAKABLE, ENERGY THAT HAS NO LIMIT AND EXCITEMENT THAT NEVER ENDS!

JOHN HAGEE wrote these words in a recent newsletter referenced below. Seems fitting as we are about to enter 2008, a year of "Sending Out."

A nice reflection for the season and the new year. If you're interested in CUI or Christians standing with Israel, contact me or check out their website. Shalom, Dwayne

" For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel." Luke 2:30-32

Merry Christmas

The
Son of God
became a man
to enable men
to become
sons of God.
C.S. Lewis

During this Holiday Season,
may you know the joy
of His perfect love
for you.

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.
1 John 3:1

He is Coming

Greetings Men, and Merry Christmas 2007!

Reflect with me on Debbie Stuckey’s words in Sunday’s CCF service about the God within Mary and within us; and God’s incredible humility and ways. This little article continues to speak of our King and the season we remember His amazing entry into our earth history and our everyday, present day lives! -=db=-

He is Coming December 24

Our Lord, Thou art here. Let us feel Thy nearness.

Yes! But remember the first Hail must be that of the Magi in the Bethlehem stable. Not as King and Lord in Heavenly triumph must you first hail Me. But as amongst the lowliest, bereft of earth’s pomp like the Magi.
So to the humble the worship of humility – the Bethlehem Babe – must be the first Hail.
Then the worship of repentance. As earth’s sinner, you stand by Me in the Jordan, baptized of John, worshipping Me the Friend and Servant of Sinners.
Dwell much on My Life. Step out beside Me. Share it with Me. Humility, Service, Worship, Sacrifice, Sanctification – Steps in the Christian Life.

From God Calling edited by A.J. Russell, Jove Books, NY.

With Faith it's possible to please God ....

Faith is so important to our walk with God and each other. I awoke this morning with that thought and a scripture about faith. Brad Grizzle spoke of faith again and again as he addressed the men's meeting this past Tuesday.

With Faith you can please God. With faith you can communicate with God. With faith you can "breakthrough in 2007," even though we've just a few days left. Dr. Bill Bennett taught me long ago that the word "faith" comes from an ancient Sanskrit word "pith" which means "to be one with." To have faith in God, is to be one with God. It's a relationship! Surprised? From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible is about "relationship."

God desires and invites us to have a relationship with Him, and faith is a key. How is your relationship? What can you do to improve it? Perhaps get some new habits? Time in the Word? Time reading a good book? Worshiping with Christian music? Time with God-seeking friends? What comes to your mind? Do it! Awareness of God, and your ability to listen and hear from Him will grow. Faith will grow. Breakthrough could come more quickly than you think!

I leave you with a couple of inspirational examples and related thoughts. Aki Anna is a child prodigy with an unusual relationship to God and Mike Huckabee is a candidate for the Presidency of the United States.

Blessings in the the Name of our Matchless King! Enjoy the journey, Dwayne

"And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him." (Heb 11:6 NASB)
"So Daniel was taken up out of the den and no injury whatever was found on him, because he had trusted in his God." (Dan 6:23 NASB)

Occupy

Some time ago I heard a man on talk radio ask the host, "As bad as things are in the world, what am I to do." The host responded with "Occupy until I come" Luke 19:13 I thought "occupy" what does that mean? The Greek word used means "to busy oneself with, to trade." I have thought often about what the Lord was saying and this is what I have concluded. Keep doing what you're doing, live your life in the place He has established you. And in the midst of living your life, remain focused on the Lord. I don't know about you but I have found this to be most difficult, that is living my life in the marketplace and being aware and conscious of the Lord at the same time. I have almost felt like I am two persons, one when I am seeking, worshiping, and praying to the Lord, and the other when I go to work. However, in recent days I believe the Lord has enabled me to make progress toward that unity. I don't know what exactly has happened except that I believe it is an outgrowth of my pursuit of my relationship with Him. I have been asking Him to set His seal upon my heart, to cause it to burn for Him, and He is answering my cry. "Draw close to me and I will draw close to you" Jas 4:8 The Lord is speaking to us to wake up, to prepare for war, and the only way we can do this is for our personal relationship with Him to increase. That His conscious presence be with us in everything we do, everyplace we go. The only way that can happen is for us to grow in knowledge of His love and grace, by being with Him. Let us renew our pursuit of Him with increased fervor. He is coming, will we be ready?

ARE YOU A MIGHTY MAN?

Brothers, are you more passionate this year than you were last year? Do you have more zeal? Are you more focused? Are you hungrier than ever before for the manifest presence of God? Can you say that you have a closer walk with God this year than you did last year? Can you relate to the questions that Dwayne has asked in the previous post; such as, are you doing anything differently? Making any preparations? Training physically, mentally, spiritually? Any quality decisions? Any new habits? Finally, Can you honestly say that you have been weeding out the thorns and unwanted growth with your pruning hook so that you are now eligible to carry a spear, and have you taken up your plow, dug into the word of God, so that you now have the sword of truth written on your heart? If you can say yes to these questions then I believe you can honestly say that God has awakened your spirit! At the beginning of the year the Lord charged us with the assignment of waking up the mighty men, but what was He really saying? At the previous Men’s Meeting, Brian shared a word about purchasing, from God, Gold refined in the fire. He then asked the men to raise their hand if they were Mighty Men. Only one person responded, while another quickly put his hand up and back down. I believe the reason that there was no response is because we were all looking to ourselves, rather than the source of our strength. JESUS!! For it is IN CHRIST that we are mighty. Now, we must proclaim it. WE ARE MIGHTY MEN! Not in ourselves, but IN CHRIST. 2Co 10:4,5 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Brothers, one of the mighty weapons that the Lord has provided us with is our mouths. By our words we will be condemned, and by our words we will be justified. We must be careful to proclaim who we are IN CHRIST. When you are asked, Are you a mighty man? Your response should be, Yes, I am Mighty through God. Remember Joshua and Caleb. Remember Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Consider what the 300 soldiers of Gideon’s army did in the battle. They surrounded the enemy camp, charged in, broke their clay jars, held up their lanterns, blew their trumpets, and shouted, "Fight with your swords for the LORD and for Gideon!" God took it from there. He defeated the Midianites alone. He caused the enemy to turn on themselves. What ever part we play in this move that we are expecting from our Mighty God will be small, but at least we will be participators rather than spectators like those 31,700 men that were sent home. Many of them were allowed to share in the spoils at the end of the battle, but they were jealous for not being included from the start. We have honored His demand and done our utmost to wake up the mighty men. The fact is that if you are IN CHRIST, you are mighty. He just wanted to wake us up and bring it to our attention. I feel that He has our attention. We are awake. The rest is up to Him, and He will finish what He has begun. No weapon can form against us and prosper, because if GOD is for us who can be against us? For He that is within us is greater than he that is in the world. Brothers, even the tactics that the enemy tries to use against us will be used for our good and the good of our Lord. We are more than conquerors, and nothing is impossible for us through Christ who strengthens us. We must recognize who we are IN CHRIST, and stop looking to who we are in our selves. When we look to ourselves we recognize our weaknesses, we profess that we are weak, and we discredit what our Lord has done for us. God is building an army, so we must behave like Godly soldiers being prepared for a Holy War that is soon to be fought. Let us continue to stand together in awe of His supremacy, seeking him diligently, worshipping HIM IN SPIRIT, and looking forward to what lies ahead, while believing with all our hearts and proclaiming with confidence that, “WE ARE MIGHTY MEN IN CHRIST!!!”
Love you Brothers!
Bobby