I Never Dreamed

For I have come to turn “‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law— a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”
- Jesus Christ (Matthew 10:35-37)

Jesus Christ said some pretty shocking things during His time on earth. The passage I have quoted above is certainly one of the most disturbing. In it Jesus stated that His coming would bring division between the most intimate family relationships – division so intense that it would make the members of one's own household his enemies. For years I thought – wished perhaps – that Jesus was merely being hyperbolic. I recently discovered that He was not.

Last week, the Lord directed me to study Ezekiel 33. In that passage the Lord told Ezekiel that He was making him a watchman for Israel. God told Ezekiel that if He sent a warning through him and he failed to deliver it to the people then Ezekiel would be responsible for their failure to respond, but if he delivered the message and the people ignored it their calamity was on their own head. I felt that God was giving me the same charge.

A few days later God called me to deliver an important message to someone who is very close to me. They have been openly engaged in sin and effectively asked me to endorse it. I reminded the individual of my position and the reason why I could not approve. I explained the hope of the gospel to them and encouraged them to repent and turn to God. They were offended. I got unfriended (on Facebook). And from what I have heard some less than kind words were spoken about me.

I'll be honest, it makes me sad. I had hoped that the individual would be born again. Unfortunately, it went the other direction. I suppose it could have been a lot worse. I hope it won't be, but the violent reaction I got made me wonder just how this person will respond if they continue down the path they have taken much longer. I love this individual and really hope that one day our relationship can be restored.

As much as I desire that, there are some things that I cannot compromise: I cannot endorse something that the Bible calls sin, and I cannot allow a person to walk in sin without warning them.

I love this person too much to allow them to believe that their sin is OK. I cannot withhold the truth when directly confronted by the deception that they are living under. A person may think that a stick of dynamite is a candle, but if I let them walk around with a lit stick to find their way I am not loving them as I should. If I don't try to stop them their destruction is certain. Thus it is with sin.

The Bible tells that there is coming a time when people will not endure sound doctrine, but will seek teachers that will tell them what they want to hear, leading them away into deception (2 Timothy 4:3-4). As Christians it is our duty to hold the line and not compromise the message of the Bible. That doesn't mean that we have to be hateful. In fact, it would be best if we're not. We are to speak the truth in love. Does it guarantee that we won't still be hated and reviled as ignorant? No. Jesus always spoke the truth in love and they crucified Him. The Bible tells us that we will become a fragrance to all we encounter – to some we'll be the beautiful fragrance of Christ but to others the stench of death. It will all depend on the path they are taking.

We must be willing to stand unblinking before the wrath of the spirits controlling those we love and desire to see born again. We must hold up the mirror of the Word before them so that they know their true condition and recognize their need for the radical change that can only come from the Savior. We must keep loving them even though they think we are the enemy. And we must believe that God will get through to them eventually as we pray and hold the line against their deception. Never quit! He is mighty to save.

I never dreamed that Jesus' words in Matthew 10 would be true for me. But I was wrong.

Perspective

It has been an interesting season.

Boy, if those aren't loaded words. Terry Pratchett wrote a book called Interesting Times. I haven't read it yet, but if I understand correctly one of the greatest curses that you can invoke on a person on Discworld (the Yoknapatawpha County of Pratchett's imagination) was that they would live in interesting times - which are always a bit more interesting in retrospect than they are when being lived out. Ask Frodo if his times were interesting, and he would have most likely responded, "No, they were bloody awful." Yet for the Hobbit urchins gathered around him listening to the stories of his adventures they were fraught with intrigue and fascination.

I love the way John Eldredge put it,

Twenty clear days a year - that sounds about like my life. I think I see what's really going on about that often. The rest of the time, it feels like a fog, like the bathroom mirror after a hot shower. You know what I mean. What exactly are you perfectly clear on these days? How about your life? Why have things gone the way they have? Where was God in all that? And do you know what you ought to do next, with a deep, settled confidence that it will work out? Neither do I. Oh, I'd love to wake each morning knowing exactly who I am and where God is taking me. Zeroed in on all my relationships, undaunted in my calling. It's awesome when I do see. But for most of us, life seems more like driving along with a dirty windshield and then turning into the sun. I can sort of make out the shapes ahead, and I think the light is green.
- Waking The Dead p. 5

Yeah, that pretty well sums it up.

Lately I have asked the Lord - at the encouragement of my significant other - what the future might look like for me. Not some sort of crystal ball inquiry, but a real frank discussion with Him about direction and destiny. I was surprised to have some answers and to see some really disparate puzzle pieces put into context with each other. It was really nice to see how these vastly different interests could possibly work together. It was encouraging to see that even pieces that I received years ago were not "misses" but are still a part of the plan.

I won't say that I have the road map, but at least I have a good general lay of the land now. That is comforting. I hope I can remember that when journeying through Mirkwood. All journeys seem destined to pass through its depths, don't they?

I have friends plumbing some of the same depths that I have over the past 20 years. It is hard to see them struggling. I hurt for them, but I am also encouraged by their struggle, for it shows me that the Lord has taken notice of them, and He is in the process of disciplining them to make them more like Himself and to help them love Him better.

So often we look at discipline (at least in the United States) as something that is for those who have done something bad. Yet God's discipline is not like that. See, those whom He loves He disciplines. It is kind of hard to understand until you experience it. Often what God is after isn't some great sin pattern in our lives. The thing that often brings His discipline is wrong thinking and wrong heart attitudes that keep us from knowing Him and loving Him correctly. These are almost never our fault, but are the result of woundings that we receive throughout the course of our life.

It is nice to have a little perspective. It makes the discipline a lot more bearable.

So, to my friends who are hopelessly lost in Mirkwood's haunts (now or in the future) my prayer is that you will quickly discover that you are not alone, that God is right there with you, and that God is GOOD. You aren't as lost as you seem. God knows right where you are, and none of this surprises Him. He's got you right where you need to be. Rest in these truths.

Tsunamis

Back around the time of the election I wrote a couple posts that were prophetic in nature. Some of the elements of those prophecies have come true and some have yet to come to pass, but based on the accuracy of the parts that have come true, I am convinced that the rest will eventually be manifested.

In that first post I wrote the following about prophecy:

I believe that God still speaks to His people. Down through the ages this communication has been called prophecy. And God often reveals his plans to His people through individuals called prophets. Many of you probably have real doubts about whether prophets even exist in the world today. I can assure you that they do. I have known quite a few and can testify that their words have proven true.

A group of prophets, that included one man that I know personally, accurately predicted (in 1999) the current war against radical Islam. (They also predicted that the war would involve China and that it could be averted by prayer. I am hoping that the China part was turned away.) Months ago another friend of mine predicted the stock market crash that we have been witnessing over the past weeks.

What is prophecy? Prophecy is merely accurately reporting what God says about a situation or a person. The real rub is in the "accurately" part. It is pretty serious business to claim to speak for the Almighty. However, it is clear through the Scriptures that God speaks to His people through prophets. It occurred in both the Old Testament and in the New: Jesus spoke to his disciples about the blessing of receiving prophets, Paul commented that he wished that all of the believers in Corinth would prophesy, we are even encouraged to ask for the gift of prophecy.

Modern prophecy is no substitute for the scriptures. It is by the Word of God that all prophecy is judged. Any prophecy that does not agree with the Bible is false. This premise is critical to grasp. This truth, however, does not change the fact that God also speaks to His people about the things that are going on in their lives beyond the written words of the Bible. He is eager to speak to those who are willing to pursue intimacy with Him.

On January 13, 2009 I believe that I had a conversation with God in my prayer time. In that conversation God spoke to me very clearly about judgments that are coming to our nation and about the church's lack of preparedness for what is coming. I have been pondering this message now for several months and feel that the time is right to share it. The message is alarming. There is a very real physical danger that we are facing. The events of this prophecy will be the most distressing that any of us who have only lived in the United States have ever seen.

The purpose of sharing this message is not to create fear though. I realize that such a statement seems rather counter to common sense. However, when there is danger coming, forewarned is forearmed. My prayer is that each person who reads this prophecy will become sober and vigilant and will begin to prepare in earnest for what is about to happen in our nation.

The best way to prepare is to get serious about knowing God. To that end I would recommend greatly reducing the amount of time spent on entertainment. 24 hours is such a short period of time. If eight hours are devoted to work, eight hours are devoted to sleep, three hours are devoted to meals, one hour is devoted to travel, and two hours are devoted to other necessary personal activities, each person only has about two hours' worth of time left for "leisure." A single 30-minute TV program that promotes the godless systems of our world uses ¼ of the time that is available to seek God. Most people watch far more TV than that.

How can we know God? One of the best ways to start is to begin practicing the disciplines that you have always heard about in church: daily Bible study, prayer (both corporate and individual), fasting, meditation on the scriptures, and scripture memorization. These things will not in themselves cause you to know God, but you won't know God without doing these things.

Quiet yourself and remove as many distractions as possible from your life. Part of the reason that we have so much trouble hearing God is that we have too much sensory input. We are so distracted we cannot be still enough to hear God. Get honest with God about the things that are going on in your life. Look at your life and confess every area of sin that you are aware of, and ask the Lord to help you to be free from these sins. Allow God to begin to speak to you about the areas of your life that the enemy has used to hold you back, and allow Him to begin to heal those areas. Most of all, don't give up. Stick to your pursuit of God like your life depends on it - it very well may.

Below is the text of the conversation between God and me from January 13, 2009. The text in bold font is what I believe the Lord was speaking to me and the normal font was what I said to Him.

My people are not ready. They have not been heeding the warnings. They need to dig down into Me. Be ready. The first waves will catch most of them by surprise. They will need for you and the others that I have prepared to show them where to go. They will need you to help them to get their feet back under them.

It is going to be a lot like the tsunamis that hit Asia a couple years ago. The judgments that are coming will come in just like that, but there will be multiple waves. If My people will respond properly when the first wave comes in many can be saved. Keep your head and direct people to safety.

(I keep seeing images of the tsunami. It will be destructive just like that. I sense that there is a military element to it, but I am not sure if it is terrorist or actual militaries.)

How long do we have?

Not enough time.

Can it be averted?

No.

How do I pray, Lord? What do I pray for?

Pray for their eyes to be opened.

Father God! Open their eyes! Help them to see the truth!

"As in the days of Noah..." life will be going on just as normal and suddenly calamity will come.

Open our eyes Lord! Open our ears that the alarm may register!

Your nation has grown complacent. They do not believe that they are vulnerable to attack, but attack is coming. Their sin has caused Me to remove My protection from them. How I would love to protect them, but they have refused.

You must begin to pray protection over those that you love. Be ready at a moment's notice to pray for your brothers and sisters around the country. For I will arrest you at different times to pray for them. Be ready even in the middle of the night.

Father, will You not help your prophets to warn the people? Will You not help them to uncover the enemy's schemes?

Son, I will tell the prophets, but those in authority won't listen. My message to the prophets will end up saving the lives of the elect.

Father, this is a fearful word.

Remember it is for good. This will end in the liberation of your nation. Your nation will be liberated from the bonds that the enemy has used to enslave it and to derail its destiny. I am rescuing Your nation through My love and mercy, but sin is costly. Its wages are death. They have sown wind, but they will reap the whirlwind.

How do I guard my heart, Lord? How do I prevent the despair and the sorrow from being too much?

You must press in to Me. You must give it to Me. You must come to Me for perspective. I promise that I will be here when you come. I promise that I will comfort you.

Defend my family, Lord. Defend my friends. Defend my brothers and sisters. Defend the helpless and the widows and the orphans. Defend the poor. Protect them from this wave. Let it wake them up. Let it drive them to action.

Later that night there was more:

Much of the damage intended against your nation can be mitigated, but it will not be averted. Even mitigated the damage will be severe.

Father, I pray that the damage done by the attacks will be minimal. Please spare us - especially in the first wave. Give people time to recognize that the prophetic words are true and give them the chance to repent and seek Your face.

There will be loss of life. The degree to which that happens will be determined largely by how effectively and diligently the intercessors stand in the gap.

God, help us to stand mightily.

Many of you will, son. Many will, but there will not be enough to avert the judgment. My people in America largely do not know how to seek My face. They have not been instructed. They have allowed themselves to be distracted by entertainment and by the worries and cares of life and by the desire for things. This initial shaking will wake many of them up from their slumber. Shake as many as you can before the time comes. Wake them up!

Father, anoint my words. Grant them the power to wake them up. Help them to understand the urgency of the hour. Help me to be a faithful watchman. Give me the courage to tell them the truth. Father, break the teeth of the enemy and smash his hands and fingers. Cause him to loose Your people. Force him to uncover their ears. Send Your angels forth to enforce this. Teach me how to pray. Teach me how to unleash Your wrath against the enemy. Teach me how to unlock the passion of the hearts of Your people. Call Your people to action. Uncover their ears so that they can hear the call of the trumpet. Break off of them the spirit of slumber - the spirit of slothfulness - and cause them to respond to the call.

With the inauguration of President Obama my protection will be lifted. It has remained because President Bush has loved Me and fears Me. You and the other intercessors will help to replace that covering, but it will not remain over the entire nation until the nation again returns to Me with a whole heart. The intercession will produce covering in different regions. Some will be as large as entire states and others will be as small as even individual households. Still, you can accomplish much through prayer and even more through prayers of agreement with other saints.

Father, I ask that prayer become a foundational pillar of our new vision at (my church). Please put in the people's heart a desire to pray. Please put a burden in their hearts to pray. Help us, Lord, to spare this county. Help us to join with the other believers around our county to spare us. Help us to desire intimacy with You and not just deliverance from the calamity that is all around us. Help us to seek Your face and the joy of Your presence and pleasure. Forgive me for not seeking this place more often. Captivate my heart - captivate the hearts of Your saints and show them that You are more precious and fascinating than anything that has held their attention before. Help us to connect to Your heart so deeply that we tremble from the joy and passion that we find there....

Who is like You, O God? There is none like You at all. You are glorious and beautiful beyond comprehension. Your love is amazing and overflows to Your creation. Who are we that You have loved us? You are merciful and gracious. Thank You for the treasures of Your mercy and grace.

This is the end of what I believe that I received from the Lord. A friend of mine had some specifics about where some of the attacks may come. This revelation was received on November 10, 2008.

You will see cities burning....

It will be a terrible time for Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Detroit, Minneapolis, Atlanta, Wyoming, and Raleigh. “They” will go after the capital cities in every state, trying to bring down the governments. Austin will be ready because of My prophets there (in TX). Alabama will be ready. Detroit will suffer greatly, as there are many poor people there....

It will not come severely in the first year, but it will crescendo toward 3 years from now. This process will take longer than you would like, but stay faithful. You will see the Great New Awakening that I AM bringing to America, and indeed to the whole world. This is the last great harvest before the end time events are loosed.

Things are no longer “business as usual.” They never will be again. They will first be much worse, then much better. You will rejoice to see it....

Because of the personal nature of other parts of this revelation I left them out, but one of the things included the failure of a major bank. It also talked about the dark times that some have suffered in recent times and how that is part of their preparation for the coming darkness. The struggles that many of God's people have faced will have prepared them to rescue many during these extreme times.

It is beyond time to get ready. If you are reading this and are a Christian, then make your preparation for these events as urgent as if you already saw them happening in your city. There is not time to completely prepare yourself, but you will be happy if you start now instead of waiting for later.

If you are reading this and are not a Christian, then you really should become one. I have explained how to do that many times on this blog. God is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. This is not to say that your life will get easier if you become a Christian - it very likely will not. I will tell you that it will make your life far better in the long run - you will be eternally happy you submitted your life to Jesus Christ. The good news is that those who call upon the Name of the Lord will be saved. Well, actually that is just the beginning of the Good News.

God is good and His lovingkindness endures forever. God loves His children, and He cares for them. Even when we suffer loss and when we suffer hardship, the Lord uses it to bring us to maturity and to bring us to greater trust in Him and His goodness. During these times God will expose your fears. He will expose everything that you lean on besides Him, and sadly, as Americans we lean on many things besides God - even though we claim that we do not. Our fears are proof that our trust is not fully on God and prove that we do not know and love Him as we should, for perfect love casts out fear. Brothers and sisters, trust in the promise that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

Finally, take heart that the judgments that are coming against this nation are not for its destruction but instead for its salvation. God has promised to remove everything that hinders love for Him. The shaking that is coming will help to accomplish this purpose and will usher in a Great Awakening in our nation that all who love the Lord will rejoice to see.

Extravagant - To the Rising Sun with The Risen SON (Part 2)

I am sitting here at my computer, drinking some lovely Japanese tea (the only word I can read anywhere on it is Suntory the rest is in Japanese), and pondering just how much of a show-off my God is.

I think that we (especially in America) tend to think of God in deistic terms: that God is up there and He created everything and set everything in motion and then got bored and left it to its own devices. This seems to be borne out by the wickedness and brokenness that we see all around us. We don't often see the miracles of the Bible in operation around us. We don't often hear His voice. This is even true of many Christians (although we don't want to admit it) and is a great source of vexation for us. We see the great disconnect between the stories in the Bible and our experience here in this life.

Such a view couldn't be further from the truth. God is still quite involved in our world and in our lives. The problem is with us and not with Him. We have allowed the weeds of the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches and the lure of entertainment to so distract us that we cannot hear the voice of the Lord.

We also do not actually trust the Lord to do anything. We believe that our provision and success comes from our ingenuity and hard work. We believe that our health comes from doctors and medicine. We believe that our security comes from a good job and lots of stuff. We believe that knowledge comes from our scientists. And we believe that our safety comes from our strong military, intelligence community, and law enforcement agencies. This even happens in our churches! Whether God's Spirit shows up for the service on any given week or not, we'll still have a pretty good show.

Why would God do anything dramatic for people that aren't humble enough to recognize that they need His help? This is the reason that we don't often see God at work among us.

We have grown accustomed to getting everything right when we want it and just how we want it. We are not used to thinking of anyone actually ruling over us - that anyone actually has the right to tell us what to do or to tell us no. So when we pray and things don't go just exactly as we think that they should or exactly when we think that they should or if the cost is too painful or too great, we go off in a huff and quit praying and quit believing and accuse God of not caring about us.

We really don't know God. What little bit we do know about Him is so often tainted by the lies of the enemy. But I want to reiterate to you today that God is a bit of a show off.

God was showing off when he sent the plagues against Egypt to set His people free. He was showing off when He parted the waters of the sea for His people to escape. He was showing off when He allowed the enemy to kill Him through evil people and then rose again from the grave three days later. And God is still showing off today.

To prove my point let me tell you a true story.

Not too long ago, right here in America, there was a man who loved God, but his life seemed to be cursed. He loved to give to other people but found that he really never had the resources to do so as he wished. He had changed careers three times, but had never found a vocation - something that was more than a job to him. It seemed like everything he tried just came crashing down in failure.

After leaving his last job he had been unemployed for two years. He had looked for jobs in a field that he was well-qualified in, but couldn't get any responses to his job applications. For a while the Lord miraculously sent him financial provision; for over 6 months the Lord brought him the money that he needed to live on without having to ask anyone for help. But by the end of the first year of unemployment the assistance had dwindled to the point that he had to depend on the help of his family to get by.

During this time the Lord was working on his heart, healing old wounds and correcting incorrect views that the man had about Him. The Lord began to break the power of fear over the man's life and caused him to recognize that God is good and trustworthy - even in the midst of hardship and even when His provision did not come in a way that was preferable or comfortable. God stripped away many of the man's distractions and took away his desire to be constantly entertained. He helped him to become used to quiet and solitude, and in that environment began to speak to the man more clearly than the man had ever heard before.

The Lord began to teach the man and explain to him why this extended period of leanness had come. He began to tell the man that the time of leanness was nearly over and that the major pruning that He had been doing in his life was nearly finished. The man wanted to believe these messages, but honestly had difficulty hoping that such a wonderful promise was true and that it was coming to him soon.

The hard times had taught him how to survive emotionally through a teeth-gritted perseverance that did not look for the struggle to end (though he often cried out to God that it would) any time in the foreseeable future. In fact, out of a desire to never EVER go through such a trial again, the man sometimes prayed that the Lord wouldn't end the trial until the message was so thoroughly learned that he would NEVER have to go through such a trial ever again.

One day the man was praying for a friend of his who has a heart for Japan. His friend had visited the nation before and the Lord had showed him amazing things about the spiritual climate of that nation. God had begun to stir in his heart that it was time for him to return to Japan.

Well, the man was praying for his friend about him going to Japan and asked the Lord, "Please give my friend wisdom about the next step with Japan. Please help him to hear Your voice clearly." When he had finished his prayers the man went to check his email. He had a message from the friend that he had just finished praying for that said, "Wanna go to Tokyo with me? My plan right now is to go Feb. 14-Feb. 25. I'll give you more details later. Maybe we can get together one weekend for prayer and hanging out."

Sensing the significance of the fact that he had just been praying for his friend and a trip to Japan and that he had felt an enthusiastic yes in his heart to the invitation the man wrote back, "Hmmm. Funny you should mention that. I just got done praying for you and your mission to Japan! I am definitely interested, although there is much that would have to be worked out (passport, money, etc...) I look forward to talking to you about it."

That night the man prayed to the Lord, "Father, I know that this is not difficult for You, but I have some questions. How am I to go about getting the money to go? My friend says it will probably be about $2,500. How am I supposed to justify spending that much money on a non-necessity when I can't pay my own bills?"

The Lord answered and said, "Who says it is a non-necessity?"

The man agreed, "If You want me to go then it is necessary, but please help me to be able to justify this. I have no money for a passport, and that will need to be started now or very soon at least. There are still bills to be paid here. How can I ask for the money to go on this trip without the money to pay my bills?"

God said, "Perhaps you will have the money for both?"

"Yes, this is possible," the man agreed. "In my heart I want to go. I feel that You want me to go. I need some confirmation, and I am either going to need a plan or a windfall. I am willing, send me. Give me the grace and the faith to see it through. I know You can do it. I must admit that I am struggling with believing that You will do it though. Please help my unbelief."

The Lord advised him, "Son, spend some time praying about this and I will make things clearer."

The man traveled two hours away to visit his friend that weekend. They talked about the trip and prayed about it. They agreed to seek the Lord about whether they were supposed to go on the trip together. They determined that one way that they would know that the Lord had ordained the trip was if the money came in for the man's passport in time for him to get one before the trip. (The scheduled departure for the friend was only 5 weeks away.)

While he was there the man began to think, "There's no way that I could get that kind of money together in that short amount of time. Besides that, how can I justify spending that kind of money when I'm not even able to pay my own bills? I think that I am not actually supposed to go on the trip but that I am supposed to just support my friend in prayer and availability here." To him the matter was more or less settled in his mind.

When he came back home the man avoided bringing up the topic in prayer. In fact, he got very busy with many other things and quite distracted, for he was afraid of what the Lord would tell him. He was both afraid to be told yes and afraid to be told no. (Unfortunately, fear isn't something that is easily conquered....)

The man was pretty much convinced then that he wasn't to go and had allowed himself to think that for the two weeks that he was running from hearing God's voice about the matter. Then one Sunday night three weeks before they were supposed to depart his friend called him back up and told him, "I spoke at my church tonight about the trip and afterward someone gave me $100 for your passport. So now you have the money for your passport, and that's what we said would be our sign that you are supposed to go."

Oh boy. This definitely created a situation. Now the man had to admit that he had not been operating in faith at all about whether he was supposed to go or stay. He had only been looking to the natural and his ability and hadn't believed that God would possibly make a way for him to go on this trip.

The man and his friend had agreed to fast and pray about the trip on Tuesday of that week. They were going to seek a clear and final answer over whether the man was supposed to go.

Tuesday came and they fasted, but the man struggled to pray about the trip. He was still running and afraid of what he would hear. He finally managed to sit down to pray and said, "Father, my doubt and unbelief when it comes to money is so incredibly strong. I know You have provided for my needs for months now, and yet when it comes to a large (to me) sum of money that is needed I tend to shrink away and not believe. It isn't that I don't believe that You can do it, it is that I rather doubt that You will do it. Forgive me for my unbelief. There is so much that seems to be pointing to me going on this trip with my friend, but my doubt and unbelief - especially about money - has caused me to hesitate to even talk to You about it."

"Father, my needs have been so great for so long, and I have just learned to cope and not think about it too much. And yet I know that eventually the bills will come due and nothing will be able to stop it then. I need the money to pay my bills. I need the money to pay those taxes. I need the money for food and clothing. These needs are real and present and urgent. And yet I find that You ask me to go to Japan at what seems a great expense to me. How can this be when there are so many other needs?"

"I feel overwhelmed. And here I am fasting today, and I don't feel like I have even done what I should be doing for that. I haven't even done my prayers today. And I haven't spent time in concentrated prayer in over a week. How do I bring balance to all of this?"

"I need direction, Lord. I need You to speak to me. Open my ears. I bind the devil from being able to cover them. Angels please do warfare on my behalf. Father, I must be able to hear."

The Lord answered him and said, "Calm down."

"I'm trying," the man replied, "but I feel anything but calm. This is change, and it is radical change, and I don't feel like I have assurances that everything is being covered. Something about this trip has triggered a fear response in me that I don't understand."

"Well, you are not much of one to draw attention to yourself, and you are afraid that you will be doing that on this trip," said the Lord.

"True," he answered. "And I don't know the language. And I don't have the money. And I don't want mom and dad to be offended. Plus when I have gone out on limbs like this before I have often come back disappointed."

God asked the man, "Son, how often have you really gone out on the limb?" (OUCH!)

"I did with the mission trip to Scotland after college."

"And the money was there, wasn't it?"

"Yes," the man had to admit.

"I've made provision for you every time you have responded to My call," said the Lord. (OUCH again.)

The man asked, "Why does it seem like You haven't?"

"Because I didn't do it the way you thought I would," God replied, "and because the enemy is a liar."

"That's true enough," agreed the man. "He's a pain in the butt too."

The Lord said, "You want to stick it to him? Then you need to go on this trip. What you and your friend will be doing will rock his kingdom to its core. You will help to set a whole people free."

"Wow. Really?" the man replied. "OK. I believe that You want me to go. What must I do for that to happen?"

About that time the man's friend called. The man told him, "Well, I believe that the Lord wants me to go."

His friend was excited, "Well, we need to order your plane ticket now before the plane gets filled up. I'll put it on my card and you can pay me back when the money comes in."

Panic seized the heart of the man. "Uh, you sure you want to do that?"

And his friend said, "I'm willing to loan the money to the Lord for a little while. If He wants you to go He'll bring it in."

Later that night the man prayed, "I know You are generous of heart. I have heard that Your name means 'the God of more than enough.' You aren't pinching pennies in heaven. Everything in all of creation belongs to You. Finances are not a problem to You."

"Father, I am still scared - especially with my friend fronting the money for my plane ticket. I'm sorry I am doubting. But it doesn't pay to try to pretend. I must confess this sin and ask You for Your help. Please forgive my unbelief. Help me to trust You. Please give me grace to believe. Please give me the grace to trust."

The Lord replied, "Son, I will demonstrate My ability to make this happen. Follow My direction and watch and see what happens. This is the beginning for you."

Excited, the man asked, "The beginning? Does this mean that the leanness is finished for now?"

"It means that I am beginning to open the door to your destiny," God answered. "You won't walk in the fullness of it yet, but it is beginning. You need some time to get used to this and to learn the ropes. The leanness is about to start paying dividends."

One day the man decided that he would see if God would provide for the trip through a windfall from the lottery. He spent the money for the ticket and scratched it off only to come up empty. God showed him that He wasn't going to provide for him that way. He showed him that if he won the lottery that no glory would come to God. The Lord showed him that the lottery was man's solution to things. It was the best that a lost person could hope for - but not the answer for a child of God. God could take much better care of him than that.

That night he prayed, "Please forgive me for seeking the world's way to pay for this trip. Please forgive me for my lack of faith and unbelief. Help me to trust You to bring the finances for this trip in. I believe that I am supposed to go. I believe that You are sending me. I believe that You will provide. If You do not provide I cannot go. I need the money for my passport. That really needs to happen today or at the very latest tomorrow. Please help me to get it."

Well, it was evident that the next step was for the man to get his passport. The only problem was that he had no cash on hand with which to do it. By now there were over $300 that had come in to help pay for the trip, but all of it was with his friend. The man prepared his application and then planned to travel to visit his friend again to get the money and order his passport.

Not surprisingly there were some hurdles to be overcome. Most of the Post Offices where his friend lived were overbooked with appointments for passports. The earliest appointments for most of them was a week after they were supposed to leave! However, the friend found a location that only allowed walk-ins. The man left that night to go there so that he would have plenty of time the next day to apply in the event that there might be some delay or unforeseen obstacle.

He had about ¾ of a tank of gas and about $13 cash. If he didn't spend any money on anything else he should have the money for gas to get back home. So instead of asking his dad for money, he left, trusting God to get him there and back.

The next day he went to the Post Office. There was hardly a line. Within 30 minutes he had completed his application. The real danger though was that the projected turn around time for the passport was only one day before he was supposed to be leaving on the trip. The agent suggested that if he wanted to be sure that he would get the passport in time that he should get an appointment and drive to Washington, DC where he could get the passport that same day. In a flash of faith the man determined that he wasn't going to be afraid, but would trust that if God wanted him to go on this trip then He was more than capable of getting the passport there on time.

The trip home was a real test of faith. Gas prices were higher than he expected and he wasn't able to purchase as much as he had anticipated. He drove home, praying hard that the Lord would help him to make it. He did with about a gallon or so to spare.

Six days later the man's passport arrived. Over the course of that week without asking one person for money, God brought the man $210.

This story is true. And if you haven't figured it out yet, I am that man.

Does it make sense at all that God would take a man who has no income and has plenty of debt and would send him to Japan on a mission trip that will cost almost as much as 3 months' expenses? Would anyone believe that you could get a passport in less than a week? We are talking about a government agency in the midst of an administration change! What are the chances? How often do people make contributions without being asked? God's hand is all over this. God is showing off. He is proving that there is absolutely no excuse for not obeying Him. He is doing something miraculous through a very unlikely vessel. If he can take someone as beaten up as I am in so many ways and make a way for them to go to the other side of the world, then He can do anything. It's kind of his MO.

Grab your popcorn, folks. This story is starting to get good. I can't wait to see what happens next!

Konnichiwa - To the Rising Sun with The Risen SON (Part 1)

Hello there friends. Sorry it has been a while since I have posted. Things have been pretty busy lately. I have been working on some new disciplines and it has rather upset the applecart of my schedule. I'm still trying to figure out how to balance everything and get stuff done.

In the news of what is happening with me, it would seem that I will be going to Japan for a short mission trip in the middle of February.

I had been praying for a friend recently who made a trip to Japan last year. I had just finished praying about him taking another trip to Japan when I got an email from him asking if I wanted to go there with him. Something inside of me said, "Sure!" So we began to talk about the trip. It was clear that he was supposed to go. There were ample signs to that effect, but it wasn't so clear that I was.

After all, my finances haven't been the most hearty in the past couple of years. How would I go? How would I finance it? How could I justify it?

I even went as far as to go up and visit with my friend. At the time I thought, "Nah, I'm probably just supposed to lend logistical support." To be honest I kind of put it out of my mind. There was no way it was going to be feasible.

Yet, the question wasn't answered for sure and I had frankly been dodging the question in the prayer room. Don't ask me why. But last Tuesday I finally got back around to talking to the Lord about it and He made it pretty clear that I am supposed to go. I still don't know how. I still don't know why, but I believe that I am supposed to go.

The Lord has begun to bring in the finances for the trip. That is an exciting thing, but I guess the Lord pays for the projects that He has endorsed. Hopefully, we will have the full amount for the trip before we leave and hopefully my passport will be here in time. I ordered it last Friday morning and there was a two week wait. That gives me just one day of cushion. Definitely cutting it close.

We still don't know exactly what we'll be doing on the trip, but we are trusting the Lord to guide us. I'm going with my friend who spent a month in country a couple years ago. He documented his trip in his blog, David's Mobile Blog. I will update you here as the news unfolds, and I'll be sure to post some updates and pictures from the trip while we are there. I guess that is all for now. More to come soon!

NOTE: Thanks to my cousin, Gary, for the title suggestion for this series and the admonition that I should be journaling this experience.

Sonnet XVIII

Sonnet XVIII - Thanksgiving: A Sonnet To My King
By Jonathan D. Eller

Dear Lord, there's so much to be thankful for
For everything I have has come from You:
You've given me my life and so much more,
And guard all of my ways my whole life through,
You give me air to breathe and food to eat,
Clothes to wear and shelter safe and dry,
I've friends and family to make life sweet,
And freedoms many - that I can't deny.
But all of these are merely corporal.
The greatest gifts are those I cannot see.
For in the Spirit I have been made full,
And I am sure that Jesus lives through me.
But most of all I'm thankful for the cross -
That Your desire for me was worth Your loss.

November 28, 2008

Powerful Song

Scripture For Today

Psalm 91

1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 This I declare about the Lord:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
he is my God, and I trust him.
3 For he will rescue you from every trap
and protect you from deadly disease.
4 He will cover you with his feathers.
He will shelter you with his wings.
His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
5 Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,
nor the arrow that flies in the day.
6 Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,
nor the disaster that strikes at midday.
7 Though a thousand fall at your side,
though ten thousand are dying around you,
these evils will not touch you.
8 Just open your eyes,
and see how the wicked are punished.

9 If you make the Lord your refuge,
if you make the Most High your shelter,
10 no evil will conquer you;
no plague will come near your home.
11 For he will order his angels
to protect you wherever you go.
12 They will hold you up with their hands
so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.
13 You will trample upon lions and cobras;
you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!

14 The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me.
I will protect those who trust in my name.
15 When they call on me, I will answer;
I will be with them in trouble.
I will rescue and honor them.
16 I will reward them with a long life
and give them my salvation.”

Nature's Cathederal

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious saying, "What shall we eat?" or "What shall we drink?" or "What shall we wear?" For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

- Jesus of Nazareth

General Quarters

In the aftermath of the Obama victory, many Christians are wondering, "What now?"

I believe (as I posted the day before the election) that the key issue at stake here is the heart of our nation. I believe that the choice that was made was a true reflection of the attitudes of the people of our country. That is the thing that concerns me most.

If you read the post that I referred to a moment ago, you will recall that I believe that the Lord showed me that shakings are coming to our country very soon. As I prayed about the election and this prophecy yesterday, I believe that the Lord gave me additional instructions for His people that I will share with you later in this post.

It is a weighty thing to bring a message from God. I do it with a great deal of seriousness and caution. Indeed, I have been rebuked by the Lord even today for not having a heart and mind aligned with the message that I have to bring. I hope that my error has been corrected.

To set the stage for these instructions I would like to explain some things about the nature of what the Lord has shown me. First of all, I want to make it clear that the Lord is saddened by the fact that judgment is coming. He does not delight in it. Secondly, I want to say that the discipline of the Lord is not mean-spirited. It is just. It is severe, but it is for the good of His children.

Let's consider the state that our nation is in. We are a nation that murders millions of its unborn children every year. We have shed much innocent blood. We are a nation that has perverted justice. Our rulers accept bribes and determine public policy on the basis of who will give them the largest campaign contributions. Our nation is perverse in almost every way imaginable. It is impossible to escape sexual images in our culture. We are bombarded by them constantly. Our nation is consumed by greed. Our corporations do not care who is hurt by their actions or decisions as long as they are making a profit. Our companies exploit workers the world over to satiate their (and our) lust for more. We hold to a form of religion but deny its power. We have perverted the Gospel of Jesus Christ and substituted a doctrine of good works or amorphous 'spirituality' in its place. We have abandoned the Scriptures and we have been systematically evicting God from public life. Our nation is full of lies. Our media cannot be trusted to tell the truth. To make a long story short, as a nation we have broken every one of God's commands, and sadly the Church is as culpable as the rest of society.

God spoke to Jeremiah saying, "Shall I not punish them for these things? And shall I not avenge myself on a nation such as this?" (Jeremiah 5:9) Fearsome words. When I read the prophets I fear for my people because I believe that God is just. If He punished Israel He must certainly punish us.

Brothers and sisters, punishment is coming. I believe that it is coming soon. There is a very small window of time before it begins. I do not know the extent of it, but I know that it will be severe. Let me share with you the words that I believe that I received from the Lord.

There will be a grace period before the shaking begins. During this time President Obama will show his true colors. I will use this to give My people who have been deceived the chance to repent of their mistake and to turn to Me. This is their window of opportunity to shield themselves from the wrath that will be unleashed.

The things that are coming against America will be staggering. It will cause even those who love Me and know me to be dismayed. My people MUST learn to press into Me. They must begin to start devoting time to knowing Me NOW. This is the real deal. It is no drill. The only way that My people will not become overcome by fear and despair is by pressing in deeply into Me. Many will be scorched, but I will protect those that are Mine.

Pray fervently that I will place My people in strategic and influential positions around the President. I will reveal them at the right time. I will give them apt words to speak at just the right moments. Pray for them because these will be the most trying days that your nation has ever seen.

Tell My people to pray that President Obama will repent. Tell them to ask for a complete change of heart. Tell them to pray for those in the Congress who will stand against the measures that he and the others will try to implement. Pray for their courage and pray that they will trust me - even in the face of threats against their lives and the lives of their family members. Pray for strength for them to stand.

Weep for those who will be lost. They have chosen their doom, but how tragic it will be.

Guard your hearts. Cling tight to the truth that I am good. Never lose sight of this. The enemy will do his best to convince you otherwise.

During this time I will reveal the true hearts of those in leadership and those of the people. The fire will show what is there. I will expose things that have been hidden in secret. Carefully hidden plots will be revealed to broad daylight for all to see. I will expose this country's corruption and idolatry and the truth of it all will sicken the people. Then I will be able to bring healing.

When I have removed the stumbling blocks - when I have taken away those who refuse to come to Me and are determined to take others to hell with them - then I will bring an awakening to this land. It will be glorious beyond anything that you could ever imagine. It will not be localized like many of the outpourings in your land have been. It will be a great wind that will sweep through the entire nation simultaneously. It will not be driven by personalities or men - it will be completely orchestrated by My Spirit. Entire regions will be completely converted.

Once again, I pray that I am wrong about this - well, the judgment part. But I feel it to be true as certainly as anything that I have ever heard before. Please take advantage of this opportunity to seek the Lord. Dig into the Word of God and pray that He will drive its truth deep into your spirit. Pay close attention to God's nature as you read. See what He is like and cling to that. In the midst of judgment the enemy will lie to you and twist the truth about who God really is.

I have seen in my own life that the Lord's discipline is sometimes quite severe. It often lasts much longer than we would desire, but it is always for OUR best good. God does what must be done to heal us - and sometimes that requires breaking us first; much like a physician sometimes has to re-break a bone that is not set correctly. The process is painful but is GOOD.

I know that this is a fearful word. I know that it is not pleasant. We were not promised pleasant. We were promised that God would look after us and that He would cause all things to work together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28) He has seen fit to allow us to be alive at such a time as this. Be brave and seek your strength in Him. He will not let you down.

Sonnet XII

My God – A Sonnet To My King
By Jonathan D. Eller

My God, My God, who loves as well as You?
Your patience is more broad than all You’ve made,
And though all men are false your word proves true.
Your promises, vast as the stars arrayed,
Speak goodness, love, and mercy without end.
Your power stuns my intellect and yet,
The helpless and downtrodden You defend.
Your heart’s inclined to forgive and forget
The sins confessed by children penitent.
But anger flares towards those who mock Your path
And scorn Your truth with actions insolent.
They, sowing foolish seed, invite Your wrath.
Lord, let Your kindness cause them to repent.
Please draw them to the Holy Lamb You sent.

October 27, 2008

Another installment in the poetry series!

Undone

I am utterly undone by this song this morning.

Laminin... Who'd Have Thought It?

You can see a picture of the molecule over at Deborah's blog, Thoughts Along The Way. That's where I found the video.

A Very Important Message

This is a message that is targeted primarily to my Christian readers, but should be of benefit to anyone who reads it. It is largely an excerpt of a post that I wrote for the Conspiracy of Kindness blog, but I believe that its message is important enough to duplicate it here.

Very few Christians would deny that God still speaks to His people. This communication can come in various forms: from general impressions, to visions, to dreams, and to a voice that isn't heard with our ears but is instead discerned by our spirits.

One of my friends has a particular fluency in their communication with God. Recently, in the midst of a conversation that this individual was having with God about a situation that they are dealing with, God shared something that I believe is very important for many to hear. Based on my experience with this individual, my knowledge of their understanding of the subject matter of the message, and the context in which it was given, I believe that this is a bona fide message from the Lord.

The Bible tells us to "Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others pass judgment." While many in traditional and even evangelical churches are uncomfortable with calling someone a prophet today or even in allowing that prophecies are still given today, I hope that you will not be offended by this term. A prophet is merely someone who tells others what God has told them. It is our job as priests in the Kingdom of God to consult with the Holy Spirit to test the prophecy. It is with this caveat that I submit this message for your consideration:

If you have an abundance don't invest it in the stock market. That's going to crash later this year. It will be a lot like 1929, but for those whose investment is primarily in the Kingdom there won't be a problem.

Wealth, as America knows it is almost over.

Dave Ramsey's teachings about mutual funds work well in this season - this system, but the economic system is about to change dramatically. The same rules will not apply.

I'm getting ready for the great wealth transfer. Many will be saved. Those in debt will suffer the most. Many will lose everything. "But those who know their God will do mighty exploits."

Let me begin by explaining something of the context in which this message was given. What I have shared was an excerpt from a larger conversation between my friend and God. There was nothing before this in the conversation that even made mention of the stock market, although financial matters had been discussed. This is one of the reasons that I believe that this message is from God.

A second reason that I believe that this message is authentic is that my friend has no knowledge or understanding of the stock market or the economic factors that drive it. This individual has (as was indicated in the prophecy) listened to Dave Ramsey, but that is the extent of their knowledge. In fact, my friend hardly even listens to or reads the news. So I don't believe that this is an idea that could have come from this individual's own concerns about the economy or knowledge about it.

Where does this leave us then? One of the purposes of prophecy is to encourage God's people. The entirety of the context of this message served to strongly encourage my friend.

Another purpose of prophecy is to warn God's people of sin and/or impending events. Proverbs tells us "The prudent sees the evil and hides himself, but the naive go on, and are punished for it." and "A prudent man sees evil and hides himself, the naive proceed and pay the penalty."

I am no financial expert. I cannot tell you what to do in response to this message. Perhaps it would be wise to study the events of the Great Depression and look specifically to the areas that thrived in the midst of the collapse of the Stock Market. I have heard that when one type of investment falters there are often other areas that do well. This may be a time for God's people to be able to prosper because of this warning.

Perhaps it would also be prudent to move funds from stock market based investments to investments with guaranteed interest. (I'm thinking particularly of folks with 401-ks and that sort of thing.) However, once again, I don't really know what I am talking about. Your best bet would be to ask God what you should do with your investments.

I would also encourage you to ask God about expediting the payoff of any home equity lines and about refinancing your home if the mortgage is not locked into a long-term fixed rate.

Can I guarantee that this is a word from the Lord? No. But I felt strongly enough that it was that I felt a responsibility to warn as many people as I could about it. Please pray and ask God to show you whether this prophecy is true and to tell you what you should do about it.

One last thought... Christians are not to be motivated by fear. This message should not cause fear, but should encourage us to praise God for giving us a warning before this event takes place.

If you are heavily in debt this may cause you some distress. That is understandable, but do not operate out of fear. Cry out to God in repentance over your situation and ask Him how to fix it. Allow your faith to rise up and trust your God to take care of you and your needs. I can attest that He does and He will. That is not to say that you may not suffer loss, but God will not allow the righteous to be forsaken or their children to beg for bread.

For any of my non-Christian friends who are reading this blog, I hope that this information will benefit you too. If it does, my sincerest prayer is that you will give glory to God for giving you this warning and that you will submit your lives to Him because of His goodness. He truly loves you and wants the very best for you.

Happy Resurrection Sunday!

HE IS RISEN!

HE IS RISEN, INDEED!

This is the really good news. Not only did Jesus die, taking our sins upon Himself, but He rose again, conquering death and the grave. Now we share this hope of our own victory over death through His death and resurrection. And we now have the power to conquer sin in this present age.

Gone Home...

Perhaps you remember my post a little while ago about Pete? He was a man who came to know Jesus late in a life that had been ravaged by the devil. According to a post on Chris Elrod's blog, Pete got to meet Jesus face to face yesterday.

I think this testimony from an earlier post written by Chris is awesome:

Last week we took a large print Bible to him and he’s been falling asleep with it on his chest every night…he’s been reading it all day…every day. Our visits have mainly consisted of conversations about doctrine, what certain verses mean and what Heaven is going to be like. There was a question he asked me about Scripture that had me stumped…Pete said, “That’s okay…I’ll just ask God in a few weeks when I get there!!!” He’s in a lot of pain…but he still has a joy and sense of humor about him that just lights up the room.

It is astounding to me that God can overcome a life that seems wasted by sin and the destruction of satan and rescue that individual late in life. If that were all it would be shocking. But what is even more amazing to me is that in the very few weeks that this man lived as a Christian, God caused him to even bear fruit.

It is just like Aaron's rod. The stick was completely cut off, identical to all of the other 11 rods, but overnight God caused it to grow leaves, flowers, and almonds. Is there anything God cannot do?

I serve a RADICAL God.

An Extremely Good God...

In my last post I wrote about how God can even forgive a sinner as heinous as an abortionist? Check out this story at Chris Elrod's blog.



Welcome to the family, Pete.

UPDATED:

Check out the follow-up to this story on Chris' Blog.

It Is Finished ... Or Is It?

StillWaters is no more. I am still pretty numb I suppose. It hasn't really hit me yet. I think that it will be a whole lot more real to me this Sunday morning.

I guess that there are some that are rejoicing over the demise of our church today. What a foolish thing to do if they are. Somehow a church of a mere 20 members had enemies - and not just the spiritual kind. What a queer little town I live in.

But that is now water under the bridge. I suppose that if martyrs' blood is the seed of the church, then even a church's demise must count for something - especially if it didn't end by the desire of its congregants. Now begins the long, hard slog to figure out what to do next.

This whole process has revealed some real warriors, though. I have been surprised by the folks that have risen up and wanted to fight on. I had one brother who sent me an email with William Wallace's "What Would You Give" speech from the movie Braveheart. It stirred up the warrior in me too. I am not quitting - not yet, anyway. I cannot.

Today I spent the better part of 8 hours working through pictures I had taken of my home town. It made me remember that this is a great town and reaffirmed my conviction I am just not willing to concede it to the enemy's hand. I'll write more about this as I have direction.

But in the meantime, I will return to StillWaters' last service under that banner:

It was a good service and the band sounded the best that it had in a while - even with a 12 song set. We had one of the guys from the band Baumer sitting in with us on acoustic guitar. Chad Rochester did a great job and we really appreciate his desire to play with our band. (Check out the band's MySpace page.)

I was personally amazed that my hand didn't fall off. I probably played for over 2 hours yesterday but I suffered no ill effects. Well, my carpal flexors DID start trying to cramp at the end of our rehearsal, but by stretching and massaging them I was able to make it through. (I think that there was probably some Divine intervention too.) I think that the thing that I most appreciated about the worship time yesterday was that I had no trouble finding people in the congregation who were actually worshiping. Not a bad way to go out.

There were quite a few guests in attendance - not quite as big as our grand opening, but a nice turn out nonetheless. Several of Cameron's friends came up to support him. (I was glad to see them too!) Cameron delivered a very encouraging message about how the church is sometimes scattered to achieve God's purposes. Fair enough. I don't like it, but when you have lemons...

I have no idea what will happen - there are still many hurdles - but I am sure that God will help us to figure out what is next.

Not Your Every Day Occurrence

Today I was at the Wal-Mart off of Dale Earnhardt Boulevard in Kannapolis getting my some new frames for my glasses and helping my niece spend her Tooth Fairy money. As we were headed to the check out area, someone told us that they were evacuating the store.

Now frankly, it would have been easy to not believe the the lady that was telling us to do this. It wasn't even clear that she was a Wal-Mart employee; she was just saying it conversationally. There was no announcement or anything over the PA system in the store.

Well, we went ahead and left our merchandise at the front of the store and got the heck out of Dodge. A lot of people were just milling around the front of the store, and one of the stylists working in the hair salon wasn't even aware that they were evacuating.

When we got outside, one fire truck was arriving, but it really wasn't clear what was going on. We asked one guy in the parking lot if he was coming or going so that we could let him know that it was no use going in the store. He told us that it was a bomb threat and that he had seen the guy that brought it in.

Well, how is that for freaky? My niece was a little scared, but we were able to show her how God had helped us by getting us out of the store safely.

WBTV, out of Charlotte, has a report about the event on their website. It turns out that no bomb was found, but the police have two men in custody for questioning.

Anyway, looking back on the event makes me think that the store wasn't ready for this kind of event. There were a lot of things that just didn't seem to be handled well. Of course, there are a lot of things that I don't know.

I wonder if the store had somehow confined the suspects before they began evacuating the store? It seems to me that if they hadn't, the suspects may have figured out that they had been discovered when the store started emptying of people and potentially detonated up the bomb (which doesn't appear to have existed in the first place) or just melted into the crowd and out of the store in the midst of the evacuation. It would also seem reasonable that Wal-Mart employees would have been moving people away from the building. Sometimes people are kind of dumb.

This event makes me realize just how easy it would be for someone to perpetrate this kind of activity for real. We really take a lot for granted in this country - especially God's protection. I, for one, am glad that I have so little to tell of this story. How differently things could have ended up.

God Is Good

2007 was a pretty rough year. I spent a lot of it like Elijah, waiting for ravens to come with my provision. As I have crossed into 2008, things haven't changed much to speak of, although God is still sending ravens (figuratively, that is.)

One of the keys that I have been working on for the past 12 months or so is that God is faithful and trustworthy. He won't allow us to go under. I have seen His provision for me over the past months time and time again. Why is it, I wonder, that even after His consistent support I can still become fearful about how my needs will be met? Foolish, foolish, foolish heart!

I can honestly say that I am getting better at dealing with the stress of this lesson, but every so often, I have to run back to Him for grace to overcome the nagging fear. Still, I don't guess there is anything wrong with getting grace. He told us to do it:

Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
- Hebrews 4:16

I just think that it is awesome that God has given us a tool to use to help us live holy lives. I call it "grace grenades." Perhaps you are familiar with the armor of God passage that is found in Ephesians 6:10-18? Well, I have found that "grace grenades" complete the ensemble. Sadly, I do not have time to elucidate on this topic tonight. Perhaps I will be able to revisit it in detail soon.

The bottom line is - GOD IS GOOD. He has proven Himself to me many, many times.

Thanks, God!