What a day of travel

Home at last! I have finaly made it home and I am glad to be there. I am not sure though whether it is night or day. I see the day but my body says it is the night. Funny how those things work. Anyway our journey began on Monday morning we awoke and spent the day recapping and shopping. Our one day to tour without an agenda. We then had dinner and began packing for our ride home. At about 1:30 AM Tuesday September 8th we headed for the Erbil, Iraq airport. We boarded and flew to Amman Jordan. This flight left at 4:00 AM and arrived in Jordan at 5:30 AM. We then had a four hour thirty minute layover. During this time I noticed that I was not feeling well.

Let me just say that when our plane left from Amman to Chicago it was a thirteen hour thirty minute plane ride from I consider hell! I dry heaved so much that I may as well have been seated in the restroom rather than seat 14H. The plane was full and I was not having any fun. Yet finally we arrived in Chicago. Traveling with me were Terry Law, Joel, David and Rob. All these men work for World Compassion. They were sympathetic but each has had that same thing happen to them over the years. It is the part of missions trip that happen yet you believe for it not to.

We hung around in the Chicago terminal for about three hours including eating at Chilies. By this time I was feeling a little better and decided to eat some chicken noodle soup. Not a good idea! Oh well live and learn. I then made it home where Jaida was waiting for me at the Nashville airport.

The great thing is when you are not feeling well there is nothing like your own bed. Does not matter if you cannot sleep, it is your bed and it is where you can recover without the whole world, or at least a plane load of people, knowing you are sick. I am thankful to be home. It was good to see Kylee, Joel, Will and Jaida. As Dorothy on the Wizard of Oz said "there is no place like home"!

The Final Two Days

Yesterday was a unique day. I had the privilege of going with a team of people from the Kurdsman Church to a village in a remote area of the mountains in Kurdishstan. We were 50 kilometers from the Iranian border. We took shoes in to give all the kids in the school as well as a story about Jesus booklet. It was so awesome. We gave out over 200 pairs of shoes and stories of Jesus. They were thrilled to receive both the booklet and the shoes. After giving these out we went to the home of one of the leaders and eat lunch. He treated us to a wonderful meal and then we had the privilege of praying for some of the sick children. This was all done in a Muslem village. Jesus is wonderful and gave us an open door of opportunity to minister. We have witnessed a great move of God and believe that this day will impact this village for years to come. Both the village leader and his Uncle are now believers. Rachel, Bob, Joel, Rob, David and myself are very satisfied with what the Lord has done!

Today I woke a little tired and finding myself excited about what we have accomplished. I have enjoyed working with Terry Law and World Compassion Ministries. Terry and Joel do a wonderful job and have a great network of people to help them accomplish God's will for this area of the world. Today another shoe distribution took place and we did not make that event. About 100 kids recieved shoes, bibles, and the story of Jesus. Today was historic in that this is the first time a bible had been printed in a certain dialect of the Kurdish people. The bible in this dialect has never been printed before and today they received it with gladness.

I am in my room readying to leave and I am somewhat sad. God has moved in such a great way and I am glad to be a part of this ministry. Bob Rodgers, Rachel Rodgers, Rob, David, and myself are all glad to have been here these six days. In about three hours we will leave for the airport and begin our long journey home. It will be bitter sweet. I will be glad to see Jaida, Jacob, Joel, Will and my little granddaughter Kylee. But at the same time I will miss my new found friends and this ancient land called Iraq.

Last Few Days

I have been so busy in Iraq that I have forgotten to blog. Let me catch you up on the last couple of days.

On Day four we taught at the Kurdsman's Church in the City of Erbil. They are registered with the Government and we had about 1-200 in attendance. Bob Rogers began the day teaching about the Holy Spirts baptism and I taught on the healing anointing. We broke for lunch and then that evening Phil Nordin taught on healing and we prayed for the sick. It was a great day and the Kurdish people responded to our teaching. While praying for the sick I prayed for a lady who had knee issues and she was immediately made whole and began to jump and run. She had not been able to do this for many years. We had other notable healings that took place.

Then next day (five) we were back at it teaching at the church. Did I mention that every day it has been about 110 plus? Well it has. Thank God we are staying in a nice hotel with air condition. I have been off on my sleep so the days are long and the nights are short. Anyway we I opened the next morning teaching on faith is necessary on having confidence to pursue the promises of God and then Bob Rodgers taught on prayer and fasting. That night we came back and Terry Law ministered on vision. We prayed for the leaders of the church and then the conference ended. It was a great day and the ministry was off the charts.

I am honored to be with these men of God. Rachel Rodgers and David the step son of Terry Law also provided some good teaching and testimony for the Kurdsman to hear.

Tomorrow we will be on the road to distribute some shoes and bags to kids. Can't wait to see what God will do.

Day Three in Iraq

We have just completed our third day in Iraq. I am so excited about being here and being able to meet the Kurdish people. We ministered tonight in the Charisma Church with a city offical in the meeting who was not a believer. He was muslem and he enjoyed the service. There is no doubt that God is moving in Iraq. Pastor Phil Nordin from Calgary, Canada of New Jubilee Ministries, ministered to the Pastor's and congregation to believe God to do more than they could ever imagine.

We also visited the Old City today. The Citadel, which are the remains of the ancient city, which is 4000 years old was a great site to see. We shopped for a while and saw how life in Erbil takes place. It was a very interesting day and ended on a great note with a meal with all our new found friends. Our only draw back is that Brother Terry is still not feeling well. Well, be blessed and I will let you know about day four.

Day Two In Iraq

Well another day has come and gone. We have completed the first shoe and bag give away in a Kurdish village. It was amazing. While there some of the group met 20 US soliders there for the first time on patrol. It was great to see them and they were elated to see our group. We have met many Kurds who have left their Muslim roots for a relationship with Jesus. This is area is so beautiful. Bob Rodgers, his daughter Racheal and myself went about the city yesterday shopping. It was a lot of fun to find that shopping here is a lot like in the States. This is the first country that I have been to, other than Chile and Costa Rica, that had shelves full of food and other items.

Today we are to meet with church leadership, kick off our conference and enjoy the sites of Erbil. Terry Law is suffering with some type of sickness and we do desire your prayers for him. Bob Rodgers, Phil Nordin and myself have just sat down for breakfast and so we will see you later!

Dreams Come True

Well, I am here in a land I have never been before. After about 16 hours of travel I have landed in Amman, Jordan. It is a beautiful city that is heavily populated. I have traveled about 8000 miles to have the opportunity of a lifetime in ministry. We are moving on tomorrow to Iraq. There we will be ministering to Pastors and villages with shoes and bags. I am excited. Two of my heros in ministry are here. They are Terry Law and Bob Rogers. This is truely a wonderful opportunity for me and my church. Thank you to Trinity for empowering me to go and preach the gospel here in Iraq. My great grand mother Sally Moore told me once I would be able to minister in places around the world and I am living out what she prayed out. This is a dream come true and God is the designer of dreams.

Good Leadership

Wow. What a great week of VBS we had last week, here at Trinity Assembly in Algood, TN. It was nothing short of amazing. What made it that way, was the the atmosphere that was created by a group of diligent servants. These servants simply responded to the vision cast by the leadership of the team and gave all they had for five nights.

It began at the conclusion of last years VBS. A survey taken to ask the hard questions about what needed to change and what worked right. Then the leadership team went to work looking for the right curriculum that would be appealing to the kids. Then the recruiting of the lead team by the VBS director and Assistant. Once these people were put into place it was then time to cast the vision and recruit the rest of the team. Plenty of training and vision casting helped give the proper direction for all who were involved. This is classic leadership 101. Now you who are reading this realize it is easier to write about this than to do it, but this is essentially how it happens.

I have heard it said that everything rises and falls on leadership according to John Maxwell. I believe there is truth to that statement. I watched the two principal ladies who worked tirelessly over the last few months to make this VBS happen. They were committed and believed in what they were doing. It became a passion and this passion was seen and heard by all who became a part of this team process. Their leadership was seen and demonstrated, and because of it the program became a great success. They lead, the servants followed, and the kids benefited by receiving the Word of God and the love of these tireless laborers.

It always amazes me to see the process and to know that God has such talented people in His body. To all of you who labored I say thank you! To you Lacy and Jennifer I say way to go! You truly are leaders who are making a difference in the Kingdom of God.

Laying Your Life Down

I have been giving a lot of thought lately to the term laying your life down. I am not sure I fully understand what it is that God wants from me and other Christians. I know that he is not wanting robots but servants who willingly choose to follow Him and His will with no rebellion in them. It seems that the church has not quite caught on to this concept or maybe it is just me.

It is easy to read in scripture about the young rich ruler, who was asked to go and sell all that he had, then give to the poor. He could not obey that command and follow because his will continued to trust in earthly treasures. He was not able to die to self by selling all the goods he had. He was not willing to lay down his life or his will to take on Jesus' life or will because he had not put his trust in
God's provision. As long as man's will is greater in his life than God's will, the man will not have his trust in God. The one thing I have found to be true is that the life of a man is found in his will. So also is the life of God. His life is found in His will. When we say we love God with all our heart, mind, emotions, and strength but do not do His will, we deceive ourselves. Paul said in I Corinthians 15:31 that he died daily to his will that God's will might live in him. In verse 36 of that same chapter he says that unless what is sown dies it cannot live. We think that we have sown our lives in God but the truth is this: When we still allow our wills to live we have not died. Therefore there can be no increase in our potential with God.

John 12:24-26 gives us insight into this truth. Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it cannot produce much grain. The potential lies in the seed and, unless the seed dies, the potential cannot be reached. God honors those who do this very principal of sowing, dying, and then great harvest. I have found out that denying self simply means saying yes to what God wants and no to the temptations that desire me to go my way with my will. Simply put, every time I say no to temptation I am dying to self and the potential of my seed with God is growing.

I am tired of religious junk. We live in the days of harvest and we will never harvest unless we first die to self and then get about the Father's will. What are your thoughts on this subject? What is dying to self and how have you done this monumental task so that your life is maximized?

Trusting God in an Uncertain World

Now while I was thinking about what is taking place in the world today and writing this article my mind drifted back to a time when I was a kid. At the time we were living in Spokane, Washington while my dad was stationed at Fairchild Air Force Base. It was a great time in life because, as a kid, time is unimportant and you tend to take life without any cares. Now, just about every weekend, I remember us going camping. When the weekend would come, we would pack up the car and head to Lake Ellen. It was our favorite camping spot and usually we had it to ourselves with the Fred Davis family who always went with us. Lake Ellen was not a real big lake. In fact it was more like a pond than a lake and was nestled in the hills of Washington in a remote area. We would fish and swim during the weekend. In fact it had a high rock that we would jump off of into the water. Now when it came to water I was not very excited. In fact I could not swim very well and really had a fear of the water. I would wear a life jacket so that I could swim but was still not real fired up. I usually would stay real close to the land and was not daring at all. Then one day my dad wanted us boys to swim across the lake pulling the boat so we could get it out of the water. I really do not remember why we were doing this but I did not want to participate. I did not swim very well and I was not real sure that my life jacket would hold me that long while we were in the water. I was not trusting and because of this uncertainty with swimming, I was taking on fear. To be very honest I thought I might drown. I cried and told my dad I did not want to do this but he put me in the water and said everything will be alright. He told me to trust him and my life jacket. He said that he would watch me all the way and that he would be waiting for me at the landing we were heading for. He was right! My life jacket held me up, he did watch me, and he was waiting at the landing on the other side of Lake Ellen.

Now, friends, what we have here is a picture of our heavenly Father. God wants us to trust Him with all our hearts. In the Amplified Bible Proverbs 3:5-6 says Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths. This is one of my favorite verses because it tells us how to have our life directed by God. He says we are to trust God which means to have assured reliance upon the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone. We can have that trust in God because our Heavenly Father has these traits in His being.

Our heavenly father is speaking to us today during this economic downturn, and He is saying that we need to trust Him for provision and He will bring us through during this slow economy. So let’s look at four things that God wants us to know in order to trust Him:
1. God is with us. God gives us His word that he is with us in Matthew 28:20 and says He will be with us until the end of the age. That is good news. Now my earthly dad said he would watch me all the way while I was swimming and that brought me comfort. But how much more comfort is there in knowing that your Heavenly Father is with you in every situation and will not abandon you! Now that is someone you can trust till the end! In bad situations He will not run and leave you alone to make it on your own. He is right there with you in the trenches ready to bring you out.
2. God is unfailing. Did you hear that? God is unfailing which means He always comes through for us. Why? According to II Timothy 2:13 God says, If we are faithless [do not believe and are untrue to Him], He remains true (faithful to His Word and His righteous character), for He cannot deny Himself. Wow! What a promise God has made to us. He cannot deny Himself when we are unfaithful because He only has a faithful character. It’s who He is and what we want to be – faithful.

3. God is constant. God is never changing in His character and attributes, no matter what goes on around us or in us. Malachi 3:6 says “For I am the Lord, I do not change (NKJV). The Lord remains consistent throughout time. What He did in the beginning He still does today and you can count on Him tomorrow. Again in Hebrews we see that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. That is true consistency in an ever changing world.

4. God is peace. Philippians 4 says that God is the God of peace, and Isaiah says that He will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on the Lord. No matter what is happening in the world God is peace and His people are people who were made to dwell in peace.

As you can see God wants us to trust Him and He gives us reasons why we should trust Him fully. He is always with us, He is consistent, He never changes, and He is peace. In a volatile changing world this is good news that we can follow. Just like my dad caused me to trust him by making promises to me so God is now desiring that we trust him fully in this lifetime so that His will can be accomplished in our lives.

The Plow or the Bulldozer

Here it is already spring time. I love this time of year because people start coming outside again, fishing heats up, and Easter is near. Easter is the time of year that we as Christians celebrate the resurrection of our Savior and King, Jesus. This is the time of year that we remember that God had a great plan of redemption for humanity. Isn’t it wonderful to know that God loves you and I. A God that big is almost too good to be true yet He is true. He loves people. That’s right God loves people. I know that is a tough concept to learn but none the less it is a right concept.

God’s plan of redemption was not for whales, trees, or Spotted owls. It was for people. John 3: 16 says that God so loved the world (people of the world) that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Wow, what a plan for mankind. God so loved the kosmos and its inhabitants that he came up with a way to redeem the people in it so He God, could have fellowship with us while we serve Him. He’s not distant but close and he cares for each and everyone of us called human beings or people.

I find it ironic that God loves people, yet people don’t seem to love people. Why do I say that? Its because we have a hard time staying in relationship with one another. We find each other offensive, repulsive, ugly, and hard to get along with. After all that God has done for us we still struggle with getting along with each other.

Did you know that the basis of life is people and how they relate to each other? Your success, happiness, and fulfillment depend upon our ability to relate effectively to each other. Both the Church and the Harvest are made up of people, Ministry itself is the proper flow of people. Every where we go we encounter people and yet our biggest hang up in life can be relating to people. Our relationship with people will determine the success of our life and ministry. It seems obvious that we need to learn to get along with people. I like to say it like this, you can either work with people or war with them. So the question is which of the W’s have you chosen to do? Well most of us, I hope, have chosen to work with people and not war. Let me show you what I mean.

Lets look at the difference between a plow and a bulldozer. Now both of these instruments, the plow and the bulldozer, are important for changing the landscape around us. They each make the changes in the landscape in different ways. For instance, the plow turns over the earth, stirring it up, cultivating it, and making it a good place for seed to grow. The bulldozer, on the other hand, scrapes the earth, pushing all the obstacles aside. Both the plow and the bulldozer are useful instruments but one wrecks while the other cultivates. The plow type of person sees in people riches waiting to be uncovered and developed. While the Bulldozer type of person sees other people as obstacles to be destroyed. From this brief description it is easy to see we need to learn to be a plow and not a bulldozer when it comes to dealing with people. The way we determine if we are a plow or bulldozer is often determined by our attitude.

Atmosphere around us is created by our attitude. If it is good it will bring the best out of people. You mean that I am having a lot to do with how people respond to me by my attitude? It’s my attitude towards others that determines if I am successful in life with people? That’s right it is your attitude that sets the atmosphere around you and not necessarily the attitude of others. You need to remember that in life we deal with all kinds of people saved and unsaved. People are basically the same in that they were all created by and redeemed by God. He desires them all and if you and I do not learn to treat people correctly and see the same value in people that God has placed in them, then we will become a destroyer of people and not a cultivator of people. That’s why we need to see ourselves as a plow and lose any traits of the bulldozer that we posses. You and I are to cultivate good relationships with people so that they can taste and see that our God is good. Once they have tasted our good fruit they will desire it for themselves.

That is why we need to be lovers of people and concentrate on developing relationships with people. If you have not been a plow you can change. James 1: 21 says that the engrafted word is able to save our souls or change our minds with in turn gives us a better attitude in life. So what will it be for you? Will you be a plow or a bulldozer? God has set before you death (bulldozer) or life (plow). So you don’t blow it he gives you the answer which is choose life or the way of the plow.

Dreaming in an Uncertain World

Can you believe that two months have already expired? Time seems to be flying in these last days. That’s right: it is truly the last days and some people are running to and fro in fear. The problems we face in our economy and the potential for financial ruin in our country, businesses, and lives, have caused many to lose heart and begin to faint. Many in this life have their security in the earthly financial system and, with its weakened state, it has caused chaos in people’s lives. If we have given our trust to the things of this earth more than God, then we do have something to fear and we will have no hope in this life.

Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding, in all thy ways acknowledge Him, and he shall direct your paths.” It is nice to know that if we truly trust God and acknowledge Him, we will not live a life of fear. We need to learn to acknowledge Him in our finances. Jesus said that where our treasure is there our heart would be also. That simply means we need to have our treasure found in God and learn to pursue His purpose for our lives and our heart will keep us. Money is not the only thing God wants us to trust Him for. He desires us to trust Him for harvest. That is what the Kingdom of God is all about. In order for you to be concerned with the harvest though you must lift up your eyes. You have to know that God wants us to be concerned with harvest, especially in this hour. Our light should be shining brightly in these times of great distress in the earth. So let’s discuss what we can do to make a difference and effect the harvest during this time of uncertainty.

The best way to affect the harvest is to get involved in some form or fashion. Please realize that nothing will take the place of you living a life of obedience and faith. And that is why everyone needs to understand that God created us to serve one another. We all have a place in the body of Christ that we need to fill in order for the body to function properly. I Cor 12:27, “Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. 28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.” (NKJV) Now I don’t know if you caught that or not, but the word said we are all members in particular in this body. That means that each of us has an assignment from God to get involved in this body. We are to put our hand to the plow and to take our assignment seriously. Now the part we play is that of Helps. Helps ministry is a wide range of ministries available in the local body. It is a ministry that is not of a five-fold ministry nature, which is front and center, but rather it is a ministry this is behind-the-scenes supporting and working to fulfill the purpose of the church in God’s plan for harvest. Without the “helps” aspect of this ministry, no ministry would grow. In the local church, it is imperative that the “helps” ministry be in full deployment so that each member can be ministered to in excellence and that causes growth. It is God’s way of making sure that all gifts in His body are being used and bringing increase both in the body and to the individual.
There are many gifts in this body and each one is important. Each one is necessary for what God wants to accomplish in the earth. So the question is: what are you doing to make a difference at Trinity to help Trinity fulfill the purpose that God has given this particular body. Trinity needs you to fill your place so growth will continue. Whether you work with kids, usher, sing in the choir, or anything else that you have a desire to do, you will find personal fulfillment and help the local body grow. There are over 50 different ministries at Trinity that help us to minister to the hopeless, the hurting, and the hungry in the Upper Cumberland and around the world. Not only that, but there is always room to start another one. So what do you want to do? Fill a need by starting a new ministry or fulfill a need by hooking up with an existing ministry? Together we can make a difference as we work in the harvest fields painting the Upper Cumberland Red with the blood of Jesus.

Miracles and Jesus

Miracles are a thing of the past some say. I accept that because it is true. Jesus did many miracles in days gone by and these are documented in the Bible. However, to say that Jesus only does miracles in the past is an untrue statement and one statement that I would readily disagree with. Why you may ask? Well if Jesus only does miracles in the past then he would not be the same yesterday, today, and forever.

If you will closely examine this statement found in Hebrews 13:8 you find Jesus dwelling in the past, present, and future. He always was, always is, and always will be in the miracle business. He is just as much interested in miracles today as He was when He walked the earth or before He came to earth. The consistent character of Jesus is what makes Him so unique. Man has not maintained that consistency or at least most of man has not done so. Perhaps that is why there are so many sceptics to Christianity in the world. But whether we are sceptical or not does not change how Jesus moves in the earth today. He is constant and that means He is still working miracles today.

You might say why does that matter? It matters to me because I am looking forward to this Sunday's services with Bob Rogers. We are expecting God to move in a mighty way and that means Jesus will perform miracles for those who desire them and we will have a great time enjoying God being God. He did it in Acts 13 after fasting and prayer and so He will do it again.

I tell you it is going to be another great weekend of harvest. God is going to show himself faithful once again and the church is going to be added to. That is what it is all about anyway. HARVEST! God's ultimate desire. Hope to see you there.

Churches and the Internet

The church is an entity that was created by Jesus. He said in Matthew's gospel that the gates of hell would not prevail against the church. That takes in a lot of opposition and encompasses a lot of time. At any rate it means the church is going to be around a long time. Now think back to a quote made by someone less influential than Jesus, just about eight years ago. Al Gore was the individual and I believe he made a comment in the 2000 Presidential election that he said he invented the Internet. What a gaff on his part. Well he may not have invented the Internet, but the Internet is on line, moving society in a very different direction and it is changing how we live. Who would have thought that we would be doing business over the Internet, finding relationships, meeting friends, and having conversations with people we do not see or talk to face to face. It seems a little impersonal yet it is the latest craze. So what do you think about churches and the Internet? How could a church effectively use the Internet to reach today's culture? Have I mentioned before that I am curious and curious minds want to know?

Todays thought is blogs?

The world of Blogging. I never knew what it was. It was just a word that I heard related to the Internet. Then I had a friend who was stationed in Iraq and he blogged daily. I found and read his blog. I kept up with what he was doing while he was stationed in Iraq. Now that does not make me an official blogger but I thought what the heck if Rope can do it so can I. So, now I am tyring it myself. Now here is what I want to know, what is a blog to you and what fascinates you about blogs? I am a curious person and so I just want to know.