The Stretch Break

When I start my workday each day I am allowed a few moments of prayer before I even start my work. Actually, anytime I want to I can stop what I'm doing and pray.  It's a wonderful privilege most people don't know they can take advantage of.  It's called the 'stretch break'.

I start with my hands stretched for the ceiling... and also in my mind I reach towards the heavens.  With open palms I pray "LORD, I come before You with open hands, needy, with nothing to offer accept my praise."

Then I bow low to the ground and touch the floor... praying, "LORD, I bow to You and You alone.  You alone are God and I will not fear the circumstances of the day, I will not fear what man can do or say to or against me.  I bow to You and You alone."

Then I do it a few more times. Stretching to the heavens... Bowing in adoration before my God.

On the last bow I stretch toward my left foot... "God, I will follow Your Word, Your precepts and commands.  I will not turn to the left... nor to the right. (as I move to stretch to the right foot.) I will walk in Your ways."

Then while reaching over my head and stretching my triceps I lean to one side, then the other stretching the side muscles in my abdomen. "LORD, they pierced Your side. I humble myself before You.  You do with me as you see fit.  I expose my vulnerable sides to You and willingly accept what You will do unto me."

As I stretch my hands, first with clenched fists I pray, "God, I hold onto things to tightly. I don't want to do this anymore." Then releasing my grip with open palms again "I release it all to You."

Then with clenched fists again, "I lay hold on Eternal Life, I will cling to You, hold onto You and nothing else besides."...  "Help me to let go of all my silly little idols and ideas." As I release my grip.


It's "The Stretch Break".

So anytime during the day,
I have a company approved opportunity to pray.

When I'm stressed out. 
If I'm tired.  
If I am overjoyed in His presence. 
I pray.  And I walk in His ways.

As I do this... He increases my love, my joy, my peace, my concern for my co-workers, and my confidence that with God, All things are possible. And physically speaking... I feel healthier too.

"He must increase... WE must decrease!"


Take a break or two today to stop and pray, so often we pray on the go.  Give our God the attentiveness He so deserves.  His all attentive ear is open to our prayers if we come before His throne humbly, with clean hands and a pure heart, through the blood of His sacrifice.

Closer to Jesus

So you want to be closer to Jesus?  That’s wonderful because He wants that too.  But we human beings can never be closer to Jesus than our own human ability will allow us, if we are trusting in ourselves alone.  Consider that. It’s very important.                  

God says through His Apostle Paul that “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.”  (Romans 5:6) Notice two things here in this verse.  First he says we were without strength.  That is to say our own righteousness our own good deeds were not, are not, strong enough to bring us to God, to cause us to have merit with Him.  You say why? Why will not God accept my goodness, my good deeds?  The second thing I want you to notice answers that question.  Paul said by the Spirit that “Christ died for the ungodly.”  The ungodly.  We all, apart from Gods goodness being born within us, are ungodly. If you believe Jesus died for you too you must surely know this to be true.  Let me explain.

The Bible says by the Spirit through King David that God looks down from heaven to see some things regarding mankind. It says “The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.” (Psalm 14:2)

Then He says, “They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” (Psalm 14:3)  This is exactly what Paul tried to explain by the Spirit to the Romans.  He said “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:” (Romans 3:10) that is to say that there is no one that is perfect and without sin.  No one.  Then he says, “There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.” (Rom. 3:11)  You may say “but I am seeking God.” “I seek God.”  That may be true now but there was a time when you did not.  Understand this, the only reason you are seeking Him now is because He first reached out to you through one of His children.  Surely you must know also that this is true.

Paul goes on to write “They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”  What Paul is saying here is that our trusting in our own goodness, our own ‘good deeds’ is not good.  Why?  Because we are trying to merit acceptance with God by our own works apart from the work that He did to provide us His full, and complete, and unmerited acceptance.  It is a ‘slap-in-the-face’ to God Almighty to try to get around the provision that He gave for our forgiveness by suggesting that our ‘works’ will have to be good enough.  God’s salvation is a free gift, a gift of grace, and not from following good deeds or of keeping God’s laws. Paul said in another place “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness comes by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” (Galatians 2:21) Again, It is a ‘slap-in-the-face’ to God Almighty to try to get around the provision that He gave through the death of His precious, holy, perfect, Only Begotten Son Who was so undeserving of the punishment that belonged to us.  So what is all this talk of Law, and grace, and forgiveness of sin? What is sin?

The Apostle John said by the Spirit that “sin is defined as the transgression of the law.”  God’s Law.  And Paul in Galatians says that “the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith."  By grace alone; through faith alone.  So what are these Laws that mankind is guilty of violating?

The Law is the 10 Commandments given to Moses by God and it is recorded in Exodus 20 in the Bible.  In the Law God spells out how He expects us to be toward Him and toward Man; toward others.  When we do not keep this LAW it is called SIN.  They are listed below.  If you don't want to read the whole text just read the bolded words, you'll get the idea.

1. Thou shalt have NO other gods before me. (Exodus 20:3)
2. Thou shalt NOT make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness [of any thing] that [is] in heaven above, or that [is] in the earth beneath, or that [is] in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God [am] a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth [generation] of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. (verses 4-6)
3. Thou shalt NOT take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. (verse 7)
4. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day [is] the sabbath of the LORD thy God: [in it] thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that [is] within thy gates: For [in] six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them [is], and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. (verses 8-11)
5. Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. (verse 12)
6. Thou shalt not kill.
7. Thou shalt not commit adultery.
8. Thou shalt not steal. (#6-8 are in Exodus 20:13-15)
9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. (NO ‘pass the buck’)

And Finally…

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that [is] thy neighbour's.

You are going to have to bear with me for a little bit.  It is very important that you understand the Law.  The word Gospel means ‘glad tidings’ or ‘good news’ and while there is good news in this story, the good news is not going to make any sense to you unless you understand the situation those who break God’s Laws are in.  Please be patient.


Now to elaborate a little bit about the Law Jesus said; …. remember Him? He's the One you said you wanted to be closer to. Jesus said if you 'hate' it's the same as if you had killed.  To Him it's the same.  (Read Matt. 5:21-22 if you need to see it.)

Have you ever hated someone?

Be honest with God,

He already knows the answer.

Think of it, If you say, "I hate you! I hope I never see you again!"  There is only one place that will ever, ever happen.  For those who go to hell, they will never be seen from or heard of again. Ever! So when you say "I hope I never see them again!" you might as well say, "Go to Hell!"  That is how Jesus takes it when you hate.

He also said if you lust then you have already committed adultery in your heart.  He said, “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.”  He said if you look with lust you’ve done it already?

Have you ever looked with lust?  Again be honest with God; Be honest in yourself.

    Now if you follow God’s reasoning out.  If you have hated it is the same as having killed.  If you have lusted it is the same as having committed sexual sin.  If you follow that principle; then to covet, which is one of the 10, is the same as stealing.  Have you ever wanted something that belonged to someone else enough that you would take it if you could?  Most of us don’t need a nudge on this one because who hasn’t, if only as a child, stolen something in their lifetime?  Have you ever taken something that belonged to someone else?

Now listen to this.  If you have broken any of six through ten then you have also broken five.  Because when we do these things we dishonor our parents.

One and Two are out for most too because we have idols of the mind and we worship ourselves.  Who or What is more important to you than Jesus is? Those things are false gods and our false views of God are ‘graven images’, they are gods we have fabricated in our minds.  Not the true and living God.  We say things like, “I don’t think god would create a place called hell.” That’s a false god, because God did create a place called hell. (Go read "WHO IN HELL CARES" If you want more on that subject.)

“Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:”  Hell was not created for humans it was created for the rebel angels.  But humans who refuse God cannot be allowed into Heaven.  God only made two eternal homes.

Now if you have stayed with me this far you're doing pretty good, that is to say you must be really serious about wanting to be closer to Jesus.  By now you should be feeling pretty crumby.  That’s what is meant by “the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.”  If you are not feeling the weight of your sin right this very second then stop here, go try to live out the whole ten commandments for a few hours and come back and finish reading.  I’m not kidding.  If you still think your own goodness is good enough to merit forgiveness then give it some time.  Go out to where there are a lot of other people, 'rub shoulders' with them, go drive in your car in a busy part of town.  If you go somewhere quiet and alone you might 'deceive' yourself into thinking you are a 'pretty good' person, so go where the potential for conflict or temptation exists.  Go. God has begun a work in your heart.  He will not let you rest. See you soon.

Oh yeah.  While you're out there try not to use Jesus name in any other way besides praise, prayer, or telling others about Him.  That is called taking His name in vain.  This is one of the 10 also. 

See you soon.  You say, "What is this?" "Why is it so important that I stop here?"  Well it's just this.  The Bible says that "he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder  to them that diligently seek Him."

There is no greater way, besides the witness of creation that you see with your own two eyes, there is no greater way to know that "God is" then when after hearing, or in this case after reading the Word of God, after hearing or reading that when the Spirit of God opens to your heart and to your mind the truth of what you just read.

Remember I said that God says through His Apostle Paul that “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.”  (Rom 5:6) When you come back I want to talk to you about Christ's death on a crude Roman cross,  where He died in the place of a criminal between two thieves.  That criminal He died for was not only Barabbas, that criminal was me, that criminal was you.  We all have broken the Law, our Creator's Laws.  Think about how small our home, our planet, really is and think about how our awesome Creator, the Creator or galaxies, loves you so intensely that He would die for you as a man. When you come back you don't have to read this whole thing all over again, just scroll down to this point.

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You must be familiar with the song Amazing Grace. It goes "Amazing grace! How sweet the sound - That saved a wretch like me! ~~ I once was lost but now am found, Was blind but now I see."  Do you sense or see the lost state we all are in or 'were in' in the case of the believer in Jesus, do you see the lost state we, or more personally now, that you are in?  I hope that you do.  And I hope that you are more than just a little afraid for the health of your soul.

The second stanza in the song goes, "’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, And grace my fears relieved;” Fear is a wonderful thing.  That is to say Fear of God is.  Fear of man is a snare.  The Bible says “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.”  So you are taking your first steps on a path that leads to eternal life and abundant life.  This is the beginning.

Now let's look at that verse “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.”  (Rom 5:6) Let's look at it in it's context and see if it makes more sense to you.  Okay?

“For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly."

•      For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. [Pause to think about each verse as you read ~ reread it if it helps]
•      But God commendeth (demonstrated) his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. [Pause~think ~ reread ~ think]
•     Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. [Pause ~ think]
•      For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”

     (This is Romans 5 verses 6 through 10)

    [take your time ~ trust me God is not going anywhere] ~ Notice the words 'enemies' and 'wrath' and 'reconciled', It is most important.

     I have on the inside cover of my Bible a safety sticker that reads, "THINK ~ Carelessness Is Dangerous"  In this situation it is very important that you think and listen to your conscience... that is your 'ear' to God's voice.

     We are talking about God's goodness being born within us, we are talking about a phenomenon called being 'born-again', it can't be rushed.  It takes 9 months normally for a newborn child to develop in the womb of its mother.  Sometimes the delivery process takes hours upon hours. (I'm so sorry about that ladies.) You can't rush this process.  God never does.  Take your time.

Jesus said, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.”  Jesus coined the phrase ‘born again’, it was His idea, not mans.  Now let’s read through those verses in Romans five without my interruptions.  Pay attention to the words.  Take your time and think it through.  Remember the word ‘commendeth’ means ‘demonstrated’

For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

So God demonstrated His love for us; for me and for you.  Not only did He die for your sins He also has prayed for you and is praying for you this very moment before the Father’s throne.  After His ressurection, and after spending time with the men He would send forth to preach, He ascended into Heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father, being there to make intercession for us; for you.

He Loves You. He said “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

So here is the Question: Do you believe Jesus loves you, and that He died for your sins?

He prayed for you. “These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come;…    glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

I have manifested thy name unto these men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.

For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.

I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.

I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

So here is the Question again: Do you believe Jesus loves you, and that He died for your sins? Do you believe that He is alive now from the grave to receive you if you should call out to Him? I hope you do because its true...

Will you receive and accept all that I said about your sinful state, the penalty of that sin which is death and hell, the fact that Jesus paid your sin debt on the cross so that you wouldn't have to pay for your sin debt in hell, will you tell Him you believe, thank Him for loving you and dying for you? Here is John 3:16 again...

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Now: Talk to Him, Don't turn Him away like so many have and still do, Tell Him where you're at and ask Him for more understanding if you still do not understand.


And then: Be sure to reciprocate
His love by loving others.

Arise and Go! (Faith Defies Reason)

          Many who know me know that I have been wrestling with questions surrounding a possible call on my life to preach and teach the Word of God.  As I look at my journal entries from years past it becomes obvious that I have been wrestling with this for many more years than I even realized.  Back in 2006 the LORD gave me some clear direction regarding some of this and I marked and dated my Bible as a sign-post to remind me whenever I happened across those verses.  Back then God was confirming in my heart that He wanted me to “stay the course”; to continue to teach and disciple folks in our local church.  It was always the conviction and leading of God for both my wife and I that God was calling us to stay; but not to go.  Just stay. Remain faithful. Teach and serve in whatever capacities He would lead.  I could share the specific verses and what was going on in my heart then but this post will be too long for the average reader as it is.  That will have to wait until another post.

          Many of our friends in our church had expressed to me that they see in me the makings of a Man of God; a preacher.  One dear older saint who has been somewhat of a grandmother figure to me said, “It is wonderful to watch you grow and progress in your ministries.”  This said after I had finished preaching one evening while our pastor was away.  It is a wonderfully supernatural thing to preach and sense that God is steering you.  It’s different than simply public speaking; probably the closest thing I can relate it to, to those who have never preached, is the same sense that one has that God is steering your thoughts and conversation when you witness for Him.  Now if you have never witnessed in the Spirit this does not help either.  The ‘feeling’ is very similar but not exactly the same.

          In a book I borrowed from my pastor’s study by Pastor Roy L. Branson Jr. entitled, “Dear Preacher, Please Quit!” (The title is deceiving because it’s designed to affirm preachers and help pulpit committees in the selection process.)  I am so thankful for my pastor allowing me access to his library.  I told him on several occasions that he can have his cars but that I really have a hard time not coveting his books.  In this particular book, “Dear Preacher, Please Quit!” It lays out six marks of the man called of God.  As I read through those six marks it became increasingly more obvious to me that all of them fit me.  I really didn’t know what to think.  I consulted a pastor friend of mine, and another deacon friend, and both of them told me I should let my preacher know.  He would know what to do next and how to follow through in obedience to my call if indeed it was a call.  I knew I had to let my pastor know.

          While at work one day; I don’t remember the day.  I remember that I skipped my lunch so that I could call him and talk to him about it.  His counsel was very helpful.  He shared details about his own call with me and then prayed with me for me.  He told me to pay close attention to the Spirit in my heart and mind while I did my daily devotions and spent time in the Word.  He told me that if I am called that God would confirm it and show me what to do next.

          So I set out to seek intently the mind of God in this matter.  In the past when I would set my mind on thinking about or pursuing “the call” it seemed that heaven was silent on the subject.  When I would determine to just simply get to know God better and love Him more it was then the tug-of-war would ensue.  I think this time of seeking was different because it seemed that God had initiated it and I was instructed by the preacher how to pursue this.  My actions were an act of response and obedience rather than a self-involved pursuit.

          On September 10^th this fall, 2011 of course, after having fasted and earnestly wrestling over this I finally got something of an answer.  This was the third morning of my intentional three-day fast and at 4 o’clock in the morning as is my practice I got up an hour before leaving for work to have coffee and get into my Bible. Since I was already “wrestling with God” I determined to read the account of Jacobs wrestling with God in Genesis 32.  I read where The Angel of the Lord said “Let me go, for the day breaketh.” And Jacob responded with “I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.”  I prayed, “I will not let thee go, except Thou bless me. I don’t want to be uncertain about this any longer.”  As I flipped through the pages of Genesis I noticed in my Thompson Chain-Reference Bible in the notes the heading labeled “Jacob’s Ladder” and it occurred to me that I hadn’t really taken a lot of time over the years to really study that, so I began to read it.

          I read in Genesis 28 starting in verse one; “And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan.” Then in verse two I was startled and stopped after the first two words, “Arise, go”.  This was an account of Isaac sending Israel away to get a wife.  It was not intended for me.  But the words stuck fast in my heart and just sat there.  I couldn’t shake them.  I thought, “Perhaps God would tell us to go somewhere, to do something specific.”  That would be inconceivable really though because we both were very active in multiple leadership roles.  Recently my wife and I had been talking and praying about God using us in greater capacities in other places.  Isaac said to Jacob, “And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people;” I thought, “Oh God, that would be wonderful to hear you affirm something like that to me.”

          I finished reading the story of Jacob’s dream and I had more time.  So I decided on another search criteria.  I remembered somewhere a king, or a prophet, or someone else of importance in men’s eyes died and the whole nation fasted, and prayed, and grieved for three days. I thought perhaps that would be as good a place to look as any other.  I opened my concordance to search “a three day fast” and the search reminded me that Paul upon the occasion of his conversion fasted for three days.  “That’s right! Paul?”  And my study intentions were diverted into the ninth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles.  (If you are a student of the word reading this then you know where this is going next.)

          I read through the account of Saul’s salvation and call.  The words jumped out at me. “Lord, what will You have me to do?”  The answer? “Arise and go” My mind raced; this is now the second time that morning, the third morning of my wrestling with God over a possible call; it was the second time I read “Arise, Go.”  The Spirit of God anchored those words into my mind so that when I read on and was reminded of Ananias being sent to meet Saul of Tarsus with the words, “Arise and Go.” I was dumbfounded.  I have always told God that if He was going to call me He would have to make it clear because I am a little slow on the uptake.  I still wasn’t convinced.  Have I somehow subconsciously turned to these texts on purpose?  I wasn’t sure.

          I ran out of time to read and had to get my work clothes on, let the dog out, and gather my things for work.  Downing the last few sips of coffee as I waited by the door for my ride I prayed, and thought, and prayed some more.

          When we arrived at work I stayed in the car.  I often do that so I can read some more before going into the plant.  I reread the texts that my search led me to just an hour earlier.  I meditated on what I had just experienced and wondered what it might mean or if it meant anything at all.  After all the “Arise and go” commands in Acts 9 were specific to Paul and Ananias and were not intended for me.  Nowhere did I read my name in the text. 

Before too long it was time to go in so I slowly closed my Bible and climbed out of the car and walked with God into the dark, loud, busy place where bottles of water are born better.  I was claiming the verse, as often I did, that if I “commit my works unto the Lord my thoughts would be established.”

          I continued through my fast to work and pray and seek Gods mind in all of this.  My mind was sensitive to the Spirit and I worshipped adoringly as I worked.  When it came time to write the days date on my paperwork the date 9-10-11 jumped out at me and it seemed in my spirit that the Spirit of God was telling me something.  I thought perhaps if I went back and read Acts nine again, continuing through chapters ten and eleven, that perhaps I would understand some things a little more clearly.  So I determined that when I went to break I would do that.

          When I opened my Bible at break the thought occurred to me to check Acts 9 verses 10 and 11 and as I began to read I couldn’t believe my eyes.  It was the 3^rd “Arise and Go” that I had just read earlier that morning.  This is now the 4^th time that morning I sensed the Spirit instructing me with the same words.  I was convinced that God was telling me to do just that “Arise and Go” but go where? And when? Everything seemed still so unclear.  The scriptures say that when God says something three times it means that it is settled in heaven; it cannot be changed. (I can’t find the reference for this – maybe one of you can help me?)

In the month that followed I wrestled intently with this.  When I was alone with God I was convinced of the direction my family had to take and when I got around other believers and shared some of this with them I became unsure again.  Sundays and Wednesdays became times of set back and doubt in this as the feedback I was getting from others seemed to contradict what I sensed the Spirit was doing in my heart and life.  I was sharing my every decision with my wife who was faithfully trying to follow my lead. But because of my vacillating on this I left her often confused, frustrated, and twisting in the wind.

Finally the Spirit of God said to me as described in my story entitled “A Leg Out.” Read it if you wish. He said, “Carl, you need to make up your mind.  There is too much at stake to keep bouncing back and forth.”  By this time I had written two letters to surrender my ministries and membership at church.  Neither of which actually made it to the pastor's desk.  I was convinced God wanted me to do this but I was unsure of the details.  It didn’t make sense.  Faith defies reason. More often than not when God called a Man of God in scripture He asked them to go and didn’t give them a whole lot of instruction as to the details.  My only explanation for this is that if the man is going to teach others to walk by faith he is going to have had to walk completely and only by faith.  He will have to get out of his comfort zone. God told me that others would not understand.  He said that they would disagree with ‘my’ decision.  I wrestled with trying to find some plausible explanation that I could share with the church.  Much of these ‘plausible explanations’ were the contents of my letters of resignation.  Even my final letter of resignation didn’t spell this out, what I wrote in the letter, a private matter not to be shared here or anywhere, was I believe mostly somewhat the truth but it was not this.  What you read here is the reason for our resignation.  We don’t fully understand it.  I don’t know where I will be three months from now but I know God will direct my steps.  He has shown us so much and made some things so very clear to us since the day I finally determined to obey and to make this move.  My only regret is that I failed to communicate this part of my ‘call’ with my pastor.  Had I done that, no doubt he could have helped me with it.

Right or wrong I couldn’t ignore the persistent voice telling me it was time.  If I am wrong about this I will bear the consequences alone.  I don’t believe I am wrong.  We didn’t want to leave our church family.  I wept deeply the morning of “A Leg Out” while driving alone in the car listening to Steve Green’s song “I Will Go.”  I wept very deeply.  And wrestled with God even more; God won of course.

Remember God told Jonah to arise and go also. Twice even. It almost didn’t go very well for those his shipmates.  They lost everything overboard.  They were about to lose their lives.  I cannot take a chance on disobedience and what it may mean for my church.

God showed me other things that September 10^th morning.  Things regarding what the future of our church held.  Good things. Similar to what God told the pastor that “The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts.” (Micah 2:9)  Also things regarding the possibility of us some day returning. 

Time would not permit me here to share everything God showed me.  But I want to end this post with a word of caution to those seeking a call.  Remember that Peter did not step out of the boat except at Jesus’ bidding.  Peter said “Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.”  Then, and only then did Jesus reply, “Come.”  If you are determined to step out of the boat.  You who are struggling with a call.  You had better make sure it’s Jesus out there on the water and not a figment of your imagination.  Don’t go just to get away from conflict if conflict exists.  It may be the conflict God has designed to mature you and grow you up.  He often does.  And if you are sure it is Him.  Keep your eyes on Jesus and not on the angry waves.

“He must increase, WE must decrease!”

I am still not fully persuaded I am ‘called’.  As I said, “I’m a little slow on the uptake.” And I definitely don’t want to be presumptuous. But I am positive God is leading me.  To what end, I know not, We shall soon see.

Zombies Beware!

Early on in my Christian walk I used to have a bizarre recurring dream.  A kind of Night Mare on Hard Scrabble Street.  This dream must have taken place before I was thirteen when I quit church for a job.  Or perhaps it was when in my late teens when God brought me back to Himself.  Now I’m not so sure.  In the dream I know I was young.

I was at my aunt’s house where I often spent time as a pre-teen.  While there alone, in the front yard, approaching the house, I would find myself being followed and surrounded by Zombie like figures, they would be coming from every direction.  Slowly approaching from every quarter; Arms out, slow monotonous steps, eyes sunken in, I almost think there was a continuous drone or hum that came from their throats.  I was always scared when I dreamed this.  Beyond scared.

As a new Christian I was told of the power that we have “In Jesus Name”.  So in my dream I began to rebuke the foul creatures “In Jesus Name”.  I would say “In Jesus Name” go away!!! “In Jesus Name” leave me alone!!! Nothing happened they kept coming. “I command you “In Jesus Name””…  Still nothing.  Closer.  Closer.  Closer.  Finally as they were breathing down my neck I would pray and cry out in exasperation, “Dear Jesus please help me!”

When I prayed and asked for help, instead of trying to exercise some power in my own strength, then things happened.  All of the Zombies, in cartoon like fashion, would run screaming.  There would be a blur in their wake as they went.  I almost think I heard the rushing wind of their retreat in my dream.  Then I would wake up; Troubled, relieved, sometimes dazed.  The dream happened a lot.  So much so that I thought it was some kind of message from God.

So what did all this mean?  What was my battle against these devilish creatures supposed to signify?  Nothing.  It was a dream.  But I think it reveals a little bit about what was going on in my mind as a new troubled young teen.  I think I had just read a so-called “Christian” comedians fraudulent account about his leaving his role as a satanic high priest and all the bizarre things that supposedly happened to him.  Like a boys chest collapsing as he accidentally fell into the center of a pentagram while his coven was encircling it and chanting.  And like how once when praying, he supposedly was pinned to the floor by invisible devils and it felt to him as though they were gnawing at his wrists and ankles.  He then supposedly cried out in exasperation, “Dear Jesus please help me!” and was relieved of his assault.

Now don’t get me wrong. 
I believe we are battling a very dangerous, unseen, malicious, hateful enemy. 
The devils do not care who they hurt; all they care about is hurting someone. 

They can't get at God's 'throat' so to hurt Him they want to hurt the objects of His love.

 In the book of Job, Satan was going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

Peter says “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” He only intends to do harm.  

I call in question the unmentioned comedians account simply because it was reported that his book and testimony, his entire comedic set was built on a lie.

I also believe that “the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.”

Keep your heart perfect towards Him.  This verse, if you read it in 2 Chronicles 16:9, was a reproof to one who had done foolishly.  Nevertheless “the eyes of the LORD DO run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.”

Keep your heart perfect toward Him.  Obey His lead.  Be not afraid.

“He must increase, WE must decrease!”

I haven’t had this dream in a very long time;
God straightened out my doctrine
and
is removing daily false assumptions and superstitions. 
We will prevail.  Zombies beware!

A Leg Out

Almost every Sunday morning early before our church services commence I will drive to our church to check on the heat or cooling situation, to pray some, and to see if anything is out of place.  Then I drive back home to get ready for church and see that my family is stirring.  We bought a home close to the church for that reason; we knew we would be spending a lot of time travelling to and from the church.

As I was heading into town to go to the church this Sunday morning I saw something I had never seen before.  It stuck fast in my mind and the Spirit of God spoke to my wearied soul in that moment.  I call it a Picture Parable.  As I was heading into town I saw out my driver’s side window, and then I watched in my rear view, a pick-up truck with a cap on the back.  The cap window was slightly opened and a black dog had climbed out the window.  He had a leg out the window and he was stuck halfway in and half way out.  I watched as the poor stuck helpless dog tried to pull himself back in.  He kept jerking back to try to pull his body and his leg back in.  He jerked and jerked but couldn’t budge. The truck must have been doing forty; who knows what might have happened if the troubled dog fell out.

During the moments as I watched the helpless dog the Spirit of God spoke to my heart.  He said, “That’s you.” And I knew what he meant, “That’s you.” I reflected on that for a second. Then I sensed as though He was saying, “I don’t want you stuck with a leg out, you need to make up your mind, there’s too much at stake.”  I was relieved as I watched the driver pull to the side of the road, presumably to help the poor helpless dog back into the bed of the truck.

Sometimes we find ourselves stuck; Burdened by a monumental decision.  We may even have a leg out, we may be out of fellowship with a Christian brother, or we may be wrestling at a crossroads.  It could be a work situation and a career change.  It could be something else.  What do we do when we’re stuck?

We talk to the driver of the truck; now this would be impossible if we were a dog stuck with a leg out because most dogs don’t talk.  But the Driver of the truck knows our hearts.  He knows our hurts.  Furthermore only He knows the plans He has for us.  So what do we do when we’re stuck?

You trust God will help you out or back in if that’s His plan.  His word says “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”

You acknowledge His sovereign hand in the situation; you pray.  “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”  That’s a promise my friends.  He SHALL direct your paths.

Make sure you are trusting Him and not your own fleshly selfish desires. “Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.”

If we do this and follow His leading He will guide us every step of the way.  Sometimes He does lead into the dark; into the valley of the shadow of death, but I will fear no evil for Thou art with me, Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me.

If we seek His face, He will be pleased to lead and He will be pleased.  Make sure you are following him and not a man or men.  By all means don’t follow me; follow Him.

 If we follow Him faithfully “He will increase and WE will decrease!”

Scripture references borrowed from Proverbs 3:5-7 and the 23^rd Psalm.

If you like this or think it could help someone else, spread the word, share.

He Must Increase, all WE must decrease! He Must! WE Must!

She Has Three Arms

If you have read "There's a bigANTin the toilet" then you are familiar with little Autumn. She is so cute.

Her mother posted on facebook this conversation:

Autumn: "mommy can u pray for everything in the whole world,"

Mom: "yes autumn,"

Autumn: "mommy can you pray for Jesus to give us 3 arms so we can do three things at a time,"

Mom: "No you can do that,"

Autumn: "no mommy serouse that way we can do 3 things at once!"


I responded with...


"Tell Autumn Uncie Carl woke up late last night and began praying for the whole world, started with our church, then area churches, then New England churches, then churches throughout the U.S., then Missionaries and pastors throughout the world. Was praying for the many souls they were trying to reach too. The devil was pestering me so I wanted to hit him where it hurts. :) Tell her she has three arms... the two she can see... and prayer... that's the arm of the Lord."


I prayed for many by name, others by geography, I was thinking of Jesus' prayer in John 17 "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; " I pleaded and begged our LORD for help in this battle we are waging.  It seems the enemy has turned up the heat.


I'm praying for you!


"He must increase, WE must decrease!"

Will you join us in prayer for N.E., for pastors,
for our other seed planters and those who water,
and for souls to be saved in New England.

Pray for God's bountiful increase here!

Like Father, Like Son

            Yesterday my boy had his friend Joseph from church over to spend a day and a night at our home.  While they were doing some target shooting in the backyard with the bow and arrows Joseph overshot the target and the arrow was lost.  The boys looked everywhere for the arrow scanning with their eyes back and forth over the overgrown lawn.  They didn’t see it anywhere.

            That’s when my son remembered the happenings at the apple orchard explained in the Blog post entitled, “Does He Really Care? Really?”  He decided to pray and intended to repeat my simple prayer. “LORD, you know exactly where it is. Could You please help me find it.”  According to him he prayed, “LORD, you know exactly where it is. Could You please help me…” Huh? He stopped mid-sentence and as he looked down into the tall grass he noticed the arrow’s bright feathers just barely peeking through the blades at his feet.

            I for one believe it happened just as he said.  All you have to do is read the aforementioned post to understand why I believe it.  He was ecstatic as he shared his story and I was thrilled that he is learning to trust God for the simple things so early in life.

            I have no doubt that in his life. Jesus will be magnified, and he (my son) will be growing increasingly and powerfully humble.  “He must increase, and WE must decrease!”

Does He Really Care? Really?

Do you think the little things that concern children matter to God?  I mean things like their favorite toy, and their favorite blanket, and their favorite pair of sunglasses.  I am convinced that they do matter a great deal to Him.  They matter to Him because they matter to them.  Spurgeon said in a commentary of Psalm 139 that God cares about “all the littles in our little worlds.”

Just this past Friday afternoon while my son-shine, my wife, was out of town, I took the kids and we joined a friend and his kids on their traditional apple picking adventure up at Wallingford’s Orchards.  They made it a tradition to go with dad picking while their mom was away.  It was a cool and sunny afternoon and my nine year old sweetheart (my daughter) wore her favorite sunglasses out into the orchard as we picked.  At one point she decided that she didn’t want to wear them anymore, and she didn’t want to carry them anymore either.  “Dad can you carry my sunglasses?” She requested. “Sure.” Was my simple reply as I reached out my hand, took the wide lens pink glasses and slid one of its arms into my pocket so they kind of just dangled there.

We picked.  We picked high and we picked low.  We picked mostly Mac’s, red ones and semi-red ones; we tried to avoid the green ones.  We picked and picked and it went fast.  At one point I was lifting my nine year old ton-of-bricks onto my shoulders so she could get the high ones.  The bag was a bulging 17 pounds when all was said and done.

After we went into the store and paid for the bag we stopped by the van I borrowed from my parents.  The wife had the Lincoln and was Navigating somewhere up near Camden.  So after dropping the bag off at the van we walked to the back of the store where there were picnic tables and things for the kids to do.  We, my friend and I, walked while watching the kids and talked and for a while also sat at the tables and talked.  It was a good cool afternoon for a visit.

When it was time to leave and return the van we moseyed back to the vehicles and went our separate directions.  Only I didn’t get very far before I heard, “Dad, do you still have my sunglasses?”  I forgot they were clipped to my pants the whole time we covered the grounds of Wallingford’s.  When I looked down, yup, you guessed it.  They were gone.  I apologetically said, “No Sweetheart I don’t, they’re gone. They must have fallen. We can get you another pair.”

She was heartbroken.   “Dad, can we go back? They were my favorite!”

So you know what I did? I turned the van around and we went back.  All the while I was thinking it was impossible.  Someone would have found them; kept them.  I’m never going to find them.

When I went back I pulled over to the side of the orchard, left the kids in the car with the car running because it was starting to get cool, and ran down towards where we were picking.  I began scouring the tall grass with my eyes, scanning back and forth, back and forth.; taking a few steps then back and forth again, back and forth with my eyes.  Then I went to the next tree for the same routine.  Nothing.  And nothing again.

I was getting a little discouraged and was about to give up.  As a last ditch attempt I prayed.  Why do we often wait until the “last thing” to pray?  I intended to say, “Lord, you know exactly where they are.  Could you please help me find them?”  What I actually prayed was, “Lord, you know exactly where they are.  Could you please help me….”  And I couldn’t believe my eyes.  There in front of me, just as plain as day were my little girls big pink wide lens glasses!!!  I ended with “Thank You LORD!” as I picked them up and ran back to the van.

This became the story at the dinner table as we joined our apple picking friends for supper that evening.  I am sure that in their eyes God was magnified.  I am sure because I was told later that they conveyed the tale to their mom over the phone.

“He (The Lord Jesus) must increase, and WE must decrease.” But even though this is true He is very concerned with “all the littles in our little worlds.”