Sunday, January 27, 2019

We Made It

Wow! Day 21.  To all of you who persevered and made it, thank you.  But my thanks was not what you were looking for.  You were looking for answers to your prayers.  You were looking for things to change.  I can promise you they have.  Let's go back and look at that very first Daniel Fast and gain some understanding of how fasting and prayer works in God's kingdom.

In Daniel chapter 10, we read the account of the very first 21 day Daniel Fast.  Daniel had received a vision.  It was a terrifying and troubling vision.  It was a vision of things to come.  Now this vision caused Daniel some distress. He  goes for 21 days without meat or wine or choice foods.  He doesn't even use deodorant! And at the end of 21 days, God sends an angel with the answer. Daniel 10:12 (NIV) Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. 

Here we get some great insight into prayer, fasting and spiritual warfare.  First, Daniel's prayer is heard instantly.  Second, Daniel's answer is also immediate... but the delivery is delayed.  This angel had to be a powerful being.  It says the Prince of Persia (which was a demonic spiritual being) resisted him for 21 days. And finally, Michael, the Archangel, came and assisted him.  When we pray, our prayers are always heard and they are always answered.  Sometimes immediately, sometimes with a "no", but sometimes the answers are hindered by the enemy.  The sad thing for us is that we don't always know if God is saying "wait" or if the enemy is delaying our answer.

This is where fasting breaks through. I can promise you the things you have been praying for over the last 21 days, the answer is on the way.  There may be delay.  There may be opposition.  There may be all out spiritual warfare because of the magnitude of your prayers.  I do not know when your answer will come.  I do not know when my answers will come.  But, I do know that no demon in hell, no principality or power, no ruler of darkness, no spiritual wickedness in high places will ever be able to prevent my answer from getting to me. And that makes the Daniel Fast worth it all.

In the days ahead, as you go back to your "regular" life, I want you to rest in the knowledge that God's answer is on the way. I look forward to hearing the testimonies of the breakthroughs you experience as a result of the Daniel Fast.  Thank you again for joining me on this amazing journey.

Love you all!
Pastor Dale & Debi

Saturday, January 26, 2019

God, Change Me!


I know what's going through your mind right now. You know that tomorrow is the end of the Daniel Fast and you're already thinking about that one food item you've been craving. Don't deny it! I've imagined a brownie and tall, cold glass of milk, or a nice big slice of pizza. But before you totally undo all the benefits of the fast, ask yourself this. God, what have you changed in me during the Daniel Fast? You cannot spend 21 days fasting and praying without it changing something in you. Maybe you've got more peace about a situation. Maybe God has birthed some new dream or idea in your spirit. 

I know a huge part of the Daniel Fast for me is my prayer list.  Anything that makes it my Daniel Fast prayer list is a big thing.  I reserve those spots on my lists for the things I am desperate for, the things I desire the most. But one thing that always makes it to my prayer list is something for me.  This year, I am praying for greater anointing when I prepare and when I minister the Word. (I guess you'll be the first to know if god answered that prayer, LOL)

But the root of that prayer is not just for God to dump this boatload of anointing on me. The root of the prayer is, "God change me," so I can handle the boatload of anointing.  Moses was a man who understood the anointing and the presence of God. Yet, he still cried out to God, "I want to know you! I want to see your face!" It's great to seek His anointing, but why am I seeking it. If I seek His anointing so others can tell me how anointed my message was, then He will withhold that anointing. The reason I want more anointing is so I can more effectively minister to the people God has entrusted to my care. If that is my motive, the anointing will come.  But God has to root out any shred of self seeking in me.

God says, "I will not share my glory with another." Anytime someone touched His glory, it did not end well. But God has given us this wonderful responsibility to carry His glory. Just like the priest of old, they were permitted to carry the ark but were not permitted to touch the ark.  Today, we are His kingdom of priests and we all get the honor to bear His glory. In order to do that, it is I who must change. As He changes me, I carry and reflect more of His glory.  So Lord, change me! I want to represent you well on this earth.

Pastor Dale

Friday, January 25, 2019

God's Got This

I have some pretty heavy prayer requests on my Daniel Fast prayer list. There are things I've prayed for for years and there are new prayer requests that weigh heavy on my heart. As I was praying about one of the more pressing issues, I heard the Lord say, "I've got this." Now, in my head I know that God has all things. And, He will be faithful to perform what He promised.  But when God says, I've got this," what exactly does that look like?

The answer is, "I don't know." And that is where we get stuck. We're okay knowing that God's got it, but we are not okay with not knowing how He's got it. We want all the details because knowing them makes us feel better. But, know them also eliminates an opportunity to simply trust God. If I pray and know the answer is coming on a specific day in a specific way, guess what? I'll stop praying! Knowing all the details requires no more faith... no trust... no patience. Ah, I've just said the magic word... patience.

It is the trying, the testing of our faith that develops patience in us. And James 1:3-4 tells us that patience will work on us to make us complete and mature. When we face difficulties or challenges we all have a tendency to do this. We ask someone for help. They agree to help and then we jump in and take over, or suggest ideas, or question why are they doing something that way.  What that does is frustrate the person we asked for help and we actually hinder the solution from coming.

Do we do the same thing with God? You know we do!  We ask Him for guidance and then we grab the steering wheel. He give Him a problem and then tell Him how to fix it.  Deb and I have a running joke where she can ask me to do something or tell me how to do something, but she cannot do both! But I do the very same thing with God. So when God tells me (or you), "I've got this." Just..... let....go!  His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts.  I promise you, His solution is waaaay better than anything we can think of.

Trust Him!

Pastor Dale

Thursday, January 24, 2019

When the Magnificient Becomes Mundane

I'll give you a sneak peak at my sermon for this Sunday. I will be wrapping up my series on Kingdom Seekers with Passion. Passion is always fleeting. Everything in our lives can become mundane if we allow it. Imagine the scientists on the International Space Station. What must it be like to view our globe from 240 miles above the surface. At first, I think they would be glued to the window, but after a few months, the passing planet below might barely get a second glance.

Even spiritual things like the reading God's word or church attendance or even our Daniel Fast can become mundane. We fall into a pattern and things become routine. It's a good thing to develop the habit of reading God's word. But, when it is just a habit, it ceases to be life giving. To keep our passion for God's word fresh, we must not just read it, we must study it, meditate on it.  I can promise you that every chapter of the Bible has fresh revelation waiting for you to uncover.

Passion drives us. It motivates us. It keeps us going. But, passion is the missing element in a lot of marriages. It's also sadly missing in a lot of churches and in a lot of Christians. The sad thing that almost every important thing in our life begins with passion. Then the fire dims and we fall into a mundane existence and lose the exhilaration. (just like those scientists on the ISS)

So how do we keep passion alive? I guess you'll have to come Sunday to find out!

Keep the flame burning!

Pastor Dale

Wednesday, January 23, 2019

How To Worship A King

I've been reading a new book entitled, How To Worship A King (by Zach Nease). Here in America, we really have no concept of a monarchy. Our nation was formed when we rebelled against the monarchy of England, and we have never looked back since. But, since our sermon series has been Kingdom Seekers, it is obvious we live in a kingdom and therefore, we have a king.  And not just any king. We serve and worship the King of Kings!  So, how do we worship a king? There are two aspects of God's character we must understand if we are to correctly worship our King. One, He is love, and two, He is Holy. When we look at these two characteristics, they seem like polar opposites. Let's examine the two.

God is Love:
One of Jesus' favorite topics was His Father. In the Old Testament, God was pretty scary. Plagues and fire, smoke and thunder, they gave an image of God that most feared. But Jesus introduces us to a God who loves, a God who is approachable. Paul tells us in the book of Romans that God is "Abba Father" which means daddy God.  It gives us the image of a child running and jumping on the lap of God. And that is His character.  He is loving, patient, kind, tender, gentle.  The whole reason He sent His son was so we could be reunited with Him. In our worship today, we sing songs about His great love. We sing "Your Love Never Fails" and "How He Loves". We sing how His love "chases us down, fights till I'm found, leaves the ninety-nine." I am so thankful for a God who desires us to be near and who loves us so deeply.

But as we run and jump on daddy's lap, we must never forget whose lap we are jumping on. Our approachable, loveable God is also holy. So holy that people were instructed to not set foot on the mountain of Sinai when He was there.  So holy that people died when they touched the Ark of the Covenant. So holy that the ground opened up and swallowed and entire clan when they took His holy things. Now that is quite a different picture. All of a sudden, God seems less approachable.

But He is approachable and holy at the same time.  So in our worship of this great King, we should worship with reckless abandon and holy awe.  The two don't seem to mix, but they do, no, they must. John 4:24 tell us that God is looking for people who worship Him in spirit and in truth. It may seem like an unattainable balance, but we do it all the time. I have no fear of working with electricity. I can work in a main panel or change an outlet, but I best not forget what I'm working with. When I do forget, I get a not so subtle reminder that I am dealing with real power. I have no fear of running a table saw, but the minute I forget the power behind that spinning blade, I may lose a finger or two.

It takes practice to worship a king. We love and embrace Him, but we reverently respect Him. He is worthy of both. He desires our reckless love of Him and our reverential fear. When I worship the holiness of God, I fall more deeply in love with Him.  When I bask in the love of God, I am more in awe of His holiness. If you want to take your worship to the next level, approach God with both images in your mind.  And that is how you worship a King.

Pastor Dale

Tuesday, January 22, 2019

A Purifying Fast

One of the natural benefits of the Daniel Fast is that it cleanses the body.  There is ample proof that fasting is good for the body.  And while we can all use a physical detox now and then, the real benefit of fasting is the purification that takes place in our soul and spirit.  In case you haven't experienced it yet, most people get meaner when they fast.  It's part hunger and part caffeine withdrawal but it is also part purification.

Here in Steeler country, most people understand the process of making high quality steel.  You basically put all the ingredients into the blast furnace and fire it up.  In the process, impurities rise to the surface where they can be skimmed off.  Fasting is like God's blast furnace.  Sometimes there are impurities we don't know are there.  Sometimes there are impurities we know are there but try to hide them or cover them up.  But nothing gets past the purifying fire of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit may be the Great Comforter, but He is also the Great Revealer.  David prayed a sincere prayer when he said, "Lord search me and know me and see if there be any wicked thing in me." (Psalm 139:23-24)  If you pray David's prayer I can promise you one thing, God will come up with something that needs uncovered.

During the Daniel Fast, let's have the courage to ask God to bring hidden things to the surface. When He does, deal with it and "skim it off".  Because, in the end, it is the impurities in steel that can cause a catastrophic failure.  The same is true in our spirit man.  Little impurities, small attitudes, tiny areas of unforgiveness, they can all be the weak point in our spiritual life.  Let the Daniel Fast percolate those impurities to the surface where God can gently remove them.

Pastor Dale

Monday, January 21, 2019

He Is The Answer

On Saturday, I attended a meeting for churches wanting to come together to address the opioid/addiction problem in our county.  There were seven churches represented.  They had representatives there from the Drug Task Force and the judicial system explaining the problem and giving facts and figures.  One of the things that was said really caught my attention.  One of the presenters said, "If all the opioids would disappear instantly from the earth, it would not solve the problem.  I agree!  You see, the problem is not racial disparity, ease of access for drugs, big pharmaceutical companies or socio-economic issues.  The problem is that mankind is broken and they know they are broken. They just want to heal their broken lives, their broken hearts and broken spirits. The problem is they are looking to the wrong thing to heal them.

I agree with the world that drug addiction or alcoholism is a disease, but I disagree with the mindset to treat it like a disease.  In reality, adultery is a disease, pornography is a disease, greed and lust are diseases. But with any disease, you must find the source before you can effectively administer the solution. And the source of all diseases that ravage humanity is sin!  You take care of the sin problem first.  Then, you have the right place to start for all the other symptoms of the disease.  Counseling is good, NA and AA meetings are good.   Mentoring groups and accountability groups are good.  But all these things alone will never cure the problem.

I think many drug treatment programs are doing great work in the area of addiction, but my one bone of contention with most of them is this, "Hi my name is ____________ and I am an ___________ ."(fill in the blank with your addiction)  I don't believe that what I was, I still am!  2 Cor. 5:17 tells me, This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! I believe that God changes our nature and transforms us.  Sure I need to be diligent.  Of course, I don't hang around bars if I used to be an alcoholic.  That's just good ol' common sense.  But Jesus tells me I am a new man and the old man is dead.  If I truly believe that, it will change my thoughts, my actions, the people I hang out with.  It changes everything!

I appreciated any effort to stop the cruelty of addiction, but it is the church that has the solution.  We know that the cure for every ache of mankind, for every hurt and pain of the human soul, is Jesus!  He alone has the cure, not just the treatment, to every problem of man. 


Sunday, January 20, 2019

God Forgive Us!

Do you know what today is?  It is the National Sanctity of Life Sunday. In 1984, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the very first Sanctity of Life Sunday.  It is always observed on the Sunday closest to Jan. 22.  Why Jan. 22?  Because that is when our Supreme Court legalized abortion in all fifty states of America.  Since that day, 60 million babies have been aborted.  60 million!  I think today would be a good day to remember  2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV)  If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 

One of the purposes of fasting is repentance.  Repentance is almost a dirty word in our society.  No one seems to truly be sorry for their actions. When God was about to bring judgment on Nineveh, the king proclaimed a fast and the whole city (even the animals) fasted.  When God saw their response to Jonah's message, He changed His mind and spared the city. When Jehoshaphat was faced with an invading army, he repented for the sins of Israel and God wiped out the entire army.  

God is looking for those people who know how to repent.  In Ezekiel 22:30 (NIV) we read, “I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none.   Fasting and repentance go hand in hand.  Part of every Daniel Fast should be a time when we repent of our failings, our backsliding or our waning interest in the things of God.  We should also repent for the sins of our nation and stand in the gap.  What gap is that?  It is the gap between God's decree of judgment and His actual carrying out of that judgment.  So today, let's forget about our needs and what we cry out for during the fast.  Instead, let's cry out for the sins of our beloved nation and ask God to forgive our sin and heal our land.

When we couple fasting with repentance, there is a shift in the heavenlies.  Oh God, we pray for our nation that you would hear the cry of your people.  We repent for the wickedness of abortion and the millions of babies lost.  We ask you to forgive our sin and heal our land.  In your name we pray, amen!

Saturday, January 19, 2019

Doing Life Together

I've said before that fasting is easier when you do it corporately.  There is something about knowing that others are going through the same struggles. One of the strengths of LifeSpring Church is the sense of family we have.  It is one of the most frequent comments I hear when new people come to the church.  The concept of family is deeply ingrained throughout the scripture. In fact, when you look at the plan pf redemption, it is about family.

When God created Adam and Eve, He told  them to be fruitful and multiply.  Part of this was to replenish the earth, but the reason behind the reason is that God wanted kids! When I think about it, it blows my mind.  Do you realize that God gave mankind the ability to produce eternal creatures? He didn't want them to just produce children to live for 70 or 80 years, He wanted them to produce sons and daughters that would live with him in eternity.

It is one thing to see yourself as God's servant. It's a totally different thing to see yourself as God's child.  John 1:12 tells us, But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. Scripture then goes on to tell us than if we are children, then we are heirs.  It's all to amazing to comprehend.  So we, as different races, cultures, and peoples are invited into His family.  Look at the diversity in His family.  There are black, white and brown, rich, middle class and poor. There are highly educated and non-educated. There are people who sing like an angel and some who can't carry a tune in a bucket.  If you think about it, I've just described church.

I'm proud of our "family feeling" at LifeSpring, but not everyone necessarily feels tightly connected as family.  Just like any family, there are the shy ones, the lonely ones, the socially awkward ones, the struggling ones.  But if we are truly family, there is always that one relative that reaches out to draw those people closer.  As we fast together, we are drawing closer to one another.  I want to encourage you to look around and seek out your brother or sister who's sitting on the fringe.  When we do that, we are truly the family God wants us to be, and that will be irresistible to the visitors that come through our doors.

Let's take our family mojo to th next level!

Pastor Dale

Thursday, January 17, 2019

Do You Know What Day It Is?

It's hump day! You are officially past the half way point. I want to encourage you to stay the course and finish.  The word has a lot to say about finishing well but as you read through the Bible, you won't find a lot of people who actually did! One of my constant prayers is that I finish well. When we look at our heroes of the faith, all those Sunday School lessons you heard, very few of them finished well.  Why is that?

I read a great book years ago that still sticks with me today, The Making of A Leader - Frank DiMazio.  In his book, he describes 17 or 18 tests that every leader goes through.  I believe they are tests that every believer goes through.  But the last test, is the test of promotion. Have you noticed that few ministers fail in the early years of their ministry.  They fail when they are at the pinnacle. One of the reason they fall is because they fail to recognize that success is a test.  They look at their success as a reward for their hard labors and years of toil. And because they let up on the gas pedal, or let down their guard, the enemy comes in to steal, kill or destroy a church, a leader or a legacy.

We can never coast in any relationship, human or divine. You might be able to coast a long way, but the minute you start to coast, you're slowing down! In our walk with God we must always pursue Him.  We must keep our foot on the spiritual throttle of our lives. The classic example of a great finisher is Paul.  When you read his writings you see his drive to finish well.  Phil. 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Heb. 12:1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus. And his most famous verse, 2 Tim. 4:7-8, I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day.

I remember the faithful words of a friend years ago.  I was probably in my early 30's and my friend told me, "I don't see the same spiritual drive in you I used to."  Well, of course I defended myself.  I was going to church every week, still serving, still trusting in God.  But deep down, I knew he was right.  I had eased off the gas pedal just a little.  The Bible says we are to spur one another.  You need it. I need it! Let's finish this Daniel Fast well.  And then move on to the next challenge and finish that well.  Let's finish conversation we left unsaid.  Let's finish forgiving the one who wounded us.  Let's finish reading through the Bible.  Let's enter into heaven to hear those words, "Well done, good and faithful servant!

Pastor Dale 



Wednesday, January 16, 2019

In God's Forge

Yesterday, we met with a young couple going through a tough time in their ministry. As we sat and listened to their story it brought back memories of our "dark night of the soul". Many years ago, the church we attended went through an ugly split. (all church splits are ugly). After much prayer, we decided to leave with the pastor who was dismissed and spent the next 7 years with him. As we rose into leadership in that church, we eventually found out why he was dismissed because the same problems surfaced in the new church. We wound up leaving that church, going back to the original church. We repented to the leadership of the church and they welcomed us back. But going through the process was very difficult. I remember praying, "God, you called me to be a pastor. How can I lead people if I missed you so badly? His answer to me was one of the most defining moments in my spiritual life.

God lead me to a scripture in Isaiah 54. Everyone knows Isaiah 54:17 No weapon formed against you will prosper!" But not everyone knows the verse directly before that one. Isaiah 54:16 (NIV) See, it is I who created the blacksmith who fans the coals into flame and forges a weapon fit for its work. When I read that verse, I understood that those 7 years were God's forge to prepare me for my future ministry. I realized God taught me a lot about ministry. He taught me what NOT to do!

We all go through seasons of struggle and doubt. Some seasons are results of our own decisions. Some seasons are the result of other people's decisions, either way, God is the blacksmith. So even in our mistakes, God is molding us, shaping us, and yes, even hammering us. But it is all for the purpose to make us into a weapon He can use!  

In that season of our life, I learned to not question my decisions. I learned that God can redeem any decision I make if I am sincerely yielding to him. I learned that God uses every situation in our lives, good and bad, to mold us into the shape He desires. When life seems to hammer us, ultimately it is God who holds the hammer. I can honestly say in that moment, I learned to trust the Blacksmith.

 Pastor Dale & Deb

If you want to hear an amazing song about God's forge, listen to Bebo Norman's, The Hammer Holds. 
https://youtu.be/1Vp1HCWKl6w

Tuesday, January 15, 2019

7 Prayer Points

I thought it would  be a good time to remind everyone about our 7 Prayer Points. Since we are supposed to be praying a little more, I thought I'd give you something to pray about.  There are so many new people at the church, they may just think the banner on the stage is a decoration.  It is much more than that.  It is a declaration!

Even us "old-timers" need to be reminded of why we have that banner in the first place. So I will retell the story by asking you a question.  What single man has done more to spread the Gospel of Jesus than any other person on the planet?  Did you answer Billy Graham, or D. L Moody.  Maybe you said Billy Sunday or Oral Roberts.  These men had tremendous impact but all their efforts combined do not even come close to the impact of one man, Dr. Bill Bright.

Many of you have never even heard his name mentioned, but I bet you know his legacy.  Bill founded Campus Crusade for Christ, the largest parachurch ministry in the world.  Probably his most enduring legacy is the Jesus film, which he produced in 1979 as an evangelizing tool for missionaries with the help of his friend, oilman Nelson Bunker Hunt, who put up $4.5 million. Today, the film has been translated into 816 languages and has been seen by an estimated 5.6 billion people!

At the end of his life, Bill Bright was asked how he managed to be such a person of influence.  He said it was simple.  Every day for nearly 50 years, Bill bright prayed for four things, Laborers in the work of the Gospel, Open Doors to spread the Gospel, Supernatural Resources to fund the Gospel and Lasting Fruit, the result of the Gospel. These are the first four of our prayer points.  Then a few years ago, during a Daniel Fast, God impressed on me to add Return of the Miraculous, Divine Protection and A Great Awakening.

So if you're looking for something to pray for, pray these 7 prayer points.  Do them every day for the next 30, 40 or 50 years.  Maybe you will become the second most influential person in the world for the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

Pastor Dale & Debi

Monday, January 14, 2019

You Uncircumcised Philistine!

Well, I figured I'd get your attention with a blog title like that!  Last week, I was in Oklahoma and something I heard got me really stirred up.  The speaker said that David never called Goliath by name.  I had to re-read the story just to make sure that was true  The writer of the book of Kings names him.  The soldiers named him but David never did.  The only name he called Goliath was an uncircumcised Philistine.  At first glance, it just seems like David started a fight with an insult.  I've been called some ugly names but no one every called me uncircumcised.  And if they did, it would really be a rather lame insult.  So what was David saying?

David was circumcised.  Goliath was not. But, why was David circumcised?  He was circumcised because he was an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham.  Circumcision was not just a "Jewish" thing.  It was a covenant thing!  Circumcision was simply the physical proof that the person had entered into a covenant agreement with God.  So, what David was saying is, "I am in covenant with Almighty God.... and you are not!     When David spoke to Goliath, it was from a position of covenant and that gave David the authority and the power to overcome his enemy.  Here's what he said, 1 Samuel 17:45 (NIV)  David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.  David knew he was not fighting Goliath alone.  He was confidant the covenant God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob would defeat the enemy.

So let's apply that same thinking to our lives.  When we accept Christ, we enter into a covenant relationship with Him.  The New Testament is really the New Covenant.  There is no one more faithful to covenant that God.  He never breaks covenant.  So, we can face trials, temptations and outright attacks of the enemy with the knowledge that our Covenant God will back us up.  So the next time the giant of fianances or sickness or despair or hopelessness arises in your life, just remember your covenant and shout, "Get away you uncircumcised Philistine!"  

It might raise some eyebrows if you're in Wal-Mart or at the doctor's office.  But, it will cause you to think about your covenental right as a child of God.

Pastor Dale & Debi



Sunday, January 13, 2019

Week One Is Done!

I hope you're still holding strong during our Daniel Fast.  I can't thank you enough for making this commitment.  Even though we are fasting as a corporate body, the fast is still about you and God.  How does fasting benefit LifeSpring.  I know we are in unity and we are praying for specific things, but the real benefit to the church is you get closer to God.  And as we collectively draw closer to God, guess what?  He draws closer to the church.

I hope you read today's blog before church.  If not, reread this next Sunday.  Because I want you to do something different this Sunday in church.  First, get there 20-30 minutes early and join us at the altar for some pre-service prayer.  Then, worship a little deeper and listen to my sermon on Persuing God.  But the biggest thing I'd like for you to do is pick someone out of the crowd to bless. Take some time to scan the faces and then do something.  It might be just a big smile and a hug.  (we like to hug around here) Or, a sincere, "How are you doing." or a quick prayer.  It might just be a listening ear.

I'm asking you to do this to prove a point to you.  If you've fasted for a week, your spiritual senses are sharpened.  They may not feel sharpened.  You might not feel any closer to God.... but you are.  You have just completed one week of drawing nearer to God.  And I promise you, God has drawn near to you in the process.  My goal is to get you to the place where your reason for coming to church begins to change.  Most people come to church to be re-charged or to hopefully hear their favorite song.  Or they come to hang out with people they really like.  But what I'd like to see is a church full of people who come to church, poised and ready to minister.  What would church be like if we came to minister to others? I'll tell you what it would look like.  It would look like the church Jesus said He would build!  And that would be a church that is irresistible to the world.

Pastor Dale

Saturday, January 12, 2019

Remember the Former Things

Today we celebrated my Mom's 80th birthday.  No one enjoys a party more than her.  My brother, sister and I knew that one thing mom would love at her party was to hear her three kids sing together. And not just any song, we had to go back to the oldies.  We sang. "I'm Feeling Fine" and "My God Is Real". Good ol' southern gospel songs.  Then we did a bluegrass accapella number, "Three Men on a Mountain".  No one harmonizes like family.

If you know me, you know I am not one to look at the past.  Because most of the time when people do, it stirs up a longing for the past.  But God does tell us to remember the former things.  In Isaiah 46:9-10 (NIV) it says, Remember the former things, those of long ago, I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.

What a powerful passage. When God instructs us to remember the past, it is not so we can long for those days again.  It is to look back and remember what God has done.  He declare, "I am God, there is no other." As we rehearse all the good things God has done, it stirs up new faith for what God can and will do in th future.  When I look back at the 60 years I've known my mom, I remember things like singing around the piano on a Sunday afternoon.  I remember her making me do a night time prayer... out loud!  I remember when she got baptized in the Holy Spirit.  When I look back, I see all the things God was doing to shape my life and my relationship with Him.  God said, "I make known the end from the beginning, and from the beginning (ancient times) I tell what is to come. And then He declares, My Purpose Will Stand!  Can't you just hear God thundering those words?

Every now and then it's nice to take a walk down memory lane, but the next time you do, look for God in your memories.  He was there through every victory and every defeat.  He was there in the darkest night and your brightest day.  He was there when you were wounded and there when you were made whole.  He was there when you turned your back on Him and there when you ran toward Him.  He was there because he knows your end from the beginning.  And long ago, in ancient times, he decreed your future.  And He says over all of us, "I AM God!  There is no other, and my purpose will stand and I will do ALL that I please.."  

Now that is a comforting thought.

Pastor Dale & Debi

Friday, January 11, 2019

New Wine Skins

Today I heard a message from one of the leading men in America, Dutch Sheets.  If you have never read any of his books, you've got to check one out. It doesn't matter which one you read.  They're all good!  But he was speaking today about the parable of the wineskin.    You''ll find the parable in Luke 5:33-39.  Jesus said youcan't put new wine into old wineskins.  To understand what Jesus was saying, we first have to look at why He said it.  Jesus was responding to a question the Pharisees asked.  "Why do your disciples eat and drink all the time?" Verse 33 says the Pharisees fasted often.

What they were really saying is, "We are more spiritual than your disciples because we fast and they don't."  That's when Jesus called them an old wineskin. He said you put new wine into new wineskins. (and thus insinuated the Pharisees wine was old) What he was saying is that you can't put fresh revelation into old thinking.

As I get older, the danger of becoming a dried out old wineskin increases.  But you don't have to be old to be an old wineskin.  In the New Testament,  wine is symbolic of the Holy Spirit.  New wine was fresh revelation and the old wineskins (the Pharisees) could not accept this new revelation. They rejected Jesus as the Messiah even though he fulfilled many prophecies.  The Pharisees could not accept Him because they were set in their ways. And please hear me.  You do not have to be old to be set in your ways.  I've seen toddlers and teenagers who are set in their ways!  That's because it is so easy to do.

We are all creatures of habit and we fall into habits much sooner that we realize.  Once those habits take hold, we become set in our ways. Even if you come to church every Sunday, the repetition of doing the same things for several weeks can turn new wine into old wine pretty quickly. Have you ever heard a worship song that moved you to tears?  What happened after the 50th time you heard or sand it.  You're no longer moved.  It has become "old wine."  Is the song the same?  Are the lyrics the same?  Is the melody the same?  Yes!  So what has changed?  You have!

In our walk with God, church attendance, bible reading, prayer, they can all become old, lifeless wine. So how do you keep things fresh?  You have to purposefully seek out fresh revelation. You have to seek new wine.  New ways to worship God.  New insights in the word. I don't care how many times you read the bible, there is always fresh revelation.  You just have to dig a little deeper. So let me give you a little assignment.  Read Psalm 23.  You might have read it 100 times but read it and ask the Holy Spirit to give you fresh revelation. If you do, I know the Holy Spirit will show you something deeper. So as you read the Word during the fast, ask God for fresh wine from some old familiar passages.  You will be surprised what happens!

Thursday, January 10, 2019

Lord Give Me Wisdom

There is one thing that makes my Daniel Fast prayer list every year.  That thing is wisdom.  When we look at the world around us, it's pretty obvious that conventional wisdom has left the building.  I just scratch my head when I look at the reasoning of the world.  The bible tells us, "There is a way which seems right to a man, but it leads to death." (Prov. 14:12)

God did give us a brain to think.  He gave us the ability to ponder and reason.  Humanity has thought of some incredibly genius ideas.  Humanity has also created pet rocks. God tells us to, "Lean not on your own understanding."  That's because He knows our thing is flawed.  Not only are we not as smart as we think we are, we are also damaged in the way we think.  Our sinful nature has dumbed us down so to speak.

That is why I pray every year for Godly wisdom.  My thinking is flawed.  My thinking is incomplete. My thinking is far inferior to God's.  He says in Isaiah 55, "As fas as the heavens are above the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher that's your thoughts." Every aspect of our lives are a reflection of the choices we make.  Choices we make with our mind.  So when our finances are a disaster, it is because we thought we could afford something we couldn't.  When our marriages fall apart, it is because we thought some other person had what we needed.  Now those are the big areas of life, but all the little areas of our life are a result of a thought.

That just makes me want to pray a little harder for wisdom.  I know my mind or my heart can deceive me.  I know I don't have all the answers.  I know I haven't thought through every scenario of a decision and its consequences.  That's is when I am greatful for this passage. James 1:5 (NLTSE)
If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. 

One of the benefits of the Daniel Fast is "special wisdom".  That's what Daniel received when he fasted.  It is what we receive as well.  When we fast our brains work more efficiently.  (this is medically proven fact). But, our spiritual mind is also enhanced.  So we get the natural boost from a brain not bogged down with sugars, caffeine and preservatives. And we also get the spiritual boost from a mind that is more in tune with the true source of wisdom.

So what are you struggling with?  God has a solution and the Daniel Fast is a good time to appropriate the special wisdom you need.

Wednesday, January 9, 2019

Pray Without Ceasing

Prayer is one of the most mysterious disciplines we practice in our spiritual life.  We're just three days into the Daniel Fast and if you are not praying a little more, you are missing out.  In the scriptures we read about prayers that are answered instantly and prayer that takes ten, twelve, even fifteen years to get answered.  We read in the New Testament that our prayers are stored up in a heaven, seemingly in some golden bowl.  Paul instructs us to "Pray without ceasing".  Is that even possible?

Now add to all that the fact that God is sovereign.  His plans and purposes for man will get accomplished whether we pray or not!  Because you see, if God depended on our prayers, He would not be Omnipotent.  It would be a weird mixture of my prayers and His strength that accomplish His will on earth.  So how do we reconcile all these thoughts into our prayer life?  I do not understand all the ramifications of my prayers but there are simply too many scriptures that compel and command us to pray.  Jesus said, "When you pray", not if you pray.  We are told to pray without ceasing.  We are given examples of prayers that God answered. So was God going to answer our prayer anyway and we just happened to get lucky enough to pray the exact prayer He was going to answer?  It is a little overwhelming when you thing about it.  But here's what I know about prayer.

1. Your prayers matter.
The disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray, and He did. Cornelius' prayers were stored up in heaven.  In Revelation, all the prayers of the saints are stored.  So never stop praying!

2. Your prayers make a difference
2 Chron. 7:14 is the famous "If my people" verse.  It tells us if we pray, God will do something. We don't always know what that "something" is, but prayer moves the hand of God

3. Your prayers are a declaration of your faith in God.
Let's face it.  If you really had no faith whatsoever that your prayers would be heard and answered, you simply would not pray.  But every prayer has some faith in it.  It may be weak faith or small faith, but it is faith none the less.  Sometimes we pray these bold, confidant prayers.  Sometimes we pray these timid, questioning prayers.  But, I just encourage you to keep praying.

God hears your prayers and He understands you are putting your trust in Him.  I believe that is why He answers our prayer.  He is looking for faith, however small, however wavering.  He is just pleased when He finds it.  So make sure you add a few extra prayers during the Daniel Fast. You might just be surprised what a few words, whispered to our heavenly Father will accomplish.

Keep praying!


Tuesday, January 8, 2019

Making a List

Well, we've made it past day 1.  Only 20 more to go!  Today I want to ask you, "Why are you fasting?"  If your answer is because Pastor Dale asked me to, that's the wrong answer.  When we enter a fast, there needs to be a purpose behind it. Fasting always kills our flesh and revives the spirit. But, when we do an extended fast, like our Daniel Fast, we need to have a greater purpose.

Fasting should be a part of our regular spiritual discipline.  I usually fast a few meals each week, especially on my sermon prep days.  But this is different.  There is a greater purpose behind the Daniel Fast. This fast sets the stage for us for the rest of the year.  This fast is the one when we call out to God for the "big things".  Twenty-one days is a long time and it does get God's attention.  So, let's get specific as we fast.

I always develop a list of things to pray for during the Daniel Fast.  I usually start out with some type of list and then add to it as I go through the fast.  At the end of the Daniel Fast, I have created a list that I continue to pray for throughout the year.  All of us have certain areas in our lives where we need to see some real breakthrough.  Maybe it's a habit you can't break or a relationship that seems lost.  Maybe it's a desire to hear God more or feel closer to Him.  When I do the Daniel Fast, I go to God with the big things, those answers to prayer that have eluded me.  That special desire of the heart. That one area of my life that needs a real miracle.

But we also need to be careful to not make our prayer life all about us.  Somewhere in your Daniel Fast prayer list, you need to list the needs of others.  I have one request that has been on my Daniel Fast prayer list for three years. (and it's on  this year too)  It is a request, not for me, but for someone else in the body.  I see the anguish of my friends and I join them in fasting and praying for their miracle.  I also send a lot of prayers for the church. I pray for fresh vision, greater anointing and changed lives.  I also make sure I add prayers that the lost would come to Christ  (I always come up with a number and ask God specifically to add a certain amount of people to the kingdom)

So, I encourage you to make your list.  Put some hard things on your list. Put the things that concern you the most, those secret desires of your heart.  But, make sure you put things on your list that are not about you, but about others.  As you go through the Daniel Fast, faithfully pray through your list, but then keep on praying.  I am praying that this is the year I get to mark off my one special request for my friend as answered prayer.  That will be a glorious day!

Keep on fastin'!

PD

Monday, January 7, 2019

Well, here we are.  It's a New Year and that means it's time for the Daniel Fast.  Let me say right up front, "Thank You!" Like I said yesterday in my sermon, I do the Daniel Fast because I need it. I need it to recharge my spiritual battery. Most of you know I am a sci-fi geek and one thing that peaks my interest is any articles on perpetual motion. Scientist have tried for years to create perpetual motion. (unsuccessfully I might add)  It is the idea that something can move and work and produce enough energy on its own to continue to move and work forever.  It is the theme of many a sci-fi novel.  There is always this promised energy source of unimaginable power that will solve the universe's problem of sustainable energy.

I'd like to give those scientists a little suggestion.... stop trying.  In the universe there is one, and only one source of never ending, self sustaining energy.  And that is God!  Everything else dies.  Stars burn out.  Planets stop spinning. The Great Pyramids get reduced to dust.  Nations die. People die and love and passion fade away.  That is why we need to reconnect to the omnipotent, powerful, never changing, strength unending God.  It does not matter how much you love your spouse on your wedding day.  It doesn't matter how much you love Jesus the day you were born again. It doesn't even matter how much you love your kids or your grandkids.  Without a recharge or a reconnect, all things diminish and eventually die.

That is why I still love the ministry.  I still love the church.  I still love my wife.  I still love my kids.  All of these have hurt me deeply or disappointed me. But, I always go back to the one source that has never nor will ever fail me.  God is th source of unending forgiveness.  He is the source of infinite mercy.  He is the fountain of love that never runs dry.  He alone is unending... and that's something I need in my life.

The Daniel Fast is our opportunity to reconnect to that unending power supply.  My prayer for me and for you is that we all experience a surge of His power coursing into our minds, our hearts and even our physical bodies. I am looking forward to that recharge!