Things Aren't Always What They Seem

Jeremiah 24

V5--the good people were carried off to captivity while the bad ones were left behind. DURING the raid, while the good, faithful ones were being captured and bound, I can just imagine what they were thinking and feeling. "We've been faithful. We've been good. We've done everything God has asked of us! Those are the bad guys! Those are the ones you want!" While the bad guys are taunting them. "Ha ha ha! See what being good got you!? You should have had fun with us! You should have lived it up and partied with us. Then you'd be free!" (Doesn't that look/sound like the world we live in now?)

What none of them knew at that point was that God was going to save those in captivity and destroy those left behind.

What jumped out at me here was that we should remain faithful regardless of how things look. God will always love you and will always do what is best for you even when it doesn't always seem that way.

Dried Up Brook

"Now Elijah, who was from Tishbe in  Gilead, told King Ahab, "As surely as the Lord , the God of Israel, lives—the God I serve—there will be no dew or rain during the next few years until I give the word!" Then the Lord said to Elijah, "Go to the east and hide by Kerith Brook, near where it enters the Jordan River. Drink from the brook and eat what the ravens bring you, for I have commanded them to bring you food." So Elijah did as the Lord told him and camped beside Kerith Brook, east of the Jordan. The ravens brought him bread and meat each morning and evening, and he drank from the brook. But after a while the brook dried up, for there was no rainfall anywhere in the land. Then the Lord said to Elijah, "Go and live in the village of Zarephath, near the city of Sidon. I have instructed a widow there to feed you." I Kings 17:1-9 http://bible.us/1Kgs17.1.NLT

This is one of the passages Pastor Clay used during his sermon last night. I have to give you a little background information before I can go on. I've been driving a cab in Nashville for 20 years now. I make LESS money now than I did in 1992. I don't mean ratio-wise; I mean actual dollars. Back then, every Thurs, Fri, and Sat night we would run non-stop from 7pm-3am. It was difficult to find five minutes to use the restroom! Now, even on those nights, we may wait 30 minutes to an hour between runs. I made enough money in 3 nights to support myself and 3 children and go to college full-time. So, why is it so hard now? There are a number of reasons such as: too many cabs (legitimate and gypsy) on the road, Mayor Dean's eco-busses from the $250,000+ condos in the Gulch to 2nd Ave paid for by TAX DOLLARS!, sheriffs give free rides on major holidays, outrageous gas prices, drivers who are desperate for money so they take advantage of their customers, etc. Customers don't like being taken advantage of, so they don't call as often.

I was informed just before church last night that as the cost of everything else goes up, my income is about to go down even further! It's been 8 years since we've gotten a raise so they decided to raise the meter .10 per mile a few months ago and put the issue on the back burner to be readdressed. Now, they decided NO raise, but we're going to ADD cabs-88 of them to be exact! Now, I have to add this for fairness purposes, those cabs will only be added IF the city can find it in the budget to hire another cab inspector and office person. If those who want this can convince the cab board (which is appointed by the mayor), I don't think they'll have much of a problem achieving this. However, a friend of mine thinks this was the cab board's way of delaying the issue for a few more months. Bottom line, we have a major potential problem on our hands.

This is where my mind was when I walked into church last night. I was kind of half listening to the sermon and half thinking about, okay worrying about, my job, my future, my finances. I work the visuals at church, so I have to pay close attention when Pastor is reading Scripture. As he was reading the above passage, I began to realize some things. #1-God told Elijah when it was time to move. God told me a few years ago to concentrate on my novels. I have been "too busy" to work on them diligently and they have spent a lot of time on the back burner of life. #2-God provided for Elijah when he was where God commanded him to be (by the brook). The cab business has provided and paid the bills for a long time! #3-When it was time to move on the brook dried up. The cab business has gradually been drying up.

So, where is God commanding me to go? Novels. What am I afraid of? I Had Dreams (my first novel, self-published, released March 2007) hasn't generated any incom (certainly not enough to raise a teenager on) and I haven't had any success finding a traditional publisher for Alternate Choices (my second novel, in editorial stage). God then pointed out to me that He commanded Elijah to go to a WIDOW, the poorest of the poor, not to a gold mine! Then, when Elijah stepped out on faith and obeyed, God provided through her. Novels may look like a widow at this point, but God can and will provide through them.

Pastor Clay said "Stop trusting in the provision and start trusting the Provider!" It amazes me how I thought that is what I was doing...until last night!

Pastor Clay went on to preach from John 15:1-2 where the Bible talks about how God cuts off the branches that are no longer fruitful and prunes those that are so they may bear more fruit. I definitely see little, if any, spiritual fruit coming out of my hours in the cab, but the potential for many souls to be saved through my writing!

The Principle of the Process

Finding Change Series Wed Oct 5
The Principle of the Process
Pastor Clay

The process is how we get from here to there. There may be many victories and set backs along the way. We often assume the set backs are mistakes that we've made, but many times they are just part of the process. There are no short cuts to THERE. Nothing worth having is easy or a straight shot.

Acts 16:9 - Paul was given a dream.

FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY Acts 13:1-3 The calling came first (v2), then there was a word from God, and then there was a prayer meeting. The HS was saying NOW is the time...

SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY Acts 15:35-39 They were "called" by just knowing what needed to be done.  They disagreed on how to do it, but in the end God worked it all out for good.

Acts 16:6-10 They walked almost 500 miles only to find out God said not to go there. That doesn't mean stop, it means keep moving. Ask what's next. Don't give up when God says no.

Principles of the Progress
1-God probably won't do it the same way twice.
2-We need to recognize what is really going on.
3-Look back and see how far God had brought you. It is not worth it to let the enemy push you back. Look back as a point of reference and the wall before you won't look so big! God will put people in your path who will help you over the walls that rise up in your path. We need each other!

Don't presume to know what the path is from here to there. If you asked Paul in Damascus, he would not have said that he was going to be beaten repeatedly, shipwrecked, or imprisoned for the cause of Christ. However, that is exactly what happened! Could you have the attitude that Paul had? Or do you cry and complain that this is not what you signed up for?

Faith: Vehicle of Destiny--Pastor Clay Baggett

During worship tonight, the Holy Spirit was moving!!! Maybe it was just me, but it was awesome! The last song we did was called Awakening and it went right along with my conversation with God yesterday on my way back from Evansville (see previous post). Then the sermon just further confirmed it all. Here are my sermon notes:

Imagine your faith as a vehicle. What would that vehicle be?

   Gremlin: Small, out-dated, cheap, no longer in production

   Ambulance: Only accessed in dire emergencies

   Bus: Mass-transit, only strong in large groups

   Mazaradi: Fast, beautiful, but not at all practical, and very expensive.

   Monster Truck: Loves to crush stuff and make noises but never really accomplishes anything good.

   Concept Car: Beautiful, unique, one of a kind, but was never meant to leave the showroom.

   Bicycle: Easy to take care of, relatively inexpensive, not dependant on the oil in the middle east, low emissions, heart healthy, requires a little work on your part to get where you're going.

Let's look at Paul. What did his vehicle look like? What is it that made Paul so extraordinary?

Acts 14:8-20

1-This man had FAITH! (v 8)

     a-The lame man's circumstances said he could not.

     b-Paul perceived his level of faith because like spirits attract like spirits.

     c-Paul observed him intently before judging his level of faith.

2-Being an ORDINARY person is important because God use them to do EXTRAORDINARY things! (v 14)

     a-Paul had issues.

     b-Paul had flaws.

     c-In the midst of success don't lose your ordinariness.

You bring the ORDINARY; God adds the EXTRA!

3-ORDINARY people doing EXTRAORDINARY things can expect EXTRAORDINARY attacks!

     a-Deal with ordinary (obvious) attacks first. Satan will use 20-year-old offenses to deflate your faith if he can.

     b-We need to be willing to work outside the world's system.

     c-Because the only place the enemy can attack us is thru that system.

     d-If you're being spanked by the enemy then realize that it's because of the potential potency of the anointing on your life.

     e-God's agenda for you is waiting on you to recognize who you are!

4-ORDINARY people doing EXTRAORDINARY things can expect EXTRAORDINARY deliverance!

     a-The people had left Paul for dead, but God had a different plan.

     b-I wonder if Paul felt like he was in God's perfect will when he waked to the next city 100 miles away after being stoned.

After church was over, I went to talk to Pastor Clay and Jonathon to tell them about my time with God yesterday and how they both reiterated what God was saying to me. They were talking and I was waiting when Pastor Darin smeared anointing oil on my forehead. He said "I had some left on my hand, so I figured I'd give it to you." I said, "Nothing wrong with that! I'll take all the anointing I can get!" The whole night was amazing!!!

In Your Presence

I got a run going to Evansville, IN. (We have a contract with CSX to transport their crews, so these runs are not that unusual.) While I was on the way up there, I could only pray silently, but I told God that when I dropped these guys off I wanted to pray for real. I wanted to spend some serious time with Him.

I haven't updated my GPS in awhile so the new stretch of Pennyrile Parkway from Hopkinsville to I-24 doesn't exist according to it. It shows my little yellow cab driving in the middle of no where. Sometimes it shows a dotted line to the nearest road to show me that if I can get there, the GPS will be able to direct me the rest of the way. I was praying when I saw that little dotted line on the screen. I said, “Lord, that is how I feel sometimes; like I'm floating in the middle of no where. I feel so alone and uncomfortable, but at the same time, I know I am where I belong. Others keep telling me I need to get over onto the road that everyone can see, but I know that isn't where You want me to be. I know that if I continue on the way I'm headed (even though it is uncharted territory) I will end up on the right road.” As I was approaching I-24 the solid red line was coming into view. Then the dotted line told me what I already knew... this path WILL get me there!

Then I started reflecting on something that Morgann, Mark, Abby and I were talking about after Life Groups on Sunday night. We were talking about what it means to DWELL in God's presence. Psalm 140:13 says, “Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your name; The upright shall dwell in Your presence.” Is it just something we experience every Sunday and Wednesday at church? Is it something we experience every day, but only during our time of “devotions”? Or is it something we can experience all day, every day, every moment of our lives? Dwell means “to live or stay as a permanent resident; reside” (dictionary.com). So, I began to pray and tell God that I want to dwell in His presence. I want to LIVE there all the time!

How do I do that? I quickly realized that I am to focus on Him always. Hebrews 12:2 says “Keeping your eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

There was a time that I would imagine that Jesus was sitting in the front seat of the cab riding with me, because technically speaking HE IS! I was so embarrassed by some of the things that my customers would say and do that I stopped inviting Jesus to come. In a way I thought (not a conscious thought, but somewhere in the back of my mind) I was protecting Him from the sin I'm exposed to everyday. God spoke to me today and made me realize just how arrogant that was. Little ole ME thought I could protect Jesus from the sin in this world. While I think the sin I see daily is horrid, Jesus has not only SEEN worse, He BECAME worse!!! He became all sin so that He could conquer it.

I was listening to Devin Williams Pour It Out. Actually, I wasn't really listening to it as much as it was playing in the background while I was praying. As I was praying I would realize that the song playing in the background totally agreed with my prayer, so I would stop praying and sing the song to God, stopping along the way to elaborate on the lyrics. It was so awesome!!! By the time I got back to Nashville, I was so on fire!!!

Change the World--Pastor Grant-Ross

TODAY is the day to start over! Put the mistakes of yesterday behind you. Your future begins today. Unfortunately, there are no redos in life. The decisions that you make right here will decide what your tomorrow looks like. You can't change the past, but you can change the path you're on now.

II Cor 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."

Are you living a life of faith or a life of fear?

Judges 6:11-16

We, as humans tend to lean to the negative. If God is with me, why? Why? Why?

"If your ship doesn't come on, go out and meet it." -- Jonathan Winters

God sees past the excuses and looks at your heart! God sees what He created you to do, not the obstacles you see as in your way.

There are some things that you have to change to get your fresh start...

1-Your Mind

     a-Don't deny your problems, face them!

     b-Take responsibility for your own mind.

     c-The battle is the Lord's.

     d-Be careful what you see, hear, think, etc. It just may become what you do.

Psalm 1

2-Your Heart

     a-Let yourself be set free.

     b-Leave guilt behind.

     c-When God forgives he forgives extravagantly!

     d-How would it feel to live free?

     e-How would it feel to live with a heart not bound by guilt and shame?

3-Your World

     a-Live a life that matters.

     b-Life is short... Make your time meaningful.

     c-Move beyond good intentions.

     d-Get over yourself! It's not about you!

Quit looking at what's wrong and start focusing on what is right. Get excited about this fresh start that you have right now.

II Tim 1:6 "Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you..." 

You have to rekindle the flame...not God. He hasn't moved...you have!

Rom 12:11 "Never lag in zeal..."

Fruit

"So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses. When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit's leading in every part of our lives. Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another." Gal 5:16-26 http://bible.us/Gal5.16.NLT

I fell flat on my face in the sin area. I opened up my Bible app on my phone and this is the passage that I read. As I analyze my life, I realize that I don't see as many things on the fruit of the Spirit list as I would like to. I also realize that the only way to achieve that is to spend more time with the Holy Spirit.

My prayer closet is calling me... Gotta go!