It seems to me that over the last month or so, I have had so many dear friends and even family who are going through times of tears and trial. For some of these dear Christians, the trial is physical as they face cancer and other serious health issues and the uncertainty those problems hold. Several others are facing serious issues with their teenage children and the decisions they are making about their lives - and it just does not get much more emotional and tearful than that. I have several friends who are in the midst of legal problems and the uncertainly as to how those issues will be resolved.
When we face life's most difficult trials, especially those which seem to drag on and on, it is so easy to get discouraged and to become weary even in our faith. Even as we are surrounded by caring and praying friends and family, it is often hard not to feel that we are facing our trial all alone and that, perhaps, even God has forgotten about us.
If you are in the midst of one of these trials and you feel yourself worn out, cried out, all alone and forgotten, it is my prayer that you might find encouragement in this quote from Charles Spurgeon:
"When a tear is wept by you, don't think that your Father does not see it. Your sigh is able to move the heart of Jehovah; your whisper can incline his ear to you; your prayer can stay his hands; your faith can move his arm. Do not think that God sits on high in eternal slumber, taking no account of you. Engraved on the Father's hand your name remains, and on his heart.
He thought of you before the worlds were made. Before the channels of the sea were scooped or the mountains lifted their heads in the clouds, he thought of you.
He thinks about you still."
The Bible promises that our Heavenly Father knows when even a sparrow falls, that He knows the number of hairs on your head, that He knows you by name, that He loves you and that He will NEVER leave you or forsake you. God knew you before you were born and he has a plan for your life and it is an eternal plan, it is not on hold or forgotten. God thinks of you still!
The trials and tears of today are known to your Heavenly Father. He knows what you are facing and He sees every tear that falls and because of that, you can be certain that it will be alright, that soon God Himself will wipe away every tear. He has not forgotten you, He thinks of you still and always will.
Love in Christ Jesus,
Jim
Monday, August 27, 2007
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Preaching at South Heights
What a privilege it was for me to preach at South Heights Assembly of God in Sapulpa, Oklahoma this past Wednesday evening!
South Heights is the church at which my wife, Sheila, is on staff. She was hired last October to be their worship leader and, if I do say so myself, is doing a fantastic job. Sheila would very humbly tell you that all the credit goes to God who has so richly blessed her with the talent to do what she does and so faithfully pours out the anointing of His Holy Spirit each time she leads. I think it is that humble dependency on God that sets her apart from so many other worship leaders.
I've been in services with well known worship leaders like Darlene Zschech of Hillsongs and Lindell Cooley when he was at Brownsville Assembly (Revival at Brownsville) and God has blessed Sheila with that same ability to lead people into truly anointed worship in which the Holy Spirit is able to move in powerful ways and the manifest presence of God can genuinely be felt.
When Sheila and I pastored at SouthWest Christian Fellowship, we were in service together every Sunday, but now that I am involved in evangelist work and, especially since God lead Sheila to South Heights, it is a rare privilege for me to preach when Sheila is leading praise and worship.
I want to thank Pastor Bob Warman for being so gracious in occasionally asking me to preach for him. I know that it is difficult for a pastor to give up his pulpit, but it is real blessing to me to get to preach at my "home" church - and all the more so, since Sheila is leading worship!
I think the service, or at lest the message, was video taped and if I can get a copy, I'll see if I can't get it uploaded to the blog! God was so faithful in touching His people through His Word. As I preached from Revelation 3 on Living Above Lukewarmness, a spirit of conviction feel upon many in the church and I hope you get a sense of that on the tape.
The truth is that all of us could be a little hotter in our relationship with Jesus and in our desire to serve Him by telling others about Him.
Love in Christ Jesus!
Jim
South Heights is the church at which my wife, Sheila, is on staff. She was hired last October to be their worship leader and, if I do say so myself, is doing a fantastic job. Sheila would very humbly tell you that all the credit goes to God who has so richly blessed her with the talent to do what she does and so faithfully pours out the anointing of His Holy Spirit each time she leads. I think it is that humble dependency on God that sets her apart from so many other worship leaders.
I've been in services with well known worship leaders like Darlene Zschech of Hillsongs and Lindell Cooley when he was at Brownsville Assembly (Revival at Brownsville) and God has blessed Sheila with that same ability to lead people into truly anointed worship in which the Holy Spirit is able to move in powerful ways and the manifest presence of God can genuinely be felt.
When Sheila and I pastored at SouthWest Christian Fellowship, we were in service together every Sunday, but now that I am involved in evangelist work and, especially since God lead Sheila to South Heights, it is a rare privilege for me to preach when Sheila is leading praise and worship.
I want to thank Pastor Bob Warman for being so gracious in occasionally asking me to preach for him. I know that it is difficult for a pastor to give up his pulpit, but it is real blessing to me to get to preach at my "home" church - and all the more so, since Sheila is leading worship!
I think the service, or at lest the message, was video taped and if I can get a copy, I'll see if I can't get it uploaded to the blog! God was so faithful in touching His people through His Word. As I preached from Revelation 3 on Living Above Lukewarmness, a spirit of conviction feel upon many in the church and I hope you get a sense of that on the tape.
The truth is that all of us could be a little hotter in our relationship with Jesus and in our desire to serve Him by telling others about Him.
Love in Christ Jesus!
Jim
Sunday, August 12, 2007
What is His Name?
Most of the Book of Proverbs is written by Solomon, the king of Israel, who was the son of David, king of Israel, but the 30th Proverb is written by a guy named Agur.
He starts out asking a question that each of us must answer.
In Proverbs 30, verse 4, he asks "Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of his hands? Who has wrapped up the waters in his cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and the name of his son? Tell me if you know!
Almost everyone believes in some kind of god or higher power, but the truth is that there is only one true God and it is the God who created the universe, who created man, who knew you before you were ever born, who has directed and numbered your days, who even knows how many hairs you have on your head - who knows YOU by name! And believe it or not - GOD LOVES YOU!
God has only one son and his name is Jesus. And, the Bible says (John 3:16) that God loved the world (and especially you) so much that he let his only son Jesus be put to death on a cross so that who ever believes in him (and that includes YOU) might not perish (die), but have eternal life!
That is pretty awesome!
No matter what the circumstances of your life, no matter what kind of things you've done, no matter how badly you've fouled up your life, God still loves you and wants nothing more than for you to have a personal and eternal relationship with him through his son Jesus.
What is his name and who is his son? That's the question you need to be able to answer!
Love in Christ Jesus,
Jim
He starts out asking a question that each of us must answer.
In Proverbs 30, verse 4, he asks "Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of his hands? Who has wrapped up the waters in his cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and the name of his son? Tell me if you know!
Almost everyone believes in some kind of god or higher power, but the truth is that there is only one true God and it is the God who created the universe, who created man, who knew you before you were ever born, who has directed and numbered your days, who even knows how many hairs you have on your head - who knows YOU by name! And believe it or not - GOD LOVES YOU!
God has only one son and his name is Jesus. And, the Bible says (John 3:16) that God loved the world (and especially you) so much that he let his only son Jesus be put to death on a cross so that who ever believes in him (and that includes YOU) might not perish (die), but have eternal life!
That is pretty awesome!
No matter what the circumstances of your life, no matter what kind of things you've done, no matter how badly you've fouled up your life, God still loves you and wants nothing more than for you to have a personal and eternal relationship with him through his son Jesus.
What is his name and who is his son? That's the question you need to be able to answer!
Love in Christ Jesus,
Jim
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Part 3 "Keys to New Beginnings"
The following three videos (in reverse order) are parts 1, 2 & 3 of a message preached at Victory Christian Church in Tahlequah, Oklahoma on the Sunday prior to the arrival of their newly called minister.
This message from the Book of Joshua is filled with great lessons for anyone who is ready to move from the circumstances in which they've been to a place of new beginning.
I believe it will be not only encouraging, but life changing if you've felt you've been wandering through life not knowing what to do next, trapped by circumstances and are ready to move to a living a life of purpose and blessing.
Love in Christ Jesus,
Jim
Welcome to my Blog!
It is my hope that the words, stories, pictures and whatever else I'm lead to post, will be a help and an inspiration to you - that they will in some small way help you make it through a difficult circumstance in your life - or encourage you to turn to Jesus as your Savior and to make Him the Lord of your life. Those are life's most important decisions, because they are the only decisions you'll ever make in this life that have eternal consequences.
Some will be funny - others will be touching - some will be uplifting - and others will just reveal a little about how God is using me and my wife, Sheila, through 4Winds Ministries and Project Turning Point.
May God make Himself ever more known to you and may He bless you richly as you give more of your life to Him.
If you are touched by something I post or just need someone to pray for you, please let me know!
Love in Christ Jesus,
Jim
Some will be funny - others will be touching - some will be uplifting - and others will just reveal a little about how God is using me and my wife, Sheila, through 4Winds Ministries and Project Turning Point.
May God make Himself ever more known to you and may He bless you richly as you give more of your life to Him.
If you are touched by something I post or just need someone to pray for you, please let me know!
Love in Christ Jesus,
Jim
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