Give Us Direction

This weekend Restoration Ministries is hosting a Prophetic Weekend with Tracy Stewart. Now before you start having a cow and think that we are a bunch of freakish charismatics that get together so that we can "prophesy" to one another, hold on!

By "prophetic weekend" we mean that we long to press in and hear from the Father. We want to know what He is saying to us in this moment.

Tracy Stewart is a powerful prophetic voice with an incredible gift to be able to expound on the Word of God with humor and simplicity.

Service will be Friday and Saturday at 7PM and Sunday at 10:30AM and will be held at Restoration Ministries at 338 Amy Drive Goose Creek, SC. Full service nursery will be available for all services as well.

If you are near the area, come by and let's hear what God is saying to us. It's going to be a powerful few days.

Old Time Religion

Tomorrow I am going back into my series "Old Time Religion" in which I am trying to look past the methods of the "old church" and find the principles that we would do good to practice.

Many times we have written off all of the stuff that we learned as children but there are many principles that we need to reclaim to be a true Christ follower.

The last principle we looked at was the principle of perserverance. The "old timers" had the ability or, should I say, the tenacity to push past turbulent times and make the best of their opportunities. They would just buckle down and make things happen. They could push past adversity and remain committed to their cause.

Todays generation is quick to quit... a job, a church, a friendship... we are even the first generation to divorce our parents. We would be a better people if we all learned the principle of perserverance. Stay committed, even when we don't fully agree.

Anyway, tomorrow we are going to be looking at the priniple of the drop... or as some would say, sacrifice. Come on out and let's take a look at this "old school" principle that would do much good in todays culture of greed and materialism. Invite a friend and let's see what God wants to do!

Irrelevant Language

Over the past few months God has been doing something powerful in me. While it is powerful I am finding myself changing. I have always been and will always be unapologetically pentecostal. However, many of the things we pentecostals do, in the name of being pentecostal, reeks of irrelevance! The language we use and the way we portray Christ would send most seekers running away from instead of to Christ.



We have been searching for ways to cherish our deep pentecostal heritage while at the same time presenting Christ in a relevant manner to those that don't know him and that may not be familiar with our pentecostal antics.



Now for those of you that think I am running off the deep end and going "seeker"... Well I AM! Shouldn't we do everything we can to reach the "seekers"? Isn't that what the Great Commission is all about? Didn't Jesus come to seek and save that which is lost?

However, I am not leaving my pentecostal roots or beliefs. I STILL pray in tongues. I STILL prophesy. I STILL confess the word. I STILL get lost in passionate praise & worship. I STILL follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. What I REFUSE to do is become one of those spooky kind of people!

I have a heart for SOULS! I want to see people become true followers of Christ. I want lives to be changed! And I don't want to freak them out in the process!!!

So come on folks, let's stop being super-freakishly spiritual and live out our faith in a REAL way. After all, that's what Jesus did.

Turned Tail and Ran

Psalm 9:3-4
"When my enemies turn back, they shall fall and perish at Your presence. For You maintained my right and my cause." (NKJV)

"The day my enemies turned tail and ran they stumbled on You and fell on their faces. You took over and set everything right; when I needed you, you were there, taking charge." (Message)

We all have enemies. We all face adversity. It is really how we handle it that determines our outcome.

Instead of fighting back or trying to defend ourselves from false accusations and the such, we should quietly continue to make sure we are right with God. When we maintain our relationship with Him and allow Him to deal with our issues, then HE will maintain our right and our cause. He will clear our name. He will right the wrongs!

When the Lord starts getting our back we will find that our enemies will turn tail and run. So today, determine to allow God to vindicate you and silently watch as He takes over and sets everything right. Be blessed!

Favor

Right now I am sitting at the airport, waiting on Stephanie and Micah to land, contemplating my prayer time this morning. I really felt the Lord directing me to prayer for favor in every area of life and ministry.

Did you know that it says in Psalms that favor surrounds those who are in right relationship with God like a shield!

I don't know about you but I want the favor of God surrounding me everyday! Favor in my family. Favor in my finances. Favor with those in authority. FAVOR!!!

But what I really want is favor with those who don't know Jesus within my circle of influence. Then I want God to expand my circle of influence and give me favor with the new people as well. I want to give Jesus to those who are far from Him. How about you?

How Excellent is Your Name...

This morning during my devotional time, I read Psalm 8:1 that says, "O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth." In this psalm David is expressing how great or large God is and in comparison, how absolutely small we all are. He both opens and closes this psalm with this statement because it pretty much sums up the entire thing. God, You are so large and we are so small! O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in ALL the earth!

This should become our anthem, our confession, our cry!

When it seems like everything around us is failing - O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in ALL the earth! When we are suffering with sickness and pain - O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in ALL the earth! When our debts are getting larger and our income is steadily getting smaller - O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in ALL the earth! When our marriage is hurting and our spouse doesn't even seem to care - O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in ALL the earth! When we've been praying and praying for our children and they seems even further from God than they've ever been - O Lord, our Lord, how excellent... You get the point.

So the next time you feel as though the world is closing in around you and all you want to do is crawl in a hole and disappear, begin reminding yourself - O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in... My finances... My children... My job... My marriage...

Divine Vindication

In my quiet time this morning, I was reading Psalm chapter six and it spurred this thought. I hope you enjoy.



When writing this psalm, David was in a time of such distress that he wept all night. He cried so much that his bed was actually wet. It became so damp from his tears that he likened it to a pool (vs. 6). But as he is cried out to the Lord in his anguish, pouring out his heart, he looked up and saw that his enemies had surrounded him. They gathered to watch, and probably gloat, in his hardship.



There will be times in our lives as well, that we will find ourselves crying out to the Lord in distress. There will be times of disappointment, betrayal, frustration. There will be times when we just begin to bare our hearts to heaven in all transparency.



And in those times, if you look around, there will be those who gather. They want to bask in your hardship. They long to see you fall.


We must learn to be like David. We must brush ourselves off, lift our head and turn to a faith-filled confidence in God that says

"The Lord HAS heard the voice of my weeping.

The Lord HAS heard my supplication.

The Lord WILL receive my prayer."



Don't let those that would like to see you fail have the pleasure of seeing that. Turn your faith to the Lord and allow Him to vindicate you. Put your best foot forward and watch as God puts your enemy to shame.



Psalm 37:6

"He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday."