The Winds of Change

I started this blog awhile ago with high hopes of planting churches in Chicago alongside of Pastor Aaron. Things have gone up and down and now that dream has come to an end. This does not mean that God is through with me (although I thought it did for awhile). Annette and I have many exciting things ahead of us in the future. In the late 1970's I sensed God telling me that I would plant a church in my hometown for people who felt they were disenfranchised. God also spoke to my heart when I was about 22 or 23 that I would not pastor until I was in my latter years with grey hair. Well guess what. . . here I am at almost 60 and God has rekindled that dream in me to plant The Church of the Disenfranchised. This name sounds odd even to me but I believe that it is the vision that God has given me from my early years.

We recently purchased a Harley Davidson and are getting involved with Christian Motorcyclists Association (CMA). CMA is starting a new chapter right here in Palatine so I know that this is of God.

Annette and I wish Pastor Aaron and his family nothing but the best as they prepare to move to Brazil to the mission field. At the same time we are excited about the prosect of moving back to my home and planting a church in our retirement years. I'm not sure when that will be but God knows and that's all I need to know.

Oh God, you have taught me from my youth; and to this day I declare Your wondrous works. Now also when I am old and greyheaded. O God, do not forsake me until I declare Your strength to this generation. Your power to everyone who is to come. Psalm 71: 17-18 (NJKV).

Anxiety

There is a treatment model in today’s psychological community known as “Cognitive Behavioral Treatment.” There are striking parallels between this secular model and the Word of God. This treatment model focuses on the client learning how to identify thoughts and behaviors that are not healthy and learning how to take control of them. One of the main focuses is on “automatic thoughts.” An event occurs that triggers the client’s mind to go into these thoughts that keep repeating over and over in their mind. This can be crippling. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit the Apostle Paul wrote of this same process in 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NIV) For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
These automatic thoughts are the strongholds that the Apostle Paul wrote about. The enemy comes against our minds over and over until he gains an entrance and then he builds a road so that he can come and go any time he wants to. There are tools in psychology that can prove helpful in identifying these strongholds. 1. Evaluate the thoughts and determine whether or not they are rational or irrational. Look for absolutes like, shoulds, musts and absolutes. Things like “I should not be having these feelings.” Another thing to look for is “awfulizing.” Thoughts like “If I don’t get my way, it will not be able to stand it!” 2. Look for things that dispute your irrational thoughts. What is holding on to this belief getting me? Maybe it is alright if that person dislikes me. 3. To think more rationally look for less absolute beliefs. There will be trouble in this life. How we react to these things is the important thing. It is so important to commit to memorizing scripture. When the enemy comes and says that you are sick, tell him “I am not sick because I am healed by the stripes of Jesus!” The United States Army teaches battle drills over and over until it becomes second nature. When a certain situation happens, the soldier reacts without thinking. The Word of God is the same way. If you have the scripture in you, it will come out when you need it.

This Ain't Brain Surgery

Many Christians get caught up in all kinds of ways to seek God. They run from meeting to meeting and are always seeking a "new" word for their lives from anyone who will give them one. The Prophetic ministry is still in operation in the body of Christ, but, it seems to me that in most instances the believer would get a personal word from God if he would just stop and seek God for himself. I experienced the rush of the late 1980's when believers were doing this. Every weekend we would pack up and go to some meeting trying to get a fresh word from God. The fact of the matter is that God has annointed men and women as pastors of local churches and has gifted them with everything that they need to feed the body.
We as believers would well served to get into a local body of believers and be consistent in attendance. We need to learn to trust our pastors and believe that God has truly annointed them to lead the body. If you are in a church were you do not feel this, leave! Find a church where you feel at home and bloom where you are planted. God will meet you where you are and He will lead you into a vibrant relationship with Him. This ain't brain surgery. The key is to be consistent. As long as we church hop, we can never get rooted and plugged in to the vine.
Jesus said in John 15:1-2 "I am the true vine and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it that it may bear more fruit."

Here we go again

Well, I tried this for awhile and lost interest. Let's see how long I last this time.