Wouldn't He Most Certainly Leave The 99 And Go After The One?

To God be all the honor and all the glory.  Jesus has been showing me more and more of Himself and I am so blessed to be a part of His divine plan.  I want to share about my day yesterday and bless you all with an amazing testimony of God's unfailing Love.

I was sitting on the couch in the den reading for class when all of a sudden I felt Jesus urging me to get on the floor to worship Him.  He began to speak to me so clearly.  I wept for the lost people of this earth who don't know Him.  I thought of 1,000,000,000 souls coming to the Kingdom, and I wept for them all.  The things that I did to Jesus overwhelmed me.  I spit in His face.  I slapped and punched His face.  My sin put Jesus on the cross.  But now I receive His love.  I bask in His presence.  I took my coat off and invited Him to step on it.  I don't want my master's feet touching the ground.  I just laid in adoration at the feet of my master.  I asked God to send me.  I was thinking of the scripture in Romans 10 that says, "And how can they preach unless they are sent?"  I was asking Jesus to send me.  He said he already had sent me.  He took me to Jeremiah 1.  God appointed me as a prophet to the nations.  He knit me together in my mother's womb.  I was awestruck.  I was waiting to be sent and Jesus was like, "Go!" 

Jesus also spoke to me through a prophecy I received in Nicaragua.  "Your family will be restored."  The most beautiful thing about this is that I believe it's the key to the massive revival about to happen in my city.  God has already restored my family.  I have a new mother and new sister and a new brother.  My dad has been restored with more grandchildren.  We are blessed.  But not only in our lives.  Jesus is restoring His Church.  His bride will be One and we will conquer hell, death, and Satan.

I wrote both the Jeremiah text and the prophecy in the back of a Bible my dad gave me on this past Easter.  Jesus had spoken to me I would give away the Bible at the Safehouse trip (homeless ministry in Atlanta) on Friday.  I also, by faith, spoke that one person would come to Jesus.  I had many people praying with me for this one soul. 

After my long worship session with Jesus I spoke with the two pastor's who led me to Jesus when I was nine years old.  Amazingly when I asked one how his life was he said, "Jesus runs my life."  I told him what an encouragement that was.  The men who led me to Jesus are still faithfully serving the risen King of the universe.  My pastor had a son who passed away two years ago from birth defects.  The child was around ten years old.  They named a camp after him called, "Camp Samuel."  My pastor did not hesitate for one minute inviting me to the camp this July where there will be 100 youth who are un-churched from drug infested areas and broken families.  It is an amazing opportunity for me to share my testimony and lead more lost sheep to Jesus.  The way Jesus is moving in my life so intentionally and directly blows my mind!

I spoke with my dad about the whole thing when he got home and prophesied over him.  I told him he would be restored completely, just like Job was.  God had already given him a double portion in his family and since he was faithful with what God gave him in his plenty, God would bless him again.  My dad wept as I spoke life into him.

I set off for exit 137 to meet with the team from Emmanuel College to minster to the homeless in Atlanta.  When I arrived I preached the gospel in the middle of the restaurant.  Two men would not even look at me because I was proclaiming the good news about Jesus.  I believe they were stoned on marijuana and their sin would not let them give their lives to Jesus.  They loved their life more than Jesus.  I spoke with the lady in the line, "What exit are we on."  She said, "137."  I said, "Wow, that's the number to my dad's house (which it actually is).  I'm in my Father's house right now!  God owns this place."  She and I talked about Jesus coming back and it was wonderful.  I ordered my food and sat down and blessed the lady and her family.  A missionary to many countries came out of the blue, sat down, and blessed me.  We talked for a few minutes in the Spirit and it was awesome.  She is leaving for Romania soon.  My ride came and out I went to Atlanta.

As I drove with the Safehouse team to Atlanta I shared about what Jesus had instructed me on.  The Bible would go to someone and that one person would be saved.  We stopped at a Krispy Kreme to use the restroom and I noticed a man with a sling.  I asked to pray for him after we talked for a while.  Although he initially seemed open to prayer he shut down and was like, "No, no, no, that's okay."  I prayed for him as I walked away.  I don't know why it was strange for him to pray in the doughnut shop.  The Kingdom of God is inside me.  Wherever I go I bring it.  It's not in a church.  I have the Spirit of the living God roaring like a lion on the inside of me and I'm not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus.  It's the power of life for this mortal body. 

As we arrive at the Safehouse mission I began to play basketball with the homeless people.  They stink and they cuss.  I noticed when they would say, "Nigga" or "Mutha fucka" I would not flinch or look at them in disgust.  They were watching to see if I would love them no matter what they said or did.  That is Jesus, that is the Gospel.

The Spirit of God played ball with us.  It was the most smooth game I've ever had there.  Mostly there is cursing, fouling and scratching, but this was smooth like butter.  The teams cheered for each other.  That's unthinkable even amongst Christians playing ball much less pagans.  We cheered our team even when they missed a shot.  It was great.  I had a young man named Juice guarding me.  We apologized to each other if we fouled each other we gave the ball up instead of being selfish, we tried to be as loving as possible.  God noticed from heaven.

I noticed the man who needed the Bible I had  God spoke to me it was him who would be the recipient.  I prophesied over him the Jeremiah call.  He is a prophet to the nations.  He said, "Wow" to everything I said because he was blown away with the power of God.  It was all God's timing and plan and purpose.  He had been spoken over many times that he was a minister of the Gospel.  And now he is equipped with the whole Bible.  Before he  just had a New Testament.  We chatted for a while and I dedicated my Bible to him.  He gave me his Bible and dedicated it to me.  It was so refreshing to give.  It's better to give than to receive.

As the service began I was sitting next to a Rastafarian.  He had long dreads and reeked of weed.  He had a joint stuck behind his ear under his ball cap and was clearly only there for the food and gifts we were giving.  Then one of my classmates used Steve Nash as an example of Jesus, "I know Steve's stats, the teams he played for, everything about him.  But I don't know him.  Do you know a lot about Jesus or do you know Him?"  As he asked that, I asked the Rasta did he know Jesus.  He looked down and then to heaven and said, "Yes."  I didn't believe Him because of his actions and his mouth.  He was cursing people and out of the outflow of the heart the mouth speaks.  But the Holy Spirit was pulling on Juice.  Juice was a seat down and he belted out, "I lost my faith in God!"  I was bending over the Rasta trying to talk to Juice when the Rasta (Vic) asked me if I wanted to swap seats.  I agreed and Juice and I talked about Jesus.  He told me how he used to serve Jesus and do the "church" thing.  But now he was in darkness and he noticed the difference.  He felt away from Jesus because of his sin and disobedience.  I told him God was not mad, God made him.  "God loves you" I said.  He said he wanted a relationship with Jesus.  We prayed and I told him that he believed in his heart that Jesus rose from the dead by God's hand and about how now he needed to declare that Jesus was Lord.  He didn't want to do it, but I didn't let up.  I said, "Let the devil hear it!"  With a somber voice he declared Jesus the Lord!  Something changed in him at that moment.  He was bought by Jesus all along, but at this moment he accepted it.  No one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.  I saw him warring in the Spirit.  The devil was beating on him.  He didn't want to let go of sin and death.  As soon as this happened a girl prophesied over him.  She had these demonic looking eye's.  There were busted blood vessels in her eye's and she looked like a demon.  But God used her.  She quoted John 3:16 right to his face, "For God so loved the world he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not die but live forever."  He immediately preached the gospel to her and was confused about how she was speaking truth but her life didn't line up with what she was proclaiming.  She didn't repent but she walked away with a different look on her face.  It was that of love.  I gave Juice my new Bible that was given to me by my other friend (Patrick) and told him to text me so I could call and pray with him sometimes.

Jesus is the Lord ya'll.  God bless you!  I speak blessings and not curses on your lives.  Get out and share the Gospel.  When people see you love them, God shows up.  I was not even preaching to Juice and God pricked his heart and he was saved.  The Rasta is still in sin now, but I got to pray for him that night and he knows I love him.  Let's not get tired of doing good.  Let's do good works so that people will see our love, not our religion.  God bless you from God our Father, and Jesus Messiah our Lord.     

The Lord Will Be Your Front and Rear Guard

Isa 58:8 - Isa 52:12

I bless you Jesus!  I thank you maker of heaven and earth.  You are the great I AM.  I love you.  Here is my testimony.

As I drove home from Franklin Springs to my house in Athens I was overwhelmed with exhaustion.  With only 5-7 minutes left of a 45 minute trip I knew I would crash the car if I didn't stop.  I stopped at Ben Burton park and took a nap in the green pastures.  I went home and took care of some things.  I logged on to the computer and noticed my bank account was going to be overdrawn if I didn't put a couple dollars in there.  I had $5 and decided to drive my bike to the bank (to save gas) and put in the money.  I was going to average it out to where I would put one dollar in my pocket and pay off the debt with the remaining $4 so that I would have exactly zero dollars and be completely dependent on Jesus for my sustenance.

As I rode I noticed not a single cloud was in the sky.  A prophecy had been spoken over me about the sun and how it would reveal the Son to me.  I noted, "Not a cloud in the sky, they will only see the Son."  I just blessed God by posting that on Facebook with my phone as I rode.  I prayed God would send me someone to bless with the dollar as well.

After I blessed the people in the bank I went to Barnes and Noble.  I went to the Christian section and noticed that it was the fullest section in the whole store!  I was so enthused.  I saw a man on the ground reading a Christian book and told him that it was encouraging to see people who loved Jesus reading books about Him.  We struck up a conversation and I was able to share my testimony with him.  We proclaimed Jesus in the center of a book store for 30 minutes!  Many people around us heard the gospel as we prayed for my mother out loud.

Amazingly the man's name was Judge.  I could not believe it.  In his eye's were the most love you could imagine and it just look like he was the most non-judgmental person ever.  But the more I think about it Jesus is the Savior and the Judge.  The Bible says the Judge is standing at the door.  I cannot separate his justice from His salvation.  He's the lion and the lamb.  He's the Savior and the Judge.  I met a man named Savior many years ago.  He has helped me in my walk with Jesus so much.  I told Judge about him and how I have met the Lion and the Lamb now, in real life!  We exchanged information and departed for our destinations.

As I rode my bike I was looking for someone to give my last dollar to, I noticed a man on a motorcycle with a sign that said, "hungry."  So I went to Him and blessed him in Jesus name, gave him my last dollar, and prayed for him.  I got a little of his story and prayed for him.  He was not a Christian.  I told him I could not buy him food, but to come with me and I would feed him.  My dad was cooking at that moment.  He started the Harley Davidson and rumbled behind me to my dad's house. 

I prayed for his salvation the whole ride home.  The Lord started dropping scriptures in my mind as I rode to share with him.  I though of the sun in the sky and how the Son was shining his face on us (Num 6:22-24).  I thought of how the Lord was behind and in front of me always.  I thought of how in 1 Kings Elijah ran for 16 miles in front of a chariot!  I was on this road bike and I have this chariot of a motorcycle rumbling behind me, 1200cc's of pure power.  I felt so much comfort and peace because I knew Devon (the young man) was protecting me.  A car could not come and hit me because he had my rear guard.  He didn't once pass me as I led him for many miles to my house. 

A car honked their horn with all their might in agitation as we went slowly up a hill on Atlanta Highway.  I knew Devon had my back, but I just didn’t understand why the person was so angry.  I thought Devon would flip them off, but instead he flashed a peace sign in love--even though he doesn't trust Jesus with his life.

As we got home I gave him a "Motorcyclists 'Road Map.'"  It's a Bible for bikers.  I had it for about 3 weeks and knew it was time to give it to Devon.  I had prayed Jesus would send me ONE biker.  Not 20 not 10, but one.  I grabbed one Bible off the table where they were giving them away at church because I wanted it to be special and God sent (whoever I gave the Bible to).

I introduced him to my family, preached the gospel of Jesus Christ's love and forgiveness, read the scriptures God gave me, prayed for him, and we ate.  He didn't trust on Jesus that day, but I know we made some progress, and now he is responsible for what he knows.  It has been preached (the Good News of Jesus).

As he left he asked for a cig.  I told him my family didn't smoke, but I used to.  I got to give my testimony about how I used to use marijuana.  I pointed to places on the property we were standing on where God spoke to me about not using marijuana anymore, but in rebellion I kept turning my back on Him.  One time in particular I was smoking weed on the hill.  Over the years I had periodically asked Jesus was it okay to smoke weed and he'd always say no.  I was high out of my mind and all of a sudden the Holy Spirit was poured into my soul.  I said, "Yes!  Yes God!  Does this mean it's okay for me to smoke weed?  I mean I got my two favorite things here, weed and God."  Jesus said, "No."  I wept bitterly.  I was so high and full of the Spirit at the same time and it brought such conviction over me I could not bear it.  I asked God to take the high and he wouldn't.  I suffered with the mixture of good and evil.  I NEVER asked Him again if it was okay to get stoned.  I knew then I could never serve myself and Him at the same time.  It was still many years before I stopped, but I just shared that with Devon because he wanted to know what was wrong with smoking.  He used alcohol as an example of why weed was okay.  He said, "Beer has to be treated and fermented 30 days and distilled.  He had all these excuses.  I told him marijuana doesn't just grow straight out of the ground, dry itself out, roll itself up, set itself on fire, and put itself in your lungs.  If you want to be really honest, people have a huge part in smoking marijuana.  Although you have to ferment barley and potatoes for various different kinds of alcohol you can't use that logic and get away with it with me.  He looked like a light switched on inside his brain and I was happy I showed him that the Holy Spirit of God and marijuana don't mix.  We are the temple of God, and we should treat it as such.

It is my prayer that Devon comes to know Jesus through that Bible and the Holy Spirit.  Please join me in prayer for him.  Agree as you read these words aloud.  "Jesus thank you for Devon, your son.  You love him more than anyone could love and individual on this earth.  Reveal yourself to him and make him aware of his need for you.  In Jesus' name amen."

"If your faith is low, my faith was lower."

These are the words a man spoke to me while my emotions jerked back and forth as he boldly told me his testimony sitting in his church on a nice Wednesday. 

 

Missions teams from both West Virginia and Georgia are here right now and it is very crazy.  This morning I woke up and ran 4 miles in my second to last run before my marathon on Sunday in Atlanta.  I spent some time with Jesus in prayer, reading the Word, and singing.  I connected with Jesus and had a great time.  My friends from Nicaragua came and we all had old sandwiches for breakfast.  I had some coffee and greeted the Georgia team as they walked in.  Candyn (one of the girls from Georgia) asked if we could ride the motorcycle together.  I said, "Sure let's go!"  Kayla (another girl from Georgia) had some extra food from the previous night that she wanted to use to feed some children on the street.  Since me and Candyn were just about to joy ride I asked if we could just bring the food with us to hand out.  The food ministry was Kayla's idea so Candyn didn't want to steal her fun by doing what Kayla had thought of w/o her, but Kayla said, "As long as they get the food it's not important who goes." 

Candyn and I as we set out

So off we went into the streets of Managua.  The streets I have become so accustomed to over these past 9 1/2 weeks.  We handed out some food and then when we just had one sandwich and one plate left I thought of my friend Oneldo who I have been ministering to.  He is a man who lives on the street and has some sort of mental illness (paranoia).  I wanted to take him the plate last so we prayed for God to take us to a child for the sandwich.  God provided someone almost immediately who needed the sandwich and then we went to Oneldo.  We prayed for him and gave him the plate of food.  Candyn had the faith he would be healed, but my faith was weak.  We told him we'd refill his water bottles and told him we'd be back with shoes for his feet the next day.  We then headed back to the Chi-Alpha house. 

When we got there we didn't realize we had been gone for 45 minutes.  People were worried about us.  The itinerary for the day was all of the missionaries would split into groups and go to certain students houses.  It was chosen by God even though I know humans picked it.  It seemed like God put everyone where they needed to be.  I was so honored to go to Walmaro and Gerson's house.  Their family is super duper cool, very hospitable, and loving.  We had a huge spread of food and then we watched a movie about this man who had no limbs and how he overcomes it.  I had seen it in convocation once, but this was cool to watch that same movie with subtitles in Spanish in a foreign country.



Walmaro and Gerson's house



We left for a farm Walmaro's extended family has eating mandarina (a local orange).  It was the most beautiful place ever.  Cilantro was growing out of the ground.  We wrestled a piglet down and took pics of it.  We saw the national flower.  We saw a huge bull.  We saw platano tree's and palm tree's with coconuts on them.  We saw parrots.  I saw man tree's that had the fruit I have been eating the whole internship but never knew what the plant looked like.  I mean this was dope. 

Little Piggy

We arrived back at the house and Candyn and I started talking about bringing Oneldo water.  We re-filled (4) 5 gallon plastic jugs (for the teams) and 2 gallons for Oneldo.  We dropped the water off with Oneldo and headed back to Chi-Alpha.  We then loaded down and went on a canopy tour of Tiscapa!  It was awesome.  I went in 2010, but this was so great!  We came back to the house and I got some money from the Georgia team to buy Oneldo some shoes.  Alex (my best friend in Nica) was with me and we went to buy the shoes.  It was totally God because they were all packed up and leaving for the day.  We were too late.  I explained to Alex that we needed the shoes, "This is for a man on the street."  The woman, moved with compassion, consented and let us buy the shoes.  Alex and I took the shoes back to the Georgia team's  Hotel  and went to the Chi-Alpha house to wait for Nadia.  When Nadia arrived I took a little shower and we went to pick up the team from the hotel.  We went to a church I have never been to (I had met the pastor's  son and I am petty close to him).  They immediately mistook me for the speaker and were asking me questions about the sermon.  They soon found out I was not the one. 

Canopy Tour

They tried to usher me to the front, but when I got there the chairs were rattling from the bass and so were my ears.  I couldn't take it.I went to the back of the church and worshipped there.  I began to dance and had a great time in Jesus.  There was a man possessed with a demon who was making signs with his arms, fingers, and body that were anti-God.  He mocked the crucifix and was shaking and flailing around.  The church we were in was in a dangerous neighborhood and the man was drunk and on drugs.  We prayed for him and I commanded that he leave in the name of Jesus because he was disrupting.  Immediately he left and I went out to minister to him.  Two others came.  He was wanting to get violent but I just loved on him and trusted that God would protect me.  I asked him to come back in the church and he was fine for a while, but then he started threatening and making the demonic sign's.  I asked him was he a brother in Christ and he vehemently denied it and became more threatening.  I was not scared.  He could have hit me in the head and I would have loved on him. 

I listened to the message by the Georgian pastor and was touched by it.  After the service was over the local pastor came forward and began to instruct the Georgian team to pray for specific people in his church.  He started on one end of the line and I was in the middle.  When he got to me he was saying some prophetic stuff.  He said I was special from the rest.  I had been through pain, suffering, and things that were impossible without God.  He told me to pray for this lady.  But to pray for her alone.  I obeyed and prayed for her.  I then asked the pastor's son to ask the lady what I could pray for, she said her knee's.  I placed my hands on her knee's and began to pray.  I felt the Spirit tell me to kiss her foot.  I was thinking, "That's crazy.  This lady said her knee was hurting!"  But I did it anyway.  I asked others to help me pray for her because they were standing around (I forgot it was supposed to be just me).  Then they later prayed for others. 

The local pastor told me to pray for a man he had under his arm who was wearing a yellow shirt.  He said the man was like a son.  When the pastor said those words the man broke into tears.  I later found out after we prayed for the man that he had hit the pastor with a bat one year ago and almost totally blinded him in one eye. The pastor sees 20% in that eye.  I also had two others around me ministering and praying who the pastor called special (they were his leaders and the people who went with me to minister to the guy who was possessed). 

The only way you can love someone is through the Holy Spirit

After the service was over I noticed my best friend was crying.  I asked Alex what was wrong and almost offended he said, "I have told you many times."  I didn't mean to offend, I do remember what his problems were, I just didn't know if it was something different.  In the end it didn't matter because we started to cry about missing each other because I am leaving on Friday.  We were holding each other and hugging in a way I have never hugged Alex before.  We cut up a whole lot, so it's weird when we get close.  But this was genuine love and I truly enjoyed it.

Alex and I were sitting on the floor of the church and the pastor came and interrupted us.  I gave Alex a scripture I thought God was giving him and talked with the pastor.  His son was doing the translation and got pulled away.  Cinthya did the translation and although she is not the best translator, it was God's will for her to be there.  The man asked the most broad question that could be asked.  He said, "How do you feel in this place."  I told him, "The devil is attacking my faith."  He said, "In what way."  I said, "In the existence of God.  I know God has done many miracles in my life.  But sometimes I get the thoughts that he doesn't exist."  This man, sitting on the floor of his church, introduced me to a modern day Saul-turned-Paul.

Acts 9

He was a drug user for 25 years.  His father forced him to have sex with him.  He raped his dad's daughter (his half sister) for revenge on his dad.  He did every drug imaginable.  He wouldn't touch his son because of the way he was treated by his father.  He murdered people.  He stabbed and robbed people.  If you said you were a Christian he would rob you just for that.  He lived in the street for years.  But strangely as he was telling me these things I felt God's peace, presence, and faith.  The man was testifying and I was weeping.  He told me, "If you have been weak or low in your faith, I have been lower."  He told me that some people have seen me lower and I think I'm not worth it and that God had great plans for me.  It was crazy because that was what my Bible study was about on Monday!

The pastor told me that we were the same.  He said I am the pastor, but since you sat on the floor, I sat on the floor.  Our struggles were the same and the Holy Spirit spoke to him about me.  It is such an honor to be told, "You're special" in front of a whole church.  He wanted me to pray for his wife's psoriasis and his eye.  I consented and I believe Jesus for their healing.  Before I lacked faith, but I am strong now.  I prayed for the man when I felt God say, "Get on the floor like children."  It was weird because the floor is usually dirty and it is dishonorable to get on the floor.  We got down on the floor and after I prayed for the man I prayed for the woman and she was weeping.  I prayed with Jesus right beside me, it was so cool.  We had food and left.

Luke 18:15-17

I came home and gave Sol (Spanish for sun) a ride on the Moto.  And then played volleyball with them in the street.  Sol is a party girl who lives across the street.  Her and her friends drink and smoke, but I want to reach them for Jesus.

God bless you and thank you for reading my testimony of how I met a real life Saul turned Paul.  Walk in His peace, power, love, and presence and don't lose hope.  Jesus will never let you down if you put your faith and trust in Him.

Blueberry Banana Pecan Pancakes, Sin, and Jesus

As a waiter at Cracker Barrel I encounter some pretty odd dishes.  None compared to the one I encountered last week.  A man came in with his wife and was very straightforward and to the point.  He said, "Yes I know what I want to drink and I'm ready to order."  I was happy because I was getting a drink order and a food order on one stop at the table.  I took the order and noticed something strange as he was ordering, he ordered a flavor explosion!  He said, "I want the blueberry pancakes.  Oh yeah, please put pecans and bananas inside please.  I need two blue syrups and one maple syrup.  Also I need sausage and sunny side up eggs.  Please bring a large milk with the food as well."  I was exausted just taking the order, not to mention wondering how he would stomach the food he ordered.  I dashed off to plate up the palate pleasing plethora of pancakes.  When I told my manager that the man wanted all the ingredients inside the pancakes he had this sour look on his face.  I felt his anguish inside as well.  My manager said, "There is a lot going on there."  I thought that was funny because there was a lot going on there.  There was way too much going on there.  I just didn't see how that could tickle any man's fancy.

I took out the smorgasbord of a pancake breakfast and was delighted at the response of the man.  He said, "I think this is the first time someone has gotten everything completely right.  You have gotten everything perfect.  You are the man.  There is one thing I forgot to ask you for, and that's ketchup.  But everything looks perfect."  I scooted off to get the ketchup and returned shortly.  The man and woman didn't really need anything for the rest of the time they were there.  But as they left the man left a nice tip and thanked me again.  I went back into the kitchen and reflected on what the customer ordered, what my manager said, and just soaked it all in.  I really didn't know until just yesterday what God was trying to speak to me about.

As I was reflecting on this crazy man's order I began to see some parallels between the pancakes and the man and us humans and God.  As disgusting and vile as I, my manager, or anyone of my friends at work thought those pancakes were, the man who ordered them couldn't have been happier with them.  Even though there was, "a lot going on there"  the man loved them all the same.  I imagine our sin that separates us from God has us looking really ugly to a lot of people.  Many people wouldn't want to touch us with a ninety-nine and a half foot pole if they knew some of the nasty things we have been a part of.  But God loves us.  When I brought those pancakes the man was very happy.  He had everything he asked for.  The one thing he didn't ask for, the thing that set the whole plate off for him, was the ketchup.  When the man asked for the ketchup he introduced something to me that blew me away.  Without the ketchup that plate of pancakes was useless to him.  With the ketchup he was completely satisfied.  In fact he said it was perfect.  I believe the blood of Jesus can set our plates off!  We are in a slimy stinky mess of sin.  But when God looks at the blood of Jesus covering our sins, he is extremely satisfied.  God has made a way through Jesus, http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians+2%3A13-15&version=NIV, and I would invite you to pour a little ketchup on your slimy pancakes.     

Both Lord and Christ

I have received many Gideon Bible's over the years.  And to be quite honest nothing really "spiritual" had come out of any of them.  Mainly because I grew up on the New International Version and the King James Version just seemed like it needed to be updated.  I mean we don't talk with thee's and thou's anymore.  But I'd like to tell a story about how God convicted me about my negative perception of His Word in the KJV, and how he gave me the sermon text for my message in preaching class all over the course of a weekend.

I am on a spiritual journey to read the Bible all the way through.  I am in the School of Christian Ministries and I just feel like if I'm going to devote my life to the preaching and teaching of God's Word, I might actually have to know something about it.  I'm not on the year plan, I just want to do it at my own pace.  I have read Genesis through Deuteronomy and the whole New Testament but I want a fresh reading that is relatively close to each other.  Towards the end of last year I read Daniel through Luke, and this year I read a chapter of John for 21 days until I was done, and then I moved on to Acts.  On a Saturday morning I got up to get ready to go to Cracker Barrel for work.  I read the second chapter of Acts and went on to work.  But all throughout the day all I kept hearing was my voice reading and re-reading the scripture I read that morning in my mind.  My voice said this, "God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."  This is found in Acts 2:36b.  I would take someone some sweet tea, "both Lord and Christ."  I would run some food out of the window to a table, "both Lord and Christ."  I would be talking to a customer taking an order and hear my voice say, "God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."  It went on all day.  I eventually made it home and spent the evening with my family and went to bed.  

The next morning was a normal Sunday morning.  We got our showers, brushed our teeth, ate our breakfast, and away we were out the door headed to Athens for the church service.  It was the day before Valentines day.  On the ride I told my wife about the strange occurrence of me hearing a scripture all day in my head on Saturday.  I noticed we had three Gideon Bibles that we planned to give to some people at Safe House Outreach in Atlanta next to the console.  I pulled one out and thumbed to the scripture, http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+2:36&version=NIV;KJV.  I began to read it to my wife as she drove and became extremely emotional.  I was talking about this scripture and weeping.  I read the sermon that Peter gave in the chapter and explained to my wife that the Jews Peter was preaching to had killed Jesus only months before and that they should have killed Peter just like they killed Jesus because Peter was claiming the same thing Jesus was, that Jesus was the Messiah.  But the Jews were pricked in their hearts, asked Peter what to do, and Peter told them to repent.  They did and about 3,000 people were added to the church.  I just sat riding enjoying the Holy Spirit's presence.

When we got to church the service was amazing.  There was actually a ceremony where my wife Kathryn and I renewed our marriage vows along with all the married couples in the church.  I had never been more in love with my wife than in that moment.  We were both crying with tears streaming down our faces as I placed a red rose in her hands and committed my life to her all over again.  God is truly a God who knows our innermost being.  He spoke to me on every area of my life, all day long!

As Kat and I drove home with her sister and our son (we picked her sister up in Athens and she stayed the week with us) I shared with my sister in law about what God had been showing me all weekend and what a great time I had at church.  I realized in that moment that I had a negative view of the KJV of the Bible.  And that God spoke very clearly to me through that translation earlier that morning and for me to think less of people for reading that version of the Bible or that it was inferior to the NIV was absolutely wrong.  God showed me His Word is what speaks, not who translated it.  Any translation can speak to me because if it is God's timeless Word, it has power.  

I knew that this theme of Acts in my life wasn't coincidental, so I took this as a sign from God that the scripture that was popping in my head should be the scripture text for my first sermon in Homiletics (preaching) class.  My sermon is this upcoming Thursday and I'm super excited.  God be with me, and speak through me!       

Divine Appointment at Cracker Barrel

 

When I was eighteen God called me to be a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I've never had a major crisis in the faith until recently.  Sure I've had problems, but the existence of God has never bothered me.  God has done so many miracles in my life that I'd be a fool to not believe in Him.  He healed me from marijuana addiction and bi-polar disorder, He healed my dad from alcoholism, and He saved me from the power of sin.  Every time I needed God he was there, so why did I have doubt in God after he'd done so much?  I think it boils down to how I pushed myself last semester.  I cancelled my Netflix subscription, cut my hours back at work, and submerged myself in studying.  By the end of the semester I was running on fumes.  I had just enough left in the tank to finish finals and then I gave in to temptation.  I did what I wanted.  I had a study plan for the break, but it went out the window about the second day into Christmas break.  I played Xbox, I watched every movie I ever wanted, I ate doughnuts, I just vegged out.  I forgot about my first love too.  God was absent.  The Casting Crowns song "Slow Fade" really sums up what happened, I slowly drifted from God http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QASREBVDsLk.  By the time I realized where my relationship with God was, I was very cold to the Spirit.  When this semester started I felt empty.  I questioned what God had done in my life, and I wondered if God is fake and all this is in my head, what's the point?  My teacher said last week, "How can you sit at the bed of a person dying of aids and give them hope if you don't know that you know that God is real and there is hope after this life."  I thought to myself I couldn't do that unless I was positive God had called me and he was real.  I would be faking, and I couldn't live my life as a faker.

That night I read our required reading for the class in a book titled, "Spiritual Leadership"  by Henry and Richard Blackaby.  I got to about page 100 and came to a section on "Encounters with God."  It was all about people who had amazing, empowering, life changing experiences with God. After they had the experience they were empowered for their ministry.  I thought to myself that in order to minister I would need something like that to happen to me because I really felt dry.  God was going to have to show up, or he may lose a soldier.  I prayed that night, as honest as I could, for God to renew me.  I wanted that empowering I was reading about for my ministry.

The next morning I told my wife that we would begin to read through Psalms and Proverbs as a family with our son, and that today we would be starting with Psalm one and Proverbs one.  We read the Bible and I was off to work at Cracker Barrel.  I arrived at 8:30am on the dot for my shift.  I did my routine of speaking to Donna (the prep-cook) and clocking in.  I stepped out the back vestibule to warm myself next to the fire and as I was walking out, a woman passed me.  I said, "Have a blessed day" to her.  Now I've said that a million times, but I felt God nudge me to say it this time.  The woman stopped and said, "I receive that."  We both looked into the fire and she said, "It's beautiful isn't it?"  And in mid-sentence of my reply she said, "You're a born-again Christian aren't you?"  I said, "Yes."  She said that God had something to tell me and began to prophesy and pray over me like I'd never had someone do before.  She looked into my eye's and told me she'd been on a twenty one day fast and that she was planning on going to Burger King, but her husband said, "Let's go to Cracker Barrel."  I could have came out any other door at any other time, but I didn't, I came out right when God wanted me to.  She told me I had the spirit of John.  And that I was a prophet.  She said that God was birthing something in me.  She kept saying that I was being made new, "You're being renewed" she said.  We were hugging and crying for close to thirty minutes.  We moved closer to the door from the fireplace, but God still wasn't done.  She looked into my eye's and said that all the people walking around us were going to leave me alone because God was going to protect me.  They didn't understand what was happening all they saw were two people crying in the middle of the floor.  The woman asked me did I have any family and I didn't get to answer her because we were praying and talking.  but before she left I mentioned that I did have family.  She gave me her business card (the last one she had) and told me she wanted to pray for me.  She was a minister.         

I wrote down my name and number so she could pray for me.  She asked me to write the names of my family members down.  So I began to write down the names.  I was debating whether or not to write "Kat" or "Kathryn" for my wife, since normally people who don't know her call her "Kathryn."  I wrote "Kathryn" and "Nolan" and gave her the sheet.  She said, "Let me tell you how I know this is from God.  I always ask God to confirm it's from Him through someone I know...my mother's name is Kathryn."  I said, "Is it spelled the same way, I mean that's a unique spelling."  She said, "It's spelled exactly the same way."  I told her, "Do you know how I know this is from God?  Last night I prayed for a renewal in my spirit, and while we were praying you couldn't stop saying that I was being made new and I was being renewed."  We finally parted ways and I got back to work.

When I stepped back up to the food window a server asked me, "What was that?"  I knew it was from the devil because of the tone and my spirit revealed it to me.  I said, "She was just praying for me and stuff."  See the devil tried to steal what God did for me right after it happened but I wouldn't let him.  I had another server ask me, "Did you make that old lady cry?"  I highly respect her and was glad she gave some humor instead of trying to judge me like the other server did.  I said. "No, she made me cry!"  I read the card she gave me and was awed at the scripture.  It was about peace and that's all I wanted for my soul.  After a minute or two I told God I didn't care if I made any money that day, that what he gave me was all I came for that day.  And I really did have a normal day on tips after that.  But one very cool thing that happened later that day was me getting my PAR 4 (the stars on our aprons).  I had been promoted by the Spirit of God and now I'd been promoted at my job.  It was an amazing day.

I am so happy that God answered my prayer the very next day after I prayed it.  God knew that I was on the edge and he gave me that woman to speak into my life at the right time.  I thank you and praise you God because you do draw near to those who draw near to you.  

Love Is Sacrificial

For the past six weeks, Kathryn and I have been hosting a small group in our home.  Every Wednesday at 7pm we'd meet with some of our neighbors and some members from our church to get a deeper understanding of what the Bible has to say about love.  There was a DVD lesson from Rick Warren each week in a series called "40 Days of Love."  We also had a daily devotional book to accompany the teaching called "The Relationship Principles of Jesus."  While on this journey something happened to me that has impacted my walk with the Father and my marriage.

Kathryn and I have been married three years, and as much as I hate to admit it, we have not spent much time seeking God together.  In my mind I can go back and pinpoint times where we ripped down every wall around our hearts and leaned intently on the Lord for answers.  But they are few and far between.  Those times where we sought God together in one spirit, in one mind, and in one body are as precious to me as diamonds.  I hold them close to my heart, and I yearn for that to be a daily experience.  A couple of weeks ago on Friday November the twelfth, God showed up in our lives and I experienced a "gemstone" once again.

On the preceding Monday Kat and I did a devotional.  We read this devotion book we got as a present for our wedding an we sang some of our favorite worship songs.  It was truly an amazing night.  The next day I began to feel a pain in my throat when I swallowed.  I had no pain in the throat initially, but when I swallowed it really hurt.  I thought I had something wrong with my tonsils.  Well the next day it got worse.  I began to have aches all over my body.  I was extremely sensitive.  If I would be touched just slightly all my senses would go to that place on my skin where I was touched. I was hypersensitive.  In addition to that my throat started to hurt all the time, not just when I swallowed.  Wednesday rolled around and I wasn't feeling any better.  I took a nap before the 7pm 40 Days of Love meeting and survived it.  Thursday rolled around and I had a huge project due.  I was preaching in the Springs Church for my final project for Dr. Beatty.  It couldn't have been worse timing.  My throat felt horrible and I had to speak.  I was able to deliver my message and then passed out on my bed for the next five hours.  I woke up and prayed.  I wasn't bitter at God, I was disappointed though.  I really wanted to present my message well for the class and the professor.  I wondered why I couldn't have gotten sick a week earlier, or the week after.  So I prayed for God to show me what he wanted to show me during the time of suffering.  Instead of being angry at God for my sickness, I prayed that he would reveal to me what he was doing.  The Holy Spirit would reveal the answer to me the very next night.

I had a routine going for my Relationship Principles of Jesus devotional readings.  For the most part I liked to do them early in the day so I could have the whole day to reflect on them.  It was day 37 in the book, but this day I let other things get my attention and put my devotion on the back burner.  When it was about 6pm I had just cracked my book open and as I was about to begin my time with God, Kat came to me and said, "Are we going to do our devotion?"  Everything in me did not want to do it with her.  I wanted to read my devotion all day long, and now Kat wanted me to spend some time with her.  I felt the unmistakable leading of the Holy Spirit. "Close the book" were the words that echoed in my spirit.  I knew what God was calling me to do, sacrifice my time for my wife.  In my pain I wanted to sit there and read the short devotion, maybe do some homework and get to bed, I was sick!  But God was leading me to give to my wife.  Before I even read the heading of the chapter in the book I closed it and laid in my wife's lap.  I was going to obey, but I wasn't going to over exert myself.  So I told Kat it'd be better for her to read, and I could listen and rest in her lap.  She began to read and I was just enjoying not having to read listening silently.  She got to this part at the end that said, "As you read Hebrews 11 discuss..."  Some how I was convinced the book said "if you want to read Hebrews 11 then discuss..."  As she turned to Hebrews 11 I was telling her, "That's a long chapter, we don't have to read it.  In fact I already read it this semester.  I did a short sermon on Samson and he's in this chapter, we can just skip the reading of this."  She was heartbroken.  As I had waited all day to read my devotion, she had been waiting for me to have some time to do our devotion together.  When I tried to blow her off she was hurt and was about to leave.  I noticed how hurt she was and insisted she read it and that I honestly wanted to hear it.  She sat back down and I assumed my listening position on her lap again.  As she began to read Hebrews 11, (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=heb%2011&version=NIV) I began to shudder before God.  When she got to the part about Enoch being taken and not experiencing death because of his faith, I lost it.  I wept.  The Bible says it is impossible to please God without faith.  I was wavering in my faith in him.  But Enoch, a man with such great faith was taken from this life, not even experiencing death, because of his faith.  What an example to live by.  To walk in faith.  It was exactly the word from God I needed, at exactly the right time.  Had I passed up the leading of the Holy Spirit this would have passed me.  And mind you I wasn't going out and getting drunk or smoking.  I was about to read a devotional!  But I do believe that if I would have done what I wanted to do, instead of what God wanted. I would have been out of the Father's will for my life reading a devotional book.

       

After God answered my prayer, "Show me what you're trying to show me during this suffering."  I shared it with Kat.  I told her that I believed the Holy Spirit had answered my prayer in the reading of the scripture and that God wanted me to walk away with a stronger faith in Him because my faith had been wavering.  She shared with me that the devotion was very helpful for her as well because she was having a similar issue with faith.  We sat there with our hearts bare before God, just being honest with our feelings.  Getting those tears out, letting God handle our problems, letting Him bear the load.  When I finally did sit down to read the devotion I had waited all day to read the chapter was titled, "Love Is Sacrificial."  I was thinking to myself, "I couldn't read a book about loving others for 36 days and not respond when I had an opportunity to love on my wife by sacrificing some time for her, even when it wasn't convenient for me."  It was so appropriate for me to read that chapter after the experience with my wife.  I was happy I passed the test.

1 Pet 5:8 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20pet%205:8&version=NIV) warns about the devil seeking to devour us like a lion.  The next morning the enemy came strong to devour what God had done in our lives the night before.  Like a lion eats and leaves nothing but bare bones, the devil wanted to strip the progress we made for Jesus from our bodies and leave us as nothing.  Kat and I fought over something trivial and she used me not wanting to do the devotion as ammunition against me.  I knew right where the attack was coming from.  Of course I didn't want to do the devotion but she and I both knew what had happened as a result of the time we spent together, we drew closer to God.  I knew that this was an attack from the devil because who else would try to get me to doubt what God did?  We made up but this definitely set us back.  Why such a set back after such a victory the night before?  I don't understand how God works but I find comfort in the passages from Philippians in verse 29, "For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him."  And also Rom 5:3b, "because we know that suffering produces perseverance."     

I wrote this post as an encouragement to those who are struggling with faith in God.  It's so easy to trust God when he's meeting all of your needs.  But true discipleship is measure by how you respond when your chips are down.  It's measured by when you're not feeling the Holy Spirit.  How do you respond to opposition of the furtherance of the kingdom of God in your life?  Will you become bitter and blame God, or will you gladly accept suffering and seek the lesson God is trying to teach you?  Stand firm on the Word of God that says the suffering produces perseverance.  I want to leave you with something my Dad told me that I've never forgotten. "If you were always on the mountaintop, you wouldn't appreciate it."  Basically he was saying you can't be on cloud nine with God all the time.  Unless you go through some valleys you'll never fully appreciate the summit with God.