Thanksgiving

Thankfulness sanctifies. It sets us apart to receive. In the story of the feeding of the 5,000 Jesus gave thanks while there was only 5 loaves and 2 fish. There followed an abundance of food as 5,000 men, plus women and children were fed. We must learn to give thanks for the small things. This process can work in each area of our lives. Don’t focus on what you don’t have but what you are beginning to receive. Allow yourself to vision the solution and give thanks for what you see the end of the matter to be. In the Kingdom of God thankfulness brings increase.

For example, when we pray for healing, a couple of things can happen. There can be an instant miracle or there can be progressive healing. When a Nobleman came to ask Jesus for healing for his son, Jesus told him, “Go, for your son lives”. When the Nobleman arrived back home, he asked when the son had started to get better. They told him and he knew that was the hour Jesus had spoken life over his son. (see John 4:52) Elisha prayed for a dead boy by lying on top of him. Slowly he became warm. Elisha walked around a little and then laid on him again and he sneezed 7 times and came back to life. (see II Kings 4:35) That is an example of progressive healing. When we are praying for healing we need to give thanks for each little improvement. This opens up the way for progressive healing to continue. When we pray for financial provision we need to give thanks for the dimes we find in the washer. When we pray for healing of strained relationships we need to give thanks for the little acts of favor and kindness we see coming from the one we are seeking restoration with.

Paul told the Thessalonians to give thanks in everything because this is the will of God for us in Christ Jesus. (see I Thessalonians 5:18) The will of God begins to form in us as we begin to see our will becoming much like His. We begin to want the same things He wants. When we give thanks we are agreeing with Heaven. We are saying yes to His yes and Amen to His Amen. (see II Corinthians 1:20) As we agree with God that His works are good, it brings us into alignment to move forward in His good purposes for our lives.

Even if we don’t fully understand our circumstances, we are at peace in the place of our development. We are to give thanks in all things. Even if it looks bad, we must believe that God will cause all things to work together for good. Times of trial and testing are often the hardest times for us to give thanks for all things. If we could only look at the test from God’s perspective we could more easily give thanks. The test has the task of bringing us into greater maturity. The next time you recognize a time of testing is upon you, just think of how you will grow through this process. You might be bold and say, “I’m going to milk this thing for all it’s worth!”. Get all you can get out of your trials.

Don’t fail the test by whining and complaining, which is the opposite of giving thanks. Failing tests are much like it was back in school. You just have to take the test again. Our growth pace is up to us. We can mature fast or slow. We all know believers that have been saved for dozens of years that still suck on their thumbs. We also know those who don’t waste their trials and seek to grow with leaps and bounds with each season of their life. They are instant in season and out of season. They don’t grow bitter and blame God for every misfortune that comes in life. They are thankful in all things. So, go ahead and milk those trials. Get all you can out of them and don’t look for them to reappear.

Some believers give so much recognition to the enemy. They blame the devil for every bad thing in their life. They cry out for deliverance from all that oppresses them even if it’s just a rainy day. Looking from Heaven’s perspective we might focus on how much we are going to steal from the devil instead of complaining how much he has taken from us. Instead of deliverance we might think of conquering, overcoming and occupying.

It’s in us to magnify something. We will either magnify the problem or magnify the solution. We can allow the problem to get bigger and bigger in our minds or we can have a heart of thanksgiving magnifying God because He is the solution. The result of thanksgiving is God being magnified and glorified. He is worthy of it.

Thankfulness releases His affections toward us. I have began the practice in the last years of taking some time and just giving thanks for every little thing I can think of. I will sit down in a room at home or on a rock out in the woods and just give thanks. After doing this for several minutes I can feel the manifest Presence of God move into the place. He becomes tangible. The air becomes electric. He touches my spirit and my emotions.

For example, I can sit in my living room and with open eyes just look at things and give thanks. I have a bookcase that has souvenirs from the countries I have been to. So, I begin…. Looking at the two wooden giraffes I give thanks for the people that came to Christ in Africa… for the man who had his ears opened and the guy that was healed of aids…. Looking at the wooden plate from the Ukraine…. I give thanks for the miracle of not being affected by the poisoned berries I had eaten without knowing (until later) they were poisoned. I look at my skin and give thanks that the water in Kiev that was poisoned by the Chernobyl disaster didn’t affect my skin when I baptized over a hundred people in the lake almost 20 years ago. I give thanks for the fireplace and the warmth it gives. I give thanks for the pictures and the special inspiration each one gives me. It just goes on and on.

I believe God wants us to move into a lifestyle of blessings and miracles. I think He wants to surprise us more and more. I believe we are moving into times when unexplainable things will begin to happen daily. This can only happen as we position ourselves in the posture of thankfulness. The momentum is picking up. God loves to be involved in the lives of His people.

In the last few weeks there have been some small things that have happened that I can’t explain. I keep waiting for someone to come forward and admit they are responsible for a couple of the things. Otherwise, I plan to just sit back and enjoy a life of miracles. A few weeks ago we had a cookout at my house and the floodlights had burnt out during the summer. We ended up eating in the dark with only the light from the fire pit. The floodlights are up high and I don’t have a ladder that reaches that high. A few days later both lights were burning. I asked everyone that came that night if they might have changed them. Everyone denies any involvement.
　
While working outside today I hurt my back really bad. I felt it pull on the lower right side unlike anything I have ever experienced with my back. I slowly walked towards the house leaving my tools laying on the ground. I planned on getting my son to pick up the tools when he got home. I was able to climb the stairs…. but very slowly. I couldn’t even bend over to get my shoes off without excruciating pain. I began to speak healing into my back…. believing in progressive healing. In my mind I began to prepare for a few days of progressive healing and I would be very thankful for just some relief. I could tell my dog was even feeling sorry for me. I laid on the bed for a little while speaking healing to my back. I fell asleep for a few minutes and got up. My back was feeling a little better. I was thankful. An hour later it was much better and I went walking back through the woods giving thanks and actually amazed it was healing so fast. Another hour went by and I was bending over and everything. I moved a table I had put together earlier today down to the bottom level. By the time my son got home I decided I wouldn’t even mention what had happened.

As I pondered on all of this, I came to the conclusion that I live in the presence of miracles. It has become a lifestyle for me. Paper doesn’t have room for me to write it all down. I can’t explain a lot of things that happen to me. There may be someone who comes forward and tells me they changed the light bulbs. But, that won’t change anything at all. When we give thanks to a Mighty God who loves us so much that He would rather die for us than live without us, why are we surprised? He just shows up. Thanksgiving invites Him to come and be involved. His hand of providence stirs among us. His eyes watch over us. Angels watch…. just in case we dash our foot against a stone. (see Psalms 91:12)

It’s a new kind of normal and it is good.

New Kind of Normal II

Earlier this year I watched the trailer for “An Appalachian Dawning” that was released in late summer. This documentary was about a small town of about 1900 people deep in the mountains of Kentucky. Manchester is in Clay County which is the 6th poorest county in our nation. Drugs and everything that goes with it had heavily infested the county for years. However, in 2004 the town held a march saying they had had enough of corrupt government and drug sales. About 4000 people came out from the surrounding county for this march.

Transformation began. By the time the documentary was made this year, the town had 1400 new jobs. The darkness was exposed as drug dealers were arrested and phenomenal change came to town. In their words, “God came to town”. A revived church began to work together in practical action. Bonds of addiction were broke. There was societal breakthrough. A barren land had come to life… a new dawning.

I went with a couple of people a week after election day to visit Manchester. Upon entering the town I liked their sign at the entrance. It read, “City of Hope”. Upon going to a local restaurant for lunch I realized we had entered a battle zone. Some of the local people were criticizing the mayor. In the documentary the mayor played a big part in the transformation. After asking them a few questions we realized that not all people like transformation. Everyone doesn’t want a new normal.

As we searched for another place to talk to the people about the transformation, we came to a church building in a strip mall. Inside was a TV station that ministered to the southern part of the state. We spent several hours with the president of the TV station. What a blessing as he shared endlessly the things God had done in Manchester in the past few years. In only a few short hours we had already walked into the negative atmosphere of darkness and then the most brilliant atmosphere of light. He asked me who I wanted to meet. Without hesitation I told him I wanted to meet the guy who had won so many to Christ after his conversion from a life of dealing drugs. In a few minutes in walked Steve who had been one of the biggest drug dealers in the county and who is featured in the documentary. He too shared for an hour or more the stories of transformation in their town.

But what about what we had heard in the first restaurant? Why the negative attitude? Shouldn’t everyone be happy with such transformation? Their town had become famous as their story was being aired all around the nation and world. Who would not be proud that God had come to town?

Some people make their living working in the darkness. Money is made from drug sales. Not everyone wants to walk in the light. These people rose up in the past election and elected a new mayor. The mayor that had led the way in transformation lost the election by about 80 votes. How does this happen? When believers become lax and do not maintain, they often loose some of the ground they have taken. Voters that were supportive of transformation just failed to come out and vote. They thought the battle was won and didn’t see a need to sustain the victories.

As I heard these stories, I could see that this is a picture of the cooperate church. As believers we love to win and to be a part of God’s movement amongst us. However, most of us fail to sustain what God has initiated. We enjoy His visits but don’t know how to build Him a habitation. In the OT picture of the tabernacle, God lit the fire and the Priests had to keep it kindled. Under the new covenant each believer is a Priest unto God. (see Revelation 1:6) John Wesley taught the Priesthood of all believers. When God initiates something He wants us to sustain it.

Growing up on a farm I am familiar with fires. When I was only a child I was with my brother out in a field. The field was filled with sage grass. I don’t recall how I got the matches or how the fire started, but I took a torch of sage grass and ran throughout the field lighting fires. It kept my brother busy putting out the fires that I was lighting. Later, my love for camping helped me learn how to keep campfires going. Someone had to be faithful to keep putting wood on the fire. It meant someone had to get up a few times during the night to maintain the fire. It was a simple process but it required faithfulness.

God is calling us to a new normal in faithfulness. Beginning with ourselves we need to maintain those things God has initiated in our personal lives. For example, our encounters with His Presence change us. The experience is overwhelming at times. We need to pay the price to keep the fire going. It may require us getting up when we don’t feel like getting up to put wood on the fire. He will give us wisdom to sustain those things He initiates. Paul told the Philippians that he was confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in them would perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. (see Philippians 1:6) Our fires should never burn out.

One of the biggest fires the Lord ever lit in my life was when I gave Him my life at the age of 12. However, I struggled to maintain my fervor back in those days. I didn’t have a lot of help from other believers. Wood burns better when there is a pile burning together. A lone ember will soon burn out. At 18 I rededicated my life to God and began to hang around other believers on a regular basis. When my friends didn’t want to embrace my new fervor, I began to hang out with older believers. “Generation gap” was a phrase coined in those days but I didn’t join the movement. I found great strength hanging out with people twice my age or older. It gave me strength to maintain.

An unforgettable experience for me was in 1998 in Dallas, Texas. I went there to a meeting called, “Light the Nations”. Several of the Argentine leaders were there telling about the years of revival their nation had experienced and maintained. I remember Sergio Scataglini telling us in order to keep the fire going we had to give it away. He had sold his car and would ride taxi so he could bless the drivers. On one of the days while I was there in Dallas I went forward for a prayer of impartation from the Argentine ministers. After the prayer I felt very drunk and couldn’t feel my upper lip. I was stuttering so bad I asked another minister what he thought had happened to me. His response was simply that Holy Spirit had touched me. The next morning around 3:00 am I awoke in a fetal position in my motel bed. I was crying but in a good way. I felt something electrical in my stomach. It seemed God was giving me belly punches, but in a good way. I laid there for hours just feeling God touch me over and over… unending….

Around 8:00 I tried to get to the bathroom to get ready for the conference. I basically crawled and let myself fall into the tub without even turning the lights on. God was overwhelming my physical body unlike anything I had ever felt before. I just lay there in the water… then I heard the most dreadful sound. It was the maid coming down the hall with her vacuum cleaner. I could only imagine her opening the door and finding me there in the dark in such a position. It just happened the dead bolt had been fastened. I eventually dressed amid times of just falling on my face on my prayer mat and just intensely worshiping Jesus. I began to walk the several blocks to the conference. On my way I saw this guy coming towards me who looked like a maniac with wild eyes. Upon seeing me and coming very close, he suddenly turned and ran away. Something was upon me… in me… around me… God had come to His temple. The train of His robe was filling His temple and it was bigger than me. Almost more than I could handle.

Arriving back home for the weekend services in the church where I was pastor, I knew I had some problems. It was Mother’s Day. I also had to do the dedication service of a little baby girl. I was still really messed up. I still felt the power in my stomach. My upper lip still had no feeling. I was laughing at everything. I was so goofy. I held onto the pulpit and tried my best. Everyone was looking at me and they knew something was up. I started prophesying over the little baby girl. I lost my train of thought and would just begin to laugh. I didn’t attempt to make it to the back door to shake hands but just sat down on the altar. One little elderly lady asked me if I had had a stroke. My family was called and they came to my home during the afternoon to check on me. By Sunday evening service the crowd was growing. I felt like John Wesley who said, he just caught himself on fire and people came to watch him burn. By the end of the service that night my youth leaders had said they weren’t coming back. They cried as they expressed their confusion and my response was joyful laughter. I had been touched. They didn’t quit and they still come to the city where I am now, to visit us in services. However, I did loose a lot of people over the experience. The drunken feeling lasted about a week and then I faced the choice to go back to normal or have a new normal. I chose the later.

Since Dallas, I have maintained what God did in me. I have chased after Him in all the ways I have known to do so. I have read books, went to conferences, and sought God on a personal level unlike any other season of my life. It has been over 12 years and it is only getting better. I keep adding wood to the fire and thereby the fire is sustained. I don’t want to let up. Many believers, especially in Pentecostal/Charismatic circles like to boast of what God did for them years ago. They once were filled but have not realized how empty they are now. They think their only choice is to boast about the past. God is alive and well today. The cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night are on the move. Many have been left behind building statues to past experiences. The fire must be maintained. Jesus wouldn’t let Peter build tabernacles on the Mount of Transfiguration after their Supernatural experience there. (see Luke 9:33) We must add wood to the fire continually.

A new level of faithfulness is coming to the Body of Christ. Because of hunger many are seeking the Lord no matter what it takes. They are willing to leave homes and friends to go wherever they need to go, for a season to greater experience and maintain the passion He has birthed in them. Faithfulness on a personal level is rising. There is a new normal coming. Can God count on you to be faithful to what He has birthed/initiated in you? Will you allow Him to complete the good works He has begun in you? Will you choose a new level of faithfulness?

Faithfulness is also important in our communities and cities. As we see in the story of Manchester, we need to be faithful to the call God has given to cooperate groups. We need to help maintain the ground we have already taken. As I talked with the people in Manchester I cannot forget their statement of how they still had new direction even though they had lost some ground. God is giving them wisdom, plans, and direction to go farther. The election was only a wake-up call. The normal has been raised and they cannot even think of lowering it.

In the battle of the bulge during World War II, the Allies struggled to keep ground they had already taken. Hitler’s men began to make surprise attacks on camps that were living in ease thinking they were far enough back from the battle. Many lives were lost as Hitler’s men began to make the occupied line bulge back towards western Europe. However as the generals began to come to attention, the territory was taken back and Hitler was defeated.

It is a good example for the church to always make sure we are faithful to maintain/sustain all that God has blessed us with. We need to be faithful to the vision of others. Work behind the scenes without any recognition. Show up for meetings or let someone know where you are at. Let the leaders know you are still in the picture. Don’t let anyone consider you to be fickle. Be faithful to the cause. March.

One of the most amazing stories I heard from the Manchester trip was about the filming of the march. In the documentary that has gone around the world, there is footage of the march in 2004. 4,000 people showed up and only one guy filmed the march. He was in a wheelchair. He came to the march without his camera but kept hearing the Lord tell him to go back and get it. Reluctantly he obeyed. Much of the footage is taken with him rolling backwards to get it. He had to mobilize himself through the crowds to accurately get the footage. He did it. As we sat with him and heard his story we felt his pride. Not a vain pride but a pride in obeying what seems to be the little nudges God gives us from time to time. That is faithfulness.

A new kind of normal is to dare to obey in the little things, although it seems foolish or unimportant. Like throwing wood on a campfire, it’s simple. We just need people to do it. God is counting on you. Will you walk in faithfulness? Can God use you as an example of a new kind of normal in faithfulness?

A New Kind of Normal

When I watch documentaries of what God is doing in other places I understand more that we need a higher normal in our culture. We need to raise the bar of our expectancy and what we consider to be normal Christianity. In China there is such desperation to worship and hear the word they will stand for 12 hours to worship and listen. In Mozambique nearly all the deaf that are prayed for (in the ministry documented) are able to hear and about a hundred people have been raised from the dead. Miracles are happening amongst the gypsies in Europe. They are the most hated people group in the world. In some places of the world, people are forgiving their enemies in ways that should make us feel ashamed at how easily we are offended here in American life. The norm needs to be raised in our love level and our faith level.

Most of us are satisfied and even excited to experience or hear about a miracle ever now and then. We think that “some miracles” is enough. Nazareth had a “some miracles” in Jesus’ time but was still recorded as a town of unbelief. Is our normal any different than that of Nazareth? At first, the people of Nazareth were impressed with Jesus’ words. (see Luke 4:22) We might say they were even inspired. His words were coming alive in them. Then, quickly they began to question His words of declaration. They were familiar with Him. He had grown up in their town. In a moments time they moved from a place of inspiration, grace, and empowerment to a place of tragic unbelief. People often shut down the Holy Spirit’s life giving breath upon them by allowing questions of unbelief to form in their hearts.

Jesus expected us to raise the bar of normalcy when He told us that we would do greater works than He Himself did during His physical ministry here. (see John 14:12) We can twist that promise several ways. Someone might say that we are doing social works throughout the world in greater measure than Jesus did. The “Greater Works” He was talking about was miracles, healing and deliverance. Study it closely and you will see that these are the works He was talking about. Social works (feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, caring for the poor, etc.) are of the greatest importance and Jesus continuously encouraged them. Then there are some who would argue that miracles were only for Bible days. This is the saddest excuse of them all. This only helps faithless people to develop a seared conscience. (see I Timothy 4:2) Teachings that hint such doctrine should be trashed.

We need to reverence the Words of Christ to the degree that we refuse to even set the level at our own personal experience. I have had ministers tell me that they do not believe in certain things because they have never experienced these things. The level of faith and expectancy must be greater than anything that we have seen or experienced. Having made our foundation upon the Word and promises of God we need to reach for the unseen. We must not even allow history to control our vision or dictate our accomplishments for the future. Just because we haven’t seen something happen yet doesn’t hinder God. With God all things are possible.

One of my favorite stories in Scripture is how David took the stronghold of the city that we now know as Jerusalem. David was born in a time when unconquered enemies still controlled parts of the promised land. David knew God had promised more to His people than they presently possessed. When David became King and surveyed the land, he knew God wanted him to take all of the land. The stronghold of Jerusalem was under the control of the Jebusites. They were a violent mountain people. They had never been conquered. The people during Joshua’s day had not conquered them. During the days of the Judges they still remained in their strongholds. Some of Israel’s greatest heroes had failed to conquer them. All of this was enough to persuade normal people to leave them alone. But David was not normal. He was above normal and his idea of normal was to take the strongest down first.

When the Jebusites heard of David’s plan to take their city, they mocked him. (see II Samuel 5:6-8) Their proverb was that the blind and lame could hold the city and turn David away. Nevertheless, David captured the stronghold of Zion and took the city. It was named, “The City of David” and later named Jerusalem. It became the capital of David’s empire and remains the capital today. David did not allow the past to hold him back. History may have had only records of defeat but David raised the normal and did a new thing. He conquered something not yet conquered by his people. God is calling us to do the same. Just because we haven’t seen it yet is no reason to not go forward and make new history. God can change everything overnight.

The mockery of the Jebusites holds some truth. It is often the blind and the lame that keep us from taking the promises God has placed before us. Our biggest enemy can be unbelieving professed Christians sitting beside us in church each week. Sitting in spiritual blindness they don’t see the promises or the vision God has given to His people. The lame are those who once walked with Christ and knew His power but have allowed false teachers to teach them that the power of God is not for us. Miracles and experiences of the past are explained away for a comfortable life of unbelief without any challenges of their faith. Now they are lame. These people can discourage us if we allow them to.

I remember sitting under professors in seminary who denied the existence of angels and even questioned a physical Heaven. Others glorified the professors of the 70’s who had pronounced that God was dead. I attended the seminary for 3 summers that made this announcement and they had proceeded to have a mock funeral for God. Either these professors never met the Lord or they had been blinded by too much rational knowledge. They had become both blind and lame. Did they hinder me? It didn’t do that at all…. it only made me stronger. There rose up in me a greater resolve to proclaim truth…. Radical truth that would set people free and reform society. The proverbs of the enemy should only lure us into the fight to take the strongholds and extend the kingdom of God. We are a violent people and we take the kingdom by force. (see Matthew 11:12) Moving by faith we believe that through Christ we overcome the greatest obstacles that stand in our way. Our battle is not against man but against powers of evil often resident in high places. Places that seem impossible to take.

It is true that our fathers have failed to bring down some strongholds in our cities and regions. Also, our generation has built its own strongholds against the kingdom of God. This is no problem for God. He has a greater vision. Although the vision tarries, it has been set for an appointed time. It will certainly come and that without delay. (see Hab. 2:34) It is our time to take the strongholds and bring the dreams of God into their proper manifestation. Don’t hold back. Set a new kind of normal in your life. Anything God gives you a thumbs up to do… go for it. Jesus did what He saw His Father doing. A thumbs up from the Father is backed by Heaven itself.

The are two great lessons to be learned from David’s story. David didn’t hold back because of the taunts of the enemy and he didn’t hold back because of the failures of those before him. He set a new kind of norm.
I love the early years of David’s life. You know what I’m talking about…. Killing a bear and a lion while watching his father’s sheep… writing psalms in the hills while watching the moon rise over the mountains… visiting the war camps where his brothers were fighting… killing Goliath, the strongest giant of the day…. Singing for the king… But, did you ever catch the note in I Samuel 17:54? David took the head of Goliath to Jerusalem. Remember it was still occupied by the Jebusites. I think David was making a deposit. In less than 20 years he would return as King of the Promised Land and take the city. That day when he delivered the head of the giant, he may have been thinking, “You may say I’m young and my own king now calls me a stripling, but I serve a mighty big God and I will be back!”. Wow, what a young man!

Youth and children are able to believe so easily. Children believe in the miracles of God until an adult tells them differently. Jesus said that to enter the kingdom we must become as children. (see Matthew 10:15) They have a different norm. In their eyes magic still happens. It hasn’t been explained away. In the documentary on Mozambique, children were doing most of the praying for the sick. It would be wise for leaders today to call children forth to pray over the sick. It would be somewhat humbling for those who love control, but why not let the magic begin?
As David took the biggest giant when he was a young man, he took the biggest stronghold as the nation’s young king. David had something inside of him from his youth that urged him on until the day he died. Even his own failures did not succeed in holding him back from accomplishing all the wills of his God. (See Acts 13:22 and 13:36)

As I hear these stories and I feel these truths rising in me….. my spiritual temperature is rising…. My passion is rising….. my normal is rising… We are walking in Ezekiel’s River of God and the water is rising. A trickle has become a river. It’s went from ankle deep to knee deep. Then it’s went from knee deep to waist deep. Hold on…. We now have waters to swim in… The farther the River went from the temple (where the blind and lame sit each Sunday) the deeper it became and the more miracles happened. The conclusion of the vision of the River was that everything the River touched was healed. (see Ezekiel 47:9) Everything lived. Can this be the new kind of norm? Can you and I believe such a thing?

As kids say…. I double dare you to believe such a thing!

Ministry In The Mountains

Around the age of fourteen I began to lead youth meetings. I would later understand it was almost the same as pastoral ministry. I had about 20 youth that I spoke to each week. I prepared some scripture but mostly shared my heart with them. I remember that the light bulb burned out in the room we used and instead of replacing the bulb I used lamp light. This made it more intimate as we experienced a mellow atmosphere that Jesus definitely entered and we were blessed. In those days we knew so little about Holy Spirit and The Presence. All I knew how to do was to bring the same things I experienced privately into a cooperate setting. It worked. Without me fully understanding what was happening I now understand that it was an overflow. I was working from an overflow of my relationship with Christ instead of trying to impress with my knowledge. My knowledge was very limited so I really had no other choice. This was all about to change.

The autumn after I turned 18, I began preaching in revival meetings. Again, I relied heavily upon the anointing to give me the words to say since my knowledge was still very limited. There has to be a balance between anointing and knowledge. I had minister friends that totally depended upon the anointing and never studied the word except an hour or so to find a text to preach from. I also listened to other speakers who had a knowledge of the word but it was dry and boring. When knowledge alone was their means of ministry there seemed to be a lack of the breath of God upon their speaking. I would have to find a balance.

For my study I used several study bibles and a Matthew Henry Commentary. I went beyond the KJV version when the Lord told me that He was holding me responsible if I closed my mind to only the KJV. I didn’t want to be held responsible in the things of God. Later I attended seminary in Atlanta at Emory University followed by several summers at Duke University. Some of my old-time mountain preacher friends thought this was a big mistake. They often preached against seminary and even advised me that community college was useless for me. I was divided about it. However, the Methodist Church required that I attend seminary so I felt I had no choice. I would do whatever was required of me because I knew God had placed me in the church they had given me to pastor.

Moving into Pastoral ministry at 19 (although I had said I would never do it) instead of Evangelistic ministry required different skills. It also moved me into a new mind-set of responsibility like I had never known. I felt I was responsible for everything. Like a shepherd of a flock of sheep…. it seemed I was concerned about every hair that fell from their head. Every loss was painful to me. Every misunderstanding was painful to me. When news of controversy came I would feel myself almost freeze in fear. I was responsible for them and their circumstances…. so I thought.

In pastoral ministry we can become so pressured by people and their needs that our focus is no longer on the will of God. Our joy leaves us because ministry has become a burden. This is false responsibility. It is one of the biggest and heaviest religious spirits. Most pastors are under the weight of these spirits. This is especially true here in the mountains where tradition has taught the people that this is status quo. A pastor is expected to visit the sick person even though no one has let him know their loved one is sick. I know of a couple of examples when Holy Spirit would place someone upon my heart and I would visit them to find them extremely sick. Holy Spirit saved the day. Although no one had called me, they were expecting me.

Funerals are unique here in the mountains. After moving on to other pastorates, I have often been called back to a former pastorate to do a funeral. Once I was called to do the funeral of a family member I had never met. They were upset at their present pastor and wanted me to come back and do the funeral. I loved this family very much. I had baptized their children and ate at their table. I had a major problem though. I had already scheduled a trip to a conference that I had felt would greatly benefit me. It was a conference on Intercession and it was my strongest passion to learn all I could about intercession in that season of my life. I canceled the trip and did the funeral. I have always regretted it and cringe inside as I write about it. I ministered to needs instead of being led by Holy Spirit.

When Jesus heard that Lazarus was dying He had a choice. Lazarus was a good friend and his family was like family to Jesus. He had dined at their home and enjoyed their friendship unlike any other. However, Jesus didn’t respond to Lazarus’ need but He responded to the voice of His Father. He remained where He was for a while. When Jesus saw Father giving Him the thumbs up to go to Bethany where Lazarus was, He went, but not before and not after. God knows what He's doing! Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. I have always joked that Jesus could not have made it as a Pastor here in the mountains. He was late visiting the sick and late for funerals. He would have been fired by the deacon board.

Deacon boards, Elder boards, and church committees have been a vehicle for the spirit of false responsibility to ride upon. Much like the Sanhedrin (of the Old Testament) that Moses set in order to help him with the daily responsibilities, the early church chose deacons to help with the food for widows. That is what deacons should be doing. But, things have changed and deacons often destroy pastors and local congregations with their hunger for power. They often vote and make the decisions that control the ministry of the local congregation. When will we understand that a majority vote is not always right? This often results in the Holy Spirit being pushed out the door and the ways of man are honored and God is hindered. I personally feel that most of these governing groups are as outdated as the Sanhedrin. There are many things that start out right and end up wrong because of the ways of man. When something good becomes infiltrated with religious spirits it is perverted and becomes a tool in the hand of the enemy.

I know the former paragraph may touch a nerve with some who read this but touching nerves is often a good way to flush out religious spirits. If it irritates you…. then let it surface and rid yourself of it. It’s hard to kill a bird in the bush but if you flush it out you can have it for supper. Time and paper would not allow me to write of all the bad experiences I have had with boards and committees. Our local laws require congregations to have Trustee boards. These boards care for the legal matters of the congregation. Non-profit organizations and Para church organizations require a board of directors. Again, as long as they stay in the bounds of their duty all is well. I am not promoting lack of leadership and structure. We just need to guard against the control of man replacing the leadership of the Holy Spirit. It is really good when boards have people on them like Stephen who are full of wisdom and the Holy Spirit. But, these people are sometimes stoned.

Under the new covenant it is a heart thing instead of a law thing. God promises to put a new heart and a new spirit in His people. False responsibility will cause us to toil to become Holy Spirit for the people. As leaders we need to teach the people how to hear God for themselves. This brings maturity of intimacy and relationship. This is a part of their process to know God better. Jesus told how some people would hear Him say in the end that He never knew them. What a sad conclusion. Are we hindering people from knowing God intimately because we allow them to use us to be their hearing devise? That is scary. Affirmations and confirmations are good. When someone gives us a prophesy or encouragement that lines up with what God has already shown us, it is like wind for our sails. Leaders and other believers can provide wonderful encouragement and nutrition for us but there is more. We need to gather manna for ourselves and enjoy it in fellowship with each other. We all bring different things to the table. As a body we compliment each other with testimony of our experience in cooperate gatherings. We also bring uniqueness of gifts and purpose to the table.
　
False responsibility keeps people from what God has called them to do. They find themselves trying to please the congregation or persons elected to be on governing boards. Can we not see that this aborts the will of God in our lives? So much repentance needs to be done in this area of ministry. This causes many pastors and ministers to work under a yoke that Jesus never put on them. Heavy burn-out is a result. Let me repeat… false responsibility is a heavy religious spirit. Our calling is to obey the Lord and to be Spirit-led. Jesus is the Great Shepherd and the people are His responsibility. Jesus said He would build the Church. We are to expand the Kingdom. We are to be light and salt in the world. Jesus will take care of church problems one way or the other. In my mind I think I heard someone say Hallelujah. Maybe it was the old mountain preachers who are wrinkled and worn by their years of ministry under heavy loads of needless responsibilities.

After more than 30 years of pastoral ministry things are different now. I have chosen to not become old and worn by the years of ministry. Little by little I am laying down false responsibility. My biggest awakening came a couple of years ago. I had planned my first real vacation in 10 years for Makinaw Island in Michigan. A few weeks before the vacation time a member of my congregation asked me to do a wedding during the planned time of my vacation. I canceled the vacation and did the wedding. My reasoning was that this person was someone I needed to work along beside me in ministry and I didn‘t want to let him down. It’s been a couple of years and he is inactive. I knew I had made a bad choice when I made it two years ago. Succeeding to false responsibility is useless. Instead of stressing out over the needs I encounter, I now look for the thumbs up of my Heavenly Father.

We will see an acceleration of people with needs in our society in the coming days. Dark is becoming great darkness (see Isaiah 60:2) But light is increasing in the great darkness. God is arising and His glory is appearing all over the earth. Light is often in the form of revelation and present truth. Nuggets of simple truth that release us from yokes of useless burdens will be appreciated. God is calling us to a life of responsibility and stewardship. Actually it can be easy as we learn to just simply look for a thumbs up from the Father. Jesus said He only did what He saw the Father doing and only said what He heard the Father saying. (see John 5:19 and 8:28) Why should we do any differently?
　
Now for the icing on the cake. I love to minister from the overflow. My private time is spent in simple relationship with my Lord. We read, talk, sing, dream, discuss, ask questions, get answers, enjoy the mysteries, eat, sleep and enjoy life. Sermons and ministry are just an overflow of my personal life with Christ. It’s such a joy to do what I see the Father doing and say what I hear Him saying. I know that He loves me and His love never fails. I cannot forget what I heard Him speak to my heart when I was 18 after speaking in that first revival meeting. I heard the words that the Father spoke at Jesus’ baptism, “This is My Beloved Son and I am well pleased.” I knew even back then that God loved me before I ever became pastor of the five churches I have enjoyed working with or traveled the mission fields to ten nations. I don’t have to impress Him. My responsibility is to love Him with all my heart, soul, mind and strength and He will take care of the rest. Today, well prepared sermons have given way to just speaking from the overflow of a life of intimacy. Ministry to the people is much more simple as I just handle them like I see Jesus handling them. He prayed for them, healed them, delivered them, and taught them.

Now don’t misunderstand me. I am not out there in the “wild, wild west” of ministry. I meet with others (a group made up of others in ministry) for accountability. I keep in touch with what God is doing in ministry in our nation and other parts of the world. I listen weekly to sermons by other ministers that I have recorded. I am always in the process of reading a book. The word of God always is alive and fresh to me as I read it. I love my life. I am not becoming an old and wrinkled (at least not spiritually wrinkled) mountain preacher with a cane and a scowl. I am hiking the trails and climbing my mountains. Life is good.