***Go and Tell of a King***

Where do you like to worship? Some prefer large cathedrals , others a simple chapel. But would anyone's first choice be a stable? Yet, after hearing the message of the angels, the shepherds' first response was to find the stable where Mary had given birth to the Savior.
To me, this only confirms that our God is the God of the unexpected. And few things could be more unexpected than the King of Heaven being born in a stable. (Luke 2:15-16)
I've often heard people use this expression,"You are not defined by what happens to you, but by how you respond to what happens to you." This is true, I suspect, in areas of life both good and bad, both joyful and painful,both exciting and terrifying. How we respond measures us in ways that words fail to express.
The shepherds response was, first, to worship, and second, to tell what they had seen.(Luke 2:17-18)
This is true worship---to kneel before the Christ so that you are then able to stand before others and proclaim His glory and salvation...
To think that all this burst forth from a worship experience in a most unlikely place , on a most unlikely night,involving some most unlikely men.(Luke 2:20)
Two thousand years later, we continue to celebrate the Lamb,and we join the shepherds who were the first to do so...

May God Bless You All as we Worship our Savior at this time of the year.
Paul P

# Identity Settled #

When you know who you are, taking BIG risk makes sense... (1Timothy 6:11-12)
Paul knew that the quickest and most effective way to pull greatness out of his pupil Timothy was to remind him of who he really was . He might be tempted to be someone else, but Timothy was God's man-- that was his identity. In Timothy's life it meant fleeing inconsistent identities, fighting hard for what he believed, and being loyal to his calling as God's man.

In the same way, Jesus pulled His guys in tight to emphasize that their identity meant lining up on the right side of the ball.(John 15:19). The crystal clear message : -----blending in with the world is not the mark of His men...

Here is a fact---We risk more for God when our identity is firmly in God...

Are you on His team? (Luke6:46)
PaulP

...Looking for the will of God...

"Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens,engages in witchcraft,or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord, and because of these detestable practices, the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you."
(Deuteronomy 18-10-12)

People have devised all kinds of approaches in seeking God's will. Some consult Ouija boards. Some go to New age "Channelers," who claim to be the vehicles for the counsel of wise people long dead. Some flip a coin. And some sophisticated church leaders use computer-generated probability studies. They argue that it's God"s will to use technology to seek God"s will.
But seeking God"s will didn"t begin in the 20th century. As far back as we can go in recorded history, people have tried to get divine guidance for the living of life.
People in the ancient world used all kinds of ways to determine the mind of the gods. Some of them studied livers,(yeah I said livers) there thinking was that the center of thought was in the stomach, not in the head. During their rituals the priest would kill an animal. While the animal was still warm they ripped it open, cut out the liver,and by the motion of the animal's organ ---
the quiver of the liver---discovered the mind of the gods.
Today we no longer believe in the mystical powers of the stomach, even though sometimes it seems as if we're thinking with our stomachs rather than our heads. This legacy still remains in our language, particularly when someone says they made a gut decision""Just felt it in my gut.""
Paul wrote, "In Him we were all chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will.(Ephesians 1:11) In essence, Paul was saying that history is God's story and that He writes the story line.
God has a sovereign will, and He chooses to reveal parts of it to us. But are we taking undue liberties(being overbold) on holy ground when we readily identify "our will"- or the actions of our church, organization, or movement--with His will??? Much of God's sovereign will is hidden from us, shrouded in mystery and majesty.
Occasionally we catch a glimpse of it. Let us try to stay tuned in to His will everyday.. HOW--You already know the answer to that, but let me say it once again. I really believe that God gave us the Bible, which itself is sufficient enough to guide us (stay in it).
Wisdom through Prayer... When we pray, we can also ask God for wisdom. "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt." (James 1:5-6) (Prayer time)

God has given us tremendous freedom and resposibility in making decisions. When seeking to carry out that resposibility, the place for us to begin is in an attitude of complete submission to the sovereign will of the all-- powerful God...

God Bless us all...
PaulP

!!!You can't escape This War!!!!

Remember, when Jesus boiled His whole mission down to healing the brokenhearted and setting prisoners free from darkness, He was referring to all of us. our modern, scientific, worldview has simply removed spiritual warfare as a practical category, and so it shouldn't surprise us that we can't see spiritual strongholds after we say they don't really exist.
If we deny the battle raging against our hearts ,well,then,the thief just gets to steal and kill and destroy. There is no war is the subtle --but pervasive-- lie sown by an Enemy so familiar to us we don't even see him. For to long he has infiltrated the ranks of the church,and we haven't even recognized him...Any movement toward freedom and life, any movement toward God or others will be opposed. Marriage,friendship,beauty,rest----the thief wants it all.
So, it becomes the devil's business to keep the Christians spirit imprisoned. He knows we have been raised up out of the grave of his sins and trespasses. From that point on, satan works that much harder to keep us bound and gagged. He knows that if he can keep us in this kind of bondage .... we are no better off than when we were spiritually dead.
We can end this agony if we will treat it for what it is----Warfare---break free and send the enemy packing!
Hebrews 12:2-3
PaulP

The New Plague

When Jesus encountered people who wanted His healing touch, he never questioned them about how they became sick. Jesus was not condemning nor condescending. Why is that? We have to remember His mission. He came for the sick, not the healthy. He came for sinners, not the righteous. This was His mission.
He used many different methods of healing , but He never pre-screened individuals or sent them away because of previous sins. He dealt with the truth of their sins with love and mercy. He did not have to ask questions. He searched hearts and knew that all needed forgiveness and His healing touch.
The plague-- 'complacency'-- we have become a nation of complacent christians. Letting someone else carry out the "Great Commission". I am just as guilty- at times when it seems our moral,social,physical,economic,and environment- rebels against all that we should hold onto- that seems like it would be more dear to us than all the worldly habits -but we somehow still become complacent. The american culture and mass media contribute to this mind-set that we can so easily enter into. It promotes an alternate lifestyle that is against God's commands.
Every person has a soul ,and the greatest thing we can do is to share with each and everyone the hope that we have in Jesus Christ, the Savior of our souls. We should be leading, not following or watching. We must come into line with God's mindset and get completely into the Battle that rages before our nation and our very eyes, a plague that seems to want to take over our lives through complacency and letting the other guy do it.
We must become an army of christian men and women going out across the globe to wage war against satan and his army of hellions.
God Bless and give you strength during this battle.
PaulP

For Men Only!

Here's a few things that's working against us. Were traveling through life unconnected and unexamined, but we are Oh so careful to maintain an Image suggesting that were OK when we really aren't... The man we present in public looks all right,while deep inside we harbor great turmoil and conflict.
But were not living in a vacuum, those emotions have to go somewhere. Some who feel unconnected choose avenues of relief and comfort outside of God's plan,which only brings harm to our relationships with Him and others. Our emotional conflicts are compounded by bitterly contested spiritual conflicts as the world, the flesh, and Satan exploit our isolation. Satan will create diversions, and that is all that it is a 'diversion'. He gives us way to many substitutes to God's actual plan for our lives.
So, What's the plan??? Here's one plan that can work (of course we need to stay connected to God through prayer) But also if men are not progressing personally, spiritually,relationally, we may not have connected on an honest level with other men. But we need to! Men relating to other men is right where God wants us to be. It's where we can get help when it is most needed, watch each others back, pray for and encourage one another, and care enough to confront so that we help each other become the men God created us to be...
James 5:19-20
" My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from a multitude of sins."
PaulP

The Price of Vision

Isaiah 6:1
"In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord."

My vision of God depends upon the state of my character. Character determines revelation. Before I can say "I also saw the Lord," there must be something also corresponding to God in my character. Until I am born again and begin to see the kingdom of God, I see along the line of my prejudices only; I need the surgical operation of external events and an internal purification.

It must be God first, God second, and God third, until life is faced steadily with God and no one else has as much persuasion as Him. keep paying the price. And let God see that you are willing to live up to the vision..
PaulP

-Strength and Impact-

Paul had two goals for Timothy: That he would be Strong and that he would risk making an Impact. One is for Spiritual character. The other is for your actions for Christ. One is being; the other is doing...When both come together you have a powerful witness for Him. To stay focused as God's men, we must tap the strength of God's grace.
Paul gave Timothy the secret to a long lasting witness for Jesus Christ: Grace...What saved us is also what sustains us as God's men. If we focus on the love and forgiveness we were given, we become unstoppable for God. No doubt, No fear, No regret. No opinion or prideful thinking can overpower our witness.
Someone once said" When the risen Christ is central, you know what is peripheral. Never confuse the two."

PaulP

*Guide My Footsteps this Day*

To walk in the Spirit is a challenging exercise, for it combines activity with relaxation. To walk means to place one foot in front of the other. If you stop doing this, you are no longer walking--you are standing still. Walking always implies movement,progress and direction. Sin shall no longer rule or dominate you when you are allowing the Holy Spirit to live Christ's life through you. It is living by faith,living by trust,living in dependence upon God. If we look to our own resources, our own strength, our own ability, as Peter did when he walked on the water, we will fail. You cannot live the Christian life by yourself. The Holy Spirit must live in you and express Himself through you. Living for Christ is a day -by -day experience. It is continually depending upon the Spirit of God. It is believing in His faithfulness...

Galatians 5:16 (TLB)
"I advise you to obey only the Holy Spirit's instructions. He will tell you where to go and what to do, and then you won't always be doing the wrong things your evil nature wants you to do."
PaulP

Somewhere in the Middle

Have you ever heard a song that inspires, uplfts, encourages,or even convicts you to the point to where it makes you quit listening and begin to deal with an issue or issues in your personal life that can only be dealt with between you and your God through times of prayer and meditating in the Word??? -Listen to some of the Lyrics of this song-
"Somewhere between the Hot and the Cold-Somewhere between the new and the Old-
Somewhere between who I am and who I used to be-Somewhere in the middle, you'll
find me- Just how close can I get ,Lord, to my surrender without losing all control.......(Chorus)
Fearless Warriors in a picket fence, reckless abandon wrapped in common sense--
Deep water faith in the shallow end and we are caught in the middle- with eyes wide
open to the differences,the God we want and the God who is-But will we trade our
dreams for His or are we caught in the middle...?"
This is the first verse and the chorus to a song "Casting Crowns" has out called "Somewhere in the Middle". I've been in this place so many times that I am actually ashamed to admit it. The sadness of knowing that you are not where you should be , and the devestation that it can do to your soul can happen quickly; But I know that God Loves and can Heal and Restore...
The very last sentence wrote in this song (by Mark Hall) goes like this---
"Lord, I feel you in this place and I know your by my side-- Loving me even on these nights
when I'm caught in the Middle."
Galatians 2:20 - says " My Old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.."
So- sometimes we end up in the "Middle" but we don't have to stay there,because there is a loving and caring God that can Restore and Heal.
Have a good day--PaulP

Part - Time Christian ?

If you ever read this blog you can tell that it has not had much traffic in the past few months. The main reason for that is I have taken a part/full time job, that I enjoy.
But it makes me think - are our lives that are supposedly to be dedicated to our Savior the same as my part-time job, just part/full time (more part -than -full)?

Is your heart divided? Or does God have a piece of your heart, but the rest belongs to you? Or someone else? If you've given your heart wholly to God, perhaps you remember a time when your heart was divided, A divided heart places our entire lives in jeopardy. Only God can be totally trusted with our hearts. He doesn't demand our complete devotion to feed His ego, but to provide for our safety.

Many motives exist for serving God other than pleasure and delight. God wants us to serve Him with a willing spirit, one that would choose no other way. Right now you may be frustrated because serving and knowing God is not your greatest pleasure. You may be able to instantly acknowledge a divided heart. Your question may be how can I change the way I feel?
You can't- But God can. Give Him your heart -- your whole heart. Give Him permission to change it.
Deuteronomy 30:6 says " The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love Him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live."

I know we will never be men and women after God's own heart with half-hearted devotion. A heart wholly devoted to God is a heart like His.

Yes this new job makes me part/time to my blog -and part/time to some of my yard work and -part/time to some other task at hand - but it will not let my heart become part/time to Him- the one that delivers me from all sorts of trials and is my ultimate deliverer at the end of the ages--deserves way more than a part/full time mentality. SO how's your heart have you became a "Part time Christian ?"

Here's an ending thought from PaulP--"God didn't call us to follow other people; He called us to follow Him wholeheartedly!"

A Bright Future

How bright do you believe your future to be? Well, if your a believer, God has plans for you that are so bright that you had better pack you some sunglasses and a lifetime supply of sunblock!
The way that you think about your future can play a powerful role in determining how things turn out. So here's another question: Are you expecting a terrific tommorrow, or are you dreading a terrible one??? The answer to that question will have a powerful impact on the way tommorrow unfolds.
Today as you live in the present and look to the future, remember that God has an amazing plan for you. Act--and believe--accordingly. And one more thing : don't forget the sunblock...

"But we are hoping for something we do not have yet, and we are waiting for it patiently."
Romans 8:25
PaulP

Plant a crop of friendship!!!

A Seeking heart is always evidence that God is sovereignly drawing that person, for as Jesus said "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him." (John 6:44)
Friendships provide the most fertile soil for evangelism. When the reality of Christ is introduced into a relationship of love and trust that has already been established in that friendship, then the effect is powerful... 2 Chronicles 16:9 - says- "The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him."
PaulP

Focus!

Hebrews 12 says we are to look to Jesus, as our author and finisher of our faith. That focus is essential. People who look to circumstances for direction or inspiration find nothing to sustain them. But those who look to Jesus remain productive and growing.
When I was a student athelete, I can remember the coaches hollering, "keep your eyes on the ball!" It really didn't matter if it was football,basketball,or baseball. It was always the same. "Watch the ball!"
You can't hit the ball if you don't see it. You can't catch the ball if you don't keep your eye's on it. You can't be a great athelete--no matter what sport you choose--without a great amount of focus.
In the same way, keeping your eyes focused and fixed on Jesus Christ as the goal of your life will always make you a winner. And remember--- even suffering may be a part of that process. Scripture says that Jesus learned obedience by things He suffered (Hebrews 5:8).

For Emergency Use Only!

I read a story of a missionary and his wife that was serving in New Hebrides Islands, that had an astounding experience with prayer.
One night, some years ago, they found their mission headquarters surrounded by hostile tribespeople. The islanders carried torches, and their plan was to burn down the headquarters with the missionaries in it. The couple prayed to God throughout the night. At dawn, they looked outside and saw the tribespeople had gone. Surprised but grateful, they went to their knees and thanked God for their mysterious deliverance.
Sometime later the chief was converted to faith in Jesus Christ. The missionary couple asked the new christian about that night, when he and his people had come to burn down the headquarters. "Why didn't you kill us that night?"
"We tried to," said the chief,"but we couldn't. The men who guarded your house would not let us near." The missionary said, "What men? we had no men guarding our house. There was no one in or around our house but my wife and me."
"We know what we saw," said the chief. " We saw warriors standing guard--tall men in shining robes, with fiery swords in their hands. When we tried to attack, they held us off. They surrounded the mission house so we could not get to it."
So the missionaries have very good reason to believe in God, in Angels, and in the power of prayer--especially in an emergency!

Unfortunately, a lot of people think prayer is only for emergencies. They operate by saying" If all else fails--Pray." If we are honest with ourselves, we have to admit that this has been our attitudes many times. When everything is going well, when we are successful and comfortable, when the road ahead is smooth, we think, "I'm doing fine all by myself. Who needs God?" Oh, we would never express such a thought out loud, but that is what our self-sufficient attitude really comes down to.
Then trouble strikes--whatever it may be, illness, financial, stressful time on the job. Suddenly we are intesely aware of our inadequacy and our need. Suddenly we are ready for prayer. Why do we so often wait for troubles to strike before we go to God in prayer? Why do we so often think of prayer as "For Emergency Use Only?"

PaulP

White as Snow

We had our crosses silhoutted with snow last week here on our hill.
But years ago on a hill outside of Jerusalem stood three crosses silhoutted against a dark afternoon sky.

Hanging between two criminals was our Savior, both guilty as sin, one a believer, one unbeliever. One says "we are guilty He is not", the other scoffs "save us and yourself". One ask for mercy and received it. The other died in his sins.

The moment I snapped this picture - with all the snow at the cross, the only thing I could think of was "How fitting this picture was in correlation of what Christ did on that cross; He shed all of his blood so we could be made pure , as pure as the driven snow". If we will but only repent and accept Him as our Savior and Redeemer. We are just as guilty of sin as were those two that hung on each side of Jesus, and He is still in the business of forgiving if we will only seek Him and ask for forgiveness.

John3:16
PaulP

Praise,Praise,Praise...

Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;His love endures forever.(Psalm 106:1)

The Bible makes it clear we are to praise God. But sometimes we allow ourselves to become preoccupied with the demands of everyday life that we forget to say "Thank You" to the giver of all good gifts. Worship and praise should be a part of everything we do. Otherwise, we quickly lose perspective as we fall prey to the demands of the moment.

Do you sincerely desire to be a worthy servant of the one who has given you eternal love and eternal life? Then praise Him for who He is and for what He has done for you. And not just on Sunday morning. Praise Him all day long, every day, for as long as you live.. and then for all eternity.
Psalm 71:14 (But as for me. I will always have hope;I will praise you
more and more.)
PaulP

*Let's Worship Him*

As I was doing my devotional time this morning I switched over and checked my e-mail, and there was an image a brother had sent to me. It was a very encouraging picture of Christ knocking upon a door. There were so many verses that flooded my mind upon seeing this image-of course the first was "behold I stand at the door and knock."(Rev.3:20).

But after looking at this image,(the same one you are looking at now), I had the feeling He is actually seeking something here, and I knew there was a special verse for me within this caption. Luke 19:10 that's a seeking verse, but that didn't do it for me. And so I search The word for that verse meant for me this morning , and I found it in the Gospel of John 4:23-24. "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth".

God has a wonderful plan for your life, and an important part of that plan includes worship. We should never deceive ourselves: every life is based upon some form of worship. The question is not whether we worship but what we worship?

Some of us choose to worship God. The result is an extreme harvest of joy, peace,and abundance. Some may distance themselves from God by worshiping earthly possessions. To do so is a mistake of profound proportions. If you have accepted the grace of God, through His only begotten Son, then worship Him. Worship Him today and every day. Write His name on your heart and rest assured that He, too, has written your name on His.

Worship is not meant to be boxed up in a church building on Sunday morning. Worship should be woven into the very fabric of our lives.

When I received this image from my dear brother in Christ. He had wrote a short message that said " I hope this will make your day better." It did.. Thanks. Our Father seeks us to Worship Him. In Spirit and Truth. Let us so worship accordingly...

PaulP

Sharing your Faith

Joshua 1:9 has actually been a verse that I have adopted as my motto as a believer--"Be bold and courageous don't be afraid, or dismayed, The Lord our God is with you wherever you go".

Our personal testimonies are extremely important, but sometimes, because of shyness or insecurities, were afraid to share our experiences. And that's unfortunate.
In his second letter in Timothy, Paul shares a message to believers of every generation when he writes,"God has not given us a spirit of timidity" (1:7). Paul's meaning is clear: When sharing our beliefs, we, as Christians, must be courageous, forthright, and unashamed.
We live in a world that desperately needs the healing message of Christ Jesus. Every believer, each in his or her own way, bears responsibility for sharing the good news of our Savior.
Billy Graham once observed and said, "Our faith grows by expression. If we want to keep our faith, we must share it." If you are a follower of Christ, the time to express your belief in Him is now. You know He has touched your heart; help Him do the same for others.

To stand in an uncaring world and say. "See here is the Christ" is a daring act of courage.
PaulP
Luke 12:8

Honesty Works, Dishonesty Doesn't

Unless your honest with yourself, your friends, and your God, you're headed for trouble , and fast.

It has been said on many occasions and in many ways that honesty is the best policy. For believers, it is far more important to note that honesty is God's policy. And if we are to be servants worthy of our savior, Jesus Christ, we must be honest and forthright in our communications with others.

Living a life of integrity means being honest with other people and with ourselves. Sometimes, honesty is difficult;sometimes, honesty is painful;always, honesty is God's commandment...

In the Book of Exodus, God did not command."Thou shalt not bear false witness when it's convenient." And He didn't say,"Thou shalt not bear false witness most of the time." God said,"Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor".Period.

Sometime soon you will be tempted to deceive someone(or perhaps you'll be tempted to deceive yourself). Resist the temptation. Truth is God's way... and it must also be yours. Period.

"Therefore laying aside falsehood,speak truth, each one of you, with his neighbor, for we are members of one another".
Ephesians 4:25

You can direct your thoughts.. Make sure you keep them headed in the right direction.
PaulP

Look Up!

Years ago, as a rookie fire fighter, during a large apartment fire, I was sent up to the top of an extended ladder on the ladder truck to be the nozzleman. About three quarters of the way up(about 75 feet) I made the mistake of looking down. The truck looking very small combined with the wind and smoke made for a frightening experience. At that moment I began to lose my balance. The only thing that kept me from coming off of that ladder was what I heard my Captain shouting ,"Look up,son! Look up!" I did as he said and regained my balance.

Similarly, when our focus is on the circumstances that we face, the winds and smoke of life, we can easily lose our balance and our direction. But when we switch our focus onto the victory that the Lord has already provided-- it is then that we will be able to maintain our stability, finish the assignments we have been given and get to the top!

Are you feeling unstable today? Let's Look Up! There's no reason to look anywhere else--- God has the victory already won... Psalm 98:1

PaulP

Equip yourself for battle!

Luke4:1-14
Why choose this particular passage in Luke? Because it tells us of the temptation of Christ. Who better to teach us how to handle temptation than our Lord and Savior. It tells us that He was led into the wilderness by the Spirit and fasted for forty days being tempted of the devil. Just as in our walk with the Lord, the devil tries to intervene in our relationship with Him. It is recorded that satan tempted Christ several different times. How many times does satan come and tempt you just as he did Jesus? How were you able to handle the tempting? Jesus used the Word of God as a weapon to overcome the temptations. He put the Word into action and by His confidence in God's Word and His faith, He was able to put an end to all of satans attacks. The use of God's Holy Word in our every day christian life is able to overcome whatever temptations satan may throw at us. We can overcome through faith in His Word, that His Word is able to stand true even in times of temptation.

PaulP
P.S. What piece of the armor will you be using to thwart satans temptation???
Ephesians 6:10-18........God Bless you all and stay in "THE WORD"---The Sword of the Spirit...
This is just one piece of the armor that you have available to you in your fight against the prince of darkness. let's use it daily......Put on the full armor and stand ready!!!

RULES OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

"And as you would that men should do to you, do you also to them."(Luke 6:31)

Whether you are playing a game , driving a car, or baking a cake, there are certain rules that must be followed if you are to succeed.
The Bible teaches that the Christian life is one of constant growth. When you are born again , you are born into the spiritual world. You become a baby in God's family. It is God's purpose that you will grow into full stature and become mature in Christ. It would be against the law of God and nature if you were to remain a baby and thus become a spiritual dwarf. In 2 Peter 3:18, the Bible says that we are to grow. This implies steady development, constant enlargement, increasing wisdom.

In order to grow certain rules must be observed for good spiritual health.

1. Read your Bible daily---your spiritual life needs food. What kind of food? Spiritual food. Where do you find this spiritual food? In the Bible, the Word of God. The Bible reveals Christ, who is the Bread of Life for your hungry soul, and the water of life for your thirsty heart.
2. Learn the secret of prayer---You know have a Heavenly Father. He hears and answers prayer. Jesus said "Ask anything in my name and I will do it." A prayerless christian is a powerless christian. Christ spent hours in prayer. If He had to pray how much more do we need to pray!
3. Rely on the Holy Spirit---As a born again Christian Christ dwells in you through the Holy Spirit. Your body is now the dwelling place of the Third Person of the Trinity. Ask Him to take over your life. Stand aside and let Him take over in all choices and decisions of your life.
4. Attend Church regularly---Christianity is a religion of fellowship. Following Christ means love, righteousness,service; and these can only be achieved and expressed through social relations. The church is Christ's organization upon earth. It is a place where we worship God, learn His word, and fellowship with other Christians.
5. Be a witnessing Christian---If you are practicing the four above this one will take care of itself-just as it follows naturally that if a cup is being filled continually it is bound to overflow. We are duly appointed and commissioned ambassadors of the King of Kings. We have bread for a hungry world. The people may seem to be so busy feeding on other things that they will not accept the Bread of Life, but we must keep on giving it, offering it to the souls of men.

PaulP Acts 20:24 (NLT)

Too Busy to Pray?

2 Chronicles 7:14

From the look of things , were all extremely busy guys.(and gals) You may have a demanding schedule and you have neglected to pay sufficient attention to a particular part of your life, the Spiritual part. If so, today is the day to change, and one way to make that change is to simply spend a little more time talking to God.
Sometimes instead of turning our thoughts and prayers to him, we may rely on our on resources Instead of asking God for guidance, we rely upon our own limited wisdom. A far better course of action is this: simply stop what your'e doing long enough to open your heart up to God : then listen carefully for His directions.
In all things great and small , seek God's wisdom and His grace. He hears your prayers, and He will answer. All you must do is ask.
Prayer strengthens your relationship with God.
PaulP Mark 11:24

Character

Keeping to the theme of "What is Integrity" here is a part that will stem from Integrity.

Character-- People today are desperate for leaders , but they want to be influenced only by individuals they can trust, persons of good Character. If you want to become someone who can positively influence other people , develop qualities of Integrity and live them everyday.

O.K. so your saying to yourself "What qualities is this guy talking about?" I will throw a few of them at you, there may be more , but here are a few that strike me right out of the gate.

• Trust- Solid trust can develop only when people can trust you all the time.


• Trustworthy- Your words and actions should match up.


• Humility- People won't trust you if they see that you are driven by ego, jealousy, or a belief that you are better than they are.


• Support-Nothing develops your Character better than your desire to put others first. If you will help others to succeed, you will succeed also.


• Promises- Never promise anything you can't deliver, and when you say you will do something carry through with it. A sure way to break Trust with others is to fail to fulfill your commitments.


• Service- We have been put on this earth not to be served, but to serve.

These are some that come to mind and there are more, It's not easy , and I'm not saying that I adhere to all of these, I'm just saying that we must try to live a life of Integrity. The goal of influence is not manipulation; it's participation. Including others in your life. PaulP

What is Integrity ?

A question that some may not, or cannot answer.

"The Lord is near all that call out to Him, all that call out to Him with integrity."(HCSB). It sounds as if God is actually requiring us to have integrity when we pray to Him. Webster describes integrity as--"an adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character, honesty." Developing and maintaining integrity require constant attention. It is absolutely essential to have integrity if you desire to become a person of influence. Anytime you compromise your integrity, you do yourself an incredible amount of damage. That's because integrity really is your best friend. It will never betray you or put you in a compromising position. It keeps your priorities right. When your tempted to take shortcuts, it helps you stay the right course. When others criticize you unfairly, it helps you to keep going and take the high road of not striking back. And when others criticism is valid, integrity helps you to accept what they say, learn from it, and keep growing.

The bottom line when it comes to integrity is that it allows others to Trust you. And without Trust you have nothing. Trust is the single most important factor in personal and professional relationships. And it is a key to becoming a person of influence.
When you earn peoples Trust, you begin to earn their confidence. In order to be a leader, a man must have followers, a man must have their confidence. The supreme quality for a leader is unquestionable integrity. Your talk and actions must square with one another . Therefore integrity must be counted as the highest purpose to benefit trust.
When people begin to trust you, your level of influence increases, and that is when you are able to begin impacting their lives.

Here is a short story of how your talk and actions must square with one another to be trusted by your followers.
When I was in the Fire Service I had a Captain that was over a team of seven men, When he ask us to go into a burning structure there was no doubt on any of our minds to even hesitate at such a command. Why? Because he had proven to us and faught fire beside us in most every situation that we had ever faced. He would always tell us " I will never send you into anything that I wouldn't go into myself." And we believed him because we had seen him back that statement up. His Actions were always Squaring up with his talk.

When people begin to trust you, your level of influence goes up. Power can be a dangerous thing . In most cases those who want power probably shouldn't have it, and those who have it probably enjoy it for the wrong reason. Use power to help people. There is but one just use of power and it is to serve people. Here is a question to ask yourself when you seem to be getting a little ambitious and your focus seems to be blurring .... "If the Whole World followed me , Would it be a better World?"

"The Lord is near all who call out to Him, all who call out to Him with integrity." (Psalm 145:18)

PaulP

Come Home

Several years ago, as I passed the fifty mark on the calendar of my life, I discovered a new and distinct desire to go deeper and pursue God more intentionally than ever before. I was awakened to the reality that we do ourselves no favors when we act and live as though Christianity were a stage on which we are to perform as though there were no deep need of an intimate relationship with the one who is the focus of our activity.
At the same time, God has given me gifts that enable me to be fruitful--just as He has for all believers. These gifts and His wisdom have made it possible for me to meet the challenges I have faced relatively well. Sometimes by virtue of these gifts He has given us ,we forget that we need Him. We become overconfident and forget from where these gifts originated.
But I do need Him. When we forget that we need Him, our Christianity becomes little more than a task maintained by responsibilities and requirements. And we miss the pleasure and wonder of needing Him and being in touch with His presence and power that alone can satisfy,sustain and secure us as an ongoing experience of life.
James4:8
PaulP

Get ready for a Journey*

It is getting close to that time of the year for "Journey through Easter" to begin. Preparations and planning are know an ongoing thought and prayer for this years Journey. If you are not familiar with the Journey let me just give you a few highspots of the perfomance. First of all a full blown Jerusalem market will be built on the Walnut Creek grounds, from Blacksmith shop to Net weavers, just imagine what shops would have been in Jerusalem in ancient times and they will be there for you to walk through at this time. Then comes the perfomance that you will view through a tour group with guides,(everyone dressed in the costume of that era) . Judas and the betrayal, The Lord's Supper, Disciples, Guards taking Jesus from the Garden, The Cross, and The Tomb scene. With an ever present satan lurking in the background . Come join us as we go through this Journey. March 5th - 8th. 7p/m 1969 Sego Lily rd. Diana Tx.

True Revival

I am really into the concept that we are in a battle with Good and Evil on a daily basis. It's not really a concept, it is a reality, that we are bombarded daily with satans firey arrows. So right now my theme for my mornings and daily thoughts run to "Battlefield praying." In the previous post I spoke of letting the Holy Spirit ride through and 'cut' out every and all strongholds that we may be harboring within our daily lives. Battlefield praying is not only limited to this type of praying we must extend this type of praying into all aspects of our daily lives. Here is another area where we can use Battlefield praying : For True Revival ; we can schedule a series of meetings called "Revival", but True Revival must be a sovereign work from God. You can't schedule that in advance, only God can accomplish that, in His timing and in His way. True Revival always starts through prayer. Not just your typical everyday, 'church praying' , but by truly calling out to God in intercession, calling out to Him with a true hunger for His Spirit to be poured out on us. Yeah, you know what I'm gonna say next---more Battlefield Praying. This is just another way to use it. Or in other words 'To bathe the Church in Prayer."But for me "Battlefield Praying" sounds more aggressive and we will have to be standing with the full armor on during these times of prayer. There must be so much prayer, that it becomes a force you can feel every time you walk into the sanctuary. True Revival will come suddenly, when God moves in the Bible , He does it suddenly. We pray, wait, water the seed,and it looks as if nothing is happening. Then suddenly, there's Revival. God won't warn us, He will just move into Revival.
We mustn't try to figure out when God will bring us Revival, We must be prepared for it. How?
Pray,Pray,Pray,Pray and Pray some more! Cry out to God and when the time is right, He will move. It is at the Altar that God will accomplish this. It is essential! That is the place where God will do His work upon our hearts. We must be ready for what God wants and desires to do.
God Bless and Stand always Ready! {Joshua 1:9}
PaulP

Battlefield Praying

There is a war taking place, and it's command post is the Kingdom of God. Eveywhere the Kingdom advances, there is always an ongoing battle against satan and his dark side. If you have accepted Christ as your King then you are a citizen of His Kingdom, and as you know that kingdom is at war. There is a battle raging, and it is a battle for the lost souls of this world. This is where battlefield praying can be very affective. Jesus calls us to live differently than the world. Christ insist, that to be His followers, we must live our lives not defined by worldly materials. We can't live our lives defined by the flesh and blood of this life. Peoples lives are changed by the unseen world, the world of battlefield prayer.

I met with a couple of brothers who are warriors in this battle a few days ago. One of these brothers actually drew the plan out on a piece of paper.As he was drawing I was thinking this brother is actually drawing out a battle plan, a strategy that can be used against a dark kingdom. If we are to succeed on the front lines of this battle, we have to lay bare our hearts, open ourselves up and let the Holy Spirit ride through us with His scythe cutting out all and every stronghold that is there no matter what it is. And then putting on the full armor of God daily. (Eph.6:11) And then and only then can we fight a productive battle against satan and all of his temptations. We must unify ourselves into this thought of battlefield praying. God has equipped us to overcome satans power. The apostle Paul said that "the weapons of our warfare are not carnal (of a fleshly or earthly nature), but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds."(2Cor.10:4)

Use Me

The one thing the devil fears more than any other is a God's man or woman who is willing to say those two little words each day:Use Me. We especially grab his attention when God burdens us to begin inviting others to explore a relationship with Christ. He will stop at nothing to keep these two little words from ever being fused together in prayer. He needs to keep them seperate in your life. Use Me. Two little words---A verb and a pronoun. What's the big deal, you say? Put the two together, speak them sincerely to God, and mean it. In the natural realm, it may seem insignificant. But in the spiritual world there are huge repercussions.

• It means a warrior has been added, ready to fight for souls.
• It means salvation and transformation of lives.
• It means forgiveness and healing.

Imagine the footholds of the enemy that will be taken back, live saved, relationships transformed, just because you prayed these two little words and meant them. Use Me...

PaulP

The Heart of a Warrior

Why did God create you? A man must have a battle to fight, a mission or purpose to his life. That is why God created you--to be His ally, to join Him in the battle. You have a specific place, a mission God made for you. You will always encounter at least three enemies: the world, the flesh and the devil. Let me know how you are doing in this daily and minute by minute battle.
And what are some of the weapons you are using to do your battling with.
PaulP