Learning to Laugh More!

Have you been laughing much lately? In the midst of a stressed-out world, we need comedians to help us laugh. I have the privilege of knowing a few "good, clean comedians." They seem to have a knack at finding comedy in everyday life. Thank God He created laughter to work like medicine on the hurting heart. May God help you to learn to laugh more!

"God Appointments"

Today, I experienced a few "God Appointments." The prayer breakfast was ordinary in its program but extraordinary in two "God Appointments." Over the years of serving Jesus, I have made a personal observation that God sets up appointments that help fulfill destiny in our lives. If we trust Him with all our heart and lean not to our own understanding, He will direct our paths or ways. So many believers worry over whether or not they are in God's will and don't realize that God desires to makes it easy for us to go where He is leading and working. Following the Lord does require patience and faith which is often lacking in our busy, sceptical church world. May the Lord bring on some "God Appointments" in your life today.

Plateaus

As I sit typing this blog, I am experiencing a dull soreness in my arms. Yesterday, I returned

to a place of necessity - the gym. After a few weeks off, I realized that the gym had changed in

my absence. For four years, Marie and I have been using certain machines for our exercise routines. However, when we arrived at the gym the machines were gone. So, we began a

new routine on machines we had never used before. These new machines worked muscles I

didn't even know existed. Using the old machines had resulted in a plateauing of our muscles.
Too often in God's kingdom we are content to use the same old methods to reach the lost and
to advance the kingdom. May God remove the old machines and surprise us with new machines to exercise our spiritual muscles to overcome any plateaus in our churches or in our lives. Bring on sore spiritual muscles!

The Next Move

My heart is full of the prophetic promises of God. I am strongly sensing that God desires to take His presence and power outside the walls of the church. The New Testament is full of power encounters that happened outside the walls of organized church gatherings. Divine appointments are in the plan of God for the lost and dying. May the bride of Christ hear the voice of the Spirit calling her from the bridal dressing chambers to those who long to join the procession of the bride. When the life and healing of Jesus flows from a believer into a lost and dying person, the rewards are joy, more power and blessing from God. May the next move of God's Spirit be in the streets where the broken and hurting are struggling to survive.

Back to Reality

The day after Easter, my wife and I celebrated our 25th Wedding Anniversary with a trip to Hawaii. The beauty of this earthly paradise is beyond human words of description. All the months of planning, anticipation and excitement were realized in this dream vacation. We followed-up this week in Hawaii with a week in LA at the Azusa Street Centennial. After 2 weeks of physical, emotional, mental and spiritual rest and refreshment, it is time to get back to reality. Reality is where humanity spends the majority of the calendar year. Reality is crowded with pain, suffering, sin and death. Reality may not be a paradise-like dream vacation but it is where the body of Christ serves without fanfare and hype. Let us roll up our sleeves and face reality with the love, power and joy of Jesus Christ.