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Do you repeatedly spend hours asking God to show you His will for your life, asking others how to find God's will for your life, or reading books that tell you how to find God's will for your life? If what we are seeking is truly God's own desire, why would He want to conceal that from us?
Maybe we are emphasizing the least important part of the question. We are asking "What's God's will for MY life?" when the real question is "What's GOD'S will . . .?" God's will is all about His kingdom, not me, but He invites all of us to freely participate! It is not likely that God has created one specific job for you to spend your lifetime seeking, or one specific place to live, or even one specific spouse, single people. God has set parameters in His Word for our lives. Parameters like: 22:37 And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. 22:38 This is the great and first commandment. 22:39 And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 6:14 Do not be mismated with unbelievers. For what partnership have righteousness and iniquity? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?
Beyond the parameters, what we have somehow missed is the freedom that comes from Christ. Within the parameters He has set, we are all uniquely designed beings, each different from every other. Pray for guidance, trust that God surely wants to guide you, and then get up and go. Live your life. Enjoy the passions within you, and simply make yourself available to God to use as He chooses. Live in such close relationship to Him that every second of your life is a reflection of Him, even without your intentionality, and on those occasions when He wants to lead you in a very specific way, He will reveal that to you.
As for today, if you sing, sing for His glory! If you write, write for His glory! If you're a mom, demonstrate His love to your children! If you're a husband, demonstrate His love to your wife! If you're a secretary, reflect His love in your office! If you're an executive, reflect His character in your interactions! If you enjoy the gym, reflect His character there!
We are not slaves for God. We are His beloved children. May we live our lives as joyfully as this earthly existence allows, and serve Him as we go, with joy and passion!
37:4 Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 100:2 Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! 8:32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
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Rev. Billy Graham is one of my greatest heroes. A true man of God who has lived his life above reproach. Today MSN posted an article of the wisdom of Rev. Graham, as shared by his son Franklin. It's a short article, and one that blesses and inspires:
My father became very close with the Nixons. He was fairly close with John F. Kennedy. After the Watergate era, however, he said, "I'm not going to say anything to a politician again unless it's of a spiritual nature. I'm not going to talk with them about political issues, about international issues. I'm just going to keep my mouth shut and speak to them about things that affect their hearts." I've watched him my whole life. He is my example. My father doesn't keep a record of wrongs. If someone hurts him or disappoints him, my father just forgives the person and moves on. I think that's what love is all about . . . See complete article here: Lessons from My Father.
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 Moonshine stills, gun slinging, a '34 Chevy with a jersey cow in the back seat . . . The pages of The Man Who Moved a Mountain are filled with one man's true adventures living and ministering in the Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia during the first half of the 20th century. This is an entertaining, thought-provoking, easy to read, and inspiring story of the difference one man can make when he is completely sold out to God's leading in his life.
First published in 1970 and reprinted many times, this book is endearing to those who are familiar with the Southern Virginia mountains, those who enjoy history and the local color of isolated regions of America, those who enjoy testimonies of God's power at work around us, those who, like me, are actually related to the this mountain-moving man (Bob Childress was my great great uncle), and those who just enjoy great story-telling. I just finished reading it for the second time!
Available from Jacob's Well for $12.32, or from any other Christian bookstore.
Davids, Richard C. The Man Who Moved a Mountain. 1970.
See related blog post, about my trip through "Childress Country": Chasing My Roots: One Day's Travelogue
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Hi all! Pastor Kip is doing some research on the attitudes and opinions concerning Bible Teaching in the public schools, and he has set up an on-line survey so we can participate! If you have a few minutes and want to be a part of his research, the password for the site is thegoodbook, and you can find the survey here: http://www.esurveyspro.com/Survey.aspx?id=1a636c1b-478b-416a-aa62-67fb56753609
Following is a message from Pastor Kip:
I am collecting data for a research project, and I need your help. This year, the theme of the Baptist History and Heritage Society’s annual meeting is “Baptists and First Amendment Issues.” In thinking about such issues, it occurred to me that I have never read a study of everyday Baptists’ views on Bible teaching in the public schools. I’ve read court decisions and the opinions of “experts,” but to my knowledge, no one has surveyed the opinions of the average pastor or lay person. So, I thought it might make an interesting research project. You can help me by sharing your opinions.
This is intended to be an anonymous survey. Please do not identify yourself on the survey. I have tried to make the questions as objective and neutral as possible, so you may feel the need to explain some of your answers. I have provided space for that and welcome your written explanations. In fact, your explanations will probably be more interesting and valuable than my questions. Please complete the survey only once. Please feel free to invite others to take this survey—especially if they are Baptist! I appreciate the help. I will present my findings at the Baptist History and Heritage Society’s annual meeting in Atlanta, GA. The title of my presentation is, “Baptist Views on the Bible in Public Schools: A North Carolina Case Study.” You can see the meeting program online at http://www.baptisthistory.org/annualmeeting2008.pdf. Thank you very much. Kip Mobley
The survey can be accessed at:
The survey is password protected. The password is: thegoodbook
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Is prayer really prayer, if there's no passion? What we call prayer takes many forms, often totally dependent upon words. Unfortunately I suspect that many of our "prayers" may only make it a few yards, as I believe that God hears, not our words, which were developed by man, but our hearts. Language is a wonderful tool for communicating amongst ourselves, but God doesn't need language. He hears our deepest cries. He hears our groanings that are more profound and sincere than words could ever capture.
Nehemiah was working as a servant to King Artaxerxes when he heard from his brother that those who escaped exile were shamed and in trouble. The walls of Jerusalem had been demolished, and the gates destroyed by fire. Listen to Nehemiah's reaction:
1:4 When I heard these words I sat down and wept, and mourned for days; and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.
This was something deeper than, "Lord, be with my brothers and sisters, and take care of them. Amen." This was anguish and passion. This was heart-wrenching concern.
But such prayer is dangerous, because God hears our cries, and He responds as He often does, by choosing human hands to do His work. And, as He did in Nehemiah's case, He just might choose the one who already has the passion! Yes, Nehemiah himself went to the king and asked for a leave of absence to go into Jerusalem and rebuild the walls!
Consider all the prayers we have in the Bible. Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane. Mary's prayer. Job's prayer. Daniel's prayer. David's prayer . . . Hear the passion in them. See how God moves through those who pray.
Forgive us, Lord, when we water down the word "prayer." Teach us to commune with You as You desire it. Teach us to pray so that we are Nehemiahs for Your kingdom, laying the bricks!
8:26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words.
Enon Prayer Triplets: As we pray for our church, are we passionate in our prayers for our leaders? Are we passionately seeking Enon's place in His kingdom? Are we allowing God to rend our hearts and mold us?
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