The woman met me at the door of the church building. Dressed in red, she was beautiful but “sad”. She seemed a little miffed that I had taken so long to get there. She barked at me “you are wearing sandals?” I looked at my feet and said “hmmm…I guess I am.” She continued to block the door.
Many have written much more and perhaps considerably better on the topic of serving. Why do we serve? I told my children and my grandchildren, “because we are family”. It is not a chore or a job but a responsibility and an honor to serve one another. We can spiritualize and say it is “because He served us” and throw in all the good scriptures and that is fine, but if you do not see yourself as family it is not going to do anything but be an idol or a millstone about your neck. Continue reading Why Do We Serve? Family!→
Over the years I have had many opportunities to watch the power of correction in lives. My own early life was simply an example of a man who had so little trust for others, so much pride for being right that there was little any one could do to help me or bring correction to my life.
Being the news junkie I am I have followed with interest the mystery of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 and its inability to be found after over a week. I have heard and/or read every theory out there on its disappearance and where it might be. At this point the plane is believed to be in a new area hours away from where first thought.Continue reading How Will You Respond? Course Correction→
The balloon basket was empty. Here was this gorgeous, brightly colored balloon with no one to ride in it. As I got close to it, I spotted the small console. I wanted to get a closer look. I leaned up against the side of the basket and leaned in. It was then I saw a brilliant stone ring laying on the floor. It blazed brilliantly even with the small amount of light it was receiving. It seemed as though it was on fire. I thought I will pull it to the side and make sure the people will see it so it will not fall out and be lost when the balloon takes off. As I leaned over the edge of the basket a strong wind pushed the balloon. It caught me by surprise. I was over the edge and needed to right myself. But as I looked though the floor of the basket I saw the ground moving away. I was airborne. I took a moment to get fully in the basket. As I looked out, I was struck by the beauty of the day and realizing I had no control over this, I left the balloon to its own devices.Continue reading “It Is Balloon” Designed For Destiny→
“The power went out. They are after us.” And then I looked at the clock. It was still lit and kept on moving. Even more concern. The very fact that I still had time with out power was a concern in the dream. I awoke and the only light in my room was on my clock.
Today would have been my mom’s 88 birthday. Amazing how time flies. She left this planet in 2001 during the 9/11 week. Miss you mom!
Last night I felt like I took on some things that were hard to wrap my brain around. It was not an “easy” night. I awoke at 4:44 feeling like I had been through a battle. Here is a potpourri of thoughts. They do connect.
This morning I was saying to the Lord, “there is turmoil in the air” and I felt the nudge of the Lord say, “Last night was the beginning of decision”. Change is not always easy but sometimes necessary for the place we want to be. “The beginning”? I see choices opening and options fanned out. Some decisions are painful.
“Will you trust me” says the Lord.
When I was young man I was on a canoe trip on Lake George with a group of young campers. We needed to get to the next island to set up camp. A storm came out of no where. It came over the mountains to the west and dropped on us. The winds increased and the waves got tremendously high for a group of 12 year olds. (Even for the older!) At the same time a large side wheeler was near, hidden by the rain and the waves were super high as the result of the wind and the boats wake. Shouting orders we had to get the canoes at the proper angle to avoid sending our supplies to the bottom of the lake. As the waves came towards and the first canoe sunk into the valley, it was no longer visible, so deep was the valley. It was tremendously “long” few minutes, but we made it through cheering and encouraging one another. Young people think fun. Counselors think “help me God”.
Sometimes you must get the right “angle” of attack to make it through. Straight ahead in the canoe would have left us upside down in the waters of the lake. Listen to the Lord and hear His wisdom.
Over the weekend there were many Facebook reports of keys locked in vehicles and apartments and even lost. I thought, how odd is that. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. What have you done with the keys? The “keys to the Kingdom of Heaven? I said to my friend yesterday , that “the keys have been given but by our own choices we have locked them up.” Moments later there was an interpretation of a tongue that said “open the treasure chests, open up what is in you!” What you lock up will be locked and what you open up is free. THE LOCKSMITHS ARE COMING!
While meditating on the waters of life, I saw a picture appear. It was a person who was dead. Dead, dead, dead. I immediately thought “why are they dead and how will I raise them.” (This has been a big topic for me as of late. Only a few weeks ago my grandson Jacob came to me and said “Daddy, you need to got your parent’s graves and get them out.”) I walked over to the dead person and laid my hands on their head. I could see light flowing from me into the cold, dark body. I simply commanded “life” and left my hands on their heads. During this time “lines of light” began to connect to me and provide “energy” that continued the power of the light. But what was weird, was there were lines of “dark light” that we trying to connect to me and this person. The “battle was on”. The person soon got up. I looked at the lines of light, both bright and dark. They all came from believers! People, stop with the “we are all going to hell in a hand basket” stuff. I am no longer letting people say things like the “kingdom is getting better but the world is getting worse” or anything that takes life away. I get bad things can happen, but as I said the other day you can not “have it both ways”. The power of life and death is in your mouth. (You may want to purchase me ebook on declarations and decrees.)
In the last dream of my night a man who looked similar to my grandfather, Franklin White Lee, was introduced to me. I asked him where he was from. His response was “Cape Coral, the HOC”. I woke up thinking that was pretty weird. Cape Coral is a “new city” built in the late 50’s. And HOC? I felt the Lord say, “House of Congress”. And the connection is? I felt the Lord say that there is a wave of motion coming from the “50’s generation” who thought life is going to be different. They thought retirement. But economy, government and recession have thwarted it. I sensed the Lord saying “watch for the move in this generation, for out of their time will come a revival of understanding and wisdom. It will not be lost but will increase.” It is time to enforce the law of life in Christ Jesus. Start to think “refirement” and not retirement. Start to thing long, not with a “hail Mary” but with a hail Jesus! It is your time, it is your season!
Yesterday was an amazing time in our church fellowship. From the very beginning with music that changed the atmospheres, to the testimony of a man healed from arthritis and could once again raise his hands and walk it was getting good, but soon to get better. As my friend Mark shared about the “whys” of deacons and elders in preparation for the installation of three dear friends as deacons there was an intensity building. We are in an awesome place. Far different than we were just a few short years ago. Why share this you might ask. Because what we are seeing, you can see!
As we prayed and prophesied over the deacons, the next was to let them pray for people. I want to tell you these people are my family. And if it is not fun in the family who wants to be there?
My mom left “unfinished” business and life she would not live. The choice to approaching storms requires wisdom. Don’t lock up “your keys”. Raise the dead and receive life. Watch your words. God’s structure is good for all. All good and all God!
The best life to be lived is where He is. He will never leave you nor forsake you. As my friend Mark said yesterday, “Freedom without relationship is just a long walk by yourself…”
Last night I was in a large cafeteria much like the one I was in when I was a child. The large tables folded up to be put to the side. They were big. A group of friends were with me and we were sitting at a table neared the end. The last table had a group of young men perhaps 12-15 years of age. They sat on both sides of the table and the group was perhaps 8 or 9 of them. Continue reading A Penitent, A Tree And A Book Of Leaders→
When I was child my greatest artwork hung at my grandparents and my parents. As life went on new artwork appeared and old art was taken down. The refrigerator door recorded the life of the family. (Which is good because when I was a kid they had some ugly colors. Avocado, burnt orange, chocolate and copper tone!)
And of course like many children, I was asked of the drawing “Is it a cat? A dog?” I am sure like many children I probably shook my head and said “guess again” as they “did not get it.”. As I grew older I probably scrawled what it was on the page. Cat, dog, tree… But at some point my drawing bettered and the questions became fewer. Soon that artwork was replaced with pictures of family outings and sports or perhaps short stories. Continue reading Is It A Cat? A Dog? What Is It?→
The other day I was sitting here just looking at names on Facebook and I would receive a picture over various ones. I would take some thought and send someone a message about what I saw. I did this with people I did not know and had no “clue” about. It was my way of paying it forward a little.
Last night as I read about the ongoing stirrings in Ukraine, the position of England and the United States towards Russia right now and a few other skirmishes about the world, I was brought back to a time in my life as a youth. It was the time of the Vietnam War. A brutal time in our country’s history. Polarization, fear and a misunderstanding of so many things.
I began to share some of that time with my grandchildren. My grandson Jordan is beginning to study the war. (Wonder what spin that will get in a public school?) So a conversation began. I was surprised how much “it brought up in me”. Continue reading Who’s Side Are You On?→