Answering the Call

I remember the night many years ago at the end of my workout… I sat alone… under a pitch-black sky sprinkled with starlight… seemingly isolated far away from the rest of the world… searching for my purpose in life… seeking God & His direction… desiring Godly leaders as examples & encouragement. I was feeling somewhat abandoned… isolated like an island in the middle of the ocean… cut off from the world… My inner spirit began to churn…. for more than an hour I cried out to God, “Where are the Godly leaders who seek you first and foremost?” those who can speak to me with wisdom from on high?... Those who put you first?... Where are your Godly leaders?

Then God dropped a “Suddenly” on me. Suddenly… His peace filled the darkness… a calmness came over my spirit… my questions dissolved… the atmosphere was thick with the presence of the Lord. God communicated with me in the darkness. You ask, “Did He speak with an audible voice?” No, it was more penetrating than that. In my spirit I understood Him to clearly say, “David Guinn, YOU be the leader you are seeking in the others.”

From that encounter with God … I stopped questioning… stopped second guessing… stopped criticizing other leaders… and strongest motivation of my life is to become that Godly leader that God called me to be.

Beware: Guard your mind...

Your enemy is NOT your parents! Your enemy is NOT your boss! Your enemy is NOT your spouse! Your enemy is NOT your neighbors! Your enemy is NOT your children! Your enemy is NOT your co-workers… or your teammates!

The word of God says that your ENEMY IS the devil! Don't get confused! “For we wrestle NOT against flesh and blood...” Don't get confused between the ‘real thing’ and a ‘decoy’! Reject enemy's lies. The devil would twist your emotions to Hate People. We should not hate people. Pray for them. Identify & reject the evil spirit that God's word tells us is behind the scene maliciously prompting their actions. The word says, “Submit yourself, then, under God’s mighty hand. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you! Come near to God and He will come near to you.” If you give in to the enemy and let him control your thoughts & emotions… he will control your whole life... and make you miserable!!! But the devil doesn't have the final say… the enemy has already been defeated… God has the final say! Therefore you have power over the devil… the same power that raised Christ from the dead is inside of you. And God says, "I will always cause you to triumph. Be strong and of good courage. The Lord your God is with you."

It's Worth It.

“It's a fact of earthly life that when God opens the windows of heaven to bless us, the devil opens the doors of hell to blast us. When God begins moving, the devil fires up all his artillery.” said Adrian Rogers. At times in your battle God may be silent… but He is not still. God does some of His most calculated work in the dark. Trust Him… He's there. God knows… God sees… God hears… & God cares. He is strategically moving behind the scenes in your behalf. God will often use those same challenges to prepare you & move you into your destiny. There are times when God may let you hit rock bottom… so that He can build your faith by discovering that He is the rock at the bottom. Before you ever think about giving up… look up. Fix your eyes on Jesus. Watch as He transforms any obstacle into a stepping stone… any trial into a triumph… & every ambush into an advancement. What is meant for harm… God transforms it for good. Gen 50:20. Hang in there. He's got you covered. The enemy fights the hardest against the toughest warriors… that may be why you are facing so much opposition. A Kingdom believer understands that God never said a Godly life would be easy… He just said it would be worth it.

Impressions

I believe that you can tell a lot about people by the way they treat those who serve them… such as a waiter or waitress. I don’t appreciate people who are rude, short tempered, inconsiderate, or treat servers like they are inferior. Whenever we go out to eat at a restaurant where you actually sit down, order from a menu, not off the wall or from car window, I often ask our server if there is anything they would like for us to pray for them about while we're saying thanks-to-God before our meal. We have had so many unique and precious responses. They range from surprise… delight… instant tears and confession… some will bring friends & fellow servers over to talk… others share deep concerns for close family members facing cancer & other health issues… one girl’s husband had left them, house caught fire and burned 1 week later, needed a place for her and 3 kids, & we were able to help… broken family relationships… straying from God… seeking a local church… single-pregnant-no one knows-alone-? what to do next… some have asked questions… found answers & have asked Christ to become boss of their life…& still other times> silent shock. Some will tell us and hurry off… some hold hands with us as we pray… others ask us to wait and please talk at their break time. People have asked, “How you able to get folks to talk about their relationship with God so easily?” I give them my complicated, highly technical formula…Lol… I simply ask them to, “Tell me about your relationship with God.” And they tell me. It’s that simple… but we have to open the door. We don’t have to blast a horn… or push our beliefs… but we do need to do is show the respect, concern and compassion Christ had so that people can see Jesus through us. Let’s keep on lifting Jesus up… The word says, When He is lifted up… ALL men will be drawn unto Him!!! Hallelujah!!!