Thank you, Jesus

Last night, Arielle Clark arrived home from ministry to the orphans in Zambia.  There were piles of people waiting for her arrival and to welcome her home after 8 weeks of ministry.  What a fantastic time it was to see family and friends reunited.  There is a love that comes from Jesus that is beyond words.  I watched as her friends hugged her and cried tears or joy.

And as watched her grandparents hug and kiss her I realized something special about serving Jesus.  We do not live this life just us or just for our generation for that matter.  Being a follower of Jesus means having an eternal perspective on the the kingdom of God.  It is not selfish and it means having your eye on two, three, even ten generations beyond us.  Her grandparents (both sets) are dear saints and they were looking at the fruit of their labor.  They were seeing with their own eyes that the legacy of following Jesus and serving others is being passed on and will continue to be passed on for many more generations.  The bonus is that it is extending way beyond one individual's sphere of influence.  The love of Christ is being multiplied and will continue to be multiplied - even impacting many nations and many tribes for the sake of God's eternal plan.

So, as you live your life, as you raise your children or even as you love your grandkids, please remember that the impact of Christ in you is way bigger than today's successes or failures.  It's eternal and international.  

Welcome home, Arielle.  You are a very special young lady and may generations and nations continue to be changed by the power of His Spirit through your life.

Freedom

This morning during worship at Praise Fellowship God did something very special. During the song, "I am Free", The Holy Spirit really began to speak freedom in our lives. I think we did that song for about 45 minutes. And the entire time, you could see and feel people receiving the freedom that only comes from Jesus.

Take some time before the Lord and ask Him what you need freed from. We are dealing with unforgiveness during the messages on Sundays. If you need freedom, forgiveness is soooo critical. Get in the Word and let the Lord wash you free!!!!!

Pray for teenagers and their families

I have been working with teenagers for the past two decades and let me say that there is something very special about those few years we call the teen years. They are full of life, full of hope, full of energy, and full of fun. But let's remember that these are probably the most difficult 5 to 10 years of a person's life. Everyone knows that the kids are our future and therefore, everyone is trying to influence them. Some of those influences are good, but some of the strongest ones are not good at all. In fact, they are downright evil, even demonic.

I want to right now tip my hat to all you teenagers who are following the Lord. Great Job!!! You will reap the benefit for generations. I am really serious about that. And also, a huge "atta boy" to all you parents of teenagers. My heart goes out to you. You get to not only experience all the joys (which are great), but you also get to go through what seems like hell during the difficult times. I want to encourage you to keep on loving and training your kids. You can do it. Don't give up. You're in this for the long haul and in due season you will see your reward and your great grandkids will reap the benefits of your labor.

Let's all remember that there is a common enemy, the devil, who desires to steal, kill and destroy our lives and our families. As we recognize this and as we join together as families and churches, we can encourage, instruct, edify and above all PRAY FOR EACH OTHER.

Some Wise People

We are back from a great camping trip in Erie with some of the best teenagers ever.  I may write about that and post some pictures tomorrow.  

But first, here is a quick thought.  I just had a random phone call from Sylvia Evans who was one of my professors at Elim Bible Institute.  She is an absolutely, remarkable lady.   She has been in ministry for years and is from an entire family of ministers for generations.  In the 45 minutes that we spoke it was just one nugget after another that I was hearing.  I picked her brain and she freely offered instruction and encouragement.  I say this often, but I genuinely mean it.  Wisdom from those who have gone before us is more valuable than anything you can think of.  Truly, it is the fool who thinks that their age group has all the answers.  If you haven't received instruction from your elders lately, do it immediately.  It might just change your situation and maybe even your life.

Back and ready!!!

We had a tremendous vacation!!!   I truly have an amazing family - thanks, Honey and the boys - and God has truly blessed America with a beauty unsurpassed.  Sandie and I have always camped and traveled, but this year we did a first.  We did a vacation on the Atlantic ocean.  We spend half of our trip at  Cape Henlopen in Delaware.  (It is near Rohobeth Beach)  It was really great and relaxing.  There is something extremely tranquil about sitting on the beach with the waves crashing and the breeze blowing watching two of the most awesome little boys God ever created.  We then headed back to our more familiar vacation spots - the mountains.  We went back to Shenandoa National Park in Virginia.  We camped and hiked, saw lots of wild life and experienced breathtaking views.

We come back refreshed and "ready to go".  I am all the more thankful for all that God has given us, all that He has done and all who He is.  

Jesus Can

Jesus Can.... ____________

I will intentionally leave this post simple and very open ended. I challenge you to meditate on that statement and simply fill in the blank.

Jesus truly Can ......

More Pics from the parade