The Fast

A war rages in me
And the flesh so often wins
And I am made its slave
Desire, not discipline directs me
I've prayed for strength
I've prayed that I might persevere
Still I'm a wretch
With my lips I have lifted these petitions
Yet now I must pray with my body as Christ did in the wilderness
These 21 days I will suspend that daily pleasure of rich food
Praying the chains that desire puts around my soul might be broken
My body is weak, yet my will is somehow stronger
There are temptations
Yet with every small victory over my impulses
I receive more strength in my battle over sin
In denying my stomach, I've nourished my will
And depriving my body
I've commanded my flesh
In closing my mouth
I have opened my soul
To His Grace
To His Strength
To Him

Sounds good doesn't it? I wish I could take the credit for writing it, but, I can't. Though these words have spoken to me. I hope they speak to you. Right now our church, Life Church West Monroe, is having a 21 day fast. I am doing the Daniel Fast. Fruits and Veggies. It was easy starting last Sunday but it is getting harder everyday. Then I come upon these words above. I am thinking so much about the food and what I can and cannot eat, that I am forgetting what I was fasting for. I believe we all fall into this trap. Satan starts to play games with you and don't for one minute think that he isn't. He tempted Christ didn't he? God has put something in my heart. I can't say if I'm scared about it or excited about it. I guess it is both. I will keep praying about this. In the meantime, I will keep writing in the next few days. Sorry for the long delay.

And for those who are fasting now, take a look at this short film. Do you feel like this guy?

Click Here to watch the film.

Does God Still Answers Prayers?

Ever wonder if God really answer your prayers or does He just push them to the side to only answer the really big requests? Well, I have to admit that I've felt that way a few times. We all have at some point in our life. More and more people today are starting to feel like God doesn't answer prayers or that he doesn't do miracles in this day and time. He only did those kinds of things 2000 or more years ago.

But today I'm going to fill you in with a little secret. What is it you say? Well, I'm not going to give it away just yet. I have something to tell, especially what has been transpiring in my life, lately. If you've read a few of my last posts, it seemed I was a little down and depressed. Who am I kidding? I was down a lot. It was so bad that it affected my everyday life, my marriage, my family, my work, my finances and my walk with Jesus. I didn't backslide or nothing like that. I was just not spending the time with God as I should have been. I wasn't reading the bible like I should have been. I wasn't spending time in prayer as much as I should have been, either. I got really lazy with God. Why? Because I didn't think he was answering my prayers before. I was getting frustrated. Nothing was happening.

Let me elaborate. You may have already figured this out, but I'm a dreamer. I believe God has given me a dream or vision. My favorite book is "The Dream Giver" by Bruce Wilkinson. In that book, Bruce tells a story about a little fellow named Nobody. Well, Nobody was visited by the Dream Giver and was given a dream. Nobody wanted to become a somebody and Nobody set out to do just that. He was going to fulfill the dream. The journey wasn't easy. He had to go through 7 different stages to get to his dream. The first, getting out of his comfort zone and past the wall of fear. Then facing opposition to his dream. Then going through the wasteland where he had to follow faith to make it out. Then he was invited to Sanctuary where he and his dream was transformed and he had to give up his dream. Not only did he have to give up the dream, he had to give the dream back to the Dream Giver. There the Dream Giver made his big dream into a God sized dream. It wasn't his dream anymore. It was the Dream Giver's. From there he had to battle giants that stood in the way. After all that was done, he realized that the dream he had and thought he had reached was only the beginning of his dream.

Why did I give that little story? (I highly recommend the book) Because I'm living that same story. I can tell you where I'm at right now. I'm in sanctuary. I gave up my dream and gave it back to God. A couple of weeks ago, I had 3 high paying projects for my business lined up. Well, all 3 fell through in a matter of couple of days. One decided not go ahead with it, another said they had to wait until later and the other couldn't get organized. I was devastated. I blamed it all on the devil. I felt he was attacking me and caused all of these projects not to come about. But my wife didn't believe it. She felt it was God. How?!! She said God shut the doors. I was mad. Why did God shut the doors when I had bills to pay?!! It couldn't be God. Then other things happened that week. My wife became very concerned and she gave a call to my spiritual mentor, Joe Lopez. He has taken me under his wing and has been the greatest help and advisor. He has such wisdom. Thank You Joe and Cheryl! Well, we went to visit Joe and Cheryl that Friday evening. That is where I made a break through. With the help of Joe, Cheryl and my wife I realized a lot of things and found a lot about myself. I won't go into it that now, because I've kept you too long as it is. That is another post. But I will tell you this. My life was changed right there in Joe's living room. I didn't have anyone to blame for what was happening in my life but myself. I called Pastor Joel and apologized to him for not listening to him and taking his advise. The worst part of that was not only was I disobeying my pastor, I was disobeying God because I did not listen to a man of God that He had appointed over me. I had to be forgiven.

That night I gave up my dream and turned it over to God. It's his dream now. I started to look for work. Well, lo and behold, the next Monday, I get a call from a company that specializes in my field. It is a new company that was formed by another company I had interviewed with at the beginning of the year and they remembered my skills.

But wait, that's not all! (I'm almost sounding like one of those crazy infomercials) We had our church staff meeting last Sunday evening. Pastor Joel was having a drawing to win an iPod. Boy, did I need that. I was thinking I could use that to transfer the video files I do for church and sermons at the church for uploading on to the church website (www.lifechurchwestmonroe.com). I was tired of putting them on CDs and DVDs and wasting such space with smaller files.

That night after the staff meeting Pastor Joel held the drawing. The piece of paper was pulled and Pastor Joel just kind of shook his head and had a huge smile and said, "You got to be kidding me." (I still don't know why he said that) Yep you guessed it. I won the iPod! Angel took my picture with the iPod, which, by the way is probably the worst picture taken of me in my whole life. But I don't care. Shocked?

Well, prepare to be shocked again. About the interview. I interviewed for the new position. It was a good interview. I got another call back last Wednesday and interviewed again. They pretty much offered me the job. But they had to come up with a salary for my position. They would call me in a few days. Well, Thursday, they call. They gave me the job. Plus they gave me a higher salary than what I was expecting and what they had told me before! Praise Jesus! And my salary goes up as the business grows also!

How did I get such a sweet deal and win that iPod? Here is where I'm going to reveal the secret to you that I mentioned at the beginning of this post. Are you ready? You sure? Maybe you should sit down for this. Ok, here goes.

I PRAYED AND GOD ANSWERED MY PRAYERS!!!!!!!

So yes, God does answer our prayers in this day and time. How do I know? I'm living proof. So keep praying! It works!!!

CORRECTION!

Last week on my last post, I had mentioned something about faith and how "God won't give you anything you can't handle." After my wife, Kelly, read my post, she reminded me of something. A couple of years ago she reminded me about a sermon Pastor Joel had given one Sunday Morning. He had mentioned that the statement, "God won't give you anything you can't handle." And that it wasn't a true statement. I remembered the sermon he gave and at first I was shocked because I had so many people tell me that statement. He went on to say that, "God will give you something more than you can handle. If he didn't, how could we learn to totally trust and lean on Him?" That is the true statement.

I'd like to thank God for my wife for giving her the wisdom and the great memory to remind me of things that I can't or don't remember. In fact, just the other day we were watching our local Christian station and an evangelist was speaking in a round table session. She asked me if I recognized him. I said I couldn't but he did look familiar. I asked her if I had met him before and she told me no, but that I had a vision about him and Pastor Joel. A few years back, Pastor Joel was filling in as the host on one of the local Christian talks shows and he had this evangelist as a guest. When my wife reminded me the show, I remembered a vision I had while watching the show. I remembered everything about it. I had totally forgotten the whole thing. But she remembered. She is great. Sometimes I get so wrapped up in things that I totally forget things I've said or heard or talked about or dreamed about. I thank God everyday that He has given me someone to share my life with who has such a great memory. Especially if what she remembers is spiritual.

Thank You, Kelly! I LOVE YOU!

Faith Miracles

I haven't blogged in awhile, so Pastor Joel gave me a few things I can put just to let you know I'm still around. Here goes: God is good! Church was great! Pastor Joel is good looking! (Honestly, that is what he said!) HA! HA! He can be a nut sometimes.

But with all kidding aside, tonight Pastor Joel preached on miracles by faith. It really hit home with Kelly and I. We have been searching for our miracle for a while now. Either finding me a new job or me having more work for my business. It has been a very long year for us, but we have been going by the great scripture, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God..." If you do just that, everything will seem to just work into place. Already it has been working. I have been getting more business lately, and it comes just in time. Really, God's time, because I know it is He that sent the work. He knows where we are at. He knows what we need and he will give us beyond our needs when he feels that we can handle it. I've heard this before, "God won't give you anything that you can't handle." That is true in ministry and in everyday life. Yeah, sometimes we think, "I can't do this, God! It's too hard! Why did you call me to do this if I can't handle it?" If He truly did call you to do something then it will happen. It may be hard but He knows you can do it. Who said it was going to be easy?

I know I kinda jumped all around tonight, but it was just what was popping into my head. Until next time.

BIG FAITH

I know, it has been a while since my last post. To tell you the truth. I haven't felt like doing it lately. Really, I haven't wanted to do anything lately. It's been a rough few weeks for me and I finally think I'm heading out of this funk. Today, Pastor Joel preached on "Our One Big Thing" that is holding us back from truly getting closer to God. Everyone has a different "One Big Thing". We all probably have more than one, but there is that huge one we can't get past. Today Pastor Joel said in his sermon that when we confess what is holding us back, God will bless us. My big thing I confessed today was, that I haven't put God first in my life these last few months. I have just been playing the role of the churchgoer. (Did I spell that right?)

As I was being prayed for today, my prayer partner told me that we all struggle with that. I look at everyone else in church and other Christians around me and it just seems that they have it all going on in the right direction. God is telling them things and I was just getting more and more frustrated because God hasn't been talking to me. Why would he? I haven't been trying to talk with him and spending time with him.

The last few weeks, this one thought was going on with me. I was thinking about faith. How big is my faith? I kept asking, "God, why don't you show me something that will tell me that you are true? Why can't you just show up in my life like you did with Paul on the road to Damascus?" Did I get that sign? No. But then God did talk to me. He told me "That is not the faith I want from you, Mark. It is truly not faith if you have to have a sign from Me. I want you to grow your faith. I want you to know that I am here without all that. I want you to know in your heart that I am your Father and for you to know that I am real without any doubts. But I want you to do it by putting Me first and spend time with me. Your faith will grow immeasurably if you do."

I keep thinking about my 3 year old son, Jonathan. He thinks Jesus can heal anything. Even the time when I had to spank him and he came to me and told me "I want Jesus to come heal my butt!" It's that child like faith that I must get to. We all must have that child like faith. The thing is, I can learn a lot from a 3 year old. Lately, he has been doing a lot of the teaching in my life. Even when I read his toddler Bible and devotional to him every night, I get something out of it, too.

Maybe that has been my problem. I have complicated everything in my adult thinking that God just had to put it in a way that I would understand it like a 3 year old. After all, children have the biggest faith of all of us. Jesus told us that.

If you would like to hear the sermon today by Pastor Joel just got to http://www.lifechurchwestmonroe.com/snapshots5.html and feel free to check out the whole site.

57 Cents?

I was sitting here and was actually working on a website tonight and I was googling (I guess that is how you spell it.) for some research. I came across this story and it really sent me a message and I would like to share it. You see, my church, Life Church West Monroe is growing and we are running out of room. Especially for our youth and children's ministry. With plans already made up for the new building for our youth and children's minisitry, a lot of money is going to be needed. Most of us don't know how we can come up with this large amount. Well this story changed my mind. Most of the story is true. Some things have been changed. If you would like to read the actual sermon from Rev. Russell H. Conwell go to this link: http://www.library.temple.edu/collections/special_collections/hattie.htm

A sobbing little girl stood near a small church from which she had been turned away because it was "too crowded."

"I can't go to Sunday School," she sobbed to the pastor as he walked by.

Seeing her shabby, unkempt appearance, the pastor guessed the reason and, taking her by the hand, took her inside and found a place for her in the Sunday school class. The child was so happy that they found room for her, and she went to bed that night thinking of the children who have no place to worship Jesus.

Some two years later, this child lay dead in one of the poor tenement buildings. Her parents called for the kindhearted pastor who had befriended their daughter to handle the final arrangements.

As her poor little body was being moved, a worn and crumpled! red purse was found which seemed to have been rummaged from some trash dump.

Inside was found 57 cents and a note, scribbled in childish handwriting, which read: "This is to help build the little church bigger so more children can go to Sunday School.

"For two years she had saved for this offering of love."

When the pastor tearfully read that note, he knew instantly what he would do. Carrying this note and the cracked, red pocketbook to the pulpit, he told the story of her unselfish love and devotion.

He challenged his deacons to get busy and raise enough money for the larger building.

But the story does not end there...A newspaper learned of the story and published It. It was read by a wealthy realtor who offered them a parcel of land worth many thousands.

When told that the church could not pay so much, he offered to sell it to the little church for 57 cents.

Church members made large donations. Checks came from far! and wide.Within five years the little girl's gift had increased t o $250,000.00--a huge sum for that time (near the turn of the century). Her unselfish love had paid large dividends.

When you are in the city of Philadelphia, look up Temple Baptist Church, with a seating capacity of 3,300. And be sure to visit Temple University, where thousands of students are educated.

Have a look, too, at the Good Samaritan Hospital and at a Sunday School building which houses hundreds of beautiful children, built so that no child in the area will ever need to be left outside during Sunday school time.

In one of the rooms of this building may be seen the picture of the sweet face of the little girl whose 57 cents, so sacrificially saved, made such remarkable history. Alongside of it is a portrait of her kind pastor, Dr. Russel H. Conwell, author of the book, "Acres of Diamonds".

It just goes to show WHAT GOD CAN DO WITH 57 CENTS.

LET ME FIX IT!
What a great day! God still performs miracles! What do I mean? Let me tell a story here. Two weeks ago this Monday, we adopted a new dog from the animal shelter. He was a Sheltie (Some people call them minature collies or little lassies.) about three years old. He was so scared to death at the animal shelter from being around all the other dogs. We saw his picture on the internet the day before and we said lets adopt him. So Kelly took the boys the next day and got him. I took him to the vet to get checked out and he was so well behaved. Never once did he try to get away or show any teeth while they checked him out. He was still very scared and all he wanted to do was hide. By the end of the week he was starting to get used to his new surroundings and began to see more of his personality.

But that Monday morning, I get a call from Kelly and she tells me the dog is gone. He found a hole in our fence and he took off. She called our good friend Rob and Ora Tucker and they came and searched the neighborhood for about an hour and a half. (Thank You Rob and Ora) Kelly searched also and nothing. He was gone. Rob called all his connections with the radio stations. Kelly put a lost ad in the paper. Tyler, Jonathan and I set out flyers all around, placing them at the local vets, at local stores to post and around the neighborhood. We didn't have a collar on him yet so we hoped someone had picked him up and would see our flyer.

Well, the week was passing so we had pretty muched given up hope. We started looking in the paper again for dogs because we as a family have never been without a dog. We had found a minature schnauzer that was located in Pineville, LA., which is about a hour and a half away. Kelly called our friend Pam Williams (Thank you Pam and Ronnie for taking care of Patches while we were in Hot Springs) and asked if she would ride with her to pick up the puppy. But before she left she heard the Lord speak to her. He told her, "No, Kelly, Don't go get the puppy. Don't try to fix this. You always try to fix things. But, not this time. Let me fix it." She didn't want to do what he said, but she obeyed. She called me and said we are not going to get the puppy because God told her not to. I agreed and that was it.

Or so we thought. We had no idea what God had in store for us.

Easter morning right before we are heading to church, we recieve a phone call. It was my sister Kayla. At first we were wondering what could she want this morning? She told Kelly that our dog was under her porch. Kelly said, "What Dog?" Kayla replied, "You're lost dog!" Kayla had never seen the dog but she saw me putting out the flyers. Kayla described Patches (That is what we named him) and I went to her house to see if it was him. My sister lives about two blocks down the road from us and I drove over and sure enough, there was Patches. What a miracle! He had never been to my sister's house and it just so happens that is where he is hiding! Under her porch! We believe God sent Patches there.

The whole great thing about this story is that we listened and obeyed God. We didn't get that other puppy because we felt like God was punishing us, but because we knew he was going to take care of everything. He knew Patches was the dog for our family. If you stay obediant to God, he will take care of anything. He is the ultimate handyman in our lives. He's the real Mr. Fix-It. He has a plan for you and your situations. We tried to fix our situation ourselves by trying to buy another dog. But God said "No. Let me fix it!" and He did. Patches is doing great. And, yes, I fixed the hole in the fence.