Service in Christ

Hey everyone it has been a while. In the past six weeks my focus has wandered and the moments where I had something to write about few. There were many attacks, many diversions many excuses. Yesterday the Lord laid a story on my heart that I need to share. It is about service.

There is a feeling of uncertainty and excitement when you step out into the mission field. It does not occur as you leave your house, as you drive in your car, or as your ego searches for reasons not to show up. It happens the moment you step into the event, the environment, the community. It could be a city park, a homeless shelter, a tent city, a soup kitchen; the venue does not matter it happens every time. The feeling of excitement to know that finally, today, I can forget all the troubles of my world and serve someone else less fortunate then I. Finally I can do God’s work, not in a pay it forward kind of way, no today I get to serve in obscurity. No one other than my small group and the people I touch will ever know I was here. No one that is except the only one who really matters, God.

That same moment you step into the fray you may not know what to do. People swirl around you looking for all the world like they know what they are doing. You have been faithful and showed up but now you need to figure out what to do. You seek a leader someone who has it together and ask for guidance. You are given a role a job to do. Your ego revolts claiming the work is below you. You should have no part in this enterprise. Are there not others who are paid to do this type of work? But then this is ego of course he will revolt. Somewhere in the process the Holy Spirit shows up. He always does. He works a miracle in your heart. He softens it. Soon the tasks that once seemed beneath you now take on a whole new meaning. It is life itself that you are serving, cleaning, sharing, moving; life abundantly as a child of God. You are connected into something supernatural something beyond comprehension. Then there are the miracles. The lives transformed, the friendships started, the people healed, the hungry fed. It happens every time.

You pray for people who are desperate. They do not resist, they do not walk away. No they quiet themselves and allow you to pray for them. The Holy Spirit once again shows up and melts your heart and theirs connecting the two for a moment in time. Some of the people speak no English yet they hear your prayer, they need it, they want it, they are grateful. God shows up and ministers to his people. Somehow the food never runs out, the love continues on and the workers never grow tired. God shows up.

Then comes the jubilation. The prayers of praise for what God has done in our midst. The testimony and witness we provide when we love others unconditionally. There is the life changing profound impact we have on our children as they join us in this labor of love. The afterglow of serving others lasts well into the day, well after the last person has been cared for. It lasts for several days and when your small group meets again the stories of victory in Christ are retold with excitement and wonder. Lives transformed in the community, lives transformed in the small group. God shows up.

So why is it that so few people take the step into the mission field? Why do they smile politely make vague commitments and then find excuses when the time comes. Why do they avoid the topic? Why?

Do they feel unworthy?

Do they feel guilty?

Are they too busy?

Do they have somewhere else to be?

Do they have something more important to do?

I know that for several years I wanted to serve yet I did not make it happen. That is until one day in the spring of 07 when my heart was so heavy at not serving that I drew a line in the sand. In fact as a small group leader I drew it for my small group. I need to serve I told them. I do not care what it is I do but I need to serve, my heart is aching to serve. We have been together a long time and our group has not made this leap of faith. I believe we need to serve together. I believe so strongly that if we cannot find somewhere to serve together I am out. I cannot continue in this group without serving with you guys somewhere. That is how my men’s group came to be a part of the Fontana Adopt a Block event. Faithfully for 13 months my group has packed food, prayed, served food, prayed some more, met the poor, helped the poor. We are richly blessed to be a part of this important ministry. Our group has blossomed ever since growing to three times the size it was only a year ago. This Easter we impacted the lives of over one thousand people in south Fontana. God showed up in our community, God showed up in group.

Last week my other small group stepped out in faith to serve at the clothing ministry. Once again that familiar twinge of excitement and uncertainty was present as I crossed the threshold. Today we would take dust covered boxes of donated clothes sort through them. Some items would go to the store others would be donated to the Mexico ministry. As I surveyed the wall of 2 year old donated boxes a question pierced my heart. Why did these donations meant to bless others have to sit for so long unsorted. How many poor people might have benefited from a warm coat, a blanket, a pair of shoes, a dress? We will never know.

My mind flashed back to a question that had haunted me the first day I arrived at the Adopt A Block outreach thirteen months prior; where are all the people from Water of Life?

Who are you serving…

"The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” Luke 10:2

No prayer father only heartache for your people

I love you

amen

Lord, How do I open the eyes of my Heart?

Open the eyes of my heart

Open the eyes of my heart, Lord
Open the eyes of my heart
I want to see You
I want to see You

Open the eyes of my heart, Lord
Open the eyes of my heart
I want to see You
I want to see You

To see You high and lifted up
Shinin' in the light of Your glory
Pour out Your power and love
As we sing holy, holy, holy

Open the eyes of my heart, Lord
Open the eyes of my heart
I want to see You
I want to see You

Open the eyes of my heart, Lord
Open the eyes of my heart
I want to see You
I want to see You

To see You high and lifted up
Shinin' in the light of Your glory
Pour out Your power and love
As we sing holy, holy, holy

(Repeat two more times)

Holy, holy, holy
We cry holy, holy, holy
You are holy, holy, holy
I want to see you

Holy, holy, holy
Holy, holy, holy
You are holy, holy, holy
I want to see you

Michael W. Smith

The Heart?

I shared a few weeks back that I am an engineer. I have a tendency to look at the world with a dispassionate analytic perspective. For many years this was a significant stumbling block in my faith life. Heck for most of my life as an engineer I had no faith life. Yet somewhere along the way Jesus showed up. He brought the Holy Spirit with him and started to minister to the emptiness that had taken residence in my soul. It was a very painfully empty God shaped hole within me.

I shared the story of that time a while back as well, that is not the point here just the context. You see I want to talk about the eyes of my heart. In 2002 I first discovered Michael W. Smith. A friend had recommended him to me as an excellent Christian artist that I might like. Like, I loved him! I could not get enough of listening to his music. In fact this was the start of a six year love affair with worship music that is not soon to end. Check out My Private Worship Time if you want perspective.

There were many songs at the time that I loved yet one stood out; Open the Eyes of my Heart.

Here is where the engineer and the Christian setup a cognitive dissonance (fancy term for two opposing ideas held in the mind that cannot be resolved). Essentially the meaning of this song was lost on me. How could I see with my heart?

Well….

That was then, this is now

In the past several weeks I have had a number of experiences that when considered from the right perspective offered me a glimpse into the meaning of this song. The perspective is that of heaven or the kingdom instead of a worldly one.

There was the time when in worship and prayer my heart ached so hard for the Lord that I wanted to cry. I prayed instead, on my knees, until the feeling passed.

There was the time my heart ached for the men I work with and a difficult decision they face. I cannot bear the thought of them hurting. I prayed for them until the ache stopped.

There was the time at a worship service I closed my eyes and took in the scene. I believe the lord was clearly showing me how to see with my heart in his realm. It was so peaceful so wonderful. I was content to be in his presence and I know that had I quieted my mind even further I would have seen his angels ministering to his people.

This morning as I listened to my daily audio bible segment, courtesy of Brian Hardin, my heart leapt as the word from Leviticus started. All at once I felt present with Brian half way around the world in India connected through a supernatural link.

Close my eyes and see?

So now I know that there are times that I can close my eyes and see as he does. I can trust my heart instead of my eyes. I can trust in him and see his people with love.

I am further honored that though this gift from the Lord is momentary and seemingly random that all the prayers I have pleaded all the times I have asked for a new heart are being answered He is constructing a new heart in me, a renewed spirit. He is teaching me to love without condition to care without boundary.

I am a blessed man

In him

Ron

Have you ever talked with God?

Have you ever talked with God?

I would love to say that I have and indeed in some unusual ways I have. I hear all the time about people who share stories of conversations and words spoken. Me I am lucky if a word or idea is dropped into my head. Usually it has little to do with what is going on at the time. Although there was that one time at the retreat last November when he spoke to me.

Okay yes I have the odd conversation with God. They seem to be infrequent and not a typical friend to friend conversation but rather what you might expect from a Creator of the universe to single lowly human being conversation. Yeah I have some of those.

I pray often, not continually as the Bible encourages, but definitely often. It is through prayer that I most often encounter God. Last night before falling asleep I was praying and an image came into my mind of what it might mean to have the eyes of my heart open. Don’t ask me to explain I can’t. The image was more like an emotion. It stirred my heart and gave me the clear sense of what this phrase meant.

So what the heck am I trying to say here? What’s all this talk about talking to God anyway?

Well he spoke to me this morning as clear as I am writing this post and I want to share it with you.

Flash back to Sunday morning for some context:

I was talking to a brother in Christ and co-laborer in our men’s ministry leadership team about the meaning of Proverbs 27:17. (There will be a post on this just as soon as I finish writing it!) I was explaining to my brother that this verse has a deeper meaning to me than the obvious because I am a metallurgical engineer. Whooooo fancy name, hard to spell. Yes I get it, but we all have a past this is mine. I studied metallurgy in college and this knowledge is firmly implanted in me. So I know about steel and iron and how they are worked into useful stuff, it’s what I do for a day job.

I explained to my brother the beautiful metaphor that this verse in proverbs represents to me, the depth of meaning is unmistakable. I walked him through my interpretation of the meaning of the verse and he was taken aback, he had no idea of my background and had not looked at the verse in the way that I do. We ended the conversation by discussing the possibility of doing a teaching on the metallurgical meaning of the verse at an upcoming men’s bible study.

Back to the Present

This morning we were together (my brother and I) in our churches men’s bible study. After songs of worship (where I was focused on closed eyes and open heart from last nights prayer) our pastor walked us through Galatians chapter 6. Out of left field another brother asked a question. This may seem normal but it is not. In the twenty weeks of study there must have been a total of 6 questions all together. You simply cannot manage a group of 200 guys and take questions in a window of 45 minutes. Today our pastor did.

The question was on the meaning of Galatians 6:6. After explaining the meaning of the verse (it was in relation to giving) he continued to explain the context of the verse backing up into verse 5. To my astonishment he asked the questioner what is that called when someone studies metals? “Metallurgy“, was the reply. He talked briefly about testing metal. As he did I looked at my brother and smiled what are the odds?!

Our pastor then got back on the giving theme and expounded on the importance for us men to give of ourselves in love of the king within his kingdom (not to earn to love!). He mentioned the old story of time, talents and resources, we are called to give.

About this time I started to laugh, this was no random event, this was God talking to me. The metallurgist called to lead and give of himself for the men’s ministry he is so passionate about. I leaned over and shared the story with my friend and he too laughed at the irony.

Later that day I related the story to another friend. He added a piece that cinched the deal. The guy who asked the question that started this seemingly random connection volunteers his time with the blind. He helps the blind overcome their challenge; he helps the blind to see.

Open the eyes of my heart father I want to see you

In the mean time I will abide in you

I wait for you to speak into my life

Your will be done Father

Amen

The Trip "B"

Tuesday morning early I was sitting in a departure lounge at the Toronto Canada airport. My family and I had just finished a week long visit to the great white north from our home in southern California. We came back to spend time with family, to visit my mother who is finishing chemotherapy. Those who have read my previous posts all named The Trip, will know that this is another chapter in my mothers journey through the valley of cancer. I find it comforting to know that her favorite psalm is 23. The verse Yea though I walk through the valley of death I will fear no evil, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me has special meaning to her and to me. Since last August I have been praying for a miracle of healing. I was praying the cancer would be completely removed from her body. The prayer was answered once as she nearly died due to complications in the weeks following surgery. Those prayers were answered.

I have been filling the prayer bowls again though, nothing less than complete recovery is what I am praying for. This mountain will fall into the sea!

This trip was so different from last summer. We spent many hours over the course of the week talking to playing games and sharing meals with my parents. It was a time to remember. Not at all like the horror and stress of cancer surgery and uncertainty. No this trip was different.

There were many prayers for us as we left for home. So many well meaning friends who genuinely cared for us. The stress of last August seemed to melt away as we each day made the most of this precious time with family. It was a good trip, God inspired and prayer lined. The last day we found out the cat-scan showed no sign of tumors, the cancer is gone. In Gods hands, gone for good.

Father

Thank you for your gift of grace

Thank you Holy Spirit for guiding this trip

Praise you for your love and kindness

Praise you for healing

Amen

Anticipation

Last week I was faced with a delicious opportunity; sacrifice. I was encouraged to take part in a church wide activity to draw closer to our heavenly father. Imagine several thousand believers all denying themselves in a form of personal worship to our savior. As I entered into this time I had a joy in my heart I had never before experienced. It was anticipation of something remarkable.

It is very much like my favorite verse of the bible Isaiah 40:31

“those that wait upon the lord with renew their strength, they will mount up on wings as eagles.”

The only thing is, as the week progressed each day I felt weaker. I would get short tempered, light headed, irritable. All these negative things yet each moment I experienced negativity I would pray. It is hard to describe the comfort I felt in these moments. It is what baby must experience in its mothers womb. There is a sense of a warm liquid enveloping you. You feel perfect contentment, perfect comfort and capture. You are secure. You know no pain, loneliness, fear, hunger or temptation. You are cared for, you are loved you are connected. This week I felt like this in God. Each moment of panicky desperation I would cry out to God in prayer and my father would answer. He would wrap me up in an embrace a supernatural embrace.

The devil prowled around the edges always looking for an angle of attack. A lustful thought here, an angry frustrated thought there. Yet he had no entry point. God was my rock and my protection. He would allow no attack to succeed. For five days I denied myself and God showed up so powerfully. He showed up in prayer comforting my soul, he showed up in a warm sunshine of a fading California afternoon. He showed up in a light breeze, in a business meeting going better than could be hoped for. He showed up in a confrontation that turned into peace. He showed up in worship and in love. He showed up in my children’s eyes as they watched their Dad sacrifice all week.

God showed up.

He renewed my strength.

He taught me a lesson I will never forget. Last post I wrote about how the end of our breath is the start of his. This week he showed me how it would work. All week I fasted. All week I was hungry. My body rebelled; my mind picked up its game everything in me save my soul fought against me. My flesh wanted me to live the lie of the world. The flesh is in control. You must eat, you must obey. You must be human. This lie, so cleverly disguised.

"It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.' Matthew 4:4

This week I learned that no matter where we are in life we can cry out to God and he will answer. He will comfort, he will show up. When we reach the end of our self he will be there. He is our guide, our leader, our salvation our everything.

What an awesome lesson.

Yesterday after five hungry frustrating days my small group attended a church wide night of worship and prayer. We were there for the first two hours praising and praying.

The Lord is in the house!

No question. As I prayed I had a clear sense that the Holy Spirit had come upon me. He was in my prayer. What power, what an awesome God.

So the week ended. A week of sacrifice, a week of obedience a week of worship. Wow. What absolute joy, what revelation what an awesome God.

I cannot wait to do this again!

Father

I have no words, only the longing of my heart for you

Praise you

The Kingdom belongs to such as these

Today I want to share with you a story of obedience and hope. What began as a simple urging to fast and pray for my wife and children turned into so much more, so very much more. In this post I will share the first half of my journey to meet the Lord in the mountains.

A Hike

It was two Saturdays ago. I asked my brothers in my men’s group “Have you ever felt the urge to get away and pray for an extended time? Half a day in the wilderness, I feel called to go on a hike to be with God and pray.” In these moments I felt a sense of self consciousness come over me. I love these guys, they are like brothers, I did not want to appear self righteous, I did not want to seem better than them. Actually I know that they are in many ways my betters in the faith. My question came from a sincere and vulnerable place. I had never felt this urge before and pondered if they had.

Their answers were non specific; they talked of seasons of prayer for specific causes, for the need of prayer lists, even good books on prayer life. As happens to me from time to time, their answers seemed fuzzy and missed the heart of my question. I came away feeling like they had not answered me at all. Had they never felt this urge? Did I word the question in an unclear manner? I do not know. What I did know was that I had an odyssey to plan.

Planning the Trip

I chose the day carefully, December 27^th. Far enough after Christmas to be uncomplicated yet prior to the weekend when my couples small group had an event planned. The most significant activity to plan and execute was the 24 hour fast prior to the hike. This had to be entered into prayerfully and with commitment. I love to eat I knew that only for God would I forgo eating. The fast was hard. Taking my mind off of eating was very challenging especially with Christmas leftovers sitting temptingly in the fridge. When the urge to eat became unbearable I would bow my face and pray. Each time I did so the Lord granted my temporary relief from the hunger gnawing at my belly.

The day began innocent enough. I packed a backpack with hiking boots, frozen (the night before) water bottles, nutrition drinks (just in case), my cell phone (emergency use only), my ipod (with a vast array of Christian music), the book Restored (Neil Anderson) and most importantly my Bible.

A Cold Winter Wind

I was dressed in layers to ward off the early morning chill and what I expected to be breezy conditions on the south side of the San Gabriel Mountains, I would not be disappointed. I walked the two mile distance to the edge of suburbs to the start of the North Etiwanda preserve. Those who have read my posts will know this is the place I ride my mountain bike and go to pray often. I listened to Restored the whole way thanks to Brian Hardin who read the book as part of his podcast ministry Daily Audio Bible. Mr. Anderson’s book is excellent and a must read for Christians at any stage of their walk. I stopped to pray often as the hike up is intense, a great primer for what was to come.

The early part of the hike was to retrace the path of my mountain bike rides. I stopped and prayed at my normal bike ride place. I continued on to the site of my private worship session when I was promoted a few months back and prayed again. Then onto the areas I had not yet covered. There is a high plateau in the hills just before the actual mountains that can be seen from anywhere in the city. It is unremarkable except that there are two mature Pine trees standing sentinel over it. It is such a contrast to see deep green pine tress in a sea of scorched brown hill side. For the entire 7.5 years I have lived here I have considered hiking to this place, all the while imagining that God himself would meet me there. The hike was hard straight up no breaks other than those I took. True to form there was a strong cold gusting wind working against me the whole way up. The fast I had been on was now taking its toll digging into energy reserves I did not know I had. Yet I soldiered on believing that God would meet me on this plateau.

It was both distressing and fascinating to see the hand of man on this hillside. I had expected pristine hardly touched landscape but instead found spent shotgun shells, broken beer bottles, and random debris scattered along the worn out trail. At one point I saw an old Dodge Van used as target practice. I rusted hulk riddled with the blast holes of gunfire.

A Plateau but not a Peak

I arrived at the plateau with a sense of jubilation. Now I will pray, now the Lord will meet me. Funny how things worked out, this was the most underwhelming part of the trip. I said a prayer but felt that although God was with me he had something else planned. So I took a break, took some photos and took in the view of the inland empire stretching our before me. It was quite a sight but this place was not to be the highlight of the trip.

I continued onward and upward, I hiked up till I ran out of trail and the very mountain range was upon me. The wind here was bitterly cold and the sweat off my back soaked my cloths turning into a chill to the bone.

I will post the rest of the story of this wonderful trip in a few days.

In the meantime I wish everyone a happy and blessed new year

May our Heavenly Father bless you richly and be with you always throughout this coming year

Ron

Merry Christmas Everyone

Merry Christmas

Last week I shared how difficult it is for me to enjoy the Christmas season. I am excited to share that this year was different. For all the reasons I cited in the past two posts I took steps to change. I made what gift giving I did engage in meaningful and specific. I spent time quality with my family but most of all Christ was in the center of our Christmas.

Christmas Eve was spent in worship with close friends at our church. The “carols” were powerful and focused on Christ’s entry into our world and the providence he represents. They were so powerful I found myself swept up into the worship of the moment praising our heavenly father. Christmas morning was spent first in scripture Isaiah 7:14, 9:6-7, 53:2-6, Luke 2:1-7 this was followed by earnest prayers by my children. Rather conveniently our pastor had made a point of sharing these verses and placing them in a prominent place in our bulletin. Not like an answer to prayer to earnestly seek to start Christmas morning in the bible… Nah!

The best part of the day was watching the emotion of my wife as she opened the gifts I had carefully selected for her. What a joy! A great day in the loving embrace of family. At the end of the day I realized I had not yet listened to my daily bible reading courtesy of Brian Hardin at the Daily Audio Bible. As I listened to Nehemiah, Revelation, the Psalms and Proverbs, it was if being wrapped in a warm loving Godly hug. As the bible readings ended I played Chris Tomlin for a while and had my own private worship session as I slipped off to sleep.

Merry Christmas everyone

Ron

Tis the Season...

Christmas…

For all the significance this event has, for all the wonder that is Christ, I struggle with Christmas.

I would really like to understand why. When I am done with this post I will pray about this very thing.

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. Is 7:14

I love the Old Testament prophesy announcing the virgin birth. I love all the wonder associated with the Lord Jesus Christ. I often want to find a way to make Christmas worship more meaningful. I want to thank God for the miraculous gift of his son.

All the while the world swirls around me and my family. The pervasiveness of consumerism is oppressive. Buy this, indulge in that, no payments for 90 days, credit trouble we can finance you, spend spend spend.

This is not what Christmas is about.

I want a Christmas where Christ is central. I want a Christmas where we wake up on Christmas morning and pray first. I want a Christmas where the glory and honor go to God not to man.

I am not big on Christmas carols. I struggled with this for some time. Fortunately I have learned that it is not that I do not like carols. It is just that I am frustrated with the same ones over and over and over and over and over. You get the point.

Last Christmas out of frustration, I purchased a Mercy Me Christmas CD. It was a mix of older songs sung their way and their own music. I loved it. This year my wife and I purchased a Jars of Clay Christmas CD, I love it too.

Praise God I can honor him in song with music I love that does not seem tired and old.

There are some things I like about the season. I eagerly anticipate this months Adopt a Block Saturday. Sharing the season of life and giving with those in need, now that is exciting! Of course I do this every month though. I look forward to meeting with my small groups and basking in our friendships, celebrating the season. I look forward to spending time with family and friends reinforcing the love that exists between us. I look forward to reaching out to old lost friends and strangers and the hope of new or renewed relationships.

What will bring me a true sense of joy in this season? Worship? Giving? Service? Time with family? New traditions? Old traditions? All these will play a role I am sure.

What works for you? How do you put Christ in Christmas?

I think it is time I prayed…

The Desert

I was reflecting the other day on the highs and lows of the journey to discipleship in Christ and realized I had a story to tell. Here it is.

The Desert

In 2000 I left the only company I had ever worked for to move west to California. It seemed the right move to make. I was done with my old company and the new job was exactly what I had been seeking. You know many people thought my wife and I brave. We left our country, our home, the only company I had ever known for a new life in socal. We didn’t think ourselves brave, just decisive and perhaps adventurous. As a life long catholic who had only two years prior begun to rediscover his faith, the decision process was embarrassingly secular. I did not seek Gods wisdom in prayer, I did not pray for the success of the transition. We just negotiated a good deal and moved.

We had no church to call home, we had no friends, we had no relatives within 2400 miles to lean on. We had nothing but each other. We had God of course but we did not know how to seek him. I did not know how to pray beyond a Hail Mary and an Our Father. Somehow neither seemed to be on point.

We were in a desert of our own making.

Have you ever felt loneliness? Have you felt the sting of not being able to reach out and connect with people? To suffer alone, to be a shadow of your full vibrant self, to have no friends? Do you know this pain? This is not the church of Christ described in Acts 2:42!


We tried local catholic churches, none fit. I am not sure the local churches in socal have heard of the second Vatican council. Latin masses and blind faith?! No this is not my idea of spending time with God. We continued searching. Months past, it felt like years. I prayed longingly for Godly men to come into my life to befriend. Someone with whom I could share my heart.


After months of loneliness and quiet suffering, we were invited to a Lutheran church. If only the Lutherans knew how similar they are to Catholics. It is profoundly saddening to know how much we share yet neither cannot admit to. The Lutheran tradition was so close to what I had come to love in Catholicism that the transition was softened. We quickly were welcomed into this church family and began to heal and eventually grow once again in our faith.

Was this desert a lesson? I certainly think so. It takes me back to my favorite verse in Jeremiah (29:11) Seek me with all your heart says the lord and I will be found by you. I will release you from captivity.

This desert time was long and painful, lonely and discouraging yet through it we emerged even more dependent on God, even more committed to our faith, even more resolved to move toward complete surrender and one day be a disciple totally on fire for God.

Let me end this post on the word that the Lord gave me as I wrote it for I know this verse was given to me so that I might know he was with me through this challenging time in "the desert"

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Mt 11:28


Praise be your Holy name Father

May you grant me the wisdom to seek you in all the decisions of my life

That I may make your will mine and that I would honor you always

In your son's victorious name I pray

Amen

Happy Thanksgiving

Today is a day for reflection and thanksgiving. I pray all my readers a peaceful day filled with family and friends. May your celebrations be all that you desire. May you find many reasons to be thankful. I hope you take the opportunity to thank those who have been a blessing in your life. may all of us recognize the source of our life and being and thank our heavenly Father for his generosity.

This is my 10^th American thanksgiving celebration after over 30 of them in Canada. It is a fascinating thing to consider the differences between the two. Today however I can only focus on the common theme of gratitude prayer and thanks.

To all my family, friends, and acquaintances I thank you for the influence you have had in my life.

I pray each of you will have a wonderful celebration of thanksgiving

Happy thanksgiving

Ron

What is your story? Part II

Today I will continue on with points 4 and 3. Again this is a story that God is revealing to me real time. I share it with you as is becomes clear to me. It is a story of maturation in Christ and a story of love and faith. It is a story that will allow me to become even more resolute in doing God’s will with love and humility in this world. One day I will walk across the room to a stranger, a non believer and ask in love, if he knows our Savior Jesus.

Acts: Point 4

Last Tuesday morning I was hit with a profound revelation. Those of you strong in your faith will find this to be rather obvious. No doubt a duh!!! might be thought or even spoken. But all of us have moments where even the most elegantly simple concept has mystified us for some time only for us to finally get it. The Holy Spirit is a real being. Yes, did you know that? I really had never considered that he was. He was always a mysterious ghost like thing that you called upon to help someone in need.

Tuesday morning in a men’s leadership class our pastor stated that the Holy Spirit will prompt us to act in accordance with his will. We being dough head men will often say nah! This (my) way is better. The spirit will let us proceed, of course, taking us ever further away from his will in our lives. I heard our pastor say (it may have been early, he may not have said this but) the spirit’s feeling would get hurt. Let’s not debate whether this could be true or not. The point of the matter was that somehow God revealed to me that the spirit is one of three important beings in our Triune God. I never considered this, never recognized that I was treating the Holy Spirit as more of a tool than a part of my God.

This evening I prayed to the Holy Spirit to forgive me. I invited him fully into my heart as an equal member of my God. It was a powerful yet humble prayer. I was aware of how much I have missed out on by not recognizing this basic fact, not honoring God fully. Today this changed. I was aware of his presence, a subtle sensation / awareness came over me. I immediately lifted up in prayer several loved ones who I knew to be in need of prayer. With more conviction and release than I have ever known I lifted each up in prayer knowing that this powerful being was listening and would act on this authentic prayer.

Praise you Lord for revealing this ignorance in me so that I might repent of it and connect more powerfully with the Holy Spirit.

I can only imagine what might have been had I recognized this earlier. All those subtle whispered messages over the last number of years. Where had they come from? The Holy Spirit of course. If only I had tapped his power earlier, what good might God have done for his people?

Can you imagine what the Holy Spirit must have been thinking? Here is this dope that sometimes listens to my voice. Sometimes he even acts on what I share with him. All the while he has no idea I am real, I am God. He insults me with his ignorance but still he tries to listen he tries to ask me to act in others. What a knuckle head, maybe one day he will get it! Tuesday was that day. Praise God, Praise you Holy Spirit!

So when you pray, when you ask the Holy Spirit to act in the lives of those you pray for, do you realize he is God a member of the Trinity?

Mark: Point 3

For the past five months I have become a part of my churches outreach into the poorest part of south Fontana California. Each month we set up at a local Christian Church and care for people. I discussed this in detail in the first post on this blog Em-Manuel. It did not take long for this activity to become something I looked forward to. It is to a point now where if something were to conflict with this activity I would decline it. This outreach is too important to be missed. Manuel has become a friend I pray for regularly. David, Don, Dewayne and Mike have all changed me. Getting to know men in humble desperate circumstance leaves its mark.

For me every drop of sweat, every twinge of pain, every word of prayer is magnified. It is a moment of consciousness of my role in the Kingdom of God. It represents my opportunity to be a working healthy part of the body of Christ.

There is more to the story though. I shared a few posts ago of the passion I have been given to lead, this heavenly gift is a calling upon my life. There are two models of leadership I breathe. The first is servant leadership modeled after our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Serving others, making yourself a confident, capable “last” is core to this model. I revel in it, for I know where my strength comes from. Unlike the worldly perspective on this style of leadership, I am no door mat. I say this not out of pride but out of confidence in the Lord and the gifts he bestowed upon me. Would you call Christ a door mat when he tore up the money changers tables in the temple square? Hardly! There is a quiet deep strength in this form of leadership.

The other model of leadership I breathe also originates from my faith; transformational leadership. Helping others to transcend their individual circumstance to achieve something beyond their individual capabilities, this is transformational leadership at its best.

Why do I share these two models with you? Well they relate to the transformation occurring within me. My role as a servant in this activity has created a hunger to do more for God, but it has also lived out the scriptures. My zeal to do God’s will to make myself last has led to an opportunity to take a leadership role in this outreach on behalf of my Church. According to one of our church elders it was the very fact that I served with joy that led him to ask me to help lead. It’s not about me, it is about God being true to his word in Mark. 10:44

Whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of all. Mark 10:44

Please understand I do not seek to be first, actually I am absolutely happy to stay toiling in obscurity. But God will always raise up those who are true to his word. I suppose this happens to be me in this story. Praise God

Father continue your work in me

Guard my heart, protect me from the evil one

I praise your name for the revelation you gave me this week

I praise the Holy Spirit and all he does in this world

Use me fully father to further your kingdom

I am your servant

There is no greater work than to do your will

Use me

In your son's holy name I pray

Amen

Alright! The music just ended, we haven’t missed anything yet….

Our pastor spoke this oft heard quote that echoes the halls of our church as the praise music ends and the announcements and message are about to begin. Busted I was. My wife and I regularly show up during the first half hour of our service during the praise portion, reasoning, its just music we have not missed the message. How infinitely wrong we have been in this behavior.

Our pastor continued to teach us this Tuesday evening about the meaning of the greatest commandment

Love the Lord thy God with all your heart mind and soul Mark 12:30

When Jesus uttered these prophetic words to the Pharisees all those years ago, what he was saying that we need to worship at the feet of our heavenly father. Praise him, worship him, love him.

These words were a revolution inside my heart. In my stoic world of maintaining appearances I often consider my surroundings before I ever lift my hands in worship. Why is it so hard for a man of God to praise his heavenly father? Our pastor continued. As he wrapped up this message he shared a stance he had personally taken. He said he would rather be judged a fool by men then a fool by God. With that as a backdrop I considered my own behaviors. Truly I needed to be bolder in my own faith, to worship like David not caring what man said or thought. What a place to be left, resolute in finding my own voice of authentic worship.

The next day I found myself looking clearly toward my afternoon bike ride into the mountains. I knew what was coming. I was not just going to pray this day I would WORSHIP my Lord and Savior. At the peak of my ride I prayed earnestly for revelation, for courage, for peace. I interceded on behalf of some many people I love who are broken and hurting. Today my prayers were from my knees, where I belong. (The Lord had conveniently blown a piece of cardboard into the location where I pray each day, almost as if to welcome me and say I know what you need today). At the end of my prayer in abject humility I tried to cry out in song my worship of the Lord. Did I mention that I suck at singing. Not only that but no words came to mind from any of the worship songs I love.

Well the Lord will provide! (Remember a few posts back where the Lord told me to listen to my Ipod? He did so again. After all there are only about 300 Christian songs on the thing!)

I choose deliberately. Mercy Me came immediately to mind. Their music so soulful, the lyrics pull on my heart. I started “I can only imagine”. Yes imagine a grown man standing on the side of a mountain belting out, way out of tune, the lyrics of a song. No one else can hear the music; no one else knows what this crazy guy is singing about, just God and me. It was awesome, tears streamed down my face as I soaked in the lyrics (and yelled them out) of this beautiful song and for a brief moment could conceive of what it meant to really love God.

The ride down the mountain and back to my house was even more powerful for me. My poor bike strained under the continuous blows of rocks sticking above the trail. The chain rattled off the frame as I sped onward, downward fully engulfed in my own powerful, private worship session. I hit the bottom of the trail at full speed and attempted to make a gravelly high speed turn as Mercy Me pounded into my ears. The tires bit then slipped bit then slipped, over the top of the bike I went landing standing up. With a triumphant yell of praise I hooted and hollered to my savior. This wipe out is for you, you are my rock, my savior PRAISE YOUR NAME!!!

The ride continued onto city streets, the music even louder to drown out the sound of the wind whipping past my ears. 20 miles per hour 25, I was on fire. I could not go fast enough, sing loud enough. As I made the turn west to head home the wind was fully against me slowing me to a crawl. I labored to catch my breath, the fire of worship was now in my thighs. (I was tired, my muscles were burning). Each time I caught my breath I would rejoin the chorus of the latest song. I would run out of breath and stop singing long enough to start again. By the time I was within a mile of my house, everyone must of wondered who the crazy bikin singin guy was. What a powerful experience. I am left to ponder what my next worship experience will be and whether I will scare the kids in the neighborhood…

"I Can Only Imagine"

I can only imagine
What it will be like
When I walk
By your side

I can only imagine
What my eyes will see
When your face
Is before me
I can only imagine

[Chorus:]
Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel
Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still
Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall
Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all
I can only imagine

I can only imagine
When that day comes
And I find myself
Standing in the Son

I can only imagine
When all I will do
Is forever
Forever worship You
I can only imagine

[Chorus]

I can only imagine [x2]

I can only imagine
When all I will do
Is forever, forever worship you

Father I praise your Holy name

amen

A glimpse into my private worship time

My afternoon rides up into the San Gabriel mountains are holy to me. They are the time when I pray, I intercede on behalf of others, I beg forgiveness for my transgressions, I praise our Heavenly Father, I marvel at the wonder of his creation. Most of my prayer time takes place at the peak of the ride 1.5 miles straight up toward the heavens. My prayers start either as Samuel did so many millenia ago

Speak Lord for your servant is listening
1Samuel 3:9

or in praise through the psalms of David

I look onto the Hills
From where does my help come?
It comes from the Lord
Psalm 121

The ride itself is filled with the sounds of my Ipod. Most days I listen to the Daily Audio Bible. A wonderful podcast that tracks the one year bible. There is no more important activity in my life than to spend quality time in the word. I am extremely blessed to have found this podcast in April and have faithfully listened to the word every day since. In fact my thirst for the word is so strong that I have also listened to Jan through April so that at the end of the year I will have covered the whole bible.

The man behind the DAB, as it is affectionately known, is a music producer and artist from Tennessee, Brian Hardin. This ministry took hold of him and is now central to his life. I have listened through his sickness, exhaustion, and wacked out travel schedules as he faithfully reads each day. In his August summary Brian shared some insight that really hit me as to our duty to be engaged in the realm of the spirit. We must recognize the stakes of our faith and what the enemy is trying to steal from us. I asked Brian if I could share some of his summary and he kindly agreed. I think you will find it as profound as I did.

Brian Hardin

The Daily Audio bible

I am really starting to not just look at life randomly. This is the second time through the bible here. I am starting to get a sense that we must be aware of our situation and aware that the realm of the spirit is real. Its one way or the other, I have said this before, it’s either real or its not. It cannot be sort of real whenever I am feeling partway cosmic and mystical and then most of the rest of the time I don’t believe any of it. I am attached to the physical realm and just too busy to care.

I am personally getter better about this and I have chosen to believe that the spiritual battle over my heart that is spoken of in the bible is real. I try to take into context everything that is going on around me and sense what God is saying or what might be opposed to what we are doing. I have noticed even more than ever because the Daily Audio Bible exists that part of the opposition is because of what it is. I guess me sitting behind this mike makes me a bit of a target. For the most part you cover me with your prayers those around me do and God does because this is his word.

I have become even more aware of the profound effect that the scriptures have on my life is and it is a powerful thing. It has radically changed the way I look at the world. I know I am not alone because I get emails from many of you I know I am not alone and that we are doing this as a community.

Thanks Brian for letting me post this.

Father
We come before you as simple beings
we are not always aware of the battle
that rages all around us
Our souls hang in the balance
But through your son by accepting his gift of profound grace
we are saved from eternal damnation
Father we thank you we praise you
I ask that you provide my brother Brian with a hedge of spiritual protection
Father continue to bless and grow his ministry
Let this ministry reach the whole world for Christ your son

Amen

Ron Hurst

Hello Everyone!

Hey thanks for reading my blog.

Every time I have contemplated what to write in this blog, I have been blessed that it had less to do with me and more to do with the Holy Spirit. I write each post based on a thought in the back of my head. I am often unsure what the post will be about until it starts to come together and materialize on the page. After writing each post I leave it for 24 hours then come back for a final edit. On each one I have had a subtle shiver down my back as I read it almost for the first time. I pray that this continues and that our fathers spirit will continue to grace me.

I hope that this blog has been helpful and has ministered to you in some small way. If it has Praise God. If not I pray that the right people, those who are searching for him and maybe not even know it yet, will find this blog and will open up to God's word through these pages. I simply want to be used by him in the accomplishment of the great commission.

I am off to Canada tomorrow morning to see about helping my mother get well (See Cancer in the Hills). I hope to post while away so hopefully there will be no delays, but we shall see.

Earlier today my prayer warrior sister Joyce C gave me some verses to pray over as I enter into this time of ministry. I would like to share them with you and humbly ask that you pray for my mom as well.

Lets end this post with Joyce's prayer...

This is the Day

Good morning Ron;

As I pray for you and your family this morning, The Lord spoke and He said, go in His name and power. He has given you authority, power and dominion to speak those things to existence. Fear not nor be dismayed, for the Lord thy God is with you.

As you travel tomorrow, I pray even now that the BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH WHO CAME IN THE FLESH go before you and strategically wash everything that’s not of Our Lord and Savior. From every area of your traveling path, your parents home, inside and outside and seven miles around, above, below their home also your home in your absence.

These are some scriptures:

Healing: Malachi 4:2, Matthew 4:23 & 9:35, Luke 9:11, Acts 4:22

Healeth: Exodus 15:26, Psalm 103:3 &147:3, Isaiah 30:26

Be Blessed and go in HIS POWER.

Just know that everything you do is in HIM.

I pray the peace of GOD upon you.

Joyce

Em-Manuel

A few days ago I had the opportunity to work with a small but dedicated group in south Fontana. Perhaps you have never heard of south Fontana. It is a hot arid place on the edge of the deserts of southern California. Here you find blistering heat in the summer and poverty year round. This is a place of desperation. This is a place where generations of Americans go without health care; without most of the things that you and I hardly think about. Here people consider where their next meal will come from and whether they should eat or pay their rent. This is a place of desperation.

When I was sick…

For one day each month this changes. A small group of Christ followers congregate at a local church and do their level best to serve these same people. A mobile medical unit comes and sets up shop providing basic medical care for all who show up. They work tirelessly all day ensuring that these people see the hope of Christ through their eyes.

When I was hungry…

Our group brings in a truck full of food. I have the pleasure of organizing the packing of 100 boxes of food for the people. There are so many wonderful moments in this time. Each moment is a blessing, everything from small aches of joy in the small of my back, to the electricity of the opening prayer, to the intimacy of listening to a hurting broken brother or sister. I praise God for the opportunity to be in these moments fully alive for him and his church.

When I was lonely…

There are games, music, puppet shows, bouncers for the kids. This is a time for community to be built and strengthened, a time for new bonds of friendship to be planted.

Go amongst all the nations and proclaim the good news…

This day I asked a new friend "Manuel" a question. Do you believe that Christ died for you and loves you? Any evangelist worth his weight in salt might think this is no big thing. It was, Saturday marked the first time, praise God, that I asked another person this question. At least the first person where the answer was not known. The Lord is doing a work inside my heart. He is opening me up to the lonely and the poor, he is gracing me with a glimpse of his ability to see his people as he does.

Speak Lord for your servant is listening…

Father I praise you, I love you and I thank you. I ask that you open the eyes of all the peoples of this earth to the suffering, pain and loneliness that surrounds them like a sea. I ask that you bless them and teach them to see how they can make a difference for you. Father I pray that you will use me fully, make me a vessel of your peace of your grace and healing. Here I am father use me.

In your son’s victorious name I pray

Amen