Eye of the Storm Shawnee 2016

Are you peppy for Jesus?

I'll never forget what a dear elderly lady in church said to me one Sunday..."You're so peppy!" Peppy is kinda an old word so I'll help give you some meanings: high spirited, enthusiastic, lively, full of energy, active, alert

Of course I loved her compliment...I can certainly be peppy. What happens when your peppy gets pooped? The devil doesnt like peppy believers at all...so he will try to tire them out in whatever way possible to create pooped worn out of all peppyness believers.

Here's the thing about peppy believers the devil cant stand....their perseverance! It falls under their spiritedness. My buckskin is very peppy and high spirited. Try telling her something she doesnt want to do....see how far you get with her. But then be amazed at how much and how far she will go for you just because she loves you and wants to please you. It's not that we lost our connection when she doesnt cooperate it's just that she thinks she can handle the situation better than you can. I suppose you could call that just plain stubborn! But even then stubborn peppy believers are tough to break away their connection with God and the devil knows that.

This type is often laid out flat on the ground but while laid out they are trying their best to trip up the devil. If we have to be down we may as well be tripping the devil ok?

This type not only wants to tell you about Jesus but wants you to experience Jesus for yourself so like my enthusiastic horse who is not content with just showing you one small trick but 10 other bigger and tougher tricks she knows! So we, as peppy believers, are not content to tell you just one thing about Jesus but everything we know about Him!! Everything! Sit down....get comfy...that may take a couple days!

Peppy believers can mess up and hurt others and have days where we want to give up but thank goodness God provides and revives our pep when we're pooped.

If you're pooped, Ask God to get you excited about living for Him again.

If you're peppy, Ask God who needs to get excited about You?

 

God's Not Done! (I just want to get you excited about loving Jesus!

 

God's Not Done. A super encouraging thought! And if you are here today reading this than you can be sure that God is not done with you either. I have known my horses for many years and I love them just as they are. When they fail I forgive them, when they get rowdy, I discipline them when they get sick, I help them in every way possible because my love for them doesn't just leave one day and come back another day depending on this or that. No my love for my horses wont ever run out or be done! Oh how my horses love to learn new things when I train them tricks! I think they get excited to please me more knowing I'm not done with teaching them new things or taking them on new adventures! It excites them! They love to be used! But they have to know certain things before I can do certain things with them. We have to have developed a strong relationship with each other. This comes from a pattern of struggles and achievements. Ups and downs and even lower than downs at times...like giving up.

Isn't this the way God works with us too? I get so much excitement from God knowing that He has placed me here for a reason! Even after knowing Him for many years, I still get excited everytime He teaches me something new about the Bible or Himself! Or how He keeps forgiving me after I fail Him or I forget what He taught me and He has to remind me again or how He provides me strength and endurance to get through another day. How much joy that brings me to know that God is not done with me or any of my situations...those struggles you are enduring could be a way that you get to experience God more in your life! Those challenging relationships could be helping you to become more like Him! All those mistakes you made could help you see your desperate need for Him. I'm so thankful that God is not done even when it seems like He's not doing anything. Nothing is done until God takes your last breath. You might be done but God isn't. He's the One that made you and knows you and wants to teach you so many new things about Himself if you and I are only willing! Willing to learn when it's easy and when it's really really hard and painful...it may be dreadful...but you wont be going through it without God! And God has so much He wants you to experience with Him! That's correct. God wants you to EXPERIENCE Him! God doesnt just want you to know Him but to experience Him. Did you know you can experience God? That you can feel God? You can but you have to go through the ups and downs and yeah sometimes the way way awefuls. But heres the encouragement...God's not ever done in your life unless you choose to be done with God so always seek God and never give up! (Luke 18:1) God can bring light even to a dark situation so seek God for direction. God can provide joy even when your situation does not change so ask God for His presence. God can answer a prayer when it seems so far out of His hearing and highly impossible so keep praying. And along your journey with God, He will amaze you by His love and provision and you will not be able to contain your love or excitement for Him.

Wow! How much more that should make us desire to spend more time with Him! Even though we have a struggle or fear or overwhelming situation...even when the trial wont quit or maybe we are faced with it forever....even when all hell is breaking loose all around us and in our country and the world...we can remember that God is not done. Stay strong believer. Pray strong! And believe that with God all things are possible! You plus God equals majority! And God wants to use you because He loves you and once you develop a relationship with God you'll develop a Gods not done attitude too!

 

 

God, I'm Exhausted

I write this being exhausted. It's a busy time at work. It's a busy time here at home with many spring projects to do or horses to train and just trying to keep up with the normal stuff! Then God asks you to do more and you do because you know its from Him. But there's still this project God wants me to do that I'm dragging my feet on as I tell God, I'm just too exhausted! I say this in complete honesty as I'm getting over a bad migraine. My body is completely drained. My health problems are flaring. But my God says Keep going. Keep fighting. Do it.

Reminds me that there are no retirement verses in the Bible. Run the race! Fight the fight! Stand fast! And having done all to stand...STAND! I heard a preacher say, When God takes me, I want to be lying exhausted on the Battlefield!! Why? Because I gave God everything I had!

Had me thinking...do I want God to find me on my couch watching a movie when I'm tired or exhausted on my face before Him praying when I'm tired?

When my body is in pain does God want me to excuse myself from the battle for that day or season or do I limp, crawl, and drag myself to the battlefield anyway because a true follower of God refuses to let circumstances deter them from the battlefield.

Will God find me exhausted on the battlefield? How does one even accomplish that?

Remember this verse? Always pray. And never give up!

Now, I'm not saying that I'm against naps or taking a day or a season to do way less. (Today I'm doing way less!) In fact that can be healthy and absolutely needed! I'm just wondering are we exhausting ourselves for Jesus? Are we all in for Him? Even when lying exhausted on the battlefield? See, We can exhaust ourselves with work hours... family functions...entertainment...and yes even good things like ministries can exhaust you.....but what about the battlefield? Are you fighting the battle God has for you or your own battle? Will God find me exhausted on the Battlefield for Him or will He find me holding back on what He called me to do? A true soldier of Jesus knows their assignment...Do you know your assignment? If you don't, ask God to show you your battlefield. He will. Wow just standing up for Biblical values in America is a battlefield now!

If you are off course in your battle and you know you have not been fighting well then get back in the fight! God desires you to stay in the fight!

Dear God, Help me to finish the race not holding back anything that you wanted me to do! Let me lie exhausted on the battlefield for you!

 

Let Me Get This Straight – Pastor Shane Idleman Love what God loves/hate what God hates

As always, I speak to myself first. Did you know the Bible actually states that if you love God you should hate evil. You should hate what God hates.  That's strong language. But in our society wickedness abounds....did you know IL is the most welcoming midwestern state for abortions? Did you know that women flock here just for that? Did you know that our politicians want murderes to be able to vote in prison? Did you know that criminals have more rights than policemen? Did you know that kids are getting taught in school that transgender is ok and you can be whatever sex you want whatever day you want....we can even give you pills and surgery to transform you? Did you know that marriage is between whomever you desire? Forget what the Bible says about one man and one women...did you know that they want to make abortion pills for vending machines? Marijuana is now legal to use.  Did you know you can use your phone to set yourself up with sexual immorality? Does any of this bother you? This is even looked on as good in our society...I weep over this. And I have only begun to mention the evil going on. I could go on and on.

We have been silent too long...passivity has set in...we no longer hate what God hates for fear of being persecuted or rejected or called a bigot or hater racist etc. Our standards are not Gods high moral standards...I wonder what will it take for us...our nation...Believers to become desperate for God? Are our eyes blinded? Do our ears not hear anymore? Does our heart not cry out at the sin of ourselves and our nation? Do we not cry out because we are ignorant or refuse to even want to see the evil? Do we just try to stay inside our own little box to hide and protect ourselves from any evil.  Have we turned into cowards instead of soldiers? Does evil not affect us anymore...is it not offensive to us...does it not cause us to pray more? To humble ourselves before our God and beg for revival of hearts starting first with our own heart and then with all believers....Have we bought into the lies of our society? Have you been decieved slowly for so long that you no longer feel or recognize evil?  Are we asleep? No outcry no emotions no anguish over what is happening? I wonder how much more of this can Gods heart take? We have offended God by our silence and lack of boldness and our lack of seeking the full council of Gods Word. Because if you really read the Bible and Gods take on things you would see that God hates evil. Look up what God hates. You will be convicted. But we need to be convicted to repent and to become humble and to act. The other amazing truth you will see over and over in the Bible is this: when believers (nonbelievers too) humble themselves before God seek Him and pray God heals and forgives or postpones judgment. We need God. We really really really need God. 

If you're not sure of truth anymore, pray...then look at Gods Word...all of it...dont just hang your hat on one story or one verse.  Absorb all of scripture. Then pray again.  God is closest to a contrite heart and a humble heart and a heart that cries out to Him in sincerity and reverence and persistence.

God, it's beyond my strength! (a cry from the heart of a child of God)

There are many times, I run out of strength and need God to take over.  I know that my body is slowly and at times painfully dying so I have learned to depend on God for my strength and relief each day.  Everyday I ask Him to help me get through one more day.  "Be my strength and energy, Lord.  I can't do it without you."  Each trial I walk or crawl through is a learning experience with God.  He teaches me lessons, reminders and sets me up for the way He wants to use me because I'm so broken and weak at times there is no one else who can possibly do for me what God can and does.  Trials can sometimes lead to despair in a Christians life.  We pray and the prayers are unanswered.  We spring into action, but nothing good comes of it.  We hang in and wait on God only to have even more problems arise while we wait.  We try to be helpful only to constantly take a face plant.  We try to be of help only to end up being a dagger instead.  We get to a point where we just want to give up.  I'm not doing any good for you here, God.  Just take me home! 

I was at that point today.  Out of almost nowhere, besides being tired, such despair.  Many questions.  God, if I just hurt people than why am I here?  God, I've followed through with what you said, but look where it got me!?  God, why have you brought me through so much only to destroy me now?  God, why have you burdened my heart with something so heavy I can't even express it rightly to anyone?  God, why have you lead me to this path?  I was barely able to walk the previous one! 

I came home from work and I sat in the barn and I cried and cried and cried.  That was part one of my time with God....just weeping.  Then came the talking.  I didn't hold back any of my questions or anguish from God.  I told Him everything.  How I'd really like to give up right now.  I've failed Him.  I asked Him to forgive me too.  We will have to answer for every word and action we say or did or didn't on Judgment Day...makes me tremble.  

I had noticed a previous sermon by David Wilkerson, "Have you felt like giving up lately?" on my phone earlier today but was not intending to get to it but God told me listen to it now!  I can try to post it on here too.

So how do you get out of giving up?  3 points David W shared.  1.  Don't think you are experiencing some strange new battle.  You're in good company according to the Bible!  Ex.  Job, Paul, Elisha, many etc!

2.  Call on God!  Loudly even!  It really is in the Bible.  Psalm 30:2, 31:32, 55:16,18 72:12 Psalm 18 

3.Take the promises of God. Go to your prayer room/closet and hold God to them!  "God, do more than I ask of you!" (Eph 3:20)     

God, when its beyond my strength, its all on you!  I'm going to pray and seek you God and believe that you are working in me, but You have to get me out!  God, help me to listen and hear and recognize your Holy Spirit in my life!  God give me more of  You because I can't do life without You.

GET USE TO DIFFERENT!

I suppose many of you use the adjective "different" when you describe me to someone.  Haha!  Being "different" if often thought of as a lonely position like an outcast or misfit.  However, that is exactly what God calls us to be a believers!  Different, set apart from the world and ablaze with a deeper love of Jesus!  We are suppose to be so different so peculiar so distinct that the world takes notice!  Problem is we don't always seem very different from the world....perhaps one reason is we can compare ourselves to others instead of Jesus.  Other Christians aren't doing it....Or other Christians are doing it!  Self gets in the way alot.  Our reputation matters to us even when we say it doesn't.  Those dead lines you are working on right now...you have to get them done otherwise your responsible reputation will be shattered.  The leadership position you are in causes people to rush you for answers...and you want to be loved so perhaps you give in sooner than you'd like.  Reputation didn't much matter to Jesus did it?  The political and religious leaders hated Jesus.  Still Jesus kept at His ministry and went through with the cross...really thankful reputation didn't matter to Jesus.  Reputation shouldn't matter to us either UNLESS we are trying to represent Jesus!  Here's where it can get sticky too.  Sometimes people have different representations of Jesus and we actually represent Him in the wrong way.  I have to admit that I have failed to represent Jesus in ways I should have or perhaps I shouldn't have.  So I have to go back to the Bible and search the life of Jesus, pray for guidance and ask for forgiveness and then try again.  Thankfully Jesus knows our motives and heart!  Wow I'm so grateful for that even though that can also be scary to me!  Mostly relieves me right now!  

I don't like to be different. In fact I'd rather blend in or not be noticed but God's word says you will be noticed when you live for Me!  Daniel braved the Kings decree and prayed to God anyway and others took notice.  The disciples were accused of turning the world upside down when they preached the gospel!  Hebrews 11 lists many "different" Jesus following believers and says the world was not worthy of them!  

This is the warning God has put on my heart.  Are we so use to what the world thinks is a Christian that when true Christians take a stand or get a little excited for Jesus we think of them as unloving or way too radical or just too different?   We are suppose to be different!  Get use to it!  I can't help but notice how often the Bible presents believers as different doing unbelievable things because the believers were so full of God's spirit in their lives!  Like casting out demons!  Or healing the sick raising the dead!  Not dying when a venomous snake bites you!!  How much time are we spending in God's word in prayer etc.  Are we spending more time with the world than with God?  Honestly, different should be a sign of a true believer.  How different are you and I from the world?  Or do we love and agree with the world?  Are we set apart?  God having us do anything strange lately or have we got so much of the world in us that we can't see a difference? 

I'm encouraging myself first... but why is it strange to want to spend extra time with God?  Perhaps you look different if you set aside a weekend to getaway with God? John the Baptist was a wilderness wonderer very different dude but God used him to ready others for Jesus.  Perhaps you seem different because you want to have more prayer meetings or start home schooling your kids or tell others about Jesus or speak up against evil in our schools or run for a political office?  Perhaps you seem different because you won't eat for a day because your heart hurts about all the evil going on in the world or you'll sacrifice something in order to put God first.  

Perhaps God is calling you to do something different and if you're like me you're like that's crazy!  That's different, God!  No!  What are people gonna say about me?  My reputation will be shattered! Generally, I try to put off and not do those things but God calls us to a life full of different especially when the world is so dark.  Are we more concerned about what the world thinks of us or what God thinks of us? 

Dear God, help us to be set apart from this world!  Help us to get use to different and turn from our passivity!  Help us to fully jump into your Holy calling not looking to others but to You.  Flood us with your Holy Spirit. Amen.

When you get a group together to pray on top the church roof as you watch God paint a beautiful sunset! Different is not always bad!  Thankful for all my brothers and sisters in Christ living different set apart holy lives for Jesus.  You encourage me so much!