HANDLE WITH PRAYER

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

^1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

Was out and about yesterday and ran across a little church sign that said, “Life is fragile, handle with prayer.”

It tied a little bow on a talk that was shared at AHOP earlier in the morning regarding the IMPORTANCE of continuous prayer.

We all often reserve our prayers for the "church house, the formal occasion, the dinner table, before we lay ourselves down to sleep or when faced with crisis or challenge. Yet Paul pointed out that prayer needs to be constant, that the conduit of communication between us and the Father needs to be open in all of our waking moments!

1 Thessalonians 5:17

Never stop praying.

And that little sign I saw yesterday couldn’t be more right!

Life is fragile. It most definitely needs prayer!

I mean we are up one minute and down the next; have things seemingly under control and then, WHAM, something or someone pulls the proverbial rug out. Without that communication line open we are relegated to our own understanding; something GOD said we shouldn’t lean on.

Proverbs 3:5

…do not trust in your own understanding.

The bottom line is we must heed Paul’s instruction. "Never stop praying"

Let's try it!

Since your awake, pray. Thank GOD for one more day on this side of the dirt!

“Don't forget to pray today because God did not forget to wake you up this morning.”
― Oswald Chambers

Don’t stop there, pause and include GOD in the plan for today.

Why? It is a jungle out there!

Matthew 26:41

Stay awake and pray for strength against temptation. The spirit wants to do what is right, but the body is weak.

Don’t stop yet! Pray that GOD will set your agenda for today according to the GOOD WORK HE has planned for you!

Ephesians 2:10

We are His work. He has made us to belong to Christ Jesus so we can work for Him. He planned that we should do this.

Don’t ever underestimate the power, the timing, or impact of prayer. Be open. Stay open. Nothing is too small or insignificant. Remember GOD is invested in you INTRICATELY.

Luke 12:7

…he pays even greater attention to you, down to the last detail—even numbering the hairs on your head!

Now that communication lines are open, leave them open!

Remember…

“The great tragedy of life is not unanswered prayer but unoffered prayer.”
― KB Meyer

Have a great week!

I love you all!

Freedom Church

Pastor GDelaney

PARADE OF FRUSTRATION

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

^1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

“No one will hire me”.

“This system stinks, don’t they realize while they ‘process’, I am homeless.”

“I have called umpteen times and no call back.”

“I make only X and everyone expects me to do Y with it.”

“You can’t get blood out of a turnip”.

I know you folks sometimes think I “make stuff up” for the purpose of effect for the DISPATCH, but trust me if I put it in here, it was said or it happened. The case in point, my little one-liners above; every one of them was real.

I was at the JEREMIAH TREE from dawn to dusk yesterday. I got up from my desk only for when nature and coffee called. The rest of the time I was party to what I will call the “PARADE of FRUSTRATION”; appointment after appointment person after person crisis after crisis; firestorms of frustration. Just about every client I saw had “had it”. I will be honest, at the close of the night I had too.

But I bring that all up today not to have you commiserate with me or for any type of shock value but rather to make a quick point as we head into a weekend. GOD knows there are obstacles in all our lives; that frustration will flourish from time to time. He just wants us to trust HIM rather than fall prey to being flummoxed.

2 Corinthians 12:9

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness…”

Paul could have easily said “Instead of fixating on the frustration, fix your faith.”

And that is exactly what we ALL need to do. Fix our faith!

I know it is easy to instead get fixed on our frustrations. Yet GOD calls us to lift our eyes to Him when life beats us down; Jesus Himself reminds us that He will help us overcome!

John 16:33

“In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I’ve conquered the world.”

The reality is that obstacles WILL continue to arise. Processes will continue to perplex.

But our help is always at hand!

Psalm 121

Where will my help come from? 2 My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. 3 He will not let your feet go out from under you. He Who watches over you will not sleep. 4 Listen, He Who watches over Israel will not close his eyes or sleep. 5 The Lord watches over you. The Lord is your safe cover at your right hand. 6 The sun will not hurt you during the day and the moon will not hurt you during the night. 7 The Lord will keep you from all that is sinful. He will watch over your soul. 8 The Lord will watch over your coming and going, now and forever.

So instead of fixating on those frustrations today, fix your faith and attention on Christ. He is ready, able and sufficient to help you overcome those pesky obstacles! All He asks for is a little faith!

Matthew 17:20

…The simple truth is that if you had a mere kernel of faith…There is nothing you wouldn’t be able to tackle.

Even a "parade of frustration"!

Have a blessed weekend!

I love you all!

Freedom Church

Pastor GDelaney

RESTORES

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

^1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

Jeremiah 30:17 ESV

For I will restore health to you, and your wounds I will heal, declares the Lord…

Yes He does. GOD even heals self-inflicted wounds and restores health lost to bad choices and irresponsibility. He does. Don’t believe me? Let me tell you a little about yesterday.

Over a decade ago I was privileged to assemble a little group of soccer players. My little girl Sam was one of them. They were a goofy lot. Truth be told they still are. But we were the XPRESS and that was that. We won some and lost some. I was honored to be their coach.

Now flash forward to last night. The fellowship, camaraderie and team that was forged around the turn of the century was still arm in arm last night as the XPRESS celebrated SENIOR NIGHT at XHS.

The weather was perfect and the atmosphere crackling with enthusiasm and energy. It was a wonderful night. The Lady Bucs even posted a win! I got to announce them. That was truly an honor.

Great story right?

But why share all this. Why here. Why as a DISPATCH? Here is why.

Truth be told, I didn’t deserve last night at all. In my illness and alcoholism, I abandoned these little girls just as they were reaching their promise. Selfishly I placed my relationship with alcohol over and above every one of them. I even stooped to coached intoxicated on more than one occasion. Those girls didn’t deserve someone like me; a self-centered drunk. In fact I lost them for a while. I didn't deserve to even be there last night.

But GOD had a different plan. When I returned to HIM, He returned to me one of those things that were truly valuable; my little girls; my XPRESS.

Zechariah 1:3

“Return to Me, that I may return to you.”

But should I be surprised? That is what GOD does.

…your wounds I will heal (even self-inflicted ones!).

The message for today is that GOD is a GOD who loves to RESTORE! He turns shame into celebration and blessing! He did for me! He will for you!

Isaiah 61:7

Instead of your shame you will have a share that is twice as much…

GOD turned the shame and guilt of my sin into a blessing that I will never forget. He more than doubled my joy as I stood arm in arm with my precious Samantha and all of my “adopted” little girls on the same soccer field where I had played my senior night 30 years before.

GOD wants that for you too. He loves rebuilding lives! Even when all he has to work with is a broken down alcoholic “has been, never was soccer coach”, He restores!

I had one of the Xenia dads ask me why I didn’t cry when I was announcing the girls for this big night. There was no time for tears! For all I was doing was praising GOD! He kept HIS word!

Psalm 103:2-5

2 Praise the Lord, O my soul. And forget none of His acts of kindness. 3 He forgives all my sins. He heals all my diseases. 4 He saves my life from the grave. He crowns me with loving-kindness and pity. 5 He fills my years with good things and I am made young again like the eagle.

He restored and I felt truly young again.

I love you all!

Freedom Church

Pastor GDelaney

BOX IT UP

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

^1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

I have mentioned a couple of times that GOD often orchestrates my days “thematically”. What I mean is often my days, especially those ministering at the JEREMIAH TREE, will arc around a specific topic or challenge.

Yesterday was blame.

I met with 2 parents blaming themselves for the addictions of their kids. That one took a whole box of tissues.

I then chatted with a mom being blamed by her son for his addictive tendencies and subsequent failings. That one needed boxing gloves.

Mixed in were 8 or 9 other sessions where I felt like I was on the merry-go-round at the carnival. We were going around and around but always ending up in the same place; everyone wanted to blame or was being blamed.

For the addicted person, blame is “relieving”. The less an addict has to look in the mirror at their own failing and issues, the better! It is so much easier to target someone else and blame them for the pain and ill than it is to own it.

But addicts and their parents aren’t the only ones who play the blame game. We all have opened that box a time or two haven’t we?

The real problem is that we want control; plain and simple. The funny part is we have a hard enough time trying to control ourselves so how in the world would we think we could control others? But we do.

I learned early on in this ministry, I can control no one. I couldn’t handle myself. I can offer opportunities and share experience but I certainly can’t control. If I can't control, then I surely can't blame.

But when things go wrong we are quick cast blame as if someone else’s actions dictated our emotional response: “Mom sucked at being a mom so I started using because of it.” (That is a true statement made yesterday in my office!) In reality, regardless how rotten mom may or may not have been; her son CHOSE the heroin and he has to own that choice.

Period. I know a little harsh, but just being real.

It is easy to forget sometimes that our reaction to others is a CHOICE. We can always decide whether to react in a godly or worldly fashion when someone hurts us or when things go sideways. We can choose the high or the low road.

Therefore no matter how much blame we sling or attempt to offload onto others, the Lord cannot be misled by our maneuvering. He looks only at the heart. He knows the truth. And as much as we think it does, the blame game does not end up making us look better. Instead, it hinders our fellowship with God.

Why? Because the responses He is looking for are forgiveness when we are hurt and repentance when we do the hurting.

Otherwise, we get too caught up in either vengeance or escaping culpability neither of which fits GOD’s way. GOD's way is...

James 5:12

…Just say yes or no. Just say what is true…

Simple. Direct.

So if you find yourself playing the blame game today, STOP PLAYING! The game has no point, there are no winners. Instead ask GOD for forgiveness and the strength to forgive others.

Luke 6:37

Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn (blame), and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

And box up that blame game!

I love you all!

Freedom Church

Pastor GDelaney

BEST BLOODIED

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

^1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

“Recovery is Bloody Business” is what I called it. What you ask; last night’s talk at FREEDOM CHURCH. I could have called it “Life is Bloody Business” and it would have still fit. I know, maybe the title is a bit graphic or even off-putting, but I do believe it is relevant and rooted in truth. It might be even more appropriately titled “Recovery and Life are ‘BETTER’ when Bloodied.”

Trust me.

Let me explain and unpack it a little.

The Lord had laid a song on my lil’ sister Natalie called “STILL BELIEVE” recorded by Kim Walker. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kzsy_wdzWNw)

I thought I would share the lyric this morning:

“Your blood makes the deaf to hear right now

Your blood takes away the curse right now

Your blood heals every disease right now

Your blood sets the addict free right now

And I still believe you’re the same yesterday today, and forever

And I still believe your blood is sufficient for me.

Your blood mends the broken hearts right now

Your blood propels me to forgive right now

Your blood transforms my mind right now

Your blood brings the dead to life right now

And I still believe you’re the same yesterday today, and forever

And I still believe your blood is sufficient for me

You’re the highest power

Darkness cannot stand

No longer bound to sin, I am free

And I still believe you’re the same yesterday today, and forever

And I still believe your blood is sufficient for me.”

Powerful stuff huh?

But BLOODY stuff too.

I will be honest.

Sometimes I get fearful about sharing “churchy” topics with my dear friends at FREEDOM. For many of them, this is the “first church” they have come to in a while, maybe ever. And so my small-mindedness gets in the way from time to time when it comes to sharing “churchy” things like “the blood of Christ” fearing that I will lose them or alienate the recovery seeker. I mean you would agree, “Christ’s blood” is pretty “churchy”; a little “inside” if you will. But last night, I was thankful that GOD (and it was GOD) pushed me past my small-minded fears and allowed Natalie and me to share a collective message about the amazing power of the blood. I plan to share portions of the talk with you in the future, but today, I want to simply encourage you to do what I prodded my friends at FREEDOM last night to do.

See past the visceral and graphic; see past the “churchliness” when it comes to the blood of Christ and embrace its power; embrace its changing force and the hope that it brings! This blood does indeed do what that little lyric from Kim Walker says.

It heals, it changes, it mends and it FREES!

Don’t ever be resigned to pigeonhole the blood to an “Eastery”thing or communion reference or ever leave it to things like a Passion play to stir your memory. Instead remember those in Christ are covered with this blood and in life it is best to BE BLOODIED; soaked in it in fact. Remember WHAT it does and that is the SAME and SUFFICIENT for ANYTHING you may be facing today! Don’t think so?

Ephesians 1:7-9

Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we’re a free people—free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free! He thought of everything, provided for everything we could possibly need…

It IS best to be bloodied!

I love you all!

Freedom Church

Pastor GDelaney

ENGAGING GOD

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

^1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

Are you ready to handle today? Pretty confident you have a good plan; got things figured out?

Be careful. I have it on good authority that diving into today “alone” may not be the best idea.

Ephesians 6:13

Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own…

Yesterday at AHOP in Xenia, Pastor Mark stressed the power of ENGAGING GOD. And while his context yesterday was that the “church-house” was the perfect forum for us to weekly engage GOD, is can’t start and stop there. We must be willing to “seek” and engage GOD from the moment our eyes open until our heads hit the pillow and they close for the night.

Why? Ephesians 6:13 says why. This place, this world, this walk is more than we can handle without GOD fully engaged!

So let’s engage Him! How you may ask? Well, let’s keep it simple; 3 easy steps in fact.

1. Open your Word. Remember the Bible is GOD’S communication to you. Big meeting today? Search the Word for passages about preparation and confidence. Facing a crisis or need encouragement? Purus the passages for passages of peace and courage. Then…

2. Meditate on what you read. Re-read it several times with the purpose of hearing from the Lord. Block out the distractions and let Holy Spirit communicate with you. He WILL! Trust me!

Isaiah 30:21

Your own ears will hear him.

Right behind you a voice will say,

“This is the way you should go,”

whether to the right or to the left.

3. Lastly, pray. When we pray we open the conduit between us and GOD. Never forget, the flow of love, encouragement and guidance NEVER STOPS. It is constant and it is CONSISTENT!

Hebrews 13:8

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Our prayer allows the flow to begin! It tunes our heart and mind to GOD! It opens the flow!

You see? Engaging GOD is not complicated. Read, meditate and pray! We can handle that can’t we?

Never forget GOD desperately wants to be engaged with us. He loves His time with us, relishes the fellowship and the communication. He loves to “get involved”, to teach, to HELP!

So let’s look at that troubling verse from Ephesians 6:13 one more time.

Ephesians 6:13

Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own… (it goes on to say...)

…TAKE ALL THE HELP YOU CAN GET, every weapon GOD has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll STILL BE ON YOUR FEET. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. LEARN HOW TO APPLY THEM (MEDITATE). You’ll need them throughout your life. GOD’S WORD is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. PRAY LONG AND HARD…

Looks like GOD has things covered! Let's get ENGAGED!

I love you all!

Freedom Church

Pastor GDelaney

W & N

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

^1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

Isaiah 58:10-12

If you are generous with the hungry

and start giving yourselves to the down-and-out,

Your lives will begin to glow in the darkness,

your shadowed lives will be bathed in sunlight.

I will always show you where to go.

I’ll give you a full life in the emptiest of places—

firm muscles, strong bones.

You’ll be like a well-watered garden,

a gurgling spring that never runs dry.

You’ll use the old rubble of past lives to build anew,

rebuild the foundations from out of your past.

You’ll be known as those who can fix anything,

restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate,

make the community livable again.

It is remarkable when the WORD of GOD comes to life and it even more remarkable when it wanders unexpectedly into the little house you call the ministry. But yesterday was such a day.

I was simply sitting at my desk clearing up a little past paperwork, waiting for the next appointment and “they” wander in. Their hands are full. Paper products, cleaning supplies, a mop and who knows what else. At first I was confused. There was no bulletin sent out expressing need. It wasn’t Tuesday, because I usually see “them” on Tuesdays. “What GIVES?”, I wondered.

Then it hit me. “THEY GIVE”. The funny part is they are always some of the first to give.

Need someone in the kitchen? THEY GIVE.

Need a little lunch for the Jeremiah Tree homeless and struggling? THEY GIVE.

And now I guess they are in the cleaning supply “giving” business too.

W & N (that is “them”) never cease to bless my heart and show me Christ. “They” were merely dropping a few supplies because they “sensed” the JEREMIAH TREE could use them. What is more astonishing is that after they left me, they were heading 90 minutes up the road to minister to family members struggling with the impact of cancer.

Who does that?

W & N do. Givers do.

These two are GIVERS; right down to the root. No lists needed. Put your requests, campaigns and pleas aside. They give because GOD inspires them to give. That is that “sense”thing I am talking about. That is the Jesus in them.

Luke 6:38

…give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.

I want to offer to each of us today the inspiration of W & N, the truth of Isaiah and Luke to encourage each of us to be GIVERS! GOD honors it and blessings result! Trust me. I just watched it live and in person yesterday.

I was the one blessed!

Thanks W & N.

You are a dear and sweet blessing in my life and so many others. Thanks for making MY COMMUNITY more LIVABLE and vibrant! Thanks for continuing to listen and respond to GOD!

Proverbs 11:24-25

The world of the generous gets larger and larger;

the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller.

The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed;

those who help others are helped.

Have a blessed weekend!

I love you all!

Freedom Church

Pastor GDelaney