Sorry I Missed You Lord But……

Church/Me-Seeking-The-Lord/Being Used by God Schedule:

Monday:  Bible Reading/Prayer (7:30 am – 8:00 am)

Tuesday:  Intercessory Prayer (6:00 pm – 7:00 pm)

Wednesday:  Pastoral Bible Study/Teaching (7:00 pm – 8:00 pm)

Thursday:  Bible Reading/Prayer (7:30 am – 8:00 am)

Friday:  Me Time (All Day)

Saturday:  Me Time (All Day)

Sunday:  Worship/Sermon Service (10:30 am – 12:15 pm)

Sunday:  Life Group (5:00 pm – 6:30 pm)

God’s/Holy Spirit’s Schedule:

Monday:  Time of Revelation, Intimacy, Worship, Healing, Deliverance, Ministering with Me (8:15 am – 11:00 pm) 

Tuesday:  Intercessory Prayer (7:15 pm til…..)

Wednesday:  Pastoral Bible Study/Teaching (8:15 pm til …..)

Thursday:  Time of Revelation, Intimacy, Worship, Healing, Deliverance, Ministering with Me (8:15 am – 11:00 pm) 

Friday:  Time of Revelation, Intimacy, Worship, Healing, Deliverance, Ministering with Me (7:00 am – 11:00 pm) 

Saturday:  Time of Revelation, Intimacy, Worship, Healing, Deliverance, Ministering with Me (7:00 am – 11:00 pm) 

Sunday:  Worship/Sermon Service (12:30 pm til…..)

Sunday:  Life Group (6:45 pm til….)

Do you ever feel as we as individuals and a church are missing the move of the Spirit in our lives and church?  We are missing a touch from the Spirit of God?  We’re not being used to bring the fullness of God and His Kingdom to this lost, hurting and broken world?  We’re going through the motions as individuals and as a Church?  How is fitting God and His Spirit into our lives and schedules working for us?  Is it time to fit ourselves into God’s schedule instead of continously trying to fit Him into our schedules?

Insights, Lessons Learned and Re-Learned In This Crazy Life Over the Past Few Months

It’s been a while since I last posted but that’s life sometimes, however I am getting the urge to get back to writing and sharing some things that God’s been speaking to  me about and that He’s sharing with me in this crazy life.  God and life are great teachers and I wanted to share some things that I’ve learned and re-learned (or been reminded of) over the past few months.  It’s a lot and I will share over a couple posts (but not all – some are just for me and/or Christy to know, right?):

• I have been so unbelievably blessed with a godly wife, godly parents, a sober brother,  a great home, reliable cars, rewarding career, Holy-Spirited filled church with anointed leaders, and am a fool to ever complain about the life that I have….or “don’t have.”  It’s by the Mercy and Grace of my Savior that I have what I have in life and I have a great responsibility to be a good steward of the things God has given to me and to use anything good in my life to glorify God and to reach the lost, hurting and broken of this world.
• Having a godly wife is more valuable than gold and silver and is a true treasure.  I think God knew something when He inspired that Proverb!  I look around and see so many lonely people that would give up God Himself just to have the godly wife and marriage I have.  I’m blessed and it’s nothing I’ve earned but a precious gift given to us by God.  To those that are lonely and seeking that godly wife or husband, don’t settle or sell out to the emotions and infatuation of the flesh and allow the Angel of Light to take you away from that relationship that God has destined for you to have.
• Sometimes no matter how much we love someone and try to protect them in this life, we can do nothing but watch as the hurt, pain and tears come.  Sometimes a prayer and shoulder to cry on is all we have to offer but never underestimate this – it can change the spiritual atmosphere and move God to pour out the fullness of  His Kingdom onto the situation.
• The Jezebel spirit is strong and has led many a men down a path of destruction and away from the calling that God has placed over their lives.  Being witness too this fact is tough to watch.
• God is exactly who He says that He is and not who I think He is.
• I knew God was big but my little mind grossly underestimated truly how BIG our God is.
• We’ve grown so much spiritually over the past four years, especially the past year but we’ve realized that we still pretty much know nothing and am just a toddler in the ways of  God.  But it’s an adventure and the journey is fun.
• Intimacy with and open, geniune worship of Jesus leads to a renewed and deeper relationship with Him.  Through the relationship is found the mercy, grace, love and hope of Jesus Christ and when true growth begins.  Knowing Jesus and having a relationship with Him are entirely different things.  I can know His Word, adhere to the Law to the best of my human ability, go about doing good in His name but not have a relationship with Him. 
• The more I seek God, the more the things of this world seem so trival and petty and my dreams seem like childish longings born from my mind and flesh.
• My dreams are often in direct opposition to what God has planned for my life.
• The Love of Jesus has power and there is no power without the Crazy Love that comes only from Jesus.  This Crazy Love is dangerous, foolish to this world and doesn’t make sense but destroys bondages and sets the spiritual captives free.
• Great faith can be a powerful catalyst for great miracles and supernatural encounters with the Risen Lord but the lack of faith can often be the needle that stitches closed the open veil into the heavenlies.
• Breast cancer is no match for the Healing Fire and Power of our Almighty God.  Just ask the woman in Brazil that was instantantly healed after a team laid hands on her and prayed in the name of Jesus for the cancer to be destroyed. 
• Healing is a mystery but as real today as when Jesus walked this earth.
• Seeing the miraculous healing power of the Holy Spirit doesn’t automatically mean stronger, deeper faith by the persons witnessing the miracle, sign or wonder.  It’s crazy but I’ve seen Christians who witnessed first-hand a healing miracle – one’s faith soared and the other’s faith was confused with doubt and unbelief.  Faith isn’t in the seeing, it’s in the believing.  If I doubted before, I’ll probably still find a way to doubt afterwards.
• God still sovereignly heals but wants to partner with his disciples (that’s US!) to heal through the powerful prayers and laying-on-of-hands of his children.
• The false doctrine of Cessationism has stripped a lot of the church of the power and authority of the Holy Spirit to work in people’s lives as Christ intended.  The Gifts of the Spirit are as real today as they were in the days of Paul and Peter.  It was the Acts of the HOLY SPIRIT, not the Apostles.
• It’s so easy to be disobedient and tell God all the “right things” such as, “I trust you completely”, “I Surrender it all to you”, “I’ll do anything you ask of me, Lord”, “I’ll waste my life for you, Jesus” but so hard to actually live it. 
• Many people are being changed by religion but not transformed by the redeeming Blood of Jesus Christ.
• We’re more concerned with our religious programs and agendas than Divine encounters with the manifest presence of God.
• The verse in the Keith Urban song, Thank You, is so true – “Now people say they’ll stand beside you, they swear they’ll never leave but when the rain started falling, you know it only fell on me.”  But I know that my beautiful, godly wife and parents (both) will always be there and my Savior, Jesus Christ will NEVER leave us, especially when in the midst of a storm.
• The child that we said we never wanted turned out to be our greatest joy and deepest sorrow, all in the same day.
• Kinda blows my mind to know that Christy and I have a child that God is holding in his sweet embrace right now until He calls us home one day.
• Christy and I will still continue to love, worship, seek, chase and praise God, No Matter What as long as His Grace is sufficient….and it is!
• Satan doesn’t play fair and wants nothing more than to take us out and keep us from living an anointed, supernatural life that rescues lost souls from the gates of hell.
• There are a lot of Christians living miserable, joyless, hopeless, powerless, addicted, depressed and oppressed lives.   Jesus died to bring freedom to the captives but that freedom has proven elusive in His church. 
• Many people think this satan, demonic stuff is fairy tale lore.  Maybe that’s the reason for the above.
• A small, hungry, God-chasing vagabond of “little Christs” armed with the supernatural anointing of God and the Crazy Love of Jesus can rock a region to its very core, breaking generations of demonic influence. 
• Don’t ever put your trust in people alone.  They will let you down at times.  We know this so why does it surprise us and hurt us when it happens.  True friends are very, very rare and when you find them, pour into their lives.  Be there for them, even when it’s hard.  And remember, if they are not pouring back into your life, then they’re not true friends no matter what they say.  They may be a christian brother or sister or someone that you enjoy being with at times but true friendship is a two-way street.

These are just a few insights and lessons learned/relearned over the past few months that I wanted to share.  More to come.  Would love for you to share what God has spoken into your life recently and what life has taught (or re-taught) you over the past few months.

Happy 15th Wedding Anniversary Baby!!!!

Fifteen years ago today, I married my best friend and soul mate.  The woman that God had created just for me.  What a true blessing!   The journey that we’ve been on since that day has been a beautiful ride, and has led us places that we never imagined we would go, especially into the supernatural heavenlies where Christ Himself dwells and the Kingdom of God resides in all its glory.  It’s been an honor and privilege being married to such a beautiful, cute, funny, compassionate, loving, sexy and passionate woman of God that she is, and chasing God with her has been an incredible adventure that I believe is just getting started.  Thank you baby for all the love and commitment you have given me over the past fifteen years.  I cherish the beautiful memories that we have made together but am so excited about where God is going to take our relationship from this day forth, and am so excited about the powerful team that we will become through the Holy Spirit and  in the name of Jesus.  I love you, and I love you, and I love you!!!!

Diaries from the Gospel for Brazil Jesus Caravan (2010) – “GFB 2010 Mission Slideshow of Our Journey”

GFB 2010 Mission Slideshow.

Check out some photos of our awesome journey to Brazil.  What a ride with an awesome team of God Chasers!

Diaries from the Gospel for Brazil Jesus Caravan (2010) – “Video Montage: Speaking Louder Than Before”

Gospel for Brazil 2010 Mission.

A little taste of our awesome, supersonic ride into the heavenlies.

Back Home from Brazil

We arrived back home today from our two and a half week mission trip to Brazil.  Even though our bodies are loving being home, our minds, hearts, souls and spirits are needing more of Brazil, more of her people and more of that intense chasing of God that we’ve experienced over the past days.  So much to process and relive that it’s a little overwhelming but vital to fully understanding what was experienced and what God wants us to do with them now that we’re back to “reality”.  So join us over the next few weeks as we share experiences, insights and pictures of our incredible, supernatural ride into the heavenlies to bring the real Kingdom of God to the people of Brazil.

The Seeds of Revival – Part I

Noah Webster’s Dictionary defines “Revival” as the following:  (n.) Reanimation from a state of languor or depression; — applied to the health, spirits, and the like.  (n.) Restoration of force, validity, or effect; renewal  (n.) Renewed interest in religion, after indifference and decline; a period of religious awakening; special religious interest.  v. i.) To return to life; to recover life or strength; to live anew; to become reanimated or reinvigorated  (v. i.) Hence, to recover from a state of oblivion, obscurity, neglect, or depression; as, classical learning revived in the fifteenth century. (v. i.) To raise from coma, languor, depression, or discouragement; to bring into action after a suspension.  (v. i.) Hence, to recover from a state of neglect or disuse; as, to revive letters or learning.

If you run in any religious or Christian circles long enough, you will eventually hear someone talking about “needin’ a Revival”.   I’ve heard about Revival for most of my life and never really been able to figure out exactly what they were talking about –

Me:  “Revival?  What’s that mean?”

Preacher dude:  “You know, a time when we get together as a church and get revived!”

Me: “Revived from what?  I thought Christ already revived us on the cross!”

Preacher dude: “Uhhh.  He did but now it’s time to get revived again.”

Me:  “Okay.  How do we do that?”

Preacher dude:  “Well, we set aside a special week on the church calender, hype it up to all 32 members of our esteemed congregation for months, get some “well known” preacher to come in that’ll scare the hell out of everyone so we’ll all repent from our unfaithfulness and disobedience  (with a little grace music thrown in) and set everyone straight so they’ll be good members and ease a lot of headaches on me.”

Me:  “What type of unfaithfulness and disbedience are you talking about?”

Preacher dude:  “You know…not tithing like they’re supposed too (we got salaries to upkeep round here, you know), not coming to Sunday School class regularly, not showing up on our monthly church cleaning and lawn maintenance day.  You know, heathen type living that’s unacceptable around here.”

Me:  “Does it work?  Does everyone get revived?”

Preacher dude:  “Yessir.  Works like a charm.  Lasts at least three or four months, sometimes six if we’re lucky.  You know, helps us meet the budget during that time and gets everyone fired up ’bout God.  For a few months after, I just think to myself, “This must be what it’s like in Heaven!””

Me:  “Sounds good I guess but let me ask you…Does anyone get saved?  Or healed?  Or set free of spiritual bondages?”

Preacher dude:  “What you talking about?  We don’t do that type stuff ’round here!  I hear that Penteecostal church down the street does that type crazy stuff once in a while.  Always wanted to check it out but that stuff just isn’t biblical you know.  Plus it just scares the mess outta me so I just leave it to them.”

Me:  “Well, there are actual passages of scripture that God tells us we’ll still do those type things in the name of Jesus…”

Preacher dude:  “Hold on son,  let me interrupt.  I have several fine degrees on the wall that tells me differently and if you persist in blaspheming with that craziness you talkin’ about, I may have to get my big, bronze cross I keep on the table in front of the pulpit and hit you over the head to knock some sense into ya!:

Me:  “Calm down, calm down.  No need to get violent.  I appreciate your time but I think I’ll just ask God about all this “Revival” stuff and see what He has to say.”

 

Does this sound familiar to anyone reading this?  For years, this was what I thought Revival meant… a time when we got together as a church and had a “Spiritual Pep Rally” that lasted for a week, with lots of yelling, preaching on how disobedience could send you straight to hell and when my time was severely inconvenienced.  Not only did I have to go to church seven more times that week than I cared to, no one got saved (okay…maybe one or two), no one got healed, no one got set free of their spiritual bondages and the church usually went back to the “same ol’, same ol'” after that week.  The main thing that many people gained from that week of “Revival”  was a few more pounds to carry around because all the country women in the church used the Revival as a time to show off their expertise in the kitchen.  The food was ggggooooooooddddddd, and I’d tell ya that the real Revival took place in their kitchens that week and not at church.

So what is Revival and why do we even need it?  I’ll try to tackle these questions in the Part II so come on back soon!

 

A Little Faith and Obedience Can Go a Long Way

Sometimes it’s hard to walk in faith, and be obedient to God’s prompting, particularly when it comes to praying for others that you don’t really know in an environment that doesn’t lend itself to praying healing over someone.  I often fail to do what it is that God is prompting me to do.  It’s uncomfortable and awkward.  But God isn’t concerned about our comfort and image levels when it comes to getting the work of the Kingdom done. 

So it was that I found myself visiting with some ladies that I support at their residence.  When I arrived, the support staff invited me inside, and as I followed her into the living room area to visit, I noticed that she was limping severely.  I asked what she had done to her ankle and she told me that she had injured it on some steps leading into a home.  She told me it was really bruised, swollen and very difficult to move and walk on.  She hadn’t had a chance to go to the doctor yet though.

I conducted my visit, and before leaving asked if I could pray for her ankle.  I began praying healing over her ankle.  After a moment, I stopped and asked her how her ankle was feeling.  Her eyes lit up and told me that I would think she was crazy but that she felt as if electricity was going through her ankle.  I asked her to move it in a way that she couldn’t before and she began moving her toes, which she told me that she couldn’t do before.  I thanked Jesus for what He was doing for her ankle and then prayed again, this time commanding in the name of Jesus that the pain and inflammation/swelling leave her foot.  I stopped praying and asked again how her ankle was feeling.  Her eyes grew even bigger and told me that I was really going to think she was crazy now but that when I took my hands off of her, she felt “something just leave.”  She reiterated that she felt something leave her foot adding that her ankle was still tingling, now warm and feeling as if electricity was going through it. 

Knowing that the healing power of Christ had fallen on her, I prayed once again.  After finishing, she was moving her ankle, walking and putting pressure on it.  She was praising and thanking Jesus for the dramatic difference in her ankle.  I wanted to continue praying for her but she had to get back to caring for the residents in the home.  She hugged me excitedly, claiming her healing and thanked me for praying for her.

It was an awesome experience to see the power of the Holy Spirit in action.  I know that Jesus still heals today.  I’ve been personally touched twice but being used as a living instrument to bring the healing power of Jesus Christ himself to this hurting world is a humbling realization and confirmation that when Jesus said that we’d still heal in His name….He meant it!  Praise the Lord.  Thank you Jesus for being exactly who the Bible tells us you are – The Great Healer.

So, who have you prayed healing over this week?  Want to get in on the action?  Then just walk in a little faith and obedience and pray for someone needing healing this week.  No telling how God will move through a little faith and obedience from His followers.

Jesus – The Great Healer

Throughout Jesus’ ministry, He went about healing the sick, the lame, the blind, the deaf and those with broken lives.  The New Testament is full of  amazing and awesome testimonies of the healing power of Jesus.  For those of us that profess Christ as Savior, we believe in these healings recorded in the Bible.  After all, it was Jesus right?  But what about today?  Do these same healings still take place?  Do the blind still see, the deaf still hear and the lame still walk? 

Unfortunately, I guess it depends on what denominational doctrine you cling too!  There are many that hold to an erroneous doctrine that healings (along with the Gifts of the Spirit) ended when the apostles died off, and barring a Sovereign touch from God, you’re just outta luck if you are needing a healing, while others believe (and KNOW) that God still heals today just as He did in Jesus’ time.  But instead of it being through Christ, He heals through His body of believers who are crazy enough to actually believe the Bible when Jesus said we’d do all the things that He did but in an even greater way.  We belong to the “crazy enough” group.

Let me give some examples why:

1.)  Simply, I was healed of allergies three years ago in Brazil when the Holy Spirit healed me through Audrey laying hands on me.  Haven’t taken an allergy medication since.  The night I was healed, I put down my prescription and haven’t looked back. 

2.)  This past week at a Healing and Impartation Ministry School, a  lady that was in her last days and ready to have Hospice called in was totatally healed.  Her intestines burst a year ago and she was in septic shock for 45 mins. before the medical team got to her.  She shouldn’t have made it but she did.  Since, it’s been constant diarrhea, medications, pain and her autonomic system (controls all the involuntary stuff like breathing) was fried and on the verge of shutting down.  It took her hours in the morning to get going because her body didn’t want to work and only the medications would start them up.  Rodney Hogue and a team of ‘crazy enoughs” laid hands on her and she is now free of her sickness.  She could eat foods she hasn’t been able to eat in a long time.  She gets right up from bed and is actually constipated now.  And no more medications. 

3.)  A lady came for healing that has been suffering from depression for years with suicidal thoughts.  She could feel the darkness over her.  A  team of “crazy enoughs”  laid hands on her and  that darkness was released and she was filled with the Love and Peace that comes only from God and His precious Son, Jesus Christ.  She said he felt the darkness leave and a beautiful white light came and moved from one side of her head to the other.  She was healed and touched by the Love of God.

4.)  A lady that has major issues with her lower vertebrae that extend down into her behind was in constant pain.  It hurt to stand up, sit down and just sit.  She was touched and healed.  It was beautiful to see her jumping about in the Spirit.

5.)  People with metal screws and rods in their bodies were able to move and do things they hadn’t been able to do in years, free of pain.  No one laid hands on them.  Just a simple man that understands who He is in Christ had the faith to speak healing over them.

6.)  A guy that has had issues with a hernia in his abdominal area and stomach issues came to learn more about healing and to be touched by God.  The hernia would get sore and tender and give him problems.  The stomach issues weren’t even diagnosed but  was getting worse and affecting what he could eat because he didn’t want his stomach getting upset and hurting.  He was being touched by the Spirit when a healing rain feel on his stomach area.  It got soothingly warm, like a heating pad had been placed on it.  He was standing, just being touched.  No one was touching him and he wasn’t touching his stomach area or talking about the wonderful sensation he was feeling when the  young man speaking, who is hungry for God and has traveled the world reaching lost souls, spoke up and told Patrick Loyd that he was being touched and healed in that exact spot where the soothing warmth was.    It was a sovereign touch from God.  What an awesome experience.  Not only has God healed me once but twice.  What an awesome daddy I have that stands over all creation as the Almighty I Am.

I can’t make you believe any of these testimonies.  I don’t think even Jesus can because He’s already told us that this would happen, and many still don’t believe.  You either believe or you don’t.  But Truth is Truth.  Yea, it’s still hard for my simple mind to conceive but my mind doesn’t need to conceive because my spirit does.  I know what I know and it’s the Truth because not only has Jesus told me so, He’s shown Himself faithful to His Word. 

It’s time for the church to awake, and to embrace who we are in Christ and the authority and power we have been given to carry on the ministry of Jesus Christ.  Healings are still for today and God wants to use each of us to heal the sick, the broken, the addicted, the depressed and the mentally ill.  It’s time to let go of your tired (and just plain wrong) doctrines and walk in authority.  There’s too many people needing the healing rain of God to shower them in healing blessings. 

Love’s the Only House

The Pain’s got to go somewhere.

Yea…the pain’s gotta go someplace

So come on down to MY house

Don’t you know that Love’s the only house big enough for all the pain

Powerful song by Martina McBride that has a lot of raw truth to it.  Love is the only house that’s big enough for all the pain in the world but unfortunately there’s not enough of it in this dark world….at least, not the one true Love that can really make a difference in someone’s life. 

It’s the Love of Jesus that is the one weapon that can destroy all the hurt, pain, depression, addiction and oppression that has weighed us down for so long and wounded our souls, leaving us broken and defeated.  It’s only the Love given to us from Christ that has a purity and power behind it to cut through all the stigmas and unlovable parts of our being and touch the core of our spirits.  His Love is unconditional and without bias.  It doesn’t look at who we are at that very moment but who we can be, will be,  if we just lay ourselves at His feet and let Him hug on and love on us.  His Love saves, it heals, it breaks spiritual chains and sets the spiritual captives free.  It forgives us and it wipes our past from life’s rear-view mirror.

I can love you but there will come a day when my love just won’t be enough to get you through.  I will eventually disappoint you and hurt you.  Not because I don’t care but because I’m simply a flawed human being.  But when you allow Jesus to love you, then you will never be hurt, never be disappointed and never be left alone.  His love is perfect and His Love is living.  Let Him love you today.  Lay yourself at His feet and tell Him that you need Him to take your pain somewhere …any place, so that you can begin to be healed and made whole again. 

Yea, Jesus is the only house big enough for all the pain in the world and where the life-changing and powerful healing Love of God can be found.  So come on in!