Tag Archives: ministry

When you get Bucked off the Horse… get back on!

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RODEO: MAY 10 Mother Lode Round-upNot everyone can say they have been bucked off a horse during their life. Well, it would seem that not only was it a “right of passage” in my upbringing but it was something that happened more than once. Even though my father had a talent for training and breaking horses. I had just the opposite effect on them. Whatever the reason might have been, whether the horse was ornery, poorly synched or just a wild hair, I’ve landed on the ground more than I would like to admit. But my father’s words

Just because you get bucked off the horse doesn’t mean you don’t get back on!    (tweet)

always echoed in my mind, “Bill, you must get back on”. His point being, if you allow the fear of “what if it happens again” keep you down, you will never get back on and enjoy the ride.

Over the years, many believers have been bucked off the wall of their responsibility as intercessory prayer warriors. Many have become discouraged from not seeing prayers answered; some have fallen asleep spiritually or grown spiritually weak and frustrated. But now is the time to shake off the spirit of fear, rejection and apathy and get back on the wall as intercessors and watchmen. For God has called you in these crucial days to be alert and watchful more than ever before in behalf of His people.

Just like getting bucked off of a horse—it is essential to get back on. Enough is enough! Whatever has caused you to be distracted, whether just or unjust, your fault or someone else’s, bottom line is it has knocked you out of your post,! The Father is lovingly saying, you must get back on the wall and fulfill your responsibility.

If the wall is broken down and needs restored, we must roll up our sleeves and build it back up. When Hezekiah saw the enemy’s onslaught, he realized the need to strengthen himself and his kingdom, (II Chron. 32:5). Things had gotten relaxed, the walls had eroded and were weakened; therefore, the King was alerted to set things Continue reading →

Don’t Get Caught Running on Empty!

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Fort McMurray Forest FiresHow many times have you had someone come to you who are going through a difficult time and said, “I am running out of strength”? Whether it is relational, financial or spiritual, we have all probably given out so much we have found ourselves running on empty.

Over many years lighthouses have given light and help to those going through the darkness and storms. There’s one story of a lighthouse manager that through his kindness to others in need, had given out much of the lighthouses oil. One night in the midst of a horrific storm the oil ran out and therefore the light of protection went out also. Two ships that were struggling in the midst of the storm ended up crashing into the rocks and many lives were lost. When questioned why the Lighthouse light had gone out, the manager responded, “I didn’t replenishing the oil that I had given out”.

One of Jesus’ last sermons before he was crucified was in the context of leadership in the last days. In Matt 24 – 25, Jesus shares to His disciples about the end of the age and the signs that will confirm it. It will be difficult times even with the grace and power of God working amongst His people.

Jesus connected the preparation for the end times to intimacy with God. In these two chapters, Jesus gives one point in each of three parables pertaining to God’s

We can become disconnected from Jesus through the lack of intimacy with Him   (tweet)

delay in coming back for His bride. First, that the delay will be shorter than many will think. Second, that the delay is longer than many will think and thirdly, that it will be harder than many will think.

We are introduced in Matt 25:1-13, to the characters in the parable of the ten virgins. The “virgins” who were ones that were waiting for the bridegrooms coming and each had a “lantern”, signifying their light or ministry to others. Then we see Continue reading →

Keeping the Ax Sharp

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Have you ever come to the place in your life that you feel dry and dull? Maybe you have had an onslaught of work that seems to be piling up or your visiting family has gotten you to the point of exhaustion. Whatever the case might be you have found yourself totally spent and depleted. You have poured out so much that there isn’t one more ounce you can give. The cook’s statement, “it’s well done and on the verge of being burnt” describes you and where you seem to be.

I believe many find themselves in that familiar place more often than not.  In times of spiritual dryness, we need to be saturated in God. If we have become dry, it’s a good indication that we haven’t been soaking in the river that flows from God’s throne. In other words, when we become dull and to the point of not being effective for the cause of Christ, we need to get in the Lord’s presence.

William D. Boyd in his writing “I Work Too Hard” tells a story about a young man who approached the foreman of a logging crew and asked for a job. Impressed, the foreman exclaimed, “Start Monday!” Then Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday rolled by, and Thursday afternoon the foreman approached the young man and said, “You can pick up your paycheck on the way out today.” Startled, he replied, “I thought you paid on Friday.” “Normally we do,” answered the foreman, “but we’re letting you go today because you’ve fallen behind. Our daily felling charts show that you’ve dropped from first place on Monday to last on Wednesday.” “But I’m a hard worker,” the young man objected. “I arrive first, leave last, and even have worked through my coffee breaks!” The foreman, sensing the boy’s integrity, thought for a minute and then asked, “Have you been sharpening your ax?” The young man replied, “I’ve been working too hard to take the time.”

One of the enemy’s biggest strategies is getting us so busy that we never stop to sharpen our spiritual ax.  If our ax is dull then we use our own strength until we are so ineffective we burn out. Without a discipline of prayer in our lives we will become duller with the more work we do. Even when it is good righteous work that pleases God. Prayer is one of the very things that sharpens our spiritual edge.

Unfortunately, in trying times and being spiritually depleted, many people take a sabbatical, stopping the Lord’s work to gain rest and restoration. But if we look at the scripture it wasn’t until God was done with His work, creating the universe, that He stopped and rested, (Gen.2:2). When we become spiritually dull, we need to run to God in prayer and sit at His feet, soaking in the river of life not run away from Him. I do believe we can get off balance with our work unto the Lord, as we see Martha did in the Gospels. But let me also say stopping your work to do nothing is also wrong. It is essential that we spend time in His presence in prayer. If we are continuously basking in Him we will never get dull or burned out but will instead be fired up and sharp in the things of God. So let me leave you with this last statement. Don’t get so busy doing good works that you don’t have time to pray.