Daddy's New Scot

This trip didn't start off so great. Daddy rolled out of the neighborhood before 7AM only to hear a horn blaring behind him. It was Momma with his cellphone and sunglasses. Then another seven minutes down the road a phone call...did Daddy need his passport? Going to Canada? Yes! Another close save by Momma!!! The final problem was Daddy left his security card at home. Fortunately he could still operate his laptop without it, but couldn't access some encrypted files... It is a good thing Daddy's head is attached to his body or he might have left it somewhere and forgot where he put it!

The strangest thing happened after he landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia (New Scotland). He heard some strange muffled noises coming from the front pocket of his bag.

These sneaky animals were stow aways! I found out it was Cutipie and Dancing Giraffe.

Well, they wanted to see Canada, so the least I could do was to let them get out and ride up front with me so they could see the sights on the way to New Glasgow.

We got to the hotel and they jumped out and hugged each other.

Then they ran to the sink and got some water. It really makes you thirsty when you stow away on a long trip!

Daddy went to work for the afternoon. He came back and went for a run. He invited Cutiepie and Dancing Giraffe, but they didn't bring their running shoes so they stayed at the hotel. After the run, Daddy cleaned up and went to The Dock, an Irish Pub in downtown New Glascow. He had some very good fried Haddock and Garlic Mash (mashed potatoes). After that it was time for bed and everyone fell fast asleep.

Project ZT

This is an entry in my blog to chronicle a little project "ZT" (a.k.a. Zack's Tank).

This is a project I took on without a lot of investigation into the cost, time, and technology it would take to make it happen. It all started with a cardboard shell Lynne designed for Zack's 11th B-Day, for which I made an inner skeleton of 1x2s to keep it stable. It all snowballed from there...

Receiving God’s Blessings

Mal 3:10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.

How much of God’s blessings can you receive? How is it that the scripture implies that God would pour out such abundance that we would say to God, “Really, that is enough! I can’t take any more!” Let’s read some more and see how this could be.

II Chron 20:22-25
22 And when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.
23 For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end to the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another.
24 And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth and none escaped.
25 And when Jehosaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much.

• First, notice v22: What triggered the ambush? Singing Praise! Praise comes before victory.
• What does v25 sound like? Mal 3:10!
• Who do you suppose received the spoil … the one who stood in the midst of the dead bodies wondering at God’s amazing power, or the one who rolled up their sleeves and received the jewels and riches thanking God as they worked?

This was an opportunity, and each person had to invest themselves in order to receive. It was such an opportunity that they had a choice when to quit. Who received more, the person who quit after their hands were full, or the person who went and found a cart or a wagon, or buckets or whatever and worked at gathering the spoils until it was all gathered up?

Often, not always, but many times this “more than you can receive” takes the form of opportunities. Multiple opportunities. You say when it is enough. You have the choice between the opportunity to the left, to the right, or in front of you. You determine which blessing you want to receive and you go after it and get it. This kind of abundance is having options. It is not a “just enough of a blessing” to qualify as a blessing, it is a “Let’s Make a Deal” kind of blessing…”which door do you want to choose?” But instead of two dud prizes and one fabulous prize, all three are over-the-top fabulous prizes.

I think the fact that it took three days for the Israelites to gather all of the spoils is also prophetic of the Christian Believer’s life today … Jesus was dead for three days, and at the end He was raised from the dead, purchasing our lives for heaven, where God’s unlimited riches are. Where the windows of heaven are. From where all that we need comes from.

The fight isn’t ours, we “simply” have to obey God and

• walk how He said to walk,
• walk where He said to walk,
• extolling His mighty goodness, power, and majesty (Who He is)
• thanking Him for all that He has done, is doing, and will continue to do (praise before increase)

Jesus paid for it all.

Look at how the children of Israel (who lived under an inferior covenant compared to ours) came into their position of receiving. To get the picture, we need to back up in II Chron 20.

II Chron 20:1-4
1 After that, the Moabites, Ammonites and some Meunites went to war against Jehoshaphat.
2 Some people came and told him, "A huge army is coming from Edom to fight against you. They have come across the Dead Sea. They are already in Hazazon Tamar." Hazazon Tamar is also called En Gedi.
3 Jehoshaphat was alarmed. So he decided to ask the Lord for advice. He told all of the people of Judah to go without eating. 4 The people came together to ask the Lord for help. In fact, they came from every town in Judah to pray to him. NIrV

Notice that when King Jehoshaphat was confronted with a big problem, he immediately went to God for advice. Not only did he himself go to God, but he led others to seek God, to connect with God to get an answer. Let’s continue on with this event skipping to verse 14:

II Chron 20:14-21
14 Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Jahaziel. He was standing among the people of Israel. He was the son of Zechariah. Zechariah was the son of Benaiah. Benaiah was the son of Jeiel. Jeiel was the son of Mattaniah. Jahaziel was a Levite. He was from the family line of Asaph.
15 Jahaziel said, "King Jehoshaphat, listen! All you who live in Judah and Jerusalem, listen! The Lord says to you, 'Do not be afraid. Do not lose hope because of this huge army. The battle is not yours. It is mine.
16 " 'Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz. You will find them at the end of the valley in the Desert of Jeruel. 17 You will not have to fight this battle. Take your positions. Stand firm. You will see how I will save you. Judah and Jerusalem, do not be afraid. Do not lose hope. Go out and face them tomorrow. I will be with you.' "
18 Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face toward the ground. All of the people of Judah and Jerusalem also bowed down. They worshiped the Lord.
19 Then some Levites from the families of Kohath and Korah stood up. They praised the Lord, the God of Israel. They praised him with very loud voices.
20 Early in the morning all of the people left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they started out, Jehoshaphat stood up. He said, "Judah, listen to me! People of Jerusalem, listen to me! Have faith in the Lord your God. He'll take good care of you. Have faith in his prophets. Then you will have success."
21 Jehoshaphat asked the people for advice. Then he appointed men to sing to the Lord. He wanted them to praise him because of his glory and holiness. They marched out in front of the army. They said,
"Give thanks to the Lord.
His faithful love continues forever."

God anoints what He appoints. He appointed victory for His people. He appointed salvation. He appointed an ambush and destruction of the enemy. He gave very pointed instructions on what His people should do, where they should go.

If you like processes, here is the process they went through:

• Seeking God’s face
• Hearing God’s instructions
• Obeying His instructions (even when it isn’t “logical”)
• Praising Him for Who He is, and what His love will do for you
• Investing to Receive

This process will always work for you. No matter what the situation, you will always be the victor when you seek His face, wait for His instructions, and obey Him. While you wait for the answer to become obvious, praise Him. Follow His instructions and praise Him. Walk the path He has set before you and praise Him. Invest yourself (your time, your energy, your focus) in doing what He said to do and you will receive what He has promised. And praise Him!

This isn’t a work-for-riches principle. You can’t do anything to change God’s mind towards you, He has already determined to give you all He has because He already gave His Son and every blessing through the Spirit. (Eph 1:3) These heavenly blessings aren’t just earthly riches, it is everything we need in life to be content, happy, fulfilled, satisfied, and at peace—with ourselves and with others.

Eph 1:3 Give praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing. Those blessings come from the heavenly world. They belong to us because we belong to Christ. NiRV

Wealth is a heavenly blessing, but you can’t enjoy it if you are in strife, angry, void of peace, and discontented. Strive for the whole blessing: gain the internal qualities God desires for you and the external things of this life will seem to take care of themselves. The “work” to receive God’s blessings won’t be you working and sweating to somehow grab a hold of what you think you have the right to have. The work will be a natural expression of your relationship with God and you will know what needs to be done and when to do it. It starts by believing. And that is a whole message to itself.

The work it takes is realized in two steps:

1. Believing that what God’s says is true
2. Acting on that and obeying Him and His Word.

That is the essence of faith, believing and acting on what you believe. The acting on and obeying may take a different form in one person compared to another. It is an individual response from where you are with God and what He is saying to you. There will be many points of obedience common to everyone:

• Our opening scripture applies to every believer: Honoring God with your increase.
• Worshipping Him and magnifying Him and His mighty works in your life.
• And loving others:

I John 3:10 This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: those who do not do what is right are not God’s children; nor are those who do not love their brothers and sisters. NIV

I John 3:16-23 16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. 19 This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence
(vs 19 Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God. NLT)
20 whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.

21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22 and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 24 Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us. NIV

Gal 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. NIV

If you aren’t receiving, maybe you had better check your love walk. Another translation of the second part of verse 6 is “faith worketh through love.” The word worketh is the Greek word Energeo.

Energeo
1. to be operative, be at work, put forth power
a. to work for one, aid one
2. to effect
3. to display one's activity, show one's self operative

KJV (21) - be effectual, 1; be might in, 1; effectual fervent, 1; effectually work, 1; show forth (one's) self, 2; to do, 1; work, 12; work effectually in, 1; wrought, 1;

Faith is made effective, is given power or energy through love!

Love is the “Energizer Bunny” for faith. Like on that one commercial, where the hydroelectric plant goes into crisis but is saved by the Bunny. If you’ve done something to short circuit God’s control in your life, you need to call on love and put it into play to recover.

If you’ve got a love reservoir that is nothing but a muddy hole, your faith is going to get stuck! There will be nothing to move the generators to produce the needed power to move the current circumstances. Call on love and put it into play!

Don’t think you have to right every wrong, burn up the wires with love, be the poster child for Love. Start with acknowledging that God is right, you were wrong. Apologize to God, yourself, and in many cases your spouse and children. Make the turn-around and start walking in the love light that you have.

When you are walking in the light, walking in love, your heart will not be afraid. You won’t be timid or shy. You will walk with humble boldness into the throne room of heaven and ask your loving heavenly Father for what you need and He will gladly give it to you. Look again at I John 3:22.

I John 3:22 ... and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him.

Is that the place you want to be? Do you want to receive everything you ask of God? Then obey Him, do what pleases Him and you will have it all!

Put your focus off of the worldly idea of “having it all” and just hang out with God. When you get all of God, you have it all! Listen to Him at least as much time as you spend talking to Him. (And maybe even listen a great deal more.) He is the one with the answers!

Worship Him!
Make His word bigger in you than the world!
Declare His mighty works!
Recall what He has done for you in the past!
Thank Him for what He is doing for your future!
Celebrate His goodness!
Honor Him with the breath of your lips, the praises of your mouth, the steps of your feet, the path of your life.

Believing: Where it All Begins

Believing: Where it All Begins

Believe Defined

• be steadfast, to trust in, rely upon, be persuaded

• to have confidence in the truth, the existence, or the reliability of something, although without absolute proof that one is right in doing so

• to be persuaded of the truth or existence of

New Life and Right Standing with God

You can't approach God unless you believe

Heb 11:6 Without faith it isn't possible to please God. Those who come to God must believe that he exists. And they must believe that he rewards those who look to him. NIrV

Gen 15:6 And he [Abram] believed in (trusted in, relied on, remained steadfast to) the Lord, and He counted it to him as righteousness (right standing with God). AMP

There are consequences for not believing

Num 14:11-12 The LORD said to Moses, "How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the signs I have performed among them? 12 I will strike them down with a plague and destroy them, but I will make you into a nation greater and stronger than they." TNIV

Believing gains you forgiveness and everlasting life. Your heart and mouth, working in harmony, completes your right standing with God.

Acts 10:43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name." TNIV

John 3:16 For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life. AMP

Rom 10:10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. NIV

Believing in the good news of Christ is God's power in you. God's power being operational in you is based on believing.

Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the Gospel (good news) of Christ, for it is God's power working unto salvation [for deliverance from eternal death] to everyone who believes with a personal trust and a confident surrender and firm reliance, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in the Gospel a righteousness which God ascribes is revealed, both springing from faith and leading to faith [disclosed through the way of faith that arouses to more faith]. As it is written, The man who through faith is just and upright shall live and shall live by faith. AMP

Believing and Faith

Believing starts the process. Believing in your heart precedes effective saying and praying.

Mark 11:22-24 22 "Have faith in God," Jesus answered. 23 "Truly I tell you, if you say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and do not doubt in your heart but believe that what you say will happen, it will be done for you. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.“ TNIV

First believe, let yourself be persuaded.

Heb 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. TNIV

Faith (as an object) is the result of believing. It is having confidence that God is reliable and what He has promised will come to pass. It is the same concept as having confidence in the Postal System or Banking System (have you sent a letter or used your credit card lately?). The word credit comes from the Latin word credere “to believe” It isn't an intellectual process, it is a heart process, a spirit process.

Heb 11:1 NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]. AMP

You who are born again, you believed the Gospel message. You stepped out and took a hold of Christ and the redemption available only through Him. That belief turned into a saving faith. Faith is belief put into action.

Eph 2:8-9 8 God's grace has saved you because of your faith in Christ. Your salvation doesn't come from anything you do. It is God's gift. 9 It is not based on anything you have done. No one can brag about earning it. NIrV

It all starts with believing, but believing isn't enough. The demons believe, but they don't follow up that belief with action in harmony with it. Belief in harmony with action produces results.

James 2:19-24 19 You believe there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that. And they tremble!

20 You foolish man! Do you want proof that faith without good works is useless? 21 Our father Abraham offered his son Isaac on the altar. Wasn't he considered to be right with God because of what he did? 22 So you see that what he believed and what he did were working together. What he did made his faith complete.

23 That is what Scripture means where it says, "Abraham believed God. God accepted Abraham because he believed. So his faith made him right with God."—(Genesis 15:6) And that's not all. God called Abraham his friend. 24 So you see that a person is made right with God by what he does. It doesn't happen only because of what he believes. NirV

Be a DOER of the Word, not just a hearer only. Believing all day long won't produce anything. Believing needs to be turned into faith by doing the Word, walking in the light that you have.

Rom 2:13 For it is not merely hearing the Law [read] that makes one righteous before God, but it is the doers of the Law who will be held guiltless and acquitted and justified. AMP

James 1:22 Don't just listen to the word. You fool yourselves if you do that. You must do what it says. NirV

Believe God's Words, not empty words. Imitate how God does things. Operate in love. Being deceived is simply believing empty words. Words which are not full of God and His Truth, words which don't produce obedience to God.

Eph 5:1-2,6 1-2 Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that. The Message

... 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. NIrV

Receiving from God

The Centurion's understanding of authority enabled him to believe and receive from God.

Matt 8:5-13 5 When Jesus entered Capernaum, a Roman commander came to him. He asked Jesus for help. 6 "Lord," he said, "my servant lies at home and can't move. He is suffering terribly."

7 Jesus said, "I will go and heal him."

8 The commander replied, "Lord, I am not good enough to have you come into my house. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 I myself am a man under authority. And I have soldiers who obey my orders. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes. I tell that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."

10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. He said to those following him, "What I'm about to tell you is true. In Israel I have not found anyone whose faith is so strong.

13 Then Jesus said to the Roman commander, "Go! It will be done just as you believed it would."

And his servant was healed at that very hour. NIrV

When you believe, you don't stop at the first, second, or third road block—unresponsiveness, arguments why you shouldn't receive, insults—you keep you mind's eye on the goal of your believing.

Matt 15:21-28 21 Jesus left Galilee and went to the area of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A woman from Canaan lived near Tyre and Sidon. She came to him and cried out, "Lord! Son of David! Have mercy on me! A demon controls my daughter. She is suffering terribly."

23 Jesus did not say a word. So his disciples came to him. They begged him, "Send her away. She keeps crying out after us."

24 Jesus answered, "I was sent only to the people of Israel. They are like lost sheep."

25 Then the woman fell to her knees in front of him. "Lord! Help me!" she said.

26 He replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to their dogs."

27 "Yes, Lord," she said. "But even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their owners' table."

28 Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! You will be given what you are asking for." And her daughter was healed at that very moment. NIrV

Mark 9:17-27 & Matt 17:19-21

(Mark 9)

17 A man in the crowd answered. "Teacher," he said, "I brought you my son. He is controlled by a spirit. Because of this, my son can't speak anymore. 18 When the spirit takes hold of him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth. He grinds his teeth. And his body becomes stiff. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit. But they couldn't do it."

19 "You unbelieving people!" Jesus replied. "How long do I have to stay with you? How long do I have to put up with you? Bring the boy to me."

20 So they brought him. As soon as the spirit saw Jesus, it threw the boy into a fit. He fell to the ground. He rolled around and foamed at the mouth.

21 Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?"

"Since he was a child," he answered. 22 "The spirit has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us. Please help us."

23 " 'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for the one who believes."

24 Right away the boy's father cried out, "I do believe! Help me overcome my unbelief!"

25 Jesus saw that a crowd was running over to see what was happening. Then he ordered the evil spirit to leave the boy. "You spirit that makes him unable to hear and speak!" he said. "I command you, come out of him. Never enter him again."

26 The spirit screamed. It shook the boy wildly. Then it came out of him. The boy looked so lifeless that many people said, "He's dead." 27 But Jesus took him by the hand. He lifted the boy to his feet, and the boy stood up.

(Matt 17)

19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?”

20 So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. 21 However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”

Jesus didn't accept the father's responsibility to believe. It is each believer's responsibility! [I think that is why we are called believers...] God is merciful. His mercy is new every morning. And because of that Jesus helped the father overcome his unbelief and delivered the boy from demonic oppression.

Afterwards the disciples tried to figure out where they went wrong. Jesus pointed to their unbelief. Their level of unbelief required prayer and fasting in order to get rid of it.

Matt 9:20-22 20 And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. 21 For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.” 22 But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour. NKJV

She believed even with imperfect understanding. Her belief was put into action (faith) and she received what she believed.

Hindrances to Godly Believing

Starvation

1. Lack of the Word
2. Ignorance

Sin

1. Disobedience to the Word
2. Self-Righteousness
3. Not walking in the light you have

Ungodly Choices

1. Doubt
2. Fear
3. Complaining/Grumbling/Murmuring
4. Deception

Self-Sufficiency

1. Soul Power
2. Trying to do it without God's help

Cures to Unbelief

Obedience. Obey God's voice. Hone your listening skills. Obey the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Gen 6:22 Noah did everything exactly as God commanded him.

Respect God and His Word enough to obey what He says.

Heb 11:7 Noah had faith. So he built an ark to save his family. He built it because of his great respect for God. ...

Rom 10:14,17 14 How then shall they call upon [him] in whom they did not believe? and how shall they believe [on him] of whom they did not hear? and how shall they hear apart from one preaching? ...

17 so then the faith [is] by a report, and the report through a saying of God, YLT

Rom 8:14-17 14 Those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 15 You didn't receive a spirit that makes you a slave to fear once again. Instead you received the Holy Spirit, who makes you God's child. By the Spirit's power we call God "Abba." Abba means Father. 16 The Spirit himself joins with our spirits. Together they give witness that we are God's children.

17 As his children, we will receive all that he has for us. We will share what Christ receives. But we must share in his sufferings if we want to share in his glory. NIrV

Rom 12:2 Don't live any longer the way this world lives. Let your way of thinking be completely changed. Then you will be able to test what God wants for you. And you will agree that what he wants is right. His plan is good and pleasing and perfect. NirV

2 Cor 10:3-6 The world is unprincipled. It's dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn't fight fair. But we don't live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren't for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity. The Message

Gal 5:6 Circumcision and uncircumcision aren't worth anything to those who believe in Christ Jesus. The only thing that really counts is faith that shows itself through love. NirV

Don't get lost in all of the trappings of man-made religion. Focus in on living what you know, learning more about God's word. Living it, loving it, loving God and people.

Freed from Gout

May 2007

Since I was 18, my body has been periodically attacked by gout. I was on and off of the medication the doctors prescribed. I “learned to live with it.” I sometimes would go several years between serious attacks, and then gout would come back and I'd have fairly frequent attacks. The doctors said that gout is not curable, only controllable with medication and diet.

Since learning the message of faith in the early 90's, I exercised my faith from time to time, yearning for God to deliver me from this disease. I didn't really understand how to stand in faith. I thought I was healed and then an attack would come back several months or a year later.

At some point, it finally dawned on me that I wasn't following through. In mid-2004, a guest minister was at church and I decided that I was going to get what I wanted from God. I focused on what God's Word said about my condition and His goodness and faithfulness. I went up for prayer and believed that God was going to heal me. I received prayer and didn't feel any different afterwards, but I believed. I didn't need to take the medication (allopurinol) the doctors said I would be on for the rest of my life.

I had freedom for probably about 6 months and an attack came back. I think it was around Christmas time. My wife, Lynne, noted that often it seems that gout came knocking when I was under emotional stress. That seemed to be one of the triggers.

The problem was that I didn't know how to stand against this new attack. I quickly turned to medication and forgot about God's Word. For the next six months or year I doubted that my healing was “real.” “How could it be real if I am still suffering?” I would ask myself. I didn't know how to fight.

I felt God was directing me to start a Bible correspondence course. I started it in September 2005. The first topic was Faith. There were five or so units in this theme. One wonderful side benefit of this home study was that it facilitated having a consistent quiet study time in the mornings.

The 30-minute, early morning “classes” initially were tough on me, getting out of bed at 5:15AM was not my idea of a good time! After a while, though, I would wake up just before my alarm with an eager anticipation of what God would teach me next! I couldn't wait to get downstairs and feed on Godly books about His Word and faith in Him and His promises. I felt God's pleasure in this. My spirit was more open to hearing God than ever before.

I was beginning to believe again that I could be healed of the incurable disease. Then just before Christmas 2005, a Big Attack.

This was probably the most severe attack I ever had. I had a hard time to even walk. It lasted for several weeks during the Christmas holidays. We drove nine hours to my parents to have a family Christmas. I managed somehow. I started taking the colchecine medication which usually was effective in diminishing the pain and swelling. This time there was hardly any effect.

I searched the Internet looking for herbal supplement and diet solutions. I sought God on the “why.” I sincerely wanted to have God's direction on what steps I needed to take. I felt like I had the OK to start a diet and herbal supplement program. In the natural, it sounded good, and promised results in 7-10 days.

I started this program in January 2006. The supplement and diet fulfilled their promise! I felt great. But then gout started cycling though my body, affecting one area then another. There were one or more days of “freedom” between the attacks. All this while, I was continuing my Bible study course and seeking God for answers.

One answer He gave me was to obey what He already told me to do. One specific instruction I knew was concerning diet. So I had no choice but to obey. I made the shift from “I am free in Christ Jesus” to “I have made myself a bond servant of Christ.” Rather than declare that I was free to do “whatever I want,” I declared “Yes, Lord, I will obey the voice of Your Spirit!”

I also went back to the doctor for a blood test and to seek his advice. He said I had to be on the allopurinol or I would live to regret it. The blood test showed that my body was out of control with uric acid.

February 1, 2006: God finally got my attention during my morning quite time with the challenge “Either you are healed, or you're not!” He took me back to my faith stand in 2004. I pondered this. I took a day or so before I could come to grips with that challenge. I finally had to admit that I had stopped believing and really didn't have any choice but to start believing again. A few days or a week later, out of my spirit came the faith declaration: “I don't care how long it takes, I will get my healing!” My head argued for a minute (“You know, the devil will hear you and then you'll be a target for sure!”). My spirit was ready, but my mind took a while to allow my mouth to say it. I said it with gusto and conviction! For the next couple of months gout tried to insist that it owned me, ricocheting from toe to ankle to knee to the other knee, to ankle, to toes, etc.

Aug 1, 2006: By this time, I was walking free of gout. I don't really know when all of the symptoms left, but I was doing great by late summer. We started planning for a special NY trip in mid-September. The thought came to me that I didn't want anything to come between me and the complete enjoyment of our trip (knowing how important this trip was to Lynne, and how I didn't want to disappoint her or her parents who were paying for a lot of it). So I said to myself, “Well, I should start taking allopurinol to be sure I'm in good shape for the trip.” I started taking the allopurinol which doesn't start taking effect for a number of days. It was also about this time that I was supposed to go in for a quarterly blood test I had committed to at the doctors visit in January. I went in on August 3^rd. I didn't call in right away to get the test results back.

Aug 29, 2006: In the morning my right ankle was normal. By mid-day, it was starting to hurt a bit. By the time I left work, I could barely walk. I honestly considered calling the security folks to carry me out to my car. This attack made the Christmas 2005 Big Attack look like a stroll in the park. The next day I went to the doctor it was so painful. After a bunch of checking, x-rays and another blood test, the doctor couldn't say what it was. That blood test showed a uric acid level of 4-something. The blood test from the three weeks earlier test was a 6-something! (Seven or less is considered normal.) The first test was physical evidence that my physical body was manifesting the spiritual reality that I was healed. The second test was evidence that man's medicine was working too. I was having an attack for sure! It was a spiritual attack that my body was paying for. I didn't find out the reason why until almost nine months later. I did continue on the medication for a while more, and the NY trip went well. (Thank God for everlasting His mercy!)

Feb-March 2007: A year after I got back in faith, I was still having a lot of challenges. My right thumb started to become inflamed. I wanted relief. Not only did it hurt, it looked ugly. I was embarrassed. I figured I should put some kind of anti-inflammatory on it. I remembered some topical stuff we got in NY. I got it and put it on my thumb. All the while I was thinking about the topical stuff, I had a small voice telling me not to do it. I didn't listen. BIG mistake! My thumb almost doubled in size. It was so swollen that there weren't any wrinkles around the knuckle like you normally find. Hot, red, swollen.

I was now VERY self-conscious of my thumb and tried to hide it as much as possible. You know, keep it in my pocket, cover it with the fingers of my right hand, keep my hand out of the focal area of whoever I was talking to...

I wanted relief, I needed relief, I desperately longed for relief.

All this while I was still having my quiet time/study time. Under the direction of the Lord, I read less of the books and started reading more of the Bible. One Sunday morning I awoke earlier than usual and knew I needed extra quiet time. I went to my usual spot and asked God to help me with His Word. I was flipping through the New Testament and passed a section entitled “Instructions About Faith.” I flipped a few more pages when I was arrested by the Holy Spirit. “You need that!” “Yes, sir! I'll go back and read it!” Matthew 17:14-21. When I got to verse 21, the Lord spoke to my heart and spoke two things:

1. I was dealing with unbelief, and
2. I needed to get rid of it by fasting and praying.

I don't know when the last time was that I fasted. But I knew I had to be obedient. I started the fast instantly. I felt I needed to fast three days. Even though the next day, Monday, I got a free lunch at a department meeting I vowed to obey. (People at my table asked why I wasn't eating, I gave them enough of an answer to quiet their questions.) At the beginning of the third day, somehow I thought I had fasted enough. (Surely God didn't mean it when I thought He said three days!) Wrong! Another attack! I restarted on Thursday. But I had already arranged a breakfast time with my father-in-law that Saturday...surely God would understand if I broke fast! (Didn't I get it the first time?!) So finally I got it right the following week Wednesday through Friday.

All this time I was saying and praying, “Lord I need faith, I need to believe. I just have unbelief. I just need to get rid of this unbelief.” I even prayed as the father in Matthew 17 did, as recorded in Mark 9:24, “Lord I do believe, help my unbelief!”

After the fasting I was getting somewhat better, but still having a lot of attack. As we were getting ready for a Spring Break road trip to see my youngest sister in Nashville, my parents at their land in mid-western Tennessee, and then my other two sisters in Mississippi, I asked the Lord if He would allow me to take the colchecine medication which didn't address the blood uric acid level, but did address the swelling and pain. I felt like He would allow me to do that. So the trip started with minor pain and swelling in my left foot.

April 2-3, 2007: The first night at my sister's in Nashville, I was talking with my brother-in-law after dinner and we were sharing with each other what God was doing in our lives. I was explaining about this whole faith trip, this journey of healing, and all of the struggles I'd had. I spoke about that moment when the Lord caught me up short with the statement, “Either you are healed or you aren't!” In the past months, I had pushed that memory to a dark corner. While I was sitting there, the Lord brought it back to the light. During the night, in the early morning hours, I talked with God about the current circumstances and my state of believing. The Lord showed me how I was again walking in unbelief. I repented to God for this sin (yes, He identified it as sin). The Holy Spirit prompted me to choose belief and to declare “I believe.” I obeyed and declared it! I asked God to restore back to me that “feeling of faith” I had when I declared “I don't care how long it takes...” I AM HEALED, I WAS HEALED, I WILL REMAIN HEALED.

This latest unbelief started in August when I allowed fear to convince me I should start taking the allopurinol “just to be sure I didn't have any problems with gout during our NY trip.” The most ridiculous part of that is that I had a blood test all the while which was medical evidence of my spiritual blessing. It was physical proof of the spiritual reality. I really was already healed! However, stepping into fear and unbelief allowed the enemy access and I suffered on and off since that time until now. Today, that has all changed. I am taking back the ground I gave up. I will not sin by doubt and unbelief. I won't confess, “I just have unbelief.” Rather, I confess “I do believe. I am healed. My body is lining up with what God says about it.”

Recently, a friend gave me an article by Jerry Savelle which confirmed what I was beginning to pick up on, that I needed to spend more time praying (in my understanding as well as in the Spirit). That is where I will get the wisdom that God wants me to operate in. “Yes, Lord, I will obey.”

May 2007: Gout tried a comeback in April, but it didn't stand a chance. Getting rid of sin gave me protection! I still had to walk out my faith. But now my body is showing the reality that was established over 2000 years ago.

The Lord directed me to memorize Isaiah 53:4-5: 4 Surely He has borne our griefs (sicknesses, weaknesses, and distresses) and carried our sorrows and pains [of punishment], yet we [ignorantly] considered Him stricken, smitten, and afflicted by God [as if with leprosy]. 5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement [needful to obtain] peace and well-being for us was upon Him, and with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed and made whole. AMP

Obedience brings blessing. “Yes, Lord, I will obey.”

The Creative Urge

Urges are funny things. I've had urges to eat a certain food (craving). I've had urges to perform some physical act (scratching an itch, or pick that...piece of food from my teeth). I've had urges to utter some words delivered with a certain intonation (wise crack, or acerbic comeback).

But the urge I think I feel most deeply is the creative urge. It keeps me up at night later than is prudent. Maybe I don't get enough sleep, but I disregard that and keep going. It can be a distraction or a source of restoration, or both.

The creative urge is a part of our human inheritance. Inheritance from our Heavenly Father. He is the Creator! God knew what He was doing when He gave it to us. It can be a blessing and a curse. Any potent gift is the same way. It takes wisdom and patience to employ that potent gift or it all goes awry.

My current dilemma is figuring out how to balance the creative urge action with the responsible husband, father, volunteer, and employee action. Certainly, fulfilling the creative urge for no reason other than self-satisfaction is unbalanced. So there is a lower limit, a fence over which I should not leap. And certainly there must be an upper limit.

Life is a cycle, and a cycle doesn't consist of one activity. So I have many activities, responsibilities, and obligations which all must share me. Is that a better way to look at it? "Do you want a piece of me?" I should be asking myself, "Is this activity designed for me?" And more precisely, "Has God designed this activity for me?"

There are all sorts of things in this world which have a design on me. Wisdom calls out "Fear/Respect the Lord." I recently heard one say, "Respecting another means giving them the right to tell you no!" I have to listen to God's voice, His heart, His Spirit. Is He saying "No" or "Yes"?

In the Spirit there is Life and Peace. I have a choice to listen and obey, or barrel my way through and suffer the consequences. The choice becomes easy. Not at first, but after a while. Making the right choices over time matures, seasons, calms, and steadies.

So in the end, the creative urge is just one small part of this complex life. This life requires balance, maturity, and respect. Excuse me, I have to go grow some more...

Let's get the ball rolling

So I'm sitting here all morning and part of the afternoon trying to get things done and all I can seem to do is little spurts. Why is is that computers are such blessing and bane altogether? There are so many interesting things to be found, downloaded, tested and found to be of interest. But it seems that one out of 20 actually turn out to be anything that really helps me get more done while using the computer less.

I think the basic problem is that I want to be able to do more with the same (or less) amount of time. I want to be more creative, be better at keeping in touch with friends and family, manage the household, and use the computer for fun things with my wife and kids. But I want to spend less time staring today's version of the BOOB TUBE.

It calls my name..."Come, come see what else there is to discover..." Silent whispers. "Look! New, low prices on stuff!" Carefully crafted ethernet threads searching for a life of their own.

It is a tool. Tools are meant to be handled, controlled, manipulated, and put back down. But this tool is sneaky. It is sophisticated, subtle, suave. It spoon feeds you with daily news, hilarious video clips, a feeling of community. All because you've shared some bits and bytes with family, friends, and other unknown @s and coms.

It would be really easy to ricochet off of that and take the Luddite oath, but the
challenge in today's life is to reclaim the role of the master and relegate the tool to its proper position. The goal is to be as wise as a serpent, but as harmless as a dove. Use every tool to the best of my ability and then put it down until I need it again.

So what is the punch line here? Blogger is one of those tools I have serendipitously discovered and am trying to use to be more creative and do better at keeping in touch with friends and family. Will this be counted among the 1's or the remaining 19? I don't know yet. What I do know is that this tool is now being laid down.

Selah.