I've been seeking the scripture these days to find something to really help with the restlessness I feel inside.  I just want to get out there and get going with things and every day that goes by where there's little or no progress towards this makes me more and more uncomfortable.  Today I was reading Romans 12 where it ends with a simple yet profound verse that says be not overcome with evil but overcome evil with good.  The entire chapter is good but this particular caught my eye.  I truly believe that the trials we come to in life can all be overcome by faith.  Circumstances may not do what we want them to faith or not but we can win the inner war that's the most important via faith.  Verse three speaks of sober though which I think of as stable thought...this is a treasure to me.  I desire to find stability and this shows that the measure of faith that God has given us is the key to this.  Even when we can't be going and doing what we want to do there's a way to attain what God has for us before we go anywhere by having faith and praying for that which is the Lord's will in our lives.  We are sadly often robbed of this gift since we seek that which is temporal.  We are like Thomas who had to see to believe.  Many of us knowingly or unknowningly walk around with a devastated faith that can't believe for much for daily life let alone the bigger things in life.  I really believe that Thomas had been devastated by the circumstance of the day...much as the other disciples had.  They had seen the Lord crucified and weren't thinking about the other things He had said about raising again from the dead.  We also have a faith that is often devastated by thing that seem to speak against anything that God has ever spoken...some Christians are so out of touch that they don't know or want to know what God wants them to do in life so they don't even have a foundation from which they can expand thier faith.  I remember that when I was in India I went through some terrible trials on several levels.  I was very ill in my body and my faith was at an all time low because I felt that I knew what God wanted for me there and nothing was working out at all.  That place brought me to a point where I finally had to really seek the Lord, there was nowhere else to go and I couldn't do one more thing on my own...I knew that seeking God was my only resort and whatever He wanted would be my goal since my way had utterly failed.  I began to read the scriptures the way God intended...like it was speaking directly to me and was all for me.  The Gospels were mine...the hidden treasures of the old testiment were mine...it changed my life!  Many today find little that they can relate to in the scripture because they have never submitted themselves to the Word at all.  God was the means to have what they were already doing be 'blessed' or was something they felt pressured to do.  It was never about relationship nor was it about a changed life.  You can never attain contentment without submission to God's will.  Everything will be sand in your grip and gravel in your mouth.  We run like Jonah away from His design for our lives but in the end you will be spat up on the beach with your crushed dreams and have nothing left but to give the Lord your life.  Even if you don't understand what the committment to God was about when you first received Him...the committment remains binding.  You are a new creature in Christ wether you like it or not and living as you did before can not satisfy you now.  I life of denial is a shipwreck of a life but many run until their dying day.  Verse one in Romans chapter twelve speaks of the renwal of the mind...this is the key to a God centered life and an unstoppable committment.  Seeking God through the scripture and prayer and submitting your will to His is the only way to calm the ragin storms inside ourselves.  We think that the stuff that happens outside is so huge but nothing is bigger than the inner storms we face as we run from God and stubbornly refuse to do what He wants us to do.  How much easier we think to offer up exscuse after exscuse as to why we can't come to church or why we can't be involved with the things God has for us.  The problem is He knows everything and there's no exception to His Word.  We all are accountable and we are all required to have a relationship with God...this is true freedom and the only true way.  Christ is indeed the way the truth and the life!

Today in Romans eleven I come to yet another scripture that is very relevant for today's situation.  Paul here is speaking of the difficulty of watching his own people the Jews turn away from God and seeing their desperate spiritual situation.  Here he can see that they are children of the promise but have thrown it away and left their inheritance to others.  I find that history is very much repeating itself in the church today but what I like about this scripture is not the surface negativity but rather the promise that's contained in the whole chapter.  Verse four mentions the remnant...those that have not bowed the knee to Baal.  I believe that you would do no damage to the scripture to say that Baal could be the world's system or secularism or any other thing that is contrary to the Word of God.  No matter how dark it looks or how hopeless it seems for the Body of Christ at times there's always that few that are set aside to the dedication of the ministry and to be utterly committed to the Lord.  Further on in the chapter we see another favorite scripture of mine that speaks of the gifts and calling of God are without repentance...or can't be taken back.  This shows the power of God's committment to us...earlier in the chapter we see the wisdom of returning God's committment to us with committment towards Him as well.  You can't experience the blessing of God when you refuse to accept responsibility for what He's given us as Christians.  We all have a responsibility to the Great Commission and we have a responsibility towards the human race...this covers ourselves personally and our family but also shows a call to the other people in the world today.  I remember that in the past we made a huge mistake in the Body of Christ by suggesting that only a few were really called to 'full time' ministry.  Now I can see that there's not a Christian alive that doesn't bear the responsibility of behaving as a Christian full time.  It's not only the pastor or missionaries or 'big' ministries on the tv that are responsible to God...we who have received the son of God into our lives are all responsible.  We are blessed to take on as much responsibility as we can to witness about Jesus and take the high moral ground with us where ever we go.  Most hide within Christianity feeling that they are 'safe' to associate with the churh without a committment in their daily lives but this is a lifestyle that leads to a devastating double standard.  The bible says that our eye should be single...we should be sure about the course we are taking in life...if it's with Christ than it's with Him all the way.  The Word also mentions a house that's divided against itself can't stand...this is true on a personal level as well.  Professing Christ while living like the Devil is a divided house if I ever saw it!  Like it or not the things we do effects other people and this must be considered.  I have found that personally there are some things that I am determined I won't bow on but other things I can feel that the Lord is dealing with me to do something for the sake of other people.  Is what I'm doing hurting my family?  Is it damaging to the Body of Christ or merely tweaking those that are religious?  It's vital to be in the mindset that if we're in doubt we turn to the Lord and be led by what He tells us.  This is the power of relationship and this is what sets the remnant apart from the religious masses.  This is not about a set rule book but about seeking God in every situation to find what pleases Him.  The bible doesn't say thou shalt not smoke...what should you do?  I find what God says by asking Him and praying to Him.  I can't say for everyone but I know that we're the temple of the living God so I shouldn't do what can lead to it's death now should I?  This is one example but there are many others.  Seek and ye shall find...knock and the door will be opened.  This is relationship with our God.

Yesterday I was talking to some friends and we were talking about the difference between now and how it was even just a few years ago in the Body of Christ.  The difference is really startling when you sit down and think about it.  I remember a time when everybody wanted to go to bible school and then move on to start a church and do the work of the ministry.  There was a general knowledge of the Word of God and people had an expectation that before their lives were over they'd see the Second Coming of Christ.  Years went by and before long we started to think that maybe we wouldn't see the Lord's return but our children surely would.  The most startling thing I can see this day and age is the lack of willingness for younger people to pick up the ministry with the same zeal that we've seen in the past.  This can be seen as the big ministries that I've been familiar with in the past are taken by the sons of the men of God that started some great works.  Lately some of these men have been seen on the news and there's been some talk that I find very disturbing.  Rick Warren was on Fox News not long ago and they had a whole article on their website entitled:  Can Rick Warren Save the World?  It really bothered me on many levels.  Number one the complete lack of understanding not just of people in the world but in the Body of Christ about the basics of salvation and speaking in tongues and other things that should be known not long after a person is born again seems to be a lost and there's lots of books and material out there that hover around the very basic truths of salvation.  I love salvation and the message is of course timeless and wonderful but it seems to me that there should be some material out there that is deeper than things such as books disputing the Da Vinci Code.  If we were grounded in the Word of God the way we should be these things wouldn't even be worth the time of day but the weakening of the committment that is in the church these days has made every wind of doctrine a threat because people don't know the Word nor do they consider it their responsibility to know it or do anything with their testimonies.  We have become a church filled with spiritual laziness and fraught with sins that are nowhere near petty.  There's major moral delimnas in the church and people don't know enough of the Word to even feel guilt.  They feel no obligation to their children nor to the mission field of the world.  I have been reading a book about missions in the world since the apostle Paul and you can see a pattern of revival followed by decline...or what many have called a dark age.  This has happened over and over again and can be seen in the bible over and over.  Are we nearing the end?  Is this history merely repeating itself yet again?  The truth is I honestly don't know though I personally believe that it's nearing the end.  The fact is that it doesn't matter which of these things are the truth.  The fact remains that the human race is still in need of a savior and Christ is that saviour.  I was reading in Romans chapter 10 where it is speaking of Israel being a people of zeal yet without knowledge (of Salvation).  I find that we live in a time where the earth is filled with many in the church that have neither zeal nor knowledge and the answer to this is the same that it was in Romans chapter 10.  It tells of the need of a preacher...how will they know if they don't hear?  Many take this as a call to a world that doens't know Jesus but I think this is also for a church that doesn't know Jesus!  How ironic that many evangelists will cross the deepest oceans to make a single convert yet when that convert is made where is the zeal to train them?  Who will tell them that the same God that loves them and brought them into the Body of Christ still has mercy and not condemnation?  Who will raise them up to know the responsibilities that are theirs as a Christian?  Who will show them the miracle of a life dedicated to Jesus Christ?  Do we really need one more picture of the thousands that were saved at another crusade?  What happens do these people?  Do they become religious?  Disillusioned?  There's a call out there for us to do something but it's a call that isn't often a pleasant one.  Like the prophets of old we are called to a people that often don't want to hear us.  Many won't show up without food being there...it reminds me of the new testiment that speaks of a church that actually fought over the food that was there for communion!  Many want entertainment rather than talk of committment but I know that Eagle Ministries will ever offer more than just talk of committment...we will be there with the Word and with Power.  God is not just a man that offers empty promises and is happy with a big church filled with people that the paster has never met or talked to before.  He desires direct communicaton with His people...He wants an army that is trained and knows their commander in chief.  We are not safe because we are American nor free of responsibility because we attend church once in a while.  I hear the nations calling for a real God who is not interested in empty politics or pizza parties to keep the young people in the youth group.  I hear God saying:  "Blessed are the feet of them (Eagle Ministries) that bring good news!

Today my reading brought me to Isaiah chapter 26.  There is a beautiful illistration in the first part of the chapter which talks about our faith in God as a strong city that we are safe in.  I love this because it goes from the standard human reasoning that says that money or things that are temporal are your only security and moves it into the zone where true strength lies.  Lately we've been so blessed with our trip to Japan that's coming up.  We had another dry couple of days where it seemed that there was no progress and then a dear friend of ours gave a thousand dollars towards that trip!  I am so very thankful that in spite of moments of weakness God looks at our faith and His plan for our lives and invests in that rather than punishing us.  Verse two proclaims that Salvation is our wall!  I love that...this is not a hinderance to all that would be good but rather is a protection against those things that try to bring ruin.  It says that the gates only open to the righteous.  This is quite a protection!  Buildings fail...natural disasters can ruin the most beautiful of homes but the walls of salvation can never be destroyed.  This is the blessed assurance that though things that you don't expect happen you know that God will bring things around to be a blessing in the long run.  I know that for not only this coming trip to Japan but for Eagle Ministries at large this is true.  There have been things that just won't go away that have troubled us for years.  The financial difficulties in particular have been a huge thorn in our sides.  I'm so tired of people that live morally depraved lives using that as a weapon against us.  I know that before it's all said and done we'll see the victory of God again and again in this area in particular.  I don't know how we're going to do all that God wants us too but I know that it will all come to pass one way or another.  I thank God that the gates will open to allow the provision of God to come in and our Salvation will remain a wall against the things that the Devil has in mind for us.  This is our day!  I am so glad we can dwell in spiritual fortress rather than a natural one and know that we are protected there!

We didn't think we were going to do much of anything for the Summer that was exciting.  We didn't camp, we did'nt think we were going to go to the fair but things worked out thanks to God who made a way for Love's check to stretch and get us to the fair.  We had a really good time.  The kids always seem to get such a kick out of it and the baby absolutely loved it...I didn't expect that!  They were expecting a big storm to hit right as we were going but it didn't do anything except make some really beautiful clouds.  We went with Steve and his younger sister Kathy and that made it just perfect!  Kathy is heading back to college out of state so it was the last time we'd see her until Thanksgiving.  It's always good to have Steve around because we really do like him.  I've always loved his sense of humor and he's very good with the children.  I was mostly tied up with the baby and Lovely was taking pictures so Kathy and Steve rode on several rides with the kids.  It was the perfect night where not one thing went wrong and we will all remember it for some time to come.  Thank God for His willingness to make a way for us to do things like that.  It may not be something deemed religious but it was very fun and we all enjoyed it so much.

Today my reading brought me to Mark the fifth chapter.  There is a lesson to be learned here that really started to strike me when I read about the mad man of Gadera.  This man had been in terrible demonic torment for a long time.  He was endlessly haunted by the demons in his life...he lived in a graveyard and couldn't be contained by any chain or prison.  Here is this tormented man whom is held by very powerful demonic forces yet he manages to find his way to Jesus whom casts the demons out.  The demons enter a heard of pigs and are driven insane by the demons and die by drowning.  The town comes out when they hear about this and in spite of the great miracle that happens they tell Jeus to go away!  The once mad man asks to come with Jesus but is told to use his testimony to help others which displays Christs mercy in the face of a group of people that can witness a miracle like that and yet reject Him.  This is a powerful lesson indeed!  Hearing about Jesus is never enough...to experience deliverance by His hand can bring a total change of heart which in itself is a miracle every bit as great as being delivered from demons.  Many hear about Jesus but don't change their lifestyle one bit.  They continue on a course which they feel is logical and take any scripture they can as a further justification that they can do what they want but a real change of heart brings the attitude that no matter what Christ says you'll follow.  It may not seem logical to you nor bring a raise at work but it will lead you to a closer relationship with Him and bring you to the exact place you need to be.  Later on in this same chapter we see the woman with the issue of blood who touches Jesus and is healed.  Jesus asks who touched him...the disciples are incredulous because He's being touched by many but this woman caused the annointing to go out and bring healing...she was different from the rest of the crowd not so much from the disease she had but because of the faith she had...it made her whole.  I can't escape the sense that God is really speaking her.  We've heard about how we are to be the salt of the world...which means different from the rest.  Many criticize president Bush, many won't be faithful in church...this isn't unique at all but to chose the course of committment is different.  Man can never amount to anything if he or she will not commit to a cause higher than he or she is.  There's many things a person can do for others but the road God has for you is the most important though it may not bring recognition nor an money.  The bible says that the first will be last and the last first.  Many that are though to be rich and powerful now will be last then...when Christ returns and the ones thought of as lowly and poor now will be most then.  It's seems that so many have lost the grip that this world is temporal but the afterlife is forever...which should we invest in?

Yesterday we were attending the going away party for Kathy since she's getting ready to head back to college in Missouri.  Christopher, Doug, Tim and his friend and I went for a walk.  It was starting to get dark and we were watching a large storm pass us.  We finally felt that it was time to head back home.  We had two guns with us.  Tim had his .22 rifle and I had my .45.  We were going down the road and my eyes were drawn to some movement.  Christopher was just about to step right on a small rattlesnake!  It wasn't coiled up or threatening to strike but was moving so slowly that had we not seen it someone would have stepped on it for sure.  God really protected us!  It reminds me of many years ago when I was a young man and we owned some property near the Stillwater River.  We used to like playing in a barn near our property.  I was near the wall of the barn when I looked down to see a very large prarie rattler coiled up right between my feet!  Fortunately it seemed content to lay there but I wasn't!  We came back and killed it with a shovel.  I still have the rattle from that and the one from last night...check out the pictures in the slide section!

Last night we had our first practice session for the music that we will put on the new albums we'll have this year.  Our ministry has been very unique in that we have been very blessed to receive our songs from God and never have to get songs from elsewhere to sing for praise and worship.  The songs we worked on last night were some of the most anointed I've ever heard.  Julie and mom worked on them and I have to say my hat is off to Julie for the work she did.  Mom has also written so many wonderful songs.  I feel so honored to be able to be a part of that with the ministry.  This is going ot be a year of great music (again).  I just know that this stuff would be accepted worldwide and be a total blessing if we had the chance to sing it in other places.  I remember the times we've dont this in the past and it doesn't tak much to realize that the anointing on this music is still having it's effect long after we're gone.  There's deliverance in there and there's the pressence of God that deals with everything you could ever really need.  Thank God for this music and thank God once again for Eagle Ministries without which I wouldn't have a life at all.