What a year 2007 was! One of the things that were of great concern to us here in Georgia was the drought, which is still with us. We are about twenty inches below normal. Our lakes are at a critical level for supplying our water and power needs. Yesterday, I drove by Lake Allatoona. It was just a small creek running through the middle of the lake bed. The ground is not saturated so there is no run-off into the streams that feed the lakes. In addition, our lakes are part of the water system for neighboring states. The U.S. Corps of Engineers controls the flow out of the lakes for power generation and water consumption as well as regulating the needs of the environment for the states.
In my personal life, there have been times of drought also. They have been of a different nature. I have experienced times of spiritual drought. The problem has been man-made, not by natural causes, however. I had not been filling up my reservoir with the necessary “living water” Jesus talks about in John 4:10. I had not saturated my spirit with his Word. Consequently there had been no run-off into the reservoir. I had not sensed the filling of the Holy Spirit’s presence. There was no “outflow”. My ability to help others “downstream” had been affected. I had no resources to draw on for others.
In times of spiritual drought, I did not have a sense of God’s presence. I did not feel close to God. Well, duh….guess who moved! I was not placing myself near Him by reading His word. I did not communicate with Him through prayer. Nor did I experience His presence by being with others in the fellowship of believers, His body.
Are you going through a time of “spiritual drought”? The solution would seem simple enough. “All I have to do is just work harder at being more spiritual. If I just pray more, read the Bible more, go to church every Sunday, I will feel closer to God.” You might think this. All those things are good and necessary for spiritual growth. Generally, however, I find that this line of thinking leads to frustration and guilt. There are some steps before these other things that have helped me to overcome spiritual dryness in the past.
1. Remember the times of His blessing and provision in times of need. Recall the times you felt close to Him.
2. Focus on God’s unconditional love for you. There is nothing you can do to get God to live you anymore, nor is there anything you can do to make God love you any less. His love is the same... yesterday, today and tomorrow.
3. Soak in His loving presence. Like a warm bath, let His love flood over you and surround you. God is present with you always. Just acknowledge His presence.
4. Relax. As Corrie Ten Boom, author of “The Hiding Place” said, “Don’t wrestle, nestle.” Self-effort is like “picking yourself up by your own bootstraps” (What a ridiculous visual that is!)
MINISTRY NEWS:
SPOKE AT BARTOW CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH’S MEN’S DINNER.
OFFICIATED A FUNERAL FOR A YOUNG MAN WHO DIED OF A DRUG OVERDOSE. I WAS ASKED TO FILL IN FOR A PASTOR FRIEND WHO LIVES IN CINCINNATI WHO COULD NOT COME TO TOWN FOR SERVICES.
FACILITATED TWO WEEKLY LUNCHTIME GROUPS FOR GOSHEN TRADING COMPANY.
FACILITATED WEEKLY FRIDAY MORNING MEN’S GROUP.
MET INDIVIDUALLY WITH MEN FOR ENCOURAGEMENT AND COUNSEL
POSTPONED TRIP TO GUATEMALA UNTIL A LATER TIME DUE TO SCHEDULING DIFFICULTIES FOR PARTICIPANTS.
MINISTRY NEEDS:
Suggestions on how I might come under a group health insurance policy. Our health insurance costs are running about $1000 per month with a $5000 deductible.
Christ - The ReeseSource - The Newsletter of Net Work Ministries, Inc.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Monday, January 7, 2008
Christ - The Reese Source - December 2007
Have you seen the commercial about fantastic finishes? As is the case with so many commercials, I cannot recall what the product was they were trying to sell. However, it shows several clips from sporting events where the team won on an amazing play at the end. One such play is Boston College quarterback, Doug Flutie’s last second, game winning sixty five yard touchdown pass against football powerhouse Miami. Another is the Cal-Stanford football game that ended with the ball carrier (I forget which team) running the last twenty yards through the opposition’s band, who thought the game had ended earlier and had come on the field, to cross the goal line as time ran out to score the winning points.
Each of us should strive to have fantastic finishes. Many of us are in the last quarter of our “games.” Some have climbed the ladder of success. Others have faced bitter disappointments. The question is…“What am I going to do with whatever time I have remaining?” We can win the last quarter! Bob Buford, in his great book, Half Time, talks about moving from success to significance. You may or may not have experienced the success you pursued, but the game is not over yet!
For men, the name of the game is significance. That is our driving force. What will we do that will have eternal significance? That is a great question to ask ourselves. When we stand before the Lord, will He say to us,”Well done, good and faithful servant”? Those are the words we should long to hear from Him. Telling people about our relationship with Jesus and demonstrating, by our lives, what that relationship means to us is one way to have eternal significance. Teaching our children and grandchildren about Jesus is a great place to start. Knowing that they will be with you in eternity is the greatest joy a man can have. To quote III John 9, “I have no greater joy than to know that my children (and their spouses and my grandchildren) are walking in the truth.”
Men, let’s give our best effort to win the last quarter. Don’t hold back. Play to win. Let us all strive for fantastic finishes!
One final note: Thanks to so many of you, Net Work Ministries had a fantastic finish to the year! At the end of October, we were approximately $25,000 behind. No, we did not completely erase the deficit; but we actually ended up less than $4,000 short. Considering where we came from, I think that qualifies as a “fantastic finish.” Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
MINISTRY NEWS:
On December 8th, fifty members of our Friday Morning Group and significant others celebrated the Christmas season at the home of Jack and Brenda Lyle with a fabulous dinner party and carol sing, accompanied by the two great keyboardists, Neal Sisson and Pat Head. Of note were the special group, The Five Golden Ringers, made up of Bob Mitchell, Peggy Reese, Jack and Brenda Lyle, Patti Pearlberg, and Marshall Dye. A guest appearance by Santa Pearlberg livened up the evening. There were 50 of us in attendance that evening.
The Goshen Trading corporate office study on Wednesdays at noon, as well as The Goshen Trading warehouse group that meets on Fridays at noon continue to develop and are looking forward to a new year together.
The Friday Morning Group finished studying the book “Prayer” by Phillip Yancey and will begin the book “The Language of God” by Francis Collins in January. Attendance has stayed strong.
MINISTRY NEEDS:
We would like to make up the deficit going into the New Year.
I would like to facilitate another men’s group in the morning other than Friday mornings.
Each of us should strive to have fantastic finishes. Many of us are in the last quarter of our “games.” Some have climbed the ladder of success. Others have faced bitter disappointments. The question is…“What am I going to do with whatever time I have remaining?” We can win the last quarter! Bob Buford, in his great book, Half Time, talks about moving from success to significance. You may or may not have experienced the success you pursued, but the game is not over yet!
For men, the name of the game is significance. That is our driving force. What will we do that will have eternal significance? That is a great question to ask ourselves. When we stand before the Lord, will He say to us,”Well done, good and faithful servant”? Those are the words we should long to hear from Him. Telling people about our relationship with Jesus and demonstrating, by our lives, what that relationship means to us is one way to have eternal significance. Teaching our children and grandchildren about Jesus is a great place to start. Knowing that they will be with you in eternity is the greatest joy a man can have. To quote III John 9, “I have no greater joy than to know that my children (and their spouses and my grandchildren) are walking in the truth.”
Men, let’s give our best effort to win the last quarter. Don’t hold back. Play to win. Let us all strive for fantastic finishes!
One final note: Thanks to so many of you, Net Work Ministries had a fantastic finish to the year! At the end of October, we were approximately $25,000 behind. No, we did not completely erase the deficit; but we actually ended up less than $4,000 short. Considering where we came from, I think that qualifies as a “fantastic finish.” Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
MINISTRY NEWS:
On December 8th, fifty members of our Friday Morning Group and significant others celebrated the Christmas season at the home of Jack and Brenda Lyle with a fabulous dinner party and carol sing, accompanied by the two great keyboardists, Neal Sisson and Pat Head. Of note were the special group, The Five Golden Ringers, made up of Bob Mitchell, Peggy Reese, Jack and Brenda Lyle, Patti Pearlberg, and Marshall Dye. A guest appearance by Santa Pearlberg livened up the evening. There were 50 of us in attendance that evening.
The Goshen Trading corporate office study on Wednesdays at noon, as well as The Goshen Trading warehouse group that meets on Fridays at noon continue to develop and are looking forward to a new year together.
The Friday Morning Group finished studying the book “Prayer” by Phillip Yancey and will begin the book “The Language of God” by Francis Collins in January. Attendance has stayed strong.
MINISTRY NEEDS:
We would like to make up the deficit going into the New Year.
I would like to facilitate another men’s group in the morning other than Friday mornings.