Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire (cont.)

I must confess I've believed a lie for the years I've been blogging. I've believed that you should only have one post per day. Where did I get that silly idea? Sometimes I don't have a blog idea for days or weeks. Sometimes I have several in one day and actually have the time to type them out. So, if that is the case, check my blog carefully, as there may be several with the same date in a row. I also learned that if you write one and save it as a draft to come back to later, then post it, it gets put in the order of the original date, not the date you posted it. Cutting, pasting, and deleting fixes that, or you would never have found my last post. Anyway, back to this great book, which I finished Fresh Faith today!

"Lord, I have no idea how to be a successful pastor," I prayed softly out there on the water. "I haven't been trained."...

Then quietly but forcefully, in words heard not with my ear but deep within my spirit, I sensed God speaking. "If you and your wife will lead my people to pray and call upon my name, you will never lack for something fresh to preach. I will supply all the money that's needed, both for the church and for your family, and you will never have a building large enough to contain the crowds I will send in response."

(The pastor addressed his congregation) "From this day on, the prayer meeting will be the barometer of our church. What happens on Tuesday night will be the gauge by which we will judge success or failure because that will be the measure by which God blesses us."

(After the congregation had been prompted to pray for weeks) We were not there to hear one another give voice to eloquent prayers; we were too desperate for that. We focused vertically, on God, rather than horizontally on one another. Much of the time we called out to the Lord as a group, all praying aloud in concert, a practice that continues to this day.

I also began to ease up in the Sunday meetings and not control them so tightly with a microphone. The usual format - two songs, then announcements, special music by the choir the offering, then the sermon, finally a benediction-was gradually laid aside as God began to loosen me up. I didn't have to be so nervous or uptight - or phony. I had only been protecting myself out of fear.

I've got to reiterate that EQUIP's first value is to have an upward focus.

1. Called to keep the focus on God
Acts 4: 24, “When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God.”

Prayer will be a primary focus, keeping the first things always first. Our posture will be to worship, seek, wait and respond. Quality time will be made for this priority.

We have prayer walks, we have prayer concerts and will continue to do so as we launch. We have seen many lives transformed on the westside this last year and are amazed and delighted to rejoice in the heart changes God has allowed us to witness. If you're interested in joining us on a prayer walk or prayer concert, let me know and I'll give you the details.

How am I doing? I'm battered. I slammed my shin into the trailer hitch last Thursday and have a lovely green bruise and tenderness. The tendon in my elbow is doing better. I've had a wonderful intestinal virus for about 10 days and can't have dairy because of it. I hope it goes away soon! On a good note, my blood pressure was down in the doctor's office last week. Yeah! Kristen has a lead on some gigs for playing the drums. The next two months are pretty busy with many EQUIP meetings and things scheduled. I'm taking a deep breath and heading into the wind. Blessings on this gorgeous sunny, clear Tuesday!